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forts of accidents; to accidents of nature as other men; to calamities which belonged to their office, as perfecutions, prifons, banishments, &c.

or any of the apostles, exercifed fuch a dominion as they plead for. This they can never do.

2. To make it appear that the reigning pope is the legal fucceffor of S. Peter. This article is equally difficult to the catholics. They cannot prove that S. Peter was Bishop of Rome-they cannot make out a legal exercife of epifcopal functions without a voluntary election of the people-they cannot even make out a clear fucceffion in their own way, on account of their anti-popes, want of historical materials, &c. &c.

3. They are required to prove, that Jefus Chrift has directed any of the fucceffors of the apostles to exercife fuch power, as they exercijed. The apoftles were endued with extraordinary gifts, and employed in extraordinary works; when the firft ceafed the laft ended alfo.

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3. Earthen

When they fay fuch things they deferve pity for their ignorance and abfurdity: but when they go farther, and make their pretended fucceffion a plea for their doctrine and worship, they merit the fevereft cenfure. Thus one of their hiftorians," San&ti patres hanc unam, cæteris ecclefiis pofthabitis, in Romana ecclefia pontificum incorruptam fucceffionem tanti fecerunt, ut eo velut fortiffimo demonftrationis genere ad veram tum doctrinam, tum religionem probandam, ufi fuerint." Platina Hift. de vit. Pontif. Rom. Præfat.

Some proteftant writers have had the courage to attempt to make out a regular canonical fucceffion in favour of their own ministry, and thereby to prove the purity of their church. One of this class calls the "canonical fucceffion of the English ministry præcipuam reformationis noftræ gleriam, the chief glory of our reformation. The papists, adds this violent Epifcopalian, account our clergy laymen, and call the whole order a royal, and a parliamenta

When the popifh writers fay, Jefus Chrift was the first pope, and held his pontificate 33 years, and almoft 3 months-Peter was Chrift's vicar, fecond pontiff of Rome, and held the fee 25 years-ry priesthood: while fchifmaJefus Chrift appointed the bi- tics call us popish and antichrifhop of Rome for the time tian minifters;" a melanchobeing to fucceed Peter, and ly affair indeed! "The church Linus was the third pope."- of England is crucified be

tween

3. Earthen vessels in regard to their own infirmities. S. Peter's diffimulation, (which Paul reproved to his face.) his rafbnefs in diffuading Chrift from dying, which drew on him that reproof, in which Chrift called him Satan; his ftupor on mount Tabor; his fall in the high-prieft's palace; the unbelief of Thomas; the contention between Paul and Barnabas; the fpirit of authoritative pride, which made them difpute who should be the greateft; their spirit of revenge against the Samaritans, on whom they would have made fire defcend from heaven, &c. all these infirmities proved their brittleness and frailty.

You may also remark the wisdom of the apof tles. When they were contemned for their meanness, they exalted themselves by their treasure, and called themselves fervants of Jefus Chrift, ambaffadors of God, &c. they magnified their office, (as S. Paul speaks.) on proper occafions: but, when the excellence of their miniftry was likely to make them overvalued, they humbled, and as it were annihilated themselves, calling themselves earthen vesels. When Paul and Barnabas were driven from Iconium, and fled to Lyftra, to fhew

tween these two thieves, and both vilify her; like Iffachar, fhe couches down between the two burdens, that papifts and fchifmatics lay on her; like S. Paul's veffel, fhe is fallen into a place where two feas meet, and is broken with the violence of the waves." Tragical outcries! But what brought you into thefe fad circumstances? Your attempt to make out a canonical fucceffion. This chief glory of your reformation, refembles

the

the glory of a groom, who can make out the genealogy of his horse. All may be true, and yet you may not be worth keeping. S. Paul, who afcertains what approve men minifters of Chrift, never thought to enter this article: By pureness, by knowledge, by long-fuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghoft, by love unfeign ed, by the word of truth, by the armour of righteousness, &c. Fuller. Can. Suc. Min Eccl. Angl. vindic,

the glory of their miniftry they wrought a miracle but when the people took them for gods, they tore their garments, and cried, we are men.

Proceed now to the fecond part of the text, and examine two things. r. The excellence of the power of the Gofpel. 2. The defign of God in putting fuch a treasure into earthen veffels, that the excellence of that power might be of him and not of men.

1. The excellence of this power is, 1. the happy fuccefs of the Gospel in the converfion of men, which may be reprefented as a victorious and triumphant power, and even as an excelling, that is, a prevailing and almighty energy.

Here you may remark the extensive fuccefs of the Gofpel, and how, in a very little time, the whole earth was filled with christian converts. You may add the difficulties, which the Gospel furmounted; it rofe above obstacles within, the natural corruption of men, prejudices of birth and education, love of false religions, &c. obftacles without, contradictions of philofophers, perfecutions of Jews, calumnies on the Gofpel and its minifters, perfecutions of kings and magiftrates, &c. obftacles in the Gospel itself, which exhibited one, who was crucified, foolishness to the Greeks, and a fumbling-block to the Jews. Yet, notwithstanding all these difficulties, converfions abounded in every place.

3. The excellence of this power consists in that admirable and divine virtue, which is in the doctrine of the Gospel, to humble man, to comfort, inftruct, exhilarate, and embolden him, to fill him with faith and hope, to change and fanctify him, and, in one word, to convert and transform him into. another man.

4. The excellence of this power confifts in the miracles, which accompanied the preaching of the apostles. These miracles were great and worthy of all admiration. They healed the fick, they raifed the dead, they foretold future events, &c.

5. The excellence of this power consists in the energy of the Holy Ghoft, which accompanied the preaching of the Gofpel. He was a fpirit of illumination, a fpirit of patience, a fpirit of peace, &c. and even with extraordinary gifts did he accompa-ny the word, with the gift of tongues, &c. (9)

Having explained the excellence of this power, go on to fhew the end, that God propofed, which was, that this power might appear to be of him, and not of men; for this reafon did he put this treasure into earthen veffels. S. Paul's reasoning proceeds upon this principle; that men are inclined to afcribe to fecond caufes, effects, which belong only to the first cause. Whenever we fee any great event, which dazzles us, instead of elevating our thoughts to God, and giving him the glory, we meanly

(9) The excellence of the gofpel confifts in its own intrinfic truth and purity; it was powerfully accompanied with miracles, it was impreffed by the boly Spirit on the minds and hearts of men, and it iffued in their fanctification. No affistance was derived from pompous ceremonies, nor from penal fanctions, nor was there any mention of oaths, fubfcriptions, fines, imprisonments, death. A foreign profeffor of divinity derives all the errors, that have debafed chriftianity, from three fources, which he calls enthufiafm-na

or

turalifm-and love of dominion over confciences. The first introduces vifions, dreams, revelations, myftic divinity, &c. The fecond produces Arianifm, Socinianism, Arminianifm, &c. The third brings forth the whole farrago of popery. Againft all these the fmall ftill voice of the Gospel pleads; against thefe it has pleaded with fuccefs in all ages; and over all these, we humbly hope, it will gain a final victory. Leydeckeri Veritas Evangel. Triumphans. lib. i.

meanly fink into creature-attachments, as if the event were to be afcribed to inftruments. This appears,

1. By the example of the heathens, who, seeing the marvels of nature, worshipped and ferved the creature more than the Creator, with which S. Paul reproaches them. Beholding the fun, and the aftonishing effects, which it produced in the world, they rofe no higher, they took it for a god, not confidering that it was only a fervant, and an image of God the invifible fun.

2. This appears by the Lycaonians, of whom we juft now fpoke, who, feeing Paul and Barnabas work a miracle, would fain have facrificed to them as to gods, not confidering that they were only instruments of the infinite power, which reigns in the world.

3. This appears ftill farther by the example of the Jews, who, although they were inftructed in the knowledge of the true God, yet when they faw Peter and John reftore a cripple, crowded about them, and obliged thofe apoftles to fay to them, Ye men of Ifrael, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye fo earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

4. This appears even by the example of S. John, who, all apostle as he was, fuffered himself to be furprized by this imprudent inclination. So natural is it to all mankind! (1) Being dazzled with

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(1) An inclination to idolatry is natural to all mankind. If idolatry confist in a transferring of that confidence, love, fear, hope, and honour to creatures, which are due to God alone, I fear, our author has too much reason for his affertion. "Idolatry,

fays a good writer on this fubject, is either metaphorical or proper. By metaphorical idolatry, I mean that inordinate love of riches, honours, and bodily pleasures, whereby the paffions and appetites of men are made fuperior to the will of God, man, by fo doing,

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