make success the criterion of their deserts ? Or how, on the other hand, shall we "comfort "the feeble-minded"," when even that which they may reasonably believe to be the work of God refuses to prosper in their hands?

In a former discourse on the words of the text, an attempt has been made to remove this difficulty, by shewing on what foundation the maxim it contains must be supposed to rest, and under what limitations it is necessarily to be understood, when applied as a test of religious truth. Instances were alleged, to prove that success affords a collateral rather than a direct argument of the truth of any religious system; and that it presupposes some other evidences, sufficient to warrant us in ascribing that success to Divine agency. The rule, therefore, was shewn to be misapplied, when it is made to supersede the investigation of other concurrent proofs; when it is urged upon slight or insufficient grounds; and when sufficient discrimination is not made between what is within the ordinary reach of human ability, and what is manifestly beyond its reach. These observations were illustrated by reference to the contrast betwixt Christianity and Mahometanism, and to a similar contrast betwixt Popery and the

a 1 Thess. v. 14.

Protestant Reformation. In each case it was shewn that the success of truth on the one side, and the success of falsehood and of corruption on the other, could not easily be confounded by discriminating and impartial observers :-that, on the side of truth the indications of Divine interposition, independently of the prosperous result, were too conspicuous to be overlooked; while the circumstances which led to the successful issue were, in many respects, at war with human strength and policy-that, on the side of falsehood and corruption, not only were these concurrent testimonies of Divine favour wanting, but so manifest and so potent were the engines of human warfare employed in upholding them, that we need seek no higher causes to account for the result.

Some additional elucidations of the subject, together with a summary application of the whole to the present state of religion among us, remain now to be brought forward.

And first it may be worthy of observation, that the argument from the success of the Gospel seems not to have been much insisted upon by the sacred writers themselves, except as connected with the evidence of miracles and of prophecy. It is never obtruded upon their opponents as the result of Divine inter

position, unless with reference to tokens of a different kind, which could not be ascribed to any other cause.

Thus when Peter and John, and the rest of the disciples, astonished at the great accession of converts which flowed in at the very beginning of their ministry, applied to the event the Psalmist's prophetic declaration concerning the Messiah's kingdom, "Why do "the heathen rage, and the people imagine a "vain thing?"-this triumphant expression of exultation was uttered in consequence of a signal miracle just wrought by these two Apostles; to which miracle they had appealed, in proof that God was with them: and their exultation was accompanied with fervent prayer for further manifestations of the same kind. Again; when St. Luke observes, "So mightily

66

grew the word of God, and prevailed," it is immediately after relating the "special mira"cles which had been done by Paul." St. Paul himself also states the real cause of this success, and goes to the root of the question before us, when he says, that "God hath chosen “the foolish things of the world to confound "the wise, and the weak things of the world "to confound the things which are mighty";"

b Psalm ii. 1. e 1 Cor. i. 27.

c Acts xix. 20.

d Acts xix. 11.

very

and again, in that remarkable expression, "the weakness of God is stronger than men." He ascribes it to miraculous power, when he elsewhere speaks of God as "bearing witness" to the Apostles "with signs and wonders, and "with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy "Ghost"." He points it out also as the fulfilment of prophecy, by referring to the predictions of David and of Isaiah, that "their "sound went into all the earth, and their "words unto the end of the world"."

This, indeed, is a most prominent and striking feature in the case of Christianity, that its success, however unlikely to be effected by human means, was expressly foretold by the ancient Jewish prophets, as well as by our Lord himself. It was foretold, that "a "little one should become a thousand, and a "small one a strong nation';" that it should "be exalted above the hills, and all nations "should flow unto itk;" and that "all the "ends of the earth should see the salvation "of God." Very numerous are the predictions to this effect in the Old Testament, and very explicit are the declarations that this should be the result, in opposition to the most formidable adversaries.

f 1 Cor. i. 25.

i Isaiah lx. 22.

g Heb. ii. 4.

k Isaiah ii. 2.

h Rom.x. 18. 1 Isaiah lii. 10.

66

66

66

Our Lord himself no less distinctly announced its rapid and extensive propagation, in the parable of the “grain of mustard seed, which "is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown is the greatest among herbs, and be"cometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof"." Its rising also out of obscurity, and by means inexplicable to human sagacity, he illustrates by saying, it is "as if a man should cast seed "into the ground, and should sleep, and the "seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how"." Yet he distinctly forewarns his disciples that such should be the strife and persecution it would occasion, as to make it appear that he had "come, not to send peace "on the earth, but a sword":" that his disciples should be "hated of all men for his "name's sake ";" that " many should be offended, and betray one another, and hate one another";" and yet, notwithstanding this, that it was "built upon a rock," and the gates of hell should not prevail against it"." It is impossible not to perceive in these representations a most lively picture of what afterwards came to pass, in the peculiar circumstances attending the first promulgation

66

66

66

m Matt. xiii. 32. P Matt. x. 22.

n Mark iv. 26, 27. 9 Matt. xxiv. 10.

o Matt. x. 34.

r Matt. xvi. 18