dren together, even as an Hen gathereth her Chice kens under her Wings, and ye would not? behold your House is left to you defolate. Now what a relenting Strain of Tenderness was there in this Reproof from the great Doctor, as well as Saviour of Souls, and how infinitely more moving than if he had faid only, O ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem, how wicked and barbarous is it in you thus to perfecute and stone God's Prophets? And how can you but expect some severe Judgment from God upon you for it? Who, I say, fees not the vast difference in these two ways of Address, as to the Vigour and winning Compaffion of the one, and the low difspirited Flatness of the other in comparison ? Likewise for St. Paul, observe how he uttered himself in his excellent farewel Discourse to the Elders of Ephesus, Acts 20. from Verse 18 to the end of the Chapter, and particularly in Verse 31. Remember (says he) how that for the Space of three Years I ceased not to warn every one Night and Day with Tears. These were the Arguments here used by this great Apostle, Arguments, in comparison of which he knew that the most flowing Rhetorick of Words would be but a poor and faint Persuasive. And then again in 2 Cor. 11. 29. with what a true and tender Paffion does he lay forth his fa, therly Care and Concern for all the Churches of Chrift? Who, fays he, is weak, and I am

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not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? Than which Words nothing doubtless could have issued from the Tongue or Heart of Man more endearing, more pathetical, and affectionate.

And thus much for the Ability or Gift of Speaking, the first Member of the Promise made by Chrift here to his Disciples. The other and next is that of Wisdom, the noblest Endowment of the Mind of Man of all others, of an endless Extent, and of a boundless Comprehenfion, and in a word, the liveliest Representation that a created Nature can afford of the Infinity of its Maker. And this, as it is in Men, is properly the great Principle, directing them how to demean themselves in all the particular Passages, Accidents and Occasions of human Life, which being in the full Compass of them indeed innumerable, to recount and treat of them all here, would be next to impossible; but as that Wisdom which most peculiarly belonged to the first Dispenfers and Ministers of the Gospel, I shall only mention two Instances in which it most re markably shews itself; namely,

1. That they opposed neither Things nor Persons, any farther than they stood in their way in the Ministry of it. On the contrary, I am become all Things to all Men, says St. Paul, and that neither to gain Favour nor Interest, but

but only Converts to Christianity, 1 Cor. 9. 22. And again, he owned the very Sect of the Pharifees, fo far as they owned and contended for the grand Article of the Refurrection in Acts 23.6. In like manner he quoted also and approved several Things out of fome of the Heathen Poets, as in Acts 17. 28. and Titus 1. 12. In a word, he never rejected any real folid Truth, whether spoken by Jew or Heathen, or whatsoever the Design of either of them might be in the speaking of it. For as right Reason most certainly lies at the Foundation of all true Religion, so the Apostles embraced all that, which by genuine Consequence was deduced from thence by any Sort or Sect of Men whatsoever, for as much as they made not those Deductions under the formal Notion of fuch a Sect or Party, but as they were rational Men, arguing right. ly upon the general received Principles of Nature. And accordingly the Apostles counte nanced, and fell in with Truth so offered them, wheresoever they found it; they valued a Pearl, tho' took up from a Dunghill. And to have done otherwise, had neither been Zeal nor Difcretion, but a kind of ridiculous and morose Partiality. But,

2. The other Instance of the Wisdom given by our Saviour to his Apostles, was their refolute opposing all Doctrines and Interests what

whatsoever, so far as they stood in Opposition to the Gospel. They would not so much as hold their Peace in such a Case, but their Proceeding was absolute and peremptory, Acts v. 29. We ought to obey God rather than Men. And when a Point of Christian Liberty was endangered by the judaizing Brethren in Gal. 2. 5. We gave place to them (fays the blefsed St. Paul) no not for an Hour. And we know how he withstood St. Peter himself to the Face upon the like Occafion. We read also how the fame Apostle preached of Justice and Temperance before Felix, who he notorioufly knew lived in a lewd incestuous Marriage, and was equally infamous for Bribery and Extortion.

And this undoubtedly was his Wisdom, his high and Apoftolick Wisdom; thơ had he indeed lived in fuch an Age as measures Conscience by Latitude, and Compliance and Wisdom by what a Man can get, much another kind of Character would no doubt have attended him, and he would have been taxed as a weak, hafty, and inconfiderate Person, for reflecting upon and provoking the Governour, who had used him fairly and civilly; so that if he had been but lef's free of his Tongue, and a little more free of his Purse, he might in all likelihood have been very easily released, Hand and perhaps preferred too; but now, poor Man, he has quite loft himself.

Such would have been the Descants of our modern Politicks upon this Occasion; but af ter all, if the Word of Truth itself may be heard, that, we shall find, knows no Wisdom in an Apostle, but what makes him bold and fearless in the Cause of the Church, and of Religion, and ready to discharge a Rebuke upon any of the highest Rank of Right Wor Shipful or Right Honourable Sinners, where a scandalous Guilt shall call for, or make it necessary; the contrary Practice being incomparably the grosseft of Follies, and such as will be fure to lay a Man low enough in the next World, whatsoever Preferment it may raise him to in this.

And thus we have seen here the full Com pass of our Saviour's Promise to his Ministers and Disciples, even the two most valuable Perfections of Man's Nature, and the very Top of the wisest of the Heathens Wish, Sapere & Fari, a Mouth and Wisdom, a Sagacity of Mind, and a Command of Speech. And he bestows them also in their proper Luftre, and greatest Advantage, that is to say, united, and like two Stars in Conjunction; many indeed being able to bring Mouth enough to the Ministry, tho' as for Wisdom, that may even shift for itself; but still those two stand best by mutual