What now have parts, and literature, and the natural abilities of man, that they can do here? Just as much as they can do at the resurrection of the dead; for all that is to be done here, is nothing else, but _resurrection_ and _life_. Therefore, that which gave eyes to the blind, cleansed the lepers, cast out devils, and raised the dead; that alone can, and must do all that is to be done in this gospel kingdom of God. For the smallest work of grace must be as solely done by God, as the _greatest miracle_ in nature: because every work of grace, is the same overcoming of nature, as when the dead are raised to life. Yet vain man would be thought to have great power in this kingdom of grace, not because he happens to be born of noble parents, but because he has happened to be made a scholar, has run through all languages and histories, has been long exercised in conjectures and criticisms, and has his head as full of all notions, theological, poetical and philosophical, as a dictionary is full of words. Now let this simple question decide the matter: has this great scholar any more power of _saying to this mountain, be thou removed hence, and cast into the sea_, than the illiterate Christian? If not, he is just as weak, as powerless, and little in the kingdom of God, as he is. But if the illiterate man’s faith, should happen to be nearer to the _bulk_ of a grain of mustard-seed, than that of the _prodigious scholar_, the illiterate Christian stands much above him in the kingdom of God. Look now at the present state of Christendom, glorying in the light of Greek and Roman learning, (lately broke forth) as a _light_ that has helped the gospel to shine with a lustre, that it scarce ever had before. Look at this, and you will see the _fall_ of the present church from its first gospel state, to have much likeness to the _fall_ of the first _divine_ man, from the glory of innocence, and heavenly purity, into an earthly state of worldly craft and serpentine subtilty. In the first gospel church, Heathen light had no other name, than Heathen darkness; and the wisdom of words was no more sought after, than that _friendship_ of the world, which is _enmity_ with God. In that new-born church, the _tree of life, which grew in the midst of paradise_, took root and grew up again. In the present church, the _tree of life_ is hissed at, as the visionary food of deluded enthusiasts; and the tree of _death_, called the tree of knowledge of good and evil, has the eyes and hearts of priest and people, and is thought to do as much good to Christians, as it did evil to the first inhabitants of paradise.――――This tree, that brought death and corruption into human nature, is now called a tree of _light_, and is, day and night, well watered with every corrupt stream, however distant or muddy with earth, that can be drawn to it.