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to themselves, but missed of them, and met with sufferings instead of them: for if it had been so, it is more than probable, that when they saw their disappointment, they would have dis covered their conspiracy; especially when they might not only have saved their lives, but got great rewards for doing of it. How improbable, then, is it, that not one of them should ever have been brought to do this!

For they tell us, that

But this is not all. their Master bid them expect nothing but sufferings in this world..

This is the tenor of all

So that

that gospel which they taught and they told the same to all whom they converted. here was no disappointment..

For, all that were converted by them, were converted upon the certain expectation of sufferings, and bidden prepare for it. Christ commanded his disciples to take up their cross daily, and follow him; and told them, that in the world they should have tribulation; that who ever did not forsake father, mother, wife, chil dren, lands, and their very lives, could not be his disciples; that he who sought to save his life in this world, should lose it in the next.

Now, that this despised doctrine of the cross should prevail so universally, against the allure ments of flesh and blood, and all the blandishments of this world; against the rage and per secution of all the kings and powers of the earth; must shew its original to be divine, and its protector almighty. What is it else could conquer without arms; persuade without rhet

oric ́; overcome enemies, disarm tyrants, and subdue empires, without opposition?

VIII. We may add to all this, the testimonies of the most bitter enemies and persecutors of Christianity, both Jews and Gentiles, to the truth of the matter of fact of Christ; such as Josephus and Tacitus; of which the first flourished about forty years after the death of Christ, and the other about seventy years after: So that they were capable of examining into the truth, and wanted not prejudice and malice sufficient to have inclined them to deny the matter of fact itself, of Christ. But their confessing to it; as likewise Lucian, Celsus, Pophyry, and Julian the Apostate; the Mahometans since; and all other enemies of Christianity that have arisen in the world; is an undeniable attestation to the truth of the matter of fact,

IX, But there is another argument, more strong and convincing than even this matter of fact; more than the certainty of what I see with my eyes; and which the apostle Peter called a more sure word, that is, proof, than what he saw and heard upon the holy mount, when our blessed Saviour was transfigured before him and two other of the apostles: for having repeated that passage as a proof of that whereof they were eye witnesses, and heard the voice from heaven, giving attestation to our Lord Christ, 2 Pet. i. 16, 17, 18. he says ver. 19. We have also a MORE SURE word of Prophecy, for the proof of this Jesus being the Messiah; that is, the prophecies which had gone

before of him, from the beginning of the world; and all exactly fulfilled in him.

Men may dispute an imposition or delusion upon our outward senses: but how can that be false which has been so long, (even from the beginning of the world) and so often (by all the prophets, in several ages) foretold? How can this be an imposition, or a forgery?

This is particularly insisted on, in the Method with the Jews. And even the Deists must sonfess, that that book we call the Old Testament, was in being, in the hands of the Jews, long before our Saviour came into the world. And if they will be at the pains to compare the prophecies that are there of the Messiah, with the fulfilling of them, as to time, place, and all other circumstances, in the person, birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, of our blessed Saviour they will find this prove, what our apostle here calls it, a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. Which, God grant ! Here is no possibility of deceit or imposture.

Old prophecies, and all so agreeing, could not have been so contrived to countenance a new cheat; and nothing could be a cheat, that could fulfil all these.

For this therefore I refer the Deists to the Method with the Jews*

I desire them likewise to look there, Sect. 11, and consider the prophecies given so long ago, of which they see the fulfilling at this day, with their own eyes, of the state of the Jews, for ma

* Written by Mr. LESLIE, after the manner of this Letter.

ny ages past, and at present; without a king, or priest, or temple, or sacrifice; scattered to the four winds; sifted as with a seive, among all nations; yet preserved, and always so to be, a distinct people from all others of the whole earth. Whereas, those mighty monarchies which oppressed the Jews, and which, in their turns commanded the world, and had the greatest human prospect of perpetuity, were to be extingushed, as they have been; even that their names should be blotted out from under heaven !

As likewise, that as remarkable of our blessed Saviour, concerning the preservation and progress of the Christian Church, when in her swaddling-clothes, consisting only of a few poor fishermen not by the sword, as that of Mahomet; but under all the persecution of men and hell; which yet should not prevail against her.

But though I offer these, as not to be slight ed by the Deists, to which they can shew nothing equal in all profane history, and in which it is impossible any cheat can lie; yet I do not put them on the same footing as the prophecies before mentioned, of the marks and coming of the Messiah, which have been since the world began.

And that general expectation of the whole earth at the time of his coming, insisted upon in the Method with the Jews, Sect. 5. is greatly to be noticed.

But, I say, the foregoing prophecies of our Saviour, are so strong a proof, as even mira

cles would not be sufficient to break their authority.

I mean, if it were possible that a true miracle could be wrought, in contradiction to them: for that would be for God to contradict himself.

But no sign, or wonder, that could possibly be solved, should shake this evidence.

It is this that keeps the Jews in their obstinacy. Though they cannot deny the matters of fact done by our blessed Saviour, to be truly miracles, if so done as said; nor can they deny that they were so done, because they have all the four marks before mentioned: yet they cannot yield! Why? Because they think that the gospel is in contradiction to the law. Which if it were, the consequence would be unavoidable, that both could not be true. To solve this, is the business of the Method with the Jews. But the contradiction which they suppose, is in their comments that they put upon the law; especially they expect a literal fulfilling of those promises of the restoration of Jerusalem, and outward glories of the church. of which there is such frequent mention in the books of Moses, the Psalms, and all the prophets. And many Christians do expect the same, and take those texts as literally as the Jews do. We do be. lieve, and pray for the conversion of the Jews. For this end they have been so miraculously preserved, according to the prophecies so long before of it. And when that time shall come, as they are the most honorable and ancient of all the nations on the earth; so will their church

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