~ Chap· 4· ~ Chriftian Religion proved by Reafon. Creator of the World: Which was foretold by the Prophets, not only as a thing that !houldarrive, but robe performed bythePowerofGod. To afc,l!l,e then this glorious Work to humane Artifice, as ifhis Providence had been prevented by others, from doing that that he promifed fhonld be done by his own Power, is fo direa!y contrary to his Wifdom and his Truth, that common Reafon abhorrs the Thoughts of it. Therefore the Chrifli•n Religion is Divine, having God for its Author. • Thus the Truth of the Gofpel is viCtoriousoverthe Jewifh, or the Prophane Infidel. It may be argued againl'c the Jews, that their God foretold his Meffiah !honld convert the Nations. No other but one authorized from above could do it. Jeji" Chrijl has done it, therefore he is the Mej]iah. And confequently they are ei ther blind with Prejudice, or malicioufiY. deny the known Truth. To prophanc Infidels it may be urged, none but the Divine Providence could foretel fo great and marvellous a change of the World, none but the Divine Power could dfeet it, therefore 'rwas the true God that made the ProjeCt and Event fo exaCtly to correfpond in all things. Add further, that by comparing the PropheciesofChril'cand his Kingdom with their accomphfi1ment, the two forts of Enemies againft the GofPel, are made ufeful to convince one another. The PaganJ by the JewJ, that thefe things were foretold, the Jt~vJ by the Pagans, that thcfc things were ~ulfi)l'd. *Sr. A~if!in relates that the Heathens feeing the exact agreement between the Prophec1es.m the Old 1ef\:amem [~clear in Words, and their accomplilhmcnt in the New fo clear m the Efldls, had nothmg to reply, but that they were written afrer rhe things were done, and feigned to be PrediCI:ions ofancient date. As Virgil weaving Fables of!EmtH, feign·d him to be in the FJijian Fields, and to receive from Ancbife, a !'red il:tion ofhis Defcendents in a long fucceflion and o rder of Men and Times; whiclt was the Story ofwhat was aCtually part when he wrote it. In an[wer to this pretence, he breaksoutwithwonderandjoy, 0 Glor;a Regis 11ojlrif the Caufe is gain'd, and the ViCtory ofTnnh could not be more glorious. For whereas the many Nations in &rope, Afa, Afdca, fubdned by rhe Arms ofthe Romani, were compelled to obferve the Rites of their R.eligion: The l""' on!y were permitted to enjoy their Sacred Books, and their own W or!hip, and were difpers'd into all Countries. And thus by the admirable Counfel ofGod, they give credit to the GofPel among the Gentilu. For if we confider the reverence they bore to the Writings of the Prophets, that with the greatel'c care they have preferved them as the mol'c precious Inheritance left by their Fathers, and their mortal hatred ofJeJ"' Chrijl and his G•JPel, that willingly they would fpend their Blood to deface the Memorials of it, it is an invincible Argument that the PrediCtions concerning the l'cate of the Chriflian Church recorded in their Scriptures, are fincerely delivered, and of Divine Authority. This theirMahce isanadvant11ge to the Faith oftheGofPe1, and by conl'craint they are the great Confirmers of it. This is fufficient to reduce the Heathens to filence and confufion. And the Pagan being convinc'd bytheBooksofthe l""'• the J..v may be convinc'd by the Tel'cimony of the Pagans: For if the Records fo jealouily kept by that Nation were from Divine Infpiration, iftheyctmtain Ancient Prophecies which the Heathens fee verified in the GofPel and rhe Chrifli<m Ch11rch, why do not the JewJ acknowledge Jefw Chr;fl to be the promifedMefliah? If the Vail were not taken fromMofe/s Face, and laid on their Hearts, they mul'c clearly fee that the I.Jght ofthe Gentiles is the Glory of Jfr-.1. 'Tis equally unreafonable to doubt with the Atheijl that the Mefliah was ever promifed, or to believe with the Jw' he is yet to come. · .CHAP. '•
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