Serm. CLXXXV. SERMON CLXXXV The Evidences of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. 2, Cor. IV. 3, 9-. 23ut if our GoThel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft : In whom theThe sixth God of this World bath blinded the Minds of them which believe not shLtn.i. Xc left the Light of the glorious GofJel of Chrit, who is the Image of God, fhould flüne unto them. H E Fourth Evidence, which thole who liv'd in oúr Saviour's time had of his Divine Authority, was, The Spirit of Prophecy prov'd to be in him, and made good by the accomplifhmentof his Predi&ions. I have given Five Inflances of our Saviour's Predi&ions, and am now treating on the Fourth of them, viz. His Foretelling the Dcflruâion of 3eru= falrm, with the Circumflances of it. In explaining the particulars of this Prophecy; I propos'd Three things to be confider'd. t. Our Saviour's general Predicion of the Siege and total Deflruélion of yerufalem and the 'Temple. z. His Predifiion of the Signs that fhould forerun it. 3. His Predi&ion of the Concomitant and Subfquent Circumftances of ir. t am upon the Secondof thole, viz. our Saviour's Prediétion of the Signs that fhould forerun the Defiru&ion of 7crutalein ; Three of which I have dif- patch'd, and now proceed to chofe which remain. Fourthly, Another Sign which our Saviour foretold, as a fore - runner of the DeltruEtion of 7erufal:m, was Perfecution of the Chriflians, They flan deliver you to le ajJlitIed, and /hall killyou. Sr. Mark exprefleth it more par- ticularly, Mark 13. 9. But take heed to your/elves : for they /hall deliver you up to Conceels, and in the Synagogues ye /hall le beaten, andye (hall be brought before Rulers andRings for my faks, for a teflimony again' them. And these did partly happen before the forernentioned Calamities, and partly upon them kut our Saviour firft reckons by themfelves, the common Calamities of the Nation 5 and then he comes to thole which did concern his Difciples and Followers ; and this follows very fitly upon the former more general Cala- mities. For we find the Fathers in their Apologies every where complain- ing that the 7ews and Heathens laid the blame of all the Judgments and Ca- lamities which befel them, as Famine, Peftilence, and Earthquakes, upon the Chriltians, as the Caufés of them 5 and from this pretence they many times took occafion to perfecute them. They (hall deliver you to be afflifled. This was fulfill'd in delivering force of the Apoftles to be whipt and imprifoned by the chief Priefts and Rulers, Bbbbz as
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