Semi. CLXXXVII. of the Chrilian Só _, Mark t6 zo that the Apoffles went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with Sims following. And all A- long in the Hiftory of the Abis, we find that they were extraordinarily ftrengthened and ail-died in the publithing of the Gofpel. And particularly our Saviour's Prediction and Promife was made good to St. Stephen, of whom it is Paid, AFfs 6. to., that when he was difputing with the yews; They were not able to reel the Wifdom and the Spirit by which he (hake. PI. Our Saviour foretold alto what Succefs the Gofpel fhould have, not- withtlanding all the Oppofition that fhould be made againft it ; that it fhould be publins'd in all Nations, Matth. 24 14. and in defpite of all the Malice of the Yew's, and the potent Oppofition that the Gentiles Ihould make againft the Publifhers of the Gofpel, they Ihould make Difciples in every Na- tion, and bear witnef unto Clnifl to the uttermofl Parts of the Earth, Match. z8, sg. and Ads t. 8, That he would build his Church upon a Rock, and the Gates cf Hell Ihould not prevail againfl it, Matth. 16. 18. And this we find was done with great Succefs, both among the Jews and Gentiles, as appears out of the E-liflory of the Aas of the Apoftles, and other Hiftories of the fiat Ages of the Church. Patticularly our Saviour foretold that that Ad of Kindnefs which Mary (hewed to him, in anointing his Head with precious Ointment, Ihould be remember'd, where-ever the Gofpel was preached, Match. 26. 03. Verily I fay two you, LYherefoever this Gofpel 16 11 be preached in the whole World, there ¡ball a1íó this,< that this Woman hath done, be told for a Memorial of her. And accordingly this little particular Hiflory, bath every where been propagated with the Gofpel, and the Fame of it bath fpread as far, as the Notice of Chriflianity. And thus I have done with the fourth and laic Evidence of oúr Saviour's Divine Authority, namely, the Prophetick Spirit which was proved to be in him, and made good by the punilual Accomplilhment of his Predictions. I fhall only thew that thefe Inflances which 1 have given, are clear Argu- ments of a Prophetick Spirit in our Saviour. And this will appear, if we confider there two Things. Firft, That all there Things which our Saviour foretold, were purely contingent in refpe& of us ; that is, there was no Necefiity that they Ihould come to pals; and confequently, nothing but infinite Knowledge could certainly forefèe that they would. Secondly, All, or moll of them, were not only contingent, but exceeding unlikely, there was no Probabilny that they Ihould happen; and confe- quently, no one could reafonably and prudently have forefeen that they would. And there two things being made out will abundantly evidence, that the foretelling of thefe Things doth argue a Prophetick Spirit in our Saviour ; and confequently his Divine Authority. Things that have nece- ffary Caufes, if thole Caufes be evident, any one may foretel that they will be : Things that are /probable, and likely to happen, every 'prudent Man may reafonably conjeélure that they will be, and confequently may in many Cafes fuccefsfully foretel them without a Spirit of Prophecy : but tech Things as in refpea of us are purely contingent, and depend upon no neceflary Gaufes we know of, efpecially if they be withal unlikely to come to pars, no Man can forerei but by the Infpiration of that Spirit, whole infinite Wifdom knows all things ; and this is the true Reafon why the foretelling of future Contingents, bath always been looked upon as an Argument of Infpiration. Virg, There Things which our Saviour foretold, were purely contingent ; that is, there was no Necef±;ty in human Reafon that they fhould come to pats, and confequently no Man without infpiration could certainly foretel Ddd da; thent.
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