9ERM Xv.1 A RATIONAL DEFENCE OF THÉ G05 °LL. 7l when devils and.tnagicians opposed it,as well as princes and philosophers. That the gospel itself, without the force ofarms, that a naked gospel, that seems so incre- dible as this did, should spread itself throughout the world ipsoshort a space of time, that by the preaching of a few despised persons, and several of them fisher- men that were utterly unlearned : That this ,gospel should triumph over all the powersand policies of men and hell: That it should make its way in opposition to the wisdom of philosophers, and the will of princes, and all the temptations and terrors of this world : This is.an- other miracle, which perhaps is as divine and convinc- ing as :any of the preceding wonders, that attested this gospel, when it was first preached. I add also the testimony of prophecy to that of mira- cles. The wondrous and exact accomplishment of many prophecies since our Lord Jesus Christ dwelt on earth. in the days of his flesh, confirm his gospel. The. pro- phecies that he himself gave forth from God, is another testimonyof this gospel, which is uncontrolable. The destruction of Jerusalem, the time and methods of its destruction, and the terrors of it, may be read in Mat. xxiv. And ifyou read the history of Josephus, a Jew, you find so many parallels, that you must say Christ did foretel it indeed. I might here subjoin the predictions of the apostles, particularly that of St. Paul, and St. John, concerning the rise and spirit of antichrist, wherein the church of Rome so clearly answers the language of the visions and prophecies. But the brightest and most uncontrolable witness of prophecy to the truth of the gospel, is the most exact and punctual accomplishments of all the predictions of the Old Testament, in the life. and death, the resurrec- tion and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. from the first promise given toAdam in the garden, down to the words of Malachi, the last of the prophets, you find every thing that was said of him fulfilled in his history. And thus the books of the Jews, wherein they Placed all their hopes, confirm the gospel of Christ, and refute and con- found their own infidelity : So that if ever I had been a Jew, and did believe Moses and the prophets, I think
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