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
of
arms,
that a
naked
gospel,
that
seems
so
incre-
dible
as this
did, should
spread itself throughout
the
world
ipso
short
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
powers
and
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
testimony
of
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
if
you
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 to
Adam 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