SECTION III. 285E in several nations for many successive years, which is conveyed down to us by early and authentic records, whichare not charged with forgery, and which are the surest preservers of ancient facts, may at this distance of time, lay as strong a foundation for our faith, and give us as just an evidence to the gospel of Christ, as the two or three miracles, or perhaps some single. one, which was the most that might be seen by a great part of their co- temporaries. The same spirit of cavil'and unbelief, which reigns now in thehearts of men, and makes so warm an opposition to the light which attends the gospel in our day, would, in all probability, have vented itself even under the very blaze and splendor of these divine operations. They could have found some philoso- phical contrivance for the solution of the heavenlywonder; they could find rëasons to doubt of some of thecircumstances of the fact ; they could suspectthat the blind or deaf, or dead persons did not pass under sufficient scrutiny before he was healed or raised, that they might be assured he was really deaf, blind or dead. And thus a miracle or two would not have convinced their own eye-sight. In short, it is too evidently true, in every age, what our blessed Saviour says in his age, that they who will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one rose from the dead; Luke xvi. 31. But it is time to proceed to the second consideration,'to shew that the menof enquiry in our day, have probably as strong an evidenceof the truth of the gospel, as they might have had if they had lived in the days of Christ. II. Let it be observed, that there were some predictions of the ancient prophets relating to the gospel, which have been fulfilled since our Saviour went to heaven : Particularly the unbelief of the Jews, and their being rejected out of God's favour, and the multitudes of Gentiles flocking in to Christ. There have been some prophecies spoken by our Saviour him- self, which have been since accomplished in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the calling of the Gentile church, the persecu- tion of the apostles, the crucifixion of St. Peter, b[.c. There have been also other predictions of the apostles and apostolic men fulfilled since that time, viz. the nature, the principles arrd the rise of anti-christ, which was foretold both by St. Paul and St. John, the binding of St. Paul at Jerusalem, the universal dearth in the days of Claudius Casar, both predicted by Agabus, &g. All whichjoined together, give an additional strength to the evi- dence of christianityin our day. M. Reflect also on the amazing success of the gospel among the nations : How it gained surprizing victories over great men and philosophers, how it made its way through armies and and palaces, how it triumphed over the opposition of enemies,
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