which condemned them; but they hated them with a hatred which could not be fatisfied till they had put him to a cruel and ignominious death, which he had repeatedly foretold, and the confequent deftruction of that nation, to his disciples, and the ancient prophets had predicted. He alfo faid that he fhould rife from death on the third day. But his enemies had no expectation or belief of this, but were disposed to reject all the evidence that could be given of such a fact. And even his disciples and friends did not understand the prophets nor the words of Chrift on this point, and knew not what to think of his being put to death as he was, and were wholly in the dark as to the consequence, till the evidence that he was rifen from the dead was irresistibly forced upon them.

When he had given inconteftible evidence of his refurrection to a fufficient number of chofen, competent witneffes, who could not be deceived, and converfed with them a confiderable time, and given them proper inftructions, they declared that they saw him ascend towards heaven in a cloud till out of their fight; and that two angels appeared to them, who told them he was gone to heaven, and would return again at the day of judgment. They retired, and waited till, as he had promised them, they received from heaven miraculous power to bear witnefs of his refurrection, and proclaim falvation to finners upon believing in his name. They were foon endued with power, and enabled to work miracles to prove the truth of their teftimony that Chrift was rifen from the dead, and gone to heaven, and had commanded them to preach the gofpel to the world, and that in this they faid nothing but what was contained in the writings of Mofes and the prophets. They went forth, and, contrary to all human probability and expectation of the fuccefs of fuch a fmall number of poor, low, illiterate men, with fuch a meffage, fo contrary to the ftrong prejudices and prevailing cuftoms both of Jews and Gentiles, and to the lufts and evil propenfities which naturally reign in the hearts of all men,

they

they made numerous converts to Chriftianity, from among the Jews and the idolatrous heathen.

It is impoffible that these facts fhould take place, unlefs Chriftianity were from heaven, and the apostles were affured that what they related concerning Chrift was true. That, in their then circumftances, they should undertake to propagate Chriftianity, without any worldly motives, and in the profpect of poverty, difgrace and fuffering, which they knew was as contrary to the natural inclinations of men as any thing can be, cannot be accounted for, unless on the fuppofition they knew that what they declared was true, and moft important to themselves and others, and that they could depend upon the promise of Chrift to fupport and fucceed them. And it appears to us that their fuccefs in propagating Chrif tianity, and being fupported in the midft of oppofition and fuffering, till they had collected a number of churches, is a demonftration that divine power upheld them, and changed the hearts of men fo as to difpofe them to attend to and receive the gofpel. This was as far above all mere human contrivance and efforts as is the production of the natural world, and cannot be accounted for without fuppofing that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, and that the apoftles were enabled to do thofe great and wonderful things by his affifting power, agreeable to the relation given of this matter in the Bible.

And that the gospel has fpread among the nations, and Chriftianity has been continued to this day, notwithstanding the conftant and ftrong oppofition which has been made to it in so many ways,, is, as we may say, a conftant miracle, and a clear evidence that it has a divine original; and is a demonftration that it is of God, according to the teft propofed by the good fenfe of the learned Gamaliel. If this counfel, or this work, had been of men, it would have come to nought long ago: but fince it has continued to this day, and men, with all their cunning and power, with which they have in all ages attempted it, have not been able to overthrow it, its divine original is demonftrated, and it must be of

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God.

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'God. And we are certain that all they who do oppose Christianity, and attempt to overthrow it, are fighting against God, and will be difappointed and confounded.

We will finish this head by mentioning the state in which the Jews now are, and have been fince the deftruction of Jerufalem and their temple; and the prefent ftate of the world; which are agreeable to the predictions in the Bible. The state into which the Jews have fallen in confequence of the crucifixion of Chrift by that nation, who wished that the guilt of his blood might fall on them and their pofterity, is agreeable to the prophecies of Mofes and the other prophets; to the predictions of Chrift and the apoftles; and are, in this view, a standing evidence of the truth of Chriftianity: which might be illuftrated by a number of particulars, had we time to mention them. Their continuing a diftinct people in their difperfion among the nations of the earth for fo many ages, which is a fort of public, continual miracle, holds them in a fituation in which they are prepared for the vifible accomplishment of those ma ny predictions and promifes, which we find in the Bible, of mercy in ftore for them, by their being made willing to fubmit to Chrift, and come into his fold, the Chrif tian church, with the Gentiles: which is a confirming evidence of the truth of the gofpel, and that this happy event will take place. And that the time is not far diftant appears from other prophecies, and the present ftate of the world.

This leads us to obferve, that the ftate of the Chris tian church from the days of the apoftles to this time, and to the end of the world, and the ftate, changes and revolutions of the nations of the world, efpecially fo far as they have any relation to the church, are foretold in the prophetic part of fcripture, particularly by the prophet Daniel, and in the revelation given to the apoftle John; which have been exactly fulfilled fo far as they relate to the past and present time. And we may hence rely upon the accomplishment of the predictions of the events which are yet to take place,

The

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The great apoftacy which has taken place in the church of Chrift, by Antichrift or the Pope, by which the church of Rome is become a corrupt, falfe church, was particularly foretold, with many particular circumftances relating to its character, and treatment of true Chriftians, &c. the rife of it, and the time of its continuance, and final overthrow. Many things predicted of this falfe church have already come to pafs, which are publicly known, and needlefs for us now to mention. It is evident that this falfe church, which in fcripture is called a harlot, with those who support her, and all her appendages, are on the decline, and haftening to the de ftruction predicted. Five vials of the wrath of God, predicted in the fixteenth chapter of the prophecy by John, have already been poured out on her, and the fixth vial is now running, under which Antichrift is to fink, and the way be prepared for his final overthrow; which is now taking place in fight of the world. While this is doing, according to the prophecy, the fpirits of devils are to be let loofe in the Chriftian world, as they never were before, and under their influence all orders of men are to become exceeding corrupt and wicked, more generally, and to a greater degree, than ever before, and own themselves in oppofition to God and the Redeemer. And do we not fee this reprefentation fast fulfilling from year to year? Is it not known that infidelity, Deifm, Atheism, and all kinds of grofs error, and of vice and wickednefs, which are the genuine fruits of these, are rapidly fpreading, and prevail every where ? Surely all must be fenfible of this who can difcern the figns of the times. Let who will fhut their eyes, and live in ignorance, it appears to us a ftriking evidence that the events of this time are a fulfilment of the above mentioned prophecy; and that, after the accomplishment of the events predicted under the feventh vial, the millennium, or profperous and happy ftate of the church on earth, fo much the fubject of prophecy, both in the Old Teftament and the New, will commence.

Having

Having, as briefly as we could, ftated the leading things in which the external evidence that the Bible contains a revelation from heaven confifts, we proceed to mention what we call the internal evidence of the fame truth. This, we think, is more than anfwerable to the fair and promifing outfide, if we may fo call it, which we have been confidering, and is fuited to eftablifh every honeft and good heart in affurance that the gofpel is of God.

The Bible reveals the being, perfections, works and defigns of God, and fets them in a more grand, important, rational and defirable light, than ever has or could be discovered by uninfpired men, or has been conceived by any man who is not acquainted with the Bible. God is here reprefented as without beginning to exift, omnipotent, omnifcient, omniprefent, infinitely and unchangeably wife and good, juft, true and faithful; as the Creator of all things, and conftantly upholding, directing and governing them in all their revolutions and motions; all which are included in a most wise plan of operation, which has been fixed by him from eternity, is endless, abfolutely perfect, and immutable; that he exercises a moft perfect and wife moral government over all his rational creatures, to whom he gives a natural capacity of moral action, and obedience to all his laws, which are perfect, juft and good. The law of God refpects and requires a perfectly right difpofition and exercifes toward him and all fellow creatures; to love him with all the heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. It affures favour and happiness to the perfectly obedient, and curfes the disobedient, with a curfe. which implies endlefs deftruction. In fhort, the Bible reveals fuch a God as must be moft pleafing and defirable to every perfectly innocent and good mind. Such have all they can defire or wifh for in fuch a God, fuch a law and moral government; therefore to them he is the only true God, and their chofen portion and happiness; while they know that all the notions that have been entertained of the Divine Character and his law by those who have not taken them from the Bible, and are not confiftent with it, are erroneous, foolish and wicked.

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