the Pagans: for if the records so jealously kept by that nation were from divine inspiration, if they contain ancient prophecies, which the heathens see verified in the Gospel and the Christian church, why do not the Jews acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the promised Messiah? If the veil were not taken from Moses' face, and laid on their hearts, they must clearly see that the "light of the Gentiles is the glory of Israel." It is equally unreasonable to doubt, with the Atheist, that the Messiah was ever promised, or to believe with the Jews, he is yet to come.

CHAPTER V.

Proofs of Christianity from the New Testament. The Gospel so proved, deserves our firmest assent and adherence to its Doctrines.

THE sum of all that has been said, is comprised in the testimony that St. John produces to prove that "Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Redeemer of the world." This I will briefly open: "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one." All the Divinity gave testimony of this important truth. The Father, not only by the miracles wrought by his power to confirm the mission of Christ, but (which is here

principally intended,) by a voice from heaven: first at his baptism, "This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And at his transfiguration before some of his disciples, a shining cloud, the sign of the divine presence, encompassed them, and a voice came forth of the cloud, "This is my well-beloved Son, hear ye him." Upon this glorious voice, they were struck with such an impression of fear, that they fell on their faces. And when our Saviour, near his passion, prayed, "Father, glorify thy name; a voice came from heaven, I have glorified it, and will glorify it." Now, can there remain any doubt, after such a high attestation from the most Sovereign authority?

The Son also, besides the perfect holiness of his life, the exquisite wisdom of his doctrine, the wonders of his works, his resurrection from the dead, that were authentic proofs of his celestial person and calling, after his ascension gloriously appeared from heaven, in divers visions, to the preachers of his Gospel. To Saul, in his journey to Damascus, calling to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." This is an unexceptionable testimony that he is the Son of God, being risen from the dead, and returned to heaven from whence he thus discovered himself. Now, that this was real, and no fantastic illusion, is evident by the marvellous effects of it. Those who were companions in the journey were seized with great terror, and himself struck blind by the overpowering splendour of the apparition. But especially the effects of it upon his soul are convincing, who it was that spake to him. For Saul was by sect a

Pharisee, that of all others most passionately adhered to the Jewish religion; by temper, hot and violent; by profession, a persecutor of the Christians. One that breathed forth threatening and slaughter, that excited the fury of the high-priests, solicited their cruelty. In short, a fierce spirit that envied Nero the title of the first persecutor of the church. Yet this man, by this vision and voice from heaven, from a furious persecutor, in an instant became a zealous apostle; from a wolf, became a pastor. He presently expressed his entire submission, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" There is nothing so hard to do, nothing so dreadful to suffer, but I will readily undertake for thine honour, and the propagating of thy truth. Now, from whence came this change, so strange, so new, in a person confirmed in the opposite party? From whence this resignation of will, so entire and perfect, so unexpected and sudden? What gave him courage to contradict to their faces the high-priests, whose instrument he was, and declare that Jesus, whom they called a deceiver, was the Son of God, and their judge? What animated him to appear before kings and emperors, to testify this dangerous truth? What made him with unparalleled activity, with the most ardent affections, propagate the Gospel; and, after a thousand perils by sea and land, a thousand disgraces and injuries, at last to confirm the faith of Christ with his blood? It is, therefore, past all contradiction, that he had the greatest assurance that the Son of God spake to him.

Another vision of the Word from heaven was to St. John, when he was pleased to reveal to him the future state of his church, its combats and victories:

he then appeared in a form expressive of his majesty, power, and providence, requisite for the ordering all the great events that should befal it: and said, "I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I live for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death:" wherein he appropriates to himself the incommunicable titles of the Deity; and then declares those two astonishing miracles, that the Prince of Life, who had an eternal principle of it in himself, was dead; and that one who had been dead, was alive. This riddle the Gospel un

folds; the Son of God was made man, and by that admirable union allied eternity and time, life and death together. As it is a common form of speech, that a man dies when the body is deprived of life, though the soul be immortal; so it was true, the Son of God died when his body was crucified, though he was incapable of the least diminution of his divine life. And after three days he rose by the divine power to enjoy an immortal life; " and have the keys of hell, and death." The irresistible force of death all men must yield to, and from the grave there is no redemption by finite power. But Jesus Christ has sovereign authority and power to open the grave, and raise the dead to a happy immortality. This glorious appearance made St. John to fall as dead at his feet, and could not recover himself, till assured by the reviving words of his favour.

The Spirit also appeared from heaven to give testimony concerning the divine person and office of Christ: first, by descending as a dove on him when he was baptized. This was the completion of the

prophecy: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, to publish deliverance to the captives." And in the second of the Acts, the Spirit descended in the form of fiery tongues upon the apostles, to qualify them for preaching the Gospel to the world: and it is worthy of observation, that the apostles were before this very defective in wisdom and courage, so that their divine Master, though goodness itself, yet taxed them for their stupidity, and in his sufferings they all forsook him. But after the effusion of the Spirit upon them, they were endued with that admirable wisdom and resolution, that nothing could gainsay and overcome. They presently spake in various languages the things concerning Jesus Christ, that the world was astonished, and many converted by this testimony from God, for the honour of our Saviour, and others confounded in their obstinacy. Now, since this miraculous descent of the Spirit was to ratify the promise that he made to them, "If I go away, I will send to you another Comforter:" what more clear and valuable testimony can we have that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world? If infidelity should reply, if we had heard these voices, and seen those glorious visions, we should be convinced ; but what assurance have we there is no deceit in these relations? I answer, there never was clearer ground of the belief of any thing done without the compass of our own senses, than of what the apostles testify, as hath been evidently proved before. certainly as those who saw and heard those things, were by the divine characters in the external objects, and by their efficacy on their spirits, fully persuaded

And