John," he shall baptize you." &c. ibid.
and to the lan-
guage of the ancient prophets, yet original in Jefus, 158.
inferences from the foregoing remarks on this prophecy, 159.
-II. The prophecy of Jefus, of the converfion of the Gen-
tiles, parallel to the prophetical admonition of John," think
not to fay within yourfelves, &c." 161. this prophecy
original in Jefus, 163. fhewn firft, from comparing his
conduct, as a teacher of Ifrael, with his prediction that the
Gentiles fhould be converted, 164.zdly, from his words,
"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my
church;"
;"" and, I will give unto thee the keys of the king-
dom of heaven," 172.III. The prophecy of Jefus, of the
deftruction of Ifrael, parallel to the prophecy of John, "now
the axe is laid unto the root of the trees," 176.
and to
thofe of ancient prophets, ibid. yet fhewn original in
Chrift, from fome new circumftances, which he interwove
with the prediction, 177. 1. the completion of it limited
to a particular generation, and period of time, ibid. ----2.
prophetical hiftory of the period between the delivery and the
accomplishment of the prophecy, 178. 3. That his elect
fhould be then the objects of divine protection, 179. — 4..
the captivity of the Jews in all nations, and the present ftate
of Jerufalem, predicted, and the captivity of the one, and the
defolation of the other, limited to a particular period, 180.-
Jewish imprecation, "his blood be on us, and on our chil-
dren,'
," thus literally fulfilled, 181. - this firft act of
our Lord's judgement upon Ifrael, prefigures his last universal
one over the world, 182. both called in Scripture his
coming, ibid.Jefus, in the fame prophecy. (Matth. xxiv.)
and the Baptift, in the claufe," whofe fan is in his hand,
&c," fpeak primarily of the judgement of Ifrael, and ulti-
mately of the judgement of the world, 183. other pro-
phecies by Jefus of his univerfal judgement, 184.
rences from the fubftance of this difcourfe, ibid.
Of the prophecy. which Jefus delivered, of the prevalence
of his Gospel, 187. the old prophets, the Baptift, and
Jefus himself, prophetically characterized the unpromising
rife, but final fulness of the Meffiah's kingdom, 188.
the prevalence of the Gospel, proves Chrift a prophet; but as
it must be ascribed only to his own accomplishment of his
promises, it proves him, more than a prophet, 189, &c.
I. The Apoftles, on Chrift's leaving them, had not fufficient
knowledge for their office, 191. - nor fufficient fortitude,
ibid. fq.Jefus foretold their fufferings and violent death,
191. reflection on this prophecy, 193.-notwithstand-
ing their deficiencies, the Apostles actually entered on their
miniftry, within a few days after their Lord's departure, 194.
hence neceffarily concluded, that their deficiencies were
previously remedied, 195. not by their own natural
powers, ibid.but by the coming of the Holy Ghoft upon
them, 196. He brought the Gofpel down from heaven,
199. the Apostles ftood in need of further illumination
afterwards, ibid. II. The continuance of the Law, ano-
ther obstacle,, 200.-effects of it on the minds of the Jews,
ibid. - promife of Jefus to remove this obstacle, 202.-
fulfilled in the fall of Jerufalem and the temple, and in the
difperfion of the Jews, 203. - Jefus marked this accom-
plishment of his denunciation of woe to Ifrael, as immediately
leading to the general establishment of his Gospel, 206.-under
Hadrian, the Jews endeavoured, in vain, to recover their holy
place, ibid. Julian endeavoured, in vain, to rebuild it,
207. III. Satan's kingdom another obstacle to the efta-
blishment of the kingdom of Jefus, 208. he gave his
difciples power, and promised them fupport from himself,
against this enemy, 209.- inferences from the fubftance of
this discourse, 210. General conclufions from all the dif-
courses, 202. — prophecies of Jefus afcribable only to the
divine Spirit ; and the exact accomplishment of them, as they
ftand in the Gospels, afcribable only to the divine power,
216. conclufion, that God fet his feal upon the Gofpel,
both as it was preached by Jefus, and as it was published in
writing by the Evangelifts.
The word of the Lord came unto John, the Son of Zacharias, in the wilderness; and he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the Baptifm of Repentance.
HE hiftory of Chrift was admirably
adapted to give, the moft clear and venerable representation of Chriftianity, and, at the fame time, an obvious and frequent demonftration of its truth. For, as the fyftem of duty, contained in his moral and religious difcourfes, was in him vifibly exemplified; fo alfo, a confiderable part of the evidence, that he came from God, arises from the several acts and incidents of his publick life. There are two questions, that
a An anfwer is given to the inquiry, why Chriftianity was delivered, in the hiftory of our Saviour, in preference to any other form, in a Commencement Sermon, Jeffery's Tracts. Vol. ii. at the end.
have immediate reference to them; the one, concerning their real existence, and the other, respecting the proofs, which they afford of a divine atteftation.
It may be observed, as to the reality of thofe facts, in the life of Chrift, upon which his Religion is founded, that the teftimony of friends and adverfaries, has enabled us to trace the profeffion of Chriftianity, through all the intermediate ages, from our own times till it began. During that long interval, it will be found invariably distinguished, with the obfervance of the fame ftated day of worship, and with the use of particular Sacraments, either in exprefs memorial of different acts in the life of Christ, or in purfuance of his positive institution.
This uninterrupted continuance of the Christian profeffion, accompanied with these characteristical obfervances, in all conjunctures of things, and against all obstacles, through the feveral ages, between the prefent time and that of Tiberius, evidently implies, that, in
The prevalence of it, in Trajan's time, is attefted by Plin. Ep. 97. Lib. 10. See alfo Daubuz pro teftimonio Jofephi. -Tacit. Annal. Lib. 15. cap. 44.-Sueton. Claud. cap.25.Julian, apud Cyrill. Lib. 6.
This argument is drawn out at large by Dr. Campbell in his Authenticity of the Gofpel History.
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