and likewife farther by his Apoftles in their writings; as, That it fhould be every where perfecuted at first, and yet fhould every where prevail, and from fmall beginnings, like a grain of muftard feed, fhould grow into a great Tree: That the Gentiles fhould be called into it, and the Jews for a time reject it: That in the latter days there fhould be grievous Corruptions in the Church, in many particular inftances, which have already been fadly verified.

Now though it should be owned, that fome of the things foretold were not unlikely to happen, as that the Apostles fhould be perfecuted, and that the Gospel should meet with great oppofition, confidering how Chrift himself was treated, and how contrary his doctrine was to the corruptions of men; yet all of them were things contingent; and the Apostles might not thus have exposed themselves, if the thing had been of men. But their fuccefs was fo unlikely, and fo were most of the other things foretold, that as nothing but divine Wisdom could foresee them, fo nothing but divine power could bring them to pass.

As for thofe Prophecies concerning a better State of the Chriftian Church, the fulness of the Gentiles coming in to the profeffion

of

of the Gospel, the converfion of the Jews, the destruction of Antichrift, the prevailing power of the Gofpel, and others, whose time of accomplishment is yet future; though we cannot at present make use of them as arguments against Unbelievers; yet as those who believe the Scriptures juftly expect that these Prophecies will all be fulfilled, in their season, fo when the time of their fulfilling comes, they will be a fucceffively growing evidence of the Truth and Divinity of the Christian Doctrine, fuch as no imposture can fhew.

And now from what I have faid upon this Subject, I hope, it will appear, that, over and above a more certain Hiftorical evidence of facts related in the New Teftament, than can be expected for any mere human record fo ancient, we have alfo fubfequent inftances of Divine Power, giving atteftation to the Chriftian Revelation, and inftances of Divine Wisdom and Fore-knowledge, appearing in that Revelation it felf, and manifefted to be fuch by their accomplishment. And if this be not fuch a powerful means of conviction, as they had who faw the Miracles of our Saviour, and heard his Doctrine, who were witneffes of his death, and converfed with him after he rose from the dead, who beheld his

Afcen

Afcenfion into Heaven, and were themselves made partakers of the miraculous Powers of the Holy Ghoft, by virtue whereof they planted this Doctrine in the world; yet at leaft it is fuch an evidence of the Truth of what they affirmed, as is impoffible to be counterfeited; but the more it is examined, the ftronger it will appear. And therefore we are inexcufable if we refuse to embrace a Doctrine of fuch infinite moment, and which comes to us fo divinely recommended.

How shall we escape if we neglect fo great Salvation, which at the first began to be Spoken by the Lord himself, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him: God alfo bearing them witness both with figns and wonders, and with divers Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own Will.

SERMON

1

SERMON XVI.

Preached November the 3d 1718.

St. Luke vii. 23.

患蕊蕊蕊

And bleffed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.

Hefe words are the Conclufion of that Answer which our Saviour returned to the Meffage of John the

Baptift, who fent two of his Difciples to him with this Queftion, Art thou he that should come, or look we for another? It appears evident, from other paffages in the Gospel, that John himself did not want an answer to this Question for his own fatif

faction;