ceed, 382. Conclufion; the corruptions of popery being fo particularly foretold, we have the lefs reafon to be furprifed and offended at them, 383. The gospel will finally prevail over all enemies and oppofers, 383.

CONCLUSION.

p. 385.-399.

From the inftances of the truth of prophecy may be inferred the truth of Revelation, 384. A fummary view of the prophecies now fulfilling in the world, 385. A large quotation from Dr Clarke tending to confirm and illuftrate the fame fubject, 386-395. No room for any poffible forgery of the prophecies, 395. The harmony, variety, and beauty of the prophetic writings, 395. Though fome parts are obfcure for good reasons, yet others are fufficiently clear, and the perfect completion will produce a perfect understanding of all the prophecies, 395. Human learning requifite to explain the prophecies, and particularly a competent knowledge of hiftory, 396 The patrons of infidelity are only pretenders to learning and knowledge, 397. Modern infidelity worfe even than that of the Jews, 397. So many inftances of prophecies and their completions, the ftrongest atteftations of a divine revelation, 397. Miracles and other proofs of the truth of the Christian religion, 398. Prophecies accomplished the greatest of all miracles, 399. Conclufion, 400.

ON THE

PROPHECIES,

XVIII.

OUR SAVIOUR'S PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE

DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

IN FOUR PARTS.

PART L

HE Jewish church, confifting only of a fingle na

Tol, cor theocracy of a

di ate government of God, experienced continual interpofitions of a particular extraordinary providence in its favour and protection, and was from time to time instructed by prophets raised up and fent one after another as occafions required. But the Chriftian church being defigned to comprehend the whole world, was like the world at first erected by miracle, but like the world too is fince governed by a general ordinary providence, by established laws, and the mediation of fecond caufes. This difference in the nature and constitution of the two churches, is the reafon why prophecies, and miracles, and other fupernatural powers, which were continued fo long, and repeated fo frequently in the Jewish church, were in the Chriftian church confined to the first ages, and limited chiefly to the perfons of our bleffed Saviour, and his difciples, and their companions. There were prophets,' As xi. 27, who came from Jerufalem unto Antioch. One of them named Agabus,' ver. 28. foretold the great dearth, which came to pafs in the days of Claudius Cæfar.' The fame prophet foretold likewise, Acts VOL. II.

A

xxi.

;

xxi. 10, 11. the bonds and imprisonment of St Paul. Philip the evangelift had alfo, ver. 9. four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.' Prophetic as well as o ther fpiritual gifts abounded in the primitive church their fons and their daughters did prophefy,' Acts ii. 17. their young men faw vifions, and their old men dreamed dreams.' But the only prophecies, which the Spirit of God hath thought fit to record and preferve, are some delivered by our bleffed Saviour himself, and by his apoftles, particularly St Paul and St John.

Our bleffed Saviour, as he was the great fubject of prophecy, fo was an illuftrious prophet himfelf; as he excelled in all other spiritual gifts and graces, fo was eminent in this alfo; and gave ample proofs of his divine commiffion by his prophecies as well as by his miracles. What he faid upon one occafion, is equally applicable to all his predictions, that their accomplishment is a sufficient atteftation of his being the Meffiah; John xiii. 19. Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pafs, ye may believe that I am he.' He foretold not only his own paffion, death, and refurrection, but alfo the manner and circumstances of them, that he should be betrayed by one of the twelve, even by Judas Iscariot the fon of Simon; that all the reft fhould be offended because of him that very night, and notwithstanding their proteftations to the contrary fhould forfake him and fly; that Peter particularly, who was more zealous and eager than the reft, before the cock crew 'twice, fhould deny him thrice; that he should be betrayed to the chief priests, and be delivered to the Gentiles to mock, and to fcourge, to fpit upon, and to kill him; that he should be crucified, and the third day fhould rife again, and appear to his difciples in Galilee. He foretold that his apoftles should be enabled of plain fishers to become fishers of men; that they should be endued with power from on high to speak with new tongues and to work miracles; that they should go forth into all nations, and publish the glad tidings of the gofpel unto the uttermoft parts of the earth. He foretold the perfecutions and fufferings which his difciples fhould undergo, and particularly by what manner of death Peter in his old age fhould glorify God, and that John fhould furvive till after the deftruction of Jerufalem.

rufalem. He foretold the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles; that the kingdom of heaven fhould be taken away from the former, and be given to the latter, who fhould bring forth the fruits thereof; that the number of his difciples from fmall beginnings fhould increase wonderfully, as a little feed groweth into a tree, and a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; that his church fhall be fo founded upon a rock, that it should ftand for ever, and all the powers of hell fhould not prevail against it. These things were most of them contrary to all human appearances, and impoffible to be foreseen. by human prudence or effected by human power; and he must be thoroughly acquainted with the hearts of men, and with the direction and difpofition of future events, who could foretel them with fuch certainty and exactness: and fome of them are actually accomplishing in the world at this prefent time.

But none of our Saviour's prophecies are more remarkable than those relating to the deftruction of Jerufalem, as none are more proper and pertinent to the defign of thefe difcourfes: and we will confider them as they lie in the twenty-fourth chapter of St Matthew, taking in alfo what is fuper-added by the other evangelifts upon parrallel occafions. Thefe prophecies were delivered by our Saviour about forty years, and were committed to writing by St Mathew about thirty years, before they were to take effect. St Matthew's is univerfally allowed to be the first of the four Gofpels; the firft in time, as it is always placed the first in order. It was written, as bmoft writers affirm, in the eighth year after the afcenon of our Saviour. It must have been written before

2 πρωτον μεν γεγραπται το κατα τον ποτε τελωνην, ύσερον δε αποτολον 1η σε Χριςε Ματθαιον. Primum evangelium fcriptum effe a Matthæo, prius, quidem publicano, poftea vero apostolo Jefu Christi. Orig. apud Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. 6. Cap. 25, &c. &c.

b On croit que faint Matthieu commenca a travailler a fon evangile, la huitieme année après la resurrection du Saveur ; c'est a dire, l'an 41 de l'ere vulgaire. Presque tous les anciens manufcrits Grecs le marquent ainfi a la fin de fon volume. Calmet Preface. Magno confenfu perhibent Patres, Matthæum, in gratiam credentium ex Judæis in Palæstina, evangelium fuum fcripfiffe. et quidem, ut multi addunt, Hierofolymis, octavo poft afcenfionem Christi anno, qui Claudii imperatoris primus fuit. Wetßein.

C

the difperfion of the apoftles, because St Bartholomew is faid to have taken it along with him into India, and to have left it there, where it was found feveral years afterwards by Pantænus. If the general tradition of antiquity be true, that it was written originally in Hebrew, it cer tainly was written before the deftruction of Jerusalem, for there was no occafion for writing in that language after the deftruction of Jerufalem and the difperfion of the Jews into all nations. It is afferted upon d good authority, that the Gofpels of Mark and Luke were approved and confirmed, the one by St Peter, the other by St Paul. So Papius Bishop of Hierapolis, and Clemens Alexandrinus, fay exprefsly that the Gospel of St Mark was written at the defire of the new converts, and ratified by St Peter. So the learned Origen affirms, that the second Gospel is that of Mark, who wrote as Peter dictated to him; and the third Gospel is that of Luke, which is commended by Paul. So Tertullian faith, that Mark's Gospel is affirmed to be Peter's, whofe interpreter Mark was; and Luke's Gospel they are wont to afcribe to Paul. So Jerome faith, that the Gospel according to Mark, who was the difciple and interpreter of Peter, is faid to be Peter'sThese authorities are more than fufficient ro weigh down the fingle teftimony of Irenæus to the contrary; but befides thefe Gregory Nazianzen, Athanafius, and other fathers might be alledged to prove, that the Gofpels of Mark and Luke received the approbation, the one of St Peter, the other of St Paul and it is very well known, that both these apostles fuffered martyrdom under Nero. The Gospel of St Mark must have been written at latest in the reign of Nero; for he died in that reign, in the e eighth year of Nero according to Jerome. The Gofpel of St Luke was written before the Acts of the Apostles, as appears from the preface to the latter; and the Acts of the Apoftles concluding with St Paul's dwelling at Rome

c Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. 5. Cap. 10. Hieron. Catalog. Script. Ecclef. in Pantaeno.` p. 112. Vol. 4. Par. 2. Edit. Bencdict.

d Papias et Clemens Alex apud Euseb. Hist Eccles. Lib. 2. Cap. 15. Origen apud Eufeb. Lib. 6. Cap. 25, Tertull. Adverf. Marcion. Lib. 4. Sect. 5. p. 416. Edit. Rigaltii, Paris. 1675. Hieron. de Script. Ecclef. p. 101. Vol. 4. Edit. Benedict. &c. &c.

e Mortuus eft autem Octavo Neronis anuo. De Script. Ecclef. p. 105. Vol. 4. Edit. Benedict.