36 VIII. We may add to all this the testimonies the most bitter enemies and persecutors of ristianity, both Jews and Gentiles, to the th of the matters of fact of CHRIST, such as sephus and Tacitus; of which the first floured about forty years after the death of HRIST, and the other about seventy years af; so that they were capable of examining to the truth, and wanted not prejudice and alice, sufficient to incline them to deny the ct itself of CHRIST. But their confessing it s likewise Lucian, Celsus, Porphyry, and Jun the apostate, the Mahometans since, and other enemies of Christianity, that have isen in the world) is an undeniable attestan to the truth of the fact. IX. But there is another argument, more ong and convincing, than even this matter fact; more than what I see with my eyes; hich the apostle Peter called a more sure ord, that is proof, than what he saw and ard upon the Holy Mount, when our blessed viour was transfigured before him and two her of the apostles; for, having repeated e passage, as a proof of that, whereof they ere eye witnesses, and heard the voice from aven giving attestation to our Lord Christ, Pet. i. 16, 17, 18, he says, verse 19, "We have a more su proof of this J the prophecies from the begir ly fulfilled in Men may upon our out Even Dei Old 109 Lies, which had gone before of him ginning of the world, and all exactn him. y dispute an imposition or delusion utward senses. But how can that which has been so long, even from ing of the world, and so often by all ets in several ages foretold; how can imposition or a forgery? eists must confess that the book, we Old Testament, was in the hands of Long before our Saviour came into the nd, if they will compare the prophee Messiah with the fulfilling of them, e, place, and all other circumstances erson, birth, life, death, resurrection, nsion of our blessed Saviour, they will proof, what our apostle here calls it, shining in a dark place, until the day nd the day star arise in your hearts." God grant! Here is no possibility of or imposture. prophecies (and all so agreeing) could e been contrived to countenance a new and nothing could be a cheat, that could Al these. 17 VIII. We may add to all this the testimonies of the most bitter enemies and persecutors of christianity, both Jews and Gentiles, to the truth of the matters of fact of CHRIST, such as Josephus and Tacitus; of which the first flourished about forty years after the death of CHRIST, and the other about seventy years after; so that they were capable of examining into the truth, and wanted not prejudice and malice, sufficient to incline them to deny the fact itself of CHRIST. But their confessing it (as likewise Lucian, Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian the apostate, the Mahometans since, and all other enemies of Christianity, that have arisen in the world) is an undeniable attestation to the truth of the fact. IX. But there is another argument, more strong and convincing, than even this matter of fact; more than what I see with my eyes; which the apostle Peter called a more sure word, that is proof, than what he saw and heard upon the Holy Mount, when our blessed Saviour was transfigured before him and two other of the apostles; for, having repeated the passage, as a proof of that, whereof they were eye witnesses, and heard the voice from heaven giving attestation to our Lord Christ, 2 Pet. i. 16, 17, 18, he says, verse 19, "We have a more sure word of prophecy," for the proof of this Jesus being the Messiah, that is, the prophecies, which had gone before of him from the beginning of the world, and all exactly fulfilled in him. Men may dispute an imposition or delusion upon our outward senses. But how can that be false, which has been so long, even from the beginning of the world, and so often by all the prophets in several ages foretold; how can this be an imposition or a forgery? Even Deists must confess that the book, we call the Old Testament, was in the hands of the Jews long before our Saviour came into the world; and, if they will compare the prophecies of the Messiah with the fulfilling of them, as to time, place, and all other circumstances in the person, birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our blessed Saviour, they will find this proof, what our apostle here calls it, "a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." Which God grant! Here is no possibility of deceit or imposture. Old prophecies (and all so agreeing) could not have been contrived to countenance a new cheat; and nothing could be a cheat, that could fulfil all these. For this therefore I refer Deists to my Method with the Jews.. I desire them likewise to look there, sect. xi. and consider the prophecies, given so long ago, (of which they see the fulfilling at this day with their own eyes,) of the state of the Jews for many ages past and at present, without a king or priest, or temple, or sacrifice, scattered to the four winds, sisted, as with a sieve, among all nations; yet preserved, and always so to be, a distinct people from all others of the whole earth. Whereas those mighty monarchies, which oppressed the Jews, and commanded the world in their turns, and had the greatest human prospect of perpetuity, were to be extinguished, as they have been, even their names being blotted out from under heaven. Likewise that, as remarkable, of our blessed SAVIOUR concerning the preservation and progress of the Christian church, when in her swaddling clothes, consisting only of a few poor fishermen. Not by the sword, as that of Mahomet, but under all the persecution of men and hell; which yet should not prevail against her. But, though I offer these, as not to be slighted by Deists, to which they can show nothing equal in all profane history, and in which it |