divine Miffion and Authority, and from the Nature of that Religion they taught, which was worthy of God, and tended to the Happinefs and Welfare of Mankind. Both which Proofs are neceffary to convince us of the Truth and Certainty of a divine Revelation. For if Miracles are wrought to establish Idolatry, or to promote the Practice of any wicked Doctrine, we have all the Affurance imaginable, that fuch a Revelation cannot proceed from God, because Wisdom and Holiness, Juftice and Goodnefs are effential Perfections that belong to his Nature; and it is impoffible we fhould be obliged to believe any Thing as from him, which plainly contradicts them. And this is very agreeable to what Moses has taught us in fuch a Cafe, If there arife among you a Pro1, 2 3. phet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and giveth thee a Sign or a Wonder, and the Sign or Wonder come to pass, whereof be spake unto thee, faying, Let us go after other Gods (which thou haft not known) and let us ferve them: Thou shalt not barken unto the Words of that Prophet, or that Dreamer of Dreams.

Deut. 13.

Carol.

Q. What Proof have we that there ever was fuch a Perfon as Jefus Chrift, and that he suffered under Pontius Pilate ?

A. That there was fuch a Perfon as Jefus Daubuz, Chrift, who lived in the Reign of the Emperor pro Teft. Tiberius, is not only univerfally acknowledged Jofeph. by Christians, but hath been owned by Jews who have writ of thofe Times; and the Heaxv. De thens themselves have borne their Testimony to Clau.c.25.the Truth of this Matter of Fact, as Tacitus, Epift. 97. Suetonius, and Pliny the younger. And that

Tacit. lib

lib. x.

the fame Jefus was crucified under Pontius Pi

late,

late, is averred both by Christians and Jews; the Chriftians profeffed it, notwithstanding the Ignominy they might thereby feem to bring upon themselves, who worshipped him as a God; and the Jews owned it notwithstanding the Provocation they might thereby give to the Chriftians; for it was by their Ancestors that he was delivered to be crucified: And it is very probable there were publick Records of the whole Matter at Rome, as the Account was fent by Pontius Pilate to Tiberius: For the ancient Chriftians in their Apologies appeal to it, which they had too much Underftanding and Modefty to have done, if no fuch Account had ever been fent, or had not been then extant to be produced. And indeed the great Enemies of Chriftianity, Celfus and Julian, never made this Matter of Fact a Controverfy; fo that no History can be better established by the unanimous Testimony of People otherwise very different from one another, than the Life and Death of Jesus Chrift.

Q. What Evidence did Jefus Chrift give that he was a Prophet fent from God?

A. All the former Prophecies which related to the Meffias were fulfilled in him, which ought to have been a convincing Argument to the Jews, who owned fuch Prophecies to have been of divine Infpiration. He received the Teftimony of a Voice from Heaven feveral Times; he was endowed with the Power of working Miracles; and particularly with the Gift of Prophecy, proved and made good by the fulfilling his own Predictions; than which nothing can be a greater Evidence of a divine. Miffion,

U

Gen. 49.

Dan. 9.

Miffion, because the greatest Argument of infinite Power and Knowledge.

Q. What Prophecies that related to the Meffias were fulfilled in Jefus Chrift?

A. Thofe Prophecies that concerned his Birth, and Life, his Death, Refurrection, and Afcenfion.

Q. What Prophecies that related to the Birth of the Meffias, were fulfilled in Jefus ?

A. According to Jacob's Prophecy, the Meffias was to come about the Time of the Diffolution of the Jewish Government; the Sceptre was not to depart from Judah, that is, the Power and Authority of the Jewish Government was not to cease, till Shilo came; by whom the antient Jews did understand the Meffias. And it was foretold by the Prophets Hag. 2.6. Haggai and Malachi, that he fhould come be7, 8, 9. fore the Deftruction of the fecond Temple Mal. 3.1.and the Destruction of the Temple was foretold by Daniel, with the precife Time of our 24, 25, Saviour's coming. And to manifeft to the 26, 27. World that Chrift is come, the Jews are now difperfed among all Nations, and their Government loft, and their Families confounded: The fecond Temple is long fince deftroyed, and the City of Jerufalem made defolate, which was foretold fhould be after the cutting off of the Meffias. And as the Time of Chrift's Mic. 5. 2. Birth was foretold, fo was the Place of it: It was prophefied, that the Meffias fhould be born Mat. 2. 6. in Bethlehem of Judæa, which was accordingly fulfilled, the Providence of God fo ordering it, that Jofeph and Mary fhould be brought up to Bethlehem, by a general Tax which Augiftus then laid; not only that he might be

delivered, but that their Names might be there entered, and their Family ascertained and proved, without doubt, to have defcended from David. The Perfon of whom our Saviour was born was likewife foretold; according to Ifaiah, she was to be a Virgin, which was accordingly Ifa. 7. 14. fulfilled; and thus Chrift was emphatically the Mat.1.23. Seed of the Woman, according to the Promife Gen.3.15. made to our first Parents, being as the Gospel tells us, born of a pure Virgin, which never knew Man.

Q. What Prophecies related to the Life of the Meffiah, which were fulfilled in Jefus ?

9, 10.

A. The Meanness and Obfcurity, and Sorrows of it are expreffed by Isaiah; he was fpo- Ifa. 53. 2, ken of by the Prophets as of a Person that was 3; Pfal. 69. to be reputed vile and abject, despised and rejected of Men; and accordingly in the Gospel Chrift is called a Nazerene, and had not where Ifa. 42. to lay his Head; and yet notwithstanding these 2, 3a Circumftances he was to be eminent for his Patience and Meekness. His Abode was to be chiefly in Galilee, and accordingly he was Ifa. 9. 1. brought up at Nazareth, and dwelt at Capernaum. His Character of a Prophet was afferted by Mofes and Ifaiah, which was eminently ful- Deut. 18. filled in that he foretold future Contingencies. 15. Ifa. His Power of working many and great Miracles was foretold by the fame Prophet, and ac- 35. 5, 6. complished by himself in fuch a Manner that many of the People believed in him, and faid, When Chrift cometh fhall be do greater Miracles Joh. 7.31. than this Man hath done? It was foretold that the People fhould receive him with Joy and Triumph, when he came riding upon an Afs, Zach.9.9. which was afterwards fulfilled; and that he Mat.21.5.

Zach. 11.fhould be fold for thirty Pieces of Silver, the Price which Judas received for betraying

12.

Mat.27.3 him.

Q. What Prophecies related to the Death of the Meffias that were fulfilled in Jefus ?

A. His violent Death was foretold by the Prophets, and by feveral Types which did reprefent and prefigure his Death. Thus Abraham's offering up of Ifaac was a Type of Chrift's being offered upon the Crofs; and Ifaac's carrying the Wood on his Shoulders, was a Type of Chrift's carrying his own Crofs: And the brazen Serpent, and the Paschal Lamb prefigured Christ's being lifted up, and his being made a Sacrifice for the Sins of the People. Our Saviour was buffetted and spit upon, according to the Prophecy of Ifaiah. He had Ifa. 50. 6.Vinegar given him to drink mingled with Gall, and his Garments were parted among the SolPfal. 22. diers by cafting of Lots, according to David. 18. 69. He was numbered with the Tranfgreffors, being Ifa. 53.12. condemned as a Malefactor to fuffer with Malefactors, being crucified between two Thieves. He cried out under his Sufferings according to Pfal.22.1. David, and prayed for his wicked Perfecutors, Ifa.53.12.according to Ifaiah. And as to the Circumftances of his Burial, it was foretold he fhould make his Grave with the Rich, which was accomplifhed in that he was put into Jofeph of Arimathea's own Tomb.

21.

Ver. 9.

Q. What Prophecies related to the Refurrection and Afcention of the Meffias which were fulfilled in Jefus ?

A. The Refurrection of Jefus Chrift was proPfal. 16. phefied of by David; thou wilt not leave my

.10.

Soul