imagination of the people was fingularly impreffed with a belief that they really happened; and it might be faid, that our Lord's prediction was thus fulfilled. Confidering, however, the frequent miraculous appearances of particular interpofition in the course of nature, by which it pleased the Almighty to manifeft to his chofen people his protection and displeasure, it cannot be deemed improbable, that fome of these figns were indeed from heaven.

But before all these things they shall lay their bands on you, and perfecute you, delivering you up to the Synagogues, and into prifons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's fake. And fome of you shall they caufe to be put to death.

The precision with which the time is fpecified is very remarkable. Previous to the other prognostics of the destruction of Jerufalem, the disciples of Chrift were taught to expect the hardhips of perfecution. The Acts of the Apostles how how exactly this prediction was fulfilled. St. Paul acknowledges

• Acts iv, vi, vii, viii, xii, xxi, xxviii. 2 Cor. xi. 23. Heb. x. 32. 2 Theff. i. 4. James ii. 6. The Apostles

and

ledges that it had been his frequent custom previous to his converfion, "to punifh, and to beat in the fynagogues thofe that believed." St. Peter and St. John boldly confeffed the faith before Annas and Caiaphas. St. Paul. related the particulars of his miraculous converfion in the prefence of the High Priest, and with the greateft intrepidity pleaded his caufe at the tribunal of the trembling Felix, and the half-converted Agrippa. St. Stephen confounded the oppofition of the Sanhedrim, by the eloquence of his defence, and his forcible appeal to the Prophecies; and laid down his life in atteftation of the truth, before multitudes of adverfaries. And under Nero a more dreadful and general perfecution took place, in which St. Peter and St. Paul fuffered as martyrs for the faith. for the faith. This prof pect of perfecution, treachery, and death, muft indeed have overpowered the minds of the Difciples, if their divine Mafter had not at the fame time given them an absolute

and many converts were beaten by the Jews, Acts v. 40% xxii. 19. Paul was five times fcourged by the Jews, and thrice beaten with rods, 2 Cor. xi. 24, 25, James was flain with the fword, Acts xii. 2. The Epiftle to been written in a

the Hebrews feems evidently to have

great degree to comfort Chriftians under perfecution, x. 32, 33. xii. 3, &c. iveau. I

pro

promife of fupport, direction, and final fuc cefs, in the great caufe they had undertaken to defend. Settle it therefore in your hearts (that is, have perfect faith, or confidence, in my affurances of affiftance), not to meditate before what ye shall answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adver faries fhall not be able to gainsay or refift. How literally this promife has been fulfilled it is furely unneceffary to obferve.

The Gospel must first be published to all

Nations.

It should be remembered, that our Lord delivered this Prophecy only two days before he was given up to the Jewish council, forfaken by all his followers, and crucified like a common malefactor. The promise of fuccefs is here repeated to his Difciples, to guard them against the suggestions of doubt from the increafing appearances of improbability the importance and extent of the Gofpel are pointed out-and the time of its establishment in the Gentile world exactly defined. Our Lord declared in the most plain and exprefs words, that the Gospel,

Luke xxi. 14, 15.

2

muft

must be published among all nations at a particular period. This preaching of the new Revelation to the various nations was not, therefore, a fudden project of the Apostles, undertaken because the Jews rejected the Gofpel;" but it was a part of the original plan, long before declared by the Prophets, and thus communicated by Christ to his Difciples, who were not at that time sufficiently enlightened as to the great scheme

of univerfal falvation.

The first preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles was attended with many miraculous circumstances; and we find St. Peter afferting with a mixture of furprise and conviction, that " upon the Gentiles alfo was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, as upon themselves at the beginning;" alluding probably to the day of Pentecoft. The Epiftles, written to Chriftians in various countries, are a standing evidence of the swift propagation of the Gospel, as they were addressed to converts made at different times before, and at that time refiding in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephefus, Theffalonica, Pontus, Afia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and other places. St. Paul informs his Roman converts, "that the Gentiles were made obedient through mighty figns

VOL. I.

P

figns and wonders by the power of the fpirit of God; fo that from Jerufalem and round about Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Chrift." And to the Coloffians he he obferves, If ye continue in the faith grounded and fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heayen." Wide as the" tidings of peace and good will towards: men" had even then been spread, the Apostle could not here mean that every creature under heaven had heard the Gofpel. The sense of the paffage evidently is, the Gofpel is not, like the Mofaic Law, given to any one peculiar people, but is addreffed to every crea ture under heaven-the whole world may enjoy the bleffings of the Christian dispensation, and of this most joyful truth the numerous Gentile converts already made by the vifible power of the Spirit of God, are an incontestable proof. It is well known from various records, that the Gospel was preached to Jews and Gentiles, in Greece, Arabia, Ethiopia, Syria, Afia Minor, Judea, Italy, Macedonia, and many other places, with great fuccefs, within the time predicted by our Lord. Bishop Newton fays, "It appears, from the writers of the hiftory of the.

church,