things of the Elders, and chief Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, Mark x. 33, 34. And Matth. xx. 18, 19. he foretells more particularly the manner of their proceedings against him, that the chief Priefts and Scribes fhould condemn him to death: but that they fhould not put him to death, but deliver him to the Gentiles, to mock, and fcourge, and crucify him, which was afterwards done by Pilate the Roman Governor. He foretold likewife the manner how this fhould be brought about, Matth. xx. 18. that he fhould be betrayed into the hands of men. And he did particularly point out before-hand the man that was to betray him, Matth. xxvi. 23. He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the fame fhall betray me. He foretold that his difciples fhould forfake him, Matth. xxvi. 31. All of you shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will fmite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. And when Peter declared his confident resolution to ftick to him, he foretold that he fhould deny him, with very particular circumstances of the time and manner of it Mark xiv. 30. This night before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice: Which was all punctually accomplished. 2. He punctually foretold his refurrection, with the circumstances of it, that he should rife again the third day, Matth. xvi. 21. and that after he was rifen, he would go before them into Galilee, Matth. xxvi. 32. which was accomplished, Matth. xxviii. 16. 3. He foretold likewife the defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon the Apoftles in miraculous powers and gifts, Luke xxiv. 49. Behold I fend the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerufalem, until ye be endowed with power from on high. He fpecifies the place where the Holy Ghoft fhould defcend; and what the effects of this defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon them should be; he tells them particularly, Mark xvi. 17, 18. And thefe figns fhall follow them that believe: in my name fhall they caft out devils, and they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up ferpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands hands on the fick, and they shall recover. All which was punctually fulfilled in the fecond of the Acts, and the following part of that history. There are yet two other inftances of our Saviour's prophetical fpirit, which I mentioned; but those I referve to the next difcourfe. SERMON CCXXXVIII. The evidences of the truth of the Chriftian religion. 2 COR. iv. 3, 4. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft: In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light of the glorious gospel of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould shine unto them. I The fifth fermon on this text. Am confidering the fourth evidence which thofe who lived in our Saviour's time had of his divine authority, viz. the fpirit of prophecy proved to be in him, and made good by the accomplishment of his predictions. I gave five inftances of our Saviour's predictions, 1. Those which foretold his death and its circumftances. 2. Those which foretold his refurection, and its circumftances. 3. Thofe which foretold the defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon the Apoles, with the circumstances thereof. These three I have confidered, and now proceed to the two which remain. 4. The next inftance therefore of our Saviour's prophetical fpirit, is his foretelling the deftruction of Jerufalem, with the circumftances of it. Now becaufe this is one of the greatest inftances of our Saviour's prophetical fpirit, and fo particular a predi&tion, fo puntually anfwered by the event, therefore I fhall infift the longer upon it: Efpecially becaufe I look upon it as one of the moft convincing arguments that can be brought against the Jews for the truth of our religion. And in order to our clearer proceeding in this matter that I am fpeaking to, I fhall do these three things: First, Explain the feries and order of this predi&tion of our Saviour's. concerning the deftruction of Jerufalem. Secondly, Expound the particulars of it, as we find them in Matthew 24. compared with the other two Evangelifts that wrote of it, St. Mark and St. Luke. Thirdly, Make fome reflexions upon this prediation, and the punctual accomplishment of it; from which it may appear of what force this argument is for the conviction of the Jews of the truth of our religion. First, I fhall explain the feries and order of this prediction concerning the deftruction of Jerufalem. And this is neceffary, because it seems to moft interpreters to be fo intermingled with a prophecy of Chrift's laft coming at the end of the world, that it is no eafy matter to feparate thofe two prophecies of the destruction of Jerufalem, and the end of the world. Befides that it is incumbered with fome other difficulties, arifing from fome particular expreffions in this famous prediction of our Saviour's. From the 34th verfe of the 23d chapter of St. Matthew, to the 29th of the 24th chapter, there is a clear prediction of the destruction of Jerufalem, with the preceeding figns, and concomitant and fubfequent circumftances of it: But at the 29th verfe, the prophecy of the end of the world feems to be defignedly joined to it for the evangelift fays, Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the fun fhall VOL. X. B be be darkened, &c. Where he enumerates difmal figns, and forerunners of the diffolution of all things: But it is now 1600 years fince the deftruction of Jerufalem, and yet the world is not at an end. How is it then that the Evangelift fays, Immediately after the tribulation of those days? This is the first difficulty. Secondly, After this prophecy of the end of the world, we find thofe words in all the three Evangelifts, Verily I say unto you, This generation fhall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled. As if not only the deftruction of Jerufalem, but the end of the world were to happen in that age. This is the other difficulty. But notwithstanding all this, I doubt not but by comparing the three Evangelifts together, to make the feries and order of these prophecies very clear. In order whereunto, we are to confider that our Saviour in this prophecy foretells three things very diftinct in time: 1. The deftruction of Jerufalem. 2. The fate and condemnation of the Jewish nation after this defolation, and during their captivity among the Gentiles, among whom they were to be fcattered. And this we have clearly and fully expreffed by St. Luke, xxi. 23, 24. There shall be great diftrefs in the land, and wrath upon this people; and they fhall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerufalem fhall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. So that this prediction comprehends from the deftruction of Jerufalem all the time of the captivity of the Jews among the Gentiles, which we fee is not yet expired, and God alone knows how long it fhall laft. And then, 3. Forerunning figns of the end of the world, which the Evangelifts fay fhall happen after the tribulation of thofe days; that is, when God hath made an end of punishing the nation of the Jews. And this feems to me wholly to clear and take off the first difficulty. As As to the fecond, namely, That after the prophecy of the end of the world, we find thefe words added by our Saviour, Verily I fay unto you, this generation fhall not pafs away, till all these things be fulfilled, which feems to intimate, that the end of the world fhould happen in that age. For the answering of this, I fhall not betake myself to that refuge which fome have done, by explaining these words thus, this generation, that is, this nation fhall not pass away, fhall not be utterly deftroyed, but fhall remain fcattered up and down the world, as a monument of God's difpleafure against them, till the end of all things. For though the expreffion yeved UTH, this generation, may well enough be tranflated this nation, this race of people; yet the precedent words will not admit this interpretation; for it is faid in the verfe immediately before, So likewife ye, when ye fhall fee all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. So that our Saviour fpeaks of fomething very near at hand, which neceffarily confines it to that generation. Therefore the plain folution of this difficulty is this, that our Saviour ends his prediction of the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the end of the world, at the 31ft verfe, where he fays, that the Son of man shall fend his Angels with a great found of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. And then he makes fome reflexions upon what he had foretold concerning the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the end of the world. (1.) As to the deftruction of Jerufalem, he tells them a parable of the fig-tree, that by the putting forth of its leaves, we know that the fummer is nigh; fo likewife when ye shall fee all these things, namely, all thofe figns which I have given you of the deftruction of Jerufalem,know that it is near, even at the doors, and then he adds, Verily I say unto you, this generation Shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled; that is, many of those who are now alive, fhall live to fee all thofe figns which I have mentioned. And then, (2.) He B 2 |