XXV. II, 12. and xxix 10, 11. 2 Chron. Xxxvi. 21. Ezek. iv. 6. and Dan. ix. 2. And yet the Prophecies represent their Return as confequent on their Repentance. And their Repentance itself is very exprefly and particularly foretold, Jer. xxix. 12, 13, 14. xxxi. 8, 9, 18, 31. l. 4, 5. Ezek. vi. 8, 9, 10. vii. 16. xiv. 22, 23. and XX. 43, 44.

It was foretold under the Old Testament, that the Meffiah should suffer greatly through the Malice and Cruelty of Men; as is largely and fully fet forth, Pfal. xxii. applied to Chrift in the New Teftament, Matt. xxvii. 35, 43. Luke xxiii. 34. John xix. 24. Heb. ii. 12. And likewife in Pfal. Ixix. which, it is alfo evident by the New Teftament, is fpoken of Chrift; John ii. 17. xv. 25. Rom. xv. 3. Matt. xxvii. 34, 48. Mark xv. 23. and John xix. 29. The fame Thing is alfo foretold, Ifai. 1. 6. and liii. and Mic. v. I. This Cruelty of Men was their Sin, and what they acted as moral Agents. It was foretold, that there fhould be an Union of Heathen and Jewish Rulers against Christ, Pfal. ii. 1, 2. compar'd with As iv. 25,-28. It was foretold, that the Jews should generally reject and defpife the Meffiah, Ifai. xlix. 5, 6, 7. and liii. 1,-3. Pfalm xxii, 6, 7. and lxix. 4, 8, 19, 20. And it was

foretold, that the Body of that Nation fhould be rejected in the Meffiah's Days, from being God's People, for their Obftinacy in Sin; Ifai. xlix. 4, -7. and viii. 14, 15, 16. compared with Rom. ix. 33. and Ifai. Ixv. at the beginning, compared with Rom. x. 20, 21. It was foretold, that Chrift fhould be rejected by the chief Priests and Rulers among the Jews, Pfalm cxviii. 22. compared with Matth. xxi. 42. Acts iv. 11. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 7.

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Christ himself foretold his being delivered into the Hands of the Elders, chief Priests and Scribes, and his being cruelly treated by them, and condemned to Death; and that he by them fhould be delivered to the Gentiles: and that he should be mocked, and fcourged, and crucified, Matt. xvi. 21. and xx. 17,--19. Luke ix. 22. John viii. 28. and that the People fhould be concerned in and confenting to his Death, Luke xx. 13, - 18. efpecially the Inhabitants of Jerufalem; Luke xiii. 33, -35. He foretold, that the Difciples fhould all be offended because of Him that Night that he was betrayed, and should forfake him; Matt. xxvi. 31. John xvi. 32. He foretold, that He fhould be rejected of that Generation, even the Body of the People, and that they fhould continue obftinate, to their Ruin; Matt. xii. 45. xxi. 33,—42. and xxii. 1,—7. Luke xiv. 16, 21, 24. xvii. 25. xix. 14, 27, 41,—44. and xx. 13,—18.

As it was foretold in both Old Testament and New, that the Jews fhould reject the Meffiah, fo it was foretold that the Gentiles fhould receive Him, and fo be admitted to the Privileges of God's People; in Places too many to be now particularly mentioned. It was foretold in the Old Teftament, that the Jews fhould envy the Gentiles on this Account; Deut. xxxii. 21. compar'd with Rom. x. 19. Chrift himself often foretold, that the Gentiles would embrace the true Religion, and become his Followers and People; Matt. viii. 10, 11, 12. xxi. 41,-43. and xxii. 8,-10. Luke xiii. 28. xiv. 16,-24. and xx. 16. John x. 16. He alfo foretold the Jews Envy of the Gentiles on this Occafion; Matt. xx. 12,-16. Luke xv. 26, to the End. He foretold, that they should continue in this Oppofition and Envy, and should mani

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feft it in cruel Perfecutions of his Followers, to their utter Destruction; Matt. xxi. 33, xxii. 6. and xxiii. 34,-39. Luke xi. 49, 49,- 51. The Jews Obftinacy is alfo foretold, Acts xxii. 18. Chrift often foretold the great Perfecutions his Followers thould meet with, both from Jews and Gentiles; Matt. x. 16,—18, 21, 22, 34,-36. and xxiv. 9. Mark xiii. 9. Luke x. 3. xii. 11, 49, 53. and xxi. 12, 16, 17. John xv. 18,-21. and xvi. 1,-4. He foretold the Martyrdom of particular Perfons; Matt. xx. 23. John xiii. 36. and xxi. 18, 19, 22. He foretold the great Succefs of the Gofpel in the City of Samaria, as near approaching; which afterwards was fulfilled by the Preaching of Philip, John iv. 35,-38. He foretold the Rifing of many Deceivers after his Departure, Matt. xxiv. 4, 5, 11. and the Apostacy of many of his profefs'd Followers; Matt. xxiv.

10,-12.

The Perfecutions, which the Apostle Paul was to meet with in the World, were foretold; Alts ix. 16. xx. 23, and xxi. 11. The Apostle fays to the Christian Ephefians, Acts xx. 29, 30. I know, that after my Departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the Flock: Also of your own felves fhall Men arife, Speaking perverfe Things, to draw away Difciples after them. The Apoftle fays, He knew this; but he did not know it, if God did not know the future Actions of moral Agents.

4. Unless God foreknows the future Actions of moral Agents, all the Prophecies we have in Scripture concerning the great Antichriftian Apoftacy; the Rife, Reign, wicked Qualities, and Deeds of the Man of Sin, and his Inftruments and Adherents; the Extent and long Continuance of L 2

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his Dominion, his Influence on the Minds of Princes and others, to corrupt them, and draw them away to Idolatry, and other foul Vices; his great and cruel Perfecutions; the Behaviour of the Saints under thefe great Temptations, &c. &c. I fay, unless the Volitions of moral Agents are foreseen, all thefe Prophecies are uttered without knowing the Things foretold.

The Predictions relating to this great Apoftacy are all of a moral Nature, relating to Men's Virtues and Vices, and their Exercifes, Fruits and Confequences, and Events depending on them; and are very particular; and most of them often repeated, with many precife Characteristicks, Defcriptions, and Limitations of Qualities, Conduct, Influence, Effects, Extent, Duration, Periods, Circumstances, final Iffue, &c. which it would be very long to mention particularly. And to fuppofe, all these are predicted by God without any certain Knowledge of the future moral Behaviour of free Agents, would be to the utmost Degree abfurd.

5. Unless God foreknows the future Acts of Men's Wills, and their Behaviour as moral Agents, all those great Things which are foretold in both Old Teftament and New concerning the Erection, Establishment, and univerfal Extent of the Kingdom of the Meffiah, were predicted and promised while God was in Ignorance whether any of thefe Things would come to pafs or no, and did but guess at them. For that Kingdom is not of this World, it don't confift in Things external, but is within Men, and confifts in the Dominion of Virtue in their Hearts, in Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft; and in these Things made manifeft in Practice, to

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the Praise and Glory of God. The Meffiah came to fave Men from their Sins, and deliver them from their spiritual Enemies; that they might ferve Him in Righteoufnefs and Holiness before Him: He gave Himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works. And therefore his Succefs confifts in gaining Men's Hearts to Virtue, in their being made God's willing People in the Day of his Power. His Conqueft of his Enemies confifts in his Victory over Men's Corruptions and Vices. And fuch Succefs, fuch Victory, and such a Reign and Dominion is often exprefly foretold: That his Kingdom fhould fill the Earth; that all People, Nations and Languages fhould ferve and obey Him: and fo, that all Nations should go up to the Mountain of the Houfe of the Lord, that He might teach them bis Ways, and that they might walk in his Paths: And that all Men fhould be drawn to Chrift, and the Earth be full of the Knowledge of the Lord (by which, in the Style of Scripture, is meant true Virtue and Religion) as the Waters cover the Seas; that God's Law fhould be put into Men's inward Parts, and written in their Hearts; and that God's People fhould be all Righteous, &c. &c.

A very great Part of the Prophecies of the Old Teftament is taken up in fuch Predictions as thefe. And here I would obferve, that the Prophecies of the univerfal Prevalence of the Kingdom of the Meffiah, and true Religion of Jefus Chrift are delivered in the most peremptory Manner, and confirmed by the Oath of God, Ifai. xlv, 22, to the End, Look to me, and be ye faved, all the Ends of the Earth; for I am God, and there is none elfe. I have SWORN by my Self, the Word is gone cut of my Mouth in Righteoufnefs, and fhall not return, that unto Me every Knee fhall bow, and every

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