things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them."

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I am not entitled to argue from these passages, that Christ actually did foretell these events, and that they did accordingly come to pass, because that would be at once to assume the truth of the religion; but I am entitled to contend, that one side or other of the following disjunction is true; either that the Evangelists have delivered what Christ really spoke, and that the event corresponded with the prediction; or, that they put the prediction into Christ's mouth, because, at the time of writing the history, the event had turned out so to be; for the only two remaining suppositions appear in the highest degree incredible; which are, either that Christ fills the minds of His followers with fears and apprehensions, without any reason or authority for what He said, and contrary to the truth of the case; or that, although Christ had never foretold any such thing, and the event would have contradicted Him if He had, yet historians who lived in the age when the event was known, falsely, as well as officiously, ascribed these words to Him.

5 John xvi. 2-4. See chap. xv. 20; xvi. 33.

3. Thirdly, these books abound with exhortation to patience, and with topics of comfort under distress.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." 6

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body;-knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."7

"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have

6 Rom. viii. 35, 37.

72 Cor. iv. 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17.

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heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." "8

"Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly whilst ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." "

"So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom for which ye also suffer."

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"We rejoice in hope of the glory of God; and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

James v. 10, 11.

Heb. x. 32-36.

1 2 Thess. i. 4, 5.

and patience, experience; and experience, hope." 2

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."3

What could all these texts mean, if there was nothing in the circumstances of the times which required patience,-which called for the exercise of constancy and resolution? Or will it be pretended, that these exhortations (which, let it be observed, come not from one author, but from many) were put in, merely to induce a belief, in after ages, that the Christians were exposed to dangers which they were not exposed to, or underwent sufferings which they did not undergo? If these books belong to the age to which they lay claim, and in which age, whether genuine or spurious, they certainly did appear, this supposition cannot be maintained for a moment; because I think it impossible to believe that passages, which must be deemed not

? Rom. v. 3, 4.

31 Pet. iv. 12, 13, 19.

only unintelligible, but false, by the persons into whose hands the books upon their publication were to come, should, nevertheless, be inserted, for the purpose of producing an effect upon remote generations. In forgeries which do not appear till many ages after that to which they pretend to belong, it is possible that some contrivance of that sort may take place; but in no others can it be attempted.