A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

So the Apostle Paul, in 1 Cor. chap. i.21.—28. declares, how that after the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe; and that God chose the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty: and base things of the world, and things which are despised, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.— If any man foretells a thing, very likely in itself to ⟨p. 211⟩come to pass, from causes which can be foreseen, it is no great argument of a revelation from God: but when a thing is foretold which is very unlikely ever to come to pass, is entirely contrary to the common course of things, and yet it does come to pass just agreeable to the prediction, this is a strong argument that the prediction was from God.

Thus the consideration of the manner of the propagation and success of the gospel during the time which has been spoken of, affords great evidence that the scriptures are the word of God.

III. I am to show how the success of Christ's redemption is carried on from the time of the overthrow of the Heathen Roman empire in the time of Constantine the Great, till the fall of Antichrist, and the destruction of Satan's visible kingdom on the earth, which is the third great dispensation which is in scripture compared to Christ's coming to judgement. This is a period wherein many great and wonderful things are brought to pass. Herein is contained a long series of wonders of divine providence towards the Christian church. The greater part of the book of Revelation is taken up in foretelling the events of this period.