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

If such a preservation of the church of God, from the beginning of the world hitherto, attended with such circumstances, is not sufficient to show a divine hand in favour of it, what can be devised that would be sufficient? But if this be from the divine hand, then God owns the church, and own her religion and owns that revelation and those scriptures on which she is built; and so it will follow, that their religion is the true religion, or God's religion, and that the scriptures, which they make their rule, are his word.

If such a preservation of the church of God, from the beginning of the world hitherto, attended with such circumstances, is not sufficient to shew a divine hand in favour of it, what can be devised that would be sufficient? But if this be from the divine hand, then God owns the church, and owne her religion and owns that revelation and those scriptures on which she is built; and so it will follow, that their religion is the true religion, or God's religion, and that the scriptures, which they make their rule, are his word.

(3) We may draw this further argument for the divine authority of the scriptures from what has been said, viz. that God has so fulfilled those things which are foretold in the scriptures. —I have already observed, as I went along, how the prophecies of the scripture were fulfilled: I shall now therefore single out but two instances of the fulfilment of scripture prophecy.

(1) One is in preserving his church from being ruined. I have just now shown what an evidence this is of the divine authority of the scriptures in itself considered: I now speak of it as a fulfilment of scripture-prophecy. This is abundantly foretold and promised in the scriptures, as particularly in the text; there it is foretold that other things should fa•l, other kingdoms and monarchies, which set themselves in opposition, should come to nothing: "The moth should eat them up like a garment, and the worm should eat them like wool." So it has in fact come to pass. But it is here foretold, that God's covenant-mercy to his church should continue for ever; and so it hath hitherto proved, tho' now it be so many ages since, and though the church has passed through so many dangers. The same is promised, Is. liv.17. "No weapon that is formed against thee, shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against the in judgement, thou shalt condemn." And again, Is. xlix.14.15 16. "But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me." The sme is promised again in Is. lix.21. and Is. xliii.1.2. and