Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

4. By the truth of its prophecies, or predictions of future occurrences,
which have been fulfilled exactly in the way, and in those times, which
the predictions, delivered many hundreds of years before, had pointed
out.
5. By the promises which they contain; promises of pardon and peace
to the penitent, of divine assistance and support to true believers, and of
holiness and happiness to the godly, which are ever exactly fulfilled to all
those who by faith plead them before God.
6. By the effects which those Scriptures produce in the hearts and in
the lives of those who piously read them; it being always found that such
persons become wiser, better, and happier in themselves, and more useful
to others; better husbands and wives; better parents and children; better
governors and subjects; and better friends and neighbours. While those
who neglect them are generally a curse to themselves, a curse to society,
and a reproach to the name of man.
7. To these proofs may be added the poverty, and illiterate and
defenceless state of our Lord's disciples and the primitive preachers of his
gospel. The Jewish rulers and priesthood were, as one man, opposed to
them; they sought by every means in their power to prevent the preaching
of Christianity in Judea; the disciples were persecuted everywhere, and
had not one man in power or authority to support them, or espouse their
cause: yet a glorious Christian church was founded even at Jerusalem;
thousands received and professed the faith of Christ crucified, and many
of them gladly sealed the truth with their blood. When they had preached
the gospel throughout Judea, they went to the heathen, preached the
gospel in different parts of the Lesser Asia, Greece, and Italy. In all these
places they had to contend with the whole power and influence of the
Roman empire, then entirely heathen, and the mistress of all the known
world! Christian churches notwithstanding, were founded everywhere;
and even in Rome itself, the throne of the Roman emperor! Here they
were as defenceless as in Judea itself. They had to contend with all the
idolatrous priests, with all the Greek philosophers, with the secular