Chap. VI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 399 



As the Jews were a people chofen by God, and kept diftlnguiih- 

 cd and feparated from all other nations, and as they were the only 

 people then on the earth, who believed in one God, the Creator of 

 heaven and earth, it was proper that our Saviour fhould be of that 

 nation : So that the prophecies, which foretold that the Meffiah 

 was to be of that nation, might be fulfilled in him. Accordingly, 

 he was born in JeruHilem, and his mother, the Virgin Mary, was 

 defcended of the nobleft race among them, the race of David, the 

 King, v^ho, with the reft of his countr^^men, was defcended of Ab- 

 raham, to whom it was promifed, That in him Jljotdd all families 

 of the earth be bleJftd-'\ It was alfo fit, that the dodrine of Jefus 

 fhould be firft promulgated among the Jews, who believed in the 

 one God, from whom it came ; nor do I think, that, in any other 

 nation, our Saviour could have found difciples to propagate his doc- 

 trine, firft among the Jews, and then among the Gentiles. 



As our Saviour faid that he was the Son of God, miracles were 

 neceffary to fupport his high title, and give credit to his miflion • 

 and, accordingly, he wrought many miracles, and in the view of 

 all the people, and which were all works of benificence, fhowing 

 divine goodnefs, as well as divine power. And he concluded them 

 all by raifing himfelf from the dead, after he had been crucified by 

 the Jews, contrary to the inclination, as appeared, of the Roman 

 governor, Pontius Pilate ; but he, in this, fubmitted to the will of 

 the Jews, who could not bear any other rehgion than that of Mofes. 

 After his death and refurredion, his difciples, who had alfo the 

 power of working miracles beftowed upon them, and had a very 

 great miracle exhibited in their own perfons, I mean the gift of 

 tongues, which was neceflary to propagate their religion among 

 the Gentiles, laboured very much in their calling, and were very 

 fuccefsful in making converts among the Gentiles, much more fuc- 

 cefsful than among their own countrymen, who, as I have obferv- 



* Genefis, chap. 12. v. 3. 



