a more restrained sense of the Kingdom of God in this place It is granted that we have not an express Command from Christ for this practice but the Scripture is silent as to many other things which yet we must suppose to have been â—aid or done Again 3 ly There is our Saviour's Example and Fact for it for we find that he set himself in the midst of his Apostles every first day of the week till his Ascension to Heaven Mat. 28. 18. Mark 16. 14. Luke 24. 36. Ioh. 20. 19. Moreover his Spirit speaking and acting in his Apostles taught them to meet constantly together on this day and in a more solemn manner to perform the Offices of Divine Worship at this time Ioh. 20. 9 26. Acts 17. 7. Acts 20. 7. 25. 66. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. By reason of this divine Institution from our Lord himself this first day of the week began to be call'd the Lord's Day Rev. 1. 10. and afterwards it was call'd so by Ignatiâ—â— as well as St. Iohn Constantinâ— the Great renew'd and revived this Name which some had laid aside and caused the Day to be constantly known and call'd by that Appellation and by Edict commanded it to be solemnly kept by all Persons The short is both in the Apostles times as the Scripture informs us and in all succeeding Ages this Day hath been unanimously observed by Christians as being of Evangelical Appointment Thus the Gospel may be said to add to the Law in some New Particulars Christ hath introduced some things peculiar and proper to the state of Christians But there were the same Constitutions before under the Law in general There were two Sacraments the one to admit Infants into the Church the other to confirm the Adult There were Laws of Ecclesiasâ—ical Discipline there was a Time set apart for Divine Worship Prop. 2. All those things which our Saviour forbids or commands in the Gospel are comprehended in the Law if not expresly yet virtually and by true consequence and rational deduction Thus Killing being forbidden Anger and Wrath which stir up Mens blood and cause them to thirst after the blood of others are forbidden So Christ in his Sermon on the Mount lets them know as I shall shew you anon that not only this but many 〈◊〉 things were included and contained in the Moral Law which they acted contrary to foolishly imagining that they were to go no further than the bare Letter of the Law Prop. 3. The Commandments and Duties of the Old and of the New Testament are the same as to Substance tho they differ as to Manner and Circumstances The Faith of the Saints under the Legal Appointment and of those under the Evangelical one is as hath been shew'd before the very same as to the main only they differ as to their Relation or Aspect the one to Christ who was then to come the other to him already come So praying to Christ relying on the mercy of Christ desiring to depart and be with him and the like Duties which seem to be new are so only in respect of the foresaid Relation or Manner The Messias expected and the Messias come solve the difference Prop. 4. As the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel being the same in Substance differ as to the Manner so they differ likewise as to the Degrees Humility and that which we call Christian Liberty are reckon'd by a Learned Writer as New Duties introduced by Christ. But I conceive the Substance of these was before they are only more Improved and Inhanced by our Blessed Lawgiver Christ Iesus And this you shall see is made good of several otherâ—r Duties mention'd by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount He hath made them more perfect than they were and therefore in respect of them the Gospel is stiled a Perfect Law Jam. 1. 25. Thus I have briâ—fly shew'd you how there are New Laws and Duties added by Christ and how not Some few Particulars are New because the new State of things required it Others may be said to be New because they are more Expresly set down or in respect of Circumstances Manner and Degrees But still they are not New but the same in the general besides that they are virtually the same and as to the main and in the Substance of them It is scarcely worth taking notice what Episcopius suggests viz. that there is no express Precept in the Law for Praying unto God and consequently it was nâ—t a Duty required in the Old Testament and therefore is a new Commandment of Christ. In which as in some other things he agrees with the Socinians but is therein very palpably mistaken for there are set Forms of Prayer enjoin'd in the Old Testament there are determinate Expressions dictated there Most of the Psalms are Prayers and particular Prayers of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel are recorded Praying is expâ—esly commanded in Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble The Temple was call'd the House of Prayer Isa. 67. 7. and Prayers were mix'd with all the Sacrifices as appears from Luke 1. 10. How then can any Man have the confidence to say that Prayer is a New Testament Precept only But here it may be alledged that Love is call'd a New Commandment both by our Saviour Ioh. 13. 34. and by St. Iohn 1 Epist chap. 2. ver 8. therefore there is this Commandment at least added anew by Christ to what was before I will reply to this by explaining to you how Love may be said to be a New Commandment 1. I have suggested before that it may be call'd New because of the New Motive annex'd to it in Iohn 13. 34. A New Commandment I give unto you that ye love one â—nother as I have loved you This latter Clause is New tho the former be Old This is one Reason which a Learned Writer gives why Love is call'd a New Commandment 2. Another is because it was Renâ—wed by Christ and urged on his Disciples afresh as their particular badg A New Commandment give I unto you that ye love one another said our Saviour to his Apostles that night when he celebrated the Passover with them and instituted the Holy Sacrament of his Body and Blood and when he was taking his leave of them and the World Now he seasonably presses what he had exhorted them to before now he calls upon them more especially to exercise the Grace of Love Thus it is a New Commandment because Christ repeats it anew 3. Because Christ vindicated it as you shall hear more by and by from the false Glosses of the Pharisees and so made it as it were New They thought that Love was due only to those that were their Neighbours and Brethren and that â—ll who injured them were to be hated but our Saviour tells them they must love their Enemies he acquaints them that Iews as well as Christiaâ—â— were obliged to this Duty that the
at last the Catholick Interest of the World When it is come to this you need not doubt but such a State will last long Being so well founded it is no wonder that it shall continue so many Years That Government is most remote from Desolation which keeps itself most free from Sin and Vice Fifthly and Lastly VNIVERSAL PEACE AND VNITY crown all the foregoing Blessings This must needs be part of the Happiness of those Days because when the Names of Iew and Gentile shall cease and all other Names of Difference shall be taken away and turn'd into that of Christian there will necessarily follow Peace and Concord all Sidings and Factions will be at an end all Parties will be reconciled This will be partly the Effect and Result of that clear Knowledge which shall be the Blessing of those Times Isa. 11. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain For the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord. It is this that mitigates and pacifies the distemper'd Minds of Men and brings them to a peaceable and loving Disposition and thereby prevents unchristian Feuds and Quarrels whence spring Violence and Bloodshed and all manner of Evils in the Lives of Men. It is certain that one great Sourse of those many Quarrels and Disputes that are in the World is the Ignorance or Misapprehension of Persons They form not right Conceptions of Things or they mistake one another Especially in Matters of Religion this proves very troublesome and makes a great Disturbance and miserably divides Mens Judgments and Affections But there shall be no such Thing in that happy Age which is to come because then there will be a greater Light and Men will have a better Understanding of one another Which will in part be occasioned by that Vniversal Language which shall be all the World over We read that soon after the Flood a Plurality of Tongues caused a Dispersion a Division of the Sons of Men But the Unity of Language will join them together in one Communion Their speaking the same Words will be one way to unite them in the same Apprehensions for by this means they may with ease and freedom confer with one another and compare their Notions together and thereby come to an entire Agreement This is so rational to conceive that we cannot but deem it almost impossible that there should be an universal Converse and Peace without it When that wish'd for Period comes about Men being better inform'd of Things shall lay aside their false and mistaken Opinions but especially all Misapprehensions touching Religious Affairs shall have an end and consequently all Controversies relating to them shall vanish All Distinguishing but odious Names whereby Men laboured to brand one another and to perpetuate their Grudges and Antipathies shall be forgot They shall no more revile and which is worse persecute one another They shall not call down Fire from Heaven of fetch it up from Hell to devour their Adversaties In a Word They shall no longer differ from one another but be all of one Mind and Perswasion This must needs be so upon another Account viz. because that Wisdom which is from above is not only â—â—re but Peaceable Especially where that Purity takes place in a very great Degree there will be as considerable a Portion of Peace and Amity True Godliness will extirpate all Rancour and Bitterness all Dissention and Division and will cause the Christian Worshippers to be of one Heart He that purgeth his Church from Error and Vice will clear it also of all Distractions This too ought to be remembred that the principal Disturber of Mankind the great Incendiary of the World and who made it his continual Business to soment Quarrels and Divisions shall be shut up and imprisoned all the Time of that expected Reign And though some of this inferior Agents who shall remain behind may be soliciting a Revival of the Ancient Dissentions yet they shall be repulsed or if some smaller Disagreements shall at any time arise they shall but make way for a greater and more lasting Love The former Bickerings and Disgusts shall be heard of no more and as the consequent of this an universal Calm shall obtain upon Earth Of this the Evangelical King speaks in Psalm 72. which is a lively Description of Christ's Kingdom and among other Properties and Privileges of it it is foretold that there shall be abundance of Peace so long as the Moon endureth v. 7. Of this the Evangelical Prophet frequently speaks as in Chap. 2. v. 4. They shall beat their Swords into Plough-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more The Messias is call'd the Prince of Peace Ch. 9. v. 6. of the increase of whose Government and Peace there shall be no end v. 7. The Work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the Effect of Righteousness Quietness and Assurance for ever And my People shall dwell in a peaceable Habitation and in sure Dwellings and in quiet Resting-places Chap. 32. 17 18. Thine Eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet Habitation Ch. 33. v. 20. The whole 60th Chapter is a Prophecy of the Peaceable and Prosperous State of Christ's Church In Ch. 65. 25. there are almost the very same Words which I before recited from Ch. 11. v. 6. 9. To this belongs that of Ieremah Ch. 32. v. 39. I will give them one heart and one way I know it will be said that some of these Prophecies are to be understood of the Times after the Return from the Captivity in Babylon and others respect those Times of the Gospel which are now past I do not wholly deny this for it is my Judgment that they are to be interpreted concerning either of those Times and likewise concerning that Millâ—nnial State which is to come We may truly say that these and several other Predictions of the like Nature are to be understood in a double sense and consequently there is a double fulfilling of them They have in some measure been accomplish'd but the Full and Utmost Extent of them reacheth to that future Period of the Gospel-Oeconomy and so they shall be more amply verified then There shall then be no hurting or destroying there shall be a Cessation from Wars and Bloodshed from Violence and Persecution yea from all Thoughts and Attempts of them For in those Halcyon Days Christians shall be inspired with a peaceable and loving Temper and shall be made like unto their Master who is the Great Pattern of Love The Modern Jews acknowledge that it was a Celebrated Saying among the Old Rabbins that the Days of the Messias shall be one whole perpetual Sabbath This is the very thing we are speaking of Christ shall bring with him such a Rest as was never in the World before They shall enjoy a Sabbath of a Thousand Years Let us be preparing for this Happy Time and let us be hast'ning it
beg leave to dissent from those who assert that these Sacrifices expiated only for lesser Sins and Failings and not for the greater ones of external idolatry Murder Blasphemy and the like It is not to be doubted that all kinds and degrees of Sin were expiated by the legal Sacrifices not only corporal Punishment in the sense which I have explain'd and legal Uncleanness but all moral Impurity and Guilt were taken away by them But this the Mosaick Sacrifices did not do of themselves but by virtue only of the Expiatory Sacrifice of the MESSIAS to come of which they were but Shadows To speak properly and strictly they did not really and formally but typically expiate i. e. as they were Significations and Figures of that great Sacrifice to be offer'd Lastly then the grand and principal End of the Judaical Sacrifices was to typify and represent the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Socinus denies not that the Anniversary Sacrifice on the Day of Expiation was a Type of Christ ' s Death But as for the other common and usual Sacrifices he holds that Christ was not prefigured by them but that the Spiritual Sacrifices of Christians were only typified thereby This is a gross Error for the Burnt-Offerings and Sin-Offerings and Peace-Offerings which were common and frequent were Expiatory Sacrifices as I shew'd before and they were as much Expiatory as that which was but once a Year Now being Expiatory they as such were Types of the great Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Lamb of God they prefigured Christ's Death and the Expiation and Satisfaction which he was to make for Sin It is a strange thing therefore to me that Socinus who denies Christ to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice should grant that the Sacrifice which the High Priest offer'd once a Year entring into the Holy of Holies prefigured the Death of Christ for the same reason he ought to grant that all the Expiatory Sacrifices of the Law were Types of our Saviour And he could not but see that the Holy Ghost in Scripture doth not only speak of that Annual Sacrifice as a prefiguration of Christ's Passion and apply it expresly to him in Heb. 9. 12. By his own Blood â—e entred in once into the Holy Place but the same Infallible Spirit in that Epistle applieth what is said of the other Sacrifices unto Christ Therefore the Apostle saith Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 15. 7. Therefore Iohn the Baptist call'd our Saviour the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World John 1. 29. having respect without doubt to the Expiatory Sacrifices of the Old Testament which prefigured Christ the true Immaculate Lamb the Lamb that was slain as the same inspired Writer speaks from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Christ's Offering was the Idea and Pattern of all the Levitical and Mosaical Sacrifices To this very end God instituted these that they might shadow out that to us A greater and better Sacrifice and Oblation of a higher nature was to succeed those viz. the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus by which God is appeased and all our Sins are expiated and therefore the Phrase of a sweet-smelling Savour applied to Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law is used and that properly by the Apostle concerning Christ his giving up himself for us and pacifying God's Wrath on our behalf That the Legal Sacrifices were Types and Symbols of spiritual things is acknowledg'd by Philo but we who have an infallible information from the New Testament are taught further viz. that they were Types of Christ the great Sacrifice And we have the greatest reason imaginable to assent to this because the Blood of Bulls and Goats was a poor Expiation of it self That Butchery that bloody Employment could have no real and intrinsick worth in it and therefore it must needs have been in order to something else it was to prefigure the expiatory Death and Sacrifice of the Massias And all the time that these Mosaick Sacrifices lasted they did not pacify God's Anger and satisfy his Justice and take away Sin and justify Persons by their own Force and Virtue or by their own worthiness but they did all this typically and mystically as they represented Christ and his Merit who was the Great Sacrifice they did it by Divine Order and Institution CHAP. VI. The High-Priest's Office His peculiar Attire The Imployment and Apparel of the Priests The Levites Particular Charge Whether they might sacrifice or no. Their Office in the Reigns of King David and King Solomon differ'd in some things from what it was before The ordinary and fixed Place of Worship and particularly of Sacrificing was the Tabernacle A particular Account of the three Divisions or Partitions of it viz. the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies with all things contain'd in them The Mystical and Spiritual meaning of the several Particulars The Travels and Removes of the Tabernacle and Ark. A distinct Account of the Parts of the Temple shewing wherein it differ'd from the Tabernacle Of the Fabrick it self and its Dimensions Houses and Chambers belonging to it The Sacraments appointed by the Ceremonial Law HAving spoken of Sacrifices we will now in the second place speak of the Sacrificers the Persons that officiated in the Ceremonial Worship under the Law There were three Orders of these the first whereof was the High-Priest For tho there were Priests before the Law who were Fathers and Heads and the First-born of Families yet we read of 〈◊〉 High-Priest This Office is now added and Aaron had it first of all to whose House it was tied by Divine Institution But it continued not long there only Eleazer succeeded his Father Aaron and upon Eleazer's Death three Priests of his Family successively were High-Priests Then the Office went out of the House of Aaron and came to Eli of the Family of Ithamar But generally afterwards the High Priesthood was by succession of Blood and lineally descended from the Father to the Son or if there were no Son to the next of the Kindred This High Priest was the great and supreme Ecclesiastical Minister among the Iews And even according to Philo and some other Iews was a Type of the Messias His Office was in common with that of the Priests of whom afterwards to pray for instruct and bless the People but his peculiar Province was to preside over the Priests and other inferior Officers of the Church to take care that they discharg'd their Function aright Whereas these administred daily he was obliged to officiate only on the solemn Day of Expiation He differ'd from them in the manner of his Consecration and was peculiar in some other things He had the singular honour to be the Metropolitan of the Jewish Church and the President of the Great Council or Sanhedrim To make him more pompous and venerable the Law took care of his very Attire I will only shew you this Sacred Wardrobe and
God had spoken to him in that immediate manner he imparted God's Will to them but they were not suffer'd to come near the Mount as we expresly read Besides this is part of Moses's peculiar character that there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto him whom the Lord knew face to face Deut. 34. 10. viz. by talking conversing with him face to face therefore this was a singular Prerogative granted to him and no other Prophet partook of it or was to be compared with Moses as to this But what you read in Num. 12. 6 7 8. is yet more full If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a Vision and will speak unto him in a Dream My servant Moses is not so who is faithful in all my House he is a singular person and I trust him with all my Concerns therefore I vouchsafe him a greater measure of Revelation than other Prophets have I make my Pleasure known to them in Dreams and Visions the ordinary ways of Divine Discovery but with him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the Similitude of the Lord shall be behold Hence it is evident that the Gradus Mosaicus was not communicable to any other Prophet and consequently that there was a vast difference between Moses's Prophesying and that of other Prophets Moses convers'd immediately with God that is in that clear and evident manner which no other Prophets were acquainted with without any disturbing Impressions on his Imagination as in the usual Dreams and Visions of Prophets Or Moses had not that Awe and Astonishment on him which the rest of the Prophets had Or face to face i. e. friendlily as 't is explain'd in the place before mention'd as a man speaketh to his friend signifieth that he conversed intimately and familiarly with God he was admitted to the nearest Communion with the Divine Presence and Majesty that ever any mortal Man had In this he excell'd all former Prophets as to This he was Singular and Peculiar and the way of Discovery made to him was the highest Degree that ever was But tho I allow this that Moses experienc'd a more Immediate and Familiar way of Revelation than any others and that this was the most Exalted Degree of Inspiration yet I do not see but that we may affirm it was in some of those ways I have before mention'd As to the Degree it was most Sublime and Transcendent but yet the way of Conveyance might be the same It might be by immediate Voice from God and by the Voice of Angels by Visions and Dreams Sleeping and Waking by inward Illumination and Divine Afflation in all these ways and in the height and transcendency of them Moses it is likely receiv'd Communications from God Thus it differs from all other Revelations tho as to the substance it is the same God's calling to Moses out of the Bush Exod. 3. 4. is counted by Maimonides one of the highest Degrees of Divine Revelation for none but Moses saith he had the honour to hear God speak to him in a Vision whilst he was awake But this Learned Iew seems to be singular here and therefore I will not reckon this as a distinct and peculiar way of Divine Manifestation 2. Another way of Revelation was that of the Oracle in the Tabernacle or Temple Exod. 25. 22. I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-Seat from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony of all things which I will give thee in Commandment unto the Children of Israel And accordingly in Num. 7. 89. we read that God spake to Moses from the Mercy-Seat and gave Answer to him when he consulted him and none else had that honour in his time But afterwards the High Priests had this privilege conferred upon them Some of the Vncircumcised Doctors tell us prodigious things of this way of Revelation they talk as seraphically as if they had been the persons that were admitted to that Sacred Oracle But after all they have said either we must refer it to some or all of the ways of Revelation before specified or else we must fit still and say we know not what it was 3. The Answering by Vrim and Thummim was another Extraordinary way of Revelation By this God gave Answers in great and weighty Affairs especially about the Kingdom for it may be reckon'd a Politick Oracle and some have thought from what they read in 1 Sam. 30. 7 8. that Kings as well as the High Priests were the persons to whom the Vrim and Thummim were committed But I see no ground for this for this Oracle had its residence in the High Priests Breast-plate and therefore was given out wholly by him And as for what is said in the foremention'd place in Samuel it is not to be understood of David's personal Act but of what he did by his Authority But that this great Oracle of the Iews was consulted chiefly in difficult cases of State may be gather'd from Num. 27. 21. 1 Sam. 23. 9. 28. 6. 30. 7. 2 Sam. 2. 1. Tho I fee no reason to appropriate it wholly to Civil Matters for the High Priests Pectoral had this general Name given it Coshen hamishphat the Breastplate of judgment Exod. 28. 15. because by the Vrim and Thummim which were lodg'd here Iudgment infallibly pass'd but we do not find that this Iudgment or Decision was restrain'd to one particular sort of Cases When this Oracle ceas'd is not agreed among Writers According to Ioseph the Iew there was no such thing about two hundred years before our Saviour's time But some of the Hebrew Doctors say it had its period in the Prophet Haggai's days Nay it was never heard of from the day that the Children of Israel were carry'd captive to Babylon say others of the Iews who it is probable come nearest to the truth As to the nature of the Vrim and Thummim there have been several Conjectures of Iews and Christians but the most considerable of late hath been that of the famous Mr. Selden and some others who think they were little Images that were representations of Angels and that they were the same with the Teraphim But I have subverted the foundation of this opinion by shewing that the word Teraphim is not of a middle signification in Scripture but that it is the word to express Idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. And that in all other places it signifies some unlawful Images Idols or False Gods A Noble Critick strikes in with our famous Antiquary and would perswade us that Vrim and Teraphim are the same He hath shew'd a great deal of excellent Reading and Criticism in his undertaking to maintain the Identity of these two he hath done great and amazing things in so barren a Subject his Atchievements are extraordinary and like himself but if I may be so
were to no purpose they were an Inticement rather than a Discouragement to Christianity and that when they come to take a view they should find the numbers of Christians increas'd by their murdering of them for the Seed of this wonderful Increase is the Blood of Christians And another very excellently saith the Blood of the slain Christians is but the watering of the new Plants i. e. the new Converts to Christianity are daily increased and thrive by the bloody Persecutions which are rais'd against them Out of the Ashes of the dead Martyrs spring up new Advocates for Christianity And those elegant Words of another Author are very remarkable who speaking of the Persecution under Dioclesian saith thus At that time the whole World almost was dyed with the sacred Blood of Martyrs for they strove who should run fastest to those glorious Prizes Martyrdom by glorious ways of dying was more greedily courted in those days than Bishopricks are now hunted after with wicked Ambition The World was never more exhausted by all its Wars nor did we Christians ever conquer with more Triumph than when we could not be conquer'd by ten years bloody Persecutions Here is to be discern'd the Power and Efficacy of Christianity and from thence we may infer the Truth of it For as One saith well there is not a more powerful and convincing Testimony in the World of the Truth of Religion than dying for it And this is the Testimony which is abundantly given to Christianity Thousands of Martyrs have confirmed the Truth of it with their Blood And that Blood was the Advancement of Christianity this thriv'd and prospered upon it and Proselites were continually gain'd to it by their observing the patient Sufferings of the Servants of Jesus Thus it was even in the very beginning great multitudes of People flock'd to the Baptismal Waters and entred themselves into Christianity because they beheld the undaunted Courage of the Professors of it even at their dying hour and were moved thence to imbrace the Faith which they saw them so zealously maintain even unto death These were the baptized for the dead whom St. Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 15. 29. as I have shew'd in another place where I have proved that the words are meant of the Baptism of Water and that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render for is as much as because of or by reason of or for the sake of and consequently the genuine purport of the words is that several were converted to Christianity and were admitted into the Church by Baptism by reason of those Martyrs who died in defence of the Christian Cause They were so far from being discouraged that they were excited to Christianity by their beholding the deportment of the suffering Saints And thus it was afterwards the Blood of the Sufferers brought in great numbers of Converts to the Evangelical Faith and thereby the Cause of Iesus was mightily advanced They are remarkable words of one of the Antient Christians who was afterwards crowned with Martyrdom The Torments which the Pagans used faith he in hopes of preserving themselves and their Paganism entire were not only the cause of the destruction of Paganism but of the establishment of Christianity And in another place Do you not see saith he that the more numerous the Punishers are the more the number of others increases which appears to be a thing that is not a human Work but wholly from God and demonstrates his Power And certainly it is one of the greatest Proofs of the Verity of the Christian Religion and therefore is made use of by the generality of the Antient Fathers of the Church and particularly by St. Chrysostom in several places it is insisted upon and urged most pathetically that the Church was miraculously establish'd notwithstanding the universal Opposition it met with and that at last the Patience and Constancy of Christians made a final Conquest and gloriously triumphed over all Thus I have shew'd that the Vnlearned and Weak got the better of the Wise and Potent and we see the Truth of the Apostle's words God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise and weak things to confound the things that are mighty 1 Cor. 1. Christianity prevail'd against Policy and Power against the Wisdom of Statesmen against the Eloquence of Orators and the Sagacity of Philosophers against the Edicts of Princes the Decrees of Senates and the Forces of Emperors The more it was struck at the stronger it grew the more furiously it was opposed either by the inward Indisposition and Antipathy in Mens minds to receive it or by the outward Endeavours of the World to silence it the more did it prosper and flourish No Lawgivers could ever bring it to pass that other Nations should receive their Laws neither among Greeks nor Barbarians could this be done tho they endeavour'd what they could to effect it so Origen discourses in his Philocalia But the Laws of Christ were receiv'd by many Nations both Greeks 〈◊〉 Barbarians renounced their own Laws and 〈◊〉 and embraced the Institution and Discipline of our Blessed Saviour And altho the Sacred Script ures especially those of the New Testament which contain the Christian Laws were sought for by theâ— Emperors especially by Dioclesian as Eusebius who was an Eye-witness of it testifies and were brought into the Market-places and there committed to the Fire as Antioâ—â—us before labour'd to destroy the Writings of the Old Testament in the same manner and altho the Christians themselves were forced to deliver up their Bibles to be burnt yet these Hoâ—y Writings were not extinguish'd but were in many places preserved with great care and diligence and by the Providence of God kept out of the hands of those who design'd their utter extirpation Yea the more this Holy Book was hunted after by the Enemies of Christianity the more it was prized by the Christians the more its Divine Truths were admired loved and embraced And the more Christianity it self was depressed the higher it rose and lifted up its glorious Head above all its Persecutors In a word like some mighty River the more it was stopp'd in its course the higher it swelled and with its impetuous Waves carried all before it This wondrous prevalency of the Gospel against the Wit and Wisdom the Strength and Power of the World is a Divine Testimony of the Authority and Truth of Christianity and plainly shews that it is not the Device and Invention of Man but that it is from God and from him alone Fifthy Let me add the severe hand of God in remarkably markably punishing the Enemies of Christianity as another Divine Testimony to the Truth of it King Herod sirnaâ—ed the Great who sought for the young Child Iesus to dâ—stroy him and murder'd the Infants at Bethlehem for his sake felt a particular Judgment from Heaven upoâ— him for as Iosephus acquaints us he
the Disciples for a time such Prejudices had they on their minds that they could not conceive the meaning of our Lord and they durst not ask him concerning those things It was not as yet reveal'd to them by what means the Messias was to deliver them they dreamt of an Earthly Kingdom as the blinded Iews at this day they promis'd themselves much temporal Prosperity and Grandeur in the World Neither could the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection gain assent with them for we read that when he spake of it to the three Apostles before whom he was transfigured they questioned one with another what the rising from the dead should mean Mark 9. 10. And afterwards when he told the other Apostles as well as these that he should rise again the third day they understood not that saying Mark 9. 31 32. That our Saviour's Friends believ'd not his Resurrection appears from their dressing his dead Body with Aromatick Gums and Spices which were design'd to preserve it It had been vain to use these glutinous Gums and Persumes if they thought he was in a short time to rise again And when he was risen they would not believe it as appears too plainly from that Speech of Cleophas one of those whom Jesus talk'd with presently after his Resurrection tho then he pass'd incognito We trusted saith he that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel Luke 24. 21. Still he doubted tho he had heard of the Lord's Resurrection in saying we trusted he discover'd his distrust and impli'd that Iesus could not be the Messias who was to redeem Israel Tho the Apostles were certified of Christ's Resurrection by those that saw him yet their words seemed to them as idle Tales Luke 24. 11. and they would not be perswaded till they themselves saw Christ among them Nor did they know that he was to ascend for just before he left them they put this question to him Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel Acts 1. 6. Wilt thou repair the Iewish State and recover its pristine Splendour yea raise it to a higher Dignity than ever it arrived to as we expect should be done by the Messias So likewise it might be proved that some of them were in an Error about the End of the World for they believed it would be about that time By these and other Instances their Ignorance and Mistake were apparently discovered they had very false apprehensions and conceptions of things and some of the chief Articles of the Christian Belief were not credited by them Here I might add that in our Blessed Saviour's time there was not such an effusion of the Holy Spirit as there was afterwards Iohn 7. 35. The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Iesus was not yet glorified For this Reason several things were not disclosed to them but were reserved till a further communication of the Spirit for tho Christ had said All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you yet he adds I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot hear them now Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16. 12 13. As much as if he had said there is no new Truth or other Doctrine to be preach'd to you than what you have receiv'd from me already but the time is coming when there shall be a greater Manifestation of those things to you tho the Truths as to the main shall be the same yet your Understandings and Capacities shall be greater you shall then comprehend those matters which before you could not as the calling of the Gentiles the Spiritual Kingdom of the Messias c. And moreover the Holy Spirit shall increase your Love and Zeal to God and all Truth so that you shall be enabled not only to preach it to all Nations but undauntedly to suffer Persâ—cution and even to lay down your Lives in the defence of it By this it is evident that Christianity was revealed by degrees as well as the other former Dispensations of Religion Their knowledg in the Christian Institution was gradual they were not to know all together neither were their Zeal and Courage of the same proportion that they were afterwards Secondly in the Times and Ages immediately succeeding our Saviour's being upon Earth the Church was but yet in its Childhood and State of Infirmity It is true they were much increased and advanced in their knowledg of spiritual Truths this being the Accomplishment of our Saviour's Promise as well as Prediction that the Holy Spirit should guide them into all Truth By a more immediate and special Directioâ— of this Holy Guide the Evangelists and Apostles indited and pen'd the Books of the New Testament so that there are no Errors and Mistakes in them of any kind Therefore what a Learned Writer saith on 1 Cor. 15. 51. and 2 Pet. 3. 11. and other places in St. Paul's and St. Peter's Epistles viz. that these Apostles verily believ'd the day of Iudgment was at hand and consequently were under a mistake is not to be admitted is by no means to be credited for these Persons as well as the other Penmen of the New Testament being immediately inspired by that Infallible Guide and Director could not possibly commit any Errors in their Writings whatever their misapprehensions were at other times When therefore they use those Terms with respect to the last Day We and Ye as if they of that Age should survive to see that Day we must remember that they speak not of themselves particularly and definitively but of the whole successive Body of Christians in several Ages who will be expecting the last Day This is the meaning of those Expressions as is plain from their using them on other occasions We have no Reason then to think that the Apostles were deceiv'd about the Day of Judgment or any other matter that they writ of and deliver'd to the World Here is no weakness no defect as to any thing of this nature Nay there was a great Advance and Accession in respect of what there was before in the foregoing part of this Dispensation viz. in the time that our Saviour lived upon the Earth For the Doctrines of the Gospel of which I speak now were gradually deliver'd and consequently the Apostles attain'd now to more than was discover'd in Christ's time he having not thought fit then to communicate all in so evident and plain a manner as we find it was afterwards done Therefore that late Writer is under a great mistake who declares that the Apostles Epistles are only occasional and that we can find no necessary Points of Divinity deliver'd there which were not deliver'd before in the Gospels and Acts whereas the Truth is the Epistles contain the most perfect and complete Doctrines of the Gospel for by degrees the Evangelical Truth display'd it self All the necessary and fundamental Articles of Christianity are explain'd
Christian Observances in the first Ages Tertullian who flourish'd in the beginning of the third Century frequently joins Christianity and Iudaism together and particularly in his Dialogue with Trypho the Iew he declares there is Salvation in both There were the Coelicolae mention'd in the Code those that worship'd God as he had commanded from Heaven i. e. according to the Precepts and Rites of the Mosaick Law and according to the Precepts of the Gospel for they held that Heaven i. e. God was the Author and Institutor of both and intended that both should be observed Thus the Mosaick Law and Ceremonies were a good while going off they gradually and gently vanish'd away for the Church was then but in its Childhood and was tenderly to be treated It is not to be denied that the Iewish Rites were nail'd with Christ to the Cross they died when he gave up the Ghost But tho they were dead and were of no efficacy yet Men were left free to use or not use them as they saw fit After their decease they were not presently buried but as one of the Fathers speaks were to have an honourable Interment In brief Iudaism staid some time with Christianity and then took its leave Here it must be observed in the next place that extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit were peculiar to this Period of the Christian Church which is a certain Argument of the weak State of it and that it had not outgrown its Childhood but that Knowledg and Faith were feeble in many and that Unbelief had wholly possessed others and there was need of some very great Power which was in those days exerted in a wonderful manner Among the extraordinary Endowments of the Holy Ghost which were then bestowed Prayer was one i. e. an infused and supernatural Gift of Prayer was given to the Apostles and primitive Christians which is call'd Praying with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. 15. and those who were blessed with this singular Gratuity had Matter and Words dictated to them by a special Afflation or Inspiration from Heaven Prophesying was also after an extraordinary and supernatural manner as the fourteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians will inform us It was a Power to interpret and explain the darkest Scriptures to unriddle all sacred Mysteries to urge with great efficacy the Duties of Christianity on the Consciences of Men and sometimes to foretel Futurities of great Importance all which was effected by the immediate Influence of the Spirit This Gift expired soon after the second Century After which they tell us there is little or no mention of the Prophetick Spirit in the Christian Church To which perhaps that passage of the Apostle relates and is Prophetick even of the expiration of Prophecy 1 Cor. 13. 8. whether there be Prophecies they shall fail And as there were in the first Times inspired Prayers and Prophesyings so there were inspired Hymns which is call'd singing with the Spirit ver 15. But the working of strange and wonderful things above the Power of Nature which is most properly doing of Miracles was a great part of the Dispensation of those Days Not only the Apostles but their Followers in the Ages immediately succeeding were indued with this Power Hence Lucius King of this British Island hearing of strange things done by Christians in many places about the end of the second Century sent to Eleuâ—herius Bishop of Rome to receive the Christian Faith of him and was the first Christian King in the World From Iustin Marâ—yr Tertullian and Cyprian's Writings it is evident that Miracles were frequently wrought in the Church and these Persons appeal to them as things that were of common notice and could not be denied Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea who lived in the third Century purchas'd the Title of Thaumatâ—rgâ—â— by the miraculous Acts which he did Even in the next Age Miracles were done by many as is testified by Ruffinus Theodoret and Sozomen From several passages in Chrysostom's Writings it may be gather'd that they ceas'd in his time more especially from his 32d Homily on St. Matthew where he replies to the Objections of the Pagans against the Christians viz. that they did not confirm their Doctrine by Miracles And so again in his 40 th Homily on the Acts he gives the Reason of the cessation of Miracles But tho he doth this he must be understood of the common and ordinary use of them for sometimes and rarely Miracles were wrought in that Age or else St. Augustin and other Fathers misrepresent those Times Particularly St. Augustin who lived in St. Chrysostom's time bears witness that Miracles were wrought at the Monuments of the Saints in those days But yet from this Father 's own words in another place we may gather that Miracles were then at an end in some parts of the Christian Church The short is this that for three or four hundred Years in one place or other Miracles were generally done in confirmation of the Christian Faith viz. as long as the Church was in her tender and childish Years And it may be observ'd further that there was a Power in the primitive Times bestow'd on the Church of punishing the Disobedient in a strange and dreadful manner viz. by inâ—â—icting suddeâ— Diseases nay Death it self sometimes upon Offenders as is evident in the Relation concerning Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. 1 c. And some such thing as this it is likely is meant by those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 done by the Apostâ—les Acts 2. 43. And indeed it was necessary that in those primitive Times they should have such a power of inflicting extraordinary Judgments on Criminals if you consider the state of things then for the Magistrates being at that time Heathens did not animadvert on those who offended against the Christian Laws on which account likewise the Condition of the Church was weak and low And it may be further observ'd that in order to this Gift or Ability of striking with bodily Maladies or Death those that were gross Offenders there was another Gift bestowed viz. Discerning of Spirits 1 Cor. 12. 10. by virtue of which the Apostles had an insight into the Secrets of Mens minds and could tell whether their hearts were right towards God Hereby it was that they could make a discrimination between true and counterfeit Professors of Christianity and thence accordingly receiv'd or rejected them and if they saw occasion punish'd the latter This was a requisite Gift in those days because it was suted to the nature of that Dispensation at that time wherein Christianity was not grown to any perfection and therefore there was need of these extraordinary Means to nourish and uphold it it wanted these adventitious Aids to support its weakness 2. The Christian Church proceeded from Childhood to Youth This is the Second subordinate Dispensation of the Gospel or the present Period we are now under This began when all the Legal Ceremonies and Jewish Observances
were laid aside when the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost ceased when immediate Inspirations were withdrawn and when Signs and Wonders and working of Miracles were out of use From the time of the cessation of these we are as I conceive to date the Youthful and Stronger State of Christianity Then it began to be entire when it was no longer blended with Judaism when there were no more Typical Ceremonies in the Christian Service In the place of the Extraordinary Gifts of Praying and Prophesying there succeed now in the Church those Religious Exercises of Praying and Preaching which tho they are never rightly performed without the help of the Spirit yet proceed not from immediate Illapses and Inspirations The Apostles and first Christians were extraordinarily taught of God but we must make use of the Means and Helps which are given us in order to attaining the Knowledg of Him and of our Duty We must arrive to this by God's Blessing on our Studies and Industry Knowledg is not purely infused now but the Spirit of God cooperates with our endeavours Scholarship was not necessary for the first founding the Gospel because the effusion of the Spirit was then extraordinary But when this ceas'd human Learning became necessary in those who are to instruct others and to confute Gainsayers Therefore in the Disputes between us and the Quakers and other Sects about these Matters we must urge this that there is now an Oeconomy different from that in the times of the Apostles When they talk of doing all by immediate Impulse of the Spirit and despise outward Means and Helps and cry that they are above Ordinances we must let them know that they are forgetful of the different Dispensations of times and thence proceeds their Error They do not observe that there are subordinate Oeconomies even in this one grand Oeconomy of Christianity and the want of seriously attending to this leads them into very extravagant Opinions and Practices When there were extraordinary Gifts in the Church a Fisherman any illiterate Person was as able as any one to preach For as in that time those were able to heal all Diseases who had never studied Physick so there were those that could speak to the People with all Tongues who had never been taught any For the speedier propagating of the Gospel some of the commonest Christians had Ability to do this But it is not so since those supernatural Gifts are ceas'd and now Learning is requisite in a Minister of the Gospel Schools and Universities Skill in Arts and Languages which can be gain'd only by Study are become necessary For as an antient Writer of the Church saith well After the Apostles time the Church began to be govern'd by another Order and Management of Divine Providence As for the Spirit of Prophecy we know it was an immediate extraordinary Gift whereby Persons were divinely enlightned themselves and had ability to reveal things in an extraordinary manner to others which was frequent among the Iews in the Old Testament but even that fail'd at last there was not a Prophet between Malachi and Iohn Baptist whence it was that the People ran out of all the Regions round about to see the Baptist a Prophet being a very rare Sight But Prophecy was restored by Christ and by his Apostles in a most eminent Degree afterwards yea Iustin Martyr who lived in the middle of the second Century tells us in his Apology for the Christians that the Gift of Prophecy was then in the Church but after that there is no mention of it because it ceas'd And so as for other immediate of extraordinary Revelations as Dreams and Visions and such like ways by which God used to communicate his Will unto Iews and Christians heretofore they are now laid aside or are very rare and unusual And the Reason is because Christianity is out of its Childhood it hath gather'd more Strength it is youthful and vigorous I know that others have different Notions of this matter The Learned Daille expresly saith Christianity was in its heighth and perfection in the time of the blessed Apostles tho so far as I can perceive he himself soon after partly retracts this Assertion It is generally thought and said that those extraordinary Endowments before named in the Christian Church are an Argument of its Manhood and Perfection and because those Gifts in the primitive Times were so great and venerable far exceeding what we have at this day they reckon all Christians since those times to be but puny Christians But I cannot give my suffrage to this yea I look upon it as a great mistake for if a Man rightly considers things he will find that these splendid Gifts were bestow'd on purpose for the propagating of the Gospel at that particular time and that the Weakness and Unsettledness of the Church were the only occasion of them Christianity wanted at its first Rise confirming and corroborating by such wonderful Methods and Expedients as these And therefore if we understand the true Nature of them we cannot but confess that they were Proofs and Evidences of the imperfect State of the Christian Church in those days Now those extraordinary Gifts are vanish'd the inspired Men are gone but the Holy Scriptures which were written by Divine Inspiration are left with us to be the great Standard of Truth and the Rule of our Actions God hath rais'd up eminent Men to open and explain that Holy Book and to instruct us in all the great and necessary Points of it We have now a more setled Knowledg of Religion and there is a greater Progress in Christianity The Oeconomy hath receiv'd some Alteration and we need not extraordinary Helps when God vouchsafeth us those that are ordinary And as for Miracles they are not of this part of the Christian Dispensation and therefore are not to be look'd for now Those mighty Wonders are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not as the Apostle speaks 1. Cor. 14. 22. Therefore they were proper in the first Ages to convince the unbelieving World and for the propagating of Christianity But now they are become useless and more regular and ordinary Methods are used The Gospel being sufficiently promulged among us and the Authority of it being proved by those mighty Works which have been done we are not to expect any more of them Ordinary Means now serve us tho we have the Benefit likewise of those extraordinary ones which were before I do not say Miracles are so creased that there shall never be any wrought again for a Power of doing Miracles is indefinitely promised in Mark 16. 17. It may still remain so as to be exerted on occasion viz. when Heathens and Infidels are to be converted But that belongs not to this Part of the Evangelical Dispensation which I am now speaking of but to that more perfect one which is to succeed in erecting of which perhaps God may enable his Servants
latter those that succeed And yet as it is in the growth of human Bodies tho the Strength and Stature of them be alter'd yet the same Nature and Persons remain in the mature Years that were before so it is here saith he Christianity is consolidated by Years it is enlarged by Time it is sublimed by Age but still it continues incorrupt and intire And afterwards cap. 29. It is â—itting saith he that the heavenly Philosophy for so he stiles the Christian Religion which was sowed in the Church by the primitive Fathers should afterwards grow up flourish and be cultivated by the Industry of their Sons that by process of time it should become more polish'd but yet that it should retain the same Plenitude Property and Integrity that it had as to its Substance at first Thus that excellent Writer And I was very glad to find my Notion of the last Time confirmed by a Person of so much Judgment and Sagacity and of so great Repute in the Christian Church The Sum of what he saith is that Christianity shall be improved by succession of Time and at last this Beauty shall receive its finishing stroke Now this I will endeavour to make good from Reason and Scripture It is reasonable to believe that there shall be a better State of Religion because this is founded on the constant Method of God in the World We find that it is his Way and Course to proceed in a gradual manner and that not only in the things of Nature as at the Creation of all ranks of Beings but in those of Religion as I have shew'd in the several Stages of it since it began Wherefore it is reasonable to conclude that it will be thus in Christianity that as it hath had already its different Steps Measures and Gradations so there is a greater yet to come and that it shall arrive to the heighth of its Glory in this World Again it is reasonable to believe that great things are to come because so little is done hitherto The unbelieving part of the World is very vast and large The greatest Kingdoms of the Earth are those of the Tartars the Indians the Chinoise the Persians the Turks all whâ—ch are Strangers to the Religion of Iesus Divide the World into three Parts and it will appear that two of them are inhabited even by profess'd Pagans Or if we divide it into six parts we shall find that five of them at this day know not Christ but are either Idolatrous Pagans which are the greatest number or Iews or Mahometans And of the sixth Part how few of those that outwardly make Profession of Christ have true Faith and deserve the Name of Christians Popery which can scarcely be reckon'd as a part of Christianity hath spread it self through the most flourishing Kingdoms in Eâ—rope and hath got footing in Asia and is not wholly a stranger in some parts of Africa and hath found its way even into America Among the Churches which disown Popery some of them are grosly ignorant erroneous and superstitious as the Muscovian Abyssine and Greek Churches generally And even among the Reformed Churches what Divisions and Dissentions what unchristian Feuds and Animosities are there What variety of Opinions is there amongst them How unsetled are they in their Notions and Apprehensions How little of the true Virtue of Religion and Power of Godâ—iness is to be observed among them How is the Satanical Kingdom kept up and maintain'd every where How industriously is it recruited and establish'd Whereas Christians should live better than all the World beside it is sad and deplorable that their Words and Actions bid deâ—iance to every thing which appertains to so Sacred and Honourable a Title They profess the best Religion in the World and do things that are the worst Some that bear this venerable Name are as wicked and proâ—ligate as any other sort of Men upon Earth the grosâ—est Enormities of Barbarians are acted by them It is too apparent a Truth that many who go under the Name of Christians conspire against the Religion which Christ hath set up in the World as well as Iews Turks and Pagans In fine look where you will and you will have cause to say how short is Christianity of its full Arcomplishment What slender effects are there of it in the Lives and Manners of Men How little Progress hath it made in so many Ages How narrow is its Kingdom How ineffectual are its Laws in most places Whence it is rational to infer that there must be some greater Work effected both in the Kingdoms of the World which have no notice of Christ and the the Christian Faith and also in that part of the World which is already Christian. A farther Oâ—câ—nomy or rather a farther Exaltation of this Evangelical Oeconomy which we are under is to be 〈…〉 hoped for We should be tempted to think 〈…〉 God 's Providence if there be no more to be done if Christianity attains not to a greater height than hitherto it hath It is a very surprizing and amazing Problem abstracting from the diâ—ine Destinies concerning it and the Predictions of it in the Holy Writings that 〈◊〉 Kingdom of Satan in all Ages of the World 〈…〉 greater numbers of Subjects than that of Christ. It â—â—ems very harsh and dismal that so many should perish that among Heatheâ—s Iews Mahomâ—tans and even Christians Satan should have such a Haâ—veâ—t But now this is soon answer'd by what I have suggested this which I oâ—fer is a very clear and eaâ—ie solution of the Difficulty for there will be moâ—e Saints in the space of the thousand Years whiâ—h I shall afterwards describe than there were wicked and impenitent Sinners in all the other thousâ—â—ds 〈…〉 preceded this Dispensation There will be such a 〈◊〉 of general Conversion and universal Sanctity through all the Regions of the World that the number of the saved shall at last surpass that of the damned This will plainly appear from what I shall propound in the sâ—quel of this Discourse and it will give us a fair and comfortable Idea of the Divine Philanthropy it will let us see that the Scales of Providence hang even it will clear up the dark Proceedings of Heaven and fully satisfie uâ— about the Wisdom of God in the Conduct of the World Another Argument that I shall make use of shall be from the gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences in the World It was well noted by one of the Antients and that with reference to the Dispensations of Religion that the commencement of Sciences is defective and imâ—â—rfect but by little and gradual Additions they come at last to their complete pitch Nothing is more observable than that Learning hath had its noble Accessions in the several successive Generations of Mankind Which was foretold by Seneca long ago who speaking of the Phâ—nomena of Comets and the like Philosophical Disquisitions prophetically utters these words The time shall come when
in their being Called are not to be frustrated For as the Apostle adds the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance v. 29. God having made choice of this People they cannot totally be Rejected Though many of them were fallen and many more afterwards should continue in their Unbelief yet God hath not and will not cast off his People whom he foreknew and whom he Elected They shall not finally Perish but be gathered to the Church for the Gifts and Callings c. Such special Favours as these are Unchangable being once Promised they can't be Revoked The Apostle founds the Vniversal Recalling of the Iews upon this that God hath chosen them according to what we read in Deut. 7. 6 7 8. As there was a Remnant a small number of Jews according to the Election of Grace as we find in this Chapter v. 5. who at that present time when the Apostle writ rejected not the Gospel but were effectually Call'd and Converted so likewise hereafter there shall be a vast number of this People who by vertue of the same Election shall turn unto God and besides he will not fail to perform the Promise made to their Ancestors he will not forget his Covenant made with them The Jews were once the Beloved People of God and their Posterity shall be beloved for the Fathers sake which is agreeable to the Faithfulness as well as the infinite and unmeasurable Goodness of God Thus you see how the Great Aposâ—le argues viz. from the Election and from the Covenant and from the Love of God and from his Vnchangeableness All these are concern'd for the restoring of that People and therefore there is no question of the Truth of it Though they are laid aside for the present yet they shall be taken into Favour again and be of the number of those that are Saved This very thing which the Apostle here asserts was the Ancient Notion of the Iews who had this Common Saying though they did not so well understand it Every Israelite shall have his part in the World to come which is the same that the Apostle here affirms All Israel shall be saved there shall be a General Conversion of that People Lastly to insist upon no other Proofs I will only add Rev. 7. 4 c. which gives an account of the number of them that were Sealed of all the Tribes of the Children of Israel which I conceive is to be understood of the numerous Company of Iews that shall be Converted in the Latter Days It is true Expositors generally interpret the Words otherwise and fix this Sealing long before this time Particularly Dr. Hammond thinks this is spoken of the Conversion of the Jews about the time of the Destruction of Ierusalem But if it be considered that the Subject of this Chapter is under the Sixth Seal as is evident from comparing the 12. v. of the 6th Chapter with 1 v. of the 8th Chapter and belongs to the close of it we must be forced to acknowledge that these Words appertain to the Last Times in which the Signal Conversion shall happen which is fitly represented by the Sealing of so many Thousands of every Tribe of Israel Besides I can't find any time when this hath been already fulfill'd i. e. when there was such a vast number of Iews Converted together and therefore this Time is yet to come and accordingly I am perswaded that this place of the Revelation foretells this Notable Event and As I apprehend refers to Zech. 12. 12 c. of which I have largely treated before From all thse places of Scripture laid together I conclude that there shall be at length a Visible National and General Conversion of the Iewish People and that they being joyned to the Converted Gentiles shall make up One Church of Christ. I confess I have heretofore thought the contrary being strongly enclin'd to believe that those Texts of Scripture had no determinate reference to this affair But I have since throughly examined them and more exactly scann'd them and penetrated into the sence of them insomuch that I am now perswaded that a Future Conversion of the Jews in spoken of in them all or most of them Particularly in my Judgment the Eelventh Chapter to the Romans is a very clear and convincing Evidence of this great change of their Condition which as it shall be Amazing so it shall be matter of exceeding Rejoycing and Exultation and therefore is deservedly call'd as you have heard Life from the Dead If it be asked How this General Conversion of the Iews shall be effected I conceive the first Occasion of it will be this They will take notice of the Wonderful and Avenging Hand of God upon the Idolaters of Rome who have so long a time prospered They will observe the sudden downfall of that Wicked Assembly of Men who have boasted of their being founded on a Rock and that they should never be removed When the Iews shall see how remarkably God hath Defeated and Confounded these Men it will have a very good effect upon them and cause them to reflect on their own Stubbornness and Insidelity and to fear lest the Divine Vengeance may overtake them And when the Idolatrous Worship of the Papists is removed which was always so great an Offence to the Iews and was one main reason why they spoke and thought ill of the Christian Religion they will then be encouraged to approach nearer to it to be more familiar with it and to discern the innate Goodness and Excellency of it which was before so much clouded with Ceremonies and corrupted with Superstitious Practices And wâ— must suppose likewise that at that time Christians will lay aside all their former Prejudices against the Iewish Nation It hath been a Vulgar Opinion that the Iews Stink naturally and that the whole stock of them have an unsavory Smell And generally Christians have acted towards that People as if this were really true They avoid their Society and keep at a distance from them as if some unwholsome and fetid Vapours issued from them They have treated them with Scorn and Contempt with Contumely and Reproach which may be more eminently observed in Buxtorf's Synagogue where he most rudely handles them grossly and sometimes almost prophanely deriding them and their Services calling them Beasts Swine Mad Dogs and Devils which certainly is not the way to do any good upon them which yet that Learned Man pretends to in that Book But when those happy Days shall shine which I am speaking of the former Antipathy of Christians against the Race of the Iews shall vanish away and they shall unfeignedly endeavour to promote the wellfare of their Immortal Souls which by the Divine Blessing on their Endeavours will end in their Effectual Conversion It was the Opinion of Tertullian Chrysostom Theodoret and several other Fathers in which they are follow'd by the Doctors of the Roman Church that the Calling of the Jews before Christs Coming to