Salvation by their own perfect Obedience but by virtue of the perfect Righteousness of the Messias who was to come in the fulness of time It only seem'd good to the All-wise God to obscure and disguise this Covenant in part that they might be fitted for the insuing Dispensation of the Gospel and that this Dispensation might appear more bright and glorious Now it was that the Covenant of Grace most signally display'd it self By Christ's coming and by the preaching of the Gospel it was fully and amply manifested tho it had been in being ever since the Restauration of Adam Now at last the actual fulfilling of the Grand Promise of this Covenant viz. the Incarnation of Christ was accomplished He came on purpose to perfect that Covenant which had been made and renew'd before between God and Man Never till this time was there any compleat discovery of this blessed Agreement and Contract between God and us In the Writings of the New Testament alone we find this set forth Here is plainly discover'd the Mediator of this Covenant Iesus Christ the Righteous the Eternal and only begotten Son of God who vouchsafed to assume our Humane Nature to clothe himself with Flesh to converse in the World above thirty Years to instruct Mankind by his Heavenly Doctrine to confirm and establish us in it by his Divine Miracles to direct us to the practice of it by his Holy Life and Spotless Example and at length to die for us to satisfy for our Sins As the publick and most solemn Covenants which we read of in the Old Testament were made with killing and sacrificing and effusion of Blood by Divine Appointment without doubt So here the Blessed Messias who was to compleat the Covenant of Grace shed on the Cross his most precious Blood which therefore is call'd the Blood of the Covenant Again in the Scriptures of the New Testament are plainly and expresly set forth the Terms of the Covenant of Grace i. e. what God hath promised to do and what Obligations are upon us Here Christ and his Apostles and Evangelists proclaim Remission of Sins the peculiar Benefit and Privilege of the Covenant of Grace and Immortality and Eternal Life are brought to light by this Gospel and the performance of all the precious Promises which concern this Life and another is ascertainâ—d to us here And as it assureth us that God will fulfil his Promises so it urgeth upon us the performing of our Ingagements Christianity is an Obligatory Covenant and this Obligation is mutual God will discharge his part we must see that we perform the Conditions which are required on our side The Gospel acquainteth us that if our Peace and Reconciliation be not made it is our own fault wholly we will not leave our Sins and thereby we â—rustrate the Agreement and Contract of the Gospel This therefore calls upon us to undertake the Counter-part of the Covenant i. e. to be holy in all manner of Conversation to deny all Ungodliness and wordly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World to adorn the Gospel by a strict and circumspect walking and to bring forth much Fruit to the Glory of our Heavenly Father In the Evangelical Writings the Terms on our part which are Faith Repentance and Obâ—diâ—ncâ— are more distinctly set down than ever especially the Nature of Faith and the peculiar Virtue of it are explain'd in that manner which they were never before for that by Works and Faith we are saved but that by Faith alone we are justified is the Doctrine which St. Paul hath abundantly asserted proved and confirmed and it is establish'd by the other Apostles which shews the great discrimination between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace The Gospel tells us how we are to find real Advantage by this Covenant and Law of Grace it ascertains us that we can reap the Benefit of it only by Câ—nvâ—rsiâ—n and Râ—gâ—neration It is therefore urged and inculcated that we must be born again that we must be Nâ—â— Creatures that there must be a Renâ—vation of our Hearts and Lives Lastly Christianity informs us what are the Seals of this Covenant of Grace and accordingly let us know that by Baptism we are entred into Covenant with God and into the Church of Christ and that at the Lord's Supper we repeat and renew that Convenant Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant instituted this Federal Ordinance and this is that Holy Supper at which he gives us his Body to eat and his Blood to drink which he assures us is the Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for the Remission of Sins Mat. 26. 28. The sum then of what hath been said is That God pitied the Miâ—ery of Mankind and was pleased to make a Second Covenant with him and his Posterity after they had broke the First This Second Covenant tho it was made with Adam presently after his Fall yet it arrived not to its height and perfection till the coming of Christ and the preaching of the Gospâ—l Christianity is the Covenant or Law of Grace in the best Edition The Answer then to that Problem How the Old and the New Covenant differ is easily resolved from the Premises for if you understand as some do but how fitly you will judg from what I shall suggest by and by by the Old Covenant the Covenant of Works and by the New one the Covenant of Grace I have plainly and distinctly set down the Particulars wherein they differ Or if you mean by the Old Covenant the Mosaical and Legal Dispensation and by the New Covenant the Dispensation of the Gospel which both are but One Covenant I have given ample Satisfaction to the Question by shewing wherein these two differ and by letting you see that the Covenant of Grace began with Mankind soon after the Fall and afterward was continued in the Mosaick Dispensation and at last was compleated by Christ's coming And here further to illustrate the Point I will clear the Acception of these Terms the Old and the New Covenant which so frequently occur in Holy Writ and I will make it evident to you that in the whole Book of the Scripâ—ures the Old Covenant is never applied to the Covenant of Works but is a part or degree of the Covenant of Grace This then we are to know that the Covenant of Grace is twofold Obscure or Manifest The first was from Adam's Restauration to our Saviour's coming the second is ever since The former is called the Old Covenant the latter the New Covenant and yet they are but one Covenant This you will find to be the stile of Sacred Scripture if you consult those two famous places the one in the Old Testament and the other in the New which treat of the Old and New Covenant The former is Iew. 31. 31. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with
Lamb without blemish and without spot as he is call'd 1 Pet. 19. who was to present to himself a Church not having spot or wrinkle Ephes. 5. 27. This was he and there was none ever like him who â—id no â—in neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 22. Secondly The Paschal Lamb was to be a Male ver 5. Serviuâ— on that place of Virgil Casâ jungebant foedâ—râ— porcâ hath this Note that the Gentiles thought the Sâ—â—-Sacrifices were most prevalent and acceptable Whence some conjecture that here is a Male-Sacrifice enjoined in opposition to the custom of the Gentiles for it is well known that many things were commanded the Iews because they were contrary to the practice of the Heathen People round about them And there might be some regard to this here tho I cannot say with a late Writer that all the Circumstances here relating to the Passover were injâ—ined in oppâ—sition to the practice of the superstitious and idolatrous Gentiles Others think a Male was to represent Christ who was Man as well as God So that this qualification was fulfilled as the Learned Bochart observes in the very strictness of the Letter And this excellent Writer adds that it was a Male because the Sacrifice of this kind was reputed more worthy and excellent than the Female Offerings Mal. 1. 14. But the plainest and most obvious Reason why the Paschal Lamb was a Male is because it is the stronger and more vigorous and so it was fittest to represent him who is the Christians Strength I can do all things through Christ who strengthnâ—tâ— me saith the Apostle God hath laid help on one that is mighty one that 〈◊〉 able to save to the uttermost them that comâ— to God by him one who was indued with sufficient Power to accomplish the great Work he undertook And as the Paschal Lamb was to be a Male so on the very same account the third Qualification of it was that it must be of the first Year ver 5. for then it was supposed to arrive to its vigour Such a Lamb was Christ Iesus he was crucified when he was in the strength of his Years in the full vigour of his Age when he was young and lively Thus you see there is a perfect resemblance in all these Particulars between the Paschal Lamb and the Lamb of God even our Lord Iesus Christ. And I may add this too that the Paschal Lamb was to be taken out of their own Folds ver 3. and Deut. 16. 2. So was our Redeemer one of the Flock taken out of the Fold of Mankind taken from his Brethren Deut. 18. 15. Heb. 2. 17. He was one of us a true Man of our Flesh and of our Bone And which was yet nearer to the matter he was taken out of the Fold of the Iews and he was of the Seed of David In the next place the Lamb was to be kill'd and in this also it is a manifest Type of Christ. That without shedding of Blood there should be no remission was the appointment of Eternal Wisdom that which Angels admire and Men must ever stand amazed at Therefore the Messias was to die for us to expiate our Sins by his Blood for his Blood cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. But before the Lamb was kill'd it was to be kept in their Houses four days ver 3. and ver 6. You will find upon perusing the History of the Gospel that Christ was crucified the 4 th day after his last coming into Ierusalem the Iews own Home he was as it were all that time kept up before he was slain Or it may be Bochart's Notion may be acceptable who observes that this Passage was thus fulfill'd Christ was taken from his Mother's House the Fold where he was brought up at 30 Years of Age and suffer'd Death the 4 th Year after that If according to the Prophetick Stile we take a Day for a Year this is exactly accomplish'd But this Judicious Author favours rather the other Interpretation viz. Christ suffering on the fourth day after his coming to Ierusalem tho I conceive this Learned Man is mistaken in his Reckoning of it for tho our Saviour rode into Ierusalem on the 10 th day of the Month yet he return'd to Bethany whence he came at the Evening Mat. 21. 17. and came back to Ierusalem the next day Mat. 21. 18. and consequently he was not crucified on the 14 th day as this Author determines but on the 15 th But let us pass to the next Circumstance of Time and that is that they were to kill the Lamb in the Evening at the going down of the Sun ver 6. Deut. 16. 6. Which plainly points at the Time of Christ's Passion and Death viz. towards the shutting in of the day at the declining of the Sun Then did this Sun of Righteousness leave this World For tho some apply it to the Evening of the Iewish Oeconomy and Government and others to the Evening of the World yet I rather pitch upon the most easie and unexceptionable meaning i. e. the Evening of the Day then our Christian Passover was sacrificed for us He was slain in the Evening or as 't is said here of the Paschal Lamb between the two Evenings i. e. as I have shew'd before between the first declining of the Sun and its going down or setting which was about the Ninth hour or Three a clock in the Afternoon Then the Lamb which was slain from the foundation of the World viz. as to the Decree of God and as to the virtue and efficacy of his Death for those that were before Christ's coming were as effectually saved by him as those that lived at or after it was really and actually slain in his body on the Cross. And thus He and the Paschal Lamb were slain at the same hour of the day Mat. 27. 45 46. The next thing observable is the Effusion and Sprinkling of the Blood of the Lamb ver 7 13. The Blood was to be to them for a Token upon the houses where they were that when the Angel saw the Blood he should pass over them and the plague should not be upon them to destroy them Here is the Benefit which came to the Israelites by the Passover they were kept safe and secure from the Destroying Angel when Death and Destruction seiz'd upon the Egyptians Can any thing more evidently set forth the Design of Iesus the Messias who was to come and shed his Blood for us that thereby we might be freed from the Vengeance of God and escape the stroak of the Destroyer and be rescued from Death and Eternal Misery Wherefore a Pious Father saith rightly The Lamb which of old was slain by the Israelites was a Type of the True Lamb Christ our Lord who was sacrificed for us for as there the Blood sprinkled on the posts saved those that sprinkled it so the Blood of the True
of Israel as all other Prophets do but being wholly directed against the Ninivites who were Heathens and Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel This Book saith he was written to shew that God is merciful to those that repent of what Nation soever they be This Example makes it evident that the Gentiles were not wholly rejected altho as to the greatest part they were but that many of them were accepted of God Yea it seemeth to be plain from Mal. 1. 11. that the Getiles worshipp'd God no less than the Iews The words are in the present time in the Original and therefore ought to be so meant that some of the Gentiles in those days had the true Worship of God among them in one part or other of the whole World he was Adored and Served The History of the Iewish Nation and of God's care of them was the thing chiefly designed in the Old Testament and therefore it cannot be expected that it should treat of other Nations and give a particular account of what was done there But it makes mention as you have heard of some Holy Persons among them and without doubt there were many more tho not spoken of The Gentiles were not deserted of God but taken notice of by him and encouraged The Visible Church did not altogether consist of Abraham's Family and Kindred but many others that were not of that Stock were true Members of it Especially among the neighbouring Nations several were converted to God by the Preaching of the Israelitish Prophets and in part receiv'd the Iewish Religion and by the Iews were call'd Proselytes These properly belong to the Gentile Dispensation because they were first Gentiles but converted from their Gentilism to the Knowledg and Worship of the True God These Proselytes or Converts were of two sorts 1. The Proselytes of the Gate as the Iews stiled them because they lived within the Gates of Isreal and they held free Commerce and Trade within their Houses the same with the Strangers within their Gates Exod. 20. 10. Deat 14. 21. They were those Heathens that abandoned their Pagan Superstition and Idolatry and receiv'd the True Faith and acknowledg'd the True God but were left to their liberty as to Circumcision Therefore this Rank of Proselytes remain'd Uncircumcised neither did they observe the other Mosaick Laws and Rites but were only tied to the keeping of the Seven Precepts supposed to be given to Noab's Sons as Maimonides and other Learned Writers among the Iews inform us These tho they were no Idolaters yet because they were Uncircumcised were not permitted to worship in the same Court of the Temple with the Iews but in a distinct Place by themselves therefore call'd the Court of the Gentiles and tho they went to the Iewish Synagogues yet they had a distinct Apartment there There were many of these Proselytes among the Iews every where in their Cities Of these you read in the New Testament where they are call'd Devout or Pious or Religious Men or Worshippers for the Greek words signifie any of these I conceive the Roman Centurion of Capernaum who built the Jews a Synagogue Luke 7. 5. was one of these Cornelius a Captain of the Italian Band Acts 10. 2. was another Proselyte of this sort i. e. a Gentile Worshipper of the True God but not Circumcised or counted a Member of the Church of the Iews And such a one it is likely was the Ethiopian Eunuch mentioned in Acts 8. 27. who came to Jerusalem to worship And such was Lydia of Thyatira who worshipped God Acts 16. 14. And hither may be referr'd those devout men out of every Nation under Heaven Acts 2. 5. and thâ—se that feared God Acts 13. 16 26. These were Proselytes from among the Gentiles And these it is likely are meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 9. 29. 11. 10. for tho this be the name for the Grecizing Iews who read the Scriptures in the Septuagint's Version and pray'd and did other Religious Offices in Greek whereas others perform'd them in Hebrew yet here by Heltemists we are to understand those that were converted to the Jewish Religion from Gentilism But tho they had renounced the Heathen Worship yet they had not receiv'd all the Jewish Ceremonies and Laws 2. There were another sort of Prâ—selytes call'd the Prâ—selytes of Rightâ—eousness or of the Covenant These were of a far higher degree than the former for they were Gentiles converted wholly to Iudaism and were initiated into the Jewish Church by Baptism and Circumcision and were tied to keep all the Mosaick Law and worshipp'd in the same Court of the Temple with the Natural Jews and so became every way Iews unless in respect of their Birth and Nation These in the New Testament are simply and absolutely call'd Proselytes Thus Persons of other Nations besides that of the Jews imbraced the True Religion and Worship and were accepted of God and obtain'd his favour Here then is the Gentile Oeconomy Not but that the Nations were generally sorsaken of God and given up to Idolatry and all manner of Wickedness and Prophaneness which the Apostle took notice of when he said God in times past suffer'd all Nations to walk in their own ways All Nations i. e. all those Kingdoms which were erected after the Flood viz. the Assyrian or Babylonian Monarchy which began soon after the Flood under Nimrâ—d the Son of Cush the Sicyonian Kingdom and the Old Germans who began at the same time with the Assyrian Monarchy next the Egyptian Empire under Cham and his Successor Misraim or Osiria About the same time began the Argives Kingdom under Inachus their first King Then the Kingdoms of Bactria and Iudia another Grecian Kingdom viz. the Athenian about the middle of the Chaldean Empire then the Lacedemonian or Spartan Dinasty the Kingdom of Italy the Lydian Corinthian Tyrian Macedâ—nian Dynasties besides the Persian whose King upon the expiring of the Assâ—rian Empire became Head of the Second Monarchy which is the boundary of the Sacred History of the Old Testament These were all left by God to themselves and Idolatry prevail'd among them all they worshipp'd the Sun Moon and Stars yea all kinds of Beasts tho never so base and contemptible Nay Worshipping of Devils was a common practice with them Thus God suffer'd the greatest part of the World to walk in their own ways until the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus they were as the Apostle speaks of the Gentiles without God in the World till he came into it But yet even then when they were addicted to Idolatry which is also to be observed in this Oeconomy of the Nations God left not himself without witness Acts 14. 17. He led them to the knowledg of himself by the Book of Nature they had sufficient light of God and Religion i. e. to teach them some general Duties of Virtue and Goodness and to instruct them in the Nature and Attributes of God
the same Or suppose this Phrase from the foundation of the World doth not denote Eternity yet it is enough for our purpose that Christ the Lamb of God was slain from the beginning of the World for from thence we may gather that it was designed and appointed to reach to all following Generations 2. The way and method of Salvation was the same under all the Dispensations of Grace for Christ instructed his Church in all Ages the Gospel was preached to them aâ— well as to us Heb. 4. 2. All the Patriarchs and Prophets and Holy Men of past ages arrived at Heaven and Happiness by the Conduct of this great Guide Iesus Christ the same yesterday 〈…〉 day and for ever are words appliable to Christ nor only as he is King and Priest but also as he is Prophet and Teacher of his Church Which Sacred Office he hath faithfully performed in all Ages and there hath been no Time since the Church was founded but he hath been the Instructer of it The Covenant of Grace was made first of all with Adam in Paradise and God hath from Age to Age renewed that Covenant to his Church and the Grace of God in Christ was common to the Antient Patriarchs and Iews with us So that from the Fall of our first Parents to the end of the World the way of Expâ—ation and of obtaining Salvation hath been is and shall be the same viz. by Christ and by his Merits The Virtue of his Death altho he actually died long after commenced with the first Promise made to Adam The Socinians oppose this and generally hold that the Godly who lived before the time of the Messias were not saved by Him they assert that they knew nothing of it and that there were other means of being saved under the Old Testament than there are under the New But this is a Doctrine deservedly exploded by all Persons who are of the Orthodox Faith and who own the True Christian Religion They all agree that the same way of Salvation hath always prevailed that all who were saved under the Old Testament were saved by Virtue of Christ's Death and Satisfaction There was Justification under the Law tho not by it or by virtue of it Those that believed with their whole hearts on God and faithfully serv'd him were justified and obtain'd Remission of their Sins and Eternal Life by that Grace which was couched in the Law i. e. promis'd in the Messias and figured and represented by the obscure Types of the Law By virtue of the Grace to be exhibited by Christ even those who were before his arrival were saved This is the Doctrine which St. Peter preach'd Acts 15. 11. We believe that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved even as They i. e. the Fathers before Christ as is clear from the foregoing verse The Holy Men then were acquainted with the Substance of this Covenant viz. the Promise of Restoration by Christ and consequently the Old Testament Saints were saved by him Thus we are told by another inspired Author that by means of Christ's Death there was Redemption for the Transgressors that were under the first Testament Heb. 9. 15. For tho the Redemption of Mankind was not actually wrought by him till he died on the Cross yet the Virtue and Benefit of it were in all Ages as the Sun spreads its light and illuminates our Region before its glorious Body appeareth above the Horizon 3. As to the Conditions and Qualifications on our part all the Dispensations of Grace were the same All substantial Duties towards God and Man are the same now that they were then Even Faith in the Messias is as antient as that Promise on which it was first founded that the Blessâ—d Seed should break the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. They who lived before Christ's Incarnation conâ—ided in this Promised Deliverer by whose Merit they hoped to be reconciled to God Faith in Christ was a Duty under the Old Testament because there were Promises concerning the Messias then as is evident from Luke 1. 72. and what were these Promisessor but to be credited and relied upon Therefore it is recorded that Abraham Believed Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 6. And our Saviour witnesseth that Abraham rejoiced to see his day and he saw it and was glad Joh. 8. 56. The Reason was because as the Apostle saith God preached the Gospel to Abraham Gal. 3. 8. and discovered the Messias to him The just lived by Faith in Habakkuk's time Hab. 2. 4. which by the Apostle is applied to the Evangelical Faith in Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Therefore when Socinus tells us that Faith in Christ was not comprehended in the Mosaick Covenant and when one of his Scholars confidently avers that it is a gross Error to think that the Fathers under the Old Testament believed in Christ to come and were justified by that Faith we know whence to confute these bold Men. That the Evangelical Righteousness and Justification were in the Old Testament is clear because the Apostle brings Examples of this free Justification out of the Old Testament Rom. 4. 3 6 c. That Salvation by Faith in Christ was no New thing is evident from other places as Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins And Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousness of God withâ—ut the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Aâ—d St. Peter 1 Episâ— Chap. 2. ver 6. proves that Chrisâ— is the foundation whereupon all the Saints are built from Isa. 28. 16. Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded From all which it may be undeniably infeâ—'d that under the Law they believed in Christ for Justiâ—â—cation and that the Fathers before Christ were saved by Faith in him and in a word that all from the beginning of the World have been Justified and Saved the same way viz. for Christ's Merits and upon the Gospel-terms of Sincere Faith and Obedience and of persevering in the same unto the end Thus in respect of the Designation the Way and the Efficacy of Salvation the Evangelical Dispensation differs not from the preceding ones This the Antient Fathers speak of particularly they defend the Antiquity of Christianity and prove it to be as old as Moses yea as Adam Iustin Marâ—yr reckons Abraham and Elias but he goes too far when he reckons Heraclitus and Socrates among Christians in answer to that Objection that those were Christians only that lived within a hundred and fifty Years This Pious Father in another place argueth from the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Authors of it That Religion which hath the best Authors and is oldest is
there is this threefold difference between them which I request may be well weigh'd because it will be of singulaâ— use to rectify our Notions about the matter in hand and to give us a true insight into the Nature of the Covenants 1. The Covenant of Works saith Do this by thy own natural strength and power and if thou dost so thou shalt live For this is certain that in â—he First Covenant the Conditions were to be performed by Adam and Eve and us in them by a natural Strength given in the state of Innocency They were created with a sufficient Power to do what God required of them By their own Free-Will they might have stood But the Covenant of Grace saith Do this by a supernatural Assistance by that Grace which is given through Christ Jesus No Man is naturally born with an ability to do God's Will and to please him There is a new Birth whereby he is impowred to do this there is a Divine Principle superadded to his Nature and by virtue of this he believeth repenteth c. This is the first difference between the doing under the Covenant of Works and under the Covenant of Grace 2. The Covenant of Works saith Do this and for doing thou shalt live But the Covenant of Grace saith Do this and for Christ's Merits and Satisfaction thy doing shall be accepted of God for his sake thou shalt livâ— and be happy There is another Cause you see viz. the meritorious Righteousness of the Son of God which makes an infinite difference between the one and the other This we must remember that the Covenant of Grace is that whereby Man is recovered and restored to happiness by the undertakings of another whereas by virtue of the Covenant of Works a Man attain'd to Life and Happiness by his own Works and Obedience His personal Righteousness entitled him to Heaven by the tenour of the first Compact but now the terms are otherwise that which procures Liâ—e and Immortality under the Second Covenant is the Obedience of Christ. There is nothing we can do that will be acceptable for our own sakes but on the account of the Messiâ—â— the Mediator we and our Services are accepted The Covenant of Works required dâ—ing as a pâ—â—formance meriting Salvation and Bleâ—â—edness but this other Agreement exacts of us doing only as it is the appointed way and means of Salvation This renders the Difference very great and wide between the one and the other 3. The Covenant of Works â—aith Do this but be sure to do it without the least â—ailing and imperfection and thou shalt livâ— if thou dost it thus otherwise not For this Covenant made with Adâ—â— and his Posterity was upon condition of sinless Obedience as we find by the Consequence and as we can prove from the Law which was founded on the Covenant of Works Cursed is he that continueth not in 〈◊〉 things written in the Book of the Law to do them Dâ—ut 27. 26. Universal and entire Obedience is absolutely required But the Covenant of Grace saith Dâ— this and though it be done on thy part imperfectly yet thou shalt live Thou shalt be accepted for the perfect and consummate Righteousness of Christ altho thy Services be mixed with weakness and sin The Difference then between the Covâ—nant of Works and that of Gracâ— is not doing or not doing keeping or not keeping the Commandments but the Difference is here the Covenant of Works requireth the keeping the Commandments without sinâ—ing whereas by the Covenant of Grace no such thing is required This is the Difference between the Covenants and thence it is manifest that the latter of them requires not only believing but acting tho it is true believing is the principal thing under the New Covenant and therefore we find this chiefly urged by our Saviour and his Apostles Faith is the main thing inculcated in the Writings of the New Testament and the contrary is that which is mostly laid to mens charge On this account it is rightly said that Believe and be sâ—vâ—â— is the Language of the Covenant of Grace but yet it is certain that doing or working is not excluded for we find in the Evangelical Writings that both Faith and good Works are made the necessary Conditions in order to Eternal Life He that believeth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3. 19. Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God â— Cor. 7. 19. Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. And many other places of Scripture shew that something is required to be done by us under the New Covâ—nâ—nt Wherefore we need not be afraid to say that the Covenant of Grace is â— Law viz. on this account that it commands something to be done So that one would wonder that any Men of reason and discourse should assert and that with much confidence that the Gospel is not a Law of Faith and Repentance and that there is no Sanction there are no Precepts no Tâ—râ—atnings no Prâ—mises belonging to it as I find some have lately maintain'd notwithstanding it is stiled a Law by two Apostles Heb. 8. 6. Iames 1. 25. And we need not be afraid to say that there are Conditions propounded and to be performed under this Covenant For what is a Câ—ndition Doth not every one grant that it is such a thing required of 〈◊〉 without the performance of which we shall never obtain the thing offer'd and prâ—mis'd And is not this applicable to the present Case Are not Faith and Obedience absolutely requir'd antecedently to our enjoying the Benefits and Privileges of the New Covenant that are offer'd to us Doth not the word Condition express the manner of our partaking the Benefits of the Gospel-Covenant Doth it not signify that order and disposition of the Divine Grace which are to be seen in conferring Pardon and Happiness God hath appointed that none shall reap this Fruit of the Covenant of Grace unless they first believe and repent This is a fix'd and establish'd Order and without observing and performing of this latter we shall never have any Advantage of the former It is evident then that believing and repenting are Conditions and no Man of correct thoughts can boggle at the truth and certainty of it But perhaps it will be said the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace was exploded by the first Reformâ—rs for Calvin and others are quoted for this that the Gospel promiseth not Eternal Life upon condition of Obedience But I answer and that with sincerity and truth that the Reformers speak thus in opposition only to the Popish Interpretâ—tion of the word Condition for those of the Church of Româ— make Faith and Good Works such a Condition as gives a right to Eternal Life and incluâ—â—s in it Merit In this sense they disclaim'd all
by them Some Iews lived all their days uncircumcised yea some of their very Priâ—sts ministred at the Altar tho they were never circumcised For if the first second and third Son died of Circumcision as sometimes happen'd the Sons that were born afterwards were not circumcised and yet were accounted true Israelites and true Priests as Dr. Lightfoot informs us For as one of their Rabbins saith Israelites are not bound to perform the legal Precepts where Death will certainly follow for 't is said ye shall keep my Statutes and my Iudgments which if a Man do he shall live in them not die in them 4. Observe how God himself despiseth and vilifieth rejecteth and hateth these legal Rites and Observances in themselves consider'd and as abstracted from real Vertue and Piety The Psalmist brings in the Almighty speaking thus Will I eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Blood of Goats offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High Psal. 50. 13 14. Hear what the Lord saith by the Prophet Isaias To what purpose is the Multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the Lord. Who hath required this at your hand Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an Abomination to me Isa. 1. 11 12 13. and so in chap. 66. ver 1 3. Thus saith the Lord He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs Neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offer'd Swines Blood he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol God by another Prophet upbraids the Jews â—hus To what purpose cometh there to me Incense from Sheba and the sweet Cane from a far Country Your Burnt-offerings are not acceptable nor your Sacrifices sweet unto me Jer. 6. 20. and again chap. 7. ver 22. I spake not to your Fathers nor commanded them in the Day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices But this thing commanded I them saying Obey my Voice and I will be your God and you shall be my People and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you That in the Prophesy of Hosea may be here inserted I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Knowledg of God more than Burnt-offerings chap. 6. ver 6. Acts of Charity and Mercy are prefer'd by God before the choicest Performances of the Mosaick Law But that in the Prophet Amos is much higher I hate I despise your Feast-days and I will not smell in your solemn Assemblies Tho ye offer me Burnt-offerings and your Meat-offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the Peace-offerings of your fat Beasts But let Iudgment run down as Waters and Righteousness as a mighty Stream Am. 5. 21 22 23. Hither are to be referred the Words of the Prophet Micah Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God Shall I come before him with Burnt-offerings with Calves of a Year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oil He hath shew'd thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Mic. 6. 7 8 9. From all which places it appeareth that the Ritual Service of the Iews was in it self of no Worth and Value else it is certain God would not have thus slighted and disregarded yea loathed and abhorred it And if the Ceremonial Observances had no intrinsick Goodness in them if Sacrifices Circumcision difference of Meats c. were not enjoyned for themselves if the Matter of these Laws were not really good we may thence arrive to such a Conclusion as this that there is no such Excellency in the Iewish Religion as to give it a Perpetuity and that it is most reasonable to believe that these Rites and Constitutions were to be repealed and cancelled in due time 5. And Lastly many of the learnedest Rabbies hold that the Law is mutable All Sacrifices shall cease in the Ages to come but the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving shall never cease saith R. Kimchi on the 100 Psalm It was a Tradition amongst the Jews saith Abarbanel in Rosh Amanah that in the times of the Messias the Jews should feed upon Swine as well as other Animals The Talmud it self acknowledgeth that the Ceremonial Law is to last no longer than till the Messias's coming and that then Swines Flesh shall be lawfully eaten Again they confess that all those Precepts which more immediately respect the Iewish Nation which make up the greatest part of their Law shall not be observed in any other Country Further they say There are six hundred and thirteen Precepts of the Mosaick Law but David came and contracted them to eleven then Isaias brought them down to six afterwards Micah reduced them to three Isaias brought them to two at last Amos contracted all the Law into one Thus they were willing to abate of the number of the Laws they saw there was no need of that Multiplicity of Precepts and Injunctions especially concerning external Rites and Ceremonies And many other Sayings and Intimations there are in the Rabbies which confirm this and which plainly shew that they were of the Opinion that the Mosaick Rites were not immutable but that the time should come when they shall be abolish'd But we are accosted with this Objection The Sacred Scripture it self declareth that the legal Ceremonies and Rites shall be perpetuated for of the Circumcision the Passover the Sabbath and many other observances of the Mosaick Law it is said that they shall be for ever I answer 1. That the Hebrew Words which we translate 〈◊〉 ever do not absolutely and necessarily imply Perpetuity but sometimes they only signify a long Duration Thus of the Jewish Servant it is said he shall serve his â—aster for ever Exod. 21. 6. i. e. till the Jubilee come about as it is interpreted in Lev. 25. So Hannaâ— saith she will bring her Son Samuel to the Temple that 〈◊〉 may appear before the Lord and there abide for ever i. e. all his Life 1 Sam. 1. 22. The Doors of the Temple are said to be everlasting Psal. 24. 7 9. i. e. the Temple it self and its Gates were fixed and permanent in comparison of the Tabernacle and Ark which were removed from place to place and they were a Fabrick that were to last a long time And in many other Texts it might be shew'd that Gnolaâ— signifies a Finite tho a long time Wherefore those places before refer'd to which speak of the Mosaick Rites being for ever must not be understood of an endless Duration but they only signify that that Administration should last a very considerable time and so it did 2. These legal Rites and Ceremonies as to any alteration from the Iews were to be for ever They were not to change
Christ and Christianity And here I will shew 1. That this sort of Testimony is frequently made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as a sufficient Argument and Proof of Christianity 2. That the Testimony of the Apostles and other Christians who lived in our Saviour's time was the Testimony of credible Persons and therefore ought to be reckoned by us a valid and substantial Proof of Christianity 1. The Testimony of credible Persons who have heard and seen what Christ did is oâ—ten made use of and appealed to as a good Argument of the Truth of Christianity Thus St. Luke in the beginning of his Gospel to conciliate a Belief of what he was to deliver declares he design'd to record nothing but what was delivered to him by such as from the beginning were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word i. e. not only those who saw Christ and what he did but were personally and actually concerned in many of those things as walking on the Sea casting out of Devils c. those who had a part in these great and miraculous Actions those who were not only Spectators but Actors These I take to be the Ministers of the Word here meant as the Original importeth So you see this Evangelist lays his Foundation on the Testimony of Sense he deems it good Ground of Satisfaction that what he writes concerning Christ and his miraculous Doings is attested by those who were Eye-witnesses of them and who most sensibly convers'd with our Saviour and shared in some part of the things done by him This he knew would cause them to be most surely believed among the Christians ver 1. So to the Testimony of Sense St. Peter and St. Iohn appeal'd Acts 4. 20. When the Rulers of the Iews sent for them and commanded them to preach no more in Christ's Name their peremptory Return was this we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard As if they had said Gentlemen what is this that you require of us It is most strange that you would have us to deny our Senses and to give no Credit to our Ears or Eyes All of you as well as our selves can attest the things that have been said and done by Iesus of Nazareth Our Ears have heard his heavenly Doctrine and our Eyes have seen the Wonders he wrought in Confirmation of that Doctrine Would you have us believe and act contrary to our Senses This was never required by any reasonable Men for they always thought that the Evidence of Sense is valid and fully satisfactory St. Peter likewise in his Sermon in Acts 10. builds upon this Rock We are Witnesses saith he of all things which he i. e. Christ did both in the Land of the Iews and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hang'd on a Tree Him God raised up the third Day and shew'd him openly not to all the People but to witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead ver 39 40 41. We Apostles accompanied Christ our Master when he went about doing Good and working Miracles we were no idle and remiss Spectators of the marvellous things he did in all places where the Jews inhabited And tho they maliciously put him to death and thought that then they had made an end of him and that he should never appear again yet we are Witnesses that the same Iesus who died on the Cross rose again within three Days and appear'd publickly to us all we familiarly convers'd with him we saw him and we heard him and when one of our number was backward to believe his miraculous Return from the dead he bid him approach nearer to him and feel and handle him that by that as well as other Senses he might be satisfied of our Saviour's Resurrection We are certain therefore of it and by consequence of all the other Doctrines which we preach We appeal to sensible Demonstration This clears us of all Imposture And hear what the same Apostle saith in one of his Epistles We have not followed saith he cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Iesus Christ but were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty 2 Pet. 1. 16. i. e. l and Iames and Iohn saw such things at Christ's Transiguration which are an undoubted Proof of his Divinity And in the next Verse but one he adds that they were Ear-witnesses also for speaking of the Voice which came to Christ from the excellent Glory he saith This Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount ver 18. As much as to say you have no cause Brethren to fear any Imposture from us you may be easily convinced that we come with no Fables and Forgeries because we give you assurance of what we say from our own Eyes and Ears we go upon sure Ground our very Senses report to us what we declare to you therefore you may be confident of the truth of it St. Paul as well as St. Peter makes his Appeal to the Verdict of Sense in the matter of Christ's Resurrection He was seen of Cephas and then of the Twelve After that he was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once after that he was seen of James then of all the Apostles and last of all he was seen of me also 1 Cor. 15. 5 c. He proves that Christ rose from the dead because the bodily Sight gave Evidence of it This is one good Argument or rather Demonstration of the Certainty of the thing Many other places there are to the same effect but I will mention but one more and that is of St. Iohn 1 Epist. 1 chap. 1 2 3. ver That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life for the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have Fellowship with us Take this short Gloss upon the whole That which was from the beginning those things that were destined from Eternity and were of old all along prefigured shadowed and foretold by Mosesâ— and the Prophets concerning Christ and the Gospel which we who are Apostles have heard from God the Father testifying and audibly speaking from Heaven and by the preaching of his Son Christ Jesus which we have seen with our Eyes viz. Christ's many Miracles and all the strange and wonderful things that happen by his coming these we have beheld with our bodily Eyes with our own Eyes not relying on others which we have looked upon what we have narrowly pried into what we have often viewed and not slightly and perfunctorily and our Hands have handled Here the third Sense the Touch
Prayer was heard and the People that stood by and heard it said that it thunder'd others said an Angel spake to him John 12. 28 29. Thus Christ was signally glorified by his Father and declared by him to be the Messias the Son of God by a Voice from Heaven attended with a kind of Thâ—nder To this we may annex God's speaking in a rushing mighty wind on the day of Pentecost Acts 2. 2. And Christ Jesus himself being in Heaven spake to Saul thence by a Voice saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. St. Iohn in the Apocalypse makes frequent mention of a Voice speaking to him and revealing great things to him where it is observable that Thunders and Voices go together chap. 4. 5. and 8. 5. Thus the New Testament as well as the Old had the benefit of that Divine Oracle which the Iews stiled the Daughter of a Voice i. e. a Voice from Heaven declaring the Will of God to Men. Afterwards we are told in Ecclesiastical History that those who were set on work by Iulian the Apostate to rebuild the Temple at Ierusalem were defeated by Thunder and a TERRIBLE VOICE that accompanied it from Heaven thereby bearing witness to the Cause of Christianity 2. The Iews had the Testimony of Angels and so have Christians to confirm this Oeconomy By these Heavenly Messengers Zacharias had notice given him of the approaching Birth of Iohn the Baptist and the Virgin Mary had tidings brought her of the miraculous Conception of the Holy Babe Jesus in her Womb and these were the Heralds that proclaimed the News of his Birth to the Shepherds One of this Celestial Order appeared to Ioseph and warn'd him to flie into Egypt with the Blessed Infant These glorious Spirits gave notice of Christ's Resurrection and when he ascended up to Heaven another of this Celestial Hierarchy address'd himself to the Apostles and assured them that in the like manner Jesus should come again to Judgment Another of these Ministring Spirits came to the devout Cornelius and bid him send for Peter that he might be the great and happy Instrument of converting him to the Christian Faith The Angel of God stood by St. Paul in the Night when he was on his dangerous Voyage and ascertain'd him of his safety Acts 27. 23. And sundry other instances there are of Angels making known the will of God unto Men in those early times of the Gospel and thereby attesting the Truth of Christianity 3. The Iews had the Mosaick Dispensation attested by Visions and we have the same way of Revelation to ascertain us of the Truth of Christianity Thus Zachariah saw a Vision in the Temple relating to the forerunner of Christ Luke 1. 22. The Apostles who were at our Saviour's Transfiguration had the same manner of discovery Mat. 17. 9. The Lord spake to Ananias in a Vision Acts 9. 10. You read of St. Peter's Vision whereby he was taught not to despise the Gentiles Acts 10. 10 c. A Vision appeared to Paul in the Night Acts 16. 9. And again the Lord incouraged him in a Vision Acts 18. 9. Of St. Stephen it is said that he looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God the Divine Shekinah and Iesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7. 55. And we read in the Book of the Revelation that St. Iohn had frequent Visions And hither may be refer'd those visible representations spoken of in the New Testament as the Holy Ghost's descending on Christ in the shape of a Dove after he was baptized The appearance of Cloven Tongues like as of fire over the Apostles heads The Light from Heaven which shone round about St. Paul at his Conversion All these appertain to the Shekinah the Glorious Presence and Lustre of theâ— Heavenly Majesty And hither may be refer'd the Radiant Presence of Christ the bright and glorious Manifestation of his Person which is often mention'd by the Evangelists Mat. 17. 2 5. Mark 9. 3. and Rev. 1. 16. He dwelt among us he was the true Shekinah and we behold his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten of the Father John 1. 14. 4. Dreams were another sort of divine Revelations among the Jews and these also were not wanting to confirm the Truth of Christianity For we read that Ioseph was warned once and again in a Dream concerning Mary whom he had espoâ—sed and concerning the blessed Babe Mat. 1. 20. chap. 2. 12 13 19. And Pilate's Wife suffer'd many things in a Dream because of Christ who was then standing at the Bar before her Husband Mat. 27. 19. But because these Operations on the Imagination by Dreams are more liable to mistakes than Visions and other kinds of Revelation we have but few Instances of this However we are not wholly destitute of this Testimony under the Gospel 5. There was among the Jews that which they signally call'd the Holy Spirit viz. when Men were wonderfully and extraordinarily stir'd up to deliver the Will of God to make some divine Discoveries to the World and to assert their holy Religion This was in Christ himself Luke 4. 1. Acts 1. 2. 10. 38. and in the Apostles Acts 2. 4. 5. 8. 6. 3 5. 7. 55. 11. 24. 19. 6. and in all the holy Men that were sent by him to preach the Gospel By this they were enabled to speak without any premeditation before Rulers and Kings Mark 13. 10 11. for our Saviour tells them it is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost With this the Apostles were all fill'd when they met together on the Day of Pentecost and utter'd such divine and heavenly things By this Prophetick Afflation or Inspiration the Evangelists penn'd the Scriptures of the New Testament for tho these Writings may be said to be humane Testimony as they were writ by Men yet these Persons being inspired by the Holy Ghost and not speaking of themselves but by extraordinary Assistance their Writings and Testimony are Divine This is part of that more sure Word of Prophesy spoken of by St. Peter Ep. 2. ch 1. ver 19. which in the next Verse he calls the Prophesy of the Scripture By this Divine Inspiration the Prophets and Apostles saw and foretold what should come to pass afterwards By this inward Afflation the Apostles tho mean and illiterate Persons preached the Gospel with that Authority and Evidence which some of their most implacable Enemies were not able to resist These are the Divine Witnesses of the Truth of the Gospel-Dispensation and of the Christian Religion Yea even at this Day and to the Worlds end this last Testimony viz. of the Spirit is useful and necessary I do not mean any Miraculous gift of the Spirit but a special and peculiar assistance of it such as all regenerate Persons have experience of That we may be throughly certain that this or that was deliver'd by God that we may assuredly know that such things were of Divine
right hand of God which is another effect of his Resurrection is expresly spoken of by the Psalmist Ps. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool which St. Peter takes notice was fulfilled Acts 2. 34. And indeed the Antient Rabbies generally interpreted the 110th Psalm of the Messias And that they had reason to do so is plain from Christs Question to the Pharisees Matth. 22. 43. How doth David in spirit call the Messias Lord which would have been frivolous and to no purpose if this Psalm were not to be understood of the Messias yea if it was not so understood by the Pharisees They might have denied that Hypothesis of his and have reproved him for misinterpreting the Psalmist's words But you see they were so far from doing so that they sneaked away in silence being not able to answer him a word ver 46. they knew full well that they were gravelled with our Saviour's Query and that that Psalm was one of the clearest Prophesies of the Messias and his Kingdom and Offices that is in all the Old Testament Thus all the remarkable Passages concerning our Saviour were foretold his Birth Life Doctrine Conversation Miracles Death Burial rising again and ascending into Glory and we cannot deny but that they were as punctually fulfill'd and thereby the Truth of Christianity is abundantly declared Many other Predictions concerning Christ might be mentioned as that first and most early one of all in Gen. 3. 15. The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head which in St. Iohn's Language is no other than this that the Son of God was to be manifested to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Ep. ch 3. v. 8. Afterwards that Message of the Angel to Abraham in Gen. 22. 18. was a Prediction concerning Christ in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed which cannot be understood of any but the blessed Jesus who is a universal Blessing a Catholick Benefit to the World Of his coming Moses his words are to be understood Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken There never appear'd any Prophet like unto Moses but Iesus the Messias the Parallel between which two Eusebius hath excellently shew'd in sixteen or seventeen particulars Yea Christ far exceeded Moses in all great and miraculous Actions as well as in his Doctrine This latter is spoken of in Isa. 2. 3. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem signifying that Christ was to change the Law of Moses as to many considerable things and to establish one which should be more excellent and more lasting That also is a most pregnant place Hag. 2. 7 8 9. I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations i. e. the Messias shall come and I will fill this House this second Temple with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts with these I could adorn and enrich the Temple but it shall be dignified with some greater thing viz. the appearing of the Messias in it upon this account the Glory of this latter House shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I give Peace saith the Lord of Hosts Here it is plain that the Messias was to come before the second Temple of Ierusalem should be destroyed by the Romans for the second Temple is said to be more glorious than the first though in it self less glorious because Christ came into it in the days of his Flesh and honour'd it with his Presence If you look to the second Temple it self which was built by Zorâ—babel and afterwards adorned by Herod and compare it with the first Temple built by Solomon it was far less glorious than that It was not so rich and sumptuous a Fabrick and it wanted several things which were in the other as the Ark with the Mercy-seat and Cherubims the Holy Fire from Heaven the Sâ—ekinah or Presence of the Divine Majesty the Holy Ghost and the Vrim and Thummim Thus they are reckon'd up in the Talmâ—d tho others say some of these were not lost in the Captivity as the Ark and the sacred Fire but were preserv'd and were placed in the Temple aâ—terwards However granting this to be true the loss of those other things rendered this Temple much inferior to the former one Therefore for this reason alone it is that the Glory of the second Temple is greater than of the first viz. because of Christ's Presence there This is expresly mention'd by the Prophet Malachi the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his Temple Mal. 3. 1. And further you may observe that it is said here the desire of all Nations i. e. Christ or the Messias shall come which denoteth this to us that the Messias came at that time when he was expected and desired by the Nations by both Iews and Gentiles and that was the very time when he was born as I shall shew afterwards Again those Prophesies are remarkable where the Branch is promised Thus the Prophet Isaiaâ— treating of Christ's Kingdom in the 4 th Chap. of his Prophesy hath these words In that Day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious ver 2. Or you may read it the Branch the Lord i. e. the Branch who is the Lord Iehovah viz. the Messias who is God as well as Man Of him the same Prophet speaks again in chap. 11. ver 1. There shall come forth a Rod â—ut of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grâ—w oâ—t of his Roots Which it is evident by the Character that follows can be meant of none but the Messias So likewise Iâ—râ—miah prophesying of the times of the Gospel speaks thus Behold the Days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Iâ—dgment and Iustice in the Earth In his Days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whâ—râ—â—y he shall be call'd the Lord our Rigâ—teousness Jer. 23. 5 c. And with a little variation he repeateth the same in chap. 33. ver 15 16. which if you consult the Context in both places cannot be understood of any but Christ thâ— Lord. Nor can that of Zâ—chary be taken otherwise Beâ—old I will bring forth my Servant the Branch chap. 3. ver 8. And again chap. 6. ver 12 13. Behold the Man whose Name is 〈◊〉 Branch and he shall grow up or branch up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even 〈◊〉 shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear tâ—e Glory and he shall sit and rule upon his Throne c. which last Clause
Loretto and by St. Iames at Compostella I could shew that the Miracles of the Papists are question'd by themselves their Truth is doubted of by Cajetan de Concept Virg. Espencaeus in 2. Tim. 4. and others of that Communion 9. We may with Reason suspect the Roman Miracles because our Religion was proved and confirmed by Miracles long before It is not requisite they should be repeated and reiterated afresh There is no more need of New Miracles than there is of New Revelations They were wrought to confirm the Truth which we hold at this day therefore since we have the same Truth that was confirmed by those Miracles of old what need is there of any farther Confirmation Lastly the Popish Miracles are no True Miracles because they are exerted to maintain a false Religion for such is that of the Church of Rome consisting of damnable Doctrines Superstition Idolatry and all manner of Ungodly Lewd and Prophane Practices We cannot think then that God will by Miracles attest and allow of such Abominations If then they still insist on the Miracles wrought by some of them among the Indians as they pretend I say this that if it can be proved they were done among those Infidels it was to confirm the Christian Religion not the Popish Thus you see that these Boasters of Miracles and who make them a Note of their Church are found to be but Pretenders and can lay no claim as they are of that Church to those Miracles which are Real Geâ—uine and True and which only are the certain Testimonies of the Truth of Christianity Which brings me to the 3 d and last thing I undertook viz. To evince that these Miracles are and ought to be look'd upon as an Infallible Testimony of the Truth of Christianity To these Christ himself appealed as a Proof of his Divinity and Messiahship Mat. 11. 4 5. To that Question Art thou he that should come or do we look for another the Answer was Go and shew those things which you hear and see the Blind receive their Sight the Lame walk C. So when the Iews were earnest with him to declare who he was If thou be the Christ say they tell us plainly Iesus â—nswer'd them The Works which I do in my Father's name they bear witness of me John 10. 24 25. These are a sufficient Attestation of my Divine Authority Therefore he saith in John 15. 24. If I had not done amongst them the Works which no other Man did they had not had Sin i. e. their Unbelief had been no Sin for if those Works were not a Proof of my Divine Commission they were not bound to believe me But on the contrary those miraculous Works being undeniable Evidences of his acting by a Power from Heaven it was a grievous and damning Sin to disbelieve him So the Apostles when their preaching the Gospel was opposed and contradicted thought they sufficiently disproved the Gainsayers by shewing that Iesus of Nazareth whom they preach'd was a Man approved or demonstrated of God among them by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him in the midst of them as they themselves also know Acts 2. 22. Christ's Miracles were a Demonstration of the Truth of his Doctrine and consequently of that of the Apostles because it was the same Thus St. Paul argues the Truth of Christianity from the miraculous Indowments and Gifts of the Apostles and declares to the Hebrews that it is extreme dangerous to neglect that Doctrine and that Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord himself and was afterwards confirmed unto them by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and with diverse Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3 4. Here is the just Method of the Progress and Proof of the Gospel here is first the Author and Founder of it the Lord Christ Jesus who at the first began to speak and deliver it Secondly the Evidence of its delivery it was confirmed by them that heard it i. e. by the Apostles who were Ear-witnesses of this Divine Doctrine Thirdly the Truth and Certainty of the Apostles Testimony concerning Christ and his Doctrine God bore them witness with Signs and Wonders and with diverse Miracles which are as great a Confirmation of what they deliver'd as can possibly be desired Yea Miracles have been always accounted such even by those who were not very forward to imbrace our Saviour and his Doctrine The Common People when they had seen the Miracles that Iesus did could say this is of a Truth that Prophet that should come into the World John 6. 14. This was the reasoning of the Man that was born blind and was restored to his sight Since the World began was it not heard that any Man by his own Power opened the Eyes of one that was born blind If this Man were not of God were not assisted with an infinite Power he could do nothing of this nature Iohn 9. 32 33. And not only the simple and illiterate but the wise and learned argued after this manner Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jews came to Christ with this Acknowledgment we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no Man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him John 3. 2. Here he confesses it as a known Truth that Miracles are sufficient to attest a Person or Doctrine to be from God and consequently they are good Arguments of the Truth of what our Saviour taught and they prove him to be the Messias And the Chief Priests and Pharisees could say this Man doth many Miracles if we let him thus alone all will believe on him John 11. 47 48. This strongly implies that Miracles are able to create Belief and so unawares they acknowledg that the Miracles which Christ and the Apostles wrought are good evidence that their Doctrine was from God and that it was to be believed and imbraced The Iewish Rabbins in their Writings speak much of the Miracles the Messias shall do which is an Argument that those Men were really perswaded that Miracles are a Proof of a Divine Commission and that they are to seal the Truth of God This was the very Notion and Sense of the Pagan World as is plain from that Passage recorded in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 14. 8 11 12. When Paul cured a certain Man at Lystra impotent in his Feet being a Cripple from his Mothers Womb who never had walked the People of the place seeing this Miracle presently lifted up their Voices saying the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men. Their natural Reason dictated to them that this was done by Divine Power and could not be done otherwise The Workers of Miracles are by these poor Heathens reputed as Gods St. Paul was taken by them for Mercury he that could give motion and nimbleness to the Lame Man of Lystra was thought to be the God with
the Faith of Christ. So in the next Ages altho the Iews out of malice and hatred to Christianity as one tells them to their Faces sent out their Emissaries and those of no mean Abilities into all parts of the World to perswade People against that Religion and to make them believe that the Professors of it were guilty of Atheism and all Impiety yet this had but little effect upon them and several Men of good Understanding and Knowledg imbraced the Christian Faith and lived and died in it And as some of the learnedest Iews were converted by the preaching of the Gospel which they once counted foolishness so among the Gentiles some of the wisest Philosophers and wittiest Orators and skilfulest Artists for the Arts as well as Empire were at their heighth when the Gospel appeared when Christ came acknowledged the Truth of Christianity and heartily espoused it These Men who were of considerable Learning and Parts quitted their beloved Sentiments and Principles and freely imbraced the Evangelical Doctrine The early Trophies of the victorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ among the Learned Pagans were such as these Luke the Physician Zenas a Learned Advocate of the Civil Law for he was no Scribe or Doctor of the Iewish Law who in other places is indeed stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as our own Learned Annotatour hath made it probable he was one that practis'd the Primitive Roman Law which prevail'd not only at Rome but in all places which were under the commands of the Emperour Likewise a vast number of Learned Men at Ephesus who were Professors of curious Arts but being converted forthwith committed their Books to the Flames altho they were valued to be worth fifty thousand pieces of Silver Dionysius the Arâ—opagite i. e. a Learned Philosopher and a celebrated Judg in the highest Court of Judicature at Athens was brought to the Profession of Christianity by St. Paul's preaching of the Gospel there and as Ecclesiastical Writers report was made the first Bishop of the Christian Church at Athens The famous Polycarp bid adieu to his Pagan Rites and resolutely admitted himself a Disciple under St. Iohn and afterwards was deservedly constituted Bishop of Smyrna With him I may rank Ignatius who abandon'd his former Perswasions and imbraced the Doctrine of the crucified Jesus and afterwards arrived to the Episcopal Chair at Antioch whose antient and godly Epistles are of great Note and Eminency in the Church and have been justly vindicated by one of our learned'st Prelates Some would rank here Clement the Roman who became a Convert to the Christian Faith and manfully undertook the Defence of Christianity and hath left us many noble Discoveries of Primitive Actions especially that rare piece of St. Peter's Life Who hath not heard of Irenaeus for now I will step into the second Century that most eminent and noted Enquirer after Truth who submitted at last to that of the Gospel and made it his particular Employment to rehearse and at the same time to confute the several Hereticks that confronted any Articles of the Christian Belief Aristides an eloquent Philosopher of Athens changed his Religion and presented an Apology for the Christians to the Emperour Adrian Athenagoras another excellent Athenian Philosopher and famous for all sorts of Heathen Learning must not be omitted here who bidding adieu to his former heathenish Life and Institution undauntedly maintain'd that of the Christians Theophilus of Aâ—tioch was another converted Philosopher and so was Tatianus who when he had abandon'd the Pagan Religion writ an excellent Orationagainst the Greeks wherein he apologizes for Christianity and confutes Heathenism tho he mingled some Errors with his Doctrine afterwards Pantanus who was afterwards Catechist at Alexandria was a Christian Convert from the Stoick Philosophy I must by no means forget Clement the great Philosopher of Alexandria who being converted to Christianity indeavour'd by his Writings to promote that Cause and accordingly put forth an exhortatory Oration to the Gentiles wherein he discovers the Folly and Falshood of Paganism and earnestly perswades them to imbrace Christianity And he writ a Body of Christian Ethicks in which he informs the Manners of a newly converted Christian and he adds another Treatise full of variety of Matter made out of diverse Authors sacred and profane wherein he supposes the Convert arrived to some Perfection and therefore lays him down greater and higher Rules With this worthy Convert I will rank Iustin who as he tells us himself had run through all the Families and Sects of Philosophy having been first a Stoick then a Disciple of the Peripateticks afterwards a Pythagorean and pitch'd at length upon Platonism and became a profess'd Assertour of it a long time But at last an antient Christianâ— man he saith met him as he was walking by the Sea-side and gave him some account of Christianity from which time he had a Fire kindled in his Breast he felt a Love of the Prophets and Apostles and Followers of Christ and seriously reflecting on that Mans discourse he found after all his tedious Searches and the long Risque of Philosophy which he had run that Christianity was the only safe and useful Philosophy Here he found Certainty and Profit which two things he never met with before Hereupon he was studious to advance the Christian Religion and to that end writ and Admonitory piece to the Greeks against Gentilism and two incomparable Apologies for Christianity with a Defence likewise of it against Iudaism in a Dialogue with one Trypho a Iew and at last suffer'd Death for the Christian Cause and thence justly purchas'd the Sirname of Martyr But I will pass to the third Century and there mention Cyprian who was converted from Paganism and afterwards was made Bishop of Carthage He became the most zealous Assertour of Christianity and in his Writings acquitted himself with so great a Courage as can never be express'd He manfully wielded his Pen against the Nâ—vatians and against Apostates from Christianity in time of Persecution he suffered much and at last was honoured with the Crown of Martyrdom I must add Tertullian a Native of Africa who of a Civil Lawyer commenced a solid Advocate and Maintainer of Christianity This is that Tertullianus according to some who is mentioned in the Digests and hath some Consulta of his set down there And indeed he that observes his stile shall find many Law-terms as his Prescriptions against Hereticks c. which are borrowed from the Civilians or old Roman Lawyers though I know the learned Grotius of the same faculty denieth it utterly But against Grotius I set Eusebius who tells us that Tertullian was most accurately skill'd in the Roman Laws and then it is no wonder that he uses several Forensick words and particularly Praescriptions which as we learn from Quintilian Vlpian and the Pandects were the Defendents Replies to the Plaintiffs Action Besides it might be
Family or Houshold as it were all the Inhabitants of the World who were scatter'd and divided before are now brought under one Head and Governour one Supreme Catholick Ruler as St. Chrysostom expounds the place All Nations divided before by false ways are now united in Christ the Way and the Truth He brings all the Severals into One and makes up a full Church Militant and Triumphant whereas before there was a dispersion Thus Heaven and Earth are happily joined Again the Greek word sometimes signifies to restore or repair and accordingly is rendred by the Vulgar Latin and then the meaning of the Apostle is that all things in Heaven and Earth are restored and renewed by Christ and his Coming There is a happy Restauration of Man's Nature by the Incarnation of the Blessed Iesus the former State of Integrity is now renewed and Man is in a far better Condition than he was at first And as for Angels their State also is much amended they are now confirmed in their Integrity and Happiness Thus according to Theodoret's Interpretation of the place the things in Heaven and on Earth are Restored Renewed Reformed by the Evangelical Dispensation But there is a third and that the most probable Interpretation of the words which is this and the Margin in our English Translation takes notice of it that in the Dispensation of the fulness of Time or the Dispensation of the Gospel God was pleased to sum up all things in Christ. Which may refer to Arithmetical Computation or bringing all Numbers into One and so here is signified that all the former Dispensations being cast up and briefly collected are reduced to this of the Gospel This is the Sum total Christ is all and in all Col. 3. 11. Or it may refer as St. Ierom on the place thinks to the way of Orators and Pleaders who in the close of their Speeches and Declamations briefly repeat and recapitulate all the foregoing particulars and represent the whole Cause in short In like manner what had been spun out and prolonged in divers foregoing Dispensations is now under the Gospel briefly gather'd and summ'd up in Christ Jesus This is the time wherein God hath made an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath drawn into one all that went before He hath finished the account for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred or the Work and cut it short in Righteousness bâ—cause a short Account or Work will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 9. 28. which as you will â—ee by consulting the Context and the place in Isaiah from whence it is taken is meant of the Gospel This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that abbreviated word or short Account or because a word and a thing or work are frequently convertible among the Hebrews whence this is borrow'd short work which God hath made upon the Earth The Law was tedious with its multiplicity of Observances but Christ comes in a compendious way and requires none of those long Undertakings which Moses exacted This saith one of the Fathers is the short word that is here meant the brief words of Faith Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved is the concise way of the Gospel This comprises the greatest things in short Christ the Incarnate Son of God is the Sum and Substance of all the Old Testament and of all the different Oeconomies from the beginning of the World The Evangelical Dispensation is the Recapitulation of all the preceding ones All is to be shut up with this nothing more is to be expected this being the Upshot and Conclusion of all the Administrations that are upon Earth I might argue likewise from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament for the Greek Word signifies both a Covenant and a Testament Sometimes even when it is rendred a Covenant in the Margin it is translated a Testament But by the very import and scope of the Text we are forc'd to render it a Testament in some places as in Heb. 9. 16 17. The Chriâ—tian Institution and the New Covenant of Grace therein contained are the Will and â—estament of our Saviour wherein he hath set down what he would have done after his death â—or that is the true notion of a Testament Christ the Testator died and bequeathed us the Gospel this his Last Will must stand and that only therefore no other is to be looked for Moreover I might argue from this that the time of the Gospel is call'd the last Time I grant that sometimes the last Day and last Times and the end of the World are understood of the Day of Judgment and particularly the last Day is applied no less than four times in the 6 th Chapter of St. Iohn to the time of the last Resurrection or the Day of Judgment Some modern Writers understand the last Times and the end of the World of Christ's coming to destroy Ierusalem and it is certain they may in some places be understood so But for the most part they are taken otherwise and those Learned Mâ—n who defend the contrary shew too plainly their Prejudice and Partiality in asserting a Notion which they have once taken up But nothing is more evident than this that the last Times and the last Days which latter is different from the last Day in the singular Number are generally meant of the Gospel Dispâ—â—sation which is last of all This I prove from such places as these both in the Old and New Testament Isai. 2. 2. It shall come to pass in the last days that the Mount of the Lord's House shall be establiâ—â—ed on the top of the Mountains and so in Mic. 4. 1. where by the Consent of all Interpreters the last Days signiâ—ie the time of Christ's Coming the Appeaâ—ing of Christianity in the World and in other Prophets this is express'd after the same manner The Apostles use the same way of speaking and all the time from Christ's Coming to the Day of Judgment is call'd by them the last Time and the last Days as in 2. Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 5 20. 1. Pet. 3. 3. 1 Iohn 2. 18. and in other places the Time of the exhibitâ—ng of Chriâ—â— in the flesh or of the Reign of the Messias iâ— thus express'd It is also call'd the end of the World by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews who saith Christ appear'd in the end of the World to put away sin Heb. 9. 26. This Consummation of Ages as according to the Greek it may be most fitly rendred this Close or Shutting up of the former Dispensations especially of the Iewish one is call'd by the same Holy Writer the World to come Heb. 2. 5. And the very Iewish Writers fre-frequently give this Denomination to the time of the Messias This according to Daniel is the time of sealing up the Vision and Propâ—ecy Dan. 9. 24. i. e. of ratifying and verifying all the Visions and Prophecies
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
Blood that maketh Atonement for the Soul Lev. 17. 11. Now this Reason ceases under the Gospel since all the Iewish Sacrifices and Effusions of Blood on the Altar are abolished The Blood of Animals was made typical and representative of Christ's Blood but he being come and having shed his Blood what have we to do with the Blood of any Animals what reason have we to have regard to it 3. In the Law which forbids eating of Blood you may observe that Blood it self is not absolutely forbid but living Blood i. e. the Blood of the Beast before it be quite dead therefore eating of the Blood of a Beast when he is deprived of Life is not unlawful according to that Law When the Blood is boiled or roasted and any ways so alter'd that the Life is gone from it it may be eaten notwithstanding that Law 4. Let the Law be understood of what Blood you please our Great and Infallible Law giver hath decided the Controversie by taking away all distinction of Meats There is nothing from without a Man that entring into him can defile him saith our Saviour Mark 7. 15. Here the Ceremonial Rite of abstaining from the eating of Blood is abolish'd by Christ for if no food that enters into a Man defiles him then Blood cannot and Consequently 't is lawful to eat it But for certain Reasons the Apostles at the Council at Ierusalem order'd this old Rite to be continued for a time viz. till the greatest part of the Iews were converted and then it was to be laid down And that it ought to be so is not only the Determination of Christ but of his Apostles I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus that there is nothing unclean of it self Rom. 14. 14. And the same Apostle declares it lawful to feed even on thing offer'd to Idols if no weak Brother be offened by it 1 Cor. 10. 25. Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake and ver 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink i. e. it doth not consist in using this or that particular sort of Food for under the Gospel all are alike Therefore he saith in Col. 2. 16. Let no Man judg you in meat or in drink And again Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be receiv'd with Thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 4. Thus tho it was not absolutely necessary that we should havâ— a particular revoking of the Law for it is enough that the Reason of it ceaseth yet we find that it is more than once revoked and repeal'd in a very formal and express manner and that after the Decree of the Synod at Ierusalem So that now there is no intrinsick Evil and Turpitude no Unlawfulness and Sin in eating of Blood But this was not practised in the Apostles times nor universally obtained a long 〈◊〉 after but they very carefully refrained from eating of Blood for the Reason before mentioned viz. out of compliance and condescension to the Iews who were turn'd Christians And for this Reason the Christians in the Second and Third Century generally observed the Canons of this Apostolical Synod and they were confirmed by several Councils Particularly that the Christians of those days abstain'd from Blood and things strangled is attested by Iustin Martyr Origen Tertullian Minutius Felix and Eusebius Tho it appears likewise that this was not a universal Observance but some did eat Blood whilst others abstained The Greek and Ethiopick Churches to this day abstain from things strangled and from Blood by virtue of the Decree of that first Council in Acts 15. And among the modern Writers some of no mean Learning have espoused this Opinion and Practice and the Learned Grotius seems to favour them These Persons were drawn into this Sentiment by having an eye to the Practice of the old primitive Christians and by not considering the true Reason why that Canon of abstaining from Blood prevail'd in some parts of the Church viz. because the Christian Church was not wholly gather'd in those Parts and several Iews who abhorr'd Blood and things strangled might have been kept from imbracing Christianity if there had not been a compliance in this matter This was the occasion of this Canon of the Apostles saith St. Augustin and this he saith was the Judgment of the Christians in his days He adds that there were but a few in his time that abstain'd from eating Blood and they were laugh'd at by the rest as too nice and scrupulous Nor did those Men attend to the foregoing Reasons and Proofs of the Abrogation of this Decree which if they had done they would have found it to be a temporary Injunction and that it was obligatory so long as any Gentiles were mixed among the Churches but that afterwards it was to be quite cast off for the observing of this and other parts of the Decree were kept up only by reason of the Churches Weakness To conclude this Subject let us sum up the difference of Dispensations as to this particular of abstaining from some Food At first there was a Restraint as to this nothing but the Fruits of the Earth were permitted to be eaten at least generally and usually But after the Flood their Commons were enlarged for Flesh was allowed yet with this Restriction not to eat Flesh with the Blood or Life in it Then afterwards among the Iews a Law restrain'd them from some sort of Food some Animals only were permitted the rest being pronounced unclean But when Christ came this Restraint was removed yet so as the Liberty did not totally prevail for by an Aposâ—olical Council they were bid to abstain from Things strangled and from Blood And afterwards in some Christian Churches this Abstinence was yet observed But at last the Christian and Evangelical Liberty took all Restraint away the Iewish Rites and Usages having had time enough to wear off From other Instances in the Christian Church in those first Times it might be proved that whilst they were not all grown up to the like knowledg and perswasionâ— both Iudaism and Christianity were often twisted together Even in the second Century the Christians in the East following the Example of St. Iohn and St. Philip observed Easter on the very time the Iews did their Passover but those in the West imitating the Practice of St. Peter and St. Paul kept Easter on the Lord's Day the Day on which Christ arose Victor the Bishop of Rome endeavoured to bring the Churches of Asia to his Opinion designing to excommunicate all those who disagreed with the Roman Churches but he was disswaded at last from prosecuting that Design and the celebrating of Easter remained free till the Nicene Council where the Western Churches got the better and they that refused to keep that Feast on Sunday were branded with the Name of Quartodecimani I might further prove this mixture of Iewish and
comprised in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Time of Reformation mentioned by the same Apostle Heb. 9. 10. for he uses this Expression with reference not only to the Mosaick Law which was to be corrected and retrenched but in regard of the Gospel itself which was designed to amend and reform the World and to set it right Now this was not to be a Mock-Reformation but it was to be to Purpose and throughly to be carried on which I call the Heighth and Perfection of the Evangelical Dispensation This may have been signified when St. Paul would have the Corinthians and with them all Christians in future Ages wait for the Revelation of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 17. And when St. Peter exhorted the Converted Iews whom he wrote to and with them all holy Men in succeeding Times to hope for the Grace that is to be brought unto them at the Revelation of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. He had been speaking in the foregoing Verses of the former Dispensations in the Church of God together with the Evangelical one which was then present and now he acquaints them that there is to be a higher Degree of this last Dispensation The Time shall come when the Effects and Fruits of the Gospel shall be more Conspicuous and Eminent when the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation shall produce greater Things in the World to the Astonishment of all the Enemies of the Church and to the Amazement even of Holy Christians themselves This is the Revelation of Iesus Christ. This last Condition of the Church is also expressed by New Heavens and a New Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. For this is the Style of the Evangelical Prophet Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. where by New Heavens and a New Earth he sets forth the State of the Gospel and therefore the Heighth of it deserves these Titles much more Whence it is probable that this is the New Heaven and the New Earth which St. Iohn saw Rev. 21. 1. For it is observable that he frequently makes use of the same Expressions and Phrases which are found in the Prophetical Writers And though it is true some Learned Expositors understand this New Heaven and New Earth in the Revelation of St. Iohn concerning the Church Triumphant the State of the Blessed in Heaven yet if any â—an narrowly scans this Chapter he will not be backward to acknowlâ—dge that this can't be the Meaning of it For the New Heaven and the Nâ—w Earth are the same with the Holy City the New Ierusalem in the same Chapter into which the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Hâ—nour ver 24. they come with all their Honourable Retinue to submit to the Scepter of Iesus to own themselves his Converts and they are ambitious to be Members of this Glorious Church upon Earth Next I will produce those Plaâ—es of Scripture where this Full and Final Settlement of the â—hristian Church in the last Times of the Gospel is call'd a Kingdom and set forth by Reigning It is not to be question'd that David's Temporal Kingdom was a Type and Earnest of this And those sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 3. are the Faithful Promises made by God to David concerning the Messias and his Kingdom which are not yet fully accomplished and therefore are to be in this Reigâ— of Christ which I am speaking of Of this we often read in the Prophet Daniel as in Chap. 2. ver 44. In the Days of those Kings viz. the Monarchs mentioned in the Verses before among whom 〈◊〉 was one under whom Christ was born shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed That is Christ's Kingdom then began to be erected which afterwards shall more eminently deserve that Name viz. when it shall arrive to its Perfection It is said here expresly that it shall break in pieces all these Kingdoms that is the Four Monarchies Of which we are further ascertain'd in the next Verse for Christ 〈◊〉 is that Stone which was cut out of the Mountains without Hands and was to break in pieces the Iron the Brass the Clay the Silver and the Gold This Famous Stone was to beat down all the Four Metals Christ was to destroy the Four Monarchies that is when these cease Christ's Kingdom immediately succeeds It is true it did succeed in part when the Pagan Roman Empire expired and so in some measure this Prophecy was fulfilled but there shall be a more illustrious and eminent Succession than this upon the compleat expiring of the Fourth General Monarchy Wherefore when we see this quite at an end we may conclude that Christ's Reign approacheth i. e. that the happy Condition of the Christian Church in this World draws near This Fourth Monarchy the Roman is now wearing off being translated to the Germans it is but a meer Name and Title The Wings of this Imperial Eagle have been plucked its Plumes are fallen its Feathers are gone its whole Body almost consumed Rome itself and Italy are not so much as the poor Remains at this Day of the Roman Empire This Image is now on its last Legs and those are infirm for the Holy Spirit tells us that the Feet are of Clay and Iron which Two Materials will not well cement and hold together long Therefore another State of Things is approaching viz. the Fifth Monarchy or Empire here prophesied of the Reign of Christ Jesus here on Earth or which is the same a more illustrious Manifestation of Christianity a more Visible and Glorious Displaying of its Vertue and Power than ever yet was in the World Of this Kingdom of the Son of Man you have another express Prediction in Dan. 7. 14. There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd Again ver 22. The Time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Agreeably to what was said ver 18. The Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever This Kingdom is again delineated ver 27. There is a great Number of Texts in Isaiah Ieremiaâ— Ezekiel and the Lesser Prophets which speak of this Kingdom of the Messias but they are it is true generally interpreted by Expositors of Christ's Coming in the Flesh and the prevailing of the Gospel afterwards and even to this very Day but they are not thought by them to reach any further This I conceive is a Mistake from the narrow Thoughts which Men are apt to have of those great Things spoken of by the Prophets which we shall find upon diligent comparing of Things to have a very large and comprehensive Meaning Most of the Prophetick Expressions of this Nature have reference not only to the first Times of the Gospel and these at present but to those that are to come Ultimately and completely and in their highest