Christian Church to inâ—â—oduce Excommunication which is a Cutting off or Separating from the Communion of the Faithful A very useful Ordinance in the Church And there seem to be among Christians several footsteps of other Consâ—itutions and those merely Secular which were among the Iews as Apprentices generally serving six or seven Years which may be borrow'd from the Iewiâ—â— Servants being â—et free every seventh Year So from the Law of dividing the Lands to the Israelites by Lâ—t the Custom is reâ—eiv'd in many Christian Countreys of assigning portions of Land in that manner and in case of Coâ—teâ—tion especially to have recourse to Lâ—ts And in other Instances it might be shew'd how the Mosaick Laws are imitable by Christians in the times of the Gospel And it is certain that this may lawfully be done so far as those Laws are of common Use and Equity and advance the welfare of the Publick and promote Charity good Will Justice Innocence Peace and Tranquâ—llity in the Commonwealth It is needless to sally forth to any more particulars here for my design was to present you with a competent Draught of this part of the Iudâ—ical Oâ—conomy which I hope I have done Thus much of this Mosaick Oâ—conomy CHAP. IX The several ways and kinds of Divine Revelation under the different Oeconomies Ordinary External Revelation was by hearing or by seeing Inward Revelation was by Dreams or Prophetick Inspiration What Prophecy was How they knew to distinguish between True Prophets and False ones The extraordinary ways of Revelation were 1. That which was vouchsafed to Moses alone The Nature of it It differ'd from other Revelations as to Degree only 2. That from between the Cherubims 3. The Urim and Thummim These are not the same with the Teraphim They were not borrowed from Pagan Idolaters This would be a countenancing of Image-Worship The absurdity and impiety of their opinion who hold that the Urim and Thummim were of Heathen Extraction These were no other than those bare words written or engraven on the High Priest's Breastplate An Objection answer'd BEâ—ore I proceed to the next Dispensation I look upon this as a proper place wherein to speak of the Several Kinds of Revelations the various ways of God's Communicating himself to Mankind in the different Dispenâ—ations which we have discoursed of Here I will recount them all together God under all his Administrations made known his Will by the Law of Nature and Reason which he implanted in Men but I speak not of this here but of Divinâ— and Supernatural Revelâ—tion as distinct from the Discoveries of natural Light and Reason There were several ways of this Revelation for God not only spake at sundry times as the Apostle saith i. e. in the days of Adam Noah Abraham Moses Ioshua the Iudges David and of the following Kings and Prophets or as the Greek word signifieth likewise He spake by degrees by several parts not all at once but now one thing and then another But He also spake in divers manners i. e. there was a great variety of Revelations there were several distinct ways of God's discovering his Will to the World and as the World was more and more corrupted the discoveries of God's Will were multiply'd and increas'd These supernatural Revelations are divided by Writers into Immediate and Mediate but they can't well agree in determining which are of the former sort and which of the latter Some rank Revelations by Dreams and Visions under those that are Immediate others again hold that they belong to mediate Discoveries and in several other instances I could shew how they disagree To avoid controversy here I will take another course and I offer this as the exactest Division of Divine Revelations viz. that they are either Ordinary and Frequent or Extraordinary and Rare The Ordinary are either Outward or Inward The Outward are made to the Bodily Sense viz. Hearing and Seeing The Inward are made to the Soul viz. either to the Fancy when persons are asleep or to the Rational mind of Man when he is awake God spake i. e communicated his Will 1. In an Outward manner viz. to the Bodily Senses and first to the Hearing This was done first by an Immediate Voice so God spake to Adam and Eve when he commanded them not to eat of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil Gen. 2. 16 17. which was the first Revelation we read of and thus He communicated his Pleasure to them at other times mention'd in the third Chapter for 't is call'd the Voice of the Lord ver 8. Thus he reveal'd his Will several times to Abraham Isaac and Iacob as we read By such a Voice â—ramed by the air God spake to Moses in the Tabernacle and in the Bush and to Samuel in the Temple 1 Sam. 3. 3. And it is probable that at other times in those first ages God convers'd with his Servants by speaking audibly to them Secondly God spake by the Voice of an Angel very frequently as to Adam it is likely presently after his Fall for that Angel who guarded Paradise spoke to him without doubt and told him roundly of the dire effects of his Apostacy and warn'd him not to approach the flaming Sword lest he perish immediately We read that God spake by Angels to Moses Lot Abraham Isaac Iacob Daniel and several others Or when God spake by a Wind or Thunder or some strange Sound and terrible Concuâ—â—ion of the Air it was thought to be by the ministry of Angels This was call'd by the Iews Bath Kol the Daughter of a Voice It was any Voice heard as descending from Heaven and directing them in any matter or concern whatsoever The Iews say that by this Voice the Six Preceptâ— were given to the Sons of Adam and the additional one to Noah and his Sons and by this the Law of Circumcision and the Ten Commandments which were not written at first were given to Moses Many of the Hebrew Doctors assert This Bath Kol to have been the lowest degree of Revelation and they say this supplied the room of Prophecy and was frequent after that ceased among the Iews Thirdly God spake to his People by the Voice of Prâ—pheâ—s Naâ—ijim Messengers dispatched on purpose to declare his Will Of these we often read in the Old Testament but especially about King David's time and afterwards For tho Abraham be the first that is call'd by the name of Prophet Gen. 20. 7. because he was one that was acquainted with God's Will and was prevalent in Prayer yet now we are speaking of that particular sort of Prophets who foretold things to come and denounced the Judgments which were to be executed on Offenders and were sent forth by God to that purpose very usually but especially when the Nation of the Iews grew very wicked and Idolatrous Then these Persons were rais'd up by God to admonish that People to tell them freely of their Miscarriages and to declare the displeasure of God against
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
thing as Idolatry in those days but that its date was afterwards and therefore it must be meant of Religious Invoking of God and the solemn use of it There are others who though they are satisfied that the word is to be rendred began not prophaned yet understand what follows according to Aquila's Translation and therefore read the whole thus Then men began to be call'd by the name of the Lord i. e. Seth and Enos for their great Piety were the first that had the honour as it were of a Divine Appellation whence they that were their Offspring were call'd the Son of God or they were call'd by Gods names i. e. they were reputed and celebrated as eminent Worshippers of God as his profess'd Servants and Votaries But this seems to be a forc'd Interpretation and is built upon a wrong Translation of the words The plain and genuine meaning both according to the Original the Seventy and other Versions which are held to be most exact is this that though Adam Abâ—l Seth and others had called on God in their Houses and Families long before this time yet now they met together publickly and the Rites of Religion which God had appointed them were fixed Here is the first Infancy of the more visible Church Now Holy Assemblies are set up and perhaps as Cain then built Cities so Enos built Temples or Places for Divine Worship Sacrifices were setled before Now the way and manner of invoking God aright are established Or if you will take Calling on the Lord as a general expression for Religion then the meaning is that in the time of these holy men the true VVorship and Service of God begun to flourish openly Though Cain and his Seed liv'd atheistically and prophanely yet those of the Family of Seth and Enos promoted all Piety and Virtue they generally â—eared God and walked uprightly and Religion was in great esteem among men There seems to have been a Law under this Patriarchal Period not to marry with Infidels This is implied in Gen. 6. 2. The sons of God saw the daughtâ—rs of men and they took them Wives of all that they chose The children of Seth were joyned in wedlock with the wicked posterity of Cain which we have reason to think was forbidden them because this is reckon'd as the great sin which provoked God's wrath and brought the devouring flood v. 3. Here it may be taken notice of that whereas Marriagâ— the joyning of one Man and one Woman only had prevail'd hitherto by virtue of the Primitive Order and Institution in Gen. 2. 24. now at the latter end of the Adamick Dispensation Polygamy began to be introduced Lamâ—ch took unto him two Wives Gen. 4. 19. and was the firâ—â— person that transgress'd against that Conjugal Law I find a very Reverend and Worthy person â—avourable to him and thinks his â—arnest desire of seeing that Blessed Seed which was promis'd to Eve might induce him to take more Wives than one hoping by multiplying of his posterity some or other of thâ—m might prove so happy as to produce that Seed This is a very Learned and Pious Account of the Original of Polygamy Here I might mention the Seven Precepts which the Iews much talk of and say wâ—re given by God to the sons of Adam and Nâ—ah before Moses's time But Rabbi Maimon is more distinct and â—aith six of these Precepts were given to Adam and those that immediately came of his loins and so they fall in under this Patriarchal Dispensation and afterwards these six with another added i. â— of Abstaining from blood were delivered to Noah and his Sons Of the Seventh I am not to speak in this place it belonging to the Noacâ—ical Dispensation but it is proper to give you some account of the other Six Both the Talmuds and other Writings of the Hebrew Doctors recite them in this order the first Precept was of Iudgments of Politick and Civil Government of Administration of Justice in publick Tribunals and Courts of Judicature and that those who offended in the kinds after named ought to be severely punished The Second was of Cursing the most Holy Name or Blasphemy that God's Name is not to be prophaned The Third was of strangâ— Worship or Idolatry that they should not worship Idâ—ls The Fourth is of uncovering of Nakedness or unlawful Copulation as Adultery Incest and the like that these are absolutely unlawful The Fifth is of shâ—dding of Blood or Homicide The Sixth is of Thefâ— and Rapine Clandestine or open stealing taking away what is anothers that none of these are to be practised Those that would see these Precepts largely commented upon may consult the Learned Seldâ—n who hath almost fill'd a whole Volume with them That which I am to inquire into at present is whether it be reasonable to give credit to the common Assertion of the Iews who say that these Precepts were given by God himself to Adam and the Patriarchs before Noah First I might take notice that the Iews agree not fully about the number of the Precepts given to Adam for though Seven generally be said to be the number of them yet there are those who dissent here and so in some sort bring the giving of the Precepts as well as thâ— number of them into question Secondly We read no where in Genesis nor in any of the inspired Books afterwards that any of these Precepts were given by God to Adam or his immediate children We meet with nothing like them before Noah and Moses and therefore we cannot with any certainty and confidence assert that God deliver'd these before that time I know it is said and that by the Learnedest that all Facts are not mention'd in the Bible the Scripture refers to some as known and acknowledg'd though no where expresly recorded Thus these Precepts are refer'd to in Acts 15. 20. But I answer though one thing done at this time and another at another may be omitted in Scripture-History as Adam's observing the Seventh day and God's Injunction about Bloody Sacrifices c. yet it is folly to think that a Whole Body of Precepts should be given to Adam and his Sons and that they should be openly divulg'd as the Iews say there was a formal Promulgation of them and yet not one of them be mention'd nor so much as hinted at in the History which purposely treats of those things Credat Iâ—daâ—â— c. And as to what some say that these Precepts are referr'd to in the Decree of the Apostolical Council at Ierusalem it is but a surmise and there is no real ground for it only the matter or substance of two or three of those Precepts is there enjoyn'd as we find in some other places and that is all Thirdly Not only the Writings of Moses and other books of Holy Writ were silent concerning the giving of these Precepts but Ioseph the Learned Iewish Antiquary who comments upon the Mosaical Writings and is wont to insert
truly if the Holy Ghost in Scripture was pleas'd to make mention of it and to describe it it cannot be improper here to repeat it and then leave Origen Ierom Durandus Erasmus and others to comment upon the several Parts and to give you the moral and mystical Sense of them 1. There were Linen Breeches which the High Priest was injoin'd to wear to cover his nakedness Exod. 28. 42. that is that his secret Parts might not be exposed whenever it chanced that the Wind blew up his upper Garments for the Men in those Eastern Countries wore long Garments hanging down low without Breeches whence we read that David was uncover'd in those Parts when he danc'd before the Ark 2 Sam. 6. 20. That the High Priest therefore might not be liable to this Indecency and Inconvenience when he administred in Sacred things or at any other time he was commanded to wear these Breâ—ches or Drawers of Linen 2. There was Ketonah from whence perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tunick or Coat Exod. 28. 39. It was of fine Linen and white and had Sleeves and reach'd down beyond the Ankles It was properly the Shirt for it was that Garment which was worn next to his flesh only it was closer than a Shirt and it was curiously woven with artificial Figures 3. Over these was Mechil a Robe of Blue Exod. 28. 31. which answer'd exactly to the Ephod both in wideness and shape tho not as to length At the bottom or skirts of this Robe instead of Fringes hung 72 Pomegranates of Blue Purple and Scarlet and as many golden Bells 4. The Ephod which was a short Garment without sleeves but most artificially wrought with Gold Purple and broider'd Work in divers figures and colours and thereby made very beautiful and glorious It was worn over all the other Garments but the Girdle it had two holes on the sides to let the Arms come through and they put it on over their Heads as a Surplice is put on This imbroider'd Cope was remarkable for these following things First On the shoulders of it were set two great Onyx Stones whereon were grav'd the Names of the Children of Israel Exod. 28. 9. that is of the twelve Tribes six on one Stone and six on another These precious Gems were set in Gold with two Chains of Gold hanging at them Secondly On the fore-part of this Garment there was fastned a four-square piece of Cloth doubled the breadth and length of it were the dimension of a span imbroider'd with Gold and adorn'd with twelve precious Stones Exod. 28. 15. They were of four Classes or Rows and there were three Stones in each Class and the name of one of the twelve Tribes of Israel was ingraved in each of the 12 Stones In this four-square piece there were also contained the Vrim and Thummim of which I will distinctly speak when I give you a Catalogue of the several ways of Divine Revelation This fore-part of the Garment was called Coshen the Pectoral or Breast-plate and sometimes the Breast-plate of Iudgment and also by the Vulgar Latin Version Rationale which answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Translation of the Septuagint This was fastned to the Ephod with golden Chains and Rings and might be put on or off on occasion This Breast-plate was of the same artificial composure and curious work with the Ephod i. e. it was of fine Linen of divers colours imbroider'd with Gold Thirdly This Garment was remarkable for the Girdle or Belt with which it was surrounded Exod. 28. 39. This was made of the same materials and embroider'd work with the Ephod This Pontifical Shash and who knows but this word is originally the same with Shesh which is the usual word in Scripture for fine Linen of which the Eastern Girdles were made was useful to tie the rest of the High-Priest's Habits close especially when he was call'd to his publick Work and Ministry for then it girt them so together that they were no impediment to him in that Service 5. There was a Mitrâ— or Bonnet of fine Linen which was wrapt up in several folds and worn about his head Exod. 28. 39. On the fore-front of which Mitre was tied with a blue Lace a Plate of Gold two fingers broad call'd a Crown and the Plate of the Holy Crown Exod. 28. 36. 39. 30 for the Antients call'd any thing that was tied about the head a Crown or a Diadem in which Holiness to the Lord and the Name of Iehâ—vah was ingraven In this gay Attire the Iewish Pentif appear'd as often as he officiated and at all great and solemn Times This indeed was an Attire fit to be been only on Holy-days But especially when he was to enter into the Holy of Holies which was the peculiar Dignity of the High Priest to consult and know God's Will he was seen to shine in this Glorious Array a great part of which was as to the matter and shape of it such as Kings and Princes wore as a very knowing Iew expresly testifies However we are certain that these Vestments were appointed for Glory and for Beauty Exod. 28. 2. to represent the Person and Office of the High Priest Glorious and Beautiful he being a type of him who was the Glory of his People Israel Luke 2. 32. Secondly Priests are the next Order whose Office was now fixed to a certain Family whereas before it was executed by any Head of Father of a Family or by the First-born as was said before As the High Priesthood was now confined to the Line of Aaron's first-born so the Priests were the Successors of Aaron's other Children Exod. 28. 1. And afterwards the Priesthood was solemnly settled and entail'd on the Family of Levi Numb 3. 5. 25. 13. This particular Tribe was dedicated to the Priest's Office and so it went by Succession and Birth-right As to the Imployment or Office of the Priests it was to offer Sacrifices for the People to God Numb 3 4. to intercede for them with him to bless the People Numb 6. 23. and to expound and teach the Law Levit. 10. 11. They were the ordinary Instructers of the People as Prophets were the extraordinary ones The Priest's Lips kept Knowledg and they sought the Law at his Mouth for he is the Mâ—â—â—enger of the Lord of Plosts Mal. 2. 7. Moreover the Priests were imploy'd sometimes in the Courts of Judicature they were Judges in Causes both Spiritual and Civil Levit. 10 13. Dâ—â—â— 17. 8 c. Ezek. 44. 24. But tho these things were their chief Imployment yet they did also when there was occasion aâ—â—â— in the carrying of the Avâ—â— and in looking after the Vessels of the Tabâ—â—nacle David a 〈◊〉 wards when the Ark was settled appointed 24 Orders or Coursâ—s of Priests and there was a Chief of every one of those Oâ—ders Both in the Tabeâ—nacle and in the Temple they officiated in their Courses according to the several Ranks they
its Magnitude it was just as big again as the Tabernacle for the one was 60 Cubits long 20 Cubits broad and 30 Cubits high but that was but 30 Cubits in length 10 in breadth and 15 in height But when 't is said in 1 Kings 6. 2. that the Temple was 30 Cubits high it must be meant only of the space which reached from the Floor to the first Story for when it is compared with the Tabernacle it is consider'd without a Roof or any Superstructure because the Tabernacle was such But if you take the whole height of the Temple it was no less than 120 Cubits as you read in 2 Chron. 3. 3. Thus then it is from the bottom to the first Roof were 30 Cubits from thence to the second Roof 30 more and from thence to the top 60 Cubits So the height of the Temple from the Floor to the top of all was 120 Cubits Thus the Learned Iewish Antiquary reconciles those Texts in Kings and Chronicles which seem to oppose one another I might add that as the Tabernacle when 't was fix'd in Shiloâ— had Buildings about it for the Priests and Levites to lodg in so likewise it was contriv'd in the spot of Ground where the Temple was erected there were Houses to receive those Sacred Officers of the Temple and in them they lodg'd and resided all the time of their Ministry as our Deans and Prebendaries Houses are round about their respective Cathedrals And about the Temple there were divers Chambers some of which were us'd as Storehoses to lay up the Tithes and Offerings 1 Chron. 9. 26. 2. Chron. 31. 11. Others were Repositories for the Vessels and Utensils and all things belonging to the Service of the Temple Nehem. 1. 39. 13. 5. And some of them were made use of as places of Reâ—ection Ier. 35. 2. So much of this Magnificent Temple at Ierusalem which was the Iews Cathedral as the Synagogues were their Parish-Churches where their Ceremonious Worship was perform'd with the greatest pomp and splendor Fourthly The Sacraments appointed by the Ceremonial Law are here to be taken notice of They were Circumcision and the Passover The former was in use before the Mosaick Dispensation it being appointed as a Sign of the Covenant between God and Abraham It was reestablished by God when he delivered the Ceremonial Law to Moses and it was to continue a Badg and Confirmation of the same Covenant that the Posterity of Abraham the Iews might receive comfort thence It was also to be a remarkable Token to difference the Iews from other Nations tho other People afterwards borrow'd Circumcision from the Israelites as the Idumaeans the Egyptians c. There were other Ends and Designs of this bloody Rite which you will find enumerated under the Abrahamick Dispensation and therâ—â—â—e I will not repeat them here The other Iewish Sacrament was the Passover but because I may more properly speak of it among the other Feasts I refer it thither and accordingly proceed to the consideration of the set Times of Iewish Worship CHAP. VII The Jewish Feasts Sabbaths New Moon Passover The Parallel between the Paschal Lamb and our Saviour shew'd in several Particulars This mystical Way approved of Christ celebrated not the Passover on the same Evening that the Jews did but in the Evening before This represented in a Scheme The Feast of Pentecost The Feast of Tabernacles The Feast of Trumpets Of Expiation Other lesser Feasts not commanded in the Law but appointed by the Jewish Church Fasts kept tho not injoin'd by the Law The difference of Clean and Unclean Animals Why the latter were forbidden to be eaten The chief Reason of the Prohibition was to prevent Idolatry Two Objections answer'd Vows proper to the Mosaick Dispensation They were either Personal or Real The Cherem IN the Fifth place I am to treat of the Solemn Times and Set Seasons of Worship appointed the Iews by the Mosaick Law These by a general Name were call'd Feasts but if you speak properly some of them were Fasts But because the word is sometimes taken by the Iews for a solemn Time of Religious Worship whether it was accompanied with Rejoicing or Mourning that term is applied to them all The Design of these Festivals was to commemorate some great Blessing to maintain mutual Love Friendship and Communion and to join together in the Service of God These Feasts are divided by the Iews into the greater and the lesser The greater Feasts are these 1. The Sabbaths For tho this word be of a larger signification and is applied to all Feasts and Solemn Times of Worship yet it hath a restrained Sense and is particularly applied to these certain Seasons viz. the Sabbaths of Days and the Sabbaths of Years The Sabbaths of Days are the lesser and the greater the lesser are every seventh Day call'd the Sabbath by way of eminence in memory of God's resting or ceasing from the Works of the Creation But it was commanded now with particular reference to the Iewish People and to their resting from their Captivity and Bondage in Egypt I say no more of it here because I am to insist largely upon it when I come to treat of the Fourth Commandment The greater Sabbath of Days was when the Passover â—ell on the Sabbath-day as it did that Year when Christ suffer'd Iohn 19. 31. This was call'd the Great Sabbath by the Iews And as there were the Sabbaths of Days so there were the Sabbaths of Years These were two first Every Seventh Year was a Sabbath of Rest to the Land Levit. â—5 4. and then there was no plowing or sowing nor making any the like provision but what the Ground yielded that Year of it self was sufficient and it was in common to all Persons to eat of it It was God's Pleasure to deal thus with this People to bring them to a sense of his Providence in the World that he was able without their Care and Art to sustain them that he was Lord of all things and the Supreme Disposer of them This was the reason why their Land enjoy'd its Sabbaths Secondly There was the Sabbath which was the end of seven times seven Years that is 49 Years Levit. 25. 8. This was the greatest Sabbath of all and was call'd the Iubilee But whether it was kept in the close of that 49 th Year as Scaligâ—r Petaviâ—s Calvisius think or in the Year after viz. the 50 th Year â—s those who follow Iosephus determine I will not dispute at present having said something of it in another place This we are certain of that when the Year of Iubilee return'd all Debts were to be cancell'd and mortgaged Lands were to return to their Owners and every Freeholder repossess'd what was alien'd from him and all Prisoners and Debtors were set free and Captives were released and all Controversies and Suits about Lands Estates Possessions and Properties were ended It is certain likewise that as on every seventh Year so in
the most Solemn Offices of Christianity to be in pure Imitation of a Pagan Usage for he saith Christ in Celebrating the Holy Sacrament of his Supper refer'd to the Custom of the Barbarous Scythians and other Savage Nations who used to drink Blood at their making of Covenants and Bargains thence it is said This Cup is my Blood of the New Testament drink ye all of this This was the highest and most daring result of his â—ormer Notion But I hope the Learned Doctor before he left the World corrected his Error and entertain'd other thoughts of these things and therefore I will not press them any further especially because I discours'd of this matter somewhat freely when I made it my business to prove that many of the Pagan Rites and Customs in Religion as well as in Secular Affairs were borrow'd from the Iews and their Sacred Usages which is directly contrary to what this Author asserts viz. that the Rites and Ceremonies injoyn'd by God himself to the Iews were of Pagan Extraction I might here mention that some others have fallen into the same or the like Notion and have made use of it to ill purpose Our English Socinians approve of this Doctrine that God complied with the Idolatrous Nations in the Sacrifices and other Rites which he instituted And some of the Antienter Racovians run up higher and refer the method of Man's Redemption and Salvation to the Usages of the Pagan World Thus a noted Man among them tells us that God sent Christ into the World in compliance with a Custom that was very prevailing viz. that those who were eminent and celebrated for their Virtue and their serviceableness to Mankind were after their death Canonized as 't were and placed in Heaven as an inferiour kind of Deities and those that wanted their help used to implore it and make them their Mediators Even so God exalted Christ who had been an Excelleâ—t and Useful Person and made him a kind of God And as noted a person of our own seems to have imbibed the same Doctrine for he asserts that a greâ—â— part of the Iewish Religion which was instituted by God himself seems to have been a plain condescension to the general apprehension of Mankind i. e. the Heathen world as he explains himself afterwards concerning the way of appeasing the offended Deity by Sacrifices Nay he makes the Incarnation of Christ and his Suffering of death to be a condescension to the Pagans who he saith loved a visible Deity and had a great esteem of Sacrifices especially of human Sacrifices and used to Deiâ—y their Benefactors aâ—d Heroes That is very strange which he gives as Reason why Christ was incarnate that Men viz. the Gentiles who were much given to admire Mystâ—riâ—s in Religion might have one that is a Mystery indeed So that all was direct compliance with the Gentiles and according to this Writer the way of Salvation of Mankind is derived from the impious Customs of the Heathens But his more Particular words which are almost too harsh to be mention'd I shall have occasion shortly to represent to the Reader in a more proper place 4. The Ceremonial Law and other Mosaick Usages were prescribed the Iewish people because these were fit and proper for them at that time because they were most suitable to their present Geniuâ— and Disposition Thus the Apostle in Gal. 3. 24 c. very handsomely illustrates the nature of this part of the Legal Dispensation The Law was our Schoolmaster saith he Here is Moses with a Rod in his hand We were instituted and educated saith the Apostle under the Pedagâ—giâ— of the Law for being but in our minority we were not capable then of a higher Institution and Instruction But this fitted and prepared us by degrees for the reception of that other and this Schoolmaster of the Law serv'd as an usher to the Gospel But saith the Apostle in the next verse After that Faith i. e. the time of the Gospel is come wâ— are no longer under a Schoolmaster we are then no longer under the lash of the Law our state and condition do not require it And God is pleas'd to administer things wisely according to the condition and circumstances we are under And this Apostle by another fit Allusion in Gal. 4. 1 c. sets forth the nature of this Oeconomy which he had spoken of before The Heir as long as he is a child differeth nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all buâ— is under Tutâ—rs and Governors until the time appointed of the Father Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world but when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son c. In which words St. Paul compareth the Iudaical Law to a Tutor or Guardian under whom the Heir doth not enjoy that freedom of a Son which afterwards he is to come to This saith he was the case of the Iewish people they were but Minors and Pupils and so stood in need of a Tutor i. e. one that is appointed to take care and have the charge of those who by reason of their insufficient age and understanding cannot look to themselves The Ceremonial Law was the Iews Guardian whilst they were under age this sowr Governour and Overseer kept them in and curb'd them and on that account was very useful to them at that time But the Apostle seems here to recur to his former comparison of the Law to a Schoolmaster when he adds that the Iews as long as they were Children were in bondage under the Elements of the world The Iews were then got no further than their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their First Elements they were but conning their Alphabet Their Sacrifices and Circumcision were as it were so many plain Letters in Blood and there were other Fair and Legible Characters but there were few of the common Iews so good Proficients as to Spell out of them any thing of a future and higher Concernment These and their other Rudiments were sutable to the mean Capacity and Non-age of the Iewish Church when they were in this State such a low and mean Dispensation as this was good enough for them Diversity of Ages calls â—or diversity of Actions and Behaviour and consequently for diversity of Laws Parents rule Children after another manner than when they arrive to any ripeness of Years and are capable of Discourse So God ordereth his Church that is fit for it at one time which is not at another Israel was a Child Hos. 11. 1. that was the state of the Iews when they were call'd out of Egypt And the Apostle uses the same Expression as you have heard Now when the Iewish Church was in this lower Form the First Rudiments were most agreeable to that condition these Beginners were to be used to their Letters God dealt with that People according to their Weakness and Shallowness Wherefore we may
them And these Envoys of Heaven were sent not only to God's own People but sometimes to others as the Ninivites Thus Revelation was made by Voice God spake himself or by others audibly and this was no uncommon way of divulging and discovering his Will Again God spake i. e. communicated himself heretofore not only by the sense of Hearing but by that of Seeing He was pleased to make known his Divine Pleasure by some visible Appearances which most vigorously struck on that Sense and gave more evident Testimony of the Will of Heaven Thus God discovered himself 1. by Angels Appearing for tho it was not the Appearing of these Messengers but their Speaking to persons which gave them the discovery of God's pleasure yet the former was no mean Confirmation of what was delivered because those Glorious Spiâ—â—ts could not appear to Mankind unless they were commission'd by God When he thought fit to send them then and not else they descended from Heaven and shew'd themselves to Men. 2. Writing was another manner of Visible Revelation Thus the Law was deliver'd to Moses and afterwards this way of Revelation grew frequent the Sacred History of Moses and other Histories and Prophecie being committed to Writing Thus the Antient Church before Christ's coming had the Written Word of the Holy Scriptures to inform them 3. God spake to the Sight by those Representations which in Holy Writ are so usually stiled Visions for these properly belong to the outward Sense of Seeing they are either Real Spectacles exposed to the eye as the Burning Bush which Moses saw Exod. 3. 2. and the Pillar of a Cloud which went before the Israelites in the day and the Pillar of Fire which conducted them in the night Exod. 13. 21. and the Cloud in the Temple 2 Chron. 5. 13 14. call'd the Glory of the Lord 2 Chron. 7. 1 2. And this Expression is used in other places of the Old Testament to signifie that Visible Glory and Majesty whereby he manifested himself to Mankind in those times Or else Visions in Holy Scripture are certain Images of things represented by God to the Eye as those Strange Appearances and Signs mention'd in the Books of Ieremiah Ezekiel and Daniel Whether these things may be said to be real Objects or whether they be mere Apparitions we need not as some solicitously inquire If they be Resemblances caused by God and there be such an Impression made on the Sense of Seeing that the Organ be affected as if there were such an Object before it it is sufficient to denominate it Vision But this is not to be doubted of that these external Representations and Figures pointed out Real things either present or to come From this sort of Manifestation call'd Vision the Prophets who were most conversant in this way of Revelation were stiled Seâ—rs 1 Sam. 9. 9 18. 2 Chron. 35. 15. Thus I have distinctly spoken of Voices and Visions but it must be observed also that these two are joyned together sometimes This you may see in some of the foregoing Instances and in others not named the Revelation by Voice was mixed with that by Vision so in the New Testament Saul saw a Light and heard a Voice But I am confined at present to the Old Testament for I speak now only of the variety of Revelations which were before the Gospel-Dicd\sspensation It is to be observed moreover that sometimes Vision and Voice were accompanied with an Extasy tho the persons were awake yet they were cast into a Trance Lastly under this head it is remarkable that all the outward and sensible ways of God's revealing himself especially those that are visible are call'd by the Jewish Masters the Shekinah i. e. the Divine Presence and Majesty whereby the doth as it were dwell and is constantly present with his Church for the word Shakan signifies to inhaâ—â—â—â— or dwell whereby he doth gloriously discover himself to his Servants With reference to this the Apostle saith to the Israelites pertaineth the Glory Rom. 9. 4. i. e. the Glorious Presence and Habitation of God with them not only by Angels but all those other ways before spoken of in which he appear'd and manifested himself in the times of the Law This St. Paul stiles the Glory because this Visible Appearing of God is so stiled as you have heard in the Old Testament and because the Seventy Interpreters whose way of speaking this Apostle is wont to imitate used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express the Glorious Presence of the Divine Majesty in any kind of Sensible and External manner 2. There are Inward as well as Outward Revelations These are made more immediately to the Soul as the other were to the Body First God spake or reveal'd himself to the Fancies of Men by Dreams He thought good to communicate his Will to persons by a powerful Influence on their Imaginations whilst they were asleep as well as by presenting things to their Senses when they were awake Thus God reveal'd himself to Abraham Abimelech Iacob Ioseph Pharaoh Solomon Nebuchadnezzar In their Dreams their Fancies were impress'd with such and such Representations they verily thought they beheld this or that Object as Iacob thought he saw a Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth And because these Representations seem to be offer'd to the eye therefore they are sometimes call'd Visions in Scripture I saw a Dream saith Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 5. And so we read of a Dream of the night Vision Isai. 29. 7. But if you speak of Visions in the proper sense then it is certain Visions and Dreams are two distinct Species of Revelation and so I have made them having before spoken of Visions strictly so call'd But this is a thing not consider'd sometimes by Writers on this Subject and so they confound Visions and Dreams Secondly God speaks to the Soul not only by working on the Imagination in Sleep but by immediate Inspiring the minds of the Prophets when they are awake This way of revealing his Will to Men is call'd Inspiration and sometimes Illumination but there is a gradual difference between these the former being of a higher degree than the later and the later being as it were a Preparative to the former This Inspiration which is made by an inward Afflatus and Excitation of the Spirit is signally call'd the Holy Spirit by the Jewish Writers A man say they is said to have the Holy Spirit when being awake and having the full use of his Senses he speaks by the Incitement of the Spirit Thus the Prophets of old spake as they were stirr'd up by this Inward Afflation and Instinct The Jewish Doctors think that this degree of Divine Revelation is especially in the Psalms of David and the Proverbs of Solomon and the Book of Iob c. the Writers of which are termed by way of Excellency Chetubim Scriptores by the Hebrews and their Writings are distinguish'd from other Books of
we were not able to assign a particular Reason The Wisdom and Equity of God's dealingâ— are undeniable He must be leâ—t to dispense his Benefits when he pleaseth and most certainly that is the best time which he chooseth It is the Glory of God saith the Wife Man to conceal a thing to hide the Causes and Reasons of his Actions from Men especially of the particular circumstance of Time which is not of such Concern to us as the Things themselves Therefore we ought not to be very inquisitive and scrupulous but finally to resolve all into God's good Will and Pleasure Thus when the Primitive Christians were asked in a cavilling way by the Pagans why Christ came so late they ingenuously answer'd We deny not that we are ignorant of the Reason of it we cannot see and tell God's secret Will and how he orders his Affairs He alone knoweth What is to be done and How and at what Time And again thus In an Eternal and Infinite course of Ages where there is no beginning nor end nothing can be said to be soon or late And St. Augustin's Answer to those that ask'd why Christ came not before was this Because saith he the Fulness of Time was not yet come according to the appointment of Him by whom all Times are for it was best known to him when Christ ought to come And in another place he gives the like Reason why Christ came just at that time and no other The Lord saith he who disposes all things in Measure Number and Weight knoweth when he doth any thing It may suffice then to answer that so it pleased God whose Wisdom is infinite He hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own times for so it should be rendred Tit. 1. 3. When these come he sets such and such a Dispensation on foot Tho this will not satisfie some yet it ought to pass for good Divinity with those that are wise to Sobriâ—â—y But yet tho we must not sawcily pry into the Secrets of Heaven we are permitted with modesty to enquire how far they may be discover'd to us Therefore to give satisfaction even to the Curious I will offer some Considerations wherein are contained the particular Reasons of the Datâ— of the Christian Oâ—conâ—my why Christ came not into the World till it was about four thousand Years old and why he came at that time rather than at another 1. You are to consider that tho Christ was not Born of the Virgin Mary till that very time yet he appeared long before to some of the Patriarchs and Saints under the Old Testament The Angel that appeared to Hagar was the Messiâ—â— the Son of God therefore Mâ—sâ—s calls him the Lâ—rd or Ieâ—ovab Gen. 16. 13. It was the Opinion of the Antient Fathâ—rs that this Second Person in the Glorious Trinity appear'd in human Shape to Abraham as he sat in the Plains of Mamre Gen. 18. 13 c. where he is stiled Iehovaâ— and afterwards the God of Bethel chap. 31. 21. And he appeared to Iacob in the Form of an Angel and wrestled with him he is call'd a Man in the entrance of the Story and God in the sequel of it and the Prophet Hosea speaking of him calls him God Chap. 12. 3. This is that Angel of the Covenant who appeared Num. 7. ultIreneus Tertullian St. Austin and most of the Antients hold that it was Christ who appear'd as an Armed Man and Captain of the Lord of Hosts to encourage Ioshua when he was to take Iericho Jos. 5. 13 14. And many of the Fathers were of opinion that Christ was the Conducter of the Israelites out of Egypt into the Land of Canaan who led them through the Wilderness of Arabia and descended on Mount Sinai and resided in the Tabernacle and the Temple And that of Daniel Chap. 3. 25. the Form of the fourth Person who was seen in the firy Furnace was like the Son of God is interpreted by some of the Eternal Son of God who used to visit the Patriarchs and now visibly bore the three Children company in the Flames And from several other places in the Old Testament it may be gather'd that Christ appear'd to the Holy Men in those days upon extraordinary occasions So then he appeared sooner than is imagined his Incarnation was not the first time of his Appearance in the World he actually manifested and shew'd himself before his Birth His early visiting of the Patriarchs and Prophets was a Forerunner of his more signal Appearing in the â—ulness of time when he took on him our humane Nature and convers'd with Mankind 2. If you consider that all the Benefits which accrued to Mankind by a Saviour were imparted even before Christ was made Flesh you will not think that his Appearance in the World was late He as you have heard was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World The Covenant of Grace that he who repenteth and believeth shall be saved was made immediately after Man's Fall the Merit of the Messiâ—â— his Undertakings was valid from that very time and therefore the Promises of Mercy in Christ are contain'd tho obscurely in the Books of the Old Testament The Gospel is antient the Design of God in all Ages tended to the consummating of this which may take off our marvelling at its being no sooner It was in being long before as to the grand Efficacy and Virtue of it Have then this right Notion of the true Date of Christianity and you will not ask why Christ appeared not before 3. Perswade your selves of this that Christ would have actually appeared sooner and that in our Flesh if the World had been fit to receive him before God acteth according to the Nature of things according to the Capacities and Faculties of Mankind according to the Condition and Frame of Men. Hence his dealings with them are different and various his Administrations and Methods are not alike but they are always most sutable and agreeable to the present Circumstances When Solon was asked whether he had leâ—t the Athenians the best Laws he could he answer'd he had given them the best they were capable of This is more eminently true of the Laws and Institutions the Discoveries and Administrations which are from God the Great and Infalliable Lawgiver they are the most exactly fitted to the Capacities and Dispositions the Inclinations and Genius of the People who are to make use of them He prescribes Laws not according to what he is able to do but according to our Ability to hear and receive them Hence it is that tho True Religion be but One yet it hath had Different Discoveries and Maniâ—estations according to the Different States and Conditions of Men in the several Ages of the World This argues not any Changeableness in God but his great Wisdom and Care of his Church as a Prudent Master of a Family gives different Orders and Rules according to the diversity of
Iews object Particularly the three Chaldâ—â— Paraphrasts expresly inserâ— the word Messias into the chief of those forecited Places which speak of Christ especially those that are dark and obscure are explain'd and plainly interpreted concerning that Messias who is our blessed Iesus In short then whatever the Scriptures of the Old Testament so long ago foretold concerning our Saviour are exactly verified and fulfilled and acknowledged to be so by the Iâ—ws which is an undeniable Argument that the Mâ—ssiaâ— is come and that Iesus was that Mâ—ssiaâ— But here the Iews come upon us with such Objectionâ— as these 1. The Messias was to be another kind of Person than what Jesus of Nazareth was he was to be a glorious Prince he was to come with Royal Majesty and Pomp. For he is frequently stiled a King in the Writings of the Prophets and particularly Zechary foretels that his Dominion shall 〈◊〉 frâ—m Sea to Sea and from the River even to thâ— ends of the Earth Zech. 9. 10. And some of the Iews confidently assert that the Messias shall marry and the Kings of the Earth shall give their Daughters to him Several Concubines he shall have and his Children shall succeed him in the Kingdom Health Wealth Prosperity external Glory and Felicity shall attend him But Jesus came not in this manner therefore he was not the Messias I answer as for the Character they frame of the Messias of being a great Secular King c. it is clearly against the Description of the Messias whose Humility and Sufferings we read prophesied of The Old Testament represents him as a Person despised rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief c. he was indeed a King but he tells us that his Kingdom was not of this World it was a spiritual Dominion and Soveraignty which he came to erect he came to rule in the Hearts and Consciences of Men And thus his Kingdom reached even to the ends of the World the Gospel being preached and he being acknowledg'd in all places under Heaven But the Jews look only for a carnal Messias their thoughts run wholly on some great and successful Warrior some eminent Personage that atchieves mighty things in the World And therefore if we may give credit to a late Writer the Asian Iews were enclined to take Oliver Cromwel for the Messias and sent Messengers hither on purpose to enquire of his Extract and Lineage For he having done strange things at home and being dreaded abroad they thought he might be able to do them a kindness to deliver them from their Pressures and to restore them to their Land again If the Great Turk would do this and make them great and glorious some of them would be apt to take him for the Messias and all the Prophesies of the Old Testament should be brought to speak for him Tho the Jews are dispersed and are a forlorn People yet they nourish hopes of a Messias who will inable them to throw off their Rags and will bless them with Riches and Abundance and with the Confluence of all worldly Prosperity The antient Iâ—ws before Christ talk'd not after this rate But People are wont to wish for and fancy what they most want Their low Ebb and poor Estate make them promise themselves a Messiâ—â— who shall come with outward Pomp and Magnificence who shall be great and potent and prefer them to places of Honour and Profit But this is dreaming and therefore is a sufficient Confutation of it self 2. It is objected by the Jews that the Messias is not come because it is foretold that universal Peace shall be the fruit of his coming Isâ— 11. 6 c. Isa. 65. 25 c. but these things are not fulfilled Quarrels and Divisions have not left the World since Christ appeared yea rather they have been augmented therefore the Messias is not arrived I answer briefly first these Predictions were literally and historically fulfill'd at our Saviour's coming into the World for there was an Universal Peace at that time The Emperour Augustus under whom he was born had hush'd and still'd the Civil Wars and Commotions at home and all Nations abroad submitted to the Roman Empire Egypt became a Roman Province AEthiopia sued for Peace India enter'd into League with Caesar the Parthians trembled at him the Cantabrians Rhetians Pannonians Germans yielded to his Arms. When he had thus by Victory or Terror purchas'd Peace when all the World lay submissively at his Feet he shut up Ianus's Temple which was a sign of a general Repose and profound Peace and then the Prince of Peace came into the World Yea in those Countries which at that time were not under the Power of the Roman Empire all was quiet and still In Denmark and Norway and those other Northern Regions there were no Wars no Enemies appear'd And afterwards Tâ—rtullian appeals to the Râ—mans themselves in justification of this Truth that since the World hath been blessed with our Saviour's Arrival Wars and Slaughters have been very much allay'd With whom another Apologist agrees telling the Pagans that Wars and Hostilities were so far from being increas'd since Christ's coming that they were exceedingly diminish'd and suppress'd Thus the Prophesies were accomplished Secondly the Design of the Gospel which Christ and his Apostles preached was to introduce Peace The Christian Religion dictated no less and directed Men how to practise it Therefore observe the Reason adjoined to the Prophesy concerning Peace Isa. 11. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for thâ— Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea i. e. the knowledg of Christianity and the excellent Rules of it are in themselves subservient to Peace and Unity in their own nature they promote this Blessing in the World Thirdly the time shall come when this Promise shall be compleately fulfill'd Tho it is spoken of the time of the Messias yet it is not said that it shall presently be fulfilled and that in the heighth of it Christianity hath brought Peace into many Kingdoms and Countries and hath expell'd Wars thence This cannot be denied there is History enough to make it good which might be a sufficient answer to the Objection But moreover the Gospel of Christ in due time will have a greater and larger Effect and universal Peace Amity and Concord shall obtain in all the Churches of Christ as I shall prove when I come to treat of the last Dispensation 3. Whereas we have proved and the Iews themselves have confessed that according to the Prophesies of the Old Testament the Messias was to come before this time they reply in way of Objection that their Sins have hindred the Messias's coming at the time prefixed It is said in the Talmud the Messias shall reign two Thousand Years but because of oâ—r Sins tâ—ose Years are already past and Rabbi Elias is quoted for it In answer to which sorry Shift first
Plain Evident and Undeniable Let us then be sensible of the Goodness of our Condition and of the Eligibility of it before that of those who lived before this fulness of time came Whereas the Jewish and Gentile Religion were defective and corrupted and Ignorance and gross Mistakes had invaded Mens minds and the True Worship of God was enervated and destroy'd by Atheism and Superstition God was pleased to restore and new model Religion and to give Men a perfect and exact Rule whereby they might reform their Lives and be conducted to Blessedness And this is the Christian Institution which every way surpasses both Judaism and Philosophy it discovers the most absolute Worship of God and dictates the most accurate Precepts of Morality and directs us to the only Means of Salvation This is the sole Prerogative of Christianity and we owe it to the immediate Revelations and Disâ—overies made by God himself Most Men that stile themselves Christians know little or nothing of the Excellency and Preheminence of the Dispensation that bears that Name But let us endeavour to be of the Number of those who both understand and admire the superlative Excellency of the Christian Oeconomy which we are under 2. Let us not only understand and admire it but let this most Blessed Dispensation stir up our most thankful Resentments Behold with grateful minds how our Condition is unspeakably better than that of the Persons who lived under other Dispensations and particularly than that of the Iews who were under the Dispensation which was immediately before ours We have cause to thank the Merciful Lord of Heaven and Earth that our Lot is cast into such Times that we were reserved for this Best of Dispensations that we are blessed with a most Excellent and Worthy Religion a Religion that is in it self Reasonable and every ways adapted to our rectified Faculties and enlightened Minds a Religion that hath the most lively Principles to actuate and inform us the compâ—eatest Rules to guide and direct us and affords us the most effectual and powerful helps to Virtue and Godliness a Religion that holds forth the dreadfullest Punishments to deter us from Vice and assures us of the Highest Rewards to animate and as it were to bribe us to Virtue a Religion that comprehends in it all the Excellent Things which the most improved Philosophers talk'd of and innumerable more not to be parallel'd by any Model of Religion whatsoever a Religion that contains nothing in it but what is of great Moment and Importance and is admirably serviceable to the best and most advantageous Purposes Let us account it an unspeakable Mercy and Favour that we are the Disciples of so worthy and excellent an Institution Let us laâ—d the Divine Goodness that we have these Infallible Oracles to guide us that we are taught of God and that Iesus Christ is our Instructer This is sufficient to raise our Esteem and Value of this Dispensation By this we have the Advantage of all that went before us and this it self is the greatest Advantage For now the Word hath been made Flesh and hath pitch'd his Tabernacle on Earth and hath dwelt amongst us and all the Benefits and Privileges of his Coming are offered to us It seemed good to God to confer this singular Honour upon Vs We see Christ's Day and hear his Gospel we have the Completion of all the Mosaick Types and Representations and all the Prophecies and Promises are fulfill'd before our Eyes We cannot complain that our Religion is harsh and difficult like that of the Iews for all those troublesome Observances are removed and no burdensome Service no intolerable Homage is required of us Our Service is perfect Freedom wherefore we are engaged to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Now since the Woman the Church is clothed with the Sun she hath the Moon the old Mosaick Laws and Ceremonies which shined with a faint and borrowed Light under her feet Let us disregard those old dark Types and Shadows in comparison of the clear Light of the Gospel and let us heartily bless God for so great and matchless a Mercy as the New Dispensation of Christ Jesus 3. I infer as the Meliority of our Condition so our greater Obligation to Holiness and strictness of Life Old things are pass'd away and behold all things are become New under the Gospel-Dispensaâ—tion Let not our Lives be the only exception to it Let the Manners of Christians speak the Transcendency of the Gospel above Philosophy Let us live better than the wisest Heathens in as much as our Rules of Living excel theirs Let it never be said that the Behaviour of Pagans outstript that of Christians and that the Gentile Religion made better Men than the Gospel doth It is true the Pagan Moralists spoke highly against Vice and always rhetoricated in their Declamations against it but the Business of Christians is to live those Great things which they discours'd of Let there be observed not only a great Elogium of Virtue in our Words and Professions but let us take care that all Men may read the Excellency of our Religion in our Lives and thereby discern plainly the vast difference that there is between a Christian and a Philosopher Let us urge it on our Minds and Consciences as our indispensible Concern to yield impartial Obedience to our Master's Commands and to govern our Lives by the unerring Rules which he hath given us Let us not bear the Noble Title of Christians without the true Badges of Christianity Let us not prophane this Name by acting contrary to it Either let us lay aside this glorious Character or do things worthy of it We have a Holy Religion therefore our Conversations should be so too Here our Saviour's words are to be remembred Vnless our Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees of the most strict Pretenders to Judaism as well as Philosophy unless we live more Heavenly Lives and under a greater Sense of Religion we must not expect to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven we shall never attain to Happiness For the Gospel-Oeconomy requires greater strictness than that of the Law as well as of any other Dispensation because the Means of Grace and the Methods of Salvation are much more powerful now and we ought to find and feel that Power in us Let us then think speak and live as those who have such clear and plain Discoveries of God's Will such Divine and Heavenly Truths made known to us with a prospect of such glorious Things hereafter as may effectually encourage us to embrace those Truths and to frame our Actions according to them How shameful will it be that so admirable a Religion should produce nothing but empty Shews and Formalities fair Words and goodly Appearances that it should make us Christians only in Title and Profession and leave us worse than Infidels in our Manners Is our Religion the best why are not we
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
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
that long Scroll of Curses and Plagues threatened to the disobedient Israelites from 15. v. to 40. shuts up all with a merciful Assurance of their being Restored to their own Land at last Though they should perish among the Heathen and though the Land of their Enemies should eat them up and though they that are left of them shall pine away in their Iniquity in their Enemies Lands v. 38 39. Yet I will remember my Covenant with Iacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember and I will remember the Land v. 42. He promises to perform the Covenant made with their Forefathers viz. that he would give them the Land of Canaan for a perpetual Possession When they are in the Land of their Enemies I will not cast them away neither will I abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my Covenant with them for I am the Lord their God But I will for their sakes remember the Covenant of their Ancestors c. 43 44 45 ver The Repeating of these Terms viz. of their being in the Land and in the Lands of their Enemies shews That this refers not only to the Jews being Captives in Babylon but to all their other Dispersions and Banishments and particularly that which is at this time and hath lasted many Ages And so the Reiterating of those Words viz. God's remembering his Covenant plainly refers to the continual performing of his Covenant with relation to the Restoring of the Jews not only when they were Captives in Assyria but when afterwards they should be banished into other Lands as they are at this day even then God would be mindful of his Covenant and bring them back again And to this end he would enable them to confess their Iniquities c. v. 40. This is that Repentance and Conversion which we expect this is the Promise which remains to be fulfilled for hitherto it is not Again it is promised in Deut. 30. 1 c. That if the Israelites when they are driven into other Nations shall call to mind those Blessings and Cursings mention'd in the Chapter before and shall return to the Lord their God and obey his Voice then the Lord â—od will turn their Captivity and have Compassion on them and will return and gather them from all the Nations whither the Lord God hath scattered them If any of them be driven out to the utmost Parts of Heaven from thence will the Lord their God gather them and from thence will be fetch them And the Lord their God 〈◊〉 bring them into the Land which their Fathers possessed and they shall possess it and he will do them good and multiply them above their Fathers and the Lord their God will circumcise their Heart and the Heart of their Seed to love the Lord their God with all their Heart and with all their Soul that they may live In which Words without doubt there is that Primary and Secondry Meaning which I spoke of The former is not denied by any and I will now prove the latter That this Promise extends even to the Vniversal Calling of the Iews is clear from these Things First that it is said they shall be gathered from all the Nations whither God had scattered them and if any of them were driven to the utmost Parts of Heaven from thence the Lord will fetch them Now we know that the Ten Tribes of Israel that were carried Captive by Salmanasser King of Assyria were removed into the utmost Parts of the World Esdras tells us That they went forth into a very far Country where never Mankind dwelt or at least he thought these Regions were not inhabited before They were a Year and a half a going to it and the Region is called Arsareth or Ararath then dwelt they there until the latter Time i. e. the Time we are at present speaking of 2 Esd. 13. 41 45. It is likely this was part of that vast Moiety of the World which is now called America Manasseâ— ben Israel a Learned Jew is perswaded that these Tribes were not only the first Inhabitants of China and some Parts of Tartary but that they went into the West-Indies However we are certain that they came eiâ—her into these or some other Countries that were at a great distance from Iudaea because if they had been near it they would have return'd thither with the rest of their Captive Brethren when Cyrus gave them leave to do so and which is more encouraged them to it It is manifest therefore that they were driven to the utmost Parts of Heaven Or if we should suppose that they were not scatter'd so far but as Dr. Lightfoot thinks were removed to the farthest Parts of Assyria or as others have imagined were dispersed into Egypt and other Parts of Africa or as some have thought travelled into Syria and Arabia yet still we can say this that we no where read of their Return to their own Land I do not speak of the coming back of a Few of which we have some Footsteps in the Sacred History but of the Return of them in a Body or as to a very Considerable Part of them of which this Text speaks We have not one Syllable concerning this and it is certain that if they had returned it would have been mentioned Therefore I infer hence yet that this Promise is not fulfilled And from this Inference I make another viz. that it is to be fulfilled hereafter for none of God's Promises fall to the Ground And hence likewise I gather another which is this That if God will be so favourable to them as to restore them at last to the Promis'd Land it is most probable that he doth it in order to a Greater Blessing viz. the turning every one of them from their Sins and causing them to imbrace that Iesus whom they have so long despised and rejected Therefore their Returning and their Conversion most commonly go together in Scripture and we cannot think that God would take so much Care of those Out-casts as to bring them back to their Own Land unless he intended to extend his Ancient Mercies to them and to receive them for his Own People again And then observe also it is added The Lord will circumcise their Heart to love the Lord their God with all their Heart and with all their Soul which gives us to understand that their Conversion shall be Sincere and Effectual which without doubt will be the Qualification of that Great and Catholick Conversion of the Jews before the end of the World Next I might produce that Prophecy of Isaiah Ch. 11. v. 11. And it shall come to pass in that Day that the Lord shall set his Hand again the Second Time to recover the Remnant of his People which shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Islands of the Sea It is
very reasonable to think that this Recovering of the Jews the Second Time is First Particularly meant of the Returning of the Posterity of the Ten Tribes who upon Salmanasser's invading Iudaea were either taken by him or fled into strange Countries There shall not only be a Return from Babylon and Assyria but from Egypt and AEthiopia and even from the most distant Regions Secondly more Generally and Comprehensively it is meant of those Times of the Gospel when the Jews dispersed through all Countries shall be restored to their own Land again and shall be Converted to the Christian Faith This is here called the Second and it is the Last and most Eminent Time of their Conversion when they shall be so Happy likewise as to have all the Gentiles for their Fellow-Converts as it follows in the next Verse of his Chapter He shall set up an Ensign for the Nations as well as assemble the Outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Iudah from the four Corners of the Earth The Sixtieth Chapter of Isaiah treats of this very Subject the Glorious Condition of the Church under the Messias's Reign when there shall be a General Conversion of the Iews as well as Gentiles which is most elegantly describ'd by this Lofty and Poetick Prophet And the 20th Verse plainly shews that whatever is said in this Chapter is to be understood not of the First Call of the Iews which is past but of the Second which is to come For the Words are these Thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self Where is promised the perpetual Grace and Favour of God to this People without any Interruption but who sees not that this is not yet fulfillâ—d and therefore is not yet past The Sun and Moon have gone down upon the Iewish Nation though the Light shone upon them with great vigour after our Saviour's Coming and many were converted to Christianity yet since that time there hath been a miserable Defection and they have for many hundreds of Years been rejected and have remained in Darkness and have been deprived of the Divine Favour But though the sun and Moon have withdrawn themselves since the first Conversion yet there is a Time coming when they shall no more go down for as it follows the Lord shall be their everlasting Light and the Days of their Mourning shall be ended Therefore this Place of Scripture is meant of the future State and Restauration of this People In my Apprehension this is a a very remarkable Text to prove it And those Words of the Prophet Hosea Ch. 3. v. 4 5. may well be thought to refer to this Last Calling of the Iews The Children of Israel shall abide many days without a King and without a â—rince and without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an â—phod and without Teraphim Afterward shall the Children of Israâ—l return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the latter days We see the former part of the Words verified Nothing is more evident than that this People have been many days and are are at this very time without a King c. they are destitute of a Head and Governor they are debarr'd the Use of Sacrifices which were the main part of their Religion But yet they do not erect Images and fall into Idolatry as they were wont to do This is the present State of this People which this Text speaks of viz. that they have neither the Mosaick nor Heathenish Worship however the hearts of some of them may be inclined to this latter But I do not judge them And as for the latter part of the Words they shall be verified in due time the Children of Israel shall return i. e. shall be converted unto the Lord as the Chaldee Paraphrast of Ionathan renders it and seek the Lord by Repentance and Faith and David their King i. e. the Messias as is acknowledg'd by that Chaldee Paraphrast and several of the Iewish Doctors on this Place because the Messias was of the Stock of David and because Christ was typified by him whence he is often called David in the Holy Scriptures This fiducial and penitential seeking the Lord and owning the Messias shall be accomplished under his Thousand years Reign which is here call'd the latter days and in other Places signally the last Days before the End of the World And it is impossible it should be meant otherwise because it is to follow this time of the Jews Exile in which they are at this day as we heard confess'd before by one of their Chiefest Rabbies But I found what I say not only on the Concession of this Great Man among them but upon the Words themselves of the Prophecy which tells us that the Israelites shall be without a King or Prince many days which in the Stile of Scripture especially in the Prophetick Writings usually signifies a very great number of Years as in Isai. 24. 22. 32. 10. Ier. 3. 7. Ezek. 12. 27. 38. 8. Dan. 8. 26. 10. 14. so that the time of their Captivity in Babylon whence they return'd as soon as 70 years were expired is not here intended but some much longer space of time And indeed it could not be the time of their being Captive there because that did not immediately precede the latter Days by which in Scripture are frequently denoted the Times of the Messias the last Age of the World and the Hebrew Writers and Commentators themselves freely grant this Here it is said they shall abide many Days without a King c. and afterwards i. e. in the latter Days as it is explain'd they shall return and seek the Lord their God and the Messias Which clearly argues that the time of acknowledging the Messias shall presently succeed after those many days wherein they have abode without a King c. This could not be any part of the time between their Return from the Babylonian Captivity and Christ's Coming in the Flesh for then they were not without a King Prince or Ruler c. therefore it must be since and the Time commenced when Shiloâ— the Saviour came for then the Sceptre departed from ludah then the Iews were left without King or Prince After this particular Period of Time is ended the Messias's Kingdom shall be erected in a more illustrious manner than ever and then the Children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord and shall have a King again they shall embrace that Messias whom their Ancestors crucified and they shall fear the Lord and his Goodness they shall with Reverence and Admiration acknowledge the exceeding Favour and Grace of God to them This I apprehend to be the genuine Import of this Prophecy and I leave it to the Reader to judge whether it be not a Proof of the Grand Point now in hand I might mention Amos 9. 14 15. with some of the preceding Verses which
foretels that there shall be great distress in the Land and wrath upon this People and they shall fall by the Edge of the Sword and shall be led away Captive into all Nations and Ierusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the â—entiles be fulfilled We are abundantly assured that at the Destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans the Land of ludaea was in great distress and wrath was upon that People and they fell by the Edge of the Sword And those that remain'd were led Captive into all Nations and dispers'd over the whole World But this Captivity and Dispersion this treading down of Ierusalem by the Gentiles shall not last always but only until the time of the Gentiles be fulfill'd i. e. as I explain'd it before till the time of the full Conversion of the Gentile World So that it is plain from these Words that the Jewish Nation is to be restored and that their present Captivity and Banishment shall have an End There shall be a time when the Iews shall not be any more trodden down of the Gentiles and this shall be when the Times of these latter are fully accomplished and run out i e. when the particular time arrives in which they shall be call'd into the Christian Church of which I spoke before The next Passage to this purpose which I will take notice of is in 2 Cor. 3. 14 c. where the Apostle speaking of the Children of Israel saith that their minds were blinded God was pleased not to give them that Light and Knowledge which are common under the Gospel Their dark Understandings were agreeable to their obscure Administrations which consisted chiefly of Types and Shadows Yea even unto this day saith he the Veil i. e. of Ignorance and Blindness is untaken away and is still upon their heart Nevertheless when it i. e. Israel say some but this is not probable because though there is mention made before of the Children of Israel yet not of Israel barely It is more reasonable to believe that it refers to their heart immediately before-mention'd When this shall turn to the Lord when the Jewish Nation shall be heartily converted and embrace the Gospel and the Blessed Author of it then the Veil shall be taken away this Ignorance shall be removed and they shall attain to a compleat Insight of the Imperfection of that Law which they before adhered to and of the Excellency of the Christian Institution and the Founder of it This Veil whenever it is removed is done away in Christ and him only i. e. by believing in him and by renouncing their former Infidelity It is evident that the Apostle speaks of a Time when this shall be therefore it was not then past when he wrote this Epistle Though I grant it was partly accomplish'd at that time because several Iews had received the Christian Faith And I grant that it was further verified afterwards when others of that Nation renounced Iudaism and believed in Iesus But yet still the Apostles Words which are a Solemn Prediction are not compleatly fulfill'd for you may take notice that he speaks of the Iews in General and as they are a Body calling them the Children of Israel which is always understood in this manner And I could observe that the way of speaking here used intimates as much It i. e. their heart in the singular number shall turn to the Lord which implies that this Conversion shall be with a General Consent they shall All turn to the Lord as if they were one Person they shall do it as it is in Scripture express'd with one heart and with one soul the whole Jewish People shall unanimously repent and believe The Reader may chuse whether he will attend to this Criticism or no for I pretend not to prove the Universality of the Jews future Conversion from this Mode of speaking I know this way of arguing is not convincing because we do not know but that this may be meerly an Enâ—llage of Number But then on the other hand we are not certain but that the Holy Ghost intended something remarkable and peculiar in this manner of Expression and therefore I could not but offer it to your Consideration To conclude the Text assures us that there is a certain determin'd Time when the Children of Israel shall turn unto the Lord and then the Veil shall be wholly taken away as it hath been in part already This is to be fully brought to pass at the Time when the whole Community of them shall own the Messias and become Subjects of his Kingdom here on Earth The other place which I will propound is the Eleventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans a most Eminent and Illustrious Proof of the Matter before us There the Apostle speaking of the Rejection of the Iews and the Calling of the Gentiles expresly asserts in the 12. v. the Fulness of the former as well as of the latter afterwards in the 25. v. as much as to say there shall be a time when the Full Conversion of the whole Body of the Iews no less than of the Gentiles shall come to pass This he Appositely calls Life from the Dead v. 15. because it is so wonderful and withal so wellcome a thing And the Expression is the more Observable because the Prophets of the Old Testament express the Restauration and Conversion of the Iews by the same manner of speaking viz. by Living again or by Rising from the Dead And this gives light to Rev. 20. 5. where as I have shew'd you the Glorious Reign of Christ with his Saints is call'd the first Resurrection It is as it were a Living again after Death and particularly the Restoring and Calling of the Iews which is so considerable a part of that Reign is signalized by these very terms even by the Inspired Prophets of God in the Old Testament and by St. Paul in the New Now then I argue thus from what the Apostle here saith if there shall be a Fulness of the Iews their Conversion shall be Compleat and Entire the numbers of those that are call'd shall be Consummated I ask now whether this is past or whether it is to come It is past say some for the Fulness which the Apostle speaks of here happen'd in the first times of the Gospel when both Gentiles and Iews were Converted by the Preaching of our Saviour and his Apostles A great many Jews turned to the Lord and Believed and became Christians just about the time of the Romans besieging Ierusalem and soon after the Destruction of that City many were convinced of the Truth of Christ's Prophecies and owned Christianity But can any impartial Man perswade himself that all this amounts to the Fulness of the Iews which the Apostle here speaks of No the Apostle himself calls it but a Remnant v. 5. and he makes a plain distinction betwixt this Remnant and the General Calling of the Jews which he saith is their
perhaps may be the Meaning of 1 Cor. 6. 2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World I offer it to be considered whether we may not interpret it thus Do you not know that there shall be a time when there shall be a Christian Magistracy in the World and that especially when Christianity is coming to its Height there shall be such Godly Rulers and Iudges as shall reform all Things that are amiss in the World And this great Sway and Authority shall make way even for their judging of Angels Afterwards v. 3. I am far from abetting in this Discourse the wild Fancy of those Enthusiastick Spirits who make the Reign of Christ on Earth inconsistent with that of Kings and Princes who at the same time that they set up King Iesus pull down all others Their Fifth-Monarchy brooks no Crowned Heads But they forget that in the same Place where the Evangelical Prophet saith Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness meaning Christ and this Kingdom which I am now discoursing of he adds And Princes shall rule in iudgment Isa. 32. 1. Though it is said the Scepter shall depart from Iudah when Shiloh first comes yet neither then nor afterwards is it to be taken out of the Hands of Christian Princes Their Monarchy and Christ's Kingdom are not incompatible Yea I am so far from giving any Allowance to this sort of Men that I confidently aver Christ's Kingdom whereof I am speaking shall be set up and maintain'd by the Kings and Rulers of the Earth Christianity shall arrive to that excellent Pitch by the Assistance of the Civil Magistrate by the Incouragement which shall be given to it by the Secular Powers There is Ground for what I say for we are expresly told that those who formerly gave their Kingdom to the Beast shall afterwards hate the Whore and shall make her desolate c. Rev. 17. 16 17. These great Things shall be effected by Monarchs Princes and States entirely devoting themselves to the publick Good and Welfare and to the Glory of Him who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Builders of that Ierusalem shall hold the Trowel with one Hand and the Sword in the other They shall at the same time Rear this happy Structure and severely Punish those who endeavour to hinder them till at last by sharply Animadverting on all Wickednesses and Enormities these be driven out of the World and Universal Piety and Righteousness come in their room Again This great Work shall be promoted and advanced by the help of Spiritual Pastors and Teachers whose Care and Faithfulness whose Courage and Zeal are as requisite in this present Affair as that of the Civil Magistrate The Rulers and Guides of the Church shall then shew themselves true Lovers of Souls by not refusing any Labour of Love for their Peoples Good they shall preach the Word be instant in Season out of Season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long-suffering and Doctrine they shall Watch in all Things do the Work of true Evangelizers make full proof of their Ministry They shall discharge their Holy Function with all Mildness and Clemency with all Tenderness and Compassion and yet with all Fervency and Vigour They shall let all Men see that they make the Honour of God and the Saving of Mens Souls the Grand Design of their Ministry And it is not without great reason that I mention both these great Orders of Men Magistrates and Ministers for it is absolutely requisite that they go hand in hand towards the accomplishing that Great Work which I am discoursing of Moses and Aaron must befriend each other Zerubbabel and Ioshua must join in building the Temple The great Hinderance of the Improvement and Increase of Christianity hath been the disunion of these Two The Temporal Rulers and Spiritual Overseers have not concurr'd in the promoting the same Religious Designs The Secular and Ecclesiastical Powers have frequently been divided among themselves and thereby have retarded and impeded the Common Good But it shall not be so in those happy Times there shall be no disagreement between Ecclesiastical the State and Church no opposition between the State and Civil Laws The Spiritual and Secular Officers shall be so far from being an Impediment to one another in their particular Charges that they shall make it their Business to promote the respective Cause and Interest of each other If Phocas and Boniface held together and thereby wrought such horrid Mischiefs in the World it is certain we may experience as great and notable Effects of a contrary Nature from the unanimous Concurrence of pious Governours in the Church and Commonwealth When they mutually advise and consult with one another and act jointly for the Advancement of Religion and Godliness as in the Times of Constantine the Great Theodosius Valentinian Gratian when they strive with great Ambition and no other Ambition who shall be most serviceable and beneficial to the Christian Community this will be found to be the true Method for the propagating and establishing of Religion in the World And seeing Religion is the only unshaken and lasting Basis of Kingdoms it is the Concern of thâ—se Two Ranks of Persons to agree to advance this above all Things whatsoever They are to remember that even Civil Politicks are best guided by this Conduct and that if a Nation or Council exclude this in any of their Laws and Constitutions they can't be said to be Wise and Politick For what is disagreeable to Religion is unsafe dangerous and extremely Impolitick To be short all lies in Rulers both of Church and State both Spiritual and Civil These as I apprehend will be the special Instruments which God will imploy to work that happy and wonderful Change When God pleaseth to send such Princes and Leaders as Zerobbabel such Priests as Ioshua such Teachers and Scribes as Ezra the Building of the House of God will soon be finished Such Great and Noble Spirits being sâ—t on work will easily bring it to perfection The Gospel will be completely established Christianity will be universally propagated and Evangelical Righteousness will prevail every where in the World Yea All of us are capable of promoting this great Work more or less and therefore we ought to make it our Concern Our earnest and constant Prayer should be that this Kingdom may come and prevail and prosper that Antichristianism wheresoever it is and under what Shape and Guise soever it appears may be demolished and destroyed that the Infidelity of Iews and Pagans may have a period that Vice and Immorality Irreligion and Prophaneness may be trod down and that the Contrary may be set up and advanced in all the Regions of the World And we are obliged to set forward this blessed Design not only by our Devotions but our Endeavours and to hasten the actual Prevailing of it in our Lives and Practices that Iesus may be seen to Reign among Men and that Christianity may be
more an Infant of days â—or an old Man that hath not fill'd his days For though this Dispensation be no exemption from Mortality though Christ's Reign doth not unthrone and depose the King of Terrors yet it wards off his fatal Blows for a long Season And perhaps some may reach the long Ages of those that lived before the Flood And this shall happen not only from the Nature of the thing it self but by the singular Favour of God For as before in a judicial way he sometimes short'ned Men's Lives so now in the way of a Blessing he is pleased to extend them to a great length Which perhaps is the meaning of what follows in the foresaid Chapter v. 22. As the days of a Tree a long-liv'd Tree are the days of my People But supposing that this is not the strict import of the Text which I submit to the Thoughts of the Judicious yet it is certain from the reason of the thing it self that those Happy Ages shall abound with all things that conduce to the Welfare and Happiness of the Body as well as of the Soul and consequently Longaevity shall be one of the Felicities of those times And I doubt not but it will be procured by a perfect Knowledge of the true Causes and Springs of Long Life and of the more immediate Sourses of Diseases For Natural Philosophy as well as all other Parts of True Philiosophy shall be then improved to the utmost and a Vertuoso shall be no Rarity Especially the Nature of all Vegetables and Minerals wherein are laid up the great Restoratives of Life shall by exquisite Experiments be laid open to the World And the use of all the Vessels in the body which now we have but an imperfect insight into and some of which we know nothing of shall be exactly discovered And whatever else relating either to Nature or Art or Morality shall be conducible to this great End before-mentioned shall not be wanting no not that which is the choicest and most sovereign Conserver of Life viz. a well-temper'd Joy and Chearfulness a ferene and placid Spirit than which nothing can be more serviceable to uphold and maintain the vital Congruity to nourish the Lamp of Life and to give a lasting Vivacity to Nature And from the several Particulars we may gather this also that there will be a greater Number of Persons upon the Earth in that Sabbatick Reign than there is now This follows from what hath been said concerning that Universal Peace that Extraordinary Measure of Bodily Health and Strength that Duration of Men's Lives which shall be the Blessing of those Days Upon the more Cessation of Wars and Slaughters of Pestilence and Famine c. which are wont so visibly to diminish the number of Mankind there must needs be a great length'ning out of Men's Lives there must be a vast Increase of the People of the World The whole Earth will be replenish'd and even crowded with Inhabitants This will make amends as I suggested before for the great multitudes of Men that have in several Ages perished and gone to the Infernal Regions For within the compass of this Happy Time wherein we suppose Mankind to be thus extremely multiplied and all of them excepting some very few to be holy and Religious Persons there will be a larger Stock of Inhabitants for Heaven than there was of those who in all the preceding Times of the World were thrust down to the contrary Place And thus which way soever we look this Blessed Dispensation shall be eminent for the Natural as well as the Moral and Religious Emendation of all Things for Temporal and Earthly Blessings as well as those that are Spiritual and Heavenly for the present bettering of the World and for the Provision it makes for the future Mankind being free'd from all Dangers Mischiefs and Troubles shall enjoy an undisturbed Peace Quiet and Repose with a Freedom from all Pain and Sickness And their Bodies shall be more vigorous and their Beauty more lasting than ever before Which shall be attended with all outward Conveniencies Comforts and Refreshments of what nature soever together with inward Peace Pleasure and Satisfaction There is one thing more I will venture to add as belonging I verily believe to this Happy State I have been describing There shall be a Peace not only between Rational Creatures and their Brethren but between these and the most Salvage Brutes i. e. those Brutes which heretofore were so For now the hurtful Disposition and cruel Nature of all such Animals shall be taken from them and they shall become mild and gentle tame and tractable This I take to be the meaning of that Prophecy Isai. 11. 6 7. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together And the Lion shall eat Straw like the Ox and the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice-den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain Which Words seem to me to be a clear Prediction concerning the peaceable Temper which even the fiercest of the Irrational Herd shall be endued with in the last Times of the World Their former Antipathies their pristine Enmities shall cease and they shall be restored to that harmlessness and Innocence which were at the first Creation I know these Words are generally by Commentators understood of that Inward Change which shall be made in Mens minds and hearts by the powerful Influence of the Gospel But I see little or no Foundation for this Interpretation for I go upon this ground which all sober Interpreters of Scripture acknowledge and own that there is no reason to fly to a Metaphorical and Mystical Sense of a Text when it appears that there is a Literal one So it is here there is no need of supposing any such thing as Metaphors and Allegories for the Words in themselves as interpreted according to the Letter are very plain and intelligible The Prophet here gives an Account of the Peaceable Kingdom of Christ and tells us that this among other things appertaining to it is part of it that there shall be a change in the Nature and Qualities of Brute Animals the Wolf Leopard Lion Bear â—erpent Adder shall be as tâ—me as Lambs Kids Calves they shall lie down and dwell and feed together they shall neither prey upon one another nor shall they be hurtful to Men. Nothing could be more plainly said to express the great Blessing and Privilege of those last Days when the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea which are the very next Words to those which I have set down and shew to what Period of Time they relate And that we
the Sea insomuch that they shall cover all the Earth as it were for that is meant by their going up on the breadth of the Earth And they shall lay close Siege to the Beloved City that Place whither the Saints the Beloved of God shall fly for Refuge Or the whole Church of Christ the Visible Body and Society of the Faithful which shall be left at that time may be understood by the Beloved City In a very lamentable and wretched Condition they shall be you may imagine all the time of this Gogick and Magogick War and the Siege which accompanieth it It cannot be expressed what Streights the Saints are reduced to what Calamities they undergo what Miseries they indure And This is but agreeable to what our Blessed Lord foretold of the Times immediately preceding the Day of Judgment He hath assured us that those Days shall be very remarkable both in respect of Sin and Suffering As to the former when he compares them to the Days of Noah in which the Old World gave themselves up wholly to their Pleasures and forgat God and defied his Providence he sheweth how Corrupt and Wicked the Last Times shall be So that Interrogatory of our Saviour Luk. 18. 8. When the Son of Man cometh shall be find Faith on the Earth is a downright Negative and signifies that he shall not find Faith upon Earth That is not only as some interpret it the Faith even of God's Servants shall be very Weak and Little before the Last Coming of Christ the Saints themselves having been persecuted and harassed by the Wicked shall faint and flag They shall scarcely believe the Promise of his Coming they shall almost despond that Christ will help and deliver them But the meaning rather seems to be This that Faithfulness here called Faith shall be very rare upon Earth Sincertiy and Truth shall be baniâ—h'd and Lying Perfidiousness Dissembling and which is the Consequent of those inward Hatred and Malice and all outward Injustice Violence and Oppression shall come in their place And so in another place Christ foretells that not long before the Day of Judgment Iniquity shall abound and the Love of many shall wax cold For this is to be remarked that the Signs foregoing the Destruction of Ierusalem and of the Coming of Christ are intermixed in that Four and twentieth Chapter of St. Matthew Or we may say the former Signs were to be repeated and more fully display'd in the Latter Event Our Saviour likewise fets forth the State of the Last Days before the End of the World not only as extremely Sinful abounding with great Wickedness and universal Corruption of Life but as most Afflictive and Dangerous most Distressed and Calamitous There shall be saith he distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring Mens hearts failing them for fear Luk. 21. 25 26. Yea Those Words of Christ in Mat. 24. 21. are applicable here for the reason beforementioned Then shall be great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the World to this time no nor ever shall be And now the Fore-runners of that Great and Notable Day of the Lord mentioned by our Saviour in this Chapter shall appear viz. Wars and great Commotions in Kingdoms and Nations Signs in the Heavens and in the Earth Earthquakes Pestilence and Famine with other unusual and extraordinary Occurrences and tremendous Accidents which shall give notice of the approaching Judgment Thus our Saviour not only confirms the Truth of what we read in the Revelation but he further explains and sets it forth He plainly suggests unto us what an evil posture the World will be in before he comes to Judgment He lets us know that the Tribulation as well as the Wickedness of those Days which approach the End of the World shall be more grievous than any that ever were before At that time the Sins of the Churches Enemies and the Sufferings of the Godly shall be at the Vertical Point as high as they can go Briefly It will be found true that the World shall be most Wicked and most Perilous at last The worst State of it will be towards its End For the Devil will be very wrathful and outrageous because he knoweth that he hath but a short time as it is said of him in Rev. 12. 12. And at that time it may more truly be said of him than ever for the 1000 years being ended he is loosed but for a little season Rev. 20. 3. He must soon go off the Stage and that makes him act his part with so much vigour and fierceness The Iudgment shall come presently after the 1000 years There shall be a very considerable time between the Mellennium and Dooms-day but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a small time in comparison of the thousand years And therefore on this account that malicious Spirit shall bestir himself with a mighty Concernedness The Tenth and Last Persecution which he raised in the Primitive Times was the Bloodiest So now he rageth most when he is to take his farewel of this Earthly Stage And now behold the Tragical Close of all Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured these Armies of Gog and Magog and the Devil that deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 9 10. For now after all CHRIST appears from Heaven and comes to be Avenged of his Enemies and to Judge the whole World as you read expresly in ver 11 12 of this Chapter Before his first Coming Satan reigned a long time as God of this World he had a kind of an unlimited Rule and Sway But our Saviour by his Coming restrain'd his Power and Lordship and afterwards in the Millennary Reign gives a greater check to them But at his Last Coming he shall wholly deprive him of his Rule and Dominion Accordingly he comes at that Day to drive Satan down into his own Place and there to leave him to be tormented for ever and ever He comes to take Vengeance on Sinners and to punish them with the utmost Severity He comes to rescue the Righteous from the Fury both of Satan and wicked Men. This is the Work of the Last Day There is nothing more to be added unless it be the Conflagration of the World For this I take to be an evident Truth that the Firing of the whole Frame of Heaven and Earth is a Consequent of the Final Iudgment which is after the Millennium For to what purpose should this material System be consumed or rather indeed how can it till the present Scene of Action in this World be at an end which will not be till after the Thousand Years are past I deny not but there may be some Beginnings of it before which perhaps is meant in that forenamed Place Rev. 20. 9. Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured c. Here is an Essay of the Last Firing of the World which is prophesied of
now wearing off and that we shall have an end of it without any such thing But then when I consider'd that those Places of Holy Scripture which foretell the Calamities and Distresses of the Church of Christ may have respect only to the Times which preceed those Thousand Years I was again induced to believe that there shall be such a State as I have represented that Christ will set up his Kingdom in a more Illustrious and Effectual manner than ever and that this Kingdom shall be accompanied with lasting Peace and Righteousness with the General Conversion of Jews and Gentiles and the Ruin of Anti-christ As to some Particular Circumstances which I have mention'd relating to this Prosperous State of the Christian Church I am not Positive It hath pleased God to deliver things of this Nature Darkly and Mystically and there are no express places of Scripture on which a certain and unquestionable expectation of them can be grounded because we have no sure Word to ascertain our Determination Therefore as to the Particular Way and Manner of the things I have been Discoursing of I deliver nothing with Confidence It is the main of the Dispensation that I assert and which I verily believe though I censure no Man for thinking or saying otherwise I am sensible of this that when we see how the World is at this Day we may be enclined to think there is no probability of this Great Change There seems to be little likelihood at present of this Happy Reign in other parts of the World as well as among our selves for we seem to be every Day degenerating more and more and we run further from that excellent Temper and Genius which are required in that Future Paradise But then I consider that this is to be accomplish'd by a Divine Arm and Conduct and shall be the work of Heaven in a singular and particular Degree The Supreme Arbitrator and Manager of the World can of a sudden dispel all Difficulties and alter the Course of the Universe and frame Men's Minds as he pleaseth When we remember how mean and despicable Christianity was at first but how strangely it spread it self afterwards and made its Progress through the whole World against the greatest Opposition imaginable we may then believe the same may happen again and that what hath been foretold concerning that Glorious State may be fulfill'd Thus I will not despair of that happy Time Both Popery and Mahometism or either of them may for a time decay and grow less and then recover strength Or perhaps one or both of them may remain without any Diminution entire There may be a Superfoetation in the Mother of Harlots she may conceive and bring forth a New and replenish the Earth with her Children It may be the Reformation which hath been begun and set forward in some Parts of the Christian World may be put back Papal Superstition and Tyranny may return again and Rome may sit a Queen and know no Sorrow but what she creates to the true Professors of Religion One would be apt to think as much upon reading what is said concerning the Two Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. When they shall have finish'd the Testimony viz. at the end of 42. Months or 1260 Years the time of the Anti-christian Reign the Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them whereupon there is great rejoycing over them and making merry v. 10. It may come to pass that the Seven Hills may be exalted higher than ever and the Reformed Religion depress'd and trampled on Christianity may as Mr. Herbert presaged hoise Sail for America the Gospel may leave us to go to them and we may be half Pagans before it comes to us again Or if we hold fast-the Faith we may be forced to part with every thing else that is dear to us It may be our lot to undergo all Dangers Calamities Outrages and Persecutions before that Blessed Sabbatism arrives There may be a very Dark Night before that Lightsome Day is seen But at last it shall appear yea shine forth and the World shall be every ways the better for it Yea it may and I hope will shew it self in God's good time without any such Sad and Tragical Prologue to it as this I have ventured to offer my Conjectures about it and the freedom I have taken will not be disliked I conceive by Persons of sober Minds In my Judgment that is a very Curious and Notable Saying of Mr. Mede in his Epistle to the Reader before his Comment on the Apocalypse speaking of the interpreting of the Prophetical Writings and other Obscure Matters in Scripture Unless saith he there be liberty given to us to be somewhat free in our Thoughts and Opinions yea even in our Errors and Mistakes sometimes about these things we shall never clear our Passage to those Profound and Hidden Secrets of Truth Accordingly I have freely suggested my Thoughts and if therein I have represented some things amiss let it be remember'd that it was in the pursuit of Truth and of that Truth which it was difficult to attain to or rather let it be examined whether Truth be not here found out by that which some interpret a Mistake I declare I am not Dogmatical in what I have said nor will I perswade others to sit down with Peremptory Confidence that this is the certain meaning of all the Prophecies in Scripture before alledged But then this must be said there are several things highly Probable of which we have no Absolute Certainty and This that I have been Discoursing of is of that Nature Many Passages in Holy Writ do exceedingly favour it and there are no Contemptible Reasons to inâ—line us to a belief of it And when we have both Scripture and Rational Arguments on our side it is more than half of the Opinions which make a very plausible shew in the World can really lay claim to If after all you enquire concerning the Particular and Determinate Time when this Sabbatick State shall begin my Answer in brief is That I cannot neither will I attempt to assign any such thing When I say I cannot my meaning is that I apprehend no possible way of doing it in a Certain and Satisfactory way for otherwise I could as some have done pretend to present the Reader with a Punctual Calculation of the Time when these things shall happen Perhaps I might say without Ostentation that I have made enquiry into the Chronology of the Scriptures as well as others and have considered all that any Writers of Note have said on this Matter and have made search into these Mysteries my self but after all I declare that I find no Foundation for a Precise and Individual Assignation of Time In general we know Christ's Kingdom on Earth shall commence when the Seventh Angel soundeth his Trumpet for then the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of
his Christ Rev. 11. 15. But when this Last Angel shall do this Office we are ignorant though a Learned Foreigner lately is confident that this is the Time But we see he had but little ground for it for his Calculations have proved false though he thought he had some more than ordinary Foundation in the Transactions and Events of these late times for what he offer'd And he hath been follow'd by some of our own Countrey Men who presumed to assign the Punctual and Precise time when those Prophetick Passages in the Book of the Revelation were to be accomplish'd as if they above all other Men had a Key to those Divine Secrets and were authorized to unlock them I look upon this as the Product of a well-meant Mistake of their misapplying some Apocalyptick Texts which they were betray'd into by apprehending that the Circumstances which the Publick Affairs were in at that time were agreeable to those Prophecies But certainly this Rashness is very blamable because it may give occasion to ill-minded Men to disbelieve all the other Prophecies in the Apocalypse because the Period of these which was with so great Confidence determin'd is found to be untrue Nay indeed it hath sometimes happen'd that when Positive Men have peremptorily set a certain Year it hath generally proved a worse Time than ordinary on one account or other instead of a welcome issue of their Predictions some very unusual and dismal thing appears upon the Publick Stage as it were a doom for such rash Prognostications Here therefore ought to be a great deal of Caution Prudence and Sincerity But so it is we may observe that it is the way of these Apocalyptick Men like the Clocks of Basil always to anticipate the time they are too hasty in fixing the Periods of Prophetick Occurrences either because they impatiently desire the approach of them or because they are ambitious of being thought the first Discoverers of these Secrets In the Book of the Revelation the Time of the Beasts Reign seems to be determined viz. 1260. Days Rev. 11. 3. 12. 6. i. e. as all grant so many Years for that is the Prophetick way of Numbering which are the same with the Time and Times and half a Time Dan. 7. 25. Rev. 12. 14. and with the 42. Months i. e. of Years Rev. 11. 2. 13. 5. Now if we could tell when the Apocalyptick Beast began we might from what is here expresly set down exactly know its end but the former being no where mention'd we are at a loss for the latter A very Sober and Modest Pen fixes the beginning of the Beasts Reign in the Year of our Lord 456. and consequently by adding 1260. to that number makes the end of it to be A. D. 1716. But according to this way of Computing the Papal Beast was in being before there was Popery properly so called in the World which is sufficient to invalidate that Calculation However if those Numbers refer to the end of the Beast as it is certain they do I agree with this Writer that it cannot be very far off But as to the precise time we may conjecture but we cannot be certain It may be our Chronology is Defective it may be the Account which we have of Years is not Exact and consequently our Calculations cannot be accurate Or suppose they were yet our Saviour acquaints us when he speaks of such Affairs that the time shall be shortned for the Elects sake Mat. 24. 22. So that our exactest Chronology will not avail us then I have nothing therefore to say concerning the Punctual Date of this Notable Revolution which hath been the matter of our Disquisition Yea perhaps it is impossible for any Man to know it infallibly I mean without a particular Revelation Yet I will not as the Iews curse those who Calculate these Times but rather wish that Men would be Sober and Modest in this as in all other difficult and intricate Points It is folly to be over-curious and sollicitous here but it is no less than Presumption and Arrogance to be Peremptory This should suffice us that there is a time when these things shall be accomplished In the mean season let us comfort our selves with the expectation of that Blessed State of the Church Let it be remembred that however things go now there shall be a better Face of them hereafter and though we may not live to the arrival much less the fruition of it yet it is some solace to our Minds that with Moses we have a sight at a distance of that Blessed Canaan the Land of Promise in which all the Defects and Declensions that have been either in Nature or Morals shall be repair'd and amended Nor doth the ill posture of things at present in the least retard my hopes or belief of a change for the better for though it sounds like a Paradox yet it is an experienced Truth that things farthest off are nearest Look into the Calendar and you will see that December which is at the greatest distance from Ianuary is the next Month to it See it in Nature when the Night is darkest it is nighest break of Day Look on the Globe of the Earth and you will find the extream parts of the East bordering on the West And so it is here when things seem to be most remote from this Revolution they are nearest to it Extremity proves successful sometimes The worst Times introduce the Best The Condition of the World is like that of some Disâ—ased Bodies which must of necessity be brought low before they can arrive to a sound and perfect Constitution Our weak languishing and perishing State may by the Divine Disposal make way for our Health and prove the fore-runner and occasion of our lasting Happiness Though the World in some Ages is palpably worse than in others yet bating the Last Scene of all when in respect of the Universal prevailing of Vice it seems to be worst of all as at this time even then it is tending to the best for this hath been always observable since the first Creation that the greatest Corruptions and Apostasies have made way for the most remarkable Reformations and accordingly the horrid Degeneracy of these present times not only among our selves but in all Christian Countries is one Argument to incline me to believe there will be a mighty alteration Irreligion Impiety and Atheism are now making their greatest and last Efforts before that Glorious Day which I have been describing arrives An Universal Prophaneness is to preceed and usher in an Universal Holiness and Purity Unchristian Wars and Commotions Divisions and Contentions in Churches and States are the fore-runners of a General Peace and Repose The World will not go off thus as it is but a more pleasant and delightful Scene of it will appear and this so Vitiated and Corrupted Age shall be followed with as Eminent a Restoration Though we are ignorant of the exact time of it yet this