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
according to that of the Apostle That which may be known of God was manifest in them for God shew'd it unto them Rom. 1. 19. But as the Apostle there adds they held the Truth in unrighteousness and when they knew God they glorified him not as God but changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and fourfooted Beasts and creeping things and were filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder and all manner of Vice and Villany But tho it was thus with the Gentiles generally yet it was not so with them All there were many that abandon'd Idolatry and profess'd the only True God There were excellent Persons even among the Heathens who were eminent for Grace and Holiness as the Examples before mention'd testifie There was a kind of a Church out of the Church Many of the Gentiles had the knowledg of 〈◊〉 and of his Covenant with Mankind for a great part of the Covenant consisted in the Moral Law which was solemnly proclaim'd on Mount Sinai and was the principal part of the Mosaick Religion but appertain'd to all Men for being the Law of Nature it had respect to the whole Race of 〈◊〉 it concern'd every Person of what Nation or Countrey soever And it might be remark'd to this purpose that at the promulgation of this Law there were present not only Israelites but Strangers and Gentiles Exod. 12. 38. Num. 11. 4. Deut. 29. 11. This intimated that the Church was not shut up within the Iewish Nation the Covenant of Grace extended farther than Iudea And thus we see this Dispensation is a Dispensation of Grace Not only as the whole Gentile World was a sharer in the common Favours and Blessings of Heaven but as some of them were actual partakers of the peculiar and saving Grace of God upon their owning the God of Israel and turning unto him Thus God excluded no sort of People from the participation of his Favour But that of St. Peter was verified God is no respector of Persons but in every Nation he that seareth God and 〈◊〉 Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10. 34 35. And what I have said is not inconsistent with those places of Holy scripture which speak of the Iews as of a peculiar People and which exast them above all other Nations in the World What Nation saith Moses is there so great who hath God so nigh to them as the Lord our God in all things that we call upon him for As if he had said Other Nations indeed are great yea greater as to 〈◊〉 than the Iews in this they out do us but the Nation of the Iews is to be preferred to them all because God Himself dwelleth with us he is always nigh at hand and we converse familiarly with him daily whenever we inquire of him he answereth us whenever we stand in need of Direction and Assistance he goes before us as our Guide He protects and defends us He helps and delivers us Again What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgments so righteous Where he sheweth on another account the Iews Preeminence viz. their having so exact a Law given them by God It appears not that the Gentiles had any Special Rules and Positive Laws prescribed them as the Iews had The Laws of the Old Testament were revealed only to this People and to no other Nations They were peculiar Laws and therefore the Gentiles were not under the particular Obligation of them Moses his Law never bound any but the Iews and Proselytes who made themselves Inhabitants of that Land it obliged no other Nations under Heaven For it was designed for the Jews only and not for others that is Christ being to be born amongst them God granted to them Particular and Special Favours to distinguish them from other people to Sanctifie and Consecrate them especially Therefore God separated the Israelites from the rest of the World and gave them particular Constitutions and Injunctions he shew'd his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and Iudgments unto Israel he hath not deale so with any Nation and as for his Iudgments they have not known them Psal. 147. 19 20. i. e. the Nations of the World were not govern'd by particular Laws as the Iews they were not so highly honour'd and blessed God was not pleas'd to manifest himself to them in a like degree In this regard the Psalmist saith Psal. 139. 4. The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure And in this respect God saith to Israel You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth Amos 3. 2. God knew that People in a manner different from all others he convers'd with them in a more intimate way than with the rest of the World he reveal'd himself to them in a particular and special manner he govern'd and ruled that People by peculiar Laws and Sanctions and he wrought extraordinary Wonders to support and deliver them so that in comparison of the Iews God may be said not to have known the Gentiles The Apostle likewise declareth the Preference and Prerogative of the Iew above other People in answer to that question What advantage hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision much every way saith he chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God They had singular Discoveries and Revelations of God's Will above others which was a Sign and Assurance of the greatest Favour imaginable They had Holy Laws to make them holier than others and they carried the Sign and Mark of the Holy Covenant even on their flesh For this reason God may be said to have been the God of their Nation But whilst he shew'd more especial kindness to them he did not neglect the rest for besides that all of them lived under the Law of general Grace many of them were specially favoured and experienced the distinguishing Grace of God The Blessings of God's Church reached even to some of those that were not within the Pale of it A Divine Light was reflected from the Church to those that were not thought Members of it Some enlightning and refreshing Rays were sent out to them tho the Sun was not risen on their Horizon The Sum of all is that when God made a Covenant with Abraham and his Posterity the Israelites he did not debar other People from Saving Grace and all Spiritual Benefits There were besides Abraham's Family and the Body of the Israelites who came from Abraham other Persons in the World who knew and worship'd God in a true and right manner Some that were at a great distance from the Holy Land and were Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel were Heirs of Eternal life Some of all Nations were virtually included in the Covenant altho not mantioned Tho they were not to enter into Canaan and Canaan could not hold them which was part of the Covenant to the
they would have been found out 5. Miracles were done in all parts of the World and not confined to Iudea only The Acts of the Apostles relate what Miracles they exerted in several Countries where they went and afterwards the whole World was visited by one or other of them and yet we never read that they were proved to be Impostors But on the contrary we are credibly informed that their Miracles were owned and approved of not in one place only but in all places where they came 6. These Miracles were wrought these Cures were done and the strange Languages were spoken amongst them for many years together whereas what is counterfeit holds not long 7. These Miracles were not control'd and check'd by any greater as the Wonders of the Egyptian Sorcerers were by Moses You may observe that those Magicians could not plague Men and Cattel with Boils they could not restore the Waters to their former quality tho they could gather the Frogs together yet they were not able to kill them They could not counterfeit the Miracle of Fleas and Lice tho they did those of the Serpents Blood and Frogs Here was some restraint the Devil was overpower'd But that was not all They had not been suffer'd to effect so much as they did but that Moses was there ready to countermand them and to baffle their Delusions They turned the Rods into Serpents but Moses's Rod devoured theirs i. e Moses's true Serpents devour'd the Magicians counterfeit Ones But Christ and his Apostles wrought Miracles and there was none to countermand them which shews that they were real Miracles Thus true Miracles may be known by their manner and circumstances Again These may be known to be such from the Ends and Designs which Christ and his Followers propounded to themselves in exerting them First True Miracles are always for the Confirmation of the Truth but seeming and counterfeit Ones are wrought on purpose to maintain some false Doctrine Therefore if a Pretender to Miracles teacheth any thing derogatory to Providence and to the Nature of God and Religion we must look on him as an Impostor for Miracles that are true never contradict the Divine Testimony and the Truth recorded in Holy Writ This then you must know that as Miracles confirm a Doctrine so they are authorized by the Doctrine We must not rest in Miracles alone but to the Word and to the Testimony we must appeal Christ saith the Works I do bear witness of 〈◊〉 John 5. 36. but he adds ver 39. 〈◊〉 thâ— Scriptures they are they which testify of me By this then we may ascertain our selves of the Authority of those Miracles which our Saviour and his Apostles wrought when they were upon Earth They were done to attest a Doctrine which as it contradicted no part of Moral Religion nor the natural Notions of Reason so it was conformable to the written Word of God and all the Truths in the Old Testament In the second place True Miracles tend to the overthrowing of Satan's Kingdom in the World they never confirm and abet Sin and Prophanation in those that do them or in any one else As we observ'd before from Deut. 13. 1. that God some times permits false Prophets to work Signs and Wonders among his People so the Verses following tell us how we may know them to be lying Wonders viz. if the Prophet makes use of them to entice Persons to gâ— after other Gods and to serve them If the Signs and Wonders were intended to seduce them to a false Worship to perswade them to Idolatry and forsaking the true God they were not to be credited they were to be look'd upon as no true Miracles but counterfeit ones For it is not a sufficient proof for the truth of Miracles that they are for attesting the Orthodox Faith unless they also uphold a Holy Life In the third place Our Saviour's Miracles were such as were beneficial to others and was for the good of Mankind He procured Food for Multitudes of Persons when they were almost â—amished he cured the Lame and the Blind he ejected troublesom Devils out of Mens Bodies he relieved the most impotent and distressed But the Signs and Wonders which are done by Impostors are rather harmful than advantageous It is not unworthy of our Remark what was partly suggested before that the Egyptian Magicians turn'd the Water into Blood but they could not reduce it to its Nature again they brought up Frogâ— but they could not clear the Houses of the Egyptians of them They could bring Plagues but they could not remove them And it may be observed also of Impostors that if what they do is not harmful yet it is oftentimes fruitless and unprofitable it is vain and trifling and fit only to entertain fond and scrupulous Minds But here it may be objected that all Christs Miracles were not beneficial for his â—ursing the Fig-â—ree Mark â—1 14. and his sending the unclean Spirit into the Gaderens Swine Mat. 8. 30. were not so As to the first viz. Christs cursing the Fig-tree it was a Symbolical Act figuring the Judgment of God against the unfruitful Religion of the Jews and being thus consider'd it was of great use and benefit Some indeed have thought it strange that our Saviour should do thiâ— when he himself saith the time of Figs was not yet v 13. as if it were unjust to blast the Tree for not bearing Fruit before the time of bearing was come but they mistake the meaning of those words which is no other than this that it was not the time of Figs with that Tree but it was with others The year was not unseasonable for Figs but this Tree bore nothing but Leaves therefore our Saviour dealt thus with it This I take to be the plainest and clearest Interpretation of the Place and then the Objection vanishes for who will be concern'd at the witâ—â—ring of a Barren Tree I know there are other Solutions of the place but none of them seem to me to be genuine That of Episcopius is not to be allowed of viz. that when Christ cursed the Figtree and said the 〈◊〉 of Figs 〈◊〉 not yet he did not know that it was not time of Figs. A learned Writer of our own hath this peculiar Notion that Christ look'd for Figs and yet saith thâ— time of Figâ— is not yet because he look'd not for any Figs that he thought could be ripe and fit to eat that Spring it being about that time but he look'd for those that grew the last Summer and had hung on the Tree all Winter But tho Iudâ—â— was a very fruitful Country and had in it several things different from other Soils yet it is to be question'd whether there were Fig-trees in the Field of this nature and whether the Jewish Writings which this Author refers to speak of this sort of Fruit. Besides if this Tree bore Figs as the Author supposes it is not material whether they were old or
God and have an insight into the most sublime and heavenly Truths and by this means also partake of the Divine Nature and Likeness That this Knowledg and Wisdom are part of the Divine Image is clear from the Apostle's words in Col. 3. 10. where he acquaints us that the new Man is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him Whence it is rationally to be inferr'd that God's Image partly consisted in Knowledg and Vnderstanding Socinus and Smalcius had a very low opinion of the first Man when they asserted that at his being first made he had no more understanding than a stupid Infant yea that Adam was next to a Fool. But may not these Writers be thought to be next to something of that Nature when they assert a thing so unreasonable and absurd so wild and extravagant I do not say that Adam was subtil and scholastical in his Notions that he had any skill in the quirks of Wit and Logick I believe Scotus would have baffled him a knotty Schoolman would have put him to a nonplus and it would quite have puzzl'd and amus'd his Brain to have reduc'd a Syllogism in Bocardo For these Subtilties were not the accomplishments of Innocence and the early attendents of the Spade and Plough No these are the Consequents of Apostacy the Crutches of lame Reason and Supporters of lapsed Understanding the Salvo's of Ignorance and sometimes the greatest increasers of it Therefore I do not think that Adam's intellectual Happiness consisted in these but in that which was solid and useful What Man of sense and sober thoughts can deny that God indued Adam with a quick Understanding upon considering this one thing viz. that he gave Names to every living creature Gen. 2. 19. and it may be tho it is not recorded to the Plants and all Vegetables on Earth yea even to the Stars in Heaven tho the Names of them are now lost yea to all things above and below which were useful and common in the Life of Man And those Names then did express and signify the very Nature and Properties of the things whereas now they are generally ex instituto merely from custom and the arbitrary will of Men. He that was able thus to give Names to all Creatures according to their Natures was no Fool or Sot certainly This was the great Plato's judgment who tells us it was no ordinary and mean thing it was not the work of a vulgar Person to impose Names on things yea he that did it at first was master of more than human wisdom and skill It is reasonable to believe that Adam was a great natural Philosopher had knowledg of all those Creatures which he named else he could not have fitted Names to them And that he did so is evident from comparing the 19th Verse of the forementioned Chapter with the 22 d and 23 d Verses In the former 't is said that the Lord God formed every living Creature out of the ground and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever he call'd them that was the Name thereof In the latter 't is said The Rib which the Lord God had taken from Man made he a Woman and brought her unto the Man And Adam said She shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man You see the parallel the brute Creatures were brough by God to Adam on purpose that he should bestow Names on them So was Eve brought to him that she should have a Name given her by him Adam gave proper and significant Names to the other Creatures and so he did to the Woman We gather the former from the latter We find that when God brought the Woman to the Man he fastned a Name on her sutable to her Nature and Original therefore 't is reasonably to be concluded that when the other Creatures of an inferior rank were brought by God to Adam he conâ—er'd such Names on them as were most expressive of their different Properties and Qualities As God had given Adam his Name which was significant so Adam gave other Creatures Names which carried significancy with them This argues his Intellectuals to have been very acute and profound otherwise he could not have perceived the several Signatures and Properties of those Animals which were brought before him It is not to be question'd then that he had an insight into the true Nature of all Beings and was one of unspeakable Sagacity In fine whatever some Rabbies extravagantly assert on the one hand concerning the prodigious transcendency of Adam's knowledg and how meanly soever some of Pelagius and Socinus's Followers on the other hand speak of his Endowments it is a sober Truth that our First Parents were very knowing Persons It is not to be doubted that they had especially a perfect knowledg of Divine Truth from whence all Virtue and Holiness spring Which reminds me of another Quality of Man's Soul in the first Creation viz. its Righteousness or Holiness For God endued it not only with Understanding but with a Will which he adorned with Divine Graces and in these also consisteth the Image of God as we are ascertain'd by an inspired and infallible Writer who tells us that the new Man is created after God i. e. after the Image and Likeness of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4. 24. These give us the perfect resemblance of our Maker and imprint upon us the Divine and heavenly Image For these are principally placed in the Will in the elective Faculty of Man that noblest part of his Soul that Sovereign and Ruling Faculty of the mind Thus I have shew'd how the Soul of Man is justly said to be God's Image and Likeness namely as it is a Spiritual Immortal and Intelligent Being but chiefly as 't is capable of Religion and is indu'd with Divine Virtues and Graces By these it is that Man most of all resembles God and is truly bless'd and happy and is as 't were another God Princes stamp their Image on their Coin That which is choicest and most precious beareth their Effigies And so here the exactest Lineaments of the Divine Image are to be seen impress'd on this choice Part of Man which is the Seat of true Grace and Goodness God who is the chief Pulchritude would draw his own beautiful Image on the Soul that That on Earth might be a kind of Representative of Himself and a Pourtray of his own Divine Perfections 2. Tho the Image of God in which Man was made be seated chiefly in the rational Soul of Man yet it is imprinted also on his Body as Ireneus and some other Fathers have rightly asserted Not that the Body can resemble God as if God were of human Shape This we exploded before as absurd and ridiculous But the Image of God was on the Body of the first Man first as it was extraordinarily fair comely and beautiful It is true Adam's Body was made
and express Acts of Belief And to Faith I may adjoin Hope for Hope is founded on Faith and therefore Faith being more clear and express under the Gospel as I have said it follows that Hope is so too it is more stable and firm more sure and certain than the Hope of those before Christ's coming and on this account the Gospel is deservedly call'd the bringing in of a better Hope Heb. 7. 19. Christians having seen the accomplishment of all those things which â—ormer Ages had no experiment of their Hope must needs be bettered i. e. exalted and increased And as for Charity and all the rest of the Virtues Graces and Duties required of us for I will speak of them altogether they differ from what they were under the Mosaick Dispensation as to these following things 1. There are greater measures of every Grace now under Christianity than there were under the other Dispensations Christians reach now to higher Degrees and Perfections of Virtue than those under the Law did And this indeed was the design of the Gospel this Dispensation came in the last place to add a greater Perfection than ever any other preceding Models of Religion pretended to 2. A greater striâ—tness and â—nactness in all Duties is required now than was under the legal Dispensation This you must know that tho the Rigour of the Law be abated under the Gospel yet the Evangelical Obedience is stricter than that of the Law Except your Righteoâ—sness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yo cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven saith our Saviour Mat. 5. 20. A more circumspect and accurate way of living is expected from Christ's Disciples than from those of Moses A more severe sanctity and conformity to God's Will are required of them than of these But yet I must add in the third place That whereas the Law which did in a manner revive the Covenant of Works required perfect Works and sinless Obedience the Gospel requires no such thing but accepts of imperfect but sincere Obedience which is made acceptable by Christ's Satisfaction Under the Gospel Men are not so much obnoxious for offending as for continuing obstinately in their Offences And Mercy is now denied not for Sin committed but for persisting in Sin without Repentance This is a grand Difference between the Law and the Gospel that was harsh and rigorous this is gentle and favourable Again Duties are further extended and enlarged now than they were before Which must needs be because the State of Christianity is wider and larger than that of Iudaism There is more Love now because the former aversness and enmities are removed Câ—rist as the Apostle saith sath abolish'd in his Flesh the Enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances i. e. the Mosaick Law consisting in Precepts about peculiar Rites and distinct Observances whereby the Gentiles were differenced from the Iews which made a breach between them But a Vniversal Charity breaths in the Gospel and the Exertments of it are of greater latitude than those heretofore Elijah call'd for Fire from Heaven upon his Enemies and was not blamed but heard by God 2 Kings 1. 10 12. but Iames and Iohn Apostles of Christ did the same thing and were severely check'd for it Luke 9. 54. And we read that St. Peter was commanded to put up his Sword when he drew it in his Master's Quarrel which certainly was the best in the World The reason of this is not only because the Evangelical Temper is more mild and loving than that legal one but because its Laws are more extensive and more favourable Nay whereas the Old Law commanded Love to their Brethren the Gospel bids us shew that Love by dying for them if there be occasion Iohn 15. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 16. And in other Circumstances I might shew that the Evangelical Obedience is larger and more comprehensive than that of the Law In the fifth place this must be said likewise that some particular Graces and Duties flow more gâ—nuinely from the Spirit of the Gospel than from the Legal Principles and are more frequently inculcated and more closely urged on our Consciences and Lives in the New Testament than they are in the Old These special Graces and Exercises of Evangelical Righteousness are purity of Heart and inward sincerity minding the manner of our Duties and serving of God from an inward love of Holiness a shunning of secret Sins a constant sense of our Weakness and Unworthiness of our Inability of our selves to think or do any thing that is good and acceptable to God a being weary and heavy laden under the sense of Sin a feeling of the odious Nature of it and loathing our selves for it Self-denial and Mortification an absolute resigning our selves Souls and Bodies unto God a subduing all our Carnal Desires Lusts and Appetites a refraining from the least Sins making conscience of all Offences evil Thoughts idle Words abstaining from all appearance of Evil renouncing every Sin tho against our Profit and Interest a universal hatred of all Vice without any reserves a continual watchfulness against all Temptations and striving by all means to conquer Sin in us moderation in the use and enjoyment of the good things of this Life a using this World as not abusing it a possessing our Souls in patience in the midst of all Afflictions and Tribulations an entertaining all Occurrences with thankfulness and contentedness and a preparing for the worst a quelling of all inordinate Passion and suffering not the Sun to go down on our Wrath â—aâ—â—â—bstaining from all reviling and bitterness of Speech yeâ— a praying for our Persecutors Bowels of Mercy tender-heartedness pity and compassion weeping with those that weep and bearing one anothers burdens mildness and meekness towards all Men laying aside revenge and forgiving those who have done us wrong yea loving and doing good to our very Enemies Truth and Faithfulness towards those we converse with simplicity open-heartedness sincerity in words and actions a profound humility and lowliness of mind a preferring others before our selves a minding not of high things but condescending to those of low estate the spirit of Supplication and Prayer taking delight in communion with God daily presenting our selves before the Throne of Grace to ask pardon of our Sins for Christ's sake peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost contempt of the World heavenly-mindedness a Spirit raised above the Earth breathing and longing for Heaven and a better State a living on the Life to come a depending on the unseen Glory hereafter a preâ—erring Heaven and everlasting Joys before all things here below a making God the ultimate End and referring all to his Glory not fearing Death but chearfully expecting it lastly growing in Grace daily increasing in Godliness and Righteousness aspiring to the highest degree of Holiness and striving for the utmost perfection we are capable of This is no new Draught of Religion but such as the most Holy Men before
there is this threefold difference between them which I request may be well weigh'd because it will be of singulaâ— use to rectify our Notions about the matter in hand and to give us a true insight into the Nature of the Covenants 1. The Covenant of Works saith Do this by thy own natural strength and power and if thou dost so thou shalt live For this is certain that in â—he First Covenant the Conditions were to be performed by Adam and Eve and us in them by a natural Strength given in the state of Innocency They were created with a sufficient Power to do what God required of them By their own Free-Will they might have stood But the Covenant of Grace saith Do this by a supernatural Assistance by that Grace which is given through Christ Jesus No Man is naturally born with an ability to do God's Will and to please him There is a new Birth whereby he is impowred to do this there is a Divine Principle superadded to his Nature and by virtue of this he believeth repenteth c. This is the first difference between the doing under the Covenant of Works and under the Covenant of Grace 2. The Covenant of Works saith Do this and for doing thou shalt live But the Covenant of Grace saith Do this and for Christ's Merits and Satisfaction thy doing shall be accepted of God for his sake thou shalt livâ— and be happy There is another Cause you see viz. the meritorious Righteousness of the Son of God which makes an infinite difference between the one and the other This we must remember that the Covenant of Grace is that whereby Man is recovered and restored to happiness by the undertakings of another whereas by virtue of the Covenant of Works a Man attain'd to Life and Happiness by his own Works and Obedience His personal Righteousness entitled him to Heaven by the tenour of the first Compact but now the terms are otherwise that which procures Liâ—e and Immortality under the Second Covenant is the Obedience of Christ. There is nothing we can do that will be acceptable for our own sakes but on the account of the Messiâ—â— the Mediator we and our Services are accepted The Covenant of Works required dâ—ing as a pâ—â—formance meriting Salvation and Bleâ—â—edness but this other Agreement exacts of us doing only as it is the appointed way and means of Salvation This renders the Difference very great and wide between the one and the other 3. The Covenant of Works â—aith Do this but be sure to do it without the least â—ailing and imperfection and thou shalt livâ— if thou dost it thus otherwise not For this Covenant made with Adâ—â— and his Posterity was upon condition of sinless Obedience as we find by the Consequence and as we can prove from the Law which was founded on the Covenant of Works Cursed is he that continueth not in 〈◊〉 things written in the Book of the Law to do them Dâ—ut 27. 26. Universal and entire Obedience is absolutely required But the Covenant of Grace saith Dâ— this and though it be done on thy part imperfectly yet thou shalt live Thou shalt be accepted for the perfect and consummate Righteousness of Christ altho thy Services be mixed with weakness and sin The Difference then between the Covâ—nant of Works and that of Gracâ— is not doing or not doing keeping or not keeping the Commandments but the Difference is here the Covenant of Works requireth the keeping the Commandments without sinâ—ing whereas by the Covenant of Grace no such thing is required This is the Difference between the Covenants and thence it is manifest that the latter of them requires not only believing but acting tho it is true believing is the principal thing under the New Covenant and therefore we find this chiefly urged by our Saviour and his Apostles Faith is the main thing inculcated in the Writings of the New Testament and the contrary is that which is mostly laid to mens charge On this account it is rightly said that Believe and be sâ—vâ—â— is the Language of the Covenant of Grace but yet it is certain that doing or working is not excluded for we find in the Evangelical Writings that both Faith and good Works are made the necessary Conditions in order to Eternal Life He that believeth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3. 19. Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God â— Cor. 7. 19. Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. And many other places of Scripture shew that something is required to be done by us under the New Covâ—nâ—nt Wherefore we need not be afraid to say that the Covenant of Grace is â— Law viz. on this account that it commands something to be done So that one would wonder that any Men of reason and discourse should assert and that with much confidence that the Gospel is not a Law of Faith and Repentance and that there is no Sanction there are no Precepts no Tâ—râ—atnings no Prâ—mises belonging to it as I find some have lately maintain'd notwithstanding it is stiled a Law by two Apostles Heb. 8. 6. Iames 1. 25. And we need not be afraid to say that there are Conditions propounded and to be performed under this Covenant For what is a Câ—ndition Doth not every one grant that it is such a thing required of 〈◊〉 without the performance of which we shall never obtain the thing offer'd and prâ—mis'd And is not this applicable to the present Case Are not Faith and Obedience absolutely requir'd antecedently to our enjoying the Benefits and Privileges of the New Covenant that are offer'd to us Doth not the word Condition express the manner of our partaking the Benefits of the Gospel-Covenant Doth it not signify that order and disposition of the Divine Grace which are to be seen in conferring Pardon and Happiness God hath appointed that none shall reap this Fruit of the Covenant of Grace unless they first believe and repent This is a fix'd and establish'd Order and without observing and performing of this latter we shall never have any Advantage of the former It is evident then that believing and repenting are Conditions and no Man of correct thoughts can boggle at the truth and certainty of it But perhaps it will be said the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace was exploded by the first Reformâ—rs for Calvin and others are quoted for this that the Gospel promiseth not Eternal Life upon condition of Obedience But I answer and that with sincerity and truth that the Reformers speak thus in opposition only to the Popish Interpretâ—tion of the word Condition for those of the Church of Româ— make Faith and Good Works such a Condition as gives a right to Eternal Life and incluâ—â—s in it Merit In this sense they disclaim'd all
Beasts that have a sensitive Life and at last he came to what was perfectest Man who hath a reasonable Soul and is the most excellent of all God's Works in this lower World Man the worthiest Piece of the Creation was made last of all So there was the like Order and Method observed by God in framing and fashioning his Church it was set up first with weak and imperfect things The Laws and Constitutions given to the Sons of Men were mean and low and went no further than Natural Religion it was like their feeding upon Herbs and Plants only But afterwards Religion was inhanced by extraordinary Revelations and Discoveries by positive Laws and Precepts and by the Offering of Beasts and other such Legal Observances the Sensitive and Animal Life as I may so say the External and Bodily part of Religion was chiefly maintain'd But at length Religion was inspired as it were with a Rational Soul it became Manly Spiritual and Refined by the Gospel it came to be a Reasonable Service indeed an inward Principle a Law of Liberty and Love Christianity is the last but is the perfectest Dispensation in this Life What the Platonists hold concerning the several Powers and Faculties of Mens Souls that in due time and place they orderly awaken into act and when a lower Power is extinguish'd a more extended and enlarg'd Capacity succeeds it a more divine Faculty and Life spring up and are envigorated what these Philosophers I say hold concerning human Souls is true of Religion and its several Dispensations There is a gradual Subordination of these â—everal Oeconomies and upon the Cessation and Extinction of one that is inferiour a more Sublime and Perfect one arises in its Room and it is God's Will and Pleasure that these divers Administrations shall take place in their Order and that one shall not anticipate the other It seems good to the All-wise Creator to reveal the knowledg of himself by degrees to discover his Will as it were by parcels God dispenseth not all his Favours together not all at once but the maniâ—estations of his Will grow greater and greater successively He gradually instill'd into the World the Notion of a Messias the Prophetical Promises concerning him were higher and higher by little and little the Sun of Righteousness arose and shined more and more unto a perfect Day This is the Divine Method he proceeds from imperfect to perfect things from the Shadow to the Substance from Types to Realities from lesser to greater Discoveries He thought good to train up his Church in this manner and by meaner Communications to make way for the most compleat delivering of his Will Still all along one Administration exceeded another till at last Christianity arrived which was Highest of all Those words of the Apostle to the Hebrews are very remarkable to this purpose those under the Law saith he received not the Promise i. e. the full extent of it in the Coming of Christ God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. 11. 39 40. He gives here the Reason why the Iews under the Legal Oeconomy had not the Promise compleated why Christ came not in those days viz. because the Church was to be perfected by Degrees The condition of the Church before Christ was not to be compleat They had their good things but we were to have some better thing that it might be seen that God proceeds in a gradual and successive Way and that he will have things done in their due Season and Course that we may take notice of this that the Frame and Fabrick of Religion shall be reared by little and little to its Perfection that God intends to reserve the best things till last in short that after Christ's Coming Religion was to be at its full Age and that this Glorious Dispensation should crown all Thus by the different Stages and Progressions the divers Courses and Periods of the Church in successive Ages God hath thought fit to shew himself a God of Order and not of Confusion And so I have finish'd the Reasons why the Christian Dispâ—nsation was deferred so long and why the Blessed Author and Founder of it came no sooner The End of the First Volume ΠΟΛΥΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΣ ΣΟΦΙΑ A Compleat HISTORY Or SURVEY Of all the Dispensations and Methods OF RELIGION From the beginning of the World to the Consummation of all things As represented in the OLD and NEW Testament SHEWING The several Reasons and Designs of those different Administrations and the Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Government of his Church through all the Ages of it The Second Volume In which The Certainty of the Christian Religion is demonstrated against the Cavils of the Iews Deists c. By IOHN EDWARDS B. D. LONDON Printed for Daniel Brown Ionath Robinson Andrew Bell Iohn Wyat and E. Harris M. DC.XC.IX THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Volume CHAP. XIV THE Truth and Certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and consequently of Christianity it self evinced That the Mosaick Dispensation was not design'd to be perpetual is proved from 1. The Prophesies concerning the enlarging of the Church together with the nature of the Jewish Observances 2. God's dispensing with the Mosaick Rites and Laws 3. Their being neglected sometimes by the Holiest Men. 4. God's disregarding them 5. The Confession of the Jewish Rabbies An Objection viz. that it is said the Mosaick Law shall be for ever disâ—inctly answer'd Prophesies which seem to relate to the Jewish Church are to be interpreted concerning the Christian one It is not necessary that there should â—e a Formal Abrogation of the Ceremonial Law because when the Reason of a Law ceases the Law it self ceaseth But yet it is shew'd from sundry places in the New Testament that the Ceremonial Law is formally and expresly abrogated We are assured of the Truth of the Christian Religion from Humane Testimony The Testimony of the Outward and Bodily Senses is made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as an Argument of the truth of Christianity St. John's Words 1 Ep. 1 Chap. 1 2 3. ver commented upon There is no certainty in Religion especially in the Christian if the Testimony of Sense be not allow'd of The Apostles and those who heard and saw the things done by our Saviour were Credible Persons The four Evangelists and other Writers of the New Testament were competent Witnesses of what they relate Their Personal Qualities which are particularly reckno'd up render their Testimony worthy of all acceptation The Christians that succeeded them faithfully deliver'd things to us Their Lives are a proof of their Integrity Their Sufferings and Death are an undeniable Argument of their testifying the Truth to us An Heap of Evidences that we are not imposed upon by them The very Jews bear witness to the Truth of Christianity The manner of their congratulating our Saviour at his riding into Jerusalem particularly consider'd Heathens attest the Truth of the
Christian Religion So do Infernal Spirits P. 417. CHAP. XV. All the ways of Divine Revelation under the Mosaick Dispensation were made use of under the Christian one Voices The Testimony of Angels Visions Dreams The Holy Spirit The fulfiâ—ling of the Prophesies of the Old Testament is an irrefragable Argument of the Truth of the New Testament Prophesies concerning the Birth of our Saviour Isa. 7. 14. cleared from the Cavils of the Jewish Expositors It is shew'd how these Words may have reference to something in King Ahaz's days and yet belong to Christ's Birth Prophesies in the Old Testament that relate to Christ's Life and Actions Others that refer to his Sufferings and Death Some that foretel his Resurrection and Ascension Other more general Predictions concerning him Several prophetick Passages concerning the Branch proved to be spoken of Christ. The Hebrew Word for the Branch is refer'd to in the New Testament The two Zacharies agree The Iews Objection viz. that the Messias was to be another kind of Person than what Jesus of Nazareth was answered Another Objection viz. that the Messias was to bring universal Peace answer'd A third Objection of the Iews viz. that their Sins have hindred the Messias's coming at the promised time answer'd The Objection raised from 2 Sam. 7. 13. removed by clearing the sense of the Text. Other extravagant Fancies concerning the Messâ—as caus'd by their mistaking the Prophesies of the Old Testament concerning Christ's Coming The Conclusion that all the Prophesies concerning the Messias are fulfil'd in Jesus and consequently are a demonstration of the Truth of Christianity p. 457. CHAP. XVI The Miracles wrought by Christ. What those Baskets were which were fill'd with Fragments Christ not only fed but healed the Bodies of Men. He did other Miraculous Works The Apostles as well as our Saviour exerted many Miracles An Objection from 1 Tim. 5. 23. answer'd Five Properties of a true Miracle Counterfeit and lying Wonders The Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were accompanied with seven peculiar Circumstances which prove them to be from God What were the Ends and Designs tâ—ey propounded to thâ—mselves in working of Miracles An Objection from Mark 11. 14. answer'd Several Interpretations of 〈◊〉 Words the time of Figs was not yet Why Christ cursed the barren Fig-tree Another Objection from Mat. 8. 30. answer'd Two other Objections answer'd The Personal Qualities of the Apostles argue the Miracles which they wrought to be true and real A Reply to the several Cavils against the Miracles of our Saviour An account of the wonderful things done by some Pagans especially Vespasian and Apollonius Tyanaeus The Miracles which the Church of Rome pretends to are proved to be Counterfeit It is shew'd from Scripture the Confession of Jews and Pagans and the nature of the thing it self that Miracles are a Testimony of the Truth of Christianity Miracles were necessary for confirming of the Gospel on several Accounts p. 491. CHAP. XVII The wonderful prevailing and spreading of Christianity another proof of the Truth of it Some of the learnedst and wisest Jews converted to Christianity A Catalogue of knowing and learned Pagans in the five first Centuries that abandoned Gentilism and embraced the Christian Religion Remarkable Instances of the Power of the Christian Truth The virtue of the Gospel far exceeds that of Philosophy Examples of great and rich Men converted to the Christian Faith This prevail'd against the rage of the most powerful Persecutors The more the Gospel was oppress'd the more it flourish'd and prosper'd in all Nations Examples of God's remarkable Judgments on the Enemies of Christianity especially on the Nation of the Jews This latter insisted upon and shew'd to be an Argument of the Truth of Christianity Particular Inferences from this part of the Discourse viz. 1. Assent tâ— the Christian Religion 2. Assert and defend it More General Inferences from the whole Christian Dispenpensation are such as these 1. Admire the transcendent Excellency of it 2. Be thankful for it 3. Learn â—ence our great obligation to Holiness and strictness of Life This enlarg'd upon 4. If we live not sutably to this Dispensation our doom will be more intolerable than that of others under the foregoing Oeconomies It appears from the general behaviour of Men that this is not thought of 5. We are to look upon this as the last Dispensation This is the meaning of Eph. 1. 10. which words are fully expounded This is infer'd from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament And from those Expressions the last times the last days Wherefore we must not expect any New Dispensation P. 534. CHAP. XVIII The several Ages of Christianity It was in its Infancy in our Saviour's time The Apostles knew little concerning his Sufferings and his Resurrection The effusion of the Holy Spirit was but mean in respect of what it was afterwards The Church was in its Childhood in the times immediately after our Saviour There are no Errors and Mistakes in the Writings of the New Testament Some necessary Points of Christianity deliver'd in the Apostolical Epistles that are not in the Gospels and Acts. Some relicks of Judaism remain'd in the Apostles times An Explication of the Decree of the Council at Jerusalem It is particularly proved that the Prohibition concerning the eating of Blood is not obligatory under the Gospel Yet in the first times of the Church many observed it The difference of Dispensations as to Abstinence from some sort of Food Judaism and Christianity were mingled together in the primitive Ages An enumeration of several Extraordinary Gifts that were in the Christian Church at first The Youth or riper Years of Christianity described The cessation of extraordinary Gifts argues the Progress and Growth of the Christian Church Miracles no part of this subordinate Dispensation The non-Appearance of Angels is a Proof of the Improvement of Christianity The usefulness and necessity of attending to the different Administrations of Religion especially the Christian p. 585. CHAP. XIX That Christianity shall arrive to Manhood or Full Age is proved by several Arguments 1. God's Method in the World 2. The low ebb of Christianity hitherto 3. The number of those that perish 4. The gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences The several Objections concerning the Decay and Senescency of the World made use of by Jewish Pagan and Christian Writers fully answer'd That the World decays not as to Learning and Arts is made good from the Improvements of Navigation the Inventions of Gun-powder and Guns of Printing of Clocks and Watches the preparing of Sugar the Advances in Anatomy and Physick Astronomy Arithmetick Chymistry Mechanicks the Stile of Writers It is congruous to the Divine Providence and Wisdom that Religion also should have its Improvements as well as Arts and Sciences and accordingly it hath been greatly advanc'd and increas'd by the Reformation From the Increase it hath had already we may gather that there will be farther Accessions afterwards The virile and complete
It is not necessary that there should be a Formal Abrogation of the Ceremonial Law because when the Reason of a Law ceases the Law it self ceaseth But yet it is shew'd from sundry Places in the New Testament that the Ceremonial Law is formally and expresly abrogated We are assured of the Truth of the Christian Religion from Humane Testimony The Testimony of the Outward and Bodily Senses is made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as an Argument of the truth of Christianity St. John's Words 1 Ep. 1 Chap. 1 2 3. ver commented upon There is no Certainty in Religion espâ—cially in the Christian if the Testimony of Sense be not allow'd of The Apostles and those who heard and saw the things done by our Saviour were Credible Persons The four Evangelists and other Writers of the New Testament were Competent Witnesses of what they relate Their Personal Qualities which are particularly reckon'd up render their Testimony worthy of all acceptation The Christians that succeeded them faithfully deliver'd things to us Their Lives are a proof of their Integrity Their Sufferings and Death are an undeniable Argument of their testifying the Truth to us An Heap of Evidences that we are not imposed upon by them The very Jews bear witness to the Truth of Christianity The manner of their Congratulating our Saviour at his riding into Jerusalem particularly consider'd Heathens attest the Truth of the Christian Religion So do Infernal Spirits 111. I Am to shew the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and therein of the Christian Religion And here first we must grapple with the tenacious and stubborn Iew for his Dispensation being so Antient and Authentick he is loth to quit it I must prove therefore before I go any further that it is nulled abrogated and superannuated We need not say much of the Iudicial Law It is the Ceremonial one which makes Iudaism properly and is the most opposite to the Christian Administration The Iudicial Laws so far as they make for Peace and good Order in the Government and so far as they are sutable to the present State of Affairs may be observed still but then they oblige not as part of the Mosaick Law but as they are good Rules of Government in themselves But the main Part of the Iudicial Law is not at this Day practicable amongst the Iews themselves they being dispersed and no longer in a Body that Law cannot be made use of and consequently doth not oblige them And any one may see plainly that that Polity and Government was not to last for ever as they foolishly dream For it was not fitted for the Tempers of all People not proper for all Countries but was in most things calculated for the Iewish Meridian only and for the present Circumstances that People were in at that time and therefore it is evident that it was to be changed afterwards I do not lay any stress on what may be observed of the different Manner of delivering the three Laws Moral Ceremonial and Iudicial but only let it be an occasion to suggest to us a right Notion concerning the different Nature of them The Ten Commandments or Moral Law was delivered on the top of the Mount in the face of the World as it were to signify that it was of universal Influence and obliged all Mankind But the Ceremonial Lâ—w was received by Moses in private in the Tabernacle which may hint to us that it was of a peculiar Concern it belong'd to the Iews only it was to cease when the Tabernacle was down when the Veil of the Temple was rent And as for the Iudicial Law it was neither so publickly and audibly given as the Moral Law nor so privately as the Ceremonial which may intimate to us the Nature of that sort of Law it is of an indifferent kind and may be kept up or not according as its Rules sute with the Place and Government It is then the Ceremonial Law wherein the Religion of the Iews as distinct from other People chiefly consisted which I am ingaged more especially to speak of at present The first thing that I will undertake is this to shew that the Mosaick Oeconomy was not designed to be perpetuated but that it was to be changed and to give way to the Evangelical one If this be proved it is a good step towards the main Point viz. the Truth of the Evangelical Oeconomy 1. That the Mosaick Dispensation was not to last always is clear from the many Promises in the Old Testament of inlarging Religion and of extending the Church to the uttermost parts of the World Which is no ways consistent with the Mosaick Oeconomy for according to the Law all the Males were to assemble at Ierusalem and to worship there thrice a Year But when upon the Messias's coming all Nations were to imbrace the true Religion how was it possible for the remotest Nations of the World to come and sacrifice at Ierusalem and constantly to meet there at solemn Feasts Ierusalem could not hold them the Temple would be too little for the Worshippers This is a Sign that God intended not to confine his Church to Iudea but that he designed a Religion which should be Universal and oblige the whole World According to the Law Sacrifices were to be no where but at Ierusalem But it is said in Isa. 19. 19 23. There shall be Altars and Sacrifices to the Lord in Egypt and Assyria and in Mal. 1. 11. From the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offer'd unto my Name and a pure Offering Therefore the City of Ierusalem was not to be the only Seat of solemn Worship and Sacrifice but upon the coming of the Messias Oblations were to be all the World over God saith of his Church which is his House that it shall be called a House of Prayer to all Nations Isa. 56. 7. Mark 11. 17. That is the Church shall be open to all without respect of Persons or Countries which must needs be and was always acknowledged a Prophesy concerning the spreading of Christianity and its being imbraced by some of all Nations under Heaven Therefore it is said by the same Evangelical Prophet in the last Days all Nations shall flow unto it Isa. 2. 2. So in Isa. 56. 3 4 5. we find that Strangers and Eunuchs Persons uncapable by the Mosaick Law of being of the Communion of the Iewish Church shall be admitted into it And that is yet more remarkable which you read in the same Prophet Chap. 66. where after it was plainly foretold that the Gentiles should have a Holy Church and that there should be an Offering to the Lord out of all Nations ver 20. this is added in the next Verse I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. Observe it there shall be Priests and Levites taken from the
Christ and Christianity And here I will shew 1. That this sort of Testimony is frequently made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as a sufficient Argument and Proof of Christianity 2. That the Testimony of the Apostles and other Christians who lived in our Saviour's time was the Testimony of credible Persons and therefore ought to be reckoned by us a valid and substantial Proof of Christianity 1. The Testimony of credible Persons who have heard and seen what Christ did is oâ—ten made use of and appealed to as a good Argument of the Truth of Christianity Thus St. Luke in the beginning of his Gospel to conciliate a Belief of what he was to deliver declares he design'd to record nothing but what was delivered to him by such as from the beginning were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word i. e. not only those who saw Christ and what he did but were personally and actually concerned in many of those things as walking on the Sea casting out of Devils c. those who had a part in these great and miraculous Actions those who were not only Spectators but Actors These I take to be the Ministers of the Word here meant as the Original importeth So you see this Evangelist lays his Foundation on the Testimony of Sense he deems it good Ground of Satisfaction that what he writes concerning Christ and his miraculous Doings is attested by those who were Eye-witnesses of them and who most sensibly convers'd with our Saviour and shared in some part of the things done by him This he knew would cause them to be most surely believed among the Christians ver 1. So to the Testimony of Sense St. Peter and St. Iohn appeal'd Acts 4. 20. When the Rulers of the Iews sent for them and commanded them to preach no more in Christ's Name their peremptory Return was this we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard As if they had said Gentlemen what is this that you require of us It is most strange that you would have us to deny our Senses and to give no Credit to our Ears or Eyes All of you as well as our selves can attest the things that have been said and done by Iesus of Nazareth Our Ears have heard his heavenly Doctrine and our Eyes have seen the Wonders he wrought in Confirmation of that Doctrine Would you have us believe and act contrary to our Senses This was never required by any reasonable Men for they always thought that the Evidence of Sense is valid and fully satisfactory St. Peter likewise in his Sermon in Acts 10. builds upon this Rock We are Witnesses saith he of all things which he i. e. Christ did both in the Land of the Iews and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hang'd on a Tree Him God raised up the third Day and shew'd him openly not to all the People but to witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead ver 39 40 41. We Apostles accompanied Christ our Master when he went about doing Good and working Miracles we were no idle and remiss Spectators of the marvellous things he did in all places where the Jews inhabited And tho they maliciously put him to death and thought that then they had made an end of him and that he should never appear again yet we are Witnesses that the same Iesus who died on the Cross rose again within three Days and appear'd publickly to us all we familiarly convers'd with him we saw him and we heard him and when one of our number was backward to believe his miraculous Return from the dead he bid him approach nearer to him and feel and handle him that by that as well as other Senses he might be satisfied of our Saviour's Resurrection We are certain therefore of it and by consequence of all the other Doctrines which we preach We appeal to sensible Demonstration This clears us of all Imposture And hear what the same Apostle saith in one of his Epistles We have not followed saith he cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Iesus Christ but were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty 2 Pet. 1. 16. i. e. l and Iames and Iohn saw such things at Christ's Transiguration which are an undoubted Proof of his Divinity And in the next Verse but one he adds that they were Ear-witnesses also for speaking of the Voice which came to Christ from the excellent Glory he saith This Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount ver 18. As much as to say you have no cause Brethren to fear any Imposture from us you may be easily convinced that we come with no Fables and Forgeries because we give you assurance of what we say from our own Eyes and Ears we go upon sure Ground our very Senses report to us what we declare to you therefore you may be confident of the truth of it St. Paul as well as St. Peter makes his Appeal to the Verdict of Sense in the matter of Christ's Resurrection He was seen of Cephas and then of the Twelve After that he was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once after that he was seen of James then of all the Apostles and last of all he was seen of me also 1 Cor. 15. 5 c. He proves that Christ rose from the dead because the bodily Sight gave Evidence of it This is one good Argument or rather Demonstration of the Certainty of the thing Many other places there are to the same effect but I will mention but one more and that is of St. Iohn 1 Epist. 1 chap. 1 2 3. ver That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life for the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have Fellowship with us Take this short Gloss upon the whole That which was from the beginning those things that were destined from Eternity and were of old all along prefigured shadowed and foretold by Mosesâ— and the Prophets concerning Christ and the Gospel which we who are Apostles have heard from God the Father testifying and audibly speaking from Heaven and by the preaching of his Son Christ Jesus which we have seen with our Eyes viz. Christ's many Miracles and all the strange and wonderful things that happen by his coming these we have beheld with our bodily Eyes with our own Eyes not relying on others which we have looked upon what we have narrowly pried into what we have often viewed and not slightly and perfunctorily and our Hands have handled Here the third Sense the Touch
Religion which Christ himself founded and deliver'd to his Apostles and Disciples The Tradition of these things is true and certain and we may safely rely upon it For tho the Authority of divine Truth depends not wholly on the Testimony of the Church for then the Authority of the Scripture would not be Divine but Humane and consequently not the Word of God but of Man yet the Church doth yield its Testimony to the Scripture and that Testimony or Tradition is a good Ground of Belief For Tradition is one way of communicating Matters of Faith and Fact to us By it we have them transmitted to us but this is neither the grand Motive nor the Rule of our Faith yet it is the Medium or Channel to convey the Belief of such things to us and we are to use it and prize it as such and to thank God that we have this among other Means to establish us in the Truth of the Gospel Hitherto I have consider'd the Testimony of Friends I will shew you in the next place that even Strangers and Enemies viz. Iews and Heathens bear witness to the Truth of Christianity First as for the Iews if Christ had not been thought by them to have been some extraordinary Person yea to be of the Holy Ghost miraculously why did they not prosecute Mary for an Adulteress The Sin of Adultery was severely punish'd by their Law and it was a very reproachful Crime You may be sure they would have urged this hard to the disgracing of the Son through the Mother But tho Ioseph denied him to be his Son and consequently she fell under the Law yet you read no where that the Iews made use of this against her which sheweth their tacit approving of Christ and that his Birth was extraordinary and divine Suidas tells us that Christ was chosen one of the Priests of the Temple at Ierusalem upon the death of one of the two and twenty for his singular Piety and excellent Doctrine Iosephus his Testimony of Christ is well known and St. Iohn Baptist his forerunner is made mention of by most of the Hebrew Writers with exceeding Praise and Admiration of his Holiness But I will conâ—ine my self to those Instances which are recorded by the Evangelists St. Luke observes that when he taught in their Synagogues he was glorified of all Luke 4. 15. And in the following Verses he subjoins a particular Instance of his preaching in one of their Synagogues at Nazareth and then adds all bare him witness and wonder'd at the gracious Words which proceeded out of his Mouth ver 22. Even some of the Jewish People who believ'd not in Christ cried out he is a good Man John 7. 12. Others said of a truth this is the Prophet ver 40. And others this is the Christ ver 41. And the Jewish Officers who were sent by the High Priests to lay hands on him admired his wise Deportment and excellent Discourse and freely declared that never Man spake like this Man ver 46. No one ever spoke Matters of greater moment and concern and with that Simplicity and Plainness that Authority and Efficacy which he did When Herod harangued the People they cried out It is the Voice of God But it was only the flattering Voice of the Multitude which made his such Here it was otherwise it was the real Voice of the true God and his very Enemies attest the unparallel'd Efficacy of it Christ was confessed and owned by the Iews in a most signal manner when he rid into Ierusalem on an Ass and when they strewed the way with Palm-branches and when all the People applauded him and treated him as some great Conqueror or mighty Prince Mat. 21. 8 c. For they were wont to congratulate the coming of such Persons to a place after that manner So the valiant Simon was receiv'd after his Military Success 1 Mac. 13. 51. So the Old Grecians in their Olympick Games after Victory wore wreaths of Palms as a reward of Conquerors And sometimes they bore the Branches of Palm-Trees in their Hands as the Emblem of Victory because the Branches of this Tree grow streight and stately as the Hand extended and tho they be loaded with much weight yet they bear up against it and shoot upwards Hence it was that this Honour of bearing Palm-branches and sometimes Branches of other Trees besides the Palm was given to Princes in Triumphs Thus Heliodorus saith that Hydaspes the King sent before him Harbingers of his Victory shaking Boughs of Palm in token of it Hence he that was generally applauded and received publickly with the Acclamations of the People was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they did not only strow Boughs but Leaves and Flowers in his way which sort of Honour was stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor were they contented with this sign of Favour but they used to affix on the Doors of great Men the Boughs of Palm especially which Honour Lucian takes notice of telling us that green Palm-branches were set up at the Doors of the Rhetoricians Many more Testimonies might be alledged to this purpose And I could add also that this bearing of Branches was used in the Worship of the Pagans it being a Testimony of Honour to their Gods How fitly then did it come to pass by the over-ruling Hand of Providence that the Messias who was truly God and King was receiv'd by the People with Palm-branches He came in this triumphant manner into Ierusalem and was saluted with Cries of Hosanna and with that Gratulatory Benediction Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord John 12. 13. to testify that his Kingdom was come that he was to be victorious over Death and Hell and that he was to be a mighty Saviour and Deliverer I will briefly add two or three other Testimonies of the Iews Caiphas the High-priest prophesied of Christ John 11. 50 51. One of the Thieves on the Cross if he were a Iew which some have question'd acknowledg'd Christ and cleared him This Man saith he hath done nothing amiss Luke 23. 41. And even Iudas who betrayed our Saviour confess'd his Innocency I have sinn'd in betraying innocent Blood Mat. 27. 4. Secondly Heathens bear witness to Christ and the Truth of the Christian Religion He was acknowledg'd and ador'd by the wise Men that came from the East Tho he was condemn'd by Pilate yet he was first acquitted by him he declaring that he found no fault in him at all John 18. 38. And his Wife sent to him when he was on the Bench to have nothing to do with that just Man Mat. 27. 19. When a Title was to be set over the Cross Pilate wrote Christ the King of the Iews and would not alter it tho he was told of it Iohn 19. 22. The Centurion who had at that time the Sheriffs place and was to see the Execution perform'd when he saw
what happen'd utter'd these words Truly this was the Son of God Mat. 26. 54. He being a Pagan did not mean that Christ the Person who then suffer'd was the Son of God by eternal Generation It is not the same Testimony with that of St. Peter concerning Christ of a Truth thou art the Son of God Mat. 14. 33. nor of the Disciples we believe that thou art Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16. 16. But he meant he was a brave and excellent Person a holy and good Man unworthy of that which he underwent one who had deserved nothing of what he suffered And that this is the meaning is plain from St. Luke who relateth this Passage of the Centurion thus certainly this was a righteous Man Luke 23. 47. So he explains St. Matthew Pliny a Heathen Governour under the Roman Emperour speaks honourably of the Christians and he hath left a particular Testimony of their fair and peaceable Demeanour as well as of their early Devotion in a Letter which he writ to Trajan The Publick Archives at Rome and the known Writings and Monuments of the Heathens preserv'd the Memory of many notable things relating to Christ. Therefore Tertullian in his Apologies for the Christians often appeals to these and bids them consult the Censual Tables and other publick Records which testify of those things In brief Profane History relateth many things of our Saviour his Person his Actions his Death the Prodigies that accompanied it the great Changes made by that Religion in the World and many other things appertaining to it of which I shall largely speak in another place Thus God directs the Hearts of Enemies to testify the Truth of the Gospel And certainly this sort of Testimony is very considerable and convincing The Confession of Adversaries is ever look'd upon as such this is deservedly thought to be authentick Nay I could proceed further and shew you that the Infernal Spirit who is emphatically stil'd the Adversary and hath shew'd himself the most implacable Enemy of Christ and his Cause hath yet born witness to the Truth of them Our Saviour is attested by Satan the Devils acknowledg and confess him to be the Son of God Mat. 8. 29. and at another time they confess they know who he is the Holy One of God Mark 1. 24. The very impure Daemons set forth the Praises of Christ's Followers Acts 16. 17. These Men say they are the Servants of the most high God who shew unto us the way of Salvation We read that one of the Pagan Oracles owned the Child Iesus and if that were true which some think that the Sibyls were acted by an Evil Spirit there is further proof that the Devil bears Testimony to the Holy Iesus and that that lying Spirit voucheth the Truth of the Gospel But here I must confess I have digressed and not observed the Bounds which I set my self for I propounded to speak only of Humane and Divine Testimony The former I hope I have finish'd to the satisfaction of sober and considerate Persons I have evinced the Truth of Christianity by all these Proofs and Evidences viz. by the attestation of our Senses by History by Tradition by Tongues and Pens by Speeches and Writings by the Church and the World by Friends and Enemies and by all things that prove any other Relations or give Evidence concerning any other matters of Fact So much concerning Humane Testimony which is able to create in us a Moral Certainty and the strongest Humane Faith imaginable and which is very serviceable to sit and prepare us for the Divine Testimony which I am next to speak of CHAP. XV. All the ways of Divine Revelation under the Mosaick Dispensation were made use of under the Christian one Voices The Testimony of Angels Visions Dreams The Holy Spirit The fulfilling of the Prophesies of the Old Testament is an irrefragable Argument of the Truth of the New Testament Prophesies concerning the Birth of our Saviour Isa. 7. 14. cleared from the Cavils of the Jewish Expositors It is shew'd how these Words may have reference to something in King Ahaz's Days and yet belong to Christ's Birth Prophesies in the Old Testament that relate to Christ's Life and Actions Others that refer to his Sufferings and Death Some that foretel his Resurrection and Ascension Other more general Predictions concerning him Several prophetick Passages concerning the Branch proved to be spoken of Christ. The Hebrew Word for the Branch is refer'd to in the New Testament The two Zacharies agree The Iews Objection viz. that the Messias was to be another kind of Person than what Jesus of Nazareth was answered Another Objection viz. that the Messias was to bring universal Peace answer'd A third Objection of the Iews viz. that their Sins have hindred the Messias's coming at the promised time answer'd The Objection raised from 2 Sam. 7. 13. removed by clearing the sense of the Text. Other extravagant Fancies concerning the Messias caus'd by their mistaking the Prophesies of the Old Testament concerning Christ's coming The Conclusion that all the Prophesies concerning the Messias are fulfil'd in Jesus and consequently are a demonstration of the Truth of Christianity IN the next place then the Christian Oeconomy and the whole Institution of the Gospel are confirmed by Divine Testimony We are certain that the Christian Religion is from God and consequently is undoubtedly true because it is attested 1. By all the ways of Divine Revelation used heretofore 2. By the fulfilling of all the Prophesies of the Old Testament 3. By the exerting of Miracles 4. By the strange and stupendous prevailing of the Gospel 5. By the Judgments which God inflicted on the Enemies of it First I will shew that by all the ways whereby God spoke under the Mosaick Dispensation he spoke likewise under the Christian one and this being after that it will at the same time convince the Iâ—ws that their Dispensation is abolished and confirm Christians in the belief of the Divine Authority of the Dispensation which they are now under The Revelations I say under the Gospel are of the same kind with those before I will reduce them to these following Heads 1. The Jews had their Bath Kol i. e. an Audible and Articulate Sound or Voice from Heaven and so have we Christians Our Saviour had this Divine Testimony thrice first at his Baptism Lo a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. 17. God the Father again by a Voice bore witness to him when he was on the Mount with Peter Iames and Iohn and was there transfigured Mat. 17. 5. Mark 9. 1. Behold a Voice out of the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him Of which you will find St. Peter speaking in Epist. 2. Ch. 1. v. 17. And thirdly at his Passion when he was praying to his Father there came a Voice from Heaven and testified that his
Revelation there is need of this help of the Spirit the internal Testimony of the Holy Ghost such a hidden but powerful Operation of that giver of all Grace whereby a firm Faith and certain perswasion of the Truth of those things are wrought in us For that we may be certain of Divine Truth first it is requisite that we be outwardly helped that we make use of Moral Arguments and Evidences that we attend to Reasons and Proofs that we weigh especially the several particular Testimonies in the Word of God the Scriptures of Truth These in a moral way will make it evident to the mind that this or that which is propounded to us is Divinely reveal'd and can proceed from no other but God But then besides these outward means we must have our minds inwardly illuminated by the Holy Spirit for it is this alone which can inable us effectually to see and discern the Light and to take the force of the Arguments which prove the several Truths and to turn the Moral Evidence into Divine Demonstration Lastly as I mention'd among the divers ways of Revelation under the former Dispensations the Divine Impulse whereby Persons were instructed and excited to undertake and atchieve great things so at the erecting of the Gospel there was not wanting this way of communicating the Divine will and pleasure By such an Impulse as this Christ himself whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple by this powerful Afflation his Apostles and Followers were stir'd up to do strange and extraordinary things several of which are mention'd in the Acts of the Apostles and many more in Ecclesiastical History which nothing but this Divine Motion could legitimate it being immediately from the Spirit whereby they were instructed as well as enabled to effect these wonderful things Secondly The next Divine Testimony of the truth and certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and Religion is the fulfilling of the Prophesies of the Old Testament which had respect to the New I have already in another place when I proved the Authority of the Holy Scriptures insisted upon the fulfilling of the Prophesies of the Old and New Testament as they are an attestation of the Truth of those Sacred Writings But at present I am to mention only the Prophesies of the Old Testament and among them only those that relate to the Messias and the circumstances which more nearly and peculiarly appertain to him And the producing of these and shewing how they were exactly fulfill'd will be a clear and demonstrative Argument of the Truth of Christianity For though Spinosa would perswade Men that all the Prophesies in the Bible were the mere result of a brisk Fancy that there was no foundation in the things themselves but that Imagination made all yet surely the bold and impious Man would not have gone so far as to have asserted that the actual fulfilling of the Prophesies is nothing but Fancy No certainly he could not have the face to deny that the completion of those Predictions is some real thing and not founded on Imagination For here is matter of fact which carries reality and certainty with it and therefore is a convincing proof not only of the Truth of those Prophesies but of Christianity it self This then is that which I will now enter upon The Prophets of the Old Testament speak frequently of the Messias they have described and characterized him nothing almost was done by Christ but they predicted it every particular act circumstance and accident of Importance that should happen about him was foretold Now all these were actually verified and fulfilled as namely what related to his Birth his Life his Death his Rising again First what related to his Birth as that Iohn Baptist should be his Forerunner and make way for him Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me Mal. 3. 1. And ch 4. v. 5. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. Compare these places with Mat. 11. 10 14 Mark 1 2 9. 11. Luke 1. 17 and 76. 7. 27. and you will not question their Accomplishment And the Birth it self and the Conception which was in order to it were plainly prophesied of many Ages before As that in Ier. 31. 22. is thought to be a Prophesy concerning the Conception of Christ the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth a Woman shall compass a Man Some indeed have interpreted it thus the Church tho weak as a Woman shall compass and besiege her Enemies and take them Captive But this is very flat and frigid especially if you observe the Preface to the Prediction the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth It is no new thing that the Church gets the better of her Enemies there are many Instances of this in the History of the Israelities So that something else is justly thought to be the meaning of the words And what should it be but this that Christ who was made of a Woman should be incompassed and shut up by her in her Virgin-Womb Her compassing a Man expresses the conception of him The word Sabab circumdedit agrees very well with it for the Mother encompasses round the Faetus with her Womb. And the Greek â—itly answers to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 1. 23. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1. 31. The plain meaning then is that a Woman Nekebah not Ishah one that is no Wife but a Virgin shall conceive a Man-child in her Womb. And the Woman here meant is the blessed Virgin Mary and the Man is Christ who is God and Man See Dr. Pâ—câ—ck in Not. Miscâ—l in Port. Mos. And this Interpretation is the more remarkable by reason of the Hebrew word which we here translate Man It denoteth not barely one of the Male kind in contradistinction to one of the other Sex but it properly signifies a Man of Power and Might and so it is fitly applied to the Messias who is Omnipotent Yea the antient Iews as Abarbinel one of their own Rabbins testifies understood by this word here God himself to whom Power more peculiarly and eminently belongs It is no wonder therefore that the Fathers of the Church generally interpret this place of the Virgin Mary bearing Christ in her Womb in which he may properly be said to be incompassed and infolded by her This was a new thing indeed there never was the like before nor shall ever be afterwards And therefore a worthy Writer is here to be blamed who unadvisedly saith the Iews might justly laugh at this Interpretation The Delivery and Birth of the Messias thus shut up in the Womb is expresly foretold in Isa. 9. 6. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder It is true some of the Jews say Hezâ—kiah is spoken of here but they are confuted hence that the Epithets here
were to no purpose they were an Inticement rather than a Discouragement to Christianity and that when they come to take a view they should find the numbers of Christians increas'd by their murdering of them for the Seed of this wonderful Increase is the Blood of Christians And another very excellently saith the Blood of the slain Christians is but the watering of the new Plants i. e. the new Converts to Christianity are daily increased and thrive by the bloody Persecutions which are rais'd against them Out of the Ashes of the dead Martyrs spring up new Advocates for Christianity And those elegant Words of another Author are very remarkable who speaking of the Persecution under Dioclesian saith thus At that time the whole World almost was dyed with the sacred Blood of Martyrs for they strove who should run fastest to those glorious Prizes Martyrdom by glorious ways of dying was more greedily courted in those days than Bishopricks are now hunted after with wicked Ambition The World was never more exhausted by all its Wars nor did we Christians ever conquer with more Triumph than when we could not be conquer'd by ten years bloody Persecutions Here is to be discern'd the Power and Efficacy of Christianity and from thence we may infer the Truth of it For as One saith well there is not a more powerful and convincing Testimony in the World of the Truth of Religion than dying for it And this is the Testimony which is abundantly given to Christianity Thousands of Martyrs have confirmed the Truth of it with their Blood And that Blood was the Advancement of Christianity this thriv'd and prospered upon it and Proselites were continually gain'd to it by their observing the patient Sufferings of the Servants of Jesus Thus it was even in the very beginning great multitudes of People flock'd to the Baptismal Waters and entred themselves into Christianity because they beheld the undaunted Courage of the Professors of it even at their dying hour and were moved thence to imbrace the Faith which they saw them so zealously maintain even unto death These were the baptized for the dead whom St. Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 15. 29. as I have shew'd in another place where I have proved that the words are meant of the Baptism of Water and that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render for is as much as because of or by reason of or for the sake of and consequently the genuine purport of the words is that several were converted to Christianity and were admitted into the Church by Baptism by reason of those Martyrs who died in defence of the Christian Cause They were so far from being discouraged that they were excited to Christianity by their beholding the deportment of the suffering Saints And thus it was afterwards the Blood of the Sufferers brought in great numbers of Converts to the Evangelical Faith and thereby the Cause of Iesus was mightily advanced They are remarkable words of one of the Antient Christians who was afterwards crowned with Martyrdom The Torments which the Pagans used faith he in hopes of preserving themselves and their Paganism entire were not only the cause of the destruction of Paganism but of the establishment of Christianity And in another place Do you not see saith he that the more numerous the Punishers are the more the number of others increases which appears to be a thing that is not a human Work but wholly from God and demonstrates his Power And certainly it is one of the greatest Proofs of the Verity of the Christian Religion and therefore is made use of by the generality of the Antient Fathers of the Church and particularly by St. Chrysostom in several places it is insisted upon and urged most pathetically that the Church was miraculously establish'd notwithstanding the universal Opposition it met with and that at last the Patience and Constancy of Christians made a final Conquest and gloriously triumphed over all Thus I have shew'd that the Vnlearned and Weak got the better of the Wise and Potent and we see the Truth of the Apostle's words God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise and weak things to confound the things that are mighty 1 Cor. 1. Christianity prevail'd against Policy and Power against the Wisdom of Statesmen against the Eloquence of Orators and the Sagacity of Philosophers against the Edicts of Princes the Decrees of Senates and the Forces of Emperors The more it was struck at the stronger it grew the more furiously it was opposed either by the inward Indisposition and Antipathy in Mens minds to receive it or by the outward Endeavours of the World to silence it the more did it prosper and flourish No Lawgivers could ever bring it to pass that other Nations should receive their Laws neither among Greeks nor Barbarians could this be done tho they endeavour'd what they could to effect it so Origen discourses in his Philocalia But the Laws of Christ were receiv'd by many Nations both Greeks 〈◊〉 Barbarians renounced their own Laws and 〈◊〉 and embraced the Institution and Discipline of our Blessed Saviour And altho the Sacred Script ures especially those of the New Testament which contain the Christian Laws were sought for by theâ— Emperors especially by Dioclesian as Eusebius who was an Eye-witness of it testifies and were brought into the Market-places and there committed to the Fire as Antioâ—â—us before labour'd to destroy the Writings of the Old Testament in the same manner and altho the Christians themselves were forced to deliver up their Bibles to be burnt yet these Hoâ—y Writings were not extinguish'd but were in many places preserved with great care and diligence and by the Providence of God kept out of the hands of those who design'd their utter extirpation Yea the more this Holy Book was hunted after by the Enemies of Christianity the more it was prized by the Christians the more its Divine Truths were admired loved and embraced And the more Christianity it self was depressed the higher it rose and lifted up its glorious Head above all its Persecutors In a word like some mighty River the more it was stopp'd in its course the higher it swelled and with its impetuous Waves carried all before it This wondrous prevalency of the Gospel against the Wit and Wisdom the Strength and Power of the World is a Divine Testimony of the Authority and Truth of Christianity and plainly shews that it is not the Device and Invention of Man but that it is from God and from him alone Fifthy Let me add the severe hand of God in remarkably markably punishing the Enemies of Christianity as another Divine Testimony to the Truth of it King Herod sirnaâ—ed the Great who sought for the young Child Iesus to dâ—stroy him and murder'd the Infants at Bethlehem for his sake felt a particular Judgment from Heaven upoâ— him for as Iosephus acquaints us he
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
by mere Opinion or by Matters of an indifferent Nature We live in an Age wherein Men talk and discourse much concerning Religion and yet the Generality of them have less Religion than any Age ever had Why Because they place Religion in Words and Pretences in some peculiar Sets of Opinions and in a meer external Shew of some Performances that relate to Devotion But in that happy Kingdom which we look for Substantial Religion will take place and the only Standard of it shall be True and Solid Piety Thirdly A greater Measure of Grace shall be bestowed on the Christian Church more of that Divine Spirit Not in the Sense that some mean that Extraordinary Gifs and Supernatural Endowments shall be confer'd and that the Outward Teachings of Man shall cease and become useless But I mean thus that the effectual Power of the Holy Spirit shall be seen in making Men better which indeed is the grand Design and Office of the Holy Ghost and therefore shall take Place in that happy Time The most admired and glorious Gifts are mean and base in respect of Real Goodness and Holiness i. e. a hearty Love of God and his Ways and an upright Life resulting from it Therefore we may infer that by a more abundant Communication of the Spirit these shall be advanced in the World In the Golden Age of Christianity there shall be a mighty Power and Efficacy on Mens Minds exciting them to worthy and noble Actions causing them to be zealous for Religion and to act with Vigour and Concernedness and to overcome all Difficulties that lie in their way and in a Word to design and bring to pass Great Things for the Honour of the Supreme Being and the Good of the World Fourthly IESUS shall then in a more eminent Manner be exalted his blessed Undertakings for our Redemption and Salvation his Merits and Perfect Righteousness shall be more than ever esteem'd admir'd and extoll'd This shall be a more especial Time of magnifying and celebrating the meritorious Transactions of our Lord Christ for the Saving of Mankind Which must needs produce a very high Degree of Holiness in Mens Lives for there is not a more genuine Source of it than the Consideration of what Christ hath done and suffer'd for us There is not a more effectual Spring of True Obedience nor a more powerful Motive to it than the Free and Unmerited Love of God the Father through his beloved Son Iesus Wherefore now the Reformed World shall exercise itself more and more in this true Way that leads to Purity and Holiness viz. a perpetual valuing and prizing the Grace of God in the Gospel through the Blood of the New Covenant This hath not been sufficiently done hitherto yea it hath been shamefully neglected in all Ages of Christianity Therefore now it shall be performed with great Zeal and Application by all the Inhabitants of the New Ierusalem Though their Works and Obedience shall exceed all that went before yet they shall not presume to rely upon them Though their Lives shall be more strict and blameless than ever yet they shall entertain no Opinion of their own Worthiness but confide wholly in the Spotless Obedience of the Lamb of God and they shall attribute all to Iesus and his Holy Spirit Lastly to heap up many Things together in those blessed Days there shall be no New Religion but New Hearts that is more enlightned more warmed and more sanctified There shall then be a continual Striving to excel one another in laudable and vertuous Actions Religion and Piety shall be Fashionable and Goodness and Holiness shall be esteemed most Honourable All Perfidiousness and Fraud all Lying and Falshood shall cease and Truth and Sincerity Integrity and Open-heartedness shall universally prevail Swearing will then be of little Use unless it be as a meer Act of Solemn Worship and owning a God for where there is no distrust of one another where 't is known that Persons deal Truly and Uprightly Oaths are not needful to attest or confirm what they say In those Days Men shall conciliate an assent to what they speak they shall perswade others of the Truth of what they assert or promise by plain Words and by an honest Life Briefly all-sinister and base Designs all unworthy Aims and vitious Ends shall be laid aside and the Glory of the Great God and of his Son Iesus Christ shall be the main Thing which shall influence upon their Lives If it be demanded How this great Change shall be wrought I answer It shall be done by the powerful Aids and Assistances of Heaven which shall be vouchsafed to Men in a very plentiful Manner Hereby they shall be inabled above their own Abilities and Strengths to subdne their Lusts to conquer their Vices and in the most exact manner to conform their Lives to the Rules of the Gospel If you further ask What outward instruments and Means God will make use of to accomplish this Great Work I conceive it shall be effected by Active and Zealous Governors For we cannot but take Notice that Persons of that Character have been raiâ—'d up continually in order to great Revolutions and Alterations in Church and State as is evident in the Examples of Cyrus Alexander the Great Constantiâ—â— the Great Charles the Great and the Electors of Saxony And in the beginning of our REFORMATION in this Land what strange Things did a Resolute and Couragious King bring to pass Much more may be effected here and all the World over by God's inspiring the Hearts of some Christian Kings and Princes with Valour and Resolution especially by adding Goodness and Holiness to these by blessing them with a real Sense and relish of Religion in their own Minds and Consciences Being thus qualified what is there too hard for them to accomplish What may not be expected from Governors of this Character Wicked Rulers are the greatest Mischief and Plague of the World and accordingly it hath been Satan's Stratagem throughout all Ages to procure such Magistrates as will abett and further his Design i. e. that will patronize all Vice and Wickedness and if it be possible establish it by a Law This hath been the Cause and Sourse of that horrid Deluge of Vice which hath broken in upon all Cities and Countries and miserably overspread them Therefore I infer that when God will vouchsafe to stem this mighty Torrent he will set up some Eminent Persons in High Places who by their powerful Laws as by so many Walls and Ramparts shall effectually stop its impetuous Course I question not in the least but that those Words in Rev. 20. 4. I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and Iudgment was given unto them refer partly to this they signify to us that Power and Authority which shall be at that time Evil-doers shall be call'd to an Account and punish'd according to their Offences and the Earth shall in a manner be cleared of all wilful and stubborn Criminals This
by what proper Methods and Arts we can Let us lay the Axe to that Root of Bitterness which hath spread it self among us and taken such hold of some Men's Earthly Natures Let us compose our selves into a quiet posture and effectually promote Peace and Good Will in the World Let us bring out and make use of our Juleps to check that fierce that Feverish Distemper which reigns among too many Let us endeavour by mild and cooling Applications to accommodate Differences to reconcile disagreeing Parties especially in Matters referring to Religion but so as not to betrary the Truth to allay all passionate Heats and to discountenance all wilful Authors of Division And as the Word Peace in Scripture signifies according to the Usage of the Hebrews all manner of Outward Blessings so here in the present Case it is to be taken in that comprehensive way In that Kingdom of Christ on Earth there shall no kind of Earthly Conveniences and Advantages be wanting which shall be useful to the great Ends and Purposes of that Blessed State But as for any other viz. such as are serviceable to Undue Pleasures to Lust and Wantonness to Vanity and Pride to Effeminacy and Luxury no Man of sober Thoughts can reckon them in the number of those Worldly good Things which the Pious shall hereafter enjoy And therefore we must condemn that Narrative which some have given of the Millennium as too sensual and fulsome But we may with Truth and Soberness assert this That there shall be a concurrence of all those things which render Men's Lives truly pleasant comfortable and joyful It is part of the Description of that Millennary Jubilee that they shall come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isai. 35. 10. And again Ch. 65. v. 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth which questionless is meant of this Glorious Renovation and might have been alledged among the other Texts as a Proof of it and then it follows I create Ierusalem a rejoicing and her People a ioy The voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice of crying v. 18 19. And if we go back to Ch. 9. v. 3. we shall find that this rejoicing and this joy shall be entire Thou hast multiplied the Nation and not increased the ioy i. e. heretofore Joy and Sorrow were mingled sometimes that Nation of the Jews was visited in Mercy at other times it tasted of God's Judgments They ioy before thee according to the ioy in Harvest and as Men rejoice when they divide the Spoil i. e. there was in the times past a Medley of Joy and Trouble of Gladness and Fear as in the Services of War and Harvest but when a Child shall be born to us when a Son shall be given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders v. 6. then there shall be Joy without any allay then there shall be such a perfect State that nothing shall be able to impair it I know most Interpreters expound the Place otherwise and make the Ioy in Harvest to be exceeding Great Joy surpassing all other But I crave leave to dissent from the common Exposition and to understand this Passage after the manner before-mentioned viz. that whereas heretofore they joy'd according to the Ioy of Harvest i. e. their Joys were mix'd with Hardships they were accompanied with Sweat and Toil And besides the Joy of Harvest doth not last long for the Husbandman as blith and cheary as he isâ— must soon return to his wonted Circle of Pains and Labour Whereas under the preceding Dispensations there was no Entire and Undisturbed Joy now it shall be otherwise there shall be a Continued and Uninterrupted Serenity without any dashes of a contrary Nature for as Christ's Government increases v. 7. so as it follows there the Peace i. e. the Success and Prosperity of it shall increase and have no end This is the Happiness of the Subjects of that Blessed Kingdom who are under the Sceptre of the Prince of Peace as he is stiled v. 6. This in general but more particularly the Safety and Security of their Habitations their Success in all their Labours and their lasting Fruition of them are mentioned as the Attendants of this Happy Time v. 21 22 23. They shall build Houses and inhabit them And they shall plant Vineyards and eat the Fruit of them Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands They shall not labour in vain c. These are the Blessings of that Adult State of the Church Farther there will be greater Strength and Soundness of Body than ordinarily I will not be positive that as in the first Ages of the World so now there will be some of a Gigantick Stature but this is not to be doubted of that there shall be bodily Strength and Vigour in an unusual degree It is one of the Privileges of the New Ierusalem for in the large and extensive sense it is spoken of that Place and State that the Inhabitants shall not say I am sick Isai. 33. 24. Many Exorbitancies before were frequently the Cause of Corporal Weakness and divers sorts of Maladies and Diseases But now those shall generally be removed and a sound and hale Temper shall be given them for their Bodies shall answer to their Souls The whole Tour of the Blood shall be laudably performed There shall be a due and regular Exercise of the natural vital and animal Functions And all Persons shall be healthful and vivacious brisk and sprightly This will be the more credible if we consider that the Curse brought upon the Earth by Adam's Fall and afterwards continued shall be revers'd The Soil every where shall become fertile and give its increase freely and plentifully and all the Fruits and Products of the Earth shall be not only numerous but wholesome God made all the Creatures Good at first as we expresly find in the repeated Approbation of this their Goodness Gen. 1. And they shall be Good at last for the World shall be restored to its Premitive State and the Earth it self shall be renewed And as for those Living Creatures which are Food for Mankind they shall arrive to greater degrees of Perfection than formerly and consequently shall yield more laudable and generous Nourishment than heretofore Besides that the continued Health of those Times will depend much upon the excellent Temper of the Air which shall then be agreeable to humane Bodies and have no ill Ferments from the continual Vicissitudes and Successions of too much Heat or too much Cold. To which may be added that the Heavenly influences as well as the Temper of the Earth shall be meliorated And so even in a literal sence there shall be New Heavens and a New Earth As the consequence of all this the People of those days shall be long-liv'd Which I gather from Isai. 65. 20. There shall be no