prevail'd with him to do as she did i. e. to violate the Commandment because she did so Which we may gather from those words of his Gen. 3. 12. The Woman whom thou gavest to be with me and to be my other-self she gave me of the Tree and I did eat For tho he did ill in laying his Fault and transferring his Guilt on the Woman thereby only to excuse himself yet thus far we may believe him that he was drawn into this transgression by her whom God had given unto him His passionate regard to her betray'd him to this folly Thus this desire of his Eyes was one occasion of his misery By the Inchantments and Sollicitations of a Woman Man was first ruin'd Whilst he was alone he did well but when he saw so fair and Image he was tempted to fall down to it and to comply with it and to forget himself and his duty This was the Origine of Adam's prevarication the sensitive part was too powerful Pleasure betray'd him and ever since all Mankind the animal and sensual Life gets the better of the Divine 3. Another previous Sin of our first Parents was a being dissatisfied with their condition and an ambitious desiring to know more and to become greater It was a vile compound of Curiosity Discontent and Pride yea this latter seems to have the predominancy whence it was the determination of one of the Antient Fathers that Adam and Eve's first Sin by which they fell was Pride The Devil inveâ—gled them with telling them that their Eyes should be opened and that they should know Good and Evil nay that they should be as Gods in knowledg and perfection Gen. 3. 5. This was no mean incentive to the breach of the Divine Law tho indeed it was a strange solecism and absurdity and it is an strange that our first Parents should not observe it viz. that they should be like God by breaking his Law This was an arrant piece of Nonsence and yet it was swallowed the vehement desire of seeing having blinded them their inordinate longing after Wisdom rendring them so foolish and sottish Their affection of Knowledg and their vain Ambition ruined them Their desire to arrive to the Partners with God Almighty made them forget they were his Creatures Their wishing to be Gods made them become like Beasts which perish as you shall hear afterwards Yea their desire to be like Gods made them too like unto Devils The 4 th Sin which made way for their actual violating God's Command was Vnbelief God had himself told him that in the day they eat of the forbidden Fruit they should surely die Gen. 2. 17. But Satan comes and conâ—ronts this and tells them Yâ— shall not surely die Gen. 3. 4. Whereupon they give credit to this Tempter and disbelieve what God had said They attend not to the Divine Threatnings but listen to the Devil's Promises of Impunity They believe the Father of Lies but what the God of Truth saith is none of their Creed This was the cursed Infidelity which was the forerunner of the actual breaking of the Divine Command Thus you may be convinc'd that tho the eating the forbidden Fruit may at first sight seem to be a small matter a kind of venial Fault and some vain Men have labour'd to represent it as such yet upon a particular and narrow view of it and by reason of the Circumstances that attend it it was a most grievous and horrid Crime That Sin which was usher'd in with so many vile Harbingers must needs be a capital Offence Besides the greatness of the Transgression must be esteem'd and measur'd by the Authority of the Lawgiver we must consider not so much what was forbid as who forbad it God their Creator and Father who had absolute Power and Command over them God who knew best how to govern them and what was most for their real Good and Advantage God who required the observance but of a small and easy thing ought to have been obey'd with all exactness Adam and Eve had no Father but God how just and reasonable then was it that they should express all Duty and Obedience to him that they should observe his Laws and not dare to break the â—east Command of his that they should do nothing without his order and never listen to any that would attempt to withdraw them from their duty but that they should continually live in a sense of their dependence upon him that they should call upon him trust in him honour and worship him only that they should strive to walk worthy of the singular Favours they had receiv'd from him and that they should endeavor to persevere in their Innocence and Integrity and to continue in that blessed State wherein God had created them And as for the Matter of the Sin the letter and lighter it is the greater is the Sinner's contempt of God This inhances his Fault that he preferreth so slight a thing before God's Will and Pleasure that he regardeth not the Divine Anger tho it be so easy to avoid it Here we may say as Cicero doth in defence of the Stoicks Paradox viz. that all Sins are alike The Matter is small but the Fault is great Yea I may add the latter is the greater because the former is so small The Sin of Adam and Eve was the more grievous and inexcusable because it was in so little a matter as the bare tasting of the Fruit of a Tree Which was a thing they had no temptation to if we consider that the whole Garden of Fruit was before them and there was but one single Tree only forbidden them But it seems all the rest were insipid without this no Tree will so content them as the forbidden one There was no Fruit so desirable as this and it is likely this had not been desired if it had not been forbidden This argues great perversness and obstinacy and consequently aggravateth their Sin and senders their Offence very heinous Say not then the eating of the Fruit of a Tree is a light and inconsiderable thing So it might be said Lot's Wise did only look back to see the miserable ruin of the place she lived in What! might she not look behind her It was out of pity that she did this Did this deserve so sore a Punishment Abraham look'd on Sodâ—m in its flames and was not punish'd It was not criminal in him to do so Why then was it in this poor Woman The plain Answer is this that there are many things from whence Actions are denominated Good or Evil. They are sometimes reputed so by God according to the intrinsick Causes and Reasons of them sometimes also according to their good or evil Adjuncts but at all times according to the Will and Command of God allowing or disallowing of such Actions By these we must judg of Lot's Wife 's Sinâ— Out of an immoderate love of the City which had been the place of her abode or
and add what he thought was left out saith not one word concerning these Fourthly These Precepts are all of them the Laws of Nature or most easily reducible to them They are Prohibitions against Injustice Blasphemy Idolatry Uncleanness Bloodshed Rapine All which are general Dictates of Nature and Reason and written in man's Mind originally Therefore it may be remembâ—red that these Precepts obtain'd not only among the Hebrews but among all Nations whatsoever It is not likely then that God did orally deliver these to the Patriarchs before the Flood for in that early time of the World it was not requisite Tho afterwards some of thesâ— Precepts were given to Noah viz. after the corruption and gross degeneracy of the People of the Old World and when a New World of Men was to be set up And tho these and the like Precepts were made up afterward into Ten Commandments and given to the Iews i. e. when the World was more corrupted and the Dictates of Reason and Morality were almost lost and when it was as necessary to rouse mens Minds and to keep Religion from decaying and when God was erecting a New Oâ—conomy and chusing a peculiar People to himself tho in these Circumstances the giving of such Precepts was necessary yet now in the Patriarchs days there was no need of delivering them they having them fresh on their minds There is no ground then for us to credit the Hebrew Doctors when they tell us that those six Precepts were deliver'd solemnly to the Sons of Adam It is only a Tradition of the Iews and of what truth and reality their Traditions generally are is known to those who are sober and unprejudiced Persons they are usually mere Fancies and Conceits Dreams and Dotages Lies and Forgeries Thus you see how it went with the World from Adam to the Flood which is reckon'd to be about sixteen hundred Years You see how the State of Religion stood what Communications the World had from God And here by the way I cannot but take notice of the groundless assertion of that Socinian Writer who declares That before the Flood there was no General Precept given to Men by God they had only some Injunctions which appertain'd to certain particular Persons and particular Affairs Nor had they any general Promise made to them he saith Episcopius is more large telling us That they lived almost 2000 Years without any Law without any Promises without any Precepts from God And he further adds That the Religion from Adam to Abraham was merely Natural and had nothing but Right Reason for its Rule and Measure All which are mistaken Notions for from what hath been deliver'd concerning this Oeconomy before the Flood it is evident that there was a Divine Prâ—cept which was general concerning Sacrifices and there was a Promise and that a general one concerning the Blessed Seed and there were other Laws and Prescriptions besides those that were founded on mere Reason for it appears that this Antediluvian Dispensation was mixt partly guided by the Light and Law of Nature partly by Revelation Religion consisted both of Natural Principles and Positive Commands These were all along interwoven with one another Thus the Old World was govern'd In which Period there were these ten Patriarchs who were all long-liv'd but one Adam was the first who when Abel was dead begat Seth whose Son was Enosh who begat Cainan and he Mahalalel and this Iared whose Son was Enoch who was translated Then Methusalaâ— the longest liver of them all Adam and he took up all the time between the Creation and the Flood then Lamech not he of that Name who was of Cain's Race and Noah was the last of the ten Antediluvian Fathers CHAP. IV. The Noachical Oeconomy The first Positive Law under it was about eating of Flesh. It is proved that this prevail'd not till after the Flood Objections against it answer'd The Testimony of Pagans to confirm it The Reason of the Prohibition The second Positive Law was concerning not eating Flesh with the Blood The Reason of it The third Positive Law was concerning not shedding of Man's Blood With the Penalty of it And the Sanction of Magistracy Servitude not introduced under this Dispensation The Longevity of the Patriarchs was common to all in those Times The Months and Years were of the same length then that they are now They were Solar not Lunar Years The Causes of the long Lives of those that lived before the Flood The Abrahamick Oeconomy With its several Steps and Advances The Nature of the Covenant made with Abraham Now the Faithful were separated and distinguish'd from the rest of the World Why they are called Hebrews The Nature and Design of Circumcision Vnder this Dispensation Altars were erected Tithes paid c. Of Polygamy and Concubines and other Vsages THE Second Patriarchal Dispensation or the Noachical Oâ—conomy began in Noah's days and lasted till Abraham Immediately after the Flood the Covenant which was made with our first Parents was renewed to Noah the Law of Grace which had been given to them was now confirmed to this eminent Person and to the â—est of Mankind in him and the â—ow in the Cloud was made a Sign of the Covenant Gen. 9. 9. It is to be believ'd that a farther discovery of the Mâ—ssias was made to Noah tho the Sacred History saith nothing of it But this is expresly recorded that this renewing and confirming of the Dispensation of Grace were accompanied with some positive Institutions and Laws which were an addition to those that were before given to Adam These are the things which make the difference between this and the former Oâ—conomy The first Positive Law was concerning â—ating of Flesh. Evâ—ry moving thing that liveth shall bâ— Meat for you Gen. 9. 3. The discrimination of Meats is taken away and Flesh is granted to be eaten and indeed there was a necessity of it at that time because the Fruits of the Earth were destroy'd by the Flood Before the Delugâ— there was not a liberty given to eat Flesh for they were limited by that Injunction in Gen. 1. 29. which appoints Herbs and Fruits to be their Meat God said Bâ—hâ—ld I have given you every Hâ—rb bearing Sâ—â—d which is upon the Face of all the Earth and every Tree in thâ— which is the Fruit of a Tree yielding Seed to you iâ— shall bâ— for Meat Here is the Lex Cibaria Man is confined as to his Diet Herbs and Fruits are appointed his Food and no other But now this Restraint is taken off by the same hand that laid it on and God permitâ— Noah and his Posterity to eat Flesh as well as Herbs But yet it is a Controversy among Writers whether eating of Flesh was granted just after the Flood and was altogether prohibited before The Hebrews generally say that the People before the Deluge fed only upon what the Earth produced and abstain'd from all living Creatures Most of the Christian Fathers hold
the truest saith he They were Fabulous Poets and Dissenting Philosophers that were the Authors of Gentilism but both of them are ridiculous whereas the Doctors and Authors of Christianity are Prophets divinely inspired and those even in the first Ages of the World That the Christian Religion is the First and most Antient is designedly shew'd by Eusebius in his Evangelical Preparation and again in his Ecclesiastical History he maintains that the way of Religion and Piety preached by Christ was no Neâ— and Strange thing More particularly it is maintain'd by 〈◊〉 that Abraham's Faith and Ours is the same and this is asserted by other Fathers Christianity was on foot always in the Woâ—ld It was not only under the Dispensation of the Law but it was the Religion of the Old Patriarchs and of those before the Flood and of our First Parents for the Christian Religion is the Revelation of God's Will concerning the Redeeming and Saving of Man by Christ Iesus Now this Religion was in being presently after the Fall of Adam Then and ever afterwards there was no way of Salvation but this viz. by Jesus the Messias Indeed we may in some Sense say it was all along a Gospel-Dispensation This is that which was from the Beginning 1 Joh. 1. 1. The Truths of Christianity which the Apostles preach'd were the first Truths The Doctrine and Duties taught in the New Testament are the same in substance which were deliver'd to the Servants of God in the most Antient Ages Secondly tho the Christian Dispensation agrees with the foregoing Dispensations of Grace as to the main yet it differs from them all and more especially from the Mosaick and Legal Oâ—conomy as to sundry things As Loving our Brethren is said by St. Iohn to be an Old Commandment and yet a Nâ—w One so the Gospel Dispensation is both Old and New in different respects I have shew'd in what respect it is the former now I will make it appear also that it is the latter i. e. that it differs on several accounts from the former ones 1. It differs as to the Authâ—r Not as if there were another Author but this I mean that the Author was not the same in 〈◊〉 respect i. e. he was not Incarâ—ate before The Son of God was not then the Son of Man he had not assumed 〈◊〉 This 〈◊〉 therefore is New and Peculiar on the account of Christ's Incarnation He now appear'd in Human shape It is worth our notice that this Appearing of Christ is signally and eminently call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dispensation by the Antient Christians Sometimes it is barely stiled so and at other times with some Additions as the Dispensation according to the flesh the Dispensation of the Word according to Man the human Dispensation the Dispensation of the Manhood the Dispensation of the Mediator the Glorious Saving Dispensation Bâ—iefly not only Christ's Incarâ—ation but the whole Mystery of our Redemption by him and whatever he was pleas'd to submit and condescend to in his human Nature â—or the good of Mankind is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greek Fathers and is said to be understood and taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And some of the Latin Fathers likewise may be observed to use the word Oeconomia in this Emphatical way as Hilary in his 9th Book of the Trinity and 't is said by St. Ierom that the Hereâ—icâ— Apollinaris introduced the half Oeconomy of Christ i. e. he did in a manner deny the Assumption of the human Nature in Christ. And you may further remark that this word is very singularly applied to the Administration of the Gospel by St. Paul in several places which was the occasion it is probable of the Fathers using it in that way he calls this the Dispensation of the fulness of Time Eph. 1. 10. The Mystery of Salvation was decreed by God from Eternity but he chose out a fit and convenient opportunity to dispense and exert his Eternal Counsels and this is here in an eminent manner call'd the Dispensation in the full and complete time The Apostle also calls it the Dispensation of the Grace of God Eph. 3. 2. and the Dispensation of God Col. 1. 25. and barely a Dispensation 1 Cor. 9. 17. It is no wonder then that Christ's Coming in the flesh is more emphatically call'd the Dispensation and the Incarnate Dispensation which makes it a peculiar One and different from all the rest 2. It differs from all other Dispensations because now is the Actual Performing and Fulfilling of that which was only foretold and promised under the other Oeconomiâ—s The Law was a shadow of things to come Col. 2. 17. The Hebrews have no Present Tense the Iewish Dispensation look'd forward to what was to be accomplish'd aftâ—â—wards But the Christian Dispensation looks backward and hath an eye to what is alâ—eady done and finished The Saints before the time of the Gospel were saved by Christ that was to come but the Saints since are saved by Christ that is already come There is this different Aspect in these Dispensations 3. The Evangelical Administration is distinguish'd from the others as to this that they were dark and â—bscure but this is plain and clear they abounded with mere Shadows and Representations but this presents us with a distinâ—t knowledg of the things themselves which were shadowed forth The Salvation by Christ and his whole Undertaking Birth Life and Death were obscurely and mystically delivered under the Law It is granted that that Proposition of St. Peter There is no other Name under heaven given among men whâ—reby wâ— must be saved was no less true before the Birth and Coming of Christ in the flesh than it is now since his Coming but it was not so manifestly reveal'd as it is since God led Israel by a Cloud they were entertain'd with Shadows mystical and dark Representations that is they were undiscernable by the vulgar sort of Persons who had not time or opportunity to search into them and whose minds are taken up with gross and inferiour matters And as for those Holy and Good Men amongst them who saw through these Shadows and grasp'd at the very Substance they could not at that distance understand the things concerning the Messias which we now have a perfect notice of The Mosaick Rites were but an imperfect delineating of that which the Gospel gives us a lively Pourtray of Which is the meaning of that 〈◊〉 of the Evangelist The Law waâ— by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. The gracious Dispensation of the Messias under the Gospel is a True Real and Substantial thing opposed to the Mosaick Shadows and Resemblances Thus you will find Truth opposed to Typâ—s and Figures in Dan. 7. 16 19. Heb. 8. 2. 9. 24. Truth then came by Jesus Christ not as Truth stands in opposition to Falshood and Lies but to Types and
cogent Reasons to perswade us that they truly and faithfully delivered down to us those things This I will make good from the Consideration 1. Of the Persons that transmitted these things 2. Of the Evidence of the Cause First as to the Persons I will consider both their Lives and their Deaths Their Lives are sufficient proofs of their Integrity in delivering the Scriptures of the New Testament to us and of their confident belief of the Truth of all that is contain'd in them The Primitive Christians lived after another rate than we do now They did not wrangle and quarrel as we do they did not â—ight and devour one another as the manner of too many is of latter times but they were remarkable for their mutual Love and Concord for their Humility Meekness and Condescension to one another and they were admired for their Gravity Sobriety Self-denial and Patience they were eminent for their Piety towards God and their Innocent and Righteous dealing with all Men. The Ministers practised what they preached and the People were ambitious to imitate their Preachers and both were singularly Good and Virtuous This was it which gain'd so many Proselytes to Christianity in those first times this brought them to a perswasion of the Truth and Reality of Christ's Doctrine Therefore when Origen had excellently proved the Truth of Christianity to Alexander Severus that noble Emperor ingenuously confessed that he was more convinced of the Truth of that Religion by the humble and loving carriage of Christians than by all Origen's Arguments The exemplary and blameless Conversation of those Primitive Professors argued that the Doctrine and Principles of their Religion were real and certain For how can it enter into any sober Mans thoughts that such holy and upright Men true followers of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ would have constantly confessed and owned the Christian way unless they had been throughly convinced of the Truth of it and that it was the very same which was confess'd and acknowledg'd by the Apostles themselves These Holy and Godly Men made Conscience of a Lie and counted it a heinous Crime to falsify yea they esteem'd it no less than a damnable Sin to disbelieve or misreport those things concerning Christ and the Christian Doctrines They were really perswaded in their Minds that their Salvation lay at stake that their Eternal Welfare or Everlasting Ruin were concern'd in these things And can you imagin then that they would report them falsly and impose upon the World by delivering things which were counterfeit Again as the Lives so the Suffering and Death of the Saints in the Primitive Days and in the succeeding Ages are an undeniable Argument of the Truth of what was deliver'd to them and of what they conveyed to us They underwent the most exquisite Pains and Torments with ineffable Courage and Constancy and nothing could prevail with them to renounce the Christian Religion insomuch that when the Pagan Adversaries in those days would express any thing to be impossible they did it thus Ye may sooner make the Professors of Christ quit their Mastersâ— Doctrine This was a thing not to be effected for those Persons first of all forsook their worldly Goods and then parted with their Lives to hold fast their Religion This patient Suffering and undaunted Dying of so many thousands is an unquestionable Proof of the Truth of Christianity For those enlightned and sanctified Men would never lay down their Lives to maintain a Falshood and to perpetuate a Lie No they knew whom they believed in and for whom they suffer'd and that made them so couragious We may conclude then that the Christian Doctrine is confirm'd by the Blood of those Worthy Men those expiring Saints did testify the Truth of Christianity and therefore they are stiled Martyrs Secondly The Evidence of the Cause is an impregnable Argument of the Reality and Truth of these things which I am speaking of There is this following heap of Evidences 1. A great Presumption arising from just Causes and Circumstances yea and from a multiplicity of them which in all Courts of Judicature is of considerable weight and value with understanding Judges This first but lowest sort of Evidence the Christian Church since our Saviour hath not been destitute of for there were never higher Presumptions in any Cause under Heaven than there were in this But we need not mention this when we have 2. The Notoriety of the Facts i. e. when the things in trial are openly and commonly known when they are avouched by publick Fame and the universal Vogue of Men. And that this was the case of Christianity ever since Christ left the Earth cannot be denied by any Man of Modesty and Truth 3. The Succession of Christians and Churches in the World is a plain Proof that they verily believed those things which made them Christians and Churches Hereupon they deliver'd to us those Writings which they receiv'd from the Hands of the Evangelists and Apostles by their transmitting them to Posterity they shew that they believe them to be sacred and certain Verities 4. The Succession of Bishops and Pastors is an other Evidence for it was their Office to read publickly the Scriptures of the New Testament and to preach the Doctrines contain'd in them and consequently to own them to be Truth which is a good Motive to us to do the same 5. The frequent Disputes which Christians in all Ages have held with those who opposed the Scripture and Christianity are no mean Testimony in this Cause 6. To these may be added the famous Writings of the Christians in the several Centuries their Apologies Dialogues Sermons Homilies Orations Commentaries Histories All which proclaim their serious and firm Belief of what they have convey'd down to us 7. All Christian Churches have deliver'd to us certain Symbols or Articles of Belief which they reckon'd to be the Standards of Evangelical Faith and Truth 8. The Constant Communion of the Church and the publick Worship of God in the solemn Assemblies of Christians ever since the days of the Apostles the setting apart a Day for that Worship the reading of the Scriptures at such times the instructing the People out of them the celebrating the Lord's Supper the constant custom of openly rehearsing and proâ—essing the Christian Belief the Prayers and Praises offer'd to God in the name of Christ the yearly Commemoration of the Birth Death and Resurrection of our Saviour the Sacrament of Baptism which acknowledgeth the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 9. The sundry Decrees and Canons of Synods and Councils held in the Christian Churches Lastly the many Laws and Edicts of Christian Emperours and Princes in defence and confirmation of our most holy Religion These and all the rest before-named are clear Proofs and Evidences that the Evangelical Writings which contain the Doctrine and Actions of our blessed Lord were rightly and truly convey'd to us and that we are in possession of the same Faith and
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