and imperfect Delineations of that compleat Frame of Religion which the Messias was to introduce This was the thing designed all along the Ritual and Ceremonial Law with all its external Rites tended to this pure and uncorrupted Model of Religion It was appointed that the Law should adumbrate the Gospel that that Oeconomy should prefigure this Therefore the Apostle saith the Law was our School-master to bring us to Christ which shews the inferiour Nature of the Law and that it was to indure but for a time for the Authority of a School-master over those whom he teacheth is but Temporary The legal Pedagogy was to cease and Christ was to be the end of the Law to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. It is then evident from the Premises that the Iewish Law is disannul'd for when the Reason of a Law ceases that is sufficient to change the Law because as it commenced upon Reason so when that is taken away the Law it self is abolish'd also This is the present Case the Ceremonial Rites and Types were designed to represent and foresignify Christ and the Evangelical Benefits Wherefore Christ being come and having brought with him those Benefits the former mystical Representations and Figures ought to have a Period So that the Reason and Occasion of these Ceremonious Observances being removed this is sufficient to repeal and reverse those Laws especially when you consider that Christ's Miracles of which I shall speak afterwards were plain Evidences of God's Intention to repeal the Law But to close this Point we are not destitute of a Formal Abrogation of the Jewish Laws for such we may justly reckon our Saviour's Words to be in Iohn 4. 21 23. The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth Where first he acquaints us that the publick Worship of God shall not be restrain'd to one particular place which very thing is a cancelling of the Mosaick Law which gave Directions chiefly concerning the Temple-Worship They shall not saith he be confined to Mount Gerizim where the Samaritans had fix'd the Seat of their worshipping or to Mount Ephraim in Samaria where Shiloh was the place where the Tabernacle and Ark rested from the beginning of Ioshua's time till Samuel nor shall they be confined to Ierusalem whither the Tabernacle was afterwards brought and at length converted into a Temple nor in any other place exclusively shall Men worship God but every Place and Country shall be alike and God shall have Worshippers in every part of the World This utterly makes void the Iewish Ceremonial Service which was tied to a certain place And our Saviour adds this which doth yet further evacuate it that the Worship under the Gospel must be in Spirit and Truth in contradistinction to the legal Worship which was made up of carnal Ordinances and mere Shadows and Types which were but Representations of that which is true and real Thus he plainly erases and abolishes the Mosaick Service and calls those that worship God in the Evangelical Manner the true Worshippers Again the greatest part of the Epistle to the Hebrews is a direct and downright repealing of it Nay we want not the formal Words of Abrogation as in Heb. 7. 18 19. There is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before i. e. the Legal and Iudaical Oeconomy which he calls a carnal Commandment ver 16. for the Weakness and Unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect Here is an express disannulling of the Mosaick Law And moreover the Reason of it is rendred viz. because it was weak and imperfect and had little Power to amend and reform Mens Lives You will find it also formally repeal'd in Heb. 8. 7 8 13. where the Apostle treating of the Old and New Covenant by which he means the Law and the Gospel as I have before shew'd he thus concludes If the first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have ben sought for the second For finding fault with them he saith Behold the Days come saith the Lord when I will make a New Covenant c. In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first Old Now that which decayeth and waxeth Old is ready to vanish away or according to the Greek it is near to vanishing Certainly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaks as much if not more than Abrogating And in another plâ—ce where he speaketh of the legal Worship which consisteth chiefly in Sacrifices and Offerings for Sin and not in inward Holiness and sincere doings of God's Will which is the Evangelical Service he applieth the Psalmist's or rather our Saviour's words Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not Then said I Lo I come to do thy Will this is infer'd that he taketh away the first that he may establish the second i. e. the Messias abolisheth the Iudaical Service that the may set up and perpetuate the Evangelical one It can then be no longer questioned whether the Iewish Law was abrogated and that in formal and express Terms Those carnal Ordinances as the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 10. were imposed upon them only until the time of Reformation i. e. of the Gospel When that came they were made void null and dead And this Epistle to the Hebrews seems to be the Sermon which St. Paul preached at their Funeral or the Office of Burial on that occasion Here is Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust a fatal Period put to the Iudaical Rites the Law interred and intombed never to rise again but the Gospel springs out of those Ashes a new and a more noble Dispensation succeeds in its room And thus I have abundantly proved what I undertook that the Law of Moses consisting in Ceremonies was not to continue but was in time to be nulled and dissolved and that by the coming of Christ they are accordingly nulled dissolved and abrogated Hitherto I have in a more remote manner proved the Certainty and Authority of the Evangelical Oeconomy and consequently of Christianity it self But now I will approach nearer and proceed to a more positive and particular Proof of the Authority of the Gospel-Dispensation Christ succeeds Moses the Gospel follows the Law but quo jure There must be as great Testimony for the one as there was for the other or else it cannot be received on good Grounds Let us see then how this Dispensation will acquit it self There are two kinds of Evidence Humane and Divine the Testimony of Man and the Testimony of God The first creates a humane Faith the second a divine one in us Both of these we have in the present Matter First we are furnished with Humane Testimony i. e. we are assured of the Truth of the Christian Religion by a sufficient number of credible Persons who have been either Ear or Eye-witnesses or both of all the Transactions relating to
with Mankind in the beginning of the World when Adam was their Representative And it is certain that he could not transgress it unless he had first agreed to it And this is abundantly clear from the Epistles of St. Paul which frequently have reference to this very thing And the Truth of this may be too manifestly gather'd from the miserable Effects and Consequences of it which we now experience This Covenant then and this Dispensation to which it belongs extend to all Mankind As being in Adam they were all indued with the Divine Image they were all possess'd of Life and Happiness and might have so continued unless they had in him fallen from their Primitive Integrity Hitherto Man was in honour Psal. 49. 12. being created in God's Image he was placed in Paradise he was possess'd of all manner of Felicity and he might have perpetuated it to himself and his Posterity This is the first State of Man viz. that of Innocence which constitutes the first Dispensation CHAP. II. The Nature of the Second General Dispensation The several particular Ingredients of the First Sin Its Aggravations from the Matter of it What kind of Creature the Serpent was whom the Devil made use of in seducing our first Parents It was not a firy flying Serpent but an ordinary one Wherein the Subtilty of this Animal consisted That Adam and Eve fell not on the same day in which they were made is proved from Scripture and Reason The dreadful Effects of the Fall which related to themselves Others which belong'd not only to them but to their whole Race Death was the Penal Consequence of the First Defection The Inward and Spiritual Evils that attended it are enumerated How Man became like the Beasts Eternal Death the Fruit of his Apostacy The Penalty inflicted on the Serpent Not only our First Parents but all Mankind were under this Second Dispensation THE second General Dispensation is the State of Sin and Infelicity viz. from Adam's Fall till he was Restored and Recover'd This State is doubly express'd by the Psalmist Man understood not but became like the Beasts The first represents his Sin and Fall the second the Effects of it So here are both his Fault and his Penalty As among Philosophers there is Physiology which is the considering of Bodies in their natural Temper and there is Pathology which is the consideration of Man's Body as fallen into a state of Disease so in Divinity we distinctly treat of these two the State of Innocence the primitive temper of Mankind and the State of Corruption which is a degeneracy from that first Temper and Constitution Des Cartes imagines this Earth of ours to have been once a glorious Sun but afterward to have sunk into another Vortex and to be overcast with Spots and Scum and so to move slowly and to be what it now is It is certain that Man the best Creature on Earth was once a bright and glorious Being and moved in a high Sphere and cast a most ravishing Light He had the Image of God and the Characters of Divine Wisdom impress'd upon him but he soon lost his Primitive Light and Lustre he forsook his Station and was absorp'd into darkness and overspread with Sin and Misery I begin first with Adam's Sin and here I must enquire into these two things 1. What this Sin was 2. Who were the Instruments of it As to the Sin it self it was no other than this Whereas God had commanded our first Parents that they should not eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil they wilfully despised that Command and took of the forbidden Fruit and did eat of it This was the Sin of Adam and Eve and the first Sin that ever was in the World But this I must insert that there were many undue Inclinations and vitious Dispositions in their Souls which made way for this actual and external Transgression and may be said to be parts and ingredients of this Sin and which are also great Aggravations of their Crime 1. Man being in Honour understood not which may signify that ignorance and senslesness which they had contracted by non-attention They consider'd not what Honour and Dignity they had and so discerned not what was their proper Duty in that State Incogitancy was the first rise and occasion of the Fall of our first Parents saith the profound Dr. Iackson and that very rightly And before him St. Chrysostom had determin'd in the like manner for he holds that Negligence was the first Fault they grew heedless and careless not reflecting on their state and circumstances not duly thinking what they were and what they ought to do thence arose their transgression 2. Sensuality was the previous cause of the first Apostacy The sight of the Fruit excited the Woman's Appetite When she saw the Tree was good for Food and that it was pleasant to the Eyes she took of the Fruit thereof and did eat Gen. 3. 6. And she might easily prevail with her Husband to do so too whilst he perhaps was as much taken with her Beauty as she was with that of the Fruit. There have been several Conjectures about the rise of the first Transgression and I am now presenting the Reader with them but if I should say that Lust among other Incentives was the first spring of it I think no considerate Man can disallow what I propound For tho the new-married couple were created without any tincture of sinful Concupiscence yet God had planted in them those natural Inclinations which were proper and sutable to the Conjugal State Tho these were unpolluted and void of all Vice yet God had placed the Possessors of them in such a mutable State and had endued them with such Powers and Faculties both of Soul and Body that they might make use of them to good or evil as they pleas'd And accordingly they enclined to the latter and turn'd the concupiscible part into that which was evil and vicious and so their innocent Propensions to one another were chang'd into lustful Amours and their mutual desires and complacencies occasion'd by the force of each others Beauty became instrumental to that Sin which we are treating of With Adam more especially this had a great sway for his Wise was a very fair and lovely Creature and it is probable that he look'd on her more than on the Fruit. This was not so fair as she that handed it to him and therefore he was more in love with her than with that because he saw a brightness in that Face which was more charming than what the Tree afforded But yet he had a love to this for the sake of the other and thereupon the uxorious Man after several fits of reluctancy we may suppose resolv'd to gratify his Spouse being beguil'd by her Beauty and by that amorous propension which it had produc'd in him he could deny her nothing Or to speak in more general terms his entire love and affection to her
Pagans had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men appointed on purpose for the carrying of their Ark. Every one was not permitted to be employ'd in that sacred work yea they chose persons of the highest Rank among them to execute this worthy Office Thus the bearing of the Ark among the Israelites was the work of those who were Consecrated to that Employment and were of the Levitical Race which was esteemed most Worthy and Noble 6. Both sorts of Arks agree in their Use and principal End which was to contain the sacred things belonging to God and Idols As the Pagans Ark held their magical Instruments Diabolical Utensils and prophane Knacks and Trumpery even so and just so God appointed his Ark to hold and preserve the Tables of the Law Is not this playing with Holy Things The very exposing these particulars is I think Confutation sufficient The Second Parallel is between the Egyptian Images and the Cherubims 1. Saith he those Images were held to be the most sacred things among that people so the Iews God's people knew nothing more Sacred and August than the Cherubinical Images 2. The Images of Egypt were generally made of Gold In imitation of which the Cherubims were of the same costly matter 3. The Egyptians all the time of their Worship cast their eyes on their Images In like manner the Iews look'd towards the Cherubins whenever they pray'd or sprinkled the Blood of the Sacrifices 4. The Egyptian Images were the Seat or Throne of their Gods from whence they gave Answers to those who came to inquire of them after which Example God placed his Royal Seat or Throne between the Cherubins and from thence he gave forth Answers to Moses whenever he came to consult upon great occasions 5. The Images of those Pagans were of a mixt shape and did not resemble any one Animal thus the Câ—erubim appointed by God were miscellaneous Images made up of the likeness of Man and Beasts 6. He adds that it was the Custom of the Egyptian Priests to bear their Images on their shoulders and to carry them about with great Pomp. The Iewish Priests were commanded by God to follow this Practice whence we read that they liâ—ted the Ark and Cherubim upon their shoulders and carried them in Procession among the people with great Ovations and signs of Rejoycing These are the Particulars which make up the two Parallâ—ls which if this Author had inverted i. e. had shew'd that the Pagans imitated God's Ark that their Images were an Aping of the Cherubim he had undertaken a laudable Work but the hath taken the quite contrary course and labours to perswade us that God was punctually observant of every little Idolatâ—ous Riâ—e of the Heathen Worshippers He makes the True God most diligently and precisely tread in the steps of the false Gods and Idols I appeal to the World whether this be Doctrine becoming a Christian Theologer And moreover I will appeal to any sober and considerate Man whether it be reconcileable to Sense Reason and Truth that God should make Laws exactly contrary to the Customs of the Chaldeans and Egyptiâ—â—s and other Pagan Nations which is freely acknowledged by this very Author shewing thereby that he hated the very Semblance of their Rites and that his Will was that his People should avoid the very Appearance of any such practices and yet that at the same time he should give them Laws exactly complying with the Customs and practices of those Genâ—iles Throughout his whole Second Book this Author endeavours to prove that the Mosaick Laws are diamâ—trically opposed to the Gentile Rites and that therefore God injoined those Laws because they were so directly contrary to the Pagan Rights and Usages Yet in his whole Third Book he labours to prove that the Iewish Rites were taken from the Gentile Idolaters He as well as Maimonides Scaliger Hottinger and others asserts that the Mosaick Institutions were a remedy against Zabiism i. e. they were given and injoyn'd to the Iews to keep them from Idolatry especially that practis'd by the Zabii that is the Chaldeans and Arabians yea and Egyptians whose Idolatrous practices were most known in Moses's time But you may wonder to find at the same time the great Asserter of this Notion endeavouring to convince his Readers in many places of his Writings that God in the instituting and framing of the Iewish Laws borrowed many things from those Zabii and designedly made his Laws in imitation of them What strange Notions are these God instituted divers Rites meâ—ely and purely in opposition to the Idolatrous Rites of the Heathens for he would have the Iews to be Antipodes to the Gentiles in their Worship Yet he appointed several other Rites and Observances and strictly commanded his people to use them for this reason because they were such Rites as were observed by the Heathen Idolaters The Iews were forbid to symbolize with the Pagans lest they should learn their Idolatry and yet they were commanded to practise sundry of their Rites that they might not relapse into Idolatry What must we believe that a great part of Moses's Laws were made on purpose to oppose the Rites of the Zabii and likewise that God takes these Heathens for his pattern and gives his people several Commandments merely to comply with their Usages Is it to be credited that God forbad and abhorred the Gentile practices and yet at the same time appointed his people several Rites which the Gentiles used yea because they were Gentile Rites and practis'd by the Idolatrous Nations as this Author expresly asserts He hath no where satisfied these Difficulties and reconciled these Absurdities and Contradictions which it was very necessary for him to have done in order to his gaining belief among Understanding Considerate perâ—â—ns But being warmed with this Notion he keeps on with full career and attempts to shew as he imagines that many Customs Prophane and Diabolical were taken into the Mâ—saick Laws by God he translating them from Satan's service to his own A great part of his Third Book is spent in this With those Old Rites the Devil had been served and now he pretends it is God's turn to be serv'd by them He labours to shew there that the most Holy and Tremendous things in our Religion are taken from the most prophane and impure practices of the worst of Heathens In short he maintains no other than this throughout his whole Third Book that God raked up all the Vain Ludâ—crous Superstitious Impure Obscene Irreligious Impious Prophane Idolatrous Execrable Magical Devillish Customs which had been first invented and afterwards constantly used by the most Barbarous Gentiles the Scum of the World the Dregs of Mankind and out of all these patch'd up a great part of the Religion which he appointed his own People If you can credit this and you must credit it if you assent to what that Author propounds there is nothing too hard for your Belief and Assent Nay he would make one of
Israelites yet they were as good as taken in as to other Clauses of it and as to the Effence and Substance of it viz. the Spiritual Mercies couched in it Thus they were comprehended in the Covenant of Life and Salvation for all of what Nation soever were Partakers of the Benefits of it upon their believing and repenting Not only Iews but Gentiles were interested in it In the full Meal and Provision which God made for his own People the Israelites some Portions some Fragments fell besides the Table which others gather'd up This is God's Administration to the Gentiles and I make it a particular and distinct Dispensation tho I see those who reckon up the different Dispensations of Religion omit this The Reason I suppose is because this Gentile Dispensation is mixed with the rest of the Dispensations Because it was concurrent with the Patriachal and Mosaical Oeconomies and was not a thing by it self they took no notice of it But notwithstanding this it is a peculiar Dispensation and a very remarkable one too as the Premises may convince us And at last our Blessed Saviour perfected this Dispensation for a little before he left the World he enjoyn'd the Apostles to go and teach all Nations Mat. 28. 19. to Evangelize the Goyim the Nations for so the Iews call'd all People besides themselves to propagate Christianity throughout the whole World And accordingly we read that when the Apostles had continued some time at Ierusalem after Christ's Ascention only some of them now and then slepping abroad to confirm the neighbouring Churches that were lately planted they issued out with one consent into several Countries where by their Travels they spread the Gospel as effectually as David and Solomon did the Hebrew Tongue the one by his numerous Conquests the other by his prosperous Fleets and Commerces so that even in St. Paul's time the Gospel was Preached to every Creature under Heaven Col. 1. 23. Thus at length the Gentile Dispensation was swallow'd up of the Evangelical one which now I will particularly speak of CHAP. XI The Christian or Evangelical Oeconomy It agrees with the former Dispensations of Grace as to the Designation of the Messias As to the way of Salvation As to the Conditions and Qualifications of it This corroborated by the suffrage of the Antient Fathers It differs from the Mosaick Oeconomy or Law as to the Author in some respect As to the Actual Discovery of it As to the Clearness of it As to its Spirituality As to its Extent As to several Circumstances that relate to the Conditions of Salvation which are largely enumerated As to the Motives of Obedience The Doctrine of the Socinians viz. that there were no Promises of Eternal Life under the Old Testament confuted As to the Perfection of its Pattern As to its Helps and Assistances This Query Whether Christ added any new Laws to those which were before under the Old Testament resolved in several Particulars It is proved against the Socinians that Prayer was commanded under the Law How Love is call'd a New Commandment THe Christian or Evangelical Dispensation is next to be treated of God having at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in times past hath now in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Heb. l. 1 2. He was pleased to reserve the utmost Completion of all the Promisâ—s made to the Patriarchs and the Iews till this time Now by Christ's coming we have the perfect Accomplishment of them all Christianity comprehends all the other Dispensations and is the Upshot of them all This is called the Revelation of the Mystery which was kepe secret since the World began but now is made manifest Rom. 16. 26 27. and the Mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the Sons of Men but is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Eph. 3. 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly he that brings forth and distributes that which was before laid up This is agreeable to the Oeconomy which we are now to discourse of the great Things which were hidden and treasured up before are now brought forth and discovered and communicated to the World This is that Dispensation which brings Everlasting Righteousness with it this is the Highest and Noblest Exertment of the Covenant of Grace and all the Mercy and Pardon which former Generations found were on the sole account of this Period This Dispensation of the Messias is represented by Iohn Baptist and by Christ himself to be the most Glorious State that hath yet appeared in the World or that ever shall appear for Christianity as most perfect includes all the Laws before named and all the ways of Discovery that can be made 1. I will shew the particular Nature of this Dispensation and how it differs from the others 2. I will shew why this Evangelical Dispensation took not place in the World before 3. I must particularly and directly prove the Truth and Certainty of this Oeconomy and of the Christian Religion 4. I will discover to you the several Degrees of this Dispensation All which Particulars are of great use for the right understanding of this last Administration of Religion 1. I will display the particular Nature and Quality of this Oeconomy this new Oeconomy of the Gospel Here I will let you see 1. That as to the main it agrees with all the other Oeconomies of Grace viz. from the Restoration of Adam 2. That tho as to the main it agrees with all the foregoing Dispensations yet as to sundry particulars it differs from them First all the Dispensations agree in the main i. e. 1. The Divine Designation or Appointment of the Messias reach'd to them all This Lamb was slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. His Sufferings and Death were decreed from all Ages Christ was crucified from the beginning even from Eternity For tho some interpret this place as if it alluded to the Murder of Abel the first holy Person that was slain and as if it took in the rest of the Martyrs in after Ages the Lamb here signifying the whole Succession of Saints who were innocent and spotless in their Lives and invincible in their Deaths and so Christ as well as others may be said to be slain from the foâ—ndation of the World because there was at First even at the Beginning of the World this Example of the Wicked's murdering the Just yet this must be look'd upon as a forced Interpretation of the words for in the stile of Scripture excepting those places where the Sense must needs be restrained and limited because of the subject matter from the foundation of the World is as much as from Eternity as is plain from Mat. 25. 34. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World and from Ioh. 17. 24. Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the World for from the foundation or before the foundation are here
is concern'd Before Christ's Death and after his Resurrection we discern'd him to be a true Man even by the Sense of Feeling And in many other things which happen'd this Sense was interested as in the Earthquake at Christ's Passion and in the shaking of the House where the Apostles were met and in sundry other Occurrences Thus our Senses have been exercis'd and employ'd about the Matters which belong to the Word of Life i. e. Christ who is called the Word and the Life and here ver 2. he is called the Eternal Life which was with the Father Or by the Word of Life are meant the things relating to the Gospel which sheweth us the way to eternal Life For the Life was manifested viz. by Christ's assuming our Flesh and conversing with Men on Earth and the Grace of God in the Gospel hath appeared and manifested it self to all Men by his coming And we have seen it and â—ear witness And again that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you By all these ways the Doctrine of the Gospel is cleared and manifested and proved to be true We have found it to be so by the Testimony of our Senses and accordingly we preach we proâ—laim we testify we declare these things to you and not only to you but to all the World that they may be ascertained of the Truth of the Christian Religion and come into the same Fellowship with us and heartily imbrace the Gospel Thus the Apostles tho divinely inspired appeal'd to the rational Evidence of Sense for they knew that this was satisfactory to all sober and intelligent Men and that the highest Evidence that can be desired for Proof of Matter of Fact is the Testimony of those Persons who were Eye and Ear-witnesses of it and that if the Testimony of the bodily Senses by not allowed there is no Certainty of Religion or of Divine Revelation by which Religion was convey'd for this was by the Ministry of the Senses especially Hearing and Seeing Nay the Veracity and Faithfulness of God may justly be call'd in question if you take away this Evidence for how can we attain to Truth unless God communicates it to us But how can he do that if our Senses being rightly disposed viz. when the Organ is sound the Medium fitly qualified and the distance of the Object duly proportion'd be deceived if when we are really perswaded that we see and hear such things we do not see them or hear them Must we not hence conclude that God deludes us and that in a Matter which concerns his Glory and our own Happiness and consequently that his Sincerity and Truth are impaired Into this Blasphemy must they needs run who deny the Truth of the Senses given us by God And upon this it will follow that there are no credible Ear or Eye-witnesses and so no certain Testimony of Matter of Fact If the Evidence of our Senses be not to be made use of and allowed as authentick then all the Passages recorded in the New Testament concerning Christ's Birth Life Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension are of no Credit For these are to be proved as other Matters of Fact are by Testimony of Witnesses who heard or saw those things In short if our Senses be false the whole Gospel is a Lie and a Cheat for ought we know For it is impossible we should have any assurance of the truth of any thing there unless God hath given Men Senses which are capable of discerning one thing from another and unless the Persons likewise who attested those things from the Verdict of their Senses were Men that might be credited And this is the present Case which we are concerned in as I shall make evident by the next Particular 2. The Testimony of the Apostles and other Christians who lived when our Saviour was upon Earth andâ— heard and saw the things done by him is the Testimony of credible Persons and consequently is an unquestionable Proof of the Truth and Reality of those things which they attest That they were credible Persons will appear if you consider 1. They had sufficient Means to acquaint themselves certainly whether the things which they attested were true or no. This is the main thing which is to be cleared and therefore I will chiefly insist on this That they were furnished with sufficient Ability to know what they related methinks should not be denied by any one who considers that they were no Fools or Children they were not mad or senseless they had a share of Understanding as well as others and their Ears and Eyes were as good as other Mens The things which they related might evidently be known by them being Objects of common Sense and of general Cognizance Can there be any reason then to think that these Persons were not competent Judges as well as others of these Matters But as they were naturally capable of judging in these things so I will make it evident that they had all Means and Opportunities of informing themselves throughly concerning those things which they delivered Some of them were Eye-witnesses others Ear-witnesses of what they report and sometimes both or else they certainly informed themselves of the truth from others who saw or heard those things What St. Luke professeth of himself is true of all the Evangâ—lical and Apostolical Writers they had perfect understanding of all things from the very first Luke 1. 3. As for the four Evangelists two of them Matthew and Iohn were of the number of the Apostles who were Persons particularly chosen out by Christ on purpose to be Eye-witnesses of his Actions and some have infer'd from Acts 1. 21 22. that it was a necessary Qualification of an Apostle to be an Eye-witness It is certain that these two forenamed Persons were such They lived with their Master and were present at his Miracles and saw what they writ The latter of these especially was made more than ordinarily conscious to Christ's Words and Actions and was his Familiar and Intimate The other two Evangelists were not Apostles but they inhabited and convers'd in the same Regions where Christ did these things and at the same time when he acted them Herodotus Plutarch and other Historians writ of things done in former Ages and afar off in other Countries and Kingdoms which makes their Relations to be suspected sometimes But these Men lived in the Places and Times where and when the things were done and therefore they could easily attain to a true and impartial Account of them I cannot say with Iâ—rom that St. Mark and St. Luke did not see our Saviour but I grant that most of the things related by them were not within their own sight or hearing Yet this is certain that they receiv'd what they writ from those who were both Ear and Eye-witnesses St. Mark was a Disciple of St. Peter who was intimately acquainted with Christ's Actions and could inform him concerning every Particular of his Doctrine Life
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
Iews object Particularly the three Chaldâ—â— Paraphrasts expresly inserâ— the word Messias into the chief of those forecited Places which speak of Christ especially those that are dark and obscure are explain'd and plainly interpreted concerning that Messias who is our blessed Iesus In short then whatever the Scriptures of the Old Testament so long ago foretold concerning our Saviour are exactly verified and fulfilled and acknowledged to be so by the Iâ—ws which is an undeniable Argument that the Mâ—ssiaâ— is come and that Iesus was that Mâ—ssiaâ— But here the Iews come upon us with such Objectionâ— as these 1. The Messias was to be another kind of Person than what Jesus of Nazareth was he was to be a glorious Prince he was to come with Royal Majesty and Pomp. For he is frequently stiled a King in the Writings of the Prophets and particularly Zechary foretels that his Dominion shall 〈◊〉 frâ—m Sea to Sea and from the River even to thâ— ends of the Earth Zech. 9. 10. And some of the Iews confidently assert that the Messias shall marry and the Kings of the Earth shall give their Daughters to him Several Concubines he shall have and his Children shall succeed him in the Kingdom Health Wealth Prosperity external Glory and Felicity shall attend him But Jesus came not in this manner therefore he was not the Messias I answer as for the Character they frame of the Messias of being a great Secular King c. it is clearly against the Description of the Messias whose Humility and Sufferings we read prophesied of The Old Testament represents him as a Person despised rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief c. he was indeed a King but he tells us that his Kingdom was not of this World it was a spiritual Dominion and Soveraignty which he came to erect he came to rule in the Hearts and Consciences of Men And thus his Kingdom reached even to the ends of the World the Gospel being preached and he being acknowledg'd in all places under Heaven But the Jews look only for a carnal Messias their thoughts run wholly on some great and successful Warrior some eminent Personage that atchieves mighty things in the World And therefore if we may give credit to a late Writer the Asian Iews were enclined to take Oliver Cromwel for the Messias and sent Messengers hither on purpose to enquire of his Extract and Lineage For he having done strange things at home and being dreaded abroad they thought he might be able to do them a kindness to deliver them from their Pressures and to restore them to their Land again If the Great Turk would do this and make them great and glorious some of them would be apt to take him for the Messias and all the Prophesies of the Old Testament should be brought to speak for him Tho the Jews are dispersed and are a forlorn People yet they nourish hopes of a Messias who will inable them to throw off their Rags and will bless them with Riches and Abundance and with the Confluence of all worldly Prosperity The antient Iâ—ws before Christ talk'd not after this rate But People are wont to wish for and fancy what they most want Their low Ebb and poor Estate make them promise themselves a Messiâ—â— who shall come with outward Pomp and Magnificence who shall be great and potent and prefer them to places of Honour and Profit But this is dreaming and therefore is a sufficient Confutation of it self 2. It is objected by the Jews that the Messias is not come because it is foretold that universal Peace shall be the fruit of his coming Isâ— 11. 6 c. Isa. 65. 25 c. but these things are not fulfilled Quarrels and Divisions have not left the World since Christ appeared yea rather they have been augmented therefore the Messias is not arrived I answer briefly first these Predictions were literally and historically fulfill'd at our Saviour's coming into the World for there was an Universal Peace at that time The Emperour Augustus under whom he was born had hush'd and still'd the Civil Wars and Commotions at home and all Nations abroad submitted to the Roman Empire Egypt became a Roman Province AEthiopia sued for Peace India enter'd into League with Caesar the Parthians trembled at him the Cantabrians Rhetians Pannonians Germans yielded to his Arms. When he had thus by Victory or Terror purchas'd Peace when all the World lay submissively at his Feet he shut up Ianus's Temple which was a sign of a general Repose and profound Peace and then the Prince of Peace came into the World Yea in those Countries which at that time were not under the Power of the Roman Empire all was quiet and still In Denmark and Norway and those other Northern Regions there were no Wars no Enemies appear'd And afterwards Tâ—rtullian appeals to the Râ—mans themselves in justification of this Truth that since the World hath been blessed with our Saviour's Arrival Wars and Slaughters have been very much allay'd With whom another Apologist agrees telling the Pagans that Wars and Hostilities were so far from being increas'd since Christ's coming that they were exceedingly diminish'd and suppress'd Thus the Prophesies were accomplished Secondly the Design of the Gospel which Christ and his Apostles preached was to introduce Peace The Christian Religion dictated no less and directed Men how to practise it Therefore observe the Reason adjoined to the Prophesy concerning Peace Isa. 11. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for thâ— Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea i. e. the knowledg of Christianity and the excellent Rules of it are in themselves subservient to Peace and Unity in their own nature they promote this Blessing in the World Thirdly the time shall come when this Promise shall be compleately fulfill'd Tho it is spoken of the time of the Messias yet it is not said that it shall presently be fulfilled and that in the heighth of it Christianity hath brought Peace into many Kingdoms and Countries and hath expell'd Wars thence This cannot be denied there is History enough to make it good which might be a sufficient answer to the Objection But moreover the Gospel of Christ in due time will have a greater and larger Effect and universal Peace Amity and Concord shall obtain in all the Churches of Christ as I shall prove when I come to treat of the last Dispensation 3. Whereas we have proved and the Iews themselves have confessed that according to the Prophesies of the Old Testament the Messias was to come before this time they reply in way of Objection that their Sins have hindred the Messias's coming at the time prefixed It is said in the Talmud the Messias shall reign two Thousand Years but because of oâ—r Sins tâ—ose Years are already past and Rabbi Elias is quoted for it In answer to which sorry Shift first
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
so too If it surpasses all others why do not our Lives exâ—el those of others If we have so Holy a Doctrine why do we not reduce it to Practice If our Religion be so excellent why do we not obey its Laws and why do we not discern the Advantages we have above all others to do well and worthily If in the Apostle's time the night was far spent and the day was at hand i. e. the times of Ignorance were gone and the Gospel was come then surely now the night is vanished and it is broad Day and we are obliged to walk as Children of Light I pray seriously consider of the great Change of Affairs in Religion by the Coming of our Saviour remember that it is now unspeakably Advanced and Exalted in so much that that which was reckon'd Religious and Pious in the Jewish Oeconomy is not accounted the same in this great Alteration of things If you weigh this you will be convinced that you are obliged to a stricter Life and Behaviour than what would have served under the Mosaick Law At that time Men stumbled and stagger'd they made imperfect Discoveries of Truth and of their Duty they could not see distinctly and they were excusable because the Medium was defective the Judaick Shadows and Mists hindred their sight But the Day-spring from on high hath visited us all is clear and conspicuous all Truths as well as Duties are plain and intelligible all the parts of our Religion are fixed and determined we cannot mistake unless we will and if we are Vitious it is not from Ignorance but our wilfulness and stubborness But we who have this redundant Light are concerned to walk worthy of it and to conform our Lives and Manners to it Certainly this is our proper Duty and we must first extinguish our Reason before we can disown this to be our Interest It is absolutely undeniable that a greater accuracy of Life a more exact Course of Virtue is required of us than of those who lived under the former Dispensations and were unacquainted with the Laws of Christianity A Pagan Historian tells us that those who piously embraced the Christian Faith were presently put into a State free from Sin However he understood it it is certain that Christianity ingageth men to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and to perfect Holiness in the fear of God to act according to the admirable and matchless Rules of so Transcendent a Religion and to live according to that great measure of Grace which is vouchsafed them A Pious Writer of the primitive times speaking of the Profession of Christianity and displaying the true Nature of it lets us know what was then judg'd to be the genuine Efficacy and Power of it viz. it s being effectual to root out all unlawful Anger Evil-speaking Licentiousness Lust Covetousness and to implant the contrary Virtues and Graces of the Spirit And in another place he sums up Christianity in short thus It consists wholly in this to live without wickedness and defilement On which account it is observed by him that Morality came short of Christianity it had not that Power and Energy on Mens minds that this hath It smooth'd their Tongues but reform'd not their Lives Or if it in some measure reform'd their outward and publick Actions yet their more retired and private ones were not taken care of and their Principles were unsound and corrupt But this is the singular Benefit of Christianity that it doth not only rectifie Mens Principles but teaches them to order their Conversations aright A Christian is not only a Knowing Man whence Clement of Alexandria gives him the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Stromata but he is one of a holy Life and Practice as that Excellent Person characterizes him his Manners are answerable to his Knowledg This then is the Catholick Concern of us all to add to our Knowledg and Profession of the Christian Truth a Holy and Religious Life that our Behaviour may speak the Excellency and demonstrate the Efficacy of the Evangelical Principles that it may be seen that those who are bless'd with true and right Perswasions live better than the deluded and erring World If we excel Hereticks Pagans and Jews in the Orthodoxness of our Opinions it is fit we should also surpass them in the Eminency of our Actions as one of the Antients religiously speaks Let us not dare to hold the Truth in unrighteousness but let our hearts be mightily affected and our Lives wholly govern'd by the great Truths of the Gospel by the indispensible Laws of Christianity 4. Let us assure our selves that if we live not thus the final Doom of us Christians will be more intolerable than that of all other Men. You know who said it Light is come into the World for in respect of the times of the Gospel all the World before was in Darkness but Christ Iesus brought Light with him a Light so Great so Powerful that tho we shut our Eyes never so hard yet it glares through our very Eye-lids but he adds This is the Condemnation that notwithstanding this Light is come Men love Darkness rather than Light they wilfully indulge themselves in the ways of Sin and mind not the Discoveries which are made by the Gospel This this is that which shall Condemn them for as their Means are greater so their Accompts will be higher Their Reckonings will bear proportion to their Receipts their Final Sentence will be adjusted to their present Helps and Advantages according to that of our Saviour If I had not come and spoken and spoken so plainly so evidently so powerfully to them they had not had sin but now have they no cloak for their sin John 15. 22. That this is little thought of in the World we may gather from the Behaviour of Men. How Strangely do they forget themselves and their Duty the End both of their Creation and Redemption They run counter to all the Undertakings of Christ Jesus they confront all his Designs and labour to undo all that he came to do They disparage the Wisdom of God in finding out the way of our Salvation they despise his Goodness in offering them the Means of being happy They uphold and maintain that which Christ came to destroy for whereas the purpose of his wonderful Manifestation was to beat down Satan's Kingdom they set it up as fast as they can Which is a plain contradicting of Heaven and a bidding defiance to the Almighty He that views the Lives and Manners of Men at this day and takes notice of their open Prophaness and Debauchery would be apt to perswade himself that they really think that Christ's Coming into the World was for no other end than to indulge them in their Follies and Vices and to give them a Licence to be as lewd as they pleas'd So fond and groundless are the Imaginations of a great part of the World
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
latter those that succeed And yet as it is in the growth of human Bodies tho the Strength and Stature of them be alter'd yet the same Nature and Persons remain in the mature Years that were before so it is here saith he Christianity is consolidated by Years it is enlarged by Time it is sublimed by Age but still it continues incorrupt and intire And afterwards cap. 29. It is â—itting saith he that the heavenly Philosophy for so he stiles the Christian Religion which was sowed in the Church by the primitive Fathers should afterwards grow up flourish and be cultivated by the Industry of their Sons that by process of time it should become more polish'd but yet that it should retain the same Plenitude Property and Integrity that it had as to its Substance at first Thus that excellent Writer And I was very glad to find my Notion of the last Time confirmed by a Person of so much Judgment and Sagacity and of so great Repute in the Christian Church The Sum of what he saith is that Christianity shall be improved by succession of Time and at last this Beauty shall receive its finishing stroke Now this I will endeavour to make good from Reason and Scripture It is reasonable to believe that there shall be a better State of Religion because this is founded on the constant Method of God in the World We find that it is his Way and Course to proceed in a gradual manner and that not only in the things of Nature as at the Creation of all ranks of Beings but in those of Religion as I have shew'd in the several Stages of it since it began Wherefore it is reasonable to conclude that it will be thus in Christianity that as it hath had already its different Steps Measures and Gradations so there is a greater yet to come and that it shall arrive to the heighth of its Glory in this World Again it is reasonable to believe that great things are to come because so little is done hitherto The unbelieving part of the World is very vast and large The greatest Kingdoms of the Earth are those of the Tartars the Indians the Chinoise the Persians the Turks all whâ—ch are Strangers to the Religion of Iesus Divide the World into three Parts and it will appear that two of them are inhabited even by profess'd Pagans Or if we divide it into six parts we shall find that five of them at this day know not Christ but are either Idolatrous Pagans which are the greatest number or Iews or Mahometans And of the sixth Part how few of those that outwardly make Profession of Christ have true Faith and deserve the Name of Christians Popery which can scarcely be reckon'd as a part of Christianity hath spread it self through the most flourishing Kingdoms in Eâ—rope and hath got footing in Asia and is not wholly a stranger in some parts of Africa and hath found its way even into America Among the Churches which disown Popery some of them are grosly ignorant erroneous and superstitious as the Muscovian Abyssine and Greek Churches generally And even among the Reformed Churches what Divisions and Dissentions what unchristian Feuds and Animosities are there What variety of Opinions is there amongst them How unsetled are they in their Notions and Apprehensions How little of the true Virtue of Religion and Power of Godâ—iness is to be observed among them How is the Satanical Kingdom kept up and maintain'd every where How industriously is it recruited and establish'd Whereas Christians should live better than all the World beside it is sad and deplorable that their Words and Actions bid deâ—iance to every thing which appertains to so Sacred and Honourable a Title They profess the best Religion in the World and do things that are the worst Some that bear this venerable Name are as wicked and proâ—ligate as any other sort of Men upon Earth the grosâ—est Enormities of Barbarians are acted by them It is too apparent a Truth that many who go under the Name of Christians conspire against the Religion which Christ hath set up in the World as well as Iews Turks and Pagans In fine look where you will and you will have cause to say how short is Christianity of its full Arcomplishment What slender effects are there of it in the Lives and Manners of Men How little Progress hath it made in so many Ages How narrow is its Kingdom How ineffectual are its Laws in most places Whence it is rational to infer that there must be some greater Work effected both in the Kingdoms of the World which have no notice of Christ and the the Christian Faith and also in that part of the World which is already Christian. A farther Oâ—câ—nomy or rather a farther Exaltation of this Evangelical Oeconomy which we are under is to be 〈…〉 hoped for We should be tempted to think 〈…〉 God 's Providence if there be no more to be done if Christianity attains not to a greater height than hitherto it hath It is a very surprizing and amazing Problem abstracting from the diâ—ine Destinies concerning it and the Predictions of it in the Holy Writings that 〈◊〉 Kingdom of Satan in all Ages of the World 〈…〉 greater numbers of Subjects than that of Christ. It â—â—ems very harsh and dismal that so many should perish that among Heatheâ—s Iews Mahomâ—tans and even Christians Satan should have such a Haâ—veâ—t But now this is soon answer'd by what I have suggested this which I oâ—fer is a very clear and eaâ—ie solution of the Difficulty for there will be moâ—e Saints in the space of the thousand Years whiâ—h I shall afterwards describe than there were wicked and impenitent Sinners in all the other thousâ—â—ds 〈…〉 preceded this Dispensation There will be such a 〈◊〉 of general Conversion and universal Sanctity through all the Regions of the World that the number of the saved shall at last surpass that of the damned This will plainly appear from what I shall propound in the sâ—quel of this Discourse and it will give us a fair and comfortable Idea of the Divine Philanthropy it will let us see that the Scales of Providence hang even it will clear up the dark Proceedings of Heaven and fully satisfie uâ— about the Wisdom of God in the Conduct of the World Another Argument that I shall make use of shall be from the gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences in the World It was well noted by one of the Antients and that with reference to the Dispensations of Religion that the commencement of Sciences is defective and imâ—â—rfect but by little and gradual Additions they come at last to their complete pitch Nothing is more observable than that Learning hath had its noble Accessions in the several successive Generations of Mankind Which was foretold by Seneca long ago who speaking of the Phâ—nomena of Comets and the like Philosophical Disquisitions prophetically utters these words The time shall come when
a brighter Day and the Industry of a farther Age shall bring to light those things that now lie hid in darkness The time will come when our Posterity shall wonder that we were ignorant of things which were so plain and intelligible This Prediction is now fulfill'd we have a clear Discovery of many Secrets which were kept from former Ages we have fresh Experiments by which the Stock of Notions is greatly improved and advanced Diligent Researches at home and Travels into remote Countries have produced new Observations and Remarks unheard-of Discoveries and Inventions Thus we surpass all the times that have been before us and it is highly probable that those that succeed will far surpass these in all manner of human Literature And why a proportionable Improvement in Divine Knowledg and in Moral and Christian Endowments may not be expected I confess I don't understand Can there be any Reason given why God should not prosper Religion as well as Arts Why we may not look for increase of knowledge in the Church as well as in matteâ—s that relate only to Nature Why there may not be a Perfection of Understanding in the one as well as in the other I am sensible that it will be said here and that with Truth that the daily decay of the World as to intellectual and moral qualities is believ'd and held by some very great Men yea they tell us that the natural Frame and Constitution of it wax old It is certain that the Iews had this apprehension The World hath lost its Youth and the times begin to wax old And again The World shall be weaker through Age. The Hebrew Doctors and Rabbins cry out that the Generations grow worse every Day and Knowledg is more and more decreased And what a vast difference they make between the Antients and Moderns may be seen in another Proverbial Saying One mail of our Forefather's Fingers is better than the main Body of them that come after them And we may learn from another Adage of theirs how exceedingly they prefer the former days before the latter The Heart of our Predecessors say they was like the Gate of the Outward Court in amplitude but the Heart of their Successors is like the Gate of the Temple which was far less but ours is like the eye of a Needle least of all And several other Sayings they have to this purpose that the World is impair'd and grows worse and worse and that the further we are removed from the beginning the more we decline But who knows not that hath convers'd with these Gentlemen that they are very fanciful and capricious and that they either out of prejudice or discontent pronounce what they please of any thing so that their approbation or dislike is not to be a Standard to any Man's thoughts and sentiments And as to the Texts before cited they refer to the Iweish State which is foretold to be mean and low and running to decay and therefore no general Judgment can be made thence Among some of the Pagans likewise there was this Notion that the World was decaying as to Men and Manners Damnosa quid non imminuit dies AEtas parentum pejor avis tulit Nos nequiores mox daturos Progeniem vitiosiorem And they particularly alledg the Stature of Men to confirm their Opinion thus Lucretius Iamque adeâ— fracta est â—tas effâ—tque tellus Vix animalia parvacreat quâ— cuncta creavâ—t Sâ—cla deditque fâ—r arum ingentia corpora partu According to him all Animals as well as Man himself were at first formed out of their Mother Earth but since that time the procreative Virtue of the Earth is worn out and the kindly heat and moisture are gone and Nature is grown feeble and therefore Men and other Creatures have not that bulk and size which they were famed for in the days of yore So Pliny the Naturalist had a Conceit of the Senescency of the World and the declension of Nature and he instances in the Stature of Men. The same doth Aulus Gellius and complains of the Decrescency and Wearing away of Things and Men. This was founded on what they had heard or read concerning Giants heretofore the notice of whom might be derived to them not only from their own Authors but from the Sacred Writings which mention Og King of Bashan and Goliah of Gath and the Zummim Zanzummim Anakim Emim who were of a vast Procerity Whence they gather that the World is decay'd because we see no such People now adays But such consequences are easily silenc'd if we consider first that some of their own Authors are of little Credit or Repute and many reports of Giants are Poetical Inventions So if you will believe Geoffery of Monmouth and some other fabulous Writers Albion now call'd Britain the Isle which we inhabit was kept only by a Remnant of Giants Secondly those Writers that we can depend upon especially the Sacred Penmen tho they assure us that there were such big and tall Men yet they represent it as a very rare and uncommon thing they give us to understand that the number of those huge Persons was very small whence we gather that tho there were none such now in being it doth not alter the case of the World considerably But thirdly it appears that since those times spoken of by antient Historians there have been and even at this time are some of that large â—ize Modern Travellers of good esteem and credit ascertain us that there are Giants in some particular Countries which overthrows the vain Conceit of those that found the Decay of the World on a supposal that none but the former Ages afforded Gigantick Folks But the truth of the matter is this that tho Countries differ as to their size of Men nay tho some are in the same Country of a large others of a lesser Proportion yet the Stature of Men was not generally higher and bigger heretofore than it is now All People are for the most part of the same heighth and breadth that they were three thousand Years ago and upwards as is demonstrated by Doctor Hackwill and others from the Vrns and Rings and several other Antiquities which have been derived to after-Ages There is no Decay then as to this I might observe further that some of the Christian Perswasion as well as Iews and Pagans have asserted and defended Nature's universal Decay Some of the Antient Writers of the Church have inclin'd this way but Cyprian is very positive You must know this in the first place saith he that the World is now arrived to its old Age it hath not that force and virtue that strength and vigour which it was endued with heretofore And he goes on to instance both in natuâ—â—â— aâ—d moral things wherein he thinks this Defâ—ction and Failure may be seen Among some of the Moderns this Sentiment hath prevail'd and I will mention only two of them and they are of
our own Nation The first is that learned Knight who wrote the History of the World he there speaking of the Giants in former times and proving that there were really Men of that Statuâ—e adds on this occasion that the great Age of Time hath inâ—â—ebled and almost wore out the virtue of all things We now live in the withor'd Quarter and Winter of the World The other Great Man that hath lately espous'd this Opinion is the Learned Auâ—hor of the Essay on Antient and Modern Learning wheâ—e he often declares that the World of Learning grows old and that there is a Decay as to Men and Arts and brave Accomplishments and accordingly he laments but without tears our Ignorance and our faint Imitation of the Antients and our being but an imperfect Copy of that exact Original These Gentlemen fancy that all things were best at first and that since all are grown worse and worse It is something like that Philosophick Dream of a witty Author that there was at first nothing but Suns and Stars that there were no Earths or Planets particularly that this Earth which we inhabit was once a glorious Sun but in process of time degenerated and became what it is a dull opake Body After the same rate do these Persons talk they tell us that Knowledg and Arts were once very bright and gay and shone forth with a Lustre worthy of Mens eyes but in these latter times they are over-run with scum and crust and are miserably absorpt into Darkness and Barbarity To raise the Reputation of the past Ages and to depress that of the present they cry out that we live in the dregs of Time in Natures Declension in the old Age and Dotage of the World All was great and brave heretofore but now every thing is dwarfish mean and dwindling Our Forefathers have exhausted all the generous Wine and left us nothing but Lees. But we may justly think that such Apprehensions as these favour more of Prejudice than Truth and are the Product of Imagination rather than Reason For let a Man free from the steams of Melancholy and the Tincture of Prepossession consider things impartially and he will find that there is no ground for such Complaints Indeed as to the Age of Men there is some variation for they lived much longer before the Flood than they do now but one would think this is sufficient that People live as long now as they did in King David's time for he confines Man's Life to seventy or eighty Years and some Mens days are extended to a greater length Wherefore they that maintain the Hypothesis of Nature's general Declining must hold that the World grew old betimes that it was aged in its Youth which a Rational Man would think harsh and absurd And besides if it began to wax old so soon it would have been quite decrepit before this time it would have been worn off its legs and wholly extinct But seeing the contrary is evident we have Reason to think that the World doth not decline in the least as to its natural Virtue tho there is by the Will of Heaven some defalcation of Mens years Nay if Men can do as great or greater things now in a shorter time than they did heretofore this argues they are rather more vigorous now than in past Ages If any object the Loss of some little Arts and Inventions which were known heretofore there cannot be a more satisfactory Answer than this that when any Invention hath been sunk another of as great usefulness hath succeeded in its place Pancirol tells us of some things found as well as of others lost And we can inform our selves that tho some Discoveries have been unhappily forgot or imbezled yet for a compensation there have been fresh ones that have proved serviceable to the Life of Man And as for the latter Ages of the World they have abounded in useful Inventions which were wholly unknown to former times and they have marvelously improved those Arts which were but then imperfectly begun If I spend some time in offering to the curious and inquisitive Reader a short Demonstration of this I hope it will be excus'd as a pardonable Digrâ—ssion if it shall be thought to be a Digression when it is so serviceable and proper to my present purpose viz. To shew that there is a great probability of the World 's increasing in Knowledg hereafter because we see it hath done so already The thing then I undertake now is to shew that Learning hath been improved in these latter Ages of the World and that there is no Decay as to ingenious Inventions Even that very Author before mention'd who is the latest Defender of the contrary Opinion is himself a Confutation of it Whilst he argues on the other side he pleads for us for his own vast Learning flourishing Parts and all kinds of excellent Accomplishments disprove the Doctrine of the World's Defection Whilst he defames the Knowledg of the Age he lives in he is one of the greatest Glories of it himself And if he had been pleas'd to have look'd off of himself and to have taken a view abroad he would have found that as the former Times had their Discoveâ—ies so the latter have not wanted theirs which surpass them and moreover we have added others of a different Nature It cannot be denied that we have been so far from coming short of the foregoing Times in all respects that we have palpably exceeded them And because Solomon tells us that Wisdom finds out the knowledg of witty Inventions it will not be unbecoming the Sons of Wisdom to recount some of them especially when this comes so directly in our way to shew that the World decays not as to Knowledg and ingenious Discoveries and therefore we may rationally thence hope that Divine Learning which is the choicest of all kinds of Knowledg will be yet further advanced I will begin with the Sea-Compass and the applying the wonderful Virtues and Use of the Loadstone to Navigation which was not the Attainment of the Antients for it was not invented at least not practis'd till about three hundred Years ago Some have thought that it was known to the Tyrians of old who were great Seamen but I don't see that they give any Proof of it Others have thought that this was a very antient Invention because by the help of this King Solomon's Navy sail'd to the Indies some say the East others the West but there is no foundation for this surmise for I have on another occasion made it good that some part of Afric was that Ophir which is mention'd in the Sacred History They knew no great Sea but the Mediterranean they travell'd no further than Hercules's Pillars or the Streights of Gibraltar and this they might perform without the Invention of the Mariners Compass for they might coast along by the Shores Some tell us the Chinois had the use of the Loadstone and Compass for Navigation about
Heaven that I can't be induced to think that we shall have it here on Earth Those High-fliers who represent the Millennary State as such lash out too far and remember not that our Heaven is not to be here The binding of Satan which is spoken of is not such a Binding as if the Devils were all shut up and none of them had the least Liberty to solicite and entice us to Sin I observe that it was the Chief of these Infernal Spirits that was bound by the Angel Rev. 20. 1. which I gather from the several Names that are here given him viz. the Dragon that old Serpent who is the Devil and Satan which are heap'd up on purpose to distinguish this Arch-Daemon from the rest This is that very Apostate Ghost it is probable who wrought the First Mischief in the World the Fall of the First Man and Woman by assuming the Shape of a Serpent or rather by entring into and acting a Real Serpent whence he is called here the old Serpent He being the Subtilest and most Malicious of all the Diabolical Crew is bound and cast into the bottomless Pit and shut up and a Seal is set upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more He who was the Head and Ring-leader of the rest and by whose order they generally acted is secured and thereupon their Power is extremely abated though they are not chain'd up in the same manner that He is It is not likely that they forget their old Employment but they do what they can in it though it be but little They shall not be totally absolutely and fully bound till the Last Day and therefore they will not cease to tempt and deceive Men till that time but they shall be Restrained in a very great Measure and Degree However if we suppose the whole Body of Evil Angels so confin'd that they are utterly uncapable of Tempting yet as long as Men are on this side of Heaven Corruptions will adhere to them The Best will Sin to the Worlds end because they are a Compound of Flesh and Spirit Their Make and Frame being such there can be no intire Freedom from Sin in this Life But this high Degree of the Evangelical State shall set them at as great a Distance from it as they can be capable of in this lower Region of the World For First in that happy Restauration Men shall be Blessed with a greater Knowledge than ever which is the Ground-work of true Holiness The Inspired Prophets who speak of those Days assure us That the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa. 11. 9. And perhaps this is intended in Isa. 65. 20. The Child shall die an Hundred Years Old i. e. all Persons shall grow up to maturity of Understanding even before they have attain'd to any considerable Number of Years The Children shall have such Knowledge that if they die in their Childhood they shall be as Knowing as some of those heretofore that were very Old that lived an Hundred Years This is the Privilege of those that are reserved for the New Heavens and the New Earth or the New-created Ierusalem which the Prophet speaks of there as we learn from ver 17 18. There will be more Knowledge because there will be a more General Commerce according to that of Daniel who prophesied concerning these Times Many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12. 4. viz. by that free and peaceable Travelling by Sea and Land from one Part of the World to the other which will be the uninterrupted Privilege of those Days For I am not inclined to submit to that New Hypothesis That the Earth in the Millennium will be without a Sea Which is founded on a wrong Bottom for the supposes the 〈◊〉 will be after the Conâ—â—agration which â—e imagines will burn up the Sea or his Comet which he fansies will drink it up For according to this Gentleman 's New Philosophy as a Comet procured the Universal Flood so it will bring on the Final Conflagration and so he makes the Drowning of the World and the Burning of it up to be from the same Cause But leaving this Theorist to his own Inventions I think we may rationally assert that the Eâ—rth shall not be destitute of Sea in the foresaid Thousand Years because I shall prove afterwards that the Firing of the Earth will not happen till after those Years be expired And consequently we may be perswaded of the Truth of what I before suggested that a Commerce by Sea as well as by Land shall be mightily increased and improved in that Millennary State In order to this it is probable that there will be a Common Language for all the World a kind of a Lingua Franca but much larger that may be used by all whereby all Nations will be enabled to hold correspondence with one another at the greatest Distance Travelling is uneasy now because we must have a Druggerman to interpret between us and the Foreigners we converse with but then they will be incourag'd to visit one another when the Conversation between them is become so easy By this means the great Principles of Christianity will be soon propagated and known in the World especially when I add that now Mens Minds shall be better disposed than ever to understand the Truth and to entertain the Doctrine of Iesus The true Notions of Things shall bear sway and Men shall not take Pains to Cheat and Delude themselves as well as others as hath been their constant Course through all Ages Secondly in this remarkable Renovation of the World which we expect Religion shall appear in its Native Purity and Simplicity and Men shall see and understand the Real Worth of it Indeed Religion like the Sun at its first Rising made long Shadows it abounded with Obscurities and Dusky Representations and Men were imployed chiefly in external Formalities and Ceremonies But when it shall be in its Meridian at its greatest Height there will be none of these Things but it shall be chosen for its own Sake and loved for its intrinsick Value Even at the first founding of Christianity itself many imbraced it because it was attested by such Extraordinary and Miraculous Occurrences as then every Day shew'd themselves so that they were in a manner thrust upon Christianity and they were compell'd as it were to receive it But it shall not be so afterwards it shall commend itself to the World by its own Natural Excellency by the Worthiness of its Noble Principles which it is furnished with and thence Men shall serve God Freely and out of Choice and the Christian Religion shall then appear more eminently to be a Reasonable Service This must needs promote a more than usual Holiness in the Hearts and Lives of Men for when Religion is esteem'd for its Self and its inward Excellency it will cease to be measured by mere Words and outward Shews
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
are to understand the Words in a Literal meaning may be further proved and confirm'd from the brief Repetition of this Prophecy in chap. 65. v. 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat Straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents Meat they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain It is not probable that the Prophet would have repeated this Prediction and urged it in the same manner and on the same occasion viz. when he was foretelling the Happy Reign of the Messias in the laft Days for he brings it in under the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth v. 17. and it is the close of the Description of the State of the New Ierusalem in this Chapter most part of which I had occasion to mention before it is not probable I say that the Prophet would have reiterated this Prediction in the very same way and circumstances that he mentioned it before if the Words were a meer Metaphor or Allegory and not to be understood in a downright Literal Sense he would have varied the way of expressing and have let us know that a Spiritual meaning is to be understood But indeed the very Natural Tenour and Import of the Words themselves acquaint us that they are not Allegorical but are to be taken according to the obvious signification of the Terms viz. That in those Happy Times the very Brutes the most Furious and Implacable of them shall be reconciled to Man and likewise to themselves mutually in order to which they shall have a new way of sustaining themselves the Wolf and the Lamb shall have the same Food that 's the meaning of Feeding together such as the Earth affords the Lion shall have the same Provender with the Bullock and the Serpent which used to hurt other Beasts as well as Men shall be content with the Food which was at first appointed him Gen. 3. 14. In short the Irrational Creatures shall neither devour Men nor one another as was usual before but they shall become Serviceble and Obedient to Man and shall be at Peace among themselves This may be censur'd perhaps as a new Interpretation of this Prophecy but I believe no Wife and Intelligent Man will condemn it for its Novelty but rather imbrace it because it is so plain easie and intelligible in it self because it agrees so exactly with the Context and because it is so suitable yea so absolutely requisite to that State which I have Discours'd of wherein every thing shall be in a better condition that it was and accordingly the very Nature of the Beasts shall be chang'd that they may be what they were at first that is not Harmful or Terrible as appears from Eve's Conversing with the Serpent and in a Word there shall be such a Catholick change as shall bring with it an accumulation of all Temporal Felicities But this must be said that I may not be mistaken by some Persons that though these Earthly and Corporeal Coveniencies shall be in the Millennary Reign yet they are the least part of it nay they may be said to be the Attendants rather than Parts of it for it is the Confluence of Spiritual and Divine Blessings that gives Denomination to this Happy Oeconomy it is this that makes it chiefly to be Admired and Esteem'd And those other things which I have mention'd which relate to the Body and which are but Appendages of this State are wholly in order to the Better Enjoyments and are no farther to be regarded than as they are some ways subservient to these This I insert that we may not deceive our selves about the Notion of this Happy State which I am speaking of that we may not fancy it to be merely an Earthly Paradise that we may not think Christ's Kingdom to be of this World But notwithstanding this it is a certain Truth that all manner of Good Things inhanse the Comsort and Pleasure of that Blessed Kingdom In fine that which gives the Value to all things relating to the New Ierusalem is that the Glory of God Enlightens it and the Lamh is the Light thereof Rev. 21. 23. That is it is the Eternal Father and Son not excluding the Holy Ghost and not any Created Being or Enjoyment though never so exquisite that can constitute the Blessedness of this State In which respect it is said The City hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it that is all Temporal and Mundane Felicities be they never so bright are useless and insignificant in comparison of the fruition of GOD himself I take this to be the meaning of St. Iohn's Words and not what is suggested by the late Thâ—orist viz. That the Inhabitants of the New Ierusalem on Earth shall be wholly destitute of those great Luminaries of Heaven there will be no use of the Light of the Sun and Moon but they shall be supplied by a Supernatural Bodily Light Which mistaken Interpretation was caused by not attending to the place in the Prophet Isaiah whence this without doubt was borrowed Isai. 60. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day neither for Brightness shall be Moon give Light unto thee And yet in the next Verse it is said Thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self Which evidently shews that the former Words are not to be understood Literally that is concerning those Celestial Bodies otherwise there is a plain Contradiction in those Texts The true intent then of the foresaid Words is no other than this that the Sun and Moon and all the other Temporal Blessings of the Millennary Revolution are Mean and Inconsiderable in respect of the Transcendent Glory Splendor and Influence of the Divine Majesty who alone is able to render that State Happy When that desired Day comes the full Vertue of Shiloh's Name shall shine forth which denotes not only Salvation which that Time shall prepare Men for above any other but Peace or Tranquility both inward and outward and which is much more extensive Prosperity or Happiness which comprehends in it all things that are rationally Desireable in the Life of Man upon Earth as well as in the Mansions above Thus I have briefly represented to you those things which may reasonably be suppos'd to be the inseparable Attendants of the Happy Reign of Christ on Earth which is the highest Exaltation of the Christian Oeconomy It hath been with some doubting and struggling that I have said so much for Holy Writ seems some times to say that the Condition of the Church is such that it shall not be wholly free from Trouble and Calamity but that it shall always or for the most part suffer from the Wicked When I perused those several Predictions concerning the Sufferings and Persecutions of the Church I stagger'd as to my belief of this Future Quiet State on Earth I was apt to think that the World is
the Sea insomuch that they shall cover all the Earth as it were for that is meant by their going up on the breadth of the Earth And they shall lay close Siege to the Beloved City that Place whither the Saints the Beloved of God shall fly for Refuge Or the whole Church of Christ the Visible Body and Society of the Faithful which shall be left at that time may be understood by the Beloved City In a very lamentable and wretched Condition they shall be you may imagine all the time of this Gogick and Magogick War and the Siege which accompanieth it It cannot be expressed what Streights the Saints are reduced to what Calamities they undergo what Miseries they indure And This is but agreeable to what our Blessed Lord foretold of the Times immediately preceding the Day of Judgment He hath assured us that those Days shall be very remarkable both in respect of Sin and Suffering As to the former when he compares them to the Days of Noah in which the Old World gave themselves up wholly to their Pleasures and forgat God and defied his Providence he sheweth how Corrupt and Wicked the Last Times shall be So that Interrogatory of our Saviour Luk. 18. 8. When the Son of Man cometh shall be find Faith on the Earth is a downright Negative and signifies that he shall not find Faith upon Earth That is not only as some interpret it the Faith even of God's Servants shall be very Weak and Little before the Last Coming of Christ the Saints themselves having been persecuted and harassed by the Wicked shall faint and flag They shall scarcely believe the Promise of his Coming they shall almost despond that Christ will help and deliver them But the meaning rather seems to be This that Faithfulness here called Faith shall be very rare upon Earth Sincertiy and Truth shall be baniâ—h'd and Lying Perfidiousness Dissembling and which is the Consequent of those inward Hatred and Malice and all outward Injustice Violence and Oppression shall come in their place And so in another place Christ foretells that not long before the Day of Judgment Iniquity shall abound and the Love of many shall wax cold For this is to be remarked that the Signs foregoing the Destruction of Ierusalem and of the Coming of Christ are intermixed in that Four and twentieth Chapter of St. Matthew Or we may say the former Signs were to be repeated and more fully display'd in the Latter Event Our Saviour likewise fets forth the State of the Last Days before the End of the World not only as extremely Sinful abounding with great Wickedness and universal Corruption of Life but as most Afflictive and Dangerous most Distressed and Calamitous There shall be saith he distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring Mens hearts failing them for fear Luk. 21. 25 26. Yea Those Words of Christ in Mat. 24. 21. are applicable here for the reason beforementioned Then shall be great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the World to this time no nor ever shall be And now the Fore-runners of that Great and Notable Day of the Lord mentioned by our Saviour in this Chapter shall appear viz. Wars and great Commotions in Kingdoms and Nations Signs in the Heavens and in the Earth Earthquakes Pestilence and Famine with other unusual and extraordinary Occurrences and tremendous Accidents which shall give notice of the approaching Judgment Thus our Saviour not only confirms the Truth of what we read in the Revelation but he further explains and sets it forth He plainly suggests unto us what an evil posture the World will be in before he comes to Judgment He lets us know that the Tribulation as well as the Wickedness of those Days which approach the End of the World shall be more grievous than any that ever were before At that time the Sins of the Churches Enemies and the Sufferings of the Godly shall be at the Vertical Point as high as they can go Briefly It will be found true that the World shall be most Wicked and most Perilous at last The worst State of it will be towards its End For the Devil will be very wrathful and outrageous because he knoweth that he hath but a short time as it is said of him in Rev. 12. 12. And at that time it may more truly be said of him than ever for the 1000 years being ended he is loosed but for a little season Rev. 20. 3. He must soon go off the Stage and that makes him act his part with so much vigour and fierceness The Iudgment shall come presently after the 1000 years There shall be a very considerable time between the Mellennium and Dooms-day but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a small time in comparison of the thousand years And therefore on this account that malicious Spirit shall bestir himself with a mighty Concernedness The Tenth and Last Persecution which he raised in the Primitive Times was the Bloodiest So now he rageth most when he is to take his farewel of this Earthly Stage And now behold the Tragical Close of all Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured these Armies of Gog and Magog and the Devil that deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 9 10. For now after all CHRIST appears from Heaven and comes to be Avenged of his Enemies and to Judge the whole World as you read expresly in ver 11 12 of this Chapter Before his first Coming Satan reigned a long time as God of this World he had a kind of an unlimited Rule and Sway But our Saviour by his Coming restrain'd his Power and Lordship and afterwards in the Millennary Reign gives a greater check to them But at his Last Coming he shall wholly deprive him of his Rule and Dominion Accordingly he comes at that Day to drive Satan down into his own Place and there to leave him to be tormented for ever and ever He comes to take Vengeance on Sinners and to punish them with the utmost Severity He comes to rescue the Righteous from the Fury both of Satan and wicked Men. This is the Work of the Last Day There is nothing more to be added unless it be the Conflagration of the World For this I take to be an evident Truth that the Firing of the whole Frame of Heaven and Earth is a Consequent of the Final Iudgment which is after the Millennium For to what purpose should this material System be consumed or rather indeed how can it till the present Scene of Action in this World be at an end which will not be till after the Thousand Years are past I deny not but there may be some Beginnings of it before which perhaps is meant in that forenamed Place Rev. 20. 9. Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured c. Here is an Essay of the Last Firing of the World which is prophesied of