and bloody ones were not so Thence these latter were disapproved of by the wisest Heathens They are â—ounded upon Divine Institution The practice of Sacrificing among the Pagans was derived to them by Tradition from the Jews or the foregoing Patriarchs Whether Sacrifices were prescribed before or after the Fall of our First Parents Concerning the Primitive Priesthood The Distinction of clean and unclean Animals was in respect of Sacrificing not Eating Gen. 4. 26. explain'd and a settled Church founded upon it Marrying with Infidels seems to bâ— prohibited under this Dispensation The Rise of Polygamy The seven Precepts said to be given to the Sons of Adam and Noah The Improbability of this Jewish Tradition evinced from several Considerations The Mistakes of Volkelius and Episcopius concerning the Antediluvian Oâ—conomy THE Third General Dispensation is that of 〈◊〉 and Recovery through the Mâ—ssiaâ— This is the most considerable State of all and the most lasting for it extends from Adam's Restauration to the end of the World Now begins the Law of grace and the Law of Faith which makes this a new Oâ—conomy Now God's Will concerning Man's Redemption and the free Pardon of Sins was discover'd Now upon the Fall of Adam and the Corruption of Mankind and the forfeiture of all Happiness Life and Immortality are bestowed anew To him that overcomâ—th it is given to eat of the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Deliverance here and Eternal Life hereafter are freely offerâ—d Now God treateth with Man de novo viz. by a Mediator Now there was a New Covenant made between God and Adam or rather between God and Mankind in him The sum of the Covenant was this that God on his part would shew Mercy unto Adam and his Prosterity for the sake of the Messias who was to die for their Sins and that by virtue of his Satisfaction and Merit Man should be accepted And on Man's part it was covenanted and promised by Adam that they should believe in this Messias and rely upon his Undertakings and Merits and faithfully perform all the other Conditions requir'd of them in those Laws which God publish'd to the World This Covenant of Grace succeeded in the room of the Covenant of Works made with Man in his State of Integrity for he by his Fall breaking that Covenant there was another enter'd into and it is call'd the Covenant of Grace because it is the result of the Divine Favor and Goodness for on the violation of the first Covenant Man became obnoxious to the Devine Displeasure and might justly have been left to perish in his Sin but the Divine Mercy and Philanthropy exerted themselves in favor of Mankind and graciously submitted to a nâ—w Covâ—nant through the Mediator and Sponsor Christ Iesus the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World This is the Covâ—nant of Grace made with Mankind of which I shall speak But let me remark this by the by that tho this grand Revelation and Covenant constitute a new Oeconomy yet the Administration of the Law of Nature still remained As natural Religion was of use before in the two other Oeconomies for they were under the Law of Nature mix'd with some Revelutions so now it câ—aseth not Tho Nature is corrupted yet this Light is not extinguish'd The Law of Nature written in Man's Heart at his Creation is still necessary and useful This was imprinted on Men as they were created with rational Minds and therefore this must last always and it was made to do so for it must conduct them as they are Mâ—n i. e. as they are indued with Principles of Reason This goes through all the Particular Dispensations which I shall mention afterwards Having premised this I come to speak of the 〈◊〉 Oâ—conomy of Grace which contains in it all those Periods of Time which were from the discovery of the blessed Seed to Adam until the end of the World This one great Dispâ—nsation of Grace comprehends under it these four particular and pâ—culiar ones 1. The Patriarchal 2. The Mâ—sâ—ical or Lâ—gal 3. The Gâ—ntilâ— 4. The Christian or Evangâ—lical Dispensation 〈◊〉 I begin first with the Patriarchal Oâ—conomy which is call'd so because it prevail'd in the Time when the old Patriarchs lived Adam Nâ—ah and Abraham were the principal of them and fâ—om them this Oâ—conomy may be distinguished into three Periods viz. the Aâ—amical for though the two former Dispensations may be â—ruly call'd Adamickâ— as respecting both the innocent and â—allen State of Adam yet here I restrain the term to that particular part of God's Dispensation which was in this first Patriarch's time from his blessed Recovery till his leaving the World and it comprehends whatever things the Holy Scripture hath mention'd as proper to him and his immediate Posterity till the Flood the Noachical and the Abrahamick The first commenceth with the discovery of the Messias made to Adam and lasteth till Noah the second begins with Noah and the Confirmation of the Covenant of Grace made to him the third takes place from the renewing of it to Abraham The first Patriarchal Dispensation call'd Adamical and Antediluvian began with that signal Promise concerning the Mâ—ssias in Gen. 3. 15. I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel It is true this may be meant of the natural Brood of Serpents and of all the Woman's Offspring namely there shall be a great Antipathy between those and these Who seeth not that there is a natural Enmity between the Serpent and Man The former is ready with his venomous Sting to hurt Mankind he may be said to bruise their Heel for this Creature being on the ground can more easily come at that part and iâ—jure it Therefore Man is afraid of him and fâ—eeth from him but if he hath an opportunity he crusheth him he bruiseth his Head he destroyeth him Thus the Iews generally interpret this Text viz. of the iâ—bred Antipathy between the naturâ—l Serpent and all Mankind But tho this be the literal and most obviouâ— Sense of the words yet it is not the primary one For there is another and higher meaning of them and that is this by the Serpent is meant the Devil because he enter'd into the Serpent and appeaâ—'d in that Shape when he tempted Eve and by the Seed of the Woman is meanâ— Christ who is signally said to be made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. in contradistinction to others who are made of Man and are the Seed of Man There is an irreconcileable Enmity and Hostility between thesâ— two Christ and Satan This latter shews his Enmity in bruising the Heel of the other in persecuting him and his Followers but the former shall shew his Antipathy in bruising the others Head i. â— in utterly destroying his Power and Dominion Here then is the Promise of Christ's coming in the Flesh of the Son of God
than other Creatures were that he came to him often and was pleas'd with his Society that he did not creep on the ground but went on his feet But the same Author goes too far when he intimates that he was of an erect Figure for that is proper only to Man It is very probable that the Serpent did not then grovel and creep on the Earth as he now doth for this was the Curse pronounced against him after the Fall but he was somewhat lifted up from the ground by feet tho perhaps they were very short for you find in the forenamed place that he is sorted with the Beasts of the Field which are distinguish'd in kind from creeping things Gen. 1. 25. Another Ecclesiastical Writer agrees with the former Author that the Serpent was more sociable and conversant with our first Parents than all the other Creatures were that he often approach'd to them and insinuated himself into them with the gentle motions of his Body I do not think with Iosephus that the Serpent and all other Beasts naturally spoke in Paradise a Dream which Basil also assents to but this I am ascertain'd of from the inspired Records of Moses that the Devil spoke by the Serpent or which is all one that the Serpent possessed by the Devil spoke to Eve So we read afterwards that an Ass by an extraordinary impulse spake to Balaam And since that time several Histories mention the speaking of irrational Animals yea of inanimate Creatures Thus a River spoke to Pythagoras and saluted him as he passed by it if we may believe Porphyrius in his Life A Tree spoke to Apollonius Tyanaeus saith Philostratus This was the effect of Magick both those Persons being skill'd in that Art It will be granted then that the Devil is able to do what his Agents and Ministers can effect thus here the Serpent spake to Eve by the motion of Satan actuating his Body The Devil moved his Tongue and inabled him to hold a Discourse with the Woman And now if you consider that he was by his Nature and Make of a graceful Hew and Figure and that he was made by God a subtil and insinuating Creature you will not deny that he was fit to be made use of by Satan to intice and inveigle the Woman Wherefore the bold Man that laughs at this part of the Mosaick History concerning the Serpent and Eve talking together and in effect represents it as a mere Fiction hath as little Reason as Religion on his side It is certainly agreeable to Reason that the Devil would tempt and seduce her by making use of some familiar and domestick Creature if he used any at all The Fox was cunning and crafty but the Serpent was the most gentle and tractable of all this was his proper subtilty It is probable that this Creature was beloved both by Adam and Eve She especially was delighted with it and used to play and sport with it she laid it perhaps in her Bosom or adorned her Neck with its twistings and windings or she made it a Bracelet for her Arms. This is certain that the enmity between the Serpent and Mankind was not till after Man's Fall as appears from Gen. 3. 15. I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed There could not be an Enmity put between them unless there had been a Friendship before Or if the Serpent used before to ensnare or hurt Mankind and to shew himself an Enemy why is it denounced by God as a Threatning and Curse that he will put Enmity between them It is evident then that the Serpent was some goodly lovely Creature and would needs make himself acceptable to the Woman And in this Masquerade the Devil soon got the better of her perswading her that if she did eat of the prohibited Fruit she should be so far from receiving any harm and damage that she should thereby mend her condition and be some Goddess rather than a Woman She was caught with these fond and flattering Suggestions and slighted the Divine Injunction and boldly ventured on the forbidden Dainties The subtil Ingineer planted his Artillery against the weakest part of the Fort he began his Batteries against the feeble Sex first Alas a silly Woman and a subtil Serpent acted by the Devil were not Matches And as this latter tempted Eve by a Serpent so he tempted Man by Eve who was gentle and alluring familiar and insinuating and not easily to be repulsed The weak Woman must needs fall being sollicited both by Satan and the Serpent The poor Man could not but fall who had a triple temptation that of the Devil the Serpent and the Woman Thus both Man and Woman fell and that in a short time after they were created Man being in honour abideth not He stood not one night say some in integrity but apostatized in the close of the same day in which he was made and in the very same day he was cast out of Paradise So the Iews generally and many of the Christian Fathers assert Luther is very punctual Our first Parents entred saith he into the Garden at Noon-day and the Woman having an Appetite and taking delight in the Food eat of it about two a clock But these two things may incline us to think that they did not 1. What the Sacred History concerning that matter affordeth us 2. What Reason and the thing it self will suggest to us about it 1. The History of the Acts of that Day on which Adam was made is a sufficient confutation of this Opinion For Moses in the Book of Genesis acquaints us that on that Day wherein he was created which was the sixth day all these things were done 1. Being created without Paradise he was that day brought into it 2. The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledg of Good and Evil were proposed to him 3. A Law concerning abstaining from one of them was given him 4. All the four-footed Creatures one of a sort at least were brought to him and set before him and he view'd and observ'd them and according to the nature and differences of every Species gave peculiar Names to them The same he did to all the Fowls of the Air. This would take up a considerable time 5. After this Adam fell into a deep sleep and a Rib is taken out of his side and of it the Woman was made 6. God as the Paranymph brings this Spouse to Adam who acknowledgeth her to be a part of him and takes her into intimate familiarity and made her his Wife All this was done on the sixth Day but we do not read that any more was done But you will say If it admitted of so much work we may as well add the eating of the forbidden Fruit which did not take up much time But I answer we learn not from the History that this was done on that day Yea we are sure it
assuming our Nature and thereby redressing the Evils which came by the Fall and by his meritorious Death making Atonement for the Sins of Men and reconciling them to the incens'd Majesty of Heaven And it is here included that even before he was incarnate the Merit of his future Suffeâ—ings and Death should in all Ages be imputed to those who believe in him and look for his Coming For he is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World he was appointed from Eternity to redeem and save lost Mankind by the effusion of his precious Blood This is the purport of this gracious Promisâ— made to Adam in Paradise this was the fiâ—st dawning of the Gospel-Light here were the first Tidings of a Mâ—ssiaâ— Some of the Church of Româ— understand this Promise concerning the Virgin Mary the Vulgar Latin have render'd it ipsâ— she shall bruisâ— thy Head and hence it is inferr'd by Tiriâ—us and others on the place that that Pronoun refers to a Woman and that Woman is the Virgin Mary who bringing forth Christ bruised the Serpent's Head But these Men must be reminded that the Hâ—brâ—w word which we translate It is not hi but 〈◊〉 not she but 〈◊〉 However being of the Masculine Gender it must needs reâ—er to the word before which is of the same Genderâ— and that is Zâ—rang the Sâ—â—d viz. the Seed of the Woman which is Christ. The Lawâ— of Grammar forbid us to render it she and the Laws of the Christian Religion forbid us to apply it to the Virgin Mary seeing it is the proper Work of the Mâ—ssiaâ— to bruise and break the Serpent's Head i. e. to destroy Satan This Interpretation then we quit not only as it is ungrammatical but as it is profane and blasphemously derogates from the Office and Undertakings of Christ. Of him alone we ought to understand these words to him only we can with good reason apply them Thus without doubt they were understood by our First Parents and administred unspeakable Solace and Comfort to them Hence the Messiaâ— was daily expected by them and when Eve was deliver'd of her first-born Son she thought verily she had brought forth the Mâ—ssiaâ— who should bruise the Serpent's Head I have gotten â—aith she a Man from the Lord or according to the Hebrew the Man the Lord. Not only the Iewish especially the Cabalistick Doctors but some worthy Persons of the Christian Perswasion read the words thus and interpret them concerning the Blessed Seed Helvicus hath shew'd that Eth is an Article of the Accusative Casâ— and he doth it in so many Instances in Scripture that it seems to be the Hebrâ—w Idiom And besides it is a demonstrative or â—mphatick Particle and points at some Thing or Person in a signal manner So here it emphatically refers to the Mâ—ssiaâ— who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both Man and God Our Grandmother Evâ— was in hopes that she had born this God-man that Person who was to bruise Saâ—an's Head according to the Promise made to them It is not wholly improbable that 〈◊〉 also perswaded himself that his Son Noah should be the Messias and take away the Curse of the Fall and bring a Blessing with him and comfort the distressed World and give it Rest and Ease and therefore he named him Noah which signifies both Rest and Consolation There was without question a continual expectation of the Coming of this Person and of the fulâ—illing of that Promise concerning his destroying of Satan The seventy Interpreters understood that Text of the Messias which occasion'd their making the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Neuâ—er Gender as the Apostle also doth Gal. 3. 16. And all the antiâ—nt Iews understood this Promise of the blessed Seed Christ tho the Moderns do not You will find it thus applied by both the Targums And the New Testament approves of this by bearing witness that Christ is the Person who â—ruisâ—s the Serpent's Head He took Flesh and Blood that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Dâ—vil Heb. 2. 14. To this purpose the Son of God was manifestâ—d that he might destroy the Works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. and Luke 10. 18. Iohn 12. 31. and 14. 30. with many other places declare that this was he who was to bruise Satan under our feet This is the Scope of the whole Gospel and this is that Gospel which was preached by God in Paradisâ— When Adam and in him all Mankind apostaâ—ized from God and could expect nothing but the Reward of their Rebellion and therefore might have abandon'd themselves to utter Despair God reviv'd them with this Promise of the Mâ—ssias The Seed of the Woman shall bruisâ— the Sâ—rpâ—nt's Head God the Father so loved the World that he resolved to give to his Only Son to be their Redeemer who being the Eternal Wisdom and Word of God and so truly God and one in Essence with the Father was in due time to assume our Nature and become Man thereby to transact the Redemption of lost Mankind and accomplish the Designs of Grace and Mercy to undone Sinners Which tho it be not expresly on this occasion set down in the Mâ—saick History yet other passages of Sacred Scripture assure us that it was so and that the Second Persâ—n in the Sâ—cred Triniâ—y undertook to pacify the Wrath of the Deiâ—y and to reconcile Man unto God and to accomplish the New Covenant made with Adam and his Posterity even a Covenant of Grace and Mercy through his Blood Having thus shew'd the main thing in this Dispensation I must in the next place acquaint you what other considerable things made up this particular Oeconomy and Administration of the Almighty Aâ—ter this grand Revelation and Discovery made to Adam and Eve concerning the Messias to come there were several positive Precepts and Laws given to them and their Children Some reckon that as one that the Woman should be subject to the Man He shall rule over thee Gen. 3. 16. For these words they say may contain not only a Threatning but a Command Here is not only signified the Punishment consequent on the Fall that the Husband should imperiously rule over the Woman which we mention'd before but here is enjoyn'd the subjection of the latter to the former this being now become requisite in the state that Men and Women are in And tho it was a Curse to be tyrannically ruled tho a servile subjection was the Consequent of the Fall yet now it is a Duty to be freely submissive and with it goes a Blessing That also may be look'd upon as another positivâ— Law that Men should labour For tho those words In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat Bread Gen. 3. 19. carry the nature of a Commination and Curse so far as Man's Labour is with uneasiness trouble and pain yet they may likewise be understood in the way of a
Sacred Trinity about the making of Man His Excellency What God's Image in Man is not What it is largely discours'd of The various Opinions concerning Paradise It is proved by sundry Arguments that it was in Babylon An account of its Four Rivers An Objection fully answered whereby the Author's Opinion concerning those Rivers is explain'd and establish'd The Employment of our First Parents in Paradise Besides the Law of Nature there were these positive Laws in the State of Primitive Integrity 1. That of Matrimony 2. That concerning Propagation 3. Observing the Sabbath or Seventh Day It is proved that Adam and Eve kept this Day 4. Abstaining from the Fruit of a certain Tree in the Garden of Eden An Account of the Tree of Lifâ— and the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil. The prohibiting of this latter shew'd in several Particulars to be Reasonable and Equitable 5. The Covenant of Works Not only the first Man and Woman but all their Race were under this First Dispensation Page 1 CHAP. II. The Nature of the Second General Dispensation The several particular Ingredients of the First Sin Its Aggravation 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 insticted on the Serpent Not only our First Parents but all Mankind were under this Second Dispensation p. 49 CHAP. III. The Nature of the Third General Dispensation The first part of which is the Adamick State The early Promise concerning the Messias Gen. 3. 15. explain'd He was expected betimes The New Testament witnesses that he was to bruise the Serpent's Head Several positive Laws were under this Occonomy That of Oblations and Sacrifices is especially consider'd Eucharistical Sacrifices were part of the Law of Nature Expiatory and Bloody onec were not so Thence these latter were disapproved of by the wisest Heathens They are founded upon Divine Institution The Practice of Sacrificing among the Pagans was derived to them by Tradition from the Jews or the foregoing Patriarchs Whether sacrifices were prescribed before or after the Fall of our First Parents Concerning the Primitive Priesthood The Distinction of clean and unclean Animals was in respect of Sacrificing not Eating Gen. 4. 26. explain'd and a settled Church founded upon it Marrying with Infidels seems to be prohibited under this Dispensation The Rise of Polygamy The seven Precepts said to be given to the Sons of Adam and Noah The Improbability of this Jewish Tradition evinced from several Considerations The Mistakes of Volkelius and Episcopius concerning the Antediluvian Oeconomy p. 83 CHAP. IV. The Noachical Oeconomy The first Positive Law under it was about eating of Flesh. It is proved that this prevail'd nâ—â— till after the Flood Objections against it answer'd The Testimony of Pagans to confirm it The Reason of the Prohibition The second Positive Law was concerning not eating Flesh with the Blood The Reason of it The third Positive Law was concerning not shedding of Man's Blood With the Penalty of it And the Sanction of Magistracy Serâ—itude not introduced under this Dispensation The Longevity of the Patriarchs was common to all in those Times The Months and Years were of the same length then that they are now They were Solar not Lunar Years The Causes of the long Lives of those that lived before the Flood The Abrahamick Oeconomy With its several Steps and Advances The Nature of the Covenant made with Abraham Now the Faithful were separated and distinguish'd from the rest of the World Why they are called Hebrews The Nature and Design of Circumcision Vnder this Dispensation Altars were erected Tithes paid c. Of Polygamy and Concubines and other Vsages p. 112 CHAP. V. The Mosaick or Jewish Dispensation seems to be Preposterous The Law of Grace was veiled for a Season The Triple Law which this Oeconomy was famous for briefly display'd Four Reasons assigned why the World was so long without a Written Law The Ceremonial Law is part of this Dispensation The several things which are comprehended in it Oblations viz. of Inanimate things Sacrifices which were of Living Creatures An enumeration of those Sacrifices which were Set and Determined Others were Occasional viz. 1. Sin-Offerings 2. Trespass-Offerings 3. Peace-Offerings Some Remarks about Sacrifices The several Ends and Designs of this way of Worship How the Mosaick Sacrifices are said to Expiate It is largely proved that the guilt of all kinds of Sins whatsoever was Atoned by them The Objections to the contrary are answered The Principal End of the Judâ—ick Sacrifices was to typifie and represent the Sacrifiâ—e of Christ on the Cross. p. 145 CHAP. VI. The High-Priest's Office His peculiar Attire The Imployment and Apparel of the Pâ—iests The Levites particular Charge Whether they might sacrifice or no. Their Office in the Reigns of King David and King Solomon differ'd in some things from what it was before The ordinary and fixed Place of Worship and particularly of Sacrificing was the Tabernacle A particular Account of the three Divisions or Partitions of it viz. the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies with all things contain'd in them The Mystical and Spiritual meaning of the several Particulars The Travels and Removes of the Tabernacle and Ark. A distinct Account of the Parts of the Temple shewing wherein it differ'd from the Tabernacle Of the Fabrick it self and its Dimensions Houses and Chambers belonging to it The Sacraments appointed by the Ceremonial Law p. 173 CHAP. VII The Jewish Feasts Sabbaths New Moon Passover The Parallel between the Paschal Lamb and our Saâ—iour shew'd in several Particulars This Mystical Way approved of Christ celebrated not the Passover the same Evening that the Jews did but in the Evening before This represented in a Scheme The Feast of Pentecost The Feast of Tabernacles The Feast of Trumpets Of Expiation Other lesser Feasts not commanded in the Law but appointed by the Jewish Church Fasts kept tho not injoin'd by the Law The difference of Clean and Unclean Animals Why the latter were forbidden to be eaten The chief Reason of the prohibition was to prevent Idolatry Two Objections answer'd Vows proper to the Mosaick Dispensation They were either Personal or Real The Cherem p. 205 CHAP. VIII The Reasons of the Ceremonial Rites among the Jews They were to Try that People They were to Restrain them They were injoin'd in opposition to the Idolatrous Customs of the Heathens Several
from an inward coveâ—ing of the Goods which she left behind her or from a foolish pitying of those whom God had design'd for Destruction she stood and look'd back Which Example of hers might have produced the like Passions in others And if it had gone unpunish'd a great contempt of God's Providence would have been the effect But the chief thing which made her looking back toâ— be sinful was this that it was a direct Affront to the Command of God who had strictly charged them to fly and not to look back Gen. 19. 15. 17. And he certainly ought to have been obey'd he that so graciously deliver'd them from the flames of Sodom he that rescued them thence out of his mere Mercy and Favour he that required observance in so easy a matter as this he surely was not to be repay'd with Disobedience therefore he acted most justly when he severely punish'd it in this stubborn Woman So in the Sin of our first Parents we have shew'd before that the intrinsick Causes of it were very bad and the adjoining Circumstances might be prov'd to be as evil and pernicious but if we consider that it was a wilful violating of the Divine Command as it most palpably was it will appear to be yet more sinful and vitious It was no less than a set and voluntary chusing of Death and Misery and reâ—using of everlasting Happiness There can't be imagin'd a greater Sin than this nothing could speak them greater Rebels against Heaven For God designing that his new-made Creatures by conforming to that Prohibition should testify their acknowledgment of him and their subjection to him their acting contrary to it was a high instance of Rebellion and a downright disowning of God's Dominion and Authority And tho indeed it was disobedience to the Divine Command in a lesser matter yet even thence the baseness of the Action is more manifested and the greater ingratitude and unâ—aithfulness of the Sinners are discovered Thus you see what the Sin of our first Parents was you are acquainted with the nature of their Offence Secondly I will in a few words speak of the Prâ—curer and Instrument of it Whilst our first Parents were in their happy state of Integrity they are envied by the Spirits of Darkness the Fallen Angels a rank of Creatures that were made by God to enjoy a blessed Immortality and to be the Attendents and Ministers of the Majesty of Heaven but they soon revolted from God and for their Pride and Arrogance were thrust down from Heaven and divested of that Dignity and Glory which were confer'd upon them These wicked and reprobate Spirits being thus degraded maliciously and revengefully resolv'd to disturb the Felicity of Mankind and to betray the innocent Inhabitants of Paradise into the same misery with themselves The Prince of these Apostate Spirits it is most probable was by general consent of the rest chosen to effect this direful Project and the method they pitch'd upon was to set upon the Woman first and that in the disguise of a Serpent Cyril and one or two others of the Antients were of Opinion that he Devil appear'd in the likeness only of a Serpent but it is more probable that the entred into a true and real Serpent according to the sentiment of most of the Fathers And they have the plain History on their side which saith he was the subtilest of all the Beasts of the Field Gen. 3. 1. And besides the Cursâ— denounc'd against this Animal shews it was a natural Serpent Gen. 3. 14. One tells us that this Creature was a Basilisk Another saith it was a Viper and a third saith it was a Dragon which is an overgrown Serpent But the Devil appearing in the shape of these Creatures would have terrified rather than allured the poor Female Others on a contrary extreme think that it was a bright glorious and winged Serpent that appeared to her They fancy that a Daemon or Devil came to Eve like some Angel or Saraph for the Seraphim or Angels appear'd in form of splendid flying Serpents sometimes as they would prove from Numâ— 21. 6. where the Serpents that God sent among the Israelites are call'd Seraphim And from this place and Isa. 14. 29. they gather that these flying Serpents that were very bright and shining like Fire were usual in the Eastern Countries I have found lately that two excellent Persons of great Name and Esteem in our own Church favour this Opinion But with due respect and deference given first to their Judgment I make bold to offer these Reasons why I dissent from them in this present matter 1. We have no certain knowledg or account of the Serpents spoken of in the forenamed Texts only we know that they were raging fierce and venomous and thence it is likely they were call'd Seraphim burning because by their venomous Sting they produced an inflammation in that part of the Body which they stung And they might be said to flie because of their swift and impetuous motion wherein they exceeded other Serpents 2. If I should grant that there were such firy flying Serpents as these worthy Persons suppose and that they are spoken of in the foregoing places yet it seems not to me probable that Satan would make use of such an affrighting Creature to deal with our Mother Eve This sort of Animals in my apprehension would sooner scare than entice her Methinks his fierce and furious motion should strike terror into her his flaming Wings should make her fly from him not hold discourse with him Or at least 3. this Spectacle was too glittering and dazeling so that she could not endure the brightness of it I am apt to conceive that such a sight was fitter to amaze than to tempt 4. When I find this Serpent reckon'd among the Beasts of the Field and that twice Gen. 3. 1 14. I must needs say I cannot easily be perswaded that it was of that kind before named it seems not to me to be a winged Animal moving aloft in the Air. I do not well apprehend I confess how such a one can be numbred among the Beasts of the Field or Earth Tho the Holy Ghost in Scripture having barely told us that it was a Serpent it is most natural and genuine to conclude it was an ordinary Serpent such as God had lately created and such as among other Creatures lived on the Soil of Paradise Now the Serpent was more subtil than any Beasts of the Field which the Lord God had made Gen. 3. 1. The subtilty of the Serpent denoteth here to us the gentle familiar and insinuating nature of this Animal For the Author of the Iewish Antiquities observes that this Creature frequently convers'd and in a familiar manner associated with Adam and his Wife And so an Antient Father of the Church agrees with this Iewish Writer telling us that the Serpent before the Fall was mild and gentle and more familiar with Man
was not done for it is said of the Works of the sixth day as of the foregoing ones God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Gen. 1. 31. It is not probable this would have been said if Man had not continued good till then and if Sin the greatest Evil of all was entred at that time And we are to observe that these words were pronounced concerning what happen'd all the space of that sixth day of the Creation And all the things before-mention'd which are the Contents of the second Chapter of Genesis are suppos'd to be comprehended within this time for 't is said immediately after the foregoing approbation in the close of the first Chapter of Genesis that the Evening and the Morning which make the Day compleat were the sixth Day After this you read that the story of Adam's Fall begins that Satan attempts the Woman that there were several Discourses between the Serpent and the Woman and between her and the Man Therefore 't is evident that our Parents did not fall from God on the same day they were â—reated Secondly Several Reasons may be offer'd why it was not so viz. first because it is more worthy of God to believe that Adam and his Mate were not baffled so sooâ— after their Creation It is not congruous to God's Wisdom to create so excellent a Frame and let it be spoil'd immediately Then more particularly this may be alledged that God's proposal of the Covenant of Works to our first Parents on which depended the whole result of the present Affair their mutual consenting to it and the ratifying it on God's part and Man's part in some solemn manner were a Work which required some length of time Further the Parley between Satan and Eve might be of a long continuance to it is briefly set down by Moses It is probable that she at first gave a repulse to the Assault it is likely that several Onsets were made before she yielded We cannot but suppose a considerable time of tempting because otherwise it would have been a Surprize and then it would not have been what it is that is the Transgression would not have been of so heinous a nature and would not have been animadverted on so severely Again it is rational to think that Adam and his Wise being created by God in that perfection of Knowledg and Holiness which are acknowledg'd to have been in them could not suddenly be drawn from their obedience to God Those high Endowments could not easily be lost those Divine Gifts could not decay but by little and little Therefore upon this account we have reason to believe and affirm that these Persons shrunk back from their Integrity by degrees and not all at once and that the space of time between their Temptation and actual Transgression in eating the forbidden Fruit was of some length much more than we can reasonably suppose to have been crowded into one single day Thus both Scripture and Reason induce us to reject that common Opinion that our first Parents fell from their Primitive Innocence on the very day that they were made But when I say this I pretend not to determine how long Adam and Eve continued in their Innocence and what time pass'd before they were turn'd out of Paradise None can positively assert that they were created and fell upon the same day because it is no where said so But then on the other hand it is as true that none can be positive as to the certain time of their abiding in their Innocence because we find it not mention'd As those who say they fell in the very day in which God formed them are not to be credited so those Cabalistick Iews who say they were twenty years in Paradise before they were turn'd out are to be utterly exploded The renowned Vsher in his Annals holds that Adam was expell'd out of Paradise on the tenth day from the beginning of the World according to which timing of it he fell in the third or fourth day after that of his Creation for it is not to be thought that he staid there after his Fall But in my judgment those Hebrew Doctors for they are not all oâ— them of the same mind who hold that our first Parents continued both in their Integrity and in Paradise eight days do approach nearest to the Truth It is likely that they retain'd their Innocence amidst many Assaults and Temptations â—ill about that time so that as the first Week in the World ended with the Creation of Man and Woman so their fatal Seduction and Fall were the close of the second week However from the Premises it is evidenâ— that there was a considerable time between their Formation and Lapse Hitherto I have consider'd the Sin and Fall of our first Paâ—ents now I must speak of the dreadful Effects of it Man became like the Beasts which perish Man was in a happy and glorious condition but made himself wretched and miserable Man was in honour we were once happy In which sense those words in Gen. 3. 22. may be understood Behold the Man was as one of us for so it may be rendred according to the Hebrew He was so happy as to be like one of us he was created after our Image but now is miserable It is such a manner of speaking as that of the Poet Fuimus Troes â—uit Ilium ingens Gloria Teucrorum Unless you are rather inclin'd to think those words are spoken ironically and by way of Interrogation Is the Man become like one of us As much as to say he is not he is far from it he is lost and undone he hath made himself a very lamentable and wretched Creature Let us now briefly recount the Particulars of his Misery First God who forâ—ad Man to eat of the Tree of Knowledg now forbids him to touch the Tree of Life Now Man is turn'd out of Paradise that Garden of Pleasure he is sent out of God's Presence and is become a Reprobate and Castaway There is a stern Angel with a flaming Sword set at the entrance of Eden to keep him and his Posterity out for ever We may in part imagine but we cannot sufficiently relate how sad and deplorable the condition of Adam and Eve was at this time They could not but spend their days in languishing Grief in continual Sighs and Tears they could not but be filled with Regret and Remorse when they reflected on their past Felicity and the loss of it by their Folly when they look'd forward also and saw the innumerable Evils which insue upon this their Miscarriage To augment their Sorrows there soon happen'd a dismal effect of their Fall and Depravation Their dear Son Abel was murder'd by his own Brother the same Devil that deluded them working on him And how can the disconsolate Parents bear this and the rest of their Sorrows The Children had been brought up well they had been set to honest Imployments Adam
that Christ's words here are not oppofed to Moses's that he doth command nothing contrary to the Law but that he vindicated the Law from the false and corrupt Glosses of the Pharisees you may be convinced that Christ is here no New Legislator but an Interpreter of the Old Law that he only explaineth and cleareth it and more fully delivereth it to the World and consequently that the Precepts of the Gospel are the same in substance with the Decalogue that Christ enjoineth no New Virtue as to the kind of it that he hath made no addition of New Laws and Precepts to the Old ones unless in those respects which I have before mentioned and on the account of them it is that the Legal and Evangelical Dispensation differ so much Being now employed in shewing the Difference between the Old Dispensations before Christ and that which he introduced I cannot finish what I intend unless I particularly handle that noted Question What is the difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace or between the Old and New Covenant and why they are called so I have said something already which may give light to this but now I will purposely insist upon it Indeed the Discourse of the Old and New Covâ—nant might have been inserted in the beginning when I enter'd upon the General Oâ—conomy of Grace when I spoke of the first Discovery made to Adam concerning the Messâ—as but then I must have antedated some things which I have mention'd since and I must have treated of the Evangelical Dispensation long before it came in my way It is therefore pertinent and most proper to treat of the Câ—venants in this place and to shew the true difference between them We must call to mind then what I said before that God covenanted with Man 1. When he was in the State of Innocence 2. When he was fallen The former was the Covenant of Wâ—rks the latter was the Covenant of Grâ—ce As to the first it was properly a Covenant for a Covenant is a mutual Agreement betwixt Party and Party with reciprocal Obligations of each other So that Covenant was a Contract between God and Adam and in him with all Mankind wherein God promised Everlasting Life and Happiness to Man if he continued in his Obedience to him And Man having a sufficient Ability given him by God ingaged on his part to perform perfect Obedience and to persevere in all good Works without sinning whence it was call'd the Covenant of Works Upon this Agreement God gave Adam a particular Commandment as a trial of his Obedience that he should abstain from the Fruit of a certain Tree in the Garden where God had placed him But Adam soon broke this Covenant by eating the forbidden Fruit and so brought a Curse on himself and all his Posterity Hereupon the First Convenant or Covenant of Works was succeeded by a Second viz. the Covenant of Grace This is that Covenant which God made with Adam and his Posterity just after his Fall when they were in a state of Sin and Misery Christ was promised forthwith the Seed of thâ— Woman shall break the Serpent's Head Gen. 3. 15. As soon as this Promise was given and made the Covenant of Works expired then began the Covenant of Grace and so was in succeeding Generations more and more revealed till Christ came and fully revealed it This is called the Covenant of Grace as hath been said before because it proceeded from mere Grace and Favour and because a more abundant Grace and Love are discovered in this Covenant for Man's restoring than in the other for preserving him Now a Covenant being a mutual Contract and Stipulation of both Parties as hath been suggested this Covenant as well as the other was made up of something on God's part and something on ours As God is tied to Man so Man is tied to God God promised to send his Son to take our Nature and to make known to us the Will of his Father thus he is a 〈◊〉 and also to satisfy God for our Sins and by this means to redeem us from Hell and Eternal Damnation and to obtain for us forgiveness of Sins and the favour of God and Eternal Life and Blessedness Sinners are justified pardoned and restored to what they lost by 〈◊〉 they are reinstated in the Right and Privilege they had before their Apostacy This is done by Chrrist's Death thus he is our Priest he offers himself a Sacrifice for our Sins Further he inables us to discharge our Duty by sending his Holy Spirit into our Hearts he rules and governs us and so is our King This is the Covenant on God's part On ours it is to hearken diligently to our Prophet and to be desirous and ready to learn his Will to accept of rely upon and apply unto our selves the meritorious Satisfaction of our Priest and to be ruled by him as our King to submit to him and to obey his Laws which briefly are these that we acknowledg his Soveraignty over us that we believe in him and that we repent and forsake our Sins These are the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace on Man's part Or take the whole in a briefer way thus To give Ability and Power to believe and repent and perform Acts of Holiness is the New Covenant on God's part But personally to do these by virtue of the foresaid Power is the New Covenant on Man's part which yet God alone can make effectual It is said by some that Faith and Obedience are not the Conditions of this Covenant on Man's part because they are promised in the Covenant for the Condition of the Covenant must be a distinct thing from the Covenant But this is a mere Nicety for tho in the Gospel-Covenant Faith and Repentance are prâ—misâ—d i. e. God hath ingaged to give us strength to exert these Graces yet so far as they are consider'd as our Acts and coming from 〈◊〉 for God cannot be said to believe and repent they are Conditions They are promis'd by 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 as all that we are to do is promis'd but since we on our part engage and promise to do them they are rightly stiled and really are Qualifications without which we shall never partake of the Divine Favour Neither do these Conditionâ— of Faith and Obedience which are required of us hinder the freeness of the Gospel-Grace as is objected for God promised pardon of Sin and Eternal Life freely and it is the same free Grace which first appointed and afterward accepteth of these Conditions It is mere Favour and Good-will that God was pleased to give Salvation and Everlasting Happiness by Christ on condition of believing and obeying him But you will say it is the Language of the Covenant of Works Do this and live whereas the Gospel saith Believe and be saved I answer The Covenant of Grace as well as the Covenant of Works requires doing and so in effect saith Do this and live But yet
right hand of God which is another effect of his Resurrection is expresly spoken of by the Psalmist Ps. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool which St. Peter takes notice was fulfilled Acts 2. 34. And indeed the Antient Rabbies generally interpreted the 110th Psalm of the Messias And that they had reason to do so is plain from Christs Question to the Pharisees Matth. 22. 43. How doth David in spirit call the Messias Lord which would have been frivolous and to no purpose if this Psalm were not to be understood of the Messias yea if it was not so understood by the Pharisees They might have denied that Hypothesis of his and have reproved him for misinterpreting the Psalmist's words But you see they were so far from doing so that they sneaked away in silence being not able to answer him a word ver 46. they knew full well that they were gravelled with our Saviour's Query and that that Psalm was one of the clearest Prophesies of the Messias and his Kingdom and Offices that is in all the Old Testament Thus all the remarkable Passages concerning our Saviour were foretold his Birth Life Doctrine Conversation Miracles Death Burial rising again and ascending into Glory and we cannot deny but that they were as punctually fulfill'd and thereby the Truth of Christianity is abundantly declared Many other Predictions concerning Christ might be mentioned as that first and most early one of all in Gen. 3. 15. The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head which in St. Iohn's Language is no other than this that the Son of God was to be manifested to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Ep. ch 3. v. 8. Afterwards that Message of the Angel to Abraham in Gen. 22. 18. was a Prediction concerning Christ in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed which cannot be understood of any but the blessed Jesus who is a universal Blessing a Catholick Benefit to the World Of his coming Moses his words are to be understood Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken There never appear'd any Prophet like unto Moses but Iesus the Messias the Parallel between which two Eusebius hath excellently shew'd in sixteen or seventeen particulars Yea Christ far exceeded Moses in all great and miraculous Actions as well as in his Doctrine This latter is spoken of in Isa. 2. 3. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem signifying that Christ was to change the Law of Moses as to many considerable things and to establish one which should be more excellent and more lasting That also is a most pregnant place Hag. 2. 7 8 9. I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations i. e. the Messias shall come and I will fill this House this second Temple with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts with these I could adorn and enrich the Temple but it shall be dignified with some greater thing viz. the appearing of the Messias in it upon this account the Glory of this latter House shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I give Peace saith the Lord of Hosts Here it is plain that the Messias was to come before the second Temple of Ierusalem should be destroyed by the Romans for the second Temple is said to be more glorious than the first though in it self less glorious because Christ came into it in the days of his Flesh and honour'd it with his Presence If you look to the second Temple it self which was built by Zorâ—babel and afterwards adorned by Herod and compare it with the first Temple built by Solomon it was far less glorious than that It was not so rich and sumptuous a Fabrick and it wanted several things which were in the other as the Ark with the Mercy-seat and Cherubims the Holy Fire from Heaven the Sâ—ekinah or Presence of the Divine Majesty the Holy Ghost and the Vrim and Thummim Thus they are reckon'd up in the Talmâ—d tho others say some of these were not lost in the Captivity as the Ark and the sacred Fire but were preserv'd and were placed in the Temple aâ—terwards However granting this to be true the loss of those other things rendered this Temple much inferior to the former one Therefore for this reason alone it is that the Glory of the second Temple is greater than of the first viz. because of Christ's Presence there This is expresly mention'd by the Prophet Malachi the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his Temple Mal. 3. 1. And further you may observe that it is said here the desire of all Nations i. e. Christ or the Messias shall come which denoteth this to us that the Messias came at that time when he was expected and desired by the Nations by both Iews and Gentiles and that was the very time when he was born as I shall shew afterwards Again those Prophesies are remarkable where the Branch is promised Thus the Prophet Isaiaâ— treating of Christ's Kingdom in the 4 th Chap. of his Prophesy hath these words In that Day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious ver 2. Or you may read it the Branch the Lord i. e. the Branch who is the Lord Iehovah viz. the Messias who is God as well as Man Of him the same Prophet speaks again in chap. 11. ver 1. There shall come forth a Rod â—ut of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grâ—w oâ—t of his Roots Which it is evident by the Character that follows can be meant of none but the Messias So likewise Iâ—râ—miah prophesying of the times of the Gospel speaks thus Behold the Days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Iâ—dgment and Iustice in the Earth In his Days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whâ—râ—â—y he shall be call'd the Lord our Rigâ—teousness Jer. 23. 5 c. And with a little variation he repeateth the same in chap. 33. ver 15 16. which if you consult the Context in both places cannot be understood of any but Christ thâ— Lord. Nor can that of Zâ—chary be taken otherwise Beâ—old I will bring forth my Servant the Branch chap. 3. ver 8. And again chap. 6. ver 12 13. Behold the Man whose Name is 〈◊〉 Branch and he shall grow up or branch up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even 〈◊〉 shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear tâ—e Glory and he shall sit and rule upon his Throne c. which last Clause
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