Lamb Christ our God delivers us from the Curse of the Enemy and from Eternal Death Indeed this is the grand and principal thing signified by the Paschal Lamb viz. our Redemption by the Blood of Jesus Christ. And the Sprinkling of this Blood is twice expresly mention'd as absolutely necessary for this purpose Heb. 12. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 1. And the hearts of Believers are said to be sprinkled from an evil conscience Heb. 10. 22. that is purged and cleans'd from the defilements of Sin by sprinkling of the Blood of this Lamb. Besides the sprinkling and striking of the Blood on the posts denotes unto us the particular applying of the Blood of Jesus and the virtue of his Passion to our selves by a lively Faith Which that Religious and Pious Critick whom I have before quoted expresses thus The Blood of Christ saith he is sprinkled on the posts of our hearts when with a firm Faith we imbrace the Doctrine of the Cross being assured that the Son of God poured out his Blood for us so that every one of us may say with the Apostle This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Moreover at the Celebration of the Passover they were to strike the blood of the slain Lamb on the two side posts of the door within and without on purpose that they might see it and take special notice of it as the Angel did before and that they might call that Wonderful Mercy to remembrance This shall be to you for a Memorial and ye shall keep it a Feast to the Lord for ever ver 14. This solemn Feast was instituted on purpose to remind them of their Deliverance and so the Lords Supper which succeeds in its room is a Commemâ—ration of our Deliverance by Christ. Do this in Remembrance of me saith he observe this Holy Feast to help you to call to mind my Death and consequently the Infinite Benefits and Advantages which you receive by it In the next place we come to speak of the Eating of the Paschal Lamb and the several Circumstances that were observable in it and let us see how they agree with that which we are speaking of First I say it was to be Eaten and so was the Lamb of God He himself uses this stile and language he calls unto us saying Take eat this is my Body Mat. 26. 26. And he assures us that except we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood we have no life in uâ— Whose â—ateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal life for my Flesh is meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleâ—h in me and I in him Joh. 6. 53 c. This I think is sufficient to prove the Parallel between Christ and the Paschal Lamb as to eating them Next we are to observe that this Lamb which was to be eaten was to be roasted with fire ver 8. And therein also is prefigured what beâ—el the Lamb of God The Holy Ghost in Scripture is pleased to compare God's Wrath to Fire Deut. 32. 24. Jer. 4. 4. Jer. 15. 14. Jer. 21. 12. Lam. 1. 13. Lam. 2. 4. and in many other places Therefore Roasting in the fire fitly expresseth the Extremity of Christs Sufferings under the Flames of God's Anger He was as it were Scorched and Burnt he underwent the Displeasure of God who is a Consuming Fire Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 12. 29. This is thus expressed in other terms by Isaiah He was woâ—nded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities Isa. 53. 5. He was oppressed and he was afflicted ver 7. It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief ver 10. Some Commentators take no notice of this Parallel but certainly it is not to be omitted nay it is of very great moment and the manner of speech very fitly and significantly expresses the Heat the Height of God's wrath kindled against Sinners We see this Torrefaction is adapted to the usual language of Scripture where the Extremity of the Divine Anger against the wicked is set forth by fire with which saith the Learned and Pious Bochart it behoved Christ to be as it were scorched and burnt who had made himself a Surety for Sinners that he might undergo the Punishment which they deserved Nay besides the Mystical signification there is a kind of literal fulfilling of the Expression here used if we may credit an antient and pious Father who acquaints us that the Roasted Lamb at the Passover was spitted in such a manner that it resembled the figure of a Cross and he particularly tells us how If we consider that this Antient Writer of the Church was born and bred in Palestine and was skill'd in the Iewish as well as Pagan Rites and Customs and likewise if we remember that he spoke these words in a Conference with a knowing Iew who could and would have contradicted him if he had deliver'd any thing concerning the Iewish practices which was not true we cannot but look upon this as a very considerable Testimony and we must conclude that he would not have dared to apply this particular passage of the Roasting of the Lamb to our blessed Saviâ—ur he would not have compar'd this Cross to the Spit unless there had been ground for it The next thing observable is that the whole Lamb was to be eaten ver 10. Ye shall let nothing of it remain's which may import how Intire and Compleat the spiritual eating of the Lamb of God should be Whole Christ or none must be receiv'd by Faith Which the forecited Author thus piously descants upon It is not sufficient to eat Christ in part as if we were desirous to enjoy his Glory but not to be partakers of his Sufferings or as if we would have him for our Redeemer not for our Lawgiver and Master as if not attributing enough to the Merits of Christ we would partly place our confident hope of Salvation in our own Works or in the Mediation and Intercession of others And further when it is said that the Lamb must not remain till morning it doth strangely and marvelously agree with what the Evangelists relate that Christ was taken down from the Cross on a sudden contrary to the Custom in such cases and partly because of the Sabbath on the ensuing day that thereby the Parallel between our Saviour and the Iewish Passover might be more manifest It is said further ver 46. and Num. 9. 12. Neither shall ye break a bone thereof That Christ Iesus who suffer'd on the Cross was presignifi'd and foretold by this is plain from what is recorded by St. Iohn who tells us that Divine Providence so order'd it that tho the Souldiers broke the Legs of those that were crucified with Christ yet they brâ—ke not his Legs Joh. 19. 33. A most remarkable completion of the Type
this and say it was by Divine Injunction But Chrysostom and Theodoret seem to be of another Judgment The Moderns are divided some hold that Flesh was eaten before the Flood and others not till after it Luther Peter Martyr Fr. Iunius and Musculus hold the latter But Calvin Rivet Parâ—us and other Reformed Divines hold the former viz. that eating of Flesh as well as Herbs was free from the very Creation Of this Opinion too are Beveroviciâ—â— the Physician Bochart Voetius Hottinger and our Willeâ— But I conceive that these worthy Men fail in this Point and that the other Opinion is to be prefer'd before this because there is a plain Text of Scripture to back it which the other Opinion is destitute of Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you even as thâ— green Herb which was the only Food allow'd you before Gen. 1. 29. have I given you all things Gen. 9. 3. As much as to say you have as free liberty now since the Flood to eat the Flesh of every living Creature as you had before the Flood to feed on every sort of Herbs and Fruits tho you were stinted as to Flesh. This is the clear sense and import of the words and consequently proves that eating Flesh before the Flood was unlâ—wful I do not say they never ate Flesh for it 's pâ—obable they did transgress sometimes and made bold to taste of that sort of Food but this is the thing I assert that â—ating Flesh was forbidden them at that time and that the Prohibition was not taken off till after the Flood and that then first of all it was lawful to kill Animals in order to the eating of their Flesh all which appears from clear words of Scripture If it be objected that the Antediluvians kept Sheep and therefore it is to be infer'd thence that they â—ade use of their Flesh for Food I answer That they kept flocks of Sheep 1. For their Wool and Skins to clothe them 2. For Sacrifices which consumed many of their Sheep and other Cattel And perhaps 3 for Milk to sustain them for as I suggested before they ventured to transgress sometimes and to eat something else besides Herbs and Fruits tho it was against a Command Thus you see the Shepherds Life or keeping of Sheep proveth not that they used the Flesh of Sheep for Food And by what hath been said we know likewise how to answer that common Objection that killing of Beasts was used by the Patriarchs therefore eating Flesh was in use It follows not because they killed them either for their Skins or Fleece or to offer them on the Altar The elder 〈◊〉 thinks that tho at all other times they abstain'd from Flesh yet this was their extraordinary repast at Sacrificing But I do not see any reason to confirm what he suggests for tho afterwards it was usual to eat of the Sacrifices yet it doth not follow thence that this was practis'd before the Flood Others argue also from the difference of clean and unclean Beasts before the Flood It is evident say they that there was eating of Bâ—asts at that time else some could not be said to be clean and others unclean But I have proved before that the distinction of clean and unclean Animals which was before the Flood had respect only to Sacrifices not to Eating Notwithstanding then these Objections I assert that there was no Sarcophagy before the Flood at least it was not common and that if any presumed to eat Flesh it was unlawfully done of them This Notion the Pagan Poets and Philosophers had 〈◊〉 Virgil intimateth that eating of Flesh was an impious thing and not known in the first and purest Ages of the World Ovid describing those Times le ts us know that they sed on no Flesh but lived altogether on the Fruits of the Earth Aâ— vetus illa â—tas cui fecimus aurâ—a nâ—men Foetibus arboreis quas humâ—â— educat herbiâ— Fortunata fuit nec polluit or a cruore Tunc aves tutâ— movérâ— pâ—r â—era pennas Et lepus impavidus mediis erravit in arvis Nec sua credulitas piscâ—m suspender at hâ—mo Cuncta sine inâ—idiis nulláamque timentia fraâ—dem Plenáque paciâ— erant Which may be English'd thus The Antient Age which we the Golden call Was bless'd with Hâ—rbs and Fruits the only Fare That wholesom is Those days were not defil'd With bloody Dainties In those early Times The Fowls in safety flew in th' open Air The Beasts securely ranged in the Plains Fishes were not by their Credulity Unwarily betray'd All Creatures liv'd In a profound security For why They neither used nor fear'd Treachery This the Pythagoreans testify who were great Searchers into the Antient and Primitive Practices of the World Pâ—rphyrius who was one of that Sect asserts that in the Golden Age no Flesh of Beasts was eaten and he is to be pardoned in what he addeth afterwards in the same Book that War and Famine first introduced this usage He was not acquainted with Genesis he knew not that God's Order to Noaâ— after the Flood was that every living Creature should be Meat for him If you enquire into the Reason why God who had restrain'd Men from eating of Flesh before the Flood permitted them to do it aâ—ter it it is likely he did it because the Earth was corrupted by the Deluge and by the saltness of the Seas and so the Plants and Herbs and all Fruits of the Earth were indamaged The natural Virtue of Vegetables was much impaired and thereby they could not yield so wholesom and solid a Nourishment as they once did they were not so sutable to Man's Body as they were before Hereupon God gave them a Licence to eat Flesh he indulged this to them out of the Care and Love he bore to them The Second Positive Law which Noaâ— receiv'd was concerning the not â—ating of Flesh with the Blood Gen. 9. 4. Flesh with thâ— Lifâ— thâ—reof which is the Blood thereof shall ye not â—at Ludâ—vicâ—â— de Dieâ— is of opinion that the eating of Creatures that died of themselves is here forbid but I see no foundation for it St. Chrysâ—â—tom thinks that eating of things strangled is spoken against here But this doth not reach the full meaning of this Prohibition for by this Law it was made unlawful to eat any raw Flesh whilst it was yet warm and had the Blood and Life in it Thus the Iewish Doctors understood it and that very rightly as the famous Mr. Selden hath shew'd This they say was the Seventh Precept given by God to Noah after the Flood We are sure it was one for the Holy Ghost by Moses attesteth it here Tho they had leave to eat Flesh yet it was with this Exception that they should not eat it with the Life or Soul which is the Blood that is they were forbid to eat live Flesh with the Blood in it they were not
Besides the Worship of the Patriarchs tho not wholly void of Ceremonies was Simple and Plain in respect of what was now Under this Legal Dispensation the number of Ceremonies was vastly increas'd and the Worship was all Gay and Pompous by reason of them Moreover as you will have occasion to observe several of the Ceremonies used by the Iews differ from the same in use among the Patriarchs as to some considerable Circâ—â—stances and Qualifications The Cerâ—monial Law of the Iews comprehended in it 1. The External Worship it 〈◊〉 which consisted chiefly in Obâ—â—tions and Saâ—â—ifâ—ces in Offerâ—ng and Consuming 〈◊〉 to the Honour of God 2. The things belonging to the Persons who Officiated as High-Priests Priests 〈◊〉 3. The Place of God's Worship viz. the Tabernacle and Temple with all the Utensils and Instruments employ'd about them 4. The Sacraments Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb. 5. The Times and Set Seasons of Worship 6. Some things that respect the Coâ—â—ersation of the Worshippers as the difference of Meats and Drinks Uncleanness in touching the Dead Garments c. 7. The Religion of Vows Of these in their order I begin with Oblations and Sacrifices which were the principal Matter of the Ceremonious Worship commanded by the Mosaick Law These two are distinct things as we see in Psal. 40. 6. Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not And in Dan. 9. 27. He shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease Zebach and Minchah which are the words here used for Sacrifice and Oblation are answer'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heb. 10. 5. And the same Author again makes this division of the Legal Offerings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gifts and Sacrifices Heb. 9. 9. The Iewish Writers keep this distinction inviolably in their Treatises relating to this matter First The Mosaick Law enjoined the Minchah the Gift or Oblation i. e. Meal Flower Bread Cakes Wafers Salt Oil Frankincense handfuls of green Ears of Corn and all other Fruits of the Earth These were brought and burnt before God or partly eaten and partly burnt But tho Minchah was the general Name for the Offering and Burning of all inanimate things which were presented to God yet the Bread Meal or Flower that was offer'd was more signally called Minchah For which reason I conceive if I may be permitted to be critical in this matter Minchah which we constantly translate in the â—entâ—teuch a meat Offering should rather be rendred a meal or flower Offering And the Sacrifices of Flâ—sâ— might be called the meat Offerings rather according to our usual way of speaking But the Mincah was a Câ—â—e made of fine Meal Oil and Frankincense and baked It was offer'd every Morning and Evening with the ordinary Sacrifices and at other times it was generally join'd with all bloody Sacrifices The like kind of Oblation among the Gentiles was called Libum The Oblations of the things before mentioned were sometimes stiled Terumoth or Heave-offerings from the manner of offering them viz. by holding them up and by shaking them up and down to signisy say the Jews that God was Lord of Heaven and Earth For Terumah was an Offering to God of something they had received to acknowledg God's Dominion over the whole Earth and to set forth his Praise and Honour It was an honouring of God with their Substance and a thankful remembrance of the Blessings they enjoyed in so good a Land The Oblations of these things were sometimes also called Tenuphoth or Wave-Offerings because they used this kind of gesture in offering them they waved them to and fro from the right to the left East and West North and South and this also was to declare that God was Lord of the whole World These Offerings were instituted by God as an Acknowledgment that the Fruits of the Earth which they enjoy'd were from him The liquid things which were offered to God were Water Wine Oil and Blood The way of offering these Liquors was partly by effusion they poured out the Water Oil and Blood and some portion of the Wine on the ground and spilt them about the Altar and upon the Sacrifices Thence that of the Apostle may be understood If I be poured forth for so it is in the Greek upon the Sacrifice and Service of your Faith Phil. 2. 17. And part of the Wine they drank whence you read of Drink-Offerings or Libations Of which the Psalmist speaks when he saith he will take the Cup of Salvation Psal. 116. 13. which is meant of the Drink-Offering of Praise which was in use when they sacrificed and feasted in the Temple These were the inanimate things of which 〈◊〉 Oblations consisted which were generally known by the name of Mincahor Meat-Offering as we translate it tho it is true likewise that Mincah which is a word of a large signification was the usual term for the daily Sacrifice Secondly Their Worship was accompanied with Sacrifices which were of living Creatures Zebach was the bloody Sacrifice such a one as was always attended with the shedding of the Blood of Beasts It is usually called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a Slaughter Offering and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latins Victima and Hostia These Sacrifices properly so call'd were Animals kill'd and then burnt These Animals used in Scripture were either Terrestrial or AErial Beasts or Birds Of Beasts there were these three kinds only viz. the Bull or Cow or Ox which made but one kind the Goat or Kid the sheep or Lamb and this may be observ'd that a Lamb is applied to the young ones both of Goats and Sheep Exod. 12. 5. The Iewish Masters take notice that these were the only Cattel that were used in Sacrifice because they are mild and tame Creatures God made choice say they of those Animals that are driven by others not those that drive and worry others as the Lion the Wolf the Leopard Whence they make a good moral Observation that those are the Elect of God and are fit to be offer'd unto him who are of a meek and patient Spirit Tho I believe the true reason why Bulls Sheep and Goats were the standing Sacrifices was this that they were obvious and easy to be had Of Birds or Fowls they sacrificed Pigeons and Turtle Doves and some add the Sparrow But this is certain that if we reckon not this last among Sacrifices we must put it into the number of Oblations The Iewish Sacrifices were either Set and Determin'd or Vnlimited and Occasional The former were these that follow 1. Such as were Anniversary as that once a year in the Holy of Holies and those that were offer'd yearly at the Passover and other Solemn Feasts And the Paschal Lamb it self was a Sacrifice and often so call'd Exod. 12. 27. 23. 18. 34. 25. Deut. 16. 4 5. Why then is it not numbred among the Sacrifices by those that write on this Subject 2. Such as
Lamb without blemish and without spot as he is call'd 1 Pet. 19. who was to present to himself a Church not having spot or wrinkle Ephes. 5. 27. This was he and there was none ever like him who â—id no â—in neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 22. Secondly The Paschal Lamb was to be a Male ver 5. Serviuâ— on that place of Virgil Casâ jungebant foedâ—râ— porcâ hath this Note that the Gentiles thought the Sâ—â—-Sacrifices were most prevalent and acceptable Whence some conjecture that here is a Male-Sacrifice enjoined in opposition to the custom of the Gentiles for it is well known that many things were commanded the Iews because they were contrary to the practice of the Heathen People round about them And there might be some regard to this here tho I cannot say with a late Writer that all the Circumstances here relating to the Passover were injâ—ined in oppâ—sition to the practice of the superstitious and idolatrous Gentiles Others think a Male was to represent Christ who was Man as well as God So that this qualification was fulfilled as the Learned Bochart observes in the very strictness of the Letter And this excellent Writer adds that it was a Male because the Sacrifice of this kind was reputed more worthy and excellent than the Female Offerings Mal. 1. 14. But the plainest and most obvious Reason why the Paschal Lamb was a Male is because it is the stronger and more vigorous and so it was fittest to represent him who is the Christians Strength I can do all things through Christ who strengthnâ—tâ— me saith the Apostle God hath laid help on one that is mighty one that 〈◊〉 able to save to the uttermost them that comâ— to God by him one who was indued with sufficient Power to accomplish the great Work he undertook And as the Paschal Lamb was to be a Male so on the very same account the third Qualification of it was that it must be of the first Year ver 5. for then it was supposed to arrive to its vigour Such a Lamb was Christ Iesus he was crucified when he was in the strength of his Years in the full vigour of his Age when he was young and lively Thus you see there is a perfect resemblance in all these Particulars between the Paschal Lamb and the Lamb of God even our Lord Iesus Christ. And I may add this too that the Paschal Lamb was to be taken out of their own Folds ver 3. and Deut. 16. 2. So was our Redeemer one of the Flock taken out of the Fold of Mankind taken from his Brethren Deut. 18. 15. Heb. 2. 17. He was one of us a true Man of our Flesh and of our Bone And which was yet nearer to the matter he was taken out of the Fold of the Iews and he was of the Seed of David In the next place the Lamb was to be kill'd and in this also it is a manifest Type of Christ. That without shedding of Blood there should be no remission was the appointment of Eternal Wisdom that which Angels admire and Men must ever stand amazed at Therefore the Messias was to die for us to expiate our Sins by his Blood for his Blood cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. But before the Lamb was kill'd it was to be kept in their Houses four days ver 3. and ver 6. You will find upon perusing the History of the Gospel that Christ was crucified the 4 th day after his last coming into Ierusalem the Iews own Home he was as it were all that time kept up before he was slain Or it may be Bochart's Notion may be acceptable who observes that this Passage was thus fulfill'd Christ was taken from his Mother's House the Fold where he was brought up at 30 Years of Age and suffer'd Death the 4 th Year after that If according to the Prophetick Stile we take a Day for a Year this is exactly accomplish'd But this Judicious Author favours rather the other Interpretation viz. Christ suffering on the fourth day after his coming to Ierusalem tho I conceive this Learned Man is mistaken in his Reckoning of it for tho our Saviour rode into Ierusalem on the 10 th day of the Month yet he return'd to Bethany whence he came at the Evening Mat. 21. 17. and came back to Ierusalem the next day Mat. 21. 18. and consequently he was not crucified on the 14 th day as this Author determines but on the 15 th But let us pass to the next Circumstance of Time and that is that they were to kill the Lamb in the Evening at the going down of the Sun ver 6. Deut. 16. 6. Which plainly points at the Time of Christ's Passion and Death viz. towards the shutting in of the day at the declining of the Sun Then did this Sun of Righteousness leave this World For tho some apply it to the Evening of the Iewish Oeconomy and Government and others to the Evening of the World yet I rather pitch upon the most easie and unexceptionable meaning i. e. the Evening of the Day then our Christian Passover was sacrificed for us He was slain in the Evening or as 't is said here of the Paschal Lamb between the two Evenings i. e. as I have shew'd before between the first declining of the Sun and its going down or setting which was about the Ninth hour or Three a clock in the Afternoon Then the Lamb which was slain from the foundation of the World viz. as to the Decree of God and as to the virtue and efficacy of his Death for those that were before Christ's coming were as effectually saved by him as those that lived at or after it was really and actually slain in his body on the Cross. And thus He and the Paschal Lamb were slain at the same hour of the day Mat. 27. 45 46. The next thing observable is the Effusion and Sprinkling of the Blood of the Lamb ver 7 13. The Blood was to be to them for a Token upon the houses where they were that when the Angel saw the Blood he should pass over them and the plague should not be upon them to destroy them Here is the Benefit which came to the Israelites by the Passover they were kept safe and secure from the Destroying Angel when Death and Destruction seiz'd upon the Egyptians Can any thing more evidently set forth the Design of Iesus the Messias who was to come and shed his Blood for us that thereby we might be freed from the Vengeance of God and escape the stroak of the Destroyer and be rescued from Death and Eternal Misery Wherefore a Pious Father saith rightly The Lamb which of old was slain by the Israelites was a Type of the True Lamb Christ our Lord who was sacrificed for us for as there the Blood sprinkled on the posts saved those that sprinkled it so the Blood of the True
a more restrained sense of the Kingdom of God in this place It is granted that we have not an express Command from Christ for this practice but the Scripture is silent as to many other things which yet we must suppose to have been â—aid or done Again 3 ly There is our Saviour's Example and Fact for it for we find that he set himself in the midst of his Apostles every first day of the week till his Ascension to Heaven Mat. 28. 18. Mark 16. 14. Luke 24. 36. Ioh. 20. 19. Moreover his Spirit speaking and acting in his Apostles taught them to meet constantly together on this day and in a more solemn manner to perform the Offices of Divine Worship at this time Ioh. 20. 9 26. Acts 17. 7. Acts 20. 7. 25. 66. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. By reason of this divine Institution from our Lord himself this first day of the week began to be call'd the Lord's Day Rev. 1. 10. and afterwards it was call'd so by Ignatiâ—â— as well as St. Iohn Constantinâ— the Great renew'd and revived this Name which some had laid aside and caused the Day to be constantly known and call'd by that Appellation and by Edict commanded it to be solemnly kept by all Persons The short is both in the Apostles times as the Scripture informs us and in all succeeding Ages this Day hath been unanimously observed by Christians as being of Evangelical Appointment Thus the Gospel may be said to add to the Law in some New Particulars Christ hath introduced some things peculiar and proper to the state of Christians But there were the same Constitutions before under the Law in general There were two Sacraments the one to admit Infants into the Church the other to confirm the Adult There were Laws of Ecclesiasâ—ical Discipline there was a Time set apart for Divine Worship Prop. 2. All those things which our Saviour forbids or commands in the Gospel are comprehended in the Law if not expresly yet virtually and by true consequence and rational deduction Thus Killing being forbidden Anger and Wrath which stir up Mens blood and cause them to thirst after the blood of others are forbidden So Christ in his Sermon on the Mount lets them know as I shall shew you anon that not only this but many 〈◊〉 things were included and contained in the Moral Law which they acted contrary to foolishly imagining that they were to go no further than the bare Letter of the Law Prop. 3. The Commandments and Duties of the Old and of the New Testament are the same as to Substance tho they differ as to Manner and Circumstances The Faith of the Saints under the Legal Appointment and of those under the Evangelical one is as hath been shew'd before the very same as to the main only they differ as to their Relation or Aspect the one to Christ who was then to come the other to him already come So praying to Christ relying on the mercy of Christ desiring to depart and be with him and the like Duties which seem to be new are so only in respect of the foresaid Relation or Manner The Messias expected and the Messias come solve the difference Prop. 4. As the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel being the same in Substance differ as to the Manner so they differ likewise as to the Degrees Humility and that which we call Christian Liberty are reckon'd by a Learned Writer as New Duties introduced by Christ. But I conceive the Substance of these was before they are only more Improved and Inhanced by our Blessed Lawgiver Christ Iesus And this you shall see is made good of several otherâ—r Duties mention'd by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount He hath made them more perfect than they were and therefore in respect of them the Gospel is stiled a Perfect Law Jam. 1. 25. Thus I have briâ—fly shew'd you how there are New Laws and Duties added by Christ and how not Some few Particulars are New because the new State of things required it Others may be said to be New because they are more Expresly set down or in respect of Circumstances Manner and Degrees But still they are not New but the same in the general besides that they are virtually the same and as to the main and in the Substance of them It is scarcely worth taking notice what Episcopius suggests viz. that there is no express Precept in the Law for Praying unto God and consequently it was nâ—t a Duty required in the Old Testament and therefore is a new Commandment of Christ. In which as in some other things he agrees with the Socinians but is therein very palpably mistaken for there are set Forms of Prayer enjoin'd in the Old Testament there are determinate Expressions dictated there Most of the Psalms are Prayers and particular Prayers of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel are recorded Praying is expâ—esly commanded in Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble The Temple was call'd the House of Prayer Isa. 67. 7. and Prayers were mix'd with all the Sacrifices as appears from Luke 1. 10. How then can any Man have the confidence to say that Prayer is a New Testament Precept only But here it may be alledged that Love is call'd a New Commandment both by our Saviour Ioh. 13. 34. and by St. Iohn 1 Epist chap. 2. ver 8. therefore there is this Commandment at least added anew by Christ to what was before I will reply to this by explaining to you how Love may be said to be a New Commandment 1. I have suggested before that it may be call'd New because of the New Motive annex'd to it in Iohn 13. 34. A New Commandment I give unto you that ye love one â—nother as I have loved you This latter Clause is New tho the former be Old This is one Reason which a Learned Writer gives why Love is call'd a New Commandment 2. Another is because it was Renâ—wed by Christ and urged on his Disciples afresh as their particular badg A New Commandment give I unto you that ye love one another said our Saviour to his Apostles that night when he celebrated the Passover with them and instituted the Holy Sacrament of his Body and Blood and when he was taking his leave of them and the World Now he seasonably presses what he had exhorted them to before now he calls upon them more especially to exercise the Grace of Love Thus it is a New Commandment because Christ repeats it anew 3. Because Christ vindicated it as you shall hear more by and by from the false Glosses of the Pharisees and so made it as it were New They thought that Love was due only to those that were their Neighbours and Brethren and that â—ll who injured them were to be hated but our Saviour tells them they must love their Enemies he acquaints them that Iews as well as Christiaâ—â— were obliged to this Duty that the
Salvation by their own perfect Obedience but by virtue of the perfect Righteousness of the Messias who was to come in the fulness of time It only seem'd good to the All-wise God to obscure and disguise this Covenant in part that they might be fitted for the insuing Dispensation of the Gospel and that this Dispensation might appear more bright and glorious Now it was that the Covenant of Grace most signally display'd it self By Christ's coming and by the preaching of the Gospel it was fully and amply manifested tho it had been in being ever since the Restauration of Adam Now at last the actual fulfilling of the Grand Promise of this Covenant viz. the Incarnation of Christ was accomplished He came on purpose to perfect that Covenant which had been made and renew'd before between God and Man Never till this time was there any compleat discovery of this blessed Agreement and Contract between God and us In the Writings of the New Testament alone we find this set forth Here is plainly discover'd the Mediator of this Covenant Iesus Christ the Righteous the Eternal and only begotten Son of God who vouchsafed to assume our Humane Nature to clothe himself with Flesh to converse in the World above thirty Years to instruct Mankind by his Heavenly Doctrine to confirm and establish us in it by his Divine Miracles to direct us to the practice of it by his Holy Life and Spotless Example and at length to die for us to satisfy for our Sins As the publick and most solemn Covenants which we read of in the Old Testament were made with killing and sacrificing and effusion of Blood by Divine Appointment without doubt So here the Blessed Messias who was to compleat the Covenant of Grace shed on the Cross his most precious Blood which therefore is call'd the Blood of the Covenant Again in the Scriptures of the New Testament are plainly and expresly set forth the Terms of the Covenant of Grace i. e. what God hath promised to do and what Obligations are upon us Here Christ and his Apostles and Evangelists proclaim Remission of Sins the peculiar Benefit and Privilege of the Covenant of Grace and Immortality and Eternal Life are brought to light by this Gospel and the performance of all the precious Promises which concern this Life and another is ascertainâ—d to us here And as it assureth us that God will fulfil his Promises so it urgeth upon us the performing of our Ingagements Christianity is an Obligatory Covenant and this Obligation is mutual God will discharge his part we must see that we perform the Conditions which are required on our side The Gospel acquainteth us that if our Peace and Reconciliation be not made it is our own fault wholly we will not leave our Sins and thereby we â—rustrate the Agreement and Contract of the Gospel This therefore calls upon us to undertake the Counter-part of the Covenant i. e. to be holy in all manner of Conversation to deny all Ungodliness and wordly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World to adorn the Gospel by a strict and circumspect walking and to bring forth much Fruit to the Glory of our Heavenly Father In the Evangelical Writings the Terms on our part which are Faith Repentance and Obâ—diâ—ncâ— are more distinctly set down than ever especially the Nature of Faith and the peculiar Virtue of it are explain'd in that manner which they were never before for that by Works and Faith we are saved but that by Faith alone we are justified is the Doctrine which St. Paul hath abundantly asserted proved and confirmed and it is establish'd by the other Apostles which shews the great discrimination between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace The Gospel tells us how we are to find real Advantage by this Covenant and Law of Grace it ascertains us that we can reap the Benefit of it only by Câ—nvâ—rsiâ—n and Râ—gâ—neration It is therefore urged and inculcated that we must be born again that we must be Nâ—â— Creatures that there must be a Renâ—vation of our Hearts and Lives Lastly Christianity informs us what are the Seals of this Covenant of Grace and accordingly let us know that by Baptism we are entred into Covenant with God and into the Church of Christ and that at the Lord's Supper we repeat and renew that Convenant Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant instituted this Federal Ordinance and this is that Holy Supper at which he gives us his Body to eat and his Blood to drink which he assures us is the Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for the Remission of Sins Mat. 26. 28. The sum then of what hath been said is That God pitied the Miâ—ery of Mankind and was pleased to make a Second Covenant with him and his Posterity after they had broke the First This Second Covenant tho it was made with Adam presently after his Fall yet it arrived not to its height and perfection till the coming of Christ and the preaching of the Gospâ—l Christianity is the Covenant or Law of Grace in the best Edition The Answer then to that Problem How the Old and the New Covenant differ is easily resolved from the Premises for if you understand as some do but how fitly you will judg from what I shall suggest by and by by the Old Covenant the Covenant of Works and by the New one the Covenant of Grace I have plainly and distinctly set down the Particulars wherein they differ Or if you mean by the Old Covenant the Mosaical and Legal Dispensation and by the New Covenant the Dispensation of the Gospel which both are but One Covenant I have given ample Satisfaction to the Question by shewing wherein these two differ and by letting you see that the Covenant of Grace began with Mankind soon after the Fall and afterward was continued in the Mosaick Dispensation and at last was compleated by Christ's coming And here further to illustrate the Point I will clear the Acception of these Terms the Old and the New Covenant which so frequently occur in Holy Writ and I will make it evident to you that in the whole Book of the Scripâ—ures the Old Covenant is never applied to the Covenant of Works but is a part or degree of the Covenant of Grace This then we are to know that the Covenant of Grace is twofold Obscure or Manifest The first was from Adam's Restauration to our Saviour's coming the second is ever since The former is called the Old Covenant the latter the New Covenant and yet they are but one Covenant This you will find to be the stile of Sacred Scripture if you consult those two famous places the one in the Old Testament and the other in the New which treat of the Old and New Covenant The former is Iew. 31. 31. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with
they would have been found out 5. Miracles were done in all parts of the World and not confined to Iudea only The Acts of the Apostles relate what Miracles they exerted in several Countries where they went and afterwards the whole World was visited by one or other of them and yet we never read that they were proved to be Impostors But on the contrary we are credibly informed that their Miracles were owned and approved of not in one place only but in all places where they came 6. These Miracles were wrought these Cures were done and the strange Languages were spoken amongst them for many years together whereas what is counterfeit holds not long 7. These Miracles were not control'd and check'd by any greater as the Wonders of the Egyptian Sorcerers were by Moses You may observe that those Magicians could not plague Men and Cattel with Boils they could not restore the Waters to their former quality tho they could gather the Frogs together yet they were not able to kill them They could not counterfeit the Miracle of Fleas and Lice tho they did those of the Serpents Blood and Frogs Here was some restraint the Devil was overpower'd But that was not all They had not been suffer'd to effect so much as they did but that Moses was there ready to countermand them and to baffle their Delusions They turned the Rods into Serpents but Moses's Rod devoured theirs i. e Moses's true Serpents devour'd the Magicians counterfeit Ones But Christ and his Apostles wrought Miracles and there was none to countermand them which shews that they were real Miracles Thus true Miracles may be known by their manner and circumstances Again These may be known to be such from the Ends and Designs which Christ and his Followers propounded to themselves in exerting them First True Miracles are always for the Confirmation of the Truth but seeming and counterfeit Ones are wrought on purpose to maintain some false Doctrine Therefore if a Pretender to Miracles teacheth any thing derogatory to Providence and to the Nature of God and Religion we must look on him as an Impostor for Miracles that are true never contradict the Divine Testimony and the Truth recorded in Holy Writ This then you must know that as Miracles confirm a Doctrine so they are authorized by the Doctrine We must not rest in Miracles alone but to the Word and to the Testimony we must appeal Christ saith the Works I do bear witness of 〈◊〉 John 5. 36. but he adds ver 39. 〈◊〉 thâ— Scriptures they are they which testify of me By this then we may ascertain our selves of the Authority of those Miracles which our Saviour and his Apostles wrought when they were upon Earth They were done to attest a Doctrine which as it contradicted no part of Moral Religion nor the natural Notions of Reason so it was conformable to the written Word of God and all the Truths in the Old Testament In the second place True Miracles tend to the overthrowing of Satan's Kingdom in the World they never confirm and abet Sin and Prophanation in those that do them or in any one else As we observ'd before from Deut. 13. 1. that God some times permits false Prophets to work Signs and Wonders among his People so the Verses following tell us how we may know them to be lying Wonders viz. if the Prophet makes use of them to entice Persons to gâ— after other Gods and to serve them If the Signs and Wonders were intended to seduce them to a false Worship to perswade them to Idolatry and forsaking the true God they were not to be credited they were to be look'd upon as no true Miracles but counterfeit ones For it is not a sufficient proof for the truth of Miracles that they are for attesting the Orthodox Faith unless they also uphold a Holy Life In the third place Our Saviour's Miracles were such as were beneficial to others and was for the good of Mankind He procured Food for Multitudes of Persons when they were almost â—amished he cured the Lame and the Blind he ejected troublesom Devils out of Mens Bodies he relieved the most impotent and distressed But the Signs and Wonders which are done by Impostors are rather harmful than advantageous It is not unworthy of our Remark what was partly suggested before that the Egyptian Magicians turn'd the Water into Blood but they could not reduce it to its Nature again they brought up Frogâ— but they could not clear the Houses of the Egyptians of them They could bring Plagues but they could not remove them And it may be observed also of Impostors that if what they do is not harmful yet it is oftentimes fruitless and unprofitable it is vain and trifling and fit only to entertain fond and scrupulous Minds But here it may be objected that all Christs Miracles were not beneficial for his â—ursing the Fig-â—ree Mark â—1 14. and his sending the unclean Spirit into the Gaderens Swine Mat. 8. 30. were not so As to the first viz. Christs cursing the Fig-tree it was a Symbolical Act figuring the Judgment of God against the unfruitful Religion of the Jews and being thus consider'd it was of great use and benefit Some indeed have thought it strange that our Saviour should do thiâ— when he himself saith the time of Figs was not yet v 13. as if it were unjust to blast the Tree for not bearing Fruit before the time of bearing was come but they mistake the meaning of those words which is no other than this that it was not the time of Figs with that Tree but it was with others The year was not unseasonable for Figs but this Tree bore nothing but Leaves therefore our Saviour dealt thus with it This I take to be the plainest and clearest Interpretation of the Place and then the Objection vanishes for who will be concern'd at the witâ—â—ring of a Barren Tree I know there are other Solutions of the place but none of them seem to me to be genuine That of Episcopius is not to be allowed of viz. that when Christ cursed the Figtree and said the 〈◊〉 of Figs 〈◊〉 not yet he did not know that it was not time of Figs. A learned Writer of our own hath this peculiar Notion that Christ look'd for Figs and yet saith thâ— time of Figâ— is not yet because he look'd not for any Figs that he thought could be ripe and fit to eat that Spring it being about that time but he look'd for those that grew the last Summer and had hung on the Tree all Winter But tho Iudâ—â— was a very fruitful Country and had in it several things different from other Soils yet it is to be question'd whether there were Fig-trees in the Field of this nature and whether the Jewish Writings which this Author refers to speak of this sort of Fruit. Besides if this Tree bore Figs as the Author supposes it is not material whether they were old or
all malicious and mischievous purposes They were plain honest Men who did not these things for vain Gloty and Applause for Credit and Repute in the World not out of Pride Arrogance or Ostentation And it is as clear that they did not act for worldly Gain and Profit otherwise they would not have left all and followed Christ. It is to be consider'd also that the Persons who wrought these Miracles were Just and Charitable Holy and Good Men and even by the confession of their Enemies they lived well and were of exact Conversations whereas false Boasters of Miracles were infamous for some Vice or other and by this it might be known and discerned that they were Cheats Thus from the consideration of the Manner and Circumstances of the Miracles recorded to have been done in the New Testament and likewise of the Ends and Designs of them and of the Quality of the Persons who did them we may conclude that they were True and Real Miracles Thus you may distinguish between the Wonders wrought by the Infernal Spirits Magicians Antichrist and all sorts of Impostors and those Wonders and Miracles which were done by Christ and by his Apostles and other Christians in the next succeeding Ages of Christianity Thus you may know the former to be Lies and Forgeries and the latter to be the sole effects of Divine Power By virtue of the Premises we may also correct the Lies and Blasphemies of those Wretches who have defamed the Miracles of Christ and his Followers The Pharisees could not deny the Miracles themselves and so afterwards Porphyrius Celsus Hierocles Trypho Iulian did not deny the Reality of those Miracles recorded by the Evangelists they confess'd the Matter of Fact and pretended not to boggle at it But tho they acknowledged these things to have been really done yet they maliciously calumniated them It was most impiously said by the Pharisees in our Saviour's time that he did his Miracles by Belzebub the Prince of the Devils And it hath been ever since constantly affirmed by the Iews that Christ wrought those great things by Magick Art Or others of them to mitigate this attribute his working of Miracles to the Cabalistick Art for they hold that in the Hebrew Letters Points Accents Numbers Names the signification of the greatest things is contained even the Nature of all things Divine and Human By this all Wonders are wrought Moses and Elias and Elisha did all by virtue of this Hebrew words include in them all Proprieties of things and those that are skill'd can tell all things by them especially the knowledg of the Virtue of the Tetragrammaton is effectual to produce the greatest Wonders in the World and by the Power of that Name Christ they say did all his Miracles The Calumny of Pagans against Christ's Miracles was something like this as we learn from an Antient Writer who acquaints us that the sense of the Heathens was that Christ was a Sorcerer and performed all by clandestine Arts that he stole from the Mysteries of the Egyptians the Names of some powerful Angels and made use of the most abstruse and mystical Rites of that People for the effecting of his Miracles Celsus as we learn from Origen against him attributed the Apostles Miracles to Magick and pretended that they had Magical Books from Christ to that purpose Iulian declared that St. Paul was the most skilful Magician that ever was and St. Peter according to him was addicted to that Art as we are informed by Cyril of Alexandria Books 3 9. Vaninus Pomponatius Cardan and others Atheistically disposed impeach not Christ of Diabolical Magick for perhaps they holding no God deny all Devils but they declare that his Miracles were done by natural Magick Some imputed the Miracles of the Apostles and other Christians to the force of their Imagination to their exalted Fancy Thus Avicenna a great Arabian Philosopher and Physician was of the opinion that an Intense Thinking operated all At other times they assert that Christ wrought all his Miracles by the virtue of the Stars and the Heavenly Positions or by the Power of Herbs and Plants or of Precious Stones or by a particular Temper of his Body made to heal that is his Body was composed of some particular Ferments the effluvia whereof restored the Temperament of debilitated parts envigorated the Blood dissipated all heterogeneous Ferments and so the Cure was wrought But any unbiassed Person may perceive that all these are mere Fetches and Artifices to give some colour to their Atheism and to uphold their obstinate prejudices against the Divinity of Christ and the Authority of the Christian Religion For from what hath been said before it is evident that the Miracles mention'd in the New Testament surpass all finite Power not only that of Man but of all other Creatures And therefore it is plain that the wonderful Things by which Christ did prove his Divinity and the Truth of the Christian Religion they being Works not only above but against Nature and consequently are not effected by a created Being And as for those who ascribe Christ's Miracles to Diabolical Magick our Saviour himself hath answer'd them long ago Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his Kingdom stand Mat. 12. 25 26. Christ as appeared by his Doctrine and all his Actions design'd the overthrow of Satan's Kingdom therefore it cannot be believ'd that Satan would joyn with Christ to ruin himself which certainly he must do if he helped him to work Miracles which were the great Confirmation of the Christian Religion Besides Magical Cures and other such Operations were always done with Charms and Spells with the use of Herbs and Drugs with much Ceremony and ridiculous Words and Actions But our Saviour's Miracles were effected without any of these they were simply and plainly performed which evidenceth that they were no Magical Prizes It might be added that Diabolical Wonders do not use to be done by Men of Holy and Godly Lives who are Enemies to the Devil and all his Works And such was our Blessed Master and such were his Apostles therefore it is impossible that their Miracles should be from a Diabolical Power and that they should do those Wonders by familiarity with Evil Spirits The cursed Daemons will never help and favour such Persons as they were The other Objections and Cavils scarcely even according to the judgment of some Persons who are no Friends of Miracles deserve any Reply All sober Men who are not affected with the Dreams and Dotages of the Iews look upon the pretence of the Hebrew Alphabet or even of the Tetragrammaton as a mere Sham as having no shew of Reason or probability to support it For to say that Christ turn'd Water into Wine by the help of some Constellation or that St. Peter was enabled by the Stars to walk safely upon the Waves are assertions that are
the Ear. If I would go abroad and observe what hath been found out for the Use and Benefit of Mans Life I might take notice of that so Pleasant and Profitable Commodity of Sugar For whereas former Ages knew the use of Honey only as the Universal Sweetner there is now discover'd a more convenient one by which a great part of our Food is made more delicious and many things in Physick are prepar'd and by which the whole work of Confectioning is maintain'd It is true Pliny speaks of Sugar Saccharum as it was taken out of the Canes and saith it was used in Medicines but it was rare and in small quantities and in Galen's time it was scarcely known and then it was used raw and indigested and was unserviceable to many Purposes But at last this useful Condiment was Boyl'd and Bak'd Dried and Condens'd and made up as now we see it This is an Invention not above 200 Years old And the first Confectionerâ— or Comfit-maker in England was one Baltazar Zanches a Spaniard A. D. 1596. I might mention the many Ingenious and Artificial Contrivances about Planting Agriculture ordering of Bees Architecture Painting which last is in some respects much better and more exact than it was of old as Monsieâ—r Perault hath shew'd And in several other things the Moderns have made great and worthy Improvements and very considerable Additions to what was before But I will confine my self to some of the Arts and Sciences and briefly recount some of the Improvements which have been made in them To begin with Medicks unto which Anatomy belongs it is true Pliny tells us that the Egyptian Kings caused Dead Bodies to be cut up to find out the Situation and Structure of the Parts of Man's Body and the Causes of Diseases But another tells us that Hierophilus was the first that Diffected the Bodies oâ— Men he was Contemporary with Phalaris and practis'd this on Malefactors that were sent to him out of the Prisons Democritus of old used Dissections by the same token that he was thought by the Abderites to be made for doing so i. e. for cutting up Cats and Dogs But it doth not appear that he or Hippocrates or Galen or any of the Famed Physicians open'd Humane Bodies But we have of late ventured to search frequently into these as well as those of Brutes and from both we have found out several things worth our search The Circulation of the Blood may justly pass for a New Invention even the Discovery of this Age for though some and even a Physician too have thought that Solomon meant this by the Wheel as the Cistern Eccl. 12. 6. Though Plato in his Timaeus seems to have had some knowledge of this according to others and though a late Writer before mentioned affirms very confidently that the Chinese were no Strangers to it above 4000 Years ago yet we are not certain that the Wise Man's Words are to be understood with reference to this thing and Plato's Words can much less be understood so and that Relation concerning the People of China as well as their extravagant Computation is disbelieved by most of the Learned Or say that this was not first found out by Dr. Harvey yet if we consider that he was the Person who so plainly Illustrated this matter and set down the true way and method of it and clearly demonstrated how this Operation in the Body is perform'd and fully answer'd all the Arguments and Objections which were brought against it we may justly stile him the first Inventor of it Not to speak of the Infusion or Injection of Blood into the Veins of Animals first used by Dr. Wren which afterwards was advanced into Transfusion and first practised by Dr. Lower I might mention several New Passages and Conveyances in the Body lately found out as the Valuae of the Veins by Fabricius ab Aquapendente the Lymphatick Vessels by Bartholine the Lacteal Veins dispers'd through the Mesentery by Asellius the Common Receptacle of the Chyle fastned to the Vertebrâ— of the Back a little above the Reins and the Lacteal Veins of the Breast or the Ductus Thoracicus which go from the Receptaculum to the Subclavian Veins found out by Pecquet Glisson hath nobly search'd into the Liver Wharton into the Glandules Willis hath discover'd several things in the Brain And what plenty of useful Inventions do we meet with in the Writings of Sylvius Bilsius De Graeff Diemerbroek Malpighius Vesâ—ingius Densingius Steno Highmore c. Indeed Physick and Anatomy have had the greatest Improvements of late of any Faculty whatsoever Medicks are exceedingly Cultivated the Nature of Diseases is more narrowly enquired into and understood the Signs and Symptoms of them are daily more manifested and the Therapeutick part is infinitely more inlarged and advanced by a mixing of Galenical and Chymical Medicines by the vast variety of Observations and Experiments and by the Skill and Sagacity of those that have lately labour'd in that Art so that this Age is grown Famous for Great and Wonderful Cures and the Health and Long Life of Man are marvellously promoted In Astronomy there are New Discoveries also The late Ages have been more knowing in the Heavens than those that went before Now we are acquainted with the Suns Spots i. e. the Filth and Scum which it sometimes contracts the Mountains and Shadows of the Moon the Lunulae or Satellites of Iupiter mutually Eclipsing one another and the Ansulae Saturni So that whereas heretofore there were but Seven Planets known now Six more are added 4. about Iupiter and 2. about Saturn We have found Mercury and Venus to be Horn'd and to be subject to the other Aspects of the Moon The Stars are grown into Suns in our Days for there are as many Suns as Fixed Lights and there is on difference between these and that Luminous Body which we call the Sun but that they are further off from us than this There are New Hypotheses of the Heavens and the Earth and of the Rest and Motion of either which if they be not adjusted to exact Truth yet serve to illustrate and better set forth the Doctrine of the Celestial Bodies and their various Phaenomena and thereby to lead us to admire the Wonders of the Creation and to extol and praise the Great and All-wise Contriver of this Mundane Fabrick Nor is Astronomy yet come to its Zenith to its Meridian We on good Grounds expect that by the benefit of the Optick Tubes and Telescopes which are every day growing more perfect we shall penetrate farther into the Nature of the Heavenly Bodies and have a more compleat insight into them And it is not to be doubted that we shall in time have a more correct Account of the Suns Course and consequently a Reformation of the Calender and then that Complaint will cease that the present Computation is not exactly agreeable to the Natural Motion of the Sun or Earth Arithmetick is mightily
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