far Countries and Solomon positively Asserts in his Paper That the Nations far off should hear of his Name so as that they might come some of them at least while the Temple yet stood to inquire after God What else signifie those Expressions 1 King 8.41 Moreover concerving a stranger that is not of thy people Israel but comes out of a far country for thy Names-sake For they shall hear of by Great Name and of thy strong hand and of thy stretched out arm And so we find that in all the Four Monarchies Israel was so known of them and had such dealings with them that they had opportunity by them to hear of the Great Name of God and his Works with the Syrians and Assyrians we find they had sometimes Wars sometimes Peace and Leagues and the Miracles done by Elias and Elisha and the healing of Naâ—man might spread his Fame with them We find the Ten Tribes were at length carryed Captive by the Assyrians and plaâ—d in the Cities of the Medes and other places and that some of them had the knowledge and fear of God in them may most probably be conceived though 〈◊〉 generality of them while in heir own and were corrupted yea and the History of Tobit being one of the Captives 〈◊〉 Israel makes it evident In that Monarchy Preached Jonas to Niniveh the Grâ— City and Head then of that Empire and by his Preaching it was Converted and spared And the Storm that beâ— in his running from God and what the Marriners see and heard of him and his deliverance out of the Whales Belly and his Preaching to Nineveh and their Repentance could not but spread the â—mour of God's Name far and near 〈◊〉 those times Afterwards then the Empire was Translated to Babilon God made known his People and Himself then to them Isa 38. and 39. Hezekiah's sickness and recovery and the Sign given him and the Shaddows going back in Ahaz Dyal was there declared insomuch that thereupon they sent Embassadors to Jerusalem to Congratulate Hezekiah about it and after that Manasseth was thither carried Captive and there Repented and no doubt but by those Wars with Israel and Conquest got they had some opportunity given them of hearing of their God and his Great Name and Works yea those two Kingdoms of Aegypt and Babilon and all the Kingdoms between them had then Commerse with them and could not but hear much of them and of the Name of God amongst them as also the Captivity of Jehoiakim and Jeconiab and especially the great Piety and Wâ—dom of Daniel and the Three Worthâ— then in Babilon and therewith many good Jews for divers years living spread the knowledge and fame of God amongst them Yea the Interpretations of Nebuchadnezzars Dreams the Deliverance of the Three Worthies from the fiery Furnace the turning out of Nebuchadnezzar and restoring him again were very famous and begat very publick and notorious Proclamations of the Name of God amongst or to all Peoples Nations and Languages that dwelt in the Earth that they should reverence and acknowledge him Dan. 3. and 4. In the Persian Monarchy also Daniel was in great repute with Cyrus and Darius The Jews Ezr. 1.1 2 3 4. and their Cause was known to them Cyrus made a Decree in favour of them for re-edifying the House of the Lord whom he acknowledged to be God The Lord God of heaven Darius also exceedingly loved and favoured Daniel and his Religion was famously known to the other Governours and Rulers and both it and the God whom he worshipped was exceedingly glorifyed in his Deliverance from the Lyons when cast into their Denn upon that account so as that Darius also publickly Proclaimed or Decreed That in every Nation men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel Dan. 6.25 26 27. as being the Living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdome that which should never be destroyed c. And after Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah Mordecai and Esther were of great Note and well known to the Persion Court and Empire in several Kings Reigns And God got himself a Name and discovered himself gloriously by his prospering and helping them and appearing miraculously for their help and for the Confusion of their Enemies as the Books of Ezra Nehemiah and Esther testifie Where also it is evidenced That the Jews the Worshippers of God were scattered up and down and seated amongst the Nations and Professing God's Religion Est 3.8 both in the Imperial City of Susa and in all the many Provinces of that large Empire as is clear in that of Haman where he informes the King of them That they were scattered abroad and dispersed among the People in all the Provinces of his Kingdom and their Laws divers from all People c. And commandment was given to the Jews in every Province to stand upon their own Defence and to the Rulers and Lieutenants in the Provinces to Assist them and doubtless that great Deliverance did mightily fame them and their Religion yea it 's expresly Noted That thereupon many of the People of the Land became Jews Est 8.17 And those Dispersions of the Jews continued to and in the days of the Grecian or Macedonian Monarchy too to the beginning of which the Records in Nehemiah reach or to times immediately preceding it for mention is made Neh. 12.22 of the Priestâ— that were to the Reign of Darius the Persian Probably the last Darius that was subdued by Alexander for Jaddua and Jaddua was High Priests in the time of Alexander the Great is there mentioned And how God made known Himself his People and Truth in that Monarchy may be in part seen in what Josephus Records Of God's appearing in a Vision to Alezander in the form or habit of the High-Priest of the Jews and his acknowledging it and doing Homage to the High Priest upon the sight of him when he went in his Priestly Habit to meet him and his Army Marching against them with a purpose to have Destroyed them his publick owning of whom and relating his Vision and the Immunities given to the Jews thereupon could not but give advantage of inquiring into their Religion and of being instructed into the Knowledge of God worshipped by them yea we may find in the Histories of Josephus Polybius and others That the Jews were not onely dispersed here and there in the Countries but also Served in their Wars And in the Reign of Ptolomy Philadelphus their Law or Books of the Scriptures were by Seventy and two Interpreters Translated into the Greek Language and deposited in his Library which was a great advantage for the dispersing the Knowledge of God and his Word amongst the Nations What should I speak of the many and marvelous Victories and great help 〈◊〉 Streights afforded to them in the times of the Macchabees Heb. 11.34 35 36 37. their constancy in their Religion even to Sufferings and Death in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolomy
3.21 John 1.49 Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 Matth. 28.20 Heb. 2.18 5.10 7.1 2 Ephes 5.25 26. Luk. 22.29 30. not onely Lord of all Men and Creatures but also King of the Nations general and of the Saints peculiarly The Law-giver to Men and to take the care of all ordering the Kingdom of God amongst and for them as best stands with his wisdom and their good while it is a Day of Salvation to them But especially as a King over his Subjects to take care of protect govern and defend them supplying all grace to them who hear his Voice as the Great Prophet and submit to his Kingdom Support them in Temptations and Afflictions Subdue their Enemies Fight their Battels hear and grant their Petitions subdue their Corruptions sanctifie them by his Spirit raise them from Death and give them glorious Kingdom and Inheritance 3. To be the Great High Priest Heb. 2.17 and 3.1 7. 1 Tim. 2.5 1 John 2.2 Luk. 24.46 47 48. Act. 17.30 31. Heb. 10.19 20 21. Psa 68.18 19 20. Isa 53.12 Luk. 23.34 Psal 119.4 to which by the offering up of his mo◠precious Body a spotless Sacrifice and by the Oath of God he was Consecrated and therein to be the Great Mediator 〈◊〉 God and Men the standing Propitiation for the Sins both of those that believe 〈◊〉 him and of the whole World That so to the world in general during the day of his Grace and Patience towards them respectively that door of Life opened and liberty for their Repenting and going back to God and opportunity in so doing of finding Mercy and Acceptance with him with means mercy and grace preventing them to inable and lead the◠thereto procured by his Death and Sacrifice for them might by his presentation of the same unto God his Father and Mediation or Intercession for Transgresson in the Vertues thereof made by him be kept open and continued to them so a◠that they not speedily listening to hi◠Voice as the Great Prophet and obeying him as the King and their sinning against the grace and goodness of God extended to them by him might not pull down Wrath upon them to the Reprobating and destroying of them But God might yet be patient toward them and be yet calling reproving striving with them by his Spirit using means and waiting with much long-suffering and goodness for their Conversion with respect to which Psal 68.18 he is said having led captivity captive to have received gifts in the man not onely for men as men simply considered in their First Fallen Estate but for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Whence they also are yet laded with Benefits and meet with manifold Salvations and Deliverances He as the Propitiation for them Gen. 6.3 Eccles 3.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Rom. 2.4 5 6. Psal 68.21 covering them from the wrath of God so as their sins are not so minded before him as that he therefore casts them away and destroys them which Propitiation I say he is for them so long as he pleases that a day of Grace should be afforded them there being for every purpose an appointed time A time to love and a time to hate a day of grace and a day of vengeance to those that go on still in their trespasses till the day of grace be expired As appears in the Parable of the barren Fig-tree Luk. 13.6 7 8 9 c. Let it alone saith the great Vine-dresser this year also till I dig about with Chastisements and dung it with renewed benefits and if it bring forth fruit well but if not then afterwards thou shalt cut it down For Believers 1 John 2.1 2. Col. 1.21 22 23. Heb. 7.25 Acts 10.43 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 8.3 4 5. Heb. 5.1 2 3. 9.15 Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1 John 1.7 9. He is the Propitiation and Advocate to present them in himself as Righteous and to make their persons acceptable unto God obtaining for them the Dispensation of the Forgiveness of their Sins and whatever favour or Blessing may be fit and good for them even Grace and Glory Perfuming their Prayers and Praises with the odour of his own Sacrifice and so offering up Sanctifying and making acceptable their Gifts and Sacrifices taking away the Iniquities of their holy Things so as that through his Mediation no failings in their Faith and Love no mixtures cleaving to their Services no follies or failings of theirs through Temptation repented of may deprive them of the promised Inheritance 4. He is also appointed Judge of Quick Acts 10.42 2 Cor. 5.10 John 5.21 22 23. Rev. 1.5 3.7.19 and Dead All Authority is given him to Execute Judgment also both here to Absolve Acquit and Justifie from Sin and Condemnation even due to Men for and deserved by such Sins as they have committed against God's grace and goodness extended to them He hath power to unloose upon their Repenting such Bonds and take off such Punishments as they had brought upon themselves by their so sinning as also to bind or retain their Sins and order and inflict what Punishments he pleases upon them until they Repent and that both upon the Unconverted World that Believe not and upon his own Subjects that Sin against him Job 33.16 17 28 29. Lam. 2.33 Psa 75.8 Isa 1.4 5. 9.13 27.9 1 Pet. 4.16 17. 1 Cor. 11.30 31. But the Judgments now ordered through and by him who is Mediator are during the day of Grace to all full of Mercy the cup in his hand is full of mixture and tend to drive men home to God and to keep back their Souls from going down to the Pit by breaking their Enterprises and hideing Pride from them though yet some of them be smarter and sorer than others Rev. 21.2 Luke 13.9 24 25 26. 2 Thes 2 10 11 12. Jam. 4.12 Rom. 14.9 John 5.28.29 Matt. 25.31 34 41 46. 16. 27 28. 1 Thess 4.14 15 16 17. 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. Rev. 20.11 13 14. 21. 22. 1 6. Matth. 8.29 Jud. 1.6 for he hath power to let loose Satan upon men to bind harden or otherwise to buffet or affright and vex them and to let out evil men too one against another or against his People that Believe to judge exercise and try them Yea he hath Power for mens Rebellions persisted in to cease mediating for them and so to turn the Keys of the Kingdom against them put an end to his Patience give them up to strong Delusions and to Destruction For he is able to Save and to Destroy as seems good to him And so also Power as Lord and Judge over the Dead too to raise them up and finally Judge them at the Last Day both by Pronouncing Sentence upon them and Executing it also when Pronounced To which purpose he is appointed to and shall come again from Heaven in the glory of the Father with all his mighty Angels to
teach and lead him pour out his Spirit to him make known his Words shew them the Mysteries of his Kingdom which are not for People one or other till they turn at his Reproofs and be in some measure Discipled to him They that reject him wink with the Eye and will not see stop the Ear least they should hear and understand and be converted shall not have his Secrets and Mysteries opened to them for them Christ prays not the Father to give that Dispensation of Spirit for leading them into all Truth filling them with his Consolations and Satisfactions and fitting them to be Lights to others Joh. 17.9 Nor are they yet capable while unturned to him of receiving it of him Psal 25.8 9 12 14 Ezek. 43.10 11. John 14 15 16 17 21 23. Joh. 14.17 But his Secret is promised to be with them that fear him and that he will shew them his Covenant guide them in Judgment teach them his ways give them a farther and more exact knowledge of the Form of his House and the fashion thereof the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof even a more distinct and experimental knowledge for he will manifest himself to them and give them the Spirit of Truth to abide 2 Cor. 6.16 17. John 4.14 and dwell with and in them and so will thereby dwell in them and be a spring of Living Waters by his Spirit and Spiritual Understanding given them 1 Cor. 12.7 springing up in them unto Everlasting life Filling them with his Vertues Matth. 5.13 14 15 16. 1 Pet. 2.10 12. Eph. 4.7 14 15. John 10.2 3 4. Levit. 26.11 12. 2 Cor. 2.14 15 16. and furnishing them with such useful Gifts as by which they may in some way or other be profitable to others both in the World and in the Church as the Salt of the Earth as the Light of the World and as Members in the Body of Christ in their places and capacities useful for the glorifying of God and provoking men to seek and glorifie him too and for furthering the growth of them that believe in their exercise of themselves in which gifts with sobriety and faithfulness and walking in his vertues He also will go forth with them walk in and amongst them direct guide help and bless them in all their out-goings towards God in seeking him praying to him and praising of him trusting in and submitting to him and in all their walkings by his grace amongst men so to bless them and render them a blessing to and amongst them 4. 1 John 1.7 9. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. 32.40 41 42. John 8.32 36. 1 Tim. 4.18 That He will cleanse them from their Corruptions and Subdue them in them so as they shall not have Dominion over them nor shall they unless they wilfully chuse it Serve and Obey them Yea in following on to seek and know him He will so mould their wills into his will and put his fear into their hearts as to take away their will of sining and inlarge them to run the ways of righteousness with delight according to the riches of his glorious grace and wisdom so keeping them to the Inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom 5. That to that end Joh. 10.28 29. Ezek. 34.24 25. 37.24 25 26. Gen. 15.1 Psal 84.11 48.3 12 13 14. John 16.33 Isa 43.1 2. He will take special care over them as a shepherd over his Flock lead them into Unity with all his Holy Ones and therein also nourish and feed them with Knowledge and Understanding be a Shield to them against Satan and his Temptations and against the World its fury rage and oppositions be with them in all Adversities their God and Guide to and in Death strengthning and supporting them under all their Sufferings and unto all their Services he calls them to Administring to them sweet and seasonable Consolations and Deliverances 6. Yea Matth. 6.33 Psal 34.9 10. John 15.1 3 7 2 Cor. 1.8 9. that He will also feed them with Food convenient for them even with what he sees good for them in the matters of this Life and nurture them with seasonable and faithful Reproofs and Chastisements and be wanting in nothing to them that may make for their good and happiness Such things the Gospel holds forth as matter to be hoped for in and through Christ in listening to and obeying him in this Life 2. For the Life to come it holds forth wholly as matter of Hope 1. That Christ will himself in due time come again from Heaven Coll. 3.4 in the Glory of God and of all his Holy Angels to compleat their Happiness To which end 2. Tit. 2.13 1 Thess 4.14 15 16. Rom. 8.23 Phil. 3.21 Act. 3.19 20. 1 Thess 4.15 16. That he will raise up all such at his Coming as have dyed in the Faith of him and change the then living Believers fashioning their now vile Body into the likeness of his Glorious Body free them from all their Sins Sorrows Fears Dangers and Temptations in a full and perfect Redemption and Salvation 3. Rev. 11.17 Luke 22.28 29 30. 1 Cor. 6.2 Coll. 3.3 4. Rev 5.10 20.4 5 6. That then he will make to himself his great Power and Reign The Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of God and Christ and then also they who have owned and believed on him and followed him in Temptations and Sufferings shall be glorifyed with him and Reign in Glory Judging the World with Christ and as Kings and Priests Reign with him upon Earth a Thousand Years and Minister before him with unspeakable Happiness 4. Isa 66.14 15. a Pet. 3.7 10 12. Act. 3.20 21. Rom. 8.19 20 21.22 That to that end of his Coming He shall destroy all the Wicked of the Earth take away their Power and Glory from them and burn up the Earth with the Works thereof and make all things New A new heaven and a new earth in which dwells righteousness 2 Pet. 3.7 10 11 12 13. Isa 65.17 In which Christ and his Saints and Servanss which have been faithful to him shall Reign together As in Rev. 21. and 22. 1 Cor. 13.10 11 12. 5. That then they shall enjoy Peace and Joy without mixture of Sorrow Oppression or Trouble have a perfect Knowledge of Christ and God in Christ so as not to need to be taught by one another ever injoy the presence and see the face of Christ and God in Christ that Lamb of God that was Slain for them Rev. 5.9 10. Exod. 12. Rev. 21.4 5 6 7. Jer. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.10 11 12. 1 Thess 4.16 17. Rev. 7.16 17. 22.1 2 3 4. and Redeemed them by his Blood unto God from the Kindreds of the Earth by the sprinkling it upon them also as in the Redemption of Israel out of Aegypt that they might serve him and be Kings and Priests unto God and himself And he
one of God by whom God raising him up out of the dust and exalting him would lift up and exalt his Servants also and judge the world righteously And then by Samuel God began to reveal his word more familiarly again 1 Sam. 3. and to teach the knowledge of his Son and of his ways till after David was anointed by him yea till within a little of his reign So that in all those times of the Judges which as the Apostle tells us Act. 13.20 According to Bishop Vsher 443. years was about 450. years the knowledge of God was vouchsafed to and continued with his People of Israel though through manifold calamities and sometime some eclipsings of it yet it was never quite lost from amongst them SECT 6. Of the times from David to the Captivity of Israel UNto David God yet further and more clearly opened his mysterie Psal 89.1 2 3 19 20 c. 132. over and above what was before so plainly opened giving him the Covenant of an everlasting Kingdom to be possessed by his Seed even Christ for ever of whose Kingdom the Kingdom setled on his natural seed was a Type and Pledge Yea 110.3 4. to and by him it was declared that Christ should be both a Priest and King a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck 22. that he should offer up yea himself be the perpetual mighty Sacrifice 2.1 2 6 7. 16.9 10 11. and through manifold oppositions of Jews and Gentiles the Kings and Rulers and generality of Mankind yea through Sufferings and Death attain and enter into his Glory and manage his Kingdom for the good of Mankind so as that Nations should have cause to sing aloud to God for his Goodness through him Psal 87. 88. 100. 117. 145.9 17. to them to serve him with gladness and come before him with rejoycing to enter into his Gates with Thransgiving and his Courts with Praises c. 2 Sam. 23.3 4. He being through him good to all and his tender Mercies over all his Works and all the ends of the Earth seeing his Salvation But indeed the knowledge of Christ flowed in so abundantly to and by him the Spirit of the Lord speaking by him and his Word being in his Tongue that to mention all that was dispensed to and by him would require the writing out of a great part of the Psalms yea and many Volumes in explication of them The knowledge of the Lord growing now as a River as to the fuller and more abundant revelation of it which in the first Ages was but like a Spring the light grew more and more full and bright as to its shining as the day of Christs coming in the Flesh and accomplishing therein the Prophecies concerning him grew nearer And this revelation also was continued and held forth in the days of Solomon and in the succeeding Ages Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 32 33 34 35. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Solomon speaking many things most divinely of the preparation made by wisdom for men and her gracious invitations and calls of men to the participation thereof with much desire of their good and great longsufferings towards them yea her universal good-will to the sons of men the simple and void of understanding the Scorners and Fools that hate knowledge c. a great torrent of Wisdom flowed forth to and by him much too full to be here particularly mentioned 1 King 11.1 2 13 14 c. 'T is true he grew loose and degenerate in his latter times through the love of strange women and provoked God to rend away ten Tribes from his Kingdom in his Sons days and so to eclipse the Glory of Davids outward Kingdom leaving him and his posterity only two Trides that so it might the more appear that the Promise and Covenant made to David was touching Christ and his Kingdom rather than touching any wordly Kingdom to be here injâ—d by his natural Seed 2 King 4. Solomon also buiâ— stately Temple for Gods Worship which was a Type too of Christ and what was prayed for and promised in behalf of people repenting of their sins and praying in 〈◊〉 8. and towards that Temple respected Christ as the truth of it and is to be met with in looking to him But both that Temple with the worship of God therein together with the House of David the ten Tribes rejected setting up through their carnal policy another way and form of worship in other places in which they did immediately reject Christ and so their own mercy and salvation till persisting therein for about two hundred and sixty years space notwithstanding divers Prophets raised up of God and sent unto them as Elias Elisha Ahijah Hosea Amos and divers others by whom God abundantly held forth the knowledge of himself and his truth unto them to reclaim them to the right way of worshipping God they were at last carried captive by Salmanester King of Assyria in the beginning of the reign of Hezekiah King of Judah All which time the knowledge of God was more purely retained with Judah and Benjamin who clave to the House of David and to the Temple and Worship of God ordered therein as also did many from the other ten Tribes And though they were not without many imperfections and sometimes great miscarriages and evils yet still the Promise and Covenant made with David and the order for worship setled by him with Gods appointment and approbation was retained by them and those Ages contained about the space of 330. years from the beginning of Davids reign to Israels Captivity according to Bishop Vsher 327. SECT 7. Of the times of the Prophets from about the Captivity of Israel to the Restauration of the Temple and so on till the coming of Christ in the Flesh ABout the time of Israels Captivity or somewhat before God raised up and sent more Prophets and with more dear and full discoveries still of his mind concerning them and concerning the mysterie of Christ and the right worship of God through him with more full and sharp rebukes and denunciation of judgements against them for their casâ—ing off God and his Worship as appointed in his Temple as the ten Tribes oâ— also for their carnal apprehensions of the Seed of David and Kingdom promised him and of the Temple-worship appointed to them as Judah neglecting Christ the vision of all signified and aimed at in them Isa 28.14 15. 66.1 2 3 4. Mica 5. Jer. 7.3 4 7 c. 22.5 6 c. and foolishly promising themselves mercy and blessing in their adhering to Davids carnal and natural Seed and worshiping in that material Temple neglecting the grace of God in Christ and not yeilding up themselves to obey and walk with him as is abundantly to be seen in the Prophecies of Isaiah Micha and Jeremiah for which cause also be gave up the Temple