according to that of the Apostle That which may be known of God was manifest in them for God shew'd it unto them Rom. 1. 19. But as the Apostle there adds they held the Truth in unrighteousness and when they knew God they glorified him not as God but changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and fourfooted Beasts and creeping things and were filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder and all manner of Vice and Villany But tho it was thus with the Gentiles generally yet it was not so with them All there were many that abandon'd Idolatry and profess'd the only True God There were excellent Persons even among the Heathens who were eminent for Grace and Holiness as the Examples before mention'd testifie There was a kind of a Church out of the Church Many of the Gentiles had the knowledg of 〈◊〉 and of his Covenant with Mankind for a great part of the Covenant consisted in the Moral Law which was solemnly proclaim'd on Mount Sinai and was the principal part of the Mosaick Religion but appertain'd to all Men for being the Law of Nature it had respect to the whole Race of 〈◊〉 it concern'd every Person of what Nation or Countrey soever And it might be remark'd to this purpose that at the promulgation of this Law there were present not only Israelites but Strangers and Gentiles Exod. 12. 38. Num. 11. 4. Deut. 29. 11. This intimated that the Church was not shut up within the Iewish Nation the Covenant of Grace extended farther than Iudea And thus we see this Dispensation is a Dispensation of Grace Not only as the whole Gentile World was a sharer in the common Favours and Blessings of Heaven but as some of them were actual partakers of the peculiar and saving Grace of God upon their owning the God of Israel and turning unto him Thus God excluded no sort of People from the participation of his Favour But that of St. Peter was verified God is no respector of Persons but in every Nation he that seareth God and 〈◊〉 Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10. 34 35. And what I have said is not inconsistent with those places of Holy scripture which speak of the Iews as of a peculiar People and which exast them above all other Nations in the World What Nation saith Moses is there so great who hath God so nigh to them as the Lord our God in all things that we call upon him for As if he had said Other Nations indeed are great yea greater as to 〈◊〉 than the Iews in this they out do us but the Nation of the Iews is to be preferred to them all because God Himself dwelleth with us he is always nigh at hand and we converse familiarly with him daily whenever we inquire of him he answereth us whenever we stand in need of Direction and Assistance he goes before us as our Guide He protects and defends us He helps and delivers us Again What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgments so righteous Where he sheweth on another account the Iews Preeminence viz. their having so exact a Law given them by God It appears not that the Gentiles had any Special Rules and Positive Laws prescribed them as the Iews had The Laws of the Old Testament were revealed only to this People and to no other Nations They were peculiar Laws and therefore the Gentiles were not under the particular Obligation of them Moses his Law never bound any but the Iews and Proselytes who made themselves Inhabitants of that Land it obliged no other Nations under Heaven For it was designed for the Jews only and not for others that is Christ being to be born amongst them God granted to them Particular and Special Favours to distinguish them from other people to Sanctifie and Consecrate them especially Therefore God separated the Israelites from the rest of the World and gave them particular Constitutions and Injunctions he shew'd his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and Iudgments unto Israel he hath not deale so with any Nation and as for his Iudgments they have not known them Psal. 147. 19 20. i. e. the Nations of the World were not govern'd by particular Laws as the Iews they were not so highly honour'd and blessed God was not pleas'd to manifest himself to them in a like degree In this regard the Psalmist saith Psal. 139. 4. The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure And in this respect God saith to Israel You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth Amos 3. 2. God knew that People in a manner different from all others he convers'd with them in a more intimate way than with the rest of the World he reveal'd himself to them in a particular and special manner he govern'd and ruled that People by peculiar Laws and Sanctions and he wrought extraordinary Wonders to support and deliver them so that in comparison of the Iews God may be said not to have known the Gentiles The Apostle likewise declareth the Preference and Prerogative of the Iew above other People in answer to that question What advantage hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision much every way saith he chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God They had singular Discoveries and Revelations of God's Will above others which was a Sign and Assurance of the greatest Favour imaginable They had Holy Laws to make them holier than others and they carried the Sign and Mark of the Holy Covenant even on their flesh For this reason God may be said to have been the God of their Nation But whilst he shew'd more especial kindness to them he did not neglect the rest for besides that all of them lived under the Law of general Grace many of them were specially favoured and experienced the distinguishing Grace of God The Blessings of God's Church reached even to some of those that were not within the Pale of it A Divine Light was reflected from the Church to those that were not thought Members of it Some enlightning and refreshing Rays were sent out to them tho the Sun was not risen on their Horizon The Sum of all is that when God made a Covenant with Abraham and his Posterity the Israelites he did not debar other People from Saving Grace and all Spiritual Benefits There were besides Abraham's Family and the Body of the Israelites who came from Abraham other Persons in the World who knew and worship'd God in a true and right manner Some that were at a great distance from the Holy Land and were Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel were Heirs of Eternal life Some of all Nations were virtually included in the Covenant altho not mantioned Tho they were not to enter into Canaan and Canaan could not hold them which was part of the Covenant to the
Gentiles which is absolutely against Iudaism for the Priesthood amongst the Iews was tied to that certain Nation yea to a certain House and Family amongst them Therefore it is evident that the Iewish Religion was Temporary and was to cease This is obscurely intimated in Ezekiel's Model of the Temple Chap. 40. c. There never was any such thing no such Dimensions and Platforms it is a vast unwieldy thing his Temple is as big as all Ierusalem and the Ground allotted the Priests and Levites equals all Canaan It is likely therefore that this prefigureth the Christian Temple or the Church under the Gospel which was to be capacious and large But I need not make use of these obscure and mystical Places after I have produced so plain and evident ones as those before mention'd It is undeniable that those several Prophesies could not be accomplished if the Old State of the Iews was to be perpetual Ierusalem was too little the Land of Iudea could not serve for those purposes which are there spoken of Here also it might be observ'd that the Passover their great and most famous Ordinance was a Memorial of a particular Deliverance vouchsafed to the Iewish People and therefore was proper to them and appertained not to other Nations Hence it was that the Iews themselves did not require of the Proselites a Conformity to this Law nor indeed to any other of the like peculiar Nature Yea themselves were not obliged to observe some of the Mosaick Laws if they were in other Countries as those of First-fruits Tithes and the Sabbatick-year the Iubilee In Canaan only these and other Constitutions were to be kept as is confess'd by their own Writers Their Laws concerning Sacrifices and Incense and Feasts are ceas'd at this day amongst them because they were confin'd to that place and were not to be observ'd any where else Thus a considerable part of the Iewish Laws are now abolish'd by their own Confession they being dispersed into other Countries This might convince them that Iudaism was to give place to Christianity which is large and fitted for all the World which hath God the Church Religion and Salvation all in common This is a great Prerogative of Christianity that it is Universal and excludeth no People or Nations whereas the Religion and Worship of the Iews was narrow and scant and confined to themselves which is a Demonstration that it was Temporary and that there was to be a change of the Mosaick Law and Administration 2. This appears if you consider likewise that God dispensed with the Mosaick Rites and Ceremonies and did not always exact the observance of them which he would have done if they had been perpetual Laws and were designed to continue to all Ages Thus God dispensed with Circumcision not only as to the Time which was punctually assigned by the Law viz. the eighth Day for when the Infants were sick Circumcision was put off till they were well but he dispensed with the very Act and Performance it self All the time the Israelites were in the Wilderness which was forty Years they neglected to circumcise their Children and indeed there was no occasion for it because they then needed not to be distinguished from the Nations being not mingled with them and besides it was inconvenient in their Marches and Removals as may be gather'd from Ios. 5. 2. Circumcise again c. and more plainly from what follows v. 5. The People that were born in the Wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt them they had not circumcised All that time the Celebration of the Passover was omitted in the Wilderness or it was celebrated but once in those forty Years Num. 9. 1 2. Ios. 5. 10. All the Sacrifices and Oblations tho commanded and appointed them the first Year they came into the Desert were omitted all the time they were there excepting some Peace-offerings and Sin-offerings which you read of in Exod. 40. 29. But the daily Sacrifice was not offered and the constant use of all sorts of Sacrifices prevailed not And afterwards when they came into Canaan God dispensed with the Law concerning Sacrificing only in the Tabernacle for Elias sacrificed at Carmel and Samuel at Mishphat unless we shall say that the Law had not reference to these Extraordinary Sacrifices and more Instances might be produced of that kind As to the Resting on the Sabbath-day which was a direct Injunction of the Law it was not observed when they besieged Iericho on that day And other punctual and peremptory Commands of the Mosaick Law were not observed And I could add that many things commanded in the Iudicial Law were dispensed with by God for he who enjoyned them had Power to do it A Bastard was not to come into the Congregation Deut. 23. 2. Yet Iephtâ—ah who was of that Character was preferâ—d and that by Gods own Order to be Judge of Israel So the Judicial Law was violated by letting Saul's Sons who were hang'd up remain so long a time on the Gibbets Hence it appears that the Obligation of the Mosaick Laws is not perpetual for this relaxing and dispensing made way for annulling them and were a certain vindication that the Iewish Laws were to be laid aside 3. You may take notice that as God himself dispensed with these Laws so the best Men were oftentimes very neglectful of them Thus Gideon Manoah and David sacrificed not according to the strict direction of the Law And the last of these eat the Shew-bread when he was press'd with extream hunger and Hezekiah ordered the Passover to be celebrated otherwise than it was written in the Law 2 Chron. 30. 18. So careless were they of precisely observing the Cermonial Injunctions And here it might be observed how the holy Men and Prophets despised the service of Sacrifices and all the other Duties of the Law in comparison of inward Goodness Vertue and Holiness and spiritual Exercises and Performances of Religion The Psalmist speaks to God after this manner Psal. 51. 16 17. Thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thee thou delightest not in Burnt-offering The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O Lord thou wilt not despise The Son of this Royal Prophet is plain and downright in this matter to do Iustice and Iudgment is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice Prov. 21. 3. Whom Philo that worthy Jew follows saying God is not delighted with the Flesh and Fat of Animals but with the harmless Disposition and pious Intention of the Worshipper And not only this Writer but several other professed Iews acknowledg that Sacrifices were but a secondary sort of Service they were not in their own nature good nor required for their own sake but the primary and main part of divine Service and Worship are Prayer Repentance and Obedience As for Circumcision it was not esteem'd to be of absolute necessity and accordingly was not always perform'd
were laid aside when the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost ceased when immediate Inspirations were withdrawn and when Signs and Wonders and working of Miracles were out of use From the time of the cessation of these we are as I conceive to date the Youthful and Stronger State of Christianity Then it began to be entire when it was no longer blended with Judaism when there were no more Typical Ceremonies in the Christian Service In the place of the Extraordinary Gifts of Praying and Prophesying there succeed now in the Church those Religious Exercises of Praying and Preaching which tho they are never rightly performed without the help of the Spirit yet proceed not from immediate Illapses and Inspirations The Apostles and first Christians were extraordinarily taught of God but we must make use of the Means and Helps which are given us in order to attaining the Knowledg of Him and of our Duty We must arrive to this by God's Blessing on our Studies and Industry Knowledg is not purely infused now but the Spirit of God cooperates with our endeavours Scholarship was not necessary for the first founding the Gospel because the effusion of the Spirit was then extraordinary But when this ceas'd human Learning became necessary in those who are to instruct others and to confute Gainsayers Therefore in the Disputes between us and the Quakers and other Sects about these Matters we must urge this that there is now an Oeconomy different from that in the times of the Apostles When they talk of doing all by immediate Impulse of the Spirit and despise outward Means and Helps and cry that they are above Ordinances we must let them know that they are forgetful of the different Dispensations of times and thence proceeds their Error They do not observe that there are subordinate Oeconomies even in this one grand Oeconomy of Christianity and the want of seriously attending to this leads them into very extravagant Opinions and Practices When there were extraordinary Gifts in the Church a Fisherman any illiterate Person was as able as any one to preach For as in that time those were able to heal all Diseases who had never studied Physick so there were those that could speak to the People with all Tongues who had never been taught any For the speedier propagating of the Gospel some of the commonest Christians had Ability to do this But it is not so since those supernatural Gifts are ceas'd and now Learning is requisite in a Minister of the Gospel Schools and Universities Skill in Arts and Languages which can be gain'd only by Study are become necessary For as an antient Writer of the Church saith well After the Apostles time the Church began to be govern'd by another Order and Management of Divine Providence As for the Spirit of Prophecy we know it was an immediate extraordinary Gift whereby Persons were divinely enlightned themselves and had ability to reveal things in an extraordinary manner to others which was frequent among the Iews in the Old Testament but even that fail'd at last there was not a Prophet between Malachi and Iohn Baptist whence it was that the People ran out of all the Regions round about to see the Baptist a Prophet being a very rare Sight But Prophecy was restored by Christ and by his Apostles in a most eminent Degree afterwards yea Iustin Martyr who lived in the middle of the second Century tells us in his Apology for the Christians that the Gift of Prophecy was then in the Church but after that there is no mention of it because it ceas'd And so as for other immediate of extraordinary Revelations as Dreams and Visions and such like ways by which God used to communicate his Will unto Iews and Christians heretofore they are now laid aside or are very rare and unusual And the Reason is because Christianity is out of its Childhood it hath gather'd more Strength it is youthful and vigorous I know that others have different Notions of this matter The Learned Daille expresly saith Christianity was in its heighth and perfection in the time of the blessed Apostles tho so far as I can perceive he himself soon after partly retracts this Assertion It is generally thought and said that those extraordinary Endowments before named in the Christian Church are an Argument of its Manhood and Perfection and because those Gifts in the primitive Times were so great and venerable far exceeding what we have at this day they reckon all Christians since those times to be but puny Christians But I cannot give my suffrage to this yea I look upon it as a great mistake for if a Man rightly considers things he will find that these splendid Gifts were bestow'd on purpose for the propagating of the Gospel at that particular time and that the Weakness and Unsettledness of the Church were the only occasion of them Christianity wanted at its first Rise confirming and corroborating by such wonderful Methods and Expedients as these And therefore if we understand the true Nature of them we cannot but confess that they were Proofs and Evidences of the imperfect State of the Christian Church in those days Now those extraordinary Gifts are vanish'd the inspired Men are gone but the Holy Scriptures which were written by Divine Inspiration are left with us to be the great Standard of Truth and the Rule of our Actions God hath rais'd up eminent Men to open and explain that Holy Book and to instruct us in all the great and necessary Points of it We have now a more setled Knowledg of Religion and there is a greater Progress in Christianity The Oeconomy hath receiv'd some Alteration and we need not extraordinary Helps when God vouchsafeth us those that are ordinary And as for Miracles they are not of this part of the Christian Dispensation and therefore are not to be look'd for now Those mighty Wonders are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not as the Apostle speaks 1. Cor. 14. 22. Therefore they were proper in the first Ages to convince the unbelieving World and for the propagating of Christianity But now they are become useless and more regular and ordinary Methods are used The Gospel being sufficiently promulged among us and the Authority of it being proved by those mighty Works which have been done we are not to expect any more of them Ordinary Means now serve us tho we have the Benefit likewise of those extraordinary ones which were before I do not say Miracles are so creased that there shall never be any wrought again for a Power of doing Miracles is indefinitely promised in Mark 16. 17. It may still remain so as to be exerted on occasion viz. when Heathens and Infidels are to be converted But that belongs not to this Part of the Evangelical Dispensation which I am now speaking of but to that more perfect one which is to succeed in erecting of which perhaps God may enable his Servants
perhaps may be the Meaning of 1 Cor. 6. 2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World I offer it to be considered whether we may not interpret it thus Do you not know that there shall be a time when there shall be a Christian Magistracy in the World and that especially when Christianity is coming to its Height there shall be such Godly Rulers and Iudges as shall reform all Things that are amiss in the World And this great Sway and Authority shall make way even for their judging of Angels Afterwards v. 3. I am far from abetting in this Discourse the wild Fancy of those Enthusiastick Spirits who make the Reign of Christ on Earth inconsistent with that of Kings and Princes who at the same time that they set up King Iesus pull down all others Their Fifth-Monarchy brooks no Crowned Heads But they forget that in the same Place where the Evangelical Prophet saith Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness meaning Christ and this Kingdom which I am now discoursing of he adds And Princes shall rule in iudgment Isa. 32. 1. Though it is said the Scepter shall depart from Iudah when Shiloh first comes yet neither then nor afterwards is it to be taken out of the Hands of Christian Princes Their Monarchy and Christ's Kingdom are not incompatible Yea I am so far from giving any Allowance to this sort of Men that I confidently aver Christ's Kingdom whereof I am speaking shall be set up and maintain'd by the Kings and Rulers of the Earth Christianity shall arrive to that excellent Pitch by the Assistance of the Civil Magistrate by the Incouragement which shall be given to it by the Secular Powers There is Ground for what I say for we are expresly told that those who formerly gave their Kingdom to the Beast shall afterwards hate the Whore and shall make her desolate c. Rev. 17. 16 17. These great Things shall be effected by Monarchs Princes and States entirely devoting themselves to the publick Good and Welfare and to the Glory of Him who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Builders of that Ierusalem shall hold the Trowel with one Hand and the Sword in the other They shall at the same time Rear this happy Structure and severely Punish those who endeavour to hinder them till at last by sharply Animadverting on all Wickednesses and Enormities these be driven out of the World and Universal Piety and Righteousness come in their room Again This great Work shall be promoted and advanced by the help of Spiritual Pastors and Teachers whose Care and Faithfulness whose Courage and Zeal are as requisite in this present Affair as that of the Civil Magistrate The Rulers and Guides of the Church shall then shew themselves true Lovers of Souls by not refusing any Labour of Love for their Peoples Good they shall preach the Word be instant in Season out of Season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long-suffering and Doctrine they shall Watch in all Things do the Work of true Evangelizers make full proof of their Ministry They shall discharge their Holy Function with all Mildness and Clemency with all Tenderness and Compassion and yet with all Fervency and Vigour They shall let all Men see that they make the Honour of God and the Saving of Mens Souls the Grand Design of their Ministry And it is not without great reason that I mention both these great Orders of Men Magistrates and Ministers for it is absolutely requisite that they go hand in hand towards the accomplishing that Great Work which I am discoursing of Moses and Aaron must befriend each other Zerubbabel and Ioshua must join in building the Temple The great Hinderance of the Improvement and Increase of Christianity hath been the disunion of these Two The Temporal Rulers and Spiritual Overseers have not concurr'd in the promoting the same Religious Designs The Secular and Ecclesiastical Powers have frequently been divided among themselves and thereby have retarded and impeded the Common Good But it shall not be so in those happy Times there shall be no disagreement between Ecclesiastical the State and Church no opposition between the State and Civil Laws The Spiritual and Secular Officers shall be so far from being an Impediment to one another in their particular Charges that they shall make it their Business to promote the respective Cause and Interest of each other If Phocas and Boniface held together and thereby wrought such horrid Mischiefs in the World it is certain we may experience as great and notable Effects of a contrary Nature from the unanimous Concurrence of pious Governours in the Church and Commonwealth When they mutually advise and consult with one another and act jointly for the Advancement of Religion and Godliness as in the Times of Constantine the Great Theodosius Valentinian Gratian when they strive with great Ambition and no other Ambition who shall be most serviceable and beneficial to the Christian Community this will be found to be the true Method for the propagating and establishing of Religion in the World And seeing Religion is the only unshaken and lasting Basis of Kingdoms it is the Concern of thâ—se Two Ranks of Persons to agree to advance this above all Things whatsoever They are to remember that even Civil Politicks are best guided by this Conduct and that if a Nation or Council exclude this in any of their Laws and Constitutions they can't be said to be Wise and Politick For what is disagreeable to Religion is unsafe dangerous and extremely Impolitick To be short all lies in Rulers both of Church and State both Spiritual and Civil These as I apprehend will be the special Instruments which God will imploy to work that happy and wonderful Change When God pleaseth to send such Princes and Leaders as Zerobbabel such Priests as Ioshua such Teachers and Scribes as Ezra the Building of the House of God will soon be finished Such Great and Noble Spirits being sâ—t on work will easily bring it to perfection The Gospel will be completely established Christianity will be universally propagated and Evangelical Righteousness will prevail every where in the World Yea All of us are capable of promoting this great Work more or less and therefore we ought to make it our Concern Our earnest and constant Prayer should be that this Kingdom may come and prevail and prosper that Antichristianism wheresoever it is and under what Shape and Guise soever it appears may be demolished and destroyed that the Infidelity of Iews and Pagans may have a period that Vice and Immorality Irreligion and Prophaneness may be trod down and that the Contrary may be set up and advanced in all the Regions of the World And we are obliged to set forward this blessed Design not only by our Devotions but our Endeavours and to hasten the actual Prevailing of it in our Lives and Practices that Iesus may be seen to Reign among Men and that Christianity may be
IOHANNES EDWARDS S. T. B. ΠΟΛΥΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΣ ΣΟΦΙΑ A Compleat HISTORY Or SURVEY Of all the Dispensations and Methods OF RELIGION From the beginning of the World to the Consummation of all things As represented in the OLD and NEW Testament SHEWING The several Reasons and Designs of those different Administrations and the Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Government of his Church through all the Ages of it In which also The Opinion of Dr. Spencer concerning the Jewish Rites and Sacrifices is examin'd And the Certainty of the Christian Religion demonstrated against the Cavils of the Deists c. By IOHN EDWARDS B. D. LONDON Printed for Daniel Brown Ionath Robinson Andrew Bell Iohn Wyat and E. Harris M. DC.XC.IX To the Right Honourable IOHN Lord SOMMERS Baron of Evesham Lord High Chancellor of England My Lord WE every day behold the Lawyers and Physicians the Philosophers the Historians the Poets and all Professors of useful Arts presenting their several Performances to your Lordship not only as a Judg but as their Common Patron Why then may not those of our Order presume to approach your Lordship with their respective Offerings and hope for a kind and favourable Reception Especially seeing you have let the World know by sundry illustrious Instances what regard you bear to that Function and those of that Character They all admire your capacious and universal Genius which has given you a profound insight into Theological Studies as well as all others Westminster-Hall has now another Hale that is one who is a Divine a Lawyer and Philosopher and skill'd in every Science Your Lordship every day atchieves great and brave things and with a Spirit that is such You oblige the Good and win upon the Bad and please all Men by the Methods of an unstain'd Integrity Which brings to my thoughts that Observation of my Lord Coke that he never knew any Excellent Iudicious Lawyer but was a faithful honest man Pref. to the 2 d Part of Reports But lest this should look too much like Panegyrick which I know is offensive to your Lordship's Modesty and lest I should obscure and tarnish the Splendour of your Lordship's Vertues and Excellencies by an imperfect representing of them I will here check my self and add no more on this Theme which is so inviting and charming Permit me only to lay these Papers at your Lordship's Feet and humbly to beg of your Lordship that you would be pleased to exercise that Equity and Favour to which your present Province and High Office prompt you and then I shall not wholly despair of your Lordship's Acceptance of this poor Oblation and of your suffering me to have the Honour to profess my self My Lord Your Lordship 's most Humble and Obedient Servant Iohn Edwards THE PREFACE I Have undertaken a Great Work viz. to display all the Transactions of Divine Providence relating to the Methods of Religion from the Creation to the end of the World from the first Chapter of Genesis to the last of the Revelation For I had not met with any Author that had undertaken to comprise them all and to give us an account of them according to their true Series nor had I ever lit upon a Writer either Foreign or Domestick who had designedly traced the particular Causes and Grounds of them or settled them on their right and true Foundations Wherefore I betook my self to this Work resolving to attempt something tho it were only to invite others of greater skill to go on with it and to add the finishing Stroke to it I acknowledg this Essay to be very mean and unworthy of its Noble Subject but however this I will say in its behalf and that with great truth that though I have done but little yet I never met with any that hath done so much on this Theme whether â—e have respect to the full Enumeration of the â—economies or whether we speak of the Reasons and Grounds of them But more especially as to the Last Oeconomy I have been very curious in the Distribution of 〈◊〉 several Parts though I have I confess â—â—â—â—ented therein from most Writers but I have â—â—deavour'd to treat those with Candor and Reâ—â—ect who differ in this matter from me For it 〈◊〉 certain that in this case Liberty of Writing is 〈◊〉 reasonable as that of Thoughts I shall not 〈◊〉 angry with any Man for not being of my Opinion â—â—out the State of the World before the Close of 〈◊〉 I leave every Man to his own Conjectures and I desire to be left to mine I do not ask any â—ne whether he thinks Jansenism and Quietism â—â—ll make way for any Change of Religion in France Spain or Italy or whether they will be â—â—ite rooted out of those Countreys I do not ask â—hether the Moscovite who seems to be no longer â—â—â—zen but is entring upon Action is like to have 〈◊〉 hand in such Revolutions as will end at last in 〈◊〉 alteration of Religion in the North-East I 〈◊〉 not enquire whether the French Lillies will â—â—read themselves further and take Root in any Protestant Soil And all other the like Queries â—â—hich may be occasion'd by the present Occurrenâ—â—s in the World I wholly dismiss and trouble 〈◊〉 my self or my Reader with the resolving of 〈◊〉 In treating of this Last Dispensation I 〈◊〉 as to the main and substantial Strokes of it 〈◊〉 my self close to the Bible I have positively 〈◊〉 nothing but what is plainly founded on Divine Revelation as deliver'd to us in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and even there I have not presumed to fix any certain Time Those Halcyon Days which I treat of may commence in part very soon and blaze out of a sudden or they may be stifled and smother'd till many lusters of Years are expired I verily believe the Thing it self but it is the highest arrogance to determine the Season This is all I have to say by way of Preface Errata to the first Volume PAge 24. l. 10. read sex P. 27. l. 4. r. it in P. 59. l. 15. for Tho r. But. P. 107. l. 1. r. and he P. 124. l. 23. r. seem'd to run P. 158. l. 2. r. Mincaâ— or P. 169. l. 26. for and r. had P. 177. Margin r. Philo de P. 179. l. 19. put the Comma after thus P. 188. l. 26. r. Cherub P. 194. l. 12. after not insert that all this is significant P. 201. 1. 22. r. but the latter P. 217. l. 4. r. his P. 235. l. 9. r. of any l. 15. after meant insert not of the flesh of those Animals but. P. 289. l. antepen r. as almost all P. 332. l. 9. after Gospel add tho it was in part under the other Dispensations P. 350. l. 10. for you r. them THE CONTENTS OF THE First Volume CHAP. I. THE great Advantage of the present Vndertaking A general Distribution of the Work The State of Innocence The Folly of the Praeadamitick Opinion The solemn Consultation of the
thing as Idolatry in those days but that its date was afterwards and therefore it must be meant of Religious Invoking of God and the solemn use of it There are others who though they are satisfied that the word is to be rendred began not prophaned yet understand what follows according to Aquila's Translation and therefore read the whole thus Then men began to be call'd by the name of the Lord i. e. Seth and Enos for their great Piety were the first that had the honour as it were of a Divine Appellation whence they that were their Offspring were call'd the Son of God or they were call'd by Gods names i. e. they were reputed and celebrated as eminent Worshippers of God as his profess'd Servants and Votaries But this seems to be a forc'd Interpretation and is built upon a wrong Translation of the words The plain and genuine meaning both according to the Original the Seventy and other Versions which are held to be most exact is this that though Adam Abâ—l Seth and others had called on God in their Houses and Families long before this time yet now they met together publickly and the Rites of Religion which God had appointed them were fixed Here is the first Infancy of the more visible Church Now Holy Assemblies are set up and perhaps as Cain then built Cities so Enos built Temples or Places for Divine Worship Sacrifices were setled before Now the way and manner of invoking God aright are established Or if you will take Calling on the Lord as a general expression for Religion then the meaning is that in the time of these holy men the true VVorship and Service of God begun to flourish openly Though Cain and his Seed liv'd atheistically and prophanely yet those of the Family of Seth and Enos promoted all Piety and Virtue they generally â—eared God and walked uprightly and Religion was in great esteem among men There seems to have been a Law under this Patriarchal Period not to marry with Infidels This is implied in Gen. 6. 2. The sons of God saw the daughtâ—rs of men and they took them Wives of all that they chose The children of Seth were joyned in wedlock with the wicked posterity of Cain which we have reason to think was forbidden them because this is reckon'd as the great sin which provoked God's wrath and brought the devouring flood v. 3. Here it may be taken notice of that whereas Marriagâ— the joyning of one Man and one Woman only had prevail'd hitherto by virtue of the Primitive Order and Institution in Gen. 2. 24. now at the latter end of the Adamick Dispensation Polygamy began to be introduced Lamâ—ch took unto him two Wives Gen. 4. 19. and was the firâ—â— person that transgress'd against that Conjugal Law I find a very Reverend and Worthy person â—avourable to him and thinks his â—arnest desire of seeing that Blessed Seed which was promis'd to Eve might induce him to take more Wives than one hoping by multiplying of his posterity some or other of thâ—m might prove so happy as to produce that Seed This is a very Learned and Pious Account of the Original of Polygamy Here I might mention the Seven Precepts which the Iews much talk of and say wâ—re given by God to the sons of Adam and Nâ—ah before Moses's time But Rabbi Maimon is more distinct and â—aith six of these Precepts were given to Adam and those that immediately came of his loins and so they fall in under this Patriarchal Dispensation and afterwards these six with another added i. â— of Abstaining from blood were delivered to Noah and his Sons Of the Seventh I am not to speak in this place it belonging to the Noacâ—ical Dispensation but it is proper to give you some account of the other Six Both the Talmuds and other Writings of the Hebrew Doctors recite them in this order the first Precept was of Iudgments of Politick and Civil Government of Administration of Justice in publick Tribunals and Courts of Judicature and that those who offended in the kinds after named ought to be severely punished The Second was of Cursing the most Holy Name or Blasphemy that God's Name is not to be prophaned The Third was of strangâ— Worship or Idolatry that they should not worship Idâ—ls The Fourth is of uncovering of Nakedness or unlawful Copulation as Adultery Incest and the like that these are absolutely unlawful The Fifth is of shâ—dding of Blood or Homicide The Sixth is of Thefâ— and Rapine Clandestine or open stealing taking away what is anothers that none of these are to be practised Those that would see these Precepts largely commented upon may consult the Learned Seldâ—n who hath almost fill'd a whole Volume with them That which I am to inquire into at present is whether it be reasonable to give credit to the common Assertion of the Iews who say that these Precepts were given by God himself to Adam and the Patriarchs before Noah First I might take notice that the Iews agree not fully about the number of the Precepts given to Adam for though Seven generally be said to be the number of them yet there are those who dissent here and so in some sort bring the giving of the Precepts as well as thâ— number of them into question Secondly We read no where in Genesis nor in any of the inspired Books afterwards that any of these Precepts were given by God to Adam or his immediate children We meet with nothing like them before Noah and Moses and therefore we cannot with any certainty and confidence assert that God deliver'd these before that time I know it is said and that by the Learnedest that all Facts are not mention'd in the Bible the Scripture refers to some as known and acknowledg'd though no where expresly recorded Thus these Precepts are refer'd to in Acts 15. 20. But I answer though one thing done at this time and another at another may be omitted in Scripture-History as Adam's observing the Seventh day and God's Injunction about Bloody Sacrifices c. yet it is folly to think that a Whole Body of Precepts should be given to Adam and his Sons and that they should be openly divulg'd as the Iews say there was a formal Promulgation of them and yet not one of them be mention'd nor so much as hinted at in the History which purposely treats of those things Credat Iâ—daâ—â— c. And as to what some say that these Precepts are referr'd to in the Decree of the Apostolical Council at Ierusalem it is but a surmise and there is no real ground for it only the matter or substance of two or three of those Precepts is there enjoyn'd as we find in some other places and that is all Thirdly Not only the Writings of Moses and other books of Holy Writ were silent concerning the giving of these Precepts but Ioseph the Learned Iewish Antiquary who comments upon the Mosaical Writings and is wont to insert
of Israel as all other Prophets do but being wholly directed against the Ninivites who were Heathens and Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel This Book saith he was written to shew that God is merciful to those that repent of what Nation soever they be This Example makes it evident that the Gentiles were not wholly rejected altho as to the greatest part they were but that many of them were accepted of God Yea it seemeth to be plain from Mal. 1. 11. that the Getiles worshipp'd God no less than the Iews The words are in the present time in the Original and therefore ought to be so meant that some of the Gentiles in those days had the true Worship of God among them in one part or other of the whole World he was Adored and Served The History of the Iewish Nation and of God's care of them was the thing chiefly designed in the Old Testament and therefore it cannot be expected that it should treat of other Nations and give a particular account of what was done there But it makes mention as you have heard of some Holy Persons among them and without doubt there were many more tho not spoken of The Gentiles were not deserted of God but taken notice of by him and encouraged The Visible Church did not altogether consist of Abraham's Family and Kindred but many others that were not of that Stock were true Members of it Especially among the neighbouring Nations several were converted to God by the Preaching of the Israelitish Prophets and in part receiv'd the Iewish Religion and by the Iews were call'd Proselytes These properly belong to the Gentile Dispensation because they were first Gentiles but converted from their Gentilism to the Knowledg and Worship of the True God These Proselytes or Converts were of two sorts 1. The Proselytes of the Gate as the Iews stiled them because they lived within the Gates of Isreal and they held free Commerce and Trade within their Houses the same with the Strangers within their Gates Exod. 20. 10. Deat 14. 21. They were those Heathens that abandoned their Pagan Superstition and Idolatry and receiv'd the True Faith and acknowledg'd the True God but were left to their liberty as to Circumcision Therefore this Rank of Proselytes remain'd Uncircumcised neither did they observe the other Mosaick Laws and Rites but were only tied to the keeping of the Seven Precepts supposed to be given to Noab's Sons as Maimonides and other Learned Writers among the Iews inform us These tho they were no Idolaters yet because they were Uncircumcised were not permitted to worship in the same Court of the Temple with the Iews but in a distinct Place by themselves therefore call'd the Court of the Gentiles and tho they went to the Iewish Synagogues yet they had a distinct Apartment there There were many of these Proselytes among the Iews every where in their Cities Of these you read in the New Testament where they are call'd Devout or Pious or Religious Men or Worshippers for the Greek words signifie any of these I conceive the Roman Centurion of Capernaum who built the Jews a Synagogue Luke 7. 5. was one of these Cornelius a Captain of the Italian Band Acts 10. 2. was another Proselyte of this sort i. e. a Gentile Worshipper of the True God but not Circumcised or counted a Member of the Church of the Iews And such a one it is likely was the Ethiopian Eunuch mentioned in Acts 8. 27. who came to Jerusalem to worship And such was Lydia of Thyatira who worshipped God Acts 16. 14. And hither may be referr'd those devout men out of every Nation under Heaven Acts 2. 5. and thâ—se that feared God Acts 13. 16 26. These were Proselytes from among the Gentiles And these it is likely are meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 9. 29. 11. 10. for tho this be the name for the Grecizing Iews who read the Scriptures in the Septuagint's Version and pray'd and did other Religious Offices in Greek whereas others perform'd them in Hebrew yet here by Heltemists we are to understand those that were converted to the Jewish Religion from Gentilism But tho they had renounced the Heathen Worship yet they had not receiv'd all the Jewish Ceremonies and Laws 2. There were another sort of Prâ—selytes call'd the Prâ—selytes of Rightâ—eousness or of the Covenant These were of a far higher degree than the former for they were Gentiles converted wholly to Iudaism and were initiated into the Jewish Church by Baptism and Circumcision and were tied to keep all the Mosaick Law and worshipp'd in the same Court of the Temple with the Natural Jews and so became every way Iews unless in respect of their Birth and Nation These in the New Testament are simply and absolutely call'd Proselytes Thus Persons of other Nations besides that of the Jews imbraced the True Religion and Worship and were accepted of God and obtain'd his favour Here then is the Gentile Oeconomy Not but that the Nations were generally sorsaken of God and given up to Idolatry and all manner of Wickedness and Prophaneness which the Apostle took notice of when he said God in times past suffer'd all Nations to walk in their own ways All Nations i. e. all those Kingdoms which were erected after the Flood viz. the Assyrian or Babylonian Monarchy which began soon after the Flood under Nimrâ—d the Son of Cush the Sicyonian Kingdom and the Old Germans who began at the same time with the Assyrian Monarchy next the Egyptian Empire under Cham and his Successor Misraim or Osiria About the same time began the Argives Kingdom under Inachus their first King Then the Kingdoms of Bactria and Iudia another Grecian Kingdom viz. the Athenian about the middle of the Chaldean Empire then the Lacedemonian or Spartan Dinasty the Kingdom of Italy the Lydian Corinthian Tyrian Macedâ—nian Dynasties besides the Persian whose King upon the expiring of the Assâ—rian Empire became Head of the Second Monarchy which is the boundary of the Sacred History of the Old Testament These were all left by God to themselves and Idolatry prevail'd among them all they worshipp'd the Sun Moon and Stars yea all kinds of Beasts tho never so base and contemptible Nay Worshipping of Devils was a common practice with them Thus God suffer'd the greatest part of the World to walk in their own ways until the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus they were as the Apostle speaks of the Gentiles without God in the World till he came into it But yet even then when they were addicted to Idolatry which is also to be observed in this Oeconomy of the Nations God left not himself without witness Acts 14. 17. He led them to the knowledg of himself by the Book of Nature they had sufficient light of God and Religion i. e. to teach them some general Duties of Virtue and Goodness and to instruct them in the Nature and Attributes of God
another both in Opinions and Manners caused great Feuds and Contentions and unspeakably hindred the Practice of Religion among that People To these famous Sects might be added the Herodians call'd the Leaven of Herod Mark 8. 15. by Christ they were of the Religion of the Sadducees and therefore on that account as Doctor Hammond observes may be said not to be a distinct Sect from them See Mat. 16. 6. 22. 16. Mark 8. 15. 12. 13. But they were singular in this that they were much devoted to Herod and his Government and consequently that of the Romans they were great upholders of Casar's Interest against the Pharisees and other Jews who look'd upon Casar as an Usurper Thus they were a different Sect or Faction Some thought and held that Herod was the promised Messias these were the Herodians according to Tertullian Chrysostom Epiphanius and other Fathers The Samaritans were another Sect among the Iews and had been a long time these had their Name from Samaria the chief City of the Kingdom of Israel which fell off from Rehoboam and took Ieroboam for their King When the Iews were carry'd captive into Assyria by Salmanasser a Colony of Assyrians was placed in this City who being molested by wild Beasts desired an Israelitish Priest to teach them the Religion of that Countrey where they were planted whereupon a Priest came and instructed them and they partly observed Moses's Law and partly follow'd their own Idolatry and Superstition From these came the Samaritans who were reckon'd as rank Schismaticks by the generality of the Iews Accordingly the Iews had no dealings with them Joh. 4. 9. but maintain'd an irreconcileable quarrel against them Several Reasons concurr'd to keep up this Feud and Antipathy 1. The Samaritans were of the Race of the Assyrians who carri'd the Iews captive 2. They oppos'd and obstructed the rebuilding of the Temple when the Iews undertook it after the return from the Captivity Ezr. 4. 4. 3. They possess'd a part of the Land which of Right belonged to the Jews 4. They receiv'd only the Pentateuch and rejected the other Books as Uncanonical for when the Iewish Priest mention'd before was sent to them the Cannon of the Bible consisted chiefly of Moses's Writings for all the Historical Books were not extant at that time and 't is certain none of the Prophets were 5. They sacrificed not in the Temple at Ierusalem but on Mount Gerizim where they had a king of a Temple peculiar to themselves and was to them as that at Ierusalem was to the Iews It was built at first for them by Sanballat two hundred Years after it was destroy'd by I. Hircanuâ— Herod when he rebuilt Samaria made a Temple in it but the Samaritans worship'd not in it but on Mount Gerizim 6. They were averse to many of the Mosaick Rites and Ceremonies and differ'd from them in several parts of Worship Some say they were inclined to Idolatry 7. They as well as the Sadducees held there was no Resurrection or Future Life which was directly contrary to the firm Belief and Perswasion of the Iewish Church For these Causes they were extremely hated by the Iews and were not admitted to Conversation or Worship with them Whence that common Saying He that eats Bread with the Samaritans is as if he eat Swines flesh And another in use among the Jews was this If a Samaritan pronounce a Blessing it is not lawful to say Amen after it They must neither eat nor pray with this People but look upon them as Accursed There were the Galilâ—ans Luke 13. 1. who were rather a State-Party or Faction than a Sect. Their Principle was not to submit to the Roman Government for they held it unlawful to obey a Magistrate that was a Pagan Some think they were the Followers of Iudas the Galilaean Acts 5. 37. Ioseph the Iew after he had reckon'd up other Divisions among the Iews mentions this and tells us that they were as to the main Pharisees but this they had peculiar to themselves that they most impetuously desired Liberty believing that God alone is to be esteem'd and call'd a Lord and Prince they underwent the most exquisite kinds of Punishments rather than they would recede from this Opinion and rather than they would give any mortal Man the Name of Lord. It may be observ'd that the Ringleader of this Party is call'd Simon by the foresaid Jewish Writer in his Book of the Iewish War as well as Iudas in his Book of Antiquities because perhaps he had both these Names Thus and much more was the Iewish Nation divided into Sects and Factions thus it was disorder'd and corrupted Their Priests and People their Church and State their Doctrine Discipline and Manners were all depraved Religion was decayed every where Vice and Wickedness were predominant in all places among them And this was but a Specimen of what was more Catholick and prevailing in the Empire at that time to which the Iews were Tributary for with the Empire came in all Vice and Debauchery nothing was approved of but Sensuality and Intemperance and all Exorbitancy and the Virtue Modesty and Sobriety of Antient Rome were laid aside When the World was thus out of Order and was like to be worse CHRIST the Redeemer arrived he came to bless us with greater Discoveries of God's Will to inform and amend the erring and sinful World to give Rules of exact Holiness and to commend Religion and Virtue by his own Example And besides the World was at that time engaged in Wars and Tumults and frequent Battels attended with confused noise and Garments roll'd in Blood nothing but Disorder Outrage and Slaughter insested the Earth and lo at such a time as this the Prince of Peace visited the World and brought with him Tranquillity and Repose and created a great Calm and Serenity in the World This shews how seasonable the Incarnation of Iesus was and why he came at that time and wherefore Christianity was introduced at that very Season and not before 8. and Lastly God hath always discover'd himself to be a God of Order and Method he proceeds by certain Steps and Degrees And this may satisfie us why the Christian Dispensation took not place till other Dispensations had gone before God erected not this huge Fabrick of the World in a moment but procâ—eded leisurely and by degrees The World began with a Chaos and Conâ—usion the Earth was at first a floating Bog it wâ—s without form and void but in six days time it grew to what it is So was it with Religion its first day was in Adam the second in Noah the third in Abraham the fourth in Moses the fifth in the Gentile Oeconomy and the sixth and last in the Messias thus it gradually clear'd up and had its Consummation in Christ. Observe as God in the Creation proceeded from things more imperfect to those that are perfecter Trees and Plants and all Vegetatives were created before
Beasts that have a sensitive Life and at last he came to what was perfectest Man who hath a reasonable Soul and is the most excellent of all God's Works in this lower World Man the worthiest Piece of the Creation was made last of all So there was the like Order and Method observed by God in framing and fashioning his Church it was set up first with weak and imperfect things The Laws and Constitutions given to the Sons of Men were mean and low and went no further than Natural Religion it was like their feeding upon Herbs and Plants only But afterwards Religion was inhanced by extraordinary Revelations and Discoveries by positive Laws and Precepts and by the Offering of Beasts and other such Legal Observances the Sensitive and Animal Life as I may so say the External and Bodily part of Religion was chiefly maintain'd But at length Religion was inspired as it were with a Rational Soul it became Manly Spiritual and Refined by the Gospel it came to be a Reasonable Service indeed an inward Principle a Law of Liberty and Love Christianity is the last but is the perfectest Dispensation in this Life What the Platonists hold concerning the several Powers and Faculties of Mens Souls that in due time and place they orderly awaken into act and when a lower Power is extinguish'd a more extended and enlarg'd Capacity succeeds it a more divine Faculty and Life spring up and are envigorated what these Philosophers I say hold concerning human Souls is true of Religion and its several Dispensations There is a gradual Subordination of these â—everal Oeconomies and upon the Cessation and Extinction of one that is inferiour a more Sublime and Perfect one arises in its Room and it is God's Will and Pleasure that these divers Administrations shall take place in their Order and that one shall not anticipate the other It seems good to the All-wise Creator to reveal the knowledg of himself by degrees to discover his Will as it were by parcels God dispenseth not all his Favours together not all at once but the maniâ—estations of his Will grow greater and greater successively He gradually instill'd into the World the Notion of a Messias the Prophetical Promises concerning him were higher and higher by little and little the Sun of Righteousness arose and shined more and more unto a perfect Day This is the Divine Method he proceeds from imperfect to perfect things from the Shadow to the Substance from Types to Realities from lesser to greater Discoveries He thought good to train up his Church in this manner and by meaner Communications to make way for the most compleat delivering of his Will Still all along one Administration exceeded another till at last Christianity arrived which was Highest of all Those words of the Apostle to the Hebrews are very remarkable to this purpose those under the Law saith he received not the Promise i. e. the full extent of it in the Coming of Christ God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. 11. 39 40. He gives here the Reason why the Iews under the Legal Oeconomy had not the Promise compleated why Christ came not in those days viz. because the Church was to be perfected by Degrees The condition of the Church before Christ was not to be compleat They had their good things but we were to have some better thing that it might be seen that God proceeds in a gradual and successive Way and that he will have things done in their due Season and Course that we may take notice of this that the Frame and Fabrick of Religion shall be reared by little and little to its Perfection that God intends to reserve the best things till last in short that after Christ's Coming Religion was to be at its full Age and that this Glorious Dispensation should crown all Thus by the different Stages and Progressions the divers Courses and Periods of the Church in successive Ages God hath thought fit to shew himself a God of Order and not of Confusion And so I have finish'd the Reasons why the Christian Dispâ—nsation was deferred so long and why the Blessed Author and Founder of it came no sooner The End of the First Volume ΠΟΛΥΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΣ ΣΟΦΙΑ A Compleat HISTORY Or SURVEY Of all the Dispensations and Methods OF RELIGION From the beginning of the World to the Consummation of all things As represented in the OLD and NEW Testament SHEWING The several Reasons and Designs of those different Administrations and the Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Government of his Church through all the Ages of it The Second Volume In which The Certainty of the Christian Religion is demonstrated against the Cavils of the Iews Deists c. By IOHN EDWARDS B. D. LONDON Printed for Daniel Brown Ionath Robinson Andrew Bell Iohn Wyat and E. Harris M. DC.XC.IX THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Volume CHAP. XIV THE Truth and Certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and consequently of Christianity it self evinced That the Mosaick Dispensation was not design'd to be perpetual is proved from 1. The Prophesies concerning the enlarging of the Church together with the nature of the Jewish Observances 2. God's dispensing with the Mosaick Rites and Laws 3. Their being neglected sometimes by the Holiest Men. 4. God's disregarding them 5. The Confession of the Jewish Rabbies An Objection viz. that it is said the Mosaick Law shall be for ever disâ—inctly answer'd Prophesies which seem to relate to the Jewish Church are to be interpreted concerning the Christian one It is not necessary that there should â—e a Formal Abrogation of the Ceremonial Law because when the Reason of a Law ceases the Law it self ceaseth But yet it is shew'd from sundry places in the New Testament that the Ceremonial Law is formally and expresly abrogated We are assured of the Truth of the Christian Religion from Humane Testimony The Testimony of the Outward and Bodily Senses is made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as an Argument of the truth of Christianity St. John's Words 1 Ep. 1 Chap. 1 2 3. ver commented upon There is no certainty in Religion especially in the Christian if the Testimony of Sense be not allow'd of The Apostles and those who heard and saw the things done by our Saviour were Credible Persons The four Evangelists and other Writers of the New Testament were competent Witnesses of what they relate Their Personal Qualities which are particularly reckno'd up render their Testimony worthy of all acceptation The Christians that succeeded them faithfully deliver'd things to us Their Lives are a proof of their Integrity Their Sufferings and Death are an undeniable Argument of their testifying the Truth to us An Heap of Evidences that we are not imposed upon by them The very Jews bear witness to the Truth of Christianity The manner of their congratulating our Saviour at his riding into Jerusalem particularly consider'd Heathens attest the Truth of the
Christian Religion So do Infernal Spirits P. 417. CHAP. XV. All the ways of Divine Revelation under the Mosaick Dispensation were made use of under the Christian one Voices The Testimony of Angels Visions Dreams The Holy Spirit The fulfiâ—ling of the Prophesies of the Old Testament is an irrefragable Argument of the Truth of the New Testament Prophesies concerning the Birth of our Saviour Isa. 7. 14. cleared from the Cavils of the Jewish Expositors It is shew'd how these Words may have reference to something in King Ahaz's days and yet belong to Christ's Birth Prophesies in the Old Testament that relate to Christ's Life and Actions Others that refer to his Sufferings and Death Some that foretel his Resurrection and Ascension Other more general Predictions concerning him Several prophetick Passages concerning the Branch proved to be spoken of Christ. The Hebrew Word for the Branch is refer'd to in the New Testament The two Zacharies agree The Iews Objection viz. that the Messias was to be another kind of Person than what Jesus of Nazareth was answered Another Objection viz. that the Messias was to bring universal Peace answer'd A third Objection of the Iews viz. that their Sins have hindred the Messias's coming at the promised time answer'd The Objection raised from 2 Sam. 7. 13. removed by clearing the sense of the Text. Other extravagant Fancies concerning the Messâ—as caus'd by their mistaking the Prophesies of the Old Testament concerning Christ's Coming The Conclusion that all the Prophesies concerning the Messias are fulfil'd in Jesus and consequently are a demonstration of the Truth of Christianity p. 457. CHAP. XVI The Miracles wrought by Christ. What those Baskets were which were fill'd with Fragments Christ not only fed but healed the Bodies of Men. He did other Miraculous Works The Apostles as well as our Saviour exerted many Miracles An Objection from 1 Tim. 5. 23. answer'd Five Properties of a true Miracle Counterfeit and lying Wonders The Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were accompanied with seven peculiar Circumstances which prove them to be from God What were the Ends and Designs tâ—ey propounded to thâ—mselves in working of Miracles An Objection from Mark 11. 14. answer'd Several Interpretations of 〈◊〉 Words the time of Figs was not yet Why Christ cursed the barren Fig-tree Another Objection from Mat. 8. 30. answer'd Two other Objections answer'd The Personal Qualities of the Apostles argue the Miracles which they wrought to be true and real A Reply to the several Cavils against the Miracles of our Saviour An account of the wonderful things done by some Pagans especially Vespasian and Apollonius Tyanaeus The Miracles which the Church of Rome pretends to are proved to be Counterfeit It is shew'd from Scripture the Confession of Jews and Pagans and the nature of the thing it self that Miracles are a Testimony of the Truth of Christianity Miracles were necessary for confirming of the Gospel on several Accounts p. 491. CHAP. XVII The wonderful prevailing and spreading of Christianity another proof of the Truth of it Some of the learnedst and wisest Jews converted to Christianity A Catalogue of knowing and learned Pagans in the five first Centuries that abandoned Gentilism and embraced the Christian Religion Remarkable Instances of the Power of the Christian Truth The virtue of the Gospel far exceeds that of Philosophy Examples of great and rich Men converted to the Christian Faith This prevail'd against the rage of the most powerful Persecutors The more the Gospel was oppress'd the more it flourish'd and prosper'd in all Nations Examples of God's remarkable Judgments on the Enemies of Christianity especially on the Nation of the Jews This latter insisted upon and shew'd to be an Argument of the Truth of Christianity Particular Inferences from this part of the Discourse viz. 1. Assent tâ— the Christian Religion 2. Assert and defend it More General Inferences from the whole Christian Dispenpensation are such as these 1. Admire the transcendent Excellency of it 2. Be thankful for it 3. Learn â—ence our great obligation to Holiness and strictness of Life This enlarg'd upon 4. If we live not sutably to this Dispensation our doom will be more intolerable than that of others under the foregoing Oeconomies It appears from the general behaviour of Men that this is not thought of 5. We are to look upon this as the last Dispensation This is the meaning of Eph. 1. 10. which words are fully expounded This is infer'd from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament And from those Expressions the last times the last days Wherefore we must not expect any New Dispensation P. 534. CHAP. XVIII The several Ages of Christianity It was in its Infancy in our Saviour's time The Apostles knew little concerning his Sufferings and his Resurrection The effusion of the Holy Spirit was but mean in respect of what it was afterwards The Church was in its Childhood in the times immediately after our Saviour There are no Errors and Mistakes in the Writings of the New Testament Some necessary Points of Christianity deliver'd in the Apostolical Epistles that are not in the Gospels and Acts. Some relicks of Judaism remain'd in the Apostles times An Explication of the Decree of the Council at Jerusalem It is particularly proved that the Prohibition concerning the eating of Blood is not obligatory under the Gospel Yet in the first times of the Church many observed it The difference of Dispensations as to Abstinence from some sort of Food Judaism and Christianity were mingled together in the primitive Ages An enumeration of several Extraordinary Gifts that were in the Christian Church at first The Youth or riper Years of Christianity described The cessation of extraordinary Gifts argues the Progress and Growth of the Christian Church Miracles no part of this subordinate Dispensation The non-Appearance of Angels is a Proof of the Improvement of Christianity The usefulness and necessity of attending to the different Administrations of Religion especially the Christian p. 585. CHAP. XIX That Christianity shall arrive to Manhood or Full Age is proved by several Arguments 1. God's Method in the World 2. The low ebb of Christianity hitherto 3. The number of those that perish 4. The gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences The several Objections concerning the Decay and Senescency of the World made use of by Jewish Pagan and Christian Writers fully answer'd That the World decays not as to Learning and Arts is made good from the Improvements of Navigation the Inventions of Gun-powder and Guns of Printing of Clocks and Watches the preparing of Sugar the Advances in Anatomy and Physick Astronomy Arithmetick Chymistry Mechanicks the Stile of Writers It is congruous to the Divine Providence and Wisdom that Religion also should have its Improvements as well as Arts and Sciences and accordingly it hath been greatly advanc'd and increas'd by the Reformation From the Increase it hath had already we may gather that there will be farther Accessions afterwards The virile and complete
It is not necessary that there should be a Formal Abrogation of the Ceremonial Law because when the Reason of a Law ceases the Law it self ceaseth But yet it is shew'd from sundry Places in the New Testament that the Ceremonial Law is formally and expresly abrogated We are assured of the Truth of the Christian Religion from Humane Testimony The Testimony of the Outward and Bodily Senses is made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as an Argument of the truth of Christianity St. John's Words 1 Ep. 1 Chap. 1 2 3. ver commented upon There is no Certainty in Religion espâ—cially in the Christian if the Testimony of Sense be not allow'd of The Apostles and those who heard and saw the things done by our Saviour were Credible Persons The four Evangelists and other Writers of the New Testament were Competent Witnesses of what they relate Their Personal Qualities which are particularly reckon'd up render their Testimony worthy of all acceptation The Christians that succeeded them faithfully deliver'd things to us Their Lives are a proof of their Integrity Their Sufferings and Death are an undeniable Argument of their testifying the Truth to us An Heap of Evidences that we are not imposed upon by them The very Jews bear witness to the Truth of Christianity The manner of their Congratulating our Saviour at his riding into Jerusalem particularly consider'd Heathens attest the Truth of the Christian Religion So do Infernal Spirits 111. I Am to shew the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and therein of the Christian Religion And here first we must grapple with the tenacious and stubborn Iew for his Dispensation being so Antient and Authentick he is loth to quit it I must prove therefore before I go any further that it is nulled abrogated and superannuated We need not say much of the Iudicial Law It is the Ceremonial one which makes Iudaism properly and is the most opposite to the Christian Administration The Iudicial Laws so far as they make for Peace and good Order in the Government and so far as they are sutable to the present State of Affairs may be observed still but then they oblige not as part of the Mosaick Law but as they are good Rules of Government in themselves But the main Part of the Iudicial Law is not at this Day practicable amongst the Iews themselves they being dispersed and no longer in a Body that Law cannot be made use of and consequently doth not oblige them And any one may see plainly that that Polity and Government was not to last for ever as they foolishly dream For it was not fitted for the Tempers of all People not proper for all Countries but was in most things calculated for the Iewish Meridian only and for the present Circumstances that People were in at that time and therefore it is evident that it was to be changed afterwards I do not lay any stress on what may be observed of the different Manner of delivering the three Laws Moral Ceremonial and Iudicial but only let it be an occasion to suggest to us a right Notion concerning the different Nature of them The Ten Commandments or Moral Law was delivered on the top of the Mount in the face of the World as it were to signify that it was of universal Influence and obliged all Mankind But the Ceremonial Lâ—w was received by Moses in private in the Tabernacle which may hint to us that it was of a peculiar Concern it belong'd to the Iews only it was to cease when the Tabernacle was down when the Veil of the Temple was rent And as for the Iudicial Law it was neither so publickly and audibly given as the Moral Law nor so privately as the Ceremonial which may intimate to us the Nature of that sort of Law it is of an indifferent kind and may be kept up or not according as its Rules sute with the Place and Government It is then the Ceremonial Law wherein the Religion of the Iews as distinct from other People chiefly consisted which I am ingaged more especially to speak of at present The first thing that I will undertake is this to shew that the Mosaick Oeconomy was not designed to be perpetuated but that it was to be changed and to give way to the Evangelical one If this be proved it is a good step towards the main Point viz. the Truth of the Evangelical Oeconomy 1. That the Mosaick Dispensation was not to last always is clear from the many Promises in the Old Testament of inlarging Religion and of extending the Church to the uttermost parts of the World Which is no ways consistent with the Mosaick Oeconomy for according to the Law all the Males were to assemble at Ierusalem and to worship there thrice a Year But when upon the Messias's coming all Nations were to imbrace the true Religion how was it possible for the remotest Nations of the World to come and sacrifice at Ierusalem and constantly to meet there at solemn Feasts Ierusalem could not hold them the Temple would be too little for the Worshippers This is a Sign that God intended not to confine his Church to Iudea but that he designed a Religion which should be Universal and oblige the whole World According to the Law Sacrifices were to be no where but at Ierusalem But it is said in Isa. 19. 19 23. There shall be Altars and Sacrifices to the Lord in Egypt and Assyria and in Mal. 1. 11. From the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offer'd unto my Name and a pure Offering Therefore the City of Ierusalem was not to be the only Seat of solemn Worship and Sacrifice but upon the coming of the Messias Oblations were to be all the World over God saith of his Church which is his House that it shall be called a House of Prayer to all Nations Isa. 56. 7. Mark 11. 17. That is the Church shall be open to all without respect of Persons or Countries which must needs be and was always acknowledged a Prophesy concerning the spreading of Christianity and its being imbraced by some of all Nations under Heaven Therefore it is said by the same Evangelical Prophet in the last Days all Nations shall flow unto it Isa. 2. 2. So in Isa. 56. 3 4 5. we find that Strangers and Eunuchs Persons uncapable by the Mosaick Law of being of the Communion of the Iewish Church shall be admitted into it And that is yet more remarkable which you read in the same Prophet Chap. 66. where after it was plainly foretold that the Gentiles should have a Holy Church and that there should be an Offering to the Lord out of all Nations ver 20. this is added in the next Verse I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. Observe it there shall be Priests and Levites taken from the
cogent Reasons to perswade us that they truly and faithfully delivered down to us those things This I will make good from the Consideration 1. Of the Persons that transmitted these things 2. Of the Evidence of the Cause First as to the Persons I will consider both their Lives and their Deaths Their Lives are sufficient proofs of their Integrity in delivering the Scriptures of the New Testament to us and of their confident belief of the Truth of all that is contain'd in them The Primitive Christians lived after another rate than we do now They did not wrangle and quarrel as we do they did not â—ight and devour one another as the manner of too many is of latter times but they were remarkable for their mutual Love and Concord for their Humility Meekness and Condescension to one another and they were admired for their Gravity Sobriety Self-denial and Patience they were eminent for their Piety towards God and their Innocent and Righteous dealing with all Men. The Ministers practised what they preached and the People were ambitious to imitate their Preachers and both were singularly Good and Virtuous This was it which gain'd so many Proselytes to Christianity in those first times this brought them to a perswasion of the Truth and Reality of Christ's Doctrine Therefore when Origen had excellently proved the Truth of Christianity to Alexander Severus that noble Emperor ingenuously confessed that he was more convinced of the Truth of that Religion by the humble and loving carriage of Christians than by all Origen's Arguments The exemplary and blameless Conversation of those Primitive Professors argued that the Doctrine and Principles of their Religion were real and certain For how can it enter into any sober Mans thoughts that such holy and upright Men true followers of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ would have constantly confessed and owned the Christian way unless they had been throughly convinced of the Truth of it and that it was the very same which was confess'd and acknowledg'd by the Apostles themselves These Holy and Godly Men made Conscience of a Lie and counted it a heinous Crime to falsify yea they esteem'd it no less than a damnable Sin to disbelieve or misreport those things concerning Christ and the Christian Doctrines They were really perswaded in their Minds that their Salvation lay at stake that their Eternal Welfare or Everlasting Ruin were concern'd in these things And can you imagin then that they would report them falsly and impose upon the World by delivering things which were counterfeit Again as the Lives so the Suffering and Death of the Saints in the Primitive Days and in the succeeding Ages are an undeniable Argument of the Truth of what was deliver'd to them and of what they conveyed to us They underwent the most exquisite Pains and Torments with ineffable Courage and Constancy and nothing could prevail with them to renounce the Christian Religion insomuch that when the Pagan Adversaries in those days would express any thing to be impossible they did it thus Ye may sooner make the Professors of Christ quit their Mastersâ— Doctrine This was a thing not to be effected for those Persons first of all forsook their worldly Goods and then parted with their Lives to hold fast their Religion This patient Suffering and undaunted Dying of so many thousands is an unquestionable Proof of the Truth of Christianity For those enlightned and sanctified Men would never lay down their Lives to maintain a Falshood and to perpetuate a Lie No they knew whom they believed in and for whom they suffer'd and that made them so couragious We may conclude then that the Christian Doctrine is confirm'd by the Blood of those Worthy Men those expiring Saints did testify the Truth of Christianity and therefore they are stiled Martyrs Secondly The Evidence of the Cause is an impregnable Argument of the Reality and Truth of these things which I am speaking of There is this following heap of Evidences 1. A great Presumption arising from just Causes and Circumstances yea and from a multiplicity of them which in all Courts of Judicature is of considerable weight and value with understanding Judges This first but lowest sort of Evidence the Christian Church since our Saviour hath not been destitute of for there were never higher Presumptions in any Cause under Heaven than there were in this But we need not mention this when we have 2. The Notoriety of the Facts i. e. when the things in trial are openly and commonly known when they are avouched by publick Fame and the universal Vogue of Men. And that this was the case of Christianity ever since Christ left the Earth cannot be denied by any Man of Modesty and Truth 3. The Succession of Christians and Churches in the World is a plain Proof that they verily believed those things which made them Christians and Churches Hereupon they deliver'd to us those Writings which they receiv'd from the Hands of the Evangelists and Apostles by their transmitting them to Posterity they shew that they believe them to be sacred and certain Verities 4. The Succession of Bishops and Pastors is an other Evidence for it was their Office to read publickly the Scriptures of the New Testament and to preach the Doctrines contain'd in them and consequently to own them to be Truth which is a good Motive to us to do the same 5. The frequent Disputes which Christians in all Ages have held with those who opposed the Scripture and Christianity are no mean Testimony in this Cause 6. To these may be added the famous Writings of the Christians in the several Centuries their Apologies Dialogues Sermons Homilies Orations Commentaries Histories All which proclaim their serious and firm Belief of what they have convey'd down to us 7. All Christian Churches have deliver'd to us certain Symbols or Articles of Belief which they reckon'd to be the Standards of Evangelical Faith and Truth 8. The Constant Communion of the Church and the publick Worship of God in the solemn Assemblies of Christians ever since the days of the Apostles the setting apart a Day for that Worship the reading of the Scriptures at such times the instructing the People out of them the celebrating the Lord's Supper the constant custom of openly rehearsing and proâ—essing the Christian Belief the Prayers and Praises offer'd to God in the name of Christ the yearly Commemoration of the Birth Death and Resurrection of our Saviour the Sacrament of Baptism which acknowledgeth the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 9. The sundry Decrees and Canons of Synods and Councils held in the Christian Churches Lastly the many Laws and Edicts of Christian Emperours and Princes in defence and confirmation of our most holy Religion These and all the rest before-named are clear Proofs and Evidences that the Evangelical Writings which contain the Doctrine and Actions of our blessed Lord were rightly and truly convey'd to us and that we are in possession of the same Faith and
Loretto and by St. Iames at Compostella I could shew that the Miracles of the Papists are question'd by themselves their Truth is doubted of by Cajetan de Concept Virg. Espencaeus in 2. Tim. 4. and others of that Communion 9. We may with Reason suspect the Roman Miracles because our Religion was proved and confirmed by Miracles long before It is not requisite they should be repeated and reiterated afresh There is no more need of New Miracles than there is of New Revelations They were wrought to confirm the Truth which we hold at this day therefore since we have the same Truth that was confirmed by those Miracles of old what need is there of any farther Confirmation Lastly the Popish Miracles are no True Miracles because they are exerted to maintain a false Religion for such is that of the Church of Rome consisting of damnable Doctrines Superstition Idolatry and all manner of Ungodly Lewd and Prophane Practices We cannot think then that God will by Miracles attest and allow of such Abominations If then they still insist on the Miracles wrought by some of them among the Indians as they pretend I say this that if it can be proved they were done among those Infidels it was to confirm the Christian Religion not the Popish Thus you see that these Boasters of Miracles and who make them a Note of their Church are found to be but Pretenders and can lay no claim as they are of that Church to those Miracles which are Real Geâ—uine and True and which only are the certain Testimonies of the Truth of Christianity Which brings me to the 3 d and last thing I undertook viz. To evince that these Miracles are and ought to be look'd upon as an Infallible Testimony of the Truth of Christianity To these Christ himself appealed as a Proof of his Divinity and Messiahship Mat. 11. 4 5. To that Question Art thou he that should come or do we look for another the Answer was Go and shew those things which you hear and see the Blind receive their Sight the Lame walk C. So when the Iews were earnest with him to declare who he was If thou be the Christ say they tell us plainly Iesus â—nswer'd them The Works which I do in my Father's name they bear witness of me John 10. 24 25. These are a sufficient Attestation of my Divine Authority Therefore he saith in John 15. 24. If I had not done amongst them the Works which no other Man did they had not had Sin i. e. their Unbelief had been no Sin for if those Works were not a Proof of my Divine Commission they were not bound to believe me But on the contrary those miraculous Works being undeniable Evidences of his acting by a Power from Heaven it was a grievous and damning Sin to disbelieve him So the Apostles when their preaching the Gospel was opposed and contradicted thought they sufficiently disproved the Gainsayers by shewing that Iesus of Nazareth whom they preach'd was a Man approved or demonstrated of God among them by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him in the midst of them as they themselves also know Acts 2. 22. Christ's Miracles were a Demonstration of the Truth of his Doctrine and consequently of that of the Apostles because it was the same Thus St. Paul argues the Truth of Christianity from the miraculous Indowments and Gifts of the Apostles and declares to the Hebrews that it is extreme dangerous to neglect that Doctrine and that Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord himself and was afterwards confirmed unto them by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and with diverse Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3 4. Here is the just Method of the Progress and Proof of the Gospel here is first the Author and Founder of it the Lord Christ Jesus who at the first began to speak and deliver it Secondly the Evidence of its delivery it was confirmed by them that heard it i. e. by the Apostles who were Ear-witnesses of this Divine Doctrine Thirdly the Truth and Certainty of the Apostles Testimony concerning Christ and his Doctrine God bore them witness with Signs and Wonders and with diverse Miracles which are as great a Confirmation of what they deliver'd as can possibly be desired Yea Miracles have been always accounted such even by those who were not very forward to imbrace our Saviour and his Doctrine The Common People when they had seen the Miracles that Iesus did could say this is of a Truth that Prophet that should come into the World John 6. 14. This was the reasoning of the Man that was born blind and was restored to his sight Since the World began was it not heard that any Man by his own Power opened the Eyes of one that was born blind If this Man were not of God were not assisted with an infinite Power he could do nothing of this nature Iohn 9. 32 33. And not only the simple and illiterate but the wise and learned argued after this manner Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jews came to Christ with this Acknowledgment we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no Man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him John 3. 2. Here he confesses it as a known Truth that Miracles are sufficient to attest a Person or Doctrine to be from God and consequently they are good Arguments of the Truth of what our Saviour taught and they prove him to be the Messias And the Chief Priests and Pharisees could say this Man doth many Miracles if we let him thus alone all will believe on him John 11. 47 48. This strongly implies that Miracles are able to create Belief and so unawares they acknowledg that the Miracles which Christ and the Apostles wrought are good evidence that their Doctrine was from God and that it was to be believed and imbraced The Iewish Rabbins in their Writings speak much of the Miracles the Messias shall do which is an Argument that those Men were really perswaded that Miracles are a Proof of a Divine Commission and that they are to seal the Truth of God This was the very Notion and Sense of the Pagan World as is plain from that Passage recorded in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 14. 8 11 12. When Paul cured a certain Man at Lystra impotent in his Feet being a Cripple from his Mothers Womb who never had walked the People of the place seeing this Miracle presently lifted up their Voices saying the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men. Their natural Reason dictated to them that this was done by Divine Power and could not be done otherwise The Workers of Miracles are by these poor Heathens reputed as Gods St. Paul was taken by them for Mercury he that could give motion and nimbleness to the Lame Man of Lystra was thought to be the God with
concerning Christ and his Kingdom The Seal is set upon them there are no other Visions or Prophecies of this nature to be look'd for afterwards From all which it appears that the Evangelical Dispensation is the last of all We have now the perfectest Edition of God's Will and we must look after no other Thus Tertullian acquaints us that this was the great and prevailing Rule among the Christians No more is ever to be believed by us than what is now deliver'd to us by Christ and his Apostles We have all our Belief given us God's whole Will is set down You see how divine Providence hath as it were gone about in the several former Ages of the World it hath been all along upon the Reserve The times before Christ were more or less moving and growing on to Christianity they all the while look'd toward this and were Ushers to it to prepare the way But when our Saviour came he sell closely to the business without any further ambages he alone had the honour to lay open and revâ—al all those things which were before hidden to set those things streight which were before dubious to give us a full discovery of those things which we had but a taste of and to set before our eyes those Mysteries and Truths which were but told us before as that Faâ—her speaks Therefore they think not aright of the Gospel Dispensation who pretend to bring Tidings of a New Edition of Religion who talk of New Lights but despise Old Truths They are vain Men and intend nothing but Imposture who hoise up Sail for the Discovery of an unknown Continent some new Plantation in Religion We must expect no Columbus to discover new Worlds and Treasures to us of that kind Our Religion hath been profess'd in the World very near seventeen Centuries of Years and it is still the same and will never be superannuated and out of Date but will continue to the end of all things for it is the Top and Flower the Crown and Perfection of all Divine Institutions it is the most Consummate Administration of all that ever were in the World and for that Reason it is the Last Revelation that God will make to Mankind But altho this be the Last Dispensation yet there are great Varieties in it which brings me to the next thing I propounded CHAP. XVIII The several Ages of Christianity It was in its Infancy in our Saviour's time The Apostles knew little concerning his Sufferings and his Resurrection The effusion of the Holy Spirit was but mean in respect of what it was afterwards The Church was in its Childhood in the times immediately after our Saviour There are no Errors and Mistakes in the Writings of the New Testament Some necessary Points of Christianity deliver'd in the Apostolical Epistles that are not in the Gospels and Acts. Some relicks of Judaism remain'd in the Apostles times An Explication of the Decree of the Council at Jerusalem It is particularly proved that the Prohibition concerning the eating of Blood is not obligatory under the Gospel Yet in the first times of the Church many observed it The difference of Dispensations as to Abstinence from some sort of Food Judaism and Christianity were mingled together in the primitive Ages An enumeration of several Extraordinary Gifts that were in the Christian Church at first The Youth or riper Years of Christianity described The cessation of extraordinary Gifts argues the Progress and Growth of the Christian Church Miracles no part of this subordinate Dispensation The non-Appearance of Angels is a Proof of the Improvement of Christianity The usefulness and necessity of attending to the different Administrations of Religion especially the Christian. THe fourth and last thing I undertook was to shew you the several Degrees of this Evangelical Oeconomy This Gospel Period which began at Christ's Coming and continues to the end of the World hath four distinct Partitions which differ much from one another 1. The primitive Partition or Period which is past 2. The Period ensuing that which is now present And there are two Periods yet to come I might divide them according to the several Ages of Man for there are as of Man so of the Christian Religion four distinct Ages It had its Infancy and Childhood at Christ's first Coming and some years after its Youth since that to the present times It shall have its Manhood or full Strength which is to come in a short time we hope and there shall be the Old Age or Declension of Religion a little before the World's end I have not met with any Writers that have duly observ'd this Distinction in the Gospel Oeconomy the neglect of which hath caused several â—alse Notions about this Last Administration of Religion But the Inquisitive and thoughtful Reader will find that these things which I have suggested and shall now proceed to explain are absolutely necessary for the framing of a right Idea of the Evangelical Dispensation 1. I begin with the first and tender Years of Christianity in which are comprehended 1. The Time when our Saviour was on Earth 2. The Times which immediately succeeded that First it is evident that in the days of our Saviour the Christian Church was in her Infancy and Minority and that she was not grown up to a sufficient Knowledg and Understanding When Christ first preached concerning the Calling and Converting of the Gentiles Luke 13. 29. Mat. 22. 9 10. his Apostles and Disciples understood not his meaning They knew not that both Gentiles and Iews should be preach'd to under the Evangelical Dispensation and therefore afterwards St. Peter was convinced of it by no less than a particular Revelation Acts 10. 14. Even the Apostles were ignorant of the spiritual Kingdom of the Messias and look'd for an outwardly glorious and magnificent one When Christ told his Disciples as he was on his journey with them to to Ierusalem what grievous things he was to suffer they notwithstanding this Admonishment thought he was going thither to be made King and the Sons of Zebedee made their Suit to him by their Mother that they might have the first Place in the Kingdom which the other Apostles took ill Mat. 20. 20. Luke 19. 11. St. Peter the prime Apostle was ignorant of the Method of Man's Redemption by the Sufferings and Death of Christ which appears from this that he would fain have prevail'd with him to spare himself and not to suffer at Ierusalem Mat. 16. 22. And the rest of the Apostles were infected with the same common error and mistake They perswaded themselves that they should enjoy Halcyon Days and that their Master should be a very Great Earthly Prince You read therefore in Luke 18. 31. that when Christ spoke to them of his Passion they were at a loss they understood none of these things and this Saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken ver 34. In so great Darkness and Ignorance were
in order to the compleat enlarging of the Church to work Wonders But at present this way of Divine Attestation is unnecessary for Christians have sufficient Means with regard to all the ends of Religion and Salvation among themselves there is no need of any greater at present Nay the cessation of those extraordinary visible and sensible Means is an Argument of the meliority of our Condition Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed saith our Saviour Iohn 20. 29. The meaning is they are more blessed i. e. their Faith is more excellent and laudable and they shall have a greater Reward It is a more blessed and eligible State to believe without such forcible and violent Means than with them Other things might be here mention'd as under the Law and before that time there was scarce any thing done without the ministration of Angels so in the first times of the Gospel the Appearance of these glorious Spirits was common but after Christ's Ascension and to this very time the Church is a Stranger to this particular Dispensation and is not to expect the Attestation or Confirmation of any Truth in this Way The Reason is because the Scriptures of the New Testament being now given us that former way of Revelation which was a Sign of an imperfect and weak State now ceases There is no need of these Divine Admonitors seeing we have the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles which are a certain standing Rule and an infallible Direction to us And in several other particulars if it were requisite it might be shew'd that the State of Religion is alter'd and improved since our Saviour's time and the times after the Apostles And now in the close of this Head we cannot but take notice of the Usefulness and Necessity of attending to what hath been suggested concerning the different Administrations of Religion and particularly of the Christian. We cannot frame right thoughts concerning the Nature and Model of it unless we carefully observe the several Degrees and various Modifications of it before mention'd for tho there be the same general Dispensation yet there is an Alteration as to the particular Scenes of it That which we are under at present differs much from those which were in the first and early Ages of Christianism and therefore it is unreasonable to require now the very same things in the Church of Christ that were then There are some sober and well meaning Persons that attending not to this perswade themselves that there ought to be as to every particular the same Face of Administrations at present that there was at first and thence they look to the primitive State of the Church and examine every thing by that But this is not right for there hath been a Change of things in the Christian Church and this Change was by the particular Superintendency and Disposal of the Divine Providence and supreme Director Hence it is that we are not to expect that all things should be now as they were in the Beginning God himself having been pleas'd to alter the Dispensation in part Let us then remember the particular Division of the Oeconomy we are under and let us be concern'd to do what is fitting and proper to it and thereby we shall help to promote and hasten the next and better one which I am now to speak of CHAP. XIX That Christianity shall arrive to Manhood or Full Age is proved by several Arguments 1. God's Method in the World 2. The Low ebb of Christianity hitherto 3. The number of those that perish 4. The gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences The several Objections concerning the Decay and Senescency of the World made use of by Jewish Pagan and Christian Writers fully answer'd That the World decaies not as to Learning and Arts is made good from the Improvements of Navigation the Inventions of Gun-powder and Guns of Printing of Clocks and Watches the preparing of Sugar the Advances in Anatomy and Physick Astronomy Arithmetick Chymistry Mechanicks the Stile of Writers It is congruous to the Divine Providence and Wisdom that Religion also should have its Improvements as well as Arts and Sciences and accordingly it hath been greatly advanc'd and increas'd by the Reformation From the Increase it hath had already we may gather that there will be farther Accessions afterwards The virile and complete State of the Christian Church prov'd from several places of Scripture Mat. 24. 3. 19. 28. Acts 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19. 20. Heb. 2. 5. 9. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 8. From those divers Texts that we meet with in the Old Tastament which make mention of the Kingdom and Reigning of the Messias A five-fold acception of the Kingdom of Christ in the New Testament The 1 Cor. 15. 25. urged The Millenary Reign The rise of the Antient Opinions about it It is proved that Christ shall not Personally reign upon Earth The deceased Saints shall not rise again to reign with him here What is meant by the Souls of them that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus What is to be understood by their living and reigning with Christ. Two late Writers take it in a literal Sense but without any ground Who are the rest of the Dead that lived not again What are the first and second Resurrection The Reign of Christ a thousand Years is to be upon Earth By a thousand Years we are to understand a certain and definite Number Some Opinions concerning the Beginning and End of the thousand Years refuted Mr. Brightman's odd Fancy rejected We have had some Fore-runners and previous Pledges of the millenary Kingdom Mr. Medes's Opinion which joins Christ's Reign and the Day of Iudgment together consider'd THe â—â—ird and most eminent Part of the Evangelical Oeconomy is that which I call'd the Manhood or full Age of the Christian Church Before I enter upon the Description of this I will give you some account of the Truth and Reality of such a State by shewing that Christianity shall arrive to a greater Heighth and Perfection than it is at present It is very observable what one of the Antient Writers who was a great Judg of the Nature and Genius of Christianity saith of this matter The Vnderstanding Knowledg and Wisdom of single Persons as well as of whole â—odies of every individual as well as of Churches in general shall hugely increase and be exceedingly advanced according to the gradual Successions of Times and Ages But as he explains himself this Proficiency shall be in the same kind in the same Perswasions in the same Sense and Iudgment so that the Christian Faith shall still remain the same as to its Substance tho it shall be much better explain'd and known than it is noâ— And he uses the same comparison that I haâ—e expres'd this matter by for he distinguishes between the younger and the riper Years of Christianity he holds the former to be the first Ages of the Gospel the
latter those that succeed And yet as it is in the growth of human Bodies tho the Strength and Stature of them be alter'd yet the same Nature and Persons remain in the mature Years that were before so it is here saith he Christianity is consolidated by Years it is enlarged by Time it is sublimed by Age but still it continues incorrupt and intire And afterwards cap. 29. It is â—itting saith he that the heavenly Philosophy for so he stiles the Christian Religion which was sowed in the Church by the primitive Fathers should afterwards grow up flourish and be cultivated by the Industry of their Sons that by process of time it should become more polish'd but yet that it should retain the same Plenitude Property and Integrity that it had as to its Substance at first Thus that excellent Writer And I was very glad to find my Notion of the last Time confirmed by a Person of so much Judgment and Sagacity and of so great Repute in the Christian Church The Sum of what he saith is that Christianity shall be improved by succession of Time and at last this Beauty shall receive its finishing stroke Now this I will endeavour to make good from Reason and Scripture It is reasonable to believe that there shall be a better State of Religion because this is founded on the constant Method of God in the World We find that it is his Way and Course to proceed in a gradual manner and that not only in the things of Nature as at the Creation of all ranks of Beings but in those of Religion as I have shew'd in the several Stages of it since it began Wherefore it is reasonable to conclude that it will be thus in Christianity that as it hath had already its different Steps Measures and Gradations so there is a greater yet to come and that it shall arrive to the heighth of its Glory in this World Again it is reasonable to believe that great things are to come because so little is done hitherto The unbelieving part of the World is very vast and large The greatest Kingdoms of the Earth are those of the Tartars the Indians the Chinoise the Persians the Turks all whâ—ch are Strangers to the Religion of Iesus Divide the World into three Parts and it will appear that two of them are inhabited even by profess'd Pagans Or if we divide it into six parts we shall find that five of them at this day know not Christ but are either Idolatrous Pagans which are the greatest number or Iews or Mahometans And of the sixth Part how few of those that outwardly make Profession of Christ have true Faith and deserve the Name of Christians Popery which can scarcely be reckon'd as a part of Christianity hath spread it self through the most flourishing Kingdoms in Eâ—rope and hath got footing in Asia and is not wholly a stranger in some parts of Africa and hath found its way even into America Among the Churches which disown Popery some of them are grosly ignorant erroneous and superstitious as the Muscovian Abyssine and Greek Churches generally And even among the Reformed Churches what Divisions and Dissentions what unchristian Feuds and Animosities are there What variety of Opinions is there amongst them How unsetled are they in their Notions and Apprehensions How little of the true Virtue of Religion and Power of Godâ—iness is to be observed among them How is the Satanical Kingdom kept up and maintain'd every where How industriously is it recruited and establish'd Whereas Christians should live better than all the World beside it is sad and deplorable that their Words and Actions bid deâ—iance to every thing which appertains to so Sacred and Honourable a Title They profess the best Religion in the World and do things that are the worst Some that bear this venerable Name are as wicked and proâ—ligate as any other sort of Men upon Earth the grosâ—est Enormities of Barbarians are acted by them It is too apparent a Truth that many who go under the Name of Christians conspire against the Religion which Christ hath set up in the World as well as Iews Turks and Pagans In fine look where you will and you will have cause to say how short is Christianity of its full Arcomplishment What slender effects are there of it in the Lives and Manners of Men How little Progress hath it made in so many Ages How narrow is its Kingdom How ineffectual are its Laws in most places Whence it is rational to infer that there must be some greater Work effected both in the Kingdoms of the World which have no notice of Christ and the the Christian Faith and also in that part of the World which is already Christian. A farther Oâ—câ—nomy or rather a farther Exaltation of this Evangelical Oeconomy which we are under is to be 〈…〉 hoped for We should be tempted to think 〈…〉 God 's Providence if there be no more to be done if Christianity attains not to a greater height than hitherto it hath It is a very surprizing and amazing Problem abstracting from the diâ—ine Destinies concerning it and the Predictions of it in the Holy Writings that 〈◊〉 Kingdom of Satan in all Ages of the World 〈…〉 greater numbers of Subjects than that of Christ. It â—â—ems very harsh and dismal that so many should perish that among Heatheâ—s Iews Mahomâ—tans and even Christians Satan should have such a Haâ—veâ—t But now this is soon answer'd by what I have suggested this which I oâ—fer is a very clear and eaâ—ie solution of the Difficulty for there will be moâ—e Saints in the space of the thousand Years whiâ—h I shall afterwards describe than there were wicked and impenitent Sinners in all the other thousâ—â—ds 〈…〉 preceded this Dispensation There will be such a 〈◊〉 of general Conversion and universal Sanctity through all the Regions of the World that the number of the saved shall at last surpass that of the damned This will plainly appear from what I shall propound in the sâ—quel of this Discourse and it will give us a fair and comfortable Idea of the Divine Philanthropy it will let us see that the Scales of Providence hang even it will clear up the dark Proceedings of Heaven and fully satisfie uâ— about the Wisdom of God in the Conduct of the World Another Argument that I shall make use of shall be from the gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences in the World It was well noted by one of the Antients and that with reference to the Dispensations of Religion that the commencement of Sciences is defective and imâ—â—rfect but by little and gradual Additions they come at last to their complete pitch Nothing is more observable than that Learning hath had its noble Accessions in the several successive Generations of Mankind Which was foretold by Seneca long ago who speaking of the Phâ—nomena of Comets and the like Philosophical Disquisitions prophetically utters these words The time shall come when