assured from the Inspired Writings of the New Testament that it was so for the Tabernacle is said to have been a Figure for the time then present Heb. 9. 9. i. e. all the time of that way of Service and Worship some great Mystery was represented by it And the Mosaick Priests are said to serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things Heb. 8. 5. Let us briefly see what these Celestial and Spiritual things were or at least let us guess and modestly conceive what they were First in the Court of the Tabernacle the Altar of Burnt-Offering fitly signified the great Expiatory Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross Heb. 13. 10. And the Laver was a very congruous Symbol of Spiritual Washing and Purifying Eph. 5. 26. Tit. 3. 5. Then in the Sanctuary the Altar of Incense and the Golden Censer plainly denoted the Intercession of the Messias thereby was signified that he should pray for us and offer our Prayers and make them acceptable to God through his Merits for the Incense figures the continual sweet Savour and Acceptableness of the Offering The Table of Shew bread did not only represent God's Providing a Table and Maintenance for the Israelites whilst they were in the Wilderness but it teacheth us that God's Church hath his constant Eye and Care and that he Provideth for it daily he gives them their Daily Bread or it signified Christ who calls himself the Bread of Life with which the Faithful are nourish'd to eternal life Or as things of this nature frequently have divers significations the Brazen Laver before and the Shew-Bread here represented the Two Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper The Candlestick and Lamps very appositely signify Christ and his Apostles He is the True Light and in a secondary sense his Ministers may be call'd so too The Sacred Oyl belonging to them may set forth the Anointing of the Spirit the Vnction from the Holy One whereby the faithful are enlightened and know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. Or the Golden Candlestick with Seven Branches may denote the manifold Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost with that Abundant Light which is the Blessing of the Gospel Rev. 1. 4. 4. 5. Lastly The inmost part of the Tabernacle into which the High Priest enter'd and none else is yet a more lively Representation of the Great Mysteries of the Gospel The Atonement which the High Priest made by Blood and his offering it in this most Holy Place and that but once a Year are all expresly applied to Christ our Great High Priest by the Apostle Heb. 9. 7. 12. 24. 9. 22 24. But more particularly it is worth our observing on this occasion that tho the High Priest enter'd this place but once a Year and that on a set day in the Year yet he enter'd thrice in that one day For first he went in with the Censer of Coals and the Cup of Incense and put the Incense upon the Fire before the Lord Levit. 16. 13. Then he came out and took the Blood of the Bullock slain at the Altar of Burnt-offering and went with it into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it upon the Mercy-Seat Levit. 16. 14. Then he came â—orth and carried the Blood of a Goat which was also slain at the foresaid Altar and sprinkled it upon or towards the Mercy-Seat ver 15. This was the third time of going into the Holy of Holies And who sees not that the High Priest's offering of Incense appositely represents the solemn Prayers which our High Priest Jesus offer'd before he became a Sacrifice which is particularly mention'd Iohn 17. 1 2 c And is it not as plain that the sprinkling of the Blood of the slain Bullock and Goat signified the Blood of Christ crucified apply'd to Believers to atone for their Sins For those words of the Apostle Heb. 13. 10 11 12 c. refer to the Blood of the Beasts brought into the Holy Place to make Atonement Levit. 16. 27. In this place was the Ark the special Symbol of God's Presence for that carnal People could not believe God was present with them unless they had some apparent and visible Token of it Wherefore God was pleas'd so far to indulge their weakness as to give them this corporeal and sensible Sign of his Presence with them tho he thought good to remove it sometimes from their sight to wean them by degrees from that grosser Dispensation But it is certain that the Ark was a Symbol of mighty import and represented not only the Divine Presence but was a Type of Christ Iesus the incarnate and visible God in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily The Oracle from whence God gave answer was the Figure of the Incarnate Word who reveal'd the Will of God to us By the Pot of Manna was signified the hidden Manna vouchsafed to all Believers Aarons Rod that blossomed figured that efficacious Blessing which is given to the Labours of Christ's Ministers The Testimony in the Ark the Witness or Evidence of God's Presence there represents to us the Word of God the Holy Scriptures The Mercy-Seat or the Covering of the Ark was a more particular and signal Representation of Christ by whom alone the Divine Mercy is conferr'd on Mankind by whose Merits the Church is cover'd and deâ—ended from God's Wrath. Whom God hath set forâ—h to be a Propitiation Rom. 3. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word which the same Apostle uses for the Mercy-Seat Heb. 9. 5. As the Law in the Ark was cover'd and hid by this so the Messias covers hides shields us from the condemnation which is by the Law and consequently from the Divine Displeasure Or which is the same thing Sin is covered as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 32. 1. by Christ our Propitiatory And 't is observable that the Apostle saith God hath set him forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which refers to the Prefigurations of the Law he was before set forth as the word signifies he was of old propounded in the Legal Types and more signally in this of the Propitiatory The Cherubims hovering over the Ark denote the Angels protecting the Church and withal it speaks their future prying into the Mysteries of the Gospel which they desire to look into as St. Peter saith 1 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 12. which very words reâ—er to the Cherubims stooping and looking down with bowed Heads toward the Mercy-Seat And this by the way lets us know that those Cherubims over the Ark were Angels The Veil in the Tabernacle and so that of the Templâ— afterwards sets forth the Humane Nature of Christ if we will give credit to the Apostle Heb. 10. 10. The Vâ—il that is to say his Flesh. This was rent at Christ's Passion to signify that he by his Death open'd the way into the Kingdom of Heaven for we learn from St. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews that Heaven was meant by the Holy of Holies Heb. 9. 24. Whence
beg leave to dissent from those who assert that these Sacrifices expiated only for lesser Sins and Failings and not for the greater ones of external idolatry Murder Blasphemy and the like It is not to be doubted that all kinds and degrees of Sin were expiated by the legal Sacrifices not only corporal Punishment in the sense which I have explain'd and legal Uncleanness but all moral Impurity and Guilt were taken away by them But this the Mosaick Sacrifices did not do of themselves but by virtue only of the Expiatory Sacrifice of the MESSIAS to come of which they were but Shadows To speak properly and strictly they did not really and formally but typically expiate i. e. as they were Significations and Figures of that great Sacrifice to be offer'd Lastly then the grand and principal End of the Judaical Sacrifices was to typify and represent the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Socinus denies not that the Anniversary Sacrifice on the Day of Expiation was a Type of Christ ' s Death But as for the other common and usual Sacrifices he holds that Christ was not prefigured by them but that the Spiritual Sacrifices of Christians were only typified thereby This is a gross Error for the Burnt-Offerings and Sin-Offerings and Peace-Offerings which were common and frequent were Expiatory Sacrifices as I shew'd before and they were as much Expiatory as that which was but once a Year Now being Expiatory they as such were Types of the great Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Lamb of God they prefigured Christ's Death and the Expiation and Satisfaction which he was to make for Sin It is a strange thing therefore to me that Socinus who denies Christ to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice should grant that the Sacrifice which the High Priest offer'd once a Year entring into the Holy of Holies prefigured the Death of Christ for the same reason he ought to grant that all the Expiatory Sacrifices of the Law were Types of our Saviour And he could not but see that the Holy Ghost in Scripture doth not only speak of that Annual Sacrifice as a prefiguration of Christ's Passion and apply it expresly to him in Heb. 9. 12. By his own Blood â—e entred in once into the Holy Place but the same Infallible Spirit in that Epistle applieth what is said of the other Sacrifices unto Christ Therefore the Apostle saith Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 15. 7. Therefore Iohn the Baptist call'd our Saviour the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World John 1. 29. having respect without doubt to the Expiatory Sacrifices of the Old Testament which prefigured Christ the true Immaculate Lamb the Lamb that was slain as the same inspired Writer speaks from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Christ's Offering was the Idea and Pattern of all the Levitical and Mosaical Sacrifices To this very end God instituted these that they might shadow out that to us A greater and better Sacrifice and Oblation of a higher nature was to succeed those viz. the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus by which God is appeased and all our Sins are expiated and therefore the Phrase of a sweet-smelling Savour applied to Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law is used and that properly by the Apostle concerning Christ his giving up himself for us and pacifying God's Wrath on our behalf That the Legal Sacrifices were Types and Symbols of spiritual things is acknowledg'd by Philo but we who have an infallible information from the New Testament are taught further viz. that they were Types of Christ the great Sacrifice And we have the greatest reason imaginable to assent to this because the Blood of Bulls and Goats was a poor Expiation of it self That Butchery that bloody Employment could have no real and intrinsick worth in it and therefore it must needs have been in order to something else it was to prefigure the expiatory Death and Sacrifice of the Massias And all the time that these Mosaick Sacrifices lasted they did not pacify God's Anger and satisfy his Justice and take away Sin and justify Persons by their own Force and Virtue or by their own worthiness but they did all this typically and mystically as they represented Christ and his Merit who was the Great Sacrifice they did it by Divine Order and Institution CHAP. VI. The High-Priest's Office His peculiar Attire The Imployment and Apparel of the Priests The Levites Particular Charge Whether they might sacrifice or no. Their Office in the Reigns of King David and King Solomon differ'd in some things from what it was before The ordinary and fixed Place of Worship and particularly of Sacrificing was the Tabernacle A particular Account of the three Divisions or Partitions of it viz. the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies with all things contain'd in them The Mystical and Spiritual meaning of the several Particulars The Travels and Removes of the Tabernacle and Ark. A distinct Account of the Parts of the Temple shewing wherein it differ'd from the Tabernacle Of the Fabrick it self and its Dimensions Houses and Chambers belonging to it The Sacraments appointed by the Ceremonial Law HAving spoken of Sacrifices we will now in the second place speak of the Sacrificers the Persons that officiated in the Ceremonial Worship under the Law There were three Orders of these the first whereof was the High-Priest For tho there were Priests before the Law who were Fathers and Heads and the First-born of Families yet we read of 〈◊〉 High-Priest This Office is now added and Aaron had it first of all to whose House it was tied by Divine Institution But it continued not long there only Eleazer succeeded his Father Aaron and upon Eleazer's Death three Priests of his Family successively were High-Priests Then the Office went out of the House of Aaron and came to Eli of the Family of Ithamar But generally afterwards the High Priesthood was by succession of Blood and lineally descended from the Father to the Son or if there were no Son to the next of the Kindred This High Priest was the great and supreme Ecclesiastical Minister among the Iews And even according to Philo and some other Iews was a Type of the Messias His Office was in common with that of the Priests of whom afterwards to pray for instruct and bless the People but his peculiar Province was to preside over the Priests and other inferior Officers of the Church to take care that they discharg'd their Function aright Whereas these administred daily he was obliged to officiate only on the solemn Day of Expiation He differ'd from them in the manner of his Consecration and was peculiar in some other things He had the singular honour to be the Metropolitan of the Jewish Church and the President of the Great Council or Sanhedrim To make him more pompous and venerable the Law took care of his very Attire I will only shew you this Sacred Wardrobe and
them And these Envoys of Heaven were sent not only to God's own People but sometimes to others as the Ninivites Thus Revelation was made by Voice God spake himself or by others audibly and this was no uncommon way of divulging and discovering his Will Again God spake i. e. communicated himself heretofore not only by the sense of Hearing but by that of Seeing He was pleased to make known his Divine Pleasure by some visible Appearances which most vigorously struck on that Sense and gave more evident Testimony of the Will of Heaven Thus God discovered himself 1. by Angels Appearing for tho it was not the Appearing of these Messengers but their Speaking to persons which gave them the discovery of God's pleasure yet the former was no mean Confirmation of what was delivered because those Glorious Spiâ—â—ts could not appear to Mankind unless they were commission'd by God When he thought fit to send them then and not else they descended from Heaven and shew'd themselves to Men. 2. Writing was another manner of Visible Revelation Thus the Law was deliver'd to Moses and afterwards this way of Revelation grew frequent the Sacred History of Moses and other Histories and Prophecie being committed to Writing Thus the Antient Church before Christ's coming had the Written Word of the Holy Scriptures to inform them 3. God spake to the Sight by those Representations which in Holy Writ are so usually stiled Visions for these properly belong to the outward Sense of Seeing they are either Real Spectacles exposed to the eye as the Burning Bush which Moses saw Exod. 3. 2. and the Pillar of a Cloud which went before the Israelites in the day and the Pillar of Fire which conducted them in the night Exod. 13. 21. and the Cloud in the Temple 2 Chron. 5. 13 14. call'd the Glory of the Lord 2 Chron. 7. 1 2. And this Expression is used in other places of the Old Testament to signifie that Visible Glory and Majesty whereby he manifested himself to Mankind in those times Or else Visions in Holy Scripture are certain Images of things represented by God to the Eye as those Strange Appearances and Signs mention'd in the Books of Ieremiah Ezekiel and Daniel Whether these things may be said to be real Objects or whether they be mere Apparitions we need not as some solicitously inquire If they be Resemblances caused by God and there be such an Impression made on the Sense of Seeing that the Organ be affected as if there were such an Object before it it is sufficient to denominate it Vision But this is not to be doubted of that these external Representations and Figures pointed out Real things either present or to come From this sort of Manifestation call'd Vision the Prophets who were most conversant in this way of Revelation were stiled Seâ—rs 1 Sam. 9. 9 18. 2 Chron. 35. 15. Thus I have distinctly spoken of Voices and Visions but it must be observed also that these two are joyned together sometimes This you may see in some of the foregoing Instances and in others not named the Revelation by Voice was mixed with that by Vision so in the New Testament Saul saw a Light and heard a Voice But I am confined at present to the Old Testament for I speak now only of the variety of Revelations which were before the Gospel-Dicd\sspensation It is to be observed moreover that sometimes Vision and Voice were accompanied with an Extasy tho the persons were awake yet they were cast into a Trance Lastly under this head it is remarkable that all the outward and sensible ways of God's revealing himself especially those that are visible are call'd by the Jewish Masters the Shekinah i. e. the Divine Presence and Majesty whereby the doth as it were dwell and is constantly present with his Church for the word Shakan signifies to inhaâ—â—â—â— or dwell whereby he doth gloriously discover himself to his Servants With reference to this the Apostle saith to the Israelites pertaineth the Glory Rom. 9. 4. i. e. the Glorious Presence and Habitation of God with them not only by Angels but all those other ways before spoken of in which he appear'd and manifested himself in the times of the Law This St. Paul stiles the Glory because this Visible Appearing of God is so stiled as you have heard in the Old Testament and because the Seventy Interpreters whose way of speaking this Apostle is wont to imitate used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express the Glorious Presence of the Divine Majesty in any kind of Sensible and External manner 2. There are Inward as well as Outward Revelations These are made more immediately to the Soul as the other were to the Body First God spake or reveal'd himself to the Fancies of Men by Dreams He thought good to communicate his Will to persons by a powerful Influence on their Imaginations whilst they were asleep as well as by presenting things to their Senses when they were awake Thus God reveal'd himself to Abraham Abimelech Iacob Ioseph Pharaoh Solomon Nebuchadnezzar In their Dreams their Fancies were impress'd with such and such Representations they verily thought they beheld this or that Object as Iacob thought he saw a Ladder that reached from Heaven to Earth And because these Representations seem to be offer'd to the eye therefore they are sometimes call'd Visions in Scripture I saw a Dream saith Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 5. And so we read of a Dream of the night Vision Isai. 29. 7. But if you speak of Visions in the proper sense then it is certain Visions and Dreams are two distinct Species of Revelation and so I have made them having before spoken of Visions strictly so call'd But this is a thing not consider'd sometimes by Writers on this Subject and so they confound Visions and Dreams Secondly God speaks to the Soul not only by working on the Imagination in Sleep but by immediate Inspiring the minds of the Prophets when they are awake This way of revealing his Will to Men is call'd Inspiration and sometimes Illumination but there is a gradual difference between these the former being of a higher degree than the later and the later being as it were a Preparative to the former This Inspiration which is made by an inward Afflatus and Excitation of the Spirit is signally call'd the Holy Spirit by the Jewish Writers A man say they is said to have the Holy Spirit when being awake and having the full use of his Senses he speaks by the Incitement of the Spirit Thus the Prophets of old spake as they were stirr'd up by this Inward Afflation and Instinct The Jewish Doctors think that this degree of Divine Revelation is especially in the Psalms of David and the Proverbs of Solomon and the Book of Iob c. the Writers of which are termed by way of Excellency Chetubim Scriptores by the Hebrews and their Writings are distinguish'd from other Books of
Scripture by the name of Hagiographa This put Holy Men upon Pious Discourses and excellent Strains of Devotion and rais'd them above their ordinary temper Yea All the Holy Penmen of Scripture were moved and actuated by this Divine Influx By this they dictated and composed those Sacred Writings This is that degree of Prophecy or Prophetick Inspiration which is call'd the Holy Spirit Tho you may observe too that all those kinds of Revelation beforemention'd are stiled in the Jewish Writings Inspiration and the Holy Spirit and sometimes they are call'd Prophecy and the Spirit of Prophecy For Prophecy Nebuah is taken either strictly or largely In the strict acception according to the Jewish Notion of it it is when any thing is reveal'd to a person when he is asleep or in a rapture or besides himself And others of them say that Prophecy properly so call'd is either in the way of Dreams or Visions Prophecy in Scripture is taken in a restrained sense for seeing and foretelling things to come and hence as well as from what was suggested before it is probable the Prophets antiently were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seers This also is that which most usually is call'd Prophecy by the Iews But Prophecy in the largest acception is the general word to comprehend all kinds of Divine Revelation it is the way whereby all revealed Knowledg and Truth are convey'd to us Therefore the Schools of the Prophets were those places where young Men were prepar'd for all sorts of Revelation and Inspiration and out of these Schools generally the Prophets were chosen Education and Improvement fitted them for the Prophetick Office and by these Testimonials they were able to go abroad There was a way to know who were True Prophets and who False and to distinguish one from the other Indeed when a Prophet foretold things to come to pass hereafter he could not be convinced of falshood presently because his Prophecy must be known to be true or false by the Event of his Prediction Deut. 18. 21. And yet here was some uncertainty for the thing he foretold might not come to pass and yet he might be a True Prophet for God could do otherwise than the Prophet foretold Ier. 18. 7 8. But then the Prediction was conditional not absolute or rather it was a Commination But if any one by the Prophetical Spirit dictated such and such things to be done it was possible to tell and that presently or in a very short time whether he was a true Prophet or no. This might be known first from the Qualifications of a true Prophet for first he must be no way inclined to Idolatry secondly he must predict nothing against the Law If he said any thing derogatory to the Law of Moses the Moral Law chiefly and the Worship of God he discover'd himself to be a false Prophet Deut. 18. 20. Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Thirdly some add that as he was one who said nothing against the Law so neither must he do any thing against it It was a Notion of the Iews that the Spirit of Prophecy was not communicated to any but Holy Men. But there is reason to doubt as to this Besides the Qualifications a Prophet might be known to be true when he was back'd by another Prophet who was certainly known to be true when this Prophet testified of the other Further when God himself testified concerning a Prophet by some manifest Sign as in 1 Kings 13. Thus they were to judg whether Prophets were counterfeit or no. Add this also that they were deterred from counterfeiting the Prophetick Spirit because by the Law a false Prophet was to be punish'd with Death Deut. 18. 20. Lastly The true Prophets might be discern'd and distinguish'd from the false ones by this that they were plain and downright in their Predictions whereas the others were generally ambiguous and equivocating as we see in the Example of those false Prophets whom Ahab consulted The Lord shall deliver it say they into the hands of the King 1 Kings 22. 6. So we render that place but the Relative it is not in the Hebrew and so the words have two senses either the Lord shall deliver Ramoth Gilead into the hands of the King of Israel or the Lord shall deliver thee and thy forces into the hands of the King of Syria This was frequently imitated afterwards by the Heathen Oracles and was of some advantage for from the ambiguity of the words mistakes might easily arise and by that means the credit of the false Prophets was salved But however this rendred their Predictions uncertain and wavering whereas those that had the true Prophetick Spirit were sure and fix'd and thus there could not but be a certainty of Prophecy among the Iews But at last the Spirit of Prophecy ceased and as the Jewish Writers and Christian Fathers agree ended in Malachi who was the last Prophet But this way of Revelation was afterwards restored by Christ as shall be shew'd afterwards To the foremention'd ways of God's communicating his Will and Pleasure may be added that Impulse whereby persons are stir'd up by God to undertake some extraordinary Enterprize and to accomplish some very notable Act. Thus Maimonides reckons it among the several kinds of Prophecy that Moses by a particular intimation from God slew the Egyptian Exod. 2. 12. So by the same Divine Motion Phineas knew it would be acceptable to God to kill those two notorious Sinners and he was stir'd up accordingly to do it By the same Heavenly Impulse Sampson was excited to destroy the Philistines tho with the loss of his own life And several other Instances might be produced of this nature in the Old Testament Thus you see what were the Ordinary ways of Revelation what was the frequent and usual manner of God's communicating his Will in the several Dispensations before treated of In the next place I will enumerate the Extraordinary Means of revealing God's Will As 1. That way of Revelation whereby God conversed with Moses on the Mount when he gave him the Law and whereby he was pleas'd to communicate himself to him at some other times The Jewish Doctors cry up This for the highest Degree of Revelation that ever was and some of them talk such strange things of it as are next to Blasphemy But this we are sure of that the Sacred Spirit represents this as an Vnusual and Extraordinary Revelation and such as was peculiar to Moses alone for it is said The Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend Exod. 33. 11. Indeed Iacob testifieth of himself that he had seen God face to face Gen. 32. 30. But tho he had seen God so yet we do not read that he talk'd with him after that manner which implieth something more I know Moses tells the people of Israel that God talked with them face to face in the Mount Deut. 5. 4. But this he means of himself viz. that after
Prayer was heard and the People that stood by and heard it said that it thunder'd others said an Angel spake to him John 12. 28 29. Thus Christ was signally glorified by his Father and declared by him to be the Messias the Son of God by a Voice from Heaven attended with a kind of Thâ—nder To this we may annex God's speaking in a rushing mighty wind on the day of Pentecost Acts 2. 2. And Christ Jesus himself being in Heaven spake to Saul thence by a Voice saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. St. Iohn in the Apocalypse makes frequent mention of a Voice speaking to him and revealing great things to him where it is observable that Thunders and Voices go together chap. 4. 5. and 8. 5. Thus the New Testament as well as the Old had the benefit of that Divine Oracle which the Iews stiled the Daughter of a Voice i. e. a Voice from Heaven declaring the Will of God to Men. Afterwards we are told in Ecclesiastical History that those who were set on work by Iulian the Apostate to rebuild the Temple at Ierusalem were defeated by Thunder and a TERRIBLE VOICE that accompanied it from Heaven thereby bearing witness to the Cause of Christianity 2. The Iews had the Testimony of Angels and so have Christians to confirm this Oeconomy By these Heavenly Messengers Zacharias had notice given him of the approaching Birth of Iohn the Baptist and the Virgin Mary had tidings brought her of the miraculous Conception of the Holy Babe Jesus in her Womb and these were the Heralds that proclaimed the News of his Birth to the Shepherds One of this Celestial Order appeared to Ioseph and warn'd him to flie into Egypt with the Blessed Infant These glorious Spirits gave notice of Christ's Resurrection and when he ascended up to Heaven another of this Celestial Hierarchy address'd himself to the Apostles and assured them that in the like manner Jesus should come again to Judgment Another of these Ministring Spirits came to the devout Cornelius and bid him send for Peter that he might be the great and happy Instrument of converting him to the Christian Faith The Angel of God stood by St. Paul in the Night when he was on his dangerous Voyage and ascertain'd him of his safety Acts 27. 23. And sundry other instances there are of Angels making known the will of God unto Men in those early times of the Gospel and thereby attesting the Truth of Christianity 3. The Iews had the Mosaick Dispensation attested by Visions and we have the same way of Revelation to ascertain us of the Truth of Christianity Thus Zachariah saw a Vision in the Temple relating to the forerunner of Christ Luke 1. 22. The Apostles who were at our Saviour's Transfiguration had the same manner of discovery Mat. 17. 9. The Lord spake to Ananias in a Vision Acts 9. 10. You read of St. Peter's Vision whereby he was taught not to despise the Gentiles Acts 10. 10 c. A Vision appeared to Paul in the Night Acts 16. 9. And again the Lord incouraged him in a Vision Acts 18. 9. Of St. Stephen it is said that he looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God the Divine Shekinah and Iesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7. 55. And we read in the Book of the Revelation that St. Iohn had frequent Visions And hither may be refer'd those visible representations spoken of in the New Testament as the Holy Ghost's descending on Christ in the shape of a Dove after he was baptized The appearance of Cloven Tongues like as of fire over the Apostles heads The Light from Heaven which shone round about St. Paul at his Conversion All these appertain to the Shekinah the Glorious Presence and Lustre of theâ— Heavenly Majesty And hither may be refer'd the Radiant Presence of Christ the bright and glorious Manifestation of his Person which is often mention'd by the Evangelists Mat. 17. 2 5. Mark 9. 3. and Rev. 1. 16. He dwelt among us he was the true Shekinah and we behold his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten of the Father John 1. 14. 4. Dreams were another sort of divine Revelations among the Jews and these also were not wanting to confirm the Truth of Christianity For we read that Ioseph was warned once and again in a Dream concerning Mary whom he had espoâ—sed and concerning the blessed Babe Mat. 1. 20. chap. 2. 12 13 19. And Pilate's Wife suffer'd many things in a Dream because of Christ who was then standing at the Bar before her Husband Mat. 27. 19. But because these Operations on the Imagination by Dreams are more liable to mistakes than Visions and other kinds of Revelation we have but few Instances of this However we are not wholly destitute of this Testimony under the Gospel 5. There was among the Jews that which they signally call'd the Holy Spirit viz. when Men were wonderfully and extraordinarily stir'd up to deliver the Will of God to make some divine Discoveries to the World and to assert their holy Religion This was in Christ himself Luke 4. 1. Acts 1. 2. 10. 38. and in the Apostles Acts 2. 4. 5. 8. 6. 3 5. 7. 55. 11. 24. 19. 6. and in all the holy Men that were sent by him to preach the Gospel By this they were enabled to speak without any premeditation before Rulers and Kings Mark 13. 10 11. for our Saviour tells them it is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost With this the Apostles were all fill'd when they met together on the Day of Pentecost and utter'd such divine and heavenly things By this Prophetick Afflation or Inspiration the Evangelists penn'd the Scriptures of the New Testament for tho these Writings may be said to be humane Testimony as they were writ by Men yet these Persons being inspired by the Holy Ghost and not speaking of themselves but by extraordinary Assistance their Writings and Testimony are Divine This is part of that more sure Word of Prophesy spoken of by St. Peter Ep. 2. ch 1. ver 19. which in the next Verse he calls the Prophesy of the Scripture By this Divine Inspiration the Prophets and Apostles saw and foretold what should come to pass afterwards By this inward Afflation the Apostles tho mean and illiterate Persons preached the Gospel with that Authority and Evidence which some of their most implacable Enemies were not able to resist These are the Divine Witnesses of the Truth of the Gospel-Dispensation and of the Christian Religion Yea even at this Day and to the Worlds end this last Testimony viz. of the Spirit is useful and necessary I do not mean any Miraculous gift of the Spirit but a special and peculiar assistance of it such as all regenerate Persons have experience of That we may be throughly certain that this or that was deliver'd by God that we may assuredly know that such things were of Divine
Revelation there is need of this help of the Spirit the internal Testimony of the Holy Ghost such a hidden but powerful Operation of that giver of all Grace whereby a firm Faith and certain perswasion of the Truth of those things are wrought in us For that we may be certain of Divine Truth first it is requisite that we be outwardly helped that we make use of Moral Arguments and Evidences that we attend to Reasons and Proofs that we weigh especially the several particular Testimonies in the Word of God the Scriptures of Truth These in a moral way will make it evident to the mind that this or that which is propounded to us is Divinely reveal'd and can proceed from no other but God But then besides these outward means we must have our minds inwardly illuminated by the Holy Spirit for it is this alone which can inable us effectually to see and discern the Light and to take the force of the Arguments which prove the several Truths and to turn the Moral Evidence into Divine Demonstration Lastly as I mention'd among the divers ways of Revelation under the former Dispensations the Divine Impulse whereby Persons were instructed and excited to undertake and atchieve great things so at the erecting of the Gospel there was not wanting this way of communicating the Divine will and pleasure By such an Impulse as this Christ himself whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple by this powerful Afflation his Apostles and Followers were stir'd up to do strange and extraordinary things several of which are mention'd in the Acts of the Apostles and many more in Ecclesiastical History which nothing but this Divine Motion could legitimate it being immediately from the Spirit whereby they were instructed as well as enabled to effect these wonderful things Secondly The next Divine Testimony of the truth and certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and Religion is the fulfilling of the Prophesies of the Old Testament which had respect to the New I have already in another place when I proved the Authority of the Holy Scriptures insisted upon the fulfilling of the Prophesies of the Old and New Testament as they are an attestation of the Truth of those Sacred Writings But at present I am to mention only the Prophesies of the Old Testament and among them only those that relate to the Messias and the circumstances which more nearly and peculiarly appertain to him And the producing of these and shewing how they were exactly fulfill'd will be a clear and demonstrative Argument of the Truth of Christianity For though Spinosa would perswade Men that all the Prophesies in the Bible were the mere result of a brisk Fancy that there was no foundation in the things themselves but that Imagination made all yet surely the bold and impious Man would not have gone so far as to have asserted that the actual fulfilling of the Prophesies is nothing but Fancy No certainly he could not have the face to deny that the completion of those Predictions is some real thing and not founded on Imagination For here is matter of fact which carries reality and certainty with it and therefore is a convincing proof not only of the Truth of those Prophesies but of Christianity it self This then is that which I will now enter upon The Prophets of the Old Testament speak frequently of the Messias they have described and characterized him nothing almost was done by Christ but they predicted it every particular act circumstance and accident of Importance that should happen about him was foretold Now all these were actually verified and fulfilled as namely what related to his Birth his Life his Death his Rising again First what related to his Birth as that Iohn Baptist should be his Forerunner and make way for him Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me Mal. 3. 1. And ch 4. v. 5. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. Compare these places with Mat. 11. 10 14 Mark 1 2 9. 11. Luke 1. 17 and 76. 7. 27. and you will not question their Accomplishment And the Birth it self and the Conception which was in order to it were plainly prophesied of many Ages before As that in Ier. 31. 22. is thought to be a Prophesy concerning the Conception of Christ the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth a Woman shall compass a Man Some indeed have interpreted it thus the Church tho weak as a Woman shall compass and besiege her Enemies and take them Captive But this is very flat and frigid especially if you observe the Preface to the Prediction the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth It is no new thing that the Church gets the better of her Enemies there are many Instances of this in the History of the Israelities So that something else is justly thought to be the meaning of the words And what should it be but this that Christ who was made of a Woman should be incompassed and shut up by her in her Virgin-Womb Her compassing a Man expresses the conception of him The word Sabab circumdedit agrees very well with it for the Mother encompasses round the Faetus with her Womb. And the Greek â—itly answers to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 1. 23. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1. 31. The plain meaning then is that a Woman Nekebah not Ishah one that is no Wife but a Virgin shall conceive a Man-child in her Womb. And the Woman here meant is the blessed Virgin Mary and the Man is Christ who is God and Man See Dr. Pâ—câ—ck in Not. Miscâ—l in Port. Mos. And this Interpretation is the more remarkable by reason of the Hebrew word which we here translate Man It denoteth not barely one of the Male kind in contradistinction to one of the other Sex but it properly signifies a Man of Power and Might and so it is fitly applied to the Messias who is Omnipotent Yea the antient Iews as Abarbinel one of their own Rabbins testifies understood by this word here God himself to whom Power more peculiarly and eminently belongs It is no wonder therefore that the Fathers of the Church generally interpret this place of the Virgin Mary bearing Christ in her Womb in which he may properly be said to be incompassed and infolded by her This was a new thing indeed there never was the like before nor shall ever be afterwards And therefore a worthy Writer is here to be blamed who unadvisedly saith the Iews might justly laugh at this Interpretation The Delivery and Birth of the Messias thus shut up in the Womb is expresly foretold in Isa. 9. 6. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder It is true some of the Jews say Hezâ—kiah is spoken of here but they are confuted hence that the Epithets here
given belong to no mortal Man for he shall be called the mighty God the Everlasting Father and of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end ver 7. which is parallel with the Words of the Angel concerning our Saviour Luke 1. 32 33. All thâ— Circumstances relating to the Birth of the Messias â—re particularly specified in the Writings of the Prophets as that his Ancestors should be of the Tribe of Iudah and the Family of David and consequently that he should be of that stock Mic. 5. 2. Isa. 11. 10. Ier. 23. 5. And 't is observable that the Targum on these three places understands them of the Messias Therefore when Christ asked the Scribes and Doctors of what lineage and race the Messias was to be They answer'd he was to be the Son of David Mat. 22. 42. It was a thing it seems well known Accordingly the Genealogy of both Ioseph and Mary is deduced by the Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke from Abraham along by David As to the Place of his Birth it was prophesied he should â—e born in Bethlehem Mic. 5. 2. Thou Bethlehem Ephratah tho thou be little among the Thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel Some obstinate Jews say Zorebabel is meant here but they are silenced by others more learned of that Nation who confess that he was not born at Bethlehem but Babylon Besides they contradict the Opinion of the Chaldee Paraphrast and of the Rabbins who generally by the Ruler in Israel here understand the Messias Wherefore the Jewish Doctors and Scribes being asked of Herod where the Messias was to be born said without hesitating in Bethlehem Iudah they having learnt this out of the Prophesy of Micah Again it is foretold in the Old Testament that he shall be born of a Virgin Isa. 7. 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel The Jews to evade this place say that the Hebrew word which we translate a Virgin signifies a Woman in general But those that are acquainted with that Language know that they shew themselves very perverse in this and that the Hebrew word Gnalmah properly signifies a Virgin i. e. a Maid not known by a Man For whereas there are three words in the Hebrew for a Maid or Virgin this only signifies a pure untouched Virgin nor is otherwise understood in any Text of Scripture where it is mentioned as it is to be found but in six places besides this of Isaiah Therefore the Septuagint who well understood the force and signification of the Hebrew word translated it by a Greek one which signifies a Virgin properly so call'd whereas they might have used other words And the Hebrew word is with a demonstrative Article before it which makes it emphatical and denotes some certain definite and peculiar thing or Person It is found but thrice in the Bible with this prepositive Article viz. in Gen. 24. 43. and in Exod. 2. 8. and in this place of Isaiah In the two first it points at particular Persons and signiâ—ies a pure Virgin not known by Man Why should we not think it doth so in the third Moreover 't is said The Lord shall give you a sign behold Here is then some strange and wonderful thing spoken of Therefore it cannot be meant of a Woman concâ—â—ving i. e. of a Woman that is no Virgin For as an antient Father observes what wonder had it been for a young Woman not a Virgin to conceive And indeed the Old Rabbins who believ'd the Messias was to be born of a Virgin have signalized this word in the Hebrew In the Cabala and Ionathan's Targum you will find that it is written with a Men Clausum in the middle to signify something extraordinary here meant to intimate that it was a Virgin shut up to denote the wonderful Mystery of the Virgin Mary's Conception If it be said what R. Kimchi and other Modern Jews suggest that this 7 th Chap. of Isaiah and this Verse more particularly refer to the Times of King Ahaz and so belong not to the Birth of Christ which was about 700 Years afterwards I answer by denying the Consequence For this Chapter and Text may have reference to King Ahaz's Days and likewise point at something done a long time after that The reason of this Assertion is because there is oftentimes a double Sense in Scripture Any one that is conversant in the holy Book is not ignorant of this and the Jews themselves acknowledg a literal and mystical Sense of Scripture So then these words a Virgin shall conceive were verified in the first and literal Sense in Isaiah's time a Virgin bringing forth a Child it may be in the presence of the King of Iudah to be a Sign and Assurance of the deliverance of Iudah from the Oppression of the Kings of Syria and Israel This Virgin it is likely was afterwards Isaiah's Wife and at that time betrothed or to be betrothed to him and is the same with the Prophetess spoken of in the 8 th Chapter Of this Child it is said Butter and Honey shall he eat that he may know how to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good For before the Child shall know to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good the Land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings ver 15 16. That is this Child shall be nourish'd and brought up as Children are used to be Butter and Honey being the Food of these little ones to eat these is as much as to be used as a Child Whence the Antients gave these to Children at Baptism to taste of as Tertullian and Ierom testify this Child shall fare as other little ones are wont to do and we shall all of us in this Land live in Peace and Plenty and shall not be disturb'd by the Kings of Syria or Israel for before the Child shall know to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good in as short a time as this or any other Child shall be grown up they shall both of them forsake this Land which they now threaten and they shall die in their own Kingdoms This you shall see happen before the Child comes to Age or Years of Discretion that is meant by refusing the Evil and chusing the Good And accordingly it happen'd the two Kings Rezin and Pekah were destroy'd before that Child came to Years of knowledg 2 Kings 15. This is the simple and first Sense of the words But there is also another and mystical Sense or it may be called a secondary literal Sense of them and so they are meant of Christ and the Holy Ghost intended that this Prophesy should be applied to him But how could the Birth of Christ which was some Ages after be a Sign of that which was to happen then I
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
as to the Knowledge of the Arts and Sciences but is still impregnating and is still teeming with them And shall we think that as to Religion only there is a Decay There is no Ground for such a Surmise Shall Divinity which is the great Art of Arts remain unimproved Shall we think that all Knowledge but that which is the best of all increases and prospers No we can prove the contrary and thence entertain Hopes of greater Increases yet to come The First Christians as hath been observed did not understand some Parts of their Religion and the Nature of it so well as they did afterwards or so well as it shall be understood They were not exact in Points but Lived better than now The Ancient Writers such as Clement of Alexandria Origen Athanasius Ierom Augustin Chrysostom Hilary Ambrose Theodoret Theophylact and the rest have done excellently towards the explaining of the Holy Scriptures but the Moderns especially since the Reformation have wonderfully added to them And yet the greatest Harvest of Truth is yet to come not for discovering any New Doctrines but for explaining the Old ones and penetrating further into difficult Places of Scripture Who sees not what a vast difference there is between these and the former Times in point of Divine Knowledge How little was there of it heretofore among those who ought to have had a large Stock of it I mean the Clergy whose Ignorance in the Holy Scriptures and in the Doctrines of Christian Theology was scandalous and even ridiculous Indeed some of them were versed in School-Divinity but this was for the most part so far from making them more knowing in the Useful and Practical Doctrines of Christianity that it rather darkned and confounded them In the former Days of Popery Hebrew and Greek the Languages in which the Bible was wrote were meer unintelligible Jargon to the Generality of Church-men And as for the People their Ignorance and Blindness were yet grosser and they were not suffered to make any Enquiry into Religion Then that Politick Maxim prevail'd Keep Men in Ignorance and thereby enslave them It was an unpardonable Crime for Men to think their own Thoughts much more to speak or write them Ramus having published some new Notions of Logick and particularly against Aristotle who was at that time in great Credit was murder'd among the Calvinists in the Parisian Massacre The poor Man was a Martyr for Logick it is no wonder then that so many were for Divinity There was no liberty for Scruples in those peremptory Times for the Roman Doctors cut out Mens Belief and then forced it upon them A strange kind of Casuists that solv'd all Controversies in Religion as Alexander did the Gordian-Knot by the Sword by meer Violence Thus Mens Souls and Bodies were injur'd the former were blinded the latter enslaved They might be truly said to be bound in Chains of Darkness But we by the Divine Blessing are free'd from that Ignorance and Bondage which we owe to the Reformation whereby that Darkness was dispell'd and that Vassallage removed And now we are no longer tied up in the dark we both see and walk and we daily make progress in Divine Learning An undeniable eviction of which are the Discourses and Writings of those of the Reformed Churches especially of Divines for from these we may gather the vast Improvements in Sacred Knowledge They generally argue with close Reason they talk great Sense they shew a deep Insight into the Inspired Writings they cloath their Matter with fit Words they use an intelligible and easy Method they are happy in applying of Divine Truths in brief their Notions are amended and all the important Doctrines of Christianity are more plainly and clearly delivered than before And the Peoples Knowledge is proportionable they hear with Judgment they discourse with Understanding they try the Spirits whether they be of God they are able to confute Gain-sayers In the Countries where Protestantism hath taken good Footing there is scarce any difference between the Clergy and Laity in the knowledge of the Chief and Practical Points of our most Holy Religion These are understood by the inferior and most ordinary People as well as by Gentlemen Mâ—rchants and Tradesmen yea the other Sex study read and discourse of them Thus humane Minds are enlightned and enfranchised The Elastick Power is restored to them they act without Restraint and fill the Earth with Knowledge and Truth Judge now whether the World grows old and decays and is sunk into a degenerate Posture Say rather that it is much amended and is like to be improved yet further in future Times For from what hath been already we may infer what shall be afterwards We see Divine Knowledge and Learning have been continually in the Increase allowing only for some Interruptions that were violent and lasted not long and yet we are sensible they are not come to the Full whence therefore we reasonably conclude that there are to be farther and greater Augmentations in succeeding Ages And where the Knowledge of Divine Things prevails there Religion will get sure Footing and Vertue and Piety will be powerfully advanced and the Church edified and inlarged These are the Grounds I lay of that Expectation which I have of a more compleat and improved State of the Christian Church here on Earth before the Conclusion of all Things But because our Thoughts and Reasonings concerning this matter may be shallow and vain or too daring and presumptuous I will build my Hopes and Belief of that more perfect State of Christianity on the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures I grant that some are too forward to press Texts to this purpose they are wont to alledge several Plâ—ces in the Old and New Testament which have nâ— relation to this Matter Especially those that 〈◊〉 for Christ's Personal Reign on Earth quote 〈◊〉 out of every Book of the Bible several Passages which they interpret in Favour of their Opinion Whereever they find the Word King or Kingdom if they respect the Messias and the Times of the Gospel they presently snatch at them and apply them this way in the mean time over-looking the Kingdom of Christ which hath been all this while under the Gospel and is spoken and prophesied of so often in the Sacred Writings But though they are to be blamed for this that they strive to make all Scriptures speak their Opinion and accordingly force them to do it yet it is most certain and undeniâ—â—le that this Future State which I am now speaking of is foretold in many Places of Scripture in plain and intelligible Terms and particularly in some of those Places where Christ is mentioned as a King and his Administration under the Gospel is called a Kingdom But first I will produce some other Texts where this New and Last Dispensation is spoken of It is probable that this is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 24. 3. thâ— Consummation or End of the Age i. e.
that were Beheaded for the Witness of Iesus we are to understand all Martyrs that were put to Death for Professing Christianity the same that are mentioned Rev. 6. 9. they that were slain for the Word of God and the Testimony which they held This particular manner of Death Bâ—heading is specified because it was most in use at that Time This was the capital Punishment that was frequent both among Iews and Romans as Dr. Lightfoot hath observ'd and proved and we read that Iohn the Baptist the first Martyr for Christ underwent it And not only those that suffer'd Death but all other holy Men that had any other Punishment of a lesser sort inflicted on them are here intended for one kind of corporal Punishment is mentioned here to denote all the rest which is a way of speaking very usual not only in the Holy Scriptures but in other Writings They who had not worshipped the Beast nor â—is Image nor received his Mark upon their Foreheads or in their Hands are those Religious and Holy Persons who keep themselves unspotted from the Pollutions of Antichrist and do not in any kind whatsoever comply with them or allow of them These St. Iohn saw as well as the others before mentioned And they lived which may refer to this latter sort of Persons only and not to the former that is to those who had not worshipped the Beast not to the Souls of them that were Beheaded For you may observe that it is expressed thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whosoever which shews these are a distinct Company from the others mentioned before Therefore to the latter must be applied those Words they lived i. e. these Persons were free'd from Persecution under the happy Reign of Christ which was now come Thus it is not absolutely necessary that we should interpret this concerning the deceased Martyrs the Souls of them that were Beheaded but only concerning the Saints then in being those that worship not the Beast and consequently here is no ground for the Resurrection of the Martyrs before the Last and General Resurrection as a Recompense of their former Sufferings as some Persons imagine Or suppose that they lived refers here to these Martyrs yet still we cannot conclude thence their rising from the Dead for it is only barely said they lived not they revived or rose from the Dead What then was this Living here spoken of which is the Introduction to the Thousand Years No other certainly than this that whereas many of the Faithful Servants of Christ had been put to Death for the Testimony of Iesus and other Religious and Holy Men had been as it were kill'd in former Times in the same Sence that 't is said we are killed all the Day long Psal. 44. 22. i. e. they were persecuted injured and abused now they shall live now they shall flourish now they shall be free'd from Persecution and enjoy Peace and Rest. Not that the individual Persons that really lost their Lives shall thus live upon the Earth but the Church is here considered as a successive Body as is usual in this Book of the Revelation and elsewhere The Meaning then is this though the Christians in the preceeding Ages were cruelly and inhumanly treated by their merciless Persecutors though the Church in those Times labour'd under great and unspeakable Miseries yet upon the Entrance of the joyful Millennium for there shall be on Earth such a Millennium though not of that Nature which the Ancient Chiliasts asserted all these troublesome and afflictive Things shall cease and the Faithful shall be put into the Possession of an undisturbed Repose and Serenity But because not living again is mentioned in the next Clause some may think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is of the same import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there and therefore they lived must be equivalent with they revived which is as much as they rose from the Dead Granting this it doth not follow that it is to be understood Literally and Strictly i. e. of a Real living again after Death or of the rising of their dead Bodies out of the Grave It is a Figurative way of speaking and it is probable is an Allusion to Ezek. 37. 11 14. Behold O my People I will open your Graves and cause you to come up out of your Graves And I will put my Spitit or breath into you and you shall live Which Words speak not of a Bodily Resurrection as at the first Hearing they may seem to do but of Israel's rising out of a low captivated Condition in Babylon Your Graves shall be open'd and ye shall live i. e. you shall be restored to your own Land again and there live in Plenty and Prosperity There is no Expositor of any Account but interprets the Words thus And indeed there are several other Texts which back this Interpretation for in Psal. 71. 20. 80. 18. Isa. 26. 19. Hos. 6. 2. Reviving and Rising again are used to express a comfortable and prosperous Condition So that one would a little wonder how it comes to pass that some Writers who have made enquiry into the future State of the Christian Church take this Place in the Revelation in a Literal Sense and perswade themselves that it speaks of a Bodily Resurrection of the Saints when it may so conveniently be taken in a Metaphorical and Mystical Sence nay when they themselves at other Times are so delighted with this latter One of them acknowledges that the killing of the Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. and their Bodies lying dead is not meant of a Literal Death and with great Diligence he labours to prove it and indeed performs that task very laudably and in many other Places in this Book he flies to a Mystical Meaning Why then may not the Living or Living again of the Saints be understood here in the same manner The other is known to be a great Asserter of an Improper and Figurative Sence in Scripture But see the Unhappiness of his placing it he that expounds the Third Chapter of Genesis which is a plain downright History in a Mystical and Allegorical way to the enervating of a great part of Revealed Religion interprets this Passage in the Revelation where Mysteries and Figures are so common in a Literal Sence But I think I have shew'd from the Tenour of this Place that a Real Corporeal Resurrection i. e. a returning of departed Souls into their Bodies again is not here meant but that a Political or Civil Resurrection is the Thing here spoken of that is the Christian Church after its great Troubles and Mortifications shall revive shall as it were rise out of its Grave and as the Excellent Dr. Hammond Paraphrases on the Place there shall be such an universal Profession of Christianity as if all the departed good Christians had been alive again and were come upon the Stage of this World once more Or the Reader may make use of the Apostle's Words in Gal.
often made use of where the Battel of Gog and Magog and their Defeat are mentioned Who doubts that these Enemies of Christ and of his Servants shall be subdued before the Day of Judgment And if so then Christ's Reign all which time his Enemies are subdued and disappear and the Last Judgment cannot be the same I may add that according to Mr. Mede's Opinion the Day of Judgment shall be before the General Resurrection which will hardly be allowed by any thinking Persons And in this very Chapter you will find that this latter hath the Priority of the other v. 12 13. And 't is no other than what the Apostle St. Paul asserts in 1 Cor. 15. 28. He shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father viz. after the Resurrâ—ction which he had been speaking of all along before How then can he be said to come and Reign on Earth after he hath delivered up the Kingdom But yet we may understand this Writer in the fairest Sence and so we ought to do all Authors and then his Opinion is not to be disliked for largely speaking the erecting of Christ's Kingdom in the 1000. Years Reign may be call'd the beginning of the Last Iudgment and it is represented so in Dan. 7. 9 13 22 26. For with the Kingdom of Christ on Earth there is as it were a Iudicature set up and Sentence passes according to the different Qualities of the Persons that are found at that time The Enemies of God and Religion shall then be openly animadverted upon but the true Worshippers of Iesus all the Sincere Professors of Christianity shall be Favour'd Advanced Rewarded Thus the Millennary Reign and the General Iudgment are Contemporary or at least we may suppose some part of the Thousand Years Reign to be included in the General Judgment Thus it is if we take it in the Latitude as Mr. Mede seems to do but is cannot strictly be reckon'd as part of the Millennium for this Chapter expresly tells us that it shall be after is I saw a great White Throne and him that sat on it and I saw the Dead Small and Great stand before God and the Books were open'd c. v. 11. 12. There is no reason then to defer the Reign of Christ to that Time But it is more agreeable to Reason and Revelation to assert that it is not very far off that the Time is approaching when this Millennary State shall Commence when there shall be a greater Progress on the Gospel than ever yet hath been when the Church shall be wonderfully Advanced and Christianity shall arrive to its Maturity and Perfection Christ Iesus shall not visibly come in Person as some have fondly imagined but he shall come and Reign in the Spirit he shall Rectifie the Disorders that have been in the Christian World he shall throw down all False Worship and establish the True and he shall raise the Christian Dispensation to its utmost Perfection CHAP. XX. The Millenary Reign is attended with the Destruction of Antichrist i. e. Papists and Mahometans This proved from several Passages in Scripture How the Papal Antichrist shall be destroy'd by the Spirit of God's Mouth Another Attendant of the Reign of Christ upon Earth is the Conversion or Fulness of the Gentiles An Objection answered A twofold Calling or Conversion of the Gentiles Partial and Total The Parable in Luk. 14. speaks of this latter The Occasion and Manner of this Conversion The Progress of Arts and Sciences hath imitated the Motion of the Sun The like is observable of Religion The General Conversion of the Jews is a third Concomitant of the Reign of Christ. Whether the Jews shall be fixed in their own Countrey again The Author's Iudgment concerning the Texts of Scripture which are alledged to prove the National Conversion and Return of the Jews Lev. 26. 38 39 c. is meant of the General Return of that People In Deut. 30. 1 c. there is a Primary and a Secondary meaning The latter applied to the Ten Tribes The future Restauration of the Jews proved from Isa. 11. 11. from Isa. 60. from Hos. 3. 4 5. from Amos 9. 14. from Zech. 12. 10 c. from Luk. 2. 30 31. from Luke 21. 24. from 2 Cor. 3. 14 c. from several Passages in Rom. 11. What is meant by all Israel The 26 27 28 and 29 Verses particularly consider'd and shew'd to be Arguments for the Complete Conversion of the Jews The 7. Rev. 4. speaks of this The Occasion Manner and Means of it both ordinary and extraordinary enquired into BUT to pass from these Generals to a Particular Account of this Period of the Evangelical Oeconomy this Glorious State of Christ's Church which shall be before the Consummation of all Things comprehends in it these Things 1. The Destruction of Antichrist 2. The Fulness of the Gentiles 3. The Calling of the Jews 4. Universal Righteousness 5. Universal Peace These are the Five Things which are to be expected yet to come and which constitute the Heighth of the Christian Dispensation I. I begin with the Destruction of Antichrist For that it is probable is the first Thing which will be effected when the Thousand Years begin By Antichrist I mean the Church and Polity of Rome and the Impostures of Mahomet The latter is the Eastern and the former is the Western Antichrist For as the Roman Empire was made up of the Western and Eastern Dominions so proportionably Antichrist or the Antichristian Power signally so styled which was to succeed in the room of the Roman Emperours consists of both these Great Powers viz. The Papacy in the West and the Mahometan Usurpation in the East It is well known that both these had their Rise together and it is probable they shall fall together To speak of the latter first Mahometism hath been in the World above a Thousand Years but it must in due time have its Period the Cross shall triumph over the Crescent If it be ask'd Where there is any particular Place of Scripture that mentions this Catastrophe I answer That according to my Apprehension leaving every one to judge as they please the 38 th and 39 th Chapters of Ezekiel plainly foretel the Saracens and Turks invading the Holy Land and then their Destruction and Extirpation It is a most Eminent and Remarkable Portion of Scripture though little taken notice of but whoever will be pleased to consult the Whole with great Seriousness and Intensâ—tness of Mind they will be induced I question not to join with me in this Perswasion That this notable Prophecy hath respect to the Times of the Chiliastick Reign of Christ when the Turkish Infidels the right Gog and Magog with their Adherents shall endeavour by all means to oppose it and in order to that shall appear with a mighty Force against the People of God viz. against the Iews who at that time shall be looking towards the Messias and shall be ready to own Iesus to be
is likely Christ may appear in the Skies with an amazing Splendor and Glory to these gazing Spectators I conceive he may Personally Appear above though he will not Reign Personally on Earth After he hath shew'd himself he soon retreats and remains in Heaven till the Last and Final Day Mr. Mede who once thought that our Saviour would make a visible Appearance in the Clouds in order to the Jews Conversion afterwards retracted this Opinion as may be seen in one of his Letters because there is no good Foundation for it viz. in Mat 24. 30. which he had formerly quoted for that purpose But whether there is any Foundation for such an Apprehension in that Place of Daniel I leave to the Reader to judge I only offer'd it as probable but am perswaded that no Man can Absolutely determine any Thing in this Case and therefore he is very presumptuous that attempts it Chap. XXI Universal Righteousness is another Attendant of this Last Dispensation An Objection doubly answered It is not a Sinless State Greater Knowledge than ever shall be at that Time Religion shall then appear in its Native Purity The Influence of the Holy Spirit on Mens Lives shall be more effectual than formerly Jesus shall in a more eminent Manner be exalted Other Fruits of this happy Reign How these great Things shall be wrought Civil Magistrates shall be made use of Christ's Reign is not inconsistent with that of Kings and Princes Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Rulers shall be Instruments in this great Work All Persons are some Ways capable of promoting it Universal Peace is another Blessing that attends this Kingdom of Christ. On what account it must needs be so Scripture attests it An Objection obviated A Concurrence of all manner of Temporal Blessings in this happy State More especially Bodily Health and Long Life Also a vast Increase of the Poeple of that Time The Savage Brates shall become Tame and Gentle These Earthly Blessings are but Appendages of this Dispensation They are Inconsiderable in respect of the Divine Blessings which constitute this State The Author's Doubtings and Reluctancies He is not positive as to Particular Circumstances He cannot determine concerning the Fore-runners of this Revolution The Freedom which he uses in a Point that is highly Probable He follows not some late Writers in assigning the particular Time when the Millennary Reign shall commence The punctual Date is not to be known The Thing discoursed of is certain though the Time as to us is not so The Degeneracy of the present Times is no obstacle to this The Author leaves a Testimony of his Wishes and Desires HAving spoken of Three of the Grand Concomitants of the Reign of Christ I proceed now to the Fourth which is Vniversal Righteousness and Holiness You might have observed that in some of those Places of Scripture which I alledged to evince the Future calling of the Jews and Gentiles and you may observe in several others besides which speak of this happy Revolution and the consummation of the Messias's Kingdom that there is some mention all along made of the Holiness which shall abound in that Time This is reckon'd among the Blessings of Christ's Kingdom in several Places of the Prophetick Writings Thy People shall be all Righteous Isa. 60. 21. I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and ye shall be clean Ezek. 36. 25. I will save you from your Uncleanness ver 29. which is the same with cleansing them from their Iniquities ver 33. They shall not defile themselves any more with their detestable Things or any of their Transgressions Ezek. 37. 23. In those Days HOLINESS TO THE LORD must be engraved on the Bells of the Horses Zech. 14. 20. There shall be such a Catholick Reformation that every Thing even the meanest and commonest shall share in it We find it to be the Office of the Messias to bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. 24. not only that of his Own whereby we are to be justified but an Inherent one in our selves though produced by the Holy Spirit whereby we are sanctified If it be said that this and some of the other Texts refer to those Times which are past viz. when Christ came in the Flesh or when the Apostles made so many Converts to our Holy Religion or even to the present Times of the Gospel and therefore they have no respect to what is to come I answer That the Consequence is not valid for though these Prophecies were partly and initially fulfilled before yet it doth not follow thence that they shall not be Completely fulfilled hereafter I grant that they are in part come to pass for there never was more Holiness than since the Rise of the Gospel but I assert withal that the Full Accomplishment is yet behind for there shall be a larger Effusion of Holiness in the ensuing Dispensation Or the former Answer which I gave in the like Case may be Satisfactory here viz. that this kind of Prophetick Passages have a Double Meaning and therefore must have a Double Accomplishment Many of these Predictions which foretold what should be at Christ's first setting up the Kingdom of the Gospel do also foretel what shall happen at his Coming in the Millennium This is a safe way of interpreting those Place and giving an Account of those Prophecies yea this solves the Difficulties which occur in this Controversy This is no groundless Notion but built upon the Interpretation of Scripture dictated by the Holy Ghost himself as I have proved in another Discourse where I have shew'd that this is the peculiar Excellency of the Sacred Writings to have a First and a Second or if you will a Direct and a Collateral Meaning which we find in no other Books whatsoever that are Historical This is applicable here those Passages in the Prophets concerning an extraordinary Measure of Sanctity and Righteousness are to be understood not only of the Primitive Times of Christianity but more especially of those that shall be towards the latter end of the World viz. in the Blessed Reign of Christ. It is not to be doubted but that the Prophetick Words reach to these Two times so that they are fulfilled twice In the Sacred Writings not only different Persons and Things but different Times and Seasons are contain'd in the same Words And as this Holiness of the future State on Earth is foretold in the Holy Scriptures so it naturally follows from what hath been said before For when Babylon shall fall and the Mystery of Iniquity with it when those whose grand Design and Business it was to extirpate the Purity of Religion shall themselves be rooted out when both Iews and Gentiles shall universally abandon their evil Opinions and wicked Practices and jointly set themselves to the Study of God's Will and the observance of their Duty you cannot but think there will follow upon this an Universal Sanctity in the World I do not mean a Sinless State for this is so like
now wearing off and that we shall have an end of it without any such thing But then when I consider'd that those Places of Holy Scripture which foretell the Calamities and Distresses of the Church of Christ may have respect only to the Times which preceed those Thousand Years I was again induced to believe that there shall be such a State as I have represented that Christ will set up his Kingdom in a more Illustrious and Effectual manner than ever and that this Kingdom shall be accompanied with lasting Peace and Righteousness with the General Conversion of Jews and Gentiles and the Ruin of Anti-christ As to some Particular Circumstances which I have mention'd relating to this Prosperous State of the Christian Church I am not Positive It hath pleased God to deliver things of this Nature Darkly and Mystically and there are no express places of Scripture on which a certain and unquestionable expectation of them can be grounded because we have no sure Word to ascertain our Determination Therefore as to the Particular Way and Manner of the things I have been Discoursing of I deliver nothing with Confidence It is the main of the Dispensation that I assert and which I verily believe though I censure no Man for thinking or saying otherwise I am sensible of this that when we see how the World is at this Day we may be enclined to think there is no probability of this Great Change There seems to be little likelihood at present of this Happy Reign in other parts of the World as well as among our selves for we seem to be every Day degenerating more and more and we run further from that excellent Temper and Genius which are required in that Future Paradise But then I consider that this is to be accomplish'd by a Divine Arm and Conduct and shall be the work of Heaven in a singular and particular Degree The Supreme Arbitrator and Manager of the World can of a sudden dispel all Difficulties and alter the Course of the Universe and frame Men's Minds as he pleaseth When we remember how mean and despicable Christianity was at first but how strangely it spread it self afterwards and made its Progress through the whole World against the greatest Opposition imaginable we may then believe the same may happen again and that what hath been foretold concerning that Glorious State may be fulfill'd Thus I will not despair of that happy Time Both Popery and Mahometism or either of them may for a time decay and grow less and then recover strength Or perhaps one or both of them may remain without any Diminution entire There may be a Superfoetation in the Mother of Harlots she may conceive and bring forth a New and replenish the Earth with her Children It may be the Reformation which hath been begun and set forward in some Parts of the Christian World may be put back Papal Superstition and Tyranny may return again and Rome may sit a Queen and know no Sorrow but what she creates to the true Professors of Religion One would be apt to think as much upon reading what is said concerning the Two Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. When they shall have finish'd the Testimony viz. at the end of 42. Months or 1260 Years the time of the Anti-christian Reign the Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them whereupon there is great rejoycing over them and making merry v. 10. It may come to pass that the Seven Hills may be exalted higher than ever and the Reformed Religion depress'd and trampled on Christianity may as Mr. Herbert presaged hoise Sail for America the Gospel may leave us to go to them and we may be half Pagans before it comes to us again Or if we hold fast-the Faith we may be forced to part with every thing else that is dear to us It may be our lot to undergo all Dangers Calamities Outrages and Persecutions before that Blessed Sabbatism arrives There may be a very Dark Night before that Lightsome Day is seen But at last it shall appear yea shine forth and the World shall be every ways the better for it Yea it may and I hope will shew it self in God's good time without any such Sad and Tragical Prologue to it as this I have ventured to offer my Conjectures about it and the freedom I have taken will not be disliked I conceive by Persons of sober Minds In my Judgment that is a very Curious and Notable Saying of Mr. Mede in his Epistle to the Reader before his Comment on the Apocalypse speaking of the interpreting of the Prophetical Writings and other Obscure Matters in Scripture Unless saith he there be liberty given to us to be somewhat free in our Thoughts and Opinions yea even in our Errors and Mistakes sometimes about these things we shall never clear our Passage to those Profound and Hidden Secrets of Truth Accordingly I have freely suggested my Thoughts and if therein I have represented some things amiss let it be remember'd that it was in the pursuit of Truth and of that Truth which it was difficult to attain to or rather let it be examined whether Truth be not here found out by that which some interpret a Mistake I declare I am not Dogmatical in what I have said nor will I perswade others to sit down with Peremptory Confidence that this is the certain meaning of all the Prophecies in Scripture before alledged But then this must be said there are several things highly Probable of which we have no Absolute Certainty and This that I have been Discoursing of is of that Nature Many Passages in Holy Writ do exceedingly favour it and there are no Contemptible Reasons to inâ—line us to a belief of it And when we have both Scripture and Rational Arguments on our side it is more than half of the Opinions which make a very plausible shew in the World can really lay claim to If after all you enquire concerning the Particular and Determinate Time when this Sabbatick State shall begin my Answer in brief is That I cannot neither will I attempt to assign any such thing When I say I cannot my meaning is that I apprehend no possible way of doing it in a Certain and Satisfactory way for otherwise I could as some have done pretend to present the Reader with a Punctual Calculation of the Time when these things shall happen Perhaps I might say without Ostentation that I have made enquiry into the Chronology of the Scriptures as well as others and have considered all that any Writers of Note have said on this Matter and have made search into these Mysteries my self but after all I declare that I find no Foundation for a Precise and Individual Assignation of Time In general we know Christ's Kingdom on Earth shall commence when the Seventh Angel soundeth his Trumpet for then the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of