SJ-S- /i^^ Itheologica^seminSI I Princeton, N. J. 'I ^ — . % ^From the Rev. W B SPRAr-iiT. ^ $ >V//r//; Section I *^ --^9 i.o CHRISTIANITY The Perfection of all RELIGION, Natural and Revealed. Wherein fome of the PRINCIPAL PROPHECIES Relating to the M E ^S S I J H In the Old Testament, Are fliewn to belong to him in the Literal Senfe : In Oppofition to the Attempts of the Literal Scheme, &c. By Thomas J e f f e r y. LONDON: Printed for J. Clark and R. H e t t, at thi^ Bible and Crown in the Poultry^ near Cheapfick \ and R. F o r d at the Angel in the Poultry^ near Stocks-Market. MDCCXXVIII. TO THE Right Honourable JOHN Lord Vifc^ Barrington. My Lord, WHEN I was determined to contribute my part, fmall as it is, to the publick de- fenfe of our common Chriftianity, there was none, whofe patronage I A z more iv DEDICATION. more defired than your Lordfliip's Your juft fenfe of the principles both of natural and revealed Religion, your diligent enquiries into the mean- ing of Holy Scripture, and the plea- fure you always take in feeing any finccrely, though in a manner vaft- ly inferior to your own, purfue the fame noble enquiries, have encourag- ed me to lay before you the follow- ing papers. I am very fenfible that your Lordfliip's exa6t judgment muft obferve many flaws •, but 'tis with the greatell pieafure I refled:, that the main principles I go upon, have already palTed that icruciny, and been approved 3 and for the reft, I truft your Lordfliip's candour for paffing by the faults you fliall difcern in them. What I undertake to defend is plain and fimple Chriftianity as I find it in the New Tellament : And this I have endeavoured to do in fuch a manner, as at once tofliew the firm ,^and (olid foundations as well of the z Mofakk^ DEDICATION, v Mofaick^ as the Chriftian revelation. I take not upon me the defenfe either of Prieft-craft, or School-Divinity ^ if 1 did, I am fenfible I could not have been more wrong in my choice of a patron. Thanks be to God, we live in an age that is a little too knowing to let the jargon of the Schools pais for fenfe, or the rogueries of the Priefts, for piety j may this fpirit of liberty and inquifitivenefs every day increafe! I am perfuaded, I (hall have your Lordflhip concurring with me in judging, that the evils fuppof- ed to arife from liberty, are in reali- ty the natural confequences of fome- what very different. There is no-, thing that is free from all liablenefs to abufe, and yet we fliould think it very hard to be deprived of all blef- fings of life, and even of reafon itfelf, becaufe fome do abufe them. An in- creafe of knovv'ledge may accidentally occafion^ but can never be the proper caufe of fcepcicifm and infidelity, which on vi DEDICATION. on the contrary are the natural effed of the imperfedion of knowledge. I know your Lordfliip's judgment will lead you to think, that the true ufe of liberty will bring men to difcover the firm and immoveable principles of natural and revealed Religion, which afford the ftrongeft motives to every thing that is praife-worthy^ and that where worldly intereft does not warp men's minds, it muft proceed from exceflive weaknefs of underftanding to imagine, that truth can be fupported by any thing elfe than plain reafon and argument. For my own part, if I could fee that Chriftianity itfelf need- ed any other fupporc, no worldly in- tereft fliould ever bribe me to the de- fenfe of it ^ but as I am perfuaded, that the Gofpel contains nothing but what is highly agreeable to reafon, and what we have the firmeft grounds to believe came from God, lo lefteem the belieY of it an ad of the higheft reafon, and the dcfenfe of it worthy any DEDICATION, vii any reafonable creature. lam fen- fiblehow far fliort I come of handling fo great and noble an argument as ic deferves ,• but if I can be any way inftrumental to remove a little the rubbifli out of the way of the ma- fter-builders, and to prepare the way for the reception of thofe clear and eafy principles^ which would recon- cile all reafonable perfons to a Re- ligion, which is the nobleft fuper-- ftrudure on natural Religion as its foundation, I fliall eftecm my im- perfect labours very happily employ- ed. In this defign, however meanly executed, I doubt not but to receive encouragement from your Lordfliip, who diicover on all occafions the moft rational and becoming zeal for promoting truth and liberty, and have often, fince I have had the honour to be in your Lordfliip's neighbourhood, entertained, and inftruded me with your converlation on thefe fubjefts. That viii DEDICATION. That God would long continue your Lordfhip a blefling to the age and nation in which you live, is the hearty prayer of My Lord^ your Lord/hip' mofl obliged and ohedtent Servaniy Sr;o.tX Thomas JeiFery. THE CONTENTS. CHAP. I. AS HO R T account of Chriflianity as compared with natural religion^ and former revelations. Page i. C H A P. II. Of the evidence to be expelled for revealed religion. p. 7. CHAP. III. Concerning the truth of the faEis on which Chriflianity is built. p. 22. CHAP. IV. A general account of the nature of the Chrif- tian revelation. p. Si* CHAP. V. Of the internal Evidence of Chriflianity, and firfl as compared with former revela- tions, p. 45, CHAP. VI. An anfwer to an obje£iion againfl the Abra- hamick and Mofaick revelations, and by confequence Chxidhmty founded on them, p. 67. a CHAP. The CONTENTS. CHAP. VII. The internal evidence for Chriftianity con- Jidered abfolutely in itfelf : Some particu- lar doctrines confidered, andfirj}^ that of the Son of Gody and his incarnation, p. 72. CHAP. VIII. . The doBrine of the Holy Spirit. p. 81, CHAP. IX. The do£trtne of an intermediate flate. p. 94. CHAP, X. • The fate of the church in the latter days. P' 97. C H A X. XI. The fate of final happinefs of the Saints after the reftirre^ton. p. 1 00. CHAP. XII. The final rnifery of the wicked after the re- furreBivn. p. 106. CHAP. XIII. An anfwer to an objeEiion againfl the inter, nal evidence. p. 113- CHAP. XIV. Of the external evidence for Chriftianity, and firfi of miracles. p. 117. CHAP. The CONTENTS. CHAP. XV. A particular account of the miracles of Chrift, p. 153. CHAP. XVI. Of the gifts oj the Holy Ghoft, p. 158. CHAP. XVII. Of the argument for Chriftianiry from pro- phecies of the Old Teftament. p. 178. CHAP. XVIII.^ The objection againft Chriftianity from the Prophecies fated, p. 185^ ■CHAP. XIX. A method propofed for the anfwering it. p. 200. CHAP. XX. Of the Criteria, bj which tt may be judged whether paffages in the Old Teflament are prophetical of the Mejfiah or no. p. 207. CHAP. XXI. A folution of a difficulty how our Saviour and the Apoftles feem to fpeak in fuch general terms of the Law and the Tro- phetSy as fpeaking of him. p. 213. CHAP. XXII. A more particular account of this matter^ from the method of analogical reafbnings in the Scripture. p. 217. P H A P. The CONTENTS. CHAP. XXIII. Of the Thrafes, then ^iz' as fulfilled ^ and that it might be fulfilled, p. 257. CHAP. XXIV. A review of fome remarkable Trophecies in the Old Teftament relating to the Mef- fiahy and a defenfe of the application of them to him in oppojition to the Literal Scheme-, &c. p. 245. CHAP. XXV. Of the method of the Apofiles quoting the Old.Tefiament. p. 359. C H A P. XXVI. A particular account of the quotations of the Apoftles in the New Teftament, from the Old. p. 3 61; CHAP. XXVII. Of the fuppofed argviments ad homines in the New Tejlament. p. 17 (f* CHAP. XXVIII. A review of the Scheme of St. PaulV reafonings in his three argumentative Eptfiles. p. 391. THE (i) THE PRE FAC E. TH E ftate of religion at prcfcnt in the world, and particularly in this nati- on, muft afford matter of very me- lancholy refle£lion to all fober and confide- rate perfons. The bulk of mankind are wholly thoughtlcfs, and take upthcir religion without cither confidering the nature or the evidences of it. Great numbers of inge- nious but vicious men, have in good mea- fure wiped out of their minds all fenfe of good and evil, of a diflinclion and difference in things i and thus are prepared to profefs either no religion, or any religion the civil magiflrate fhall fee fit to propofe to 'em : fuch men are fit inftruments for ftatelmen and politicians to work with, and very of- ten prove the bitterefl: pcrfecutors. There are other gentlemen who (till retain fome fenfe of a difference in things, and fome love to truth, but have very niuch weaken- ed them by endeavouring to drefs up every thing in an agreeable manner, in the v/ay of wit and pleafantry : by which means B they ii The Preface.' they are at length brought to imagine that cither there is no fuch thing as truth, or that it lies too deep for us ever to come at it. The gentlemen of this way are gene- rally great admirers of the writings of the Earl of Shaftsbury. I pretend not to be able to judge whether that moft ingenious and polite writer had any fixed or fettled principles ; but I will take the liberty to lay this, that his manner of writing, and the principles he has drop'd in fome parts of his works, have led many ingenious men to a general fccpticifm. Thofc who are acquainted with the CharaHcriflicks muft have obferved one principle which runs thro' 'em, and which the writer is very fond of, viz. that ridicule is a proper tell: of truth in principles, and juflice in charac- ters. This notion I apprehend to be very ab- furd, and of the word: confequence ; for Vv'hich reafon I fliall here a little examine it. The Earl allows, that there is a diffe- rence in things 5 that fome charaflers there- fore, when juftly reprefented to us, do im- mediately approve themfclves to the reafon of our minds; that fuch characters do not dcfcrve ridicule j that they Vv^ill not bear it, till fomething foreign be mixed w^ith them; that 'tis injuilice, and a contradiction to the truth of things, to mix thofe things with a venerable or amiable character which fliould The Preface. iii fhould cxpofc it to ridicule. Well now, thcle conce (lions being made us^ let us fee what will be the conicqucnce. An amiable or venerable character offers it lelf to my confideration, my reafon im- mediately approves it, I want then no far- ther teft to try it by 5 why then fliouM I ufe ridicule ? bcfides, the fame reaibn which fhews me the goodncfs of the charafter, fhews me the unfitnefs of applying ridi- cule to it. This I think may be juftly objcdcd to this notion when applied to practice in the beft mianner it can be ; but then when one confidcrs how liable it is to be abufed, there will be much more to be faid againft it» How very difficult is it to fet about ridiculing a charafter without mixing fomething foreign with it> The very endeavour to ridicule a charader, na- turally leads one to the mixing of fuch things with it as fhall make it a proper objed of ridicule. Thus an author may very eafily deceive himfelf, and much more cafily his readers. I doubt not but the noble writer I am at prefent confidering, after he had, by the mere force of wit and imagination, drefled up Mr. Locke 't eifay in the ridiculous habit in which it appears in one of his difcourfes, could not help thinking there was fomething ridiculous in Mr. Locke s # B i inimitable IV The Preface. inimitable work ; whereas every one that underftands that work, will eafily fee that the ridiculous part was wholly the creatdre of the Earl's imagination. But fince the greateft number of men have a larger fhare of imagination than reafon, and will be fooner pleafed with the Earl's wit, than in- formed by Mr. Locke's reafon, the ridicule which is thrown upon Mr. Locke will flick to him, with the bulk of mankind, to the great prejudice of true knowledge and vir- tue. I don't think the gentlemen of this way are friends to perfecution; and yet 'tis cer- tain that ridicule has prepared the way for a perfecution, even to death, as in the well-known cafe of Socrates. Upon the whole, when any character is ridiculed, there is either fomething foreign mixed with it or not ; if there be, the undiftinguilhed xidicule thrown on a character thus mixed, is plainly an injuftice, if there be not, the ridiculing a good charadcr is plainly ading contrary to truth, and tends to wear off from perfons minds all fenfe of a difference in things. There is reafon to think, that there are fomc fober and virtuous perfons v^ho retain all the principles of natural religion, which are reprefented in a very agreeable manner in the CharaEierifticks, and very ftrongly de- fended 5 but yet have entertained fome pre- 4 judices The Preface. v judices againft Chriftianiry, from the falfc reprcfcntations that have been given of it by the fchoohnen and their followers. I am inclined to hope, that a fair and honefl: reprefentation of Chriftianity, asjcontaining the principles of natural religion pure and undefiled, propofing them with fuch clear- nefs and authority, as is adapted to influence the bulk of mankind, and only fuperad- ding fome aids and helps to it from the dif- covery of eternal life made by the Son of God, and confirmed by the gifts of his Holy Spirit, would in great meafurc reconcile thefe perfons to fo excellent a religion as that of the Bleffed Jefus. Tis with fuch perfons as thefe that I would argue in be- half of Chriftianity, and for their ufe chiefly the following papers were drawn up. The main doctrines and duties of the chriftian religion mufl, I think, recommend thcmfelves to thefe mens reafon j and I hope the following papers will (hew, that the offences taken at any other parts of it, are founded on miftake and mifreprefenta- tion. It can't be expected but that, confi- dering all the difadvantages we labour under, from ignorance of the language, cuftoms, genius of the y^ie.'//^ people, and their fitu- anion with refpedl to their neighbour na- tions, errors of tranfcribers, and thofe per- haps in fome places wilful ones, O'c. there ihould be fome difficulties attending the Old B 3 Tcifament, vi The P R F F A c e. Teftamcnt, which \vc can't now perfectly clear. Thefc diificultics arc vaftly leTs with regard to the New Teftanicnr, where we have greater helps from more numerous and more antient copies, citations of other au- thors, c^r. But it mull, 1 think, be owned with reipecl to the Old Tedament, that the main frame of it carries on it all the marks of genuinefs and divine authority. It con- tains an hiftory of the creation, deluge, i^c. very agreeable to the mofl antient traditions of all nations 5 and fuch an hiftory of pro- vidence as exactly agrees to our notions of God's perft^dions. Very wife rdafons ap- pear for the reparation of the Ifraelttijh na- tion to be God's peculiar people 5 and tho' at this diftancc of time we can't account for every particular law, yet the main frame of their laws appears admirably fitted for the government of that nation, as well as for the aniwering thofe more general defigns for the common good of mankind, which the great Governor of the world had in view : And tho' Vv e can't now explain every particular prophecy, yet there have been too many plain and punctual accompliOi- ments of prophecies relating to the moft contingent events, to give us theleaft rcafon to fut peer that the pretence to prophecy in the '^fe'-joi^ church was an impofture. 1 he Scripture ever takes for granted the principles of natural religion, and refers us- to The P R E FA c E. vii to the proper proofs of them from reafon, but lays down fiich a plain, and at the fame time juff account of them, as can't but be of great fervicc to the bulk of man- kind. The fcripture does, I fay, not only Jay- down the principles of natural religion, but directs us to the proper proofs of them from leafonj thus it teaches, that the invifible things of God are clearly feen from the things which are made ; and from the no- tion of God which is thus learnt from the works of nature, a providence both natu- ral and moral is eafily to be reafoned out ; and for the help of the vulgar you have in the Scripture an hiftory of providence, not only with regard to the Ifraelites, but fc- veral other nations, and fuch predidions of the moft contingent, and yet confidera- blc events, of whofe accomplifhments hif- tory gives an account as ferves to fix the firmcft notion of a moral providence on the minds of men : the beauty of virtue in the fevcral branches of it, and its tcndencv to happinefs, are reprefented in the livelieft manner by Solomoriy by Chrift and the A- poftlcs; and laftly, all the premifes from which a future ftate is concluded, are clear- ly laid down in fcripture. Thus 'tis every where fuppofcd, that God is a lover and rewarder, an equal and perfed rewarder of virtue $ an hater, and a perfed and exacl B 4 punifher viii The Preface. punifher of vice i and yet that all things come alilvc to all here : the conclufion then makes it felf, viz. that God will judge the righteous and the wicked hereafter. The Apoftle, Rom. viii. 19.— 23. fup- pofes, that not only thofe that have re- ceived the fpirit of Chrift, but alfo that the creature it felf, /. e. the Gentile world that had not received a revelation, tho' for want of this they had no notion, as he fhews in other places, of death as the wages of fin, or eternal life as the reward of righteoulhefs, yet groaned under the bur- den of the prefent mortal ftate,, longed for a deliverance, and carneftly defired that complete happincfs, which revelation adlires us is only to be had by our refurredion, with bodies conformed to ChrilVs glorious body. And thus he points at the great argument for a future ftate of happinefs from thofe defires of immortal happinefs, which as they are common to all men, and pcrfcdly reafonable, mud be implanted in us by the wife Author of nature 5 and there- fore, as all other natural and reafonable ap- petites, have an objed proportioned to them. The Scripture, in all matters of philofo- phy, gives a popular account of things, and yet at the fame time fcatters up and down inch hinrs as may lead thinking men to the [lri£t philoibphical truth, at the fame time The P R E FA c E.^ ix time that the populau dcfcription inftructs the bulk of mankind in thciu duty v this may be obfervcd in the Scripture account of the pcrfedions of God, of the creation, of the fall, of the providence of God, to which all events are juftly afcribed in fome places, at the lame time that in other places they are made the confcqucnces of an or- der of things fettled in the world, but fettled by the great Author of nature, of the l\e- furrcdion of the body, &c. The Scripture account of the providence of God, with rcfped to the natural world, which feems to fuppofe a continual ope- ration of fuperior ipirits, according to re- gular fettled laws, is exaftly agreeable to all our notions of matter, as a purely paf- five being, and is very much confirmed by the difcoveries of Sir Ifaac Neujton ; and then the alike operation of fuch invifible agents in the diredion of the affairs of the moral world, by influencing the minds of rational agents, preferves a very beautiful analogy between the government of the natural and moral worlds. Tis very remarkable, that tho' the Scrip- ture gives a popular, and not philofophical account of things, yet it does not in its ac- counts contradict true philofophy. So that tho' its accounts of things are fometimcs fhort and impcrfcd, yet they are not falfe. Where we imagine the Scripture contains falfe X The P R E F A C F. falfc philofophy, it really contains in thcfe places no philofophy. This is the cafe with refped to the hiftory of the creation, the mo- tions of the heavenly bodies, the refurredlion ofthebody, as we have it defcribedin fome places, the accounts of natural and moral providence, which are ib reprefented in fome places, as tho' God, or other fpirits under his diredlion, did every thing that is done in the world. The Scripture dcfigns our inftrudion in morality, rather than in the natural caufes of things, and therefore in natural things, without meddling with the caufes, gives only fuch an account of appearances as fhall lay a foundarion for the pradlicc of virtue ; and 'tis obfervable that tho' fome of the penmen of Scripture, as particularly Mofts^ Vv^cre inftrucled in the philofophy of their times, yet they give, as particularly he does in his hiftory of the creation, fuch an account as docs not par- ticularly favour that philofophy they had im- bibed, but may as well be adapted to ano- ther fcheme of philofophy not then found out, which is particularly thccafeof M^/i^/s hiftory of the creation, which has been very ingenioully (hewn by Mr. Whiflon to fuit Sir Ifaac Neivtons as well or better than any other hypothefis of philofophy what- ever: whether this does not fhcwthat thefe accounts of things came originally from that God who fees fro!n the beginning to 5 the 7he Preface. xi the end of things, I leave to our modern Deifts to confidcr. The Scripture cverfuppofcs the diftinc- tion between the foul and body, in cxadl agreement with all the difcovcries of phi- lofophy, and when it teaches that it is to Chrift Jefus that we owe our reftoration to a capacity of receiving the rewards of vir- tue 5 it teaches nothing that is contrary to true philofophy, which can never difcover what reftraints the power of our fouls may be lain under by their great Author in the invifible ftate. It confirms the notions reafon furnirties us with, concerning the natural rewards of virtue, and enlarges them by fnewing us, that we (hall be placed in circumftances fitted to the receiving fuch rewards, that our capacities fhall be enlarged for that purpofc, and that we (hall be for ever continued in a ftate of happinefs without ever undergoing another trial. As to moral virtue, the Gofpel of Chrifl: is defeftive in no one point. This is fo very evident a truth, that the enemies of the Gofpel have been forced to charge it with too great ftridnefs, rather than with any] degree of laxnefs in its pre- cepts. But when it is confidered that an obedi- ence to the Gofpel precepts, in their utmoft itri£lnefs, is abfolutely necelTary to the per- fcctiott xii The Preface. feftioii and happincfs of the human na- ture 3 and that as Chriftianity gives men ftricter notions of their duty, than any o- ther religion, fo it gives the encourage- ment of greater affiftances and rewards, this objedion immediately vanifhcs and difap- pears. There is one point indeed wherein 'tis pretended Chriftianity is defedlive, viz. in not recommending private friendfhips 5 but when it is confidered that the two great religions in the world before Chriftianity, viz^ Heathenifm and Judaifm corrupted by the Scribes and Pharifees, had too much narrowed and confined benevolence, that it therefore ought to be one great defign of Chriftianity, to enlarge this principle, and to extend it to fuch as were not thought the proper fubjeds of it as men of other religions, enemies, <^c, that by thus lay- ing down a large and extenfive notion of benevolence, Chriftianity did by juftconfe- quencc teach the pra£lice of private friend- fhips, as far as conducive to the publick good ^ and laftly, that it teaches fuch a ftrid union between thofe who are joyned in promot- ing true religion and virtue, as was never before recommended to the world : I fay, when all thefe things Ihall be confidered, it will eafily appear, that Chriftianity i^ not liable to this charge. Some things there are that Chriftianity has fuperadded to natural religion. I am fenfible "the Preface. xiii fcnfible that there are fome very worthy peribns, that arc very good friends to Chri- ftianity, who confider the Gofpel of Chrift only as a revival of natural religion, which had been corrupted both in the )ewi(h and heathen worlds. This notion has been lately reprefented with the greateft ftrength and beauty, by one who is equalled by very few in clearnefs of thinking, juftice, and propriety of expreflion, and a fincere love of truth*. The reafons why I cannot fall in with this account of Chriftianity are thefe. ( I . ) This does not feem well to fuit with the Scripture account of God's revealing the Gofpel, not by a man or an angel, but his owh Son incarnate, and confirming it by his death, which one cou'd hardly think he would have done, if this Gofpel had been no more than that natural religion which had been before taught by Socrates and others. On the other hand, confider the Gofpel as a revelation of that eternal life, which the light of nature could not difcover, and which was to be conferred on us by the Son of God i and then it appears rational to fup- pofe, that this fame Gofpel ihould be pro- pofed by the Son of God, incarnate for that purpofe. The Son of God was the perfect image of the Father, and thus re- prefents him in his dominion, as well as other perfections. Thus, when the Jews ; 5ee Mr. Cbidbs'^ three l.uc Tnas. were xiv The Preface. were God's pecnlium, he was their Lord 3 and as the Gentiles were at laft to be brought into God's kingdom, he was to be Lord of all 5 he was dcfigned then to be the great mediator between God and us, by whom God's bleliings Ihould be conferred, on us^ and we have accefs to God. For this pur- pofe, as the Apoftle to the Hebrews fhews Chap. ii. 'twas fit he (hould be in a ftate of fuffering, and in order to this 'twas abfo- lutely neceflary he fhould be incarnate. ( 2. ) Thofe gentlemen who reprefent Chriftianity as nothing but a revival of na- tural religion, feem to confider Chriftianity without any relation to former revelations; whereas it plainly fuppofes, and is built on former revelations, to Adaniy to Abra- ham, Mofes^ &c. Confider it only abfo- lutely, and it will not appear quite fo ftrange, that God fliould fend even fo extraordinary a meffcngcr , to reform thofe corruptions and abufes that had crept into the jewifh and heathen worlds ; but when one confiders that there have been revelations from the very begin- ning of the world ( as the Gofpel of Chrift ever fuppofes) the expedience of a revelation in fome particular circumftances, as of a general corruption of the principles of natural religion, will not fhew how 'tis fit there fhould be a revelation from the be- ginning, before there was fuch a corrupti- on The Preface, xv on of the principles of natural religion. But now, when one confiders revelation as from the beginning, the difcovery of c-^ ternal life as the reward of righteou fnefs, or of what God was pleafed to accept for it, which natural reafon could not difco- ver, but which when difcovered appears a fit means to promote the great end of natural religion : I fay, when one confi- ders revelation as fuch a difcovery of eter- nal life, firfl: more obfcurely and imper- fedly made, by degrees more clearly and fully, and at lafl moft perfcftly ; and this not to the Jews only, but the Gentiles al- fo, by the Son of God, who is appointed to beftow this iife^ every thing is clear and confiftent. ( B . ) As there may eafily be fuppofed to be many things very ufeful for us to know, which our natural reafon could not have difcovered ; fo ic may reafonably be fuppofed, that when God departs from the common methods of his providence, fo far as to make a revelation to us, his re- velation fliould contain fome fuch thing's as thefe; and not only what our natural reafon might have difcovered to us, efpe- cially confidering that our natural reafon candifcover to us its own defeds, and parti- cularly in our fearches after a future ftatc^ we can eafily fee how much we might be helped by a revelation. (4.) If xvi The Preface. (4.) If Chriftianity were only a revival of natural religion, corrupted by Jews and Heathens, and an aid to the vulgar, who could not trace out thefe things from the firfl: principles, when once thefe corrupti- ons of Jews and Heathens were removed, thofe who ufe their reafon in a right manner, would be able to difcovcr all the principles of Chriftianity, in a more direft and certain manner, than by dcpendance on a revelation. AikI thus in giving the GofpeJ, God would afford a revelation which (hould not be of general ufe, as that is ever reprefented in the New Teftament, as being. (y.) Chrift is ever reprefented both by himfelf and his apoftles, as having been in the bofom of the Father 5 and thus reveal- ing to the world thofe things \vhich no man on earth could reveal ,* difcovering fuch fe- crets as none but God's own Son could dif^ clofe, particularly difcovering eternal life, which, tho' known to the Jews from the Abrahamick covenant , yet was perfed- ly concealed from the Gentiles^ as the par- ticulars of it, which Chrift difcovered, were even from the Jews themfelvcs. See to this purpofe, Jo.\.\%, iii. 12, 13, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36. vi. 27-^4j 68, 69. X. 10^ II. xii. 50. xvii. 2., 3. 2 Tim.\, 10, 11. Tit. i. 2,3. Heb.Vi. 15. Rom.v'm. 19-24. iTet. i. 3, 4. Eph. ii. 1-7. I Job. v. 1 1, 12,-20. I Job, ii. 25. [6.) Tis The P R E FA c E. xvii f6.) Tis plain the Gofpcl has difcovercd, as will be fully fhcwn in the following pa- pers, the particulars of the future flate of cxiftence, both of happinefs and mifery, which as depending on the pure will of God, determined by reafons concealed from us, could not have been known without a revelation ; and from hence it necellarily follows, that revelation is not merely a re- vival of the principles of natural religion, but alfo an additional difcovery of fuch means as are fit to promote the great end of natural religion. The whole of what Chfiflianity has fuperadded to the princi- ples of natural religion, is the dodrine of eternal life revealed by the Son of God in- carnate, confirmed by his death, refurrec- tion, and the gifts of the Holy Ghoft ; and this eternal life to be beftowed by the Soa of God, who has power over all flefn, to give eternal life to as many as God has given him, who at prefent is the head over all things to his church, the medium of conveying bleflings to us, and of our accefs to God, and will at lafl raife the dead, and adjudge all to eternal, life or death, accord- ing to their works. The philolophers were very much fet a- gainfl the dodrine of the refurredion 5 but then they mifunderflood it, as if it were the refurrection of the fame body of flelh and blood 5 and therefore in oppofition to this C notion^ xviii The Preface. notion, St. TmiU i Cor. xv, fhews that flefii and blood fhall not inherit the kingdom of God, but that the raifed body fhould be as different from this, as celcftial bodies are from terreftrial, &c. and againft this doc- trine the philofophers had no objcdion. On the contrary, they taught much the fame themfclvcs, whilft they aflerted the union of tlie foul after death with bodies of a quite different texture from the pre- fent, fitted to attend the nobleft operations of the mind in the other ftate. What the Gofpel teaches of eternal life, is cither on- ly what reafon teaches concerning the na- tural rewards of virtue ftripped of thole falfe notions which either wrong philofo- phy or the fuperftition of the vulgar had added to it, and is the very fame with the account which Tully gives in his Ttif- culan^efiion-, Scipio^T^ream^ and trcarife of old Age ; or elfe it is a difcovcry of what natural reafon could not teach, but which when difcovcred appears perfectly agreeable to natural reafon j fuch as the account of that dominion good men (hall after the refurreftion receive, which as conferred by God as the reward of virtue, and to be ex- ercifcd according to his will, the love and regard to it mull be a love and regard to virtue itfelf. As the happincfs of good men in another ftate is, according to the Scripture account, afocialhappinefsi fothe regard The PREFACE; XlX regard to it cannot weaken, but on the con- trary muft very much ftrengthen the bene- volent principle. The dodrine of a Me- diator is perfedly agreeable to reafon 5 and though the Heathens were faulty in wor- fhipping mediators of their own devifing, without a divine appoinment i yet this (hews their natural notions of thefitnefsof God's appointing a medium of conveying blef- fings to us, and of our accefs to himfelf. I have endeavoured in two former trea- tifes,* to lay down the true grounds of Chriftianity, fairly to reprefent the eviden- ces for the divinity of the Gofpel, and ta (hew that the argument of late advanced againft it from the prophecies, falls quite wide of the point in dilpute j and in the lad of thefe difcourfes I adventured, but I hope with all due deference to their great worth and learning, to make a few remarks on fome of the moft confidera- ble authors on this controverfy. The fol- lowing papers are a continuation of the fame defign, in which I fhall ftate the difference between natural and reveal- ed religion, fliew what evidence is to be rcafonably expefted for the latter, and that Chriftianity has fuch evidence both ex- ternal and internal ; reprefent the true force of the argument from the prophecies of * the true Grounds and Reafons, and the Review^ 6cc. C 2 the XX The Preface. the Old Teftament in behalf of Chriftiani- ty, and fliew that it can't with any pre- tence of reafon be turn'd againft it 5 ac- count for the expreflions of Chrift and the Apoftles concerning the great number of prophecies in the Old Teftament relating to the Mefllah, farther explain fome of the prophecies in the Old Teftament, relating totheMefliah, and defend that interpretati- on of them which refers 'em to him againft: the attempts of the Literal Scheme ) fhew that the quotations in the New Teftament from the old fometimes contain only al- lufions ; but when they are defigned as ar- guments are conclufivc, either as direft proofs, or as arguments a fimtli. And iaftly, farther fliew St. ^aul to be a rati- onal writer, by endeavouring to make the fcheme of his reafoning in three argumen- tative epiftles, laid down in the review more complete. I have but one thing to add, and that is an acknowledgment of great light which I have received in the prefent argument from a very learned and worthy gentle- man, whodcfigns very foon to publifh Trin- ciples of a rational defence of religion. If the following Papers, in fome parts of them, ferve to make his noble and mafterly thoughts more eafily apprehended by the vulgar, and theufe of his abftradl reafonings o appear, by applying them to the folving fome The Preface. xxi fome confiderable difficulties in the New Teftament, I fliall efteem my labours very happily employed. I muft freely acknow' ledge that from him I received the firft hints of the nature and confequences of the Fall 5 of the method of recovery by Chrift 5 of the analogical reafonings in the New Teftament, particularly in St. Taul*% Epiftles. A fhort of mankind, as the Chriftian revelation, which is therefore the mod perfect reli- gion. As to all other religions, fepa- ratc from them what is falfe and errone- ous, and they arc reducible to this one Iim- ple religion. Natural religion is nothing elfe but what our own rcafon, from the circum- ftances we are in, certainly difcovers to be fit and proper for us to do ; and therefore to be the will of the infinitely wife and powerful Govcrnour of all things, who will take care that we fhall reap the natural fruits of our own doings j revealed religi- on gives an aid and help to that which is natural, by affuring us of the fupernatural reward of eternal life to be bcftowed on thofe that pleafe God, and of God's accep- tance of a fincere and conftant endeavour to do the whole will of God inftead of^pcr- fedion. The Chriftian religion gives the fulleft account of this, by fnewing how God beflowed this eternal life, %iz>. by the man Chrift Jefus, who for his difcovery of more than the moft perfect human virtue, in emptying himfelf of the form of God, taking on him the form of a fervant, hum- bling himfelf yet farther to become obedi- ent to death, even the death of the Crofs, was highly exalted and had a name given him above every name ; had not only etcr- xiallife himfelf, but a power to give it to as ( 3 ) as many as were conformed to the Image of his holincfs. The" difference between natural and re- vealed religion does not lie here, that the one is reafonablc, the other unreafonable ; there is a rcafonfor all the pofitive appoint- ments of revelation as well as for our na- tural duties, though fometimes that reafon. is drawn from the particular circumftances of a particular people in ages diftant from purs, and therefore perhaps unknown to us. We may fometimes by the light of na- ture difcovcr fuch reafons for God's doing what revelation aflurcs he will do, as may make that />r^/^^^/^, which revelation, on Jnppojition it be made^ renders certain. And when revelation ajfures us, how the will of God has determined, our own reafon may fhew us, with good degree of evidence, the moral fitncls of the choice ^ v.g. our own natural powers may enable us to difcover fome reafons why God ihould appoint a mediator, and by confequence the worfhip of himfelf by him : But they could not difcovcr that certainly he would 5 olir own reafon would farther difcover, that if God had appointed fuch mediator, he would, fmce it is undifcoverable by reafon either that there was one appointed, or who it was that was appointed, reveal fuch ap- pointment of his to the world, in order to the diredling their worfhip in a fuitablc 3 manner. ( 4 ) manner 5 and therefore till fuch revelation appeared, that we ought to take no notice of fuch appointment in our worfhip , but how- ever, as it appears to us, with good degree of evidence, that it is a thing fit and proper in itfelf there fhould be fuch an appoint- ment, a revelation that gives a reafonable account of fuch an appointment cannot but come with advantage to us. * The difference then upon the whole, be- tween natural and revealed religion, lies here. ♦ The morality of a6lions, as Mr. IVoolaftm has fully proved, lies in their agreeabler.efs to truth or to any true propoiition ; this may be farther explained in this manner, things are what they are, whether you fuppofe any judgment palled on them or no. Suppofe a being to pals a Judgment concerning them, if he judges them to be what ihey are, he judges right, and fo vice verfa ; add in your thoughts aftive power to this being ; and an a(5lion fuppofed in conlcquence of this right judgment, will be an acftion according to truth j this is evident in cafe there be a neccflary connexion between the laft judgment of an intelligent agent, and the exertion of the felf-motive power, which Mr. Lock has fully (hewn in his EfTay, in the Chapter of Power. True Propofitions are formed concerning matters of fa£l as well as fpeculatior. Revelation is a medium by which we may come to know certain matters of faft which we fhould not otherwife know -. Thus our Saviour, as Dr. Burnet has well fliewn in his Boyle's Lectures^ argues very clofe- ly againft divorce from the perfe£t (late in which mankind were firft formed, which the Hiftory ok' Mofes gives an account of. Thus when this fad is known that Chrift is appointed by God, Lord of all, there appears a fitnefs in the appointment of fome proper badge, as the diftindion of his fubjeds, -ym. Baptifm. Natural C 5 ) Natural religion, as contradiftinguinied to revealed religion, contains the end of religi- on, viz. fuch a conforniity to God as ren- ders us fit to receive happinefs from him ; revealed religion fupplies us with fomc of the means in order to this end ; natural religion difcovers its obligations to all io- ber and attentive minds in all ages and countries of the world. Revealed religi- on concerns only thofc, to whom its obli- gations have been particularly made known, cither immediately or mediately, by thofe to whom the revelation was firfl: commit- ted 5 the moral fitnefs of every part of na- tural religion is certainly-, of revealed re- ligion only probably difcovered. The in- ftance before-mentioned of praying through a Mediator will make this whole matter perfedly plain 5 the end of praying thro' a Mediator, is the promoting thole good difpofitions in us which natural religion re- commends 5 thofe good difpofitions them- felves approve themfelves immediately to every attentive perfon's mind, and there- fore are required by God from all : But the method of promoting thefe by pray- ing thro* a Mediator, none are required to conform to 5 but thofe to whom it is made known by particular extraordinary revela- tion ; when 'once a revelation has been made, wc may difcern thofe reafons which per- ( 6) perfuadc us of the fitnefs of this method;^ though wc could not, a priori^ have de- monftrated that God muft take this method ^ but on the other hand, if a revelation con- cerning it had not appeared, that would very much have weakened the evidence of the probable arguments for fuch an appoint- ment. The idea of revelation which is moft a- greeable to our natural expedations is of an aid to natural religion, by the certain difco'very of fome fit means in order to promote its great end. Suppofe thofe means which revelation teaches, certainly difcoverable by reafon, and tho' you from thence are furnithed with a demonftrative proof that it is in general the will of God you fhould ufe thefe means, yet this difcovery weakens the evidence of any particular perfon's million from Hea- ven to bring you to believe a doftrine di- vine, which by other methods you cer- tainly know to be fo. CHAP- ( 7 ) CHAP. IL Of the evidence to he expeEied for re^ vealed religion. IT is plain from wliat has been faid In the foregoing chapter, that revealed reli- gion cannot have mathematical evidence to fupport it ; the moral fitnefs of the things delivered mud only appear with probabili- ty 5 and the proof that they come from God can be only probable. The evidence for revealed religion I would ftate thus ; (i.) it appears fit God fhould fet on foot a defign for the refor- mation of the world. (2.) A fit way of executing this defign feems to be by fend- ing a perfon with commiffion from him- felf to inftrucl us in our duty, excite to the performance of it by fuitable motives, and go. before us by the example of his own life. (5.) There is a connexion be- tween truth, goodnefs and power , the two former muft have the favour of God, and fo a proportionable degree of power from him to give them fuccefs ; if there be no reafon then againft a religion, the profef- fors of it difcovering a power that others have not, is a reafon for it, not demon- ftrative indeed, fmce it may fail, but proba- ( 8 ) probable which generally holds good as it muft do if truth and good ne Is have in the nature of things, or by the favour of God, any advantage above error and vice^ when we cannot therefore judge dired- ly of the reafon of things, pow^r fupplies us with a probable argument, as fuccefs docs of the goodnefs of a method in phyfick. And thus the power attending all reli- gions in the world, which is iuperiour to Atheifni, is a probable proof of religion. (4.) When we can judge ourfelves of the truth of things, we need not power tofhew it us 5 but an ad of power may excite us to confider the reafon of things, and in defed of demonftrative evidence, from thence give us probable evidence 3 (5.) As God from eternity had in view the whole frame of things, and adjufted every thing in exadcft order, he faw that it would be proper on certain occafions, that would hap- pen, that revelations fhould be made by him to fome men to be delivered by them to others 5 as he knew the powers he would give to fome intermediate beings be- tween himfelf and man, and that works performed by them would be adapted ta convince us of fuch revelations ; the ma- king fuch revelations on proper occafions^ and attcfting the truth of them in fuch a manner, ispcrfedly agreeable to thofe laws by which God governs the moral world. (9) (6.) When a perfon pretends to come from God, and difcovers a power above hu- man, that is a probable proof of hismif- fion, a fufficient proof, where there is no- thing in the nature of his mcffage that overthrows it, or no fuperior power to coun- terwork him 5 for power iticlf is a proba- ble argument of truth, and power above human is the fitted external evidence of a divine miflion, fmce this is the fullcft dif- covery of divine power exerted in a perfon's favour that can be given 5 for as we do not know the powers of beings above us, nor can judge from the work itfelf when God immediately interpofes 5 a work above human power, which we do not know but it may be done immediately by God, is the grcateft difcovery can be made us of the divine favour. (7.) When befides miracles there appears a moral fitnefs of things, the evidence for revelation is com- plete : For how can we judge whether any thing comes from God but by com- paring it with our natural notions of God? Now the only perfeftionsof God that can dired us here are knowledge, wifdom, goodnefs and power : Of thcfc^ v/if- dom and goodnefs are difcovered in the frame of the doftrine, and know- ledge and power in thofe difcoveries that are made of more than human know- ledge and power, which difcover divine know- ( lo ) knowledge and power as far as there can be difcovercd to us. If now it appears fit to us there fhould be a revelation made as by a man like our felves, and this be the utmoft evidence llich a one could bring us of his mif- fion, and this evidence is afforded us, we have all the reafon in the world to give credit to a revelation fo attcfted. Of this cafe, where a moral fitnefs appears, there may be two inftances given, (i.) When the main end propos'd appears reafonable and fir, tho' not the greateft end that could be propos'd, and the means chofen are fit- ted to that end, the' we don't fee how all the parts of the revelation are fitted to that end, or to what other end they are fitted ;. and this is the cafe of Judaifm 5 we fee a wife end propos'd, ^7-s. the feparating a par- ticular people for preferving the pure wor- fhip of God in the world, and tho' this be not thegreatcft end could be propofed by a revelation, yet 'tis fit in it felf, and pre- pares the way for this greater end. The de- fign of fuch feparation of this people be- ing, that they might be the depofitauies of the promife before made of a great Per- fon to come in time into the world, to re- ftore mankind to happinefs by holinefs. The feveral parts of the law, do for the I3[iain appear wifely adapted to this end; and very often when we cannot affign a particular particular rcalbn of a law, yet we may give the general one, viz. that hereby the If- faelites wcire yet farther diftinguifhed from other nations. And when we can difcern no reafon of a particular law at all, the apparent wifdo'm of the fna'm frame of the law, naturally leads us to think there it is d wifdom in. that part alfo where we do not difcern it, juft as we argue very juftly con- cerning thofe parts of the" Creation whoft ufes we have not yet difcovered. Very probably this was the cafe in fomc particular inftances, even at the*firft giving the law, with refpedto the Ifraelites them- felves, who did not difcern the reafon of all their own laws, particularly not of thofe which were defi2;ned to make fome after- revelation more eafily undcrftood, and rea- dily received when it fhould appear, 'till which time thcfelavv'smuft be neccflarily in- volved in darknefs, it being impoffible to compare a pifture with the original, 'till one is acquainted with both. And tho' as to fuch laws as thefc, ' we who have feerl this after-revelation, have greater advan- tages for underftanding them, than the If- raelites at that time had 5 yet as to other laws, the reafons of which Were taken from 'the. particular circumftarices of the Ifrae- iites ot that time $ as the genius of their nation, the nature of the country, their fitu- atlon with fcfpcft to other nations, &t. D They ( li ) They muft be much better judges of their fitnefs than we at this diftanccof time, and who differ from them fo vaftly in lan- guage, cuftoms, c^f. and labour under fo great ignorance of theirs. (2.) Another inftancc may be where the end appears the heft that could be/as the general reforma- tion of mankind, and the means the beft fitted to the end, as the propofing a Scheme of doftrines and duties that are fuited to the circumftances of all mankind, and fit- ted to carry human nature to the utmoft perfeftion we can conceive of. In this cafe ■we are able perfcdly to difcover the fitnefs of things our felves, becaufc the Inftitution is framed not for the ufe of a particular peo- ple, but fuited to the general circumftances of mankind. (8.) When a perfon pretends to bring a revelation from God, that hasthefe characters of divinity upon it, he ought to be received. If revelation be a thing reafonablc to be expected, then a perfon who pretends to come from God, and appears neither on the one hand by any of his aftions or difcour- les, even on the iubjed of religion and his divine miflion, an enthuliaft; nor on the other hand by any worldly views to which his inftitutions are adapted, an impoftor, ought to be received as fent of God if there be no rcalbn to the contrary 5 cfpecially if he prctcndi to immediate communicati- 4 ous ( >3 ) ons with God, and to be infallibly certain (as it appears probable to us God may make a pcrfon) that he received revelations im- mediately from God himfelf, and confirms the truth of what he fays by fhewing all the marks of divine knowledge, wifdom, power and goodnefs in his dodrine, and the works that fupport the credit of it. (9.) It may reafonably be expefted that the greatcfl: power, as a mark of divine fa- vour, fhould attend the mod perfcd religi- on, which indeed it will require in order to give it that general reception in the world, which it is defigned to have. One true miracle is evidence that ought to be admitted for a revelation when there is no greater counter-evidence; fortho' it be not a demonftrative proof, and therefore be overthrown by fomcthing difcovejred in the doftrine that is unworthy of God, or by forae fuperior work wrought in oppofition to it; yet 'till fuch counter-evidence appears, there is greater reafon to admit fuch proof than to rejed it. If we rejeft miracles as evidences of a re- velation, we tejed what our reafon fliews us to be the proper evidence of a revela- tion ; and if we rejed a reveJation fupporr- cd by miracles, where there appears no greater reafon for reje(fling it, than miracles are for rec-civing ir, we reject miracles as evidences of a revelation. D 2 Any ( 14 ) Any number of miracles and difcover- ing ever lo great power, can only be fii- perior evidence in the fame kind to one/in- gle miracle of the leaft degree of power conceivable. Mofcs turned a rod into a " ferpent, and this 'till there appeared a grea- ter rcafon to the contrary, was of itfelf fuf- ficient on reafonablc grounds to have con- vinced the Jfraelites he was fent of God 5 but when the mas^icians did the like in oppofition to him, 'twas reafonable to be cxpeded he (hould difcover a power fupe- rior to theirs. If another perfon fhould appear with the fame proof of his million that Mofes firft brought, he ought to be received if there be no greater realon to the contrary; o- therwife Mofes ought not to have been re- ceived by xhz Ifraelites at his firft appear-' ing; and yet fuch a work could not prove th& magicians miffion from God if they pretended it, becaufe there was on account df a fuperior power counter- working them, greater rcaibn to rejed, than the^ miracle' wrought could be for receiving it. Thus when two perfons work a miracle, one to attefl: a. doctrine worthy,, the other un- worthy of God, the miracle will prove the million of the former, but not the latter. • The rcafon is, becaufe tho* rniraclcs are evidences of a revelation, and therefore will z ■ ** prove ( ly ) prove it where there is no greater reafoh to the contrary, yet they are only probable proofs, not demonftrative 5 and lb there may be counter-evidence produced that iliall be greater. But now if rlniraclcs Vvcrc not of themfelves fome evidences of a re- velation, and fo did not fufficiently prove a revelation where there is no lupcrior counter-evidence, they could not prove it in any cafe, or at all contribute^ to the .ftrengthning the proof of it in any cafe, or clothed with any circumftanccs whatfo- cver. If the greatefl: number of miracles, dif- covering the greatefl: degree of power we can conceive be of the highcfl: evidence (as we commonly imagine) tho' I fhould ra- ther think the higheft evidence fhould be fuch a number of miracles, and of fuch a nature, and difcovcring fuch degrees of power as appear befl: fitted to promote the end propofedj then one fingle miracle of the lowefl; fort mufl: be fome evidence, and yet a revelation no better atcefl:ed may be overthrown by fuperior counter-evidence; but when there appears no fuch counter- evidence, there one fingle miracle is fuf- ficient proof of a revelation, and one fin- gle miracle of lefs degree of power may be as wifely and exadly fitted to attefl: a particular revelation as more and greater 'Xniraclcs are a general one, and fo be as fit D 3 and ( i6 ) and proper evidence of it. For as it would be anobjedion againft a general revelation to have but one fmgle miracle of the loweft degree of power to atteft it, when it need- ed more and greater, To it would be juft as good an objedion againft a particular one to have many and great miracles attefting it, when it did not need fuch. The fum then of the whole is this j mi- racles as inch are evidences of a revelation, where there is no fuperior counter-evi- dence j there is no fuperior counter-evi- dence, where the end propofcd to be at- tained by them is not unworthy of God, as the attefting a vitious dodrine, ^c. and the miracles wrought are means fitted to attain the end ^ as a few miracles of lefs power to atccft a revelation of ufe only to a particular perfon, family, e^r. more and greater miracles to atteft a revelation of general and perpetual ufe to mankind. When a perfon appears with this latter kind of revelation, he ought not to be re- jecledjbecaufe there does not immediate- ly appear the intire evidence for the proof of his dodlrine from the difcovery of grea- ter power than ever attcftcd any other dodrine. The miracles he is to work are to be wrought not all at once, but at different ti;ncs, and as occafions arc oft^ered for 'em, and therefore there is no reafon for re- jcding ( 17 ) jefting a Perfon coming with fuch a reve- lation, becaufc he does not at his firft ap- pearance perform all thofe works wc may have reafon fome time or other to expc(n:, will atteft a general and landing reve- lation. 'Tis fit he fhould by degrees awaken and raife mens attention by his works, and thefc fuch as fhould by degrees difcovcr greater and greater m^rafures of power at* tending his doftrine as he had occafion for 'em. Tis fit he fhould perform his works, not for oftentation but ufefulnefs, and therefore that he fhould difcover his power, as there occurred fit objcds for the excrcife of it. Tis reafonable to fuppofe he fhould perform no works but what were of ufe to promote his wife and gooddcfigns, and therefore if for wife rcafoos his dodrine be for a time confined to a particular coun- try, it is not to be expefted as yet, that there fhould be any difcovery of the gift of tongues. But then, as that is neceflary afterwards to fpread it throughout the world, when the rea- fon for confining it to a particular country ceafes, the exercife of the gift of tongues for the general difFufion of the know- ledge of it in the world is rcafonably to be expedcd. In the mean time the works already performed give us reafonable ground to cxpeft, that in due time that gift alfo D 4- will - ( ^s >, will be conferred in order to nrake this dodrine anfwcr the great and wife ends of its publication. Thus the miracles he has already performed arc evidences of this Perfon's divine million, whilft no fupcrior counter-evidence appears, and are proper pledges and earncfts of thofc greater works which our own reafon teaches us to ex- ped, and which it may be he foretels fliall in time be wrought for thg general fp^-cad- ing and lafiing fcttlement of his doftrine in the world, juft as in the cafe of Pro- phecies, thofe already accompliflicd are fit pledges of the accomplifhment of fuch as are to be accomplifhed in the latter ages of the world. This feems to us the proper evidence of revelation, but there is fomething more required in order to fatisfy them who live, at a greater diftance from the time when the revelation was firft made, that there has been a revtlation fo attefledj now the ut- moO: degree of evidence that can be afford- ed in this cafe, I think is this, viz. that a priori we have probable reafons to con- clude that God would make a revela- tion at the time when he did, fuch a re- velation as 'tis pretended he hath made and attcfted in fuch a manner, and by fuch me- thods as this is pretended to have been at- tefledj that the fadls on which this revela- tion is built be related in books, whole *^ genuinefs ( 19 ) genuinefs we have no more, nor indeed fo much rcafoa to qucftion as the genuinefs of any other ancient books; and upon fup- pofition of whofc genuinefs the fads are better fupported than any other ancient fads whatfoevcr; andlaftly, that there has been, and flill continues to be, Juft fuch a (late of things as muft neceffarily be the confeqtience of fuch fa^s fuppofed true, but as can ne- ver reafonably be fuppofed the confeqtience of fitch fa5is fuppofed falfe. Ail that remains now to be made out, is that fuch evidence as this is fufficient to determine our aflcnt. The evidence of re-r velation depends on the credibility of hu- man teflimonyy and this rcfts on this firna and immovealbe foundation of reafon, viz. that a rational being will always declare the truth as far as he knows it, when there is no reafon to the contrary. All the motives that , can be propofcd to the mind of man are viewed by an om- nifcient being; who therefore can pro- nounce with certainty coacerning any de- clarations of men, whether they are agreea- ble to their fenfe of things or no; but this is what we cannot do, only thus far we go, the more perfedly \ye are acquainted with the Pcrfon who makes a declaration, and with the rcalons which fhoiaid induce him cither to declare the truth or falfhood, the nearer will our judgment approach to ab- folute ( 2.0 ) fohite certainty. A reafonablc being that difcerns what is right and fit, and has no motives to ad otherwife, will always chufe to do what is right and fit: God there- fore always declares nothing as truth, but what he knows to be fo. Men may have motives to declare contrary to their fenfe of things, but as truth is a motive fitted to determine any reafonablc mind whatfoever when there is no fuperior motive, any one's teftimony is a reafon for the belief of what he teftifies, when there is no reafon to believe the contrary, and the reafon ga- thers flrength if the pcrfon be of known abilities, integrity, and have nointerefl: to de- ceive you, but quite contrary, if many others be joined with him in the teftimony, ^c. The credibility alfo of the thing atteft- ed is of great confequencc in the prefent cafe ; generally fpcaking, a reftimony con- cerning the truth of a fad that wc have known commonly to happen in the world, is the moft credible 5 and yet a cafe may be put wherein the unufualnefs of an e- vent fhall be no diminution of the evi- dence. It appears fir there fhould be a re- velation from God, and that the revela- tion be attefted by miracles s and the very nature of miracles is fuch, as fuppofcs their being unufual works. If then there be nothing in the nature of the dodrine attefted, or the mir*icks that atteft it un- worthy ( ^x ) worthy of God, and no want of evidence for proof of the fads, the objedtion againft miracles, from their being unufuai works, will at laft amount to thi5 grofs abfurdity, n)iz. that God cannot make a revelation when it appears fit he (hould make it, or that he fhould give no atteftation of it* truth at all ; or laftly, (hould atteft it by ordinary and common works of his provi- dence, i. e. by fuch works as are not at all fitted to atteft it ; which in other words is to fay, that a being of perfeft wifdoni can- not purfue an end which 'tis fit for him to purfue, or muft profccute it by means not at all fitted to the attainment of it. From what has been faid it evidently follows, that juft as a perfon who fhould deny that truth has any influence on the mind of man, or that fliould in his adions behave as tho' he was fo pcrfuadcd, would declare and aft contrary to truth: So he who (hould not give aflent to the tefti- mony of man, when there was no fupe- rior reafon to the contrary, would in like manner contradict truth 5 and that, tho' for want of knowinii; all the motives of hu- man teftimony, we may miftake in our judgments concerning the truth or falfhood of it. Yet we always act according to truth, when we behave asthofe who give credit to human teftimony, when there is no fupe- riour reafon to the contrary ; and on the " " ~ "^ contrary ( ii ) contrary we conrradid the truth, when we behave otherwifc. CHAP. III. Concerning the truth of the fa&s on which Chnftiamty is bmlt. HAVING fhewn what evidence may be expeded for revelation in general,, ana particularly for a revelation that pre- tends to be defigncd to anfwer thofe ends, which the Chriftian does, I (hall now examine whether the Chriftian revelation xealiy has this evidence or no. Now I think there arc but four ways by which we can be allured of the truth of ancient fadls. (i.) By monuments creded in me- mory of them, or feftivals obfcrved from age to age, (^c. Thus the grand facts of Mofess hiftory were preferved, and thus aUb were the main facts of the GofpeJ by xhz Lord's-fuppep, &c, fee Leflefs Ihort way with the Dcift. (2.) By authentick hiftorics, i. e. fuch as we have uncontrolled tradition to prove the genuinefs of, and fuch as were written by men who were well ac- quainted with the fafts, and had no inte- lell that fliould lead them to deceive us. I ihall not go over all the books which con- tain ( ^l ) tain the main fa(^s of Judaifm and Chrif- tianity, and lliew their genuinels and truth, which has been often done to excellent pur- pole by others, but fhall confine my felf to St. Ptf/z/'s Epiftles for the proof of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, which arc the mairi' evidence for Ghriftianiry. . f.; r I. Then I fhall prove the genuiricfs'o^ thefc'Epidlcs; and, '^-Ji 0ii\oQ : ■ 2. From thence eftablilhthe tmth of the fafts. ': • ' ^ (i.) Then that thefe Epiftle^^re genuine is plain, becaufe being addreffed to fuch noted churches, in fo confiderably popu- lous cities, and when Chriftianity had fpread' fo much, relating to fuch remarkable af- fairs, and containing fo many particulars of his own life and the circumft^nces of the churches to which he writes; if they had been forged, the forgery had been eafily de- teded by the clafhing of the accounts with each other, or their difagreement with Sr. haul's hiftory in the Ads 5 or laftiy, by exprefs declarations of thofe churches that they -had either never received any letters from St, 7aul relating to thefe affairs, or that thefe were not the letters, whereas on the -contrary ' Thirteen Epiftlcs of St. Taul were from the beginning acknowledged for his with- out one, as far as appears, oppofing their gtliuinefs, (2.) Sup- ( 24 ) (2.) Suppofing the genuincfs of them, the fads do prove themfelves. St, Taul addredes two of his Epiftles to churches that were tempted to dilcard his authority, when there were fomc that endeavoured to run him down, and had met but with too much fuccefs on fome members, par- ticularly in the church of Corinth : Now here the Apoftle not only appeals to the miracles he had wrought among them ; but even to thofe gifts he had conferred on them : how eaiily, if this had been all cheat, might the Apoftlc's pretenfions have been confuted ? how could thofe he wrote to be fatisfied with fuch a palpable noto- rious falfhood ? how is it poffible they who bore a fpleea againft the Apoftle, fhould have forborn to dete£l: the cheat and fink his credit for ever > fuppofing him but a man of common fenfe, had he known his caufe to be wrong, he would never have put it on fuch an ifluc as muft infallibly have difcovered his intrigues i I (hall only add, that fince it cannot be expedcd an adverfary, continuing fo, fhould relate the main fads of Chriftianity, thefc fadls being related by St. Vauly who had been an ad- verfary;, and thi^ in the way of an appeal to adverfaries, and the appeal unanfwered, is the higheft evidence we can poflibly have. See this argument managed to the great- eft ( IT ) eft advantage in the firft Eftay of Mifcella- nea Sacra, (3.) Another way oj eftablijhing the truth of ancient faEis is, by confidcring whether from preceding circumftances, it be proba- ble fuch things fhould have been done, at the time and in the place when they are faid to be done. A revelation is pretended from God, this is a thing credible, becaufewe feefome reafons for which God fhould make a re- velation. It is a thing credible there fhould be various revelations, all preparing the way for one full and complete, general and perpettial revelation. Such a revelation ap- pears, framed in all its parts to anfwer the end propofed, its doCtrincs fitted to attain the greateft end could be propofed by reve- lation, giving light to and completing the defign of former revelations i and for their divinity appealing to fuch evidence as is fitted to fprcad them generally in the world, and make them anfwer their defigned end, and for want of which thofe that had be- fore attepiptcd the reformation of man- kind, did not fucceed. A revelation, fuch as this, and fupportcd as this pretends to be, was at that time and in the then cir- cumftances of mankind abfolurcly necefla- ry for the thorough reformation of the world, and at all times and in all places. It contained the mca;nsthat appeared cxad- ( 2<^ ) ly fitted to attain the end of revelation, ^nd which natural rcafon could not fur- nifh with the knowIcd2;c of, viz. the doc- trine of eternal life. The Jewijh prophe- cies had raifcd over all the eaft an expec- tation of a great pcrfon to come. Chrifl: is faid to have appeared at a time when fiich cxpedations were raifed of him, at a time when the Roman arms h^d clvi- lizM a great part of the Vv^orld, amongft thofe people v/hofe cxpcdations of hirii were ftrongcft i and laftly, his doftrine is promulged in that part of the world that is thus civilized, and fo bcft prepared for receiving of it, as well as fitteft to qxamine the evidences of it. '^..'.'"^""'^ " ^'^ '(4) The lafl: way of examining an anti- Cnt iidi is by confidering whether there has been ever fince, and is now fuch a ftate of things in the w^orld,' aS muft certainly be fuppofed if thcle fafts were true, but- the contrary to which every rcafonable per^ fon would, have expected in cafe they had teen falfc. ' It'has nevcl* been denied by any that there was fuch a pcrfon as Jcfns, that he fiVed at fuch a time, place, drc. that he went about preaching good moral do(Strine, that he was one of mean birth and edu- cation, without power, inrereft, &c. *hat he was put to death, that he had in his life. ( ^n life- time foretold his refurredion withlrt fuch a time i that this was afterwards pre- tended to be fad by his followers; that his religion did liot die with him, but there was a very great fprcad of it not only in JudteUy but in other parts of the Roman Empire, even amidft violent and continued perfecutions in that and fome following a- ges 5 all which could never have happened if the fads on which his religion was found- ed had been proved falfe, as they muft, have been if they had been fo. The Jews have fince been fpread into all parts of the world 5 they are bitter ene- mies to the Gofpel, yet many of the fads of Chriftianity they own 5 others which they deny, they don't fo much as pretend to have any hiftory or tradition, giving an account of the manner of their being deteded. They have counter-hiftories to ours of later date, but then befides many palpable ab- furdities in them, and inconfiflencies with themf'-lves and other authentick hiflories, they contain nothing that affefts the truth of Chriftianity , fince they don't fo much as pre- tend that any thing of this was publifned at or near the time when the fads were done, or give any account how our pre- tended fads were deteded of falfnood. Nay> they dont fo much as pretend to have any authentick accounts, whether oral or written^ of the detedion of the £ falfhood ( i8 ) falfliood of our fads, or of any confequen- ces that might be fuppofed to follow fo important a tranfaftion. On the contrary, all the confequences arc juft the contrary to fuch a fuppofition, viz, a religion fpread not only without, but a- gainft power, policy, &c. Upon the whole then, what better proof can we have of a fad than this > here is dire£t pofitive evidence for it. We next confi- der what confequences might be fuppofed to follow, cither the truth or falfhood of it 5 we find the fads which did follow juft fuch as might be fuppofed to follow from it if true, and as would neceffarily be the confequence of that truth, if there were not fome other changes to hinder 5 'V. g. the Jews did not deted the cheat of Chri- ftianity : Now this on fuppofition of their Implacable hatred of Chriftianity and pow- er to have cruflied it, they muft neceffa- rily have done, except there were fomc more prevailing motive to the contrary, which does not appear. Chriftianity fpread in the world, there muft be fome caufc of this, and this of force to refift the hindrance of its fprea- ding from the meanefs of the teacher, want of power, policy, &c, contradiftious to prevailing dodrines, honours and interefls of men, &c. This ( ^9 ) This progrefs of the Gofpel is a nccefla- ry confcquencc of its truth and divine ori- ginal, but its fall is a neceflnry conicqucnce of its falfhood, except there were, which does not appear, a caufe fufficicnt to fup- port it, wiiich muft be a caufe adequate to the overcoming all the hindrances that lay in the w^ay of its fpreading. Again, if the fads of Chriftianity were falfe, 'tis another neceflary confequence of this, that men that hate it, and have pow- er to detcd the cheat^ fhould deted it, ex- cept, which does not appear, in the cafe of the JewSy there could be fuppofed more powerful motives to the contrary : laftly, if Chriftianity were a cheat, and had been (as it might reafonably be expeded it would be) dcteded for fuch, then if there w^ere a number of men fcattered and difpcrfcd into all quarters of the world that had a mortal hatred to it, prefcrvcd feparate and diftind through the fuccellive ages of the Gofpel's prevalence, defcendents of thofc that had dcteded the cheat, they muft have kept up the memory of this, and fpread the knowledge of the detedion as far as the knowledge of the cheat goes, all quite contrary to plain facl. Ail this reafoning is built on this, -uiz. that every cfFed mufl: have a caufe; and therefore, as it muft be influenced by fomething that precedes it, fo it muft draw fome confequenccs after it, E z on ( 3° ) on which the judgment that is pafled con- cerning future events depends, which in God, to whom all caufes are naked and open, is certain and infallible, but in us, who have an imperfed view of them, muft be fallible; but the more caufes we know that would produce an effed, and the more reafons we have to think there were other caufes in being that did hinder their operation, the nearer our judgments approach to ab- folute certainty. I will only add under this head, that as to the fad of the miracles of Chrift, and the gifts of the H. Ghoft exercifed by the Apoftles, and by them conferred on others, there will be as great difcovery of a mira- culous power if this were not fad as if it were. For fuice it was certainly gene- rally believed, there cannot be fuppofed a more miraculous power exerted, than that of making fo many perfons believe they faw works wrought w^hich they did not fee, and even that they experienced cer- tain powers within thcmfelves,which indeed they experienced nothing at all of: Stridly fpeaking wc have the original evidence for Chriftianity continued with us till this very age, fincc we fee Chriftianity continued and preferved in the world, which requires a power as exadly proportioned to this leffcr effed, as the other which attended it, to make it firft take root in the world, was to ( 31 ) to that greater efFeft 5 and fiiice we fee in the continuance of Chrifiianity in the world, the cfFed: of that power which firft caufcd it to take root, and without which we fee plainly, as it was at firft circumftanc- ed, it could never have taken root. We now fee the Gofpel received and believed in great part of the world 5 this could not be, if it had not broke through the difficulties which lay in the way of its firft fpreading in the world, but this it could never have jdone, if it had not been for thofe powers which attended it, and gave it that amaz- ing fuccefs : Particularly the gift of tongues, by which means a few illiterate men were enabled to fpread a religion amongft nati- ons whofe languages they had never learnt. CHAP. IV. A general account of the nature oj the Chrifiian Revelation. WE fhall, I apprehend, take in every thing effential to Chrifiianity, if we confider Chrift the author aud finilher of our faith in thefe three characters of a Prophet, Prieft and King. E 3 ^. Let ( S^ ) I. Let us confider him as a Prophet $ and as fuch, (i.) he has revived the prin- ciples of natural religion in the world. He has excited and awakened men to the fc- rious confideration of 'em, and directed ''em to fuch ufe of their rational faculties employed in contemplating the works of nature as would lead *em to the true no- tion of him. He has correded, by fetting before mens eyes the natural notions they have of God as creator and governor of the world, the corrapcions which negligence and vice had introduced $ he has givei: the clearcll and fulleft view of the perfcQions of God, of his providence, and the vari- ous methods of it pcifed-ly agreeable to our natural notions of things ; and this is a great help and ailiilance to our rcafon in the difcovery of the true founr^ation on which thefe principles arc to be laid. He has given a full difcovery of out natural du- ties, the notions of which were very much corrupted by the 'Jews^ delivered but imper- fedly in the law agreeably to the nature of the polity God then fet up, which was of a worldly and temporal nature j and not put: together in one complete fyftem, pure and unmixt, by any philofophcr that had ap- peared in the v>^orld. And all this he con- firmed by miracles, which flicwed at that time to the common people the authority of God, not in a long train of reafoning> but to their very fenfes. He ( 33 ) He poured out fuitable gifts on perfons fitted to fpread thefe doftrines in the world, who had a power of conferring 'em in various nieafures and degrees on others. Thefe gifts difpofed and enabled them to fpread their religion in the world, fup- plied the want of acquired abilities, and fhewed the wifdom and power they dif- covered were of God and not of men ,- by means of thefe the true worlhip and dif- cipline Chrift would have obferved were, as far as he dejigned, fettled and fix'd for all ages and nations. 2. He has revealed a-new fuch things, as are great helps to natural religion, but could not be difcovered without the aid of revelation: As (i.) The complete for- givenefs of our fins, or removing the en- tire punifhment of fin. Tis probable from God's method of dealing with us, that he does not defign to inflid on us the utmoft punifliment we might conceive due to fin. If God does not fee fit to annihilate us, as perfeft virtue will be complete happinefs, fo will imperfed virtue be imperfed happi- nefs, and in proportion to the degrees of the virtue will be the degrees of the happinefs. And by confequence, as repentance in fome meafure repairs the diforders in our ftate of virtue, lo it will proportionably in that of happmefs : But then that all the ill con- fequences of our fins fhall in time be re- E 4 moved 5 ( 34 ) moved -, that we fhall have no marks of God's difplealurc, that (hould abate the na- tural rewards of virtue 5 and laftly, that the grand punifhmcnt of fin, viz. death, fhall be removed, (which is not known to be the punifliment of fin by the light of nature) thcfi: things only revelation could certainly difizover. (2.) God's perfed reconciliation, ib as to beftow on our inipcrfeft virtue, the reward originally due to perfeft righte- oufncfs. This one would never have expeded, and indeed it would hardly be credible now it is laid to*be revealed, if it were not for the wife and holy manner in which wp are defcribed as coming to be partakers of this reconciliation. The Gofpel reprefents, that God has not fet afide his laws, or the iandions of his laws 5 that as death, the original defigned punifliment of fin, en- tered by the firil fin of man, (6 life, the original defigned reward of righteoufnefs, entered through that man alone who per- formed complete obedience : And that as we are conformed to the firft man in pu* nifhment by conformity to him in fin, we are partakers in our meafure and degree of the reward of the fccond, by partaking in proportionable degrees of his virtue and holinefs. 3. The doftrinc of divine afllftances, in prder to perfprm our duty^ that we fhould have ( 35) have affiftances in performance of our duty; by divine influence on our minds, appears probable from confidering how difficult our combate is in the caufe of virtue, iiow agreeable our improvements are to the di- vine Being, and how eafiiy he can influ- ence our niinds, according to- ftated fet- tled laws, without difturbing the prefcnt order of things j and how fuitable this is to his method of governing the natural world which requires the continual interpofition of his power for preferving and directing the motions of matter ; and that his alike continual interpofitions for aflifting the minds of rational beings in the acquiring of virtue, no lefs fuits him as the moral, than the other as the natural governor of the world, and efpecially fince this may be done in fo eafy and regular a manner -, that the one fhall as much feem to proceed from the natural powers of our fouls, as the other from the natural powers of mat- ter : And thqs the regularity and harmony of the divine government, both in the na- tural and moral world are admirably pre- ferved. But then on the other hand, that befides this ordinary affiftance God fliould give the gifts of the Holy Ghofl: to the main body of the church at firfl:, for the inlightning 'em in fuch truths as have been faithfully delivered to us, and for the confir- ^latipn of the chriftian faith both to them and us. '( l6 ) uSy for the afiuring the believing Gentiles in all ages that they are children of God, and fo heirs of an eternal inheritance 5 and tJiiis filling their minds with peace, joy, and patience, under the fevevcft fufFer- ings for the fake of the Gofpel, was ow- ing to his* free grace and favour, and was a difpenfation of wifdom unfearchable to us. 4. Chrift has difcovered the full re- wards of virtue in another world. That virtue tends to promote happinefs ; that it therefore probably procures it in time; and will certainly effed it in eter- nity 5 that in the natural courfe of things, in exaft proportion to his virtue will be the happinefs of a reafonable be- ing 5 that tiierefore even here virtue gene- rally promotes happinefs^ equal degrees of virtue equal happinefs, proportionable, proportionable degrees ; that fo it fhould be, appears thus to be the will of the Au- thor of nature ; that however, without a conftant interruption of the order of things which neither fuits our idea of a wife go- vernour, nor the methods by which God does aftually govern the world -, fuch re- wards cannot be exaflly adjufted to virtue here 5 that therefore the rewards h.ere are but the beginnings of the rccompences of vir- tue, that not only a particular virtuous ac- tion or two, but virtue wherever and when- ever ( 37) ever praflis'd, (hall meet with a reward exactly proportioned to it hereafter ; fincc otherwiie the defigns of a being of perfedt wifdom would be left unfinifhcd and with- out producing their intirc effcfts, all this may be learnt from the light of nature. But then in this way we can only learn the natu- ral confequences of virtue in a future ftate 5 as God does not conflantly interpofe here for the encouragement of virtue, fo we could learn nothing of fuch conftant in- terpofitions in another world ; on the con- trary we might from analogy argue that he would not thus conflantly interpofe ;' and though as one natural effed of virtue is its influence on the favour of God, we cannot demonftrate there fliall be no ad- ditional difcoveries of that ^ yet that there will be, or what they will be, if any, na- tural reafon cannot difcover i as natural reafon does not difcover death as the pu- nifhment of fin, fo neither a reftoration to life as the revv^ard of righteoufnefs ; and as our virtue here is imperfeft it cannot dif- cover our ftate of trial is ended, nor point out the time when we (hall be fix'd in the poffefllon of our full zw^ final reward. a. We may confidcr Chrift as a Prieft. Chrift was obedient to death, he died to deliver us from death, as facritices were anciently flain in the room of the offen- der j this aft of his cfpecially, as the con- ^ cludmg ( 38 ) eluding and finifhing part of a perfcdly obedient life, was peculiarly acceptable to God, more acceptable than any facrifices under the law could be, as performed in obedience to his will. As a tcftimony of his being thus accepted with him, God raif- cd him from the dead : As his refurreftion was the fign to which he appealed in his life- time for the proof of his miflion, if he had not been raifed from the dead he muft have been an impoftor, and his pre- tended ad of obedience in fubmitting to death not at all acceptable to God. Be- ing raifed from the dead he afcended into heaven, and was fo highly advanced there as to receive full power of beftowing all thofe bleflings on us, we are rendered meet to receive, by thofe good difpofitions which prayer to God has a tendency to difcover and promote. And now this ac- count fhcws why Chrift is reprcfentcd dy- ing as a facrifice 5 why fo much flrcfs is in fome places laid on his death, and yet in others even greater on his refurreftion ; how he is faid to be confecrated a Prieft at his refurredion, and why he is reprc- fentcd as entring with his blood into the heavens to make an atonement for us there i as the High Prieft entered with the blood of the facrificed beaft into the Holy of Holies to make an atonement for the people of IfraeL Death entered by fm ; life ( 39 ) life was to re-enter by righteoufnefs ; there- fore through Chrift only, whofc whole life was without ftain, and whofe obedi- ence to death was a complete difcovery of an intire conqueft of fin, Rom. viii. 3. Thus there was a perfed expiation of fin, God difcovered a becoming regard to the honour of his laws and government, his equal and fteady government not drop- ping the fandions of his laws, and there- fore not fufFering life to enter till righteouf- nefs, to which it was annexed as a reward, had entered alfo ; thus fetting a perfeft example of virtue and of the reward of it, and yet encouraging our imperfect virtue, by beftowing as a reward of the perfedt .virtue of Chrift, a power to beftow de- grees of happinefs in a future life on us, proportioned to our virtue here *. This is the account the Scripture gives us of Chrift's Pricfthood, and in this we may fee the following inftances of wif- dom. * Chrift's Prii'ilhood is all along reprefented after the man- ner of the Levitical Pricfthood ; thus he is defcribed as appear- ing in the prefence of God for us, as the High Pricft prcfent- ted before God the blood of the facrihced beaft m the Holy of Holies; and inallufion to the fame Pricfthood, it fcemsto me that our Saviour is defcribed as interceding for us ; whereas in other places it is clearly reprcicnted, that he had by his obedi- ent fuftbrings obtained the full power of beftowing all fuitable blefllngs on his people, and £o needed not continually to renew his prayers for a power akeady given hini^ (I.) la ( 40 ) ' (i.) In God's appointing fo excellent at perfon as his own Son for this purpofe, by which he more efFeftually difcovers his hatred of fin and regard to the honour of his laws and government on the one hand^ and his love to finners on the other. (2 ) In his appointing a man to expiate for the fins ot men, on which the Apo- ftle feems to lay great ftrefs^ Rom, v. and Heb, ii. and no wonder, fince thus all the wife ends mentioned above were anfwer- cd, which could not be by the facrifices of beafts, which could not therefore take away fin, nor fully reprefent that facrifice .which did j but only as they were appoin- ted of God, led mens thoughts to fome more perfed expiation he would in time appoint (though what it (hould be they could not tell) by which this defign of accepting an atonement for the fins of men God has imperfedly difcovered, fhall be fully and completely executed, as the Iha- dow caft by a luminous body, docs not reprefent the luminous body, like an image formed by it ; but only difcovers that fome luminous body there is : See the intire 9th Chap, to the Hebrews and beginning of the loth. (5.) In God's reprefenting to us the new covenant as founded in Chrift's bloody whereby vaft encouragement is given us, and great aid to our weaknefs, as in ano- ther (41 ) ther cafe by God's adding the fecurity of his oath to his promifc. (4.) By Chrift's being reprefented always in heaven in the prelence of God, inter- ceding for us with him, which is a great help to our weaknefs 5 though it be cer- tainly true that God is ever of himfelf difpofed to give us thofe good things he fcQS fit for us, in that way he Ccqs bcft. 3. Chrift is reprefented as a King ; while on earth he aded as a prophet, and reveal- ed the will of God, but after his refurrec- tion, he was made head over all, angels and men. He then fent down the gifts of the Holy Ghoft as marks of royalty 5 the Apoftles were eminently indued with thefe gifts, and thus qualified to be the prime minifters in Chrift's kingdom. Chrift now over-rules all things for the good of his Church ,• and will at length fet up a glori- ous, peaceful, and profperous and holy king- dom over all nations, before the conclufi- on of which he will raife the dead, judge every one according to his works, and then deliver up the kingdom to the Fa- ther. Now in this account of Chrift's kingdom we may obferve the following inftanccs of wifdom. (i.) In the appointment of the perfoa to be the Lord and Judge of allj him who by his knowledge and power is fitted to manage ( 42. ) manage all affairs of the world, and by the dignity of his nature and his near re- lation to God might add authority to all his laws 5 him whofe government is recom- mended by the moil endearing confiderati- on of his having voluntarily given up him- felf to death for us, to obtain this pro- priety in us, and in whofe direftion of all affairs for our good wc may reft with the grcateft fecurity ; by intrufting whom with the management of all affairs, and particu- larly the determining our final ftate, our regards to him are fecured and our hope in God ftrengthned 5 a fuitable reward i^ beftowcd on his extraordinary virtue, one is appointed to be our judge, who as man can become vifible to us, and as Mediator is fitted to judge all according to his own merciful law. (2.) In the frame of Chrift'slaws, which are all founded in truth and reafon ; if it were, as has been fhewn, reafonable for God to appoint a Mediator, then it muft be reafonable, when there is fuch an ap- pointment, to acknowledge it and behave fuitably to it; for it is a law of reafon to behave fuitably in all the circumftances in which wc are placed 5 though therefore na- tural reafon could not difcover a Mediator^ yet when the appointment of him is dif- covered, all thofc aftions by which there is cxprefled a becoming fenfe of fuch appoint* z ~ menl (45 ) ment appear reafonable, and therefore It appears reafonable that in our prayers and thankfgivings we fliould exprefs our re- ceiving our bleffings through the hands of this Mediator God has appointed, efpeci- ally confidering that this tends to promote that fear of finning, and humility on the one hand, and that fteady hope and truft in God on the other, for advancing which excellent ends God is fuppofed to have ap- pointed a Mediator. (3 .) In the account we have of this Judg- ment, that at the conclufion of this Scene of things, when God's providences towards the inhabitants of our earth are clofed up, when there has been fufficient trial of the virtue of all, there fliould be a review of our aftions, that they fliould be all, at a certain appointed time, called over and fo- lemnly accounted for 5 and thus the wifdom, juftice and goodnefs of God in all his pail and future dealings with men fully cleared up, before all men are to receive from the appointed judge their full and final rewards, feems very agreeable to natural reafon. That this fhould be done with the folemnities dcfcribed in the New Teftament, £0 apt to ftrike our imaginations and move our paflions, the greatj fprings of adions, feems alfo no lefs agreeable to the wifdom of God's government 5 and one confidera- ble part of this, 'uiz. the burning up this F earth (44) earth fot the punifliment of the wicked is agreeable to God's pad proceeding in de- ftroying the old earth by water, and to a tradition that has had a very large fpread among the Heathens. That there fliould be a folemn fixed time of confide- table length appointed for this, feems to follow naturally from the fuppofition of there being fuch a judgment of all 5 if this judgment be nothing elfe but mens appointment to the refpeftive recompen- ces of their aftions, that requires no length of time nor folemnity of proceeding at all : But if there 'be fuch a folemn judg- ment that bears fome refemblance to fuch proceedings amongft us, as the Scripture plainly fuppofes, it muft take up confider- able time ; God can do things in an in* ftant, as in making or drowning our earth 5 but if he works in a natural way, as he feems reprefcnted to have done in both thefe adions, he muft beaconfiderable time in performing them. Natural reafon fhews the neceftary confequences of virtue and vice in eternity, and thefe confequences as arifing from the will of the author of na- ture ; but this won't affed fo much the common people, as they won't eafily be fatisficd of the ncceiTary confequence of things in eternity, when they do not fee it in time, and will want fome plain difco- veries of the favour and wrath of God. To ( 4$ ) To afFe£l them religion mufl: be brought down to their fenfes and imaginations, and ftir their pafllons, to which ends nothing can be better adapted than the Scripture account of the future judgment. And the knowledge of fuch a judgment as this is wholly owing to revelation, and came to the Gentiles wholly by the Gofpel revela- tion, according to the Apoftle's account, jiBs xvii. 31. CorolL I. We fee the true notion of Chriftianity, viz. natural religion revived, cleared, improved, ftrengthened and aflift- cd by farther difcoveries beyond what rea- fon could give, which guards againfl: two extremes of making Chriftianity wholly contrary to, or at leaft independent oil natural religion, or making it nothing elfe but natural religion revived. CorolL 2. We fee how excellently Chrif- tianity fuits our natural notions of a reve- lation, viz. as clearing and ftrengthning the principles and motives of natural reli- gion, and fupcradding fuch difcoveries as do enlarge the minds of all, furnifh with new motives to the praftice of holinefs, and are particularly adapted to aflift the "weaknefs of the bulk of mankind, and in a manner fuited to their capacities and cir- cumftances, dired and influence them in the particulars of their duty. J 2 CHAP. (40 CHAP. V. Of the internal evidence for Chrtjlia-' nity^ as compared with former re* velattons. IN confidering this argument, I (hall i.^ take a view of Chriftianity in its rela- tion to former revelations, and confider it as the pcrfeftion of 'em, and compleating their defign as it pretends to do. 2. As it is in itfelf in all the feveral parts of it, tend- ing to promote an end worthy of God. I. Then, I Ihall confider Chriftianity in the relation it bears to former revelations. (i .) Tis a thing credible in it felf ; that a being of perfect knowledge and goodnefs, fhould make various revelations of his will to fuch weak and ignorant creatures as we, according to our various exigencies. (2.) That fomething (hould be revealed to us which we could not otherwife have known, but which is of great ufe as a means to promote holinefs, and which when revealed approves it feif to our ftrift- cft reafon. (3 .) Such a revelation is that concerning eternal life as the reward of righteoufnefs ; death is that which all dread as the fum of natural ( 47 ) natural evils which we here feel, to which they all lead, and in which they end, and life is what we all defire 5 we find at prc- fent that the exercife of our powers, and our perception of pleafure depends on the tem- perament of the body, and tho' this tem- perament be not always the mod happy, which therefore we can't but wifh altered 5 yet as we feem of that order of beings ^hofe operations are not wholly independent on matter ; and as we find by experience our happincfs at prefent depends much on the bodily frame, we can't but defire the con- tinuance of the union between the foul and body difpofed fo, as in the beft manner to be inftrumental to it in its operations and perceptions of pleafure, or if it be difcon- tinucd, to have it reftored to this ftate 5 and therefore the Apoftle defcribes even the Heathens as groaning after eternal life, be- caufe, tho' they had no notice of a refur- reftion, yet they naturally defired thofe bleflings which really belong only to thofe that are the children of God, by being children of the refurreftion. Rom, viii. 19. This eternal life could not be known without a revelation. Death is the natural confequence of the make of our bodies, and can be prevented only by the will of God ordering it other- wife i which will of God, fince we don't F S know ( 48 ) know the motives that determine it, muft be unknown to us. But when revelation has made knowri this, it appears moft reafonable 5 for wha? can be more fit than that natural evils, and fo death, the fum of 'em, (hould be the cffcd of moral evil 5 and that life, the funi of natural bleffings, fhould be the coiife- quence of moral good? (4.) This revelation of eternal life was firft made to Adam in Paradife. There was a particular command given him to abftain from the fruit of one tree in the garden which was in its own na- ture hurtful to him, on pain of death. This ITiews that perfed rightcoufnefs would have procured him eternal life -, the thrcatning of death to fin, implying the promife of life to rightcoufnefs. This law was given him by way of tryal, and the propereft tryal in the world it was of his fubmiilion to God's wifdom, and the fubjedion of his appetites to reafon, which two difpofitions lead to the pradice of all virtue. He fin- ned by fuffering his appetites to prevail fo far as to render him inattentive to the rea- fons which would have fhewn him, tha^ the doing of what he had fo great evi- dence of God's having forbidden him, could never procure him the means of at- taining happincfs, and avoiding mifeiy, Now ( 49 ) Kow as this law was given by way of trial of virtue, 'tis plain that eternal life could only belong to Adaniy if he had been virtuous in every other inftance as well as that of obedience to this law^ that death then mufl be the wages of every fin, and eternal life only the reward of perfed righ- reoufnefs. (y .) After the fall this life was forfeited, but God gives fome hopes of a reftoration to it by promifing, that mankind fhould at laft prevail over that fpecies of creatures the ferpent, or thofe fuperior beings, whofe head or chief now appeared in the form of a ferpent, and by thus putting on the appearance of a divine meffenger pretending to explain far- ther a command before received, deceived our firft parents, and brought fin and death into the world. The promife therefore of mankind's at laft bruifing his head, the feat and the emblem of power, feems to imply the defeating his defign of bringing on them eternal death, and deftroyinghis mor-^ tal power by the introduftion of life by righteoufnefs. Thcfe hopes were kept alive by expia- tory facrifices, which ffeem an appoint- ment of God, to fhew the defert of fin, to give perfons the firft notion of death, to fhew that God was not wholly implacable, and by thus reprieving life, to give fome faintf hopes of a reftoration to eternal life \ from f ^ theic (so) thefe imperfect expiations tb lead to the cxpedation of feme perfed expiation to be appointed in time by that Being whofe wife defigns are ever executed, and whofe works are never imperfed. (6.) God's expreffing in the e^rly ages of the world his diftinguifhing regard to the virtuous as in the cafe of j4i^el, and yet not diftinguifhing 'em by his favours in this life, led men naturally to exped 'em in another world. (7.) The covenant of temporal bleflings with Noah would eafily be confidered as a pledge of eternal ones s the removing one part of the original curfe, viz, that on the ground, naturally leading men to hope it was God's defign in time to remove the whole curfe, and fo that of death on man. (8.) For a reward of Abraham'^ extraor- dinary faith, God promifed to blefs him in fo eminent a manner, that he fhould be the pattern of bleffing to all nations, Gen. xii. 3. after whofe example, when they wiflied happinefs for themfelves or others, they fhould defire to be bleffed. Abraham might eafiiy underftand from the event that this was not to be underftood of any ex- traordinary temporal bleflings, neither could he apprehend temporal bleflings to be the complete rewards of that obedience God ^was pleafed to accept ; afterwards God (Gm. XV. 6.) fully explains this, when he ac- 2 " ~ counted ( n ) counted faith to him for righteoufne fs, /. e, declared his acceptance of his faith, fo as to give him a title thereby to life, the reward of righteoufnefs. And when Gen. xvii. he promifes to Abraham and his feed, /. e, thofe of them that were imitators of his faith, as Ifaac was, Gen, xxi. 12. Chaf, xvii. 19? 2.0, 21. Rom, ix. 7. to be their God, the import of this promife is that he would beftow on them the reward originally due by God's promife to righteoufnefs, viz, eternal life, which fmce death now by God's appoint- ment pafles on all, muft include a refur- reftion to that life. And this is the argu- ment for the refurredion our Saviour ur- ges againft the SadduceSy Luke xx. 37, s^. Jehovah was the God of the faithful Patri- archs, therefore of ^/Z the faithful, i. e. their governour and rewarder, /. e. the bcftower of eternal life on them, /. e, the raifer of them to life, fince, according to the gene- ral law of nature, they die as others do 5 God is not the God of the dead, /. e. of thofe that die fo as not to live again 5 the Patriarchs therefore, though at the time God declared himfclf to Mofes to be their God, they were dead to the worlds yet were a- live to God, as it lay within the power ibi God to raife them to life when he pleafed, and therefore God might be faid to be their God, /. e, their rewarder or the beftower ( p ) beftower of eternal life on them, though at that time they were dead, juft as Abra-^ ham is faid by the Apoftle to be the father of us alU Gentiles as well as Jews that believe, in the fight of God, who quickneth the dead and calleth thofe things that be not as thd they were^ Rom. iv. i6, 17. *. Abraham * The word God in Scripture is a relative term, and figni- fies dominion and authority, and on this account, thofe that are Hke God in dominion, as Adam in innocence was, Gm. i. a6, 27. Lt are fpiritual, and their fancSions eternal ; and when God made his promifes to the Patriarchs, he was not ^temporal King to any. Promifes are to be taken in the moft extenfire fcnfe, where there is nothing in the nature of the thing, or in the context, ^c. to limit them. The promife then of being the God of the Patriarchs is moft naturally under flood of his being their eternal rewarder. Jehovah is faid to be their God on account of their faith and obedience, /. e. on account of their unfeigned fubmilTion to the fpiritual government of God, and ib being intituled to it* eternal blelTings j God counted faith to them for righteoufnefs, i. e. fo as to intitle them to the reward of righteoufnefs, eter- nal life ; God did not beftow on them diftinguifhing temporal blefllngsi fuch as the pofTeflion of Canaan, in which they were but ftrangers and pilgrims, He6. xi. p. »3. When God promi- fes to be the God of J.braham and his feed, this covenant is exprefly faid to be made with Ifaac and his feed, /. e. with the imitators of Abraham^ faith, in exprefs contradiftindi- on tQ the natural feed of Abraham that were not imitators of his faith, as ifimaeh Gen. xvii. 19, 20, ai. xxi. 9, 10, 12, 13. and laftly, with the promife of being the God of Abra- ham and his feed, is joined, that of giving Canaan for an ever- lafting inheritance, which fhews plainly that the promife be- longs not to Abraham'^ natural feed, as fuch, for then ifjmael and Efau had been entituled to it j nor to any part of Abraham*^ natural feed, but as imitators of his faith ; and therefore the Ifraelites have forfeited this blefTing by their infidelity ; and will be reftored to it in the latter days only on their returning to the imitation of faithful Ahrahamy 2 Sam. vii. 10. Ezek.xxxwii: Jfaiah h. 19, to the end; Ixv; 17, 18, 19. Ixvi. 22, Jer, xxxi. 31, — 35*. If we carry our inquiries fb far as the Nev* Teftament, we fhall find, that as Chrifl: alone was perfedly o- b>edient to the will of God, and fo had alone a right to eternal life, the reward of righteoufnefs j Jehovah is faid in a peculiar manner to be his God as well as Father ; and thus, in a lower fenfe, he is called the God of all that by faith are, through Chrift, entitled to eternal life, and in fome places he is repre- iented, as the God of the whole body of profeffed believers, jufli as he was of the whole Jewifh nation formerly, becaufe they o'nly, of all the nations of the earth, profeffed fubjedtion to Je- hovah, ;he creator of heaven and earth, I upon ( J4 ) Upon the lafl: and fulleft difcovery of A- braham*s faith in offering up his Ton, God promifcd that his feed fhould in like man- ner be fuch an example of bleffednefs as he was j how this was to be, perhaps A- braham could not at firft underftand 5 but fmce prophecies and the event have explain- ed it to mean, that as death entered by the fm of one man, fo one man of Abra- ham's feed fhould be intitled to life by righteoufnefs, and thus (hould be to all, the pattern and exemplar of righteoufnefs, and of the reward of it, which reward God is gracioufly pleafed to beftow on thofe who are conformed to his righteoufnefs by fmcerity. (9.) As a farther reward of Abrahams extraordinary faith, to preferve the pure worfhip of God in the world, and the tra- dition of that eminent perfon who was to bring life, God feparated fome of Abra- ham's pofterity 5 promifed them a fruitful country for their habitation ; gave them the vifible fymbols of his prefence; fettled a body of laws with proper temporal fanc- tions ; and thefe to be executed by proper minifters of his appointment 5 and laftly, from time to time, raifed up thofe who fhould keep alive the great promife of A- braham^s feed, and farther explain it. See an excellent account of the Jewifh confti- tution ( 55 ) tutlon in the late effay on the feveral dif- pcnfations of God to mankind, J?ag. 35. (10.) The law of Alofes was in all its parts fitted to anfwer the great end of reve- lation. It fhewed what is theconfequencc of fin, and what of righteoufnefs, by threat- ning death to the one and promifing life to the other ,• in this way indeed it could not confer life, which if it had done it had been contrary to the Abrahamick covenant, which promifed life to all nations on the condition of faith : It thus convinced of iin, and led men to exped life in the way of faith in which it was before promifed to Abraham^ and to wait for the more full difcovery of this life by that feed of Abra- ham, which was, as the prophecies given from time to time to the Jewifl) Church did gradually explain, to bring it into the world. The expiations of the law, fhewed men the defert of fin, reprefented God to them as not abfolutely implacable, and led them to the hopes of fome perfeft expiation, they could not tell what, but fuch as God's wifdom fhould pitch on for the com- plete expiation of all fin whatever. To thofe who have fcen the lafl: reve- lation of God's will, and difcern how it is the completion of all his former revela- tions ; how many things there are in it agreeing with former revelations, and that {how ( y<5 ) fhcw a reafonablenefs in fome former lii- ftitutions which otherwife appear triflings' there appears a moral fitnefs in many ap- pointments of MofeSy the reafons of whicht the Ifraelites at that time could have no notion of. In order to preferve the Ifra- elites from falling into the corruptions of other nations, it was neceffary they fhould have laws given them that fhould by pre- fcribing different methods of eating and drinking, ^c. by rites, as circumcifion, that would make them ridiculous or odi- ous to other nations, keep them a feparatc and diftinft people ; and efpecially that by prefcribing different and oppofite rites to thofc of the neighbour nations in their worfhip, Ihould preferve them from mix- ing with them in their idolatries ; thefe laws mufl be fuited to their particular ge- nius and conflitution 5 and in order to pre- ferve fo flubborn a people within fome bounds, mufl make fome indulgences to them ; as in prefcribing a pompous ceremo- nial worfhip, allowing divorce, &c. As they were under the peculiar government of God, confidered as a nation, and as God governed (like earthly kings) by pro- per minifters, whom he endowed with no fupernatural gifts to enable them to difco- ver who had the principles of virtue or vice, and deferved the different rewards of the one or the other, which indeed it was not ( 57 ) jiot proper fliould be diftributed in this life; fo thefe laws muft chiefly relate to overt- afts, and thofe refpeding either the homage to be paid to God, their king, or a fuitable behaviour towards the Ifraelites their fel- low fubjefts : But thefe wife and good men, under the law of Afoy^j, could not but con- clude, that there was a law of reafon ante- cedent to this of MofeSy which prefcribed to the thoughts as well as the outward aftions, Avhich was univerfal, and the fanftionsof which could not be fully executed in this life, and thcMofaick conftitution would help fuch confiderate perfons to the more perfeft difco- very of this univerfal fpiritual law, and its fandions. The Jewijh government, tho* in fomc rneafure like that of other nations, differs in this material point, 'viz. that God is the head of that fociety, in a peculiar manner. Now, tho' for wife reafons the main body of the laws he prefcribes muft relate to the external adions, and their fanftions muft be temporal 5 yet thefe who are under this peculiar law of God, muft be confidered as under the law of reafon, which is God's general law, and they can't be fuppofed intituled to the favour of God, if they allow themfelves in the breach of that law in any inftance, tho* they (hould perfeftly comply with the other; juft as ^^^;;^ would not have been intituled to eternal life, if he ( 58 ) he had failed in the breach of the law of rcafon in any inftance, tho* he had compli- ed with that particular pofitive law that was given him. The law of Mofes helps to the knowledge of the law of nature, by giving us the general heads of our duty, relpeding God and our neighbour 5 to which others may be reduced by parity of reafon, which the law of reafon (which we are under to God antecedently to any pofitive law, and which this particular pofitive law calls us to attend to,) lays us under an obligation of endeavouring to attain the knowledge of, and forming our pradice accordingly. The law of Mofes^ by prefcribing to the thoughts in fome particular inftances, leads us to at- -tend to the rcafons which arc equally ftrong for our government of them in all cafes 5 by giving us fuch general principles as the love of God and our neighbour, from which our whole duty may be deduced, it excites us to the making that proper ufe of our xeafon. By threatening death to fm, and pro- mifing life to righteoufnefs, it keeps alive on men's minds the fenfe of the original po- fitive fandions of God's law, which the Hea^ thens were neceffarily unacquainted with. By refoiving the obligation of all moral virtues direftly into the authority of God? it kept alive a fenfe of that upon men's minds, which thofe among the HeathenSy who (59) who had gone fartheft in fhoAvIng the rea> fonablenels of virtue, feem to have had but little notion of. By reprefenting the natural confcquences of virtue and vice as proceeding from the will of God, fince the one was made the fubjed of promifc, the other of threaten- ings, it kept alive on men's minds the fenfe of God as the revvarder of them that diligently feck him ; and fince it appears that thefe are not equally nor completely executed in this life, it taught 'em to look for another. As their reafon raught them that God was the Governor of the world by a law with fpiritual fanftions, as well as of one particular people, by a law with temporal fanftions ; fo the execution of the latter, by proper miniftcrs appointed for that pur- pofc, led them to expe^ft the alike execution of the former, when God faw fit and proper that it fhould be done, which 'tis evident can't be, completely, in this life. Before the law there was the Abraharnick covenant, which promifed eternal life to faith: This then naturally led them to think, that tho' as they broke the law they could not be free from that death which fin firfl introduced, and ever fince continued in the world ; yet that the promife of life made to Abrahamy and in him, to all the faithful, fhould be fulfilled in the refurrcftion of all the faithful (even tho', like Abraham, ihc^ G had ( 6o ) had in fomc inftances broken the law of God that they were under) to an eternal life of happinefs : Had the knowledge of eter- nal life, which the Abrahamick covenant thus furnifhed the Ifraelites with, direft- cd them to their fpiritual duties of felf- denial, heavenly-mindednefs, (^c. See the Effay on the feveral difpenfations^ p. 51. Corol From what has been faid under this head, we may fee how to reconcile the different and feemingly oppofite accounts of the law, both in the old and new Tefta« xnent. Thus we underftand how our Saviour, Mat. xix. comes to promife the young man eternal life on obedience to the law, refering him for the knowledge of the terms of life, to the ten commandments, and direfting him, by his explication of the laft of them, to the Obferving the obligation he was under, as a reafonable creature, to exercife a due government over his thoughts at all times, and not merely to abftain from injuring his neighbour in the particular inftances men- tioned, but to do good to him in all in- jftances whatever. Thus we fee how Chrift, in his dif- courfe on the mount, very wifely correds the miftakes of the Jews in his time, who regarded only temporal laws and temporal fanftions, and direds them to thofe fpiritual precepts. ( 6i) precepts, with their fpiritual fanflions, which would approve themfelvcs to their uncorrupted reafon, extending, by a parity of reafon, the law which prefcribed the curbing fome irregular appetites to an obli- gation to the fubduing all. Thus St, T aid's different accounts of the law, as witncfllng to the dodrineof faith, and yet prefcribing perfed works as the term of life i as car- nal, confiding of carnal ordinances, and yet fpiritual, Ihewing him, that defires of evil were finful 5 and laftly, as promiiing eternal life, and yet having fandions of a temporal nature, are cafily reconciled to- gether. (ii.) The 'Tis plain that St. Vaul fbmetimes in his difcourfes concern- ing juftification, does not merely undcrftand the political law of the ferffs, but a pofitive law, threatening death to fin . Ac- cording to the apoflle, fin is not imputed where there is no fuch pofitive law. 'Tis this which gives fin its value, as it were, afligning the punifhment which is due to it. The original law, which affigned the due punifhment of finj fVas the law given to Adam-y and by this law, all from Adam to Mofes died, even tho' they had not finned Wke Adam, r, e. hj the breach of a pofitive law, threatening death. The law of Mofes threatened violent death, either by God's own hands im- mediately, or by the hands of the magiftrate, confidercd as his minifter, to all the breakers of it. This law of Mofes was not the original law, in confequence of which men die ; for all died from Adam to Mofes -, and tho' perfons, by offering the ap- pointed facrifices.were fecured from that violent death which was threatened by the law of Mofes i yet ftill they muft ('as the Apoftle often obferves) die as jmnersy in confequence of the law threatening death to fin, i.e. the originallaw givcuio Adam^ the lenfe of which Mofes's law, by the threatening of: death to every breach of it, and by the fubftitution of facrifices, which reprefents the delert of fin, ferved to revive on the minds of men, G X See ( 67 ) (i I.) The prophets were raifed up in the Jewtjh church to enforce the obligations of morality; to keep alive the fenfe of the Abrahamick covenant % to reprove the na- tion. See Rom. ii. u, 15, 14, 15-. in. lOj 11, 22, 23, 27, 28, 31. iv. If. V. 13. vii. p. viii. 4. Gal, iii. 12. G^/. v. 3, 4»i*- . This may lerve to reconcile the differences of learned men, concerning the law of Mofesj and St. Paul's reafonings about juftification. 'Tis evident the law of Mofes is a political law, and thus the jnain precepts of it mull be external, and the promifes and threatenings temporal ; but then there is this difference between the Jemjh polity and all others^ that their government was a theocracy. Now 'tis certain, that God is the Governor of all reafbnable creatures, by the law of reafon, and the natural confcquences of obedience or difbbedience to that law, for as long time as our cxiftence continues^ he muft then be the Ipirituai as well as tem- poral Governor of the Ifraelites. The main body of the Jemjh laws were of an external nature j and as political laws, they allowed ibmc things to the Jews, that were contrary to the law of naturej i. e, they did not punifhfuch crimes, with the death threatened to others. But ftill, as the Jevos were under the law of nature, they were obliged to every thing their reafon taught them to be good, whether expreffed in the law or no; they were under the fame law of nature with others, and were helped to difcovcr this, by the general laws of nature cxpreiTed in the law, by particular laws, to which others might he re- duced by parity of reafon, ^c. but ftill their obligation to obey thofe laws which their realbn thus deduced from the others, arifes only from the obligation they, with all the reft of man- kind, are under to obey reafon. The JeTvtJlj law was of a political nature ; but as it was a law of God, a fofiuve law of God (like that to Adam) declaring death to be the wages of fin, the Apoftle defcribes the righteouf- ncfs of the law, or that way of juftification by perfed: unfin- ning obedience, which was revealed to Adam^ in language bor- rowed from the law of Mofes ^ but then on the other hand, as the law alfo provided the remedy of facrifices for fins that were not prefumptuous, and promifed to the people of Jfrael the blef^ fings of the land of Canaan, to fincere obedience to the law, here was fome Ihadow of the grace of the Gofpel, The im- perfc^ ( 6i ) tlon; or the heads of it, when they were gone into great corruptions in principle or pradice; to inftrud them in the preference of moral duty to ceremonial obfervances, which perfcdl expiations of the law were a fhadow of the perfed ex- piation of the Gofpel : Their expiations of political guilt were a fhadow of the Gofpel expiation of moral guilt 5 and the pro- mifes of temporal bleflings on fincere obedience to the law of Mofes made to the people oflfrael, were a fhadow of the fpiritual and eternal bleifings made to every particular perfon Jmeerely obeying the Gofpel; and therefore the Apoftle, as he fomctimes illuftrates the terms of the original law of works, by the defcrip- tions given of the law of Mofes, as threatening death to every fin} fo at other times he illuftrates the method of juftification, by faith or lincere obedience, by fuch palTages of the law, as promife the blejfmgs of Canaan to the people of Ifrael, on their repentance : And this laft method he fully fhews to be the way in which God defigns to juftify perfbns, from the Abrahamick covenant, prior to> and wholly diftincl from the S'tnai covenant, and from many exprefs declarations fcattered up and down thro* the Old Teftament. See Gal iii. 12. Rem, x. j-,-— 10. The plain truth of the cafe is this; The law o^ Mofes, as the Apoftle fhews in many places, particularly in his Epiftle to the Hebreros, contained only temporal promifes; but then as the Jews, at that time, expc6led eternal life for thofe obfervances of the law, to which only temporal bleflings in Canaan were affix- ed ; to fct thefe men right, the Apoftle fhews, that even iup- pofing it were granted them, that eternal life were to be had oy obfervances of the law, it muft be only when they were perfeB, fmce the law lay all under a curfe that did not perfedily fulfil it. And this, I apprehend, is the Apoftle's reafoning in the Epiftles to the Romans and Galatiami but in the Epiftle to the Hebrews, in dcfcribing the excellency of the Gofpel beyond the law, he reprefents the promifes of the one as temporal, the other as fpiritual and eternal; and the facrifices which eftabliflied the Mofaifk covenant, as only cleanfing from ceremonial or politi- cal guilt, whilft the Sacrifice of Chi ift, which eftabli(hed the Go^el covenant, clcanfes alfo from moral guilt, and procures eternal redemprioii, good things to come. The reafon why he does not meddle with this latter branch of argument in the Epiftles to the Romans and Galatians, v/hich treat of the method of juftification, 1 take to be this: He is fliewingj particularly in the Epiftle to the B to part with them on this or that particular occafion may be God's will 5 if then this be fignirled to be God's will by one who appears to be a prophet of God, (juft as the offering up Ifaac was fignified to be God's will to Abraham^ in the fame manner he formerly had received revelati- ons from God) he ought to part with them, except afterwards God fignifies in fome way equally fatisfadory with the former, that it was not his abfolute will ; as 1;. g, in cafe the fame prophet fhould aiiure him the command was only given by way of tryalj and this it appears probable to me our Sa- viour would have done, if the young man, like Abrcvhamy had complied with the pro- batory command given him. 2- The grand objeftion againfl: the Mo^ faick revelation is much of the fame na- ture with the former againft the Abra- hamicky viz. that it encourages human fa- crifices by the command given to put to death every devoted thing from among men, Lev, xxvii. 28, 29. to this I anfwer ; (i.) It cannot be fuppofed the meaning of this precept that whatever men vow to put ( 7t ) put to death, fliould right or wrong be put to death ; for no government in the world could fubfift one moment on fuch a foun- dation as that 5 and it is plain, the law of Mofes did not give fuch a power even over ilaves. See Exod. xxi. 20. (2.) Thofe things are, in the language of the Old Teftament, faid to be devoted, which are only appointed by God for wife and juft reafons to be deftroyed, as the fe- ven Canaanite nations. See Jojh. vi. 17. ^eut. XXV. 19. I Sam. xv. 3. (3.) If we underftand this law to relate to thofe that are devoted by men, it may fignify fuch as in confequence of God's appointment to ruin, they have vowed to deftroy. See Jojh. vi. 20. Kum. xxi. 2. CHAP. VIL The internal evidences for Chriftiani- ty, as conftdered concerning the in^' carnation of the Son of God. THAT there is and can be but one felf-exifient beingy who as he is the original of all being, muft be the fountain of all power and authority 5 and therefore that there is and can be but one God:, is mod ( 73 ) moft evident : but then natural reafon caii never fhevv, that there may not be an m- mediate derivation from this one felf-exift- cnt being, who may be the immediate Cre- ator of all things vifiblc and invifible ; and thus of confequence poflefs every perfefti- on which is neccffary for the raifmg up the amazing fabrick of heaven and earth, and flocking it with all the vaft variety of crea- tures that inhabit it, and who may parti- cularly be the image of the invifible God in his dominion and authority y and there- fore have juftly the charafter and denomi- nation of the only begotten Son of God, as the moft perfed image of the domini- on of the felf-exiftent being. Son of God, fignifies one that is like him in dominion 5 thus magiftrates are called fons of God j good men, fons of God, becaufe a king- dom is prepared for them. The children of the refurreftion are fons of God, becaufe they inherit the kingdom prepared for them. Chrift was Son of God before his in- carnation, for he. was God in the begin- ning i John i. i: and when the Ifraelites were God's peculiar people, ' i was their God, and as fuch appeared in the form of God to them, Comp, Heb. i. S, 9. ThiL ii. 6. Moral excellencies enter into the noti- on of dominion as received immediately from ( 74 ) from God, and therefore in the account of Chrift's fonfhip his holinefs is taken par- ticular notice of, Rom, i. 3,4. Luke i. 32. He was declared Son of God at his refur- reftion, when he was raifcd to his univer- y2^/ dominion : See Rom, i, 3> 4. and the firft to the Hebrews throughout. From this account of Chrift's fonfhip i we fee (i.) how Son of God and Meffiah, or King of Ifrael came to be fynonymous terms ; (2.) how the ideas of fon of God and giver of eternal life (which was one of Chrift's powers, which he received from the Father : See Jo. xvii. 2.) came to have fo clofe a connexion in the minds of thofe that underftood Chrift's doftrine : See Jo. vi. 69. xi. 25, 26, 27. XX. 31. ijoh. iv. 9. V. II, 12. (3.) How the holy Spirit, notwithftanding what is faid in Scripture of his excellencies and perfeBions \ yet becaufe he is, according to the veconomy of our redemption y dafcribed ever as the great agent of Chrift^s kingdomy and not as having a kingdom himjelfy is never denominated fon of God. ( 4. ) We may fee the force of St. haul's reafoning in the firft Chapter to the Hebrews $ he fhews the pre-eminence of Chrift above the Angels, as he hath by in- heritance obtained a more excellent name than they, ver. 4. The Angels are indeed called in fome places of the OldTeftament, 4 fons ( 75 ) fons of God as having dominion over par- ticular countries : See Dan. x. and com. Eph, iv. 8. Col. i. 15. But no one particu- lar Angel is called fon of God by way of eminence 5 or faid to have the whole heathen world given him for an inheritance, V. 5. com. Tfal. ii. 7? 8. God never faid to any particular Angel, I will be to him a father, and give him an everlajling king- dom, V. 5. com. 2 Sam. vii. 13, 14, 15, 16. When he is again brought into the world, he is as the firftborn, commanded to be worfhipped by the Angels, njer. 6. the Angels are rcprefented as minifters, but the Son as God for ever, and fo fuperior to all other powers, ver. 10. he fixed all the powers in heaven and earth, and his do- minion fhall continue when all others are defiroyed, 'ver. 10, 11, 12. for he mufl: fit at God's right-hand until all enemies are made his footflool, ver. 13. whereas the i\ngels are now miniftring fpirits even to Chnft's fubjecls 5 and among others to thofc very Gentiles over whom before they cx- ercifed dominion, ver, 14. and making the latter a fuperior power that dcfcended on Jefus at his baptifm. (3.) We may fee the reafon why thofe Hereticks who denied that Jcfus was the Chrift, feparating Jcfus from Chrift, and who denied that Chrift was come in the flcfh, are faid to deny the Son of God ; H and ( 76 ) and why the Apoftle John lays fuch a ftrefs on the fonfhip of Chrift in oppofition to thefcj for fuch per fons could not poffibly believe Chrift's being God in the begin- ning, Job. i. I. and the only begotten Son which was in the bofom of the Father, Jo. i. 1 8. Sec John i. 14. xx. 31. i Job. ii. 22, 23, 24. iii. 23. iv. 2, 3, 9, 10, 15. V. I, 5> 10, T2, 13, 20. 2 Ep. Sy 7. 2. As to the doftrine of the incarnation, in order to (hew how agreeable to rcafon, the Scripture account of it is, I fhall lay down the following propofitions. 1. As Chrift reprefented the Father in all other perfedions except felf-exiftence, fo in dominion alfo 5 therefore when the If- raelites were God's peculiar people, he was their Governor, and when God faw fit to enlarge his kingdom, fo as to take in the Gentiles y he was to be Lord of all. 2. When we had revolted from God in order to promote humility in us, and at the fame time to encourage our accefs to him ; God faw fit to appoint Chrift to be the medium of conveying all bleflings to us, and of our accefs to himfelf. 3. In order to this it was fit Chrift fiiould be in a fuifering condition, that we might have greater encouragement in our accefs to God, as having an High-Prieft over God's houfe that had been touched with the feeling of our infirmities. In reality^ z there there can be no greater fecurity of bleflings to us than God's own promife, or if \vc could fee the rcafons which determine God to promife, the reafonof the thing itfelf ; but it is an help to our weaknefs to be told that we have fuch an advocate with the Father, who having himfclf fuiFcrcd be- ing tempted, is able alfo to fuccour them, that are tempted ; thus it was fit Chrifl: fhould fufFer, and in order to this it was ai^fo- hitelj necej[ary he fhould be incarnate. 4. When God delivered a meflage of the higPjeft importance to the whole worlds he faw fit, in order to add the greater weight to it, to fend it by his own Son. But whereas in cafe he had appeared with all the pomp and majcfty of a God, he would have deterr'd inftead of inllru£ling us j ap- pearing in our flefh, he could inftrud us in the mod familiar manner, and fet us an example every way the moft powerful and engaging. 5. God from the beginning defigned e- ternal life as the reward of righteoufnefs ; this could not be known by the mere light of nature, but God was pleafed to declare it to Adam, This eternal life was forfeit- ed by fm 5 but God promifed it to Abra- ham for his faith, and thus promifed it to all the faithful ; the knowledge of this e- ternal life however -was for a confiderable time confined to the pofterity of Abra- H 2 ham i ( 78 ) ham ; but at length God made it known by Chrift to the whole world : He by ful- filling all right eoLifnefs had a right to eter- nal life, and becaule when he was in the form of God, /, e, as the only begotten Son of God, appeared in the glory of the Father, or with the Shechinahy to the po- fterity of Abraham^ God's peculiar people, he emptied himfclf of it, and took the form of a flave or one that had no right to the inheritance, by being made in the likenefs of men who have finned and come Ihort of the glory of God, and being found in fadiion as a man, humbled himfelf yet farther, and became obedient to death (when by righteoufnefs he iiad a title to a never- ending life) even the death of the crofs, {which by the Roman law was the death of flayes, and which by the Jewijh was pronounced accurfed) therefore God high- ly exalted him, and gave him a name above every name 5 that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow 5 that the whole world fhould become fubject to him ; not only the Jews but the heathen worlds and even thok principalities and powers in the heavenly places which before had the do- minion over them : See and com. ThiL ii. 5,---ii. with Hcb. i. 8, 9. Therefore he not only had the grant of life for himfelf, but a power to give eternal life to as ma- ny as God had given him : By this obe- dience ( 79 ) dience to the law of a Mediator, he ob- tained a ce/efiia/ inHc^d oi a terrejtrial h^p^ pinefs, which was the promife to Adaniy and a power of bcftowing a proportiona- ble degree of this celeftial happincfs on thofe who by overcoming the much great- er difficulties in the way of their virtue;, than there were in the way of innocent Adavis, obtained through the goodnefs of God a title to it. See and com. Rom, v, 15, 17. Joh. X. 10. Chrift's death hath fet us an example of the higheft degree of virtue (more than a mere man could (hew) and of the noblefl: reward of it, and thus given us an encou- ragement to expeft a proportionable reward of proportionable degrees of virtue, efpe- cially when part of the reward of Chrift's virtue in his obedience to death is his re- ceiving a power to give eternal life to all that are conformed to the image of his ho- linefs. The only confiderable difficulty in this matter is, how it could become fo great and excellent a perfon as the Son of God to condefcend fo far to us, as becaufe the children were partakers of flefh and blood, himfelf to take part of the fame : But this difficulty, I apprehend, will be much lef- fened, if not intirely removed, by the foU lowing confiderations, H 3 (i) Wc ( 8o) (i.) We are too ignorant of the works of God to be able to pronounce what fi- gure we bear in the rational creation. (z.) In order to know this in any toler- able mcafurc, wc muft be fure that we have not exifted in a former ftatc, (of which we never can be fure) and that we fhall not be a much nobler fort of creatures in the future ftate. If we objed againft any part of revelation, we ought to take into confideration the intire frame of it 5 now the fame revelation which affurcs us of the Son of God's taking flefh for us, (hews us that hereafter our underftandings (hall be fo raifed as that we fhall know even as we are known, and that there fiiall be as great difference between our future and prefent knowledge, as between that of a grown man and a child. (3.) It is a much furer way to argue from what we have the great eft reafon to believe^ concerning our redemption by Chrift, that we are a much nobler fort of creatures than we are apt to imagine, than to argue againft Chrift's redemption from fuch a ftate of human nature as we have no folid grounds to fuppofe the true one. This difficulty it muft be owned would be much increafed if the accounts of human na- 4:ure, given by fuch writers as Hohs^ the author of the Fable of the Bees, &c. were true ; but that thefe pcrfons have dcfcribed not { 8i ) not pure and T^iw/)/^ human nature, but hu- man nature perverted in the word of men, has been fo efFc6lually proved by the bcft writers of the prefent age, Dr. Clark, Mr. Hut chin fon, and Mr. Butler, that we can hardly conceive of any thing to be added. CHAP. viir. Of the doBrme oj the Spirit of God. THE Spirit of God feems to be fo called in allufion to the fpirit of a man, i Cor. ii. ii. The two effential parts of the human compofition, are generally reprefented in Scripture to be 'J/vx^i and (ruf^cty or the foul and body. See Gen, ii. 7- i Cor, xv. 44, 45. ii.^ 14, 15, 16. Mat, X. 28. The Spirit is fometimes reprefented as a principle in man, diftinft from the foul, fuperadded by Chrift, the principle of fu- pernatural knowledge and power. See i Cor. ii. II, 14. Jude 19, 20. i C^r. xiv. 2, 14, 15, 32, 37. As there is a fpirit in man, fo there is reprefented to be a Spirit of God alfo, i Cor. ii. II. The fountain of that fupernatural H 4 knowledge ( 8z ) knowledge and power we receive, i Cor. ii. lo. xii. 3? 4' the immediate agent, by which thofe works are performed, which are out of the common courfe of God's providence j tho' it muft be owned, that juft as the common operations of men are fometimes aicribcd to the fpirit in them; fo fometimes, but lefs frequently, are the ordinary works of God's natural or moral providence, afcribedto God's Spirit. This Spirit was given the church of Chrift in the firft ages, and as he received all from Chrift, and aded in his name, fo he is very properly called his Spirit. See Jo. xvi. I Cor, ii. i6. From this fcriptural account of the Spirit, we may fee (i.) why the good men, under the law, both received and cxpeded divine affiftances 5 yet the Spirit of Chrift is never reprefented as given the church in common under the Mofaick oeconomy, but only to prophets, i Tet. i. Tho'good men, under that difpenfation, were allifted by God in the pradice of virtue, as may be feen in many parts of the ^falmSy particu- larly in the xxvth, and might be faid, Tfal, cxliii. 10. to be guided by God's good Spirit, as God ia Wis wife government of the world directed things in fuch a manner, that motives were fuggeftcd to their minds, by which they were excited to the pradice of virtue ;; yet thii is no proof of their being C 83 ) being under the influence of that Spirit^ which was not given till Jefus was glorifi- ed. In the li. Vfalm, v. ii. it mufl: be owned the Tfalmiji deprecates God's talcing away his Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Chrid; and V. 12. prays to be upheld with a free fpirit. But that the ^falmift there refers to the fpirit of prophecy, fee fully proved by Mr. Smith in his excellent difcourfe of prophecy, p, 1^7- (2.) Why, tho' it be plain that the Abra- hamick covenant is the fame with the Gof- pel, yet thofe who by adherence to that, and fulfilling its condition, viz, faith, were children, entituled to the inheritance, had the Spirit, as the earneft, only thro' Chrift, who firft took pofTeflion of this inheritanc, and prepared the way for our receiving it. See Gal. iv. beg. (3.) How the Gentiles (tho* they might have a faith, like Abraham^ in God, as a rewarder of them that diligently feek him) could be partakers of the Spirit only thro' Chrift, Gal, iii. 24. (4.) How the miniftration of the Spirit became a diftinguifhing charader of the Gofpel from the law, Gal. iii. 2, 3, 4, 5. 2 Cot. iii. 8. (5.) How the Spirit was faid not to be given till Jefus was glorified, Jo. vii. 3S, (<5.) How ( 84 ) (6.) How the Spirit comes not to be pro- mifed the Jewijh church in common, till the latter days, /. e. till the time that, as a nation or body politick, they fliail have fub- mitted to the Mefliah, If, lix. 21. Ezek, xxxvi. 27. xxxix. 29. (7.) Why, tho' every thing that is good is, in Scripture, afcribed to God, yet Sx. Taul in the viith of the Romans y does not afcribe his delighting in the law of God after the inward man, and with the mind ferving the law of God, whilji under the law to the Spirit j and in the viiirh chap, fuppofes only thofe that are in Chrift Jefits to receive the Spirit; whereas there were many good men before Chrift came into the world, and none are fo without di- vine ailiftance. (8.) Why our Saviour afcribcs that aili- ftance in the caufe of virtue, by which per- fons were prepared to receive his dodtrine, not to the Spirit, but the Father, Jo, vi. 37, 44, 45. See alfo Jo. xiii. 10. and compare with chap. xiv. 16, 17, 21, 23. and Heb. x. 16. (9.) Why the afliftance in the caufe of virtue, which is afforded in the common courfe of providence, is afcribed to God or the Father, but not to the Spirit, Ja, i. 3? 17. And thus in the Lord's- Prayer we are taught to ask help for the pradice of our duty, as afforded according to the conftant courfe (85 ) courfeof God's moral pi^ovidcnccy juftas wc ask daily bread, as given us according to the conflant courfe of God's ;^^///r<^/ providence. St. Luke, chap. xi. relates the occafion of that prayer being given, to be one of the difciplcs defiring him to teach them to pray, as John taught his difciples, i. e. to teach them a form of prayer fitted to their prcfent circumftances, as other Je^'juiflj doiflors were wont to do 5 and according- ly he gives them a prayer cxaflily fuited to their circumftances, wherein they are to pray for the fctting up the MeflialVs King- dom, which now was at hand 5 after which time they were to receive the Spirit; which therefore our Saviour in his difcourfe, after reciting the prayer, promifes them, as the principal blcffing of his Kingdom, as he does in feveral other places. See Jo. vii. 38, 39. Jo. iii. beginning, <^c. And thus he dircds them how, after his refur- reftion, they are to perfed and complete this form, by adding to it the petition for the Spirit. See and compare Jo. xiv. 12, 13. A^s iv. 31. Juft as in another cafe, he teaches them how, after his refurredi- on, they are to add to their prayers the mention of his name. Jo.xVi. 23, 24. Our Saviour's encouraging the difciples to hope for the Spirit, from the confiderati- on of God's fatherly goodnefs, does not prove that the gift of the Spirit muft be as general ( 8^ ) general as God's fatherly goodnefs. I will bring a parallel inftance or two from our Sa- viour's difcourfe, Jo, xiv. which will make this very evident: Our Saviour promifes, i;. 12. that he that believes in htm, (hall do greater works than he himfelf had done. Here you fee a miraculons power is pro- mifed to faith^ without any reftriftions or limitations; nj. i6, 21, 23, 26. he pro- mifes to them that love him and keep his (which are alfo his Father's) commandments, the illuminativg gifts of the Spirit as the efFed of his and his Father's love to them; and yet none can juftly argue, that becaufe God's love to thofe that keep his command- ments is univerfal and perpetual, therefore fo muft the gifts of the Holy Ghoft be: The truth is, God's general goodnefs is the foundation of our hope of receiving all thofe bleffings God fees fit to give us, and his particular promifes fhew what bleffings ^tt Jit to be bellowed on thofe to whom the promifes are made, and juftly en- courage all to exped the fame, or like bleffings, who are in the fame or like circumftances. (10.) Why the extraordinary affiftance in the caufe of virtue, granted the firft Chrifti- ans is alcribedtothe Spirit, becaufe he by his miraculous and illuminating gifts, was the lirft principle of it, revealing thofe dodrines which had the beft tendency to promote hoUnefS;^ ( 87 ) hollnefsp and confirming the truth and di- vinity of them, afluring the G^;//^//^ Chrifti- ansot their intercft in God's favour and title to the heavenly inheritance in common with the Je'ouijhy and thus filling them with peace and joy, even in afflidions for the Golpel's fake; preferving the authority of the true in oppofition to the falfe Apoftles, and thus maintaining the purity of Chrift'sdodtrine in the world, 2^^. promoting the edification of the church by the particular gifts of prayer, pfalmody, (^c, and furnifhing Chriftians in common with a greater ability for the per- formance of thefe duties from an increafc of knowledge. See to this purpofe Eph, i. 13, 14, 17, 18. ii. 18, 22. iii. 1(5. iv. 30. V. 18, 19. vi. \%.Jtide 19, 20. compare \Cor, ii. 14. and Rom. viii. 26. Rom, viii. 9. compare i C(?r. xii. 3. Rom, viii. 10. com- pare zCor. xiii. 5. Rom. viii. 11, 23, 26. CaL v. 16. to the end. Gal. vi. i. Rom. viii. 15. compare G^/. iv. 6. Gal. iii. 2. 2C^r. xii. 12,13. 2 G?r. iii. throughout, i C^r. i. 5, 6. I Jo» i. 3- compare Jo. xiv. 21, 23. I Jo. i. f. compare Jo. xiv. 21, 24. 1 Jo. ii« 20, 21, 27. i?^. V. 18, 19. (11.) We may fee the reafon of the allu- fion to God's dwelling among the Ifraehtes by the Sheckinahy in the difcourfes in the New Teftament, of the Spirit^ becaufe be- lievers^ ( 88 ) licvers, particularly Gentile believers, were thus openly declared God's people by a vi- fible fymboi of his prefence, and this (like the Skeckinah) out of the common method of his providence. See y^. i. 14. compare Jo. ii. II. Jo, i. 16. compa/e jE/^^. i. 23. Jo, xiv. 16, — i4r.Eph. ii. 18. to the end. I Cor. iii. 16. vi. 19. 2 Cor, vi. 16, 17, 18. I Jo, iii. 24. ( 1 2.) Why the Spirit is reprefented as be- longing to the whole body of Chrift's church. Ro. viii. 9. I Cor. xii. 3. Jo. iii. 5. vii. 38, 39. xiv. 23, 24. 'viz. becaufe every member received fome or other of his illuminating or miraculous gifts. See Mark xvi. 17. A5is \\. I. compare chap. i. 15. ASlsix. 17, 18, 38, 39. xix. 4, 5, 6. i?^w. xii. 2., 9. ^/?/&. iv. 4, ii> 12, 13, 30. I C(?r. i. 5, 6, 7. ii. 14, 15. chap. xii. and xiv. throughout. 2 Cor. iii. throughout, xiii. 3, 4, 5. compare chap. i. 21, 22. chap. xii. 12, 13. Gal. iii. 2, 14. iv. 6, v. 25. com- pare i?^;^. viii. IT, 13. Eph. i. 13, 14. compare i?^;^. viii. 1 1, i Thejf. i. 5, 6. v. 19, 20, 21, 22. Col, i. 9. I y^. ii. 20, 21, 27. V. 8, 9, 10. Jude 19, 20. Tho' the illuminating gifts were continued only with pious perfons, and were increafed by ftrider holinefs. Eph. iv. 30. V. iS. 1 Thejf. V. 19, 20. Jo. xiv. 17, 21, 23. I Jo. i. 3, 6. ii. 24, 28. iii. 6,24. iv. 4, 5> <5, 12, 13. V. \y 2, 10. 2 Cor. vi. ( 8.9 ) vi, 14. to the end, and chap. vii. r. compared together. CoroL 1 3 . Why God is reprefented as feal- ing the Chriftians with his Spirit, fealing them to the day of redemption, ^c, which agrees very well to the pubiick Teal of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft. We may fee the perfeft agreement be- tween the rational writers on the doftrine of the Spirit on the one hand, thofe that deny the Spirit's peculiar operation in the bufinefs of our fandification, don't mean to deny, either (i.) that in z general "wzy every good difpofition or aftion is from God, as he gives the natural powers, or furnifhes with the motive, and caufes our attention to it: Or (2.) that the good difpofitions and ani- ons which the Gofpel motives do occafion, are owing to fupernatural methods God has taken for our recovery and falvation : But only (i.) that our natural powers, after di- vine alliftance, are different from what they were before. And (2.) that we now have new m.otives to duty revealed to us, befides thofe which are contained in the Gofpel, neither of which the rational writers for the affiftance of the Spirit do affert. And on the other hand, thofe that deny the Spirit's par- ticular operation in the bufinefs of holinefs, do believe, that in the firft age of the Gof- pel he was the author of fandification, in the very fame way he is^ by the generality of ( 90 ) of Chrlftlans, fuppofed to be fo now, *viz. by fuggefting arguments to ftrengthen men's faith, and motives to their obediencej fo that at laft the controverfy between thefe two turns upon this, viz. what is the criti- cal meaning of the word Spirit in Scripture. It certainly fometimes fignifies the principle of illumination and miraculous power. Does it ever fignify a principle of holtnefs di- fiin£i from the two former? which were in their own nature, and are reprefented in Scripture, as principles of iiolinefs. Rom. Viii. 2, II. Eph. iv- 30. i Thejf. V. 6. Col. iii. 16. Gal. vi. i. Eph. iv. 12. v, 18, 19. Gal. V. 16. to the end. i Theff. V. 19. Jo. xiv. 17, 21, 23. ijo.'m. 24. compare chap. ii. 20. iv. i, 4, 12, 13. i Cor, iii. 16. Jude 19, 20. But however thcfe queftions be decided, the main points on both fides, efpecially that of illumination, are agreed, viz. that God "works on our minds only by making us aU tentive to i^ixowTXvcioiivt^ already revealed % snd that thus he does work on our minds fiill, as well as he did of old on the firftChrifti- ans, fee proved in Dr. Claggefs inimitable difcourfe on the Holy Spirit, particularly p^ 162, 163, i^<^> 191, 274, 282, 306, 312, of part I. and /^. 190, 201, of part II. And in order to decide the controverfy about the fcnfe of the word Spirit, 1 think it fliould be 2, ~ - .~. confidered. (.90 confidcred, whether the Spirit in his illumi- nating and miraculous influencesy were not in the firft age common to all Chriftians ; whether thefe are not now ceafed, and yet whether the motives to virtue, and the evidences of the truth and divinity of Chrift*s dodrine, which arofc from them, do not ftill continue, and at the fame time that or- drnarj afliftance in all ages, by a holy and merciful God, granted to men in their pur- fuits of virtue andhappinefs,^^/^. by throw- ing favourable occafions of doing good in their way, removing temptations, influencing their minds either immediately or mediately y as by impreflions made on the body, by profperous or adverfe circumftances, coun- fels of friends, ^c. and thus bringing virtu- ous motives to our minds 5 caufing us to give fuch attention to them as fliall excite good afFeflions, and thus be a counter-ballance to the affeftions excited by fenfible objefts, and put us on the vigorous purfuit of virtue and happinefs. Upon the whole, the way in which God influences the minds of men, is by all rati* onal writers fuppofed to be the caufing them to be attentive to proper motives of aftion: Thedodrinesof the Gofpel contain fuch motives : The revelation of thcfe was owing to the illumination of the holy Ghoft : This was peculiar to the firft ages of Chrifti- anity, and was properly fupernatural, /. e. not I agreeal^le ( po agreeable to the common laws, by which the world is governed. There is no need of the continuance offuch illuminating gifts of the Spirit, for the conveying the knowledge of the Gofpel to us, any more than of the mi- raculous gifts for the conveying the evidence of it; both thefe forts of gifts therefore are Ceafed ; and yet dill all virtue and good- nefs is owing to God as he furnifhes us with not only the natural, but the moral power of adlion 5 /. e, he, gives us reafon and adive power, and in the courfe of his pro- vidence orders it fo, that proper motives, fitted to influence beings of fuch a make as we are, fliall be propofed to our minds. As this affiftance is given by God in the com- mon courfe of his providence, 'tis, ftridly fpeaking, natural, and not fupernatural grace 5 and yet we, with as much reafon, depend on God for it, and pray for it, and return our thanks on account of it, as be- ing the natural,/, e. the regular and conftant effed of God's moral providence, as we ac- knowledge, by a like prayer and thankfgiv- ing, our dependance on God's natural pro- vidence for the ftated and conftant effeds of that. I (hould be glad to be informed by thofe gentlemen who carry divine afliftanccs farther than this, what they can mean by them, but either the giving us other facul- ties, which I am apt to think they will not be forward to affert, or elfe, the imparting 3 new ( 91 ) 4iew knowledge to the mind, which (liould furnifh it with new motives of action, which was done by the illuminating gifts of the Holy Ghoft, which, on this fuppofition, are ftill continued in the Church. If they are perfuaded they have fuch illuminations, I would propofe this one thing to their fe- rious confideration : The firft Chriftians, who received thefe illuminations, could certainly diftinguifli them from the reafon- ings of their own minds 5 and therefore the Apoftle appeals to thefe, as well as the miraculous gifts, as what the Chriftians ex- perienced themfelves to have ; how comes it then to pafs, that thofe very men will of- ten obferve, that the commoA afliftancc of the Spirit at leaft, is in a way fo accommo- dated to our faculties, that we cannot diftin- guifli his fuggeftions from our own reafon- ings, and that we are only fure that we arc led by the Spirit by thofe efFedsofholincfs, which the Scripture teaches us to afcribe to him as the caufe. Again, the firft Chrifti- ans, who were illuminated by the Holy Ghoft, difcovered the cfFefts of this gift to others, in their being all of afudden with- out human means, mafters of a vaft com- pafs of knowledge, which before they were wholly deftitutc of; whereas, far from any thing of this kind, thofe gentlemen come by the knowledge that they have by the ufc Qf the fame natural means that others dc^ I 2 '^ and ( 94 ) and where thefe natural means fail them, there they are at a lofs as well as their un- enlightned neighbours. See the following inftances where the Apoftles appeal to thefe illuminating gifts as what thofe they writ to experienced in themfelves, i Cor. i. 5. ii. 14, — 16. xi. 2, 3, 4,-- 1 3. I Thef, i. 5, 6. Gal. iii. 2. vi. I. Efh. i. 13, 14. ii. 18. to the end. iv. 30. Eph. V. 18,— 20. Heb, vi. 4,— <5. I Joh. ii. 20. iii. 24. iv. 13- v. 6, 8, 9, 10. See the illuminating gifts of the holy Ghoft mentioned as evidences of the truth of Chriftianity to the infidel world, AEls ii. J 6, 17, 18. Joh. xvi. 9, 10. I Cor. ii. 4. xiv. 22, 24, 25. 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3. Com. 1 C(?r. i. 5. i/^r/^r //^/king- dom over the houfe oi Jacob ; Ezek. xxxvii. 2y. and extend it to the ends of the earth, 2)^». vii. 14. The martyrs are to be raifed up to reign with Chrift a thoufand years, j^poc. XX. 4, 5. At the end of one thou- fand years, there is to be the general idux- region and judgment. Now, (i.) As the Gofpel was plainly fit- ted for the ufe of all mankind, fo nothing can feem more re^fonable and fit than that fome time or other it fhould be made known to all. (2.) The reftoration of the Jews, flicws a wife analogy between the methods of God's providence towards that people in different ages of the world, and is adapted to an- fwer the greateft defigns with refped to the general reformation of mankind. (3.) Though it was very fit that Chrift fiiould appear the firft time in a fuffering condition ; yet it is alfo as fit that his fuf- ferings fhould be rewarded with that glo- ry which is in Scripture defcribed as fol» lowing them ; and though it was alfo fit that his difciples fhould pafs through fufFer- ings. (99 ) ings, yet it appears reafonable to fuppofc that when their virtues had thus been tri- ed and improved, they (hould meet with a proportionable reward ^ and that thofe whbfe virtues had been put to the feverefl: trial fhould meet with a peculiar and emi- nent reward. (4.) As God in his providence ordered it that Chrift fliould appear the firft time, when he came to fuffer, among the Jews who had been by various methods prepa- red for the reception of him 5 fo it was agreeable to the analogy of God's pro- ceedings to order that he fliould appear the fecond time in glory amongft the fame peo- ple } whofe national reception of him would be a means, naturally adapted to the bringing in the fulnefs of the Gentiles^ as their national tc)z(k\on of him, at his firft coming, was the occafion of his Gofpel's being firft offered to fome of the Gentiles. As to the reftoration of the ancient wor- fliip of the Jews, it muftbe confidered that moft of their fervices were of a political rather than a religious nature, and therefore on the revival of their polity would be revived of courfe 5 and as to others of them, though they could not prefigure any thing relating to the fpiritual kingdom of Chrift, yet as they were fo ordered as to bear a very exad refemblance to them^ the re- ftoration of thofe fervices among the Jews^ 3 when ( 100 > when they (hould be converted to Chrifti- anity, and fo difcern that refemblance, would (hew the wifdom of God in the ereft- ing both the worldly Kingdom among the ^ews^ and the fpiritual Kingdom of Chrift. CHAP. XL Of the ft ate of happinefs of the Saints after the refurreB'ton. THE Scripture account of the matter lies thus. (i.) We are defcribed as having the greateft alteration made both in our mind and body, by which we fhall be ca- pable both of the nobleft employments and delights. I Cor. xiii. 9, — 13. xv. 42, — 51- (2.) Being in a pkce fitted up for us by God himfelf, n)iz* the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteoufnefs. 2 Tet. iii. Apoc. xxi. (3.) We are to receive praife and honour from God, and to have the difcoveries of his favour to us, in exaft proportion to our fer- vices in this ftate of trial. Rom. ii. i o. Apoc. iii. 5. I ^et. i. 7. 2 Cor. ix. 6. (4.) We are to be perfeftly freed from la- bour, pain, forrow, and fin. Bph. v. 27. Apoc. ( roi ) Apoc, XXI. 4, 27. xxii. 3. Jtide 24.^ z r/6(/7: i. 7. (5 .) We are to be employed in the chear* ful fervicesofGod, and in performing good offices x,o our fellow creatures. Apoc, XX. 3> 4> 10, II. V. 12,— •14. I Cor, xiii.8. (6.) We are to be in the immediate pre- fence of God, and that not as Adam in in- nocence, at certain feafons only, but conti- ntially^ to be under his peculiar government^ and to apply to him and receive favours from him direEily^ and no longer thro* a Mediator, TfaL xvii. 15. Apoc, xxi. 5, 7. xxii. I, 3. I Cor, XV. 24, 28. (7.) We are to be with Chrift where he is, and to behold his glory, or that light with which he is furrounded, a glory fuitable to the only begotten Son of God. Sec Jo. xvii. 24. xii. 26. (8.) We are to be conformed to Chrift in glory, i Jo. iii. 2. Co/, iii. 4. Rom. viii. 21. I Cor, XV. 43 > 49. and domini- on. 2 716^^ i. 5. Gal. V. 21. I C^r. vi. 10. Tfal, xlix. 14. I Cor, vi. 2, 3, Apoc, i. 6. ii. 26, 27. iii. 5. v. lo. xxii. 5. Mat. XXV. 23. 2 Tjr>». ii. 12. {9.) We are to inherit eternal life-, and that in an higher ftate of bleffednefs than the original promife to righteoufnels did imply. Rom. v. 17. Jo, x. 10. StzCoroL 3d of the Effay on the fcveral difpenfations, &c, p. 80. This ( i^oz ) This IS the Scripture account of the ftatc of the blcffed after the refurredion, (i.) Then, nothing can be more reafon- able to fuppofc, than that in order to the completion of our happinefs, we fhould re- ceive bodies fitted to the employments and enjoyments of our new ftate. (2.) That the powers of our fouls fhould be enlarged, which feems a natural confe- quence of the alteration of the frame of our bodies, and by which means a reward can be given to ally even thofe that have had here the lowefl underJlandingSj exa£fly pro- portioned to their virtue. (3.) That after this ftatc of trial is ended, we {hould have peculiar difcoverics of the favour of God, (hould be where he mani- fefts his extraordinary prefence is a very rca- fonable fuppofition, and the very fame with what Tulfy has made in his /omnium Sci- fionis. (4.) That upon receiving bodies fitted to this new ftatc, and not liable to the in- conveniences we fuffercd from our former bodies, upon our freedom from the cares and troubles, as well as amufements of this life, our knowledge of God, and thus our love to him, and adivity in doing his will, and particularly imitating him in ads of be- neficence ftiould encrcafe, is moft reafon- ably expedcd. (5.) That ( 103 ) (5.) That the natural world fhould be exaftly fitted to the moral j and thus a new earth be fitted up as a proper habitation for the righteous, as the old one was burnt up for the deftrudion of the wicked, is very reafonable to be fuppofed. (6.) Nothing can be more fit and proper,' than that the office of a Mediator fhould ceafe when the end of it hath ceaf ed s and that God Ihould immediately beftow his fa- vours on the righteous, (7.) That as our pofleffion of this hap- pinefs is thro* Chrift, we fliould enjoy it where he is, and thus by his prefence an ad- dition (hould be made to our happinefs. (8.) That we fhould be likened to him in the rewards of holinefs, as we are conform- ed to him in holinefs; and thus as he has dominion over all, we fhould fit with him in judgment on the wicked, and have un- der Chrift the government of fome affairs relating to large communities of reafonable beings 5 that as Chrift is furrounded with glory, we alfo, who are children, fhould bear his image, who is the firft-born among many brethren. (9.) That our happinefs fhould be increaf- cd beyond what was originally defigned as the reward of righteoufnefs, feems rea- fonable both on Chrifl's account and ours, (i.) On Chrift's, as a reward of his humilia- tion, he received the power of beftowing this ( 104 ) this eminent degree of bleflednefs on as many as God had given him. (2.) Onours^ fince by the increafe of our appetites and paflions fmce the fall, the difficulties of vir- tue are increafed to us 5 and the fufFerings to which we are expofed, put virtue to the greater trial, and difcover more eminent degrees of it. (ro.) That the mod eminent degrees of virtue fhould have according to ail juft pro- portion, the moft glorious rewards. (11.) That for the fake of the vulgar, this happinefs fhould be fet out by fuch fi- gures as are to convey to the imagination the moft lively notions of happinefsj fuch as a marriage feaft to reprefent the greatnefs of the joy ; a crown after viftory to repre- fent the difficulties we are to go thro' be- fore we attain perfcdion ; and then the va- lue God will fet on our faithful fervices 5 the dwelling in the city of God, to re- prefent the peace, profperity, and order of a fociety of perfeded creatures under the government of God himfelf, and in our hea- venly Father's houfe, where God himfelf, with his innumerable hofts of attendants, and the whole body of his faithful fervants difpofed of in different apartments, accord- ing to their refpeftive deferts, are reprefent- ed as refiding 5 an inheritance from our im- mortal Father, to reprefent to us the way in which we come by a title to it; ^viz. "^ thrtf ( I05 ) thro' the grace of God accepting faith for righteoufnefs, dealing with us as his chil- dren, who are conformed to the image of his Sonjefus Chrift in holinefs; andlaftly, that where thofe figures are very ftrong and capable of being mifapplied, fuch wrong interpretation (hould be exprefly guarded againft by other plain and literal expref- iions *. (i2.) That this happincfs (hould not be conferred on us immediately at death, but fhould be referved to be beftowed on the whole body of the faithful when colle£ted together. If any objeft againft the Scriptures pro- pofing any extrinfical motives to encourage virtue, he may pleafe to confult, befides what is obferved in the preface to this dit courfe, the reafonings of the excellent au- thor of the Eflay of the fevcral Difpenfati- ons, f, 97- -* If the pompous defcription of the city, in the Revelati* €ns, be here objeded againft, I anfwer (i.) that that prophecy feems to be delivered to St. ^ohn in a vifion, as that to Ezekiel concerning Jerufalem to be rebuilt in the latter times of the y^wi to which this in the Rei/e/^f/owjfcems continually to allude i and then 'tis no wonder we fhould meet with very ftrong painting, when the Apoftle reprefents every thing to us as it was pidlured on his own imagination in a vifion. (2.) *Tis certain that fomc prt of that delcription is emblematical, Apoe.sixi. 14. and pcr- naps a greater part of it may be fo than wc «rc aware of. CHAP, { 1^6 ) CHAP. XII. Of the fl ate of puntjhment of the wicked after the refurreBton. I. ' I '^ H E N, itfecms highly reafonablc, JL that the wicked fhould not im- mediately receive their full and final punilh- inent at death, but remain in expedation of it, to be inflided at that time, when Chrift as the reward of his obedience fliall judge all that have lived in the world, raife up all in order to be judged, difpofc of them in ftates of happinefs or mifery according to their de- ferts. S^^ Mat, xxv. 41. Jude 6. 2 Tet. ii. 4. 2. That beings who have been likened in fin, Ihould be likened in reaping the fruits of it, and therefore that wicked angels and wicked men fhould be adjudged to the fame torments. 3. That after certain periods alterations fhould be made in the natural world, and that this fhoold be accommodated to the ftate of the moral world ; that at a time when God faw the wickednefs of the inhabitants of the earth would make them ripe for utter deftrudiori, be (hoald To order things that an alteration fliculd be mide in the earth by fire, in which the wicked inhabitants fliould be ( 10/ ; be burnt as formerly they were deluged by water. 2 P^r. iii. s> — 8. (4.) That as the foul is naturally immor- tal, and as the confequenccs of virtue and vice, the happinefs refulting from the one, and the mifery from the other, arc conftant and perpetual, fo thofe beings that continue vicious, fhould continue to reap degrees of mifery proportioned to their vice, is pcr- fedly reafor)able. And as all refults of the natural order of things are to be refolved into the will of the Author of nature; this is a fit and juft difcovery of God's ha- tred of fin, and difpleafure againft the work- ers of iniquity. Juft as the evils b&faliing ,^fuch perfonsin this life from the fame na- tural order of things, are a difcovery of God's difpleafure. (5.) That thefc things fhould be deicrib- . ed in the moll: affecting manner, and repre- fented by figures conveying to thofe to whom the revelation was firft propofed, the livelieft notions of mifery, as by fires kindled in the valley of Hinnom, from whence the place of their punifiiment is call- ed 5/251/1/^, a lake of hre and brimftone, and eternal fire in allufion to the dcftrudlion of Sodom, com. Apoc. xiv. 10, 11. with Gen. xix. 28. Mat. XXV. 41. with Jude 7 '■> by the different degrees of punilhment to which the greater op leffer judicatories among the K Je^dvs ( io8 ) Jews condemned pcrfons. Mat, v. 21, CoroL We may fee how to reconcile the differences of divines on this head: Some do reprefcnt the defcription of the wicked by fire as only metapliorical ; and in their ac- counts of the future puniQiments of the wicked reprefcnt only the natural evil con- fequences of fin, and thefe they fhew to be eternal. On the contrary, others make the deftrudion of the wicked by fire real and proper. But as they don't deny the natural immortality of the foul, they may fuppofc all the fame 7iattiral and eternal ill effeds of vic^ with the others. This is certain, the Scripture does not reprefcnt thefe pofi- tive punifhments on the body, as abfolute- ly eternal; the wicked are never defcribed as raifed with immortal and incorruptible bodies. On the contrary, they are faid to perifn, /. e, to die again fo as never to rife more, as believers would have died the firft death without rifing again, if Chrifc had not rifen. See and compare John x. 28. Rom. ii. 12. with I Cor, xv. iS, 19. Thofe that believe not in Chrill: are to periili, /. e, to die as thofe that did not look at the brazen fcrpent. Jo. lii. 14, — 17. The wages of fin is death, and therefore tho'the wicked are to be raifed up in order to be judged and pu- nifhed in the body j yet after this they are to die, to reap corruption, to die the fccond 4 death i ( lOp ) death; which if it have not fome rcfem- blancc to the former (as eternal Jife in mife- ry has not) the words are unintelligible. See and compare Rom, v. throughout, chap, vi. 21, 22, 23. vii. 10. viii. 2, 6, 10, 11, \iy ij. Gal. V. 25. vi. 8. Apoc. XX. 4i 5, 6, 13, 14. See alfo Jo, vi. 27, — 59, The pojitive punifhment inflided on the . bodies of the wicked, is rcprefcnted to be their being burnt up with the earth, torment- ed for as long time as God pleafcs, inthefire which fhall burn up the earth j juft as the pofitivc punifhment inflided on the wicked inhabitants of the old world was (ling de- luged with water. See 2 '^et, iii. through- out. Chrift will defcend in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, &c, who fhall be punifhed with ever-* lafting deftrudion from, or by the prefcnce of the Lord and the glory of his power. 2 Thejfl. i. 8, 9. This fire is called unquench- able in allufion to a fire that is not put out till its fubjcd be confnmed, as the tares are faid to be burnt up with unquenchable fire. The punifhment is called eternal, /. e, a punifhment which continues as long as the fubjcd of it lafts, viz. the fouls of the wicked united to their raifed bodies, jufl as in all other like cafes. When the law of the Ifraelites is faid to be eternal, the meaning is not that their K 2 policy ( no ) polity fliould laft always, but that this fliOLild continue as long as the other ; and in this fcnfe the happinefs of the faints op- pofed to the punifhment of the wicked, is faid to be eternal, /. e, 'tis to continue as long as the fubjeft of it, viz, the fouls of the righteous united to their raifed bodieSy fliall continue, /. e. as we learn from other places, for ever. Hell fire is faid to be eternal, as the fire from heaven which confumed Sodom and Gomorrahj by which they were turned into a burning lake, and fet up as a lading mo- nument of God's vengeance, to which the punifhmfnts of the wicked in the other world ^e compared, is called eternal. See Dr. IVhitbfs note on Jude 7. I am very far from faying any thing of this nature, to weaken the motive to holi- ncfs from the terrors of the other world ; but on the contrary to ftrengthen it for the force of any motive on our mind, is proportioned as well to the firmnefs of the perfuafion concerning it, as to the greatnefs of the thing it felfj and therefore tho* eter- nal pofitive puniflimcnts be the ftrongeft motive in it fclf; yet it won't be fo like- ly to work on the mind as temporary />/?/?• five punifhments, together with the natural ^/^r«^/ill confcqucnces of vice. . Thofc rational divines who talk of the eternity of hell torments, when they come to ( III ) to defcribe thofe torments, fay nothing of the pofitive punifhment by fire inflidcd on the bodies of the wicked j but infill largely on their eternal exclufion from the happi- nefs of the faints, of their lofs of which they fliall then have tlie quickcft and mod pungent fenfc;, the horrors of confcicnce, when they fhall be awakened to a fenfe of •their pad evil courfcs, the natural evils ari- fmg from ill habits, (d'C, Now all this no one difputes; but then I would add the pofitive puniOimcnt by fire, which is certainly the literal fenfe of Scrip- ture 3 and as there is no abfurdity in it, ought, I imagine, to be preferred to the figurative; and tho' I fuppofe this pofitive punilliment to be temporary, yet I cannot fee how the addition of a pofitive temporary puniihment to the natural eternal ill eftecls of vice, can be called a leffcning the motives to virtue. CotqL 2. The objection againft the Chrifti- an religion from the dodtrine of the eter- nity of hell torments, is now entirely re- moved i for the doctrine of the natural im- mortality of the foul, and the natural eter- nal ill confequences of vice is a doctrine of natural religion ; and the doftrine o^ pofitive punifhments eternally inflided on the wick- ed clothed with bodies again after the refur- redion, cannot be proved to be a do(^rine of revelation, and 1 think v/as not under- K 3 Hood ( III ) flood to be Co, by the firft Chriftians j for Juji/n Martyr in a publick apology to the Emperor, wherein he fpeaks the common fentiments of Chriftians in his time, when he is arguing againft the abfurd notions of the Heathens, who deified thofe that had been \yicked men here on earth, fays, that we (/'. e, Chriftians) fuppofe only holy perfons to be made immortal^ but that thofe. that havelived wickedly without repentance, fhali be tormented in eternal fire. See Juft. iV/^rOr Ed. Thirlb. p. 35. And in his dia- logue having argued againft the notions which fome of the Heathens had of the necejfary eternity and immortality of the foul, he adds, thit we do not therefore believe that all fouls fhall diej that would be a comfort- able doftrine indeed to the wicked 5 but this we believe, that pious fouls fhall con- tinue in a better place, but the wicked in a worfe, both waiting for the time of judg- ment. For thus thofe that are fit to appear before God die no more-, but the others are tormented for as long time as God fees fit they lliould be, and be tormented. Id. p. 148, 149. Irenaus reprefcnts the punifh- ments of the wicked as eternal, but then thofe which he defcribes as thus eternal, are not pofitive but natural punifhmcnt. See Iren. Jib. 5. chap. 27. p. 325. Edit. Taris, CHAP ; ( "3 ) CHAP. XIII. Avi ohjeBton aga'tnji the mternal ev'i' dence for Chrijiiamty anfwered. IT may be objcded, that notwithftanding all the plaufiblc arguments to (hew the excellency of Chriftianity, yet they are con- futed by plain fad, fince after fo long trial Chriftianity has not in any confiderable de- gree promoted the happinefs of mankind i but on the contrary it has been the caufc of fomc evils, before little known in the world. As to the firft part of the objedion, ojtz,, that Chriftianity after the trial of fo many ages has done no confiderable good in the world. Anf (r ) It has a tendency to promote the practice of virtue, which makes for the happinefs ©f mankind. And therefore as it is certain from the natural tendency of virtue to happinefs, that in the iz)hole it mufthave promoted the happinefs of mankind, 'tis as evident from the natural tendency of Chrifti- anity to promote virtue, that in the whole mankind muft have been the better for it. 1< 4 (2.) How-^ .( "4 ) (2.) However, it cannot produce thefc happy fruits when 'tis not believed, but wherever 'tis, according to the true repre- fentation of it in the Nevj Teftament rati- onally, firmly and confiantly bcVicwcd, it does operate efFedually, where there is not fomc flrongcr motive from men's miftaken world- Iv intercft, ^c. to influence another way ; ^nd thus it necefiarily muft produce a great deal of good. (3.) In the firfl: ages of the Church, it made a very happy change amongft men. (4.) It flill continues to be the means of making many good men. And, (5.) It will before the end of the world cfFeft a general reformation. 2. As to the fccond part, 'viz,. its cauf- ing,* or rather occafioning many evils, parti- cularly perfecution. Anf. (1.) New religions naturally create jealoufies in the flatc. (2.) Tis the excellency of Chrift's religion that it oppofed the corruptions both of the Jeivs and Heathens, and fo provoked their rage. (3.) Chrift's doflrine awakened men to the exercife of their thoughts about reli- gion (the moft proper fubjccl for their exer- cife 5) but this mixing with men's paffions produced divifions, which he by no means cnccura^^cd. (4.) In ■o^ ( IIJ ) (4.) In all focieties there muft be fome order; and there were, as 1 (how in another place^ very wife reafons for Chrift's lodging confiderable powers with the Apoftles. This would eafily aftbrd an handle for wicked men in after ages, to claim a power over confcience for worldly ends. (5.) The controvcrfies in the Apoftle's days between the Jewifh and Gentile Chri- ftians led them to talk of Eledion, Jufti- fication by faith without the works of the law, ^c, which in after-ages, when thefe terms were not underftood, weak men ea- fiJy mifmterpreted and wicked men abufed. (6.) The Apoftle Tauh account of Chrift's righttoufnefs and the efFefts of it, is eafdy liable to abufe, though in its own Nature, as 1 have ihewn, admirably calcu- lated to promote holinefs. (7.) Though the dodrines of Chriftianity are plain and pradical, yet it is natural for fpeculative men from hints afforded them in theNewTeftament to carry their fpecula- tions farther, till at length they have made theGofpel a pure matter of fpeculation i and as perfons whofe minds have been tindur- cd with any fort of philofophy, naturally fall into a method of explaining other parts of learning by it, as it would be naturally thought there was a refcmblance between one part of knowledge and another, as it was imagined of great ufe to fhew an agree- 4. ment ( ii6 ) ment between Chriftianity and the prevail ing Philofophy 5 fo Chriftianity was of courfe turned into a icience 5 and then as there are excellent things faid of faith in the New Teftament, and as men are naturally difpofed to make favourable allowances in behalf of their lufts, ill-difpofed perfons ea- iily took occafion hence to rely on fpecu- lative belief for falvation. (8.) The affedions towards God are as realbnable as any affedions whatever ; but like all the other affedions, if there be not (^ reafon) a due ballance kept between them and the other affedions, there will be a diforder. Chriftianity (which is its excellency) rai- fes the affedions towards God, but that thefe affedions prevail to the weakning other natural affedions, and to the hurt of foci- ety, proceeds from the ncgled of the ufe of reafon which Chriftianity condemns 5 to prevent this evil, Chriftianity earneftly re- commends the cultivating the other natural affections as univerfal benevolence in all the branches of it, and makes the affedion towards God raifed by the peculiar motives of the Gofpel, fubfervient to this end. (9.) We cannot argue, that becaufe there is more wickednefs prevailing in the ages fmce the Gofpel has been preached, and in thofe countries where it has fpread, that Chriftianity itfelf is an evil thing 5 the great- er ( 117) er prevalence of vice at one time and In one place than another is owing to a great variety of circumftances i Chriftianity may be fo far from promoting, that it may in fome meafure remedy the evils that are in the world, and yet in fomc places there may be more evil prevailing fince than before Chriftianity ; a greater efFeft may be pro- duced by a lefs powerful caufe without any or with but fmali impediment, than is by a much more powerful caufe, with a very confiderable impediment. CHAP. XIV. Of the external evidence^ for Chrtflta- nhy^ particularly miracles. REVELATIONS maybe confider- ed as original or traditionary 3 by otigmal revelations I mean fuch as are made dire5fly to a pcrfon himfelf 5 by traditiona- ry, thofe that are propofed to him by others who received a revelation from God 5 and I chufe to ufe the v/ords original and tra- ditionary, rather than immediate and medi- (ite^ becaufe this latter may feem to imply as if revelations made directly to the pcrfon himfelf, were always immediately from God ; whereas generally the dire^ revelations we have ( ii8 ) have accounts of in hiftory, particularly in the Old Teftament, were not thus immediate y but by Angels fometimes appearing in an human (hape, at other times making fomc glorious appearances, difcovering a divine prefence, and forming a voice in the air, by which the will of God was difcovered 5 but moft frequently reprefenting things on the imagination of a perfon either fleeping or waking 5 this laft was commonly the way by which revelations were made to the pro- phets j and fmce even when it is plain from the nature of the thing itfelf, that the revelation made by the Angel was only in a vifion, yet every thing is reprefented as real, and things are defcribed as done by the prophets in purfuance hereof, which yet could not poffibly be done , it may very reafonably be fuppofed that many of the appearances of Angels, mentioned in the Old Teftament, might be only vifionary^ and thus the whole ftory of Jacob's wreft- ling with an Angel, and the conference be- tween Balaam^ his afs, and the Angel may be only a vifion, as I could eafily fhew ve- ry rcafonable to be fuppofed, if it would not lead me too far. Whatever revelations God makes to any, whether original or traditionary^ muft be evidenced to come from him ; the latter fort are certainly capable only of external evidence , but it may be doubted whether a^ ( 119 ) as to the former fort they do not carry their own evidence along with them 5 this queftion I think may be pretty eafily deter- mined from what has been already faid 5 what has given pcrfons ground for think- ing that original revelations muft carry their own evidence along with them, has been their taking it for granted that all original revelations muft be immediate 5 but as on the contrary it has been fhewn that moft of the original revelations of which hiftory gives us any accounts have not been imme- diatey all the reafoning built on that fup- pofition turns againft thofe that have made ufe of it. Is it not abfurd to fuppofe that God fhould make a revelation by an An- gel \ that as in the inftance of Mofes, Exod. iii. this Angel fhould (hew a fign for the fatisfadtion of the perfon to whom the re- velation is made,- and yet that in the very nature of things, all original revelations muft carry their own evidence along with them? If original revelations in the very nature of things carried their own evidence along with them, why fhould not a perfon be able as well to diftinguifii a revelation from God, made fuppofe by a voice, the firft time he has fuch revelation, as any time after, con- trary to what we find in the cafe of Sa- miiel. See i Sam. iii. k muft be then al- lowed that original revelations, when not immediate^ do not carry their own evi- dence ( lio ) dencc along with them. As to immediate revelations, it feems evident, that as the original ^^\w^ is infinitely diftant from all other beings ; fo muft his manner of ading be different from theirs j and by confequence his operations on the mind be diftinguifh- able from thofc of all other beings. It feems abfiird that men fhould be able immediately to fatisfy us they fpeak to us, and yet that God cannot. Chrift pretends to immediate revelations, and accordingly he always fpeaks of himfelf as infallibly certain of them, knowing that he came from God, ^c, and therefore as the Jews had reafon to believe him both an honeft, and a fobcr confiderate man i they had fome reafon, as he fhews them, to believe this teftimony of his, concerning himfelf 5 though he does not reft the mat- ter wholly on that, but refers them to the confirmation of this teftimony by the mira- cles he wrought in his Father's name : which leads me on naturally to another inquiry, n)iz>, what evidence is to be expected for traditionary revelations. A perfon may give me proof of his being honcft and fincere 5 but this cannot make me abfohitely cer- tain that he is iiot under the power of En- thufiafm, /. e. that he does not miftake ei- ther the natural veafonings of hisownmind, or the imprcfllons of other fpirits for di- vine revelations. All ( 121 ) '' All error is want of knowledge : Sup. pofe then but this man not to know, or not fufHciently to confider that a thought may come into his mind of a fudden, he knows not how j or be imprcffed with great- er vigour on the mind than other thoughts, C^r. and this from the natural frame of his mind j or from its fituation and circumftan- ces, with regard to other created beings, whe- ther material or immaterial 5 and he may cafil)^ be fuppofed to draw this conclufion, i;/;s. that God has revealed his will to him on a particular occafion, when all has been nothing but the delufion of his own fancy. We muft fuppofe then, that all traditi- onary revelations muft have fome external evidence 5 that evidence is chiefly the evi- dence of miracles, to difcover the nature of which, and their manner of evidencing a revelation, I fhall, as before, take my rife from the eafieft and plaineft principles. A miracle is fomething wonderful ; what makes things appear wonderful is not their great- nefs, but unufualnefs. God is the author of all things ; therefore the order and fet- tlement of things* (which we call the courfc of nature, the laws of nature, C'C.) is an order of things fixed by him : this general order difcovers God's general will to mankind alivays and every vjloere^ but cannot difcover his will on particular occafions. We know not the power of the intermediate beings between God and us i ( l^^ ) US 5 therefore we cannot, from the mere na- ture of any works done above human pow- er, conclude that they are wrought imme- diately by God. We do not know all the laws by which thofe beings are governed, all the rejiraints they are lain under, therefore we cannot conclude merely from a man's giving difco- veries of knowledge or power above hu- man, that he is fent of God for fome par- ticular purpofe. But this we may know, that thofe inter- mediate beings are under fome laws, fome reftraints ; particularly, that they are fo far reftrained, as that by their means we can- not be lain under an unavoidable decepti- on as to the affair of revelation. It is fuppofed that it may be fit on fome occa- fions God fhould make a revelation 5 here are fome circumftances of mankind at prefenr, from which I cannot but judge it fit God fhould make a revelation j a man comes with a pretence of a revelati- on s he vouches God as the author of his dodrine, makes a folemn appeal to him, and gives difcoverics *of knowledge and power above human, and which for ought I know may be divine. If now this perfon docs not come from God, then there can be no evidence of any perfon's coming from him I then no perfon can come from him ; then God has precluded himfeif from all poflibility of ever doing that, which yet it is ( 1^3 ) 'cis fuppofcd in fome circiimjlances, at fome times J and on fomc occafions may be fit and proper to be done, which is abfurd 5 from all which it follows, that difcoveries in a many of knowledge or power above humaTiy toattefl: a revelation every way wor- thy ot God^ and not contradided by the pretenfionsof any other man giving greater evidences of knowledge or power, muft fhew that man to come from God; but Chrift gave fuch difcoveries, therefore he came from God. *. Q. E. D. CoroL I. We may fee how, where the nature of the revelation itfelf docs not make a difference between two pretenders, as in the cafe of Mofes and the xMagicians, y.ct ♦ Miracles thus ftated, I think, afford all the evidence to a revelation that can poflTibly be given j it is not incumbent on lis to prove that there are fuch reaf^)ns as do make it fir for God to make a general and ftanding revelation of his wiil. It is enough for us that we fee clearly there may be fuch reafons ; and that it is impofTible the contrary fl.ould be fhevvn. And now it being once proved that there may be fuch reafons, as fliall make it neceffary for a being of perfect wifdom to make a ge- neral and ftnnding revelation of his will ; there can nothing be plainer than that we have no other way of judging concerning any pretenfions to a revelation j but from our natural notions of God. Let us f.-e then how far thefe will diredl us in the pre- fcnt cafe ; it is evident, that as we are here inquiring not about immediate but mediate revelations ; fo the conhderation of the different manner in which the original Being may be fuppofed to .communicate his will to us from all other beings is hereout of the cafe; we can then only judge from the ' chara(n:ers of wifdom and holinefs, agreeable to our natural notions of God in the doftrine itfelf ; and. the charafters of knowledge and power, in the miracles fuudcrllood in the large!v ienfe} by which Jt is fupported. L the ( 1^4 ) the fupcrioriiy of the works of the one to the other will. Cor. 2. The argument of miracles for a re- velation is probable only, not demonflrative. If it could be fnewn that it cannot pof- fibly be fit for God on any occafion whatever to make any revelation by the mediation of a man or an Angel, it would be demonftrable that miracles could have no force to eftablifh fuch revelati- ons i on the other hand, if it could be llicwn that it was fit on any particular oc- cafions that God fliould make fuch revela- tion, thelc miracles brought to atteft fome- thing worthy of God, and not oppofed by fuperior miracles, would demonftrably prove fuch a revelation to have been actually made 5 but as for want of a perfc£t know- ledge of the reafons of the divine aftions, we are not certain what an infinitely wife Being muft do 5 fo in the argument of mi- racles, we muft be contented with proba- bility, which plainly is of the fide of the revelation. Here is a man pretends to bring from God a docirine that is certainly worthy of God ; in favour of this man, there are works wrought at his pleafure which I know to be above humane power, and which I cannot diftinguifh from divine vjorks : If now fuch a mediate revelation may be a thing fit and proper, I have rea- fon C x^J ) fon to think this an inftance of it ; fince I fee all that evidence for it, which I could exped, if the thing were ; though for want of a pcrfed knowledge of the caufe of this revelation, 'viz. the will of an infinitely wife Being, dircfted by all the bejl reafons^ I cannot ftridly demonfiratc, any more than I can ftriftly demonftrate the exiftcncc of the external world. CoYoL 3. lAn2iC\<.s of themfelves are not the ijjtire evidence of revelation. A revelation by an Angel or a man is a credible thing : A revelation by an Angel is pretended to be brought me, and the fign which I defire in proof of it is wrought; I have then reafon to believe it ; a revela- tion by a man is pretended to be brought me 5 the man I know to be a wife and fo- ber man, not interefted in the cafe, having no private worldly views, and the do£lrine I fee to be every way worthy of God ; I have then reafon to believe him, if he fays, he received this immediately from God, or from God by the mediation of an Angel, for which he had fuch fign given for his fatisfadion as he dcfired 5 but my faith is ftill ftrengthned in his revelation, when long trial of the man and his doctrine makes us more fully fatisfied of the diftinterefted- nefs of the tormcr, and the happy tenden- cy of the latter to promote trucgoodncfsj when he performs any works above hu- L 2 man ( 11<$ ) nian power in atteftation of his do£lrinc i when they are very numerous, and as great as I could even wifh for my fatisfadion ; ^hen there fhall fome appear to oppofe his doctrine, but with manifeft difadvantages in all refpeftsi when I (hall have fecn thofe things accomplifhed which himfclf gave as figns of his divine miffion, and which were as great as I could have defired myfelf : Mofes pretended to be raifed up by God to accomplifh that promife to the Ifraelites^ concerning their deliverance out of Egypt, which they had fome reafon, from tradi- tion from their fathers to believe he had made 5 the thing he pretended to was cre- dible 5 he vouched for his divine commif- fion a work above human power ; he goes on to cftabiifn his authority by more fuch works : There are fome that oppofe him, they imitate fome of thefe works, hither- to the point remains doubtful. Mofes at laft performs fuch works as they can- not, and then it is determined in his fa- vour 5 Mofes in his revelation fuppofes a pcrfon might arife, and in oppofition to his doftrine, and to eftablifli a contrary one unworthy of God, fiiew a fign, but he does not put the cafe of fuch an one's performing as many and great works as he {lad done. Chrift appeared at a time when revela- tion y?^;^i- to hcive been needed, and with fuch ( 127 ) fuch i revelation as exadlly anfvvers the beft notions we can form of one fuitcd to the nccellities of mankind 5 he pretends to im- mediate communications with Heaven, dif- covers fuch wifdom, and at the fame time fuch diftintereftednefs in his charader, as makes his own teftimony concerning himfelf cre- dible ; hisdoftrine is wholly calculated, not to promote a worldly intercfl: of his own, but the glory of God and good of man- kind 5 he appeals to works above human power in atteftation of it ; thofe things are accomplifhed which himfelf gave as the fign, and propofed as the Jinal evidence of his million, viz, his refurrcdion and the pouring out of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft. He foretold the arifing of pretenders to his character, with the power of doing fuch things as exceed human ability 5 but when- ever fuch perfons have appeared, the evi- dence they have brought for their divine million has been ever vaftly inferior to his. Some of Chrift*sdifciples, at a time when there was no appearance of fuch a thing;, no circumftances of things that could lead to fuch a guefs, foretold a corrupt ftatc of the church, exaftly in the minuteO: cir- cumftances anfwering to what has fince hap- pened, and this introduced and eftabliHicd by fuch wonderful works as have been dc- fcribed 5 but thefe have been found no L 3 v/.iy ( 128 ) way equal to the others, on which pure and original Chriftianity is founded 5 and the appearance of them, in exad agreement with their predidions, given out at a time when it was impoffible for men by the mere force of human reafon to have guef- fed at fuch events, is a farther confirmati- on of the divinity of the pure and origi- nal doftrine of Chrift and the Apoftles. CoroL 4. It is not enough to eftabiifh a revelation to fay that it contains nothing unworthy of God, and that there are works to vouch it above human power 5 fmce there may be two oppofite pretenders to a reve- lation, each performing fuch fort of works to confirm their two oppofite claims, nei- ther of which appear from the nature of the doftrine delivered by them to be un- worthy of God to favour, as in the cafe of Mofes and the magicians : Again, a good man may have, without grounds to fupport it, a ftrong impulfe on his mind, that he has an extraordinary commiflion from God to fet up for a reformer of mankind 5 and that he fhall have, if he fets about this work, ex- traordinary afliftance j as he thinks he has had a peculiar revelation of the great truths of natural religion made him, he may, in the fimplicity of his heart, appeal for the confirmation of this trtie dodrine as a pe- culiar revelation to him, to works above human power, which works may, for ought 4 we ( 1^9 ) we know, be permitted by God to be wrought by fpirits fupcrior to us, whofe cxiftence natural reaibn with great proba- bility fliews us, who may be eafily conceiv- ed Jo good as to be willing to favour the caufe of virtue, and yet not fa perfeEi in wifdom as that they may refufe fuch an unwarrantable method of promoting it. A- gain, with this true and found dodrine of natural religion, another pretender to reve- lation may mix fome other things which have no foundation j and yet 1 may not be able to fee how that part of his dodrine is faife and unworthy of God 5 and I can- not fee but it is poffible for a fpirit lupe- rior to us, but ftill more defedive in wif- dom than the former, to fupport even the claims of this man. Again, there may be difcoveries of more than human knowledge or power, by means of the intcrpofition of particular fpirits, to whom the government of particular countries is affigned, with defigns very ditrerent from eftablifhing any revelations from God, and defigns oppofite to each other. The difcoveries of fuch knowledge and power then are of them- felves no proofs of any revelation ; and when appealed to as iuch proofs, and that even in a cafe where the docfrine appears not unworthy of God, fuperior difcoveries in oppofuion to their claim will throw the evidence on the other fide 3 as in the cafe L 4 of ( 13° ) of the magicians contending with Mojes, mentioned above. (5.) That where there is nothing in the nature of the dodrinc unworthy of God, and no fuperior work wrought in oppofi- tion to it, one or a few miracles will atteft a revelation j but yet a number of miracles is additional evidence. (6.) It fecms evident that the grand laws by which the chief parts of the creation are governed, cannot be countera£led with- out a particular dircftion from God 5 but how do I know but God, for reafons un- known to me (but known to fuperior fpi- lits, bad as well as good, who may make them known to a man ; fuppofe JoJInid) originally fo adjufted the frame of things, or fixed fuch a law by which he would govern the world, that at fuch a particu- lar time the fun (or earth) fhould ftand ftill ? JoPma accordingly foretels this 5 what then > does this predidion of Jofhiias im- 7nediately eftablifh the truth of any thing he faysj no furely. If indeed he appeals to this as an evidence of a revelation he brin2;s from God, and it falls out accord- ingly, it will cftablifli his pretcnfions to a revelation, if there be no way left us of detecling the cheat 5 but then this evidence reds on the appeal i\\2it is made, and God's anfvvxring the appeal. (7.) Mira- ( 13^ ) (7.) Miracles vouch the truth of what a perfon delivers in the name of tiie Lord; therefore of any revelation faid to be made him, or of any antient revelation on which his is built, and to which it has plainly a reference as prior to it, and neceflarily to be fuppofed e'er that can be conceived to have any reality, Mofes by miracles cfta- blifhed his prophetick charader. He is di- reded by Providence to give an account of this revelation made him, in writing. He introduces the mention of his own particu- lar revelation by other antienter revelations, to which his had a plain reference, and on which it was built, as thofe to Abraham. His account therefore (on fuppofition of a wife Providence) is as much to be depend- ed on, as to thofe more antient revelations, as his own. Tis plain from the frame of Mofes*s hi- ftory, that he was directed by the Provi- dence of God to write with this as his principal view, viz,- the giving an account of God's difpenfations to the Ifraelitljh na- tion, and of the religion he had eftablifhed among them. As therefore by miracles he had eftablifh- edhis prophetick charader, and fliewed the religion he had eftablilhcd among them was from God ; fo when he came to write down this revelation, the Providence of God would be concerned to fee he fliould de- 4 iivcr ( 13^ ) liver it pure to pofterity ^ and then 'tis im- poflible to fuppofe he fhould be left with- out direction or guidance, as to thofe other parts of his writings that are wholly prepa- ratory to this, "viz. the accounts he gives of the method of God's providence to man- kind from the beginning, and the feveral revelations he had made, particularly thofe to Abraham^ which that made to him ex- prefly mentioned, and all along fuppofed as the ground and foundation of it. (8.) As there were never any miracles wrought to prove the infpiration of parti- cular books, fo no miracles do prove the infpiration of books. The books of the Old and New Teftament contain revelations vouched by miracles 5 but then, thofe mi- racles do, for that reafon, no more vouch the infpiration of other perfons, vis^, the penmen of thofe books, than of any other perfons whatever, fuppofe the tranfcribers of them. Mofes having by miracles eftablifh- cd his prophetick charader, what he deli- vers concerning his own revelation, and thofe ancienter revelations on which his is built, rauft be true; for the knowledge of thofe facls of which himfclf was eye and ear wit- nefs, he certainly did not need revelation. The knowledge of antienter fa£ts he might have by tradition, and his accounts of thofe antienter fads, particularly of the peopling of the world, in which he mentions only the ( 133 ) the then known parts of the earth from the tradition preferved among them of tiiat event, which may eafily be fuppofed con- veyed to him, exactly fuits that fuppofi- tion. As to the other hiftorical books of the Old Teftament, we may depend on them as authentick accounts, given while there was a fucceflion of Prophets in the Jewijb Church to direft every thing of confequence to it, of God's miraculous difpenfations to- wards that people, and of many particular revelations from time to time made them. As to the Hagiographdy part of it, as a very confiderable number of "■Z)^^7V'sPfalms, is prophetical of the Mcfliah, the ftate of the Jews in their laft grand captivity, their final reftoration, (^c. As to the other parts which are devotional and moral, much muft certainly, both as to ftile and turn of thought, be left to the natural genius of the writer. As to thofe that arc properly called the prophetical books; the meflages they de- livered in the name of the Lord muft cer- tainly be fuppofed to come from him, the future events foretold were certainly reveal- ed by him j but as to the moral inftrudions they gave, and fo admirably enforced, they were left much to their own genius, the diverfity of which fufficiently difcovers it felf in different Prophets. As ( IJ4 ) As to the New Teftamentj the Gofpels contain a true hiftory of Chrift's dodrinc and laws. Tis not necelTary every thing in the(e books (hould be infpired, only that they fliould be fo inftrufted in thofe things of confequence that they were ignorant of, di- refted in other things, and over-ruled in all, as that they might give fuch an account of Chrift's doctrine, and the miracles that cftablifhed it, as we may be able to depend on. And in order to give an account of the former, fince Chrift's difcourfes were fpoken in another language than they were writ in 5 fmce they were often not under- ftood at the time when fpoken, by Apoftles that heard themj fince on representing thefe aright depends the delivery of Chrift's dodrine and laws to diftant ages of the world pure and uncorruptj fmce Chrift had pro- mifed to give his Spirit to his Apoftles, to lead them into all truth, and bring what- ever he had faid to their remembrance, we muft ncceffarily fuppofe that thofe of the Evangciifts that were Apoftles (with whofe accounts the others do in the main agree) were under a particular direction in relating the difcourfes of Chrift. As to the other fafts related in the Gofpcls, particularly the miracles of Chrift, there is no need of a particular revelation for the knowledge of fuch things as men had been eye and ear witncflcs of, or received from luch. That thefe ( 135 ) thefe writers themfelves did not apprehend the ncceflity ot fuch revelation, is plain from their putting the credibility of their hiftory either (as St. Jolm) on the evidence of their own Senfcss or, as St. Ltikey on the teftimony of eye and ear witneffes. And laftly, that they did not write under. fuch particular prophetick degree of infpi- rationisdemonftiable from the uncertainty with which they cxprefs fome leifer circum- ftances of fads, from the omiflions in fome Gofpels fupplied by others, and from the differences as to fom^ leffer circumftances of fads. The AEis of the Apoftles are a narrative of the progrefs and fpread of Chriftian doc- trine, after Chrift's refurredionj ofthefirft converts made 5 of the manner of their ad- mi ffion 5 the terms of it, the dodrine be- fore propofed to them to be believed \ the difcourfes of the Apoftles with the Jews after Chrift had in the interval between his refurredion and final afcenfion, particularly inftruded them in the prophecies, given his Spirit to lead them into all truth, parti- cularly beftowed on them the word of knowledge, enabling them as Prophets of theNewTeflament to explain, /. e. fully to underfland themfelves, and to be able to make out to the reafon and undcrftanding of others, and the convidion or filencing pf gainfaycrs, the Old Teftament Pro- phecies ( I30 phccles relating to the great events to hap- pen in the days of the Mefliah, compare I Cor. xii. S, 28. Eph. ii. 20. iii. 2 — 7. iv. II. Rom. xvi. 25, 26. iTet.'u 19. and the arguments they offered to them, as dire^ evidence of Jefus bcin^ the MefTiah from the agreement of the dijiingaijhing characters of the Meffiah to him, and him alone. Of the Epiftles, the greateft number are St. haul's i and thofe are for the mod part writ to the idolatrous Gentiles, to confirm them in the liberty of the Gofpel in oppo- fition to Judaizers: Thefe Epiftles there- fore contain his Gofpely or the revelation pectdiarly made him, viz. God*s readinefs now to admit even the idolatrous Gentiles on their repentance and faith into his Church, without the obfervance of the law oi Mofes. And this Gofpel of his he every where, on proper occafions, in thofe Epiftles confirms by an appeal to the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, which God by him conferred on the Churches, one of which, viz. the word of knowledge, he difcovers in thofe Epiftles, by making out in clear and conneded dif- courfes, the truth and evidence of his pecu-, liar Gofpel rrom the Old Tcftament. The Epiftles to the Theffalonians are whol- ly either moral or prophetical. In the Epiftles to the Corinthians, befides what contains moral inftrudion, or relates to { 137) to his peculiar Gofpcl, the chief parts are taken up in correding abufcs crept in among them, particularly relating to the Lord's-Supper ; to rectify which, he brings them back to the inflitution of Chrift, as he fays he had received it immediately from him. His apoftolical autliority he every where claims in thefe Epiftles, and for proof of it appeals to the gifts of the Holy Ghoft he had conferred on then^. He gives par- ticular diredions in particular difficult cafes, as one that had been found faithful in his a- poftolical truft, and therefore of confequence as one that had the Spirit of Chrift j he gives particular direftions about the exercife of their fpiritual gifts, which he leaves thofe who had theSpirit to be judges of. In his firftEpiftle he dircds them to put from them a wicked member of their fociety, and predids a cor- poral punifhment inflided by Satan that fhould attend this fentence of theirs in ex- cluding him their communion 5 and this aft of difcipline in his fecond Epiftle he com- mends them for exercifing. As to the Epiftles to Timothy and Titus, St. y^/^/had lain claim (and by the gifts of the Holy Ghoft fhewn the juftice of his claim) to all the powers of an Apoftlc; one of which was to make fettlemcnts, and give orders about the affairs of the Chriftian Church in Chrift's name, and by his autho- rity. Mat. XVI, 19. xviii. 18, To ( 138 ) To give force to all his after dire(!lions, ill the beginning of thcfe Epiftles he is careful to mention his apoftolical authori- ty. As he was peculiarly the Apoftle of the idolatrous Gentiles^ in giving fuch diredi- ons to the Evangclifts fent among them, he was exercifing his particular office ; and for eftablifhment of his apoftolical autho- rity, he appeals to thofe gifts of the Holy Ghoft that were conferred by him, i Tim. iv. 14. 2 Tim, i. 6y 7j 14. The Epiftle to the Hebrews was writ to cftablifh the Chriftian converts in Judaa in their adherence to the Gofpel, notwith- ftanding the perfecutions they met with from their unbelieving countrymen , and to this purpofe he fhews them the excellency of the Gofpel above the Law. As he here writes to thofe to whom he was not in a particular manner fent, fo he prudently avoids the mention of his apof- tolical authority, and grounds whatever he fays to them on reafonings from the Old Tcftamenr, which was a very proper way of arguing, in order to confirm thofe who had grafted Chriftianity on the antient re- velation oi Mofes and the Prophets; and cfpecially, when the adverfaries againfi whom he argues were thofe who allowed the authority of the Old Tejl amenta and that only. Jiut C 139) But tho* in this Epiftle the Apoftlc don't fee fit to mention any thing of his apofto- licai authority, yet as in other places he both makes andjuftifieshis claim^ to all the gifts of an Apoftle, one of which was the word of knowledge ; fo 'tis evident the main dodrine of this Epiftle is grounded on the fenfe the Apoftle gives to fome pafTages or other of the Old Teftament. As Taul was peculiarly the Apoftle of the idolatrous Gentiles ^ fo was 7eter of the profelytes of the gate, to whom he firft opened the GofpeJ, A£ls x. 11. and his Epiftle feems to have been directed to them ^. To thefe therefore (in like man- ner as Taul to the idolatrous Gentiles) he writes with the authority of an Apoftle. la the beginning he lays claim to that charac- ter, and for the eftablifliment of it appeals to the word of Prophecy, which he had (in common with other Apoftles, or chief teachers of the Chriftian Church) and which in many inftances he had difcovered. The Epiftle oi James contains no peculiar dodlrine, and therefore, in cafe it were cer- * 'Tis direfted to the ftrangers, or fbjourners that came up to ferufalem to worlhip, but had not their refidence there, of the difperfion throughout Pontus, 8cc. the fame with the difperfion of the Greeks or Gentiles^ who 'tis plain are not ^ervs difperfed among the Gentiles, for they are called Gentiles themfelves, fohi vii. 55". and very probably are the devout Gentiles or profelytes of the gate, to whom the fern thought our Saviour would betake himfelf on his failing of fuccefs amongft them. See the fecond Eflay in the Mi/cellanen Sacra, M tain ( 140 ) taia that it was writ by the Apoftle of that name, needs no appeal to an apoftolical au- thority, for the fupport of what it contains, vij:^. plain, moral inftrudions, that carry their own evidence along with them. As Jahn lived the laft of all the Apoftles, fo he law many deviations from the doc- trine of Chrift prevailing in the Church, and to caution perfons againfl: thefe, he writes his Epiftles, which contain no new point of doftrine, and therefore nothing that needs the confirmation of miracles. The Epiftles to the feven AJian Churches feem much of the fame nature with Johns other Epiftles, and the reft of the book of Revelations is prophetical. Much of the fame nature with Johns is Judes Epiftle, being defigned to guard per- fons againft thofe that had taught a doflrine contrary to that of the Apoftles, who had the Spirit themfelves, and had conferred it on the Churches ver, 17, 20. whereas thefe falfe teachers were purely animal men defti- tuteof the Spirit, ^'^r. 19. (9.) As 'tis plain from Holy Scripture, that in the ages before that of the Meiliah, the affairs of particular nations were com- mitted to particular Angels, and almoft all nations we are acquainted with, have had a notion among them, of predidions, and mi- raculous intcrpofitions particularly in their behalf, m cppofition to other nations, and have ( 141 ) have accordingly addreffed the fupremc De- ity, or lupcrior Deities by thofe fubordinate powers i may not we fuppofe this general notion of revelation and miracles to have a general foundation? and what can that be fo eafily fuppofed to be, as a general expe- rience of fupernatural interpofitions > And if this be fuppofed (which is pretended by the Heathens^ and the notion of it was the ground of their afcribing their vidories to their gods, and of the rivalfhip the wor- (hippers of different deities y^wr/W between them, as well as of the r^^/ contentions be- tween the diviners or fuppofed interpreters, meflengers, or agents of thefe different dei- ties of different countries) will not all this exaftly agree with the accounts of this affair in Daniel, and give an eafy account of the reafoh of God's challenging the deities of the Heathen, and their diviners, and his baffl- ing their knowledge and power, by the wonderful accompUfhments of predidlions of his own Prophets, fome of them even re- lating to the punifhment of thefe nations i And thus God's fhewing to the IfraeliteSy and the whole world, that he is God of Gods, and Lord of Lords ) Such revelations or miracles allowed in the Heathen world, won't at all affeft revelation as built on miracles. Miracles never prove a divine in- terpofition for a particular purpofe, as atteft- ing a perfon s million, but where there is an M 7^ appeal ( 14^ ) appeal made to God. Now thefc prcdifti* ons or miracles here fuppofed, were not produced by any perfon coming in God's name, or pretending a miflion from him; and therefore are quite bcfides the prefent cafe. (lo.) Itfeemsnot a full account of a mi- racle which is given us by Mr. Chandler in his late admirable difcourfe on that fubjeft, 'viz. that 'tis a work above the natural power of that being which feems to per- form it. This account very well fuits the cafe of traditional revelations, but not of original ones either mediate or immediate, (i.) Not of original, immediate revelations; God's re- vealing himfelf to any perfon, is a miracu- lous ad, and the higheft atteftation to a doc- trine. (2.) Nor original mediate ones: An Angel brings a revelation from God: The nj'tfible appearance of an Angel is a miracu- lous ad : And where the dodrine brought is worthy of God, and not contradifted by fuperior works, here is the very fame kind of evidence of a divine miflion, as if works were performed by this Angel which he could not do by his own natural ftrength 5 and whether an Angel performing any work docs it by his own ilrength or no, we can never know, except we were better acquaint- ed with the powers of Angels. But if we could know this, we fhould not be got a whit ( 143 ) whit farther in the proof of a divine doc- trine } for a work which none but Michael can perform, is no more an evidence of a divine interpofition than what does not ex- ceed the powers of Gabriel or RaphaeL (ii.) Miracles, or unullial cffcdsof the power of God either mediate or immediate to atteft a revelation, are the alone proper evidences of a doftrine's being from God. The nature of the dodlrineonly fhews it fit to come from God. As to predictions go- ing before concerning a pcrfon to come from God, thefe cannot be the only evidences of a revelation, fmcc the lirfl revelation could not have them, nor are they at all eviden- ces of a revelation j but as they are extra- ordinary difcoveries of more than human knowledge or power, /. e. as they are miracu- lous; of which more in the next chapter. When there has been a former revelation, wherein certain characters arc laid down that are to agree to one that is to come into the world at a particular time, i^c, the firft enquiry in order of nature ( as is very judicioufly obferved by Mr. Chandler) is, whether he be a Prophet of God at all, which is included in the fuppofition of his being the particular Prophet mark'd out in an antient revelation. Now the proper vouchers for his prophetick character are miracles. And thus he may cflabliih his prophetick char after, in the fame manner ^ M 3 2nd ( 144 ) and by the fame means as theirs was who brought the firft revelation. If he has done this, nothing can (hake his prophetick cha- rader, but what equaUy afFeds the former, and indeed all revelation whatfoever. If he be not the perfon pointed at in a former revelation, bccaufe tho* many of the cha- racters (particularly that of time) did, yet fome dXdi not agree to him; and if no other perfon at the time within which this is to happen, lays claim to the charader, the confequence is, that the former revelation is equally a juggle with his j and then, if a pretended revelation (as the Mofaick) fup- ported by fo many miracles, and accom- plilhments of predidions given, fome of them, as figns of accomplifliments of far- ther predidions, particularly of thofe re- lating to this great perfon to come into the world,- and if a pretended revelation of a perfon claiming to be a Prophet of God, and eftablifhing that claim by as great mi- racles as even our natural reafon would lead us to exped for a revelation, may prove on- ly pretended and not real, then all prcten- fions to revelation muft, with the poilibility of producing fuitable evidence for revelati- on, be given up. On the other hand, if a perfon has really proved his being a Prophet, he has proved the truth of his prophetick dodrine ; and then if this be part of it, that he is the par- I ticular ( 145 ) ticular pcrfon dcfigned in anticnt prophecies, he has fully proved the truth of that. When Chrift: appeared firll, the mod emi- nent and diftinguilhing chara«^ers of the Mef- fiah, which related to his fuffcrings, death, refurredion, and the pouring out the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, could not appear in him : The only diftinguifhing charader that he could at tirft be fuppoled to appeal to, was his being born of a virgin 5 but tho' this were a diftinguidiing character, yet, fince in its own nature it would not admit of To clear and full evidence as to be fit to be made a certain mark of a particular perfon, and therefore was given at firft for a quite different purpofe, and that not without another fign then to appear, to aflure of its accomplifhment, it was not fit our Saviour fhould appeal to that. Miracles would well eftablifh his prophetick charader, and fo his right to apply all the marks of the Meffiah to himfelf, (of which none that were as yet to appear were found wanting) even thole that were not to appear 'till after his death 5 otherwife he could ne- ver eftablifh his Meffiartiip during his life, nay not 'till the very end of all things, when alone all the characters of the MelTiah can appear to agree in him; and then neither could he ever before eftablifh his divine mif- fion, which (when once he had lain claim to the Meffiafhip) depended on the juftice of M 4 that ( H^ ) that claiml On the other hand, taking mi- racles as the foundation of Chrift's religion, wc have a full proof of it. That the re« maining charaders of the Mefliah fhall be fulfilled in him, wc have this heap of evi- dence; all the miracles that eftablilh the Jewijh revelation 5 all the miraculous de- liverances of that people in particular, fome of which were exprefly given as figns of the great falvation by the Mefliah, whoif Jcfus be not he, has never, and can never appear j all the predidions that have cxadlly been an- fwered by events relating to the firft fetting up fuch a kingdom as Chrift claims, to the intermediate ftate between the firfl begin- nings and the glorious completion of this kingdom ; all the extraordinary difcoveries of knowledge and power more than human, fhewn by Chrift and the Apoftles 5 and laft- ly, fuch a ftate of things in the world (in exaft agreement with antient predidions) as renders the accomplifhmcnt of the moft dif- ficult parts yet behind, fuch as, particularly, thofe relatin2: to the reftoration of the Jews) not on\y pofflble but probable. . As this was the proper evidence on which Chriftianity (fuppofing it a divine revelati- on) ought to be built ; fo this was the evi- dence on which Chrift himfelf ever built it. Tho' he did not for very wife reafons, (of which Mr. Locke has given an excellent ac- count in his admirable difcourfe of the rea- fonablenefs ( U7 ) fonabknefs of Chriftianity) declare himfelf openly during his niiniftry to be the Meffiah, yet in prophetick language he declares him- felf the Mefliah. He fuppofcs the Jews^ even at that time, inexcuiable in not believ- ing he was^^, or the great perlonthey then expeded. At the conclufion of his mini- ftry he plainly declares to his difciples that he is the Melliah , but as the only evidence he could offer as yet for his being the Mef- fiah, was his miracles brought to atteft a mod holy dodrine; lb this is the evidence to which he ever appeals. His miracles he vouches for the evidence of his entire cha- rafter as he had claimed it, not only as one fent of God, but his Son^ which he knew the Jews at that time would eafily under- ftand as a charader of the Mefliah. He gives his own refurredtion as a proof of the jufticc of his claim, and fo the pouring out the gifts of the Holy Ghoft after his refurrcction, with- out confidering them as the accomplifhment of antient predictions relating to theMeflSah. But it is pretended, (i.) that Chrift him- felf appealed to prophecies as evidences of his right to that charader which he claimed i as the/>r;W//<«/ evidences of it , and that when ' he mentions miracles as evidences, 'tis chief- Ij at leajl, if not folelyy as accomplifhments of particular prophecies. (2.) That the Apoftle Teter has plainly preferred the argument of prophecies to mi- racles. ( I4S ) racks, by declaring the word of prophecy more fure than even the voice from heaven, which himfclf heard. 2 Tet, i. 19. I will endeavour to give fuch an aniwer to both thefe objeftions as may be iully fatisfac- tory. As to the firft, the two ftrongeft paflages that I know of, are Jo. v. and Mat. xi. which I fliall therefore particularly con- fider. In the firft of thefe our Saviour, after a plain and open appeal made to his miracles for the juftice of his claims, tells the yettt, xviii. i8. Com. c. xxxiv. 12. He wrought no miracles of revenge on his enemies 5 but when on his feizure by them, Teter in defence of his matter woun- ded one of them, Chrift wrought a miracle to heal the wound. When by a miracle he had fed the bo- dies of the multitude, and oblerved them on that to follow him in great numbers, he cautions them left they fhould fufFer the concern for their bodies to prevail above that for their fouls 5 and puts them in mind of attending more to his dodrinc, which would give them eternal life, than to any concerns of thislhort and frail life; though at the fame time he could not but fee that fuch fpiritual difcourfe as this would leffen the number of his followers. ( 157 ) By fome of his miracles he difcouraged the liiperftitious notions of the Jews zt that time, concerning the pofitive obferv- ances of the law, and their preference even to moral duties, as by healing on the Sab- bath day, O'C. Sometimes, as in the curfe of the barren fig-tree, he inftruded them by his miracles in fome moral truth, fome- what after the manner the prophets of old were direded to inftruft the Jews by typi- cal aftions 5 Chrift's works, as for the be- nefit of men they were confined chiefly to the earth (though at the fame time he dif- covered a power over the winds and the waves and even the invifible world) when the Jews required a fign from heaven, /. e. a work of meer pomp and amufement, or terror and punifhment, the former of which was not agreeable to the wifdom, the lat- ter to the mercifulnefs of his deiign, he refufed it. As he difcovered his own confidence in God, by trufting his extraordinary power for his fupport whilft difcharging that pe- culiar truft that was committed to him j fo by fupplying the wants of thofe that fol- lowed him in a miraculous way, after fo- lemn addreffes to God, he taught them to confider God as the author of all their bleffings, and to truft him in every time of need. In the fame lefTon he inftruded them by his miracle of ftilling the winds N 2 and ( ijS ) and the waves. He fhewed the number, power and malice of evil Spirits, and fo God's goodnefs in preferving us from them, by- turn ing the Devils into the herd of fwine. Lajily, He aded agreeably to his prophe- tick charader, in correcting the diforders that had crept into the place of divine wor- fhip, and at the fame time taught perfons a becoming regard to the temple fcrvice ap- pointed by God, as long as that polity laft- cd. And laftly, fliewed his regard to the Gentiles, on whom the Jeiz^s poured con- tempt, by turning the buyers and fellers out of their court, whither the^^^i^;^ had brought them. CHAP. XVI. Of the gifts of the Holy Ghofi. IN treating on this fubjed, I fhall I. Shew whatthefc gifts of the Holy Ghoft were, and defcribc the nature of them as particularly as the fcripture accounts lead us to the knowledge of them. 2. 1 fhall confidcr the greatnefs of the evidence they afford to Chriftianity, and particularly the fupcriority of this evidence, to that of the miracles of Chrift himfelf while on earth. (.1) Then ( IJP ) (i.) Then, I am to confider the fcvcral gifts of the Holy Ghoft ; of which we have the moft exad account, i Cor. xii. 8,---ii. And, Firfiy The gift of wifdom, which furnifh- ed men for being Apoftles in the Chriftian Church, I Cor. xii. 8. Com. v. 28. This was neceffary for the furnifliing twelve or fourteen illiterate men with a complete fchemeof natural religion, fit to be propo- fed to the world for their inftruftion, in which they fhould all agree, which even the Philofophers themfelves in their difcourfes on thefe fubjefts did not. The exercife of this gift (hewed a divine interpofition 5 for what could be more wonderful than that twelve or fourteen illiterate men fhould give a fcheme of natural religion more complete than any one particular Philofo- pher ever did ; and that they (hould be in- ftruded all of a fudden in thofe points, of which before they were ignorant, or con- cerning which they had the common mif- takes of their countrymen ? By this gift of wifdom, the Apoftles propofed one uniform fcheme of religi- on, confiftent with itfelf, and agreeable to all former revelations, the fame every where : which otherwife could never have been. (i.) Not from impofturc 5 for the diftancc of the places where they preached would N 3 hinder ( i<^o ) hinder their caballing ; or if they agreed before their departure from Jerujalemy how could they hit on a fchemc which fhould fait all variety of unforefeen cir- cumflances? befides, if they entered into fuch a combination, why fhould they ftill retain fuch a value for their dead mafter, whofe name was hated every where, as to lift themfelves all under him, and not rather divide into parties and every one fet up for himfelf > And laftly, fuppofe there were fuch combinations among the twelve, what Ihali we fay to the cafe of Taul who was not called till after Chrift's refurredion, and yet taught for the main exadly the fame doctrine as the reft ? He had indeed a peculiar revelation concern- ing receiving the idolatrous Gentiles to equal privileges with the JewSy without circumcifion -, but this which he calls his Gofpely on the propofal of it to the Jew- ijh Apoftles, was admitted by them. See what is excellently well urged to this purpofe, Effay on the feveral difpenfa- tions, ^r. in the Preface, J?ag. 24. (2.) Nor from Enthufiafm 5 if it were poilible that by mere chance a number of Enthufiafts might have fome refemblance to each other in the fchemes they propofed, yet that there fhould be not the leaft clafh- ing or interfering in their fchemes, no dif- ference betv/een them but what difcovers : gi^cat great wifdom, as arifing from different clr- cumftances of times andperfons, and which thefe that bring the laft revelation, are able to make great ufe of in their own favour, that thefe latter Enthufiafts fhould not only- he able to offer a fenfe of a former revelati- on, which makes it perfectly confiflent with the latter, which fhews one wife defign re- gularly carried on by feveral fteps, and at laft completed by what thefe men have to offer to the world 5 and laftly, that this fo agreeable fenfe they fhould not arbitrarily fix on the words, but fhew it to be a fenfe they will not only bear, but feem, all things confidered, to require^ and then that what they build on this fenfe follows by juft and neceflary confequence: If all this can be the effect of Enthufiafm, then we muft be for ever at a lofs how to diftinguifh between Enthufiafm and the wifefl defign. V, G. The Apoftle fhcws a rcfemblance between the Law and the Gofpel, and at the fame time a difparity between them; and in that difparity the excellency of the Gofpel, as the moft perfed inftitution, which one would reafonably fuppofe, it being the laft. The law contained a promife to the If- raelites of life, without death intervening, but on a condition they could not fulfil; and this led wife and good men to expe(3t eternal life fome other way. N 4 The ( i6i ) The law had many temporal promlfes to virtue, and thole confined to one particular people : This naturally led wife and good men to expedt an inftitution that fhould pro- pofe rewards to virtue equally every where, and rewards exaftly proportioned to the vir- tue, which cannot be in a fit manner diftri- buted in this life. Under the law political guilt was clcanfcd by facrificing, chiefry by the blood of the facrifice, once a year by the High-Prieft offered up to God: But in this method of Expiation there were thefe following imperfections. The facrifices were of beafts, whofe blood could not purge the confcience; they were repeated every year; the High-Prieft entered without the people, and not into heaven, but the Holy of Holies j whereasChrift's one facrifice purged the confcience, he entered with it into heaven it felf, and he procures eternal redemption for us. By this analogy the Jews were more eafi- ly difpofed both to underftand and receive the Gofpel, efpecially when in the points of difference it could be (Tiewn the Gofpel had the advantage; and when it had been made appear by other arguments, that both thefe were inftitutions of God; the feeing this analogy between them (like what there is ia all the works of God) would naturally con- firm a perfon in the belief of the divinity of both. Again, ( 1^3 ) Again, God originally defigncd life as the reward of rightcoufnefs. If any had beea righteous, they were children of God, con- formed to his moral perfeftions, and enti- tuled to an inheritance from him. By fia thi$ inheritance was loft j but God original- ly defigned to beftow it on the faithful. To Abrahaniy as an extraordinary inftance of faith the promife wasfirft made; and in him to all the faithful, fince he is propofedas the pattern of bkffing to all nations, all being bleffed in him. In like manner Abrahams feed is fet forth as a pattern of blelling to all nations 5 and fubfequent prophecies defcribe one particular feed of Abraham^ viz, the Mefliah, as by rightcoufnefs, entituled to life himfelf, and by his facrifice procuring it for all that are conformed to the image of his holincfs. See Tfal xl. //. liii. &c. And this Mefliah was Jefus of Nazarethy who alone for his obedience to death, was exalted to God's right hand (as he difcovered by pour^ ing out the gifts of the Holy Ghoft) and re- ceived power to give eternal life. Thus we now, by virtue of the promife to Abraham^ made known only by Chrift to the Gentiles, become entituled to the inheritance of eter- nal life as children of God by that faith, which God accounts to us for rightcoufnefs, ^s Chrift is the Son of God, and intituled to the inheritance by rightcoufnefs. Chrift ( 1^4 ) Chrift has already taken poffeffion of the inheritance (as he has fhewn by pouring out the gifts of the Holy Ghoft) and thus alTured us that wc fhall by his power be at lafl: raifed to the poffeffion of it j be coheirs with him who is the firft-born among many brethren j and thus become children of God, by be- ing children of the refurredion. The Apoftle gives an interpretation of fome confiderable parts of the Old Tcfta- ment, particularly of what relates to the Abrahamick covenant, for which we at this diftance, from comparing it with other parts of the Old Teftament, can fee probable evi- dence, abftraded from the Apoftle's autho- rity : He fairly reprefents the law of Mofes relating to facrifices, (ire. and fhews an ana- logy between that and the Gofpel: And laftly, he fhews how the Gofpel is the per- feftion of all former revelations, v, g. with rcfped to the Abrahamick covenant. This gave a title to eternal life to all believ- ers that came to the knowledge of the pro- inife. The Meffiah, the feed of Abraham^ was to make a general publication of it, as accordingly Jefus (and no other) did, by ga-^ thering \.\\^Genttles to himfelf. Eternal life originally belonged only to lighteoufnefs; 'twas therefore tobebeftow- cd by the Meffiah, who for his obedience to death was to be raifed to life himfelf, fee If, liii. TfaL ii. and xvi. and to I be ( i<5t ) be advanced to the right hand of God, and receive power to fubdue all his enemies, and thus the great enemy of mankind, him that had the power of death, viz. the devil, and thereby bring life again into the world. See and compare P/^/. ex. i. with i Cor. XV. 25. Hei?, ii. 14, 15. And now that Jefus of Nazareth was this Meffiah is plain, be- caufe by pouring out the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, he fhewed that he was exalted to the right hand of God 5 and thus that God in reward of his obedient fufFerings, had gi- ven him not only life for himfelf, but a power (according to the claim he made while he was on earth) of giving life to others. Again, with refpecl to the expiations of the Jewifh law. Here was an atonement provided for all fins, that cleanfcd from mo- ral as well as ceremonial guilt; one fingle atonement that ferved all the purpofes of an expiation : Chrift entered not into the Holy of Holies, but into heaven it felf, and there appeared in the prefencc of God for us; he entered not with the blood of beads, but his own blood, (by the offering of which all the ends of government were anfwered) and he ever lives to make intercellion for us; and is advanced to full power of beftowing on us all thofe bleffings he has procured for us 5 and laftly, that he is advanced to fuch power, he has difcovercd by pouring out the gifts ( 1^6 ) gifts of the Holy Ghoft. I will only add under this head, thefe two obfervations. (i.) That this gift of wifdom affords an evidence for Chtiftianity, which is peculiar- ly adapted to ftrengthen the argument in be- half of Chriftianity from its internal excel- lency 5 the wife defigns of the Gofpel attain- ed by fit and proper means, give probable proof of its truth. The claim that the firft publifher of a doc- trine fo every way worthy of God, made to a divine million, without the lead ap- pearance of any thing in his charafterto dif- credit it, made the divinity of his dodrine probable 5 and when thofe that were com- miffioned by him to fpread his doftrine in the world (weak and illiterate perfons) gave the world fuch a fcheme of religion, as was moft wifely adapted to the reformation of mankind, infinitely better fitted to this end than all the fchemes of the philofophersj when all of a fudden they were inftrudted in this fcheme, and became ever after per- fed mafters of it : This very much confirms the former argument for the divinity of this pcrfon's dodrine. (2.) There is fomcthing in this gift of wif- dom peculiarly fitted to fhew that the doc- trine it confirms came from God. Works of mere power might be performed by evil fpiritsj but that evil fpirirs fliould furnifh men with the knowledge, and ability to. publifh, ( 1*57 ) publlfh to the world a fcheme of do£lrine, iti all the parts of it, the bcft fitted that could be to reform mankind, feems pcr- feftly incredible. (2.) The next gift mentioned by the A- poftlc is that of knowledge, which fitted fome to be Prophets in the Chriftian Church. By this they had a skill in interpreting the Old Teftament, particularly the prophe- cies of it, and fhewing their fulfilment in Chrift 5 and alfo a knowledge of future events relating to the ftate of the Church in general, as the rife, progrefs, and fall of An- tichrift, the call of the Jews, &c. By this they were enabled to remove the objeftions of the Jews againft the Gofpel, from the fufferings of Chrift, &c, to fhew the uniform defign of God from the begin- ning in his feveral revelations 5 by repre- fenting the refemblance between the two inftitutions of the Law and Gofpel, to dif- pofe the Jews to the more ready receiving the Gofpel, to draw arguments in favour of the Gofpel a pari':, and in points where there is a difference between them, to fhew that the advantage lies on the fide of the Chriftian inftitution. This gift is eafily difcovered to be divine, fmce the prophecies particularly, relating to the call of the Gentiles were otherwife un- dcrftood by Chrift's difciples even after his 3 refur- ( 1^8 ) refurrcflion, than they were interpreted by them afterwards, with evidence fufficient to convince any reafonable minds ^ fince the receiving the idolatrous Gentiles on the fame foot with the Jews was a doftrine pe- culiarly committed to St. Tauly who had not converfed with our Saviour during his jniniftry, but received this doftrine from him after his refurreftion, and was enabled to fhew it to be the doftrine of the Old Teftament, as bis fellow Apoftles afterwards agreed, tho' at firft they did not underftand thefe things. Since fuch an interpretation of the prophecies as fliould fhew it God's defign from the beginning to call the Gentiles^ and receive them on the fame terms with the Jewsy bears on it all the charaders of rec- toral wifdom, juftice, and goodnefs, and agrees admirably to God's dealings with mankind before the law, and to the defign oi xhQ Abrabamick covenants fince the re- prefenting one uniform wife and good de- fign in the Law and the Gofpel,points at one wife and good author of both : And thus as- under the former head, we may obferve how beautifully the external evidence from the gifts of the Holy Ghoft coincides with, and ftrengthens the internal evidence from the moral fitnefs of things. The uniformity in all the feveral revela- tions of God, and thelaftof them perfcding the defign of the reft, fcems to fliew they are ( 1^9 ) are not the contrivances of Enthufiafts; and fince there is other evidence to fhew the perfons that propofed this uniform fchemc were not impoftors, and yet they pretend- ed a divine miflion, 'tis probable tlieir doftrine was divine 5 and this is very much ftrengthened by this confideration, that they were all of a fudden enlightened with the knowledge of this uniformity in God's feve- ral revelations, and enabled to make this out by good arguments, and to bring con- vincing proof of fuch a fenfe of fome main parts of the Old Teftament, as was contrary to all their former opinions. By the word of knowledge the Prophets of the Chriftian Church foretold certaia great events, the like to which had ne- ver been j fuch as there was no ftate of things at that time in the world which could lead them to form a conjefture about and this with the utmoft particularity, as the rife, progrefs, and fall of Antichrift; and 'twas neceffary there (hould be fuch pro- phecies to obviate the objedion againft Chriftianity from fuch corruptions of it, to preferve perfons from deception by the mi- racles of Antichrifti andlaftly, to fupport thofe that (hould feel the unhappy efFeds of his power. And as it appears that things thus foretold could not fall within the compafs of human fagacity, which can only gueft at futurities from ( 170 ) from the likenefs to pad events, or from the prefent vifible fituation of affairs 5 fo thefe predidions anfwering fo wife and good an end of Providence, feem to direft us to afcribe them not to evil fpirits, but to the great author and governor of the univerfe. (3.) A firmnefs in believing and profefling the doctrines of Chriftianity, fitting men to be teachers. This was neceffary for the fpreading the one uniform fcheme of doc- trine of the Apoftles. (4.) The gift of healing 5 that is, a power of a fudden, without application of means of curing diftempers, either that come on perfons in the common' courfe of Provi- dence, or that are inflided in an extraordi- nary manner for feme fin they have com- mitted^ as in confequence of an aft of dif- ciplineof the Church, (^c, upon the prayer of faith which was infpired by the fpirit. See and compare Job. xiv. 13. xv. 7. Mat\ xvii. 20. Luke xvii. 6. Mat, xviii. 19. Jude 19, 20. Eph, vi. 18. James v. 14 19. I Cor. v. 5. xi. 30. As this power of healing proceeded from the prayer of faith infpired by the fpirit, who taught the infpired on v/hom to exercife it, and probably alfo increafcd their fervour in ask- ing it i fo 'tis diftinguifhed as one of the illu- minating gifts from mere works of power called by the Apoftle ^Ji/^^g^, by which I uaderftand an ability of doing gre^t and afto- nifhing ( ^71 ) nlfhing things above human power, and out of the common courfe of things; fuch as were Chrift's multiplying the loaves, ftilJing the winds and waves, cafting out devils, (^c. thefe feem of an inferior kind, and com- mon to falfe prophets and true. This gift of healing was of peculiar ufe. (i.) As it was a very beneficial one, dif- covered the goodnefs of its author, and in- clined perfons to a favourable hearing of his dodrine. (2.) As *twas neceflary to remove thofe diftempers which were inflifted by a very ufe- ful ad of difcipline in the Church, on fome forts of offenders, when the end for which they were inflided was anfwered. (5.) Becaufe God had frequently inter- pofed under the Mofaick oeconomy to cure the difeafesof his people, as being the great phyfician oilfrael. See 2 Chron. xvi. 12. Com. Jer. viii. 22. xlvi. 11. with J a, v. 14. (5.) The next gift was ^vvctf>ceig^ or the a-^ bility of performing great and aftonifhing works above human power, and out of the common courfe of things; fuch a power was neceflary, (i.) To raife the attention of the vulgar to a wife and holy dodtrine. (2.) It contains a probable proof of a doc- trine's coming from God, /. e, 'tis a good proof 'till fomcthing appears! n the dO(Srine, O or ( 171 ) ot in fupcriority of power oppofing it, that flievvs it cannot come from God. (3.) Tlie two grand divifions of mankind, at that time, Je'ws and Gentiles^ pretended to this power , fo that Chriftianity could never have fupported it felf againft thefe two without it. (6.) Prophecy, under which thefe fol- lowing things are included: i. The power of fore-telling leffer events, fuch as the dearth at Jeriifalem, &c. which was ve- ry neceffary for the anfwering particular emergencies of the Church, and to make Chriftianity appear fuperior to Heathenifnij which made great pretenfious to prophecy, in its feveral oracles, &c. 2. An abili- ty to edify the Church by exhortations in a known language, compofcd prayers for the ufe of the Church, Pfalmsfct to tune, &c. This gift was abfolutely neceffary for the well ordering the publick worfliip amongft a multitude of mean and illiterate perfons, and but juft inftrucled in this religion. 3. Of difcovering the fecrets of an in- fidel come into an affembly of Chriftians (which cafe it may be fuppofed from the common curiofity of mankind would very often happen) a gift very ufeful for the convidion of Infidels, and fo enlarging the Church. (7.) The power of difcerning who are fit for any office in the Church, i Tim. iv. 14. ( ^71 ) 14. And as *tvvas a matter of great confe- quencc to this new fpiritual kingdom, wlio were publick officers in it, fo a skill to dif- ccrn (which 'tis not to be fuppofed mean and illiterate perfons would have of themfelves) who had knowledge, courage, faithfuhiefs, fitting them for offices, was very neceflary. (8.) The gift of tongues which was ne- ceflary for fpreading this new religion in the world by twelve or fourteen mean illiterate perfons. This gift feerns to difcover the power of God, enlarging the mind to cake in fo great a variety of ideas $ for as words are merely arbitrary figns of ideas, 'tis im- poffible a perfon can in a natural way under- ftand a language he never learnt. If it be faid, that without that he may appear to fpeak the language, fince fuperior fpirits good or bad may caufe fuch vibrations ia the air, as we commonly make by the or- gans of fpecch : I anfwer, this cheat would cafily be difcovered, when the Apoftles pre- tended to bellow this as a {landing gift on one that had embraced Chriftianity, and ap- pealed to him for the truth of it, as the A- poftle does to the Corinthians experience of a gift of the Holy Ghoft, by which they undcrftood what was fpoken in ftrange lan- guages. I Cor. xiv. 4. (9.) A power of interpreting in an cafy and agreeable manner what is fpoken in a grange language, which was neceflary to O z make ( t74 ) make what had been fpoken for the con- vidion of Infidels ufeful to the Church. (lo.) The gift of prefiding in their af- fcmblics, direding who fhould fpeak, and how their gifts fhould be exercilcd, fome- what like the Rulers of Synagogues office amongthc Jews. See i Theff, v. 12. Com. yi^fs xiii. 15. xvii. i. Now as there was a variety of gifts excrcifed in their affem- blies, and as it was natural for each one to prefer his own, and be fondof difcovering it 5 foit was ncceffary for publick order that there fhould be a Prefident who fhould di- reft what gifts fhould be cxercifed, and in what order. (2.) I come next to fliew the fuperiority of this evidence to all other evidence, par- ticularly that of the miracles of Chrift. (i.) Then, the gifts of the Holy Ghoft dif- cover a greater power, than the miracles of Chrift and a few of his followers while on earth, as there was a greater number of per- fons to wiiom thefe powers were commu- nicated 5 as thefe powers were greater in thcmfelves, andfeemedtodifcover the hand of God in enlarging the capacity of the mind, to take in all of a fudden fo great a variety of knowledge, and to become from thence forward pcrfed mafler of it, and able to ufc fo rich a fund on all occafions. Let us confidcr only the cafe of 'PauL Befides the intire frame of Chriftian doftrinc, which he ( 175 ; he underftood, and could fhew the connec- tion of all its parts, and the wife defign of the whole, and the relation it bare to former revelations, befides his great knowledge of future events relating to changes in king- doms, and in the Church; he appeals to the Corinthian Church's knowledge of his fpeaking with tongues more than they all, who came behind other Churches in no gift, and particularly excelled in that. • (2.) Thefe gifts were juft fuch as were wanting in order to fpread and fettle Chrifti- anity in the world. In order to fpread on- ly morality in the world, there muft have been nacural abilities in fome meafure an- fwering to thefe gifts,- and yet thefe would not be fufficient thoroughly to accomplifh that end, and could not in any tolerable manner execute it, without fuch a number of perfons fo qualified and difpofed as can't be reafonably expcdcd 5 but now thefe gifts of the Holy Ghoft do at once anfwcr all thefe ends, and at the fame time eftablifli the Divinity of the dodrine they arc brought to vouch; and thus there appears all the wifdom in this appointment that can poflibly be. (3.) By being confined to believers of Chriftianity ( whereas miraculous powers were claimed, and perhaps with jufticeby men of all religions) and given in various degrees^ immediately, and in grcateft plen- O 3 ty ( 176 ) ty to the Apoftles, who were chief mini- ikrs of ChritVs Kingdom, and chofen wit- ncffes of his rciurrcdtion ; in the next de- gree, and alio immediately to the 120 bre- thren, the firft converts among the Jews, then to the firft converts among both the devout and idolatrous Gentiles to mark them out for God's people as well as the be- lieving Jevi^ss and laftly, conferred, ac- cording to the neceffities of the Church, on the feveral members of it in various pro- • portions and meafures, by the Apoftles only and at their prayer, to which impofition of hands belonged as a ceremony , by all this, I fay, 'tis (hewn there was a particular direc- tion of Providence in their diftribution. (4.) The continually experiencing in themlelves, as the feveral members of the body the Church did, in the firft age of the Gofpel, fome one or more of thefe gifts was an admirable prefervative againft apoftacy, to which the perfecutionsthey met with did fo violently tempt them; and alfo was the fitteft means of fecuring the Apoftles autho- rity, in oppofition to thofe falfe Apoftles that indeavoured to undermine it, when the A- poftles could appeal not merely to tranjient miracles wrought amongft them (in which 'tis probable the falfe Apoftles might pre- tend to vie with them to the deception of the unwary) but to ftanding gifts of illuminati- on which the perfons to whom he makes his appeal ( 177 ) appeal experienced at that very time In them- fclvcs, and which they could not deny they received from the Apoftles only; and thus the one uniform, pure, and uncorrupt dodrineofChrift committed to the Apoftles, was by them tranfmitted to the Church; and thus particularly the purity of the Gof- pel in one main branch of it, 'uiz» the grand term of acceptance with God, whe- ther obfervance of the law, or faith in the Mefliah, was preferved, fmce St. Taul could appeal to the Churches among whom he had preached, whether he (by whofe hands they received the Spirit) taught the former or the latter doftrine, whether they received the Spirit whilft under the law, or after their receiving the doftrine of faith. (5.) Thefe gifts leem to have been fudden illuminations of the mind, fee A5is ii. 4. X. 46. xix. 6. immediately imparting to men of mean capacities and low education, that knowledge which could be got by men of the beft parts and education, but by flow degrees in a natural way, and fometimes noc at all in that way. (6.) They continued with perfons as a conftant fund of knowledge which they could ufe on all proper occafions. See I Cor, xiv. throughout. (7.) They were beftowed on the feveral members of the Church in diftant parts, and |n the moft populous and beft civilized ci- O 4 tics^ ( »78 ) tics, whereas Chrift's miracles were confined to Judaa, For a farther account of thefe gifts fee the firfl: Effay of the Mifcellanea Sacra, CHAP, XVIL Of prophecies of the Mejfiah accom-* pTtfhed m Jefm as dired proofs of his being the Mejfiah. ON this head, as before on that of mi- racles, I (hall take my rife from the cafieft and plained principles. (i.) Then, there was a wife defign in the frame of the Mofaick difpenfation, viz. to feparate the pofterity of Abraham for the preferving the pure worfhip of one God in the world, and to be dcpofitaries of the grand promife before made to Abraham of one of his feed, in whom all nations of the earth fhould be bleffed. (2.) Prophets were raifed up from time to time in the Jewijb Church, to revive the memory of this grand promife, and fecure the accomplifhment of it by the promife of intermediate bledings, of which they fhould reap immediately the benefit, to put men in mind of the moral duties they were oblig- ed ( 179 ) cd to, and prevent their too eager purfuit of ceremonies; and laftly, to keep them ftcady to the worfhip of one only true God by prcdi£ting to them the great events of their nation, and fo fliewing them that their happinefs or mifery depended on his fa- vour. (3.) Their writings, as they have a good defign, fo they are well framed for the reach- ing it, being full of good fenfe, and clear, ftrong reafonings on feveral important points of natural religion and morality. (4.) They were not men that aimed at worldly intereft, but boldly reproved the vices of the great men of their time, by which means they procured their hatred ; and fome of them fufFered the difmal efFefts of it. And yet, (5.) Their writings by the mere force of the evidence of their prophetick charafter fully eftablifhed by the clearoft accomplifli- ments of prophecies, have been all along re- ceived in the Jewish Church, even tho* con- taining the fmarteft rebukes of the vices of their anceftors, laying down principles of religion, particularly with relation to the pre- ference of moral duties to ceremonies, di- redtly oppofite to their prevailing tenets, and containing defcriptions of the Mefliah as a fuffering Saviour, and that .fhould re- ceive the Gentiles without profelyting them to ( i8o ) to the law, contrary to all their traditiona- ry doftrines. (6.) The Prophets in their writings have fixed a time for the acconiplidiment of the moft diftinguifliing charafters of the Meffiah, 'Viz^ his voluntary fufFerings, with a decla- red defign to promote the falvation of all mankind ; his refurreftion and advancement to his Kingdom difcovered by gathering the Gefitiles to him, and the time thus fixed was before, and but a little before the final de- ftrudion of the Jewijh ftate. (7.) Jefus of Nazareth appeared within this period, at the very time when the pro- phecies of the Mefliah had raifed an expec- tation of his coming. He dircdcd men to look for the Mefliah, by proclaiming the kingdom of heaven at hand. He taught an holy dodrine, wrought innumerable mi- racles, on the^force of thefc pretended a di- vine miilionj'then in prophetick language claimed to be the Mefliah, and appealed to his miracles for the juftice of his claim. He claimed to be thepcrfon in whom, as none of the characters of the Mefliah that could yet appear were found wanting, fo the moft diftingtiijljing charafters of the Mefliiah, re- lating to voluntary fufferings for the fins of men, his refurredlion, pouring out the Spi-' rit, and call of the Gentiles ftiould even within one age appear, (§.) Some ( i8. ) (8.) Some time after Chrift's Death, his Apoftks appear with the power of miracles confirming their divine miffion, they claim the diftinguifliing charafters of the Mcf- fiah mentioned above for their mafter, they explain the fenfe of the prophecies relating to thefe matters, and make out that fenfc to the reafon and underftanding of men 5 they offered evidence (of which we are even now judges) that that was the fenfc of thofe prophecies which were exadly ful- filled in Jefus, had been in no other, and the time being elapfed, could pollibly be hereafter fulfilled in no other 5 they fhewed how by a miracle in his favour, which was an accomplifhment of a fign he himfelf gave in proof of his miffion, viz* his re- furre£tion, the feemingly oppqfite^ but equal- ly clear and moft diftingti't^ing characters of the MefTiah were fhewn to be united in him, I mean his voluntary fufferings with a declared defign to promote the falvation of men, and his perpetual kingdom, the former of which this miracle of his rcfur- redion aifures us has effeftually promoted its defigned end ; and to the latter, it was as it were the firfl ftep. (9.) Chrift and his Apoftles have predid- cd fuch a ftate of things both with rcfpcd to the Jewijh nation, and the Church to be gathered in latter ages, its increafe and corruption i as was contrary to all appear- 3 ances ( i8i ) ances of things at that time, but as we ..fee to this day fo exadiy anfwered by events, that in their prophecies one reads an exadt hiftory of thofe great events, thofe moft amazing events, to which there had been never any thing like before in the world, fo as we ourfelves do behold them. (lo.) The paft converfions of y^^^ and Gentiles, which in the manner in which they were brought about could not be with- out miracles, are earnefts of the bringing in at laft the fulnefs of both. (i I .) Befides thefe mentioned, the princi- pal remaining prophecies relate to the peace, purity, &c. of the Ciiurch in latter days. Now nothing can be more credible than the accompliihment of thefe fome time or other, if the frame of the Chriftian religi- on fo admirably adapted to promote thefe ends, and which would, if it were not for the influence of fome foreign caufes, ne- ccffarily effed them, be confidered. CoroL I. That prophecies are of a quite diftind confideration from miracles, and are brought to prove a quite different thing, viz^ not Chrift's divine Million, but Mef- fiafliip, and of that they are the only pro- per dire5i proof. He that fays Jefus is the Meffiah, fays he is the Perfon to whom the diftinguilhing charafters of the Mefliah 4o agree, and then the appeal is diredly 2 made ( i83 ) made to fads, what are thefe charafters of the Mefliah, where to be found, how to be underftoodj what are the circumftances of Jefus's Life, &c. do they anfwer thefe cha- rafters or not ? See on this head what Mr. Chandler has advanced in his anfwer to the Grounds^ who is the only writer that has dated this particular argument with fufficient clearnefs and accuracy. CoroL 2. That accomplifliment of pro- phecies could only be urged to thofe that knew the prophecies ; therefore could not be mentioned to Gentiles^ who without them received Chriftianity on its proper evidence. Corol I . That however, they might after- wards be made fenfible of the agreement of the moft diftinguifhing charafters of the Meffiah to Jefus, and fo fee the direft evi- dence of his Meffiafhip. (4.) That it ought not to have (tumbled them, if while no charaders of the Mefliah that they could fee clearly in the Old Tefta- ment were wanting in Jefus, they who became fo^ lately acquainted with Jewijb books, could not fee the evidence for all interpretations the Apoftles (whom they had reafon to prefer, as interpreters to the infidel Jews) put on thefe writings. (5.) Wc at this diftance of time may at- tain fufficient underftanding of the mod diftinguipding charaders of the Mefliah In the (i84) the Je'-Ji'ijh books, fo as from thence to difccrn dircd evidence for Jefus's Meffiafliip 5 thus we have clear prophecies in our hands, and authcntick hiftories of their accom- plifhment relating to Chrift's voluntary fuf- ferings, refurreftion and call of Gentiles 5 which, as Mr. Chandler very Judicioufly obferves, are the only prophecies from the accomplifliment of which the Apoftles ever argue Jefus's Meffiafhip. (6.) Diftanceof time will neceffarily cre- ate obfcurity in prophecies, and therefore may eafily fliew us, that even though the prophecies were rightly applied by Chrift and the Apoftles, yet we may not now be able to fee evidence for it. (7.) But on the other hand length of time brings this convenience, that it (hews the fulfilment of prophecies that were not before fulfilled 5 and confidered in this light the argument of prophecies continually ga- thers ftrength 5 the accomplifnment of the prophecies relating to the Jews, and corrup- tions of the Chriftian Church, which were antient predidions of MofeSy T>aniely and again afrefh given by Chrift arid the Apo- ftles, may be confidered as fo many Jigns of the accomplifliment of what remains 5 and as in fucceflive ages, new charaders of the Mefliah's kingdom come to open and fhew thcmfclvcs, new evidence will arife to ( i85 ) to that pcrfons Mciliadiip to \viiom all thcfe charaders do agree. Until at length in the conclufion of things, when the fcene of Providence re- lating to this our earth in its prefent ftatc (hall be over, the predidions of the Mef- jfiah become a plain hiftory of him for whom the character was defigned, and of him only 5 and an hiftory of events the moft miraculous in the world j fmce fo many particular charac- ters, even tho' fmgly they could be fuppofed to imply no miracle, cannot all agree to one only perfon in the world, among all that ever lived in it, without a miracle : And this (hews how the argument for Ciu:iftianity from prophecies coincides with that of miracles. CHAP. XVIII. Of the OhjeBmi againjl the Chrijlian Religion from the Prophecies. WHAT ufe is to be made of the pro- phecies of the Old Teftament in proof of the Chriftian religioQ, how far the ar- gument from thence in favour of our reli- gion is really valid and conclufive, what it -diredly proves, and was defigned as the proper evidence of^ I have already largely fhewnj (hewn j it is fit now that we confider what attacks we are liable to from this quarter, what ufe has or may be made of this ar- gument by an adverfary, how far what is advanced on that head is really fad, or if true faft how far to the purpofe, as either wcakning our evidence, or producing coun- ter-evidence : The confideration of this matter will be the fubjeft of the following Chapter. And here I muft premife, that I do not reckon myfelf obliged to vindicate the wcakneiles and follies of particular wri- ters on this head j if any have fuppofed that plain hiftories and laws befides their open and obvious fenfe have I know not what fccret, myftical meaning, very cun- ningly lying hid under them 5 that almoft every event of former ages was defigned to prefigure fomething or other in the age of the Meffiah s that bccaufe our Saviour and the Apoftles repreient MofeSy T>avid and the Prophets as foretelling the Meffiah, "which is moft certainly true, fince the moft eminent chara61:ers of the Mefliah run thro' all the writings of the Old Teftamenti therefore every ceremony of the law, every remarkable circumllance in "David's life, which he takes notice of in the Pfalmsj and every prophecy in the Old Teftament, at lead that is any way remarkable, have a farther reference to the Meffiah ; that an argument may be drawn for Jefus's being the ( l87 ) the Mclliah from the agrcenient o? parti- cnlar prophctick characters to him no ways diftingn'tping-, that an argument from the prophecies may be formed in this manner againft a Deift, 'viz,. this is the fenfc of the prophecy, otherwife what fenfc can be put upon it > or thus, in this manner was the prophecy fulfilled, or we are to undcrftand it has been fulfilled, how elfefhail we make out that it has ever or can ever hr\ve an ac- complifhment ? that it is plain Jefus was the Mefliah from the agreement of thofe, it muft be owned clear and diflingmjhing, but then few prophecies of the Meffiah relating to his voluntary fufFerings, refurredion, i^-c. to him, though he fliould for ever want the as clear and dijlingtnjhmgy and vaftly more numerous prophctick chara*5lers relat- ing to his glorious kingdom in the latter days, a pure, peaceful and uuivcrfal king- dom, compofed ot the fulncfs of the Gen- tiles, and the Jeivs brought together from all parts of the world and reftored to their own land. I am not fenfible that one who vindicates only pure and original Chriftianity is at all concerned with thcfe things. Thefc weakaffertions of particular writers on this fubje6t have been the great ftumbling blocks in the way of rational pcrfons re- ceiving the Gofpel 5 but as all fuch kind of things have nothing to do with the merits ( i88 ) of the caufe, they ought to be carefully fe- parated from it. The real difficulty then, fcparated from all thele perfectly foreign confidcrations is twofold. I. That fomc, and thofe the moll: emi- nent and diftinguijhhig chara£lers of the Mefllah, relating to the deliverance of the Jell's, their rcftoration, ^c. have been found wanting in Jcfus ; but to this the anfwer is very eafy. For, (i.) By his miracles y he proved that he was mithorized by God to fulfil all thofc prophecies which it was faid the Meffiah Ihould fulfil. (2.) So far was it from being true that Je- fus was proved not to be the Meffiah, becaufc at his firft appearing^ he was defpifed and rejeded of the Jews, and they were re- je(^cd of God, their city and fanduary de- ftroyed, and they carried captives into all nations ; that thcfe things were exprefly prophefied of as to happen at the Mefli- alVs firft appearing 5 fo that juft on the contrary, if thefe things had not fo hap- pened, he had not been the Mefliah. (3 .) It is demonftrable therefore, that fince all thefe feemingly oppofite charafters are in the Old Teftamcnt united in one perfon, there muft be two appearances of the Meffiah, at which two different appearances, he may eafily be conceived as fulfilling them all. (4.) Thofe ( iSp ) (4.) Thofe relating to his voluntary fuf- ferings, &c, which have been fulfilled in Jefus, are fome of the diftingtiifljing cha- radlers of the Mefliah, which therefore point him out for that perfon that fhall fulfil all the reft. (5.) There is not the leaft inconfiftency in thofe different charafters 5 a dcftrudion of a people at one time is not at all incon- fiftent with their deliverance at another ; a temporal deliverer of a particular people, and a fpiritual Saviour of all meriy are very confiftent charaders 5 a prophet fent to the fame people at different times may eafily be fuppofed to have very different treat- ment. (6.) Many of thefe different charafters," are fo far from being oppojite and inconfift^ enty that they are the one necefTary to be fuppofed, in order to the fulfilment of the other. Thus, the reftoration of the Jews to their own land from all parts of the world, fuppofes their having been carried captives out of their own land, and dif- perfed into all quarters of the world, and the one of thefe is as exprefly prophecied of in the Old Tcftament, and as to happen at the coming of the Mefliah, as the other; and the one of thefe aftually falling out in exaft agreement with prophecies given at a time when no like event had ever hap- pened in the world, when there was no Pa P^9ba^ ( 19^ ) probability of fuch an event from the then appearance of things in the world, and in fuch a manner as feemed to difcover fome peculiar interpofition of divine Providence, may be confidered as '^Jign of the accom- plifTiment of the other. The Jews being received by God after their revolt and re- jeftion plainly fuppofes that revolt and re- jedion ; the Jeivs mourning for the Mef- iiah, as one whom they had pierced, plainly fuppofes that they once had fo pierced him, and fince that could not be then, when they are rcprefcnted as receiving him with all the marks of joy as their deliverer, it muft have been in fome time paft, at another appearance of his to them. (7.) Our Saviour has by their fulfilment in himfelf, and this not without a plainly miraculous interpofition of providence, *viz, by his refurreftion to which, while on earth he appealed as the fign of his divine million, (hewn the poJJibiUty of the fulfil- ment in the fame perfon of the fecmingly moQiOppoflte characters of thcMefliah, viz. fujfering death, and yet reigfiing for ever. (8.) As to other pretended charafters of the Meffiah, before you can argue again ft ]efus's Mefliafhip from his wanting them, you muft clearly Ihew that they are cha- radlers of the Mcftiah, and then that they will not fairly admit of a fenfe which ftiall agree to Jefus. 2. The ( 191 ) 2. The other branch of the objeilion againft Chriftianity from the prophecies is this 5 It is pretended that Chrift and the Apd- ftles have mifundcrftood the Old Tcfta- ment, either interpreting thofe paflages as prophetical of the Mefllah which really were not fo, or putting falfc fenfcs on them with relation to the Mefllah and his king- dom. But to this I anfwer , I. It is a very juft, as well as very judici- ous obfervation of Mr. Chandler, that our Saviour never direBly applies any prophe- cies to himfelf as containing marks of his Mefllafhip, but thofe relating to his volun- tary fufFerings, refurredion on the third day, pouring out the fpirit, as the proof of his advancement to an univerfal kingdom.. Thefe were dijlinguifl)ing charaders of the Mefllah; and accordingly our Saviour fore- tels the appearance of thefe in himfelf, and refers thole that fliould fee them (as thofe he fpoke to foon would) to thefe, as the tefts to try his MeflTiafhip by, and in thefe prophecies he inftrudled his Apoftles before his afcenfion ; it being neceffary they fliould have fuch inflrudion from him in order to manage thefe as proper direct arguments of his Mefliafhip to the Je'-JDS. See to this purpofe Mat. xvi. 21. Luke xxiv. 44,---49. Mat. xxvi. 54. Mark ix. 12. r 5 Bcfides ( 19^ ) Befidcs thefe, our Saviour is fuppofed to apply to himfelf feveral other prophecies, which I fhall therefore here particularly confider. It is faid, that {Luke iv. i8.) he applies the charaders of the Mefliah [ifa. Jxi.) to himfelf 5 now as that does indeed feem a prophecy of the Mefliah, and was in its dtie time therefore to be fulfilled by our Saviour, in the fenfe intended by the Prophet, which plainly relates to the deli- verance of the Jews from their captivity, I will not deny that our Saviour might poffibly intimate that he was that perfon there point- ed at by the prophet 5 but then it is certain, that the events our Saviour there refers to were difFeient, nho Jimilar events to'thofe the prophet had in his view, and our Saviour does not exprejly declare^ that he was the perfon the prophet had in his view as de- signed to fulfil the events mentioned 5 and therefore if upon a ftrid critical Enquiry it fhouid be found that Ifaiah Ixi. does not refer at all to the Mefliah, this does not in the leaft afFeft our Saviour's charader. The prophecy in Mai. iii. and iv. our Sayiour docs indeed indireElly apply to hiui- felf, by making John who was his forerun- Xier, the Elias there defcribcd. And this he does on very good grounds 5 for, I.) Having eftablifhcd his divine mifli- on by miracles, he had a right, to apply the characters of the Mefliah to himfelf, and all ( 193 ) all thofe evidences he gave of his being the Meiliah, were fo many evidences oi John's beins; the Elias that was to come. 2.) It muft be owned the anions in that prophecy afcribcd to the meffcnger, and to the perion to come into the temple, do not fuit the firfl: coming of Chrift, but neither does our Saviour ever intimate this; he on- ly lays John was the Elias to come; but then as 'tis plain there are to be two appear- ances of the Mefliah himfelf, fo nothing hinders but there may be two appearances of his fore-runner too. 3.) Tho' our Saviour fays that John was the Elias to come before the appearing of the Mefliah; and that therefore the Jews were miftaken in their rcafonings that the Mefliah was not come, becaufe Elias was not come ; yet does he not in the lead inti- mate that there was no other coming of (the intended) EliaSy to be expefted, any more than that there was no other coming of the Mefliah to be expeded, or that the Elias prophelied of had fully accomplilhed his work, as defcribed by the Prophet, any more than the Mefliah had his; but juft the contrary as to every one of thefe particulars. See Mat. xvii. 11. compare Mark ix. 12, A&s iii. 21. Mat, xix. 28. Inthe references our Saviour makes, Mat. xxi. 42 — 45. to feveral paflages, particu- larly to Tf, cxviii. it can't be denied but P 4 h« ( 194 ) he that might intimate he was the per foil there pointed atj and 1 think it very probable that he was i but then as he does not ajfert this, and the fuppofing our Saviour only to defign an argument afanili makes his difcourfe very ftrong and rational ; this can with no juftice be reckoned an in- ftance of his applying prophetick charaders to hlmfeif; tho' if his argument be dired, as it may, fince VfaL cxviii. may eafily be fuppofed to belong to the MefTiah, it will ftand yet clearer thus, tho' the Meffiah be, as is prophefied of ^fal. cxviii. rejected by the great men ^mong the Je^wSy yet God will make him as a corner-ftone to unite and fupport the intirc building of this Church, confifting now of believers from amon^ the Gentiles as well ^^sjews ; and therefore the kingdom mull be taken from you and given to ethers. Our Saviour's reference Jo. xv. 25. to y/] Ixix. 4. may very eafily and fairly be undcrftood as only an allufion ; thus 'uer, 24. If I had not done among them, the isjorks that none other man did, they had nrd had finy but now have they both feen and hated both me and my Father. But (here is an ellipfis, Vv4iich I fupply thusj^ I performed thefc works among them, that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their Jaw ', t. e. that as they arc of the moft obfti- natc and perverfe temper, opportunity might ( ^95 ) might be given them fully to difcover them- felvcs to be fach men as the T^falmiji fpeaks of, who hated him without n cauie, and that thus they might be left wholly inex- cufablc. John x\n, 12. our Saviour refers to a prophecy, which no where now appears; but as it contained no diftinguifhing cha- rafters of the Meffiah, and therefore was not ncceffary to be preferved, ( whereas thofe that did have been by a wonderful Providence of God preferved, and in a very great meafure of purity 5 and this, tho' paft ing thro' the hands of the Jews, whofe tra- ditionary notions contrary to them might have led them either to drop or corrupt them,) fo nothing can be concluded from the reference our Saviour makes to it, that will in the leaft touch his charadtr as the true Meffiah. 2. As Chrift himfcif lay the proof of his Meffiafhip on thofe prophecies onljy which contained dijlingtiifbivg marks of him, and as even we at this diftance are capable of feeing the evidence from them, for Jefus being the Meffiah; fo thefe are the prophe- cies from which alone the Apoftles are re^ prefented in the A^s as arguing with the Jews ; and this in dired contradidlion to their ov/n former notions, which they re- tained even all the time of our Saviour's mi- niftry, and 'till the inftrudion he is repre- fented ( 196 ) fentcd by St. Luke as giving them in the interval between his refiirredion and final afcenfion, in the prophecies of the Mefliah, particularly thofe relating to thofe great events of his fufferings, refurredtion, and call of the Gentiles. In this interval, our Saviour is reprefented as ordering them to tarry at Jerufalem 'till they fliould be en- dowed with the gifts of the Spirit, that fhould fit them for the fpreading his doc- trine in the world 5 after w^hich gifts were poured on them, as they difcovered by fpeaking in all varieties of languages, they very readily explained thefe prophecies re- lating to the Meffiah's fufferings, &c. and powerfully inforced the fenfc they put on them quite oppofite to their former fenti- mcntsj which fads feem very much to ftrengthen and fupport each other, and all together to be a very clear proof of the A- poftlcs interpretations of thefe prophecies, and of the conclufivenefs of their argu- ments from thence for Jefus being the Mefliah. 3. From what has been faid it appears, that as jefus had proved his divine mifllon by miracles, and fo the juftice of the claim he made to be that perfon by whom God de Jigned, in their propertimes, to fulfil ail thofe glorious things he had promifed to fulfil by the Mefliah i fo, the Apofllcs had now di- letlly to the Jei;js proved Jefus to be the Meffiah, ( 197 ) MeJJiahy by the agreement of the moft diftmgtiijhing charaders of the Mefliah in him 5 and as thele alone were neceffary to be fully underftood in order to the Apoftles arguing with the JewSy fo their not miftak- ing thefe fully acquits their charadlers, and fhcws them fit not only to be witnejfes of fa5is, but teftifiers of Chri/l*s do£}rme,^hiQ\i they were enabled alfo to confirm by itspro-^ per evidence. 4. Suppofing therefore they fliould mif- take in the fenle they put on any other parts of the Old Teftament, this does not fcem direEily to afFed: the caufe of Chriftianity. Miracles only prove what they are brought to prove. Now the Apoftles by their mi- jraclcs never pretended to eftablifh their cha- raders as infallible interpreters of the intire Old Teftament. The Apoftles do indeed, as our Saviour had done before them, fpeak of the Mefli- ah as referred to in the law, the Pfalms and the Prophets, which is certainly true on that fuppofition only, which I will thank no man for granting me, viz, that fome of the moft eminent charafters of the Mefliah .do run thro' the whole Old Teftament. 5. As to thofe paflages of the Old Tefta- ment which you may imagine the Apoftles have miftaken 5 before you can prove this, you muft fhow they do not quote thefe paflages you think they.refer to as prophecies, fome- times; ( ipS ) times only by way of allufion'j and at other times that when they do argue, their argu- ments are not a party both which I (hall in another place (how to be very often the cafe. 6. But if you could do this, it would not overturn Chriftianity, fmce the pofitive evidence for Jefus being a Prophet from his dodrine and miracles, and the Prophet par- ticularly defcribed in the Old Teftament from his agreement with the moft diftin- guifhing charafters of him, produced and urged to excellent purpofe by the Apoftles, remains in full force. 7. The faying you do not fee the ev> dence for the Apoftles interpretations is no proof there originally was no fuch evidence. There are feveral things may eafily be fup- pofed to concur, which will fully account for the many difficulties we labour under, with refped to the prophecies, without fup- pofing the Apoftles miftook in their inter- pretations of them. As I .) Sometimes the prophecies referr'd to may be loft, and then no wonder we can't make out the truth of the Apoftles quotati- ons, when he have not thofe parts of the books which they do quote. But then it ought to be remembered, that as for want of thofe books we don't fee the truth of their quotations ; fo for the fame reafon we can't fee the falfliood of them $ poflibly of this kind ( ^99 ) kind of quotations may that be, which has coft divines fo much pains to account for, he fhall be called a Kazarener, and I think, certainly that to which our Saviour refers. John xvii. 12. 2.) Sometimes the prophecies may be mifplaced, and out of their true order. Thus, as 1 have fliewn in the review, ve- ry probably ?y^/. Ixxviii. I— -3. was origi- nally part of a prophecy of Ifaiah 5 and learned men have (hewn that there is great reafon to think fome part of Zachary^ as we have it in our prefent copies, originally be- longed to the prophecy oi Jeremiah ^ which may account in fome mealurefor theEvan- gelift's quoting the one for the other. Mat, xxvii. 9. 3.) Some errors may eafily thro' the mere negligence of tranfcribers (which the Providence of God was not concerned to prevent) be fuppofed in the courfe of fo many ages to have crept into the prefent co- pics 3 fome of thcfe we have great reafon to fufpcd from the differences of the antient verfions, particularly the Ixx. from our pre- fent copies, and very often have helps from rhencefor correcting them, by fhewing us how they read in their better copies. See inftances of this nature //. xxviii. 16. Afnos ix. 12. Habak. ii. 3, 4, Jer. xxxi. 32. Hof, xiv. 2. 4 4,) Our ( 200 ) 4.) Our not feeing the evidence for the Apoftles interpretations may proceed from want of skill in the language, cuftonis, c^r J of ages and countries fo diftant from our own. CHAP. XIX. A method propofed for a more parti- cular confideratton of the difficulty relating to the prophecies. THE method which the ingenious Au- thor of the Grounds y &c, has taken ^ has thrown his adverfaries into fome diffi- culties i every one (^ts what he really aims at, and what is the charader which truly be- longs to him, viz. a disbeliever, or, as I hope, only a doubter concerning revelati- on i but this charader he muft not openly affume, he therefore throughout his work perfonates an allegorical Chriftian ; he puts on, in many places at leaft, an airof relpeft towards the books of the Old Teftamenti he is only enquiring after the fenfe of thefe books 5 thefe books he finds, contrary to the opinion of many divines, very plain and intelligible books, and relating to things of which men may have a clear apprehenfion, I " without ( 201 ) without over refined or fpiritual notlonsr He takes what we call the prophecies of the Mefliah in their plain and natural fenfe to refer to private perfons, as Davidy Solomoriy Hezekiahy or Cyrus. Indeed thefe things are otherwife reprefented in the New Tefta- ment; but there thefe paffages of the Old Teltament are explained, not according to the literal fenfe, but in a myJlicalznA allegori-^ cal way j but however theApoftles draw argu- ments ^lom their fenfe oftheOldTeftament prophecies for Jefus being the MeJJiahy or (which with him is the (ame,) for his doc- trine being divine ; and what fort of argu- ments thofe muft be, and how well fup- ported Chriftianity muft be (which can have no other fupport than what the Apoftles gave it) he cares not to fay, being unwilling to drop any thing harfh concerning the reli- gion of his country, but he leaves you to judge. Now it has happened very unluckily that the principal anfwerer of the Grounds has really argued with him, as a believer in the ancient prophecies, but putting fuch a fenfe on them as doe^ not fuit the Mel- fiah, or agreeing to the Mefiiah is not ap- plicable to Jefus i and the whole of his rea- foning generally comes to no more than this : This muft be the meaning of what 1 call a prophecy in Ifaiah, fuppofes Je- remy, &c. otherwife what fenfe can be put on ( 202 ) on it ? what fenfe will the words pollibly bear but this ? how was the prophecy ever fulfilled, if not in the fenfe I put on it? whom can it agree to, or in whom can it from this time forward be ever fulfilled, if it has not been already fulfilled in our Jefus ? now the anfwer of a Deift to all this is very eafy. There is really no fuch thing as what you call prophecy i prudent men mayguefs at things to come, and according to the degrees of their prudence, or their know- ledge of paft events and prefent circumftances of affairs, their conjedures will have more or lefs certainty. Knavifh and defigning men may pretend to communications with heaven, and thus give out what they call divine oraclcsj but then, thefe are ever framed in covert and ambiguous language^ fo as to fcreen the authors of them from the imputation of impofture, whatever the event fhould be. But if any of thefe which you call pro- phecies are really clear, direct and deter- minate, they are not predidions, but rela- tions of what is already paft. That thus, what you call prophecies in the Old Tefta- ment are only fuch prudent gueifes as have been juft now mentioned, or predidions fo general and ambiguous that there is no fear but fame time or others in fome Jenje or other^ they will meet with a very agree- able ( io3 ) able accDmplifhment. And very likely 7na- ny an accomplifhment in very different per- fins, at very different timesy and all equally agreeable to fome Icnfe or other of which the words are very eafily and fairly capable, as many of the writers on this head feem to thiak, and accordingly triumph in it as a wonderful advantage to the caufe of re- ligion. Or, laftly, If what you call prophecies are really framed in language plain and dired, and refer not to fuch general things as may agree to many perfonSy at different timeSy &c. but are pinned down to certain times, perfons, and particular events that cannot often happen, then thefe are not prophecies, but hiftories of what the wri- ters had feen adually come to pafs. Now in order to anfwer this, you muft go to the bottom of the controverfy. You muft (hew that there is fuch a thing as a pro- phetick fpiritj that many events have been foretold nothing like to which, from which a perfon could have a notion of them, had ever happened 5 events which there was nothing in the then circumftances of things that could lead a perfon to form a conjec- ture about 5 that there have been fomc prcdidions that have in clear and determi- nate language pointed zt particular events to be performed by particular perfonSy whofe names are even fometimes mentioned, and Q^ this ( ^04 ) this within a particular determinate time from the date of the prophecy 5 that a kingdom has, throughout the whole Old Tejtamenty been dcfcribcd, like to which no kingdom had ever appeared, a kingdom of a peculiar nature, a kingdom of which there were then no footfteps in the world '^ a kingdom fo reprcfented as not to fuit the inclinations and principles of the Jews in moft, if not all the ages of their Hate ; a kingdom defcribed as fet up in/uch a manner, and fo univerfally prevailing, as there were no circumftances of things then in the world that could make a perfon form a conjecture of it j nay as a perfon could not poflibly form a rational conjec- ture of, judging according to the methods by which kingdoms are fet up and prevail which owe not their rife and continuance to the peculiar Providence of God, as 'tis therefore intimated that (hould j that a time has been fixed for the fetting up this kingdom; that a particular perfon has been pointed at as King of this kingdom, in whom the dijtinguijhing charaftcrs of this King fhould appear, 'viz, voluntarily fuf- fering death with a declared defign to pro- mote the falvation of men, (hewing that this defign was acceptable to God by rifing again from the dead, and pouring out the gifts of the Spirit as the marks of his be- ing cntredonthis univerfal kingdom: That Jefus ( ^05 ) Jcfus of Nazareth appeared within the time fix'd for this glorious Kings appear- ance: That none ^(^/J^-pj^/;;^ appeared with- in that time, and could make out any thing of a claim to this kingdom: That he ap- peared at the time when there was, grounded on the prophecies, a general ex- pedation of the Mefliah: That he anfwer- cd the moft diftinguifhing charafters of the Meffiah in voluntary fufferings, refurrefti- on, and call of the Gentiles: That foon after his appearance, and the difcovery of him as the Meffiah, by the fulfilment of the laft of thefe charaders in him, w^. the ga- thering the people to him, there was an in- tire diffolution of the Jewi(h ftate, as was antiently prophefied, Gen^ xlix, lo. the ci- ty and fanftuary were deftroyed, and an ut- ter defolation was brought on that people, as was prophefied T>an, ix. 27. /. e, there came on them that deftrudion which was from the beginning by Mofes threatened them for their fins, viz. that they fhould be fcattered into all countries of the world, and preferved a diftind people as the monu- ments of divine vengeance^ T>eut, xxviii. and as a ftanding evidence of the truth of the prophetick fpirit, which could enable a perfon at the diftarjceof fo many ages to foretcl an event to which there had never any thing like happened in the world; and when there were no circumftances of things Q 2 then ( io6 ) then in being, from which a perfon could be led to conjedure fuch a thing : That Je* fus foretold this deftrudion, in exaft agree- ment with the antient prophecies, but with circumftances much more particular and minute, and fome of them fuch as were di- reftly contrary to the ftate of things then in the world, as it muft have appeared to a mere man j and that he fixed a time for the accomplifhment of all this, n;iz> within that very age; which fliort fpacc of time he would certainly never have fixed for the ac- complifhment of all thefe things, if he had not known that he fpake by a prophetick fpiritj fmce otherwife he knew that by the failure of his conjcdures (which certainly he might eafily think would fail him in fome or other of thefe very minute circumflanccs) he fhould expofe his religion, and get it in- tirely crufhed in its very infancy: That ac- cordingly every thing came to pafs exadly, in the minutefl circumftances, as our Savi- our foretold, as we have related to us by an eye-witnefs, one of the ablefl and faithfuleft hiflorians that ever wrote, Jofephas the Now taking the argument thus intire, and beginning from the firfl principles, (with- out which one never argues juflly) I believe it will be found that the argument from pro- phecies, will conclude againft every one but an ( ^°7 ) an avowed Atheifl: who ought not at all to meddle with this controvcrfy. CHAP. XX. Of the criteria^ by which pci[fages tn the Old Tefiament are to be judged prophetical of the MeJ/iah. IT feems plain that one main view of God's Providence in feparating the po- fterity of Abraham from the reft of the world was to be thedepofitariesofthegrand promife of the Meffiah, who was to be an univerfal bleffing to mankind j it might therefore well be expedicd that the defcrip- tions of the Meffiah fhould run thro' the Je-juifl) revelation^ that as they were at firft fe- parated with a regard to the Meffiah to come from them, fo their after continuance as a people thus in the peculiar favour of God, would have a plain refpeft to the fame 5 that as this was the main thing which run thro' that revelation, and that which needed the firmeft proofs, fo the whole frame of mira- culous difpenfations towards that people, would be, one would reafonabiy think, adapted to fupport this main part of that re- velation. Q 3 As ( ^08 ) As they were fcparatcd, and continued a people with regard to the Meffiah, the pro- mife of the Meffiah would be a fupport to them under all the calamities of their nation, and always affure them of thus much, that they fhould not be utterly dc{\royQdy every miracle under thatdifpenfation would height- en their notions of the power of God, and fo remove the objections againft the accom- plifhment of fo incredible a thing as the fet- ting up the Meffiah's kingdom would ap- pear; every miracle wrought in their favour, as it fhewed them thepeculiar regard of God towards them, would make any other in- ftances of his favour (however great) when promifed, the more credible j and as they were preferved a people and thus diftinguifh- cd, becaufe the Meffiah was to come from them, fo every leffer, intermediate deliver- ance muft be in its own nature an earneft and pledge, of the great falvation of the Meffiah. Every fuch deliverance, when an accomplifhment of a prophecy, would be an additional fecurity, as it fhewed them the truth of the prophetick fpirit, and imprint- ed on their minds a deep and lively notion of the faithfulnefs of God ; 'tis no wonder therefore, confidering all thcfe things, that the great falvation of the Meffiah is mixed with the Icflcr, intermediate deliverances of that nation, and fince thefe bore fo plain a relation to that, it is not in fuch cafes to be ( 20p ) be judged as brought in abruptly; when there arc the plain, diftinguifhing charac- ters of this glorious kingdom, which Ibme- times are mentioned (cparately by them- felves, intermixed with thefe IcfTer deliver- ances, to which they have fo plain a relation, 'tis I think infinitely more rational to inter- pret thefe characters every where alike as being charaders of the fame kingdom, than to wreft and torture words in the ftrangeft manner only to avoid the difficulty of a little feeming abruptnefs in the difcourfe. I will juft point at fome places where the promife of intermediate deliverances and the great falvation of the Mefliah are fo in- termixed together, that tho', in our prefent copies at leaft, there is no exprefs mention of the former being given as figns of the latter, yet they may eafily be underftood to be mentioned at the fame time, on account of the plain and vifible relation they bare to it as earnefts of its accomplfliment. Thus If. viii. after the threatening of the deftruftion to be brought on the Ifraelites by the king of AffyriUy the Prophet menti- ons his over running the land of Judah alfo, but affures them he fhould not prevail to their deftrudion, becaufe of Immanuel, ver, lo. who fhould be for a fandluary, ver, 14. to his difciples, ver. 15. thofe children that God had given him, who trufted in the Lord ashedidp ver. 17, 18. Ver. 21. he Q^ 4 refumes ( 110 ) refumcs his former fubjcd relating to their calamities from the king of Affyria to the end of the chapter; and in the beginning of the i::th chapter, gives pious perfons fome relief by the promifeofthe Meiliah, whofe prefence, particulavly in Galilee^ which he there promifcs, ought to be fome fupport peculiar to them, who were the firft and chief in fufFerings from the Afjyrian king, chap. ix. I 8. and then to be an earneft to them of this great and finifliing deliver- ance, the Prophet in the next chapter men- tions the breaking the Affjrian king s power, and the faving a remnant of i/r^^/. If, xi, xii. there is a noble prophecy of the Meffiah's kingdom, and immediately afterwards in our copies, mz, chap, xiii, xiv. we have a promife of the deftrudion of the king of AJJjria's power 5 w^hich prophe- cies if, according as they lie in our copies, they were given at the fame tim^, may be confidered as having that relation to each other, we have been fpeaking of. Chap, xl. we have a promife of their grand refto- ration by the Meffiah, and intermix'd with it chap. xli. another of their deliverance by Cyrus. Chap. xlii. we have a promife of their grand reftoration by the Meffiah, and from thence to chap. xlix. a promife of an intermediate deliverance by Cyrus, Jer, xxix. 10 15. the Prophet pro- miles the reftoration of thofe of Judah that ( 211 ) that (hould be carried into Babylon after feventy years; as for the others, he threat- ens they fliould be difperfed in^o all parts of the earth, for their greater degree of wick- ednefs, 'ver. i6, 17, 18. 19. com. yxiv. 8, 9, 10. T>eut. xxviii. 31, 64. After this chap. XXX, xxxi. God promifes, tho' he makes a full end of all the nations whither he had fcattcred his people; yet that he would not make a full end of them, but rcftore them and fettle them in their own land, under the government of the Mcffiah for ever. Chap, xxxii. from *ver. 36. to the end, there is a promife of a reftoration to their own land from the Babylonijh cap- tivity i but in the following chapter, from 'ver. 14. they are put in mind of fome greater deliverance, even of the fulfilment of God's principal promife to them, the promife made fo long before to the Patri- archs, of the fulfilment of which all the lefler deliverances were but fo many earnefts and pledges, 'viz, the bleffing of the Mef- fiah's kingdom, under whom they were af- ter all their troubles to be fettled in their own land, fo as never to remove from it more, and to be eftablifhed a people ever in the favour of God. Joel ii. after a lively defcription of the power of the Ajjjrian army coming up againft them, and a promife of deliverance from it, the Prophet introduces the promife ^ of ( ^li ) of the great falvation of the Mefliah^ when God's Spirit fliould be poured on all flefli, &c. Mic, iv. begin, there is a noble defcrip- tion of the Meffiah's kingdom to be fet up in the latter days, and the place of his birth is fixed, viz. Bethlehem in Jiidah-^ fee ver. I — 9. After this the Prophet takes notice of the diftrefs they were to be in from the king of BabyloUy and comforts them with hopes of a deliverance ; but this does not make him wholly lofe fight of the great falvation of the Meffiah which he intermixes with this chap. v. 2. as it was the main and chief blefling, and of which all the intermediate deliverances were fo many carnefts and pledges. HabaL ii. after the Prophet's earned com- plaint of the diftrefled circumftances of God's people, he has an anfwer fufficient to fupport them under all their troubles,i;/^. the promife of that great perfon they cxpeQed, who was to come as the deliverer, tho' at a great di- ftanceof time^ in the mean time, as I ap- prehend, to affure them of the accomplifh- jnent of this, and fo of the fecurity of all their blellings to them, God promifes to break the king of Ajfyrias power from whom their prefent troubles came. Zach. ix. 9> 10. there is a promife of the eftablifhingof a peaceful, righteous, and univ^rfal kingdom;, which are ever the pro- phetick ( ii3 ) phetick charaders of the Meffiah's kingdom 5 and after this the prophet goes on to intermix the mention of other leffer intermediate de- liverances from ver. II. to the end. CHAP. XXI. Of the great number of the prophet cies of the Me/fiah to which Chriji and the Apoftles feem to refer. I. A S J^f feems expedient God fhould £^^ make revelations, fo that thefc fhould be fuited to the exigenciesof mankind, and fo not unlikely, they would be various at various times, and to different perfons. 2. That as God is the common parent of all, fo that he would not confine this fa- vour to one perfon, nation, family, ^r. 3 . Accordingly, in the Mofatck hiftory, we have an account in the firft ages of God's revelations to many good perfons indifcri- minately. 4. As Abraham was an extraordinary inftance of righteoufnefs, fo it was fit he fhould have extraordinary favour fhewn him, but yet fo, as God fhould declare at the fame time he would on proportionable de- grees of virtue, beftow proportionable re- wards. ( ^14 ) wards. This therefore God in efFed de- clares to him, and intimates that the choice he made of his pofterity was for tiie common good of mankind, fince from them fhould come one that was to be a common blefling to the world. 5. Afterwards when Abraham's pofte- rity became the people of God, there were a number of prophets raifed up among them : Thefe prophets defcribe a kingdom with peculiar charaders of extraordinary righteoufncfs, peace, (ire. fet up by the mira- culous Providence of God without human means, an univerfal and perpetual kingdom 5 a time is fixed for the firft fetting it up, viz, under tlie fourth or Roman monarchy, not long before the diflblution of the Jewijh ftate 5 and alfo for the glorious completion of it, viz. at the decline of the fourth monar- chy, in the latter days, after the laft wide and long difperfion of the Jews into all parts, when they fhould be reftored to their own land, fo as not to remove from it more. 6. The truth of the prophet ick fpirit in the Je-jvijh prophets fuppofed, it muft plainly be the uniform dcfign of Providence to dircd mens minds to cxped a kingdom de- fcribcd in the fame manner , in the fame pro- phets, in prophets of the fame age, and of all the feveral z^cs of the Je'jjffb church, while prophecy continued. ' 7. It ( i'5 ) 7. It is not unreafonable to fuppofe prophecies of this nature may be intermix- ed in other books, that are not only pro- phetical, as in the Tfalms. Sometimes as in TfaL ex. we meet with exadlly the fame defcription of a kingdom as in the Pro- phets, and this as relating to another per- son than the Pfalmift. Sometimes, as Tfa: ii. we meet with the charafters of this kingdom afcribed to one, of whom it does not certainly appear whether he be the Pfalmift or no. Sometimes we have the fame charaders of a kingdom again, and the fame perfon may be fuppofed thro- cut the Pfalm reprefented as King of this kingdom only by this one eafy fuppofition which all languages, and especially the Eaftern, do juftify, viz. that the Pfalmift perfonates this glorious King. 8. This will in a great meafure account for the references of Chrift and the Apo- ftles to the Pfalms in particular, as full of prophecies of theMefliah, if it be faidthat though there are many prophecies in thofe books of the Meffiah, yet not of his firft coming, as feems intimated. lanfwer, (i.) It is not impoffible that fomeof the prophecies referred to may now be loft, efpecially- fmce they chiefly relate to thefe heads of prophecy, of which we ftill have remaining prophecies enough, though not fo numerous. (2.) Chrift ( 21<^ ) (2.) Chrlft might well fpeak of the Law, Pfalms and Prophets, as tcftifying of hiin, who was the end of the Law, juft as love to (aod and man are fpoken of as the main of the Law and Prophets. But of this more in the next Chapter. (3.) The defcription of the Mefliah*s kingdom, which was then fet up, was the main view of the Old Teftament, and the two different ftates in which it was to ap- pear do not make two kingdoms. (4.) There was a remarkable agreement in feveral circumftances of thefe two ftates ; both were to be ufhered in by a forerunner ^ theMeffiah's law was at both times to go from Jerufalem to the Heathen world $ Heathen idolatry was to have a remarkable overthrows there was to be a great fpread of knowledge and purity in the world 5 both thefe ftates were to be fet up by a miraculous interpofiti- on of divine Providence 5 the gifts of theHoly Ghoft were to ufher in both ,• c^f . there was to be in both, a vaft and fudden increafe of fubjcds to this kingdom. On this ac- count, though thefe two different ftates arc fomctimcs plainly diftinguifhed, as in T^ani- ely yet fometimes they are fo intermixed that it is difficult to diftinguifh what relates to one from what refers to the other 5 and on this account, where the charaders of thefe two ftates agree, fome things which in the Old Teftament were direBly fpokca of the laft of them, are applied in the New Teftament to the firft. C H A P. ( ^17 ) CHAP. XXIL Of the analogical reafonmg^ in the New Tejtament. IT feems natural to fuppofc that there would be analogies and proportions ob- ferved in the works of one and the fame wife Author. Sometimes there are particu- lar wife ends to be anfwered by fuch ana- logies, as in the likenefs of human faces, ^c, but where no particular wife ends carl be difcovered, as in many refemblances between feveral parts of the vegetable and animal worlds, yet there may be this gene- ral one, "viz. the pointing at one uniform caufe of both. This is an argument that ought not indeed to be urged to an Athetji^ who muft firft be fhewn that there is a wife defigning caufe of all, before he can be brought to believe that this or that was his defign i but to one that believes a de- fign in the feveral parts of the work, fuch refemblances will fuggeft a very probable argument to confirm him in the belief ef one uniform caufe of the whole, and cfpe- cially if thefe refemblances are many and very remarkable $ and as he is fure from other arguments they muft have a wife defign, fo he can difcover no other end 3 " they ( 2lS ) they anfwer but the pointing at one fuch uniform caufc. When two inftitutions are proved to proceed from one and the fame author, it is reafonable to cxpeft fome re- fcmblance between them : As far as they are both to anfwer the fame end, they muft be alike 5 for a perfeftly wife being can make no difference, where the reafon of things is the fame ; if one inftitution be the completion and perfedion of the other, there muft be a parity between them, and with that in fome inftances a difparity alfo. As far as there is a parity between them, the fame things that are truly affirmed of one will be of the other alfo 5 and therefore if the one be divine, fo muft the other, as far as it agrees with that, be alfo; the agree- ment therefore between them in a great va- riety of inftances will afford a probable pre- fumption to one that believes the divinity of the firft, of the divinity of the latter j it will furnifh with an argument fufficient to induce fome credit to it, where there is no fuperior reafon to the contrary. When a pcrfon by other folid arguments is perfuadcd of the divinity of both inftitu- tions, the analogy between them will con- firm him in the belief of one uniform de- figning caufe, efpecially, if as in the former cafe the analogies are many and very re- markable, and fcem adapted to anfwer no other cud but the pointing at one fuch uni- form ( 2^9 ) form dcfigning caufe. If fevciral inftituti« ons are fhewn to be divine, and there are refemblances between them in fomc very minute circumftanccs, as in the appoint- ments of the feventh day, the feventh month, &c. for the firft* of which there was a moral reafon, but perhaps for the lat- ter no other but a conformity to the firft^ it will appear probable that thofe refem- blances in fuch minute circumftances, were ordered' with a view to point at one uni- form defigning caufe; fuch a refemblance between two inftitutions will make the lat- ter more eafily underftood, and readily re- ceived by thofe that have embraced the former; as far as they agree it will fupply a ftrorig proof of the Divinity of the latter i and if the latter be pretended to be a defiga to perfedl and complete the former, the Ihewing how in the points wherein they differ, the latter does perfect the former, as the dodrine of the Gofpel which reveals one facrifice that being offered once for all, fully cleanfes not only from ceremonial, but moral guilt, does that of the law, which only pretends by facrifices repeated yearly, to cleanfc from ceremonial uncleannefs, and clear from political guilt (fince for thofe crimes, which under the Jewish polity were to be punifhcd with death, there was no fa- crifice provided) is offering an argument very proper to confirm a perfon in thrC be- R lief ( no ) lief that they both proceed from the fame wife defigning caufe. If it be proved to me from other argu- ments that both inftitutions proceed from one wife defigning caufe, the refemblances between them muft be defigned by this caufej and if they are fitted to attain certain good ends, if he be a perfedly wife being he muft know^ their fitnefs to attain thofe ends, and deiign them in the giving thefe inftituti- ons thofe refemblances. God appointed the Jewifl) e^^piations as well as theChriftian,there is therefore an ana- logy between them ^ this the Apoftle fhe ws in the Epiftlc to the Hebrews s 'tis probable that the ordering that not a bone of the Tajcal Lamb fhould be broken, was with a view to what fhould befall Chrift, Job, xix. 16. who is called our paffover by the Apoftle I Cor, v. 7. and that the particular direc- tions concerning the Tafchal Lamb, as that it was to be without blemifh, &c, and the manner of celebrating the feaft on it, viz, with unleavened bread, were ordered with a view to the ufe which it was defigned (hould be made of ic, when paralleled with the Chriftian facrifice. See i Cor, v. i Tet. i. 1 9. See what Dr. Clarke has very well faid on this fubjed in his connexion, c^r. The Mcffiah was to be the moft perfcft Prophet, Prieft, and King of the Church > and therefore he is refcmbled to fuch as came ( 221 ) came neareft to perfedion of thefe kinds in the Jewijh Church. Thus he was like Ifaiah, as in many other rcfpefts, fo in the ill treatment he was to meet with from thofe to whom he delivered his meflage, and therefore Ifaiahm his own name introduces the Meffiah fpeaking in his prophecy. See If, xlix. I 9. He refcmbled in fome refpefts the High- Prieft among the Jews going in once a year with the blood of the facrifices to make atonement for the people, to whom there- fore the Apoftle likens him. He was to re- femble Cyrus the great deliverer of the Jews from the Babylonijh captivity, in be- ing a righteous, powerful, and vidorious Prince, and under the peculiar care of Provi- dence, and raifed up for the deliverance of God's people by an extraordinary hand of God. There was to be a great refemblance between the Babylonijh and Roman captivi- ties, and the deliverances from the former by Cyrus, and the latter by Chrift 5 and there- fore the latter is reprefented under the image and figure of the former; and there is an eafy tranfition from the one to the other. TDa'vid was a righteous, powerful, and in great part of his reign peaceful princes he had his kingdom fettled on him by pro- mife, and was raifed to it, after having paft ed thro' a great variety of troubles by pe- culiar Providence of Godj he was the firft R 2 prince ( til ) prince of the line of Jndah^ he reigned over the whole houfe of Jacobs and never had this kingdom taken from him, where- as it was threatened to his very next fuc- ceflbr to have part of the kingdom broken off from him for his fins; under him the people were fettled at home free from the power of their enemies and opprcfllon of ihcir prince, which laft they were not even under hisimmediatefucceflbr; a proper image of the Mefliah's righteous and peaceful reign over the whole houfe of 7^^^^ united, and fettled in their own land to remove no more 5 but this not till after his fufFerings, according to the determinate counfel of God. There were two promifes made Tiavid concerning his houfe, the accomplifhment of the one of which w^as an earneft and pledge of the others the one relating to his immediate iucceflbrs to fit on his throne for many generations 5 the other concerning a remote Son of his, viz. the Mcffiah, who was to reign over the houfe of Jacob {ox. ever, in whofc kingly power all the promifes of God to ©^^vW concerning the eftablifh' ment of his kingdom were fully accom- pliflied, as in his Pricfthood even all the promilcs ro Leviy and under whofe reign \\\c, whole houfe of Ifrael were to have that peaceful fettlcmcnt in their own land, of which TDavid's own reign gave them fomc I faint ( ^^3 ) faint image and imperfed relemblance, and from whom the kingdom wss never to be taken, as it was not from 'David. This gives an eafy account why the Mefliah is called by the name of Davidy rather thaa any other of his prcdeccilbrs, faid to fit on the throne of his Father "David, why fuch ftrefs is Jaid on the promifes to David oi the building up his houfc, and how the good men under that difpenfation came to build their hopes of all the bkllings they were in expedation of To much on the ful- filment of that promife, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Tf. Ixxxix. throughout. ^P/. cxxxii. through- out. This gives an eafy account of the quick tranficions from t4ie bleilings of Da- vids reign or his immediate fucceflbrs, to the Meffiah's kingdom. 2 ^y^;^. vii. 9, 10, II, 12. Jer. xxxiii. 15. to the end^ and alfo why the bleilings of the Meiliah's king- dom are defcribed as 2)^^'/V/'s, //! Iv. 5. and • laftly, of the refemblance in the exprellions relating to the two different promifes con- cerning 'Z)^i/7/s family, the one of his im- mediate fucceflbrs, the other of the Mefliah, which has made fome perfons confound them. See Jer, xxxiii. 20. to the end, where God's fulfilling his covenant with David concerning a long race of princes to defcend from him, and with Levi con- cerning the like fucceflionof Priefis in their line, feems to be made the earneft and R S pledge ( ^H ) pledge of God's giving them that King, that is to reign over the iioule of 'Jacob for ever, -y. 15, 16. wlio was alfo to be aPrieft to perfetl what was dcfedive in the Levitical Priefthood. See what is very well obferved on this head in the Effay on the feveraiDif- penfations, p, 39. And now this rcfcmblance between "Da- md and Chrift, between the kingdom of the one and the other, will afford a very good argument a party from the one to the other. This will abundantly juftify the drawing a parallel between them, the re- prefenting the one by figures taken from the other, the argumg from parallel cir- cumftances of the 4ife or reign of the one and the other. Thus V. g. before T>avid was poflefled of a peaceful Kingdom he was to go thro* the fevered fufferings. 'David in fome of his Pfalms reprefents the greatnefs of his affliclions, and particularly the ill ufage he met with from his enemies 5 thus he does TPf. Ixix. Amongft other inftances of their ill treatment of him, he takes notice that they gave him gall for his meat, and in his thirft they gave him vinegar to drink; by which David perhaps dcfigned to dcfcribe in a fi- gurative way the word treatment that could be, that inftead of fupplying him with what he needed for his refrefhment, they gave him on fuch an occafion what was mofl diftaftfuJ, ( ^M ) diftaftful, as if one fliould give an hungry man gall, or a tliirfty man vinegar. Concerning the Mefliah there were ex- prefs and direfl: prophecies that he fhould go thro' the fevereft (lifFering, particularly- all ignominy, reproach, and ill treatment from his enemies; the particulars of thefc are not fpecified 5 but every inftance of this kind was a diftind: fulfilment of fuch gene- ral prophecies 5 as God for wife ends order- ed that he fhould go through the fevercft fuf- ferings (which were in general prophefied of) fo he faw fie to have this particular inftance of ill ufage which "David takes no- tice of concerning himfelf fulfilled in him 5 our Saviour therefore by faying 1 thirft, gave occafion to the fulfilment of this remarkable piece of ill ufage on him, and fo to the ac- complifhment of a wife defign of God's ^ro- vidence in making the Mefliah the compleat- eft inftance of obedient fufFering,and fully ac- complidiing thofe general prophecies which related to the contempt and ill ufage he was to meet with from his enemies $ and for this reafon perhaps fo much ftrefs is laid on this circumftance by the Evangelift; Jo. xix. 28, 30. T>avid was a remarkable inftance of pre- ferring the glory of God and the publick good, to his own convenience and reputation, 2y] Ixix. 9. and herein a faint refemblance of the Meffiah, who to ferve thefe great pur- R 4 pofes ^ ( ii6 ) pofcs underwent all ignominy and reproach, and parted with every convenience of lifc> and thus was, as the Apoftle obfervcs, a perfcd example to us, Rom. xv. 3. of con- defcenfion and publick fpiritednefs. "David wdiS alfo a remarkable inftance of truft in God, even in the greateft dangers ; he believed that God would deliver him from his enemies that fought his life, and had very nearly executed their defigns, and in confidence of this, he was not afhamed, ^o publifh the falvation God would work for him, tho' he met with nothing but reproach for it 5 and he was herein a faint refemblance of theMeffiah,whotho'heknewhewas to be put to death by his enemies, yet continued his truft in God, and boldly declared the rneffage God had given him to deliver to mani^ind, in hopes of a glorious refurrecti- on; thus fetting his difciples an example for them to follow; as accordingly the Apoftles did boldly, preaching the Gofpel, tho' rhcy knew they were, as Chrift was, to be put to death for it, in hopes of being conformed to his life as well as death. Tho' 2)^^7^was appointed by God to be King, yethewasatfirftrejedcd by the great mafters in Ifrael; but after they had in vain attempted the hindering God's great defign, God brought him to the throne, and under him united the two houfes of Jtidah ^nd. Ifraely thus making him the corner ftorie that ( ^^7 ) that unites the whole building and fupports its frame, Tf. cxviii. 22. And herein he was a faint rcfemblance of him, that after having been rcjedcd by the great men of the y^c2;j", fhall cred: a kingdom among believers eve- ry where, and thus unite under himfelf the intire building of God's Church, confifting of believers from among the Gentiles as well as Jewsy who are to fupply the place of the unbelieving Jews^ which were the main body of that nation. Mat. xxi. 42, 43. Eph. ii. 20, 2 1, 22. "David in certain places of his Pfalms foretels the vengeance God would execute on his enemies, particularly that they (hould be cut off by the hand of God, and fo their families be left deftitute, and the places of honour or profit which they had defcend to others; and now as God is equally a hater of fuch wickednefs as David's enemies were guilty of wherever 'tis to be found, fo the Apoftles do very reafonably make Gods vengeance on the Meffiah's chief enemy, Judas, an accomplifhment of fuch a pre- didion, juft in the fame manner, aspromifes made to good men in all ages, may be faid to belong to us, as far as our circumftances agree with theirs 5 and to come yet nearer to the point in hand, threatenings againft wicked men in former times, do concern us, as far as we are imitators of their crimes 5 and from hence th^ ^ r>oftles juftly conclude, that that as by the extraordinary hand of God Judas was cut off, fo *twas God's will this vacancy, made by his death, fliould be filled up. Ai^S i. I 6 2 2. The Meffiah was to be the pattern of human excellency, perfeftion, and glory, through whom blellings were to be convey- ed from God to the reft of mankind ; what- ever therefore is faid of the pcrfedion and glory of the human nature, muft be true of him. See Rom, v. throughout. To him the Prophets afcribe vidory over all his enemies, and anuniverfal dominion, and this they make defigned for the common advantage of mankind. See Tf. ex. And now from this obfervation we may fee the forceof the Apoftle's reafoning, Heb. ii. 5. from the viiith Tfalm. He is proving that God has not put the world to come in fub- jedion to Angels, but to man, according to the Pfalmift's obfervation, that God has difcovered great condefcenfion in making man his inltrument in deftroying his grand enemy, the common enemy of God and man, and fetting him over all his works, and thus one way or other putting all things in fubjedion to him. See?/ viii. v. 2, 3. This indeed was done not all at once, but by degrees. God diminifhed man, or made him lower for a little while, than the Angels, then crowned him with glory and honour, and ( ^^9 > and will at laft put all in fubjedion to him. The Apoftle does not fuppofe the Pfalmift not to defcribe God's condefcenfion to man- kind in generaly which 'tis plain from the whole Pfalm, and particularly i;^r. 3, 4, 7, S. that he does; but he goes on this fuppo- fition, that whatever is faid of the perfedi- on and excellency of the human nature, mufl: belong to the moft excellent of the kind J he gives an interpretation of the Pfalm that fuppofes the bleffings dcfcribed to come from the Meffiah as the head of mankind, which makes all the parts of the Pfalm ad- mirably cohere together, and is juftified by the event 5 he was made for a little while lower than the Angels, by taking mortal flefh, then as a reward of his fufferings crown- ed with glory and honour as a proper earn- ed and pledge, that in time all things (hall be made fubjcd to him. CoroL I. That thefe arguments from re- femblances between two inftitutions, c^r. are not to be urged to convince Deifts, any more than parallel arguments from fuch re- femblances in the natural world are to Atheifts, but that their chief ufe is to con- firm believers. 2. That therefemblances of thelaw to the Gofpel, were not prefigurations of the Gof- pel ; for before the refemblance could appear the ( 130 ) the original muft have been prefent as well as the pidurc. 5. That juft as Chrift's do£lrine was the perfedion of all religious inftirutions, and an argument a fart might be drawn from former inftitutions to that, and an argument to its advantage from the points of difparity ; fo Chrift himfelf was the moft perfed Pro- phet, Prieft, and King, and therefore the bleflings dcfigned to be brought to the world by the mcflage of other Prophets, the fa- crifice of other Priefts, and the government of other Kings, were fully bellowed by Chrift; his dodtrine perfeded every divine inftitution; his facrifice perfedly expiated iin 5 his government procures for his people complete deliverance from enemies, peace, and all forts of happinefs. 4. This gives a clear account of the ftrong exprefilons we meet with, that all the law and Prophets fpake of Chrift, viz. becaufe he was the end of both, juft- as doing to others as we would they ftiould do to us, is faid to be the law and the Prophets. Mat, vii. 12. This fliews how the whole law, a main part of which related to the diftinc- tions of meats and drinks, is rcprefentcd as a ftiadow, of which the body is Chrift. Col, ii. 17. 5. This accounts for the expreflions of the Apoftlc relating to the law, that it has the fhadow of good things to come, of eter- nal ( 13^ ) nal redemption, but not the very image of the thiniis. Heb. x. i. As the Ihadow docs not reprefent the luminous body, but is quite the reverfe of it; fo in the frame of the law, there was no reprefentation made of the bleffings of the GofpcJ, but on the contrary as the Apoftle fliews chap. ix. 8 15. it was reprefented that thofe bleflings could not be conferred by the law, but then as the fhadow (hews that there is a luminous body, for if there were no light there could be no fliade, fo the imperfeft expiations of the Jaw, which feem to dif- cover God placable to fmners, and at the fame time as not yet having provided a fuffi- cient expiation for fin, lead to the expeda- tion of fome complete method of atone- ment to be appointed in time: The law promifcd life, but upon a condition that none could keep, which therefore direded men's thoughts to fome other method, by which God would at length bcftowonmea that eternal life which he fcems ready to be- flow on thofe that are rightly difpofed for it. See GaL iii. 19 25. (6.) This account pertcftly reconciles the diiFerence between thofe that are for, and thofe that are againft Types. On the fup- pofition here made, there are no prefigu- rations which the Anti-Typifts are fo much againfl, and on the other hand^ here are all the refemblanccs fuppofed between the Law ( ^l^ ) Law and the Gofpel, refemblances defign- cd by the wife Author of both to anfwer valuable ends, which the mod rigid Typift can defirc , and here is room left for all the bed ufe that can be made of them b^ arguments a pari. All St. Tauh rea- fonings in the Epiftle to the Hebrews con- cerning the Gofpel, as the truths the fub- fiance znAperfe^ion of the Law, ftand firm. By this hypothefis, and I imagine by no other, he is made throughout a confiftent writer ; for thus what he fhews of the refemblance, in fome particulars between the method of expiation under the Law and the Gofpel, as ch. ix. 7, IT, 15, 25, 24. ch, x. 19, 20, 21. Of the Gofpel's perfefting and com* pleting the defign of the Law, is made appear perfedly confiftent with what he obferves in other places, that the Law con- ferred a right only to temporal bleftings ; that it did not contain the image of good things to come 5 that the way into the Ho- lieft of all was not opened under that dif- pcnfation ; that the Sacrifices of the Law did not purge the confcience, but only cleanfed from ceremonial and political guilt. (7.) It will be cafy to obferve how this hypothefis, which fully accounts for the ftrongeft expreflions in the New Teftamenr, concerning the refemblances between the Law and the Gofpel, and the arguments deduced by the Apoftle from that fuppofi- I tion, ( ^33 ) tion, and which gives a vaftiy more agree- able account of the wife defign of the Law in the appointment of many things which appear trifling, but as viewed with the re- lation they bear to the Gofpel, than evea the common hypothefis of types ; yet at the fame time has this advantage, that it ftands perfeftly clear of the objeftions that arc brought againft the common hypothefis : To fhcw this, I will run over thefe objefti- ons, and offer an anfwcr to them on this hypothefis. Obj. I.) If you allow of types at all, every thing will be typical, all nature will be full of types, and there will be no flop- ping any where. I anfwer, it is true, wherever there is an analogy between any parts of nature, it muft be at laft referred to the Author of nature, as part of his de- fign in the frame of things y and any argu- ment from fuch analogies, as far as they reach, is conclufive 5 but this docs not come quite up to the notion of types, as we ufe the word in the prefent argument to de- note a refcmblance between two divine in- ftitutions as the Law and the Gofpel, de- figned by the wife Author of both to an- fwer feveral valuable ends $ as (i .) The making the laft inftitution more cafily underftood, by thofe that were be- fore acquainted with the former. (2.) Dif- ( ^34 ; (2.) Difpofing thofe that had embraced the former to the more ready reception of this, taking off thus from the laft inftitu- tion, the prejudice of novelty, and afford- ing to them that were perfuaded of the divinity of the former inftitution, an argu- ment in favour of the latter, that would reafonably difpofe them at the very firfl: propofal to give fome credit to it, where there appeared no argument againft it ftronger than this was for it, (3.) Confirming believers, in the perfua- Hon that both inftitutions came from one and the fame perfectly wife being. (4.) As the analogy is not perfect, (hew- ing in the points of difference, the prehe- minence of the laft inftitution, which as one would reafonably exped from that which is to be the laft revelation of all, perfcds and completes the defign not only of the Mofaickj but all former revelations. Obje^, 2.) If you don't interpret fuch words as fhadows, &c. which rcprcfent the relation between the Law and the Gof- pel, to fignify types, there is no proof of types at all 5 and if you do, the whole law will be typical, even as to thofe parts of it which bear no refemblance to the Gofpelj as particularly where the diftin£lion be- tween meats and days is appointed 5 fee CoL ii. If. I anfwer, the whole law was a fha- dowof Chrift, as it did, tho* not reprelent, yet ( ^35 ) Vet ill the way before explained direCl men to Chrift; and as the Gofpel of Chrift was the truth, fubftancey and perfeEiion of all former revelations, fo if you feparatc from any former inftitution, as particularly that of Afoyjjjwhat was particularly fitted to the circumftances of that people for whofe ufe chiefly it was given, or what was in it- iz\i imperfeEiy and fo led naturally to the expedation of fomewhat more perfeft^whac remains is the religion of Chrift. ObjefL 3. The Apoftle in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, is fo far from making ufe of typical arguments, that his reafoning ever goes on this fuppofition, that there is a dif- parity between the Law and the Gofpel,' Anf. I. That difparity in fome inftances, fuppofes a parity in others. See Heb. ix. S. xo the end. chap. x. i — 23. 2. Sometimes the Apoftle draw an argument, for the wifdom of God's latter appointments, from their analogy and refemblance to the for- mer i thus u g, as God's former covenant with his people was ratified by blood, fo it was ordered that this laft fhould be; and the former covenant, as imperfeEi in itfelf, and ratified by the blood of beafts, which could not fully expiate fin, appears now to be perfefted as to the defign of it, by the in- troduftion of a new covenant eftablifhed on better promifes, ratified by the blood which fully expiates all fin whatfoever, and pro- S " '^^ cures ( tl6 ) cures eternal redemption, the Mediator of which ever lives to make intcrceflion for us, and has full power to beftow the blcfllngs of the covenant on thofc that are interefted in them. See Hei;. viii. 6. to the end. ix. II. to the end. vii. 24, 25, 28. Obje£i, 4. The chief point wherein the Apoftle fhews the agreement between the Law and the Gofpel is in the facrifices of both 5 now as there is a great difparity as well as fome refemblance between thefe, fo if on account of the refemblance be- tween them, the facrifices of the law might be faid to be typical of that of the Gofpel, fo they might alfo of prayer, repentance, ^c, which bear fome refemblance to them, and on that account are called facrifices. I anfwcr, according to the hypothefis above laid down, the facrifices under the law did not prefigure Chrift's facrifice; they could not reprefent a facrifice which lliould fully expiate fin, when they only cleanfed from ceremonial or political guilt, but they agreed in the general notion of expiation, and in the manner of eflxdling it, viz. by blood, Heb.'w. 15-23. and Chrifi's facrifice did compleat the defign of all appointed ex- piations for fin, by wholly removing the guilt of fin, and procuring eternal redempti- on for us. CHAP. ( ^37 ) CHAR XXIIL Of the exprejfions then was fulfilled^ and that it might be fulfilled. IT is objefted by the Author of the Literal Scheme^ that *tis plain the New Teftament writers fuppofe there are pro- phecies of the Mefliah in the Old Tefta- nient, and that thcfe were fuifilled in Jefus ; when therefore they refer to paflages of the Old Teflament as fulfilled in Jefus, why fhould not we think they refer to them as prophetical of the Mefliah, and if to Tome of them as fuch, why not to all \ To this I anuver, (i.) Tho' there are very ftrong exprefll^ ons in the NewTeftament concerning Chrifi:> as prophefied of in MofeSy the Pfalms, and the Prophets; yet as 'tis certain the Mefliah was the end of this Law and the Prophets, and it has been fhewn by the writers on this rabject, by an induftion of particulars, that there are prophecies of him running thro' all thcfe, and as thefe exprcfllons might be ufed by men who intended no more than one or both of thcfe fenfes, and as it does not appear they thought the whole Old Te- ftament prophetical of the Meffiah; fo it S z ought otight not to be fuppofed without proof that they refer to it as fuch. (2.) The expreflion then was fulfilled, plainly fignifies no more than, that then %vhat fuch a writer fpeaks of was done, then his words were verified, or the like : and thus fuch words are ufual in our own language continually. Sec Jo. xi. 48—53. But the cxprefl!ion, that it might be fulfill- ed, 1 think muft imply fomething more. I own this does not always fignify that a thing was done to this e?2d that a prophecy might be fulfilled 5 but it muft imply, that the thing was done to the verifying the words of fuch an author, fo as that his words would not othcrwifc be true ; as in a parallel cafe, when David fays, Agamft thee have 1 Jinnedy that thou mighteft be jiiftified, 6cc. The meaning I think muft be fomethins: more than that in IDavids fin God was juftified, (iyc, viz. that ^David's fin wasneccffary in order to God's being juftified in pafling a fentence of condemnation on him. So in like manner when St. John fays, chap. xii. 37, 38. They believed not on him, that the faying of Efaias might be fulfilled, &c. The meaning is, they did not believe to the ve- rifying of £/^/^/s words, which would not othcrwife have been true : But then this docs not neceflarily import a quotation of a real prophecy, but may be ibmetimes only a reference to a fimilar faft. v. g. If Ifaiab defcnbing ( ^39 ) dcfcribing the wickedncfs of the men of his days lliould fay, that God had, vzz,. by the methods of his Providence which they abu- fcd, blinded thciu eyes and hardned their hearts, &c. St. John might apply this to the wicked yru.'j" of his time, and lay they could not believe, becaufc Ifaiah faid this, /. e. be - caufe they were juft llich perfons as Ifaiah there defcribes, who would be equally deaf to God's calls in one age and another; wc are then left ftill at a lofs for a rule to know certainly when there is a dejigned re- ference to a real prophecy. If the queftion were only, when a paf- fage of the Old Teftament is really prophe- tical, 1 (hould think Dr. Sykes's folution to be very good, viz. that this is to be judged of from the context in the Prophet himfelf 5 but as this is a begging the queftion when we have to do with the Deifts, I think we muft fix on fome other rule, and I would propofe this, viz, that then a paffage is to be judged a quotation of a prophecy, when a thing is referred to as a fulfilment of the words of the Prophet, and the paflages in the Prophet appear to he prophetical, and to be fulfilled by this event 5 efpecially if they are of fuch a nature as never to have been fulfilled before by any 7J>^/7^r event ; and this will hold raoft ftrongly if it can be prov- ed in any particular inftance that they can be fulfilkci in no other, v. g. The cha- S ^ jraitcrs ( 140 ) yaftci's of the Meffiah, ot of a certain glo- lious King, to arife in the latter days, re- ferred to by the writers of the New Tefta- nient agree to Jefus, and (the time fixed be- ing now elapfed) can, we are fare, agree to no other j therefore we are fure ]erus is the perfon denoted by thefe charadersi and then that the New Teftament writers de- figned to refer to thefc paffages as propheti- cal of the Meffiah, is plain, as is well ob- ferved by the Author of the Literal Scheme-, becaufe the New Teftament ever refers us to MofeSy the Pfalms, and Prophets, as all fpcaking of Chriftj bids us fearch the Old Teftament, to fee whether the things fpoken of the Meffiah therein, were ful- filled in Jcfus or no. When the New Teftament writers refer to any paflage of the Old, by ufing the \!or <^s then was fulfdledy &c, upon fuppo- fition they are rational writers 5 'tis moft rea- fonable to fuppofe, that when the paflages referred to are hiftorical, they defign only a reference to ^Jtmilar fa£t. And where tho' they are prophetical, yet they are of fucha nature as may refer to feveral events, they defign to take notice of the event they men- tion, merely as of the fame nature with that of which the Prophet fpeaks, except it can be fhewn from the context that thefc wri- ters appear to lay more ftrefs on thefe quo- tations than this amounts to. This, I ap- prehend, ( M» ) prchend, is a fair medium between the me- thod of Dr. SykeSy and the Author of the Literal Scheme 5 on the one hand, 1 think it mull be allowed that we are partial to the New Teftament writers to fuppofc that then, and then only their citations are intended as citations of real prophecies, when wc can fliew a priori that the paflages referred to are real prophecies,- on the other hand, I think we don't treat thefc writers fairly, when we don't allow them the liberty ever granted to all rational writers, *viz, not to fuppofe them guilty of abfurditics without proof \ nj. g. not to fuppofe them to cite hiftories as prophecies, or general prophe- cies as particular ones, without evidence of this. If this reafonable allowance were but made the New Teftamcnt writers, which the ingenious Author of the Literal Scheme will, forgive us if we are as follicitous to claim for them, as he would be for his fa- vourite Cicero on a like occafion, I am per- fuaded we need be in no pain concerning the event. It fcems probable that St. Mat* theiv, chap. ii. 15. refers to the prophecy Hof. xi. I. of God's calling his Son out of <:^yEgypt, as a real prophecy of Chrift, fince he makes it ordered by the particular Provi- dence of God, that Mary fhould go with Jcfus into (:^yEgypt for that very purpofc; fee ver. 13, 14, 15. Let us fee then whe- S 4. thcr ( ^4^ ) tliei' wc cannot find fome evidences of a prophecy of Chrift, Hof, xi. i. (i.) Then, Ifrael rmy be as well taken perfonally as nationally 5 'tis underftood in the former fenfe, chap. xii. 3, 4, 12. and the" difcourfe is, in that chapter, in like manner intcrmixt with the two IfraelSy per- fonal and national, as here, and to the fame purpofe alfo to ihew the ingratitude of If- rael in defpifing God's Goodnefs fhewn their anceftors, and thus Ihewn them alfo. Now the greateft inftance of God's goodnefs to JfraeU perfonally confidcred, wa^s his dul- ling him, when a child, before Efaw-y and this alfo was the foundation of all God's/^- CiiUar and dijiinguijhing mercies to his po- (lerity, particularly of their being chofcn for the people of God in fuch a manner as the reft of the world were nor. (2.) It will then be moft natural to in- terpet the latter claufe concerning God's Son, perfonally ; the queftion then is, who is meant by God's Son ? Now, ^ I.) 'Tis not necejjary God's Son fliould be Jfrael before mentioned. 2.) Tis not probable that it is, 1. Becaufe this title is never given him in fo appropriating a manner: Nor, 2. Is there any mention in y^f^^'s hifto- 17 of any call of his out of n. Ixxxix. 2(5, 27. whence in the time when our Saviour appeared Son of God and Kingof 7/r^^/, or Mefliah, were fynonymous terms. 4. Tho' tliere were perhaps no other prophecies of the call of the Meffiah out of (^^gypt but this i yet thofe to whom the Prophet fpeaks might eafily underftand, tiiat the calling him out of an Heathen country mto Canaan, was a fignal bleffing to Ifrael^ and might eafily be led to interpret this as an evidence of his being />^f////^r/yfent to them, which was the fenfe of a vaft number of prophecies. 5. The ingratitude then of i\izlfraelites was feen in their defpifing God's goodnefs, who had thus chofen them for his peculiar people, as they knew both from what he had done, and promifed to do. I will clofe the difcourfe on this prophe- cy, with only this obfcrvation, ^iz. that the diftinguifhing love of God to Jacobs when a child, and therefore when he had done no good, as his brother, and who was the elder, and fo flood fairefl for the blef- fing, which yet he lofl, had done no evil, was the fuUefl difcovery of God's choice of that particular people to whom the prophet addrefTes to the national blefllngs of a tem- poral covenant, a much fuller one than the diftinftion God put between IJaac and IJh- 7/iaeh ( ^44 ) tnael-, which w^s in fomc meafure founded in their different deferts. Gen^ xv. 6, 7. xvii. 20, 21. xxi. 9, 10, 12. com. with i?^;«. iv. 13. ix. 7, 8, 10, II. Gal iv. 28 34. and the difference of their parents, the one a bondwoman, the other a free, Gen. xxi. 10. Gal, iv. 22, 23. Whereas here Rebecca conceived by one, even our Father Ifaac^ and yet the preference was given to the younger^ even before any difference could . appear in the charafters of the two brothers, Rom, ix. 10 14. Thus the blclTings of a national covenant were beftowed on the Ifraelites, by the diflinguifliing favour of Godi and fo in like manner were the fpi- ritual blefllngs of the Mciliahs kingdom firfl: offered them thro* diftinguiiliing goodnefs ; for tho' he was born in the land of Ifraely yet it might have been the defign of Provi- dence that he fhould exercife his prophctick office when grown up, in another country; and when thro' the cruelty of Herod his pa- rents were forced to fly that country, and were diredled by a particular Providence in- to c__y£.gypt , it looked as if God, for the fins of his people, was refolved to deny them this great blefllng, if at the fame time that he direded his parents to fly thither, he had not limited a time for their refidence therc^ and at the end of that, called his Son out of ^yEgypt. See Akt, ii. 13, 14, 15, i9> See ( ^45 ) Sec the literal accomplilhment of two prophecies cited by St. Matthew. CHAP. XXIV. A review of fome remarkable Prophe'- cies of the MeJJiah in the Old Tef^ tament. I Shall begin with the firfl: promife re- lating to the Seed of the woman, which was to bruife the ferpent's head 5 before we can underftand which, we muft have a right notion of Mofes's hiftory of the fall. Mofes is (like CafaVy Xenophon^ &c.) a very plain and fimple Hiftorian 5 now fuch Hiftorians are wont, to relate faEis only and defcribe appearances^ not to enter into the reafons of things. Thus his account of the creation is (as Mr. Whifton has demonftra- tively (hewn) fuch an account of the for- mation of things, as a fpeftator of all the feveral changes in the Chaos^ from which our Earth arofe, who troubled not his head with philofophical fpcculations, would give, though at the fame time Mofes does not obfcurely intimate. Gen, i. 2. that the real formation out of a Chaos, which he de- fcribes ( 14'^ ) fcribes in the following verfes is, only of our earth. Mofess account of the creation then is not zphilofophicaly but 2i popular account, and that only of the vifible creation 5 and there- fore there is no account of the formation of the Angels. Now thefe things being laid down, it will be a very eafy matter to give a clear account of the hiftory of the fall : Confider Mofes as an hiftorian, according to the charader before given of him, and he is to defcribe only appearances. Now in the temptation of Eve^ it is certain only the literal ferpent was vifibly concerned. Mofes therefore muft mention no other > he could take notice of no fpiritual invifi- ble agent as concerned, becaufc he had gi- ven an account of none fuch in the hiftory of the creation. Or if it fhould be thought, that notwithftanding that, he might, as in fome other parts of his hiftory, mention the agency of invifiblc beings, yet cer- tainly without a previous account of the fall of fome of the Angels, and their con- fequent punifhment, he v/ould not intro- duce fuch an invifible agent, as bringing evil firft into our world, for fear of coun- tenancing the ancient error of two inde- pendent principles. See Dr. Sherlock's Ser- nions of the u(e of Prophecy, Accord^ ( 147 ) Accordingly, he begins with the account of the fubtilty of the ferpent, above allbeafts of the field, and makes that the ground- work of his whole ftory. All the tranf- aclion, from the beginning to the end, is afcribed to this ferpent. And thus muft the curfe refer to him alfo. This now is the account il/^y^'j' gives of this matter, as anHiftorian. All this while he does not deny the agency of any fupe- rior invifible Being, a true relation of ap- pearances is not contrary to Philofophy, which gives an account of the reafon of thofe appearances : He that talk's of the fun's rifing and fetting, c^r. gives a good account, as an Hiftorianj and the Philofo- phcrs account of the diurnal motion of the earth is not contrary to this, Mofes as an hiftorian gives an account of the relative formation of all parts of the vifible creati- on 5 but this pcrfedly coincides with the true philofophical account, of x\iz gradual^ real formation of our earth out of a Chaos. Thus here, Mofes gives an account of the ferpent's vifible agency in the temptation, which is not at all inconfiftent with the invifible agency of a fuperior Spirit, to whom the New Teftamcnt feems to afcribc it; * nay, to whom Mofes gives one a fair ^ Thus our Saviour referring plainly to this Hiftory calls the Devil a liar and murderer from the beginning, John viii. 44., thus. ( 248 ) fair occafion for afcribing it, by giving nd account in his hiftory of other parts of the brute creation being in a confiderably higher Thus, Rev, xii. 7, 9. there is reprefented a War in Heaven be- tween Michael the chief of the good Angels, and the Devil the head of the evil Angels, who is called the old ferpent in allu- lion to this Hiftory. See alfo, ch. xx. i. Thus the Apoftle to the Hebreyvs, ch. ii. 14, 15-. reprefents Chrift as taking flcfh (and thus becoming the Seed of the wo- man) that through death he might deftroy or difannul the de- ligns of him that had the power of death, i. e. theDevil, of him that by his temptation prevailed to the bringing death on man- kind i which is an exad: explication of the original promife, •viz. that the Seed of the ivoman, or mankind, fhould bruife the head, or deftroy the power of the lerpent, or of that fupe- rior Spirit, who goes under that name as aftuming his .fhape, as fome of the Angels are called, I/a. vi. Seraphim or fiery fly- ing ferpents probably on the fame account ; Chrift v/ho was one of the Seed of the woman, defeating the defigns of the £erpent, who, as he introduced into the world, would have fixed death on mankfad, exadly accompliflied the prophecy, that man- kind fhould at length prevail over the ierpent. But the clcareft paflage in the whole New Teftament to this purpoie, and which will lead us into the true account of this whole matter is, 2 Cor. xi. where the Apoftle is warning them againft thofe corruptions of the Gofpel, which the jewifli falfe Apoftle would have introduced, and he warns them of their dan- ger from the wiles of this falie i\poftle, by the fall of E-^e thro' the fubtilty of the lerpent, who by cunning craftinefs brought £ve to liften to his falle and corrupt account of God's revelati- on to her, V. 3. as the falfe Apoftle would his additions to the Gofpel of Chrift, v. 13, 14, if. He compares thefe falfe Apo- ftles to the meftengers of Satan, as the true Apoftles he calls meflengers of Chrift, the falfe Apoftles transformed them- selves into true Apoftles, or put on the air and charafter of fuch, particularly indeavouring to imitate them in miraculous works 3 juft as Satan transformed himlclf into an Angel of Light, when he appeared t-. 3. in the form of a Serpent, like flich a divine mefTcnger, and chus deceived E've, vho might probably eafily have underftood the difference between th'^ evidence of a divine defi^age brought by an Angel of Light appearing with the Shc- chinah, and 'is the pretended one ot an Angd of darknefs, ap- pearing though in the fliape of that creature, whofe form was alTumcd ( 140 ) higher degree of rcafon before than after the fall, of any alteration in that refpeft of the brutal (as he gives an account of aa afllimed by the Angels of light, yet without the Shechinah, jud as the fal(c Apoftles, though they might perform fome won- cierful works, yet wanted the power of conferring the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, which was a diftinguifliing character of a true Apoftle. This feems to me the true account of this matter, Mofes re- lates only appearances, therefore he mentions nothing but a fer- pent ; but as good Angels were wont to appear as attendants of the Shechinah^ in the form of fiery flying ferpentsi fee Ifa. vi. and as this was probably a thing well known to thofe for whofe ufe Mofes writ i fince he feems to refer familiarly to the two forts of Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, the appearance of the latter^of which feems to have been that of fiery flying ferpents; fee Gen. iii. 24. Com. Ffd. civ. 4. xviii. 8, 9, 10. he very properly calls this fuperior agent by the name of that creature whofe form he alTumed ; and as thofe for whofe ufe he writ had (as appears all along in their hiftory) a notion of fuperior Spi- rits, which were concerned in introducing either good or evil among men, when Mofes relates fuch things of a beaft called the feipent, as could not literally belong to it, they would eafi- .'V atcributc thofe things to that fuperior Spirit, who they knew was wont to alliime his fliape. I will only add, that Sr. Vaul as well as Mofes takes particu- lar notice of the fubtilty of the ferpent, or of the beaft fb cal- led, and this feems of more confequence in the flory than we commonly imagine. It is probable the Devil chofe this beafl becaufe of his known fubtilty, and that in his anions he gave j-nany proofs of it on this occafion i there is nothing reprefent- t-d in the hiHory as fpoken to the woman concerning tne plea- fantnef? o: the food, its agreeablenefs and wholfomnefs, which yet is taken notice of as a thing Eve was fbme way or other well aifured of j probably therefore by the brisk and lively mo- tions of this animal after eating the food j flie alio fpeaks of it as a thing (he was well aflured of, that the food of 'this tree tended to improve the powers of the mind ; this alfo (he might be led to think from tho£* uncommon inftances of craft and fubtilty, which tlic ferpent gave after eating the food, from which fl-;e might conclude, that if the fruit of that tree had (as (he apprehended it had) fuch a virtue as to exalt the faculties of that animal almoft above the brutal, i: might improve hers to the an alteration of the vegetable part of the creation) by the fall, particularly of any al- teration in that refpeCl: befalling the ferpent^ which' the degree was pretended, viz. fo as that fhe fliould be no longer in that low rank of beings, as that flie fhould need con- tinually to be told what was good and what was evil for her ; but that like the fuperior Spirits, who by vifible forms fhe knew frequently appeared to her, (he fhould know always what was good and evil for her, and thus have the means of attaining happinefs, and avoiding mifery always in her own power; and as this appeared very probably to be the na'ural effe6t of this fruit, fhe was eafily led to conclude that a pertedly good being could not ahfiluiely and perpetually forbid it her, though he might for a time, as a trial of her dependance on him for the means of happinefs, ^c. The ingenious Author of the Literal Scheme underf^ands this whole ftory of the literal ferpent ; but againfl this hypothecs it may be objected, (i.) That Mo[es can never preferve that charader of a wile and Ibber writer, which he has always defervedly had, if he be fuppofed to introduce a beafl of the field talking as rationally as a man, without giving an account in his hiflory of the creation of any change fince made in the brute creation. (i.) It is hard to account for it, how the notion of evil Spi^ rits fhould be fo ancient, if it were not grounded on this hiito- ry of the fall. (5.J The curie upon the ferpent, who is reprefentcd in the hiflory as the chief offender, is according to this Author's inter- pretation no more a curfe on the fcrpent than it is on man. It is pretended indeed, by this ingenious and learned Gentleman, that the curfe cannot be underl^ood in our way, becaufe that even though it were granted that a viftory was intended of man over the ierpentj yet it does not follow, he fhould recover what he had loft by his enemy, -v'lz. eternal life, I anfwer, this Author does not feem to have confidered that thofe who interpret the curfe on the ferpent, as belonging to the Devil, interpret it figuratively, and by breaking .the lerpcnt's head, underftand deftroying the power of that enemy of theirs, who had introduced death in the word, to which mankind were now fubjefted i and, without a remedy provided, to lay under it for ever ; and then, the mofl natural fcnft of the curie on the fer- pent will imply the breaking the Serpent's or Devil's killing pow- er, /. e, his power of contmmng, as he had brought in, death in- to ( 2yi ) \vhich one would think a much piopcrer curfe on him than the mere alteration of the form of his body jbut notwithftanding this, as Mofes had introduced this fuperior invi- fiblc being as concerned in no part of the tranfadion, he could nor with any proprie- ty introduce him as concerned in the curfe. If it be faid that the introducing the whole ftory by the mention of the fubtiiity of the literal ferpent, is contrary to the fuppofedr^- tionale of the hiftory. I anfwer, not at all 5 fince, juft as a mere fpe«3ator of the whole tranfaflion, that did not enquire into the rea- fons of things would think the reafon of the ferpent's being particularly concerned, was his extraordinary fubtiiity above other beafts 5 fo an enquirer after the reafons of things, would refolve his being chofen as the inftrument by the fuperior invifible be- ing into his extraordinary fubtiiity. Thus much for Mofes' % account of the fall, confidering him only in the charader of an hiftorian j let us next confiderhim in the cha- rader of a Lawgiver and Prophet^ and con- fidered in this charader, his defign fecrtis to be, xo give the Ifraelites a clear notion how, tho' God be pcrfedly holy and good, yet to the world, and fo the deliverance of mankind from their fubjecftion to death, by a reftoration to an immortal life ; fin was brought in by the temptation of the ferpmt ; fin brought in denh. The promife then of the deftrudion of the ferpent's /fi- ling tower, which was by fm, implies a promife ot a reftoration to life by righteoufnef<:. T evil ( ijO evil moral and natural, have entered into the world, and on this theory of natural and moral evil, to graft an ufeful moral inftruc- tion. Firfl: as to the theory itfelf : From Mofes's account, the plain original of moral evil is this 5 God made at firft, and conti- nues ftill to make man upright, /. e. indeed with certain appetites and paffions, which under the government of reafon, given for that end, lead to what is right and good, for private and publick happinefs: moral evil is the confcnt to do what is contrary to reafon thro* the prevalence of the paffi- ons 5 external circumftances may prefent us with occafions of fuch evil, but 'tis our confcnt that makes the crime; our paffions and appetites lead to fuch adions as are agreeable to them, there is nothing irregu- lar as yet ; but when we purfue thefe things, without confulting reafon, or in oppofition to its dilates, we deny our felves to be what we are, i. e. beings indued with reafon as moderator of the paffions. Eve was forbidden a certain fruit that was hurt- ful to her; however it was agreeable to the eye, and feemed plcafant to the taftcj flie therefore had naturally an appetite to it; it was alfo reprefented as having a tendency to increafe knowledge: This increafe of knowledge fhe alfo naturally defired, there was nothing amifs as yet, but here lies her crime, that theie appetites hindered that free ufe ( M3 ) ufe of her reafon, which would have led her to keep clofe to that command, that plaia command fhe had received from God 5 and thus as fin firft entered, fo it has fincc been continued in the world, exaftly accord- ing to the account of St. JameSy chap. i. 13, 14, 15. Natural evil proceeds from moral. The confequences of the firft fin, and fo of others afterwards, are reprefented to be in the mind fliame, fufpicion, fear, particularly a flavifli dread of the divine Being; in the body, dif- eafes tending to death 5 and this alfo is ex- a£lly the account of St. James in the place juft mentioned, and of St. Tauh Rom. v. 12. where he makes death to enter by fin, and to pafs on all, for that all have finned. The moral inftrudions to be learnt are, that God is perfcdly holy, notwithftanding there is fo much wickednefs in the world, that moral evil is nothing but our confcnt to what is contrary to reafon, /. e. our deny- ing our (elves to be, what God has m.ade us, rational creatures ; that God is perfcftly good, tho' there be fo much mifery in the world, which is only the necefiary confe- qucncc of moralevil 5 that moral evil arifes from appetite prevailing againft reafonj and that therefore v/e fhould keep the ftri^left guard on our appetites. Corol. I. What an amazing hypothefis IS Dr. Sherlock^) who builds the whole fcheme T 2 of ( M4 ) of religion on this promifc ; thus he lays his fcheme j There can be no religion with- out hope of being delivered from the evils fui brings on us, and reftored to the bleflings fin has forfeited, natural reafon gives not ^thefe hopes, there needs an exprefs promife, and this was the firft exprefs promife 5 there- fore this is the foundation of all religion. But I would dcfirc to know whether all na- tions of tiiQ earth were not obliged to be religious as well as the feed of Abraham^ whether they could be religious without hope \ whether they could hope in a pro- mife, v;ithout any knowledge of the pro- mife? whether the Doftor does in good earnefl: think there was a clear tradition of this promife to all nations under heaven? whether this promife could be conveyed clear and uninterrupted as to all nations, fo to all ages of the world ? whether the contrary be not plain faft, njtz,. that the intire Heathen world were ignorant of this promife, as the Doctor underftands it, /'. e, as a promife of a refurredlion to life? whether they were notwholly ignorant of death's being the pu- nifhment of fm; and by confequencc of life's being the reward of righteoufncfs? whether therefore they could have an affurance of full forgivenefs,/. e, of the removing intirely that punifhment which fin had brought into the world by the reftoration to a completely happy and immortal life, or blcfled (late of exiftencc;, ( M5 ) cxlftencc, with an indifiblviblc union of Ibul and body? whether notwithftanding they had not fufficient encouragement to virtue from the natural happy confequences of virtue, efpecially confidcring thefc as taking place, not only in the prefent, but a future ftace of cxiftence, which the joint confideration of God's nature and their own would lead them to expcft? laftly, whether otherwife God can poflibly be the morakGo- vernor and Judge of the "i^j/jo/e world ? CoroL 2, From this account of the creati- on and the fall, we may fee, how the noti- on of eternal life was preferved in the firft ages of the world. Death was originally the punifhment of fm, eternal life of confe- quence the reward of righteoufnefs s death cntrcd by fin, and refts on all, becaufe all are finners ; but from the beginning God promifed that the feed of the woman fhould bruize the ferpent's head, L e, that mankind fhould prevail over him that had brought death into the world. Afterwards God pro- mifed for Abrahams faith to blefs him in fo eminent a manner 5 that he fhould be a pattern as of faith, fo of the bleflcdnefs be- longing to it, to all nations; that he would accept his faith for righteoufnefs, t. e. on account of his faith deal with him as tho' he were righteous^ that he would be his God, i. e. give him the reward belonging to a child of hiS; beflow on him the reward of T 3 rightcouO ( M^ ) ilghtcoufncfs, viz. eternal life, which fince he was to die as other men, muft imply his refurreftion to this eternal lifej and as God is not a partial being, but in bleffing faith- ful Abrahamy bleflcd all the faithful 5 this was a promifc to all the faithful of a refurredion to eternal life, as our Saviour argues with the Sadducees, Mat. xxii. 31 33. {3.) We may learn the rife of fome doc- trines, and fee the reafon of a great deal of the language of the New Tcftament 5 thus we fee how death is the wages of fin, and life the reward of righteoufnefs; how death is continued on all for fin, and life re-enters only thro' Jefus the righteous \ how Adam and Chrift are rcprefented as the two heads of the human racc^ by one of whom fin and death, by the other righteoufnefs and life enter into the world ; how our fin and mi- fcry, our righteoufnefs and life are fet out in fuch ftrong figures by our conformity to thefe two, as by putting off the old man, puttingonthe new; the want of apprehend- ing aright the hiflory of the fall has made thefe things difficult to us, which feem to have been plain to thofe that lived in that age J and therefore are by the Apoftle fami- liarly fpoken of as things well known. (4.) We may fee the reafon why this pro- mifc is not particuiariy mentioned in the New Tcftament; becaufe, tho' it was ful- filled exaftly by Chriflp yet itis not adircfl: prophecy ( ^57 ) prophecy of him, and it is of a very gene- ral nature 5 the Apoftle therefore in his ac- count of the dealings of God with fallen men, very properly begins with the pro- mife to Abraham of a bleffing to faith. (5.) From the account given above, I think we arc fupplied with a folutionofthe difficulties mentioned by the ingenious Au- thor of the Literal Scheme y &:c. Accord- ing to this account Mofes is fuppofed to be a plain and fimple hiftorian 5 he enters in- to no philofophical account of things, and yet drops fuch hints, as that from compar- ing them with the whole frame of his hifto- ry, one may be led to fee the true caufes of thofe appearances which he gives an account of. Here is fuppofed no dire£i prophecy of Jefus Chrift, and yet an account of that in- tire viftory of mankind over the being that has here the name of the ferpent, as was procured for them by him, and by none clfe 5 he was the firft that was raifed from the dead, fo as not to return to fee corrupti- on, P/ xvi. 10, II. he made his foul an offering for the fins of God's people, and by the knowledge of himfelf he juftifies, or procures life, the reward of righteoufnefs, for many, i, e. the whole world, as well Gentiles as JewSy If, liii. 11, 12. This Jefus pretended to do, and that he has done It, he has fhewnby his refurrcdion, which was the %n he gave for that purpofe, and T 4 by ( M8 ) by the gifts of the Holy Ghoft which are marks of his royalty, and difcovcries of that full power he has at God's right hand, of be- ftowing all fuitablc bleflings on his people, and particularly of giving eternal life to as many as God has given into his hands, as to- wardly, well difpofed perfons to be trained up for it. This was the firft difcovery of the defign of the recovery of a loft world; the next is what God was pleafed to afford to Abraham, When God called Abraham to go out of his country, he promifed to blefs him in fo extraordinary a manner, that in him all nati- ons of the earth fhould be blefled, /. e, that as he was a pattern and exemplar of faith to the world, fo he fl^.ould be of its reward, in- fomuch that not only his pofterity, but even all nations of the earth, when they wifhed for the utmofl: happinefs for themfelves, fliQuld defire to be happy as Abraham was, or to be blcffcd with his reward. This is the meaning of the phrafe to blefs in, or by a perfon in all other places where 'tis ufcd. Thus when Jacob bleffcd the two fons o^ Jofeph, he bleffcd them, faying. In thee fhall Ifracl blefsy frying, God make thee as Ephram and as Manaffeh, Thus when the profpcrous reign of the Mef- fiah is fct forth, T^ff Ixxii. 2, 17. it is faid, that his name fhall endure for ever, and (fo piorpcrous fhall he be that) men ' Jha/l ( M9) fiall be bleffed in himy all stations Jhall call him bleffed. Thus Jer. iv. i , 2. God promifcs to JfraeU that if they would return, he would return to them, and they fhould never be re- movedj and fo happy fhould they be, that the nations fhould blefs themfelves in them, and glory in their relation to them. SccGat. inloc. If Ixv. the Prophet after having di- ftinguiflied between the righteous and wick- ed among the JewSj determines their dif- ferent fates, ver, 15. Te [hall leave their names for a curfe unto my chofen, for the Lord God fl)aU flay thee^ and call his ferv ants by another name \ and then it follows ver, 16, That he who bleffeth (either himl'clf or any other) in the earthy or in the land, Jhottld blefs in the God of truth-, or as it fhould be rendered of the true, or firm, ftable and well eftabiifhed people, and he that fweareth in the land fhall /wear by the God of the well eflabuflicd people (who will by the new name he gives them ver. 1 5 . again acknowledge his relation to them) becaufe the former troubles (in their unfettled ftate, when they were not fuch a ftable people) are forgotten^ and becaufe they are hid from mine eyes. God then promifes Abraham^ that he fhould be an extraordinary inftance of bleftednefs, which could not refer to any temporal bleffings in Canaan where he was a fojourner all his days; befides he was bleflcd for his faith; now the reward of faith ( i^o ) faith from the great Governor of the world could not be only of temporal bleffingsj this faith was Gen. xv. accounted to him for righteoufnefs 5 and thus he was intituled to eternal life, the reward of righteoufnefs. Now as all nations of the earth were to blefs themfelves in him, they muft come to the knowledge of his faith, and the reward of it, and the promife(whichasGod is not a partial being muft be made to all the fait hful)'which muft belong toallfuchperfons in every nati- on. Afterwards chap. xxii. God promifes that all nations fliould blefs themfelves in Abra- ham's feed : Now this in like manner imports, that one or more of his feed fhoald be a remarkable inftance of the fame bJeffednefs 5 and this was exaftly fulfilled in Jelus who was of Abrahanis iztd^y who by perfed righteoufnefs had a title to eternal lifehim- felf, firft entered on it himfelf, and has pro- mifed to beftow it. Gen. xlix. we have an account of Jacobs calling his twelve fons together, appointing them as the heads of their fcveral families, that were to grow up into fo many tribes, that fhould divide the land of Canaan among them, and parcelling out to each of them their diftinft bleflings: Here it is plain the blefling of Abraham that defcended to Ja- cob:, through IfaaC:, falls to the lot oijudahy who is to have the fovereignty and domini- on 5 becaufe the great lawgiver or judge { i6i ) was to come from him. Fer, lo. Thefcepter Jball 7iot depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver or judge from between his feety i. e. their polity and government within themfclves, now fettled, fliould not be wholly taken from them, 'till he come whofe it is, /. e. whofe the kingdom is, or for whom it is referved, as the Syriac, Chaldee, and leven- ty tranflators plainly read, very little differ- ing from our prefent Hebrew copies, and to him be the gathering ( or obedience) of the people, or nations, 'iQvuv as the Seventy have it, by which they frequently under- ftand the//i?^/^^^;^j- in contradiftinftionto Kalg ic^ctYiX God's peculiar people : The meaning is, thztjudah fliould remain a diftind tribe, with the proper government of fuch a tribe, after the other tribes fliould have loft their government, 'till he fliould come, for whom the government was referved, and with a regard to whom they were thus long preferved a diftind tribe, with the proper powers of fuch, loft in other tribes; and 'till he fliould gather a people to himfelf from among the GentileSy whom he would have no longer ftrangers to the common- wealth of Ifraely but fellow-citizens with the Saints, the believing JewSy and of the houfliold of God. The next prophecy I fliall take notice of fiiallbe©^///, xviii. 15, 20. The Lord thy God fball raife thee up a Trophet from the midft ( r6z ) , Tfiidfl of thee, of thy brethren like unto me, unto him ye fhall hearken ; according to all that thou defiredjl of the Lord thy God in Horeb, • The Lord faid unto me, they have "well fpoken that which they have fpo- ken ; / will raife them up a Trophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he fhall [peak to them all that I command him. And it fhall come to pafs, that whoever will not hearken to mj words which he Jhall [peak in my name^ I will require it of him. Now, (i.) From hence it is plain, that the ori- ginal occafion of the delivery of this Pro- phecy, was the Ifraelites defire,that for the future, when God delivered his will to them, he would not do it immediately, with the pomp and terror he then did , accordingly God appoints Mofes to deliver his meffages for the future to them, and promifes in af- ter times a Prophet like to Mofes : now this naturally leads one to fuppofe that this Prophet was one fingle pcrfon, and to re- femble Mofes in his peculiar charafter by which he was diftinguilhcd from common Prophets, viz. of a Lawgiver. (2.) It is indeed brought in again on oc- cafion of the danger of the Ifraelites going after the Heathen divinities, and this pur- pofe alfo it ferved very well, interpreted of a fmglc perfon ; for ic was very unbe- coming ( 1^3 ) coming them whom God had taken fuch care ctfectually to inftrud in his will to run after iuch perfons. (3.) There were fome charaftcrs which arc taken notice of as diftinguifhing Mofes from the other Prophets i on which account it is faid there was none like to MofeSy viz. for the greatnefs and number of miracles, and the clearnefs and dircclnefs of his revela- tions, not by dreams and vifions, but im- mediately by a voice from the Shechinah. (4.) What determines this matter, is the context following, as wasobferved to me by a very ingenious friend 5 the Prophet he here fpeaksof, it is {uppofcd ai?folufe/j fhould, like Mofes, fpeak what God had given him to fpeak, and therefore they are commanded ahfolutely to fubmit to him as to Mofes on pain of deftrudion. But when he comes from ver. ^o. to the end, to fpeak of the common Prophets to arife in the church, he fuppofcs fome of them would fpeak in the name of other gods, and fome in the name of the true God the things which did not come to pafs ; and both thefe they are to rejed, and only to receive him who fpake in the name of the true God, the things which w^ere verified by the event. Now let us fee how all this agreed to Jefus. I.) He was a Lawgiver as well as Mofes, (2.) His ( i64. ) 2.) His revelations were the moft clear and plain that were ever given. 3.) He pretended to immediate revelati- ons, and difcovercd by the whole tenor of his adions, that he was no impoftor, as well as by all his difcourfes that he was no Enthufiaft 5 and therefore, as he himfelf well argues, John viii. 14. ought to have been believed, when he faid he came from God, upon his own teftimony, much more when this was ftrengthned by the many wonderful works, which he (hewed from the Father. 4.) He wrought fuch miracles as no man eUe had wrought. 5.) The negled of hearing him was re- venged on the whole nation in fuch a man- ner, that even their own hiftorian owns the hand of God to have been feen in their deftrudionj and as Limborch well argues in his conference with the Jew, ic is very ftrange, they fiiould have been now for fo many ages under fuch fignal marks of God's difpleafure, if there were not fome natio- nal fin for which they fmarted as formerly for idolatry 5 and that can be nothing elfe but the murder of this great prophet God had fent to them, which therefore the pe- nitent Jcwifh Church will humbly confefs and acknowledge in the latter days. See Tfal. li. 14. Zech, xii. 10. This, I think, is a full vindication of the Apoftles in the New ( i<^5 ) New Teftament, fuppofing them to refer to this as a particular direit prophecy of the Meffiah ; but if we fhould fuppofe it to be only a general and indireB one, it will be fufficient to falve their authority, as inter- preters of the Old Teftament. If we (liould grant our adverfaries that this was not a Prophecy that referred par- ticularly to any one Jingle Prophet to arife in the Jewifh Church, but that it agreed to all true Prophets in that church > it was ful- filled then in every true Prophet that arofe, but moft eminently in thofe that were the moft eminent of the fort, that moft exactly agreed to the charaders here laid down, particularly likenefs to MofeSy &c. If Chrift then were a true Prophet, like MofeSy dec. the Prophecy was fulfilled in him 5 and if he were the moft eminent of all the true Prophets in that church, it was moft emi- nently fulfilled in him. There are other general Prophecies of a like nature, that will ferve to explain this matter ; it is prophefied that Chrift fhould fuffer for us, tc obtain our falvation 5 every fuffering then that he underwent to that end was a diftind fulfilment of thefe Pro- phecies ; and they were very properly taken particular notice of, as fulfilled on any emi- nent fufferings of Chrift for us, as his death, &c. Thus there were general prophecies concerning the MeflialVs laft fuff'erings, all the ( ^66 ) the particulars of them are not mentioned, but in the particular inftances of his fufFer- ings, it is obferved the general Prophecies concerning his fufFerings were fulfilled, Mat, xxvi. 54, 56. A^s iii. 18. xiii. 29. The fecond Pfalm feems plainly pro- phetical of the Mefliah. The Pfalmift brings in the Meffiah, reproving the na- tions and the people for oppofing his reign, which was the refult of a divine decree which he recites 5 and then invites the rulers of the earth to fall in with the divine counfels in fubmitting to the King which God had fet over them. Now that this Pfalm does not refer to David him- felf feems to me plain from the follow- ing confiderations. (i.) Becaufe the charader of being fet or anointed King upon or over God's holy hill of Sion does not at all fuit "David % David was not anomtedKing in Sion, but at Hebron ; and after this anointing, Da- vid and all Ifrael'^^^t to Jerufalem which is Jebus^ where the Jebufites were the in- habitants of the land. David took the caftle of Siony which was from that time forward called the city of Davids fee I Chron. xi. i,— -7. But now this is ever defcribed as the charafter of the Meffiah and his kingdom. Thus God is to fend the rod of the ftrength of him who is David's Lord, and to fit at God's right hand out ( ^^7 ) cf Sioriy Pfal. ex. 2. Thus ib the laft days] when the Jews are to be in fo profperous a flate that all nations fhall be prolelyted to the worfhip of the God of Ifr/siely and when univerlai peace is to be fettled in the earth, out of Sioyi fhall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerufalem, Ifa. ii. 2, — -5. Thus, when God fhall put his Spirit into the IfraeltteSy fo as never again to take it from them, the Redeemer is to come to Stony and tp them that turn from tranfgreflions in Jacoby Ifaiab lix, 20, 21. (2.) A perfon is here defcdbed that is the Son of God, by way of eminence and diJtinSlion from all others. Now as the phrafe. Son of God, fignifies one who is like the great Governour of the world in dominion and authority 3 fo he who is de- nominated by way of eminence the Son of Gody muft be one who bears the neareft refemblance to him in dominion and au- thority, as fuppofe in moral excellencies fitting him for dominion, and in the extent and duration of it. Now there certainly have been kings that in fome at lead of thefe charaders have far exceeded 'David i but now the Mefllah, or the Son of ©^- vid^ to be raifed up to fit on his throne in the latter days, is to fit on it for ever, 2 Sam, vii. 13. becaufe he has difcovered fuch exail righteoufnefs in his government, U there- { i6s ) therefore God promifes to exalt him above all powers whatever ; he is to have a uni- avid literally. (i.) Becaufe thcfe high things of a per- petual and univerfal dominion, could no more be attributed to T)avidy becaufe they were charafters belonging to the Meffiah, his Seed, then to Abraham, 6cc. (2.) Becaufe the words of the Pfalmift, fromi;^r. 19. are only a large explication of the promife, 2 Sam. vii. where every thing of this nature is afcribcd not to T)avid him- felf, but his {^zdi, ver. 12, 15. (3.) Becaufe the feed of "David to be cftablilhcd for ever, is explained in thePfnim itfcif itfcif to be the children of that perfon, whofe throne is thus to be eftablifhed, /. e, of the Mefliah, ver, 29, 30. com. 7, Sam, vii. 14. the difciples of the Mefliahji/". viii. 16, 18. xxxiii. 10, 11. Tf. xviii. 50. cii. 28. In P/^ xciii. there is a prophecy of the eftabhfhment of God's univerfal kingdom, and the happy fcttlement of the world in confequence of it. In Tf, xcvi. there is a prophecy of God's reigning, fo as to eftablifli the world, and judge the people righteoufly. The fame prophecy is continued in the xcviith Tfalm, wherein the Angels are called on to wor- fhip the King whofe glories are thus defcrib- cd; from whence the Apoftle, Heb. i. ve- ry well argues the fuperiority of the Mefr fiah, who is the immediate King of this kingdom above the Angels, who by being required to worfhip the Father, the foun- tain of all power, muft be required to wor- fliip him, by whom he executes it. See and compare Rom. xiv. 10, 11, 12. with If, xlv. 23. P/T cii. from 'ver. i. to the middle of ^er, 24. feems the prayer of the Mefliah to God his Father, complaining heavily of the troubles he endured, which would fhortly make an end of his days, from ver. i. to 1 2. however fupporring himfelf with this fonfideration, that God endured for ever, an4 ( ^79 ) ind that he was always the fame, and there- fore that he would in the fulnefs of time accomplifh all his promifcs to his people, concertino; their reftoration and eftablirti- ment, when upon the rcftoration of Ifrael the Heathen alfo fliould fear the name of the Lord, ver. 12 23. But upon re- newing his complaint of the cutting (hort of his days, and praying for the lengthen- ing of them, God is reprefented from thence to the end of the Pfalm, as declaring the perpetuity of his life and kingdom. Ver, 24. About the middle you have the begin- ning of the Father's anfwer, Thy years are throughout all generations ':, ver. 25. Thoti at fir (t fettle dft all governments whether ce- leflialor terreftial, and thy kingdom Jhalllajl when they jhall be all deftroyed. See Mr. Tierces Commentary on Heb, i. 10. There (hall never want a race of men to be faithful fervants unto thee, ver. 28. compare If, liii. 10. If you interpret the Pfalm in this way, every part of it coheres, and anfwers with the utmoft exaftnefs; but there will be a confiderable difficulty in interpreting the whole Pfalm as a prayer of the Pfalmift : He begins with a complaint of his troubles, which were like to fhorten his days, but fupports himfelf with the confideration of God's eternity and immutability, which en- abled him to fulfil hispromifes to his people in ( ^8o ) in diftant ages, after the Pfalmift (hould be laid in his grave. At ver, 23. he renews his complaint again of the fhortnefs of his days, which would prevent his feeing the falvation of God. Now it would be no fup- port to him under this trouble to think of God's eternity and immutability, which gave him no encouragement to hope for longer life, except God had promifed it. I imagine therefore that the Pfalmift in the beginning of the Pfalm is complaining of his own troubles, and fupporting himfelf with the promifes God had made the Church in the latter days j bntver, 25, 24. on re- newing his complaint of the fhortnefs of his days,he had ftrongly imprcfled on his mind an anfwer to his prayer, which reaches from the middle of ver. 24. to the end, which an- fwer not at all, fuiting his own circum- fiances, he knew he was direded to perfon- ate that great King whom God had promif- cd to fet on his throne in the latter days. And perhaps from the Pfalmift the tradition of it was conveyed in the JewiJIo Church to Chrift'stimej from whence the Apoftle to the Hebr, chap. i. argues from lome parts of this Pfalm, as eafily allowed him by his adverfarics to belong to the Mefliah. And thus as the Pfalmift was more fully in- llruclcd in the nature of the Melliah's king- dom, fo he was fupported under his trouble by the promiie of the Melliah, whidi w^as the ( 28i ) the fum and completion of all God's blef- fings to his people. The Apoftle to the Hebr, chap. i. lo. fup- pofes the words he quotes to be the words of the Father to the Son, for he is from ^'^r. 4. reciting the names, titles, and honours God the Father in the Old Teftament has afcribed to theMefliah, above what he has done to the Angels, as his Son by way of eminence, ^er. 5. the object of the Angels worfhip ver, 6, who has a throne above all his fellow pow- ers, whether in heaven or earth, ver, 8, 9. and laftly, who is to have a perpetual king- dom, when all other governments, whe- ther in heaven or earth, fhall ccafe, which he proves by two quotations $ the firft from y/^ cii. which reaches from ^'^r. 10. to 12. and the laft from Tf. ex. which reaches to the end of the chapter. Now here I would obfervc in fupport of the Apoftle's applica- tion of the words of the Pfalm under pre- fenc confidcration, (i.) That he fuppofes the Pfalm interlo- cutory, as we have before fhewn it probable that it was. (2.) That the applying what is here faid. of the eternity of the Meffiah to the per- petuity of his kingdom, very well fuits the whole defign of the Pfalm, compare ver, 1 2, 13, 14, 27. 28. (3.) That then, the interpreting the laying the foundations ofthe earth, and framing the heavens. ( i8i ) heavens, of fettling the governments in hea» ven and earth, will beft fuit the purport of his difcourfe. 7f. cviii. is the prayer of the Jewipi Church in the time of their laft grand refto- rationfor the difcovery of God's glory over all the earth, upon which they promife to praifc him among all nations. jP/ ex. is one of the plaineft prophe- cies of the Meffiah in the whole Old Tefta- ment; and as a great part of it relates to the iirfl: ftate of the Mefliah's kingdom, it has ia great meafure been very exactly fulfilled, for which reafon I fliallmake fome remarks up* on it. (i.) Then I obferve, that in applying this Pfalm to the Meffiah, we have two ad- vantages, that the Pfalm does not run in the name of the Pfahnift himfelf, but plain- ly belongs to another perfon, and to one fmgle perfon throughout. (2.) The perfon fpoken of was T>avid'% Lordj now as *David was an abfolute prince, he had no lord on earth, he muft then be underftood of fome heavenly Y^m^. (3.) This heavenly King was to fit at the right hand of God, /. e. to be next in dig- nity and power to him, according to the language of the eaftern nations. (4.) His kingdom was to be fet up at Jerujalemy ver. 2. his rod or fcepter of power was to be fent out of Sion 5 thus when ( 2Si ) whenChrift appeared to his difciples after his refurreftion, he commanded them that they fhould tarry at Jerufalem 'till they were in- dued \7ith power from on high. Luke xxiv. 49. He promifed them, that they fliould receive the power of the Holy Ghoft com- ing upon them, A^s i. 8. This promife was exadlly fulfilled by the dcfcent of the Holy Ghoft on the day of Tentecoft:, on the Apoftles and the hundred and twenty bre- thren, ABs ii. which was, as St.Teter argues, an evidence of Chrift's being exalted to the right hand of God, ver. 3 1 • Thefe gifts of the Holy Ghoft bore wit- nefs to Chrift's miflion, were difcoveries of his univerfal and uncontrouled dominion, prepared the way for the fpreading his doc- trine where it was not known, and theefta- blifhing and fettling his religion in the world, and the producing the happy fruits of it amOngft thofe who had embraced it. Some of thefe gifts difcovered a great and wonderful power, and that exerted in a way not agreeable to the common methods of God's Providence; and this as well for the prefervation of Chrift's friends (by healing their difeafes, (^c.) as the dcftrudion of his enemies by infliding difeafes, and thefe fometimes mortal ones. Thefe therefore might very properly be. called the fcepter of Chrift's power X (5.) He ( 1^4 ) {$.) He was to rule in the midfl: of his enemies, ver. z. The befl comment on thefe words you have A£is iv. w^iere after that Teter and John had been examined and threatened by the Chief-Priefls and Elders, they return and relate all that had palled to their company, who when they heard it, lift up their voice to God with one accord, and faid. Lord thou art God, which haft made heaven and earthy &c. who by thy fernjant T) avid haft faid y why do the Hea- then rage:, and the people imagine vain things--, the kings of the earth flood up, and the rulers took coiinf el together againft the Lord, and againft his Me£iah : for of a truth againfl thy holy Child Jefus whom thou haft anoint" edy both Herod and Pontius Tilate were ga- thered together: and noWy Lord, behold their threat eningSy and grant to thyfervants that with all boldnefs they may [peak thy wordy by ftretching forth thine hand to heal y and thatftgns and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy Child Jefus. Andwhen they had prayed, the place was jhaken where they were ajfembled together ^ and they were all filled with the Holy Ghoft, and [pake the word of God with boldnefs. And with great power gave the Apojiles witnefs of the re- furrefUon of the Lord Jefus, ver. 25— -34. (6.) la this day of Chrift's power, his people were to be a people of free-will of- ferings, jP/; ex. y Thus -^(T/j- iv. 32. The multitude ( iS; ) multitude of them that believed were of one heart andof one foul y neither f aid anj of them that ought of the things which he poffejfed was his owUy but they had all things in cofmnon. As many as were poffeffors of lands or houfes fold them^ and brought the prices of the things that were fold, and laid them down at the Apojlles feet^ and dijtri- but ion was made to every man according as he had need. (7.) The converts made to Chrift in the day of his power were to be very numerous, like the drops of the morning dew, P/C ex. 3. Thus no lefs than tliree thouiand were converted by ^eter*s fermon, which firft opened the kingdom of heaven to the Jews at Jerufalemy on the very day the Holy Ghoft dcfcended, A5fs'\\. 41. (8.) He was to be a Pried /^r every after the order of Melchifedecky Pf. ex. 4. Be- ing exalted to God's right hand, he has full power of beftowing blefiings on God's people, and is to be the great medium, through which they are to receive and to cxped them from God. There is no mention of any facrifice offer- ed by Melchifedecky but only that he inter- ceded for Abraham, and bcftowcd royal fa* vours on him. Thus the Meffiah, after having by his death completed all the defigns of the Leviti- cal facrifices, fee Tf xl. and If liii. is to X 2 f^t ( r%6 ) fit down at God*s right hand, and be a Prieft for ever, not like the Levitical Priefts, to offer facrificc continually, but like Melchi- fedec, to befiow bleffings on God's people. When the Pfalmift fays, that the MeiTiah is to be a Prieft after the order of Melchijedec^ or like MelchifedeCy he does not, I appre- hend, mean, that there was to be an order of Priefls, of ^^hich Melchifedec was thefirft^ and the Meffiah the fecond ; ioi^fuch a Prieft as he here defcribes, there never was, ex- cepting the Meffiah, who alone is a Prieft for every and is to fit down on God's right hand till all his enemies are made his foot- ftool. Vi Melchifedcc were only a common man, in whom, according to the cuQom of the early ages,the prieftly and kingly power were united, 1 can hardly think Chrift's Priefthood would be compared with it, efpecially when it is probable fuch a perfon at other times offered facrificeslike otherPriefts,particularly the Levitieal Priefts, and therefore Chrift's Priefthood was no more like his, than theirs. Melchifedec¥An^oi Salem, or the righteous and peaceable King, who met Abraham and blcflcd him, feems to be no other thanr the Alcfliah himfelf i and there is no difficulty in fuppofing the Pfalmift to compare the JVIefliah's univerfal Priefthood received after his refurredion, with his particular Prieft- hood, exercifed to Abraham and his feedy which were God's family before the incar- nation ( 28/ ) nation of Chrift; compare!?/^ xlv. 5, 7. Now let us fee the exad fulfilment of this part alio of the prophecy in the exalted Je- fus : Having received of the Father the pro- mife of the Holy GhofI:, he poured forth his illuminating and miraculous Gifts, by which the Church was furnifhed with lufR- cient knowledge of the T^oElrine of the Gofpel, of their duty and the motives to it, and the evidences of his religion, by which all the members were fitted for the feveral wife and great purpofes, God defigned they fhould ferve, and were all (particularly Jews and Gentiles) tmited together by one Spirit to one heady by which they were mark'd out for God's people, and declared heirs of an eternal inherit ance, except they forfeited it by an unholy life; and thus they were ani- mated to go through all the difficulties in the way of their duty, even the mod cruel perfecutions for the fake of Chrift i and now we that live in diftant ages, have tranfmitted to us that dodrine with which the Church was then illuminated^ and that evidence by which they were affured of the divinity of Chrift's dodrine, particularly of the great article of eternal life, the ftrongeft motive to an holy life, even when attended with the greateft difficulties j and thus Chrift, as our great High-Prieft, has bleffed his Church in all ages, with all needful bleftings, and through him we are to exped every fpi- X 3 ritual ( 288 ) ritual mercy from God: And thus the words of the Pfalmift are exadly fulfilled, ^iz.. that the Mefllah is appointed to be a Prieft for ever, after the order of Melchifedec. The reft of the Pfalm feems to relate to the \ latter ftate of Chrift's Kingdom, and there- 1 fore I fhall drop the confideration of it, on- ly adding this one obfervation, *viz>. that the very exaEi accomplidiment of what re- lates to the former fart of the Meffiah's kingdom in Jcfus, in fo many minute cir- cumftances, and thofefome of them fuchas difcover a ?mraculous power engaged on his fide, are very fit earnefls, pledges^ and affti- ranees of the accomplifhmcnt of the reft, relating to the latter ftatc of his kingdom. The nature of the cxviiith Pfalm Icems to nie to be this. The Pfalmift had it revealed to him that the Me Hi ah was to come from his loins, j that in the latter days he was to be Prince over God's people IfraeU and to gather all j nations into his kingdom, after having been at firft rejeclcd by his own people, efpecially the chief of them 5 that he was to reftore, fecure, and defend God's people, and de- ftroy their enemies. This being the revela- tion made him, the Pfahiiift feems left to himfelf to fet it out by what figures feemed beft to him ; his images then he naturally takes from the ftate of a prince (like him- felf) at firft greatly oppreffcd, having many and ( 1^9 ) and powerful enemies, in great diftrefs for a while, from their attacks, but finally victo- rious. He defcribes next the fenfe fuch a perfon might be fuppofed to have of the happy al- teration of his circumftances, and the fenfe his loyal fubjeds might be fuppofed to have of it, who are naturally enough rcprefcnted as rejoicing in a very folcmn manner in their private houfes, and in thepublick con- gregation. He rcprefents in a very beauti- ful manner this victorious Prince calling on all the feverai orders of the people, the priefts, and the profclytcs to join with him in praifing God. He reprefents him making his folemn entrance into the publick place of worihip with his company, the keepers as opening the doors, him celebrating God's praifes at his entrance, and then thofe with- in, particularly the Priefts waiting at God's altar, anfwering and joining with the King and his company, bleffing God for fettling him after all the contempt he had met with in the kingdom, the intire frame of which (like the corner ftone of a building) he now fupportcd and upheld, ver. 22. ^ Next he defcribes the King as praying God to continue his mercy begun, and to profper his reign: Then the Pricfts are rc- prefcnted blefling firft the Prince by God's appointment fet over them, and next the people his attendants; then the people all X 4 join ( ipo ) join in giving thanks for the deliverance, and calling for a facrifice of praife to be offered; laftly, the whole is concluded with the King's declaration of his deep fenfe of the mercy, and his folemn invitations of all to join with him in thankfgiving for ir. Corol I . We fee whence it came to pafs, that at our Saviour's entrance into Jerttfa- lem a little before his death, the common people of the Jeizs that were inclined to take him for their King, exprefs their re- gards to him in the words of this Pfalm, Blf[fed is he that cometh in the name of the Lordy which fcems to fhew the fenfe of the Je'Ui'iJJo Church at that time, as underftand- ing this Pfalm of the Melliah. Mat. xxi. 9. 2. We fee the force of our Saviour's ar- gument, Mat. xxi. 42 — 44. T)idye never read in the Scriptures^ the ftone which the builders reje^ed, the fame is become the head of the corner ? i. e. the Mefliah, who was defpifed by the unbelieving Jews^ is made the chief ftone in the building of God's Church, that like a corner ftone, is to unite the whole building compofcd of be- lieving Jews and believing Gentiles receiv- ed in the room of the unbelieving Jews; Therefore, fay 1 to you, the kingdom of God fhall be ta.ken jrorn you (unbelieving y^-z^'j) and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. In ( tpl ) In like manner St. Teter fpeaks, ABs iv, 1 1 . This is theflone which wasfet at nought of you builders^ which is become the head of the corner, to unite the whole frame of God's Church throughout the world, as it follows, ver. 12. Neither is there fahation in any other 5 for there is no name tinder hea- ven given among men whereby we mufi be faved. So alfo St. Vaul, alluding as I imagine to this place of Scripture, fays, that believ- ing Gentiles are built on the foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift him- felf being the chief corner-ftone, fupport- ing and uniting the whole building of the Church, or the colleftionof believers, whe- ther Jews or Gentiles. In Tf cxxv. there is a prophecy of Zion's cftablifhment for ever, and of the fettling peace on Ifrael. Tf cxxvi. is the triumph of the Jewijh Church on their rcftoration, probably their laft grand one, which fhould be fo very re- markable as to be obferved by all the nati- ons whither they had been led captive. P/; cxxix. islfraeh reflexion, probably on their final reftoration, on the many affliftions they had gone through even from the infancy of their (late, from which they were now happily delivered by God's ap- pearance on their behalf, and becoming an enemy to all their enemies. Tf ( ^9^ ) Tf. cxxxviii. fccQis to be the thankfgiv- ing of the Mciliah for the eftablifhment of his khigdom in the latter days, when all kings of the earth (hall praife the Lordy upon hear ing the words of his month. When they jhalljing in or rat her y oithe ways of the Lord: becaufe great is the glory of the Lord, If vii. upon Rezin king of SyridSy and Tekah king of i/r/^^/'s, joining againft Jndahy and the fears of Judahy and particularly of the houfe of David y Ifaiah is ordered to go to Ahaz, with his fon Shearjafhui?, and to afliire him that the defignsof his enemies fhould not take effed. At this fame time pro- bably, Ifaiah is commiflioned to offer ^^^^ any fign that he fhould chufe, to allure him of the truth of God's promife, i;/^. that they fhould not be utterly dcftroy ed j but on his re- fufing any fign^God himfelf gives the houfe of ^Davida, fign, vijz. that a virgin fhould con- ceive and bear a Son, which would difcover God's extraordinary power in his birth,and fo mark him out as an eminent initrument of his provideace,which was farther declared by the name given the child, ^'/^. God with us, to iignify God's peculiar favour difcovered to his people in the giving him ; and to fhew, that tho' this Child fhould be born in fo ex- traordinary a manner, yet he fhould have a true body of flefii and blood as we have, it is intimated that he fhould eat the common food of children in thofe countries^ ver, i4> 15- ( ip3 ) 15. God fpeaks here to the houfe of T)a' vid i now that may as well be undcrftood of the houfe of "David in the latter days as at that time. If this event had been fixt to the then prefent time, it muft have been un- derftoodofthe menofthat agej but that it is not fo to be underflood fcems plain from its not being thus fixt; and then it may as well be underflood of the houfe of David in the latter days; and 'tis more than probable the Prophet gives the fign to the houfe of David in the latter days, becaufe the pre- fent generation were unworthy of fuch a fign, and ^^^;s had juft before refufed any fign at all. When this fign happens, then they are afTured they fhall not be deftroyed, but have all the ble dings promifed confirm- ed to them. God puts the houfe of David in mind of the great promifes made to them, and particularly mentions the birth of that glo- rious perfon of their family, which would be a fecurity to them of all their blcflings. Ver. 16. the Prophet pointing to Shearja- Jhttb, whom he was ordered to take with him probably on the delivery of this fecond mef- fage (if indeed it be a diftind meflage) as well as the former, fince it was of the fame nature, fays, that before that child there before him. For, or rather fur dy, or yea be- fore the child foall know to refufe the evil:, and chufe the goo d^ the land that thou ab- horreft ( ^94 ) horreji JJjall be forfaken of both her kings. Now that this is to be underftood of tJ^^^r- jajhuby and not of a child not yet born. Teems plain, (i.) From the general, I believe I may fay conftant ufc of the word here tranflat- ed child, for a child of fome age, and not newly born. See Trommius's Concordance under the words Trcti^Uv and Trui^ct^Uv, (2.) Becaufe the deliverance here fpoken of muft happen within two years,- whereas from the birth of a child to its knowledge of good and evil, or coming to years of difcre- tion was never reckoned lefs than ten or twelve years. (3.) Becaufe the fame event is afterwards, "viz. in the vilith chapter fixed to another child of the Prophet not then born, coming to fpeak plain, /. e. about a year and half's time, which will anfwer very v/dltoShear- jajhub's coming to know good and evil, who was now big enough to go with the Prophet to Ahaz, but not at all to a child then unborn, coming to years of difcretion. Sec Mr. JVhiJions Supplement, (ire. The accomplifhment of this latter pro- phecy, diredled particularly to y^^^^;, would be a very proper earneft and pledge of the accomplifhment of the former, which fe- cured much greater blefllngs to the houfeof T>avid\ andofthefe blefllngs, that accom- piiiTiment was a very proper fign; it was a ; " miraculous ( ^95) miraculous event (according to the ufe of the word fign in the context) and a proper fe^ curity to the houfe oi^avid, they (hould not be utterly deftroycd, fmce he was come who was to reign over the houfe of Jacoh for ever, and to blefs the houfe of i)avid particularly; fee Zach. xii. 8, lo. The fecurity to them of thefe bleffings, was the coming of the Meffiah their Saviour, of whom there is one particular charafter fpe- cified here, that is not mentioned elfewhere, wz, being born of a virgin 5 but this not as a fure fign of it felf, by which they (hould know God was about to do for them the great things he had promifed them, for the whole fecurity offered them is the birth of the Meffiah ^y of him is defcribed, chap. ix. in the promife to Judahy as the wonderful revealer of the great counfels of God, a mighty God, the Father of the future age, the Prince of peace that is to fit on the throne of his father T)avidiox ever. Now of this glorious perfon, there were other characters given befides what is here men- tioned; and therefore the accomplifiiment of this alone could not fecure to the houfe of T)avid all the bleffings they expeded from him ; but as there were wife reafons for the Mcffiah's being born of a virgin, fo God might fee fit to declare this beforehand, not that this miraculous conception might be (which it was not in its own nature fitted ( 2p<5 ) fitted to be) ^publ'tck fign or mark by which the Meffiahfhould be known, and fo men be fecured of the bleffings of his kingdom, but the more fully to declare God*s peculiar and extraordinary interpofition in that great affair; and when any perfon fhould appear in whom no one known charader of the Mefliah belides was wanting, it is reafonablc to be prefumed that he had this alfo, when this is claimed for him by his difciples, and their pretenfions never fairly difproved. If. viii. 5 — —10. the people are threat- ened with the coming of the Vm^oi Afjy- riUy who fhould intirely over-run the land of IfraeU and make great inroads on Judahy the land of Immanuel\ againft Jiidah^ nei- ther thcfe nor any other powers fhould at this or any other time prevail to its utter dcflru6lion, becaufe it was the land of Im- manuel^ or becaufe Immanuel protected it; and he fhall be for a fanduary *ver. 14. or fure defence, viz. to all true believers; but for a flone of ftumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houfcs of Ifraely or to two of the houfes of IfraeU viz. Judah and Benjamiriy for a gin and for a fnare to the inhabitants of Jerufalem (their metro- polis) and many among them (hall (tumble and fall, and be broken, and be fnared, and be taken. Hitherto you have the words of the Pro- phet fpcaking in the name of God 3 but as 2 at { -^97 ) at wr. 8. he had addrcfled himfelf to Im- tnanuelh (over, i6. Immamie I him fcif [ccms introduced aslpeaking -, Bind up (fpeaking to the Prophet, who had juft before addrcfled him ) tke tejiimony^ fed the Law among my difciplesyq. d. this which has now been deli- vered to you, is to be fcaled up as relating to diftant times. Com. '^Dan, xii. 4, 9. Apoc. xxii. 10. If. XXX. 8. Seal it among my difciples, or with, or for the ufe of my dif- ciples, or learned ones, that are taught by me 5 and I will wait, or yet 1 will wait up- on the Lord that hideth his face from the houfe of Jacob, and will look for him : Be- hold I and the children God hath given mc, (i. e, my difciples that have learnt the fame faith, and truft in God, which I praftife) are for figns and for wonders in Ifraely i. e. are cxpofed to the contempt ot the unbelievers among the Jews. In the account which I have given of this prophecy, there are two difficulties 5 I. That I make the Meffiah to fpeak the words, which we have ver. 16, 17, 18. when there is no intimation of this in the text 5 but to this I anfwer, (i.) That in other places the Prophet per- fonates the Meffiah, as chap. Ixi. bcgin- nmg. (2.) That clfewhere we have interlocuto- ry diicourles introduced without any parti- cular notice taken that they are of that kind. See ( tps ; fee chap. Ixiv, Ixv. Chap. xlix. begin, there fcems to be an interlocutory difcourfe be- tween God and the Meffiah 5 and (5.) That the context leads to the ma- king luch a fuppofitiori. The difciples, n)eT. \6, are plainly the fame with the children, ^ver, 18. Now it is evident, the difciples are not the Prophets, for a certain perfon [peaks to the Trophety and orders him to feal the Law among his difciples 5 and the children are not fpoken of as God's children, but the children God had given to fome one 5 we muft then find out from the context, fome third perfon, whofe difciples and chil- . dren arc here fpoken of, and who can that be but Immanuel, mentioned ver, 8, 10. 2. Another difficulty in this interpreta- tion, is that according to it, *ver. 14. is connefted with 'ver. 10. and not with ver. 13. and ver. 19. with ver. 13. and not with ver, 18. Now to this, I anfwer, (r.) That there \ feem to be fome inftances of diflocations of prophecies in our prefent copies; fee what will be hereafter faid on the Prophe- cies of Haggai. (2.) That there feem to be feveral dif- tind Prophecies delivered in this chapter, and therefore it is not very ftrange if the order of them fhould be fomewhat al- tered. 3. That ( ^99 ) (s.) That ver. 14. and 18. are referred by the Apoftles to Chrift, whereas in our prefent copies they are referred to the Fa- ther; it is prpbablc therefore, they were referred to Chrift in the copies the Apoftles Ufed. (4.) As I have fhewn already that an, xii. i, 2. Rom, V, 15. Heb, ii. 10. Tfal. Ixviii. 18. GaL ii. 15. PfaLii, 8. Upon the mention of the Gentile world being given the Mef- fiah for his inheritance, the Prophet breaks out in the following Chapter into an ad- miration of the vaft extent of the Church with this acceffion of the Gentiles to her, which fhould make her converts more nu* merous than ever before in her moft pro- fperous days. Ch. Iv. The fame fubjeft is continued, and in profecution of it, a general invitation is made to all of whatever nation to accept of the bleflings of the Meffiah's kingdom, who was appointed a witnefs, or teftitier of the truths of God, and a Governor and Com- mander of the people, /. e. not only of Ifrael, ( 303 ) Ifrael, but of the moft diftant nations that were before wholly unacquainted with the God of Ijraely ver. 3> 4? 5- Now concerning thcfe feveral Prophecies, I would make the following obfcrvations. (i.j That Jefus of Nazareth cxadly an- fwered the charafters of God's fervant in the xliid Chapter ; he brought forth judg- ment to the Gentiles-, produced his righte- ous caufe, and made it fuccefsful in the earth, fo that even the remoteft countries became fubjed to his government ; and all this he did, with the greatcft meeknefs and gentlenefs, by meer force of reafon and argument, without war and bloodfhed the common ways, by which kingdoms are cftablilhed in the earth. (2.) Though he has not (as is prophefi- cd of chap. xlix. 5, 6.) gathered Ifrael, which he could not do till Jfraelhzd been fcattercd, which it was not at the time of his appearing in the world i yethis Apoftles in his name made fo many converts from amongft them, as they could never have done if thefa£l:s to which they appealed had been known to be falfe, and in cafe they were, they muft have been known to be fo, at the time and place when and where they were faid to be done. And though he has not been hitherto, in the fulled fenfe, God's falvation to the ends of the earth, yet he has fo far enUghtened y 3 the ( 3^4 ) the Heathen World, as we may very ra- tionally coilcft from what has been already accomplifhed, that the whole Prophecy in its full extent will be accomplifhed by him in its proper fealbn. (3,) The general oppofition the Jews made to Chrift would have been a great ftumbling block in the way of mens recep- tion of the Gofpel, if it had not been wifely ordered by Providence, that this ve- ry oppofitipn ^nd the ground of it too, 'Viz>. his mean appearance contrary to their vain imaginations, fliould be the fubjed of a Prophecy, as accordingly it is, chap. liii. (4.) As a great part of the Jewijh Law related to facrifices, fo that people were of courfe well a(;quainted with the facrificat ftile 5 facrifices among the Jews, were to be folemn acknov^legdments of a ftate crime, and fuch humble applications to the King of Ifrael for mercy, as averted the punifh- ment threatned by the Law of the land j beafts ^cre offered in facrifice, i, e, the blood of the beaft (which is its life) was offered to God in lieu of the life of the offender ; now when it fliall be declared, as it is all through the liiid of Ifaiahy that a certain perfon there fpoken of, bore the griffs and carried the forrows of God's peo- ple, ver. 4. was wounded for their tranf- greilions and bruifcd for their iniquities, *per, 5. that God made to fall or light on him ( 305 ) him the iniquity of us all, ver. 6. that he fhall bear the iniquities cf many, 'ver, II. that he fhall pour out his foul or life unto death, ver. 12. If this docs not mean that this perfon fhould by his obedi- ent fufFcrings procure remiflioa of fins for the penitent, here is an intiredifcourfe fram- ed in fuch a manner, as to lead the mod inquifitive pcrfons into an unavoidable de- ception. (5 .) As it is declared in the ftrongcft terms imaginable, that this pcrfbn fhould die by the hands of wicked men, fince he is to be brought as a Lamb to the (laughter, ver. 7. to be cut off out of the land of the living, ver. 8. and his death to be revenged on thofe wicked perfons that were the inftru- ments of it, ver. 9- his life is to be made an offering for fin, ver. 10. he is to pour out his foul or life unto death, ver. 12. And yet, even after this it is declared, he fhould fee a feed, prolong days, and the pleafure of the Lord profper in his hand, V. I o. This prophecy can agree to no one, but to him, who after having given his life for the fins of men, fhould rife again from the dead and be exalted by God to a kingdom. (6.) There is in the xvith Pfalm, a Pro- phecy of a certain perfon, who fhould rife again from the dead before he faw corrup- tion, and then enter on the pofTcflion of eternal lifcj now fuppofing T)avid and Y 4 Ijaiahy (3o6) I/aiah infpired by the fame Spirit it will appear probable, that they both fpeak of the fame perfon, and T^avids Prophecy will give light to IJaiah*s. (7.) In the xlth Pfalm, T>avld declares that God would not accept the the Levitical facrifices for the expiation of fin, that God had therefore prepared him a body (as the feventy interpreters fecm to have read in their copies) and that he came, as it was written of him, to do God's willj viz. by completing the defign of all former expia- tions, in offering up the body prepared for him $ it is probable therefore that 'David there perfonatcs the MefTiah, and points at the very fame event which Ifaiah here pro- phecies of. (S.) Daniel in the ixth ch. of his Prophecy, deteraiines 70 weeks for the finifliing tranf- greflion, or rcftraining tranfgreflion, making an end of fins, making reconciliation or ex- piation for iniquity, bringing in everlafting righteoufnefs, fealing up or making an end of vifion and prophecy, anoiriting the moft Ho- ly, ver, 24. thefe events are dated from the going forth of the commandment to re- ftore, and to build Jerufalemy and to reach to the Mclllah the PriuQe, or the time of his anointing to his office, ver. 25. After this (but (lill within the fame week) Mef- fiah is to be cut off, the Ifraelites are to be no more his people, and the Melllah*s future ( 3^7 ) future people (/. e. the Romans) arc to dc- ftroy the city and the fanftuary, i;^r. z6. Suppollng now Ifaiah and Daniel infpired by the lame Spirit, would not every one prelently conclude, that Ifaiahs righteous perfon that is to bear the fins of many, is ^anieh Mefliah to make reconciliation or expiation for fin by his death \ and if fo, wc are now furnifhed with another mark by which to know who is the perfon Ifaiah fpcaks of, viz. one that fliould come during the continuance of the Jewiflj ftate, not long before its diflblution. (9.) Jefus appeared at this time, he fore- told his own death, declared he underwent it for the fins of the worldy that his blood would be filed for many for the remiffion of fins, that he fliould lay down his life for hisjheepy which flieep he intimates would be all well-difpofed perfons among the Gentiles as well as Jews, John x. 16. At length he voluntarily fubmitted to death, and underwent it in the manner Ifaiah de- fcribes; his difciples after his death gave out that he was rifen again, and that he was exalted by God's right-hand to be a Prince, and a Saviour to give repentance and remifllon of fins. If the Apoftles in this faid true, you fee there is an accom- plifhment of Ifaiah\ Prophecy 5 and for the truth of what they faid, they appealed to the gifts of the Holy Ghoft ; fee A^s V, 30, ( J08 ) V. 50,-— 3?. So that the matter is now brought to this fliort ifiue, here is a certain perfon charaderized by Ifaiah, the very time of his coming is fixed by T^anieU our Saviour agrees to every chara6ter of this perfon, both in T>amel 2ind Ifaiah > no one befides, that has appeared hitherto, has a- greed to all thefe charaders, and none that fliall hereafter appear can poffibly do it, be- caufe the time fixed by "Daniel is now elap- fed; the Prophecy therefore is fulfilled in Jefus of Nazareth. Q^ E. D. There are no Prophecies in the OldTef tament which contain clearer characters of the Mefllah's kingdom, and efpecially of the pad and prefent ftateof it, from which therefore, we can better judge whether Je- fus hath fulfilled the Prophecies of the Mcf- fiah that ought to have been fulfilled at the prefent, thanthofein Daniel \ for which rea- fon 1 fhall give a particular account of them. Chap. ii. By an image whofe head was of gold, his bread and arms of filver, his belly and thighs of brafs, his legs of iron, and his feet part of iron and part of clay, arc reprefeated four kingdoms as they are called, ^. 39, 40. OT Kings, as v. 3 7> 44- Chap. vii. Thefe kingdoms are reprefent- ed by four beads, a lion, a bear, a leopard, with four heads, and another bead more terrible than all the red 5 thefe four great beads are exprefly faid to be four kings or kingdoms, ver, ij, Chap,« ( 3^9 ) Chap. viii. There is a vifion of a ram with two horns, exprefly faid to rcprelcnt the Medo-Terjian empire, the kings or kingdoms united of Media and Terjia, ver. 20. of an hc-goat with one notable horn between his eyes, which when it was broken, in the room of it came up four notable horns towards the four winds of heaven ; now this he-goat is exprefly faid to rcprefent the king or kingdom of Grecia -■, the great horn between his eyes, the firft king, and fo the ftate of the em- pire under him 5 the four horns that flood up in the room of that when broken, the jfour kingdoms that (hould ftand up out of this nation, into which therefore the em- pire (hould be afterwards divided. Nothing can be plainer than that the he- goat, Ch^p. viii. reprefents the kingdom of Greece y and the feveral horns the fevcral divifions pf that empire j and the comparing the vifion in this chapter, with what wc have chap. vii. will make it evident, that the fourth kingdom there defcribed muft be the Roman } in that chapter all the four empires are reprefented by as many beads, the Babylonian by a lion, the Medo-T^r- Jian (which is made the fecond in the viiith chapter) by a bear j the Grecian (which is faid Chap. viii. to fucceed thq Medo-Ter- Jian, and is there divided into four parts, which are in this viith chapter, reprefented ( 3io; by four heads) by a leopard 5 and then another beaft is defcribed more terrible than all the reft, reprefenting certainly not the divided ftate of the Grecian empire, which had been before figured by the four heads of the leopard, and which chap. viii. is ex- prefly faid to be the weaker ftate of that empire, but another kingdom diftinft from all the reft and more powerful than all, which fiiould in its latter ftate be divided and weakned by foreign mixtures, by the inroads of foreign nations, Chap. ii. 40,-44. out of which fhall arife ten kingdoms, to- wards the declining ftate of the empire, and one remarkable one, that before way can be made for its being fet up muft de- ftroy three kingdoms ; the particular charac- ters of this kingdom, are blafphemy againft God, and perfecution of his true worfhip- pers. Chap. vii. 19,— 2(5. it is exprefly faid, that thefe four bcafts are four kings 5 Chap, vii. 17. /. e. four kingdoms, 'uer. 25. The laft of thefe therefore, muft be the Roman, to which all the characters there given do exaftly agree, which was more powerful than all the former empires, brought to a declining ftate by the inroads of the barba- rous nations, out of which in that ftate of declenfion arofe ten kingdoms j and one remarkable one, viz. the Tapacy, which in order to make way for its fettlement de- ftroyed three kingdoms, vi;:^. of the Greeks^ the ( 3") the Longobards and the Franks j which ex- tended their dominions into Italy ; fee Mede's works, pag. 463, 661, 779- which has blafphemed the God of heaven, by claiming his prerogative of a dominion o- ver conscience, and worn out the Saints of the moft High, by the perfecution of thofe that adhered to the pure worfhip of God, without the mixture of idolatry, or the wor- fliipping of God by any mediums not of his appointing, as Images, Saints and Angels. But to return to the Prophecies, ChapJ viii. The He-goat, as has been before ob- ferved, reprefents the third or Grecian Em- pire 5 the great horn reprefents Alexander himfelf, and the ftate of the Empire under him : the four horns that come up in the room of it, his four chief commanders, and the ftate of the Empire ijnder them. The little horn, ^ver, 9- that came out of one of them, one particular Prince, the charadlers of whom exadtly agree to Antiochus EpiphaneSy to wit, thathefhould live in the latter period of the Grecian Em* pire 5 that he fhould be a fierce and politick Prince, ftrong by means of his alliances, fuccefsfulin his wars, particularly againft the Jews i that he ftiould exalt himfelf againft the God of heaven, and be at laft deftroyed by an invifible hand, ^ver. 23, 24, 25. The vifion of the evening mornings Is perfcftly diftinft from the Prophecy relat- ing ing to Antiochus Epiphanes. It i^ plain from the explication of that Prophecy, ver. 23. to Z6. that as it begins, ver, 9. with the account of the rife of the Jittle horn 5 fo it ends with the account of its full growth, which prepared the way for its deftrudtion ; when it fhould magnify itfelf againft the Prince of the Hoft, or the God of Ifraely takeaway the daily facrifice offered him, and caft down the place of his fandluary, ver, 1 1, endeavouring to root out the true Reli- gion, after that the people of God (call'd here the Hoft, or Hoft of Heaven, ver. lo^ 11, 12. comp. v/ith yojh. v. 14.) had been given over, for the tranfgreffion againft the daily facrifice 5 that is, for their readinefs to comply with the idolatries of the Heathen, and to negled the Temple-ferviccs. Com. v. 1 2. with I Mac, i. 1 1 , &c. 2 Mac, iv. 1 3 , &c. After this ©/2«/V/ has a vifion perfedly di- ftind from the foregoing one (fee and com. ver. 13, 14. 26.) concerning the period of time, in which the Sandluary and the Hoft are to be trodden under foot 5 or in the lan- guage of our Saviour's Prophecy, of the fame event, in which Jerufalem is to be trodden down of the Gentiles, This relates to the time of the end, ver. 17. the laft end of God's indignation a2;ainft his people, V. 1 9. Accordingly the vifion was to be fhut up, bccaufe it ftiould be for many days, ^'. 26. See and comp. ch. vii. from v. 25, to 28. That ( 3M ) That the Prophecy there delivered, cannot refer to the perfecution of Antiochus Epi* phaneSy his polluting the fanduary, and the cleanfing it by Judas Maccabeus, is plain, (i.) Bccaufe from the pollution of the Temple by Antiochus y to its cleanfing by Ju- dasy was noc above three years, /. e, not above twelve hundred days. Now if you Ibppole this to be a real prophecy, that can t be the fcnfe of it which does not agree with the event ; or if, with the Author of the Li- teral Scheme, you fuppofe it an hiftory of what had happened, the Author could not reprcfent the time from the pollution to the cleanfing of the fanduary to be more than twelve hundred days, thefe being events fo well known at the time when he writ. (2.) Becaufe the Angel tells Daniel, he would make him know what fhould be in the laft end of the indignation, /. e, plain- ly at the time of the conclufion of thofe miferics God would fufFer to come on his people, whilft the laft empire fhould wear out the Saints of the moft High, before the Saints of the moft High fliould take the king- dom. Chap. vii. 25, 26, 27. The vifion therefore of the evening mornings, ver. 26. or of the 2000 and 300 evening mornings, ver, 14. is ordered to be fhut up, bccaufe it \v2is for many days, ver. 26. Chap. ii. 44. it is faid, that in the days of ihofe kings, /. e. before thefe kingdoms as ( 314 ) as they arc called, ver. 39. fliould be wholly deftroyed, whilfl: the hft of them Ihouid be in being, viz. the fourth or Roman, the God of heaven would fet up a kingdom, a kingdom which fliouId never be deftroy- ed, which fliould not be fuccceded like the former ones by any other kingdoms ; but having deftroyed the former ones, viz, by the deftruftionof thislaft, the only remain- ing one of them (as the laft Empire is repre- fentcd deftroying all the former ones, and eftablifliing it felf in their room, viz, by the deftruftion of the third Empire, chap. ii. 40.) fliould it felf be eftabliflied for ever, chap. ii. 44. 45- This kingdom at its firft rife, is to make but a mean appearance like anunfliapenftonej it is not to be ereded by human and vifiblc means as the other kingdoms were, but by an extraordinary interpofition of divine Pro- vidence : At length ir is to have an amaz- ing increafe and fettlcment in the world, to grow as it were from an unfhapen ftone, to a vaft mountain, and to cover the whole earth 5 and laftiy, to deftroy that Empire, during the continuance of which it firft had its rife, and thus to pur an end to all the Gentile monarchies reprefented by the gold, the illver, the brafs, and iron of Ne- hiichadnezzaT\ image. Chap. ii. 34> 3 5? 40> 45. Chap^ ( 3iy ) Chap. vil. the fame kingdom to fuccecd the fourth or Roman, is more particularly defcribcd, to fliew that it was (as had been rcprerciitcd, chap, ii.) a kingdom of God's fetting up, in the extraordinary way of his Providence, fo as the former kingdoms were not. The thrones or feats of judicature (after the manner of the Jews) are reprefented as fet for the fenators ; one as the fater judiciiy the principal perfon in judgment, is dc- fcribcd as fitting on his throne, and the fe- nators ailifting him in judgment, as fitting round him on fo many thrones, to repre- fent the great Judge, and the numerous hoft of his Saints as miniftering to him in the judgment. The confequence of this judg- ment is the deftruftion of the lafl: mo- narchy, and the ereding another kingdom in its room, v. 2(5, 27. To*fhew by whom the affairs of this kingdom arc to be ma- naged, one like a fon of man, or one in the appearance of a man, is defcribed as comine with the clouds of heaven, or with the attendance of Angels, which, when God executes any great defigns of Providence by the clouds, are defcribed as managing and direfting them; fee Tf civ. 3> 4- and being by them brought before the pater ju- dicii, and then receiving from him an uni- x'^r/^/ and everlafting dominion, u 13, 14. Laftly, This kingdom is fuch, as that the Saints of the moft High, or the pure wor- Z fhippers ( 3^0 fhippers of the one only true God, are to have a fhare in it, particularly the pious Jews^ who are called the holy people, chap, viii. 24. who are the Saints of the mod High, that the fourth bead is to wear out, chap. vii. 21, 22, 25.com. chap. viii. 24, 2 5 . which the Author of the Literal Scheme himfelf interprets of the Jews. That by the Saints of the moft High, to whom this kingdom is given, can t be meant the Roman date, as the Author of the Lite- ral Scheme would have it, is plain, (i.) Becaufe this is defcribed as a king- dom of God's own fetting up, in fuch a manner as the other Empires were not : This is reprefented by a ftonc cut out of tlie mountains without hands ^ a kingdom that is ereded by no human means. (2.) Becaufe this is the kingdom of the Saints of the moft High, /. e, the worfhip- pers of the true God 5 whereas the i?anieL (i.) Becaufe his bears no rcfemblance to the other Empires he had defcribed. j4nf. It bears a refemblance to them, in all the points in which ©^w/V/reprefents it as agreeing with them, and differs from them in every point of difference he dc- Icribes, which the Roman does notj it is a real kingdom, but not from this world, but erected by the peculiar Power and Pro- vidence of God 5 it had at firft a mean ap- pearance, but foon after took a large fpread, and that in fuch a manner as gives us all rea- fon to fuppofe it will anfwer T>anieh other charaders of being univerfal and perpetual ^ it is a kingdom in whofe benefits none but the Saints of the mott high God have any fliare. (z.) Becaufe Chrift has erefled no king- dom at all. Z z Anf ( 3i8 ) Anf, Chrift, while on earth, declared he fliould receive all power in heaven and earth, and as an evidence of it, that he would pour out the gifts of the Holy Ghoft. Accord- ingly this was done, and the Apoftles pub- lifhed certain laws in the name of Chrift as Lord of all, and brought as their vouchers thefe gifts of the Holy Ghoft. Upon the evidence thus given, many large focieties of men every where have received thofe laws, as the laws of one who has received authority from God , and on the fame evidence of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft do reafonably expeft the execution of thefe laws from Chrift at the end of the world. There are'two ftates of this kingdom plainly diftinguifiied by ©^- niel by the ftone before and after it became a great mountain, chap. ii. 34? 3 5* In the ixth chapter, ^Daniel is reprefent- cd as taking a view of the miferies of his country, and the defolations that had been brought particularly on the city J em fa- lem, ver. i6, 17, i8, 19, 20. and hum- bly reprefenting thcfc in prayers before God; and whilft he was thus praying for the holy mountain of his God, the Angel Gabriel is lent to him with this meflagc, ver. 20, .21, 23. Seventy weeks, ver. 24. are cut out y or cut off for thy people, and thy holy city, 6c c. q. d. As you have before had an account of the miferies to be brought on your nation, and of the end of them in the vifions of the I four ( 3^9 ) four kingdoms (fee chap. ii. 7, 8.) fo let me tell you of what is to bcfal you in the intermediate fpacej as there were fcvcnty years determined by the prophecy of Jere- miah to your deliverance from the captivi- ty which is now near ; fo from the long ac- count of your nation's calamities, there are cut off (fee the like ufe of the word which the Seventy here ufe in 7/] x. 22, 13 ? xxviii, 22.) feventy weeks of years, or four hun- dred and ninety years for the finifhing tranf- greffion, making an end of fins, making re- conciliation or expiation for iniquity, bring, ing in everlafting righteoufnefs, fealing up, or making an end of vifion and prophecy; from v/hich, when thus complete, you fhall receive all the light you need 'till the anointing the moft Holy, or-invefting the Meffiah in the office of his publick mi- niftryj "ver. 25. I have now given you an account of the great events you are moft concerned to know, and the time allotted for them. I come now to acquaint you with the time from which thefe are to take their date, even from the going forth of the meffage (i. e, of fome King or other, or of God by him) to reftore and to build Jertifalem (or to rebuild Jenifalemy as afterwards theftreet fhall return and be built, or be rebuilt) for I have the comfortable news to tell you under the prefent apprehcnfions from the Z 3 defoU- ( 3^° ) "dcfolatlons of Jeriifalem, that the flreet (hall be built again, and the wall, tho' in troublous times, (when you (hall be fain at the fame time to be fighting againft their enemies, and carrying on the building) from this time, I fay, to the Mcfliah the Prince, or the anointing the moftHoly, (hall be fe- ven weeks and half, or fifty two years and half (as Africaniis and Tertullian read in their copies,) and fixty two weeks and half, or four hundred and thirty feven years and half, /. e. fifty two years and half to the ceafing of prophecy 5 and four hundred thir- ty feven and half, from thence to the pub- lick miniftry of the Mefliah 5 and then ve7\ 26. after thefe fixty two weeks and half (but within the fame week, to (hew that every event mentioned ver. 24. particularly the making expiation for iniquity, muft fall with- in the feventy weeks) fhali Mcfliah (the Prince ^'^r. 25.) be cut off (from Ifrael) and they (hall be no more to him (for a people) and the Prince's (/. e. Mefliah's, ver, 25.) future people (the Romans in whofe Empire his king':^nm was fet up) fhall utterly deftroy the city and fanftuary. Ver. 27. in order the better to carry on the war, he, i. e. the Mefliah's future people, (hall in one week make a firm covenant, enter into a league with many nations, and in half, in the latter half of it purfue the war, 'rill he has cauftd the (acrifice and oblation to ( 3^1 ) to ccafc, and on the battlement (of the Templc)placed the abomination that maketh delblate, or the idolatrous enfigns the lure prefages of the dcfolation of the y^i^-^, which is to continueon them, 'till the confummati- onor the confumption, even the determined confumption (fee If. x. zz.) be poured on the dcfolation 5 /. e. 'till the Saints of the mod High take the kingdom, chap. vii. i8. 'till the lafl: end of the indignation, chap. viii. 19. 'till he fhall have accomplifhed to fcat- ter the power of the holy people, chap, xii. 7. And now as to what relates to the time pad in this prophecy, that the anointing of the Mefliah was juft four hundred and ninc-^ ty years from the commandment here r^ fcrred to for the rebuilding Jerufalem 5 fee proved in Mr. JVhiJlons Supplement, (ire, and after tliis time was complete, tho' with- in the laft week the Meffiah was cut off, and then the Jews were rejefted from be- ing his peoples and upon this the Meffiah's future people, /. e. the Romans, came and utterly dcftroyed the city and the fanduary, after a war, to carry on which with the more luccefs, they made a league with the Tar- thians and other nations, and in profecuti- on of it, caufed the facrifices to ceafe, and ^3rought their idolatrous enfigns into the Temple. Vtde Jofeph, Ed. Hiidf^, 1266, X283. 7^ 4 Thus ( 3^^ ) Thus the nation of the Jews was made defolate, and this defolation we fee ftill con- tinued on them (they being, according to thepredidions oiMofes, fcattered among all people from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth, and become an aftonifhment, a proverb, and a by-word among all nations whither the Lord has led them, T^eut. xxviii. 37, 6\.) the end of their defolations is the part of this prophecy which remains to be fulfilled 5 and the exaft fulfihnent of the other parts gives us a rati- onal affurance of the fulfilment of this in its feafon. In the account above given of this prophe- cy, every part of it, I think, is taken in the flain literal fcnfe 5 I allow the Author of the Literal Scheme his own tranflation of the beginning of it, viz. abbreviate or cut fliortj and yet 1 think he can make no advantage of the conceffion. When the Prophet fays, that feventy weeks are cut fhort, or cut off, the moft obvious fenfe of his words is, that as there has been a larger account given of the affairs relating to his people and city, this feventy weeks is as it. were a fmall re- mainder cut off from that long account : Thus the fame word here ufed in the Greek verfion is applied, i/^ x. 22, 23. tho' the people of //r^f/ be as the fand of the fea, 4 remnant fhall be favcd, finifhing and cutting fhort (rvmuy.k)\'. the account in righteoufnefs 5 becaufe ( 3^3 ) becaufe the Lord will make a ^ort account^ hoyov (TvvriTfMnfJimy, in the whole earth. But when it is faid that feventy weeks arc cut fliort, or cut off, no propriety of language will admit of their being cut off from each other, asfeven weeks, fixty two weeks, (dj^r. In the 24th verfe there is the whole period of feventy weeks, with all the events men- tioned that are to fall out in it j what was wanting was to allign the beginning of this period, and what particular events belonged to the feveral parts of this large period 5 this therefore you have done, ver, 25. the fe- venty weeks are to begin from the going forth of the word, /. e, either the edid of fome King, or God's meffage delivered as it were by him i for thus the word is ufed in this context, "ver. 1. I underftood by books the number of the yearsy whereof the word or meffage of the Lord came to Jeremiah^ that he would accomplifh feventy years in the defolations oiJentfalenL Thus vet, 23. At the beginning of thy fupplications the word or meffage (that I was ordered with) came forth, or the word or meffage came tome, and in compliance with it, lam come to (hew thee the following things. The word ver, 24. can't be, 1 imagine, the word of prophecy, for that might be given a confiderable time before the event, but an order for the accomplifhment of the event, becaufe it is intimated^ that immediately on this ( 3M ) this word going forth it (hould be executed , the word was to iQ,hv\i\dyenifalemy2iw6. upon this, the ftreet was to be built again and the wall, /. e, the city was to be rebuilt, fince the building the wall for a defence, and the furnifhing the fircet, or Area girt by this wall with houfes was properly a building the city ; and as the prophecy of Jeremiah, ac- complifhed by Cyrus, did not relate to any fuch rebuilding the city, but only reftoring the y^-oC/J and rebuilding the Temple? and as it is plain that iV^^^;/^/^^ afterwards found the city in rubbiOi, without a wall, and without houfes, and by order from the king of Terjia furnilhcd it with both, we are evi- dently poirttcd to that cdid, by virtue of which he aded, for the beginning of the ferenty weeks; and ic is no objedionagainft this, that then 'Z)^;2/V/ could not fully under- ftandhisown prophecy: He underftood the nioft important points of it, and all that it concerned him to know: He was concern- ed for the ruins of his city, he was then aflured it (houJd be rebuilt ; the exad time when that (hould be, was not of confequencc, it would be at that time God faw fitccft and beft; from that' time whenever it fhould be to the accomplilhing fcveral other impor- tant things, which he was made acquainted with, would be feventy weeks; it was of confcquence to 'Daniel to know that thefe events fhould be accompliflicd;, biit the defigq ( 3^5 ) defign of fixing the exaft time for their ac- complifhment was not for the ufe of T>aniely but of thofe that fliould live near the time of their accompUniment, that their expefta- tions might be raifcd, and that they might be prepared for them 5 and alfo of thofe in wliofc days the events fhould be accomplifh- cd, that they might be afllired the events they faw were thofe defigned in the prophecy. According to tiie account of this prophe- cy above given, here are three remarkable events mentioned together, *ver. 24. and all to be accomplidied within feventy weeks from the royal edid to rebuild Jerufalemy "uiz, the ceafing of vifion and prophecy 5 for which there is a diflind period, w^. offeven weeks and half, the anointing the moft Ho- ly, to which another diftind period is affign- cd, viz. fixty two weeks and half, which together complete the feventy weeks; and laftly, the making reconciliation for iniqui- ty, viz. by the death of the Meffiah, which was to happen after the feventy weeks were complete, but ftill within the laft week, or before another week was begun. Now here it muft be owned on the one hand, that there is nothing in the text that ncceffitatcs us to break the periods in the manner that is here done, and to ailign thefe diftind events to them ; but then on the other hand, I think it muft be allowed the words do fairly admit of this fenfc; and then if the ( 1^6 ) the event agrees with this interpretation and no other, 1 imagine we have fufficient proof that this was the intended fenfe. See Mr, Whijtons Supplement, ^c. The cutting off the Meffiah is mofl: natu* rally interpreted of his being cut off by death, according to the common ufe of the word J but then there is fomething more that is often implied in this word as it is ufcd in Scripture, vis:^. a Prince's being cut off by death from the relation he bore to his people, and this, as Mr. Mede mod judiciouQy ob- ferves, fuits admirably well with the con- text in this place; 'ver, 26. after fixty two weeks and half fhall Meffiah (the Prince ver. 25.) be cut off (from Ifrael, underftand) and they no more for him {viz. as a people > thus the fhortnefs of the Prophet's expreffi- on is eafily accounted for, and the ellipfis fupplied from the immediately following words) and the Prince's (/. e, Meffiah the Prince's, for it is the fame word ufed here as was, ver. 25. concerning the Mef- fiah, and there is no other Prince but him mentioned in the whole context,) people to come, or future people, /. e, the Romans in whofe Empire the Meffiah's kingdom was fet up, fhall by war deftroy the city and the fanftuary. Ver, 17. there is one week, perfeftly fe- paratc from the feventy weeks foregoing, affignedtoquite different events, allotted to the ( ^^7 ) the affairs relating to this war ; in oncweelcj he, i. e. the Meffiah's future people fpoken of juft before, fhall make a firm covenant with many, /. e. fhall enter into a league with fcveral nations the more quietly and fe- curely to carry on the war with the Jews^ and in half, i. e. the latter half of this week fhall purfue the war 'till it end at iaft in the deflrudlion of that miferable people. Sec a very exad account of the accomplifhment of the events relating to this week, in MrJ Mar (hall's excellent treatife of Daniel's fe- venty weeks, from p. 265, to the end. Thus I have given fuch an account of the feventy weeks, as refers them to the McfTiah, and makes them exadly accom- plifhed in Jefus, his publick miniflry, and death as an expiatory facrifice for the fins of men : I fhall now fairly reprefentthe fenfe which the Author of the Literal Scheme puts on this prophecy, and offer fome reafons why I cannot fall in with it; he imagines the Author of this pretended prophecy liv- ed in the d<{ys oi jintiochus Epphanes, and that all the events mentioned by him end in the polluting the Temple by Ant iochus, and the cleanfing it by Jtidas Maccabeus 2i* ter three years, and the death of Antiochus, which was in the fame year 5 he underflands the fcvcnty weeks of, weeks of years, as we do, but divides the weeks thus, feven weeks cut off from fixty two weeks,and each of thefe begun ( 3^8 ) begun from the fame period, viz. the pro- phecy Jeremiah had in the fourth oijehoia- kim of a return from captivity, and of building the city again j that as there are two periods mentioned, feven weeks, and fix- ty two weeks from the fame fourth of Je* hoiakim, fo there are two Mefliahs to whom thcfe periods are to reach, the one Cyrus^ the other Judas Maccabeus, Cyrus became a Meffiah when he took poffeflion of the kingdom of Media 5 fee Literal Scheme, p. 171. And thus was a Prince chofen by God to be a reftorcr of his people to their antient habitations, and to refettle their antient worfhips and this pare he makes to have been accomplifhed before the pretended date of this prophecy, id. p. 171, 173. Judas Maccabeus ^2iS a Meffiah then, when he flourifhed in the High-Prieft- hood, p. 171. After fixty two weeks ano- ther Meffiah, viz. Ow/^i* the High- Prieft, is to be cut ofFj and then an army under the conduft of a Prince, viz. Antiochus Epi- phanes is to deftroy the city and fanduary. In the laft week, this Prince is to allow the Jews their way of worfhip, but in the midll of the week he is to caufe their facrifices to ceafe, to place on the battlements of the Temple the idols of the defolator, which ftiall continue till the end of that week, and of all the weeks, after which the defolator fhall have vengeance paid him in his turn, anci ( 3^9) and the Jews (under the condiia of McfllaH Judas) regain their liberty. Now to this account, 1 would objeft, (i.) Thattlio' it be allowed this Author,' that the word we tranflate determine^ fig- nities to cut Jhorty yet that does not at all make for his interpretation, which fuppofes the iQ.\Q.vi weeks and fixty two weeks are cut off from each other, and fo to be begun from the fame period : Thus the very foun- dation of his whole interpretation is weak. (2.) Every one fees how unnatural it is by Mclliah the Prince to underftand not one iinglc perfon, but two perfons to come at very different times, if there be no grounds to fuppofe the feven weeks and fixty two weeks cut off from each other in the man- ner he imagines. (3.) Cyrus can't be a Meiliah here meantj^ becaufe he was made Prince oi Media before the fuppofcd date of this prophecy. Now if we Ihould allow our Author that this pro- phecy was forged after the event j yet as it iS attributed to T)aniely who is fuppofed to receive it in the firft of T>arius the Mede, according to the Author of the Literal Scheme himfelf, after Cyrus was King of Media, the forger of this prophecy mufl: be out of his fenfes, to attribute that to T>aniel as a prophecy of his, which 'Daniel h^d fecn fulfilled with his own eyes. (4-) Nor can Jud^is Maccabeus^ accord- . I ^ ing ( 330 ) ing to this Author's own account of a Mefli- ah, which is, a Trince chofen by God to be a reftorer of his people^ be one 5 for Judas was not invefted in any fuch office, was not made any fuch publick perfon 'till after the deftrudion of the city. See Jofeph. Edit. Httdf. p. 5 3 <5' I Maccab. iii. i . Nor therefore, (5.) Can Onias be the third Meffiah, Jfince Onias was cut off, before Judas \j 2,% a Mef- fiah-^ i. e. according to this Author's account before thefixty two weeks were fulfilled. (6.) The prophecy of Jeremiah^ in the fourth yc^itoijehoiakimy can't be the time for the beginning of the fevcnty weeks. I.) Becaufe that prophecy could not be fulfilled 'till after feventy years, whereas 'tis intimated, that the command to rebuild Je- rufalem fhould immediately be executed. 2.) Becaufe the prophecy of Jeremiah referred to the reftitution of the Jewijh ftate and the rebuilding the Temple, and not di- redly to the rebuilding the city which is here particularly defcribed. 3.) The event did not anfwer, if the words are interpreted this way, fince the city was not rebuilt, 'till the order which Nehemiah afterwards received from Artax- erxes, according to our copies in Nehemiah y or Xerxes as Jojephus has it. See 2 Chron. xxxvi. 33. Ezra i. 3. Neh, i. 3. ii. 3, 5> ( 33X ) 5y ^, 13. iv. I, 2, 6. vii. 4. com. ©//;;. ix. 16, 19, 20, 25, 26. (7.) The people of the Prince that fiiould come, "ver. 26, muft, according to all na- tural conftrudlion, be the people of Prince Mcfliah, (for no other Prince is mentioned in the context,) /. e, either of Cyrus, or Judas MaccabeuSy according to this Au- thor. (8.) All other prophecies of ©^w/V/ reach to the grand reft or at ion of the Jews in the latter days-, this I have already proved of all that we have yet met with, and (hall here- after prove of the reft ; and therefore 'tis tnoft reafonable to fuppofe this prophecy alfo belongs to the fame great events. The vifion of the daily facrifice, and the tranf- greffion of defolation, in the Viiith chapter, I have already (hewn, can't be referred to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes 5 and the reafon afligned for that will fhew the fame concerning the prophecy of the fame event in the xiith chap, and then we have all the reafon in the world to refer the fame pro- phecy in the ixth chap, to fome more diftant event alfo. (9.) When 'ver. 27. it is declared that he (i. e. according to our Author, the Prince before mentioned, or Prince Antiochus) fhould make a league with many of the Jews in one week, and immediately after, it is declared, that in the midft of the week A a or ( 33^ ) or in half of the week, he fhould break that league by a£ts of hoftiiity, would not any one reafonably fuppofe that here was a whole week affigned for thefe two great events, and that the former half belonged to the firft mentioned, and the latter to the laft 5 whereas the covenant Antiochiis made with the Jews (if barely not perfecuting them can be called making a covenant with them) continued for near a whole week 5 for he did not begin his pcrfecution of the Jews 'till the fixth, nor complete the ruin of Jenifakm 'till the eighth year of his reign. Cor oil I. We fee the reafon of the ge- neral expeftation of the Meffiah about the time when Chrift appeared, this prophecy of TDaniel and no other having affigned the cxad time of his coming. The Author of the Literal Scheme indeed would have it, that the 2im\cnt' Jews did not underftand this to be a prophecy of the Meffiah, and he grounds his fuppofition on this, becaufe they imagined the Meffiah was to live for ever, but it is evident they could learn the very name of the Meffiah, which they gave tp the perfon they cxpefted , from no other Prophecy. And the reafon affigned by this author is infufficicnt for the proof that they did not underftand this as a prophecy a Mef- fiah j fince the evidence for this might be fo great ( 333 ) great as even to force their alTent, whilft at the fame time their prcjudicate opinions concerning this perfon, might lead them to pervert the plain fenfe of the Prophecy, jud as the Chaldee Paraphraft (who was bigotted to the Jeivijh notions of a worldly kingdoai) yet interprets the liiid Qi Ifaiah, of the Mefliah. CorolL 2. We fee the wifdom of our Saviour's preparing the way for the fettling his Gofpel amongft men, by preaching that the kingdom of heaven, i. e, the time God had fixed by "Daniel for the fetting up his kingdom, was at hand, the charaders of which kingdom the Jews were thus called on to examine, and determine the juftice of Jefus's pretenfions thereby. CorolL 3. We fee the reafon of our Sa- viour's continually fpeaking of an exad time being fixed for his fufFerings, fince the time of his fufFerings was thus marked out in the Prophecies of T^anteL CorolL 4. We fee what our Saviour means by thofe figns of the times, which he re- proves the Jews for not obferving. Corol. 5. We fee why our Saviour refers to the abomination of defolation ftanding in the holy place, as a fure fign of the near approaching defolation of Jeriifalem ; to which therefore he requires the ftrideft at- tention from thofe that fhould fee it. In the xith of T>ameL after fome pre- A a 2 dii^iions C 3J4 ) diclions relating to the third kingdom, the fall of which is dated with Macedonian be- coming a province to the Romans by the Heathen hiftorians, and accordingly ends, in Daniel's account, in Antiochus Eptphanes^ ver. 21,— -325 he defcribes ver, 36. a King that fhould do according to his will, claim the moft abfolute fovereignty, exalt and magnify himfelf above every God, fet him- fclf up above all the nations of the earth, and the feveral Deities that were fuppoled to prefide over them^ fpeak marvellous things againfl: the God of Gods, perfecut- ing the people of God till the time come for God's deliverance of his people, by put- ting an end to this tyranny , he iliall not regard the God of his fathers, (throwing off the worfhip of the Gods of his country) nor the dcfire of wives, difcouraging mar- riage, together with God in his feat, he fhall honour Protedors, even together, with the God whom his father knew nor, fliall he honour them with gold and filver, &c. He fhall do fervice to the images of thefe Gods protestors, jointly to the foreign Godwhom he fhall acknowledge and increafe with glory; and he fhall caufe them to rule over many, and divide the land to them for gain. Now as feveral parts of this defcription will never fuit Antiochus EpiphaneSy (with whofe times the Prophet had done before 5 he ( 33J ) he came to this dcicription _,• fee ver, 32,^ 3?, 34; 35.) io it all cxadly agrees to the Roman ftate, which claimed the moft ab- folute fovereignty in the world, which let itlclf up above all kingdoms and flares, and perfecuted the Saints of the moft High; which at length threw off the worfiiip of the Gods of the country, and then began to difcou- rage marriage, till at laft it was abfolutcly forbidden to an order of men amongft them, that regards no power on earth, and by- claiming dominion over confcience, fets it- felf in the feat of God himfelf 5 that ho- nours together with Chrift (a God that the old Romans knew not) other media- tors, to whofe images it pays religious fer- vice, whom it fuppofes the Guardians and Protedors of particular countries, vi^. Saints and Angels 5 fee on this fubjeft Mr. Medes incomparable difcourfe of the apof- tacy of the latter times. T>aniel 12. There is a Prophecy of a time when Michael, one of thofc Angels to whom God had committed the prefidence overparticular countries, and to whom was committed particularly the care of God's own people the Jews, (hall Hand up and deliver Ifrael from thofe times of great calamity that fhall come on the earth, ver. I. Com. Zech. xii. throughout. After this^ "ver. 2. many, or the many,' the v^ll numbers of mankind that are dead A a 3 (the ( 330 (the many, 'ver, 2. being oppofcd to the children of thy peoplcy vcr. i. q, d. the whole body of mankind, Gentiles as well as Jeivs ; fee the like ufe of the phrafe, Jfa. liii. II, 12. Rom, v. 14, 15. Heb. ii. 9, 10, II.) fhall arife, feme to everlafting life, and fome to fhame and evcrlafting contempt; ver. 3. and they that be wife, or that make men wife, fhall (hine as the brightnefs of the firmament, ((hall rile again with bodies of light and glory, Com. Mat. xiii. 43. I Cor, xv. 41, 45.) and they that turn many to righteoufnefs as the ftars for ever and ever 5 thefe words T)ankl is or- dered to fhut up, ver, 4. and fcal the book till the time of the end^ before which the Prophecy would not be well undcrftood. Ver, 1 1, there is a Prophecy, that from the time the daily facrifice fhould be taken away, and the abomination that maketh de- folate fet up, fliould be one thoufand two hundred and ninety days. As this prophecy, (I believe) has not been hitherto fulfilled, it does not fall within my province to con- iider it ; but that it docs not refer to the clcanfing of the fanftuary by Judas Mac- caheus^ is I think plain from hence, that from the pollution by Antiochus to the clcanfing by Judas were but three years, /.^. not above one thoufand two hundred days : after this Antiochus Epiphanes lived not 2 above ( il7 ) above four months, and within fiftccu days of his dcith, the order was iiiucd out by his lucceflbr Eupator in favour of the Je^Jis, which demonftratcs that one thoufand and three hundred thirty five days, ver. 12. does not relate to that event 5 fee and Com. I Alac. iv. 5. 2 Mac. xi. 23, 35. Sec Medes works, pag. 717. i Mac. vi. 16. Ver. 13. It is promifed 'Daniel, that at the end of the days mentioned ver. 12. he (hould ftand up in his lot or courfe (the fame word that is ufed of the courfes of the pricfts, i Chron. xxiv. 5-) that is, that he fhould be raifed up, when God's appoint- ed time came for his particular rcfurredi- on, (as every one according to the Apoftle's doftrine eradly agreeing with this Pro- phecy of "Daniel, (hall be raifed) in his own order, cv r^ i^/« rctyfA^ctli. Sec i Cor.xv. 23. Mic. V. r. God aflTures his people, that Babylon which fhould Jay fiege againft them, and treat the judge of Ifrael with contempt, Jhould be befieged herfelf ; and that ail their depopulated cities fhould again hold up' their heads, particularly Bethlehem Ephra- tah, which fhould make no mean figure by the birth of the great Ruler in Ifrael there, ver. 2. The words of the Prophet, ver. 2. From thee (hall he go forth to me, that is, to be Ruler in IfraeU whofe goings forth have been fromof old, from ever lajling^ do notluic A a 4 well ( 33S ) well to Zentbbabel or any temporal Prince 5 from thee fhall he go forth to the, or out of thee fhall arifc that ruler in Ifraely who fliall go forth to accompli{h my will, as he has done in ages long fince paftj or in thee fliall he be born, who has before that had an higher original from of old, from everlaft- . ing ; either the two nativities of this great Ruler as Son of man, and Son of God, or his two commillions to go into the world and execute the will of God, the one before, the other at the time of his being born at Bethlehem, are plainly referred to. Ver. 3. The Prophet defcribes the mife- ries they fhould endure before the birth of this great Prince, but their deliverance from them at laft, when the full time came that was appointed by God for it 5 when ver, 4. Ifrael fhould ftand and feed, or rule, in the ftrength or by the power of the Lord, and they, the people of Ifrael fhall abide 5 when he, i. e. Ifrael, (hall be great to the ends of the earth ; when, ver, 5. the land (hall have peace, even though the Affyri- an comes into it ; fee the Seventy's tranfla- tion of the fourth and fifth verfes. Haggai ii. There is a clear Prophecy of the Melliah's coming to his temple, and of an univerfal peace which he is to fpread through thq world from thence. In order to the full explication of which, I would prcmifc the following things. (i.) That ( 359) (i.) That in all inquiries into the fcnfe of Prophecies, it is fuppofed incumbent on the interpreter to find fome rational con- fiftent fenfe 5 it is previoufly fuppofed that the Prophets fo called, are not mad Enthuji- aftical writers, that had no ideas at all to the words they ufed. (2.) It is taken for granted, as a thing already proved from the accomplifhment of Prophecies relating to times paft, that there was a true prophetick Spirit in the Jewijh church. (3.) It muft be ever fuppofed by an in- terpreter of prophetick books, that fuch books are genuine. (4.) Thefe things fuppofed, when in fuch books there are certain expreflions that are fairly capable, of a fenfe, in which the prophecy m:iy poffiblj be fulfilled, as well as of a fenfe in which it is not pojjlble to be fulfilled, the former, and not the latter fenfe ought to be put on them. (5.) If there are running through the OldTeftament, certain charafters of an emi- nent perfon to appear at fuch a time, and to do fuch, and fuch things 5 when there has a perfon appeared at the time fixedy and done what the Prophecy required to be done at that timey it is probable the fame per- fon will fulfil in the proper feafon, what yet remains to be fulfilled of the Prophecy. (6.) Therefore, that fenfe of the Prophe^ ( 340 ) cy which agrees to the foregoing fuppofiti- on, ought to be admitted, if there be no reafon to the contrary. {7.) Though to fuppofc corruptions in the Old Teftament merely to account for the citations from it in the New, is unfair ; yet as the fuppofition itfclf of fuch cor- ruptions is not abfiird, nay is fupported by plain fafti when it can be eafily fhewn in a particular cafe, how a diforder might creep into the copies of the Old Teftament, that there actually is fuch a diforder, and an eajy method is ajjignedfor the reEiifytng it^ and at the fame time for the reconciling the Old and New Teftament together^ this I think may be admitted as a very fair, and natural folution of the difficulty. The Prophecies of Haggai relate to the building the temple in the fecond year of "Darius-^ the firftof them we have, chap. i. It was defigned to fpirit them up to the building, and accordingly had its defired cffed, ver. 14, 15. and, under the con- du£l chiefly of Zerubbabel^ on the 24th day of the 6th month they begin the v/orfc. On that day on which the foundation of the temple was laid, God fends them, ch. ii. "ver. 10. an encouraging meffage to ftir them up to continue the work fo happily begun, promifing plenty from that day for- ward, i;fr. 10 — 20. This day is here, 'ver. 10. in our pvefent copies, called the 24th of ( 341 ) of the 9th month 5 but as it is plainly the day when they began the work, fo that dilbrder, as I take it to be, will be eafily corrected fromver. 15. of chap. i. And as it is plain this Prophecy was given imme- diately after the laying the foundation, it is evident, it muft be before that chap. ii. i. which was given after they had made con- fiderable progrcfs in the work. On the fame 24th day of the 6th month, a meffage came alfo to Zerubbabel as the Principal in the work to give liim particular encou- ragement, chap. ii. 20, 23. and again the word of the Lord came to Haggai in the 24th day of the month, faying, fpcak to Zentbbabtl governour of Judah. In that day, faith the Lord of Hofts, (at the time before- mentioned in the meffage de- livered to the people, viz. from the day the foundation of the temple was laid) will I take thee Zerubbabel ^iwd make thee as a fignet; the latter part of the 21ft, and the whole 2 2d verfe, I imagine was inferted by a tranfcribcr, who was at a lofs what that day, ver. 2 3 . (hould refer to 5 and think- ing it belonged to the Prophecy in the be- ginning of the chapter, inferted fome words of that Prophecy in this place, to make it clear what was meant by that day, ver. 25. And then perhaps, fome later tranfcribers finding the fame words repeated in fo fhort a compafs, might think there was fome er- ror ( 34^ ) ror In the copy, and fo drop the words which we have ^er, 22. from the Pro- phecy in the beginning of the Chap. But to go on with the account of the Prophecies of Haggai. Thefc two mcffages on the 24th day of the 6th month had likewife their defired effed 5 the people under the conduft of Zerubbabel proceed in the building, but becaufe they might be difcouraged by feeing how far the build- ing came fhort of Solomon's temple, God fend3 another meffage on the twenty firft day of the feventh month, ch. ii. i. decla- ring that he was with them, as he covenant- ed to be, when he firft took them for his people, bringing them out of (^/Egypt j that as he then made great alterations in the earth in order to their happy fettlement in Canaan, fo he would make one, and but one fuch alteration more, in order to their perpetual Settlement under that great perfon, who was the main fubjed of the Prophe- cies ; and therefore eafily known, tho' not named ; who fliould come into a temple more noble and magnificent than ever had been formerly, and whither after prepatory convulfions had been made in the world^ the choice of all nations fhould be brought. At the giving the Law, God fhook the parth, and made great alterations in the world, in order to the fettlement of that polity he \ya5 then ereftjng; but beforp this - ( 343 ) this laft fettlement, God would make yet greater alterations, fhaking not only the earth, the nations, and governments there- of, but the heavens alfo, new modelling the governments in them, by fpoiling the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, that all things might be delivered into the hands of the Mediator. See and Com. Eph. iv. 8. CoL ii. 15. Heb, i. 10. xii. 26, 27? 28. See alfo, Mr. Teirces ex- cellent note on Heb. chap. xii. ver. 2d, 27, 28. in his learned Commerttary on that Epiftle. The fliaking the earth is explained by the Prophet himfelf, by fhaking the nations and the kingdoms of the earth; and then fliaking the heavens may very naturally refer to the altering the government in them : and efpecially, when this interpretation is put on the words by an infpired Apoftle, Heb, xii. 26, 27, 28. and in exaft agree- ment with the event ; the pouring forth the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, difcovering that all power in heaven and earth was put in- to the hands of Jefus, the appointed Me- diator between God and men. Zech. chap, i, ii, iii, iVy v, vi, vii, viii. The Prophet is fent in the fecond year of ©^r/f/j, ^ after the laying the foundation of the temple, to encourage them with promifcs of fuccefs, of God's profpering Jerufalem ( 344 ) Jemfalem again, and making her a flourilh- ing city again, fettling her in fuch peace and profpcrity, that many very Confiderable Profelytcs (hould, as in the Days of Da- vid or Solomoriy come up to worfhip there, clairn a relation to the God of Ifraely and defire an incereft in the bleffings of his people. Chap. ix. begin. The Prophet denounces God's judgments on fome of their neigh- bours, fuch as Hadraeh and 'Damafcus^ Hamathy Tjufe, and Sidon, and the country of the Thilijiines, which were accordingly afterwards executed on them by Alexander the Great. Ver, 7. he tells them, that as for thofe of the Thilifiines that wxre not de- (Iroyed, they fhould from what they faw of the profpcrity of the JewSy become profe- Jytes to their Law; ver, 8, that God would fecure his houfe at Jerufalem from all at- tacks of enemies, as tho' he had pitched a camp round it. Ver, 9. that Jerufalem fhould be preferved till her king ftould make a fo- lemn entry into it, in fuch a manner as fhould fliew they were fecure from ail enemies. He fliould ride like a meek and peaceable Prince, fafe and fecured from all attempts againft his city or people. He affures them ver, 10. that under the governmerjt of this Prince, there would be fuch peace and fecu- rity from the favour of God attending him, that ( 34? ) . that there would be no need of thofe wea- pons of defence, that are commonly made ufe of, (Com. Hof, i. i8. Mic, iv. 3. v. 10, II.) and he (hould not only cftablifh peace amongft that people, but to the very ends of the earth. Accordingly Jerufalem was again, after the delivery^ of this prophecy, made a prof- pcrous city, and preferved till the coming of the Mefliah ; who anfwcrs exactly the charaders of a Prince here fet down, a meek and peaceable Prince, making a quiec and peaceable entrance into the city, with- out any arms of defence ,• eftablifhing his his kingdom among the Heathen, and dif- fufing peace throughout the world. At the time when Jefus appeared, there was a ge- neral peace over the Roman empire j Je- rufalem and the Jews were then in that peaceful and fafe ftate the Prophet defcribes them in ; he made his entrance into the city as King of the Jews, juft in the man- ner here reprefented j and he made fuch numbers of converts among the HeathenSy as may ferve alfo fo many earnefts and pledges of the bringing in the fulnefs of the Gentiles to him. From hence to the end of the Chapter, the Prophet particu- ly defcribes the vidories the Jews fliould obtain over the Greek powers, and their confequcnt fafc and flourilhing ftate, which was w^s to be before the folemn entrance of this great King into the city. Chap. X. He promifcs them that plenty which they had not, before their beginning the building of the temple, ver. i. Com; chap. viii. 9- Haggai uii, and which they in vain expecled from their idols, ver, 2. In the reft of the Chapter, he goes on to defcribe their profperous ftate under the ^erjian and Greek empires. Chap. xi. He xz^tzi^msjerufalem under the figure of a mighty foreft cut down and deftroyed, to fhow her ruin, I fuppofe by the Roman power, after her eftablifliment defcribed Chap. ix. which fhould laft till Mefliah's folemn entrance into the city, 'uer, 9' Ver, 4. the Prophet is ordered to feed the flock deftined for flaughter, for the fake of the poor of the flock ; 'ver, 7. to fignify God's care of the few pious per- fons amongft the Jews, who fhould have the offers of the bleilings of his kingdom, when the reft were deftined to ruin. Ver. 7. the Prophet is ordered to take to him two fhepherds rods, the one called plea- fantnefs and delight, to fignify the delight they formerly took in God, and he in them 5 and the other bands, to fignify the union formerly between the feveral parts of their nation, as Ifrael and Judahy and their firmnefs and fecurity againft any oppofing powers, with whom God as it were entered into ( 347 ) into a covenant, that they fliould not de- ftroy IJrael. Thefe two rods he is ordered now to break, in the general to denote God's leaving the care and government of that people. Accordingly the Prophet, who \vz% ordered, 'ver, 4. to feed this flock, wholly throws off the care of them V, 9. In particular, the breaking the firfl: rod, plcafantners or delight, fignifics God's taking no more delight in them, but laying them open, and cxpofed to the fury of all nations that fought to deftroy them. Ver, 10. In confequence of this they would foon be deflroyed, which would clearly fiiew to the meek and well dilpofed perfons amongft them, that the handof God was engaged in this affair, to fulfil the words of his Prophet^ njer, T I. The breaking the fecond rod fig- nified the breaking the union, and peace be- tween the fcveral parts of the kingdom, (as when Ifrael firft feparated from Judah) which ftiould make way for its utter de- (Irudion, 'ver, 14. Ver.i2. the Prophet is fent with a meffagc to the people, who were before reprefentcd as the flock he had been feeding, to know of them what hire they would give him for his fervice 5 they accordingly weigh for his hire thirty pieces of filver, which the Prophet is ordered to rejed as too fmall and inconfiderable a price, and commands it to B b be ( 348 ) be given to a certain Potter ver, 13. (for a field of his, Alat, xxvii. 10.) As thcProphet in the beginning of this chap- ter reprefcnts the deflrudion of Jerufalemy after its fettlemenc under the Terfian and Greek powers, down to the coming of Chrifl when they were tributaries to the Romans^ and therefore its deftruftion by the Romans-^ and yet ^er. 4. is commanded to feed this flock; and then by God's order demands of the people his wages for this work, which they appoint him: This aftion of the Pro- phet's, like innumerable others, muft be a typical aftion. The Prophet muft ftand for fome other perfon, and his feeding the flock reprefent God's taking care of it at that time, njiz, juft before their deftruftion by fome one of whom the Prophet is made a type. And every particular here exa^^ly agrees to our Saviour; he appeared in the world a little before the deftrudion of Jerufalem 5 he offered the bleflings of God's kingdom to the Jewifh nation, on account of the few well difpofed perfons among them; upon their rejefting them they were devoted to deftruftion ; fchifms and divifions prepared the way for their deftruftion, which was completed by God's breaking the covenant made with all people, 'viz. that they fliould not deftroy Ifrael: Thirty pieces of filver was adually the price at which they fold their MeflTiah, of whom the Prophet is here a type. I ( 349 ) a type, by which they Ihewed the low value they fet on his care in feeding, /. e, in guid- ing and inftruding them 5 and it was fo or- dered by God's Providence, that with this price was bought a Potter's field, as was here rcprefented by the typical adlion of the Prophet in taking, according to God's order, that fum of money, and buying with it a field of a certain Potter. I would obferve here, for the farther clear- ing this argument, that tho' according to this interpretation the Prophet is made a type of the Mcffiah, yet this is not amongft thofe types which Dr. Sykcs fo well argues againft, but amongft thofe which he allows at the conclufion of his excellent difcourfe on that fubjed. A diftant time is fpokea of, certain events are to fall out at that time, thefe events are figured by certain adions of the Prophet 5 he then by whom thefe things were accomplifhed, at the time pointed at, was the pcrfon intended in the Prophet's dif- courfe. We are led then by the Trophet him- felf to look to fome diftant time, and to ano- ther perfon beftdes the Trophet to fulfil cer- tain things foretold in that time; and the event (hews us who that perfon is; St. A/i?/'- /^^je; chap, xxvii. 9, 10. quotes the words of the Prophet thus, iicLi. \xa(icv Tfudaovrcf, ccpyufict acti 'i^ccjfcuv uvrci eig rov clypcv t^ Now here it (hould feem, as Mr. Mede B b 2 judici- ( 35° ) judlcioufly obferves, that 'iAetliov Is in the firft perfgn fmgular, not the third pcrfon plural, and then 'iScjzctv muft be in the fame perlbn and number, whether the v be para- gogical, or an anticnt (lip of the fcribe ; that this muft be fo, appears from the fol- lowing words, as the Lord commanded me\ and that for Beth Jehovah in the Prophet, the Evangelift would have us read Bedath Jehovah, according to the word or com- mand of the Lord. See Mr. Mede's works p. 7%6. I will only add concerning this prophecy, that our Saviour feems to refer to it when he reprefents himfelf as the true Shepherd, and defcribes the falfe teachers that had rifen up among the Jews as hirelings, &c. See Jo, X. \ — ^5pS, 9, ID, II, 12, 1.3. and com. with Zech, xi. 4, 5, 15? 16. com. alfo Mat. XV. 13- with Ziff^. xi. 8. 17. Zech. xii. the Prophet after having prc» difted in the former chapter the deftrudtiou of Jerufalem by the Romans, foretels in this the rebuilding of it in the latter days, and the vengeance God would execute on its enemies, i/'fr. i 9. Then God will pour on the houfeof 2)^^'/Wp and the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the Spirit of favour, or mer- cy, and fupplications, or lamentations, they (hall then look on him whom they pierced, viz. the Mcffiah, whom they had fold to his enemies in order to be put to the death of ( 35' ) of crucifixion, Chap. xi. 12. Com. Matt, xxvii. 9, 10. and mourn for him as for an only fon, *ver, 10. Then there fhouid be a general mourning, as when fomc great per- fon that is very ancient dies, all the fami- lies related to him mourning a part by themfelves: Thus fhallall the families of the Jews in the latter days, of all orders and degrees, mourn for their Meiriah, whom there anceftors have pierced. And theyfliall not mourn in vain, for as the Prophet con- tinues his difcourfe, Chap. xiv. they (hall be forgiven their Sins, and received to God's favour again ^er. i— then all idola- trous pradices fhall be intirely deflroyed from amongft them, "ver, 2.— to the end. Chap. xiv. the Prophet reprefents the y^i£;^ enemies, as making attempts on their peace and quiet) even after this happy fettlement, but as deftroyed by the power of God, in an extraordinary manner exerted, in the Jews behalf. The pure worfhip of the one only true God is now to be revived amongft them ; and this attended with fuch peace and profperity of the worlhippers, as fhouid draw the eyes of other people to them, and tempt them to fall in with it. MaL i, ii. God feverely rebukes both priefts and people for the great corruptions among them, particularly in the matters of his worlhip. Chap. iii. He tells them that he would B b 3 fend (3)0 fend his meflcngcr before his face, in al- lufion to the manner of great perfoiis, that have their forerunners to prepare the way for them j and then the Lord whom they fought, ^iz. that great Perfon whom they expedted to accomplifh God's promifes to them, Ihall fuddenly, i. e. foon after the appear- ance of his mcffenger or forerunner, come to the Temple, as a noble palace erefted for him as the King of Ifrael, even that which Ezekiel faw in vifion, and has de- Icribcd in the laft Chapters of his Pro- phecy 5 which was to be ereded in the latter days, when Jtidah and Ifrael were to be reftored to their own land, and to become one nation again ; which is to be built at that time, when Ifrael is to be fet- tled in their own land never to remove more, 2 Sam vii. 10, 13. into which, after the fhaking of all nations, the choice of all nations fhall come, Haggai ii. 7. Even the Mcffengcr of the Covenant, /. e, either he who brings the notice of that new Co- venant God will make with the houfe of Ifrael in the latter days, Jer. xxxi. 31. or the covenant of life and peace God made with Leviy thus referring to what is faid Chap. ii. 4, s. which covenant he fhall re- vive, by reftoring the pure and undefiled wor- fhip of God, and reforming the worfhippers, as well as thofe that prefidc over the di- vine fervice in fuch a manner, that the of- fering of Jtidah and Jenifalem may be plea- fant ( 3n ) fant to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years, ver. 3, 4. of ch. iii. It feems very evident, that this Prophecy refers to the fecond, and not the firft com- ing of Chrift. (i.) Becaufe at Chrift's firft coming he did not enter the Temple as the Lord of it^ fince he did not openly declare himfclf the Me f- fiah during his miniftry ; he appeared on earth not in the form of God, as before his incarnation, but in the form of a fervant, and took on him the charafter of a Pro- phet till after his refurredlion, by which he was declared the Son of God with power ; he often entred the Temple, but then only as a common worfhipper, or in the charac- ter of a Prophet. (2.) Chrift did not then refine and pu- rify the Levitical fervices, ver. 3. but de- clared the deftruftion of the Temple, and byj confequence of the Temple fervices. (3.) It cannot be faid that upon what Chrift did then, the offerings of Judah and Jerufalem became pleafant to the Lord, 'uer, 4. for they were never more hateful to him. (4.) The Jews \7t\:t not then fettled in peace and profperity, fo as to become a ve- ry pattern, as of holinefs and obedience, fo of the bleffednefs refulting from it to all nations, n;er. 11. on the contrary, they were even then rcje(n:ed by God, and foon B b 4 after ( 354) after deftroyed. In the ivth Chapter, there is a Prophecy of a day of vengeance on the wicked, but of mercy to the upright. But before the comhig of this dreadful day, God promifcs to fend Elijah the Pro- phet, to convert the whole nation, fathers and children to God, left in this day of God's vengeance, finding the Ifraelites con- tinue in their obfiinate oppofition to his methods of grace, he ihould fmite the land of Jewry v/ith a curfc. It is very plain, I think here alfo, that the Prophecy refers not to the iixiS. doming of Chrift ; for (r.) The day of vengeance defcribed Chap, iv, I. is plainly the fame with what we have Chap. i. 2. which has been before proved not to relate to Chrift'sfirft coming. (2.) Though it might poflibly be allow- ed that turning the hearts, ver, 6. might iignify no more than doing what is fuffici- €7it^ though not ejfetlual to that purpofe, yet that can never be the fenfe here, becaufe it is plainly intimated that what Elijah fhould ^o, would prevent God's fmiting the land with a curie i whereas on the other hand, his doing what was ftifficient for their re- claiming, without ejfcEi^ would be the very reafon of God's fmiting the land with a curfe 5 as accordingly John the Baptijly the true Elias, declares that on this account God would fmite the land with a curfc. Mat. iii. 10. And the event has verified Johns ( 355 ) Johns prediction. Our Saviour has expreflj' declared John to be the Elias that was to come ; but as there are two comings of the Mcfliah foretold, fo there may be rea- Ibnably fuppofed two appearances of his forerunner. It muft be acknowledged, that the places which fpeak of the Mefllah's forerunner, do relate to the time of his fe- cond coming 5 but according to the anaio- gy of God's providences, it is very rcafonablc to fuppofc that both comings of the Mef- fiahfhould be preceded by a forerunner, juft as at both comings of Chrifl:, the Law is to go forth from Jeritfalem : Our Saviour does declare John to be the Elias, but not that he has already done every thing be* longing to his office, any more than by de- claring himfelf the Meffiah, he declared that he had fulfilled every thing belonging to the Mefliah at his firft coming 5 on the contrary, our Saviour mentions fomething, as part of Elias's office, which it is plain John has not as yet fulfilled, viz. reftoring all things, or turning the hearts of chil- dren and fathers to the Lord, which was to be before the Son of man's coming in glory, of which there was a lively represen- tation at his transfiguration 5 fee Alat. xvii. 10, II, 12. When the Jews fent Pricfts and Levites from Jernfalem to John^ to ask him who he he was, particularly whether he were Elias^ i. e, according to the meaning of their que- ftion, Elias appearing in his own perfon, he anfwers, that he was not, which was ftrid truth : but then to prevent their miftakes, as if he hereby declared that he was not the forerunner of the Mefliah, he rcprefents himfelf as that perfon, in the language by which Ifaiah had defcribed him. Elias according to the genius of the Hebrew lan- guage, may as well fignify one in the fpirit and power of Elias y as Elias in perfon j juft as T>avid fignifies the fon of "David, that is to fit on his throne in the latter days. And when long after Elias s death there is a prophecy of his coming, it is every whit as natural and eafy to interpret that of one to come like Elias, as of Elias himfelf ; nay much eafier, and more natural, if the obfervation the ingenious Author of the Literal Scheme makes be true, viz, that in the interpretation of Scripture that fen(e which implies the leaft of a miracle, or any thing fupernatural, is to be preferred. It muft be owned, that Elias can*t fignify one in the fpirit and power of Elias with- out a figure 5 burthen, as the ingenious Au- thor of the Literal Scheme excellently well obferves on another occafion, a figurative fenfe may be a very plain and eafy fenfe, and fixt by the context ^ and a literal Jenfe alfo, as ( 357 ) as that word is ufed in oppofition to myfii- cal, and allegorical. Upon the whole it is pro- phcfied xhdxElias (hall come before the com- ing of Chrift. The qucftion now is, whom we Ihall underftand by Elias, Elias in per- fon, or one like Elias ? For the firft it is pleaded, that that is the mod ftridly literal fenfe 5 but then it ought to be confidered, that the moft ftridly literal fenfe is not al- ways the true intended fenfe 5 neither is it, when the whole context is confidered, the moft obvious fenfe. It is farther faid, that the Elias is here charaderized as Elias the Tijhbite. I anfwer, that is no more than faying plainly Elias \ and if Elias may figni- fy one like Elias-, fo may Elias the Tijhbite^ juft as if T>avidv;\2iy fignify one like ^^1;/^, fo may T>avid the fon of Jeffe, or the Bethlemitey &c. For the other fenfe, we plead, (i.) That in other places, when a perfon is prophefied of as doing fomething after the death of the perfon commonly known by that name, that perfon is another that is to be like him. Thus T>avid who is to reign over Ifrael in the latter days, is the Meffiah who is in fome refpeds to be like *Davids fee Ezek, xxxvii. 24. com. y^r. xxiii. 5, (^c, (2.) That there is fomewhat in the con- text that leads to our fenfe. Elias is fpoken of, this we interpret of one //i^£//^j 5 ac- cordingly ( 358 ) cordingly fuch an one is dcrcribed, viz, a great reformer raifed up by God by his doc- trine of repentance to prevent the ruin of a finful people. (3.) Tho' it be no good rule of interpre- tation, to prefer always that fenfe of Scrip- ture, which implies the leaft of a miracle, (becaufe on fome occafions there may be rea- fon to expeft a miracle, (as when on Ahaz's xefufing any fign in heaven or earth, the Prophet declares to the houfe of TDavidy that he himfelf would give them a fign. Behold a virgin Jhall conceivey &:c.) yet where there is no rcafon for a miracle, the natural fenfe is certainly to be preferred to the fupernatural; becaufe it is not reafonable to fuppofe God would depart from the com- mon methods of his Providence, but for weighty caufes. Now it is plain that one in the fpirit and po'uver of Elias would an- fwer all the fame purpofcs, as Elias in per- fon 5 he would be as eft'edual a preacher of righteoufnefs, and would be known to be the intended forerunner of the Meffiah the fame way, in which alone the literal Elias could be known to be he, by thofe who ne- ver faw him when living on earth, viz. by fulfilling the work allotted the true Elias in the Prophet. CHAR ( 359 ) CHAP. XXIIL ^ Of the method of the Apoftles m quo^ ting the Old Teflamenty and a ge^ neral account of their manner of arguing from fuch citations. THAT this matter may be well un- derftood, I would lay down the fol- lowing propofitions. 1 . That fincc the Apoftles in many inftan- ces appear to be confident and fair reafon* ers, we may claim for them the fame pri- vilege that belongs to all fuch writers, mz. that when their quotations do certainly prove nothing, and do not appear by any particular ftrefs laid on them, to be brought to prove any thing, they be only taken for allufions and illuftrations ; that when they do effeSiually prove the point propof- ed, but not dire^ly^ then they be confider- cd as importing arguments apart only. 2. We may well fuppofe, how there might originally be very clear proof that a text of the Old Teftament belonged to the Meffiah, whereas fuch proof, may not appear to us now. It might be an agreed point between the Jews and the Apoftle, that the part of Scripture referred to, be^ 2 longed ( i6o ) longed to the Meffiah 5 all then that he had f#thcr to do in his arguings with them, was to fhew the truth of the interpretati- on he put on the words, and the juftnefs of his conclufions from thence. The^Apoftle's reafonings are to be confi- dered not as immediately direded to us^ (in which cafe, he muft have argued in a very different way, and drawn out his reafonings to a much greater length,) but to x\izjews at that time J who might on good and folid grounds be fatisfied of many things, for which we, at this diftance of time, not on- ly do not, but cannot fee the fame clear evidence, as they eafily might. 3. If- we can (as indeed we can in ma- ny cafes) fee probable evidence, at this di- flance of time, of the juftnefs of the Apo- ftlc's interpretations, we may eafily allow for this evidence rifing much higher to thofe of that age,. 4. The conclufion drawn againft Chrif- tianity, from the Apoftle's method of argu- ing is manifeftly wrong 5 it is deduced thus, there is no evidence now appearing for the Apoftlc's interpretations, therefore they are wholly groundiefs $ but this is manifeftly a wrong way of reafoning. We ftiow the Apoftle's authority as one fent of God to be eftabliflied by miracles, and the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, it is then probable J judging a priori^ that his interpre- tations. ( i^x ) tations in matters oi confiderable confeqitence to that do5irtne he is commiffioned to teach^ and confirm, are jujl -, in many inftances wc evidently fee they are fo -, in many- more that they probably are fo; and in ma- ny more that they poffibly may be fo, for any thing that appears to the contrary. And this, I think, is abundantly fufficient to clear a difficulty of this nature, and the very fame method exadtly, that a T>etfi would take with an Atheijly to remove the objedion of the feeming irregularities in the creation, the ufelefTnefs of fome parts, noxioufnefs of others, &c. CHAP. xxvr. I A particular account of the citations of the Apofiles in the New Tefia^ ment of any parts of the Old^ as far as they defied them as argu^ mentative. TH A T we may have a clear and full view of tMs matter, it will be con- venient to go through the Epiftles, and ob- ferve the manner in which citations are made in them from the Old Teftament, 1 fhall therefore run over the Epiftles in z the ( 3<^* ) the order of time, as it is fettled by Dr. Milly with this view. I Thejf. ii. The great apoftacy in the church is referred to, as a thing that it was well known, viz, from T)anieh Prophe- cies, (wherein Mr.Af;. Pfal. ex. i. andviii. 6. that the Meftiah fhould reign till all his enemies were put under him, and to till death the laft enemy, and he that had the pov/er of death, viz. the devil. Com. Heb. ii. 14. were utterly deftroycd. Ver. 44, 45 . he fhews the difterence between the body w^c have now from Adavh ^nd the body we fliall receive (3^5 ) receive at the refurrcdion from Chrlft, the former an animal, the latter a fphitual one^ juft as the Scripture declares of the firft^. dam, that he was a living foul, /. e. that he had a body, which as it was framed of the duft, tended to corruption, but had a foul given it, which fhbuld continue life to it as Jong as God pleafed : but the fecond Adam had a fuperior principle, viz, the Spirit, which fhould quicken his mortal body, and raife him to eternal life. 2 Cor. vi. 2. There is a citation from Ifal xlix. 8. to this purpofe. ^x. "rPatd had in the conclufion of the former Chapter, fpoken of the miniftry of reconciliation as com- mitted to the Apoftles, who were embaf- fadors of God, fent in order to reduce men to their allegiance to him, embaffadors in the (lead of Chrift, the great Apoftle and High-pricftof ourprofefflon, who as he pro- cured, fo firft propofed the terms of recon- ciliation ; now then, continues the Apoftle, we as workers together with God, labour- ing under him for your faivation, befeecli you to accept the favourable offers that are now made even to you Gentiles^ God hav- ing heard the Mefliah's prayer" for the fuc- cefs of his meffage, and given him already to be a light to the Gentiles in part, as an carneft and pledge of the full accomplifh- ment of his promife of making him the reftorer of Ifrael, and his faivation even to C c 2 the { 1^6 ) the end of the earth, Ifa. xlix. 3 ---5). Ver, 1 6. He argues that they fhould not be unequally yoked wjth unbelievers, from their peculiar relation to God, and his pre- fence with them as his people, which is not lefs than was formerly with the Jew- ish church; Com. Z/fi;. xxvi. 12. And as when the Jews are reprefented as in Ba* byloriy the place of their captivity, they are exhorted to keep free from the idolatry of the inhabitants, and when fet free, joyfully to forfake that neft of idols, Ifa. lii. 11, 12. fo by analogy we may argue, that we who bear not a lefs ftrift relation to God, fliould keep from the pollutions of the world, and the fociety of idolaters 5 and then, as we are not in a lefsftrid relation, and near- ncfs to God than his ancient people the Jews, we may cxped he will fhew us the favour belonging to his children, according to the main purport and tenor of God's promifes to them. Rom, ix. 7. The Apoftle argues very ftrong- ]y the juftice of God's chufing the believing Gentiles in the room of the unbelieving Jews, from God's choice of Ifaac before Iflomaelh that is, of a believing obedient perfon of the natural feed of Abraham^ before one that was of the fame natu-- ral feed, but of contrary difpofitions ; of one that was given to Abraham out of the common way of God's providence, by par- ticular ( 1^7 ) ticular promife, witR dcfign that in him might be accomplifhed the great promifes made to Abraham, before one that was born to Abraham in the common way of na- ture, and concerning whom there was no fuch promife made> And of the pofterity of Jacob the youn- ger, before thofe of Efatt the elder bro- ther j though when the choice was made, neither the one, nor the other of thefe bro- thers had done either good, or evil. Ver, 15. He argues the juftice of God's cxercifing a prerogative in Iparing, or pu- nifhing the guilty, from what God faid to Mofes in the cale of the rebellious IfraeU ites Exod. xxxiii. 16. and from his dealings with Pharaoh. Ver, 25, 26. He fhews that it is as reafon- able for God to chufe the Gentiles for his people, though before they were not fo, as it was at any time, to chufe the Jews a- gain for his people, when for their fuis they had been juftly rcjeded. Ver, 27, 28, 29. He fhewsthat God's re- jcding the main body of the Jews, and chu- fmg fo fmali a number out of them for his people, may be juftified by parallel inftanccs of God's dealings towards them in time paft. * Rom, X. 5. The Apoftle fliews the diffe- rence between the Law of works, and faith, * See Dr. CUrk^ admirable Difcourfc on Kom, ix. 23, 24. and the Review, pag. 24.7, 248. C c ? from ( 3^8 ) torn the Law of Mofes itfclf. After God had fet before the people of Ifrael, by Mo- feSy thofe Laws which were to be the fta- tute Laws of their k'tngdorrty he fliews them what would be the happy coiiicquencc of a national ohzdi^nccy and what the miferable conicquence of a ^^^^/^w^/difobcdicnce. As to the latter of thefe, he foretels, that upon their revolt from God, he would fcat- ter them amongft all nations of the earth ; but notwithftanding, upon a national re- turn to him, he would return in mercy to them, 2)^«^. xxyiii. W/;^. comp. with Ch. XXX. at the begin. This Teems to refer to their lalf grand captivity by the Romans^ to which all the exprcffions he uled do mod exa(^ly fuit. And upon their refto- ration from that, God promifcs, "Dent, XXX. 6. tp circumcife their heart, and the heart of their feed, to love the Lord their God, with all their heart, and with all their foul, that they might live -, which is ex- adly the tenour of that new covenant God promifes to make with Ifrael in the latter days, directly oppofed to the old covenant which he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt, Jer. xxxi. 31 — 34. xxxii. 38—40. Ezek xxxvi. 25—28. The Apoftle, Rom. x. as he had repre- fcnted the tenor of the Law by a quota- tion from Leviticus y fhewing the term of life propofedin it to be obedience, Lev. xvii. 5. reprcients I ( 1^9 ) rcprcfcnts r^r. 6. the method of acceptance by faith, in the language of il/^j-alfo ; (hew- ing the cafincfs of coming to the know- ledge of Chrid's precepts, and the no great difficulty of obferving them, T)eut. XXX. II, 12, 15, 14- The language of the law of faith is not who fhail afccnd up to heaven to fetch the knowledge of it thence? or who fliall defccnd to the deep? (as the Apoftle turns it differently from the Original, the better to accommodate the words to his purpofe) but the word is nigh thee, even in thy heart, and mouth, clearly and fully revealed to thee, eafy to be re- tained, and profeiTed on all occafions. Now fays the Apoftle, this is the very language of faith, and exa(5lly fuits the me- thod of juftilication by that : Confider this as a-covenant God made with the people of Ifrael relating to national bleilings, and it will very well fuit the Law of Mofes as the condition of that covenant; but if you confider the Law as appointed for a method of juftifying particular perfonSy it is not eafily kept, /. e. fo perfectly, as to give a right to life by the obfervance of it. But now this defcription exactly fuits the Law of faith, and this Law Mofes had not ob- fcurcly revealed to the Ifraelites in the ve- ry fame difcourfe, where thcfe words are found ; fo that the Apoftle does not, I ap- j)rchend; merely accommodate the words of C c 4 Mof^l ( 370 ) Mofes to his own purpofe, but dired their view to that part of Mofes's difcourfe, where they might fee the new covenant plainly defcribed, viz. TDeut, xxx. 6. where it is re- prefented juft in the fame manner, as he himfelf obferves it is elfewhere defcribed in the Old Teftament 5 fee Heb, viii. 8. Hav- ing thus produced thefe words of Mofes^ to anfwer the purpofe he was aiming at, the Apoftle very beautifully gloffes on Mo- fes*s words, the better to accommodate them to his defigns, Rom. x. 6. Who fhall afcend into heaven, to fetch the knowledge of the Law of faith thence, as if the knowledge of it were very difficult to be attained ? where- as whatever difficulty there was of that kind, it is all furmounted now, fince Chrift has defcended from heaven to bring us the know- ledge of it ; or who fhall dcfcend to the deep, as tho* it were to fetch Chrift from the dead, who is already rifen for our juftification ? Ver. II. He proves that the Gentiles are to partake of the privileges of the Meffiah's kingdom, as well as the Jews 5 becaufe who- ever believed on that perfon, whom God appointed as the corner-flone to unite, and fupport the intire building of his church, compofed of Jews and Gentiles y fliould not be aihamed, according to Ifa. xxviii. ir, and becaufe, according to Joeh Prophecy, chap. ii. 28 — 32. when God fhould pour cue his fpirit on all flejh, whoever called on ( 371) on the name of the Lord (hould be favcd* Ver. 14. &c. from its being prophcfied that the Gentiles Ihould call on the name of the Lord, he argues they muft believe on himj and therefore that the Gofpel muft be fentto them; and confequently that the A- poftles were juftified againft the Judaizers ac- cufations, in their preaching it to them. The Apoftics were then to pi:each this good news to all, and to feme it would prove as welcome news, as that to the Jews of their deliverance from captivity, If. lii. I . And if others rejefted it, this was no more than was prophcfied of the Jews themfelves, at the firft mean and low appearance of their own Mefliahto them, If, liii. i. And fad experience had fufficiently vouched the truth of the prophecy. But be the meffage received as it would, it muft be (as the A- poftle, refumes the argument, ver, 17.) firft fent by the Apoftles to thefe Gentiles^ e'er they can anfwer God's defign in receiv- ing lit. Ver. 19- he fhews from T>eut. xxxii. 21. and If. Ixv. i, 2. that the chu- fing the Gentiles in the room of the unbe- lieving JewSy was exprefsly prophefied of, Ro. xi. 8. he fhews that their rejeftion was owing to their incurable temper, like their fore-fathers, defcribed If, vi. 9. and xxix, 10. and their abufing the greateft mercies, particularly the offer of life through faiths to their ruinj to which purpofe he accom- z modatcs ( 37X ; iiiodates ©^x'/V's words, TfAxix. zz, Fer. 26. he (hews, that at laft, it was the delign of God, according to the exprefs prophecy of If. lix. 20. to fave all Ifrael by the Mefliah. Chap. xiv. 10, II, 12. the Apoftlc very juftiy argues, that we muft all give an account of our felves to God, by appearing before the judgement-feat of Chrift, from If. xlv. 23. where it is declared, that every knee fhall bow to God, and therefore all muft be fubjed to him, who is by God's appointment, their Lord, and Judge. Chap. XV. 3. he argues, that we ought to condefcend to others for their good, and not to aim chiefly at the pleafiiig our felves, in imitation of Chrift's example, who mod fully anfvvered the character given, Tf lxix= 9. Fer. 21. he flicws the reafonabJenefsof his conduft, in preaching the Gofpel where it had not been before preached from hence, that this was ever the defign of God's Pro- vidence, according to the intimation of the Prophet concerning the G^;?2//7^ Kings being admitted to the knov/Iedge of the Mciliah and his doctrine, to which they had been be- fore utter ftrangers. If Hi. 15. Gal. iv. 21. the Apoftle argues by way of analogy, from the ftory of y^<2r,and Sa- raiy and the children of each, to which he re. fembles the old law given from Sinai, and the new la w(or Gofpel) given iiomjemfalem^ ■ ' • and ( 373 ) ^nd the difciples of the one, and the other of thcfe. The children of both thcfe womea y^ziz Abraham*^ leed.The fon of the former as the mere natural feed of yf^r^^^w, and there was no exertion of the extraordinary power of God in the birth of that feed 5 the feed of the hiter was given by a particular pro- niife, in fulfilling which the peculiar Pro- vidence of God was diicovered : The feed of the former as born of a bondwoman, was not intituled to the inheritances the feed of the latter born of a free- woman, and bj^par- ticular promife intituled to inheritance, be- came heir of courfe, as the feed of the former, tho' the fixft-born, was yet not inti- tuled to the inheritance, and was at laft turned out of the family for perfecuting the feed of the latter : The defcendants from the former who was married to Alraham in the vigor of his days, were not fo numer- ous, as thofe from the latter, who did not conceive by Abraham 'till his body was alrea- dy dead. The refemblance runs exadtly thus. Thofe that are under the law from Sinaii merely^ are Abrahams feed only according to the common courfe of nature; thofe that are under the law from Jenifalem^ are hi§ feed by an extraordinary exertion of the Power, and a peculiar interpofition of the Providence of God. The former are in bon- dage not intituled to the inheritance, the latter have an exprcfs title, by peculiar pro- I ^ ' mifc;, ( 374 ) mifc given them, to it ; the latter are vaftly more numerous than the former; the former perfecute the latter, and therefore fliallvery foon be aifualfy diRnhcxitcd, Now from thefe fimilar cafes thus put, the Apoftlc argues thus. (i.) That it does not follow, that thofe who were of the law were heirs, merely be- caufe the children of Abraham, fince Ifhmael was not, who was a child of Abraham as well as Ifaac. And as it is certain that IJh- fnael^'WdiS excluded the inheritance, tho' a child of Abraham, fo the Apoftle had proved before, that thofe who were of the law only could not be intituled to the in- heritance, but mufl be confidered as in bondage. (2.) ThatasGodmoftjuflly aSiualfy dirm^ hcrited Ifhmael a child oi Abraham,{ot perfc- cuting Ifaac the feed of the promife, fo God may with like juftice difmherit thofe of the law, for perfecuting believers, who are the true feed, to whom the promifed inheritance belongs ; fmce none can have a right to the bleffings of Abraham, but by the promife of God, and the promife of God had origi- nally confined them to the faithful feed. Eph. iv, 8. the Apoftle argues, that wc ought modeftiy to ufe the gifts of the Spirit for the common good of the Church, fince they were according to the prophecy Tf ixviii. al! beflov/ed by Chrift at his afccnfion, in ( 375 ) iti fucb meafures and degrees as he plcafed. Chap. V. 14. there is a reference to If. Ix. I. to this effeft. When the Jewijb Church is become Chriftian (he is deicribed as in a ftatc of light, and commanded there- fore to awake out of deep, to rowfe up her- felf in order to partake of the benefit, and pleafure of light -, fo you Gentiles are now brought out of the ftate of darknefs in which you lay, the light of the Gofpel hath (hone upon you, and accordingly you (hould rowfe up yourfelvcs from your (loth and fecurity, that you may partake of the benefit of this light. The Apoftle feems to paraphrafe the words of the Prophet j arife, faith the Pro- phet 5 arife from the dead, faith the Apoftle; be enlightened^ or lift up your eyes to receive the light y faith the Prophets awake thou that fleepethy faith the Apoftle 5 for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee, faith the Prophet 5 and Chrijl jhall give thee light, faith the Apoftle. Chap. vi. 2, 3. the Apoftle reafons by way of analogy from God's promife of pros- perity to dutiful children among the Jews, in the l^^diOi Canaan, to his extending his favourable regards to the fame dutiful be- haviour every where. I Tet, i. 1 1 . the Apoftle reafons thus, we ought to love one another; if thofe are obliged to love each other, who are only born of the fame earthly parents, intituled to the fame *t,' ( $7S ) fame temporal inheritance, much mora ought they to love one another, who are begotten by God their immortal Father, to an eternal inheritance, by the word of the Gofpel, or the good news of God's kingdom now fet up under the Meffiah, which is to endure for ever. ' Chap. ii. 4. he (hews that the Meffiah was to be a corner-ftone to unite the whole building of God's Church, and fo would be valued by all true believers, tho' according to the prophecies of him, he were rejeded by the Jewijh mafters. CHAP. x;xvii. Of the fuppofed arguments ad homines in the New Tefiament. SOME very learned, and very worthy perfons have thought, that it is not in- conlirtent with the juft charaders, and due honours of the Apoftles, to conceive them as fometimes miftaken in their reafonings, and particularly in their arguings from the Old Tcftament prophecies. They confidci: the Apoftles chiefly, if not folely as witncffcs of fads, and imagine that their charadcr confidcrcd in this view is perfcdly clear, that ( 377 ) that thus Chriftianity has fufficlent fupport,' and (lands clear of all difficulties. But I would beg leave to ask of thefe Gentlemeti a few quelHons : Did Chrift leave a fyftcili of dodriftcs, and laws, in writing himfelf ? If he did not, whom did he commiffion to tranfmit his doftrines to diftant ages, but the Apoftlcs? But were they, without the diredionofthe Spirit, qualified for this, i. e. were plain illiterate men, fit to relate long dilcourfcs in another language than they Avcrc fpokcn, and fuch difcourfcs as they often did not underftand? You allow the Apoftles to be true witnefles of fadts j But is not this one of the fads related by Johriy that Chrift promifed to fend his Spirit to lead them into all truth, and to bring what he had faid to their remembrance? Did not Chrift particularly inftru£t his Apoftles in the prophecies relating to the Meffiah's fufFcrings, refurrcdion, and call of the Gen- tiles ? And are not thefe the very prophecies wc find them immediately after Chrift's a- fceniion urgingto Je^ws, to their conviftion, or filencc? Was not ^aul converted after Chrift's refurredion ? Had he not his whole dodrine of Chriftianity, particularly \\\spe^ culiarGoCpd, by immediate revelation from Chnft? Does he not cxprefly affcrt, that this his^.^f////<2r Gpfpci wasby the illumina- tion of the Spirit, fhewn to be confonant to prophecies of the Old Tcftament ? And is not ( 578 ) not the making this out, the main defign of his Epiftles to the idolatrous Gentilesy in order to eftablifh them in the liberty of the Gofpel in oppofition to the Jtidaizers? How can we (confidering by whom the doftrine of the Gofpel was firft propofed to the world) imagine, it could have any fpread without fuch illuminating gifts of the Holy Ghoft, as the New Tcftament fuppofcs were beftowed on the Apoftles? And how is the fuppofition thefe Gentlemen go upon confiftent with any tolerable notion of fuch illuminating gifts } The notion of arguments ad homines as by fomc underftood to be ufed by the A- poftles, viz. arguments from falfe principles, ufed by them in compliance with thofc that held thefe principles, feems to me attended with even greater difficulties than the for- mer. Would the Apoftles ufe fuch a fallaci- ous way of reafoning without the leaft guard, the leaft caution? Would they never drop the leaft hint of the difference between thefe, and other arguments? Never fhew the leaft difference in the ftrefs they laid on them; never drop a word of the nature of thefe reafonings, to prevent the expofing Chriftia- nity to the contempt of wifer men, and clo- fer rcafoners? Here was, we will fuppofe, an idle no- tion prevailing among xho^Jewsoi that time, that everything almoftin the Law, and Pro- phets, ( 37P ) phets, and even in the hiftoiics of the Old Te- llament was, I cannot tell how, but in ibme niyftical way, I fuppofc, prophetical ot the Mefliah, the Apoftlcs might well enough upon this take notice, on fome things failing out in Jefus's life exadly fimilar to anticnt events, of this fimilitudc. Bat would they lay the fame ftrefs on fuch fimilitudcs, as on dc- monftrative arguments from real prophecies } Would they quote thefe in no other manner than the others ? When they refer to thofc others, would they never once take notice, that they did not imagine there was a necef- fity of fhewinga parallel event, in Jefus's hi* ftory to thefe antient events, and thus avoid the danger of expofing Chriftianity to the un- anfwerable objedionsof the Jews, as often (which might be very often, for I know not jvhy the Providence of God fhould be con- cerned, to gratify thefooiifhexpeftations of fuperftitiousj men) as nothing in Jefus's hillo- ry could be found to parallel antient events? But what at once determines this matter, and fhcws the vanity of all fuch hypothefcs, is plain faft, that grand enemy to airy fpe- culations. Let us confider then not how we may fancy the Apoftles would reafon, but how in fa£l they did reafon. Read but thcj^^s of the Apoflles, You may think (tho' I veri- ly be*lieve without grounds) the Apoftles argued wrong, but you muft immediately fee they were fcrious reafonerS;, and in good . D d earneft ( 38o ) carncft believed their own arguments. They argue diredly from the Old Teftament that the Mefliah was to fufFer, to rife again, e^r. this they prove to the Jews who believed the Old Teftament and yet had other no- tions of the Mefliah from paflages in the Prophets ; paflages therefore certainly differ- ently undcrftood by thofe Jews^ with whom they contended. This the Apoftles were apprehenfive of, and therefore endeavour by arguments (which we have on fome oc- cafions recorded m the A£is) to eftablifli their own interpretations. I cannot fay what notion thefe Gentlemen may have of arguments ad homines, but I think thefe I have been fpeaking of would not common- ly pafs for fuch. The greateft number of the Epiftles are St. haul's, and thofe defigned direEily from the Old Teftament to eftablifli this point, 'viz* that it was from the begin- ning the defign of God, to call even the ido- latrous GentileSy and admit them to the pri- vileges of the Mefliah's kingdom, without their being profelyted to the Jewifl) law. The plain truth of the cafe is, fometimes mere allufions, which are not defigned for arguments, fometimes arguments a Jimili^ which are indeed folid arguments, and fome- times arguments not from mijiaken^^ni\' ciples, but juji conceflions of an adverfary;, have been miftakcn for arguments ad ho- mines \ and then it is no wonder, they fancy the ( 38t ) the New Teftament (and they might as well ahiioft every book that is written even in our own age, and country) to be full of them. I confidered fcvcral of thefe pretended ar- guments ad homines in the review, and I (hall here add a few more. The firft I fhall take notice of, fnall be Rom. vi. 19. where it is fuppofed, the A- poftle apologizes for his drawing his argu- ment from the Roman cuftoms relating to freedom j but the plain truth of the cafe is this; his argument is juft, and folid, and docs not depend at all on any cuftoms of the RomaiiSy only he had illuftrated it to them by a fimilitude drawn from thefe cuftoms of theirs, and this he tells them he did in compliance with their weaknefs. The next inftance fhall be, the courfe of the Apoftle's reafoning i Cor. xv. for the refurredion of believers to eternal life,which I apprehend ftands thus. Chrift is rifen 5 for otherwife, we preached a dodrine as from God, and this attefted by the mod wonderful difcoveries of more than human knowledge, and power, and you alfo receiv- ed this Gofpel fo attefted, both of us to no purpofe in the world j otherwife, we A- poftles, the witneffes of Chrift's refurredtion, tho' eye- witneffes, perfectly difmterefted, and confirming our teftimony by difcoveries of more than human knowledge, and power, arefalfe witneffes 5 otherwife, you to whom D d 2 offers ( 38i ) offers of forgivencfs in the name of God have been made by men flicwing their com- miflion i'rom God in all the ways that can be cxpe£led, arc yet neccffarily continued un- der the guilt of your fms; otherwife, thofe that have hazarded every thing for a good confcience, (hall wholly lofe the happinefs they have through unavoidable miftake ever expefted. Chrift then is rifen : And if (6, believers mufl: rife, for death is the punifliment of fin 5 that /? does not always fignify a facrificer, (and there is no inftance of this kind recorded of him,) but a chief miniftcr to a Prince 5 and then it is very natural that he fhould be called here D d 3 Trieji ( 3^4 ) Triejl of, or to the moft high God. Mel- chizedec may be confidered as the proper name of this King, and the title King of Salem, as given him in contradiftinfdon to the warlike Princes mentioned in the context. 2. This agrees with the account of the Pfalmift, Tfal. ex. concerning him who is Prieft after the order of Melchizedec, viz. that he fits on the right hand of God. (3.) The being a Prieft after the order of Melchizedec, cannot be fuppofed by the Apoftlc to fignify, that there is an or- der of Priefts of which Melchizedec was the firft, and Chrift the fecond ; for he de- figns to prove Chrift to be the only Prieft of his order, ver, 5,23. 4. The Apoftle mentions Melchizedec's blefling Abraham, but as the Levitical J? rkds alfo blefied the people, that cannot be the main point of likenefs. It muft, one would think, be this, that Melchizedec 2is prieft, or chief minifter to the moft high God, has power to beftow the blefllngs, which he has obtained by interccffion. 5. A comparifon muft be ever between two things, but it may be between two things that have a reference to one Jingle perfon. Thus the MclTiah's government of Jfrael before his refurreftion, and his iini- *verfal dominion after his rcfurredion may be compared together, fee Heb. i. 8, 9. Thus ( 385 ) Thus his priefthood excrcifed towards Abra- ham and his dcfcendants by Ifaac^ may be compared with his pricfthood in which he was inverted after his refurrcftion, which is of an univerfal extent. 6. When there is a prieft defcribed that is to have no pedigree, and to be the on- ly one of his order, having no predeceffors, or fucceflbrs, and there is a feeming coni- parifon of him with any other prieft, and it may be fliewn that that other prieft may be underftood of the fame perfon exercifing his prieftood at a different time, and to dif- ferent fubjefts, that is certainly to be ad- mitted as the moft eafy, and natural fenfe of the writer, 7. Of this Melchizedec the Apoftle af- ferts, * that he is made like the Son of God, or as a Son of God (one who is in- titled to an eternal inheritance, com. Jo. i. 14.) he abides aTrieft continually, or for- ever, ver. 3. He is reprcfented, ver, 8. as one, who in contradiftindion to the Levi- * There is not the leaft impropriety in fuch language as this, fuch a man afts like him/elf, fuch a man is dealt with by others in a manner fuired to his charadter. The chara and concluffve. It (lands thus j the Gofpel is more excellent than the Law, as appears from Chrift's being more excel- lent than all thofe, that you who are un- der the Law make your boafts of, than the Angels by whom the Law was delivered, chap. i. than Mofes the great minifter of the law, chap. iii. than Abraham himfeJf in whom they made their boafts, fince A- braham himfelf was blcffcd by Melchize- dec, i. e. Chrifl: 5 now the lefs is ever blef- fed by the greater. Chrifl is a Pried after the order of f Melchizedec ^ Pfal. ex. that + I fuppofe with the late learned Commentator on the He- bntut the beginning of chap. vii. onncdted with ciap. v- 10 and ( 387 ) IS, he is an heavenly-, royaly and immortal Pricft, which the Leviticalpriefts were not ; the Golpel of Chrijl then, mufl: be more excellent than that Law^ a great part of which confifted of orders relating to the Levitical Priefthood. * CorolL and all between included In a parenthefis. I imagine the J.pof- tie's reafoning to ftand thus i there are two Priefthoods defcrib- ed in the Old Teftament, that which confifted in making atone- rnentsby facrifice, as the Aaronical, and that which confifted in beftowing bleflings, by a power royal received from God, as the Melchiz,edecian. That Chrift's was of the latter fort (which every one {qqs at firft fight to be more excellent than the for- mer) he proves from the Pialmift, who reprefents God as Ipeak- ing to the Meftiah, as ordained by him a Vx'it^ for every after the order, not of Aaron (to repeat his facrifice continually) but of MelchizedeC) to confer as a King appointed by God bleflings continually on his people, chap. v. lo. Then in the beginning of chap. vii. he ftrengthens his argument by declaring, that he, this man, viz. the Mefliah was (which probably was a truth un- known bcforcj the very perfon, called Melchizedet in Genejis, To him agree all the charaders either in Genejis, ov in the Pialmift, of a Melchizedecian Prieft, viz. a fingulart royaly heavenly, ferpetual Prieft. * Sir Norton KnMchbull has avoided moft of the difficulties mentioned above another way. He interprets the ewre;, chap. vii. I. of 'I'/jorews, mentioned chap. vi. 20. and makes MiX^i- o-i^ix. oppofite to 'ha-ouq ; and makes a parenthefis from 6 Ma. ;c^ 8- GaL iv. 2S, 29. Heb, ii. 16.) would be ex- cluded the benefit of thQ mivn/al ptomik. Sue ( 399 ) But that thefe Gentile believers fliall not be excluded, appears plainly from hence, that as God is not a partial Being, if he counted faith to Abraham for righteoufnefs, he muft count it to all for righteoufnefs : If he be- llowed on Abraham's faith, a reward propor- tioned to the greatnefs of it, /. e. to that good difpofition from which it proceeded, which enabled him to rely on the power of God in the moft difficult circumftance, viz, for the eifefting what was contrary to the common courfe of things, the giving him a fon in his old age, giving him in a manner from the dead, ver. 19. (compare Heb. x^* 12, 19.) and to its force in producing a ftea- dy courfe of obedience in the mod trying cafes; he will alfo beftow an equal reward on equal degrees of faith, in the Gentiles^ i. e. on their belief of the refurreftion of Chrift, (contrary to the common courfe of things, and to all their former notions) and that fteady courfe of obedience, even in the moft difficult circumftances, which is the effed of it. In the vth chapter, the Apoftle having fully proved that the Gentiles were juftified by faith, proceeds to fum up the privileges they were hereby intituled to, in common with the JeiJuiJh believers; peace with God, whereas before, they were in the kingdom of his enemy, the devil j the favour of God, and a well grounded hope of immortality ; E e 3 afflictions ( 40^ ) afflidions for the fake of the Gofpel work* ing for their good, fince they were enabled to bear them well, being by means of the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, teflifying that they were children gf God, and heirs of heaven, infpired with courage, andlaftiy, a right to glory in God as their God, through Chrift, who has made an atonement for them, as well as for the Jeivifi believers, ver, i, to the 1 2th. After this, the Apoftle proceeds to confider the cafe of all mankind before, and after Chrift. In giving mankind reafon, God has given a law to all ; but for the farther fe- curity of obedience to this Law, God was pleafed to Adam, the head of all human race, (from whom the tradition might fpread amongft his defcendentsin, many generati- ons,) to declare the fandlionsof this law, viz. life, and death. Adam was formed with a mortal body, i Cor, xv. 44 49. but fuch, as fliould have been preferved im- mortal, by the power of God, if he had con- tii)ued obedient. But as he did not, he in- curred the penalty, viz, death, he was turned out of paradife, and debarred from the tree of life. All his pofterity are born out of paradile, and none have a right to the tree of life, (for tho' infants 2xz innocent y yet they are not righteous) all that are come totheufe of their reafon, have a law given them, which they have broke, tho' they have not all, like Adanty finned againft a pofitive law ( 401 ; law threatening death. From Adam to Mo- fes men died univerially, but in that inter- val, there was no law threatening death but this to Adam, in confequence of which therefore, all died. Mofes's law was not as yet given, and the law of nature did not affix the punifhment of death to fin, it was therefore fixed by the law given to Adam, And thus you fee how Adam refembled Chrill, the one being the grand pattern of corruption j and its punifhment, the other of righteoufnefs, and its reward. In confequence of Adam's difobediencc, death pafTcd on all that were conformed to him in fin, tho' they did not fin exadly in the manner he did; in confequence of Chrift's obedience to death, all fhall live that are conformed to him in righteoufnefs, tho' they are not perfedlly righteous as he was; it being an eternal truth, that a Being of per- fed, wifdom muftbeftow equal rccompences on thofc whofe dcferts are equal, and pro- portionable, according to the difference of their defercs. But then as there was a parity between thefe two cafes, fo there is a difparity alfo. If the feverity of God's juftice were fuch, that in confequence of the fin of one man, death pafled on all, even ihcGentileSy who never heard of this fanftion of God's lawj much more will God's mercy triumph in the deliverance of all from death, through E e 4 the ( 4o^ ) the rightcoufricfs of one, Jefus Chrift. One offence of this one perfon brought death, but tho* death was introduced by one offence of one man, yet it is continued by many offences of allj and yet the favour God fliews through Chrift to the world, fliines forth in the deliverance of all from death. And then if it were fo, that the fe- verity of God's juftice was difcovered, in fufFering all, even the Gentiles who knew nothing of this fanclion of God's law, to lie under the condemnation oi Adams fm j much more will he be ready to receive thefe fame Gentiles, on their thankfully accepting his abundant favour, and the gift of righteouf- nefs, to an higher, and more glorious reward, than was at firft promifed to Adam, This therefore in fiiort was the cafe of all, from Adam to Mofes^ all die, in confe- quence of the fanftion of death being fixed to God's law in the revelation made to Adam, even tho' there was no law befidcs that threatened death fo fin 5 and thus, in confequence of the fame law, the Gentiles fmce Mofes have died univerfally. But the benefits of Chrift's obedience to death, are of equal extent with the miferies by Adam's fin introduced into the world, and therefore thofe among the Gentiles that are conform- ed to Chrift's rightcoufnefs, i. e. Gentile be- lievers, fliall be rcilored to life by Chrift. Between the entrance of death by Adam, and C403 ) and life by Chrift, the Law of Mojes was given, but by the breach of it, the condem- nation was aggravated 5 fo that the breakers of that pofitive law which was fuperaddcd to the law of nature, in contempt of its fanc- tions of life, and, death, (land in need of greater grace from Chrift, in order to their being accepted to life notwithftanding their aggravated offences. * In the vith chapter, the Apoftle anfwers an objeftion which might arile out of what he had before faid: but if the 2;race of God be more difcovered in pardoning fin, the greater it has been, fhould not we continue in fin, that grace may abound? The A- * In the 12th verfc the Apoftle is fhewing, that as by one man's fin death entred into the world, fo by one man's righte- oufnefs life alio entred. But as he defigned to fhevv not only the occalion oF the introdudlion of fin, but of its continuance in the world, VIZ.. by the perfbnal fins of men, about which there im- mediately arifes a difficulty how this could be, when from Adam to Mofes there was no Law threatning deaths before the Apoftle comes to Ihew, how Chrift's righteouliiefs and its effeds anfwer- ed to Adam's fin and its effcdls, he anfwers tihat difficulty, ver. 13, 14. At the end of the 14th verfe he afierts, thitAclmfn was a figure of Chrift. How he was fo he fliews, ver. 18. which therefore fiiould be conneded with 'uer. 14, all between being a parenthefis, in which he ftiews the difparity, before he comes to explain the parity between Adam, and Chrift. And then, ver, 19. he n^ews how Chrift by righteoufncfs brought in lite, as Ada-m by fin brought in death : 'This 1 9th verfe is therefore to be conned:ed with ver. 1 2, in this manner, wherefore as by- one man fin entred into the world, and death by fin, as thus, I fay, by one man's difobedience many were made finners, Co by the obedience of one fhall many be made righteous. All therefore from the middle of ver. 12. to ver. 19, is to be read in a paren- thefis, and then the Apoftle's whole Difcourfe is well conncded together, as the attentive reader will lee. pofile ( 404 ) poftle fhews the abfurdity of this inference, by rcprefenting tlie flatc of Chriftians as a ftate of conformity to Chrift, particularly to his death, and refurredion. Now Chrift having by his death, put off even the like- nefs to finful flcfli, muft be free from fin. *ver, 7. (compare i Tet. iv. 1,2.) and there- fore fo ought his difciples. Chrift has once by his death, paid the debt due as it were to the fins of men for which he died, and now he lives to the fervice of God, as we alfo fliould do. Sin fliall not now prevail over us to death, becaufe we are not under the rigo- rous difpenfation of the law, but the mild one of theGofpel 5 and this inftead of encouraging fin, fliould quicken us to greater degrees of holinefs. If we are conformed to Chrift's refurredion in rifing to a new life of holi- nefs, we fhall alfo in being raifed to a blifs- ful eternal life 5 whereas on the other hand, if we continue (as we did in Heathenifm) to obey fin as our mafter, we fliall receive his wages, 1;/;::;. *death. in the viith. chapter, the Apoftle addrefles to the Jewipj Chriftians in the Church of Rodney as he had in the former chapter to the Gentile, and fhews the obligations Chrifti- anity lays on the former, as well as the latter, to holinefs. He begins with this, 'viz, that they are now no longer under the law, but the gracious difpenfation of Chrift; the law c^q have dominion over theni no longer thari ( 40^ ) than that law lives, or is in force. The woman that is married is under a law to her husband, but not after the death of her husband, and fo the death, or the ceffation of the force and efficacy of the law (he was under to her husband. Now Chrift by his death, has united both Jews and Gentiles, and fo made the law of Mofes ccafe to be the law of God's kingdom. From being lubjed to the law of Mofes, we are now become fubjeft to the law of Chrift. We are now fubjeft to the law of Chrift, which conveys the Spirit to all tijat receive it, as the earneft of eternal life, and thus are encouraged and excited to greater degrees of holinefs than we are under the law, during our continuance under which lin prevailed, and by the prevalence of this, iho' it were but in one inftance, by reafon of the rigour of the law, we became fubjeft to death. Not that the law in its own nature had a tendency to promote fmj on the con- trary, the law not only fhews us plainly out- duty, and that in fome particular inftances, in which we fhould not otherwife eafily have difcovered it, but alfo adds a ftrong motive to the performance of it from its fanftions, 'viz. life, and death. It was a pofitive law of God, viz. that to Adam which fix'd death as the punifliment of fin, and the law of Mofes has fince revived on men's minds, the fenfe of that firft law. Had it ( 4°^ ) it not been for fuch a law, fin had not had its penalty of death fixed to it. When there- fore I confider my fclf as without the writ- ten law, I fee indeed my duty in many in- ftances, but neither hope for life as the re- ward of righteoufnefs, nor fear death as the punifhment of fin. When I come to the knowledge of a pofitive law threatening death to fin, I fee what I have deferred, and what I muft exped, but can have no relief from fuch a law, fince I have two principles within me, reafon, and appetite 5 and tho* rea- foh falls in with the didates of the law, yet appetite prevails,to the fubjcding me to death by the breach of the law, which tho' it were but in one inftance, makes me liable to its penalty. Not that death is a natural confe- quence of the law, which (hews me the way to life , but that death muft prevail thro' the prevalence of fin, or the prevalence of appetite over reafon. In the viiith chapter, the Apoftle fhews, how the grace or favour fhewn him thro' Chrift delivers him from death , viz. as Chrift fet a perfeft example of all holinefs in his own life, and by fubmitting to death, when by righteoufnefs he dcferved life, pro- cured a power of giving life to all, that are conformed to his righteoufnefs by faith. The earncft of this life is the Spirit which Chrift gives, which therefore by the hopes of foglorious an inheritance; quickens to the purfuit ( 407 ) purfuit of all virtue. The following there- fore the didi^atcs of the Spirit, makes us fub^ due the inclinations of the flefh; and we have great reafon rather to follow the dic- tates of the Spirit, than the flefli, fince the one leads to life, the other to death. We niufl indeed, even tho* \vc obey the didates of the Spirit, fuffer death as the common punifhment of fm; but then we fhall be raif- cd by that fame Spirit which raifed Chrift from the dead, to the participation of eter- nal life, as the reward of a conformity to Chrift's righteoufnefs. Thofe that have the Spirit of God have the badge of his children, i, e. of thofe that are heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift. The Spirit teftifies to all, even Gentile believers, that they are children of God, and fo enables them boldly to call him Father j and this fupports them under all affliftions, in hopes of the inheritance of children. Before we Gentiles were converted to Chriftianity, we groaned under the burdens of this mortal ftate, and tho' we had then no notion of that eternal life, that is now revealed to us, yet we longed after that ftate of perfeft happinefs, which can be on- ly had on our receiving immortal and in- corruptible bodies; and now that we have re- ceived the Spirit as the earneft of this in- heritance, we ftill groan under the fame burden, and long for the time, when wc ftiall be ( 4o8 ) be declared the children of God, by being the children of the rcfurrection! Thus the Spirit not only teftifies that we are children, and io enables us with chearful confidence to call God Father, but alfo (hews us what our inheritance is to be ; and thus, amidft all the troubles, and calamities of life, which make us unfit with clearnefs, and diftinft- nefs, to prefent our requefts before God, enables us to offer up, tho' with bitter groans, our defires of that inheritance which belongs to his children, with reafon- abie hopes of acceptance from God, and in the mean time, of his bleffing every afflidi- on to US; for the fitting us for the partici- pation of our inheritance. This we, believing Gentiles, have reafon to hope for, fmce we are by the Gofpel called, according to God's purpofe of call- ing the Gentiles, For whom he before chofe to be his people, he called by the Gofpelj and whom he called,thofe,upon their believ- ing, hejuftified; whom he juftified, he de- termines to glorify. Thus, God by all the methods of his Providence, appears to be on the fide of the Gentile believers, and what need they then value the oppofition of the Judaizers ? What God has already done for them, even whilfl: they were in the kingdom of Satan, may be a fuflScient fecurity for the fulfilment of all his promifcs made them, fince their reception of the Gofpel. I The ( 409 ) The Epiftic to the Galatians was writ to confirm the Churches, that had been planted in that country by St. Taiil, m the truth and purity of the Gofpel, in oppofiti- on to the corrupt mixtures of Judaifm, which were introduced among them by a Jewifh falfe Apoftle, who, the better to carry on his corrupt defigns, had given out, that St. P/2/// himfelf had taught the necef- fity of obfcrving the Law. Before therefore the Apoftle comes to treat of the main argument, he endeavours in the intire firft, and beginning of the fecond Chapter to remove that prejudice, by giving a particu- lar account of his condud, ever fince he was called to preach the Gofpel. He con- cludes that account with his conference with 7eter, and reproof of him, for avoiding free converfc with the Gentile Chrijlians for fear of xho^Jews. The argument which he ufed to convince Teter of the error of his conduft, very naturally introduces the main fubjeft the Apoftle had in view, which therefore with a great deal of art and dex- terity, he grafts upon it, chap, ii, ver. 15, &c. The Apoftle reafons after this manner ; it is very unreafonable, to expeft the Gen- tiles to comply with the Jewijh Law, in order to acceptance, with God, fince we who are Je^jus born, and fo under the Law, yet expcit acceptance with God, through faith ( 4IO ) faith, or fincerity, and not through the obe- dience to a pofitive Law, thrcatning death to the lead breach of it 5 for according to the tenor of fuch a Law, no man, i, e. no imper- fedly virtuous creature, can be accepted with God. If therefore, finding we could not have acceptance with God, according to the te- nor of fuch a Law, we have received the Gofpel of Chrift, which aflures us of ac- ceptance on our fincerity, how unreafona- ble is it to dcftroy all thofe hopes again, by adherence to the Law, which gives no hopes of eternal life to the imperfedly vir- tuous ; and thus, by joining two incompa- tible things, the Gofpel, and the Law, to fruf- trate our juft expcclations, as much as if Chrift, inftead of being the minifter of righ- teoufnefs and life, were the minifter of fm and death ? If men would but confider the nature of the Law itfelf, they would fee that even that leads us to expeft acceptance with God in another wayi and much, more if they would but attend to the defign of Chrift's death, through which he entred on his imiverfal kingdom, compofed of believ- ing Gentiles y as well as Jews, and fo of courfe vacated the ceremonial Law, which could not, in its own nature, be the Law of God's kingdom thus enlarged. This method fhews the grace of God,, and the reafon of Chrift's dying for us, for which there could z be ( 4'i ) be no rcafon at all, if \vc could be juftU fied according to the tenor of the Law ; fince we fhould then be intitled to life without death intervening, and fo needed no one to die for us. In the third Chapter the Apoftle purfucs the fame argument, (hewing them, that it was very unreafonable for them, to quit the method of expeding acceptance with God which the Gofpel revealed, for that which is laid down in the Law, fince they received, the Spirit, the earned of an eternal inhe- ritance, from a preacher of the Gofpel, and not of the Law, on their receiving not the Law, but the Gofpel ; fince all the miracles they faw him work among them, all the fupernatural knowledge and power they re- ceived on the laying on of his hands, were fo many evidences of the truth of that method of acceptance with God by faith, which he taught s fince faith was counted to Abraham for righteoufncfs, or God by his promife made himfelf as it were a deb- tor to Abraham^ to beftow on him the re^ ward of eternal life for faith, which was originally due only to righteoufncfs \ and thus, as God is not a partial Being, faith was counted to all others, as well as Abra- hanty for righteoufncfs. And this was parti- cularly declared, when God fct him forth as the pattern of bleffednefs to the whole world, that as he had been an extraordi- f f nary ( 411 ) nary inftance of faith, fo he might become the grand exemplar of that rewarcl,which the free Grace of God had now affixed to it. Thus the faithful, of whatever family or na- tion, are blefled in faithful Abraham, And let it not be thought, that the Jews have herein the preference given them to the Gen- tilesy viz. that they may receive the bleffing of Abraham another way, by the obfer- vance of the Law, fince according to the tenor of the Law, none can receive it but the perfedly virtuous, the Law of Mofes never promifing any more than temporal bleffings to (inter ityy and thus leaving 'all that are under it juft as it found them, viz. under the curfe of death, due to fin by virtue of the firft pofitive Law given to A- dam, from which curfe the y^iC'//& believers are delivered only by the death of Chrift^ as the Gentile believers alfo are. Both have finned, and for both Chrift died : and as in the manner of Chrift's death, which was the death afligned by the Roman Law ta flavcs, the defert of the Gentiles to be ex- cluded the inheritance of children was fhewn ; fo alfo the defert of the Jews to lye under the curfe of the Law, was repre- fcnted by his dying that death, which the Law pronounced accurfed. The Gentile believers then are upon the fame foot with the Jewijhy and through Chrirt may partake of the blciling of A- I braharn^ ( 4M ) hahanty vit. the Spirit, as the carncft of an eternal inheritance to all believers. And let not xhcjews think, that this covenant with Abraham which fecures a blefling to Gen- tile believers, can be fet afide by the Law. For the covenant with Abraham^zs ratified and eftablifhed, in which cafe even human covenants cannot be difannulled 5 the pro- mifes, viz. that in him all nations of the earth fhould beblefled, were made to Abra- hanii and his feed, (God doth not fay tcH izzdiSy as if he fpoke concerning many per- fons, but as fpcaking of one fmgle perfon, to thy ^^zdiy which though it may fignify more perfons than one, yet may alfo fig- nify but one fingle perfon) and this feed is the Meffiah 5 now this covenant thus con- firmed, tlie Law that vv^as four hundred and thirty years after cannot difannul, to make thepromife of none effed, as it muft be, if the biefiings were beftow^cd through the Law, for then it could not be of free grace. The Law then was annexed to the Abra- hamkk covenant to give men a fenfe of The defert of their fins, andfo prepare them for receiving the blcffings of the Abra- hamick covenant from the feed of Abra- ham when he fhould come. In all this I am far from detracting from the Law 5 it was a divine inftitution, given by Angels, and lodged with a mediator, viz» Mofes. Now a mediator fuppofes two parties tranf- a:£ting, the two parties here were God, and F f 2 the ( 4U ) the Ifraelites 5 will not there feem then a contradiftion between thefe two covenants of God, with all mankind through faithy and the Ifraelites through the Law? Yes, if they were of the fame nature, and de- figned for the fame purpofes. But this was not the cafe. For the Law was not given with a defign to beftow life, it never pro- mifing eternal bleflings to Jincerity j and as the Scripture declares all to be under fin, it remains, that the promifed bleffing is conferred on all through faith in Chrift Jefus, the feed of Abraham, Before then the dodrinc of faith was revealed by Chrift, we were ihut up as fo many criminals in prifon, in hopes of a deliverance from death only by him ; we were trained up by the Law as our School- mafter, for the recepti- on of the higher inftitution of Chrift j tho' we had a right and title by virtue of the Abrahamick covenant, yet like children in nonage, we were treated like flaves, being debarred the pofleflion of our inheritance 5 but now by faith in Chrift, we are mani- fefted and declared, we arc treated and dealt with as the children of God 5 by faith which we profefs at Baptifm, we are intitled to the privileges Chrift has procured, who was Abrahams feed, and therefore we arc bleflcd in him. Before Chrift came, we were in the ftate of bondage, debarred from our inheritance Chap. iv. 3> &C' being fub- jed to the Law, which could only intitle us ( 4^5 ) US to the bicllingsof an earthly inheritance, and the ceremonies of wliich were but Co many Rudiments, and Elements defigned to train us up for an higher inftitutionj but now that the time is come for our being manifefted to be the fons of God, God has fent forth his Son, madeof a woman, made under the Law, to redeem thofe that were under the Law from that death which the Law could not fet them free from, that they might have the treatment of fons, by be- ing put into poffeffion of the inheritance : And thus, you Gentile believers alfo are now manifefted to be the fons of God, by receiv- ing the Spirit of God in common with Jewijh believers, as the earneft of your inheritance. You both, viz, Jewifh and Gen- tile believers, were formerly in the ftate of flaves, /. e, of thofe that are debarred of God s inheritance, the one by fubje^tion to Idol Gods, the other to the ceremonial Law j you Gentiles were in bondage the former way ; indeed this muft be faid in excufe for your fin and folly, that you continued thus thro' ignorance of the true God j how unreafon- able then is it, after you are brought to the knowledge of this true God, and are made acquainted with his will, particularly this part of it, viz. that God has defigned an eternal inheritance for <^// believers, to turn back, and put yourfelves into another fort of bondage, viz>, to the ceremonial Law of Mofes? ~ F f 3 "" ^ The ( 4iO The Epiftlc to the Hebrews was written^ with a defign to confirm the Jewifh Chri- fiians inhabiting Jtidea in their fteady ad- herence to the Gofpei, in the midft of all the perfecutions they met with from their unbelieving countrymen ; to which purpofe the Apoftle fhews the prehemincncc of the Gofpei above the Law. And for the proof of this, in the firft Chapter he infifts on the fupe- rior excellency of Chrift, by whom the Go- fpei, to the Angels, by whom the Law, was delivered. Chrift was abfolutely, and by way of eminence and diftindion the Son of God, appointed (after his refurreftion) the Heir and Lord of all, and this was a truft fuitcd to the dignity of his nature, by whom God made the worlds, who was the bright- nefs of his,God's, glory, and the exprefsimage of his Perfon, and upheld all things by the word of his power. Thus, at his refurredli- on he was advanced as much above the Angels, as the charaders given him in the Old Teftament, are fuperior to thofe given the Angels. To no one of the Angels did God ever addrefs himfelf in fuch language as he does to Chrift, thou art my Son, (abfolutely and by way of eminence, as re- fembling me in tiniverjal dominion, Vfal. ii. 8. which no Angel, or mere man does) this day have I begotten thee; and again, I will be to him a Father, and he fliali be to me a Son, (refembling me in perpetual ' dominion. ( 4»7 ) dominion, which no Angel, or mere man docs) 2 Sam. vii. 13, 14. When the Mcffiah is reprefcntcd by the Pfalmift, {TJal. xcvii.) in the glories of his kingdom (which began at his rcfurredion) the Angels are delcribed as worfhipping him by the appointment of God j but when the Angels are delcribed, they are reprelented as minifters of God, compared to winds, and flames of fire, for their Iwift- nefs and rapidity when they executed the divine will ; but to the Son, fuch language is ufed as this j thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, a fcepter of righteoufnefs, is the fcepter of thy kingdom : Thou haft loved righteoufnefs,and hated iniquity, there- fore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladnefs above thy fellows 5 (above all thy fellow-powers whether in hea- ven, or earth) and thou, Lord, in the be- ginning, haft Jaid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands, (thou haft fettled all the powers and dominions whether in heaven, or in earth) they fhall perifh, (all other powers, even the heavenly ones, fliall be abolifhcd) but thou remaineft, or flialt remain, (thy power fhall continue.) To Chrift, God fays, fit at my right-hand, till all thine enemies be made thy footfiool-, which was never faid to any of the Angels, who are ^//now made minifters to Chrift s F f 4 kingdom. Itingdom, which confifts in part of thofe ve- ry Gentiles^ over whom before, the Angels had dominion and authority. The Angels had for a time dominion in this world, (this earth where we at prefent are,) but no dominion in heaven, (the world where we are hereafter to be,) as Chrift had after his afcenfion to heaven, and fitting down at God's right-hand, Ch. ii. 5, Com. Chap. i. 6, 13. fee Crellius on Heb. ii. 5. But now this world to come God hath put in fubjedion to Chrift, after he had for a little while been made lower than the Angels, by taking mortal flefii, accord- ing to theteftimony of the Pfalmift, in the viiith Pfalm, What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the fon of man that thou wfitefi him ? Thou madeft him for a little isjhile lower than the Angels -, thou crownedjl him with glory and honour y and didft fet him over the works of thine hands 5 thou haft pit all things in fubjeBion under him. This implies, that nothing is to be left that is not put under man, but this we do not fee yet fulfilled 5 only thus much we fee, as an earncft and pledge of the reft, Jefus who was for a little while made lower than the Angels by being fubjed to death, (which the Angels are not) crowned with glory and honour, that io having tafted Azzxhfor ali believersy whether Jews, or GentileSy he might fave them all. And whatever i\\^Jews through ( 4^9 ) thtough their corrupt notions of the Mef- fiah, as a temporal Saviour of Ifrael only, may vainly think, this was a wife dcfign of Providence 5 fince it became the fupreme Governor of the world, in bringing many fons (the multitude of his fons, or the whole number of his fons, believing Gen- tiles, as well as Jews) to glory, to make the Captain, the Prince and Leader of their falvation perfeft, to confecrate him to his Priefthood, by fufFerings, (by that facrifice of himfelf, which he offered up to confe- crate him to his eternal Priefthood in the heavens, as the Aaronical Priefts were con- fecrated to their Priefthood here on earth by facrificesi) for both Chrift who clean- fes believers from guilt by his facrifice, and all believers, whether Gentiles^ or Jews^ that are cleanfed by his facrifice, are of one Father, viz. God, for which caufe he is not afhamed to call them Brethren, fay- ing, I will declare thy name unto my Bre- thren ; and that by Chrift's Brethren, are not only meant thofe that are of the fameftock of Ifrael y^'ith him, is plain, becaufe as he is reprefented like an obedient Son placing his confidence in God, fohe does not difdainto call all thofe that like him put their truft in God, his children, /. e. imitators of him, or his difciples that have learnt divine in- ftrudions from him, Jfa. viii. 16, 17, 18. * As ( 4^o ) * As he then was manifefled to be a Son of God by a child-like truft in God, fo are they alfo by a like truft in God fhcwn to be his children j as then the children were partakers of flelh and blood, he alfo him- felf took part of the fame, that through death, he might deftroy him that had the power of death, /. e. the devil, and deliver them, (particularly from among the Gen- tileSy Rom. viii. 15. Eph, ii. 12. i Thef. iv. 13.) who through fear of death, (with- out any hope of a reftoration to life) were all their life-time fubjed to bondage j for verily he takethnot hold of Angels, (tofave them) but the (zed of Abraham, i. c. be- lievers like Abrahamy from among men. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to * A Son of God is one, who is like the great Governor ofths world in dominion and authority, Chrift is the Son of God, and heir of all things j he was begotten again by his refurreflion, to an eternal inheritance ; through him, we pofTefs our inheri- tance 5 as death entred by fin, fo life enters by righteoufnefs, by the obedience of Jefus to death, who was perfedly righteous , we arc conformed to the image of Chrift's blefied life (and thus partake of the reward firft promifed by God to obedient man- kind) by a conformity to him in righteoufnefs; lee Kom. v. throughout. And therefore as it is by Chrift we obtain our in- heritance, we are often called his feed, his children, ^c. but as we are put in polleflion of our inheritance by Chrift, fo we have the immediate right and title to it through Abraham^ by means of the promife of life firft exprcfly made to his faith, and thus to that of all the faithful, and therefore we are called alfo the feed of Abrah/im ; fee Rom. iv. and Gal. iii. throughout. And both as the feed of Abraham, and the Meffiah, we are Chil- dren, and Heirs of God. According to this, which feems to me the plain Scriptural Account, Chrift cannot be reprefented as the fpiritual feed of Abraham, as other believers are. be ( 4*' ) be made like to his Brethren, (/. e, believ- ers, by their faith fhewing their relation to God as their Father, in like manner as he did) that he might be a merciful, and faithful High-Prieft in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the fins of the people; for in every particular, in which he hath fufFcred being tempted^ he is fit to be a fuccourer of thofe that are tempted. In the third chapter, the Apoftle com- pares the Apoftle, and High-Priefl of our profeffion, Chrift Jefus, with Mofes, They both were appointed by God to their refpec- tive offices, and were both faithful in the difcharge of them 5 but notwithftanding that, Chrifl has by far the preference to Mofes. The church is God's houfe. Now Jufl as in any houfe, or family, the mafler hath the moft honour, and the nearer relation any others in the family bear to him, the more honour they have, and therefore a fon has more than a fervant $ fo Chrift who is a Son, fet over God's houfe, muft have more honour than Mofes^ who was but a fervant, and whofe doftrine and inftitu- tion was defigned to prepare men for tj;ic moft perfeft difpenfation by Chrift. From hence, the Apoftle takes occafion tq warn them of the danger of rejeding the mei^ fage brought by the Son of God, fince it was (o dangerous for the Ifraelites to re- ( 4^^ ) )cd: the meffage brought by Mofes, that was but a fcrvant in God's family. This argument he farther purfues in the beginning of the fourth chapter. As there was the good news of a reft, viz, in Ca- naariy propofed to the Ifraelites, for their contempt of which that generation was overthrown in the wildernefs, fo there is a farther reft that is ftill promifed us. Let none of the Jewifh nation think, that they are already pofleft of this reft, becaufc they obferve the reft of the fabbath, or becaufe they are entred into Canaan, the land of reft 5 for after the pofteflion of both thefe refts, the Pfalmift fpeaks of another reft beyond them, exhorting the men of his age not to harden their hearts, from the con- fidcration of the reft propofed to them which they would thereby forfeit. And if the defpifmg the temporal reft propofed by Mofes, that was but a fervant in God's houfe, was fo dangerous to the Ifraelites, how much more dangerous will be our contempt of the eternal reft promifed us by him, who is the Word of God, the grand agent by which he executes, as well as reveals his will, who lives for ever, and has perfed knowledge and power, to enable him fully to punifti the contempt of his meflage ? This defcription of Chrift wr. 12, 13. naturally brings the Apoftle back to the argument he was before upon Chap. ii. 17, 18, 'viz, the ( 4^3 ) tfac Priefthood of Chrift, from whence he had made a digreflion, which lafts from the beginning of tlie third cliapter, to ver. 14, of the fourth : from this fourteenth verfe to the end of the chapter, the Apoftle ex- horts to a ftedfaft adherence to the Gofpcl, from the confideration of Chrift's being confticuted our High-Prieft in the lieavens, through whom all blcffings are conveyed to us, and we have free accefs to God. In the vth chapter, the Apoftle confiders the nature of the High-Priefts under the Law, and (hews that Chrift has all the charaders, that are neceffary to conftitute an High-Prieft. An High-Prieft was taken from among men, and ordained for men in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and facrifices for fins; he was fuch an one as could have companion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way, for that he him- felf is compaffed with infirmity, by reafon whereof he ought, as for the people, fo alfa for himfelf, to offer for fins 5 and laftly, he was one that was to be particularly ap- pointed to this office by God. The Apoftle begins with the laft charader, and fhews that this agrees to Chrift, fince he did not claim the honour of an eternal Priefthood, or of being the Mediator between God and man, through whom blcffings are conveyed from God to us, and our fervices are ac- cepted with God, till he was appointed to this ( 4M ) this office at his refurredion, ver. 5, 6. He next fiiews, that the charafter which he had mentioned ju ft before this laft agrees to him. For though he had no fin, yet he bore the punilhment of our fin, ^7^. death, and juft before he fuffered, {Mat, xxvii. 46> 50. Lukexxiii, 46.) offered to God, the facrifice of carneft prayer, with ftrong crying and tears, that he miglit be deliver- ed from death, (as accordingly he was by a glorious refurreftion,) and thus by fufFer- ing he learnt the difficulty of obedience, and fo is fitted to compafiionate, and help frail men, ver^jy 8. comp. 'uer, 2, 3. And laftly, he anfwers the firft charader the A- poftle had laid down, ver, i. fince being confecrated to his eternal Priefthood, he is become the author, (not of annual re- demption as the High-Priefts under the Law, by their yearly expiation) but of eternal falvation to all that believe ver, 9. And thus, as in fome refpeds he refembles, fo in others he far exceeds the Aaronical High- Priefts I and therefore, njer, 10. he is re- pre Tented as fpoken to by God {viz, Pfal. cx.;i as an High-Prieft after the order of Melchizedec. "^ How ^ All that follows, from njer. 1 1 . to the end of the next chapter, is to be included in a Parenthefis, as the late mofl learned Commentator on the Hebrews has obferved. And as what the Apollle there has is wholly of a pradical na ure, I fhall wave the confideration of it, efpecially fmce I have nothing to add to what that excellent Author has faid. Only in confir- mation ( 4M ) How he is fo, the Apoftle largely fliews^^ Chap. vii. i— — 4. And from hence he in- fers the prcheminence of Chrift above the Levittcal Priefts, fince being a Prieft after the order of MelchizedeCy he is fuperior even to Abraham himfelf, the father and head of them, who can on no account pretend to any fuperiority to him, *ver. 4 II. From hence he farther infers the imper- fedion of the Levittcal Priefthood, and fo of the Law which related to it, and thus, the expedience of that Priefthood and that Law giving way to another more perfe£t one, ver, 11, 12. That there was to be another Priefthood befides the Aaronical he farther proves from hence, that the Mefliah {who was to be of the tribe of Judah) was to be a Prieft, and mationot his interpretation of the Principles of the Doflrine of Chrift, I would obferve, that the more fublime doctrine relating to Melchiaedecy which the Apoftle fays, the raw uninftrudled perfons among them would not eafily take in, is a dodlrine of the Old Teftament, and therefore fo alfo muft the principles he ipeaks of be. Repentance and faith are dotlrincs of the Old Teftament, and on thele foundations, Chriftianity only adds, the fuperftrudlure of thedodrine of the Mediator, which makes thefe duties refpeft him ; the legal purifications by waftiings, and facrifices, are perfefted as to their defign by the purity, of which the Chriftian Baptifm was a Symbol, and by the redemp- tion procured by the facrifice of Chrift ; the refurreftion of the dead, and eternal judgment (or a judgment, the confcguences oF which are eternal life, or death, m the fame fenfeas the Apoftle elfewhere fpeaks of eternal redemption) are the motives in the Old Teftament to repentance, and faith, but more clear!/, and fully explained in the New, he ( 4^6 ) he was to be not a mortal Prieft, as the Aaronical Priefts, who were conftituted Priefts by a Law which fettled the fuccef- Hon of mortal Priefts, but a Prieft jor ever 5 and a Prieft, that was the furety of a better Covenant than the Aaronical Priefts were, as his Priefthood was more firm and ftabie than theirs, being eftablilhed by the Oath of God. The Aaronical Priefts were many, becaufe they died and were fucceeded by others, but Chrift lives for ever, and thus has a Prieft- hood which does not pafs from him to any other i and thus is always able to fave thofe that come to God by him, feeing he ever lives to make inter ceflion for them j and thus is better fitted to anfwer our neceflities than the Aaronical Priefts, who needed continu- ally to renew their facrifices for themfelves, who were ever contrafting frefli pollution, and for the people, whofe fms were not fully purged by their facrifices. But Chrift offered one facrifice for fins, and from henceforward is advanced to the higheft heaven, removed from converfe with men by which he might contrad legal pol- lutions, and being the Son of God is confe- crated a Prieft for ever by his Oath $ where- as the Aaronical Priefts appointed by the Law, were mere meriy fubjed to difeafes, and death as well as others. The chief then continues the Apoftle ia the ( 4^7 ) the viiith chapter, of what we have faid is this, we have an High-Prieft, that is im- powcred to beftow all bleflings on us, be- ing advanced to the right hand of God's throne in the heavens, a miniftcr in heaven the moft perfed fanduary, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every High-Prieft is ordered to offer gifts and facrifices in fome tabernacle or other; but Chrift could not offer his in the tabernacle on earth, for in that the Aaronical Priefls miniftered ac- cording to the Law, who ferve in that ta- bernacle, which is but a copy of the heaven- ly one the original, a fhadow of that as the body, as Mofes was ordered to make his tabernacle according to the platform fhewn him in the mount (and even that platform, according to which the tabernacle in which the Aaronical Priefts oiRciated was made, was but a copy of the heavenly one in which Chrift officiates, t;. 5. com. chap. ix. 23, 24.) Chrift's miniftry then is more excellent than that of the Aaronical Prieftsj and no wonder, fince he is the Mediator of a better covenant, eftablifhcd on better promifcs, viz>, of eter- nal, inftcad of temporal bleflings. It is plain there muft be a defefl: in the firft covenant, becaufe God takes notice of that defeft, and therefore appoints a fecond covenant which fhall fupply it 5 particular- ly the firft covenant was defedive in not ^lom^m^eternal Jorpvencpy and the illumi- G g nating ( 4i8 ) natin^ gifts of God's Spirit, and therefore care is taken in the new covenant, that thefe dcfefts fhall be fupplied by the cleareft pro- mifes of fuch blefllngs -, this is called a new covenant, which implies that that muft wax old and decay. Jn the ixth chapter the Apoftle compares the two tabernacles, the earthly and heaven- ly, and the miniftry performed in each of them. The firft tabernacle had ordinances of di- vine fervice, and a worldly or earthly fanc- tuary to perform them in. For the taber- nacle was made in fuch a form as to confift of two parts; the firft, wherein the com- mon Priefts entered to officiate 5 the fecond within a veil that parted it from the other, whereinto the High-Prieft alone entered yearly, to make atonement for the people. And thus it was made evident,that the way into the Holieft (the place of God's prefence) was not yet manifeftcd, whilft this frame of the firft tabernacle continued; and there is the fame rcprefentation now made in the Temple fervices. For there is now a part of the Temple, as formerly of the tabernacle, wherein the Priefts offer gifts and facrifices, whieh can't fully cleanfe from moral guilt the worfhipper under that difpenlation, who worfhips God with meat and drink offerings and diverfe waftiings, which are carnal ordi- nances laid on the Jews 'till the time of re- formation. But ( 4^9 ) Eut Chrifl; being come to the Holy of Ho- lies, an High-Pric(L of good tilings to come, (and not of temporal bleflings) entered once for all mto it, througli a greater and more perfed tabernacle than that which the Jewijh High Prieft paffcd through, viz>. his fiefh, which was not of an human or earth- ly Orudure; and not by the blood of goats and calves, but his own blood, having ob- tained not an annual, but an eternal redemp- tion for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the afhes of an heifer, fprinkling the unclean, purifies them from ceremonial uncleannefs, and fits them for arcadmilliou into the worldly fanduary 5 how much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who is not a mor- tal man as the Aaronical High Pricfts were, but thro* the eternal Spirit offered himfelf v/ithout fpot to God, purge our confciencc from the guilt of fuch crimes as expofe to death, that we might be fitted to ferve the living God, and fo have the wages of his faithful fervants, viz. eternal life? And for this purpofe, he is the Mediator of a new covenant, that by the intervention of death, (which procured the bleflings of the old co- venant) for the obtaining the forgivenefs of fins committed under the old covenant, (which that could not procure) they which are called might receive the promife not of a temporal inheritance in Canaan^ but an eternal one in the heavens j for it G g 2 has ( 43° ) has been all along God's method in his co- venant tranfaclions with his people, to rati- fy his covenant with blood, to keep alive oi their minds the fcnfe of death's being the wages of fin, and in this God alfo accom- modated himfelf to the antient pradices in the eaftern countries, of making covenants. Where a covenant then is, there muft be the death of the pacifier, of that thing or per- fon by whofe means the covenant is made. For a covenant has its force or efficacy,on the condition of death, but whilft he lives, he, the pacifier by whofe means the covenant is made, has no power to confer the blef- fings of the covenant on anyj and thus therefore the firft covenant was eftabliflied by blood i and the fanduary and all the veflels of fervice were cleanfed, and fitted for ufe, by blood, and under the law, the ceremonial and political forgivenefs which it gave men, was that way obtained. In conformity to this method, as there was then no admiflion into the worldly fanduary, which was but a copy of the hea- venly one, but by the facrificcs of beafts ap- pointed by the law; fo the admiflion into the heavenly fanduary is procured by abet- ter facrifice. For Chrift is not entered into the fanduary made v/ith hands, which was formed after the plan or model of the moft perfed fanduary in the heavens, but into that heavenly fanduary icfelf, now to ap- pear ( 43^ ) pear in the prefcncc of God for us, as the pcrfon that mediates between God and us, and procures bleffings for us from God, as the High-Prieft under the Law did for the Jews, but with this difference; the High- Prieft, as he every year renewed his facrifice,^ fo he entered every year into the Holieft, to appear before God in behalf of the peoplet But now as Chrift by his one facrifice has for ever put away fin, fo he enters but once into heaven to appear before God for us, with his facrifice ; and as it is appointed to men once to die, (in confequence of fin) and after this the judgment, (by which all (hall be adjudged to eternal life, or death,) fo Chrift was once offered to bear the fins of many, (by procuring life for ail believers) and to them that look for him, fhall he ap- pear the fecondtime without a fin- offering, to their falvation (from death.) Chap. X. begin. The Law then had the fhadow of thefe good things to come, /. e. of eternal redemption, leading to the reafon- able expeftation of them fome other way; as the fhadow (hews there is a luminous body, (for if there were no light there could be no (hade) but does not reprefent like an image of the luminous body, on the contrary, (as (hade is the very reverfc of light) it niews thefe goods things to come to be unattainable by any methods that pro- pofes. And this was fignified in a very G g 3 lively ( 43V) JiVely manner, by the yearly renewal of the legal facrifices which the High-Pricft offer- ed to God 5 for if thefc facrifices had been fo acceptable with God as to cleanfe from moral gtiilty there had been no room for the renewal of them 5 for God having once offered forgivenfs of fins to the penitent, on the confideration (which muft then be fuppofed a valuable one) of fuch facrifices, perfons fo qualified^ muft for ever^ in vir- tue of thefe facrifices (whofe value continues the fame) have a right to thepromifed blef- iings. If they had procured the forgivcnefs of fin, they muft have taken away the obnoxi- oufnefs to the funijhment of fm, /". e, to deatby i. e. have recovered our title to eter- nal life, and having once recovered this title for the penitenty muft for ever have con- firmed it to them. The yearly renewal of them therefore plainly fhcwed, that they were not defigned to procure eternaU but only temporal re- demption j that is to fay, that whereas eve- ry breach of the Law expofed to death, a violent death threatened in the Law, and to be infliiled by proper minifters on the contemners of the Law, by means of the facrifices appointed by the Law, particular- ly thofe that were offered once a year by the High-Prieft, on the great day of atone- ment, perfons were fecured from iuch vio- I lent ( 433 ) lent death, and admitted into the worldly fanftuary s hut ftill they were liable to death and the perpetual continuance under it, as the wages of fin, (for which therefore there was no forgivenefs provided by the Law) and fo the Law did not reprefent the attain- ablenefs of good things to come, /. e. of eternal life, the reward originally due to righteoufnefs. From the 5 th verfe, the Apoftle confirms this reafoning of his concerning the infuf- ficiency of the Law, from the Old Tefta- ment. The Meffiah is reprefented in the xlth Tfalm, as declaring the infufficiency of the legal facrifices to take away fin, and on that account God's preparing him a body, which in obedience to the will of God, he was to offer up as a facrifice for fin. He farther fliews, that by the Prophet Jeremiah God promifes to make a new co- venant with the Ifraelttes in the latter days, which Ihould differ from the former in two material points, one, that it was not to be writ on tables of ftone, but on the flefhly tables of their heart, by means of the illumi- nating gifts of the Holy Ghofl to be pour- ed out in common on the Church, which would caufc a vaft increafe of fpiritual knowledge among them 5 the other, that it was to propofe to men not partial and tern- poraly but plenary and eternal forgivenefs of G g 4. In ( 434 ) In the remainder of the chapter, the A- poftle makes the pradical ufe of the doc- trine of Chrift's Priefthood, and particular- ly, from thence encourages them to adhere ftedfaftly to his religion amidft the perfecu- tions they met with. The principle that muft fupport them in this conduft is faith, /. e, according to his de- fcription of it chap. xi. i. the confidence of things at a diftance, and fo the objed on- ly of hope, and the convidion of things not fcen. This is the principle of all great aftions that are performed in the world, whether civtU or religious. The A- poftle is not careful to diftinguifii thefe, but mixes them together, either of them ferving equally to his main purpofe, viz, to fhew the force and efficacy of fuch a faith as he had defcribed, which when im- ployed on thofe future fpiritual bleflings, their great High-Pricft had procured for them, would make them go through the difficulties of adherence to Chrift in their prefenc circumftanccs : As it had fuch virtue, as to procure a favourable regard to Abel's facrificc from God, .diicovered in a very diftinguifhing manner, ver, 4. As it procured for Enoch the peculiar privilege of a tranQation to heaven, after an extra- ordinary teHimony born him, that hepleaP- ed God, ver. 5, 6. As it put Noah on the methods of avoiding the threatened wrath of of (jod to come upon the world, n)eT, 7^ and procured the diftinguiniing favour of God to him : As it difpofed Abraham to leave a prcfent fettlcment in his own land, in hopes of a future fettlement fome- where clfe, ver, 8. from the hopes of which he was not driven, tho' he was fo long a ftranger in the land that was promifed him, ver 9, As it gave Sarah ftrength to bear feed in her old age, contrary to the common courfc of nature, and gave her the blefling of a moft numerous pofterity, ver, 12. As it difpofed all the Patriarchs to a conftant obe- dience in the midft of great difficulties, tho* they were all their life time ftrangers in the land of promife 'ver, 13 17. As it difpofed Abraham to offer up Ifaac^ the fon of the promife, ^er, 17 ^ 18, 19. A.S it difpofed good men that had a prophe- tick fpirit, to foretel future events ver. 20, 21, 22. (allprophetick gifts being beftow- ed according to the meafure of faith Rom. xii. 3.) As it difpofed Mofes's parents to hide him in hopes of his living to be a blet* fing to God's people, ver, 23. As it dif- pofed Mofes to exchange the pleafures and honours of Tharaoh*s court, for a fellow- fhip of the fufrerings of God's people, njer, 24. 25, 26. As it difpofed him to leave (iyEgypty not fearing the wrath of the King, but induring as feeing him that is invifiblc, V. 27. and to appoint the Paflbver in token of of the tfraelites prcfcrvation from the dc- ftroying Angel, njer, 28. As it made the tfraelites pafs thro* the Red Sea^ ver. 29. and t6 caufe the walls oi Jericho to fall, n)er, 30. miraculous powers as well as prophe- tick gifts being beftowed according to the meafures of faith, fee Mat* xvii. 20. i Cor. xiii. 2. As it difpofed Rahab to harbour the fpies which were the means of her preferva- tion ^uer. 31. As it infpired fome (through hopes of vidlory) with courage to fubdue kingdomsi others (thro* hope of the re- ward) to go thro* the difficulties in the way of righteoufnefsj obtained for others the bleflings God had promifed them 5 for others miraculous deliverances; and to come quite up to the prefent cafe, made others, thro* hope of a future refurredion, fuffer the mod tormenting death for their religion,x7^r. 32 — 39. The Apoftle concludes his difcourfe on faith with this confideration, *viz. that the Chriftians he writes to, had one advan- tage above all thofe that were mentioned in the foregoing lift as animated by faith to the pra£lice of virtue, particularly above the Patriarchs, ver. 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16. viz. that Chrift is now come, the great promifed bleffing ihey were not to fee the accomplifhment of, but which was referved for our times, that they without us might not ( 437 ) not be made perfeft, 'ver. 19^ 40^ compare I ^et. i. 12, 13. Therefore we may be now animated to perfift in the courfe of virtue, from the example of his fufFerings, and the view of the glorious reward of them, which he took poffeflion of for him- felf, and has fecured us a title to, chap, xii. I, 2, 3. The Conclusion. The fum of all is this, natural reafon fur- nifhes us with the knowledge of thofe prin- ciples, that lead to virtue and happinefs— — A revelation from God to aid thefe princi- ples, is a natural and reafonable expedati- on — - Natural reafon (hews what kind of revelation is to be expe£ied, and how atteft- cd — Chriftianity appears to be juft fuch a one, fupplying a fit mean for the promot- ing the great end of natural religion, and together with the former revelations, on which it pretends to be built, forming one complete defign worthy of God, and benefi- cial to man. There is but one difficulty that 1 can think of, that yet remains, and I will endeavour here to remove it. It is this. It may be faid, that in order to account for a phenomenon of nature, it is not enough to point at a fufficient caufe of an efFeft, when there are other caufes in nature as likely to produce it as that, Thus in the prefent (4tn prefent cafe, a revelation like the Chriftian, attefted in the manner that is, may come from God > but then it may alfo be the cfFed of fome fuperior fpirit, making an imprefllon on the minds of a number of men, which they cannot diftinguilh from a divine revelation. It will be eafily feen, that in this argu- ment, it is taken for granted, that created fpirits, fuperior to us, aft in our world at their own difcretion. If then I can prove that they are under fuch a Law, as that they cannot aCl: in our world, without the par- ticular direEiion^ or permijjion of the (upreme Governor, the whole ground-work of the objection is remov'd. For the proof there- fore of this propofition, I would obferve, r. That if there be not fuch a Law, there can be no fuch thing as what we call the Laws of nature, or the Order of Na- ture. A njariety of imperfectly wife be* ings, continually interpofing in the man* ner fuppofed in the objedion, would caufe the utmoft diforder and confiifion, and be perfedly inconfilknt with the wife and fteady government of the great Author of all things. There is a conftant uniform ap- pearance in the natural world. There are certain Laws, the effeds of which may be pre- dided. When our organs of fcnfc are found, the medium, diftance, &c. the fame, there are the fame fenfible appearances to the fame man ( 439 ) man at different times, and to all men at the fame time. 2. In the moral world, whatever influ- ence fupcrior fpirits have on our minds, by means of their continual afting on matter, yet we find in ourfelves no immediate impreffions from any fuperior intelligent beings. Our own thoughts and reafonings detcrmin us to adion, and thole thoughts are occajioned by natural means, that is, by external circumftances, the aftions of other men, &c, 3. What we call improperly the aftivc forces or powers of matter, may be owing to the continual aftion of fome fuperior fpirits under divine direElion, 4. When I fee in the government of the moral world juft fuch an appearance of things, as would be the effeft of the inter- pofition of a fuperior good fpirit under di- vine direBiony I have reafon to conclude fuch direction. 5. Such a cafe will be, when a credible perfon pretends a revelation from God, and the revelation is worthy ofGody vouch- ed by works fuperior to the power of many and not contradided by one appearing to aft by a greater power. 6. When I fee an interpofition of a fu- perior fpirit in oppofition to a pretended revelation of one that ads by a greater power, or in order to advance a doEirine I unworthy ( 440 ) f^nworthy of God, then I have rcafon to conclude, that here is a particular permif fion to other fpirits for wife reafons j as the exercife of men's diligence in inquiry, the trying their love to truth and virtue, the fhewing men the neceffity of improving their notions of natural religion, the mak- ing a vifible diftinftion between the lovers of virtue and vice, and laftly, the punifh- ment of thofe latter, by bringing them into calamities, the juft delerts of that vi- cious temper, which difpofed them to re- ceive error, when they had a criterion to difcover truth. 7. From hence we may fee the reafon, why though it be fit, that men (hould not be hindred from deceiving one another ; yet the fame cannot be concluded con- cerning ftiperior fpirits being fufFered to deceive us, when there is no way left us from the 'nature of the doftrine delivered, or the works wrought, compared with thofe wrought in oppofition to them, of detec- ing the cheat. Human deceptions are the confcquence of free beings exerting their natural powers amongft other free beings, with whom they are linkd in fociety^ agree- ably to the general law, by which God go- *verns rational free beings. Angelical de- ceptions, as above ftated, would be the con- fcquence of free beings exerting their na- tural powers amongft other free beings , not inhabi- ( 441 ) inhabitants, of the fame worlds nor linke4 in focietj with them^ contrary to the gene- ral Law, by which God governs rational free beings. FINIS. BOOKS Publijhed by the fame A Ur HO R. A Review of the Contrpverfy between the Author of a Difcourfe of the Grounds andjRealons of the Chriftian Re- ligion, and his Adverfaries. In a Letter to that Author. The bivinity of Chriflr proved from Ho ly Scripture: In a Sermon preached at a Morning Lefture at Exon, before a Society of Young Perfons. Publiflied at their Re- queft. Printed for John Clark and Richard Hett, at the Bible and Crown in the Poultry, near Cheapfide i and Richard f ORD, at the Angel in the Poultry, near Stocks-Market. At which Places are deliver'd Propofals for Printing by.Subfcription, the Hiftory of England duri^ng the Reigns of the Royal Houfe of STUART. By the Author of the Critical Hifto/y of Eng- land. Price one Guinea in Quires 5 half a Guinea down, and the other* half on the pelirvery of it. /^ / 7^r <-' ? i^r^iM'iiii'fri