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SCC 10,768 v. 1 Watson, Richard A Collection of theololgical tracts, in six volumes
A ^ ^ . ^~ ~ j
COLLECTION
o F
M A
THEOLOGICAL TRACTS,
IN SIX VOLUMES.
By RICHARD WATSON, D.D. F.R.S. Lord Bishop of Landaff,
AND
Regius Professor of Divinity hi /fo University of Cambridge.
SECOND EDITION.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
Printed for T. Evans In the Strand, and in the Great Market, Bury St.
Edmund's ; J. and J.Merrill, Cambridge ; J. Fletcher, and Prince and
Cooke, Oxford ; P. Hill, Edinburgh; and W. M'Kenzie, Dublin.
M.DCC.XCli
TO THE
U E E N.
MADAM,
NO original work of mine could poflibly have been fo deferving of Your Majefty's attention, as this Collection of other men's labours undoubtedly is. Our Infancy is indebted to that Sex of which Your Majefly is the higheft Ornament, for the firft principles of Religious Education -, and as one of the naain objects of Vol. L a this
DEDICATION.
this publication is — the preferving Youth from Infide- lity— I cannot do the Public a greater fervice than by requeuing Your Majefty to give it your protection.
The interefls of civil Society require that we fhould pay deference to perfons of Rank, even though they hap- pen not to be perfons of Merit. But this is a limited and conftrained deference -, it is paid with reluctance -, and is both in kind and extent wholly unlike that which all good Citizens are ambitious of mewing to Your Majefly. My character has hitherto, I truft, never been efreemed that of a Flatterer ; nor do I fear the imputa- tion of it, in faying, That to Your Majefty's Rank alone I would not have <>iven even this mark, worthlefs as it may feem, of my Veneration and Refpect.
I verily believe Your Majefly to be one of the beft Wives, and one of the befl Mothers, in England. The Time is approaching, — diftant may it be! when the re- collection of the example which You have fhewn to Women of every .Rank, in thefe great points of female Duty (the greateft en which Women of the higheft Rank ought to build their worth of character), will give Your Majefly far more comfort than I can poffibly de-* fcribe; but not more than I, in conjunction with
Thouftnds
DEDICATION.
Thouf inds in every part of the Kingdom, heartily wifh and pray Your Majefly may at all times, and efpecially at that time, enjoy.
lam,
MADAM,
With the greatefl and mofl fincere Refpedt,
Your MAJESTY'S
Mofl obedient Servant,
RICHARD LANDAFF.
a 2
CONTENTS
OF THX
FIRST VOLUME,
A Scheme of Scripture- Divinity, formed upon the Pkn of the Divine Difpenfations.^ With a Vindication of the Sacred Writings. By J. Taylor, D. D. Lond. 1762, p. £
This Book deferves to be generally known ; it has been for fome Years out of Print, and much fought after by the Clergy : I thought I fliould do tbem an acceptable Service in making it a part of this Col- lection.
Reflexions upon the Books of the -Holy Scripture, to ejlablijk the Truth of the Chrijlyth Religion, In two Volumes. Lond, 1688. By P. Allix. p. 220.
Thefe two Volumes were published in French, the Firft in London, and the Second at Amfterdam, much about the fame Time that they made their Appearance in Englifh. They were fpoken of with Refpeft in the Ada ErMitotum for 1688 ; were tranflated into German at JV»- rtnberg in 1702 : and have been always held in great Repute for the Plainnefsand Erudition with which they are written. The Author was a French Refugee of diftinguifhed Learning and Integrity ; the Reader Will meet with a good Account »f his Lift and Writings in the Bro^ra* $hia Britannita,
PREFACE,
IN publishing this Collection of Theological Tracts I have had no other end in view, but to afford young perfons of every denomination, and efpecially to afford the Students in the Uni- versities, and the younger Clergy, an eafy opportunity of be- coming better acquainted with the grounds and principles of the Chriftian Religion than, there is reaibn to apprehend, many of them at prefent are. My firft intention was to have admitted into the Collection, fuch fmall tracts only in Latin or Englifh, on Theological Subjects, as had funk into unmerited oblivion ; but, on maturer reflexion, I thought it better to confult the general utility of the younger and lefs informed Clergy, than to aim at gratifying the curiofity, or improving the understanding, of thofe who were more advanced in years and knowledge. InStead there- fore of confining myfelf to fingle tra£ts,I have not fcrupled topurp- lifh fome entire books; but they are books of fuch acknowledged worth, that no Clergyman ought to be unacquainted with their contents j and by making them a part of this Collection, they may chance to engage the attention of many who would otherwife have overlooked them. It would have been an eafy matter to have laid down anexten five plan of Study for young Divines, $md to have made a great (hew of learning by introducing into it a Systematic Arrangement of Hiftorians, Critics, and Com- mentators, who, in different ages and in different languages, have employed their talents on Theological Subjects. But there is a fafliion in ftudy as in other purfuits j and the tafte of the prefent age is not calculated for the making great exertions in Theologi- cal Criticifm and Philology. I do not confider the Tracts which are here published *> fufficient to make what is called a deepDivine, but they will go a great way towards making, what is of more worth — a well-informed Christian. InDivinity, perhaps, more than
Vi
PREFACE.
in any other fcicncc, it may be reckoned a virtue aliqua nefcire ; for what Quinctilian obferves of hiftorical, is certainly very ap- plicable to an abundance of Theological writings. — — Perfequi quidem quod qui/que umquam vel contempt iffimorum hominum dixerit, aut nmuc miferics, cut inanis jaclantite eft j et detinet at que obruit Ingenia> melius aliis vacatura.
If any thing can revive a fenfe of Religion in the higher clafies of life j preferve what ftill remains of it amongft men of middling fortunes ; and bring back to decency of manners' and the fear of
God, the loweft of the people ; it mud be the Zeal of the
Clergy. But Zeal, in order to produce its proper effect, muft be founded in knowledge : it will otherwife (where, from fome peculiar temperament of body or mind, it happens to exift at all) be unfteady in its operation ; it v/ill be counteracted by the prejudices of the world, the fuggeftiens of felf-intereft, the im- portunities of indolent habits j or it will be tainted by Fanaticifm, and inftead of producing in every individual fober thoughts of his Chriftian duty, it will hurry into dangerous errors the ignorant and unthinking, and excite the abhorrence or derifion of men of fenfe. I have therefore, in felecYing the works which compofe this publication, not fo much attended to the difcuffion of parti- cular doctrines, as to the general arguments which are beft adapted to produce in the Clergy, and in others who will confider them, a well-grounded perluafion that Chriftianity is not a cunningly de- vifed fable , but the power of God unto Jahation to every one that helieveth. That Clergyman who is a Chriftian, not becaufe he happens to have been born in a Chriftian country, but from ratio- nal conviction, will never think himfclf at liberty to make light of his calling; to fuit his inftructions to the vicious propenfities of his audience ; to fcandalize his profeftion by a conformity with the ungodly fafnions of the world ; to be afhamed of the Crofs of Chrift, though he fhould fee it attacked by the fubtletyof Sophifts, or ridiculed by the wanton audacity of profane men. A defi- ciency of Zeal indeed in religious concerns does not always pro- ceed, either in the Clergy or Laity, from a want of Knowledge : fenfual appetites, ungovcrned pafiions, worldly cuftoms, all com- bine together in making moft men languid in the performance of even clear and acknowledged duties ; yet it muft be confefted, that a firm belief in the truth of Chriftianity refulring from a com- prehenfive view of the proofs by which it is eftablifhed, is the moft probable mean of producing in all men integrity of life ; and of animating, efpecially, the Minifters of the Goipel, to a zealous and difcreec difcharge of their paftoral functions.
Young
PREFACE. vii
Young men who are ordained from Country Schools are fre- quently, when fettled in their Curacies, at a lofs what courfe of ftudies to purfue : and many of them, as well as many of thofe who have had the benefit of an Univerfity-Education, are un- happily in no condition to expend much money in the purchafe of Theological books, even if they knew how to make a proper felection. Both thefe difficulties are, I hope, in fome degree obviated by this publication 3 which contains nearly as much matter as three times the number of ordinary volumes of the fame fize; and the matter itfelf has been taken from Authors offuch eftablifhed reputation, that he who will take the pains to read and digeft what is here offered to him, will have acquired no in- confiderable knowledge in Divinity. But in Divinity, as in every other ftudy, a man mud think much for himfelf; thofe who have gone before in the fame purfuit may point out the road to him, but that is the main good they can do him : if he loiters in his progrefs, waiting for the vigilance of others to pufh him on, he will never get to his journey's end. The Lectures ofProfeffors and Tutors are doubtlefs of great ufe in every fcience; but their ufe does not confift fo much in rendering the fcience intelligible, if we except the firft Elements of the abferact Sciences, as in di- recting the attention of the Students to the beft books on every fubject ; and if to this they add a frequent examination into the progrefs which the Students have made, they will have done all that reafonably can be expected from them. The Republic of Letters is in very different circumftances in the prefent age from what it was three centuries ago : the multiplicity of books which, in the courfe'of than period, have been publifhed in every Art and Science, has enlarged the boundaries of knowledge, and given every man an opportunity, if he be not wanting to himfelf, of be- coming {killed in rhat branch of Literature which he mall think fit to cultivate. And to fpeak the truth, though there may be fome dark points in Divinity which the labour of Learning may ftill illuftrate, yet new books are not fo much wanted in than Science, as inclination in the younger Clergy to explore the trea- fures of the old one?.
A young man deftined to the Church, who thinks that he has completed his Education as foon as he has taken his firft degree in Arts, and quitted the walls of his College, is under a very great miftake. His memory may have been (locked with a great abundance of Glaflical Knowledge? his mind may have been ex- panded by a general acquaintance with the feveral branches of Natural Philofophy ; his reafoning faculties may have been
a 4 ftrengthened
viii PREFACE.
ftrengthened by Mathematical Refearches ; the limits of his un- derstanding may have been in fome degree afcertained by the fludy of Natural Religion ; in a word, he may have been admi- rably fitted to become a Divine : but if, after this preparation, he (lops fhort, giving himfelf up to rural an 'jfements, misfpend- ing his time in idle avocations, blunting his faculties by fenfuaj indulgencies, indolently or arrogantly acquiefcing in the know- ledge he has acquired, he will never be one.
I am far from wifhing to divert the attention of the Under- graduates from that courfe of ftudies which is eftablifhed in this place. There is no Univerfity, I believe, in Europe, where the degree of Bachelor of Arts is more honourably obtained than in the Univerfity of Cambridge : the fedulity with which the young men, in general, purfue the plan of ftudy whicii is prefcribed to them, is highly commendable ; and, if I recommend it to chern to let Theology make a part of that plan, it is not from an opinion that Theological ftudies are more proper for their time of life than any of thofe in which they are engaged 3 but from an apprehenfion, that if they do not make fome progrefs in Divinity, during the firft years of their Academical Educati* ., they wi|j have no opportunity of doing it before they will be placed in fituations which require a great proficiency in it. The Statures indeed of the Univerfity, and of many private Colleges, though they point out Theology as the ultimate End of all our ftudies, do not order us to ftudy Divinity till we have ftudied almost every other branch of Science : but it ought to be remembered that, at the time thefe Statutes were made, young men were admitted into the Univerfity about the age of fourteen; and confequently commencing Mailers of Arts about the age of twenty-one, they had a considerable interval, even after taking their fecond degree in Arts, in \tfhich they might prepare themfelves for entering into holy Orders.
It is not the reading many books which makes a man a Di- vine, but the reading a few of the beft books often over, and with attention ; thofe at leaft who are beginning their Theological ftudies mould follow this rule. I have no fcruple therefore in recommending it to the Students in the Univerfities, to read this Collection twice or thrice over before they take their firft degree; the doing this will give little interruption to their other ftudies; and if it mould give a great deal, their time will not be mifem- ployed. Let them dedicate a fmall portion of every day, or the whole of every Sunday, to this occupation; and, in the courfe of three or four years, they will eafily accomplifh the talk ; and, when
PREFACE. ix
it is accompli fiied, they may offer themfelves to the Bifhops to be ordained, with a becoming confidence that they are not wholly unprepared -, and they may undertake the moft important of all
human Duties the Cure of Souls without being alarmed
by a confeiouinefs of their inability to difcharge it as becomech thefervants of the mofi high God. When I thus exprefs myfelf concerning the fruits which may be expected from the courfe of fludy here pointed out, I am far from infinuating, that it will fu- perfede the neceflity of ftudying the Scriptures ihemfelves, with the bed affiftance which can be obtained from Commentators : on the contrary, I am perfuaded that one part of Scripture is bed interpreted by another, and that no fort of reading can con- tribute fo much to the producing of a fteady faith, a rational piety, a true Chriftian charity of mind (the great ends of all our ltudies, and all our purfuits !) as the frequent reading of the Scriptures.
But the ftudents who are defigned for the Church, are not the only ones to whom I would recommend the practice of fetting apart fome portion of their time for religious inquiries ; I would prefs it with the greateil earneftnefs and fincerity on the young men of rank and fortune. I would efpecially intreat them to perufe with unprejudiced minds, the whole of this Collection j but particularly, and with the ftricteft attention, the Firft, Fourth, and Fifth Volumes of it : they will there find fuch convincing proofs of the Chriftian Religion, as will preferve them, I truft, from that contagion of infidelity which is the difgrace of the age. It is a very wonderful thing, that a being fuch as man, placed on a little globe of earth, in a little corner of the univerfe,cut off from all communication with the other iyftems which are difperfed through the immenfity of fpace, imprifoned as it were on the fpot where he happens to be born, almoft utterly ignorant of the va- riety of fpiritual exiftences, and circumfcribed in his knowledge of material things, by their remotenefs, magnitude, or minutenefs, a ftranger to the nature of the very pebbles on which he treads, unacquainted, or but very obfeurely informed by his natural fa- culties of his condition after death -, it is wonderful, that a beino- fuch as this mould reluctantly receive, or faftidiouily reject, the inflruction of the Eternal God! or, if this is faying too much, that he mould haftily, and negligently, and triumphantly con- clude, that the Supreme Being never had condefcended to inftruct the race of man. It might properly have been expected, that a rational being, fo circumftanced, would have feduloufly inqui- red into a fubject of fuch vaft importance j that he would not
have
x PREFACE.
have fufferejJ himfelf to have been diverted from the inveftiga- tion by the purfuits of wealth, or honour, or any temporal con- cern ; much leis by notions' taken up without attention, argu- ments admitted without examination, or prejudices imbibed in early youth, from the profane ridicule, or impious jeftings of fenfual and immoral men. It is from the influence of fuch pre- judices that I would guard that part of the riling generation which is committed to our care, by recommending to them a ferious pe- rufal of the Tracts which are here prefented to them. Let them not refufe to follow this advice, becaufe it is given to them by a churchman ; he can have no poflible intereft in giving it, except what may refult to him from the confcioufnefs of endeavouring to difcharge his duty, and the hope of being ferviceable to them in this world and the next. They need not queftion his veracity, when he fpeaks of religion as being ferviceable to them in this world ; for it is a trite objection, and grounded on a mifappre- henfionof thedefign of Chriftianity, which would reprefent it as an intolerable yoke, fo oppofite to the propenfities, as to be ut- terly deftructive of the felicity of the human mind. It is, in truth, quite the reverfe ; there is not a fingle precept in the Gofpel, without excepting either that which ordains the forgivenefs o£ injuries, or that which commands every one to poffefs his vejj'el in falsification and honour, which is not calculated to promote our happinefs. Chriftianity regulates, but does not extinguifh our affections ; and in the due regulation of our affections confifts our happinefs as reafonable beings. If there is one condition in this life mere happy than another, it is, furely, that of him who founds all his hope of futurity on the promiies of the Gofpel ; who carefully endeavours to conform his actions to its precepts ; looking upon the great God Almighty as his Protector here, his Kewarder hereafter, and his everlafting Preferver. This is a frame of mind fo perfective of our nature, that if Chriftianity, from a btlief of which it can only be derived, was as certainly falfe, as it is certainly true, one could not help wifhing that it might be univerfally received in the world. Unbelievers attempt to make profclytes to infidelity, by prcuing upon the minds of the unlearned in Scripture knowledge, the authorities of Bcling- brooke, Voltaire, Ilelvetius, Humet and other Deiftical writers. It is proper that young men fliould be furnifhed with a ready an- fwer to arguments in favour of infidelity, which are taken from the high literary character of thole who profefs it j let them re- member then, that Bacon, Boyle, Newton, Grotius, Locke, Euler,
— that Addijon, Hartley, lialler, Weft, Jenyns^ that Lords
Nottingham,
PREFACE. xi
Nottingham, King, Barrington, Lyttelton, with an hundred other laymen, who were furely as eminent for their literary attainments in every kind of fcience as either Bolingbroke or Voltaire, were profefled believers of Chriftianity. I am quite aware that the truth of Chriftianity cannot be eftablifhed by authorities j but neither can its falfehood be fo eftablifhed. Arguments ad vere- cundiam have little weight with thofe who know how to ufe any others, but they have weight with the lazy and the ignorant on both fides of the queftion. But though I have here fuggefted to young men a ready anfwer to fuch of their profligate acquaint- ance as may wifh to work upon their -prejudices in favour of in- fidelity; yet I hope they will not content themfelves with being prejudiced even in favour of Chriftianity : they will find in this Collection, fuch folid arguments in fupport of its truth, as can- not fail to confirm them, on the moft rational grounds, in the belief of the Gofpel Difpenfation. They may wonder, perhaps, if religion be fo ufeful a thing as is here reprefented, that their pa- rents fhould have feldom or never converfed with them on the
fubject. If this fhould be the fact, I can only fay, that it is a
neglect, of all others, the moft to be regretted. And indeed our mode of education, as to religious knowledge, is very defective; the child is inftructed in its catechifm before it is able to compre- hend its meaning, and that is ufually all the domeftic inftruc- tion which it ever receives. But whatever may be the negli- gence of parents in teaching their children Chriftianity, or how forcibly foever the maxims and cuftoms of the world may con- fpire in confirming men in infidelity, it is the duty of thofe to whom the Education of youth is intrufted, not to defpair : their diligence will have its ufe ; it will prevent a bad matter from be- coming worfe ; and if this foolijhnefs of preaching, into which I have been betrayed on this occafion, has but the effect of making even one young man of fortune examine into the truth of the Chriftian Religion, who would not otherwife have done it, I fhall not repent the having been infiant out of feafon.
Difcite, O Miferi, et caufas cognofcite rerum Quid fumus, et quidnam vi&uri gignimur : ordo
Quis datus;— quern te Deus efte
Juffit.
Thefe were queftions which even the Heathen Moralifts thought it a fhame for a man never to have considered. How much more cenfurable are thofe amongft ourfelves who wafte their days in
folly
xii PREFACE.
folly or vice, without ever reflecting upon the providential dif- penfation under which they live, without having any fublimar piety, any purer morality, any better hopes of futurity than the Heathens had ?
In recommending this Collection to the careful perufal of the younger Clergy, I would not be underftood to vouch for the truth of every opinion which is contained in it ; by no means ; there is no certainty of truth but in the word of God. Their Bible is the only fure foundation upon which they ought to build every article of the faith which they profefs, every point of doc- trine which they teach. All other foundations, whether they be thedecifions of councils, the confefiions of churches, the prefcripts of popes, or the expofitions of private men, ought to be confi- dered by them as fandy and unfafe, as in no wife fit to be ulti- mately relied on. Nor, on the other hand, are they to be fafti- dioufly rejected, as of no ufe; for though the Bible be the one in- fallible rule by which we mult meafure the truth or falfehoodof every religious opinion, yet all men are not equally fitted to apply this rule; and the wifeft men want on many occafions all the helps of human learning to enable them to underftand its precife na- ture, and to define its certain extent. Theie helps are great and numerous; they have been fupplied in every age, fince the death of Chriit, by the united labours of learned men in every coun- try where his religion has been received. Great Britain has not been backward in her endeavours to eftablifh the truth, and to il- luftrate the doctrines of Chriftianity: fhe has not abounded fo much in fyftematic Divines as Germany and Holland have done; yet the mod difficult points of Theology have been as well dif- culTed by our Englifh Divines, as by thofe of any other nation. In proof of this, I might mention the works of Pearibn, Mede, Barrow, Burnet, Chillingv/orth, Stillingfleet, Clarke, Tillotfon, Taylor, Benfon, Jortin, Seeker, and an hundred others; but the fermons preached at Boyle's Lectin e, and the Collection of Tracts againft Popery, render every other argument in fupport of the obfervation wholly unnecefTary. The freedom of inquiry too, which has fubfifted in this country during the prefent cen- tury, has eventually been of great fervice to the caule of Chrif- tianity. It muft be acknowledged that the works of pur Deifti- cal writers have made fome few converts to infidelity at home, and that they have furnifhed the Efprits forts of France, and the Frey-Geijlers of Germany, with every material objection to our religion, which they have of late years difplayed with much af- fectation of originality : but at the fame time, we muft needs allow,
that
PREFACE. xiii
that thefe works hare ftimulated fome diftinguifhed characters amongft the Laity, and many amongft the Clergy, to exert their talents in removing iuch difficulties in the Chriftian fyilem, as would otherwife be likely to perplex the unlearned, to fhipwreck the faith of the unftable, and to induce a reluctant fcepticifrn into the minds of the mod lerious and beft intentioned. Some difficulties ftill remain ; and it would be a miracle greater than any we are inftructed to believe, if there remained none •, if a being with but five icanty inlets of knowledge, feparated but yefterday from his mother Earth, and to-day finking again into her bofom, could fathom the depths of the wildom and know- ledge of Him which is, which was, and which is to come, the
Lord God Almighty, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
We live in a difiblute but enlightened age ; the reftraints of our Religion are ill fuited to the profligacy of our manners ; and men are foon induced to believe that fyftem to be falfe, which we wifh to find fo : that knowledge, moreover, which fpurns with contempt the illufions of fanaticifm and the tyranny of fuperftition, is often unhappily mifemployed, in magnifying every little difficulty attending the proof of the truth Chrif- tianity, into an irrefragable argument of its falfehood. The Chriftian Religion has nothing to apprehend from the ftricteft investigation of the moft learned of its adverfaries ; it fuffers only from the mifconceptions of fciolifts, and filly pretenders to fuperior wifdom : a little learning is far more dangerous to the faith of thofe who poffefs it, than ignorance itfelf. Some, I know, affect to believe, that as the reftoration of letters was ruinous to the Romifh Religion, fo the further cultivation of them will be fubverfive of Chriftianity itfelf: of this there is no danger. It may be fubverfive of the Reliques of the Church of Rome by which other churches are ftill polluted; of perfecutions, of ana- themas, of ecclefiaftical domination over God's heritage, of all the filly outworks which the pride, the fuperftition, the knavery of mankind have erected around the citadel of our faith ; but the citadel itfelf is founded on a rock, the gates of hell cannot prevail againft it, its mafter-builder is God ; its beauty will be found ineffable, and its ftrength impregnable, when it mall be freed from the frippery of human ornaments, cleared from the rubbilh of human bulwarks. It is no fmall part of the province of a teacher of Chriftianity, to diftinguilh between the word of God, and the additions which men have made to it. The objec- tions of unbelievers are frequently levelled againft what is not
Chriftianity,
xiv PREFACE.
Chriftianity, but mere human fyftem ; and he will be belt able to defend the former, who is leaft ftudious to fupport the airy pre- tentions of the latter. The effect of eftablifhed fyftems in obftructing truth, is to the laft degree deplorable : every cne fees it in other churches, but fcarcely any one fufpects it in his own. Calvin, I queftion not, thought it almoft impoffible that the Scrip- tures could ever have been fo far perverted as to afford the Ro- manics any handle for their doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, or that the underftanding of any human being could have been fo far debafed, or rather lb utterly annihilated, as to believe in it for a moment : yet this fame Calvin followed St. Auguftine in the doctrine of abfolute perfonal reprobation and election, incul- cating it as a fundamental article of faith, with nearly the fame unchriftian zeal which infatuated him when he fattened Servetus to the ftake. A thoufand inftances of this blind attachment to fyftem might be taken from the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of every century ; indeed the whole of it is little more than the hiftory of the ftruggles of different fects to overturn the fyftems of others, in order to build up their own 3 and the great leffon which every feet, and every individual of every feet, ought to learn from its perufal, is — Moderation. Want of genuine moderation towards thofe who differ from us in religious opinions, feems to be the moft unaccountable thing in the world. Every man, who has any religion at all, feels within himfelf a fironger motive to judge right, than you can poffibly fugged to him ; and, if he judges wrong, what is that to you ? To his own mafter he ftandeth or falleth; his wrong judgment may affect his own falvation, it
cannot affect yours ; for, in the words of Tertullian nee alii
obeft aut prodejl alterius religio ; this you muft admit, unlefs you think it your duty to inftruct him ; but inftruction may be given with moderation; and confidering that the Bible is as open to him as it is to you, you ought not to be over certain that it is your duty to prefs your inftruction upon him ; for what is, ordinarily fpeaking, your inftruction, but an attempt to bring him over to your opinion ? This principle fhould be received with great caution, or it may do much mifchief ; for it is on this principle that the Roman Catholics light up the fires of the inquifition, and compafs fea and land to make a
profelyte a profelyte ! to what we Proteftants believe to
be the delufion of Satan, the very canker of Chriftianity, the grand apoftafy from the Gofpel foretold by St. Paul. The Catholics however in this point act confiftently ; for, be- lieving in the infallibility of their church, they have a plea for
their
PREFACE. xv
their zeal in bringing every one within its pale, which can never be urged by Protectants^ with any fhadow of juftice and pro- priety.
There are many queftions in Divinity, in the inveftigating of which the mind fluctuates with an irkfome uncertainty, unable to perceive fuch a preponderance of argument as will warrant it in embracing as true, either the one fide or the other. This hefitation arifes, in many cafes, from our not underftanding the full meaning of the language, be it common or figurative, in which a doctrine is revealed. In fome, it proceeds from our attempting to apprehend definitely, what is expreiTed indeter- minately or clearly, what God hath not thought proper clearly to reveal ; in others, it is to be attributed to an indecifion of temper, to which fome men are peculiarly fubject : but let it originate from what caufe it may, it is far more tolerable than an arrogant temerity of judgment. A fufpicion of fallibility would have been an ufeful principle to the profeflbrs of ChriftiaRJty in every age ; it would have choaked the fpirit of perfecution in its birth, and have rendered not only the church of Rome, but every church in Chriftendom, more flay of affuming to itfelf the proud title of Orthodox, and of branding every other with the oppro- brious one of Heterodox, than any of them have hitherto been. There are, you will fay, doubtlefs, fome fundamental doctrines in Chriflianity. Paul, the Apoftle, has laid down one founda- tion; and he tells us, that other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jefus The Chrifi. -But this propo- rtion Jefus is the Meffiah includes, you will reply,
feveral others, which are equally true. I acknowledge that it does fo; and it is every man's duty to fearch the Scriptures, that he may know what thofe truths are ; but I do not conceive it to be any man's duty, to anathematize thofe who cannot fubfcribe to his catalogue of fundamental Chriftian verities. That man is not to be efteemed an Atheift, who acknowledges the exiftence of a God, the Creator of the univerfe, though he cannot affent to all the truths of natural religion, which other men may undertake to deduce from that principle: nor is he to be efteemed a Dei ft, who acknowledges that Jefus of Nazareth is indeed the Chrift, the Saviour of the world, though he cannot affent to all the truths of revealed religion, which other men may think themfelves war- ranted in deducing from thence. Still you will probably rejoin, there muft be many truths in the Chriftian religion, concerning which no one ought to hefitate, inafmuch as, without a belief in them, he cannot be reputed a Chriftian. — Reputed ! by whom ? Bv
Jefus
xvi PREFACE.
Jefus Chrift his Lord and his God, or by you ? — ■ — RauH expo1- fitors of points of doubtful difputation ; intolerant fabricators of metaphyfical Creeds, and incongruous Syftems of Theology ! Do you undertake to meafure the extent of any man's under- ftanding, except your own ; to eftimate the ftrength and ori- gin of his habits of thinking ; to appreciate his merit or demerit in the ufe of the talent which God has given him, fo as unerringly to pronounce that the belief of this or that doctrine is neceffary to his falvation ? It is undoubtedly neceffary to yours, if you are perfuaded that it comes from God ; but you take too much upon you, when you erect yourfelf into an infallible judbe of truth and falfehood. We, as Chrif- tians, are under no uncertainty as to the being of a Godj as to his moral government of the world ; as to the terms on •which finners may be reconciled to him ; as to the redemption that is in Jejus Chrift \ as to a refurrection from the dead ; as of* a future ftate of retribution ; nor with refpect to other important queftions, concerning which the wifeft of the Heathen Philo- fophers were either wholly ignorant, or had no fettled notions. But there are other fubjects on which the Academicorum i-rro^n may be admitted, I apprehend, without injuring the foundations of our Religion : fuch are the queftions which relate to the power of Evil Spirits to fufpend the laws of nature, or to actuate the minds of men; to the materiality or immateriality of the human foul ; the ftate of the dead before the general refur- rection ; the refurrection of the fame body j the duration of fu- ture punifhments ; and many others of the fame kind. Some one will think that I here fpeak too freely, and accufe me, pro- bably, as an encourager of fceprical and latitudinarian principles.
. What ! Shall the church of Chrift never be freed from the
narrow-minded contentions of bigots ; from the infults of men who know not what fpirit they are of, when they would ftint the Omnipotent in the exercife of his mercy, and bar the doors of heaven againft every fe6t but their own ? Shall we never learn to think more humbly of ourfelves, and lefs defpicably of others? to believe that the Father of the univerfe accommodates not his judgments to the wretched w,ranglings of pedantic Theologues j but that efery one, who, with an honeft intention, and to the beft of his ability feeketh the truth, whether he findeth it or not, and worketh righteoufnefs, will be accepted of him ? I have no re- gard fdr latitudinarian principles, nor for any principles, but the principles of Truth; and Truth every man muft endeavour to inveftigate for himfelfi and, ordinarily fpeaking, he will be mod
fuccefsful
PREFACE. xvii
fuefcefsful in his endeavours, who examines, with candour and care, what can be urged oti each fide of a greatly controverted qucftion. This fort of examination may, in fome inftances, pro- duce a doubt, an hefitation, a diffident fufpenfion of judgments but it will at the fame time produce mutual forbearance and good temper towards thofe who differ from us; our charicy will be en- larged, as our underftanding is improved. Partial examination is the parent of pertinacity of opinion; and a froward propenfity to be angry with thofe who queftion the validity of our principles, or deny the jutlnefs of our conclufions, in any matter relpeciing philoibphy, policy, or religion, is an infallible mark of preju- dice ; of our having grounded our opinions on fafhion, fancy, intereff. ; on the unexamined tenets of Our family, .feci, or party ; on any thing rather than on the folid foundation of cool and dif-
paffionate reafoning Iliaccs intra muros peccatur et extra — —
Churchmen as well as DifTenters, and diffenters ao well as church- men, are apt to give a degree of affent to opinions beyond what they can give a reafon for; this is the very effence of prejudice: it is difficult for any man entirely to diveft himfelf of all preju- dice, but he may furely take care that it be not accompanied with ;in uncharitable propenfity to ftigmatize with reproachful appellations, thofe who cannot meafure the rectitude of the Di- vine difpeniations by his rule, nor feek their way to heaven, by infilling on the path which he, in his overweening wifdom, has arrogantly prefcribed as the'cnly one which can lead men thither.
This intolerant fpirit has abated much of its violence in the. courfe of this century arnenpr ouifelves : we pray to God that k may be utterly extinguifhed in every part of Chriftendom, that the true fpirit of Chriftiamty, which is the fpirit of m nefs, peace, and love, may be introduced in its ftead. If ferent men, in carefully and confcientioufly exami Scriptures, fhould arrive at different concluii n on
points of tne laft importance; we truhb that G knows what every man is capable of, w ' him that is in error. We truft that he will pj . tarian, if he be in an error, becaufe he ha the dread of becoming an Idolater of gi lory, to
another which he conceives to be due ,to God aio.ne. I fhipper of Jefus Chrift be in an error, we truft that God pardon his miftake, becaufe he has fallen into it from a c of difobeying what he conceives to be revea:.:c cono nature of the Son, or commanded concerning the honour to be given him. Both are actuated by the fame orinciple~'i Hii FEAR
Vol. I. b OF
xviii PREFACE.
OF GOD ; and, though that principle impels them into dif- ferent roads, it is our hope and belief, that, if they add to their
faith charity, they will meet in heaven. If any one thinks
differently on the Subject, I will have no contention with him ; for I feel no difpofition to profelyte others to any opinion of mine : efteeming it a duty to fpeak what I think, I have no fcruple in doing that ; but to do more is to affect a tyranny over other men's minds ; it is to encounter not only the reafon, but the paffions, prejudices, and inte*refts of mankind; it is to engage in a con- flict, in which Christian charity feldom efcapes unhurt on either fide.
Too much pains cannot be taken by the Clergy in examining the external and internal evidences of the truth of the Gofpel, in order that they may generate in their own minds a full conviction of the unfpeakable importance of the work in which they are en- gaged ; but that conviction being once produced, their time will be far more ufefully employed in difcharging their paStoral office with fidelity, than in weighing the importance of all the difcordanc fyStems of faith, which have in different ages and countries, not merely occupied the attention of Schoolmen and Monks, but uniheathed the Swords of princes, and polluted the temple of Chrifi with more blood than was ever Shed on the altars ofMo/ocb> or in honour of Vitzlilipitzuli, the God of Mexico. Happily for our age, this fpirit of perfecution is well nigh extinguished ; for notwithstanding the fad fate of the Calas family in France ; not- withftanding the demon of fanaticifm which Spread its delufion over London and Edinburgh, on the relaxation of the laws againSt Popery ; notwithstanding the burning zeal of a few- furious bigots amongft every fed of Chriftians -, (till may we foretcl, from obferving the figns of the times, that the sra is ap- proaching very fait, wlien Theological Acrimony fhall be Swal- lowed up in Evangelical Charity, and a liberal toleration become the distinguishing feature of every church in Christendom. The ruling powers in PioteStant and Catholic States begin at length every where to perceive, that an uniformity of fentiment in mat- ters of religion is a circumstance impoffible to be obtained ; that it has never yet exiftcd in the church of ChriSt, from the Apof- tolic age to our own ; and they begin to be afhamed of the Sines, confutations, imprifonments, tortures, of all the unjuit and ian- guinary efforts which they have Severally made ufe of to procure it. They perceive too that a diverfity in religious opinions may fubfiSt among the Subjects of the fame State, without endanger- ing the common weal j and they begin to think it reafonable, that
no
PREFACE. xix
no man fliould be abridged in the exercife of natural rights, merely on the fcore of Religion. Thefe enlarged fentiments proceed not, I would willingly hope, from what the Germans have called In differ entifm in Religion j but partly from a perfect knowledge of its true end, which is Chanty ; and partly from that confeioufnefs of intellectual weaknefs, which is evtr mofl confpicuous in minds the moft enlightened ; and which, where - ever it fubfifts, puts a flop to dogmatifm and intolerance of every kind.
The Books and Tracts which I have here printed, are all of them fo well known, that there is little need to give a long account of any of them. I have chofen them out of a great variety, which fuggefted themfelves to my mind -, but I have no expectation that every one fliould be pleafed with the choice which I have made. I once knew a Divine of the Church of England, of great eminence in it, and defervedly efteemed a good fcholar, who, having accidentally taken up, in a friend's apartment, a book written by a Diffenter, haftily laid it down again, declaring, that c< he never read diffenting Divinity." I ought to apotogize to Men of this Gentleman's opinion, for having made fo much ufe of the works of the DifTenters in this Collection -, but the truth is, I did not at all confider the quarter from whence the matter was taken, but whether it v/as good, and fuited to my purpofe ; it was a circumftance of utter indif- ference to me, whether it was of Paul, or A'pollos, or Cephas, provided it was of Chrift.
As this Collection will probably fall into the hands of fome, who may wifh to become acquainted with the fort of Queftions which are ufually maintained by thofe who proceed to the degree of Bachelor or Doctor in Divinity, I thought it might be of fer- vice to them, if I put down a few of thofe which have been publicly difputed on in the Theological Schools at Cambridge, within the laft twenty-five or thirty years. I have not obferved much order in arranging the queftions : the reader will remark, that they are not all of equal importance; and, what he may judge more extraordinary, he will perceive, that the fame doctrine is not maintained in them all. With regard to their importance, that muft be expected to be variable, as they have been propofed by men of very different talents and judgements. A famenefs of doctrine might indeed have been fecured by the ProfeiTor, with- out whofe approbation no queftion can be propofed for difpu- tation : but I, for my part, (though fome will probably blame me for it) have thought it more liberal and reafonable to fuffer this b 2 contrariety,
XX
PREFACE.
contrariety, in fome inftances, to take place, than to oblige men to fupport what they did not believe, or to preclude them from fupporting what they did believe to be revealed in the Scriptures. Truth, I hope, has not fuffered from this conduct : the mere acceptance of a queftion is not underftood to lay the Profeflbr under afiy obligation to fupport it in the difputation ; if he thinks it not founded in the word of God, it is his duty to endeavour to fhew the Refpondent wherein he is miftaken ; and if he be not able to do that, ftill there is no fear of error being eftablifhed by his inability to detect it, when it is confidered before what a learned audience the difputation is held; that the Refpondent muft either be a Bachelor of Divinity, or a Mailer of Arts, of four years (landing; and that three Matters of Arts are the regular Opponents at every Divinity Ad.
QtMLSTIONES
PREFACE. xxi
QU^ESTIONES QUjEDAM THEOLOGIC/E IN ACADEMIA C AN TABRIGIENSI,
AB ANNO I755 USQJIE AD ANN. 1/35,
Publico difputatas Tub Praefidio S. Theologize Profetfbrum Reg.
THOMiE RUTHERFORTH, RICARDI WATSON.
Qu^est.
1 "TWTON fuit Deo indignum mortis poena fancire, ne primi ho- JL^J minum generis parentes unius cujufdam arboris frudtu
vefcerentur.
2 Quod genus humanum fit laboribus et morti fubjeclum propter
Adami peccatum, docetur in facra pagina, nee eft rationi con- ttarium.
3 Lapfum olim fuifle Angelorum patet ex facris Uteris.
4 Verus erat Terpens, per quem Eva decepta fuit ; fed facultatibus,
quae ipfi non effent naturaliter infitae, utebatur.
5 Univerfus ferpentum cultus apud Gentiles ad confirmandam genera-
lem interpretationem Diaboli fub ferpentis forma latentis, prout in facris Scripturis traditur, apte conrenit atque inde denvari videtur.
6 Prafcientia divinanon erat caufa lapfus Adami.
7 Peccatum originis non eft in imitatione Adami fitum, fed eft vitium
et depravatio naturae cujuflibet hominis ab Adamo propagati.
8 Lapfus Adami humanam naturam ad peccatum procliviorem red-
didit.
9 Chriftus ante erat quam humana natura ab eo induebatur.
10 Non fuit indignum FilioDei, hominum generis redimendi caufa, hu-
manam naturam induere.
11 Sacrificia juffu Dei principio funt conftituta.
12 Sacrificia principio conftituta funt ut effent typi mortis Chrifti.
13 Remiffio peccatorum per Mediatorem et Sacrificium vicarium haud
Deo eft indigna.
14 Satisfaclio propeccatis hominum per mortem Chrifti non repugnat
rationi.
15 Chriitum ipfum infontem, a Deo ad mortem datum efle pro fontibus,
eft credibile.
16 Quod traditur in facris Scripturis de lapfu, redempfcione, et futuro
ftatuhumani generis, non contradicit divinis perfedlionibus.
17 Chriftiana revelatio rationis inventa fuperat rerum divinarum nu-
mero et certitudine. j8 Ratio fola nullam potcft invenire conditionem, qua Deus velit ho- minibus dare peccatorum veniam et impunitatem.
b 3 19 Mors
xxii PREFACE.
19 Mors Chrifti eft propria et plena fatisfactio pro peccatis hominumJ
20 Chiiftus pro omnibus eft mortuus.
21 Opera juftorum vitam seternam per fe non merentur.
22 Juftitia Chrifti non fie hominibus imputatur, ut Dei judicio, ipfl
cenfeantur earn praeftitifle.
23 Coram Deo homo reputatur juftus non propter meritum fuum, fed
propter meritum Jefu Chrifti, per fidem in ejus nomine.
24 Neque docent facrae Scripture?, neque articuli Ecclefiae Anglicanas,
Chrifti juftitiam nobis imputari in juftificationem, fed fidem folam.
25 Paulus et Jacobus, quanquam de hominum juftiheatione verbis dif-
crepare videantur, fententiis tamen non difcrepant.
26 Juftificatio nee fine fide et poenitentia poteft comparari, nee fine fidei
et peenitentiae fruitibus confervari.
27 Sacrae Scripturae nullibi docent homines per fidem folam, bonorum
operum fruclibus carentem, fupremo die juftificandos,
28 Non eft ea religionis Chrifti ratio, ut omnibus qui per earn jufti
apud Chriftum habeantur, certafalutis confequendae fiducia in hac vita ingeneretur.
29 Fides Chriftiana nee cum ab hominibus fufcipiatur, nee poftquam
fufcepta fit, rationis ufum afpernatur.
30 Fuit Mofes verus Propheta a Deo mifius.
31 Non fuit a Dei natura alienum lfraelitas in populum fibi peculiarem
eligere.
32 Mofes fpem vitae aeternae Ifraelitis oftendit.
33 Diftributio praemiorum et poenarum temporalium quae promifia fuit
in libris Mofaicis, non erat pro meritisfingulorum, nee i-n rebus adminiftrandis ka erat ac~ta.
34 Colligi non poteft ex libris Mofaicis veteres Judaeos aeterna im-
piorum fupplicia apud inferos pati.
35 Lex Mofaica non ideo Deo indigna cenfenda eft, quia docet, Deum
iniquitatem patrum in filios vifitare.
36 Poena talionis, quam lex Mofaica conftituit, non fuit Deo legiflatore
indigna.
37 Licentia falfos Deos colendi non fuit Ifraelitis concefla.
38 Quod religio Judaica fit minus perfecla quam Chriftiana, id nihil
probat contra divinam hujus et illius originem.
39 lfraelitas, fpoliis iEgyptiorum auferendis, legem naturae non viola-
bant.
40 Non erat Deo indignum Canaanaeos Ifraelitis exfeindendos tradere.
41 Filia Jephthae non fuit immolata.
42 Per legem Mofaicam Judaeis non licuit pro vi&imis homines immo-
Jare.
43 Mandatum Abrahamo datum de immolatione Ifaaci ad mortem
Chrifti repraefentandam, haud alienum fuitdivinae fapientiaeaut juftitise.
44 Non fuit Deo indignum diras Noachichas in Chamum conficere.
45 Nullae in libro Pfalmorum obnunciantur dirae, quae oftcndai.t cos
non fuifte divino initinctu confenptos,
46 Scripture
PREFACE. xxiii
46 Scriptura qua docemw " Deum cor Pharoahonis obfirmafle" nihil
in fe continet contra Dei benignitatem; quantum ex rationeaut revelatione tunc temporis Ifraelitis conceila colligi poteft.
47 Hominibus qui ante diluvium vixerunt non licuit, ei'cae caufa, ani-«
malia madh;re.
48 Diluvium olim fuifie univerfale traditur in facra Scriptura, nee eft
hiftoriae vel civili vel naturali contrarium.
49 Veritas miraculorum, quae in VeteriTeftamentotraduntur, cum ido-
lolatria moribufque depravatis Judseorum conltare poteft.
50 Vaticinia quibus denunciavit Mofes, Paleftinam ob inobedientiam
Judaeorum incultam ab iis fterilemque futuram effe, hodie im- plentur.
51 Deus cum dixerit Ifraelitis, fe prophetam Mofi fimilem ex fratribus
eorum effe excitaturum, hoc promiffo folum Memam defig- navit.
52 Aliquae extant praedi&iones, temporibusMofis antiquiores, quae ad
Chriftum funt referendae.
53 Ex veterum prophetarum praediclionibus duo Mefiiae, alter Davidis
alter Jofephi filius, non erant in mundum venturi.
54 Sccptrum quod non ante erat a Juda difceffurumquam Shilohadve-
nerit, poteftatem tribus regendae defignabat.
55 Ifraelitae circumcifionis ritum ab iEgyptiis non receperunt.
56 Mare rubrum, Ifraelitis per illud tranfeuntibus, ad utrumque iatus
inftar muri per miraculum ftetit.
57 Confufio linguarum Babylonica abfque Dei interventu explanari ne-
quit.
58 Miracula funt idonea argumenta divinae miflionis.
59 Miracula fuiffe olim edita fatis probari poteft ex humano tefii-
monio.
60 Credibile eft, Deum poffe miracula facere, et interdum velle, et hu-
mano teftimonio patet feciiTe.
61 Miracula non nifi a Deo, aut a Creatura particulari ejus juflu et po-
tentia agente, efficiuntur.
62 Magi ./Egyptii vera coram Pharoahone miracula fecerunt.
63 Tentatio Chrifti in deferto fuit vifio a Deo miffa.
64 Tentatio Chrifti in deferto non fuit vifio a Deo mifla.
65 Nee per vifionem, nee per Diabolum, fub qualibet externa forma,
fimiliter autem ac homo Chriftus tentabatur.
66 Miracula in Evangeliis traditahiftoriam cum ipfis conjunclam adeo
non infirmant, ut abfque illorum ope rerum geftarum feries ex- plicari nequeat.
67 Chrifti Apoftolis vita defunclis credibile eft ceffaffe miracula.
68 Extraordinaria fpiritus fanelii dona ftatim poll tempora Apoftolorum
in Ecclefia Chriftiana non ceflaverunt.
69 Spiritus fanclus eft perfona.
70 Chriftianorum eft officium fpiritum fan£lum colere et precari.
71 Dantur in Chrifto fidelibus certa quasdam fpiritus fancli auxilia:
72 Fidei et virtutis adjumenta quae homines a fpiritu fan&o habent,
eorum libertatem non tollunt.
b 4 73 Spiritus
PREFACE.
us fab&us interiors fidei ac virtutis adjumcnta hominibus ita
', ut nuiio ai.iini tactu percipiaritur. . i . Chriitianas Rebgionis fufcipienuse ac praeftandic
ini animis a ipiriru fancto lubminifirantur. Chi .' -nam plene et perfecte iirtelligeiuiain ammo . : inifque imbuto. 76 V iftianae. Rejigionis evidcntia non a fpiritu fanclo infpi-
.to rauonis ul'u pendet. elafionura genera, pro varia mum et hominum condi- ihuset ingeniis accommodantur. m de rtdimuido hominum gentie, prout Chrifti
grada iatur.
'eftarntsrtfi praedic'itux Chriftiana Difpenfatio. 80 CJ toli abroganda lege ;Vlofaica de divina legtflatcris
n ^briftus humano genpri tradjdit non contir.etur lege ida. 82 Non eft pes indiffejens quarn qiiifque rciigionem colai.
89 hrror in da&rinis rejigionis ipocuiativis noji eft innecens,
1 \ . m Seriptur.se confignatufn novx revciationes non funt
e&andae. ;.- M acres prophetas Judaeis prominus non futurus erat rex
g6 V< .is pacct ex impletione przedictionum
num.
I '.','• i a Deo promiffus. 88 Praedicvtjones vetcrurn prophe.tamm non ita citantur in Novo Tcfta-
I a caeteris oiienderent Jehim efle
nitana et flatus oopuli Judaici hodiernus pro magno I . -... ae Roligionis.
90 Deui nulla' lege ant va fignificavit, fe nolle Judaeorum
m Chriftianorurn oivitajero civcm adlcfiputium
gi T; fidei . ChriftianjQ.ante Confrantini tempora probat aucto-
■ l!'am-
92 CoftVfiruq Dtvi Pauli ortum fuum non debuit fuperftitioni, fed mi-
ed/itis et vericati Chnft.iar.ae Religionis.
93 J{,x vjr ms Chrifti et Apoftolojum Chriftianre icligionis ve-
probari poteft.
94 Miracula Chrifti- una cum dodrina probant dlvinam ejus mif*
' !T1,
;fti ipfa per fevalent aclprobandam divinatn ejus mifi
; ' ndam revelatiojiis doftrinam non fatis valet interna evi-
97 j: Chiiflianorum, 4e rebus quas in rcligione Ghrifl ;ia
.cpntineantujr, non oftendunt religion ; e fa :.r.i.
0$J \. , , .. ■ et m enda ;;uctoi itatem facia? Scripture non
in rebus ad riuemet mores fpeftanti bus.
qq Difienfioaes
PREFACE. xwr
99 DiflVnfiones inter Apoftolos de circumcifione gentium divin . n Chriftianae religionis auctoritatem non impugn..!,:.
ioo Caete^i Apoftoh cum Paulo confentiebant, judseos fine obtetj randa lege Mofaica poflc per ChrTftum falucem cqnfequi.
ioi Auctoritas'teftimonii quo Religio Chrifti connrmatiir temporum longinquitate non imminutaeft.
102 Nihil inEvaqgelioMatjhai traditur ex quoprobari poflit, id fcrip-
turn fuiffe poft excidium Hierofolynaitanum.
103 Apoftoli nihii tradiderunt, ex quo intelligamus credidiffe eos mun-
dum fuis temporibus finem fuiffe habiturum.
104 Religio Chrifliana non ideo vituperanda eft quod nihil de amicitia
privata vol de amoie patriae prceicr ipitrrit.
105 Divma Chnftianae religionis audtoritas non imminuitur ex eo quod
nondum univeriis innottut.
106 Jefuitae Chnfli caufam male agunt tolerando ritus et cereinonias,
quas apud Sinas in honorem Confufii, parentum, caeteroi umque majorum mos eft celebrare.
107 Magiftratui jus non competit fubditos coercendi ad culium ilium
divinum celebrandum, lege licet ftabilitum, quern lpfi vel rationi vei revelationi haud conlentaneum cenfent.
108 Non eft libertati Chriftiar.ae alienum utin rebus indifferent! bus ad
cultum Dei fpectantibus ecclefia auftoritatem habeat. IC9 In fidei controvcrfiis nulla datur ecclefiae au&oritas quae jus tollit privati judicii.
1 10 Chriftianorumhominum qui fe ad civitatis fuaa religionem confor-
mare nolint, jus nullum violatur ft e muneribus civilibus lege lataexcludantur.
1 1 1 Induigentia Pontificiis miner concefla nee rationi, nee facris literis,
nee reipublicae faluti repugnat.
1 12 Vis externa non eft hominibus adhibenda propter religionem quam
profitentur,
113 Unaquaeque ecclefia jure poftulare poteft, ut ii quibus publice do-
cendi munus committat, religionis Chriftianae inftitutionibus, ejus aucloritate comprobatis, aflentiant.
114 Et rationi et facris Scripturis confentaneum eft ut homines eccle-
fiaftici poteftati civili fubjiciantur.
115 Non eft Chriftianisinterdidum,utquavis de caufa fidem fuam ullo
jurejurando ne aftringant.
116 Nulla in civilibus hominutnofficiis mutatio eft fa£ta per Chrifti re-
ligionem.
j 17 Non eft a Chrifti religione alienum civili au&oritate recipi ac fta- biliri.
118 Chriftrana religio incrementa fua in primis ecclefiaes facialis nop, de- buit caufis, ut vocantur, fecundis, led partim internae fuse ex- ceilentiae, partim aucb.ris fui poteftati livinse.
j 19 Perfpicuitas facrorum iibrorum non efficit ut iupervacancum fit ho- mines ad religionem Chrifti inftki
120 Miniftris ecclefiae debetui aliquod liip^ndium.
321 Forma rdgiminis in ecclefia Anglicana conftituti, et verbo Dei et ecclefia primitive ufu fajicitur,
122 Ecclefiaftici
xxvi PREFACE.
122 Ecckfiaftici regiminis in Anglia et in Scotia conftituti, neutra for»
ma, aut juri hominum naturali aut verbo Dei repugnat.
123 A Chrifti et Apoftolorum inftitutione patet, ordinem fuifle Epifco-
patus a Prefbyteriatu diverfum, eoque fuperiorcm.
124 Statae precum formulas funt maxime conformcs facris Scripturis et
ecciefiae primitivae praxi.
125 Liturgise in diverfis eccleliis diverfas, modo facris literis haud ad-
vcrfentur, non funt improbandae.
126 Precatio Dominica eft formula quam omnes Chrifti difcipuli in
Deo precando adhibcre debcnr.
127 Piece? et publics et privatae tanttim in nomine Chrifti funt pera-
gendae.
128 Creaturam cultu religiofo profequi non licet.
129 E Stephani martyris moribundi precibus patet Jefum Chriftum effe
Deum.
130 Chriftus fummo cultu, quern Deo Patri reddimus, colenduseft.
131 Chriftus qua Mediator novi foederis eft adasquatum obje&um cul-
tus religiofi.
132 FiJeiin ties perfonas ejufdem fubftantiae, potential, et aeternitatis,
Patrem, Filtum, et Spiritum Sanctum, unius Dei cultus non repugnat.
133 Myfteria revelationis non oftendunt earn non efle a Deo traditam.
134 Deo indignum non fuit ut inftituta pofitiva in religione traderet.
135 Pofitiva religionis praecepta non minus obligantquam moralia.
136 Duo tantum novi foederis facramenta inftituit Chriftus.
137 Confirmatio, pcenitentia, ordo, matrimonium, et extrema uncuo
pro facr?mentisEvangelicis non funt habenda. J 38 Ccena Dominica Epuli facrificalis rationem non habet.
139 Nullum rn mifla fit facrificium quo peccata viventium ac mortuo-
rum expiantur.
140 Animus Chriftianus nectflario praecedit dignam Euchariftise per-
ceptionem. j.; 1 Euchariftia ufque ad fecundum Chrifti adventum ab ejus difcipulis celebrari debet.
142 Calix Laicis non eft denegandus.
143 Do&rina pontificiorum de tranfubftantiatione nee rationi, nee fen-
fuum ttftimonio, nee facris Scripturis confentaneum eft.
144 Tranful-ftantiatio non eft asque ciedibilis ac Trinitas perfonarum
in una eflentia.
145 Leges Anglicanne quae vetant munera reipublicas cuiquam deferri
qui nolit Euchariftiam percipere juxta ecclefiae Anglicanaeprae- icriptum Euchariftia? religionem non polluunt.
146 Recle in ccclefia Anglicana fancitur ne quis nifi flexis genubus coe-
nam Domini capiat. J47 Religio Chriftiana poftulat ut qui earn fufcipiant aqua bapti- zentur.
148 Baptifmus parvulorumomninoinecclefia retinendus eft, ut qui cum
Chrifti inftitutione optime conveniat.
149 Lex Chrifti non pcftulat ut omnes qui baptizentur in aquam im-
mergantur.
150 Aquas
PREFACE/ xxvii
150 Aquae afperfio feu affufio in baptifmate adminiftrnndo non irritum
redd it facramentum.
151 Omne peccatum quod Chriftiani poft baptifmum committant, fl
poenitendo corrigatur, eos a falute non excludit.
152 Sabbatum erat, ante legem per Mofem traditam, a Deo confti-
tutum.
153 Praecepta Mofaica de modo obfervandi Sabbatum Chriftianos non
obligant.
154 Sabbatum ab ultimo die feptimanae rede eft inter Chriftianos ad
primum tranflatum.
155 Ad diem Dominicum religiofe obfervandum cundi Chriftiani te-
nentur.
156 Dodrina abfolutae praedeftinationis cum divinis pugnat attributis.
157 Dodrina praedeftinationis et eledionis ad futurum aut miferiae aut
felicitatis ftatum ex facra Scriptura colligi nequit.
158 Praedeftinatio Paulina tota fpedat ad Gentium vocationem.
150 In libris novi foederis nihil de praedeftinatione traditur quod dili- gentiam hominum in officiis praeftandis jure imminuat.
160 Sacrse Scripturae nullibi docent eos qui de Chrifto nunquam audi-
veruntnon pone falutem aeternam confequi.
161 Salus noftra in fide in Chriftum redemptorem confiftit.
162 Dodrina ecclefiae pontificiae de purgatorio nullis vel facrae Scriptu-
rae vel rationis nititur fundamentis.
163 Sanctorum et Angelorum cultus et invocatio apud pontificios eft
idololatria.
164 Ipfe jejunandi actus per fe et fua natura vim et rationem religionis
non habet.
165 Confeffio privata facerdoti facta non eft ad falutem necefTaria.
166 Plebi et indodis facrorum librorum lectio non eft interdicenda.
167 . Nee Petrus nee Pontifex Romanus conftitutus fuit a Chrifto totius
ecclefiae monarcha.
168 In facris libris continentur omnia quae funt ad falutem necefTaria.
169 Sacra Scriptura eft unica Chriftianae fidei norma.
170 Nullus eft in ecclelia judex infallibilis controverfiarum.
171 Charaderes hominis peccati in pofteriore Paulina ad Theflaloni-
cenfes epiftola exprefli Pontifici Romano apprime conveniunt.
172 Pars hiftoricaNovi Teftamenti quae continet eventus divinam opern
non expofcentes jure fidem noftram vindicat.
173 Datur ftatus medius inter mortem et refurredionem.
174 Non datur ftatus medius inter mortem et refurredionem.
175 Nee felicitas beatorum perfeda nee miferia impiorum extrema erit
ante refurreclionem et generale judicium.
176 Jobi de vindice fuo videndo fiducia ad fpem vitae futurae referenda
eft.
177 Refurredio Chri(li probatur teftibus fide dignis.
178 Refurredio mortuorum patet ex parabola Divitis ac Lazari.
179 Anima a corpore foluta in ftatu feparato manet ad refurredionem.
180 Refurredio quae patefada et prom ilia eft in Evangelio eft refurredio
corporis. j8i Sterna felicitas non patet nifi ex revelatione,
J82 Poenae
xxviii | PREFACE
182 Poena; imprwborum erunt aeternae.
1 S3 Beatos in ftatu gloriae fe mutuo agnituros efle, nee raticne nee facris Scrpturis retragatur.
184 Ex Evangeliftaruin et Apoftolorum fcriptis minime patet qui in
hifioriolis fuis fervari dicuntur eos ideo vitam aecernam confe- euturos.
185 Cbriftiis vera dasmonia ejecit.
ibb Orjculorum refponfa antiquitus reddita non a facerdotum praefiigiis
aut humano quolibet artiticio, fed a daemon um quos Deus Eth-
nicos illudere pafTus eit malign ft ate. j 87 Diaconi mm ad civile tantum, fed ad facrum etiam munus initio
flint conftituti. ona Chnitianorum non funt omnibus communia.
ec peccavit Chriftus, nee peccare potuit. IqO Non nectflitate quadam impuifus, (ed confilio fuo obfecutus Judas,
Chriftum in pontificum mantis trad id it. 191 Parricularis piovidnuiae doctrina cum ratione et facris Scripturis.
confonat. 1^2 Prsecerjta de charitate inimicorum quae in facris libris traduntur,
naturae homin.um apte convenient. IQ3 L cet iub novo fcedere Chrlftianis fanguine vefci.
Haulo fcripta eft. . 1 - . 0 Ifraelitae a Deo jufli funt aram extruere
Jurdanem tranfiiiTexit, 196 Judaei recte recufarunt ne Samaritani tern pi urn Dei fecum aedifi-
>li omnes intellexerunt Hnguas Sancri Spiritus afflatu. : bene menta aifrciunt pq&tfiientes ec probps, non impcenitcn- tes et reprobos.
• ;elii qw.ae ad mores fpectant tendunt ad humanam felicitatem promovehdam. Chriftus in mundum veait ut homines non folum doceret, kd redi- niextt.
Thefe Queltions may be fufficient to give the Reader fome notion of the Subjects which hive of Lite encased the atten- lion of the Difputants in the Divinity Schools at Cambridge. I will afford him an opportunity of contrafting our labours with thofe of oui P , without taking upon me to determine
whether we fhall derive creditor difhonour from the comparifon. If he ihouki think tb.ac we have in fome inftances a more en- 1 view of the Chriftran fyftem, and more liberal notions concerning the manner in which difTentients from our particular mode of faith and worihip ought to be treated tl'ian they had, I will take the liberty to fay, that there is room for improvement in both thefe points,
PREFACE. 7&ix
In 1634 were pubiilhed at Cambridge -Determine.:,
§httefiionum quarundam Tbeologicarum, in Acadsmia Canta-
brigienji fubtice difputatarum by Doctor Davenant, then
Biihop of Salisbury, and formerly Lady Margaret's ProfdTor ofDivinity.
INDEX Q_ U JE S T I O N U M.
QuiEST.
I /CONCUPISCENT! A in- renatis eft peccatum. \__j 2. Papiitarum preces pro defunctis funt inanes. . 3 Vere credences certi effe poffunt de fua falute.
4 Nulla eft temporalis Paps poteftas fuper reges in ordinead bonum
fpirituale.
5 Infallibilis determinatio fidei non eft annexa cathedrae Papali.
6 Caeca Jefuitarum obedientia eft illicita..
7 Non licet Proteftanti falva confcientia miflze interefle.
8 Opera pcenalia non funt divinx juftitiie fatisfa&oria.
9 Non datur liberum arbitrium in non ren-iti<-, ad bonum fbiritua
10 Opera renatorum labe peccaci funt inquin .
11 Civiiis juriulictio jure concedk 'ia'lici?.
12 Renuente magiftratu\ non iicer. populo reforrnationem eccleilae
moliri.
13 MifTa pontificia non eft facrificiutn propitiatorium pro vivis c;t r,or-
tuis.
14 Antiqui Patres non meruerunt Chrifti ^m, nee al
ejus circui
15 Totapoteltas facerdotum eft ipiriti
16 Pronitas ad malum non
17 Jefuitici ppntificii non pc nt - cni (ubditi. il! Cuitus reiigiofus qreat'urae eft idolola
19 Rex in regno fuo eft ti 1 ' ■ > Deo.
20 Ecciefia Anglicana jiigat ad ce 0.1 Ecciefia Romana eft apoft'atica.
22 Decretum non toll it libertatem.
23 S.ici amenta non conferunt gratiamcx opere operato.
24 In efi'.-iitia divina nee aliud nee accidens.
25 Praefcieh'tia divina non erat caufa lapfus humani.
26 Subje&um divinae praedeftii lapfus,
27 Papiftae tenentur interefle facris Proteftantium. 2% Papae jurifdictio non eft uriiverfalis.
29 Fides implicita non eft falutifera.
30 Dominium temporale non fundatur in gratia.
31 Omne peccatum eft iua natura mortiferum.
32 Coniilia quae vocantur Evangeiica, b.abcnt quandoque vim
cepti.
u :
xxx PREFACE.
33 RemifHi culpa remittitur poena.
34 Nemo poteft de congruo mereri primam gratiam divinam.
35 Ecclefia invifibilis non eft Idea Platonica.
36 Chrifti viclima fola vere expiatoria.
37 Fides juftificans eft fiducia in Chriftum mediatorem.
38 Fides juftificans non poteft a charitate disjungi.
39 Laici non funt arcendi a leclione Scripturarum.
40 Superbia fuit primum peccatum Angelorum.
41 Publica Religionis exercitia funt lingua vulgari peragenda.
42 Diverfitas graduum in miniftris Evangelicis, verbo Dei non re-
pugnat.
43 Coelibatus non eft neceffario facris ordinibus annexus.
44 Sancti non funt invocandi.
45 Ignorantia non excufat peccatum.
46 San&a ecclefia Catholica quam credimus, ex folis conftat elecYis.
47 Nee Petrus nee Pontifex Romanus conftitutus fuit a Chrifto ecclefiae
totius monarcha.
48 Ccnfura ecclefiaftica non tollit vincula ofEciorum.
49 Non datur omnibus auxilium fufficiens ad falutem.
50 Ecclefia Romana injufte calicem Laicis ademit.
Do&or Tuckney was elected Regius Profeflbr of Divinity in the Univerfity of Cambridge in 1655 ; his PraleBiones Theo- logic<£> necnon Detcrminationes Qu<eftionum variarum infignium in
Sc bolts Academicis Cantabrigienfibus habit ce were publilhed
at Amfterdam in 1679.
Q.U £) S T I O N E S DETERMINATE
I -m y|-AGISTRATUM gerere non repugnat Qhrifti inftitutis. XVX 2 Humana Ciirifti natura non eft ex unione hypoftatica Di- vinarum proprietatum particeps.
3 Religio non eft vi et armis propaganda.
4 Intallibilitas nulli competit creature.
5 Electio eft prorfus gratuita.
fe Omne peccatum eft fua natura mortale.
7 Ad minifterium ecclefize l'ufcipiendum ordinarie requiritur legitima
vocatio.
8 Chriftiano licet ex intuitu mercedis operari.
9 Meritum Papifticum ex S. Scriptura non probatur. IO Purgatorium Papifticum eft fictitium.
j I Poen*e propter peccatum seternae non funt iniqua:.
12 VvxpizcuDivxix nee ratione f'undatur nee Scriptura.
13 Peccata praeteritaet futura non fimul remittuntur.
14 Fraudes quae vocantur pise funt illicitae.
15 Nullus aflenfus conftituit rationem ridei juftificantis.
16 A
PREFACE. xxxi
16 Ad redemptionis noftras Kvt^v tarn acYiva quam paffiva Chrifti fpedat
obedicntia.
17 Deus reputat pro juftis r.on nifi revera juftos.
18 Re<£r.itudo primi parentis nonfuit donum fupematurale.
19 Beati in ftatu glorise fe mutuo funt agnituri.
20 AvTotpovtot non eft iicita.
21 Vere fideles certi efle pofTunt de falute.
22 Credentes tenentur ad obedientiam legis.
23 Dominium temporale non fundatur in gratia.
24 Cognitio fana necefTario credendorum eft pars religionis eilentialis-
25 Regnum Chrifti perfonale in terris non eft expec-tandum.
26 Miniftris conjugium non eft inteidicendurm
27 Intel-'e&us vi foia nativi luminis non percipit falutariter do&rinaro
Evangelii.
28 Fides juftificans a bonis operibus fejungi nequit.
29 Praecepta Evangelica de vita inftituenda funt reds rationi confen-
tanea.
30 Renati in hac vita non poflunt perfe&e legem Dei adimplere.
31 Externus judex infallibilis in controverfiis iidei, nee datur, nee re-
quiritur in ecclefia.
32 Bona opera funt neceftaria ad falutem.
33 Concupifeentia in renatis eft peccatum.
34 Quintum Danielis imperium non reftat adhuc expeiEtandum.
35 Interna Dei illuminatio non tollit ufum neceflarium minified*
Evangelici.
36 Officia ecclefiaftica funt lingua vulgo nota celebranda.
37 Verbum Dei externum eft ordinarium medium converfionis ad fa-
lutem.
38 Indulgentise pontificise non nituntur verbo divino.
39 Chriftus eft Patri 'apoatnof.
40 Status in quo homo nee juftus fit nee injuftus non datur.
41 Jacobi fententia de juftiricatione non eft adveriaria Puulinae.
42 Ufura legiti ma non eft iliieita.
43 Sacrifkia fub tc ante Mofaicam ceconomiam typi fuerunt Jefu Cr
44 Divortium matrimoniale non folvit vinculum.
45 Culpa remifla non retinetur poena.
40 Non licet gladio animadvertere in haereticos.
47 PromuJgatio eft de efientia legis di\ inae.
48 Principes nulli terreno foro funt o'bnoxii.
49 Externa fidei profeflio datjus ad i'acramenta.
50 Lectio S. Scripture non eft interdicenda Laicis.
51 Characleres Antichrifti in Scrrptura exprefli przecipue conveniunt
pontifici Romano.
52 Saiisfactio Cnriiti propeccatis eft congrua juftitirs et gratis divins,
I once intended to have digefted the whole of Theology into a connected feries of propofitions, with references to fuch Au- thors, ancient and modern, as had treated the affirmative and negative fide of each, with the greateft clearnefs and precifion.
\x\'\ E F A C E.
The mere ehtinciation of a propofition conveys a degree of ufe-
is queftions which fuggeft them-
important fubject in Divinity might be ftate'd
with • cifion, and made fo to depend on each other, that
ehend in a fhort compafs the marrow of many
. I the fame time give fuch a regu-
iew of the whole iubje<5t, as conftitutes the
i c Treatifes. I had made fome little
; ■-. hen I was feized with a diforder, three
\. unequal to the exertions which
its co perfon fhould be induced
to ui will find his endeavours
much i figiam Breviores,
of o"c\ :: aiios et centra Pcn-
arum) quce inter Soci- nianoi lata^Jimul ac Pontijici<e Theologos
B hop J . Y Remains 3 by a imall . - deque nude propojita, de Uni-
verja b ;, u ■ Bremae i( the Summa Tbfo?
logica -inns ■. (or notwithftanding the ridicule which
illy, in thefe days, attend? riie mere mention of the Angelic Doctor, I will veni - I two I e are,
mix^dindeea nd] Tverfe interpre-
ts of great nent ftated nth ntj by 1
Lectures; by the T> \ and-of I j
by die Sy um;
by the K t *us. Bud-
t Cat and by our Englifh Divines,
that they have illuftrated par- ticular dodrim h more ftrength of argument, and perfpicuity of la than are to be met with in the wri- tings of the Div ion.
fH£
1
THE
PREFACE.
THE Reader is here preferred with the plan which Dr. Taylor followed, in leading his pupils to a juft and rational acquain- tance with the principles of Religion, founded upon an accurate know- ledge of the Scriptures.
The importance of this fervice, and his accountablenefs in a great meafure for the event, were confiderations of the laft moment, and caufed him to compofe, and deliver his academical inftructions with the utmoft circumfpection. To his own judgment, after the ftrictefr revifal, the principles here advanced, appeared juft and fcriptural j but he did not therefore prefume they were abfolutely free from error ; much lefs did he think himfelf authorized, as a public tutor, to impofe his fenti- ments on young minds with an overbearing hand. That he might do juftice to his pupils, and himfelf, he always prefaced his lectures with the following folemn Charge, which does honor to the Author, and affords a noble precedent to feminaries of learning.
I. " I do folemnly charge you, in the name of the God of Truth, and of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and before whofe judgment- feat you muft in no long time appear, that in all your ftudies and inquiries of a religious nature, prefent or future, you do conftantly, carefully, impar- tially, and confcientioufiy attend to evidence, as it lies in the holy Scriptures, or in the nature of things, and the dictates of reafon; cautioufly guarding againft the fallies of imagination, and the fallacy of ill-grounded conjecture."
II. — " That you admit, embrace, or aflent to no principle, or fentiment, by me taught or advanced, but only fo far as it fhall appear to you to be fupported and juftified by proper evidence from Revelation, or the reafon of things."
HI. — " That, if at any time hereafter, any principle or fentiment, by me taught or advanced, or by you admitted and embraced, ihall, upon impartial and faithful examination, appear to you to be dubious or falfe, you either fufpect, or totally reject: fuch principle or fentiment." \
Vol. I. A IV.— « That
ii THE PREFACE.
IV. — " That you keep your mind always open to evidence.— That you labour to banifh from your bread all prejudice, pre- pofleflion, and party-zeal.— That you ftudy to live in peace and love with all your fellow-chriitians, and that you fteadily aflert for yourfelf, and freely allow to others, the unalienable rights of judgment and confcience."
Is it poflible to adjuit the terms between a tutor and his pupils more equitably? But it muft here beobferved, that Dr. Taylor ever meant, the liberty he claimed for himfclf, and allowed toothers, fhould be di- rected by a ferious frame of mind, and a real defire to promote practical religion. The enlarged view he had of divine things penetrated his own heart, and had a manifefr influence over his practice. He laboured to exf '..:in and vindicate the doilrines of Revelation for this reafon, that he might moft effectually ferve the caufe of vital Religion.
It were to be wifhed, that thole who are ftudents for the miniftry, who choofe to confult his writings, may imbibe the fame fpirit of genuine piety. This will be a never-failing fource of weight and credit : and without it, other qualifications will be infufficient for religious improve- ment.
The Doctor's whole life being devoted to an impartial ftudy of the Scriptures, not by way of fpeculation and amufement, but for the moft valuable purpofes to himfelf and others, it is no wonder to find him fo earneftly recommending them to the ferious attention of Chriftians. This is the important fubject of thofe chapters, which immediately follow the Scheme of Scripture Divinity.
.The Editor fubmits the whole (as the Author would have done) to the candor of every intelligent Reader ; defiling that what is here advanced, may be regarded no further than fhall appear conformable to truth and Scripture, in fubfeiviency to the beft intereft of Mankind*
A SCHEME
\
SCHEME
O F
SCRIPTURE-DIVINITY, &C*
CHAP. f. Of Christian Theology.
CHRISTIAN Theology* or Divinity, is the fcience which, from Revelation, teacheth the knowledge of God, namely, his nature and perfections, his relations to us, his ways and difpenfations, his will with refpect to our actions, and his purpofes with refpe£r. to our being ; in order to form in our minds right principles, for our direction and comfort, and in our converfation right practice for fecuring his favour and blefling*
In natural religion we take our proofs from the natures of things as perceived, confidered, and compared by the human mind ; but now we advance upon the authority and fenfe of writings and books ; I mean, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teftaments, acknowledged by the whole Chriftian world as a true revelation from God, and as the ftandard of faith and doctrine.
That God would reveal to us, by fuch ways as he in his wifdom judgeth moft proper, fuch things as are needful for us to know and to do, for the improvement and happinefs of our nature, is perfectly agreeable to his wifdom and goodnefs, who is our Father, and delighteth in our well-being; and is alfo perfectly fuitable to our circumftances, as mankind are ignorant and w^ak, and very liable to error and decep- tion. It is confonant to the nature of things, that a father fhould inftrucl: his child, and that perfons of knowledge and learning fhould teach the ignorant. How much more that God, whofe understanding; is infinite, and without whom we can know nothing at all, fhould teach and inftrucl: us all !
And that his inftru&ions fhould be configned to writing, is alfo very
fit and proper; as this, in facl, is the fureft method of preferving them
A X in
4 Of Chriftian Theology, Ch. I.
in the world. Tradition from one generation to another is no fafe con- veyance. The experiment hath been fufficiently tried in the ages before the flood ; wherein, though tradition was then greatly favoured by the longevity of mankind, yet we find, that both the Religion of Nature and traditionary Revelation were both fo far loft, that in the fpace of
1656 years the earth was filled with violence -for all fiejh had corrupted
his way upon earth. Gen. vi. 1 1, 12. And both would have been entirely loft, had not God in an extraordinary manner interpofed. Likewife after the flood, notwithftanding any tradition from Noah, idolatry foon overfpread the nations, and rendered it expedient for God to devife a newconftitution, to prevent a fecond univerfal corruption and apoftacy. And fo falfe and faithlefs is Tradition, that for many ages in the Jewifh, nation, and for many ages under the Gofpel, Tradition was, and ftill is, fo far oppofed to Revelation, as to obfeure and difparage it, and make the commandment of God therein of no effect. Infomuch, that had not a written Revelation by Divine Providence been introduced into the world, and preferved in it, true Religion would have been banifhed ©ut of it.
The benefit of Revelation is very great : but then it muft be faithfully tifed ; otherwife it will be turned againft itfelf, and made the patron of Falfehood and Delufion. Which, in fa£t, hath been the cafe. Men, either weak or wicked, have perverted the Scriptures, and reduced them to a fubferviency to either their lufts, or preconceived opinions. The latter was remarkably the cafe in the hrft ages of Chriftianky. When any of the Philofophers were converted to the Chriftian Profeffion, they generally brought along with them the fchemes and notions of the par- ticular feds to which they were attached; thofe influenced their minds in the ftudy of the Scriptures, and inclined them to wreft the Scriptures into a confiftency with their preconceived opinions. Hence it is, that many notions inconfiftent with the word of God, and with each other, have bten handed down to us from the earlieft times under the facred character of found Chriftian Doctrine. And in our own times, we find men pleading the authority of Scripture for a variety of oppofite and contradictory fentiments, which therefore cannot all of them be founded upon Scripture.
For the Holy Scriptures, being a Revelation from God, the moft per- fect and invariable ftandard of Truth, though written by different per- fbns, living in remote ages, during the fpace of about 1500 years, from JUofes to John, who wrote the Revelation; yet, being a Revelation from God, muft be perfectly confident in all their parts and principles, views and fentiments, expreft in uniformity of language, ^or if the language were multiform and various, the fenfe would neccflarily be obfeure, and the understanding confounded, and (o the ends of Revelation would be defeated. And if, notwithftanding the great changes in cuftoms, difpo- fitions, interefts, and religious fentiments, which muft, and actually did, happen in fo long a tract of time, we do find, that one confiftent fcheme, in one confident uniform language, is carried on in all the writings, which compofe the Scriptures, we may ftrongly conclude, that they are a Revelation from God ; not the produce of human wifdom, which could never in ages fo remote, and for the greateft part fo illiterate^ have com- bined
Ch. I. Of Chriftian Theology. 5
bined to carry on a regular, uniform fcheme of religious principles and fentiments, in the fame language or modes of expreffion j but the infpi- ration or dictates of one Spirit, the Spirit of God. Hence it fol- lows,
I. That in explaining the Scriptures, confiftency of fenfe and prin- ciples ought to be fupported in all the feveral parts thereof; and that, if any part be fo interpreted as to clafh with any other, we may be fure fuch interpretation cannot be juftified. Nor can it otherwife be rectified, than by faithfully comparing Scripture with Scripture, and bringing what may feem to be obfcure into a confiftency with what is plain and evident.
II. The fenfe of Scripture can no otherwife be underftood, than by underftanding the force and import of Scriptural language. And the force and import of Scriptural language can be fettled in no method more authentic, than by collating the feveral paflages in which any phrafe or expreffion occurs. Thus, in every view, Scripture is the belt interpreter of Scripture.
III. Figurative expreflions fhould be carefully diftinguifhed from thofe that are literal ; and vice verfa. The oriental, and confequently the Scriptural tropes and figures of fpeech, are very bold, and different from the European.
IV. Single fentences are not to be detached from the places where theyftand, but to be taken in connexion with the whole difcourfe. The occafion, coherence, and connexion of the writing, the argument that is carrying on, the fcope and intent of the paragraph, are to be carefully attended to.
V. We fhould always interpret Scripture in a fenfe confident witn the laws of natural religion ; or with the known perfections of God, and the notions of right and wrong, good and evil, which are difcover- able in the works of creation, and in the prefent conftitution of things. The language of Nature is moft certainly the language of God, the fole author of Nature. And however the Divine Wifdom may diverfify the circumftances of fupernatural Revelation, yet the law of Nature, as it is founded in the unchangeable natures of things, mull be the balls and ground-work of every conftitution of religion, which God had erected. Whence it follows, that the ftudyand knowledge of natural Religion is a neceflary introduction to the ftudy and right underftanding of Revela- tion. And we may further conclude that fupernatural Revelation, in all its parts and principles, as it certainly is, fo it always fhould be, in- terpreted and underftood in perfect harmony with natural Religion, or the dictates of Reafon.
But miftake me not ; I do not mean, that the law or religion of Na- ture is commenfurate to Revelation ; or, that nothing is to be admitted in Revelation, but what is difcoverable by the light of Nature, or by human Reafon. So far from that, that the whole of Revelation, pro- perly fo called, could never have been difcovered by human Reafon. And therefore in matters of pure Revelation, it is a very falfe and falla- cious way to begin firft with what our Reafon may dictate and difcover; becaufe our Reafon, unaffifted by Revelation, in fuch cafes, can difcover
A 3 nothing
6 Of Chrijlian Theology. Ch. I.
nothing at all. For inftance, the confequences of Adams tranfgreflion upon his pofl-crity j the covenant made with Abraham-, the nature and million of the Son of God ; the grant of bleflings, and of eternal life by him. Concerning thofe things, we could h^ve known nothing at all, had not God revealed them to us. And in fuch matters of pure Revela- tion, tl.e firft thing we have to do, is to inquire, not what human Rea- fon can difcoyer, but what God has d.fcovered, and declared in Scrip- ture. But at the fame time it is true, that God hath difcovcred nothing in Scripture inconfiflent with what he has difcovcred in the nature of things expofed to the view of all mankind. And therefore, if we un. dcrftand any thing in revealed religion, in a fenfe contradictory to natu- ral religion, or to the known perfections of God, and the common no- tions of good and evil, which he hath written upon all our hearts, we may be iure we are in an error, and miftake the fenfe of Revelation.
I. He who would effectually ftudy the word of God, ought, above all things to be deeply fenfible of the infinite value of true knowledge and wifdom ; and how abfolutely neceffary it is to his eternal happinefs, to cultivate and improve his intellectual powers, in the ufe of all thofe means which God hath put into his hands. The Scriptures are given us, not for amufement, or mere fpeculation, in perufing the curious remains of antiquity, the language, manners, and Theology of fome celebrated ancients; but they are all, from beginning to end, pointed directly at our hearts and lives, to make us wife unto falvation. There we find every rule of the mod confummate wifdom, and every principle of truth and comfort j and the whole is defigned to refine our nature into its proper excellence, to guide us into the paths of purity, peace, and righteoufnefs ; to make us happy in ourfelves, and a blefling to all about us j and finally to qualify us for the full enjoyment of God for ever.
But if we are cold and indifferent to any attainments in true wifdom ; if we choofe to dream, or jeft and trifle away the important feafon of life, defpifing the glorious advantages we enjoy, while we eagerly pur- fue the low and tranfitory things of this world, in neg!e<5l of ourfelves, of God, and immortality, of all that is truly great and good and ex- cellent, we fhall receive little or no advantage from any explications of the Holy Scriptures. We fhall not value or rtlifh them, we can have no ground to expe£t the divine blefling to aflift our ftudies, but have reafon to fear we fhall be left to ourfelves, to wander from God, from truth, and life, in deplorable ignorance and folly. Attend, therefore, to the voice of Divine Wifdom, Prov. ii. I, &c. My fort, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments within thee, [lay them upas a treafure |DJ»'D in thy heart] fo that thou incline thine ear unto wifdom, and apply thine heart unto under/landing; yea, if thou crie/f after knowledge^ and lift eft up thy voice for underjlanding [as we do for thofe things, which we moft of all defire, and moft of all ftand in need of]: If thou feekejl her as ftlver, and ftarchejl for her as for hid treafures [as covetous men feek money, and ranfack the whole world for the treafures, in which they delight : If thus you value, and ftudy to advance the improvement of your minds in knowledge and wifdom]: Then Jhalt thou under/land the
feat-
Ch. I. Of ChriJlian Theology. 7
fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God [which of all underftand- ing is infinitely the moft excellent].
II. But thisYenfe of the value of Divine Knowledge, and this defire to obtain it, muft be underftood in a connexion with a fmcere endeavour to live agreeably to it. For fhould a perfon, under the greateft advan- tages of learning, and with the utmoft afliduity ftudy the Scriptures, he will be, after all, but a poor proficient in Divine Knowledge, if he da not bring it home to his heart, and reduce it to practice. It is not fpe- culation, but practice and experience, which renders a man truly fkiiful in any bufinefs. So in Religion, no man can be truly wife and know- ing, but he who liveth wifeiy and virtuoufly. If ye continue in my word, (faith our Lord, Joh. viii. 31.) then Jhall ye know the truth, and the truth
Jhall make you free [from the darknefs of ignorance and error, and the fervitude of abfurd lufts and paffionsj. Joh. vii. 27. If any man will do his, God's, will, he Jhall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. [He fhall fee it in its true light, and be convinced that it is perfectly divine.] For (P/al. xxv. 14.) the fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and be will Jhew them his covenant. But (Dan. xii. 10.) the wicked Jhall do wickedly, and none of the wicked Jhall underjland, but the wife [the pious and virtuous] Jhall under/land.
This is to make you fenfible, that a fincere defire of true knowledge is a neceffary difpofition in entering upon the ftudy of the Scriptures; and the obedience to God's commands, in the courfe of a pious life, is neceffary to enlarge and eftablifh the judgment in the knowledge of divine truths.
III. To the effectual ftudy of Scripture, it is neceffary, that our minds and hearts be unbiaffed, unprejudiced, open to the truth, and always quite free to difcern and receive it. If our fpirits are under the power of prepoffeflion and prejudice, we cannot be well difpofed for fearching the Scriptures. For inftance, if a perfon, in matters of religion and confeience, is ambitious to gain reputation in the world, or folicitous only to pleafe and recommend himfelf to a party, how fhould he ftudy the word of God with the fincere and fingle view of difcovering and embracing the truth, when he is pre-engaged, and all his care is to find what will pleafe his fellow-creatures, and fuit his own mean and felfifh purpofes ? Joh. v. 44. Hoiu can ye believe, who receive honour one of ano" ther, whofe ruling principle is the defire of temporal honour, and the favour of men, and feek not the honour which comes from God only, the honour of a good confeience, and of upright conduct? Or, if we refign our understandings and confeiences to the authority of human decifions and decrees ; or imbibe the bigotry of a party, which determines a perfon to retain pertinacioufly a fet of religious notions, without confidering, or examining, how far they are agreeable to the word of God, our understandings and judgments are locked up, and no longer at liberty to difcover the truth.
It is owing to this malignant caufe, that great numbers of learned men, who call themfelves Chriftians, will not allow themfelves to make inquiry, whether the worfhip of faints, images, relicks, bread, and innumerable other abfurd doctrines, and fuperffitious practices, are agree- able to the truth and purity of the Chriftian Religion. The error and
A 4 iniquity
J> Of the Divine Difpenfations. Ch. IL
iniquity of this conduct in Papifts we fee and deteft. But the fame mo- ral caufe will in all cafes produce the fame effects. If we act upon the fame vicious principles ; if we indulge the like prejudices, and in the fame manner wilfully fhut our eyes, we fhall be more faulty than Papifts, becaufe it is contrary to our profeflion, as Proteftants ; and fhall be equally incapable of feeing the truth and glory of our holy Religion. In itudying the Scriptures we fhould always keep our minds open to evi- dence, and further difcoveries of truth ; which is the only way to be more and more folidly eftablifhed in our religious principles; for in no other way can we grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus CbriJI, Moreover, this is the only poflible mean of reducing the Chrifrian world to unity both of hearts and fentiments.
IV. Prayer to God, the Father of Lights, the Fountain of all Illu- mination, is neceflary to the fuccefsful fludy of the Scriptures. Prov. ii. 6. The Lcrdz\ov\Q gives wifdom ; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and undemanding. Nor hath he appointed any means, how excellent foever in themftlves, which exempt us from a dependence upon his blefling. All our fprings are in him; and his gracious influences render our en- deavours, of any kind, fuccefsful. And therefore, when we addrefs ©urfelves to the ftudy of the holy Scriptures, we mould make our Am- plication to God, that he would open our eyes, that we may behold won- derous things out of his law. Or, in the Apoftle's words, (Ephef. i. 17, l8.) that theGod of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, the Father of Glory, would give unto us the fpirit of wifdom, and revelation, in the knowledge of him ; that the eyes of our under/landing being enlightened, we may have juft apprehen- fions of the riches of his wifdom and grace, and that our hearts may be duly imprefled with a deep and lafting fenfe of them.
CHAP. II.
Of the Divine Difpenfations , in Scripture called the Ways and Work* of GOD.
TH E Ways of God CDM^N >dtt frequently fignify the Rules of Life, which he hath given us to obferve. Pfal. cxix. 3. They dfo do no iniquity ; they walk in his ways, i. e. in the law of the Lord, ver. 1. And the Works ED'it'yo of God may fignify the mere ope- ration and productions of his power. But both thefe words have a more reftricted and emphatical fignification. yn a Way, fignifieth alfo a courfe of action, a cuftom, conftitution or institution, which any perfon, or number of perfons form to themfelves. Prov. viii. 22. The Lord poffefjed me, Wifdom, in the beginning of his Way, before his Works of old. Prov, xii. 26. The way of the wicked, their courfe of action, feduceth them. Hof. x. 13. Becaufe thou d'nljl truft in thy way, the fchemes and
methods,
Ch. II. Of the Divine Difpenfations. 9
methods, political or religious, of thy own devifing, and in the multitude of thy mighty men, Amos viii. 14. The manner, the way, /*. e. the religious conftitution, of Beerjheba liverh, fubfifts, flourifheth, not- withftandingthe oppofition made to it. rtUty fignifies to conftitute, or- dain, appoint, difpofe. Num. xxviii. 6. 2 Chrotu ii. ir. Pfal. civ. 19. peel. iii. 11.
Hence Ways and Works fignify the appointments, conftitutions, or Difpenfations of God. By which are meant, " The fchemes or me- M thods devifed or contrived by the wifdom and goodnefs of God, to <c difcover, or (hew himfelf, his nature and will, his beneficence, holi- **■ nefs and juftice, to the minds of his rational creatures, for their in- *' ftru&ion, difcipline and reformation, in order to promote their hap- " pinef?." Thefe are the great ends of the Divine Difpenfations ; and thefe the principal points to be attended to, in the explications of them.
The great God, for ever to be adored, hath actually given exiftencs to a world of moral agents, fuch as we are. He therefore is our Fa- ther, and we are his offspring, whom he hath created in love, that in a right and virtuous ufe of our rational powers, we may be qualified for honour and enjoyment in the heavenly world. This feems to be the higher! defign the Divine Goodnefs can form, and the higher! excellency to which our nature can attain. And this may be confidered as the bafis of all the Divine Difpenfations from the beginning of the world. For without pious and virtuous difpofitions we cannot be qualified for honour and enjoyment. But pious and virtuous difpofitions cannct be forced upon us, by any external power whatever ; they mud, in feme degree, be the effect of our own attention and choice. It is, therefore, becoming the Father of our Spirits, and fuitable to beings of our ca- pacities and circumftances, that proper means be provided for our in- duction and difcipline. For inftance, as God is not the object of any of our fenfes, and can be ken only by our underftandings, it is proper that he fhould fet before us, in the frame and furniture of the world, fuch vifible and various difplays of his Being, Power, Wifdom, Juftice, and kind Regards, as may engage our attention, difcover his eternal God- head, and lead us to the acknowledgment, adoration, love, and dutiful obedience of our Creator, Father, and Benefactor. Thefe are the works, the difpenfations, or conftitutions of Nature ; whereby our Fa- ther, as in a glafs held before our eyes and thoughts, has fhewn him- felf to us for our inftruction in piety and virtue.
But befides the conftitution of univerfal Nature, there are a variety of difpenfations, which are more immediately relative to mankind. As the being born of parents, to fupply the feveral generations of the world, whence refult fundry relations and duties ; the being fuftained by food, covered and fheltered by clothes and habitations, healed by phyficians, taught by the learned and fkilful; the infirmities, appetites, and paflions of our conftitution; the forming focieties for mutual help and commerce; the inftitution of government, or the fubordination of fome to the au- thority of others, for preferving good order, for the protection of vir- tue, and the reftraint and punifhment of vice. Add to thefe, wars, pefti-
lence,
jro Of the Divine Difpenfations. Ch. II.
lence, famine, earthquakes, and fuch like events ; all thefe may be reckoned among the Divine Appointments, or Difpenfations ; fome for the exercife of our rational powers in right action ; fome for difcipline, correction, and reformation ; but none merely for deftruction, except where reformation cannot be effected.
But thole Ways, or Difpenfations, which in Scripture areconfidered as the great hinges of Divine Providence, on which his dealings with mankind have turned ; or, as the principal events, by which the great purpofes and councils of God's will have been executed, are chiefly to be attended unto. Becaufe right conceptions of thefe, under their feve- ral views, circumftances, and connexions, will greatly contribute to the explaining oi Scripture-Theology, and alfo mark out the proper order and method, in which it may be ftudied. Let us therefore here, at flrft getting out, take a general furvey of them.
I. The Creation of the World, as above.
II. The Formation of Man after the Image of God.
III. Man, being created capable of enjoying the honours and felicity of heaven, was to be difciplined and proved, in order to his being con- firmed in the habits of virtue and holinefs; without which, neither man, nor any other rational being, can be fit to fee, or enjoy,' the Lord. Accordingly, the firft moft remarkable of God's works, in the newly- created world, was to put the Man, whom he had formed, upon a trial Suitable to his circumftances.
IV. Under which trial, man, yielding to temptation, finned, and fo became fubjecled to the threatening of eternal death.
V. Which heavy doom, God, not willing to deftroy his creature, was pleafed in mercy, not only to mitigate, but alfo, man having altered his moral ftate. thought fit to introduce a new difpenfation of grace, in the hands of a Mediator ; at the fame time, fubje&ing the human race to a laborious life, to difeafes, and to death temporal ; and this, in much goodnefs, to fubdue the flefhly Principle, to give a tafte of the bitter fruits of fin, to prevent the opportunities and occafions of it; and, by increafing the vanity of the creature, to turn his regards more fteadily to the all-fufficient Creator.
VI. But men multiplying in the earth, abufed the grace of God, and in about 1656 years time became fo wicked, that all flcjh had corrupted his wayy and the earth was filled with violence. Then, to purge the world from iniquity, and to recover it to a ftate of righteoufnefs, God created a new thing in the earth, and, by a deluge of water, deftroyed that wicked generation, preferving the only Family that remained uncorrupt in the old world, in order to propagate piety and virtue in the new. At the fame time, and for the fame good purpofes, he reduced human life into much narrower bounds.
VII. Not long after the deluge, to prevent a fecond general corrup- tion, God introduced another difpenfation, by confounding the language of mankind; which divided the world into leveral diftinct focieties, and, confequently, kept them under a ftriclcr government, and better preferved their liberties, than if the world had been one great Empire.
VIII. Thus the outrage of violence and rapine was, in a good mea- fure, cured. But now mankind fall into a different iniquity, namely,
thai
Ch. II. Of the Divine Difpenfatiom. If
that of idolatry ; whereby, within 400 years after the flood, the worfhip and knowledge of the one fupreme God was in danger of being utterly loft. To prevent this, the Divine Wifdom erected a new difpenlation by calling Abraham from among his idolatrous kindred, and conftituting his family theftorehoufe and ftandard of divine knowledge. To them he fpake and revealed himfelf at fundry times, and in divers manners, and feparated them from the reft of the world, by peculiar laws and reli- gious ceremonies, to fecure them from the idolatrous practices of their neighbours. Thus they became God's peculiar people, diftinguifhed above all other nations, but with a view to the future great benefit of all nations. And to this day, bleiled be God, we experience the happy effects of this noble fchcme, and owe to it both our Bible, and the very being of the Gofpel church.
IX. The family of Abraham, by the divine conduct, was led into Egypt. And when they had been there, under grievous oppreflion, 215 years, and were grown numerous enough to be a nation, God fet him- felf at the head of them, as their King. And, in a country much efteemed for learning and arts, whither men of genius and curiofity reforted from all other parts, upon this ftage, fo proper, becaufe fo pub- lic, God, as the king of Ifrael, combated the king of Egypt, and his fictitious gods, and dilplayed his infinitely fuperior power both to de- stroy and to fave, by many plagues inflicted upon the land of Egypt* and by bringing out the Israelites in oppofition to all the forces of the king, and all the obftaclesof nature, and fettling them, after they had been fufficiently difciplined in the wildernefs, in the land of Canaan. Here God fet up his peculiar kingdom amongft them ; and they alone of all the nations of the earth were the fubjects of it, and happy in its fmgular privileges and bleflings; but, at the fame time, were exercifed with various providential difpenfations. The general ruie of which, was this : while they adhered to the worfhip of the true God, they were always profperous j when they declined to idolatry, they were cither oppreiTed at home, or carried captive into other countries.
X. The long captivity in Babylon was not only a punifhmentto the Jew-, but alfo a mean of publishing the knowledge of the true God over all the Babylonijh empire, as appears very evidently in the Book of Daniel. And the divifion of the Grecian empire, which put an end to the Perfian, after the death of Alexander, caufed a new difperfion of the Jews, efpecially into Afia minor, Syria, Egypt, Cyrene, and Lybia, where their fynagogues were very common. And laftly, when they were fu ejected to the Roman power, their God and religion became more J:nown over all the Roman empire. Thus the way for the kingdom of the Mejftah was gradually prepared. For though the knowledge of God, received from the Jews, made no public reformation of Pa- gan idolatry, yet it greatly difpofed men to receive the Gofpel when it Should be preached unto them. Some became Jews, many renounced idolatry, and worfhipped no other but the living and true God, who, in the Acts of the Apoftles, are called, devout Profelytes, Greeks, thole that feared God. J
XI. Thus we are brought to the coming ofChrifl, who came in the fid- nefs of Time; for he came as foon as God, by the various methods of his
pro-
12 Of the Divine Difpenfations. Ch. II.
providence, had prepared the world to receive him. When God had mode ready a people prepared for him, then Chrift came, and fully ex- plained the nature, laws, extent, and glory of the kingdom of God, and fulfilled the great and moft excellent defigns of divine wifdom, by giving himfelf a facrifice and propitiation for the fin of the world.
XII. Then the great myftery of God, the calling of other nations, befides theater, into his kingdom and church, was opened, and made manifeft by the preaching of the Gofpel. For which purpofe, he fent out his apoftles, furnifhed with proper powers and credentials, efpe- cially the gift of tongues, whereby they were enabled to communicate the wonderful things of God to people of different countries. And by this means, the glad tidings of falvation, and the glorious light and privileges of the Gofpel, have reached even to us in Great-Britain^ who dwell in the uttermoft parts of the earth.
XIII. But as Chrijl came to reftore, to explain, and by the moft glorious difcoveries, and the richeft promifes, to enforce the law of na- ture, the true religion of all nations; and confequently, as his defign was to erect an univerfal religion, which fhould recommend itfelf to all people, under their fevcral political diftindtions, and which, there- fore, was to interfere with no political eftablifhments, but fhould leave them, in every country, juft as it found them, teaching the nations only to obfervethe eternal* rules of righteoufnefs in the hope of eternal life ; I fay, upon this grand, noble, and extenfive plan, the Jewijb polity would be funk to a level with all other national governments ; and the few, on account of any prior national advantages, would have no more claim to the bleflings and privileges of the kingdom of God, than any of the Gentiles, or nations, who, in any of the moft barbarous and defpifed parts of the earth, fhould receive the faith of the Gofpel. For in the Chriftian religion there is neither Greek nor few, circumcifion nor uncircumcifion, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free ; but Chrif, i . e. the faith and obedience, or true religion, which Chrift taught, is ally and in all, Col. iii. II. Thus the few is fallen from his fuperior claims and privileges j and he falls by that very method of divine wif- dom and grace, which brought falvation to all other nations. Thus the diminijhing of the fews is the riches of the world, and the cafling atvay of them is the reconciling of the world, (Rom. xi. 12, 15.) or the opening a door for the whole world to come into the peculiar kingdom of God.
This is the idea we ought to have of the rejection of the Jews. The grace of God wa<, and ftill is, as free to them as toother people, upon their embracing the Gofpel; but their political conftitution from hence- forth gave them no diftindtion, or privileges in the kingdom of God, above the reft cf mankind. And in no long time after the publication of the Gofpel, their polity and civil conftitution, which otherwife would have remained in full force, and have obliged them to obey its laws, as much as the conftitutions of the other kingdoms of the world obliged their feveral fubjedts, was quite overthrown, by the deftrudtion of the temple, and the expulfion of the Jews out of the land of Canaan, Which they have not been able to recover, but remain difperfed over the face of the whole earth to this day. Thus the Gofpel difpenfation was eredted, and fpread and prevailed every where.
XIV. The
Ch. II. Of the Divine Difpenfations. \ 3
XIV. The next of God's works was the permitting; and managing a grand apoftacy and corruption of religion in the chriftian church, fore- told by the Apoftles, and at large in the book of the Revelation. After the apoftles were removed out of the world, it pleafed God to leave the profeflbrs of the Gofpel, in matters of religion, to their own ignorance, paflions and prepofleffions. Thus the chriftian faith, by degree?, was depraved, till the Man of Sin arofe, a tyrannical, ufurped power, do- mineering over, and impofing upon confcience, forbidding the ufe of underftanding, and intoxicating the inhabiters of the earth with falfe and delufive learning, worldly pomp and fplendor, religious forcery, and cruel perfecution of the truth. This, as it was the propereft mean. of producing the moft eminent and nobleff. characters, was to be a long and fevere trial of the faith and patience of the faints. In the times of this fad difpenfation, it is certain, we are now living; but, we hope, towards the latter end of it. Through the whole courfe of it God hath varioufly appeared, both in wrath upon the corrupters of religion, and in mercy for the comfort and fupport of thofe who op- pofed it. And thus the wheels of providence moved on, till the morning of reformation appeared in our happy land, which, for fome centuries, hath been gradually advancing, and ftill continues to advance, towards the perfect day. For a fpirit of religious liberty, which hath been long opprefled, revives and gains ftrength, the fcriptures are more carefully fludied, ecclefiaftical tyranny and perfecution, under every form, more generally detefted ; and things feem to have a tendency towards love, unity, and concord, the moft perfect ftate of religion in this world.
XV. This muff, give pleafure to every good man, and he will cheer- fully join his endeavours to bring on the next glorious difpenfation, which we have in profpecl:, when the myjlery of God, with regard to the aforefaid corrupt ftate of religion, Jhall be finijhed; when Babylon, in all its principles and powers, fhall fall ; when the holy city, the new Jerufalem, fhall come down from Heaven, and God mail fet up a pure and happy ftate of the church.
XVI. How long that ftate will continue, we do not certainly know. Nor have we any further clear difcoveries of God's works till the aw- ful day of the refurredlion, when the Lord himfelf fhall in psrfon de- fcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and the trump of God. Then all they that pep in the dujl of the earth Jhall awake, and fhall be judged, fome to everlajling life, and fome ta Jhame and everlajling contempt. And they that be wife, under any of the changes and difpenfations of this prefent world, Jhall fhine as the bright- nefs of the firmament, and they that work together with God, and en- deavour to turn many to righteoufnefs, as theJlars,for ever and ever.
Thus I have given a fketch of the works of God from the beginning of the world to the confummation of all things. And very beautiful and furprifing would the whole appear, could we fee them in a full and clear light. But before we attempt a more particular explication of them in their feyeral views, circumftances, and connexions, we mufi make a few general remarks, which will afiift our conceptions and in- quiries,
CHAP,
14 General Remarh upon the Ch. Ill,
CHAP. III. General Remarks upon the Divine Dispensations.
CONCERNING the foregoing difpenfations, we may irf general remark, that as they are devifed and executed by God—
I. They are all agreeable to the moil perfect rules of righteoufnefs and truth. Nothing falfe, unjuSt, or injurious, can be charged upon the divine constitutions. For (Deut. xxxii. 4.) all God's ways are judg» ment\ a God of truth, and without iniquity ; jujl and right is he, Pfal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy, Steadily acting according to truth, in all bis works. See alio Rev. xv. 3. And there- fore they are in perfect confidence with each other.
II. The ways of God are not to be confidered as the effect of necef- fity, as if the end propofed could not poflibly have been otherwife gained; but as the refult of wife choice, or divine prudence, preferring fuch par- ticular methods as preferable to any other, as beSt adapted to our circum- ftances, or, all things confidered, as the moft likely to make mankind wife and happy. For inStance, it is by the difpenfation of God, that our prefent life is fuftained by food; not becaufe it is impoflible we fliould live in any other way, for God could fuftain our life in perfect health and Strength by an act of his own immediate power. Againj ©ur food is produced by the influence of the fun, by rain, the fertility of the ground, human labour and fkill ; not becaufe food could not be otherwife produced, for God could, by an immediate act of his own power, create food for us every day, as he did for the Israelites in the wildernefs; but this method of fuftaining our life is a contrivance of divine wifdom, to (hew himfelf to our understandings, (for, had we been fuftained by an immediate act of divine power, we Should have been led to imagine, that, not God, but our own nature, had fuStaincd itfelf) and to exercife our virtue and induitry in providing a fubfiSt- ence, and to be mutually helpful to each other. Hence the works of God, in fcripture, are aSfigned to his wifdom. See Pfal. civ. 24. Prov. viii. 22. Ephef i. 5, &c. — iii. 9, 10.
III. Afl'uredly all the difpenfations of God arecalculated to promote virtue and happinefs. This is the line which runs through the whole, as will appear in our future inquiries into the nature and tendencies of each of them. At prefent it may Suffice toobferve, that, however our circumStances may differ from thofe of our SirSt parents, the end of our being is the fame as theirs; and we, as well as they, are upon trial, in order to our having the habits of holinefs formed in us, and our being fitted for eternal life. And though it is a fad reflection to confider, how the wickednefs of men hath from time to time fatigued the patience of God, yet it muSt give us pleafure to ofrfcrve, how his goodnefs hath ap- plied various remedies to prevent, or heal, the corruptions of mankind.- In what way Soever men have gone aftray from him, his wifdom has ne-* yer been at lofs to find out the moSt proper expedients to reclaim them.
Evidently
Ch. III. Divine Difpenfations. JjJ
Evidently his defign is to fave a finful world, and to carry religion, both in its perfonal influences, and general prevalence, to the higheft perfection our prefent condition will admit (a).
IV. The fcriptural difpenfations, which have been enumerated, were fcverally adapted to the then capacities and improvements, the moral ftate and circumftances of mankind. The feveral ages of the world may be compared to the feveral fiages of human life, infancy, youth, manhood, and old-age. Now, as a man under due culture gradually improves in knowledge and wifdom, from infancy to old-age, fo we may conceive of the world, from the beginning to the end, as gra- dually improving in mental and religious attainments under the feveral divine difpenfations (b). Which difpenfations have been in every pe- riod Anted to the improvements in knowledge and wifdom, which then fubfifted in the world, jldam., when created, may be considered as a child without knowledge, learning, and experience; and therefore the difpenfation he was under, was very different from that which we are un- der, who enjoy the benefit and light of fo many preceding difpenfations.
Corollary. J preceding difpenfation is intended and adapted to intro- duce and prepare for that which comes after it. Experience is a natural and certain mean of improving in knowledge and wifdom. This is univerfally true, as well with regard to communities as fingle perfons. It is therefore agreeable to the nature of things, that in a progressive courfe of knowledge, and moral improvement, what we already have experienced fhould be a ftep to further advances; and .confequently, ia a juft plan or fcheme of difciplinc, it is fit, that what goes before, fliould be adapted to clear and eftablifh what is to come after. Thus mankind, reflecting upon preceding difpenfations, will be admonifhed and directed to reform old errors and corruptions ; and thus, even the monftrous apoilacy of the church of Rome may ferve to introduce and eftablifh that moft perfect irate of Chriftianity, which we expect will fucceed the difpenfation we are now under.
V. All God's difpenfations are in a moral way, and adapted to the nature of rational agents. Exod. xiii. 17, Force and co-action deftroy
the
(a) Now, if fuch a defign fhall appear evidently to run through the Books of the Old and New Teftament, a man may, with infinitely greater propriety, fuppofe the molt perfect drama (where the fineft defign is carried on by the belt chofen plot, and by the molt confiltent underplots, and beautiful, well- proportioned incidents) to have been writ by a number of the greatelt mad- men or idiots, by piece-meal, in different ages ; than imagine a thread of fuch an end and mean running through above 40 writers, in more than ? 600 years, to be the work of fo many enthufiafts. Or, we may as well fuppofe the world to be framed by mere chance ; or the moll magnificent, beautiful, and conve- nient palace, that the imagination can figure to itfelf, to be built by men un- acquainted with all the rules of architecture, in feveral diltant ages, and with- out any model to build by, and to be fupported by mere chance, through as many more ; as imagine fuch an unity of defign and mean, as I have de- scribed, to be the refult of enthufiafm and accident mixed together. Ld. Barringtoris Effay on the Div. Difpenfations. Part I. Preface, p. 26.
(b) Ages of a Man. 6. 16. 20. 30. 40. 50. 60. 70. Ages of the World. 600. 1600, 2000. 3000. 4000. 5000. 6000. 7000.
l6 General Remark's upon the Ch. Ill,
the very nature of holinefs ; and therefore all divine methods of refor- mation are fo wifely adjufted, as to leave human actions in their proper ftate of freedom. By none of his works did God ever intend to render wickednefs impracticable; and he hath always provided fufficient fup- ports for integrity and virtue. With this very fentiment prophecy in Daniel and in the Revelation is fealed up. Rev. xxii. II. He that is unjujl, let him be unjuji Jlill; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy Jlill. That is to fay, there is no cure for the obftinately blind and wicked ; neither are the ways of God intended to purify thofe, who will not be made clean ; but, after all that God hath done, the wicked (Dan. xii. 10.) /hall be left to do wickedly. And none of the wicked will under/land, but only the wife will under/land. But he that is righteous, let him be righteous J Till ; and he that is holy, let him be holy Jlill. Hof. xiv. 9. Who is wife, and \for~\ he fijall under/land thefe things? Prudent, and [for] he Jhall know them f For the ways of Jehovah are right; and the jujl Jhall walk in them ; but the tranfgreffors Jhall fall in them. The fincere and upright, who choofe the way of truth, or turn from fin unto righ- teoulnefs, the righteous and merciful God will never forfake. They make a wife improvement of his difpenfations, and, under all trials and difficulties, he will guide and fupport them ; and their path (hall be as the (hining light, that fhineth more and more to the perfect day.
Corollary. Hence we may conclude — That in computing the progrefs rf religion, under any difpenfation, the quantity of knowledge and religion is to be meafured only by the improvement of the righteous; and that the wicked, how many fo ever, are not to be taken into the account, as making any deduc- lionsfrom it. Or, the advancesof knowledge and religion, under any difpenfation, are not to be eftimated by numbers, but by the profi- ciency of fingle perfons, how few foever. Noah, a fingle perfon, was, at the time of the deluge, the true ftandard of religious improvement in that age ; though all the reft of mankind were exceeding corrupt and wicked.
VI. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world, faith the apoftle James, Aftsxw 18. Then all God's works were formed and planned in his counfels, and lay under his eye in one comprehenfive view; and therefore muft be perfectly confident. One uniform fcheme muft be laid, and one even thread of defign muft run through the whole. They are not the refult of fudden, incoherent thoughts ; but a well di- gefted plan, formed upon the moftjuft principles by him who feeth all his works from the beginning to the end. Whence it follows, that if we do not difcern one coherent defign in the divine difpenfations, or if we make any one part clafh with the reft, we may be fure we do not un- derrtand them. Goodnefs was the principle of creation. God made man becaufehe delighted to communicate being and happinefs. Confequently, goodnefs and fatherly love, which was the beginning and foundation of God's works, muft run equally through them all, from firft to laft.
VII. Previous notice was given of fome of the principal difpenfations, cither for warning, or to prepare men for the reception of them. The deluge was preached by Noah 120 years before it came to pafs. The Jewifh difpenfuion was predicted to Abraham 430 years beforehand. Je- remiah foretold the Babylonifli captivity ; and Paul, and John at large,
predict
Chs, III. tolv'tnt 'Difpenfations. I?
predict and ilefcrTBe the grand apoftacy. But the coming of the MeJ/iah, and thegofpeldifpenfation,run through the whole, from the beginning to the end, in a lefs or clearer degree of light. And it was fitting that this, which is the chief of God's works, fhould receive the brighteft evidence from prophecy. And therefore it was not fit it fhould be introduced till fuch time as it had received that evidence; which in Scripture is called thefulnefs of time. Gal. iv. 4.
VIII. The difpenfations of God are intended for our contemplation and ftudy 3 and it is a fingular advantage to form right notions of them, becaufe they will tincture our conceptions of God, and influence our dif- pofitions towards him. If we judge truly of God's works, we fhall have agreeable and lovely ideas of the workman. His wifdom, his goodnefs and truth, will ftand in a fair light, and we fhall confefs him infinitely worthy of our higheff. regard. Then we fhall think of God with admiration, pleafure and delight, (Pfal. xcii.4. Thou, Lord, haft made me glad through thy work-, I will triumph in theivorks of thy hands) and fhall ferve and fol- low him with willing minds. But if we form fuch conceptions of the ways of God, as reprefent them to be arbitrary and tyrannical, inconfiftent with all our notions of juftice and goodnefs, the effect of fovereign will, without either reafon or love, he muft ftand before our thoughts in the mod frightful colours. The moft horrible gloom will be drawn over the perfections of the belt of beings ; our minds will be filled with darknefs and dread ; and, if we worfhip him at all, our worfhip and obedience will not be the free and generous duty of fons, but the joylefs conftrained drudgery of flaves.
IX. It muft be remembered, that the works of God are unfearchable, and paft our finding out to perfection. Pfal. xcii. 5. O Lord, how great are thy works, and thy thoughts are very deep! From a juft fenfe of the inferutability of the divine difpenfations, the apoftle concludes a dif- courfe upon the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles, with this folemn exclamation : O the depth of the riches, loth of the zuifdom and knowledge of God ! How unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways pajl finding out I Rom.xi. 33. It becomes us to admire and adore the counfels of infinite wifdom, and to acquiefce where we cannot gain a full knowledge of them. Rev. xv. 3. Great and marvellous are thy ivorks9 Lord God Almighty ! We cannot comprehend the ways of God in their fulleft extent, in all their largeft views, and remoteft connexions. He therefore that is wife will not cavil at them, nor foolifhly endeavour to pry into them beyond the bounds of revelation, and of human underftanding.
X. But under all our prefent darknefs, and under every difpenfation, an honeft heart, fincerely defirous to know the truth, ferioufly inquifitive after it, meekly fubmiilive to what God hath revealed and commanded, willing to work together with him, patiently perfevering in well doing;' fuch a temper, an 1 fuch a conduct, is the beft and iafeft guide under every difpenfation j will enable us to follow God, to comply with every defign of his providence, to overcome in every hour of trial, and will lead us to eternal life. To fuch a character, as well as to Daniel, (Chap. *ii. 13.) it is the language of divine grace — But walk thou, thou Jhoneft, upright man, walk thou thy way to the end3 take courage and
Vol. I. B comfort^
it Of the Creation. Ch. IV.
comfort, walk on, perfevcre in the path of truth and integrity ; for, after all the trials and difquietudes of this world, thou Jhalt reji, and jiund in thy lot, the lot of pious and faithful fouls, at the end of the days.
CHAP. IV. Of the Creation.
Gen. i. 1 — 26.
THI S is the work of creation. To create is to give Being to that which did not exift before; and fo, is no contradiction. That a thing fhould be and not be at the fame tune, is a contradiction and im- poflibiiity ; but that a thing fhould exift now, which did not exift be- fore, is no more a contradiction, than that my hand fhould move now, which did not move before.
That there is one fir ft uncaufed Caufe, from which all other beings derive their exiftence, and upon whom they have their entire depend- ence, hath already been proved. Conlequently, all beings, except the firft Caufe, muft have been produced, or brought into being, by the power and agency of the firft Caufe. Not produced, out of nothing, but out of nothing be fides the immenfe and unconceivable fulnefs of the felf-exiftent Being, who muft have in himfelf the power and pof- fibility of all being ; though we cannot comprehend or conceive in what manner, or by what kind cf agency, he createth or communi- cateth exiftence to beings diftindt. from himfelf.
Of the Creation of all things, Mofcs in this chapter has given us a fummary account ; not in a precife philofophical manner, but fo as to give the men of that age in which he wrote, juft and affecting notions of this firft and moft ftupendous work of God, fo far as was neceil'ury to the purpofes of true religion, and no further. It is enough, there- fore, that his account is true, fo far as it goes, and not in any rc- fpect inconfiftent with the moft accurate difcoveries which have been made in later ages concerning the fyftem of the univerfe, or any part of it.
Vex. I. In the beginning, &c. The heavens and the earth may compre- hend the whole univerfe, or all things vifible and invifble. It doth not therefore follow, that the whole univerfe was created all together at once, or at fome one period of time. But the meaning is this ; at firft, when the univerfe was produced, it was brought into being by the fole power and wifdom of the almighty and eternal God. This is true, though the feveral parts of the univerfe may have been produced at dif- ferent times, or at any diftance of time from each other; and though God may frill be creating new worlds in the immenfe bofom of fpace, which is not improbable : I fay, it is true, that in the beginning of their exiftence, whenever that was. God created, and is ftill creating, them
" all;
tk. IV. Of the Creation. 19
all ; the fentlrrient which Mofesy I apprehend, would inculcate being this, that the whole univerfe of beings, whenever created, doth not exift by neceflity or chance ; but had a beginning, and was produced by the fole power of God.
But, as Mofes here gives us a particular account of the formation of our earthj this phrafe, in the beginning, may have a fpecial reference to the time when our earth was created. The matter of which it confifts, was produced in the ftate of a Chaos, ( Ver. 2.) without form and void? i. e. fhapelefs, wafle, and ufelefs; all the parts, folidsand fluids, jumbled together, and furrounded with darknefs, unadorned, uninhabited. But the fpirit of God movsd upon the face of the waters ; i. e. the influences and exertions of the divine power actuated this dark, confufed mafs, and digefted, and reduced its parts to the beautiful ftate and order in which we now behold them.
On the firft day, and the iiift thing after the production of the Chaos y the element of light was created. Ver. 3, 4, 5.
On the fecond day was created the element of air, or that body of air which we call the Atmofphere, y ■ p~tn the firmament, or rather,. fpacious ex pa nil oii of air, where the fowls do fly, (Ver. 20.) and which is fpread abroad above, and all round the earth, including me- teors and clouds, which are the waters above, or at the upper part of, the atmofphere, in contradiftinction to the waters of the fea and rivers, which are under in Ver. 6, 7, 8.
• On the third day the great God formed the element of water, by draining off the fluids of the Chaos, and caufing them to flow into large cavities prepared to receive them ; that thus the earth might become one firm, compact, voluble globe, and in a fit condition to produce graf*, herbsj trees, and plants, which were then created. Ver. 9, 10, iii 12.
On the fourth day God created the fun and moon. Ver. 14 — 19. The fun being the centre of our fyftem, it feems probable that the whole folar fyftem was produced at the fame time with the earth, though the defign of the writer did not lead him to take notice of the other parts of it. But we have no juft ground, from his account, to fuppofe that all the ftars, which are probably each of them the centre of a diitinct fyftem, were, on this day, all of them created. Moft of them might have been created long before, and fome of them fince, our world came into being. For that Claufe (Ver. 16.) he made the flars alfo, in the Hebrew is no more than, and the fiars; the words he made being in- ferted by the tranflators. And therefore it may be Well rendered thus—* Ver. 16. And God made tivo great lights ; the greater light to rule the day9 and the leffer light to rule the night with the flars. That is to fay, the moon, and f tars to rule the night, as it is expreiTed, Pfal. exxxvi. 9. The con- junction 1 fometimes hath the force of the prepofition with ; as Gen. iv, 20. With his weapons. 2 King. xi. 8. Jer. xxii. 7. iffc.
Hitherto our globe, and perhaps the other planets, might, by the power of God, be fufpended in the empty fpace, in a ftate of reft. But now, when the fun, the centre of our fyftem, was created, and the earth was reduced to a proper ftate of firmnefs and folidity, they might be thrown into thofe regular and rapid motions, about the fun,
B 2 and
SO Of the Creation. Ch. IV.
and their own centres, which, by the fame power imprefTed upon them, continue to this day; and by their exa<ft periodical revolutions produce that grateful and neceflary variety of day and night and feafons; namely, fpring and fummcr, autumn and winter; which are certainly the efFeiSl of the annual and diurnal motions of the earth ; and therefore the an- nual and diurnal motions might on this day commence. Ver. 14.
On the fifth day, fifh and fowl ; on the fixth day, beafts and man Were created. Ver. 20, cifc.
There is one difficulty remaining, namely, that light was created before the fun, Ver. 3, 14, &c. Whereas the fun is fuppofed to be the fole fountain of light, by emitting luminous particles from its body. But I fufpeA the truth of this hypothesis ; and Mofes may be found a more accurate philofopher than is commonly imagined. It appears from elec- trical experiments, that light is a diftindf. fubftance from all other, as much as air is from water; and that, by being properly excited, it may be made to appear in midnight darknefs. Which (hews, that it did exift in that darknefs, previoufly to its being excited ; and that it was- rendered viable by being excited. Confequently it may, and, I doubt not, doth exift, expanded through the whole vifible fyftem of things at all times, by night as well as by day ; and that the fun, a fiery body, is, in our fyftem, the great exciter, by which the fubftance of light is impelled, and becomes vifible. For, were there no fubftance of light previoufly exifting throughout the whole fyftem, no light would appear, though ten thoufand funs fhould at once be placed in our hemifphere. Juft as tho ringing of the bell produces found, not by an emanation of particles from the fubftance of the bell, but by exciting the air, or the founding fubftance, without which the bell could produce no found at all. As the air will fiot found, fo the light will not appear without being excited •. Upon this
fup-
* This hypothec's, I prefume, doth not interfere with any rules of optic*, the rays of light being excited according to the fame laws and directions by which they are fuppofed to be emitted. The light of a candle, upon an emi- nence, may be feen at leaft three miles at fea, in a dark night. Therefore, according to the common fuppofuion, the flame of a candle, fuppofe of one inch diameter, mull emit from its body inilantaneoufly, and in every inftant, while it continues to burn, as much luminous matter, or fubftance, as will fill a fpherical fpace of fix miles in diaineter; or of 113,0976 cubical miles; which, notwithftanding the di viability of matter in infinitum, feems to me to be incredible. It is furely more probable and rational to fuppofe, that the extremely agile particles of lights which fill that large fpace, are actuated, of excited inilantaneoufly by the luminous body.
N. B. Dr. Taylor, fome time after he had finilhed this fcheme of fcrip- ture divinity, met with the fame thought and reafoning in the ingenious au- thor of Nature Displayed; and was not a little pleafed to find an hypo- thefis, which he judged peculiar to himfelf, adopted by fo deep an inquirer into nature.
That the curious reader may compare the paflages, he is prefented with the following extract.
•' — * Light is viflbly pre-exiftent to luminous bodies: this may feem a " paradox at firft fight, but it is not therefore a lefs evident truth. —By light
♦' wc
* "Vol. III. Page ^09. Sccund Edition*
Ch. IV. Of the Creation* 21
fuppofition the element or fubftance of light was created on the firflday* and the divine power alone might be the exciter, which made the light
appear
*' we do not mean that fenfation which we -experience in ourfelves, on the " prefence of any illuminated body, but that inconceivably fubtle matter, *' which makes an impreflion on the organs of fight, and paints on the optic f* nerve thofe objeds from the furfaces of which it was reflected to us. Light *' then, taken in this fenfe, is a body quite different from the fun, and inde- •* pendent on it, and might have exifted before it, feeing now it does exift ia " its abfence, as well as when prefent. It is diffufed from one end of the " Creation to the other, traverfes the whole univerfe, forms a communis " cation between the molt remote fpheres, penetrates into the inmoft receffes •' of the earth, and only waits to be put in a proper motion to make itfelf ** visible. — Light is to the eye what the air is to the ear : Air may not b« '* called the body of found, and it does equally exift all round us, though " there be no fonorous body to put it in motion ; fo likewife the light does " equally' extend at all times, from the moftdiftant fixed ftars, to us, though " it then only ilrikes our eyes, when impelled by the fun, or fome other '* mafs of fire.
M The difference betwixt the propagation of found and light confifts in " this, that the air, which is the vehicle of found, being, beyond all com- " parifon, more denfe than the vehicle of light, its motion is much flower. " Hence we may account for that common phenomenon, why we do not " hear the found of the firft ftroke of a hammer, when at a diftance from it, *' till it is at the point of giving the following blow ; whereas light is pro- " pagated with incredible fwiftnefs, though at fome fmall diftance of time *' between its receiving theimpuife, and its communicating it to us ; feven •* minutes, according to Sir Isaac Newton's calculation, being fufficient for ** its paffage from the fun down to us. This difference of velocity between *' the progreflive motion of light, and that of found, is fenfibly demonftrated " by firing a gun in a large open pla'n, where the fpe&ator, at a great ** diftance from it, will perceive the flath a ccnfiderable time before he hears '* the noife.
" The body of light therefore does either exift independently of the lumi- *' nous body, and only waits to receive a direct impulfe from it, in order to " ad upon the organ of vifion ; or we muft fuppofe that every luminous " body, whether it be the fun, a candle, or a fpark, does produce this light " from itfelf, and project it to a great diftance from its own body. Thers 4< is no medium between thefe two fuppofitions, and either the one or the ** other muft be true. But to affert the latter, is to afTert a very great im- " probability ; for if a fpark, which is feen in every part of a large room, " fifty cubick feet in dimeniions, emits from its own fubftance a quantity of «' light fufticient to fill the whole room, then there muft iflue from that " fpark, which is but a point, a body, the contents of which are fifty cu- '* bick feet. How incredible the fuppofition !
" Suppofe the lantern on the light- houfe of Mcjfma, to be feen only eight " cubick leagues, of which itfelf is the centre j it will follow, that an "•' eye placed in any point of thofe fix cubick leagues will difcern it, and *' confequently fo much fpace will be filled with the light of it. Now how " incredible that a little fire, fome few inches in diameter, mould diffufe " around it a fubftance capable of filling eight cubick leagues i Suppofe the " lantern concealed, and the light immediately difappears ; let it be un- *' covered the moment after, and it will inftantly be feen as far as before, and
B 3 ** confe-
t£ Of the Creation. Ch. IV,
appear For the three firft days of creation, until the fun, the inftru- mental exciter, was produced.
Further, we mult remark, that although God is here faid to create the world, yet it may be true, that he employed a fubordinate agent in the formation of it ; namely, the Son of God, who afterwards came into the world for the redemption of mankind. See John i. 2, 3. Col. i. 15, 16, 17. I Cor. viii. 5, 6. But though he was the inftrumental caufe^ yet it is true, that God made all things, becaufe our Lord atted by a power derived from him. He that bath built all things is God. Heb. iii. <. ' So much for critical remarks. The fubjeft naturally leads to the following reflections.
" Thefe are thy glorious Works, Parent of Good!
«* Almighty, thine this univerfal Frame,
" Thus wonderous fair ; thyfelf how wonderous then !
How wonderous, how immenfe is the power, goodnefs, and wifdom, which gave exiftence to the flupendous fabric and furniture of the univerfe !
I. Power. How vaft and mighty is the arm which fvetched out the heavens 1 and laid the foundations of the earth ! which fuftains numberlefs worlds, of amazing bulk, fufpended in the unmeafurable and unconcei- vably diftant regions of empty fpace ; and fteadily directs their various rapid and regular motions ! Lift up your eyes on high, and behold tuba hath created all thefe things. He bringeth out all their ho/Is by number, he calleth them all by names, by the greainefs of his mighty for that he isfhong in Power, not one of them failcth. Ijai. xl. 26. How powerful was the command, Let there be light, and there was light — Let there be a firma- ment, Sec. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and alt the hoji $f them by the breath of his mouth. For he /pake, and h was done ; he com- manded
" cenfequently fill eight cubick leagues of fpace with freih light : then " hew many times eight cubick leagues of luminous m:::ter, will all thefuc- f« celTive inllants of illumination produce in one night's time ! Sure nothing *' was ever more inconceivable.
" On the contrary, how fimpleand natural is it to fuppofe, that as the air f* exifted before the bell that put it in motion, and caufed it to vibrate into «« found, Co, in like manner, the light exifted round the fire of Mtjfina, before " the lantern was illuminated, and only waited to be put in motion by the *' fire, in order to make an irnpreffion on the eyes of the mariners. The fun '• and ftarsdo, by the fame means, make themfelves vifible, without fuffering U any diminution of their fubftance, by continual emanations of luminous " matter into thoie vaft regions of fpace through which we behold them ; " God having placed between thofe luminous globes and us, the body of " that light which we fee, and which is impreftcd on the organs of vifion, " by their aclion and influence; but does not proceed from them, nor owes'
'.* its exiftence to them. The account of Mofs therefore, as to this par-
" ticular, is agreeable to truth, as well as an uleful lefibn of caution, when " he informs us, that God, and not the fun, was the author and parent of " light, and that it was created by his almighty fiat before there was a fun '* to dart it on one part of the earth, and a moon to reflect it on the other."
Ch. IV. Of the Creation. ft.3
married, and it flood fa/1. Pfal. xxxiii. 6, 9. Thus the Scriptures fub- ]imely exprefs the exertion of the divine Power in Creation; as if it were done inftantaneoufly, and with as little difficulty as fpeaking a word.
II. And as for Goodness, what an infinite fulnefs of life and being, what an immenfe, inexhauftible treafury of all Good, muft that be, from whence all this life and being was derived ! How infinitely rich is the glorious and eternal God! Out of his own fulnefs he hath brought worlds and worlds, replenifhed with myriads and myriads of creatures, furnifhed with various powers and organs, capacities and inflin«5ts; and out of his own fulnefs continually and plentifully fupplieth them with, all the necefTaries of exigence. And ftill his fulnefs remaineth the fame, unemptied, unimpaired ; and he can yet bring out of his fulnefs worlds and worlds without end. How immtnfely full of all life and being is the ijiorious and eternal Godi Thus he is good in himfelf. And he doth good. He is kind and beneficent, willing to communicate being and good. How profufe is his bounty ! He might have kept, as I may fay, the whole of exiitence to himfelf; but he has liberally fhared it out among his creatures ; and of all his creatures in this world, the moft liberally to us men. Survey the whole of what may be feen in and about this globe, and fay, if our Maker hath a fparing and nig- gardly hand; fay, if we have a churlifh and unkind father. Certainly it is his pleafure to form creatures, and furhifh them with enjoyment ; and therefore his tender mercies muft be over all his works.
III. His Wisdom appears illuftrious in the variety, beauty, exacl:- nefs, order, and harmony, in which God hath formed and fixed the univerfe ; in the feveral capacities and degrees of excellence he has con- ferred upon his creatures ; the proper ftations he hath affigned to them; the fubordination and fubferviency of one to another, which he hath eftablifhed, for the regularity and well-being of the whole. They are all, as they come out of his hands, juft what they fhould be, ad- jufted in theexac"ieft proportions to their feveral ends and connexions; all in every part and refpect fhewing the workmanfhip of the pro- foundeft (kill, and moft curious art. The utmoft ftretch of human ■underftanding can reach but a (mall part of God's works ; but they who ftudy the wifdom of Creation, cannot but admire, and ufe the words of the facred penman, Pfal. civ. 24. (where he is furveying the feveral parts of our globe) 0 Lord, how manifold are thy works! In Wifdom ha/1 thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches !
Thefe reflections will (1) infpire the moft elevated fentiments of the moft high and mighty Creator, who is exalted infinitely above the hea- vens, his glory is above all the earth, Pfal. cviii. 5. The Lord our God is very great, he is clothed with honour and tnajefty ; and we fhould ftudy to magnify him in our hearts by the moft raifed conceptions of his tran- fcending greatnefs. (2.) This mould alfofill our minds with joy, and our mouths with his high praifes. This God is our God, our maker, and therefore our father. The firft and moft proper notion we ought to en- tertain of the great God is, that of a Father ; our Father, and the Father cf the whole univerfe. And greatly fhould we be delighted with the difplays of our Father's infinite power, wifdom, and goodpefs. Tranf-
▲0 B 4 ported
24 Of the Creation of Man. Ch, V,
ported with joy, by an elegant profopopoeia, the Pfalmift, in the 148th pfalm, call? upon all creatures to praife God ; wifhing, in effect, tnat they had all of them understandings and tongues to declare how much ildll and kindnefs he has fhewn in their formation and eftabiifhrnent. Joy and praife are the Creator's due, and fhould be our conftant tem- per and practice. (3.) He who is the maker, is alfo the abfolute pro- prietor, Lord, and Sovereign of all things; and therefore hath thcj firft and hjgheft right to our reverence, fubmiffion, and obedience; in which he is infinitely able to fupport us in oppofition to all human power and authority. For all Power, not only his own inherent power, but alfo the Power of all created beings, belongs to God. From him it is originally derived, and the exerci'je of it depends entirely upon his will and pleafure ; nor, in any inftar.ce, can it poffibly act beyond the limits which he prescribes. Therefore, in the way of duty, re- lying upon his all-fufficiency, we need not fear what man can do unto us. (4.) In our prefent fituation we are liable to many difficufties and diitrefles, from which we are not able to guard or extricate ourfelvesj but the almighty Creator is infinitely able to deliver his fervants from any danger, and can clear a paflage through all embarraflments. He can make a way even in the lea, and a path in the mighty waters, (5.) He who from his own inexhauftible fulnefs hath brought forth all worlds and creatures, is our fhepherd ; he careth for us, and can fully fupply all our .. nts. (6.) He can fully accemplifh all the great and glorious things revealed in the Gofpel. He can raife us from the dead,, change our vile bodies, and clothe us with immortal honour and glory. Thi? iLould not feem to us incredible, becauie he hath already per- formed things as incredible, and we have conftantly expol'ed to our/ view effects of his Power no lei's wonderful.
CHAP. V.
Of the Creation of Ma if. Gen. i. 26, to the End,
N language of the Creator is altered. Inftead of, Let there be Men, God laid, (Ver. 26.) La us make Alan, or, we will make Man, in our image, ajter our hkenefs. Q_. d. u Now we have formed and furnifhed f* the earth, let us make Man, the nobleft of our works, to inhabit, f* cultivate, and enjoy it." The fuperior excellency of the human nature is figotfied by the diftinguifhed manner in which God is repre- fented as addrcifing himfelf to the formation of Man.
The plural number is ufed [A'nd Godfaid, let us make Man\ ; but ac- cording to the genius of the Hebrew language, this is only a magnificent way of exprffling the majeity of God ; and amounts to no more than this, Jna[God Jaidy 1 will make Man. So Gtn. xi. 7. Go to, lit us go down, i. e.
1 will
Ch. V. Of the Creation of Man. tfk
I will go down. Thus God is called our Makers, Job xxxv. 10. Pfal. cxlix. 2. 7£v Creators, Eccl. xi». I, 77>y wci«?r* is thy hufbands, Ifai. liv. 5. which are all to be underftood, and are rendered in the lingular num- ber. " Nouns appellative denoting dominion, according to the He- " brew idiom, are put in the plural inflead of the lingular." Should it be fuppofed, that the great God here fpeaks to fome other being or be- ings befides himfelf, it mud be to fome Subordinate beings ; for neither this, nor any other paflage of fcripture, can juftly be explained incon- fiftently with the unity, fimplicity, or finglenefs of the divine nature.
Ver. 26. Let us make Man in our own Image, S^Heb. in the (ketch or Shadow of us | after, or like, our Likenefs. Thefe words, with refpeft to God, are diminutive, and denote that the moft perfect endowments of the human nature are but a fketch, a ihadow, or fomething refem- bling the Likenefs of God. And yet, with refpect to other creatures on earth, it fpeaks high diftinction, and fuperiority. P'or this fketch of the Image of God in Man muff, include, 1. The noble faculties of his mind j understanding and will, or freedom of choice, for the govern- ment of all his actions and paffions, and his continual improvement in wifdom, purity, and happinefs. 2. His dominion over the inferior creatures, exprefsly mentioned, ver. 26, 28. By which he is God's Reprefentative, or Viceroy upon earth.
But divines have underifood this Image of God, as confifting in righteoufnefs and true holinefs; which they affirm, were created with Adam* Meaning, not that Mam was created with fuch powers as ren- dered hirr capable of acquiring righteoufnefs and holinefs, but that he was made in this Image of God ; it was concreated with him, or wrought into his nature, at the fame time that it was created ; and fo belonged to it as a natural faculty or inflinct. This they call original righteouf- nefs, which they ground principally upon the two following paflages. Col. iii. 9, 10. Lye not one to another, feeing that you have [by your Ohrif- tian profefiion] put off the old man with his deeds \ end have put on the new man, which i; renewed hi knowledge after the Image of him that created him. El hef. iv. 22, 23, 24. That ye put off, concerning the former converfation, tie old man. which is corrupt according to the deceitful Iujis : and be renewed in the fpirit of your mind ; and that ye put on the new ?nan, which after Qcd is created in righteoufnefs and true holinefs. All this is fuppofed to relate to Mam's being originally created in the Image of God.
The old man, fay ihey, is a corrupt nature derived from Mam; and the ntw man, is fallen man reftored to the primitive temper, or to that righteoufnefs and holinefs in which they fuppofe Adam was created. But this is wide of the Apoftle's fenfe. It is not uncommon with him to compare the Chriff ian church to a man, or the human body, of which Qhrijl is the head, and we are all of us members in particular. The new man was created, when God erected the Gofpel Difpenfation, and broke down the middle Wall of Partition between us Jews and Gentiles, (Ephef. ii. 13, 14, 15, 16.) for to make to himfelf, in the Gofpel, of twain, or of the two parties, believing Jews and Gentiles, one new man, or the new conftitution and community, under the Gofpel. To this new man, the old man is directly oppofed ; and therefore muft fignify the Gen- tile itate or community, headed by Satan, to which, before their con-
verfion,
16 Of the Creation of Man. Ch. V.
ve.fion, thev were joined. This is confirmed by the Apoftle, Ephef. ii. 1 1 . J* her ef ore re member , that ye being in time faffed Gentiles in thejiejhy &c. And chap. iv. 17, &c. This I fay — that ye walk not as ether Gek- TILES walk, &c. They formerly belonged to the old man, the body of impure, idolatrous heathen ; but now they had, by their Chriftian pro- fefiion, put o^this old man, together with all his wicked deeds, Col. iii. 9, 10, and had put on the new man, or were'joined to the Chriftian church, or community. And therefore, they were obliged to be renewed in the fpirit of their minds, and to live in knowledge [true wifdom], or in righte* eufieji and fue holinefs. For God created the new man, or constituted the Chriftian church, in wifdom andrighteoufnefs and holinefs, after his own Image, or the rectitude of his nature, with this defign, to promote the fame rectitude among men. For (Ephef ii. 10.) we, the new Man, or the whole body of Chriftian?, are God's wcrkmanjlr.f, created in Chrift Jelus unto good works, which God ordained^ when he formed the Gofpcl Scheme, that we Jhould walk in them.
But what hath this to do with Adam's being created in righteoufnefs and true holinefs? Which, in the nature of things, could not be crea- ted, or wrought into his nature at the fame time he was made ; becaufe fuch a righteoufnefs would have been produced in him without his knew- ledge and confent ; and fo would have been no righteoufnefs at all. For whatever is wrought in my nature without my knowledge and choice, cannot poflibly be either fin or virtue in me, becaufe it is no act of mine $ but muft be a mere natural inftinct, like the induftry of the bee, or the fiercenefs of the lion. Righteoufnefs is right action, directed by knowledge and iudgment ; but Adam could neither act, nor know, nor judge, before he and all his intellectual powers were created ; and therefore he muft exift and ufe his intellectual powers, before he could be righteous and holy.
We may further obferve — That God made the firft pair male and fe- male, that they might multiply and inhabit the whole earth, and fupply a perpetual fucceffion of men and women, pronouncing a bl effing upon the regular propagation of the human fpecies, ver. 2S. AndGod hleffcd them, &zc. But this blefimg, divines have fuppofed, was turned into a curie, by Adam's tranfgreffion ; which fo corrupted the human nature, that thereby and thenceforth we all come into the world under the wrath and curfeof God. But that thisalfo is a miftake, is moft evident from Gen. ix. 1. where God repeats, and pronounces the very fame original bleffing upon the increafe or birth of mankind 1600 years, and upwards, after Adam's tranfgreffipn, when the world was to be reftored, and re- plenished from Noa.b and his fons. This proves, that mankind, in all fucceflive generations, have come, and will come into the world, under the very fame bleffing and favour of God, which was declared at the firft creation of Man. It is of great importance to obferve thefe remarks, not to produce any difguft or animofity towards thofe that efpoufe the contrary opinion, who ought to be treated with candour and forbearance, but to fettle our own judgments upon right principles.
Once more; the original grant of fultenance to Man was confined to herbs, and the fruits of plants and trees, ver, 29, 30. which afterwards was enlarged, and included animal food, Gen. ix. 3.
Now
Ch. V. Of the Creation of Mar.. 27
Now let us take a furvey of the nature which God has gracioufly be- flowed upon*is. The body confifts of a mean material, the dujl of the d\ but the mind is of nobler extraction, for (chap. ii. 7.) God
grow
vr cached into his noftrik the breath cf life, and .Man became a living fold. Job xxxii. 8. The injpiration of the Almighty giveth us underflanding •> the no-r blcft £;:ft of our Maker. The force and excellence of which appears in a furprifing variety of inventions and difcovcries. It is this faculty which penetrates into the moft fecret recefles of Nature ; judges of, and admires the beauty and contrivance of the vail fabric of the univerfe; and traceth the footfteps of the moft aftonifhing wifdom and regularity in the various fituations and motions of the heavenly bodies. By this we review generations and actions, characters and events, that exifted long before we were born ; and dart our reflections the other way, into futurity, even as far as to the final period of this world, with all its works. By this we conceive, though but negatively, Eternity itfelf; and apprehend the ftate and felicity of beings far fuperior to ourfelves. By this we ftretch our thoughts to the highefl excellency, and contem- plate the nature of the infinitely perfect Being.
Our fingular honour and advantage lies in our moral capacities. Whle inftinct determines the purfuits of inferior creatures; whilft they are utterly unable to judge of caufes and effects, to draw confequences, or to reafon about the natures and tendencies of things, in order to avoid Gr embrace, and are rather acted upon than act ; we deliberate, we choofe our way, we feel and examine what is before us; this is good,, and therefore to be chofen ; this is evil, therefore to be avoided; this will improve and exalt our life, this leads to dishonour and mifery. We can fludy and obferve the precepts of Divine Wifdom ; imitate the moral perfections of Deity; converfe with the fupreme Father, and de- fire, and difpofe ourfelves for, the everlafting enjoyment of his favour. And agreeably to thele diflinguifhing honours of our nature, God our Maker, whofe delights are with the children of men, has exprefled his high regards to us, by fupplying us with all proper materials for the improvement of our understandings ; not only the objects of nature; but alfo the writings of good and wife men, efpecially the holy Scriptures, a rich treafury of the molt excellent knowledge ; containing the moft furprifing difcoveries, the moft ufeful inftructions, the moft; juft and noble principles and motives, and whatever is proper to culti- vate and refine our fpirits. In particular, the redemption of the world by our Lord Jefus Chrift. That God ihould fend his well-beloved Sort out of his bofom to dwell among us in our flefh, to reveal the high dc- figns of the Divine Wifdom and Goodnefs, to give himfelf a faenfice and offering to God upon the crofs, to make atonement for our fins, to raife us to the dignity of kings and priefts to his God and Father, that we might reign for ever with him ; this ex;ilts the love of God to men, infinitely beyond our higheft thoughts and imaginations ; this raifes our nature to an amazing, to an inexpreilible dignity and value.
Thefe conliderations ihould difpoie us to be pieafed with our being, and thankful to our Maker for it. With pleafure we {heuld reflect that we are men. Every perfon, how low foever in the world, hath that in poileflicn, which is more valuable than thoufandsof gold and filver ; an
immenfe
«8 Of the In/litution CH. VI.
immenfe treafure, to which the whole earth bears no proportion, himfelf a reasonable .Sou!, an immortal Spoil ; to which, in re#l excellence, the vifible creation, the earth with all its material riches,' the fky with all its fpjendid furniture, is not to be compared. Let us not meafure f>u- Lives by worldly riches. The foul is the flandard of the Man, and raifes him i aftly above all that is earthly. Howfoolifh then, how fhame- I'u!, bow irr us i- it to proftitute ourfelves to the trifles of the world ; to he f" . d i arthly things, and to make our reafon a drudge to fenfual purfuits! God has made us Men, creatures of the fincft powers and fa- culties; h- hath ufed us as Men, by mining the moft ample provifion to enable us to honour his Grace and our own being. And fh ill we efefert our Manhood ? Shall we defpife the rich bounty of Heaven ? Shall we mingle with the duft that particle of fuperior life, which God hath breathecT into us ? Rather let us aflert the dignity of our being, and make it our principal care to improve it by all the advantages Ijod hath provided. The knowledge of God; conformity of heart and life to his will ; thr fruits of the fpirit, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentle- nefs, soodnT, fidelity, meeknefs, temperance ; converfe with God ; the high privileges of the ions of God ; the profpeds of eternal g:o:y ; thefe are the objects of our care : as we are enlightened by the Gofpel, we are obliged to make thefe cur rtudy, and to form our fpirits according to the fubiime and excellent fentiments which thefe infpire, that thus we may be fitting ourfelves for a much higher and more perfect degree or cxiftence ia a better world.
CHAP. VI.
Of the Institution of the Sabbath.
Gen. ii. Ver. I, 2, 3.
S foon as God had created the world, and man in it, he blejjed the Seventh Da\<, upon which he refted from creation, and fantli- .^ccHt, i. e. he uiftmguiihed it from the other fix days by fetting it apart'to the purpofes of religion. Thus the falsification of the Sab- bath is the firft and oldeft of God's inftitutions, and mull have a real foundation in the nature of Man, and an immediate connexion with our beina, and the great and excellent ends of it, The Sabbath and Man wcret'in a manner, created together. This is an indication, that al- though the particular time is, as it muft ncceiTarily be, of pohuve ap- pointment, yet the thing itfelf is an article of natural rehgion,and itands upon the reafon of things. The great end for which we are brought into life, is to attain the knowledge, and to be confirmed in the love and obedience of God ; which includes all right a&ion and v.rtue, all that is perfedive of our nature, all that renders us happy in ourfelves, and a 1 blcfhnw
Ch. VI. ■*/ the Sabhath. 29
bleflino;to others ; and all that can qualify us for the enjoyment of God, and fit~us for immortal honour and glory. We cannot keep a due and prevailing fenfe of thefe things upon our mind<, without clofe and re- peated application of thought; and therefore, as the affairs and neceffi- ties of this prefent life make fuch conftant and importunate demands upon us, that our hearts and thoughts would be unavoidably ingrafted by them, it is in the nature of things neceJTary, that fome certain time fhould be publickly appropriated to the exercifes of religion, in- ftru&ion, prayer and praife, to fortify our minds againft temptations, and to feafon them with piety and virtue. And doubtlefs, God alone hath wifdom and authority fufficient to affign that portion of time which is proper and generally competent for thofe good purpofes.
The Sabbath is perfectly fuited to our nature and circumftances, and therefore was very properly inftituted at the creation. But fome of the learned pretend, that Mofes here fpeaks, by anticipation, of the lniritu-* tion of the Sabhath a long time after this, when he was law-giver in Jfrael. This is a fiction without any foundation in the text. The hifto- rian exprefsly relates, that God blefted and fanftihed that day on which- he relied, or ceafed, from creation ; which, in all fair conftruclion, rnuft be underftood of his fanctifying it, at the time when he refled from creation. That we find no other mention of the Sabbath in the fum- mary and very comprehenfive hiftory of Genejis, is no proof that the Patriarchs did not obferve it ; much lefs that the law thereof was not all that time in force. We find not the leaft mention, or intimation, of the Sabbath in all the book of Jojhua, nor in Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, till we come to II Kings , iv. 23. a far more parti-, cular hiftory than the book of Genejis; and yet it is very certain that- the law of the Sabbath was all that time in force, and without doubt was obferved too. There are very clear intimations of regard to the Sabbath in the book of Gene/is, chap. viii. 8 — 13. Thrice Noah fent the dove out of the ark, after he had every time waited (even days. Jaccb (Gen. xxix. 27, 28.) fulfilled Leah's week. This plainly fhews the Patriarchs, long before Mofes was born, reckoned time by /even dayst or weeks; which can be referred to no other fuppofable original but the inftitution of the Sabbath, at the creation.
The Ifraelites indeed, during their long continuance and fervitude in Egypt, upwards of 200 years, feem to have loft their reckoning of the Sabbath, when they were conftrained by perpetual and moft fervile la- bour to neglecl: the obfervance of it. However, it certainly was the ap-t pointment of God, that they fhould begin a new reckoning of the fe- venth day, and form a new epocha, namely, the falling of the manna. Exod. xvi. 5. And it Jb all come topafs on the Jixih day, they Jhall prepare that manna which they bring in ; and it Jhall be twice as much as they gather daily. And when the people had done fo, the rulers 0 J the congregation came, and told Mofes ; probably inquiring into the reafon, why God had given fuch an order, ver. 23. And Mo/a \ faid unto them, This is that which the Lord hath faid, or, this is the meaning of the Divine Command § To-morrow is the rejl of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Ver. 25, 26. Ye Jhall not then find it in the field; Jix days Jhall ye gather it, but on the feventh dayf which is the Sabbatb3 there Jhall be nme. And this courfe continued
foe
$o Of iht hjlhutiort Oi. V<«
for forty years, till they came into the land of Cahaam Now this was deviled in much wifdom to fettle and determine the day, which, other- wife, having loft their reckoning, during their long fervitude in Egypt,- they poflibly would not eafiiy have been brought to agree upon. For thus, for forty years together, they would be under a neceffity of di- ftinguifhing the Sabbath, and of* reiling upon it; having li, tie elfe to do, the greateft part of the time, but to gather and drefs manna ; and no manna falling upon that day, they muft of courfe be afFured of the day, and obliged to reft upon it. Note — the reftoring and ascertaining the Sabbath, was the firft point of religion that was fettled, after the children of lfracl came out of Egypt, as being of the greateft moment; and this, in relation to the original inftitution ; for the law at mount Sinai was not then given.
Afterwards the ordinance of the Sabbath was inferted into the body of the moral law, under a particular emphafis, Remember the Sabbath- Day to keep it holy. And the Jeiv is reminded ct~ the antiquity of this initiation, in the reafon annexed to this commandment, For infix days the Lord made heaven and earth, &c. And being thus ranked among the other great articles of our duty, which are of moral obligation, and are always referred and appealed to, by our Lord and his Apoftles, as binding to us Chriftians, it muft ftand upon the fame ground, and lay the fame obligations upon our confeiences. For the lame truth and authority, which enacted the reft, enacted this precept alfo. He that faid, Thou /hah have ?io other gods before me — thou Jhalt not boiu down t<t any graven image — thou Jhalt not take the name of God in vain — honour thy father — thou Jhalt do no murder — &c. faid alio, Remember the Sabbath- Day to keep it holy.
The Jewifh feftivals, new-moons and fabbaths, as they were fhadows and figures of good things to come under the Gofpel, our Lord did abolifh. When the fubftance was come, the lhadow vanished. And it is of fabbaths in this fenfe the Apoftle fpeaks, Col. ii. 16. Let no man judge ycu in meat, or in drink, or in re/peel of a holy -day, or of the ?ieic- mocn, or of the fabbath-days. But the feventh-day Sabbath was no part of the Levitical law; it exifted long before that, and therefore was not abolifhcd with it. On the contrary, our Lord claims dominion over the Sabbath. Luke vi. 5. He faid unto the Phari fees, that the Son of A fan is Lord alfo of the Sabbath. Therefore the Sabbath muft be an ordinance belonging to our Lord's kingdom, otherwife he could not be Lord of it. He never pretended to be Lord of circumcifion, or of facrifices ; thefe belonged to a difpenfation of which he was not Lord. But he is Lord df the Chriftian Difpenfation, and its ordinances, and among the reft, of the" Sabbath. In confequence of which Lordfhip,
I. He rectified the fuperftitious abufe of the Sabbath, and reduced it to the original ftandard. He reformed the traditionary corruptions of feveral of the commandments of moral and eternal obligation (c). But of all others, moft fignaliy,' remarkably, and conflantly, bywords and by deeds, at the hazard of his life, he reformed the abufe of the fourth
commandment t t
(0 Mat. v. 21, 27, 33. xv. 4, i$c.
Ch. VI. of the Sabbath. jl
commandment (d); which he never would have done, had the Sabbath been an ordinance that was to die in a little time with the Jewifh dif- penfacion. On the contrary, this demonftrates, that he regarded the juft fan&ifkation of the Sabbath as of perpetual obligation, and as of very great importance in religion.
II. He removed the Sabbath from the feventh to the firft day of the week. For we find in the Apoftolic Hiftpry that the Difciples met to- gether on that day, (called the Lord's Day, Rev. i. 10.) to break bread, or to celebrate the Lord's Supper, which is the proper and peculiar worfhip of Chriftians, Ads xx. 7. Now this could not be done without the exprefs injunction of the Apoftles; nor could the Apoftjes do this without a commiflion from Chrift. And as our Lord rofe from the dead on the fiift day, we fuppofe the Chriftian Sabbath hath relation to his Refurre&ion ; and fo the Lord's Day hath been kept holy by the univerfal Church from the Apoftles days to this time.
Thus there have been three epochas, or dates-, from which the Sabbath has been counted, namely, (1.) From the firft day of the creation* (2.) From the firft day of the falling of the manv.a. (3.) From the Rrii. day of the Gofpel Difpenfation. But frill it is the Lventh day makes the Sabbath, which God blened; and the feventh, which we now ob- ferve, is as much, and as truly the Sabbath, which God fanctified, as ever it was from the beginning of the world.
The primary notion of the Sabbath, is a reft or c.tffa'tion from the ordinary bufinefs of life. The defign of it is to preferre true religion ; which would never have been loft in the world, had thqj^bbath been duly obferved from the firft inftitution of it. And therefore we find in Scripture, both under the old and new difpenfations, it was applied to the purpofes of religion. It is reprefented as a holy convocation, on which the Ifraeliics were to alTemble for divine worfhip, Lev, xxiii. 3; David wrote the 926 Pfalm for the Sabbath-Day, and therein gives us jult ideas of the work of it. On this day the jews met together in their fynagogues for religious exerciiis; and there our Lord honoured and fanc~r.ified the Sabbath by his prefence and instructions. Mark i. 2r, 22. vi. 2. Luke iv. 16, 31. xiii. jo. And all Chrifiians, in ail times and places, have afiembled on the Sabbath to hear the woid of God, to offer up prayer and thankfgiving, and to celebrate the Lord's Supper, in order to employ their .thoughts in pious meditations, an<ifurnifh their minds With, the beft principles and difpofitions. A ,work ex- ceeding pleafant and .profitable, which demands and deferves the whole of our thought and attention. Therefore, for this good purpofej we are to reft from ordinary bufinefs, and to avoid whatever may diflipateour thoughts, or ir.difpufe our hearts for the heavenly work of the day.
Our Lord hath taught us fo to underftand this, as not to mix any thing fuperftitious with the obfervation of the Sabbath, nor to conceive of it as fuch a fcrupulous reft, that we may not do any thing fit and reafon- able, and which otherwife is a duty; works of necefiity and mercy he exprefsly allows. Whatever cannot be deferred to another day, without
lofs
(a) See Mat. xii. 1 — iz. Luke vi. 10, it. xiii. 1 1 — 17. xiv. 1 — 7. John v. 9 — 19. vii. 19 — z$. ix. 14, 15, 16.
3* Cf the Tnji'itutton of {he Sahbath* Ch. Vl.
lofs or damage, may be taken care of on the Sabbath, And in general he hath pronounced, That the Sabbath (alluding probably to the fir ft inftitution of it) was made for man, to be fubfervient to his virtue and happinefs ; not man for the Sabbath. Man was made for duties of moral and eternal obligation, and is bound to obferve thtrm in what- ever extremity or neceffity he maybe; but man is not made for the rigorous obfervation of the fabbatical reft, or any other pofitive infti- tution, fo as thereby to embarrafs or diftrefs his life^ or to negleclrany opportunity of doing good.
I conclude with a few reflections upon Ifai. lviii. 13, 14. Having, in the name of God, recommended goodnefs, charity, and compaflion, in the preceding verfes, and pronounced a fingular bleffing upon thofe who cxercife them, the Prophet adds, by the fame authority, If thou turn sway thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pkafure on my holy day. q. d. ** If you confeientioufiy fufpend the ordinary bufinefs of life, and forbear " to pleafe and gratify your own inclinations, that with a free and com- ■" pofod mind you may attend upon the fervices of religion, for which I *c have fanctihed the Sabbath ; and[_\f thou] call the Sabbath a delight, the *c holy of the Lord, honourable, andf halt honour him; if you have fuch a fenfe M of the excellency and benefit of the Sabbath, that you take delight 44 therein, accounting it a pleafure and happinefs, as being confecrated •c to the worfhipof themofthi^hGod, andtherefore honourable andglo- c« rious in itfelf ; and honourable alfo to you, as it is a mark of the dig- 44 nity of your nature, a token of your intereft in the divine favour, 44 (£.Wxxxi. 13. Ezek. xx. 12.) and of your being admitted to com- 44 munion with him ; if in this perfuafion you fhall fincerely endeavour 44 to honour God by employing the day in the offices of devotion, vot 44 doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own p'eafure, nor fpeaking thine *' cwnwords; not doing the ordinary works of your calling, nor fpend- •*■ incr the time in amufements or diverfions, or in impertinent convcrfa- 44 tion ; then/halt thou delight thyfelfinthe Lord; then thou (halt become 44 fuch a proficient in piety, and gain fuch a fenfe of God and religion, M as will eftablifh in your heart a fund of holy pleafure, comfort, joy, 44 and good hope towards God." The Prophet, in this chapter, is in- culcating real, vital, acceptable religion, goodnefs and compaflion to ©ur fellow-creatures, and piety towards God in keeping the Sabbath ; prcmifin.g the like bltffings to both thofe branches of true religion, namely, the favour of God and the conftant care of his Providence^ We may therefore take this from the Spirit of God, as a juft defcrip- tion of the right manner of fandtifying the Sabbath, and aflure our- fclves, that he who bieffed the Day, will blefs us in keeping it holy.
CHAP. VII.
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C H. V I r . 0/ a State of Trial. 33
CHAP. VII.
Of a State j/Trial. Gen. ii. 8—18.
CONCERNING the fituation and rivers, of the country of Eden, as here defcribed by Mofcs, Bp. Patrick, in his Commentary upon this place, gives an account which feems to be not altogether improbable. The Garden lay in the country of Eden ; out of or through, which country a river went unto the Garden to water it (yer. 1 1.) ; and from thence, from the country of Eden, it parted, or was divided, and became into four heads; namely, two above, before it entered Eden, called Euphrates and Hiddekel, or Tigris ; and two below, after it had parted through Eden, called Pi/on and Gihon, which compajfeth, or run- neth along by, the whole landofCuJh. ver. 13.
In the eaftern part of Eden the Lord God planted a Garden furnifhed with all pleafant and ufeful fruits. And there he placed Adam to drefs and keep it; for man was made for bufinefs, ver. 8, 15. Two trees in this Garden were remarkably diftinguifhed from the reft, perhaps in ap- pearance and fituation, as well as in ufe, namely, the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Thefe, I conceive, were ap- pointed for inftru&ion and religious meditation; to preferve in Adam's mind a fenfe of the confequences of virtue and vice, or of obedience and difobodience. In this view, while he continued obedient, he was allowed to eat of the Tree of Life, as a pledge and aflurance on the part of God, that he fhould live for ever, or be immortal ; after his tranf- grefiion he was denied accefs to it, chap. iii. 24. For the fame purpofe, as a pledge of immortality reftored in Chrifr, it is ufed, Rev. ii. 7. xxii. 2. On the contrary, the other Tree was defigned to give him the knowledge, the fenfe or apprehenfion of good and evi^ or of good connected with evil, i. e. of pernicious enjoyment, deftruc- tive gratification, vicious pleafure, or fuch as cannot be enjoyed with- out tranfgreffing the law of God. Good and Evil, I apprehend, is an hendiadys, like that Gen. xix. 24. brim/lone and fire, i. e. fired or burn- ing briinftone. j Chron. xxii. 5. the houfe mujl be — of fame and glory, i. e. of glorious fame. Pateris libamus et aura, i. e. aureis pateris. 3TD may fignify pleafure or profit. [See the explication of it in the Heb. Engl. Concordance.] Thus Good and Evil may denote pernicious pleafure or profit. Of the fruit of this Tree, though it appeared pleafant and inviting, Adam was forbidden to eat upon pain of death. This was to make him underftand, that unlawful enjoyment of any kind would be his deftruftion.
Thefe two Trees may be confidered as Adains books. He was in a kind of infantile ftate, void of all learning, without any theorems or ge- neral principles to govern himfelf by. God was therefore pleafed, in this fenfible manner, to imprefs upon his mind juft conceptions of the very different confequences of obedience and difobedience. And it will
Vol. I. C be
54 Of a State of Trial. Ch. VII.
be of great ufc even to us, at this day, to look into, and to meditate upon thefe two books of our fir!!: father.
What requires our particular attention is this, that Adam's obedience is put upon Trial by the prohibition, ver. ij. But of the Tree of Know- ledge of Good and Evil, thou /ba/t not eat of it ; for in the day that thou eateft thereof, thou Jhalt furely die. Adam had not gained the habits of obedience and holinefs, but was put under this inftance of difcipline in order to his acquiring of them. As foon as God had made Man a mo- ral agent, he put him upon Trial. And it is univerfally allowed, that all mankind are in the fame ftate, in a State of Trial. It muff, there- fore be of importance to have right notions of fuch a State.
In order to this, let it be well confidered,
I. That God hath eretlcd a kingdom for his honour, and the felicity of his rational creatures. This kingdom, our Lord informs us, was prepared
from the foundation of the world. Mat. xxv. 34. There we men fhall be equal to the angels, Luke xx. 36; and probably, like them, fhall be placed in pofts of honour and power, in Come part of the univerfe; as is plainly intimated, Mat. xxiv. 45 — 47. xxv. 21. Luke xix. 17. I Cor. vi. 2, 3. Rev. ii. 10. iii. 21.
II. JVithout holinefs, or an habitual fubje^f ion of the Will to Reafon, or to the Will of God, none can be fit to be numbers of this kingdom. Wicked nefs, in its very nature, ftands direc"Uy oppofed to the peace and well-being of the univcrfe ; for it is error in the mind, rebellion againft God, and mifchief to all within its influence. And the moil benevolent of all Beings will not take error, rebellion, and mifchief into his kingdom, erected for the purpofes of goodnefs and enjoyment. Rev. xxi. 27. And there foallin no wife enter into it, the holy City, new Jerufalem, (ver. 2.) any thing that defileth} any impure, vicious perfons ; neither whatfoover worksth abomination, or maketh a lie; all idolaters, all that prac/tile ini- quity and deceit, are excluded out of it. But they foall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it ; the excellent of the earth, who have purged themfelves from all ungodlinefs and fin, and fo are Veffels unto honour, fanclified and fit for the Mafter' s ufc, a?:d prepared unto every good work.
Nothing but fubje&ion to the Will of God, in all duty and obedience, can qualify us for the honours, felicity, and employments of the king- dom of heaven. Therefore,
III. No moral agents, merely on account of their natural powers, how ex- cellent foever, are worthy to be admitted into the kingdom of God. Natural powers, in angels as well as worms, are the workmanfhip and gift of God alone ; and therefore, not being the virtue, nor the effect of the virtue of the beings that are pollefled of them, can be no recommenda- tion to the continued favour and efteem of God. In order to that, the natural powers of moral Agents muft not only be capable of right ac- tion, but alio actually exerted in ading rightly. Otherwife, their powers, though of the nobleft kind, are ufelefs and infignificant. It is one thing to be born, or produced into the kingdom of nature, and another to be born to the habits of virtue, whereby we are rendered fit to be admitted into the kingdom of heaven. The former depends entirely upon God's fovereign pleafure, in giving life and powers, in any kind or degree, as he choofeth ; the other depends upon a right ufe and application of the
powers
Ch. VII. Of a State of Trial. 35
powers God hath bellowed ; and is the privilege only of thofe wife and happy fpirits, who attain to a habit of true hofinefs. And thus, our Lord's rule, Job. iii. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot fee , or en- joy, the kingdom of God, may extend to all created minds, whatfoever, under their feveral peculiar ci re um (ranees.
IV. Holinefs, or virtue, cannot be forced upon us whether we will or not. The violence which overpowers and compels the Will, deftroys the Will or Choice, and confequently deftroys Virtue; which is no other- wife Virtue, than as it is freely chofen. That being which cannot be vicious, cannot be virtuous. If he is not free to choofe evil, he is not free to choofe good ; for a power of being virtuous, neceffarily implies a power of being the contrary. The only means, therefore, that can be ufed to induce a moral Agent to Virtue, are inftruclion, admonition, perfuafion, the imprefllon of objedts or circumfiances upon the mind, the fuggeftions of the Spirit of God, and fuch like methods as engage attention, and influence inclination and choice, without deftroying Free- dom. Aad 2. habit of Virtue, which 2lone recommends us to God, can be gained and afcertained no otherwife than by repeated A£ts, by ufe and exercife, by being put to the proof under proper Trials, by refilling folicitations, furmounting difficulties, and bearing fufferings. This is the moil natural way of bringing Virtue, or Holinefs, to its maturity and (lability. Therefore,
V. It fecms agreeable to the reafon of things, that all rational creatures whatjoever fhould, for fome time, be in a State of Trial. However, this is, or hath been, the cafe of all we are acquainted with. The Angels have palled through a probation, doubtlefs adapted to their different circum- fiances; in which fome of them abode net in the truth', they finned; they kept not their fir Ji cfate ; Joh. viii. 44. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude 6. And our firit parents, how lingular foever their condition might be in other refpects, were put under a particular Trial, by being forbidden to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil ; which muft be intended to form their minds to an habitual obedience to the Law, or Will, of God.
VI. We Men are upon Trial. This is evident from Revelation, where we are reprefented as Pilgrims and Strangers, looking for, and travelling to a better country, 1 Pet. ii. n. — As in a warfare, where we muft fight for the victory, as we hope to be crowned, Ephef. vi. 14. — As in a race, where we are running for a prize, Heb. xii. I. I. Cor. ix. 24, 25.— As labourers in a vineyard, who have work to do in order to re- ceive wages, Mat.xx. 1, — As fervants intruded with their mailer's fubftance, for the improvement of which they are accountable to him, Mat. xxv. 14. Luke xix. 13. And God hath appointed a day, in which, he will call us to an account for our prefent behaviour, and render to every man according to what he hath done in the body, whether it be good or evil. This is the llrongefc evidence, that we are now upoa Trial. And the fenfe of Revelation is abundantly confirmed by our circumfiances in life.
Our faculties are of the noblefi kind, and we enjoy all manner of means for the cultivation of them ; but not without great care, induf- try, and refolution. So many are the occafions of deception, and fo eafily are we milled in our fearches after the truth, that we cannot attain
C 2 to
36 Of a State of Trial. Ch. Vll.
to any clear or ufeful knowledge without a conftant and cautious atten- tion. Even Revelation, like the heavens themfelves, is interfperfed with clouds, things dark and hard to be underftood. And when we have found the truth, the profefilon of it is attended with much inconvenience and trouble from the pride and malice of perfccution. All which is wifely appointed ; for, had all been plain, obvious, and eafy, our inte- grity and fincere attachment to truth could not have been exercifed and proved. The paflions and appetites of the flefh ; the polTeflions, gains, pleafures, and cuftoms of the world ; the calamities of life, difeafes, dis- appointments, lofles, dangers, enemies, fears, wants, weaknefs ; all thefe are great embarralTments fio virtue and piety, fatigue and folicit our minds from righteoufnefs and purity, and oblige us to conftant watch- fulnefs and felf-denial, in order to gain and fecure the habits of holinefs. Every condition, every poiTeiTion is accompanied with its temptations. Wherever we are, we are in the midft of fnares ; and whatever we have carries fome danger or other in it; infomuch that, without care and at- tention, we cannot preferve the purity of our minds, which yet, by the nature of things, and the command of God, we are obliged to do. This fliews we are upon Trial, or in a ftate of difcipline. For,
VII. A State of Trial necefj'arily requires, that different and oppofite inte- rejls (as the flefh and the fpirit, the law of God, and the law in our members, the prefent world, and a future ftate) fijould fo Jland in compe- tition for cur affections and regards, as to oblige us to be very ferious in confider- ing, and thoroughly fincere in chooftng and purfuing what is right and good. And herein lies our Trial ; whether we will follow God, or forfake him ; prefer our mortal bodies before our immortal foals; the ■gratification of our lufts, before the purity and peace of our minds; the things of this tranfitory world, before the heavenly and eternal inheritance.
VIII. The end and defign of 'our Trial is to refine and exalt our nature. James i. 12. Bleffed is the man that worthily en.iw eth temptation ; for when he is tried, he (hall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promifed to them that love him. Heb. xii. 11. No chaftening for the prefent is joyous, but grievous; neverthelcfs, Sec. If indeed we are overcome by temptation, and drawn into a contempt of God, truth, and righteoufnefs, we debafe and deftroy ourfelves ; we prove ourfelves to be unfit for the happy fo- ciety in heaven, forfeit the favour of God, and fhall fall into perdition. But this mtsft be our own fault. The noble intention of our Maker is, that we mould overcome temptation, and then we are happy for ever. We have flood the teft, we have pafled honourably through our Trials ; we have approved ourfelves to God, as thole whom he judges fit for preferment and happinefs in his eternal kingdom. And fhortly we (hall hear, Well done, good and faithful, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Hence our Trial is compared fo that of filver and gold, Job xxiii. IO. Pfal. lxvi. jo, 11. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7.
To explain Scripture language, we muft diftinguifh between tempta- tion of Trial, and Seduction. Temptation of Trial, or probation, God hath wifely ordained for the exercife and proof of our virtue. So he tempted Abraham, Gen. xxii. 1. Temptation of feduclion is when we are drawn into fin, James i. 13. L.t no man fay , when he is tempted, fe- tiuced into fin by temptation.
From
Ch. VII. Of a State of Tria\ 37
From the preceding proportions we may draw the following con- clufions.
CoroL. T. Trials, of the fever eft kind, are no mark of God's difpleafure, nor any proof that we are wider bis wrath and curfe. Adam in his ft ate of innocence was tried. The beft of God's fervants have gone through heavy Trials. Our Lord was tempted in all points as we are, but without fn, Heb. iv. 15. Myfon, defpife not the chaftening of the Lord ; neither be weary of his correclion. For whom the Lord loveth, he correcleth \ even as a father the fon in whom he delighleth. Prov. iii. 11, 12.
Corol. 2. The appetites and pajjions implanted in our confitution, are not the corruption of our nature, but means of our Trial. And therefore we ihall be freed from them, when that is over, 1 Cor. vi, 13. Meats for the
belly, and the belly for meats but Gcdfhall dejlroy both it and them — —
xv. 44. It is fown an animal body, it is raifed a fpiritual body.
Corol. 3. Whatever Trials may be the occajion of fin, may much more be the occafion of virtue and holinefs . Temptation may occafion fin, but is not the cauje or reafon of it ; for, feeing no temptation can ever make it reafonable to fin, every temptation, if the finner choofeth, may be re- jected as unreafonable. On the other hand, temptation is naturally an opportunity of exerting our virtue, and of gaining an honourable and glorious victory. Diftreffes and wants may fill our hearts with folici- tude, and tempt us to murmur againft God ; but they have a tendency, being duly confidered, to lead us to faith in him, and a humble patient fubmiflion to his will, the mod perfect part of a worthy character. Wealth, honour, and power, may prove incentives to pride, luxury, and oppreflion ; but they may, and ought to be motives to gratitude, and means of greater ufefulnefs. Our appetites and pafiions may fe- duce to intemperance and debauchery; but they may be the occafion of pra£tifing the moft laudable felf-government and fobriety. And fo of all the reft. Rom. v. 3. We glory in tribulations ; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, that hope which maketb not afhamed, or that (hall never be difappointed. fames i. 2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into temptations ; knowing that the Trial of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have its perfeel work, that ye may be perfeel and entire, wanting nothing to qualify you for the kingdom of heaven.
Corol. 4. In a State of Trial natural evil hath a tendency to promote mo- ral good. For under any defects of happinefs, virtue may be exercifed and increafe. Hence it follows, (1.) That this life, notwithftanding the afflictions which attend it, is a day of falvation, or a proper and valuable opportunity of attaining eternal life. (2) That the quantity of virtue in this prefent world is not to be meafured by the joy it giveth the pof- feflor, or the good it doth to others, but by the circumftances of Trial under which it adteth and fubfifteth. For although all holinefs, by the will of God, will fooner or later be crowned with joy; and always actu- ally brings forth good works, in proportion to the agent's power and opportunities; yet two agents, of equal virtue, may be fo differently fituated in the creation, that the virtue of the one fhall produce a thou- fand tiroes lefs comfort to its felf, and benefit to others, than the virtue pf the other. Or, the fame virtue which, in this life, brings forth but,.
C 3 one
38 Of a State of Trial. Ch . V 1 1 .
one degree of joy and ufefulnefs, in another world may bring forth a thoufand degrees.
This ftands upon two principles. 1. That holinefs and happinefs arc efTentially different, and connected only by the will of God. Hence it is, in facl, that many perfons, truly virtuous and pious, have yet no comfort of their virtue. 2. The proper ac~t of a moral agent ftands in the will and choice alone, not in the external efredr. produced by it; and therefore the will, or choice, may be completely holy, where yet the outward act is hindered by contrary circumitances. Upon thefe grounds one may venture to affirm, that the virtue of Lazarus, which, under all his pains and poverty in our earth, brought forth but a fmall degree of joy and ufefulnefs, might, in Abrahams bofom, be equal to the viitueof an Angel in heaven, which actually brought forth ten thoufand degrees. For as a cubical foot of our grofier air might pof- fibly expand, and fill a cubical furlong in the higher and thinner re- gion of pure Ether; fo that virtue, which can fubfift under the loads and clogs of our temptations and difficulties, though its prefent fruits are but fmall, may dilate and blaze out into a glory, magnificence, and fplendour, equal to that of the holieft Angels. This the Apoftie Peter intimates, 1 Pet. i. 7. The tried faith of perfecuted Saints will be found unto praife, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jefus Chrift.
CoROL. 5. This world is not a State of Enjoyment. He that made it, and Man in it, niade it for Trial. We muft not therefore dream of a continued courfe of eafe, peace, and profperity, but muft expect to meet with Trials.
Corol. 6. // is no matter in what temporal circumftances we are, if we do but acquit our f elves w.ll and faithfully in the fight of God. Job, under all his calamities, was not a worie man, or lefs the care and delight of Heaven. He was then like gold in the furnace, under the difcipline of Divine Wifdom and Love, in order to his being purified into a condi- tion more illuftrious and excellent. You are in plenty and profperity. What then ? This is but an inftance of your Trial, and your real hap- pinefs muft be meafiired by the effects they have upon your mind. If pjofperity difpofes to thankfulnefs and good works, it is happy; but if it feduceth you to forget God, and to indulge irregular appetites, it is hurtful and pernicious. On the other hand, you are in affliction, want, trouble, pain. What then? This is not your fixed condition; it is Qftly one inftance of a temporary Trial, which fhortly will be at an end. And if your afflictions work in you greater contempt of the world, felf- denial, faith, fubmiffion, heavenly-mindednefs, &c. your condition is happy, and your afflictions are really better for you than any other State you may fondly wifh for. But obferve, this is to be underftood of afflictions brought upon us by Providence, and will not juftify us in bringing them upon ourfelves by any faulty criminal conduct. It is neveithelefs our duty, by all lawful means, to procure the conve- nuncics and comforts of life,
CHAP. VIII.
C H . V 1 1 1 . Of a Stale of trial. &
CHAP. VIII. Further Reflexion; on a State of Trial.
IT is of the laft importance to have right notions of life, as a State of Trial. For thus the whole fcene, otherwise confufed and un- accountable, will appear in a jull and rational light. Thus we Ihall be convinced, that our being is given us upon the moil reafonablc and advantageous terms, for the higheft and moft excellent ends ; and fhall clearly undcrftand what we have to do for the improvement and exaltation of it, free from the vain imaginations and purfuits, hopes and fears, joys and anxieties, which diffract the minds of the unthink- ing and ignorant. What 1 have further to advance upon this point, is comprifed in the following proportions.
I. It is a matter of great difficulty to adju/I cur Trials and fuccours, fo as not to overpower our faculties by either, but leave us in the free life of (hem.
II. God alone hath wifdom fufficient to appoint and adjufl our Trials. Be- caufe he alone underffands perfectly how to adapt them to the nature of our minds, and to the defigns oi his goodnefs. Whereas we know but little of the nature of our fpirits, and therefore are not able to propor- tion temptations to our powers, nor helps and affiftances to our tempta- tions. We are not acquainted with the work we have to do in the fu- ture world, nor the feveral forts of beings with whom we may hereafter be concerned, in the way of feliowfhip or enmity ; and therefore are by no means capable of judging, what fort or degree of Trials are proper to give us fuitable qualifications. For this reafon, it is plainly our duty and wifdom, humbly and patiently to fubmit to the Trials God is pleafed to allot, and to behave wt:\\ ;.nd faithfully under them; without cenfuring, or quarrelling with his difpofals, which is fool ifh and im- pious. But though our understandings in this cafe are very defective, yet I conceive there are fome general principles of which we may be, in a good meafure, certain. Afip
III. The bias of Evil in our Trials ought to be flrong it: proportion to thi degree of virtue required of us. For the degree of virtue is to be mea- fured by the degree of temptation which it relifts. That virtue is but in a low degree, which can overcome but a fmall temptation; that virtue is in a higher, which can overcome a ftronger temptation ; and that virtue is in the higheft degree, which is fuperior to all temp- tation.
IV. The degree of Virtue God expccls from us, is to be proportioned to the eminent flations to which we are to be exalted in his kingdom. Or, we {hall be exalted in proportion to the Virtue we have attained. Mat. xix. 28. Luke xix. 16, 17, 18, 19.
V. Our Trial feems to be appointed for a State of Confirmation and
therefore the virtue we are to attain muft be fuch as will ftcure cur per- feverance in it j which confirmation and perfeverance muft ftand, not
C 4 upon
40 Of a State of Trial.' Ch. VIII.
upon our being forcibly conftrained to be virtuous, which is a contra- diction, but upon the habits we have attained, or the fettled good difpo- fitions of our minds. And it feems to be the great end of our Trial in this world, that we may attain to fuch a degree of fan&ity, experienced in a variety of Trials, as in God's wifdom appears to be of that genuine fort, which fhall eventually perfevere, and abide to all eternity. Of which matter our Lord fpeaketh in this wife, Lukexvu IO, II, 12. He that is faithful in that which is leaf, is faithful aljo in much ; and he that is unjufi in the leaf, is unjufl alfo in much, if ye therefore have been unfaith- ful in the unrighteous mammon, ivho will commit to your trufi the true riches ? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, i. e. that which may at any uncertain time be taken from you, and therefore, for the fake of which it is not worth your while to do a wrong or wicked thing, who fhall give you that which is your own * ? what you are to pof- fefs for ever, or which you are never to be deprived of. This plainly {hews, that we are qualified for honours and trufts in heaven, no other- wife than by our prefent faithfulnefs, or the real good qualities of our minds ; and that we are now tried in a little, that we may be faithful in much.
VI. The fudge of all the Earth hath certainly balanced our Trials with the greatefl exaftnefs and equity, that temptation may not be too violent for our weaknefs, and yet ftrong enough to put our virtue to its proper proof. Flefhly luits war againft the foul, but arc conquered effectually by tem- perance, or keeping our bodies in fubje&ion. The world allures our minds ; but the world of glory is open to full view, to draw our regards thither. If the devil r.nd his angels are permitted to practife his malice in perverting mankind, God hath fent forth a holy and powerful Spirit to illuminate, fan&ify, ftrengthen, and comfort; and hath ordered his Angels, in great numbers, to be miniftring Spirits^o the Heirs of Sal- vation. We may allure ourfelves, that we are upon a fair, and even fa- vourable, Trial ; for, if we do not neglect our advantages, the means of fecuring our virtue, if we choofe to be virtuous, do far furpafs the occa- fion of vice and fin; and in all our conflicts more are with us, than are againft us ; God is with us.
VII. Our Condition is zvell adapted to the purpofes of moral Improvement. If we confider life as a State of Enjoyment, all is in confufion and dis- order, and we are cafily milled into the moft foul and fatal errors ; but if we take life as a Trial, for the exercife of our virtue, in order to our future advancement, then every part of it will appear to be properly ap- pointed. We have every day opportunities of fhewing our fincere re- gards to Gody by giving him the preference to the many appetites and objects which court our affections, and come in competition with him.
Nimium vobis Romana propago
Vifa potens, fuperi, propria [perpetua] h«ec ft dona fuifTent.
uEncid. vi. lin. 870. Nihilnc effe proprium [perpefuum] cuiquam ?
Ter. 4ndr. A&.. iv. Seen. 3. lin. 1. Omne quod habemus, aut mutuum eft, aut proprium.
Donat. in locum.
Ch. VIII. Of ^ State of Trial 41
We have opportunities enough to learn what is fufficient for us to know. And the obfcurities and difficulties in the way of truth, are not deligned to debar us from it, but to exercife our integrity in our fearehes after it, and profeifion of it. All the calamities of life, pains of body, infirmi- ties, feducements, lofTes, &c. are occafions of purifying our hearts, by fobriety, humility, repentance, felf-denial, patience, &c. And for focial virtues, we cannot fuppofe ourfelves in any fituation, where we fhould have more occafions, or more preiling motives to exercife every fpecies of benevolence towards our fellow-creatures. And if our love to men muft furmount both felf-love, that deceitful principle in our- felve-, and ingratitude, that ugly vice in others, hereby we are obliged to exercife, in the raoft generous, difinterefted, and godlike manner, a virtue of the firfl rank, and the moll neceflary to preferment in God's creation. For he is the fittefr. for bufinefs and truft, under the univerfal Father, who mod of all participates of his kind difpofitions and good- will towards the whole univerfe of beings.
VIII. Different pcrfons, as they have different capacities, advantages* and opportunities, and are in different circumjiances, conditions, and fitua- tions, are under different Trials. Mat xxv. 15. Luke xii. 47,48.
IX. God allots to every particular perfon his Trial. He gives our capa- cities and opportunities, afligns our circumftances and outward condi-r tion, and meafures our afflictions and comforts. Therefore, whatever our Trials may be, this fhould calm our uneafy minds, that they are meted out to us by the fame wife Hand which created and governs univerfal Nature.
X. Every one will be judged, and receive reward or punijhment according to the circumjiances of his own particular Trial; and all things relating to it, all advantages and difadvantages, will be weighed in the exacteffc balance, and determined accordingly. Luke xii. 47,48. Tliat fervant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himfelf, neither did according to his will, foall be beaten with manyjir'tpes. But he that was in different circumftances, and knew not, and did commit things worthy of Jlripes, jhall be beaten with few Jlripes. Here obferve, that God fully under- ftands the degrees of the guilt, or virtue of particular perfonsj but we do not, and therefore fhould be cautious in judging.
XI. There are degrees of Trial; or temptation may be more or Iefs intenfe. The fufferings of the flefh may be raifed to fuch an height of anguifh and terror, or its paffions fo inflamed, as to fufpend the ufe of thought and reafon.
XII. God can raife or fink our Trial as he pleafes. When he fees fit, he can give a calm and quiet ftate ; and when he pleafeth can raife ftorms about us, and heat the furnace of temptation feven times more than it was wont to be heated. Job, in his Trial by profperity, ac- quitted himfelf well ; and under great pains and poverty, he finned not, nor charged God foolifhly. But at length, through the unkind ufage of his friends, and perhaps fome other concurring circumftances, his Trial began to be fo hard, that he opened his mouth, and curfed his day. Whenever the Almighty pleafeth, he can permit a Trial that will fhake the ftrongeft faith. Therefore,
XIII. No good refolutions or difpofitions ■> no degrees of fpiritualjirengih to
which
42 Of a State of Trial Ch. VIII.
which we have attained, is an abfolute fccurity, that we Jhafl be for the fu- ture Jleidf aft and immoveable. New, or fudden Trials, ftronger than any we h ;ve hitherto met with, may Blake and ftagger the ihHliiy of our minds. Let no man imagine, thfi his former victories wil] exempt him from a poflioility of falling. It Is the will of God, that every man. the bfcft of men,' in this State, fhould be under a conftant neceflity of watchin^ Wherefore, let us take unto curf elves the whole armour of God, that we may be able to withjland in the evil day, and having done, or over- come, alttofand. Eph. vi. 13.
XIV. All Trial is attended with danger. And therefore fome, if not many, in a State of Trial, may fall into perdition ; as wicked angels and men.
XV. Our danger is not from God, but from ourfelves. God tempt eth, or feduceth into fin, no man, Jam. i. 13, 14^15. for tms very good reafon, becaufe he cannot himfelf be tempted with evil, fuch is his ab- horrence and deteftation of it; and therefore cannot be inclined to draw any of his creatures into the practice of it. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away from righteoufnefs, by his own lufl, and enticed to commit fin.
XVI. All temptation is vincible to thofe that are willing to overcome. See Prop. VI. All the admonitions, exhortations, encouragements in Scripture, fuppofe and fupport the truth of this propofition.
XVII. We are victorious over temptation, net by cur own power, but by the grace and power of God. Even when the fpirit is tuilling, the Jlejh is weak. Mark xiv. 38. We are indeed under the higheft obligations to ufe faithfully the powers we have already received, and no otherwife may we hope to be fuperior to temptation : but it is not our own wif- dom or ftrength that can preferve and uphold us; for we are diie&ed in Revelation to trufr in God, and to feek unto him for fuccour and deliver- ance ; which would be impertinent, were we fufRcient to ourfelves. Why fhould we afk help, when we do not want it ? God alone is able to keep us from falling, and to Jlablifh us in every good work. Jude 24. 2 Thefl. ii. 16, 17.° And we are abundantly aifured, that he will give ftrength in proportion to our Trials, and our faithful endeavours; and that cur future honours will be great in proportion to the prefent greater Trials we have furmounted. If we have overcome much, we mall en- joy much. For, obferve, the fuccours of Divine Grace do not dimi- nish the quantity of our virtue, or reward. Whatever helps our infir- mity may require, our virtue is meafured by our own fincere defires and endeavouis, to which the Divine Aid is proportioned. So that, in moral construction, it is all one as if we had overcome in our own ftrength.
XVIII. The means of conquering Temptation, on our part, are Watching and Prayer. Mark xiv. 38. IVatch and pray, that ye enter not into tempta- tion. (1.) Watch. Benotfecure; expect temptation, and be fenhble of the danger of it, the greateft of all dangers, the lofs of the foul. Be not confident of your own ftrength. Keep out of the way of tempta- tion. Avoid every fnare thr.t may intangle your minds. Indulge to no dangerous liberties; make no uncautious approaches towards folly and fin.° That may be affected by flow degrees, which a man would never
at
Ch. IX. Of the Difpenfation, cffr. 45
at firft have confented to be guilty of. He that fears falling down a pre- cipice, will be fure not to come near it; and he that would extinguish the fire, fhould withdraw the fuel. Keep thy heart with all diligence ; reject every finful thought and fuggeftion. Keep the body in fubjedlioii to reafon and religion by fclf-denial and abftinence. Beware of an un- due attachment to the world. Your life and treafure is in heaven ; and there let your hearts be. Let the word of God dwell in vou richly by daily meditation. PfeiL cxix. n. Thy word have I hid in mine heart., that I might not Jin againjl thee. (2.) Pray. Not that we may be totally exempted from temptation ; for we came into the world for this very end, that we might be tried and tempted. We cannot reafonably ex- peel: that God, in our favour, fhould alter theconftitutionof the world, or of the human nature ; but we fhould pray, that God would order our Trials in fuch manner as will beft promote the purity and pro- bity of our lives. Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Remove far from me vanity and lies ; give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me, Sec. The wife man doth not prefcribe any condition that did not belong to him ; but, in general, is defirous of that fituation in life which God faw would be molt favourable to his piety and integrity. Lead us net, fuffer us not to enter, into temptation, i. e. fuffer us not to fall under the power and prevalence of temptation. The example of our Lord is of the greateft force to direct and animate us in our conflicts ; he took upon him our nature, and went through all our Trials, on purpofe to fhew us how to behave under them; and to aflure us that, imitating his example, we (hall at length be partakers of his glory. And thus by his perfedt obedience, his obedience unto death, a facriflce highly pleafing to God, he recovered that life and immortality which Adam forfeited by his dif obedience.
CHAP. IX.
Of Law y or the religious Dispensation Adam W Eve were under in the Garden.
GEN..ii. 17. But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou fhalt not eat of it ; for in the day that thou catejl thereof, thou fhalt furely die. This is La%v ; clear ideas of which are neceliary to the right underftanding of St. Paul's writings.
Law is a rule of action, or duty, commanding or prohibiting, given, by the Sovereign to moral Agents, with the penalty of death annexed. Tranfgrefs and die, is the language of Law. And therefore every tranfgref- for, the moment he is fuch, is dead in law; and, for any thing in Law, he muft continue fo, as long as it is true that he has violated the Law, that is, for evermore. For the Law, which condemns him, can give him no
relief}
44 Of the Difpenfatlon Adam and Ch IX.
relief; as, in its own nature, it excludes repentance and pardon ; nei- ther of which can take place, unlefs Law is overruled, or the execution of it fufpended by the authority and favour of the Sovereign. For Law Would not be Law, if i'ts fenfc or language were this, the tranfgrejfor, who doth not repent and obtain pardon, Jhall die; feeing this would be to allow tranfgreflion by Law, upon the uncertain conditions of repentance, and the Sovereign's mercy. " You may fin with impunity, if you do but " repent, and find favour." And fo the Law would be invalidated by itfelf, as it would allow a conditional tranfgreflion, which would annul the annexed penalty, by </