Opposition to Errors of William Sherlock, Chapter 3 · Section 1

Opposition to Errors of William Sherlock · Chapter 3 · Section 1

p. 79Section 1. Of the Knowledge of Christ.

THis Section allures the Eye of the Reader with the specious Frontispiece of the knowledge of Christ, but proves a mere MockBeggar-Hall, and Fools Expectation, like a Fair Porch to no House, or a great Mountain without a Mouse; just like the Guilded Titles of Apothecaries Boxes, which pretend to Lodge the rich Drugs of Pontus, and both the Indies; but are Inhabited often by the Poysonous Spider, and Hung with Cobweb-Tapistry, Spun out of her own Bowels, and Woven with her curious Fingers: Or like those gawdy Signs which Encounter us upon the Road, whose promising Motto first Invites the Traveller with Hopes of Horse-meat, and Mans-meat, and then Baffles his hopes with Entertainment that would sterve a Dog: To see our Author heaving for a farfetcht Blow, you would verily think he Design'd to Knock the Business stone-dead for ever; whilst he does but Imitate the Black-smith, that would needs Use the great Sledge-Hammer to Kill a Flie on his Childs Fore-head, and very Discreetly dasht out the poor Infants Brains. Leave we him therefore to the Satisfaction of his own private Thoughts a while, and let ours give the Readers Patience a small Exercise.

p. 80The Happiness of Man consists in the Knowing and Enjoying the True God, blessed for ever; and therefore He, who is never wanting to his own Glory, nor to His Creatures Happiness (in such ways as best Comply with His own Unsearchable Wisdom) first Created Man, and then gave him an Understanding to Know, a Heart to Love and Enjoy His Creator: Admirably proportioning his Faculties to his Employment; and as he made it his Work and Wages to Love and Serve, he furnisht him with a Soul qualifi'd to Love and Serve his God: But when Man had sinned, and thereby lost his Fitness for that blessed Service; it pleas'd God to enter into a New and better Covenant with him, Establisht upon that Promise, Gen. 3. 15. The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head. God would not suffer Satan to rejoyce too much in his success, and glory in his greater hopes, that he should sweep the World before him, and draw the rational Creation into the same Ruine, into which he found himself Irrecoverably Plunged. The Father had Divided to the Redeemer a Portion with the Great, and Promised He should Divide the Spoyl with the strong, and Wrest out of his hands that Advantage he had gotten over Man by sin, and the Curse inseparably annext to it: In the Faith of this Promise, had guilty Man encouragement to Return to God, and not sinck down in black Despaire, to which, the Reflexions he must needs make upon that Cursed state he had so cheaply brought himself into, could not but Expose him. And though the Generality of the Sons of Men through their own sinful Neg…ect, Lost the Faith of that first and precious Promise; yet the Gracious God took Effectual Care, that p. 81his Service and Worship should be carried down in a chosen Seed and holy Line, from our first Parents, by righteous Abel, heavenly Enoch, upright Noah and others, to believing Abraham, to whom he was Graciously pleas'd to vouchsafe a more Distinct and Explicit Revelation of the Promised Seed: And whereas before, all Families of the Earth might equally pretend to the hopes of it, Now God Clears and Secures it to his Faith, that in his Seed (by the Line of Isaac) should all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed. In pursuance of this Promise, and the glorious Design managed thereupon, he Renews in a more Solemn, Ample, and full Manner, the Covenant of Grace with him, the Epitome, and Abstract whereof was this, Gen. 17. 7. I will be thy God. And for the greater Security, adds Circumcision, a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith, Rom. 4. 11. As the Family of Abraham was branched out into two; so we observe how the vigilant Eye of Providence Traces that Line, by which He had fore-appointed to Conveigh so Rich a Mercy as a Redeemer, down to the following Generations: And accordingly he Hedges it about with special Care, Waters it with extraordinary Blessings, Impales it from the Common and Wild of the World, by distinguishing Ordinances, that it might get a fixed Root in the Earth. Hence was Ishmael waved, and Isaac taken into special Protection; Esau excluded, and Jacob comes under the peculiar Cognizance of God; just as the Stream and Current of the Promise found its proper Channel, and the other Old ones grew either Shallow and Inconsiderable, or quite Dried up. For the better Securing, and more prosperous Managing this great Project, God was p. 82also pleased to cast the Posterity of Iacob into a visible Church-frame, and Political Model, appointing to them a Ceremonial Law as an Appendice to the former; and the Iudicial Law as an Appendice to the latter Table of the Moral Law, accommodating so the whole, that all might lead to Him who was indeed the whole life and Soul of that Administration; An High-priest and other inferiour ones he also instituted, with great variety of Sacrifices and operose services, (arising from the beggarliness and poverty of all Types) fully to represent the Messiah, in whom they did more abundantly meet; yet herein might they (as in a Glass) eye a Redeemer, and in him, God appeased, sin pardoned, and their Persons justified, and accepted; The satisfactory Reason whereof lay onelyonly in him, who was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World, in Gods Acceptation, and representation to the Faith of Believers. Now whilest God did thus Train up the Jewish Church, in the hopes, and expectation of a Deliverer; he offered also to others of the World, (though forfeiting Gods especial Notice by the general revolt, and common Apostacy,) a joynt Interest in those priviledges stated and settled upon the Iudaical Church as her Dowry, provided they would come under the bond of the Covenant, and joyn themselves to the people of God, and thereby attend the great Ends and reach of Divine Grace, to save sinners by the Intervention of the seed of the Woman. And further, to leave some standing hints upon Record, that in due time he intended to throw open the bedge, and let the Gentiles into the Priviledges of the Iews, (who seem'd the Monopolizers of all true Religion, and Worship) it has graciously p. 83pleas'd the same God to reveal to some few others out of the Purlieus of that Body, as to Iob, the Doctrine of a Redeemer, as early pledges to the World, that those favours should not alwayes lye under Sequestration; How miraculously God preserved this Church and State, is needless to insist on; but remarkable was his Care over Iudah, that though she had justifi'd her sister Samaria, and outdone those in sin, whom she had out-gone in Mercy, yet when the ten Tribes were hurried away into Captivity; God remembred that ancient Promise, that Scepter and Law-giver were not to depart from Iudah, till he that should come, was come: and therefore notwithstanding as heynous provocations (all Circumstances considered,) and proportionable dangers, as ever yet exposed a people to utter ruine, still Iudah lived: And though the Holy God in Vindication of his wronged Honour before the world, was concern'd to visit their Iniquities with a Seventy years Captivity in Babylon, yet still he kept a fixed Eye upon the Tribe of Iudah, and especially the Family of David, to which (e're this) the producing of the Messiah had been entai…ed. And it was not for Nothing, that after their Return, they were so precise and punctual in their Genealogies, that there might no scruple arise in after-times, when Christ should come, but that he was of the Stock of Abraham, of the Tribe of Iudah, of the seed of David according to the flesh: In contemplation of which stupendious design, the wisdom of its management, his Arm made bare, to second and back the work, how the Great God preserved the Iewish Polity from utter dissolution, till it had done its work, and teem'd the Messiah into the World; and when p. 84that was done, how all things conspired for its dissolution; how the greatest Convulsions and Earthquakes, which would have unhinged other Kingdoms, and have thrown them from their Consistency, yet made that Common-wealth take deeper root, whilest God would serve himself thereof, and when he had no more service for that Tribe, how it was scatter'd; How Providence marvellously secured the Vessel (in the midst of those waves which the Malice of Hell endeavoured to lift up as high as Heaven) wherein the Salvation of the World was embarqued, and when it had once safely landed a Saviour in the habitable parts of the Earth, where his delights had been, how the Ship sprung a leak, and sunk of it self: These things make me (with the Divine Herbert) pause, and say,

How dear to me, O God, thy Councels are! Who may with thee compare?

But our Authors lips doe not like these Lettuces: Two things he industriously sweats at in this Section: First, To shew us, Wherein Happiness consists, and then to inform us in the Way and Means to reach that Happiness; A glorious Undertaking indeed; wherein though he should founder, yet an Attempt has its praise, and may at least plead for Phaëtons Epitaph,

Quem si non tenuit, Magnis tamen excidit Ausis.

It was Austins Censure of the Platonists, Patriam viderunt, Viam ignorârunt: They were convinc'd that true Happiness must needs consist in enjoying the True God. The chiefest Good, foreign. p. 85A Being, Self-being, Essential being; but they were wretchedly bewildred in finding out the way to the enjoyment of him; and for all their skill could never double the Cape of good Hope. Where Plato ended, our Author begins, Ubi desinit Philosophus, incipit Theologus; and wherein he fail'd, he undertakes to write his Supplement.

[1] Then (though there be less need of that) would you know wherein true happiness consists? you are answer'd, In the Knowledge and Love of God, who is the greatest and best Being. If he means the utmost happiness Mans Nature is capable of, it wants a word or two; This Knowledge must be a perfect Knowledge, and this Love, a perfect Love; and to this Knowledge, and Love of Man to God, you must adde the Sense of Gods Love to, and delight in Man, and Mans reciprocal satisfaction and complacency in God as his Portion. It's a tedious Question bandyed amongst the School-men, wherein the Formale of Blessedness lyes; some contend for the Vision, others for the Love of God: but he seems to me to have determin'd best, who has joyn'd both; Faelicitas hominis consistit quidem in Visione, sed Charitativâ; & in Amore, sed Oculatissimo. The Happiness of Man consists in the most Loving Sight, and in the most Seeing Love of God; but the Controversie will not lye here.

[2] For the Means of Reaching this Happiness, he assigns this; God hath made known himself and will to the World. Our Author is now obliging Posterity with a Discovery of the North-east Passage to China, and the Indies; the old way round about Africa is tedious, and dangerous, and therefore let him not want the Trade-wind of your Prayers, that p. 86he meet not with Sir Hugh Willoughbies Fate, whilest he attempts to make out a shorter Cutt. Now concerning this, you must understand; That God who is never wanting to his own Glory, and the Happiness of his Creatures, hath taken care in all Ages, by one Means or other to make known himself, and his Will to the World. Our Author presumes he has penn'd this Discourse with much Artifice, and laid a train of fallacies for us, which if not timely discovered, and prevented, will irrecoverably blow us and our Cause up into the Aire, in the next Section: But indeed the best part of his Policy is the confounding of things, and involving them in such Intricacies and Perplexities, that it's much harder to discover his Errors, than to confute them being once discovered; like what Physicians tell us of the Hectick Fever, that in its first Rise it's hardly discerned, but otherwise easily cured; and at length easily discovered, but then impossible to be removed; according to the French Proverb, Toutes les maladies, termines en Ique, font aux Medecins la Nique. And therefore, e re things are gone too far, and we be given over by Aesculapius himself, as those whom safety it self cannot save, let us try if we may prevent a growing evil.

And (1) it stumbles some I perceive, that he layes the Happiness of Mankind in the Knowledge and Love of God, and then the Means to that End in making known himself, and his will; which looks as if the Means and the End were coincident, and the knowledge of God, were the way to know God.

(2) He supposes that God has by one Means or other made himself known: by which Means, if he understand no more than the lowest Agents, and p. 87subordinate Instruments, it will not doe his work, and we can grant what will not serve his Cause; but if he exclude the Son of God, who is the Sovereign Revealer of the Fathers Counsels in all Ages; that we shall not grant, and that he cannot prove.

(3) We are more dissatisfied about this one point, that he makes the Revelation of Gods Will a sufficient Means for Happiness, to all Ages: for though it were granted to have been so, in the state of primitive Integrity; yet it's not so in those Ages when the whole world lay in wickedness. The Spirit of God describes the state of Sin, to be a state of Impotency. Rom. 5. 6. When ye were yet without strength, in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly: There must goe something more (then) to make the Means sufficient to attain that End, than a Naked discovery of what God would have Sinners doe, even strength and ability to doe it; for the Will of God was, and is the same; Doe this and live; and if strength be not afforded to fulfill this Law exactly (which none could ever yet find) nor a Substitute allowed, (which some will not accept,) Man may, and must perish as well with, as without the discovery of Gods Will; with this onelyonly difference, that he sees now his sin going before him unto Iudgement.

(4) It's very vain to talk of Mans tampering about doeing the Will of God, in Order to Eternal Life, till some means be found out to take up the old Controversie; and make a peace betwixt God, and his Creature, that they may treat upon other Terms▪ We are sure Adam thought it so; And the first in its kind may well be allow'd the just measure of all after Attempts; who when he had sinn'd, went p. 88and hid himself; at once discovering both his Rational fear, which was to stand before God; and his foolish contrivance, which was, to hide himself from God in the Covert of the Trees, under which (nay under Rocks and Mountains) it had been more comfortable for him ever to have shrowded his guilty Face, had not God revealed the postliminary means of conversing with him.

(5) We think our Authors Reason is as lame, as his Assertion, viz. Because God is never wanting to his Creatures happiness: To which I return,

1. God will not have his Goodness impeached, because he exerts it such a Way, Method, and Measure, as seemed good to his own infinite wisdom, and sovereign pleasure: If any shall dare to charge God foolishly, I doubt not he will acquit himself well enough; but if he will plead his Prerogative, he can demur to the Iurisdiction of the Court, and refuse before the Barr of Imperious and sawcy Reason, to give an Account of any of his matters, Job 33. 13. But,

2. God did create man upright at first, and if he departs from the Law of his Creation. I know not whether an Action will lye against his Goodness, should he leave him to perish in his Apostacy; A Father is not bound to set up his Son, as oft as he will shut up shop and become Bankrupt.

3. God was not wanting to the Happiness of his Creature when fallen; but did provide a remedy for him, and remembred him in his law, in his lost Estate▪ because his mercy endured for ever: but then 'tis upon another Account than this Assign'd by our Author: for he supposes, That Gods not being wanting to his own Glory, and not being wanting p. 89to his Creatures happiness, stand upon one and the same level, in equal terms of Necessity: but I suppose quite another thing; God had not been wanting to his own Glory, could have secur'd that well enough, though Man had perished, though he had never revealed a Mediator betwixt God and Man: And that he has done it, is to be ascribed to a Sovereign Act of Grace. But I see what things are vereing to: Deus non erit Deus, nisi homini placuerit: God shall not be God, unless he approve himself to every Caprice of a Rational Divine; who has two peculiar Priviledges, and incommunicable Properties; one, that he may call whom he will Irrational; and the other, that he may canonize what he will for Reason.

4. I'le throw him in a little one. Although he tells us, God is not wanting to the happiness of his Creatures, and therefore by one means or other he revealed himself to the World: yet he also acquaints us, p. 30. Long and sad experience proved all these wayes ineffectual: And as good never a whit, as never the near; For all this was but rubbing a Brickbatt, and putting a Blackmore into a Lather, and so we are but just as we were; for though he was not wanting to them, yet it seems, wisdom was wanting to Him, whose Contrivances did not attain their Ends; and thus our Author has spun a fair thred; I'le onelyonly mind him of the Epigram:

Turpe est difficiles habere Nugas,

Et stultus labor est Ineptiarum.

Having discoursed these things in general, it's a fine sight to stand by, whilest our Author is dividing p. 90the World into Provinces; and its several Appartments: And you shall hear him (not …ispute, but) with the Cartesian; Provincias dare Atomis, or split a single Cummin-seed into four and twenty equal parts.

(1) For the state of Integrity; How God was not wanting to his Creatures Happiness therein, he informs you at large. He left such visible Impresses of his own Wisdom and Power on the works of Nature, and planted in the Mind of Man such a Natural Knowledge of himself, that it was as easie to discover the first Author of all things, as it's now for a well disposed Eye to see the Sun when it shines, and while Man preserved his Innocency, God Himself did not disdeign to converse with him. And so I hope Adam is well provided for: Some may think, that we are here less agreed, and others that we are more of a Mind than indeed we really are. I shall not take notice of that Phrase of conversing with God, it looks as if it were neer a kin to, and well nigh as bad, as that of holding Communion with God, which he afterwards throwes up his Nose so scornfully at: Some other matters may have a Room in our Consideration: As,

[1] That this Knowledge of God was Natural, had need be a little better trimmed than ordinary: Natural, either imports what is constitutive of our Beings, or flows immediately from the Principles of Nature; or else what is congruous, and agreeable to our Natures, as designed for such an Employment as is proper to them: If he take Natural in the first sence, I softly deny that, The Knowledge of God which made or would have made Adam p. 91happy, was Natural to him: And my Reason is, that what does so constitute Nature, or flow immediately from the Principles thereof, cannot possibly be separated from that Being, but withall, the very Being is destroy'd; but we see damned Souls and Devils retain all that knowledge of God, which did constitute their Essences, and yet have lost all that knowledge of God, which is or may be a Means to their happiness; they retain their Beings, are not physically stript of them, though they are Morally devested of all the Comfort of their Beings: but then if by Natural Knowledge, no more be intended, but that upon supposition, God would create man to serve, love, and enjoy him, it was due to a Being so posited, to be so qualified: If man must serve his Maker, and in that service enjoy him, and in that enjoyment be Happy in him, then indeed is it natural, such a Knowledge, such a Will, such a Heart, should be bestow'd upon him; but I would have this Bush soundly beaten by a better Huntsman than my self, and ten to one, he may from under it start a Pelagian.

[2] It would be enquired, whether this Natural Knowledge was a sufficient means for Adams Happiness? Our Author seems clearly to assert it, but I confess I cannot joyn with him, as believing that much more was required of, and indeed bestow'd upon him than a Natural Knowledge of God. He was made in the Image, and likeness of God, Gen. 1. 26, 27. A main part of that Image lay in Righteousness, Eccles. 7. 29. God made man upright, foreign: Rectum; there was a Rectitude of all the Powers and Faculties; an exact conformity of them to one another; and of all to the Revealed Will of God; p. 92And this appears, In that the Image of God restored by Grace, assures us what that Image was which he once had, but since has lost, Eph. 4. 24. And that ye put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness, and True Holiness: And indeed, the first man not being capable of a forreign Righteousness, whereby he might be justifi'd, (that Covenant either not needing it, supposing he had stood, or not admitting it, on supposition of a Fall) he must necessarily have a Righteousness inherent, one of his own, to qualifie him to hold Communion, or (to speak warrantably with our Author) converse with God.

[3] I question much that Expression of Innocence, as not very Innocent; it has been taken upon suspicion many a time, and sometime could not give a good Account of it self. Casta quidem sed non credita: And it has been the more narrowly observed, since a Generation of Men arose in the world who would perswade us, That the Perfection of Man in his first Creation, lay not in any positive Qualities of Holiness, Righteousness, and Truth, but in a bare Freedom from sin; That is, they would fancy Man to have been created as pure white and Innocent as a sucking Lamb; but not so much as the first preparative blue towards the tincture of any Vertues; but whether this one word in our Author, may be iuterpreted so high, time must discover. And hitherto of the State wherein God created Man.

(2.) A second Period of Time into which our Author has Thrown the World, is that from Adam to Abraham, inclusively. Upon which Interval he Philosophizes even to our wonderment. In afterAges as Mankind grew more corrupt, and declined p. 93to Idolatry. Here I want our Authors Accuracy, or must complain of a Fallacy; for methinks it's a deadly long stride, to step from Adam to after-Ages, without the Bridge of some Neat Transition; he might have made two steps of this: just now, we found Man in the state of Innocency, and now we find him corrupt, and declined to Idolatry, and yet none can imagine how this evil of Sin and Misery invaded the world: The Heathens were at their wits-ends about it; the Manichees could not invent a way to assoyl it, but by assigning a double Eternal Cause, or Principle, the one of Good, the other of Evil: And now when we expected great matters from this Gentleman, to be left in the lurch, and fobb'd off with a blind account, that this was done in after-Ages; In after-Ages as Mankind grew more corrupt: Oh! it seems they were Corrupt before, and enclined to Idolatry, but in these villanous afterAges they grew more Corrupt; Religion pass'd through many hands, and in long Tract of time gathered Moss and Furre; Men sliding insensibly, none ever knew how, into this degeneracy; and Trace it up as high as you can, yet Nilus hides his Head beyond the Mountains of the Moon: That Men are corrupt and stark naught we see, but how they became so, or when first turn'd out of the way, that's hid in darkness and perpetual Night. But there is one St. Paul (as obscure an Author as some would represent him) that would have spoken a thousand times more to our satisfaction than this Gentleman. Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin entred into the World, and Death by Sin, and so Death pass'd upon all men, in that (or in whom, foreign,) all have sinned. V. 17. By one Mans Offence Death p. 94reigned by one. V. 18. By the Offence of one, Iudgement came upon all to Condemnation: That the evil that we experience in the world (and that's abundance) may be reduced to two heads, it's either Malum Culpae, or Malum Poenae: Either the Evil of Sin, or the Evil of Punishment for sin. Now this Excellent Author tells us, that both these Evils came from one root, one spring, and that was one Man, and that one Man was Adam; This seems to have a probable face of the Origine of Evil, but he was a dark Writer. There is therefore another Author, that wrote a Book called, The Catholick Doctrine believed and professed in the Church of England; one with whom our Author has some Reason to be acquainted, for a Reason or two that I know of; now this Author tells us, Art. 9. Of Original or Birth-sin, That▪ Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians vainly talk, N. B.) but it is the Fault and Corruption of the Nature of every Man, that Naturally is ingendred of the Off-spring of Adam, whereby Man is very far gone from Original Righteousness, and is enclined to evil, so that the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and therefore in every person born into the world, it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation. I promise you here are a great many terrible words, that would not be dofft of with a Flim-flam of Mens growing corrupt in after-Ages; for this Article is positive, that All that are naturally engendred of Adam have a corrupt and faulty Nature; Abel as well as Cain; Iacob as well as Esau; and Isaac as well as Ishmael; Such however then was their State: Now what Means did God afford the Men of this Generation, that he p. 95might not be wanting to his own Glory and their Happiness? Why you must know in the first place, that some of the Men of this Age were good Men; others were corrupt, declined to Idolatry, and degenerate: Very good; but then one would long to know, how the Good became so; for how the evil became evil, we are satisfied; every one engendred of Adam brought with him a corrupt and faulty Nature; but for the other sort, these good men, our Author leaves us as much in the dark how they became good, as he did before how those other became evil: Let us consult that excellent Author last Named, Art. 10. The Condition of Man after the Fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot Turn, and prepare himself by his own Natural Strength and good Works, to Faith and Calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good Works, pleasant and Acceptable to God, without the Grace of God preventing us, that we may have a good Will, and working with us when we have that Good Will. But let us goe on. God afforded Good Men the frequent Apparitions of Angels, who were the great Ministers of his Providence. Carry this one thing in your heads as you goe Along with my Author and me, viz. That he is demonstrating, That God in all ages was not wanting to his Creatures happiness; but by one means or other made himself, and his will known to them. Now then, what did these Angels appear to these good Men for? to acquaint them with his Will? why it's supposed they knew that before; else how became they good? for such they could not be, without the Knowledge of Gods Will, antecedent to their Obedience, though perhaps they might have stumbled upon some Act p. 96materially the Command of God; as a Blind Man by Chance may catch a Hare: what then? to protect them? Protection required not Apparition: what then? to carry some occasional Errand from God, wherein they were concern'd to be instructed, upon the emergency of some extraordinary Providence? Very true; but not at all to his purpose: but I shall have no more Concern herein than to move a few Quaeries.

1. It may be enquired, what Angel it was that Ordinarily appeared to the Patriarchs of old? the rather because he is peremptorily called Iehovah, the Essential Name of the True God: And I find some have pleaded that the Second Person of the Trinity, by way of Praeludium to his future Incarnation, to shew that his delights were with the Sons of men, and how ready he was to do the Will of his Father in the Redemption of the World, when in the fulness of time, a Body should be offer'd him; and their Pleas have not been removed, and they are somewhat confident cannot be. And as I remember amongst many other, they insist upon Hosea 12. 3, 4, 5. He took his Brother by the heel, and by his strength he had power with God, he had power over the Angel▪ and prevailed, he wept and made supplication to him, The Lord God of Hosts, the Lord is his Memorial▪ foreign: If this was not the True God blessed for ever, that wrestled with Iacob, an Atheist will bid you prove there's a Better than the Lord God of Hosts, whose Memorial is Iehovah; if it be; then he was also the Angel that appeared, and who could that be but the Second Person?

2. It may be asked I hope without offence, (supposing p. 97that Created Angels did (as sometimes they did,) appear to good Men, and that their Message was the Mind of God concerning their Happiness, and Blessedness in the Enjoyment of God;) whether they preach'd any other Gospel than they preach'd to the Shepherds at Bethlehem: because it would seem, that these inferiour Angels could not employ their Tongues upon a more welcome Theme, than Him, who was their Head, and under whose Obedience they were Ranged by Creation, and to whom he was also a Mediator of Confirmation.

3. It might deserve Consideration, How far Angels are the Ministers of Gods Providence? That they are Ministring Spirits sent out to minister unto them who shall be Heirs of Salvation, (Hebr. 1. last,) we thankfully believe and own; yet God has not left his Inspection into, or oversight of this lower World: This looks like some New Divinity, new vamped up from the old Epicurean Philosophy, which represents God as living at ease and enjoyingly in Heaven, and not concerning Himself, (for that would they think disturbs his Peace,) with the Brangles and Contrastoes of Men, but Rules all by the Court of Delegates. For the Good men, we shall not need to be too sollicitous how they did, doubtless they would shift well enough in the world: All the difficulty is, about the Degenerate, how God carryed it towards them, that he might not be wanting to their Happiness? Now here indeed our Author helps at a dead lift. Two Expedients he used:

First, The Preaching of some eminent Persons, such as Enoch, Noah, and Abraham: And herein we cannot but admire the wisdom of God in the Old World, p. 98that he sent none but Righteous Men to preach Righteousness, to an unrighteous generation. To vapour against sin, and then to wallow in it; to forbid our Patients that Food which is often found upon our own Trenchers, will not gain much credit to our Doctrine, and therefore Christ, Acts 1. 1. is said first to Doe, and then to Teach: Otherwise Ministers words are look'd on as things of Course, to while out one Glass, that they may be readier for another: Such Preachers being like him in the Comoedian, Qui alterâ manu fert lapidem, panem ostentat alterâ, that is, he feeds his Auditors like Apes, with a Bitt and a Knock: but here are a few things upon this head, that we cannot pass by, for our Author is as full of Excellencies as an Egge is full of Meat.

(1) Here has been good Provision made for Good men, and pretty good too for the more degenerate part of Mankind; but there's a midling size of Men, all this while, that have no care taken of them, sink or swim: Men, that your Papists will tell you, are too good for Hell, and too bad for Heaven, but of a just Gage for Purgatory: Now these men did not need such extraordinary Helps as Noahs, and Abrahams Sermons; nor could deserve the apparitions of Angels, and therefore they must be content to drudge through the work in their own strength, whereof having a sufficiency, enough is as good as a feast, & Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora.

(2) What Righteousness was it that these Men preach'd? Surely it would have been a hard Venture to have preached to them Their own; for if Mans Nature be Corrupted, and he lyable to Gods p. 99Wrath, and Damnation, as the Church of England determines; it will be very difficult at least, to bring such a Righteousness to God out of so vitiated a Nature by its own mere strength, as may plead acceptance with him: That Righteousness which is the Result of our utmost Obedience, has some flaws in it, that make it very improbable to justifie any person in the world under our Circumstances, that is, Sinners. 1. That Obedience which we may plead and abide by before God, for Justification and Eternal Life, must be entirely our own; performed in our own strength: it were idle presumption to come to God, for Acceptation and a Reward for that which we are beholden to his Grace and strength to help us to perform. 2. That which is not absolutely perfect cannot justifie in the face of a perfectly holy Law, and an infinitely perfect holy God. For if any thing short of Gods demands, would serve to justifie a Sinner, what should hinder but that, seeing God is infinite and absolute in Mercy, he might abate the whole? Nay indeed, if God can abate, and come down from his first Terms, who shall set the Dice upon his Grace and goodness, and say, Thus far shall Mercy goe in Abating, and no further? And in a little while, no doubt, this Doctrine will be so well improved, that we shall have it made as plain to us, How God may justifie all the Debauches of the World, as a Repenting Sinner; if no respect be had to the Satisfaction and Interpoposition of Another. But of these things abundant occasion will be administred for Debate in the following Papers.

But then Secondly, there's another Expedient, which God used to reclaim the more Degenerate p. 100part of Mankind, and that he tells us was the good Examples of good men; how they lived, and how well they sped by Holy Living, and how they were rewarded, and how happily they dyed, and how much God delighted in them: All this is True in it self, Enoch's Translation, Noah's Preservation, Abraham's Exaltation, and Lott's Ereption, were convincing Arguments how dear these good Men were to God: But first I would say, it was a more Convincing Argument to me, that God was Good to them, who made them so, who call'd Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees, from the Idols which his Family had worshipt on the other side the Flood: It was Gods Grace that raised up the Righteous Man from the East, and call'd him to his foot, Isa. 41. 2. And then secondly, I would say too, that there wanted something more than outward Examples to make that Age happy, even an inward Operation of Gods Grace; for the Church of England has excellently resolved, Art. 10. The Condition of Man is such after the Fall of Adam, that he cannot turn—without the Grace of God preventing him, that he may have a Good Will.

(3.) We are now arrived at a third Division of Time, stretching it self from Abraham untill Christ came in the Flesh. For when the World would not be reformed by single Examples, (as ye know one Swallow will not make a Summer,) what did God doe then? why he chose the Posterity of Abraham to be a publick and constant demonstration of his Power, and Providence, and Care of Good Men. Our Author fancies that God had been trying Conclusions, and casting matters in his thoughts, how he might reform the rugged World; and that he p. 101might be sure to hit o'th' right way at last, he ventur'd first upon single Experiments, and then upon Experiments in Consort (just like my Lord Verulams) and yet none of them would come up to the designed End. I have heard of one that would needs trye how to make a dead body stand upright, he set him upon his feet, and placed him i… his true perpendicular, yet still he crinckled i'th …ams, or one mischief or another, he would not stand; at last tyred out with his fruitless labour, he gave it over, concluding all was not right within, there was some wheel or pulley, some spring, or string broken. Just such a process does our Author modestly ascribe to the great and wise God. He supposes God was not wanting to his Creatures Happiness; and I may suppose God knew well, what would serve to answer his Creatures Happiness, in the present posture he was in; and yet all came to little or nothing, surely there's something wanting somewhere or other. But there never comes better on't, when men will proceed upon a false ground, and tyle over one Absurdity with another, that their Errours may not rain through: Therefore,

1. God was never disappointed in the Counsels and purposes of his heart; whatever he undertakes according to the good pleasure of his will, he goes through with it; If he will work, none shall let; If he sayes it, he will doe it, and his word shall not return to him in vain, but accomplish the thing for which he sent it: Thus Enoch's, Noah's, Abraham's Ministry atchieved whatever his hand and Counsel fore-ordained by them should be done: And if any be angry hereat without a Cause, they must be pleas'd again without amends.

p. 1022. Gods varying the dispensation was not because he found it ineffectual, contrary to his hopes, but because he would make all these Providences comply with his grand Purpose of conveying the Messiah to the World at last. He takes this Family, the Posterity of Abraham, to be his Peculiar, and as any bra…ch of that Family lay out of the Road of Christ, he left it to take its lott in his more general oversight and cure of his Creatures; That branch of this Root, which was to bear the Messiah, alwayes was kept alive, and the rest, in process of time wither'd, and fell off, of themselves. But there was an odde word dropt from his Pen at unawares, that had like infinitely to have ravel'd all his Affairs, and to have quite marred the Musick of this Paragraph; had he not been aware of it in due time: He had said, That God chose the Posterity of Abraham. Now you know that the World is wide enough; and Choosing in its first Notion implies, the taking of one, and leaving another; and, how to make that fadge with some other Cross-Capers he has in▪s Head, was a Matter worthy his thoughts, and timously to be reconciled, which he has thus done: When God chose the Posterity of Abraham, he did not design to exclude the rest of the World from his Care and Providence, and all possible Means of Salvation. That God did exclude the rest, or any part of the World from his Care and Providence, I suppose none are concern'd to affirm, but they who are for God's governing the World by his Courtiers onelyonly, and great Ministers of State: That God excluded the World from all possible Means of Salvation, is an Id…e Dream, when indeed they excluded themselves. When God gave the Promise to the p. 103Common Parent of Mankind, there was a Possibility in the Thing, that that Means of Salvation might have been derived to all those Rivulets into which his Posterity should be subdivided; and if it was not, I conceive the fault was theirs, not Gods▪ and all that I know will be proved hence is, That it's marvellous dangerous to venture the Concerns of another World upon the Credit of Oral Tradition; for if it proved treacherous when the Lives of men were drawn out to such a length, what may We expect from it, whose dayes are but as a shadow: But if indeed the World lost that Promise, its Encouragement and Warrant in drawing nigh to God, I doe not, cannot see that God was bound to repeat and renew it every Thirty or Forty years, to every particular Kingdom, Nation, Countrey, and the Individuals therein, for fear of being wanting to his Creatures happiness: and I have some hopes that our Authour will shew himself friendly in this business, for he tells us, p. 33. That Now, the only true Medium of knowing God is the Knowledge of Christ, who came into the World to declare God to us. Has God then excluded the rest of the World from all possible means of Salvation? or, Did the Gospel of Christ come into every Nation, in every Age, and to every individual Man and Woman of that Age, or else must we say that God is wanting to his Creatures in not affording to them, but excluding them from all possible Means of Salvation? But further, God hath maintain'd a Church in all Ages of the World, where the Means of Salvation have been enjoy'd, and there was a possibility of being interessed in the Priviledges and Advantages of that Church; for so sayes our Author, p. 29. The rest of the world p. 104when they pleased, might fetch the best Rules of Life from Israel: And in all probability, if it was possible to fetch any thing from them, it was as easie to come to, and joyn with them: and then again, it was as easie every jot, to fetch other means of Salvation as the best Rules of Life. But I am afraid, we do not discourse ad idem all this while, perhaps he may reckon upon those to be sufficient Means of Salvation which we think insufficient to Man under his present Circumstances: Let him therefore set up for himself, and prove if he be Able, That the knowledge of so much of the will of God as may be known from the works of Creation and Providence, is a sufficient means for the saving of Mankind (in any Age he will pick out) considered as represented by the Church of England, in her Ninth Article, and he shall either have a just Confutation, or a speedy Recantation.

One Text of Scripture he judges will doe his work: Rom. 3. 29. Is he the God of the Iews onelyonly? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes of the Gentiles also: It will be convenient to remember here, what he is proving, least his Argument should be sick of an old Disease which some call Ignoratio Elenchi. And that was, That God did not design by choosing Abrahams Posterity, to exclude the rest of the world from all possible means of Salvation, much less from his Care and Providence: And we will readily own, that all that the Apostle had been excluding from Iustification and Salvation, was onelyonly an importunate Thing, which has ever give… the world trouble in this matter, call'd Boasting: So that, shut out but that, and take in what you will or can; God is resolved to justifie none, Iew or Gentile, but p. 105in such a way as shall solidly ascribe all the Glory to Himself. So that our Author may sleep on both ears in this matter. The Gentiles were never excluded all possibility of Salvation, if they excluded not themselves by Neglecting that Justification by Faith which he had proclaimed; for so saith the Apostle, v. 30. It is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith, and the Uncircumcision through Faith. There is one God alwayes the same, and one Faith ever uniform; and what need had our Author then to fancy, That Enoch and Noah were justifi'd one way, Abraham another, and Believers since the coming of Christ, a third way: For the same Apostle, Hebr. 4. 2. proves that the Gospel was preached to the Iews from of Old, as well as unto others, since his Appearing in the flesh; the same Gospel, For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them; and he proves also that the same Gospel was also preached to Abraham, that was preached to the Iews; Galat. 3. 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham; To Abraham in the state of Uncircumcision, and therefore under the Notion of a Gentile, and not a Circumcised Iew. But I would not hinder our Author from making the very best improvement he can of the Text. Which Argument (saith he) (if it have any force in it) must prove Gods respect to the Gentiles before the preaching of the Gospel, as well as since; because it is founded on that Natural Relation God owns to all Mankind, as their mercifull Creator and Governour. If it have any force in it! why do you Question that? He speaks of St. Paul's way of Arguing sometimes, p. 106as if a man might draw Cutts, whether it should have any strength in it or no; or as if it were an even lay, one way or t'other: No but that [If] is not dubitantis, but arguentis, If it have, as undoubtedly it hath; what then? Why it must prove: Must! There's the singular Happiness of the Man; who is one of Pauls familiar Acquaintances, and privy to all the Cryptick wayes of his Argumentation: but what must it prove? why that before the preaching of the Gospel God had respect to the Gentiles as well as since: Have a little Patience. 1. I would fain know when that time was before the preaching of the Gospel; for we have heard that the Gospel was preached to Abraham, to the Iews in the Wilderness, and I think that was Gospel too that was preached to Adam, That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head. Indeed there was a time when the Gospel was more clearly, publickly and eminently preached, call'd therefore foreign, the times of the Gospel; but I do not know of any, of which it could be said simply and absolutely the Gospel was not preached. 2. I would very gladly learn also what that respect was, God had for the Gentiles: A respect there might be upon Common Accounts; he was their mercifull Creator and Governour, but that respect is short of what our Author designs: And he might have a respect for the future; there being good Evidences of Gods intentions to bring in the Gentiles more universally to the knowledge of the Gospel and Salvation by Christ, when time should serve. 3. It would be cleared, what he means by, as well as since; aequè, but not aequaliter, sure: not so much as since, but as truely and really as since. But because his Reason p. 107is to be the Measure of his Assertion, let us attend to it with diligence; This Respect is founded on that Natural Relation God owns to Mankind: To which I answer, Whatever respect God had to the Gentiles, so as to afford them at any time the Means of Salvation, it was not founded on Natural Relation, as their Creator; but on a Relation Voluntary, and of pure and mere Grace; and we will joyn issue with him upon this point when he pleases. But I shall endeavour to set the Apostles Argument upon its own Legs: What he drove at, he shews you, v. 28. That a Man is justifi'd by Faith, without the deeds of the Law: he had proved this in the foregoing Verse, thus: The way that God takes in the Iustifying of a Person, is such a one as shuts out of dores Boasting; But Justification by Faith, onelyonly excludes Boasting, and the way of Justifying by works would not exclude it, and therefore God takes that way to justifie the Sons of Men: In this 29^th verse, he proceeds to another Argument to evince the same Thing. If Justification come by the works of the Law, then never any Gentile could be justifi'd, but some Gentiles have been justifi'd, Therefore Justification comes not by the works of the Law. That some Gentiles had been justified, he proves in the Instance of Abraham, who was justifi'd, not in Circumcision, but in Uncircumcision, as he sayes, ch. 4. v. 10.

Now it's evident, that Circumcision and Uncircumcision are Terms of equal wideness with Iew and Gentile: For that which he calls v. 29. of the third Chapter, Iew and Gentile; Verse the 30^th he expresses by Circumcision and Uncircumcision: It is one God that shall justifie the Circumcision (the Jews) p. 108by Faith, and the Uncircumcision (the Gentiles) …hrough Faith; and this he brings as a proof of his foregoing Assertion, Seeing it is one God, &c. And therefore Abraham, though he were an Hebrew by Birth (whether so denominated as coming from the Race of Heber, or from his passing over Euphrates, as some will have it, it makes no matter,) yet being uncircumcised, he fills the room (in Gods account) of a Gentile, or one of the Nations. Now for the proof of the sequel of the first Proposition; That if Iustification comes by the works of the Law, then never any Gentile could be justified: he takes special care to put that out of Question, v. 30. Seeing it is one God that justifies. There is but one God that justifies, and therefore but one way of Justification; as he is alwayes the same, so is his Method alwayes the same; One God, one Christ, one Faith; and therefore if ever any Gentile were justifi'd without the works of the Law, never any Jew could be justifi'd by it; for that would be to suppose two wayes of justifying sinners (and such were Jews and Gentiles, both under sin, both guilty before God,) and then that would prove, that God were not the same one God, which the Apostle throws out of dores. Let our Author now cast up his Accounts, and see what he has gain'd by this place; God is the God of the Gentiles: Such a God as has justified Gentiles, [foreign ▪] for instance, Abraham; and that as his God in a Covenant of Grace, I will be thy God; and therefore it follows, that Jews are not, were not, could not be justified by the works of the Law; and then no such thing will be inferred, that God as a Creator had such a respect to every Individual Person in the World, being fallen sinners, p. 109… to give them the Means of Salvation: But to proceed.

This plainly evinces (saith he) that all those particular favours which God bestowed on Israel, were not owing to any partial fondness, and respect to that People. Methinks I hear our Author speak like the Great Pompey, when he had got Caesar into Lobs-pound. Non recusare se quin nullius usûs Imperator existimaretur, si sine maximo detrimento, Legiones Caesaris sese recepissent inde, quo temerè essent progressae. De Bell. Civ. lib. 3. Let our Author never be reputed a Man at Arms more, if he has not got us into such a Cramp and Purse-nett, that we shall never escape without loss of Bag and Baggage: For thus he assaults us. Had God a Partial Fondness and respect for Israel? Answer Yea or No. I see we are quite undone: If we say No, he has us on the Hip, and comes over us with a Why not? what, no respect for Israel? no favour for his Beloved People? Why Psal. 147. 20. He has not dealt so with any Nation; he shew'd his Word unto Iacob, his Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel: and where are we now? If we say, Yes: Then he fetches us over the Coles; What, partial fondness in God! one Law for Titius, another for Sempronius? Fish of one, and Flesh of another? I see we must fall upon one of the horns of this Dilemma, and both are equally mortal: And never was there more need of the good Curat's Collect, to be deliver'd from the great Pain and Peril of Cowgoring: We have got a Wolf by the Ears, and dare neither keep, nor slip our hold for our own. When I read this and some other like passages in his Book, surely thought I, this man takes us all for Widgeons p. 110and Woodcocks, and that to Scrible with him, is … thing but the Recreation of catching Dottrels, h… could never else hope to Impose upon us with so Childish, and obvious a Sophism. In short, 'tis nothing but Fallacia plurium interrogationum: As … you should ask our Author, Whether he were … London with a Feather in's Cap? He would not scruple to answer, He is indeed at London, in the Parish of St. George, but he has no Feather in'… Cap: Well, Good for one, good for another. God had a respect for Israel, but no partial Fondness. Two things then would be a little cleared, that God had, and upon wh at account he had a particular respect to Israel.

[1.] God had a special respect to Israel above all the People in the World, Rom. 3. 1. What advantage then hath the Iew? and what profit is there of Circumcision? Much every way! foreign. Upon all accounts they carried it; But chiefly, that unto them were committed the Oracles of God. Rom. 9. 4. To whom pertaineth, the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Services of God, and the Promises, whose are the Fathers, and of whom, as concerning the Flesh, Christ came: As whereas God chose Abrahams Posterity, and committed His Laws to them, from whence (as our Author thinks) all the rest of the World might when they please fetch the Rules of Good Life, this very thing argues a particular respect, otherwise God might have made them fetch the Rules of Good Life from others: He might have made them the Borrowers, and others the Lenders; some respect above others, God then had undoubtedly for them.

p. 111[2.] Upon what account, had God this particular respect for them? And here we agree with our Author in the Negative; It was not out of partial Fondness: We would deliver him from that fear, that he may sleep the better, and that for these Reasons. 1. Partiallity and Fondness are words of a harsh sound, they grate upon our Ears with such unpleasingness, that they can be no ways ascribed to the Glorious God: For God stands not in that Place, or Relation to his Creatures that he can be Partial: In matters of mere Grace and Favour, due to neither (and therefore without Injustice may be denied to either or both as we please) Partiality has no place. If two Persons be equally worthy, I may give that to one which I will not to the other; In two Persons justly condemned, the pardoning of the one is no Impeachment of Royal Justice, though the other suffer under his Sentence: If God gave any thing more to the Iew than the Gentile; The former could not boast, it was Grace; the latter could not murmur, they had no wrong. If God denied the Gentiles his Gospel, He was not their Debtor; they owed him more for their Beings than they could ever pay, and it might have been expected they should have cleared their old Obligations, before they desired to be Trusted for more, and run into new Arrears. 2. Then it was upon a most glorious Project, that he might secure to the World the Promised Seed, and have him forth-coming in the fulness of time. Hence is it, that when that People seem'd to be at the brink of final Ruine, to be swallowed up of Destruction, Gods great Cordial was the Reminding them of this, That the Messiah was not yet come, but he must assuredly come; and therefore p. 112no possibility of Internecion, and utter Extirpation of that Nation, Root and Branch; to which Design of God had they attended by Faith, they had Lived more above slavish fears than they did, Isa. 7. 1, 2. VVhen Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah King of Israel were in Confederacy against Iudah; the News discomposed them, The Heart of Ahaz was moved as the Trees of the Wood are moved with the Wind; and what way Does the Lord take to calm his Tumultnating Spirit? ver. 14. A Virgin shall Conceive and Bear a Son, and shall call his Name Immanuel. VVhy but may not we be all Dead and Rotten by that time? No, if Christ must come of the Tribe of Iudah, of the Family of David: That Tribe, that Family cannot perish, till they have served Gods Design and Glorious Ends, in handing down a Messiah, and then they shall be thrown into the Common Box, and retreat to the Gross of the World, under the ordinary Care of Gods general Providence: Till then, they might say with Him: Fear not, Caesarem vehis, & fortunam Caesaris; Christ, and the Concerns of Christ, are all Ventured in this Bottome. But our Author I perceive does by no means like this Reason: But The Design of all was to Encourage the whole World to Worship the God of Israel. This was a Design indeed, but not the only Design; He himself assures us of that, p. 28. It was one great and principal Design: And then we must not strain things too far, for fear they break. Our Author must have it Encouraging the whole World, or Nothing; every Nation upon the face of the Earth: But I doubt the sound of the Jewish Deliverances did not reach the whole Creation, and Habitable World; we see p. 113Sounds grow faint and languish by degrees, and at last Expire: It's evident that the Gentiles had Inoculated what they heard of the Iews great Salvations, into their own Stock; and all was involved in Fables, and Superstitions. VVhat they heard of Moses and Mount Sinai, some turn'd into their Bacchus, and his Mount Nysa; Sampson was grown Hercules, and Noah became Deucalion; so that Converts to God upon the account of the Fame of these things were very rare, one Naaman in an Age or so, perhaps an Urija…, or a few more:

Totidem tibi sunt Numero, quot

Thebarum Portae, vel divitis Ostia Nili.

VVhat then our Author Quotes Psal. 98. 2. for, I cannot tell, unless to prove that Jesus Christ should come into the VVorld, to the unspeakable Rejoycing, and Reviving of the rational Creature: Of which this Psalm is a plain Prophesie: And so is Psal. 102. 15. The Heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the Kings of the Earth thy Glory: And his Practice upon the place is Visible, turning [shall] into [might] which needs no trouble to discover. The 96. Psal. 4, 5. shews the Excellency of Jacobs God above all the Idols of the Heathen, and all within the Call of this Psalm, are Invited to come to Joyn themselves to Gods People and Church, ver. 8. Bring an Offering, and come into his Courts; and both this Psalm, and the 98th. very evidently have their Completion in the Saviour of the VVorld; both concluding thus, For he cometh, for he cometh, to Judge the Earth; Verified in Him whose Title was, foreign, and who affirms p. 114of Himself, John 9.39. For Judgment am I come into the World. But let us hear more: As God set up the People of Israel as a visible Demonstration to all the VVorld, of his Power and Providence, so he committed his Laws and Oracles to them, from whence the rest of the VVorld, when they pleas d, might fetch the best Rules of Life, and the most certain Notices of the Divine VVill. Fair and softly: 1. These other Nations are supposed by our Author, to have had already good Rules of Life, though not the very best, and certain Notices of the Divine Will, though not the most certain: He tells us p. 29. God instructed them by the Light of Nature; and then, Quid quaeram foris cum domi habeam? No need to look out, if they had sufficient at Home, they might save Shooe-leather, and spare their pains. 2. But what if these best Rules of Life were not so easily fetcht, as he imagines? It was a huge way for men to Travel from the Remotest parts of the Habitable world, to Traverse from the Tropicks and beyond, to Ierusalem, and when they came there, had no assurance they should not come of a Sleeveless Errand, and lose their Labour, or at best have nothing but their Labour for their Pains; For I do not find that they were under any Command of God to deliver a Copy of the Law to every one that would Whistle for it, or hold up the finger: It Border'd pretty near upon Christs Time, e're the Pentateuch was Translated into Greek by the Septuagint; and Ptolomy with all his Interest, had enough to do to make the thing Practicable and Feasible. And besides the Jews were so Superstitiously exact in Examining every Copy of the Law, so many Ordels and Examinations p. 115it must pass through, before it could pass Muster, that I do not think that the rest of the VVorld could, when they pleas'd, fetch the best Rules of Life: And yet there may be a cunning Truth in't too: They might fetch it when they pleas'd, because they never pleas'd to fetch it. But, 3. As the Noise of the Jews Deliverances, and Miraculous preservations might reach the Neighbour Countries, (though that also with much uncertainty, and mixture) so a general Rumour also might Ring in their Ears about their Ceremonial, Typical VVorship, their Feasts, Jubilees, Temple, High Priest, which were things that made a Noise, but that the World ever believed they had a better Law in Stone, than they had in their Hearts; I cannot conceive, though I am loath to make my narrow ones the Measure of our Authors Conceptions.

(4.) After a tedious Maze in the Labyrinths of former Ages, we are at length safely Conducted to the more happy Times of the Gospel. For, When long and sad Experience had proved, all those [former] ways Ineffectual to reform the World, at last God sent his Son, &c. Two things we are here Instructed in: First, Upon what necessity God sent his Son into the World. Secondly, What was his Employment when He was come into the World.

And [1] It may seem that the Son of God had never exchanged the Throne, for the Footstool; nor the King of Glory, taken on Him the form of a Servant, nor He that was Rich to a Miracle, have become Poor to a Proverb, without some Cogent Reason, and pressing Necessity; which our Author will just now favour us withal: And here I sorely suspected it would go very hard with him: For p. 116whereas at other times, no necessity of Christ at all could be found; for both Iews and Gentiles who knew nothing at all of what Christ was to do in Order to their Recovery, did believe God to be Gracious and Merciful to sinners, pag. 44. And what could they desire more? Yet now when it will better serve the Turn, and subserve the present Occasion, that Christ may be brought into the World with some Pomp and State, there must be an indispensible necessity of his coming, for all other means that had been tried, proved ineffectual. What our Author supposes, may I hope without offence, admit a modest Examination. Two things are here by our Author supposed: (1) That the means which God had formerly used, proved Ineffectual to Reform the World. To which I shall Calmly return, 1. That he had done much better to have proved that they were Designed by God to reform the World, before he asserted that they were Ineffectual for that end; For it seems strange that God so Wise to know what Means would reach the end, and to Choose such as would do it, should pitch upon Means that he knew would never reach their Designed ends. 2. If the end of Christs coming into the World was to reform it, upon an Experiment that all other Means proved Ineffectual: Must not God be forced to Try another Conclusion at least, and once more to Venture upon other means, because even now the World is unreformed? 3. The Means that God then used, (he will confess) were sufficient for that end, Or else how were they Means? And the Means which God now uses proves not Effectual to Reform the World▪ And what have we got by the Bargain? 4. I hope our p. 117Author will be better advised than to talk of Effectual Means of Grace, which shall Infallibly reach their ends, for that would bear the Face of Irresistable Grace. 5. The ways and means which God now uses to reform the World, are Effectual to reform as far as He in his wise Counsels did Bless them, and so were they then: And the ways and means He formerly used for the reforming the World, reacht not every Individual person then; nor have they any higher effect now. The Purpose and Counsel of God then are the true Measure of the Success and Efficacy of the Means of Grace, before and since the coming of Jesus Christ. (2) He supposes that God had tried other Means to reform the World, but upon proof found them Ineffectual. A supposition extremely Scandalous to those apprehensions which both Natural Light and Scripture, teach us to entertain of the Blessed and Glorious Majesty.

1. They are Reproachful, and Scandalous to that which may be known of God by Natural Reason. VVhichWhich, if ever it taught us one Letter of Gods Name, will teach us this: That God must needs foreknow what will be the Issues of things; seeing nothing can be supposed Contingent to him, without another Supposition that he is Ignorant of what is so Eventual and Contingent to him. If we know any thing of God, it is that he knows all things; but according to our Authors Notions of things, we have God drest up like an Emperick, that must try his prescriptions upon his patients, before he can tell how they will work: And yet its some comfort, they purchase their Skill only at the peril of mens Lives (which yet are too precious to be so cheaply p. 118prostituted to blind Experiment) but God (who in our Authors Divinity had been practising upon the World for Four thousand years, before he saw his mistake) bought his skill with the Blood of many millions of Souls, who perished under his hands by ineffectual Remedies; and now he must be forced either to study, and find out some more effectual Means, or else give up the World as desperate and irrecoverable: And now, whether his Expressions do not more than squint that way, let the impartial Reader determine.

2. Scandalous, even to Blasphemy, to the general Current of Scripture-Revelation; which fully and frequently assures us, that God well knew what success his Methods and Wayes of Reformation would have, and what entertainment they would meet with in the World from Sinners, where he pleased not to second and back them with his effectual Power; and yet still he used them as Means to reach his own Ends. Exod. 3. 19. I am sure the King of Egypt will not let you goe, no not with a strong hand. Exod. 7. 3. I will multiply my Signs, and my wonders in Egypt, but Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you.

[2] For the Employment and Work which our Author is pleased to assign unto Christ upon his Coming into the World, he tells us, that was, To make a full and perfect Declaration of Gods will; to give us the best Rules of Life, and to encourage our Obedience with the most express Promises of a blessed Immortality. And if this be all the Business our Author has shaped out for him, I shall the less wonder, that he can see no Necessity of Christs Coming into the World; and as little, that others p. 119can see no Necessity that he should be the Eternal Son of God: But whatever the Matter is, in these and the following lines, I observe our Author falls short of his wonted Accuracy and Confidence: He hesitates and staggers, and goes backwards and forwards, and strangely bewilders himself in Contradictions.

Pag. 30. he tells us, The secret Purposes of Gods Counsels were conceal'd from Ages; and yet before he takes off his Pen, he tells us, The Prophets did not so fully understand them: Understand them then it seems they did; and fully understand them too, but not so fully understand them. It would tempt one to turn Questionist, and humbly ask; If they were conceal'd before, how were they understood? And if the Prophets did understand them, how were they conceal'd? Again, p. 29. he had let us know, that the Israelites had the best Rules of Life; and yet p. 30. That God sent his Son into the World to give us the best Rules of Life. Whence we see how easily our Author could have saved him that perilous Journey into this mischievous World. Again p. 30. he supposes, That before Christ's coming, the World had Promises, and express Promises too, of a blessed Immortality, though indeed not so express: And yet for all that, p. 34. That Christ onelyonly brought to light Immortality; which has a greater Truth in't than perhaps our Author is aware of: Again p. 33. he acquaints us, That God was formerly known by the Light of Nature, the Works of Creation and Providence, and occasional Revelations; and p. 44. That those Natural Notions the Heathens had of God, and the discoveries God made of himself in the works of p. 120Creation and Providence, did assure them that God is very good, and that it is impossible to understand what Goodness is, without pardoning Grace; and yet p. 33. he would fain perswade us, That NOW, (since Christs coming) The onelyonly true Medium of knowing God, is the Knowledge of Christ, who came to declare God to us. A discovery indeed very surprizing: For if Natural Light, without Christ, could reveal it then, why can it not doe it still? how comes it to pass that Creation and Providence cannot perform the same Office now? If Christ be the onelyonly true Medium now, it would make one suspect he was so then. The Light of Christ has not weakned the Light of Nature, but improved and sublimated it; he came not to be an Extinguisher to the Candle of the Lord, but a Candlestick; not to put out the Eye of Reason, but to provide an Eye-salve for it. Did Creation and Providence, preach God to be a sin-pardoning God then, and are they suspended ab officio, & beneficio, in the CourtChristian, and become silenc'd Ministers? And yet he seems to Retract this, p. 30. Nor have we any other certain way of knowing this [the secret Purposes of Gods Counsel concerning the Salvation of Mankind] but by the Revelation Christ hath made to us. Other wayes there may be still, if any will run the Risque, and venture upon them, but none so certain as this. And here comes in the fine Expedient for the Salvation of the Terra incognita, without the Revelation of Christ. And yet once again, p. 30. he assigns the work of Christ, coming in the flesh, to be, To make a full and perfect Declaration of Gods Will, and yet by and by, as if he had forgot, or over shot himself, he confesses, p. 121it was but One main end of Christs appearing in the World, to reveal God to us: And so there may yet be some little room left for his Priestly Office, his Sacrifice and Interposition with God, on the behalf of Sinners. And lastly, as I remember, p. 5. he tells us, that Christs Preaching the Gospel was the Exercise of his Regal Power, and indeed all along through that Chapter, the Kingly Office carried it hard-born from the rest, and ran them sheer out of distance, and yet the wind is vered about, p. 34. When we speak of the knowledge of Christ, we must consider him as our Prophet. But really if this be all the work Christ had to doe in the world, Two third parts of Christs Mediatory Employment are cashiered, and the other lyes at mercy, whenever he shall please to revive the Commission of Natural Light, to reveal God's sin-pardoning Mercy, and the best Rules of Life unto the World.

Now that he may give the better countenance to his Sentiments herein, he thought it meet to lay violent hands upon some Texts of Scripture, which else would have frowardly and perversly hung back from abetting his Fancies, and so might have spoyled the Game. A taste of his Excellencies, in perswading or forceing Scripture to warrant his Notions, he will give us in his Learned Gloss upon Joh. 14. 6. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. But never was Comment so pestered, so thwack'd with a Lirry of id est's, one clambring on the back of another, a third mounted o'th top of that, a fourth bestriding that, a fifth in the neck of that, and so on: I am the Way, id est, I declare the way. No man comes to the Father but by me; id est, None can p. 122throughly understand the will of God, but by learning of me. Whoever knows me, id est, is acquainted with the Doctrine I preach; Knowes my Father, id est, Is Instructed in Gods Mind and VVill. Gods Will, id est, the Gospel. Caetera desiderantur.

Now the very truth is, all this is nothing but a trifling Imitation of his old Friend Volkelius, de verâ Relig. lib. 4. c. 2. p. 173. Et hoc quidem illud est, quod ipse Christus ait, Joh. 14. 6. Neminem nisi per ipsum ad patrem pervenire, id est, Neminem Dei Patris Cognitionem assequi nisi per Christum posse; Which shall never be spoyled by my bungling English, our Author having saved me the labour, and so clearly translated it to my hands. But is it so indeed? Does Coming to God imply and import no more than the bare knowing of God? Surely there's some other, some more excellent Act of the Soul denoted by it: God may be known by, and yet the Soul never come to God: The Devils know him, and yet fly away from him: It supposes indeed the knowledge of God; none can come to an unknown God; but yet it further denotes the Souls address to God in Faith and Love by Jesus Christ; for though it were revealed, that God is a sin-pardoning God in himself, yet still the Sinner has need of an Advocate with him, even Jesus Christ the Righteous, who is a Propitiation for its sins, 1 Joh. 2. 1. In whose Name, and through the Power of whose prevailing Blood, the guilty Creature may come and treat with God about his Pardon and Acceptation. In the next Section we shall find our Author as ingenuous and plain-hearted as one could almost wish, he opens a Casement in his Breast, and lets us see how the pulse of his Soul beats, freely owns where he borrowed p. 123his Divinity; but here I want that Candor. For, not content to glean amongst Volkelius his Sheaves, (which an honest man may doe) he steals the very Shocks, and never so much as once owns his Benefactor. Lib. 3. de verâ Relig. p. 173. Deus non nisi per Christum cognosci potest, ut qui Dei inconspicui Imago est, 2 Cor. 4. 4. eúmque id est ejus voluntatem nobis enarravit: Now will you have our Authors Translation in Masquerade; Christ hath made a True representation of the Divine Nature, and Will, and it's plain, that in this Sence Christ is called the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4. 4: It's Plain! yes, wondrous plain, that Volkelius is of that Opinion, and for any other plainness we are to seek. For so he. Ibid. Quâ de causâ splendor gloriae Dei & character substantiae ejus appellatur, Hebr. 1. 3. utpote clarissimè perfectissiméque Divinam voluntatem nobis explanans: But here I perceive our Author will compound willingly with him, and fairly part stakes with him. Upon which account (sayes he) (as well as with respect to his Divine Nature) he is call'd, The Brightness of his Fathers Glory, and the express Image of his Person. And when our Author has yielded him, The May be so, we remember his Excellency in concluding it Must be so.

I confess, I have neither list nor leisure, to follow our Author through the tedious Ramble of his Repetitions, because I see he loves no bodies Tautologies but his own; nor shall I be much concern'd to enquire after that odd generation of Men, who (if our Author may be believed) clamour most unmercifully, that Christ is never Preach'd, unless he be Named in every Sentence: For I know well it's easie to make a Man of Clouts, and then to arraign, p. 124condemn, and execute in Effigie the Creature o… our own Making: Thus did the Barbarous Heathens cloath the Primitive Christians in Bears-skins, and then expose them to be torn in pieces by the Dogs: And thus are Christians dress'd up by the bloody Papists in the Sambenit, or Devils-Coat, and then committed as Hereticks to the greater Mercy of the devouring flames. I know it's an easie thing with our Author to Name Christ a hundred times, and yet to speak as very little of Gospel, as he has done. But one thing I must, and desire the Reader, that he will not fail to take special Notice of: I find our Author over the shooes in Love, and most desperately doting upon his own Critical Learning; for having observed to us, Ch. 1. that foreign ▪ Eph. 4. 20. signifies not Taught, (as our English Translation jejunely renders it) but instructed, emphatically Instructed: And suspecting least by this time, in a dust of words, and hurry of Business, we might have quite forgot it, he very charitably rubs up our Memory, and referrs us to the place of its Birth, where that happy Criticisme first drew its breath, and appeared in the World. 'Tis Chapter the First, (Reader,) Oh! never forget Chapter the First; Happy Chapter the First, that first teem'd so precious a Notion, for the Benefit of succeeding Ages: Now because these Papers of mine and his are like to be long-lived, and perhaps not to survive the year of their Birth; and yet to be deprived of the Observation, would be a loss Irreparable; let me begg of our Author to send this enclosed Note to Mr. P. which I have left open, that he may have the Honour of Letters Patents.

p. 125TO THE Reverend Author of the Synopsis Criticorum aliorumque S. S. Interpretum.

SIR,

BEing a great Admirer of, and a small subscriber to your learned Labours, I was also Ambitious to contribute something to their Intrinsick Value; Be pleased therefore, when Ephes. 4. 20. shall call for your Industry, to take special Notice of the lat… Observation of Mr. W. S. and instead of Taught, to read Instructed; and as you will thereby enrich your Work, and doe right to the Author, so will you Oblige Posterity, and particularly,

Your humble Servant, N. N.

Having thus fairly rid my hands of the Encumbrance of our Author, I might honestly wind up this Section, did I not think it might be acceptable to the Reader to receive a B…eviate of some of the True Reasons, why it was Necessary Christ should come into the world, the main Work he had to do here, and the special Design of that Work in reference to God and Man.

(1.) The Causes rendering it Necessary that the Son of God should once appear in this lower World, p. 126are such as these. 1. The first Cause lay deep … the Bosom, Counsel and Decree of God; who … he viewed the Fall and Revolt of Man, from … the world was, so did he purpose effectually to recover again to himself his Elect by Christ: Therefore is God said, 1 Tit. 1. 2. to promise … Life before the World began; that the Faith of … Elect eyes this Promise, that the Ministers of … Gospel do preach this Promise, all of which … onelyonly Yea and Amen in Christ▪ 2. The Complyance of the Son of God in pursuance of this Eternal Purpose, is very considerable, who was aut… ritatively sent, and voluntarily came, to speed the Decree and Counsel of God, Heb. 10. 7. Lo I … to do thy Will, O God. 3. The Early Promise of a Redeemer, almost from the Foundation of the World, made God a Debtor, not to Man, bu… to his own Truth, to send him in the Fulness of ti… into the World, who before all Time was purpose… and in the first dawnings of Time was promised Heb. 10. 7. foreign. I… the Beginning of the Scripture, in the Head of the Book, it is written, viz. Gen. 3. 15. That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head. 4. The renewed and frequently repeated, and gradually …nlarged Promises and Prophe…ies of a Redeemer once to be actually exhibited, whereby God kept alive the drooping Hope, and languishing Faith of his Church, as Candidates in a state of Expectancy, superadded another Cause of the Necessity of Christs coming in the Flesh; Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet, till Shiloh come. Isa. 9. 6. Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and his Name p. 127shall be called Wonderfull, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 5. The Types and Shadowes which from the Beginning represented him to the Faith of Believers, had all their Strength, Vertue, and Efficacy from Him; and that also made it Necessary, that Christ the Substance should come to answer them: for what could the blood of Bulls and Goats signifie to the appeasing of Gods Anger, the removing of Guilt, and the making peace betwixt God and Man, which the Scripture frequently assures us they did doe, and yet the same Scripture as clearly assures us in their own Nature they could not doe, otherwise than with respect to that Sacrifice once for all to be offer'd up to God for that end? 6. And it was Necessary, that the gracious God who had trusted the World so long with Pardon, Peace, and Life, should at last be satisfied, and not alwayes be put off without due Compensation to his Justice and Truth. 7. The Case and Condition of the Elect of God, made by the common Apostacy Enemies to God, and under the Curse annex'd to the Violation of the Law; upon this one Supposition, that God would pursue his Original Love and Purposes of Grace to them, that a due Compensation should be provided for his wronged Justice: Sin had perplexed matters, and involved things in such Intricacies, that Humane Wisdom could not find out an Expedient, How God might be Just, and yet the Justifier of him that believes; how Mercy and Truth should meet together, how Righteousness and Peace should kiss each other: Many Salvo's have been propounded to the World, many Expedients set on foot, but upon severer scrutiny, have been found Physicians of no p. 128value, not able to heal the wounds of an inquisitive Conscience, awaken'd with the sense of the Souls worth, and Gods wrath in the Judgement to come: All these things does the Lord Christ alone compromise, adjust all these Accounts, and reconcile these Intrests: The Justice of God is satisfied, the Law fulfilled, the Truth of God secured, his Holiness vindicated, and all his Attributes unreproached: 'Tis true indeed, God is a free Agent, and absolutely consider'd might have left the world to perish under the Curse, but seeing it pleased him to carry on his design of Love still, notwithstanding the intervention of sin; what others may pretend, I know not; but to our Apprehensions, as there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; so, there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him, 2 Cor. 8. 6.

(2.) The Work of Christ whilest in the World, was the discharge of his whole Mediatory Undertaking, as Prophet, Priest and King; To divide Christ, is to destroy him. As half a Heart is no Heart in Gods Acceptation, so half a Christ is no Christ, as to any saving advantage the Soul can possibly reap from him. He was therefore,

1. A Prophet, to acquaint us fully with the Preceptive will of God, in which rank we must place that great Command of Faith in Christ, 1 John 3. 23. And this is his Commandement, that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ. He acquainted us also with the Promissory Will of God, as the great Encouragement of our Souls in walking resolvedly with God in wayes of New Obedience; He acquainted us also with the Purposes of God, which should follow his Promises, and Precepts p. 129to invigorate them with Efficacy and Success: And this he does by the Ministry of his Word, but more especially by the Holy Spirit, inwardly and powerfully, and yet sweetly, not offering violence to our Faculties, but making us a willing People in the day of his Power.

2. He was a Priest, and as such he offer'd himself a true and proper Sacrifice to God, thereby answering the Sacrifices of the Old Testament, which though they were Typical, yet in their way were true and Real Sacrifices, and all this in pursuit of the Fathers Love, and his own. 1 Joh. 4. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins; what Intercessions as a Priest he made for those the Father had given him, we need no other pattern of, than that Prayer, John 17. per totum.

3. His Kingly Office, he exercised in gathering, governing, defending, protecting his Church; abolishing those Laws which were accommodated to that other Dispensation, and would not fit its present posture, and instituting New Ordinances of Worship agreeable to the oeconomy of the New Testament: which Office yet he exercised in such a way, that little of Glory and Majesty appeared therein to a Carnal Eye, the Grandeur thereof being vailed under the form of a Servant.

(3.) The general Design of this Work we may assure our selves was exceeding Glorious, nothing but admirable could be the Product of such an undertaking; with what Joy and Triumph was it entertain'd by the Angels, who were less concern'd therein than poor fallen Man. Luke 2. Glory be to God on high, on Earth peace, good will towards men. p. 1301 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners; the chiefest of Sinners: Which Great End that he might attain, he dealt with God as a Priest, to reconcile him to us; with Us he dealt as a Prophet, enlightning our Minds in the Knowledge of God, and our selves; and as a King subduing our hearts by his Spirit of Grace, to accept of those Terms which might secure the Glory of God, in our Eternal Salvation: But the main Design I shall express no otherwise than in the words of the Church of England, Art. 2.—who suffered, and was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a Sacrifice, not only for Original, but all Actual sins of Men. From whence we learn,

1. That Reconciling and Sacrificing Work is onelyonly proper for a state of Humiliation; it's annex'd to his Death, Sufferings, Sacrifice.

2. That the Death of Christ (according to the mind of this Article) supposes God to be incensed against, and angry with Sinners, and therefore he suffered to Reconcile God to us.

3. That the Death and Sufferings of Christ are of sufficient value to secure Gods Honour, and appease his Anger.

4. That Original Sin, how small a mote soever it may seem in some mens eyes, is yet such a troublesome Beam in Gods eyes, that it requires the same Blood of Christ to be a Sacrifice for it.

5. That all Actual sins (even the smallest, if any may be called small) need the Blood of Christ to reconcile God to the Sinner, without which they will infallibly destroy the Soul. Thus far the Church p. 131of England; of whose Doctrine our Author has great Reason to be very tender, if not for the Truths sake, yet for his Credits sake, having subscribed it; and above all for St. Georges sake Buttolphs-lane; for otherwise it may be easie for some poching, prolling Fellows, to dismount George-a-horse-b…k, and get into our Authors Saddle.