THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
CONSIDERATIONS
ON THE
STATE of the WORLD
With regard to the
THEORY of RELIGION,
IN THREE PARTS.
I. Want of Univerfality in Natural and Reveled Reli-
gion, no juft Objection againft either.
II. The Scheme of Divine Providence with regard
to the Time and Manner of the feveral Difpen-
fations of Reveled Religion, more efpecially the
Chriftian.
III. The Progrefs of Natural Religion and Science,
or the continual Improvement of the World in
general
Being the Subftance of fome Sermons preach' d
before the Univerfity ^Cambridge.
By EDMUND LAW, M.A.
Archdeacon of Carlijle.
CA MB R1DG E,
Printed by J. Bentham Printer to the Univerfity^
forW. THURLBOURN Bookfellcr in Cambridge,
and J. Bee croft in Lombard-Sreet, London,
MDCJCXLV.
«~- ,
TO
The Right Honourable
H E N R T
Lord Vifcount Lonfdale^
Thefe Difcourfes
Are mqft humbly Dedicated*
In Teftimony of that Veneration which
is due to His Lordship's general
Character,
AND
As a Token of Gratitude for his par-
ticular Favours to the Author.
* -i r •"*>/■.* * m >
PREFACE.
C T J HE following Difcourfes are part of a much
^ larger Defign i tending to Jhew that Arts
and Sciences, Natural and Reveled Religion, have
upon the whole always been progrejjive, from the
Creation of the World to the prefent Time ; as
alfo that they have been fuited to each other, as
well as to the Circumftances of Mankind, during
each Period of this their ProgreJJion. A Theory
which when fairly reprefented, I have been af-
fured would give fome fatisfaflion to ma?iv who
being convincd of the Exiflence and Attributes
of one fupr erne frjl Caufe, yet are fb unhappy as
to entertain fir ong Prejudices againfi every kind
of Revelation, chiefly on account of the Circum-
ftances under which it was fuppofed to have been
communicated, which they are unable to reconcile
with the Courfe and Order of Divine Providence
in all other refpeSls -, as well as to thofe who are
equally at a lofs in fearching after any fettled
Order or Defign in either of thefe Eflablifl:ments :
but yet if they could once perfwade themfelves in
general that one of thefe proceeded in fome fort of
uniform Ratio and Analogy with the other, and
that both were in a State of regular Progreilion,
WOuld
PREFACE.
would have Patience to wait a while in hopes of
feeing their particular Objections gradually re~
moved in each by the fame Rules, I have formerly
attempted to clear upfome of the chief Difficulties
that occur in our Conceptions of the Deity and
his Providence, in fome Ob/ervationsonABp.King's
Efjay on the Origin of Evil, and have f nee had
thepleafure of feeing that Syflem adopted by a late
celebrated Writer, and e/leem'd worthy of being
adorn 'd with all the Graces of Poetry. This is in
fome refpects a Continuation of the fame defgn :
But being now in a great meafure cut off from
Juch Books as were neceffary to complete it y I
could only draw the Plan, and Outlines, and was
forced to content myfelfwith venturing this abroad
in the prefent Form, ( though very fenfible that
it is not the mofl inviting to Readers of the fl amp
Jjuft now mention d) rather than be at the pains
of throwing it into one clofe continued Treatife ;
efpecially as I ca?inot think that my prefent flock
of Materials would have been flifficient to have
given that its due proportions, and fever al things
muft then have been retrenched which this more
popular Form admits. Some of the fe probably will
feem Repetitions, and yet perhaps be excufed, as
they come in on different Occafons, and help to
Jet the fame Thought in different, and % tis hoped
not altogether difagreeable Views, When I con-
fider
preface,
Jider the ^Temper of thofe Perjbns for whofe ufe the
following Papers chiefly are intended, I am en-
couraged to hope that none of my Brethren will
eafely take offence at the freedom I have been ob-
liged to ufe in cenfuring feme things which feeem d
to be the greatejl obftacles to this Progrcfs of
Religious Knowledge, as well as to hinder both
ourfehes and others from perceiving it : at lea/l s
that iffuch Cenfures mnft be deemd a wounding
of our prefent Syftem, they will at the fame time
be look'd on as the faithful wounds of a Friend.
Nor will it, Itruft, be requifete to make any far-
ther Apology for the Defects of the Performance
which are but too natural on Jo very extenfeve a
Subject in fuch hands. As it is, I hope it may
prove feuffic lent to give general hints in each part
of the Scheme propofed, aud thereby put fome
others on finijhing what flail upon examination
bear the teft. If the Foundation itfelfjhould ap-
pear to be faulty, here is already too much built
upon it ; fence the Confeque?ices of the whole are
pretty obvious.
I.
Want of Univerfality
I N
Natural and Reveled Relio-ion
No juft Objection againft either.
Are not my Ways equal? Ezek. 18.29.
/; he the God of the Jews only ? Is he not alfr
of the Gentiles ? Tes, of the Gentiles alfo.
Rom. 3. 29,
ACTS xvii. 30.
And the Times of this Ignorance God
"winked at> but now commandeth all
men every where to repent*
THESE words contain a Declaration of
God's gracious intent to reform Man-
-kind by the coming of Chrijl, and at the fame
time intimate the preference due to His above
any former InfKtution.
In the foregoing Verfes the Apoftle had been
inftructing the Athenians in the Nature of the
true God, and his univerfal Providence. He
mews them that there is one common Father
and Governour of the world, who has made
this Earth a fit habitation for the fons of men
and distributed them all over the face of it ; who
has diftinguiilied the Seafons and divided the
Nations, and fix'd the bounds and periods of
each in fo regular and wife a manner as might
lead all diligent obfervers of them to a know-
ledge of their Author, and put them upon
feeking out fome method of exprefTing their
Devotion to him. Though here in fa£t, (as the
Apoftle intimates, v. 27. ) they were all but like
men groping in the dark, their notions of the
Deity very imperfect and obfcurc, their wor-
A 2 ihip
4 Of the Want of Univerfality
fliip highly abfurd and irrational. This their
Ignorance God was pleafed for fome time to
wink at, (vrriQiktv) to overlook > difregard, or
as it is in a parallel place, * He fuffered them
to walk in their own ways, to wander in the
feveral mazes they had brought themfelves
into, the various feds of Superftition and Ido-
latry into which they had fallen : but now he
commandeth. all men every where to repent ; or
rather publifhes, ( iFugayyeMei ) proclaims the
Tidings of Salvation to all men upon the terms
of Repentance; he offers a new Covenant to
Mankind in general, from the benefits of which
none are abfolutely excluded who fincerely de-
lire them. Tidings which ought to be re-
ceived by all, as they were by the firft Chriflians^
with Joy and Thankfulnefs. But how ftrangely
has the face of things been altered, or rather
the nature of them inverted fince ! When
through the; degeneracy of mankind the bene-
fits of tl)is. Divine Inftitution become reftrained
to a few. Nations, and even thefe are taught to
defpife it for that very reafon which ufes to
make a benefit the more valuable, namely be~
caufe it is retrained to themfelves.
If, fay the prefent Unbelievers, God has made
of one blood all Nations of men, and is no re-
- * A&s 14. 16.
JpecJer-
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 5
fpeBer of Perfons ; and if he defigns this Reve-
lation for all men, as he muft, if it be of (o
great ufe and advantage to them > — Why then
is it not actually communicated to all ? — Why
did he fo long, why does he ftill wink at the
Ignorance of fo many Nations and leave them
without any means of coming to the Know-
ledge of his Truth ? Can a God of infinite
power and wifdom be difappointed in his aim ?
Or will the common Father of mankind con-
fine his greateft mercies to fb few of his Chil-
dren? And thus every Argument of the
fuperior excellency of our Religion is made
an objection to its Divine Authority, and
what mould be a particular motive of Grati-
tude for having received it, is turned into the
ftrongeft reafon for rejecting it.
In my following Difcourfe I mall confider
that part of this Objection which relates to the
Manner of the C7W/?/tf/z Difpenfation, the other
which more immediately affects the Time of its
delivery muft be referved to a more full ex-
amination afterwards.
In anfwer therefore to this part of the fore-
going difficulty I (hall endeavour to prove in
the firft place,
I. That a partial Communication of Chrifti-
anity can be no particular Objection to its Divine
A 3 An-
6 Of the Want of Univerfality
Authority, fince the Religion of Nature is on
the fame foot with it in this refpect.
II. I propofe to mew the Wifdom and
Goodnefs of the Divine Conduct in the Dif-
penfation of them both. And
III. The great Benefit of complying with
the Terms of the Gofpel, and the Inexcufable-
nefs of rejecting it.
I. I am to fhew that a partial Communication
of Christianity can be no particular objection
to its Divine Authority, fince the Religion of
Nature is on the fame foot with it in this
refpedt.
As the all-wife Creator of the Univerfe has
been pleafed to frame different Orders of intel-
lectual Beings, fo he has made a confiderable
difference among thofe of the fame order. In
Mankind the cafe is very evident. We cannot
but obferve a vaft difparity between both the
Abilities and Advantages of fome men and
thofe of others - y their tempers of body and
Towers of mind, and Circumftances in the
world j their Education, Opportunities and Ways
of Life ; the Station they are in, or the Govern-
ment they live under. Now thefe are fo
many Talents which together make up our
portion of Reafon, and feverally contribute to
the
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 7
the forming our Understanding and improving
our Nature. As thefe then are fo very une-
qually distributed, 'tis plain that our Religious
Notions, or our Law of Nature, muft be very
different and unequal alfo. The bounds of
Duty will be as various as the degrees of Know-
ledge in every man, and likewife be enlarged
in proportion to the gradual Improvement in
the fame man.
To fpeak therefore of one fixt, immutable
and univerfal Law of Nature is framing an
imaginary Scheme without the leaft foundation
in the nature of things, directly contrary to
the prefent order of the whole Creation : 'Tis
making the fame Rule fuit Beings in all Cir-
cumstances, which is full as abfurd as to pre-
fcribe the fame food and phyfic to all Conftitu-
tions. To ftile this Religion of Nature
abfolutely perfect, or its Light fuffcient, can
only mean that every one may be as perfect
here as God intended him to be, and able to
do all that his Maker will require of him, or
as much as is fufficient to excufe him from
punijlmefit ; which is very true, but nothing to
the purpofe : for this kind of Perfection is far
from implying an univerfal unchangeable Equa-
lity in the Law of Nature, or excluding greater
Light, fince it may be very confident with that
A 4 di~
8- Of the Want ofUniverfality
diverfity of Talents abovementioned, aiwlthofe
different degrees of Happinefs and Perfection
which are founded in and naturally confequent
upon it. As therefore all the Gifts of Nature
are diftributed in this partial and unequal man-
ner, How unreafonable is it to object againft
reveled Religion for its being conveyed in the
very fame manner ! One who believed any thing
of a God and his Providence would naturally fup-
pofe that if a Revelation were to be made at all,
it would be made according to the lame method
which is obferved in the Government of the
natural and moral world j at leaft, he that al-
lows this method to be confident with the be-
lief of a Deity in the one, cannot furely on that
account reject the other. *
* Mr. Chubb [Difcourfe on Miracles, p. 48, &f<:.] endea-
vours to invalidate this obfervation, by aflerting, that the
two Cafes, are not parallel, becaufe the one Could not have
teen better conflituted ; which he thinks cannot be made
appear concerning the other. But if wefhe^/ that the like
or greater Inconveniences would flow from any other
aflignable way of conveying Revelation (which will be
attempted in the following part of this Difcourfe) then
we have as much reafon to affert that it could not upon
the whole have been conveyed in a better way, and con.
fequentlythe objection drawn from its want of Univerfality
will be of no more force than that from Inequality is in
the common Courfe of Nature, and the two Cafes will
ftill be exactly parallel.
Thus
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 9
Thus much may be fufficient to fhew that
natural and reveled Religion are upon the fame
foot in point of Univerfality, and that the
Objection holds equally againft both. And I
have been the more brief on this Head as it has
been fo fully difcuffed of late by very able
writers. *
II. I proceed therefore in the fecond place,
to point out the Wifdom and Goodnefs of the
Divine Conduct in the Difpenfation of them
both.
1 ft. Of Natural Religion, which as we have
feen, is proportionable to the different Abilities
and Attainments of Mankind, as thefe are alfo
to their different Stations and Conditions, both
which we fhall find exquifitely fuited to the
well-being of the World.
For in the firit place, Society is requifite in
order to fupply the Conveniences, the Comforts
and the Neceffaries of Life, as well as to fecure
the quiet ufe and fafe pofferlion of them. To pre-
ferve Society, among fuch frail fallible Crea-
tures, there is need of Government, which implies
* See Dr. Conybeare's, Mr. Fojler's, or S. Browne's De-
fence of Revelation, or Dr. Denne's Sermon on the
Propagation of the Gofpel, or more at large in Bp. Butler's
Analogy of Religion, &c. pag. 181. 215. &c. O&avo.
dif-
I o Of the Want of Univerfality
different Stations and Conditions, as thefe again
call for different Abilities and Qualifications.
All, 'tis plain, cannot be Governours, nor enjoy
the benefits which attend fome Pofts of Wealth
and Power : the many have nothing left them
but to obey, to execute the will of their Supe-
riors, and undergo the Drudgeries of Life. *
The fame holds in the Body politic as in
the natural, there muft be many inferior and
more feeble Members , which yet are ?iecejfary i
neither can the Head fay to the Feet I have no
need of you'. But now, if all thefe different
Members of the world had naturally the felf-
fame fenfe and relifh of things ; if each man
had originally and unchangeably the higheft
degree of Underftanding and Acutenefs, the
greateft ftrength of Reafonand finenefs of Imagi-
nation that is to be met with in any of the
Species, how very unequal and incongruous
mufl this unavoidable diverfity of Orders prove!
How hard would be the cafe of them whofe
lot is to fill the worft and loweft Offices, and
*" Uli ergo omncs conditi funt ut haec opera praeftent,
" quibus in Civitate opus eft; conditus eft autem Vir
" fcientia praeditus fui gratia : atque ita fimul colitur
" Terra, ct repcritur Sapientia. Quam fcite ergo dixit
" ille, quifquis fuit, Nifi ejfent Jlulti defolaretur Terra?
Ma'tmon. Porta Mof. p. 41.
Eccl-. 38.32.34.
yet
in Natural and Reveled Religion. ' 1 1
yet who find themfelves as well qualified for,
and as highly deferving too of the beft ( fince
on this fuppofition, which leaves it fo very little
in any one's power to improve or benefit either
himfelf or others, there could fcarce be any
real defert at all) as thofe that hold them, and
who likewife cannot but be as deeply fenfible
of all that mifery and hardfhip which arifes
from the want of them ! The common Intel-
lect and Apprehenfion of Man would be but
511 placed in an Ox or Afs, nor would the genius
and temper of fome philofophic mind be any
better fuited to him that drivetb them a?id is
occupied in all their labours.
But this muft neceffarily be the ftate of
things if all men were by nature furnifhed with
all thofe rational or intellectual Accomplifh-
ments which adorn fome few of them at
prefent. Three parts in four of the world muft
be unfit for their particular Circumftances, and
at odds with their Condition. How inconfiftent
alfo would it be in Nature to implant thofe
various Senfes, Appetites and Taftes in all men,
which not one in a thoufand would have power
to gratify ! That fublime degree of Reafon and
Reflection which could only prove its own
tormentor ! Not to mention what ill influence
fuch a Scheme would have on Government
itfelf;
12 OftheWantofUniverfality
itfelf ; how difficult it muft be to rule where
every one has the fame Strength and Skill; how
hard to obey, when all have equal Abilities, and
therefore (as they might think) an equal right to
be their own Directors. In fhort, how much more
wife and beneficial is the prefent Conftitution
of things ! Where all is left to Mankind them-
felves, who have both the forming and dijpofing
of each other j nay where men are at liberty
in a great meafure to frame their own Natures
and Difpofitions : where they have no incon-
venient or pernicious Principle to lay to Nature's
Charge, * no properly innate Notions or im-
planted InftinBs, J no truly natural Appetite or
AffeBion to fway or byafs them, except that
univerfal Senfe and ftrong Defire of Happinefi
which was abfolutely neceifary to their Prefer-
vation. b By thefe means we have at firft only
* See Ubot's Boyle's Left. 2dfett, ferm. 5. p. 143. &>V.
or A . Bp . King's Origin of Evil, Note 38 . p. 21 1 . 2d Edit.
% See the Prelim. DifTert. to King's Origin of Evil,
and rem. 1. p. 87, 88. 2d Edit.
b To form fome notion of this, let it be obferved, that
when the firft foundation of a diverfity of Senfe and Intel-
lect is once laid in a greater or lefs fufceptibility of Pleafure
or Pain, by a Perception of Ideas more acute or dull, more
quick or flow, and a proportioned ReflcRion on them
fwhich proportion, by the bye, between thefe two Powers
[of perceiving and reflecting] is, I believe, in each perfon
pretty
in Natural and Reveled Religion*. r 3
fuch Thoughts and Inclinations inftilled into
our Minds as are agreeable to, and for the moil
part do in fact arife from our Place and Circum-
stances in the World, and afterwards find room
enough to refine, improve and enlarge our
Faculties j to qualify ourfelves for, as well as
by a right Application of them to merit fome
fuperior Station whenever it mail become void.
How regular and beautiful a Subordination mull
this produce! How fitly might the whole Body
thus knit together and compared by that which
every Joint fupplieth, increafe with the Increafe
of 'God \ would Man but enter into the fame
great Plan of exciting Induftry and Labour and
do what lies in his own power to promote it,
viz. entail Benefits and SuccefTes as the natural
confequence of thefe, and endeavour to fuit
every one's Station to his refpective Merit and
pretty exactly kept up as to the pitch of their Vivacity in
both the abovenamed refpe&s, i.e. the Force and Time of
their fucceflive Operations, or the Momentum and Velocity
of their refpe&ive Objects) — from hence the whole Tribe
of Ajfeclions &c. and the feveral Degrees in each, are very
apparently deducible : fuppofing only this, I fay, which
feems to lie in the original Stamina of the Body, and i»
fo far not to be accounted for, at leaft by me j which
therefore, and which only, I fhould term innate^ or
ftri&ly natural^ fince every thing bcfidcs, that is compre-
hended under the name of Natural Appetite Sec. is pro-
perly fo far from being fuch that it is evidently poftcrior
in
14 Of the Want of TJniverfality
Abilities, i.e. deal with each perfon according
to what he is, and obferve thofe Rules which
the great God of Nature has eftablifhed ! What
in the Order of Nature, and entirely grounded on the
Ideas which themfelves arife from hence, and whofe iti-
natenefs in all fenfes of that word is now generally given
up : — fuppofing then this one foundation laid by Nature,
a difference herein will be enough to conftitute the Being
more or lefs fenfible or rational in general, and tend to
make it more or \zfcpajJionate or mild, eager or indolent &c.
in whatfoever it applies itfelf to; but can this ever actually
determine it to any one peculiar fett of Objects, or have
any tendency towards giving what we mean by a parti-
cular Genius, Tafte, or Temper ? That, and the whole
Conftitution of the H uman Mind , or its pred ominan t Quali -
ties, feem to arife afterwards from the particular AJfociations
which we form ourfelves or learn of others, as thefe grow
gradually and even mechanically from the Circumftances
we are in, or from thofe Objedls that more immediately
furround and ftrike us ; provided that a fuitable Attention
and regard be paid to each as it prefents itfelf. For that
amidft all this Mechanic Apparatus we have fuch a diftin&
Faculty of attending, and determining the fubordinate
Powers in confequence thereof, as is ftated at large by
A. B. King, I muft yet beg leave to fuppofe, till all thefe
various Appearances which feem fo much to require it
(of which in the following note e . ) are folved on other
Principles, and then indeed this, which it muft be owned
contains fomething inexplicable, will be of courfe excluded.
I may add here, that neither are thofe Affbciations them-
felves, from whence fome very ingenious Perfons would de-
duce a total Mechanifm, altogether necejfary, nor we fo far
paffivc under them as tp bs left without a power of curbing
and
in Natural and Reveled Religion. i £
Emulation muft this raife, joined with the
utmoft care and caution, when each finds it in
his power fo much to improve and advance,
and correcting, breaking and eradicating, as well as of con-
tracting them at firft and afterwards confirming them: to
afTert this would be advancing a new Doctrine of Habits
contrary to the general Senfe and Language of Mankind.
Well then, allowing fuch a degree of Liberty, or active
Power to be joined with the other paflive Ingredients
in our Compofition, as fuch it muft in fome meafure
act independently on each of them and be capable of
forming new Affectations from its own proper Acts, which
will extend to all the reft and influence them ; and yet
as it will alfohave fome fuch fort of connection with them
all as to be itfelf in fome refpect or other influenced by
them reciprocally, or ("which comes to the fame things
the Mind will be fo far affected in and through them as
to influence it, which we all daily feel. [ elfe how come
thefe parts of our Conftitution to be conftantly applied to
with fuccefs for the determination of it ? Why is Pain
prefent or in profpect ufed to move a Man, or Arguments
and Motives urged, if they are really Matters of indiffer-
ence to his Choice and have no manner of effect upon it?]
As this grows and gathers ftrength like all our other
Faculties and is equally capable of being impaired and
rectified again (King,HoteX. p. 406,407. 3d. edit.) — As it
is limited and fubject to its Laws not perhaps wholly dif-
ferent, though of a kind diftinct, from thofe of the other
Appetites. ( however fuch as make it no lefs governable,
ibid. c. 5. §5. fub.4. p.420, &c. with notes 70, p. 417
and 71, p.422,423.) and cannot go againft thefe Appetites
without manifeft pain and mifery totheperfon: ib.Not. N.
P- 336* & c - T As it may be inclined both by them and
its
1 6 Of the Want ofXJnlverfality
as well as to impair and debafe his Nature , and
thereby alio change his State ! what eagernefs
to excell fome I what dread of falling below
others ! what provocation for all to make the
beft ufe of their Faculties and Opportunities !
This amicable Conteft, this perpetual Struggle
muft certainly make more for the good of the
whole, than if all had been paflive and abfo-
lutely fixed in any degree of Knowledge and
its own courfe of Operation, and will become daily more
and more conformed to them by due regular exercife,
which we likewife experience ; — its Operations will be-
come as much the Objecls of Foreknowledge, nor will it
be much lefs eafy to account for either the Formation or
Increafe of any particular Turn of Mind in any given
fituation, than if all were performed in us neceflaxily, and
at once. This Plan of Human Nature, which derives every
thing from fo few Principles, and yet makes room for
that endlefs Variety confpicuous in it, might, I am fen-
fible, be fet in a good light and fhewn to be free from
fome of the greateft Difficulties that inuft clog all others.
In this view a jufr. Uniformity is, by the Deity fo far as
he aits, always, and might be by us, preferved among all
its confhtuent parts; our Talents fuited to our Capacity
of ufing them j our Sphere enlarged as that increafes and
regularly keeping pace with our Improvements ; each
Difpenfation put upon a reafonable foot, and all Dif-
coveries made in due proportion to ou-r Qualifications for
judging of them, and our Difpofitions to apply them.
Whereas the contrary Scheme of bringing all things to an
original, equal and immediate Intuition, or of fixing every
man to certain Impulfes or Inflindts, independent on his
Station and Endeavours and intirdy unimprovable by them ;
this
in Natural and Reveled Religion, i y
Perfection or limited unalterably to any State.
a Upon this Plan only could there be place for
Hope or Fear, Reward or Punimment, the
only proper means of governing free, rational
Agents, and of conducting them to their fupreme
and trueft Happinefs, which feems entirely to
confift in Agency, and which can only this way
be excited. b This therefore is the method moft
agreeable to Wifdom and Goodnefs, and con-
this muft be quite arbitrary, and in a great meafure ufe-
lefs, and attended with all the inconfiftencies and incon-
veniences already mentioned. Such would the Confe-
quences be of that pretended Univerfal Equability in Natural
Religion ; nor is the levelling Scheme fo much contended
for in Revelation lefs abfurd, as will appear below.
a See King's Origin of Evil, Note 19. p. 121, &c. and
Note Y. p. 44.9, &c. We may add that the fuppofitiori
of any fuch fixed unimprovable State of natural Good
implies, ftric~tly fpeaking, no lefs than the Subverfion of
of all Virtue or Moral Good, which is nothing but the
chufing to communicate the former [ See King, R. 1.
p. 84, 85. 3d. Edit. ] for which Communication there
could be no place in fuch a State, nor confequently any
room for any of thofe Ideas which are founded on it.
Nor does this Scheme any better confult the Intereft of
our Intelteftual accomplifhments, which while it feems to
be exalting them is at the bottom taking away their Ufe
and Exercife ; while it pretends to conftitute an equality
among Rational Agents is really deftrudtive of both
Rationality and Agency.
b See King, p. 241, 338, 350, 368, 379> 393> <&• with
tTie following Note %
B feqnently
1 8 OftheWantofUnherfallty
fequently moil worthy of God. c Having thus*
far confidered the partial Diftribution of the
Gifts of Nature and by confequence the
Diverfity of natural Religion, and offered fome
Hints towards explaining the Reafonablenefs
and Neceffity thereof, I proceed to mew the
lame concerning Revelation. If a Revelation
were to be made at all (and I mult here take
it for granted that fuch a thing is neither im-
poiTible nor altogether urtreafonable in itfelf)
it muft either be conveyed in the method we
are told it was, namely, at firft communicated
to fome few ielecl Perfons and by them di-
vulg'd and gradually propagated to the reft of
the World ; d or fecondly, every particular man.
c See this defcribed more at large in Bp,5«^r' s Analogy y
p. 93, (Jfc. 2d. Edit.
d Mr. Chubb (on Miracles, p. 68, &c. ) objects to this
firft method, that hereby it would be in the power of a
few men to deprive the reft of all the benefits of this
Revelation. But is not that really the cafe in all the
other Benefits of Nature and the ordinary Gifts of Pro-
vidence l Are not moft of the Blefiings of Life commu-
nicated to us by the mediation and inftrumentality of
other men, who may be juft and faithful in communi-
cating them, or otherwife ? and is it not oft in the
power of a fingle perfon to deprive multitudes of Life
itfelf or any of its comforts, of Liberty, Peace, Plenty ,<
Arts, Improvements, &c. and is not all this unavoidable
while men- are allowed the free ufe of their natural
Powers,
in Natural and Reveled Religion. i o
muft have it by immediate Infpiration, and be
at all times and in all cafes influenced and di-
rected to it internally ; or thirdly, it muft be
published again and again, and frefh Miracles
worked for the Conviction of each Unbeliever
in every Age.
In the Second of thefe methods the Incon-
veniences are very obvious : for Firit, This In-
fluence, of what kind foever it be, muft either
be abfolutely efficacious and irrefiftible, i.e. fo
ftrong as to fubvert the natural Powers of Man,
and take away his Freedom of thinking and
acting, and confequently deftroy all Virtue^
Merit, Praife, Reward ; /. e. all that is good and
valuable in Religion : or elfe it would not be
Powers, which Mr. Chubb contends for ? Men, he faySj
are not to be over-ruled in either the Publication or Re-
ception of Religion ; and if fo, he has yet to explain how
that is to be given fo as not to leave it in the power and
pleafure of a few, fooner or later to reftrain and fupprefs,
to difguife and corrupt it ; and confequently to prevent
thoufands and millions of others from /baring in the benejiti
thereof, ib.p.63. On a little farther confideration Mr. Chubb
may probably find that in this Scheme [i.e. of Kuimn
Liberty] it muft be impoflible for any thing relating either
to the Minds or outward Circumftances of Mankind to
remain in. a ftate of perfect Uniformity ; and then he may
be fenfible too that the fame Caufes, which among other
things that concern Mankind make their Religion una-
voidably continue in thi, partial and unequal way* will
c 2 hold
20 Of the Want of Unfoerfality
fumcient toanfvver the ends propofed, nor could
it certainly and effectually fecure the Interefl
and Salvation of Mankind. As an Illumination
it mud either be diftinguimable from the pre-
fent Effects of Reafon and the ordinary Opera-
tions of the Divine Spirit, or not ; if the for-
mer, this mull be by ftriking us more forcibly,
and working a more affured infallible Conviction
hold as ftrongly for its being originally given in the fame
way. Mr. Chubb's fecond Objection, that if Men could
be fuppofed to be honeft and faithful in the publication
ofaSyftem of Reveled Religion, then there would be
no occafion for fuch Syftem, ib. feems to be worfe found-
ed than the other, fince this Revelation notwithftanding
all the Imperfections that attend its communication may
frill be the means of conveying fuch fuperior Benefits to
thofe who do come to the knowledge of it, of making
fuch Difcoveries in the Nature both of God and Man,
and of affording Motives for Man's attaining to fuch a
degree of Virtue and true rational Happinefs as all their
Honefty, without fuch helps, could never raife the gene-
rality of them to. And whether thefole end of Revelation
be to bring men to a higher pitch of happinefs than they
could otherwife attain or not: ib. p. 49. this Author
never can prove but that this may be one of its great endi,
and that this End is in fact obtained- to as high a Degree
as is confiftent with his own Scheme of perfect Liberty ;
fo that, in the laft place, allowing God toforefee all the
Confequences and Events attending fuch an Efrablifh-
ment, ib. p. 62. yet this Eftablifhment fo circumftanced
may, notwithftanding any thing this Author has made
©ut to the contrary, come from him.
in
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 2 1
in the Mind : but as much as is added to that,
above what may arife from the prefent Confti-
tution of things, juft fo much muft be taken
from the prefent Choice and Merit of believing,
and the concomitant Delio;ht and Satisfaction
which we feel, and ought to feel, in giving our
AfTent to Truth, c Such Evidence muft either
fuperfede all Action and Enquiry of our own,
e See A.B. King's Origin, N. 19. p. 128, &c. 3d.Edit.
compared with N. 58. p. 349. Whence it appears that
though in fome cafes and refpe&s the AfTent be unavoid-
able and we merely paflive in the Attainment of many
ufeful parts of Knowledge, and which muft be attended
with fome fatisfaction in degree proportioned to the ap-
prehenhon of that ufefulnefs, and of a Kind perhaps very
complex, as arifing from variety of Caufes accidentally
aflbciated ; yet neither is the kind nor the degree of this
Delight fo intenfe and exquilite as that which ufually
accompanies thofe points which we work out ourfelves,
which we properly make our oivn by a free, fair invefti-
gation. Thefe Truths though of no more importance in
themfelves or confequences than many others that are
either forcibly obtruded on us or fortuitoufly thrown
into our way, yet are attended with a fort of felf approba-
tion and complacency, which both accompanys the firft
Difcovery, the tranfporting evpwct, and will continue
after it and bear Reflection ; and which makes them
infinitely exceed all others in our eftimation. The fame
tiling as it is come at in the one or the other of thefc
ways is evidently not the fame to us: which I can afcribc
to nothing more than a cenfeioufnefs that in the forme
cafe w.c have contributed fomcwlut to the acquifition of
B 3
22 Of the Want of Univerfality
and overbear the Judgement beyond poflability
of Doubt, (which yet from the manner of our
acquiring and afTociating Ideas and forming
judgements is impoflible to be conceived, with-
out reverfing the whole Frame of the human
Mind; neither would that appear to be at all
defirable, as we have feen above) it muft I fay,
either be inconfillent with the exercife of our
other mod valuable Faculties, or it would
come to the fame thing with the prefent ufe of
them, and prove alike capable of being equally
neglected or oppofed, corrupted or deftroyed :
it would have no other or higher Evidence
than in fome cafes the common Principles of
Reafon have, nor could it lay any flronger
Obligation on us to obey its Dictates. The
lame will be the cafe with it confidered as an
Impulfj or Impreffion on the Mind inciting it
it and to our own improvement by that acquifition ; or
an Idea of Merit constantly aflbciated with this kind of
Acquifitions, and which is perhaps the very ftrongeft and
(he mod agreeable of all our JJfociations. From whence
alfo we may collect how necefTary it is to the Happinefs
pf Man tliat he fhould appear to himfelf to he free in the
Exercife of the Faculties of his Mind as well as the Powers
pf his Body ; to be in fome degree active in the Attain-
ment of his Knowledge as well as any other Attainments ;
,and how far this will go towards proving him to be really
fo J leave to be confidered. If he has any real Liberty,
there
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 23
to follow each determination of the Judgement,
and phylically connecting Thought with
Action ; lince this Connection, if much altered
from that which is obfervable in the prefent
State, or increafed to any confiderable Degree
above that Harmony which now fubfifts among
our natural Powers, would be attended with
the very fame Confequences. * Farther, as all
this muft be tranfacted in a Man's own bread,
and fo long as it is limited as above, or he
retains the leaft degree of Liberty, is capable
of being flirted there, every one might and
moil probably would foon difregard it, as much
as he does now the many good Thoughts,
Motions and Suggeftions, which arife daily in
his Mind. Nor is there lefs likelihood of its
being perverted to the worft of purpofes, as
Intereft, Vice or Vanity might direct : — of its
there will be a good reafon for annexing this double
Pleafure to the exercife of it, both to excite him to Action
in cafes of Difficulty, and afterwards to juftify him for
engaging in fuch, and enable him to go through all the
Toil and Hazard that attends them. If he has none,
won't it be a little hard to point out cither the Rife or
Reafonablencfs of this fp conftant and fo general a Dclu-
fion, and to account for fuch Ideas as thofe of Merit,
Elteem, Reward, &c. which are entirely founded in it?
* See Mr. Hucbcfon on the PufTions. p. 179, 200, L'
or Kinfs E&v, N.28,fcrV.
B 4 foon
24 Of the Want ofUniverfality
foon filling the World with rank Rnthufiafm
or the moft wicked and abfurd Impoftures ; and
when it is once thus perverted, there feems to
be no room for any remedy upon this .Scheme ;
no means are left us to detect the Fraud or
Folly of any religious pretences whatfoever,
no method of refcuing Mankind from per-
petual Delufion. f
f The ingenious Author of Chrijlianity not founded on
Argument, feems to adopt this fecond method of commu-
nicating a Religion to Mankind, and carries it fo far as to
fuperfede all other Means, Divine or Human, that have
ever been made ufe of to fupport it in the World. He
contends for a conftant and particular Revelation imparted
feparately and fupernaturally to every Individual, p. 1 12.
This he terms Infpiration and infufed Evidence , p.58.
feeling and internal Senfe, ib. and of a nature but little
differing from that of Intuition, p. 59. In fhort, it is what
will difpatch the whole bufinefs of Religion at once with-
out either Time or Teaching, p. 17. reading or reafoning,
the ufe of our Underftandings, or the Evidence of our
Senfes. — 'Tis hard to guefs upon what Plan this Author
would defend himfelf if he were prefled, but for the pre-
fent he admits one general external Revelation to have
been made and recorded [ though both upon his Principles
mull have been extremely unneceflary ] and yet labours
to difTwade us from examining the Contents of it, and
moft inconfiftently attempts to ftiew, as well from Reafon
as this very Revelation, that we ought not to imploy our
Reafon at all either in the Proof or the Interprptation of
it, or in any thing elfe relating to the Subject, p. 7, 13 c.
A felf-deftructive Schema ! which were it really, as he
would
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 25
Nor in the Third place, would lefs Incon-
veniences attend the frequent republication of
Religion, and working new Miracles for the
conviction of each particular perfon that might
be fuppofed to want it ; iince thefe repeated
Publications when grown common would in
all probability be as little minded as the con-
flant preaching of it is at prefent. Such a con-
would prove, laid down by Chriji and his Apojlles, and in
the Nature of the thing or from the Praclife of Mankind
ever fo neceffary, yet could not poflibh/ be kept clear of
the Confequences abovementioned, of which more here-
after. But that this is far from being the cafe may eafily
be fhewn. That Chriji and his A po fries both encourage
and enjoin the exercife of Reafon in Religious Matters is
plain enough from thefe few Texts. Matth.iy. 19,23.
Mark 8. 17, 18. Luke i. 4. 12.57. 7°^ n 5- 39- J ^ £is l l •
II, 17. Rom. 10.17. II. I. iCor. 10.15. 14.29. iCor. 13.5.
iTim. 4. 13, 14, 15. iTim. 3. 15. ijohn^.l. I P^f. 3. 15.
Do fuch Texts as thefe fuppofe Conviclion to precede the
Evidence? p. 37. to which add iTheff.^.21. where S.Paul
treating of Spiritual Gifts themfelves exhorts his followers
toprove all things [a hopeful Tafk ! fays our Author p. 76.]
and Rom. 10. 2. where the fame great Apoftle is recom-
mending Zeal according to Knowledge, though this Writer
is pleafed to tell us that fuch Zeal will fcarce ever defcrve
the name; p. 25. However, to give this extraordinary
Scheme of his a fcriptural air, he lays hold on fome paflages
of Scripture Hiftory [of which in their proper place] and
draws in feveral detacht parts of ftragling Texts about the
Spirit of God, or fuch as found that way, which he applies
to his point indifcriminately, whether they concern thofc
ordi-
26 Of the Want of Umverfality
tinual feries of Miracles would in time be no
Miracles at all, they muft lofe all their force
together with their Surprifingnefs and Novelty ;
nor could they leave any more lively or more
lading impreffions on us than fuch as may be
ordinary Afliftances and imperceptible Operations that
may be expected from the Holy Ghoft in every Age, or
are confined to his extraordinary, miraculous Gifts, that
were, we think, peculiar to the firft publication of the
Gofpel, and produced thofe wonderful Effects which thi»
Writer alludes to, and which he, with fome modern
Sectaries, feems ftill to claim upon that ever weak foun-
dation of believing ftrongly that he has the fame, without
being able to bring any of the fame Proofs in j unification
.of fuch Belief. Though even here he ought to be re-
minded that moft of thefe very fupernatural Gifts were
fo far from exerting themfelves independently on any
natural Attainments, that they moft commonly acted hi
conjunction with and were adminiftred conformably to
fuch, and were themfelves improved by Labour, Diligence
and Study, or impaired and quite extinguifhed by Neglect,
[ See Whitby and others on zTim. I. 6.] that all of them
were fubject to the Will and Reafon of thofe who pof-
fefled them, and to be by them carefully and prudently
applyed to the particular Exigences of the Church, and the
moft ufeful Purpofes of Edifying, fo as to conftitute the
whole a Reasonable Service. ' God when he makes the
* Prophet does not unmake the Man. He leaves all his
* Faculties in their natural ftate, to enable him to judge
* of his Infpirations, whether they be of Divine Original
* or no. When he illuminates the Mind with fupernatural
* Light he does not extinrruifh that which is natural. If
8 he would have us affent to the Truth of any Propofition
*he
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 27
kept up by thofe {landing Records and vilible
Memorials which now evidence to us the
Truth of Chriftianity. Not to mention that
both of the foregoing Schemes would in fome
meafure put it out of the power even of God
1 he either evidences that Truth by the ufual Methods
4 of natural Reafon, or elfe makes it known to be a
' Truth which he would have us aflent to by his
* Authority, and convinces us that it is from him by fome
* Marks which Reafon cannot be miftaken in. Reafon
' muft be our laft Judge and Guide in every thing.'
Lock on Eyitbufwfm, A Chapter which I would beg leave
to recommend to this ingenious Writer ; and when he
fhews us any of the fame infallible Marks of Infpiration
that were formerly exhibited, when he communicates
fome of that infufed Evidence which he can make appear
not to have been derived from other Sources, we may be
obliged implicitly to follow his Directions ; but till then
are, I humbly apprehend, at liberty to fuppofe that he
himfelf is only following his ozvn Spirit and has feen nothing',
and that all the fe feelings are no more than the Effects of
his own warm Imagination. For that the ordinary Oper-
ations of the Spirit do not fuggeft any thing of this kind,
that they are never diftinguifhable from the natural work-
ings of our own Minds, much lefs in any refpect fubver-
five of them ; that they are perfectly confident with the
mod free life of all our rational Powers, which are the
Gift of the fame Author and given to be fo ufed by us, and
that thefe generally attend upon their regular Excrcife
and were defigned rather to preferve, aflift, improve, than
toobfrructandfuperfedcit,isIthinknowprettywellagrecd.
See King's Origin of Evil, N -j. p. 422, &c 3d. Edit.
No*
28 Of the Want of Vniverfality
himfelf to bring about a Reformation in Reli-
gion when it was once corrupted ( as it might
eafily be in both of them ) fince thereby the
(trongeft and ■ ritteft of all means to procure
Attention, Awe and Reverence, which we now
Nor can he fhew that Reafon thus aflifted v/ill be infuf-
ficient for the purpofes of true Religion, or make out from
the Nature of thefe two that they ought to have no Com-
munication with each other. His firft allegation, that Men
by the exercife of their Reafon do not, nor can be re-
quired to think all alike, will not come up to his point, as
it is neither true nor necefTary.^ 'Tis falfe in many matters
both of Facl: and Reafon, on which all men that think at
all think in one way, and he has yet to fhew why the
EfTentials of the Chriftian Infritution may not be included
among fuch, I mean as they lie in the Bible, and fo far
as our aflcnt is there explicitly required to them in one
and the fame precife determinate manner, on pain of
forfeiting the Privileges of that Inftitution. Thefe he will
find to be very few and plain. But though he allows the
whole of Chriftianity to be true and reafonable, yet he
feems all along to beg the Queftion by fuppofing that it
is of fuch a nature as is incapable of being made to appear
fo to each perfon fo far as he is concerned to know either
the fubftance of it, or its grounds. Hence all the for-
midable Objections againft Reafon's judging of the
Gofpel Truths, which yet hold equally in many other
Truths of confequence in common Life, wherein the
common People notwithstanding go on very well by the
life of their natural Faculties, be they never fo weak or
fo ftrongly befet with Doubts and Difficulties. His other
Arguments againft admitting Reafon in religious Matters,
from
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 29
call fupernatural Interpolation, would foon be-
come familiar, cheap and ineffectual to that
end, as was hinted above. Befides, what Unity
or Uniformity of public Worfhip, what Decency
and Order could be preferved in fuch a State
from fome particular Inliitutions and the general Praclife
of the World, are no better founded. That Children are
introduced into die Chriftian Church by Baptifm [which
our Author feems to argue for and goes perhaps a little
farther than he will be able to juftify when he aflerts it
to be the Ordinance of God bimfelf] and that they have
early prepolTemons in favour of Chriftianity [ whereof he
fhews the great ufe and neceflity, and wherein we moft
heartily join with him] does this render their Religion
the lefs reafonable to them when they are capable of rea-
foning about it ? Or are they ftric~tly under any other
Obligation, when they come to age, of taking it upon
themfelves, than what arifes from their Conviction of the
Reafonablenefs and Wifdom of fo doing, from their being
fatisfied of its Truth and Divine Authority ; and what
they otherwife would have been under when thus much
ever mould come to their knowledge? Surely their being
made to underftand the ChrijUan Religion firft, by no
means hinders their giving it a fair examination afterwards,
fo foon and fo far as they become qualified for fuch
Examination. Nay, if they underftand it thoro'ly they
will find that it requires examination from all its ProfcfTors
in fome degree or other, as appears fufficicntly from thole
few Texts above. It does indeed infift upon a right Belief
and a conformable Prattife in all Perfons to whom it has
been fairly propofed : nor is this either fo uncommon a
tiling, or ijiconfiftent with what we maintain, funpoluig
ftiU
3 Of the Want of Unherfality
of things ? If Men did ever ajfemble the?nfelve$
together, (the Reafonablenefs and the Neceffity
whereof will be apparent fo long as they are
capable of having either their Memories re-
frefhed, or their Affections raifed by fenfible
ftill its Truth and Credibility. Does any Lawgiver pro-
claim thofe exceptions to the general obligation of his
Laws, which accidentally arife from the fole Incapacity
of the Subject, and which common fenfe is always ready
to fucwefr. and willing to allow for without the leafr. dimi-
c>iz> to
nution of their Ufe and Obli'gatorinefs ? Or would it be
any derogation from their Excellence and Authority ;
or any excufe for our not labouring to underftand thefe
Laws, that all men did not reafon right about them? — ■
Nor does our being to apply by Prayer for the continuing
jlcdfajl in the Faith, Jhew the Defign of God that Reafon
fiould not be at all employed on thefe occafons ; p. 1 1 . any
more than his working in us both to will and do y and our
being taught to afk this of him, proves that we have no
occafion to endeavour toiuork out our own Salvation. We
do not pretend that Reafon is itfelf fufficient either to
difcover all that may be of benefit in Religion, or engage
us to obferve and act up to what it is really able to dif-
cover, and therefore there is room enough for our folicit-
ing the Grace of God as well to ftrengthen and fupport
this very Faculty, as to bring others into due fubje&ion to
it ; to lead us into the Truth, to make us love and feek
it ; to guard againft every deviation from it, and enable
us to refifr the numberlefs Temptations to Vice,
Ignorance and a criminal Unbelief. Nor laftly, would
the Difficulties and Difcouragements which Human
Reafon is too frequently laid under by the practife of the
World,
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 3 1
Objects ; — fo long as they have either Memory
or fenfes, I.e. fo long as they continue to be
Men) in fuch AfTemblies every one of them
n^ould have a Pfalm, a Do£tri?ie, a Tongue, a
Revelation, an Interpretation ; and what could
World, were that in truth fo bad at prefent as this-
Author rcprefents, wholly deftroy its Influence in the
point before us ; or prove any thing more than that its
Province is too much invaded by thofe, be they Parents,
Tutors or Magif 'rates , who either wilfully or unwarily
iinpofe thefe Difficulties, and who alone are anfwerable
for giving any handle for fuch a Plea as he has grounded
on them. If the two former conftantly betray its Caufe
by narrowing the Minds of Youth, and (hutting up the
Avenues of Knowledge ; if they do not teach them care-
fully the Art of Reafoning, and lead them to a fair ufe of
Reafon on every Subject within their fphere and worthy
their Enquiry ; or if the laft intrench upon its Rights by
interpofing their Authority in the grand affair of Divine
Worfhip, beyond barely keeping up the eftablifhed Form
and tolerating others; If this were indeed the Cafe now,
as I hope it is not, this Author, I conceive, mould have
fhewn thefe Proceedings to be warrantable, e'er he went
on in earneft to draw fuch a Confequence, as that the
whole Subjccl is abfolutely out of Reafon 's Jurifdi&iw.
A Confequence which can tend only to revive Celfus\
Calumny againft the ChrijVian Caufe, M» s^t*^ «*x*.
mrtvtrtt, and recommend the no lefs abfurd modern Maxim
that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion ; which renders
all that Scripture which was given by Infpiration a dead,
ufelefs Letter, and rcprefents that other Candle of the Lord
as a falfe Light and dangerous, and fuch as by this
Writer's
g 2 Of the Want of Univerfality
this produce but Tumult, Strife and an univer-*'
fal Confufion ? This furely is not fo reajbnable
a Service, nor fo fit for Edification as the pre-
fent j not quite fo proper a Method to convey
and preferve a Syitem of Divine Truths in the
World, as a regular, fettled Inftruction and
Hiftoric Faith, grounded on a ftanding, written*
Revelation, which holds thefe forth together
with their Proofs to every one, and offers them
to the view and examination of all Ages.
When fome of thefe things are a little attend-
ed to, we may perhaps be convinced that either
the fame or as great Objections would lie a-
gainfl any other affignable Method of commu-
nicating a Religion to Mankind.
If then neither all men could be made equally
wife and perfect, nor Religion be at once equally
communicated to them all ; if the prefent Laws
of our Nature are the beffc that could be, "and
as fuch ought to remain inviolate, and we be
Writer's Motto is infmuated to be a Curfe upon us,
rather than a Bleffing. This Notion indeed he has kept
to all along, whether ferioufly or otherwife he knows beft,
and concludes fuitably enough to it with this piece of
Advice to his'young Academick, that he content himfelf
with being as rational a Chriftian as his Sifter or Mother,-
p. 114.
As to the Inconfiftencies which this ingenious Writer
labours to fix both upon that excellent Inftitution the
Boy*
in Natural and Reveled "Religion, 33
left to the common Methods of informing our-
ielves in all natural as well as fupernatural
Truths, it will follow, in the laft place, that
Chriftianity could not have been propagated
otherwife than in fact it is, namely, in a gradual,
progreflive, partial manner.
Let it be proclaimed at firft never fo far and
wide, yet the reception and continuance of it
muft in a great meafure, we fee, depend on
Mens own Difpofitions both natural and
moral. Some previous as well as concomitant
Qualifications are requifite to the due exercife
and influence of it as well in private Men, as
public States and Communities : fo that among
a People funk in Ignorance or Barbarity, where
there is no kind of good Order or Government
eftablifhed, no regular Forms of Education
instituted and obferv'd j where there is an
univerfal want of Difcipline and a DirTolutenefs
of Manners, there Chriftianity cannot fubfift.
Boykan Lecture, and thofe worthy perfons who have with
fo much fuccefs accomplifhed its Defign, I need only
appeal to Dr. Ibbot, who, I think, ftands abfolutely clear
of his Exceptions, and has as fully anfwered the End of
its great and good Founder, as he has obviated this Author's
whole Performance.
* The advantages of this above Oral Tradition may be
feen in Tillotfon, V.2. Fol, S.73. p .549. or LeClerc Harm.
3Difs. p. 615.
C Miracles
34 Of the Want of Univerfality
Miracles were indeed neceflary to gain Attention
and give Authority to it at firit, but the per-
petuity of them in any kind would (as we have
feen) weaken that very Attention and deftroy
their own Authority. When therefore a Re-
ligion has once been fufficiently promulged by
Divine Authority,, it muil be committed to
human means ; and left to the conduct of that
Nation or Society in which it is planted, and
by their care be handed down to Pofterity :
it muil be preferv'd and propagated in a natural
way, and by the ordinary Courfe of Provi-
dence, or elfe there is no avoiding the ill con-
fequences abovementioned, namely, perpetual
Enthufiafm or Impofture. As a Syftem of
Divine Doctrines and Rules of Life it muft be
fubject to the common Methods of Inftruction,
and taught as all other Science is. Youth of all
kinds are to be principled and grounded in it,
and fome inftructed in thofe other parts of
Learning which may fit them for a due en-
quiry into its original Evidence > for undemand-
ing the true Nature, Ends, and Ufes of it, and
conveying the fame knowledge down to future
Ages. Some Orders of Men like wife mull: be
fet apart and authorifed to explain and incul-
cate it, to defend its Doctrines as well as to
infpect and to fecure the practife of its Precepts.
From
in Natural a fid Reveled Religion. 3 5
From all which it appears that ignorant,
uncivilized, flaviih and brutifh Nations, are as
uncapable of duly receiving fuch an Inftitution,
as they are of all thofe other Sciences, Arts,
Improvements which polifh and adorn the reft
of Mankind, and make Life a BleiTing.
Without fome tolerable degree of Learning
and Civility men don't feem qualified to reap
the Benefits of the Chriftian Inftitution, and
together with thefe they generally do receive
it, the fame human means ferving to improve
their Notions in Religion, which help to enlarge
their Knowledge in all other Subjects, and at the
fame time directing them to, and in a natural
way enabling them to arrive at the moil pertect
Difpenfation of it. One of the chief Reafons
commonly amgned for the Fit fiefs of the T'ime of
Chrijl's appearing in the World was the extent
of Learning and Commerce through all the
then known parts of it, * which tended very
much to open mens Minds, and qualify them
to receive his Inftitution, as well as paved the
way for a more general Communication of it j
but as there were many at that time not able to
hear it, fo on the fame account neither yet are
they able, nor will they be, till by reajbn ofttfe
* This is more fully explained in the following Dif-
sourfes, Part 2.
C2 (as
36 Of the Want ofTJniverfality
( as the Apoflle fpeaks ) they have their Senfes
exercifed to difcern both Good and Evil : Till
their rational Faculties be enlarged and im-
proved, their natural Genius cultivated and re-
fined ; which feems in a good meafure to con-
stitute their refpective Fitnefs of T'ime. a
And as barbarous and favage Nations are un-
able to hear the Truth ; fo vicious, debauched,
immoral ones are in like manner incapable of
a That the Chinefe in particular, from whom fome have
thought that the ftrongeft Argument might be drawn
againft what is here fuggefred, and whofe Learning and
Education have been fo much cried up, are very far from
deferving fo great a Character, fee Renaudot's Diflertation
on their Learning. Ancient Accounts of India and China,
p. 200. Terry's Voyage to the E aft Indies, feet. 12. and2i^
Travels of fever a I Mijfioners, p. 180. &c. or Millar*%
Hijlory of the Propagation of Chrijlianity, V. 2. p. 266, &c.
or Le Comte's Memoirs, paflim. I fhall give one Inftance
from the laft mentioned Author in a branch of Philofophy
for which they have been oft particularly celebrated.
* All Nations have ever been aftonifhed at Eclipfes be-
* caufe they could not difcover the Caufe of them : there
* is nothing fo extravagant as the feveral Reafons fome
* have given for it ; but one would wonder that the
* Chinefe, who as to Aftronomy may juftly claim Seniority
' over all the World befides, have reafoned as abfurdly
* on that point as the reft. They have fancied that in
< Heaven there is a prodigious great Dragon, who is a
4 profefled Enemy to the Sun and Moon, and ready at all
4 times to eat them up. For this reafon as foon as they
4 perceive an Eclipfe they all mance a terrible rattling
4 with Drums and Brafs Kettles, till the Monfter fright-
ncd
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 3 7
bringing forth the Fruits thereof. If fuch a
People did receive the true Religion, they would
foon drop it again, as many Nations mod un-
doubtedly have done ; at leaft they would lofe
the Spirit, Life and Power of it, and then the
bare Name and outward Form will not be
worth enquiring after : nay much better would
it be if thefe were always quitted too together
with the other. Chrtjlianity cannot immediately
' ned at the Noife lets go his Prey. Perfons of Quality,
* who have read our Books, have for thefe feveral years
' been undeceived : but the old Cuftoms (efpecially if thp
' Sun lofeth his Light) are ftill obferved at Pekin^ which,
' as is ufual, are both very luperftitious and very ridiculous.
* While the Aftronomers are on the Towers to make
* their Obfervations, the chief Mandarines belonging to
■ the Lipou fall on their knees in a Hall or Court of the
' Palace, looking attentively that way, and frequently
' bowing towards the Sun to exprefs the pity they take
' of him, or rather to the Dragon to beg him not to
* moleft the World, by depriving it of fo nece/Tary a
'Planet.' Le Comte, p. 76. Edit. 1738. comp. p.93. &c.
and Lett. 8. From their notorious Ignorance of, and by
confequence, Contempt for the reft of the World and
great averfenefs to any Communication with it, till of
very late years, we may eafily account for this flow progrefs
of theirs both in the Knowledge of Nature and Reveled
Religion, notwithstanding their having had very con-
fiderable Means of improving both in their hands for fome
time ; nor are they v/anting in point of Genius, as may-
be fcen in the fame excellent Author. — But this will
come in more properly under the 3d Part.
c 3 tranf-
3 8 Of ^ e Want of Vniverfality
transform Mens Minds and totally change the
general Temper and Complexion of any Peo-
ple j but on the contrary it will thereby itfelf
undergo confiderable alteration, and its own
Influence and Effect in a great meafure depend
thereon : With the pure it will be pure, and
they that are otherwife will foon defile it; will
cither corrupt it with Fable and abfurd Tra-
ditions, or turn it into Licentioufnefs and carnal
Policy.
Thus did the Eaftern Nations, and were
overwhelmed with Mahometanifm, * and thus
did a great part of Africa. To the like Caufes,
in all probability, as well as the Neglect and
Mifbehaviour of its Propagators and ProfefTors,
(which have been here but too remarkable b ) is it
* V. Part II.
b Of the former a large account may be feen in Millar's
Hift. c.8. p. 274. 284. 291. &V. and c. 9. p. 376. &V. Add
Mr. IVarburton's judicious obfervation at the end of Se£t..6.
p. 306. &c. of Dlv. Leg. 2d Edit. As to the latter, we
cannot but obferve the great and general Prejudice
which muft prevail in both the Indies againft all Europeans
from the injurious treatment they have often received
from us, as may be feen in almoft every late account of
Voyages &c. Numberlefs inftances of this occur in
Salmon's Modern Hiftory, particularly in the prefent
State of the Sunda I/lands, c.4. Having defcribed the
extraordinary fufpicion of the Japoncfe whofe goodnefs
and humanity towards us were once as eminent as is their
dread
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 30.
owing that true Religion makes no greater pro-
grefs in the Eaft and Well: Indies. Though, it
mull be owned, great and good things have
been done in it of late by Societies eftabliihed
for that purpofe, and none perhaps have been
more diligent and difcreet than our own. But
it were beyond the Limits of this Difcourfe to
enquire into the State of every Heathen Country
in order to fee what probable reafons might be
affigned for either their firft rejecting or not
ftill retaining Chrifiianity. Perhaps it may be
enough to have given thefe general Hints,
which though they were all founded on mere
Conjecture, yet till fuch an Hypothecs can be
difproved from Fact, we ought rather to
acquiefce in them than confidently arraign ^
dread at prefent of all Ckrijiian Nations, he concludes,
* But from whence can all this immoderate caution pro-
' ceed unlefs from the ill ufage they have met with from
' Europeans ? Surely it fufficiently demonfrrates what I
' have fo often ohferved, that we did not find, but make
' thefe Nations barbarous ; and if they have any thing
4 fhocking in their behaviour at this day, they learnt
4 it from us, who inftead of planting Chrifiianity and
* improving their Morals, have in fact, corrupted them.'
Mod. Hij}. V. i. 4 to . p. 226. Such Obfervations are I fear
but too well grounded, and might be carried a great way
towards accounting for the How Progrefs of Chrillianity
among fuch Nations as feem otherwife not ill qualified
tor the reception of it. Nor are the frequent Quarrels
c 4 among
40 Of the Want ofUniverfality
Providence, and cenfure its Ways with Man in
matters of the laft importance. But I hope
Arguments may be drawn from them fufficient
to flop the mouths of our Adverfaries,andfilence
each Gainfayer j a more particular difcuffion
of which will be the fubject of fome following
Difcourfes. I (hall only beg leave at prefent to
add an Obfervation or two concerning a Diver-
lity of Religion in general, and the cafe of thofe
who cannot attain to the knowledge of the
Chrijlian.
And firft, Though I fee no reafon to affirm
with fome, that God takes equal delight in the
various kinds of Worfhip which come to be
eftablifhed in the World, and that a fpecific
Difference in Religion is in itfelf and abftractly
confidered as acceptable to him as that diverfity
of Beings which he has made : on the contrary
I think he has plainly difcovered one moil per-
fect Standard and requires all to approach as
near it as they can j and may be faid to approve
among Chriftians themfelves and their notorious ill ufage
of each other a lefs prejudice againft their Profeffion, as
is obferved by the fame Writer, p. 264. * So extremely
« jealous were the Portuguefe of the Indian Trade that
4 even their Priefts did not flick at the moft treacherous
« and barbarous methods to exclude all other Nations
« from it, which muft, no doubt give the Indians a very
* great Opinion of the Chrijlian Religion they pretended to
* pro-
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 41
every approach to it, and prefer that to its
oppofite, in the fame manner as he does every
other excellence and improvement of the
Human Mind, where he intends perpetual
advancement, as we have feen j yet from what
has been already faid, thus much will appear,
viz. That one of thefe is in fome meafure a
neceffary confequence of the other during the
prefent Laws of Nature in the moral and
intellectual World : a difference of Rank and
Capacity among Men mull needs produce an
equal difference in their Religious Notions, as
was fhewn above ; fuch difference therefore in
degree of Perfection is made rieceffary by the
Conftitution of things and the general Diipen-
fations of Providence ; and what by the ordi-
nary courfe of Divine Providence is to men in
fome circumftances rendered unavoidable, that
the Divine Goodnefs will in thefe Circum-
ffances moft undoubtedly excufe and accept
with all its Imperfections. *
' propagate ; nor need we look for any other reafon why
' Chrijiianity does not gain ground in the Eaft, though
* the Indian Princes have given the greateft encourage-
' ment to the Miffionaries themfelves upon account of
1 their Skill in the Mathematics.'
* See Dr. Rymer's General Reprefentation of Reveled
Religion, c. 6. 'Tis a Beauty in Providence to advance
* in the Difpenfations of Religion ; to propofe various
« Per-
42 Of the Want of Unherjality
The fame thing obtains remarkably in each
particular Syltem, even in thofe of ' Chriftianity
itfelf, which to different Perfons and in different
Times and Places appears in a very different
Light ; though fo much always every where
lies level to all as is abfolutely required of each,
and fo much alfo as will or might have a very
confiderable influence upon their Lives and
Manners. And the fame may in a great meafure
be affirm'd of Modern Heathens, the generality
of whom ftill preferve in fome degree the great
fundamental Principles of one Supreme God,
a Providence and Future State, as Authors of
the beffc Credit have affured us. *
2. As to the cafe of thofe People in general,
we may confider that if they have fewer and
lefs Advantages than others, their Natures and
Capacities muft iikewife be inferior ; to which
their future State may be proportioned :
God is not obliged to make all men equally
perfect in the next world any more than in
this ; and if their Capacity be rendered lefs
than that of an ordinary Chrijlian, a. lower
* Perfections in Piety and Virtue upon Earth, and anfwer
' them with refpe&ive Promotions in Heaven,' p. 152.
* A Collection of them may be feen in Stackboufe's
Body of Divinity Part 3. 08. S. 2.3. p. 528. &V. or Millar's
Hii't. of the Prop, of Chriftianity, c.5. &c.
degree
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 43
degree of Happinefs may fill it. However, we
need not be very folicitous about their Eftate,
much lefs call any ungrateful imputation on the
Governour of the World for not having dealt
fo bountifully with them as with ourfelves -,
fmce we know that in all cafes every one
will at length be accepted according to that
he haSj and not according to that he has not ;
and that to whomjbever much is given, of him
/ball much be required. We know that all their
Souls are in the hand of a moft merciful Creator,
all ivhofe ways are equal, and who will moft
afluredly deal with every one according to what
is juft and right. But of this more hereafter.
I come in the laft place briefly to obferve
the great Benefit of complying with the Terms
of the Gofpel, and the inexcufablenefs of reject-
ing k-
The Benefit of the Chriftian Inftitution
above all others appears, in that it naturally fits
Men for an higher degree of Happinefs, as well
as entitles them to it by pofitive Covenant.
It gives them more juft and worthy Notions of
the Divine Being, and the Relation they bear
to him, and of the Duties which refult from
that Relation. It explains, improves, exalts all
thofe Virtues and good Difpofitions which are
the natural Foundation of Happinefs both in
this
f
44 Of the Want ofUniverfality
this world and the next. It dire&s us to add to
our Faith Virtue ', and to Virtue Knowledge , and
to Knowledge temperance, and to Temperance
Patience, and to Patience Godlinefs, and to
Godlinefs Brotherly Kindnefs, and to Brotherly
Kindnefs Charity. It propofes to our Study
whatfoever things are true, honefi, jujl, pure,
lovely and oj good report, and binds all thefe
upon us with the ftrongeft Sanctions ; at once
giving us the moll ample Inftruction in and
incitement to the practife of our Duty, and
moreover affording all neceffary Means of Grace
in order to prepare and train us up for Glory.
And thus, as St. Peter fays, hath the Father
given unto us all things that pertain unto Life
mid Godlinefs, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us unto Glory and Virtue, — that at
length we might be partakers of the Divine
Nature.
The great Condition of this Covenant is
expreffed in the Text and many other parts of
Scripture by Repentance : Repentance from dead
works and ferving the living God. This was the
fubftance of our Saviour's preaching, and what
the Apoftles continually tefiified both to the Jews
andalfo to the Greeks, namely Repentance towards
God; * that is a thorough Reformation of
* A&5 20. 21.
Mind
in Natural and Reveled Religion. 45
Mind and Temper, a renouncing of this World
its Vanities and Vices, and an improvement in
all thofe Graces and good Habits which are
abfolutely necefTary to fit us for the Prefence of
God, the Society of Angels and Spirits of juft
Men made perfect. How gracious a Defign
this ! how reafonable, juft and holy an Infti-
tution ! How ftxongly muft it recommend it-
felf to every man's Judgement and Confcience,
when once rightly underftood ! and what in-
finite reafon have we to give continual thanks
unto the Father who hath not only prepared
for us an Inheritance , but likewife laboured to
make us meet to be Partakers of it among the
Saints in Light ! and how fiall we efcape if We
negleB Jo great Salvation ? How difingenuous
and ungrateful muft it be to refufe and put it
from us ! How dangerous to contemn and
blafpheme it !
To conclude, May the Mercies of God in
Chrijl J ejus engage every one of us in time to
obey the Divine Precept in the Text ; to fhake
off more efpecially all fuch Vices as the
Heathens of old delighted in, and which betray
too many now a days into the like State, and
blind their Eyes, and harden their Hearts againil
all poflible Conviction, namely, Pride, Covet-
oufnefs and Senfuality. May we all comply with
the
46 Of the Want ofUniverfality y &c.
the Apoftle's advice in walking circumfpecliy
towards them that are without, fince the reafon
affio-ned is in fome refpects of as great force at
prefent, — becaufe the Days are evil. As Infi-
delity ftill abounds and the Love of many
waxeth cold, we who profefs the Faith of
Chrifi and think we have more perfect under-
flandins of it, and are to communicate the fame
to others,, we ought to contend To much the
more earneftly for it, and labour to adorn the
Doctrine of our Lord in all things. To our
daily Prayers therefore let us add our conftant
Endeavours that the Kingdom of God may come
on thofe who have not yet received it, and be
reftored in purity and perfection to fuch as have
rejected it : and finally, let us beware left in
any of us be found an evil Heart of Unbelief-,
let us take care that we be not of thofe who
either in Principle or Practife draw back unto
Perdition j but of them that believe to the laving
of the Soul.
The
II.
The Scheme of Provfdence,
With regard to
The Time and Manner of the feveral
Difpenfations of Reveled Religion.
Crefcat igitur oportet, et multum vehement er que
proficiat y tamfingulorum quam omnium^ tarn
uniits hominis quam totius Ecclefia, cetatum
ac feculorum gradibus, intelligentiayjclentia^
fapientia. Vine. Lirinens. Common. 1.28.
GAL. iv. 4.
But when the Fulnefs of the Time was
come y God fent forth his Son.
THE Coming of Chrift in the Flefh is a
Difpenfation fo full of Wifdom and
Goodnefs, that in whatever view we confider
it 'twill appear moft worthy its Divine Author.
The precife Time in which he was manifefted,
though it has been made the fubject of more
Cavils ancient and modern than any other
Circumftance attending it, yet I doubt not but
upon a fair examination may be difcovered to
bear the fame Characters.
On this head the following QuefHons are
ufually afked. If the common Father of Man-
kind be infinite in Goodnefs, and the Chrifiian
Scheme be the only acceptable way of worship-
ping him and abfolutely neceffary to our Salva-
tion, Why was it not communicated to the
World much fooner ? Why was this greatefl
of all Bleffings kept back to the laft, — to the
End of the World, as it is called ? * Nay, • if God
c always acts for the good of his Creatures,
c what reafon can be affigned why he mould
* Heb, 9,26.
D ' not
50 Of the feveral Difpenfations
€ not from the beginning have difcovered fuch
e things as make for their good, but defer the
' doing of it till the time of Ti&erius V * — All
the late Adverfaries to Chriftianity lay the
greateft weight on this Objection, and accord-
ingly feveral Arguments have been offered to
remove it ; I mail felect fome of them, which
feem the mod conclufive, in my following
Difcourfe, and add fuch farther Obfervations
as may help to fet the whole in a proper Light.
When the Fulnefs of the Time J was come—*
The Apoftle in this Chapter is comparing the
Ages of the World to the Life of a Man and its
feveral Stages, as Infancy, Childhood, Youth,
Maturity. If we reflect on this comparifon we
mail find it very juft in general, and that the
World itfelf, or the collective Body of Man-
kind, as well as each particular Member, has
from very low beginnings proceeded by a regular
gradation in all kinds of Knowledge, has been
making (low advances towards Perfection in its
feveral Periods, and received continual improve-
ments from its Infancy to this very Day. a And
* Chriftianity as old, &c. p. 196. 4'*.
% Or the proper Seafon. v. Tit. 1. 3.
a For an explanation of this, fee Dr. Edwards's Survey
of all the Difpenfations of Religion, &c. V. 1. p. 396. and
V. 2. p. 615. — 21, 13 c ; or Mr. Worthington\ Eflay on
Plan's Redemption C.8.&V.
though
of Reveled Religion. 5 1
though in both cafes this progrefs be fometimes
interrupted, and the courfe of this World and
its Inhabitants appear, like that of the Heavenly-
Bodies, to fuffer fome Retrogradations ; yet we
have reafon to believe that thefe are fuch for
the molt part in appearance only, that this very
Lett in like manner where it is real, makes way
for a more rapid progrefs afterwards, which
leems to bring matters into the fame State upon
the whole as if they had been all the while
progreffive. Farther, every one that looks into
the Hiftory of the World muft obferve that
the Minds of Men have all along been gradually
opened by a Train of Events ftill improving
upon and adding light to each other, as that of
each individual is, by proceeding from the firft
Elements and Seeds of Science to more enlarged
views and a ftill higher growth. Mankind are
not, nor ever have been, capable of entering
into the Depths of Knowledge at once, of re-
ceiving a whole Syftem of Natural or Moral
Truths together ; but muft be let into them by
degrees^ and have them communicated by little
and little, as they are able to bear it. In this
manner does every Art and Science make its
way into the world : And though now and
then an extraordinary Genius may arife and
reach as it were fome Ages beyond that in
r>2 which
5 1 Of the fever al Dijftenfitions
which he lives, yet how few of his Contend
poraries are able to follow him, or even under-
hand what he delivers ! The generality ftill go
on ftep by ftep in gathering up and digefting
fome final 1 portions of that vaft flock of Know-
ledge which he pour'd out at once, and are for
a long time in refpect to him but mere Children.
So that notwithstanding a few fuch extraordi-
nary inftances, I think, we may affirm in
general, that from the very beginning of the
World, Science, or all kinds of intellectual Ac-
complishments, have been found to make very
flow, and pretty regular advances among the
the bulk of Mankind -, but that upon the whole,
advancing they have been and are. This, I fay,
is generally fo in fact, a and therefore will have
place in religious, as well as all other Truths
among men either taken collectively, or in each
individual. Why the cafe is thus in both; why
all are not adult at once both in Body and Mind,
concerns not Revelation to account for, fo much
as the Religion of Nature, at leaft they are here,
as in the former cafe, both on the fame foot,
and the fame Principles may be applied to each
of them. And though in this refpect the Divine
Difpenfations feem to differ from Human Arts
a A more particular Proof of this will be given in the
hi Part,
and
of Reveled Religiun. 53
and Sciences, that thefe are commonly the moil
rude and imperfect at firft, and every pait of
them improving by repeated Tryalsj whereas
the others have all that purity and perfection
at their Delivery which they are defigned to
have, and rather lofe in many refpe&s than get
by length of time ; yet will not this make any
material difference on the whole.
To ftate this matter right, we ought to di-
ftinguifh both between the Delivery of a
Doctrine, and its general Reception in the
world j which we know is always according
to the Meafure of the Recipients only, which
muft chiefly depend upon the State and Quali-
fications of the Age they live in : and alfo be-
tween the fupernatural Affiftance and extraor-
dinary Impreflions at its firft publication, and
the ordinary State in which it appears, and the
ufual progrefs it makes, as foon as ever thefe
come to ceafe, and it is left to be continued by
mere human means ( as we have fliewn before
that it muff be ) when we (hall find it partak-
ing of the tafte and temper of the Times
through which it pafTes, and propagated in the
fame gradual, partial manner as all other parts
of Science, all Human Acquisitions and Im-
provements are.
*>3
Let
54 Of the fever al Difpenfations
Let us proceed then to confider the feveral
Difpenfations of Religion in this light, and fee
whether each will not appear to have been de-
livered in its proper Time, and as foon as it
became fully necefTary ; as alfo whether each
was not as perfect as it could be fuppofed to
have been, coniidering the feafon in which it
was delivered, and every fubfequent one an
improvement on thofe that went before.
We will enquire Firft what provilion God
made for the Inftruction of Mankind in the
Infancy of the World, and whether it was
expedient to fend his Son upon their nrft Tranf-
greffion.
Now we have reafon to fuppofe that Adam
during his ftate of Innocence held conitant com-
munication with the Deity , a from whence he re-
ceived his information of things and was directed
in the ufe of them. b And if he had been content
to follow that Direction, he would undoubtedly
Jiave been fecured from any pernicious Errors, and
* Gen. 2. 23, 24. compared with Matth. 19. 5. Mark 10.
7. and 1 Cor. 6. 16. See Bp. Bull on the fubjeft. Difc.
p. i82,fcfr. Only let it be obferv'd that what this learned
Author, with fome others, attributes to Divine Infpiration,
in this cafe, feems to be more naturally accounted for
from an exprefs Oral Revelation made to Adam.
b Gen. 1. 28.— 30. 2. 29. See the Authors referred to
l>y Patrick on Gen. 2. 17.
fup-
of Reveled Religion. 5 5
fupplied with all the Inftruction and AiMance,
which was neceffary for him, and trained up
by degrees to as thorough an acquaintance with
the Nature of God and the things around him
as was agreeable to his own Nature, and confift-
ent with his State and Circumftances in the world.
But upon his rejecting this Guide, and applying
elfewhere for Knowledge, and fetting up to be
his own Director, * that Communication
might both with juftice and wifdom be in a
great meafure withdrawn from him, and he left
to the imperfect: notice of his Senfes, to learn
the Nature of both Good and Evil, and the
way to obtain the one and avoid the other, by
a painful experience. a Yet was he not left
wholly to himfelf in the affair of Religion, but
directed to fuch a form of Worfhip as ferved
to point out and perpetually remind him, both
of the demerit of his Crime and the dreadfiil-
nefs of that Penalty which he had incurred,
and alfo gave him fome hopes of future Pardon,
* That he intended nothing lefs than'this by eating of the
forbidden Tree, which was to him the trial of his Submif-
fion to, or his Rejection of the Divine Government, the
Tejl of Good and Evil, may be feen in Mr. Rutberforth's
account of that Tranfaaion. EJfay on Virtue, c. 1 1 . Note •
p. 273. Wr.
* See A.Bp, King's Sermon on the Fall,
D 4 and
5 6 Of the fever al Difyenfhtiom
and a final Acceptance with his Creator. All
this feems to have been fignified by the Infti-
tution of Sacrifices, fetting before him all the
Horrors of that Death which he had been
fentenced to undergo, but which was hitherto
fufpended, and that of fome other Creatures
demanded in its room by way of ranfom and
expiation made to the Lord of Life, b This,
together with the Promife of a future Delive-
ranee in the Seed of the Woma?7 i ferved for the
prefent to afford fome comfort to our firft
Parents under their heavy fentence, and to con-
b See Revelation examined ivith Candour , V. I. p.. 144,
C5V. or Dr. Burnett's Boyle's Left. Fol. p. 517, £ffc. and
the following Notes.
c What that was may be feen in Hallet's Difcourfes,
V.2. p. 276, &c. or at the beginning of Locke's Reafon~
ablenefs of Cbrijlianity,
d After all the Difputes about the Origin and Intent
of Sacrifices as well before as under the Mofaic Law
('when they are taken in the ftrict Senfe and diftinguifhed
from all other Offerings that accompanied either Prayers
or Thanks for particular Bleflings) I am forced to refer them
to Divine Appointment, and think we may conceive them
to have been fixed both by way of pofitive Mulcl or For-
feiture [v. Morality of Religion, p. 35. Abarbanel. Exord.
Com. in Lev. p. 313. LeClerc. in Lev.^.i2~\ to render
every breach of Duty burdenfome and expenfive to the
Sinner ; and likewife for a Tejiimony and Symbolical Repre-
fentation of his Repentance and Confefiion of fuch breach :
and lafrly, as a Federal Rite denoting in a more efpecial
manner the terms of that great Covenant Grant or Pro-
mife
of Reveled Religion. 57
vince them that their offended Maker was not
wholly implacable ; as well as to lead their
Pofterity to fuch Notions of Religion and kind
of Worfhip, as mould confhntly reconcile them
to the Deity, and remove the Guilt of their
particular Offences, and alfo prepare them for
the great Attornment to be offered in due time,
which was to take off the whole of Adam's
Curfe c and reftore both him and his Poftericy
to that immortal Life which he had forfeited. d
Nay raife them to a much higher degree of
Happinefs than he could be conceived to enjoy
mife whereby Man was to be delivered from the effects
of the firji breach, which as fuch was in each Difpenfa-
tion thought proper to be particularly diitinguifhed. All
which Appointments, Grants or Covenants, may likewife
be underftood ( not in their literal ftricr. Senfe, or as in
themfelves abfolutely necefTary, but) as fo many Schemes
of Government or convenient Methods of Divine Oeco-
nomy, treating Mankind, (not like Philofophers, but) as
the generality of them always were to be treated, and
leading them gradually to as juft and worthy Notions of
God and themfelves as they became capable of receiving.
—But to afcribe fuch an Inftitution as this of facrificing
Animals wholly to the invention of Men, efpecially the
Men of thofe times, feems very unnatural : of which
more in the following Notes. — That this had actually
fuch an effect upon the Jews as we laft mentioned ; that
they were led to expect an expiatory Sacrifice from the
MeJJiah, and commonly thought and fpoke of him in that
capacity, feems probable from John's account of Chrtji at
his very firft appearance. Job. 1.29. and again v. 36.
in
58 Of the fever al Difpenfations
in his Paradifaical State. e And that this Rite
with all its Circumftances was enjoined by God
himfelf and explained to our firft Parent is
more than probable, even from the fhort ac-
count we have of thofe Times; fince we find
his two Sons bringing their Offerings to a cer-
tain place, * and well apprifed (by fome vifible
tokens no doubt J ) when they were accepted,
as that of Sacrifice was rather than the other,
and moil likely accepted for that very reafon
becaufe it had been appointed by God himfelf,
and was perform' d agreeably to his Command, *
e See A.B. King's Note8i.p.466,&Y. 3d.£dit.
* Gen. 4. 3, 4.
%Heb. II. 4.
a See Revelation examined^. I. p. 134,^. Bp. Sherlock's
Ufe and Intent of Prophefy, p. 73, &c. or Rymer's Repre-
fent. p. 30, &c This one Article of the Diftin&ion made
between AbeVs Offering and that of Cain, which accord-
m<y to the Hiftory was fo notorious as to dejecT: and irritate
the latter, and which cannot I think be accounted for
other wife than by the Interpofition of God, nor that re-
markable Interpofition folved on other Principles than
Cains prefuming to omit the prefcribed Viclim (otherwife
his Portion of the Fruits of the Ground might well ap-
pear to be as juft and natural a Tribute of Devotion from
one in his province, as fome part of the Flock was from
his Brother, as we have not the leait intimation of any
difference in the fincerity of their Difpofitions whereon to
ground the above Diitinction between them) this, I fay,
feems a fufficient proof that Sacrifice was of Divine Infti-
tution , and is but ill refolved by Spencer L. 3. c, 4. S, 2. The?
fame
of Reveled Religion. 59
The T'ime of their Worfhip feems likewife to
have had the fame origin, as well from God's
blefTing and fanctifying the Seventh day, -f and
the ancient method of reckoning by Weeks ||
[a method much more ancient than the obfer-
vation of the (even. Planets to which Le Clerc
afcribes it. Not. ad Grot ': de Ver : 1. 16. p. 42. J
As from the earlieft obfervance of that Sabbath
in all Nations of the World, b without any
ground in nature for fuch praclife, or the lead
hint or probability of its arifing from Human
Invention. c
fame thing is inferred with a good deal of probability from
the mention of thofe Coats of Skins which the Lord jnadefor
Adam and his Wife, Gen. 3. 21. which feem moft likely
to have been of thofe Beafts that were offered in facrifice*
and might perhaps be in fome meafure of the fame intend-
ment with that Sacrifice} for the difcovery of which rather
difficult and difagreeable way of Worfhip one would think
they mould ftand in need of God's particular direction, as
much at leaft as for that other more eafy and obvious one
of clothing themfelves. Concerning the ufe and propriety
of this kind of clothing at that time, fee Leland's Anfw.
to Chrifiianity as old, &c. p. 503, &c.
f GVH.2.3. £.xW. 16. 25,26.
II Gen. 8.IO, 12. 39.27. Eccl"*. 22. 12.
b Jofeph. contra. Ap.L.2. Exod. 16. PhilodeOp. Mund.
Selden de Jur. N. L. 3. c. 10. 1 1 . &c. Eufeb. Evang. Przep.
13.12. Grot, de Ver. L. i.e. 16. comp. Univers. Hifi.
Note M. p. 602. and Mix's Reflexions. B. 1. c. 7.
c See Rymer'sReprcfent. of Reveled Religion y c.2. And the
fame may be faid of Tithes. Jenkin. V. 1. p. 102. Authors
on
6o Of the fever alDifpenfatiom
And that in thofe days they had frequent
intercourfe with the Deity, and were made fen-
fible of his efpecial prefence in fome places, ap-
pears farther from his Difcourfe with Cain both
en each of thefe points may be feen in Dr. Waterland's.
firft Charge, p. 41 . &c. On Sacrifices in particular Carpzov.
Introd. p. 118. and Budde Hi/l. Eccl. P. i.S. 1. 30. **.
p. 115. The Diftinction that we meet with afterwards
[ Gen. 7. 28, &c ] between clean and unclean Beafts,
which manifeftly relates to Sacrifice, fhews likewife the
continuance of that kind of Worfhip, and feems to prove
that it was not owing to any human eftablifhment, any
more than this diftinftion itfelf could be. And that the
Men of thefe, as well as after Ages, had both fufficient
authority and inftruclion to ufe the Flefh of the former
fort of Beafts for Food, as well as clothe themfelves with
their Skins, appears to me as plain as that the tending and
taking care of fuch was their chief bufinefs and occupa-
tion. Nor can I comprehend what merit there could be
at any time in their making Offerings unto the Lord their
God of that zvhich coji them nothing, of that which they
could not eat ; or how they came to diftinguifh [ which
they did very early ] between Fat and Lean, between the
good choice pieces, and others, unlefs they had tafted them
themfelves : though 'tis upon this chimerical fuppofition
that the ufe of Animal Food was not included in the
original Grant of abfolute Dominion given to Mankind
over all the Creatures [fome of which could be of no other
fervice to them] that the great Grotius and others founded
their attempt to explain away all Animal Sacrifice before
the Deluge. c Eaedem pecudes, quse ad efum, etiam ad
s facrificia a Noacho zd\\\h\t2£: ; fcil, munds quotquot erant
' Gen. 8, 20, Hie facrificiorum ufus cum Diluvio fit anti-
1 quiorj
of Reveled Religion. 6 1
before and after the Murther of his Brother, *
as alfo from Cain's Complaint of being hid from
his Face, -f and his going out from the prefence
of the Lord. J Nor is it at all likely that Adam y
" quior, idem de pecudum cfu nobis perfuafum, contra
* quam multi fentiunt. Neque enim Abel in facrificium
c id obtuliflet Deo, quo vefci nefas credidifTet, et fruftra
' pavifTet agnos quibus non licuiflet uti. Quin ipfa diftinctio
' animalium in munda et immunda docet alia permifla
* fuifle, alia prohibita. Neque enim in animalibus natura
( fuaquicquam immundum. Sed immundum id eft ex lege,
' cujus efus interdicitur. Itaque illud, Gen. 1.29. Vobis erit
6 in clbum, non folum ad plantas referimus, fed etiam ad
' Animalia, de quibus praeeedenti verfu actum fuerat.
Bochart. Hieroz. p.n. edit.4. Comp. Bip.Clayton's Anfw.
%o Dr. Delaney in the blood-eating Controverfy. — I am
extremely forry to find here that I have been differing
from the ingenious Author of Philemon to Hydafpes, who
in his fifth Part is fo far from allowing any kind of Sacri-
fice to be a Divine Inftitution, that he declares c the general
*■ Notion of the thing itfelf to be in every view of it fo
c glaring an Abfurdity, that he is amazed that it mould
' ever enter into the head of any Rational Creature.' p. 10.
As I have the greateft deference for the Character and
Sentiments of (o very worthy and able a writer, I think
myfelf obliged to add a tew words more in confidering
fome of the Reafons offered to fupport this Declaration.
Firft, « The very Idea of a Divine Being implies in it fuch
4 a fuperior Excellency of Nature as to be wholly out of
* the reach of our good Offices.' He neither wants, nor
can receive Benefit from them. ib. Nor, Secondly, ' can
4 we fuppofe that the Gods fhould ever be pleafed with
J the mere wafte of their own Productions,' p. 13.
Thirdly,
*Gw,4- 6,9. t'v-H- t *»• *6>
6 2 Of the fenier al Dijpetifations
who feemed to be fo well acquainted with the
Voice of God in the Garden * upon his Fall,
fhould never have heard it there before on
other occafions. In thefe times therefore God
Thirdly, ' It gives one a very degrading Idea of their
' Goodnefs to confider them as entering into a kind of
c Merchandize with Mankind in the matter of their
* Favours,' p. 14. and p. 20, ■ The Demand of the Life
c of a perfectly innocent Creature to be offered up in
f Sacrifice to God could give but fmall encouragement
* to hope that God intended to favour a guilty one.'
But I cannot apprehend that fuch an Intercourfe as
was kept up between God and Mankind by the fore-
mentioned Offerings muft necefTarily be taken in either
the Firft or Third of thefe Viev/s, fince the like Inter-
courfe is not always fo underftood even among Men,
fome of whom are too far exalted above others to receive
any advantage from them, yet neverthelefs expect fome
dutiful Acknowledgement of the Benefits which they
confer on others, and require frequent Teftimonies of
their Love : and why mould not we imagine a fincerely
devout Sacrificer to the Deity able to interpret his
Devotion in the fame fenfe ? or if led to a more grofs inter-
pretation of it, why may we not even fuppofe the Deity
condefcending in that cafe to fet him right by fome fuch
kind expoftulation as the following ? Will I eat the Flejb
of Bulls, or drink the Blood of Goats ? If I were hungry
I would not tell thee ; for the World is mine and thefulnefs
thereof. Offer unto God Thanksgiving, and pay thy Vows
unto the ?noJl High. And call upon me in the day of trouble $
I will deliver thee, and thou /halt glorify me. Nor does
there feem to be any more Merchandize m any fort of
Saw**
* Gen. 3.8. 10J
of Reveled Religion, 6 3
was pleafed to manifeft himfelf to the Senjes of
men, and vifibly conduct them by the Angel
of his prefence in all the chief concernments of
Religion. And this infant flate of the World
Sacrifical Offerings, than in thofe other of Vows, Prayers,
Praifes and Thankfgivings, which ftill make up an
efTential part of our Religion, from their relation to which
the former always derived all their value, and were per-
haps only a ftrong, lively manner of expreffing them ;
ftor probably more ftrong and explicit than might be
neceflary for the times ; nor likely to convey any more
degrading Ideas of the Divine Goodnefs [ at leaft not
more than were adapted to and unavoidable in the then
low ftate of reafoning] than does the inward Tribute of
a broken and a contrite Heart, which is ftill requifite on
fome occafions ; as well as the outward publick profeflion
of our dependance on the Deity, the rendring to him the
Calves of our Lips, which when the understandings of Men
were ripe for it, and they able to keep up a tolerable fenfe
of Duty by thefe means, have of themfelves been and are
accepted by the fame gracious Being in the room of the
other, { Hof. 14.2. Heb. 13. 15. ] though thefe be founded
equally on Human Weaknefs, and at a like diftance from
the excellency of the Divine Nature.
As to the Confumption of the Fruit of the Ground in
Offerings, why might not men conceive that the fame
God who had given them all things richly to enjoy, might
reafonably expect a return as it were of fome part of them
merely in token of Gratitude for the reft, as an exercile
of their Faith, in a memorial of their Dependance on him
for a continuance of them, and a pledge of their Obedi-
ence in applying each to the good purpofes for which he
bad beftowed them ? without the leaft dread of affronting
him
64 Of the fever al Difpenfations
muft lland in need of his efpecial guidance and
prote&ion. They were not yet able ( with
Mofcs * ) to look up to him who is invifible,
and perform a purely rational and fpiritual
him by an implication that he either wanted lbmething,
or reaped Benefit by their Prefents.
Nor need even fuch as had the moft imperfect Notions
of his Power and Bounty apprehend this to be any danger-
ous mifapplication of thefe Gifts, on a perfwafion that he
had required it ; though without fome Tradition of that,
Socrates himfelf [ p. 10. ] might perhaps juftly doubt of
the propriety and acceptablenefs of this kind of Worfhip :
as he had the like fcruples about Prayer. [Plat.2dlcib.]
But if ever thefe or any fuch Offerings were in facl:
required, and thefe or the like ends might be ferved by
them [otherwife we mould indeed have no room to be-
lieve they were] then will this be far from a mere ujelefs
waj?e> though the things offered be deftroy'd : nor indeed
can I fee any material difference between a religious
Dedication of fuch things and the Deftruction of them ;
or how they could be prefented to the Gods at all if they
were ftill kept for the ufe of their Owners.
The cafe, I apprehend, will not be much different as
to the Life of an innocent Creature; for if this Creature
be confidered as man's Property, why may not the
Oblation of it be affigned by way of Compofition, Mulct
or Commutation for fuch Faults as he is fenfible of, and
ferve as a ugnificant reprefentation and acknowledgement
of fuch his fenfe, and be accepted by the offended Govemour
of the World in lieu of a more condign Punifhment ?
by virtue of fuch alignment doing away his Guilt, and
being a fufficient Ground of Encouragement for him to
hope for a full reftorajjpn to the Divine Favour, without
any
* iifb-u. 27
of Reveled Religion] 6 5
Worfhip. They could have no very perfect
Notions of his Nature and Providence j nor had
they much leifure for Speculation and Refine-
ment in thefe Subjects. They were all Tillers
any farther Import. Though if this fhould have yet a
more diftant and extenfive view [as much removed per-
haps from the comprchenfion of Mankind in thofe times,
as fome others, then very obvious ones, may poflibly be
now from us] it anfwers thefe ends for the prefent never
the lefs, and is more like all other parts of the Divine
Oeconomy, which ferve for various purpofes immediate
and remote. — But if we admit thefe Ufes, they will make
it improper for this Rite to have been inftituted before the
Fall, which is another Objection, p. 22. And if they will
warrant the fuppofition of its being inftituted at all by
God, it mull: be inftituted with a merciful Dcfign, and as
fuch every dutiful compliance with it would be conceived
in fome refpecl to better the Condition of the Worfhip-
per as far as he could carry his thoughts on that Condition,
how dark foever his Notions might be as to the time and
manner of completing it.
Upon the whole, I cannot help concluding it to be
more probable in itfelf and more analogous to the general
courfe of things that this fo univerfal a Pra&ife of facri-
ficing Animals, however odd and unaccountable it may
feem to be in fome refpedts at prefent, how much foever
inferior to fome modern Notions of the world and its all-
perfeft Governour, mould owe its Origin to fome Divine
Appointment, be propagated every where by primitive
Tradition, and afterwards [ as in too many other cales ]
by a pretended Imitation and Improvement, but a real
Mifreprefentation and Abufe, receive fuch gradual Altera-
tion, from the Authors of all Supcrftition and Vice, as at
E len^h
66 Of the fever al Dtfpenfations
of the Ground or Keepers of Cattle ; employed
fufficiently in cultivating and replenifhing this
New World, and through the Curfe brought
on it by their forefather forced with him to
eat their bread in the fweat of their brow. We
may fuppofe the generality of them to have
been no better than Anthropomorphites in their
Conceptions of the Divine Being, as many were
found to be long after them in much more
knowing Times, a and as perhaps a great part
of the World yet are, by giving way to their
Imagination, notwithftanding the cleared Reve-
length to arrive at that degree of Enormity which this
ingenious Writer has fo well defcribed. And I fubmit it to
his Candor whether the fuppofition of its coming from one
who might have farther views in it than could appear at
firft fight, or be at once accomplished, be not as likely to
remove his Difficulties, as attributing it wholly to the
Invention of Men at a time when it is agreed between us
that they were capable of inventing very little; and who,
if they could fee fo far before them as to ftrike out fuch
a Form of Worfhip, muft we may think have likewife
been apprifed of fome of the fame Difficulties, which
would always attend it. And laftly, whenccfoever it did
come, whether fuch a perfwafion as this Gentleman
entertains of its being fundamentally wrong, and in every
light fo glaring an Abfurdity, be not as hard to reconcile
with the Belief [ which I prefume we are equally agreed
in] of God's exprefs acceptance of the fame on fome
occafions, his permiffion of it all along to his diftinguifh'd
Favourites, and at laft formally enjoining and eftablifhing
it
of Reveled Religion . 6 y
lations and plaineft Arguments to the contrary.
Frequent Apparitions then might be neceffary
to keep up a tolerable fenfe of Religion among
them and fecure obedience to the Divine InfH-
tutions; b and that the Almighty did not ap-
pear as frequently as was either necefTary, or
fit to anfwer this end cannot be concluded from
the filence of thofe very fhort accounts we have
in Sacred Hiftory, as was obferv'd before.
Befides, Adam himfelf continued nine hun-
dred and thirty years an eye witnefs of the
Power and Providence of God, and could not
it with the minutefl Circumftances; and this without any
fuch intimation as is given in other cafes of its being all
merely a compliance with fome of their own Cuftoms or
their Prejudices.
a c LaSIantius is to prove that God has Human PaJJions
' — to prevent being mifunderftood and to provide a proper
* Subject for thefe Pafiions he contends ftrongly for God's
* having a Human Form ; no difcreditable notion at that
time in the Church.' ff'arburton's Divine Legation, B. 3.
S. 4. p. 372. add I«a? on Human Undcrftanding, B. 1.
c. 4. S. 16. and Huctii Origeniana, L. 2. Q. I. S. 8. p. 30.
Koa ya.(> nxo? tv xoyjv\ t» xoq-jus tin ifctibv fit&oriQr.Bxi
rn\v av6^U7rwv (po<r»y, ewy, TTPoxoTrns yevofAtvrtf tiq vvvtciii
*xi rxq Xonrxq uostccs, xai tw svpevw ruv Tfp/vwv, Juv?i0w<r»
xxi xa9 'tx'jTaq £r,v, a X. pr '^ 0VTi< > xii £7nTpo7revovTUv Jtai
©JXOVOUHVTWV aVTXq (ACTX TTXCX^O^H ITTl'QxVZKXi; TWV VTWt-
T*o.ivxv rco t« ©£» G«A*ijtA«T». Orig. COnt. Cels. p. 2 I 6.
Edit. Cant.
£ 2 but
68 Of the fever al Dijpenfations
but reflect on thole remarkable inftances of
both exerted at the beginning of his own Life, a
and muft have acquainted the reft of Mankind
with all thofe Truths relating to the Deity that
were implyed in the Creation of Man and his
nrft fituation in the World * as well as his pre-
fent Hate of Punifhment and profpecl: of a
future Redemption, which were exhibited to-
gether, and doubtlefs explained to him, upon
his Fall. He was all that while a living Monu-
ment both of the Juftice and Mercy of God ;
of his extreme hatred and abhorence of Sin, as
well as his great Love and long fuffering toward
the Sinner. He was very fenfible how Sin
enter'd into the World and could not but ap-
prife his Children of its Author, and at the
fame time inform them of the Unity of God
and his Dominion over the Evil one, and allure
them of his being the Supreme Governour and
Judge of all. For fo much, I think, might
eafily be gathered from that Tranfaction in
Paradife in whatfoever fenfe we underftand it ;
not to mention that the Garden of Eden, the
great fcene of this Tranfgreflion, might perhaps
a See Mix's Reflexions, B. i. c. 8. &c.
* How he was able always to convince the World that
he was the firft Man, fee Cumberland de Leg. Patriarch.
p. 409, 410.
ftill
of Reveled Religion. 69
ftill be vifible. b This would produce a tolerable
Idea of the Divine Being and afford fufficient
motives to obey him. And accordingly we find
the effects of it in the righteous Family ofSetb,
who began to call upon the Name of the Lord, *
or as that Text is better render'd in the Margin,
to call thc??ifelvcs by the Name of the Lord. c
They foon diftinguifhed themfelves from the
Pofterity of Cain, and for their extraordinary
Piety were entitled the People or Som of God.
Of them fometime after fprang a perfon fo
very eminent for Goodnefs and Devotion as to
be exempted from Adam's Sentence and the
common lot of his Sons : who after he had
walked with God three hundred years and
prophefied to his Brethren, * and forewarn'd
them of the approaching Judgement, was tran-
flated that he fhould not fee Death, f This
very remarkable Event muft make the World
about him fenlible of the good Providence of
God infpe&ing and rewarding his faithful Ser-
vants, and one would think it fhould induce
b J/lix's Reflex, p. 53. and 62.
* Gen. 4. 26.
'See Shuckford,V. I. p. 42, &V. VanDaleOrlg.etProgr.
Idol. c.2. Stlllingfleet Iren. c.3. p. 73. 4'°.
* Judei^.
f Hcb. 11. 5. comp. Eccl us . 44. 14. and Mr. Arnold ^upon
Wifdom,4. 10.
e 3 them
70 Of the fever al Difpenfations
them to look up to a better ftate than the pre-
fent, where all fuch might hope at length to
fee and enjoy their Maker. To Adam himfelf,
if he was then alive (as the Samaritan account
makes him to be above forty years after ) to
Adam it rauft be a lively and affecting inflance
of what he might have enjoyed had he kept his
Innocence, as well as an earneft of the promifed
Victory over the Evil one j and a flrong ground
of confidence that he and the reft of his Pof-
terity mould not be left entirely in their prefent
ilate, but fometime or other be reftored to the
favour of their Maker and behold his prefence
in Blifs and Immortality. a At the fame time
lived Lantech another Prophet, who was con-
temporary both with Adam and Noah, and well
acquainted with the Counfels of God, as ap-
pear'd from his foretelling that that part of the
Curfe which related to the Barrennefs of the
Earth w r ould be taken off, as it was, in his
a Sce Bp. Z?:;//'s Difcourfes, V.i.p.343. V.2. p. 585,^.
Mr. Worthlngton argues farther that this Tranflation of
Enoch ' was moreover an intimation to Mankind that if
* they overcame the Depravity of their Nature as he did,
' they fhould be delivered from the ill confequences of it
1 as he was ; the chiefefl of which was Death, temporal
* and eternal, both which he avoided :' and this ingenious
,A uthoi; fuppofes him to be a Type of many others being
. to do the very fame, EJJay p. 72, &c.
Son's
of Reveled Religion. 7 1
Son's days. a At length, when by the unlawful
mixture of the two Families of Cain and Seth>
the latter alfo was corrupted, and the whole
World became full of unbounded Luft and im-
purity,* of Rapine and Violence j-f- when thofe
Giants in wickednefs f had filled the Earth
with Tyranny, Injuftice and Oppreffion, and
the whole race of Men were grown entirely
carnal || and abandoned ; God, whofe Spirit had
been hitherto Jlriving with them, was at length
obliged even in mercy to themfelves, as well
as their Pofterity, to cut them off, after having
raifed up another Prophet, b to give them fre-
quent warning of their Fate, and allowed them
a hundred and twenty years for Repentance. §
Thus ample provifion did God make for the
Inftruclion and Improvement of the World for
the firft fixteen hundred years j namely by
a Gen. 5. 29. fee Bp. Sherlock's Ufe and Intent, p. 89,^.
* Gen. 6.2. fv.n. X v - 4« II v - 3-
b Pet. 3. 19. Heb. 11. 7. Noah the Eighth, a Preacher
of Righteoufnefs, (2 Pet. 2.5.) or as fome morejuftly
render it the eighth Preacher, [fee Jenkin, V.i. p. 46. and
Pool in loc. N. 4.] For he was neither the Eighth Per/on
in defcent from Adam, nor does his being one of the Eighth
Perfons in the Ark feem to be a conftruclion either very
natural or pertinent. Add Pearfon on the Creed, Part 2.
p. 115. 2d Edit,
§ Gin. 6 3.
E 4 fre-
72 Of the fever al Difpenfations
frequent Appearances , as we have feen ; by the
Spirit of Prophecy, which is by fome fuppofed
to have been hereditary in the Heads of Families
in thofe times; a and by uninterrupted Tradition :
there being but two Generations from Adam
to Noah ; fo that we cannot imagine that the
Knowledge and true Worfhip of God during
that time could be entirely loft in any part of
the World. But we are to remember that the
World was ftill but in its flate of Childhood,
which it moft aptly refembled in thofe extra-
ordinary Aids and Supports afforded it; in the
repeated inftances of that paternal care and
tendernefs with which the Creator watched
over it : and I have been the more particular in
examining from whence it might derive its
Notices of God and Religion, and how far thefe
could poffibly extend, in order to obviate fome
Miflakes which are commonly made in the
Hiftory of thofe Times, by fetting out wrong,
and fuppofing the f rft Man to have been once
fuperior to all his Pofterity b both in natural
Abilities and actual Knowledge, becaufe more
innocent than they ; and imagining the primi-
tive Religion more perfect, becaufe it was more
naked, plain and fimple than that in after times :
* S.c jfurieu Crit. Hiji, V. I. p. 34.
6 Viu. Gen. DiSf. Art. Adam, p. 228, i3'c
by
of Reveled Religion. 73
by which means we are forced to make the
State of the World often go backwards, to rife
and fall again, and be filled with Breaks and
Inequalities j inftead of obferving that regular,
even Progrefs which will appear in all parts of
the Divine Oeconomy.
To proceed. After the Deluge God is pleafed
to converfe a frefh and make another more
clear and extenfive Covenant with Mankind in
the perfon of Noah, who was a new inftance
both of his Power, Juftice and Goodnefs, and
whofe Family had been fufhciently convinced
of his fupreme Dominion over the Earth and
Heavens ; of his utter abhorrence of Sin, and
his determin'd will not to let it go unpunifhed.
Nor could they or their Children for fome time
want any other Argument to enforce Obedience,
Fear and Worfhip. a The Knowledge of man-
kind therefore after the Flood muft for a con-
fiderable time be better than ever it was before,
and it might fafely be propagated by Tradition,
and did not ftand in need of any farther Revelation.
But when by degrees they had corrupted this Tra-
dition in the moil effential parts, efpecially with
relation to the Object of their Worfhip, and
inftead of one fupreme God had fet up feveral
Orders of inferior ones, and worfhip'd all the
c See Jllix.B. i.c 1?,
Hoft
74 Of the fever al Difpenfatlom
Hoft of Heaven, (as they began to do in the
time of Peleg the fifth from Noah ) and at the
fame time were uniting under one Head and
forming an univerfal Empire, and erecting a
Monument to preferve and perpetuate this their
Union ; in order to prevent their being all
corrupted at once God faw it necerTary to
come down, a and difperfe them into feveral di-
viner Colonies by dividing them into fo many
Languages, [ or caufing that Dijcord amongfh
them b ] which made their future intercourfe
impracticable, and thereby render'd it impoffible
for any one fpecies of Idolatry to be univerfally
eft ablifhed ; nay gave a confiderable check to
the progreis of falfe Worfhip in general, which
had mod probably been introduced by the
Rulers r of thofe times ; and for which reafon
their People then might be driven from them
to hinder its being impofed, as God's own Peo-
ple were afterwards difperfed every where to
cure it. After the DiJ'perfion particular Revela-
tions were in all probability vouchfafed where-
* Gen. n. 5.7. fee LeCierc upon the place.
b Pf. 55.9. L m e Clerc ibid. Add 1 Cor. 1. 10. and Vitringa
Obferv. Sacr. L. 1. c. 9. §. 6, &c. Sbuekford,B. 3. V.i.
p. 146. or Huchinfon on the Confufion of Tongues.
c See Sbnckford, V.i. B.5.p.353,£sV. The fame Author
gives a probable reyfon for this 5 V.2.B.9. p. 457,^.
ever
of Reveled Religio?2. 75
ever men were capable of improving by them
and difpofed to regard them. We find Peleg
had his Name prophetically given from that
Dijperjion which was to happen in his days ; *
and not only his Father Eber, but all the Heads
of Families mentioned in the eleventh of Gene/is,
from Noah to Abraham, are with fome reafon
fuppofed to have had the Spirit of Prophefy on
many occafions. However Noah was undoubt-
edly both Prieft and Prophet, and living till
Abraham was near fixty years old, might well
be able to keep up a tolerable fenfe of Religion
in the World, which was then but very thinly
inhabited. a His religious Son Shem likewife
was living fo long as Jacob's time, and couid
not but be a great means of continuing the
Faith and Worfhip of the true God among
his Defcendents. b But notwithstanding a few
righteous men and fome remains of true Re-
ligion, Idolatry with its perpetual attendants
* (?*-». 10. 25.
* Gen. 13.9. v. Part 3. p. 108. note* and Newton Chron.
p. 185.-6. The Ark itfelr", a certain Monument of the
Deluge, continued feveral Ages after Abraham, and pre-
ferv'd the memory of it even among Pagans. v.Luciande
D,a Syra. Allix Reflex, p. 68. Jofeph. Ant. L. I.e. 3.
b Concerning the Notices of Religion in the world
i?.bout this time, fee Allix, B.I. C 14.
Vice
j6 Of the federal Difpenjations
Vice and Superftition c had in a little time fo
far prevailed among the Sons of Noah, as to
make it highly expedient for God as well to
fhorten the lives of men, d as to withdraw his
Prefence from the generality, who had made
themfelves unfit for fuch Communication, and
to fingle out fome particular People to bear
his Name and be his more immediate Servants,
and thereby preferve his Worfhip pure in fome
part of the World amidft the various corruptions
that were going to overfpread it. With this
view Abraham is called, who had been driven
out of an Idolatrous Nation, in all probability
for oppofing and refufing to comply with its
Idolatry, e and after many remarkable trials of
his Faith and Conitancy admitted to a particular
intimacy and Friendjhip with his Maker. God
enters into a peculiar Covenant with him and
c The attendants and effe&s of Idolatry are well de-
fcribed by the Author of Wifdom, c. 14.23. — 29. So that
there reigned in all men without exception Bloody Manjlaugh-
ter, Theft and Dijfimidation, Corruption, Unfaithfulnefs y
Tumults, Perjury. 25. Difquieting of good men, Forgetful-
nefs of good turns, defiling of Souls, changing of kind y
dif order inMarriages, Adultery and Shamelefs Uncleannefs^
26. add c. 12. 4, 5, 6. v. Arnold in loc.
d Concerning this great Change in the Divine Oeco-
nomy, fee Part 3.
c Maim. M. Ncv. p. 4.21. fee Chandler Vinci. O. T.
Part % p. 474. Judith 5. 8. Shuckford^ V.i. B.5. p.269.
engages
of Reveled Religion. jy
engages to be his prefent Guide, Protector and
Defender, and to beftow not only all temporal
Benefits on him and on his Seed, a but to make
fome of them the means of conveying a Blefiing
of a higher kind to all the Nations of the Earth,
who mould in an extraordinary manner be
blejjed through him. Abraham no doubt was fix'd
upon for his fingular Piety and truft in God,
and entitled to thefe high Privileges by his
extraordinary Virtues, for whofe fake (or rather
for the fake of encouraging and rewarding of
which Virtues ) the fame Privileges were con-
tinued to a part of his Pofterity, though far lefs
worthy of them. But we cannot think that
it was fo much on his own account that he
was thus diftinguifhed ; or that for his fake
only * Faith is faid to be imputed to him for
Righteoufnefs ; but rather for the common
Benefit of Mankind was all this done, and in
order to make him an inftrument in the hand
of Providence ( and a fit one he was ) to con-
vey the fame Faith and Fear of God to all the
a That the original Promife ( Gen. 12. 7. 13. I4> x 5-
15. 18, &c. ) was made to Abraham's Seed in general,
though the efpecial Covenant was reftrained to a part
of them, fee Remarks on part oi the 3d Vol. of the
ral Phihfopher, p. 89. 90.
* Rem. 4. 24.
3 Nations
yS Of the fever al Difpenfat ions
Nations round him. And accordingly we find
him greatly favour'd and diftinguifhed among
the neighbouring Princes, and Kings reproved
for his fake, who are acquainted with his Pro-
phetic Character and defire his interceffion with
God. j Hiflory tells us of his converting on
the fubjecT: of Religion with the mod learned
Egyptians, b and being very highly efteemed by
them, from whom probably they afterwards
derived the Rite of Circumcilion, among other
Inftitutes of Religion. c We are informed that
his Name was had in the greateft veneration
all over the Eaft j that the Magians, Sal?ians 3
X Gen. 12. 17. and 20. 7.
b "Jofephns L. i.e. 9. contr. Apion. paffim. Damajcen.
in Eufeh. Praep. Evang. L.9. c.18.
c Shuckford, B. 5. p. 322, &c. and B. 7. p. 132, &c.
Others derive it from Jofepb. Univers. Hi/i. V. i.p. 527.
noteR. and p. 453. noteU. add Jenkin,V. i.p. 97. Grot.
Ep. 327. Others fuppofe it introduced by IJhmael, [Rev.
Exam. V.2.P.190}] or his Pofterity the Shepherds, as is
made very probable by the Ingenious Author of Remarks
on part of the 3d Vol. of the Moral Philofopher p. 59,^.
d Prideaux, Part 1. B.4. p. 225. Comp. Hide de Rel.
Vet. Perf.c-2. and 3. and Univerf. Hi/i. paffim. 'Tis re-
markable that the Lacedemonians retained the memory
of him for above 1600 years, and under their King Areus
claimed kindred with the Jeivs, as being of the Stock of
Abraham* I Maccab. 12. 21, &c. Jofeph. Ant. L. 12. 5.
[ fee Dr. IFaterland's Poftfcript to Scrip. Find. Part 2.
p. 142. or Jaikin, V.I. p. 53. and 90. How this might
come
of Reveled Religion. 79
Pet fans and Indians all gloried in him as the
great Reformer of their Religion. d And as he
was let into the various Counfels of the Al-
mighty and taught to reafon and reflect upon
them y as he was fully appriied of his juft
Judgement in the miraculous overthrow of the
rive * wicked Cities, with the particular Cir-
cumftances of it, -f as well as his.moir. gracious
intent of providing a Redeemer for all Man-
kind, and rejoiced to fee his Dtoy, J and faw it-,
'tis very probable that he and his Family would
propagate thefe Doctrines, together with their
Confequences, wherefoever they went. a
come about, fee Stillinrjleet Or. S. B. 3.C.4. or Shuckford^
B. 10. p. 51. ] nor is it unlikely that from the Abrahamam,
or Sons of Abraham, the Brachmans might defcend and
derive their Name. Newt. Chron. p: 351. 'Tis likewife
ohferv'd that the Pcrfmns adhered fd ftri&ly to the Re-
ligion of Abraham as to keep clear of the moft grtifll
Idolatry all along, as is at large proved in the Univerfal
Hi/lory, V. 2. add General D'icl. V. 6. p. 34.3. other Tefti-
monies of Heathen Hiftorians on this point are colle&ed
by the Author of Revelation examined with Candor, V'.%.
p. 217.
* #7/2/. 1 06. fGen.iS.
I Job. 8.56. nya.-h-Kictau.To gejliebat long'd carncftly.
fee IVarburion's ingenious Comment on this Text. Div.
Leg.V.2. p. 592, &c.
a See Dr. Burnet's Boyle's £e$. p. 536.] Fol. « God
* called Abraham out of his own Country and made him
1 travel from place to place, to make him thereby famous
« in
8 o Of the fever al Difpenfations
But though the Deity was pleafed to manifeft
himfelf in a more frequent and familiar man-
ner to Abraham, yet were not the reft of the
world quite overlooked. There were no doubt
many other mining lights and eminent Profefiors
of the true Religion, who like Lot in the midft
of Sodom, were as eminently preferv'd and fup-
ported in it j we fee Laban and Bethuel ac-
knowledging the Lord || and the former of
them favour'd with a Villon ; § nor was the
Spirit of Prophecy, or Divine Revelation,
wholly confined to Abraham, or to his Family.
In Canaan we meet with Melchizedeck, King
and Prieft of the moft High God 5 b who is
acquainted with the Blefling promifed to
Abraham, and confirms it to him, and to whom
the Patriarch himfelf pays Homage. In Arabia
we find Job and his three Friends, all of Regal
Dignity, c entering into the deepeft points of
c in the world, and to invite men by that means to in-
quire after his Profeflion, his Hopes, and his Religion*.
Allix Reflex. B.2.C 12. add Rev. examined, V. 2. Diff. 6 6
and IVortbington's EJftiy, p. 125, &c.
|| Gm.24.31, 50. § Gen. 31.24. \
b Moft probably the Patriarch Sbem himfelf. vid. Cum-
berland de Leg. Patriarch, p. 428, &c. Bedford Scrip.
Cbron. p. 318. The fame opinion is maintain'd by many
other Authors mentioned by Calmet. Dicl. V. 2. p. 177.
c Tebit 2. 16. vule. I/at.— lob infulubant Reges.
Di«
of Reveled Religion. 8 1
Divinity, and agreed about the Unity, Omni-
potence and Spirituality of God, the Juftice of
his Providence, and other Fundamentals of
Religion ; as alfo mentioning a Divine Infpira-
tion as no very uncommon thing. * Eliphaz had
his Viiions and Revelations ~\- as well as Job,
though in a lower degree > a and the latter ex-
prefTes his belief of a Refurreftion and a general
Judgement in much flronger and clearer Terms,
than are elfewhere to be met with near his
time, if according to the Seventy, he was the
fifth from Abraha?n i b or according to others,
contemporary either with him, or Ifaac. c
Though in truth it is not very eafy to fettle
either the Date of that piece, or the Import of
feveral expreflions in it. Some look upon it as
a Jewijlj Parable or allegorical Drama, and
bring it down as low as the Captivity, nor are
they without their reafons. d However, all feem
* Gen. 32.8. 33. 15. +0.4.12,15,16.
* See Patrick Append, to Paraphr. on Job. $.$().
X C.19.
b See Calmet's Dictionary.
c Jurieu. Crit. Hijl. V. 1 . p.18. Shuckford, B. 7. p. 136.
l$c. Univerf Hiji. p. 482. Selden de Jur. Nat. &c. L. 7.
c. 11.
d See fome of them in the Five Letters on Infpiration,
p. 99. and Le Clerc on "Job. 1,6. 23,12. 26,12. 38,3.
42,7. But this is put beyond all doubt by the incompa-
F rable
82 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
to agree that whoever was the Author of it, it is
built upon a real Character, and that decorum
kept up as to fuit molt of the Notions in it to
the Patriarchal Times.
To proceed : In Chaldea we meet with
Balaam a true Prophet, c yet one who from
his own perfonal merit had no particular pre-
teniions to the Word of God, lince he fo
notoriously loved and followed the Wages of
Unrighteoufnefs, and at length juflly perimed
among the idolatrous Midianites, * having
taught them to feduce and corrupt thofe whom
he knew to be the chofen People of God. -(-
Confidering, I fay, the Character of this Perfon,
rable Author of Div. Leg. B. 6. S. 2. p. 543, &c. who has
given us a beautiful account of this whole book and
cleared up all the Difficulties in it which ufed fo much
to perplex Interpreters, and particularly makes it appear
that the words in Queition can relate only to a temporal
Deliverance, nor indeed would the other fenfe of them
well agree with any of the times which have been fix'd
on for the writing of this Book.
• See Patrick Append, to Paraphr. on "Job. p. 60.
* Numb. 31.8.
f Numb. 24.. 9. and 31.16. Mic.6.5. Rev.%.\\.
f Whatever might have been his behaviour before, it
was certainly very bad in the whole of this affair, during
which he had the fulleft Revelations, and yet was always
either directly difobeying or endeavouring to defeat the
intent of them, as may be fcen in Bp. Butler's excel-
lent Sermon on that fubje£t, and Dr. Shuckford's Con-
nection
of Reveled Religion. 8 j
lie feems to have had no particular Title to the
Gift of Prophecy, f and therefore we may fup-
pofe that in thofe days it was not fo uncommon
a favour, but might be conferred on many
others likewife in other parts of the world, 6
whofe Hiftory is not delivered down to us :
and upon the whole, it feems probable that as
in every Nation thofe who feared God and worked
Righteoufnefs were accepted of him , * fo he was
pleafed alfo to manifeft himfelf where-ever men
were difpofed to make a proper ufe of that
Manifeftation, and in fuch manner and degree
as would bell anfwer the ends of his good
Providence, and mod effectually promote the
* Atts 10. 35.
nection. B. 12. p. 314, &V. As to the particular manner
of thefe Revelations we may I think fuppofe them to have
been all made in Vifion, Dream or Trance [ as our
Tranflators have interpreted one hereafter mentioned ]
though from the narration it is as difficult here as in forae
other parts of Scripture to diftinguifh between real FacT:
in the moft literal fenfe, and vifionary, fymbolical Re-
prefentations, fuch as occur in Job,c. I. v. 6,- 12. iKings,
c. 22* v. 19.- 23, &V. Zecbariah 1.2. and perhaps Gen. 32.
2,24. vid. Theodoret. That of the Angel meeting Balaam
in the way feems to be thus explained by himfelf.
AW^.24. 3,4. (when rightly rendered) where he alludes
to the very Circumftance of his eyes being fhut for fome
time c. 22. 31. Nor does it feem very probable that he
who was fafd to be in the retinue of the Princes of Moab.
f 2 Numb*
84 Of the fevtral Dijpenfations
Intereft of Religion. Not to infill: upon the
numberlefs Traditions of fupematural appear-
ances and the common Belief of them all over
the world ; h which notion can hardly be fup-
pofed to have arifen at firft without foundation,
though numberlefs Impoftures ( which yet are
Imitations of fomething real) have indeed ren-
dered all reports of that kind for thefe many
Ages very fufpicious.
But to proceed. When for the reafons above-
mentioned, and perhaps many others, it had
pleafed God to adopt Abraham and part of his
Pofterity in a peculiar manner and to eftablifh
his Covenant with them, * we find all poflible
care and condefceniion ufed to train them up
by degrees in fuitable notions of their Creator ;
a frequent Correfpondence held with them,
Numb. 22.21. mould at any time be fo far feparated from
them in the way as to give room for fuch a remarkable
Tranfa&ion without the knowledge of any of them, as
by the account it appears to be. c Ita dico, in negotio
* Bileami, totum illud quod in via ei contigiffe dicitur,
* et quomodo afina loquuta fuerit, in vifione Prophetica
' factum efie, quia in fine Hiftoria? explicatur quod Angelus
''Dei loquutus fuerit.' Maimon, Mor. Nevoch. P.2, c.42.
To the fame purpofe R. Levi BenGerfom. and Pbilo feems
to be of the fame opinion, by his omiffion of this Circum-
ftance, as is obferved by Dr. Shuck/ord, B. 12. p. 315.
Add Memoirs of Lit. for Jpril 17 10. p. 14, &c. Leibnitz
en=
of Reveled Religion. 85
and frefh Promifes daily given to ftrengthen
and confirm their Faith, to fix and preferve
their Dependence on the God of {leaven.
He reveles himfelf to Ifaac and Rebecca and
foretells the Condition of their two Sons, -f-
renews the Promife made to Abraham , + and
bleiTes his Ion Ifaac, miraculoufly increafes
his fubftance, and foon makes him the envy of
the neighbouring Princes. || He converfes in
the fame manner with Jacob and repeats the
fame Promife ; § gives him the right of Pri-
mogeniture, and engages to be with him and
keep him in all places whither he fhould go. *
This he confirms by many extraordinary BlefT-
ings and frequent appearances, *f- vouchfafing
to talk with him face to face, J to beftow all
kinds of Riches on him, and ftrike the Terror
endeavours to prove the fame in his Hiftory of Balaam*
Gen. Ditt. v. 6. p. 678. Which I think, is pretty clear in
his cafe, though fome of thofe others abovementioned may
perhaps belong to that Species of Revelation by Attion
which Mr. Warburton explains at large, Dlv. L,eg. B.4.
S. 4. and B. 6. S. 5.
g See Judg. 7. 13, &c. and Notes below.
h See Patrick on Numb. 22. 9. Append, to Job. 60, &c.
Huet. S^ueejl. Alnetan. c. 2. N. 1.2. Shuckford, B. 1. p. 47.
* Rom. 9. 5. -j- Gen. 25. 22, 23. % Gen. 26. 24.
II Gen. 12. 13, 14. § Gen. 28. 13, 14. * v. 15.
f Gen. 32. I. 35. 1,-9. X c. 32.29.
F3 of
8 6 Of the fever ml Dijpenfations
of him into all the Cities round about. * And
yet we find all this little enough to keep up
even in Jacob a tolerable fenfe of Duty and
Dependence on his God : (as is obferved by an
ingenious writer. a ) After the firft Vifion he is
furprifed and hefitates, and feems to make a
kind of ftipulation with his Maker. If fays
he, God will be with me and will keep me in
this way that I go, and will give me bread to
tat and raiment to put on, Jo that I come again
to my Father's Hcufe in peace, then Jhall the
Lord be my God: <f that is, if he will preferve
and profper me in my undertakings, he {hall
be my God rather than any other, and upon
that Condition only. And it appears not to
have been till after many fuch Revelations,
JBlemngs and Deliverances, and being reminded
of this Promife, J that he fet himfelf in earneft
to reform the Religion of his own Family by
driving out all ftrange Gods. 11 When Jacob faid
unto his Houfehold and to all that were with
him, Put away theflrange Gods that are among
you and be clean, and change your Garments,
and let us arife and go up to Bethel, and I will
make there an Altar unto God who anfwered me
* Gen. 35. 5.
* Weljied. Scheme of Providence, p. 51, &c.
-\ Gen. 2%. 21,22. $c.35.i. || c. 35. 2, 3.
m
of Reveled Religion. 87
in the day of my diftrefs, and was with me in
the way which I went. h
Thus was God obliged to treat even with
the Patriarchs themfelves by way of pofitive
Covenant and exprefs Compact j to promife to
be their God if they would be his People ; to
give them a portion of prefent temporal BlefT-
ings as introductory to and an earned: of future
fpiritual ones, and engage them in his fervice
by immediate Rewards, till they could be led
on to higher views, and were prepared by the
bringing in of a better Hope to draw nigh unto
him. And we may obferve what care was al-
ways taken to fuit the feveral Difpenfations to
the ftate of the World, and introduce each as
foon as it was wanted, and in fuch a wav as
was moft necefTary to correct: Diforders and
reform Abufes as they rofe, and thereby keep
up a Face of Religion and gradually increafe
the Subftance of it : in the fame manner as
Providence always took care to impart to
Mankind ib much Knowledge of the World,
b The Idolatry here mentioned may perhaps be thought
chiefly to relate to the SbecbemiteWomcn injacob's Houfe-
hold, Gen. 34. 29. See Sbuckford, B. 7. p. 164. However,
that he himfelf had yet but very imperfect notions of the
Deity, particularly of his Omniprejhice^ is obferved by
Le Clerc on Gen. 28. 16. and to the fame purpofe CfrlU.
Alex. L.4. p. 115. there cited.
F 4 the
88 Of the feveral Dijpenfations
the ways of cultivating it and Arts of living,
as was requifite to make Life a BlefTing to
them ; though their Knowledge of both kinds
was neither of fo refined a Nature nor fo high
a degree as it muft grow to by the experience
and Improvements of after Ages. Mankind
were fcarcely got out of their Childhood yet,
with regard to what may be called the Theory
of Religion ; and notwithftanding there might
always be fome extraordinary Perfons who had
a more enlarged profpect of things and enter-
tained more worthy fentiments of the Divine
Providence, fuch as Enoch, Noah, Abraham and
the like ; yet thefe were far fuperior to the
Times in which they lived, and we have reafon
to think that the generality, both in this and
fome later Ages, extended their Views no
farther than the prefent Life and its Conveni-
ences: a and though from the confufed Re-
mains of ancient Tradition they acknowledged
fome Power above them, and frequently ap-
plied thither for direction in their Affairs ; yet
* This feems to have been the cafe even with Abraham
himfelf for fome time, who upon having this extraordinary
promife made to him by God in a Vifion, Gen. 15. 1.
I am thy Jhield and thy exceeding great Reward; rifes no
higher in his anfwer than only to requeft an heir for his
Subftance. v. 2. 3. And Abram /aid, Lord God, what
zvilt
of Reveled Religion. S 9
it was in the petty Affairs of this World only,
and their Belief and Worfhip were accordingly.
How many of thefe Superiour Powers there
might be, or how far their Influence might
reach they knew not : uncertain whether there
was one fupreme Governour of the whole
World, or many coordinate Powers prefiding
over each Country * or Climate or particular
Place j -f Gods of the Hills and of the Valleys,
as they were termed in after times. J They
thought the more of thefe they could engage
in their Intereft the better, and therefore where.*,
ever they came, like the Samaritans, they
fought the manner of the God of the Land, and
ferved him together with their own Gods. ||
Thus was the World running apace into
Idolatry, and ready to lofe the very notion of
the true God and his Worfhip, had he not
been pleafed to interpofe and take effectual care
to prefer ve them in fome one Nation, to be
kept apart from the common Contagion, and
made as it were the Repofitary of true Religion
wilt thou give me feeing 1 go childlefs, and the Steward of
my houfe is this Eliexer of Damafcus ? And Abram faid t
Behold, to me thou hall given no feed ; and Is, one born in
tsy houfe is mine heir.
* 2 Kings 1 8. 34, 35. f See Numb. 23. 1 3, 27.
X 1 Kings 20. 23. 28. vid. Calmet. \\ 2 Kings 17. 33.
and
no Of the fever al Difpenfations
and a Channel to convey it to the reft of Man-
kind as foon and in as high a degree as they
mould become capable of receiving it. To this
purpofe he makes way for the removal of
Jacob and his Family to one of the moft im-
proved and polifVd parts of the World at that
time, and introduces them into it in fo advan-
tageous a manner as to give them opportunity
of imparting fomewhat of the true Religion
with advantage to the moft confiderable Families
in it, and without any danger of fharing their
Corruptions. They are placed by themfelves
upon the Borders of Egypt, were they multi-
ply exceedingly, yet by their very occupation *
are ftill kept a feparate People, and afterwards
rendered more averfe to the Manners and Re-
ligion of their Neighbours by a long and a
ievere Oppremon. Which though it might at
firft perhaps have chiefly been occafioned by
their Oppofition to Idolatry, -J- yet became
very neceffary both to keep up that Oppofition,
and to inure them to Reftraint and Govern-
ment ; and that it might have the effects in-
tended, but not proceed fo far as to reduce
them to an entire fubjection and conformity to
that more potent Nation, through a defpair of
* See Gen. 46. 33, 34.
f Sec Mr. Chandler Vinci of O. T. p. 487.
any
of Reveled Religion. 9 1
any Deliverance, the precife time of this their
Trial was foretold to Abraham * and as foon
as it had been accompli ilied, and they had cryed
for help to their God, *j- they are brought
back in as wonderful a way as they had been
fent thither; which alfo was foretold to Jacob, J
and repeated by Jofepb, || all the Circumftances
whereof are at large related in their Hiftory: And,
I muft add, with all thofe Characters of Truth
and Confiftency which might have been fhewn
( were this a place for it ) to receive new con-
firmation from every fuch attempt to burlefque
and expofe it as is made by a late profligate
Writer. a The God of Ifrael having at length
magnified himfelf over the Egyptians and their
Gods, b by a feries of the moll altonifhing
Miracles, and refcued his People from them in
fuch a manner as mull: ftrike the utmoll: furprife
and terror into the whole Land, and fpread his
name much farther by means of the many
Strangers that ufed to travel thither c in order
to be acquainted with the Hiftory of that famous
* Jfisj.6. f Exod. 2. 23. %Gen. 46.4. and 48.21.
H Gen. 50.24,25.
1 Moral Pbifofopker. In trod, to v. 3.
b Exod. 12. 12. Ntunb. 33. 4. 2 Sam. 7. 23.
c Sec the notes below, with Mr. Chandler's Vind. of the
Hift. of the O.T. Part 2. p. 464. &c. and p. 499.
Nation,
9 2 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
Nation, from whom the greateft part of the
world derived their Policy and Religion : d
having thus, I fay, made his Name great among
the Heathen, as well as work'd fo confpicuous
a Deliverance for his chofen People as might,
one would think, have been fufficient to engage
them for ever in his fervice, he proceeds to
inftrucl: and exercife them for fome time in
the Wildemefs \ he exhorts and intreats them
to their Duty, and warns them againft all the
Vices of the People round about ; gives them
Statutes and Judgements more righteous * than
thofe of any other Nation, and fuch as were to
be a model to the reft of the world j e fends his
Angel before them to keep them in the way, -j-
takes upon himfelf the civil Government of
them, f and by his prefence guides, guards,
directs them in all their undertakings. He con-
duels them through the neighbouring Nations
with repeated Signs and Wonders, 3 and continues
* Vjd. Diod. Sic. L. i. Herodot. L. 2. c. 43, &c ,
* Nehem. 9. 13.
' V'7°f e ph- contr.y//). Selden de Jur. Gent. Sec. paflim.
f Exod. 23. 20.
f The Neceflity for this is well explain'd by Mr. War-
burton. Div. Leg. B. 5. S. 2. p. 366. — 374, &c.
a Numb. 14. 14. They have heard that thou, Lord, art
among this People, that thou, Lord, art feen face to face, and
that thy Cloud fiandeth over them, and that thou goejl be-
fore them by day time in a Pillar of a Cloud, and in a Pillar
of Reveled Religion. 93
to try and difcipline them till they were at
length tolerably well attach'd to his Govern-
ment and eftablifhd in his worfhip; till they
were fit to poflefs the promis'd Land, and till
the prefent Inhabitants were ripe for Destruc-
tion. * At their entrance into it he gives them
more fuch Ordinances b both of a ceremonial
and moral kind as were bell: fuited to their
Temper and Circumftances, and adapted every
way to prevent the Dangers and correct the Ir-
regularities which they were conftantly liable to, c
cf Fire by night ; v. 15. — The Nations have heard the fame
of thee, add Deut.2.25. Jq/h.2. 10. iSam.4.. 8. 6.6. which
places, by the bye, furnifh us with an Anfwer to that Ob-
jection of the Moral Philofopher, V. 3. p. 183. that * had
* God given any fuch — Authority to the I fra elites as is
' hereafter mention'd — he would have let the People of
* Palejline know it, and in fome authentic way or other
4 affured them, that he had given away their Country to
4 Strangers and Foreigners ; and that if they did not leave
* the Land and give up all their natural lawful Pofleflions^
4 Rights and Properties peaceably and without oppofition,
* they muff be all cut to pieces, Men, Women, and
4 Children' : though this was not the truth of the cafe
of which more below.
* Gen. 15. 16.
b Deut.i.%, 5.27.31. Nehem.q.i^.
c See Dr. Burnet's Boyle's Lett. p. 541. Fol. and the
excellent Author of Div. Leg. V.2. B.4. S. 6. 4 It feems
* not to have been God's intention at firft to lay upon
c them fuch numbers of Ceremonies •, for it was only after
4 thr
94 Of the federal Dijpenfations
as well as to prefigure d and by degrees prepare
them for a more perfect Difpenfation under
the Mejjiah. The moral part breath'd nothing
but Equity and Benevolence; it diffwaded them
from all kinds of Cruelty and Oppreffion by
reminding them of their late heavy Sufferings,
and inculcated the greatefl Humanity both to-
ward each other, toward Strangers, Servants,
Enemies, and even the Beafts of the field. e
The Ceremonial parts were folemn and fplen-
did, f apt to engage and fix the attention of a
People whofe heart was grofs , fitted to infpire
* the commifTion of the Sin of the Golden Calf, that God
' laid on them that heavy and troublefome yoak, on pur-
' pofe to employ all their time and fo keep them from
* falling into Idolatry again'. Alllx Rejiex. p. 203. Comp,
Spencer de Leg. Heb. L. 1. c. 4. S. 4. Burnet de Fid. et
Ojf.p.iy. from 7^.7.22.23. [on the other fide fee
Shuckfordy V.3. p. 151. ] If this be a true account of the
Jewijb Inftitution, then though it really was, what it is
term'd, a Yoke of Bondage , yet neverthelefs it might well
be impofed by God himfelf, as being the fittcft thing for
the People to whom, and the times in which it was de-
li ver'd, and confequently not unworthy of having God for
its Author, as a loofe modern Writer wou'd infinuate,
Moral Philofopher 9 V.I. p. 51, &c.
A See Dr. Burnett. Boyle's Lecl. Fol. 547. or Dr. Berri-
man, Serm.23.
• Exod. 22. 21.- 27. and 23. 5,6, 9,-12. ZW. 5. 14.10*
18.14.21.i6.il. and 22. 1.-4.6,7. 23.7.24.10, &rV. 25-
1. -4.26. 12.27.19. £o/. 14. 9,10. 19. 23. -37. and 25.
35-
of Reveled Religion. 95
them with an awful Reverence, and withdraw
their Affections from the Pomp and Pageantry
of Idol Wormip, which had fo very furprifing-
ly bewitch'd the world about that time. It was
fill'd with operofe, magnificent Rites to keep
them duly employ'd and attach'd to it, and fo far
mix'd and incorporated with their civil Polity
that the fame things were Duties of Religion
and Acts of State, and the Service of God be-
came the conftant Bufinefs as well as Enter-
tainment of their Lives ; and ferv'd them in-
ftead of all other Entertainments. a Nor was
35.-38. fee Univ. Hijl. p.675. and 685. Leland'sAnCw. to
yCbrijtianity as old Sec. V. 2. p. 447 &c. Le Clerc on Gen.%.
9. IC Pbilo. de Char'itate. Jofeph. contr. Jp. L. 2.
f See Mr. JVelJled's Scheme of Prov. p. 70, f0c. or
Agreement of Cuftoms between the Eajl- Indians and
Jews, Art. 3. p. 23.
a See Univerfal Hijl. p. 694. and JVeljhd, p. 72, £sV.
or Edwards's Survey, V. I. p. 242, 255, fafr. or Limborcb
Amic. Collat. p. 317. We may add,. that the Ceremonial
part itfelf might have a moral view, reprefenting feverai
Duties to them in that emblematical and Parabolic way
which was well known and commonly made ufe of in
thofe times. See Inftances in Dr. Burnet Boyle's Lett*
p. 542. Fol. Other Rites were inftituted in Commemora-
tion of great and fignal Events, extraordinary acts of Pro-
vidence towards their Nation ; the keeping up a conftant
Remembrance of which could not but be of great ufe
for preferving the Love and Worfhip of God amongft
them, awakening their Gratitude and engaging their duti-
ful
o6 Of thefevtral Dijpenfatiom
this Inftitution wholly confined to the Jews,.
The Law itfelf was given to Strangers, b and
thofe that accompanied them from Egypt ; the
Covenant was made with all the Gentiles that
fhould hereafter become Profelytes to their
Religion ; c and fufficient care was taken to com-
municate it to them, as we (hall fee prefently.
And though the Children of Jfrael were to
have no Commerce with the Seven Nations,
but were commanded to deftroy them and
poffefs themfelves of their Country on their
refuling to fubmit to their terms, and rejecting
offers of Peace : d yet to prevent their imagining
themfelves the only Favourites of Heaven, and
learning to defpife and hate the reft of Man- •
kind (as they were but too apt to do, and which
to a People under their circumftances was in
ful Obedience, Leland's Div. Auth. of the 0. and N. T
afTerted again*! the Moral Philofopher, p. 50. Nor were
the public Feajls, in which they were all obliged to meet
at one place, of lefs ufe to them, by keeping them united
together in one Body Politic, fee Le Clerc on Exod. 23.14.
b Deut. 29. 11. 31. 12. Jojh. 8.33. 35. Exod. 12. 19.49.
e Deut. 29. 14, 15. Neither with you only do I make this
Covenant and this Oath ; but with him that Jlandeth here
with us this day before the Lord, and alfo with him that is
not here with us this day. fee Lev. 24- 22. and fenkin, V. I .
p. 60 - 65. or Worthingtons Eflay, p. 130.
4 Deut. 20.10, 13 c. Jojh. 2. 12. and 11. 19, 20. and 16.
10. and 17.13- fee Univ. Hijf. p. 531. 532. Note I.
Ed-
of Reveled Religion. 97
fbme meafure unavoidable ) they were told at
the fame time that it was for the incorrigible
wickednefs of thofe Nations e (who of all others
had been favour'd with the greater!: means of
information, viz. from the Examples of {o
many eminent men placed amongft them, and
from the Judgements of God fo remarkably fet
before them/ ) that the Lord had driven them
out, as he would do them alfo if they followed
their iteps : * that if any of thefe remain'd
long unfubdued they would infallibly prove a
fnare to them, «f- and that therefore as well for
their own fecurity,as in execution of the Divine
Vengeance, they were obliged to extirpate them,
at leaft the prefent Generation ; g or to deftroy
their National Polity ; h and at the fame time
were fufficiently warn'd to avoid their Crimes.
They were likewife often reminded of their
Edwards's Survey, p. 355, &c Patrick on Ex. 23. 32.
Sbuckford's Connexion, V. 3. B. 12. p. 433, l3c. Selden de
Jur. N. L. 6. c. 14.
e Lev. 18. 24, 25. and 20. 23. fee Leland againft Chri-
Jl'ianity as old he. V.2. p. 429, &c.
f See Jenkin V. 1. p. 56, 57. and 77. 78.
* Deut. 8- 19, 20. f Ex. 34. 12. Jojh. 23. 13.
g Jojh. it, 10. Judg. I. 25. 28. 35. I Kings 9. 20, 21.
2 Sam. 11. 12- iChron. 8- 7,8. fee Jenkin, V. 1. p. 71, 72.
* See Dr. Syfos's Connexion of Nat and Rev. Rel.
c - J 3- P- 33 2 > & c -
G own
98 Of the fever al Difpen fat ions
own Preverfenefs and Ingratitude,* and aflured
that it was not for their own fakes that they
were thus diftinguifh'd, for they had always
been a ftiffnecked and rebellious People ; -f but
in regard to the Promife made to their Fore-
fathers, and on account of the fuperior Wick-
ednefs of thefe Nations j J b that the great in-
tent of God was to raife up and feparate a Peo-
ple which mould manifeft his Power to the
Heathen, and make his Name known through-
out the earth; * which were to be a Kingdom
of Priefts, *f- Preachers of Righteoufnefs and
Publishers of true Religion all over the World : c
that this defign had taken place before they
were born, and would be carried on either by
* Deut.g. f ^.9.6, 7 fefr. % ib, 5.
b That this was fuch as juftly deferv'd exemplary punifh™
ment from the fupreme Governour of the World, and
that it might with equal Juftice be inflicted by fuch per-
forms as receiv'd an exprefs, clear commiilion from him
for that purpofe, is fhewn at large in Mr. Lowman's dif-
fertation on the Civil Government of the Hebrews , c. I»
p. 13,^- and c. 12. p. 221, &c. or S. Browne, p. 366. &c.
Concerning the great Propriety of punifhing them by the
Sword of the Ifraelites, rather than any other way, both
for the better Admonition of the Jfraelites themfelves and
of their Heathen Neighbours, and how much the credit
of the Gods of every Nation depended on the Fate <>f
War.
* E-zek. 36. 22,23.
-J- Ex. 19.6.
of Reveled Religion. 99
their Obedience or their Difobedience^ who
were to be Examples to all others both of the
Goodnefs and Severity of God. J And accord-
ingly in the remainder of their Hiftory, both
under their Judges and Kings, we find them
frequently rebelling, and as frequently punim'd
for it j as foon as they repent, they are reftored >
when they relapfe they are again chaftifed ; d
all along alternately finning and fufYering, im-
mediate and viiible Judgements attending each
revolt, either Opprefiion in their own, or Slavery
in foreign Countries, till the laft great Captivity
in Babylon feems to have quite cured them of
their favourite predominant Vice Idolatry, to
which they had been before fo unaccountably
War, fee Jenkin, V. 1. p. 72. Lozuman, ib. p. 228, &c
Univers. Hiji. p. 893. Note T. ad Jin. Jackfon's Remarks
on Chrijiianity as eld Sec. p. 51. many inftances of this
occur as low as Conjlantine, to which purpofe we have a
remarkable Speech of Licinius in Eufeb. de Vit. Conft.
c. 5. To which we may add, that as the People in thole
times did not in the lead ilifpute the Reality of each others
Deities, no kind of Miracles but fuch as Imply'd fuperior
Power could induce any of them to quit their own for
other Objects of religious Worfhip. comp. 1 Kings 20.
23.-28. 2 Kings 18. 34, tifd
c See Dr. JVaterland\ firft Charge, p. 50,^.
\ Deut. 3c. l$c. Rom. 1 1. 22.
* Judg. 3.8. 12.42.6. 1. 13. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 9, 10, &c
G 2 ad-
1 o o Of the fever al Difpenfations
addicted. e But all this while the reft of the
world reap almoft the fame Benefit by them,
whether they keep their Law and profper, or
difobey it and are in diftrefs. One would na-
turally fuppofe that they mull partake of the
Improvements of the fews Religion in fome
degree, as well as thefe partook of their Cor-
ruptions j and this appears to be the cafe in fact j
and as it has been obferv'd of Greece, that when
it was fubdued by the Romans, itfelf fubdued
e Le Clerc attempts to give fame account of this in his
Note on 2 Kings 21. 11. l I can account for it ( fays an
e ingenious Writer * ) upon no other confideration, but
4 that of the exceeding great Temptations there are in all
4 Religions that are a mere mixture of Civil Policy and
' Priejl-Craft, drefs'd up with all the Artifices of exter-
' nal Pomp, Splendor and Amufement, and made agree-
' able to the corrupt and vicious Inclinations of Men.
* Such no doubt was the Heathen IVerjlnp, to which that
* of the Golden Calf bore too near a refemblance both in
* its Original and Progrefs. And when we turn our
' thoughts to thofe Ages and Nations of the World that
' are call'd Chrijlian [and fuppofed to be under far hap-
* pier advantages of Light and Knowledge than ever the
* yeivijh Church was] and obferve to what extravagances
* both of Notions and Praclifes, the Romifh Communion
1 hath for fo long a time, and by the like means influene'd
* the Majority of the Nations around, it will I conceive
* much abate the wonder arifing from this matter confi
c der'd in relation to the Church of Ifrael? The parallel
in*
* Pyk Pref. to Paraph, on the 0. T. Vol 4,
of Reveled Religion. i o I
its Conquerors, foften'd their favage Temper
and refined their Manners; and afterwards of
the Romans themfelves, that wherever they
conquer'd, they civilized the World : fo may
it with much greater juftice be faid of the
jfeius that they improved and reform'd the
Religion of every People who were either
brought under fubjection to them, or into whofe
hands they fell : who were witneiTes of the
Power and Juftice of their God, either in
inftance abovemention'd affords likewife a good Illustra-
tion of the Degree of their Corruption. For that this
Crime of the Ifraelites did not confift in their abfolute
Rejection of the true God, but only in joining the Wor-
fhip of other Gods, and taking them into Communion
with him, is made plain by another able Writer. * So
' ftrong was this univerfal Prejudice of Inter •community
' that all the Provifions of the Law could not keep thofe
* People from running into the Error. For their frequent
< Defections into Idolatry till after the Balyloniftj Capti-
' vity, was no other than the joining foreign Worfhip to
' that of the God of Ifrael. It is a vulgar Error to imagine
' they confifted in renouncing the Religion deliver'd to
* them by Mofes, as a falfe one ; they all along held it
' to be true ; but deluded by the Prejudice of this Inter-
i community, they were apt to regard the God of Ifrael
* only as a local, tutelary Deity, this we fhall mew at
' large hereafter.' Divine Legation, B.2 . S. 6. p.277. This
he has done effectually in B.5. S. 2. See alfo Jurieu Crit.
Hift. V. 2. Part 3. e.g. and Mede'a Apoftacy of latter
times, c. 10. p. 651.
q 3 di-
102 Of the fever al Difpenfations
diftinguiming them by rewards for their acU
hering to him, or as remarkably puniming them
for deferting him ; and who feem to be well
acquainted with the Intent of thefe his difpen-*
fations, a efpecially when they were made the
Inftruments thereof. b Thus by the various
Revolutions in their Government and frequent
change of their Condition, they fpread the
Knowledge of their Hiftory and Religion far
and near j more efpecially by the total Difper-
fion of the Ten Tribes and the great Captivity
of fudah under the Affyrians and Babylonians -,
when by their cleaving more ftedfaftly to God
a This may be gather'd from the cafe of the Men of
Jericho in particular who were fully inform'd of the feveral
Miracles work'd in favour of the Ifraelites. Jojh. 2.9, 10,
and who muft have had fufficient warning of God's de-
i'ign therein either from common Fame, or more pro-
bably, by exprefs Revelation, for defpifing of which they
are term'd difobedient by St. Peter 1.3.20. comp, Heb.ii.3i.
See Shuckford, V. 3. B. 12. p. 403, Be. And that the fame
thing might be done afterwards in many other Inftances
[ as in the following Note ] by their own Prophets, who
were fent to the Nations on that very account, is no lefs
probable ; as may be fecn in the Notes a little below,
which gives a farther anfwer to the Moral Philofopher's
Objection mention'd p. 96. N. a.
b Jer. 50.7. All that found them have devoured them ,
and their Adverfaries [aid wt offend not becaufe they have
finned againjl the Lord, the habitation of Ju/lice, even the
Lord) the hope of their Fathers , The Lord thy God, (fays
Ne-
V
of Reveled Religion. 103
and refuting to comply with the Idolatrous
Worfhip of the Empire, they were diftinguifh'd
by many extraordinary Interpofitions of Provi-
dence, and had feveral Royal Proclamations
and public Decrees made in their favour, which
bore teftimony to the fupreme Power, Wifdom
and Juftice of theirG^j as in the fuccerhve Reigns
of Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonadius or Belfhazzar,
and Darius the Mede •> as alfo of Cyrus, Cam-
hyfes or Ahafuerus, Darius Hyjlajpis, Xerxes,
Ahafuerus the fecond, or Artaxerxes, a many
of which Princes found themfelves defcribed
before in the Jewifi Prophecies, fome of them
Nebwiar-adon to Jeremiah) bath pronounced this Evil -upon
this place. Nozu the Lord hath brought it and done accord-
ing as he hath J aid, becaufe ye have finned again/? the Lord
and have not obeyed his Voke, therefore this thing is come
upon you. Jer. 40.2, 3. Jm I now co?ne up without the Lord
againfl this Place to deflroy it ? The Lord faid to me, go
up againfl this Land to dejlroy it, fays Rab-Jhakeh. 2 Kings
18. 25. Ifaiah 36. io. and to the fame purpofe Pharaoh-
Necho 2 Chron. 35. 21. which feems to be the molt proba-
ble fenfe of both thefe places notwi th (landing Dr Prideaux's
Objections, V. 1. p. 24, and 54. 8 edit, fee Le Clerc oa
2 Kings 18.22. and 2. Chron. fupra. comp. Judith 5.17, Sfr.
» Dan. 3. 28. 4. 1,2, &c. 6. 25, &c. iChron. 36. 23.
1 Efdrasi. 27.2.3. 8.8, &c. Ezra. 1.3. 6.9. 6. 1?. 7.13.
Nehem. 2.j,&c. Ejlher.q. 32. and 10. Conf. Jofepb. contr.
Ap. L.i. et Ant. L. 11. c. 1. et 5. add Univerf. Hiji.
V. 2. p. 208. Note. M.
G 4 very
104 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
very exprefily, one by name. After theie
Alexander comes to Jerufalem, confults the
Prophecies of Daniel, and offers Sacrifice to
the moft High, b and many of the Jews lift in
his Troops. After his death Ptolemy making
himfelf mafter ofjudea carries above a hundred
thoufand Jews into Egypt, difperfes them
through every Province, employs the chief of
them in his Army and Garrifons, plants great
numbers in Cyrene and Libya, d and gives many
more extraordinary Privileges in Alexandria. e
His Son Philadelphus procured a Tranflation of
their Law into Greek, the then moft univerfal
Language, which was, as it were, a new Pub-
lication of their Religion, f and for which the
Alexandrian Jews formerly kept a folemn day
of rejoicing : 6 (though afterwards it was turn*d
into a Faft, when they found what great ufe
b Jofephus, L.I I. c. 8. Prideaux, Parti. B. 7. p. 487.
Univerf. Hijt. V.3. p. 345,^. though others queftion it.
fee Moy/e's Works, V. 2. Lett. 4, and 6.
* Jofeph. L. 11. c. ult.
* Prid. Part 1. B. 8. p. 526. Jofeph. Ant. L. 12. c. I.
* Prid. ib. p. 541,-2.
* When the World having been united under one great
Empire was in the beft manner prepared to receive it.
See Allix p. 11. Concerning the ends and ufes which this
Tranflation ferv'd, feeJllix Part 2. p.161. a more accurate
account of compiling it may be feen in Prid. V. 2. p. 34,
tfc, 8Ed.
had
of Reveled Religion. 105
had been made of thatVerfion by the Chrijlians.)
His Succeffor Euergetes offer'd Sacrifices and
gave thanks to the God of Ifrael for all his
Victories, having feen the Prophecies of Daniel
concerning them, and been convinc'd that he
owed them only to that God whofe Prophet
had fo fully predicted them. h Ptolemy Philo-
metor had a Comment on the five Books of
Mofes dedicated to him by his Preceptor, ' and
permitted Onias the High Prieft to build a
Temple in his Kingdom after the Model of
that at Jerujalem, and to perform the fame
Worfhip in it; k whereby the Prophecy of
Ifaiah was fulfill'd, * that there fiould be an
Altar unto the Lord in the midft of the Land of
Egypt 3 1 and by this means his Name became
as well known there as in Judea itfelf, that
Temple continuing for above three hundred
s Philo vit. Mof. L.3. comp. Bafnagc, B.6. c. 5. S.n.
h Prld. Part 2. B.2. p. 82. Jofeph. contr. Ap. L.2.
» Eufeb. Eccl Hiji. L. 7. c. ult. &c. Prid. Part. 2. B.i.
P,2Cj. Eufeb. Praep. Evang. L. 13. c. 12. Clem. Alex. Strom.
L. 1. and 5.
k Prid. B.i. p. 264.
X If- 1 9-'9-
1 By this Prophecy the Jnvs thought themfelves autho-
rifed in building a Temple in Egypt, though it was a
thing othcrwife forbidden by their Law. Allix, p. 163.
and
I o 6 Of the fever al Difpenfations
and forty years. * When at length Judea was
reduced to a Roman Province this People and
their Religion became no lefs known all over
that vaft Empire. That they were very re-
markably preferv'd and profper'd under it for
fome time, is particularly noted in its Hiftory. m
We find great Privileges granted them by Julius
Ccefar^ n and Augtiftus, TUberiuSy Vitellius all
fending Victims to be offer'd at the Temple
of Jerufakm. ° And thus did the four great
* Jenkin^ V. i. p. 92. Jofephus fays 333 years. De Bell.
Jud. L. 7. c.30.
m * They are a fort of men, fays D. Cajfius, who though
' they have been often diminifhed, yet have fo far en-
* creas'd, that they have been too hard for the power of
' the Roman Laws, and almoft arrived to the Confidencr
' and Liberty of mak'mg Laws for the reji of the World.*
So Dr. Edwards [ Survey p. 561. ] renders the following
WOrds Ka» e$-» *«» nsccgot, to»? Pw/xaK>K to ytvo<; tbto, #oX*ot>6ee
/xev -nroX^axKj a,v%yQtv $e £7r» <S7XetreVj tf$-e *«» £? <m»ppr)crtctv t>)$
►opcrea;? ixvixnecu. Eft id genus hominum ( Judseorum )
apud Romanos etiam: atque tametfi faepenumero immi-
nutum fuerit, ita tanien au&um eft, ut legum quoque
potejlatem vicerit. L. 37. p. 41. D. ed. H. Stepb. The
Hiftorian probably means no more than that they pre-
vail'd fo far againft the Romans as to live by their own
Laws, or preferve the free exercife of their Religion,
which they did every where [ fee Bifcoe's Boyle's Left.
c.6. S. 6. Not. a. p. 180. ] and which was an indulgence
not only peculiar to them, but pretty extraordinary in
itfelf, confidering their declared oppofition to all other
Eftablifhments, and general odium which they incurr'd
fome-
of Reveled Religion. \oj
fucceffive Monarchies feverally contribute to-
wards propagating the Knowledge of the true
God in the World ; thus as the laft of his Pro-
phets had foretold, -f from the rifing of the Jim
even unto the going down of the fame , was his
Name Great among the Gentiles. \ And though
the Jews were never able at once to convert a
whole Nation to their Church, and make it
the eftablidied Religion of the Country, yet
they gain'd every where numerous Profelytes*
fometimes by their abufing of their own. fee p. 109. Not.S.
" J°f e pk- contr. Ap.2. Id. Ant. L. 16. c. 10, iff e.
* Jenkin V. 1. p. 86. Allix. B. 2. c. 25. The fame thing
had been often done before, particularly by Antiochus the
great [ Jofrpb. Ant. L. 12. c. 3. ] and under Seleucus,
4 when (as is obferv'd by the Authors of Univ. Hijf. V.4.
* p. 45.) the Jews were in fuch high eftecm that Sovereign
* Princes courted their friendfhip, and made magnificent
1 Prefents to the Temple ; and Seleucus furniih'd out of
4 his own Treafury all the expences of it.' 2 Mace. 3.3.
— So far were they from being always that little incon-
fiderable Nation which fome reprefent. See DrJVaterland's
firft Charge, p. 28.
f Mali. 11.
% Comp. If. 45. 6.
p Of this number in all probability were Jethro and his
Family among the Midiamtes. [Ex 18. 11.] Naaman and.
his Servants among the Syrians [ 2 Kings 5. 17. J Araunab
xhcjebufite [2Srtw.24.23.] Hiram King of Tyre [iKings
5.7. iCbron. 2. 12.] the Queen of Sbeba> Egypt and
Ethiopia [ l Kings. 10. q. Jofeph. Ant. 8.2. Univ. HiJL
p. 80J-2. Note S. ] In Sc/o'/ion's time there were found
above
I o 8 Of the fever al Dijpenfatiom
to their Law and many more to the belief of
One fupreme God, ( which was as much as «
was then required q ) and thereby prepared the
minds of men for a more perfect Difpenfation : r
and might have done this with a great deal
better fuccefs, had they acted more conforma-
bly to the genius of their own Inftitution, and
not treated all others with fo much pride and
ill nature as often render'd themfelves odious
and contemptible to them, eipecially in the latter
Ages of their Government. s Though this per-
haps was in fome meafure a natural confequence
of that feemingly anfociable fpirit fo necerTary
in them to prevent an entire intercommunion
with the Idolatrous Religions round them -, and
above an hundred and fifty three thoufand Strangers or
Profelytes in the Land [ iChron.i. 17. ] without reckon-
ing Women and Children, [ib.v. 18.] and in other
Lands very probably might there be as many, by the
miraculous converfion of Nebuchadnezzar [Dan. 3. 28,29
4.34,^.] and the other Princes abovemention'd. [Ejlher
8. 17. ] to which we may add Jofephus's remarkable ac-
count of the Adiabenian Queen and her Son [Ant. 26.2.'}
In our Saviour's time we read of devout men, or Profelytes ,
of every nation under Heaven. [ ASfs 2.5. ] Befides the
Eunuch of Ethiopia^ there were Parthians and Medes and
Elamites (ox Pcrfians) and dwellers in Mefopotamia , Cap-
padocia^ Pontus and Afta^ Phrygla and Pamphylia^ Egypt
and Libya ; Cretes and Arabians and Strangers of Ro?n.
fib. g. 10,11.] kejenkin V.i.p.93. or Lardner's Credib.
of G.Hi/?. B.I.C.3.S.5.
might
of Reveled Religion. 109
might be greatly aggravated by others on their
at length perfifting in a fettled averfion to thofe
Rites which they had fuffer'd fo much for con-
forming to. Befides, the Jewifh Prophets were
often difpatch'd to Foreign Countries to ac-
quaint them with the Counfels of the Mofr.
High, and to make them know the Lord. t
yeremiah was ordain'd a Prophet unto the
Nations, u who together with Ifaiah and Ezekiel
prophefied to mod of them. Daniel particularly
defcribes the fate of the Four Monarchies,
as was obferv'd above. Amos proclaims the
Judgements of God on Syria > Tyre, Edom, Moab
and Amnion. Obadiah is fent to the Idumeans ;
yonah to the People of Niniveh, the Metropolis
1 See Dr. IVaterland's firft Charge, p. 54.
r * It does not appear that any of the moft refined
* Philofophers, thofe men of admired knowledge and
* genius, ever converted fo much as a fingle Perfon or
' Village from their Idolatrous Superflitions ; on the con-
' trary, they all meanly fubmitted and conformed to the
* Idolatry eftablifhed in their rcfpe<5tive Countries, and
' exhorted others to do fo too. Whereas the Jews were
* inftrumental to turn many from Idolatry and to fpread
' the knowledge of the true God far and wide, in many
' parts of the Roman Empire, Babylonia, PerfiaJ &c.
Leland's anfw. to the Moral Philofopher, p. 57.
f V Juvenal. S. 14. I. 100- 103-4. Tac. Hifr.5.5.
• Ezei.2$- 7.17, £s*c . paflim.
'1,5. comp. c. 27. and 1 Efdras 1.28.4
of
1 1 o Of the fever al Difpenfatioris
of the AJJyriam, who ftraight way believe and re-^
pent at his preaching ;which(hews (as is obferv'd
by a learned writer x ) that God was kind to
them as well as to the Jews, and that they had
his Will in fome meafure difcover'd to them
before j otherwife they would not have been
fo capable of underftanding the Divine MefTage
when it came to them, and of behaving them-
felves fuitably to it. y In like manner Nahum
defcribes the final Deftruction of Nimveb, and
Zephaniah proclaims the Divine vengeance on
the neighbouring Countries of the Philifti?ies f
of Moab, and Amnion^ as well as Ethiopia and
Aflyria. z And accordingly their Prophets are
occafionally fought and honour'd by many of
the greateft Princes, who were thereby induced
to acknowledge, fear and reverence the God
of Heaven, though they did not entirely con-
form to his Will. Thus Elifia is applied to by
the Kings of Syria, * Jeremiah protected by
* EdzvarcWs furvey, &c. p. 296.
t V. Buddd Par erg. p. 426.
2 * One needs only read their Books to fee that the
' Prophets not only foretold obfeure matters, or what
■ particularly concern'd their State ; but alio things of a
* more fplendid Nature ; the Overthrow of Cities, of
* Kingdoms ; the Deftru&ion of whole Nations, the de-
4 ftruSion of their own City, with its reeftablifhment.
* 2 Kings c. 5. and 8.
Mat-
of Reveled Religion. 1 1 1
the King of Babylon, % Daniel honour'd and
advanced by the fucceifive Rulers of the Chal-
deans > Medes and Perjians, as obfcrv'd above.
And thus did this famous People every way
ferve to propagate the Knowledge and Fear of
the One true God in almoft every Nation,
either by their Profperity or Adveriity, their
Conquefts or Captivitys, a their Separation from
the reft of the Nations, or their Difperiion a-
mong them; both by the Laws that were
given them, and by the Prophets which at va-
rious times were rais'd up in the midft of them,
proclaiming the Power and Juftice of the Uni-
verfal Governour of the World, and foretel-
ling his difpofal both of them, and the neigh-
bouring States, together with the reafons of it. *
Thus were Mankind far from being rejected
by their Maker during this ftate of Nonage,
though he had his peculiar refidence among
the Jews, and was their vifible Guardian and
1 Matters which would render their Books very illuitrious,
■ and which would caufe them to be read, not only by
* the Jews, but alfo by the neighbour Nations, the
* Ammonites, Moabites, AJfyrians, Perjians, Egyptians 7 &c
Mix Reflex. B. 2 . p. 41 .
X 7^-39- «• 40.1.
■ Vicli vicloribus leges dederunt, fays Seneca of this Peo-
ple. Aug. de Civ. D.L.6. c.n.
* Sec the Texts in p. 103. Note a.
Di-
U2 Of the fever al Difpenfations
Director. The exprefs Terms of his Covenant
indeed belong'd to them ( which as it con-
fifted in temporal things he was often obliged
to interpofe in order to make good the Per-
formance of it, b and which on that very ac-
count could not be a more perfect one j c the
real Benefits thereof, the Heavenly Canaan, of
which the firft may be conceiv'd as only a
Shadow, extended to the People of every Nation
that feared God and worked Right eoufnefs-, and
he might fix his refidence in Jewry, as being
b See Bp. Sherlock Difc. 5. p. 150.
c V. Crellli Orat. 2. Quare nee Mofes nee Philofophi
perfectam virtutem prefcribere potuerint. ' Perfedlionem
* fan&itatis ideo Populo Hebrao prefcribere et ad illam
* fequendam eundem acrioribus ftimulis incitare Mofes
4 Dei nomine non potuit, quod felicitatem ac mercedem,
* ob quas Pietas colenda eflet, terrenae Reipublicae otio,
8 et eorum tantum bonorum afHuentia terminaret, quae
* ad corporis paftum fpcdlant, quorumque ufus hujus vitae
< circumfcribitur cancellis, ita requirente iftius Populi
* infantia : quin etiam illam Rempublicam in qua pietatis
' fuae frudlum Gens Ifraelitica deberet capere, armis et
' parare et tueri juberet. Unde fi totam praeceptorum
' Mofaicorum rationem ad ifta tempora accommodatam
c confideres, animadvertes earn ifti pietatis praemio ap-
c prime fuifle confentancam.' &c. Crell. Eth. Chrift.
p. 443, &c. Op. Tom. 4. * As they were to continue
' feparate from others for the prefervation of the true
' Religion, they ftood in need of Temporal Promifes
4 that they might have no Temptation for Temporal
* Gain
of Reveled Religion. x I \
the midfl of the Nations, d in order to difpenfe
the rays of his Light more equally and advan-
tageoufly among them, to whom his chofen
People probably were defign'd to bear a due
proportion, as fome understand thele words of
Deuter. 32.8. He Jet the bounds of the People
according to the number of the People o/'Ifrael. *
We are apt to conceive the Deity as partial in
his favours to this People, and at the fame time
think that they defer v'd them the lead of all
People, both which Notions perhaps are en-
' Gain to fall away into the Gentile Superftitions. For
* fince the Heathen ow'd all their Worldly SuccefTes to
* the Worfhip of their Idols and falfe Gods, there wss
' a neceflity, in proportion, that the God of Ifrael fhould
* fhew himfelf as gracious to his Votaries, as the falfe
' Gods were fuppofed to be to theirs ; and therefore it's
' fo far from being a Derogation to this Law that it
c abounds fo much with the promifes of Temporal BlefT-
* ings, that it is a particular Inftance of the VVifdom of
* it 3 fuch Promifes being not only moil: likely to work
* upon that ftupid lowminded People, but fuited alfo to
* their particular Circumftances and Occafions, as they
* were to be kept feparate from other Nations,' Dr. T-
Burnett. Boyle's Left. p. 543. Fol.
d Ezeck.$.$. 38.5. vid. Reland Palceji. L.i.c. ic,
and the Life of David Vol. 2. p. 92.
a See Jenkin V. I. p. 49. That the Jews were fpread
over all the World about Chrijfs time, as it is faid Jffs
2.5. \id. Jofepb. B.I. c. 16. Philo. Legat. ad Caj. id. in
Flacc. Lardncr's Credib. B.i. c.3. or Bafnage's Hift. B. 6.
FI tirely
n 4 Of the federal Difpenfatiom
tirely groundlefe. Their favours, we have feer?,
were rather favours to the whole World, and
they only Instruments in the hand of God to
hold forth this Light to all around them, whereof
other Nations were fure to reap the benefit in
due time, whether they themfelves flood faithful
to their truft, or fell for violating it. b Nor perhaps
were they worfe than any other Nation would
have been in the like Circumftances. The
Ca?iaanites i we know, behaved worfe under all
their early advantages and repeated means of
improvement, as obferv'd above ; * nor could
their Defcendents the Carthaginians deferve
any better Character : nor did the more polite
and learned Nations Greek and Roman after-
wards advance above the fame grofs errors in
religious worfhip. c Nay whether the Hebrews
were not in fome refpects more particularly fit
to have the Oracles of God committed to them
has been queried by fuch as obferve their for-
mer exactnefs in fettling their Hiftory, in di-
ftinguifhing their Genealogies and preferving
all their Records ; their great tenacioufnefs of
Ancient Rites and Cuftoms -, and their extraor-
» See Wel/ledp.yj.
* p. 107.
c See this Obfervation explain'd in PUary's Manner
of the Ifraditts c, 21,
dinary
of Reveled Religion. i 1 5
dinary Zeal in making Profelytes. d And though
we may allow them to have been in general
extreamly itupid and perverfe, yet if we look
over their Hiftory with any tolerable degree
of Candour, we mult, be convinc'd that they
were very different from the acount given of
them by fc-me unfair modern Writers. e But
the more weak and fottifh this People were of
themfelves, the better was God's great end
anfwer'd in diitinguifhing himfelf and his Re-
velations by them j the lefs they did or could
do in their own defence, the more illuflrious
was that very extraordinary Providence which
protected them, as is obferv'd by an able
Writer. f And the lefs capable they were of
inventing the great things contained in their
Books, the more apparently did thefe point out
another Author, and prove more inconteflibly
that they had fuch communicated to them
from above. g However, they were in the hands
of God, a certain means of bringing men by
d Jenkin V. i. p. 91. 93. I. A. Darizii Cura Hcbrceorum
in conquirendib Profelytis.
• See the Moral Phi lofopber p. 255, Cv. V.I. with
Leland\ Anfwer. V. 1. p. 207. and Wen tbitigton's Eil'..\
p. 105, I06.
f Div. Leg. B. 5. S.2. p. 362.
* See Mr. Seed's Difcourfes V. 2. Serin. 7. p. 204.
h 2 de-
1 1 6 Of the fever al Dijpenfations
degrees to the knowledge of the Truth. They
were his Witneffes, as He himfelf terms them,*
that he was God. The firfl production and ori-»
ginal ftate of Mankind, the Hiftory of the
World and its Government manifefted by fre-
quent Interpofitions and exprefs Predictions of
the moft remarkable Events, was necefTary to
be known and well remember 'd : Memoirs of
this therefore were to be kept fome where, and
in fuch a manner as to be of ufe to all Ages.
And this the Jews effected, being difpers'd
among all Nations, and yet ftill kept a diftindt
People j by which means thefe great Truths
were both preierved pure and propagated to
moft parts of the World. Their Law was a
Schoolmajier -f to teach them the rudiments of
Religion who were to inftruct and improve
others ; it was added to the Promife, or to the
Religion of the Patriarchs , a becaufe ofTranf-
grejjions, \ to convict them of Guilt and con-
vince them of the neceffity of laying hold on
thofe Terms of Grace which were to be offer'd
in due time. Their whole Inftitution was a
State of Difcipline and Bondage under the
Elements of this World, |] a fort of fervile con-
* Ifaiah 43. 10. 12. + Gal. 3. 24 j
» Div. Leg. B. 5. S. 1. p. 361.
t ib. 3. 9. (j ib. 4. 3.
fine-
cf Reveled Religion. ny
finement and Tutelary regimen, conducting
them by prefent, temporal rewards and earthly
profpecls ; affording only a dark, diftant inti-
mation of better things, and introducing thefe
in figurative reprefentations, by Sacrifices, Types
and Emblems 3 till they as well as the reft of
the World were got out of their Minority > able
to walk by a more Perfect Rule, and fit to
enter on and make a proper ufe of their Inheri-
tance j till the Fulnefs of the Time was co?ne :
which is the next great Period we are to con-
fider.
From the foregoing account it appears that
God made fuch ample provifion for the in-
ftruclion of Mankind by the various Difpenfa-
tions of his Providence and Revelations of his
Will at fundry times and in divers manners,
that the million of his Son was not wanted
for fome time j neither would his coming have
been fo feafonable or fo fitting till after thofe
other methods had been tried. It was proper
that the Houfe holder fhould firft fend his feveral
Servants to fee after the ftate of his Vineyard ^
and reap the fruits of his early care and Cul-
ture in their feafons : * that lower Inftitutions
mould precede and pave the way for this lad
and higheft of all.
* Matth. 21. 33. Jtr. 7. 25.
h 3 The
1 1 § Of the federal Difpenfations
The Patriarchs had ftanding memorials of
God's prefence and protection, as well as fre-
quent and familiar Converfe with him, afiuring
them of his Favour and thereby inviting and
alluring them to his Service : The Law was
given to his peculiar People by Angels , * in all
the appearances of pomp and terror, to aftonifh
and awe them into obedience j the Prophets
were fent to denounce variety of Judgements
againfr. their Difobedience j to threaten them
with the fevereft Plagues on their Apoftacy,
as well as to promife them proportionable
Bleffings upon their return to their Duty ;
and by both means to prepare them for, and
gradually open to them the profpect of that
great, univerfal Bleffing, the end and Comple-
tion of all his Promifes, — MESS IAH j in
whom were laid up the fur e mercies of David-,
mercies of a much higher nature than any of
thofe which they were then expecting ; who
mould procure for them a far more noble and
extenfive Kingdom than they had ever dreamt
of, mould make them brethren and fellow-
citizens with all the world here, and fellow-
heirs to a more valuable Inheritance in the
* Afts 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19, Heb. 2. 2.
World
of Reveled Religion, i r 9
World to come. a Who notwithstanding their
blindnefs and preverfenefs and many Tranfgref-
fions, mould certainly deliver them from all
their Adverfities, and finally reftore them and
all Mankind to the favour and full Enjoyment
of their God.
The Doctrines he taught contain a Syftem
of the moft agreeable and important Truths
( though not deliver'd in any Systematic, b
artful method, or adapted in any refpect to
vicious Palates) giving us the moft worthy,
amiable notions of the Deity, and affording the
* During thefe Circumftances — God was pleas'd that
' a Lawgiver fhould be born among the Jews of another
' nature than he whom they expected, and infinitely more
' ufeful to them, Inftead of a temporal King who might
* have increas'd their Power and Renown, but would not
* have leflen'd their Ignorance nor their Vices, God fent
' them a King worthy of Him, who taught them how
' they ought to live here to be eternally happy after this
* Life : and fhew'd them that inftead of being members
f of a little Common- wealth and enemies to the reft of
* Mankind, they ought to look upon the whole World
' as their native Country, and all men as their fellow-
* citizens : a Thought worthy of thofe who already pro-
* fefs'd to believe that all men are equally the Work of
' God.' LeClerc on the Caufes of Incredulity, p. 267.
b That there is lefs ground to fufpect them of Impofture
on this account, and that they are thereby of much greater
ufe, See LelancVs Anfvver to Cbrijlianity as eld, &c. V. 2.
p. 166, &c. and p. 245, 246.
H 4 ftrong-
120 Of the fever at Difpenfatiom
flrongeft Motives to love and obey him, the
greateft incitement to refemble our BlefTed Savi-
our himfelf in Goodnefs, Holinefs, and every
Virtue of the Heavenly Life.
The Benefits he conferr'd were the refcuing
us from the power, and redeeming us from the
penalty of Sin -, repairing the breach made in
our Nature by the firft Adam, and reftoring
to us the loft Communion with our Maker ;
not indeed in the fame open, vifible manner as
at firft, which is neither necefTary for, nor
fuitable to thefe Ages of the World ; but by
the more fecret, filent influences of his Holy
Spirit, which are equally efficacious a if duly
attended to and improved j enabling us to at-
tain unto all that Perfection which he requires
or we are capable of in the prefent ftate, and
thereby entitling us to fome higher Degree of <-
Happinefs and Glory in another. By his own
Blood he cancels the original Covenant, b and
purchafes a new one full of Grace and Mercy j
freeing us from the whole of Adam's Curfe, viz.
Death, or utter Extinftion-f and finally afluring
us of a complete Vi&ory over both that and
a See Wollajion, p. 106. or A.Bp. King, p.425. 3ECI.
b In what fenfe Covenants are undcrftood was hinted
above, p. 29. Not. *.
* See Not. c p. 29,
Hell
of Reveled Religion. 1 2 1
Hell* by the Gift of eternal Life and Happi-
nefs. This is the true import of the Chrillian
Inflitution, and in this fenfe it muft appear to
be indeed a Gofpel, or good Tidings of great joy
to ALL People : d which therefore ought to
be referv'd till Mankind were able to compre-
hend and duly refent lb great a Blefiing j till
they were fit to make the proper ufe of fuch a
Scheme of infinite Goodnefs and Philanthropy.
As nothing greater could come after this, and
this was to be offered but once for all ( other-
wife, as the Apoftle fays, -j- Chrift muft often
have fuffered fince the fowidation of the World \
often in every Country, and as often in vain,
his offers of Salvation by their cheapnefs flighted,
his Sufferings difregarded ) as no farther mani-
feftation, I fay, of God's Will could be made
to Man either in terms more full and exprefs,
or in a way more kind and condefcendino- . it
was fit that all fuitable provifions fhould be
made for the reception and continuance of it
in the World, all proper preparations ufed to
fix and afcertain its Evidence, as well as to ex-
plain its Worth, and make men fenfible of its
* Rev. 20. 14.
d In what rcfpecls Chriftianity exceeded all former Infti-
tutions may be feen at large in Edwards* s Survey, p. 313,-
323. The effects which it will fome time certainly produce
are
122 Of the fever al Dijpenfatiom
true Ufe and Neceffity. To this purpofe the
Jews were to be train'd up to the expectation
of it by a feries of Prophecies foretelling the
Time, Place and every Circumftance of the
MefialSs Advent, and defcribing the Nature of
his Kingdom : their Law was to continue till
it had effectually guarded them from all kinds
of Idolatry and fecured their dependence on the
one fupreme God; till they had attain'd to
fuch rational notions of his Nature and Provi-
dence as qualify'd them for a more pure and
perfect way of worfhipping him, and enabled
them to communicate it to the reft of the
World. The Gentiles were to have fufficient
experience both of the Weaknefs of their
are well defcribed by Mr. Worthington in his EJfay on
Man's Redemption^ c. II. &c. who fuppofes that they will
be attainable even in this Life and has taken a great deal
of pains to prove it. The fubftance of his Scheme is thus
laid down, p. 253. — ' My perfwafion is, that our Re-
* demption by Chrift will, when it hath its perfect Work,
* be productive of all thofe great and happy effects —
4 That the Human Nature fhall, before the end of the
* Gofpel Age and confummation of all things be deliver'd
* from Sin, Sorrow and Sicknefs, and all the other Miferies
« and Evils of this Life, proceeding from the Fall of our
' firft Parents, and in the end from Death itfelf j without
<, rafting of which it fhall be tranflated from an earthly
* Paradife, which it fhall once more enjoy, to an Hea-
' vcnly one, which it fhall enjoy for ever. And moreover
' that
cf Reveled Religion. 123
Understanding in Searching after God, and the
infirmity of their Nature in not acting up to
what they might and did difcover ; fufficient
to make them wifh and hope for fome Hea-
venly Guide (to inform them how they came
into their prefent (rate of Ignorance and Im-
perfection, and how and when they ihould be
able to get out of it,) which in fact the wifeft
of them did, as particularly appears from two
remarkable Inftances in Socrates's Difcourfe
upon Prayer and Sacrifice , e and in Arijlottis
declaration juft before his Death [if the account
of it be genuine] concerning the reafonablenefs
of believing that the Gods fhould come down
from Heaven to inftruct and relieve Mankind/
* that all the Diforders of Nature in general fhall be reo
* tified, and that there fhall be a Redemption of the
' whole Creation to its firll State, as well as of Man, the
* Lord of it.' How far this differs from the Hypothecs-
of Burnet, or Afgil's Argument, may be feen in the fame
place.
e See Plato's fecond Alcibiades near the end. More
paffages to the fame purpofe are collected by Dr. Clarke,
Evidences. Prop. 7. and Dr. Young DifTert. V. j.
f Auclor de Porno [de quo v. Fabric. Bibl. Gr. Tom. 2.
L.3. p.166.] Ccel. Rbod. Ant. L.17.36. [fee Bayle's Diil.
Art. Arijlotle, Note Q^ ] Stanley Vit. Philos. concerning
the Tradition of his having convers'd with a Jew, fee
Gen, Dicl. V. 2. p. 267.
Thus
124 Of the fever al Difpenfations
Thus was the Confcioufnefs of their Defects
requifite in the Heathens to prepare them for,
and difpofe them to embrace a Remedy when
it fhould be otfer'd; and the Jewijh Oeconomy
was equally requifite to fit them for admini-
flering this Remedy ; the one made its value
better underftood, the other render'd its Evi-
dence more inconteftable throughout all Ages.
No ftronger Teftimony than that of Prophecy
could be given to confirm its truth, nor any
greater Token of its Ufefulnefs than that which
appear'd in the miferable State of the Heathen
World without it ; both highly contributed to
procure Chriftianity its due regard and efteem
in the World ; but neither of them could have
taken place had it been from the beginning, as
the Objection* fuppofes. We fee then in general
that fome time mull have preceded the Publi-
cation of the Gofpel ; and we ought to con-
fider that if it were delay 'd a while longer than
we can particularly account for, yet as much
as that Period may feem to have loft, fo much
we of thefe latter Ages manifeflly get by the
delay , 'tis fo much nearer to us, and thereby
its Light and Evidence more clear at prefent,
its Heat and Influence proportionably ftronger;
* P- 25.
all
of Reveled Religion. 1 2 5
all which we have occafion enough for already :
and well is it for us that it came fo late, if all
its Evidence decreafe fo faft by length of time,
as thefe very fame Objectors would inlinuate. *
And how do we know but that it might be
deliver'd about the middle Age of the World,
and by that means be neareft to the feveral
Generations, and the moft juft proportion kept
between the length of time during which Chrift's
future Advent was to be foretold and expected
and that in which his paft appearance is to be
acknowledg'd and commemorated ? We are
hafty and fhort-fighted, our views limited to a
few years and we become impatient at feeing
any of them pafs over before the whole Plot
is unravel'd, and would have all brought on
the Stage at once : but it is far otherwife with
the great God, to whom a thoufand years are
as one day ; who has an immenfely large pro-
gressive Scheme confifting of many underparts
and intermediate fteps, all placed in their pro-
per Periods, and each rifing upon the paft, and
the whole conducted in that regular, gentle
manner which is beft fuited to the moral
Government of a World of intelligent free
a Chriftianity as old, c. 12. p. 163. 8 tt0 . from Craig, of
which fee Dr. Rotberam's DiJlertation. Edinb. 1743.
Agents,
126 Of the fever al DifpenfationS
Agents, and moil becoming a Being of infinite
Wifdom and Goodnefs.
But to be more particular. The Period in
which our Saviour came into the world may
be conceiv'd to be the Fullnefs of Time and
fitteft for fuch a Difpenfation on the following
accounts. Firft, as it appear'd to want it moit :
Secondly, as it was the molt, able to receive and
propagate it : and Thirdly, as it was the bed
qualify'd to examine its Evidence, confirm its
Truth, and convey it down to future Ages.
Firft, it wanted it moit, and that in regard
to both its Morals and Religion : i . That Age
ftood in the greateil need of a Reformation in
its Morals, as it appears to have been the moft
wicked and abandon'd of any upon record.
As to the Jews, we are told that both theif
Magiftracy and Miniftry were then corrupted
to the laft degree, their Laws againft the worft
of Villains never executed * their moil: facred
Offices, not excepting that of the High Prieft-
hood, fet to fale, the Temple turn'd into a
place of Merchandife, their Priefts made of the
loweft of the People, and devoted wholly to
Intereft and the loweft kinds of Traffick ; the
* The low State of their Sanhredrim about that time,
may be feen at large in Light/art Op. Lat. V.2. p. 370,
671, b7.
whole
of Reveled Religion. i 27
whole Nation fplit into Sects and Factions,
hating and perfecuting and devouring one
another. a
In fhort, the account which their own
Hiftorian gives of them not long after this time
will be fufficient to determine the point be-
fore us, who concludes it with this Declara-
tion ; That if the Romans had delay 'd taking
vengeance on them, he believes their City muft
either have been fwallow'd up by an Earth-
quake or Deluge, or deftroy'd by Fire from
Heaven, as Sodom was, fince it produced a
much more impious Generation. b — But this
remarkable Wickednefs of the yews will be
confider'd in another refpect hereafter. — Nor
were the Gentiles lefs corrupt, or even capable
of ever being more fo ; nor does it feem po£-
fible to conceive Human Nature to be funk
lower in all kinds of Vice and Senfuality, than
they were at that time ( notwithstanding all
a See Ligbtfoot, Op. Lat. V. 2. p. 148.272, bV. Ed-
wards's Survey, V. 1. p. 339, &c. Lardner's Credibility
of the G. Hift. B. 1. c.5. Benfon's Hift. of planting the
Chrijlian Rel. V. 2. p. 234, &c. Le Clerc. Proleg, ad Hift.
Eccl. Seel. 1.2. Bafnage B. 1. c. 5, &c. Whitby% Ne-
ceflity, &c. of the Cbrijiian Rev. c. 2. Nor is this at all
furprifing, fince the reigning Party among them were at
that time Sadducees. Jofepb. Ant. 18.2. add Il'~aW-> Note
on Arts 5. 17.
fc Jofepbus, B.I. L. 16. c.i 6,
their
128 Of the fever al Dljpenfations
their Improvements in other refpects) as may
fufliciently appear from the Defcription given
of them by St. Paid * whofe witnefs is true,
and moft abundantly confirm'd by their own
Writers. a
But Secondly. The World at that time more
especially wanted a Reformation in Religion,
and was grown weary of all former Inftitu-
tions. The Jeivifh Law had fully anfwer'd if s
* Rom.l. 21. iSc.
* Some account of them may be feen in Millar's Hift.
of the Propag. c.5. p. 54,^. and the Bp. of London's
2 Part. Lett. 4, 5, &c. or Buddei Eccl. A poft. c. 1. §. 3.
' Ecce Romana Refpublica, quod non ego primus dico,
4 fed au&ores eorum unde haec mercede didicimus tanto
' ante dixerunt, ante Chrifti adventum, paulatim mutata,
' et ex pulcherrima atque optima, peffima atque flagitio-
' fiflima fadta eft. Ecce ante Chrifti adventum poft de-
' letam Cartbaginem, majorum mores non paulatim ut
' antea, fed torrentis modo praecipitati ; adeo juventus
' luxu atque avaritia corrupta eft.' Auguflin. de CD.
L.2. c. 19. et Id. ib. c. 21. Conf. Sallufl. B. C. Paterc.
L.2. c. 1. Senec, Ep. 7. et de Ira, L. 2. c.8, &c. cum
Sueton. Tacit. Petr. Arb. paflim. * Si Ethnicorum mores
* paulo ante Chrijlum et paullo poft intueamur, quae fuit
' do&iffima aetas, peftimos et fceleratiflimos fuifle com-
* pcriCmus,ut docent qui eorum temporum hiftoriam con-
* fcripferunt. Bella Civilia temporibus Marii, et Sulla:,
* ftatus Reipub. Rom. perturbatiffimus, qui proxime fe-
' quntus eft : bella iterum Civilia Caf. et Pomp, turn
* etiam Triumvir. Principals ipfe Aug. et multo magis
< Tib.
of Reveled Religion. 229
end, and almoft ceafed of itfelf ; the Ceremo-
nial part of their Oeconomy began rather to be
a Yoke of Servitude and an unneceiTary Burden
to them j the Moral was in a great meafure
loft in their loofe Cafuiftry and vacated by
their Traditions. b The fenfe of the Prophetic
Writings had been darkened and debafed by their
corrupt Glofles, and the Key of true Knowledge
at that time taken away by thofe very Perfons
Tib. Calig. Ncr. et Dom. ne ulterius pergam, cloacae
' fueruntflagitiorum et fcelerum apud Romanos, qui tamen
* Gracos paflim quafi fe deteriores defcribunt. Sail Cic:
' Sen. Tdc. Suet, aliique cum nobis hodie leguntur, etiam-
' num indignationem in improbos illius sevi homines nobis
* movent : ne proferam Pers. et Juven. Poetas Satiricos,
* qui forte modum exceflifTe, in caftigandis moribus fui
' aevi poflent. ltaque pravae religionis erFe6lus fiftere
' non potuit Philofophia, et paucorum contra torrentem
4 nitentium conatus irriti fuere.' Cleric. Proleg. Eccl. Hifr.
S. 2. c. 1. 20. add Whitby's Neceflity of the Chrijiian
Rev. c. 8.
b Eorum turn Religio, quantumvis Scripturas regulam
fuam pronunciarent, Traditionibus omnis generis prae-
cipue nitebatur ; quas non tantum Scripturis praeferebant,
fed iifdem omnem Scripturis Authoritatem derogabant.
Marc. 7. 7. -g. Tenucrunt Dominum cum i His contraxijp
fadus juxta legem Traditionh. Baal Turim in Gen. 1.3.
Tcnebant Scriptam Legem deficere comparatam Legi non
fcriptce. Tanch. Fol. Legemque fcriptam ob mer cedent
doceri poJJTe y non item non fcriptam. Maim, in Thalm.
Torah. Perck. 1. Lightfoot Op. Lat. V. 1. p. 517. Vide
plura Teftimonia ibid. V. 2. p. 3L
I that
130 Of the fever al Dijpenfations
that mould have open'd the Scriptures and im-
parted it to thefri. Philofophy had {hewn its
utmoft force in the great Mafters of Athens and
Rome, and was able to afford juft Light enough
to difcover its own Errors and Defects, and to
refer them to a better Guide, as we have fecn
above. Its Votaries having been long tofled to
and fro among the variety of Syftems which
human Wit had invented, were at laft left in
abfolute Uncertainty, unable to decide amongft
them, and ihfluenc'd by nothing more than
ibme dark Hints of ancient Tradition, c and
c This appears to have always been the cafe in moft of
the beft things which they deliver on the moft important
Subjects, as may be eafily difcern'd by the abrupt man-
ner in which they commonly retail fuch Sentiments, by
their feldom reafoning on them long confiftently, (I fpeak
of their Writers in general) or being able to purfue their
natural Confequences ; from whence methinks any in-
different Perfon wou'd conclude that they had never
traced fuch out by their own Reafon, nor were the original
Difcoverers of them ; at leaf! I could not help concluding
ib from hence ; as well as from their frequent citing of
Tradition and fame/acred Records for them, and appeal-
ing to what they have beard upon fuch Subjects. I might
have fet down numberlefs expreflions that confirm the
obfervation, though I do'nt doubt but the fame thing has
been obferv'd by many others: However I fhall point out
fome remarkable Paflagcs from Plato to this purpofe,
Phikbus. 0» [mv waAtfuoi xgtirovzt; v\pm x«t s'y'yvT£(>u
of Reveled Religion. 1 3 1
and that became one of its moil rlourifliing Sects
which profefled to doubt of every thing : and
accordingly we find the great Ornament of this
Seel: Cicero declaring on fomc of the moll, im-
portant Points that it was impofiible to deter-
mine on which fide lay ( not the Certainty,
for that they did not pretend to difcover, but)
3"£toV 01X8VTEJ TXUTW ^JljU'/l^ ZTCtP lSoi<TXV. Id. Ep. J .
Ht $t&xi Si htw; a»£t wn t&xXxiok; T£ XXI ispoig AO^OJf, Qi
Si f/.nvvoi<Ti-j »)/wtu a9avaTov H'U^y £»vai, Sixxg~xg te »<t;£ejv,
y.xi rivnv txs ^syig-xg Tipugixg, otxv rig a7ra/\Aap/0»j t*
cufxxrog, Govgias. Taicr' £j~iu w KaAA»xA£K 5 x tyu
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lb. IIoAAoi o£ ejcj xxi Sx-jfAxg-ot rng yng totoj, xxi xvrn
an ota, »te ocrrj U7n> tcov TC£?f>t y»jf hwOotww As^Ety, w? e^w
u7ro rivoq T3-rrrv<7(A.%i. Kai o £» ( u.ju.ia?, ■etccc; Tttura, £^n,
Ae^ek w Swx^aTfs' " 9 'sr£f * ^af Tot rng y*;? xai auro? -croAAa
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ffiv oOavaT^ evOeu^e £{$■ aAAov T07rou, xai aAtiGrj fpi t»
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12 «■ tr.
132 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
even the greateft Probability, a and concluding
that in all fuch Cafes 'tis much eafier for him
ccvrrw 0S© 3 . ivx jw.11 [axtyiv -sroWriv amy xai Ttfa^uav, f£ou
chiyw t£ xat Aetav. AAAa n rivx txv\ (3o?]9aay EVf»f,
£7roix.rixo(iO$ Au<r»» » Tivof aAA» -sm^w Af^nv aua]w»jw.v»j(7xo-
jU£v(^». ib. Axo»]v 5^' fp£co AeJ'f »u twu ts-ootzow. ro$- aAriOtf
auro* jt«o"*v. Id. in TwitfO. E^w (ppajrw, liraAatoi/
«»t^>cowf Ao^ov, ou vf« av^^*. Id. de Rep. 10 fin. K«t
8T0C, U YXOCVYMV, pvdon; £(Tw9l1, XOil 8X a7TWA£T0. Kfct
??//.«;£ av <703(7fi£v, av TrE^o^Oa avrw.
2 Harum fententiarum quae vera fit Deus aliquis viderit;
quae verifimillima magna quaeftio eft Tufc. £>. L. 1. S. 11.
V. Cleric. Proleg. ad Hift. Eccl. S.2. c. 6. de Academicis.
b De Nat. Deor. L. 1. c. 32. Utinam tain facile Vera
invenire poflem quam falfa convincere. Id. ap. LacT:. L.2."
c. 3. Notwithstanding all the fine things which he had faid
about the Inunortality of the Soul^m which point he feems to
the moft fanguine and pofitive of any, yet in his Epijlles
( where he is the mofl; likely to fpeak his real thoughts)
we find him oft g'n'ing it all up and having recourfe only
to the miferable Comfort of Infenftbility. L. 5. Ep. ult.
LJt hoc faltem in maximis malis boni confequamur ut
Mortem^ quam etiam beati contemnere debeamus, prop-
terea quod nullum Jenfum cjfct habitura, nunc fie affecti,
non modo contemnere debeamus, fed etiam optare. L. 6.
Ep. 3. Sed haec confolatio levis eft, ilia gravior, qua te,
uti fpero, ego certe utor. Nee enim dum ero angar ulla
re, cum omni vacem culpa ; et fi non ero, fenfu amni
carebo. id. Ep. 4. Deinde quod mihi ad confolationem com-
mune tecum eft, ft jam vocer ad exitum vitae, non ab ea
Repub. avellar qua .carendum efte doleam, praefertim
cum id fine ullo fenfu futurum ft. Id. ib. Sed cum plus in
metuendo mali fit quam in ipfo illo quod timetur, defino;
/ .Prae-
of Reveled Religion . 133
to lay what is not his opinion, than what is. b
They began then to be fenfible that Human
praefertim cum impendeat in quo non modo Dolor nullus,
verum finis etiam Doloris futurus fit. More paffages to the
fame purpofe are collected and illuftrated by Mr. JVar-
burton. Div. Leg- p. 387, &c. 2 Ed. And among the
feveral Apologies which the ingenious Author of his Life
has offer'd for them this probably will be efteem'd the
moft natural ; that even here in a melancholy hour Doubts
and Difficulties may be fuppofed to have got the afcendant
over Cicero^ V. 2. p. 561. 4 l °. In truth, he feems to have
been often in the ftate of mind which he fo well dcfcribes
Tufc. £>j L. 1. S. II. M. — Evolve diligenter ejus [Platonis]
eum librum, qui eft de animo : amplius quod defideres
nihil erit. A. Feci mehercule, et quidem faepius ; fed
nefcio quomodo, dum lego, aflentior: cum pofui librum,
et mecum ipfe de immortalitate animorum cspi cogitare,
aflenfio omnis ilia elabitur. That he had great doubts of
a Providence is fully fhewn by the learned Author of Ep.
ad C. Middleton, p. 74. Not. h. That he both recom-
mended Suicide as the beft refuge in affliction, and had
frequent thoughts of putting it in practice, is no lefs
clearly proved by the fame judicious writer, p. 76, 77,78.
And though he himfelf declares upon occafion that he
was with difficulty withheld from it by the advice of
Atticus and the intreaty of his Friends : ibid, yet it ap-
pears too plainly that this was not owing at laft either to
the ftrength of his Judgement or his Refolution ; to any
prudential Confiderations refpe&ing the State, himfelf,
or his Relations, fo much as to the fame notorious want of
Courage, which difabled this great Man from bearing his
Misfortunes decently, and which muft equally deter him
from attempting to end them together with his Life.
1 3 Reafon
134 Of th e fewral Difpenfations
Reafon was of itfelf a very infufficient Director/
and grew weary of the common Delufions
from pretended Revelation. Oracles, Omens,
Portents were generally exploded j d the old
Fables of Ely fan Fields and Pluto's Kingdom
were grown ridiculous, and given over to Poets
and Painters, as the fame Author informs us. e
Another very learned Writer of the fame time
tells us that they had near three hundred Opi-
nions about the Chief Good and ultimate End
of Action j f that the Objects of their Devotion
amounted to thirty thoufand, g that there were
no lefs than three hundred Jupiters, or fupreme
Gods among them, h in fhort, that they had
multiplied Deities to fuch a degree, and mo-
deled their Worfhip in fuch a manner that he
and others of the wifer fort were afhamed of
them : i not to mention that the prevalence of
c Omnis cognitio multis eft obftru&a DifEcultatibus,
eaque eft et in ipfis rebus obfcuritas et in judiciis noftm
infirmitas, ut non fine caufa et dociiffimi et antiquifiimi
invenire fe pofle quod cuperent diffifi fint. Cic. Acad. 2.3.
Mihi autem non modo ad fapicntiam ca^ci videmur, fed
ad ea ipfa quae aliqua ex parte cerni videantur, habetes et
obtufi. Id. ap. Latlant. L. 3. c. 14. Ncfcio quis nos teneat
error et miferabilis ignoratio veri. Id. ib. More Teftimo-
nics to the fame purpofe may be feen in Bp. Leng's Boyle's
Lect. S. 12. p. 119, no. FoJ. and Dr. CiunpbeWs necejjity of
Revelation
the
cf Reveled Religion. 135
the Epicurean Philofophy had render'd both
in a great meafure infignificant. k So great
want had they of a thorough Reformation in
Matters of Religion.
Secondly. That Age was alfo the fitted: to
receive fuch a Benefit, as well as to propagate
it in the World. At the fame time that the
Jewifo Oeconomy waxed old and was ready
to vanifh away, it had ferv'd to build up a better
Houfe ; had rais'd their Minds above itfelf and
fitted them for a more per fed Inftitution ; and
when the eye of Reafon in the Gentile World
had moft of all difcover'd its own dimnefs, and
could do little more than (hew the Darknefs
that furrounded them, it then in the heft man-
ner prepared them to receive and rejoice in a
greater Light. The many fine Le&ures which
had been at feveral times deliver'd to the Jews
■ d Cic~ de Divin. paflim.
e Tufc Queft. L. 1. S. 10, II.
f Varro ap. Augujlin. de CD. L.19.CI.
8 Augujlin. de Cecil. Deif. 4. 5, 6. Jurieu. Crit. Hill.
V.2. p. 13. When the Philofopher Bruxillus made his
dying fpeech to the Senate they had Two hundred and
eighty thoufand. MijforCs Travels, Part 2. p. ic
h Terhdl Apol. c. 14.
'' See Jcnkhi, y. 1. p. 338. and Sartorha de Hypocrifi
Gentilium circa Cultum Deorum.
k See Le Clcrc\ Caufes of Incredulity, p. 266.
u b y
1 3 6 Of the fever al Difpenfations
by thofe 'Tutors and Governours under whom
God had placed them ; by Mojes, Jojhua,
Samuel, David, Solomon, and the fubfequent
Prophets, though all of them in fact found
inefficient to direct their Conduct, and mod
of them to a great degree then defeated and
perverted, as is obferv'd above ; yet we mud
allow that towards the End of this Difpenfation
they began in general to be better underftood
than formerly j upon the erecting of Synagogues
after the Babylonijh Captivity ' they were more
frequently read and inculcated, and under their
Perfecutions in the time of the Maccabees more
thoroughly fludied and regarded j and laftly,
by their numerous Schools and Academies
which flourifh'd in the moil corrupt parts of
their Government. m Learning of all kinds had
fpread itfelf among them, and got fo good
footing, as to render them the moft capable of
r Vid. Buddei Hift. Eccl. V. T. V.2. p. 976. Vitringa
de Synagoga, L. 1. Par. 2. c. 12. p. 413. or Patrick on
zChron- 36. 15. Who afligns this as one chief Caufe of
their keeping fo clear of Idolatry ever after, when they
had neither Prophets nor Miracles among them, add
Prid. V. 1. p. 389.
m See Vitringa Obf. Sacr. L.6. c. 14. S. 8, 9. Some of
their own Authors fay there were near four hundred
Synagogues in Jerufalem itfelf, as many Academies, and
the fame number of Schools : fome reckon four hundred
and eighty. Budd. Eccl. Hift, V. 2. Par. 2. Sect. 7- §-17.
p. 9663,
of Reveled Religion. 137
difcerning thefe Corruptions and recovering
themfelves from the Errors and Abufes above-
mention'd when they were once freely pointed
out to them and oppofed ; lb that notwith-
standing the prevailing Iniquity, which made
thefe in that refpect the worft of Times, their
Minds had yet been fo far cultivated as to be
able to receive the Promifed Seed ; at lead:
much more fo, than they had been at any time
affignable before. The fame thing had been
done to the Heathen in a good meafure, and
from the fame fource by their great Lawgivers
and Philofophers, who got raoft of their belt
Notions from travelling into Egypt, Ckaldea
and Rhcenicia themfelves, or from converting
with thole who did; fuch were Minos, Lycurgus,
Solon, Numa ; of whom this has been (hewn
particularly by learned Men : n Such was
Zoroq/ter in the Eaft, by fome fuppofed to have
p. 966, izfe. Lightfoot Op. V.2. p.140. and 197. That they
afTemblcd in thefe Synagogues three times a week. v. ibid,
p. 280. comp. Univerf.HiJl. B. 2. c 1. p. 26. Not. Q.
n Gale's Court of the Gent. Part. 1. B. 3. c. 9, &c
Dr. Water land's 1. Charge p. 17. 25. Uw'verf. Hijl. V. 1
p.487. V.3. p. 330. Not. F. Clem. Alex. Strom, paflim
The fame is acknowledg'd by the Greeks themfelves
Vid. Diod. Sic. ap. Eufeb. Ev. Praep. L. 10. p.480, b'c
Ed. Morell. Diog. Laert. Proem, pr. cum Cafaub. et al
in loc. Add Koung's DifTert. V. j. c. ult,
been
138 Of the feveral Difpenjations
been Servant to Ezra ° by others to Daniel, p
and fuch was Pythagoras his Difciple. q The
fame end was purfued by Socrates and his Dif-
ciples, who prepared the way for a more per-
fect Reformation by labouring to bring men
to the knowledge of one fupreme God and the
ftudy of natural Religion, by teaching them
Humility, and giving them hopes of an In-
ftructor from Heaven, as was obferv'd above.
The fame thing was a doing about the fame
time by that celebrated Socrates of the Chine fe
(as he is call'd) Confucius. r , The fame Defign
was carried on by that remarkable Difperiion
of the Jews among all Nations, as obferv'd
likewife ; by the communication of their Sacred
Books, which had been long ago tranflated into
the moft common Language, and many Copies
of which were in their hands and ready to be
" Hyde Rel. V. P. c. 24. p. 314.
p Pr'id. Connect. V. i.p.331. Hyde Rel. Vet. Per/.
p. 314. He is fuppofetl to have been fometimes endow'd
with the Spirit of Prophecy like Balaam, Id. ib. c.31.
p. 382, &c. What ground there is to believe that he
clearly foretold the coming of Cbrl/f, may be feen in
Univerf. Hi/}. V.2. p.218. Another Prophecy to the
fame purpofe occurs in p. 222. Not. R. Prideaux and
Moyle agree in fuppofing that there muft have been two
Perfons of that Name, in order to reconcile the Greek
and Perf:an accounts. [ Moyle's Works V.2. p.63. and 75.]
Others reckon fix. vid. CI. Buddci Eccl. Hift. Tom. 1.
P-349-
of Reveled Retigioti. 1 3 9
examin'd : s When at the lame time they were
both qualify 'd and difpofed to examine them
by the increaie of general Learning and Phi-
lofophy, which mull help greatly to improve
and polifh them, notwithstanding all its Imper-
fections abovemention'd ; the very difcovery
of which Imperfections was like wife no incon-
fiderable argument of its Improvement. They
had time to digeft the Precepts and Inftruciions
of their own Sages, as well as to become ac-
quainted with the Hiftory of the Jews. Super-
stition of all kinds gradually wore off, and
Arts and Sciences fucceeded, which naturally ex-
cite and enliven the Genius of any People, and
open a free Communication with others ; and
thefe were then in great perfection, as is too
notorious to need particular proof. Nor can
what is here faid be thought to be at all incon-
p. 349, &c. What refemblance there is between his
Hiftory and that of Mofes may be feen in Huet. Dem.
Evang. Prop. 4. c. 5. concerning his Writings vid. Fabric.
Biblioth. Gr. L.i. c. 36. p. 242, &V.
1 Pr'ul. V.i. p. 213. Univerf. Hljl. V. 2. p. 236.
Not. Z, esfc
r Vid. Burnet Arch. Ph. p. 20. He is fuppofed to
have been acquainted with the Jeiujh Religion. See
Youngs DifTert. V. 1. p. 293.
f Vid. Walton. Apparat. B. Polyglott. S. 9. Par. 3. or
Mix, B. 2. c. 25. or Umvitf. Hijt. V.4. B. 2. c. 1. p.40.
iiftcnt
140 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
Merit with that remarkable Degeneracy and
Corruption mention'd under the former Head,
if we reflect how often in common Cafes the
fame Peribns who as to Abilities and Genius
are the moil capable of apprehending and ap-
plying any Inftruction, and in that fenfe beft
difpofed to receive it, are yet in another fenfe,
I.e. in point of Ingenuity and Inclination as
little difpofed to admit fome branches of it,
( or who in Underftanding may be arrived at
very great perfection, when there Morals are
at a criiis in the other extreme ) on which ac-
count they want it ftill the more, and fuch a
juncture may be a very proper one to adminifler
it and lay a good foundation for their improve-
ment in both thefe refpects.
Thus were Mankind in general train'd up
and ripe for a new Difpenfation, as well inclined
to attend to fomething of that kind, as able in
a good meafure to perceive and reap the Bene-
fit of it when it mould be offer'd j their Curi-
oiity was rais'd and their Capacity fuited to any
religious Enquiries ; nor was it at Athens only
that they fpent their time in telling or hearing
fome new thing. Science and Literature had
made confiderable progrefs weftward, and every
where Men's Minds were enlarg'd together
with their Commerce. And thus all things
con-
of Reveled Religion. 1 4 1
eonfpired to bring the World toward a State of
MATURITY) and at the fame time the
Circumftances of it were fuch as remarkably
contributed to fpread all kinds of Knowledge in
the moft expeditious and effectual manner.
All this while the Roman Empire had been
growing up to that vaft extent which it reach'd
under Augujlus i and had united the feveral
Governments under one Head, and fettled it-
felf in a general Tranquility : it had carried its
Language and Arts almoft as far as its Arms;
had open'd a Correfpondence and eftabiifh'd
a Commerce between all the then known parts
of the World, from whence Intelligence was
quickly convey'd to Rome and Orders difpatch'd
from thence. a Judea the place were the Sim
of Right eoufnefs was to arife had juit been re-
duced to a Roman Province b whereby regular
accounts were taken of all remarkable Tranf-
aclions in it by the Roman Governours c and
» The Institution of Pojls among the Romans is gene-
rally attributed to Augujius ; though we read of them
long before on fome occafions among the Perfians. Herodot.
8.98. Xen. Cyrop. L.8. E/fber, 3. 13. and 8. 10. v. Briffon
de R. P. p. 147.
k See Lardner's Credib. of the G- H. B. i. c. 10. S. ro.
c See an Account of their Asia in Pear/on on the Creed,
Art. 4. fin.
Ap-
1 42 Of the feveral Difpenjatiom
Appeals lay from thence to Cczfar : and by this
means the fame of an extraordinary Teacher
of a new Religion would foon be publim'd
over all the civilized parts of the World, and
its ProferTors be better enabled to advance and
defend it, and propagate it more fuccefsfully
than could have been expected under any other
Coiiititution of the World before that Time.
If true, it muft by thefe means foon gain
ground and appear to be fo 5 if falfe, as foon
be filenc'd and confuted.
For, Thirdly, this Age was the beft qualify'd
to examine the evidence of fuch a Revelation, to
confirm its truth and convey it down to Pofterity.
It was in comparifon of thofe before, a learned,
curious and inquifitive Age, as we have feen, and
therefore like to be more cautious and fceptical
in a thing of this nature, not fo eafy to be im-
pofed upon or apt to run into every religious
Project. There were Men every where ready
to confute and expofe the Chriftian Institution
had it contain'd any thing either falfe or fri-
volous, abfurd or immoral j if it had confifted
of either Enthufiafm or Impoimre, or a mixture
of each. At that time the many Seels and
Factions in the World had whetted themfelves
by Contention, and were perpetual fpies upon
each other, fo that no confiderably new Religion
could
of Reveled Religion . 143
could gain ground among them without being
thoroughly lifted by the adverfe Parties. The
Pbarifees and Saducces, the Stoics and Epicureans
were fubtle and perverfe Difputers, and all of
them eager enough to oppofe the Chriftia?is>
The world had then alfo fufficient Knowledge
of the Powers of Nature to be able to judge of
Miracles, and diftinguifh them from any
uncommon appearance or effect of Art. Pro-
phecy had been for fome time withdrawn from
the Jews, which mull make them at firft
more fhy and fufpicious of any new Pretences
to Infpiration. a Oracles began to ceafe among
the Gentiles, by being defpifed and generally
neglected, Divination of all kinds was brought
into contempt : and though they were
a We may add, that the ceafing of this, as well as of
Miracles, for a time would likewife be a means of raifing
greater Surprife among the Jews upon the revival of both,
and of procuring more attention and regard to the Perfbn
who fhould appear really to have the Gift of them again.
* Gifts granted to the Difciples of our Saviour which
4 none had been partakers of iince the time of Malachi ;
c God having fo order'd it that the Defires of the Jezui
c might be the more enflamed for the MeJJiah's Coming;
' as alfo that upon his coming he might the more eaftly
' be difcerned.' Mix. Reflex. Part 4. p. 272. How far
Revelation ceas'd from the time of Malachi ; and what
Reafons are affignable for it, may be fcen in Vitringa.
Obfav. Sac. L. 5. e. 6, - 14.
fuf-
144- Of the Jeveral Difpenfations
fufficiently defirous of fome better Light in
Matters of Religion than what their own Rea->
fon and Philofophy afforded them, as was ob-
ferv'd above ; yet from the many Falfe Lights
which had been already held forth, and which
had only ferv'd to miflead and bewilder them,
they rather began to difpair of finding any true
one. Tired out with wandering through the
mazes of Error and Uncertainty, the wifefl of
them gave up all fuch pretended Guides, and
and look'd upon the whole Story of Revelation
as a Cheat. Thus men were fufficiently guarded
againfl any new Impofition though never fo well
fupported by Learning, Wit and Policy. Nor
would they fure be lefs averfe to one that came
without all thefe : to one appearing in fuch a
form and with fuch recommendations as the
Chrijiian Scheme ; fo deftitute of aid from
Human Wifdom and Subtilty ; fo feemingly
below what they had hitherto been entertain'd
with ; ftript of all that Pomp and Ornament
which attended the Jewifo Inftitution, that
Art and Eloquence which adorn'd each Syftem
of Philofophy ; confiding of a few plain Rules
of Life, and thefe fo ftrictly pure and perfect
as equally to ftrike at the corrupt Scribe and
haughty Philofopher : and therefore fuch as
muff needs be to the one a Stn?nbli?ig Block and
to
of Reveled Religion. 1 4 r
to the other Foolijhnefs ; deliver'd for the moft:
part, occafionally without Art or Method, in
the mofl fimple, unaffected manner, by mean,
obfcure perfons, in full oppofition to all the
reigning Pafiions, Prejudices and Interefts of
the learned and great : under all thefe and the
like diiad vantages, which are well known to
have attended the Chrijlian Religion in its In-
fancy, if at fueh a Time and in fuch Circum-
stances it was able to fupport itfelf and make
its way in the world, and ftill be all an Impo-
fition both upon the Senfes and the Reafon of
Mankind, in what a ftrange Situation muff
Mankind have been, in both of thefe refpedts!
How different from what they have ever been
before or finee ! How will the Men who are
fo apt to ftumble and ffrain at each little Dif-
ficulty which attends the prefent Scheme in
common with all others, be able to get over
this great unparallel'd one of fuch an Impofition
[were it one indeed] prevailing fo far and in
fuch a manner as this did ? Or rather have they
not from hence fome reafons to allow of its
pretenfions? fome room to admire with us how
fure mull: its foundation be ! how ftrong the
outward Proofs of its Divine Authority! ho\v
great its inward force and efficacy! This to a
fair Enquirer, who will weigh the cafe with any
K toJ-
146 Of the fever al Difpenfaiiom
tolerable impartiality, fhould now afford the
fame conviction that it did of old, and ihew
it to be nothing lets than the Power of 'God r ,
and the Wifdom of God. Each of thefe Obstacles
to its reception gives the flrongeft atteftation
to it when once approved of and embraced ;
and all together mutt, when duly attended to,
gain it the higheft efteem, and be a ftanding
evidence both of its Truth and Excellence;
a furhxient anfwer to all Sufpicions that can be
rais'd from the prevalence of any Fable or Im-
pofture in any other Age ; from what may
have been introduced in a manner directly con-
trary to this, by other kinds of Perfons, and
in very different Times ; by Craft, Policy or
Perfecution, in days of Bigotry, Blindnefs and
Superftition. 'Tis an obfervation frequently
iniinuated by fuch as are no Friends to Reve-
lation, that there are certain Seafons when any
thing will pafs upon the World under the
Notion of Religion : a which has no doubt a
good deal of truth in it with regard to the
general belief of things marvellous and extra-
ordinary : But from all that is gone before
I think it fufficiently appears that this Age was
* Voltaire's Letters, L. 7. To the fame purpofe ( if I mif-
take not) are fomc parts in the Life of Homer 1 Kdit. and
feveral paffages in Bfivle's Did. and the CharaBerijlteks*
bv
of Reveled Religion. i^-j
by ho means iuch; that it can neither be charg'ri
with Ignorance nor Credulity ; that it cannot
be fufpected of any extraordinary Difpofition
to receive fuch a Doctrine as that of Chri/lianity,
and from fuch hands, were it not manifeltly
true and of Divine Authority : and that there-
fore the examination into the Grounds thereof
at its rirft propagation, and the full Conviction
which each Party muft have had before it
would be able to gain admittance with them,
mi?ht fairly ferve for all fucceedingGenerationSj
and muft be allow'd to add one of the ftrongefl
confirmations to it.
Laftly, this Age was the bed: qualify'd to
hand it down to Pofterity, As it was an in-
quifitive and difcerning one, fo it was no lefs
letter 'd and hiftorical. The Auguftan Age is
remarkable to this day for the number of its
Writers. There is none better known, fcarcely
any of which fo full and particular accounts
are given. The Roman Empire had been juft
fettled, and the minds of its chief Members
turn'd from Arms and Action, to Works of
Genius and Speculation ; fond of celebrating
its Conquefts and recording its Glory they gave
themfelves up to the Study of Eloquence and
good Writing. Their Chronology had been
lately reform'd and adjuited - 3 exact Reviews
k were
\
148 Of the fever al Dijfenfatioris
were taken of the moll diftant Provinces j th#
Number, Names, Employments, Quality,
Eftates of their Inhabitants regifter'd, a and all
remarkable Acls and Occurrences tranfmitted
to Rome the Capital of the World. In fuch a
State of affairs no great Event could lie con-
eeal'd or be long call'd in queftion : At fuch a
time therefore was it not proper to introduce
this new furprifing Scene upon the Stage of the
World, whereby its ./Era muff be fix'd be-
yond all future Controverfy ? Had Chrift come
in an obfcure or fabulous Age, by this time
we might perhaps have doubted whether ever
there was any fuch Perfon ; at leaft whether
any thing relating to him could be well de-
pended on. It was by no means fit that a thing
of this Confequence mould be done in a Corner,
and left to vulgar report and uncertain Tradi-
tion, to be foon dropt again, or blended and
difguis'd with Fiction and Romance : This
therefore commenc'd in an Age of the World
when the Copioulhefs and Certainty of its
Hiftory ferv'd both to fpread it more unrverfally,
and preferve it more fecurely - y when many took
in hand to fit forth in order a Declaration of
thofe things which were tnoft Jurely believ'd a-
mong them t whereby we have more ample and
2 See Lardner\ Credibility, B. 2. c. irS. 2*
authentic
of Reveled Religion . 1 49
authentic Memoirs of Church Hiftory than
could ever have been expected before that
Period ; b and whereby the Time when, the
Place where, andPerfons under whom the moft
material Occurences happen'd, were afcertained
and confirm'd by Writers of different Nations
and ProfeiTions ; by Romans, yews and Greeks.
Thefe feveral Circumftances confpire to bring
the Million of Chrifi very near the Time in
which he came. There is one more which
feems to fix it precifely to that, at leaft will
fhew that it could not be fooner, confidently
with the common courfe of Providence, and
moral Government of the World ; admitting
likewife the particular Scheme already fpeciry'd,
viz. of his defcending from the Jews j I mean
the circumftance of their then being in fub-
jection to the Ro?nan Government fo far as to
have the Power of Life and Death in moft
cafes taken from them c
b This is to be understood with an Exception to the
thirty years between Nero and Trajan, to which time all
the common complaint of Want of Ecclehaftical Writ
ought I think to be limited. The caufe of this is affign'd
by Vitringa Obferv. Sacr. L. 4. c.y. S.9. p.904. &c
John 18. 31. How far this was fo, fee Lardner-^
Credibility B. 1. c.2. S.5. par. 7. p. 49, bV. 2 Edit. The
particular inftance of St. Stephens Murder wich is brought
to prove the contrary by the Authors of Univerf. Hiji.
I v. 4. p. 236. Not. R.] docs not feem fufficicnt for that
K3 pur-
1 5 ° 0/ V/6(? fever al Difpenfatiom
By all that we know of that Generation we
have reafon to believe that if they had been at
liberty, they would certainly have cut him off
as foon as ever he appear'd to correct their
grofs Errors and to reprove their many abufes
in Religion, to difappoint all their fond Hopes
of temporal Grandeur, Wealth and Power,
and humble their fpiritual Pride by reducing
them to a level with all fuch as feared God of
every Nation under Heaven. And accordingly
when they faw that he was not a MeJ/tah for
their purpofe, a we find them immediately
refolv'd to feize and difpatch him, as they
would undoubtedly have done, if they had had
fjfficient Power : but being in a great meafure
purpofe, but rather looks like an Acl of the Zealots, though
his Trial was begun regularly ; [fee Bafnage, B.5. c. 2»
S. 8. ] and the Cafe of St. Paul mention'd in the fame
Book [N.O. p. 257, J feems to (hew, not that they pre-
tended to an executive Power in his time, but that even
their Judicial one was then interrupted to prevent the like
outrages. This point feems to be pretty exactly ftated in
Millar's Ch. Hifr. c. 7. p. 536. comp. Bafnage ibid. S. 7.
One would think their own judgment of the thing might
be inferr'd from Hieros. Sanhedr. fol. 18. col. 1. Traditio eft
quadraginta annos ante excidium Templi ablation fuijje jus
vita et mortis, et ib. fol. 242. Quadraginta annis ante vaf-
tatumTemplum ablata Junt Judicia capitalia ab ISRAELE.
Though Dr. Lightfoot is of a different opinion, and pro-
duces feveral in fiances in confirmation of it, [op. Lat. v,
2. p. 371 .J it muff be confefs'd that the learned Mr. Bifcoe
\BoyW%
of Reveled Religion. i r r
deprived of it, they were obliged to have re-
courfe to Stratagem, continually laying wait for
fomething to accufe him of to the Rotnans ;
tempting him, and trying all methods to draw
him into any Act which might be conftrued
Trealbn or Difarrection to their Government i
on which account alfo we find him behaving
with fo much caution and referve before them j
keeping in private as much as was poffible and
confident with the End for which he came ; b
charging his Difciples not to make him known,
preventing his being proclaim'd the Mejjiah, d
and declining any direct Anfwer when quef-
tion'd about it, e till he had fmifhed the Work
[ Boyle's Left. c. 6.] has made it very probable that the
Jcwijh Magiftrates had often even in thofe times the
Power of inflicting capital Punifhments allowed them •
but yet he allows that they were often prevented by the
Roman Governours ; [ib. p. 225.] 'tis plain their State was
about that Time in great Confufion, and it appears that
they durft not exert fuch a Power upon the occafion above-
mentioned, nor in their Circumftances could at laft have
compafled our Saviour's Death in any regular judicial way
without application to a Roman Governour, which comes
to pretty near the lame thing with refpeft to the main
part of the prefent Argument.
a How foon their Rulers perceiv'd this, and what a
different conduft it produced at firft in them and that of
the common People toward him, fee in Mr. Lardners
Credibility, V.i. p.288,&V.
b Luke$. 16. Job.-]. l. II.54. c Matt. 12.16.
* Mark 3. 12. Luke 4. 41. « J b, 10. 24. n. 4, £sV.
K4 of
j c 2 Of the fever al Difpenfations
of his Miniftry, and fulfili'd every thing in the
Scriptures concerning him. a No former Age
of the Jews probably was wicked enough to
have withstood fo many evident Proofs of his
being the true MeJ/iah y to have rejected him
and been his Betrayers and Murderers, and
thereby to have accomplifhed the Prophecies
and executed the good purpofe of God in fend-
ing his Son to die for all the World : this
Generation was (o thoroughly fuch -f as to have
done it with too much fury and precipitancy,
unlefs reftrain'd by a fuperior Power : which
3 See Loch's Reafonablenefs of Chriftianity, p.487,^.
Fol. 3 Edit, [or Lardner's Credibility, B. 1. c.5. p. 286.]
where may be found a full anfwer to the Moral Philoso-
pher's Obfervations on this Subject, V.3. p. 189. Who
concludes as ufual with a very falfe account of the Mat-
ter, viz. that ' our Saviour all along, from firft to laft
1 [witnefsM^.26.64. Mar. 14.62. Luke 22.70. Job. i%.
37.] difclaim'd the Mefliahfhip among them' i.e. thejeivs.
Comp. Whitby on Matt. 9. 30, The fame account ferves
alfo to confute the Obfervation made upon thefe PafTages
by the Author ofChriflianity not founded on Argument, who
from thence infers that our Lord could have no fuch mean-
ing as to convince by his Miraculous Works , p. 48. no fuch In-
tention as to prove his own Truth and Characler by thefe In?
fiances of his Power, ib. in full contradiction to thofe many
other PaiTages where he exprefsly appeals to the fame Works
as direct: Proofs of his Divine Commiflion : Matt. 11. 4, 5,
9.1. Job. 5. 36. 10. 25, 38. 14. ii. 15. 24, cjV. See Dr.
from
•J- Vid. Lightfoot. Op. Lat. 317. 325. &c.
of Reveled Religion. 153
makes their Subjection to the Roman Govern-
ment in this refpect alfo to :onftitute the
FULNESS OF TIME, md affords a Cir-
cumftance particularly requilite and fuitable to
the coming of Chrift. And though this very
remarkable Wickednefs of the jews in fome
meafure counterballanc'd all their other Quali-
fications for attending to the Chrijl when he
came, and debarr'd the generality of them
from the Benefits of his Coming ; yet it con-
curr'd equally to carry on the fame Defign of
Randolph's Anfw. p. 169, 170, &c. The fame is likewife
a reply to this Author's Objection againft the Truth of
Chriftianity from Cbrijl's not opening hjs Commiflion be-
fore the Jewijh Rulers, [ ibid. p. 48. iffc. ] as far as he has
represented the cafe truly : for which fee Mr. Benfon's
Anfw. Part 3. Dial. 3. p. 196, &c. The fame Obfervation
may be apply'd with no lefs force againft our Saviour's
doing the like before the Roman Governours, which ftuck
fo much with Woolfton^ \_exaft Fitnefs. Pref. &c] to which
we may add, that his addrefling himfelf in form at any
time to either of thefe mull in all probability have been
turn'd to a great Obje&ion againft the Truth of his
Mimon in after Ages whether they had, or had not re-
ceiv'd him ; the firft would have been wholly attributed
to State Policy ; the latter might have been urg'd as im-
plying fome extraordinary Defedt, in his Credentials,
fee Ben/on, ib. p. 216, tffc. So that had the whole been
conducted in a way different from what it was, the cafe
would, as far as now appears, have been no better for thofe
times in which it was tranfacled, and much worfe for all
iture ones.
Pro-
154 Of the fiver al Dijpenjatiom
Providence for the common good of the World :
even the Vice and Folly of them who were
led to reject him contributed to the advantage
and improvement of thofe who had fo much
Virtue and Wifdom left as to receive him j
which great numbers of them did, a notwith-
flanding the vile Policy of their Rulers : and
this foon brought on that very thing which
they were feeking to avoid by it, b the DiiTo-
lution of their State, it having now fully an-
fwered the Ends it was defign'd for as a Body
Politic, and its Remains ferving to better pur-
pofes in bearing everywhere fuch evident Marks
of the Divine Difpleafure as could not but be
taken notice of, together with the Caufes of
their Punifhment. And thus did the Fall of
Ifrael become the Riches of the IVorld^ and
rife of a new greater Difpenfation, communi-
cated to all Nations and by this means moft
effectually confirm'd in every fucceeding Ge-
neration : c of which below.
* V. Jenkln^ V. 2. c. 32. p. 497.
» Job. 11.48.
c ♦ Had the Jews been all converted by JESUS
* CHRIST, we ihould only have had doubtful witneffes j
* and had they been quite deftroy'd,we fhoulu have had
* none at all'. PafchaWs Thoughts, p, 121. comp. p. 89,
00.
fider'd
of Reveled Religion, 155
Thus have we confider'd fome of the moft re-
markable Circumftances attending the Age of
CHRIST'S Advent, which when they are taken
together make it appear to be the Fulnefs of the
c Time i and fitteit for fuch a Difpenfation. I have
omitted fome Topics commonly made ufe of in
this Argument, fuch as that of an Univerfal Peace
at that time, and the great Expectation of the
Mejjiah among the yews ; fince the one appears
to be falfe d at leait 'twas foreign to his Birth c
any otherwife than as a good Means for convey-
ing the Tidings of it more eafily and fafely
through the World, ( in which fenfe it was in-
cluded under the Settlement of the Roman Em-
pire, but that is not the fenfe in which it is ufually
infilled on) the other was not gratify 'd ill the
manner in whch they did then expect him,
but a quite different one ; which therefore, fo
far as it was a wrong one, though it help'd
to raife their attention to JESUS CHRIST
at nrft, yet might be faid to tend as much
afterwards to deaden and difappoint it. We may
d Sec Ma foil's fani Templum referatum, with Buddeus
on the fame Subject ; or Bafnage Hift. Polit. Eccl. V.i .
p. 114. That the fexvs had never lefs Peace among them-
fdves than at that time may be feen in Jofephus, Philo
or Univaf. Hijf. V. 4. c. n. p 196, oV.
* Sec IVooljl in's exact Fitnefs, £?Y, p. 91.
add,
2 c 6 Of the fever al JJifpenfations
add, that though the Jews had fufficient ground
for expecting fuch a Perfon from their Pro-
phetic Writings, and this expectation of theirs
in o-eneral be a good Argument againft them
now to prove in what fenfe their Forefathers
did interpret fome of thefe Writings ; yet was
this Expectation in itfelf ( more efpecially per-
verted as it then was ) fo far from being any
particular qualification of the time, at leaft any
Circumftance proper to confirm the Truth and
Credibility of his Million, that it might as well
be fuppofed to have a contrary effect, in giving
a handle to Impoftors, as we find it actually
did to two Thudafes, to Simeon Athronges, Judas
of Galilee, Simon Magus, Dofitheus, a and after-
wards Barcochebas and many others. b Nor
have I urg'd the general notion which prevail'd
over moft of the World of fome great Prince
that then was to appear ; iince this (were it
never fo confident with Cbrift's real Character)
can only prove that there was fome Prophecy
or other which might be fo interpreted as to
give occafion to that Rumour, and the Objection
» V. Origin contra Celf. L. I. et 6. et Calmet. Die*.
b v - J°f e P h - B - !• L. 2. c. 2. fcff. A Lift of them may
be feen in Kidder's Dan. Part 3. p. 167, taV. Fo), or
IVagenfeil's Confutation of R. Lip/nan's Carm. Memor.
P- 233- &c.
re-
of Reveled Religion . 157
'returns with equal force againft its being pre-
fixed to that time by any Prophecy : the Dif-
ficulty is ftill the fame, why had it not a more
early date in Prophecy, which might have
rais'd a proportionably more early expectation ?
— But this has been already accounted for.
Upon the whole, we may obferve that from
the beginning of the world, Mankind have
always had fufficient Means of being inftructed
in Religion, and that the feveral Difpenfations
have all along been fuited to their refpective
Circumftances and Capacities, as far as can be
learnt from thofe very brief accounts that are
left us of their Hiftory j from which 'tis alfo
probable that if we had more full ones, we
mould fee this more clearly. In the INFANT
State of the World Mankind were led as it were
by the hand in matters of Religion, directed by
vifible Appearances on every occafion ; fed with
a prefent Portion of this World's Goods and che-
rifhed with temporal Profpects. The Doctrines
of Religion and Modes of Worfhip were few
and plain, agreeable to their imperfect Notions
of things, and fuited to their Simplicity of
Manners ; * and when thefe were once taught
and inftituted among fome principal Heads of
Families, they might through the longevity of
* See Part 3.
Men
* 5 ^ Qf ^ Jfrveral "Difpenfatiom
Men in thofe Days be eafily held and handed
down by Tradition. When Mankind had mul-
tiplied and were difpers'd over all the face of
the Earth, and traditional Religion ( notwith-
ftanding the frequent revivals of it by particular
Revelations) began to be corrupted and defaced,
and as foon as a better way of preferving and
propagating the Notices of it was difcover'd a
viz. by the Invention, or perhaps Revelation of
Letters, b God is pleas'd to afford more clear
and ample ones j he fingles out a Perfon par-
ticularly eminent for Faith and Obedience ;
takes him under his immediate protection by
way of pofitive Covenant j communicates him-
felf exprefsly to him, and makes him a means
of difcovering that Knowledge to other Nations,
and reforming the Religion of every Country
* See Dr. Conybeare's Def. of Rev. Rel. p. 404, &c.
b Gale [ Court of the Gent. P. 1. B. 1. c. 10. S. 4. ]
brings many Teftimonies both from Heathen and Chriftian
Writers to prove that Mofes was the Inventor of Letters,
See alfo Gen. Dia. V.6. p. 41 7. G. I. Voffms Ariftarch.
1.9. and an EJfay upon Liter at ure^ proving that the two-
Tables ivritten by the Finger of God in Mount Sinai was
the firjt Writing in the World. Lond. 1726. from which
Author it appears how much Letters mull have contri-
buted to prevent the increafe of Idolatry, at Ieaft the ad-
vancing Men into the Number of Gods, by preferving
a more particular account of all th°ir Actions, comp.
Univerf. Hijl p. 720. N. T. and Daubuz on the Reve-
lation.
of Reveled Religion. 159
into which he was fent. The fame Favours
are continued to fome of his Pofterity and with
the fame defign ; they are removed to and fro,
and every where miraculoufly preferved, blefs'd
and multiplied -, are united under a Theocracy
and have a written Law given them, confid-
ing of the molt perfect Rules of Life that
their then State and Temper would admit
of, and containing a Body of Precepts oppofite
in moft parts to the Superftitious and Idolatrous
practiies of the People round them : they are
inftructed with a Hiftory of the original State
of the World, and all paft Difpenfations of
Religion in it, together with Predictions of the
future, more efpecially of that great one under
the Mejiah, who was to defcend from them,
and whom they were taught to expect by
lation, Prelim. Difc p. 2, &c. which laft Writer fhews-
that it was as neceffary then to give the Ifraelites Letters
to fupply the ufe of their Symbols, and take off their
inclination to fymbolical Idolatry, as it was afterwards
to communicate the Art of Printing in order to correct
a no lefs grofs Idolatry in the Chrijiian World by tranf-
mitting all ufefal Knowledge much more eafily and uni-
verfally than could have ever been done before by Writing,
ib. p. 12. Many Proofs of God's having communicated
the Art of Alphabetical Writing firft to Mofes, as well
as reafons for that Conduct, have lately been fet forth by
Mr. Worihington, ElTay c. 8. which we may expect: to fee
fupported with variety of Learning by Dr. U'lnder.
nurh-
1 6 Of the fever al DifpenfitioHs
numberlefs preparatory Types and Figures, all
tending to point him out more fully to them,
and pave the way for his Reception. They be-
come a mighty Nation, are diftinguifh'd by
extraordinary Deliverances, SuccefTes and Vic-
tories under their feveral Governours ; the fame
of them and of their God's fpreads far and wide.
To keep them duly attach'd to his Worfhip he
raifes up a fuccefiion of Prophets who ceafe
not to warn, exhort and urge them to their
Duty, and to reprove and correct them for their
repeated Breaches of it ; to remind them of
their Dependence on that God who had already
done fo great things for them, and to afTure
them of ftill greater upon their Obedience, as
alfo to threaten them with the fevereft Punifrn
ments on their Defection : which always came
to pafs accordingly, and were diipens'd in fo
very vifible and exemplary a manner as could
not but ftrike furprife and terror into all the
Nations round them, and plainly enough dif-
cover'd him to be not only a God of the Jews,
but the fupreme Governour of the World, and
Lord of Heaven and Earth : which was the
principal End of all j and to effect which their
Prophets are often fent to foretell the Fate of
the neighbouring Kingdoms and to acquaint
them with the Knowledge of the moil High,
This
tf Reveled Religion, 1 6 1
This is the great Defign which was ilill car-*
rying on, and which his own People, though they
perverfely oppofe and frequently endeavour to
crofs it, are yet obliged to execute whether
they will or no, and equally promote it by
their Succefles and their Sufferings. They were
to be like fo much Leaven in the Mafs of Man-
kind, and when they were once thoroughly
prepared themfelves he difperfes them among
all Nations to diifufe the fame Spirit and con-
tribute to the Improvement and Reformation of
others ; and 'tis obfervable that the fame long
Captivity which cured moft of them of their
great pronenefs to Idolatry, ferv'd alfo to di-
stribute them over molt parts of the World,
and together with them the Knowledge and
Worfhip of the one true God. a When at length
» It has been obferv'd that the Jews were removed to
Babylon when that Empire was in its moft flourishing
State and moft frequented by Philosophers [ Young's Hifh
DifH V.i. p. 292. J and Legiflators, who travel'd thither
from all parts and thereby in a good meafure became ac-
quainted with the Jewijh Hiftory, as many of them are
Juppofed to have been, [fee the Authors above in Not. n.]
And 'tis well known that at the end of this Captivity the
greateft part of them and thofe of the greateft eminence
ftaid behind andfettled inChaldea^AJJyria and other eaftern
Provinces, notwithstanding feveral Decrees granted by
the Kings of Perfia for their return, [ Prid. Part I. B. 3.
p. 136, &V. Univerf. Hi/}. B.2. c. 1. p. 5. ] from whence
L 'tis,
1 6 2 Of the fever al Dijpenfations
the Jews had attain'd to ibme tolerable fenfe
of Religion, and were fo well attach'd to it,
and confirm'd in their Hopes of the Mejjiah,
as to be fit to communicate the fame to the
Gentiles, to whom they were by this time fuf-
iiciently known ; and thefe alfo by what they
had heard of the Jewijh Prophets and feen of
their facred Books, together with their own
Improvements in Philofophy, were able to
receive and relifli a more perfect Inftitution ;
when both few and Gentile had been prepared
to expect a new Revelation j when they began
to want it moft, and were moft fenfible of
their Wants, and therefore like to be the moft
difpofed to accept and apply the proper Remedy :
and when the State of the World was fuch as
moft of all favour'd the Communication and
'tis probable that fome of their Defcendants fpread fo far
as the Eajt-Indies, where their Pofterity continue to this
day, as appears from the Accounts of many modern Tra-
vellers. We have a remarkable Paffage to this purpofe re-
lated by Dr. Bandy in the Preface to his Tranflation of
Lamy's Apparatus Biblicus ^ as follows. ' The Rev.Mr.-Lswg
* lately return'd from Fort St, George in the Eajl-Indies y
4 allures me and gives me leave to declare it to the World
« from him, that the Gentous (a People in the Eaft, who
* from their Cuftoms and other Circumftances are by the
* moft judicious believ'd to be the Defcendants of thofe of
* the Jewijh Ten Tribes who never return'd from the
4 Babylonijb Captivity) have a Temple at Chillembrurn
* near
of Reveled Religion. 163
help'd to fecure the Continuance of it ; when
the dark, fabulous Ages were well over, and
fucceeded by one remarkably learned and hifto-
rical : when Arts and Sciences and Commerce
had extended themfelves, together with the
Roman Empire and Language, over moft parts
of the World, and thereby open'd a way for
any new Difcovery, and enabled Mankind in
general with eafe and expedition to fearch into
and thoroughly examine it j and more parti-
cularly, when that part of the World which
was to be the fcene of all this, had jufh been
reduced to a Roman Province and thereby exact
accounts were taken of its State and Inhabitants,
fo that the Perfon who was to work this great
Reformation in Religion there could not long
be hid from the reft of the World j when the
* near Porto Novo on the Coaft of Corornandel, which they
* call Zuliman's Temple, which they refort to with the
* fame Devotion as the Jews formerly did to that at
* Jerufa/em, and that it is divided into Courts in the fame
* manner as Pcre Lamy's is, and is built much after the
* fame Plan which is there given.' An Account of "Jeivs
and yeivijh Cuftoms difcoverM in China , Bengal, and
Ma da ga fear, as alfo in Africa and America both North
and South, may be feen in the Authors rcferr'd to by
Jenkm, V.i. c.2. p. 104, &c. and many more in Fabricius,
Lux. Evang. from c. 32. to 50. or Bafnage's Hi ft. B. 6 ;
and 7. where we have an ample account of their being
fpread over all the four Quarters of the World.
l 2 Govern-
164 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
Government of it had likewife been put under
fuch a form as was extremely fuitable and even
necefTary to the due exercife and full execution
of his Miniftry : in this Period of the World
Cbriji came j nor could he, as far as we can
fee, have come fo opportunely at any other.
Whoever attentively coniiders thefe feveral
Circumftances, though he may not perhaps
allow every one of them, yet he will, I believe,
find fomething fo remarkable in many, efpecially
in that extraordinary Coincidence of fo many,
as to induce him to think that there might be
very good reafon for deferring this Difpenfation
to fo late a Period. And though I am very far
from imagining this to be the whole of the
cafe, or fuppofing that we can difcover all the
Reafons of it, yet I truft enow have been al-
ready pointed out to juftify the Divine Conduct
in this refpect : at leafl I hope we may be al-
low'd to fay, that there is fomething in them.
And thus it appears that God has all along acted
equally for the good of Mankind in Matters
of Religion, though in very different manners
according to their different Circumftances and
Capacities ; that his feveral Difpenfations have
been gradually open'd fo as regularly to rife out
of and improve upon each other -> and that
the State of Knowledge and Perfection in the
World
of Reveled Religion. 165
World Has hitherto been perpetually tncreafing.
The very fame Method might be ihewn
to be continued under Chriftianity itfelf, if
it were not too much beyond the fubject
of this Difcourfe. It was in its Infancy in
Chrifs time, who communicated the things
of it to his Difciples by little and little, as
they were able to bear themj a beginning
with the plainer!: and moil: obvious ; laying the
foundation and firft Principles of the Doctrine
during his Miniftry and Converfation with
them after his Refurrection, b and leaving the
more full opening of it till the Defcent of the
Holy GhoJl'y c which likewifeled them gradually
into its feveral Truths. For fome time the
Apoftles themfelves were ignorant of C/jri/l's
true Office and the Nature of his Kingdom.
They could not conceive that he was to furrer
and die for the whole World, d they expected
nothing but a temporal Prince, e and thought
that his Kingdom was to be confined to a
» Marl: 4. 33. Job. 16. 1 2.
*» ASfs 1. 3. Litkc 24. 27, - 44.
c As to the Fa&, fee the Bp. of London's 3 d Paftorai
Let. S. 3. 4, and 6. for the Reafons of it, fee Mifc. Sacr.
EfT. 1. p. 157, &c.
d Mattb. 16.22. Luke 18.31.34.
• Matt. 20,21. &c.
l 3 rem-
i 6 6 Of the federal Difpenfations
remnant of the Jews. f Even after the Defcent
of the Holy Ghoft St. Peter wants a particular
Revelation to convince him that the Gentiles
were likewife to be admitted : g the Difciples
with him are aftonimed that on them alfo was
poured out the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, h and
others of the Brethren contend with him about
it, l and afterwards prevail upon him to dif-
femble it ; k Many yet infifted on the point of
Circumcifioii, l and moft of them concluded
that Chriftianity and the World itfelf would
ipeedily come to an end. m And though a much
larger and more comprehenfive view of the
whole Scheme was given by Chrift himfelf,
after his Afcenfion, to St. Paul n that chofen
VefTel, who was endow'd with greater Accom-r
plKhments and a larger ftock of Learning, and
who labour'd more abundantly than they all, Q
f Atts 1.6. and c. io. The ufe of this may be feen in
Div. Leg. V. 2. B. 4. S.6. p-3i9, &c.
2 Jdls 10.6, &c. 11. 5, iffc. h Ads 10.45.
« A£ls 11. 2. k Gal. 2. 11. 13.
1 A£ls 15. 1,5.
«> See Burnet, de Stat. Mort. et Ref. c. 7. p. 145, 13 e.
n Gal. 1. 1 6, &c. See Mifc. Sacr. Efl*. 2. p. 40, &c. and
Lock's Synops. to his Comment on Ephef.
1 Cor. 15. 10.
p Comp. Rom. 13. n. 1 Cor. 1. 7. and 15.51. iCor. 5
2,3,4. and 1 Thefs. 4. 15, 16, 17. with Grottus and Wall's
note
of Reveled Religion. 1 67
yet perhaps it may be queftion'd whether he
alfo was not fuffer'd to continue under the lame
error, or left in fome degree of uncertainty about
it, for fome time. p
In this refpect the Chrifiian Inftitution may
be faid to have been but in its Childhood even
under the Apoftles. We find it for fome time
mix'd with Jiidaifm q and fubjecl: to carnal Or-
dinances : the Apoftles of the Circumcifion
feem not yet to have any diftincl: knowledge
of the general freedom from the Ceremonial
Law; r St. Paul is forced to conceal his Preach-
ing to the Gentiles for feveral years, s a diftinc-
tion of Days, l of Meats and Drinks u and other
legal Ceremonies w are obferv'd, to gratify the
jfewifi Converts, and avoid giving offence to
the weaker Brethren ; they are obliged to com-
ply with fuch in the Toleration of many things
note on the laft place, add Grot. Append, ad Comm. de
Antichrifto, Tom. 4. p. 475. Lowtb on Infpir. p. 255.
2 Edit, or Ben fort's Append, to Paraphr. on i.777w. 5.
23, &c.
q See Edwards's Survey, p. 598, &c .
1 Acts 21.26. fee Benfon's Hift. of the firft Planting,
V.2. p. 209.
f Gal. 2. 2. fee Pref. to Mifc. Sacr. p. 15. 26, bV.
« Acls 13.14. 16.13. Colofs. 2. 16.
u Rom. 14. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 13.
» Acls 16.3,
l 4 bur-
1 6 8 Of the fever al Difpenfa t ions
burdenfome to the Flefh and unprofitable as per*
taining to the Confcience ; and the obfervance
of fome is judg'd necefTary to be enjoin'd to
certain Profelytes by a public Decree/ The many
Miracles and extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit
which attended the Church at that time were
no lefs evident iigns of its Weaknefs, which
flood in need of all thefe Interpofitions, (as one
well obferves) a than the frequent appearance
of Angels was under the former Administrations:
Whereas afterwards in its more confirm'd and
fettled State, thefe Helps b became unneceflary,
the natural and ordinary Evidence, the regular
and ftated Methods of Inftruction being abun-
dantly fufficient. The fame Obfervation might
be confirm'd from the frequent mifapplication
of thefe very Gifts, fo as to occafion tumults
and confuficn in the public ArTembly ( with
reverence I fpeak it ) even in the midft of that
* Ails 15.28,29. See Benfonh Hift. of Planting Chrir
Jianity, V. 2. p. 56. where the beft account feems to be
given of that Decree from the 17 and 18 of Levit. See alfo
Mifc. Sacr. Efr.4.
* Edwards's Survey, p. 600, 606, &c. add Hicks's Spirit
of Enthufiafm exorcifed, p. 27,-30. The particular oc-
cafion there was for each may be feen in Mifc. Sacr. EfT.i.
p. 153,^.
1 1 Cor. 12.28.
F 1 Csjf. IA. fee Div. Leg. V.2. B>4. S.6. p. 320.
plen-
of Reveled Religion . 169
plentiful effufion of the Spirit, c infomuch that
they fometimes came together not for the better y
but for the worfe. d Even in thofe days the
Myjlery of Iniquity began to work, e many
Factions and Schifms arofe, many Tares were
fbwn together with the good Seed, and often
fprang up with it and choaked it. No fooner
had Chrijlianity got well rid of the Yoke of
the Jewifi Law, than it was corrupted with
yewijh Fables f and Traditions. The Gentile
Converts were fometime in laying aiide their old
Errors and Superftitions s and afterwards intro-
duced an impure mixture of their Philofophy i h
this foon produced innumerable Seels and mon-
ftrous Here/ies, which take up the greateil
part of the Hiftory of thofe times. ' l Inftead of
attending to the plain popular fenfe of Scripture,
they fly to fanciful Allegories, k raife multitude?
of Myfteries, and maintain continual oppofition
«* 1 C?r. 11,17. e iTheJf. 2.7.
f See Bajhage's Hift of the Jews, B. 3. c. 22.
8 See Bingham's Ant. B. 16. 05.
See Bibl. Univerf. Tom. 10. et Cleric. Ep. Crit. 4.
148, &V.
1 See a fummary account of it in Le CI ere. Ep. Crit. 4..
k * Hunc (fcil. Philonem) haud ita multo poft culpabili
4 affedtatione fequuti funt Patres et Scriptores Ecclefi-
4 aftici, tarn fuam quam lectorum operam ludentes : five
4 quod is omnium primus annotata in Sacram Scripturam
* tentaret, five potius quod Philonem primo in hunc modum
* feci-
170 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
of Science faljly fo calVd. For under all their
fhew of Science not much folidity or real
Knowledge, not much true Learning is to
be met with ; nor indeed had they much room
to cultivate it in thofe times. — And though
the whole Scheme of our Redemption was
compleatly delivered, and all its eflential parts
recorded during the extraordinary Amftance and
Infpection of the Holy Gbojl, and in fome re-
fpe&s the primitive Chrijlians feem to have the
advantage of others, as being better acquainted
with the Stile in which it was wrote, and fome
Apoftolical Traditions which gave light to it : '
yet it by no means follows that the true Genius
and Extent of this Revelation mutt be as well
underftood by the generality of them, as it
could be by any that came after them. What
' fcribentem repererint : Certum fane eft eum CbriJIianis
* Scriptoribus diu plurimum arrififle ; quorum nonnulli
' eiim adeo ad amuflim imitari ambiebant, ut facra
' volumina, alioquin in fe perfpicua, foede obfeurarint,
* obdu&aque allegoriarum fuarum fuligine minus fincera
' pnebuerint.' Ligbtfoot Op. Tom. 2. p. 848.
1 Which yet is but of very little weight, as may be
feen in Le Clerc Ep. Crit. 4. p. 146, &. or Whitby^ Diflert.
de S. Scr. Interp. paflim. * Sunt equidem qui fentiunt
* Patres eo quod N. Teftamenti Scriptoribus propriores
* eflent idoneos magis fuifle fenfus Scripturas Judices, five
* Interpretes ; quod tamen falfiffimum efle experientia
* duce compertum eft. Ex trium enim primorum feculorum
* fcriptoribus haud pauca in hoc opere congelfimus ab
' omni
of Reveled Religion. i y i
our Saviour faid of John the Baptift, that the
leaft in the Kingdom of Heaven was greater
than he, greater in his Knowledge of the
Nature and Constitution of that Kingdom ;
the fame may be faid of common Chriftians in
that Period j many of lefs merit and lower
abilities, but living in a more enlighten'd Age,
might eafily prove equal, if not fuperior to
them in w r hat may be call'd the Theory, or
fpeculative part of their Religion, with regard
to which only I would always be underftood.
The plain fundamental Doctrines and Rules of
Life were then no doubt (as they have always
been ) well known, and thefe they took good
care to act up to, and deferve this Character,
that they lived much better than they reafon'd. m
Though perhaps even thus much can only be
* omni veritatis fpecie aliena. Oftendant nobis Patrum
' Pafoni imam Scripturae Pericopen, qua; alias obfcura
* cum efTet, ab iis fit lucem mutuata. Hoc autem admi*
' randa Dei providentia contigifle exiftimo, ne ex humano
* judicioDivinarum Scripturarum authoritas penderet. Nill
' enim experientia fcientiae magiftra compertum efTet
*■ Patres primaevos et Apoftolis propriores, haud minus
c quam caeteri, ca-fpitafle, pronum eflet propter infignem
* eorum Pietatem et dona quorundam fpiritualia eorum
* veftigiis mftitiiie.' Whitby ib. Epil. p. 346.
«» See LeClen's Eccl. Hift. of 2 firft Cent. pafT. and
Ep. Crit. et Eccl. Ep.4. or Daille or Barbyrac Pref. to
Pufcndorf, and Spirit of Ecclefiaftics. Whitby DifTert. in
Pref.
172 Of the fever al Difpenfations
afrirm'd of them in the very primitive times,
during the extraordinary affiftance of the Holy
Spirit, and whilft the original Evidence was
clear and cogent, and its ImprefTions ftrong
and lively upon them ; while they believ'd that
the World was juft at an end, however like to
end fuon with themfelves by reafon of the
many Dangers, Difficulties and DiftrefTes to
which they were daily expofed : from which
extraordinary cafes we are not to form our
Notions of the State of any Inftitution, as was
obferv'd in the beginning. * Nor are fuch any
Objection to the gradual Progrefs of Religion
here fuppofed. Neither were the fir ft Chriftians
different from other men as foon as thefe ex-
Pj?ef. S. 4,5, &c, et Epilog. Bp. Taylor's Liberty of Pro-
phecying, c.8. Ibbot's Boyle's Left. Part2. Serm. 4. or
Edwards's Free Difc on Truth and Error, c.7. or his
Patrologia Pofth. Tr. 1. at the end of which is a Catalogue
of Authors that have freely cenfur'd the Fathers. Buddeus
in his Judgement of Le Clerc [de Theolog. Patrift. Ifag.
L.2. c.3. S. 3. p. 489.] feems to own that the learning
of the generality of the Fathers is to he rated according
to the Times in which they lived, and that thofe were
much inferior to our own in this refpecl:, which is all that
I am here concern'd for. Vid. Bub. ib. S. 10. p. 508. add
Dodwel DifT. in hen. Praef. et. DifT. 1. or Wotton's Re-
flections, c. 29. p. 389, &V. 2 Ed.
* Part 2,
tra-
of Reveled Religion. 173
traordinary Hopes and Terrors ceafed ; m m as
foon as they were at eafc in the World, and
left to the common courfe of it, and once be-
came involv'd in all its Famions, Forms and
Interefts, having all along this treajure in
earthen Veffels, that the Excellency of the Power
might be of God a?id not of them. n
mm £lq $ two; ruv A-n-og-oXuv X°^ 0<; $ ia -ty % m **A?i(pfi
r» (3»» TfAo?, zrzpsXvXvQti T£ yfyzvix sxuvn ruv ocvrxig axoxiq
rng tv Six (rotpiocg (vax.ov<ron xtx.Tnjriuy.Evu)v i rnvix.ix.VTtx. rr\q
aQtis TrAotvYig rriv ocp%7\v iXccy.Qtx.vsv n (rug-actf, $icc rr\q tuiv
tTepohdcco-xtx-Xuv onrocTriq, oi xxi an y.riSivoq fri twv Attq-
<ToXwv Af»7T0jW,£vtf, ^ujtxvrj Xonrov r)<5V] r% xt(pxXr\, tco rr\q
aXifttixq *.rip\jyy.XTi rr\v ij/fuj'wvu/xoy yvuGiv xvTixngvrltw
tTrs^ii^ovv. Eufeb. Hift. ECCI.L.3.C.26. — ' Reformations
« in Religion will fometimes laft long with regard to
' fpeculative Doctrines; but with refpecl: to practical
* Morality, they foon attain to Perfection and their full
* growth ; and this is fucceeded by a fudden Depravation
' of Manners, and a ftate of fo much corruption as would
* require a new Reformation. The ftrict Morals or Be-
* haviour of the primitive Chriftians ; their Sobriety,
* Chaftity, Humility, £ffc. (hone in their greateft fplendour
' during the Lives of the Apoftlcs ; but degenerated fo
' much daily from the period in queftion, that there was
* no difference in the fourth Century between the Man-
* ners and Conduct of the Chriftians and thofe of other
' People.' Bayle Gen. Did. V. 7. comp. Moyle's Works,
V. 2. p. 204, &c. with Fitringa's Difertation on the State
of the Church from Nero's time till Trajan. Obferv. Sac.
L. 4. c 7.8.
n * It is with Religion as it is with Arts and Sciences,
* the firft Ellays are feld»m perfect ; they arrive not to
* their
1 74 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
When Chriftianity comes to be eftablifh'd in
he Roman Empire it partakes of its Pomp and
Pageantry, and foon admits the Pagan Ceremo-
nies. n n We find it immediately fplit into new
Herefies and Schifms, torn with ambitious
Contefts and Struggles for Power : ° perplexing
Doubts and Difficulties rais'd in points of Doc-
trine, fubtle Diftinclions and nice Refinements
made in its Precepts, and both often confound-
1 their height at firft, they require a gradual Improve-
* merit. And fo it is here: the primitive Cbrijlians were
* not grown up to that perfection of Knowledge and
« Understanding which was defign'd by the Author of
* of our Religion. Chriftianity was in its Infancy, at moft
' in its Childhood, when thefe men wrote, and therefore
'it is no wonder that they fpake as Children , that they
« underftood as Children^ that they thought as Children.
' This was according to the Oeconomy they were then
4 under. And befides they had not time and leifure to
' fearch into the Chrijlian Doctrines, nor had they laid
' in a fufficient ftock and fund for that purpofe, they
' being but newly adopted into the Chrijlian Church :
* yet they were willing to appear in its behalf, to defend
' it as well as they could, which was accepted by Hea-
' ven.' Edwards's Patrologia, p. 57. ' Let me not be
' cenfur'd though I (hould be fo bold as to fay that we
' fhould have underftood the Scriptures much better if we'
' had not had the Writings of the Fathers ; for they have
' obfcured and depraved them by their different and con-
' trary Comments ; They have raifed Controverfies,
' they have taught men to quarrel and difpute about the
* fenfe of many Texts which otherwife are plain and
ob-
of Reveled Religion. jye
ed in many an idle Controverfy : p till at length
almoft the whole Church of Chrijl feems to
be overwhelm'd with Popery and Mahomet anifm,
for which indeed it was too fully ripe. q Though
perhaps the latter of thefe two ( notwithitand-
the mixture of Impofture in it) may appear
to have been in the main a very coniiderable
Reformation r [concerning the former, fee N. z
below. ]
* obvious, and about feveral matters of practice which
' are evident enough in themfelves, fome of which are
< fuperftitious, &c ib. p. 135.
n n See Dr. Middleton's Letter from Rome 4 th Edit.
' Imperio ad fidem addudo, fed et Imperii pompa Eccle-
* fiam inficiente : Ethnicis ad Chriftum converfis, fed
' et Chrifti religione ad Ethnicae formam depravata, &c.
Turetin de variis Chr. Rel. Fatis. Orat. Acad.
V. Ammian. Mar. L. 15. et 27. Socr. Eccl. H. L. 1.
c.22. 23.
p See Barbyrac Prsef. to Puf. S. 19. Ut in Mis tempori-
bus, fays Erafmus very juftly, ingeniofa res fuit ejfe Chri-
jlianum. add Eufeb. de Vit. Conjlant. L.2. c. 61.
1 See Sale's Prelim. Difc. to the Koran, Seel:. 2. add
Grot. dsFer. R. C. L.6. c.i.
r All Authors agree that what gave Mahomet the
greateft room to advance his new Religion was the dif-
fracted, ignorant, corrupt ftate of the Eaftern Church
at that time ; the miferable Contentions and moil horrid
Perfecutions on every Religious pretence, the diflb-
lutenefs of all Seels and Parties : and 'tis evident that he
contributed not only to reform the Morals of a great part
of the World, but likewife reduced them from Polvtheifm
and
176 Of the fever al Dijpenfations
But this is a Subject too difagreeable to dwell
upon j nor am I inclined to aggravate the Im-
perfections of part Ages. All that I would
obferve is what appears from the moft tranfient
view of Ecclefiaitical Hiftory, namely that
the rife and progrefs of Chrifiianity has in the
main been fimilar to that of all other Difpen-*
fations ; that both the Name of Chriji and the
Nature of his Religion were difcover'd, or as
we may fay, both the external and internal
Propagation of Chrifiianity was carried on in
the fame gradual manner.
and grofs Idolatry to the belief and Worfhip of one God ;
which was the principal DocTxine he fet out with at firft,
and gain'd great Reputation by, and which he made the
ground of his pretended Miffion. His Syftem contains a
great deal of pure Chrijlianity, it enforces the Virtues of
Charity, Temperance, Juftice and Fidelity in the ftrongeft
manner, it prohibits Extortion and all kinds of Cruelty,
even to Brutes, and binds its Votaries to the ftricleft
Order, Regularity and Devotion. Several Seels of therri
believe in Chriji. [ v. D. Millius de Rel. Mobam. Dill. 10.
p. 344, EST*. Reland de R. M. p. 25, b'c. and Sir P. Rtcaut's
Hift, B.2. c. 11, &c. or Millar, p. 230. ] and cntertairi
as worthy Notions of him to the full as fome of the Papijls
do [ fee U Alcoran des Cordeliers, and Bayle Gen. Di£t.
p. 326. B.] One may fee to what height the Romijh Cor-
ruptions were grown in Mabo?net's time by hrs reproaching
the Chrijlians with their aflbciating to God their Doctors
and Monks [Alcoran, 9. 31. J and by his furprifing miftake
of the Virgin Mary for the third Perfon in the Trinity .*
[ fee Reland's 4 Treaties on Mahom. p. 174, tsV. or Skirt
Prelim-
of Reveled Religion. t jj
As to the firft. The Jews who had before
been made ufe of to fpread the Knowledge of
the true God and his Providence and prepare
men for a more noble Inftitution by their fre-
quent Difperfions all over the Eaft, are here
much more fo ( when they were much better
qualify'd for it and lefs liable than ever to be
corrupted by the Heathen among whom fome
of them were fo long to converfe $ ) by their
Difperfion over the whole World at the De-
ftruction of their Temple and Government
by Titus, and under the following Emperors,
Prelim. Difc. p. 35. and his Koran, c. 5, p.98 ] and what
havock thofe moft lamentable Controverfies on this Subject
made, appears from the Confeflion of a learned Writer,
who tells us, that obliged him to drop his Defign of giving
us the Hiftory of thefe Churches. Pref. to Prid. Life
of Mahomet.
• See Lr Clerc's Caufes of Incredulity, p. 264, &c.
In fail none of them that we know of, however bad they
were and are in other refpecls, have fallen from their
own God to the Idolatrous Worfhip of their Neighbours
any where, during this their moft miferable Difperfion,
their feeming fo long to be utterly rejected by him, a
tenth part of which fuffering would have totally deftroy'd
the very Name of them in any former times. This muft
be thought a little remakable by every one who thinks
at all about k. Nor has their cafe been lefs extraordinry
in Chriftian Countries, where they have never been per-
mitted to reft long in any Kingdom, where frequently in
every Age men's eyes are turn'd upon them by fome new
general Pcrfecution ; and yet notwithftanding all this they
M arc
178 Of the fever al Difpenfations
efpecially Adrian, l and thereby every where
publifh and prove the Truth of their own, as
well as the Gofpel Proprieties, u and become the
bell Evidences, becaufe unwilling ones, in favour
of the Chrifiian Religion. And as the Roman
Empire by its increafe and fettlement at the
time of Chrifts coming contributed remarkably
to this fame end, fo did it no lefs afterward by
its Decline andDifTolution, at which time Chrijl-
ianiij was fcatter'd abroad with it among; the
Northern Nations, and carried to the remoter!
Iiles, in the lame manner as the Grecian Arts
are umverfally believ'd to be more numerous in the whole
at prcfe nt than they have ever been in their moft flourtfh-
ing eftate in their own Land.
1 He fold them at Fairs for the fame price as Horfes
[ Hier. in jfer. p. 342. ] and would not fuffer any of them
fo much as to fet foot in or come in view of Jerufalem 9
fay fome [ Ait*. Civ. D. L. 16. 021, Ml. in P/48. ] or
of any part of Judea, according to others. [Hier, in Dan,
595. Tert. Apol. 021 . ] Nor could they obtain even this
privilege from any of the fucceedrng Emperors (except
Julian) but with great difficulty, and only for one Day
in a year to fee and bewail its wis, and that upon
paying a confiderable Sum. Univ. Hiji. B. 3. p. 40. Echard,
Eccl. Hift. 4.65. &c. £«/**. Eccl. Hift. ax. 6. comp. Baf-
nage Hift. I. B.6. c. 9. S. 28, 29. et Witfix Exerc. Acad.
12. 16. ' Thus all the Attempts of that perfidious Nation
c towards the recovery of their former Condition ferved
* only to heighten and aggravate thofe Calamities with
e which they had been fo often threatned by the Prophets,
• and to reduce them to the deplorable State in which
8 we now fee them, being a Crew of contemptible Vaga-
* bonds
of Reveled Religion. 179
had been difpers'd over Afia upon the diilblu-
tion of Alexander's Empire.
By thefe and the like means was the Gofpel
divulg'd every where, and the found ot it might
be faid without an Hyperbole to have gone into
all the Earth, and its Words unto the ends of the
World : u and where it has prevailed, it pre-
vail'd more entirely than any other Religion
could, which (as an excellent Author obferves,*)
makes a great abatement in the Disproportion
that Heathenifm in general may feem to have
in its numbers above Christianity. And though
fome Nations at firft view feem to have quite
* bonds difperfed all over the World, without King,
6 Temple or Pontiff ; driven from their own Countrey,
* and not daring to fet foot in it even as Paflengers md
' Strangers. The Edict of Adrian excluding all Jews from
' Jerufalem, extended to luch of them as had embraced
* the Cbrijiian Religion, fo that they too being obliged
' to quit the City, the Church was by that means ueliver'd
' from the Servitude of the Law ; for till that time, not
* only the Bifhops of Jerufalcm had been chofen from
' among the circumcifed Cbri/lians, but all the converted
' Jews joined to the obfervance of the Gofpel that of the
' Law.' Univ.Hi/i. ib. p. 41.
u Dent. 28. Matt. 23. 35,38, &c. Luke 21.24. Deut.
32.21. Rofti.io.iq. Jer. 15.4. 25. 9. Hcf.^.\. In what
a remarkable manner every Curfe dcfcribeJ by Moj'es has
been to the full inflicted on that ftill miferable People, may-
be feen in Patrick upon Deut. 28.
« Ro?n. 10.18. See the Authors below
* Jenkin, X.i. p. 34-.
M 2 lofl
1 8 o Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
loft it again, or greatly abufed and corrupted
it ; yet upon a more ftrict furvey, we difcover
a great deal of it mixed in their feveral Syftems,
and hid under different Names, which we
have reafon to think, will at length be found
of them more fully, and like Seed fown revive
in its own feafon. Nor is it now in fo narrow
a compafs as is generally imagined. x Though
there be many large Countries where it is not
eftablifhed or formally profefs'd, yet are there
fome traces both of this and former Revelations
in moft Parts of the World, as appears from
feveral Modern Writers -J and though we often
find it blended with impure Rites,and grofs Super-
ftitions among a barbarous People ; yet at the
fame time we find that it has had a very con-
fiderable effect even upon them, and will we
truft in time lead them to a more pure and
perfect Profeffion of it, when they become
ripe for fuch a Manifeftation : and as fome
Corruptions both in the Natural and Civil
Body generally make way for a more perfect
Soundnefs and thorough Reformation,- and then
* V. Fabricii Lux Evang. toti orbi exoriens. c. 36,0V.
orM/k'sHift. ofPropag. c.7.8,^.
y See many of them cited and more refcrr d to by
Jeniin, Fabrlcm and Millar, add Young's Hift. Diff. V.2.
p. 218, &c
v ' are
of Reveled Religion. 1 8 1
are themfelves cured : fo may it be in the Body-
Spiritual. Thus that thick Cloud of Popery
which has been fo long hanging over the
Weftern Church, made way for a brighter
Light perhaps than ever at the Reformation^ *
(which help'd greatly to amend at leaft the
Difcipline of that very Church who refufed
to admit any material Alteration in her Doct-
rines -j- ) and may ftill by its refemblance to
the Worfhip of Heathens lead them more eali-
ly and jnfenfibly out of their grofler Errors,
and be no improper introduction to a more
pure Religion among them, and when it has
ferved that end, its own Idolatrys be abolifhed
and by its Judgements alarm and convince the
Jews (to whom it has been hitherto a Rock
of Offence) and fo make way for a Hill purer,
as well as more enlarged eftate of Chrifiianity
among both Jews and Gentiles. z But not to
dwell on conjectures ; this we know afTuredly,
that every People, Nation and Language mall
at laft embrace the true Religion, and all
* See Worthington's Eflay, p. 152, &c.
•f See Hakewill's Apology p. 547.
* See Edwards's Survey, p. 715. or Scott's Chriftian
Life, Part 2. V.2. c.7. p. 489. Some great end will moft
undoubtedly be ferv'd by the permiflion of Popery fo long
even after the Myjlery of its Iniquity is feen through by
M 3 the
1 8 2 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms
ofChrift. a
Secondly. As to what may be called more
particularly the internal Propagation of Chrifti-
anifo, or the Comprehenfion of the whole Gof-
pel Scheme, the fame method is carried on,
though not in fo vifible a manner or capable of
being diftinguifhed by fuch remarkable Periods.
That perfect Analogy between Religion and the
common courfe of Nature, which has been fo
beautifully difplay'd by a late excellent Writer -f*
holds no lefs true I believe in this refpe<ft, and
the generality of its own Profeffors, as feems to be in- a
great meafure the cafe at prefent. Even during its darkeft
Ages, which afford the very ftrongeft Objection to that
Trogrefs in Religion we fuppofe, Chrijlianity was ftill
fpreading wider and wider in the more diftant parts of the
World, and where Popijb Converts now become the Seed
of Chrijltans, who may not improperly be compared to
the Profelytes of the Gate among the Jews, being pro-
bably the firft fruits of the Harvcft God intends to have
smong the Heathens of thofe Parts, and after they are
fully converted may be moft fervicable to promote the
Converfion of others. [ fee Jurieu. Pref. to Accompl. of
Proph. or Millar 2V. p. 230. 364. ] We may affirm that
Popery there is ftill better than Paganifm y and by its fo
great refemblance of the Pagan Superftitions (particularly
in the point of Images ) it more eafily infinuates itfelf
among fuch People, and may be confider'd therefore in
Tome refpe&s as no very unfit Introduction to a more
per-^
f The Ld. Bp. of BrifloL
of Reveled Religion. 183
that as all Arts and Sciences, every inprovement
in natural and civil Life are ftill drawing nearer to
perfection, as we become daily better acquainted
with the Syftem of the World, as well as that of
the Univerfe,with the nature of the Heavens and
Earth, with that of our own Body and Mind ;
in fhort, as every branch of knowledge has
been all along enlarging and improving itfelf,
and every fucceflive Age not only enjoys the
Difcoveries of the foregoing, but adds ftill great-
er and more valuable ones of its own ; J fo it is
probable that the Knowledge of Religion alone
perfect State of Religion in future Ages, whenever they
fhall become capable of it. fee Colliber's Impartial En-
quiry, p. 138. 2 Edit, with Gage's Survey of the }VeJl~
Indies.
• Pf.2.%. 22.27. 72.11. 86.9. J/ai.c.2.2. e.g. 7.
c.ii.9-11. c.40.5. c.49.6. c. 52.10. c.55.5. c.56.7.
c.60.12. c. 66.18, 22. £zr/\ 39.23. 29. Dan. 2.44. 7.
14, 27. Hof. I. io. 3.4. Mich. 5.4. Am. 9. 14. Zepb. 3.9.
Zech.q.io. 12.10. 14.9. Mai. 1. 11. Matt. 24. 14. Mark
13.10. Luke 3.6. 21.24. -/#?* 13. 47. Rom.S.ig, &c,
11. 25. 14. 11, &c. 1 Cor. 15.25. 2 Cor. 3. 14, &c. Rev.
11. 15. 14. 6. From fuch Texts as thefe Mr. Pforthington
infers that the Kingdom of Chr'iji will be an XJniverfal
Theocracy, whereof that under the Jezvs was in fome re-
fpe&s typical, EJf. 292, &c. Where there fhall be univerfal
Holinefs 302. and Obedience to the Gofpel Precepts in
their ftri&eft fenfe, 309. and either an Univerfal Language
or a perfect Union, in Faith and Worfhip, 308.
\ See Part. 3.
m 4 is
1 8 4 Of the fever a I Difpenfations
is not at a ftand ; but on the contrary, that as
we continaally advance in the ftudy of God's
Works, fo we fhall come to a proportionably
better understanding of his Word'. As by all
thefe means Human Reafon is ftill growing
more perfect, fo by the fame means Divine
Revelation will gradually clear up, and Chrift-
ianity itfelf draw nearer to its fulnefs. What is
here fuppofed has been remarkably confirm'd
in fact fince the Reformation, about which time
thefe two extraordinary Difcoveries of Printing
and the ufe of the Compafs in Europe jointly
contributed to the Difperfion of Learning and
Enlarging of Commerce over the World; and at
the fame time gave a new publication of
Chriftianity and in much greater Purity than
it had been in before for many Centuries.
Ever fince which time all three have been
continually gaining ground. New light has been
given to the Prophetic and other more abilrufe
parts of Scripture in every fucceflive Age and
almond by every Writer, as a very able Judge
affures us. a The Grounds of our Religion are in
general much better understood, more clearly
and rationally explain'd and vindicated j and
from what appears at prefent we have reafon
3 Ntwtcn on Daniel c. i .
vf Reveled Religion . 185
to think they will be ftill more and more fo.
b We may venture to fay that in our own
Nation there never were more free and wor-
thy Notions of God and his Providence } nor
were the Defigns and various Difpenfations
of Religion ever generally fo well underftood
b * At tandem, fuperiore praefertim feculo et hoc noftro,
' cum Difciplinae omnes et quae pertinent ad Antiquitatis
. 5 Linguai unique demortuarum intelligentiam, et quae
* rerum ipfarum cognitionem tradunt, et quae veri in
* quavis arte inveniendi ac exponendi rationem docent,
' ad multo majorem perfeftionem adduclae eflent j anti-
« quiflima ilia Religionis Divinitus revelatae monumenta
* multo melius explicari, certioraque ex iis confe&aria
* duci, Capitaque omnia Theologica redius tradi caeperunt
' quam unquam antea ab Apoftolorum aerate factum fuerat.
' Quod multo citius contigiflet, fi Majores noftri Judicio
c fuo malluiflent uti quam alieno j neque enim ingenia
■ defuifle puto pofterioribus feculis, fed artem duntaxat,
c quae nimia caecaque admiratione priorum opprefla jacebat.
« Quare contigit idem Theologiae Chriftianae quod Phi-
' lofophiae ; quae turn demum cum frudu, ut par erat
' excoli et perfici caepit cum homines caepere recordari,
* fibi Rationem non minus efTe datam quam Arijloteli ;
* excuflaque admiratione Antiquitatis, Dogmata ejus ad
' examen revocare. Ut igitur qui nunc pulcherrima
' Recentiorum in Philofophia inventa oblivioni mandari
« vellent ut Arljioteka Decreta fola iterum obtinerent,
€ tenebras luci praeferre merito cenferentur : ita qui nunc
< nos revocant ad Elementa ac prima veluti tentamina
« Patrum Graecorum aut Latinorum, plurifque ea fieri
f volunt quam quae nunc fcimus, ii virum adultae aetatis
' per-
1 8 6 Of the fever al Difpenfations
as at prefent. Never was Learning and real
Knowledge fb fully and equally difpers'd among
all Parties and Profemons of Men. Nor is
there any Seel:, however wild and extragavagant
it may have been at its firfr, fetting out, but
evidently partakes of thefe Improvements.
And though while the minds of Men are warm
and eager in the quell of Truth, while they
are in continual agitation and daily teeming with
new Inventions, many Monfters will fpring up
(as may naturally enough be expected} toge-
ther with it,and ftrange Errors and Abfurdities be
advane'd in fuch full Freedom of Enquiry and
Debate j and though this Increafe of Knowledge
be attended with an Increafe of Libertinifm
and Extravagance of all kinds, and an Evil Spirit
of Infidelity and Prophanenefs be at the fame
c pertinaci Audio longaque experientia edoclum ad pueri*
* tiae ruditatem redire volunt, majorique in pretio habere
' quae puer animo agitabat, quam quae adultus maturo
* judicio penfitavit. Inimici funt Profeftus omnis in facris
' Literhy adeoque ipfius Veritatis. Talenta Divinitus nobis
c data et nuper mirum in modum aucla minuere atque in-
*■ fodere omni ope conantur. £>uod ah 'tis perfici nee Deus,
* nee Homines finent donee in aliquo terrarum angulo Litene
' et Veritath amor vigebunt.' Clerc. Ep. Crit. 4. p. i$i,&c.
comp. Ibbot'sB. Le&. 2Part Serm.4. p. 119. and Laclant.
de Orig. Err, L.2. S.7. To which we may be added
lVotton y % two excellent Chapters on the Philological and
The**
of Reveled Religion. 1 87
time gone abroad j yet is this neither fo uncom-
mon or unconformable to the courfe of Divine
Providence in other refpects as to make us de-
fpair of feeing it attended with the ufual Con-
fequences : We have ftill reafon to truft that
when Truth and Knowledge have once fully
got the better of Error and Superftition, this
Spirit of Reformation will at length reform
and rectify itfelf, and we (hall have more and
more of the true Life and Spirit of our Religi-
on as we draw nearer to thofe times wherein
the fure Word of Prophecy has fix'd its Reign.
I am for from imagining that Chrifiiamty is
yet come to its mature ftate, that it is underftood
in the whole extent, or held in its utmoft. pari-
ty and perfection by any particular Church c .
But as when it was firft preached Men were fit
Theological Learning of the Moderns. Refl. c. 28, and 29.
and Worthington 's EfTay, c. 8.
« * It will not be thought any imputation on Chrijfia-
1 nity that all its Myfteries and Doctrines have not been
* as yet fo fully difcover'd and underftood by the fevcral
1 Sects and Parties of Chrijlians, as to come to a fettled
' Agreement concerning them, if it be confidcred that
* no human Science hath been brought to fuch perfection
' as not to admit of farther Improvements, many of
' which began to be cultivated long before the Com-
' mencement of Chriftiamty .' Prcf. to Mr. IFortbington*
Effay, p. 7.
to
1 8 8 Of the fever al Difpenfations
to hear and profit by it in a competent Degree,
( as we have mown) as that was a very proper
time to divulge it, in order to improve the
"World, which it did very confiderably * ex-
celling all former Difpenfations of Religion,
and Syftems of Science, refining the Notions,
even of thofe who did not formally receive it, *
and yet was itfelf for fomewhile but ^partially
communicated b and imperfectly understood :
So now, 'tis of much greater advantage to the
World in general, and yet frill capable of en-
creafe ; it waits for its own Fulnefs, nor {hall
Mankind receive the proper influence and ad-
vantage of it till their Minds be much farther
open'd, their Reafon more fully exercifed in
this great Myftery of Divine Love. We muii
fure be fenfible that the Scriptures are very far
from being thoroughly underftood by us, who
are of fo reform'd a Church, live under fuch
* See the Bp. of London's 2* Paftoral Letter, or Wor-
tbington's EfiTay, c. y.
a This is very vifible in the Writings of thofe Phi lofophers
who came after its promulgation, as Epiftetus, Plutarch^
Max. Tyr. and more efpecially M. Antoninus, who is well
acquainted with the Chrijiian Virtue of Humility, among
many others, and frequently infifts upon it. The like
may be obferv'd of Porphyry and Hierocles [ fee pafTages
in Burnet de Fid. et Off. p. 29.] as alfo in Seneca [fee
Lamott's Enquiry into his Religion: Works of the Learned
of Reveled Religion. 1 8 9
an excellent Government, and in this enlighten'd
Age, not even thofe parts of them which treat
of paft States and Difpenfations, much lefs thofe
which regard Futurity. How long is it fince
men were fo very ignorant of its Doctrines as
to fix that horrid one of Abjblute Reprobation
upon St. Paul himfelf ? and 'tis to be fear'd
that almoft as hard things are yet believ'd of
him and other infpired Writers. We are ftill
apt to confine the Gofpel of our Lord, as his
primitive Difciples fometime did, to particular
Nations, Churches, Seels, Opinions j to contend
vehemently either about things in their own
Nature abftrufe and difficult to be understood,
and therefore lefs necefTary to be determin'd $
or elfe fuch lighter Matters, as the Ceremonies,
Circumftances and outward Forms of its Ad-
ministration j inftead of explaining and recom-
mending the true Nature End and Defign of
for July 17 3g ] The fame thing is own'd by the Emperor
'Julian in his excellent advice for a Reformation in their
Philofophy by taking in the Chrijlian Morals. Ep. adJr/ac.
49. V.Cave Introd. p. 32, &c. Millar Propag. p. 402.
or Gordon's Difc. before his Tacitus, or Bp. Leng's B. LecT:.
S. 12. p.m. Fol. add Jenkin, Part 3. 05. p. 386.
b See the feveral Periods of this Communication accur-
ately fettled by the Author of Mifc . Sac. in his Abftradt
of the Scr. Hift, of the Apoftles, and Pref. p. 14, &c.
it.
19° Qf ^ de f cvera l Difpenfatiojis
it, and being intent upon enlarging its real
Kingdom, and taking care to maintain thofe
Works which are intriniically good and profi-
table unto men : a inftead of attending to that
more excellent way which the lame blelTed
Apoille fhew'd us, * that bond of Perfection
which he has fo earneftly exhorted us to put
on above all things, *j- which he has taught us
to efteem above all F:uth and Knowledge and
even the beft miraculous Gifts. — Bat though
the Face of Christianity be fTill miferably dark-
en'd and- deform'd ; ( of which more below )
though fome Nations feem to be in their
Childhood yet and cannot receive it j and others
grow fo vicious and profligate as to be inclined
to reject it: though in fome Ages it feems to
be quite hid in darknefs and funk under Ig-
norance and Superftition, in others born down
with the Torrent of Lewdnefsand Libertinifm :
though like the Sea, it have its Ebbs and Flows,
* Tit. 3.8,9. * The great Offence — which in all Nati-
* ons and in all Ages has hundred the Propagation of the
e Gofpel of Truth, has been a hypocritical Zeal to fecure
c by Force a fictitious Uniformity of Opinion, which is
* indeed impoflible in nature, inftead of the real Chriftian
* Unity, of Sincerity, Charity, and mutual Forbearance,
* which is the Bond of Perfettnefs: Dr. Clarke's Serm. 18.
V.6.8" Fol. V.2. S.18.
* 1 Cor. 12. 31. f Cohjf. 3. 14.
and
of Reveled Religion, 191
and leave Tome Lands to gain on others ; nay
though fometimes it feem to be at a general
ftand, and even retreating : yet neverthelefs we
have reafon to conclude that upon the whole its
motion is progreffive, and that each very Lett
tends in the main to accelerate this Progrefs ;
(as was obferved in the beginning) that its
Power is flill vifibly or invifibly enlarging over
the World, and that it will always go on to
do fo till the Kingdom ofChri/t be fully come,
till it be within us, and known by all from the
the leaft to the greatefl ; till the Everlajling
Gojpel* go forth and be fo thoroughly under-
flood and embraced as to bring on the Fulnefs cf
the Gentiles, and by their means the Reftoration
of God's own People the Jews, as he has often
foretold:* and fo the whole Earth be full of the
Knowledge of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea.
From the whole we have reafon to conclude,
that the objection, mentioned in the beginning
of thefe Difcourfes is abfolutely groundlefs, that
* Rev. 14. 6.
a See the Texts above, p. 183. Many more to the fame
purpofe are colle&ed in a Note to Part 2. c. 11. p. 187.
Fol. of Kidder's Demonftr. To which may be added
JVhitby*s Appendix to his Comment on Rem. II. and
Trcatifc on the true Millenium c. 2. Burnet's App. to
Ms B. De Stat. Mart. Werthington\ Fflay, p. 295.
there
I o 2 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
there is nothing in the time and manner of
the Chriftian Difpenfation inconliftent with
infinite Wifdom and Goodnefs : that God is
by no means partial or arbitrary in the diftri-
bution of his BleiTings, but at all times takes
care of all Mankind j and that this great fcheme
of Revelation was contriv'd and carried on in
the beft manner for the World in general;
which ought chiefly to be regarded by us
as it is in the Eye of our common Father.
When we come to particular Ages and Na-
tions, it is the fame as with particular Perfons,
the fame Benefits are not, cannot be con-
fer'd on all, and the Difpenfations of Religion
are perfectly analogous to thofe of Providence
in the conftant courfe of both the natural and
moral World, and thefe perhaps are capable
of being mown to be the bell: upon the whole,
as may in part appear from the former Difcourfe.*
If Chrift was to come once for all, he mull
appear in fome particular time and place which
could not be equally near to all the fuccemve
Generations of Mankind: nor could all have the
fame priviledges of feeing and converfing with
him in the Flelh : and as they are blefTed who
• Sec this more at large in Bp. Butler's Analogy, P l 2.
c. 6. csY.
have
of Reveled Religion i 1 9 3.
have not Teen and yet believed, fo are they
too moft undoubtedly ( though perhaps in a
lower degree ) who having not To much as
heard of Chrijl are yet in a good meafure
qualified to receive his doctrine were it deliver-
ed to them.
The great Scheme of our Redemption in
Chrijl was laid before the World began, * and
if we take the account which itfelf gives of its
Defign, we mall find the greateft of its Bene-
fits extended to all Mankind, namely the Cove-
nant for reftoring the whole Poflerity of Adam
to that Immortality which he forfeited. 'The Gift
of God is eternal Life through J ejus Chrijl our
Lord, -f- Death was abolijlfd and Lije and
Incorruptibility b fix'd in the Divine Decrees
from the beginning in view of Chrijl' % future
Ranjbm, c though not fo fully brought to light
till the actual Accomplishment of it by him
in our Nature. As to any particular Privileges
that can be fuppofed to be annex'd to the bare
belief in him, or explicit profefiion of it, we
have reafon to think that no lefs were enjoy'd
* Eph. 1.4. -f- Rom. 6.23.
b AipOago-ia. iTlm. no. i.e. of the Body raifed 1 Cor.
15.52.
c Matt. 20. 28. Mark\Q.\$. Riv. 138. Aft%l$Al.
Heb, 9. 15.
N by
194 Of the fever al Difpenfatiom
by thole good Men of old, who by the dim
Light of Prophecy or Tradition beheld his Day
and rejoiced in it; who faw thefe Promifes
afar off and were perfwaded of them and em-
braced them. * Faith in him to come was the
fame in proportion to the Evidence as in him
paft, and mud be equally meritorious. a Nor
have we any reafon to doubt but that the fame
Benefits, in kind at leaft, whatever they be,
might accrue from a pious Prenguration of his
Death, with a lively Faith, in Sacrifice, as now
do from remembring it in the fame manner in
his Holy Supper. So far then it might be the
fame when ever he came. And when we fpeak
of the Chriftian Scheme being abiblutely nccef-
fary to Salvation, -f we underftand Salvation in
the Scripture fenfe of that word, as implying
a particular State and Degree of Happinefs, or
as the Chrijlians Heaven, b not as the fole
Condition of enjoying everlafling Life, or as
neceffary in all Men to the avoiding abfolute
Mifery, or efcaping the pains of Hell. He
* Heb. II. 13. Gal. 3. 8.
a See Dr. Dcnne's Serra. before the Society for the Prop,
of the G. p. 53, CSV.
t P- 25.
* See Rymer's Reprefertt. of Rev. Rcl. p. 104. or Whitby
oa Rom. 2. 14.
has
of Reveled Religi on. 195
has told us that in his Father's Houfe are
many Manfions, States fuited to every Degree
of Holinefs and Virtue ; and as it often appears
that "men under very different Difpenfations
here, differ but almoft infenfibly from each other
in the abovemention'd Qualifications, can we
conceive that their States of Retribution fhall
be fo infinitely different hereafter as thofe of
Heaven and Hell are commonly believ'd to be?
No doubt there are great Advantages and fure
Promifes belonging to thofe who have been fo
happy as to be included in the Chriftian Cove-
nant, and hold it in Faith and Purity. But let
not fuch exclude others from the Mercies of
their common Lord, or murmur at the good
man of the houfe if thefe alfo receive every
man his penny 9 * Whether they fhall not fome-
time hereafter be call'd into the Vineyard and
at length become acquainted with that Perfon
who has done fo great things for them as well
as us j a or what amends may be made them
for the want of thofe fino;ular Advantages which
we here enjoy, is known only to that God of
all Mercies in whofe hands they are. What our
* Matt. 20.
a See Stairtot's Enquiry into the State of thofe Men in
another Life who never heard of Cbrtft in this, from
Rev, 20-
n a Savi-
1 96 Of the federal Difpenfations
Saviour faid of the Gentiles in contradiftinction to'
the Jews, may be no lefs true perhaps between
Chriftians and the reft of the World that never
heard of Chrift, but yet are prepared to enter,
and in a good meafure worthy to be admitted
into his Kingdom j — who have duly attended
to that Candle of the Lord, which is fet up in
the breaft of every man, and which would
lead fuch to the clearer Light of his Gofpel,
— other Sheep I have which are not of this Void,
them alfo mufi I bring and they Jhall hear my
Voice, and there jhall be one Fold and one Shep-
herd. b To them like wife may the Times of re-
frefiing come from the prefence of the Lord. c
— However, the cafe of fuch will undoubtedly
be very different from that of thofe who fre-
quently and perverfely reject the Counfel of
God againft themfelves, refolved to truit to
their own Strength, and going about to eftablifi
their own Rightcoujhefs, and not fubmitting
themfelves unto the Righteoufiefs of God. *
To conclude with our BleiTed Saviour's
admonition in a like cafe, -f If I will that he
tarry till I come, what is that to thee f follow
thou me : Let us inftead of judging others or
b Job. 10. 16. comp. Matt. 8. II. and Luke 13-29.
c Jlfls 3. 19. comp. Rom. 8- 22.
* R am 10.3. f Job. 21.2.2.
de-
of "Reveled Religion. 197
determining of their State, take care to fet a
due value on and to fecure our own Salvation :
inftead of charging God foolifhly and ungrate-
fully for not having imparted the fame Benefits
to All which we enjoy, let us rather be giving
him continual Thanks for his imfpeakable Gift,
and endeavouring to employ it to his Glory.
Let us be intent on Studying the pure Word
of God and careful to interpret it in fuch a
manner as may do moft honour to its Author -,
and at all times encourage a free and an impar-
tial Study of it. 'Tis now high time to do this,
and to awake out of Sleep, fince our Refor-
mation is much nearer than when we iirft be-
lieved : and it is to be wifh'd that we ourfelves
could be perfvvaded to examiue our own State
before others are obliged to do it for us ; that
we were difpofed to help and forward, rather
than check the progrefs of every ferious En-
quiry, and ftop any farther Improvements in
the Knowledge of that which of all things de-
ferves and wants them moft j rather than with-
ftand a general Reformation in Religion by
rigoroufly infifting on and obtruding fuch things
for Doctrine as are the Commandments of Men
and very foreign to the EfTence of it ; inftead
of either entertaining that Antichriftian kind of
Spirit which calls down fire from Heaven on
N 3 all
698 Of the fever al Di/penfations
all who don't receive us ; which delights in
ftraitening the way that leads to Life, and
(hutting up the Kingdom of Heaven againft
Men ; or elfe incurring the Woe denounc'd a-
gainil thofe Hypocrites who are defirous of
lading Men with heavy Burdens, and binding
upon them things which are too grievous to
be born, and which they know that none need
touch with one of their fingers. *
As v/e fee the Faults and Follies of paft Ages,
a double Woe will be to us if inflead of taking
warning by them and avoiding the like, we are
refolv'd to tread the fame Steps, and fill up the
Meailire of our Fathers.
Let us who have lcifure given us for this
very purpofe think on thefe things, and ftudy
to difcern the Signs of the Times > that we may
be prepared for them and profit by them : that
we may not only five ourfelves in the day of
Trouble, but alfo contribute to the fafety of
our ferufalem^ and be ready to watch over and
defend it whenever, or from what quarter
foever the Enemy cometh. As we are a City
upon a Hill, let us mew forth the Praifes of
him that has called us out of Darknefs into his
marvellous Light ; let our Light mine before
Men, and let us freely communicate it to them
* Matt. 23. Luke 11,
who
of Reveled Religion. 1 9 9
who dill fit in Darknefs, and drive to adorn
the Doclrine of our Lord. As we live in a
more enlighten'd Age and are intruded with
a greater {hare of Talents, let us walk worthy
of it and endeavour to excell others as much
in our improvements. Above all things, let us
labour to bring forth the genuine Fruits of our
Religion in true Holinefs and Virtue, and daily
draw nigh unto God in the imitation of his
Moral Perfections, which is the Sum and Sub-
fiance, the End and Aim of all Religion.
N4
The
III.
The Progrefs of
Natural Religion and Science ,
OR,
The continual Improvement of the
World in general.
Antiquitas Seculi, Juventus Mundi.
Bacon de Augment. Scient. L. i. c. $ a
Antiquity Iunfeignedly honour and reverence, but why
IJhould be bound to reverence the Ruji and Refufe,
the Drofs and Dregs, the Warts and Wens thereof^
I am yet to feek. — As in the little, fo in the great
World, reafon will tell you that Old Age or Antiquity
is to be accounted by the farther dijtance from the
Beginning, and the nearer approach to the End',
and as grey Beards are for Wifdom and Judgement
to be preferred before young green Heads, becaufe
they have more Experience in Affairs : fo likewife
for the fame Caufe the prefent Times are to be pre-
ferred before the Infancy or Youth of the Worlds
having the Hiftory and Praclife of former Ages to
inform us, which they wanted — In difgracing the
prefent Times therefore you difgrace Antiquity pro-
perly fo call'd. Ha^ewill. Apol. p. 132.
ECCLES. vii. 10.
Say not thou what is the Caufe why the
former Days were better than thefe f
for thou doji ?iot enquire wifely con~
cernincr this.
THE badnefs of the Times has been a
common Topic of Complaint in every
Age, and that they are growing worfe and
worfe continually is what fome Perfons think
themfelves obliged to infift upon with no
lefs frequency and vehemence, how hard
foever they find it to account for this in any
refpecl:. The former of thefe arguments if urg'd
only toexpofe and give a check to fome particular
predominant Vices ( for which indeed all Ages
have afforded too much room) may be of con-
ftant ufe and often neceflary. But when the latter
is added to it, and both carried fo far as to make
us difcontented and uneafy with ourfelves and
troublefome to one another - y to fet us a quar-
relling with the Station and Society in which we
are placed, a murmuring at and {peaking evil of
the Government we live under; defpiiing every
fturcan Dominion and even repining at the
of
204 ^he Progrefs of
Conduct of Divine Providence, and miitaking
the Iflue of its Difpenfations to iuch a degree as
mull: confound our judgement and unhinge our
Faith in the unlimited Goodnefs, Power and
Wifdom of their Author j then 'tis high time
to correct an Error of this kind, and enquire
into the true itate and Hiftory of the World
in the abovemention'd particular.
In order to which, fo far as the compafs of
fuch a Difcourfe will allow, I purpofe in the
firft place.
I. To fliew the Falfity of this Complaint
in feveral refpects.
II. Secondly, to point out fome of its ill
Confequences, which may be fufficient to juitify
the Preacher's obfervation in the Text, viz.
that this way of judging is no very wife one.
The Defign of the Book from which thefe
words are taken is to examine into the Courfe
of this World in general, to confider the Nature
of its Enjoyments and the Ends propofed in
our purfuit of them. No one faw farther into
thefe things or better understood their real
value , none perhaps had a mind more elevated
and refined above them, or could in a more
lively manner difplay the Vanity and Empti-
nefs thereof on fome occafions than King
Solomon ; yet where he meets with thofe who
treat
Natural Religion and Science. 205.
treat the Subject fo very mjudicioufly as both
to difparage the Works of God by reprefenting.
them to be eyer goin? backward and on the
decline, and to diffract the Minds of Men by
teaching them to undervalue and grow weary
of the prefent Benefits through an invidious
retrospect to former Days : — when things are
placed in fuch a light as this, we find him
abfolutely difapproving of the view and all thofe
Queftions which arife from thence, intimating
that the very Foundation of them is not true
in fact. To make this appear more fully let us
confider fome of the Advantages of Life both
natural and acquired, in order to fee whether
there be any figns that thefe are now difpens'd
in a lefs liberal way than formerly, or whether
the reverfe is not more probable.
As to the Fruitfulnefs of the Earth and
Clemency of Seafons, the Temperature of the
Air and Influence of Heavenly Bodies, the
vulgar miftake of their Decay and tendency to
DifTolution has I think long fince been ex-
ploded. a
Whatever might have been the employment
of Man had he continued innocent, (which yet
we fee was not exempted from the Care of
a A fufficient Confutation of it may be feen in Hake-
u ill's Apologv, pa Aim,
Jref-
2C tie Prog :f
eping that lpot of Ground in
which A:-.' "■ was placed*) upon his Fall a
fee of Toil and Labour became necellarv in
order to fecure the Virtue Health and Quiet
.: in any tolerable degree :
on which account the Earth is reprefented as
lying: under an extraordinary Cur/e of Barren-
nefs, which has been generally thought to have
continued and receiv'd confiderable addition at
the D. ':. .~:' -, and verv philolbphical Reafons
re afngn'd for this Opinion, c till of late a
learned Prelate d fhew'd us from the Circum-
lees :f the Hiftorv, that the direct contrary
fait. For lbme time after, the Longevity
: :" A v 1 ankind 'erv necelTarv for peopling the
rid and learning Arts, e though I (he
imcult to point out the Natural Cauies
I this Lous and the following Char.
leaft luch as c:.n be confident with the fore-
* G ■ :. 15.
.. £ .;'-- Orig n : Ev;l, p. 192. Note 53. 3 Edit.
: ms there refer r d to. To which ad J ,"
• . h' .' . :
this point more particular! .
1 See them - in the Umk ai h :, Vol. 1.
- : :: . L~'..
* 1 . . U .. I - : of Proph. Difc. 4.
M on the fame Subject, E :..
' :.. . _: L. 1. c. 3.
men-
Natural A Ugh .-'. 2 1
meiition'd opinion. l Since if the Earth g
corrupted to fiich a degree at the univeria^
Deluge.; man Life thereby
ta much lhc Etoc oe would imagine
fhould have been mod t ; frxfe
ifi Gauies mnft be - eib . _-..:e :.ioft
ngly : not to repeat that this A : I Cor-
cuptioo is a : Error. TA : Change
.refore teems to have been . ; :: :. r:::-
intment of die Dei jp A.A-A: from,
and fubfequent to that 0: _Y. :'f Y'.z-zd, ar.d
introduced ibr Reaib.": v. hicb •-: :k cAce ibme
after ir, and may be c. « a A" -..
D: benjation Decenary for the future Govern-
".: of the v. ;A .-■ :,zc. z - Hovevc:,
ib e .;. : * we f.nd the Life of
m fhfd to the tame ■ A in
tprefent, for His Defcri :: n of it Aciv.s
sot being wholly id .. ::• the
' V. C - . - : EccL V
p. 151. Mr. •-' ..:.'; I . - - the Cd
Sons immedL:. occafion'd
the D:i ■;.. J . ."'. -_ . :_-'.-.
, G . ■.-...
5 : for pc :he ger
i encr. e -pon c .
* make the ... ....-.:.. he
ien'd tl . • . . .
■
2oB T'he Progrefs of
particular Cafe at that time in the Wildernefs)
and ever fince fo far as the Accounts of ancient
Times can be rely'd on we have reafon to be-
lieve that the ConfHtution of Mankind in
general, as well as the State of the Earth and
Heavens, whereon that muft depend, have at
all times been much the fame as we now find
them, h and may reft fatisfied that the original
Promife has been, and will amply be made
good, that while the Earth remaineth^ Seed- time
* of Souls he intended to fend into the World, before the
' final Confummation of all things, might have a fpeedier
•Probation.' [Stackhoufe B. of Div. p.309. I ft Edit. ]
< and that Death being brought nearer to their view might
c draw off their attachment from this World, and induce
c them to place it upon another, which at the diftance of fo
' many hundreds of years it had little power to effecT:.*
Worthlngton EfT. p. 73. * Sin brought Death in firft, and
6 yet Man lived almoft a thoufand years. But lie finned
' more, and then Death came nearer to him : for when all
1 the World was firft drowned in Wickednefs and then in
c Water, God cut him fhorter by one half, and five hun-
< dred years was his ordinary Period. And Man finned ftill,
' and had ftrange Imaginations, and built Towers in the
* Air ; and then about P cleg's Time God cut him fhorter
c by one half yet, too hundred and odd years was his de-
' termination. And yet the Generations of the World re-
' turned not unanimously to God ; and God cut him off
' another half yet, and reduced him to a hundred and
* twentv years. And by Mofes's Time one half of the final
e remanent Portion was pared away, reducing him to three-
4 fcore
Natural Religion and Science. zog
and Harvejl a?id Cold and Heat and Summer
cndWinter and Day and Night fl jail not cea/e,*
and therefore may conclude that the D'hlribu-
tion and Enjoyment of what I call the Natural
Advantages of Life is fo far from a conflant
gradual Decline, that thefe have been at all
times in themfelves pretty equal, and rather
improving as they receive afMance, which
they do very much, from the acquired ones,
which we are in the next place to confider,
1 fcore years and ten. — But if God had gone on ffill in the
' fame method and fhorten'd our Days as we multiplied
< our Sins, we mould have been but as an Ephemeron j
' Man fhould have lived the Life of a Flie or a Gourd.
« — But God feeing Man's Tlyoughts zvere only evil coriti-
' nually, he was refolved no longer fo to Jlrive with bim 9
* nor deftroy the Kind, but punifh Individuals only and
' fingle Perfons ; and if they finned, or if they did obey,
* regularly their Life mould be proportionable,' Tayhr.
Life of Chri/l, p. 305.
h See Sir T. P. Blount. Eir.4. p.188.192, tic. or Lord
Bacon's Hift. of Life and Death. That the Stature of
Man in this Age is the fame as it was near three thoufand
years ago appears from Greaves' s account of the Monu-
ment in the Egyptian Pyramid. Dcrham. Phyf. Theol. B.5.
c.4. N.4. That we have had feveral very late instances
of Perfons whofe Longevity exceeded that of the Patri-
archal Age may be feen in JVorthington' s ElTay, p, 417,
comp. Huet, Alnetan, Qiueft, L, 2. c. 12. S. 4,
* Gen. 8,22,
o Thci
2 1 o *fhe Progrefs of
The late Invention of Arts and Sciences is
ufually infifted on, and very juftly, in our
Difputes with Atheifis againft the Eternity of
the World ; and their continual Progrefs,
though perhaps feldom attended to, feems to
be a Point no lefs neceffary to complete the
Argument. For if it can be fhewn either that
thefe which we now have, or others of equal
ufe and importance were difcover'd fooner and
dropt again, and fubject to their feveral Revo-
lutions, why mould not we grant from Analogy
that the World itfelf has undergone the like ?
that the fame T'ime and Chance has happen'd
to all things concerning it and its Inhabitants ?
But that there actually have been fuch Vicirli-
tudes in Nature, or fo much as one valuable
Art, or ufeful branch of Science wholly lofl
iince the Creation I know no ground fufficient
to believe. a In a Hiftory of the World which
a For proof of this fee the pretended Inftances of loft
Arts in Pancirollus, which upon examination will appear
all to he either manifeftly falfe or frivolous, or of fuch
trifles as have been dropt by difufe: to which may be ad-
ded JVott on's Pref. to Reflect, on Ancient and Modern
Learning. ' I will agree — that feveral Arts in the World
4 have been loft, and others after a time again revived ;
< but then thefe have been fuch Arts as have, been more
* curious than ufeful, and have rather been ornamental
6 than beneficial to Mankind : and there has been fome
' good
Natural Religion and Science. 1 1 1
has been prov'd by a late unexceptionable
Writer b to be of all others by far the mo ft
ancient and authentic, and which carries its
Accounts as high as either could be wifh'd or
hoped for from Hiilory, even to the forming
and firft peopling the World itfelf, and the
original Divilion of the Nations; in this we
have the Birth and Genealogy, the Names and
Characters of the Founders of States and Kirig-
4 good reafon to be given of their difufe, either by their
* growing out of fafhion, or by fome more eafy and com-
* modious Invention. Thus the Art of Glafs -painting was
' loft about the time of the Reformation * when the
' Images of Saints were not fo highly efteem'd, and
' Churches began to be more gravely adorned. Thus the
' ufe of Archers in an Army has been laid afide fince the
* Invention of Pikes and Guns. But who can imagine
' that the Art of the Smith and the Carpenter fhould
8 ever be forgot after the firft Invention ; unlefs we could
' fuppofe that Houfes and all forts of Utenfds and Con-
' veniences fhould grow out of fafhion, and it would be
* the Mode for Men to live like Colts and Wild AiTes ?
' Unlefs Men could be fuppofed to forget the ufe of eating
* and drinking, I am confident they could never forget
* the Art of Ploughing and Sowing and Preffing the
' Grape.' Nic boll's Conf. Part. i. p. 86. iftEd. See more
of this in Wotion's Pref. p. 14, &c. 2d Edit.
b Sir J. Newton. Chronol. of Ancient Kingdoms.
* This feems to be a vulgar Error. See Glafs fainting in
Chambers's Cyclopedia, or Spcflacle de la Nature, V. 3. p. 219.
of Cement, ib. p. 228. add Motte^ Abr. of Phil. Tranf. \ z
Part 4. p 62,63.
o 2 doms,
2 1 2 The Progrefs of
doms, as well as the Inventors even of manual
Arts deliver'd down, a and from the very air
of Truth and that Simplicity which runs
through the whole relation, have much more
reafon to depend upon it than on the fabulous
Antiquities of Greece and Egypt, as the fame
excellent Author has demonftrated. From
whom we learn that neither the planting of the
World, nor the Introduction of Arts and Sciences
* Cain builded a City, or the firft City. Gen.^.iy.
add Gen. 10.8,9, & c ' J a bal was the Father of fuch as
dwell in Tents and fuch as have Cattle ', and his Brother's
name was Jubal, he was the Father of all fuch as handle
the Harp and the Organ, and Tubal Cain was an Inflrufior
of every Artificer in Brafs and Iron ; or a Forger of Arms*
Gen. 4. 20, &c. After the Flood we are told that Noah
began to be an Mufbandman and he planted a Vineyard ;
Gen. 9. 20. which by his being furprifed in fuch a man-
ner with the Effects of its Fruit feems to have been the
firfr. of the kind. So late as Abraham's time we find there
was enough of the beft Land unoccupied for both him
and Lot to chufe out of Gen. 13. 9. which (as the Author
of Bibliotheca Biblica obferves, p. 335.) is a moft illuftrious-
Teftimony for the late peopling of the World and by
confequence for the Truth of the Mofaic Hiftory of the
Creation and Deluge, in as much as it appears by this
that the moft plcafant and moft fruitful Country of the
whole Earth and which in a few hundreds of years afterward
was fo exceeding populous, was yet in the days of Abraham
fo very thinly peopled that even large Tracts of Ground
-were left in a manner uncultivated and without Proprietor.
Were
Natural Religion and Science. 2 r 3
were of fo early a Date as they have ufually
been reprefented. b Moft Nations, like private
Families, have at all times been unaccountably
fond of carrying up their Pedigree as high as
pprlible, and where no marks remain'd of the
fucceflive Alterations in their State, were apt
to imagine that it had always been the fame.
Hence the many foolifh Pretences among the
Ancients to their being Aborigines of the
b * Though Noah and his Sons had doubtlefs fome
knowledge of the Inventions of the Antediluvians and
probably acquainted their Defcendants with fuch of
them as were moft obvious and ufeful in common Life,
yet it is not to be imagined that any of the more curi-
ous Arts or fpeculative Sciences were improved in any
degree, fuppofing them to have been known or invented,
till fome confiderable time after the Difpcrfion. — For on
their fettling in any Country, they found it imployment
fufficient to cultivate the Land (which yet for want of
feparate Property and fecurity in their Pofleffions in
thofe early times, they improved no farther than barely
to fupply their Neceflities ) and to provide themfelves
Habitations and Neceflaries for their mutual comfort
and fubfiftence. * Befides this they were often obliged
to remove from one place to another, where they could
more conveniently refide ; and it was a great while be-
fore they came to embody themfelves together in Towns
and Cities, and from thence to fpread into Provinces
and to fettle the bounds and extent of their Territories. f
Two or three Ages at leaft mull have been fpent in
03 * this
f Vid. TbucU, L.i. fub. in.
f itillingjitit. Qr, S. B, i. c. I. S. 16.
214 Tlje Progrefs of
Countries they had inhabited time out of mind :
hence were they led to make their feveral Gods
the Founders of their Government. c They
knew but very little of the World, and the
Tradition which they had of that little was fo
far blended with fiction and Romance that it
ferv'd only to confound them. d Upon the
removal of this Cloud by the more faithful,
diligent and accurate Enquiry of the Moderns,
we fee Hiftory beginning to clear up even at
this diftance j the World puts on a very dif-
ferent face, and all parts of it appear conform-
able to the late well known courfe of things.
We find the Marvellous in all their Annals,
and more efpecially in the great point of their
Antiquity^ exceedingly reduced, and our own
plain accounts frill more and more confirmed :
from which we may be convinc'd that both
the peopling and cultivating of the Earth arofe
at firft from a few low beginnings, and very
gradually fpread itfelf j and that it has at all
* this manner ; and it is not very likely they fhould
* amufe themfelves with celeftial Obfervations in parti-
f cular, when they had fo many more prefiing affairs to
? mind.' Univcrf. Hijl. B.i. c.2. p. 173.
c Datur hscc venia Ai.t'quitati ut mifcendo humana
Divinis Primordia Urbium auguftiora faciat. Liv> Pref.
Hift. L 1
times
Natural Religion and Science. 2 1 5
times proceeded by pretty near the fame flow
regular fteps it does at prefent. Since we have
look'd into paft times more narrowly we prove
the Ancients far from being fo expert and
knowing as by a fuperftitious reverence for
every thing remote we once were accuftom'd
to fuppofe : And as well from the prefent State
of thofe particular Nations which ufed to brag
moft of their extraordinary advancement and
long porTeffion of the Sciences, as from the
Remains of their Forefathers Skill, when fairly
reprefented, we find no great reafon to envy
them their heft Acquirements ; fo far I mean
as concerns real Ufe ; for all the worth that
Fafhion and Fancy may give things is out of
the queftion. * Some of them indeed defcribe
their Knowledge in high drains, and perhaps
for their times and in comparifon with fome of
their Neighbours, it may have been confider-
able j and yet 'tis more than probable that fuch
accounts are chiefly owing to their Ignorance
d The Grounds of the Uncertainty of Ancient Hift-
ory, may be feen in Stillingfleet, Or. Sac. B. I. c. i. S. 16,
18, Esfc. Of the Egyptian in particular, fee Sbazv's Travels
p. 442. comp. Baker on Hift. and Chronol. Reflections,
c. 10, and 11. and Shuckford^ V.2. B.8.
* Why the Sciences of Men's Brains have been more
fubject to Viciffitudes than than the Arts of their Hands,
ice Sprat's Hift. R. S. p. 118, csV. 3 Edit.
04 of
2 1 6 The Progrefs of
of the true State of the reft of Mankind -, as is
the cafe remarkably with the Chinefe, a People
fo much celebrated by themfelves and others,
who yet upon more flrict examination have
appear 'd in moft things of confequence, and
where moft might have been expected, leaft to
deferve a Character : So that nothing- but their
as fmall acquaintance with the Europeans for-
merly, as ours with them, could poffibly give
rife to thofe extravagant Sentiments and Say-
ings that are recorded of each other. e The
fame may in a great meafure be afhrm'd of the
c See the ift Part p. 18. to which may be added Jenkin^
V. i. p. 340, tsY. JVotton's and Baker's Reflections, under
the Heads Pbyfic and AJironomy. Thefe and many other
Authors fhew us how little able they were to make any
proper Obfervations in their fo much bpafted Science of
the Heavens, till fhewn the way of late by Miffionaries :
as alio how monftroufly inaccurate were both their Chro-
nological and Aftronomical Tables. Pere Du Halde, their
Pancgyiift, fays, they have applied themfelves from the
beginning of their Empire to AJlrononjy \ yet when he
comes to explain himfelf, all their Study appears to be a
little, low, judicial AJlrohgy, V.i. Fol. Eng. p. 394. So
ignorant were they in Geography that their Literati feeing
a Map of the World in the hands of the Jefuits took that
one of the two Hcmifperes, which contain'd Europe,
Afia and Africa, for the Kmpire of China, p. 280. Some
of their curious Notions in Religion may be feen,
p. 254. 65?.- 655. 657, Their fkill in Metaphyfus has been
touch'd upon by Mr. Gurdon, B. Led. §. 14. P425, &Y..
Natural Religion and Science. 217
"Egyptian Learning. f Though this Country-
has been filled the Mother of Arts s as well as
Miftrefs of Religion : h and was no doubt as
early polifhed as moll, yet if we be allow'd to
judge of her improvement in other parts of
Science from that moft concerning one, and
that which therefore in all reafon mould have
been moft cultivated, I mean Medicine, of which
me alfo claims the firft Invention, i we mail
not have much room to marvel at her high
Their Mechanics may be judg'd of from the Jefuit's
account of their taking the firft Watch he brought thither
for a living Creature. Boyle on Final Caufes, p. 23c.
Their Method of communicating any Science, from their
yet being without any Alphabet ; as is obferv'd by the
ingenious Author of the Divine Legation, V.2. p. 70.
f * The truth is, there want not grounds of fufpicion
c that the old Egyptian Learning was not of that elevation
' which the prefent diftance of our Age makes us apt to
' think it was : and a learned Man hath in a fet Difcourfe
* endeavoured to mew the great Defects that there were
* in it. * Neither can it I think be deny'd but accordino
' to the reports we have now concerning it, fome parts
' of their Learning were frivolous, a great deal magical.
4 and the reft fhort of that improvement which the ac
* ceflion of the parts and induftry of after Ages gave unto
4 it.' Stillingfieet. Or. S. B.2. c.2. p. 81. add Wottori*
Reflections, c.9. and Sir T.P.Blount's Efr.4. p. 153, is'c,
e Macrob. Sat. L. 1. 15.
h Id. L. 7. c. 13. et Ammian. Marc. L.22.
i Plin. N. H. L.7. c.56.
ad-
* Cowing, de Hem. Med. c. 19, 1 1, i?>
2 j 8 e floe Progrefs of
advances. — f It mult, evidently appear, fays a
1 very learned Writer, that the Egyptians could
■ have no fuch Phyficians in the days of Mofes
* as Di odor us and Herodotus feem to fuppofe :
c it is much more probable that Ages after thefe
c times they were, like the Babylonians , entirely
■ deflitute of perfons fkilful in curing any Dif-
* eafes that might happen amongfh them, and
c that the bed method they could think of,
c after confulting their Oracles, was when any
* one was fick, they took care to have as many
c Perfons fee and fpeak to him as pombly could,
c that if any one who faw the fick Perfon, had
c had the like Diftemper, he might fay what
c was proper to be done in that Condition.' k
k Sbuckford. Connect. B.9. P-367. Babyhmi ( tefte
Herodot. L.i. et Strab. G. L. 16.) languentes in forum
efFerebant, ut viri qui eos adirent confulerent hortarentur-
que ad ea quae ipfi faciendo effugiffent fimilcm morbum,
aut alium noviffent efFugiffc. — Idem facfjtabant Lufitani
et Egyplii. P. Virg. de Inv. Rer. L. 1. c. 20. Conf-Strab.
G. L. 3. et Plutarch, de Occult. Vivend. That the fame
was done in other Countries, fee Harle's Hift. EfTay on
the State of Phyf. in the O. T. p. 4. * The Egyptian Prac-
' tife of Phyfic depended much on Aftrological and
1 Magical Grounds, either the Influence of fome parti-
* cular Planet, or fome Tutelar Daemon were ftill con-
* nderd [ IFcttcn, p. 119. ] which precarious foundation
' muft needs depreciate their Skill, and ftop any increafe
*• of Knowledge which might be made on other Principles.'
Univerf.
Natural Religion and Science. 219
From which Tingle inftance of the State of this
moft necefTary Art in thofe Times and Places,
as well as its nrft Rudiments in like manner
defcribed by an able Judge, l we may I think
be pretty well fatisfied in what Condition the
reft then were in other parts of the World, as
alfo of their gradual Improvement fince in all
refpects. m Many are indeed carried on much
fafter in fome Countries than in others, and
fome now and then are foon brought to fo great
Perfection in one Country as to feem almofh
incapable of any increafe for feveral Ages ;
which proves againft an exact equable Improve-
ment under each Period and in each particular,
which never was contended for ; but is no Ar-
Vniverf.HlJl. V. i.p. 219. nor was the Method which
they are faid to have taken of eftablifhing its Rules by
Law [Diod. Sic. L.i. 74. Shuck ford, B. 9. p. 362. Chandler,
Vind. of O. T. part 2. p. 442.] like to make any great
progrefs in the Science. A tolerable account of the An-
cient State of Phyfic may be feen in a Note to p. 85. of
Dr. Young's Hilt. DhT. V.2. Add Harle's Eff. p. 80, isfc.
or Barcbufen de Medicinae Orig. & ProgrefT. Diflert 1.
&18.
1 Celfus Inventionem Artis fcienter ponit L.i. fcribens.
ec Ssepecaufa apparet utpote Lippitudinis, Vulneris, nc~
" que ex his patet Mcdicina : quod fi fcientiam non fub-
" jicit evidens caufa, multo minus ea poteft fubjiccrc
«« quae in dubio eft. Cum igitur ilia incerta incompre-
4t Jienfibilifque fit, a certis potius & exploratis petendum
" eft
220 *fhe Progrefs of
sument againft Improvement in general, much
lefs any Evidence that thefe grow daily worfe;
and notwithftanding this or other Limitations
which might be admitted, yet from fomeof the
great out-lines (as we may fay) of Nature, from
plain Appearances in many remarkable ./Eras,
and mod confiderable Events, we feem to have
llill ground fufficient to conclude that on the
whole, they are and always have been in the
main progrejjive.
Now this Progrefs in Arts will necenarily
bring with it a proportionable Improvement of
all the other Natural Advantages; as Health,
Strength, Plenty and Politenefs : each of them
<e eft praefidium, id eft ab his quae in ipfis curationibus
" Experientia docuit, ficut in cseteris omnibus artibus.
64 Nam ne agricolam quidem aut gubernatorem difputa-
" tione, fed ufu fieri liquet. Aft iftae cogitationes nihil
" ad mcdicinam pertinent, cum de hie rebus qui diverfa
«' fenferunt non ab obfcuris caufis, neque a naturalibus
4C attionibus, fed ab Experhnzntis, prout cuique refpon-
6t derarjt in pevducendo homines in eandem fanitatem,
t£ medendi vias traxerint. Notarunt enim aegrorum qui
" fine medicis erant, alios propter aviditatem primis die-
4C bus cibum protinus fumpfifle, alios propter faflidium
*< abftinuifle, & levatum magis morbum eorum qui ab-
" ftinuiffent : jtemque alios in ipfa Febre aliquid edifle,
" alios paulo ante earn, alios poft remiflionem ejus, &
fct optime iis ceflifle qui poft fine.m Febris id feciflent.
** Eadcm ratione alios inter principia ftatim ufos efle cibo
" pie-
Natural Religion and Science. 221
'&
tend in fome refpect or other to improve and
adorn the Face of Nature, and lead us to apply
its Laws to our refpective Ufes much more
effectually than could be obtain'd without them,
By them we are enabled to reap its feveral Be-
nefits in ways more eafy and compendious,
with lefs time, labour and expence j the World
is ftock'd more plentifully with Inhabitants,
and each of them fupported in a way more
elegant and advantageous to itfelf and all around
it. In fhort 3 every thing in Life becomes more
comfortable and commodious, and Life itfelf
may be faid to attain a longer Date by means
of both a better and more early Education. ll
" pleniore, alios exiguo, & graviores eos fa£tos qui fe
* { implevuTent. Haec fimiliaque cum quotidie inciderent,
4C diligentes homines talia animadvertentes ad extremum
* c perceperunt quae jegrotantibus utilia forent. Sic Medi-
" cinam ortam inter omnes conftat." C. Celf. ap. Pol.
Virg. de R. I. L. i. c. 20. Add Wotton. Refl. c. 26. p. 341.
&c. 1*. Ed. Max. Tyr. DifT. 40. 234. Barchufen. Differt,
1. 3. p. 11. &c.
m See Nicholas Conf. Part 1. p. 81 , 82. i ft Ed.
1 1 6 There is a fenfe in which thefe latter Generations
' in general have the advantage of the Ancients, and in
' which they may be faid to out-live them — viz. in that
c they live more in lefs time. It is a common Obferva-
' tion that Children ripen and become Men fooner in
' thefe latter Ages than formerly they did. — Notwith-
* ftanding our prejudices in other refpccls, we efteem (o
1 well
222 tfhe Progrefs of
That this has been the cafe in later Ages feems
too clear to be deny'd by any, who will be at
the leaft trouble to compare them with the
moft extravagant account of former ones. m m
'Tis no great Compliment to the prefent times
to fay we are improved in every manual Art,
as well as thofe of Government, n the focial
ones, and even our very Amufements ; n n the
thing mews itfelf every where j and 'tis no lefs
€ well of ourfelves in this, that we think we are more
fi knowing in every Science and Profeffion of Life, and
* more capable of Buiinefs than our Anceftors, not far
' backwards were at double our Age. And in confirma-
c tion hereof fome traces in Scripture may be obferved,
* whereby it appears that the State of Childhood continued
* much longer in the Infancy of the World than at pre-
' fent, and feem'd to bear proportion to the greater length
c of Men's Lives. And the fame is obferved by Heathen
' Authors.' Worthingtori's EfTay, p. 422, 423.
mm — t When Men began to unite into Societies, to
* cloath themfelves, and build Cottages, and apply them-
' felves to Agriculture, the Perfons who fell upon the
' firft hints of thefe rude Contrivances, were efteem'd
' fuch mighty Benefactors to Mankind that they could
' never fufliciently exprefs their Gratitude to them. Hence
' they were made immortal, and Divine Honours were
' paid to them ; and hence it is well known, arofe the
' Godfhip of Jupiter, Bacchus, Minerva, Ceres, and the
c reft of that Tribe of Deities : But there is not a Ptougb-
4 boy now, that would not have been a God, even to Ju-
* piter himfelf ; had he lived in his Days, with his pre-
* fent Skill in Hufbandry. "Had the Myftery of Printing
" been
Natural Religion and Science, 223
plain a priori that it muft be fo. If, as the
PJalmift fays, * One Day telleth another y and
one Night certifieth another : if according to
the Prophet, -f many run to andfro i (travel by
Sea and Land) and thereby Knowledge is in-
creafedy if by repeated Obfervation and Expe-
rience, the World grow (as it does unavoidably)
in any refpect more perfect, this will, by that
affinity and union long fince obferv'd between
<£ been invented in ancient Times, Gutt.?nherg of Ment-z.
" might have been a God of higher efteem throughout
'* Germany , than Mercury or 'Jupiter himfelf." [IP'or-
tbington's Effay, p. 169.] which we cannot think impro-
bable, fince his aiftftant Fuji or Faujl attain'd the Title
of Conjurer for it in fo late times and fuch a Place as
Paris.
n The Modern Governments are better calculated for
the general good of the governed, which is now known
to be the only end of Government, than the Ancient
ones were. That horrid Spirit of Heroifm and Defire of
Conqueft feems to be pretty well extinguifh'd : and * if at
' prefent there are fewer Revolutions in Chriftendom,
* 'tis becaufe the Principles of fuund Morality are more
' univerfally known ; Men are lefs favage and fierce, and
* their Underftanding is better cultivated ; and perhaps
* all this is owing to Men of Learning, who have poliih-
* ed Europe.' Exam, of MachiaveFs Prince, p. 18, 19.
Add Mr. JVorth'im 'ton's judicious Obfervations on this
Subject. EJfay, c. 8. p. 173, &c.
r - a See JVortbington. EjJ. p. 201.
* Pfal 19.2, f Dan. 12. 4,
the
224 5T& Progrefs of
the parts of Science ° derive Perfection on each
Sifter Art. The fame effect will in a good
meafure follow if the World be but fuppofed
to continue in the fame natural State in which
it was created, and the Genius of Mankind
keep where it was originally; nay this mull
be the cafe if both do not grow worfe, and in
a very great degree, much greater than has ever
been pretended. But as this point can be no longer
call'd in queftion than till the matter is duly
ftated, we have not fo much occafion to give a
direct Proof of it by defcending to Particulars,
(which indeed would be infinite, and moft of
which appear too obvious to need naming p,)
as to point out what is more material and per-
haps lefs taken notice of, the farther connection
which this Progrefs of Arts has with our Re-
ligious Knowledge of each kind.
By Religion in general, I mean the way of
promoting our moft perfect Happinefs upon
the whole, in this Life, as well as qualifying
° Omnes Artes quae ad Humanitatem pertinent, ha-
bent quoddam commune vinculum, & quafi cognatione
quadam inter fe continentur. Cic. pro Arch. P. Id. de Or.
L.3. Eft ilia Platonis vera — vox omnem Doftrinam ha-
rum ingenuarum & humanarum artium uno quodam fo-
cietatis vinculo contineri. Ubi enim perfe&a vis eft Ra-
tionis ejus qua caufae rerum atque exitus cognofcuntur,
mjrus quidam omnium quafi confenfus Doctrinarum con-
centufquc
Natural Religion and Science. 225
us for and by particularly recommending our-
felves to the Divine Favour entitling us to
higher Degrees of it in the next. Now the
knowledge of this, whether natural or reveled,
will appear to have held pace in general with
all other Knowledge from the beginning, and
thefe three Branches of Science feem to have
been in the main Similar and fynchronous, as
indeed they ought to be, or elfe perpetual Dis-
appointment, Milery and Confufion would en-
fue, as was obierv'd in part before. * The firft
Race of Men had as much Knowledge impart-
ed to them, mod probably by God himfelf,
as they could either then want, or well be ca-
capable of; as much as they had either means
or leifure to employ ; and higher notices, could
they have been attended to, would we conceive
rather have diitradled and render'd them uneafy
in their then fituation, and tended to disqualify
them for their more immediate Occupations in
that part of Life. They were placed in a World
ccntufque repcritur. It would be mere impertinence to
bring Inftances in proof of this.
p The Reader may fee a Lift of them in Pancirollus
de Nov. Repert. as alfo in Edwards, Glanvill, Jfr'otton^
SirT. P. Blount, Perault, Sprat's Hi/?. R. S. and others,
who have appeai'd for the Afodcrns, as I think with great
advantage, in the late Controverfy on this Subject.
* Part. I. p. 7, 8,9.
P ca-
226 T'be Progrefs of
capable of affording all Gratifications fuited to
their mortal frame, and made for its fupport,
and were defign'd to glorify their Maker's
Goodnefs in the Enjoyment of them for fome
time here, as well as to expect a reparation of
its Decays, with farther and more full Manife-
stations of the fame Goodnefs fomewhere here-
after. Their firft Employ then was to learn
the prefent ufe and application of thefe natural
Benefits themfelves, as well as to lay a founda-
tion for communicating and extending them to
future Generations, which were to inhabit the
fame place for many Ages. And accordingly
their Notions of the World and of its Gover-
nour and confequent Opinions in Religion both
natural and poiitive were fuch as might be ex-
pected from Men in fuch circumftances.* As to
the latter, and more efpecially that great Article
of it which concern'd the Reftauration of Hu-
man Nature, they had only a general, indeter-
minate expectation of fome Redeemer or other,
who was fometime to arife among them: a
which yet was very Sufficient to keep up their
Hopes and fecure a Trull and Dependence on
* What thefe Opinions might be is largely and beauti-
fully defcribed by Dr. Winder. Hift. of Knowledge, V.i.
c. 2. S. 2. though whether our fir ft Parents thought fo clearly
on the SubjeSf, as this ingenious Author and thofe celebrated
Moderns he there mentions [ p. 36 ] I much qucftion.
their
Natural Religion a?td Science. 22
their Creator, efpecially when revived by fo
many earnefts of prefent temporal Bleflings :
but when or where, or upon what plan that
Redemption was to be work'd they knew not ;
and perhaps it might be as unneceflary to im-
part this fully to them as it was probably above
their comprehenfion. To preferve an inter-
courfe with the Divine Being it is likewife pro-
bable that they had pofitive Directions about
confecrating to him a part of their Goods, to-
gether with the Times and Places for prefent-
ing this before him, by way of acknowledge-
ment of his prefent Bounty, and application for
the continuance of it, and alfo in deprecation
of his Difpleafure whenever they became fen-
fible of having incurr'd it by abufing them;
and laftly as a fettled lt.at.ed means of always
having accefs to him, and finding acceptance
with him. Hence was the Origin of Sacrifices, b
as they are diitinguiih'd into expiatory, enSlical
and eucharifiical\ and this feems to have been
the fubftance of the primitive Religion, which
was as plain and fimple as the Times. When
the Notions of Mankind grew more complex,
Religion by degrees became fo too, and fpread
a See Bp. Sherlock's Ufe and Intent of Proph. S.2. or
Dr. Winder's Hift. of Knowledge, p. 26, 27.
b See Part 2. p. 29. Noted, and p, 30. Note a. c- with
Dr. fVinder on the Subject p. 30.
p 2 it-
223 'the Progrefs of
itfelf together with their other Notices, all
which were in ibme meafure fupplemental
and fubiidiary to it. Each * . v degree of
Knowledge in each part of Nature was a new
opening of the Human Mind, ftill more and
more difplaying the Divine Wifdom and Good-
nefs in the original Conftitution of things and
Conftruc~tion of Animals, as well as in the con-
itant regular Prefervation of each Species of
them, and pointing out their various Ends and
Ufes , thereby enabling Man, to whom they
were all fubjected, to enter ferther into this
Conftitution himfelf, as well by receiving the
Benefits thereof more perfectly, as by refem-
bling his Creator in diflributing the fame more
copiouily, and both ways paying his moft ac-
ceptable tribute of Duty and Devotion to the
common Parent.
When the Lives of Men began to morten,
we find Arts increafing much fafter in pro-
portion j as it was fit they fhould, fince other-
wife many Difcoveries would drop before they
could be brought to any tolerable Perfection,
or apply 'd to ufe ; there being then no other
Repoiitory for fuch befide the Memory of their
Inventors : till at length came the Art of
Writing, which drew along with it all the reft,
* Part. 2. p. 19. add Winder. Hifl. of Knowl. p. 221,
222.
help-
Natural Religion and Scie?ice. 229
helping at once to fpread and to perpetuate them.
And it is worth obferving, as was juft hinted
before,* that about the fame time more frequent
and more full Revelations were communicated
to the World, which thereby became better
qualified to receive, keep and convey them, as
they were likewife difpens'd in a way belt fuited
to its own State, and which moft effectually
fupply'd its Wants, and tended to give greater
Light and Improvement to it as well as one
another : as may be feen particularly in Part 2.
We have feen in fome meafure how the cafe
ftoodboth with Religion and Science in the Ante-
diluvian and Patriarchal Ages, and are fuf-
fkiently acquainted with thofe alterations it re-
ceiv'd under the Ifraelites and Jews by various
additional Inftitutions and a fuccerTion of Pro-
phets : not very unlike to which was a Light
held forth to the Eaft by their great Oracles
Tjoroajler and Confucius, and to moil parts of
the Weft by a long feries of their Philofophers>
as is obferv'd in the fame place. *
To thefe in its proper Seafon fucceeds Cbri-
ftia?iity ; of which there fcarcely is occafion to
remark that it furpafs'd them all as much as
the Times of its Promulgation were fuperior
in all kinds of Knowledge to the paft ; and
* p' 67.
p 3 which
230 The Progrefs of
which was evidently as great an Improvement
upon Natural Religion properly fo call'd, as
it was upon any of the former Difpenfations,
and might, I think, with juft as much pro-
priety, be term'd a bare Revival or Republica-
tion of the one as of the other. Though per-
haps there may be fome room to doubt whether
even thofe Ages, enlighten'd as they were above
the former, were capable of receiving all the
Improvement which it was fitted and defign'd
to give ; whether the World was yet able to
admit it in its utmoft Purity and Perfection.
On the contrary, there feem to have been fo
many Dregs of Jewifo Superftition and Gentile
Philofophy as required a long time to purge
away, and from the one of which it had no
fooner got well clear, than it became immers'd
and clouded in the other. * Even in its early
Days we find it loaded with the refufe of each
Syftem, which was brought in to explain
Myfteries, or rather make them, in the Gofpel :
till by Degrees itfelf is made a Matter of high
Speculation and Refinement, and fuch nice
Difputes -J- rais'd about the Natures of its
Author and the precife Modus of their Union;
* Part 2. p. 83.84.
+ See ConJ1antlne''s excellent Letter on this Subject in
Eufeb. de Fit. Convt. c 66, 67,^.
alfo
Natural Religion and Science. 231
alio concerning the abitract Nature and feparate
Subfiitence of the Human Soul, as ferv'd one
of them to fill the Eaftern Church with Blood
and Deiblation, and at length fubject it to the
Mahometan Yoke, for which alone it feem'd
at that time fitted, * the other to introduce
the Doctrine of Purgatory, and with it a long
train of Popijh Errors, which ended in a
Weliern Tyranny no lefs fevere over both Soul
and Body. Both thefe have indeed a long while
opprefs'd the Chriftian World, and if they be
altogether fo bad as we have been ufed to efteem
them, are not at prefent eafily accounted for ;
but we hope they may be found really not
fuch, a and that the fame wife and good Ends
* Part. 2. p. 88. Not. r
» Popery (fays Mr. Worthington Eff. p. 156.) itfelf begins
c to be afhamed of fome of its grafter Errors, and its
' Divines of late have been forced to explain them in a
' manner more agreeable to Truth and Scripture. [ and
the fame thing may be obferv'd of the Mahometan
Doctors in their Comments upon the Koran, as appears
remarkably all through Sale's Notes j Moreover that
' pcrfecuting Spirit which was the Reproach and Scandal
c of Chrijiians, is, God be praifed, in a good meafurc
* abated among all forts and denominations of them ; and
' we do not now hear fo much of Chrijiians being Burnt
' and Tortured by Chrijiians. Nor do Papi/is at prefent
* feem to thirft fo much after Protcjlant Blood, though
* there is reafon to fufpecl: that they ftill retain too
' mnch of the old Leaven, durft they fuffer it to work
r 4 * our
232 "The Progrefs of
will appear to be accomplifh'd by them in due
time, either before or at their expiration, as
have been evident in moft other Difpenfations. b
However, at the next great iEra which is, we
think, juftly ftiled the Reformation, there ap-
pear'd fufficient Tokens of this Progrefs in
Knowledge we have been maintaining, and
thefe fucceeding fo faff, one upon another that
they cannot efcape the (lighter!: Obfervation. c
Here the abovemention'd Branches of it are
as:ain united and affording mutual amftance and
fupport to one another. Science of all kinds,
Human and Divine revives, and with it come
new Methods of Communication (or rather it
rifes as much above the pafb as thefe exceed all
others before them) and fince has been con-
' out. It is obferved likewife that there is not that Ignorance
' and Immorality to be objected againft the Papijis now
' as formerly j Learning being no lefs propagated among
c them than Protejiants : many good and pious Books are
* Publifhed by their Clergy ; nor are they fo Scandalous
' in their Lives as in the Ages preceding the Reformation,
c but they in general are exemplary in their Behaviour,
' and afford us Patterns in fome things which we might
' profit by.' The like has been obferv'd of the Mahome-
tans above.
b Of which fee more in Part 2. p. 88, and 91.
c See fome of the particulars in Part 2. p. 92. and
Worthingtoris account of the progrefs of Learning after its
Revival. Eflay, p. 200, &c. To which we may add, that
the
Natural Religion and Science. 233
tinuing to improve and to draw with it all
collateral advantages down to the prefent Times.
The more we ftill know of human Nature
and become better vers'd in the Art of Living,
( and who doubts but we do fo daily ? ) the
more enlarg'd and adequate Notions muft we
have of natural Religion, and thereby be better
able to judge of and apply reveled : the more
acquainted we are with the faculties of our own
Soul, the better qualified muft we be to regu-
late and improve them, to direct the reafoning
Power, aflift the Memory, refine the Imagina-
tion ; in each of which Points very confiderable
Difcoveries have been made of late : the more
we know of the Body, the more able we are to
prefcribe a Regimen and remedy the feveral
Diforders of it : and (though it feems to be the
intent of Providence, for reafons obvious enough,
that Phyfic in particular fhould not receive the
fame degrees of Improvement with other Arts,
yet) perhaps it would not be hard to prove,
the Avenues to Learning of all kinds have been plan'd
out and open'd by Ld. Bacon, the Nature and moft
intimate RecefTes of the Human Mind unfolded and
explain'd by Locke, the Frame and Conftitution of the
Univerfe by Newton (to name no other Writers of our
own ) in a more perfect Manner than ever was done or
attempted fince the Foundation of the World,
were
234 < ^ >e Progrefs of
were this a place for it, that we are actually
able to effect this in a more perfect manner
now than formerly ; that 'tis rather our Obfer-
vations on the Diforders and Defects in each
of thefe that multiply, than the Diforders and
Defects themfelves, excepting fome fuch as
probably arife and propagate themfelves from
fome particular reigning Vices. a
The more we know of the World, the more
we view its Order, Beauty, Symmetry ; the
uniform Laws which it is govern'd by, the
juft arrangement and mutual fubferviency of all
its Parts, (and I need not obferve how much
this kind of Learning has of late encreas'd b )
the more we fee the Glory, and Perfection of
its Architect, and are more fully fatisfied that
he defign'd its feveral Inhabitants for Happinefs
in general, and muit approve of every regular
confiftent method which they take to promote
it. Such Obfervations on this World enable
us likewife to argue from it to another, and
a If fome new Diftempers have arifen of late 'tis likely
others of an older date have ceas'd ; as is obferv'd by
D. LeClerc. * Fuerunt ergo Morbi, nonnullorum Siderum
■ infiar, orti certo tempore, poftea extincti funt ; funtque
1 alii, quos ortos quidem non ita pridem novimus, fed
*. quorum finem nondum videmus.' DifTert. de Lepra
Mofaica p. 9. Several Inftances occur in Barchufen De
Medic. Orig. et Progr. DiiT. 5. S.6.
con-
Natural Religion and Science. 235
conclude that that will probably go on in the
like way, as confirming of the like Inhabitants,
and conducted by the fame hand. As the pre-
fent World has generally improved hitherto,
we may expect that for the fame Reafons, be
they what they will, it fhall continue to do fo ;
and that the next will likewife be ftill more and
more improving : and by the fame rule per-
haps each Part and Member of it in its refpec- •
tive Order and Proportion; every diftincTt Clafs,
as it rifes above others through all that Scale
of Beings which exift together, may preferve
the fame Uniformity in point of Succejjion too,
may follow upon each other in no lefs regular
Progrefs in a growing Happinefs through all
Eternity ; and thus the whole Creation be every
way for ever Beautifying in its Maker's Eye,
and drawing nearer to him by Degrees of re-
femblance, as is fuggefted by an elegant Writer.*
To thefe Deductions of Reafon Revelation adds
new Light and Confirmation, ( as it is in like
b Of this and the Benefit the World receives from it,
fee Worthington EfT. p. 94, &c. * And if Natural Philofo-
* phy in all its parts by purfuing this method fhall at length
* be perfected, -the bounds of Moral Pbilcfopby will alfo
* be enlarged/ Newt. Opt. B. 3. And thztfupernatural
Light or Knowledge will be Increas'd in the fame way,
its Hindrances being of the very fame kind, fee Bp. But-
ler's Analogy p. 262, fifa. 2d Edit.
* Spectator N° in,
man-
236 The Progrefi of
manner itfelf illuftrated and eftabliih'd by them)
it carries on and completes thefe Notices of
Natural Religion, and Improves the Profpect
by exprefs Declarations of the unlimited Good-
nefs of our Creator towards all his Works ;
by giving us in particular a pofitive Aflurance
that we {hall be exactly difpofed of in another
State according to our refpective Deferts and
Qualifications : fixing and afcertaining our
Hopes of arriving at thofeBlerTedAfe/fow, where
we fhall find room for the free exercife and
full enjoyment of each good Moral Habit and
intellectual Accomplishment : furnifhing ample
Motives for our perfeverance in this Courfe,
and guarding againft every Deviation from it,
efpecially againft that very dangerous attendant
on the nobleft Difpofitions, Pride and Self-
fufficiency : keeping us in a ftrict Dependence
on that God who is to be both our Guide
thither and our great Reward there j in whofe
Hands we always are and ought to wifh our-
felves ; and to whofe Bounty alone we owe
and fhould be always very fenfible that we do
owe every good and every perfeB Gift. *
Laftly, the more we trace the ways of Pro-
vidence in the Moral World, as alfo the man-
ner of conducting every Di/penfation of Reveled
* James 1. 17.
Re-
Natural Religion and Science. 237
Religion (and we have had much better means
of tracing each of them) we fee more of the
Defigns and Purpofes of each than thofe before
us could, and from the manner in which this
Profpect has already open'd have ground to
think it will flill more and more enlarge ; and
though yet far from being able to comprehend
the whole Scheme (which is not to be wonder'd
at in Beings which fo lately fprung from Nothing)
yet we do comprehend enough already to con-
vince us that there is a wife and good one laid
from the beginning, and executed in a regular
gradation ; and from thence alfo can infer that
it will ftill be farther anfwering its feveral Ends
and ftill appearing more to do fo : that the
Manner how this is to receive its Completion
will unfold itfelf as we proceed in the ftudy of
it, adding our own Obfervations to thofe of
Times paft, and comparing Spiritual things with
Spiritual -j as we do thofe of the Natural World
with one another, whereby we have difcover'd
feveral of its general Laws unknown to former
Ages, and probably by them judg'd undifco-
verable; and from fome others juft beginning
to difcover themfelves, find more room daily to
believe the Cafe will be the fame with thofe
who mall come after us. And thus it may be
made appear that the Means of Knowledge
na-
238 The Progrefs of
natural, moral and reveled have been imparted
in a much more ample manner than ever to
us on whom the Ends of the IVorld are come.
Why a more proper Application of them does
not follow, why a proportional improvement
of thefe fame Advantages is not at all times
made, as this feems not to have a neceffary
Connection with the former, it mufl be ac-
counted for on other Principles. Whether by
all thefe Means the World might and ought
to have more true Religion and found Morals
now than formerly, will fcarcely admit a doubt :
but whether it actually has or not, becomes a
very different enquiry. Though perhaps fome-
thing might be faid in favour of the prefent
Times in both refpects.
Firft, That we exceed the wifeft among
ancient Heathens, who either practis'd or at
lean: permitted and connived at the Worfhip
of monflrous Deities and moil unnatural Rites,
is readily allow'd, and with reafon attributed to
the fuperiority of the Chrifiian Difpenfation,
in comparifon with which former Ages are
juftly term'd Days of Darknefs ; and that we
of the Reformation as much excell the dark
times of Monkery in rational true Piety might
perhaps be as eafily granted, and with equal
Juftice afcribed to the fuperior Knowledge that
we
Natural Religion and Science. 239
we have of our own Difpenfation. We have
indeed lefs Shew and Ceremony now than ever,
lefs of the Form of Godlinefs in general, but 'tis
hoped not lefs of the real Power. Unprofitable
Aufterities are rather chang'd for that more
reafonable Service and Devotion which renders
the Deity amiable and the Imitation of him
ufeful to Mankind j which makes each Wor-
shipper more happy in himfelf, and helpful to
his Fellow-Creatures. There feems to be much
lefs of Superjlition and reliance on fuch things
as can at belt, be but Means to Religion, and
often hardly that ; nay rather tend to take Men
off the proper Principle, and fubftitute another
very different in its room j teaching them to
compound for real Goodnefs the Subftance of all
true Religion, by that which has not fo much
as even its Shadow ; and leading them to con-
tend about that with fuch a Temper as could
not poffibly be exercis'd or entertain'd in any
thing that bore a near relation to the other.
It feems, I fay, as if there were lefs of all this,
and that there would be lefs yet, would all
thofe who perceive its remains unite in oppofi-
tion to it with that Zeal and Sobernefs which
true Religion only can infpire'.
As to that Spirit of Infidelity which fo re-
markably prevails at prefent, thev who are con-
fident
240 ^he Progrefs of
fident that they underftand Religion thoroughly
and profefs it in its utmoft purity, muft con-
demn this Humour of examining all parts of it
as abiblutely bad and of pernicious confequence :
they who are not fo fanguine will conclude that
there are very good Ends to be ferv'd by it,
whatever be the Fate or the Intent of fuch
(and fuch it muft be own'd there are) as moft
injurioufly oppofe Religion : Thefe believe that
there is the fame necellity for fufTering this
Heretical turn in general, as for any particular
Here/Ies, and that thereby already Truths of
great importance are made manifeft. They fee
and lament the confequences of long negledling
to review Eftablifhments, and furfering the public
Wifdom. of pall Ages to ferve here, and here
only, for all following ones. a They think there
a e But there are few Chriftian Princes who lay this to
' heart, and Divines have quite others things in their
' thoughts : their great Buftnefs is to maintain what is
' eftablifh'd, and to difpute with thofe who find fault with
' it. On the other hand, Knowledge or Refolution is
* wanting, and there is not enough of Honefty or Great-
' nefs of Soul to confefs the Truth. Few Writers have
4 the courage to fpeak fo impartially as the famous Author
1 of the Hiftory of the Reformation in England has done,
* in the Preface to his fccond Vol. It is thought by many
' Perfons that all would be ruin'd if the leaft alteration
' was made. Some of thefe Defedts — are now become
* inviolable Cuftoms and Laws. Every body fancies true
* and
Natural Religion and Science. 241
has been fo much Wood, Hay, Stubble built on
the Foundation as muft take a considerable time
to be removed j efpecially when they fee fbme
got no farther yet than to doubt whether there
be occafion to have any thing at all removed,
or even to deny that there is reafon either for
attempting or fo much as wifhing farther Re-
formation. They obferve Light and Liberty
at the fame time advancing with an equal pace,
and affording their mutual help, as they do
generally, to feparate thefe from the Gold,
Silver, Precious Stones ; many having taken the
Fan in hand and refolv'd thoroughly to purge
the Floor, though fbme be apt to throw away
part of the good Seed together with the Chaff,
which alfo generally has been the Cafe, and is
a very natural one.
Secondly, As to the prefent Morals, it may
perhaps be a queltion whether they grow worfe
upon the whole when it is confider'd, that the
lefs Vices as well as UneafinefTes of paft times
* and pure Chrijlianlty to be that which obtains in his
4 Country, or in the Society he lives in ; and it is not fo
* much as put to the queftion whether or not fome things
* mould be altered. As long as Cbrijlians are pofTefled
' with thefe Prejudices we muft not expert to fee Chrifti-
' anity reftored to an entire Purity.' Ca lifts of the prefent
Corruption of Chrijiians, Part 2. p. 271.
0_ are
242 'The Progrefs of
are foon forgot, and the moll flagrant , notorious
ones only appear upon Record : — that we are
apt to judge thofe Evils great eft which we feel
ourfelves, and that Good leaft which feems to
rival and eclipfe our own, and raifes Envy in
the room of Admiration ; and that hence one
of them is often aggravated, the other extenu-
ated moft unduly. J On which account Vices
may not probably be greater now in general,
but we more immediately concern'd with them
and fufFering under them, efpecially the reign-
ing ones, ( of which there always have been
fome * ) as thofe of Faction and Corruption,
Luxury and Lewdnefs feem to be at prefent j
and great ones indeed they are, efpecially in
our own Country 5 which yet perhaps are not
worfe than the reigning ones of former Times :
and 'tis to be remember'd that they come at-
tended with the foremention'd Advantages of
Light and Liberty in fuch a degree as we can
a See Bp. Fleetwood's firft Charge, p. 6, &c. and Blot's
Serm. on Eccl. 7.10. with Brown's Caufes of Common
Errors, B. 1. c.6, CsV.
* * There is a certain Liil of Vices committed in all
« Ages, and declaimed againft by all Authors, which
' will laft as long as Human Nature ; or digefted into
* common places may fcrve for any Theme, and never
' be out of date until Dooms-day.' Brown's Vulgar
Errors, p. 22.
never
Natural Religion and Science. 243
never be too thankful for, and which we hope
will fpeedily correct them, the one enabling
Men foon to fee their evil confequences, the
other allowing them full fcope to cenfure and
expofe them ; and through both thefe it may
be that each other Vice becomes more open
and apparent now, rather than of fuperior iize
and ftrength. So that concerning the prefent
Times we have fome room to think that they
are not abfolutely worfe than all before them
as to Morals. b Perhaps I may be allow'd to
advance a ftep farther, and fuppofe them better
b I believe it would be hard to produce modern in-
ftances of Cruelty and Barbarity in any civilized State,
whether in War or Peace, equal to fuch as were decreed
publickly and executed without the lead feeming remorfe
by the politeft People of Antiquity : Witnefs their fre-
quent rcfufing Quarter, their Triumphs, torturing of
Slaves; their Proscriptions, Poifonings, expofing Children,
Rapes, &c. which need no aggravation. There is even at
this Day a fort of Decency in all our public Councils and
Deliberations : and I believe the boldeft of our Dema-
gogues would hardly undertake in a popular Affembly to
propofe any thing parallel to the Rape of the Sabines,
the moft unjuft ufage of L. T. Collatinus i or the ungrate-
ful treatment of Camillas, which, as a learned Father
obferves, were pieces of Iniquity agreed to by the public
Body of the Romans. Inftances of the fame kind with the
two laft every one knows occur frequently among the
Greeks as well as Romans in the politeft Ages of their
Government, fee Sir T. P. Blount Kfl* p. I
qj> in
244 ^ e Progrefs of
in fome refpects ; that we have certain Virtues
now in greater Perfection, particularly more of
true Charity or Ufifaerfal Benevolence^ than ever
fince the time of primitive Chrijlianity . c —
But if this be deem'd a miftake and too partial
fondnefs for the prefent Times, I truft it will
be alfo judg'd a pardonable one amid fo much
moft evident Partiality againft them ; efpecially
as it is on the charitable fide, and tends to
make them really better than they would be,
did worfe opinions of them univerfally prevail :
which brings me, in the laft place, to the Con-
fequences that attend the other way of thinking.
Thefe have been hinted at in the beginning
of this Difcourfe, and might be fhewn more
particularly to affect the Honour of God, our
own Happinefs, and that of others ; in as much
as the foregoing fuppofition cafts a Cloud over
c I may add, that there feems to be a more perfect,
refignation to the Will of God and aequiefcence in his
Providence among all Ranks of Men ; a greater Firm-
nefs in enduring Pain, mofe Chearfulnefs and Courage
in fubmitting to Death, among the generality even of
loweft Education : in fhort, that Mankind may be faid
to grow more fpiritual and intelle£lual y in thefe and many
other refpefts, than they have been in former Ages.
' I think it may be faid, in Honour of the prefent Age,
' that Controverfy is carried on with more Decency and
* good Manners than in any former Period of time that
' can
Natural Religion and Science. 245
all the Works of God, confounds our Notions
of his Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs, raifes
Diftruft, if not Difbelief of all his Perfections,
and thereby deadens our Devotion toward him;
damps and difcourages all Study, and deftroys
the pleafure that would arife from a Survey of
both the Natural and Moral World, and a
Reflection on the Station we hold in them ;
renders us far lefs fenlible of the Happineis
within our power, and by confequence makes
us receive lefs from them; not only hinders
Men from growing better, but actually makes
them worfe, and fuffers the World daily to
decline through a perfwafion that it is defign'd
to do fo ; it having been obferv'd that thole
Writings which villamze Mankind have a per-
nicious tendency towards propagating and pro-
tecting Villany, and help moil of all to teach
' can be named ; which together with the Toleration
' granted by Law in this and other Proteftant Countries
* for all Perfons to worfhip God in tjieir own way, and
« that Chrijiian Charity and Moderation which is gener-
' ally fhewn towards thole that differ from us, feems al-
' ready to be attended with good Effect the fetting up
i fo many Charity-Schools as have of late years been creeled
* in thefe Kingdoms, — the forming of Religious Societies,
* and other good means, have greatly contributed to the
« promoting the Knowledge and pra&ife of Virtue and
« Religion among us.' Worthingtori% Eflay, p. 157,158.
0^3 and
246 *£he Progrefi of
and encourage it •> in the fame manner as thofe
which perpetually dwell on the dark fide of
things and difficulties that attend our fearch
after the ways of God, ferve only to darken
the view flill more and multiply thefe very
Difficulties. How much better both the End
and the Effect of thofe which place Human
Nature in its faireft Light, and reprefent the
lovely Form as worthy of its Author 5 as well as
of thofe that difplay the Beauty and Beneficence
of the Divine Oeconomy, and produce an Af-
furance of that paternal Care and Conduct of
us here, which brings the trueft Enjoyment and
moft grateful Acknowledgement of prefent
Benefits, and likewife begets a joyful Hope and
Expectation of more fubftantial ones hereafter !
The Confequences of the foregoing Doctrine
might be urg'd farther in regard both to the
Atheift and Deift, to convince the one that all
things have not gone at random, but that there
are plain tokens of a Plan and Government,
and from what has already part, reafon to think
that more of it will ever appear and in a flill
more perfect manner : to fhew the other, that
as the feveral Difpenfations of what we call
Reveled Religion have hitherto been in the
main conformable to thofe of Providence in
both the natural and moral World, this poffibly
may
Natural Religion and Science. 247
may come from the fame Author, and receive
yet farther increafe, which thefe alfo do as
they are daily better underftood.
But if this be not the cafe in any degree here,
we feem to have nothing left whereon to ground
an Analogical Argument ( which yet is our
beft, if not our only natural Argument) for an
hereafter - y no vifible footfteps of Wifdom and
Goodnefs to conduct us in our fearch after a
Firft Caufe, no fettled foundation for our Hopes
of Futurity, the bafis of all Natural Religion :
All is Chaos and Confufion thus far, and there-
fore may be fo, for ought we know, eternally ;
either without any good confident Scheme at
all, or that as foon as fix'd unfix'd again, and
difappointed : — in (hort, the Divine Govern-
ment, if there be one, muft on this Scheme be
inferior to moil Human Adminiftrations. Thus-
then we fee how neceflary it is to form right
Notions of the pad State of the World, efpe-
cially in regard to that important point, Religion^
in order to judge how it will be for the future,
and in what manner we are to conduct our-
felves. If it has hitherto been really progreffive,
we find good reafon to expect the fame ftill
farther. We have flrong motives to go into
this Scheme ourfelves, and clear directions how
to proceed in it, Inftead of looking back and
o^4 la-
248 The Progrefs of
labouring to confine it to the model of pail
Times, we learn rather with the great Apofile^
to forget thofe things which are behind \ reaching
forward unto thofe things that are before, and
prejjing toward the Mark. * And to ufe the fame
Apoflle's advice, Let us therefore as many as
defire to be perfect y be thus minded. As we have
the beft means of effecting this within our
Power ; as we live under the mildeft, moft
indulgent of all Governments, and enjoy the
Blefling of Liberty in that perfection which
has been unknown to former Ages ; a Blefling
[ fuffer me once more to remind us of it ]
which includes every thing valuable in Life,
and above all things tends moft to accelerate
the Progrefs abovementioned : Let us inftead
of making it either a Covering for Sedition^
againft fuch a Government, or a Caufe of
gratifying our Malicioufnefs againft each other,
be diligent in ufjng it to the good purpofes for
which it is fo liberally indulg'd us, and render
ours as much fuperior to thofe Nations that are
deprived of it, as moft other Countries are
obferved to have been in like Circumftances.
Let us concur with this aufpicious courfe of
Providence, and each contribute our endear
* Phil. 3. 13, & c .
f Vid. Benfon on I Pet- 1- 16.
yours
Natural Religion and Science. 249
vours towards carrying on this Progrefs by every
ferious, fair and free Enquiry : free, not only
from all outward Violence and Clamour, but
alfo from ( what our mod holy Religion with
the greateft reafon equally condemns as being
the Root from whence thefe fpring) all inward
Bitternefs, Wrath, Hatred: learning to bear
with one another's Miftakes in this as well as
other matters ; nay rather the more here, fince
thefe are of the higheft confequence, and this
the only proper method to remove them :
thus labouring as well to reform the Errors of
our Brethren in Love, as to promote and con-
firm their Knowledge of the Truth ; not for
that in either cafe we have Dominion over their
Faith , but as being Helpers of their Joy. *
And thus mail Religion be at length fuffer'd
to partake the Benefit of thofe Improvements
which every thing befide enjoys.
I defire it may be obferv'd here once for all, that
when I mention Improvements in Religion I don't
by any means intend a Difcovery of new Points,
or improving upon the original Revelation itfelf J
in any thing effential to the general Doctrine
of Salvation : but only a more perfect compre-
henfion of what was formerly deliver'd ; a view
* 2 Cor. 1. 24.
% Sec Part 2. p. 86, 87.
Of
250 ¥be Progrefs of
of the extent and excellence of this great
Myftery conceaPd from former Ages, and which
though given almoft all at once, yet was re-
ceiv'd perhaps but partially, at leaft by the bulk
of Mankind, as was obferv'd above, -j- and
foon adulterated to fuch a degree, as ( I beg
leave to repeat it ) may take yet more time to
rectify -, efpecially when fo much Rubbifh has
been iince continually thrown upon the Scrip-
tures, both by Tranflators and Expofitors, as
if we fet aiide the care of a particular Provi-
dence (which has in this refpecl: [fo far I mean
as relates to the Text ] been very remarkable )
might make us juftly wonder they have not
funk under it. This has in thefe parts of the
World been for fome time a clearing off by
the help of a more found Philofophy, as well
as by more fober Rules of Criticifm, a much
more clofe, confident method of Interpretation;
which mud produce as great a difference in
them as if they were quite different Books.
Though perhaps even here it would not be a
difficult talk, were it not too invidious, to
fuggeft means of yet farther Improvement.
Perhaps we ought to attend ftill more to the
Hebrew Idiom, and obferve the vaft difparity
between the Eaftern way of fpeaking and our
f ib. p. 85.
own;
Natural Religion and Science. 251
own ; for want of which, 'tis to be fear'd, we
oft retain the Words without the Senfe, nay
with a very different one, and by adhering too
much to the Letter are apt to overftrain mod
things, and carry them both beyond common
Reafon and the nature of the Subject. Perhaps-
our very Reverence for thefe facred Writings
mifapply'd, our too unguarded Zeal to do them
honour and fupport their Divine Authority
againft that Church which fubftitutes another
in its room, may have contributed to caft a
Cloud over the whole, which makes us as it
were afraid to look into them, and examine
them with the fame freedom that we do and
find we muil do every other Book which we
defire to underftand : — I mean the Notion of
an abfolute, immediate infpiration of each part
and period, even where the Writers themfelves,
by the very manner of exprefling themfelves >
mod: effectually difclaim it : a which befide the
bad effects it may be fuppofed to have at pre-
fent, when once it appears, as foon perhaps it
may, to have no good foundation in thefe holy
Books," 'tis to be fear'd, it will produce a
» See Inftances in Whitby on the N. T. Gen. Pref. p.6.
al As I would not give any unneceflary Offence in
fuch a tender point as this, which moft Writers are flill
very unwilling to give up exprcfsly, though they fcem
tbrc'd
252 'The Progrefs of
worfe, by tending to difcredit that partial one
whether of Guidance or Suggejlion, which upon
fbme occafions they do claim, which is abfo-
lutely requifite to fecure a due authority to them,
fore'd to treat it either in a confufed or a contradi&ory
way, I fhall beg leave to explain myfelf a little upon this
Head. The true fenfe then of the Divine Authority of the
Books of the O. T. and which perhaps is enough to de-
nominate them in general 0io9mi/ro», feems to be this,
that as in thofe times God has all along, befide the in-
fpe&ion of his general Providence, interfered upon par-
ticular occafions by giving exprefs Commiflions to fome
Perfons ( thence call'd Prophets ) to declare his will in
various manners and degrees of evidence [fee Smith. Sel.
Difc N.6. ] as beft fuited the Occafion, Time and
Nature of the fubjec~t, and in all other cafes left them
and the reft of the World wholly to themfelves ; in like
manner he has interpofed his more immediate afliftance
( and notify'd it to them, as they did to the World ) in
the recording of thefe Revelations, fo far as that was ne~
ceffary, amidft the common ( but from hence term'd
Sacred ) Hiftory of thofe times, and mix'd with various
other Occurrences, in which the Hiftorian's own natural
Qualifications were fufEcient to enable him to relate things
with all the accuracy they required, and where a fuper-
natural interpofition would have been unworthy of its
Author : which mixture of Divine and Human in the
fame Times, Things, Perfons and their Hiftory, feems
much more conformable to the other Works of God,
and affords many Circumftances which more clearly evince
and will in all ages more inconteftibly confirm the Reality
of a Divine concurrence ( by offering fo many means to
confute every pretended inftance of it were it groundlefs)
than
Natural Religion and Science, 253
and which when prudently diftinguifii'd from
the other has, and we truft ever will appear to
have, ground fufficient to fupport itfelf. To
this high, I had almoft faid, blind, reverence
than if fuch Revelations had been all made at one time,
by themfelves and by men altogether over-ruled in the
delivery of them. This likewife feems in a good meafure
to have been the cafe with the N. T. Writers;- who not-
withstanding the things they were to deliver are moftly
of greater confequence and more clofely united in point
of Time, Place and other Circumftances ; notwithftand-
ing the extraordinary afliftance of the Spirit which was to
abide with them and lead them into all neceiTary Truth,
and for the moft part either the thing itfelf (hews, or they
give us fufficient intimation when they have recourfe to
that afliftance ; yet from the very form in which they
ufually deliver them it muft appear, that this Influence is
no lefs frequently fufpended in the delivery of thefe fun-
damental Truths ; and befide thefe, how oft do the fame
Perfons condefcend to treat of other inferior, controverfial
Matters, ufeful indeed fome to the then prefent, fome to
all future times, but furely of a very different nature from
the former, and in which that Influence and Afliftance
does not feem fo requifite ! How juftly do they place the
Evidence of Fads on their own Senfes only ! declaring
tvhatthey have feen and heard, which at all times may, and
which alone can be produced as proper Proof. In Reafon-
ings how beautifully do they add their private Sentiments,
and in affairs of fmaller moment even their Conjectures,
to what they had received from the Lord himfelf ! where
Circumftances fliew us the expediency of fuch Additions,
and where Common Senfe was and will be always equally
fufficient to diftinguifh one from the other, as it is to
in-
254 ^ e ^rogrefs of
for the words of Holy Scriptures, perhaps I
may be allow'd to add another full as great
relating to the Senfe : not the true, real one,
for which we cannot furely have too much
concern ; but one which lbmetimes widely
varies from it, and yet is very apt to flip into
its place, the commonly receiv'd, traditional
one. This Doctrine we learn from thofe very
Adverfaries which in the former we were
driving to oppofe : and though indeed it have
a fhew of deference to public Wifdom and
interpret the whole Scriptures, fo far as they become ne-
ceflary to be interpreted, without any other more infal-
lible Guide. But Common Senfe is generally laid afide
in Subjects of this nature. Many good Men think they
can never do too much to decry it, to fet the Bible at
variance with it, or carry the whole up beyond its reach,
though by fchemes merely of their own Invention, rather
than forming any judgement from what they really find
in that facred Book. Not content with a Moral Evidence
of its Truths which is clear, ftrong and every way fuffi-
cient for the conviction of all fair Enquirers, they mull
needs introduce another where there is no room for it,
and infift on fuch univerfal abfolute Infallibility as never
can be made out to thofe who are not already perfwaded
of it (and who can have no other Evidence for fuch
perfwafion than the fame moral one on which that Truth
js ^rounded ) and which is at lalf either ufekfs or incon-
fiftent with thofe natural Proofs which conftitute the
Credibility of this and every other Hiftory fo circum-
ftane'd. Is not a Moral Evidence enough to allure us of
the
Natural Religion and Science, 255
Humility^ yet in time probably may be attended
with no better Confequences ; if Men cannot
diftinguifh pure primitive Chrijiianity from that
which oft may happen not to be fuch, and
through which the other always fuffers ; and
if in this, which of all things is moil: delerving
of their care and caution, they will content
themfelves with the Senfe of the Multitude,
and take that for a fure, fufficient Rule, which
they know to be far from even excufing thofc
who have means of judging for themfelves,
the Genuinenefs and Incorruptnefs of thefe Writings ?
Why fhould it not then, where it can take place, be
fufficient for the Authors themfelves to proceed on in
writing, and equally afcertain the Truth of what they
have written ? and why fhould the generality of the
Compofition (were any great ftrefs ever to be laid upon it)
be deem'd altogether Divine, when the Conveyance,
which fo much affecls that, is allow'd to be no more
than Human ? Moft Perfons now begin to fee that there
is at leaft fome mixture of this latter in the Language,
and I believe upon due confideration it will appear that
there is no greater Difficulty to admit it in the Senfe on
feveral Occafions.
I am very fenfible that what is here hinted is too fuper-
ficial to give any tolerable fatisfaction on fo nice a point,
but can with great Truth aflure the Reader, that the in-
tention of it is not to degrade or in the leaft difparage the
Holy Scriptures, but rather to free them from an unneceflary
load of Objections and render them more ufeful to the chief
purpofes for which I humbly apprehend they were defign'd.
and
256 'The Progrefs of Natural Religion ', &c.
and which they would be extremely unwilling
to abide by in almoft any other cafe, —r- But I
fhould be forry to be found fo far contradicting
my main Defign as to make things in any re-
ipect worfe at prefent than they really are. On
this Subiect I could hardly avoid hinting at
fome few of thofe Rubs that feem to lie mod
in our way to Perfection : but notwithstanding
thefe or any others which could be produced,
I mull beg leave to conclude that we have
Encouragement enough left to proceed with
chearfulnefs and vigour in it, till every thing
which lets, in God's good time be taken away,
and true Religion, Righteoufnefs and Virtue
mine in perfect Beauty : //'// we all come in the
Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the
Son of God j unto a perfedl Man, unto the mea~
jure of the Stature of the Fulnefi ofChrifi.
f i-n 1 s.
ERRATA.
PAGE 1 8. line 10. after unreafonable in itfelf add which I thin'c
may be fairly done after what has been wrote upon the fubjeft
both by Dr. Jenkin V. i. c. i. and the Ingenious Author of an
Enqitiry into the Evidence of the Chrijlian Religion, feft 8. — p. 63.
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r. p, 167.
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