Christian Classics
‹ Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume One
Contents
The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 1CHAPTER I. Birth. Parentage. Early religious advantages. Serious impressions and account of his experienceCHAPTER II. Intellectual progress. Earliest productions. Entrance at college. Mental habitsCHAPTER III. Early religious productions. Miscellanies. Notes on the Scriptures. Commencement of his preaching. Resolutions.CHAPTER IV. His DiaryCHAPTER V. His tutorship. Sickness. Invitation to Northampton. Personal narrative continued. Diary concluded.CHAPTER VI. Settlement in the ministry at Northampton. Situation of things at the time of his settlement. Attention to religion in the parish. Course of study. Habits of life. Marriage. Death and Character of Mr. Stoddard. Sickness of Mr. Edwards. Death and character of his sister Jerusha. His first publicationCHAPTER VII. Remarkable revival of religion, in 1734, and 1735. Its extent and power. Manner of treating awakened sinners. Causes of its decline. Religious controversy in Hampshire. Death of his sister Lucy. Characteristics of Mrs. Edwards. Remainder of personal narrativeCHAPTER VIII. Narrative of Surprising Conversions. His views of revivals. Five Discourses. Mr. Bellamy, a resident in his family. Extra-parochial labours of Mr. Edwards. Sermon at Enfield. Funeral Sermon on the Rev. W. WilliamsCHAPTER IX. Commencement of a second great revival of religion, in the spring and summer of 1740. Visit of Mr. Whitefield at Northampton. Impulses. Judging of the religious character of others. Letter to Mr. Wheelock. Great effects of a private lecture of Mr. E. Letter to his daughter. Letter to a young lady in Connecticut. Lay preaching. Letter of Rev. G. Tennent. Sermon at New-Haven. 'Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God.' Prefaces by Mr. Cooper and Mr. Willison. Mr. Samuel HopkinsCHAPTER X. Temporary abatement of religious attention. Letter to Mr. Bellamy. Missionary tour. Success at Leicester. Mr. Hopkins becomes a member of his family. Mr. Buell's successful labours at Northampton. Mr. Edwards's narrative of the revival at Northampton, in 1740-1742. Covenant entered into by the churchCHAPTER XI. Mrs. Edwards. Her solemn self-dedications. Her uncommon discoveries of the Divine perfections and glory; and of the excellency of Christ. Remarks concerning themCHAPTER XII. Extent of the revival of 1740-1742. Auspicious opening. Opposed by its enemies, and injured by its friends. “Thoughts on the Revival in New England. ” Attestations of numerous ministers. Causes of its decline. Influence of Mr. Whitefield, Mr. Tennent, and others. Influence of Mr. Edwards's publications in Scotland. Great revival of religion there. His correspondents in that country. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Answer to do. Letter from Mr. RobeChapter XIII. First Interview with David Brainerd--Separations From Churches--Letter to Rev. Mr. WhimanCHAPTER XIV. Mistakes extensively prevalent at this time, as to the nature and evidences of true godliness. “Treatise on Religious Affections.” Design and character of the work. Republished abroad. Letter from Mr. Gillespie concerning it. Letter from Mr. Edwards to Mr. M'Cullock. Reply to Mr. Gillespie. Proposal made in Scotland, for united extraordinary prayer. Efforts of Mr. Edwards to promote it. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. “Humble Attempt to promote Extraordinary Prayer” · Part 1CHAPTER XIV. Mistakes extensively prevalent at this time, as to the nature and evidences of true godliness. “Treatise on Religious Affections.” Design and character of the work. Republished abroad. Letter from Mr. Gillespie concerning it. Letter from Mr. Edwards to Mr. M'Cullock. Reply to Mr. Gillespie. Proposal made in Scotland, for united extraordinary prayer. Efforts of Mr. Edwards to promote it. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. “Humble Attempt to promote Extraordinary Prayer” · Part 2CHAPTER XIV. Mistakes extensively prevalent at this time, as to the nature and evidences of true godliness. “Treatise on Religious Affections.” Design and character of the work. Republished abroad. Letter from Mr. Gillespie concerning it. Letter from Mr. Edwards to Mr. M'Cullock. Reply to Mr. Gillespie. Proposal made in Scotland, for united extraordinary prayer. Efforts of Mr. Edwards to promote it. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. “Humble Attempt to promote Extraordinary Prayer” · Part 3CHAPTER XV. Arrival of David Brainerd at Northampton. His sickness and death at the house of Mr. Edwards. His papers. Death of Jerusha, the second daughter of Mr. E. Her character. Correspondence of Mr. E. with Rev. John Erskine. Abstract of Mr. E.'s first letter to Mr. Erskine. Plan conceived of the Freedom of the Will. Death of Col. Stoddard. Kindness of Mr. Erskine. Letter of Mr. E. to him. Second Letter from Mr. Gillespie. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter from Mr. Willison. Life and diary of Brainerd. Letters to Messrs. Erskine, M'Cullock, and Robe. Ordination of Rev. Job Strong. Anecdote of Rev. Mr. Moody. Letter of Mr. E. to his daughter Mary. Second Letter to Mr. Gillespie · Part 1CHAPTER XV. Arrival of David Brainerd at Northampton. His sickness and death at the house of Mr. Edwards. His papers. Death of Jerusha, the second daughter of Mr. E. Her character. Correspondence of Mr. E. with Rev. John Erskine. Abstract of Mr. E.'s first letter to Mr. Erskine. Plan conceived of the Freedom of the Will. Death of Col. Stoddard. Kindness of Mr. Erskine. Letter of Mr. E. to him. Second Letter from Mr. Gillespie. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter from Mr. Willison. Life and diary of Brainerd. Letters to Messrs. Erskine, M'Cullock, and Robe. Ordination of Rev. Job Strong. Anecdote of Rev. Mr. Moody. Letter of Mr. E. to his daughter Mary. Second Letter to Mr. Gillespie · Part 2CHAPTER XV. Arrival of David Brainerd at Northampton. His sickness and death at the house of Mr. Edwards. His papers. Death of Jerusha, the second daughter of Mr. E. Her character. Correspondence of Mr. E. with Rev. John Erskine. Abstract of Mr. E.'s first letter to Mr. Erskine. Plan conceived of the Freedom of the Will. Death of Col. Stoddard. Kindness of Mr. Erskine. Letter of Mr. E. to him. Second Letter from Mr. Gillespie. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter from Mr. Willison. Life and diary of Brainerd. Letters to Messrs. Erskine, M'Cullock, and Robe. Ordination of Rev. Job Strong. Anecdote of Rev. Mr. Moody. Letter of Mr. E. to his daughter Mary. Second Letter to Mr. Gillespie · Part 3CHAPTER XV. Arrival of David Brainerd at Northampton. His sickness and death at the house of Mr. Edwards. His papers. Death of Jerusha, the second daughter of Mr. E. Her character. Correspondence of Mr. E. with Rev. John Erskine. Abstract of Mr. E.'s first letter to Mr. Erskine. Plan conceived of the Freedom of the Will. Death of Col. Stoddard. Kindness of Mr. Erskine. Letter of Mr. E. to him. Second Letter from Mr. Gillespie. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter from Mr. Willison. Life and diary of Brainerd. Letters to Messrs. Erskine, M'Cullock, and Robe. Ordination of Rev. Job Strong. Anecdote of Rev. Mr. Moody. Letter of Mr. E. to his daughter Mary. Second Letter to Mr. Gillespie · Part 4CHAPTER XV. Arrival of David Brainerd at Northampton. His sickness and death at the house of Mr. Edwards. His papers. Death of Jerusha, the second daughter of Mr. E. Her character. Correspondence of Mr. E. with Rev. John Erskine. Abstract of Mr. E.'s first letter to Mr. Erskine. Plan conceived of the Freedom of the Will. Death of Col. Stoddard. Kindness of Mr. Erskine. Letter of Mr. E. to him. Second Letter from Mr. Gillespie. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter from Mr. Willison. Life and diary of Brainerd. Letters to Messrs. Erskine, M'Cullock, and Robe. Ordination of Rev. Job Strong. Anecdote of Rev. Mr. Moody. Letter of Mr. E. to his daughter Mary. Second Letter to Mr. Gillespie · Part 5CHAPTER XVI. Commencement of difficulties at NorthamptonCHAPTER XVII. Account of difficulties at Northampton continuedCHAPTER XVIII. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock—to Mr. Erskine. Account of the troubles at Northampton concludedThe Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 1 · CHAPTER XIXCHAPTER XX. Letter to Sir W. Pepperell. Letter to Lady Pepperell. Letter to his father. Arrival of Mr. Hawley. Increasing importance of Indian establishments. Schemes of its enemies. Firm stand taken by Mr. Edwards. Letter to Mr. Oliver. Letter to commissioners. Difficulties of the mission. Answer to Mr. Williams. Letter to the people of Northampton. Marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Burr. Letter To Mr. Erskine. Letter to Mr. Hollis. Letter to Mr. Hubbard · Part 1CHAPTER XX. Letter to Sir W. Pepperell. Letter to Lady Pepperell. Letter to his father. Arrival of Mr. Hawley. Increasing importance of Indian establishments. Schemes of its enemies. Firm stand taken by Mr. Edwards. Letter to Mr. Oliver. Letter to commissioners. Difficulties of the mission. Answer to Mr. Williams. Letter to the people of Northampton. Marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Burr. Letter To Mr. Erskine. Letter to Mr. Hollis. Letter to Mr. Hubbard · Part 2CHAPTER XX. Letter to Sir W. Pepperell. Letter to Lady Pepperell. Letter to his father. Arrival of Mr. Hawley. Increasing importance of Indian establishments. Schemes of its enemies. Firm stand taken by Mr. Edwards. Letter to Mr. Oliver. Letter to commissioners. Difficulties of the mission. Answer to Mr. Williams. Letter to the people of Northampton. Marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Burr. Letter To Mr. Erskine. Letter to Mr. Hollis. Letter to Mr. Hubbard · Part 3CHAPTER XXI. Vote of thanks of commissioners. Sermon at Newark. Measures of the enemies of the mission defeated. Letter to Mr. Oliver. “Freedom of the Will.” Letter to Mr. Erskine. Deposition of Mr. Gillespie. Letter to do. Letter to Mr. M'Cuulloch. Report of Indian agent. Reply of Mr. Edwards. Further defeat of the enemies of the missionCHAPTER XXII. Letter to his eldest son. Return of greater PART of the Mohawks. Letter to commissioners. Mission of Mr.Hawley to Onohquauga. Remainder of Mohawks directed to return. 'Freedom of the Will.' Letter to Mr. Erskine. Proposals of society in London. Letter to Mr. Gillespie. Design and character of the 'Freedom of the Will.' Letters from Mr. Hollis. Surrender of Mohawk school to Mr. Edwards. Entire defeat of enemies of mission. Return of remaining MohawksCHAPTER XXIII. Sickness of Mr. Edwards. “God's Last End in Creation.” “Nature of Virtue.” Mr. Edwards's second son resides at Onohquauga. Dangers of the war. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter to Col. Williams. Lord Kaimes. Letter to Mr. Erskine. Letter to Mr. M'Cullock. Letter of Dr. Bellamy. “Treatise on Original Sin.” Letter to his father. Letter to Mr. Erskine.CHAPTER XXIV. Death of President Burr. His character. Mr. Edwards chosen his successor. Letters of Mrs. Burr—To a gentleman in Scotland—To a gentleman in Boston—To her mother. Letter of Mr. Edwards, to the trustees of the college. Letter of Mrs. Burr, to her father. Letter to Dr. Rellamy. Council dismiss Mr. Edwards. Inauguration as president. First Sermon at Princeton. Sickness, Death. Letter of Dr. Shippen. Letters of Mrs. Edwards and of her daughter, to Mrs. Burr. Death of Mrs. Burr. Death of Mrs. Edwards.CHAPTER XXV. Concluding remarks · Part 1CHAPTER XXV. Concluding remarks · Part 2CHAPTER XXV. Concluding remarks · Part 3CHAPTER XXV. Concluding remarks · Part 4A Farewell Sermon · ON JUNE 32, 1750;A Farewell Sermon · PREFACE.A Farewell Sermon · APPLICATIONNO.NO.II. Particulars as to the Life and Death of Mr. Richard Edwards, the grandfather of Jonathan EdwardsNO.III. Account of the Children of Timothy and Esther Edwards.NO.IV. Remarks in Mental Philosophy. The Mind. · Part 1NO.IV. Remarks in Mental Philosophy. The Mind. · Part 2NO.IV. Remarks in Mental Philosophy. The Mind. · Part 3NO.IV. Remarks in Mental Philosophy. The Mind. · Part 4NO.IV. Remarks in Mental Philosophy. The Mind. · Part 5NO.V. Family and Descendants of President EdwardsNO. VIPreface.SECTION I. Concerning the Nature of the WillSECTION II. Concerning the Determination of the Will.SECTION III. Concerning the meaning of the terms, Necessity, Impossibility, Inability, &c. and of Contingence.SECTION IV Of the distinction of natural and moral Necessity, and Inability.SECTION V. Concerning the notion of Liberty, and of moral Agency.SECTION I. Showing the manifest inconsistence of the Arminian notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in the Will's self-determining Power.SECTION II. Several supposed ways of evading the foregoing reasoning, considered.SECTION III. Whether any Event whatsoever, and Volition in particular, can come to pass without a Cause of its existence.SECTION IV. Whether Volition can arise without a Cause, through the activity of the nature of the soul.SECTION V. Showing, that if the things asserted in these Evasions should be supposed to be true, they are altogether impertinent, and cannot help the cause of Arminian Liberty; and how, this being the state of the case, Arminian writers are obliged to talk inconsistently.SECTION VI. Concerning the Will determining in things which are perfectly indifferent in the view of the mind.SECTION VII. Concerning the notion of Liberty of Will, consisting in Indifference.SECTION VIII. Concerning the supposed Liberty of the Will, as opposite to all Necessity.SECTION IX. Of the Connexion of the Acts of the Will with the Dictates of the Understanding.SECTION X. Volition necessarily connected with the influence of Motives; with particular observations of the great inconsistence of Mr. Chubb's assertions and reasonings about the Freedom of the Will.SECTION XI. The evidence of God's certain Foreknowledge of the Volitions of moral Agents.SECTION XII. God's certain Foreknowledge of the future volitions of moral agents, inconsistent with such a Contingence of those violations as is without all Necessity.SECTION XIII. Whether we suppose the volitions of moral Agents to be connected with any thing antecedent, or not, yet they must be necessary in such a sense as to overthrow Arminian Liberty.SECTION I. God's moral Excellency necessary, yet virtuous and praise-worthy.SECTION II. The Acts of the Will of the human soul of Jesus Christ, necessarily holy, yet truly virtuous, praise-worthy, rewardable, &c.SECTION III. The case of such as are given up of God to sin, and of fallen man in general, proves moral Necessity and Inability to be consistent with Blameworthiness.SECTION IV. Command and Obligation of Obedience, consistent with moral Inability to obey.SECTION V. That Sincerity of Desires and Endeavours, which is supposed to excuse in the non-performance of things in themselves good, particularly considered.SECTION VI. Liberty of Indifference, not only not necessary to Virtue, but utterly inconsistent with it; and all, either virtuous or vicious habits or inclinations, inconsistent with Arminian notions of Liberty and moral Agency.SECTION VII. Arminian notions of moral Agency inconsistent with all influence of Motive and Inducement, in either virtuous or vicious actions.SECTION I. The Essence of the virtue and vice of dispositions of the heart, and acts of the Will, lies not in their Cause, but their Nature.SECTION II. The Falseness and Inconsistence of that metaphysical notion of Action, and Agency, which seems to be generally entertained by the defenders of the Arminian Doctrine concerning Liberty, moral Agency, &c.SECTION III. The reasons why some think it contrary to common Sense, to suppose those things which are necessary to be worthy of either Praise or Blame.SECTION IV. It is agreeable to common sense, and the natural notions of mankind, to suppose moral Necessity to be consistent with Praise and Blame, Reward and Punishment.SECTION V. Objections, that this scheme of Necessity renders all Means and Endeavours for avoiding Sin, or obtaining Virtue and Holiness, vain, and to no purpose; and that it makes men no more than mere machines, in affairs of morality and religion, answered.SECTION VI. Concerning that objection against the doctrine which has been maintained, that it agrees with the Stoical doctrine of Fate, and the opinions of Mr. Hobbes.SECTION VII. Concerning the Necessity of the Divine Will.SECTION VIII. Some further objections against the moral Necessity of God's Volitions considered.SECTION IX. Concerning that objection against the doctrine which has been maintained, that it makes God the Author of Sin.SECTION X. Concerning sin's first Entrance into the world.SECTION XI. Of a supposed Inconsistence between these principles and God's moral character.SECTION XII. Of a supposed tendency of these principles to Atheism and Licentiousness.SECTION XIII. Concerning that objection against the reasoning, by which the Calvinistic doctrine is supposed, that it is metaphysical and abstruse.SECTION XIV. The Conclusion.SECTION XV. Containing Remarks on the Essays on the Principles of Morality and Natural Religion, in a Letter to a Minister of the Church of Scotland.Preface.Introduction—Explanation of terms.SECTION I. The general dictates of reason.SECTION II. What reason supposes.SECTION III. How God regards himself.SECTION IV. Some objections considered.SECTION I. Scripture makes God his last end.SECTION II. Concerning a just method of arguing.SECTION III. Particular texts of Scripture.SECTION IV. God created the world for his name, &c.SECTION V. Communication of good to the creature.SECTION VI. What is meant by the glory of God, &c.SECTION VII. God's last end is but one.CHAPTER I. Concerning the essence of true virtue.CHAPTER II. How love respects different beings.CHAPTER III. Concerning the secondary beauty.CHAPTER IV. Of self-love and its influence.CHAPTER V. Natural conscience, and the moral sense.CHAPTER VI. Of particular instincts of natureCHAPTER VII. The reasons of many mistakesCHAPTER VIII. Whether virtue be founded in sentiment.VII. The great christian doctrine of original sin defended.Advertisement, containing a brief account of this book and its author, by the first editor.The author's Preface.SECTION I. All men tend to sin and ruin.SECTION II. Universal sin proves a sinful propensity.SECTION III. This tendency most corrupt and pernicious.SECTION IV. All men sin immediately, &c.SECTION V. All have more sin than virtue.SECTION VI. Men's proneness to extreme stupidity, &c.SECTION VII. Generality of mankind, wicked.SECTION VIII. Great means used to oppose wickedness.SECTION IX. Several evasions considered.CHAPTER II. Arguments from universal Mortality.SECTION I. Concerning Adam's original righteousness.SECTION II. Death threatened to our first parents.SECTION III. Adam a federal head, &c.CHAPTER II. Observations on Texts, chiefly of the Old Testament, &c.SECTION I. Observations on John iii.6.SECTION II. Observations on Rom. iii. 9-24.SECTION III. Observations on Rom. v. 6-10. and Eph. ii. 3SECTION I. Remarks on Dr. Taylor's way of explaining this text.SECTION II. The true scope of Rom. v. 12, &c.CHAPTER I. Proofs from Redemption by Christ.CHAPTER II. Proof from Application of Redemption.PART IV. Containing Answers to Objections.CHAPTER II. God not the Author of Sin.CHAPTER III. The Imputation of Adam's Sin stated.CHAPTER IV. Several other Objections answered.VIII. A TREATISE CONCERNING RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS, IN THREE PARTS.PrefaceSECTION I. Previous remarks on the affections.SECTION II. True religion lies much in affections.SECTION III. Inferences from the doctrine.PART II. Showing what are no certain Signs that Religious Affections are truly gracious, or that they are not.SECTION I. Raised very high, are no sign.SECTION II. Great effects on the body, are no sign.SECTION III. Fluency and fervour, are no sign.SECTION IV. That they are not excited by us, is no sign.SECTION V. That they come with texts of Scripture, is no sign.SECTION IV. That they are not excited by us, is no sign.SECTION VII. Religious affections of many kinds, are no sign.SECTION VIII. Joys following in a certain order, are no sign.SECTION IX. Much time and zeal in duty, are no sign.SECTION X. Much expression of praise, is no sign.SECTION XI. Great confidence, is no certain sign.SECTION XII. Affecting relations, are no sign.Introductory remarks.SECTION I. Gracious affections are from divine influence. · Part 1SECTION I. Gracious affections are from divine influence. · Part 2SECTION I. Gracious affections are from divine influence. · Part 3SECTION II. Their object is the excellence of divine things.SECTION III. They are founded on the moral excellency of objects.SECTION IV. They arise from divine Illumination.SECTION V. They are attended with a conviction of certainty.SECTION VI. They are attended with evangelical humiliation. · Part 1SECTION VI. They are attended with evangelical humiliation. · Part 2SECTION VI. They are attended with evangelical humiliation. · Part 3SECTION VII. They are attended with a change of nature.SECTION VIII. They beget and promote the temper of Jesus.SECTION IX. Gracious affections soften the heart.SECTION X. They have beautiful symmetry and proportion.SECTION XI. False affections rest satisfied in themselves.SECTION XII. Their fruit is Christian practice.SECTION XIII. Christian practice is the chief sign to others.SECTION XIV. Christian practice is the chief sign to ourselves · Part 1SECTION XIV. Christian practice is the chief sign to ourselves · Part 2SECTION XIV. Christian practice is the chief sign to ourselves · Part 3SECTION XIV. Christian practice is the chief sign to ourselves · Part 4APPENDIX to the Treatise on the Affections.LETTER I. To Mr. Gillespie, in answer to objections.II. To Mr. Gillespie, in answer to further objections.PrefaceSECTION I. A general introductory statement.SECTION II. Manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great analogy. · Part 1SECTION II. Manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great analogy. · Part 2SECTION II. Manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great analogy. · Part 3SECTION III. This work further illustrated in particular instances.Preface.PART I. A glorious Work of God.SECTION I. We should judge of it by its effects.SECTION II. We should judge by Scripture.SECTION III. We should not judge of the whole by a part.SECTION IV. Nature of the work.SECTION V. Nature of the work in a particular instance.SECTION VI. The work glorious.SECTION I. Indifference dangerous.SECTION II. The probability that the latter-day glory will begin in America.SECTION III. The danger of slighting the work.SECTION IV. Obligations of rulers and others to promote the work.PART III. Wherein the zealous Promoters of this Work have been injuriously blamed.PART IV. What things are to be corrected and avoided.SECTION I. Spiritual pride.SECTION II. Wrong principles.SECTION III. Ignorance of inward experiences.SECTION IV. Of censuring professing Christians.SECTION V. Errors relative to lay-exhorting.SECTION VI. Errors relative to singing.PART V. What ought to be done to promote this work.SECTION I. We should remove stumbling blocks.SECTION II. What should be done to advance it.SECTION III. Some things that concern all.XI. INQUIRY CONCERNING QUALIFICATION FOR COMMUNION.Preface by the Author.Preface by the Author's American friends.Advertisement to the Edinburgh edition.PART I. The Question stated and explained.PART II. Reasons for the Negative of the Question.SECTION I. Church members should be visible saints.SECTION II. Profession of religion.SECTION III. Profession should be of real piety.SECTION IV. Reason requires a hearty profession.SECTION V. Christ requires it.SECTION VI. Primitive admissions.SECTION VII. The epistles prove it.SECTION VIII. Members united by brotherly love.SECTION IX. Qualifications for the Lord's supper.OBJ. I. The churchy is the school of Christ.OBJ. II. Israel was God's people.OBJ. III. Jews partook of the Passover.OBJ. IV. John's disciples made no profession of piety.OBJ. V. Many are called, but few chosen.OBJ. VI. Wheat and tares grow together.OBJ. VII. Case of Judas.OBJ. VIII. No certain rule given.OBJ. IX. If grace be required, it must be known.OBJ. X. Perplexity occasioned.OBJ. XI. All duties of worship holy.OBJ. XII. Tendency of the Lord's supper.OBJ. XIII. God does not require impossibilities.OBJ. XIV. Unsanctified persons may live as saints.OBJ. XV. Better admit hypocrites than exclude saints.OBJ. XVI. Hypocrites will be admitted.OBJ. XVII. True saints doubt of their state.OBJ. XVIII. Men's opinion of themselves no criterion.OBJ. XIX Infant baptism.OBJ. XX. Some have been converted at the sacrament.Appendix. Mr. Foxcroft's letter.XII. MISREPRESENTATIONS CORRECTED AND TRUTH VINDICATED, IN REPLY TO THE REV. SOLOMON WILLIAMS.Preface.SECTION I. What is the question?SECTION II. Degrees of evidence.SECTION I. His concessions.SECTION II. Consequences.SECTION III. Of ungodly men's communing.SECTION IV. Of an indeterminate profession.SECTION V. Mr. W. inconsistent with Mr. Stoddard.SECTION VI. Visibility without probability.SECTION VII. A converting ordinance.SECTION VIII. Of sincerity.SECTION IX. Public covenanting.SECTION I. Method of disputing.SECTION II. Misrepresentations.SECTION III. Irrelevant arguments.SECTION IV. Extraordinary notions.SECTION V. Assertions instead of arguments.SECTION VI. Sacramental actions.SECTION VII. Begging the question.SECTION VIII. Mr. W. begs the question.SECTION IX. Mr. W. is inconsistent with himself.SECTION X. Other inconsistencies.SECTION XI. Arguments hostile to both sidesSECTION XII. The passover and circumcision.SECTION XIII. Of Judas's communicating.SECTION XIV. Of being born in covenant.SECTION XV. Of coming without a known right.SECTION XVI. Tendency to perplexity.SECTION XVII. Of commanding to partake.Appendix. A letter to the people of Northampton.Preface.Advertisement.General Introduction.PERIOD I. From the Fall to the Incarnation.PART I. From the Fall to the Flood.PART II. From the Flood to the calling of Abraham.PART III. From Abraham to Moses.PART IV. From Moses to David.PART V. From David to the Babylonish Captivity. · Part 1PART V. From David to the Babylonish Captivity. · Part 2PART V. From David to the Babylonish Captivity. · Part 3PART VI. From the Captivity to Christ. · Part 1PART VI. From the Captivity to Christ. · Part 2PART VI. From the Captivity to Christ. · Part 3PART VII. Improvement of the First PERIOD.PERIOD II. From Christ's Incarnation to his Resurrection.PART I. Of Christ's Incarnation.PART II. The Purchase of Redemption.PART III. Improvement of the Second PERIOD.PERIOD III. From Christ's Resurrection the End of the World.SECTION I. Scriptural Representations of this PERIOD.SECTION II. How Christ was capacitated for effecting his Purpose.SECTION III. Established Means of Success.SECTION IV. How the Success was carried on.PART I. To the Destruction of Jerusalem.PART II. To the Time of Constantine.PART III. To the Rise of Antichrist.PART IV. To the Reformation.PART V. To the present Time.PART VI. Improvement of past Events.PART VII. To the Fall of Antichrist.PART VIII. To the End of Time.PART IX. The General JudgmentPART X. Improvement of the Whole.XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvation.Preface.DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 1DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 2DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 3DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 4DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 5DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 6DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 7DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 8DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 9DISCOURSE. I. Justification by Faith alone. · Part 10DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 1DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 2DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 3DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 4DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 5DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 6DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 7DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 8DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 9DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 10DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 1DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 2DISCOURSE. II. Pressing into the Kingdom of God. · Part 3DISCOURSE. III. RuthDISCOURSE. IV. The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners. · Part 1DISCOURSE. IV. The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners. · Part 2DISCOURSE. IV. The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners. · Part 3DISCOURSE. IV. The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners. · Part 4DISCOURSE. V. The Excellency of Jesus Christ. · Part 1DISCOURSE. V. The Excellency of Jesus Christ. · Part 2DISCOURSE. V. The Excellency of Jesus Christ. · Part 3DISCOURSE. V. The Excellency of Jesus Christ. · Part 4XV THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS.

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PART V. From David to the Babylonish Captivity. · Part 2

So that Joshua, that eminent type of Christ, did but begin the work of giving Israel the possession of the promised land; but left it to be finished by that much greater type and ancestor of Christ, even David, who subdued far more of that land than ever Joshua had done. And in this extent of his and Solomon’s dominion was some resemblance of the great extent of Christ’s kingdom; which is set forth by this very thing, Psal. Ixxii. 8. “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” See also 1 Kings viii. 56.

IX. God by David perfected the Jewish worship, and added to it several new institutions. The law was given by Moses, but yet all the institutions of the Jewish worship were not given by Moses; some were added by divine direction. So this greatest of all personal types of Christ did not only perfect Joshua’s work, in giving Israel the possession of the promised land, but he also finished Moses’s work, in perfecting the instituted worship of Israel. Thus there must be a number of typical prophets, priests, and princes, to complete one figure or shadow of Christ the antetype, he being the substance of all the types and shadows. Of so much more glory was Christ accounted worthy, than Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon, and all the great prophets, priests, and princes, judges, and saviours of the Old Testament put together.

The of David are mentioned as of parallel validity with those of Moses, 2 Chron. xxiii. 18. “Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the Lord by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt-offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.” The worship of Israel was perfected by David, by the addition he made to the ceremonial law, (1 Chron. xxiii. &c.) consisting in the several orders and courses into which the Levites were divided, and the work and business to which he appointed them, different from what Moses had appointed them to; and also in the divisions of the priests, the sons of Aaron, into four and twenty courses, assigning to every course their business in the house of the Lord, and their particular stated times of attendance there. He also appointed some of the Levites to a new office, that of singers, particularly ordering and regulating them in that office, ( 1 Chron. xxv. ) Others of the Levites he appointed by law to the several services of porters, treasurers, officers, and judges: and these of David were kept up thenceforth in the church of Israel, as long as the Jewish church lasted. Thus we find the several orders of priests, and the Levites, the porters, and singers, after the captivity. And we find the courses of the priests appointed by David still continuing in the New Testament; Zacharias the father of John the Baptist was a priest of the course of Abia; which is the same with the course of Abijah appointed by David, 1 Chron. xxiv. 10.

Thus David as well as Moses was made like to Christ the Son of David, in this respect, that by him God gave, in a manner, a new ecclesiastical establishment, and new institutions of worship. David did not only add to the institutions of Moses, but by those additions he abolished some of the old institutions that had been in force till that time; particularly those laws which appointed the business of the Levites, which we have in the 3d and 4th chapters of Numbers, which very much consisted in their charge of the several parts and utensils of the tabernacle. But those laws were now abolished; and they were no more to carry those things, as they had been used to do. But David appointed them to other work instead of it; 1 Chron. xxiii. 26. “And also unto the Levites, they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof:” a sure evidence that the ceremonial law given by Moses is not perpetual, as the Jews suppose; but might be wholly abolished by Christ: for if David, a type of the Messiah, might abolish the law of Moses in part, much more might the Messiah himself abolish the whole.

David, by God’s appointment, abolished all use of the tabernacle built by Moses, and of which he had the pattern, from God: for God now revealed it to David to be his will, that a temple should be built instead of the tabernacle. This was a great presage of what Christ, the Son of David, would do when he should come, viz. abolish the whole Jewish ecclesiastical constitution, which was but as a movable tabernacle, to set up the spiritual gospel-temple, which was to be far more glorious, of greater extent, and was to last for ever. David had the pattern of all things pertaining to the temple showed him, even in like manner as Moses had the pattern of the tabernacle: and Solomon built the temple according to that pattern which he had from his father David, which he received from God. 1 Chron. xxviii. 11, 12. “Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the , and the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things.” And, ver. 19. “All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.”

X. The canon of Scripture seems at or after the close of David’s reign to be added to by the prophets Nathan and Gad. It appears probable by the Scriptures, that they carried on the history of the two books of Samuel from the place where Samuel left it, and finished them. These seem to be called the book of Samuel the seer, and Nathan the prophet, and God the seer, 1 Chron. xxix. 29. “Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer.”

XI. The next thing I would notice, is God’s wonderfully continuing the kingdom of his visible people in the line of Christ’s legal ancestors, as long as they remained an independent kingdom. Thus it was without any interruption worth notice. Indeed the kingdom of all the tribes of Israel was not kept in that line; but the dominion of that part in which the true worship of God was upheld, who were God’s visible people, was always kept in the family of David, as long as there was any such thing as an independent king of Israel; according to his promise to David; and not only in the family of David, but always in that part of David’s posterity Christ was legally descended. So that Christ’s legal ancestor was always on the throne, excepting Jehoahaz, who reigned three months, and Zedekiah; as you may see in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ.

Christ was legally descended from the kings of Judah, though not naturally. He was both legally and naturally descended from David He was naturally descended from Nathan the son of David; for Mary his mother was one of the posterity of David by Nathan, as you may see in Luke’s genealogy: but Joseph, the reputed and legal father of Christ, was naturally descended of Solomon and his successors, as we have an account in Matthew’s genealogy. Jesus Christ, though he was not the natural son of Joseph, yet by the law and constitution of the Jews, was Joseph’s heir; because he was the lawful son of Joseph’s lawful life, conceived while she was his legally espoused wife. The raised up seed to him. A person, by the law of Moses, might be the legal son and heir of another, whose natural son he was not; as sometimes a man raised up seed to his brother. a brother, in some cases, was to build up a brother’s house; so the built up Joseph’s house. Joseph being in the direct line of the kings of Judah, of the house of David, he was in this respect the legal heir of the crown of David; and Christ being legally his first-born son, he was his heir; and so Christ, by the law, was the proper heir of the crown of David, and is therefore said to sit upon the throne of his father David.

The crown of God’s people was wonderfully kept in the line of Christ’s legal ancestors. When David was old, and not able any longer to manage the affairs of the kingdom, Adonijah, one of his sons, set up to be king, and seemed to have obtained his purpose. All things for a while seemed fair on his side, and he thought himself strong. But Adonijah was not the ancestor of Joseph, the legal father of Christ; and therefore how wonderfully did work here! what a strange and sudden revolution! All Adonijah’s kingdom and glory vanished away as soon as it was begun; and Solomon, the legal ancestor of Christ, was established in the throne.

And after Solomon’s death, when Jeroboam had conspired against the family, and Rehoboam carried himself in such a manner that it was a wonder all Israel was not provoked to forsake him, (as ten tribes actually did,) and set up Jeroboam in opposition to him; and though he was a wicked man, and deserved to have been rejected altogether from being king; yet he being the legal ancestor of Christ, God kept the kingdom of the two tribes, in which the true religion was upheld, in his possession. And though his son Abijam was another wicked prince; yet God still continued the crown in the family, and gave it to Abijam’s son, Asa. And afterwards, though many of the kings of Judah were very wicked men, and horribly provoked God, as particularly Jehoram, Ahaziah, Ahaz, Manasseh, and Amon; yet God did not take away the crown from their family, but gave it to their sons, because they were the ancestors of Christ. God’s remembering his established with David, is given as the reason why God did thus, notwithstanding their wicked lives; 1 Kings xv. 4. speaking of Abijam’s wickedness, it is said, 1 Kings xv. 4. “Nevertheless, for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:” so, speaking of Jehoram’s great wickedness, it is said, 2 Chron. xxi. 7. “ the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light unto him, and to his sons for ever.”

The crown of the ten tribes was changed from one family to another continually. First, Jeroboam took it; but the crown descended only to his son Nadab. Then Baasha, who was of another family, took it; and it remained in his posterity but one generation after his death. And then Zimri, who was his servant, and not of his posterity, took it; from whom Omri, who was of another family, took it. The crown continued in his family for three successions: and then Jehu, who was of another family, took it. The crown continued in his family for three or four successions; and then Shallum, that was of another family, took it. The crown did not descend at all to his posterity; but Menahem, who was of another family, took it; and it remained in his family but one generation after him. Then Pekah, who was of another family, took it: and after him Hoshea, that was still of another family, took it. So great a difference was there between the crown of Israel and the crown of Judah; the one was continued evermore in the same family, and with very little interruption, in one right line; the other was continually tossed about from one family to another, as if it were the sport of fortune. The reason was not, because the kings of Judah, at least many of them, were better than the kings of Israel; but the one had the blessing in them; they were the ancestors of Christ, whose right it was to sit on the throne of Israel. But with the kings of Israel it was not so; and therefore Divine exercised a continual care, through all the changes that happened through so many generations, and such a long space of time, to keep the crown of Judah in one direct line, in fulfilment of the everlasting he had made with David, the mercies of which were sure mercies; but in the other case there was no such , and so no such interposing care of .

And here it must not he omitted, that there was once a very strong conspiracy of the kings of Syria and Israel, in the time of that wicked king of Judah, Ahaz, to dispossess him and his family of the throne of Judah, and to set one of another family, even the son of Tabeal, on it; as Isa. vii. 6. “Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal.” And they seemed very likely to accomplish their purpose. There seemed to be so great a likelihood of it, that the hearts of the people sunk within them; they gave up the cause. It is said, “The heart of Ahaz and his people was moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.” And on this occasion God sent the prophet Isaiah to encourage the people, and tell them that it should not come to pass. And because it looked so much like a lost cause to Ahaz and the people, therefore God directs the prophet to give them this sign of it, viz. that Christ should be born of the legal seed of Ahaz, as Isa. vii. 14. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This was a good sign, and a great confirmation of the truth of what God promised by Isaiah, viz. that the kings of Syria and Israel should never accomplish their purpose of dispossessing the family of Ahaz of the crown of Judah, and setting up the son of Tabeal; for Christ the Immanuel was to be of them.

XII. The building of the temple was a great type of three things, viz. of Christ, especially his human nature; of the church; and of heaven. The tabernacle seemed rather to represent the church in its movable, changeable state, in this world. But that beautiful, glorious, costly structure, the temple, that succeeded the tabernacle, seems especially to represent the church in its glorified state in heaven. This temple was built according to the direction and the pattern shown by the to David, in the place where was the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite, in mount Moriah, 2 Chron. iii. 1. ; the same mountain (and probably in the very same place) where Abraham offered up his son Isaac; for that is said to be in the land of Moriah, Gen. xxii. 2. and was called the mountain of the Lord, as this of the temple was, Gen. xxii. 14. “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh; as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” This was the house where Christ dwelt, till he came to dwell in human nature. That his body was the antetype of this temple, appears from what he says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” speaking of the temple of his body. This continued to be the house of God, the place of worship for his church, till Christ came; the place that God chose, where all their sacrifices were offered up, till the great sacrifice came. Into this temple the Lord came, even the messenger of the . Here he often delivered his heavenly doctrine, and wrought miracles; here his church was gathered by the pouring out of the Spirit, after his ascension. Luke xxiv. 53. “And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.” And respecting the multitudes that were by that great effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it is said, Acts ii. 46. “And they continued daily with one accord in the temple.” And the sacred historian, speaking of the apostles, says, Acts v. 42. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ!” And the sound of the gospel went forth, and the church was spread into all the world.

XIII. It is here worthy to be observed, that in Solomon’s reign, after the temple was finished, the Jewish church was risen to its highest external glory. The Jewish church, as to its and constitution, is compared to the moon, Rev. xii. 1. “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” This church was like the moon in many other respects, but especially that it waxed and waned like the moon. From its first formation, which was in the made with Abraham, when this moon began to appear, it had been gradually increasing in its glory. This time, wherein the temple was finished and dedicated, was about the middle between the calling of Abraham and the coming of Christ, and now it was full moon. After this the glory of the Jewish church gradually decreased, till Christ came; as I shall have occasion to show more particularly.

Now the church of Israel was in its highest external glory. Now Israel was multiplied exceedingly, so that they seemed to have become like the sand on the sea-shore, 1 Kings iv. 20. Now the kingdom of Israel was firmly established in the right family, the family of which Christ was to come. Now God had chosen the city where he would place his name; and had fully given his people the possession of the promised land.—They now possessed the dominion of it all, in quietness and peace, even from the river of Egypt, to the great river Euphrates; all those nations which had formerly been their enemies, quietly submitted to them; none pretended to rebel against them. Now the Jewish worship in all its was fully settled: instead of a movable tabernacle, they had a glorious temple; the most magnificent, beautiful, and costly structure, that ever had been, or has been since. Now the people enjoyed peace and plenty, and sat every man under his vine and fig-tree, eating and drinking and making merry, 1 Kings iv. 20. They were in the highest pitch of earthly prosperity, silver being as plenty as stones, and the land full of gold and precious stones, and other precious foreign commodities, which were brought by Solomon’s ships from Ophir and other parts of the world. Now they had a king reigning over them who was the wisest of men, and probably the greatest earthly prince that ever was: their fame went abroad into all the earth, so that they came from the utmost parts of the earth to see their glory and their happiness.

Thus God was pleased, in one of Messiah’s ancestors, remarkably to shadow forth the kingdom of Christ and himself reigning in his glory. David, a man of war, a man who had shed much blood, and whose life was full of troubles and conflicts, was a more suitable representation of Christ in his state of humiliation, wherein he was conflicting with his enemies. But Solomon, a man of peace, was a representation more especially of Christ exalted, triumphing and reigning in his kingdom of peace. And the happy glorious state of the Jewish church at that time, remarkably represented two things:—1. A glorious state of the church on earth, in the latter ages of the world; those days of peace, when nation shall not lift sword against nation, nor learn war any more. 2. The future glorified state of the church in heaven. The earthly Canaan never was so lively a type of the heavenly Canaan as it was then, when the happy people of Israel indeed enjoyed it as a land flowing with milk and honey.

XIV. After this the glory of the Jewish church gradually declined more and more till Christ came; yet the work of went on. Whatever failed or declined, God still carried on this work from age to age; this building was advancing higher and higher. It went on, even during the decline of the Jewish church, towards a further preparation of things for the coming of Christ, as well as during its increase; for so wonderfully were things ordered by the infinitely wise Governor of the world, that whatever happened was ordered for good to this general design, and made a means of promoting it. When the Jews flourished, and were in prosperity, he made that to contribute to the promoting of this design; and when they were in adversity, God made this also contribute to the same. While the Jewish church was in its increasing state, the work of was carried on by their increase; and when they came to their declining state, from Solomon’s time till Christ, God carried on the work of by that. The very decline itself, was one thing that God employed as a further preparation for Christ’s coming.

As the moon, from the time of its full, is approaching nearer and nearer to her conjunction with the sun; so her light is still more and more decreasing, till at length, when the conjunction comes, it is wholly swallowed up in the light of the sun. So it was with the Jewish church from the time of its highest glory in Solomon’s time. In the latter end of Solomon’s reign, the state of things began to darken, by his corrupting himself with idolatry, which much obscured the glory of this mighty and wise prince; and troubles also began to arise in his kingdom. After his death the kingdom was divided, and ten tribes revolted, and withdrew their subjection from the house of David, apostatizing also from the true worship of God in the temple at Jerusalem, and setting up the golden calves of Bethel and Dan. And presently after this the number of the ten tribes was greatly diminished in the battle of Jeroboam with Abijah, wherein there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men; which loss the kingdom of Israel probably never in any measure recovered.

The ten tribes finally apostatized from the true God under Jeroboam. The kingdom of Judah was greatly corrupted, and from that time forward more generally in a corrupt state than otherwise. In Ahab’s time the kingdom of Israel did not only worship the calves of Bethel and Dan, but the worship of Baal was introduced. Before, they pretended to worship the true God by these images, the calves of Jeroboam; but now Ahab introduced gross idolatry, and the direct worship of false gods in the room of the true God; and soon after, the worship of Baal was introduced into the kingdom of Judah, viz. in Jehoram’s reign, by his marrying Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab. After this God began to cut Israel short, by finally destroying and sending into captivity that part which was beyond Jordan, 2 Kings x. 32, &c. Then Tiglath-Pileser subdued and enslaved all the northern parts, 2 Kings xv. 29.; and at last all the ten tribes were subdued by Salmaneser, and they were finally carried away captive out of their own land. After this also the kingdom of Judah was carried captive into Babylon, and a great part of the nation never returned. Those who returned were but a small number, compared with what had been carried captive; and for the most part after this they were dependent on the power of other states. They were subject one while to the Kings of Persia, then to the monarchy of the Grecians, and then to the Romans. And before Christ’s time, the Jewish church was become exceeding corrupt, overrun with superstition and self-. And how small a flock was the church of Christ in the days of his !

God, by this gradual decline of the Jewish state and church from Solomon’s time, prepared the way for the coming of Christ several ways.

1. The decline of the glory of this legal dispensation, made way for the introduction of the more glorious dispensation of the gospel. The evangelical dispensation was so much more glorious, that the legal dispensation had no glory in comparison with it. The ancient dispensation, even as it was in Solomon’s time, was but an inferior glory, compared with the spiritual glory of the dispensation introduced by Christ. The church, under the Old Testament, was a child under tutors and governors, and God dealt with it accordingly. Those pompous externals are called by the apostle, weak and beggarly elements. It was fit that those things should be diminished as Christ approached; as John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, speaking of Christ, says, John iii. 30. “He must increase, but I must decrease. It is fit that the twinkling stars should gradually withdraw their glory, when the sun is approaching towards his rising point. The glory of the Jewish dispensation must be gradually diminished, to prepare the way for the more joyful reception of the spiritual glory of the gospel. If the Jewish church, when Christ came, had been in the same external glory that it was in, in the reign of Solomon, men would have their eyes so dazzled with it, that they would not have been likely, joyfully to exchange such great external grandeur, for only the spiritual glory of the despised Jesus. Again,

2. This gradual decline of the glory in the Jewish state, tended to make the glory of God’s power, in the great effects of Christ’s , the more conspicuous. God’s people being so diminished and weakened by one step after another, till Christ came, was very much like the diminishing of Gideon’s army. God told Gideon, that the people with him were too many for the conquest of the Midianites, lest Israel should vaunt itself, saying, “My own hand hath saved me. “ And therefore all that were fearful were commanded to return; and there returned twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand. But still they were too many; and then, by trying the people at the water, they were reduced to three hundred men. So the people in Solomon’s time were too many, and mighty, and glorious for Christ; therefore he diminished them; first, by sending off the ten tribes; then he diminished them by the captivity into Babylon; and then they were further diminished by their great and general corruption when Christ came; so that Christ found very few godly persons among them. With a small handful of disciples, Christ conquered the world. Thus high things were brought down, that Christ might be exalted.

3. This prepared the way for Christ’s coming, as it made the salvation of those Jews who were saved by Christ to he more sensible and visible. Though the greater part of the Jewish nation was rejected, and the called in their room; yet a great many thousands of the Jews were saved by Christ after his resurrection, Acts xxi. 20. They being taken from so low a state under temporal calamity in their bondage to the Romans, and from a state of so great superstition and wickedness, it made their the more sensibly and visibly glorious.

XV. I would here take notice of the additions which were made to the canon of Scripture in or soon after the reign of Solomon. There were considerable additions made by Solomon himself, who wrote the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, probably near the close of his reign. His Song of Songs, as it is called, is wholly on the subject we are upon, viz. Christ and his , representing the high and glorious relation, union, and love, that is between Christ and his church. And the sacred history seems, in Solomon’s reign, and some of the next succeeding, to have been enlarged by the prophets Nathan and Ahijah, Shemaiah and Iddo. It is probable that part of the history which we have in the first of Kings, was written by them. (See 2 Chron. ix. 29. xii. 15. xiii. 22.)

XVI. God wonderfully upheld his church and the true religion through this period. It was very wonderful, considering the many and great apostacies of that people to idolatry. When the ten tribes had generally and finally forsaken the true worship, God kept up the true religion in the kingdom of Judah; and when they corrupted themselves, as they very often did exceedingly, and idolatry was ready totally to swallow up all, yet God kept the lamp alive. When things seemed to be come to an extremity, and religion at its last gasp, he was often pleased to grant blessed by remarkable outpourings of his Spirit, particularly in Hezekiah’s and Josiah’s time.