pentance, by threatning them, that God would turn from them to their Enemies. To this I reply, First; That although I fhould grant it to be a threatning, yet it would not cease, being a Prophefie too. For fuppofing a Man had denounced God's fiery Wrath against that abominable City of Sodom, who would not after the Destruction of that Place, have thought him a true Prophet? Though perhaps before the Event, his Difcourfe might have been regarded asa brave threatning?

Further, the Circumftances which accompany this Prophecy, are too many not to be formed, with fome certain Profpect of an answerable Event. What dif ficulty is there to conceive, That the Zech. 14. 8. Law should go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ferufalem; That

the Gentiles fhould come to the light of Sion; That living Waters should go out from Ferufalem, half of them to ward the former Sea, and half of them toward the binder Sea, &c.?

But Thirdly, it is evident, That it was not by way of threatning the Jews, that the Prophets foretold them the Calling of the Gentiles; because when we denounce a Misfortune against any one, only with defign to fright him, we ufually reprefent the danger near as well as great, and just ready to feife him. Yet the Prophets foretold the Calling of the Gentiles, as being a thing very remote. And it shall come to pass, faith Efaiah in the place we have already quoted, that in the last days the Mountain of the Lords Houfe, &c. Laftly, do but read the Writings of the Prophets, and obferve, that in their Predictions of the Calling of the Gentiles, they often fpeak of it as an Event that would infallibly turn to the Glory of Zion, and be followed by the true Salvation God de

i

Tory

figned for the true Ifraelites, though most of t Nation were to be poffeffed with a Hardness of He In the day that thy Walls are to be built, faith Mic Chap. 7. Verse 11, 12. in that day fhall the Dec be far removed. In that Day also, he shall come ever thee from Affyria, and from the fortified Cities, and fi the Fortress even to the River; and from Sea to Sea, from Mountain to Mountain.

It is therefore very fure, that thefe Oracles by th number, plainness, and the exact description of th Circumstances, are much above the reach of fubtilty, and unexceptionable; fo that it remains or further to enquire, Whether the Prophecy accordin ly came to pafs? which we shall now take into co fideration.

As to the Oracle of the Calling of the Gentiles, i fully accomplished in all its Circumftances, if it pro true, that the Jews at prefent have nothing left n to distinguish them from thofe formerly called G tiles; and if those Gentiles have received the Merc which then exalted the Jews above them.

Heretofore, the Jews were in poffeffion of fo confiderable Advantages, which diftinguifh'd them fr the Heathen, and which formed as 'twere the Idea of their Election: Viz. The uncorrupted Knowledge the true God, the Priesthood, and the Kingly Office Divine Appointment, and the Gift of Prophefie. Th alone knew the true God (which was a great m ter.) God was pleased with no Sacrifices but thei another confiderable Advantage. He was likew their invisible Monarch, who govern'd them in a pe liar manner, till at length he intailed his Autho upon one only Family, which was a particular vour. Laftly, He chofe that Nation before all oth 30 impart to them his Holy Spirit, and to work Dá 4

Mira

Miracles in the midst of them, which was the last Mark and Sign of his Election.

But in these latter Days, which of all these Ad vantages can the Feps boaft of? They have the Knowledge of the true God, but all the World hath attained to that as well as they; fo that they can no longer pretend to distinguish themselves from other Men by that Mark. They have neither had Priefis nor Levites, ever fince the Destruction of their Temple, their Genealogies are confounded. Their Royalty is likewife at an end, fince they are become Slaves to other Nations. And what is yet more ftrange, more furprizing and more confiderable than all other Things, is, That God hath with drawn from them the Spirit of Prophecy, which was the most effential Teftimony of their peculiar Election.

And if we now confider thofe formerly called Gentiles, we shall find in them much more perfec Ideas of God, than the Jews ever had, we shall fee them every where offering to him locenfe, with ob lations of Prayer and Thanksgivings, and coming to the Light proceeding out of Sion. What strange and difmal blindness hinders both the Jews and our In credulous Adversaries, not to reflect on the exact Agreement this Prophecy has with its Comple tion ?

But the Jews will not allow us to be admitted into God's Covenant, by reafon of our Uncircumcifion, and our not obferving the various Ceremonies prescribed in the Law of Mofes. What then! Can they be fill Ignorant, That the Effential Part of Gad's Worship, and of the true Religion of their ancestors, confifted not in them, after having been fo often reproached for it by God himself, fpeaking by the mouth of his Holy Prophets

Efai. Ch. 1. v.

11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

who hath re

Prophets, To what purpofe is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me? Saith the Lord; I am full of the burnt Offering of Rams, and the fat of fed Beafes, and I delight now in the blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of Le-Goats. When ye come to appear before me, quired this at your hand to tread my Courts? Bring no more vain Oblations, Incenfo is an abomination unto me, the New Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of affemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the folemn meeting. Your new Moons, and your appointed Feafts, my Soul hateth, they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them &c. Wash ye, make you cleum, put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes, cease to do Evil, learn to do well, feek Fudgment, relieve the oppreffed, Fudge the Fatherless, plead for the Widdow, &c...

Since therefore the effential part of true Worship, and Religion, confifta in the knowledge of God, in loving and obeying him, and in the practice of Ventus and Holynets for his name fake; how can we doubt but that the Gentiles were truly called to this knowledge alfo, efpeci ally when we fee the whole Earth at prefent replenished with the knowledge of the true God, and all Men calling upon him in their neceffities, celebrating his goodness, and putting their whole trust and confidence in him?

Yet I am not ignorant, Three Objections may be al ledged against us, which may at firft feem a little perplexing, for they object firft, that Mahomet, tho an Imposture, yet was very inftrumental, to the propagation of the knowledge of the true God in all places. To which we may readily answer, That two things ought to be confidered in Mahomet's Religion, fomewhat true, which is the fmall Relics it retains of the Chriftian Religion, which the Mahometans themfelves formerly profeffed, and of which their prefent Reli

gion

gion is a meer corruption; and fomewhat falfe and human, which is an addition of his own. The knowledg of God,Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of Jefus Chrift his Son, and his Prophets, being an effential Part of the Chriftian Religion, of which Mahometism still retaineth fome faint fparks, it seems much more reasona ble to affert that Mahomet was rather the Corrupter of the Knowledge of the true God, which he found already fettled in the World long before he came into it, than that he established the fame.

Secondly, They object that the Chriftians are continually in War, and that their Churches are miferably rent in peices by the various Contentions, Schifms, Erroursand Superftitions, which continually reign among them, confequently that they have loft the Character of a Nation, that was chofen and bleffed from Heaven. To which we reply, That if notwithstanding the Tribes of Ifrael warried one with another, and worshipped Golden Calves, they were ftill accounted Gods People, be cause he delivered them out of that state, which had it been general, and at the fame time perpetual, would have been incompatible with his election, why may it not be faid as well of the Chriftians, That they are ftill Gods People, tho' exposed to Schifms, Diffentions and Superftitions, which God now permits among them, but not to endure for ever, fince, by his Providence, he may when ever he pleases find out fuch means, as will heal and compofe all thefe their differences. Furthermore, the vitious Inclinations of fome private Men are no more an hinderance to a general Election, in refpect of the Chriftians, than they were in relation to the ancient Ifraelites; and whatever Objections the Fews raife on this account, will recoil upon themselves, the Event of all those kind of Prophecies, being to be enquired after in the Church, which is the Affembly of the faithful.

Lafly,