beget filial boldness and alacrity, were propofed more fparing of God externally propofed, and to render them internally ef, fectual, fuited himself to that difpenfation, and commonly rather wrought terror by the law, which daily founded in their ears, than cheerfulness by the doctrine of grace, which was more fparingly and more obfcurely preached unto them.

XIX. Befides, as it is a great dégree of bondage, to fatigue one's felf in carefully keeping the law of a carnal commandment; the Spirit, who made them undergo with complacency and in faith this bondage, deferves in a peculiar manner to be called the fpirit of bondage. But, its operations in believers were these following. ft, He taught them, that it was just in itfelf, good for them, and glorious to God, fuitable to the economy of his covenant, willingly to fubmit to the bondage of the elements of the world, which God commanded them. 2dly, He stirred them up to dive into the mystery of that bondage, and not to cleave to the outside of the ceremonies. 3dly, He inclined the wills of believers, to be thus willingly and faithfully in bondage, and, in the mean time, to long for the liberty of a happier period.

XX. This Spirit which wrought these things in them, was indeed, an eminent gift of God, fuitable to that age; yet a much inferior gift, than is the Spirit of pure grace and liberty,, which declares, that the yoke is broken, the hand-writing torn; and excites to a reasonable service, which alone it enjoins to perform with joy and chearfulness.

XXI. We would again have it remembered, that we fpeak not these things, as if we thought, that the Spirit of God was only a fpirit of bondage in the believers under the Old Teftament, or as if he wrought nothing, that may be called fervile in its measure, in believers of the New Teftament, against which we argued with care in the laft chapter. Neither do we imagine, that all the operations of the fpirit of bondage, are to be confined to those we just recited; because these alone made, for our prefent purpose. What we mean, is, that the operations of the Spirit of God, under the Old Teftament, compared with the operations of the fame Spirit under the New, favoured commonly fomewhat more of bondage than what can be suitable to the full liberty of the fons of God; in a word, were accommodated to that condition, in which the infant heir differed not much from a fervant. We willingly conclude this point in Calvin's words; to which we heartily fubfcribe, Inftit. lib. 2. c. 11. § 9. "But the whole comes to this, that the Old Teftament ftruck horror and dread into the confciences of men; but, by the benefit of the New, these

are fet at liberty, and made to rejoice. That the former bound the confciences to the yoke of bondage: which, by the bounty of the latter were fet at liberty. But, if the cafe of the holy fathers of the people of Ifrael be objected, who were evidently partakers of the fame fpirit of faith with us; it follows, they were partakers of the fame liberty and joy: we anfwer, that neither was from the law. And then, we deny, they were fo endowed with the fpirit of liberty and fecurity, as not to experience, in fome meafure, both a dread and a bondage from the law." See what follows.

*

XXII. Sixthly, There was alfo, under the Old Testament a more fcanty measure of the gifts of grace; both with respect to extent and degree. That the extent of these was very much confined, appears from thefe.. rft, Because God communicated himself to the nation of Ifrael alone, who yielded themselves to him, as his portion, and the lot of his inheritance: Deut. xxxii. 9. and in the mean time suffered other nations as if they had no concern or intercourse with him, to walk in their own ways; Acts xiv. 16. fo that as they were "aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael," they were alfo " ftrangers from the covenants of promife, having no hope, and without God in the world," Eph. ii. 12. "Darkness covered the earth, and grofs darkness the people;" while Jehovah did arife, and fhine upon Ifrael alone, Ifa. lx. 2. 2dly, In that one nation of Ifrael, very few were partakers of faving grace; 1 Cor. x. 5. with many of them God was not well pleafed: and therefore Mofes faid to the whole people, with a reference to the generality of them, Deut. xxix. 4. "Jehovah hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear" for they who were favoured with that grace, compared with the reft, were inconfiderable.

XXIII. If we confider the degree, the measure of the grace was commonly fmall. Ift, With respect to the knowledge of fpiritual myfteries. For it was proper, fince the Sun of righteousnefs was not yet rifen, that there fhould be neither that clearness of revelation, nor that quicknefs of understanding. And therefore Paul expreffes this flenderness of conception, by the term childhood. Instances of grofs ftupidity are all along obvious in the very difciples of our Lord, Ifa. xlii. 19. "Who is blind, but my fervant? Or deaf, as my meffenger that I fent? Who is fo blind as he that is perfect, and blind as Jehovah's fervant?" 2dly, With refpect to the abundance of spiritual confolations. This is a neceffary confequence from what we háve

*The author's words are tam quoad extenfionem, tam quoad intenfionem. Literally both as to extenfion and intention.

have faid before, concerning the condition and manner of that economy, and the operations of the Spirit, who fuited himself to that difpenfation. 3dly, With refpect to holiness: and this alfo depends on the preceding two. For, where there is a fmaller degree of fpiritual light, a lefs abundance of the love of God fhed abroad in the heart, a lefs measure of familiarity and friendship with God, it is reasonable to believe, that there was alfo a fmailer degree of holiness.

XXIV. However, we by no means fpeak thus, as if we would reprefent the ordinary believers of the New Testament, either as preferable, or even as on a level with those ancient heroes. For how few in the Christian church are found comparable to Abraham in excellence of faith? In light of knowledge to the prophets, who, even at this day, enlighten the whole universe? In abundance of confolations, and eminence of holinefs, to David, who was both a man according to God's heart, and so often chanted forth those most delightful odes, with a foul exulting in God? For the queftion here is not, What measure of grace the Lord bestowed on a few; but, What ordinary difpenfation he obferved towards the whole body of the people? It is proper to compare church to church, prophets to apostles, ancient heroes to martyrs of the New Teftament, and ordinary believers to their like.

XXV. It will not be from the purpose, to explain, on this occafion, that faying of our Lord, Mat. xi. 11. "Verily, I fay unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not rifen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than. Little regard is to be had to thofe, who, with fome of the ancients, understand by the kingdom of heaven, the ftate of the church triumphant; and tell us, that this is the meaning of Christ's words: the leaft of the bleffed in heaven-is greater, that is, more happy, perfect, excellent and glorious, than John, who was still in a state of mortality, and a traveller. For who can be ignorant, that the state of the heavenly country is far more excellent than that of travellers on the earth? This being fo evident in itself, there was no occafion for our Lord to speak it with fuch folemnity, as if he afferted fomething extraordinary.

.XXVI. They come nearer to our Lord's meaning, who, by the least in the kingdom of heaven, think is intended the leaft minifter in the Chriftian church, who is entrusted to preach the gospel in its perfect ftate. He is compared to John, not in refpect of knowledge, holinefs, and gifts of the like nature; but in refpect of his miniftry, as John himself was compared to his predeceffors the prophets. For John was greater

than

than all of them, because he was the immediate harbinger and brideman of the Meffiah; and pointed him out with the finger as prefent, or come. Again, any preacher of the gofpel is greater than John in that refpect, who declares, Chrift not only born, but alfo dead and rifen, and ascended to heaven, and as fitting at the right hand of God, and as having happily erected the kingdom of liberty. The comparison therefore is not fo much of perfons in their abfolute qualities, as of their miniftry. The ministry of Mofes, and the other prophets, may not improperly be compared to the night, diftinguished by many prophecies concerning Chrift, as to many interlucent conftellations. The ministry of John to the dawn; when the fun not being yet rifen, yet drawing towards the horizon, the heavens brighten with fome light: but the gospel to the day, when, the fun being risen, fills all things with the brightest and pureft light.

XXVII. It may, however, feem ftrange, that the Lord Jefus, who, in the whole of his discourse, speaks so many excellent things concerning John, fhould presently, when one could have least expected it, reprefent him as lefs than the least of his difciples. And, therefore, fome of the ancients think, there is a comparison rather made between John and Christ, who calls himself the leaft in the kingdom of heaven; either because he was really fo, in the opinion of men; or rather, because he was younger than he, and posterior to him in the ministry. In which fenfe, James the fon of Alpheus, was called the lefs; Mark xv. 40. that is, the younger, in refpect of James, the fon of Zebedee, who is called the elder. What Christ then intended was, that though John was truly far greater than all the other prophets, yet he was not that great prophet, not the Meffiah, which fome, but falfely imagined; Luke iii. 15. but, that himself, though inferior to John in age, and posterior to him in preaching the kingdom of heaven, yet very far excelled him in dignity. And thus, this faying of Chrift would very well agree with the teftimony of John concerning himfelf and Chrift; John i. 15. "He that cometh after me, is preferred before me; for he was before me. To this fame purpose, almoft, Epiphanius adverfus gnosticos, Chryfoftom, Theophylact, Euthymius, Clarius, Zegerus, Salmero, Janfenius, and others, from whofe opinion, I own, I am not * averse. XXVIII. Seventhly, All thefe things, joined together, excited an ardent defire in the ancient church, and a kind of hunger

and

*The generality of our English commentators incline to the fenfe given in the laft fection.

and thirst after a better condition, which God had promised with the coming of the Messiah. For as most of all the things hitherto bestowed upon them, were evidences of their imperfection, and in the mean time, better things were pointed out to them at a distance, they could not, without throwing contempt on the grace of God, but defire these things. Whatever the mercy of God had thus far beftowed on them, efpecially when more precious promifes were added, tended rather to raise than quench their thirst. Even Abraham, to whom God fo familiarly revealed himself, rejoiced to fee Chrift's day: John viii. 56. The whole church cried out, "Oh that thou wouldft rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down!" Ifa. lxiv. 1. " that thou wert as my brother, that fucked the breafts of my mother!" Cant. viii. 1. That is, O that thou waft made partaker of flesh and blood, that thou wouldst fhew thyfelf familiarly in the midst of our congregation, in the communion of the fame worship! We cannot have a better interpreter of this their defire, than our Lord himself, Mat. xiii. 17. "Verily, I fay unto you, many prophets and righteous men have defired to fee thofe things which ye fee, and have not feen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." The ancient fathers certainly enjoyed the grace of God with a quiet and joyful heart, knowing, that it was fufficient for their falvation; they glorified God, and gave him thanks on that account: yet, as a better condition was made known as at a distance, they reached out also in defire after it. "Thefe all died in faith," and therefore calmly and happily; yet, "not having received the promises, but feen them afar off, and were perfuaded of them, and embraced them," Heb. xi. 13.

XXXIX. I dare not, for this purpose, wrest Deut. xxix. 19. ONDVA DN MID Db, to add the drunken, or, the watered, to the thirsty: as if a twofold state of the church was imitated here; that of thirst, under the Old; and of watering, under the New Teftament: and to add the watered to the thirsty, was to reduce the church, when fatisfied with the exhibition of the promife, to the order and rank of the thirsting church; to load the believers of the New Teftament with the ancient ceremonies: and from another fignification of the word л, to destroy the fatiated with the thirty; to endeavour the deftruction of those in covenant with God, firft, while they expect the salvation of God; and then, when they have received the gospel of salvation. To these interpretations, we have a third to this purpofe, that the full fall deftroy the thirsty; that is, that those who alfely think themselves full, fhall, at the time expected, op

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