I. (1) The Introduction. "Α Mong the various Conjectures Men of a Prophetic Spirit have fall'n into Concerning the laft events, we have had this Opinion not long fince advanc'd for one, that as God formerly by rejecting the Jews made way for the Gentiles, fo in the latter days he will in like manner by rejecting the Gentiles make way for the Jews to enter into the Chriftian Church. That the ftate of Christianity being become intirely Corrupt, and all over Anti-chriftianiz'd, the First of those Viols of the Divine Wrath that are to exterminate the Wicked, and ufher in the Terrors of the Great Day, fhall fall upon the Chriftian World, that Christendom fhall be utterly diffolv'd, broken in pieces, and deftroy'd, and that the Jews fhall be replaced and re-establish'd upon its Ruins. And, to render it Worthy of fo Sore a Calamity, that the generality of its Profeffors fhall not only greatly depart from the Primitive Power of the Evangelic Spirit, by Apoftatizing from the Purity and Perfection of both Chriftian Faith and Life (which we have already feen come to pafs) but shall even lay down their Holy Profeffion, renounce their very Faith and Religion, and turn Infidels. Upon the latter part of which Opinion those Words B *See Mrs. Bourignon's Works at large, particularly Vol.7. Part 2. pag, 193. As alfo Mr. Poiret's Oeconomic Divine, Vol. 5. p. 338. Words of our Saviour feem to caft a very fuf. picious Afpect, When the Son of Man cometh, ball he find Faith upon the Earth? Luke 18. 8. As upon the Former do alfo thofe words of St. Paul, Thou wilt say then, The Branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standeft by Faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God fpared not the Natural Branches, take heed left he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the Goodness and Severity of God: On them which fell, Severity; but towards thee, Goodness, if thou continue in his Goodness. Otherwife thou also shalt be cut off Rom. 11. 19, 20, 21, 22. that is, as a dead, wither'd and unfruitful Branch, as were the Jews for the fame Reason before, and as our Saviour tells us every unfruitful Branch fhall be, Job. 15. 2. : 2. And truly if one were to judge of these Mens Opinion by the prefent face and state of things, one would be inclined to think it true, and that they had the right Key of Prophecy in their Hands. For fure by all Signs and Appearances, the Courfe of the World feems to drive this way; and if there be fuch a Fatal Revolution to come, no doubt but that we are with large fteps haftening to it. For how are the Vitals of Religion continually ftruck at, the Foundations of it unfettled and undermined, its venerable Articles difputed and ridiculed, and by what a flender thread does Christianity hang! The great Complaint for a long while has been of the Decay of Christian Christian Piety, and the Univerfal Corruption of Manners. But now our Religion is corrupted as well as our Manners, and we every day make shipwrack of our Faith as well as of a good Confcience. So that we have now fill'd our meafure, and are every way ripe for Destruction. Some deny all Reveal'd Religion, and confequently the Christian; others allowing the Divinity of the Religion, deny that of its Author, together with the Doctrines of the Trinity, Incarnation and Sa tisfaction; others again owning his Divinity, deny the neceffity of Believing it; others again granting that, and the other Points, deny the neceffity of his Satisfaction, which is not only refolv'd into mere Prudential Reasons (as formerly) inftead of being grounded upon the Effential Order and Justice of God, but is brought down fo low of late as to be made an Accommodation and Condefcenfion to, and a gracious Compliance with the common Weakneffes and Prejudices of Mankind. Thus is the Chriftian Religion fo mangled and dif member'd by fome, and fo odly and infidiously represented by others, that between them both the general Faith of the thing is indanger'd, and a ready way prepared to Scepticism and Infidelity. 3. Not that I think it ought to be any just matter of Scandal to any confidering Chriftians, or Prejudice to their Holy Religion to fee fo many Corruptions of it, and Apoftacies and Revoltings from it, fince this is no more B 2 than than what the Holy Spirit of God has often forewarn'd us fhall come to pafs in the latter days; wherein we are exprefly told, that perillous times fhall come, and that Men fhall refift the Truth, be proud and high-minded, of corrupt minds, and reprobate concerning the Faith, 2 Tim. 3. And moreover, that they fhall privily bring in damnable Herefies, even denying the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2. This therefore I say ought in reason to be no matter of fcandal to any Chriftians. And fo neither ought the poor, humble, fuffering condition of Jefus Chrift to have been any to the Jews, fince this alfo was plainly foretold of the Meffias, and made a notable part of his Character. And yet we find that the Cross of Chrift was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and fo no doubt are the prefent fufferings, I may fay Crucifixion, of his Religion to many Chriftians; the generality of which measure the certainty of their Faith by the firmness and conftancy of its Profeffors, and are apt more to ftagger and take offence at the untoward appearance of any Event, than to be confirm'd in their belief from its agreement with Antient Prophecies. 4. In the mean time what do those without think of us! Particularly the Heathens, among whom no doubt there are fome that neither want Intelligence nor Curiofity to acquaint themselves with the prefent ftate of Chriftendom. What a confirmation must it be to these Men in their Infidelity, to see Christians grow weary weary of their own Religion, and willing to part with those great and weighty Articles of it for which the holy Martyrs shed their Blood, and which could not be extorted from them by all the might and power of their cruel Emperors. Can it be expected that these Men fhould embrace a Religion which they fee thus continually deferted by its own Disciples ! Or rather inftead of converting themselves to Christianity will they not look every day when the Chriftians fhall come over to them! For truly this feems to be the state of the Christian World at this time. We are posting as fast as we can into Heathenifm, and ftand even upon the brink of Infidelity. The great Articles of our Religion are giving up every day, and when Men have paited with thefe, we are very much beholden to them if they retain any of the reft, there being nothing in Chriftianity confiderable enough, when the great Myfteries of the Trinity, Incarnation, &c. are taken away, to make it appear an Inftitution worthy of God, or to challenge the Affent of any thinking and confidering Man. But why do I talk of running into Heathenifm? I am afraid we are tending further. For as from a Socinian 'tis eafie to commence a Deift; so he that is once a Deift is in a hopeful way to be an Atheist whenever he please. 5. I do not speak thefe things out of a Spirit of Peevifhness and Diffatisfaction, as fome who being full of a Querulous Splenetick Humour, and knowing not how better to difpofe B. 3 of |