Part I. Chap. 7. XV. To Haggai and Zechariah. XVI. this Chapter. Haggai and Zechariah were Cotemporaries after the Return of the Jews from the Babylonifh Captivity. The Abolishing of the Mofaick Covenant, and the Succeeding of the Gofpel Covenant were foretold by Haggai, as we learn Hebr. 12. 26, 27. compar'd with Hag. 2.6,7. The Prophecies of Zechariah are well known, concerning Chrift's Riding on an Afs into Jerufalem, Chap. 9. 9. compar'd with Matt. 21. 5. as alfo concerning Christ's Side being pierced with a Sword, as Chap. 12.10. compar'd with Joh. 19. 37. and lastly concerning the thirty pieces of Silver which were given Judas for to betray Jefus, as Chap. 11.12. compar'd with Matt. 26. 15. "Tis alfo plain that this Prophet preach'd the Righteoufness of the Gofpel, as Chap. 7. 9, 10. and Chap. 8. 16,17,&c. as also that he forefaw the Calling of the Gentiles, Chap. 14. 9. and the Effufion of the Holy Spirit, Chap. 12. 10. Which Malachi, as he was the Laft of the Prophets under the Mofaick Difpenfation, fo he forewarn'd the Jews, that the Angel of the Covenant, viz. Gospel Covenant was about to come into the World, who would purify the Sons of Levi, &c. Chap. 3. 1. and fo on. Words as they are to be understood of the Coming of Chrift, fo alfo is that other Prophecy Chap. 4. 2. viz. that the Sun of Righteousness fhould arife with Healing in bis Wings. This Prophet alfo foretold the Coming of John Baptist before Chrift, Behold, I will fend you Elijah the Prophet afore the Coming &c. Chap. 4. s. Laftly, he plainly foretold the Calling and Converfion of the Gentiles, Chap. 1. 11. From the rifing of the Sun even to the going down of the Same, my Name fhall be great among the Gentiles, c. XVII. Thus I have gone thro' the Writings of the ProA Recapitulation or Summary of phets, with as much Brevity as was fuitable, having taken notice of the Chief, or at least Most of the Chief Places cited in the New Teftament out of the Prophets; by Confidering or Viewing of which thus laid together, may best be discern'd the State of the Gospel, from the Giving of the Law to the Full Promulgation of the Gofpel. Hence appears alfo the Truth of thofe Words of of St Peter, Acts 3. 24. All the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as bave spoken, bave likewife foretold of thefe Days. To fum up in short this Matter. What belongs to the Gofpel-State, may be diftinguish'd under two general Heads, viz. Such things as belong to the Perfon of Chrift, and Such things as belong to his Doctrin. As to the former, it appears from the forecited Places, that the Divinity, Miraculous Incarnation, and the more Remarkable Circumstances both of the Life and Death of Chrift, as alfo of his Refurrection, Afcenfion, &c. were plainly enough foretold by the Prophets. As to the Christian Doctrin, it appears likewife from Places aforecited, that the Jews were plainly enough taught by their Prophets, 14, that No one could be justify'd before God by Works, i. e. the bare Outward Righteousness or Obfervance of the Law, but by Faith, i. e. Inward and Spiritual as well as Outward Righteoufnefs, or by Good Works proceeding from Faith in Chrift, that is, in fhort, by the Gofpel. 12ly, that in order to perform fuch Inward and true Righteousness there was need of the Divine Grace, and that meer Natural Strength was by no means fufficient to the faid End. 3ly and laftly, that there would be a Refurrection of the Body, and a two-fold State or Condition in the World or Life to come, viz. Happy or Unhappy, according as Men's Lives had been here Good or Bad, Godly or Ungodly. Part I. Chap. 7. Having now brought the Series of the Gospel-ftate The Conclufion of down to the End of the Mofaick Difpenfation, I fhall this First Part. therewith end likewife the First Part of this Treatife. 83 AN HELP For the Right Understanding of the Laws & Covenants &c. PART II. CHAP. I. of the Gofpel-Covenant in general. I. The firft Covenant of Grace den Fruit. T has been obferv'd in the firft Part Chap. 2. §. 11. that the First Covenant of Grace or of Eternal Life, made with Adam in his State of Integrity, was made null by was made null and void by Eating of the forbid eating theforbid den Fruit, not only in refpect to Adam himfelf, but also in refpect to his whole Pofterity; fo that all the Children of Adam, confider'd only as fuch, are Children of Death, i. e, altogether excluded from all Promife of Immortality, and fubjected to the Neceffity of Dying without hope of ever Rifing again. It has alfo been obferv'd in the firft Part Chap. 3.9.3. A new Covenant that God, who of his meer and infinite Goodnefs at first of Grace made with faln Man in made Man out of Nothing, did of his meer and infinite chrift. Mercy anew Create faln Man unto good Works in Chrift Jefus, (as Ephef. 2. 10.) that is, did anew make Man L 2 capable Part II. III. The Gospel-Co Fall. capable of attaining Eternal Life, as a gracious Reward of his good Works or holy Life here on Earth, namelý by Virtue of a New and Second Covenant of Eternal Life, which God made with Adam after his Fall, thro' the Mediation and Redemption of Christ. This Second Covenant of Eternal Life, commonly venant belongs to call'd by the peculiar name of the Gospel, as it was at all Mankind, and first made with Adam the common Father of all Man4s of Force prefently from the kind, fo belongs to all Mankind; and has been of Force prefently from the Fall, thro' all fucceeding Ages, and fhall continue of Force to the World's End. Hence all truly pious Perfons, whenfoever or wherefoever they have liv'd or fhall live, tho' agreeable to their different Ages or Countries, they fhall be judg'd by a different Law, (viz. either the Law of Nature, or of Mofes, or of the Gospel) yet they fhall be juftify'd, or accepted by God unto Eternal Salvation, only by the Grace of the Gospel-Covenant. IV. TheGospel-Cove But altho' the Grace of the Gofpel was of Force prenant made known fently from the Fall, and did avail to the perfect or by Degrees. eternal Salvation of all Such, as any where or at any time did Sincerely and with their whole Strength follow after Piety; yet the Light of the Gofpel appear'd more and more only by Degrees; nor did the Sun of Righteoufnefs (as our Saviour is call'd Mal. 4. 2.) arife in the World, before the Time appointed by the Divine Wisdom was come. › V. How Chrift ful When that Fulness of Time was come (as Gal. 4. 4.) f'd the Law and then came alfo God the Son in our Flefh or Nature to the Prophets. fulfil the Law and the Prophets, as Matt. 5. 17. And this he did in a twofold Refpect, viz. 14, Inafmuch as the Righteoufnefs of God, which afore was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, was manifefted (Rom. 3.21.) by him and his Apoftles, i. e. inafmuch as the GofpelCovenant, which afore was only Obfcurely made known, was Fully and Plainly made known by him and his Apostles. 2ly, Inafmuch as by him were fulfill'd all Things that were written in the Law of Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms concerning him, as Luk. 24. 44. T The |