Jews.ObjeElions againfl ChrOian Religion, ellnfrvered. 249 at allTimes,, in all Ages. abfolutely fulfilled in and towards the EleQ, that feedof Abraham, unto whom all the Promifes do in an efpecial manner belong. The Ele&i- on obtaineth thepiomife,alihough the reft are hardened. Now if the Jews,or any other Nation under Heaven, :!hall at any time, or for a long feafon continue to reject the terms ofReconciliationwith God, and of inheriting thepromifes whichare propofed unto them, !hall their unbelief make the faith ofGod of none effCl ? God forbid. The Truth of God failed not, when he brought only Galeb and Jofhua into Canaan, the wholebody of the people being confutriedin the Wildernefs, by reafon of their unbe- lief. God bath done, doth, and alwayes will effectually fulfill all his promifes in his Eleff ; and for the refidue of men, they comenot fhort of the enjoyment ofthem, but upon their own fin, blindnefs and unbelief. . Moreover, it is granted; that there fhal! be a time andfain, during the continuance §. so. of the Kingdom of theMeßah in the world, wherein the generality of the Nation Of the Jews all the world over, /ball be called and effeCluallly brought unto the knowledge. of the MefCah, our Lord Jeruf Chrifl, with whichmercy they(hall alle receive deliverance from their captivity,'reflauration into their own land, with a blefd, fiourifhing and happy condition therein. I (hall not here engage intoa confirmation of this conceflion, or álfertion. The work would be long and great, becaufe of the difference about the time, fea- fon, and manner of their Call, their followingElate andcondition, and Co is unmeet for us to undertake, in the winding upof theft difcourfes. It is only the thing its felf that I affert, not have any caufeas to theend aimed at ; to enquire into the time and manner of its accompli(hment. Betides, the Event will be the only fure and in- fallible Expoftor of there things, nor in matters of fuck importance.as thofe be- fore us, (hall I trouble the Reader with conjectures. The thing it felt äs acknow- ]edged, as far as I canuriderffand by all the world, that have any acquaintance with there things. Chriftians generally do affert it , look for it, pray for it , and have done fo in all Ages from the dayes of the Apoflles. Mahometans are not without fome thoughts of what (hall befall the Sews before the end of the world. As to the Jews themfelves in theirfalfe notion of it, it is the life of their hopes andReli- gion. What is it then that the Jews plead, what do theyeàpeét > What promifes aregiven unto them ? they fay; that they fhàll be delivered out of their Captivity, reftored to their own Lind, enjoy peace and quietnefs, glory and honour therein. We fay the fame concerning them alfo ; but by whom (hall theft thingsbe wrought for them , by their Mefliah they fay at hiscoming : ButMall he do all thefe things for them, whether theybelieve inhim or no ; whether they obey him or rejeE him, love himor curie him? Is there no more required unto this delivery, but that he fhould come to them? Is it not alfo, that they Jhould come to him ? Here then lyes the only differencebetween us ; we acknowledge that the Promifes mentioned, are not yet allof them a&ually fulfilled towards them; this they alfo plead: theReafon hereof they fay, is becaufe the Meftiab is not yet come, fo cafting the blame on God, who hath not made good his'word according to thetime limited exprefly by himfelf. We fay thereafon of it is, becáufe they come not byfaith and obedience unto the Mefiab, which long face came unto them, and fo call the blame, where fure it is more likely to lye, even on them and their unbelief. They are in expe&ation that the Mefliah' will come to them ; we, that they will come unto the Meßiah ; and it may be this. difference may ere longbe reconciled, by his Appearance unto them, fo calling them untofaith and obedience. Laftly,Suppofe there fhould be any particular Promifi or.Promifs, relating unto the Times 4 I t. andKingdom ofthe Meßiah, either accomplifhed, or not yet accomplifhed, the full, clear, and perfe&feof and intendment whereof, weare not able to arrive unto;(hallwe therefore re)a thát faith andperfwafion, which ifbuilt on fo many clear, certain, undoubted Teffimonies ofthe Scripture its felf, and manifefi in the event, as ifitwere written with thebeam! ofthe Sun ? As fuch a proceeding could arife from nothing but a foolifh conceited pride, that we are able to findout God unto perfe&ion, and to difcover all the depths ofWif- dom that are in his Word ; fo it would, being appliedunto other things and affairs, Overthrow all affurance and certainty in the world ; eventhat which is neceffaryto a man to enable him toadwith any fatisfa&ion untohimfelfor others. What then we underhand of the mind of God, we faithfully adhere unto; and what we cannot comprehend, we humbly leave theknowledge and. Revelation of, unto his Divine Majefty. Onahefeand the likePrinciples, which mull of them are clear in the Scripture its 4. re. fèlf,
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