in appearance only; that this very Lett, where it is real, makes way for a more rapid progrefs afterwards; which feems to bring matters into the fame State, upon the whole, as if they had been all the while progreffive. Farther, every one that looks into the Hiftory of the World muft obferve, that the Minds of Men have all along been gradually opened by a Train of Events, ftill improving upon, and adding light to each other; as that of each individual is, by proceeding from the first Elements and Seeds of Science, to more enlarged views; and a ftill higher growth. Mankind are not, nor ever have been, capable of entering into the Depths of Knowledge at once; of receiving a whole Syftem of Natural or Moral Truths together; but must be let into them by degrees; and have them communicated by littlet and little, as they are able to bear it. In this manner does every Art and Science make its way into the world: And though now and then an extraordinary Genius may arife, and reach as it were fome Ages beyond that in which he lives; yet how very few of his Contemporaries are able to follow him, or even understand what he delivers! The generality still go on step by step in gather b Nor will this on examination be found inconfiftent with what a late judicious Writer has obferv'd in his Difcourfes on 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. [Dr. Jeffery's Tracts, V. 2. p. 179. &c.] concerning the Sacred Hiftory of the Inftitution, Corruption and Reformation of Religion under the Patriarchs, Jews and Chriftians; fince we have reafon to believe that in each thorough Reformation of Religion, the minds of Men are generally prepared to enter more fully into the Plan, and arrive at a more clear and complete difcovery of its feveral ends and uses, than at its original Inftitution, v. infra p.. ing up, and digesting, fome small portions of that vast stock of Knowledge, which he pour'd out at once; and are for a long time, in respect to him, but mere Children. So that notwithstanding a few fuch extraordinary inftances, I think, we may affirm in general, that from the beginning of the world, Science, or all kinds of intellectual Accomplishments, have been found to make very flow, and pretty regular, advances among the bulk of Mankind; but that upon the whole, advancing they have been, and are. This, I fay, is generally fo in fact; and therefore will have place in religious, as well as all other Truths, among men either taken collectively, or in each individual. Why the cafe is thus in both; why all are not adult at once, in Body and Mind, concerns not Revelation to account for, fo much as the Religion of Nature; at least they are here, as in the former cafe, both on the fame foot; and the fame Principles may be applied to each of them. And though in this refpect, the Divine Difpenfations feem to differ from Human Arts and Sciences, that thefe are commonly the most rude and imperfect at first, and every part of them improving by repeated Tryal; whereas the others have all that purity and perfection at their Delivery, which they are defigned to have; and rather lofe, in fome refpects, than get by length of time; yet will not this make any material difference on the whole. To ftate this matter right; we ought to distinguish as well between the Delivery of a Doctrine, A more particular Proof of this will be given in the 3d Part. and and its general Reception in the world; which we know is always according to the Measure of the Recipients only; and which must chiefly depend upon the State, and Qualifications of the Age they live in as alfo, between the fupernatural Affiftance, and extraordinary Impreffions, at its firft publication; and the ordinary State in which it appears, and the ufual progrefs it makes, fo foon as ever thefe fhall come to ceafe; and it is left to be continued by mere human means; (as we have fhewn before that it muft fometime be) when we shall find it partaking of the taste, and temper of the Times through which it paffes; and propagated in the fame gradual, partial manner, as all other parts of Science, all Human Acquifitions and Improvements are. Let us proceed then to confider the feveral Difpenfations of Religion in this light, and fee whether each will not appear to have been delivered in its proper Seafon, and as foon as it became fully neceffary; and likewife whether each was not as perfect as it could be fuppofed to have been, confidering the season in which it was delivered; and every fubfequent one, an improvement on all those that went before. We will enquire Firft, what provifion God made for the Inftruction of Mankind in the Infancy of the World; and whether it was expedient to fend his Son upon their firft Tranfgreffion. * Now we have reafon to fuppofe that Adam, during his state of Innocence, held conftant communication with the Deity; a from whence he a Gen. 2. 23, 24, compared with Matth. 19.5. Mark 10.7. and 1 Cor.6.16. See Bp. Bull on the Subject. Difc. p. 182, &c. Only b receiv'd his information of things, and was directed in the use of them. And if he had been content to follow that Direction, he would undoubtedly have been secured from any pernicious Errors; and fupplied with all the Inftruction, and Affiftance, which was neceffary for him; and trained up by degrees to as thorough an acquaintance with the Nature of God, and the things around him, as was agreeable to his own Nature; and confiftent with his State and Circumftances in the World. But upon his rejecting this Guide, and applying elsewhere for Knowledge, and fetting up to be his own Director; that Communication might, both with juftice and wisdom, be in a great measure withdrawn from him, and he left to the imperfect notice of his Senses; to learn the Nature of Good and Evil, and the way to obtain the one, and avoid the other, by a painful experience. bb Yet was he not left wholly to himself in the affair of Religion; but directed to fuch a form of Worship, as ferv'd to point out, and perpetually remind him, both of the demerit of his Crime, and the dreadfulness of that Penalty which he had incurred; and also gave him Only let it be obferv'd, that what this learned Author, with fome others, attributes to Divine Inspiration, in this cafe, feems to be more naturally accounted for from an express, Oral Revelation made to Adam. b Gen. 1.28.-30.2.29. See the Authors referred to by Patrick on Gen.2.27. bb See ABp King's Sermon on the Fall. And Mr. Bate on the fame Subject. What that was may be feen in Hallet's Difcourfes, V. 2. p. 276, &c. Bp. Sherlock Ufe and Intent of Proph. p. 142,143. 2d Ed. Mr. Taylor on Or. Sin. paffim. or at the beginning of Locke's Reasonablenefs of Chriftianity; or in the fecond Difcourfe hereunto annex'd. fome fome hopes of a future Pardon, and a final Acceptance with his Creator. All this feems to have been fignified by the Inftitution of Animal Sacrifices, fetting before him all the Horrors of that Death, which he had been sentenced to undergo; but which was hitherto fufpended; and that of fome other Creatures demanded in its room, by way of ransom and expiation made to the Lord of Life. This, together with the Promife of a future Deliverance, in the Seed of the Woman, ferv'd for the present to afford fome comfort to our firft Parents under their heavy fentence; and to convince them, that their offended Maker was not wholly implacable; as well as to lead their Pofterity to fuch Notions of Religion, and kind of Worship, as should conftantly reconcile them to the Deity, and remove the Guilt of their particular Offences; and alfo prepare them for the great Attonement, to be of fer'd in due time; which was to take off the whole of Adam's Curfe, and reftore both him and his Pofterity to that immortal Life which he had forfeited: Nay, raise them to a much higher degree of Happiness, than he could have conceiv'd to d • After all that has been wrote upon the fubject of Sacrifices, I am ftill forced to afcribe their Origin to Divine Appointment: and as to the Intention of them, though we may conceive fome to have been at firft enjoin'd as proper acknowledgements of God's Dominion over the Creatures, and of Man's holding that share of it which was delegated to him from his hand, and enjoying all earthly Bleffings through his Bounty; fome by way of pofitive Mulet, Fine, or Forfeiture. [Abarb. ex. com. in Lev. p. 313. Cleric. in Lev. 1. 2. Morality of Rel. p. 35.] to render every breach of Duty burdenfome, and in fome measure expenfive to the Sinner ;fome for a Teftimony or Symbolical Reprefentation of his Repentance, his Confeffion of fuch breach and Deprecation of its Pu |
