feem, in fome manner, to have fail'd by a General Defection. But, if they intend to Answer me, let them never produce fuch Paffages any more. So faid the Saint, and fo fay I.

§. VII.

His Objection from St. Matt. 21. ver. 41. Fifth Objection. pag. 28. In the Pro

"F

mifes made to the Church, there is ftill a Condition implyed; that is, of our Obedience. Which our Saviour has fully Exemplified, in the Parable of the Husband-men, who did not render the Fruits of the Vineyard, St. Matt. 21. ver. 41.

Ant. First, Is not this a Notable Instance, of the Behaviour St. Augustin complains of? For, how did our Saviour, in this Parable, fully Exemplify, that all his Promises to his Church are only Conditonal? Does this Parable reprefent the Church of Chrift? We must be Blinder than the Jewish Priests, and the Scribes, to imagine it. For (1) They perceiv'd, that he had spoke this Parable against them. In Effect, were the Husband-men, Christians, or only Jems, who, when they saw the Son, faid among themselves, This is the Heir: Come, let us kill him, and let us feize on bis Inheritance And they caught him, and cast him out of the Vineyard, and Slew him, St. Matt. 21. ver. 38, 39? Was it with Jews, or with Christians, that Chrift was difcourfing when he faid, ver. 43. Therefore fay I unto you; the Kingdom of God fhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruit thereof? From

(*) St, Luke 20. ver 19. St. Matt. 21. ver. 45.

whence

whence Mr. L. might well have Inferr'd, Therefore the Church of Christ, hall bring forth the Fruits of the Kingdom of God. But to conclude, that the Church (with which he has promis'd to Remain at all Times, even to the End of the World) may fail; because the Synagogue did, as both Chrift and the Prophets had foretold is fuch an Argument, as would have come with a better Grace from the Pen of a Jew, than of a ChriStian.

2. But all the Promifes, fays Mr. L. p. 30, made either to the Jewish or the Gentile Church, are Conditional; viz. If they continue in the Goodness of God.

miles

to the

Ant. First, THE Coming of the Meffiah in a all Pro certain Time, Place, Manner and Lineage, was an Abfolute Promife, as Mr. L. has proved, in Church Chriftianity Demonftrated, p. 128. Was not he are not Promis'd both to the Church, and the Syna- Conditio gogue? Or, cannot an Un-conditional Promife nal. be made, as well to a whole Society, as to a fingle Perfon.

Secondly, ACCORDING to Mr. L. ibid. p. 92. There is another Remarkable Prophesy of our Bleffed Lord, of which, (fays he to the Deift) you See the Fulfilling, in a great measure; viz. That his Gofpel fhould prevail over all the World, and that the Gates of Hell fhould not prevail against it, Pag. 93, No Religion, that ever was in the World, was fo begun, fo propagated, and did fo prevail. And hence we Affuredly Truft, that what Remains will be Fulfilled of the Promife of Chrift to his Church, in the Latter Days Thus Mr. L. It feems then, that this Promise was Abfolute: Tho' they were all gone out of the way, they were together become Abominable, there was none that did good, no not

one

one that all the World might become Guilty be fore God, Rom. 3. ver. 12, 19. as well the Church, as the reft of the World.

Thirdly, As Mr. L. argues, ibid. p. 122, of Jeremy's Prophefy concerning the Meffiah: Thus God fpeaks, Fer. 33. ver. 20, 21. "Thus faith "the Lord, if you can break my Covenant "of the Day, and my Covenant of the Night,

and there fhould not be Day and Night in "their Seafon; then may also my Covenant be "broken with David my Servant, that he "fhould not have a Son to Reign upon his "Throne; and with the Levites the Priests my "Minifters. As the Hoft of Heaven cannot "be numbred, neither the Sands of the Sea

meafur'd: So will I multiply the Seed of "David my Servant, and the Levites that mi"nifter unto me. Now let the Jews tell, fays Mr. L. in which Son of David this is Fulfiled, exsept only in our Chrift? And how this is made good to the Priefts and Levites, otherwife than as Ifaiah Prophefied, chap. 66. ver. 21. And I will alfo take of them (the Gentiles) for Priefts and for Levites, fays the Lord. And as it is thus applied, 1 Pet. 2. ver. 5, 9. and Rev. 1. ver. 6. And this Evangelical Prieft-hood is multiplied, as the Stars of Heaven: not like the Tribe of Levi, which could not afford Priests to all the Earth. Thus Mr. L. And feeing this Argument againft the Jews is of no Force, unless the Prophefy be Abfolute; he muft neceffarily Grant, that all Promises made to the Church, are not Conditional.

Fourthly, OUR Saviour's Promife of remaining with his Apostles (teaching all Nations) to the End of the World, St. Matt. 28. ver. 20. is as Abfolute, as of remaining with the Apostles to

the

the End of their Lives. 'Tis then as fure, that the Catholick Church upon Earth fhall never Ceafe; as it is, that the Writings of the Apoftles are the Word of God: And he much more Evidently Promis'd (I need not fear to fay it, for Truth cannot hurt Religion) to be always with his Church, than to Aflift his Apoft les in Writing Canonical Books.

Fifthly, No Condition is imply'd, when Obedience () is Part of the Promife. As it is Pfal. 72. v. 5, They shall fear thee, as long as the Sun and Moon endure, thro'-out all Generations. This Pfalm, under the Emblem of Solomon and his People, reprefenting Chrift and his Church of whom it is faid, ver. 11. All King's shall fall down before him; all Nations shall serve him : ver. 17, His Name fhall endure for Ever, All Nations Shall call him Bleffed.

Sixthly, THIS Promife of Obedience, the Prophet Jeremiah calls the New-Covenant; not like the Covenant made formerly with the Jews, which they broke; but a more effectual one with Chriftians, the new Ifraelites; Of which he says, chap. 31. ver. 33, 37, I will put my Law in their inward Parts, and write it in their Hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my People.

"

If Heaven above can be measured, and the Foundations of the Earth fearched out beneath, I will also caft off all the Seed of Ifrael, for all that they have done, faith the Lord..

THE like Promife of Obedience, is made to the Converted Jews: when, after their Present Difperfion (as Mr. L. Obferves in Chriftianity Demonftrated, p. 121, 124.) having acknowledg'd

(') of this fee St. Auguftin, lib. de Prædeftin. SS. cap.10.

the

the true Meffiah, they fhall be gathered out of all Nations, and restored to Jerufalem, Hofeah, 3. v. 4,5: The Children of Ifrael fhall abide many days without a King, and without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice. Afterward fhall the Children of Ifrael return, and feek the Lord their God, and David their King, and fhall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the Latter days. And Jer. 32. ver. 37, &c. Behold I will gather them out of all Countries, And I will give them one Heart, and one Way, that they may fear me for ever. And I will make an Evertafting Covenant with them, and I will put my Fear in their Hearts, and they shall not depart from me.

WHICH is more fully defcrib'd by Ezekiel, ch. 37. ver. 21, &c. Behold, I will take the Children of Ifrael from among the Heathens, whither they be gone, and will bring them into their own Land, Neither fhall they defile themfelves any more with their Idals, nor with any of their Tranfgrefions,fo fall they be my People, and I their God. And David my Servant fhall be King over them, and they shall have One Shepherd they shall alfo walk in my Judgments, and obferve my Statutes, and do them.. And my Servant David, fhall be their Prince for ever. Moreover, I will make a Covenant of Peace with them: it shall be an Everlasting Covenant with them, And I will Place them and Multiply them, and will fet my Sanctuary in the midst of them, for evermore. And the Heathens fball know, that I, the Lord, do Sanctifie Ifrael, when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them, for ever

more.

Seventhly, As it is a great Mistake to think,all Promifes to the Church Conditional: So it would be no lefs Extravagant to Suppofe, that all God's Promifes are Abfolate. How then must they be Distinguish'd