Sermons upon the following subjects, viz. The divinity of Jesus Christ. The millenium [sic]. The wisdom of God, in the permission of sin. By Joseph Bellamy, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Bethlem. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]

REMARKS and INFERENCES.

I. WHEN, therefore, our Saviour in the Days of his Flesh, denominated his Followers a little Flock, front the Smallness of their Number, he had no De|sign to teach us, that this would always be the Case. For altho' it was very true, that his 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 at that

Time a little Flock; yet the Day was coming, when that little Leaven should leaven the whole Lump (Mat. XIII. 33.) and the Stone cut out without Hands should become a great Mountain, and fill the whole Earth. (Dan. II. 25.) So, altho' it was a Saying very ap|plicable not only to our Saviour's Day, but to most other Periods of the Church, that many are called and few are chosen; yet it does not hence follow, that this will be the Case when a Nation shall be born in a Day, and all the People shall be righteous. And altho' it has commonly been so, that of the Many who have sought to enter in at the strait Gate, but Few have been able, and the Generality have from Age to Age gone in the broad Way, which leads down to Destruction: yet it shall be quite otherwise, when Satan is bound, that he may deceive the Nations no more; and when all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest, when the Kingdom and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens, shall be given to the People of the Saints of the Most High.—For it is very plain, that these and such like Expressions used by our Saviour, which were applicable to the then-times, and to most other Periods, when the Number of true Conver's hath been comparatively very small, were never designed to be applicable to that glorious Period yet to come, which is to be the grand Harvest-Time, when the Jews (who are to this Day for that very Purpose, no doubt, by divine Providence preserved a distinct People) and the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in. Nor can it be right to interpret such Expressions in such a Sense, as to render them inconsistent with what the Scriptures so plainly teach shall be the Case in the latter Days.—Therefore,

2. NOTWITHSTANDING hitherto but few have been saved, there is no Evidence but that yet the greater Part of Mankind may be saved. Nothing can be argued against this from such Expressions as

have been just mentioned, for the Reason already suggested. Nor can any Thing be argued from any other Passages of Scripture; for the Scripture no where teaches, that the greatest Part of the whole had an Race will finally perish. I am sensible, many seem to take this for granted, and they are greatly strengthened in this Belief, from a View of the awful State Mankind have been in from the Beginning of the World to this Day. But if we should even grant, that hitherto not One in ten. Thousand have been saved, yet it may come to pass (there may be Time enough for it, and Men enough yet born) I say, it may yet come to pass, that by far the grea|test Part of Mankind may be saved.

FOR, as the Scriptures constantly teach, that in these glorious Days, universal Peace shall prevail; and instead of War, the Nations shall employ their Time in useful, Labour, shall beat their Swords into pl••••|shares, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks; so it will na|turally come to pass, that Mankind, who are now in vast Multitudes destroyed in the Wars from one Generation to another, will be greatly increased in Numbers, and plentifully provided for. Only re|move Wars, Famines, and all those desolating Judg|ments, which the Sins of Mankind have from Age to Age brought down on a guilty World, and let that universal Peace and Prosperity take Place, which indeed will naturally result from the sincere Practice of pure Christianity, and Mankind will naturally increase, and spread, and fill all the Earth. And while every one improves his Time well, and is di|ligent in his Calling, according to the Rules of our holy Religion, and all Luxury, Intemperance and Extravagance are banisht from the Nations of the Earth, it is certain that this Globe will be able to sustain with Food and Raiment, a Number of Inha|bitants immensely greater than ever yet dwelt on it

at a Time. And now if all these shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest, as the Scripture asserts, so that the Knowledge of the Lord shall fill the Earth as the Wa|ters cover the Sea, for a Thousand Years together, it may easily, yea, it will naturally come to pass, that there will be more saved in these Thousand Years, then ever before dwelt upon the Face of the Earth from the Foundation of the World.

SOME indeed understand the Thousand Years in the Revelation agreable to other prophetical Num|bers in that Book, a Day for a Year. So the Time, and Times, and half a Time, i. e. three Years and an half, and the forty two Months, and the 1260 Days, are no doubt to be reckoned. And if the dark Period is to be reckoned by this Rule, it should seem that the light Period should likewise. For other|wise the dark Period, which in that Book is repre|sented to be the shortest, will indeed be the longest. The 1260 Days longer then the 1000 Years,—and if the 1000 Years is reckoned a Day a Year, as the Scripture-Year contains 360 Days, so the 1000 Years will amount to 360, 000 Years. In which, there might be Millions saved, to One that has been lost.—But not to insist upon this, If this glorious Period is to last only a Thousand Years literally, there may be many more saved than lost.

IF it be granted, that it is difficult to compute with any Exactness in such a Case as this, yet it is easy to make such a Computation as may satisfy us in the Point before us. For in Egypt the Hebrews doubled at the Rate of about once in 14 Years; in New-England the Inhabitants double in less than 25 Years; it will be moderate therefore to suppose, Mankind in the Millennium, when all the Earth is full of Peace and Prosperity, will double every 50 Years. But at this Rate, there will be Time e|nough in a Thousand Years to double twenty Times.

Which would produce such a Multitude of People, as that altho' we should suppose all who live before the Millennium begins, to be lost; yet if all those should be saved, there would be above seventeen Thousand saved, to One that would be lost. As may appear from the Table below. * 1.1

3. THE Periods past, that have been so dark, ought to be considered as introductory to this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and glorious Scene, and in various Respects as preparatory thereto.

AN apostate Race, who had joined with the fallen Angels in a Course of Rebellion against the Gover|nor of the Universe, might justly have been for|saken of God, and given up to a State of perfect Darkness and Woe, from Generation to Generation, entirely under the Power of the Prince of Darkness. What has happened, in dark Ages past, may help us a-little to realize what might justly always have been the woful State of a fallen World. We have had a Specimen of the dreadful Nature and Tendency of Satan's Government, in all the Idolatry, Wickedness and Woe, which have filled the World. And we have seen a-little what is in the Heart of fallen Man, who have slain the Lord's Prophets, crucified his Son, and shed the Blood of Thousands, yea of Millions of his Servants. And what has happened may help us to realize a-little what must have been the State

of a fallen World, if Grace had never interposed. At the same Time it hath appeared, after the best contrived Experiments have been sufficiently tried, that it is not in the Heart of fallen Man to repent, nor can he be brought to it by any external Means whatsoever; whereby the absolute Necessity of the interposition of supernatural Grace hath been set in the most glaring Light.—And now, if after all God should effectually interpose, destroy the Influence of Satan, scatter the Darkness which fills the World, recover Mankind to God, and cause Truth and Righteousness at last to prevail; it would appear to be altogether of God, of his own mere self-moving Goodness and sovereign Grace. And after so long and fore a Bondage, Mankind will be the more sen|sible of the Greatness of the Deliverance.—Nor can it ever be said by a proud and haughty World,

We did not Need the Influences of divine Grace to bring us right;

When as all other Methods had been sufficiently tried, and tried in vain. But God may justly say,

What could have been done more to reclaim Mankind, that I have not done? And to what Purpose would it have been, to have taken one Step further? I tried them enough. There was no Hope. Their Heart was a Heart of Stone.—Therefore, behold, I, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I will take away the Heart of Stone, and give an Heart of Flesh; and an apostate World shall be asham|ed and confounded, and shall never open their Mouth, when I shall do all these Things for them.

WE are apt to wonder why these glorious Days should be so long delayed, if God indeed intends such Mercy to Men.—But God infinitely wise, knows what is best;—knows how to conduct the Affairs of the Universe; knows when is the fittest Time to introduce this glorious State of Things; knows when Matters will be all ripened, and every Thing

in the moral World prepared; so that this glorious Day may be ushered in to the best Advantage, in a Manner most suited to honour God and his Son, to humble a haughty World, and to disappoint Sa|tan most grievously, after all his wily Schemes, great Success, and high Expectations:—I say, God knows when this will be: And this is the very Time he has fixed upon for this glorious Work.

4. IT therefore becomes all the Followers of Christ, in their several Spheres, in under firm Belief of these Things, to be of good Courage, and exert themselves to the utmost, in the Use of all proper Means, to suppress Error and Vice of every Kind, and promote the Cause of Truth and Righteousness in the World; and so be Workers together with God.

IF one stood at the Head of this glorious Army, which has been in the Wars above these five Thou|sand Years, and has lived thro' many a dreadful Campaign, and were allowed to make a Speech to these veteran Troops upon this glorious Theme, he might lift up his Voice, and say,

Hail, noble He|roes! brave Followers of the Lamb! Your Ge|neral has sacrificed his Life in this glorious Cause, and spoiled Principalities and Powers on the Cross! and now he lives and reigns. He reigns on high, with all Power in Heaven and Earth in his Hands. Your Predecessors, the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, with undaunted Courage have marched into the Field of Battle, and con|quered dying! and now reign in Heaven! Be|hold, ye are risen up in their Room, are engaged in the same Cause, and the Time of the last ge|neral Battle draws on, when a glorious Victory is to be won. And altho' many a valiant Soldier may be slain in the Field; yet the Army shall drive all before them at last. And Satan being

conquered, and all the Powers of Darkness driven out of the Field, and confined to the bottomless Pit, ye shall reign with Christ a thousand Years, reign in Love and Peace, while Truth and Righ|teousness ride triumphant thro' the Earth.—Wherefore lay aside every Weight, and, with your Hearts wholly intent on this grand Affair, gird up your Loyns, and with all the spiritual Weapons of Faith, Prayer, Meditation, Watch|fulness, &c. with redoubled Zeal and Courage fall on your spiritual Enemies. Slay every Lust that yet lurks within, as knowing your domestic Foes are the most dangerous. And with Gentle|ness, Meekness and Wisdom, by your holy Con|duct, your pious Examples, your kind Instructi|ons, your friendly Admonitions, spread the Savour of divine Knowledge all around you, as ye are scattered here and there thro' a benighted World; labouring to win Souls to Christ, to induce the deluded Followers of Satan to desert his Comp, and insist as Volunteers under your Prince MES|SIAH.—And if the Powers of Darkness should rally all their Forces, and a general Battle thro' all the Crhistian World come on; O, love not your Lives to the Death! Sacrifice every earthly Comfort in the glorious Cause! Sing the Tri|umphs of your victorious General, in Prisons and at the Stake! And die couragiously, firmly be|lieving the Cause of Truth and Righteousness will finally prevail.

SURELY it is infinitely unbecoming the Followers of him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to turn aside to earthly Pursuits, or to sink down in un|manly Discouragements, or to give Way to Sloth and Effeminacy, when there is so much to be done, and the glorious Day is coming on. How should those who handle the Pen of the Writer, exert

themselves to explain and vindicate divine Truths, and paint the Christian Religion in all its native Glories? How should the Pulpit be animated, from Sabbath to Sabbath, with Sermons full of Know|ledge and Light, full of Spirit and Life, full of Zeal for God, and Love to Men, and tender Pity to infa|tuated Sinners? Christ loves to have his Ministers faithful, whether the Wicked will hear or not.—And let pious Parents be unwearied in their Prayers for, and Instructions of their Children, and never saint under any Discouragements; as knowing, that Christ is exalted to give Repentance and Remission of Sins, and can do it for whom he will. Bring your Children and Friends, with all their spiritual Dis|eases, and lay them at his Feet; as once they did their Sick, when this kind Saviour dwelt on Earth.—Let pious Persons of every Age, and in every Capa|city, awake from Sleep, and arise from the Dead, and live and act worthy their glorious Character and high Expectations; and in their several Stations exert themselves to the utmost to promote the Redeemer's glorious Cause.—Let this Age do their Share, at David, altho' the Temple was not to be built in his Day, yet exerted himself to lay up Materials for that magnificent Edifice, on which his Heart was intently set; as knowing, that in his Son's Day it would be set up in all its Glory. So let us rise up, and with the greatest Alacrity contribute our utmost towards this Building, this living Temple, this Tem|ple all made of lively Stones, of Stones alive, in which God is to dwell, and which will infinitely exceed in Glory the Temple of Solomon, that was built of dead Timber and lifeless Stones.—And let this be our daily Prayer, an Answer to which we may be assured of, whatever other Requests are denied us, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.—for thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for ever. AMEN.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1				2
  2				4
  3				8
  4				16
  5				32
  6				64
  7				128
  8				256
  9				512
  10				1024
  11				2048
  12				4096
  13				8192
  14				16384
  15				32768
  16				65536
  17				131072
  18				262144
  19				524288
  20				1048576
  Sum total.	2, 097, 150

  IN the first Column, we have the 20 Periods, which 1000 years will make, at 50 years to a Period.—In the second Column, we see in what Proportion Mankind will increase, if they are supposed to double in every 50 Years.—At the End of the first Fifty Years, there will be two for one.—And so on—At the End of the 20th period, there will be above a Million for one.—Now suppose the World to stand 6000 Years before the Millennium—and suppose it in every Age to be as full of Inhabitants as it will be when the Millennium begins—And suppose, through all the 6000 Years, all the Inhabi|tants of the Earth to have died off and new ones come in their Room, at the R••••e of once in 50 Years—6000 Years, at 50 Years to a period, will be 120 Periods—120 Worlds full—all lost, suppose—yet by the Table we see, that the 7th Period alone (which is 128) would more than counter ballance the Whole—

  Suppose all before the Millennium lost = 120

  Suppose all in the Millennium saved = 2097150

  Then 120: 2097150 •••••••• 17456 Q. E. D.

  That is, above 17000 would be saved, to One lost, which was the point to be proved.—Therefore nothing hinders, but that the greatest Part of Mankind may yet be saved, if God so pleases. There is Time enough for it, and may be Men enough yet born. And if these Calculations may serve to clear up this, they answer the End proposed. What Proportion of Mankind will finally be saved, and what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 alone can tell. It is no where revealed. God was not obliged to save One out of all this guilty lost World. Hither to the Generality may have perished: and the Lord is Righteous.—But who can tell to what a Degree God may yet glorify 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Grace? The holy Scriptures encourage us to look for Things exceeding great and glorious 〈◊〉〈◊〉; even for such 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 may put a new Face on all God's past Dispensations. (〈◊〉〈◊〉 the following Sermons on the Wisdom of God in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Sin.)