A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

And as the first calling of the Gentiles after Christ came, was accompanied with the rejection of the Jews; so the first calling of the Jews to be God's people, when they were called out of Egypt, was accompanied with a rejection of the Gentiles.

Thus all the Gentile nations, throughout the whole world, all nations, ⟨p. 57⟩but only the Israelites, and those that embodied themselves with them▪ were left and given up to idolatry; and so continued a great many ages, even from this time till Christ came, which was about fifteen hundred years. They were concluded so long a time in unbelief, that there might be a thorough proof of the necessity of a saviour; that it might appear by so long a trial, past all contradiction, that mankind were utterly insufficient to deliver themselves from that gross darkness and misery, and subjection to the devil, that they had fallen under; that it might appear that all the wisdom of the philosophers, and the wisest men that the Heathen had among them, could not deliver them from their darkness, for the greater glory to Jesus Christ, who, when he came, enlightened and delivered them by his glorious gospel. Herein the wonderful wisdom of God appeared, in thus preparing the way for Christ's redemption. Th•s the scripture teaches us, as in 1 Cor. i.21. "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

Thus all the Gentile nations, throughout the whole world, all nations, ⟨p. 57⟩but only the Israelites, and those that embodied themselves with them▪ were left and given up to idolatry; and so continued a great many ages, even from this time till Christ came, which was about fiteen hundred years. They were concluded so long a time in unbelief, that there might be a thorough proof of the necessity of a saviour; that it might appear by so long a trial, past all contradiction, that mankind were utterly insufficient to deliver themselves fom that gross darkness and misery, and subjection to the devil, that they had fallen under; that it might appear that all the wisdom of the philosophers, and the wisest men that the Heathen had among them, could not deliver them from their darkness, for the greater glory to Jesus Christ, who, when he came, enlightened and delivered them by his glorious gospel. Herein the wonderful wisdom of God appeared, in thus preparing the way for Christ's redemption. Ths the scripture teaches us, as in