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

2. This gradual decline of the glory of the Jewish state, tended to prepare the way for Christ's coming another way, viz. as it tended to make the glory of God's power, in the great effects of Christ's redemption, the more conspicuous. God's people's being so diminished and weakened by one step after another, till Christ came, was very much like the diminishing Gideon's army. God told Gideon, that the people that was with him, was too many for him to deliver the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel should vaunt themselves against him, saying, "My own hand hath saved me." Therefore all that were fearful were commanded to return; and there returned twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand. But still they were too many; and then, by trying the people at the water, they were reduced to three hundred men. So the people in Solomon's time were too many, and mighty and ⟨p. 94⟩glorious for Christ▪ therefore he diminished them; first, by sending off the ten tribes; and then he diminished them again by the captivity into Babylon; and then they were further diminished by the great and general corruption that there was when Christ came; so that Christ found very […] godly persons among them: and with a small handful of disciples, Christ conquered the world. Thus high things were brought down, that Christ might be exalted.

2. This gradual decline of the glory of the Jewish state, tended to prepare the way for Christ's coming another way, viz. as it tended to make the glory of God's power, in the great effects of Christ's redemption, the more conspicuous. God's people's being so diminished and weakened by one step after another, till Christ came, was very much like the diminishing Gideon's army. God told Gideon, that the people that was with him, was too many for him to deliver the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel should vaunt themselves against him, saying, "My own hand hath saved me." Therefore all that were fearful were commanded to return; and there returned twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand. But still they were too many; and then, by trying the people at the water, they were reduced to three hundred men. So the people in Solomon's time were too many, and mighty and ⟨p. 94⟩glorous for Christ▪ therefore he diminished them; first, by sending off the ten tribes; and then he diminished them again by the captivity into Babylon; and then they were further diminished by the great and general corruption that there was when Christ came; so that Christ found very godly persons among them: and with a small handful of discipes, Christ conuered the world. Thus high things were brought down, that Christ might be exalted.