I say, these things being premised, — 1. That before Christ's com- ing into the world, the saints of the old testament did pray, and were appointed of God to pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, inas- much as, in all their addresses unto God, they leaned on him, as pro- mised to them, through whom they were to receive the blessing and to be blessed, believing that they should be accepted on his account. Tliis was virtually prayer to God in the name of Christ, or through him. This is evident from the tenor of the covenant wherein tliey walked with God, in which they were called to look to the Seed of the woman, to expect the blessing in the Seed of Abraham, speaking of the Seed as of one and not of many ; as also by all their types and sacrifices, wherein they had, by God's institution, respect to him, with Abraham, by faith, even as we : so that whether we consider the promise on the account whereof they came to God, which was of Christ and of blessng in him; or the means whereby they came, which were sacri- fices and types of him; or the confidence wherein they came, whicli was of atonement and forgiveness of sin by him, — it is evident that all their prayers were made to God in the name of Christ, and not
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any upon any other account. And one of them is express in terms to this purpose, Dan. ix. 17. If they had any promise of him, if any covenant in him, if any typos representing him, if any light of hira, if any longing after hira, if any benefit by him or fruit of his media- tion, all their worship of God was in him and through him.
2. For them who lived with him in the days of his flesh, their faith and worship were of the same size and measure with theirs that went before, so was their address to God in the same manner and on the same account: only in this was their knowledge enlarged, that they believed that that individual person was he who was promised and on whom their fathers believed ; and therefore they prayed to him for all mercies, spiritual and temporal, whereof they stood in need, as to be saved in a storm, to have their faith increased, and the like, though they had not expressly and clearly made mention of his name in their supplications. And that is the sense of our Saviour in the place of John insisted on, " Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name," — that is, expressly and in direct application of the pro- mises made in the Messiah unto him, — though they had their access to God really and virtually by and through him, in all the ways before expressed. And indeed, to evidence the glory of the presence of the Spirit when poured forth upon them with a fulness of gifts and graces, such things are recorded of their ignorance and darkness in the mysteries of the worship of God, that it is no great wonder if they, who were then also to be detained under the judaical pedagogue for a season, had not received as yet such, an improvement of faith as to ask and pray in the name of Jesus Christ as exhibited, which was one of the great privileges reserved for the days of the gospel.
And this is all that Mr B. gives occasion unto in this chapter.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Of the resurrection of the dead and the state of the wicked at the last day.
In his last chapter Mr Biddle strives to make his friends amends for all the wrong he had done them in those foregoing. Having attempted to overthrow their faith and to turn them aside from the simplicity of the gospel, he now informs them that the worst that can happen to them if they follow his counsel is but to be annihi- lated, or utterly deprived of their being, body and soul, in the day of judgment! For that everlasting fire, those endless torments, where- with they have been so scared and terrified formerly by the cate- chisms and preachings of men that left and forsook the Scripture, it is all but a fable, invented to affright fools and children! On this account he lets his followers know that if, rejecting the eternal Son
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of God and his righteousness, they may not go to heaven, yet as to hell, or an everlasting abode in torments, they may be secure ; there is no such matter provided for them nor any else. This is the main design in this chapter, whose title is, '' Of the resurrection of the dead and the last judgment, and what shall be the final condition of the righteous and wicked thereupon."
The first questions lead only to answers that there shall be a re- surrection of the dead in general, and that they shall be raised and judged by Christ, who hath received authority from God to that purpose, that being the last great work that he shall accomplish by virtue of his mediatory kingdom committed to him. Some snares seem to be laid in the way in his questions, being captiously pro- posed ; but they have been formerly broken in pieces in the chapters of the deit}^ of Christ and his person, whither I remit the reader if he find himself entangled with them.