lowed the benighted state of man,
after his fall, especially among the patriarchs, was generally that of
angels; as the scriptures of the Old Testament do in many places express,
as to Abraham, Jacob, &c. The next was that of the law by Moses, which
was also delivered by angels, as the apostle tells us. This dispensation
was much outward, and suited to a low and servile state; called
therefore, by the apostle Paul, that of a schoolmaster, which was to
point out and prepare that people to look and long for the Messiah, who
would deliver them from the servitude of a ceremonious and imperfect
dispensation, by knowing the realities of those mysterious
representations in themselves. In this time the law was written on
stone, the temple built with hands, attended with an outward priesthood,
and external rites and ceremonies, that were shadows of the good things
that were to come, and were only to serve till the seed came, or the more
excellent and general manifestation of Christ, to whom was the promise,
and to all men only in him, in whom it was yea and amen, even life from
death, immortality and eternal life.

This the prophets foresaw, and comforted the believing Jews in the
certainty of it; which was the top of the Mosaical dispensation, which
ended in John's ministry, the forerunner of the Messiah, as John's was
finished in him, the fulness of all. And then God, that at sundry times,
and in divers manners, had spoken to the fathers by his servants the
prophets, spoke to men by his Son Christ Jesus, who is heir of all
things, being the gospel-day, which is the dispensation of sonship:
bringing in thereby a nearer testament, and a better hope; even the
beginning of the glory of the latter days, and of the restitution of all
things; yea, the restoration of the kingdom unto Israel.

Now the spirit, that was more sparingly communicated in former
dispensations, began to be poured forth upon all flesh, according to the
prophet Joel; and the light that shined in darkness, or but dimly before,
the most gracious God caused to shine out of darkness, and the day-star
began to rise in the hearts of believers, giving unto them the knowledge
of God in the face, or appearance, of his Son Christ Jesus.

Now the poor in spirit, the meek, the true mourners, the hungry and
thirsty after righteousness, the peacemakers, the pure in heart, the
merciful and persecuted, came more especially in remembrance before the
Lord, and were sought o