And we

this, we are certain from Heb. xi. 10, 13. have as great certainty, that Abraham did inftruct his Children and his Houfhold after him, Gen. xviii. 19. and Mofes wrote of Chrift, Joh. v. 46. Gen. iii. 15. xii. 3. xlix. 10. Deut. xviii. 15, 18.

These things were delivered in the Books of Mofes, and well understood by the generality of the Jews in all Ages; the Sadducees were fingular in denying the Refurrection of the Dead, and fome other Doctrines, in which all the reft were agreed. But if there were any obfcurity or difficulty in the Books of Mofes, they had befides the Priefts, a conftant fucceffion of Prophets for many Ages, to interpret them, and to maintain and inculcate thofe Fundamental Doctrines of Religion. The Rewards of Heaven are declared, Pfal. xvi. 11. xvii. 15. Prov. xv. 24. Ecclef. xii. 14. Dan. xii. 2, 3. The Torments of Hell are afferted, Pfal. xvi. 10. Ecclef. xi. 9. xii. 14. Ifa. xxxiii. 14. Dan. xii. 2. The Refurrection of the Dead, Pfal. xvii. 15. Ifa. xxvi. 19. Ezek. xxxvii. 1. Dan. xii. 2. Hof. xiii. 14. And in the Book of Job, which is of the greatest Antiquity, Job xiv. 12. xix. 26, 27. In that Expref fion that David and others flept with their Fathers, is implyed not only the Immortality of the Soul, but the Refurrection of the Body: For it implies, that there was not a total end of them, but as they flept, so must they awake and rife again, Pfal. xvii. 15. And this Expression is taken from the Old Teftament, and ap. plied to the fame fenfe in the New. Of the affiftance of Divine Grace, we are taught, Deut. xxx. 6. Pfal. XXV. 4. xxvii. 11. li. 10, 11, 12. lxxxvi. 11. cxix. 12, 26, 33, 64, 66, 68, 108,,124, 135. cxliii. 10. Prov. i. 23. Ifa. xliv. 3. lix.21. Jer. xxxi. 8. xxxii.40. Ezek. xi. 19. xxxvi. 26, 27. Our Saviour fpeaking of Regeneration, fays to Nicodemus, Art thou a Mafter in Ifrael, and knoweft not these things? John lii. 10. and he bids the Jews fearch the Scriptures of the Old Testament; for in them, fays he, ye think ye

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Je have

eternal

eternal Life, and they are they which teftifie of me, John v. 39. It was in them foretold, that a much clearer Revelation was to be made by the Gospel, Jer. xxxi.31. When our Saviour, by his Resurrection, gave a fuller manifeftation of a future inmortal state than could be given by any other means, and brought Life and Immortality to light thro' the Gofpel, 2 Tim. i. 10. Yet this it felf was typified in the Old Teftament, by raising Dead Men to Life again; and the Translation of Enoch and Elijah into Heaven, was for a Teftimony and Affurance of a future ftate both of Body and Soul. Befides all which, from the frequent mention of the Appearance of Angels in the Books of Mofes, as well as in the reft of the Old Teftament, it follows plainly, that there is another World, and a future ftate. The Sadducees, and all of the fame Principles with them, have ever been fo fenfible of this confequence, that they believe neither Angel, nor Spirit, Acts xxiii. 8. It could be upon no other Principle, but a perfuafion that Souls furvive after the Death of their Bodies, that Saul defired Samuel's Ghost to be brought up to him, 1 Sam. xxviii. 1. And the Laws against familiar Spirits, in the Books of Mofes, fuppofe that there are Spirits as well as Men in the World, Levit. xix. 31. xx. 6. Deut. xviii. 11. what the Jews understood by familiar Spirits, we understand from Saul's Practice; and Facts are the beft interpreters of Words, whatever fome Criticks may pretend.

For

The Doctrine delivered by Mofes, and the Prophets, was as effectual a caution and warning to Men, to keep them from the place of Torments, as a Meffage from the Dead could have been, Luke xvi. 31. The Old Teftament, therefore, is not deficient in any neceflary Point of Salvation; but the Ceremonial Law was enjoined, as a fuitable help and expedient for the retaining thofe Truths which had been revealed be

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fore

fore. Which was fo well known, " that Celfus puts this as an Objection into the Mouth of the Jews, whom he brings in arguing against the Chriftian Religion, that it taught them nothing but what they knew before, concerning the Refurrection of the Dead, and a future Judgment, and a state of Rewards and Punishments in another World. And it cannot be denied, that the Apocryphal, as well as the Canonical Books, teach these things: And that the " Rabbins teach the Refurrection of the Dead, and a future state of Rewards and Punishments, as fundamental Articles of Faith, which are contained in those now cited, and other Texts of the Old Teftament.

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The Honour and Authority of our Religion amongst Men, depends very much upon a right knowledge and a due confideration of this Subject. And those who profefs never fo great veneration for the New Testament, but have little esteem for any part of the Old, understand neither the one nor the other as they ought. They refer all along to each other, and must stand or fall together; for the one is but a Draught as it were, or Model of the other; all things being though obfcurely, yet fufficiently taught in the Old Teftament, which are fully and lively exprefs'd in the New.

The Sum of all is this: The Faith in the Meffius to come, and the Principles of Religion and Morality had been delivered down from the beginning by Adam and Noah to their Pofterity: And when Mofes, by God's direction and appointment, gave Laws to the Children of Ifrael, the end and defign of these Laws was the prefervation of this Faith and Practice amongst them. And this was effected by visible Objects and fenfible Remembrances; the Jewish Difpenfation was ordain'd in condefcenfion to the circumstances and capacities of thofe Ages and that Nation, in fuch a

manner as was most fuitable to their Condition, and moft worthy of God; the rest of the World had wholly given up and abandon'd themselves to Carnal Ordinances and Superftitions; and God, who produceth Good out of Evil, made ufe of this Fondness and Dotage of Mankind to the Preservation and Advancement of Truth and Holiness amongst Men. The Ceremonial Worship was no farther acceptable to God and no otherwife defign'd by him, than to keep his People from running into Idolatry, to which they had fo great a Proneness, to put them in mind of their own Sinfulness and Unworthinefs, to preserve a Sense of Moral Duties, and of an inward and spiritual Service; and to retain a Remembrance and Expectation of that Sacrifice, Oblation and Satisfaction, which had been foretold, and was in the fulness of time to be offer'd upon the Crofs for the Sins of the World.

Thanks be to God, that we are inftructed to worfhip him in Spirit and in Truth, without fo many burthenfome Ceremonies; but in thofe Ages of the World, nothing would have feem'd more strange and abfurd, than a Religion without fome Pomp and Solemnity of Ceremonies: And God appointed for his People those which were innocent, to restrain them from all that were wicked and hurtful; He appointed the Sacrifices of Beasts to be Types of Chrift's Sacrifice, and to withhold them from Humane Sacrifices which were practis'd in other Nations, and enjoin'd by other Religions; he commanded them to abstain from certain Meats, that they might not eat of things offer'd to Idols, and thefe innocent Ceremonies he made ufeful and ferviceable to the great ends of Faith and Righteoufnefs. Nothing impracticable can be fuppofed to be prefcrib'd by God to any People; nothing which is above their Abilities and prefent Attainments; and therefore would be of no ufe and benefit to them. But rather the Divine Goodness would condefcend to their Infirmities, and comply

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with them in giving them fuch Laws, as may be agreeable and convenient for them in their present state, and may fit them for an higher and more excellent Difpenfation. Whatsoever we may think of it now, nothing at the time when the Law was given, would have look'd like Religion, that had been without abundance of Rites and Ceremonies. And herein the Wifdom of God appears, that to fuch a People, and in fuch an Age, he gave a Law fo admirably proper, and well contriv'd to preserve the Life and Subftance of Religion under the Veil of Ceremonies, and to prepare them for the coming of his Son, when it was to be of no longer continuance. The Law was given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth came by Jefus Chrift, Joh. i. 17. that is, the Grace of the Gofpel, and the Truth and Reality or Substance of thofe things, which were prefigur'd by the Law.

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CHAP. XVI.

Of the Ceffation of the Jewish Law.

UR Saviour was the Great Prophet, who was to come, as Mofes had foretold, and who was expected at the time of His Coming; and it was likewise expected, that that Prophet should work Miracles, as Mofes had done, whom he was to be like, and he was to be a Lawgiver, as Mofes had been. The Jews had a general Expectation that the Meffiah would manifest himself by Miracles, Joh. vii. 31. Miracles had not been for a long time wrought in the Jewish Church, but it was receiv'd as a known and undoubted Truth, that they were to be revived by Him. The Rabbins ftill teach, that the Gifts of Miracles and Prophecy are to return at the coming of the Meffiah, according

Maimon. More Nevoch. Pii. c. 36.