was commanded to be obferv'd, that thou mayst remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Ægypt, all the days of thy life, Deut. xvi. 3. And there is no ground for that Anfwer, that by all the days of thy life is meant no longer than till the time of the Meffiah, in reference to the Remembrance of the Deliverance from their Bondage in Egypt; if the Obfervation of the Paffover instituted in perpetual Memory of it, were afterwards to be retained. The Law of Mofes was to laft to the end of the World, or State of the Jewish Difpenfation and Government; for in the Prophetick Style the Coming of the Meffiah was a New Creation, Ifai. lxv. 17. Ixvi. 22. and his Kingdom was wont by the Jews to be called the World to

come.

y

The Ceremonial Law therefore by its Original Defign and Institution being to continue in force but till the Coming of Chrift, he gave the Accomplishment to it, and put a final Period to its Obligation, instituting his Gospel in its ftead, which had been prefigur'd by the Law, and foretold both by Mofes and the Prophets, and is to continue to the end of the World.

CHA P. XVII.

Of Sinful Examples Recorded in the Scriptures,·

A

S fome have endeavour'd to excufe their own Sins, by alledging the Sinful Examples which we find mention'd in the Scriptures; fo others, who are no less fond of imitating them, yet have from hence taken a pretence for Objections and Cavils. I Shall therefore fhew, that the bad Examples in fome

Actions of Men whom we find in all other respects commended in the Scriptures, are far from being propofed for our Imitation; but there is great reafon why the Faults and Miscarriages of the best Men should be deliver'd down to us in the Scriptures for our Caution and Prevention, as well as upon other accounts.

I. Several Paffages of the Scriptures contain only Matter of Fact, and that very briefly exprefs'd; and a bare Narrative of any Action, implies neither the Approbation nor the Cenfure of it, but only declares that fuch a thing was done, and in fuch a manner : but the Nature of the Fact it felf, with the Circumftances of it, or fome Command or Permiffion, or Prohibition in Scripture, muft difcover the Goodnefs or Lawfulness, or the Wickednefs of the Action. No Historian is fuppofed to approve of all which he relates; but he must report bad as well as good deeds, who will do the part of a faithful Historian.

II. The Rules of Good and Evil are plainly delivered in the Scriptures, by which we are to judge of Actions; and we are to conform our Actions not to the Example of Men, but to the Law of God. We are forewarn❜d to follow no Man's Example, when it is contrary to the Divine Law; and therefore it could not be necessary in the relating of every evil Action to fet a Mark of Infamy upon it, and a Caution against the Imitation of it.

III. The Relation of the bad Actions of Good Men may be of great ufe and benefit, tho' we are not to follow, but avoid them; Because,

1. This fhews the Sincerity of the Pen-Men of the Scriptures, that they spare no Perfon whatsoever, but relate the plain Matter of Fact, even tho' themfelves be concern'd, when it is never fo much to their dif grace; as in the Denial of St. Peter, and other inftances.

2. By this, we learn the frailty of humane Nature, and the necessary dependence that the best Men must have upon God for his Grace in the performing any good Action; Every good Gift, and every perfect Gift, is from above, James i. 17.

3. We learn from hence, that God can bring Good out of Evil, and doth often over-rule even the worst Actions to the accomplishment of the best Ends, and putteth no trust in his Saints, Job xv. 15.

There is a remarkable Inftance to this purpofe in . the cafe of Jacob and Efau, when Jacob came by fraud and fubtilty, and depriv'd his Brother of the Blessing. It was in ancient Times cuftomary to offer that of which they were to eat, in facrifice, efpecially on fo folemn an Occafion, as a Father's giving his final Bleffing; and as in this cafe, foretelling the Fate of his Pofterity: And therefore, when Jacob had by fubtilty got the Bleffing of his Father, Ifaac could not recal it to confer it upon Efau, because what was done in fo folemn a manner, had a religious Obligation amounting to that of an Oath; and Oaths, tho' obtain'd by Fraud, were obligatory, as we learn from the cafe of the Gibeonites: He had blessed Jacob before the Lord; and the Prediction that the Elder fhould ferve the Younger, (Gen. xxv. 23.) with Esau's defpifing and felling his Birth-right, might now probably come into Ifaac's Mind; whereupon, tho' he did not approve of the Fraud by which the Blessing was obtain❜d, yet he knew it to be irrevocable, and that the Divine Purpose and Prediction would be accomplish'd thereby, and what he had by a Prophetick Spirit confer'd, it was not in his power to recal. The Relation therefore of this matter doth not justi fie Jacob's Behaviour in it, but manifefts the overruling Providence of God, to make any means whatsoever inftrumental to his gracious Ends, which

• Cafaub. in Athena. lib. I. c. 11.

can never be disappointed by any Actions of Men: for if they depended upon humane Actions, these would often fail them; the best Men being fubject to fo much frailty and fin.

4. Tho' God of his Mercy doth accept of the imperfect Services of the Righteous, forgiving upon their habitual Repentance the Sins and Frailties which are mix'd with the best Actions; and pardoning the worst Actions likewife after a particular Repentance and Amendment of Life: yet thefe ftand upon record for the glory of God's Grace in their Repentance and Forgiveness, and for a memorial and warning to future Ages; that Men may neither prefume upon their own Righteoufnefs, nor defpair of God's Mercy. But because they are pardon'd, they are not always cenfur'd. God expreffes his Promife of Pardon to the Wicked, upon their Repentance, by faying, that none of their Sins fhould be mentioned unto them, Ezek. xxxiii. 16. And I think the ill Actions of good Men are feldom or never mention'd with a mark of God's displeasure, unless the Series of the Hiftory require it; and then the Reproof is mention'd, which pafs'd at the time of the commiffion of them; as in the cafe of David, of Hezekiah, and St. Peter. But where no fuch Cenfore was pafs'd at the time of the Action, the Action it felf is barely related, and nothing farther faid of it; because the Crime being forgiven, God forbears to fhew any farther displeasure against it; fuch is his Mercy to Repenting Sinners. And there could be no neceffity, as I have obferv'd, for any Cenfure upon the account of others, who may know by the plain Rule of God's Word what Actions are finful, tho' they are not always ftyl'd fo in relating the commiffion of them.

CHA P.

CHAP. XVIII.

Of Abraham's offering up his Son Ifaac; of Jephtha's Vow; and of the Divine Vengeance exe

cuted by the People of Ifrael upon Heathen Nations.

H

a

'Aving alledged the humane Sacrifices, enjoined by the Heathen Religions, as a principal Argument of their being false; befides what has been there faid, I fhall in this place, more at large, remove whatever Objection of the like nature may be made against the true Religion; by fhewing, that neither the Example of Abraham, nor that of Jephtha, authorifes or countenances humane Sacrifices. And then I fhall confider the Reasons for the Divine Vengeance executed upon Heathen Nations at God's Command.

As to the cafe of Abraham, it is evident, that God fufficiently declared, how much he difapproved of fuch Sacrifices, when, as foon as Abraham had given that fignal Testimony of his Faith, in fo hard a tryal of it, an Angel from Heaven called to him, to stop his hand; and a Miracle was wrought, to fubftitute another Sacrifice in the stead of his Son.

And, whereas the Heathens believed their Gods to take delight in humane Sacrifices, and for that reafon to require innocent Blood to be fhed in their Worship, as the moft acceptable part of it; and upon this Principle, and Perfuafion, gave their Children to be facrificed, in order to appease the Wrath, and fatiate the Cruelty of their Gods: Abraham knew, that he ferved the God of Mercy and Loving-kindness, and that he was, at this very time, in his highest Favour and Love. He too well understood the Divine

a Book I. p. 339.

Attributes,