thority and law, that had been violated. Will bear our fins in his own body; will fuffer under the fanction of the law, that had been tranfgreffed. Will highly honour the Father and his Government, by an obedience and fubjection to the curfed death of the cross. Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him (a). He will pour out his foul, unto death, in an oblation for fin; and fo make (or be) an inestimable atonement for us. This is the chriftian's reconciler, high priest, and sacrifice! This is the Lamb of God, that takes away the fin of the world.

Upon this, there is most congruously fent out a reconciling edict, a pardoning covenant, or act of grace and oblivion, inviting the world to the forgiveness and favour of the blessed God. Upon this, there arises an obligation to all that acceptance of, and acquiescence in, and reliance upon the All-fufficient facrifice, which the facred edict calls for; and an obligation to all that ingenuous repentance, and penitent return to God, that is there demanded. And thence will very naturally flow the other branches of this religion. Thus it will appear, that the christian religion is (confidering the cafe of the world) a most suitable, correspondent continuation of, and edification or fuperftructure upon, natural light, law, and religion.

SECT. XXX.

The Chriftian Religion is the Completion or Confummation of the Jewish Institution.

HOUGH we acknowledge (with the Jews) that God fpake by Mofes to their fathers of old; yet the Mofaic fyftem of worship does not feem defigned for an everlafting religion, or to continue to the end of the world. It does not feem the moft fim(4) John 13.31.

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ple and pure, the most moral and fpiritual, that mankind must ever be taught. It confifts of abundance of rituals, many abftinencies and ceremonies, multiplied facrifices, and a deal of bloody worship. The chief folemnities of it are confined to one country. One tribe would not fuffice for priefts, for the service of all nations; nor one temple (or its courts) contain the worshippers of all the world. It was a national religion and feems to be ordained as a temporary one, till the time of reformation or renovation of things, fhould come. The Hebrew prophets also speak of a new covenant, that was, in due time, to be introduced; and of a new priest, after a new order, that was to be raised up; and when the priesthood is changed, there must of neceffity, be a change of the law alfo ; and of the calling of the Gentiles, when they shall be gathered unto the God of Ifrael.

If the Jewish religion were not, in the main branches of it, a typical religion, there was a deal of arbitrariness in the inftitution of it; and more ceremony and ritual nicety than feems fuitable to the pure, Spiritual nature of the holy God. What cared he for the blood of bulls or goats, or for the cattel of a thousand hills? They could not, of themselves, propitiate divine Majefty, or cancell fin, or purge the confcience. Cùm fis ipfe nocens, moritur cur victima pro te? If it were a typical religion, and prefigurative of good and great things to come, then fome reafon may be affigned for its rituals; and the anti-typical good and great things, will emerge and appear in the light of the chriftian religion. Nor can we fuppofe, that the great God abridged himself the liberty of declaring, in due time, that the institution was typical, and what were the great and good things, that were represented and typified thereby. In natural productions, things are advanced to perfection by degrees. 'Tis confonant to the fame wifdom, that the church of God fhould be so too. And in that confideration, the maturity and completion of the Jewish institution cannot be better attain'd than in the myfteries and exhibitions of the chriftian religion. For,

I. We have the fume God for our God. The God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, is the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Is he the God of the Jews only? nay, but of the Gentiles alfo. The God of Shem has perfwaded Japhet to dwell in his tents; or is himself passed over into the tents of Japhet.

II. We have their law and lively oracles. Their moral law moft amply and fpiritually interpreted for our conviction, direction, and conduct. Their ritual law as the fwathes and fhades of the mysteries of our religion. There we see the rudiments and first principles of the chriftian infiitution; with the prophefies of a new covenant, and a world

to come.

III. We have the Spiritual advantage of the Shecinah, the majes tic appearance of God, in the tabernacle and temple. The visible glory is withdrawn, that was feen only by the high-priest; and by him only once a year; when he went into the most holy place. But we have the promife of the real prefence (for grace and peace; which is all we can expect or defire here) at all times and in all places. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (a). And we are admitted into the most holy place ; to approach to God, as on his throne, furrounded by the admiring cherubims of glory. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jefus (b). The mercy-feat or great propitiatory is with us; to which we make our addreffes. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (c).

IV. We have the daily facrifice; the Lamb of God, that taketh away the fin of the world the pafchal feast; while Jefus, our passover, is facrificed for us: and the great annual atonement; while Christ through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God. We

(4) Mat. 18.20.

(6) Heb. 10. 19.

(c) Heb. 4. 16.

have

have the purifying water and the anointing oil; as long as the Lord Christ by the virtue of his blood and unction of his fpirit, purges our confciences, purifies our hearts, and confecrates our perfons to be kings and priests to God, even his Father and ours.

V. We have the Aaronical high-priest, bearing the names of his Ifrael upon his breast, and gone, with his own blood, into the most holy place, having obtain'd an eternal redemption for us. We have the great minister of the fanctuary, and of the true, heavenly tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. We have the Melchifedeckian prieft, who admits no fucceffor, to the acceptance of whose office, the Father is fworn, who is a priest upon his throne, and will continue fo according to the power of an endless life.

VI. We have the new covenant, that is sprinkled with blood, and confirmed and confecrated to be a bond of peace and means of communion between God, and his new profelites.

VII. The christian profelites are now the peculiar people, the chofen generation, the royal prieft-hood (or kingdom of pricfts) the holy nation, that they should fhew forth the praises of God (a). They are the circumcifion (b). The fpiritual temple or houfe of God; an holy priesthood (c). The first fruits of the creation, (d) and enroll'd among the first-born, and admitted to all the privileges of Sion and of the Jerufalem above (e). Thus Judaism was the infancy or nonadult ftate of chriftianity; and chriftianity the flower, maturity, and confummation of the Jewish pedagogy.

(a) 1 Pet. 2. 9. (6) Phil. 3.3. (c) 1 Pet.2.5. (d) James 1.18. Rev. 14.4. (e) Heb. 12.23.

SECT.

The Christian Religion is excellently calculated for being an universal Religion; and for turning the world into an oecumenical Church.

I

T may be coextended with natural religion; being (as has been feen) an harmonious fuperftructure thereupon; and capable of being diffused through all nations. For,

I. It makes no difference of people, tribes, or nations. Among the Jews, the natives of fome countries might not be admitted into the congregation, till the tenth generation. But here there is neither Greek nor Few, Circumcifion nor Uncircumcifion, Barbarian, Scythian, Bond, nor Free; but all are one (and admitted upon the fame foot) in Chrift Jefus.

II. It has no inftitutes, but what may be observed and practifed in one country, as well as in another. It appoints no long and tedious pilgrimages to Jerufalem or Antioch, to Rome or Mecca; but allows to all, the folemnities of religion in their own country. It preferrs not one land before another (not that, where the Saviour himself lived); but freely declares, that all in every country, that fear God and work righteousness (or practife religion) are accepted of

him.

III. It meddles not with the frames and models of civil govern. ment; but leaves them, as it finds them, fuitable to the law of nature, and to the genius and welfare of the people, to which they be

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long.