"the Joy of the Law; and let him re"member the Days of his Darkness, which

are many. For every thing that comes "before, and all the Laws which a Man << can learn in this Age are all Vanity in "Comparison with the Laws of the MeDiab.

And accordingly the Prophet* Feremiah fpeaketh of a new Covenant different from that made at Mount Sinai, which was to be published in the Days of the Meffiah; For, fays he, Behold the Day is come faith the Lord, that I will make a NEW COVENANT with the House of Ifrael and with the House of Judah: Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the Day that I took them by the Hand, to bring them out of the Land of Egypt, c. And agreeably thereto the Prophets + Isaiah and § Micah describe the Meffiah as publishing the Law from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerufalem.

Now

Jerem. xxxi. 31. ↑ Ifai. ii. 2. 3. Micah iv. 2, 3.

Now if this Law which was to go forth out of Zion, and which was to be published from Jerufalem, was not to be a new Covenant, and to be different from that which had been dictated from Mount Sinai, what Need was there for another Prophet to be sent with a Power of doing Miracles like unto Mofes? And what ufe would there be for thofe Miracles, which the Jews themfelves allow the Meffiah will perform, if there is no new Commiffion to be evidenced by them? Or why should the Nations be defirous to go up to the Mountain of the Lord, that they might learn his Ways and walk in his Paths; if the Laws of Mofes, which excluded them out of the Temple, and out of the Society of Jews, were still to continue in Force?

I am very fenfible that it may be objected, that they might be admitted if they would turn Profelytes and be Circumcifed. But to this it is easily answered. That then this would be no new Law: Because this was the very Thing which had hitherto prevented the devout Gentiles, and would continue to prevent them from conD forming

forming, even from the Days of Mofes to the Days of the Meffiah. And though it fhould be added, that Mofes declareth that his Laws were given to the Ifraelites for Statutes and for Ordinances Dhy forever ; yet it cannot well be denied, and is accordingly, acknowledged by fome of the most learned of the * Jews themselves, that this Word is frequently applied to Things, which are to have a Determination, and that even in the space of a few Years; provided that the precife Time of the Determination is not particularly specified. Thus the Stones which † Joshua erected upon paffing the River Jordan, which have been long fince removed, are said to have been placed there, as a Memorial to the Children of Ifrael by for ever. And the hy Temple that Solomon built, which lafted only about 400 Years, is faid to have been created as an Habitation for God by for ever. With numberlefs other Instan

ces which might be produced, where this Word

*Vide Rafchi and Aben Ezra, iǹ Exod. xxi. 6. See As alio the alfo the Glofs of R. Solomon, on i. Sami. 22. Remarks in Midras elle Hadebarim, on Deut. xv. 17. +79b. iv. 7. §i. Kings viii. 13.

Word for ever is applied to finite Things provided that the exact Period of their continuance is not particularly denoted.

And accordingly it is the acknowledged Opinion of fome of the most ancient of the Jewish Rabbins that the Diftinction between Jew and Gentile fhall be fo far removed, that all Meat fhall be clean, in the Days of the Meffiah. For to this Purpose you will find it poffitively declared in Berefbith Rabba, where R. Mofes Hadarfon on Gen. xli. 1. &c. Obferves that "This "is alluded to in Pfalm cxlvi. 8. In these "Words, The Lord loofeth thofe that are "bound. For, faith he, every Beast which " is now in this Age reputed unclean the "holy and bleffed God fhall make clean

in the Age which is to come, that is, "in the Days of the Meffiah, as every "Thing was clean at firft to the Sons of

Noah; as it is faid, Gen. ix. 3. Every "moving Thing that liveth shall be Meat for you; even as the green Herb have "I given you all Things. Wherefore as "all green Herbs were clean to every Body, "and as all Animals and Beafts were clean

"to the Sons of Noah; fo alfo in the Age "which is to come, that is, in the Days " of the Meffiah, He shall loose those that પ are bound.

Thus far therefore it appears, even by the Conceffion of the most ancient and learned Jews, that the Laws of Mofes ought to be confidered as temporary Laws, which were only to laft to the coming of the Meffiah; who when he cometh, is to Publish a new Covenant from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerufalem.

And as to his reftoring the Captivity of Jacob, in a literal Senfe, by re-establishing the Service of the Jewish Temple, and the Ceremonial Parts of the Mofaical Inftitution, many of the moft learned Jews, are fo far of a contrary Opinion, that they affert the Kingdom of the Meffiah in its triumphant State is not to be governed like the reft of the Kingdoms of this World.

And accordingly fome of the Jewish Rabbins, as mentioned in the Talmud, have acknow