power precariously enjoyed, and ready to be abolished at the nod of a Conqueror, can never be called Sovereign (which implies the being free and independant) without the worft abule of words, which is, the quibbling upon them. So that a Sovereignty in this Theocracy was fill adminiftered to the laft, tho' in part. However this partial exercife was confentaneous to the Syftem on which this Theocracy was dispensed; its Administration being ordained to have a gradual decline. The Jews, for their tranfgreffions, being firft of ali deprived of that natural effect of Theocratic rule, the extraordinary providence: and then, for their incorrigible manners, further punished by an infringe ment of their civil fovereignty: but fill the Theocracy, as to that more effential, the Religi ous part, remained unhurt till the coming of Chrift: And let it be obferved, that it was this part in particular which was to be affigned over to him, from the Father. Thus, as I faid before, this is not fo properly a prediction of human events, as a revelation concerning the courfe of God's Dipenfation.

2. Secondly it hath been objected that according to the fenfe here put upon the Scepire, it fhould have been faid-the Sceptre Jual no: devart from JEHOVAH inftead of JUDAE.". But luci. ODjectors do not advert, that the Theocracy was adminiftered by Vicegerents of JUDAH. And this likewife will account for the expreffion of a Lowgiver between his feet.

3. Laftly it may be faid, That by this i terpretation of the Sceptre of Judal we deprive the Prophefy of one principal part of the information it was fuppofed to give, namely, the Time of

Christ's advent, which the common interpretation is fuppofed to fix exactly." To this I answer, that Religion lofes nothing by this change, fince there are fo many other Prophefies which point out the time with infinitely more precifion. On the other hand, Religion gains much by it, in evading a number of objections, which had ftigmatized the fuppofed Prediction with apparent marks of falfhood.

Thus we see this noble Prophecy, concerning the transfer of the Kingdom of GoD, to CHRIST, contains a matter of much greater dignity in itself, and of much greater moment for the fupport of CHRISTIANITY than could arife from the perplexed queftion about the reign of the Afmonean Princes, or the Continuance of the power of life and death amongst a tributary People. For, in predicting the Abolition of the Law, it fupplies us with a new and excellent Argument for the Converfion of the Jewish People, fatally perfuaded of its eternal obligation.

The Reasons of my being fo particular concerning the duration of the THEOCRACY are various, and will be seen as occafion offers. Only the reader may here take notice, that it was neceffary for the prefent purpose, to fhew its continuance throughout the whole duration of the Republic, in order to vindicate the justice of those Laws all along in force, for the punishment of idolatrous Worship.

TH

SECT. IV.

THUS far as to the nature and duration of the Mofaic Republic. Let us now see what PECULIAR CONSEQUENCES neceffarily attended the

admini

adminiftration of a THEOCRATIC form of Govern

ment.

One neceffary confequence was an EXTRAORDINARY PROVIDENCE. For the affairs of a People under a Theocracy, being administered by God as King; and his peculiar and immediate adminiftration of human affairs being what we call an extraordinary Providence, it follows that an extraordinary Providence muft needs be exercised over fuch a People. My meaning is, that if the Jews were indeed under a Theocracy, they were indeed under an extraordinary Providence: And if a Theocracy was only pretended, yet an extraordinary Providence muft neceffarily be pretended likewife. In a word, they must be either both true or both falfe, but ftill infeparable, in reality or idea. Nor does this at all contradict (as was fuggefted. by Doctor SYKES even after he had feen his fuggeftion confuted) what I obferve concerning the gradual decay and total extinction of the extraordinary Providence, while the Theocracy yet exifted. For when I fay an extraordinary Providence was one neceffary confequence of a Theocracy, I can only mean that it was fo in its original conftitution, and in the order and nature of things: not that in this, which was matter of compact, the contravening acts of one Party might not make a feparation. For, as this extraordinary Providence was (befides it being a mode of adminiftration arifing out of a Theocracy) a reward for obedience, it became liable to forfeiture by difobedience, tho' fubjection to the Government still continued. I beg leave to illuftrate this pofition both by a foreign and a domestic inftance. The rarii in the Roman State were fuch who, for their crimes, were deprived of the right of Citizens: Yet thefe delinquents were obliged to

pay

pay the public taxes. At home, a voice in the fupreme Council of the kingdom is the neceffary confequence of an English Barony; yet they may be feparated by a judicial Sentence; and actually have been so separated; as we may fee in the two famous cafes of Lord Verulam, and the Earl of Middlesex, in the reign of James the Ift; who were both deprived of their feats in the House of Lords, and yet held their Baronies, with all the other rights pertaining to them. Thus a Punishment of this kind was inflicted on the rebellious Ifraelites: they were deprived of the extraordinary Providence: and were yet held fubject to the Theocracy, as appears from the Sentence pronounced upon them, by the mouth of the Prophet Ezekiel :-" Ye

66

polluted yourselves with your idols even unto "this day: and fhall I be enquired of by you, "O houfe of Ifrael? As I live, faith the Lord "God, I will not be enquired of by you. And "that which cometh into your Mind fhall not be at "all, that ye fay, We will be as the Heathen, as "the Families of the Countries to ferve Wood and "Stone. As I live, faith the Lord, with a mighty "Hand, and with a ftretched out Arm, and with Fury poured out will I rule over you. And I will bring you out from the People, and will gather you out of the Countries wherein ye are scattered, "with a mighty Hand, and with a stretched out "Arm, and with Fury poured out. And I will

ઃઃ

bring you into the Wildernefs of the People, "and there will I plead with you Face to Face. "Like as I pleaded with your Fathers in the Wildernefs of the Land of Egypt, fo will I plead with you faith the Lord. And I will cause you to pafs under the Rod. And I will bring you into "the BOND OF THE COVENANT." Chap. xx. ver. 31-37. It is here we fee denounced, that the

ર

extraordinary Providence should be withdrawn; or, in Scripture phrase, that God would not be enquired of by them; That they should remain in this condition, which their Fathers had occafionally felt in the wilderness, when the extraordinary Providence, for their fignal difobedience was, from time to time, fufpended: And yet, that, tho' they strove to disperse themselves amongst the People round about, and projected in their minds to be as the heathen, and the families of the Countries to serve wood and stone, they should ftill be under the government of a THEOCRACY; Which, when adminiftered without an extraordinary Providence, the bleffing naturally attendant on it, was, and was justly called, THE ROD AND BOND OF THE COVE

NANT.

But now if you will believe a Profeffor of Divinity and a no less eminent dealer in Laws, the cafe grows worse and worse, and, from a contradiction in my fyftem, it becomes a contradiction in God's. For thus Dr. RUTTHER FORTH defcants upon the matter. "As the Law was gradually deprived of "its Sanction, the Obligation of it grew continual"ly weaker, till at laft, after the people were re"turned from the Captivity, it must have ceased

to oblige them at all. For whatever may be "the cafe of God's MORAL Law, yet most certainly, as he withdraws the Sanctions of his " POSITIVE ones, he takes off something from "their obligation; and when he has wholly with"drawn the promise of reward and the threatening of punishment, THOSE LAWS OBLIGE NO LONGER. To this Determination of the learned Profeffor, concerning OBLIGATION, I have

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