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[fee note p.] yet much more excellent and righteous than those of any other nation *; and fuch as were to be a model to the rest of the world; fends his angel before them, to keep them in the way; takes upon himself the civil government of them; and by his prefence guides, guards, directs them in all their undertakings. He conducts them through the neighbouring nations, with repeated figns and wonders (o); and conti

*Deut. iv. 8.

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+ Vid. Jofeph. contr. Ap. Selden de Jur. Gent. &c. paffim. Eufeb. Præp. Ev. L. ix. c. 27.

Exod. xxiii. 20-23. xxxii. 34. Probably Chrift himself, who feems to have spoken unto Mofes in Mount Sina, Acts vii. 38; and whom the children of Ifrael are faid to have tempted in the wilderness, 1 Cor. x. 9. [Comp. Whitby] to which alfo fome refer Heb. xi. 26. Vid. Doddridge in foc. Nor is it lefs probable, that the fame divine perfon, who created the world, [Col. i. 16.] had alfo the government and administration of it from the very beginning; appearing to our first parents, to the Patriarchs and their pofterity, [Gen. xvii. 1. XXXV. 9. 11. 13. xlviii. 15, 16.] fometimes in the name and character of Jehovah, Exod. xxiii. 21. [Ijai, vi. 1. 5. Comp. Jo. xii. 41.] or the prefence of God, ib. xxxiii. 14. or his Word, according to the Jerufalem Targum paffim. fometimes as his Angel, Ifai. Ixiii. 9. vid. Lowth. the captain of his hoft, Job. v. 13, 14. the menger of his covenant, Mal. iii. 1. though under the name of Michael, the Archangel, he was more particularly distinguished as the tutelary Prince of Ifrael, Deut. xxxii. 8, 9. according to the feventy, Dan. x. 21. xii, 1. Ecclus xvii. 17. Rev. xii. 7. See Peirce on Phil. ii. 7, 9, 10. Heb. i. 7, 9, &c. Taylor, Scheme of Script. Div. c 15. p. 162. Fortin, Difc. p. 18. note* 2d Ed. Delap Concio ad C'er. in Heb. xiii. 8. Fleming, Chriftol. B. ii. c. 6. Theol. Rep. No. 3. V. III. p. 280, &c. Tenifon of Idol. c. 14. Pt. 5. Sharpe, Rife and Fall of Jerufalem, p. 31. Ld Barrington, Effay on the feveral Difpenfations. Addenda, p. 127, 134. Allix, Judgment of the Jewish Church, &c. who has exhaufted this fubject in refpect of both fcripture teftimonies and tradition. Comp. Harwood, Diff. zd.

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(0) Numb. xiv. 14. They have heard that thou, Lord, art among people, that thou, Lord, art feen face 10 face, and thy cloud ftandeth over them, and that thou goeft before them by day-time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night; .15.-The nations have heard the fame of thee. Add Deut. ii. 25. Joh. ii. 10. 1 Sam. iv. 8. vi. 6. which places, by the way, furnith us with an answer to that objection of the Mor. Phil. Vol. III. p. 183. that had God given any such — authority

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nues to try and difcipline them, till either they were cured of thofe corruptions that had been contracted in Egypt, or the most incurable part of that generation were cut off*; till they were at length tolerably well attached to his government, and established in his worship; till they were fit and able to poffefs the promised land, to which they had a kind of original right; and till the prefent

authority to the Ifraelites, as is hereafter mentioned-he would have let the people of Palestine know it, and in fome authentic way or other affured them, that he had given away their country to ftrangers and foreigners; and that if they did not leave the land, and give up all their natural lawful poffeffions, rights, and properties, peaceably and without oppofition, they must be all cut to pieces, men, women, and children: though this was not the truth of the cafe, of which more below. See S. Brown's Answ. to Chrift. as old, &e. p. 373, 374.

Numb. xxvi. 65.

This nation, when they demanded admiffion into Canaan, might have pleaded the poffeffion of their ancestors for three fucceffive generations; that they were the firft poffeffors of fome parts, [Gen. xii. 6. xiii. 3, 9, &c.] that they had built altars, [xii. 7. xxxiii. 20.] and dug feveral wells in other parts of it; [xxi. 25. xxvi, 18, &c.] and that they had purchafed more than one place in that country [xxiii. 16, 17. xxxiii. 19.] On the other hand, the ancient inhabitants from the flood could perhaps have infifted on no other title than Prefeription: and farther, however juft their plea might have been, we are affured that they had abfolutely forfeited it by their notorious violation of the law of nature. Deut. xx. 18, &c. Durell, App. to Parallel Prophecies of Jacob and Mofes, p. 160. Another ingenious Author carries up the right of this people much higher. We are told that the nations of the earth had an inheritance affigned them, and that it was by Divine appointment. Moreover, that at the general difperfion it pleafed God to have a provident regard for a nation which was to come, even for the fons of Ifrael; and in the diftribution of countries, had fet bounds to other families, that they fhould not trefpafs on the inheritance of Jacob, which was his own portion. Thus limits were prefcribed according to the neceffities of a people to come, and to the space which would be requifite for their numbers to inhabit. In other words, the land of Canaan was excepted out of the general partition. This fpace was ufurped by the people who gave name to it. They knew the Divine allotment, yet wilfully tranfgreffed on which account they brought themfelves and their pofterity under the fevereft curfe, and juftified

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present inhabitants were ripe for destruction *. At their entrance into it, he gives a fummary repetition of their former laws, with more fuch ordinances, both of a ceremonial and moral kind, as were beft fuited to their temper and circumftances; and adapted every way to prevent the dangers, and correct the irregularities, to which they became continually liable (p); as well as to

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every thing which they afterward fuffered for their rebellion: though at the time of their punishment their guilt was accumulated with additional wickedness and apoftacy.' Bryant's Enquiries into fome parts of Ancient Hift. P. 262.

* Gen. xv. 16.

Deut. i. 3, 5, 27, 31. Neb. ix. 14.

(p) See Dr. Burnet's Boyle's Lect. p. 541. fol. and the author of Div. Leg. Vol. II. B. iv. fect. 6. It feems not to have been God's intention at firft to lay upon them fuch numbers of ceremonies; for it was only after the commiffion of the fin of the golden calf, that God laid on them that heavy and troublesome yoke, on purpose to employ all their time, and fo keep them from falling into idolatry again.' Allix, Reflect. p. 203. Ea eft indoles vulgi, præfertim apud gentes idololatriæ deditas, ut a fe numen coli fatis ftudiofe non putet, nifi operofo cultu id profequatur; cui indoli Mofes fefe adtemperavit, At fi cum doctioribus hominibus, quales Chrifto in terras delapfo plurimi erant, res ei fuiffet, nihil aliud docuiffet, quam quod Servator & apoftoli difcipulis fuis inculcavere.-Cleric. in Ex. xxv. 31. Comp. Spencer de Leg. Heb. L. i. c. 4. fect. 4. Trigland de Orig. et Cauf. Rít. Mof. Burnet de Fid. & Of. p. 17. from Jer. vii. 22, 23. [on the other fide, fee Shuckford, Vol. III. p. 151.] If this be a true account of the Jewish inftitution, then though it really was, what it is termed, a yoke of bondage, yet nevertheless it might well be impofed by God himself, as being the fittest thing for the people to whom, and the times in which it was delivered, and confequently not unworthy of having God for its author; as a licentious modern writer would infinuate, Moral Philofopher, Vol. I. p. 51, &c.

The various wife and good ends ferved in each part of the Hebrew Ritual, may be feen in Lowman, Rational. paff. That it could not have higher fanctions because it was only a ritual, or have been more perfect, confiftently with the chief of thefe ends, viz. its preparing men for a better state of religion under the Meffiah, vid. ibid. Part iii. c. 2, 3. Comp. Dr. Durell's Differt. on the Mofaic Inftitution, App. to Parallel Proph. of Jacob and Moses.

prefigure, and by degrees prepare them for* a more perfect difpenfation under the Meffiah. The moral part breathed nothing but equity, and benevolence; it diffuaded them from all kinds of cruelty and oppreffion, by reminding them of their late heavy fufferings under fuch treatment; and inculcated the greatest humanity, both towards each other, toward ftrangers, fervants, enemies; and even the beafts of the field +. The ceremonial parts were folemn and fplendid ‡, apt to engage and fix the attention of a people, whose heart was großs; fitted to infpire them with an awful reverence; and withdraw their affections, from the pomp and pageantry of idol worship; which had fo very furprisingly bewitched the world about that time. It was filled with operofe, magnificent rites, to keep them duly employed and attached to it; and fo far mixed and incorporated with their civil polity, that the fame things were duties of religion, and acts of state; and the fervice of God became the constant bufinefs, as well as entertainment of their lives (9). Nor

See Burnet's Boyle's Lect. fol. 547. or Berriman, Serm. xxiii. or Witfius, Egypt. L. iii. c. 14. fect. 17.

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+ Exod. xxii. 21, 27. and xxxiii. 5, 6, 9, — 12, Deut. v. 14. x. 18. xiv. 21. xvi. 11. and xxii. 1, 4, 6, 7. xxiii. 7. xxiv. 10,&c. XXV. 1,-4. xxvi. 12. xxvii. 19. Lev xix. 9, 10, 23,-37. and xxv. 35,-38. See Leland's Anfw. to Chrift. as old, &c. V. II. p. 447,&c. Le Clerc on Gen. viii. 9, 10. Philo, de charitate. ph. contr. Ap. L. ii. So utterly falfe and flanderous is the following affertion of Ld. Bolingbroke, Works, Vol. III. p. 296. The first principles and the whole tenor of the Jewish laws took them out of all moral obligations to the reft of mankind.'

Welted, Scheme of Prov. p. 70,&c. Agreement of the Cuftoms. between the Eaft-Indians, and the Ferus, art. 3. p. 23.

(7) See Univer. Hist. p. 694. Welfted, p. 72, &c. Edwards's Survey, Vol. I. p. 242, 255, &c. or Limborch, Amic. Collet. p. 317.

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Nor was this inftitution wholly confined to the Jews. The law itself was given to ftrangers (§), and those that accompanied them from Egypt; the Covenant was made with all the Gentiles, that fhould hereafter become profelytes to their reli gion (†); and fufficient care was taken, to communicate it to them; as we shall fee prefently.

And though the children of Ifrael were to have no commerce with the Seven Nations; but were commanded to deftroy them, and poffefs themfelves of their country; on their refufing to fubmit to certain terms, and rejecting offers of peace (+): yet, to prevent their imagining themfelves the only favourites of Heaven, and learn

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We may add, that the ceremonial part itfelf might have a moral view, representing feveral duties to them in that emblematical, and parabolic way, which was well known, and commonly made ufe of in thofe times. See inftances in Burnet's Boyle's Lect. p. 542. fol.

Other rites were inftituted in Commemoration of great and fignal events, extraordinary acts of providence towards their nation; the keeping up a conftant remembrance of which could not but be of great ufe for preferving the love and worship of God amongst them, awakening their gratitude, and engaging their dutiful obedience. Leland, Div. Auth. of the O. and N. T. afferted against the Moral Philof. p. 50.

Nor were the public feafts, in which they were all obliged to meet at one place, of lefs afe to them; by keeping them united together in one body politic. Le Clerc on Exod. v. 3. and xxiii. 14.

Of the great ufe of the jubilee for the fame end. Id. in Lev. xxv. 10. p. 318.

(§) Deut. xxix. 11. xxxi. 12. Jok. viii. 33, 35. Exod xii. 19, 49. (†) Deut. xxix. 14, 15. Neither with you only do I make this co-venant and this oath; but with him that ftandeth here with us this day before the Lord, and also with him that is not here with us this day. See Lev. xxiv. 22. and Jenkin, Vol. I. p. 60,-65. or Worthington's Eflay,

P. 130.

(†) Deut. xx. 10, &c. Joh. ii. 12. xi. 19, 20. xvi. 10. xvii. 13. See Univ. Hift. p. 531, 532. note I. Owen, B. L. f. 12. n. p. Edwards's Survey, p. 355, &c. Patrick on Ex. xxiii. 32. Shuckford's Connection, Vol. III. B. xii. p. 433, &c. Selden De Jur. Nat. L. vi. c. 14. Findlay, Anfwer to Voltaire, p. 130, &c.

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