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explain the questions that shou'd arife de licitis aut non licitis in lege, &c. Now this certainly, pursues he in the fame note, is very different from a power to abrogate the Laws themfelves here contended for. Nothing can be more contrary to the whole conduct of our SAVIOR, while on earth, than this interpretation. He declar'd on all occafions, that he came not to deftroy the Law, but to fulfil it. He was very exact in obferving himself, and obliging others to obferve every the leaft command of it and there was nothing be avoided with more CARE, than to give A JEALOUSY to the Jews that he had fuch A DESIGN, as he's fuppos'd to have declar'd to his Apoftles in these words. The abrogating of the ceremonial part of the Jewish Law, feems to have been one of the things, which the Difciples as yet were not able to bear, Joh. 16. 12. and tis plain from several places in the Acts, particularly c. 21. 20. that they had not the LEAST APPREHENSION of this being our Savior's meaning, neither when he spoke thefe words, nor for feveral years after his death. The truth is, that at last when the judicial and ceremo‐ nial parts of the Law were to cease, they rather expir'd of themselves upon the deftruction of the City and Temple, which was a total diffolution of the Jewish Polity, than were abrogated by any AuTHORITATIVE DECLARATION or ACT of the Apostles. Nothing remain'd but Synagogue-worfhip, which being of human inftitution, did not want a divine commiffion, either to alter, or to put an end to it. Now fince CHRIST avoided nothing with more care, than to give a than to give a jealoufy to the Jews that he had fuch a defign, as abrogating their Law; and that the Apoftles did not abrogate it by any authorititive declaration, or act: it will feem paft question, that a matter of fuch confe

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quence, a Law fo folemnly given by God himfelf, that had continu'd fo long, and was fo frequently pronounc'd to be of perpetual obligation, fhou'd not be declar'd nul and void by the event, which is most commonly, even in ordinary affairs, a very wrong as well as unfair way of judging. The Jewish Polity was totally diffolv'd at the Babylonih captivity, and Jerufalem laid in afhes; yet the Jews did not then conclude themfelves difpens'd from obferving all that they poffibly cou'd of their Law, as they follicitoufly do at this day: nor want they menaces for their neglect of it, nor prophetic hopes to fee it reeftablifh'd (in which expectation I profefs my self rooted) maugre all the revolutions that fhall befall them. The fhortnefs or length of their difperfion is no fure rule of judging the cafe, which, as I faid juft now, is not to be determin'd by confequences. Befides that the maintainers of this abrogation are little agreed among themfelves The Law was not to ceafe, fay moft, when CHRIST was born; nor, fay fome, when he began his miniftry; nor, fay others, at his death; nor, Tay others yet, till the deftruction of Jerufalem: neither are they to this day agreed about the fteps of their gradual abolition, but go on from fuppofition to fuppofition; feveral of 'em contradictory, and all precarious. But they mistake the men with whom they have to deal, and to whofe laughter they frequently expofe themselves. It must be granted (fays Dr. Kidder, the once worthy Bishop of Bristol, well vers'd in the Hebrew learning) that fome of the antient, and many of the modern Chriftians, have defended their own

65 Demonstration of the MESSIAS, vol. 2. page 80.

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doctrines, and difputed against the Jews, with fuch weak and infufficient arguments; that they have therby onely harden'd the Jews, and given a blow to their own caufe. Many Scriptures have been mifapply'd: and the Jews have been affaulted by noise and clamor, by idle legends and frain'd interpretations, rather than by all the ways of rational conviction. And very often Force has been as'd instead of Reafoning; and, inftead of allowing them to be men of wit and fenfe (as in truth they are) and treating them humanely, we have us'd them barbarously and with great inhumanity perfecuted them, whom we ought to have convinc'd. Nor are we ever like to convert the Jews (fays this excellent fchollar in another ❝ place) while we teach any doctrines against COMMON SENSE, and against the EXPRESS LETTER of the Law of Moses.

I will not take upon me to declare, what are the doctrines he meant against common fenfe, whatever others have done or may ftill do. I cou'd guefs very near: but certainly nothing is more against the exprefs letter of the Law of MosES, than the abrogating or annulling of this Law, otherwife than as a punishment of difobedience to it; and then tis always with a promise of restora tion in due time, upon their ferious and thoro amendment. Wherfore the Doctrine of the Old NAZARENS being in it felf a matter of the highest importance, and I being earnestly preft both by the words of the prefent, and the letters of the abfent, to treat of this fubject expreffly, by fetting it in the cleareft light (as being the likelyeft means to illuftrate and recommend the true Christianity) I fhall do my indeavour, after

66. Ibid. vol. 3. page 446.

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he best manner I can to give my friends content, and at the fame time to perform my duty to the World. For, My Lord, notwithstanding the imputations of Herefy and Infidelity fo often publifh'd by the Clergy, as lately in the vauntingeft manner by one not unknown to you (the whiffling and the ignorant being ever the moft arrogant and confident) I affure your Lordship, that the Purity of Religion and the Profperity of the State have been ever my chiefeft aims. CIVIL LIBERTY and RELIGIOUS TOLERATION as the most defirable things in this World, the moft conduceing to peace, plenty, knowlege, and every kind of happiness, have been the two main objects of all my writings. But as by Liberty I did not mean Licentioufnefs, fo by Toleration I did not mean Indifference,and much lefs an Approbation of every Religion that I cou'd fuffer. To be more particular, I folemnly profefs to your Lordship, that the Religion taught by JESUS CHRIST and his APOSTLES (but not as fince corrupted by the subftractions, additions, or other alterations of any particular man or company of men) is that which I infinitely preferr before all others. I do over and over again repeat CHRIST and his APOSTLES, Cxclufive of either Oral Tradition, or the determinations of Synods: adding, what I declar'd before to the World, that Religion, as it came out of their hands was no less plain and pure, than ufeful and inftructive; and that, as be ing the business of every man, it was equally understood by every body. For CHRIST did not inftitute one Religion for the learned, and another for the vulgar; as the defenders of Tradition muft hold, or elfe quit their plea. On the contrary, tis recorded that the Common people heard JESUS gladly; and he was not onely follow'd by

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diverfe of the female fex, but also among the converts of PAUL are reckon'd of the honorable women not a few. This fuppofes, that, being well inclin'd and unprejudic'd, they eafily comprehended the evidence of the Chriftian doctrine, which they preferr'd to their native but lefs edifying religions. And certainly one of the most diftinguishing advantages of true Chriftianity is this, that neither poverty, nor want of learning, nor the hurry of particular callings, can hinder any perfon from acquiring it, without which it cou'd not properly be a perfect Religion: but rather on the fame foot with the Traditional worhip of the degenerate Jews, the awful Myfteries of the bewilder'd Heathens, or with the fecret Initiations of certain mungrel Philofophers; wheras it fupplies the imperfections of the firft, detects the vanity of the fecond, and prevents the impoftures of the third, Not the borrow'd terms and tenets of antient perplexing Sophifters, not the barbarous jargon and diftinctions of later fcholaftic wranglers, neither the precarious hypothe fes of conceited Theorifts, nor the pretended infpirations of wild Enthufiafts, were then the eftablifh'd Articles of Faith. Truth was not carry'd by a majority of Voices, nor any thing taught for truth, but what vifibly tended to make men either wifer or better. Riddles about the Perfon of CHRIST, were not fubftituted then to his doctrines; nor the circumftantials made the fundamentals, nor the hiftory of Christianity made the effence of the fame. And here, my Lord, I wou'd addrefs my felf to thofe who are more knowing, to be inform'd, for what purpose any thing can ferve, which does not render us either wifer or better than we were before? And if it be granted to be to no good purpofe (as I can yet per

ceive

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