[Duty] "You fhall walk in all the Ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you,-[Conf.]-that ye may live, and that it may be well with you," &c. Chap. vi. 21, [Ant." We were Pharaoh's Bondmen, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt," &c. Ver. 24, [Duty] " And the Lord commanded us to do all thefe Statutes, to fear the Lord our God,→ [Conf. for our Good always, that he might preferve us alive," &c. Chap. vii. 6, 7, 8, [Ant.] "Thou art a Holy [46] People unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chofen thee to be a fpecial People [51] unto himself, the Lord loved you, and redeemed you out of the House of Bondmen." Ver. 9, [Duty]" Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God," &c. Ver. 11, "Thou fhalt therefore keep the Commandments, and the Statutes, and the Judgments, which I command thee this Day, to do them." Ver. 12, 13, &c. [Conf.] "Wherefore it fhall come to pass, if ye hearken to thefe Judgments, and keep, and do them; that the Lord thy God fhall keep unto thee the Covenant and the Mercy which he swore unto thy Fathers. And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee," &c. Chap. viii. 2, [Ant.] "Thou shalt remember all the Way which the Lord thy God led thee," &c. Ver. 5, "Thou fhalt alfo confider in thy Heart, that as a Man chafteneth his Son, so the Lord thy God chafteneth thee." Ver. 6, [Dirty] "Therefore thou fhalt keep the Commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his Ways, and to fear him." Ver. 11, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God," &c. Ver. 19, [Thr.] " And it fhall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other Gods,-I teftify against you this Day, that ye fhall furely perish." Chap. x. 15, [Ant.] "The Lord hath a Delight in thy Fathers to love them, [57] and he chofe [11] their Seed after them, even you above all People." Ver. 12, 16, [Duty] "Circumcife therefore the Foreskin of your Heart," &c. Ver. 22, [Ant.] "Thy Fathers went down into Egypt, with, threescore and ten Perfons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the Stars of Heaven for Multitude." Chap. xi. 1, [Duty] "Therefore fhalt thou love the Lord thy God, and keep his Charge," &c. Ver. 13, "And it fhall come to pafs, if ye fhall hearken diligently unto my Commandments," &c. Ver. 14, [Conf.] "That I will give you the Rain of your Land," &c. Ver. Behold, I fet before you this Day a Bleffing and a Curfe. A Bleffing if you obey the Commandments of the Lord, and a Curfe if ye will not obey," &c. Chap. xii. 28, [Duty] "Obferve and hear all thefe Words which I command thee, Conf-that it may go well with thee and thy Children after thee for ever, when thou haft done that which is Good and Right in the Sight of the Lord thy God." Chap. xiii. 17, 18. xv. 4, 5. xxvii. 9, [Ant.]-Take heed, and hearken, O Ifrael, this Day thou art become the People [29] of the Lord thy God." Ver. 10, [Duty] "Thou shalt therefore obey the Voice of the Lord thy God, and do his Commandments," &c. Chap. xxviii. 1, "And it fhall come to pafs, if thou hearken diligently unto the Voice of the Lord thy God, to obferve and to do his Commandments,[Conf.]that the Lord will fet thee on High above all Nations of the Earth. And all thefe Bleffings fhall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou fhalt hearken unto the Voice of the Lord thy God. Bleffed fhalt thou be in the city," &c. Ver. 15, [Thr.] "But it fhall come to pafs, if thou wilt not hearken unto the Voice of the Lord thy God, to obferve and to do all his Commandments, and his Statutes,

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Statutes, that all thefe Curfes fhall come upon thee and overtake thee," &c. Ver. 45, "Moreover, all these Curfes fhall come upon thee,—till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenest not unto the Voice of the Lord thy God." Chap. xxix. 2. to 10. xxx. 15-18, [Duty]" See I have fet before you this Day Life and Good, and Death and Evil: In that I command thee this Day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Commandments and his Statutes, and his Judgments, [Conf] that thou mayeft live and multiply: And the Lord thy God fhall blefs thee in the Land whither thou goeft to poffefs it. [Thr.] But if thine Heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other Gods, and ferve them; I denounce unto you this Day, that ye fhall furely perifh.".

69. Whoever peruses the first fixteen, and the 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, and 32d Chapters of Deuteronomy will moft clearly fee, that all the Privileges, Honours, Inftructions, Protections, &c. which were given them as a felect Body of Men, were intended as Motives to Obedience; which, if thus wifely improved, would bring upon them ftill further Bleflings. Thus God drew them to Duty and Virtue by his Lovingkindnefs, Jer. xxxi. 3. He "drew them with Cords of a Man," fuch Confiderations as are apt to influence the rational Nature, "and with the Bands of Love," Hof. xi. 4. But if they were disobedient, and did not make a right Ufe of God's Benefits and Favours, then they were fubjected to a Curfe, and fhould perish. And this is fo evident, from this fingle Book, that I fhall not need to heap together the numerous Quotations, which might be collected from other Parts of Scripture, particularly the Prophetic Writings. Only I may further establish this Point by obferving; that, in Fact, though all the Ifraelites in the Wilderness were the People, Children, and the Chofen of God; all intitled to the Divine Bleffing, and Partakers of the feveral Inftances of his Goodness; yet, notwithstanding all their Advantages and Honours, when they were difobedient to his Will, diftruftful of his Power and Providence, or revolted to the Worship of Idol-Gods, great Numbers of them fell under the Divine Vengeance, Exod. xxxii. 8, 27, 28. Num. xi. 4, 5, 6, 33. xvi. 2, 3, 32, 35, 41, 49. xxi. 5, 6. And, though they had all a Promise of entering into the Land of Canaan, yet the then Generation, from twenty Years old and upwards, for their Unbelief, were, by the righteous Judgment of God, excluded from the Benefit of that Promife; they forfeited their Inheritance, and died in the Wilderness, Num. xiv. 28-36. Heb. iii. 7, &c.

70. From all this it appears; that all the High Privileges of the Jews, before-mentioned, and all the fingular Relations, in which they stood to God, as they were faved, bought, redeemed by him; as they were his called and elect; as they were his Children, whom he begot, created, made, and formed, his Sons and Daughters born to him; his Heritage, Church, Houfe, and Kingdom; his Saints, whom he fanctified; his Vine or Vineyard, which he planted; his Sheep and Flock : I fay, thefe, and fuch like Honours, Advantages and Relations, as they are affigned to the whole Body do not import an abfolute final State of Happinefs and Favour of any Kind; but are to be confidered as Difplays, Inftances and Defcriptions of God's Love and Goodnefs to them, which were to operate as a Mean, a moral Mean, upon their Hearts. They were in Truth Motives to oblige

and

and excite to Obedience; and only, when fo improved, became final and permanent Bleffings: but neglected, or mifimproved they were enjoyed in vain, they vanished and came to nothing; and wicked Ifraelites were no more the Objects of God's Favour, than wicked Heathens. Amos ix. 7, fpeaking of corrupt Jews," Are ye not as Children of the Ethiopians unto me, O Children of Ifrael? faith the Lord."

71. And, upon the whole, we may from the clearest Evidence conclude; that the felecting the Jewifh Nation from the reft of the World, and taking them into a peculiar Relation to God, was a Scheme for promoting true Religion and Virtue in all its Principles and Branches, upon Motives adapted to rational Nature: Which Principles and Branches of true Religion are particularly fpecified in their Law. And to this End, no doubt, every Part of their Conftitution, even the Ceremonial, was wifely adapted, confidering their Circumftances, and the then State of the World.

72. And obferve; the Motives did not run thus; ye are still in Egypt, ftill in Bondage and Slavery, ftill in a wretched, miferable Condition, under the Wrath and Displeasure of God; therefore believe, and reform, and love God, that ye may be redeemed and faved; that the Lord may become your God and Father, and that you may be of the Number of his Children, his Elect, and taken into his Covenant. But plainly thus; you are actually delivered, faved, redeemed; God is already your Father, who has elected, begotten and created you; who has loved you, eftablified his Covenant with you, and has given you Promifes of further and continued Happiness; therefore be induced by his Goodness to love and obey him. The Love of God, as it was the Foundation and Original of this Scheme, fo it was the prime Motive in it. God begun the Work of Salvation among them, antecedently to any thing which they might do, on their Part, to engage his Goodnefs. They did not first love God; but God first loved them: Their Obedience did not firft advance towards God; but his Mercy first advanced towards them, and faved, bought, redeemed them, took them for his People, and gave them a Part in the Bleffings of his Covenant. And as for his Displeasure, they were under that, only confequentially; or after they had neglected his Goodness, and abufed the Mercy and Means, the Privileges and Honours which they enjoyed. This, I think, muft appear very evident to any one, who clofely and maturely deliberates upon the true State of the Jewish Church.

Thus, and for thofe Ends, not excluding others before or afterwards mentioned, the Jewish Conftitution was erected.

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Jewish Peculiarity no Prejudice to the rest of Mankind. CH. IV

CHA P. IV.

The Jewish Peculiarity not prejudicial to the Reft of Mankind. God was Aill the God and Father of all; and the Ifraelites were obliged to exercife all Benevolence to Men of other Nations: Yea, the Conflitution was, in Fact, erected for the Good of all the World.

73.

•BUT

OUT though the Father of Mankind was pleased, in his wifdom, to erect the foregoing scheme, for promoting virtue, and preferving true religion in one nation of the world, upon whom he conferred particular bleflings and privileges, this was no injury nor prejudice to the rest of mankind. For, as to original favours, or external advantages, God, who may do what he pleafes with his own, bestows them in any kind or degree, as he thinks fit. Thus he makes a variety

of creatures; fome angels in a higher sphere of being, some men in a lower. And among men, he diftributes different faculties, stations and opportunities in life. To one he gives ten talents, to another five, to another two, to another one, feverally as he pleases; without any impeachment of his juftice, and to the glorious difplay and illustration of his wifdom. And fo he may beftow different advantages, and favours upon different nations, with as much justice and wifdom, as he has placed them in different climates, or vouchfafed them various accommodations and conveniencies of life. But, whatever advantages fome nations may enjoy above others, ftill God is the God and Father of all; and his extraordinary bleffings to fome are not intended to diminish his regards to others. He erected a fcheme of polity and religion for promoting the knowledge of God, and the practice of virtue in one nation; but not with a defign to withdraw his goodness or providential regards from the reft. God has made a variety of foils, and fituations; yet he cares for every part of the globe; and the inhabitants of the North Cape, where they conflict a good part of the year with night and extreme cold, are no more neglected by the univerfal Lord, than those who enjoy the perpetual fummer and pleafures of the Canary Ifles. At the fame time God chofe the children of Ifrael to be his peculiar people, in a fpecial covenant, he was the God of the rest of mankind, and regarded them as the objects of his care and benevolence. Exod. xix. 5, "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye fhall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all People: bý although all the earth is mine." So it fhould be rendered. Deut. x. 14, 15, "Behold the heaven, and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth with all that therein are. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chofe their feed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day." Ver. 17, 18, "For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not perfons, [or, "is no refpecter of perfons," (Acts x. 34.) through partiality to one perfon, or one nation

more

more than another] nor taketh reward. He doth execute the judgmentof the fatherlefs and widow, and loveth the firanger, in giving him food and raiment." [A ftranger was one, who was of any other nation befide the Jewish. [37] Pfal. cxlvi. [37] Pfal. cxlvi. 9, "The Lord preferveth the ftrangers." viii. 1. xix. 1, 2, 3, 4. xxiv. 1. xxxiii. 5, The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." Ver. 8, "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world ftand in awe of him." Ver. 12, "Bleffed is the nation whofe God is the Lord, [29] and the people whom he has chofen for his own inheritance." [53] Ver. 13, "The Lord looketh from Heaven: he beholdeth all the fons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he confidereth all their works." xlvii. 2, 8, "The Lord moft high is a great King over all the earth. God reigneth over the heathen :" lxvi. 7. cvii. 8, 15, 21. cxlv. 9, "The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.”— Many more paffages might be brought out of the Scriptures of the Old Teftament to fhew, that all the nations of the earth were the objects of the divine care and goodness, at the fame time, that he vouchfafed a particular and extraordinary providence towards the Jewish nation.

74. And agreeably to this, the Ifraelites were required to exercise all benevolence and good-will to the Gentiles, or ftrangers, to abftain from all injurious treatment, to permit them to dwell peaceably and comfortably among them, to partake of their bleffings, to incorporate into the fame happy body, if they thought fit, and to join in their religious folemnities. Exod. xxii. 21, "Thou fhalt neither vex a ftranger, nor opprefs him." xxiii. 9, 12. Lev. xix. 10, "Thou fhalt not glean thy vineyard, neither fhalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou fhalt leave them for the poor and flranger; I am the Lord your God." xxiii. 22. xix. 33, 34, "And if a stranger fojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger, that dwelleth with you, fhall be unto you as one born amongst you, and thou fhalt love him as thyfelf." xxv. 35,"And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou fhalt relieve him: yea though he be a ftranger, or a fojourner; that he may live with thee." Num. xv. 14, 15, " And if a stranger fojourn with you, or whofoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire of a fweet favour unto the Lord: as ye do, fö he fhall do. One ordinance fhall be both for you, of the congregation, [52] and alfo for the flranger that fojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, fo fhall the ftranger be before the Lord." Deut. xxvi. 11, 12, " And thou fhalt rejoice in every good things which the Lord thy God has given unto thee, and unto thy houfe, thou and the Levite, and the ftranger that is among you," Ezek. xxii. 7, 29.

75. And not only were they required to treat ftrangers, or men of other nations, with kindnefs and humanity; but it appears, from feveral parts of Scripture, that the whole Jewish difpenfation had refpect to the nations of the world: not indeed to bring them all into the Jewish church, (that would have been impracticable, to the greatest part of the world) but to fpread the knowledge and obedience of God in the earth. Or, it was a fcheme which was intended to have its good effects beyond the pale of

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the