was obliged to renew them in a terrible manner; as being offended that they had been fo univerfally almoft forgotten.

CHA P. XXI, XXII, &c. Here follow a Sett of the most wife, juft and merciful Laws, that ever were given to Men.

AMONGST the reft, you will obferve, that fuch Laws as concern Theft, Property, Reftitution, &c. do all condemn the wild Principles of thofe Fanaticks who would have all Things common.

CHAP. XXII. 18. You must not fuffer your felf to be corrupted by the Scoffs of fuch as deny the Being of Witches, or fuch as deal with evil Spirits.

You fee the Law concerning them, (ver. 18.) and many other Scriptures there are, condemning all the Sins of that kind. And the making a Mock of fuch Things, does very naturally lead to Sadducifm, Infidelity, and Atheism at laft.

CHA P. XXIII. 11. Here is an uncontestable Proof of the Divine Authority of these Books, when fo great a Nation fubmitted to fuch a felf-denying

Law.

CHAP. XXXII. You fee what the folemn Promife of this People, made in Confidence of their own Strength, ended in.

THE powerful Interceffion with Go D, upon their falling into Idolatry, made by Mofes, fhould teach Chriftians to value the Prayers of their Paltors, more than generally they do.

CHA P. XXXIV. Take especial Notice of the many Expreffions made ufe of, (ver. 6, 7.) to aflure us of God's Infinite Perfections, that He is fupreme

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ly good, and infinitely juft, to keep us from Prefumption and Despair.

Ver. 24. OBSERVE likewife that GOD here obliges himself to a continual Miracle, viz. to restrain the very Defires of all their Enemies; fo that they fhould never invade their Lands while they were at their folemn Feast.

CHA P. XL. This Book concludes with an Account of another constant Miracle, vouchfafed them for forty Years together; to convince the Ifraelites of GoD's efpecial Prefence with them. And the Prophet Ifaiah (iv. 5.) fignifies. to us, that this was a Figure or Reprefentation of Chrift's continual Care over his Church; which God grant he may continue to us and our Pofterity for ever.

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TH

LEVITICUS.

**

HIS Book contains, the Laws of Sacrifices, and other Ordinances of publick Worship. SACRIFICES had been appointed from the Fall of Man; but the Design of them, had been perverted or forgotten.

THESE Laws concerning them, were given to the Ifraelites, to keep them from Idolatry, and a feparate People, and to lead them to Chrift, and above all, to learn them Obedience, and to fear, and to love their Creator.

THIS was what all the well-difpofed and underftanding People among the Jews, did know to be the End of Sacrifices, and without which, all their outward Services would not be accepted; this appears

by the Scribe's Answer, Mark xii. 33. which our Sviour approved of.

AND this explains what the Prophet faith (Jer. vii. 22.) and which at firft fight feems strange; I spoke not to your Fathers, nor commanded them, concerning Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices [only] (for fo it mult be understood:) But this Thing I commanded them, faying, Obey my Voice, i. e. put me not off with outward Services only, which wicked Men can perform, but take Care alfo to obey the Laws of Piety, Justice, and Charity, which I have given you.

CHAP. I. 4. Obferve here, the exceeding Mercy and Goodness of GOD: Man by Sin had merited Death, GoD promised him, in his own good Time, a Redeemer; to fatisfy his Juftice, till that Redeemer fhould come, He is pleased to accept of the Life of an Animal.

THE Sinner was to lay his Hand upon the Head of the Sacrifice; this was moft proper to humble him, by putting him in Mind, that he deferved the Death which the Creature was going to fuffer; and at the fame time, to fupport the Spirits of true Penitents; becaufe GoD, who had commanded fuch a Service, would moft certainly accept of it, for the Pardon of their Sins, until a more perfect Satisfaction should be made.

CHAP. IX. You fee in this Chapter, the Imperfection of the Law of Mofes; the High-Prieft himfelf could not offer an acceptable Sacrifice, until an Atonement was made for him, whereas (to the Praife of our Redeemer) we Chriftians have an High-Pric withcut Sin, and who is at GoD's right Hand, continually making Interceffion for all that come unto GOD by him.

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CHAP. XI. By thefe Laws of Clean and Unclean Creatures, GoD did keep this People feparated from the Idolatrous World: And this is a standing Proof, even to this Day, of the Divine Authority of these Scriptures; it being impoffible, by all the Power or Art of Man, to oblige fo great a Nation, to fubmit to fuch troublesome Precepts, as they do to this Day, if they had not been convinced from the firft, that the Command was from GOD, and to be obeyed at the Peril of their Souls.

CHAP. XIII. Touching thefe Laws, concerning Leprofy; you may obferve, that the Prieft, whom GOD hath made a Judge in this Cafe, was by a constant Miracle, preferved from Infection, when it was extreme dangerous for others, to converfe with those that had this Plague.

CHAP. XVI. 21, 22. You must not pafs by these two Verses, without obferving, what the Spirit of GOD intended by the Scape Goat, viz. a Type or Figure, of what Jefus Chrift should do for the true f raelites. Take upon himself their Sins, carry them away, fo as never to rife up in Judgment against them.

AND obferve like wife, (fuch is the Harmony of GOD'S Word and Works) that this was to be done upon the great Faft, the Day of Atonement, the tenth Day of the feventh Month: the very Day, as learned Men have computed, on which Adam finned, and was turned out of Paradife.

CHAP. XX. By the horrible Crimes forbidden in this Chapter, you will fee how very wicked the World was (notwithstanding their Natural Reafon, which fome boaft of as a fufficient Guide) and would have continued fo, had not GoD reftrained them by his Laws, and by his Punishments.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXIII. It will be worth your while to remember, that as the Contempt of the Sabbath and Paffover, introduced Idolatry, and all manner of Impiety amongst the Jews; fo it has been obfe rved, that the Contempt of the LORD's Day, and the LORD's Supper, has been the Fore-runner of Wickedness, Infidelity, and Judgments among Chriftians.

CHAP. XXV. The Sabbath of the feventh Year, in which all the Land was to reft; and the Obedience paid to it is an evident Proof, that these Laws were from GOD: For he alone could command Obedience to fuch a Law, and his Providence alone could supply their Neceffities at fuch a Junâture, and fave them from Famine.

CHAP. XXVI. This Prophecy of the Jews long Difperfion, was written above three thoufand Years ago: They fubfift to this Day, in the Land of their Enemies, and in all Places of the World.

SHOULD not this convince Unbelievers of the Divine Inspiration of thefe Books, and give Chriftians Reason to believe, that the Prophecies in the New Testament, concerning their Call and Conver fion, will one Day be fulfilled. Amen.

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