fee that Law can discover Sin, but not remove it, (except by thofe fhadowy and weak Expiations, the Blood of Bulls and Goats) they may conclude, that fome Blood more precious must be paid for MAN; the Juft for the Unjuft: That in fuch Righteousness, imputed to them by Faith, they may find Juftification towards GOD, and Peace of Confcience; which the Law by Ceremonies cannot appeafe, nor MAN perform the moral Part; and not performing it, cannot live: So that Law appears imperfect, and is only given, with a Purpose to refign them, in the Fullness of Time, up to a better Covenant; being led from the Shadow of Types to Truth: from Flesh to Spirit; from the Impofition of ftrict Laws, to free Acceptance of large Grace; from fervile Fear, to filial Fear; from Works of Law, to Works of Faith. And therefore MOSES, though highly belov'd of GOD, fhall not (being but the Minister of Law) lead his People into the Land of CANAAN; but JOSHUA, (2) whom the GENTILES call JESUS, bearing his Name and Office; who fhall quell the Adverfary Serpent, and bring back MAN through the World's

(z) Foshua, or Jehoshua; Heb. i. e. A Saviour of the Lord. He was first called Hofbea and Jefus, but all from the fame Hebrew Root. The Son of Nun, and Succeffor of Mofes, and grand General of Ifrael: He Vanquished the Canaanites, and diftributed their Land among the twelve Tribes. He was born in Egypt, A. M. 2404, 92 Years after the Death of fofeph; was their General about 18 Years, conquered 31 Kings, put the Ifraelites in peaceable Poffeffion, in fix Years Time, and died aged 110 Years. The Phoenicians called him Hercules, i. e. The Glory of Heroes; because of

4

his many wonderful Victories over them. The Jews, from the first Entrance into Canaan under Joshua to the Babylonish Captivity, liv'd in Canaan about 855 Years. After the Restoration, to the Destruction of their Temple, City, and Nation by the Romans, in the 2d Year of Vef pafian, and 73d of Jefus Chrift, about 639 Years more; in all 1494 Years. But their total and final Expulfion out of that Land was not 'till 60 Years after that. But the Kingdom of Ifrael, from its Separation from Judah to the End of it by Salmanafer, lafted but 250 Years.

World's Wildernefs, who had wander'd long there, fafe to an eternal Paradife of Reft. Mean while, they, plac'd in their earthly CANAAN, fhall dwell a long Time, and profper; but when national Sins interrupt their publick Peace, provoking GOD to raise them up Enemies, from whom, upon their being penitent, he as often faves them; first by Judges, (a} then under Kings; of whom the fecond (renown'd both for Piety and warlike Deeds) fhall receive an irrevocable Promife, that his regal Throne fhall endure for ever: All the Prophets fhall prophecy the like; that of the Royal Stock of DAVID (b) (for fo I name this King) fhall rife a Son, which is the Seed of the WOMAN, which has been foretold to thee; and which, as I have already inform'd thee, fhall be foretold to ABRAHAM, as one in whom all Nations shall put their Truft; he fhall be foretold to Kings, and himfelf shall be the last of Kings; for of his Reign there fhall be no End. But, firft there must enfue a long Suc

(a) Fudges; Lat. The Hebrews call them Sophehim; from whence the Carthaginians, Athenians, and others, called their çivil Magiftrates Sufletes. Thofe Judges were Men of extraordinary Piety, Virtue, and Valour, raifed up upon extraordinary Occafions, for the Deliverance and Defence of the People. They were 22 in Number, (but others reckon only 12, beginning with Othniel, Judg. 3. 9.) and continued, from Mofes to Saul, their first King, about the Space of 426 Years. After them there were 22 Kings of Judah, in the Space of 500 Years, to the Babylonish Captivity.

(b) David; Heb. i. e. Beloved; because he was pious, upright, and beloved of God. He

was the Son of Felle of Bethlehem, a Shepherd; the 2d King of Ifrael, anointed King about 15 Years of Age, A. M. 2881. and after many Troubles came to the Throne, being 30 Years old; he reigned 40 Years and 6 Months. He died in the 70th Year of his Age; and was buried moft magnificently by King Solomon. Hircanus, the High Prieft, found 3000 Talents in his Sepulchre, 300 Years afterwards, and Herod found a vaft Treasure in it, many Ages after that. Three thoufand Talents were worth 5073. 155. 7 d. But his vaft Treafure amounted to 547,500,000. Sterling; and in Silver to above 342,000,000 & See 1 Chron. 22. 14.

Succeffion; and his next Son, fam'd for Wealth and Wisdom, fhall enshrine the Ark of GoD in a glorious Temple; 'till then refting under the Cloud, or wandering in Tents. Such Kings follow him, as Part fhall be chronicled bad, Part good; but moftly bad; whofe foul Idolatries, and other Faults added to the Sins of the People, will fo incenfe Go D, that he will leave them, and expose their Land, their City, his Temple, and his holy Ark, with all his facred Things, a Prey and a Scorn to that proud City, whofe high Walls thou faweft left in Confufion; thence call'd BABYLON. There he lets them live in Captivity the Space of feventy Years; then brings them back again; remembring Mercy, and his Covenant fworn to DAVID. Being return'd from BABYLON, by the Leave of Kings who were their Lords, whofe Hearts GoD difpos'd, they first rebuild the House of GOD, and live for a while moderate, in mean Eftate; 'till grown rich and populous, they grow factious. But the Diffention firft fprings among the Priefts; MEN who attend upon the Altar, and who moftly fhould endeavour to keep Peace: Their Strife brings Pollution upon the Temple itfelf; at last they seize upon the Scepter, and pay no Regard to the Houfe of DAVID: Then they lofe it to a Stranger, to HEROD, (c) that the true anointed King, the MESSIAH, might be born, debarr'd of his Right: Yet a Star appearing at his Birth, which had never before been seen in Heaven, proclaims him come; and guides the wife MEN of the Eaft to him, who enquire the Place where he was, to offer Incenfe, Myrrh, and Gold: A folemn Angel tells the Place of his Birth to the fimple Shepherds, as they kept watch by Night; they gladly hafte thither, and there was a Multi

(c) Here Herod the Great, an Afcalonite or Idumaan. He was the first foreign Prince that ever reign'd in Judæa, deputed there

in by the Romans, who had subdued the Jews; for then the Scepter actually departed from the Houfe of King David

Multitude of the Hoft of Heaven, praifing GOD, and finging Songs of Joy." A Virgin fhall be his Mother, but he fhall be begot by the Power of the MOST HIGH! He fhall afcend his hereditary Throne, and the Bounds of his Kingdom fhall be that of the whole Earth; but his Glory fhall extend to the utmost Heavens.

MICHAEL left fpeaking; perceiving ADAM fo full of Joy, that if he had not vented it with Words, it would, like Grief, have occafion'd him to burst out into Tears; fo he addrefs'd these to the Angel:

O PROPHET! foretelling Gladnefs and future Good, to the utmost that can be defir'd'or hop'd for; now I understand clearly, what with all the Power of my Thoughts I have often fearch'd in vain; why the great REDEEMER that we expect, should be call'd the Seed of WOMAN: Hail Virgin Mother, high in the Love of Heaven! yet thou shalt proceed from my Loins, and from thy Womb fhall proceed the SON of the most high GOD; fo GOD unites with Man. Now is the Time for the Serpent to expect his final Defeat, with mortal and everlasting Pain. When, and where, will their Fight be? And tell me, I pray thee, what Stroke fhall bruise the Heel of the Conqueror?

To whom MICHAEL made this Anfwer: Do not imagine, that they are to fight as it were in a Duel, or that there will be real Wounds given or received, in fuch Places as the Head or Heel: The SON of GOD does not join Manhood to the Godhead, that fo he may overthrow thy Enemy with more Strength: Nor is SATAN fo to be overcome, whofe Fall from Heaven (which was a deadlier Bruife) did not difable him from giving thee thy Death's Wound; which he, who comes to be thy SAVIOUR,

fhall

fhall cure again; not by deftroying SATAN, but by destroying his Works in thee, and in thy Seed. Nor can this be, but by fulfilling that (which in thee was wanting) Obedience to the Law of GoD, impos'd on Penalty of DEATH; and by fuffering DEA th, which is the Penalty due to thy Tranfgreffion, and due to all them that fhall proceed from thee: It is by this only, that high Juftice can be fully fatisfied. He fhall exactly fulfill the Law of GoD, both by Obedience and by Love; though Love alone is the fulfilling of the Law: He fhall undergo thy Punishment, by coming in the Flesh to a reproachful Life, and to a curfed Death; proclaiming Life to all thofe, who fhall believe in his Redemption; and that his Obedience is imputed to them, becoming theirs by Faith, that they are fav'd by his Merits, and not their own Works, though they may keep the moral Law. For this he fhall live hated, be blafphem'd, feiz'd on by Force, have Judgment pafs'd on him, and be condemn'd to a fhameful and ignominious DEATH; be nail'd to a Crofs by his own Nation, and flain for having been fo gracious as to bring Life: But with him are crucified thy Enemies, that is, the Law that is against thee, and the Sins of all MANKIND; which never more fhall do them Hurt, who righteously put their Truft in this his Satisfaction. So he dies, but But foon rifes again from the Dead: He shall not remain long under the Power of DEATH; before the Morning of the third Day, he shall be seen to rife out of his Grave, bright as the Light of Day; having paid the Ranfom which redeems MANKIND from DEATH; his Death for MAN, to as many as don't neglect the Offer of Life, and will embrace the Benefit of Faith accompanied by Works. This godlike Act repeals thy Doom, the Death thou fhould'ft have died; having through Sin, loft and forfeited Life for ever: This Act fhall bruise the Head of SATAN, crush his Strength, by defeating SIN and DEATH, the two