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over, as the Mosaic law was an appendix, or extraordinary burden superadded to the natural and primitive duties of man; it was proper and just that some peculiar recompense superadded to the natural rewards of virtue, should be annexed to its observance. As God likewise assumed the name and function of the political king of Israel, and in this character gave forth all his laws both sacred and civil; it was fit that he should enforce them by rewards and penalties corresponding with those of other political rulers and states. It would but ill suit the style of a civil or temporal sovereign to hold up celestial rewards or invisible punishments to those, who obey or violate his precepts.

Finally, as the Jewish economy was designed to be an obscure, imperfect, and preparatory dispensation, a faint shadow of spiritual and heavenly things; it was necessary that the doctrines and rewards of immortality should be in a great measure concealed under the veil of terrestrial promises and blessings. It was reserved to the Son of God, the promised Messiah, to bring life and immortality fully to light. It seemed good to infinite wisdom to dispense religious truth to the church and the world in a manner similar to that, in which the minds of individuals are carried forward from infancy to manhood, that is by slow and regular gradations. We grant that the Jewish system is very imperfect, compared with the christian; yet this very imperfection made it the most fit and useful discipline for mankind during their weak and rude state of childhood.

It is a great error of some speculative geniuses to infer that no constitution can proceed from God, but what is in all respects the most perfect. They might with equal propriety assert that there can be no gradation or

variety among the works of Deity; that it is inconsistent with absolute wisdom and goodness to create a worm, an insect, or even a human infant, because each of those is inferior to a man, yea that it is unworthy of God to form any creatures but those of the highest possible rank. But all such speculations are confuted by uniform facts. We must therefore take things as they are, not as we may vainly fancy they ought to have been. Now if we soberly view the antient world, both Jewish and heathen, as it really was; we may readily perceive that such rules and enforcements of duty, as the law of Moses held up to Israel, were admirably suited to existing circumstances, and wisely fitted to prepare mankind by degrees for the far nobler discoveries and blessings of the gospel.

LECTURE IX.

Ceremonies of the Hebrew worship, and the special objects of their appointment. Their suitableness to the existing state af the world, and to the Israelites in particular. Institution of the Jewish sabbath, and the extensive benefits resulting from it.

IN our last discourse we largely showed the fit

ness of those worldly motives, by which even the religious rites of the Jewish law were enforced. We pointed out many reasons which justified and even necessitated those political or temporal rewards and penalties which were employed to stimulate and hold fast to their duty a rude, carnal, and untractable nation. Having surveyed the most conspicuous sanctions of their religious code, we will now attend to the leading rites, of which it is composed.

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That the antient Hebrew worship embraced a great variety and abundance of ceremonies is manifest to all but many at this day do not appear to know the special, and wise reasons of their appointment. There are two modes of communicating religious instruction, as well as of offering religious worship; one by plain, intelligible words, the other by significant actions. The question is, which of these was best fitted to promote the great ends of religion among the Jewish people. It will be easy to prove that the latter method was most eligible, or that expressive and striking ceremony suited the genius and circumstances of that nation, far better than a simple and rational mode of instruction and worship.

For in the first place the Israelites had just emerged from the bondage of Egypt, where a low education and

grievous oppression had weakened their minds, and where they had been dazzled with the pompous ceremonies, as well as the celebrated wisdom of that idolatrous country. Besides, the most familiar mode of instruction in those times, and probably the only method which they then understood, was by Hieroglyphics, or external symbols representing invisible objects. Now ceremonies in religious worship corresponded to Hieroglyphics in writing, and were equally necessary and beneficial, before the invention and established use of letters. And as this symbolical method of writing and of worship was greatly studied and practised by the antient Egyptians; both habit and necessity would dictate a similar mode to the early Hebrews. To such a mode of religion they were so accustomed, and so fondly attached, that they very early compelled Aaron to make them a golden calf, as a visible symbol of the divine presence, and honored this symbol with the ceremonies of a public feast. The genius and habits of the Hebrews at that period did, therefore, evidently require a symbolical or ceremonious kind of worship. As this symbolical form of religion thus suited the genius and exigences of that people; so it was farther necessary and useful, as a wall of partition between the people of God and surrounding idolaters. For as the Jews would not have been easy without a ceremonious religion, so without this they could not have been kept from adopting or participating in the idolatrous rites of their neighbours; especially as many of these had every charm of splendor, luxury, and festivity. To guard them still more effectually against these allurements, it was necessary that their law should forbid, or hold up as unclean and detestable, those things, which idolaters esteemed most sacred. Thus eating the

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blood of the victims was deemed an essential act of religion in the heathen festivals, because blood was accounted the food of their demons or gods, and because the worshippers by partaking in this food were supposed to hold communion with these gods, and to receive peculiar discoveries or benefits from them. Was not this a sufficient reason for the prohibition of blood to the Israelites? Was it not important that a people, visibly consecrated to the true God, should be effectually barred from all the idolatrous customs of pagans? Was it not important that such a people should be conspicuously exalted above the heathen world by the superior dignity and purity both of their doctrine and worship? Would not this give them, both in their own esteem, and in the sight of surrounding nations, a proper and honorable distinction as the people of Jehovah? And was not a peculiar system of ceremonies necessary to exhibit and preserve this distinction ?

Finally, as the law of Moses was intended not only as a remembrance of the past favors and wonders of the Most High, but a figure of better things to come; it was needful on both accounts that it should consist chiefly of significant rites; and that these rites should be especially fitted both to preserve among the Jews the memory of the grand promise relating to the Messiah, and to typify and prepare for its future accomplishment. Accordingly, the law of Moses is really the gospel of Christ in a hieroglyphical or figurative dress; it wonderfully represents the person and office, the actions and sufferings of the promised Redeemer, and the future spiritual blessings of his church.

If then the ceremonies of the Jewish law, considered as parts of one great whole, were admirably suited to

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