annexed to that covenant? Neither can this be faid with truth. They are free from idolatry and other grofs fins, whereby their forefathers often forfeited the divine favour. If they offer no facrifices, in this they are not blame-worthy, feeing they have no accefs to that place, in which alone facrifices can be lawfully offered. They have not eaten upon the mountains, nor lift up their eyes to idols and many of them, whatever flander may alledge, are, not only fober and chafte, but just and honeft in their dealings between man and man. But do thofe of them, who walk the moft blamelessly in thefe precepts, live by them? Do they enjoy the reward, enfured by the Sinai covenant to fuch outward obedience? Nothing lefs. They are fugitives and vagabonds in the earth, and from one end of it even to the other, they are fcattered among all nations. Muft we not conclude from this, that the covenant entailing a profperous poffeffion of the land of Canaan, upon fuch an external obedience, as many of them actually perform, remains now no more in force?

One thing merits particular attention. While Jerufalem and the temple yet ftood, the Jews were forewarned by the perfon whom they ftile an impoftor, that ere the end of that generation, the most dreadful evils fhould come upon them, as a punishment for their rejecting the true Meffias. What Jefus foretold, the event verified, and ftill continues to verify. Why their fufferings fhould commence from that æra, and correfpond, with fuch minute exactness, to the threatnings of Jefus, is an event, which the condition of the Sinai covenant, if we fuppofe it ftill fubfifting, will never account for. That covenant

can

can fufficiently account for all the former profperity and fufferings of the Jews. But here, at once, the light it hitherto afforded, fails us, and we are left in the dark, as to the most confiderable event, which ever befel God's antient people. God was always wont to confirm the word of his fervants, and to perform the council of his mesfengers (r). But, if Chriftianity is a cunningly devised fable, muft we not conclude, that, for a series of 1700 years, God, by a chain of the moft aftonishing providences, has confirmed the words of an impoftor, and performed the council of a falfe pretender to the character of Meffias?

The fource of the prefent calamities of the Jews, which cannot be learned from Mofes's law, is difcovered in his prediction, Deut. xviii. 18, 19. of a prophet who, like him, fhould introduce a new difpenfation. A voice from heaven, commanding to hear Jefus, declared who was meant in that prophecy. God's vengeance on the Jews for not hearkening to Jefus, has further declared it. And, according to God's promife, we look and long for a period, when it fhall alfo appear, from the prosperity of the children of Ifrael, when they have returned, and fought the Lord their God, and Jesus their King in the latter days.

(r) Ifa. xliv. 26.

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67

DISSERTATION II.

The Character and Privileges of the Chriftian Church, with a Review of Dr. TAYLOR'S Key to the Apoftolic Writings.

W

E have feen in the firft Differtation, that under the Old Teftament, men deftitute of inward piety were really in covenant with God, and had a just claim to certain external covenant bleffings. In the course of the argument, feveral Scriptures have been occafionally illuftrated, which represent the nature of the Chriftian difpenfation, as in these refpects diametrically oppofite to that of the Sinai covenant. Many however maintain, that an external covenant fubfifts under the Gospel, by which profeffors of Chriftianity, though inwardly difaffected to God and goodness (a), are entitled to certain outward bleffings, and church privileges. The common diftinction of the church into vifible and invifible, or at least the incautious manner in which fome have explained it, has contributed not a little to the prevalence of

(a) See Taylor's Key, ch. 12. § 236.

this opinion. But let us impartially examine, whether it has any folid foundation in the facred oracles; and for this purpose enquire whether the proofs of fuch an external covenant under the Old Teftament, will equally apply to gospel times.

2. Under the Old Teftament difpenfation, God manifefted himself as a temporal monarch. And hence numbering the people, multiplying chariots and horfes, and alliances with infidel ftates, were feverely forbid, because the Jews were to depend upon God alone, as in a peculiar extraordinary manner, their protection and defence. If God stands in the fame relation to any fociety of profeffed Chriftians, thefe and fuch like prudent methods, of guarding against the ambition of rival ftates, must be to that fociety unlawful. A confequence fo abfurd, that, I fuppofe, few of my readers are enthusiasts enough to digeft it.

Idolatry, under the Sinai covenant, was a ftate crime, and, therefore, an iniquity to be punished by the judge. The idolater fuffered, because he renounced allegiance to his lawful prince, and transferred it to an ufurper. If Chrift's kingdom was of this world, it would be reasonable to inflict like penalties upon thofe, who will not that he should reign over them. But Chrift himself hath told us, that his kingdom is not of this world, and that it is fecured not by external violence or perfecution, but by the influences of the Spirit of grace (aa).

God,

(aa) I fhall here transcribe a paffage from p. 59, 60. of Dr. Increase Mather's Life, published by his fon at Bofton 1724. "He became fenfible, that the example "of the Ifraelitish reformers, inflicting penalties on false

"worshippers,

God, as King of the Jews, vifited the iniquities of the fathers upon the children. Juft as thofe guilty of high treafon, forfeit their honours and eftates, for their offspring, as well as for themselves. But we are exprefsly affured, Ezek. xviii. 3. that, in gofpel times, this difpenfation of providence fhould wholly ceafe. An evidence, that God no more acts in the character of a temporal prince!

The refpect paid to God, under the Old Teftament difpenfation, correfponded to his character as a temporal monarch, and in a great meafure confifted in external pomp and gaiety, dancing, inftrumental mufic, and other expreffions of joy usual at coronations or triumphs. But the hour is now come, in which the true worshippers, must worship the Father, in spirit and in truth, not with external fhew and pageantry.

"worshippers, would not legitimate the like proceedings 66 among the Chriftian Gentiles. For the holy land of "old was by a deed of gift from God, miraculously "and indifputably granted to the Ifraelitish nation, and "the condition on which they held it, was their obfer"vation of the Mofaic inftitutions. To violate them,

was what carried a rebellion in it, and was an high "treafon against the king of the theocrafy, an iniquity "to be punished by the judge! At the fame time, fo"journers in the land, were not compelled unto the "keeping thefe laws and rites, which Mofes had given "to his people. Nay, and the Ifraelites themselves, fell many of them, into the wort of herefies. Yet, whil "they kept the law and rites of Mofes, the magistrate "would not meddle with them. The herefy of the Sad"ducees ftruck at the foundation of all religion. Yet, "we do not find, that our Saviour blamed the Pharifees "for not perfecuting them, as they could have done. "The Christian religion brings us not into a temporal "Canaan. It knows no defigns; it has no weapons, "but what are purely spiritual."