Your hearty Affection for the Christian Revelation, will make you fenfible of the high Importance of fupporting the Mofaical Revelation, as the Reference they have to each other is fo great, that the Authority of both must stand or fall together. It will be fome Satisfaction to a Mind fo well formed as yours, to a Love of Truth, to perceive the Reafons and the Ufes of the Hebrew Ritual of Worship, appearing in the Harmony of all its Parts; that the Ritual itfelf is fo far from fhewing any Marks of Superftition, that, on the contrary, it every where fhews a wife and good Design

to

to prevent all Superstition and Idolatry, and to promote the ufeful Ends of a Revelation, every way worthy of God. An honest Attempt to serve fo good a Caufe will, I am fure, meet with your favourable Acceptance.

For myself, Sir, I have always esteemed it a fingular Happiness of my Life, that I was honoured in my early Years, with the Acquaintance of that excellent Gentleman, the late Sir John Hartopp your Father; and that you have continued the Honour of your Friendship to me, for fo many Years fince.

And

And I please myself with the Hopes that you will accept, with your usual Goodness, what I now humbly offer to you, with my best Wishes for your best Profperity and Happiness.

In particular, that Virtue, and Piety, may long continue to be, as they have long been, the Honours of the Hartopp Family, is the hearty Prayer

of,

SIR,

Your most faithful

humble Servant,

MOSES LOWMAN.

TO THE

READER.

T

HE following Difcourfe is defigned in Defence of our common Chriftianity, by vindicating the Wisdom and Goodness of the Mofaical Revelation.

I have feen, with Pleasure, many things written in the fame Caufe of Christianity, by Men of diftinguished Abilities, fufficient, one would think, to convince all fair Inquirers after Truth.

Yet fill the Oppofition is carried on, in particular against the Ceremonial Laws of the Hebrew Church, which God appointed by Mofes. They are reflected upon with unwarrantable Confidence, as unworthy of God, burtful to true Religion, tending even to establish Superftition on the Ruins of moral

Virtue and Goodness. They know well, fuch Reflections on Mofes and the Prophets, muft fall at last on Chrift, and his Apostles.

Thefe Reflections on the Hebrew Ritual, are likely to do the more Mischief, by ftaggering the Minds of many, who having little or no Understanding in the wife Reafons and proper Ufes of thefe Laws, are unprovided with a ready Answer to them.

This is a Subject that has not been fo fully confidered, and fet in fo clear a Light, as, I think, it deferves, and the Caufe of Chriftianity feems to require.

F

For a right Understanding of the Mofaical Ritual, requires fome Knowledge of the Rites themselves, together with fome Underftanding of the Ends, Defigns, real Advantages, and Ufes of them. For these are the proper Proofs of their Wisdom and Goodness, the proper Reafons and Motives for Approbation and Efteem.

It was necessary then, to fuch a Vindication, to fet before you a full Plan of the Ritual itself, that the true Reasons, and Ufes of the whole, might appear in the Harmony of all the feveral Parts, centering in one View, to promote Virtue and true Religion,

in