temporals and spirituals, their religion, and their liberty, till that seed of Abraham should appear, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed.

It may here deserve one remark on this ritual of the Hebrew worship, now set before us, that, with a very great variety of rites and ceremonies, there appears a very great uniformity of design; so that all are subservient to one principal rite, the Shechinah, or ritual presence of Jehovah in the temple. The excellent uses designed by this rite, the excellent ends that were answered by it, show all the ritual constitutions, as severally referred to it, in all their use and beauty, as we shall presently see more plainly and fully.

The Shechinah then appears to be appointed a kebla and an oracle, or that all the solemn worship of the whole church was to be directed to that place where Jehovah dwelt, by his Shechinah; and it was therefore declared unlawful by this ritual, to have any altar, or to offer any sacrifice, but before this Presence. In honour to this Presence, and to reverence the Shechinah, the ritual appoints the magnificence of the temple, of the holy, and most holy place, and the religious respect with which they were to be approached; for the same end, the ritual appoints so many servants to attend on the Presence, and to minister before the Lord Jehovah; who were to be

invested in their holy office by many solemn rites of consecration. This honour, which ought to distinguish Jehovah, as above all gods, in the perfections of hist nature and supreme authority, is further well expressed by the whole ceremonial of the sacrificial rites. Whether we consider the things that were to be offered, or the persons who were to offer them; the several kinds of sacrifices, whole burnt-offerings, peace-offerings, sin and trespass offerings, which were to honour God, as the supreme governor of the world, as forgiving iniquities, transgressions, and sins; as the author of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; these are plainly designed to give unto Jehovah, as their God, this glory that is due to his name. Thus all the ritual holiness is manifestly designed for the same end, that they might be an holy people, as their God was an holy God. Hence the ritual uncleanness of foods, and several pollutions, the ritual purifications after legal uncleanness, expressed a due honour to the presence of Jehovah, constantly representing how fit, how becoming it was, for those who were honoured themselves with the nearest approach to the Presence, to keep themselves pure, purged from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they might honourably serve so pure and so holy a God.

This is then evidently an uniform and general intention of the whole ritual, taken

together, whatever may be the more immediate intention of any particular rite. This general argument, from one uniform and useful design of the whole, may well be received as a general rational for the whole, and show a great wisdom, fitness, and propriety in it, as will more fully appear, when we shall consider the important use of this reverence for the Shechinah.

But the Shechinah is to be considered further as the oracle or word of Jehovah, by which he published his laws to the Hebrew church, and gave them his sanction. By this he gave forth his royal command and final judgment, as supreme magistrate, to whom lay an appeal in the last resort by this he gave his directions in cases of greater moment, when consulted by Urim and Thummim. This was an honour given unto Jehovah, as their Lawgiver and King, besides the more proper religious honour ascribed to him, as their God, and only object of their worship.

To conclude this remark on the Hebrew ritual in general, this gives a very good reason, why the whole law given by the oracle, was to be received with such awful respect. So that the whole Hebrew people, whether as a church or a state, had no authority to make any alteration in it. The authority of the oracle made all the laws of this kingdom of Jehovah sacred and unchangeable: so the law itself di

2.

fects: Ye shall not add unto the word Deut iv. which I command you; neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you.

Besides the great advantage of putting an effectual stop to men's inventions, which were like, if permitted, to bring in endless superstition, it was moreover an honourable distinguishing respect to the commands of Jehovah, their King and their God, that no imaginations of men, no pretended oracles of other gods, should be allowed to add to, or diminish from the laws that were published by the voice of the oracle, from the Presence.

蚤

Thus every part of the ritual unites in the same wise design of its institution; but the more distinct perception of the wisdom and usefulness of this ritual, to answer these good designs of it, will require a more particular examination; to which therefore let us now proceed, being better prepared for it, having the whole ritual before us.

PART III.

How the Mosaical Ritual answered the Ends designed by it, to promote true Religion, to prevent Idolatry, to keep up the Hope of the Promise of the Messiah, and a better State of Religion under him.

E

We have seen, in opening the design and general reasons of this ritual, that it was intended to promote the essentials of religion, the honour of God, the perfection and happiness of men in real virtue and goodness; that it was a further wise and useful design to preserve the Hebrews from the great danger of idolatry, every where prevailing among their neighbours, and to which they were themselves very much inclined, and to keep in memory the promise of the Messiah made to their fathers, and to themselves as the holy seed of Abraham, in whose appearance their nation, and all the nations of the earth, should be blessed.

Such designs appear really worthy the wisdom of God, a great privilege of the family of Abraham, deserving the esteem of all who will carefully examine them by their true reasons: not that this ritual is to be considered as the most perfect institution, for it was to give way to a better;