Slike strani
PDF
ePub

promises, I support this doctrine by the case of ABRAHAM, who, our blessed Master tells us, rejoiced to see his day, and saw it and was glad.

Here, I attempt to prove, in illustration of this text, that the command to Abraham to offer Isaac was merely an information given, at Abraham's earnest request, in a representative action, instead of words, of the REDEMPTION OF MANKIND by the great sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Which interpretation, if it be the true one, is, I think, the noblest proof that ever was given, of the HARMONY between the Old and New Testa

ment.

From this long dissertation, besides the immediate purpose of vindicating the doctrine of our national church, in its seventh article, we gain these two advantages: 1. The first of which is, supporting a real and essential connexion between the Mosaic and the Christian religions. 2. The other is, disposing the deists to think more favourably of revelation, when they see, in this interpretation of the COMMAND, all their objections to this part of Abraham's story overthrown.

The matter being of this high importance, it was proper to fix my interpretation on such principles as would leave no room for reasonable doubt or objection: and this was to be done by explaining the nature of those various modes of information in use amongst the ancients; for which explanation, a proper ground had been laid in the discourse on the hieroglyphics in the fourth book. To all this (for the reason here given) is subjoined a continued refutation of all that Dr Stebbing has been able to urge against this idea of the command.

Nor is this all. This dissertation, which affords so many new openings into the truths of revelation in general, and so many additional supports to the argument of the divine legation in particular, hath another very important use. It is a necessary introduction to the long discourse which follows, concerning PROPHECY.

In this (which is the last of the present volume*) I have attempted to clear up and vindicate the logical truth and propriety of types in action, and secondary senses in speech: for on the truth and propriety of these depends the divine original of the ancient JEWISH PROPHECIES concerning Christ. A matter much needing a support: for though the greater part of these prophecies confessedly relate to Jesus only in a secondary sense, yet had some men of name, and in the interests of religion, through ignorance of the true origin and nature of such senses, rashly concurred with modern Judaism and infidelity, to give them all up as illogical and enthusiastic, to the imminent hazard of the very foundation of CHRIS

TIANITY.

In the progress of this inquiry, I had occasion to examine, and was enabled, on the principles here laid down, to confute Mr Collins's famous work of the Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion, one of the most able and plausible books ever written amongst us, against our holy faith; he having borrowed the argument, and stolen all the * Volume ii. of the first edition ended with the present book, book vi.

reasoning upon it, from the most sagacious of the modern rabbins; who pretend that none of the prophecies can relate to Jesus in any other sense than a secondary; and that a secondary sense is illogical and fanatical. Had I done no more, in this long work, than explain and clear up, as I have done, this much embarrassed and most important question of the Jewish prophecies which relate to Christ, and to the Christian dispensation, I should have thought my time and labour well employed; so necessary to the very being of our holy faith, is the setting this matter on its true foundation. Thus much may be said in favour of this large dissertation considered in itself alone: but, as part of the argument of the divine legation of Moses, it has these more immediate uses:

1. To show, that those who contend, that the Christian doctrine of a future state was revealed to the early Jews, destroy all use and reason of a secondary sense of prophecies; for how shall it be certainly known from the prophecies themselves, that they contain double senses, but from this acknowledged truth, that the old law was preparatory to, and the rudiments of, the new? Or how shall this relation between these two laws be certainly known, but from the evidence of this contested truth, that the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments is not to be found in the Mosaic dispensation? So close a dependence have all these capital principles on one another.

2. The other more immediate reason for this dissertation on types and secondary senses was this: as I had shown, that a future state of rewards and punishments was not revealed under any part of the Jewish economy, otherwise than by those modes of information; it was necessary, in order to show the real connexion between Judaism and Christianity (the truth of the latter religion depending on that real connexion) to prove those modes to be logical and rational. For, as on the one hand, had the doctrine of life and immortality been revealed under the Mosaic economy, Judaism had been more than a rudiment of, and preparation to, Christianity: so on the other, had no covert intimations, at all, been given of the doctrine, it had been less: that is, the dependency and connexion between the two religions had not been sufficiently marked out and ascertained. With this dissertation therefore, so important in its use and application, the sixth and last book of the second volume concludes.

Thus the READER, at length, may see how regularly, and intently, these two volumes have been carried on: * for though the AUTHOR (whose passion is not so much a fondness for his own conceived argument, as for the honour and support of religion itself) hath neglected no fair occasion of enforcing every collateral circumstance, which might serve to illustrate the truth of revelation in general; yet he never loses sight of his end, but as the precept for conducting the most regular works directs,

Semper ad eventum festinat.

This volume too, like the first, I thought fit to publish alone, not * That is, books i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi.

merely for the same reason, that it was a complete and entire work of itself, which explained the nature and genius of the Jewish constitution; but for this additional one, that it fairly ended and completed the argument.

For the first volume having proved the MAJOR, and the second volume, the MINOR propositions of the TWO SYLLOGISMS; my logic teaches me to think, that the CONCLUSION follows of course, viz. THAT THE JEWISH

RELIGION AND SOCIETY WERE SUPPORTED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY PROVIDENCE.

Or put it in another light; - Having proved my three principal propositions,

I. "That the inculcating the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments, is necessary to the well-being of civil society;

II. "That all mankind, especially the most wise and learned nations of antiquity, have concurred in believing, and teaching, that this doetrine was of such use to civil society;

III. "That the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments is not to be found in, nor did make part of, the Mosaic dispensation;" The conclusion is, that therefore THE LAW OF MOSES IS OF DIVINE

ORIGINAL.

A CONCLUSION which necessarily follows the premises contained in these three propositions. Notwithstanding all this, the evidence of their truth proving so various, extending so wide, and having been drawn out to so great a length; what between inattention and prejudice, the argument, here brought to its final issue, hath been generally understood to be left imperfect; and the conclusion of it reserved for another volume. Yet a very moderate share of reflection might have led the candid reader to understand, that I had here effectually performed what I had promised, namely, TO DEMONSTRATE THE DIVINE LEGATION OF MOSES. For if it be indeed proved, That the doctrine of a future state is necessary to the well-being of civil society, under the ordinary government of providence -That all mankind have ever so conceived of the matter-That the Mosaic institution was without this support, and that yet it did not want it,-What follows but that the Jewish affairs were administered by an extraordinary providence, distributing reward and punishment with an equal hand; and consequently that the MISSION OF MOSES WAS DIVINE? However the complaint against the AUTHOR, for not having performed his convention with the public, became pretty general. To which a great deal might be said, and perhaps to little purpose. The following tale will put it in the fairest light. In a solemn treaty lately concluded between the governor of one of our American provinces and the neighbouring savages, it had, it seems, been stipulated, that the settlement should supply those warrior-tribes with a certain number of good and serviceable muskets. Which engagement was so ill performed, that at their next general meeting, the chiefs of the barbarians complained, that, though indeed the colony had sent them the number of muskets agreed upon, yet, on examination, they were all found to be without locks. This mischance (occasioned by the muskets and the locks being put into two different cargoes) the governor promised should be redressed. It was redressed accordingly; and the locks sought out, and sent. He now flattered himself that all cause of umbrage was effectually removed; when, at their next meeting, he was entertained with a fresh complaint, that the colony had fraudulently sent them locks without muskets. The truth was, this brave people, of unimpeached morals, were only defective in their military logic; they had not the dexterity, till they were first shown the way, to put the major of the musket and the minor of the musket-lock together; and from thence to draw the concluding trigger.

But then it will be said, "If, as is here pretended, the PREMISES have been indeed proved, in these two volumes, with all the detail which their importance required, and with all the evidence which a moral subject can supply; and the CONCLUSION, therefore, established with all the conviction which the laws of logic are able to enforce; why was another volume promised? for no other end, as would seem, than to mislead a wellmeaning reader, in the vain pursuit of an argument already ended."

It was promised for a better purpose to remove all conceivable objections against the CONCLUSION, and to throw in every collateral light upon the PREMISES. For it is one thing to satisfy truth; and another, to silence her pretended friends. He who defends revelation has many prejudices to encounter; but he who defends it by reason only, has many

more.

[III.] THE THIRD and last volume, therefore, is destined to SUPPORT what hath been already proved: not, as has been absurdly suggested, to continue and conclude an unfinished argument.

It consists of three books, like each of the preceding volumes.

1. The seventh book* therefore is employed in supporting the MAJOR and the MINOR propositions of the first syllogism: in a continued history of the RELIGIOUS OPINIONS of the Jews, from the time of the earlier prophets, who first gave some dark intimations of a different dispensation, to the time of the Maccabees, when the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments was become national.

2. The eighth book is employed in supporting the MAJOR and MINOR propositions of the second syllogism, in which is considered the PERSONAL CHARACTER of Moses and the GENIUS OF THE LAW, as far as it concerns or has a relation to the character of the lawgiver. Under this latter head, is contained a full and satisfactory answer to those who may object, "That a revealed religion with a future state of rewards and punishments is unworthy the divine author to whom it is ascribed."

3. The ninth and last book explains at large the nature and genius of the CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION: † for having, towards the end of the eighth book, examined the PRETENDED REASONS (offered both by believers and unbelievers to evade my conclusion) for omitting the doctrine of a future

* The viith and viiith books, according to the plan here drawn out by the author, were never composed. † This book is the viith of this edition.

state of rewards and punishments in the Mosaic dispensation, I was naturally and necessarily led to inquire into the TRUE. For now, it might be finally objected, "That though, under an extraordinary providence, there might be no occasion for the doctrine of a future state, in support of religion, or for the ends of government; yet as that doctrine is a truth, and consequently, under every regimen of providence, useful, it seems hard to conceive, that the religious leader of the Jews, because as a lawgiver he could do without it, that therefore, as a divine, he would omit it." The objection is of weight in itself, and receives additional moment from what hath been observed in the fifth book, concerning the reason of the law of punishing children for the crimes of their parents. I held it therefore insufficient barely to reply, "Moses omitted it, that his law might thereby stand, throughout all ages, an invincible monument of the truth of his pretences:" but proceeded to explain the GREAT AND PRINCIPAL reason of the omission. And now, ventum ad VERUM

est.

The whole concludes with one general but distinct view of the entire course of God's universal economy from Adam to Christ. In which it is shown, that if Moses were, in truth, sent from God, he could not teach a future state; that doctrine being out of his commission, and reserved for him who was at the head of another dispensation, by which life and immortality was to be brought to life.

This discourse, besides the immediate purpose of supporting and illustrating the ARGUMENT here completed, serves another end, which I had in view, as to the general disposition of the whole work: which was to explain and discriminate the distinct and various natures of the PAGAN, the JEWISH and the CHRISTIAN religions: the pagan having been considered in the first volume, and the Jewish in the second; the Christian is reserved for the third and last. Let me conclude therefore, in an address to my reverend brethren, with the words of an ancient apologist:* Quid nobis invidemus, si veritas Divinitatis, nostri temporis ætate maturuit? Fruamur bono nostro, et recti sententiam temperemus: cohibeatur SUPERSTITIO, IMPIETAS expietur, VERA RELIGIO reservetur.

* Minucius Felix.

END OF THE SIXTH Book.

« PrejšnjaNaprej »