calculated to form a barrier between the chosen people and the idolatrous world : * while by the multitude of its rites, the magnificence, first of the sanctuary, and afterwards of the temple, the solemnity and attraction of its festivals, and finally by the influence of the Priests and Levites, who were set apart as the public instructors of the nation in morals and religion, it supplied the means of counteracting the attractions of idolatry.

Further, the Mosaic institution combining the civil government, the national religion, the tenure of private property, and the regulations of domestic life in one connected scheme; + all whose parts tended to one object, the permanence of the entire system: It effectually secured that object, notwithstanding the crimes and errors of the chosen people, their idolatries and apostacies both private and public, which no system of moral government could totally prevent; amidst the powerful temptations from without, and the wrong propensities from within, necessarily arising from the general state of the world, and the peculiar character of the Jewish people, during the entire period from Moses to Christ.

If it be objected, that nothing but a pure and spiritual worship is worthy of God, and that the combination of moral precepts with ritual observances was inconsistent and incredible; I would answer, with a late ingenious writer, that the natural. progress of human improvement had not yet brought any nation of the earth, perhaps, certainly not the Israelites, to the capacity of a worship purely spiritual. To this fact their early history gives ample evidence. But if they could have been formed to it, such a worship, consisting in pious sentiments, and the natural, spontaneous, and unprescribed expressions of them, would not have formed a more proper test for the purpose of exhibiting a proof by way of specimen of the moral government of God, than pure moral merit would have been; it would have been equally difficult to ascertain the reality and purity of either; the one would have been as latent and unobservable as the other; either of them would have required a penetration, attention, and comprehension of mind, which men do not acquire either early or easily, but only with care and

* Vide Part I. Lect. VI. and Part II. Lect. II. III. IV. Part I. Lect. IV. and Part II. Lect. II. III. IV.

exertion, and after numerous successive generations; and both of them would have been greatly debased in the measure of their worth, by such a connexion, by being placed in such a relation to a national, temporal, external prosperity. For these and various other reasons, the test by which the distribution of national good or evil should be regulated, ought not to have been in a purely spiritual worship alone: it was wiser to place it in an external ritual.

But we are still to view this scheme in another light, clearly illustrative of its divine original, as introductory to the Gospel." And here we must observe, that the chief rites and festivals of the Mosaic ritual were not only calculated to commemorate the leading interpositions of God, in the deliverance and settlement of the nation, and to exclude the infection of idolatry; * but that they had a prospective signification, and were clearly typical and figurative of the Messiah's character and kingdom.†

This typical character of the ritual Law has been illustrated by so many eminent writers, and, above all, has been so clearly established by the great Apostle of the Gentiles, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that I need only touch on it; and observe, that the whole system of bloody sacrifices, which had plainly preceded the Mosaic institutions, and leads us, when tracing its origin to the very earliest revelations of God to man, as it served to awaken in the minds of the offerers a strong sense of the danger of sin, and the punishment it merited, even unto death; so it most evidently prefigured that great sacrifice, by which Christians "are sanctified, through the offering of "the body of Jesus Christ once for all." §

* Vide Vol. I. p. 160. et seq.

This typical significance of Judaism has been fully and learnedly ex pounded by the Rev. Samuel Mather, a clergyman of Dublin, in a quarto volume published in 1683, entitled, The Figures and Types of the Old Testament, &c. Consult particularly the Gospel of the perpetual Types, p. 208 to 218; also, the Gospel of the Sacrifices and Offerings, p. 232 to 254; and the Gospel of the Jewish Festivals, from 520 to 545. See also the learned Mr. Faber's Hora Mosaicæ, book ii. sect. ii. "On the Connexion "between Judaism and Christianity by means of Types," vol. ii. p. 40 to 173; also, the learned Outram de Sacrificiis, particularly lib. i. сар. xviiii and lib. ii. cap. vii.; also Hartley on the Truth of Christianity, Propos. 30, 31, 32 & 33.

Vide Dr. Magee's work on Atonement and Sacrifice, Sermon II. with the notes.

§ Heb. x. 10.

This prefiguration of the Messiah is peculiarly remarkable in the ceremonies observed in the great day of atonement, * when "the High Priest entered once a year into the Holy of Holies, "not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the " errors of the people, being (says the Apostle to the Hebrews) "the figure of him, who by his own blood entered in once + "into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us:" a redemption which, as the Apostle explains, essentially implies "a purification of the conscience from dead works to "serve the living God."

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Of the three great festivals of the Jewish Law, two, the Passover, and the feast of Pentecost, as they were commemorative of the deliverance from Egypt, and the promulgation of the Law on Sinai; so were they as clearly figurative of the sacrifice. of Christ, and the effusion of the Spirit by which the Gospel was disseminated over the world. †

* Vide Lev. xvi. with Heb. ix. & x. the twenty-two first verses; Dr. Magee, from p. 67 to 69; and Outram ut supra.

+ Compare Heb. ix. 12 and 25.

The analogy between the Paschal Sacrifice and our Lord's suffering, between the delivery of the Law and the effusion of the Holy Spirit, has been remarked from the earliest period of the Gospel. But it has not, as far as I can recollect, been noticed by any, that our not having as yet discovered any event in the history of Christianity, corresponding to that commemorated in the Feast of Tabernacles, or any Christian festival similar to that feast, instead of supplying an instance of dissimilitude between the two systems, strongly confirms their perfect analogy, when we consider the further progress of the Gospel, which the word of prophecy leads us to expect.

This observation has been suggested to me by my learned friend the Rev. Dr. Elrington, late Fellow (now Provost) of Trinity College, Dublin; and who, in the course of sermons he preached and published as Donnellan's Lecturer, in the year 1796, has so ably illustrated the truth of the Gospel miracles, and exposed the sophistry of Hume. As his ideas on the present topic appear to me both original and just, I annex his own statement of them.

"That the Jews annually observed three great festivals at Jerusalem, and "that two of them, the Passover and the Feast of Pentecost, had a reference ❝to events which were to happen under the Christian dispensation, is well "known. Hence we are led to consider, whether the third solemnity was "of a similar nature, and has received a similar completion. This was the Feast of Tabernacles, beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; when for seven days all that were Israelites born were to dwell in booths, "in remembrance of their dwelling in booths when they were brought out "of the land of Egypt, and on the eighth day to return to their houses, celebrating it with great rejoicings. Levit. xxiii. 34, 35, 36, 42, 43.

'

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"Now it is evident, that no circumstance attending the establishment of

Christianity had any resemblance to the journey through the wilderness,

and the dwelling there under tents; nor has any attempt, I believe, been

The Jewish Law not only prepared for the introduction of the Gospel, by its types and prophecies, and by preserving the principles of sound theology and pure morals, which, without it, would probably have been almost irrecoverably banished from the earth; but by the strictness of its moral prohibitions, and its denunciations of God's displeasure against sin, it probed and exposed the moral maladies of man. It proved to him, by decisive experience, his proneness to violate the commands of his God, even when most distinctly promulgated, and his culpable neglect of duties of the most obvious necessity; so that he could not but acknowledge how infinitely improbable it was, that he could by his own unassisted strength escape sin; and that consequently, far from being able to claim eternal happiness, as a reward which human merit might challenge from divine justice, he was liable to condemnation and punishment.

Thus the Law prepared men to hail with fervent gratitude the glad tidings of the gospel of peace, which offers the aid of the divine Spirit to assist the weakness of those who will humbly implore and diligently improve it; and proclaims free pardon to

« made to prove a similarity of the sort. We must therefore either admit "that this Feast of Tabernacles differs from the others, in having no 66 prospective reference; or we must seek in some future event its completion or antitype. And it will probably incline us to this latter opinion, "when we consider, that the Jews will undoubtedly be brought back to "Judæa when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in; and if we sup pose the season of the Feast of Tabernacles to coincide with that of their "future return, as it appears to have done with their return from the Baby"lonish Captivity, we shall have a fulfilment of the three Jewish festivals completed finally in the conversion of the Jews to Christianity; which, "with their return to their own land, will furnish a perpetual cause for thanksgiving and religious observance.

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"

"Of the reference of this festival to the final restoration of the Jews, some of their traditions and practices may perhaps afford a further confir "mation. It was their custom on the last day of the feast, to bring water "from the fountain of Siloah, which the priests poured on the altar, singing "the words of Isaiah, ch. xii. ver. 3. With joy shall ye draw water from the fountain of salvation; which words the Targum interprets, With joy shall ye receive a new doctrine from the elect of the just; and they appear, from "the preceding chapter, to relate to the final restoration of the Jews. The "feast itself was also called HOSANNA, save we beseech thee; and was the time "when our Lord spoke the remarkable words mentioned in St. John, chap. ❝ vii. ver. 37, 38. marking the relation which the ceremony of pouring out "the water bore to his ministry. And amongst the traditions of the Jews we find, that the defeat of Gog and Magog shall fall out upon the Feast of Tabernacles, or that the consequent seven months cleansing of the land (Ezek. chap. xxxix. ver. 12.) shall terminate at that period; and there "seems little reason to doubt the reference of that prophecy to the final

"restoration of the Jews."

all, who, repenting of their sins, and acknowledging their own inability to escape from their power, or expiate their guilt, embrace with faith and joy those gracious terms of pardon and acceptance, offered by the mediation of that Jesus, "who was ❝ delivered for their offences, and raised again for their justifica"tion ;" who "still liveth to make intercession for us:" + thus "destroying the power of death," and "bringing life and immortality to light."§ Not that in the Gospel the doctrine of a resurrection and a future retribution was first promulgated (for they were intimated by Moses, and clearly taught by the Prophets) but because the means of securing life and immortality were then first clearly and satisfactorily ascertained,|| and placed within the reach of all who would embrace the gracious offers of pardon and mercy held out by the Redeemer of man.

* Rom. iv. 25. Heb. ii. 14.

+ Heb. vii. 25.
§ 2 Tim. i. 10.

|| I am aware that commentators in general interpret this verse (2 Tim. i. 10.) solely of the Gospel's bringing to light the doctrine of life and immortality; and Warburton advances as an irrefutable argument, that as it was reserved to be so brought to light by the Gospel, it must have been unknown under the Old Testament. Now as I think I have proved it was not unknown under the Old Testament (vide supra, Part III. Lect. IV) it follows it was not reserved to be brought to light by the Gospel alone. Undoubtedly, where the Jewish religion was unknown, the doctrine was first clearly promulgated by the Gospel; and even amongst the Jews it was supported by such additional miracles and examples, as threw round it a brightness of conviction, compared with which, the assent previously yielded to it was doubtful and dim. So that this expression may bear the sense usually given it, without supporting the inference which Warburton would deduce from it. But I cannot but think the Apostle meant to express much more than a bare promulgation of the doctrine of life and immortality. He encourages his beloved son in the Gospel to perseverance in the faith, for which he himself cheerfully sustained persecution and bonds; and for this purpose he describes in the strongest terms the blessedness of a true Christian's temper, views and hopes. "God (says he) hath not given us the "spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," i. e. strength to resist evil, derived from the assistance of the Holy Spirit; accompanied with a sincere and active love of God, and a just discrimination of things, which clearly recognizes the superiority of future and heavenly objects above present and sensual: thus comprehensively describing a perfect Christian, whose will is rectified, whose affections are purified, and whose understanding is spiritually enlightened. To attain or preserve such a character is the most glorious object of human ambition; "Be not thou "therefore (says the Apostle) ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel, according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose, and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world