42 The Gofjiel Preachedunder the Old Ark was wanting, with the things contained in it,the two Tables ofStone, the Rod ofAaron, the Pot of Manna ; alfo the extraordinary and mira- culous tokens of God's Prefence, as Fire from }'leaven, &T. The Lord would have them now to be more fpiritual, to fee his Prefence by Faith, when they could not fee it with their eyes. Yet Haggai faith, it had a greater Glory, that is, in regard of the McJfiab's bodily prefence in it which Solomon's Temple never had. 3. They renewed their Covenant with God, Nehem. 9, ult. and cap, r o. you have the Articles of this folemn League and Covenant. 4. The Lord guides them to the reforming of fundry Corruptions which had crept in amongft them, and raifeth them up to an higher pitch of Reformation than ever. Grofs Idolatry they forfook for ever; of which we fpake before. The Preaching of the Word was reftored and renewed among them,Neb. 8. 1. 8. ftrengthened by theprophefyi.ng of. Hag. ,gai and Zachary, Ez. 5. r. And the Hiftories of the Church in thofe times report alfo how there was great care to get true and perfect Copies of the Scripture, and to review the Copies they had. And hither (as 1 fuppofe) belongs that famous workof the Pixilation of the Hebrew Confonants. Much Difpute there is among learned men about it. That it is ofa Divine Original and Authority is unqueftionable, if we do but grant the Divine Authority of the Scripture. For otherwife the Senfe will be vagus c'r incertus, wandring and uncertain.. Some think, it was as ancient as the firft Invention of Letters, which is referred to Mofes. But if we fuppofe that Writing (as all other ufeful Arts are ufually) was brought to perfe&ion by degrees ; and that the Confonants might fuffice, while it was a Mother Tongue of fo great a People, and they in fucha flourishing condition, not opprefl'ed nor mingled with o- ther People and Languages ; than pofibly the Points might be added afterwards. For when they fell under the Yoke of ftrangers, this help became necesfary to be added : The Lord therefore did by Ezra and others, who were divinely infpired, nowat leaft add them : For to refer it to, an humane Original, is to overthrow the divine Authorlty-of the Scripture. Yea the Lord raifeth them to an higher pitch of Reformation than ever, Nebem. 9. They kept the Feaft ofTabernacles fo asit.had not been kept from the days of 'ofhua. Doubtlefs David and other reforming Kings had kept it; but that part of the Ordinance,,, the dwelling in Booths had been, as it may feem, omitted and negleûed by them. Another Corruption which was reformed, was the mixture of the Church with Heathens by ftrange Marriages,:Ezr, 97andNehem. io. And the Samaritans, thofe Mongrels, would have intruded ; but were
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