To the ChriftianReáder. andjQartiele that liands in its way 5 which courfe ofprocedure, he enemies oftherruths mentioned, have with much art and indu r engaged them. felves into. But thatwhichmall of all took offthe weight of the difourage- ment that arofefrom the multiplied endeavours_ oflearned in this kind, war an Obfervation, that allof thembeing intent on the en e ofthewords, as abfolutely confidered, and the Isle of them to the prefent church, had much over-looked Epifil to the thenpall, rent regard that the Author had in the writing future condition ofthe Hebrews, this Eple p f , or Church ofthe t the Church, they dideither wholly negleïi them,ofor pals' in the light f them over ,in a aúd jerf lsníl'arymanner. Nor indeedhad many of them, though otherwife excellently well qualiuled, a competency ofskill for the due withdjudgment things conider that thetW thofe that thisPEpifil,s the time wherein e wrote it, the proper end for which it was compofed, thefubjett matter treated of in it, the principles heproceeds upon, and his manner of arguing, willeafiilyperceive, that without a feriousconfderation ofthem, it is notpolfible to come to a right comprehenfron (in many things) of the mind ofthe HolyGhofi therein. Many Principles ofTruth he takes for granted, m acknowledged ansoàgíl the Hebrews during their former Churchhate, and makes themafoundation for his own Superflruílure 5 ninnyCufosier, vfgees, Ordinances, Inflitutions, received fenfe ofplaces of scripture amorgfl the Jews, he eitherproduceth or reflects upon, and one wayor other makes ufe ofthe whole MofaicalOeconomy or Syftem of DivineWorfhip under the Law, unto his own purpofe. The common neglect of thefe things, or flight tranfactionof them in nsoft Expofltors, was that which principally relieved mefrom the fore-mentioned difcouragement. And this alfa was that which at length gave rife untothefe Exercitations, which take p the great part ofthe enfuingBook. Some of them are indeed indi en bl due to the work it felf. suchare thofe which concern the Canonical Authority ofthe Epile, the Writer ofit, theTime of its writing, the Phrafeology of the Author, with the way he proceeds in the Quotations of Tefimonies out of the Old Teflament, andfomeother ofthefame tendency; the rfdue of them were oc- cafoned meerybythe confederation before inffledon, Some great Principles I obferved, that the Apofllefuppofed, which he built all his arguing; and exhortations'upon, not directly proving or confirming the Principles them.- felves, but as taking them for granted; partlyrom thefaith of the Judaicai Church, andpartly from the New Revelation of the Gofpel, which thofi to whom he wrote did as yet admit of, and avow. Such"were theft, Thaf therewas a Meffiah promifed from the foundation of the world, to be a Spiritual Redeemer of Mankind. That this Meffiah was come, and had performed and accomplifhed the work affigned unto him for the end oftheir Redemption. That Jefus of Nazareth was this .Meffiah. Not one line in the whole EpJ1le, but is in anof pecial manner relayed into theft Principles, anddeduced from them. Theft therefore Ifound it neceffary to examine and confirm, to unfold, vindicate, and declare, that their in- fluenceunto the Apofiles difcourfe might be manifef, and his arguing from them be underflood.. It is true, I havefo handled them, as all along to re- prefent the opinions of the incredulous Apoflate Jews about them, and to vindicate them from the exceptions oftheirgreateft Matters, of oldand of late. But he thatfhall lookon theftConfiderations andDifcourfesas a matter only of Controverfie with the Jews, will but evidence his own weak df (a 2)
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