To the Chriftian Reader. ,id Ignorante in things ofthis Nature. Who knows not that they are the very fundamental Principles of our Chrifiian Profeffzon; and which becaufeof that oppofttlen that umade unte them, ought to befrequently inculcated andfirong_ ly confirmed. And ifLearnedMen find it in thra day Neceffary for them to dìfpnte far, to prove and vindicate the very Principles of Natural Theolo- gy, the Being andAttributes of God, the truth whereof bath left indelible cha- raiters of it felf upon the minds of all the ChildrenofMen ; how much more Neeeffary muff it needs be, ta endeavour the confirmationand re-inforcement of there grand Principles of supernatural Revelation , which have no contri- bution of evidence from the inbred inexpugnable light of Nature, andyet are no lefs indifpenfibly Neceffary unto the future condition of the fouls of Men, than thole others are. I am not therefore without hope, that the handling of them, as it was necessary unto my dfgn, fi it will not be unacceptable unto the Candid Reader. For what it mixed in our Difcourfes of them concerning Judaical Cufiems, Opinions, Prailìces, Expofitions, Interpretations of Promifet, Traditions and the like, will not I hope give dillafle unto any, unless it be Each as being Ignorant ofthem, and unacquainted with them, well choose fo to continue, rather than be infiri and by them, whom they would byno means have fuppafed to be in any thing more knowing than themselves. I doubt not therefore,hut our endeavours on that fubjeFt, will be able to fecure their own fia- elon, as to their ufefulnefs, both by the importance of the atter treated of in them, as alto from theNecefcity of laying them as afore Foundation unto the enticing Expofition of the Epifite it Pelf. Befidesthese generalprinciples, there arealfo fundry other things belonging so the Mofaical order andframeof Divine Warship, which the LAFaille either diretfly treateth of, or ene way or other improves unto his own peculiar defign. This alfa he deth fometimes diretily and intentionally, and fometimes in eranftu, reflellingon them, and as it were only calling them to mind, leaving the Hebrews to theConftderation of what concerning them, they bad been for- merly infiruíled in. such is the whole rMatter of the Priefthood and Sa- crifices of the Law,of the Tabernacle, and litenftls of it, ofthe old Covenant,of thegiving of the Law, the Commands, Precepts, and sanîiions of it in its Pro- mises and breatnings, Rewards and Punishments. Hereunto alfa he adds a remembrance of thecall ofAbraham, with the flareand condition of the peo- ple from thence unta the giving of the Law, with funky things of the like nature. Without a competentcomprehenfion of, andacquaintance with theft things, and their relation to the Will and tVarfhip of God, it is altogether ist vain for any one toimagine, that they mayarriveunta any clear cinderfland- ing of the mindof the HolyGhaft in this portion of scripture. Now as Ibadobserved, that the Considerationand Explanation of themhad been too muchnegletled by the generalityofExpofitors, fo I quickly found, that to infisi at large upon them, andaccording as their weight Bethdeferve, in the particular places, wherein the v.2tention of them cloth occurr, would too often, and too much divert me from the purfalt of the efpeclal defsgn of the Apofile in thole places and difenable the Reader from carrying on the tendency of the whole in the perufai of it. To prevent both which inconveniencies, I fixed upon the course the Reader will find infilled on; namely , to handle them all severally, and apart, inprevious Exercitations. Having given this general Account of my defsgn and purpose in the en- fuingDifcoorfesg fame few requesis unto the Reader /hall absolve him from farther attendance in this entrance. Firfi ¡mull beg his Candid Intepreta- lion of the reporting of fume of thole Jew íh Fables and Traditions whichhe will
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