IOW Holy things, types ©f Chris, ordinances, would wonder what the Lord meant to en- joine fo many, and (as reafon would judge) foneedleffe inilitutions to his owne people; of which they can make nothing by curfory, carfeby confederate reading. And hence ( whereas the Jews were fo fuperilitioufly obfervant of the bookes of /tops, as that they had at their fingers endsa great num'er not of the precepts onely, but of the letters and pricks of every booke and chapter : ) Chriflians ( unleffe it be in point of hiftory ) alrnoft relec`t the booksof c2lofes ; not for their credit and truth, but for their utilityand Life, as not touching them. But to him that readethand confidereth will ap- Vie of lell peace : 1. How truelyour Saviour affirmeth ( Job.e. legalt that Mofes w ote ofhim : partly by promilés and ceremonies. prophecies, and partly cefcribing him in figures and fha- dews ; fo as, had the Jews beleeved c tofes, they had alfa beleeved in him : But rejecting Mofes (not in the general!; for generally they beleeved him, and magni- fied him as their greateft Prophet : but) in the fpeciall prophecies and promífes concerning the individual_l perfon of Chrift ; therefore they could not beleeve in jefus Chrift. 2. How aptlyand wifely themoil wife God didaccommodate himfelfe to this people,inloding themwith fo manyburdenforne ceremonial! conflituti- ons, and yet not one ofthem in vaine. For, r, Con- fider the nature of the people ; it was rudeand dull, and needed corporali and external! elements and rudiments tohelpe them. Befides it was not onelynaturally fttper- ititious, and addiaed to idolatry : but had lived fome Centuriesof yeares in Egypt, andwas infeetedwith E- gyptian rites. And further, they were now to goe into the landofthe Canaanites,andwere in danger to learne their fa(thions, Dent. 4. 16 : And therefore the Lord would prefcribe to their whole life (both in facredand civili things ) abundanceofCeremonies ; whereby their fettles fhould beexercifed, their faithexcited, their obe- dience 201 ------ FitneiTc to the Jews nature.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=