354 Chri/tianity loth not deftroy, Vol. 1. the Jewifh Religion teacheth, may be refer'd. I am not come to de(iroy but tofu1l5 tocarry on the fame Defign which was intended by the Jewifh Religion, and to perfe& and accompliffi it; to fupply all the defe&s and weakneffes and imperfe - &rons of that Difpenfation ; this is the plain meaning of this caution and decla- ration ofour Saviour's 5 Think not, &c. For the clearing ofthis Matter, viz. That the DefignofourSaviour's Do&rine and Religion, is not contrary to thofe former Revelations, which God made to the Jews by Mofesand the Prophets ; this will evidently appear, whether we confider the Prophefies and Predi&ions of theOld Teftament, or the Lawsand Precepts there- in contained. Firfl, the Prophefies and Predictions of the Old Teßament ; our Saviour carne not to contradiff andoverthrow thefe; but to fulfil them. The chief Predißions of the Law and the Prophets were concerning the Meffias, and his Spiritual King- dom. In the Law it was foretold, that God mould raife to them a Prophet like unto Mofes, whom they ought to hear and obey ; and to hint all the Prophet, of the Old Teflamentgave witnefs, foretelling the time of his coming, hisextraßion, theman- ner and circumßances of his Birth, the Purity and Efficacy ofhis Doßrine, the Aetions and Miracles of his Life, his Paffion, Death, and Burial, with thepar- ticular Circumflances of them, his Refurre&ion from the Dead, and his Afcen- fion into Eleaven, and Exaltation at the right hand of God ; fo that this part of the Law andProphets he did accomplifh and fulfil in a moßeminent and remarkable manner; all things that the Prophets had foretold concerning the Meffìas, were punt-Wally made good in the Perlon, and A&ions, andSufferings of our Saviour. Secondly, As to the Laws and Precepts of the Jewifh Religion, the Doßrine and the Laws of Chriftianity did not clath with them ; nor properly abrogate them, and make them void, efpecially as to the Moral Precepts, which were the very Life and Spirit, the ultimate Scope and Defign of that Religion ; nay, fo far was it fromdoing fo, that the main and proper intention of Chrißianity, was to clear, and efablifb that, whichwas the main defign of the Law and Prophet,, to perfetï the Law in this part, and to raife and advance Morality to its higheß pitch, to fup- ply all the defe&s and imperfe&ions of the Jewifh Religion, and to make Men much betterthan that weak and imperfe& Inftitution was able to do. This was the great Defign of Chrißianity ; and it is very probable that our Saviour had a principal, if not a foie refpeft to the Precepts of the Moral Law, when he here fays, that he came not to defiroy the Lawand the Prophets, but to perfect and full them ; as I (hall have occafion by and by to thew more at large. But that we may give a full Anfwer to the Objeßionof the Jews againß this Saying of our Saviour's, I (hall fhewthat he didnot come to thwart and contradict, and properly to abrogate and make void the Jewifh Law, in any part ofit, neither the Civil and Judicial, nor the Ritual and Ceremonial, much lets the Moral and Na- tural Precepts of it. This is more than I think to be abfolutely neceffary, to recon- cile this Saying ofour Saviour with the reft ofhis Do&rive and Aßions, for tho' he had properly abrogated the Ceremonial Law, and in no fenfe fu ll'd it ; yet, not- withßandingthis, it may be true, that he came not to deflroy the Law and the Pro- phets ; that is, to deflroy the obligationofMoralDuties, which he (peaks of in this Chapter, and elfewhere declares to be the ultimate fcope, the fumand fubßanceof theLaw and theProphets; For if the Ceremonial Law was not defigned by God tobe perpetual, but to give way to a moreperfeltdifpenfation; then ourSaviour did no way thwart and contradict the Lawand the Prophets; by abrogating the Ceremonial Law, at that time, when God defignedthat a period fbould be put to it. But yetfor the fuller fatisfa&ion to this Objeßion, I {ball {hew thatour Saviour did not properly abrogate any part ofthe jewifl, Law, nonot the Ritual and Ceremonialpart ofit; but didfullit. Firff, Not theirCivil and judicial Laws. Thefe in the original intention ofthem, were not Laws defigned for Mankind, but fuited and fitted to the difpofition and temper, the Condition and Circumßancesof a particular People and Nation ; to thefe our Saviour taught obedience, and paid it himfelf, and never did any thing contrary to them, nor in the leali weaken the obligation of them; but they conti- nued in full force, 'till that Nation and Common-wealth was diffolved. So that thefe Laws were no way impeached or abrogated by the Chrißian Religion; but
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