SERMON LI. 359 TheSecond Sermon on this Text. Chriftianity doth not deftroy, but perfe& the Law of Mofes. MATTHEW V. 17. Think not that I am come to defiroy the Law or the Prophets. lamnot come to defray, but to ful. IHave confider'd this Sayingof our Saviour's with refpeá to the Moral Law, and thofe Precepts which are of Natural and Perpetual force, and that our Saviour did not come either to diffolve or loofen the obligation of them ; for the illultration of which, I propounded to clear thefe three Points. Firfi, That the main and ultimatedefignof theLaw and the Prophets, was to en- gage Men to the practice of Moral Duties, that is, of real and Sub(lantialgood - nefs. Secondly, That the Law of Mofes, or the difpenfation of the Jewifh Religion, was comparatively very weak, and infufficient to make Men truly good, and in- effefual to promote inward and real Righteoufnefs. Thefe two points I have fpoken to. I (hall now proceed to the Third, Namely, that the Chriftian Religion doth fupply all the defects and weakneffes and imperfections of the Jewifh difpenfation. The Jewifh Religion had very confiderable advantages above the meer light of Nature, which was all that the Heathen World had to conduct them towards Eternal Happinefs ; the pray had the knowledge of the one true God, and very fignal and particular Teftimonies of the Divine Providence, which did naturally tend to beget in them good hopes of a future Life, and the rewards of anotherWorld ; they had the Natural Law revealed, and the main Precepts of it written with God's own hand, and by Mofes delivered to them ; by which means they had a more certain and diftiná knowledge of their duty ; they had Prophets frequently fent to them, to admonifh them of their Duty, and to ex- hort them to Repentance, and to warn them of approaching judgments. They had good encouragement given to hope for the pardon of Sin, by God's appoint- ment of feveral ways of expiation ; which, how unlikely foever they were to be available to the effectual expiation of Sin, yet they did fignifie that the Di- vine Nature was placable, and did feem to figure fome more effectual way, de- figned by God for that purpofe, that fhhould be exhibited in due time. And finally t "ey had molt exprefs promifes and threatnii gs of Temporal Bleffings and judgments, to encourage them in their obedience, and to deter them from the tranfgref(ion of God's Laws. Thefe Advantages the yews plainly had above the relt of the World, God did not deal fo with other Nations, neither had the Heathenfilch a knowledge of God's Laws. But notwithftanding this, the Jewifh Religion was very short and de- fective, very weak and ineffectual to the great end of Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs, and to raife Men to that perfection of goodnefs, of which Hu- mane Nature through the grace of God is capable ; and therefore there wanted a more perfect Inftitution, to fupply the defects and weaknefs and imperfection even of that Divine Revelation which God bath made to the Jews, and really to effect and accompli(h that which the Jewi(h Religion at-
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