The fings to his people, we may justly conclude, that all spiritual bleffings are intended. promife of God's being an enemy unto his people's enemies, was alfo a renovation of the firft promife; and, as it had been engroffed in the Abrahamic covenant, fo likeways in this one; fo that the whole fabric might be regularly advanced, and no part of it omitted, or fuperfeded by future grants. As to the promife of God's being an adverfary unto his people's adverfarics, it is readily granted that the nations of Canaan are mentioned in the context; but thefe were typical of fpiritual foes: And there is nothing in the promife to bear down the fenfe of it merely to the type. If the original text be carefully examined, it will be found to coincide with other promifes, which are confefledly of more extenfive import *. 3. AT this time God also faw meet to renew the promife of the Melliah, giving a pre or cultivate that doctrine: Hence, if this obfervation be to the purpose, he meant to conclude, that our Saviour did not argue from what Mofes TAUGHT, but from what he BELIEVED. The very reverfe is the truth, however; for Chrift argued exprefsly from what Mofes taught by the Scriptures which he wrote, without a fyllable about what conftituted his perfonal belief. * The original word 'nas), in Exod. xxiii. 22. is the root of 28, in Gen. iii. 15. The fenfe appears to be the fame in both texts, as the former contains the advancement of a work begun in the latter. diction diction of his work, efpecially his perfonal ministry: "And all the people faw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain fmoking: and when the people faw it, they removed, and ftood afar off. And they faid unto Mofes, Speak thou for us, and we will hear: but let not God fpeak unto us, left we die *."-"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye fhall hearken: According to all that thou defiredft of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the affembly, faying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me fee this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord faid unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee †." That this promife belongs unto this tranfaction cannot be difputed, as the infpired hiftorian afcertains even the day on which it was made: That it belongs unto the Meffiah is equally certain, from the exprefs application of it unto him in the New Teftament. It was upon the foot of this promife, along with others, I prefume, that the Jews expected a great teacher to come from God in the days of Chrift's perfonal miniftry: And all who waited for the confolation of Ifrael found that * Exod. xx. 18. 19. Dent, xviii. 15-18. their expectations were not in vain. Jefus of Nazareth was a minifter of the circumcifion for the truth of God, to confirm the promifes made unto the fathers. The analogy between Mofes and Christ has not escaped the observation of divines in every period of the Chriftian Church*: But it is befide our purpofe to enlarge upon it. As this declaration contained a promife of the Meffiah, it was a renovation of thofe promifes respecting an extraordinary Seed, which had been made in almoft every foregoing tranfaction: As it delineated his office, it was an additional measure of light which was, at this time, reflected on the promife. The first promife conveyed the idea of the Redeemer as a facrificing prieft: Various after promifes reprefented his regal dignity: But this was the first exprefs declaration of his prophetic character. This was not the firft time Chrift had difcharged the prophetic office, indeed; for all the appearances which the Son of God made, and all the revelations he had given, belonged unto the difcharge of this office.-But it might be enquired, How the oracle is fulfilled in Jefus of Nazareth, feeing a prophet is exprefsly promifed unto them, as raifed up UNTO THEM: The Lord thy God will raife up UNTO THEE A PROPHET," &c. To remove this feeming Among the ancients, the reader may confult Eufeb. Demonftrat. Evangel. if he has opportunity: And among the moderns, Jortin's remarks on Ecclef. Hift. Dr Newton on Prophecy, p. 158. &c. difficulty, difficulty, the things following merit our attention: Firft, Chrift was raifed up in his types, even unto that people. The order of prophets was defigned not only for the inftruction of that generation in which they lived; but alfo for a representation of the prophetic office of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Secondly, Though the diftance of time between the giving of the oracle and the full accomplishment of it was great, yet it was accomplished to the fame people (in their feed and fucceffors) unto which it was given. This promife, then, was an additional fecurity, that Ifrael fhould be a people until that prophet fhould be raised. As the fceptre could not depart from Judah until the Shiloh fhould come; fo Ifrael could not ceafe from being a people until this prophet fhould arife: Hence, he came while the typical economy lafted: He was a minifter of the circumcifion. Thirdly, Chrift difcharged his prophetic office by the fpecial teaching of the Holy Ghost, though he was given with a fparing hand, even unto gracious perfons, under that dark œconomy. 4. GOD renewed the promife of Canaan, with victory over the Canaanites, as well as the profperous enjoyment of their lands: "Mine angel fhall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebulites and I will cut them off."-" He thall blefs thy bread and thy water; and I will take take ficknefs away from the midst of thee. There fhall nothing caft their young, nor be barren in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil *." This promife is a renovation of one of thefe made to Abraham; therefore, I fhall not stay to illuftrate it: Only I may obferve, that the facred hiftory, particularly of Joshua, fhews how punctually it was accomplifhed. III. I SHALL now enquire if thefe promifes were conditional. It has been faid, that this tranfaction cannot be the Covenant of Grace, as the promifes of this covenant are abfolute; whereas the promifes of that tranfaction were conditional. To examine the juftice of this allegation, it may be obferved, 1. THE Conditions of thefe promifes are promifed in other grants, without any condition, or limitation what foever: For example, if, in the beginning of this tranfaction, it be faid, "If ye will obey my voice indeed,' and keep my covenant, then ye fhall be a peculiar treafure," &c. It is alfo faid, "The Lord thy God will circumcife thine heart, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart.-And thou fhalt return and OBEY the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I com * Exod. xxiii. 23, 25, 26. + Differt. 11. Part 2. * Exod. xix. 5. |