3. If the Christian dispensation has superceded the Mosaic, in the manner that has been represented; then there appears an entire harmony between the Old Testament and the New. "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The law of Moses was designed to prepare the way for the gospel. All the rites, ceremonies and institutions under the Mosaic dispensation, were appointed for the particular purpose of preparing the way for the christian dispensation; and they completely answered their original design. There is the same connection between the law and the gospel, or between the Mosaic and Christian dispensation, as there is between means and ends, which is not only a necessary, but visible connection. We can see how the Mosaic law prefigured Christ and how he completely fulfilled it, by his birth, life, sufferings and death. The connection between the Old and New Testament is as plain and visible, as the connection between any other cause and effect. None but God was capable of forming such a system of means, which should continue to operate, through the long period of two thousand years, before they brought about the great and glorious event of the crucifixion of Christ and the gospel dispensation. The connection between the types of Christ and his character and conduct, cannot, with the least probability, be ascribed to mere chance and accident. There is not a stronger argument in favor of the truth and divinity of both the Old and New Testament, than their visible connection with each other, as cause and effect.

4. It appears from what has been said, that the evidence of the truth and divinity of the Christian dispensation is constantly increasing, by means of the Mosaic dispensation. The more critically and impartially that dispensation is examined, the more clearly it will appear to have been typical of Christ and the gospel. The Jews acknowledge, that God spake unto Moses and inspired him to write the five books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

These books they have always regarded and read, as clothed with divine authority. And these books contain all the moral, civil and ceremonial laws, which were types of Christ, and which they have always applied to their expected Messiah. Though they now deny, that the person, character, conduct and sufferings of Christ answered to those types; yet the types and character and conduct of Christ still remain recorded in the Old and New Testament; and we have as good a right and opportunity, to compare the types with the great antitype, as the Jews have had and still have. And what if some of them did not believe, and do not yet believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? It is only for us to look into the Old Testament and read it, without the veil of prejudice and we may clearly discern the exact correspondence between the types and the glorious persons typified. The Old Testament, at this day, is too little read and studied by Christians. It is full of instruction and contains the most infallible evidence of the truth and divine inspiration of the New Testament. Who can read the various sacrifices, oblations, purifications and ceremonies under the law and not perceive them to be types and shadows of good things to come? Or who can read the fifty third chapter of Isaiah and not perceive a plain prediction of the sufferings and death of Christ? It is very difficult to prove the inspiration of the Old Testament without the New and the inspiration of the New Testament without the Old. But by reading them both and comparing them together, it is easy to see, that they visibly bear the signature of their divine Author. If the inspiration of the Old Testament be allowed, the inspiration of the New cannot be denied ; and if the inspiration of the New Testament be allowed, the inspiration of the Old cannot be denied. The more both the Old and New Testament have been read, studied and explained, ever since the commencement of the gospel dispensation, the more clearly and fully has the divine authority of both been confirmed.

5. If the Christian dispensation has entirely superceded the Mosaic, then there is no propriety, at this day, in reasoning from the Mosaic dispensation to the Christian. This mode of reasoning has been the source of innumerable errors in opinion and practice. How many have been led to conclude, that the doctrine of passive obedience and non-resistance to civil authority is true and ought to be believed and practised, by Christians under the gospel; because this doctrine was taught and believed under the law? How many have argued in favor of a lineal succession of gospel ministers from the apostles to this day; because there was a lineal succession of the priesthood under the law? How many have argued in favor of three orders in the gospel ministry; because there were three orders in the ministry under the law namely, Levites, Priests and high Priest? How many have argued in favor of an ecclesiastical Hierarchy in the Christian Church; because there was such an Hierarchy in the Jewish Church, who had the supreme government of it? How many have argued in favor of dedicating new meetinghouses, because Solomon's temple was dedicated? How many have argued in favor of minister's officiating in sacerdotal robes, after the manner of the Jewish priests? Papists, Protestants, Episcopalians, Dissenters and Congregationalists have been disposed, more or less, to reason in this manner from the Mosaic to the Christian dispensation; but all such reasoning is vain and inconclusive, under the gospel dispensation. The Jews were taught passive obedience and non-resistance to their civil rulers, because they lived under a Theocracy or government of God, who appointed their civil rulers and gave them their civil authority. But the highest, as well as the lowest civil rulers, under the gospel dispensation, derive all their authority from their fellow men and not from God; and therefore those, who gave them authority, may take it away and refuse to obey them, when they make laws which are unjust, unscriptural, oppressive and tyrannical. There was a lineal succession in the priesthood under

the law. No man could be a high Priest, unless he could prove that he lineally descended from the family of Aaron; and no man could be a Priest, or Levite officially, unless he could prove, that he lineally descended from the tribe of Levi. You remember that after the Jews returned from the Babylonish captivity, numbers were set aside from their priesthood, because they could not prove, from an authentic register, their lineal succession in the priest's office. But under the gospel, the ministerial office is not confined to a person of any particular family, or particular nation; and therefore the Papists and Episcopalians are grossly erroneous in maintaining, that no man has a right to officiate as a minister of the gospel, unless he can prove that he has been ordained by one, who was ordained by another, in a lineal succession from the apostles. Under the law, the high Priest was the supreme officer in the Church of God, but we find no such officer appointed in the Church of God under the gospel. The Pope, therefore, is extremely arrogant and presumptuous, in claiming to be the supreme Head of the Christian Church, without any divine appointment, as though he were successor to the high Priest in the Jewish Church. The Episcopalians seem to imagine that there must be three distinct officers in the Church under the gospel, because there were three distinct officers in the Church under the law, who managed all ecclesiastical affairs, independently of all the private members of the Church. Just so, the Episcopalians have their Bishops, Priests and Deacons, who claim and exercise all ecclesiastical power, totally independent of the brotherhood. These Bishops also claim authority to decree all rites, forms, or modes of public worship. And it was the exercise of this arbitrary power, that brought about the separation between the Dissenters and Episcopalians; and that constrained our forefathers to flee from their native country, to this then land of barbarians. Such great and fatal errors, both

in Church and State, have flowed and continue to flow, from the absurd and fallacious mode of reasoning from the Mosaic dispensation, which has been completely abrogated by the gospel dispensation. If Christians would only see and avoid this palpable absurdity, it would prepare the way for the removal of Popery, Episcopalianism, Presbyterianism and all tyranny in Church and State.

This

6. If the Christian dispensation has completely superceded and abolished the Mosaic; then it is a great favour to live under the Christian dispensation. has unfolded the great mysteries, which lay hid under the dark dispensation of the law. Many of the truths of the gospel were covered and obscured by the various rites, ceremonies and typical sacrifices under the legal dispensation; they were mere shadows and not the substance of the great truths and good things to be made manifest by the gospel. The Jews had but a very imperfect knowledge of their own dispensation ; they did not look through the design of those rites and ceremonies and sacrifices, which they daily and yearly observed and which prefigured the atonement of Christ and the great doctrines, which were connected with it. But since the dayspring from on high hath visited us, and Christ has come and taken away the legal, and established the gospel dispensation, the great mysteries, which lay hid for ages, have been clearly unfolded ; and we can read the Old Testament, with an open and unveiled face, which casts a flood of light upon the new Testament. If the Jews were highly favoured and distinguished from the heathens, by having the Oracles of God contained in the law; then we are much more distinguished from both Jews and Gentiles, by having the Oracles of God contained in the gospel, put into our hands. It deeply concerns all real Christians to prize and improve the precious privileges of the gospel, by which they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Those, who live under the gospel, have vastly greater