In this (which is the last of the present Volume) I have attempted to clear up and vindicate the logical truth and propriety of Types in action, and secondary senses in speech: For on the truth and propriety of these depends the divine original of the ancient JEWISH PROPHECIES Concerning Christ. A matter much needing a support: For though the greater part of these Prophecies confessedly relate to Jesus only in a secondary sense, yet had some men of name, and in the interests of Religion, through ignorance of the true origin and nature of such senses, rashly concurred with modern Judaism and Infidelity, to give them all up as illogical and enthusiastic, to the imminent hazard of the very foundation of CHRISTIANITY.

In the progress of this inquiry, I had occasion to examine, and was enabled, on the principles here laid down, to confute Mr. Collins's famous Work of the Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion, one of the most able and plausible books ever written amongst us, against our holy Faith; he having borrowed the Argument, and stolen all the reasoning upon it, from the most sagacious of the modern Rabbins; who pretend that none of the Prophecies can relate to Jesus in any other sense than a secondary; and that a secondary sense is illogical and fanatical.-Had I done no more, in this long work, than explain and clear up, as I have done, this much embarrassed and most important question of the Jewish Prophecies which relate to Christ, and to the Christian Dispensation, I should have thought my time and labour well employed; so necessary to the very being of our holy Faith, is the setting this matter on its true foundation. Thus much may be said in favour of this large dissertation considered in itself alone: But, as part of the Argument of the Divine Legation of Moses, it has these more immediate uses :

1. To shew, that those who contend, that the Christian Doctrine of a future State was revealed to the early Jews,

destroy

destroy all use and reason of a secondary sense of Pro phecies; for how shall it be certainly known, from the Prophecies themselves, that they contain double senses, but from this acknowledged truth, that the old Law was preparatory to, and the rudiments of, the New? Or how shall this relation between these two Laws be certainly known, but from the evidence of this contested truth, that the Doctrine of a future state of Rewards and Punishments is not to be found in the Mosaic Dispensa tion? So close a dependence have all these capital Principles on one another.

2. The other more immediate reason for this Dissertation on Types and secondary Senses was this: As I had shewn, that a future State of rewards and punishments was not revealed under any part of the Jewish economy, otherwise than by those modes of information; it was necessary, in order to shew the real connexion between Judaism and Christianity (the truth of the latter Religion depending on that real connexion) to prove those modes to be logical and rational. For, as on the one hand, had the doctrine of life and immortality been revealed under the Mosaic economy, Judaism had been more than a rudiment of, and preparation to, Christianity; so on the other, had no covert intimations, at all, been given of the doctrine, it had been less: that is, the dependency and connexion between the two Religions had not been sufficiently marked out and ascertained. With this Dissertation therefore, so important in its use and application, the sixth and last Book of the second* Volume concludes.

Thus the READER, at length, may see how regularly, and intently, these two * Volumes have been carried on: For, though the AUTHOR (whose passion is not so much a fondness for his own conceived argument, as for the honour and support of Religion itself) hath neglected no fair occasion of inforcing every collateral circumstance, which might serve to illustrate the truth of Revelation

See p. 103. of this Vol,

in general; yet he never loses sight of his end, but as the precept for conducting the most regular works direct,

Semper ad eventum festinat.

This Volume too, like the first, I thought fit to publish alone, not merely for the same reason, that it was a complete and entire work of itself, which explained the nature and genius of the Jewish Constitution; but for this additional one, that it fairly ended and completed the Argument.

For the first Volume having proved the MAJOR, and the second Volume, the MINOR Propositions of the TWO SYLLOGISMS; my logic teaches me to think, that the CONCLUSION follows of course, viz. THAT THE JEWISH RELIGION AND SOCIETY WERE SUPPORTED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY PROVIDENCE.

Or put it in another light,--Having proved my three principal Propositions,

I. "That the inculcating the Doctrine of a future "State of rewards and punishments, is necessary to "the well-being of civil Society;

II. "That all mankind, especially the most wise and "learned nations of Antiquity, have concurred in believing, and teaching, that this Doctrine was of such use to civil Society;

46

III. "That the Doctrine of a future State of rewards "and punishments is not to be found in, nor did make part of, the Mosaic Dispensation;"

แ

The conclusion is, that therefore THE LAW OF MOSES IS OF DIVINE ORIGINAL.

A CONCLUSION which necessarily follows the premisses contained in these three propositions. Notwithstanding all this, the evidence of their truth proving so various, extending so wide, and having been drawn out to so great a length; What between inattention and prejudice, the Argument, here brought to its final issue, hath been generally understood to be left imperfect; and the Conclusion

of

THE

of it reserved for another Volume. Yet a very moderate share of reflection might have led the candid Reader to understand, that I had here effectually performed what I had promised, namely, TO DEMONSTRATE DIVINE LEGATION OF MOSES. For if it be indeed proved, That the Doctrine of a future state is necessary to the well-being of civil Society, under the ordinary government of Providence-That all mankind have ever so conceived of the matter-That the Mosaic Institution was without this support, and that yet it did not want it,-What follows but that the Jewish affairs were administered by an extraordinary Providence, distributing reward and punishment with an equal hand; and consequently that the MISSION OF MOSES WAS DIVINE?

However, the complaint against the AUTHOR, for not having performed his Convention with the Public, became pretty general. To which a great deal might be said, and perhaps to little purpose. The following Tale will put it in the fairest light. In a solemn Treaty lately concluded between the Governor of one of our American Provinces and the neighbouring Savages, it had, it seems, been stipulated, that the Settlement should supply those Warrior-Tribes with a certain number of good and serviceable Muskets. Which engagement was so ill performed, that at their next general meeting, the Chiefs of the Barbarians complained, that, though indeed the Colony had sent them the number of Muskets agreed upon, yet, on examination, they were all found to be without Locks. This mischance (occasioned by the Muskets and the Locks being put into two different cargoes), the Governor promised should be redressed. It was redressed accordingly; and the Locks sought out, and sent. He now flattered himself that all cause of umbrage was effectually removed; when, at their next meeting, he was entertained with a fresh complaint, that the Colony had fraudulently sent them Locks without Muskets. The truth was, this brave People, of unimpeached morals,

were

were only defective in their military Logic; they had not the dexterity, till they were first shewn the way, to put the major of the Musket and the minor of the Musketlock together; and from thence to draw the concluding trigger.

But then it will be said, "If, as is here pretended, the PREMISSES have been indeed proved, in these two Volumes, with all the detail which their importance required, and with all the evidence which a moral subject can supply; and the CONCLUSION, therefore, established with all the conviction which the Laws of logic are able to inforce; Why was another Volume promised? For no other end, as would seem, than to mislead a wellmeaning Reader, in the vain pursuit of an Argument already ended."

It was promised for a better purpose-To remove all conceivable objections against the CONCLUSION, and to throw in every collateral light upon the PREMISSES. For it is one thing to satisfy Truth; and another, to silence her pretended friends. He who defends Revelation has many prejudices to encounter; but he who defends it by Reason only, has many more.

III.

The THIRD and last Volume, therefore, is destined to SUPPORT what hath been already proved: not, as has been absurdly suggested, to continue and conclude an unfinished Argument.

It consists of three Books, like each of the preceding Volumes.

1. The seventh Book therefore is employed in sup→ porting the MAJOR and the MINOR Propositions of the first Syllogism in a continued History of the RELIGIOUS OPINIONS of the Jews, from the time of the earlier Prophets, who first gave some dark intimations of a different Dispensation, to the time of the Maccabees, when the Doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments was become national.

2

2. The