xxxi. 13, 16. And further, that those Things which were instituted in Memory of the coming out of Egypt, are not such as ought never to cease, we have before shewn, from the Promise of much greater Benefits. To which may be added, that if the Law concerning Rest on the Sabbath, had been given from the Beginning, and in such a Manner as never to be abolished; certainly that Law would have prevailed over all other Laws, the contrary to which we now find. For it is evident (a) that Children were rightly circumcised on the Sabbath-Day; and while the Temple stood, (b) the Sacrifices were slain on the Sabbath-Day, as well as on other Days. The Hebrew Teachers themselves shew, that this Law is changeable, when they say that Work may justly be done on the Sabbath, at the Command of a Prophet, which they prove by the Example of the taking of Jericho on the Sabbath-Day by the Command of Joshua. And that in the Time of the Messiah, the Difference of Days should be taken away; some of them shew very well, from that Place of Isaiah lxvi. 23. where it is foretold, that there should be a continual Worship of God from Sabbath to Sabbath, from New Moon to New Moon.

SECT. XI.

And Circumcision of the Flesh.

WE come now to Circumcision, which is indeed ancienter than Moses; as being commanded to Abraham and his Posterity; but this very Precept was the Beginning of the Covenant de

(a) That Children were rightly circumcised, &c.] Thus the Hebrew Proverb: "The Sabbath gives way to Circumcision." See John vi. 22.

(b) The Sacrifices were slain, &c.] Numb. xxviii. 9.

clared

clared by Moses. Thus we find God said to Abraham, Genesis xvii. I will give unto thee, and to thy Seed after thee, the Land wherein thou art a Stranger, even the Land of Canaan, for an everlasting Possession; therefore keep my Covenant, thou and thy Seed for ever; this is the Covenant betwixt me and thee and thy Seed, every Male shall be circumcised. But we have before seen, that there was to succeed a new Covenant in the Room of this Covenant, such as should be common to all People; for which Reason the Necessity of a Mark of Distinction must cease. And this is further evident; that there was some mystical and higher Signification contained under this Precept of Circumcision; as as appears from the Prophets, when they command (a) the heart to be circumcised, to which all the Precepts of Christ tend. So likewise the Promises added to Circumcision, must of Necessity relate to something further: Namely, that of an earthly Possession, (b) to the Revelation of an everlasting Possession; which was never made more manifest than by Jesus; (c) and that of making Abraham a Father of many Nations; till that Time, when not only some few People, but innumerable of them, spread all over the World, should imitate that memorable Faith of Abraham towards God; which never yet came to pass, but by the Gospel. Now it is no Wonder, that when the Work is finished, the Shadow of the Work that was designed, should be taken away. (d) And that God's

(a) The Heart to be circumcised, &c.] Deut. x. 16. xxx. 6. Jer. iv. 4.

(b) To the Revelation, &c.] Heb. iv.

(c) And that of making Abraham a Father, &c.] Gen. xvii. 5. Rom. iv. 11, 13, 16, 17. Luke xix. 9. Gal. iii. 7.

(d) And that God's Mercy, &c.] Justin in his Dialogue with Tryphon, says, "Circumcision was given for a Sign, and

God's Mercy was not confined to this Sign, is from hence manifest; that not only those who lived before Abraham, but even Abraham himself, was acceptable to God before he was circumcised: And Circumcision was omitted by the Hebrews (a) all the while they journeyed through the Deserts of Arabia, without being reproved of God for it.

SECT. XII.

And yet the Apostles of Jesus easily allowed of those Things.

THERE was certainly very good Reason why the Hebrews should return their hearty Thanks to Jesus and his Ambassadors; in that he freed them from that heavy Burden of Rites, and secured their Liberty to them, (b) by Miracles and Gifts, no Way inferior to those of Moses. But yet they who first delivered this Doctrine, did not require this of them, that they should acknowledge such their Happiness; but if they would perform the Precepts of Jesus, which were full of all Virtue, they easily allowed them, in indifferent Things, (c) to follow what Course of Life they would; (d) pro"not for a Work of Righteousness." And Irenæus, Book IV, Ch. 30. "We learn from Scripture, that Circumcision is not "that which perfects Righteousness: but God gave it, that "Abraham's Posterity might continue distinguishable. For God "said to Abraham, Let every Male of you be circumcised, and "circumcise the Flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for a Sign of a Covenant betwixt you and me."

(a) All the while they journeyed, &c.] Josh. v. 5, 6.

()By Miracles and Gifts no Way inferior, &c,] R. Levi Ben Gerson, said, that the Miracles of the Messiah ought to be greater than those of Moses, which is most evident in the Dead restored to Life.

(c) To follow what Course of Life they would, &c.] Acts xvi. 3. xxi. 24. Rom. xiv. 1. 1 Cor. ix. 17. Gal. v. 6. Colos. iii. 2. (d) Provided they did not impose, &c.] Acts xv. Gal. i. 3. 6, 15. iv, 10. vi. 12.

vided they did not impose the Observation of it, as necessary, upon Strangers, to whom the Ritual Law was never given; which one thing sufficiently shews, that the Jews very unjustly reject the Doctrine of Jesus, under Pretence of the Ritual Law. Having answered this Objection, which is almost the only one commonly opposed to the Miracles of Jesus, we come now to other Arguments suited to convince the Jews.

SECT. XIII.

A Proof against the Jews, taken from their own Confession of the extraordinary Promise of the Messiah.

BOTH they and we are agreed, that in the Predictions of the Prophets, there is a Promise; that amongst the many Persons who should make known to the Jews, from Heaven, very great Advantages, there should be One, far exceeding the Rest, whom they call the Messiah; which, though a common Name, did more eminently agree to this Person only. We assert, that he came long since; they expect that he is yet to come. It remains therefore that we put an End to the Controversy, from those Books, the Authority of which is equally acknowledged by both.

SECT. XIV.

That he is already come, appears from the Time foretold.

DANIEL, (a) Testimony of whose great Piety Ezekiel affords us, could neither deceive us, nor

be

(a) Testimony of whose great Piety, &c.] xiv. 14. xxxviii. 13. Josephus concerning Daniel, at the End of the Tenth Book, says, "That the Spirit of God was with him." And

after

be deceived himself by the Angel Gabriel: And he, according to the Direction of the Angel, has left us upon Record, Chap. ix. that there should not pass above six hundred Years between the Publication of the Edict for rebuilding the City of Jerusalem (a) and the Coming of the Messiah. But there are above two thousand Years passed, since that Time to this Day, and he, whom the Jews expect, is not yet come; neither can they name any other, to whom that Time will agree. But it agrees so well to Jesus, that (b) a Hebrew Teacher, Nehemiah, who lived five hundred Years before him, said openly then, that the time of the Messiah, signified by Daniel, could not be deferred above five hundred Years. There is another Mark before hinted at, which agrees with this of the Time; and this is, (c) that a Government over all Nations should be appointed

afterwards, "That he was endued with every Thing in an "incredible Manner, as being one of the Greatest of Pro"phets. In his Life-time he was had in great Honour and "Esteem, both by the Kings and the People: And after his "Death he was had in everlasting Remenibrance; the Books "wrote by him, and left to us, we read at this Day, and their "Testimony convinces us, that he had a Communication with "God."

(a) And the Coming of the Messiah, &c.] The great Hebrew Doctors, such as Solomon Jarchi, Rabbi Josue, quoted by Abemesdas, and Saaida, agree, that the Son of Man in Daniel, is the Messiah: Thus Kabbi Josue, who saw the razing of the Temple, said that the Time of the Messiah was then past, as R. Jacob in Capthor testifies.

(b) A Hebrew Teacher, Nehemiah, &c.] Grotius ought to have told us whence he had this. If I remember right in some Epistle of his to his Brother William Grotius, he says he received it from a Jew. Le Clerc.

(c) That a Government over all Nations, &c.] R. Levi Ben Gerson tells us, that that Stone, by the Blow whereof that Image which represented the Empires should be broken to Pieces, was the Messiah. Rabbi Solomon, R. Abenesdras, and R. Saaida, say, that that Kingdom, which would consume the

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