SERMON XII Chrift came to fulfil the Law. SERM, XII. MATTH. V. 17. Think not that I am come to deftroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil I HE ftrongest prejudice that lies against any revelation or doctrine is that of its novelty, that it difcovers itfelf all at once, without any connexion with former revelations, or dependence upon them; and efpecially if it be contradictory to any thing ever revealed before, or to the natural fentiments of reafon For this makes God inconfiftent with himself, who is immutable and the fame for ever. The Scribes and Pharifees faw the force of this objection, but they applied it wrong, John ii. 29. we know, fay they, that God fpake unto Mofes, but as for this fellow we know not from whence he is: Though Chrift allowed the law, and the prophets to SER M. be from God; though he argued from them, XII. and appealed to them at every turn, and allowed them all the force of divine revelations; yet they had a colour for the contrary, and that was enough for the fpirit of calumny: And therefore they gave it out amông the people, that the defign of his preaching was to leffen the authority of Mofes and the prophets; to render them null and void, and of no fignification, infomuch that they crucified him as a destroyer of what he came into the world to compleat and improve. For he tells us, in the words of the text, he came not to deftroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil them. And it is the greatest demonstration of christianity that he did fo, and of the excellency of the Gofpel. For thus it appears that what he taught was not totally concealed before, but a full and clear revelation of what had been delivered from the beginning, and opened by degrees in the feveral ages of the world, as men were capable of receiving it, and the exigencies of mankind required it: So that the revelations of the Gospel are so far from being contrary to any thing known by nature or revelation before, that they are pursuant to it; and they all combine together, to make up one continued difpenfation of providence for the falvation of man. The Gospel is in truth the filling up and intire compleX 4 ticn S ER M. tion of all that ever was fuggested by natural XII. light, or divine tradition from the creation of ww the world to the fulnefs of time. Now this raises fuch an evidence of the truth and excellency of christianity as `no imposture is capable of; for if it have not fuch proof of its coming from God, as no meer human inftitution hath, or can have; and if its doctrine and principles do not tranfcend allthat can be known or practifed by the light of nature, then it can claim no pre-eminence beyond all other religions; which puts the matter to a fhort iffue with Jews, and Heathens, or Moralifts. This is what I propose from those words, 2 concerning which it will be neceffary to premife, that by the law is meant here both the ceremonial, and the moral part of the law of Mofes: So that the natural order of treating of them feems to be this. 1. To confider how, and in what fenfe Chrift came to fulfil the ceremonial law. 2. How he came to fulfil the moral law, or the law of nature. 43. How he came to fulfil the Prophets. I fhall at prefent confine myself to the first of thefe, namely to confider how Christ came to fulfil the ceremonial law of Mofes, which was all typical and representative of him. Now in order to make it appear that Chrift was the end of the ceremonial law, i. e. that the whole defign and intent of it was to be a figure and reprefentation of him; and by that that means to be a demonstration of his divine SER M. miffion when he came, I shall instance only XII. in these three particulars. I. The ftructure of the Jewish tabernacle built by Mofes in the wilderness, fifteen hundred years before the coming of Christ. II. The great anniversary facrifice performed in it, the most folemn rite of the Jewish religion, and inftituted at the fame time. III. The celebration of the feaft of the paffover, appointed at the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Each of which is so contrived for that end, and calculated with such exactness and nicety to prefigure and represent the coming of our Saviour, that there is not the least room left for doubt; it is demonftration and full conviction to all who will weigh and confider them; those who will not muft remain in doubting and infidelity; and that infidelity will be fatal. And it muft ever be remembered, that God never proposes the convincing of any man's judgment, or the faving of his foul, who will not be at the pains to confider. I. The first thing I am to speak to is the ftructure of the Jewish tabernacle, which was a building, not by any voluntary dedication, but by God's immediate command and appointment; and the only one inftance of any building raised by immediate appointment and revelation from heaven, except that of the SE RIM. the temple, built in purfuance of the fame xxv. 9. Mofes was to make it according to all that God had fhewed him, according to the pattern of the tabernacle he faw in the mount; every minute part of it, and every thing contained in it, was perfectly reprefented to him in a pattern; which fhewed that fomething extraordinary was intended by it, and of great importance to mankind and that was no lefs than the typifying the falvation of man by the death of Chrift, and the full revelation of the great mystery of our redemption in him, It confifted of three parts, the outmoft was the court of the people, the next the fanctuary, the last and inmoft recefs was the holy of holies, In the first court was the altar of burnt offerings, which were all an emblem of that one great facrifice which was, to fatisfy for the fins of the world. The whole cuftom of facrifices could not poffibly have any other fignification; and the conftant use of burning them could not imply any thing else but to denote the fiery wrath and indignation of God against the fins of men, in the person of him who was to bear them in his own body. I fay the wit of man can give no other rational account of the cuftom of burnt offerings, which prevailed fo univerfally till the time of Chrift. This altar was placed in the outer court, to reprefent the death and paffion of Christ, |