r ever, and my holy name shall
the house of Israel no more defile," &c.

Towards the end of the same chapter we read an account of the
dedication of this new Temple by sacrifices; and particular
directions are given in the succeeding chapters for the Priests, and
for the Prince. If, therefore, there be any truth in these prophecies,
the Jews are not only to return to their own country, and to be
distinguished among the nations, but are to rebuild the Temple, and
to restore the ancient worship.

Having proved that the Old Testament declares the perpetuity of
the Mosaic Law, I proceed, 2dly, to prove that it is declared to be
perpetual by Jesus himself.

But before I adduce my proofs, I beg leave to premise, that when
any Law is solemnly enacted, we expect that the abrogation of it
should be equally solemn, and express, in order that no room for
dispute may remain upon the subject. Accordingly, it is the
custom, I believe, in all countries, not to make any new Law,
contradictory to another before subsisting, without a previous
express abrogation of the old one. And certainly it appears to me a
strange notion to suppose, that the elaborate and noble Law given
from mount Sinai amidst circumstances unexampled, awful, and
tremendously magnificent, and believed to have been declared by
the voice of God to be a perpetual and everlasting Code, should
vanish, perish, and be annihilated by the mere dictum of twelve
fishermen!!

But the fact is otherwise, for Jesus was so far from teaching the
abrogation of that law, that he expressly says--" Think not that I
am come to destroy the law, or the Prophets, I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and
earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled." This is a most explicit declaration that not the
smallest punctilio in the law of Moses was intended to be set aside
by the Gospel. Nay more, he expressly commanded his disciples to
the same purpose--"The Scribes and Pharisees (says he,) sit in
Moses' seat; all therefore whatsoever they command you, that
observe, and do."

It is said in answer to this by Christian Divines, that his discourse
relates to things of a moral nature, and that he only meant, that no
part of the Moral Law was to be abolished. But besides that the
expression is general, there could be no occasion to make so
solemn a declaration against what he could not have been
suspected