the Roman Hiftorian, makes this to be the chief Reafon for the Jewish Practice of Circumcifion, when fpeaking of the Jews he fays, that Circumcifion was inftituted to preferve the fews as a diftinct People.

And about 400 Years after that, when the Progeny of Abraham was grown to be very numerous, it pleafed God to give them by the Mediation of Mofes a sett of Laws peculiar to themselves, fuited and adapted to their particular Circumftances; with an Intent to preferve them from being contaminated with the fuperftitious Ceremonies, and idolatrous Practices of their Neighbours: Wherein, among feveral others, the Command given to Abraham was renewed, and the Reason thereof more fully explained, by poffitively prohibiting all familiar Intercourfe, and efpecially Marriage, with the neighbouring Nations: This very Reafon being affigned for it by Mofes, leaft they fhould turn the Children of Ifrael to ferve other Gods. And

C

for

*See Gen. xxxiv. 14, and compare it with Exod. xxxiv, 16, Deut, vii. 3, i. Kings, xi, 2.

for this Reafon alfo, it was that God † by Mofes, appointed but one Place of publick Worfhip for the Nation of the Jews, where they fhould offer up their Oblations and. their Sacrifices, and where Juftice and Judgment fhould be adminiftred unto them, which must be inconfiftent with the extenfive Views of the Meffiah.

But in length of Time, as the World grew more wife, and did by long Expcrience difcover many of the Cheats and Frauds of Magicians and Negromancers, and pretended Oracles; and Men by acquiring a better* Knowledge of the Planetary Syftem and of physical and secondary Caufes, began to enquire after a first Caufe; then did Idolatry begin to abate of its Force, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles; many of whom, and in particular Cicero, wrote a Treatife 1800 Years ago, ridiculing all the pretended Forms of Divination, and acknowledging the Decay of oracular Determinations,

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and

+ Deut. xii. 5, 6. xvii. 8 &c. It was Julius Cæfar who first rectified the Roman Calendar, fo as to bring it near the Form in which it now is. § Cic. de Divin, and Nar Dear, as alfo Plutarch de Defe, Orac

and the imaginary Forms and Denomina❤ tions of their Deit es: And at the fame Time the Græcians had erected Altars to the unknown God. By which Means the Danger of their Converfation being in fome Degree removed, and their Minds being prepared for the Reception of a truer System of Divinity, thofe feperating Laws which inhibited the Jews from the Communication of Mankind, became useless; and the reft of the World being ready and prepared to receive and acknowledge the Belief of the one true God, it seems reafonable that the Partition Wall between Jew and Gentile fhould be broken down, and the Knowledge of the one true and invifible God, which had hitherto been preferved among the Jews alone, fhould be communicated through them to all Mankind.

And that the Information not only of the Jews, but of Mankind in general, in the Knowledge of true Religion, was one of the wife Purposes for which the Mef fiah was to be fent into World is manifeft from the Prophet Isaiah, when speaking C 2

of

of the Meffiah in the Name of God, he fays, Bebola my Servant whom I uphold, mine Elect, in whom my Soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him, he fall bring forth Judgment to THE GENTILES. I the Lord have called thee in Righteouf nefs, and will hold thine Hand, and will keep thee, and will give thee for a Covenant of THE PEOPLE, for a Light of THE GENTILES. And again the fame Prophet fayeth, And now faith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his Servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that § Ifrael may be gathered to him, and that I may be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord, and my God fhall be my Strength. And he faid is it a fmall Thing that thou Shouldft be my Servant, to raise up the Tribes of Jacob, and to restore the || Captivity of Ifrael? I ALSO WILL GIVE THEE TO BE A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, THAT THOU MAYEST BE MY SALVATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. And hence

In the Hebrew,

*Ifai. xlii. 1, 6. Ifai. xlix. 5, 6. and fhall not Ifrael be gathered? So the Sept. Verfion and the Targum of Jonatban render it.

hence it is that the Jewish Rabbins themfelves are forced to acknowledge that the Gentiles are to be faved by the Meffiah, as well as the Jews. And to this Purpose you may find it expreffed in that Midras, which is entitled Berefbith Rabba, where on the xli Chapter, Rabbi Aha makes this Reflexion, "Can it be faid that the Re"deemer is a respecter of Perfons? Far "from us be fuch an Imagination. For he "will fave and deliver all Perfons who "confide in him, in Thought Word and "Deed. For fo the Prophet Ifaiah faith, "in Chap. xlv. Look unto me and be saved, "all ye Ends of the Earth. And again he "faith, For unto me svery Knee fall bow,

every Tongue fball fwear. And in the "xxix. Chapter, faith I will also give thee "for a Light to the Gentiles, that thou mayeft be my Salvation, to the Ends of "the Earth, &c." And to the fame Purpofe you will alfo find the Sentiments of R Juda, in the Talmud, under the Head Maffecheth bicurim.

Whenever therefore the Meffiah cometh, for whether he be yet come or not, I do