The law therefore of _Moses_, as consisting of carnal ordinances, not only _makes nothing perfect_, but brings nothing new into the one covenant of redemption, but was only a temporary, provisional help, _added because of transgressions, till the promised seed should come_; that is, till the whole process of Christ, should in its last and highest degree of evidence manifest itself in all its parts. * _This law_ then no more belonged to the _true religion_ of the Old Testament, than of the New, neither did it ever stand _between_ these two dispensations, as in their stead. No: it was merely on the _outside_ of both, had only a temporary relation to the true religion, either before or after Christ, but was no more a _part_, or _instead_ of them _for a time_, than the hand that stands by the road, directing the traveller, is itself a part of the road, or instead of it. Now, tho’ the reason of man ought not to pretend to fathom all the depths of divine wisdom, in the whole of this _additional covenant_, yet two ends of it are apparent. _First_, To bring this corrupted people of _Israel_ into a new state of such observances, as might preserve them from the gross superstitions and idolatries to which they were too much inclined. And this, by a _ritual_ of such condescensions to their carnal minds, as might nevertheless be a school of restraints and discipline, full of such purifications, types, and figures, as gave much spiritual light and instruction, both backwards and forwards. Backwards, as truly significative of their fallen state, daily memorials of their lost purity and perfection: _forwards_, as variously pointing at _that promised_ victory over the serpent, which had been the constant faith and hope of their forefathers. _Secondly_, That by a theocracy added to this ritual, which shewed itself in a covenant of continual _care and protection_, openly blessing their obedience, and punishing their rebellion, and working all kinds of miracles in the overthrow of their enemies, not only they themselves, but all the rest of the world, might be forced to see and know, that there was no God, that had all power in heaven and on earth, but the one God of _Israel_. As to the _Israelites_ themselves, this temporal covenant was a great instance of God’s goodness towards them. For they were thus called out of idolatry, separated from the rest of the world, built into an holy church of God, put under a most amazing theocracy, indulged for a time with a ritual of carnal institutions, because of the hardness of their hearts, which ritual was full of every instruction by doctrines, types, figures and miracles, all shewing in the strongest manner, that they were to be heirs of the heavenly promises made to their forefathers.