A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

2. What by their Number, and what by their Nature, and the manner of exacting of them, they were made a Yoke which the People were never able to bear with any Joy or Satisfaction, Acts 15. 10. And this Yoke lay partly in the first place on their Consciences or the inner Man. And it consisted principally in two things. (1.) The multitude of Ceremonies and Institutions did perplex them, and gave them no rest. Seeing which way soever they turned themselves one Precept or other, positive or negative, touch not, taste not, handle not, was upon them. (2.) The Veil that was on them, as to their Use, Meaning, and End, increased the trouble of this Yoke. They could not see unto the End of the things that were to be done away, because of the veil, nor could apprehend fully the Reason of what they did. And it may be easily conceived how great a Yoke it was to be bound unto the strict Observation of such Rites and Ceremonies in Worship; yea, that the whole of their Worship should consist in such things, as those who made use of them did not understand the End and Meaning of them. And (2.) It lay on their Persons from the manner of their Imposition; as they were tied up unto Days, Times, and Hours, so their Transgression or Disobedience made them obnoxious to all sorts of Punishments and Excision it self. For they were all bound upon them with a Curse; whence every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Recompense of Reward, Chap. 2. 2. For he that despised Moses Law died without Mercy, Chap. 10. 28. which they complained of, Numb. 17. 12, 13. This put them on continual scrupulous Fears, with endless Inventions of their own to secure themselves from the guilt of such Transgressions. Hence the Religion of the Jews at present is become a Monstrous confused heap of vain Inventions and scrupulous Observances of their own, to secure themselves, as they suppose, from transgressing any of those which God had given them. Take any one Institution of the Law, and consider what is the Exposition they give of it in their Mishna, by their Oral Tradition, and it will display the Fear and Bondage they are in, though the Remedy be worse than the Disease. Yea, by all their Inventions they did but increase that which they endeavoured to avoid.

2. What by their Number, and what by their Nature, and the manner of exacting of them, they were made a Yoke which the People were never able to bear with any Joy or Satisfaction,