future rewards, and punishments, as confirming the revealed precepts of the Law, and of the Prophets. The mild, the more than merciful, the tender character of our Saviour, preclude the possibility of his having passed this decisive judgment, but on the surest, and most indubitable, grounds. From the varied internal evidence adduced, (which might be yet greatly extended,) it is altogether undeniable, that the Jews clearly understood, that Moses spoke of an Eternal Life; and that, they, moreover, well knew, that the keeping or transgressing of the Law of God, was to be followed, by far more, than temporal, consequences. Nor is the evidence partial; the whole of the Writers of the New Testament, the Rulers, the High Priests, the teachers, the Scribes, and Nation of the Jews, with the exception of one sect, did understand and explain Moses as conveying the Promise of an Eternal Life; and if so, it is scarcely necessary to add that eternal consequences must have been attached, as we see they were, in their own unbiassed opinions, unto their Law. Their great,

C

and fatal error, was, that they trusted solely in themselves; that, they looked no farther than to their own sinful, and imperfect, obedience, vainly fancying in their presumption, that they could do and LIVE:-being ignorant of God's Righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit themselves to the Righteousness of God1, overlooking the Promise, and the constant, and daily, necessity of Atonement, by sacrifice, they regarded not all the warnings of their God, as He spake by the mouths of his Holy Prophets which have been since the world began, that the just, (that is, the obedient to their God,) shall LIVE by Faith.

But, was this any novel doctrine, artfully introduced, in later ages, by their rulers? Revelation clearly proves that it was not; and even reason, and experience, would equally answer in the negative. Is it probable, is it possible, that the peculiar People to whom were committed the Oracles of God, should ever have been

1 Rom. x. 3.

nationally ignorant of a truth, which Universal Humanity has received, as if by acclamation, and which cannot be traced to any one, original, mortal teacher: which, in fact, descended equally to all Nations, from the First Parents of Mankind; to whom, as the WORD of LIFE, it was doubtless revealed by the Almighty? However obscured the doctrine of a future state may be, by fable and superstition, it has yet, amongst the wrecks of true religion, (committed to all Mankind, originally,) been always, Providentially preserved in the mind of man; his conscience bearing witness with his spirit, to its reality. Nor, could such a thought have ever entered therein, untaught by a Superior Intelligence.

Had these doctrines been innovations moreover, unsupported by the Prophets and Moses, it is literally impossible that the Jews would ever have embraced them without a struggle, which would have been remarked in their history; ready, at all times, as they were, to die for their Law, and proving by their very contempt of death, throughout all the ages of their

existence as a Nation, their thorough belief, in a future immortality. No writer, Sacred, or profane, mentions the rise of this doctrine amongst them; which, from this singular silence even, we may fairly suppose, was never disputed, till the appearance of the Sadducees (IV). In fact, Josephus, the Jewish historian, clearly refers it, as does the Gospel, to no less ancient Revelations, than those of Moses.

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Every good man (saith he in the 11th B. against Apion) has his own conscience bearing witness to himself:-and by virtue of our Lawgiver's Prophetic Spirit, and of the firm security God Himself affords to such an one; he believes, that God hath made this grant to those who observe these Laws, even although they be obliged readily to die for them; that they shall come into being again; and, at a certain revolution of things, shall receive a better life than they had enjoyed before; nor, would I venture to write this at this time, were it not well known to all (V) by our actions, that many of our People have at many times, bravely resolved to endure any sufferings, rather

than to speak one word against our Law." While, elsewhere, he as plainly asserts, that "those who live viciously in this life are to be detained in an everlasting prison';" and again, are to be received by the darkest place in Hades 2. It might be urged, that mankind do not readily heap penalties, and wrath, upon themselves; but, are notoriously anxious, rather to free themselves from the evil consequences attendant on their sins, and even to conceal these, if possible, from themselves, than, willingly, to embrace, uncontrolled by Divine Truth, a belief in threatenings, which, besides punishment on earth, include the tremendous penalties of no less than Almighty indignation and vengeance; and that, for no shorter period, than an Eternity of tribulation, and anguish, and woe.

How is it, then, that it ever has been asserted, that the Jews knew not always, that there was a future existence of rewards and punishments? How is it, that we, who live in a far distant Age and

1 Antiq. xviii. c 3.

2 Jewish War, b. 3. c. viii.