AGAIN.

(he adds, after pointing out this, as the cause, of all their past and present misfortunes,) if so be, that ye will subdue your own understanding, and reform your hearts, ye shall be kept alive, and after death shall obtain mercy; for After death shall the judgment come, when we shall LIVE Still stronger in chap. vii. where Esdras is represented, as supposing, that man had better not have been, he is made to urge, for what profit is it unto us, if there be promised an IMMORTAL time,whereas we have done the works that bring death? For while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not, that we should BEGIN to suffer for it, AFTER death. Then, answered He me, and said; this is the condition of the battle, which man that is born on earth shall fight; that, if he be overcome, he shall suffer, as thou hast said; but, if he get the victory, he shall receive the thing that I say. For this is the LIFE whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying, Choose thee life that thou mayest live.

All these quotations declare evidently the same doctrine, in exact accordance with the spirit of the New Testament.

When the whole of these books were written, it is impossible to ascertain, but, it is sufficient for our purpose to be assured, that many of them were extant, long before the birth of our Saviour. (VI)

We now turn to the sacred Scriptures; Search ye out of the book of the Lord and read. Throughout the Gospel age, and during the centuries which occupied the intermediate time to the ministry of Malachi, the doctrine of a future state was held as no new communication; and, it appears from the very numerous allusions, which will be brought forward, that these views of the Life spoken of by Moses, were always the same, amongst the believing in the Jewish nation, even from the first, written, revelation. We shall then, rather find these doctrines alluded to, and insisted on in general partially, (as would be the case, if no doubt had existed, that Moses ought always to be understood as revealing them,) than held forth, or introduced, with all the solemnity, that usually distinguished every new revelation from the Deity, by the mouths of his Prophets. Nor, should

it be overlooked, that those holy men invariably assert their own title to credit only, and solely, on the grounds, that they are sent by the same God, who through Moses, promulgated His law; and, that the chief view and object, of all their missions, was, to turn the people back again to that law, which they had transgressed, and forsaken. The last words of Malachi, prove this: Remember ye the LAW of MOSES my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. It should be also stated that the peculiar objects, and application of the prophecies, is not now our inquiry; further, than, as they affect, the doctrine of life eternal. Wherever the promised Seed is referred to, that promise, of necessity, implies a future state; nor, were the people of God ignorant, that this was to be looked for, more than any temporal Redeemer. Simeon, and Anna, when past all hope, believed in hope even of eternal life; praying to depart in peace, since they had seen the salvation of God, through whom His people should be redeemed,

with themselves, even from the power of death. Nor, were they alone in this faith, for they spake of Jesus to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem'. After the crucifixion of the Lord, also, when all hope, seemed to many, to have perished, Joseph of Arimathea displayed a courage, and a faith, in demanding before all his enemies the body of Jesus, which could only have arisen, from his firm belief, in the spirituality of Christ's kingdom. (VII) But beyond all this, they, were clearly inexcusable, who could not gather, from the simple words of the Prophets, unconnected with their hidden meaning, the certainty of a future state; and that, moreover, of rewards and punishments.

Following the same argument, and answering the objections in the same manner, as had been done by other Prophetic writers, we find Malachi, thus stating the fact of a future life, in a clear and decisive manner. Ye say, it is in vain to serve the Lord; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord

1 Luke ii. 38.

of Hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then, they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a Book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared, and thought upon His name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his OWN SON that serveth him. Then shall YE (said the Lord by the Prophet, to these righteous mourners of that day) return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto YOU (this positive personality of the Prophetic promises, is always to be observed) that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and