nifeft, than Mofes had done, he adds, that our Saviour had abolished or destroyed Death, or that ftate of mortality and extinction into which mankind had fallen by the tranfgreffion of Adam; and in which, they continued under the Law of Mofes, as appears from that Law's having no other fanction than temporal rewards and punishments. Now this ftate muft needs be abolished, before another could be introduced: confequently by bringing life and immortality to light, must needs be meant, the introduction of a new fyftem.

I will only observe, that the excellent Mr. Locke was not aware of the nature of the argument in queftion; and fo, on its mistaken authority, hath feemed to suppose that the Law did indeed offer immortality to its followers: This hath run him into great perplexities throughout his explanation of St. Paul's epiftles.

Thus we have at length proved our THIRD PROPOSITION, That the Doctrine of a future ftate of Rewards and Punishments is not to be found in, nor did make part of, the Mofaic Difpenfation; and, as we prefume, to the fatisfaction of every capable and impartial reader.

But to give thefe arguments credit with those who determine only by AUTHORITY, I fhall, in the laft place, fupport them with the opinions of three Proteftant Writers; but these Three worth a million. The first is the illuftrious GROTIUS-" Mo❝fes in Religionis Judaicæ Inftitutione, fi diferta

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Legis refpicimus, nihil promifit fupra hujus "vitæ bona, terram uberem, penum copiofum, "victoriam de hoftibus, longam & valentem fe

nectutem, pofteros cum bona fpe fuperftites.

Nam,

"Nam, SI QUID EST ULTRA, in umbris obtegi"tur, aut fapienti ac DIFFICILI ratiocinatione colligendum eft."

The fecond is the excellent EPISCOPIUS.---" In "tota Lege Mofaica nullum vitæ æternæ præ"mium, ac ne æterni quidem præmii INDICIUM

VEL VESTIGIUM extat: quicquid nunc Judæi "multum de futuro feculo, de refurrectione mor"tuorum, de vita æterna loquantur, & ex Legis "verbis ea extorquere potius quam oftendere co66 nentur, NE LEGEM MOSIS IMPERFECTAM ESSE COGANTUR AGNOSCERE cum Sadducæis; quos "olim (&, uti obfervo ex fcriptis Rabbinorum, hodieque) vitam futuri fæculi Lege Mofis nec promitti nec contineri adfirmaffe, quum tamen "Judæi effent, certiffimum eft. Nempe non nifi per Cabalam five Traditionem, quam illi in "univerfum rejiciebant, opinionem five fidem "illam irrepfiffe afferebant. Et fane opinionum, quæ inter Judæos erat, circa vitam futuri fæculi difcrepantia, arguit promiffiones Lege factas tales "effe ut ex iis certi quid de vita futuri fæculi non poffit colligi. Quod & Servator nofter non ob"fcure innuit, cum refurrectionem mortuorum "colligit Mat. XXII. non ex promiffo aliquo Legi "addito, fed ex generali tantum illo promiffo Dei, quo fe Deum Abrahami, Ifaaci, & Jacobi fu

turum fpoponderat : quæ tamen illa collectio magis nititur cognitione intentionis divinæ fub "generalibus iftis verbis occultatæ aut compre

henfæ, de qua Chrifto certo conftabat, quàm "neceffaria confequentia five verborum vi ac vir"tute manifeftâ, qualis nunc & in verbis Novi "Teftamenti, ubi vita æterna & refurrectio mor"tuorum proram & puppim faciunt totius Religionis

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"gionis Chriftianæ, & tam clarè ac difertè pro"mittuntur ut ne hifcere quidem contra quis "poffit".

And the third is our learned Bishop BULL:"Primo quæritur an in V. Teftamento nullum " omnino extet vitæ æternæ promiffum ? de eo « enim à nonnullis dubitatur. Refp. Huic quæ«ftioni optimè mihi videtur refpondere Auguftinus, diftinguens nomen Veteris Teftamenti: nam eo intelligi ait aut pactum illud, quod in "Monte Sinai factum eft, aut omnia, quæ in Mofe, Hagiographis, ac Prophetis continentur.

Si

« Vetus Teftamentum pofteriori fenfu accipiatur, "concedi FORSITAN poffit, effe in eo nonnulla «futuræ vitæ non obfcura indicia; præfertim in "Libro Pfalmorum, Daniele, & Ezekiele: quan66 quam Ivel in his libris clarum ac difertum æternæ "vitæ promiffum VIX AC NE VIX quidem reperias. "Sed hæc QUALIACUNQUE erant, non erant nifi præludia & anticipationes gratiæ Evangelicæ, 66 AD LEGEM NON PERTINEBANT. -Lex enim "promiffa habuit terrena, & terrena TANTUM. "Si quis contra fentiat, ejus eft locum dare, ubi æternæ vitæ promiffio extat; QUOD CERTE

IMPOSSIBILE EST.---Sub his autem verbis [legis "ipfius] Dei intentione comprehenfam fuiffe vitam "æternam, ex interpretatione ipfius Chrifti ejuf

que Apoftolorum manifeftum eft. Verùm hæc "non fufficiunt ut dicamus vitam æternam in "Fœdere Mofaico promiffam fuiffe. Nam primò "promiffa, præfertim Foederi annexa, debent effe clara ac diferta, & ejufmodi, ut ab utraque parte ftipulante intelligi poffint. Promiffa au

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Inft. Theal, lib. iii, fect. 1. c. 2.

"rem hæc TYPICA & generalia, non additâ aliunde "interpretatione, PENE IMPOSSIBILE ERAT, UT • QUIS ISTO SENSU INTELLIGERET *,

Thus these three capital fupports of the Proteftant Church. But let the man be of what Church he will, fo he have a fuperiority of understanding and be not defective in integrity, you fhall always hear him fpeak the fame Language. The great ARNAULD, that fhining ornament of the Gallican Church, urges this important truth with ftill more franknefs---" C'eft LE COMBLE DE L'IG"NORANCE (fays this accomplished Divine) de mettre en doute cette vérité, qui eft une des plus communes de la Religion Chretienne, et qui "eft ATTESTEE PAR TOUS LES PERES, que les promeffes de l'ancien Teftament n'etoient que temporel"les et terreftres, et que les Juifs n'adoroient Dieu que pour les beins charnels y 2 35 And what more hath

been

x Harmonia Apoftolica, Differtat. pofterior, cap. x. fect. 8. P. 474. inter Opera omnia, ed. 1721,

Y Apologie de Port-Royal.

La

2 But all are not Arnaulds, in the Gallican Church. Mr. Freret, fpeaking of the hiftory of Saul and a paffage in Isaiah, concerning the invocation of the dead, fays-Ce qui augmente ma furprise, c'eft de voir que la plus part de ces Commentateurs fe plaignent de ne trouver dans l' Ecriture aucune preuve claire que les Juifs, au temps de Moyfe, cruffent l' immortalité de l'ame. pratique, interdite aux Juifs, fuppofe que l'existence des ames, feperées du corps, par la mort, etoit alors un opinion générale & populaire. Memoires de l'Acad. Royale des Infcrip. &c. v. 23. p. 185. The Gentleman's Surprise arifes from his being unable to diftinguish between the Separate exiftence of the Soul confidered phyfically, and its immortality confidered in a religious fenfe It is under this latter confideration that a future State of reward and punishment is included. Had he not confounded thefe two things fo different in themselves, he had never ventured to condemn the Commentators; who do indeed fay, they cannot find this latter doctrine in the Pentateuch. But then, they do VOL. V.

not

been faid or done by the Author of the DIVINE LEGATION? Indeed, a great deal more. He hath fhewn, "That the absence or omiffion of a future ftate of rewards and punishments in the Mofaic Religion is a certain proof that its original was from God." Forgive him this wrong, my reverend Brethren!

B

SECT. V.

UT though it appear that a future state of Rewards and punishments made no part of the Mofaic Difpenfation, yet the Law had certainly a SPIRITUAL meaning, to be understood when the fulness of time fhould come: And hence it received the nature, and afforded the efficacy, of PROPHESY. In the interim, the MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL was occafionally revealed by GoD to his chofen Servants, the Fathers and Leaders of the Jewish Nation; and the dawning of it was gradually opened by the Prophets, to the People.

And which is exactly agreeable to what our excellent Church in its SEVENTH ARTICLE of Religion teacheth concerning this matter.

The Nld Testament is not contrary to the New: For both in the Dld and New Testament everlasting Life is offered to Mankind bp Chrifft, who is the only Mediator between God and Han. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign,

not lament or complain of this want; because they faw, tho' this Academician does not, that the abfence of the doctrine of a future State of reward and punishment in the MOSAIC LAW evinces its imperfection, and verifies the enunciation of the Gospel, that LIFE AND IMMORTALITY were brought to light by JESUS CHRIST,

that