knew, that, after the most ftrict fect of their religion, he had lived a Pharifee, which fect maintained the doctrine of the refurrection; and (faid he) now I fland and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promife our twelve tribes, inftantly ferving God day and night, hope to come; for which hope's fake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews, verses 5, 6, 7. And that a refurrection to a future life was the object of this hope, is not only evident from what St. Paul faid, chap. xxiii. verfe 6. of the hope and refurrection of the dead I am called in queftion; but alfo from the words that immediately follow, viz. why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raife the dead? This being the ftate of the cafe, it seems exceeding strange, that St. Paul fhould confider life and immortality as having been brought to light by the gofpel; when, according to him, a refurrection to a future life was a ftanding doctrine among the the Jews, and was what their forefathers believed, and had hope in. And, admitting the fact of Chrift's refurrection to be fo well attefted, as to lay a proper foundation for credit, with regard to that fact:

fact: Yet, that the poffibility and certainty of a future refurrection to life eternal are clearly evinced by it, may not, perhaps, be clearly perceived by every mind. Whether the human mind is a permanent being, that exists independent of any material fyftem, tho' in its present state it is united to, and acts in and by such a system; or whether it results from, and depends upon a temporary perishable compofition of matter, and is itfelf diffolved by and with the diffolution of that compofition, are points which I am not able to determine, and, perhaps, are not eafily determined by others; and therefore, fuppofing the latter to be the cafe, then, as Chrift's body, when laid in the fepulchre, did not fee corruption, did not come to a diffolution; fo, furely, it is eafy to conceive that divine power could repair the injuries done to the material fyftem, and put it again into fuch a state, as that life, or intelligence and activity fhould naturally flow from it as before, and yet remain perishable as before; and if fo, then Chrift's refurrection proves nothing with regard to a refurrection to life eternal. And, in this view of the cafe, St. Paul's conclufion must be much too strong for the premifes. 1 Cor. xv. 13.

But

But if there be no refurrection of the dead, then is Chrift not rifen. Here, I fay, the conclufion is too strong for the premises; because Chrift may be rifen from the dead, tho' there be no refurrection to life eternal, The forementioned facts have no neceffary connection with, nor dependance upon each other: and therefore, there may be a refur rection to life eternal, tho' Chrift were not rifen from the dead; and Chrift may be rifen from the dead, tho' there were to be no refurrection of the dead to eternal life. And,

THAT the refurrection of Chrift was defigned and intended clearly to evince the poffibility and certainty of a refurrection to life eternal, does not plainly appear to me; because it appears to be directed to answer another purpose; and because it does not feem wifely directed to answer this. The purpose that Chrift directly and obviously applied his refurrection to, was to gather or rather keep together his difpirited Disciples, to commission and qualify, and fend them forth into the world to preach his gospel. The feveral Hiftorians who have given an account of the refurrection of Chrift, not only have fet forth that he appeared but a

few

few times, but they alfo agree in this, viz. that, when he did appear, his time was spent in answering the forementioned purpose, without giving the least hint that he applied it to answer the other purpose; whereas, if Chrift rofe from the dead, in order thereby clearly to evince the poffibility and certainty of a refurrection to life eternal, then, moft certainly, he would have applied it accordingly, by making fuch reflections upon the cafe, as, in this view of it, it obviously required; and then, furely, the feveral Hiftorians would not have failed to tranfmit those remarks to us: and therefore, feeing this was not the cafe, from hence, I think, it may be justly inferred, that Christ's refurrection was not intended clearly to evince as aforefaid, but only to enable him thereby to keep together his difpirited difciples, to commiffion and qualify, and fend them forth to preach his gofpel to all nations. This was what Chrift's refurrection was directed and applied to; and which end, we find, was effectually anfwered by it. The Apoftles, according to the inftructions given them by their mafter, kept themselves together, and waited at ferufalem until the feaft of pentecoft, when they were filled with the Holy

Ghost;

Ghost; and then they entered upon their miniftry of preaching the gofpel; and thus the end which Chrift directly and immediately applied his refurrection to, was effectually anfwered by it. And,

When a

As it does not in the leaft appear that the refurrection of Chrift was applied to anfwer this purpofe, viz. clearly to evince both the poffibility and certainty of a refurrection to life eternal; fo it does not feem wifely directed to answer that end; and therefore, it is not at all likely that that purpofe was intended to be ferved by it. great and valuable end is to be obtained, then the nature and propriety of the thing obviously require, that the best and most effectual means fhould be used for it's attainment. Such a conduct as this is expected from a wife man; and in every inftance in which he acts otherwise, in that inftance he forfeits the character, or, at least, acts below it, as a wife man. And as God is the perfection of wifdom; fo he will, confonant to that character, most certainly purfue every end by the best and most effectual means for it's attainment. And as the doctrine of futurity is what our fpecies at large are greatly interested in; fo their belief in it