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after Death, and an Earneft of Immortal Life, after the Death of these Bodies; and gave good Men great reason to hope for it. Thus I'm fure it was in fact in all the World. For, whatsoever Reasons they had for it, all Men thought the Expiation of Sacrifices extended to another Life. But what the Sacrifices of Beafts were but an obfcure Figure of, was evident in the Sacrifice of Chrift, which was typify'd by them. He died upon the Cross for us, to deliver us from Death; but then he himself rofe again from the Dead, and became the Example and the Author of a Life after Death. Which fhews us, what the Meaning of thofe Figures was; and gives us fuch a Proof of a Life after Death, as neither the Light of Nature, nor the Law of Moses could give us. Which brings me to the Third and moft Perfect Evidence of immortal Life; that Life and Immortality is now brought to Light through the Gospel.

CHAP

CHA P. IV.

Concerning the Gospel Evidence of Immortal Life.

SECT. I.

The Gospel Notion of Life and Immortality.

H

AVING explained to you the natural and moral Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul, and a future State, and fhewn you what great Evidence we have of this from God's Covenant with Abraham, and from the History and Law of Mofes; let us now confider what greater Evidence the Gospel of our Saviour has given us, which is the laft and highest Evidence of all: As St. Paul tells us, Chrift bath abolifhed Death, and brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 10.

But this feems to be a terrible Objection against all that I have already difcourfed: As if the World had known nothing of Life and Immortality, till the preaching of the Gospel by Jefus Chrift. For if there were fuch good Evidence for a future State from the Light of Nature, and from the Laws of Mofes, as I have endeavoured to prove that there is, how can the Apoftle fay, that Life and Immortality is brought to Light by the Gospel; which feems to imply,

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that the World was in the Dark before, and knew nothing of it? And therefore it will be neceflary, before I proceed, rightly to State this

Matter.

The common Anfwer to this Objection is, That tho' Mankind did generally believe a Future State, that the Souls of good and bad Men did live after Death, and that they were rewarded and punished according as they had deferv'd; yet they had not fo clear and certain, and distinct a Knowledge of this, as the Gofpel Revelation gives us That tho' they were not wholly in the Dark, nor perfectly ignorant of another Life, yet now they fee by a brighter Light, and have the highest Evidence that can be given for unfeen Things; that comparatively speaking, Life and Immortality may be faid to be brought to Light by the Gospel, tho' the World was not wholly ignorant of a future State before.

Now this I grant is true; but it does not feem to answer the height of this Expreffion. For to bring to Light, properly fignifies a new Discovery of fomething that was unknown before, or not generally known. And therefore we must enquire what the Apostle means by Life and Immortality; for here, as I apprehend it, the Mistake lies.

Now by Life and Immortality is generally understood no more than a Future State; that the Souls of good Men live, and receive the Rewards of Virtue after Death. And in this Senfe it is very hard to fay, Life and Immortality is brought to Light by the Gospel; fince the Generality of Mankind, whatever the Reasons of this Belief were, did believe it from the Begining of the World. But this is not, the Gospel Notion of Life and Immortality; which does

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not merely fignify the Life of feparate Souls, but the Refurrection of the Dead into Immortal Life, to live for ever in Immortal and Incorruptible Bodies. If it appears that this is the true Gofpel Notion of Life and Immortality, you will all grant, that this Life and Immortality is brought to Light only by the Gospel. The Heathen World knew nothing of it; their wifeft Philofophers laught at the mention of it, when St. Paul preach'd Jefus and the Refurrection. There is indeed fome reason to think, that good Men, both before and under the Law, had fome Notion of the Refurrection of the Body, as I have already obferv'd to you from that Paffage in Job, which cannot reasonably be expounded to any other Senfe. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth. And though after my Skin, Worms deftroy this Body, yet in my Flesh shall I fee God: Whom I fhall fee for my felf, and mine Eyes foall behold, and not another; though my Reins be confumed within me, Job 19. 25, 26, 27. And there are feveral Texts in the Book of Pfalms, which feem plainly to look that way. In our Saviour's Days this feems to have been the receiv'd Opinion concerning the Refurrection. For the Objection of the Sadduces against the Resurrection, plainly relates to the Refurrection of the Body. They put the Cafe of a Woman, who had fucceffively married feven Brethren, whofe Wife fhould he be, of the feven, at the Refurrection, for they all had ber? which they muft understand of the Refurrection of the Body; for they could not think that unbodied Spirits married. And if they intended by this Objection to oppose the received Opinion of the Refurrection, then the Refurrection of the Body was the general Faith

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of thofe Days. And we may observe, that as often as our Saviour fpeaks of the Resurrection of the Dead, yet none of them ever objected against this as a new Doctrine. And yet it does not appear, whence they had this Notion, or what Foundation there was for this in their Law, which makes no exprefs mention of it. One thing which feems ftrongly to have inclin❜d them to this Belief, is the Glory of the Kingdom of the Meffias, which gave them an Expectation of rifing again from the Dead, to reign with him on Earth, when he appear'd; without which all the good Men for fo many Ages, who lived before the coming of the Meffias, could have had no fhare in the Glory and Happiness of his. Reign. But this Immortal Life was never brought to Light, was never made vifible, till the Appearance of Chrift. The Heathen World knew nothing of it: And the Jews had but very imperfect Conjectures about it: But now we fee the 'Refurrection of the Dead, and Immortal Life, in the Refurrection of Chrift from the Dead.

Now I need not fay much to prove, that this is the true Gofpel Notion of Life and Immortality: Not only that the Souls of good Men live and fubfift after this Life in a feparate State; for tho' as our Saviour fays, they all live to God, yet the Separation of Soul and Body is both in a Natural and Scripture Notion a State of Death; and fuch Men are called the Dead; but Immortal Life begins in the Resurrection of the Dead. The Apostle tells us, that Chrift has abolish'd Death, and brought Life and Immortality to Light. Now to abolish Death, is to put an end to it; and nothing puts an end to Death, but rising from the Dead. This Chrift has done in his own Per

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