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And this gives an Account why Mofes, who brought them out of Egypt, and by whofe Miniftry God gave the Law to Ifrael, was not permitted to lead them into Canaan, and give them Poffeffion of that good Land; because immortal Life is not by the Law of Mofes. The Law was given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth came by Jefus Chrift. And therefore Joshua was made Captain of the Hoft to bring them into Canaan; and his Name was changed to make him a more proper Type of Chrift. And yet Jobua himfelf led them only into the Earthly and Typical Ca

naan.

But there is a more divine and heavenly Reft ftill reserved for the People of God; as the Apostle argues, Heb. iv. 3, 4, and following Verses, to prove that there is another Reft for. true Believers; which none but true Believers fhall enter into. For we which have believed do enter into Reft, as be faid; as I have fworn in my Wrath, if they fhall enter into my rest, although the Works were finished from the Foundation of the World. For he pake in a certain place of the Seventh Day on this wife, And God did reft the feventh Day from all his Works. And in this place again, If they hall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that fome must enter therein, and they, to whom it was first preached, enter'd not in because of Unbelief; that is, those Ifraelites who for the Punishment of their Unbelief all died in the Wilderness, and never entered into Canaan: Again, he limiteth a certain Day, faying, in David, To Day, after fo long a Time; that is, fo long after Joshua had given them Poffeffion of the Land of Canaan: As it is faid, to Day if ye will hear his Voice, harden not your Hearts. For if Jefus had given them reft; if the Poffeffion of the Land of Canaan, which Joshua gave them,

them, was all the Reft that was promised; then would be not afterwards have spoken of another People of God. A Heavenly Reft, which Canaan was but a Type of.

Thus I have, as briefly as I could, fhewn you what Evidence we have to believe, that God's Covenant with Abraham, to beftow on him and his Seed the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance, did include in it the Promife of Heaven and immortal Life in the Kingdom of God. I am very fenfible, what I have now faid will be ridicul'd by Men, who believe neither the Old nor the New Teftament. But I have nothing to do with them at prefent. It is fufficient to my purpose, that fuppofing the Hiftory of Mofes to be true, as it is related, there can be no other tolerable Senfe made of it. And if we believe the New Teftament, we cannot reject Mystical Interpretations in general, when we find fo many of them there. And then I fear not any Objections in particular against what I have faid. For either the Reason of the Thing, or natural Fitnefs and Congruity of the Interpretation, or the Authority of the New Teftament, will confirm it all. And though this has been drawn out to a great Length, I will make no Apology for it; fince, befides my original Design, it contributes fo much to the right Understanding of God's Covenant with Abraham; which was the firft Draught of the Gospel-Covenant, and fill'd up and perfected by the Appearance of Chrift, that promised Seed.

SECT.

SECT. V.

The Proofs of the Immortality of the Soul from the Law of Moses.

3.

L

ET us now confider what Evidence the Mofaical Difpenfation gives us for the Immortality of the Soul and a future State. For this is of a distinct Confideration from God's Covenant with Abraham; which was confirmed of God in Chrift, Four hundred and thirty Years before the giving of the Law, Gal. 3. 17. Now it is confeffed by all, that the Law of Mofes contains no exprefs Promife of another Life. But yet the whole Mofaical Difpenfation is one continued Proof of it; if we will allow that God had any wife Designs in that Difpenfation, or the Jews any common Senfe to understand

it.

As first to confider it only in the most general Notion as an inftituted Religion. I fhall not at prefent difpute this Point with our modern Infidels, whether the Law of Mofes were a divine Inftitution; or, which is all one, whether the Law was given by God. The Jews did firmly believe it, and had great reafon to do so, if the History of Mofes gives a true Account of that terrible Appearance on Mount Sinai, when God fpoke the Law with an audible Voice, and gave them these Statutes and Ordinances by the Hands of Mofes, when he was with him forty Days in the Mount. This, I fay, the Jews always believed, and do fo to this Day; and therefore did, and do believe, that their Religion came from God. Now I dare

appeal

appeal to the moft obftinate Infidels, whether they would not think it a very good Argument for a future State, did they believe there was any fuch thing as a Reveal'd and Inftituted Religion. For is it credible, that God would give his Law immediately from Heaven, and fo minutely prescribe all the Rites and Ceremonies of his Worship; if all Religion were to be confined only to this World? Or that any People would patiently submit to such a burdensome Yoke, as the Jewish Law was, who had nothing to hope or fear from God, but only in this Life? The Belief of Rewards and Punishments is the true Foundation of Religion. He that cometh to God must believe that he is; and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently feek bim, Heb. 11. 6. And yet mere temporal Rewards and Punishments never did, nor ever can make true devout Worshippers of God. Experience tells us, that Men will venture what God can or will do to them in this World, could they be secure that there is no Account in the next. And therefore, when God himself inftitutes a Religion, and annexes Rewards and Punishments to the Inftitution, whatever the Letter of thefe Promises or Threat nings fignifies, they must always be extended to another World; because these are the proper Promises and Rewards of Religion; without which it lofes its facred Obligation, and turns into a mere Civil and Politick Inftitution.

But what is this, you will fay, to the Proof of a future State, when the Law it felf makes no mention of it; and contains no other Promifes or Threatnings in exprefs Words but what are temporal; which feems rather to confute the Belief of another Life? For had there been any future Rewards, it is reafonable to think,

that

that God would have promifed fuch Rewards in exprefs Terms; which would have been a more powerful Support to their Faith, and a stronger Obligation to religious Worship.

But this is not the Queftion, whether this be the beft Evidence we can have for a future State; for that we grant it is not. But whether it be not a better Evidence than the mere Light of Nature gives us: And whether devout Jews had not all the reafon in the World to expound thefe temporal Promifes into eternal Rewards; which according to the Sense of Mankind are the proper Rewards of Religion. When we are affured that God will reward his devout Worshippers, which the temporal Promises of the Law affure us of, it is very easy and natural to believe, that these Rewards fhall be compleated and perfected in a better Life.

This is what good Men moft paffionately defire: This is what God can do; what the Light of Nature teaches us to hope for; and then fuch temporal Promifes are a very good Pledge and Earneft of it. For if God have a Favour to good Men, and will greatly reward them, as these temporal Promifes prove he will; it is not to be thought that God will confine all his Grace and Favour to this World; where, if it were nothing elfe, the Shortnefs of their Abode makes them uncapable of any great Reward. And this Affurance the Mofaical Law, confider'd as a divine Inftitution, gave the Jews; though it made no exprefs Promises of another Life.

Efpecially if we confider, Secondly, that thefe Promises are of fuch a Nature, and so circumftantiated, that they cannot receive their juft and full Accomplishment in this World.

God

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