God. There is the greatest difficulty in determining precisely the sense of these words, from the impossibility of ascertaining the age, the author, or the nature and object of the book: upon all which points the opinions of learned men are extremely at variance'. If we were to adopt the sentiment of some, who think that Moses himself, or some one contemporary with him, was the author, it would be impossible to reconcile the explicit mention of it in this passage, with total silence upon it at all other times particularly, when we observe, that in the Jewish law, matters of far inferior moment are urged, over and over again, upon the attention of the Israelites. It is also remarkable, that there is not another passage in the book of Job, in which this doctrine is insisted upon, at least with equal clearness, though the argument would seem very frequently to require it: and there are even some, in which it appears to be doubted or denied 2. All that we can conclude with certainty upon it, is, that it is a prophetical intimation of a future state, delivered probably, long after the

1 Divine Legation, vol. v. 299, &c.

2 Ibid. vol. v. 373, &c.

time of Moses: connected with a prediction of the Messiah, and referring to him for its completion: similar in all respects, to another equally strong declaration of David in the sixteenth Psalm: which we are assured in the Acts of the Apostles, was spoken not of his own resurrection but prophetically of that of Christ. I am not aware of any thing else in the Old Testament, which can be urged against my argument, so plausibly as this; yet it will be seen, that it has but a very slight bearing upon it.

But there remain to be considered some texts of the New Testament, which (as Bishop Warburton forcibly observes) are brought to prove against itself, that life and immortality were brought to light by the Old. The most material of these, are these words of our Saviour, reported by St. John. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think that ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. That some of the Jews had at this time conceived notions of a future state from some parts of their Scriptures, is extremely evident but that our Saviour did not confirm those notions (except with reference to himself) is equally so. For he adds immediately,

and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. The most natural meaning of his words upon this occasion is this-Search the Scriptures for a testimony of me, through faith in whom, ye may inherit eternal life.Indeed upon the supposition, that the Jews had previously a Revelation, by which they could in any manner attain it, the mission of Christ becomes perfectly unintelligible. For if so, they were already in possession of that, which the whole Christian scheme teaches us to be unattainable, but by the atonement of Jesus, and obedience to his commandments. After this, it is hardly necessary to say, that the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which has been sometimes relied upon, as a decisive proof, that a future state was taught under the law, cannot receive that interpretation, without contradicting the rest of that Epistle; and the express declarations of its author, upon this point, in several others. In addition to those, to which I have already referred, I will mention but one more from the Epistle to the Galatians, which seems to place the doctrine of the great Apostle upon this head, beyond dispute. For if, (says he) there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily

righteousness should have been by the law. So far from the end, which is eternal life, being promised by the Mosaic dispensation ; the means are not so much as indicated by it, by which it can be obtained.

And this leads me to notice the last objection, which may be urged, against the view which I have been taking of this subject.— Some persons may think, that it is at variance with the former part of the seventh article of our Church which affirms that the Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ. If I rightly understand this proposition, it is the very same for which I contend. Wherever the Old Testament promises the Messiah, it promises everlasting life. But only through our Saviour, until whose coming, or rather until whose death and resurrection, the promise was not in operation. Though when it commenced, it had a retrospective influence upon the salvation of all men, whose faith and virtue had been commensurate with the light which they had received, or the opportunities which they had enjoyed. The article affirms also that "the old Fathers (or in the Latin

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version simply veteres) did not look only for transitory promises." Who are intended here does not appear. Probably those who are enumerated in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, who are said to have died in faith not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. That it was given to them individually, to have a prophetic view of a heavenly country, must be admitted. Yet (as Bishop Burnet observes) “it cannot be denied, but that it was as a light that shined in a dark place, till the day-star did arise 1.' And what was so imperfectly visible to them, we may readily believe was not seen by the people at all. That is, that the doctrine of a future state had not been taught to them, as an express Revelation from heaven: the only ground upon which even at this day, it can be relied upon with absolute confidence.

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In my former discourse, I intimated an opinion, that the reward of obedience to Adam and his posterity, had he entitled himself to it, could not have been immortality upon earth-and I have found no reason to change