I 34 01 the Immortalaty of the Sotul, Vol. II, was it doubted ofor call'd inqueftion amongthem.Among the Philofophers it was a.- matter ofgreat uncertainty, being ftifly denyed by Come, doubted ofby others ; and thofe who weremolt inclinableto the entertainment ofit, do rather exprefs their de- fires and hope of it, than their full affurance concerning it. I come therefore, Secondly,To the Enquiry,What affurance theYews hadof theSoul's Immortalityand a future Rate ? Andofthis, I (hill give you an account in there following particulars. r. They had all the affurance which natural Light, and the common Reafon of Mankind does ordinarily afford Men concerning this matter ; they had common to them with the Heathen, all the Advantage that Nature gives Men to come to the knowledge ofthis Truth. But that which I chiefly defign to enquire into, is, what fingular Advantage they had above the Heathen, by means of thofe fpecial Revela- tions which we_re made to them from God. Therefore, 2.They had by divine Revelation a fuller affurance of thofe Truths which have a nearer connexion with this Principle, arid which do very much tend to facilitate the beliefof it; as namely, concerning the Providence of God, and his interefting him- felf particularly in the affairs of the World. In the HiftoryofMote? they had a fatis- fadory account ofthe Original ofthe World, thatGod made it, and that he bad e- minently interpofed in the Government of it ; and had given feveral eminent tettimo- niesof his Providence, in the general Deluge which was brought upon the World, and in the dreadful particular Judgment from Heaven uponSodomand Gomorrah, and the Neighbouring Cities; in his fpecial Providence toward Abraham, and Ifaac, and aeob; in that feriesofMiracles wherebytheir deliverancewas wrought out of Egypt, and they were carried through the Wildernefs to the promifed Land; and in thofe two ftandingMiraclesofthe fruitfulnefsofevery filth Year, becaufe theLand was to reft the feventh; and prefervingthe Land from the invafion ofEnemies, when they carne up to jerufalemthree times aYear, by which God did teftife a very particular and immediate Providence toward them. Nowwhatever gives affuranceof God's Provi- dence, does very much facilitate the belief ofa futureGate. Epicurus was well aware of the connexion of thefe Principles ; and therefore in order to the freeing of the minds ofMenfrom the fears of a future Prate, he makes way for it, by removing theProvidente of God, and denying that he either made the World, or concerned himfelf in theGovernment of it. And thenbefides this, theYews hadaffurance of the exiftenceofSpirits, by the more immediate miniftryof Angels among them. And this doesdirealy make way for the belief of an immaterial Principle, and conlequentlyof theSoul's Immortality. And this theSadduces who were akind ofEpicureansamong the Jews, were fenfibleof; and thereforeas they laid that there was no refurrellion and nofetore Mateafter this life, fo they denied that there was either Angel or Spirit, as the Ap )f a tells us, AA`s 23. 7. From whenceby the way we may take notice ofthe great miftake of thofe, who, from the Opinion of the Sadduces, argue that Eternal Life was not at all believed under the Old Teftament; becaufe if it had been fo, it is not credible that it would havebeen difowned by thofe who acknowledged the Authority of thofe Books ; whereas-we fee that theydenied, to ferve their Hypothels, other things which were molt ex- prefly rî:vealed in the OldTeftament, as the Doctrine of Angels and Spirits. 3. There were tome remarkable inftances in the Old Teftament, which did tendve- ry muchto perfwadeMen to thisTruth; I mean the inftancesofEnoch and Elias, who did not die like otherMen, but were tranflated, and taken up into Heaven in an extra- ordinarymanner. From which inftances it was obvious to confiderate Men, to reafon, that God did intend by thefeExamples to encourage good Men with the hopes of a- nother (tate after this life. And accordingly the Apoftle to the Hebrews makes the be- liefoffuture Rewards, a neceffary confequence from this in(tance of Enoch s Tran- flation, Heb. s T. q, 6. By Faith Enoch was translated, that hefhould notfee death, and was norfound, becaufe God had translated him: Forbefore hisTranflation he had thistejli- mony, that hepleafed God. But Without Faith itisimpoffbletopleafehim : Forhe that com- eth to God, muff believe that he is, and that he isa rewarder ofthew that diligentlyfeel him. 4. Thiswas typified and fhadowed forth to them by the Legal Adminiftrations.The whole ceconomy oftheir Worfhipand Temple, of their 8 ices and Ceremonies, and Sabbaths, did fhadowout force farther thing to them, tho in a very obfcure manner : The LandofCanaan, and their coming to thepoffeftion of it, after fo many Years tra- vel in the Wildernefs,did reprefent that heavenly Inheritance which goodMen fhould be poffefs'dof after the troubles of this Life. And thefe were intended by God to fig- nifie
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