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ij Priestley, Josi.-pli.
I An inquiry into the knowledge of the
I London, 1801 »

Hebrews

itmAi^/ssSL*

' '/ givt tht/t Booh
I /w tht founding tf a ColUgt in, thif Colony" I

• ILfllBI^^mf -

Gift of the Editors

Ifaai^

an
INQUIRY I. MTO THE
KNOWLEDGE OF
THE
ANTIENT HEBREWS,
CONCERNING A
FUTURE STATE.

By JOSEPH PRIESTLEY,
L. L. D. F. R. S. Ufe. fsTf. Wr.

LONDON.
Printed for J. Johnson, St.' Paul's
church-yard.
by D. Llvl> Grr«B fitTctt MUe Ind New T«wd.
MOCCCI.
PrUe two Shillings.

PREFACE BY THE
EDITOR.

'T' H E author of this fmall craft, bcfides
his di{t:in(flion in the philofophical world,
has been through life an eminent teacher, and
advocate of true religion, with the purcft views
to ferve the interefts of truth, and of piety and
virtue among mankind. This is feen in the
large catalogue of his valuable writirigs, which
will continue to promote thefs great ends, in
his native country, and in America, and wher
ever the englifti language Ihall prevail, when he
fliall be no more : a rare privilege of heaven's
chofen favourites and the truly good ! Scarcely
was he landed on the American (hores, to which
he was driven by the violence of hii enemies,
when he was called upon to counteraft the un
favourable *impreflions on the minds of men,
which Mr. Painc's manner of attack on Chrifti-
anity in his ./ige cf Rea/o»y that had been re
cently fcnt over to that country, and was cir-
A a * culated

IV PREFACE.
culated with great zeal arrd induftry, was cal
culated to produce. Accordingly, in Oflober
1794, the year in which he left England, he
publilhed, " An Anfwer to Mr. Paine's Age
of Reafon, being a continuation of Letters to
the philofophers and politicians of France on
the fubjed: of religion, and of the Letters to
a philofophical unbeliever." With what can
dour and liberality thefe Letters were penned,
and of the weight of his remarks and argu
ments, the readers will judge.
If any wifli to know how ufefully in varioiis
ways,, his hours have been employed, during
hit abode in America, I would refer them to
what is briefly related in a note, pag. 6. of an
excellent Difcourfe delivered the laft Summer,
on a public occafion, by Mr. Belfham, printed
by Johnfon, St. Paul's Church yard : of which
it is fufRcient, recommendation to mention.
that he ii the Author ofthe admirable Review
of Mr. Wilberforce's late Trcatife, in Letters
to a Lady.
Ina Preface to Dr. Prieftk7'.s Anfwer to the
/Ige of Reafon, reprinted here by Mr. Johnfon
in 1795, fome things were offirredto remove
undue prejudice, and vindicate his fair name
from unworthy abufe caft upon him, interf-
pcrfcJ with fome account of his voyage to
Aincrica,

PREFACE. V
America, and firft fettlement there. And many
who love and efteem him, and highly venerate
his charadter, will be gratified by the following
extra<5b of a letter from himfelf to a friend, da
ted no longer ago than the end of Odtober
laft. Having been led juft before to fpeak ofthe
•' Giver of all good," he proceeds ;  " This
hjind I endeavour to refpeft daily and hourly,
and it is a neverfailing confolation under all my
troubles, which have been many fince my fet-
tlenftenc here. I am thankful they did not
come at an earlier period, when I fliould have
been lefs able to bear them, and when they
would have impeded more than they now do,
the courfc of my ftudies. I am thankful that
in this remote, and in fome refpeds unfavour
able fituation, I have both the power, the will,
and efpecially the leijure, to do fomething both
in theology and philofophy, on the whole hard
ly lefs than I have done at any period of my
life. But my uncertain and flow communica
tion with Europe is a great damper. I have
not yet heard of your having received my
EJfay on the knowledge of a future flat e among the
antient Hebrews-, my interpretation ofthe i8th.
of Ifaiah, and the philofophical pieces I fent.
I find, however, bv a notice from the Royal
Society, that my treatife on phlogifton had ar
rived.

vi* PREFACE."
rived. I have feveral articles of confiderablc
importance, as they appear to me, which I
would fend if I had a good opportunity, and I
am continually adding to what will be at the
difcretion of my Executors."
" In my laft I think I mentioned to you a
young man in this place of an excellent cha«
rafter ; who is become a zealous unitarian. By
his means chiefly I have now a clafs of fourteen
very promifing young men, to whom I have
great fatisfadion in giving ledlures as I ufed to
do in England from my Inftitutes -, And I have
alfo been encouraged to open a place of pub
lic worfhip in a School room near my houfe
where I have a fmall congregation. Manypcr-
fons, 1 was told, would come to hear mc, ifl
would preach out of my own houfe, and I find
it to be fo. I principally expound the Scrip
tures, reading one portion of the Old Tefta-
ment, and another from the New. 1 am now
reading Ifaiah, and the hiftory of the gofpel*
from my Harmony."
Concerning this Eflay he fpcaks with great
modcftyi " I did not exped: that all my argu
ments would, at firft efpecially, ftrike you as
they do me -, but on the calmeft lefledbion, I
am quite fatisfied with them. In whatever way
you difpofe of the piece, it will be equally agree.

PREFACE. Vll
Agreeable to mc. I am glad it is thought worth
publilhing in any way."
The editor begs leave only to add, that per
haps it may be of importance on the fubjedl of
this Eflay, to confider, that the divine lawgiver
was not delivering a fyftem of religion founded
on abftrafl: principles, but fuch as was fuited to
the circumftances and fituation ofthe people he
was to govern. And knowing, that the belief of
a future ftkteof fome fort was univerfal, efpeci
ally among his own people, being part ofthe pri
mitive religion derived from Noah, he held it not
needful to infift upon it. But as the heathen na
tions, in the midft of whom the Ifraclites lived,
who had retained the knowledge of one fupreme
God from the fame fource, had adopted the ido
latrous notion of many inferior deities befides,
who were the managers and difpenfers of
all things here below : His chief bufi-
nefs was to imprefs his own nation with
the knowledge of the one true God, and the
duty of looking up to and worlhipping him
alonci and no other befides him, in oppofition
to the heathen ideas, that they were unrega.-ded
by the fupreme Being, and under the govern
ment of tutelar deities ; and to teach them par
ticularly by a code of laws for the conftant re
gulation of their condud, that the Divine Being
had a fpecial regard to thit world, and the moral cOn-

viii '¦ PREFACE.
conduft of his creatures in it } and made their
prefent good'and profperity, to depend upon a
ftrift adherence to him and to his ftatutes and
commandments : but this did not preclude their
being at the fame time influenced by a view to
the divine favour, or the fear of his difpleafurc
in a future world. So that virtuaify a future life
was the fandlion of the law of Mofes.
This accounts for the omilTion ofthe exprcfs
mention of a future ftatc by Mofes, without any
ofthofe ingenious hypothcfcs which have been
framed for thefolution of thedifliiculty.
T. L.

ERRATA.

N. B. (b) means from tbe bottom.
Page 20. line 9. for in, read, into.
— — 29. •— 16. after another, a period.
 30. — 10. for extraflion, read, extinftion.
— 31. — 8. -— - writer — — writeri.
v^Ibid. — 9.  fpeaks  fpeak.
 Ibid, (b).— 4. after dead, a Note of interrofatiop.
— — Ibid. — J. — thanks — . do.

AN INQUIRY INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OP
THE ANTIENT HEBREWS, CONCERNING A
FUTURE STATE.
SECTION I.

Prejumptive arguments in favour ofthe antient
Hebrews having the knowledge of a
future fiate.
T T is the opinion of many Chrifllans
that the antient Hebrews had no know
ledge o( a future ftate, confequently that a
view to fuch a ftate had no influence on their
conduift, and that there are no traces offuch
a belief, or influence, in the books of the
Old Teftament. But that this fhould be
the cafe appears to me exceedingly impro
bable for the following obvious reafuns ;
I. That there is a ftate after death, and
that it is more or lefs a flate of retribution,
in which virtue will be rewarded and vice
punifhed, ever has been, and is now, the be-
A 2 lief

( 4 )
lief of all the reft of mankind j and can it be
fuppofed that the antient Hebrews were the
only exception ? How came they to be ig
norant of a truth that was known to all
other nations; or, if it was an error, and a
prejudice, how came they only to be ex
empted from it ?
II. Since there is no evidence whatever
of a future ftate for man, or that he fhall
furvive the grave, any rhore than for other
animals, from natural appearances ; the doc
trine of a future ftate muft have come ori
ginally from revelation ; and is it at all pro
bable that the nation vvhich has been moft
favoured with divine revelations, and by
whom they have been communicated to the
reft of mankind, fhould be more ignorant of
this moft important of all truths than any
other people ? May it not rather be prefum-
cd that they muft have had more juft ideas
on the fubjedl than any other nation, and
more agreeable lo thofe which we find in
the New Teftament ; while among other
nations which had not the advantage of di
vine revelation this knowledge became ob-
fcured, being tinged with fuperftition and
abfurdity, though it was not wholly loft. Since

( 5 )
III. Since this revelation muft have been
made to man in a very early period, it is na
tural to expeft it in a flate the leaft deviating
from the truth in the remoteft ages, and
among the oldeft nations, and to have be
come mixed with fable and abfurdity in a
courfe of time. And though the Hebrews
were not the oldeft of all nations, yet hav
ing a much more diftintSthiftory ofthe great
anceflors of their nation, than any other peel-
pie whatever, they may be confidered as ha-
ing had better means of information than
any other. To Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob,
a doctrine known to the Egyptians, Hin
doos, and Chinefe, could not be unknown,
©r not accurately underftood.
IV. The Hebrews had more juft ideas of
the moral attributes, and moral government
of God than any other people, as is evident
from their writings. They confidered the
Supreme Being not only as the maker, but
as the righteous governor of the world; tha^
being righteous himfelf, he was a lover and
a rewarder of righteoufnefs in his creatures j
and yet they could not but fee, yea, they ex-
prefsly acknowledge, that this his prefer
ence of the righteous was not always mani-
B fefted

(.6 )
fefted in this life ; and they reprefcnt the
wicked not only as frequently living, but as
dying in great profperity, while the righte*.
ous fufFered much afflidion. They muft ne-
ceffarily therefore have believed, that there
was a life of retribution after this, in which
the ways of God would be juftified, not-
withftanding any prefent unpromifing ap
pearances. In thefe circumftances their
adherence to virtue muft have been fupport-
ed^ by their faith in a life to come.
There is no occafion to cite many paffa-
gcs from the Old Teftament to fliow that
tlie arftient Hebrews had the higheft ideas
ofthe divine regard to virtue, and of the
jurfice and equity of his adminiftration.
They are innumerable. I ftiall however,
produce a few. Pf. cxix. 1 37. '^ Righteous
** art thou, OLord,and upright are thy judg-
** ments. The righteovis Lord loveth rjgh-
*' teoufnefs, and hatdth all the workers of
"iniquity. PlT. xevii, 1 1 . "Light is fown
«* for the righteous, and gladnefs for the
** upright in heart." All the Ifraelites muft
have known, that the inhabitants of the old
world were deftroyed by a flood, and thofe
of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire from hea ven.

.'( 7 'J _^ , :
Ven, on account of their wickednefs. On
this latter occafion Abraham fays. Gen.
xviii. 25. " The j jjdge of all the earth will
*' do that which is right. "^ ,
I ¦ ¦
Itis equally evident that the antient He
brews did not confider^ the; rewards of virtue
and the punifhments of vice as always tak
ing place in this life. Their cpmplaiats of
the profperous condirio;n of the wicked, and
of the afflidljons of the rigljteous, are . fre
quent: as Pf. xii. 8. " The wiekpd walk on
*' every fide while the vileft of men are ex-
" alted." The Pfalmift complains, Pf.xvii.
1 3. ofthe wicked as " haying their portion
" in this life," and that God ** fills their
** belly with hidden trcafures : they arq,"
he fays, " full of children to whom they
" leave their fubftance."
In the writings of Solonjon, there are
paffages ftill more exprefsly to this purpofe,
Ecc. viii. 14. "There is a juft man to
" whom it happeneth according to the work
A' ofthe wicked, and again there is a wick-
«« cd man to wl>om it^ happeneth : according
" to the work of the. righteous/' vii. ijf.
" There is a juft man that peirilhes in his
** Mhteoufnefs, and there is a wicked man
B 2 " that

( 8 )
" that prolongeth his liTe in wickednefs."
ix. I, " No man knoweth love or hatred
" by that which is before him. All things
" come alike to all. There is one event to
*' the righteous and to the wicked, to him
" that facrificeth and to him that facrificeth
" not. As is the good fo is thefinner, and
" he that fweareth as he that feareth an
•' oath. This is an evil among all the
" things that are done under the fun, that
" there is one event unto all."
V. Another prefumptive evidence, and I
think a dccifive one, in favour of the antient
Hebrews having had a knowledge of a fu
ture ftate, and even that of a refurredlion, is
that, with the exception ofthe Sadducess on
ly, who though generally rich, were not nu
merous, it was the belief of thejevyifti na
tion in the time of our Saviour, and in that
of the Maccabees and others after the time
of Malachi.
Of the former no doubt can be enter
tained from the hiftory of the Evangelius, nnd
theA^ls of the Apojiles, and ofthe latter there
is fufficicnt evidence both from exprefs tef-
timony, and undifputed fafts. For what
could poflibly induce men, and efpecially fo
many

( ,9 )
many as were the martyrs in the perfecutioii
by Antiochus Epiphanes, to lay down their
lives, and even in torture, rather than facri-
fice to the heathen gods, and thereby re
nounce their religion, but the firmeft perfu-
afion that by (o doing they enfured a hap
pier lot in another life.
That thefe, and all thofe who were emi
nent for their piety in former times, were
aduatcd by this faith, was certainly theopi
nion of the writer of the epiftle to the He
brews. After enumerating many ftriking
Inftances i?f the power of faith, he fays Ch.
xi. 35, " Others were tortured not accepting
*' deliverance, that they might obtain a bet-
" ter rcfurredlion."
The Apocryphal book entitled Wiftlom
fhews the fentiments of its author, and pro
bably that of his nation in general, on the
fubjcdt. And it is evident, that by them it
was taken for granted, that the righteous
were deftined to come to life at a future pe
riod, and then to poflTefs the kingdom
mentioned in the book of Daniel, as referved
for the " faints of the moft High." Ch. iii,
4. "The fouls (or lives; of the righteous
**' are in the hands of God, and there fliall

"no

( IO )
" no torment touch them. In the fight of
" the unwife they feemed to die, and their
" departure is taken for mifery, and their go-
" ing from us tobe utter deftruftion. But
" tiiey are in peace. For though they be
" puniHied in the fight of men, yet is their
" hope full of immortality ; and having been
" a little chaftifed, they Ihall be greatly rc-
" warded, for God proved them, and found
" them worthy for himfelf. As gold in the
*' turnace he has tried them, and received
•' them as a burnt offering. And in the
" time cf their yifitation tliey fliall fhine,
" and run to and fro ns fparks among the
" ftubble. They ihall judge the nations,
" and have dominion over the people, and
" their Lord fliall reign for ever." This
happy lot, it is evident, was not fuppofed to
take place immediately after death but at a
future period.
Whoever it was who made the tranflation
of the book of Job that is now in the 70,
he muft have lived in the interval between
the writing of the books ofthe Old and thofe
of the New Teftament j, and to this we find ¦
the following remarkable addition. " It is
" written of him that he fliall rife again, with
" thofe

( IX )
*' thofe whom the Lord raifeth up ;" which
ftiows that the belief of a refurre<ftion was
general among the Jews in his time,
That this dodlrine fhould have been re
ceived by the Jews from the Chaldeans at
Babylon, or from any other heathen nation,
is altogether incredible. Though there arc
fome faint traces of the dodrine of a refur*
re<flion among the antient Chaldeans, it foon
became evanefcent in the heathen world in
general. Among the heathens the dodirine
of z fepar ate foul, which never dies, but fur-
vives the body, foon became univerfal ; and
this is in reality inconfiftent with the doq:-
trine of a refurreftipn. And though it gra
dually gained ground among the fpeculative
Jews, who had intercourfc with the Greeks,
and adopted the principles of their philofo
phy, fuch as Philo and Jofcphus, it certain
ly was not the belief of the Jewifli nation in
general in the time of our Saviour ; but that
of a refurreftlon only. When Jefus faid to
Mary, with a view to comfort her on the
death of her brother, John xi. 23. " Thy
** brother will rife again," ftie replies, " I
" know that he will rife again at the refur-
" redtion, at the laft day ;" which evidently im-

( 12 )
implies that flie had no belief of any kind of
life, or enjoyment for herbrother in the in
termediate time.
If then, the Jews did not receive their
doftrine from the Heathens, they muft have
derived it from revelation. Ahd at what
time can we fuppofe that this greateft of ali
difcovcries was made to them .? Certainly not
after the time of Mofes -, for then there
would no doubt, have been fome record of
it in fome of the books of the Old Tefta
ment ; every other divine communication
recorded in his writings, and thofe of the
fubfequent prophets, being of little moment
compared to this. But though from, the
time of Mofes the hiftory of the nation, and
the fuccefl"ion of prophets, was uninterrup
ted, we have no mention of any fuch com
munication, or of any circumftances con-
nefted with it. It is impofliblc, therefore,
not to conclude that it muft have been
known to all the great anceftors of that na
tion, and probably to thofe of all mankind,
prior to any hiftory ; and being univerfally
believed, there might not have been any par
ticular occafion for the writers to mention
ir. Ar-

( 13 )
Arguing in this manncT a priori, it can
hardly be doubted but that the antient He
brews muft have had the knowledge of a
future ftate, and of a refurredlion ; and if
fo, they muft have been influenced in their
condudt by it. It may, therefore, he pre*
fumed, that there are allufions to it, though
no exprefs mention of it, in their moral wri
ters, though without this previous know
ledge of their fentiments, their meaning
might be doubtful ; fo that no certain infe
rence could have been drawn from their
language only. As to their hijlorians and
their prophets, we have no particular reafon
to '^xpedt any reference to this doftrine in
their writings, fince the occafion of their
writing did not require it. I fhall therefore
confider fome paflages in their moral wri
tings, as the hooks oi Pfalms, Proverbs, and
Ecclefiajies, as well as the book of ^o^^, as I
think they may be reafonably fuppofed to
have been written with a belief of a future
ftate, and to have a reference to it.
VI. There are hpwcver, two circum
ftances in the hiftorical books of the Old
Teftament which clearly imply that there is
anQther ftatc of exiftence for man befides the
C pre-

. ( 14 )
prefent. I mean the tranflations of Enoch
and Elijah. For it could not be fuppofed
that thefe men were taken up to heaven to
die there, or any where elfe. It muft havp
been to enjoy life to more advantage. To
be taken up to heaven, which is fuppofed
to be the refidencc of God, muft have given
the Hebrews the idea of their being admitted.
to the more immediate prefence of God.
And this explains thefe paffages of fcripturc
in which the prefence of God implies a flatc
of greater felicity than' any man can attaiif
to in this life as Pf. xvi. ii. "In thy
" prefence is fulnefs of joy. At thy
*• right hand are pleafures evermore. "
And as thefe two men were eminent
for their virtue and piety, it would necef-
farily be inferred that this ftate of fuperior
happinefs would be the portion of the righ
teous only. Hence alfo might come the
apprehenfion that " no man could fee God
«' and live," this being referved for a ftatc
after death.
Thefe tranflations of Enoch and Elijah
would not give any idea of there being a
foul in man, capable of exifting, and of en
joying happinefs, independently of the bo-

_( H )
dy ; fince the whole of thefe men were tran-
flatcd, the body not being left behind. It
would, however, be concluded that, if there
be a future life for other men, it muft be
after a refurredlion from a ftate ofdeath, and
not a continuation ofthe prefent life, a mere
change in the mode of exiftence, and no in
terruption of it.

SECTION II,

Of the allufions to a future judgment in the
books of the Old Tejiament. ' '

I. '~V^ H E oflice o{ judge, or of hearing
and deciding caufes, having al
ways belonged to that of king, as we fee in
the example of David and Solomon, cither
6f them, in the language of fcripture, im
plies the other j and the terms themfelves
are often ufed promifcuoufly, as being fy-
nonioious. Of this we have an example
in the fecond Pfalm v. lo, " Be wife there-
C 2 "fore.

( i6 )
** fore, O ye kings, be inftrudled ye judg-es of
** the earth."
Whenever, therefore, the divine Being is
reprefented under the charafter of a king, or
governor, as he always is, wc may conclude
that tlie writer confidered him as a judge,
and a righteous judge, of the condudl of
men ; and confequently that at fome time or
other he would render to every man accoiM-
ding to his works, that being righteous him
felf, and a loter of righteoufiiefs in others,
pcrfons of this chara'fter would not finally
go without reward j and being a hater of
iniquity, the wicked would not always go
unpunifhed. When therefore, the Pfalmift fays, Pf. ciii,
19. " The Lord hath prepared his throne in
" the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over
" all," (and language fimilar to this, is fre
quent in the Pfalms) he muft have' had a view
to a time in which God would appear in the
charafter, and difcharge the ofiice of judge,
rewarding the righteous, and punifhing the
wicked. II. But befides this there is frequent and
exprefs mention of a future judgment in the
books of the Old Teftament, and this ne-
ceflarily

( x7 )
ceflarlly implies a future life. Many of thefe
occur in the Pfalms ; and it is evident that
in the idea ofthe writer this judgment could
not take place in this life, in which, by his
own acknowledgment, all things in general
fall alike to all, and the wicked not only live,
but frequently die in great profperity, while
the righteous were oppreffed by them. 1
fhall recite the principal of the paflages in
which they occur. Some of them are more,
and others lefs, definite, but all fufficientlv
to the purpofe.
Pf. i. 5. " The ungodly fhall not ftand
** in the judgment, nor finners in the con-
" gregation of the righteous. For the Lord
" knoweth the way ofthe righteous, but the
" way of the ungodly fhall perifh."
Pf. ix. 7. " The Lord fliall endure for
" ever. He has prepared his throne for
"judgment. He fhall judge the world in
" righteoufnefs, and flaallminifter judgment
** to the people in uprightnefs.
Pf. 1. 4. " He fhall call to the hea-
" vens from above, and to the earth, that he
" inay judge his people, v. 22, Confider this
" ye that forget God, left he tear you iu
" pieces, and there be none to deliver." Pf.

( i8 )
Pf 1. I. The mighty God, even the
" Lord hath fpokcn, and called the earth
*• from the rifing of the fun to the gping
" down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfcc-
•• tion of beauty, God hath fhined. Our
" God fliall come, and fliall not keep'filcncc.
" A fire fhall devour before him, apd it fliall
" be very tempeftuous round about him.
" He fliall call to the heayens from above,
" and to the carth, that he may judge his
•' people. Gather my faints together unto
*' me, thofe who have made a covenant wjlth
" me by facrifice j and the heavens fliall de;-
" clare his righteoufnefs. For God is judge
" himfelf. Pf, lxvii.. 3. " Let the people praife thee,
" O God, yea let all the people praife thee.
" O let the righteous be glad, and fing for
"joy. For thou flialt judge the people
" righteoufly, and govern the nations upop
" the earth.  Then ihall the earth yield
" her increafe, and God even our God fhall
" blefs us. God fhall blefs us, and all the
" ends ofthe earth fhall fear hjm."
Pf. Ixii. 13. " Unto thee O Lord, bc-
" longeth mercy, for thou rendereft to every
*' man according to his works."
Pf.

C 19 )
Pf. xcvi. II. " Let the heavens rejoice
** and let the earth be glad, &c. before the
" Lord. For he cometh to j udge the earth .
** He fhall judge- the world with righte-
** oufnefs, and the people with his truth."
Pf. xcviii. 9. "Let the hills be joyful
" together before the Lord. For he com-
" eth to judge the earth. With righteouf-
*• nefs will he judge the world, and thepeo-
** pie with equity.
It is equally evident that Solomon had a
view to a future judgment, when, after ex
prefsly and repeatedly faying that in this life
there is " one event to the righteous and to
" the wicked," he recommends the precepts
of religion as the great duty, and the high-
eft intereft of man. He alfo fpeaks of a
future judgment in the moft exprefs term.
Ecclef. iii. 17. " I faid in my heart, God
" will judge the righteous and the wicked.
" For there is a time for every purpofe, and
" for every work.
Ecclef. viii. 6. " To every purpofe there
" is a time, and judgment."
Ecclef xi. 5. " Rejoice O young man,
" in thy youth, and let thy heart cheat thee
" in the days of thy youth, and walk in
" the

( 20 )
" the ways of thy heart, and in the fight of
*• thine eyes. But know then that for all
" thofe things God will bring thee into
" judgment." Ecclef, xii. 13. " Let us hear the con-
" clufion of the whole matter. Fear God
" and keep his commandments ; for this' is
" the whole duty of man. For God will
" bring every work in judgment, and every
" fecret thing, whether it be good, or whe-
" ther it be evil."
III. The abfolute aflurances of the final
happinefs ofthe righteous, and of the cer
tain deftruftion of the wicked, which are
frequent in the fcripturcs of the Old Tefta
ment, could not have been given in any con-
fiftency with the frequent complaints ofthe
profperous condition of the wicked and the
fufFqrhigs ofthe righteous in this life, with
out a view to a future ftate of recompence.
I fhall only quote a few of fuch paffages,
out of numberlefs that might be produced.
PI. Ixxxiv. II . " The Lord is a fun and
" a fhield. The Lord will give grace and
" glory, and no good thing will he withhold
" from them that walk uprightly."
Pf. xevii. II. " Light is fown for the
" rightc-

( 2t )
** righteous, and gladnefs for the upright in
" heart." Pf. ciii. 17. " The mercy of the Lord is
*' from everlafting to everlafting to them
*« that fear him."
On the other hand, the anger of God, and
fome dreadful punifhment, are always faid
to await all the wicked and ungodly, what
ever be their lot in this life. Pf. lxv. 7.
«' God is thejudge. In the hand of the
*• Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red.
«* It is full of mixture, and he will pour out
*.*of the fame. But the dregs thereof all the
** wicked of the earth fhall wring them out
«* and drink them."
When the profperous ftate of the wicked
is particularly mentioned, the moft exprefs
aflfurance is, not with ftanding, given, that the
lot ofthe righteous will finally be much bet
ter than theirs, and therefore that they are
not to be envied.
Pf. xxxvii. 5. *' Commit thy way unto
" the Lprd, Truft alfo in him, and he fhall
*« bring it to pafs. And he fhall bring forth
** thy righteoufnefs as the light, and thy
"judgment as the noon day. Reft in the
D "Lord)

( 22 )
" Lord, and wait patiently for him. Fret
" not thyfelf becaufe of him who prof^
" pereth in the way, becaufe of the man
" who bringeth wicked devices to pafs.
" V. 9. Evil doers fhall be cut off. But
" they that wait on the Lor^ fhall inherit
** the earth. For yet a little while and the
,*• wicked fhall not be. Yea thou fhalt di-
" Jj^entlv confider his place, and it fhall not
" be. But the meek fliall inherit the earth,
" and delight themfelves in the abundance
" of peace. The wicked plotteth againfl
" the juft, and gnaflieth upon him with his
" teeth. The Lord fhall' laugh at him, for
" he feeth that his day is coming."
Pf xlix. 16. " Be not thou afraid when
" one is made rich, when the glory of his
*' houfe is increafed. For when he dieth
«' he fhall carry nothing away. His glory
*' fhall not defcend after him. Tho whilft
" he lived he blefl!ed his foul — he fliall go to
*' the generation of his fathers. * They fhall
?' never fee light."
J;, one remarkable paflTage the cafe ofthe
profperous wicked is particularly confidered,
and m it they are reprefented as in a ftate
proper to excit? envy even till the time of
their

( 23 )
their death ; fo that the deftrudlion with
which they are threatened muft necefllHrily
be in a future ftate.
Pf Ixxiii. I . "As for me, my feet were
" almoft gone. My fteps had well nigh
" flipped. For I vvas envious at the foollfli,
" when I faw the profperity ofthe wicked.
" For there are no bands in their death, but
" their ftrength is firm — -When I thought
" on this it was too painful for me, until I
" went into the fandluary of the Lord.
'* Then underftood I their end. Surely thou
•* didft fet them in fllppery places. Thou
" cafteft them dbvyn into deftrudlion. How
*' are they brought unto defolation, as in a
" moment. They are utterly confumed
" with terrors. As a dream when one awa.k-
" eth, fo, O Lord, when thou awakeft thou
"wilt defpife their image, v. 24. Thou
" wilt guide me with thy council, and af-
" terwards bring mc to glory — v. 26. My
"heart and my flefh faileth, but God is the
"ftrength of my heart and my portion for
" ever — V. 27. They that are far from thee
" fhall perifh. Thou haft deftroyed them
** that go a whoring from thee." What
could be the glory that he cxpedlcd when
D 2 " his

( 24 )
" his beart and flefli failed," but a ftate of
happinefs after death ?
We find the fame reprcfen tation of the
poffible happinefs of the wicked in this life,
even to the utmoft term of it, accompanied
with an afliirance of fuperior advantage to
be enjoyed by the righteous, in the writings
of Solomon. Ecclef. viii. ii. " Becaufe fentence
' againft an evil work is not executed fpee-
' dily, therefore the heart ofthe fons of men
' is fet in them to do evil. Though a
' finner do evil a hundred times, and his day
' be prolqnged ; yet furely I know it fhall
• be well with them that fear God, that
» fear before him. But it fhall not be well
' with the wicked, neither fhall he prolong
• his days, which are as a fliadow, becaufe
« he feareth not before God." By " pro-
' longing his days" in this place cannot be
meant in this life, becaufe they were faid to
be prolonged before; It muft, therefore,
refpcft his exiftence in a ftate after this.
IV. There is no exprefs mention of a life
after death in the books of Mofes, but only
of " life and death" in general. But it is
evident that the jAws underftood thefe terms of

C 25 )
of a future life and death, or of future hap
pinefs and mifery.
Deilrt. xxx. 13. "I call heaven and earth
" to witncfs againft you this day, that I have
*' fet before you life and death, blefllng and
" curfing. Therefore chufe life."
That a view to a future life was the real
fandlion of the laws of Mofes feems to have
been underftood by our Saviour, as well as
by the Jews of his time. For when " a
" certain lawyer came to him faying, Liike
X. 25. " What fliall I do to inherit eternal
** life, he faid unto him What is written in
" the law ? How reade ft thou ? And he
" anfwered. Thou fhalt love the Lord thy
" God with all thy heart, and with all thy
" ftrength, and with all thy mind, and thy
** neighbour as thyfelf. Andhe faid unto
" him, Tiiou haft anfwered right. This do,
" and thou fhalt live." It is evident that
they both underftood the life fpoken of by
Mofes of "eternal life," as a ftate after death.
Our Saviour alfo fays John v. 39. " Search
" the fcripturcs, for in them ye think ye
" have eternal life."
I am much inchned to think that the
phrafc, fo frequently ufed by Mofes, of be ing

( 26 )
ing " cut off from their people," or " from
" their congregation," which is denounced.
as the puniflimcnt of wilful tranfgrcffion of
the law, refpedls a future ftate ; and that it is
in oppofition to the phrafe being " gathered
" to their fathers," which, it is remarkable,
is never ufed but with refpedl to good men,
and is fometimes promifed as a reward of
their virtue, even after the longeft term of
human life, when, if there was no life after
this, no proper reward could poffibly await
them. In the writings of Mofes npt only is the
nation ofthe Ifraelites threatened with hea*
vy judgments on the cafe of their addidled-
ncfi to idolatry, but individual pcrfons j and
yet it is evident from their hiftory, that in
dividuals were not punifhed in any remark
able manner; nor does It appear that any
judgments were inflidled till the apoftacy
was become general, and the crirrie a nation
al one. Mofes however, fays Deut. xxix.
18. " Left there be among you man, or
" woman, or family or tribes, whofe heart
" turneth away this day from the Lord our
" God ; — faying, I fhall haVe peace though
"I walk in the imagination of my heart, to
"add

( 27 )
"add drunkennefs to thirft, the Lord will
" not fpare him, but then the anger of the
*• Lord and his jcaloufy fhall fmoke againft
** that man, and all the curfes that are writ-
*' ten in this book fhall come upon him, a^id
" the Lord fhall blot out his name from un-
" der heaven, the Lord fhall feparate him
" unto evil."
That the Jews in later times underftood
the promifes contained in the books of Mo
fes, and confequently the judgments de
nounced againft tranfgreffors, to refpedl a
future life, is evident from the account that
Jofephus gives ofthe fandlions of his laws.
In his treatife againft Apion, Lib. II. C. 31.
he fays. " The reward of fuch as live ex-
" adlly according to the laws is not filver
*' nor gold. It is not a garland of olive
" branches, or of fmallage, nor any fuch pub-
" lie fign of commendation. But every good
*' man has his own confciencc bearing wit-
" nefs to himfelf; and by virtue of our le-
*? giflator's prophetic fpirit, and of the firm
" fecurity that God himfelf affords fuch an
" one, he believes that God has made this
" grant to thofe that obferve thefe laws,
** even though they be obliged to die for
"them.

( 28 )
" them, that they fhall come into being .
*• again ; and at a certain revolution of
" things fhall receive a better life than they
" had enjoyed before. Nor would I ven-
** ture to write thus at this, time, were it not
" well known to all, by our aftions, that
" many of our people have many a time
" bravely refolved to endure ally fufferings
*' rather than fpeak one word againft our
" law." V. In the book of Jeremiah the wicked
arc threatened with fome heavy judgments
in their " latter end" nnnx f Achareth)
which, as he faw were not inflifted in this
life, he muft have underftood as taking place.
in another, Jer. xvii. ii. *' He that ga-
*' thcreth riches and not by right fhall leave
*i them in the midft of his days, and in his
" latter ene fhall be a fool. v. 13. All that
" forfake the Lord fhall be afhamed, and
" they that depart from thee fhall be wrft*
" ten in the earth ; becaufe they hav£ for-
"faken the Lord, the fountain of living
waters." Here fhame is reprefented as the punifh
ment of the wicked j and this is a circum-
ftance particularly mentioned by Daniel, when

( 29 )
when he is fpeaking of the refurredlion,
Ch. xii. " Many of them that flecp in the
" duft of the earth fliall awake, fome to ever-
" lafting life, and fome to fhame andever-
" laftipg contempt." This no doubt, is the
** weeping and wailing audgnafhing of teeth"
that occurs fo often in our Saviour's account
of future punifhment. On the contrary,
of good men it is faid by the apoftle that
" they will not be afhamed at the coming of
"Chrift." VI. The folemn warnings given by Eze
kiel to individual finners, who certainly, nei
ther in his time, nor in any other, were pu
nifhed in this life, muft neceffarily refer to
another Ch. xviii. 4. " All fouls are mine.
" As the foul of the father, fo alfo is the
" foul of the fon. The foul that finneth it
" fhall die. The fon fhall not bear theini-
" quity of the father, neither fhall the fa-
" ther bear the iniquity ofthe fon. The
" righteoufnefs ofthe righteous fhall beup-
" on himfelf, and the wickednefs of the
" wicked fhall be upon himfelf." v. 26.
" When a righteous man turneth from his
*Vi(ghteoufnefs,and committeth iniquity, and
" dieth in them, for his iniquity that he hath
E done

( 3° )
" done fhall he die. And when the wicked
** man turneth away from his wickednefs
" that he hath committed, and doth that
" which is lawful and right, he fhall fave his
" foul alive." v. 30. "For I will judge you,
" O houfe of Ifrael, every ce according to
" his ways, faith the Lord God." By life
in this remarkable pafTage muft neceffarily
be underftood happinefs in a future ftate,
and by death either cxtraftion of being, or
mifery in that ftatc. In v. 26. it is remark
able that the death with which the finncf
is threatened is after his natural death ; for
he is reprefented &s dying in his iniquity,
previous to his punifhment.

SEC-

( 31 )

S E C T I O IST IV.

Of the belief of the antient Hebrews in a
refurreBion.
P^ S the antient Hebrews beUeved in a>
future ftate of retribution, it is equal
ly evident that it was upon the principle of
a " refurredlion of the dead" at a future pe
riod, and not on that of the foul furviving
the body, and living independently of it j a
principle that was adopted by the heathens,
and irreconcileable with it. The writer of
the Old Teftament always fpeaks ofthe ftate
of.dcath as that of abfolute infenfibility. Pf.
vi. 5. "In death there is no remembrance
" of thee. In the grave who fhall give thee
" thanks." Ixxxviii. 10. " Wilt thou fhew
" wonders to the dead. Shall the dead rife
" and praife thee ? Shall thy loving kind-
" nefs be declared in the grave, or thy faith-
*' fulnefs in deftruftion ? Shall thy wonders
E 2 "be

( 32 )
" be known in the dark, and thy righte-
" oufnefs in the land of forgetfulncfs .''" cxv.
17. " The dead praife not the Lord, neither
" they that go down into filence." Ecclef. ix.
5. " The dead know not any thing, neither
" have they any more a reward (meaning
" no doubt, in this life) for the memory of
" them is forgotten : neither have. they any
" more portion forever of any thing that is
" done under the fun." v. 10. "Whatfoevcr
" thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy
" might, for there is no work, nor devlfe,
" nor knowledge, nor wifdom, in the grave
" whither thou goeft."
It is farther evident that the belief of the
antient Hebrews in a future ftate was upon,
the principle of a refurfeftiori of tht body,
becaufe the righteous are defcribed as living
upon the earth, and inheriting it for ever.
Of this there is frequent mentioii hi' the
xxxviith. Pfalm. v. 10. " For yet a litfle
** while and the wicked fhall not be. Yea
" thou fhalt diligently confider his place,
" and it fliall not be. But the meek fhall
•• inherit the earth, and delight themfelves
*« in the abundance of peace." This paf-
fage our Saviour refers to, underftanding it

in

(, 33 )
in this fenfe, Mat. v. 5 v. 28. " The righ-
*' teous fhall inherit the land, and dwell
** therein forever:" v. 34. "Wait on the Lord
" and keep his way, and he fhall exalt thee
" to inherit the land. When the wicked
"are cutoff thou fhalt fee it." Pf. lxix. 35.
" For God will fave Zion, and build the ci-
" ties of Judah, that they may f'wellthere-
*' in, and have it in pofTeffion. .The feed al-
*• fo of his fervants fhall inherit it, and
*• they that love thy name fhall dwell there-
" in." The correfpondence ofthis paflTage to two
others in the book of Ifaiah adds much to the
probability ofthis prophet fpeaking of a real
refurredlion of the righteous dead at the re-
ftoration of the Ifraelites to their own coun
try, as the Jews always underftood them.
If. xxvi. 19. ** Thy dead men fhall live,
" together with my dead body fhall they
" arife. Awake and fing, ye that dwell in
'* the duft, Fpr their dew is as the dew of
** herbs, and the earth fhall caft out the
"dead." The word here rendered the dead
is reph'aim, which ufually denotes the impi
ous dead, fuch as periflied in the deluge.
The image in the former part of the paflage is

( 34 )\
is that of the roots of plants buried in the
ground, and reviving by means of moifture.
The fame idea occurs Ch. lxvi. 17.
" Their heart fhall rejoice, and their bones
"fhall flouriOi like an herb." Though
now dry, and fhowing no fign of life, they
will revive is plants feemingly dead revive
by means of" refrefhing fhowers. In this
fenfe it is evident that the pafTage wais Un
derftood by the writer of the book ofEccle-
fiafticus,' who fays concei'ning the twelve
minor prophets, Ch. xlix. 16. " Let their
*• memory be bleffed, and let their bones
*• flourifh again out of their place." When
this was written they were all dt'ad.
This alfo gives confiderablc probability
to Ezekiel's vifion of the dry bone? denoting
not merely a revival of the nation of th'e
Ifraelites, as from a ftate of death, but the
aftual'refurreftion of thofe of them that
were dead. It concludes in this remarkabli;
manner. Ch. xxxvii. 12. " Therefore pro-
" phecy, and lay unto them, "Thus faith th^
" Lord God. Behold, O ihy people, I will
*' open your graves, and caufe you to come
«* up out of yoUr graves, and bring y6u into
" the land of Ifrael j and ye fhall know that "I

( 35 )
** I am the Lord when' I have opened; your
*• graves, O my people, and have brought
" you up out of your graves, and ihall put
" my fpirit in you, and ye fhall live j and I
" will place you in your own land. Thou
" fhall know that I the Lord have fpoken
** it, and have performed it, faith the Lord."
The Prophet was addrefling himfelf to the
men of his own times, as to be convinced of
the truth of his prophecy when they fhould
be witneflTes of the fulfilment of it. Such,
at leaft, is the moft natural interpretation of
the pafTage.
That there is the moft exprefs mention of
SL refurreftion in the book of Daniel cannot
be queftioned without the greateft ftrainjng
of the text, and reducing the plaineft langu,-.
age to ^gures of fpeech. Ch. xii. " At
•* that time thy people fhall be delivered,
*' every one that fhall be found written in
•* the book. And many of them that flecp
** in the duft of the earth fhall awake, fome
** to everlafting life, and fome to fhame and
** everlafting contempt. And they that be
" wife fhall fhine as the brightnefs of the
'* firmament, and they that turn many unto
rightc-

((

( 36 )
" righteoufnefs as the ftars for ever and
" ever." Daniel himfelf is particulariy promifed
a place in this refurreftion v. 13. " But
" go thou thy way till the end be. For
" thou fhalt reft, and ftand in thy lot at
" the end of the days. This could not re
fer to any future period in the life of Da
niel. For this vifion was in the reign of
Darius the Medc, when he was extremely
old, and in as much power as he ever had
been, or as he was in under Gyrus who fuC-
ceeded Darius ; a degree of credit, and p0\^-
er, which he could not, according to the
courfe of' nature, enjoy much longer. Be
fides, there is a reference to an interruption
ofthe happy ftate of Daniel. He was to go
and "Wait till the end be ; whereas, he con
tinued in power from this time till his death.
as is moft probable from what is faid of
^m. Ch. vi. 28. "So this Daniel prof*-
" pered in the reign of Darius, and in the
"reign of Cyrus the Perfiari."
With this evidence ofthe belief of a fu
ture life, and of a refurreftion among the
antient Hebrews, we need not hefitate to
interpret literally feveral paflages in the
Pfalms

( 37 )
Pfalms to which fome ingenious commen
tators, who entertained a different opinion,
have, with tolerable plaufibility, given a
figurative interpretation ; as Pf. xvi, lo.
" Thou wilt not leave my foul in the grave,
" neither wilt thOu fuffer thy holy one to
" fee corruption ;" meaning that he fhould
not' continue for ever in that ftkte. " Thou
" wilt fhew me the path of life," i. e. of eter
nal life. " In thy prefence is fulnefs of joy,
** and at thy right hand' are pleafures evcr-
** more." This language does not corrcf-
pond to any thing that can be enjoyed in
this world, but only in the ftate to which
Enoch was tranflated.
The Pfalmift, fpeaking of the wicked,
fays, Fi. xlix. 14. "Like fheep they are
" laid in the grave; Death fhall feed on
" them J and the upright fhall have domi-
" nion over them in the morning," i. c. the
morning if the refurreftion. " And their
" beauty mall confume in the grave from
" their dwelling. But God will redeem my
" foul from the power of the grave, for he
" fhall receive me." Pf. lxxi. 20. " Thou
" who haft fhewed me great and fore trou-
" blcs, ftialt quicken rae again, and fhalt
F ^ " bring

( 38 )
" bring me up again from the depths of the
" earth. Thou wilt increafe my greatnefs,
*' and comfort me on every fide." David
lived only eight years after the rebellion of
Abfalom, which was the fource of the great
eft of all his troubles j and from feveral cir
cumftances it is probable that he had no
great enjoyment of the laft years of his life.
He was extremely feeble, and two years be
fore his death was the pcftilence which fol
lowed his numbering of the people. His
great confolations muft have been derived
from his profpefts of a ftate after this.

SEC-

( 39 )

SECTION V.

Of the doBrine ofthe book of fob.
A^L L the Jater commentators on the book
of Job reprefent him and his friends
as unacquainted with the doftrine of a fu
ture ftate, and as arguing on principles
which exclude the idea of it. But this is
contrary to all the more early interpreters,
and to natural probability.
Job and his friends were Arabs, and ap
pear to have lived in the patriarchal times,
when all other nations had a knowledge of
a future ftatc, and held it in greater purity
than it obtained afterwards. There is alfo
abundant evidence of the Arabs in general
before the time of Mahomet being well ac
quainted with this doftrine. Can it be fup
pofed then that Job and his friends, all men
of religion, fhould have been ignorant of
it.? F 2 It

( 4° ;
It is alleged that had they been acquaint
ed with this doftrine there would have been
no room for any controvcrfy between Job
and his friendS) which they fay related to the
vindication of the ways of God to men. But
this is a miftake of the queftion, which was
fimply whether Job was a wicked man or
not; his friends arguing that he muft have
been fo, from the uncommon calamities in
which he had been fo fuddenly involved,
and which they confidered as divine judg
ments. But how many pcrfons at this day,
when the doftrine of a future ftate is un-
queftioned, argue in the fame manner j
thinking that very great crimes will not pafs
unpunifhed in this life, and that it behoves-
the Divine Being to make fpeedy examples
of fuch wretches as a warning to the reft of
the world I
In reply to them. Job not only afferts his
own innocence, and even his exemplary vir
tue, which he fays he fhould do in the pre
fence of God himfelf J but fliows that the
adminiftration of providence in this world
is by no means fo equal as they pretended :
for that many good men fuffered, and many
wicked

C 41 )
wicked men were profperous, even to the
lateft term of life.
The friends of Job fpeak in fuch high
terms of the reftitude and thejufHce of God,
his love of virtue, and his hatred of vice,
as is inconfiftent with their belief of there
being no future ftate, in wliich thatjuftice
and regard to virtue would be more mani-
feft than they could pretend that it was in
this life. Job himfelf enlarges on this head,
as much as his friends.
It is evident that Job is reprefented as
having no expeftation of furviving his mif-
fortunes. On the contrary, he earneftly
wifhes for death, being without hope of any
thing favourable to him in life ; and yet it
cannot be denied that the pafTage in this
book which is generally confidered as ex-
preffive of his belief of a future ftate, fhews
at leaft that he was confident of fomething
favourable to him taking place at fome fu
ture time ; that notwithftanding his prefent
affliftions, which he, as well as his friends,
conlidered as coming from thehand of God,
the Supriimc Being would finally appear as
his friend and faviour. Where then in
thefe circumftances, could this, in his idea, be.

( 42 )
be, but at fome time after deat,h .? The
common interpretation, therefore, whether
the pafTage be rendered exaftly in our
tranflation or not, is a priori the moft na
tural. This celebrated pafTage is as fol
lows. Job. xix. 23. " Oh that my words were
*¦' now written, Oh that they were printed in
" a book ! that they were graven vnith an iron
*' pen and lead, in the rock for ever I For
" I know that my redeemer liveth, and that
" he fhall ftand at the latter day upon the
" earth ; and though after my fkin worms
" deftroy this body, yet in my flefh fhall I
" fee God, whom 1 fliall fee for myfclf, and
" mine eyes fliall behold, and not ano-
" ther, though my veins be confumed with-
" in me.
Dr. Kennicott fuppofes that Job cxpefted
that God would appear in a miraculous
manner to bear teftimony to his innocence
before he died. But befides that this is not
confiftent with his repeatedly wifhing foi
death, as the completion and termination of
all his fufferings (for then he would have
died in triumph) and with his fuppofihg, as
in thie^ very paflTage, that his body would be
wholly

( 43 )
wholly confumed by his difordcr, what rca-
fonable expeftation could it be fuppofed that
he, or any man, could have of fuch a mi
raculous interpofition in his favour ? It is,
however, fomething to which he appeals
with the greateft confidence, as an event
with refpeft to which he entertained no
doubt. What Job fays on this occafion was not
to vindicate the ways of providence, but on
ly a folemn appeal to a future judgment with
refpeft to his innocence j being confident
that he fhould be acquitted there, though
not by his friends here ; and to this his ac-
cafers could not have any thing to fay, and
therefore they had no occafion to notice it.
It was only a peculiar mode of declaring his
innocence, and contradifting what they had
urged againft him.
The writer of this book had no more a
belief in the confcious ftate ofthe foul, while
the body was in the grave, than David or
Solomon. He ever fpeaks ofdeath as a ftatc
of infenfibility, and by no means defirable,
except as a termination of affliftion. But
Job exprefTes his hope of a change in his fa
vour after death. This appears to me tobe

( 44 )
be clearly intimated in the following paf-
fage. Ch. xiv. 7. " There is hope of a tree
*? if it be cut down, that it will fprout again,
" and that the tender branch thereof will
" not ceafe. Though the root thereof wax
" old in theearth, and the ftock thereof die
" in the ground, yet ihrough the fcenf of
" water it will bud, and bring forth boughs
" like a plant ; ' that is, it will prefently rev
appear, and be the fame that it was before.
" Bilt man dieth, and wafteth awayi yea
*' man giveth up the ghoft, and where is he?
"As the waters fail from the fea, and thfi'
" flood decays and drieth up •" that is,, hd
is like to a rivulet in Arabia, which difap-
pears in the heat of fummer, fo that there' i^
no trace of it left, though it will be found
again at the return of the proper fe§fon of
the year. " So man lieth down, and rifes
" not again, till the heavens be no more/.-
"They fhall not awake, nor be raifed out'of
" their flecp," that is " till the heavens be
" no more," till a very diftant period, like
the rivulet to which he compares him- Hrf
wifhes for death, but in hope of a future
change in his favour, and therefore he adds, "O,

( 45 )
" O, that thou wouldeft hide me in the
** grave, that thou wouldeft keep me fecret
" until thy wrath be paflTed ; that thou
" wouldeft appoint me a fet time, and re-
" member me."
It is evident that he hoped not to be for
gotten when he was dead. If "a man die,
" fliall he live again }" that is immediately,
as he now does. Man does not die like a
tree, but only difappears for a time, like an
Arabian rivulet. With this idea he pro
ceeds to fay. " All the days of my appoint-
" ted time will I wait till my change come."
This was, no doubt, a change in his favour j
and therefore he wifhed for it. " Thou
" fhalt call, and I will anfwer thee. Thou
" wilt have a dcfire to the work of thy
" hands." That is, after a flate of infenfi
bility in death he would be called to a new
life, free from the troubles and diftrcflcs of
this. It muft have been svith a full perfuafion
of a future life that he faid, Ch. xiii. 15.
" Though he flay mc yet will I truft in him.
" But I will maintain my own ways before
" him. He alfo fhall be my falvation; for
*« a hypocrite fhall not come before him, or
G " ftand

( 46 )-
" ftand in his prefence." Here he fpeak.?
of truft in God, and of falvation, after he
was dead. What could a Chriftian fay more ?
This language is exaftly correfpondcnt to
that of David quoted before.
To the fame purpofe he fays, Ch. xxvii.
8. "What is the hope of a hypocrite though
" he have gained, when God taketh away
" his foul," i. e. " his life." The mean
ing evidently is, that how profperous foevcr
a wicked nian may be in this life, which he
clfcwhere fuppofes he might be in the high-
eft degree, and til] the day of his death, he
can have no hope of happinefs after death,
which the righteous man has. He likewife
fays, Ch. xxvii. 19. " The rich man fhall
*• lie down, but fhall not be gathered. He
" openeth his eyes, and he is not." To be.
" gathered" in this place muft mean fome
thing more than merely dying, and it is evi
dently fome privilege which the wicked had
not, and therefore muft refer to fomething
after death. It is, as I have obferved, a
phrafe tbat is never ufed but with refpeft to
the deaths of good men. He could hardly
have fpoken more intelligibly if he had faid
that when the wicked man dies he has no
ex-

( 47 )
expeftation of a future happy life, which is
referved for the righteous, and when he
opens his eyes at the refurreftion, it is to
receive the doom of the wicked, which is
generally denoted by the phrafe "deftruc-
** tion," or by language of the fame im
port. Zophar too feems to confider the crimes
of the wicked as rendering them liable to pu
nifhment after death, when he fays, Ch. xx.
II. " His bones are full of the fins of his
*' youth, which fhall lie down with him in
" the duft. " Why does he fpeak of his fins
as going with him to the grave, but with
the idea of their appearing againft him here
after. Thus of good men it is faid. Rev.
xiv. 13. " that their works follow them,"
when they die.
Job feems to warn his uncandid friends
of afuture judgment, though the exaft mean
ing of the language he ufes is not obvious,
Ch. xix. 29. *' Be ye afraid of the fword.
" For wrath bringeth the punifhment of
" the fword, that ye may know that tbere
" is a judgment." This he feems to inti
mate would be more favourable to him than
it would be to them. G 2 Co*-

( 48 )
Confidering that the fufferings of Job
could not well have been greater than they
were in this life, he muft ncceflTarily refer to
fomething after it when he exprefl!cs his
dread of fome other divine judgment if the
charges of his accufers had been well found
ed. Ch. xxxi. 13. " If I defpifed the caufe
" of my man fervant, or of my maid fcrvant
" when they contended with me, what fhall
" I do when God rifeth up, and when he vi-
" fiteth mc wha,t fhall I anfwer him V' Her*
the phrafe " rifing up" feems to be what is
called "juridical," referring to the cuftoms
of courts of jufticc, in whiph thejudge ftood
up when he pronounced a fentence, Hf
. therefore fuppofes that there is a future judg
ement, to which he would be amenable af
ter death.

SEC.

( 49 )

SECTION VL

Of the fate of the taickedat the refitrreSlion„
T T is obfervable that the punifhment of
the wicked is always defcribed in the
Old Teftament in language that Implies
** deftruftion," or the extinftion of being.
Job fays Ch. xxi. 30. ' " The wicked is
•• referved to the day of deftraftion. They
** fhall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
Ch. xxxi, 3. "Is not deftruftion to the
•• wicked ? and a ftrange punifhment to the
** workers of iniquity ?" v. 23. " Deftruc-
" tion from God was a terror to me."
This language is frequent in the book of
Pfalms. Pf. v. 5. " The foohfli ftiall not
•* ftand in thy fight. Thou hateft all the
•* workers of iniquity. Thou wilt deftroy
** them that fpeak leafing." xxxvii. 20.
** The wicked fhall perifti, and the enemies '.' of

( so )
" of the Lord fhall be as the fat of lambs.
" They fliall confume : into fmoke fhall
" they confume away." v. 28. ** The
" Lord loveth judgment, and forfaketh
" not his faints. They fhall be preferved
*' for ever. But the feed ofthe wicked fhall
" be cut off." Iv. 23. " Thou Lord, flialt
" bring them down to the pit of deftruftion.
" Bloody and deceitful men fhall not live
" out half their days." By this he could
not mean that they would not live to the na'-
tural term of human life, for he often fays
the contrary. He muft therefore refer to a
future exiftence. Iviij. 9. " He will take
" them away as with a whirlwind, both li..
" ving, and in his wrath. The rightjCOus
" fliall rejoice when he feeth the vengeance j
"fo that a man fhall fay. Verily there is a
*' reward for the righteous. Verily thece
*' is a God that judgeth in the earth." Ixviii,
I. " Let God arife. Let his enemies be
" fcattcred. Let them alfo that hate him
" flee before him. As fmoke is driven away
*' fo drive them away. As wax melteth he-^
" fore the fire, fo let the wicked perifh at
" the prefence of the Lord. But let the
" right-

( 51 )
" righteous be glad. Let them rejoice be-
" fore the Lord. Yea let them exceedingly
" rejoice." lxix. 28. " Let them be blot-
" ted out ofthe book ofthe living, and not
" be written with the righteous." This
text receives illuftration from Dan. xii. i.
" At that time thy people fhall be deliver-
" cd, every one that fhall be found written
" in the book" Pf. xcii. 9. " For thine
" enemies, O Lord, fhall perifh. All the
" workers of iniquity fhall be fcattcred."
civ. 35. " Let the finners be confumed out,
" of the earth, and let the wicked be no

** more.'

Solomon makes ufe of language of the
fame import. Pr. xxiii. 17. " Let not thy
*' heart envy finners, but be thou in the fear
** of the Lord all the day long. For furely
*' there is an end {acherith) and thy expec-
" tation fhall not be cut off." hy acherith,
in this and feveral other places, muft, I
think, be meant a future ftate in which,
and not before the wicked will be punifhed.
The prophet Ifaiah adopts the fame langu
age, Ch. lxvi, 17. "They who fanftify
*' themfelves, and purify themfelves, in the
"gar-

i

( 52 )
«' gardens, behind one tree in the midft,
" eating fwinc's fleflb, and thfe abomination*
" and the moufe" (by which circumftancci
he dcfcribes the idolaters) « fliall be confu-
" med together, faith the Lord."
By the term dejlrudiion wc are not, how
ever, ncccfTarily to underftand utter annihi
lation. For the Ifraelites are threatened
with deftruftion in cafe of apoftacy, when
they were only to be dlfperftd, and fuffcr a
long time, in a ftate of exile from their own
country, to which they were to be reftorea
in due time. Deut. Iv. 26. " 1 caU hea-
" ven and earth to witnefs againft you this
"day, that yc fliall foon* utterly perifli
" from

* Here the woiii foon is probably ufed for certain*
ly, and a fimilar interpretation will remove feveral con,
fiderable difficulties from other paflages pf fcripture,
efpecially that of our Saviour's promifing the penitefit
thief that he fhould be with him in paradife en that day 5
when his meaning probably only was, that he fhould
certainly be with him, without intending to give any
idea of the time when they fhould be there. ^0 in
Rev. iii. 11. and xxii. 20, he (ays furely I come quickly''
tho almoft twd thoufand years arc pafftd, and he is not
yet come. Even when he fays, Matt. xxiv. 34. that
that generathn would mt pafs before his prcdidions '
eon-

( 53 )
" from off the land whereunto yc go over
" Jordan to pofTcfs it. Ye fhall not pro-
*' long your days upon it, but fhall be ut-
*' terly deftroyed." It is added however,
v. 30. " When thou art in tribulation,
" and all thefe things arc come upon thee,
" even in the latter days, if thou turn to
" the Lord thy God, and be obedient to his
" voice (for the Lord thy God is a merci-
*' ful God) he will not forfake thee, neither
" deftroy thee."
There is therefore, reafon to hope that
notwithftanding the deJiruSlion with which
the wicked in general, like the idolatrous If
raelites are threatened, mercy may be fhewn
to them at a diftant period, provided the pu-
concerning his fecond coming, as well as that of the
defolation of Judea, fhould be fulfilled, he might only
mean to fay that thofe events would take place as cer
tainly as if thofe who then heard the prediction fhould
themfelves fee the fulfilment of it. For as to the time
when he fhould adlually come he exprefsly fays that he
did not know it. In Luke xviii. 7. the term fpeetiily
is, no doubt, ufed for certainly. For in the application
of the parable of the unjufl judge Jefus fays, that Gbd
¦would fpeetiily avenge his eleii, though he had jufl be
fore faid that he would a long time forbear todo it; fo
that their patience would be excrcifed by waiting.
H nifliment

( 54 )
nifhment denoted by the phrafe defiruSiion
have its proper effeft upon them. And
happily, this cannot be doubted while the
general princlpjes of human r.ature remain
the fame, that they are now. In that ftate
of fuffering they will want neither knowledge,
nor experience ; and it iS only for want of
thefe that any pcrfons are drawn into fin,
and become the proper objefts of punifh
ment.

An

( 55 )
An Attempt to explain the Eighteenth Chap.
ter of Ifaiah.

"jy/r UCH of the attention of learned
chriftians has of late been given to
that part of the prophecies of Ifaiah which
is contained in the eighteenth chapter,
which is with jufticc confidered as one of
the moft obfcure of his or any other pro
phecies ; and fince the interpretations that
have been given of it are very different, I
flball hope t6 be excufed if I propc^fe ano
ther. '
Notwithftanding the uncertainty there
may be in the fenfe of particular words and
phrafes, in this or other prophecies, it may
not be difficult to afcertain the general fenfe
of them from collateral evidence ; fo that
though thofe words and phrafes may re
main of doubtful interpretation, there may
be no great uncertainty with refpeft to any
thing of much importance in the pro
phecy. H 2 There

( 56 )
There is abundant evidence of the He
brew text of the prophetical books of fcrip
ture being confiderably corrupted by fre
quent tranfcribing. To this the neceffary
obfcurity of thefe parts of fcripture, would
greatly contribute, while the obvious fenfe
of the hiftorical books would fecure their
corrcftnefs to a tranfcriber who underftood
the language. On this account it may be
allowed to call in the aid of the antient
verfions ; fince at the time in which they
were made the copies might be more cor-
rcft. Confequently, if any of them give ^
clear meaning, confiftent with thecontext,
it may be adopted, in preference to the He
brew text of which no certain or. good fenfe
can be made. Even conjeftural emenda
tions, without the authority of any antient
vcrfion, or MS, may fometimes be allowed,
though this fhould be done very fparingly j
fince many of the moft plaufible of thofe
emendations have appeared, on farther con-
fideration, to be unneceflary j the prefent
text being capable, on a more critical ex
amination, of a clear and unexceptionable
interpretation. Having

( 57 )
Having preniifed thefe obfervations,
which refpeft the prophetical writings in
general, I fhall proceed to others which may
tend to throw fome light upon this part of
them in particular.
I. At the time that Ifaiah began to pro
phecy, the kingdom of Judah was threat
ened with an invafion by the kings of Ifrael
and Syria, and afterwards, in the reign of
Hezekiah, with a more formidable one by
the king of Aflyria. But notwithftanding
thefe unfavourable appearances, it is the
great burden of the prophecies of Ifaiah,
that the promifes of God to their forefa
thers, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and re
peated by Mofes, viz. that they would be
the moft diftinguifhed and flourifliing of
all nations, would certainly be fulfilled;
that though their fufferings would be great,
and they would be difperfed, as Mofes had
foretold, over all the face of the earth, they
would in due time, be reftored to their own
country, and enjoy the unmolefted pofleffion
of it to the end of time ; while all the na
tions which at that time threatened them,
and all others that fhould hereafter rife to
great

( 58. )
great power and opprels them, would be
exterminated. '""'
This fate is particularly announced con
cerning all the countries that were at that
time hoftilc to the Ifraelites, though it does
not appear in what period ofthe long conti
nuance of ll'alah's prophecylrtg-thofe pre-
diftions were delivered, and it is not pro
bable that they were given in the order in
which they are recorded'. The judgments
of God againft AfTyria are contained in
Ch. X. and Ch. xiv. 22 ; againft Babylon
Ch. xiii; againft M64b (at that time a pow
erful and proud nation) Ch. xv ; againft
the Syrians Ch. xvii; againft 'the Egypti
ans Ch. XIX} and againft the Tyriafis Ch.
xxiii. All thefe prediftions of Ifaiah cdii-
cerning the fate of thefe particular coun
tries were followed by other fithilar ones in
Jeremiah and Ezekiel, arid fome of thtlrtl
in the minor prophets, abont two centuries
after him. *^ '•' > ''¦>'
The moft remarkable of th?fe prophecfci
ii that againft Babylon, which made'nd
great figure in the time of Jfaiah and MA
not then been hoftilc to the Ifraclites. It

( 59 )
is farther remarkable, that the overthrow
of Babylon is announced as to be accom-
plifhed by the M?<!/^j, Ch. xiii. 17. xxi. 2.
xxxi. 8. xlvi. 47. a nation then quite in-
confiderable ; and Cyrus, the conquerer of
Babylon, is even mentioned by name, Ch.
xliv. 28. xlv. I. about two hundred years
before he was born.
II. The xviith, and xvliith. chapters of
Ifaiah contain one of thofe prophecies. It
is entitled T^he burden of Damafcus, the ca
pital of the kingdom of Syria, which was
then a powerful ftate, and, in conjunftion
with the kingdom of Ifrael, threatened
the kingdom of Judah. But though, of
thefe two, Damafcus is threatened with
utter deftruftion, and the fortrefs is foretold
to ceafe from Ephraim, yet it is faid that a
remnant JJjall be left of Ifrael. As no new
title occurs till the xixth. chapter, we may
conclude that the prediftions in the xviii.
cannot relate to Egypt, as Bifhop Lowth
and moft other interpreters fuppofe, efpeci
ally as the very next chapter has the title
of The burden of Egypt.
Ill, As the word 'in in Ch. xvii. v. 12.
evi-

( 6o )
evidently fignifies woe, and announces ca
lamity, the fame muft no doubt, be its
.-meaning in Ch. xviii. v. i. which is only a
continuation of the fame prophecy, though
it may in other places be a mere interjec
tion, fignifying a call to fome perfon or
nation. IV. There is great uncertainty in ren
dering the phrafe D'SJS Vvbv. but that it
is in any refpeft dcfcriptive oi Egypt cannot
be admitted, for the reafon juft given. And
as the verfes immediately preceding in the
fame prophecy, though improperly placed
in a different chapter, reprefent all nations
as expofed to divine judgments, this may
be intended to denote the moft powerful of
them in general, without alluding to, any
of them in particular. The Y>hraieJhadow''
ing with wings (which is the moft literal
rendering and adopted in our common
tranflation) may refer to its power of pro-
tcfting other nations, and therefore imply
great power in itfelf, fuch as might lead
it to expeft to efcapc the threatened judg
ments. V. Cujh being a country fituated farther to

( 6i )
to the fouth than any other with which the
Ifraelites were acquainted, the land beyond
tbe rivers of Cujh may fignify any diftant
nation j the prophecy intimating, that nei- .
ther great power, nor remotenefs of fitua
tion, would avail any nation on which
God had determined to inflift his judg
ments. VI. As the final return of the Ifraelites
from all the countries of their difperfion,
in which return they will be favoured and
affiflcd by other nations, is reprefented by
this prophet, Ch. lxvi. 20. under the image
of an offering brought from all nations to
Jehovah j v. 7. of this prophecy, in which
the fame language is made ufe of, moft
probably : relates to the fame great event.
Confequently, the prophet's defcription of
this nation muft apply, to the Ifraelites,
whatever difliculty there may be with ref
peft to the phrafes by which that nation is
defignated. The phrafe 1p lp v. 2. in the defcription
of the fame people, is probably a corrup
tion, fince they give no clear meaning what
ever. Wc may therefore, adopt fome of
I the

( 6i )
the antient verfions ; and though thefe dif
fer, they all agree in giving the idea of a
people oppre£ed and harraffed, as the Ifrael
ites are in their difperfion. Since, however,
the fame words occur in Ch, xxviii. lo.
where they arc rendered by our tranflators
line upon line, and made equivalent to pi'ectpi
upon precept, one of the marginal readings^ j
viz. a nation tfline lint, may, as the rhoft
literal, be approved. In either cafe, it de*
notes the Ifraelites, who have been favour-^M
ed with divine revelations, though t4tey
were not effeftual to prevent thei^ apof
tacy. The phrafe whofe land the rivers hffu&fpmU
ed, may well enough apply to the holy land,
if by rivers, we underftand with Bp. Horfr
ley, any other caufe of dciblatipii^ fvtch as^
hoftile armies, which ^re often CQinpai:64i
to the overflowing of rivers;
Vii. The phTiie fwi/Jt^meJ/ingegSi v. %,
by no means neceflarily alludes to the in<T^
habitants of the land Jhadtming with wings,
or any other, particnlar nation 4 but to fwift
meflengers in general, who are diceftsedi to
announce the purpofes of God. ^ith rcf-

( 63 )
peft to his people, and all other nations ;
his purpofes of favour to the former, and of
heavy judgments on the latter. And fince
mention is made v. 6. of being left to the
fowls of the mounfains, and tbe beafts of the
earth, and this is language in which the
deftruftion of the enemies of the Ifraelites
at their reftoration is made ufe of in other
prophecies, it is probable that the fame event
it alluded to in this more obfcure paf-
fage. VIII, There is much difficulty in the
tranflation of v. 4," and 5, and I am by no
means fatisfied wiili any that I have feen of
them i but the objeft of them feems to be
to exprefs thie attention that God gives to
hit chofen people at all times, either with
refpeft to the favour which he will finally
fhew to them, or his chaftifement of them
for. their difobcdiencc.
I fhall now give what appears to me the
beft tranflation of this prophecy, availing
myfclf ofthe antient verfions with refpeft
to the more difficult paffages above men
tioned, and of Mr. Dodfon's and Bp.
Horfley's the lateft of the modern ones.
I 2 There

( 64 )
There is no occafion, however, to give
any tranflation of Ch. xvii. though it con
tains a part of the fame prophecy with that
in Ch. xviii. and though an attention to it
is as I have fliewn abfolutely neceffary to
the right underftanding of it ; becaufe the
fenfe of this chapter is fufficiently clear,
fo that all the tranflations of it nearly
agree. " Woe to the land with extended wings,
*« beyond the rivers of Cufh, which fend?
" ambafiadors by fea, in veflels. of bul-
" rufhes on the waters. Go fwift mcf-
*? fengers to a nation oppreflied and afflift-
" ed, to a people Wonderful from the be-
" ginning, and to this day, a nation dif-
*'¦ perfed and oppreflfed, and whofe country
" the floods have deftroyed. Yea all yc
" who inhabit the world, and dwell upon
" the earth, when the ftandard fhall be
" lifted up upon the mountains behold,
*• and when the trumpet fhall be founded
" hear. For thus has Jehovah faid to me,
" I will fit ftill, and regard my fixed habi-
" tation, as the clear heat after rain, and
" as the dewy cloud in the heat of harVcft.
" Surely

( 65 )
" Surely before the vintage, while the bud
" is perfeft, and the, bloflTom is becoming
" a fwelling grape, he will deftroy the
" leaders with a fword, and the flrong ones
*' he will deftroy and cut off. And they
" fhall be left togetheir for the birds of
"the air, and the beafts of, the earth;
" and the birds of the air fhall be gather-
" ed to them, and all the beafts of the
*' carth fhall come to them. At that time
" a gift fliall be brought to Jehovah, God
*' of hofts, a nation difperfed and oppreff-
" ed, from a people wonderful from the
" beginning, and to this day, whofe coun-
" tiy the rivers have fpolled, to the place
" of the name of Jehovah, God of hofts,
" to the mountains of Sion."
The general fenfe of this prophecy,
without regard to the meaning of particu
lar phrafes, I take to be as follows. After
pronouncing a woe on the nations in gene
ral, meaning no doubt, thofe who fliould
have oppreffed the Ifraelites, the prophet
proceeds to fay in the name of God, " Woe
" to the moft powerful, and the moft
" diftant of tliofe nations, to which there

( 66 )
" is no accefs but by fea. And let fwift
" meflengers go to my own people, who
" have been oppreffed by other nations, to
** announce my favour to them. Let all
" the inhabitants of the world attend to
" my fignals on the approach of the time
" when I fhall fhew it to them. For I
** fhall certainly deliver theni from all
" their affliftions, and utterly defttoy their
" enemies, while they fhall be brought as
*' an offering to me from all other nations,
** and enjoy an undifturbed fettlement in
*? their own country."
In this interpretation it will be obferved ,
that I do not, with fome late expofitors,
find France, either as the inftrument in the
hands of God of the deftruftion of monar
chy, or in the charafter of Antichrift.
This power I have no doubt has long been
in exiftence, and I hope is now not far
from its termination • but by what par
ticular means it will be deftroyed, or when
its deftruftion will be accomplifhed, I pre
tend not to fay. Whenever it takes place,
it will be followed by the fecond coming of

( 67 )
of Chrift. -But the time of this greateft
of all events was not known even to him
felf, but to his father only.

Df l9fl,
Ckco Strtflf
Mill su Mir Tom,

PUBLISHED BY
Dr. PRIESTLEY
SINCE HE LEFT
ENGLAND.

r. Difcourfes on the Evidences of Divine Revelation,
Vol. II. III. I2S. in Boards.
4. Obfervations on the Increafe of Infidelity, Third
Edition, 3s. 6d.
3. Experiments and obfervations relating, to the Ana-
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4. The dodrine of Phlogifton Eflablifhed, 3s. 6d.
S- A CoHjparifon of the Inflitutions of Mofes with
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CATALOGUE OF BOOKS,

WRITTEN BY

Dr. PRIESTLET,

AND fRIMTEU tor.

J. JOHNSON, BOOKSELLER, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, LONDON.

Books' written by Dr. Priestiey.
l.'X'HE Hiftory and pr?fent State of Ele£lricity, with orlgi-
'¦¦ nal Experiments, illuftrated with Cppper-Plates, 4th
Edition, corre£led'and enlarged, 4to. il. is. in boards.
N. B. J new Edition is in the Prefs^ and x^U foon be pub'
lijhed, together with a Continuation of it, and original Ex
periments by Mf. Nicholfon, in 1 vols. 4to in Beards, 2/. 2s.
— The Continuation will be fold alone, iL is. in boards. .
2. A Familiar Intreduilien to the Study of Eleliricity, 5th
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3. The Hiftory and Prefent State of Difcoveries relating
torifen. Light,' find Colours, 2 vols. 4to. illuftrated with a
great Number of Copper- Plates, ll. r is. 6d. in bds. if. 1 8s. bd.
4. Experiments and Obfervations on different ICinds of Air
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lumes abridged afjd methodifed, with many Additions. '.
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Charge of Plagiarifm refpedting Dr, H — s, interfperfed with
Obfervations relating to different Kinds of Air, is. 6d.
6. Experimtnts relating to the iDecompofitpn of Dephlo-
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Air from Water, is.
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9., A New Chart ai Hifiory, containing a View of the
(jtnncipal Revoltltbns of Empire that have taken place in the*
World; with a Book defcribing it, containing an Epitome of
univerfal Hiftory, 4th Edition, los. 6d. '
10. A Chart of Biography, with a Book containing an Ex
planation of it, and' a Catalogue of^ all the Names inferted
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13. Leilures. on Hiflery and General Policy ; to which is
prefixed, an ElTay on a Courfe of Liberal Education, for CiviJ
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in boards, or 14s. bound./
¦ 14. Obfervations reUt'mg t<> Education : more efpecially as
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Books Written by Dr. Prhfll^.
of Liberal Education for Civil and A(Sive Life, ad Editions
3s. 6d. in boards.
15. Pt Courfe of LeSlures on, Oratory and- Criticifm, 410.
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17. Letters to the Right Hon. Mr. Burke qn his Re-
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fewed. 18. A Letter to the Right Hon. miliam Pitt, Firft Lord
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Suhjett oi Toleration and Church Eflahlifhrtients; oec^fioned by
his Speech 'againft the Repeal of tne Teft and Corporation ASis,
on Wednefday the2lft of March, 1787, 2.d Edition, is,
1 9. A Sermon preached before the Congregations of the Old
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20. Familiar Letters, addrefTed to the Inhabitants of the
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Mr. Madan.-irAlfo Letters to the Rev. Edward Burn, in
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24. A Free Djfciijftoti of the Dj£irints of Afateriaiifm and

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31. A Harmony ofthe Evangelifls in Englifti, with Notes,
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2 vols. Svo. izs, in boards, or 14s. bound. Or, bound uni-

'Books written ly Dr. Prieftl^.
formly with the three following Defences ef it, in 3 vols,
' ll. 4Sb
34. A Reply to the Animadve^ans on the /fj/7o^ of the
Corruptions of Chrijlianity, in the Monthly Review for June,
1783; w*lS Obfervations relating to the Doftfine of the-
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37. A.ii Hiftory oi Early Opinions concerning Jefus Chrift,
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38. A GeneralHiftory of the Chriftian Church, to the Fall
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44.' An Addrefs to Proteftant Dijtnttn, on the Subjed of
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54. ForiHs if Prayer, ani other OfficgSj for the Ufe of
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Books written iy Dr. Prieftley; ¦'¦
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N B. The laft Ten Trafts, No. 65 to 74, may he had to
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Alfo puhlifhed under the Direlfien of Dr. Prieftley,
The THEOLOGICAL REPOSITORY,
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£00 A'S written by the Rev. T. LINDSET, A. M.
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5. The Catechift : or, An Inquiry concerning the only
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-j. Vindicije Prieftleianae : An Addrefs to the Students of
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8. A Second Addrefi to the Same, 1790, i^%. fewed.
9. A Lift of Falfe Readings and Miltranflations of the
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10. An Examination of Mr. Robinfon's Plea for the Divi
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*,* The Hymns may be had alone, price 2s. 6d, bnmd.

3 9002 08561 3454