under the Law, because the better hopes of the Gospel, which vacate the promises of the Mofaic covenant, were not yet brought in.

"You fee now (says he) upon what foot "all the prophecies in the Old Testament "ftand, which relate to the temporal concerns

of the Jewish nation; you fee likewise the " reason why this kind of prophecy has ceased "in the Chriftian church. The Gospel is "not founded in temporal promises; fo far "from it, that we are called upon to take "up our crofs, and follow Chrift. The bringing in of better hopes bas vacated the promifes of the Mosaic covenant, and 'tis expected of us, after fo much light given, that "our faith fhould be proof against the adver"fities of the world, without the help of a

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prophet to foretel, or to reveal to us in every "inftance the counsel of God."

Now, after this, muft not his Lordship leave the infidel objection, against the propriety and use of these prophecies, in its full force, if he pretends, with the advocates of the common fyftem, that the doctrine of redemption and a future ftate, or the better

hopes of the Gospel, were brought in under the Law z ?

In vain will his Lordship attempt, if he should attempt, to fhew the peculiar propriety and use of predictions, relating to mere temporal affairs under the Jewish œconomy, whilft he adheres to the common fyftem. If the doctrine of redemption and a future ftate does now vacate the use of fuch prophecies under the Gospel, it would have

To know future bleffings of which we fhall partake, "and to receive an admonition how we may avoid an "impending evil, are favours which men would often be "glad to receive; and these favours were granted to the "people of God in ancient times, and ruder ages, for se❝veral reasons, which we have enumerated; but when 66 by his Son he had introduced a purer and fublimer reli"gion, he no longer continued, under the evangelical dif"penfation, to inform men of fuch temporal events. It is "enough for a chriftian to know that he may fecure to "himself everlasting happiness by his obedience." Remarks on ecclefiaftical history, Vol. i. p. 101, 2..

The Doctor feems here to own, that the prophecies, foretelling temporal events, are only to be juftified on the fuppofition that the Jews had not the knowledge of a future ftate. If therefore he should chance to affert they had this knowledge, he will be forced to give up thefe prophecies to the Deifts.

And not only thefe, but typical and fecondary prophecies, likewife, together with thofe which defcribe the fpiritual nature and promifes of the Gospel in metaphorical and highly figurative terms.

Now whether it would be worth while to give up all these things for the fake of oppofing the principles of the D. L. must be submitted to the judgment of others.

vacated

If

vacated the ufe then, under the Law. fuch prophecies were feasonable with the revelation of a future ftate then, they cannot be unfeasonable with fuch a revelation now.

"As two covenants were given to Abraham "and his feed, (fays his Lordship) one a temporal covenant, to take place, and to be

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performed in the land of Canaan; the "other a covenant of better hopes, and to "be performed in a better country; fo are the prophecies given to Abraham and to his "children after him, of two kinds; one re"lative to the temporal covenant, and given "in discharge and execution of God's temporal promifes; the other, relative to the fpiritual covenant, given to establish and "confirm the hopes of futurity, and to precr pare and make ready the people for the reception of the kingdom of God."

Here his Lordship tells us, that the ancient prophecies may be reduced to two forts; fuch as relate to the temporal affairs of the Jewish nation, and such as are relative to the fpiritual or Christian covenant. He affirms, that prophecies of the first kind were seasonable, because the better hopes of the Gospel were not yet brought in. And yet he affirms, that

a P. 127.

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prophecies of the second kind were defigned to establish and bring in at the time they were delivered, these better hopes of the Gofpel. It is evident, therefore, that his account of the prophecies relating to the fpiritual covenant will oblige him to give up the very ground and foundation, upon which he undertakes to fupport the prophecies relative to the temporal covenant; the first vacating and fuperfeding the very end and purpose, which he affigns to the other. For tho' he affirms, that both temporal and fpiritual prophecies were neceffary under the Law, yet he affigns the one no ufe, but what must arise from the fuppofed abfence and omiffion of the other.

Here he argues on the fuppofed abfence and omiffion of these spiritual prophecies, or of prophecies which plainly foretel the spiritual nature and promises of the Gospel. And yet, in another part of his work, he makes prophecies of this laft fort necessary and effential to the Jewish difpenfation".

b He obferves, that "the prophetical office was in fome "measure effential to the Jewish church, in order to pre"ferve, and to adminifter the hopes of the Gofpel, which "had been revealed before the giving of the Law *” And thefe hopes of the Gofpel, according to his Lordfhip,

P. 146.

We

We have now gone through his Lordship's defence of three particular forts of prophecy: 1. Typical prophecies and fuch as have a double meaning; 2. Those which represent the Gofpel bleffings under temporal and carnal images; 3. Those which relate to the temporal affairs of the Jewish people. The result of the whole feems to be this, that nothing but an uniform adherence to the principles of the Divine Legation can secure his reasoning from the attacks of infidelity; and nothing but an uniform rejection of them can fecure it from the attacks upon itself, that is, make it perfectly confiftent.

It has been cenfured as dangerous and heretical in the Author of the D. L. to undertake the defence of the Jewish religion, on the fuppofition that it had not the doctrine of a future ftate. And And yet my Lord Bishop's defcription and account of thefe three forts of prophecy, will oblige him to defend it on this very foot, or give it up to the fcorn of Infidelity.

Nay the Deifts will fay, he is no longer at liberty to affign the Jews this doctrine of a future ftate, fince he contends that fome pro

include the promife of the redemption of mankind, or a restoration to life and immortality.

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