So that

GIVER was loft and forgotten. the knowledge of the one true God, on which all 'natural as well as revealed Religion is founded, was, of neceffity, to be REPUBLISHED to the world, by Moses, when he entered on his Miffion; who not only rekindled its extinguished flame, but, by the Dispensation committed to his care, in which the firft Caufe conftantly and immediately directs all things, obviated the like misfortune for the future.

And as this Difpenfation, called the LAW, being the prelude and preparation to the GOSPEL, whofe Author was the promifed MESSIAH, the Reftorer of what was loft in Adam, could be only made intelligible by the previous knowledge of the caufe and nature of that lofs, therefore hath Mofes ftudiously recorded that previous Knowledge.

And here it will be proper to obferve, that had Jefus been only a MESSENGER fent from heaven, with no other purpose than to propagate a Syftem of revealed Morals, or to republish the Law of Nature, we can see no reason why LIFE AND IM

MORTALITY might not have been promulged by MOSES for the Sanction of the Law, as well as by JESUS CHRIST, who. hath made it the peculiar Sanction of the Gospel: and fo both Doctrines, that of the true God, and of eternal life, have come from Heaven together. The SOCINIANS, and they who deny a REDEMPTION by the Atonement of a REAL SACRIFICE on the Cross, would do well to re-confider this But more of it in a fitter place. To proceed. By the Penalty inflicted on Adam he (with all his Pofterity) was again made mortal; that is, became ExTINCT, at the natural diffolution of the union between Soul and Body.

matter.

But that diftribution of reward and punishment, which God, under every mode. of his Moral Government, makes, with fupreme justice, either here in this world, or hereafter in another, was (when the sentence of DEATH was denounced on Man's tranfgreffion) at first made here in this world, fo long as he continued to be favoured with the administration of an equal or extraordinary Providence. Which, as

We

we learn from the Mofaic Hiftory, continued from the FALL down to the time when Polytheism univerfally prevailed. For, when the World, by reason of the Vices and Corruptions of its Inhabitants, did not like to retain God in their knowledge, but changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an Image made like to corruptible Man*, that first difpenfation of Providence was withdrawn.

Yet, as foon as God had felected a choSen Race, and had separated it from the reft of Mankind, to place his name there, we fee, with astonishment, this equal Providence revive in Judea; for Man was still under the Curfe or doom of death. And this existed till repeated Idolatries, the crime which first caused the equal Providence to be withdrawn from the Nations at large, did at length deprive the chofen People, likewife, of their share of this bleffing.

And, by fuch time as they had invariably returned from their Apoftacy to the pure worship of the God of their Fathers, the Course of God's moral government re

quired, that the nature and genius of the GOSPEL (the Religion which compleated all the foregoing, and which, by the recovery of what was loft in Adam, made an equal Providence no longer neceffary) was gradually revealed unto them. This, as we fay, fuperfeded the ufe, and prevented the return, of that equal Providence ; which, otherwise, on their adherence to the God of Ifrael, and perfeverance in his worship, they might naturally have expected. Nay, the full conviction of their recent lofs, joined to the scattered lights in the later Prophets, together with other lefs legitimate helps, enabled them to gather and arrange their ideas in favour of a FUTURE STATE; as hath been shewn at large in the foregoing Books.

Thefe lights Divine Providence, in its courfe, did indulge to them, till the Sun of Righteoufness arose, left the fudden splendour of his appearance should totally dazzle this blinded and devoted people; who, thus indulgently prepared and made fit to receive the Gofpel, were, by their rejection of it, rendered totally without excuse,

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These observations, the Reader fees, add further evidence to the Truths advanced in the former Books, concerning this EXTRAORDINARY PROVIDENCE.

The course of my Argument, in those Books, led me to deduce an equal adminiftration of Providence in the Jewish State, from the Nature of its THEOCRACY. My Subject here leads me to fhew, from the general ORDER of God's Moral Government, that this equal Providence was administered in the world at large, while it retained the memory of the true God; and was again administered in the Land of Judea, when, by the Miffion of Mofes, the true God had there regained his rights.

All this, when carefully confidered, will, amongst a variety of other reasoning, be one inconteftible proof of the truth of REVEALED RELIGION. Here, in the MOSAIC, we find it fo contrived, by divine Skill, that the peculiar Nature of that œconomy, under a THEOCRACY, fhould coincide with, and concur to fupport, that very difpenfation of Providence which naturally arofe from the punishment of the FALL. I 4

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