Prophets, let them hear them. Let not these doubters be deceived; God is not mocked: Omniscient Wisdom, and Allsuffering Mercy has given them their last warning-If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD. NOTES. THIRD SERMON. XII. The Jews were the only Nation, &c. p. 98. Dr. Prideaux in his Connections, &c. states, that the Persian Lawgiver Zoroaster, B.C. 560, is asserted to have been a pupil of Daniel, or of one of the Jewish Prophets, from whom he received the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. From Zoroaster, the Greeks, through Pythagoras, B.C. 530, received the same doctrine, debased, however, by the absurd addition of the Transmigration of souls, which formed no part of Zoroaster's creed. It is certain, in fact, that the revealed Law of God, existing before in essentials, but written first by Moses, has served, as a fountain of light and truth, for all the Nations of the East; although, they denied its authority, and, with the vanity of human nature, concealed the source of their knowledge, giving the names of their own legislators to Laws founded on these principles of Eternal Truth, yet infinitely deteriorated, by their own innumerable added superstitions. Even, in our own days, a fraud, by no means dissimilar, is continually committed. Men, who reject the Gospel and the Saviour, and who, in the pride of that talent, which, they receive from Providence, would affect to deify themselves, do yet derive every pure, and noble, and generous, and upright sentiment and principle, which appear in their writings, from that very Word of God, which they, at the same time, pretend to despise. Thus, does man, still, in the madness of his folly, trample upon, yet endeavour to arrogate to himself, the knowledge of the Most High. XIII. The Congregation of the Dead. p. 103. Εν συναγωγῇ γιγάντων LXX-Literally, in the congregation of the Giants. The Hebrew word is Rephaim, which the LXX. translate, riyavrεs. Now, the giants, are represented, elsewhere, in the Word of God, as by Isaiah xiv. 9.; by Ezekiel, repeatedly, xxxii.; and, by Job; to be living, in a future state of punishment, and to be using the living attribute of speech. The passage from Job, xxvi. 5. has been erroneously translated in our Bible. Calmet, translates it, thus, Gigantes (Rephaim) gemunt sub aquis, et qui habitant cum eis, &c. Archbishop Magee, renders the passage, thus, 5. The souls of the dead tremble : (The places) below the waters, and their inhabitants. 6. The seat of the Spirits, is naked before Him: And, the region of Destruction, hath no covering. The chief point to be remarked, is the positive evidence which this expression yields of a Future State. There is, a concordance of representation, from four Sacred writers here, which enforces especial consideration, and which gives accumulated circumstantial proof. The word, Hades, occurs no less than nine times, in the LXX. Version, of the Proverbs of Solo mon. XIV. Is a Tree of Life, &c. p. 104. Τὸ Ξύλον τῆς Ζωῆς.—The Tree of Life. The reader, will also remark, the 18th verse of the 3d chapter of the Proverbs; where Solomon, describing Divine Wisdom, or Religion, affirms, Ξύλον ζωῆς ἐστι πᾶσι τοῖς ἀντεχομένοις avrns LXX. She, is a Tree of Life, unto all who lay hold upon her. Of the meaning of this term there can be no doubt; as Moses, from whose writings, it is taken, defines it, Genesis iii. 22. to be the symbol, of Life Eternal; or, of living for ever. Solomon, following Moses, as his teacher and guide, asserts, that the fruit of the righteous, or righteousness, will (but, only, as the whole Law declares, with Atonement) confer, Life Eternal:-again, he affirms, that Divine Wisdom, or Religion, conducts to, Everlasting happiness. The admirable unity of purpose, the perfect coincidence of view, as to Life Eternal (Eúλov Swñs, are the words, attributed to Moses, by the LXX.) not only, between the Inspired Writers of the Old Testament amongst themselves; but, between them, and the writers of the New Testament, is every where, most striking and apparent. Turning to the Revelations of St. John, we, accordingly, find the very |