same words, Euλov Zwns, repeatedly occurring, throughout that Sacred Book; and thus, observe, that the First and Last Books, of Sacred Scripture, offer a perfect identity of view, and represent Life Eternal, under one, and the self-same, image. Is it objected, that the Tree of Life is an allegorical, or rather an emblematical, representation? This may, or may not be, so; but Divine things, must often be revealed, even by material representations, that they may be, in a measure, levelled to, and thus comprehended by, human understanding. These representations, emblematical as they are, or may be, give, as it were, tangible proof of reality, to every mind, which receives them by Faith, in an humble and teachable spirit, as the Word, not of man, but of God. To the believing mind, these coincidences, and comparisons, and representations, allegorical or material, are full, sufficient, and most satisfactory evidence. There is no given word, or form of words, especially where the subject regards the unseen things of Eternity, which wilful spirits, do not divest of all meaning, by perverse reasonings; to justify themselves were it possible, in unbelief.

XV.

Death shall feed on them, &c. p. 105.

The full force of this verse, has not been comprehended, as Hammond justly observes, by the translator, in the English copy of the Psalms. “ The Septuagint translate it Ο θάνατος ποιμανεῖ avroúç; and, the Hebrew text, signifies, watching over, and pasturing sheep, as a shepherd." This, is awful and terrible imagery; pointing out the existence of the wicked, departed from this life, under tremendous guard. The King of Terrors, is thus, represented, as the Shepherd of the Ungodly; even as, our Saviour is, elsewhere, described, as the Good Shepherd of the Faithful: He, shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young'. The word Hades occurs in no less than twelve instances, in the LXX. Version of the Psalms; and is quoted from the Psalms, by St. Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles. Death, and Hades, are, also, Personified, in the Revelations of St. John'.

1 Isaiah xl. 11.

2 Rev. xx. 13.

XVI.

The Lord killeth and maketh alive, &c. p. 108.

See the Schemoneh Ezreh, or Eighteen Prayers of the Jewish Church. These prayers are attributed to Ezra, and, are, at all events, of great antiquity, as the Mishna makes mention of them, as old settled forms. They are given by Dr. Prideaux in his Connections, &c. Part I. p. 447. There is a letter, also, now before me, from a member of one of the first Jewish congregations in Europe, stating, that "These prayers were drawn from oblivion, by Ezrah, at the time of the rebuilding of the Temple: and, ever since that period, they have been in use, up to this day, in all Jewish congregations, where Divine Service is held."

PRAYER II.

"Thou, O Lord! art powerful for ever! "Thou, raisest the Dead to Life, and art "mighty to save! Thou sendest down the dew, "stillest the winds, and makest the rain to come "down upon the earth; and sustainest with "Thy beneficence, all that live therein: and, of

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Thy abundant mercy, makest the Dead to "live again! Thou helpest up those that fall, "Thou curest the sick, Thou loosest them that

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are bound, and makest good Thy Word of "Truth, to those, that sleep in the dust! Who, "is to be compared to Thee, O! Thou Lord of "might? And, who, is like unto Thee, O! our

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King? Who killest, and makest alive; and "makest salvation to spring up, as the herb out "of the field; Thou, art Faithful, to make the "Dead to rise again to Life! Blessed art Thou, "O Lord! who, raisest the Dead, again, to "Life!"

It is difficult to conceive, how a Nation, using this Prayer, through revolving centuries too, can ever have been said to have been ignorant, of the Second Life. The expressions are too strong and clear to be mistaken, or explained away; and the Faith of the Jewish nation was never left to be proved, by the Books of their Law, and their Prophets only, so long as this, one of their ancient, national, Forms of Prayer existed. The whole of this Prayer, is a comment upon the words of the Song of Moses, I kill, and, I make alive', answering to Psalm lxvi. 20, unto God, the Lord, belong the issues from Death; but, still more pointedly, to the passage, to which the Prayer, and

1 The LXX. render this passage, and the Samaritan Text, and Syriac Version, as well as the Chaldaic Paraphrase, all agree in this translation, in a more marked manner; Ἐγὼ ἀποκτείνω, καὶ ζῆν ποιήσω, implying, as we see the Jews affirmed, a promise of a Future Life.

this note, are attached; The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; He bringeth down to Hades, and bringeth up: while this may again, be fairly contrasted, with the Revelations, i. 18., to obtain the full meaning; I, am He, that liveth, and, was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more; Amen: and have the Keys, of Hades, and of Death.

But, examine the internal evidence, of the Prayer itself. Observe only, the particular words, and phrases. Thou raisest the Dead to Life: (no one single instance, no partial raising this; for, the Dead, are spoken of, generally: and, this, is the General Resurrection.) Thou

sustainest with Thy beneficence all that live, in the earth, (supporting daily the present life in all:) and of Thy abundant mercy, makest the Dead to live again! The Dead, to live again;-makest, the Dead, to live AGAIN? This, can mean, nothing else, but, the Second Life. Thou, curest the sick, Thou, loosest them that are bound, Thou makest good Thy Word of Truth, (the promise, Life Eternal) to those, that sleep in the dust. Compare, this phrase, with the perpetually recurring expression, slept with his Fathers, in the Old Testament. Then, follow, the words of the Song of Moses, Who, is like unto Thee, O! our King! who killest, and makest alive, (this, positively proves, their belief, of the promise of a Second Life, in these words:) and makest salvation to spring up, as the herb of