+ Add Ifaac's age (60) when Jacob was born, to the years from the Deluge, and you will have 512, the year after the Deluge when Jacob was born. Shem was 98 years old at the Deluge, and lived 600 years, Gen. xi. 10, II. Take 98 from 600, and there remains 502, the years Shem lived after the Deluge; which, deducted from 512, the year after the Deluge, in which Jacob was born, leaves ten years, the time between Shem's death and Jacob's birth. Hence it follows, that Ifaac lived with Shem 50, and that Abram lived with Shem 150 years. Ifaac alfo, who lived 180 years, (Gen. xxxv. 28.) lived 120 with Jacob, i. e. till within ten years of facob's going down into Egypt. And as Shem lived with Methuselah 98, and Methuselah with Adam 240, three perfons, Methuselah, Shem, and Ifaac, might bring down the account of things from Adam till within ten years of the going down of the Ifraelites into Egypt. From the Deluge to the Promife was 427 years.

From the Promife to the time when Jacob and his family went down into Egypt was 215 years. And from the Promife to the time when the children of Ifrael came out of Egypt was 430 years. Compare Exod. xii. 41. with Gal. iii. 17. Therefore the time of their continuance in Egypt must be 215 years.

Jofeph was 30 years of age when preferred by Pharoah, Gen. xli. 46. After that there were feven years of plenty, and two of famine (Gen. xlv. 11.) before Jacob came down into Egypt. Jofeph, therefore, was then 39 years of age: after that he lived 71 years, for he lived in all 110 years, Gen. 1. 22, 26. Take 71 out of 215, and there remains 144, the time the Ifraelites remained flaves in Egypt after Jofeph's death. Exod. i. 8.

Before we come to the promise made to Abraham, which was the foundation-ftone of the grand scheme to preferve religion and morals in the world, we must turn our thoughts a while to a particular difpenfation which God inflicted upon four cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, (Gen. xiv. 2. Deut. xxix. 23.) that stood in a very extenfive, fruitful, and pleafant vale, along the fides of the river Jordan. Gen. xiii. 10. So far had idolatry, and the immorality which ufually attends it, infected the world, that thefe four populous cities, and Zoar, which lay not far from them, (Gen. xiv. 2. xix. 20.) were become exceffively debauched and wicked, indulging to that vileft fort of lewdnefs which is commonly called Sodomy, going after ftrange flesh, (Jude 7.) the men burning in their luft one towards another, men with men working that which is unfeemly. Rom. i. 27.

Therefore God purposed to punish them with an exemplary and total deftruction. Abraham, in the benevolence of his foul, interceded for their prefervation. Gen. xviii. 23. And fuch is the mercy of God, fo great his regard to virtuous characters, and fo ready for their fakes to beftow bleffings, even upon the unworthy, that he would have fpared them, if but ten truly fober and virtuous perfons could have been found in all thofe five cities; but they were univerfally and irreclaimably corrupt. Therefore, fparing Zoar for Lot's fake, (Gen. xix. 20, 21.) he deftroyed the other four cities, with all their inhabitants, by pouring upon them the most dreadful ftorm of fire and brimstone from heaven; and also, probably, by a terrible earthquake, that broke up the very foil of the

earth,

heart, by juftice in all our dealings, by all acts of charity, goodness, and benevolence to others, particularly to the helplefs and indigent; by temperance and fobriety, curbing irregular defires and appetites: that men fhould not be elated and puffed up by large poffeffions, nor put their truft in riches, chap. xxxi. 24, 25; that they fhould abhor idolatry, ver. 26, 27, 28; that they should not with evil to an enemy, nor rejoice in his misfortunes, ver. 29, 30, much lefs think of murdering him; that they fhould abftain from adultery and fornication, ver. 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11; from theft, rapine, and deceit, ver. 5, 6, 7. For the punifhment of which crimes he mentions judges in his days, (ver. II, 28.) and was himself one of the chief, chap. xxix. 7, 9, &c.

Thefe, and fuch like principles of natural religion, are allowed both by Job and his friends, and therefore were the religion of the Patriarchs, as indeed they are the principles of true and acceptable religion in all ages and parts of the world.

Further; the religious in that, and the preceding, as well as fubfequent ages, I am perfuaded, entertained the faith and hope of a future ftate. This hath been the popular belief of all nations from time immemorial; and it is fcarce credible, in the nature of the thing, that the greatest happinefs of this life, which might at any uncertain time, and at length would infallibly and totally be demolished by death, fhould ever become a folid principle of religion, confidered as the fole reward of piety and virtue.

However it appears, that Job expected a future world, for he had hope with regard to his condition, but not in this world; therefore, his hope must be in a future ftate. Chap. xiii. 15. 16.

ן קטלני לא איחל

Lo, or certainly, he will flay me: I will not hope, non eft quod fperem, I have no ground to hope, that I fhall furvive my fufferings, yet will I maintain the integrity of my own ways before him. And even this shall be for falvation to me; [where but in a future world?] for a hypocrite fhall not come before him; fhall not have confidence to prefent himself before his tribunal. Chap. xxiii. 10. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I fhall come forth as gold. As Job abfolutely defpairs of any temporal deliverance, this muft neceffarily be understood of the hope he entertained of having his innocence cleared in the day of judg

ment.

He had, moreover, a notion of the refurrection. Chap. xiv. 7. For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not ceafe. Ver. 8. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground, ver. 9. yet through the fcent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a new plant. Ver. 10. And fhall man die, and totally waste away? And fall man give up the ghoft, and where is he? Or be no more for ever? Ver. As the waters fail from the fea, as the fea ebbs and flows again, and the river, or brook in the dry fandy country of Arabia, decays, and drieth up, in fummer, but is made a brook again by the rains and fnows of winter; ver. 12. So man lieth down, and rifeth not, till the heavens be no more; they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their fleep, to return to the affairs and poffeffions of this world. Ver. 13. And Oh that thou, Ọ

II.

God,

God, wouldst hide me in the grave, in that state of fleep and infenfibility, that thou wouldst keep me fecret, in that filent retirement, until thy wrath be paft; that thou wouldst appoint me a fet time, and remember me to reftore me to a new and better life! Ver. 14. If a man die, fhall he live again? Or fhall a man live again, after he is dead? Then I will patiently wait all the days of the time thou shall be pleafed to appoint, till my happy renovation fhall come. Ver. 15. Thou shalt call, and I will joyfully anfwer thee; thou wilt have a longing defire to reftore the work of thy hands. Ver. 16. Though now, at prefent, thou numbereft my steps, &c.

Chap. xix. 23. Obferve the folemn introduction; Oh, that my words, which I am going to speak, were now written! Oh, that they were printed in a book! Ver. 24. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rock [my grave-ftone, SCHULTENS], for ever! This is too grand for temporal deliverance. Why fhould that be recorded upon a rock, as a lafting monument to all mankind? But it very well fuits the noble and fublime hope of a refurrection and future judgment, worthy of univerfal attention. Ver. 25. For I know, or am well affured, that my 58 Vindicator, [the Vindicator of my innocence is] living, and that at the last over the duft, [the dead, that hath been reduced to duft,] he shall arife, [to execute judgment, Job xxxi. 13, 14, Pfal. lxxiv. 22. lxxxii. 8.1 Verse 26. And though after my fkin they shall deftroy this, [or this body fhall be deftroyed,] yet from my restored fish 1 fhall with pleasure fee Gad. [Vide R. Min] verfe 27. Whom I shall fee for myself, [to do me juftice, as chap. v. 27.-for thy good [for thyfelf] and mine eyes fhall behold; but a stranger to good nefs and juftice fhall not behold him in the fame manner. My reins are confumed in my bofom [in ardent expectation of this glorious event. N. B. fequente y, WD vel in defiderium, ingens, flagrans et confumens fignificat; videfis Pfalms lxxxiv. 2. cxix. 82, 123. cxliii. 7. Sic quoque de n renes, ftatuendum.] Obferve-if after his fkin, his body alfo was deftroyed, how could he outlive this deftruction, fo as to be a man profperous and happy again in this world? Had this becn his fixed belief, his frequent withing for death would be utterly unaccountable, and his tragical complaints ridi culous, and his defpair of health and happinefs in this world a contra

diction.

If wicked men, though fometimes in great wretchednefs, (chap. xxi. 16, &c.] are alfo fometimes profperous and powerful, verfe 7, &c. the proper inference is, verfe 30. That the wicked are referved unto the day of deftruction, and that they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath; not in this world, for that would have cut the neck of Job's argument at once, and have fallen in directly with that of his friends. Chap. xxxi. 2, 3.

Chap. xxvii. 8. For what is the hope of an hypocrite, in the future ftate, though he hath gained much in this world; when God takes away his fou! at death? This fuppofeth a hope after death.-Again, chap. xxxi. 13, 14. What then fhall I do when God rifeth up to judgment? Not in this world, where his fufferings were as great as could be, and where he did not expect they would be abated.-Laftly, his friends had not spoken of God the thing that was right, as Job had done, chap. xlii. 7, 8. But fetting

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afide

afide a future state, the friends would have spoke mare worthily of God, by vindicating his Providence in the exact diftribution of good and evil in this life; and Job, who afferted the contrary, would have mifreprefented his dealings with mankind.

The Patriarchs before and after Job, and the Ifraelites before Chrift came, had a notion of a future ftate.-By facrifices was plainly fhewn, that a way was open to the Divine Favour and Acceptance; and the favour of God imports happiness, which to Abel, who was for that very reafon, because he was accepted of God, unjustly flain, could be only in a future ftate. Heb. xi. 4. Ka di' aurns aπobavy and dying on account of that his faith he yet fpeaketh an invifible future ftate of reward-The tranflation of Enoch and Elijah, in two diftant ages, were well-known demonftrations of a future ftate of reward and glory.-They were certainly acquainted with God and Angels, and heaven where both refided. Gen. xxii. 11. And the connexion between this world and heaven, by the miniftry of Angels, was clearly reprefented to Jacob Genefis xxviii, 12. They muft, therefore, have a notion of another and better world.

The promife to Abraham, Genefis xvii. 7. I will be a God unto thee, we fhall find, is the fame with the gofpel promife, and therefore must include the gift of eternal life. And as that promife was fure to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, when they were dead, (Exodus iii. 6.) our Lord rightly infers, that they would rife again. Luke xx. 37, 38.) For God is not a God of the dead, who cannot, as fuch, be benefited by him, but of the living; for though they are dead, they all live unto him, or with refpect of him, as he will raife them all to life again.-And the Patriarchs thus underflood this promife; for when they confidered and represented their life in this world as a pilgrimage, Genefis xlvii. 9. or a ftate of fojourning or travelling, they plainly intimated that they were seeking mareda, their Father's country, i. e. the heavenly country or city. Heb. xi. 13-16. Had the profpects of Mofes been confined to this world, doubtlefs he would have preferred the pleafures and honours of Pharaoh's court; but by refufing them, and choofing rather to fuffer with the people of God, he plainly indicated, that he had respect to the future recompenfe of reward. Heb. xi. 24, 25, 26.

It is certain the Jews, even during their peculiarity, were under the Abrahamic, or Gofpel covenant, promifing the pardon of fin, and eternal life, as well as under the law, or Sinai covenant. Deut. xxix. 12, 13. And furely, if they were admitted to a covenant of life and immortality, they could not be ignorant of a future ftate. Nor can it be judged at all improbable, that Mofes propounds eternal life to them in fuch paflages as this, Deut. xxx. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcife thy heart, and the heart of thy feed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy foul, that thou mayst live. This our Lord understood of eternal life. Luke x. 25, &c. When one afked him, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? he fent him to the law of Mofes; and when the enquirer readily quoted the rule of life given by Mofes, our Lord replied, Thou haft anfwered well, this do, and thou fhait live, meaning eternally. Which leads us to underftand Mofes in the fame fenfe, when he propofes life as the reward of their fincere religion, virtue, and goodness. Deut. xxx. 152

19, 20. Lev. xviii. 5. compared with Romans x. 5. Gal. iii. 10, 11, 12. Indeed life and profperity in the land of Canaan, is intermixed with fuch promifes. This is to be confidered as addreffed to them in a national capacity, and with refpect to the covenant of peculiarity. [Note Life is put for eternal life, John vi. 47, 48, 52, 53, 58.] nw is the beginning, or former part; properly denotes, what comes after, the after part, time, or ftate. Thus Job's time, after his afflictions were over, is called his ahharith, chap. xlii. 12. So is a man's pofterity, or those that come after him in being. Amos iv. 2.

1

Sometimes it fignifies the happy confequence, or fequel of a course of action, Proverbs xxiv. 14, 20; frequently after-days, or times in this world; but is never ufed more properly than to denote a future ftate after death. Num. xxiii. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my ahharith, my after or future ftate, be like his. Pfalm ixxiii. 3—18. The wicked lived in profperity, and died an eafy death. There are no bands in their death, verfe 4. I envied them, faith David, verfe 17, until I went into the fanctuary of God; then underfood I their ahharith, future State, after death. Surely thou hast fet them in flippery places; thou hast caft them down into eternal deftruction, &c. Verfe 20. As a dream after one is awake; fo, O Lord, when thou awakeft [y in awaking them, or when they are awakened] thou wilt defpife, [debafe, pour contempt upon, Daniel xii. 2.] their image [y their vain, fhadowy, unfubftantial condition.] Verse 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee, [the object of thy fpecial care.] Verfe 24-27. Thou shalt guide me by thy counfel, and afterward receive me to glory, &c. Proverbs xxiii. 17, 18. Surely there is an end, ahharith, an after-ftate. Jer. xvii. 11. As the bird Kore hatcheth eggs, which she did not lay, fo he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end [82 in his after-or future-ftate,] all be a fool, vile, contemptible. Verfe 13.They that depart from me shall be written in the earth, not registered in heaven, in the book of life. Deut. xxxii. 29.-their latter end, their after or future-ftate. Pfalm xxxvii. 37, 38.-the end, ahharith, of that man is peace, happiness. But the tranfgreffors fhall be utterly deftroyed, [where but in the future world?] the end, abnarith, of the wicked fhall be cut off. Deut. xiv. 1, 2. Ye are the children of the Lord your God; (of an immortal Father) ye shall not cut your felves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. They must not mourn as thofe that had no hope, 1 Thef. iv. 13. Adoption includes the redemption of the body. Romans viii. 23.Ifaiah xxvi. 19. Thy dead men fhall live, with my dead body Shall they arife: awake, and fing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the deu of herbs, which makes herbs to fpring and grow up. But the earth fhall caft out the wicked dead, the rephaim, as abortives.

See Pfalms xv. xvi. 9, &c. xvii. 15.- -when I awake out of death. Daniel xii. 2. Pfalms xxiii. 6. xxiv. 3, 4, 5. Eccl. iii. 16, 17. xii. 13. Ifaiah xxv. 8. li. 6.

Thefe inftances may fatisfy, that, although life and immortality are brought into the fulleft light by the Gofpel, a future ftate was not unknown from the beginning to the coming of Chrift. We may therefore take it for a good rule, that the words life and falvation, in the Old

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Teftament,