felves by no means delivered; and therefore if they looked upon this Promise as importing a Bleffing, as they could look upon it in no other Light, they must understand it in a spiritual Sense, as undoubtedly, though obfcurely, or, if you will, myftically descriptive of Redemption, or Restoration to the Life forfeited by their first Father. They knew not indeed by what Means, in what Manner, or by whom, &c. fuch Redemption was to be accomplished; but their Ignorance of these Particulars cannot be fuppofed to have extinguished their general Hope, or Confidence in his Faithfulness that promised; accordingly, it was with refpect to these Particulars that the Gospel is emphatically stiled a Mystery; and that St Paul fays, We Speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the bidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory. Agreeably to this, God, fays he, bas faved us, according to his own Purpose, and bis Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World began; but is now MADE MANIFEST by the appearing of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, who hath abolished Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light, through the Gospel. (2 Tim.i. 9. 10.) -Now God's own Purpose, and his Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World began, or the hidden Wisdom which he ordained before the World unto our Glory, evidently refers to the Divine Decree, or Purpose of Redemption

by

by Jefus Chrift, or, in other words, to the great Article of the Gospel Difpenfation.-But what is there in fuch Decree, or Purpose, which afcertained and fecured Salvation to Man, that contradicts, or fuperfedes a certain Degree of Trust or Hope in a plain, prophetical Benediction; or that is incompatible with a general and firm, though obfcure Notion and Expectation of a future State? The real Purpose of God to redeem us by his only Son, was indeed a Secret till our Saviour made it manifeft by his Appearance in our Flesh; but God might, and did, upon many Occasions, give a general Intimation of fome gracious Purpose in favour of loft Mankind, which muft afford a good Foundation for a Belief in a future State.-Jefus Chrift then may with the greatest Propriety be faid to have brought Life and Immortality to Light, through his Gospel, and to have been the first that preached Salvation to the People, because he made doubtful and uncertain Hopes fure and certain, by effectually afcertaining our Right and Title to Salvation.This is, I apprehend, the fair and full Import of the Texts most triumphantly urged by the Examiner; for as artfully, or as undefignedly as he always confounds the Mysteries of the Gospel with the Benefits of it, and the great Doctrines and Principles of the Chriftian Difpenfation, with sometimes the Doctrine of a future State, and fometimes with that of the Refurrection, I believe he will find it impoffible to produce a fingle Type, or

Prophecy,

Prophecy, in the Old Teftament, (notwithstanding the pofitive Affertions of the Quotation from the D. L.) immediately and exclufively relative to either of these, as the Mystery, or grand Secret of the Gofpel-The Doctrine of the Refurrection is indeed occafionally in the New Testament, and no doubt, upon many Accounts, properly called a Mystery; but it is not therefore the Mystery of the Gofpel: fo far from it, that in the most formal Recapitulation of the main Articles, or Mysteries of the evangelical Dispensation, I mean that which is made by St. Paul to Timothy, the Article of the Refurrection, or of a future State, is neither mentioned, nor alluded to: Without Controversy great is THE MYSTERY of Godliness; God was manifeft in the Flesh, juftified in the Spirit, feen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up into Glory. (1 Tim. iii. 16.)—This clear and express Paffage evidently directs us to admire the Mystery of the Gospel in the Perfon, &c. of our Redeemer only, and not in the happy Effects of his Manifestation, &c. to ourselves. How much then a fortiori does it discountenance our confidering the Doctrine of the Refurrection, or of a future State as The Mystery of the Gospel, exclufively of all the above Particulars ?-But to return to the Old Teftament; we find indeed many Types prefigurative of the Office, Miracles, Inftitutions, Paffion, and Death. &c. of Jefus Chrift,

and

and many Prophecies descriptive of the Nature, Glory, and Extent of his Kingdom, which were no doubt in the Nature of a Veil or Cover, and of which the spiritual Sense was concealed not only from the Body of the Jews, but also fometimes, and always perhaps in fome measure, from the Prophets themselves: but what has fuch Veil, or Cover, or this fpiritual Sense to do with a general Hope in a general Promife, or even with the natural Notion and Expectation of a future State? If we confult the New Teftament, we shall find Abundance of Paffages, and frequently whole Chapters fetting forth, and illuftrating, in the highest Terms, the Excellence and Advantage of the Gospel Covenant above the Law, as well in refpect of the perfonal Dignity of the Author, &c. as of the Benefits thereby effectually fecured, and, as it were, made over to Mankind. Accordingly these Passages do not advance the Notion, but confirm the Expectation, and Title to future Life and Immortality. Thus Jefus Chrift is faid to bring in a better Hope; (Heb. vii. 19.) but furely the bringing in a better Hope fuppofes a worse Hope previous to it.

The Author of the Examination quotes the following Paffage from my Lord of London's third Sermon. "If you look into the facred Writings, will find, that the whole Defign of the Gospel,

"you

the

"the Difpenfation of Providence in the Salvation "of Mankind, is ftiled a Mystery; the hidden

Wifdom of God, which was kept fecret fince the "World began: a Mystery 'tis called, because it was kept secret since the World began, God not having opened or declared his gracious Purposes " before the Coming of Christ. With respect to "this Time of Secrecy and Silence, the Gospel is "called a Mystery; but, upon the Revelation of it

by Jefus Chrift, it is no longer looked upon as a Mystery, but as the Manifestation of God's Will "and Goodness to Man. Thus you will find St. "Paul speaking in the laft of the Romans, The My

ftery which was kept fecret fince the World began, "but now is made manifeft, and by the Scriptures of "the Prophets, according to the Commandment of "the everlasting God, made known to all Nations for "the Obedience of Faith; that is, this great Work

cr

was a Mystery in all Ages, being kept secret in "the Counsels of God; but fince the Coming of Chrift, 'tis no longer a Mystery, but is manifest " and made known to all Nations and People.""And again, —" as the Gospel itself is in this "Sense stiled a Mystery, fo are the feveral Parts "of it likewife. In this Senfe the Gospel is full "of Mysteries, as containing the fecret Purposes "of God's hidden Wisdom in the Redemption of "the World, which were made manifeft by Chrift Jefus, who brought Life and Immortality to

16

Light."