the belief of it, accompanied with a corresponding conduct, can produce no bad effect either upon our own minds or those of others. On the contrary, it would prove a pleasing illusion during our passage, through a world of physical and moral evil, and would revive the downcast spirit, when overwhelmed with the disappointments and sorrows which are unavoidable in our present condition. So that, even in this case, we might adopt the sentiment of an ancient philosopher, and say, "If I am wrong in believing that the souls of men are immortal, I please myself in my mistake; nor while I live will I ever choose that this opinion, with which I am so much delighted, should be wrested from me. But if at death, I am to be annihilated, as some minute philosophers suppose, I am not afraid lest those wise men, when extinct too, should laugh at my error."

*

But, if the arguments we have brought forward, amount, not only to bare probability, but to moral certainty, or, at least, to something nearly approximating to moral demonstration-if the opposite opinion involves a train of absurdities, if it throws a dismal gloom over the destiny of man, and over the scenes of the universe, and if it robs the Almighty of the most glorious and distinguishing attributes of his nature-no words are sufficient to express the folly and inconsistency of the man, by whatever title he may be distinguished, who is determined to resist conviction, and who resolutely acts, as if the idea of a future world were a mere chimera. To pass through life with indifference and unconcern, to overlook the solemn scenes of the invisible world, and to brave the terrors of the Almighty, which may be displayed in that state-in the face of such powerful arguments, as even reason can produce-is not only contrary to every prudential principle of conduct, but the height of infatuation and madness. Such persons must be left to be aroused to consideration, by the awful conviction which will flash upon their minds, when they are transported to that eternal state which they now disregard, and find themselves placed at the bar of an Almighty and impartial Judge.

Among the considerations which have been adduced to prove the immortality of man, I have taken no notice of an argument, which is almost exclusively dwelt upon by some writers, namely, that which is founded on the immateriality

* Cicero.

of the human soul. I have declined entering upon any illustrations of this topic,-1. Because the proof of the soul's immateriality involves a variety of abstract metaphysical discussions, and requires replies to various objections which have been raised against it, which would tend only to perplex readers endowed with plain common sense. 2. Because the doctrine of the immateriality of the thinking principle, however clearly it may be proved, can add nothing to the weight of the considerations already brought forward; nor, when considered by itself, can it afford any conclusive argument in favour of the soul's immortality. It simply leads us to this conclusion,-that, since the soul is an uncompounded substance, it cannot perish by a decomposition of its parts; and consequently, may exist, in a separate state, in the full exercise of its powers, after its corporeal tenement is dissolved. But its immortality cannot necessarily be inferred from its natural capacity of existing in a state of separation from the body; for that Being who created it may, if he pleases, reduce it to annihilation, since all the works of God, whether material or immaterial, depend wholly on that power by which they were originally brought into existence. Its immortality depends solely on the will of its Creator, without whose sustaining energy the whole creation would sink into its original nothing. If it could be proved, that God will employ his power to annihilate the soul, in vain should we attempt to demonstrate that it is naturally immortal. But whether God wills that the soul should be destroyed at death, is a very different question from that which relates to its nature as an immaterial substance. The whole train of argument illustrated in the preceding pages, affords, I presume, satisfactory evidence, that the Creator will never annihilate the human soul, but has destined it to remain in the vigorous exercise of its noble faculties to all eternity.

Hence it follows, that it is a matter of trivial importance. when considering the arguments which prove our immortal destiny, whether we view the soul as a material or as an immaterial substance. Suppose I were to yield to the sceptic, for a moment, the position, "that the soul is a material substance, and cannot exist but in connexion with a material frame," what would he gain by the concession? It would not subtract a single atom from the weight of evidence which has already been brought forward to prove the immortality of man. For, if we can prove that God has will

ed the immortality of the soul, and, consequently, has determined to interpose his almighty power, in order to support its faculties throughout an eternal existence, in vain shall he have proved that it is not immortal in its nature. He who created the human soul and endued it with so many noble faculties, can continue its existence, through an un limited extent of duration, in a thousand modes incomprehensible to us. If a material system of organical powers be necessary for the exercise of its energies, he can either clothe it with a fine ethereal vehicle, at the moment its present tenement is dissolved, or connect it, in another region of the universe, with a corporeal frame of more exquisite workmanship, analogous to that which it now animates. For any thing we know to the contrary, there may be some fine material system, with which it is essentially connected, and which goes off with it at death, and serves as a medium through which it may hold a direct communication with the visible universe. Even although its consciousness of existence were to be suspended for thousands of years, its Creator can afterwards invest it with a new organical frame, suited to the expansive sphere of action to which it is destined; and the intervening period of its repose may be made to appear no longer than the lapse of a few moments. In short, if God has sustained the material universe hitherto, and will, in all probability, continue it for ever in existence, so that not a single atom now existing, shall at any future period be annihilated-the same Power and Intelligence can, with equal ease, support the thinking principle in man, whatever may be its nature or substance, and however varied the transformations through which it may pass. If the Creator is both able and willing to perpetuate the existence of the rational spirit through an endless duration, and if his wisdom, benevolence, and rectitude require that this object should be accomplished, all difficulties arising from its nature or the mode of its subsistence, must at once evanish. The preceding arguments in support of a future state, are, therefore, equally conclusive, whether we consider the soul as a pure immaterial substance, or as only a peculiar modification of matter; so that the sceptic who adopts the absurd idea of the materiality of mind, cannot, even on this ground, invalidate the truth of man's eternal destination.

CHAPTER II.

PROOFS OF A FUTURE STATE FROM DIVINE REVELATION.

THE evidences of a future state, which we have endea voured, in the preceding pages, to investigate on the principles of human reason, are amply confirmed and illustrated in the Revelation contained in the Sacred Scriptures. It is one of the distinguishing characteristics of that revelation, that in every important point, it harmonizes with the deductions of sound reason, and the principles of common sense. This was naturally to be presumed; since God is the author both of the reasoning faculty, and of the declarations contained in the volume of inspiration; and this consideration forms a strong presumptive argument in support of the Divine authority of the Scriptures, and should excite us to receive, with cordial veneration and esteem, a revelation which confirms the law of nature, and is congenial to the sentiments of the wisest and the best of mankind in all ages. If any serious inquirer, who had entertained doubts on this subject, has been led to a conviction of the reality of his immortal destiny, by such arguments as the preceding, he will naturally resort to the Sacred Records for more full information on this important point; and I should have no fear of any one remaining long an enemy of Revelation, when once a powerful conviction of a future state has been deeply impressed on his mind. If a man is fully convinced that he is standing every moment on the verge of an eternal state, he cannot but feel anxious to acquire the most correct information that can be obtained respecting that world which is to constitute his everlasting abode; and if he is altogether careless and insensible in this respect, it is quite clear, that he has no thorough conviction of the realities of a life to come.

The Christian Revelation has "brought life and immortality to light," not so much on account of the express assurance it gives of the reality of a future world, but chiefly, as it clearly exhibits the nature and the employments of that state, its endless duration, the ground on which we can expect happiness in it, and the dispositions and virtues. which qualify us for relishing its exercises and enjoying its felicities; and particularly, as it opens to our view the glorious scene of a "resurrection from the dead,” and the reunion of soul and body in the mansions of bliss.

In illustrating this topic, it would be quite unnecessary to enter into any lengthened details. When the Divine authority of the Scriptures is recognised, a single proposi tion or assertion, when it is clear and express, is sufficient to determine the reality of any fact, or the truth of any doctrine; and, therefore, I shall do little more than bring forward a few passages bearing on the point under considetion, and intersperse some occasional remarks. As some have called in question the position, "that the doctrine of a future state was known to the Jews," I shall, in the first place, bring forward a few passages and considerations to show that the doctrine of immortality was recognised under the Jewish as well as under the Christian dispensation.

As the belief of a future state lies at the very foundation of religion, it is impossible to suppose, that a people whom the Almighty had chosen to be his worshippers, and the depositories of his revealed will, should have remained ignorant of this interesting and fundamental truth, and have had their views confined solely to the fleeting scenes of the present world. "Faith," says Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, "is the confident expectation of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.' It includes a

belief in the existence of God, and of the rewards of a life to come; for, says the same apostle, "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Having stated these prin ciples, he proceeds to show, that the ancient patriarchs were animated in all their services by their conviction of the realities of a future and invisible world. With respect to

Abraham he informs us, that "he expected a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God." He obtained no such city in the earthly Canaan; and therefore we must necessarily suppose, that his views were directed to mansions of perpetuity beyond the confines of the present world. With respect to Moses, he says, that under all his persecutions and afflictions," he endured as seeing Him who is invisible; for he had a respect to the recompense of reward." That reward did not consist in temporal graner ur, otherwise, he might have enjoyed it in much more splendour and security in Egypt, as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, nor did it consist in the possession of Canaan, for he was not

* Doddridge's translation of Heb, xi. i.