matter, as far as we can judge of it from its known essential properties, is in its own nature incapable of thought, however diversified or modified: that a substance compounded of innumerable parts, as all own matter to be, cannot be the subject of an individual consciousness, the seat of which must be a simple and undivided substance:* that intellect and will are of a quite different nature from corporeal figure and mo tion; and the sublime faculties and operations of the human soul, its power of rising above material and temporal objects, and contemplating things spiritual and invisible, celestial and eternal, appear to be the properties of a substance of a far nobler and higher kind than this corruptible flesh and that therefore, there is no reason to think it will die with the body; but that being of a quite different nature, essentially active, simple, and indivisible, it is designed by the Creator, who made it so, for an immortal existence. To this may be added the strong apprehensions of a future state, so natural to the human mind, and which are not to be found in any of the inferior animals: and that men alone, of all the creatures in this lower world, are capable of be ing governed by the hopes and fears of the world to come. This yields a reasonable presumption, that the Author of their frame designed they should be so governed; and it is scarce consistent with the best ideas we can form of the divine wisdom and goodness, to suppose that he designed and formed them to be governed by a lie. It strengthens this, when we consider, that it seems absurd to imagine that so noble a creature as man, endued with such admirable faculties, by which he is capable of making immortal proficiencies in knowledge and virtue, should be designed for no other life than this short and transitory existence, in which he is incapable of arriving at the true perfection and felicity of his nature. These reasonings receive a mighty.

This is very well argued by the learned Dr. Samuel Clarke, in his Letter to Mr. Dodwell, and his several defences of it against an acute and ingenious adversary. Nor have I ever seen a sufficient answer to that book.ddiw gewode

additional force from the moral arguments for a state of future retributions, drawn from the present seemingly unequal dispensations of Divine Providence; the many evils and sufferings to which the best and worthiest of men are often exposed in this present state; and the prosperous condition of bad and wicked men, many of whom have continued in flourishing and splendid circumstances to the end of their lives. From these and several other considerations which might be mentioned, it seems reasonable to conclude, that this is not the only life man is designed for, and that there is à state before us, in which good men shall be amply rewarded, and the wicked punished: and even those secret good or evil actions and dispositions which did not come under the cognizance of earthly tribunals, shall be brought into judgment, and meet with a suitable recompence from the supreme and most righteous Lord and Governor of the world. These things carry a great deal of probability to serious and contemplative minds, and show that what is revealed to us in the gospel on this subject is suited to the best notions we can form of the nature of man, and the wisdom and righteousness of the divine administrations.

But yet it must be acknowledged, that there are objections and difficulties brought on the other side, which, if men were left merely to themselves, and to their own unassisted reason, might be apt to raise doubts in their minds, and very much weaken their belief of this great truth. The metaphysical arguments, drawn from the different natures of body and spirit, however just in themselves, are only fitted to make impressions on a few persons of philosophical minds, and who have been accustomed to abstracted speculations, but carry no great light of evidence and conviction to the generality of mankind; who, having from their birth been wholly conversant with sensible and material objects, cannot easily form a notion of a spiritual being, distinct from matter. After the enquiries and disquisitions of men of the greatest genius and ability in all ages, we yet know very little of the nature and essence of our own souls, of the origin of our ideas, and

the proper difference between body and spirit, and what influence the one of them may have upon the other. Experience convinces us of the intimate connexion and close union there is between our bodies and souls in this present state: and that the exercise of our faculties, and the operations of our souls, very much depend upon the due disposition of the bodily organs. To which it may be added, that the soul often seems to decay with the body, and to outward appearance is extinguished with it. Even those who most firmly believe the soul's immortality, find it very difficult to form a distinct conception how it exists and operates when separated from the body. The world to come is hidden from our view it is not the object of any of our senses: it is a state which we are wholly unacquainted with, and of which, if left merely to ourselves, we are scarce capable of forming a clear and satisfactory idea; and therefore is the proper object of a divine revelation, and of the exercise of that faith "which is "the evidence of things not seen." And as the soul of man does not exist independently, by an absolute necessity of nature, but depends for the continuation of its existence upon the will of God, we can be no farther sure of its immortal duration, than we are sure that it is the will of God that it should be so: and though this may be probably gathered from several considerations, yet nothing could give us so full an assurance of it, as a revelation from God, containing an express discovery of his will concerning it. The moral arguments for a future state are indeed of great force; yet it must be owned that there are such secrets and depths of Providence, which we are not able to account for; we have such narrow views of things, and know so little of the divine counsels, and of the reasons and ends of the divine administrations, and what measures it may please Infinite Wisdom to take in the government of the world, that there may still be room for doubts and uncertainties in a serious and thoughtful mind, which nothing less than the light of divine revelation can effectually dispel.

But the surest way of judging of what may be expected from human unassisted reason, with respect to the immortality of the soul and a future state, is to consider what men of the greatest abilities in the Pagan world, and who seem to have been capable of carrying reason to its highest improvement, have said and thought upon it. This was for many ages the subject of their philosophical inquiries, and which was debated among them with all the strength of argument they were masters of. And how far they succeeded in their inquiries, will appear from the following treatise.

1

CHAP. II.

Some notions of the immortality of the soul and a future state obtained among mankind from the most ancient times, and spread very generally through the nations. This was not originally the effect of human reason and philosophy, nor was it merely the invention of legislators for political purposes: but was derived to them by a most ancient tradition from the earliest ages, and was probably a part of the primitive religion communicated by Divine Revelation to the first of the human race.

BEFORE we enter upon an examination of the sentiments of philosophers on this subject, it is proper to observe, that the belief of the immortality of the soul and a future state obtained among mankind in the earliest ages: of which we have all the proof that a matter of this nature is capable of. This is acknowledged by some who are otherwise no great friends to that doctrine. Lord Bolingbroke owns, that "the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and a future "state of rewards and punishments, began to be taught be"fore we have any light into antiquity. And when we be"gin to have any, we find it established: that it was strong"ly inculcated from times immemorial, and as early as the "most ancient and learned nations appear to us."* And we find it equally obtained among the most barbarous as among the most civilized nations. The ancient Scythians, Indians, Gauls, Germans, Britons, as well as the Greeks and Romans, believed that souls are immortal, and that men shall live in another state after death, though it must be confessed their ideas of it were very obscure.+ There were scarce any of the American nations, when the Europeans first came among them, but had some notion of it.

It is observed by a celebrated writer, that the most ancient Greek poets, who represent the manners and customs of their own and other nations, still speak of this as their popu

* Bolingbroke's Works, vol. V. p. 257. edit. 4to. + Grotius de Verit. Relig. Christ. lib. i. sect. 22.