THE

APPENDIX.

Or LETTERS refpecting the forgoing Subject.

Yo

LETTER I.

From CRITO to THEOPHILUS.

OU will wonder, I imagine, at receiving this, and poffibly think it a little unreasonable, that I fhould not only trouble you with Queries when prefent, but also when abfent; and efpecially as I had declar'd myself so well fatisfy'd before we parted; nor can I fay I am otherwise now: But the Scheme of Philander does not meet with that eafy Reception here in Town, that it met with from us in the Country. common Opinion runs fo ftrong against it, that fome cenfure it as impious and irreligious, as tending to weaken our Obligations to a holy and righteous Life, to perplex the

The

Doctrine

Doctrine of the Refurrection, and in a Word, as a Scheme, which if true, fhould be rather conceal'd than made a Subject of publick Difpute. They urge that the common Doctrine of Immortality, however erroneous, ftill is a harmless Doctrine, and may be made to answer several useful Purposes, and fuch as cannot, they think, be answer'd so well without it. It is I own more especially Philander's Province to vindicate his Scheme from thefe Objections, nor do I doubt in the least his Ability fo to do: but as I know that Philander, tho otherwife very friendly, is no great Friend to writing long Epistles, it is for this Reafon chiefly I apply to you, not fo much for my own Satisfaction as that of others, tho' I likewife expect to learn fomething from this Application. I am very fenfible that our Acquaintance is of no long standing, and yet I think I can venture fo far to answer for you, as that you will not be very unwilling to answer this, and which will fill add to the Obligations already confer'd on, w

Yours, CRITO i

LETTER

I

LETTER II.

From THEOPHILUS to CRITO.

Receiv'd yours, and as a Proof that I

am not unwilling to answer it, instead of Compliments, fend you the following, I am no Way furpriz'd at the Oppofition you tell me you meet with in regard to the Scheme of Philander. The oppofite Doctrine has prevail'd so long, that it is no Wonder if in fome Men's Opinion it should be reckon'd impious even to doubt of it, and much more to profess a publick Difbelief of it. And yet that the Reverse of this favourite Opinion is really the Truth, is what I take it for granted is the Faith of both of us: Nor do I fuppofe you expect I should here go to proving a fresh what Philander I think has fufficiently proved already to be the true and genuine Senfe of Holy-writ. And if fo, who shall charge a true Doctrine of God with Impiety? Or as a Subject not fit to be brought into publick Difpute? It must be furely fufficient to wipe off Afperfions of this Kind, or should be at least to every profeffing Chriftian, if it can be fhewn, as I truft it easily may in this Cafe, that the Doctrine thus objected to is taught in Scrip

ture

ture, and that so far from obfcurely, or in only one or two dubious Paffages, that there are on the contrary numerous Texts that plainly favour it, and fuch as it is almoft impoffible to evade the Force of. But in what after all is it faid it's Impiety lies? Is it that it tends to weaken moral Obligations, by reprefenting the future Reward, as at greater Distance? It rather in my Apprehenfion greatly strengthens them; nor is it eafy to think of a more powerful Motive to work the Works of him that fent us while 'tis Day, than that a Night is coming when no Man can work. It puts an End to every vain Surmife of any Work or Wifdom in the Grave, or any Device to better our future Stations. It gives at once a full and fufficient Reafon why the Work of Life must be done while Life continues; and which is what we otherwife cannot fo well account for, why as Death leaves us, fo will Judgment finds us. There is a Paff ge to this Purpose, I remember in Dt. Burnet, who tho' he does not entirely come into our Sentiments, helps at least to confirm them by the following Argument. The Fate of every Man," fays the Doctor, [State of Dead, pag. 117] "according to the Style and Account of the facred Scripture, depends entirely upon our Actions in this Life? for in that to come

there

there will be no Change, either of Manners, or of the Portion of Happiness, or Mifery which we have merited from those Actions. Whether the Tree falls to the South or the North in the Place where it fell, there it must lie, fays Ecclefiaftes; which Saying is generally referr'd to the Death of Man, and his unchangeable Condition afterwards. And fo they are wont to interpret the shutting of the Gate in the Parables of Chrift. But St. Paul tells us that more plainly in the second Epiftle to the Corinthians, and the fifth Chapter; For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Chrift, that every one may receive the Things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or whether it be evil: which Words feem to determine and fix the future Condition of Men, from the Actions which they have done, or ought to have done, during this prefent Life. But if another Life intervenes before the Day of Judgment, and a Life of that Nature, that it is as capable of good or of evil Actions, of Virtue or Vice, as is the prefent Life, than which it is of much greater Length and Duration; I fee no Manner of Reafon, why the whole Weight of Eternity, and of the future Lot and Condition of Men fhould depend upon this prefent Life, which is fo fhort, fo furrounded