most ardent gratitude and adoration. For in it we find, that God has put it in our power, notwithstanding our degeneracy and unworthinefs, to be happy both in this life and for ever; a hope which reason alone could never have permitted us to entertain on any ground of certainty. And here we may repeat, what was already hinted at, that although the right use of reason fupplies our firft notions of the divine nature, yet it is from revelation that we receive thofe diftinct ideas of his attributes and providence, which are the foundation of our deareft hopes. The most enlightened of the heathen had no certain knowledge of his unity, fpirituality, eternity, wisdom, juftice, or mercy; and, by confequence, could never contrive a comfortable system of natural religion; as Socrates, the wifeft of them, acknowledged. 432. Lastly; Justice is neceffary to the formation of every good character; and therefore the Deity must be perfectly juft. This, however, is an awful confideration to creatures, who, like us, are immerfed in error and wickedness, and whofe confcience 3 E confcience is always declaring, that every fin deferves punishment. It is reasonable to think, that a being infinitely good must alfo be of infinite mercy: but still, the purity and juftice of God must convey the most alarming thoughts to those who know themselves to have been, in inftances without number, inexcufably criminal. But, from what is revealed in Scripture concerning the divine difpenfations with respect to man, we learn, that, on performing certain conditions, we fhall be forgiven and received into favour, by means, which at once difplay the divine mercy in the moft amiable light, and fully vindicate the divine justice. 433. It is indeed impoffible to underftand the doctrines of our religion, and not to wish at least that they may be true: for they exhibit the most comfortable views of God and his providence; they recommend the purest and most perfect morality; and they breathe nothing throughout, but benevolence, equity, and peace. And one may venture to affirm, that no man ever wished the gofpel to be true, who did not find it fo. Its evidence is even more than fufficient to fatisfy those who love it. And every man who knows it must love it, if he be a man of candour and a good heart. The End of PNEUMATOLOGY. 3 E 2 AR APPENDIX. Of the Incorporeal Nature of the Human Soul. 434 MAN AN is made up of a body and a foul, intimately connected together, we know not how, or when. In confequence of this connection, the body lives and moves, is nourifhed with food and refreshed by fleep, and for a certain time increafes in bulk. When this connection is diffolved, the body is infenfible and motionlefs, foon becomes cold, and gradually moulders into duft.-That the foul and body are diftinct and different fubftances, was formerly inferred (fee 119.) from the general confent of mankind in regard to this matter. It seems to be natural for us to believe, that the foul may exift, and be happy or miferable, without the body. This appears from those notions, which in every age and country have prevailed, concerning a future ftate. 435. But 435. But of the foul's immateriality there is other evidence. When two things have fome effential qualities in common, we refer them to one clafs, or at least confider them as fomewhat fimilar in their nature. But when two things are found to have not one quality in common, we must confider them as totally unlike and different. If therefore any piece of matter (or body) appear to have qualities which we know for certain do not belong to matter, we conclude, that to this piece of matter there is joined fomething which is not matter.The human frame prefents to our outward fenfes a certain quantity of matter, divided into various parts of different fhapes and colours. Now the effential qualities of matter we know from experience to be Gravity, Extenfion, Solidity, Inactivity, and fome others. Thefe qualities are all in the human body. But in the human frame there are many qualities, not only different from thefe, but altogether unlike them. We are confcious of Perceiving, Remembering, Judging, Imagining, Willing, and of a variety of paffions, affections, and |