refer my reader to the first part of this work. I fhall only, in this place, fuggest farther, that this, as well as every other great mistake concerning christianity, is a means of making unbelievers, who will think themselves juftified in concluding, without reasoning or enquiry, that no religion can be true, or come from God, which contains a doctrine fo manifeftly unreafonable and abfurd.

SECTION IV.

Of the time and place of future rewards and punishments.

T has long been the general opinion of

IT

christians, that the reward of the virtuous, and the punishment of the wicked, will take place immediately after death, when the foul will exift in a confcious ftate, separate from the body, till the resurrection. But it appears to me, that the notion of the separate existence of the foul, on which this whole

whole doctrine is founded, is built entirely on the false philofophy of the East, according to which, human fouls are lapsed angels, fettered in these grofs bodies; and is by no means favoured by prefent appearances, according to which the power of thinking dethe body, and especially upon the brain; fo that any injury being done to the one, a proportionable injury is done to the other.

pends intirely upon

If thought be fufpended in found fleep, and if for a time we be wholly deprived of it by a blow on the head, much more must all our faculties be deranged, and a period be put to fenfation and thought by death. And though particular texts, especially as they have been usually tranflated, are fpeciously enough alledged in favour of an intermediate confcious ftate, juft as fingle texts have been, with equal plaufibility, alledged in favour of all the doctrines of Popery and Calvinifi; yet fcriptural arguments of a more general nature, derived from a comprehenfive view of the order and defign of revelation,

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lation, which are a much furer guide to truth, are strongly conclufive against it.

If the foul be capable of an existence feparate from the body, and, as is generally fuppofed by those who adopt this opinion, be capable of a greater exertion of its powers, when unfettered from this incumbrance of the flesh, what reafon could there be for a refurrection? The affection, which fome perfons arbitrarily fuppofe, that the foul must have for its old companion, is abfurd, when it was always a clog and a burden to it.

Also, what occafion was there for a general judgment, at the laft day, which is clearly the fcripture doctrine, if there will have been a previous feparate judgment for every individual of mankind, and they will all have actually received their proper reward or punishment before that time; which, with refpect to fome of them, will have continued feveral thousand years. Upon this plan, the general judgment must be a mere piece of pomp and parade, without any real

ufe.

ufe. Whereas, on the contrary, both the righteous and the wicked are represented by our Lord, in his account of the proceedings of that great day, Matt. xxv. as totally ignorant of their future ftate, and expreffing their furprize at the decifion of their judge; when, according to this hypothefis, they could not but have been acquainted with it, by dear or joyful experience, long before.

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If we examine the fcripture promifes, we shall find no hint given of any thing taking place to the advantage of good men before the coming of Chrift to judgment. When our Lord encourages perfons to give to the poor, he fays, Luke xiv. 14. They can"not recompenfe thee: but thou shalt be recompensed at the refurrection of the "juft;" not before. The apostle Paul, speaking of the duty and expectations of chriftians, directs their views to the fame great event, and to nothing before, or short of it. Titus ii. 11. "For the grace of God, "which bringeth falvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying "ungod

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"ungodliness and worldly lufts, we should "live foberiy, righteoufly, and godly, in "this prefent world; locking for that "bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing "of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus "Chrift." The apofle Peter had no other idea when he faid, 1 Pet. iv. 12. “Beloved, think it not ftrange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though "fome frange thing happened unto you: "but rejoice, inafmuch as ye are partakers of Chrift's fufferings; that when his

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glory fhall be revealed, ye may be glad "alfo with exceeding joy.”

The fame only time of the reward of the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked, is also particularly mentioned, Rev. xi. 16. where the four and twenty elders are faid to fall down upon their faces, and to worship God, faying, "We give thee

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thanks, O Lord God Almighty, because "thou haft taken to thee thy great power, "and haft reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the "time of the dead that they should be

"judged,