//6 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 Theological Semi-nary, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Oisc 
 
 Division 
 
 She[f ccti«n. 
 
 Bool: Nq. 
 
 sec 
 
* m ^ iwiiii I' l i w. I t mm \ • m . im nw I inum w ^^i i I ■ iN i 
 
 VINDICATION 
 
 O F TH E 
 
 IMMORTALITY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SOUL, 
 
 I AND 
 
 A Future State. 
 
 By WILLIAM JSSHETON.D.D. 
 Rq&ot of Beckenham in Kertfy and'Chaplain 
 to His Grace the Duke of RMOND. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for B, ^ylmer, at the Three Vigeons again A 
 the Royal Exchange in Combill, 1703. 
 
s^l 
 
 i 
 
 '■>t> Br.* 
 
 V! 
 
 ^ 
 
 .y.<'^^:^ 
 
TO THE 
 
 Illuftrious His Grace 
 
 JAMES 
 
 Duke of ORMOND.Scc. 
 
 Chancellor of the Univcrfitics of 
 Oxford and Dubliriy Knight of the 
 Moft Noble Order of the Garteri 
 and Lord Lieutenant General^ 
 and General Governor of the 
 Kingdom of Iceland. 
 
 May It pteafe your Grace, 
 
 AS your Grace is moft Fortunate'^ 
 ly Circumjianced in th'tsWorU^ 
 ( and may you long enjoy the 
 Favour of your Trince^ and the Ap^ 
 A % plaufei 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 plaujes of the people )y Jo 'tis the eav" 
 mjt and hearty grayer of your Obliged 
 ChapLiiny thaL- you^.inay he Eternally 
 Happy in the next. And that he may 
 he an Inftrument in the Hand of {j^id 
 {who often imrks by tveak^ Means) to 
 jo deferable an Endy he ^ery humbly 
 fuhmitsthe folloivingVifcourfe to your 
 Grace s Cenfure. 
 
 The Scepticifm and Infidelity; &f the 
 
 prefent Age^ is too Notormis to be "Uif^ 
 
 Jemble'd. 'Tis not only Tramfedj Elit 
 
 Encouraged. For^ as fome haVe. been 
 
 fp Impudent to ^urlefque and Ridicule 
 
 the Chrifeian Faith ^ fo others hay e been 
 
 Jo Wicked as to Applaud and T)efend 
 
 ihcm. ■■u^Oix^^ 
 
 Sut when Thofe of your Grace's 
 Eminence fhall be fo fenfeble ofthcit 
 Duty to God and the Queeny as in 
 jDefend our Faith as iPcllas^urLiyes, 
 we may then co?nfortably expeHs\th^ 
 Reformation of Manner Sj which I^)^? 
 keen jo. inuch pretended^ andlhcpe^ 
 
 m 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. . 
 
 in fome hjlances^ fincerely endeavour" 
 el 
 
 .{Blejfed he God^we haVe aQueeriyWho 
 Jtncerely endeavours the ^formation of 
 allHerSuhjeBs. Her Majefiy doth not 
 only Dijcountenance Vice hy Her own 
 Virtuous Example^ hut alfo by Her Au^ 
 thority^ in tho/e repeated ^roclama" 
 tionsy which the Clergy are Commanded 
 ma mlyto ^ublijh, hut alfo to Explain 
 and Enforce^ as Occafion fhall require, 
 l^at this may ejfeElually be done^ rt>e 
 me -to %eformMens principles as well 
 a^ their ^raBlces, For ivhlljl fome 
 are f^ Stupid as to fancy j That they 
 haVC: no Immortal Souls 5 but that af- 
 ter Death they p?all be Nothings whtlji 
 they flatter themfelves to Die like 
 brutes, wshaVe little caufe to wonder 
 tkatrthey LlVe like them too. 
 
 y(But I crave the Freedom^ under the 
 ^roteBkn of your Graces Name^ to 
 kffurc them^y it Is mojl Certain y 
 jhat when they 2)re, and leaVe this 
 
 World, 
 
. The Epiftle Dcdicatdryr 
 
 Worfdy they (hall not then ^erijh U^ 
 the 'Brutes, and cea/e to S^^ hut Jhdl 
 fl'tll Live and Suhfiji, either in Hap'*' 
 pnefs or Mtfery, to all Eternity. 
 
 This 1 hay e endeavoured to Cmf^^ 
 tmth the great eft Tlainnefs y and C^d 
 grant it may haVe its due BffeB'ufon 
 them. ■ i^-;;, yr/:'. 
 
 Jndnow I am fenfihle it will be f^^ 
 peBed^ hy all true LoVers of thi Hoi^fe 
 of Ormond, that I Jhould make fome 
 due Ackjiowledgment of your Grace ti^ 
 Worth and Greatnefs. 
 
 With xvbat Valour and ConduSi you 
 behaVd your felf in feVeral Cam-- 
 paigns? With what Genereufnefs of 
 Spirit J your Grace promoted the Tub- 
 lick^ Welfare^ and confulted the (^^e* 
 putation of England, ^kh^ the Neg^^ 
 lefi^ if not the Ha;^ard of your own 
 private Inter eft? 
 
 IhaVe here a Very large and pleajtng 
 SuhjcB, And if your Graces Modefty 
 would permit. 1 could jay much of my 
 
 own 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 (m^n I^owledge. For as I am theOUeJi 
 ^omeftick^ Chaplain now Livings to your 
 Grace s Grandfather of Unowned Me-' 
 moryy I had thereby the daily SatisfaSli* 
 M toohferVe the !Budding Hopes of your 
 'future Greatnefs. 
 
 -What I did then happily ^refage^ I 
 haVe now lived to fee 5 7 hat your Grace 
 h an Ornament to your Family y and a 
 i^ulUck^ Blejpng to your Countrey. And 
 'i^at your Grace may long fo continue^ 
 ^^is the Hearty grayer ofy 
 
 w^\ -.. 
 ^ (Miay it pleafe Your Grace) 
 
 Your Grace's Moft Dutiful 
 -^^Vt "^ smd Humbly Devoted Chaplain, 
 
 William A[fheton» 
 
sla^^ ft x^T^'^J 
 
J» 
 
 THE 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 TH E chief Caufe of all the 
 Wickednefs and Prophane* 
 nefs that abounds in the World, is 
 the not Believing, or notConfider- 
 ing the Immortality of the Soulj and 
 a Future State. For did Men firm- 
 ly Believe, and then ferioufly con- 
 fider, Medicate, and think upon 
 this great Triuh 5 That ivhen they 
 Die and leave this World^ they jhallnot 
 then pcrtjh Itkf the (BruteSy and ceafe 
 to Se 3 But their SoiilS) when fcpa- 
 rated from their Bodies, (IliU Hill 
 hve, and perform the Rational O- 
 peracions of Underjlanding and IVtll^ 
 fliall have Pleafure or PaiUj even in 
 the State of Separation : And at the 
 laft, when the great and terrible 
 B Day 
 
7he IntroduSlton. 
 
 Day of the Lord (hall come, then 
 their Souls fliall again be united to 
 their Bodies, and fliall never be 
 parted more 5 but in an unexpref- 
 fible manner fliall be happy or mi- 
 ferable to all Eternity : I fay, did 
 Men firmly believe, and ferioufly 
 confider thefe Things, what man- 
 mr of ^erfons would they then be in all 
 holy ConVerfation and Godlinefs. 
 
 And therefore,for the Convidion 
 of all loofe fenfual Epicureans and 
 Deijisj whofe hope is only in this 
 Life 5 and for the Confirmation 
 and Eftablifliment of honeft fin- 
 cere, but weak doubting Chriftians, 
 J fliall ftriclly examine, and by 
 the Affiftance of the B. Spirit, fliall 
 endeavour to confirm this great 
 Truth, That the Soul of Man is Im- 
 tnortal^ and that there is another Life 
 after this. 
 
 A Vin- 
 
 m 
 
3 
 
 A ' 
 
 VINDICATION 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Immortality of the Sonly Sec. 
 
 As preparatory to my Dif- 
 coiirfe, and that what I ant 
 to fay, may be the more favoura- 
 bly received, I lliall Premife thefc 
 following Confiderations. 
 
 1 . We are not to befurpri^d that 
 this Truth is contradiBed. Bold for- 
 ward Men, that are confident and 
 afluming 5 whofe Tongues^ as they 
 fancy, are their own 3 and who take 
 the freedom to fay what they lift, 
 may Railly and Banter the Immor- 
 tality of the Soul 
 
 Men may fpeak fliarply and wit- 
 B z tily 
 
A Vindication of the 
 
 tily againft the cleareft things in the 
 World. As the Sceptkl^ oi o\^ did 
 againft all Certainty of Senfe and 
 Reafon. Thefe Sophifters would 
 pretend to prove, that there is no 
 Sun in the Firmancient , and that 
 Snow is not White. But for all 
 their Wit and vain Philofophy, we 
 fliould think that man out of his 
 Senfes , that would now difpute the 
 Being of the Sun ^ or the Colour 
 of the Snow. 
 
 2. Wlmi ii>e endeavour to proVe the 
 Immortality of the Soul, its Oppofers 
 rnufl accept of fuch Troof as the na* 
 ture of the thing will admit. All 
 Truths are not equally Evident, 
 nor are capable of the fame man- 
 ner of Proof. Spiritual incorpo- 
 real Beings are not to be proved by 
 our Senfes. I hope therefore thefe 
 Sceptical Gentlemen do not expe<5l, 
 to /ee a feparate Soul with their 
 Eyes, to hear it with their Ears, or 
 
 to 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 
 
 to grafp it with their Hands. Some 
 men indeed have been fo vain as to 
 fancy, That if the Soul of fome 
 deceafed Friend fliould appear to 
 them after his Death , and fliould 
 diftindtly declare, how and in what 
 manner he doth live in another 
 World, that then they would be 
 convinced, That the Soul is Im- 
 mortal. But alas ! vain men, they 
 are miftaken ; For // they hear not 
 Mofes and the prophets , neither will 
 they be per f waded though one ro/e from 
 the dead. Luk. 1 6. 3 i . 
 
 3. In this Vifpute concerning the 
 Immortality of the Soulj I do fuppofe 
 That there is a God. For unlefs this, 
 be granted, the beft Arguments for 
 the Soul's Immortality do lofe their 
 force. But I hope I may fairly be 
 altowed to fuppofe the Exiftence of 
 God : Not only becaufe thofe Ve- 
 ijl$ themfelves, who deny the Im- 
 mortality of the Soul, do pretend to 
 B 5 ac- 
 
A Findication of the 
 
 acknowledge that there is a God 5 
 but chiefly becaufe this firfi and 
 great Principle of Religion, That 
 there is a God $ hath been fo often, 
 and fo undeniably confirmed by 
 others. 
 
 4. The Arguments I dejign to injtjl 
 upon J fhall not he nice and Thilo/ophicaty 
 hut Tlain and popular. It was, as 
 the Learned ^ijhop StiHingfleet ob- 
 lerves , the great Miflake of the 
 Heathen Phiiofophers , that their 
 Difcourfes about the Immortality 
 of the Soul, were too fubtle and in- 
 tricate for the common Capacities 
 of Men. * How long might a man 
 
 * live, as the fame judicious Prelate 
 
 * remarksjbefore an Entekchia would 
 
 * make him know the nature of his 
 ^ Soul the better 3 or an ijjroKiima:. 
 ^ perfuade him to believe its Im* 
 
 * mortality ? Infomuch that it is 
 -hard to determine, whether the 
 
 * Arguments ufcd by them , did 
 
 ' not 
 
Immortality of the Soul 
 
 ' not rather hinder afTent , than 
 ^ perfuade to it* For^ plain Truths 
 
 * lofe much of their weight, when 
 ^ they are rarified into Subtleties, 
 ^and their ftrength is impaired 
 ^ when they are fpun into too fine 
 
 * a Thread. 
 
 The Immortality of the Soul, 
 is a Truth of the greateft concern- 
 ment: our Eternal Happinefs or 
 Mifery depends upon it 3 and there- 
 fore a matter of fo great confe- 
 quence as this is, ought to be pro- 
 pofed in the moil: plain , moft fa- 
 miliar, and moft convincing Man- 
 ner. 
 
 Thefe things being Premifed, I 
 now proceed to my Proofs, when I 
 have firft explained the terms of the 
 Propofition, by fhewing, 
 
 1 . What is meant by the Soul ? 
 
 2. What is denoted by the Immor- 
 tality of the Soul i 
 
 B 4 I. V/hat 
 
A Findicdtion of the 
 
 I . What is meant by the Soul ? 
 
 I Shall not pretend to give you 
 an exa<5t Philorophical Definiti- 
 on of the Soul. But fliall defcribe 
 it in a plain and familiar Manner. 
 Both Negatively, and ^ofitiVely. 
 
 I. Negatively. The Soul of 
 Mxn is not his Body: but fonie- 
 thing that is different and diftindl 
 from the Body. For the Body is 
 the vifible and fenfible Part of Man, 
 which is known and diftinguifhed 
 by our outward Senfes. But the 
 Soul being a Spirit, hath neither 
 Flefh nor Bones, nor any Bodily 
 Parts : and confequently can be nei- 
 ther Jeen nor felt , nor otherwife 
 be dilcerned by any of our Senfes. 
 And in this our Blefifed Saviour 
 doth plainly iaRrufc us. For when he 
 would convince his Difcipics after his 
 K^eflirr^Ctipn, that the Body where- 
 in 
 
Immortality of the SouL 
 
 in lie appeared to them was a real 
 Body, and that he was not a Spirit j 
 he bids them touch and handle him. 
 For faith he, a fpirit hath not fie (h 
 and bones as ye fee me haye. Luk. 24. 
 39. The Soul therefore is not Cor^ 
 porealj It hath no grofs nor mate^ 
 rial Parts : but is of fuch a nature 
 as doth not fall under the notice of 
 any of our Senfes. 
 
 And as the Soul is not the Body, 
 fo likewife it is not the Life of the 
 ^ody. Which I affirm in oppofici- 
 on to the Author of Second Thoughts 
 concerning Human SouL Who tells 
 US3 He prefumes he hath very good 
 grounds to aflert, Life to he proper ^ 
 ly Human Soul. And pretends to 
 prove, That Life and Soul arc the 
 fame thing in Scripture. 
 
 In Anfwer to whom wc readily 
 grant , that very often in Scripture, 
 the Soul is called the Life^ and Life 
 tjie SouL But then the expreflion 
 
 is 
 
10 A Findication of the 
 
 is only Figurative, the EfFcfl: being 
 put for the Caufe. For to fpeak 
 properly, the Soul is not Life, but 
 the Caufe of Life 5 and Life is not 
 the Soul, but the EfFed and Con- 
 fequent of the Soul. And this 
 Author himfelf doth grant, * That 
 ^ the EjfeEi in many cafes is taken in 
 ^ a Vulgar acceptation for the Caufe. 
 ^ For example^ a man fays ^ the Sun 
 * isfo hot infuch orfuch a ^lace^ that 
 ^ he cannot endure it. Where it is plain 
 ^ he means the heat of the Sun^ the 
 ^ EjfeH of it J and not the Sun it felf 
 ^ which is the Caufe of that heaty &c. 
 pag. 189. 
 
 And whereas he pretends to 
 prove, That Life and Soul are the 
 fame thing in Scripture. Our Bleffed 
 Saviour, who bed knows the na- 
 ture of the Soul, doth otherwife 
 indrud: us. Fear not them which kill 
 the 'Bodyy hut are not able to kill the 
 Soul Mat. 10. 28. 
 
 In 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 1 1 
 
 In this Text we are plainly ad- 
 monifhed of two Things. i.That 
 Soul and !Body are different diftindt 
 Beings 5 fince they who kill the !Bo' 
 dy, are not able to kill the Soul. z. By 
 Soul is not meant the Life. For 
 then the Textfliould be thus Tran- 
 flated : Fear not them which kill 
 the (Bodyy hut are not able to take 
 away the Life. Which wrefted In- 
 terpretation is contrary to common 
 Senfe, and is by no means to be 
 admitted, though fupported by the 
 Authority of Mr. Hohhs. Who 
 r very Magiftcri<^.lly , without the 
 leaft Proof, tells us , .that in this 
 Text, ^ody and Soul^ is no more 
 than ^ody and Life. V. LeVtath. p. 
 340. But our prefent mofi (?^eV^- 
 rend Metropolitan ( in the Creed of 
 Mr, Hohhs Examined, p. 78.) 
 doth thus Correil him. 
 
 ' Your Glofs is cxtrcamly wide 
 ^ of the unwrefted meaning of the 
 
 ' holy 
 
12 A Vindication of the 
 
 ^ holy Text. For our Saviour 
 ^ counfelleth his Apoftles not to fear 
 ^ them that can kill the ^Body^ but are 
 ^ not able to kill the Soul 5 making 
 ^ a manifcft diftindi^on thereby be- 
 ^ twixt the Soul and the Life of the 
 ^ Body. For if the Soul were no- 
 ^ thing but the Life of the Body, it 
 ^ were in the Power of every man to 
 ^ kill our Souls, unto whofe Sword 
 ^ and Malice our Lives lay open. 
 
 2. ^oJit'tVely. The Soul is that 
 Principle which is not only the Caufe 
 of external Life and Motion in the 
 Body 3 but alfo of feveral internal 
 Operations j which by inward Senfe 
 and Experience we are confcious to 
 our felves of: As Under Jlanding^ Me^ 
 mor)\ and Will, Briefly thus. 
 
 The Soul is fomething in us 
 which we never faw 5 and which 
 is the Caufe of thofc EfFeds which 
 we find CO be in our Selves. We 
 Sec J v/e Hcar^ we Smelly we Tafle^ 
 
 we 
 
Immortality of the Soul i j 
 
 we Touch. But it is the Soul only 
 which performs thefe Operations 5 
 or by which thefe Operations are 
 performed in the Body. For im- 
 mediately after Death, as foon as 
 ever the Soul is feparated from the 
 Body, though all the Parts and 
 Organs do flill remain, the Body 
 is a dead Carkafs, without Life 
 and Motion. Like the Idols of 
 the Heathen 5 it hath a mouthy and 
 /peaks not : Eyes and fees not : Ears 
 and hears not : a Nofe and fmclls not: 
 Hands and handles noft : Feet and ivaU:s 
 not: Pfal. 1 1 5. 5, 6, 7. 
 
 But, befides thefe vifible Aclions 
 of our outward Senfes , there are 
 other Operations of a more Spiritu- 
 al refined Nature, which we are 
 confcious of. We T/-?m4 and %e' 
 fnember, we (!{eafon and Difcourfe y 
 we freely Chufe and (!{efufe fuch 
 Things as are prefented to us. All 
 thefe Operations we undeniably 
 
 find 
 
14 A Vindication of the 
 
 find and perceive to be in our Selves. 
 Now that which is the Principle of 
 thefe Operations, and the Caufe 
 from whence they proceed, is that 
 which we mean by the Soul of Man. 
 
 2. What is denoted hy the ImmortU'- 
 lity of the Soul ? 
 
 THE true Signification of the 
 word Immortal is this. That 
 is faid to be Immortal , That li^ 
 yeth for eVer. Tl;at neVer dyeth. That 
 never fhall decay. That fhall neVer pe^ 
 rip?. That fhall neVer haVe an End. 
 
 When, therefore, we affirm that 
 the Soul is Immortal, we plainly 
 intend this : 
 
 That when the Body dies, and 
 is laid in the Grave, and is there 
 turned into duft^ the Soul doth 
 ftill remain, and lives feparate from 
 the Body. It ftill continues to per- 
 form all thofe Operations, to the 
 # per- 
 
Immortality of the Soul. i 5 
 
 performance of which, the Mem- 
 bers and Organs of the Body are 
 not neceflary. It ftill retains the 
 power of Underjianding 5 it Th'tnksy 
 \ and i^eafonsy and ^members. I 
 fay, when the Soul hath left the 
 Body, though the Body is then 
 I deftitute of Life, and becomes a 
 ' dead Carkafs, yet the Soul fl:ill lives 
 in an adive (late, either of Happi- 
 nefs or Mifery, and fhall live and 
 continue to all Eternity. 
 
 And that the Soul of Man is thus 
 Immortal^ I fhall, through Divine 
 Afliftance, endeavour to confirm 
 from thefe following Confiderati- 
 
 ons. 
 
 The Immortality of the Soul is 
 
 1. Dejtrable. 
 
 2. Toffible. 
 
 3. Probable. 
 
 4. Certain. 
 
 Now the reafon why I propofe 
 this gradual Proof, is this, becaufe 
 
 there 
 
\6 A Fmdi cation of the 
 
 there are Two forts of Men who 
 are to be convinc'd. 
 
 There are fome who acknow- 
 ledge no other than Natural Reli- 
 gion i who rejed all Revelation, 
 and confequently the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. And therefore, fince all Dif- 
 courfe mufl be ex concejjis^ thefe 
 Men muft be treated in their own 
 way 5 that is, from fuch Principles ? 
 as they themfelves will grant. 
 
 With thefe Epicurean Deifts, I, * 
 fhall difcourfe from the Three for- 
 mer Topicks 5 and Hiall endeavour 
 to convince them, That the Im- 
 mortaHty of the Soul is x.Dejtrable. \ 
 z. <PoJfihle. 3. (probable. But fur-/ 
 ther than thus I Hiall not prettnd to 
 proceed with thefe Deifts. For the 
 Soul being hmfihle^ and the Life to 
 come being an Abfent and Invilible 
 State , can admit only of Moral 
 Proof and Evidence, or of Divine 
 Proof from Revelation. And fince 
 
 thefe 
 
 I 
 
Immortality of the SduL f 7 
 
 thefe Epicureans^o rejecl Divine Re- 
 velation, I can only treat thcni from 
 tha Three former Topicks. But as 
 for thofe who acknowledge the Di- 
 vine Authority of the Holy Scrip* 
 tures, as all Chriftians, and in par- 
 i'ticular, the Author of a late Tra(5l 
 called , Second Thoughts concerning 
 Human Soul^ pretend to do 3 I fliall 
 give them the utmoft Proof 5 and 
 dohope^to convince them by the 
 Teftimony of God himfelf, Thai: 
 it' is Certain the Human Sod is Im^ 
 mortal. 
 
 i. Dejtrahle. 
 
 I. TTT is very Defirahle tlut tlie 
 Jg^ Soul fliould be Immortal, 
 and that there fiiould be another 
 Life after this. 
 
 I Premife this Conudcration, as 
 
 a neceiTary' Inrrodaftioa to my 
 
 following Proofs. For unlcfs I 
 
 •can perfwade thefe De(/?y, that what 
 
 C I pro- 
 
1 8 A Vindication of the 
 
 I propofe is for their Advantage^ 
 and that it is their Intereft to be 
 Convinced, the moft cogent Ar- 
 guments will not be regarded. If 
 Men will be Obftinate, and let us 
 fay what we can, will believe as 
 they lift j If this be the Cafe, there 
 is no Remedy, it is in vain to Dif- 
 courfe them. For Man is ar ^e 
 Agent, and hath liberty of ChdiSej 
 and therefore it is impoffible to 
 make a Man to^elieye againft^ his 
 Will. If thcfe Men will not open 
 their Eyes, but are refolved to wink 
 hard, and will then Diipute, nay 
 perhaps Swear, there is no Sun in 
 the Firmament, who can Convince 
 them ? Tertinacia nullum mmeMum 
 fo/uit Veus. God hath provided 
 no Remedy for the Obftinacy of 
 Men. But if they will be thus Ob- 
 durate, and are Refolved to^^bc 
 Miferable, we can only Bewail 
 them, wc cannot Help them. 
 
 However, 
 
Immortality of the Soul. i p 
 
 However, we will not ceafe, ac- 
 cording to our Duty, to Pray for 
 them. 
 
 That God would open their Eyes, 
 ^^and to turn them from Varlqiefs to 
 , .Light y and from the ^ower of Satan 
 unto God, that they may receiye For^ 
 giVenefs of Sins, and Inheritance a* * 
 mwjig them which are San6ltfied^ by 
 ■ ^jpakhy thatis inChriJly A6ls 26.18. 
 o3 ^Aiid in Order to their Convidi^ 
 on, I fliall, Firjly plainly reprefent 
 $a them $ That it is Very De fir able 
 that the Soul fhould be Immortal j and 
 : that there fhould be another Lfe after 
 i^his. 
 
 : n That we muft all Die, and leave 
 this World, is fo certain a Truth, 
 btjft^ not to be Difpured. The Ex^ 
 V^TOples^of thofe vi^ho have gone be^ 
 -d^^jrUSjfihave made ic lo Evident:^ 
 ;;cth5^t::th'€ greateil Sccpdck is thus for 
 iiiJCOiivin<jed. Since then 'cis Unde- 
 niable we muft fliortly Die, and 
 -TV' 7 : C 2 leave 
 
^o A Vmdication df the 
 
 leave this World , is it not at leaft 
 defirable that fome Part of us may 
 ftill Live and Sublift in another ? ^ 
 For fiiould Death put an utter 
 End to us 5 ftiould all our Hopes, 
 and all our Comforts expire with 
 us, and.be laid in our Graves 3 
 ' what a Difmal and Melancholy 
 7"hought would this be ? What Re- 
 gret and Horror doth it raife in us? 
 How doth even Nature fiirink at 
 
 it? .„..,r;-,: 
 
 Indeed there are fome Calami- 
 tous Circumftances, which have 
 called for Deadi 3 and under which, 
 Men have been fo weary of this 
 World, as to defire to leave it. For, 
 as Job Phrafeth it, Wherefore is 
 Light given to him that is in Mifotyj 
 and Life unto the fitter in Soul^ which 
 long for Death J but it cometh not^and 
 dig for it more than for Hid Treafures-y 
 Which rejoyce exceedingly^ and are glad 
 whm they can find the CraVe, There 
 
 the 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 1 1 
 
 the wicked ceafe from troubling , and 
 there the rveary he at reft. There the 
 9rifoners reft together^ they hear not 
 the Voice of the Oppreffor^ Job 3,20, 
 
 IT, 12, 17, 18. 
 
 From thefe Words of J^o^, and 
 alfo from daily Experience, it evi- 
 dently appears 3 That in fome Ca- 
 fes, and under fome Circumftan- 
 ces, Death is very defirable, tho' 
 it lliould terminate in Annihilati- 
 on, and utter Extin6lion. 
 nPorvi^hena Man hath all his Life 
 long been Opprefled with Calami- 
 ties, Pinched wjth Poverty, Clou- 
 ded with Difgrace, or Affli6ted 
 .with Pungent Tormenting Pains, 
 it may feem defirable, not only to 
 Die, but even to be Nothing 5 that 
 fo he may have that Reft in the 
 Grave, which he could not find 
 above Ground, ^r^fiat non ejfe quam 
 miferum effcy is a known Determi- 
 nation. 
 
 C 3 Thus 
 
A Findication of the 
 
 Thus I grant it may be in fome 
 particular Inftance. But as to thofe 
 who are Profperous, and at Eafe, 
 the Cafe is far different. Veathy 
 (faith the Son of Sirach) how fitter 
 is the ^membrance of thee to a Man 
 that liveth at ^fi in his ^offejjlonsy to 
 the Man that hath nothing to "Vex hint, 
 hut hath Trofpenty in all things, Ec- 
 ckif. 4 1 . K 
 
 You Vvho are Rich and Great, 
 Vigorous and Heakhfiilj who have 
 Stately Houfes, Beautiful Gardens, 
 Pieafant Accommodations, and in 
 every other Refpe6t, Good Treat- 
 ment in the World 5 are you not 
 much Troubled that you muft fo 
 fuddenly leave them ? Is it hot fome 
 Check to your Thoughts, th^tPSll 
 thefe Fine Things muft fo fobn be 
 lExchanged for a Dark Hole under 
 Ground? Do you not cling and 
 hold faft as long as you can ? And 
 when you obferve you can ftay no 
 •t longer, 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 
 
 longer^ but muft b^^ gone, do you 
 not at leaft wiflij that you might 
 live once more, to meet and en- 
 joy the old Companions of your 
 fprmer Pleafures ? 
 
 Q^ could you but creep out of 
 your Graves into the Elyftan Fields^ 
 there to be Treated withNe^^r and 
 2mhrofia, and fome other Delights 
 which a Carnal Fancy would Di^ 
 (ftate^ Could this be fuppofed, O 
 yc Senfual X)fi;^j, who fo earneftly 
 contend for Annihilation, and are 
 Jq fond to be reduced to Nothing, 
 Ifay^ I appeal toyourfelves, Would 
 not fuch a Life as this, in fuch 
 Company, and with fuch pleafing 
 Enjoyments, be far better and more 
 
 Ijdeiirable than to be Nothing ? 
 
 l,^ Would not a Maho7?jets Paradife 
 
 ^^c better than None ? 
 
 j^^,7 Which being granted, I thus im- 
 
 £^ prove the Thought, and build up- 
 
 , .,X)n your own Foundation. 
 
 r C A If 
 
X4 A J^mdication of the i 
 
 IF it is thus defirable to Live fori 
 Ever ?;S (Brutes , is it not much more 
 defirable to live for ever as Men i 
 
 That this may be rightly under- 
 itood, and may make its due Im<,. _ 
 preflion, I fliall briefly remind _you.>i^ 
 what it is to live as Men. ij^ienr'^:. 
 
 To live as Men, is to live in the 
 Exercife of thofe (^ttonal Faculties 
 which are proper to us as Meni/ h 
 fay proper to us as Men: There be- 
 ip47 other Faculties, called ^/zi^/^i^Lo.. 
 or Senfitivcj which are common to 
 us with brutes. .^j.., 
 
 Whilft we are in this World, we 
 mud live an Animal Life as well as 
 a %a:iQnd. We muft, fo^the fup- 
 port of our decaying Bodies^£^^ aad 
 T^rink^ and Sleep, and perform otter 
 OfSccs of a Natural Life. But this mi 
 is nor properly the Life of a Mai|x,qu 
 Which confifts, I fay, in the Exer-ijnx; 
 c\{q of his Rational Faculties 5 which -fi 
 are thefe Two ^ hAsUnderJiandin^ ^V^d 
 hh Wi!L ■ ' • ^ •■-' ■• ^The 
 
Immortality of the Soul. i j 
 
 The Object of the Underjiand" 
 ing is Truth. The Obje6t of the 
 Will is Goodnefs. 
 
 I . To Underflandy is to IQtow and 
 " Embrace Truth. And how great a 
 PJeafure this is , and what ravifliing 
 Satisfaction flows in this way, they 
 who Value and Improve their Un- 
 derflandings, are capable to refolve 
 you. With what an eager Concern 
 do fome Men pant in the purfuit of 
 Knowledge? They deprive them^ 
 felves of their beloved Sleep 3 They 
 negled their daily Food, and have 
 fcarce leifure to attend to the Ne- 
 ceffities of Life. Nay, even Life it 
 felf, in fome Cafes, hath been too 
 much neglected. For to omit thcfe . 
 who by Immoderate Study have ru- 
 ined their Bodies, and have brought 
 upon themfelves the StonCy the G0/4, 
 and ConfumptioYiy with other Chro- 
 nical Diftempers5 I Ihall Inftance 
 pnlyin the hard Fate of Archimedes^ 
 
 who 
 
2 6 A Vindication of the 
 
 who facrificed his Life to the Plea* 
 £ure of a Demonftration. For had 
 that Great Man but a little intermit- 
 ted his Thought, he had certainly 
 faved his Life. But being fo intent 
 upon his Scheme, that he took 
 no notice of the Meflage from 
 MarcelluSy the Rude Soldier^ who 
 little underftood what he was do-** 
 ing, and who thought perha^s^^ h^ 
 had flighted both him and hisGeqp^ 
 ral, to the great Grief of Marcellm^ 
 kiird him with his Sword. 
 
 What ftrength of Imagination 
 was here ! What height of Specula- 
 tion was this, that v^ould not be In- 
 terrupted by fuch imminent Dan- 
 ger! oninoqli 
 
 But we have a further Inftaqce 
 from the fame Archimedes^ of ^?he 
 Pleafure of the Mind in the Search 
 of Truth. With what Traufporc of 
 Joy he cried out, ibpnx^- on ^pc^h^r 
 occalion, is lufficiently known. 
 
 From 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 27 
 
 From thefe, and fuch like In- 
 fiances, we arc undeniably con- 
 vinced , thac the perception of 
 Truth, which we call Knowledge, 
 'is very pleafing to a Rational Being 5 
 and thac the Eye of the Soul, the 
 Underftanding , is even Tranfport- 
 cd in the Contemplation of it ; and 
 fo far Tranfported, that the higheft 
 Gratifications of Senfe are mean 
 and contemptible 5 nay, even as no* 
 thing to the Rapture of a Thought. 
 For as Plutarch fomewhere obferves, 
 When did any Epicure cry out b/- 
 /2pa);c^ with fo much Joy, zs Jrchi- 
 medes did Sfi^pj^^ ? ♦ 
 
 Now if Knowledge in this Life is 
 
 (o Tranfporting, how Ravirtiing, 
 
 ajfiij^n^e fuppofe, will it be in the 
 
 r^^^ur Knowledge in this -Life is 
 
 *%ery Imperfed, and confequently, 
 
 ^'^t Satisfailion v/e receive from it is 
 
 proportionably Imperfed. ^ut when 
 
 that 
 
^8 A Vindication of the 
 
 that tphich is T erf eft is come, then that 
 which is imperfefly or in Tart, fhall he 
 done away. For now we fee through 
 a Glafsj Darkly J hut then Face to Face. 
 Now I know in party hut then fhall 1 
 kiiowy eVen as alfo I am knowny t Con 
 I 3. 1O5 12. 
 
 We fee now through a Gla/s ^ 
 &' gijTJtzrTf^, tanquam in Speculoy as in a 
 Mirror. In which we do noc fee 
 the thing it felf immediately, amd 
 diredly 3 but only the Image arid 
 Appearance of it by Relle(5tion» 
 
 Or elfe^ We fee through aGlafs, 
 tanquam in TerfpcBiVa^ Vel Infpeflorio 5 
 as through a*Perfpe£tivt, whereby 
 an Object is viewed^ not only by 
 Refledion, but alfo at aDiftance. 
 
 We now fee through j^fGlals) 
 Varklyy ^ oLlvlyi^^-ny in a fiddle. Which 
 is an Obfcure, a Doubtful, and 
 Perplexing Declaration of a Thing. 
 But then Face to Face. That is,T/?^;2, 
 in the other Worlds we fliall not 
 
 fee 
 
Immortality of the Soul 2<^ 
 
 fee God at a Diftance,as we do now 
 by Faith, which is our PerfpecStive^ 
 mox by Refledion , as we now fee 
 him in the Glafs of the Creatures 5 
 i)uc we fhall have an immediate 
 and direct view of him. We JJ?aU 
 fee him Face to Face^ that is, Open- 
 Jy^ Plainly, and Diftindly. For 
 then we fhall kriow^as al/o we are Iqiown. 
 ^^hat is, as God now knows us, fo 
 fliail we then know him, as to the 
 Ti^th and Ceirtainty of our Know- 
 ledge. 
 
 But we fliall not only I^ioiv God 
 in the other W^orld, but we (hall 
 LoVc him, and Enjoy him. For as 
 our Under/landings (liail know and 
 enjoy God as he is Truths fo our 
 Wills fhall Love and Embrace Him 
 as)He is Goodnefs, For, 
 bni 
 
 .^PlolCoodne/s is the OhjeEl of the Will, 
 M-Truihis of the Under Jlanding, 
 
 And there is an unexhauftible 
 
 Foua- 
 
30 A Vindication of the 
 
 fountain of both in God: For the 
 Divine Perfeirions are Infinite 5 and 
 confequentiy, can never fully be 
 difcovered by Finite Creatures. O ! 
 what raviflbing Satisfaction vi^ill the 
 Soul then enjoy, when its Rational 
 Faculties, the Underftanding, and 
 the Will , do fo vigoroufly employ 
 and exercife themfelves upon their 
 proper Objects ? How will every 
 new difcovery of Truth, and eve- 
 ry new degree of Goodnefs, raife 
 and enlarge the Soul, and encreafe 
 its Joy and Pleafure ? For when the 
 Soul fliall break loofe from the Bo- 
 dy , which doth now clog and con- 
 fine it 3 and hath made its Entrance 
 into the Invifible Regions of :Blef- 
 fednefs , how fprightly and active , 
 how lightfome and cheerful #ill 
 flie feel her felf ? Oh! into vvdfet 
 excellent Converfation will Ihetfaidii 
 be admitted, wh^n (h^ tt^i^s^unto 
 Mount Sion , and unto the City of the 
 
 Living 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 
 
 Living God^ the Heavenly Jerujalem , 
 
 and to an Innumerable Company of An^ 
 g€lsj to the General Ajfemhly and Church 
 ' ^f the Firft'born, which are written in 
 '* ziie^en^ and to Gody the Judge of all^ 
 Ikmd to the Spirits of Jufl Men made 
 t(PerfeBy and to JefuSy the Mediator of 
 \ti?e ISlew Covenant y Heb. \i. iiyZ^y 
 12.4: Oh! What Blefled Society is 
 Xb^re ? Who is not Tranfported with 
 
 rhe Expectation of it? 
 
 Society istheDefire and Satisfy- 
 
 cQdon of a Rational Being 3 and the 
 sPofleflion of the whole World 
 *«^ould be uneafie without it. It is 
 ^not good for the Man to he alone ^ was 
 e declared concerning Adam^ whilftia 
 -i^aradife, and in Innocency, And 
 ^ ware it pafllbk for aMan to remain 
 llaione for many years in the moft 
 3 JSbiutiful Palace, it would not pleafe 
 ntim f(b .well as the meaneft Cottage 
 
 c with Company. 
 
 V: 
 
3 i A Vindication of the 
 
 But, alas! in this World, that 
 which is our Defire, is too often our 
 Torment. For chough Converfa- 
 tion is very defirable, and mod 
 Men are out of Humour till thfey 
 can get into Company, yet ic is 
 certainly one of the greateft Tor- 
 ments of Humane Life, to fuffer 
 the Follies, the Impertinencies, and 
 Rudenefs of lU-natur'd, and Ill-bred 
 People. Nay, even fometimes thofe 
 who are otherwife Wife and Goqd 
 Men,are fubje(St to fuch Weaknefles 
 andMiftakes as may make cheirCon- 
 verfacion very uneafie. But in Hea- 
 ven, the Spirits of jujl Men are made 
 TerfeB. That is,They are freed from 
 Ignorance and Self-intereft, and all 
 thofe unfociable Paffions of Envy 
 and Jealoufie, of Malice and Re- 
 venge. They are perfectly refined 
 from all that Folly and Peeviilin^^ 
 that Difguife and DiflimuladoQ, 
 which is the Banc of Converfatidn in 
 this World. There, 
 
ItmnortaUty of the SouL j j 
 
 There, in thofeBkfled Regions, 
 is perfect. K^owledge^ and pcrfedt 
 LoVe-j Knowledge to inftruit in all 
 the wife Arcs of Endcarmenr, and 
 Love to oblige, to ufe and im-* 
 prove them. 
 
 O what happy Gonverfation muft 
 this needs be ! 
 ijj ,., But now, how this Blefled Con- 
 ; verfation is managed, and wherein 
 theHappinefsof Heaven doch con* 
 fift, no Human Language can ful- 
 ly exprefs. Only I flull endeavour 
 to give fuch a fhort, tho' imperfeft 
 Idea o£ it, as that you fliall confefs, 
 that it is at leafl: very 'Defirablc there 
 iliould be fuch a Happincfs, ^nd 
 that the Soul fhould be Immortal) 
 for ever to enjoy k. 
 .^jpHearken then, O ye Sceptical De^ 
 f^Sy and be inftru(5led: Hear what 
 the Holy Scriptures, thofe Oracles 
 pf Truth, do declare concerning 
 thac Future^jHappinefsj and then 'tis 
 ] . . " D hoped 
 
J 4 A yind'tcation of the ' 
 
 hoped, you vail at leafl have ©4- 
 laams Willi 5 Let me die the death oj 
 the ^^hteouSj and let my loft end h 
 lik^e his^ Numb. 2;. ic- 
 
 And Fir[l^ Thefe Holy Scriptures 
 do declare 3 That there is a Place 
 called 7he Heaven of fieayens 5 the 
 Highefi HeaVen '^ as being far above 
 and beyond thefe vifible Heavens. 
 
 :igL^:0YQC^ 
 
 A Vejcrtptton of Heaif^.'v ' ?s^ 
 
 THat there is fomething above 
 and beyond this lower Re- 
 gion of the Air, we plainly fee with 
 our Eyes. 
 
 We fee the Sun, the Moon,> and 
 a multitude of Scars, more than wc 
 can number (chough he who made 
 them can tell their Number^ and call 
 them all by their Names. ) 1 
 
 At whardiftance thefe Globes. of 
 Fire are placed, notwichftanding the 
 Boldncfs of Agronomical Conji^* 
 ' - 6turesp 
 
Immortality of the Soul ^^ j 
 
 i9:ures, we are wholly ignorant. But 
 this we may obferve, and may ra- 
 tionally conjecture from rhe Fra}77e 
 and Compares of the World^ That, 
 there are invifible Regions, but how 
 many we know not, far above and 
 beyond thefe vifible Orbs. The 
 higheft of which is the Royal Palace 
 of the King of Kings, the Great 
 Sovereign of theUniverfe : In which, 
 as in His Prefence-Charnber, Ho 
 doth glorioufly difcovet His Maje-* 
 fty, His Greamefs, and His Good- 
 nefs, to Angels and Men. There 
 Thoufands Thoufands 7mnifler unto 
 Him^ and Ten Thou/and times Ton 
 TImifand /land before Hmi^ Dan, 
 7. 1 o. 
 
 And not only thefe Glorious A.n- 
 gels, who are now his peculiar R.c- 
 tinue, bur a!fo poor. Fallen hlxn] 
 u through the Mercy of God, and 
 >-the Merits of JefusChrift, (lull one 
 '4^7 make up the number of chat 
 ^7v-r' D 2 Heavenly 
 
J 6 A P^indication of the 
 
 ^ Heavenly Train. Thefe His Ser-' 
 yants flull fcrye hhn^ and they Jhall 
 fee His Face y Rev. 22. 3,4. Forwe 
 krww Jciith St. Tatilj that tf our Earthly 
 Hotije of this Tahernack were diffoU 
 Vedj we have a (Building of God, an 
 Houfe not made ivith hands, eternal 
 in the Heavens, 1 Cor. 5. 1. 
 
 And St. feter affares us, that there 
 is an Inheritance incorruptible, and uri" 
 defiled, and that fadeth not away, 'r€f 
 jerVed in HeaVen for us, 1 Pet. i . 4: 
 The which Teflimonies of S.^^- 
 ter ^nd S.'P.m/ are thus comfortably 
 confirmed by our Bleflcd Saviour. 
 Let not your heart he troubled -^ ye 
 believe in God, helieVe alfo in Me. In 
 my Father s Houfe are many Manfions^ 
 if it IP ere not fo, 1 would haVe told 
 you : I go to prepare a place for you. 
 And If I go and prepare a place for 
 you, I IV til come again, and receive 
 you unto tny f elf, that where lam,t^ire 
 ye 771 ay be aljo, John 14. 1, tfl- 
 
 Fa^ 
 
Immortality of the SouL 37 
 
 Father^ I will that they alfo whom 
 thou hajl given 7ne^ he iv'ith me ivherc 
 lam^ that they may hehold my Glory ^ 
 jphich thou haji giVen me^ John 1 7. 
 
 But though Heaven is a moftglo- 
 riotis Place, very Richly farniflie^ 
 and adorned , for Infinite Wifdora 
 ajtid Infinite Goodnefs hath contri- 
 ved and prepared it, yet a Local 
 ^plendor,without fome farther Qua- 
 lifications, Avill not make us happy. 
 For to fpeak properly, Happi- 
 nefs is Internal^ in the Frame and 
 Temper of the Mind: without 
 vvhich fuitable Difpofition, all Ex- 
 ternal Accommodations will be 
 , vain and nothing- Which I thus 
 „e^plain^"atid confirm. 
 ^^.^,^ Some Men do very much value 
 .^Jfately Apartments 5 Plentiful Ta- 
 ,.ble§,p Richly Fur niflicd Beds; choice 
 ^.donlorxs of Mufick \ Youth and 
 Beauty, anq Jl^ch like. Bul now 
 0'":^ were 
 
^8 A Findkation of the 
 
 were thefe very Men, in the midft 
 of thefe external Acconnmodations, 
 wrack'd with the StonCj or but the 
 Gout in Extremity, all thefe fine 
 Trappings would be little regarded 
 
 This familiar Comparifon may 
 
 , fenfibly inftrud us, that there is 
 
 more required to the Happinefs of 
 
 Heaven, than the Splendor of the 
 
 •Place. For, '■-^-^> 
 
 Secondly y The Happy Inhafcitafits 
 of that Glorious Place are perfectly 
 fecured from all Pains of Body, and 
 Difcompofure of Mind, which are 
 io prcfTing, and fo frequent in this 
 lower World, that we very petti- 
 nemly call it the Vale of Tears. 
 
 Bill in Heaven all Tears fliall be 
 wiped away, and thecaufes of them, 
 ' And God I^imfeJf jhall be ivkhMen^ 
 and he their God. And God p?a!l mpa 
 away all Tears from their Eyes y and 
 there Jhall he no more Death ^ neither 
 Jorroip^ nor crying^ neither J]?all there 
 
 be 
 
Immortality of the Soul. jp 
 
 he any more pain : for the former things 
 are paffedaway. Rev. 21.] ,4. The for- 
 mer things are pajfed away. That is, All 
 thofe Evils, Troubles, and Calami- 
 ties which they faw and fuffered in 
 (his World , will forever vanifh and 
 difappear. There fliall be no Pover- 
 ty, no Sicknefs, nor no Pain to tor- 
 incnt our Bodies : There fliall be no 
 Cares to diftrait our Minds,norFears 
 and Difappointments to perplex our 
 hearts, and. difcompofe our Souls^ 
 ., But this, though Great, and ve- 
 ty dcfirable , is but a Kegaiive 
 Happinefs. Therefore, 
 
 Thirdly ^BcCidcs this freedom from 
 Mifery and Sorrow, in Heaven there 
 fiiall be a perfed; enjoyment of all 
 , thac is Good. And, 
 
 • I . In UeaVen we p?all haVe a moft 
 
 d^Htimate enjoyment of Almighty God. 
 
 V ; How thatBlefled Being will then 
 
 communicate Himfelf to His Crea- 
 
 xmtSy wixannot now diftindly ex- 
 
 ^. . D 4 plain, 
 
Ap, J Ftndication of the 
 
 plain, (for we kjiow but in p:arty^ndf^ 
 through a Clafs darkly )) buc we may 
 with cercainty apprehend, he will • 
 GO it in a manner fuitable to the 
 Nature of Rational Beings. Now 
 God being a Rational Good, is ca*- 
 pable of being enjoyed by Ratio* 
 nal Beings, no otherwife than by 
 IQtowledgey and by LoVCy and by 
 Ltlienefs. ^,: 30./! .t..^ 
 
 That our enjoyment of Godir: 
 doih condA in ^10 wled^Cy is plain*, 
 ly intimated by Sz, John. It doth r^ 
 not yet appear what ive fhall he : hut 
 we know that when he p7all appear ^ 
 tve fhall be likf hm^ for we fhall fee 
 him as he is y i John 3. 2. 
 
 It doth not jet appear what we f) all 
 be. That is, whilft we are in this 
 World, our future State is very ob- 
 fcure to us, and we know little of 
 it, as to any diftind: and pardcular ; i 
 knowledge. For in things which 
 depend upon Divine Revelation, 
 
 and 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 41 
 
 and fuch certainly is our future 
 St^te, it is impoflible for us to know 
 any more than God is pleafed to 
 reveal to us. 
 
 He hath plainly afliued us in ge- 
 neral, Th^t Good Men fhall be 
 happy in another World : But the 
 particular Circumftances of this 
 Happinefs are ftill concealed front 
 us. Not as if God did envy us the 
 fatisfaition of a further Profpe<5t:, 
 (wemuft not have fuch apprehenfi- 
 ons of fo Blefled a Being) but be- 
 caufc we cannot bear ir. We cannot ' 
 
 fee God and Ibe: That is, the Im- 
 perfe<5tion of Human Nature , and 
 the weaknefs of our Faculties in this 
 State of Mortality, is not able to 
 bear a full and clear reprefentation 
 
 ' of 'fo great a Glory. And therefore 
 the greatnefs of that Glory is now 
 hid from our Eyes, not becaufe we 
 fJiouU i\oz underftand ic, but becaufe 
 y^'^^fannot. ■ In Ihorc: Astherweec- 
 
 ^^ "■.■ nels 
 
4X A Vtndkation of the 
 
 nefs of any Fruit is only known by 
 the Tafte 3 fo Heaven is bell known 
 by the Enjoyment of it. When we 
 awake up after his Ukenefs^ we fhall he 
 fatis fed with it. 
 
 Only thus much we know of it 
 at prefent, becaufe our Saviour hath 
 cxprefly revealed it, that the Blef- 
 fednefs of the Saints fhall confift 
 in the Vtfion of God. (Bleffed are 
 the pure in heart , for they (hall 
 fee God, Match. 5. 8. And, We 
 fhall fee him face to face^ i Cor. 
 
 I hope thefe Veijls (who ate ve« 
 ry apt to Ridicule what they have,j 
 TiO mind to Believe) will not (o 
 grofly mifreprefent our Seeing ofi 
 God^ as if we did expert to fee him 
 with our Bodily Eyes. For God 
 being a pure Spirit, cannot be the 
 Objecl of any Corporeal Senfe, Bivt 
 we fiiali have fuch a fight; of him, 
 as a pure Spirit is capable of. We 
 
 'fiiall 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 43 
 
 flrall fee him with the Underftand- 
 ing, which is the Eye of the Soul. 
 So that to See God is to Know 
 him : And to Know God is to En- 
 joy him. For the more we know 
 him, fuch is hisGreatnefs, the more 
 we ftiall Admire him. And the more 
 weJcnow him, fuch is hisGoodnefs, 
 the more we (liall Lo^e him. And 
 [the mote we l!\now him, and LoVe 
 I him, the mere we fiiail Imitate and 
 Refemble him; When we fee 
 him ds he isy then ft^e fhall be like 
 himy 1 John ^.2. Or, as St.Teter 
 Phrafech it, we fliall he partakers of 
 the Divine Nature^ 2 Pet. 1.4. Not 
 that we {liall be made partakers of 
 the very Effence and Nature of God, 
 as fome Ignorant Enthufiafls have 
 ©lafphemoufly affirmed 3 but we 
 fhatl be made partakers of a Divine 
 ^ITcmper and Difpoficion, as the 
 .word (^^jctk; often fignifies, by having 
 •file Divine Attributes more and 
 i--' more • 
 
44 ^"^ Vindication of tM.,, 
 
 more communicated to us. Wcj 
 fhall be made like unco God in. 
 his HoUnefs^ in his Goodnefsy in his: 
 Patience ^ in his MercyyinhisJuJiicCy 
 and in his Truth. 
 
 Thefe Divine Qualities will 
 make us fie Company for our Hea- 
 venly Father. For unlefs we endea- 
 vour to be like God by this God- 
 like Temper and Difpoficion, vi^e 
 can never be admitted to the Blef- 
 fed Sight and Enjoyment of hin^. 
 In whofc ^rejence is fuinefs of joy^^ 
 and at whofe (^ght Hand there are 
 ^leafures for eVer more^ Pial i6. 
 I I. 
 
 2. In HeaVen ive fhall haVe the 
 Enjoyment of our (Blcffed Say tour ^ 
 Who loved us fo dearly^ .that for 
 m Men^ and for our Salvation J?e came ^ 
 down from H^^ayen^ was made ]^any 
 and hy a^ long train of Sufferings y^jid ^ 
 ,nt)la/l a moftfaiiful and ig;i\qi^^^ 
 ■ t>eaih^ did ^S^(^o}U^C.us,t(i,^is^^}^: 
 
 and' 
 
 I 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 4 j 
 
 [3nd being afcended into HeaVen, 
 |and glorioufly (cated ac the Right 
 [Hand of God, is not unmindfLit 
 |of us, but hach told us, he is gone 
 before to prepare a place for m. And 
 jhath comfortably aflured us, he will 
 \come again and take us unto himfelfy 
 \that tvhere he is , there we may he 
 lalfo. 
 
 p'^^Nb^'fince the Society of Friends 
 
 |is the greatefl Happinefs^ (ic being 
 
 'the highefl: Satisfaction to Live and 
 
 Gonverfe with thofe whom we 
 
 Love} we may eafily npprehend^ 
 
 what a principal Ingredient k wm.!1 bs 
 
 of the Joys of Heaven, to be there 
 
 admitted into the Prefence of our 
 
 Blefled Saviour, who hath owned 
 
 and encouraged his Faithful FoU 
 
 ^iowirs with the Tide of Frends. 
 
 Trhemy Friends^ and I ha^e called 
 
 ^jm Friends J John 1 5, 14, 1 5. 
 
 ^'^^''' What Raptures therefore muft ic 
 
 Vaife in us, to fee this beft of Friends 
 
 fo 
 
4^ J Findication of the 
 
 . fo gloriouy Advanced ! To fccdiis 
 Blefled Jefus, who was fo unwor- 
 thiiy, nay fo barbaroufly treated 
 by an Ill-iiatured World 3 to be- 
 hold him, I fay, praifed and ad- 
 mired , worfliipped and adored 
 by all the Court of Heaven : By 
 Angels and Arch-Angels, by Cheru- 
 bims and Seraphims, and by the 
 Spirits of Juft Men made perfed:. 
 Who fhall all bear a part in that 
 Triumphant Heavenly Song 5 Wor^ 
 thy is the Lamb that was JJain to rC" 
 ceiVe bowery and ^ches^ and Wifdom^ 
 and Strength, and Honour^ and Glory, 
 and Sleffing -J for thou hap (^deemed us | 
 to God by thy ^lood, out ofeVery ^m- | 
 dred and Tongue, and People, and JSLd" J 
 t'ion. (Bleffing^ and Honour, and Glo- ^ 
 ry and Corner, he unto him that filteih 
 upon the Throne, and unto the ^M^ 
 for eyer and eV^r, Rev. 5 . ^,-^^'5i , 
 
 3. Jn He ay en we pMllhaVe Con- 
 ; yerjation 
 
Immortality of the SomL 47 
 
 Verfationmth Angels and glorified Spi- 
 ^ yns. The Spirits of Jujt 7?ien made 
 l^feSi. 
 
 And what excellent Company 
 • fcoch thefe will be, we fliall more 
 ^ienfibly apprehend, when we lliall 
 <liftin<5tly underftand the nature of 
 , ^hem both. 
 3Mi u The Blefled Angels are the 
 .•ftihaljitants of an Invifible World, 
 intO; which we are not to enter, till 
 afc^r Death : - and therefore at pre- 
 fent can with certainty know no- 
 thing of them, eicher of their Nil- 
 ttire or FMployments^ without Divine 
 Lr Revelation. 
 
 |r ^ As to their Nature ^ the utmoft 
 ^ c that is revealed to us, is this. 
 c.-' ::^That chcy are Wife, Powerful, 
 and Hply Spirits. That they are 
 great Lovers of Mankind, and re- 
 joice at the Converfioa and Salva- 
 tion of Sinners. 
 
 As 
 
48 JFindication of the 
 
 As rotheirQ^rei andE?nploym^nth 
 we zxc indeed more fully inftrud:'^ 
 ed in Sacred Story. Which tells us, 
 That the Holy Angels are the Splen- 
 did Retinue^ the Royal and con- 
 ftant Attendants upon that great 
 and Glorious King, whofe Throne is 
 in the HeaVenSy and whofe t\ing4om 
 ruleth oyer all. Thoufands Thoufands 
 minifter unto him^ and Ten thoafand 
 times Ten thoufand fland before htm. 
 They ftand continually before him, 
 to behold his R/cc^expedting his Com- 
 ' raands^ and are in a conflant rca- 
 dinefs to do his Will, 
 
 The Scripture further tells us. 
 That by the Divine Order and Ap- 
 pointment, thefe blefled Angels are 
 fniniflring Spirits to 'us Men, fent 
 forth to minifter for them who fl? all be 
 Heirs of Salvation^ Heb. 1. i4.q 
 
 Hence we often read, both in 
 
 the Old and New Teftament, that 
 
 (^ the Wifdom of God employed his 
 
 Angels, 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 4p 
 
 Angels to be the Meffengers of his 
 Will and Pleafure to Holy Men and 
 Women. Inftances are fo many, I 
 
 ~ muft not pretend to repeat them. 
 They were fent to fuch and Tuch 
 Perfons to Admonifh and Inftrii6t 
 
 ■ them 5 to Comfort and Support 
 them 5 to Defend and Preferve them- 
 Arid though thefe Blefled Angels 
 
 ' ^biipr now vifibly appear, atleaft 
 ribt f6 often as they formerly did 
 
 /under the Old Legal Difpenfation, 
 yet ( as a Mod Reverend Pre- . 
 late hath made the Remark ) 
 ^ There is no reafon I think to doiibr^ 
 ^ but that God's Care extends noii^ 
 ^ to Chrijiians as well as icdid to che 
 "^Jews-^ and that the Angels have; 
 
 ' '^is :much Kindnei^ for Us as they 
 ^ 'ftad for the Jem 3 and there is no 
 ' Reafon to think, that the Angels 
 
 '''' jijre «o^ either Dead or Idle. 
 
 ^^^^''Dotrbtlefe therefore thefe Invifi- 
 tle'Guardians'do ftill Attend US3 
 
 E and 
 
JO A Vtndicatim of the 
 
 and by the Divine Appointment d6 
 Admonifh, Comfort, and Protect 
 us J in many Inftances that we know 
 not of. But in the other World^ 
 it will be difcovered what they have 
 done for us, and how kind they 
 have been to us, and how truly 
 they loved us 3 and this will lay the 
 Foundation of a perpetual Friend- 
 fliip, which will ftill be improving 
 in kind Offices of Love and En- 
 dearment to all Eternity. 
 
 But befides thefe Holy Angels, 
 2. We fLall have the Converfa- 
 tion of Glorified Spirits. The Spi- 
 rits of Jufi Men j?iade ^erfeB. All 
 the Holy Men and Women that 
 ever lived upon the Face of the 
 Eardi. And, which may more fen- 
 fibly afFed us^ we (hall again fee 
 and enjoy all our dear Friends and 
 Relations who are dead before us. 
 And having not feenthemof along 
 time, having been parted from 
 - . them, 
 
Immortality of the Soul. '5 i 
 
 them, perhaps for many years, are 
 you noc pleafed to think chat you 
 fhall fee them again ? that you lliall 
 Converfe together, and Enjoy each 
 other in the deareft intimacy of 
 Friendfhip to all Eternity ? 
 
 How this Heavenly Converfati- 
 on fliall then be managed, I have 
 ^already confefs'd I cannot pretend 
 diftinctly to explain. The Laws 
 and Guftoms of that Heavenly 
 Country, 'and the Temper of its 
 Inhabitants, are in a greac meafiire 
 concealed from us. 
 
 However, for the fupport of our 
 
 Faith and Hope, we may be permir- 
 
 ted to make fome general Conjc- 
 
 d:ures5and5toexprefs myfelf famili^ 
 
 •iiarly, whilft we are in our Journey, 
 
 ^iv€ may think upon our Home, and 
 
 ^"^nwbac our Friends are doing there. 
 
 .2u 3iAnd here, we are not to doubr, 
 
 ^•fiDiit that the Converfation of the 
 
 aiSaints in Heaven is a Rational Con- 
 
 E z verfation, 
 
'5 1 J Findication of the 
 
 veifation , and doth confift in 
 IQiowkdge and in Loye. But how 
 thefe Noble Operations will there be 
 exprefled, I fhall proceed with the 
 gfeateft Caution and Modefty to ex* 
 amine. . i'.oidw 
 
 The firft and chiefeft, the ia-^ 
 comparably Principal and Supreme 
 Object of their Knowledge, is the 
 moft Glorious Trinity, God Blef- 
 fed for ever. Who will then explain 
 his Nature and his Works, in fuch 
 a manner, and in fuch degrees, as 
 finite Creatures are capable to re- 
 ceive. And fince hifinite Perfecti- 
 ons can never fully be difcovered, 
 known and enjoyed by finite Beings^ 
 Oh the unexpreflible Bounty of a 
 gracious God, who hath giv^n us 
 Immortal Souls, capable to Jive foi^ 
 ever 5 v/hereby we may know,lov4 
 and enjoy him to all Eternity. ^i nn? 
 
 But I mufi: not enlarge o'nihis 
 
 fupcieminent Objed of GurJCftdw- 
 
 - : ledge, 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 5 3 
 
 kdgCjbeing now limited to examines 
 
 How the 0ejfed Saints in Heaven ^ 
 do kliow each other ? 
 _ Concerning which,! will prefume 
 tO:^ 'fuppofe, that the knowledge 
 which the Saints in Heaven have of 
 each other, is a diftin6l and parti- 
 cular knowledge^ that is, They do 
 not only know in general, that 
 thofe Myriads of Saints, with whom 
 they are fiirrounded, are all holy 
 and happy like themfelves, but 
 they have a particular knowledge 
 of their Perfons, and what their 
 Circumflances , their Conditions, 
 and Behaviour was in this lower 
 World. 
 
 > And if we may be allowed to take 
 an eftimate of Heavenly Conver- 
 fadonby this which we have on 
 Eaxch, Ific paryis componere magna) 
 this is no improbable conjedure. 
 ^. For Sociecy is notpleafing wich- 
 out familiar Acquaintance, 
 
 E 3 Tiih 
 
j^ A Findication of the 
 
 With what caution, uneafinefs 
 znd refcrve do we converfeamongft 
 Strangers ? But amongft our inti-^ 
 mate Friends, with what freedom 
 and fatisfad:ion do we explain our 
 ielves, and communicate our very 
 Thoughts? Unlefs therefore the Saints 
 in Glory were particularly known 
 to each other, there would not be 
 that intimate endearing Converfati- 
 on, which the happinefs of that 
 bieiled place doth allow us to fup- 
 -pofe. Ignorance and Referve do 
 fpoil good Company, and are the 
 Bane of Converlation. > ' > - 
 
 It hath often been enquired, 
 whether the Saints in Heaven do 
 know their near Relations, fo as to 
 fay, This was my F^ther^ this my 
 Mother^ this my Hi^^^w^, this niv 
 Wife J this my Child J this my (Brothc^ 
 this my Sifter ^ Sec. 
 
 To which Enquiry I do with free- 
 dom make this Reply, ^ 
 
 That 
 
Jmfnortality of the Soul < f 
 
 That to deny fuch Knowledge, 
 according to our prefent apprehenli- 
 ens, would be a great diminution 
 of that future Happinefs. 
 
 For, arc you not now paflionate-^ 
 ly defirous that fuch your Relati- 
 ons (liould be fecured from the 
 Wrath to come, and be fafely pla- 
 ced in Glory? And would it not put 
 you into a Tranfport, to be cer- 
 tainly affured that they are fo 
 Happy ? 
 
 Now if you are fo defirous that 
 ^hen your dear Pvelations die and 
 leave you, they may go to Heaven, 
 what Rp.ptures will it raife in you to 
 find them there ? 
 
 Since therefore fuch diftindt and 
 
 ^particular knowledge of each other, 
 
 ; would fo heighten and improve the 
 
 '* Happinefs of the Blelfed, we are 
 
 not in the lead to doubt, but that ic 
 
 *^iJiall be granted to them. Nay, I 
 
 am fo far from denying fuch know- 
 
 E 4 ledge. 
 
^6 A Vmdication of the 
 
 ledge, it is my Opinion , That im- 
 mediately, at our firft Arrival at 
 thofe Glorious Manfions, we fhall 
 not only know our near Relations, 
 but we fliall diftin^tly and particu- 
 larly know the wholeSociety of the 
 BlefTed, both Saints and Angels. 
 
 O what Millions of Millions of | 
 Glorious Beings^ intimately know% I 
 and familiarly acquainted, lliall be 
 there met together? But now howq 
 thefeMyriads ofGlorifi'd Saintsfhali A 
 Ipend their Time (fo we fpeak in '^ 
 this lovvcr VVorld^) that is, what 
 they flhall do, in what they fhall t 
 be imployed to all Eternity, would ' 
 be very plcafing to Examine. a 
 
 But, alas/ we know fo little of li 
 the invifible World, and ofithevcj 
 Glory that fhall there be revealedjT 
 that we muft be contented with veryodl 
 imperfect Conjcdures. i -gui; iuq aini 
 
 And here we may be allowed-^ im ^n 
 oppOiidon to the School-men,tQ de- 
 
 ciare j 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 5:7 
 
 clare$ That the happy Converfa- 
 tion of the Saints in Heaven doth 
 not confift in a bare Speculation, 
 gazing upon each other, and admi* 
 ring each other's Perfe6tions, which 
 (a,s thefe fanciful Writers explain 
 themfelves) they fee and contem- 
 plate in the Divine Eflence, as in a 
 Mirror. 
 
 This is a very jejune and infi- 
 pid Notion, For doubdefs there is 
 A(5tion as well as Contemplation 
 in Heaven. Something to be done 
 as well as enjoyed in that blefled 
 place. As the Third Petition in the 
 Lord's Grayer doth plainly inftru6t 
 us. Thy Will be done in Earthy as it 
 is in HeaVen. God's Will is done 
 by the Inhabitants of Heaven, 
 There is Service and Obedience to 
 bevpaid to God in Heaven. And 
 this perhaps in more inftances, and 
 in .greater variety than we are now 
 
 able to imagine, 
 
 To 
 
{S A Vindication of the 
 
 To underftand this the better, 
 we muft obferve, That Heaven isc 
 in Scripture defcribed as a Kingii 
 dom 5 and confequently hach Laws 
 and Statutes, Governors and Sub- 
 jeds^ and thofe of different Ranks, 
 Orders, and Degrees. Now if there 
 sre Laws, they muft be obeyed ^ 
 if Rulers and Governors, their 
 Commands muft be obferved.^Hod 
 
 There are many Paflages in th't 
 New Teftament to fupport thl 
 Conjecture. ^ 
 
 In the Parable of the Talents, as 
 Recorded by St. MattheWy and of 
 the Pounds, as by St. Lukey the Ser- 
 vant who had improved his Five 
 Talents to Ten, and whofe Pound 
 had gained Ten Pounds, was very 
 bountifully rewarded by his Lord. 
 Which St, Matthew chz^. 2 j. ver,i-r. 
 thus cxpreffeth. Well done^ thou^obd 
 and faithful Servant -^ thou haft been 
 faithful over a few things^ I will make 
 
 thee 
 
ImmrtaUty of the Soul. ^^ 
 
 thee ^kr oVer many things. But 
 St. Luke chap, 1 9. ver. 1 7. words it 
 thus. Welly thou good Servant ^ hecuufe 
 thou haft been faithful in a Very little^ 
 have thou Authority oVer Ten Cities. 
 
 In both thefe Evangelifts here is 
 
 cxprefs mention of ^le and Ju-- 
 
 thorityy conferred and beftow'd upon 
 
 thofc who enter into the Joy of their 
 
 Lord. Butnow what thistle and 
 
 Authority do fignifie in the other 
 
 -Worldy or what kind of Happi- 
 
 nefs is denoted hereby, is a great 
 
 Myftery, which we know nothing 
 
 of. Only this we know (as one 
 
 well exprefleth it) ' That there are 
 
 ^ no empty Titles in HeaVen^ hut every 
 
 ^ degree of Dignity there y ftgntfes a 
 
 ^ pculiar degree of Hap pinefs. 
 
 r We read likewife in the Gofpel, 
 
 of fome to be the leajl^ and feme 
 
 ; the greatefl in the Kingdom of Hea- 
 
 Mm- And' ST.Tatd tells us, that 
 
 04 one Star dtjfereth from another Star 
 
 in 
 
6o A Vindication of the 
 
 in Glory -y fo al/o is the (^e/urreSllon 
 of the T>eddy i Cor. 15. 41, 42. 
 
 All which Paflages do plainly 
 inftrud us 3 That in that Bleffed 
 State, there is great variety of Glo- 
 ry and Advancement, And thol 
 we know very little -of > another 
 World, yet we may fafely entertain 
 this Notion of the Government of 
 Heaven, That in that happy King- 
 dom, under God, the Supream 
 Lord and Sovereign, there are nuve^ 
 berlefs degrees of Superiors and Ian 
 feriors, Governors and Subjects. 
 Though all the Saints are very hap- 
 py, yet they are not all equally 
 happy, but according to their diffe- 
 rent capacities and qualificacin^ns, 
 they are plac'd in different ranks aij4 
 degrees of Glory. .h)nicjqd'f lo 
 
 Now we are not in the lea{l]||^ 
 fufpeij:, when fuch multitudefr Q^ 
 adive Beings are met together, that 
 they will be Idle 5 but will incef- 
 i fantly 
 
^ Immortality of the Soul. 6\ 
 
 fantly be employed, in mutual giv- 
 ing or receiving Commands from 
 ifach other. 
 
 ^ And to proceed in our Enquiry, 
 we may further be aflured 3 that 
 icich their Employments will be 
 man^aged without the leaft trouble 
 Ordifturbance. Indeed in this World, 
 ter^ is nothing but Hurry and Tu- 
 rftfllr^' Diforderand Diftra6tion3 but 
 there, in Heaven, every thing will 
 be tranfadled with the greateft eafe, 
 d^hght and fatisfa6tion. 
 
 In that bleffed place, every one 
 will be pleafed with his prefent Sta- 
 tion: Thofe that are Superiors will 
 neither defpife nor opprefs their In^ 
 feriors. And thofe that are Inferi" 
 (fe-^ as being placed in a lower rank 
 of Happinefs, will not envy thofe 
 tkat are above them, but will hearti^ 
 1^ rejoice in their Advancement. 
 And thus^^'irtall thofe differences of 
 Glory and Dignity between them^ 
 
 the 
 
A Vindication of the 
 
 the Inferiors do Q^eyerence theiif Su^ 
 feriorsy and the Superiors do Con^ 
 defend to their Inferiors : and in fo 
 doing, they eternally converfe with 
 one another ( notwithftanding all 
 their Diftances^ with the greateft 
 freedom, and moft endearing fa- 
 miliarity. 
 
 But here we muft fix, and can 
 proceed no further. For how, or 
 in what manner the Saints in Hea- 
 ven do manage this their Converfe- 
 tion in particular, we are not able 
 to difcover. It doth not yet appear 
 what we jhall he. It is fufficient for 
 us to know in general, that our Em- 
 ploy mcnt,whatever it iSjfhall be our 
 unfpeakable Pleafure5 and as much 
 above theNobleft and moft delight- 
 ful Employments here on Earth, 
 as the perfedion of our Bodies, and 
 the powers of our Souls, fliall thm 
 be above what they were in this 
 World. 
 
 Lee 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 6^ 
 
 Let us therefore be admonifhed 
 to reftrain our Curiofity, and learn 
 ODur Duty. 
 
 r- Let us humbly beg of God to 
 ' fit and prepare us for this happy So- 
 ciety 5 to make us 7?teet to be parta^ 
 kers of the Inheritance of the Saints in 
 Light 5 and then^ as foon as he plea- 
 feth, bring us to the enjoyment of 
 it. Even foj Lord JeftiSy come quickly. 
 M rr 
 ^JTT^Rom thefe Premifes duly con- 
 o|Jl fidered, I hope the Truth of 
 HPiy Firji Propofidon will eafily be 
 granted, W;^. That it is Very defira- 
 ble the Soul p^ould he hnmortaly and 
 that there (hould be another Life after 
 this. 
 
 ^vBut againft this my firft Ailerti- 
 Q^V Men of Atheiflical Principles, 
 and Senluai Practices, do thus Re- 
 ply-ikni , 
 
 ObjeSl. 
 
($4 -^ Fin di cat ion of the 
 
 ObjeBlon, 
 
 ^ ^TT^Hat it is indeed very defira- 
 M ble to be Happy, and to 
 ^ live in Pleafure. And the longer 
 ^ we can thus live, ftill the bet- 
 ^ ter. Could we but extend our 
 
 * Lives and our Enjoyments to the 
 ^ Longevity of the Patriarchs ;^ ^ to 
 ^ Six^ Seven, Eight, or ISline Huh" 
 ^ dred Tears 5 What a comfortable 
 ' expe6lacion would this be? But 
 ^ as Experience will not grant us 
 ^ fuch a happinefs in this World, fo 
 
 * neither will the Envy of others al- 
 ^ low it in the next. For though 
 ^ the (^ght'hand Favourites haf e 
 ^ Projected a fine Scheme for cheim- 
 ^ felves, yet they have drawn a di&^ 
 ^ mal Scene for the Left-hand CreA^ci 
 ^ Depart from me, ye Curfed, into ^et^ 
 ^ '^y^^^c? P^^^y prepared for the D^Vd 
 
 [ and his Angels. 
 
 This 
 
Immortality of the Soul 6 k 
 
 ^ This they tell us is ourPortion. 
 ' Now can any Man of Senfe be fo 
 ' Stupid, as to think it defirable 
 V thus to live for ever ? To roll in 
 ^ Flames, and to be ecernatiy Tor- 
 Smented? Is it not therefore more 
 / dcfirable, that the Soul fhould be 
 VMorcal, and Perifli with the Bo- 
 [ dy^ than that it fliould be prefer- 
 V ved in an Immortal State, only to 
 ^ be a Monument of Eternal Ven- 
 1 geance ? 
 
 Thus they Objed:. To which I 
 return this 
 
 JNSWE^. 
 
 THat this way of Difpucing, 
 which I have partly exprefled 
 iii!i(!heir own Language, is not only 
 Fallacious in it felf, but alfo of dan- 
 gerous confequence to the Dif- 
 p^ters. 
 
 F 1. Ic 
 
66 A Vindication of the 
 
 I. It is Fallacious in it felf. *Tis 
 
 that which Logicians call Falhcia 
 Jccidentis. Which I lliall not ex- 
 plain in the ufual Inftances of a Lo- 
 gick Leisure, but fliall retort up- 
 on thefe Epicurean Veifls^ in their 
 own beloved Inftance. 
 
 Thefe Men do readily grant ; 
 77^4^ to live in this World is Very deft" 
 rahle. And indeed they are fo fond 
 .of continuing in it, that were it 
 poffiblc, they would never leaveir. 
 
 But now were thefe very Men 
 confined to a dark difmal Dunge- 
 on 3 there laid upon the Ground 
 amongfl Toads and Serpents^wrackt 
 i^ichthe Stone or the Gout in Extre- 
 mity: I appeal to therpfelveSj i^ it 
 is dcilrabie thus to live in this World. 
 Would it not be much better to ^^le 
 than to languifii in fuch Mifery i 
 Therefore I conclude, in Coritfj^ 
 diftion to their AiTertion, Taji^l^ 
 this World is not dejtrable. 
 
 : Let 
 
Ihtmortality of the Soul. 6f 
 
 Let them Anfvver this Snppofici- 
 on, and they Jiave Anfwered thcm- 
 felves. 
 
 ^ True, fay they, to live in fbcrh 
 '^Mifery and Torments is not c.(i{\<* 
 '^ fable. But what then ? Is it a 
 ' good Confecjuence from thence to 
 ^ Argue, That it is not deftrable to live 
 ^'Qit aH>VoiL we may live atEafeand 
 ^^'Pleafure; We may live to en- 
 ' joy the Comforts and Satisfadtions 
 *6( this Life. And this we are fure 
 '''is much to be defired. And There^ 
 ^ forCy notwithftanding your Except 
 ' tion,we do Affirm 3 That to live in 
 ' this World is Very dejtrahle^ 
 
 Now do but change the Scene 
 fi'om. this World to the next, and 
 me truth of my Firfi Propoficion is 
 tlndeniably thus confirmed. 
 ^ K*It is doubtiefs a very difmal Ap-- 
 piehenfion, That a poor Creature 
 fhould be Eternally Tormented. 
 And fuch a State is fo far from be- 
 
 ing 
 
68 A Vindication of the 
 
 ing defirable, that it is good for that 
 Man he hid not been born. As to this 
 wretched Perfon, Juda^ for Exam- 
 ple, the Immotcality of the Soul is 
 not defirable3 fince he doch mod 
 paflionatcly deiire, that he might 
 have died hke the Brutes, that his 
 Soul had died with his Body, and 
 that both Soul and Body might 
 have Periflied Eternally. -t^fc^rO 
 
 Thus far indeed, in this fad In- 
 fiance, it is not defirable that the 
 Soul iLould be Inimorral3 that is, 
 It is not' dellrable that the Soul 
 fl'iould be Immorral, to be Immor- 
 tiily Tormenced. And it is not dell- 
 rable to go into another Word^there 
 to live for ever in Mifery. 
 
 But this is not the true and full 
 State of the Cafe. For bleflfed be 
 God, he hath let before us Lifers 
 well as Death. Blefled be his Infinite 
 Goodnefs, there is a Heaven ready to 
 receive us, as well as a Hell open to 
 
 devour 
 
Immortality of the Soul, 6p 
 
 devour us. We are capable of 
 Everlafting Happinefs, as we are 
 liable to Eternal Mifery. And if 
 we are Miferable, it is our own 
 Choice, and not any fatal De'cree of 
 Almighty God. Who doth not will 
 the death of a Sinner^ hut rather that 
 he JJ)0Hld turn from his Jtn and liVe. 
 forGodfent not kis Son into the World 
 to Condemn the World^ hut that the 
 World through him might he Salwd, 
 John 3. 17-' 
 
 And therefore the Torments and 
 Miferies to which Mankind is liable 
 in another World, ought not in rca- 
 fon to be objected sgainft the Im- 
 mortality of the Soul, as if fuch a 
 capacity of living for eVer were not 
 <ielTrablepmi "^r 
 
 d For the true State of the liiimor- 
 <taiuy of the Soul, and which m;y 
 ^flilly determine the Controvcrlle^ is 
 obrkfly this. 
 
 F J Almighty 
 
'fQ A FinSication of the 
 
 Almighty God, as a rich Inftanee 
 of his Bounty and Goodiiels, hath 
 made the Souls of Men of an Im*^ 
 mortal Nature, and defign'd them 
 for a perpetual duration and con^r 
 miance, in another State after this 
 Life. The which future State will 
 be either Happy or Miferable, ac- 
 cording to the different Tempers 
 and Difpofitions of thofe th^t ^live 
 in it. 
 
 Indeed they who hal^e their Con^ 
 yerjation in the Lufts of the FleJJ^^ fuL 
 filhng the de fires of the Flep? and of the 
 Mindy and in St. James s Language, 
 who are Earthly^ Senfual^ DeVtUfh 5 
 they fliali be confined to a Dunge- 
 on of Darknefs, where they muft 
 live for ever, with the Devil and his 
 Angels, in the moft exquifite Tor- 
 ments. ; ,r„n:-J:i. 
 
 But they Vv^ho are made Mr^^^that 
 is, who are fiiced and prepared for 
 a better place, they fhall be made 
 
Imniortality of the Soul f i 
 
 partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints 
 m Light 3 and fliall fee God, the 
 Fountain of Light and Happinefs. 
 For when the Lord htmfelf ]l?all def 
 cend from Heaven with a JJ?out^ and 
 the dead in Chrijl p^all rife^ then they 
 Jhall be caught up in the Clouds^ to 
 meet the Lord in the Air^ and fo p?all 
 ever be with the Lord^ i Thef. 4. 
 
 And therefore though accidentally y 
 and through their own default, the 
 Immortality of the Soul, and an 
 Eternal duration is a Curfc to fome 
 Men 5 yet in it fef and to thofe 
 who follow the Divine Condnci:, it 
 is the greateft Biefling, and as fuch, 
 i^ very defirable. 
 
 -•^^" In (liort, k is not the Immortality 
 -^g^ the Soul j but the Af//cTj which 
 attends it, and which they exped: 
 as their Portion^ that thefe Deifls 
 are fo much afraid of, and are fo im- 
 portunately preffing toDifpute into 
 nothipig, f 4 The 
 
jti A Vindication of the 
 
 The truch of this Obfervation is 
 excellently thus confirtned by Mi" 
 nuttm FeliXy^nA Hierocles. 
 
 The former, in his Defence of the 
 Refurre(5tion againft the Heathen, 
 hath thefe Memorable Words. ^ Nee 
 ignoro plerofcjue conjcientta MeritO' 
 rum nihil je ejfe poji tnortem tnagis 
 opt are J qttam credere. Malunt enim 
 cxtingui peniUuS^ quarn ad fuppltcia 
 reparari^ ^ag. pp. I am not Ig- ' 
 norani, that lome Men are To fen- 
 iible of what they dclerve, that 
 they heartily willi they might be 
 nothing after Death. For they 
 would much rather be Annihila- 
 ted, than Railed again to be Pu- 
 nifihed. But this, faith he, theyi 
 rather wifh and defire, than that 
 they can force themfelves to be-^ 
 . Jieveit. :,vMi ' 
 
 This Obfervarion of Mtnutim Fe-^,o ' 
 hx is further confirmed by Hterocks, 
 The Senrence is lo L^rge, I fhall not 
 
 repeat 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 7 j 
 
 repeat it in the Original Greek. But 
 his Words, as they are faithfully 
 Tranflated, are thefe. 
 
 ^ ^v ' ]f Confdence awaken in a had Man 
 a ftnfe of his evil deeds ^ which tortures 
 his Mindj and puts him in fear of 
 ^unijhment in Hell^ his only remedy 
 is to fly to Non- entity, or TSlot-being. 
 So he cures one Evil with another Jup^ 
 porting his wickednejs by the deflru^i^ 
 Off bf' his Soul He gives Sentence 
 on him/elf that after Death he p?all 
 beNothing, to fly the Penalties of fu" 
 ture Judgment. For a wicked Man 
 ipillnot haVe his Soul to i>^ Immortal^ 
 that it ynay not (uhftfl to fujfer 
 ¥unifl?ment. He anticipates his 'Judge ^ 
 by declaring it is fit that a wielded Scul 
 fhould be reduced to nothing. Sut 
 OT^nhrough want of Connjel he was 
 drawn to fin^ fo through Ignorance 
 of the mcafure of things^ he pajjeth 
 wrmg JiUlgfnent on himjelf. For the 
 'judges of Spines departed^ framing 
 
 their 
 
74 AVindkation of the 
 
 ' their Sentence according to the ^I{u\es 
 ^ of Truth^ do not judge it meet the Soul 
 ^ p7ouldhe Annihilated, Vid. Hierocl 
 in Carm. Tythag. p. 165, 
 
 Thus far Hierocles. From whofe in* 
 timation, that they pafsa wrong Judg-^ 
 mnt upon themfelvesy I proceed to 
 Admonifk thefe Veifls-^ Tiiat this 
 W^fhing and Woulding that the Sod. 
 were Mortal, is not only Fallaciom^ 
 and a falfe Argument in it felf 5 
 But alfo, ^ 
 
 ily. It is of dangerous Conle^ 
 qiience to the Difputers : Becaufe, 
 if they do not rectify their Notion 
 of the So«/'s Mortality^ it inevitably 
 betrays them to Eternal Ruin. 
 
 For alas! it is not their miftaken 
 ApprehenHon that can alter the na- 
 ture of things. Things will be juft 
 what they are, and as God h^th 
 made them, whatever vain M^ti 
 may fancy to the contrary. If thfere- 
 ' I fore the Wifdom of God hath made 
 
 the 
 
Immortality of the Souh 7 j 
 
 the Soul of Man Immortal, and 
 hath given it an Eternal Duration, 
 it is not in the Power of thefe Men 
 to Deftroy it, or to make it Mor«^ 
 •tal. They may indeed kjU the (Body^ 
 hut they are not able to kjll the SouL 
 ,^he Body fiiall die, and be turned 
 jpto duft, as is undeniably proved 
 by, daily experience, but the Soul 
 0;iallrftill live, either in Happinefs 
 W Mifery to all Ecdrnity. 
 
 Now confidering the Temper of 
 .rf^efe Men, how incapable they are 
 of the happinefs of another World, 
 they have juft reafot> to exped: a 
 difmal Eternity. 
 
 But this, I lay, is only their own 
 fault. For were they cjualified for 
 j|4 were they ficted and prepared, 
 iDfjtiQi the Apoftle's Language, were 
 S\^ ^^de meety they might then en- 
 lj9y tJH Inheritance of the Saints in 
 j^(^/;^. Which God grant upon their 
 t^uerRepentance, niay be their Por- 
 tion. And 
 
y(y A Tindication of the 
 
 And thus, I hope, I have unde- 
 niably convinced thefe Epicureans 
 and Veifisy That ic is at lead dejtra- 
 hie the Soul fhould be Innmortal, 
 and that there fliould be another 
 Life after this. §amolr.3Ji 
 
 I fhall next endeavour to con- 
 vince them, that the Immortality 
 of the Soul is not only Ve/irabley | 
 but alfo, , -^ vh^aju ^d 
 
 2. Tcffihle! '-"^^^^ 
 
 WE are now to examiile5#hei 
 ther it is not ^ofjible that 
 the Soul fliould be Immortal, and 
 that there fhould be another Life 
 after this : And this Enquiry is of 
 great concernment?^ S"^"-^^* 
 
 For on the one hand 5 If tHS^Ttri- 
 morcalicy of the Soul is impoffibfc 5 
 if thefe Epicures are furc that rh€Fe 
 is no Life after this3 if theyihAVfe 
 no rational expe^ation of i'^^p- 
 pincis or Mifery beyond this World 5 
 
 Jhifi 
 
hjintortaUty of the Soul. yj 
 
 Then the wifefl thing they can do, 
 will be to enjoy as much of this 
 prefent World as they can. 
 
 For // there he no %efurreBion to 
 another Ltfe^ the Apoftle allows the 
 Reafoning of thefe Men to be very 
 good-j Let mEat and Drink ^for toMor- 
 row we Vie. If, I fay, they are well af^ 
 fuied^and are certain that they fliall 
 be utterly extinguifhed by Death, 
 likf the Seajls that TeriJJ?^ then they 
 have nothing' to take care of but 
 their Bodies, becaufe indeed they 
 are nothing elfe^ then they need 
 pot extend their thoughts, their 
 iiopes, or fears beyond this World, 
 land this prefent Life 3 becaufe they 
 have nodiing to do, but to pleaie 
 tljpmfel ves with prefent Enjoyments, 
 ai3!d]j[i;o live fo with other Men, as 
 4;Tay moft conduce to their tempo- 
 ^f J, quiet, fecurity, and fatisfadion. 
 ^ i But on the other hand3 If we have 
 Immortal Spirits^ which fiiall live 
 
 and 
 
78 AVindkatm of the 
 
 and continue for ever: And if when 
 we leave this World, we muft pre- 
 fently go into another, wherein we 
 fhall be unfpeakably Happy, or in- 
 tolerably and eternally Miferable;, 
 according as we have behaved out 
 felves in this Life 5 If it be thus/^s 
 moft certain it is, 'tis then highly 
 reafbnable to take care of the loh^ 
 geft Duration 5 and to be rnbi-e fb- 
 licitous how we fliall Hve for ever 
 in the other World, than how^we 
 fliall pafs over a few days or ye¥B 
 in this. ui.,. 
 
 And therefore it is the greateff 
 folly, which yet, God knows, is 
 the fatal miftake of moTl Men 5 I 
 fay, it is the higheft Imprudence; to 
 employ all our care and time about 
 thefe perifliing Bodies, and to makfe 
 Provifion only for the few days 'of 
 our Pilgrimage here in this -Et^I^ 
 without any regard to that Ef^lnal 
 Duration w hich we (hall have m 
 another World. Con^ 
 
Immortality of the Soul fp 
 
 Confider this^ O ye fenfual Veijlsy 
 and pew your felves Men. A6t ra- 
 tionally, and according to the Rules 
 of Prudence, For what Man in 
 his Wits, for a temporal conveni- 
 jence and fatisfadtion, would forfeit 
 an eternal benefit and advantage 5 
 and to cfcape a prefent evil, which 
 xannot laft long, would run him- 
 ielf iipon one infinitely greater, and 
 which will laft for ever? 
 
 Confider therefore what a dif- 
 inal hazard you run, and what a 
 foolifh Scheme yoxi have drawn, to 
 Govern your felves by* 
 
 If your Souls are Mortal, and 
 die with your Bodies, as you Wifli, 
 |;ancy, and Difpute, then So* There 
 is.,^n end of all your Pleafures* 
 Tjiisis the beft of vour Cafe: and 
 tBC only happinefs you can ex- 
 peA is,. To be turned into Nothing, 
 r^P^ut if when your eyes are do- 
 led in this World, f^yon then find 
 
 your 
 
8o A Vindication of the 
 
 your felves removed into another 5 
 into that invifible World Inhabited 
 by Spirits, which you in your Fro- 
 licks have not only Difputed.but 
 Burle(cju'd and Ridicul'd ? t Oh ! 
 what Surprize will then fpize you ? 
 How effectually will you then be 
 convinced, to your infinite trpi;ble 
 and confufion, that Aiere is a C^d, 
 and another Life after this^ rand a 
 terrible Punidimenc to the. ]^0j|^rs 
 of Iniquity. " "^ : .^ 
 
 From thefe Premifes I do.^t,hjLJS 
 faithfully Admonifh you^ ,,^ ,^^. 
 
 Thi;t nothing but the utter Im- 
 poflibiiity of a future State can jufti- 
 fy your Condud:. And therefore 
 nothing lefs than a dentronftrat^pn 
 of the Impoffihility of the tyn^l^.pf 
 your having immortal Souls that 
 fliall furvive your Bodies, and {plp- 
 fift apart fiom them, and .fee^- 
 trenielyMiferable,or Happy ia 4flO- 
 ther World 5 1 fay, nothing Dutta 
 
 De- 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 8 i 
 
 demon ftration of the hnpofflbility of 
 this, ought CO fatisfy your Minds, 
 in a Cafe of fo great danger, and 
 upon which fo much doth deponed. 
 '*^^^- Let us therefore now impartial- 
 
 ''' 'I]^'' Examine 3 Whether it is impojfJJhle 
 
 ^"^ that the Soul Jhould be Immortal^ and 
 
 ^ that there fliguli he another Life after 
 
 Mhisf ■^[^'^-'^-^ 
 
 Now a thing is faid to be ftriitly 
 and properly Impoflible, not only 
 which is difficult, and which may 
 never be, as to the event, but which 
 can never be^ in the nature of the 
 thing: That is, when it is a con- 
 tradiction to the fuppofed nature of 
 the thing, that it fhould be fo, or 
 
 ^ fb, then we truly affirm, That it is 
 
 'Impoflible. 
 "That the Notion of the Soul's 
 
 ' Irtimortalicy is difficult, I readily^ 
 ^acknowledge, (and therefore we 
 ire not to wonder chat the beftand 
 wifcft of the Heathen Moralifts, 
 
 G (iich 
 
8 1 A yindication of the 
 
 fuch zs Cicero J Seneca^ Marcm AntO" 
 n'tnm^ &c. did Icmerimcs talk very 
 uncertainly about it) 5 but all the 
 Reafon of Mankind, nay, all the 
 Wir, Scepticirm, and Sophiftry to- 
 gether, can find no repugnancy and 
 contradiilion in it. 
 
 'Tis cbfervedby a very Learned. 
 Man, That thofe who doubre^ 
 moFt of the Sours Immortality, 
 yet confeiTed that there w^as n,^* 
 thing lixke a Demonftration againll: 
 it. And thofe who took a Pride in 
 oppofing tlie common Senfe of 
 Mankind about thefe matters, yet 
 never pretended to Evidence or De- 
 monftration on their fide. 
 
 If therefore our Modern Seep- 
 ticks, who talk io much of PLeat^n 
 and Demonftration, will at laft pre- 
 tend, that the Immortality of tli^ 
 Soul is impoffible. then let tKeii? 
 prove It. 
 
 Buc 
 
Immortality of the SouL 83 
 
 But cheAttcmpc is fo extravnganr, 
 that I cannot imagine what Medium 
 they will fix upon for fuch a Proof, 
 unlefs they Vv'ill pretend the Identity i 
 (^ Soul and (Body. For it mud be l 
 acknowledged, that if the Soul:isl 
 the fame with the Body 5 if the Soul I 
 is not a Subflance really difl:in6t I 
 fron:i the Body, but only the more f 
 pure and refined part of Matter 5 1 
 Or if, as they phrafe it, the Soul is I 
 nothing elfe but a certain difpoficW 
 on and modification of the Body^ 
 Then indeed it cannot fublift when 
 feparated from the Body 3 then there 
 is an abfolute incapacity in the Soul 
 offubfifting after Death : then when 
 the Body dies, the Soul mufl die 
 Mewife. And coiifecjuently, fince 
 it| implies a Contradidlion, that the 
 lame Being fiiould live, and not 
 live at the fame time, on fuppofici- 
 on that the Soul and Body are the 
 f^me Subftancc, the Immortality of 
 Q^ the 
 
84 J J^tndkation of iht 
 
 the Soul doch imply a Contradidi- 
 on, and therefore is Impoffible. 
 
 But now, if upon examination 
 it do appear, that the Soul is a Sub- 
 ftance different, and diflind from 
 the Body 3 then it is poffible tobe 
 feparated from the Body; then it 
 may live and fubfift without the 
 Body, and confequently it is Poffi- 
 ble that the Soul isImmortaL 
 
 I am therefore to prove, That 
 
 the Soul is not the fame with the 
 
 Body, but that ic is a Subflance 
 
 different and diftincl from the 
 
 ' Body. 
 
 And here I demand of thefe 
 DeiJIsj who are very fevere Exact- 
 ors, What kind of Proof do they 
 expe6l? Do they require we iliould 
 prove fuch diftindliou by Ocular 
 Demonllration ? that we fiiould 
 VigitoMouJlrare^ point at them with 
 the Finger, and fay, here is the Ope, 
 and there is the Other 5 here is the 
 
 Soul, 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 8 5 
 
 Soul, and there is the Body? Do 
 they fancy we fiiould prove them 
 to be different in Place ? As Sceptical 
 as they are, I cannot fuppofe them to 
 be fo abfurd. And therefore this 
 Controverfie is not tq be determi- 
 ned by our outward Senfes, but by 
 Reafon,and the juftconfequences of 
 Ubings-ii vljn 
 
 And I hope it will be accepted 
 :as a very fair Proof, if lean Evi- 
 dence, That the Pleafure and Pain 
 ■of the Soul is different and diftind 
 from the Pleafure and Pain of the 
 Body. 
 
 . , If the Soul can be in Pleafure 
 -when the Body is in Pain, and if 
 vtht^ Soul can be in Pain when the 
 oB-ody doth enjoy icsPleafures, Then 
 ifincc Pleafure and Pain are two dif* 
 bfcrent diftinit Affections, which re- 
 .;)C]tiiije different Subje(5ts, it evident- 
 ,dly: follows, That if the Soul and 
 : Body are mutually in Pleafure and 
 
 3 Paia 
 
^6 A ^Indication of the 
 
 Pain at the fame time, that then the 
 Soul and Body are two different 
 diftind: Beings. 
 
 That the Soul may be in Plea* 
 fare vAi^a the Body is in Pain, js 
 undeniably thus confivmed^vrl v^ni 
 There is not a more pungent 
 Pain than to be burning in Fire j 
 and yet we read of fome dying 
 Martyrs, who have expreffed fuch 
 ^^leafure, that they have fung fqr 
 joy in the midft of the FlameSo 
 And of one particularly, who thus 
 cry'd out : / feel no more Tain in 
 this Fire^ than if I were in a Sed of 
 T)otpn'^ hut it is to me ^ Jweet as a 
 $ed of (I{ofe^. 
 
 Now what poflfible account caq 
 be given of fuch Tranfport of Jpy, 
 under the moft exquifice Tormerirts 
 of their Bodies, if their Minds vv^ere 
 pot of afar Nobler and Diviner 
 J^acure than their Bodies ? , : v)rii 
 
 Frorn 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 87 
 
 From thefe and fuch like Inftan- 
 CCS 'tis undeniably inferrd, That 
 there is fomething within us capa- 
 ble of Pleafure, diftindt from the 
 Body 5 and that the Pleafures of it 
 may be fo great, as to fwallow up 
 the P^ins of the Body. 
 ^. Oi^iThere is therefore a Spiritual and 
 ^mi^ortal Being within us, not on- 
 dy diftind from the Body, but ve- 
 ty far fuperior to it. And conie- 
 cjuently, fihcc the Soul is a Being 
 different and diftin<5}: from the Body, 
 it is poffible to be feparated from 
 the Body, and to live and fubfiil 
 without die Body. 
 
 Several other Arguments might 
 ^'be added to confirm this Truth. But 
 tthey will more pertinently aqd me- 
 "^thodically be confider'd under my 
 ^^'KexcTopickj for that which hTro- 
 hitbk mufl needs be ^oJJJble. When 
 therefore I fhall have proved that 
 . it is Trobt{U^y That the Soul is Iivi- 
 
 G 4 mor- 
 
88 A Ftndication of the 
 
 mortal, I fliall then ex abuniantt 
 have confirmed that it is Tojfible. 
 
 I am therefore next to examine, 
 whether the Immortality of the Soul 
 is nor, mm^H ^li? 
 
 3. Trobdle> ^ni^d boO 
 
 NOW a thingisfaidto be^rof !i 
 hahle which hath the Appear- - 
 ance of Truth. Where the Argu- 
 ments are fuch, and fo many, as 
 may induce the Mind to behevc ^ 
 (uch a thing rather than the contra- 
 ry, we properly fay, it is Trobahle^ 
 or it is likely fo to be. 
 
 When therefore we affirm the Im^ 
 mortality of the Soul is frobabky wp. 
 denote this 3 ^4^ is^th -.^hi 
 
 That though we have not yet ;; 
 proved it to be Certain ("we are not 
 yet come fo far3 we cannot fay^nor 
 prove all at once) 3 yet at prefent it 
 \q far hath the appearance of Truth, 
 
 that 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 89 
 
 that fomc plaufible Reafons may 
 be given for it, 
 
 And thefe Reafons fliall be drawn 
 1, From the Nature of Go^. 2. From 
 the Nature of Man. 
 
 I. The Nature or Effence of 
 God being Infinite and Incompre- 
 henfibkjcaqnot otherwife be known 
 than t)y his Works, (I now fpeak 
 to -chofe who reject all Revelation, 
 and deny the Authority of the Holy 
 Scriptures. ) By obferving what he 
 hath done , we ^make fome faiqt 
 Conjectures what he is, 
 
 Now the Works of God are ei- 
 ther Creation or ^roVidence. And a 
 due Confideration of both thefe may 
 convince us, That it is at leaft'Pro- 
 hahky that the Soul is Immortal^ and 
 thax (t/?err: is another Life after thij. 
 
 on.yii 301 
 
 I. Creation. 
 
po A Vindication of the 
 
 1. Creation. 
 
 THE Wifdom of God IS won- 
 derfully difcovered in the 
 Creation of this vifible World, this 
 Globe of Earth which we Inhabit, 
 There is a Scala Natur^^ which to' 
 a confidering Mind is very Surpri- 
 sing. Lordy how manifold are thy 
 Works ! in Wtfdom haji thou tfiMt 
 them all : the Earth is full of thy 
 ^ches^ Pfal. 104. 24. 
 
 'Tis very admirable to obferve 
 the diflFerent kinds and degrees of 
 Beings. 
 
 To begin with the loweft/V/g;. 
 Inanimate Beings. '-^^^^^ ^ 
 
 The feveral forts of EarthsyJFof 
 
 files ^ and Minerals^ tlxc fo many, and 
 
 of fuch different Shapes^ Figures 
 
 and PerfeilionSjth.it the greateft Na- 
 
 turaiifts are puzled to explain'^^m. 
 
 Lee 
 
Immortality of the Soul 91 
 
 Let us next proceed to Animate 
 Beings. Of which there are Three 
 djftind: Specifick Natures. The 
 Vegetahky the Senftttye^ and the ^^ 
 tionaL 
 
 2ir.lrtjL^^ us furvey the Vegetable 
 OrSeri And here who can enu- 
 merate all the various Species of Be-^ 
 ing^ <;pntained within that Sphere ? 
 |t. hath been the Work of Ages to 
 
 ^^g^pofe an Herbal: Every fuc- 
 i|;eeding Age 'having added fome- 
 thing to the Labours of tKe former^ 
 but ftill leaving the Work to be fi- 
 
 i. ^^iflied by fiiture Generations. 
 "^ 1. Let us next confider ihcSen^ 
 
 j JttiVe^ or Animal Nature. Which is 
 
 i Twofold. 
 
 ,;ji . The ImperfeBy called Lifefls. 
 
 2.^, The more TerfeH. Diftinguifh-^ 
 
 p(;d into Sirds, Seajis^ and Fijhes. 
 
 .^f li^^lie- Imperfed: fort of Ani^ 
 
 n>f)s called />i/e<!^5, which feem fo 
 
 contemptible, and are fo generally 
 
 neg- 
 
pi A Vindication of the 
 
 neglected as to be trod under Foot, 
 are of wonderfulContexturej and are 
 fuch Inftances of the Divine Wif- 
 dom, as to awaken a confidering 
 Mind into a juft Admiration of 
 them. And therefore our Inquifi* 
 tive Men, who have fpent Tome 
 time in examining their "Nature^ 
 fliould be treated with Refped^ 
 and not (b unworthily RidicuHd 
 for thofe Difcoveries, which the Pul^ 
 nefs, or Lazinefs of others were ne.-^ 
 ver able to make. .liO t^n, 
 
 2. The more Terf eH kmxndX^ 
 are diftinguifhed into ^irds^ (Beajls 
 and Ftp?es. The Kinds of which 
 are fo various, and their Nature fo 
 admirable, that though former Ages 
 have attempted to enumerate ami 
 explain them, yet the Work is (till 
 imperfect, and is left to be impro- 
 ved by (iicceeding Pofterity. .ai 
 
 Now fince God hath fo;.Riichly 
 furniflied this Globe of Earth, the 
 
 lowed 
 
Immortality of the Soul. p^ 
 
 loweft and meanefl: part of the Uni- 
 verfe, M.ith fuch Variety of vifible 
 Creatures, is it not at leaft <Pro^^ We, 
 that thofe vaft immenfe Trads of 
 puxcJBiher^in which the Planets and 
 fixed Stars are placed,flioiild be like- 
 wife furnifhed v;ith fuitable Inhabi- 
 tants? As this lower vifible World is 
 ^U'd with Bodies and Corporeal Be- 
 ings^ may we not ruppofe,that thofe 
 higher Regions are inhabited with 
 ^Spirits i For fiance God is a pure Spi- 
 rit and Omnipotent, we have no 
 reafon to doubt, but that he could 
 make Creatures of a Spiritual Na- 
 ture, and fuch as have no Principle 
 of Self-corruption in them. 
 
 The Wifdom and Power of God 
 do convince us^ that this is Toffihle:, 
 That God can do this if he thinks 
 'fit, and that he hath done it : that 
 he hath made fuch Spiritual and 
 \1ramortal Beings, is highly Trobahle 
 from his Goodnefs. For ic is the very 
 
 Nature 
 
94 -^ Vindication of the 
 
 Nature of Goodnefs td cOiitrrltTSi-- 
 eace and difflife it felf, and to de- 
 light in fo doing. And that this 
 Goodnefs is eminently in God, the 
 Pfalmift plainly tells us, Thou art 
 goody and thou doejl good^ Pfal. 1 19. 
 68. Being thus good in himfelf, 
 he is thereby inclined to communi- 
 cate his Goodnefs to others. And 
 fince this Goodnefs did prompt him 
 to Make and Create fuch variety pt 
 Corporeal Beings of a lower Rank 
 and Capacity, why may we not be 
 allowed to fuppofe^That he, who is 
 a Spirit of Infinite Perfedions, hath 
 likewife made Spirits as well as Bo- 
 dies 3 R-ational Beings as well as 
 Senfitive 3 and as to cheir continu- 
 ance, not peridiing like the Bruces, 
 but of an Immortal Nature and 
 Duration? 
 
 Now fince we have no other 
 way to know the Nature and Ef* 
 fences of Things, but by their Ope- 
 rations 
 
tmmortallty of the Soul 95 
 
 rations and Effeds^ and fince Man 
 is confcious to himfelf of fuch No- 
 ble Operations of Reafon and 
 Judgment, which we could never 
 yet difcover to be in Brutes, we 
 thence infer, and are inclined to 
 think, That Man hath a Principle 
 within him of a Spiritual Immortal 
 Nature y and that we were not 
 iiiacl^ only to grovel on this Earthy 
 but that we are to remove into ano- 
 ther and better World. 
 ' But the Immortality of the Soul 
 is Probable, not only from Creation, 
 (becaufe God, who is an Omnipo- 
 tent Spirit can^ if he pleafe. Make 
 and Create an Immortal Soul^j but 
 alfq froni,. 
 
 L.. ,n-*^ ^,<Proyldence. 
 
 S_^potJ, made the World by 
 
 Im^omrj fo he Governs ic 
 
 by, hi3 fmVtdmce. And chat he Go- 
 verns 
 
^6 A Vindication of the 
 
 verns the whole Creation with t\it 
 greateft Equity and Juftice, is fo 
 fully acknowledged by theHcathens 
 as well as Chriftians, that it needs 
 no Proof. Now the Juftice of Go- 
 vernment doth confift in the Equali* 
 ty of Diftribution, in proportioning 
 Rewards and Punifliments to good 
 and bad Men according to theirAifti^ 
 ons3 ^^ ^^ Scripture Phrafe, m re;^- 
 dring to eVeryMan accordift^ to his Works: 
 
 We have this Natural Notion of 
 God 5 That being Infinitely Holy, 
 Juft, and Righteous in himfelf, he 
 hath a great love and kindnefs for 
 . good and holy Men: and confe- 
 <^uently, that he takes particular care 
 of them,will preferve them from E^ 
 vil, will do them good, and make 
 them happy. ^ i^n^b:^il^l 
 
 On the other hand, 'tis as natur'ai' 
 to infer 5 That a Righteous artd^ 
 Holy God hateth Iniquity, doth 
 loathe and abhor all Sin and Wick- 
 
 cdnefsj 
 
Imfnortality of the Soul 
 
 cdnefs, and will difown and punifli 
 all the Workers of it. 
 
 If we do acknowledge God to 
 be Juft, we muft fuppofe fuch 
 PrpceedingS5 and are not todoubc 
 but that Goo(i Men (l7all he Happy y 
 and Wicked Men Jhall be Miferahle. 
 j But now if thefe Diftributions 
 are to be confidered with refpeit 
 to this Life only 5 and if neither 
 Rewards nor Puniilimencs are to 
 ^Q expelled - in another World 5 
 there are then many Inflances of 
 God's Providence, wherein it would 
 be impoffible to defend his Juftice. 
 
 How many Pious Perfons have 
 entirely devoted themfelves to God's 
 Service^ and have lived in a coa" 
 ^nt exerdfe of that great Duty of 
 Self-denial 5 who have not only Sa- 
 (5fil|CH|d their Lulls, but even their 
 4*ivcs and their Ellates to him ? And 
 )f^jfuppofing there is no Life afcer 
 this^l^ave received no other Reward 
 
 H for 
 
 >99 
 
J? 8 A Vtndicatton of the 
 
 for fo doing, but Poverty and Re- 
 proaches, Mifery and Contempt, 
 whilil diey live, and at laft a vio* 
 lent and tormenting Death. v" 
 
 On the other hand 5 How many 
 Millions of wicked Men have lived 
 in open defiance to all that is Sacred? 
 Have Biafphemed the Name of 
 God^ AfFronied his Authority v'aftd 
 Contemned his Laws : and yet fop- 
 pofing no other Life afer this, have. 
 undergone no other Punifhmenr, 
 but toliveprofperoufly,and die qui- 
 etly in r.he midllof iheir Friends/and 
 with the apphiufes and comnleiv 
 daticns of alt that furround them. 
 
 The matter of Fad: is undenia- 
 ble, and not to be difputed$ dai- 
 ly experience confirms thisTnKte)5 
 That many picm^ood Men are yery^^ 
 ferabk'^ and many wicked profligkk 
 Sinners are yery frojperous m ^ 
 Life. ^V^ 
 
 But 
 
Immortalitji of tk Seul. .^p 
 
 But now how t© reconcile fuch 
 Proceedings wth die Jufticc of God, 
 feath been one of thofe Enquiries, 
 which in all Ages of che 'vZo.rJd, the 
 mincls of Men have been much per- 
 plexed about. 
 
 The Heathen Mofaliiis, who 
 had no other Guide than the Light 
 of '.Reafon, have faid many ufeful 
 things on this Subject. And till 
 the Sceptical Atheift can be con- 
 vinced of the Divine Authority of 
 die Scriptures, I can only defire him 
 to perufe the Writings of the Hea- 
 then. And more particularly, two 
 very excellent Difcourfes of Seneca 
 arid Plutarch. 
 
 ? The Fir/? is that noted Trad:^ 
 Cur (Bonis male fit\ cum fit TroVi- 
 imtia. The Other is that Admira- 
 ble Difcourfe of Plutarch 5 Ve his 
 .qui fero puniuntur a ISlumine. 
 
 I fliall no farther, at prefent, take 
 notice of their Arguments, than as 
 H X they * 
 
I oo A Flndication of the 
 
 they refer to another World. Which 
 Tlutarch moft exprefly thus enfor- 
 ceth. 'Aytovt^^Toif '^ axxm^ a9Ajm55,&c. 
 7 his prejent Life is the flace of the 
 Soufs Combat y which when it hath fi^ 
 7iip?edy it then receives according to its 
 Performance of it. "ovjh ^ if 4vk^^ &c. 
 Jnd jtnce the Soul doth fuhftfl after 
 Deathy it jlands to the greatefl ^a- 
 fony that it fhould there receive either 
 ^ward or Tunifhment. Which is a 
 full Proof of his former Determi- 
 nation, ETg hi AoyigL,, &c. The fame 
 ^eafon which confirms providence y doth 
 iikewije confiryji the Immortality of 
 the Soul 'y and if one he taken awajiy 
 the other follows. Vid. JPlutarch 
 Morals, Pag. 560. Edit. Francof. 
 Auhr. mqni^bnA 
 
 From whence we may appfev 
 hend, that Tlut arch's Argument ^^fe 
 this. ^■■^■'^^^"'V.^''^^^ 
 
 God fpares wic1ce3'^mifi'^tfjis 
 Life, becaufe the time- is nor yet 
 
 come 
 
Immortality of the Soul 
 
 come wherein he intends to Punidi 
 them. 
 
 Indeed the Holy Scriptures do 
 beft vindicate the Juftice of God 5 
 and have given us the moft clear 
 and full Account of his Providence. 
 But yet the Heathens themfelves, 
 from mere Natural Reafon, have 
 had fuch a Perfuafion of God's Ju- 
 fiice, that they have given this as 
 a great Reafon why God did for- 
 bear to Punifli wicked Men here in 
 this World, Becaufe he did referve 
 them for future Puniflimcnt in the 
 next. 
 
 So that the Belief of another 
 World gives a general Anfwer to all 
 the difficulties of Providence in this. 
 And in particular, to the Calami- 
 fies of good Men, and the Profpe- 
 jfity .of the Wicked. 
 
 And therefore, fince the Difpen- 
 
 i^tions of God's Providence in this 
 
 World, towards Good and Bad 
 
 H 3 Mcn^ 
 
 101 
 
1 02 A nndkatm oj the 
 
 Men, are many times very promif- 
 cuous 5 nay , very crofs and con- 
 trary to what might be expelled 
 from the Wife and Juft Sovereign 
 of the World 5 fince many times 
 it is the Lot of good Men, to Suf- 
 fer and be Afilided; and of wicked 
 Men to hve in a Flcurifliing and 
 Profpcrous Condition; I fay,Things 
 being thus, I appeal to the fober 
 Thoughts of the greateft Sceptickj 
 If it iS not highly ^Pvohahie^ That 
 there is another Life af erthis 3 and 
 that there fliall be a Day of Rcconi- 
 pencCj a folemn and pubhck di- 
 ilribiition of Rewards and Punidi- 
 ments in another World. And that 
 then the Juflice of Divine Provi- 
 yidence, which is now^ fo Arrogant- 
 ly difpuied, iliall be vifible to An- 
 gels and Men, m rendring to eVcrji 
 Man according to his Works. Bmy'k^ ' 
 
Immortality of the ^oul. 105 
 
 I. A dueConfideration of. the 
 Nature of Man may convince us. 
 That it is very 'Vrobable the Soul is 
 Imrnqrcal, and that there is ano- 
 ther Life after this. 
 
 That this may appear, tve fliall 
 confidcr, i . The Inclination of Mans 
 Kature.,'^, The ^erfeSlion of Mans 
 
 ' I. The Inclination of our Nature. 
 
 THE Immortality of the Spul 
 is a natural Didate of our 
 Minds. That is, we arc naturally 
 inclin'd to believe and acknowledge 
 the Immortality of the Soul, 
 .i^ ;That Men do now generally be- 
 lieve the Immortality of the Soul, 
 and a future State, and have fo be- 
 ■lieved in all Ages, the prefent Ex- 
 perience pf the World, and the Re- 
 cords of former Times, do abaii- 
 Adanily Tcftify. 
 
 H 4 The 
 
104 A Vindication of the 
 
 The Teftimonies of the Ancient 
 Heathen are (o many and fo noted^ 
 it would make a Volunre to repear 
 them: and therefore I will not 
 ' trouble my felf or Reader, to tran-^ 
 fcribe fuch Paffages 5 but fhall on-^ 
 ly mention Two. The Firft is that^ 
 known Saying of Tully : Tennanert^ 
 antmos arbitramurj confen/u TSlatit^^ 
 imm Gmniunu Tufc. lib. 1 . ' Wed6 
 ^ Believe that the Souls of Men do 
 ^ abide after Death, by the.CoiijfenDj 
 ^ of all Nations. -.M ''^ joH 
 
 The other is that noted Paflage 
 of Seneca. Cum de aniinarum ^ter- 
 nit ate dijferimus^ non leVe momenttim 
 apud nos hahet confenfus homlnumj aut 
 timentium inferos^ aut colentium, E>*Ji 
 pill. 117. ' When we Difpute about 
 ^ the Immortality of the Soul, thev 
 ' General Confent of Men, either. 
 ^ Fearifsg or Worfhipping the Infen^B 
 ' nal Powers, is of no {rmdi-jt^Of^-^ 
 ^ ment with us. ' '•■ f^'"'"^ ^''■- 
 
 ' As 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 105 
 
 As to the Modernsy I might be 
 very large in reciting the Travels 
 of Voyagers into all Parts of the 
 World. Who having Examined 
 their Cuftoms, their Manners, and 
 Religions, do inform us 3 That the 
 Generality even of the moft Barba- 
 rous Nations, did Believe the Im^ 
 mortality of the Soul, and a Future 
 State. 
 
 Now how comes this Perfuafion 
 to have gained fo univerfal a pofleC- 
 fion of the Mind of Man, and to 
 have found fuch general entertain- 
 ment in all Nationsy even chofe that 
 are moft ^arharou^s ? If there be no 
 fuch Place as another World, no 
 fuch State as another Life after this, 
 how comes it to pals that the ap- 
 prehenfion of it is fo univerfal, that 
 noj differences of Age^ or Temper^ or 
 Education^ can wear it out^ and fee 
 any conGdcrable number of Men 
 free from it ? If it is an Error, how 
 
 come 
 
I o6 J Vindication of t1^ 
 
 come all Nations to be thus fedu* 
 ced ? Into what can we refolve this 
 ftrong Inclination of Mankind to 
 this Error and Jv^iftake ? It is altoge- 
 ther unimaginable^butthat theRe^- 
 fon of fo univerfal a Confent in aH 
 Places and Ages of the World, and 
 among all differences of Perfons, 
 iliould be one and the fame. But 
 no one and conjiant Reafon of this 
 can be given, but from the Frame 
 and Nature of Man's Mind, which 
 hath this Notion of the Immortality 
 of the Souly and a Future State^ Stampt 
 and Impreft upon it by the Author 
 of its Being. Who being Infinitely 
 Juft, and Infinitely Wife, is neither 
 capable of Deceiving or being De- 
 ceived. 
 
 This feems to be a credible and 
 fatisf^^clory Account, of fo Univer- 
 fal a Confent in thisj^atter. Frcxm 
 whence I conclude in the ^^oj?dB'of 
 Italy : ■ ,->-m-: ' 
 
 Quod 
 
Immortality of the SouL i o;^ 
 
 Quod Ji omnium con/enfus J naturae 
 
 Vox iji : omnefque qui ubique funt con-' 
 
 fentiunt ejfe aliquid^ quod ad eos per-' 
 
 timaty qui e Vita cejferunt : nobis quO" ^~ 
 
 qne idem exiflimandum ejl. ' Since* , 
 
 if all Men in the World, in all Ages, 
 
 [fjand in all Places, have believed 
 
 iJ the Immortality of the Soul, and a 
 
 it Future State j\(/c like wife are thence 
 
 ?,fidnclinedj with great probability, 
 
 offtoi believe the fame. 
 
 itoi^If here the Scepticks fliall pre- 
 
 i%tn6y that the matter of Fait is noc 
 
 OJtae. And that upon the late Dif- 
 
 coverieSj whole Nations have been 
 
 found without any Senfe of God or 
 
 Religion, or the lead Apprehenfioa 
 
 of the Immortality of the Soul, or 
 
 a Future State 3 To this I Anfwer, 
 
 Enstv' Suppofing, but not Granting, 
 
 -tbaiifbme Savage People (as for In- 
 
 iiiance the Cajfres or Hottentots^ ac 
 
 Idihfi.C^^c of Good'HopCy and the Gt- 
 
 rihhians^ *or the Inhabitants of thq 
 
 CaribhcC" 
 
j 
 
 1 08 A Vtndicatlon of the 
 
 Gri^^ee-Iflands }, I f^y, fuppofing 
 that thefe did appear fo dull and 
 brutifli to their firft Difcoveries, as 
 to have no Senfe of God or Religi- 
 on, nor any apprehenfion of a fu- 
 ture State J What then? Is this any 
 Argument, That the Immortality 
 of the Soul is not a Natural Didlate ? 
 For thefe, and the like Savages are 
 no other than Monfters in Natur^^ 
 And it is a known Obfervation5 
 That no Argument can be drawg 
 a Monjlro ad ISlaturam. A thing 
 may be Natural, and yetfomeln- 
 ftances may be brought to the con- 
 trary. But, 
 
 2. Thofe who have more ftri<5t- 
 ly examined the manner of Life of 
 thefe Savages, do inform us 5 Thau- 
 even the mofl: Barbarous have foiif^^ 
 Religion amongft them. Particy-? 
 larly Moni^chfort {h{iQ:.JeGmf 
 rih, 1,4. c. I?.) and F-du:^trey 
 (Hiil, Nat de Antilles^ Par. 7. ^.3.) 
 
 who , 
 
! 
 
 I Immortality of the Soul 1 09 
 
 f who were converfant amongft the 
 Caribbians y do both agree 5 That 
 they have fome knowledge of one 
 Supreme God in tleaVeriy who is of 
 Infinite Goodnefs, and hurts no Sody : 
 And that they helieVe the Immortality 
 of the Soul And the like might be 
 affirmed of other Savages. 
 ^'' But to proceed, It appears very 
 ^robabky That the Soul is Immor- 
 tal, and that there fliall be another 
 Life after this; not only from the 
 Inclination of our Nature, butalfo. 
 from, 
 
 2. ThslPerfeBion of our Nature. 
 
 ' ■ Hat there is a Scala Natur^^ 
 '^^Mt 2tnd that Natural Beings are 
 of^^ifFereht Degrees and Perfe(5ti- 
 ons, and that Man is the moft Per- 
 fect, and moft Happy of Subluna- 
 ry^ Creatures, is io generally ac- 
 knowledged, that it never yet was 
 ■^^'- feri- 
 
1 1 o A Ftndication of the 
 
 ferioufly Difpured by the greateft 
 Sccptick. Lord! what is Man that 
 thou art mindful of him ? For thou haft 
 made hhn a little lower than the Annls. 
 and crowned him with Glory and Ho^ 
 nour, Pfal. 8. 4,5. ^^ 
 
 But how this fliould be true^ un- 
 lefs the Soul of Man is Immortal, 
 and unlefs there is another Life after 
 this, would puzzle you to refolve 
 me. 
 
 If there is no other Life but whai 
 tve enjoy in this World, and if there 
 are no other Pleafures but the Scni- 
 fual Satisfadlions of the Body^ Then 
 thofe Creatures mufl: be granted to 
 be mofl Happy, which have the 
 largeft enjoyment of thofe Scnfuai 
 Pleafures. And fliould the Com« 
 parifon be ftridly made, it would 
 plainly appear , that Brutes havi 
 the advantage of Rational Beings. 
 For, 
 
 I. A 
 
hnmortaltty, of the Soul i 1 1 
 
 ? . It is obJerVcd^ that feVeral Brute 
 Creatures do outliVe ^Mankjnd , and 
 continue much longer in the World than 
 h. TheConftitucions of their Bo- 
 dies, their Stamina Vita^ are more 
 firm 4nd robuft, and confequentlyj 
 they are more ftrong and healthy, 
 not fo liaWe to be fnatch'd away 
 by Sicknefs and Difeares, as Man is. 
 iV^i:>W)e Brute Creatures do feeni^e^ 
 iieratly to haVf a quicker Senfe of 
 %ieafurey as well as a longer Enjoyment 
 of it. And of this our exhaulled 
 Leachers have been oblerved to 
 complain, as a great defecl in chem-^ 
 felveSjbuta priviledge in the Brutes, 
 and do much envy them for it. 
 Lu'^QO Tk^ ©i^^to have a more free and 
 nnlmuted Enjoyment. 
 bhil'hey have no Fears and Jealou<' 
 fires from this or that^ to abate their 
 E^iires , and damp their Plea- 
 fures. They are neither controurd 
 with the Checks of Confcience, nor 
 
 difturb^d 
 
112 A Vindication of the 
 
 difturb'd with the apprehenfion of 
 an After-reckoning 3 but do freely^ 
 and without interruption , enjoy 
 the dictates of their natural Incli- 
 nations. nr;jn 
 
 We have indeed a Noble Facul- 
 ty in us, our Reafon, which we 
 highly value as our Crown and 
 Glory, and do juftly call it the 
 perfection of our Nature. But were 
 there no future State, this admired 
 Faculty would be fo far from being 
 our Perfev5tion, that it wouldj.hf 
 vain and vexing. ^ * ^ 
 
 For were there no other Happinefs 
 to be enjoyed but the fenfual Plea- 
 fures of the Body, no other fatisfaCti- 
 on but to eat, and drink, and deep, 
 and propagate our Kind 5 were fjbjs 
 the whole of our expectation, q]iM 
 Reafon then would be wholly uff-j 
 lefs 5 fince the Senfes and Appetitjejt 
 we have in common with Br^ites, 
 would be fufficient for fuch Enjoy- 
 ments. Nay 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 1 1 j 
 
 Nay further 5 If there is nothing 
 to be enjoyed by us, but whac is 
 Carnal and Sen/ml , our Re?.fon 
 would be fo far from being our Or- 
 nament and Perfedjion, that it would 
 only be the Plague and Torment of 
 our Nature. 
 
 For nothing is more irkfome than 
 Difappointments. And therefore 
 tb'haVe theDefire and Expedation 
 ^df a future State implanted in our 
 g^ature, without Poflibility to ob- 
 tain it^would render us more wretch- 
 ed and defpicable than the Brutes. 
 For the Brutes do never vex thettt- 
 felves withfruitlefsexpeitations, nor 
 weary themfelves with vain purfuits, 
 npr torment themfelves with the 
 fe^ar^ of a difappointment, but take 
 efe^r Pleafures when their Appetites 
 cfi^e chem^ and they are fieely of- 
 fered to rhem. 
 
 «soIh all which^ and many other 
 
 refpc(5ls, were there no other Life 
 
 I after 
 
1 1 4 A Findication of the 
 
 after this, we ftiould have great 
 caufe to envy their happinefs 3 and 
 might juftly affirm concerning Man* 
 kind, as St. If^aul did of Chriftians. 
 If in this Life only we have hop^ in 
 thrifty we Chriflians are of all Mm 
 mojimiferahle^i Cor. i 5»ip. So, if in 
 this Life only we haVe hope^ Mankind 
 is of all Creatures 7710JI mifemkhA 
 
 You cannot therefore haVQ fiich 
 fliallow apprehenfions of God, as to 
 think that fuch Wifdom,Power, and 
 Goodnefs, fliould fo ill contrive his 
 Creation, as that the Nobleft Being 
 fliould be finally the mod unhappy. 
 
 Is it not therefore at leaft highly 
 ^robabky That there is another Life 
 after this 5 That better thiqgs are 
 prepared for us in another World 5 
 and that the Soul is of an Immortal 
 Nature, and thereby is made capa- 
 ble for ever to enjoy them ? ^ jsifl^ 
 
 But this is not only ^Fz-o^^^/^jj^but 
 Blcffed be God, it is, 
 
 4. Certain, 
 
Immortality of the SonL 1^5 
 
 4. Certain. 
 
 TO prove that the Immortality 
 of the Soul is ^rohahle^ is co 
 ^^•^ivc fome Reafons for it 5 but to 
 prove that it is Certain^ is to give 
 luch Reafons as are firm and valid. 
 And that the following Reafons may 
 -' ippear to be fuch, I mull Premife 5 
 That there are different degrees of 
 Certainty. Por all Truths are nor 
 equally evident, nor are capable of 
 the fame manner of Proof. 
 
 The higheft degree of Certainty, 
 and the greateft Evidence that can 
 be pretended, is our ovv^n Senfe arid 
 Experience. 
 
 we commonly fay, Seein? is ^e-^ 
 
 'fieying'j that is, This is the beft Ar- 
 
 ^^'gum.ent for the Truth of any thing, 
 
 that we our felves do fee it. And 
 
 •^^theEvperiencev/hich doth arifefrom 
 
 our ScnfeSjhach fuch Force arid Con- 
 
 I 1 Viction, 
 
i\6 A Vindication of the 
 
 vidlion, that no pretence ofReafon 
 to the contrary can ever be regard- 
 ed. We are certain that Snow is 
 ivhlte^ and that Ftre is hot : Becaufe 
 we fee the one, and feel the orhft^' 
 And fliould the greatefl Sceptick 
 pretend to prove that they are not, 
 vi^e fhould take little notice of his 
 Arguments. For Men vi'ill trufl their 
 own Senfes and Experience, againft 
 any fubtilty ofReafon whatfoeven 
 
 Nou^ thus far I do readily grant 5 
 That with this kind of Certainty, 
 whilfl we are in this World, we can- 
 not pretend to be certain that the 
 Soul is Immortal 5 or that there is 
 another Life after this. For the Soul 
 being a pure Spirit, cannot be the; 
 Objeft of any Corporeal Senfe^ ri6r; 
 mufl: we pretend to any fenfible E-' 
 vidence of a future State, becaufe? 
 Senfe is only of things prefent. ^ 
 
 But thole who are a<5tually remo^ 
 yed into another World, they arc 
 
 uade- 
 
Immortality of the Soul wy 
 
 undeniably certain, and are evident-* 
 ]y convinced of the Truth of thefe 
 things 5 and cannot poffibly, if they 
 would, have the leaft doubt of the 
 R,eality of them. 
 
 ';|;Thofe blefled Souls, who now 
 liy<j in the reviving Prefence of God 3 
 a^4 are poffefs'd of thofe unfpeak-f 
 zhlc Joys which we cannot now 
 conceive5 They who fee God face 
 to face y are undeniably Certain from 
 their own E-xperience, that there is 
 a Happinefs in another World, and 
 that their Souls arc Immortal, for 
 ever to enjoy it. 
 
 And thofe wretched and mifera- 
 ble Spirits, v^^ho feel the Vengeance 
 of God, and are plunged inco the 
 l^§gcH>; of eternal Darknefs 5 who 
 lie groaning under his Wrath, and 
 diC: ieverity of hisjuflice5 they can- 
 not now poflibly doubt of that, 
 .\i^h^'^t^}t^|qy have fo fceptically dif- 
 ]^^^c4^Jrt ti^^gFo^W: but do now 
 ; a"-^'^ "^^ I 3 be- 
 
1 1 8 A Findication of the 
 
 believe upon irrefiftible Evidence^ 
 and are undeniably convinced of the 
 Reality of that State, and the in* 
 fupportable Mifery of it. 
 
 When therefore our Scepticksdo 
 demand, that we fliould prove the 
 Certainty of a Future State 3 do they 
 expe<5t that we (hould make this 
 evident to their Senfes? That Hea- 
 ven fliould be open, and the Glo* 
 ries of it vifible to their Mortal 
 Eyes ? And that Hell fliould be un* 
 covered, and that they fliould fee 
 the Flames, and hear the Shrieks and 
 Bowlings of the Damned ? 
 
 Is this the Evidence they expedl ? 
 Will nothing lefs than this convince 
 them ? 
 
 If fo, we muft freely confefs, 
 that as our prefent State will not 
 admit it, fo if it would, it is not 
 reafonable we fliould have it. Be- 
 caufe fuch violent irredftible Evi- 
 dence would very much leflen, if 
 
 not 
 
Immortality of the Soul 2 i p 
 
 not quite deftroy the Virtue of O- 
 bedience. For it is fcarce to be ima- 
 gined, that any Man who had Teen 
 the Glories of Heaven^ and the Tor-' 
 ments of Hell, fliould ever after 
 be tempted to do any thing thac 
 would deprive him of that Hap- 
 piiiefe, or bring him to thac Mifery. 
 -.r.:Tf f^us far, I fay, I mud needs 
 gra^it to thefe Scepticks^ we cannot 
 ^biS'Gettain of the Immortality of the 
 Soul, and a future State. 
 ;- But then we are to admonidi 
 them, that bcfides This Certainty of 
 Senfe and Experience, there is ano- 
 ther degree of Certainty which is 
 ' called the Certainty oi Faith. Y^'hich 
 tho' not fo evident and convincing; 
 i^iS^tlie former, yet is the utmoft we 
 3^Sn^-preL'erid to in this Life. Fa/*, 
 ^liere in this World, tpe walk, hy Faith^ 
 
 mt hy fight ^ 2 Cor, 5.7. 
 "^^-^This therefore is that v/hichi am 
 ^tcy'explain and confirm, 
 ""^ I 4 F^kith 
 
120 A Vindication of the 
 
 Faith is the eVidnice of things not 
 fccuj Heb. II.!. That is, Things 
 that are invilible , either in their i 
 own nature, or as future, are not I 
 evident toour Senfes, but are OtAyyrj 
 known and difcerned by Faith. kIoi 
 lay, the only Evidence u^e can ex- cj 
 pe<5l of the Truth of (ach things, o£ 
 their Reality or their Nature, is Eakkirt 
 For however certain they mayibelA 
 in themfchesy yet to tis^ they are ofiftob 
 ly certain by Faith. aj {b^q 
 
 Now Fatth^ in the general Ndtion 
 of it, is a 'Terfwaflon of the Mind con^ 
 ccrning any thing. Let the Inftancc 
 of that Perfwafion be what it will. 
 Whether it be concerning the Truth of 
 any ^rcpojition -^ or concerning thevH 
 Exiftence^ or Futurition^ or LawfrnkLQ 
 fulnefsj or Convenience^ or To^hility^hl 
 or Goodnefs of any Thing,, on dhm^i 
 Contrary : Such Perfwafion is callecbql 
 Faith. Ijn^ ^^iv\^\ 
 
 :'J wo ^.o 
 But 
 
Imfnortality of the Soul. \i\ 
 
 .But here we muft Obferve 5 
 Thar this is only the Vulgar and Po- 
 pular, but not the ftridt and Philor 
 fophical Notion of Faith. For vvheq 
 wedifcourfe with thofewho pretend 
 to he critical and exz£t^ and who 
 expert it from us that we (liould 
 fpeak , properly, then we muft di- 
 ftinguifh this general Perfwafion or 
 AlTeiit, from other Ads of the Un- 
 derftanding. And then Faith is pro- 
 perly this : 
 
 Faith is a giving Credit to a thing^ot 
 taking it to be tnie^ upon the Teflimo*" 
 ny or Authority of fuch Terfons as declare 
 it. And herein it differs from other 
 kinds of ^ew^ 5 becaufe in them we 
 Believe upon the Evidence and ap- 
 partric Realon of the things them- 
 lelyes. For when things are appa- 
 reixc-of themfelves , either in re- 
 fpei5t of our Senfe, (^s that Snow is 
 white ^ and Fire is hot) or in re(pe6t 
 of pur Undcrftanding, ( as that the 
 
 whole 
 
12 2 A Vindication ' of the 
 
 tphole of any thing is greater than any 
 one part of the whole ) 3 I fay, when 
 things are thus evident, then the 
 Aflent which we give.is called/Oio«^- 
 ledge^ but not Faith. "' ' "^^ 
 
 But when any thing propoundecf 
 to us, is neither apparent to cur 
 Senfe, nor evident to our Under- 
 ftanding, in and of it felf j and^yet 
 appeareth to us to be true, byfvir- 
 tue of fome Teftimony given to it, 
 this Aflent is properly called Faitht^ 
 
 And this is the only Certainty we 
 now can have of the Immortality of 
 the Souly 2ind z future State. 
 
 We are firmly perfwaded, That 
 the Soul is Immortal^ and that We fhall 
 live for ever in another Worldy bt- 
 caufe thefe Truths are Divinely^ Ri^ 
 vealed, that is, they are teftiffed 
 and declared by an AlUknowiM, 
 and moft Jufi: and Faithful Gbrf, 
 who can neither Deceive nor bdD'e- 
 ,€;eived 3 and therefore though thefe 
 
 things 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 1 1 5 
 
 things are not as yet evident to us, 
 we now firmly believe them. 
 
 If here the Sceptick fliall De^ 
 tpandj How are we certain chat 
 God hath thus declared ? Where 
 hath he told us, that the Soul is 
 Immortal, and that after Death we 
 ftiail be Raifed again, and fliall 
 Iji^Y^ for ever in another World ? 
 ,^pTo this we direftly Anfwerj 
 
 That thefe Truths are revealed 
 in the Holy Scripture 3 but more 
 efpecially in that Part of it, which is 
 .failed the New Tejlament^ or the Go-^ 
 fpel. 
 
 St. Taul tells us exprefly, that the 
 
 clear and certain difcovery of a fu- 
 
 ^ture State, is ov^ingtotheChriftian 
 
 -^R^ligfoa, and m^^^ ?nanifejl by the 
 
 mj^eming of our Say tour Jefus Chrijl 5 
 
 ivho hath abolijhed Death, and brought 
 
 f^ift^ai^d] hnmortality to light through 
 
 J^j G©/^^/, ^^;Tim. I. 10. 
 
 This 
 
12 4 ^ Vindication of the ,^ 
 
 This Phrafe oF bringmglmmortality 
 
 to Light y\s not to be underftood J/yo- 
 
 lutelyy2LS if it were wholly a new T^if- 
 
 covery, which the World had t:^Q 
 
 apprehenfion of before^ (for,[#<^l^ 
 
 only Jews J by Revelation, hutS^j 
 
 Heathens^ by the Light of Natui*^| 
 
 as I have already fliewed^ had fomje 
 
 probable Conjedures and Hopes 
 
 concerning another Life afeer this^ 
 
 and were in fome meafure pertwar 
 
 ded, that when Men died chey wer.g> 
 
 not wholly extinguifhed, but did 
 
 pals into another World, and did 
 
 there receive Rewards or Piinifli^ 
 
 inents according to their Behaviour 
 
 in this Life) : I fay, this Expreffion 
 
 is not Ahfolute^ but ComparatiVei, ^/^nd 
 
 the meaning of it is thisv /^^K^ld 
 
 Immortality is brought to Light by ^^, 
 
 Go/pel 'j that is, By the cpmingii^^i 
 
 Chrift into the World, Imqi)o4?#); 
 
 Life is incomparably raotc-^^^^^ 
 
 and manifefl: than it wa$ befoie.i^og 
 
 As 
 
Immortality of the SouL i 2 5^ 
 
 As CO the Heathen. The Com- 
 mon People, who followed the By- 
 a(s and Inclination of their Nature, 
 and had not their Underftandings 
 perplexed with Niceties and Obje- 
 (ftions , as the Phiiofophers had, 
 they were generally inclined to be- 
 lieve the Soul's Immortality, and a 
 future State. But the Phiiofophers 
 had Wrangled and Difputed the 
 Marcer into fo much Uncertainty, 
 ('iome ftiffly denying, others wave- 
 rlt^gand doubting) that rhole W'ho 
 Were moft inclined to believe thefe 
 Truths, did rather exprels cheir de- 
 fires and hopes, than their full ailu- 
 rance concerning them. 
 ♦''And 'tis obfervable ( which may 
 feafonably be applied to our Mo* 
 dafti Scepticks), that while thefe Di- 
 fpi!it;i;s were managed among the 
 Phiiofophers of Old, though thofe 
 who" allerced the Immortality of die 
 Soul, had the better Rcafon of their 
 
 fide, 
 
ii6 A Findication of the 
 
 fide, yet their Adverfaries fpake 
 with greater Confidence and Affu* 
 ranee* And that always bears the 
 greateft Sway among weak and in* 
 judicious People. 5q;jD 
 
 As to the Jews. They had in- 
 deed fome further Knowledge than 
 the Heathen. They had not only 
 the Light of Reafon, but alfo of 
 Revelation. But then that Reve- 
 lation was very imperfe<ft. For the 
 difcoveries of a future State, under 
 the old Legal Difpenfation, were 
 dark and obfcurcj and ufually repre- 
 fenced under Types and Figures. As 
 of a long Life here upon Earth, 
 and a Land flowing with Milk and 
 Honey. And though the wifer fdrc 
 of the Jeti^s did fee thorough the 
 Vail (as is plainly affirmed of thofe 
 Worthies, Heb. 1 1 . ) yet the ge-* 
 nerality of them had flender appre- 
 heafions of this Truth. 
 
 But 
 
Immortality of the Soul 1 1 7 
 
 But in the Gofpel we find the Im- 
 mortality of the Soul, and a future 
 ^ State, not barely aflerted, nor pro- 
 ved by uncertain Arguments, nor 
 depending on the Opinion of Phi- 
 lolophers, nor fliadow'd and oI> 
 fcured with Types and Figures, but 
 delivered with the greateft Au* 
 ; ^^hprity, revealed with the cleareft 
 Lights and confirmed with the 
 ftrongeft Evidence. 
 ;js: For our Blefled Saviour, (who 
 ^^was fent down from Heaven by his 
 -Father to inftru(5t us) hath not on- 
 ly declared the Immortality of the 
 Soul, and a future State 3 but hath 
 alfo given us a knfiblc Demonjiration 
 of thqfe Truths, in his Refurre6ti- 
 on from the Dead, and his vifible 
 Afcenfion into Heaven. 
 
 Of both thefe I fLall treat di- 
 
 .^ftin^ly^.a^abi:.. 
 
 I. Our BlefTed Saviour hath J^- 
 cJared^ that the Soul is Immortal, 
 
 and 
 
12 8 A Findication of the 
 
 and that there is another Life aftet 
 
 this 
 
 And becaufe fomc whoacknow- 
 
 iegde a future State, deny the Ivt^ 
 
 mortality of the Soul, I flhall {hi^)^ 
 
 * 1. That our Blefled Saviour hath 
 
 declared in his Gofpel , that thfe 
 
 Soul IS Immortal. ^ -^ ^^ "^^^ 
 
 This I (hall prove {tomM(ttt¥H'&l 
 
 2 8 . Compared vv/ith Luke i xl 4,^^!^^^ 
 
 •• ■-'] bos 
 Matth. 10. 28. Luke 12.4^ j'<;q 
 
 And fear not them 
 7vhlch kill the Body^ 
 but fire not able to kill 
 the Soul: But rather 
 fear him which is ablt 
 to defiroy both Soul and 
 
 And I fay unto JOfU 
 my Friends y Be not a^ 
 fraid of them that • ksH 
 the Body^ and after that 
 hd've no more that they 
 can do. But I will fore- 
 
 Body in HelL I warn you whom - you^ 
 
 ifiall fear'y Fear him^ 
 TiJhich after he hath kil- 
 led y hath fower to ti^ 
 into Hell ; yea^ I , fay^ 
 unto youy fear him J ' 
 
 The Senfe of which two Place^ 
 I iliall exprefs in this Paraphrafe. ^ -, 
 
 'Behold^ 1 fend you forth as Sheep^ 
 in the mtdjl oj Wolves ^^ and ye fhall he 
 
 hated 
 
Immortality of the Soul \ih 
 
 hated of all Men for my TSlames fake-^ 
 But / fay unto yoUy 7ny Friends ^ (Be not 
 afraid of them that can only kill the (Bo^ 
 jdy^ and after that haVe no more thai 
 thy I fan do: for they are not able to 
 kill the Soul. But I will forewarn you 
 whom you p?all fear : Fear him which 
 after he hath killed the Body, and 
 taken away your Temporal Life, 
 hath 2l further ^ower to cafl into Hell^ 
 and there is able to deflroy^ that is, 
 Punifli and Torment, both Soul and 
 ^ody in that difmal Place, where the 
 Worm dieth not^ and the Fire is not 
 quenched. 
 
 This is the plain Senfe of thefe 
 two Places of Scripture. 
 . v.^fom whence I obferve, in the 
 Words of the Learned Dr. Whitby ^ 
 in his Comment on Matth. \ o. 2 8. 
 3.. V^hefe Words fcem to contain 
 ^a cefcain Evidence, That the Soul 
 ^^^jflies notwich the Body, but con-- 
 ^'•tiaaes afcerward in aSjate of Senfi- 
 Ability. For, K S.Thac 
 
I JO A Vindication of the 
 
 . ^ 1. That which it is allowed that 
 ^ Men can do to the Body, it isde- 
 ^ nied that that they can do to the 
 'Soul. Therefore Chrift fpeaks 
 ^ not in thefe Words of Death E- 
 Eternal, (for that kind of Death 
 
 * Men cannot infli<5t upon the Bo^ 
 ^ dy, or hinder its Refurredion ) 5 
 ^ therefore it is fpoken of a Tern- 
 ^ poral Death. 
 
 ' Note idly. That they who by 
 ' killing the Body make the Soul 
 •' alfo to Perifli, till the Re-union 
 ^and Rcvivifcence both , of Soul 
 ' and Body, do alfo kill the Soul 5 
 
 * and fo: do more than they who 
 ' can kill the Body only. And they 
 ^ who by killing of the Bodyjrender 
 ^ the Soul or Spirit of a Man Infert^ 
 Vfate, and deprived of allpoflibility 
 
 * of thinking, or perceiving any 
 ^ thing, do alfo kill the Soul. For 
 ' 'tis not eafy to perceive, ho\^jia 
 
 . ' Intelligible, Thinking, and Per- 
 
 t ceiving 
 
Immortality of the Soul. i U 
 
 ^ ceiving Being, can be more ( or 
 ^indeed ocherwife ) Jcilled, than by 
 ^ depriving it of all Senfation^ 
 ^ Thought, and Perception. The 
 * Body it felf being killed, by a to- 
 ^ tai Privation of its Capacity of 
 ^ Senfe and Motion. 
 
 ' Since therefore in St. Luke, Ch. 
 ^12.4. Ghrift faith, The Adverfa- 
 ^ ries of the Chriftians can only kill 
 ^ their bodies 3 and here, that they 
 ^ cannot kill' their Souls -^ it remains, 
 ^ That the Soul doth not Terifh with 
 ^ the fBody^ nor is it reduced into an 
 ^ Infenfibk State hy the IDeath of tt. 
 Thus that Judicious Commencaror. 
 And that the Soul doth not Sleep 
 wth the Body, as fome Phrafe ir, 
 f *which is a mofl abfurd Unphilofo' 
 '^hical Opinion ) is undeniably pro- 
 ved from Thil. i. 21, 22, &cc, 
 Ver. 1 1 . For to me to Liye isChriJi^ 
 9nd to Hie is Gain. 
 
 -^j, 
 
 Knr^ 
 
 ? K z 22. !But 
 
I J t A Vindication of the 
 
 2 2 . !But if I liye in the Flefh^this k 
 the Fruit of my Labour : yet what I 
 fhall chufcy I wot not. 
 
 2 3 . For 1 am in a flraight hetwixt 
 two J having a dejtre to depart^ and to 
 he with Chrijiy which is far better. 
 
 24. KeVerthele/s, to abide in the 
 Flejh is more needful for you. 
 
 The Apoftle is here debating 
 with himfelf, whether ic were bet- 
 ter for him to Live or to Die ? 1 arit 
 in a Jlraighty faith he, betwixt thefe 
 two. Verfe 23. I know not what 
 to refolve, nor how to determine 
 the matter. What I fJ7all chufe ^ I 
 ivot not. Verfe 2 2 . On the one hand, 
 To Live is Chrtfl^ Verfe 2 1 . that is, 
 This is the End and Defign of my 
 Life, to ferve and honour (3hri#. 
 If J Hve, my Life fliall be fpent 4ti 
 Chrift's Service. And to Die isGM^. 
 That is. If I die^ my Death t^ndsr<) 
 my own unfpeakable joy attd^ ad^ 
 vantage. For, to depart and toirMh 
 
 Chrifi, 
 
Immortality of the Soul i ^ V 
 
 Chrifty is far better fot me. Never- 
 thelefs to abide in the Flejhy is more 
 needful for youy Verfe 24. That is, 
 Since my Life may be of fo great 
 life to the Church, I am contented, 
 if God fo pleafe, to live a little lon- 
 ger,: and to continue ftill amongft 
 you. 
 
 t^niSatnow, if Sz.^auhSouX were 
 Ij^dtfal, and did Die and Perifli with 
 Lwhis Body 5 to be as Nothing, to be 
 Stupid and' Infenfible till the Re- 
 furre6tion 3 the Argument is loft. 
 He could be in no ftraightj there 
 would be no difficulty, how to de- 
 termine the Cafe. 
 
 ^^r For pray, Is it not far more de- 
 Niirable to continue in this World, to 
 m ferviceable to Chrift and his 
 Church, than by Dying, tobeStu- 
 .pid and Senfelefs, like a Stock or a 
 Stone, till the Refurredion ? 
 -bi The Truth is fo plain and unde- 
 iiiable, itcannot poflibly be fup- 
 preft. K 5 To 
 
I ^ ^ A Vmdicntion of the 
 
 To fuppofe here ( as a late Wri- 
 ter hath done ) that St. <Paul was one 
 of Heavens Fayourites^ and fa ( o'r 
 as fuch) was ^ifed by an Antece^ 
 dent ^fmreBion to Glory. (Vid. Far" 
 ther7 bought s of Human Soul y P. 57.) 
 ThiSjIfay, when ftridly examined, 
 is very Impertinent 5 and is only ap 
 Inftanceof a Baffled Caufe; :w>oa 
 
 That St. ^aul was a Favourite of 
 Heaven, is not doubted: But that 
 all fach Favourites lliall be Raifed 
 ' immediately after their T>eathy and he 
 ^ Exalted to Glory and Eternal Happi- 
 ^ nefs before the Day of Jud^ment^ (as 
 is pretended}, this^we deny^ and 
 let this Author prove it if he can. 
 But though he confidently Affirnris 
 it) he defpairsto Proveit3 andhacli 
 made his Confeflion in thefe Word^. 
 ^ ^ut indeed^ 1 do not findby the whole 
 ^ Current of the Scripture ^ but that me 
 * foall all appear before the fud^ment^ 
 ^ Seat of Chrift^atthe end of the World ^ 
 
Immortality of the Soul \ ^ k 
 
 ^ and not before y and then receive th^ 
 ^ Jufl ^compence of our Works'. Vid. 
 f Second Thoughts^ &c. (P. 3^4. 
 
 From thefe Premifes it doth ap- 
 pear, That the Soul is an Immor- 
 tal Being, different and diftind from 
 the Body 5 and as fuch is capable 
 to live and fubfift without the 
 Body. 
 
 Which being granted, the Certcuri^ 
 iy of a future State (the next Thing 
 to be eftabliflied), is fo evident from 
 the Gofpel, I (hall not need to infift 
 much upon it. 
 
 How plainly doth our Blefled 
 Saviour declare, That at the end of 
 the World, he will come to Judg- 
 ment: And will then Pronounce 
 a Final, Irreverfible Sentence upon 
 all Mankind. The Righteous fhall 
 b^ received with this reviving Ab- 
 fokidon , Come ye &efjcd of my Fa- 
 Aherj inherit theI\ingdom prepared for 
 yoii fromtfk Foundation of the JVorld, 
 
 K4 But 
 
I j <$ A Fmdication of the 
 
 But tlic wicked {jhall be difmified l 
 with this Difmal Doom y Depart^ 
 frmn me^ ye Curfed^ into eyerUfting 
 Ftre^ prepared for the VeVtl and hisr^ 
 Jn^els. Andthefe pall go awaybmi 
 eVerlaJiing Tunifhment : hut the^j^gh'^:^) 
 teous into Life Eternal^ Matth. 25^: i 
 
 And as a further Proof of a Fu#d 
 ture State, our Blefled Saviour dotbS 
 thus comfort his Difciples, imine- 
 diately before his departure ftodiff 
 them: Let not your heart he trouhledii 
 ye helte've in God, believe alja in me.:. In :• 
 f7iy Fathers Houfe are many Manjionsi^ 
 if it were not fo^ I would have told 
 you : I go to prepare a place for you.' 
 And if I go and prepare a place for 1 
 yoUj I will come again^ and recetVe yon^ 
 unto my Jelf^ that ivhere 1 am^ ibere 
 ye may be alfo^ John 1 4. « , 1, ^vl riJo2 
 
 But the Certainty of a FutuiW) 
 3cate is not only thus Declared hy-^^ 
 our BleHed Saviour, but alio :>:is^ 
 ^hinly Demonftratea by his own Re- 
 ' . , , :,, ^ • • fiinect.on 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 1 57 
 
 fufrciHon from the Dead, and his 
 Vi/ible Afcenfion into Heaven. 
 
 This is fuch a fenfible Argument, 
 a& js levelled to the Capacities of all 
 Mankind 3 and the flialloweft Un- ^ 
 derftandings are able to compre- 
 hend it. For tho' their Reafon may- 
 be itnpofed on, they will truft their 
 Scnfes. aoiViic 
 
 The mod certain Things in the 
 World, are liable to the Cavils of 
 Sceptical Men. And there is no- 
 thing fo plain and evident, but may 
 be obfcured, and may admit of 
 falfe Colours, at leafliin the appre- 
 henfion of feme Perfons. For all 
 Men are not capable of the Force of 
 an Argument, nor can truly judge 
 of the Wcaknefs or Screngch of it. 
 Such Men are very apt to be impo- 
 fed* on 5 and to be moved any way, 
 with fome little fliew and appear- 
 ance of Truth. 
 
 But 
 
I j:8 A Vindication of the 
 
 But though thefc Scepticks may 
 baffle their Reafon, they cannot per- 
 fwade them out of their Senfes. Like 
 him, who tho' he could not anfwer 
 ^ the Philofopher's Arguments againft 
 Motion, yet did effedually confute 
 him, by walking before him. 
 
 And herein the Wifdom of God 
 hath gracioufly condefcended to thfij 
 Weaknefs of Men ; in giving fucS 
 familiar Affurance of thefe greate 
 Truths, the ^e/uneBion and jfccffd 
 jlon of our Lord. For the mod Il« 
 literice Perfon can tell whether a 
 Man be alive or dead. And can as 
 certainly declare, that what he ob- 
 ferves is true 5 if he kt^ a Man vifi- 
 bly afcend into Heaven. I fay, eva- 
 ry Man is capable of the Force of 
 this Argument. ^^(^ 
 
 And indeed what can be niQre 
 effcclual to convince us of anoth^§ 
 Life afcer this, than to kt-^il/im 
 Raiied from the Dead, and' 'reito-, 
 
 red 
 
Immortality of the SouL ijy 
 
 red to a new Life? And what can 
 be more proper to afliire us there is 
 a Heaven, than to fee one vifibly 
 t/oken up into it? 
 
 And therefore, fince God him- 
 felf hath given us Aflurance of a 
 Life to come, by the greateft De- 
 monftrations of it, in the Deathy 
 ^efurreSiion ^ and jfcenjion of his 
 Son, he hath thereby taken away 
 all Sufpicions and Doubts concern- 
 ing a Future State. 
 
 iBut againft this, our Modern Scep^ 
 licks do make this 
 
 OhjeSlion. 
 
 HAD Wefeen>/^^of Na^ 
 :^areth Dead, and Alive a- 
 gain : Had we feen him taken down 
 Dead from the Crofs, and laid in a 
 Tomb : Had We then after this^not 
 only Seen him, butConverfed with 
 hfm for Forty days together: And 
 had We then ken him with our own 
 
 Eyes, 
 
1 40 A Vindication of thzk 
 
 Eyes, taken up from the Earth into 
 the Air, and vifibly Afcending into 
 Heaven 5 We might then have fome 
 Reafon to Believe thefe Things., X? 
 this, I - c 
 
 Anfi 
 
 wer. 
 
 IF Men will turn perfed Seep- 
 ticks, and caufelefly fufpc6fe thf 
 Truth of all fuchPaflages as they 
 did not adlualiy fee done with th^r 
 own EyeSy or i?ear with their own 
 Ears J they are not worthy of Con- 
 viction. If this be their Temper, 
 we mull: then T^uni them to Grafsy 
 and there leave them. But if there 
 is fuch a thing as Fides Hijiorica/^ 
 and if any Aflurance can be had of 
 thofe Tranfadlions, which are :bs$t 
 yond, and above our own Timnei^ 
 there may then be given as ceraiot 
 Evidence of the %efurre^ion and Af*^ 
 cenfion of Jefus^ as any Paflages, 
 
 trant- 
 
Immortality of the SouL 141 
 
 tranfadted at fo great a diftance, 
 are capable to admit. For^ Theje 
 things were not done in a Corner. But 
 plainly and openly, and in the fight 
 of many Witnefles, and with fuch 
 remarkable Circumftances, as might 
 beft expofe them to the ftridleft Exa- 
 mination. 
 
 Now in order to the Conviftion 
 
 I of thefe Dei/?^ (which is mofVhear- 
 tily ptayed for) I (hall defire them 
 to grant me this Tojiulatumy (which 
 I Urn fure they cannot deny) W;^. 
 
 I ^n^iThat the ^/urreBion and Afcen^ 
 
 JiOn of Jefus are both Matter of FaSl. 
 
 And confequcntly, can no otherwife 
 
 he ^roVedy than Matters of Fa£l uje to 
 
 5o\fc^|fei1 we defignto convince ano- 
 ther '^hac fuch a Thing was Dowe, 
 the lureft Evidence we can give 
 fo«iy is-the Teftimony of fuffici* 
 c^ Credible Wicneflcs, who faw it 
 doiicy- And he who is not fatisfied 
 
 with 
 
142 A Vindication of the 
 
 with fuch a Proof, we look upon 
 him as a Perfon not fit to be Dif- 
 courfed with. 
 
 Now there was never any Matter 
 of Fadt, better or more ftrongly 
 Attefted^chan the Truth of this Af- 
 fertion, That Jefus %pfe from the 
 Dead. And that, whether we con- 
 fider the Nature of the Thing to be 
 Attefted 5 or the Number and Qua- 
 lity of the Witnefles Attefting. 
 
 Firji^ The Thing to be attefl:e<I 
 was of that Nature, that it might 
 be fully perceived by thofe who 
 faw it 5 that is, It was an OhjeB fit 
 and proper to be judged of by their 
 Senfes. ^ ^ -^ 
 
 As to the Death and Paflibn tjf 
 Jefus (the neceflary Antecedents of 
 his Refurrc(5tion) they were plain 
 Objects ot Senfe 3 done in the Pr^ 
 fence of the whole City :of JW9f^ 
 lemy and confcquently of his grt^eft 
 Adverfaries. That he truly Died, 
 
 all 
 
Immortality of the Soul *4? 
 
 all the World could teftify. No 
 Man's Death was ever more Solemn 
 or Remarkable : Nor was this ever 
 difputed. 
 
 I : So that thus far we are Fix d and 
 Certain, That if Je/us did Rife a- 
 gain , his Refurreilion was no Jug'* 
 gling Tricky , but a Real Miracle. 
 
 After his Refurre6lion, thofe to 
 whom he Appeared, were frightned 
 at it, fuppofing him to be a Spirit. 
 piJt he fufficiehtly afliires them of 
 tht contrary, by Appealing to their 
 Senfes: behold my Hands and my Feet^ 
 that it is I my felf. Handle Me and 
 fee^ for a Spirit hath not FleJ}) and 
 'Bones^ as ye fee me haVe^ Luke 24, 
 3p. But, 
 
 ■ic Secoffdly^ Not only the Nature 
 of the Thing (of which even our 
 Senfes are competent Judges) but 
 a,lfo the Witneffes attefting, do fuffi- 
 &m^\y prove that Jefns is ^ifeu. 
 
 Now 
 
144 AVtndtcation of the 
 
 Now there are two things muft 
 concur to make a Credible Witnefs, 
 t^towled^e and Integrity. 
 
 1. I^notvledge. No Man ought 
 to be received as a fit Witnefs in 
 any matter, unlefs it do appear, thac 
 he had the Opportunity fully to in- 
 form himfelf of the Truth ,g£||iac 
 which he pretends to Aitteftn^;!^^ 
 
 Should any Man affirm, Thai: he 
 faw a Thing done, or heard a Word 
 fpoken 5 and yet it fhall be depo- 
 fed by as Credible Witnefles as him- 
 felf, that he was at the fame time 
 Twenty Miles diftant j fuch Evidence^ 
 however confidently delivered, muft 
 needs be Falfe and Ridiculous. 
 
 But now, the Dfciples of pur 
 Lord had all imaginable ^Advan- 
 tages to know the Truth of what 
 they witnefs, whilft they ^ffi^ni, 
 That Jefus is ^fert^rj^ ^^^^ ^.;,^ 
 
 They were his conftant FoIIpfvers 
 and Attendants. And for the fpace 
 
 of 
 
Immortality of the SouL g 4 c 
 
 Tl)ree Years^ were the daily Obfer* 
 vers of his Converfacion. And 'cis 
 worthy your Notice, That when 
 •-\by the Jpoftncy o( Judas, they want- 
 ^^ cd one of their Number, they were 
 ^^'Very careful to chufe fuch a one to 
 fucceed him, as had been a con- 
 ^^liadt Follower of JefuSy and had 
 taken 'cxad: notice of every thing 
 they were to Witnefs. Wherefore 
 ^^'^raith St. ^eter) of thefe Men which 
 "^i^aVe companied with us, all the time 
 ^^hht the Lord Jefus we?it in and out a' 
 "'^ytionguSj hegmriing from the Saptifm 
 "b/John, unto that fame day that he 
 was taken up from us, 7nuji one be 
 Ordained to be aWttnefs with us of his 
 '^%efurreBion, Afts t . 2 i , 2 2. 
 ^^^^■^^0bferve here how exact they 
 '^^et<6 in their Choice. They would 
 ^^^irftfmit of none, but one who had 
 bee^ with them from firft to laft. 
 '^^^^h^tj cbuld fpeak things, as we 
 j^^*wrafe ir^ not by Hear^fay only, 
 
 L bu: 
 
14^ A Vindicdtion of the 
 
 but of his own Knowledge, That 
 if any Man flbould ask him, Did 
 you your felf See? Or, did you 
 your felf Hear this which you now 
 PvCporc? That he might then tru- 
 ly anfwer, that he did 5 and that 
 what he Preached was uponJaisoJivn 
 knowledge. j^ itfi- 
 
 Now the Difciples of our Lord 
 were the conftant Hearers of his 
 Doftrine 3 and amongfl: other Paf- 
 fages, they heard him expreOy de- 
 clare, That he would Rife again 
 the Third Day. t)eJlroy this Temple ^ 
 and in tlree days I iviil raife it up. 
 (But he Jpalie of the Temple of his fBo-* 
 djy John 2. 19, 2 I, 
 
 And this Expreffion oi fifing the 
 Third "Day was fo familiar, and fo 
 often repeated, that the Chief Pricfts 
 and ^harifees took notice of it to 
 ^Pilate '^ (^Y^n?!^ Sir ^we remember that 
 that 'Deceiver /aidy while he wus yet 
 alive J After three days I will ^fe a^ 
 gam^ Mat. 27^ 63 . More- 
 
Immortality of the Soul. 147 
 
 Moreover, The Difciples and 
 
 Followers our Lord were not only 
 
 inftru6ted in his Life-time, that he 
 
 would Rife again 5 but they like- 
 
 I wife faw him after he was Rifen, 
 
 jr And in fuch a Manner, with fuch 
 Circumftances as might mod efFe*- 
 d:ually command their Belief. 
 
 bioJThey Saw him, not only once 
 br twice, but feveral times : They 
 faw him, not only fingly and apart^ 
 and in I'efler Numbers, but all 
 
 ^ of them yea Five Hundred of 
 them at once. And therefore tho' 
 one or ttpo might perhaps be miila-- 
 ken, yet fo great a number could 
 not poffibly be impofed on. 
 V Efpecially when we have confi-* 
 dered further 5 That they not only 
 faw him, but had likewife all orhet 
 imaginable Evidences to Convince 
 theiTii - 
 
 V :< for when he had Appeared to 
 
 them, and Difcourfed with them, 
 
 '*' L 2 which 
 
J 48 AVtndicdim bf the 
 
 which might alfo be done by a Spi- 
 rit 3 to give them a certain proof 
 —that he was no Spirit, Handle me 
 and fee^ fthat is, obferve and fatis- 
 fy your felves) for a Spirit hath not 
 Fhjh and (Bones J as you fee me haVe^ 
 And left they might yet fcruple, 
 that ic was not the fame Jefus thac^ 
 was Crucified, but fome other Dead 
 Body (which, being moved a^(^ 
 aduated by an Angel, did takeliisi 
 Shape, and appear in his Likenefs };; 
 to remove this Doubt, ©e/x^W, faidV 
 he, ??/)' Hands and my Feet^ that- it ff 
 Imy jdf. Thofe Hands and Feet 
 which were pierced with >^ails, and 
 faPaied to the Accurfed Tree. And 
 if you will not believe your Eyes^^ 
 (which according to the vulgar Nfij 
 tion, may have a Mift caft before 
 themj then to fatisfy your felyes 
 further, take the Proof of another 
 ^of your Senfes. Handle me and fee. 
 And when St. Thomas was a little 
 
 more 
 
Immortality of the Soul. \ 49 
 
 more diftniftful than the reft : f^ach 
 hither thy Finger^ and behold my Hands ^ 
 and reach hither thy Hand^ and thrufl 
 it into my Side^ and he not Faithlefs^ hut 
 !BelieVin^y John 20. 27. 
 
 Now recolle6t the forementi- 
 oned Paflages, and then Refolve me. 
 What could have been further either 
 faid or done to Convince zhcmThat 
 JeJUs iPas ^fen ? They Saw him, 
 he Difcourfed with them, did Eat 
 before them, they Touched him and 
 Handled him. And all this variety 
 of Converfation they had with him, 
 not only once or tmce, but for the 
 (pace of Forty Days together. 
 
 The Premifes confidered, you 
 muft needs grant, That the Apo- 
 fl:Ie$ were very fufficient Witnefles 
 6f^b,nr Bleffed Saviour's Refurredti- 
 onL in refpevSt of their Knovvledo;e. 
 T|ii!rfe, They had all im.iginable 
 ^dvSft^ages to know the Truth of 
 \vhat they Witneffed and Atccftcd, 
 "^' L 3 when 
 
ijo A Vindication of the 
 
 when they Preached that Jefus was 
 
 0en. 
 
 And the Apoflles had the fame 
 Capacity to judge of the Truth of 
 his Afcenfion^ as they had of his d^e-s' 
 JurreBion. For, while they beheldy he 
 was taken up. And, they looked Jied" 
 fajily toward Heaven as he went upy 
 Ails 1. p5 ! o. That is, they them*- 
 felves faw him Afcend. They did 
 not only hear it from others, but 
 they themfclves Jaw it with their 
 own Eyes, Vvhich was the higheft 
 Evidence that could be given them. 
 But, 
 idly. Suppofing ihcir IQiotpled^ey 
 and that they had fufficient means 
 of Information 3 yet whether were 
 they Perfons of that Honefty and In- 
 tegrity as to be believed ? or was 
 there not juft reafon to fufpedl that 
 they might deliver a Falfliood in- 
 Head of Truth ? 
 
 And 
 
Immortality of the Soul. i c | 
 
 And for this, let me defire you 
 to confider that known Saying, N^- 
 mo gratis }Aalm eft. There isfcarce 
 any Man fo abfurd as to be a Vil- 
 lain for nothing, or fo impertinent- 
 ly wicked, as to do Mifchief for 
 Mifchiefs fafe. Whoever therefore 
 fhall prefume Publickly and So- 
 lemnly to deliver a falfe Teftimo- 
 ny^ he muft be fuppofed to do it 
 upon fome urging Caufe. As, To 
 (^tife hhnfelf a Name : To ^leafe a 
 ^arty: To Advance his Fortune-^ or to 
 gratify a ^Venge. 
 
 Now, Jll that is in the Worlds faith 
 St. John J, is the Lujl of the FlefJ?^ the 
 Lujl of the Eyesy and the Tride of Ltfe, 
 iJohn2.i6. And whatever the 
 Apoftles could propofe to them- 
 felves, it will be comprehended 
 under one of thefe Three, Honours^ 
 ^chesy or Tleafures. 
 
 I, As to Honour. They could 
 
 not expe(5t it, fince all Dignities and 
 
 L 4 Promo- 
 
1 5 2 A Vindication of the 
 
 Promotions were then in the hands 
 of Jews or pagans : From whom 
 they received nothing but Ignomi- 
 ny and Reproach^ and by whom . 
 they were arccoiinted the Dung of :1 
 the Earth, and the Off-fcouring of I 
 the World. ^^ ^^^^r^\ 
 
 2. As to ^ches. Inftead of gain- 
 ing an Eftate, they were forced |ik\ 
 part with all that they had, eithfeir^\^ 
 by a voluntary refignadon, to fqpr^ 
 ply the Wants of others (for at firft 
 thi?y held all things common)^ or elfe^ 
 by the Fraud and Rapines of their 
 Oppreflors. They no foonercame 
 to one City, but they were Perfe-- 
 cuted, and forced to fly unto ano^ 
 ther : And by this Ambulatory kind ' 
 of Life, without any fix'd certaia 
 (BetJigj they were fo far from being 
 able (had they otherwife deiigned 
 it) to have raifcd Eftates and For^ 
 amesj that they iiv'd upon the Alms 
 and Charity of others. And theq 
 . . 3 ^/> What 
 
Immortality of the Soul 15} 
 
 3^/y. What kind of Pleafutes 
 they were to expert, as their Ma^ 
 fter did foretell, fo they themfelves 
 did fufBciently experience. In the 
 World ye Jhall haVe Tribulation. They 
 (haU lay their hands on yoUy and per^ 
 fecute yoUy and ye {hall he (Betrayed, 
 both by Barents yand (Brethren^andlQnf " 
 folks, and Friends 5 and fome of you 
 fhall they caufe to be put to Veath j 
 and ye fhall be hated of all Men for 
 ,7ny Names fake : Yea the time cometh^ 
 that whofoeyer killeth yoUy will thinks 
 that he doth God Service. 
 . In fiiort 5 If Contumelies and 
 Reproaches, if Racks and Prifons, 
 if Flames and Gibbets, wich other 
 dhfii moft Exquifite Tormenting 
 Deaths 5 if thefe be Pleafures, then 
 indeed the Apoftles and Followers 
 of our Lord had their fliare of 
 Pip^fures. 
 
 And 
 
154 -^ Ftndication of the 
 
 And now having ferioufly deba- 
 ted thefe things, I defire our Seep- 
 tical T>eijis to refolve me, What juft 
 Caufe can be affigned,WhyPerfons 
 of Sober, Rational Deportment 
 (having the fantie Principle of Self- 
 Prefervation with other Men) fliould 
 by Publifhing the ^/urreBion and 
 Jjcenfion of J ejus ^ not only deprive 
 themfelves of all Comfortable En^ 
 joyments, but alfo fubmit to the 
 greateft Severities, and at laft Death 
 it felf ? I fay. What Caufe can be 
 affigned of fuch Self-denial, if they 
 had not the higheft Convidion of 
 the Truth of what they Publifh- 
 ' ed ? 
 
 THE 
 
Immortality of the Soul 1 5 5 
 
 THE 
 
 X^, JL O S t. 
 
 "J^Rom tficfe Premifes it undcni- 
 JP 'ably appears 5 That the Apo- 
 ftles of our Lord were very Cre- 
 dible WitnefTes of his Refurredtion 
 and Afcenfion. The Refurre6tion 
 and Afcenfion of Je/us are a vifible, 
 convincing Argument of the Im- 
 mortality of the Soul, and a Fu*- 
 ture State. Therefore it is Certain, 
 That the Soul is Immortal -^ andj That 
 there is another Life after this. 
 
 FINIS, 
 
 THE 
 

 
 Dd..- 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 TH E httodu^iony fhcwing tit Defign of thii 
 Treatife, Page i 
 
 Some Preliminary Confiderations. 
 
 1. Not to he furprized that this Truth is Con" 
 tradiHedj p. 5 
 
 2. Such Proof to he acafted^ as the nature of the 
 Thing -ivtil admits * p< 4 
 
 3. In this Diffute -we fufpofe, That there is a 
 God, p. S 
 
 /j. The Arguments infifiedov, are Vlain and To- 
 
 fular, p. 6 
 
 IVhat is meant hy the Soul ? p. 8 
 
 JVh^t hy the Immortality of the Soul? p. 14 
 
 The Immortality of the Soul, and a Future 
 State is, 
 
 1. Defirahk. p. I? 
 A Defcription of Heaven, from page 34. to 
 
 page 63. 
 . The Defirabknefs of a Future State, Vindicated 
 from an OhjeBion, p. 64 
 
 The Iqimortality of the Soul, aad a Future 
 State is, 
 
 2. Voffihk, p. 7^ 
 2. Trohable, P 88 
 ^ ' This 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 This Probability proved, from 
 
 1. Creatiofty p. 9^ 
 
 2. Trovidencey P* 9^ 
 
 This furtber proved^ from the Katjire of KJaii. 
 
 i» The Inclination of Man^s Nature^ p, foj 
 2, 7^^ FerfeSion of Mans Nature, p. 109 
 
 The Immortality of the Soul, and z Bitare 
 
 State is, '^\^ 
 
 4. Certain, •^^n/I _ 
 
 Not with the Certainty of Senfe and Experience, 
 
 p, 116 
 But the Certainty of Faith, p. 122 
 
 The Immortality of the Soul f roved from Mat. 
 
 zo,2^, comf ared -ivithljxkQ 12.4,^. p. 128 
 The Sleep of the Soul Confuted, from Phil, i.- 
 
 21, i2, &c. p. 132 
 
 This Text widicated from Second Thoughts, 
 
 Sec. p. 134 
 
 The Certainty of a Future State proved from the 
 
 Go/pel, ... _ p. 13; 
 
 Demonftrated hy the RefurreBion mid ^Af^vfion 
 
 ofjefm, P.'x;7 
 
 A Sceptical Oh jcB ion, p. 139 
 
 Anfwer^ p* .^140 
 
 T/&e Clofe, p. 155: 
 
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