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ESSAY I I.

ON THE

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IMMORTALITY of the SOUL.

By the mere light of reafon, it seems difficult to

prove the Immortality of the Soul; the arguments for it are commonly derived either from metaphyfical topics, or moral or phyfical. But in reality 'tis the Gospel, and the Gospel alone, that has brought life and immortality to light.

I. Metaphyfical topics fuppofe that the foul is immaterial, and that 'tis impoffible for thought to belong to a material fubftance. (1) But juft metaphyfics teach us that the notion of subftance is wholly confused and imperfect and that we have no other idea of any fubftance, than as an aggregate of particular qualities, inhering in an unknown something. Matter, therefore, and spirit, are at bottom equally unknown, and we cannot determine what qualities inhere in the one or in the other. (2) They likewise teach us that nothing can be decided a priori concerning any cause or effect, and that experience being the only fource

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of our judgments of this nature, we cannot know from any other principle, whether matter by its structure or arrangement, may not be the cause of thought. Abstract reasonings cannot decide any question of fact or exiftence.-But admitting a fpiritual fubftance to be difperfed throughout the univerfe, like the etherial fire of the Stoics, and to be the only inherent fubject of thought, we have reafon to conclude from analogy that nature ufes it after the manner fhe does the other fubfiance, matter. She employs it as a kind of paste or clay; modifies it into a variety of forms and existences; diffolves after a time each modification, and from its fubftance erects a new form. As the fame material fubftance may fucceffively compose the bodies of all animals, the fame spiritual substance may compose their minds: Their consciousness, or that fyftem of thought which they formed during life, may be continually diffolved by death. And nothing interests them in the new modification. The moft pofitive affertors of the mortality of the foul, never denied the immortality of its fubftance. And that an immaterial substance, as well as a material, may lofe its memory or consciousness, appears in part from experience, if the foul be immaterial.-Reafoning from the common courfe of nature, and without fuppofing any new interpofition of the fupreme caufe, which ought always to be excluded from philofophy, what is incorruptible muft alfo be ingenerable. The Soul therefore, if immortal, exifted before our birth; and if the former existence

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no ways concerned us, neither will the latter Animals undoubtedly feel, think, love, hate, will, and even reason, though in a more imperfect manner than men; are their fouls alfo immaterial and immortal? (3)

II Let us now confider the moral arguments, chiefly those derived from the juftice of God, which is fuppofed to be farther interested in the farther punishment of the vicious and reward of the virtuous. But these arguments are grounded on the fuppofition that God has attributes beyond what he has exerted in this univerfe, with which alone we are acquainted. Whence do we infer the existence of these attributes ?-Tis very fafe for us to affirm, that whatever we know the Deity to have actually done, is beft; but 'tis very dangerous to affirm, that he must always do what to us feems beft. In how many inftances would this reasoning fail us with regard to the present world? -But if any purpose of nature be clear, we may affirm, that the whole scope and intention of man's creation, so far as we can judge by natural reason, is limited to the prefent life. With how weak a concern from the original inherent ftructure of the mind and paflions, does he ever look farther? What comparison either for steadiness or efficacy, betwixt fo floating an idea, and the most doubtful perfuafion of any matter of fact that occurs in common life. There arife indeed in fome minds fome unaccountable terrors with regard to futurity; but these would quickly vanifh were they not artificially foftered by precept and education.

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And those who fofter them, what is their motive? only to gain a livelihood, and to acquire power and riches in this world. Their very zeal and industry therefore is an argument against them.

What cruelty, what iniquity, what injustice in nature, to confine all our concern, as well as all our knowledge, to the prefent life, if there be another scene ftill waiting us, of infinitely greater confequence? Ought this barbarous deceit to be ascribed to a beneficent and wife Being?→ Obferve with what exact proportion the task to be performed and the performing powers are adjufted throughout all nature. If the reafon of man gives him great fuperiority above other animals, his neceffities are proportionably multiplied upon him; his whole time, his whole capacity, activity, courage, and paffion, find fufficient employment in fencing against the miseries of his present condition, and frequently, nay almost always are too flender for the bufinefs affigned them.-A pair of fhoes perhaps was never yet wrought to the highest degree of perfection which that commodity is capable of attaining. Yet it is neceffary, at least very ufeful, that there fhould be some politicians and moralifts, even fome geometers, poets, and philofophers among mankind. The powers of men are no more fuperior to their wants, confidered merely in this life, than thofe of foxes and hares are, compared to their wants and to their period of existence. The inference from parity of reason is therefore obvious.

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On the theory of the Soul's mortality, the inferiority of women's capacity is easily accounted for. Their domeftic life requires no higher faculties, either of mind or body. This circumftance vanishes and becomes abfolutely infignificant, on the religious theory: the one sex has an equal talk to perform as the other; their powers of reafon and resolution ought also to have been equal, and both of them infinitely greater than at present. As every effect implies a caufe, and that another, till we reach the first cause of all, which is the Deity; every thing that happens is ordained by him, and nothing can be the object of his punishment or vengeance. -By what rule are punishments and rewards diftributed? What is the divine ftandard of merit and demerit? Shall we suppose that human fentiments have place in the Deity? How bold that hypothefis. We have no conception of any other fentiments. -According to human sentiments, sense, courage, good manners, industry, prudence, genius, &c. are effential parts of perfonal merits. Shall we therefore erect an elyfium for poets and heroes like that of the ancient mythology? Why confine all rewards to one fpecies of virtue? Punishment, without any proper end or purpose, is inconfiftent with our ideas of goodness and justice, and no end can be ferved by it after the whole scene is closed. Punishment, according to our conception, should bear fome proportion to the offence. Why then eternal punishment for the temporary offences of fo frail a

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