finefs to prove it, nor does the prefent Argument any Way ftand in need of it; fince it may both be material, and yet immortal, and on the other Hand mortal, altho' immaterial. If the former of thefe Pofitions is, call'd in Question, it may be easily prov'd from the Cafe of thefe our Bodies, which as the facred Writings moft exprefly teftify, fhall at the appointed Time be invested with Immortality. Nor need we look any farther for Proof of the latter Pofition, than to the Cafe, as allow'd by most of the Souls of Brutes, and who if matter cannot think, as fome contend for, must have immaterial Souls as well as we. As it is not therefore in the Power of Philofophy to determine this Point, or however to determine it with any Certainty, by any natural Arguments it can bring for it, and as we are bleft with a fo much furer Word of Prophecy, it must be both very unchriftian, and indeed unreafonable, to go about to decide an Affair by mere Philofophy, which we have a Book in our Hands will decide for us fo much better. Not that I mean we should foolishly reject as ufelefs, any Arguments Reafon affords for a future Exiftence, and which are many of them fuch, as are well worth our Confideration, and tho' not to be fet on a Par with those from Scripture, are yet doubtless of Ufe,

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Ufe, and may fometimes do very good Service to fuch as will hearken to no other Evidence, as well as help to ftrengthen the Faith of those that will. The Help of Reafon therefore is fo far ufeful, that how infufficient foever to make out the Souls Immortality, it yet affords notwithstanding fuch Proofs of fome future Existence, as may be of Use to confirm us at least in the general Faith of it, tho' it cannot extend to explain the particular Mode of it, which must be learnt, as before obferv'd, in a higher School, than mere Philofophy could ever boast of. But not to detain ourselves longer in canvaffing this Point, let us now go on to the Arguments fetch'd from Scripture, and let us confider and weigh them impartially.

The first Paffage you mention is where St. Paul tells the Corinthians, [ii. Cor. v. 8.] that we are willing rather to be absent from the Body, and prefent with the Lord. From which it is inferr'd that this Prefence with Christ must be at the Time of our Abfence from Body, and therefore cannot refer to the Time of the Refurrection; when we fhall be invefted with Bodies again. But admitting the Words, at firft Sight, feem to carry this Senfe in them, or that confider'd apart, as Philander obferv'd, they feem to favour it; yet who, as he says, that duly weighs the

Apoftles

Apostles Sentiments, both as exprefs'd in his Writings to this and other Churches, but muft plainly fee this cannot be his Meaning? fince even the Antediluvians, according to him, are not yet made perfect, nor shall be, as he fays without us.

It may be objected, I know, that they may not as yet be made perfect, and yet may be with the Lord notwithstanding? and therefore Dr. Whitby's Remark upon the Words is this, that " we have not only Confidence at his Appearance, but always even in Death itfelf, that tho' it renders us abfent from the Body, it will bring us Home to Chrift, and to a nearer Fruition of him. Only here note, (fays he) that according to the Doctrine of all the Ancients, the Souls of pious Men are not affum'd into the highest Heavens, or the immediate Presence of God and Chrift, inftantly upon their Departure hence, for thus only fhall we be ever prefent with the Lord, [1. Thef. iv. 16. 17.] when by the Power of God, at the last Trump, we shall be rais'd up to meet him in the Air; this Promise being made at his fecond Coming to receive his Difciples to himself, that where he is, they may be alfo. [John xiv. 3.] But yet, (as he adds) according to all Antiquity, the Souls of pious Men, in the mean Time, are in the Place appointed for them with the Lord, that

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that is with him in Paradife, where they enjoy the Sight and Converfation of their Saviour by Way of Vision: For Paul, and the rest of the Apoftles, fays Polycarp, are in the Place appointed for them with the Lord. Not only in Heaven, fays Irenæus, but in Paradife alfo our Saviour shall be seen, as Men are worthy to behold him. And this does PfeudoJuftin gather from this very Place, that the Souls of the Just go to Paradife, and converfe there with Chrift by Vifion."

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But how well foever this Senfe may agree with fome ancient Notions, it is after all but a very obfcure One, and fuch as we fhould not lay too great a Stress on. We are to be prefent (it fays) with Chrift, but not immediately, or fo as to enjoy the immediate Prefence of God and Chrift; for Chrift is in Heaven, and we are to be only in Paradife; but we are to fee and converfe with him by Way of Vifion, or he is to be Jeen as Men are worthy to behold him: that is, We are not really to be prefent with him, which it is here granted we shall not be till the Refurrection; hut are allow'd, I fuppofe, in the mean Time to dream of him, or to fee and converfe with him in fome unknown Manner, and to come to as near a Fruition as can be of Things at a Distance, or as Souls are capable of without

a

a Body. But is this throwing Light upon this Text of Scripture? or is it not either darkening it by Words without Knowledge? I must confefs I was once heretofore of the fame Opinion, but which too great a Regard for Antiquity led me into, rather than any circumfpect Examination. I was too eafily led, and prevail'd on by ancient Authority, to admit their Diftinction between Heaven and Paradife; but between which I am fatisfy'd now there is no more Difference than that acknowledged by our Friend Philander and that we do but dream of being with Chrift in Paradife, till, as exprefs'd by the penitent Thief, he comes into his Kingdom, or fits as King upon his Throne of Judg

ment.

In the Epistle St. John was order'd to fend to Ephefus, our Lord concludes it with this folemn Promife, [Rev. ii. 7.] To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradife of God and which that it relates to the last and final State of Things, and not to feparate immortal Spirits, to which we cannot in Reason fuppofe it of any Utility, must appear from comparing it with what we meet with of the Tree of Life in the divine Ferufalem. [Rev. xxii. 2. 14.] And if this be the Cafe, it is enough to fhew us, that this fo

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