actually faints in heaven, as Elias, Enoch, Mofes and fuch as are mentioned in fcripture wholly tranflated to heaven. a And, God is the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, a God of the living and not of the dead. Math. xxii. 32. So that they were undoubtedly alive in heaven; nay, our Saviour feems to intimate as much to his apoftles, his felect fervants, that they should immediately after death be conveyed to their master.

e

He is even inclined to think infants may be admitted, because of their fuper-eminent innocence and goodness. i

Thefe inftances, of thofe really admitted, give us no proof, that it fhall be fo in the common courfe of mankind, yet they may be of ufe as examples to excite us to a strict piety, and entire godly life, that we also may become the favourites of heaven, and be exalted to glory and eternal happiness before the day of Judgment, if by the converfation of our lives we may deferve to be fo, immediately after death.

Now if it fhould be plain, that the prayer of our Lord, John xvii. 24. (which Dr. Coward

P. 328. Compare Search after Souls. Vol, II. Observations on Nichols. P. 50, 51. i P. 423

e P. 333.

• P. 334.

Coward thought did encourage fuch expectation in his apostles,) will as properly encourage ALL that believe on him, through their word; then the whole of his hypothefis will have little fupport, respecting the Soul's materiality and mortality. And yet, if we attend to the text, ver. 20. to the end of that chapter, it seems evident, that all chriftians may have equal expectations, if they are but confiftent and holy in their profeffion.

This learned man thinks he has done much, in fhewing, that the feveral languages, in which the scriptures were written, use the fame word for life and breath, as they do for foul and fpirit. But what is there in all this, when he confeffeth, that it is also used by way of eminence frequently to exprefs, the LORD himself. Might we not then reason thus, if it may be so applicable, it will not thence conclude the material and mortal fenfe of the word; but may as well denote, in man, that fupreme principle or governing power of reafon and intelligence. And his application of the term, does not appear to

a Againft which, confult Mr. STEFFE's two Letters, &c. e P. 179. of Second Thoughts.

be a fenfe of life, which will be confiftent with fuch a declaration as that, John xii. 25. He that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal! And with ch. v. 24. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, bath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is paffed from death to life. The mechanical hypothefis does not seem to correspond well with fuch declarations.

It is true, this Philofopher offers two inftances of natural reafon, in order to fhew, upon what level the brutes may be put with man, viz. 1. The contriving and defigning to find out proper ways and means to support the continuance of life, they are endowed with. This prompts every living creature to feek food for its fupport and fuftinance, as foon as it receives breath almoft. And,

2dly The avoiding and shunning of danger, by which means that life they propofe to fupport, may be defended and fecured from injury or violence.-Hence all acts of reafon or reafoning indifpenfably flow from, and are the neceffary properties of life.

a P. 148.

But

But is there not a specifical difference between these principles and the five which follow? viz.

1. When a thing may be faid to be correSpondent to right reafon, from its agreeablenefs or difagreeableness to a rational nature. 2. When a thing has no moral turpitude in it.

3. When the right of nature is not repugnant to it.

4. When the thing appears honeft, and more elegible than its contrary or oppofite part; as in the place of matrimony, putting incest and concubinage; which ought to be rejected, though formerly they were allowed not to be repugnant to the law of nature.

5. When a creature acts by proper means to obtain his enda

It is prefumed, that these dictates of right reafon will not be equally applicable to the man and to the brute. And here I would obferve,

It is extremely obvious, that the defenders of the materiality and mortality of the Soul, feem to be generally fond of MYSTERY! though they plead for the more

eafy conception, as an argument in defence of their own hypothefis. The mortality of human Soul, though united fpiritually to the body, most agreeable to a rational nature— most easy to be comprehended and understood, and has more probable grounds of truth than the immortality.

And yet, We account and justly too, the hypoftatic union, above the reach of our underftanding, and the union of God and man in Chrift Jefus, a mystery worthy our adoration, and as a myfiery to demand our belief.

e

If two distinct perfonalities or consciousneffes, may be reducible to one individual perfon or consciousness; we may much more eafily allow, the conjunction of body and foul to be the union of an immortal, immaterial fpirit, with a mortal, material body."

That a man generates the rational Soul, is nevertheless, not fo clear a point; because the order is this, As foon as life or foul was implanted in matter, the next thing conceivable to be the product of that life, must be fenfe or fenfation, for an animal must in priority of nature be fenfible, before he can be called rational;

a P. 150.

e P. 176.

there