certain, we can have no fatisfactory ideas of that which has no existence.

Notwithstanding this affurance, there will confeffedly be, more fafety and fincere pleasure in the distinct and precife ideas we form of our intellectual felves. The dignity and great intention of our rational powers will be more confpicuous, as we fhall enter with greater precifion into the divine scheme of rule and governThe more familiar we are

ment. with ourselves and the conftitutions of our Maker, the better established will be our ferenity and felf-enjoyment; which truth may be taken from the mouth of Eliphaz, Job. xxii. 21. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace: thereby GOOD shall come unto thee. And as Elibu advifeth, let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is GOOD. Job

A 4

Job xxxiv. 4. Or as Paul; Examine we ourselves---prove our own felves. I Cor. xiii. 5. Nor is the fubject of a future-state beyond the reach of chriftian knowledge; for the gofpel was written, that we might KNOW, that we have eternal life. 1 Joh. v. 13.

Perhaps, there are no subjects which are either more fcientific, more interesting, or more entertaining.

The method in which the furvey is conducted, lies in this direction.

Ch. I. Principia are taken from Dr. S. CLARKE'S letters to Dodwell: which give a clear idea of confciousness, and the metaphyfical argument for the foul's immateriality. Some estimate is made of thofe reprefentations.

Ch.

Ch. II. Dr. Coward's reafonings on the materiality of the human foul, as ftated in his fecond thoughts; remarked upon.

III. A capital branch of the Doctor's argument, in the former Volume of his Search after Souls; which affects, most apparently, the moral fyftem: critically confidered. IV. Obfervations, in Doctor RobinSon's philofophical and fcriptural inquiries; examined.

V. Extracts from Mr. BAXTER'S inquiry into the nature of the human foul, wherein the immateriality is evinced from principles of reafon and philofophy.—The ufe and importance of them, in the argument.

VI. Lemmata, or nine theological propofitions; which are supposed to have their fupport on the New Teftament

Teftament doctrine.

To which

is annexed, in contrast, Dr. Law's scheme, in his appendix, on which he would defend the fleeping hypothefis. VII. An effay to ascertain the real condition of the chriftian, during the mediatorial kingdom of Jesus : which neither fuppofes a ftate of fleeping, nor of feparation after death. The whole argument is offered, in confutation of the fcheme advanced by modern defenders of a fleeping-ftate.

VIII. Some moral and divine inftructions.

The interpretation in the essay may be fomewhat fingular; and therefore it is hoped all proper allowances will be made, and the attempt treated with candour, though it fhould be found

1

found to be no better than a conjectural plan; fince it aims at removing obfcurities, and reconciling the various fcriptural representation given of the doctrine.

That I have taken no more notice of Doctor Cow ARD'S Second Volume of his Search after Souls, is, because of its being chiefly polemical; and little in it additionally advanced, of weight to his reasoning in the fecond thoughts, and former volume of the Search, &c.

That fecond volume of the Search, &c. 4to. confifts, of

1. A reply to a letter dated August 15. 1702. and contains

pages.

112

2. Obfervations upon Doctor Nicholls's conference with a Theift.

contains 124 pages.