It has been indeed objected against the plain sense of this text, that the spirits of the just or good men are not yet made perfect in heaven, because the same Apostle, Heb. xi. 39, 40. says, "These all, (i. e. the saints of the Old Testament,) having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promises, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect:" Now these had been dead for many generations, yet they received not the promises nor were made perfect. Thus saith the objection.

But the evident meaning of this text is, that they lived and died in the faith of many promises, some of which were to be fulfilled after their days here on earth, but were not fulfilled in their life-time: they did not enjoy the privileges and the blessings of the gospel of the Messiah in that perfect manner in which we do since the Messiah is actually come and has fulfilled these promises, and by his death, or offering himself,' as the same apostle expresses it, "for ever perfected them that are sanctified," Heb. x. 14. But all this does by no means preclude their existence and happiness in a Separate State as 'spirits made perfect,' i. e. in a perfect freedom from all sin and sorrow; though it is probable this very state of comparative perfection might have several degrees of joy added to it at the ascension of Christ, and will have many more at the resurrection from the dead.

VIII. 2 Pet. i. 13. "I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put

off this my tabernacle." Here it is evident that the person who thinks it meet to stir up' Christians to their duty, has a tabernacle belonging to him, and which he must shortly put off. The soul or thinking principle of the Apostle Peter, which is here supposed to be himself, is so plainly distinguished from the tabernacle of the body in which he dwelt for a season, and which he must put off shortly, that it most evidently implies an existence of this thinking soul very distinct from the body, and which will exist when the body is laid aside. Surely the conscious being and its tabernacle or dwelling place are two very distinct things, and the conscious being exists when he puts off his present dwelling.

After all these arguments from Scripture, may I be permitted to mention one which is derived partly from reason and partly from the sacred records, which seems to carry some weight with it.

The doctrine of rewards and punishments in a Separate State of souls hath been one of the very chief principles or motives whereby virtue and religion have been maintained in this sinful world throughout all former ages and nations, and under the several dispensations of God among men, until the resurrection of the body was fully revealed: Now, it is scarce to be supposed that such a doctrine, which God, in the course of his providence, hath made use of as a chief principle and motive of religion and virtue, through all the world which had any true virtue, and in all ages before Christianity, should be a false doctrine. Let us prove the first proposition by a

view of the several ages of mankind and dispensations of religion.

The Heathens, who have had nothing else but the light of nature to guide them, could have no notion at all of the resurrection of the body; and therefore, not only the wisest and best of them, but perhaps the bulk of mankind among the Gentiles, at least in Europe and Asia, if not in Africa and America also, who have been taught by priests, and poets, and the public opinions of their nation, and traditions of their ancestors, have generally supposed such a Separate State after this life, wherein their souls should be rewarded or punished, except where the fancy of transmigration prevailed; and even these very transmigrations into other bodies, viz. of dogs, or horses, or men, were assigned as speedy rewards or punishments of their behaviour in this life.

Now, though this doctrine of immediate recompences could not be proved by them with certainty and clearness, and had many follies mingled with it, yet the probable expectation of it, so far as it hath obtained among men, hath had a good degree of influence through the conduct of common providence, to keep the world in some tolerable order, and prevent universal irregularities and excesses of the highest degree; it hath had some force on the conscience to restrain the enormous wickedness of men.

The patriarchs of the first ages, whose history is related in Scripture, had no notion of the resurrection of the body expressly revealed to them that we can find; and it must be the hope of such a state of

recompence of their souls after death, that influenced their practice of piety, if they were not informed that their bodies should rise again.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, had no plain and distinct promise of the resurrection of the body; yet it is said, Heb. xi. 14. " They received the promises," that is, of some future happiness, "and embraced them, and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on earth, whereby they plainly declared, that they sought some other country, i. e. an heavenly, and God hath prepared a city for them." What city, what heavenly country can this be, which they themselves sought after, but the city or country of Separate Souls or paradise, where good men are rewarded, and God is their God, if they had no plain promises or views of a resurrection of the body? And indeed they had need of a very plain and express promise of such a resurrection, to encourage their faith and obedience, if they had no notion or belief of a Separate State, or a heavenly country, whither their souls should go at their death.

Job seems to have some bright glimpses of resurrection in chap. xixth, but this was far above the level of the dispensation wherein he lived, and a peculiar and distinguishing favour granted to him under his uncommon and peculiar sufferings.

In the institution of the Jewish religion by Moses, there is no express mention of a resurrection, and we must suppose their hope of a future state was chiefly such as they could gain from the light of nature, and learn by traditions from their fathers, or from un

written instructions. For, though our Saviour improves the words of God to Moses in the bush, “I am the God of Abraham," &c. so far as to prove a resurrection from them, yet we can hardly suppose the Israelites could carry it any further, than merely to the happiness of Abraham's soul, &c. in some Separate State; and thence came the notion of departed souls of good men "going to the bosom of Abraham."

I grant that David in his Psalms, Isaiah and Daniel in their prophecies, have some hints of the resurrection of the body; but this doth not seem to have been the common principle or support of virtue and goodness, or a general article of belief among the Jews in the early ages.

In the days of the later prophets, and after their return from Babylon, I confess the Jews had some notions of a resurrection; but they also retained their opinion of the "righteous souls being at rest with God" in a Separate State before the resurrection. See the book of Wisdom, chap. iii. 1, 2, 3, 4. "The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction; but they are in peace; for, though they be perished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality, and iv. 7. Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet they shall be in rest."

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