that is, upon the common Apprehenfions of Mankind; and therefore abftracted metaphyfical Notions, beat out upon the Anvil of the Schools, can never fupport Natural Religion, or make any Part of it.

In this Point then Nature feems to be lame, and not able to fupport the Hopes of Immortality which the gives to all her Children. The Expectation of the Vulgar, that they fhall live again, and be just the fame Flesh and Blood which now they are, is justifiable upon no Principles of Reason or Nature. What is there in the whole Compass of Beings which yields a Similitude of Duft and Ashes rifing up again into regular Bodies, and to perpetual Immortality? On the other fide, that the intellectual Soul should be the whole Man, how justifiable foever it may be in other Refpects, yet 'tis not the common Senfe of Nature, and therefore most certainly no Part of Natural Religion.

But it may be worth inquiring how Nature comes to be thus defective in this material Point. Did not God intend Men originally for religious Creatures? and, if he did, is it not reasonable to expect an original and confiftent Scheme of Religion? which yet in the Point now before us feems to be wanting.

The Account of this we cannot learn from Reafon or Nature; but in the facred Hiftory the Fact is cleared beyond Difpute. The Abfurdity upon the common Notion of Immortality arifes from the Diffolution of the Body at Death; and the great Difficulty upon the Foot of Nature is how to preserve the Individuals for Judgment, which are evidently destroyed by Death. Now, if this Death was really a Breach upon the State of Nature, 'tis no wonder it should be a Difficulty in the Religion of Nature; for the Religion of Nature was moft certainly adapted to the State of Nature. And the Wife Man tells us, That God made not Death: For be created all Things that they might bave their Being; and the Generations of the World were healthful; and there is no Poison of Deftruction in them; nor the Kingdom of Death upon Earth; for Righteousness is immortal. But ungodly Men with their Works and Words called it to them. If Immortality was the Condition of the Creation, if Death came in as a Surprize upon Nature, no wonder if she ftands mute and aftonished at the fatal Change, and feems neither willing to part with her Hopes of Immortality, nor yet able to maintain them. Upon the Plan of Nature the common Notion of Immor

tality was the true one: For take Death out of the question, which is the only Separation of Soul and Body that we know any thing of, and there is no Pretence for distinguishing between the Man and the intellectual Mind. The Vulgar certainly retained the true original Notion of Nature; but, when the original State of Nature was loft, the Notion grew abfurd; and it could not be otherwise. God made Man immortal, and gave him confiftent Hopes and Fears: Man made himself mortal by Sin: Must not then those Hopes, which were confiftent Hopes upon the Foot of Immortality, become very abfurd, when joined to a State of Mortality? And thus the Coming in of Death obfcured the Hopes of Immortality.

Laftly, If we confider how our Saviour has enlightened this Doctrine, it will appear that he has removed the Difficulty at which Nature ftumbled. As Death was no Part of the State of Nature, fo the Difficulties arifing from it were not provided for in the Religion of Nature. To remove these was the proper Work of Revelation: These our Lord has effectually cleared by his Gospel, and fhewn us that the Body may and shall be united to the Spirit in the Day of the Lord, fo that the complete Man fhall stand

before

before the great Tribunal to receive a just Recompence of Reward for the Things done in the Body. This Account is given in the Words preceding thofe of the Text: Who bath abolished Death, and brought Life and Immortality to Light thro' the Gospel. Now, if the abolishing of Death was the bringing to Light Life and Immortality, it is plain that the Coming in of Death was that which darkened Nature in this great Point of Religion.

There are two Things, as we learn from our Saviour's Answer to the Sadducees, neceffary to confirm us in the Belief of a Resurrection to come; namely, the Knowledge of the Power of God, and of the Will of God: Do ye not therefore err, says our Lord, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the Power of God? The Scriptures contain the Revelation of the Will of God; and therefore the Words, I reckon, are to be understood as if he had faid, Ye err, not knowing the Will of God and the Power of God. If we are fatisfied in these two Points, that God both can and will raise the Dead, we shall want nothing to affure us of the Certainty of a Refurrection. The Power of God we may learn from Reason and Nature: For what fhould make us doubt

but

but that He, who at the firft formed Man out of Duft and Afhes into a living Soul, fhould be able to call him into Life again out of the fame State? But the Gospel has declared both his Will and his Power, which he confirmed in the raifing his own Son from the Grave; and better Evidence we could not have for the Poffibility and Certainty of a Resurrection. This Evidence of the Gospel has reinstated Nature in all her Hopes, confirmed her Right to Immortality, and taught her to triumph over Death and the Grave, which seemed before to be unmoveable Bars to all her Expectations. This has restored Religion, which had hardly one found Foot to ftand on, and made our Faith and our Reason confiftent, which were before at too great Distance. Nature indeed taught us to hope for Immortality; but it was in fpight of Sense and Experience, till the great Prince of our Peace appeared, who brought Life and Immortality to Light through his Gospel.

VOL. I.

P DISCOURSE