ly consistent with the grammatical construction of our language. Some reasons will now be given to show that the passage cannot be otherwise explained.

1. It would set this single passage in opposition to the rest of the Bible, as we have already shown.

2. Nothing can be gained, by supposing that Christ went after his death, and preached to the spirits in hell. If we admit it, what evidence have we, that one sinner ever repented under his preaching there? It is certain that he preached to many while on earth who did not repent.

3. No reason can be given why the Saviour should be said to preach in hell to the spirits that lived before the flood, and not a word about his preaching to any others.

In connexion with this, is another passage which is sometimes supposed to mean, that sinners are favoured with a day of trial after the present life. "For, for this cause, was the gospel preached to them that are dead." a The Apostle had been speaking of the unreasonable accusations of wicked men towards such as were real Christians, because they ran not with them to the same excess of riot. He then reminds them, that all must soon give an account to him, who is ready to judge the quick and the dead. “For, for this cause, was the gospel preached to them that are dead." That is, the gospel had been preached to those pious men, who were then dead, that they might experience the same censures and accusations from the men of this world, that the righteous did when the Apostle wrote his Epistle, but that they might live while they were subject to these reproaches, according to God in the Spirit, and thus be a standing reproof to their ac cusers. If we suppose, that the expression, “Might live according to God in the Spirit," refers to the life in the world of spirits, it alters nothing, since it is plain, that the time when

a 1 Pet. iv 6.

the gospel was preached to them, was, when they were subject to those evil censures, and of course, when they were in the present world. Thus it is plain, that a candid construction of these passages, shows that they perfectly agree with the rest of the Bible, and do not exhibit the slightest indication of any other state of trial beyond the present life. Passages which are supposed to imply that the wicked will be released from the prison of hell, will be explained in their proper place.

Q. Do the souls of men exist after death, previous to the resurrection?

A. The opinion, that the soul sleeps as well as the body, is taken, probably, from the fact, that each appears to be dependent on the other, and from passages of Scripture like the following: "For in death there is no remembrance of thee, From the in the grave, who shall give thee thanks?" a fact that the connexion between the mind and body is such, that one cannot suffer without affecting the other, there is a strong prejudice with many, in favour of the opinion that one cannot exist without the other. Another fact, differing however, but little from this, is, that the mind, in its general course, seems to keep pace with the body. When the body is young and active, so is the mind-when the body is old and feeble, the mind is so likewise. From this appearance, some, while they are convinced of the truth of the Bible, deem the opinion that the mind may exist without the body, as unphilosophical. In this way, many have been led to believe, that after death, the mind would continue to sleep till the resurrection. But if we look at this subject with care, we shall see that this argument is more spurious than solid. It is a fact, that the mind is sometimes most active, when the body is inactive; or at least, when its operations are only

a Ps, vi. 5.

Besides, it is a well-known one part of the body after

sufficient for the continuance of life. It is sometimes the case, that when the body is asleep, there are some faculties of the mind, which are very active. fact, that we may lose the use of another, till nothing but life remains, and yet the mind is not injured. But what forms the strongest presumption that the mind may exist without the body, is the subserviency of the body to the mind.

The body seems to be little else than a medium, or instrument, by which the mind accomplishes its designs, and makes itself known. If the mind wills to go to some other place, the body is the mere vehicle by which it moves. If the body be defective, if for instance one of the legs be lame, a staff answers the same purpose. And when our vision is imperlect, glasses become as real assistants to the mind, and are as really the instruments of conveying impressions to the mind, as the lens of the eye. By these remarks it is plain, that the body is the mere passive instrument, by which the mind accomplishes its purposes. How irrational to suppose, that the mind must cease to exist when it leaves the body, while the body itself remains! It may also be remarked, that the causes by which the life of the body is destroyed, do not affect the mind. If we watch the progress of an incurable disease, we shall see it constantly diminishing the powers of the body, but the mind remains uninjured to the last. Its conceptions are as clear-its emotions as strong, as they were in health. No dependence, therefore, can be placed upon that presumption, which is drawn from the connexion of the mind and body, that the former cannot exist without the latter. But this is a subject concerning which, we have no clear and decisive evidence, except what is drawn from the Scriptures. With regard to the passage we have already cited, and others of a similar character, they seem only to intimate, that in death,

Some of these

we shall cease to praise God on the earth. passages merely state that all opportunity to secure the favour of God, will end at death. But there are many declarations in the Bible, which it seems impossible to reconcile with this opinion, that the soul sleeps. The Sadducees, who denied the doctrine of the resurrection, endeavoured at a certain time, to entrap the Saviour in his words. They put to him a case, where seven brethren, according to the law of Moses, had been married to one woman, and desired to know which would be the husband of the woman at the resurrection. The Saviour in answer, after telling them they had erred, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, put them this question: "Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you, by God, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." a Now this argument, by which the Saviour silenced these Sadducees, has no weight, (for in fact the sentence has no meaning) unless those Patriarchs whom he named, were then exising in the spiritual world. Again, the Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Phillippians, tells them that he was in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which he considered far better for him; but for him to abide in the flesh, was needful for them. Again, the Saviour observed to the penitent thief, on the cross, "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." Again, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the Saviour remarks, "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: The rich man also died, and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments." d Again, "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house

с

a Mat. xxii. 23-33. b Phil. i, 23, 24. c Luke xxiii. 43, d Luke xvi. 19-.

which is from heaven." These passages, it is presumed, are sufficient to show what the voice of the Bible is on the subject.

Q. If it be admitted that the soul exists after the death of the body, and previous to the resurrection, does it go imme diately to its eternal destination?

A. From the aspirations of the Apostle Paul, it would seem, that he expected nothing short of a state of perfect happiness, immediately upon leaving the world. "We are confident, I say, and willing, rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord." a With this agree the passages that were quoted in answer to the former question: "I am in a strait betwixt twe, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." From these expressions, it is apparent, that if there be an intermediate state, it is one in which the saints will enjoy the immediate presence of the Saviour. On the other hand, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, would lead us to believe, that the entrance of the wicked into the prison of hell, would be as immediate as that of the righteous, to the presence of the Lord.

Q. If the righteous pass immediately to the presence of the Lord, and the wicked to the prison of hell, will not the day of judgment occasion a partial suspension of happiness in one case, and of misery in the other?

A. It is according to the general representation of the Scriptures, that mankind immediately at death, enter upon a state of retribution. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that, the judgment," b Now if we suppose that the case of every individual, is known and decided instantly on his entrance upon the future world, and that the judgment of the great day, will be a time when this decision will be publickly declared, this seeming difficulty vanishes at once.

a 2 Cor. v. 8. b Heb. ix, 27.