and in all the relations which a reverent and earnest study of Scripture may suggest, would require at least a separate volume all that can be done in this place is, briefly to notice the principal texts and reasonings by which it may be established.

Scripture notices two principles as influencing the human will,-the flesh, and the spirit. To walk after the flesh is to sin, to walk after the spirit is to please God. Now they who walk after the Spirit, it is clear from Scripture, are not obeying the dictates of a purified human nature, nor, as some suppose,* of a particular part of it, namely of a "soul" or human spirit, which, once freed from the taint of original sin, is capable of guiding them aright, but of a higher principle, a Spirit extrinsic, superhuman, Divine. Even the Son of God, in whom dwelt no sin, who, though partaking of humanity, was in every part of his nature spotless and pure, thus declared concerning himself: "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do, for what things soever he doeth, these also doth the Son likewise. *** As the Father hath life in himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in himself. *** It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life. *** As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so

*Such is the error of the Anabaptists.

he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the Last Day.† *** I am the true vine. ** As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in Without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

me.

St. Paul bears ample testimony to the same vital truths. To the Romans, (chapter viii.) he says, "They that are in the flesh cannot please God. Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in youIf Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." And (1 Corinth. ii.) "What man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him; even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;" [for the natural man receiveth them not]. And (Galatians ii.) “ I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." And many

other passages to the same effect might be adduced: none, most certainly, to a contrary effect. Throughout the whole of Scripture not the slightest hint can be found of the existence, in

Raise up then surely something more precious than the bodies of His saints.

the human nature, of any immaterial part which is not fleshly and corrupt in itself. There is no third nature, we repeat, in addition to the "first man," which is of the earth and earthy, and the second man, which is the Lord from heaven.

But here a difficulty may appear to arise. If men are born of the Spirit in this world, if they receive now a nature which is not earthly, surely this nature must survive the decay of the first or natural man; and then the regenerate, though not the unregenerate, would become possessed of immortal souls. "The Scripture hath taught us that there are two principles in the Christian, distinguished by the names of the outward, and the inward man, the latter of which may be increasing in vigour, while the former is hastening to its dissolution. The inward principle is that which is born again in baptism; and being born of God is of a divine nature. Consequently whatever may be said for or against the natural immortality of the soul, this principle cannot be subject to death in common with that nature which is born of the flesh."* To this it may be sufficient to reply, that we have no reason to know or believe that this divine principle can subsist at all, as a separate, personal, individual thing, except in union with the conscious soul; but we should rather think that it does, and must of necessity, return-in a higher sense than the

*Jones' Dissertations, Vol. ii.

mere breath returns,--to God who gave it; and subsist just as it did before that human soul which it inspired was called into being. And had our Blessed Lord retained this spirit when in the grave, he would not have "commended it to his Father's hands," at the hour of his death.

CHAPTER III.

THE

ON THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.

HE Scriptures tell us plainly that on the Day of Judgement all the dead will rise again with their bodies. But they do not inform us, with equal clearness, what will be the condition of the soul of man between his death and resurrection.

They contain some passages which speak of an entrance into heavenly bliss, or into the torments of hell, as if no interval whatever was to elapse between death and judgement, but as if the final sentence was executed immediately on departure from this present world. And in many religious works and discourses departed Christians are represented as having actually "entered

* E. g. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgement." (Heb. ix.) and the Parable of Dives and La

zarus.

into their glory;" as if they were already partakers of the full beatitude of heaven itself. They who have avoided this error, which is completely subversive of the whole doctrine of resurrection unto judgement,-generally regard these passages as indicative of a previous judgement, and of intermediate states of happiness or misery; although it would seem more natural perhaps to conclude from them, that there was no interval between death and judgement worth considering, in consequence of the unconsciousness of the soul.

Again, the Scriptures sometimes obscurely reveal to us certain modes of existence beyond the grave, which yet seem to belong neither to heaven nor to hell, but to some different region, intermediate, it may seem, both in point of time, and of happiness or misery And these passages have afforded ample scope for the exercise of the inventive and speculative faculties, for the imagination, and for the affections; and seem to lighten up the cheerlessness of the grave with beams too welcome to be excluded, however feeble their radiance.

And again, in many places, the Scriptures speak of the grave as a region of darkness and unconsciousness, and of the dead as buried in sleep. And these passages, which are very numerous, are among those which have led to the

*Such as the account of the phantom of Samuel at Endor, and the appearance of Moses and Elias at the Mount of Transfiguration.