SECTION III: 17 for a time, as the scripture often describes death : But the soul Cannot be thus laid to sleep for a time, with its substance still ex- isting, for that would be to have no pre - eminence above the body, which is contrrry to this assertion of our Saviour. II. Luke xvi. 22 -28. " The beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried, and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and said, father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to my father's house, that he may testify to my brethren, lest they come also into this place of torment." I grant that this ac- count of the rich man and the beggar, is but a parable, and yet it may prove the existence of the rich man's soul, in a place of torment, before the resurrection of the body. 1. Because the existence of souls, in a separate state, whilst ether men dwell here on earth, is the very foundation of the whole parable, and runs through the whole of it. The peor man dieci, and his soul was in paradise. The rich man's body was buried, and his soul was in hell, while his five brethren were here on earth, in a state of probation, and would not hearken to Moses and the prophets. 2. Because the very design of the parable is to shew, that a ghost sent from the other world, whether heaven or hell, to wicked men, who are here in a state of trial, will not be sufficient to convert them to holiness, if they reject the means of grace, and the ministers of the word. The very design of our Saviour seems to be lost, if there be no souls existing in a separate state. A ghost, sent from the other world, could never be supposed to have any influence to convert sinners in this world, even in a parable, if there were no such things as ghosts there. The rich man's five brethren could have no motive to hearken to a ghost, pretending to come from heaven or hell, if there were no such things as ghosts, or separate souls, either happy or miserable: Now, surely, if parables can prove any thing at all, they must prove these propositions, which are both the foundation, and the design of the whole parable. 3. I might add yet further, that it is strange, that our Sa- viour should should so particularly speak of angels carrying the soul of a man, whose body was just dead, into heaven, or para- dise, which he calls Abraham's bosom ; if there were no such state, or place, as a heaven, for separate souls ; if Abraham's . soul had no residence there, no existence in that state ; if angels had never any thing to do in such an office. What would the Jews have said, or thought of a prophet come from God, who had taught his doctrines to the people in such parables, as had scarce any sort ,t foundation in the reality,' or nature of things. But you will say, the Jews had such an opinion current VOL. vu. B
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=