SECT. V.1 PROOF OF A SEPARATE STATE. 323, in the world : And, especially; since, in ancient times, there was much darkness upon this doctrine of the future state, and many good men had not so clear a' knowledge of it. Long life was also a blessing to wicked men, be- cause it kept them in a state, wherein there were. some comforts, and withheld them, for a season from the pu nishments of the separate state. Death was, doubtless. a punishment and a curse, when it was first brought ,into human nature by the sin. ofAdam, as it cut -off mankind from the blessings of this life, and plunged him into a dark and unknown state : And if he were a wicked man, it plunged him into cer- tain misery. But since the blessings of the future state of happiness for good men are more clearly revealed, long life is :not. so very great a blessing, nor death so great a punishment to good men; for death is sanctified by the covenant of grace, to be an introduction of their souls into the sepa- rate state of happiness, and the curse is turned, in some respect, into a blessing. Objection VIII. Was it not supposed to be a great privilege to Enoch and Elijah, when they were translated without dying? But what advantage could it be to either of them to carry a body with them to heaven, if their souls could act without it? I answer, when Enoch and Elijah carried their bodies to heaven with them, it was certainly a sublime honour, and a peculiar privilege, which they enjoyed, to have so early a happiness, both in flesh and spirit conferred upon them, so many ages before the rest of mankind: For though the soul can act without the body, yet as a body is part of the compounded-nature of-man, our hap- piness is not designed to be complete, till the soul and 'bodyare united in a state of. perfection and glory. And this happiness was conferred earlyon those two favourites of heaven. Objection IX. Was it not designed as a,favour, when persons were raised from the dead, under the Old Tes- tament or the New, .by the prophets, by Christ, and by his apostles?. But what benefit could 'this be-to them, if they had consciousness and enjoyment in the other world? Was it not rather an injury, to bring them back Ì
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