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ESSAIi'
TOWARD THE
[SECT.
V.
been
before proved,
by
many
scriptures cited
for
that
purpose.
Here,
let
it
be observed,
that
I
am
not concerned
in
that
question, whether human
souls,
separated from.their
bodies, have
any,
other corporeal
vehicle to which they
are
united,
or
by
which
they act,
during
the
intermedi-
ate
state
between death
and the
resurrection?
All
thàt.
I
propose
to
maintain
here
is,
that that
period or
inter-
val
is
not
a
state of
sleep,
that
is,
utter
unconsciousness
and
inactivity
:
And whether they be united
to
a
vehicle,
or
no,
I
call
it
still
the separate state,
because it
is
a
state of
the
soul's
separation
from
this body, which
is
-united to
it
in
the
present
life.
SECTION
V.
More
Objections answered.
Since
this
boOk was
written,
I
have met with several
other
objections against the
doctrine
here maintained
;
and,
as
I
think, they may
all have
a
sufficient answer
given to them,
and the
truth
be
defended against
the
-force
of
them,
I
thought it
very
proper
to
lead the
reader
into
a plain and
easy
solution
of
them.
Objection
VII.
Is
not
long
life
represented
often in
"scripture,
and
especially
in
the Old
Testament,
as
a bless-
ing to man
?
And
is
not death
set before
us
as
a
curse,
or punishment? But
can
either
of
these
representations
be
just
or true,
if
souls
exist
in a
separate state
?
Are
they
not
then brought into a state
of
liberty
by
death,
-end
freed from
all
the inconveniences
of
this
flesh
and
-blood
?
By
this
means
death
ceases to be
a punishment,
and long
life
to
be
a
blessing.
Answer.
It
is
according
as
the
characters
of
men
are
either
good or bad, and,
according
as
good
men know
more or
less
of
a
separate state
of
rewards
or
punish-
ments,
so
along
life,
or
early
death,
are
to be
esteem-
ed
blessings
or calamities
in
a greater or a
less
degree.
Long
life was
represented
as a
blessing to good
men,
in
as much as
it
gave
them
opportunity
to enjoy more
of
the
blessings
of
this life,
and
to,
do
more
service
for
God