42 THE PROOF Or A SEPARATE STATE. bring them back from .a state of happiness into such a miserable world as this? Answer 1. Since these souls were designed to be soon res- tored to their bodies, And the persons were to be raised to a mortal life again in a few days, it is probable they were kept just in the same state of immemorial consciousness, as the soul is in while the body is in the deepest sleep ; and so were not imme- diately sentto heaven or hell, or determined lo a state of sensible - happiness or misery. Then when the person was raised to life again, there was no remembrance of the intermediate state, but all the consciousness of that day or two vanished, and were forgotten for ever, as it is with us when we sleep soundly with- out dreaming. Answer 2. If those, who were raised by Christ, or the pro- phets, or the apostles were pious persons, they submitted by the will of God, to a longer continuance in this world, amidst some difficulties and sorrows, which submission would be abundantly recompensed hereafter. If they were not good persons, their renewed life on earth was a reprieve from punishment. So there was no injury done to any of them. As for those, who were raised at the resurrection of Christ, and were seen by many per- sons in the holy city, there is no doubt but they were raised to immortality, and ascended to heaven when Christ did, as part of his triumphant attendants, and went to dwell with him in the heavenly state. Objection X. If the martyrs and confessors were to be partakers of the first resurrection, in Rev. xx. 4, 5. would not this be a punishment, instead of a blessing, to be called from the immediate presence of God, and Christ, and angels, to he re- united to bodies on earth, and dwell here again with men ? Therefore, it seems more probable, that the souls of these holy martyrs, had no such separate existence or enjoyment of happiness. Answer. Perhaps neither that text, nor any others in the bible, foretel the resurrection of any number of persons to an animal earthly life again in this world ; perhaps that prophecy means no more, than that the cause of Christ and religion, for which men were martyred and beheaded heretofore, shall rise again in the world, and the professors of it, in that day, shall be in flourishing circumstances, for a thousand years, or a very long season : So that, in prophetic language, these words do not signify the saine individual martyrs or confessors, but their successors in the same faith and practice. Or, if there should be any resurrection of good men to an animal life in this world, foretold by the prophets, and intended by the great and blessed God, I doubt not but they would be here so far separated from the wicked world, where sins and sorrows reign, that it would
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