SECTION V. 45 Objection XV. Is not our immortality in scripture, des- cribed as built upon the incorruptible state of our new- raised bodies.; 1 Cor. xv. 53. as This corruptible must put on ineor- ruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." But the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is not particularly found, or taught in scripture. Answer. It is granted that the immortality of the new - raised body is built on that incorruptible sort of materials, of which it is to be formed, or which shall be mingled with it, or the incor- ruptible qualities which shall be given to it by God himself : But the soul is immortal in itself, whether with or without a body : And he that can read all those texts of scripture which have been before made use of in this essay, wherein the existence of the spirit after the death of the body is so plainly expressed, and cannot find the " immortality of the soul" in them, or the " spirit's capacity ofexistence in a separate state from the body, "' must be left to his own sentiments to explain and verify the ex- pressions of Christ and his apostles some other way : Or he must acknowledge that their expressions are somewhat ineautious and dangerous, since it is evident, they lead thousands and tern thousands of wise and sober readers, into this sentiment of the soul's immortality. Whether the soul in its own nature be necessarily immortal is a point of philosophy, and not to be sought for directly in scrip- ture : But whether the great God the Governor of the world, has not appointed souls to exist in a separate state of happiness or misery after the bodies are dead, seems to me to be so plainly determined in many of the scriptures which have been cited, att leaves no sufficient reason to doubt of the truth of it. To conclude, though I think the doctrine of the separate state of souls to be of much importance in christianity, and that the denial of it carries great inconveniences, and weakens the motives to virtue and piety, by putting of all manner of rewards and punishments at such a distance as the general re- surrection, yet I dare not contend for it as a matter of such absolute necessity, that a man cannot be a christian without it. But this must be confessed, that they who deny this doc- trine, seem to have need of stronger inward zeal to guard them against temptation, and to keep their hearts always alive and watchful to God and religion, since their motives to strict piety and virtue are sensibly weakened, by renouncing all belief of this nearer and more immediate commencement of heaven and hell.
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