24. fit, the Reconciliation and Reftoration of the Chance. Yet as refpecting the Period concerning which we are now speaking, I do not affert, that the World as we now fee it was formed out of nothing, and that Man was made of nought; but I affirm, that that very Matter out of which this World was formed, was præ-existent to the Formation of the Earth, and to the Creation of Man, was a Dungeon for the Punishment of the Lapfed Angels, and the Place of their Refidence. Sixthly, We now proceed to take Notice of the Creation of Adam. The facred Text fays, Gen. i. 27. That God created Man in his own Image, in the Image of God created be him. What is here to be understood concerning the Image or Likeness of Man to God muft relate to the Spirituality of Adam, and not to his Body. And this is plain from the Words of St. John, who fays, John iv. God is a Spirit. It is allowed, that Man as to his fpiritual Nature is created after the Image or Similitude of God, and if thefe Angels do actuate the Bodies of Men, then it may justly be faid, In the Image of God created be him. The facred Record in giving a further and more plain Account of the Creation of Man, fays, And the Lord God formed Man of the Duft of the Ground, and breathed into his Noftrils, the Breath of Life; and Man became a living Soul. It is obfervable, that the Breath of Life was diftinct from Man's Body, and that it was præ exiftent to its Union with the Body. Give me leave to annotate on the Words thus; "And the Lord God who had expelled the apoftate Angels, being full of Compaffion, Mercy, Juftice and Forgiveness, was determined to establish a Way for the Punishment, Probation and Redemption of them, created created or formed out of the Earth, a Body, a Place proper for their Imprisonment, Probation, and Punishment; for the Body is no other than the Prison of the Soul, its Clog, its Place of Confinement. Rebellion being punishable with Death, the Body dies, and by that Means punishes the Soul. But this Body made a fit Place for Punishment, for Temptation, for Probation and for Redemption was by the Command of God actuated by one of the apoftate Angels in order to his Return to the State from whence he fell. I fhall not here pass over the Opinion of fome of the Learned, who have imagined, that God created a Stock of Souls in the fix Days of his Creation that fhould actuate Bodies to the End of Time, agreeable to that of Moses; In fix Days the Lord made the Heaven and the Exod. xiz Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, This Hypothefis of the fallen Angels taking Flesh, being adopted for Truth, God in a literal Senfe finished the Creation in fix Days, and it is more reasonable to fuppofe, that the fallen Angels are this Stock of Souls, which they imagine to be created within that Period, than that fuch a Number of new created Souls fhould then be made to actuate Bodies not yet in Being, no otherwife than by the Laws of Procreation. Seventhly and Laftly, The Hypothefis I have advanced fays, this Place we inhabit is Hell. If any one therefore fhould ask, What are the Pu-. nithments we endure? I think they are obvious, Dread, Fear, Famine, Peftilence and Death (z), Punishments E 2, (z) Let the many Difeafes, Cafualities, Torments and Pu nifhments, the many Diftreffes and Perplexities in Life we are fubject to in this Globe be duly and maturely confidered, and 1 nifhments fitly affimilized by Fire and Brimftone, and the Worm that never dies. But you will ask, What Punishments will thofe undergo who after the End of Death, or after all our Bodies fhall be deftroyed, have not attained fuch Perfections as are p'æ-requifite to their Admittance into the Manfions of Eternity? I anfwer, that the Scripture fays, they shall be caft into outer Darkness. By which is meant no other Punishment than this: That those who have neglected to embrace the Overtures of Salvation will remain in this Globe when it fhall again be a confused Place, as it was before the Creation of Man, when the Sun fhall not give its Light, and the Moon and Stars be no more, and be then in the fame unhappy State under the more immediate Power of Lucifer, as when the Earth, 1x L this Hell, was without Form and void, .::Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep. What greater Punishment can there be then to be expelled Heaven. This is eternal Punish ment. and A$ I believe it will be found, that they will give the main Characteristick of its being Hell. I fhall mention but three, from whence all the reft fpring: 1. The Irregularities which are committed in the Propagation of our Species. The many Diftempers and great Inconvenciences which naturally flow from hence are innummerable, and fo very obvious, that every Family can teftify the Truth of this our Unhappinefs. And they may juftly be accounted Punishments in Hell, and even Fire and Brimftone, and the Worm that never dies. Were I to trace the Mifery we are fubject to from this Caufe, I could Thew, that it is the Source of all our Diseases, the Fountain of those Pains, Tortures, &c. with which the Woman breeds, and brings forth her Child. A Punishment which the Righ teous Antidiluvians were ignorant of. 2. The Ufe of Money. This (tho' in the unhappy Circumftances in which we now are involved can never be remedied) is the Bane of our Hap piness, As to those who argue for a material Fire in Hell after Death, they talk as if God was to work a Miracle to fupport the Bodies of the Damned that by this material everlafting Fire was continually to be affaulted. But as this is abfurd and ridiculous, and no one can rationally fuppofe, that fuch Sort of Punishments will be prepared for the Damned, it is fufficient to Fay, That it lies upon the Advocates for this monstrous Dogma to prove, F. That Materiality is capable of an everlafting Duration, or to prove, that the Body is eternal in its own Nature, and that Fire and Brimftone are Things of that Compofition, that they will never decay, and confequently are equal to Angels themfelves, immortal. 2. They must prove, that as the Bodies of Men, after Death, according to their own Maxim, will be rendered capable of an eternal Punishment in Fire and Brimftone, in the Lake that burneth for ever, that these Bodies will not receive the leaft Hurt or Damage therefrom; for if they do, they must de १ cay, piness, the Cause of Oppreffion, the Ruin of Society, and the Fountain of Mifery. In fhort, It is the Root of all Evil, and an Invention entirely diabolical. 3. Famines, Plagues, Pestilences and Epidemical Sickneffes may truly be reckoned among the Punishments of our Hell. Befides thefe, it will not be amifs here juft to remind the Reader, that there are alfo Political Punishments to which we are fubject, which will rightly confidered afford us another Reason for denominating our Earth Hell. See the Statefman counselling War with no other Defign than to keep Publick Taxes on Foot. Behold two Armies in the Field of Battle, each a Sacrifice to Politic Pride ;; fee them undermining and countermining, at length a Thou fand, perhaps, at one Puff blowed up into the Air, and their Bodies fhivered, in an Inftant, into innumerable Pieces, while thofe who contrived this Murder rejoyce at the Sight. The more I confider thefe Things, the more I am convinced this Earth is the Hell. cay, and then confequently fome time or other the Punishment will end; for all the material everlasting Punishments that Men and Devils can invent will not hurt or affect the Soul or Angel of a Man after his Separation from the Body. 3. They muft likewife make it appear, That the Souls of Men are fo effential a Part of the Created Human Being, that they cannot exift the one without the other, and then confequently after the Deceafe of any one, they must prove, that the Soul dies alfo, and that God after a While will raise them both up together on purpose to punish them for ever in Fire and Brimftone, in the Lake which burneth for ever, for a few Faults committed in a Handful of Years, which could not detriment the Divine Being, and for which while they were together in Life they received their Reward. I fay, thefe Things ought firft to be proved; nay, I must be excufed the Belief of the Doctrines of the Materiality and Infinity of Hell-Torments, till I fee better Arguments to fupport them than has hitherto appeared. But as thefe Things cannot rationally be expected, I venture to affirm, That the Fire which fhall punish all those who fhall be doomed to this Globe will be immaterial. And I fay Divines have invented thefe dreadful fcarecrow Doctrines with no other Defign than to fhew their Skill in Impofing on Mankind,(a) and to frighten (a) This Expreffion ought to be foftened, because it is probable, Divines did not apprehend, that the Excellency and intrinfic Worth of the Gospel of Chrift, and the Hopes of gaining Heaven on the one Hand, joyned with immaterial Punishments on the other, fufficient to procure the glorious Design of our God, the Salvation of Man. And therefore have wife |