SERMON X.

PROOFS OF IMMORTALITY FROM REASON.

II TIM. i. 10.

"And hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

FROM these words it is not meant to be inferred, that, independently of the gospel, men have no intimations of a future state, but only that these intimations are dark and obscure, and that our Saviour brought this important truth into full light and certainty. On a point of so much consequence, it is useful to collect proofs from every quarter, from natural reason as well as from revelation; and, indeed, it is only by comparing together those different sources of information, that we can justly appreciate the value of that knowledge with which Christianity has supplied us.

Let us then begin with the light of nature, and see how far it will lead us to the sublime conclusion, that we are immortal beings; that this life is but the passage to another; and that the grave, with all its horrors, is the gate which opens on an eternal world.

Consider, first, the universality of this belief; that, in some shape or other, it is to be found among all na

tions; that men have always looked beyond the tomb, and have never been able to reconcile themselves to the notion, that death was the eternal termination of their existence. Whence this belief? How should so prodigious a supposition have fastened itself so closely to the mind of a being who is only of yesterday, and who to-morrow may be laid in the dust? What is there in this span of life, which could thus lead us to presume on an eternity? From a scene which promises so little, whence should those mighty expectations arise?

In vain will it be said, that man is at all times chimerical; that his imagination is ever stretching beyond the real state of his condition; that he hopes and fears he knows not what; and that no regular conclusions can be drawn from the extravagant opinions into which he runs. Man, no doubt, is subject to many illusions of the fancy, and perhaps seldom sees any truth clearly and as it is; yet it is a maxim of the wise, that no opinion can gain a steady and permanent footing in the human mind, which has not some foundation in reality, with whatever errors it may happen to be mixed. Accordingly, the universal belief of men is considered to be a good argument in proof of the existence of God, although, no doubt, the most extravagant and foolish notions have in all ages and countries connected themselves with that belief. The truth is, that all opinions which refer to religion point at something so far above the condition of man in this world, that it is impossible to conceive how his attention should ever have been at all turned to such speculations, unless it were from the voice of nature speaking within him. How should a being who begins in weakness and childhood, who pass

es his best days in toil and anxiety, and who, at last, decays in old age,-how should such a being ever lift his thoughts to the great overruling Intelligence, whose unceasing watchfulness regulates the government of worlds? How should he carry his presumption so far, as to believe that he shall participate in that eternal existence which he ascribes to God? The human imagination is indeed extravagant; but if this opinion were not founded in nature and truth, it would be such a pitch of extravagance, that it could never have derived the smallest plausibility from the most beautiful colouring of the most fanciful poet. How, then, should there be "no speech nor language where its voice is not heard?"

But, secondly, this opinion, that the soul is immortal, does not rest merely on a vague and unaccountable be. lief; there are many circumstances which strongly confirm it. Man perceives that he has faculties greatly above his condition here. The great ends of human existence in this world might be answered by the operation of those instincts which belong to the brutes. The lower animals live, continue their species, taste of the enjoyments which life affords, and then sink quietly into the dust from which they were taken. Why should man have the faculty of reason, if this part of his nature is destined to perish? What are the mighty operations in which that faculty is employed here, that could not, in many instances, be performed more fully by the instincts of the lower animals? They all know the rethods of acquiring their food, of forming their places of shelter, of defending themselves from their enemies, and every thing besides that is requisite for their well-being.

Man knows none of those things from nature, but is gifted with a power by which he acquires that knowledge for himself. Yet he feels that this power is much more important in itself than in its effects, and that none of the uses to which he can now apply it are adequate to its extent and capacity. He feels that he is in possession of a faculty to whose operations his fancy can set no bounds, which is adapted for every part of the universe equally with this world in which he exists at present, and which he cannot conceive doomed to perish, as long as the universe itself is under the guidance of reason.

But the principal argument which has at all times led men to the belief of a future state, has been founded on the observation of the imperfect distribution of rewards and punishments in this life; of the misfortunes to which the good are subjected, and the frequent prosperity of the wicked. No one who believes in the existence of a supreme Governor of the universe, can entertain a doubt that virtue is agreeable, and that vice is hateful to him; that he loves those who persevere in the ways of righteousness; and that he looks with abhorrence on the workers of iniquity. It is therefore reasonable to expect, that he will reward the one, and punish the other; that the righteous will be exalted to honour, and that the wicked will be brought low and debased. There are, in the present course of God's providence, many intima. tions that such is the plan of his proceedings: the good are certainly even now happier than the wicked, and are also, for the most part, more certainly and substantially prosperous; but still there are very great exceptions to this general rule; and one thing is evident, that there is never an exact proportion observed between a man's

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merits and his fortune. Nothing, indeed, can be clearer, than that the present life can, in no way, be reckoned a state of retribution. A state of trial it is, and frequently the virtue of good men is tried with great severity; but if there is no future state of retribution, the trial would be in vain. This observation naturally suggests the belief, that in this world we see nothing more than the beginning of the divine government; that the evils permitted to fall on the good are designed to try their faith, and to strengthen their virtuous habits; while the advantages enjoyed by the wicked are merely delusive, and will not at all exempt them from meeting at last with the punishment which is their due.

Suppose the present life to be our all, and certainly the higher exertions of virtue have no adequate motive. It would be sufficient to live with that decency and attention to character which are necessary for our peace and security among men. A man who would give up any pleasure, or worldly good, for the sake of virtue, would be a loser by the exchange. Or, granting that virtue is always in a great measure its own reward, yet why should a good man suffer any thing? Why should not a marked distinction be made between him and the wicked? Why should the good ever have grounds for complaining, with David, " that they have cleansed their heart in vain, and washed their hands in innocency; for all day long have they been plagued, and chastened every morning?"-Why should they have occasion to be "envious at the foolish, when they see the prosperity of the wicked," that "they are pot in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men; therefore, pride compasseth them about as a chain, violence cover