both in body and soul, in his eternal and everlasting glory."* Dr. ISAAC BARROW, on the same subject, entertains the same opinion: "It is a most certain truth," says he, "that our Saviour's soul did immediately go into the place appointed to receive happy souls, after their recession from the body." Wherefore, according to this eminent divine, the place here mentioned must be the paradise spoken of by Christ, where he assured the dying penitent he should that day be with him: a place, denominated by the Greek word Ads, Hades; by the Hebrew N, Sheol; by the Saxon HELLE, Helle,-participle HELLED, hidden, covered, concealed; denoting an invisible place, or concealed abode. On which account, we say, in the Apostles' Creed, that the Spirit of Christ descended into Hell; not the place of lost reprobated creatures, but the place of safety for separated souls. * Burial Service.-Bishop Smalridge, in a Sermon on the intermediate state, &c. Dr. WHITBY, on the same subject, says, "According to the doctrine of all the ancients, the souls of pious men are assumed into the highest heavens, or the immediate presence of God and of Christ, instantly upon their departure hence: but, in the mean time, that is, between death and judgment, are in the place appointed for them, aga TM Kupiw, with the Lord; i. e. with him in paradise; where they enjoy the sight and conversation of their Saviour by way of vision. For Paul and the rest of the apostles, saith Polycarp, are in the place appointed for them with the Lord. Not only in heaven, saith Ireneus, but in paradise also, our Saviour shall be seen, as men are worthy to behold him. So, likewise, Pseudo Justin asserts, that the souls of the just go to paradise, and there converse with Christ by vision." These great orthodox authorities, in favour of the continued existence of the soul after death, in a state of bliss, though not of supreme bliss, as they shew that the season of probation will then have ceased with the righteous; so will it, in like E manner, have ceased with the wicked. Their respective states will then be unalterable: for "there is neither work, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave," practicable by the body in that land where all things are forgotten. This conclusion is in perfect accordance with St. Paul, who assures us that, at the day of judgment, our destination to reward or punishment will not depend on any thing the unbodied spirit can do, but on what was previously done by us, while in our different spheres of action in this present world. We have also seen, that it is accordant with the sublimely awful words of Jesus Christ: "the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth: they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation!" A text, which the learned Paley says, excels all the knowledge and learning in the universe; a text, which we ought to carry about with us in our thoughts; daily remember, and daily reflect upon, not only at church, not only at our devotions, but in our business, our pleasures, in whatever we intend, plan, or execute. It teaches, beyond contradiction, that all does not end here; that our happiness or our misery is not over at our death; that a new state of things will begin with every one of us; and the grand question to be asked is, who are to be happy, and who will be miserable in that new state? This text satisfies us completely on that head. The issue of life and death is put upon our conduct. That is made the test we are to be tried by. God grant that, seriously pondering these solemn truths in our hearts, we may so faithfully serve him in this life, that we fail not finally to attain his heavenly promises, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord! SECTION VIII. If the materialist's notion, of a dead soul in a dead body, be correct, what are we to understand by these words of St. Paul-" For which cause we faint not: but, though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day;" that is, the soul increases in vigour, after the body is mouldering in the grave; just as a prisoner feels himself more light and active, after he is freed from the weight of his chains. By the outward man, St. Paul evidently means the body; and that, he says, will perish: by the inward man, he as evidently means the soul, the invisible and better part of our nature; which, so far from perishing, he says, is unsusceptible of natural corruption or decay; deriving, as he affirms in the following verse, even from the afflictions of the body," a far more exceeding and eternal |