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all these former evil things shall then have passed away. In this happy region, the righteousness, which the Paradise below the Sun was destined to reward, will dwell for ever. There the Tree of life blossoms, and bears anew and there Immortality flows again in the pure river of the water of life. There the sun no more goes down; neither does the moon withdraw itself; for Jehovah is the everlasting light of his children, and their God their glory. From that delightful world the Redeemer cries, Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me. Oh! that every heart present may answer, Even so, Come Lord Jesus. Amen.

SERMON XXIII.

THE SOUL NOT MATERIAL.

GENESIS ii. 7.

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

IN

my last discourse, I considered the creation of man, under these two heads,

1st. The character of the Creator; and,

2dly. The nature of the Being which was created.

Under the latter head, I observed, that man, the Being which was created, was composed of two entirely distinct parts, commonly termed the body and soul. Of the latter, I also observed, that it was a simple, uncompounded, immaterial substance: being in this respect, as well as in others, made in the image, or after the likeness, of God. This assertion, I regard as being the amount of that, which is contained in the text. I am well aware, that the text itself has been variously construed. Instead, however, of considering these different constructions, I shall attempt to settle the true meaning, by appealing directly to an interpreter, whose opinions will not be disputed. The Apostle Paul quotes this passage in the following manner: For thus it is written, the first man Adam, εγένετο εις ψυχην ζωσαν, was made or became a living soul. This quotation determines, in my view, absolutely, that the text is accurately rendered into our language by the Transla

tors.

The doctrine, which I consider as contained in text, has also been abundantly disputed. Three entirely different opinions have been formed on this subject.

The first is, that which I have already advanced; viz. that man is an Immaterial substance, an Intelligent, Voluntary being; the subject of attributes, the author of actions, and destined to immortality.

The second is, that man is a Material, thinking, voluntary being; differing in nothing, but his modification and its effects, from other material substances. Some of those, who hold this scheme, believe him immortal; while others limit his existence to the present world.

The third is, that man is neither of these, but a mere succession, or Chain, as the abettors of it express themselves, of Ideas and Exercises.

That something is true with regard to this subject, must be admitted; and that all these schemes cannot be true. I would willingly have avoided the discussion of a subject so metaphysi cal; but, when I observe the importance, which it has assumed in modern times; and especially when I see theological doctrines of very high import derived from the two last of these schemes, as their proper consequences; I feel myself obliged to give the subject a place in this system of discourses.

In the discussion, upon which I am entering, I shall pursue the following plan: viz.

I shall attempt to disprove the two last of these doctrines, and in that way, to establish the first. One of the three, is undoubtedly true. If the two last are false, the first is of course true.

I. Then, I assert that the soul is not material.

It will be necessary, in order to exhibit the truth of this proposition in the most convincing light, to prove the falsehood of the opposite doctrine, in all the forms, in which it has been maintained. This, therefore, I shall attempt.

1st. Atoms, in their original state, do not think.

Our senses give us the amplest evidence of this fact; so ample, that no man ever disbelieved it, who was not an ideot, or a maniac. At the same time, the proposition admits of a direct demonstration. Thought is in its nature perfectly simple and indi

visible. But, if each atom were a thinking being, millions of thoughts would exist in such a compound of them, as man.

2dly. Atoms do not think in any Aggregate, or under any Organization.

(1st.) That a mere Accumulation of atoms cannot think, unless the original atoms were possessed of thought, is self-evident. If they do not think, when separate, we are intuitively certain, that mere juxta-position cannot give them the power of thought.

(2dly.) Atoms cannot derive thought from any Relative Po

sition.

Suppose one atom placed above, beneath, or on either side of another it is intuitively certain, that, if they did not think before they were thus posited, neither of these positions, nor any other, can have the least influence towards producing thought in either of them. What is thus true of two, is equally true of every supposable number.

3dly. Matter cannot derive thought from Attenuation.

The attenuation of matter is made up wholly of the distance and the minuteness, of its particles. That distance has no influence on this subject, has been already shown. That the minuteness of the corpuscles has no influence on it, is clear from this fact; that the original atoms, which have been proved to be unpossessed of thought, are the most minute divisions of matter, which are possible. That the distance and minuteness compounded, do not influence it, is certain, because, if thought depends on neither of these, it cannot depend on both united: for nothing, repeated ever so often, is still nothing. It is also evident to our senses from the facts, that air, heat, and light, approximate no nearer to thought, than stones, lead, or earth. When, therefore, men speak of the soul as a material substance, eminently refined, tenuous, subtile, or etherial, they speak without meaning: for all these are still the descriptions of mere attenuations of matter, or matter attenuated; and it is clearly certain, that no attenuation of matter can have the least efficacy towards enabling it to think. 4thly. Thought cannot be the result of the Chemical properties of matter.

It is not inherent in any of the elements, which chemistry has hitherto discovered. All these are mere collections of Atoms;

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