fore them, and this has been the cafe of all the generations of mankind, ever fince the first production of our fpecies; for, as they have all taken their turns upon, and have at different times been the inhabitants of this globe; fo, they have all, in their refpective turns, naturally and neceffarily come to à diffolution. WHETHER the human mind, or that principle of intelligence and activity which takes place in man and is a part of the human constitution, be, of itself, a fubfiftance or permanent being that is quite diftinct from any fyftem of matter, that exists independent of the body it acts in and by, and is not diffolvable by and with the diffolution of that body; or whether it be a fubfiftance perfectly distinct from the body, and yet, in it's own nature, equally perishable as the body, fo as that the diffolution of one will introduce the diffolution of the other; or whether the human mind refults from, and is, itself, a part of a temporary perishable conftitution, which is diffolved by and with the diffolution of that compofition; these are points that I cannot poffibly determine which is the cafe, because I have hot wherewith to ground fuch determination upon; and there therefore, all that I can obferve upon the cafe is only this, viz. that if the human mind be, of itself, distinct from any material fyftem, a permanent being that exifts independent of the body and does not perish with it; then, there is a proper foundation for thofe * arguments upon which a future judgment (which fuppofes a future ftate of existence to men) are grounded: But if the human mind be a fubfiftance, which, tho' diftinct from the body, yet is equally perishable with it; or if the human mind results from, and depends upon a temporary perishable conftitution, and is diffolved by and with the diffolution of that compofition; then, furely, there can be no place for argument with regard to a future state of existence to men, or a future retribution; because when the human frame is diffolved by death, then man ceases to be and is no more. To argue, in this case, from the known properties of matter, does not seem, to me at least, to give full satisfaction. That it is abfolutely above the power and skill of man to produce a temporary perish able * By arguments, here are meant those confiderations, upon which the just and reasonable expectation of a future retribution is grounded, and as that retribution fuppofe's a future ftate of existence to men, fo those confiderations may be confidered as arguments for fuch a ftate: the confideration of which will more properly come into the next section. able conftitution or system of matter, from which intelligence and activity shall naturally flow, may, perhaps, be the truth of the cafe; but then, I think, it will be hard to fay that this is abfolutely above the power and skill of the Deity; or that it is quite out of the reach of divine power to unite a mind to a human body, which is perfectly distinct from it, and yet, in it's own nature, equally perishable with it; thefe, furely are hard fayings. Man may divide, unite, compound, and modify matter as he pleases; and yet, perhaps, after all, it may fill remain an an unintelligent, unactive fubject. And, tho' man can fo modify matter, as that it fhall have the shape and figure of a human body; yet, if he extends his power and skill to the utmost stretch, (for any thing that appears) he cannot produce fuch a body; that is, he cannot produce a body compounded of fuch flesh and blood, and bones and muscles, and arteries, &c. and covered with fuch a skin, as the human body appears to be; and therefore, if man cannot perform the less, then, furely, he cannot perform the greater work. If man, with all his power and skill, cannot produce a human body, confidered abstractedly from any principle of in telligence telligence or activity as flowing from it; then, it is certain, he cannot produce fuch a confitution from which an intelligent active mind will flow: But then, that such a production is abfolutely above the power and skill of the Deity I cannot determine, and therefore will not prefume to say. A bird's egg, for any thing that appears, is no other, nor no more than an unintelligent paffive compofition of matter; and yet, by the application of a proper quantity of heat, in a proper time, a living active creature is produced; which creature has fuch an inferior kind or degree of intelligence, as is fuitable and proper to it's state and the part it is to act. And if fuch an inferior kind or degree of intelligence as takes place in a bird, may be supposed to result from a material system, under proper circumftances; then, I think, it may be admitted that the fuperior kind or degree of intelligence that takes place in man, be produced in the fame way. To fay, that the intelligence and activity which appear to take place in a bird, are not the refult of the material fyftem, properly heated, &c. but of an immaterial substance, which is really distinct from the material compofition, tho' united to it, and acts in it and by may it; it; this, I think, is more eafily taken for granted, than proved. And, admitting that the intelligence and activity which appear to take place in a bird, are not the result of the material fyftem, properly heated, &c. but are produced by a fubfiftence that is quite diftinct from it; yet, if that fubfiftence be equally perishable with the material system it is united to and acts in and by, of which, I think, we cannot be certain of the contrary; then, in the iffue, it comes to the fame (with refpect to the point under confideration) as if it resulted from the material fyftem, as aforefaid. BESIDES, according to the experiments lately made, (if common fame may be relied upon, in the cafe I am going to refer to) the animal called a Polipus, when cut crossways, and thereby divided into three parts, produces (in fome time) three compleat animals of the fame kind; that is, of the fame form and fize with the animal thus divided, as it was antecedent to that divifion. For, as, from the fore-part, or head, there grows out a middle-part and tail; and from the middle-part there grows out a head and a tail; and from the tail-part there grows out a middle-part and head; fo, upon, or in confequence of this divifion of matter (fup |