found that I am mistaken in my views, and should our orthodox brethren contrive some plan similar to the Catholics to save souls after death, I most hearti ly wish them success. I cannot help esteeming Dr. Parish's memory for his benevolent intention, for if the Calvinistic system be true, it is certain the greater part of the human race are in torment. Should some plan of this kind be adopted, it might be made useful in various ways. It would allay the contentions between Catholics and Protestants; it might be made to supersede the contemptible money begging system adopted to save the souls of the heathen; it would be a great conveniency to many people who will not have their souls saved in this world; and it might ultimately result in the salvation of all the damned, if souls may be saved after death as well as before it. It would at least be an improvement on Mr. Hudson's plan if it did not entirely supersede it. But if the views I have exhib ited, are found upon examination to be correct, it puts a final end to all schemes of this kind and shows them to be entirely unnecessary.

But further; admitting my views correct it is manifest a most extraordinary game of imposition has been practised on the world for ages, by both Catholics and Protestants. Both have been pretending to save immortal souls from future misery, a thing which neither of them could do, for the want of the very thing they have been pretending to save.Protestants have abused the Catholics, for pretending to save souls after death. But it is plain, the Catholic clergy have saved just as many souls after death, as the Protestant clergy have done before it, and that is none at all. How this curious imposi tion, first originated among Christians, and has gone on from generation to generation without detection, has been seen, Sect. 3. The immortality of the soul

and its existence to suffer or enjoy, in a disembodied state, had its origin among the heathen. It has also been shown how this and kindred doctrines found their way into the Christian Church. That those heathen opinions have formed the bases of all the superstitions in the Catholic Church, very few we think will dispute. At the Reformation some of the most glaring absurdities and superstitions were detected and rejected by the reformers through attention to the Scriptures. Among these, they rejected the imposition of saving souls after death; but still believing with the Catholic church, in the immortality of the soul and its suffering in a disembodied state, went on as before, to save souls before death. But allowing both to be equally impositions on the public, how were they ever to be detected? None returned, either from purgatory or hell, or could return, to tell the world the whole was an imposition. This was impossible, for there were no souls in either of those places to return. Catholic and Protestant clergy were then perfectly safe from all detection from this quarter. The cheat might go on forever without exposure, for "the dead know not any thing." The only way in which it ever could be detected, was by an appeal to the Bible. The reformers did appeal to this book, and exposed the one half of the cheat, the saving of souls after death. But they still retained the other half, and from their day to this, Protestants have gone on saving souls before death. This other half of the cheat which they retained, I have been attempting to expose, and by an appeal to the same book. It is well known, that in the Catholic church the use of the. Scriptures was long prohibited the common people. In this way they were prevented from ever detecting the frauds practised on them by their clergy. It is true the Bible has been circulated among Protestants, but shame.

fully neglected by them. It is only of late years it has come to be carefully and critically examined. It is this which has produced the controversies be tween Trinitarians and Unitarians and other sects. The more the Bible is examined, the mind of God will appear from it, and all the superstitions and impositions palmed on the world for his religion, will sink into oblivion. What man would risk his reputation in asserting that we Protestants have come to a perfect understanding of the Bible? Let every Christian then calmly consider if saving immortal souls before death has any more foundation in Scripture than saving them after it. The subject at least deserves their sober examination.

7th. Whether my views be true or false, all must allow, they give a degree of importance to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which the common opinions do not. The grand concern with preachers and hearers, in health and in sickness, in life and at death, is to get the immortal soul saved and safely landed in heaven. It is a rare thing to hear a Christian say much about the resurrection of Christ from the dead or express his own hopes of being raised from the dead. It is rather by accident than design Christians in our day stumble on such topics. To say the least, they have their minds occupied with two hopes; one that their souls may go to heaven at death, and the other, that they shall be raised from the dead. Few will deny, but going to heaven at death, is that which most occupies their thoughts. But on my views, every man is entirely shut up for hope of future life and happiness to his being raised again from the dead. If not raised up at the last day by Jesus Christ, the hope of man is forever perished. The certainty of this depends on the fact of Christ's resurrection, which we pro pose to consider in the next Essay.

To conclude. If my views turn out to be true, in proportion as they are embraced, all merchandise in the souls of men must come to an end. The soul

saving trade, carried on for ages, both by Catholics and Protestants having ceased, a new era must commence, among all sects in regard to religion. Having no place to stand on in a future state, they will not be able any more to move this world with their sectarian dogmas, and damning spirit of each other, but must become one in promoting truth, holiness and love throughout the earth. May the Lord hasten this happy period whether my sentiments be true or false.

11*

ESSAY II.

ON THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.

THE doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, which we propose briefly to discuss, divides itself into two parts:-the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and, the resurrection of man from the dead.

SECTION I.

On the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

In the New Testament the terms anistemi, egeiro, and anastasis, are used not only to express a resur rection from natural death, but the rising of persons in a variety of ways. They are used sometimes to express a moral resurrection, as in Eph. 5: 14. Col. 2:12. John 5: 21. Rom. 13: 11. Anastasis is the word most commonly used to express a literal res urrection from death, but is sometimes also used oth erwise. See Luke 2: 34. Rev. 20: 5, 6. John 5: 29. See on this last text, Sect. 2.

On the one fact, that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, rests the whole of Christianity. Prove this false, and it falls to the ground, and all hope of future life with it. In calling the attention of my readers to this subject, I shall

1st. Examine all the possible grounds on which the fact of Christ's resurrection can be disputed. I