Chap. I. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 239 



mer, and who are therefore called Saints. That this event is to 

 happen, in not many generations, we are affured by fundry texts 

 of the New Teftament, which I have elfewhere quoted*. And, in- 

 deed, they are fo many in number, that, I think, it is impoffible 

 that any man can be truly a Chriftian and not believe that the 

 prefent ftate of man is to be changed in not very many genera- 

 tions: For the intention of our Saviour's million appears to have 

 been, to let men know that the latter days^ as they are called in 

 Scripture, w^ere approaching ; and that, therefore, they iliould be 

 prepared for them. So that to deny that thefe days are approach- 

 ing, is in effed to maintain, that the reafon, given for our Saviour's 

 coming to this world, was a falfe pretence. 



And here, I think, it may be obferved, that in this, as in other 

 things, revelation agrees perfecflly with reafon and the nature of 

 things; for it is impoffible by nature, and, I think, it would be in- 

 confiftant with the fyftem of the univerfe, and with that infinite 

 wifdom which has framed and condud:s it, if the flate of an ani- 

 mal, fo various as that of man in civil fociety, and liable to fo ma- 

 ny changes and vicifntudes, fhould lail for ever, or for any great 

 number of years. In this refpedl we may compare the flate of man 

 with that of other animals upon this earth. Among them, while 

 they continue in their natural flate, and not fubjed to the dominion 

 of man, we obferve no change in fize, flrength of body, or longe- 

 vity, nor indeed any fymptoms of the decay or extindlion of the 

 fpecies: Neither is there an example of any fpecies of animals in the 

 natural ftate being extinguifhed, except by the operations of men, 

 which was the cafe of wolves in Britain; whereas, in the civil focietics 

 of men, every fymptom of decay is to be obferved, panicularly in 

 i'lze and Puijare, as I have obferved in the third volume cf this 

 workf, and in longevity, as is evident from the moft antient hidory 



we 

 * Vol. 4. p. 387. t Chap. 5. cf Book 2. 



