478 GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON 



quence of this doctrine presents itself, which is at complete 

 variance with the experience of every Zoologist. It is, that 

 a material body during life is always composed of the same 

 identical particles. Now mind being supposed a property 

 of matter, if this point were not rigidly insisted upon, a 

 short interval of life would destroy all responsibility with 

 our identity. 



It was in order to get rid of such impossibilities and 

 contradictions, that in the first chapter I admitted the ex- 

 istence of secondary operative causes, distinct from matter. 

 My conviction of this truth, is of the same nature with that 

 derived from an ex ahsiirdo proof in geometry. Some 

 however go much further, and argue on the pre-existence 

 of immaterial beings to their union with the body, or 

 speculate on their necessary immortality. Such subjects 

 I could not venture to discuss, since all that can be stated 

 with certainty is, that whatever has had a beginning 

 may have an end, and that the necessary immortality of 

 the human soul is a dogma as much in opposition to the 

 idea of divine omnipotence, as its necessary mortality. 

 Without the assurances of revelation, the immortality of 

 the soul could never have been ascertained ; nay, perhaps 

 might have been reasonably doubted. The truth, however, 

 of a future state, rests on different grounds, and may be 

 clearly deduced from our being to a certain degree free 

 agents. The doctrine of free agency is perhaps not de- 

 monstrably true ; but, however theorists may say to the 

 contrary, it is one of those truths in which our conduct 

 and our laws show that we have as much belief as in 

 our existence. One thing very certain is, that the de- 

 nial of the possibility of a creature being a free agent, is a 

 denial of the omnipotence of the Creator, and an advoca- 



