So much however we may learn from _Solomon’s_ words, that _that there is no_ such _knowledge_ or _wisdom in the grave_, as will be of any use to an unhappy spirit; there _is no device_ there, whereby he can now improve those talents, with which he was once intrusted. For _time_ is no more: the time of our trial for everlasting happiness or misery is past. _Our day_, the day of man, is over; _the day of salvation is ended_. Nothing now remains but the day of the Lord, ushering in, wide, unchangeable eternity.
8. But still our souls, being incorruptible and immortal, of a nature _little lower than the angels_, (even if we are to understand that phrase of our original nature, which may well admit of a doubt) when our bodies are mouldered into earth, will remain with all their faculties. Our _memory_, our _understanding_ will be so far from being destroyed, yea, or impaired by the dissolution of the body, that on the contrary, we have reason to believe, they will be inconceivably ♦strengthened. Have we not the clearest reason to believe, that they will then be wholly freed from those defects, which now naturally result from the union of the soul with the corruptible body? It is highly probable, that from the time these are disunited, our memory will let nothing slip: yea, that it will faithfully exhibit every thing to our view, which was ever committed to it. It is true, that the invisible world is in scripture termed _the land of forgetfulness_; or as it is still more strongly expressed in the old translation, _the land where all things are forgotten_. They are forgotten; but by whom? Not by the inhabitants of that land, but by the inhabitants of the earth. It is with regard to them that the unseen world is _the land of forgetfulness. All things_ therein _are_ too frequently forgotten by these; but not by disembodied spirits. From the time they have put off the earthly tabernacle, we can hardly think they forget any thing.
♦ ‘strengthned’ replaced with ‘strengthened’
9. *In like manner the _understanding_ will doubtless be freed, from the defects that are now inseparable from it. For many ages it has been an unquestioned maxim, _Humanum est errare & nescire_: Ignorance and mistake are inseparable from human nature. But the whole of this assertion is only true, with regard to living men, and holds no longer, than while _the corruptible body presses down the soul_. Ignorance indeed belongs to every finite understanding, seeing there is none beside God that knoweth all things: but not mistake. When the body is laid aside, this also is laid aside for ever.
10. What then can we say of an ingenious man, who has lately made a discovery, that disembodied spirits have not only no _senses_ (not even in sight or hearing) but no _memory_ or _understanding_, no _thought_ or perception, not so much as a _consciousness_ of their own existence? That they are in a dead sleep from death to the resurrection? _Consanguineus lethi sopor_ indeed! Such a sleep we may well call _a near kinsman of death_, if it be not the same thing. What can we say, but that ingenious men have strange dreams: and these they sometimes mistake for realities.
11. But to return. As the soul will retain its understanding and memory, notwithstanding the dissolution of the body, so undoubtedly the _will_, including all the _affections_, will remain in its full vigour. If our love or anger, our hope or desire perish, it is only with regard to those whom we leave behind. To them it matters not, whether they were the objects of our love or hate, of our desire or aversion. But in separate spirits themselves, we have no reason to believe, that any of these are extinguished. It is more probable, that they work with far greater force, than while the soul was clogged with flesh and blood.
12. But although all these, although both our knowledge and senses, our memory and understanding, together with our will, our love, hate, and all our affections, remain after the body is dropt off, yet in this respect they are as though they were not, we are no longer stewards of them. The things continue, but our stewardship does not: we no more act in that capacity. Even the _grace_ which was formerly intrusted with us, in order to enable us to be faithful and wise stewards, is now no longer intrusted for that purpose. The days of our stewardship are ended.