Of the immortality of mans soul, and the nature of it and other spirits.…

§. 1. THE Author of the Letter which I answer, being wholly unknown to me, and making me no return of his sense of my Answer, I suppose it can be no wrong to him that I publish it. I have formerly thought, that it is safer to keep such Objections, and false reasonings, from mens notice, than publicly to confute them. But now in London they are so commonly known, and published in open Discourse and Writing, that whether silencing them be desirable or not, it is become impossible. And tho I have said so much more, especially in two Books (The Reasons of the Christian Religion, and the Unreasonableness of Infidelity) as may make this needless to them that read those; yet most Infidels and Sadducees being so self conceited, and fastidious, as to disdain, or cast by all that will cost them long reading and consideration, it may be this short Letter may so far prevail against their sloth, as to invite them to read more. I would true Christianity were as common as the profession of it: There would then be fewer that need such Discourses. But alas! how numerous are th•se Christians that are no Christians, no more than a Carcass or a Picture is a man; yea, worse Christians, who hate Christianity, whose Godfathers and Godmothers ⟨image 59⟩(not Parents, but Neighbours) did promise and vow three things in their Names. 1. That they should renounce the Devil. and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh. 2. That they should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith. 3. That they should keep Gods holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the same all the days of their lives. Yea, before they could speak, the mouth of these Godfathers speaking for them, did not only promise, that they should believe, but profess in the Infants name, That even then they did steadfastly believe the Articles of the Christian Faith. The Infant is said to make both the Promise and Profession by these Godfathers; who also undertake to provide, that they shall [learn all things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his Souls health, and shall be virtuously brought up, to lead a godly and a Christian life]. Whether these Godfathers ever intend to perform this, or the Parents use to expect it of them, I need not tell you: But how little most of the baptized perform of it, is too notorious.

§. 1. THE Author of the Letter which I answer, being wholly unknown to me, and making me no return of his sense of my Answer, I suppose it can be no wrong to him that I publish it. I have formerly thought, that it is safer to keep such Objections, and false reasonings, from mens notice, than publickly to confute them. But now in London they are so commonly known, and published in open Discourse and Writing, that whether silencing them be desirable or not, it is become impossible. And tho I have said so much more, especially in two Books (The Reasons of the Christian Religion, and the Unreasonableness of Infidelity) as may make this needless to them that read those; yet most Infidels and Sadduces being so self conceited, and fastidious, as to disdain, or cast by all that will cost them long reading and consideration, it may be this short Letter may so far prevail against their sloth, as to invite them to read more. I would true Christianity were as common as the profession of it: There would then be fewer that need such Discourses. But alas! how numerous are thse Christians that are no Christians, no more than a Carcass or a Picture is a man; yea, worse Christians, who hate Christianity, whose Godfathers and Godmothers