THE

PHILOSOPHY

87542

OF A

FUTURE STATE

BY

THOMAS DICK,

AUTHOR OF THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER,'

PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION," &c. &c.

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY R. SCHOYER.

1831.

Stereotyped from the last London Edition by T. Seward.

ΤΟ

THOMAS CHALMERS, D. D.

PROFESSOR OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF

ST. ANDREWS.

SIR,

In Dedicating to you this volume, which has for its object to exhibit a popular view of the Philosophy of a Future State, as deduced from the light of science and revelation, -a consideration of a far higher nature than the formal and customary honour of addressing a man of literary and scien. tific attainments, induced me to shelter it under your patronage.

In the several vocations in which Divine Providence has called you to officiate, you have proved yourself the warm and disinterested patron of all that is benevolent and good— of every thing that concerns the present and eternal welfare of mankind and your praises have been re-echoed from one corner of the land to another, as the champion of the Christian religion,-the doctrines of which, your voice and your pen have done so much to illustrate.

:

Your writings furnish ample testimony to the world of your earnest, active, and unwearied solicitude for the moral and religious improvement of mankind-a solicitude which is not abated by any minor differences of opinion in those with whom you co-operate, where the great object is, to diffuse knowledge and happiness over the face of the earth.

Your kind indulgence to me, on the slight acquaintance I have of you personally, and your approbation of some of my labours, in endeavouring to connect Science and Religion, induce me to hope, that, if the views taken of the present subject, in any measure correspond with your own, you will countenance my humble attempts to dispel the pre