ABSTRACT
The Immortality of the Soul, though it had been solidly asserted by Plato, remained a disputable point among Men of the greatest penetration many Years after: But whatever Sentiments Men entertained of the Soul’s continuance after Death, the Notions they had of another Life were either very confused, or very mean and fabulous before the Light of the Gospel appeared, and Christ was the first, who plainly taught Men, that this World would be destroyed and succeeded by another, where, according as their behaviour was in this Life, they would be punish’d or rewarded for ever. It is the Common Opinion, that the Wars and Devastations, occasioned by the frequent Irruptions of the Goths and Vandals, introduced Barbarism into Italy, and were the only cause of that profound Ignorance, that so universally overspread the Empire for several Ages.
