1148 On the Origin of Human Knowledge.--Review. 1144 Good Hope, discovered the hull of a | REVIEW.-Eternal Punishment proved to be not Suffering, but Privation, and vessel, built of cedar, and supposed to be the remains of a Phenician galley. Should this conjecture be verified, it will prove beyond all contradiction the truth of what Herodotus has stated, that these adventurous Tyrians had IT is a painful, and yet an amusing reached the southern extremity of employment, to watch the movements Africa, upwards of 2000 years before of the human mind, in its numerous this stormy Cape was doubled by Vasco and diversified aberrations, and to de Gama, in 1497.-A circumstance of trace its progressive advances through so singular a nature will not long rethe empire of scepticism, and the main in uncertainty. As a curiosity, it region of error. would be well worth importing into Europe, to enrich the collections, if not the cabinets, of the antiquarians. ON THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN KNOW- (Concluded from col. 1046.) Spinoza and Hobbes undertook to prove that there is no God; and Mr. Harris, a Unitarian minister now in Liverpool, delivered lectures some months since, to prove the non-existence of the Devil. Dean Berkeley denied the existence of the material world, and David Hume the reality of spirits. Dr. Priestley, and some more modern divines, have treated the immateriality of the human soul with something like contempt; and, to finish this climax of speculative absurdity, the author of the work before us boldly asserts, that the eternal punishment threatened in the sacred writings consists not in suffering, but in a privation of existence; and that the soul's immortality, instead of resulting from that constitution of being which the Almighty primarily connected with its essence, is dependent On this subject but one topic more remains to be noticed, that is, the conduct of the mind in its conception of spiritual objects; and on this it is necessary to be very brief. Those persons who have acquired the habit of attending to the action of their minds, and who are capable of separating and distinguishing its varied operations, may easily satisfy themselves that their most refined notions of the spiritual world, are not formed without the aid of those impressions produced by the things of time and sense. But to as-upon spiritual regeneration. certain the general operations of the Common charity would lead us to human intellect in this department of suppose, that all these metaphysical knowledge, it is necessary to investi- speculators conceive their theories to gate the monuments it has left in every be correct, and their reasonings conspecies of mental picture. And here a clusive; but we must be indebted to wide field presents itself; whatever something more liberal than charity, poets have sung, or painters depicted, before we can conceive that all these or philosophers written, or divines wild reveries can be true. Were we preached, is relevant to the subject in to give to their various authors, as hand. Each of these sources would much credit for the legitimacy of their furnish more matter than could well be arguments, as we are disposed to compressed in a single article for your allow them on the ground of charity Magazine; the reader is therefore re-for their sincerity, our minds would quested to examine them at his lei- be reduced to a more disordered consure, he will then find, that nothing in-dition than that in which the primortelligible has yet been produced in re- dials of matter appeared, before ference to spiritual things, without its containing some allusion to the sensible objects of nature, or to the qualities, feelings, or actions, of the human mind. I now take my leave of your sensible correspondent, whose communication produced the preceding remarks, And am, Sir, your's, respectfully, WM. S Liverpool, Nov. 16th, 1821. -S. "the heavens and earth rose out of chaos." Admitting the various theories to be genuine, of which we have just taken a transient survey, the belief will be induced, that there is no God, no Devil, no Material World, no Spirit; that the Human Soul is neither Immaterial nor Immortal; and, that eternal sufferings consist in eternal 1145 Review-Eternal Punishment. 1146 particular term, such as election, redemption, grace, faith, or hope, happens to be found in them. Such an arrangement of terms wears a formidable aspect towards the unlearned, among their polemical adversaries. The more non-existence. Archimedes could not heave the world, unless he could find a fulcrum on which to rest his lever; but our metaphysical theorists have contrived to annihilate all existences, and, by the friction of their logical milstones, they have ground us to non-considerate, however, will smile at entities. these petty artifices, and ask, For what purpose is such a mighty phalanx marshalled? Whether the human soul be any thing more than the result of mere organization; whether it be a substance physically capable of subsistence distinct from the body; whether it be an accident or a quality of matter; or a something superadded, the author has not informed us; neither can we gather from his book, whether it possess the properties of matter, or whether it may or may not be ranked among the entities of being; and even admitting it to exist under any modification whatever, we are at a loss to know whether its existence be posi-minous as Doddington on Gingertive or negative. Of one point, however, the author appears to be fully confident; namely, that immortality is the result of spiritual regeneration; but the simple possibility that moral influence may produce a physical change in the essence of this substance, or accident, or result of organization, is a point which the children of credulity are invited to receive without inquiry or examina tion. If the author can only establish his credit with the public, there can be no doubt that he will make many converts. To a person who has no conception of the author's theory, some parts of his preface will appear rather obscure, but to those who are acquainted with it, it will appear in perfect accordance with his book. The abstract of the contents runs through nearly thirteen pages, and nearly as much information may be gathered from the perusal of this syllabus, as from that of the volume itself. We do not, however, intend to insinuate that this method has been adopted by our author. He has the happy art of accomplishing his purposes without using such dexterity. He quotes chapter after chapter, and book after book, to prove that the doctrine which he opposes is not mentioned in the passages he has introduced. If he had pursued this method with spirit, he might have stretched his publication to an extent as volu bread, and alarmed the world with two ponderous volumes in quarto. Against the doctrine of eternal misery, the author advances many of the old objections and arguments, which have been often urged, and as often refuted; but finding himself beset with difficulties, from which he can discover no way of retreating with honour, he compels the incorrigible, who are unfit for heaven, and whom it would be unjust in God, he conceives, to punish with eternal misery, to dive into the whirlpool of annihilation, and to disappear for ever. To prove that the doctrine of endless woe can furnish no motive to obedience, the author thus argues: "God having been pleased to make man a moral agent, he deals with him as such, and offers to his understanding blessings and threats, as motives to enforce the law he has promulged. These can operate no further than the understanding can embrace them: but the understanding can form no idea of infinite; it is therefore no moral motive. Now, since God can do nothing in vain, eternal torments cannot be proposed as moral motives, for they must be infinitely more than can ope rate, because the highest idea we can form of them must be essentially different from, and infinitely less than, the thing threatened; therefore the largest part must be in vain." P. 11. It cannot, however, be denied, that the author has made copious appeals to the book of God; but nearly ninetenths of the passages he has quoted, have no more connection with the subject in hand, than if he had cited the first chapter of Genesis, or the last of In urging this argument, the author the Revelation. Some writers have seems to have forgotten, that its conbeen accused of taking a common-clusion will bear with equal force upon place book, and of inserting passage after passage, mentioning chapter and verse, to shew that the scriptures are strongly in their favour, because some No. 34.-VOL. III. the felicities of heaven, and prevent eternal happiness from operating as a moral motive. On grounds equally fallacious, it is argued, that misery 4 D 1147 Review-Eternal Punishment. 1148 "That which at length they have not even Of the author's adroitness as a commentator, and the facility with which he can remove difficulties, the preceding passages and expositions furnish fair specimens. Nor can he be accused of viewing his exertions with suspicion. The following passage is strongly marked with his opinion of his own success. "As he (the apostle) has exhibited it, (the destruction of death) it is a consummation devoutly to be wished; that a veil has so long dimmed its glory, and that I, who am less than the least of the lights of the cannot be eternal, because there can be no proportion between crime and punishment on such a supposition. With equal propriety it might be contended, that happiness cannot be eternal, because we can trace no proportion between obedience and reward. On points which involve Deity, Moral Government, Justice, Infinity, and Eternity, we doubt the propriety of introducing earthly analogies. But if these must be introduced, we would recommend to the author's serious examination this important questionWhether it be utterly impossible for a finite being to perform an action, or a series of actions, that shall involve moral consequences, which may continue during the existence of the actor? If this be admitted possible, on the ground of justice, the consequences will be interminable, if existence be immortal; and consequently both will be lengthened into infinity. The author informs us, that the doc-earth, should have pierced its gloom, trine of eternal misery, which he opposes, instead of pervading the Christian system, rests on detached passages of scripture; and these he finally reduces to two. There are, however, various others which appear before him, with an aspect not altogether smiling on his theory, but these he dispatches with admirable dexterity. The parable of the unmerciful servant is thus explained: That he should be delivered to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. "It is clear, that the principle proceeded on is, that he should be made to part from all that he possessed: now existence is a possession, a talent, a blessing, and when it is surrendered, full payment is made."-p. 37. The parable of the wicked husbandmen, we are told, is to the same effect; and the guest found at the marriage feast shares the same fate. "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away:" (ill furnished he must be for eternity.)-p. 38. On the parable of Dives and Lazarus, we are told, the rich man is tormented in the flame; "that is, to dissolve the vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction.”p. 40. And in continuation we are furthermore informed, that "the conduct and motives ascribed to God, are perfectly irreconcileable with dooming to eternal misery poor, weak, blind, perishing sinners, for preferring the gratification of the senses which God hath given them, to spiritual joys, I scarcely dare believe, though I know Having humbly taken his seat on this exalted eminence, the author proceeds to prove, that man is naturally mortal; and after quoting various passages of scripture, which have no connection with the subject, and drawing inferences from others, which few besides himself would have the ingenuity to discover, he assumes his conclusion, and, "wrapped in " literary immortality," 66 "Sheds generous tears on wretches born to die." The well-known passage, Matt. xxv. 45. "These shall go away into everlasting punishment," &c. the author explains by comparing it with 1 Thessalonians ii. 7. “ taking vengeance on them that know not God,-who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord," &c. On quoting these passages, he asks, Do not these words explain those of our Saviour's, to which they plainly allude,-destruction from the presence of God? What can that be but extinction, since our existence depends on his Spirit animating our mortal bodies? And as no person contradicts him, he triumphs in a victory that he has 1149 Review The Imperial Almanack. -- earned without a contest, and concludes that everlasting punishment means everlasting destruction, and that everlasting destruction means extinetion of being! After making a few remarks on some passages in the Revelation, from which it appears, that they all accord with his views, and confirm his theory, our author comes "to the consideration of those words whereon the doctrine of eternal misery, in an especial manner, must be seen to rest; the whole course of scripture else admitting an harmonious construction." These passages are Matt. v. 29, 30. and Mark ix. 42-50. "Of these passages," he observes, "it is only the words, where their worm dieth not,' that imply eternal duration; because, although the fire is everlasting, and never shall be quenched, yet it cannot be imagined that it confers immortality; therefore the duration of the substance to be cast in must be limited by its own nature: if that therefore is mortal, its duration cannot be eternal."-p. 201. "That the words now under consideration had not, in our Saviour's mouth, the meaning ascribed to them, is proved almost to a demonstration, by one of the two evangelists omitting them when he records the rest of the sentence; while that which he retains | harmonizes with the rest of scripture; yet is materially, most materially different from that which it would convey, if these words were added in their usually received meaning. Now, if we will assume this as their real meaning, one of the evangelists, who on two occasions records the passage to which they are attached, misrepresents his divine Master. Since St. Mark records the passage on which the doctrine rests, it was not revealed to those to whom the other gospels were the only record of the word of God. If we will accept our Saviour's own words as a paraphrase, no difficulty remains."-p. 202. On the reasonings contained in this paragraph, it seems unnecessary to make any comments. It contains a strong insinuation that the assertion of one apostle is not much worthy of credit, unless the others have repeated it in their writings;-that the omission of Matthew is an indirect impeachment of Mark;-and that the doctrine rests on a passage which 66 was not revealed to those to whom 1150 the other gospels were the only record of the word of God!" The author begins with declaring, that the doctrine of eternal misery does not pervade the whole Christian system; secondly, that it rests on detached passages; thirdly, that these are but two; fourthly, that these two are only one; fifthly, that this one is only a solitary clause; and sixthly, that this clause means something else. One point, however, with the author, will admit of no doubt; namely, that "man depends as much for his knowledge on his organization as an oyster, for such as it is capable of: destroy organization in either, then all his thoughts or sensations perish." p. 220. "There can be no immortality, then, but on the Christian principle of regeneration, or being really and truly born again, seeing our existence, as derived from Adam, depends on our organization, of which death deprives us; and spiritual life, or immortality, which consists in the knowledge and love of God, he imparts to those only who seek him in his own aspointed way." Ibid. Such are the principles which the author developes in his theory, and such are the modes of reasoning by which he supports them. The whole process reminds us of an observation of Mr. Locke, on a similar occasion, "He knows a little, presumes a great deal, and so jumps to conclusions." REVIEW.-The Imperial Almanack, or Annual Compendium of Astronomical, Statistical, Scientific, and Interesting Information, for the year of our Lord 1822. p. 72. London. Printed for the Company of Stationers. THE title of the Imperial Almanack, of which we have given but an epitome, is sufficiently long and comprehensive to promise much, and to excite considerable expectation; but we have no conception that those who peruse its pages with attention, will either leave it with disgust, or complain of disappointment. Unaided by the sanction which names celebrated for talents, and dignified with titles, might confer, it appears before the public without an owner, and, like the eggs of the ostrich, 1151 Review-The Imperial Almanack. For reasons not known to us, the author has concealed his name. This, however, he must have been well aware, would be of little consequence in the estimation of the judicious and scientific; and it is only from these that a favourable opinion is worth obtaining. Men of this description will always form their judgments by the intrinsic merit of what is offered to their consideration, without being influenced by the delusions of prejudice, or biassed by the claims of friendship. It has been intimated, that the Imperial Almanack claims Dr. Olinthus Gregory, of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, for its legitimate parent. We are not aware that Dr. Gregory has any where made this public avowal; but there is strong presumptive evidence in favour of the fact, arising from external circumstances; and the conclusion is corroborated by those internal marks of mathematical precision, accurate calculation, and scientific research, which the work almost every where contains. sive outline of what this Almanack comprises, and under each head the reader cannot fail in having his sanguine wishes gratified. The Calendar; Eclipses and Transit of Mercury; Chronological, &c. Notes; Jewish Calendar; Mahometan Calendar; Roman Calendar; Elements of the Solar System; Terrestrial Latitudes and Longitudes; General Survey of the Earth; Population of Great Britain; Principal Places in Ditto; Colonies and Dependencies; Royal Family; Number of British Peers, at different dates; Number of Members of the House of Commons; Amount of Revenue at different Epochs; National Debt at Ditto; Syllabus of Employments; Exports and Imports; Bishops, Deans, &c. with the extent and numbers of Prebendaries, Canons, Livings, &c. in each Diocese; Dimensions of Cathedrals; Table of Probabilities of Life; Uses of the said Table; Table for Valuation of Annuities on Lives; London Bills of Mortality; Classification of Diseases; Altitudes of Mountains; Altitudes of Perpetual Snow; Altitudes of Edifices; Dates Differing from most of his cotempo- of Geographical Discoveries; Dates raries and predecessors, the author so of Astronomical, Dates of Astronofar compliments the understanding of mical and Nautical Inventions; Tahis readers, as to imagine that they bles of Specific Gravities; Thermome will be able to form a tolerable calcu-tric Criteria of interesting Chemical lation respecting the seasons of the year, without receiving information through his pages. Hence, he has not even intimated, that the weather will be warmer in July than in January; and he has left them to infer from their own observations, and from analogy, whether they may expect frost and snow in June, or December. On the same principle, we presume, he has omitted those astrological con-ledge which are presented to his view, sultations of the stars, on which the prognostics of Almanack-makers are in general founded, and has substituted science and common sense in the room of dragons, monsters, and terrible hieroglyphics. To those who are in love with the marvellous. and who are never so well pleased as when they can take a peep into futurity, this may occasion some disappointment; but where reason and philosophy hold the dominion of the mind, the event will be hailed as an important era, in which this department of science sees its shackles fall. The table of contents which follows, gives an accurate, and a comprehen Phænomena ; European Itinerary But although a glance at the preceding articles will inform the reader of the additional matter this Almanack contains, and in some degree to appreciate its value, from the various branches of scientific and useful know it is only by a more intimate acquaintance with its pages, that he will be able to form an accurate estimate of its worth. The neatness with which it is printed reflects much credit on the tradesman's abilities, while its correctness entitles the learned editor to the thanks and support of his scientific readers. But with all the excellencies which an Almanack can possess, and all the recommendation which its merit can command, the heavy impost levied by Government in its stamp, necessarily tending to enhance its price, must, we fear, considerably impede the extent of its circulation. |