these would have been indeed a sufficiently bold assumption: while the latter, "that he who does not exist has no perception," is a truism which I think he would hardly have announced with so much solemnity. Be this as it may however, the passage from the other epistle just quoted, in which the very same expression is used, makes it sufficiently clear that he is speaking, in this also, of existence and non-existence on earth; and declaring his conviction, that he who is dead has no sensation. He repeats the same sentiment in the same words [lib. vi. ep. 4.] in another epistle; "si jam vocer ad exitum vitæ, non ab ea republica avellar qua carendum esse doleam, præsertim cum id sine ullo sensu futurum sit." And again, [lib. vi. ep. 21.] “præsertim cum omnium rerum mors sit extremum." And it is remarkable that he uses the very language of the Epicureans on the subject; the antidote proposed by Lucretius against the fear of death being the very same both in substance and in words: "Scilicet haud nobis quidquam, qui non erimus tum, Nor are these sentiments of Cicero's confined to his Epistles, though, in the characters of a philosopher and of an orator, occasions led him sometimes to speak otherwise. In his oration for Cluentius, he avows, without disguise, a contempt, which it is evident he supposed his hearers to partake, for the notion of a future existence: "quid tandem illi mali mors attulit? nisi forte ineptiis et fabulis ducimur, ut existimemus illum apud inferos impiorum supplicia perferre, &c.quæ si falsa sunt, id quod omnes intelligunt, quid ei tandem aliud mors eripuit, præter sensum doloris ?" The expressions of Seneca on the subject bear a striking resemblance to those of Cicero: "juvabat de æternitate animarum quærere, imo mehercule credere: credebam enim facile opinionibus magnorum virorum, rem gratissimam promittentium magis quam probantium. Dabam me spei tantæ. Jam eram fastidio mihi, jam reliquias ætatis infractæ contemnebam, in immensum illud tempus et in possessionem omnis ævi transiturus: cum subito experrectus sum, epistola tua accepta, et tam bellum somnium perdidi." Epist. 102. Quotations to the same effect might be multiplied without end; but these few specimens may suffice to show how rashly the ancient philosophers have been referred to as discoverers of a future state. He who would fain " go back and walk no more with Jesus," will apply to them in vain for such a hope: "Lord, to whom shall we go?" the sincere Christian will exclaim; "thou hast the words of eternal life." Note (C) page 50. It is to be wished, that those who inculcate this doctrine would be careful not to expose it, as some have done, to the scoffs of the infidel, by insisting on the restoration, at the resurrection, of the very same particles of matter which were united with the soul in this life. Supposing the doctrine to be true, neither reason nor revelation afford means for ascertaining its truth, or for replying to the cavils brought against it. The question has been ably and copiously handled by the celebrated Mr. Locke; it will suffice therefore to observe, that, as far as we can ascertain, all the particles of a man's body are undergoing a perpetual and rapid change during his life; that which constitutes it, still his body, being, not the identity of its materials, but their union with the same soul, and performance of similar functions. If (to use a familiar illustration) a man's house were destroyed, and a kind benefactor promised to rebuild it for him, and to make it much better than before, (for such is the promise made to true Christians when their "earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved,") he would not surely say that the promise had been violated if the same precise materials were not employed; it would suffice, that he had, as before, a house; and one that was suitable for all the same purposes. As for the state of the soul in the interval between death and the general resurrection, the discussion is unnecessary, and perhaps unprofitable: had knowledge on this point been expedient for us, it would doubtless have been clearly revealed; as it is, we are lost in conjecture. For aught we know, the soul may remain combined with a portion of matter less than the ten thousandth part of the minutest particle that was ever perceived by our senses; since great" and "small" are only relative. All we can be sure of is, that if the soul be wholly disengaged from matter, and yet shall enjoy consciousness and activity, it must be in 66 some quite different manner from that in which we now enjoy them; if, on the other hand, the soul remains inert and unconscious (as it does with respect to the seeing-faculty, for instance, when the eyes are closed, or blinded) till its reunion with matter, the moment of our sinking into this state of unconsciousness will appear to us to be instantly succeeded by that of our awaking from it, even though twenty centuries may have intervened: of which any one may convince himself by a few moments' reflection. Note (D) page 52. Πᾶν τὸ ἔνυλον ἐναφανίζεται τάχιστα τῇ τῶν ὅλων οὐσίᾳ, καὶ πᾶν αἰτίον εἰς τὸν τῶν ὅλων λόγον τάχιστα ἀναλαμβάνεται. Marcus Antoninus, lib. vii. c. 10. Ενυπέστης ως μέρος. ΕΝΑΦΑΝΙΣΘΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΓΕΝΝΗΣΑΝΤΙ. lib. iv. c. 14. So Seneca, in his consolation to Marcia, daughter of Cremutius Cordus. “Mors omnium dolorum et solutio est et finis; ultra quam mala nostra non exeunt: quæ nos in illam tranquillitatem in qua antequam nasceremur jacuimus, reponit." Exodus xv. 26.] If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Chap. xx. ver. 12.] Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Chap. xxiii. ver. 20.] Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee unto the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice; provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in Him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren in thy land the number of thy days I will fulfil. : I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before thee. [Ver. 31.] And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river; for I will deliver the inha bless thy bread and thy water; |