Imatges de pàgina
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form such habits that the sight of pain and suffering lead the mind to conception of modes of relief, whereas a mind not thus interested, dwells on the more painful ideas. The mind also can form a habit of inattention to our own bodily sufferings by becoming interested in other things, and thus painful sensations go unnoticed. Some person will go for years with a chronic headache, and yet appear to enjoy nearly as much as those who never suffer from such a cause. Thus those also who violate conscience, seem to relieve themselves from suffering, by forming a habit of dwelling on other themes, and of turning the mind entirely from those obligations, which, when contemplated, would upbraid and pain them. Thus too, the sense of shame is lost, A habit is formed of leading the mind from whatever pains it, to dwell on more pleasurable contemplations.

The habits of life are all formed either from the desire to secure happiness or to avoid pain, and the fear of suffering is found to be a much more powerful principle than the desire of happiness. The soul flies from pain with all its energies, even when it will be inert at the sight of promised joy. As an illustration of this, let a person be fully convinced that the gift of two new senses, would confer as great an additional amount of enjoyment as is now secured by the eye and ear, and the promise of this future good, would not stimulate with half the energy that would be caused by the threat of instant and entire blindness and deafness.

If then the mind is stimulated to form good habits and to avoid the formation of evil ones most powerfully by the activity of painful emotions, if they are called into exercise, and their legitimate object is not effected in producing such good habits, or in removing bad ones; by the very constitution of mind, they must continually decrease in vividness, and so the hope of good to one who thus resists them must continually diminish. If a man is placed in circumstances of danger, and fear leads to the formation of habits of caution

and carefulness, the object of exciting this emotion is accomplished, and the diminution of the emotion is attended with no evil. But if fear is continually excited and no such habits are formed, then the susceptibility is lessened, while the good to be secured by it is lost. Thus also with emotions of sympathy. If we witness pain and suffering, and it leads to the formation of habits of active devotion to the good of those who suffer, the diminution of the susceptibility is a blessing and no evil. But if we simply indulge emotion, and do not form the habits they were intended to secure, the power of sympathy is weakened, and the benefit to be secured by it is lost. Thus again with shame. If this painful emotion does not lead us form habits of honour and rectitude, it is continually weakened by repetition, and the object for which it was bestowed is not secured. And thus also with remorse. If this emotion is awakened without leading to the formation of habits of benevolence and virtue, it constantly decays in power, and the good it would have secured is forever lost.

It does not appear, however, that the power of emotion in the soul, is thus destroyed. Nothing is done but to form habits of inattention to painful emotions, by allowing the mind to be engrossed in other and more pleasurable subjects. This appears from the fact, that the most hardened culprits, when brought to the hour of death, where all plans of future good cease to charm the mental eye, are often overwhelmed with the most vivid emotions of sorrow, shame, remorse, and fear. And often in the course of life there are seasons when the soul returns from its pursuit of deluding visions, to commune with itself in its own secret chambers. At such seasons, shame, remorse, and fear, take up their abode in their long banished dwelling, and ply their scorpion whips, till they are obeyed, and the course of honour and virtue is resumed; or till the distracted spirit again flies abroad for comfort and relief.

This peculiarity of our mental character leads to the most anxious and painful reflections. Does every act of indolence, selfishness, pride, envy, and revenge, lead to the formation of one of these powerful fetters; these habits of crime so easily formed, and so difficult to break? Does the resistance of the admonitions of fear, shame, and conscience, tend to form another terrible habit which removes the most powerful restraints of guilt? Is every act of meekness, self-denial, justice, magnanimity, and obedience necessary, not only to immediate rectitude and peace, but necessary as a golden link in the bright chain of some habit indispensable to our happiness? Is the soul so constituted that its susceptibilities can never be destroyed? Is there an hour coming when all the illusions of life will cease, and the soul must return to commune with itself, and understand and feel all its iron chains of guilt, and miserable captivity? What terrific anticipations for a mind, estranged from the only foundation of safety and of hope, the favour and guidance of Him, who formed the undying spirit, and who offers, when sought, to guide it aright; but who, when forsaken, can never afford His almighty aid.

CHAPTER XII.

INTUITIVE BELIEF.

Belief is a state of mind not easily defined, but well understood by all who have acquired the use of language. It is caused by what is called evidence, and may exist with different degrees of vividness, according to the nature and amount of the evidence which produces it. Sometimes it is so powerful as to influence the feelings and the conduct, and sometimes it is so imperfect and feeble, as to have very little influence upon either.

Truth, may be defined as the "reality of things," or as another name for " things as they are." Truth, in reference to language, is such a use of language as conveys to the mind an idea of things as they are. Whatever causes belief, is regarded by the mind as truth, or a reality. But all which causes belief is not truth, for those things are often believed which afterward are found to be false.

Belief is divided into two kinds, in reference to the causes which produce it, viz. intuitive belief, and rational belief.Intuitive belief is that which is necessarily consequent on the existence of mind. It is belief of which no sane mind, in the full exercise of its powers, is ever destitute. That which causes it, is called intuitive truth, or intuitive evidence. Rational belief, is that which is consequent on some act of reasoning.

Intuitive truths are sometimes called primary truths, be cause they are some of the first which are believed by the mind. They are also called the laws or principles of reason, because all processes of reasoning are founded upon them. They are called principles of common sense, because all minds in the right exercise of their powers, are never destitute of a belief in them.

The first intuitive truth is, that our perceptions may be trusted. Every one feels that it is impossible to disbelieve his senses; and all our perceptions are attended by an inevitable and necessary belief of the existence of things and qualities thus discovered.

The second primary truth is, that memory may be trusted. It is manifest that the evidence of memory is as irresistible as that of perception. Men often hesitate in regard to certain facts of their past experience, but not because memory is doubted where it does exist, but simply from a want of distinct recollection. When a man has a clear and distinct remembrance of an event, it is impossible for him to doubt it.

A third law of reason is, that consciousness is to be trusted.

The mind can never doubt the reality of its emotions and operations, while it is in a healthful state. The existence of such states of mind is what obtains necessary and inevitable belief.

A fourth intuitive truth is, that our personal identity continues. That we are the same beings the present moment that we were at any past period of our existence, is a truth no human mind can doubt, while in the right exercise of its powers. It can easily be seen that our actions, obligations, and mental operations, all depend upon a belief of this truth. Without this belief, no act of memory could occur, for though past conceptions might return, we could never recognize them as past states of our own mind, except by this principle. Nor could we feel the obligations of duty, gratitude, or affection; for no past benefit or obligation could be recognized as belonging to ourselves, nor could repentance and remorse visit us with their painful, yet necessary monitions. All attributes both of a rational and of a moral existence would forsake us, with the loss of a full belief in this truth.

A-fifth intuitive truth is, that "every effect has a cause." Mind and matter are so exceedingly diverse in their nature and operations, that the uses of the terms cause and effect, must have a very different signification, in their application to each. The signification of the expression, "every effect has a cause," in reference to matter, is this; that no commencement of the existence of matter, and no change in its mode of existence, can be conceived of, without the belief of some previous volition of mind. But in regard to causes, a distinction is to be made between final and secondary causes. Matter can be so modified, that a series of changes can go on, for a length of time, without a volition of mind immediately preceding each change. Thus a clock may be formed, and left to pass through a great variety of changes, to which the volitions of the mechanist, at the moment of such changes, have no referYet the commencement of this series of changes, was

ence.

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