matter, we know, when grofsly foiled, cannot be fufficiently cleansed at once; but will require the frequent reiteration of the fame procefs; and thus we may conceive of the foul: but why precifely Seven gradations of cleanfings, we will not pretend to explain, nor is it a matter of much importance.It is reasonable to imagine, that the fpirit's paffage through thefe feven pure regions is retarded, or expedited, in proportion to the ftains it had contracted during its abode in the flesh, and the degree of its original tranfgreffion; for we have no folid reafon for thinking, that the apoftate angels all equally finned; the first movers to fedition and rebellion being certainly most culpable. -That feven was a myftical number with all antiquity appears beyond all doubt: GOD refted on the Seventh day according to Mofes; the univerfe is divided by astronomers into seven primary planets; the feven angels, and the feven vials of the Revelations; the feven wife men; the feven wonders of the world; the feven divifions, or parts of the world, according to Zoroafter, fpecified in the voyage of the curious, and induftrious Monfieur de Perron; wherein the reader, if he has nothing better to do, may amuse himself with the rhapsodies, and theological dreams of that legiflator of the Perfians; and when he has done, we 0 4 dare

dare promise him he will not find either his heart or his understanding much enlightened:-The feven heavens, and the heaven of heavens fo frequently mentioned by the Jewish Rabbis, and by Mabommed, and the Arabian doctors, fo correspondent with Bramab's feven celeftial regions of purification, and the mahah furgo, or fupreme heaven; and it is pretty plain, that Mahommed, whofe olio, or hodge-podge of religion, was compofed from every fyftem then extant, borrowed his feven heavens, and heaven of heavens, from the Bramins,

146. Refpecting the diffolution or deftruction of the univerfe, or fifteen boboons of punishment and purification, Bramah's doctrine differs from all others; in that he teaches, the deftruction of the firft eight will precede that of the last feven; at the deftruction of the first, he marks the final day of judgment, but his text will speak better for him than we can." When "all was hufhed! THE ETERNAL ONE "faid. It fhall be-that, when the space "of time, which I have decreed for the "duration of the Dunneaboudab, and the

fpace which my mercy has allotted for "the probation of the fallen debtab, shall "be accomplished by the revolutions of "the four foques-in that day, fhould there

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"be

"be any of them, who, remaining repro"bate, have not paffed the eighth baboon " of punishment and probation, and have "not entered the ninth boboon, even the "first boboon of purification;————— thou, "Sieb, fhalt, armed with my power, "CAST THEM INTO THE ONDERAH "FOR EVER.And thou fhalt then de"ftroy the eight boboons of punishment, "purgation and probation, and THEY "SHALL BE NO MORE. And thou, Bifinoo,

fhalt yet for a space preferve the seven "boboons of purification, until the debtah, "who have benefited of my grace and

mercy, have by thee been purified from "their fin:-and in the day when that shall "be accomplished, and they are restored "to their flate, and admitted to my pre"fence, thou, Sieb, fhalt then destroy the Leven boboons of purification, and-THEY ་་ SHALL BE NO MORE."- Thus, according to Bramah, as Gon has conftructed the first eight regions for the reception, punishment, and probation of the apoftate angels; fo, when the term allotted for its duration, and their trial, expires, and the remaining reprobates are plunged into the place of darkness and anguish, these eight regions becoming useless, their form is destined for deftruction, whilst the other feven are yet to be preserved for the gracious purpofes expreffed in the text.

147. This

147. This partial deftruction of part of the universe carries nothing with it, incongruous to the wisdom and goodness of GOD, but rather exalts both.- -Of all the numerous fpheres or fubdivifions of the fifteen primary boboons of Bramah, fabricated for the reception of the myriads of apoftate beings, no mortal can know how many ftill exift in their original form, or what changes they may not have undergone ;many of them fcattered through the vast expanse, may have been long (for aught we know to the contrary) reduced to their primitive chaos, without being miffed by us, notwithstanding our bufy, prying, artificial optics, to explore what does not belong to us; which researches only afford us futile matter of conjecture, whereon to found imaginary planetary fyftems; the one exploded, as foon as birth is given to another with more plaufible appearances; thereby drawing off man's wisdom and attention from matters of more immediate and important concern to him.-Man has nothing to do in this world, if he keeps his talents properly employed, but to explore himfelf, and fecure his immortal part (at its exit from the body) from future mortal chains, either in the brute or human forms.Had that profufion of wisdom, and divine powers in man, which has in

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all ages been fquandered away in the purfuit of non-effentials, been applied to its proper objects; the primitive truths of his falvation would not have lain fo long hid from him, nor he fo long been a stranger to his real state and relative nature.

148. The ancient Gentoos celebrated the aniversary of their birth with folemn fafts and thanksgiving, fucceeded by a feast of joy this they did, upon the pious reflection, that the fpirit had ceafed from its tranfmigrations through the brute forms, and had attained to its ftate of probation in man; and upon this principle it was, that they celebrated in like manner the birth of their children.We likewife celebrate the birth of our children, and theirs, and our own anniversaries; but alas! in a very different manner, and upon very different confiderations ;-the man who celebrates a birth-day, upon any other principle than that of the Metempfychofis, does it either from the incentives of folly, pride, selflove, and vanity, or from interested views of fucceffion; motives, all most unworthy of a rational being: for man, abftractedly confidered, has, God knows, little caufe for pluming himself, or celebrating and rejoicing for an event which introduces him into a life fraught with many evils, inevitable, or

of