21. A DISSERTATION, &c. TH HE prophets, philofophers, moralifts, and fages of all ages; whether, moved by the infpiration of GoD himself, or by other intelligent agents; or actuated by the mere force of their own rational powers; howfoever they may have differed in other speculative points, yet agree unanimously in this important, and interesting one; namely, that the human foul carries the Stamp of original depravity, and is naturally prone to evil.--Deplorable as this fort of humanity is, it is rendered much more so, by that almost universal propensity in the species, either to a total diffipation of their time and talents; or, employing both, in fruitless ftudies, in place of devoting all his intellectual powers, to pry into, and examine the real ftate of his own existence, for which he discovers an unaccountable averfion, and backwardness. 22. It has been wifely faid, that the fummit of human wisdom is comprised, in this fhort adage, MAN KNOW THY SELF; but, inftead of dedicating all his researches to this effential pursuit, Man knows every thing but himself; he goes on, from age to age, ( 25 ) age, and from day to day, in cultivating the arts and sciences, with a view only to the better accommodation and enjoyment of his present fojourn. With this unhappy delufion, and with these non-effential acquirements, he rests perfectly easy, and satisfied; here he pitches his tent, as if he was never to decamp.-Man knows not who he is, what he is, how he came by his existence in this world, nor for what real purposes he was brought originally into it; nor does he feem much to concern himself about it, fo long as he paffes fmoothly, and fupinely, through it. 23. The doubts and difficulties which man encounters, and labors under, in forming any precife judgment refpecting the nature and obligations of his prefent existence, we conceive to have always been the great impeding caufes, that have ever with-held him from deep reflection, and a proper retrospect into himself; could therefore, that nature, and thefe obligations, be clearly afcertained. to him, the relative duties of his deftination would be alfo clear and positive; and mankind would no longer infeparably attach themselves to the tranfient confiderations, and enjoyments of this life only. 24. How 24. How far the doctrines of the Metemp fychofis tend, upon a cool and unpreju diced hearing, to clear up the doubts and difficulties above alluded to, is the important subject of our enquiry. In this difquifition we shall not hesitate to affert, that the doctrine is far from being new in this our hemifphere; it was profeffed by our anceftors, when the fage druids led and governed their faith and politics, as the most learned records of our ancient history vouch, although it does not appear from their fhewing, that it was taught by the ancient Britons (for the first Britons we know nothing of) in that fimple purity, and extent, as it was originally by the Bramins of Indoftan. 25. Tender confciences have no cause of alarm from our reviving the consideration of a doctrine, which in the most early known ages was followed by at least fourfifths of the inhabitants of the earth; the more especially as we hope to prove, that this doctrine is not repugnant to the doctrines of Christianity. 26. Communications between the Deity and man, either perfonally, or by his angels or prophets, was, in early times, no uncommon event: these recorded facts we muft muft believe, or reject and fet at nought our own scriptures; and fhall we suppose the children of the Eaft to have been lefs the care of God, than the children of Ifrael? or that the whole of his creatures, howfoever dispersed and separated from each other, were not equally the unhappy objects of his benevolence and attention?Such a fuppofition would arraign his juftice and impartial difpenfations to all his creatures: it is not becoming us to doubt the authority and divinity of any original religious fyftem, unless it evidently is repugnant to the idea of a just and omnipotent GOD. 27. To bring our Effay to method and perfpicuity, we must again have a short retrofpect to the feveral effential concomitant parts of the doctrine of the Metempfychofis, as promulged by Bramah; and we fhall proceed to the difcuffion of each, reduced, as follows, under five general heads, viz. FIRST GENERAL HEAD. The existence of angelic beings. Their Their expulfion from the heavenly re gions. Their punishments. SECOND GENERAL HEAD. The universe formed by God, for the refidence, fuftenance, and imprisonment of the apoftate angels. THIRD GENERAL HEAD. Mortal organized bodies formed for their more immediate, or closer confinement. Their tranfmigrations through those mortal forms. Those transmigrations: their state of purgation as well as punishment. The human form their chief state of trial and probation. FOURTH GENERAL HEAD. Liberty given to the apoftate angels to pervade the universe. Permif |