use the words of Hooker) to "something "spiritual and divine; that which exceed"eth the reach of sense, yea somewhat "above the capacity of reason, which with "hidden exaltation it rather surmiseth than "conceiveth"." This divine felicity in a future state was to consist in the contemplation of truth in its substantial beauty and perfection, of which we only see the shadow here below, through the dark medium of the senses and imagination. Hence

Polity, vid. p. 260. vol. i. 8vo. edit. Leighton's 4th and 5th Lectures are also written very much in the spirit of Plato's exhortations; Leighton's Works, vol. iv.

d Appendix, notes H and I.

e Cedant igitur hi omnes (says Augustin, speaking of other sects) illis philosophis qui non dixerunt beatum esse hominem, fruentem corpore, vel fruentem animo, sed fruentem Deo. August. Civ. Dei, lib. viii. c. 8.

It is very true, that some of St. Augustin's observations respecting the similarity of Plato's sentiments to the precepts of Christianity, are applicable only to the refinements introduced by the later Platonists: yet Plato himself certainly inculcated the notion to which the words above cited allude.

f Vide that beautiful passage in the Phædó, unequalled perhaps for the flowing harmony of its language in the whole compass of Greek literature; in which he describes the effect of the passions in darkening the under

g

his continual exhortations to die daily, (they are almost the words of Plato ;) to subdue, even to their utter extinction, those corrupt affections which alike darken the understanding, and are the cause of all moral evil. He asserts, in the language of holy writ, that the wars and fightings which exist among mankind, proceed from the unruly passions that war in their members", and that it was only by overcoming these, and practising virtue, which was an imitation of the Deity, that we could hope to enjoy the happiness of the Deity hereafter i.

standing, and the power of philosophy in emancipating the soul from their tyranny. Plato, Bekker, pars ii. vol. pp. 55-58.

iii.

28 True philosophers, οὐδὲν ἄλλο αὐτοὶ ἐπιτηδεύουσιν ἢ ἀποθνήσκειν τε καὶ τεθνάναι. Phaedo, Bekker, p. 16.

Η Καὶ γὰρ πολέμους καὶ στάσεις καὶ μάχας οὐδὲν ἄλλο παρέχει ἢ τὸ σῶμα καὶ αἱ τούτου ἐπιθυμίαι. Phaedo, page 21. compare St. James iv. 1.

1. Διὸ καὶ πειρᾶσθαι χρὴ ἐνθένδε ἐκεῖσε φεύγειν ὅτι ταχίστα. φυγὴ δὲ ΟΜΟΙΩΣΙΣ ΘΕΩΙ κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν. ΟΜΟΙΩΣΙΣ δὲ δίκαιον καὶ ὅσιον μετὰ φρόνησεως γενέσθαι. Theaetetus, Bekker, pars ii. vol. i. p. 247. It was the saying of the Pythagorean philosophers, from whom Plato probably borrowed the sentiment: τέλος ἀνθρώπου ὁμοίωσις θεῷ. Eusebius asserts that this idea, of its being the perfection of man to imitate the Deity, was taken from the Hebrew scriptures.

In the spirit of the precept, which teaches that obedience is better than sacrifice, he declares that God is not propitiated by offerings and victims, but by the virtues of the soul, by piety, justice, and truth. He cautions his hearers against pride and highmindedness, by admonishing them that the man who adhered to what was just, with a humble and well-regulated temper, would enjoy happiness and the favour of the Deity, while he who indulged an insolent spirit, swelling with pride and ambition, would be left deserted by God. In listening to such sentiments, who does not recollect the language of inspiration, which declares that God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble'? He teaches, that not only evil

Μωσεῖ δὲ καὶ ἐν τούτοις ὥσπερ μεμαθητευμένος ὁ Πλάτων τοιαδ ̓ ἐν τῷ ̓Αλκιβιάδῃ φησίν. κ. τ. λ. Eusebius, Præp. Evangel. lib. xi. cap. 27. Vigeri edit. Paris. 1628. Plato, Alcibiad. Bekker, pars ii. vol. iii. p. 368.

κ Καὶ γὰρ ἂν δεινὸν εἴη, εἰ πρὸς τὰ δῶρα καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἀπο βλέπουσιν ἡμῶν οἱ θεοὶ, ἀλλὰ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν, ἄν τις ὅσιος nai díxasos ŵv tuyxávy. Alcibiades II. Bekker, pars i. vol. p. 295.

ii.

Vid. Plato de Legibus, lib. iv. Bekker, pars iii. vol. ii. p. 355. Eusebius, Præp. Evangel. lib. xi. cap. 13. St. James, iv. 6.

actions are to be avoided, but that light and idle words are to be shunned: for an avenging Nemesis was appointed to take account of, and severely to punish, even these m That this vengeance of the gods, the wicked man could by no efforts either elude or escape; if he could take wings and fly up to heaven, or could penetrate into the very depths of the earth, it would still pursue and search him out, either here or hereafter". Such maxims are certainly admirable, and inferior only to that perfect wisdom which came from the lips of Him who spake as never man spake°, and who proposed to the imitation of his followers no imaginary pattern, removed alike from their sight and their comprehension, but descended upon

- Διότι ΚΟΥΦΩΝ καὶ ΠΤΗΝΩΝ ΛΟΓΩΝ βαρυτάτη ζημία· πᾶσι γὰρ ἐπίσκοπος τοῖς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐτάχθη Δίκης Néμeois ayyeλos. De Legibus, lib. iv. p. 357.

n

Οὐχ οὕτω σμικρὸς ὢν δύσει κατὰ τὸ τῆς γῆς βάθος, οὐδ ̓ ὑψηλὸς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναπτήσει, τίσεις δὲ αὐτῶν, τὴν προσήκουσαν τιμωρίαν εἴτ ̓ ἐνθάδε μένων εἴτε καὶ ἐν "Αιδου διαποpeubels. De Legibus, lib. x. p. 219.

• Mirantur quidam nobis in gratia Christi sociati cum audiunt vel legunt Platonem de Deo ista sensisse quæ multum congruere veritati religionis nostræ agnoscunt. Augustin. Civ. Dei, lib. viii. c. 11.

earth, and went about doing good, the visible and embodied model and archetype of truth. Whether these precepts are called morality or philosophical purification, which necessarily included within it the idea of morality, their natural tendency, unless counteracted by other causes, must have been beneficial 3; for those only who trained themselves by them were to be admitted to the future happiness; those who did not, were to be excluded from it; whether the participation or exclusion were derived from some law of physical necessity inherent in the soul, or depended on the decision of a supreme Judge. For allusions to a future judgment, including as it does the idea of retribution in its more strict and proper sense, are by no means wanting. In the same treatise, in which we find him declaring before the tribunal of his country, that there was a divine voice within him which

P Apologia Socratis, Plato, Bekker, pars i. vol. ii. p. 118. Hist. Crit. Phil. Brucker, vol. i. p. 564.

9 Phædo, Bekker, pars ii. vol. iii. p. 107. Epist. 7. Bekker, pars iii. vol. iii. p. 448. Gorgias, Bekker, pars ii. vol. i. p. 167.