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inconsistent with his philosophical theory of the reunion of the soul after death, to the one divine and universal Mind, from whence it originally emanated. Now allowing, for the sake of argument, this to be Plato's opinion, which is found in the systems of other philosophers rather than in his own, is it so very easy for the understanding to realize to itself this notion of absorption into the universal spirit, in which all idea of personal consciousness is to be excluded, that we are at once to discard

Θεὸς, ὁ Ποιητὴς, καὶ Πατὴρ τοῦ ὁλοῦ, ὁ ἀεὶ Θεός. Δημιουργούσα Αἰτία, γενέσεως καὶ οὐσίας αἰτία, χρόνου μὴ μετέχουσα, οὐδ ̓ ἐν χρόνῳ τὸ παράπαν οὖσα, Θεὸς αἰτιώτατος, ὁ πρῶτος θεὸς, ὁ MÉVIOTOS DEÓS. The soul of the world, and other second causes, are, θεοῦ γεννήματα καὶ ἔργα, Δημιουργοῦ ὑπηρέται, Geoì Oev, who derive all their power from the first Creator.

Vid. Timæus, and his other philosophical works, passim. Plotinus, Numenius, and the Platonists of the Alexandrian school, give a very different account: with them the supreme Deity is the father of the Angroupyès, the second Deity, and the Anima Mundi is the third. Eusebius, Præp. Evang. lib. xi. c. 17, 18. edit. Vigeri, Paris, 1628.

In the wild and blasphemous speculations of Cerinthus and other early heretics, the supreme Deity is also distinguished from the Anμovgyès, or Creator. Irenæus adv. Hæreses, lib. i. cap. 1. 13. 16. 19. 25. 33. lib. v. cap. 4. t Vid. Appendix, note E.

every declaration of belief as insincere, which is at variance with the inference deducible from such a theory? Are all those expressions, in which the feelings of the man triumph over the abstractions of the philosopher, to be set aside in favour of a principle which none of those who held it either comprehended or consistently explained? The best evidences of a man's real conviction are not his speculative views, but those natural sentiments to which he gives utterance more in unison with the ordinary tendencies of the human mind. On the lofty heights of metaphysical speculation ", clouds and darkness hover, which it

u The speculatist may declare, if he will, that the law of causation cannot be proved, and that the free-agency of man is disproved; yet from the very next moment to the last hour of his life, the natural course of his thoughts, words, and actions, will be in direct contradiction to his theories. If he argue that the immortality of the soul cannot be demonstrated on the principles of pure reason, the desire of the heart, the "longing after immortality," will still remain ; and this (omitting revelation) is of itself the best evidence of its truth.

Αἱ γὰρ βέλτισται ψυχαι ΜΑΝΤΕΥΟΝΤΑΙ ταῦτα οὕτως EXE. Plato, 2 Epist. ad Dionys. Bekker, pars iii. vol. iii. p. 400.

Warburton

is not permitted to the limited powers of the most exalted intellect to disperse. *The difficulties multiply in proportion as we ascend, and if we imagine that we have arrived at certainty, and venture to give definite form and shape to our abstractions, we shall soon learn the mortifying lesson, how little our system will influence the practical belief of others, or even our own, when opposed to the more common motives and instinctive impressions of our nature. Those who have reflected most on such subjects will perhaps assent to the opinion, that if we would discover truth, we must pursue it in some lower region, in which the light of our moral feelings and faculties may be allowed to cheer and direct our path. These reflections, while they teach humility to ourselves, may assist us to form a

Warburton speaks with contempt of such inferences, as proper only to poetical metaphysicians and metaphysical poets; yet Aristotle, at least as sober a reasoner as himself, attributes to no argument more weight than to one grounded on our natural desires. Divine Legation, vol. iii. p. 632. Aristot. Ethic. book i. chap. 2. Rhet. book ii. chap. 19.

X

Appendix, note F.

right estimate as to the actual belief of the ancient philosophers on the subject of a future existence. It is not because they give way to doubts and misgivings; (on such a subject how could it be otherwise?) it is not because we meet with unintelligible theories; this has been the history of metaphysics in all ages and under all religions: it is not because these theories might lead to consequences inconsistent with their poроsitive declarations, that we are to come at once to the conclusion that they had no belief in what they asserted, and that Socrates and Plato' (for we have no certain

y If the misgivings of Socrates at one time are brought forward, let us remember the strength and confidence of his assertions at others. Vid. Phædo, p. 120.

Sequitur ex his nobile Socraticæ scholæ dogma; animum esse immortalem et habere post mortem præmia virtutis: quod morte sua obsignavit et confirmavit Socrates. Videtur non tam de animorum post hanc vitam felicitate dubitasse quam de ejus conditione et loco, quo referenda sunt, si vere sunt Socratis quæ apud Antonium et Maximum ei tribuuntur, interrogatum quænam in altero mundo sint obvia, respondisse, se neque ipsum ibi unquam fuisse neque cum ullo eorum qui inde rediissent colloquutum esse. Hist. Crit. Phil. Brucker, vol. i. pp. 563, 564.

z Warburton and others attempt to separate the opin

criterion by which we can separate the opinions of the one from those of the other,) made it the sole business of their lives to deceive those whom they pretended to teach. The general tone and temper pervading their discussions is at variance with such an opinion. It is a striking feature in the character of Socrates, and which well entitles him to the admiration even of Christians, that, surrounded with mysteries which he could not explain, and in the midst of darkness which he could not pene

Whether the fact

ions of Socrates from those of Plato. be so or not, we have no means of distinguishing between them. As far as Plato's own evidence is available, the contrary is the case. Διὰ ταῦτα οὐδὲν πώποτ ̓ ἐγὼ περὶ τού των γέγραφα, οὐδ' ἔστι σύγγραμμα ΠΛΑΤΩΝΟΣ οὐδὲν οὐδ ̓ ἔσται, τὰ δὲ νῦν λεγόμενα ΣΩΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ ἐστί. Plat. 2 Epist. ad Dionys. p. 406.

I do not wish to insist on the positive testimony of this passage, on account of the obvious advantage it must have been to the philosopher to convey his instructions freely to his friend, through the medium of another's name; I am speaking of course of their opinions on moral subjects. It is well known that Plato discussed physical questions, which Socrates did not: Σwxpátous dè περὶ μὲν τὰ ἠθικὰ πραγματευομένου περὶ δὲ τῆς ὅλης φύσεως οὐδέν. Aristot. Metaphys. lib. i. cap. 6.

a Appendix, note G.

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