TABLE II. Of the Emblematical Scales of Animal and Intellectual Phenomena. The Animal Functions divided into two parts. 1. Animal Nutrition Animal Sensation. These, with the Organic Vegetable, arrange themselves thus, Left, 2. Nutritive function of Animals, Central State, Organic function of Plants, Right. Sensitive function of Animals. The five Senses, according to the nature of their operations, afford the four following scales. Scale 1st. The number and arrangement of the Senses in a straight line. Of senses exercised only when the objects of them are in a state of juxtaposition to their respective organs. The undermost figures represent the straight line as above; the uppermost, their situation in the Septenary Scale. Is formed by the addition of the Sense of Vision to each side of the preceding scale, as it is by this sense that we not only converse with objects at a distance, but also observe the operation of mind, as expressed by the countenance, and of the heavenly bodies in the mechanical or analogous step of the great Scale. Thus, Is formed by the addition of the sense of Hearing to each extremity of the preceding scale, as it is by this sense that we converse not only with objects at a distance, as in vision, but with objects which we do not see, whether they belong to this world or to the next, to time or eternity. For faith or belief in things not seen, "cometh by hearing." Thus, 1 2 3 4 Of animal faculties springing out of the Scale of the Senses. Sensation Perception, Conception, Attention, Memory, Association Imitation. or feeling, of ideas, Scale Of Nature's Laws, Nature's Instincts, and Nature's Perversions. Law 1st, Scale 1st. Of Nature's Laws; which are three primarily. Law 2d, Law 3d. Self-Preservation, Propagation of the Species, Preservation of the Offspring. Scale 2d. Of Nature's three primary Instincts, founded on the above laws. The exercise of these three Instincts secure obedience to the three above primary Laws of Nature; each of which is demonstrated by the results which issue from it, to be as perfect as though there had been a thousand. Scale 3d. Of Nature's Perversions, or state of Human Degradation. 1. To a level with the brute, in the repression of moral feeling, and not attending to the cases of the destitute and the needy. 2. To a step beneath the brute, in not obeying the Laws of Nature in the manner that even brutes do. 3. To a degree which is anomalous and without a parallel, in the perversion of Nature's Laws, by which the human species seek to create new sources of pleasure to themselves; but every attempt of which kind, is always attended with directly opposite effects,-Nature's Laws, as well as Nature's God, being unchangeable. Scale of Intellectual Being, in three orders. Centre, Left, Human Intelligence, Angelic Intelligence. Scales illustrative of the Human Faculties. As a compound being, the scale of the animal or irrational faculties, as well as of the rational, are applicable to man. As to his animal nature, he is susceptible in common with the brute, of 5 Sensation Perception, Conception, Attention, Memory, Association Imitation, or feeling, of ideas. And as to his intellectual nature, man has a set of faculties peculiar to himself, corresponding each respectively with the above faculties. As an intellectual being, he has, Sentimen- Taste, Fancy, Consider- Practical Speculation or Docility or tality, or Tact, ation, judgment, ratiocination humility. The operation of these two Scales, together with the scale of the Passions, which follows, exhibits the whole phenomena of the rational animal man. The Passions in Man, are similar to the Instincts in Brutes, and answer a similar end in the economy of Intellect, that they do in the animal economy of Nature. Scale of Vicissitudes and Contrarieties of the several steps of the great Scale of the Universe, while as yet no evil existed. There is, In the first or Elemental, In the third or Chemical, *In the fourth or Vegetable, In the fifth or Animal, In the sixth or Intellectual, The Scale of Moral and Physical Evil, Light and Darkness. Composition and Decomposition. is the same as the preceding, only let the epithet Noxious be added to the different steps, thus. There is, In the first or Elemental, Noxious Light and Noxious Darkness. In the second or Mechanical, Noxious Attraction and Noxious Repulsion. In the third or Chemical, *In the fourth or Vegetable, In the fifth or animal, In the sixth or Intellectual, Noxious Composition and Noxious Decomposition. Noxious Knowledge and Noxious Ignorance. In the seventh or Moral, Noxious Moral Illumination and Noxious Moral Obscuration. These symbols are expressive of the whole compass of Moral and Physical Evil, the end whereof is Death, But the Gospel produces a New Creation, in which the great Moral Scale of Grace is evolved also by a sevenfold phenomenon, analogous to the seven steps of the great Scale of the Universe. In the Scale of Grace, There is, In the first or Elemental step, In the second or Mechanical, In the third or Chemical, *In the fourth or Vegetable, In the fifth or Animal, In the sixth or Intellectual, In the seventh or Moral, Light and Darkness. Knowledge and Ignorance. This Scale is expressive of the whole experience of the Christian-shews that he is in an imperfect state, where there is constantly a mixture of Light and Darkness-Knowledge and Ignorance-Right and Wrong, &c. and points to a state of perfection and glory, to which all his actions tend. The illustrations to follow in due order. (To be continued.) Hitherto I have said nothing of the injunctions of scripture, against dancing, and therefore I must inform Phi, that in Romans, xii. 2, he will find, "And be not conformed to this world, -for the fashion of this world passeth away." 1 Cor. vii. 31. Now Phi informs us that dancing is very much in vogue. In vogue with whom? With the people of the world; therefore those who practise it, conform to the world. Perhaps Phi will say that this does not apply to private parties; he speaks, however, in one part of his essay, of exceptionable sorts of dancing, and we are enjoined to avoid the very appearance of evil, 1 Thess. V. 22. 66 I remember a story of a minister, who reproved a lady for the extravagance of her dress. "Why, Sir," said she, "I need not be proud, because I wear fine clothes." Madam," was the reply, "when I see a fox's tail coming out of a hole, I conclude there is a fox there;" that is to say, where the appearance of evil exists, evil itself is not far distant, and that therefore it is prudent to avoid that which has a shade of impropriety, for fear the substance should succeed it. Again, Was Phi ever baptized? If he was, then he most probably knows, that his sponsors then vowed that he should renounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked world. Was he ever confirmed? Then he renewed that vow himself. What then come under the denomination of the pomps and vanities of this world, unless it be its fashions, modes, customs, &c. Again, allowing that dancing is conducive to health; health is desirable, and so is life: but some have nobly sacrificed their lives, rather than purchase them at the expense of the favour of God. Is not such conduct praiseworthy? As God then has forbidden this exercise, is any man justifiable in practising it, merely for the sake of his health? The times of men are in the hands of God, and, if he sees it proper, he will continue it to us, if not we must submit; and for our comfort let us remember, that "A sickness that leads to everlasting life, is better than the health of an antediluvian." Another grand argument in favour of dancing, is, that it prepares for polite society. True, but what was God's design in placing man in this state of being? was it not to prepare for the company of angels, of archangels, of the spirits of the just made perfect, of God the judge of all, and of Jesus the mediator of the new covenant? and is dancing favourable to such preparation? No, for it unsettles the mind; and of persons engaged in this exercise, may it not with propriety frequently be said, God is not in all their thoughts. The Apostle recommends us in every thing,by prayer and supplication, to make our requests known unto God; and what man would have the audacity to tell God, that he was going to a ball, that he hoped he should have his favour and presence during the time he was there, and that his conduct now was with the ex-lovers of pleasure are intellectually press intention of giving glory to him alone? The rich man in the gospel, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and who fared sumptuously every day, was a person who doubtless was fit for polite society; but he died, and so will all those who endeavour to prolong their lives by the very invigorating exercise of dancing. In hell he lifted up his eyes in torments. The preparations he had made for fitting himself for the company of the great of this world, were of no avail, and he was cast into the lake of fire, where is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth; while Lazarus, whose only companion was sickness, and whose only physicans were the dogs, was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: he was dignified by the most honourable bearers, he was associated with the most exalted society; and the man whose thoughts in this world were but on the gratification of his sensual appetites, was compelled to solicit the aid of him who was laid at his gate, to afford him a drop of water to cool his tongue. Such was the result of their different modes of life; which was preferable, I leave any to determine; and my ardent wishes are, that the multitude of your readers may be in a state of preparation for that dread moment, when our barks, which have hitherto floated on the narrow river of time only, shall launch into the boundless ocean of eternity, when we shall be unclothed and disburdened of this mortal garment, and when we shall wear the robes of immortality. But the advocates for dancing say, that it is a rational amusement. God, the author of reason, forbids it, when he says, Deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow me." Does it not rather bear the image and superscription of Satan, and is it not included in the rich fool's advice to his soul, "Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry?" Phi has informed us that he is a lover of pleasure. Solo- | mon says, "He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man," Prov. xxi. 17. How often is it the case, that the lovers and practisers of pleasure are poor, even in a literal sense; that they squander away their means of sustenance, in the pursuit of pleasure. It is still oftener the case, that the poor, that they allow themselves no time for thinking, and that they permit their minds to be drawn away by any trifling circumstance. And it is always the case, that they are spritually poor, that they are not rich in grace, and heirs of the kingdom; they have no documents to prove their meetness to the inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Let us regard Moses, who is set before us in the Bible, as an ensample for our conduct; he preferred suffering affliction with the people of God, to enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season.. Yes, these pleasures are fleeting, and the day is coming, when for walking in the sight of the eyes, and the desire of the heart, God will bring men into judgment; and let Phi remember, "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." "BEHOLD, YE DESPISERS,AND WONDER AND PERISH." But my strictures have already extended to a greater length than I intended, and I have therefore only to add, that I am, Mr. Editor, Feb. 7, 1822. P. S. To Albert, J. L. and M. M. I beg to say, that should they be inclined to advance any thing more in favour of this system, I will pay them all the attention that lies in my power. To the latter of these, I may say without flattery, that Í have admired many of his pieces; but as Bishop Burnet says, "Whatever moderation I owe to men's persons, I owe none to their errors." Let him not endeavour to display his genius in a thing so unworthy of it as the present, unless he sincerely believes in its propriety, for Εχθρος γαρ μοι κείνος όμως αιδαν πυλησιν, 66 χ' ετερον μεν κυθει ενι φρεσιν αλλο δε βάζει. REMARKS ON HOMER. ETERNAL ELECTION" VINDICATED. MR. EDITOR. SIR,-I hesitated for some time, whether I ought to take any notice of J. D. B.'s paper, inserted in col. 1104, &c. of the Imperial Magazine, for December, 1821, and I assure you, Sir, I have not been allured by the meekness of its spirit, encouraged by the perspicuity of its style, or urged by the force of its reasoning. "1. Z. asserts that 'eternal election is not only unscriptural, but absurd,' and adduces an argument in proof, viz. that 'there can be no election till the objects of election exist.' This is an assertion which, I think, (at least with regard to God) cannot be proved, for God, in the language of scripture, is said to foreknow, Rom. viii. 29; and as God is said to be from everlasting to everlasting, Psalm xc. 2. all events are known to him." If Anti-Arminius had observed what follows in my paper, he might have saved himself the trouble of quoting scripture to me in proof of God's foreknowledge; for I admitted that "there may be an election according to an eternal purpose." I even went so far as to say, that "the election mentioned in scripture is of this kind:" yet your correspondent seems justly to have inferred that what I have said is "little short of blasphemy." "The scripture always speaks of God, in relation to his people, as manifesting a permanent regard-I have loved thee with an everlasting love; and as a fruit of this love-I have with loving kindness drawn thee." If we substitute eternal purpose for everlasting love, and election for drawn thee, then Anti-Arminius and Z. approximate considerably to each other. "Again, they are spoken of as being-predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son." As above, place eternal purpose for predestination, and election for conformity to Christ, and what becomes of my opponent's argument? Your correspondent considers "eternal election of the people of God as the effect of sovereign grace," and the being "drawn with loving kindness, as the fruit of everlasting love." If so, I cannot see what real injury Calvinism sustains, by viewing the effect of sovereign grace, and the fruit of everlasting love, as contemporaneous circumstances. But what have we arrived at? Has Anti-Arminius proved that election does take place before the objects of election exist? I think not, No. 38.-VOL IV. "2. According to Calvinism, the redeemed are as much entitled to the appellation elect, before conversion, as after it.' I answer, No! because, ACCORDING TO CALVINISM, there is no difference between them and the reprobate in themselves." Is there ever a difference in themselves? If not, then they are never entitled to the appellation! But if God has made an eternal difference between the elect and reprobate, by means of his eternal election of the one, and eternal reprobation of the other; then the one are, by reason of such distinction, entitled to the appellation the elect. The paragraph concludes thus: "therefore the phrase, 'elect sinners,' is perfect nonsense." Granted; how will Anti-Arminius justify the use of it by our old Calvinistic divines? I again repeat the argument; if Calvinism styles the redeemed the elect before they are converted, and if the scripture calls none the elect but those who are converted, then Calvinism and scripture are at variance with. each other? "3. In the four following propositions your correspondent Z. mistakes, respecting the circumstances which characterize the people of God. He refers in those pages to them before conversion, which makes a material difference." Z. did not refer to the people of God before their conversion; but he thought, and he thinks so still, that if the elect are characterized by prayer, faith, a state of justification, and a state of holiness, then, none are elected before conversion. Q. E. D. "4. The elect are exhorted to make firm their election.' This the Apostle exhorts them to do, that they deceive not themselves, by calling themselves elect, when they are not; but be sure their election is of God, and not deceive others, nor their own souls, by an empty profession, without the witnessing Spirit that they are children of God." Anti-Arminius will be so obliging as to explain the following sentence. The Apostle exhorts the elect to make firm their election, that they deceive not themselves, by calling themselves elect, when they are not elect. The passage under consideration is found in 2 Peter i. 10. and is as follows, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never X |