Observations on man, his frame, his duty, and his expectations : In two parts. Part. I. Containing observations on the frame of the human body and mind, and on their mutual connexions and influences. Part. II. Containing observations on the duty and expectations of mankind / by David Hartley.

  • Hartley, David, 1705-1757.
Date:
1791
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on man, his frame, his duty, and his expectations : In two parts. Part. I. Containing observations on the frame of the human body and mind, and on their mutual connexions and influences. Part. II. Containing observations on the duty and expectations of mankind / by David Hartley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    548/816 (page 508)
    The pagan fortitude enjoined great patience and perfeverance in difficulties, pains, and dangers. But it was, in part, founded in pride; and fo was oppofite to the chriftian fortitude, whofe ftrength lies in its weaknefs, in a diffidence in ourfelves, and confidence in God. And how much the chriilian was fuperior in degree, as well as kind, may appear from the examples of the martyrs and confeffors in the primitive times, who were of all ranks, profeffions, ages, and fexes, and of innumerable private perfons in the prefent, as well as all paft ages of the church, who are able to rejoice in trihulationy and to do all things, through C hr ill that ftrengtheneth them. They do not make a fhew of themfelves to the world j that would be oftentation, and vain-glory: but thofe who defire to be animated by, and to imitate, fuch living examples, may find them in every chriftian country in the world. As to the pleafures of imagination, there feems to have been no reftraint laid upon them by the pagan morality. Curiofity, and the ftudy of the arts and fciences for their own fakes, were even recommended. Ambition was, in like manner, efteemed virtuous 5 and many kinds and degrees of humility were treated with reproach and contempt. Grofs felf-intereft was allowed in a much greater degree by the pagans, than it is amongft chriftians. The pagans fcarce knew what refined felf-intereft was; and they did not at all apprehend, that any objedion lay againft rational felf-intereft, or that a purer motive to adlion was neceflary. Their benevolence was chiefly a love of relations, benefadtors, and their country. They fell far ftiort of univerfal unlimited benevolence,, equal to felf-love; and they allowed, and even recommended, taking vengeance on enemies, as an heroic, noble adlion. As to the theopathetic affedlions of faith, fear, gratitude, hope, truft, refignation, and love, with the expreffions of thefe in prayer and praife, they knew nothing of them in general. Polytheifm, and impure notions of their deities, had quite depraved and ftarved all their theopathetic affedtions. They were deftitute of love, and their fear was fuperftition. Laftly, The confequence of all this muft be, and accordingly was, a proportional imperfedtion in the moral fenfe. It was deficient in moft things, erroneous in many, and needlefsly fcrupulous in fome. It occupied the place of the deity; for the beft amongft the pagans idolized the innate fenfe of honejiy^ and the independent power of the mind, the JenJus honejiiy and the to k(p' hpuv. I do not deny but that fome heathen moralifts may now and then have exprefled themfelves in a manner fuperior to what I have here deferibed. But I fpeak of the general tenor of their writings, and defire that may be compared with the general tenor of the feriptures, of the fathers, and of the chriftian divines of all ages. Cor. 2. By a like review of the feven laft fedlions, we may difeern more clearly and fully the relative nature of the virtues and vices, which has been already taken notice