THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For AUGUST, 1754.

ART. VIII. The Dignity of Human Nature; or, a brief account of the certain and established means for attaining the true end of our existence. By J. B. mafter of an academy at Newington-green, Middlefex. 4to. 1os. 6d. bound. Whiston, Millar, Dodfley, &c.

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HE public is obliged, for this fenfible and ufeful performance, to one who appears to us to have a fincere and ardent desire to promote the interests of virtue and religion; the most valuable interests among men. His defign in it, to use his own words, is, to fhew what is truly great, ornamental, or useful, in life; to call the attention of mankind to objects worthy of their regard, as rational immortal beings; to give a brief, but comprehenfive, account of the certain and established means for attaining the true end of our existence, happiness in the prefent and future ftates.

The dignity of human nature he exhibits under the four following heads, viz. 1. Prudence, or such a conduct with respect to fecular affairs, as is proper in itself, and suitable to respective circumftances, and naturally tends to make a man happy in himfelf, and useful in fociety. 2. Knowledge, or the improvement and enlargement of the faculties of the mind, as underftanding, memory, and imagination. 3. Virtue, or a conformity of difpofition and practice to rectitude, in all refpects, as VOL. XI.

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to ourselves, our fellow-creatures, and our maker. 4. Revealed Religion, or a due enquiry into, and proper regard to any exprefs revelation, which the fupreme Being may have given to mankind.

The work is divided into four books, in the firft of which our author treats of prudence, and lays down a series of directions with regard to the conduct of life in moft circumstances of it, comprehending what is generally neceffary for regulating converfation and action, with feveral hundreds of prudential maxims or aphorifms, collected from his own obfervation, and the works of the most approved writers.

In the fecond book he proceeds to the confideration of what makes another very confiderable part of the dignity of human life, viz. The improvement of the mind by useful and ornamental knowledge. This book contains a fcheme of education from infancy, in the different branches of fcience; a variety of useful hints, both for parents and tutors, on the great importance of bringing the paffions and appetites of children early under proper difcipline, and habituating them betimes to the love and practice of virtue; with feveral excellent directions in regard to the conduct of ftudy, and obfervations on the errors that are generally committed in it. Mr. Burgh likewise directs the reader to fuch authors as are proper to be read on the feveral different branches of learning.

In the third book, our author goes on to treat of virtue, and as his fubject rifes in its importance, and confequently demands a higher regard, he confiders it very largely; deduces a fcheme. of morality from what he apprehends to be its true foundation; gives an account of the divine intention in creating moral and accountable beings; confiders the nature of man, his prefent ftate of difcipline, and his obligations both in regard to himfelf, his fellow-creatures, and his creator; and lays down a great variety of detached moral reflections on different fubjects.

The fubject of the fourth book is revealed religion. Our author introduces it with obferving, that there is nothing directly abfurd or contradictory to reafon, in the fuppofition of the poffibility of a revelation given from God, for the reformation and improvement of mankind; that a direct explicit law, given by divine authority, is the very thing which fuch a fhort-fighted, and imperfect order of beings as mankind, were peculiarly in want of; that the guilt of wilfully rejecting or oppofing divine truth must be more or less attrocious, according as the advantages for enquiry, and fatisfaction upon the subject, are greater or lefs; that the faith, which is acceptable to God, is that rational reception of religious truth, which arifes

from candid and diligent examination, and a due fubmiffion to divine authority; and that no wife man will think lightly of a scheme intended, as divine revelation is, for the important ends of republishing, with a fet of authoritative sanctions, the religion of nature, and fixing beyond all difpute the duty of mankind, and the means for attaining their greatest happinefs, and for cominunicating to them various important truths not known before, nor difcoverable by human reafon. That revelation has effectually done these things he endeavours to fhew, by exhibiting a general view of it; after which he proceeds to the confideration of fome particulars in revealed religion, fuch as the doctrine of providence, the deftruction of mankind by a general deluge, the fcripture-account of the fallen angels, the incarnation of Christ, and the refurrection of the body. He goes on to offer fome confiderations on the credibility of fcripture, and concludes his work with a series of heads of felf-examination on the chief points, in which the dignity of human nature confifts; part of this we fhall lay before our readers: it is as follows,

Haft thou confidered, O my foul, what thou art, and for what created? Doft thou habitually think of thyfelf as an Intelligence capable of immortality, and brought into Being on purpose for endlefs and inconceivable happiness? Does 'the thought of an hereafter engage thy fupreme attention? Is eternity for ever in thy view? Doft thou faithfully labour, wifh, and pray, for the neceffary abilities and difpofitions for acting up to the dignity of thy nature, and the end of thy 'creation? Or doft thou trifle with what is to thee of infi ⚫nite importance? Thou would'ft not furely fuffer thyself to be deceived out of thy happiness? Thou would'ft not surely < put out the eye of thy reafon, and rufh headlong upon deftruction? Try thy prudence and fincerity then, by comparing the diligence thou ufeft, and the care thou bestoweft, upon the things thou knoweft thyfelf to be fincerely attached < to, with what thou think'it fufficient for fecuring an eternity of happiness. Doft thou rife early, and fit up late, to get a wretched pittance of the perifhing wealth of this world? And doft thou wholly forget thou haft an eternity to provide for? Art thou ever ready, and upon the catch, to seize the empty bubbles of life, as they float along the ftream of time? And doft thou let flip the only opportunity for mak ing provifion for futurity; the opportunity which, if it once efcape thee, thou knoweft a whole eternity will never more bring back? Doft thou fufpect every perfon, and watch ⚫ over every circumftance, that may any way affect thy worldly G 2

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affairs? And doft thou take up with any fecurity, or with abfolute uncertainty, to found thy profpect of future happinefs upon? Thou doft not count it prudence to fay to thy felf, riches will flow in of themselves; I fhall of course rise to a station of honour. And doft thou think it wise to say, God is merciful; he will not punish my neglect of him, or my rebellion against him; tho' both fcripture and reafon fhew it to be impoffible, that vice should in the end be happy? Or doft thou pretend to have found out a new way to happiness? Doft thou propofe to out-wit infinite wifdom? Thou can'ft not furely think of being happy, without being virtuous ? Thou can't not dream of a rational creature's coming to happiness, under the government of a being of infinite purity, while his whole nature is depraved and polluted by vice?

Doft thou then make it thy fupreme care to perform thy whole duty, without neglecting the leaft article of it, however difagreeable to thy temper or turn of mind? and to avoid every vice, every temptation to every vice, every appearance of every vice, however grateful to thy depraved difpofition? Doft thou conftantly watch over thyfelf? Doft thou fufpect every other perfon, left his example or influence mislead thee? Doft thou often and regularly meditate on thy ways, and examine thy heart and thy life? Doft thou perfectly know thy own weakness? Haft thou all thy infirmities engraven on thy remembrance? Doft thou dread vice more than poverty, pain, or death? Doft thou carefully reftrain every paffion and appetite within due bounds? Art thou afraid of the fatal allurements of riches, honours, and pleasures? Doft thou indulge them fparingly? Doft thou enjoy the gratifications of fenfe with fear and trembling? Art thou ever fufpicious of thy frail nature, on this dangerous fide ?--

Doft thou, O my foul, confider thyfelf as the creature of • Omnipotence, formed to fill a place, and contribute thy fhare towards carrying on a fcheme for the happiness of multitudes? Doft thou think there is no duty owing by thee, in confequence of the honour and the favour done thee, in calling thee forth from thy original nothing, and giving thee an opportunity to act an illuftrious part, and rife in the creation? Can't thou think of thyfelf as capable of knowing, fearing, loving and adoring the fupreme Excellence, and yet as no way obliged to any of thefe duties? Does not, on the contrary, the very capacity infer the neceffity of performing them? Can't thou go on from day to day, and from year to year, without ever railing a thought to thy creator? Haft thou no ambition to enoble thy mind with the contempla

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tion of infinite excellence? Haft thou no defire to imitate, in thy low sphere, the all-perfect pattern? Doft thou think ever to go to God, if thou doft not love God? The very heathen will tell thee fuch a hope is abfurd. Doft thou think thy creator will raife thee to the enjoyment of himself against thy own inclination, and in spite of thy impiety? Should he now transport thee to the third heavens, doft thou imagine thou wouldst find any enjoyment there, with a mind funk in fordid fenfuality, deformed by vicious paffions, and wholly infenfible of the fublime enjoyments of a state altogether fpiritual? As ever thou would't come to blifs hereafter, and avoid utter deftruction, do not deceive thyfelf in a matter ⚫ of infinite confequence, and where a mistake will be irrecoverable. Thou knoweft, that as the tree falls, fo it will lie; that as death leaves thee, fo judgment will find thee; that there will be no miracle wrought in thy favour, to make thee fit for future happiness; but that thou wilt of course be difpofed of according to what thou fhalt be found fit for; that thy future ftate will be what thou thyfelf haft made it. That therefore to think of paffing thy life in vice and folly, and to hope to be wafted to future happiness upon the wings of a few lazy and ineffectual wifhes and prayers in old age, or ⚫ on a death-bed, is to expect to be rewarded, not according to thy works, but to thy prefumptuous hopes, which is in• confiftent both with reafon and fcripture. It is to think to ⚫ attain the greatest of all prizes, without any trouble. Yet thou knoweft, that even the trifles of this world are not attained by wishes, but by industry. It is to imagine, that the infinitely wife governor of the world will be put off in a manner which no earthly fuperior would regard, other wife than as the higheft infolence. Set thyfelf, therefore, if thou haft any thought in good earneft to difengage thy attention from the vifionary delufions, and fordid gratifications, of the prefent ftate, and to fix thy affections on the only object that is worthy of them, or will prove adequate to them. Acquaint thyfelf with his perfections. Solace thy felf with his love. Proftrate every power and every faculty before him in humble adoration, and felf-annihilation. Truft to him (in well-doing) for the fupply of every want, for the life that now is, and for eternity. Sacrifice every favourite. paffion, and every craving appetite, every profpect in life, with family and friends, and life itfelf, to his obedience. • Never think thou haft done enough, or can't do too much, to gain his approbation: for if thou doft but fecure that,

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