The constitution of man : considered in relation to external objects / by George Combe.
- George Combe
- Date:
- 1844
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The constitution of man : considered in relation to external objects / by George Combe. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![different terms : Contrivance proves design ; and the predominant tendency of the contrivance indicates the disposition of the designer. The world abounds with contrivances; and ALL THE CONTRIVANCES which wc are acquainted with, are directed to beneficial purposes.'' Paley's Mor. Phil. Edinb. 1816, p. 51. My object is to discover as many of the contrivances of the Creator, for effecting beneficial purposes, as possible ; and to point out in what manner, by accom- modating our conduct to these contrivances, we may lessen our misery and increase our happiness. I do not intend to teach that the natural laws, dis- cernible by unassisted reason, are sufficient for the salvation of man without revelation. Human interests regard this world and the next. To enjoy this world, I humbly maintain, that man must discover and obey the natural laws ; for example, to ensure health to off- spring, the parents must be healthy, and the children after birth must be treated in conformity to the organic laws; to fit them for usefulness in society, they must be instructed in their own constitution,—in that of ex- ternal objects and beings, and taught to act rationally in reference to these. Revelation does not commu- nicate complete or scientific information concerning the best mode of pursuing even our legitimate tempo- ral interests, probably because faculties have been given to man to discover arts, sciences, and the natu- ral laws, and to adapt his conduct to them. The phy- sical, moral, and intellectual nature of man, is itself open to investigation by our natural faculties ; and nu- merous practical duties resulting from our constitution are discoverable, which are not treated of in detail in the inspired volume; the mode of preserving health, for example ; of pursuing with success a temporal call- ing ; of discovering the qualities of men with whom we mean to associate our interests ; and many others. My object, I repeat, is to investigate the natural con- stitution of the human body and mind, their relations to external objects and beings in this world, and the courses of action that, in consequence, appear' to be beneficial or hurtful. Man's spiritual interests belong to the sphere of re- velation : and I distinctly declare, that I do not teach, ■.hat obedience to the natural laws is sufficient for sal- vation in a future state. Revelation prescribes certain requisites for salvation, which may be divided into two classes ; first, faith or belief; and, secondly, the per- formance of certain practical duties, not as meritorious «f salvation, but as the native result of that faith, and lie necessary evidence of its sincerity. The natural •aws form no guide as to faith ; but so far as I can per- ceive their dictates and those of revelation coincide in all matters relating to practical duties in temporal affairs. It may be asked, whether mere knowledge of the na- tural laws is sufficient to insure observance of them ] Certainly not. Mere knowledge of music does not en- able one to play on an instrument, nor of anatomy to perform skilfully a surgical operation. Practical training, and the aid of every motive that can interest the feelings, are necessary to lead individuals to obey the natural laws. Religion, in particular, may furnish motives highly conducive to this obedience. But, it must never be forgotten, that although mere knowledge is not all-sufficient, it is a primary and indispensable re- quisite to regular observance ; and that it is as impos- sible, effectually and systematically to obey the natural laws without knowing them, as it is to infringe them with impunity, although from ignorance of their exis- tence. Some persons are of opinion that Christianity alone suffices, not only for man's salvation, which I do not dispute, but for his guidance in all practical vir- tues, without knowledge of, or obedience to, the laws of nature ; but from this notion I respectfully dissent. It appears to me, that one reason why vice and misery, in this world, do not diminish in proportion to preach- ing, is, because the natural laws are too much over* looked, and very rarely considered as having any rela- tion to practical conduct. Connected with this subject, it is proper to state, that I do not maintain that the world is arranged on the principle of Benevolence exclusively : my idea is, that it is constituted in harmony with the whole faculties of man ; the moral sentiments and intellect holding the supremacy. What is meant by creation being con- stituted in harmony with the whole faculties of man, is this. Suppose that we should see two men holding a third in a chair, and a fourth drawing a tooth from his head :—While we contemplated this bare act, and knew nothing of the intention with which it was done, and of the consequences that would follow, we would set it down as purely cruel; and say, that, although it might be in harmony with Destructiveness, it could not be so with Benevolence. But, when we were told that the individual in the chair was a patient, the ope- rator a dentist, the two men his assistants, and that the object of all the parties was to deliver the first from violent torture, we would then perceive that Destruc- tiveness had been used as a means to accomplish a be- nevolent purpose; or, in other words, that it had acted under the supremacy of moral sentiment and intellect, and we would approve of the transaction. If the world were created on the principle of Benevolence exclusively, no doubt the toothach could not exist: but, as pain does exist, Destructiveness has been given to place men in harmony with it, when used for a be- nevolent end. To apply this illustration to the works of providence ; I humbly suggest it as probable, that if we knew tho- roughly the design and whole consequences of such institutions of the Creator, as are attended with pain, death, and disease, for example, we should find that Destructiveness was used as a means, under the gui- dance of Benevolence and Justice, to arrive at an end in harmony with the moral sentiments and intellect; in short, that no institution of the Creator has pure evil, or destructiveness alone, for its object. In judg- ing of the divine institutions, the moral sentiments and intellect embrace the results of them to the race, while the propensities regard only the individual; and as the former are the higher powers, their dictates are of su- preme authority in such questions. Farther, when the operations of these institutions are sufficiently under- stood, they will be acknowledged to be beneficial for the individual also ; although, when partially viewed, this may not at first appear to be the case. The opposite of this doctrine, viz. that there are in- stitutions of the Creator which have suffering for then- exclusive object, is clearly untenable ; for this would be ascribing malevolence to the Deity. As, however the existence of pain is undeniable, it is equally impos- sible to believe that the world is arranged on the principle of Benevolence exclusively ; and, with great submis- sion, the view now presented reconciles the existence of Pain with that of Benevolence in a natural way, and the harmony of it with the constitution of the human mind, renders its soundness probable. CHAPTER II. OF THE CONSTITUTION OF MAN, AND ITS RELATIONS TO EXTERNAL OBJECTS. Let us, then, consider the Constitution of Man, ar.d the natural laws to which he is subjected, and endea- vour to discover how far the external world is arranged with wisdom and benevolence, in regard to him. Bishop Butler, in the Preface to his Sermons, says, • It is from considering the relations which the several appe- tites and passions in the inward frame have to each other, and, above all, the supremacy of reflection oi conscience, that we get the idea of the system or con- stitution of human nature. And from the idea itsclC](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21029131_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
