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A Treatise on the First Principles of Christianity [signed by E.b., V.g. Que.].
A Treatise on the First Principles of Christianity - signed by E.b., V.g. Que. Author:Edmund Burke General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1808 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: Sency be loft, the attainment of the end is impracticable If the human body be put in contact with certais fubftances, it contracts a ftain, and lofes its native beauty, fo the foul from an inordinate attachment to forbidden objects, contracts the (tain of fin, and lofcs its beauty. There is a two-fold beauty in the foul unfullied by fin j the firft refulting from the light ofreafon, and the fe- cond from the light f grace. This ftain remains, though the act which produced it pa(Tes, as the ftain contracted by the body, from being iri contact with fome foul fubfia'nce, remains, though the fubftance be re inoved. As the ftain of fin is contracted by an attachment to fome forbidden object which caufes a deviation from the laft end, it is neceflkry not only to renounce the attachment, but alfo to "refume a direction to the Jaft end, as it is neceffary not only to remove the foul fubftance which ftains the body, but alfo to cleanfe the ftain; hence the immutability of the will immediately on the termination of life. The laft mftant of life being the laft of the time of trial, the foul has arrived at the end, which in life fiie purfued ; ifherpur- fuits were directed to the proper end according to the Dictates of reafon, her reward is certain ; if on the Contrary abufing reafon, and liberty, her purfuits during the time of triaf, were directed to fome end, which reafon conddmris, her punifhment is unavoidable. As mortal fm extinguifhes every principle of life in the foul, it has not power within itfelf to refume its tendency to the laft end. During the time of trial an affiftance both natural, and fupernatu...« less