Letters on the Human Body/Letter 10
LETTER X.
- My Dear Sir,
My Dear Sir, I am delighted at learning, from your last kind favour, that you feel an interest in the communications which I have lately made to you, respecting the human body; and it is on this ground that I am led to flatter myself with the hope, that I shall not weary you by directing your attention again to the same subject. Will you allow me then to continue my remarks, by extending them to the voluntary and involuntary motions of the body and its parts?
Perhaps you have never heretofore reflected on these motions, so as to make a discovery of the important and edifying instruction which they involve, and yet I am persuaded you agree fully with me, that as the body of man is exclusively the work of a DIVINE ARCHITECT, both in the whole and all its parts, therefore we are compelled to allow that, both in the whole and all its parts, it must of necessity contain and exhibit DIVINE ARCANA of goodness, wisdom, and power, worthy of its MAKER, and demanding the most diligent and devout scrutiny of that human being, for whose use and benefit it was originally created. It is surely high time, then, that we should recall our wandering thoughts from things without us, and which possibly have no tendency but to disturb, if not to corrupt us; that so we may be at more leisure to attend to things within us, by entering into ourselves, and exploring the deep and hidden wonders stored up in that treasure house of our own souls and bodies, which the ALMIGHTY doubtless intended, not only for our examination, but to yield us an ample supply both of comfort and of sanctity.
You have doubtless been struck occasionally with the fact, that there are motions in the different parts of your body , over which you have no control, such as are the motions of the cerebrum and cerebellum, of the heart and lungs, of the stomach and intestines, &c., which motions may be called involuntary motions. It cannot also have escaped your observation, that there are other motions over which you have control, such as are all those which proceed from the determinations of your will and understanding, by virtue of which determinations your arms and hands, your legs and feet, and your whole body, are put in motion, and continued so for a certain length of time, which motions may not improperly be called voluntary motions.
Now both these kinds of motion, you must allow, when explored as to their origin, bear a singular character, which merits the attention, because it is calculated to promote the edification, of every intelligent mind. For in regard to the latter, viz. the voluntary motions, how wonderful is it, that will and understanding, which are spiritual principles, can exercise power over gross matter, so as to put a large bulk of it in motion, and thus to remove it from one place to another, or to keep it at work in the same place, in agreement with their joint determination! How wonderful is it, that these same spiritual principles can, at one time, influence the organs of speech, so as to produce articulate sounds, and thus convey ideas; whilst, at another time, they can act upon the arms and hands, and by putting them in motion give birth to actions! For on what ground, except that of the appointment of the DIVINE WILL and WISDOM, can we account for this otherwise inexplicable commerce between mental volition and bodily action,—in consequence of which commerce, the organs of the body are perpetually at the nod of the decisions of the mind? Surely this is a riddle in the constitution of man, which no reason of man, unenlightened from above, can satisfactorily solve.
But if such be the obscurity in which the voluntary motions of the body are involved, what shall we say of the thick darkness which overspreads the involuntary? How, for instance, shall we account for the perpetual motion of the above-mentioned organs, viz. the cerebrum and cerebellum, the heart and the lungs, the stomach and the intestines, &c.; all which organs, during the bodily life of man, are in a constant state of activity, uninfluenced alike by the assent or dissent of their proprietor, and continuing their motions without any interruption from the general motions of the body, be they ever so violent? On this occasion, surely, even the most determined scepticism must be forced to confess, that man, during his life here below, is in some invisible and mysterious connection with superior beings, who exercise a secret unseen agency on his vital organs, regulating all their motions, and preserving them in the discharge of their several functions, which, possibly, if left to the volition and superintendence of man, might be exposed to perpetual disturbance and interruption. At all events, is it not (I would ask) a most extraordinary fact, deserving all consideration, that the most important organs of the human body—on the orderly motions of which both the health and life of the body are altogether dependant—are under some foreign control, separate from the agency both of man’s will and understanding; as if intended by the Divine Providence of the MOST HIGH to be standing monuments—how little man can do for himself, and how much is every day done for him by others? Oh! that we were wise to admit all the salutary instruction involved in this fact!
You are surprised perhaps to find, that you have so little to do in the affairs of your own body, and that so much is done for you by an agency distinct from your own; but how much more will you be astonished at hearing, that this wonder is not confined to your body, but extends also to your soul, or spirit, which latter has also its voluntary and involuntary motions!
Perhaps, in the whole range of metaphysical speculation and inquiry, there is no point of greater moment, none also which has been less attended to, yet none which is more confirmed by universal experience, than the existence of such voluntary and involuntary mental motions. I appeal, my dear Sir, on this occasion, to the testimony of what you feel passing every day in your own bosom. For, let me ask, do you find that you can command, at all times, your own affections and thoughts, so as to be able, like the Centurion of old, to “say to this, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it?” [Matt. viii. 9.]. Rather, are you not frequently in the same situation with the Apostle, who makes the humiliating confession, that “when he would do good, evil was present with him;” and that “he saw a law in his members warring against the law of his mind?” [Rom. vii. 21, 23.]. I will suppose (indeed I believe it to be strictly true), that it is the general and uppermost purpose of your mind to do the whole will of GOD, and never to offend Him either in thought, word, or deed. But how frequently have you occasion to regret the disturbance, arising from some inward opposition to this purpose! Even in your acts of devotion, when you wish to delight and strengthen yourself by a holy intercourse with your HEAVENLY FATHER, and when every voluntary faculty of your mind is intent on securing His Divine and eternal blessing, do you not occasionally experience the inroad and interruption of involuntary thoughts and affections, intermingling their defilements with the purity of your prayers; clipping the wings of your piety; and thus retarding, if not entirely checking, your ascent from earth to heaven? I appeal then, as I said, to your own experience to decide on the truth of the position above stated, that the mind, as well as the body, has its voluntary and involuntary motions.
But let us stop here for a moment, to look around us from the eminence to which this truth has elevated us, and try whether we cannot discover from it some practical uses to be deduced from this condition of our existence, as being the subjects of affections and thoughts, which are at once in agreement with our will, and in opposition to it.
And first—How plainly do we discern, in this singular circumstance of our situation here below, a striking and strong corroboration of the testimony of revelation respecting the two kingdoms, one of good, and the other of evil, in the midst and under the influence of which we are at present placed! For the interesting information made known to us in the WORD OF GOD is manifestly to this effect, viz. that there is a heaven, and also a hell; and that the inhabitants of both these kingdoms have alike access to man,—the inhabitants of the former being appointed of the ALMIGHTY as ministering spirits, [Heb. i. 14.], and encamping angels, [Psalm xxxiv. 7.], to minister to those who shall he heirs of salvation, by cherishing in them all heavenly affections and thoughts; whilst the inhabitants of the latter are permitted, by the same high authority, to tempt, deceive, and destroy, and thus to oppose the purposes of heaven, by injecting into man the poison of their own infernal principles and persuasions [Matt. xiii. 19, 25, 28, 38, 39; 1 Peter v. 8.].
Behold here then a full solution of the riddle of the voluntary and involuntary, of which I am speaking; and at the same time, the most satisfactory confirmation of what the gospel teaches respecting the two kingdoms of good and evil! Behold, I say, how gospel truth is in perfect agreement with the experience of every good man, who is seeking first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness. For is this good man opposed and disturbed in his voluntary purpose of serving his GOD, by the infusion of some contrary, but involuntary affection and thought! What a demonstration is this, not only of the existence of opposing principles, but that these principles are in some secret unseen connection with the interiors of his own mind! What a demonstration therefore, not only that there is a heaven and a hell, but that the inhabitants of each region, as the Scriptures teach, have access to him; the inhabitants of the former to cherish and confirm his voluntary good, and the inhabitants of the latter to check that heavenly purpose, by presenting the infectious cup of involuntary evil!
But secondly—The doctrine of voluntary and involuntary affections and thoughts in the human mind has a direct tendency, not only to confirm the evidence of the Sacred Scriptures respecting the two invisible kingdoms of good and evil and their operation on man, but also respecting the grand object and design of the ALMIGHTY in imparting to man, by the medium of those Scriptures, a rule of life for his guidance and direction, so as to preserve him from infernal pollution and danger, and conduct him to the highest possible state of angelic purity and peace.
For what shall we say is the general tenor of the language of Divine revelation, as addressed to mankind? Is it not an affectionate and powerful application, from the GREAT FATHER OF BEING, to all His intelligent creatures, to make that voluntary in themselves which was before not voluntary, and to make that involuntary which was before voluntary? Man, for instance, at his creation, or by natural birth, has no voluntary good appertaining to him, because by creation, or at his natural birth, he loves himself and the world better than GOD and his neighbour,—and thus his voluntary principle is defiled with every kind of evil. By creation therefore, or at his natural birth, man is a perfect stranger to the love of GOD and of his neighbour, and thus to that pure and holy love which reigns in heaven, and which is his only qualification for admission into the blessed kingdom. For whether we speak of what is voluntary, or of what is in agreement with man’s ruling love, it is the same thing. But how plain is it to see, that the whole testimony of Divine revelation is opposed to this voluntary principle in which man is born; since this whole testimony is grounded in these two precepts, “Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself!” [[[Bible (King James)/Matthew|Matt.]] xxii. 37, 39.]. Divine revelation then, it is manifest, would infuse into man a new voluntary principle as his preparation for eternal bliss; and in so doing, would render his old voluntary principle an involuntary one,—since from the moment that man begins, in good earnest, to love GOD above all things, and his neighbour as himself, in that same moment he must of necessity begin to reject selfish and worldly love, and thus to make that involuntary which was before voluntary.
Thirdly—The consideration of what is voluntary and involuntary in the human mind and its affections is admirably calculated to conduct man to the right discharge of religious duties, by pointing out to him what religion requires of him, and what it does not require. For when it is clearly seen, that what is voluntary is in connection with man’s will principle, or ruling love, and that this will principle, or ruling love, is the grand object to which religion applies herself, and which she is eager to secure as her own property and possession, how are man’s eyes immediately opened to discern the one thing needful for his sanctity and bliss! In this case, therefore, he no longer rests his salvation on the spider’s web of mere speculative opinions; and still less on the lifeless images of ceremonial observances; but he asks himself continually the serious questions—what is it that I most love? What is it that I have made my ruling voluntary principle? Am I in the constant habit, which the Scriptures recommend, and which every true Christian practises, of making involuntary good voluntary, and of also making voluntary evil involuntary? Do I keep in constant recollection, that out of the infinite storehouse of the DIVINE MERCY and LOVE I have only as yet made a small portion voluntary, and that therefore I ought to be providing momentary additions to this voluntary good? Do I also recollect, that out of the tremendous fund of infernal evil, I have not as yet made the whole involuntary; and that, consequently, I am bound to be perpetually on the watch to add to the quantity of involuntary evil already made?—Such are the questions which the sincere Christian is ever proposing to himself in the sanctuary of conscience, and by virtue of which he tramples on the scorpion of religious delusion, and ascends, with the soaring eagle, to the high mountain of religious purity, wisdom, and peace.
You see then, my good Friend, the elevated ground to which we have been conducted by the voluntary and involuntary motions of the body, and how the ALMIGHTY has thus written on our corporeal frame those sacred lessons of His own Divine love and wisdom, by which He is intent to raise us every moment nearer to Himself and His eternal kingdom. You perceive, I say, that though soul and body are perfectly distinct from each other, yet they stand connected in a common relationship to their DIVINE ORIGIN, bearing the striking marks and characters of DIVINE AGENCY and ORDER; and thus both of them speaking the same language, enforcing the same duties, and pointing to the same end of all creation, as expressed in the angelic song, “Glory to GOD in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men,” [Luke ii. 14.].
May the analogy then, which is thus discoverable as existing between body and mind, and especially between the voluntary and involuntary motions of each, lead us to profit by the admirable wisdom which it continually presents to our view, and enforces on our obedience! And should we, at any time, experience a feeling of painful regret at the idea, that we are not able, in an instant, to make all good voluntary, and all evil involuntary, may we nevertheless derive consolation from the persuasion, so constantly pressed upon us in the gospel, that there exists in own free will an omnipotent power from the FATHER OF OUR BEING, to which, if we are faithful, “all things are possible;” and that, consequently, involuntary evil affords no just ground of complaint, since, sooner or later, the Scripture must be fulfilled, where it is written, “Be it unto thee even as thou wilt,” [Matt. xv. 28.].
In the devout prayer, that both you, and I, and all mankind, may thus be made sensible, that in the invaluable and almighty faculty of our free will we possess a remedy for all our disorders, because a power, by degrees, to make all good voluntary, and all evil involuntary, I remain,
Dear Sir,
Truly yours, &c.