Just" cedi rder This question is not resolved by what precedes; for from this circumstance, that the physiognomy of man will become more and more beautiful, it does not follow that he will himself again return to the flower of youth. Thus to speak only of the old man, all that results from what has been said, is that the old man whose ruling love is good, will, in the other life, be a beautiful old man, and possess the tastes and inclinations of a wise old man; but the question is repeated, will he again become young with the tastes and inclinations of youth? The reply, which we make in the affirmative, generally pleases those who interrogate us, because there are so few who do not regret their youthful age! but the greater part, not contented with this simple answer alone, enquire further, how such a transformation can be effected. As I do not believe that you are a man to be contented with a simple yes, I will explain how, in the spiritual world, the old man can become a young man. But, previously, permit me to make some reflections. They will lead us to establish first, that although, in our world, man grows old, it cannot be the same with him in the spiritual world. Like all the bodies of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, the human body, after having reached its maximum of youth and strength, enters upon a period of decay which terminates in a complete dissolution. Such is the law of natural order. The aged never return to their youth, and the virtue of the fountain of youth exists only in the writings of poets, and the imagination of some superstitious persons, How many regrets this law of natural order every day excites! how many complaints it continually gives rise to! and yet it is altogether conformable to the love and wiscon, of the Creator. Consider what would have happened, it it had been' possible for man to be always young and live eternally upor this earth, and you will readily acknowledge tha this law of natural order, which excites so many murmurs, proves also, like all his other laws, the merciful views of God towards the human race. Our globe renews its inhabitants three or fou: times in an age, and yet some are apprehensive that it may become too populous! And statistics prove that the earth would be very soon unable to nourish its inhabitants, if the population continued to follow its increasing progression! What ther would have happened if man had not been subjec. to natural death? A consequence of this terrestria immortality would inevitably have been a limitation. as to numbers; and already thousands of year: would have passed since the closing of the list. There would have been no more births from that time. Imagine then the earth covered with inhabitants, the youngest of which would be many thousand years old; admit further, according to our supposition, that they all remained in the prime of life, and tell me if, in that case, from the nature of the human heart, which under the penalty of satiety demands a continual variety in all things, the terresof these men would not have be trial immortali come a burden to them. Besides, if it had been thus, the infinity of God would no longer be manifested in his works; for the limitation of the number of men upon the terrestrial globes would have been a proof of the limitation of his power. God, being infinite, all things produced must be unlimited, or in other words, the infinity of God must manifest itself in creation by indefinites. Now, in order that indefinites may Vincent the natural universe, which is les subject to the Jaws of space and time, it is about ne essary that all the bodies of the vegetable and animal king absone toms, to give place to others, 5.01. pass through periods of grown i It was then conformatie LE er of God, that man, for whom the at aned, should be but a sojourner earth, whose limits are Ĺxe. hat he should only enjoy Jestible heritage, as a evaluat aess of God—on a spirit L hat is independent of time . quently erpable of rene erations that will suenesIn what desire is to live erm. law which subjens I. L should be, his existence i function to peri të own interest as for of the Divisi y : In impressing will of God, with of order, and so long as our ma for man to be always young and live eternally upor this earth, and you will readily acknowledge tha p this law of natural order, which excites so many murmurs, proves also, like all his other laws, the merciful views of God towards the human race. Our globe renews its inhabitants three or fou times in an age, and yet some are apprehensive that it may become too populous! And statistics prove that the earth would be very soon unable to nourish its inhabitants, if the population continue to follow its increasing progression! What ther would have happened if man had not been subjec to natural death? A consequence of this terrestria immortality would inevitably have been a limitation as to numbers; and already thousands of year would have passed since the closing of the list. There would have been no more births from that time. Imagine, then the earth covered with inhab itants, the youngest of which would be many thousand years old; admit further, according to our supposition, that they all remained in the prime of life, and tell me if, in that case, from the nature of the human heart, which under the penalty of satiety demands a continual variety in all things, the terrestrial immortality of these men would not have become a burden to them. Besides, if it had been thus, the infinity of God would no longer be manifested in his works; for the limitation of the number of men upon the terresfrial globes would have been a proof of the limita tion of his power. God, being infinite, all things produced must be unlimited, or in other words, the infinity of God must manifest itself in creation by indefinites. Now, in order that indefinites may cxist in the natural universe, which is subjec' to the laws of space and time, it is absolutely neessary that all the bodies of the vegetable and animal king doms, to give place to others, should successively pass through periods of growth and decay. It was then conformable to the love and wisdom of God, that man, for whom the universe was created, should be but a sojourner upon this material earth, whose limits are fixed and invariable, and that he should only enjoy immortality-his incontestible heritage, as a creature in the image and likeness of God-on a spiritual earth, unlimited as all that is independent of time, and space, and consequently capable of receiving to all eternity the generations that will successively pass on our globe. In what blindness then are they, whose greatest desire is to live eternally in our world, and who blaspheme the Divinity, by murmuring against that law which subjects man to natural death! They thus abuse that conservative instinct which God has impressed upon the heart of man, and which makes him dread death. If it is the will of God that man should be, by an irresistible, attraction, attached to his existence here below, it is because man has a function to perform upon this earth, as well for his own interest as for the accomplishment of the designs of the Divinity towards the human race in general, In impressing upon man the fear of death, it is the will of God, without howeyer forcing his liberty, to prevent him as far as possible from arrogating to himself the right of discontinuing this function, and thus opposing his merciful views. Without this fear of death, would the, religious principle, which classes suicide among the most enormous crimes, be strong enough to prevent men from precipitating themselves in crowds into the other life? and what then would herome of the plans of the Divine. Prov idence? In fearing death, we do but obey the laws of order, and so long as our fear does not surpass our confidence in the divine mercy, it is moderated, |