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06.1774.

From an original Painting.

In Dr. Williamss Library Reed Crops Arvet

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

AND

Theological Review.

NOVEMBER, 1822.

ESSAY ON THE FORMATION AND INFLUENCE OF HABIT.

"His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords

of his sins.

Prov. v. 22.

nection with this body of sin and death ceases, evil desires and propensities, and every evil tendency, shall become extinct. The soul shall become assimilated to the ineffable source of all good, with goodness itself, perfect and complete, even with the blessed God; a being whose nature is antipathy itself to all evil, and who shall be all and in all.

MAN is a being, whose nature, antecedent to every kind of habit, is evil evil radical and innate: he is, as it were, engendered in an evil element; and, to use the emphatic language of inspiration, he is born in sin, and shapen in iniquity:" he comes into an evil world-imbibes evil habits: and by actual and increased transgression, becomes more fully confirmed in the different kinds of evil, and is thus enabled The supremacy of habit over the fato contribute his aid to the extension culties of the mind, is a subject which and interests of the kingdom of dark-demands our very serious consideration, ness. The different faculties or powers, since its operation, as furnishing the of both body and mind, are subservient most powerful excitements or motives to the same principle of evil, in all their different and multifarious operations; however disguised they may sometimes be, and whatever appearances certain actions may assume, they invariably possess this quality, and are only so many different modifications of evil.

to the will, is most sure and certain; and its influence, when formed and ma tured in the mind, carries with it such an irresistible sway, that all opposition is fruitless and unavailing, completely subduing to its controul, all the intellectual and moral faculties with which habit becomes identified, and is associated and interwoven with the general

The proposition that man is the creature of habit, is true, if we consider him, either in his natural or unregene-disposition of the mind. rate state; or as the subject of divine influence. In the former case, his habits are evil, and only evil; in the latter, there is a mixture of good and evil. The latter state is a state of conflict, in which, however, the influence of divine grace shall ultimately prevail in the total eradication of every evil habit, and shall root out the very existence of evil from the soul; when its present con

Habit must not be confounded with

VOL. VIII.

the original principles of our nature; but results from the exercise of two very important ones; viz. attention and memory, in one certain line or direction, by their continued tendency to which, and by the facility of thought, and volition, arising therefrom, habit is gradually acquired and matured. The opinion of Dr. Reid, as far as I am ac

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quainted with the operations of my own mind, does not appear to be correct, when he says

"Habit differs from instinct, not in its nature, but in its origin. The last being natural, the first acquired. Both operate without will or intention-without thought, and therefore may be called mechanical principles."

Can we suppose, that a man, who is the subject of a confirmed habit-say of drunkenness when he lifts the intoxicating cup to his mouth, does it without will or intention? And in the case of merely mental habits, such, for instance, as arithmetical calculations, the rapidity with which the mind comes to a conclusion, on certain operose questions, is no proof that it is done without the concurrence of the will; for as in the case of casting up a long column of figures, we are at first conscious of every step, and of a separate act of volition accompanying it: But as habit quickens our volitions, it gives such a degree of activity to their motion, that the mind becomes unconscious of each and every act as it proceeds. Since, then, our volitions appear to keep pace with habit, it points out the dependance of the former upon the latter; for without habit, we should be immediately conscious of every separate voluntary act.

The definition of habit given by Mr. Locke, is blended with its dependance upon the corporeal system, from which he seems to think it wholly arises. His words are

"Habits seem to be but trains of motion in the animal spirits, which, once set a going, continue on the same steps they had been used to, and which, by often treading, are worn into a smooth path."

There appears to be more of matter, than mind, in the above account. That mental habits depend much upon the body, no doubt can be entertained, as memory is found to be so also; but in what way, or how, are to us inexplicable. It were mere useless speculation and hypothetical physiology, to dwell upon its connection with the brain and animal spirits, of which we know little or nothing. Let us rather attend to facts, the phenomena of which we feel conscious. Let us rather be concerned to know, how we can best defeat and arrest its progress in our minds, ere it has brought us beneath its iron rod, and completely subjected us to its pow

erful and extensive domination. We should be careful to distinguish between habit and feeling.

If we consider our habits and feelings, whether of a mental or moral kind, we find, that while the former are strengthened and increased by exercise and repetition, the power of feeling is considerably diminished. Those affections or feelings of mind, which were at first called forth, and strongly excited, become, by repetition, at length into a state of apathy.

With what strong and painful emotions of pity and sympathetic feeling, does a person, for the first time, behold a butcher plunge his knife into the neck of an innocent lamb; and while the operator himself inflicts the deadly wound with as much indifference, as though he were driving a nail into a block of wood, the beholder is wrought up to the highest pitch of feeling and compassion. But let this same person become familiarized to the operation, and he will soon find that habit will enable him to take the place of the operator; for feeling will gradually give place to habit, and as our sensibilities grow less and less ardent and vivid, our habits grow stronger and stronger. This difference may be further illustrated by its effects oftentimes in reading. When we are engaged in the perusal of a pathetic narrative, containing a strong appeal to our feelings, what a lively, and sometimes almost overpowering impression does it make upon our mind. After a short interval, let us read the same narrative again, and although the same impression recurs, yet it is felt in a much less forcible manner; and as our acquaintance with the cir cumstances of the case increases, our feelings grow less and less, till at last, that participating interest with which we at first began to read, has become almost extinct; and thus, as one advanced the other receded.

The effect of habit may also be noticed in obliterating feelings of sorrow, and even of deep and pungent grief; only this we may observe, that the more deeply the feeling has occupied the mind, the longer time does habit require to erase and root it out.

The gradual diminution of sorrow is beautifully illustrated in the case of Nekayah, in Dr. Johnson's Rasselas, vide chap. 36.

We often notice too, that strong pro

fessions of friendship, made in a moment of violent impulse and fervour of feeling, have often been evanescent and

temporary.

mixed, we mean, and wholly indepen-
dent of divine and gracious influence,
they ultimately become the slaves of
habit, and subject to the uncontrolable
power of its laws. So important are
such impressions as these, considered
in themselves, that a man may go on
till he becomes at last completely ser-
mon-proof; proof against warnings,
invitations, promises, threatenings,
'prayers, &c. all are heard with indiffer-
ence and neglect. Though in thus
gradually losing the feeling, he acquires
a habit of hearing sermons, and of talk-
ing upon religious topics; and no doubt
thousands have made their path to hell
through the house of God.

The religion of carnal men, generally
speaking, is a religion of habit. How
many are there, who call themselves
Christians, and who would feel much
chagrined were we to question the ge-
nuineness of their claim to the name;
yet whose conduct plainly shows, that
they have nothing but the form; no-
thing but a mere habit of performing
certain duties. Religion, with them,
forms, amongst their other avocations,
a necessary part
of the economy of life;

The importance of this distinction will appear in a still stronger light, if considered in a moral point of view. It may be considered as a principle, that the moral feeling or conscience decreases, as habits of sin increase. View the man who has sat beneath the sound of a preached gospel for a series of years. He has heard, over and over again, the glad tidings it contains to perishing sinners. He has often heard of the blessings which it conveys to the truly penitent, and the awful doom it pronounces upon the impenitent and unbelieving. He has listened, and perhaps full of life and feeling, while the servant of the most High proclaimed the awful thunders of Sinai, or set forth the sweet invitations of Calvary, and the melting love of the Redeemer's heart. The eager attention which marked the appearance of the man, indicated how deeply interested he seemed to be in what was said. But let the sermon be closed, let the hymn be sung, the prayer ended, and the benediction given, and and the only reason why a great many then view him as he retires from the persons attend upon public worship rehouse of God. No sooner has he passed gularly, and are very punctilious and the threshold, than the fervour before decorous in their observance of the Sabmanifested abates, and the feeling be- bath, in reading certain portions of gins to subside. The exciting cause is Scripture, is merely because they have withdrawn from view, and perhaps ere been accustomed to do so; and they he reaches his own door, the feeling has feel uneasy if they should happen to left him his old habits lay hold upon neglect any part of this routine, of form him again, or rather remind him, that or duty. But here they stop. Habit notwithstanding the temporary suspen- acts with such persons as a quietus to sion of their operation, they have not conscience, and supplies the place of a lost their hold, and every effort of this true regard to God-to his word, and a kind, to free himself, only proves their true spirit of devotion. Should a perstrength thus increased by every at- son of such a cast, through any casual tempt. The influence of these tempo-occurrence, be prevented from occupyrary emotions, or resolutions, when ing his accustomed seat in church or brought to bear against habit, fixed and chapel, he would perhaps betray evident permanent, only serves, just like a sun-marks of uneasiness, and even of anxgleam darting its rays through the iron grating, in some prison wall, to reveal to the miserable inhabitant within, the strength of his dungeon, and the hopeless horrors of his condition.

It is often the case, that persons who are accustomed to sit beneath the sound of divine truth, have been the subjects of very extraordinary, powerful, and deep impressions; and which have lasted a considerable time; yet, in all cases wher the mind has been thus roused, and habit has been shaken, un

iety, although when there he can, mentally at least, effect a sale, or make a purchase, with as much composure and indifference as when standing behind his own shop counter. Family worship too, is conducted much in the same spirit. You may see him much displeased if interrupted or disturbed in reading the accustomed number of chapters or verses from the sacred volume upon Sunday evening; but as soon as that is finished, he shuts up the Bible in a sort of triumph at having removed such a

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