登陆注册
15299900000044

第44章

Thirdly, beyond the Established Church, the Seceding body, encompassed with hardships as fierce as the storms, but breathing a spirit as free as the air of their country, are rallying around them the old-fashioned and more determined religious life of Scotland.At this stage of its history it serves itself heir to the Covenants of the previous century, blames the Church of Scotland for being too indulgent, is intolerant of toleration, and has little sympathy with other churches.This body is beneath the notice of the philosophers; and in return it shows its utter distrust of them by declining to allow its students to attend the classes of moral philosophy, and appointing a professor of its own to give instruction in that branch, on which, as on other high departments of learning, it continued to set a high value.The event of that period which agitated lowland Scotland more than even the inroad of the Pretender was the preaching of Whitefield, which moved the common people as the winds do the trees of the forest.

The moderate party affected to despise and actually hated the preacher and his doctrine.The evangelicals in the Established Church rejoiced in his labors and their fruits.

The seceders might have triumphed in his success; but they expected him to identify himself with their peculiar ecclesiastical constitution, and stand by them in the fight for the old cause of the Covenant.Upon Whitefield declining to do this, they became jealous of his influence, and were in doubts about the sound character of the revivals which he was the means of awakening.Out of this arose a very curious controversy, forgotten by all but a few antiquarians, but not unworthy of being noticed.

Mr.Robe, belonging to the evangelical party in the Church of Scotland, and a promoter of revivals and of the lively feeling manifested in them, declared that "our senses and imagination are greatly helpful to bring us to the knowledge of the divine nature and perfections; " and in defending this he asked: " Can you or any man else think upon Christ really as he is, God-man, without an imaginary idea of it?" To this Ralph Erskine, the seceder, replies in a treatise Of 372 closely printed pages, entitled " Faith no Fancy; or a Treatise of Mental Images, discovering the Vain Philosophy and Vile Divinity of a late Pamphlet entitled `Mr.Robe's Fourth Letter to Mr.Fisher,' and showing that an Imaginary Idea of Christ as Man (when supposed to belong to Saving Faith, whether in its Act or Object) imports nothing but Ignorance, Atheism, Idolatry, great Falsehood, or gross Delusion " (1745).He says of Mr.Robe: " This way of speaking appears indeed new and strange divinity to me, and makes the object of faith truly a sensible object; not the object of faith, but of sense." This leads him to criticise various philosophies.He refers to Tertuilian (as quoted by Jerome), who in regard to Platonic ideas said, "Haereticorum patriarchae philosophi." He shows him that the learned De Vries, Mastricht, and other eminent doctors {89}

and divines abroad, had noticed how the ideal doctrine of Cartesius and his followers had led to imagery and idolatry.

He also criticises Locke with considerable skill."There seems nothing more common in the experience of mankind than that a man who hath the greatest stock of habitual knowledge and understanding relating to many truths, yet while his body sleeps, or his mind is in a muse about other things, lie perceives none of theme truths." So "I see no greater absurdity in saying one may leave a stock of seminal or habitual knowledge, though lie leave no actual knowledge, than to say one may have a stock of senses, though be hath no actual sensation, or consciousness of the acts or exercise of any of his senses, as a child not born or a man in a deep sleep; or a natural store of affections subjectively in him, and yet affected with nothing till occasions and objects appear.One may have a good pair of eyes, and yet see nothing till light be given and objects be presented.Nor is it an improper way of speaking to say a man hath not his eyes or sight, though he be not actually seeing.And as little is it improper to say a man hath understanding and knowledge, though he be not actually knowing or perceiving the truths he has the impress of in his understanding." This is a wonderfully clear statement of the distinctions between the seminal capacity and the actual ideas, between a laid-up stock and occasions, by which philosophers have sought to overthrow the theory of Locke.

In regard to the special question discussed, Mr.Robe had quoted the received rule, "<Oportet intelligentem phantasmata speculari>." Erskine quotes against him Hieroboord, " Mens non indiget semper phantasmata ad suas perceptiones." "The object of that idea is only corporeal things as corporeal; but the object of rational knowledge is not only corporeal things, but spiritual and corporeal things, not as corporeal, but as intelligible." " It is reason, and not sense, that is the only help to attain the natural knowledge of God and his perfections." Above reason he places faith." True faith differs as much from, and is as far above, mere intellectual ideas as intellectual ideas are above corporeal and imaginary ideas; yea, much farther than human reason is above sense; even as far as what is above human and supernatural, is above merely natural." It is evident that there are curious questions started, though not precisely settled, as to the place which the phantasm has in thought, and the imagination in religion.We feel that we are in the society of men of reflection and of reading.The evangelical and the seceding ministers of these days are quite as erudite as the academic men who despised them, and are holding firmly by old truths which the new philosophy is overlooking.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 隐于野

    隐于野

    重生不是万能的,人生不如意,十之八九。也许起点会比重生前更高,但是,阻力也会更大,这是因为人生舞台更大而已。既然如此,不如中隐好了,大隐隐于朝,政治太危险,中隐隐于市,这个考虑下,至于小隐是什么来的?
  • 先婚后爱:霸道总裁冷冷爱

    先婚后爱:霸道总裁冷冷爱

    萧芷柔所期待的爱情是相遇,相爱,结婚。但是“好好守住公司,守住萧家的产业”是她唯一在意的东西。公司危机,被迫逼婚,她遇到了她这辈子都纠缠不清的暴戾总裁。“结婚吗……她定会照做,只能照做!”婚后第一面,是他车祸之后,她说,“好丑的男人。”低沉磁性,性感中带着冷硬,他说“后悔了么?”后悔吗,踏进一步,就再也没有回头路可走。沦陷的,是她,还是他
  • 驱魔邪医

    驱魔邪医

    一头与生俱来的奇异龙纹,天生绝命却不甘平凡。百年前林王朝的遗孤竟然成了至强兵王,替着弑君杀父的乱臣贼子办事。一次意外行动泄密他离开了特种部队,就在回去想好好安静下来的时候。却阴差阳错的获得了麒麟纹身,就在此时地下世界传出了林王朝富可敌国宝藏的消息,而且藏宝图就他后人的手里。金麟究竟是不是池中物,且看一遇风云便化龙。盗墓?阴阳五行?奇门遁甲?摸骨算命?驱魔捉妖?你想听的我都有,各位看官听我慢慢道来。
  • 星河域神

    星河域神

    星河无垠,种族林立,天才万千,百世争雄。俯览大千星河,真神争霸,众帝纷乱。少年踏步星河之巅,万世为尊,成星河域神练气、筑基、紫府、真灵(九变)、王侯、大贤、神皇、仙帝(九转)、界主、大界主(界主巅峰)、界王、界王神、大界王神(界王巅峰)、域主、域王、域皇、域帝、域神(星河巅峰)
  • 我儿子是重生的

    我儿子是重生的

    张凡一直觉得自己挺失败的,考入的大学不入流,2000工资的工作找不到,就连喜欢的女人追了好几年都看不上自己,可是这样,老天居然还给他意外。“张子晨,你这个小混蛋,你怎么还往家里带大姐姐?”(PS:每天两更,更新不断,跪求收藏推荐,谢谢!特别强调,还是强调,这不是一本都市娱乐文,真的不是都市娱乐文,请注意,谢谢!)
  • 迪士尼不说再见

    迪士尼不说再见

    从前,你有云非澈陪伴;今后,你有我季流止保护;这一生,我不会再让你不开心。
  • 恋爱专题:花开半夏恋殇璃

    恋爱专题:花开半夏恋殇璃

    彼岸花开,胜不过玫瑰炽烈爱的宣言。荼靡花开,胜不过昙花瞬间的辉煌。爱情,就像玫瑰花。谎言,却是玫瑰花的刺。你不拿稳爱情,那它就会让你遍体鳞伤。青葱岁月,何不像迷迭香一样,留住回忆。
  • 葬天刀

    葬天刀

    刀者,霸绝天下也!刀者,天地所忌也!欲修刀道,必遭天妒,相传荒古时期,一把天刀劈开九重天阙,遭到大道轰杀。一个刀修没落的修真世界,最后一名刀修王子斌登仙路失败,灰飞烟灭。四方大地,佛道妖魔,群雄并起,远古黄金大世重现。一名青年持刀战遍天地,欲重现荒古刀帝之威!
  • 远古文明养成记

    远古文明养成记

    被村人耻笑,被老婆退亲,被……那又如何?看我右手斧,左手锄,如何部落争锋!中原逐鹿,猎猎战旗,看谁立马横刀!
  • 我的老婆是总裁

    我的老婆是总裁

    高三小屌丝萧阳,出门被车撞,却因祸得福,让江城第一美女总裁成为了他的老婆......