Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub
[blocks in formation]

have to be taken to pieces, and wig, and teeth, and stays, and paint and paste are all taken off and thrown about the bed-room, revealing them to themselves and spirits for what they are: so also will it be, our Death-chamber will be our Undressing Room; and when all our Professions, our Affections, our Sunday Dresses are laid aside, we shall stand in the next world Naked, with nothing to cover our Celestial and Blessed Affection, or our Infernal Will and Selfhood and Love.

Р

CHAPTER IV.

THEOSOPHY.

SWEDENBORG ON THE DIVINE BEING.

"There is scarcely any feature in human conduct, however minute, that does not originate in some very general idea that men have conceived of God, of the relations in which he stands to the human race, of the nature of their own souls, and of their duties to their fellow-creatures. It is impossible that those ideas should not be the common source from whence all the rest proceed."-DE. TOCQUEVILLE, Democracy in America.

"Of how great importance it is to have a just idea of God, may appear from this consideration, that the idea of God constitutes the inmost thought of all those who have any religion, for all things of religion and divine worship have respect unto God, and inasmuch as God is universally and particularly in all things of religion and worship, therefore, unless there be a just idea of God, no communication can be given with the heavens."-SWEDENBORG, Divine Love and Wisdom.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."MATT. V. 8.

CHAPTER IV.

CONTENTS.-Importance of obtaining correct ideas of God— But God alone can give an account of Himself-Religions of the World classified beneath the Emotions and Theologies of Love and Fear-the Natural History of Fear-Fear, the Foundation of Superstition-the Ascetic Element-Paganism -Romanism-Fear, not only an Abnormal, bnt a Normal Element-the Idea of God, the Foundation of States of Society-Isaac Taylor quoted-Can Fear be a sufficient Motive in Religion?-the Temples of Love and Fear-the Evanescence of Fear-Love to God, the Foundation of all Healthy Action -Swedenborg opposes the Theology of Fear-What think you of God?-Sublimity and Modesty in our ideas of the Divine Being-No Parallax for the Divine Being-Inquiry into the Features of the Divine Character, allowable-Injustice to German Theosophists-Yeast-Dr. Pye Smith and Dr. Carson-Analogy in the Prejudice against Swedenborg-God unclothed from Time and Space-Redemption-Regeneration-the Trinity.

THE first thing we demand of the Theosophist is, that he shall give to us clear and intelligible and exalted ideas of GOD. We demand this; but it is obvious that we demand what no merely human intelligence can give; it is obvious that no one can give to us any account of God: the highest angel could only present to us the feeble reflections and lights of his own experience and affection. If we are to know anything of God, the Divine Being must reveal himself to us; he must descend out of himself, and make a revelation of his nature in our own. Some modern writers affect to treat the idea of a

« ПредишнаНапред »