登陆注册
5393300000022

第22章 Chapter 9 Of the Passions of the Mind(8)

So likewise, I Joh. chap. 4 vers. 1: Believe not every spirit: for false prophets are gone out into the world; verse 2: Hereby shall ye know the spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God; verse 3: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; and this is the spirit of Antichrist; verse 15: Whosoever confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God, in him dwelleth God, and he in God. The knowledge therefore we have of good and evil inspiration, cometh not by vision of an angel that may teach it, nor by a miracle that may seem to confirm it; but by conformity of doctrine with this article and fundamental point of Christian faith, which also Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 3, 11, is the sole foundation: that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.

8. But if inspiration be discerned by this point; and this point be acknowledged and believed upon the authority of the Scriptures: how (may some men ask) know we that the Scripture deserveth so great authority, which must be no less than that of the lively voice of God? that is, how we know the Scriptures to be the word of God? And first, it is manifest: that if by knowledge we understand science infallible and natural, such as is defined in the VI chap. 4 sect., proceeding from sense; we cannot be said to know it, because it proceedeth from the conceptions engendered by sense. And if we understand knowledge as supernatural, we cannot know it but by inspiration; and of that inspiration we cannot judge, but by the doctrine. It followeth therefore, that we have not any way, natural or supernatural, that knowledge thereof which can properly be called infallible science and evidence. It remaineth, that the knowledge we have that the Scriptures are the word of God, is only faith.

For whatsoever is evident either by natural reason, or by revelation supernatural, is not called faith; else should not faith cease, no more than charity, when we are in heaven; which is contrary to the doctrine of Scripture. And, we are not said to believe, but to know those things which are evident.

9. Seeing then the acknowledgment of the Scriptures to be the word of God, is not evidence, but faith; and faith, chap. VI, sect. 7, consisteth in the trust we have in other men: it appeareth plainly that the men so trusted, are the holy men of God's church succeeding one another from the time of those that saw the wondrous works of God Almighty in the flesh; nor doth this imply that God is not the worker and efficient cause of faith, or that faith is begotten in man without the spirit of God; for all those good opinions which we admit and believe, though they proceed from hearing, and hearing from teaching, both which are natural, yet they are the work of God. For all the works of nature are his, and they are attributed to the Spirit of God. As for example Exod. 28, 3: Thou shalt speak unto all cunning men, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments for his consecration, that he may serve me in the priest's office. The faith therefore wherewith we believe, is the work of the Spirit of God, in that sense, by which the Spirit of God giveth to one man wisdom and cunning in workmanship more than to another; and by which he effecteth also in other points pertaining to our ordinary life, that one man believeth that, which upon the same grounds another doth not; and one man reverenceth the opinion, and obeyeth the commands of his superiors, and others not.

10. And seeing our faith, that the Scriptures are the word of God, began from the confidence and trust we repose in the church; there can be no doubt but that their interpretation of the same Scriptures, when any doubt or controversy shall arise, by which this fundamental point, that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not called in question, is safer for any man to trust to, than his own, whether reasoning, or spirit; that is to say his own opinion.

11. Now concerning man's affections to Godward, they are not the same always that are described in the chapter concerning passions. For there, to love is to be delighted with the image or conception of the thing loved; but God is unconceivable; to love God therefore, in the Scripture, is to obey his commandments, and to love one another. Also to trust God is different from our trusting one another. For when a man trusteth a man, chap. IX, sect. 9, he layeth aside his own endeavour; but if we do so in our trust to God Almighty, we disobey him; and how shall we trust to him we disobey? To trust to God Almighty therefore is to refer to his good pleasure all that is above our own power to effect.

And this is all one with acknowledging one only God; which is the first commandment. And to trust in Christ is no more, but to acknowledge him for God; which is the fundamental article of our Christian faith. And consequently to trust, rely, or, as some express it, to cast and roll ourselves on Christ, is the same thing with the fundamental point of faith, namely, that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God.

12. To honour God internally in the heart, is the same thing with that we ordinarily call honour amongst men: for it is nothing but the acknowledging of his power; and the signs thereof the same with the signs of the honour due to our superiors, mentioned chap. VIII, sect. 6 (viz.): to praise, to magnify, to bless him, to pray to him, to thank him, to give oblations and sacrifice to him, to give attention to his word, to speak to him in prayer with consideration, to come into his presence with humble gesture, and in decent manner, and to adorn his worship with magnificence and cost. And these are natural signs of our honouring him internally. And therefore the contrary hereof: to neglect prayer, to speak to him extempore, to come to church slovenly, to adorn the place of his worship less than our own houses, to take up his name in every idle discourse, are manifest signs of contempt of the Divine Majesty. There be other signs which are arbitrary; as, to be uncovered (as we be here) to put off the shoes, as Moses at the fiery bush, and some other of that kind; which in their own nature are indifferent, till to avoid indecency and discord, it be otherwise determined by common consent.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 惹爱生非

    惹爱生非

    一场豪门争斗,因她的意外闯入,变得更加扑朔迷离。人前他是声名鹊起的段家三少,人后却有不为人知的身世隐情。他给了她无妄之灾,也给了她无尽宠爱。因爱而生的牵绊,惹爱生非的纠葛,只为那个深爱的你。
  • 权谋天下:以皇后之名

    权谋天下:以皇后之名

    她,是金牌律师,同样也是杀手界顶级杀手,亦正亦邪,冷血无情。他,是夏国尊贵的皇子,清朗俊逸,姿容绝色,亦是他国的阶下囚,沦为质子。一朝穿越,当冷酷无情的她,遇到同样冷血的他,到底是谁能降服谁?她冷冷的瞅着他:“你给我力量,我还你这天下。”他朝她笑,如罂粟,说:“好。”
  • 不要让未来的你,讨厌现在的自己

    不要让未来的你,讨厌现在的自己

    不要让未来的你,讨厌现在的自己;明天生活得好不好,取决于你今天怎么过!大城市竞争激烈,小城市拼钱又拼爹,面对生活的残酷与压力,我们究竟该留在大城市,还是回老家?这个世界大体还是公平的,出来混早晚要还的,别以为躲掉了就会真的躲掉,你躲过的,总有一天会找回来。你的孤独、迷茫、困惑、彷徨……这些本就是青春该有的情绪。趁着青春,我们应该追逐自己的梦想,青春是追逐梦想的最好时光。一旦梦想开始了就别停下,追逐梦想的路上永无遗憾。无论你在追逐梦想的道路上,遇到怎样的挫折与困窘,你都是最棒的。因为拥有梦想并敢于追逐的人,未来充满了无限可能。在追逐梦想的路上,“无论身在何地,请别害怕,至少还有我陪着你”!
  • 不变的印记

    不变的印记

    如今,有人把描写民工题材的文学与诗歌,统称为打工文学或日诗歌一一他们以在外地打工的写作者为界定。这种称谓是否科学,至少是值得商榷的。我始终固执地认为,诗就是诗,它可以是打工者写的或反映打工者的生活的,却非要加上什么“打工诗”的符号,难免别扭和有些牵强附会。而且,对于创作打工题材的诗作者而言,似乎他们的创作成就之被关注,仅仅是因为打工者的身份,这对于相当数量的写作者而言,似乎有人格不平等之嫌。这个话题似乎远了些,笔者也将会另外撰文探讨,在此,暂且按下不表。
  • 2006年的春风

    2006年的春风

    乳白色的摩天大楼像把笨重的剑刺向蓝得发幽的天空,默寂的青鸟在她身边倏忽而过,留下呼呼的风声。她站在露台上,如一尊白色的雕塑。高楼下面聚集了黑压压的一群人,蚂蚁朝会一般,阵阵哄闹声就从那里传出,他们渴望看到具有刺激性的高空特技表演,甚至有迫不及待者,手作喇叭状向她高喊:跳哇!赶紧跳!等会儿警察来了,可就跳不成喽!人总是要死的。她不由咬了咬牙。不管是什么人,最终都是要奔赴黄泉的。她的眼前蓦然出现了学生时代练跳远的沙坑。在学校操场上练立定跳远,曾是她非常热衷的运动。
  • 宝贝,将婚就婚吧!

    宝贝,将婚就婚吧!

    新文:《惊婚未定:宝贝别害羞!》http://m.wkkk.net/a/1025009邢穆谦和她的婚礼上,大着肚子的女人神色凄绝。“邢穆谦,如果我不出门,你是不是要瞒我一辈子!”她冷冷看着邢穆谦追着那个女人离开,偌大的礼堂,她成了笑料。可是,为什么……他昏迷不醒的大哥邢穆深,会忽然出现!邢穆深搂着小姑子的肩膀,冷漠而决绝地吐出,“婚礼取消!”她恍然,原来一切都是一个局。她是邢家的一枚棋子,负责让邢穆深苏醒……*一纸离婚协议丢下,她不顾一切,逃离邢家,他却紧跟在后,“你没告诉我,当初将我吃干抹净的人是你……”以爱之名,他将她牢牢困在身边,奉上所有人艳羡的宠爱。*他说过不想再见到她,却没日没夜和她纠缠。他说过要掐死她,最后却代替她挡向了尖利的刀锋。彼时,她嚎啕大哭,“你这个口是心非的男人,我不爱你……”好难。
  • 诡都魔域

    诡都魔域

    楚魅夜本是一个现代的不能再现代的人他的一生何其辉煌,自小天资聪颖十五岁考上全国知名大学,十八岁成人,本应享受成名快感,但却阴差阳错的不小心猜到电线电死,穿越到神风大陆的他,又将会掀起一段段的风波呢....
  • 手握傻妞闯异界

    手握傻妞闯异界

    一部名叫傻妞的奇妙系统进入了神无极的脑海,随后他在各个位面之中驰骋,打怪升级,无所不能。他能炼丹,能炼器,能练天地,也能念一个小小的人,一切努力只为回去再看她一眼
  • 废材狂妄之逆天大小姐

    废材狂妄之逆天大小姐

    王牌杀手时落遭爱人背叛而死,穿越成了凤鸣大陆的君家大小姐君时落……她发誓这一生绝对不会再上男人的当,她拜良师,提修为,建医宗,成为大陆上仅次于暗夜帝君的存在。只是没想到竟然有个连她也摆脱不掉的男人缠上了她!“季卿苍,老娘与你不共戴天……”当她是神医莲的时候,她被他“调戏”了。当她是毒圣姬夏的时候,她又被他鄙视了。当她是君时落的时候,呵呵,夫君大大,再见,老娘不奉陪了。君时落决定携财跑路,结果逃离魔爪的第一天晚上,又在她的房间里看到了那个妖孽男。季卿苍对着暗自生闷气的君时落笑道:“娘子,你舍得丢下为夫?”好吧,她承认,她又输了,这个磨人的小妖精!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 深情不负相许时

    深情不负相许时

    亲妹妹爬上自己未婚夫的床,亲生父母也会参与进来一起要了她的命。幸好上天垂怜,让她重活一世!只是她已不再是她,而是……既然所有人都对她狠心绝情如此,那么,她便要用更加狠毒的手段报复回去!只是她千算万算也没有想到的是,她的“盟友”、那个如神祇一般无所不能的男人,居然也是自己的“仇人”……