theme,metaphor,work_id,dictionary,provenance,id,created_at,updated_at,reviewed_on,comments,text,context
"","""The Obligation arises no otherwise from the Love of our Happiness, than the Truth of Propositions concerning the Existence of Things natural, and of their First Cause, which is thence discover'd, arises from the Credit given to the Testimony of our Senses.""",3684,Court,"Reading Knud Haakonssen's ""Natural Law According to Cumberland"" in English Philosophy in the Age of Locke, ed. M.A. Stewart (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2000), 39.",9548,2005-05-10 00:00:00 UTC,2012-06-13 20:33:56 UTC,2012-06-13,•Not clear to me which translation Haakonssen is using. ,"First then I am to observe, ""That natural Obligation is not discover'd by Man in the same Order, in which it is founded and establish'd in Nature by the Author thereof."" We are under the necessity of first using the Analytical Method, by rising from those Effects which immediately affect us, to various and very complicated second Causes, 'till at length we arrive at the First. But we are by no means injurious to him, if at the End of our inquiries we acknowledge, ""That all those necessary Effects which we had before observ'd, ow'd their Original to his Will; and, if we refer to him all that Perfection, which we had taken notice of in them."" So, with respect to our present Subject, we have first ""some Knowledge of our own Nature, and of the Necessity of some things to its Happiness, and of some plainly natural Propensions and Endeavours to obtain such Necessaries."" We then observe, ""That some free Actions of ours are, whether we will or no, naturally oppos'd and restrain'd, as far as in them lies, by those with whom we have to do; while others of our Actions (such as are beneficial to others) are chearfully recompens'd with reciprocal Affection""; we further perceive ""ourselves so fram'd by Nature, that we incline, with out deliberation, to repel Force with Force, and, to return Like for Like""; nor does the most consummate Reason dictate otherwise. From innumerable and perpetual Observations of this kind, and others that I have before suggested, the Mind of Man becomes persuaded, ""That the Benevolence of each towards all paves the way to the Rewards and Happiness of all other Men alike; and that so much the more, by how much it is the more diffusive."" When afterwards the Mind considers, ""That this is all effected by the most provident Author of Nature,"" it cannot doubt, ""But that he would have this regarded by Men, as it really is, to be a sufficient Argument afforded by the supreme Governor of the World, to incline them to the exercise of Universal Benevolence"": That is, (as I have shewn,) as a Proof of our Obligation, and a certain Mark of the Law enjoining it. Altho', therefore, this be last discover'd, yet here the Obligation of the Laws of Nature takes its first Rise, namely, from the Discovery of the Will of God, whom, from his Works, we had learn'd to be a most perfect Being, the Cause of all Things, upon whose Pleasure depends the whole Happiness of All, and consequently our own, concerning which we are naturally most solicitous. The Obligation arises no otherwise from the Love of our own Happiness, than the Truth of Propositions concerning the Existence of Things natural, and of their First Cause, which is thence discover'd, arises from the Credit given to the Testimony of our Senses. Yet no-one would say, ""That we, therefore, preferred our Senses to the whole World, and to God himself""; since we readily acknowledge, ""That their very Existence, and all their Use, depends upon God as their First Cause, and upon the System of the World, as upon Causes subordinate to him."" That is first in Nature, at which we arrive last in this inverted Method of Reasoning. Therefore, altho' this Method of coming at Knowledge, be evidently natural and very common; altho' our Passions also, and several Appetites, are excited according to the discoveries we make of Good and Evil; yet we may not, therefore, thence affirm, what is most worthy to be known, or amiable above all other things. But, as by the help of our Senses, we learn some very general Principles, (as for Example, the most universal Theorems of Arithmetick and Geometry,) whereby we may successfully correct those Errors, which the generality are wont to imbibe from misapprehended Sensations; in like manner, from the Love of our own Happiness, under the conduct of Prudence, all who are truly Rational attain such a Knowledge of Natural Things and of God himself, and such Affections towards his Honour, and the Common Happiness of all, as either prevent or root out all perverse Self-Love: Those, (or at least some of those,) first Natural and Necessary Appetites, which we suppose in Men, of procuring their own Preservation and Happiness, are confin'd within a very narrow compass, and are perfectly free from Fault; as our simple Sensations, with respect to the proper objects of our Senses, under proper Regulations, are free from Error. Which were it otherwise, there would be no hope left, either of knowing Nature, or of conforming our Actions to the Laws of Nature; but a fruitless and perpetual Scepticism would be necessarily introduc'd into the place of Science, and a casual Determination of our Actions into that of Prudence, and the regular Conduct of our Passions; and there would be no difference between the Wise Man and the Fool.
(V.xlv, pp. 606-8)","Chapter V, §xlv"
"","""We do plainly perceive that our Bodies are clogs to our Minds: And all the use that even the purest sort of Body in an Estate conceived to be glorified, can be of to a Mind, is to be an Instrument of local Motion, or to be a repository of Ideas for Memory and Imagination.""",3948,Fetters,"Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10262,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 13:38:37 UTC,2011-08-31,"","The Third Head in this Article, is that which is negatively expressed, That God is without Body, Parts, or Passions. In general, all these are so plainly contrary to the Ideas of Infinite Perfection, and they appear so evidently to be Imperfections, that this part of the Article will need little Explanation. We do plainly perceive that our Bodies are clogs to our Minds: And all the use that even the purest sort of Body in an Estate conceived to be glorified, can be of to a Mind, is to be an Instrument of local Motion, or to be a repository of Ideas for Memory and Imagination: But God, who is every where, and is one pure and simple Act, can have no such use for a Body. A Mind dwelling in a Body, is in many respects superior to it; yet in some [end page 54] respects is under it. We who feel how an Act of our Mind can so direct the Motions of our Body, that a thought sets our Limbs and Joints a-going, can from thence conceive, how that the whole extent of Matter, should receive such Motions as the Acts of the Supreme Mind give it: But yet not as a Body united to it, or that the Deity either needs such a Body, or can receive any trouble from it. Thus far the apprehension of the thing is very plainly made out to us. Our thoughts put some parts of our Body in a present Motion, when the Organization is regular, and all the parts are exact; and when there is no Obstruction in those Vessels or Passages through which that heat, and those Spirits do pass that cause the motion. We do in this perceive, that a thought does command matter; but our Minds are limited to our Bodies, and these do not obey them; but as they are in an exact disposition and a fitness to be so moved. Now these are plain Imperfections, but removing them from God, we can from hence apprehend that all the Matter in the Universe, may be so intirely subject to the Divine Mind, that it shall move and be whatsoever, and wheresoever he will have it to be. This is that which all men do agree in.
(pp. 54-5)",""
"","""A Mind dwelling in a Body, is in many respects superior to it; yet in some respects is under it.""",3948,Inhabitants,"Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10263,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 13:29:37 UTC,2011-08-31,"","The Third Head in this Article, is that which is negatively expressed, That God is without Body, Parts, or Passions. In general, all these are so plainly contrary to the Ideas of Infinite Perfection, and they appear so evidently to be Imperfections, that this part of the Article will need little Explanation. We do plainly perceive that our Bodies are clogs to our Minds: And all the use that even the purest sort of Body in an Estate conceived to be glorified, can be of to a Mind, is to be an Instrument of local Motion, or to be a repository of Ideas for Memory and Imagination: But God, who is every where, and is one pure and simple Act, can have no such use for a Body. A Mind dwelling in a Body, is in many respects superior to it; yet in some [end page 54] respects is under it. We who feel how an Act of our Mind can so direct the Motions of our Body, that a thought sets our Limbs and Joints a-going, can from thence conceive, how that the whole extent of Matter, should receive such Motions as the Acts of the Supreme Mind give it: But yet not as a Body united to it, or that the Deity either needs such a Body, or can receive any trouble from it. Thus far the apprehension of the thing is very plainly made out to us. Our thoughts put some parts of our Body in a present Motion, when the Organization is regular, and all the parts are exact; and when there is no Obstruction in those Vessels or Passages through which that heat, and those Spirits do pass that cause the motion. We do in this perceive, that a thought does command matter; but our Minds are limited to our Bodies, and these do not obey them; but as they are in an exact disposition and a fitness to be so moved. Now these are plain Imperfections, but removing them from God, we can from hence apprehend that all the Matter in the Universe, may be so intirely subject to the Divine Mind, that it shall move and be whatsoever, and wheresoever he will have it to be. This is that which all men do agree in.
(pp. 54-5)",""
"","""And after they are come to their full growth, they cannot hold in that condition long, but sink down much faster than they grew up; some Humours or Diseases discomposing the Brain, which is the Seat of the Mind so entirely, that it cannot serve it, at least so far as to Reflex Acts.""",3948,Throne,"Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10264,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 04:33:27 UTC,,"","All those Invisible Beings were created by God, and are not to be considered as Emanations or Rays of his Essence, which was a gross Conceit of such Philosophers as fancied that the Deity had Parts. They are Beings Created by him, and are capable of passing through various Scenes, in Bodies more or less refined: In this Life the State of our Minds receives vast Alterations from the State of our Bodies,
which ripen gradually: And after they are come to their full growth, they cannot hold in that condition long, but sink down much faster than they grew up; some Humours or Diseases discomposing the Brain, which is the Seat of the Mind so entirely, that it cannot serve it, at least so far as to Reflex Acts. So in the next State it is possible that we may at first be in a less perfect condition by reason of this,
that we may have a less perfect Body, to which we may be united between our Death, and the General Resurrection; and there may be a time in which we may receive a vast Addition and Exaltation in that State, by the raising up of our former Bodies, and the reuniting us to them, which may give us a greater compass, and a higher Elevation.
(p. 66)",""
"","""The Spirit of God, or Wind of God, stands sometimes for a high and strong Wind; but more frequently it signifies a secret Impression made by God on the Mind of a Prophet.""",3948,Impression,"Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10265,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 13:30:53 UTC,2011-08-31,"","IN order to the explaining this Article, we must consider, First, The Importance of the Term Spirit, or Holy Spirit. Secondly, His Pro- cession from the Father and the Son. And Thirdly, That he is truly God, of the same Substance with the Father and the Son. Spirit signifies Wind or Breath, and in the Old Testament it stands frequently in that Sense: The Spirit of God, or Wind of God, stands sometimes for a high and strong Wind; but more frequently it signifies a secret Impression made by God on the Mind of a Prophet: So that the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Prophecy are set in opposition to the vain Imaginations, the false Pretences, or the Diabolical Illusions of those who assumed to themselves the Name and the Authority of a Prophet, without a true Mission from God: But when God made Representations either in a Dream, or in an Extasy, to any Person, or imprinted a sense of his Will on their Minds, together with such necessary Characters as gave it Proof and Authority, this was an Illapse from God, as a Breathing from him on the Soul of the Prophet.
(p. 98)",Article V
"","""Adam in his first state was made after the Image of God, so that his bodily powers were perfectly under the command of his mind; This Revolt that we feel our Bodies and Senses are always in, cannot be supposed to be God's Original Workmanship""",3948,Impression,"Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10266,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 13:32:18 UTC,2011-08-31,•In the margin are cited Gal. 5. 17. and Rom. 8. 13. ,"There is a further Question made, Whether this Vicious Inclination is a Sin, or not? Those of the Church of Rome, as they believe that Original Sin is quite taken away by Baptism, so finding that this corrupt Disposition still remains in us, they do from thence conclude, that it is no part of Original Sin, but that this is the Natural State in which Adam was made at first, only it is in us without the restraint or bridle of Supernatural Assistances, which was given to him, but lost by Sin, and restored to us in Baptism. But as was said formerly, Adam in his first state was made after the Image of God, so that his bodily powers were perfectly under the command of his mind; This Revolt that we feel our Bodies and Senses are always in, cannot be supposed to be God's Original Workmanship. There are great Disputings raised concerning the meaning of a long Discourse of St. Paul 's in the 7th of the Romans, concerning a constant struggle that he felt within himself; which some, arguing from the Scope of the whole Epistle, and the beginning of that Chapter, understand only of the state that S. Paul represents himself to have been in, while yet a Jew, and before his Conversion: Whereas others understand it of him in his converted and regenerated state. Very plausible things have been said on both sides, but without arguing any thing from words, the sense of which is under debate; there are other places which do manifestly express the struggle that [end page 142] is in a good man: The flesh is weak, though the spirit is willing: The flesh lusteth against the spirit, as the spirit lusteth against the flesh: We ought to be still mortifying the deeds of the body; and we feel many Sins that do so easily beset us, that from these things we have reason to conclude, That there is a Corruption in our Nature, which gives us a biass and propensity to Sin. Now there is no reason to think that Baptism takes away all the Branches and Effects of Original Sin: It is enough if we are by it delivered from the Wrath of God, and brought into a state of Favour and Acceptation: We are freed from the Curse of Death, by our being Entitled to a Blessed Resurrection: And if we are so far freed from the Corruption of our Nature, as to have a foederal right to such assistances as will enable us to resist and repress it, though it is not quite Extinct in us, so long as we live in these frail and mortal Bodies, here are very great Effects of our Admission to Christianity by Baptism; though this should not go so far as to root all Inclinations to Evil out of our Nature. The great Disposition that is in us to Appetite and Passion, and that great heat with which they Inflame us; the Aversion that we naturally have to all the Exercises of Religion, and the Pains that must be used to work us up to a tolerable Degree of Knowledge, and an ordinary Measure of Virtue, shews that these are not natural to us: Whereas Sloth and Vice do grow on us without any care taken about them; so that it appears, that they are the natural, and the other the forced growth of our Souls. These ill Dispositions are so universally spread through all Mankind, and appear so early, and in so great a Diversity of ill Inclinations, that from hence it seems reasonable and just to infer, That this Corruption is spread through our whole Nature and Species, by the Sin and Disobedience of Adam. And beyond this a great many among our selves think that they cannot go, in asserting of Original Sin.(p. 142-3)",""
"","""He will write his Laws in their hearts, and make them to walk in them.""",3948,"","Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10268,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 13:35:22 UTC,2011-08-31,"•In the margin: Eph. 2:10, 2 Cor. 5:17., Phil. 2:13., Ps. 110:3., Jerem. 31:33, 34, Ezek. 36:26, 27, Rom. 9:21. ","The Grace of God is set forth in Scripture by such Figures and Expressions as do plainly intimate its efficacy; and that it does not depend upon us to use it, or not to use it at pleasure. It is said to be a Creation, we are created unto good works, and we become new Creatures: It is called a Regeneration, or a New Birth; it is called a Quickning and a Resurrection; as our former state is compared to a feebleness, a blindness, and a death. God is said to work in us both to will and to do: His people shall be willing in the day of his power: He will write his Laws in their hearts, and make them to walk in them.Mankind is compared to a Mass of Clay in the hand of the Potter, who of the same lump makes at his pleasure Vessels of honour or of dishonour. These passages, this last in particular, do insinuate an Absolute and a Conquering Power in Grace; and that the love of God constrains us, as S. Paul speaks expresly.
(p. 186)",""
"","""They infer, That besides the outward Enlightening of a Man by Knowledge, there is an inward Enlightening of the Mind, and a secret forcible conviction stampt on it.""",3948,Impression,"Searching ""mind"" in Ad Fontes's Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts",10269,2005-07-20 00:00:00 UTC,2011-08-31 13:37:03 UTC,2011-08-31,"","After all, they think, That if a Debate falls to be between the Sovereignty of God, his Acts and his Purposes, and the freedom of Man's will, it is modest and decent rather to make the abatement on Man's part than on God's; but they think there is no need of this. They infer, That besides the outward Enlightening of a Man by Knowledge, there is an inward Enlightening of the Mind, and a secret forcible conviction stampt on it, otherwise what can be meant by the Prayer of St. Paul for the Ephesians, who had already heard the Gospel preached, and were instructed in it; That the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they might know what was the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what was the exceeding greatness of his power towards them that believed. This seems to be somewhat that is both Internal and Efficacious. Christ compares the Union and Influence that he communicates to Believers, to that Union of a Head with the Members, and of a Root with the Branches; which imports an Internal, a Vital, and an Efficacious Influence. And though the outward means that are offered, may be, and always are rejected, when not accompanied with this overcoming Grace, yet this never returns empty: These outward means coming from God, the resisting of them is said to be Eph. 1. 17, 18, 19. the resisting God, the grieving or quenching his Spirit; and so in that sense we resist the Grace or Favour of God: But we can never withstand him when he intends to overcome us.
(pp. 187)",""
Blank Slate; Lockean philosophy,"""For I will here suppose the Soul, or Mind of Man, to be at first, rasa Tabula, like fair paper, that hath no connate Character or Idea's imprinted upon it (as that Learned Theorist Mr. Lock hath, I suppose, fully proved) and that it is not sensible of any thing at its coming into the World, but its own Existence and Action""",3985,Writing,"Searching ""tabula rasa"" in ECCO",10350,2006-10-08 00:00:00 UTC,2009-09-14 19:34:55 UTC,,"•I've included twice: Tabula Rasa and Paper
•Marginal citation to Essay Book I, Chap. 2
•Close to Locke in language of supposition: ""Let us suppose.""","Nor let it seem strange, that I suppose the Nature of divers Things, about which we are daily conversant, ought first to be looked into, and considered: For I will here suppose the Soul, or Mind of Man, to be at first, rasa Tabula, like fair paper, that hath no connate Character or Idea's imprinted upon it (as that Learned Theorist Mr. Lock hath, I suppose, fully proved) and that it is not sensible of any thing at its coming into the World, but its own Existence and Action; but receives all its Ideas afterwards, from such Objects as it hath received in by the Senses: So that our Understandings being naturally destitute of all Notions of Idea's, we cannot comprehend how they can operate, unless they be first excited by outward Objects. And indeed how can we understand what may be helpful and agreeable, or else hurtful and destructive to Men's Minds and Bodies, unless we first consider (as far as we are able) all the Causes both near and remote, which have made, constituted, and do still preserve Mankind, or else may tend to its [end page 4] destruction either for the time present, or to come? Nor indeed can it be understood what is the fittest and best Thing, or Action, any Person can perform in a Case proposed, unless first all those Effects, which may proceed from it, in all its various Circumstances, be duly considered and compared together. [...]
(4, p. 4-5",Chapt 1
Blank Slate,"""But Adam's Soul being put in his Body, his Brain was a Tabula rasa, as White Paper, had no Impressions in it, but such as either God put in it, or such as came to him by his Senses.""",4308,Writing,"Searching ""tabula rasa"" in ECCO",11241,2006-10-09 00:00:00 UTC,2013-06-26 16:29:49 UTC,,•Marginal citation of Gen 1:27-8
•INTEREST. USE in entry. Another case of an innatist blank slate. The following mixture of natural philosophy and biblical exegesis is worth rereading.,"The surest way to find out what this Image was at first, is to consider, what the New Testament says of it, when we come to be restored to it. We must put on the new Man, after the image of him that created him; or as elsewhere, the new man in righteousness and true holiness. This then was the Image of God, in which Man was at first made. Nor ought the Image of God to be considered only as an Expression that imports only our representing him here on Earth, and having Dominion over the Creatures: For in Genesis the Creation of Man in the image of God, is expressed as a thing different from his Dominion over the Creatures, which seems to be given to him as a consequent of it. The image of God seems to be this, That the Soul of man was a Being of another Sort and Order than all those material Beings till then made, which were neither capable of Thought nor Liberty, in which respect the Soul was made after the Image of God. But Adam's Soul being put in his Body, his Brain was a Tabula rasa, as White Paper, had no Impressions in it, but such as either God put in it, or such as came to him by his Senses. A Man born deaf and blind, newly come to hear and see, is not a more Ignorant and Amazed-like Creature than Adam must have been, if God had not conveyed some great Impressions into him; [end page 110] such as first the acknowledging and obeying him as his Maker, and then the managing his Body so as to make it an instrument, by which he could make use of and observe Creation. There is no reason to think that his Body was at first inclined to Appetite, and that his Mind was apt to serve his Body, but that both were restrained by supernatural Assistances: It is much more natural and more agreeable to the Words of the Wiseman, to think that God made man upright, that his Body craved modestly, and that his Mind was both Judge and Master of those Cravings; and if a natural Hypothesis may be offered, but only as an Hypothesis, it may be supposed, That a Man's Blood was naturally low and cool, but that it was capable of a vast Inflammation and Elevation, by which a Man's Powers might be exalted to much higher Degrees of Knowledge and Capacity: The Animal Spirits receiving their Quality from that of the Blood, a new and a strong Fermentation in the Blood might raise them, and by consequence exalt a man to a much greater sublimity of Thought: But with that it might dispose him to be easily inflamed by Appetites and Passions, it might put him under the power of his Body, and make his Body much more apt to be fired at outward objects, which might sink all Spiritual and pure Ideas in him, and raise gross ones with much Fury and Rapidity. Hereby his whole Frame might be corrupted, and that might go so deep in him, that all those who descended from him, might be defiled by it, as we see Madness and some Chronical Diseases pass from Parents to Children.
(pp. 110-1)k",Commentary on Article 9