NAPFS
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. IV
416 chapters English Public domain
About this book
No short description is available for this text.
Table of contents
416 chapters
51 Image worship condemned by Scripture. 52 The details about the gods conveyed in the representations of them by poets and artists shew that they are without life, and that they are not gods, nor even decent men and women. 53 Heathen arguments in palliation of the above: and (1) 'the poets are responsible for these unedifying tales.' But are the names and existence of the gods any better authenticated? Both stand or fall together. Either the actions must be defended or the deity of the gods given up. And the heroes are not credited with acts inconsistent with their nature, as, on this plea, the gods are. 54 The truth probably is, that the scandalous tales are true, while the divine attributes ascribed to them are due to the flattery of the poets. 55 Heathen defence continued. (2) 'The gods are worshipped for having invented the Arts of Life.' But this is a human and natural, not a divine, achievement. And why, on this principle, are not all inventors deified? 56 The inconsistency of image worship. Arguments in palliation. (1) The divine nature must be expressed in a visible sign. (2) The image a means of supernatural communications to men through angels. 57 But where does this supposed virtue of the image reside? in the material, or in the form, or in the maker's skill? Untenability of all these views. 58 The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency, nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image. 59 The image cannot represent the true form of God, else God would be corruptible. 60 The variety of idolatrous cults proves that they are false. 61 The so-called gods of one place are used as victims in another. 62 Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its prevalence. Its calamitous results. 63 The moral corruptions of Paganism all admittedly originated with the gods. 64 The refutation of popular Paganism being taken as conclusive, we come to the higher form of nature-worship. How Nature witnesses to God by the mutual dependence of all her parts, which forbid us to think of any one of them as the supreme God. This shewn at length. 65 But neither can the cosmic organism be God. For that would make God consist of dissimilar parts, and subject Him to possible dissolution. 66 The balance of powers in Nature shews that it is not God, either collectively, or in parts. 67 Section 30 68 Proof of the existence of the rational soul. (1) Difference of man from the brutes. (2) Man's power of objective thought. Thought is to sense as the musician to his instrument. The phenomena of dreams bear this out. 69 (3) The body cannot originate such phenomena; and in fact the action of the rational soul is seen in its over-ruling the instincts of the bodily organs. 70 §33. The soul immortal. Proved by (1) its being distinct from the body, (2) its being the source of motion, (3) its power to go beyond the body in imagination and thought. 71 §34. The soul, then, if only it get rid of the stains of sin is able to know God directly, its own rational nature imaging back the Word of God, after whose image it was created. But even if it cannot pierce the cloud which sin draws over its vision, it is confronted by the witness of creation to God. 72 Section 35 73 This the more striking, if we consider the opposing forces out of which this order is produced. 74 The same subject continued. 75 The Unity of God shewn by the Harmony of the order of Nature.
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NAPFS
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. IV
416 chapters English Public domain
About this book
No short description is available for this text.
Table of contents
416 chapters
51 Image worship condemned by Scripture. 52 The details about the gods conveyed in the representations of them by poets and artists shew that they are without life, and that they are not gods, nor even decent men and women. 53 Heathen arguments in palliation of the above: and (1) 'the poets are responsible for these unedifying tales.' But are the names and existence of the gods any better authenticated? Both stand or fall together. Either the actions must be defended or the deity of the gods given up. And the heroes are not credited with acts inconsistent with their nature, as, on this plea, the gods are. 54 The truth probably is, that the scandalous tales are true, while the divine attributes ascribed to them are due to the flattery of the poets. 55 Heathen defence continued. (2) 'The gods are worshipped for having invented the Arts of Life.' But this is a human and natural, not a divine, achievement. And why, on this principle, are not all inventors deified? 56 The inconsistency of image worship. Arguments in palliation. (1) The divine nature must be expressed in a visible sign. (2) The image a means of supernatural communications to men through angels. 57 But where does this supposed virtue of the image reside? in the material, or in the form, or in the maker's skill? Untenability of all these views. 58 The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency, nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image. 59 The image cannot represent the true form of God, else God would be corruptible. 60 The variety of idolatrous cults proves that they are false. 61 The so-called gods of one place are used as victims in another. 62 Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its prevalence. Its calamitous results. 63 The moral corruptions of Paganism all admittedly originated with the gods. 64 The refutation of popular Paganism being taken as conclusive, we come to the higher form of nature-worship. How Nature witnesses to God by the mutual dependence of all her parts, which forbid us to think of any one of them as the supreme God. This shewn at length. 65 But neither can the cosmic organism be God. For that would make God consist of dissimilar parts, and subject Him to possible dissolution. 66 The balance of powers in Nature shews that it is not God, either collectively, or in parts. 67 Section 30 68 Proof of the existence of the rational soul. (1) Difference of man from the brutes. (2) Man's power of objective thought. Thought is to sense as the musician to his instrument. The phenomena of dreams bear this out. 69 (3) The body cannot originate such phenomena; and in fact the action of the rational soul is seen in its over-ruling the instincts of the bodily organs. 70 §33. The soul immortal. Proved by (1) its being distinct from the body, (2) its being the source of motion, (3) its power to go beyond the body in imagination and thought. 71 §34. The soul, then, if only it get rid of the stains of sin is able to know God directly, its own rational nature imaging back the Word of God, after whose image it was created. But even if it cannot pierce the cloud which sin draws over its vision, it is confronted by the witness of creation to God. 72 Section 35 73 This the more striking, if we consider the opposing forces out of which this order is produced. 74 The same subject continued. 75 The Unity of God shewn by the Harmony of the order of Nature.
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NAPFS
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. IV
416 chapters English Public domain
About this book
No short description is available for this text.
Table of contents
416 chapters
51 Image worship condemned by Scripture. 52 The details about the gods conveyed in the representations of them by poets and artists shew that they are without life, and that they are not gods, nor even decent men and women. 53 Heathen arguments in palliation of the above: and (1) 'the poets are responsible for these unedifying tales.' But are the names and existence of the gods any better authenticated? Both stand or fall together. Either the actions must be defended or the deity of the gods given up. And the heroes are not credited with acts inconsistent with their nature, as, on this plea, the gods are. 54 The truth probably is, that the scandalous tales are true, while the divine attributes ascribed to them are due to the flattery of the poets. 55 Heathen defence continued. (2) 'The gods are worshipped for having invented the Arts of Life.' But this is a human and natural, not a divine, achievement. And why, on this principle, are not all inventors deified? 56 The inconsistency of image worship. Arguments in palliation. (1) The divine nature must be expressed in a visible sign. (2) The image a means of supernatural communications to men through angels. 57 But where does this supposed virtue of the image reside? in the material, or in the form, or in the maker's skill? Untenability of all these views. 58 The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency, nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image. 59 The image cannot represent the true form of God, else God would be corruptible. 60 The variety of idolatrous cults proves that they are false. 61 The so-called gods of one place are used as victims in another. 62 Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its prevalence. Its calamitous results. 63 The moral corruptions of Paganism all admittedly originated with the gods. 64 The refutation of popular Paganism being taken as conclusive, we come to the higher form of nature-worship. How Nature witnesses to God by the mutual dependence of all her parts, which forbid us to think of any one of them as the supreme God. This shewn at length. 65 But neither can the cosmic organism be God. For that would make God consist of dissimilar parts, and subject Him to possible dissolution. 66 The balance of powers in Nature shews that it is not God, either collectively, or in parts. 67 Section 30 68 Proof of the existence of the rational soul. (1) Difference of man from the brutes. (2) Man's power of objective thought. Thought is to sense as the musician to his instrument. The phenomena of dreams bear this out. 69 (3) The body cannot originate such phenomena; and in fact the action of the rational soul is seen in its over-ruling the instincts of the bodily organs. 70 §33. The soul immortal. Proved by (1) its being distinct from the body, (2) its being the source of motion, (3) its power to go beyond the body in imagination and thought. 71 §34. The soul, then, if only it get rid of the stains of sin is able to know God directly, its own rational nature imaging back the Word of God, after whose image it was created. But even if it cannot pierce the cloud which sin draws over its vision, it is confronted by the witness of creation to God. 72 Section 35 73 This the more striking, if we consider the opposing forces out of which this order is produced. 74 The same subject continued. 75 The Unity of God shewn by the Harmony of the order of Nature.
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