第 15 节
作者:公主站记      更新:2021-04-30 17:05      字数:9312
  ssive developments;  and actual time is the relation of these in the order of  90 succession; and when the existence is completed or consummated  development ceases; and time is no more。  In relation to himself  the Creator's works are complete from the first; and hence with  him there is no time; for there is no succession。  But in  relation to itself creation is incomplete; and there is room for  development; which may be continued till the whole possibility of  creation is actualized。  Here is the foundation of what is true  in the modern doctrine of progress。  Man is progressive; because  the possibilities of his nature are successively unfolded and  actualized。
  Development is a fact; and its laws and conditions may be  scientifically ascertained and defined。  All generation is  development; as is all growth; physical; moral; or intellectual。   But everything is developed in its own order; and after its kind。   The Darwinian theory of the development of species is not  sustained by science。 The development starts from the germ; and  in the germ is given the law or principle of the development。   》From the acorn is developed the oak; never the pine or the  linden。  Every kind generates its kind; never another。  But no  development is; strictly speaking; spontaneous; or the result  alone of the inherent energy or force of the germ developed。 91 There is not only a solidarity of race; but in some sense of all  races; or species; all created things are bound to their Creator;  and to one another。  One and the same law or principle of life  pervades all creation; binding the universe together in a unity  that copies or imitates the unity of the Creator。  No creature is  isolated from the rest; or absolutely independent of others。  All  are parts of one stupendous whole; and each depends on the whole;  and the whole on each; and each on each。  All creatures are  members of one body; and members one of another。  The germ of the  oak is in the acorn; but the acorn left to itself alone can never  grow into the oak; any more than a body at rest can place itself  in motion。  Lay the acorn away in your closet; where it is  absolutely deprived of air; heat; and moisture; and in vain will  you watch for its germination。  Germinate it cannot without some  external influence; or communion; so to speak; with the elements  from which it derives its sustenance and support。
  There can be no absolutely spontaneous development。  All things  are doubtless active; for nothing exists except in so far as it  is an active force of some sort; but only God himself alone  suffices for his own activity。  All created things are dependent;  have not their being  92                      in themselves; and are real only as they  participate; through the creative act; of the Divine being。  The  germ can no more be developed than it could exist without God;  and no more develop itself than it could create itself。  What is  called the law of development is in the germ; but that law or  force can operate only in conjunction with another force or other  forces。  All development; as all growth; is by accretion or  assimilation。  The assimilating force is; if you will; in the  germ; but the matter assimilated comes and must come from abroad。   Every herdsman knows it; and knows that to rear his stock he must  supply them with appropriate food; every husbandman knows it; and  knows that to raise a crop of corn; be must plant the seed in a  soil duly prepared; and which will supply the gases needed for  its germination; growth; flowering; boiling; and ripening。  In  all created things; in all things not complete in themselves; in  all save God; in whom there is no development possible; for He  is; as say the schoolmen; most pure act; in whom there is no  unactualized possibility; the same law holds good。  Development  is always the resultant of two factors; the one the thing itself;  the other some external force co…operating with it; exciting  it; and aiding it to act。 93 Hence the praemotio physica of the Thomists; and the praevenient  and adjuvant grace of the theologians; without which no one can  begin the Christian life; and which must needs be supernatural  when the end is supernatural。  The principle of life in all  orders is the same; and human activity no more suffices for  itself in one order than in another。
  Here is the reason why the savage tribe never rises to a  civilized state without communion in some form with a people  already civilized; and why there is no moral or intellectual  development and progress without education and instruction;  consequently without instructors and educators。  Hence the value  of tradition; and hence; as the first man could not instruct  himself; Christian theologians; with a deeper philosophy than is  dreamed of by the sciolists of the age; maintain that God himself  was man's first teacher; or that he created Adam a full…grown  man; with all his faculties developed; complete; and in full  activity。  Hence; too; the heathen mythologies; which always  contain some elements of truth; however they may distort;  mutilate; or travesty them; make the gods the first teachers of  the human race; and ascribe to their instruction even the most  simple and ordinary arts of every…day life。 94                                             The gods teach men to  plough; to plant; to reap; to work in iron; to erect a shelter  from the storm; and to build a fire to warm them and to cook  their food。  The common sense; as well as the common traditions  of mankind; refuses to accept the doctrine that men are developed  without foreign aid; or progressive without divine assistance。   Nature of herself can no more develop government than it can  language。  There can be no language without society; and no  society without language。  There can be no government without  society; and no society without government of some sort。
  But even if nature could spontaneously develop herself; she could  never develop an institution that has the right to govern; for  she has not herself that right。  Nature is not God; has not  created us; therefore has not the right of property in us。  She  is not and cannot be our sovereign。  We belong not to her; nor  does she belong to herself; for she is herself creature; and  belongs to her Creator。  Not being in herself sovereign; she  cannot develop the right to govern; nor can she develop  government as a fact; to say nothing of its right; for  government; whether we speak of it as fact or as authority; is  distinct from that which is governed; but natural de… 95                                                     velopments  are nature; and indistinguishable from her。  The governor and the  governed; the restrainer and the restrained; can never as such be  identical。  Self…government; taken strictly; is a contradiction  in terms。  When an individual is said to govern himself; he is  never understood to govern himself in the sense in which be is  governed。  He by his reason and will governs or restrains his  appetites and passions。  It is man as spirit governing man as  flesh; the spiritual mind governing the carnal mind。
  Natural developments cannot in all cases be even allowed to take  their own course without injury to nature herself。  〃Follow  nature〃 is an unsafe maxim; if it means; leave nature to develop  herself as she will; and follow thy natural inclinations。  Nature  is good; but inclinations are frequently bad。  All our appetites  and passions are given us for good; for a purpose useful and  necessary to individual and social life; but they become morbid  and injurious if indulged without restraint。  Each has its  special object; and naturally seeks it exclusively; and thus  generates discord and war in the individual; which immediately  find expression in society; and also in the state; if the state  be a simple natural development。  The Christian maxim; 96                                                        Deny  thyself; is far better than the Epicurean maxim; Enjoy thyself;  for there is no real enjoyment without self…denial。  There is  deep philosophy in Christian asceticism; as the Positivists  themselves are aware; and even insist。  But Christian asceticism  aims not to destroy nature; as voluptuaries pretend; but to  regulate; direct; and restrain its abnormal developments for its  own good。  It forces nature in her developments to submit to a  law which is not in her; but above her。  The Positivists pretend  that this asceticism is itself a natural development; but that  cannot be a natural development which directs; controls; and  restrains natural development。
  The Positivists confound nature at one time with the law of  nature; and at another the law of nature with nature herself; and  take what is called the natural law to be a natural development。   Here is their mistake; as it is the mistake of all who accept  naturalistic theories。  Society; no doubt; is authorized by the  law of nature to institute and maintain government。  But the law  of nature is not a natural development; nor is it in nature; or  any part of nature。  It is not a natural force which operates in  nature; and which is the developing principle of nature。  Do they  say reason is natural; and the law of 97