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Article LEIBNIZ AND SPINOZA. ← Page 23 of 25 →
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Leibniz And Spinoza.
than in meaning with the Cabalists . Again , these Rabbis agreed that the universe was God , so far as God manifested himself in it : this doctrine looks like Pantheism , but is , in fact , very far from it .
Perhaps the best mode of exhibiting the Rabbinical philosophy on this most important topic will be to draAV it out in its relation to the divine essence , the origin of evil , the manner of creation , and the nature of sin . Setting out from the principle that out of nothing nothing can be made , they assert that God not merely by his will , but out of his own substance , formed
the Avhole visible and invisible , material and spiritual universe , which thus having a diA'ine origin , must necessarily partake of a diA'ine nature . At the same time , all the several essences and intelligences of which the universe was composed were so far separated from their fountain and cause as to haA'e each its own separate existence , so as to be able to be acted upon from
Avithout by the Great First Cause , and in turn to act upon other beings . But by this separation they became each and all finite . —finite in AA'isdom , finite in power , finite in extent , finite in love . There can be but one infinite spirit , and all others separated from that one , hoAvever much they may be divine in their origin as emanations therefrom , are yet as independent intelligences liable to fall . But here intervenes the question , —HOAV are they to fall ? Avhat kind of evil is there into which they are to be
plunged ? The reply is , ' —perfection AA'ith them , —rectitude , virtue , consists in their Avill folloAving that of the Great First Cause , their acts coinciding with that law which , as subject beings , he lays doAvn for them . Here first occurs the notion of rule , of supremacy , and government . In accordance with this , St . Paul , Avho was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel , and was profoundly
A'ersed in the philosophy of his people , says , " Without the laAV sin is dead , but Avhen the commandment came sin reA'ived . " Nor is to be supposed that the principle of laAV is primarily the principle of evil ; for if Ave look to the state of the case , we shall see that creatures free and responsible , and yet finite both in Avisdomand goodnessand powerrequireabsolutely require
, , , , , directions from the supreme Avisdom and love , and assistance from the supreme power . Thus , then , Ave have the Rabbinical doctrine so far before us , as to see that a finite creature , so placed and so qualified , must sooner or later fall ; to suppose it otherwise Avould be the same as to suppose the finite and the infinite on a par . This
" indep > endent liberty "—to use again the Avords of the tradition—¦ which Adam received necessitated a fall ; and thus he cut off the croAvn from the tree of the Sephira . It is as though the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Leibniz And Spinoza.
than in meaning with the Cabalists . Again , these Rabbis agreed that the universe was God , so far as God manifested himself in it : this doctrine looks like Pantheism , but is , in fact , very far from it .
Perhaps the best mode of exhibiting the Rabbinical philosophy on this most important topic will be to draAV it out in its relation to the divine essence , the origin of evil , the manner of creation , and the nature of sin . Setting out from the principle that out of nothing nothing can be made , they assert that God not merely by his will , but out of his own substance , formed
the Avhole visible and invisible , material and spiritual universe , which thus having a diA'ine origin , must necessarily partake of a diA'ine nature . At the same time , all the several essences and intelligences of which the universe was composed were so far separated from their fountain and cause as to haA'e each its own separate existence , so as to be able to be acted upon from
Avithout by the Great First Cause , and in turn to act upon other beings . But by this separation they became each and all finite . —finite in AA'isdom , finite in power , finite in extent , finite in love . There can be but one infinite spirit , and all others separated from that one , hoAvever much they may be divine in their origin as emanations therefrom , are yet as independent intelligences liable to fall . But here intervenes the question , —HOAV are they to fall ? Avhat kind of evil is there into which they are to be
plunged ? The reply is , ' —perfection AA'ith them , —rectitude , virtue , consists in their Avill folloAving that of the Great First Cause , their acts coinciding with that law which , as subject beings , he lays doAvn for them . Here first occurs the notion of rule , of supremacy , and government . In accordance with this , St . Paul , Avho was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel , and was profoundly
A'ersed in the philosophy of his people , says , " Without the laAV sin is dead , but Avhen the commandment came sin reA'ived . " Nor is to be supposed that the principle of laAV is primarily the principle of evil ; for if Ave look to the state of the case , we shall see that creatures free and responsible , and yet finite both in Avisdomand goodnessand powerrequireabsolutely require
, , , , , directions from the supreme Avisdom and love , and assistance from the supreme power . Thus , then , Ave have the Rabbinical doctrine so far before us , as to see that a finite creature , so placed and so qualified , must sooner or later fall ; to suppose it otherwise Avould be the same as to suppose the finite and the infinite on a par . This
" indep > endent liberty "—to use again the Avords of the tradition—¦ which Adam received necessitated a fall ; and thus he cut off the croAvn from the tree of the Sephira . It is as though the