alexandria and her schools(亚历山大和她的学校)-第22章
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nature of Being； and this Truth is that concerning which the Lord Himself
said： 'I am the Truth。' And when the initiated find； or rather receive； the
true philosophy； they have it from the Truth itself； that is from Him who is
true。〃
While； then； these two schools had so many grounds in common；
where was their point of divergence？ We shall find it； I believe； fairly
expressed in the dying words of Plotinus； the great father of Neoplatonism。
〃I am striving to bring the God which is in us into harmony with the God
which is in the universe。〃 Whether or not Plotinus actually so spoke； that
was what his disciples not only said that he spoke； but what they would
have wished him to speak。 That one sentence expresses the whole object
of their philosophy。
But to that Pantaenus； Origen； Clement； and Augustine would have
answered： 〃And we； on the other hand； assert that the God which is in
the universe； is the same as the God which is in you； and is striving to
bring you into harmony with Himself。〃 There is the experimentum crucis。
There is the vast gulf between the Christian and the Heathen schools；
which when any man had overleaped； the whole problem of the universe
was from that moment inverted。 With Plotinus and his school man is
seeking for God： with Clement and his； God is seeking for man。 With
the former； God is passive； and man active： with the latter； God is active；
man is passivepassive； that is； in so far as his business is to listen when
he is spoken to； to look at the light which is unveiled to him； to submit
himself to the inward laws which he feels reproving and checking him at
every turn； as Socrates was reproved and checked by his inward Daemon。
Whether of these two theorems gives the higher conception either of
the Divine Being； or of man； I leave it for you to judge。 To those old
Alexandrian Christians； a being who was not seeking after every single
creature； and trying to raise him； could not be a Being of absolute
Righteousness； Power； Love； could not be a Being worthy of respect or
admiration； even of philosophic speculation。 Human righteousness and
love flows forth disinterestedly to all around it； however unconscious；
however unworthy they may be； human power associated with goodness；
seeks for objects which it may raise and benefit by that power。 We must
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confess this； with the Christian schools； or； with the Heathen schools； we
must allow another theory； which brought them into awful depths； which
may bring any generation which holds it into the same depths。
If Clement had asked the Neoplatonists： 〃You believe； Plotinus； in an
absolutely Good Being。 Do you believe that it desires to shed forth its
goodness on all？〃 〃Of course；〃 they would have answered； 〃on those
who seek for it； on the philosopher。〃
〃But not； it seems； Plotinus； on the herd； the brutal； ignorant mass；
wallowing in those foul crimes above which you have risen？〃 And at
that question there would have been not a little hesitation。 These brutes
in human form； these souls wallowing in earthly mire； could hardly； in the
Neoplatonists' eyes； be objects of the Divine desire。
〃Then this Absolute Good； you say； Plotinus； has no relation with them；
no care to raise them。 In fact； it cannot raise them； because they have
nothing in common with it。 Is that your notion？〃 And the
Neoplatonists would have； on the whole； allowed that argument。 And if
Clement had answered； that such was not his notion of Goodness； or of a
Good Being； and that therefore the goodness of their Absolute Good；
careless of the degradation and misery around it； must be something very
different from his notions of human goodness； the Neoplatonists would
have answered indeed they did answer〃After all； why not？ Why
should the Absolute Goodness be like our human goodness？〃 This is
Plotinus's own belief。 It is a question with him； it was still more a question
with those who came after him； whether virtues could be predicated of the
Divine nature； courage； for instance； of one who had nothing to fear； self…
restraint； of one who had nothing to desire。 And thus； by setting up a
different standard of morality for the divine and for the human； Plotinus
gradually arrives at the conclusion； that virtue is not the end； but the
means； not the Divine nature itself； as the Christian schools held； but only
the purgative process by which man was to ascend into heaven； and which
was necessary to arrive at that naturethat nature itself beingwhat？
And how to answer that last question was the abysmal problem of the
whole of Neoplatonic philosophy； in searching for which it wearied itself
out； generation after generation； till tired equally of seeking and of
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speaking； it fairly lay down and died。 In proportion as it refused to
acknowledge a common divine nature with the degraded mass； it deserted
its first healthy instinct； which told it that the spiritual world is identical
with the moral world； with right； love； justice； it tried to find new
definitions for the spiritual； it conceived it to be identical with the
intellectual。 That did not satisfy its heart。 It had to repeople the
spiritual world； which it had emptied of its proper denizens； with ghosts；
to reinvent the old daemonologies and polytheismsfrom thence to
descend into lower depths； of which we will speak hereafter。
But in the meanwhile we must look at another quarrel which arose
between the two twin schools of Alexandria。 The Neoplatonists said that
there is a divine element in man。 The Christian philosophers assented
fervently； and raised the old disagreeable question： 〃Is it in every man？
In the publicans and harlots as well as in the philosophers？ We say that it
is。〃 And there again the Neoplatonist finds it over hard to assent to a
doctrine； equally contrary to outward appearance； and galling to Pharisaic
pride； and enters into a hundred honest self… puzzles and self…
contradictions； which seem to justify him at last in saying； No。 It is in
the philosopher； who is ready by nature； as Plotinus has it； and as it were
furnished with wings； and not needing to sever himself from matter like
the rest； but disposed already to ascend to that which is above。 And in a
degree too； it is in the 〃lover；〃 who； according to Plotinus； has a certain
innate recollection of beauty； and hovers round it； and desires it； wherever
he sees it。 Him you may raise to the apprehension of the one incorporeal
Beauty； by teaching him to separate beauty from the various obj
