The Rhetoric Of The Inward Light: An Examination Of Extant Sermons Delivered By Early Quakers, 1671-1700. - Page 62 |
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55
w as " r e a s o n a b l e " f r o m e v e r y a n g le . It d e p e n d e d upon m a n 's r e a s o n a t
e v e r y j u n c t u r e , an d e x u d ed c o n fid e n c e th a t, g iv e n u n b ia s e d o b s e r v a t i o n
and th e r i g h t a p p l ic a t io n of m a n 's r e a s o n , the s e c r e t s of a ll c r e a t i o n
w ould be r e v e a l e d . T r u s t in th e a n c i e n ts h ad b e e n s h a k e n , and the
q u ak e w a s f e lt in the s p h e r e s of r e li g io n , p o l i t i c s , and r h e t o r i c .
R e lig io u s C u r r e n t s : P u r i t a n i s m in A pex and D e c lin e
To a s s u m e th a t s c ie n c e o v e r s h a d o w e d r e l i g i o n in the l a s t h a lf
of the s e v e n te e n th c e n t u r y w ould be a g r o s s o v e r - s i m p l i f i c a t i o n . If the
s e v e n te e n th c e n t u r y c a n be c h a r a c t e r i z e d a t a l l, it m u s t be c o n c lu d e d
th a t it w as at h e a r t a c e n t u r y o f c o n s i d e r a b l e r e l i g i o u s f e r v o r . In d eed ,
R ic h a r d F . J o n e s , in h i s i m p o r t a n t s tu d y of the g r o w th of the s c ie n t if ic
iIl
m o v e m e n t in E n g la n d , c o n c lu d e d th a t t h e r e w a s a tie b e tw e e n r e li g io n
and s c ie n c e . He p o in te d o u t th a t the n e w le a r n i n g ow ed m u c h to the
f a c t th a t it w as a c c e p te d by th e g r e a t i n t e l l e c t u a l - r e l i g i o u s m o v e m e n t
of p o s t - E l i z a b e t h a n E n g la n d , P u r i t a n i s m :
T he im p o r t a n c e of the P u r i t a n s in m a k in g B a c o n 's w o r k s
p o p u la r and in d i s s e m i n a t i n g and a d v o c a tin g h is i d e a s , v a l u e s ,
and a t tit u d e s is p e r h a p s g r e a t e r th a n we r e a l i z e . B e fo re 1640,
he s e e m s to h a v e m a d e no r e m a r k a b l e i m p r e s s i o n upon m e n 's
m in d s ; a t the R e s t o r a t i o n h e h ad b e c o m e by f a r th e g r e a t e s t i n flu
e n c e of th e ti m e . H is n a m e an d w o r k s w e r e the s u b je c t of
e n d l e s s a d u la tio n a n d u n v a r y in g t r i b u t e . F u r t h e r m o r e , P u r i t a n
s u p p o r t of e x p e r i m e n t a l s c i e n c e is s e e n n o t only in e d u c a tio n a l
t r e a t i s e s . . . bu t a l s o in th e s m a l l g r o u p of e x p e r i m e n t o r s a t
O x fo rd , . . . T h e s e m e n w e r e in no way f a n a t ic a l P u r i t a n s , bu t
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| Title | The Rhetoric Of The Inward Light: An Examination Of Extant Sermons Delivered By Early Quakers, 1671-1700. - Page 62 |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 55 w as " r e a s o n a b l e " f r o m e v e r y a n g le . It d e p e n d e d upon m a n 's r e a s o n a t e v e r y j u n c t u r e , an d e x u d ed c o n fid e n c e th a t, g iv e n u n b ia s e d o b s e r v a t i o n and th e r i g h t a p p l ic a t io n of m a n 's r e a s o n , the s e c r e t s of a ll c r e a t i o n w ould be r e v e a l e d . T r u s t in th e a n c i e n ts h ad b e e n s h a k e n , and the q u ak e w a s f e lt in the s p h e r e s of r e li g io n , p o l i t i c s , and r h e t o r i c . R e lig io u s C u r r e n t s : P u r i t a n i s m in A pex and D e c lin e To a s s u m e th a t s c ie n c e o v e r s h a d o w e d r e l i g i o n in the l a s t h a lf of the s e v e n te e n th c e n t u r y w ould be a g r o s s o v e r - s i m p l i f i c a t i o n . If the s e v e n te e n th c e n t u r y c a n be c h a r a c t e r i z e d a t a l l, it m u s t be c o n c lu d e d th a t it w as at h e a r t a c e n t u r y o f c o n s i d e r a b l e r e l i g i o u s f e r v o r . In d eed , R ic h a r d F . J o n e s , in h i s i m p o r t a n t s tu d y of the g r o w th of the s c ie n t if ic iIl m o v e m e n t in E n g la n d , c o n c lu d e d th a t t h e r e w a s a tie b e tw e e n r e li g io n and s c ie n c e . He p o in te d o u t th a t the n e w le a r n i n g ow ed m u c h to the f a c t th a t it w as a c c e p te d by th e g r e a t i n t e l l e c t u a l - r e l i g i o u s m o v e m e n t of p o s t - E l i z a b e t h a n E n g la n d , P u r i t a n i s m : T he im p o r t a n c e of the P u r i t a n s in m a k in g B a c o n 's w o r k s p o p u la r and in d i s s e m i n a t i n g and a d v o c a tin g h is i d e a s , v a l u e s , and a t tit u d e s is p e r h a p s g r e a t e r th a n we r e a l i z e . B e fo re 1640, he s e e m s to h a v e m a d e no r e m a r k a b l e i m p r e s s i o n upon m e n 's m in d s ; a t the R e s t o r a t i o n h e h ad b e c o m e by f a r th e g r e a t e s t i n flu e n c e of th e ti m e . H is n a m e an d w o r k s w e r e the s u b je c t of e n d l e s s a d u la tio n a n d u n v a r y in g t r i b u t e . F u r t h e r m o r e , P u r i t a n s u p p o r t of e x p e r i m e n t a l s c i e n c e is s e e n n o t only in e d u c a tio n a l t r e a t i s e s . . . bu t a l s o in th e s m a l l g r o u p of e x p e r i m e n t o r s a t O x fo rd , . . . T h e s e m e n w e r e in no way f a n a t ic a l P u r i t a n s , bu t |
