THEISM
BEING
BY
ROBERT FLINT, D.D., LL.D.
PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
AUTHOR OF 'THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY
IN EUROPE,' ETC.
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
MDCCCLXXVII
PREFATORY NOTE.
The Lectures in this volume have been deliveredin Glasgow, St Andrews, and Edinburgh,in connection with the Lectureshipfounded by the late Mr James Baird ofAuchmedden and Cambusdoon. They willbe followed by a volume on AntitheisticTheories, containing the Baird Lectures for1877.
The author has to thank the Baird Trusteesfor having twice appointed him Lecturer,and for much indulgence extended tohim during his tenure of office. His specialthanks are due to James A. Campbell, Esq.,LL.D., of Stracathro, for kindly revising thesheets of this volume, and for suggestingmany corrections and improvements.
Johnstone Lodge, Craigmillar Park,
Edinburgh, 22d August 1877.
CONTENTS.
| lect. | page | ||
| I. | ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE QUESTION TO BE DISCUSSED—WHENCE AND HOW WE GET THE IDEA OF GOD, | 1 | |
| II. | GENERAL IDEA OF RELIGION—COMPARISON OF POLYTHEISM AND PANTHEISM WITH THEISM—THE THREE GREAT THEISTIC RELIGIONS COMPARED—NO RELIGIOUS PROGRESS BEYOND THEISM, | 30 | |
| III. | THE NATURE, CONDITIONS, AND LIMITS OF THEISTIC PROOF, | 59 | |
| IV. | NATURE IS BUT THE NAME FOR AN EFFECT WHOSE CAUSE IS GOD | 96 | |
| V. | THE ARGUMENT FROM ORDER, | 131 | |
| VI. | OBJECTIONS TO THE ARGUMENT FROM ORDER EXAMINED, | 169 | |
| VII. | MORAL ARGUMENT—TESTIMONY OF CONSCIENCE AND HISTORY, | 210 | |