Essays on partial derangement of the mind in supposed connexion with religion.

  • Cheyne, John, 1777-1836.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essays on partial derangement of the mind in supposed connexion with religion. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    which advice was enforced by spiritual arguments, intermixed with many abstract doctrinal points which were new to the sufferer. From these, instead of deriving consolation, she at last in her perplexity was led to adopt the most dangerous sophisms for truths. Shortly complete insanity was developed. What connexion, we would ask, have the doc- trines of Swedenborg, the influence of gloomy sectarians, abstruse doctrines of theology—perhaps touching the divine decrees — the enforcing of dubious tenets, abstract doctrinal points, nay, the pious exhortations of a seriously-inclined, it may have been very ignorant neighbour — what con- nexion have all these things with belief in the Gospel—the good news—the glad tidings of salva- tion? The soberest, clearest, simplest, most cheer- ing proposition which was ever placed before the mind of man—believe, and thou shalt be saved; which requires no preparation but a spiritual appe- tite, and is more comprehensible by the illiterate than by the learned, ever looking for some great thing. If we simply look to the incarnate God, who, after fulfilling all righteousness, died upon the cross that we might live, and if that doctrine which proclaims liberty to the captive, and pours balm into the wounded heart, should produce melan- choly, which is the usual type of religious madness, it would be a phenomenon in the history of the