Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society
In this way , all humans can be saved by “ universal grace , given to all men without exception , and even to the Heathens .” They will receive “ the baptism of the Spirit , tho ’ not that of water ”, or , as Saint Paul said , “ circumcision of the heart .” 47 In the last chapter of his work , Ramsay becomes more lyrical . He gives himself leave to paraphrase Saint Paul in the first person and ends with a passage from the Apocalypse , which his detour into natural religion has finally allowed him to understand . All humans will be saved , some immediately because they knew how to practice Pure Love , others after experiencing the fires of hell and finally being purified through their suffering because God cannot force their free will . 48 The demarcation is no longer between pagans and Christians but sets apart those who have practiced “ the three essential , necessary means of reuniting the soul to God , prayer , mortification , and self-denial ” 49 to arrive at pure love . Salvation is reparation for the Fall . When Ramsay explains the fall from Paradise , he uses the same words that described the degradation of pure love in An Essay upon Civil Government : the principle of free will is dual , that is what makes it free . 50 Love can be governed by the perception of truth — the pure love of the Divine Order — or by the sensation of pleasure , which leads to pride and losing sight of God . It is the separation of the two that created moral evil and provoked the Fall . The entire challenge of human life is to return to the pure love of divine perfection , to reunite with it while renouncing oneself .
47 Ramsay , The Philosophical Principles , Part 2 , pp . 375 , 379 , 383 .
48 “
Hence we see the necessity of the cross , sufferings , and expiatory pains , in order to purify , restore , and reunite lapsed beings to their original , primitive state of perfection and happiness . This is that sublime mystery which scandalizes both the Greeks and the Jews , that is , the superficial witts [ sic ], and superstitious minds , that have no just ideas of the oeconomy of providence , of the purification of the soul , and of the intrinsic efficacy of physical evil to cure moral deprivation .” Ramsay , The Philosophical Principles , Part 1 , p . 373 .
49 Ramsay , The Philosophical Principles , Part 1 , p . 7 . Later , he provides definitions : “[ 1 ]. By prayer , I mean the continual return of the thoughts and desires of the soul towards God .
2 . By mortification , I mean the continual turning away from all irregular love of the creatures .
3 . By self-denyal , I mean renouncing all the subtile , refin ’ d , spiritual desires , inclinations and passions of self-love .”
Ramsay , The Philosophical Principles , Part 1 , pp . 389-90 .
50 “ The only worship God demands of his intelligent images , is to love him for himself , and all created beings for him . He demands this worship , not as an arbitrary homage due to his sovereign grandeur ; but as the necessary means of their arriving at the supreme felicity and perfection of their natures ; and from the constant observation of this eternal , immutable , and universal law , flows naturally and necessarily the communication of God ’ s luminous and beatifying influences , which make the sovereign happiness of all created spirits . Two sorts of intelligences fell freely from the love of eternal order , rebelled against the universal , immutable law , and so rendered themselves incapable of their original , primitive happiness in a pre-existent state , to wit , angelical spirits and human souls . The former admitted from the beginning to the beatific vision , sinned by spiritual pride , self-attribution , and an over-weaning opinion of their own excellency : the later fell from the love of eternal order by an inordinate desire of knowledge , and an irregular love of pleasure .” Ramsay , The Philosophical Principles , Part 1 , p . 488 .
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