Lectures on the general principles of moral government : as they are exhibited in the first three chapters of Genesis

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Preface To The Second Edition

Tue public having, as is supposed, called for a reprint of the ‘Lectures on the General Principles of Moral Government,” the Author has availed himself of the opportunity to | extend his illustrations of those principles.—Trinity—the term Person—election—divine power—and the relations of infants both ecclesiastical and moral, are the principal topics, on which he offers some new observations. _The reader will find this additional matter in the fifth, tenth, thirteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth lectures of the present series. Several paragraphs on the same, or on other general subjects, and which are scattered through the work, may readily be recognised as now appearing the first time. The discussion has been very much amplified; but no change has been introduced, which would affect the integrity of the argument as formerly stated. Perhaps some of the illustrations of the subject of Trinity, and of the scriptural phrases under which it is supposed to be expressed, might have been exchanged for those which a more extended investigation has afforded. But they have for the most part, and indeed always excepting in the use of the term person and its adjuncts, been permitted to remain in their own connexions; and the reader has been left to judge of the comparative merits of both for himself. And this has been done the more readily, because the Author imagines that, if his first principles be scriptural, and if his conclusions be accurate, a new systematic arrangement of moral iv PREFACE.

doctrines will be required. In that case, or when the community shall have perceived the necessity for, and duly appreciated the character of, such an arrangement, a thousand pens more prompt, more able and better pointed than his own, will do ample justice to the general discussion.

The Author would farther improve the opportunity now afforded, to state precisely the opsrect of his argument, and the PRINCIPLE on which his argument rests. This, it was supposed, had been done with great distinctness in the Lectures themselves; and even with a frequency that seemed to be almost wearisome. It would appear, however, that he was mistaken in his impressions; as, in many instances, the argument has not been apprehended, and the difficulty thrown, as might have been expected, from the mind of the reader, is set down as the fault of the writer. He would therefore, in the hope that his preface may be read, now say, that his opsEcT is to exhibit and illustrate the scriptural doctrine of personal responsibility ; and that his PRIN- CIPLE 1s, that man has no innate ideas—that he cannot comprehend a pure abstraction—that he acquires his ideas by means of his corporeal senses—and that the knowledge which he may possess is conveyed to his mind by external symbols. The object is never forgotten through the entire discussion; and the PRINCIPLE is uniformly sustained, by applying it to a// the relations which man holds, in view both of persons and things, both of creation and redemption. The doctrines which are advanced in reference to Trinity, and the original government by /aw—to the Mediator and the remedial government by gospel—to the material universe, and to positive institutions under both the legal and evangelical administrations, are framed in connexion with that OBJECT, and result from the application of that PRINCIPLE.

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The reader therefore, if he wishes to apprehend the doctrines proposed, to understand the reasonings by which they are enforced, and to deal candidly with the author as a man like himself, must bear both the object and the principle in mind. The argument will otherwise be necessarily obscure to him, and his criticism will be more loquacious than accurate ; but the fault will be his own.

No system, human or divine, physical or moral, political or ecclesiastical, can ever be fairly appreciated by the man, who overlooks its elemental points. None should be more fully convinced of the fact, than the theologians of the present day. They do not understand, or they differently interpret, their own creeds and articles of association; they hold protracted controversies, and are at a loss to understand each other, or to say whether they have been arguing about words or things; while they unitedly charge the sceptic with dishonorably passing by the first principles of the system, which he so irreverently assails. One, who well knew the value of analysis, and who had often exposed the hasty argument of a boastful polemic, has remarked—“ A free-thinker, when he hears some great doctrine of christianity, lets off a small objection and runs away laughing at the folly, or railing at the imposture, of

-all who venture to defend a divine revelation; he gathers his brother unbelievers, and they unite in wondering at the weakness or imprudence of christians. He bolts into the heart of a grand religious system; he has never adverted to its first principles; and then complains the evidence is bad. But the fault in neither case lies in the evidence. It lies in the ignorance or obstinacy of the objector.’”’ ‘““Knowledge.,” says Solomon, ‘‘ is easy to him that understandeth.”’

Whatever may be the merit of the system developed in 1* vi PREFACE.

these Lectures, however novel it may be considered by

some, or however much it may be censured as heretical - by others, the Author again assures his reader, that he asks for nothing but a candid examination of its positions. He courts no favor but for the TRUTH ; nor asks any indulgence from those who are capable of ‘“ lobking a system through and through,” saving that which every honorable mind cheerfully extends to well meant effort. With this consciousness, he again commits his publication to the watchful care of that providence, which ever throws its mantle over an honest heart—to the sympathizing care of the great High Priest, who never frowns ingenuousness from his throne, nor withdraws his Spirit from the man who fears and loves his name.

Baltimore, 1836.

Dedication

To the Members of the Associate Reformed Congregation of Baltimore: Dear BRETHREN—

You will recognise, in the following sheets, the substance of a course of pulpit lectures, on the first three chapters of Genesis, which I have just finished :—as well as of aseries of biblical exercises, conducted with a class of young men, in your lecture room, two years ago. Though I neither love the toil, nor covet the honors of authorship, and advance no pretensions to ‘the art of making books ;” yet I have been induced to prepare the following pages for the press, in consequence of having been repeatedly solicited so to do; and in the fond hope of relieving some ingenuous minds, which may have been greatly embarrassed by the technicalities of scholastic theology. I have endeavored to express myself in a clear and perspicuous. manner ; though possibly in this I may have failed in many instances, as I seldom use my pen, and have now been compelled to write rapidly.

The views which you have already heard, and which are here presented to you ina form that will afford you an opportunity for more leisurely examination, are the result of my own researches—long, patiently and diligently pursued. This remark is made, because I know not to what