Debt and grace, as related to the doctrine of a future life

Front matter

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Preface

involve new states of feeling, it is a fair question whetlier the opinions themselves do not differ more as forms of thought than as expressions of sentiment ; and whether beneath the apparent diversity there may not often be a substantial harmony. A discussion of the subject should elicit whatever truth lies in this direction.

In the inquiry for the true one of the three opinions, that which lies intermediate between the others, —-which asserts neither the eternal happiness nor the eternal misery of those who may be worthy of neither, — claims its share of consideration. Can it be a just mean between two extremes ? Is it apparently supported by manifold passages of Scripture ? Can it reconcile apparently conflicting texts ; or can it vindicate the peculiar doctrines of Christianity against opposite objections ? Has it a respectable place in the history of Christian doctrine? Can it have been both held and lost by the Church ? And if so, how is the grand error involved in its loss to be accounted for without impairing all confidence not only in man but in Providence itself?

It is easy to suggest such considerations respecting the view offered in the following pages. Whether such as make in its favor have had undue influence with the writer, he leaves for others to decide. He will only plead in behalf of certain features of his book, that his experience persuades him "a treatise on the subject should be — even more than it is argumentative — one of suggestions and helps to the reader's own thinking and investigation.

To various friends he is under many obligations for the suggestion of facts and thoughts, for aid in the prosecution of his inquiries, in securing a favorable publication of the book, and in revising the sheets for the press. He is sure that any resulting development of Christian truth will be to them, as it should be to himself, the best reward.

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Chapter 1

THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN NATURE. §1. The Rationalist Theoiy. — 2. The Christian Theory. —3. Influence of the two Theories. — 4. Combination of the two Theories. — .5. Effects of cf the Combination. — 6. The Dignity of Wickedness Page 1

CHAPTER 11.

EVIL AND GOD. § 1. Natural Evil. — 2. Sin. Its Mystery. — 3. The Origin, Economy, and End of Evil. — 4. The Idea of God and the Conception of God. — 5. The Four Theologies. — 6. The Notion of Evil as an Eternal Necessity is Dualistic. — 7. The Analytic Argument. — 8. Historical Illustration. — 9. The Reaction. Agony of Faith. — 10. Absolutism. — 11. The Reaction. Prostitution and Prostration of Faith. — 12. Pantheism. The Eclipse of Faith 19

Chapter III

THE THEODICIES. § 1. Theodicy a Duty. Absolutism. — 2. Sin against God as an Infinite Being. — 3. Sin against God as Infinite Love. — 4. Sin as against the Divine Government. — 5. Universal Distrust. — 6. Sin as against the Universal Welfare. — 7. In suo Infinito. — 8. The Imperative Nature of Duty. — 9. Historical Eternity of Sin. — 10. Sin as the Greatest Evil. — 1.1. Scientia Media Dei. — 12. Free Will. — 13. The Choice of two Infinities. — 14. Choice of Penalties. — 15. Infinite Motives. — 16. The Redemption. — 17. Preexistence. — 18. Eternal Sinfulness. — 19. A Law of Nature. — 20. Phrensy. — 21. Restraint. — 22. Twilight 67

Chapter IV

EVIL TEMPORARY. § 1. Evil not Needful — 2. The Frailty of Evil. — 3. The Permission of Evil. Theism. —4. Is Evil only Now 1 — 5. The Triumph of Faith. 129

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CONTENTS.

Chapter V. The Scriptural Argument

§ 1. Is the Immortality of the Soul assumed in the Bil)le' — 2. Is the Immortality of the Soul implied in the Language of the Scriptures'' — 3, The General Tenor of Scriptural Language respecting Man's Destiny. — 4, Passages supposed to prove the Immortality of the Lost. — 5. Circumstantial Evidence IGO

Chapter VI

THE RATIONAL ARGUMENT. § I . The Metaphysical Argument. — 2. The Psychological Argument. —

3. The Moral Argument. — 4. Tlie Analogical Argument 227

Chapter VII. Soul And Body

§1. Matter and Mind. — 2. The Detention. — 3. PsychopannycJby. —

4. Resurrection of the Unjust 243

Chapter VIII. The Historical Argument

§ 1. Eastern and Ancient Doctrine. — 2. The Grecian Schools. — 3. The Popular Faith. The Pious Fraud. — 4. Fourfold Doctrine of the Immortality of a Class. — 5. Early Christian Doctrine. — 6. Man's Intermediate Nature. — 7. The Origin of the Conflict. — 8. Results in the Eastern Church. — 9. Results in the "Western Church. — 10. Jewish andMediceval Doctrine. — 11. Modern History 265

Chapter IX

PHILOSOPHY OF ERROR. § 1. The Reflex Influence of Theodicy. — 2. Faith in Second Causes. — 3. The Temporal and the Eternal. — 4. The Unseen World. — 5. The Mystery of Sin. — 6. The Advantages of Evil over Good. — 7- Theory of Satisfaction for Sin. — 8. Theology of the Feelings. — 9. Exegetical Causes. — 10. The Sense of Human Depravity. — 11. Lack of Faith in the Power of Goodness. — 12. Draco. — 13. The Notion of Punishment as specially Moral. — 14. Negative and Positive Evil. — 15. Anchorite Conceptions of the HeaA'enly State. — 16. Self-suspicion 357

Chapter X

HARMONY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. § 1. Of Providence. — 2. Of Grace. —3. Of Death. — 4. Of Original Sin.— 5. Of Punishment. — 6. Of Pardon. — 7. The Redeemer 377

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEK XI PARADOXES OF PENAI-TY.

§ 1. Fear and Shame. — 2. Severity and Certainty. — 3. Mystery and Conviction. — 4. Eternal Death is Eternal Punishment. — 5. The Second Death. — 6. Far and Near. — 7. Wrath and Love 40.")

Chapter XII

THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT. § I Vicarious Immortality. — 2. The Maternal Character of the Church. 3. The Missionary Motive. — 4. The Campaigning Spirit, — ^. A Test of Christian Character. — 6. Gospel for the Heathen 430