A system of Christian ethics

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Preface

of our own Church. Few of us could fail largely to profit by a careful perusal of the three volumes on Christian Ethics by that great and sober thinker, the late Bishop Martensen, to whom, in Christian Dogmatics, we have already owed so much."

In a certain sense this presentation is an abridgement of Martensen's work, and still it contains far more than that famous production. Martensen is more philosophical than biblical, and in this aspect of the subject, the great work of Harless completes him. What is best and most important in the presentation of Harless, has, therefore, also been incorporated in this treatise. The aim has been not simply to reproduce these great works, but so to use the material, and rewrite it, that what is here written, the author believes to be the plain teaching of God's Word with reference to the duties of the Christian here on earth. No pains have been spared to master the contents of this science, and the writer would here especially express his great indebtedness to the works of Frank, Dorner, Wuttke, Schmid, Sartorius, and Vilmar.

During the eight years that this work has been growing in the writer's hands, it has been the indirect means, by the grace of God, of developing more richly his inner, spiritual life, in that it has brought the rich treasures of God's Word in more direct bearing upon his heart and soul. And though the book has been especially prepared for students of theology and the younger clergy, still much of it is of such a devotional character, that we hope all intelligent Christians seeking for guidance in the teaching

PREFACE.

vii.

of God's Word, will find much that will be of the greatest help to them in their Christian life. That the book is not of too scientific a character for general reading is shown by the fact that the most technical part, covering the general principles, has in substance been delivered in lectures at Chautauqua and other Assemblies, to miscellaneous audiences.

The Table of Contents gives a clear indication of the fullness of the discussion, and the Index, at the close of the volume, has been prepared to be of special service to students in reviewing and in preparing for examination.

R. F. W.

Augustana Theological Seminary,

Rock Island, 111.

LIST OF AUTHORITIES.

The following are some of the books and editions (omitting all exegetical works) constantly used and referred to in the preparation of this treatise :

Alden, Christian Ethics. New

York. 1866.

Alexander, Bible Truth. Phila.,

Aristotle. Ethica Nicotnachea.

Leipsic, 1831.

Translated by Archdeacon

Augustine. City of God and Moral Treatises. Vols. 2 and 3 of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Buffalo, 1887.

Aurelius Antoninus. Thoughts.

Translated by Long. London, 1875.

Beck, Biblical Psychology. Edinburgh, 1877.

Bledsoe. A Theodicy. New York. 1854.

Caird. Introduction to the Philo. ;- ophy of Religion. New York. 1 880.

Cicero. Three Books of Offices.

London, 1865.

Coleridge. Aids to Reflection.

the N. T Greek. Edinburgh,

Dorner. System of Christian Ethics. New York, 1887.

' Article on Ethik in Her-

zog's Real-Ency. First edition.

Ely. Social Aspects of Christianity, New York, 1889.

Farrar. Seekers after God. New York, 1882.

Fleming. Moral Philosophy. London, 1876.

Reprint. Berlin, 1868.

Harless. Christian Ethics. Edinburgh, 1880.

Verhdltniss des Christen-

denmitteln. Erlangen, 1869.

Haven. Moral Philosophy. Boston, i860.

Hopkins. Outline Study of Man.

New York, 1878.

Law of Love, etc. New

York.

Scriptural Idea of Man.

London, 1883.

Krauth-Fleming. A Vocabulary of the Philosophical Sciences.

New York, 1881.

Laidlaw. Bible Doctrine of Man.

Edinburgh, 1879.

Leipsic, 1873.

Lotze. Microcosmus. 2 vols. New ix.

X.

LIST OF AUTHORITIES.

Lotze. Practical Philosophy. Boston, 1885.

Luthardt. Die Christ. Ethik. In vol. 3 of Zockler's Handbuch der Theol. Wissenschaften. Nord., 1883.

Die Ethik Luthers. Leip-

Moral Truths of Christianity. Edinburgh, 1 873.

Luther. Bondage of the Will.

Translated by Vaughan. London, 1823.

Mann. Principles of Christian Ethics. Phila., 1872.

Martensen. Christian Ethics. 3 vols. Edinburgh, 1879-1882.

Maurice. Moral and Metaphysical Philosophy. 2 vols. London, 1872.

Mainz, 1888.

Symbolism. Translated by

Robertson. New York, 1844.

Mueller. Christian Doctrine of Sin. 2 vols. Edinburgh, 1868.

Nitzsch. System of Christian Doctrine. Edinburgh, 1849.

Oehler. Theology of the Old Testament. New York, 1883.

Pascal. Thoughts, Letters, etc.

Edited by Wight. New York. 1859.

Plato. Apology and Crito. Tyler's edition. New York, 1881.

Wagner's editioa. Boston, 1882.

Hermann's edition. Leip-

Cary's translation of the

London, 1852.

Sadler. The Second Adam, etc.

London, 1876.

Sartorius. Doctrine of Divine Love. Edinburgh, 1884.

Schleiermacher. On the Worth of Socrates as a Philosopher.

Translated by Thirlwall. In Anthon's edition of the Memorabilia. New York, 1848.

Schmid. Biblical Theology of the New Testament. Edinburgh, 1870.

Seneca. Morals. Phila., 1845.

Ueberweg. History of Philosophy.

2 vols. New York, 1872-75.

Ullmann. The Sinlessness of Jesus.

Edinburgh, 1858.

Vilmar. Theologische Moral. 2 vols. Giitersloh, 1871.

Weidner. Biblical Theology of the Old Testament. Chicago, 1886.

Biblical Theology of the

New Testament. 2 vols. Chicago, 1891.

Studies in the Book. 3 vols.

Chicago, 1 89 1.

Theological Encyclopaedia.

3 vols. Chicago, 1886-91.

Weiss. Biblical Theology of the

New Testament. 2 vols. Edinburgh, 1882.

Wiggers. Life of Socrates. In Anthon's edition of the Memorabilia. New York, 1848.

Wuttke. Handbuch der Christ.

Christian Ethics. Translated by Lacroix. 2 vols. New York, 1873.

Xenophon. Memorabilia of Socrates. Edited by Author. New York, 1848.

Edited by Robbins. New

Translated by Watson.

New York, 1866.

Section I. Definitio?i of the Moral

The Concept of the Moral, . . .6

The Ethical Idea is the Good, ... 7 The Three Fundamental Ideas of the Good, . 8

The Concept of Humanity, ... 9 Section II.

Religion and Morality Contrasted.

Destinction between Morality and Religion, . 10

Distinction between Worldly and Religious Morality, 1 1 Insufficiency of Worldly Morality, . . .12

xi.

xii. CONTENTS.

Section III. Christian Morality

The Essential Character of Christian Morality, e 13 Catholicism and Protestantism contrasted, . 15 Lutheran and Reformed Ethics contrasted, . .16 Section IV.

Christian Ethics and Dogmatics Contrasted. Relation of Ethics to Dogmatics, . . 19

The Biblical Character of Ethics, . . 20

Section I. The Theological Postulate

The Ethical Concept of God, . . .21

God the alone Good, . . . . 22

God as Perfect Love, . . . 23 God as Holy Love, Almighty Power, and Perfect

God a Triune God, . . . . 23 Section II. .

The Anthropological Postulate.

Man formed in the Image of God, . . .24

Man a Creature possessed of Soul and Body, . 25

The Soul's Relation to its Organism, . .26

Individuality and Personality, . . . 27

The Development of Personality, . . .28

Bent or Inclination, .... 29

Worldliness the Characteristic Feature of Man, . 30

CONTENTS. xiii.

The Development of Sin, . . . 31

The Universality of Sin, . . . 32

The Will as Free and Bound, . . . 32

The Character of the Will produced by Choice, . 32 The Determination of my Will depends on Motives, 33

The Will as Enslaved by Sin, . . 33

Indeterminism and Determinism, . . 34

The Will is not under Natural Necessity, . 35

Is there any Truth in Determinism ? . 35

The Truth of Determinism Supplemented, . -35 Section III.

The Cosmological and Soteriological Postulate.

The Moral Order of the World, . . -36

The Christian View of the World, . . 37

The Aim of History, . . . -37

The Education of the Individual, . . 37 Section IV.

The Eschatological Postulate.

The End of History and the Completion of God's

The Ethical Fundamental Ideas, . . 39 xiv.

Contents

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS.

Chapter I. The Highest Good

Section I.

The Kingdom of God the Highest Good.

God's Kingdom the Highest Good, . . 40

Difference between Bliss and Happiness, . 41

The Ideal of Earthly Happiness limited, . . 43

In the Kingdom of God on Earth we must fight with

Section II

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Sin. The Kingdom of Sin, . . . .44

Definition of the Highest Evil, . . . 45

Section III

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the World. The Kingdom of the World, . . . 46

Optimism and Pessimism contrasted, . . 46

Goethe's Optimism criticised, . . .47

Pessimism, ..... 48 Fatalastic Pessimism, . . • .49

Pessimism in Literature, ... 49

The Solution of the Problem, . . -49

Christianity the Truth of Pessimism and Optimism, 49 Section IV.

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Humanity. The Kingdom of Humanity, . . '5°

The Emancipation which the Gospel brings, . 5 1

The Aim of History, . . . 5 1

Section V. The Love of Christ

Contemplative and Supplicative Love, . 63 Christ's Active Love, .... 64 Solution between the Contemplative and the Practical Life, . ... . 65 Active and Passive Love, ... 65 Christ's Passion Necessary, . . • . .66 In Christ Activity and Suffering are combined, . 66 Christ the Ideal of Perfect Righteousness, . .67

Section VI. Christ the Type of Glory

The Exaltation of Christ, . . . • . 67

Section VII. The Disciples of the Kingdom

Discipleship, . . . . .68 Our Discipleship rests on Christ's Resurrection and

Exaltation, . . . . 69

Beginning of Discipleship in the Individual, . 69

Awakening, ..... 70

Awakening must lead to Regeneration, . 71

Section VIII. The Imitation of Christ

The Imitation of Christ, . . . 72

The Direct Imitation of Christ, . . . 72

No Imitation without the Acknowledgment of Christ

as the Saviour, . . . 73

Defect of Mysticism, . . . . 74

CONTENTS.

xvii.

Section IX. Love to Christ the Cardinal Virtue of Christianity

Love to God in Christ Jesus, . . -74 Love to Christ includes Love to Man and True Self- Love, ..... 75

Contemplative, Mystic, and Practical Love, . 76

Christian Love versus Egoism or Selfishness, . 77

Sanctification, ..... 78

The Highest Motive, . . . .79

The Value of Justifying Faith, ... 79

Quietism, . . . . . 79

Peace brings Joy, .... 80

Fellowship with Christ the Deepest Quietive, . 81 Section X.

The Christian Character.

The Christian Character, . . . .81

The Variety of Christian Character, . . 82

Section I. Duty and Law

The Relation of Duty to Law, . -. 83

The Law of Morality and the Law of Nature, . 83 Authority, . . . . . .84

All Authority is of God,, ... 85

Section II. Conscience

The Nature of Conscience, . . . -87

l a xviii.

CONTENTS.

The Essence of Conscience, . . . 88 The Form of the Manifestation of Conscience, . 89 The Testimony of Conscience respecting the Inclination to Evil, . . . . 91 The Testimony of Conscience to the Powerlessness

of the Will, . . . . . 92

Conscience may be Enlightened and Cultivated, 92

The Social Conscience, . . . 94

Section III. The Content of the Law

Natural and Supernatural Revelation, . -94

The Content of the Law, . . . 95

Moral Obligations, . . . . .96

Determination of the Content of the Law, . 97

Section IV. The Positive Law

The Revealed Law, . . . . 97

The Mosaic Law as contrasted with the Gospel, . 98 The Nature and Essence of the Gospel, . . 100

Christ the Fulfiller of the Law, . . 102

Section V

The Believer 's new Relation to the Law. The New Relation to the Law, . . .105

Individual Antinomianism, . . . 108

Social Antinomianism, . . . .109

Jesuitism, . . . . . no

Section VI. Ethical Forbearance

The Permissible, . . . . .110

CONTENTS.

xix.

Adiaphora, . . . . . no

Ethical Forbearance, . . . .in Section VII.

Duties.

Duty and Supererogatory Perfection, . .112

Duty and the Present Moment, . . 113

Collision of Duties, . . . .114 Section VIII.

The Regenerate and the Law.

Can the Regenerate fulfill the Law ? . . 115

Merit and Reward, . . . . 115 The Significance of the Law to the Regenerate, . 116

Section IX.

The Educating Grace of God in Christ.

Christ and the Nations, . . . . 1 1 7

Authority and Liberty in the Development of Society, • • ■ . 117

Conservatism and Progress, . . .118

Christianity and the Law, . .. . 118

Transition to the Special Part of Ethics, . . 118

XX.

CONTENTS.

INDIVIDUAL ETHICS.

Section I. The Natural Man

Distinction between Life under the Law and Life under Grace, . . . . .120 Life according to mere Nature, . . 121 Section II.

Personal Character.

Nature and Character, . . . .122 Natural Virtues and Faults, . . . 123 Section III.

The Temperaments.

The Sanguine Temperament, . . -123 The Melancholic Temperament, . . 124 The Bilious Temperament, . . . .125 The Phlegmatic Temperament, . . 125 Section IV.

The Difference of Sexes.

The Male and Female Nature, . . .126 Special Gifts of Woman, . . . 127 Special Temptations of each Sex, . . .128 Section V.

The Pursuit of Righteousness.

The Earnestness of Life, . . . .129 The Pursuit of Righteousness, . . . 129

CONTENTS.

xxi.

Chapter II. The Chief Forms Of Moral Life Under The Law

Section I.

Civil Righteousness.

The Morality of the Natural Man, . . . 131

Particularistic Morality inadequate, . . 132

Section II. Philosophical Righteousness

As sought by the Ancient Philosophers, . . 134

Life according to Reason, . . . 134

Self-Knowledge, . . . . . 135

The Internal Contradiction in Human Nature, . 135

Struggling Virtue and Insufficient Means, . -136

Inadequate Means, . . . . 137

Bondage of Duty, . . . . -138

-/Esthetic Education, . . . . 138

The Middle-way Morality, . . . .142

Section III. The Righteousness of the Pharisees and Scribes

The Advantage of Pharisaism, . . . 143

Its Weakness, . . . . . 143

The Weightier Matters of the Law, . . 144

The Tendency still repeats itself, . . 144

-Section IV. the seekers.

The Seekers and Non-Finders, . . .145 xxii.

CONTENTS.

Section I. Manifestations of Sin

Immorality and Sin, . . . . 148 '

Temptation and Passion, . . . 149

Habit and Vice, . . . . .151

Ramifications of Sin, . . . . 151

Differences in Sin, . . . . . 153

Section II. States of the Life of Sin

Steps of Development in the Life of Sin, . .156

The State of Security, . . . . 156

Self-Conscious Bondage, . . . .158

Self-Deception, .... 159

Scepticism, . . . . . . 159

Indifference to Religion, . . . 161

Hardness of Heart, . ... . 163

Hatred of God, . . . . . 164

Hatred of Christ, . . . . 1 64

Sin against the Holy Ghost, . . .167

Section II. Conversion

Appropriation of the Spirit of Regeneration, . 184

The Nature and Permanence of Conversion, . 184

The Knowledge of the Law and Gospel, . .186

Repentance and Faith, . . . 187

Hindrances to Conversion, . . . .191

Section I. The State of Grace

Life in a State of Grace, Marks of being in a State of Grace, Section II.

Sanctification.

Progressive Sanctification,

The Activity of the Converted Man in his Sanctifi

cation, .....

Sanctification and the Christian Virtues, Section III.

Evangelical Love.

Distinction between Faith, Love, and Hope, The Nature of Love, ....

Love is the Fulfilment of the Law, .

Method of Presenting this Subject,

Section IV.

Appropriating Love.

Appropriation and Worship,

Section V.

Contemplative Love.

Pious Contemplation, The Necessity of Contemplation,

CONTENTS.

XXV.

The Essential Nature of Contemplation, . .213

The Object of Contemplation, . . 214

Christian Contemplation in Self-Inspection, . 215

The Reading of Scripture, . • . . 216 The Importance of Teaching the whole of Scripture, 218

Thankfulness and Admiration, . . . 220

The Relation of Contemplative to Mystical Love, . 221 Section VI.

Mystical Love.

Communion with God, . ' . . .222

Fuller Definition of Prayer, . . . 222

Hindrances to Prayer, . . . . 223

Cultivation of the Gift of Prayer, . . 224

Prayer in the Name of Jesus, . . .224

Petition with Intercession, . . . 225

Prayer, must be joined with Thanksgiving, . .227

The Form of Prayer, . . . . 228

The Lord's Supper, . . . .228

Worthy Partaking of the Lord's Supper, . 230 Section VII.

Practical Love.

Devotion to the Ideal of God's Kingdom, . .232

Love to My Neighbor, . . . . 233

The Pattern of Ministering Love, . . 233

Philanthropy and Love of Truth, . . . 234

Truth and our Subjective Opinions, . . 235

Limits to the Duty of Truthfulness, . -236

Is the Lie of Necessity Justifiable ? . . 236 xxvi.

CONTENTS.

Proper Conditions under which an Oath may be

Speak the Truth always, . . . 241

Philanthropy and Love of Righteousness, . . 242

Righteousness extends to all Departments of Life, 244 The Unity of Righteousness and Love, . .244 Politeness, ...... 246

Edifying Example, . . . . 252

Love to the Dead, . . . . .252

Love to Posterity, . . . . 255

Love to Nature and to Beast, . • .256

Section VIII.

Christian Self-Love.

Self-Love in Truth and Righteousness, . .258

Compassion with Ourselves, . . . 259

The Earthly and the Heavenly Calling, . .261

Social Life and Solitude, . . . 263 Working and Enjoying, .... 266

Temptation and Assault, . . . 266

Signification of Temptation to the Regenerate, . 267

Means of Overcoming Temptation, . . 268

Suffering, . . . . . 273

Comfort under Sufferings, . « , .276

CONTENTS.

xxvii.

Chapter II. Christian Liberty

Section I.

Christian Liberty and the Law.

The Ideal of Christian Liberty, . . .278

Christian Liberty and the Law, . . 279

Christian Liberty and Authority, . . .280

Section II. Christian Liberty and the World

Temporal Goods and Evils, . . . • .282

Honor and Dishonor, .... 283

Social Prosperity, . . . . ,284

Earthly Possession and Poverty, . . 286

Health and Sickness, . . . .287

Life or Death, . . . . . 289

Weariness of Life and Suicide, .• . .291

Christian Contentment and Joy in Life, . . 294

Chapter III. Stages Of Holiness

Section I.

Christian Development of Character.

States of Holiness, " . . . 299

Development of Christian Character, . . 301

Falling from Grace, . . . . 302 xxviii.

CONTENTS.

Section II.

Christian Ascetics.

The Object of Christian Ascetics, Purity of Character, Energy of Character, Harmony of Character,

3°5 305

SOCIAL ETHICS.

THE MORAL LIFE OF SOCIETY AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Chapter I. The Family

Section I.

The Family and the Moral World.

The Moral Life of Society, . . . . 311

The Family the Beginning of the Moral World, 312 Christianity has given the Family its true Moral Importance, . . . . 314

Monogamous Marriage, . . . 316 Celibacy, . . . . . .316

Section II.

Contraction of Marriage.

Choice of a Partner,

Marriage of Inclination,

Church Solemnization of Marriage,

Impediments to Marriage,

3!9

3 21 322

CONTENTS. xxix.

Section VI. Family Life and Family A ffection

Family Affection, . . ' . . . 338

Parents and Children, ...» 339

Special Religious Training of Children, . . 340

Masters and Servants, . . . . 342 Hospitality, ..... 344

Friendship, . . . . . 344 Social Intercourse, ...... 346

XXX.

Section IV. Socialism

The Common Weal,

The Relation of Christianity to the General Prosp<

ity of a Country, The Labor Question, ....

CONTENTS.

xxxi.

Utopian and Revolutionary Socialism, . . 363

Ethic Socialism, .... 365

Legislation by the State, .... 368

The Solution Christianity offers, . . 369

Chapter IV. The Church

Section I.

The Church and the Kingdom of God.

Edification, ..... 388

The Church and Humanity, . . -389

The Congregation and the Ministry, . . 389

Edification of Public Worship, . . . 391

The Task of Christian Preaching, . . 393

Section II.

The Cardinal Functions of the Church.

Self-manifestation, ..... 394 Self-propagation, . . . . 395

Self-purification, . 395

CHAPTER V. The Consummation of the Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is still to come, . . 396

The Great Apostasy and the Antichrist, . 397 The Millenium, . . . . ,401

Waiting for the Day of the Lord, . . 404

Cheistian Ethics.

INTRODUCTION.

Chapter I

THE NAME, DIVISIONS, AND LITERATURE OF THE SCIENCE OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS.

The Name. — The terms Moral Philosophy and Ethics, are often used interchangeably. Ethics is the science which treats of the nature and condition of man as a moral being, and of the duties which result from his moral relations. The term ethics is the most ancient, dating from the time of Aristotle, but as the Romans used generally for this idea, the term mores, and Cicero and Seneca speak of a philosophia moralis, we find the term Moral Philosophy in common use in the English language. If Ethics is the science of the moral, Christian Ethics is the science of Christian morals, that is, of the principles and rules of duty which are formally sanctioned and taught by Christianity. Christian Ethics is also sometimes known by the name of Theological Ethics, especially in Germany, where this science has been largely cultivated.

There are three different standpoints from which a system of Ethics may be presented, the empirical, the philosophical, and the theological or Christian. An empirical ethics is based on experience and furnishes only a series of observations and rules, and can only be regarded as the vestibule, but not ethics itself. Philosophical ethics seeks to develop the moral as a pure revelation of reason, and takes philosophy as its exclusive ground and source. Theological ethics, on the contrary, regards the moral as a revelation of faith in the personal God and in the historical Christ, — as an expression of obedience to the revealed will of God. Hence theological ethics is, in respect to extent of contents and to the means at its disposal, richer than purely philosophical ethics. 1 Wuttke maintains that theological ethics may make use of philosophy, and that it is all the more scientific the more it does this, but that it cannot take philosophy as its exclusive ground and source without ceasing to be theological.

Martensen also holds that there is no real opposition between Christian Ethics and Philosophical Ethics, because philosophical ethics may be Christian, and Christian ethics, philosophical. But the contents are different, and hence the relation of the former to the latter is partly critical, renewing and correcting, partly completing and perfecting.

As we purpose in this work to present a System of Christian Ethics, it must of necessity be essentially theological.

Divisions. — Christian Ethics, like Philosophical Ethics, is commonly divided into general and special ethics, the 1 Compare Wuttke, Vol. I, g 4, pp. 27-35.

INTRO D UCTION.

former treating of principles, and the latter of the application of principles. Special Ethics again is subdivided into the special doctrines of particular virtues and duties.

Martensen, 1 upon whose work these lectures are based, presents his system under three parts in three volumes, of which we give the following outline :

VOL. I. GENERAL ETHICS.

§ I -15. The Concept of Christian Ethics. I 16-44. The Postulates of Christian Ethics.

(a) \ 16-20. The Theological Postulate.

(6) § 21-38. The Anthropological Postulate.

( c ) § 39"4 2 - The Cosmological and Soteriological Postulate.

(d) I 43, 44. The Eschatological Postulate.

§ 45-149. The Principles of Ethics, and the Ethical View of the world and of life.

I. \ 45-70. The Highest Good.

II. \ 71-112. Virtue.

III. I 113-149- The Law.

VOL. II. INDIVIDUAL ETHICS.

I. \ I - 64. Life under the Law and Sin.

2. I 8-29. The chief forms of Moral Life under the Law.

4. g 57-^4- Conversion and the New Life begun.

1 Christian Ethics. By H. Martensen, D. D., Bishop of Zealand. Translated from the Danish by C. Spence. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1879. The Same. Special Part. Individual Ethics. Translated by W. Affleck. Vol I. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 188 1. The Same. Social Ethics. Translated by Sophia Taylor. Vol. 2. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1882.

CHRISTIAN ETHICS.

II. \ 65-173. Life in following Christ.

1. $65, 66. The State of Grace.

2. \ 67. Sanctification and the Christian Virtues.

(a) % 69. Appropriating Love. (£) § 70-75. Contemplative Love.

(c) \ 76-86. Mystical Love.

(d) \ 122-144. Christian Self-Love.

5. \ 162-173. Stages and States of Holiness.

VOL. III. SOCIAL ETHICS.

\ 1 -161. The Moral Life of Society and of the Kingdom of God. I. I 2-38. The Family.

2 - I 39-99- The State -

3. § 100-132. The Ideal tasks of Culture.

4- I I33- I 56- The Church.

5. \ 157-161. Consummation of the Kingdom of God.

Harless in his "System of Christian Ethics" ' treats of the subject under (1) The Blessing of Salvation ; (2) The Possession of Salvation ; and (3) The Preservation of Salvation. And although Harless himself says that his book contains no trace of a system, still his work is very able, purely evangelical and biblical, and in our presentation of this subject we are greatly indebted to him.

The Christliche Sittenlehre of Adolph Wuttke has also in part been translated into English. 2 Dr. Wuttke discusses Christian Ethics proper under

1 Translated from the German of the sixth enlarged edition by A. W. Morrison and W. Findlay. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1 880.

2 By John P. Lacroix. Nelson & Phillips, New York, 1873. Vo L I. History of Ethics. Vol. 2. Pure Ethics. The last two parts have not been translated.

INTRODUCTION.

(i.) The Moral in its ideal form, — that which God, as holy, wills.

(2.) The fall from the truly moral, namely sin, — that which man, as unholy, wills.

(3.) The moral in its restoration by redemption.

In these lectures, although we shall make continual use of Harless and Wuttke, we shall adopt in general the system of Martensen, as being best adapted for popular and still scientific treatment.

Literature. — It may seem strange to say so, but although no literature is richer in the field of Philosophical Ethics than the English, it is sadly deficient in works written from a distinctively Christian standpoint. It is to the Lutheran Church of Germany and Denmark that we are indebted for the most thorough development of this science. And however different the fundamental views are on which these systems rest, they have this feature in common, of seeking what they regard as the scriptural view of life. The most notable works on Christian Ethics, translated into English, are those of Dorner, Harless, Martensen, Sartcrius, Schmid, and Wuttke. All these, with the exception of Dorner, represent the most conservative type of Confessional Lutheranism, and rest upon a purely Biblical foundation. To those acquainted with German we would also recommend the works of Frank, Luthardt, and Vilmar.