Elements of theology, or, An exposition of the divine origin, doctrines, morals and institutions of Christianity

Front matter

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Preface

This volume is believed by the Author, to contain a brief, yet entire view of Christianity, as a system of Eevealed Religion. The outline comprehends the evidence of its divine origin, the doctrinal truths it reveals, the duties it commands, and the institutions it establishes.

It has been one leading object to adapt the work to common readers, and it is believed that it will be found to be suited to interest, instruct and profit Christians generally. At the same time, however, the Author has had his eye upon the wants of our young men, who need a course of reading to prepare them for the Ministry, and he believes their wants are largely met, so far as theology is concerned. Of the necessity of such a work to put into the hands of those who are preparing for the Ministry, and who have just entered the Ministry, the Author's own experience is, to him, sufficient proof. He honestly believes that such a volume placed in his hands when he entered the Ministry, would have saved him years of mental labor and solicitude, by which he has gathered and collated the contents of this volume.

It is true there are volumes of Theology, but the Author has never seen any which he has found, as a whole, adapted to his own wants. They are constructed upon a different system of doctrinal truth, or they are largely occupied with an examination and refutation of old and long since exploded errors, while the real living questions of our time and country appear to have been unknown to the writers. Theology, representing, not the true science of God, but only the conceptions of the human mind in regard to God, like everything else is undergoing perpetual changes, so that the most interesting questions now under discussion, are, in many particulars, different from what they were half a century ago, or even twenty-five years ago. The advantage claimed for the present work, is, that it meets the questions now before the public mind, that it deals with the living world.

IV. PREFACE.

The Author does not wish to disguise the fact that he is neither a high Calvinist, nor a Pelagian, nor even what some may call a low Armenian, but he advocates what he believes to be a true medium ground, where true Gospel salvation is found at the point of union between divine and human agency. But to understand his views, his work must be read. That all will be satisfied with the views advocated, is not to be expected, yet it must be admitted that the work contains much important truth, common to all evangelical Christians, and though some readers may feel compelled to reject some portions, the same persons may be instructed and profited by the study of other parts.

It has cost the Author much labor, but his work is done, and he submits it to the public with a consciousness of an honest intention, and with his prayers that it may be a blessing to the world. Amen. April, 1856.

CHAPTER II. Section i. — A Revelation from God is Possible, 6

" II. — A Revelation from God is necessary, , 8

" III. — The Genuineness of the Old Testament, 13

" IV. — The Genuineness of the New Testament, 19

" V. — The Scriptures claim to be Inspired, 23

" Yi. — The Credibility of the writers, 25

" VII. — The Evidence of Miracles, 29

" VIII. — Objections to the evidence of Miracles answered, 40

" IX. — The argument founded upon Prophecy, 47

" X. — The Adaptation of the Scriptures to the wants of mankind, 57

" XI. — The Success of the Scriptures, 69

" XII. — The Influence of the Scriptures, 61

BOOK II. The Doctrines op the Scriptures, QQ

CHAPTER I.

The Existence of God viewed in the light of the Scriptures, 66

CHAPTER II.

The Character and Attributes of God, 68

VI. CONTENTS.

Section i. — The Spirituality of God, 68

" II.— The Eternity of God, 69

" III. — The Omnipotence of God, 69

" IV. — The Omnipresence of God 70

" V. — The Omniscience of God, 70

" VI.— The Immutability of God, 71

" VII. — The Justice of God, 73

" VIII. — The Goodness, Love, Benevolence, and Mercy of God,. 73

" IX.— The Holiness of God, 76

CHAPTER III. The Trinity in the Unity of the Godhead, 78

Section i. — Preliminary Remarks, 78

II.— The Unity of God, 79

III. — The Underived Divinity of Christ, 80

IV. — The Hypostatic Union, 93

V. — The Divinity and Personality of the Holy Ghost, 97

VI.— The Trinity in Unity, 103

CHAPTER lY.

Section i. — Man was Created Holy, 106

" II. — Man was not Liable to Death in his Pristine State, 108

*• III. — Objections to Man's Exemption from Death answered 110

CHAPTER Y.

The Fall of man — Depravity, 110

Section i.— The Fall of Adam, Ill

" II.— Objections to a literal construction of the account of the fall answered, 113 " III. — All men are depraved in consequence of the fall, 115

CHAPTER YI.

Redemption — Christ's death a ransom for Sinners — The Atonement, 124

Section i. — The necessity of Atonement, 121

" II. — The Atonement proved from the Mosaic Ritual, 128

" III.— The Death of Christ, 131

" IV. — The Scriptures represent Christ as a Redeemer a.nd man as redeemed, 133 " V. — The Scriptures Represent Christ as a Mediator, Intercessor and

Reconciler, 134

VI. — The Scriptures attribute the removal of sin and the salvation of

sinners to the blood, death, and resurrection of, Christ, 136

*' VII. — The Scriptures assert directly the sacrifical and propitiatory character of Christ's death, .' 138

" VIII. — Objections to the doctrine of the Atonement answered, 141

CHAPTER YII.

Section i. — The atonement was made for universal humanity, 145

" II. — The atonement is not limited in its application by any supposed decree of predestination or forcordination, 148

" III. — The atonement is not limited in its appHcation by any supposed decree of election and reprobation, 154

" IV. — The Atonement is not limited in its application by any supposed

influence of God's foreknowledo-e, 160

CONTENTS. VII.

Section v. — The atonement is not limited in its application by any supposed want of power on the part of sinners to comply with the conditions upon

which its benefits are offered, 174

" VI. — The atonement is not limited in its application by any supposed

governing influence of motives, 181

CHAPTER YIII.

Salvation by grace explained and defended, . . , 189

Section i. — Justification by faith — Pardon Remission of sin, 189

" II. — Regeneration — The JS'ew Birth, 193

" III.— Adoption, 200

" IV. — The evidence by which persons may know their acceptance with

God — the witness of the Spirit, 201

" V. — Sanctification, 207

" VI. — The case of infants and heathen considered, 219

CHART ER IX.

The world of spirits — the future state, 222

Section i. — The existence and employment of angels, 222

" II. — The existence and evil influence of devils, 228

" III. -The Immortality of the Soul, 242

" IV. —The intermediate state, 278

" v.— The Resurrection, 290

'* Ti. — The Judgment of the last day, 300

" VII. — The future state of the righteous, 306

" VIII. — The future destiny of the wicked, 311

" IX. — The final destiny of the wicked — they will not be annihilated, 326

CHAPTER I. The fundamental principles of God's moral government, 332

Section i. — The Scriptures teach that God is a universal supreme moral governor, 332

" II. — The Scriptures teach that man is a subject of God's moral government, 335

" III. — The Scriptures contain God's moral code, 339

CHAPTER II. Section i. — Love to God, -„ 344

" II. — Reverence and fear of God, 348

" III. — The duty of prayer, 352

" IV. — The duty of maintaining public worship, 363

" v.— The Christian Sabbath, 366

CHAPTER III. The duties we owe to our fellow beings, 379

Section i. — The duty of universal love to humanity, 379

" II. — Husbands and wives, 384

" III. — Parents and children, 391

" IV. — Masters and servants, 395

VIII. CONTENTS.

I CHAPTEEIV.

The duties we owe to our fellow beings continued — Civil government, 398

Section i. — The rightful existence of civil government 398

" II. — The rights and duties of civil government 411

" III. — Objections to civil government answered 414

" IV. — The duties of the people in regard to civil government 428

CHAPTER Y.

The duties we owe to out fellow creatures, concluded — The duty of man to man,

as man 431

Section i. — Man has an inalienable right to life , 431

" II. — The right of property 434

" III. — Man's right to liberty 436

" IV. — The Old Testament does not teach that chattel slavery can be right . 447 " V. — The Scriptures of the New Testament do not teach that slavery can

be right 460

BOOK IV. The Christian Church and its Institutions, 480

C H APTEE I.

Section i. — Yisible church organization explained and defended 480

" II. — Church government — the rights of the Laity 492

*' III. — Written articles of faith and practice 505

CHAPTER II.

Section i. — The Gospel ministry was established by Christ as a permanent institution 513

" II. — The mode of ministerial appointment 516

" III. — Ministerial parity 521

" IV. — Ministerial parity — Further direct argument — Dr. Bangs reviewed . 530

" V. — The assumption of apostolic succession exposed 533

CHAPTER III.

Section i.^ — Baptism — its nature and design 544

*' II. — The subjects of baptism 549

" III. — The mode of baptism 564

" IV. — The Lord's Supper 572

ELEMENTS OF THEOLOGY.

Book I

THE EXISTENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, AND THE INSPIRA- TION OF THE SCRIPTURES.

Chapter I. The Existence And Attributes Of God Demonstrated A Posteriori

SECTION I.

The Existence of God.

1. The idea of the existence of God, forms in the human mind, the foundation of all religion, natural or revealed. It is not possible to conceive of religion, without first conceiving of a superior power. Ignorant heathen, it is admitted, often worship that which is inferior to themselves, as when they bow before images made of wood and stone ; but these are but images, representations of something else, and with them is always associated something else, something beyond, some mysterious pervading spirit, some higher power. If a race of men can be found, who have no conception of a power higher than themselves, it will be found that they will have no religion ; that is, they will worship nothing. Some divines proceed, first to prove the truth of the Scriptures, and then from the Scriptures proceed to demonstrate the existence and attributes of God. The attributes and character of God are proper subjects to be discussed in the light of the Scriptures ; but the abstract existence of God need never be proved from the Bible. To attempt to prove that the Scriptures are given by inspiration of God, is to assume that God exists, and to prove the inspiration of the Scriptures, is to prove the existence of God ; there need, therefore, be no argument founded upon the Scriptures to prove the existence of God ; for, if the Scriptures are inspired, God exists, and if they are not inspired, they cannot prove the existence of God. All abstract arguments in support of the existence of God, are most in place before entering upon an investigation of the claims of the Scriptures to inspiration, inasmuch as when the inspiration of the Scriptures is clearly established, the existence of God cannot be

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.

[book I.

called in question. Those only will call in question the existence of God, who deny the Scriptures ; hence, arguments to prove the existence of God, are necessary only for those who cannot be reached by any Scriptural demonstration. It is therefore proper, to meet such upon their own ground of reason, and demonstrate, a posteriori, that there is a Creator, from the fact of a visible and tangible creation.

2. As nothing cannot produce something — as non-existence cannot produce existence — as non-entity cannot produce entity, there must always have been something self-existing, an eternal entity. To say that nothing can produce something, is to say that nothing is something ; for that which produces, must be or exist, and that which is or exists, is something, not nothing. Had there ever been a time, however remote, when there was nothing, there never could have been anything, for there could never have been a cause for anything. If anything receives existence, or begins to exist, there must be a cause, and this cause must exist before the effect or the thing caused ; and as a cause must be something, when there was nothing, there could have been no cause of anything, and nothing must ever have continued, and something never could have existed. As that which causes must be something, and as the cause must exist before the thing caused, to say that when there was nothing, something began to be is to say that something existed before anything did exist. In like manner, to say that a thing causes or produces itself, is to say that it exists before it does exist. The conclusion is, that some one thing- or beinsr must have always existed, that something must be eternal ; or else that there is nothing now, and that there never will be anything.

Having arrived at the conclusion that something must have always existed, or that nothing now exists, there remains but little ground for argument. It is true, there have been persons who have doubted everything, even their own existence, but this is too absurd to need a refutation. The theory is that men know nothing, that they may be mistaken in everything ; they imagine that there is a world, but it may not be so ; they fancy that they think, but are not sure of it ; they fancy that they are, that they exist, but it may be unreal after all, and there may be nothing. If such intellectual dreaming were worthy of a refutation, it contains a sufficient one in itself. A man fancies that he is, but does not know it. But that which fancies must exist. That which thinks must exist; but the dreamer does not know that he thinks : he may only think that he thinks. But he who thinks that he thinks, does really think ; and as that which doubts must really exist, he who doubts his own existence, by that very doubt proves his existence, beyond the power of doubt. Thus no man can evade the fact of his own existence; if he denies that anything exists, that which denies must exist, and hence the very denial proves that something does exist. If he doubts his own existence, that which doubts must exist, and the doubt itself proves that he does exist. If his doubt is not real, and he only fancies or imagines that he doubts his own existence, that which fancies or imagines, must exist ; and hence, the most ethereal fancy or imagination that ever exuded from the brain of man, proves a real existence. Those who deny or doubt their own existence, mock their own consciousness, and furnish a demonstration of their own folly, which no wise man will undertake to gainsay.

Consciousness is the highest degree of evidence ; yea, more, it is knowledge itself, which admits not of proof on the one hand, nor of refutation on the other. Every man is conscious of his own existence ; consciousness being that notice which the mind takes of its own operations, he thinks and recognizes the world of thought within him, and knows that he is, that he exists. He next sees, and hears, and feels, and tastes, and smells the world without, and becomes acquainted with the visible creation, and traces the outlines of the system and frame

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.

of the Universe, and then inquires for a higher power who made them all.

It has now been shown that nothing cannot produce something ; that if nothing had ever been, there could have been no cause for anything, and that nothing must ever have remained, and that something never could have existed ; and further, that something does exist, and, therefore, something must have always existed, and must be eternal. This eternal existence or being, we call God.

3. The fact being proved, that something must have always existed, and must be eternal, it necessarily drives us to the conclusion that matter, the visible creation, is eternal, and has always existed in some form, or that there is an eternal intelligent being, the Creator of all these things, whom we call God. The objection which learned Infidels sometimes urge against the existence of God, viz., that it is impossible that a being should exist without having begun to exist, that reason cannot comprehend such a truth, but inquires at once on the suggestion that there is a God, who made him or where did he come from, possesses not the slightest force. It has been shown that something must be eternal, and by denying the exists ence of God, they must admit the eternity of matter, and it is as easy to conceive how God can exist without having begun to exist, as it is to conceive how the world can exist without having begun to exist ; and reason no more comprehends the one than the other, yet reason does comprehend most clearly that the one or the other must be true.

The argument is now narrowed down to a single question, viz., is the visible Universe eternal, or is there an eternal God, who created all these things ? This question we will now examine.

1. There is no proof of any kind or degree, which can be urged in support of the hypothesis that the world is eternal ; nor can there be the slightest proof adduced that there is not a God, and that he did not make the world. No intelligent Infidel will pretend to demonstrate that there is no God ; they only claim that we cannot know that there is a God. This leaves a fair field for experiment, and we will try and see what can be done in the form of proof.

2. Keeping in view the established fact, that if the world is not eternal, there must be a God who created it, the mode in which we see things deriving existence around us, proves that there must have been a beginning. Plant produces plant, tree produces tree, animals spring from animals, and man derives his existence from man. Taking this view, it is self-evident that there must have been a first plant, which did not spring from a pre-existing plant ; there must have been a first tree which did not grow from the root or seed of a previously existing tree ; there must have been a first beast which was not the offspring of any previously existing beast ; and there must have been a first pair of human beings, who where not begotten by any previously existing human beings. It matters not how far back your thoughts pursue the succession ; they may pass through ages beyond ages, still the same conclusion must be arrived at somewhere, that there was a first of each class, a first man who did not, could not have derived his existence in the way we have derived ours. If the earth now produced plants and trees without seeds or scions ; if animals grew upon the trees ; and if men grew up from the earth without the hand of culture, we might have some ground for asserting that it had always been so, but such is not the case. We see everything around us which has life, vegetable or animal, deriving existence in a manner which proves beyond the power of contradiction, that there must have been a first plant, a first animal, and a first man, which must have been created ; and if so, there must be a Creator, who existed before all things that have been made, and must have been eternal. This being we call God. The existence of the first man can never be accounted for by any theory of Infidelity, which denies the existcEce of God. Every sue-

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.

[book I.

cession must, in the very nature of the case have a beginning, and every series of causes and effects must have a first cause. Without a beginning there can be no such thing as succession, and without a first cause there can be no second cause, or series of causes. There must, therefore, have been a first man who was not the son of man, whose existence accounts for the existence of all other men, but whose own existence can never be accounted for, only by supposing an uncreated Creator, whom we call God.

3. The marks of design which the visible creation everywhere exhibits, proves the existence of a designer, an intelligent Creator. The human mind naturally and necessarily infers a contriver, a designer, from the unmistakable signs of contrivance, and the adaptation of means to an end. Suppose a man traveling upon a desert, should see a human foot-print in the sand, he would have no doubt that some other traveler had passed that way. Should he discover a house in the wilderness he would know that a builder had been there ; he would not for a moment suppose that the house made itself, or that nothing made it, nor yet that it had always been there, because he did not see the builder in or about it. Should he find a watch, as Dr. Paley supposes, he would infer that the watch had been made by some skilful hand. Suppose he had never before seen a watch, and was not able to comprehend the plan of its structure, and the principles of its movements, still he would never suppose that it made itself, or that it happened by chance .to be a watch ; but he would infer that it had been made, and that its maker, whoever he might be, was intelligent to design, and skillful to execute. Now we see on the face of the visible creation, marks of the Creator's hand, as plainly as the traveler could see the human foot-print on the sand, and we infer as certainly that there is a God, as he would from the footmark, that a traveler had passed that way. We see in the visible Universe a house vastly superior to the one the traveler discovered in the wilderness, and infer with no less certainty than he, that the builder had been at work.

He saw no builder in or about the house, yet knew he had been there from the fact that he saw the house ; and so, though we cannot see God in or about his own temple of the Universe, we are equally sure that he is, and that he has been at work, from the fact that we see the building. The sun that rises and sets every day in the year, with all its planets, primary and secondary, constitute a watch infinitely more wonderful than the one we have supposed the traveler to find ; it has told the minutes, and hours, and days, and years, and centuries of time since first it was put in motion, without irregularity or once running down ; and if the man who found the watch, inferred without doubt that it had a maker, that it could not exist without, much more must we infer that there is a Creator who constructed the great clock of time, which has the plain of the heavens for its dial, suns and worlds for its machinery, comets for its centenary alarms, and an unseen exhaustless influence for its propelling force. This argument may be rendered still more clear and forcible by a few specifications of obvious marks of design. We need not go beyond ourselves for ample illustrations. Man is " fearfully and wonderfully made," and his organization is too wonderfully adapted to the world without him, to have been the result of accident. The lungs and the atmosphere are suited to feach other for the purpose of respiration. The atmosphere is composed of several gases, each of which alone, is fatal to life, and yet they are so combined as to constitute its sustaining power. When we consider that the air did not form the lungs, and that the lungs did not form the air, their adaptation to each other is a clear mark of design on the part of that higher power that formed them both.

The eye and the light are suited to each other in a manner to produce vision. The eye did not form the light, neither did the light form the eye, and yet they are exactly suited to each other in a manner which proves design, and exhibits means adapted

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.

to an end. If either the eye or the light were different there would be no vision. Can all this be the result of chance ? Certainly not. A camera obscura is an apparatus representing the eye. The images of external objects are received through a double convex glass, and are exhibited in their native colors on some white matter placed within the machine, in the focus of the glass. This exhibits the philosophy of vision. Suppose an Infidel should be presented with one of these camera obscura, and should be told that nobody made it, that it happened to be by chance, would he believe you? No; he would charge you with an attempt to impose upon him. How greatly then does he impose upon himself, when he assumes that the real eye should be so wonderfully formed by nothing, or by blind chance, and that light, by the same blind chance should be so wonderfully adapted to the eye, as to produce the wonderful phenomenon of vision ?

The atmosphere is adapted to the propagation of sound, and the human ear is adapted to receive the sound by being sensitive to the vibrations of the atmosphere, and to notify the conscious mind of its presence and quality ; while the mind is impressed and feels its fountains stirred, and sounds mingle in accord and harmony, or otherwise. In all this, design is clearly seen, and here are means adapted to an end, which proves the existence of an intelligent Creator. The argument might be extended to almost any length, but need not be for effect, for if what has been said does not prove the point, more of a similar character would fail to do it. The book which we call the Bible, declares that " the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God;" and it appears to discriminate correctly, in this particular at least, for none but a fool would make such a declaration. And he even is represented saying only " in his heart," as though ashamed to speak it out, but some are less modest in these days ; but this fulfills another prediction which says that " ungodly men shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."

SECTION II. The Attributes of God

It having been shown that there is a God, it is proper to inquire into his attributes. The inquiry, in this place, is not to be made in the light of the Scriptures, but simply in the light of reason.

1. God is eternal. This has already been proved, and will now be made the rallying point for the demonstration of other attributes of the divine nature. The argument which proves the eternity of God, need not be repeated ; it is simply that nothing cannot produce something, hence, as something now is, something must always have existed. This eternal being, this something which has always existed, we call God. To this conclusion we are driven by the marks of intelligence and design we everywhere see impressed upon the visible creation.

2. God is Omnipotent. This follows from his eternity. As he is the cause of all things, he existed before all things, and hence, once possessed all power in the Universe ; all power is therefore derived from him, and must be dependent upon him. He from whom all power proceeds, and upon whom all other beings are dependent for the energies they possess, must possess all power in himself, and must be Omnipotent or Almighty. He who creates can destroy ; hence, God having created all powers but his own, must be capable of putting an end to all subordinate powers, and again possessing the only power in the universe in himself ; and he who can do this must be Omnipotent or Almighty.

3. God is Omniscient or All-wise. As he is eternal, and existed when nothing else existed, he must have possessed all wisdom in himself, and there cannot be a ray of intellectual light which has not emanated from him ; and he, from whom all wisdom proceeds, must be All-wise.

4. God is Omnipresent, or exists everywhere. This follows from all the other attributes of the divine nature already established. He who is Almighty must exist everywhere, for as no being can act where he is not, if God does not exist everywhere, he cannot act everywhere, and there must be places beyond his presence to which his power does not extend ; and if there be places to which his power does not extend, he cannot be Almighty. But it has been shown that God is Almighty from his eternity, and hence he must be Omnipresent. The same argument will hold good ia relation to the wisdom of God. Reason cannot conceive how perfect knowledge can exist beyond the presence of him who knows ; hence, God to be All-wise must exist everywhere, and as he is necessarily All- wise from the fact of his eternity, he must be Omnipresent, filling all in all. The fact of his being the Creator of all things, must lead us to the same conclusion, that God exists everywhere. So far as the visible creation is concerned, including the solar system and the fixed stars, reason must teach that God pervades and fills the whole, from the fact that he made them, and upholds them by his power. The sun shines without wasting his fires, and worlds wing the circle of their orbits without loss of momentum ; which involves the presence of supernatural power. God is in the sun or it would cease to shine ; he is in every sun-beam or it would not glow ; he is in the planets or they would tire in their course ; and he is in the flower or it would not bloom. If then, God as Creator, must fill and pervade all creation, the point of his Omnipresence follows from the fact first established, that he existed before all things, and created all things that now exist.