Conference papers

Front matter

CI),, riahi^a.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR,

Preface

From the time of its foundation it has been the habit of the professors of Princeton Theological Seminary to meet the students every Sabbath afternoon, for prayer and conference on themes relating to the life of God in the soul, and to the practical duties having their root therein. The members of all the successive classes will bear testimony to the unique character and singular preciousness of these Sabbath afternoon Conferences in that sacred old Oratory, whose walls are still eloquent to them with imperishable associations. Here the venerable professors appeared rather as friends and pastors than as instructors. The dry and cold attributes of scientific theology, moving in the sphere of the intellect gave place to the warmth of personal religious experience, and to the spiritual light of divinely illuminated intuition. Here in the most effective manner did these teachers of teachers set the crown upon their work, and herein they exerted by far, their most widely extended and permanent influence. Here they sought rather to build up Christian men, than to form accomplished scholars, and to infuse into their pupils the highest motives, and to instruct them in the wisest methods for their future work of saving souls and of edifying the Church of Christ.

The text or topic for consideration was announced at the preceding meeting. The professors presided in turn, and were called upon to speak in the inverse order of seniority, the professor presiding for the day coming last. For many years, the discussion was opened by remarks volunteered by the students, but in later times, the entire hour has been occupied by the professors.

iv PREFACE.

The historical character of this remarkable service is of course derived from the peerless endowments, intellectual and spiritual, of the first three professors in the institution. Men so different, yet together constituting such a singular completeness of excellence by the combination of their complementary graces.

Dr. Miller, the model Christian gentleman and typical divine, whose original, generous and genial nature had been transfigured by the long indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and whose outward manner had evidently been conformed by long self- training to the highest models, would have been the first to attract the eye and to impress the ear of the stranger. His long and active life had furnished him with rich stores of experience of men as well as a vast volume of learning derived from books. All this he poured forth with a deliberate and stately copiousness, in a manner serene and dignified, yet full of impressive force and tender unction. His adoring sense of the majesty of God, and of the seriousness of human life, of the reality and solemnity of divine things, and of the obligations attending the Christian profession, and above all attending the office of the Christian ministry gave form and color to all he said. His instructions were always wise and practical, and were characteristically illustrated from an inexhaustible fund of apt and often witty, but always dignified anecdote, drawn from all literature, sacred and profane, and from his own extensive intercourse with men as a pastor and as a citizen.

Dr. Archibald Alexander, incomparably the greatest, as he was the first of that illustrious family, though neither more learned, nor more holy than his older colleague, was far more original. He was modeled upon nothing, but every thing in him and about him to the last detail of thought or glance, or inflexion, or gesture was immediately determined by spontaneous forces working straight outward from within. It was this entire absence of self-consciousness, this absolute simplicity of thought, emotion and expression, and its spontaneous directness to its point, which, added to his other natural and gracious endowments, gave this great teacher his singular pre-eminence. His intellect was intuitive rather than logical. Although he exhibited flashes of acute analysis, as sharp and rapid as a Damascus blade, yet he did not characteristically excel in broad views of truths in their relations, nor in lengthened processes of consecutive thought. lie was eminently quick

PREFACE. V

in his observation, and penetrating in his insight, accurately noting facts and reading character "in rapid glances. He held in his retentive mind the spoils of a vast and "widely selected reading. All the treasures of divine wisdom and grace, which the Holy Ghost communicates to life-long students of the word, when to high intellect is added all the simplicity and docility of a little child, irradiated his soul, and made it luminous to others. All the secrets of the human heart and its various experiences under the discipline of the natural conscience and of the word and Spirit of God were known to him, and he possessed the finest skill in interpreting and in treating with acute precision, the states and frames of all who sought his counsel or listened to his instructions.*

This utter simplicity, this all-penetrating insight, accompanied with a wonderful spontaneousness of thought, imagination and speech were personal attributes, inseparable from his presence and manner, and incapable of being transmitted to the printed page. During his later years, when urged to put the results of his studies and reflections in the permanent form of writing, he often said, " No, if I have any talent, it is to talk sitting in my chair." And however much he may have been mistaken in failing to recognize the value of his writings to the Church, there is no doubt that his gifts as a talker on the themes of Christian experience were without parallel among his contemporaries. He more than any man of his generation, appeared to those who heard him to be endued with the knowledge, and clothed with the authority of a prophet sent immediately from God. He was to us as the highest peak of the mountains, on whose pure head the heavens, beyond the common horizon, pour the wealth of their iridescent radiance.

In his early and middle life he had been an orator endowed with

* " For Dr. Alexander I have the most profound reverence and respect, and particularly for this thing, which impressed me more than any thing else, his wonderful knowledge of the human heart, and of the Christian heart, in all its morbid and its healthful exercises, so that you may call him the Shakspeare of the Christian heart. I have never seen a man, nor do I ever expect to see the man, who has impressed me more in this particular." Dr. Theodore D. Woolsey, ex- President of Yale College, at Dr. Hodge's Semi-Centennial Commemoration April 24th, 1872.

VI PREFACE.

Bingular powers of dramatic representation. In his old age he was always calm and « juiot, but such was his intense sense of the reality of the subjects on which he discoursed, that often, as he spoke of angels, of heaven, of the beatific vision of saints, of Christ, and of his second coming and judgment, his hearers felt that their eyes also were opened to discern the presence of things invisible and eternal.

Every Wednesday evening Dr. Alexander presided at the public prayers in the Oratory. The instant the students were in their seats he came in rapidly, his cloak hanging, often diagonally, from his bent shoulders, his head inclined as in revery, yet flashing sudden glances on either side with his piercing eyes, which seemed to penetrate all the secrets of those upon whom they fell. He sat down with his back to the windows and his right side to the students; sitting low, almost hidden by the desk. Drawing the large Bible down before him he seemed to lose at once all sense of human audience, and to pass alone into the presence of God. As he read, and mused, and ejaculated the utterances of all the holy exercises of his soul upon the Divine Word, a solemn hush fell upon us, and we felt, not as those who listen to a teacher, but as those who are admitted to approach with the shoes from off their feet, to gaze in and listen through an opened window to the mysterious workings of a sanctified soul under the immediate revelations of the Holy Ghost.

Dr. Hodge was by a whole generation younger than these venerable fathers. Hence during the first years of his professorship his part in these Sabbath afternoon Conferences, although regularly discharged, was less prominent than theirs. During the long period, however, from about 1848 to his death in 1878, he was recognized by all as the central sun which gave light and heat to the entire service.

As all acquainted with his life-work know, Dr. Hodge's distinguishing attributes were, great tenderness and strength of emotion, and the power of exciting it in others — an habitual adoring love for Christ, and absolute submission of mind and will to His word — a chivalrous disposition to maintain against all odds, and with unvarying self-consistency through all the years of a long life, the truth as he saw it — crystalline clearness of thought and expression — and an unsurpassed logical power of analysis, and of grasping and exhibiting all truths in their relations. Dr. Alexander once said to a friend that the mental

PREFACE. Vll

constitution of Dr. Hodge was more than that of any man he knew — like that of John Calvin, without his severity. As he sat in the Conference he spoke freely, without paper, in language and with illustration spontaneously suggested at the moment. To the hearer the entire exercise appeared extemporaneous. The matter presented was a clear analysis of the scriptural passage, or theme, doctrinal or practical, chosen for the occasion. An exhaustive statement and clear illustration of the question. An exhibition of the evidence of the doctrine, and of the grounds and reasons and of the methods, conditions and limits of the experience or duty. A development of each doctrine on the side of experience and duty, and a demonstration of the practical character of all doctrine, and of the doctrinal basis of all genuine religious experience and practice.

As to the manner the entire discourse was in the highest degree earnest, fervent and tender to tears ; full of conviction and full of love, While the temporary impression made upon most hearers was less le markable than that produced by Dr. Alexander, in his happiest moods all the students, and especially those who were diligent in taking notes felt that they took away with them from Dr. Hodge a far larger mass of coherent thought for permanent use, than from any of the rest. The reason for this is abundantly evident when the drawers of his study are opened, and the large accumulation of careful preparations for this exercise are examined. He prepared and wrote out a careful analysis or skeleton of every Conference discourse. Although designed to meet no eye but his own, these analyses are fully written out, and are verbally complete in all their articulations. And although his audience was completely changed every three years, it appears that he never used the same preparation twice, but prepared, even after he had passed his 80th year a new paper for each Conference, often constructing analyses of the same theme several times.

This was his method of mental preparation. He habitually thought with his pen in his hand. He prepared an analysis of his subject before he wrote his sermons. He did the same before writing his theological lectures, or the several divisions of his Systematic Theology. He also made a written analysis of every important book he read, especially if it presented views of truth antagonistic to his own.

A volume of these papers is now published, not only because they will afford a reminiscence of past sacred scenes, grateful to his surviving pupils, but chiefly because it is believed that in their present form they will be widely useful. Although the brain and heart, which through the beaming countenance and tremulous voice, infused these skeletons with life, are absent, they yet remain in themselves very remarkable examples of that analysis, that logical grouping and perspicuous exhibition of truth which is an essential faculty of the effective preacher. They present in this analytic form an amount and quality of homiletical example and suggestion probably not surpassed in the same number of pages in the English language. As an effective exhibition of the great principle that all genuine religious experience is only the realization in experience of Christian doctrine, and that all true doctrine does immediately go out into the practical issues of the inward and outward life, this volume is eminently fitted to vindicate and supplement the three volumes of Systematic Theology, which were the last work of the author's life.

The classification of these papers is entirely the work of the editor. The reader will find instances of repetition, some of which, under the circumstances are neither avoidable nor objectionable ; some of which may be attributed to the incompetence of the editor, but none of which, if the several dates and original purpose of these papers be considered, can be regarded as the fault of the beloved and venerated author. As there is no Index of Subjects, the Table of Contents is made unusually, and it is hoped, sufficiently full and explicit.

A. A. Hodge.

Princeton, March 30, 1879.

Table Of Contents

PAGE.

1. Omnipresence of God 1

2. In Him we Live, and Move, and have our Being. Acts 17 : 28 2

II

16. The Advent „ , 25

17. The Advent 26

18. Immanuel 27

19. For in Him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col. 2:9 29

20. The Unsearchable Riches of Christ. Eph. 3:8 31

21. The Love of Christ 32

22. The Death of Christ 34

23. The Death of Christ 34

24. For where a Testament is. there must also of necessity be the death of the

Testator. Heb. 9: 16 36

25. Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together

with Him. 1 Thess.5: 10 37

26. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of

Man be lifted up 39

27. Christ, the Lamb of God 41

IX

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1 : 7-

Christ our Priest

Christ our Passover

Christ the end of the Law for Righteousness. Rom. 10: 4

The Intercession of Christ

And if any man sin, we havo an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ

the Righteous, etc. 1 John 2: 1

The Presence of Christ with His Church

How is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us and not unto the world?

Christ our Life

I am the Bread of Life. John G : 48

Christ our Example

Christ our Physician

Christ the Bridegroom

The Transfiguration

The Memory of Christ, and the Reason it should be Cherished

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Rev. 22:21

Jesus crowned with glory and honor. Heb. 2: 9

The Coming of Christ

III

4G. The Promise of the Spirit. Gal. 3 : 14 G8

47. Dependence on the Holy Ghost 69

48. Dependence of the Believer and the Church on the Holy Ghost. Ps.51:ll 72

49. He will Reprove the World of Sin, because they believe not on me. John

16: 8,9 73

50. The Necessity of the Spirit's Teaching in order to the Right Understand-

ing of the Scriptures 75

51. The Indwelling of the Spirit 77

52. The Spirit giveth Life. 2 Cor. 3:6 78

53. The Spirit's Intercession. Rom. 8: 26 80

54. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. Rom.

8:14 81

55. The Spirit itself Beareth Witness with our Spirit, that we are the Children

of God. Rom. 8: 16 83

56. Who hath also sealed us, and given the Earnest of the Spirit in our

57. The Holy Ghost as the Paraclete. John 14: 16 86

58. Grieve not the Spirit 88

IV. Satan and IIis Influence— Sin and Sins 90-115

69. titanic Influence 90

go. Temptation 91

61. Indwelling Sin 93

62. Indwelling Pin 94

68. The Deceitfulnesa <>f Sin 90

G4. The Sin of Unbelief 97

65. Doubling in Poliovers 98

gg. Hardness of Heart. Ps.3l:l2. Rom.2:G loo

TABLE OF CONTENTS. XI

68. Spiritual Pride 103

69. Ambition 105

70. The Sacrifice of the Wicked is Abomination. Prov. 21 : 27 106

71. Every Idle Word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in

the Day of Judgment. Matt. 12: 36 108

72. Cleanse Thou me from Secret Faults. Ps. 19:12 110

73. Backsliding 112

74. The Unpardonable Sin ,., 113

V

75. Salvation by Grace 116

76. The Value of the Soul 117

77. The Conversion of Paul 119

78. Conviction of Sin 120

79. Conviction of Sin 122

80. Repentance 123

81. Except ye be Converted, and become as Little Children, ye shall not enter

into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 18: 3 124

82. The Sorrow of the World, and the Sorrow after a Godly Sort. 2 Cor. 7 :

10, 11 125

83. Strive to Enter in at the Strait Gate 126

84. Coming to Christ 128

85. Come unto me all ye that Labor and are Heavy Laden, and I will give you

86. My Son give me thy heart. Prov. 23 : 26 131

87. Submission to God 132

88. Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling. Phil. 2 : 12 133

89. Work out your own Salvation, &c. Phil. 2: 12 135

90. Regeneration 136

91. Evidences of Regeneration 137

92. Confession of Christ 139

93. Lord, What wilt Thou have me to do? 140

VI

94. If any Man be in Christ, he is a New Creature. 2 Cor. 5: 17 142

95. The Christian Race 144

96. Justification by Faith 145

97. Sanctified by Faith that is in me. Acts 26: 18 147

98. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the Affections and

99. Mortify the Deeds of the Body 150

100. Living by Faith 152

101. Walking with God 154

102. Dying unto Sin, and living unto Righteousness 155

103. Living Hope through the Resurrection of Christ 156

104. Now abideth Faith, Hope, Charity ; but the greatest of these is Charity.

105. Unbelief (or Doubts) in Believers. Matt. 6 : 30; Mark 6: 6 159

106. Contentment. 1 Tim. 6: 6 161

TABLE or < ..Ni'F.VTS.

in?. BobmisBion 1 1

108. Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus 1 |

100. Growth in Grace i>«

110. Growth in <;ra'>' 1C7

111. Blessed are the poor in Spirit 103

112. Conscience 17o

113. Conscientiousness 171

114. Diseased Conscience 17.2

115. Spiritual-mindedness 173

116. To be Carnally-minded is death, but to be Spiritually-minded is life and

peace 174

117. Spiritual Discernment. 1 Cor.2: 15 176

118. Spiritual Consolation 177

119. The Spirit of Adoption. Rom. 8: 15 170

120. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. Rom.

8: 14 180

121. The Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free 181

122. He that is called in the Lord, being a Servant, is the Lord's Freeman.

123. Ye Believe in God, Believe also in me 184

124. Ye are Bought with a Price. 1 Cor. 7: 23 186

125. Who are Kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation, ready

to be revealed in the Last Time. 1 Pet. 1 : 5 187

126. Security of Believers 188

127. Ye are Complete in Him. Col. 2: 10 190

128. The Priesthood of Believers 192

129. The Priesthood of Believers 193

130. Who is he that overeometh the World, but he that B3lieveth that Jesus

is the Son of God? 1 John 5: 5 195

131. Ye are Christ's. 1 Cor. 3 : 23 197

132. The Lordis myStrength 199

133. Good Hope through Grace 200

134. Assurance 801

135. Hope maketh not ashamed, because the Love of God is shed abroad in

our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Rom. 5: 5 203

136. Faith as the Source of Love and Joy. 1 Pet. 1 : S 204

137. The Love of God SMS

138. Whom having not seen ye love ; in whom, though now ye see Him not,

yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

139. Religious Joy and Despondency 208

140. Singleness of Heart. Acts 2: 46 210

141. The Beauty of Holiness 211

142. The Nature and Evidences of Union with Christ 213

143. The Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. Phil. 3: 8... 214

144. Ye are not your own : for ye are bought with a Price. 1 Cor. 6 : 19, 20 215

145. Do all to the Glory of God. 1 Cor. 10: 31 216

146. Glorying in tho Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. 6: 14 218

147. The Lovo of Christ constraincth us. 2 Cor. f. : 14 SU9

148. And this is the victory that overeometh the World, even our Faith. 1

149. It pleased God to reveal his Son in mo. Gal. 1:16 223

150. Humility 224

152. For we are tho Circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice

in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in tho Flesh. Phil 3:3 227

158. Hope, the Helmet of Salvation, l These. 6: 3 229

154. Grace bo with all them that lovo our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 6: 24. If any man love not the Lord Jesus < 'hrist, let him be Anathema Marana-

US. That Christ may dwell in our hearts by Faith. Eph. 3 : 17 232

166. The Communion of Saints _ „ 233

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

VII. Christian Responsibilities and Duties

157. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit

the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the World. Jas. 1 : 27 236

158. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be

of God, or whether I speak of myself. John 7: 17, and John 8: 47 233

159. Be not conformed to this World. Rom. 12 : 3 240

160. And he that taketh not his Cross, and followeth not after me, is not wor-

thy of me. Matt. 10: 38 242

161. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Phil. 2: 1-5 244

162. Living for Christ. Col. 3: 24; 2 Cor. 5: 14 245

163. Having therefore these Promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves

from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit, &c. 2 Cor. 7: 1 246

164. And have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness, but ra-

ther reprove them. Eph. 5: 11 247

165. Delighting in the Law of God 249

166. Fidelity in the Service of God 250

167. Therefore, my Beloved Brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always

abounding in the Work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your

labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15 : 58 252

168. Walking with God

169. Walk in Wisdom towards them that are without, Redeeming the Time.

170. Earnestness in the Service of God 256

171. Self-Knowledge 257

172. Self-examination, (No. 1.) 259

173. Self-examination, (No. 2.) 260

174. Gravity 261

175. Fasting 262

176. Responsibility arising from the Possession of special Privileges 263

177. Take heed What ye hear. Mark 4: 24. ^Take heed How ye Hear. Luke

8 : 18 264

178. Brotherly Love 266

179. It is good neither to eat Flesh, nor to drink Wine, nor anything whereby

thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, nor is made weak. Rom. 14 : 21. 268

180. Christian Forbearance 270

181. Judge not that ye be not judged. Matt. 7:1 - 272

182. Christian Rebuke , _ 273

183. Forgiveness of Offences 275

184. Let not then your Good be evil spoken of. Rom. 14 : 16 277

185. Waiting on God 278

186. Fight the Good Fight of Faith. 1 Tim. 6 : 12 279

187. Rejoice in the Lord 280

VIII

The Means oe Grace— The Scriptures, Ministry, Sacraments, &c.

190. The Word of God as a Means of Grace

191. Search the Scriptures

192. Mighty in the Scriptures. Acts. 18 : 24

193. Prayer as a Means of Grace

194. Prayer

195. The Prayer of Faith

Intercessory Prayer

Prayer for (Vilifies

Meditation xs ■ Means of Graee

M. dilation

The Sabbath

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2 : 27

Praise

The Unity of the Church

Aggressive Character of Christianity

Call to the Ministry „

Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel. 1 Cor. 9: 16

Proper views and motives in seeking the Gospel Ministry

A savor of life unto life and of death unto death. 2 Cor. 2: 14 — 16

Ministerial responsibility

Preaching Christ

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spir.t of your Father which speaketh

in you. Matt. 10:20

Ministers Soldiers of Christ. 2 Tim. 2:4

Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give you a Crown of Life. Rev.

2:10

Thy Kingdom Come

Domestic Missions

The knowledge of the Gospel necessary to the Salvation of the Heathen.

Call to tne Work of Foreign Missions

The Harvest truly is plenteous, but the Laborers are few. Matt. 9 : 37

Preparation for the Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper as a Means of Grace. (No. 1)

The Lord's Supper as a Means of Grace. (No. 2)

Christian Fellowship as expressed in the Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper in relation to Christ's Death

Retrospect of the Lord's Supper

Revivals of Religion

Evidences of a Work of Grace. John 3:3

Method of dealmg with Inquirers ..

317 319

IX. Deatit, and tiie Consummation of Redemption

228. Time

229. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wis-

2.10." So teach us to number our days that we may, &c. Ps. 90:12. (No. 2)

231. Death

232. Triumph over Death. 1 Cor. 15 : 54, 65

233. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his

rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Heb. 4 : 1

234. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God

235. But we know that, when He shall appear, we shall bo like Him; for we

shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3: 2 „

238. For wo know that if our Earthly House of this Tabornncle were dissolved, wo have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2 Cor. S : 8

237. O Death whore is thy sting? O Grave whore is thy Victory? 1 Cor. 15:55.

238. Eye hath not scon, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart <>f

man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. 1 Cor. 2:9..

TABLE OF CONTENTS.