Evidences of natural and revealed theology

Preface

It seems most suitable that the first truths which lie at the foundation of all Revealed Theology should be considered in the light of Xatural Theology; both have a most intimate relation to each other. The present treatise on those subjects, which would properly come under the range of Natural Theology, is written with the great end in view of making more forcible and clear the evidences of the Christian religion, and giving to the mind a deeper conviction of the supreme authority of Revelation. It will be seen, also, that a book that should in one volume treat of the great variety of subjects that would come under the head of Xatural and Revealed Theology, must of necessity be but a compend, and aim chiefly at brevity, rather than at elaborate argument upon any one department of truth, especially as this might not be so favorable for general reading, or make it so desirable for use in our schools or higher institutions of learning.

I send forth this work with the hope that it may not only be acceptable to the general reader, but prove a welcome help to those who are engaged in the cause of education. The Index to Authors will be found of service to all who may wish to enter upon an extended investigation of any of the subjects treated upon in this book.

CHARLES E. LORD.

Beverly, N. J., September 1, 1869.

CONTENTS OF NATURAL THEOLOGY.

CHAPTER I. EFFICIENT CArSATIOX AND FINAL CAUSATION

PAGE

\yhat is to be understood by Efficient Causation and Final Causation ? — Mind and Matter. — Consciousness the Instrument of the Knowledge of Immaterial Substances. — Distinction between Matter and Mind. — Author of the Human Mind. — Argument of the Materialist. — Material Laws. — Sir John Herschel. — Theory of Gradual Development. — Physical Causation — Common Idea of Cause. — Cause and Existence. — Brown. — Mental Causation. — Distinction between Person and Thing. — Necessarian and Libertarian Theories. — Xo Infinite Series of Causes. — Paley on Final Causes. — Miracles. — Atheism in Relation to General Laws. — Bowen 19

CHAPTER IL

WHAT ARE MATTERS OF FACT?

What are Matters of Fact? — Consciousness. — The Senses. — Classification of the Facts of Consciousness. — The Sphere of the Senses. — Why the Facts of Consciousness are investigated. — Law of Facts. — Distinction between the Facts of the Senses and Consciousness. — Fundamental Law of the Consciousness. — Jouffroy 33

CHAPTER in.

GENERAL LAWS OF THE EARTH AND SUN.

Definition of a General Law. — Whewell. — Laws of Gravity. — Distribution of the Day and the Year. — Exactness in the Length of the Day. — The Sun. — Newton. — Properties of Light. — Laws of Heat. — The Atmosphere. — Water. — Laws of Friction. — Stability of the Solar System. — Laplace 39

CHAPTER IV.

THE DEVELOPMENT THEORY.

Vestiges of Creation — M. Miiller. — Law substituted for God in the Development Theory. — Derogatory to Human Nature. — Creation by Miracle. — Researches of Geology fatal to the Development Theory. — Agassiz. — Sedgwick. — Hitchcock. — Hugh Miller 55

CHAPTER V.

MUTUAL ADAPTATION OF THE VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL KINGDOM.

Vegetable Growth. — Generation of Animals. — Principles of Compensation and Equalization. — Buckland. — No Abortive Creation of Species. — Fitness of Constitution 62

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viii CONTENTS OF NATUBAL THEOLOGY.

CHAPTER VI.

PROCESS OF GENERATION IN ANIMALS AND GERMINATION IN PLANTS.

PAGE

Generation a Process. — Incorrect Use of the Language Principle of Generation. — Elementary Cause of Animal and Vegetable Existence. — Fichte. — The Artist's Studio. — Bowen. — No Evidence of Mechanism in the First Germs of Vegetable and Animal Life. — Threefold Union of Mechanism, Life, and Mind 65

CHAPTER VIL

PROSPECTIVE CONTRIVANCES OF AJflMALS.

Recuperative Power of the Animal Economy. — Prospective Contrivances of Animals. — The Heron and Cormorant. — Solan Goose. — Tongue of the Woodpecker. — Air-bladder of the Fish. — Fang of a Viper. — Bag of the Opossum. — Stomach of the Camel. — Young of Animals. — Proboscis of the Elephant. — The Crane. — The Spider's "Web. — The Lobster. — Gizzard of Birds. — Locomotion of Reptiles and Birds 72

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SENSES.

Relationship of the Senses to the Nerves. — Adaptation of the "World without us to the "\Vorld within us. — The Connection of the Senses with the Mind. — Sir Charles Bell.— The Eye.— Dr. Dick.— The Hearing.- Seat of the Senses . 76

CHAPTER IX.

LIFE AND INSTINCT.

Definition of Life by Stahl, Humboldt, Kant, Bichat, and Schmidt. — Life and Organization. — Chemical Afl&nity and Change. — Origin of Life. — Instinct. — Its Distinction from Reason 81

CHAPTER X.

THE HITMAN BODY AND MIND, AND THE TESTIMONY OF HISTORY AND SCIENCE UPON THE

ORIGIN OF MAN.

Man a Complex Machine. — Regularity of the Animal Structure. — Package. — Beauty of the Body. — Pelling. — Testimony of History and Science upon the Origin of Man 86

CHAPTER XL

COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

Relation of the Inorganic Kingdom to the Organic. — Globules of Blood in Herbaceous and Carnivorous Animals. — M. Jussieu. — George Taylor. — Agassiz. — Harmony existing in the Laws of Heat and Light in the Vegetable Kingdom. — Hunt. — Chemical Composition of the Animal and Vegetable Kingdom. — Physical Geography of the Earth 90

CHAPTER XIL

MEANING OF THE TERMS NATURE AND CHANCE.

Meaning of the "Word Nature. — Original Power and Imparted Power. — No Self-creation. — First and Second Causes. — Fortuitous Concourse of Atoms and Chance unmeaning 95

CONTENTS OF NATURAL THEOLOGY. ix

CHAPTER Xni.

UNITY OF DESIGN IN NATURB.

PAGE

Dependencies of One Part of Nature upon Another. — Collocations and Adjustments of Xature showing Unity of Design. — Plurality of Gods impossible. — Cuvier. — Unity of God shown in the Intellectual and Moral World. — No Infinite Series of Causes and Effects. — Pascal 99

CHAPTER XIV.

GENERAL HAPPINESS OP ANIMAL EXISTENCE, AND INTELLECTUAL AND SIORAL ACTION REVEALING TOE GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD.

Happiness the Rule of Animal Existence. — Suffering the Exception. — Absolute Dependence upon God. — Gratuitous Nature of Divine Blessings. — Sportive Movements of the Young of Animals. — Physical, Mental, and Moral Happiness. — Benevolence of God. — Uniform Rule of Mental and Moral Action. — Variety of Pleasures springing from each. — Divine Goodness bearing the Impress of Mercy. — Jeremy Taylor 105

CHAPTER XV.

THE ESTHETIC NATURE OP MAN.

Esthetic Nature of Man. — Elements of the Beautiful and the Sublime. — Their Relation to the Moral Nature. — Milton. — Developments of the Principle of Taste 115

CHAPTER XVI.

THE IMAGINATION.

The Imagination. — External World adapted to it. — Its Existence revealing Divine Wisdom and Goodness. — Gray. — Early Development of the Imagination. — Chatterton. — Hebrew Poetry. — The Imagination degraded . . . . 120

CHAPTER XVII.

CONSIDERATION OP ANGER AND SHAME, THE LOVE OF AMITY, OP SOCIETY, AND THE POSSESSION OF PROPERTY.

Anger instinctive and deliberate. — Under certain Relations right and useful. — Brown. — The Emotion of Shame. — How serviceable. — Love of Family. — The Support it gives to Society. — Industry, Foresight, and Kindness called by it into Exercise. — The Love of Possession. — Care of Society to protect the Rights of Property. — The Constitution of Man under all its Aspects showing the Workmanship of God 125

CHAPTER XVIII.

OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, AND SPIRITUALITT OP GOD.

Omniscience and Omnipresence of God. — Our Knowledge of the Attributes of God derived from their Manifestation. — Dewar. — Presence of God in His Works. — Spirituality of God. — Matter finite. — God not circumscribed to the Sphere of Matter. — Not restricted by Time or Space 130

X CONTENTS OF NATUBAL THEOLOGY.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE EQUITY AND BEXEVOLEXCE OF GOD SHOWN PROM THE MORAL CONSTITUTION OP MAN.

PAGE

The Nature of Conscience. — The Question of Happiness and Duty. — The Moral Constitution of Man. — The End aimed at by God in Man's Moral Constitution. — The Peculiar Prerogative of Conscience. — Conscience uuperverted an Indication of the Moral Character of God. — Conscience an it 18, and as it should he. — Sir James Mackintosh. — Consciousness. — The Decision of Conscience. — Dugald Stewart. — The Relation of the Intellect to the Moral Sense. — Upham. — Butler. — Conscience as a Law, a Feeling, and a Judge. — The Law of Association. — Bowen. — Virtue. — McCosh. — Personality. — Freedom. — Pantheism. — "Wilson. — Self-evident Truths. — Fenelon. — Alexander. — Pascal. — The Heart and the Mind. — The Professed End of Human Government. — Evidence of the Attributes of God arising from the Moral Constitution of Man . . . 134

CHAPTER XX.

"the problem of physical and moral EVIL."

Leibnitz. — The Present Universe in its Totality may have in it more Happiness than any other. — The Possibility of Sin necessary to Moral Freedom. — Lactantius. — The Infinite cannot be restricted to Actual Development. — President Appleton. — The Greatest Good Virtue, not Happiness. — Pain and Death in the Brute Creation. — Sin, and Man's Freedom. — Suflfering essential for the Trial of Virtue. — Horace Bushnell 170

CHAPTER XXL

THE NATURAL AND THE SUPERNATURAL.

Law not causative, but expressive. — Prof. Xichol. — The Natural the Sphere of Second Causes. — Regularity in Natural Law. — The End for which Nature is made. — Limitations of Nature. — The Supernatural. — Prof. George Fisher. — Tendency at the Present Day to Pantheism. — Cause of Natural and Revealed Religion bound up together. — Nature and its Laws do not conftict with the Development of the Supernatural. — The Six Great Epochs of Creation. — Prof. Tayler Lewis. — Miracle necessary. — The Cyclical Law of all Natures. — Arnold. — The Human and the Divine. — Constitution of Nature as to Mind and Matter. — The First Links in the Chain of Causation concealed. — Different Aspects of the Supernatural. — Polytheism. — Romanism. — Ideal, and Materialistic Pantheism. — Deism. — Rationalism. — Philosophy of the Intuitions and the Feelings. — Infidelity contrasted with Superstition. — Horace Bushnell . 184

CHAPTER XXIL

THE HUMAN, THE SUPERHUMAN, AND THE DIVINE.

What is comprehended in the Human. — No Part of Man's Nature supernatural. — Universality of the Law of Cause and Effect in all Creatures and Things. — Human Volitions self-caused. — Necessity the Condition of Force in Things. — Freedom of Human Volitions. — Evidence of Consciousness. — Sophistry concealed under the Language " Strongest Motive." — The True Idea of Human Liberty. — The Complex Nature of Motives. — Identity of the Supernatural with the Divine. — The Sphere of its Activity. — The Mental Constitution of Man. — Twofold Character of Human Freedom. — Distinction between the Strongest Motive and the Successful Motive. — Force in the World of Matter and Mind. — The Superhuman. — The Miraculous restricted to the Supernatural. — Law as applied to the Deity. — Second Causes. — The Divine Action upon Things and Persons. — The Law of Causality in Things and Persons. — Distinction between "Wonders and Miracles. — Proper Classification of the Human, Superhuman, and the Divine. — "What is Sin ? — Sin toward God. — Sin toward Man. — Necessity of the Interposition of the Divine in Human Afi'airs . . 213

CONTENTS OF NATURAL THEOLOGY. xi

CHAPTER XXIII.

LIMITATIONS OP HUMAN THOUGHT.

PAGE

The Senses and Consciousness the Instruments of Human Thought. — Variety of Development in Diiferent Minds. — Original Diflferences in the Human Faculties. — Limitations of the Mind respecting Things Material and Immaterial. — Primary Ideas. — Essence of Soul and Body. — Objects of the External World. — The Accommodation of God to the Limitations of Human Thought. — Influence of Sin in shutting out God from the Mind. — The Real Knowledge of Man mostly confined to Simple Facts. — Belief as related to Human Conduct. — Mode of the Manifestation of God to Man. — Law of Cause and Effect. — Divine Purposes and Free Agency. — The Finite and the Infinite. — The Incarnation of Christ considered simply as a Fact. — God in the Incarnation of His Son coming under Human Limitations. — First Cause and Second Causes. — Mind and Matter. — Time and Eternity. — The Absolute and the Created. — Self- Existence, and Existence begun. — Human Personality and Divine Personality. — Divine Government and Probation. — Punishment and Reward . . 227

CHAPTER XXIV.

Atheism upon the Supposition that there is no God. — It removes the Highest Incentive to Virtue, and the Greatest Restraint upon Vice. — It does not help to Usefulness in the Family Relation. — The Atheist is deprived of one great Source of Pleasure springing from the Recognition of an Intelligent Cause. — His Highest Rule of Conduct must be Human Authority. — Atheism, true or false, is revolting to the Conscience. — It gives to the Future nothing but Gloom, Uncertainty, and Doubt. — Atheism upon the Supposition that there is a God. — God's Existence reveals the Fact of His Government. — The Impress of the Divine Authority manifested in the Constitution of Man. — Divine Government always on the side of Virtue. — Law and Grace. — Atheism especially seated in the Heart. — Nature and Revelation both opposed to Atheism. — Atheism considered under the Ills of Life. — Atheism, destitute of all Reason and an Enemy to the Progress of Society in Intelligence, Virtue, or Happiness. — It shuts the Mind up to the Present Hour. — The Atheist Code of Morals contrasted with Christianity. — Atheism as developed in the French Revolution. — Its Criminality and Ruin 247

CONTEiYrS OF REVEALED THEOLOGY,

CHAPTER I.

NECESSITY OP A REVELATION FROM GOD.

PAGE

Insufficiency of the Light of Nature.— Objections of Infidelity to the Christian Scheme. — The Law of Belief. — Real Question at Issue. — Probability of a Revelation from the Character of God. — Revelation necessary from the Existing Condition of the Conscience, and from Human Experience. — Plato, Socrates, Seneca, Ovid, Pliny, Clement. — What has Natural Religion accomplished? — Ancient and Modern Paganism. — Natural Religion unable to discover an Effectual Remedy for Sin. — The Voice of Conscience. — Doctrine of Revelation as to the Remedy for Sin. — Contrast existing between the Bible and all other Systems of Belief and Practice 261

CHAPTER IL

CHRIST.

The Interval of Thirty-five Years between the Death of Christ and the Persecution of the Christians under Nero. — Testimony of Tacitus. — Jewish Accounts of Christ. — Character of Christ. — Christ as portrayed by the Four Evangelists. — Christ's Humanity. — Christ in what He said of Himself. — Testimony of Thomas. — Unity of Purpose in Christ's Life. — Unworldly Nature of Christ's Life 281

CHAPTER IIL

CHRIST AS A MORALIST, LEGISLATOR, REDEEMER, AND KING.

State of Morality at Christ's Coming. — " Ecce Homo." — The Legalists and Common People. — Morality as taught by Christ. — Teaching of Christ as to the Fatherhood of God, the Soul, and a Future State. — Legislation of Moses and Christ contrasted. — Address of Christ to the Samaritan Woman. — Motives to Obedience presented by Christ. — Adaptation of Christ's Legislation to the Success of His Cause. — The Radical Change Christ introduced into Society. — Christ as the Redeemer. — Necessity existing for a Vicarious Sacrifice. — The Incarnation. — Young. — Christ as a King. — Jewish View of the Kingship of Christ. — Spirituality of this Kingship. — The Tribute Money. — Christ's Mission to the World. — Kingdom of Christ built upon Love .... 295

CHAPTER IV.

EVIDENCE OF MIRACLES.

Probability of Miracles. — Necessity of Miracles at the Commencement of the Christian Era. — Christ's Testimony to the Value of His Miracles. — False View of Nature. — Redemption an End worthy of Miracles. — No Presumptive Evidence against them with this End in view. — Miraculous Interposition at Great Epochs of Time. — Moral Element connected with Scripture Miracles. — Miracles of the Bible contrasted with other Miracles professed to be worked. — Definition of a True Miracle 315

(xii)

CONTENTS OF REVEALED THEOLOGY. xiii

CHAPTER V.

MIRACLES OP CHRIST.

PAGE

Miracles of Moses contrasted with those of Christ. — Superiority of Christ's Miracles to all other Miracles. — The Age when Christ worked Miracles. — Confession of their Reality by the Pharisees, but Ascription to Beelzebub. — Miracles of Christ, unless true, must have been exposed. — How Christ's Miracles excelled all others : 1. Xumber. 2, Freedom and Ease. 3. Larger and more glorious. 4. Worked in His own Name and Power. — Trench. . . . 330

CHAPTER VI.

BIRTH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCEKSION OP CHRIST, AXD MIRACLES OF HIS APOSTLES.

Circumstances connected with Christ's Advent into the "World. — Resurrection of Christ. — Impossibility of Deception. — Substantial Agreement of the Four Evangelists. — Ascension of Christ. — Peter on the Day of Pentecost. — Miracles of the Apostles 3-11

CHAPTER VII.

MIRACLES OP MOSES.

The Ten Plagues of Egypt. — Idol-Worship of Egypt. — Necessity of the Mosaic Miracles. — Condition of the Israelites previous to the Destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. — Forty Years' Wandering in the Desert. — Design of the Mosaic Miracles 34S

CHAPTER VIII.

EVIDENCE OP PROPHECY.

Oracles of Delphos and Dodona. — Prophecies of the Bible contrasted with other Prophecies. — Fulfilled Prophecies. — The Position Prophecy holds in the Bible. — End secured by Prophecy. — Special Minuteness of Detail and Accuracy of Fulfillment. — Prophecies respecting Babylon, Tyre, Egypt. — Three Sons of Noah. — Ishmael. — Abraham. — Jacob and his Twelve Sons. — Daniel. — Calmet. — Bishop Mcllvaine 357

CHAPTER IX.

PREDICTIONS CONCERNING CHRIST AND BY CHRIST.

Minuteness of Specification in the Prophecies concerning Christ. — Daniel's Prophecy of Christ. — Zechariah's Prediction of the Thirty Pieces of Silver. — Birthplace of Christ designated by Micah. — Predictions of Christ by Isaiah. — Predictions of our Saviour in the Psalms. — Christ's Predictions of His Death, His Resurrection, Rapid Spread of the Gospel and Persecutions of His Disciples, the Precise Manner of Peter's Death, and the Destruction of Jerusalem 376

CHAPTER X.

THE SUCCESS OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

Obstacles the Disciples had to encounter. — Method of Christ's Coming opposed to the Desires of the whole Jewish Nation. — Conduct of the Jews toward Christ and His Disciples. — Mission of the Twelve Apostles. — Condition of the World in the First Century of the Christian Era. — Success of the Apostles. — Testimony of Pliny, the Roman Governor. — Justin Martyr. — Gibbon. — Sincerity of Belief and Practice in the Early Christians 382 xiv CONTENTS OF BEVEALED THEOLOGY.

CHAPTER XI.

ADAPTATION OP THE BIBLE TO HUMAN NATURE AND THE CONSCIENCE.

PAGE

Manner in which the Bible should be approached. — Secret Cause of Infidelity. — Bible adapted to Human Nature as a Key to a Lock. — Bible meets the Demands of the Conscience. — Sanctions imposed by the Bible on the Conscience. — How the Conscience is treated in the Bible, as contrasted with other Religions. — Bible a Guide to the Conscience. — Revealer of New Truths. — Bible meets the Natural Sense of Justice. — It furnishes a Perfect System of Ethics. — Cannot be imposed upon. — It takes no Undue Advantage of the Conscience. — Relation the Bible sustains to Science, History, and Physical Geography. — Bible alone meets the Consciousness of Guilt 391

CHAPTER XII.

ADAPTATION OF THE BIBLE TO THE AFFECTIONS AND THE WILL.

Popular Language of the Bible respecting the Affections. — Philosophy of the Temptation of our First Parents. — Predominance of the Sensuous Part of Man's Nature. — The Bible a Regulating Power over the Affections. — Bible adapted to the Social and Family Relation, to the Religious Sensibilities, to Seasons of Afiiiction and Adversity. — Adaptation of the Bible to the Will, — Intimate Connection of the Affections with the Will. — Motives presented to the Will on the side of Fear and of Hope. — The Bible a Restraining and Energizing Power 409

CHAPTER XIII.

ADAPTATION OF THE BIBLE TO THE INTELLECT AND TO THE IMAGINATION.

Relation of the Intellect to the Truth. — New Truths communicated by the Bible. — Number and Variety of the Books in the Bible. — Different Styles of Biblical Composition. — Bible reveals the best kind of Knowledge. — Adaptation of the Bible to the Imagination. — Stewart. — Bible a Regulating Power to the Imagination. — It gives Perfect Models for Imitation 419

CHAPTER XIV.

MORAL POWER OF CHRISTIANITY.

Exclusive Supremacy the Bible gives to God. — Christianity a Divine Power. — Harmony created by it between Reason and Faith. — The Right Relation instituted between the Sensibilities and Faith. — Alliance of the Bible with the Spirit of God 430

CHAPTER XV.

THE HARMONY OF SCIENCE AND REVELATION.

The Value of a True Interpretation of the Bible. — What constitutes the Great End of Revelation. — Universal and Undeviating Uniformity of Belief upon all the Minutise of the Bible impossible. — Distinction between the Essential and the Unessential. — The Use of Popular Language in the Bible. — No Opposition between Right Science and Revelation. — The Four Fundamental Truths of Geology. — The Mosaic Narrative of the Six Days' Creation. — E. B. Pusey. — Dr. Buckland. — Chalmers. — Nichol. — Gaussen. — President Green . . 438

CONTENTS OF REVEALED THEOLOGY. xv

CHAPTER XVI.

THE UNITY OF THE HUMAN RACE.

PAGE

Earliest Accounts point to the First Period of Human Existence as innocent and happy. — Paul's Mission to the Athenians. — Central Region of Asia the Cradle of the Human Race. — No Greater Varieties in the Human Species than in the Species of Animals. — The Two Great Laws of Species. — Origin of the Human Family from Adam. — Superfluity of Miracles connected with many Distinct Creations of Animals and Men. — DiflFercnce between Diversity and Monstrosity. — Testimony of History. — Miraculous Interposition in Combination with Natural Law. — Layard. — Confusion of Tongues at Babel . . . 454

CHAPTER XVIL

INTEGRITY OP THE SACRED CANON.

Age of the Apostles. — Testimony of Clement, Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenoeus, Clement of Alexandria. TertuUian, Jerome, and Augustine. — Indirect Testimony of the Enemies of Christianity, Celsus, Porphyry, Julian. — Canon of the Old Testament indorsed by Christ. — Testimony of the New Testament and Jewish Writers. — Josephus. — Early Christian Fathers. — Prof. Sampson 477

CHAPTER XVIIL

THE PLENARY INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE.

Distinction between General and Plenary Inspiration. — Divine and Human Element in the Bible. — Plenary Inspiration regards the Condition of the Writing rather than the Mind of the Writer. — AVhat is not meant by plenary inspiration. — Three Forms of Error into which the Mind falls in respect to the Plenary Inspiration of the Bible. — What constitutes a Proof of Plenary Inspiration. — Consideration of Objections to Plenary Inspiration. — Testimony of Sacred Writers of the Old and New Testaments. — Separate Chains of Evidence upon which the Inspiration of the Bible rests 487

CHAPTER XIX.

HISTORIC OUTLINE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY.

Old Testament in its Revelation of God. — Mosaic Dispensation. — Contrast between the Theism of the Bible and the Pagan Polytheism. — Cudworth. — Deification of the Creature in Ancient Polytheism. — Alliance of Church and State. — Paul's Picture of Heathenism. — Design of the Jewish Theocracy and Jewish Ritual. — Principles of the Hebrew Polity 511

CHAPTER XX.

HISTORIC OUTLINE OP THE NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY.

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar. — Christianity. — Its Relation to the World. — Its Ultimate Condition. — Croly. — Christianity and Paganism. — Antagonism of Christianity to the World. — Relation sustained to the Individual and to Society.— GilfilUn 526 xvi CONTENTS OF REVEALED THEOLOGY.

CHAPTER XXL

THE DIPFICPLTIES OF SKEPTICISM.

PAGE

The Bible a Religion of Facts. — Relation of the Bible to Human Reason. — Infallibility of Revelation. — The two great Errors of Skepticism. — Difficulties of Skepticism: 1. Degradation of Reason in its Sphere. 2. Makes no Provision for the Highest Want of the Nature. 3. Stumbles upon the Incomprehensible alike of Nature and of Revelation. 4. Removes the best Standard of Virtue. 5. Has no Unity of Belief 537

CHAPTER XXII.

THE UNREASONABLENESS OP SKEPTICISM.

Skepticism cannot improve upon the Morality of the Bible. — Objections of the Skeptic frivolous and inconsistent. — The Skeptic cannot prove any of the Facts of the Bible untrue. — Twofold Class of Facts in the Bible, both mutually sustaining each other. — Skepticism a System of Doubt, and not oi Evidence . 546