PREFACE. THE Delphic motto, "Know thyself," is the utmost achievement of classic philosophy. It is the first principle of the doctrine of Christ,-the starting point to the higher knowledge of God and his Son. And, whilst philosophy exhausts itself in constructing the maxim, and utterly fails to show how we may come to self-knowledge, the gospel proclaims Him in whose glorious person man is one with Jehovah,—without whom we can know neither ourselves nor God; and, knowing whom, we have all knowledge. The apostasy of man, the corruption and depravity into which he plunged himself by his rebellion, and the curse thereby incurred from a God of holiness and truth, are the cardinal facts which lie at the basis of the whole saving doctrine of the Scriptures;-facts which, if misunderstood or ignored, the word of God is a riddle; if denied, the very person of Christ is a lie. The doctrine, therefore, of original sin, has ever been held, by the church of God, to be fundamental to the whole system of truth; and every attempt to pervert that doctrine, or to set it aside, has been justly regarded as heresy, fraught with the most fatal consequences to the scheme of grace and the souls of men. A testimony to doctrines so important can never be unseasonable; and is, perhaps, especially appropriate to the present time, when we have increasing evidence of defection from these doctrines, among some of our American churches, which once gloried in the faith they now disown, and were set for the defence of the truth which they now reject and assail. At an early date in the ministry of the author, he began to prepare what was designed to be a brief treatise on the doctrine of Christ, viewed as the progressive unfolding of an eternal plan for the revelation of the Most High. Other cares and labours interposed, and the work was laid aside. More recently, circumstances of special interest to him, but of no moment to the public, determined him to utter a testimony to some of the doctrines which are set forth in this work. At first no more was designed than a very brief exposition of some cardinal points. But, as he proceeded, the theme expanded; and the importance of the topics, the impossibility of doing them justice in a brief discussion, and the delight enjoyed in contemplating the scheme of God, of which they constitute the chief elements, have insensibly controlled the pen, until the present volume is the result. It has been remarked, by one of the most eminent of our noble brotherhood of divines, that "we want some central principle, which embraces equally the religion of nature and the religion of grace. Until some such central principle is developed in its all-comprehensive relations, we are obliged to have a twofold theology, as we have a twofold religion,- -a covenant of works and a covenant of grace, with no bridge between them."* The doctrine which is illustrated in the present work,-that of God revealed through an eternal plan,-presents itself to the mind of the writer as being the desideratum here indicated; as that around which all doctrinal truths cluster and shine in a light and harmony not otherwise discoverable. It is not, however, as an exhibition of systematic theology, in this light, that the writer lays his present offering at the feet of the church of Christ. But, looking upon this as the true point, from which to view the related doctrines of the ruin and recovery of man,-the catastrophe of the first Adam and the redeeming work of the second, he has constructed the argument, on these subjects, in accordance with that idea; and only appealed to the other leading features of the system of truth for the illustration of these. The fragmentary manner in which the work has been written,—at times snatched from pastoral and other labours and cares, and other causes,have necessarily induced many imperfections and defects. Nor would the author venture before the public in a form so imperfect, did he not hope that, with all, his offering may be acceptable to Christ, and advantageous to his church and cause. Trained from my childhood in the love of the doctrines of the Westminster Confession,-confirmed, by the results of my maturest studies, in the conviction that they are in thorough accordance with the word of God,—I have not attempted to conceal the fervour of a devoted zeal in their behalf; nor to imitate that, charity which consists in indifference to the loveliness of the truth and the deformity of error. Constrained, on some points, to differ with brethren and fathers beloved and venerated in our own church,-the candour and directness, which the importance of the questions seemed to demand, have not, I trust, been inconsistent with that respect and deference which I cordially cherish for men at whose feet I should be happy to sit. The introductory chapter is designed to exhibit the position which has been occupied by the church, from age to age, on the subject of original sin. The graces of composition have been cheerfully sacrificed to this object. My authorities, besides those marginally acknowledged, are, the Corpus et Syntagma Confessionum, by Gaspar Laurentius, Geneva, 1612, and the Collectio Confessionum, by Niemeyer. The fruit and the solace of many toilsome hours is now committed to the candour of the Christian public,—not without the earnest hope and the prayer that He in whose fear it has been written will accept it to his own glory, and the furtherance of his cause. * Southern Presbyterian Review, 1858, vol. x. p. 619. CONTENTS. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN.-P. 11. 21. Doctrinal development through contact with error. 3. Hilary and Ambrose. 4. Pelagius. 5. Augustine. 27. Earlier Reformed confessions. 8. Continental divines. 1. The creation was by the Trinity as such. 2. The Father and Son.-The 21. In working, wisdom requires an object. 2. God's object was the revelation of THE PROVIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION.-P. 100. 1. Different theories of second causes. 2. Our doctrine. tem of nature. 27. God's immediate agency.-McCosh's theory. special providences. 9. General principles of administration. 1. Adam the image and likeness. 2. His body immortal. 3. Likeness in his natural attributes of his soul. 9. His moral powers.-Reason.-Conscience. 10. The 1. God our sovereign. 2. Hopkinsian theory. 3. Beecher's Conflict of Ages. 24. He sets fate above God. 5. The doctrine infidel. 6. Office of intuition. 87. Doctrine of the Scriptures. 8. May the creatures sit in judgment on God? Beecher's experiment. 10. The doctrine precludes a revelation of God. and necessity of God's sovereignty. 12. The law is, Glorify God. perfect obedience, of the whole being, perpetually. 14. It binds all. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE LAW.-P. 228. 1. God's moral attributes. 2. He glories in them. 3. Their nature and evi- dence. 4. Design of their revelation. 5. The principle thus deduced. 6. The perfection of the law consists in its transcription from the moral nature of God. 1. Sanctions necessary. 2. Nature of a penalty. 3. Death, not metaphorical. 24. Its use illustrated in Abel's death. 5. It is not bodily dissolution. 6. It is THE LAW A COVENANT OF LIFE.-P. 280. 1. The covenant gratuitous from God. 2. The promise, its symbols and seals. 23. Date of the promise. 4. The trees of life and knowledge. 5. The promise was a covenant. 6. Positive constitution of the covenant. 7. The life promised. ADAM THE COVENANT HEAD OF THE RACE.-P. 305. 1. Proof of Adam's headship. 2. The cause of it, the inscription of the covenant in his propagative nature. 3. Proofs of the doctrine. 4. Other scriptural examples. 5. Principle of identity. 6. The idea of a "constituted" representation untenable. 7. The principle of representation. 8. Eve part of the representative head. |