A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

Outlines of Theology

A. A. Hodge, 1823–1886 · 184,090 words · 224 reading sections

SECTION 181

426 PERSEVERANCE.

3d. This theory denies that mistakes and infirmities resulting from the effects of original sin, are themselves sin, yet admits that they are to be confessed, forgiveness implored for them, and the atonement of Christ's blood applied to them, and that the more perfect a man becomes the more he abhors his own in- ternal…

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SECTION 182

428 PERSEVERANCE.

Council of Trent, Sess. VI., canon 23. " If any one main- tain that a man once justified can not lose grace, and, therefore, that he who falls and sins never was truly justified, let him be accursed." 4. What is the Arminian doctrine on this point ? It is an inseparable part of the Arminian system, flowing necessaril…

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SECTION 183

IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 431

All of these passages may be naturally explained in perfect consistency with the orthodox doctrine which is supported upon that wide range of Scripture evidence we have set forth above, question 2. They present either, 1st, hypothetical warnings of the consequences of apostasy with the design of preventing it, by showi…

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SECTION 184

IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 433

Now although the continued existence of any creature must depend simply upon the will of its Creator, that will may either be made known by direct revelation, or inferred in any particular instance by analogical reasoning from what is known of his doings in other cases. As far as this argument from analogy goes it de- …

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SECTION 185

STATE OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH. 435

Sheol is derived from the verb Vara, to ash, expressing the sense of our English proverb, that the " grave crieth give, give." It is used in the Old Testament to signify, in a vague and general sense, the state of the departed, both the good and bad, interme- diate between death and the resurrection of the righteous, (…

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SECTION 186

STATE OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH. 437

Hapddsioog, Paradise, derived from some oriental language, and adopted into both the Hebrew and Greek languages, signifies parks, pleasure gardens, Neb. ii., 8 ; Eccle. ii., 5. The Septu- gint translators use this word to represent the garden of Eden, Gen. ii., 8, etc. It occurs only three times in the New Testa- ment,…

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SECTION 187

THE RESURRECTION.

2d. That all unbaptized adults, and all those who subsequently have lost the grace of baptism by mortal sin, and die unreconciled to the church, go immediately to hell. 3d. That those believers who have attained to a state of Chris- tian perfection go immediately to heaven. 438 STATE OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH. 4th. Th…

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SECTION 188

SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIONS. 443

The word ipvxrj, when contrasted with -vlv\La, always desig- nates the principle of animal life, as distinguished from the prin- ciple of intelligence and moral agency, which is the nveupa. A (jtifia ifwxuzbV) translated natural body, evidently means a body endowed with animal life, and adapted to the present condition…

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SECTION 189

PERSONAL IDENTITY. 445

harmonies of truths in reality intimately related. Nothing can be believed to bo true which is clearly seen to be inconsistent with truth already certainly established. But, on the other hand, in the present stage of our development, the largest proportion of the materials of our knowledge rests upon independent eviden…

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SECTION 190

THE SECOND ADVENT AND GENERAL JUDGMENT.

1st. " It is evident that identity depends upon different condi- tions in different cases. The identity of a stone or any other por- tion of unorganized matter consists in its substance and form. On the other hand? the identity of a plant from the seed to its maturity is, in a great measure, independent of sameness of …

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SECTION 191

FACT CLEARLY REVEALED. 449

1st. For any special manifestation of God's presence and power, John xiv.; 18, 23 ; Is. xiii., 6 ; Jer. xlvi., 10. 2d. By way of eminence. (1.) In the Old Testament, for the coming of Christ in the flesh, and the abrogation of the Jewish economy, Malachi iii., 2 ; iv., 5. (2.) In the New Testament, for the second and f…

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SECTION 192

PREMILLENIAL THEORY. 451

1st. The apostles, as individuals, apart from their public capacity as inspired teachers, were subject to the common preju- dices of their age and nation, and only gradually were brought to the full knowledge of the truth. During Christ's life they ex- pected that he would establish his kingdom in its glory at that tim…

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SECTION 193

KETURN OF THE JEWS TO PALESTINE. 453

3d. Modern premillenarians, while differing among themselves as to the details of their interpretations, agree substantially with the view just stated. Hence they are called Premillenarians, be- cause they believe the advent of Christ will occur before the Millenium. 9. What are the principal Scriptural arguments agai…

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SECTION 194

456 SECOND ADVENT.

12. State the argument for and against the opinion that the Jeivs are to be restored to their own land f The arguments in favor of that return are — ■ 454 SECOND ADVENT. 1st. The literal sense of many old Testament prophecies, Isa. xi., 11, 12 ; Jer. iii., 17 ; xvi., 14, 15 ; Ezek. xx., 4CM4 ; xxxiv., 11-31 ; xxxvi.,…

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SECTION 195

458 SECOND ADVENT.

31-46 ; 1 Cor. xv.3 51, 52 ; 2 Cor. v., 10 ; 1 Thess. iv., 17 ; 2 Thess. "i., 6-10 ; Kev. xx., 11-15. 2d. All evil angels, 2 Pet. it, 4 ; Jude 6. Good angels appearing as attendants and ministers, Matt, xiii., 41, 42. 15. In what sense is it said that the saints shall judge the world ? See Matt, xix., 28 ; Luke xxii.…

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SECTION 196

ITS BLESSEDNESS. 461

Christians ought thereby to be comforted when in sorrow, and always stimulated to duty, Phil, iii., 20 ; Col. iii., 4, 5 ; James v., 7 ; 1 John iii., 2, 3. It is their duty also to love, watch, wait for, and hasten unto the coming of their Lord, Luke xii., 35, 37 ; 1 Cor. i., 7, 8 ; Phil, iii., 20 ; 1 Thess. i., 9, 10…

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SECTION 197

SCRIPTURAL DESIGNATIONS. 463

terial and spiritual ; the full development and harmonious exer- cise of all our faculties, intellectual and moral, and in the unre- strained progress thereof to eternity, 1 Cor. xiii., 9-12 ; xv., 45-49 ; 1 John iii., 2. (2.) In the sight of our blessed Kedeemer, communion with his person, and fellowship in all his gl…

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SECTION 198

ETERNITY OF SUFFERING. 465

Figurative terms. — Everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, Matt. xxv., 41. The hell of fire, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark ix., 44. The lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone, Kev. xxi., 8. Bottomless pit, Eev. ix., 2. The dreadful nature of this abode of the wicked…

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SECTION 199

ETERNITY OF SUFFERING. 467

In refutation of the for mer of these theories, which has been rendered respectable chiefly by the adventitious circumstance that it is countenanced by Archbishop Whately, " View of Sc. Kev. Concerning a Future State," we argue, 1st, the Scriptures never express the idea contended for, but consistently use language whi…

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SECTION 200

470 SACRAMENTS.

In regard to Kom. v., 18, it is argued that the phrase " all men" must have precisely the same extent of application in the one clause as in the other. We answer, 1st, the phrase " all men" is often used in Scripture in connections which necessarily restrict the sense, John iii., 26; xii., 32. 2d. In this case the phra…

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SECTION 201

472 SACRAMENTS.

4th. Church of England, in the 25th article of religion, affirms that " Sacraments instituted by Christ are not only the badges and tokens of the profession of Christian men, but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace, and of G-od's good will towards us, by the which he doth work inwardly in…

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SECTION 202

THEIR EFFICACY. 475

8. In what sense is the word " exhibit" used in our standards in reference to this subject ? Compare Con. of Faith, Chap. XXYIL, Sec. 3, and Chap. XXVIII., Sec. 6, and L. Cat. Q. 162. This word is derived from the Latin word " exhibeo," which bore the twofold sense of conveying and of disclosing. It is evi- THEIR DE…

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SECTION 203

THEIR NECESSITY. 477

6th. This doctrine blasphemously ties down the grace of the ever living and sovereign God, and puts its entire disposal into the hands of fallible and often wicked men. 7th. This doctrine is an essential element of that ritualistic and priestly system which prevailed among the Pharisees, and against which the whole Xe…

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SECTION 204

480 BAPTISM.

17. What doctrine do the ritualists maintain as to the neces- sity of the sacraments ? The Eomanists distinguish, 1st, between a condition absolutely necessary to attain an end, and one which is only highly conveni- ent and helpful in order to it. And. 2d, between the necessitv which attaches to essential means, and t…

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SECTION 205

482 BAPTISM.

in the command, Matt, xxviii., 19. 2d. From the significancy of the rite. Besides being a symbol of purification, it is essentially, as a rite of initiation into the Christian church, a covenanting ordinance whereby the recipient recognizes and pledges his allegi- ance to God in that character and in those relations in…

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SECTION 206

484 BAPTISM.

Baptist interpreters, on the other hand, insist that the Bible teaches that the outward sign in this sacrament, being the immer- sion of the whole body in water, is an emblem both of purifica- tion and of our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. Dr. Carson says, p. 381, " The immersion of the whole body is esse…

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SECTION 207

486 BAPTISM.

The word jSaTTifw, in form; though not in usage, the frequent- ative of pdnrG), occurs seventy-six times in the New Testament, and is the word used by the Holy Ghost to convey the command to baptize. Its classical meaning was dip, submerge, sink. Be- sides these, we have the nouns of the same root and usage, {3diTTio[j…

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SECTION 208

488 BAPTISM.

1st. The word occurs four times in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, in three of which instances it refers to bap- tism with water. 2 Kings v., 14 — The prophet told Naanian to " wash and be clean/' and " he baptized himself in Jordan, and he was clean." Eccle. xxxiv., 25 — " He that baptiseth himself af…

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SECTION 209

490 BAPTISM.

The rites of purification prescribed by the Leviiical law were in no case commanded to be performed by immersion in the case of persons. Washing and bathing is prescribed, but there is no indication given by the words used, or otherwise, that these were performed by immersion, which was not the usual mode of bathing pr…

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SECTION 210

492 BAPTISM.

1st. It has been abundantly shown above that the command to baptize is a command to purify by washing with water, and it hence follows that even if it could be shown that the apostles baptized by immersion, that fact would not prove that particular mode of washing to be essential to the validity of the ordinance, unles…

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SECTION 211

494 BAPTISM.

4th. Christ has administered this covenant in three successive modes or dispensations. (1.) From Abraham to Moses, during which he attached to it the ratifying seal of circumcision. (2.) From Moses to his advent, (for the law which was temporarily added did not make the promise of none effect, but rather admin- istered…

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SECTION 212

496 BAPTISM.

21. How may it be shoivn that this visible church is identical under both dispensations, and what argument may be thence de- rived to prove that the infant children of believers should be bap- tized ? 1st. The church, under both dispensations, has the same na- ture and design. The Old Testament church, embraced in the…

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SECTION 213

498 BAPTISM.

with their father Abraham. Hence it never could have been ful- filled until the advent of the Messiah, and the abolishment of the restrictive law. Hence the Abrahamic covenant, instead of hav- ing been superseded by the gospel, only now begins to have its just accomplishment. Hence, on the day of Pentecost, Peter exhor…

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SECTION 214

500 BAPTISM.

They also addressed children in their epistles as members of the church. Compare Eph. i., 1, and Col. i., 1, 2, with Eph. vi., 1-3, and Col. iii., 20. And declared that even the children of only one believing parent were to be regarded " holy/' or conse- crated to the Lord, i. e., as church members, 1 Cor. vii., 12-14.…

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SECTION 215

502 BAPTISM.

It is evident, however, from the following principles, that only the children of those who are professors of a personal faith in Christ ought to be baptized. 1st. The example of the apostles. They baptized the households only of believers. 2d. Faith is the condition of the covenant. If the parent is destitute of faith,…

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BREAKING OF BEEAD. 505

34. What is the doctrine on this point of the Reformed churches ? They all agree that the necessity of baptism arises simply from the command of Christ to baptize ; and that the grace sig- nified belongs to all within the covenant, (whether adult or in- fant,) and would be attained by them with or without the sign and…

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SECTION 217

TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 507

Bread of some kind is essential, 1st, from the command of Christ ; 2d, from the significance of the symbol ; since bread, as the principal natural nourishment of our bodies, represents his flesh, which, as living breach he gave for the life of the world, John vi., 51. But the kind of bread, whether leavened or un- leav…

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SECTION 218

CONSUBSTANTIATION. 509

1st. The Romanists seek to establish their doctrine by three arguments, (1.) Scripture, (2.) tradition, (3.) decisions of councils. But we have above, (Chap. V.), proved that the Scriptures are the only rule of faith and judge of controversies. Their scriptural authority is nothing more than the language used by Christ…

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SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. 511

On account of the controversy on the subject of the real pres- ence which raged immediately after the Eeformation, between the Lutherans and the Keformecl, and between Calvin and the imme- diate followers of Zuingle, the early Reformed Confessions were composed generally under the bias of an effort to compromise radica…

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THE CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION. 513

3d. The sacrifice of Christ on the cross was perfect, and from its essential nature excludes all others, Heb. ix., 25-28 ; x., 10- 14, and 18, 26, 27. 4th. It is inconsistent with the words of institution pronounced by Christ, Luke xxii., 19, and 1 Cor. xi., 24-26. The sacrament commemorates the sacrifice of Christ up…

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CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION. 515

1st. The Romanists make the condition of salvation to be union with and obedience to the church, and, consequently, admit all to the sacraments who express their desire to conform and obey. " No one," however, "conscious of mortal sin, and having an opportunity of recurring to a confessor, however contrite he may 514 …

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APPENDIX. 519

Presbyterian church has always held it, does not constitute the pastor, elders, or congregation, judges of the actual conversion of the applicant ; but, on the contrary, lays much responsibility upon the applicant himself. The minister and kirk session must be satisfied as to his competent knowledge, credible professio…

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APPENDIX 521

church held at Toledo, A. D., 589), who, with the Father and the Son together, is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. And I believe one Catholic and apostolic church, I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins ; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. IV…

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THE END.

As the system of doctrine commonly designated Calvinism, from its ablest expounder, the illustrious reformer of Geneva, was in fact first clearly defined and advocated by the great St. Augus- tin, bishop of Hippo, in Northern Africa, during the last years of the ^fourth and the first of the fifth century, so that antag…

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Public-domain historical work by A. A. Hodge, 1823–1886. OCR from an original historical scan hosted by Internet Archive; OCR may contain recognition errors.

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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.