6. Outlines of Other Writers. There are many other modern works on Christian doctrine that deserve notice for originality of method or for intrinsic value as contributions to theology. Henry B. Smith labored to construct a system of theology that would be formally Christocentric, and he arranged his entire subjectmatter about the person and work of the Redeemer under the main divisions of (1) Antecedents of Redemption, (2) Redemption Itself, and (3) Kingdom of Redemption. Whatever originality of method here appears, it is open to remark that the terminology does not commend itself as either clear or discriminating; the doctrines of God, cosmology, and anthropology are infelicitously styled "antecedents of redemption"; predestination, election, and justification are set forth as operations of grace under the third caption, apart from "the redemption itself," and apart from the "work of the Mediator," which topics fall to the second division of the volume. W. L. Alexander's System of Biblical Theology* adopts a fourfold division of parts: 1. Theology; 2. Anthropology; 3. Christology; 4. Soteriology. The less extensive work of John Macpherson has six divisions: 1. Doctrine of God and the World. 2. Doctrine of Man and Sin. 3. Doctrine of Redemption. 4. Application of Redemption. 5. The Means of Grace. 6. The Last Things. The three divisions last named traverse what might have been incorporated with the third, and the brief discussion of the "Last Things" is quite disproportionate in comparison with the other sections of the book. In 1900 Nathaniel Burwash published his Manual of Christian Theology on the Inductive Method. His method of three parts is as follows: 1. The Investigation of True Religion in Historic Form. 2. The Nature and Process of Revelation and the Formation of the Word of God. 3. The Doctrinal Contents of the Word. This third part comprises the larger part of the work and has eight divisions: (1) Of God, (2) The World as Related to God, (3) Man as Naturally Related to God, (4) Human Responsibility and Sin, (5) Redemption, (6) Personal Salvation, (7) The Offices and Agencies of the Christian Church, (8) The Consummation of Christ's Kingdom and the Last Things. William N. Clarke's Outline of Christian Theology is arranged in six parts: 1. God. 2. Man. 3. Sin. 4. Christ. 5. The Holy Spirit and the Divine Life in Man. 6. Things to Come. Henry C. Sheldon's System of Chris

1System of Christian Theology. New York, 1884. The volume was compiled by W. S. Karr from the author's unpublished lectures and sermons.

12 vols. Edinburgh, 1888.

Christian Dogmatics, Edinburgh, 1898.

42 vols. London.

Cambridge, 1894.

tian Doctrine' has the following five parts: 1. Leading Presuppositions of the Christian System. 2. The Doctrine of God and his Relation to the World at large. 3. The Subjects of God's Moral Government. 4. The Person and Work of the Redeemer. 5. The Kingdom of Redemption, or the Practical Realization of the Redemptive Purpose. One of the latest works of this kind to appear is by Olin A. Curtis, whose racy and readable volume" is cast in two principal sections of an Introduction to the System of Doctrine and The System of Doctrine. The Introduction has two parts: (1) Man, (2) The Christian Religion. The System shows six doctrinal divisions: (1) Man's Need of Redemption,

(2) Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, (3) Our Lord's Redemptive Work, (4) Redemption Realized in the New Man, (5) Redemption Realized in the New Race, (6) The Triune God Revealed in Redemption. The method of this treatise is notably unique, but the Introduction takes more than a third of the volume, and contains nothing that might not have been presented under the several doctrinal divisions.

7. Questions of Scope and Terminology. A study of these different outlines shows the importance of method in arranging a system of doctrine. It is equally important that we omit from our topics of inquiry those subjects which stand apart from the scope of dogmatics. The doctrines of the Christian faith are easily distinguishable from that which belongs to apologetics, and to questions of Church government and political economy. It is desirable to employ a clear and simple terminology in the outline of distinctive subjects of discussion, but it would seem as if some writers were too much influenced by a passion for the technical nomenclature exhibited in the sonorous words bibliology, theology, cosmology, angelology, anthropology, hamartialogy, Christology, soteriology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, eschatology. A well chosen, definite terminology, such as these words of Greek origin furnish, has an unquestionable value, and a methodology which essayed to treat all Christian doctrine under the eleven heads and in the order of the technical terms just given, might have much said in its favor. On the other hand, it may be affirmed that the persistent use of these terms tends to load the study of simple biblical truths with stereotyped formulas which have become obnoxious to many intelligent readers. It may also be argued that the eleven topics indicated are not coördinate, and some of them are not fairly entitled to a place in a system of dogmatics. Bibliology and ecclesiology should hold at most only a subordinate

1 Cincinnati, 1903.

2 The Christian Faith, personally given in a System of Doctrine. New York, 1905.

place in a treatise on doctrines. Hamartialogy can be logically treated under the head of anthropology, and soteriology and Christology are so closely allied that they may be brought under one caption, as is done in several of the outlines given above. Cosmology, angelology, and eschatology may also be assigned a subordinate position, so that the eleven topics designated by the highsounding Greek terms named above might all be treated under three or at most four main divisions.

8. A Priori and A Posteriori Methods. The prevailing method in dogmatics, as seen in most of the outlines given above, is to begin with the doctrine of God and conclude with the various questions of eschatology. There is an obvious logical propriety in this order of procedure. Theology in the broad sense is supposed to treat of God, of man, and of the relations between God and man. With this aim and order in view it seems quite possible to bring a comprehensive treatment of the whole under the three divisions of Theology, Anthropology, Soteriology. It is also desirable to bring an entire treatise under as few heads as possible. But if these three divisions were arranged in the order of Anthropology, Soteriology, and Theology, the same field of study would come under view, and every topic would find its appropriate treatment in its own order.

Whether it be better to begin a study of biblical doctrines with the nature of man or with the nature of God is an open question. Not a little may be said in favor of either method, and in adopting one in preference to the other we do not thereby condemn the other. It accords more with a priori habits of thought to begin with the nature and attributes of God, and thence proceed with a study of creation and man and redemption and questions of the future as consequences of the divine activity. A monergistic conception of the universe arises quite naturally from this method of procedure, and, so far as one keeps within the limits of demonstrable truth, the method has its unquestionable advantages. The disadvantages are seen in the fact that one pursuing this method is plunged first of all into the most mysterious subject of human thought, the existence and attributes of the Infinite Being. The doctrine of the Trinity, with its incomprehensible metaphysics, is thus soon thrust upon us, and is of a nature to prejudice many students against "systematic theology." It is, perhaps, possible to escape some measure of such theological odium by adopting the a posteriori method of beginning with the simplest facts of our personal consciousness, and thence proceeding to the more difficult subjects of human possibilities, and the mystery of Christ and of God. This method accords with that of scientific research in the

realm of nature, and has its obvious advantages. It argues from the known to the unknown. As man was made and exists in the image of God, it is altogether probable that a careful study of human nature and its possibilities will go far to prepare the way for the most satisfactory study of the great mystery of God.

9. The Method of This Work. The method of the present treatise begins with the doctrine of man and concludes with the doctrine of our heavenly Father. The fundamental truths of the Christian religion are so vitally related to each other that it is quite impossible to discuss any one of them fully without the frequent assumption of a general acquaintance with other related doctrines. It is not supposed that any student of theology comes to the reading of a book like this without some knowledge of the subjects to be discussed, nor is it supposable that any theologian begins a formal inquiry into the nature of man without some knowledge of the doctrine of God. Several of the most noteworthy books mentioned above, as, for example, those of Hase, Friedrich Nitzsch, and Curtis, present the doctrines of anthropology at the beginning. Such a beginning easily and naturally avoids the prejudicial habit of a priori speculation, and deals at first and as far as possible with demonstrable facts. Our own chosen outline, as is readily seen, brings the whole material of biblical doctrine under the three words, Man, Christ, and the Father. Man's natural constitution, his sinfulness, and the facts of his regeneration are matters of personal knowledge, and may well be treated as such, and also with the infinite possibilities of such a nature, before we take up the study of the person and work of Christ. And as "no one knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son reveals him," it seems altogether proper to approach the study of our Father in heaven through the person, the mediation, and the abiding spiritual ministry of his only begotten Son. The greatest religious truths may be thus set forth, not as so many verbal formulas of an outwardly authoritative credenda, but as living inspirations to a holy life. Most of these are thus seen to connect with real experiences of the Christian life and of its blessed and eternal hopes. It may also prove a helpful discipline in theological studies to formulate the facts of personal experience as a preparation for inquiring into the deeper mysteries of Christ and of God.

PART FIRST

THE CONSTITUTION AND

POSSIBILITIES OF MAN

SECTION FIRST

THE NATURE OF MAN

CHAPTER I

THE NATURAL CONSTITUTION OF MAN

1. Primary Realities. We begin our study of the doctrines of the Bible with the question, What is man? for there can be nothing more real to a thinking being than his own existence. Along with this unquestionable assurance of one's own personality there comes gradually the unmistakable perception of a world about him which is not himself. He soon discovers that he is one of an innumerable company of beings that exist in conditions and with experiences like his own. He finds also that he can in many ways affect or influence his fellow beings and other things in the world about him, and that they also can in like manner affect him. And thus there comes along with the growing knowledge of his own person and powers a clear sense of his dependence and his limitations. These various feelings, perceptions, and activities are matters of personal consciousness, and they are to every man the most real things in the world. There are also certain convictions, ideas, and truths which find expression everywhere and always as the unanimous verdict of mankind. They command recognition in all our continued processes of thought. They are of the nature of unquestionable facts, and are accepted as having inherent authority over the collective conscience and judgment of all civilized peoples. Whatever contradicts such