00.3 Contents

CONTENTS §§ 1-13. INTRODUCTION 15-102

CHAPTER I.

§ 2.     

Meaning of the term — Natural and Revealed — Its Divisions — Its End — Who is a Theologian? — The need of the Holy Spirit, 15-20

CHAPTER II. OF THE GENERAL SUBJECT OF THEOLOGY, VIZ., RELIGION.

§ 3.     

Religion, true and false. Characteristics of the true — Proofs for the Christian Religion, 21-25

CHAPTER III. OF THE SOURCE OF THEOLOGY, VIZ., REVELATION.

§ 4. Revelation — Not Reason — Not Tradition, 25-29 § 5. On the Use of Reason in Theology — What is Reason? — Relation of Reason to Revelation — Reason before the Fall — Reason since the Fall — Reason not normative — Reason a Handmaid to Theology — Reason useful in its Sphere — Mixed and Pure Articles, 29-33

CHAPTER IV. OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES.

§ 6. The terms Sacred Scriptures and Inspiration. Scriptures, the written Word of God — Their two-fold origin — Meaning of Inspiration — Extent of Inspiration — Inspiration distinct from Revelation, 38-50 § 7. The Attributes of the Sacred Scriptures, 50 § 8.

1. Authority of the Scriptures. (a) Causative Authority of the Sacred Scriptures. Proofs not needed for Believers — Only real Proof, the work of the Holy Spirit — Internal Criteria of Inspiration — External Criteria of Inspiration. (b) Normative or Canonical Authority of the Sacred Scriptures. The Scriptures the only Rule of Faith — The Scriptures derive no authority from the Church — The Scriptures the only Judge of Controversies — Who are to interpret the Scriptures? — Original languages alone authoritative, 51-64 § 9.

2. The Perfection or Sufficiency of the Scriptures. The consequence of Inspiration — The abuse and use of Tradition, 64-68 § 10.

3. The Perspicuity of the Scriptures. Meaning of Perspicuity — Extent of Perspicuity — Perspicuity absolute and ordinate — Piety essential to an Interpreter — The Literal and Spiritual Sense — Obscure Things in Perspicuous Words — Analogy of the Faith — The Mystical Sense, 68-80 § 11.

4. The Efficacy of the Scriptures. The topic is discussed under the head of “The Means of Grace,”

80 § 12. Of the Canon and the Apocrypha. The Old and New Testaments — The Apocryphal Books — Marks of Canonicity — External and Internal — Testimony of the Ancient Church — The Antilegomena of the New Testament, 80-92

CHAPTER V. OF THE ARTICLES OF FAITH AND OF THE SYMBOLS OF THE CHURCH.

§ 13.     

What are Articles of Faith? — How related to each other? — Pure and remixed — Fundamental and non-fundamental — Earlier and Later Symbols — Relation of the Symbols to the Scriptures — Necessity of the Symbols, 92-102

PART I. OF GOD.

§ 14.     

Division of the Subject, 103

CHAPTER I. OF GOD.

§ 15.     

Preliminary statement — The natural and supernatural Knowledge of God — Innate Natural Knowledge of God — Acquired Natural Knowledge of God — Imperfection of such knowledge — Value of such knowledge — Supernatural Knowledge of God, 103-111 § 16.

1. The Certainty of the Existence of God, 111 § 17.

2. The Nature of God — His name — Cannot be defined — Approximate definitions, 111-117 § 18.

3. The Attributes of God — Not Accidents — They are one with the Divine Essence — Threefold Method of recognizing them — Classification of Divine Attributes. I. Negative Attributes. Unity — Simplicity — Immutability — Infinity — Immensity — Eternity. II. Positive Attributes. Life-Knowledge — Wisdom — Holiness — Justice — Truth — Power — Goodness, 117-129

CHAPTER II. OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

§ 19. The Doctrine is a Mystery — Purely a Matter of Revelation — It is a Fundamental Doctrine — The Church does not claim to understand it — Why described in Philosophical Terms — Gradual Development of the Doctrine — Definition of the Trinitarian Terminology. 1. Numerical Unity of the Divine Essence. 2. Diversity and Plurality; not (a) Essential; nor (b) Accidental; but (c) Hypostatical. Specific Hypostatical Distinctions — Personal Properties. I God the Father. II. God the Son — The Eternal Generation. III. God the Holy Ghost — Procession. Scriptural Proof of the Doctrine of the Trinity, 129-159

CHAPTER III. OF CREATION.

§ 20.     

1. Creation a Divine work. 2. The World created from Nothing. 3. Matter not Eternal. 4. Order and Manner of Creation — Dichotomy or Trichotomy? — Creationism or Traducianism? 5. Design of Creation. 6. Excellence of Creation. 7. Time of Creation, 159-170

CHAPTER IV. OF PROVIDENCE.

§ 21. The Doctrine taught both by Reason and Revelation — Comprehends Foreknowledge, Predetermination, and Administration — Basis of the Divine Foreknowledge. I. Preservation, or Continuous Creation — Influence of Second Causes — May Providence be deceived? II. Concurrence, or Divine Co-operation. Does God concur with sin? III. Government, or Divine Control — Does not neutralize Human Freedom — Providence embraces all Things — Providence, general and special, extraordinary and ordinary, 170-194

CHAPTER V. OF ANGELS.

§ 22. When were they created? I. The Nature of Angels. Design of their Creation — Attributes of the Angels. II. The Moral Condition of the Angels. Their Original Condition. A. The Good Angels. Their Powers enlarged — Their Employments. B. The Evil Angels. Consequences of their fall — Demoniacal Possession, 195-216

PART II. OF MAN.

§ 23.     

General Statement, 217

CHAPTER I. OF THE STATE OF INTEGRITY.

§ 24.     

State of Integrity Defined. Meaning of the Image of God — Original Righteousness — Other Features of the Image of God, 217-231

CHAPTER II. OF THE STATE OF CORRUPTION.

§ 25.     

State of Corruption Defined. Of Sin in General — Cause of Sin — Immediate Consequence of Sin, 231-234 § 26.

Man’s First Sin and his consequent Depravity. How did Adam sin? — All men sinned in Adam — Imputation, Arguments of Pelagians answered — What is Natural Depravity? — Natural Depravity Inherent — Natural Depravity Hereditary — Is Original Sin an Accident? — Termination of Original Sin, 234-250 § 27.

Actual Sins. Classified — Sin against the Holy Ghost, 250-257 § 28. The Freedom of the Will. Human Ability — No Free Will in Spiritual Things — Extent of Freedom — Synergism Unscriptural — Civil Righteousness — Threefold Condition of the Will, 257-268

PART III. OF THE SOURCES OF SALVATION.

§ 29.     Sources of Salvation,     269

CHAPTER I. OF THE BENEVOLENCE OF GOD TOWARDS FALLEN MAN.

§ 30. Of the Benevolence of God towards Fallen Man. 1. The Universal Benevolence of God. Gratuitous — Impartial — Sincere — Efficacious — Conditioned. 2. The Special Benevolence of God. Consequent — Particular — Predestination or Election — Divine Decrees not absolute or arbitrary — Election with respect to faith — Election and Foreknowledge — Divine Decrees not conditioned, but categorical — Election is immutable and irrevocable — Reprobation — Defined and Illustrated 270-292

CHAPTER II. OF THE FRATERNAL REDEMPTION BY CHRIST.

§ 31. Statement of the Subject, 293-294 A. — Of the Person of Christ.

§ 32. Of the Personal Union. I. Of the Two Natures in Christ, Truly Divine and truly Human — Attributes of Christ’s Humanity. II. Mode of the Personal Union. Negatively stated — Positively stated, 294-309 § 33. Of the Communion of Natures, the Personal Designations, and the Communicatio Idiomatum — Communion of Natures defined — No Intermixture of Natures, but I. Interchange of Designations. II. Communication of Properties. 1. Idiomatic. 2. Majestatic. 3. Apotelesmatic — Meaning of Perichoresis — Concrete of Nature and Person — Communication — Patristic Designations — Lutheran and Reformed views — Diversity among the Lutheran Dogmaticians, 309-337 B. — Of the Office of Christ.

§ 34. The Threefold Office of Christ — His Mediatorial Work in its threefold aspect, 337-339 § 35. The Prophetic Office of Christ. Defined — The Immediate and Mediate, 340-342 § 36. The Sacerdotal Office of Christ. Defined. I. Satisfaction. Why was Satisfaction needed? — Antithesis of the Socinians — Satisfaction Infinite — Christ’s Active and Passive Obedience — Vicarious Satisfaction — Completeness of the Satisfaction — Its Real Object — Its Personal Object. II. Intercession. General and Special Redemption, 342-370 § 37. The Regal Office of Christ. I. The Kingdom of Power. II. The Kingdom of Grace. III. The Kingdom of Glory — The Delivery of the Kingdom, 370-376 C. — The States of Christ.

§ 38.     

I. The State of Humiliation. Conception — Nativity — Circumcision — Education — Earthly Intercourse — Passion — Death — Burial — Incarnation not humiliation — “The Form of God.” II. The State of Exaltation. Descent into Hell — Resurrection — Ascension — Sitting at the Right Hand of God. Diverse views of the Dogmaticians, 376-407

CHAPTER III. OF THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE APPLICATION OF REDEMPTION.

§ 39. Preliminary Remarks, 407-409 § 40. The Agent — The Means — The Result, 410 § 41.

1. Of Faith. Its Constituent Elements — Explicit and Implicit — Confidence, the Chief Part — Special Faith — Faith of Infants — Living and Dead Faith Contrasted — Nature of Justifying Faith — Efficient Cause of Faith — Instrumental Cause of Faith — Grades of Faith-Assurance of Faith, 410-424 § 42.

2. Of Justification. The immediate Effect of Faith — Justification a Divine Forensic Act, embracing I. The Forgiveness of Sins. II. The Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ. The Ground of Justification — The Means of Justification — Osiander’s Error — Justification a Free Gift of God — Good Works and Justification — The Exclusive Particles — The Effects of Justification, 424-441 § 43. Concomitants and Consequences of Justifying Faith, 441 § 44.

1. Of the Divine Call. Necessity, Efficacy and Universality of the Call, 442-450 § 45.

2. Of Illumination. Necessity of Illumination by the Holy Spirit — Its Influence upon Intellect and Will — Legal and Evangelical Illumination, 450-458 § 46.

3. Of Regeneration and Conversion. The Terms defined and contrasted. I. Regeneration. Regeneration a Divine Act — Regeneration of Infants and Adults contrasted — Regeneration always Divinely efficacious — Regeneration amissible and recoverable. II. Conversion. Conversion a Divine Act — Elements of Repentance — Private Confession — Conversion ends in Faith — Prevenient and Co-operating Grace — The Divine Word the Instrument — The Human Will in Conversion — Converting Grace may be resisted, 458-480 § 47.

4. Of the Mystical Union. Not Metaphorical but Real — Union, General and Special, 481-486 § 48.

5. Of Renovation. Renovation contrasted with Regeneration — A gradual work, 486-491 § 49.

Supplementary. Of Good Works. The Effect of Renovation — Can Unbelievers perform Good Works? — Must Believers perform Good Works? — The Works of the Unregenerate — Reward of Good Works, 491-499

PART IV. OF THE MEANS OF GRACE AND OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I. OF THE DIVINE WORD.

§ 50. Preliminary Statement, 500 § 51. Of the Efficacy of the Divine Word. The Supernatural Power of the Word — Mysticism and Enthusiasm, 500-508 § 52. Of the Law and the Gospel. I. The Law. The Ceremonial Law — The Moral Law — Fourfold Use. II. The Gospel. The Gospel in Embryo in the Old Testament — The Gospel and the Law Contrasted — Concurrance of the Law and the Gospel, 508-520

CHAPTER II. OF THE SACRAMENTS.

§ 53. Of the Sacraments in general. What constitutes a Sacrament? — Only Two Sacraments — The two Factors — Requisites — The Act of Administration — “Ex Opere Operato” rejected — Relation of Word to Sacrament — Design of the Sacraments — Proper Use of the Sacraments — Old Testament Sacraments, 520-536 § 54. Of Baptism. The Holy Spirit in Baptism — Sacramental Union — Usages — Design — Affusion — Baptismal Formulae Explained — Exorcism — Baptism by Heretics — Infant Baptism — Infant Faith — Baptismal Grace Continuous — Necessity of Baptism, 536-555 § 55. Of the Lord’s Supper. I. The Nature of the Lord’s Supper. The Words of the Institution to be literally interpreted — The Mode of the Saviour’s Presence — Omnipresence of the Human Nature of Christ — Sacramental Manducation — Sacramental Union — Distinction between the Lutheran and Reformed Doctrine — No Consubstantiation — Distinction between the Lutheran and Romish Doctrine. II. The Form of the Lord’s Supper. Consecration and Distribution are Essential — Sacramental Union only during distribution — The Worthy Reception — Is it a Sacrifice? III. The Design of the Lord’s Supper. Commemorative — Nutritive — Imparts Saving Grace — Promotes Christian Fellowship, 555-582

CHAPTER III. OF THE CHURCH.

§ 56. Of the Church in a wider and a Narrower Sense. The Assembly of Believers — Church Militant and Triumphant — Church Catholic — Universal and Particular — In what Sense, Visible and Invisible — Church, True and False, 582-599 § 57. Of the Church Collective and Representative. Special and General Councils — Authority of the Councils, 599-604 § 58. Of the Three Estates in the Church, 604-605 § 59.

I. The Ecclesiastical Estate. The Holy Ministry a Divinely-appointed Office — The Church give the Mediate Call — Ordination confirms this Call — The Power of the Keys — Is Ordination Necessary? — Duty of Obedience — Grades in the Ministry, 605-616 § 60.

II. The Political Estate. The Civil Authority Divinely-appointed — Design of the Civil Authority — Relation of the Civil Authority to the Church, 616-619 § 61.

III. The Domestic Estate. 1. The Marriage Relation — Divorce. 2. The Parental Relation. 3. The Relation of Master and Servant, 619-623

PART V. OF THE LAST THINGS.

§ 62. Preliminary Statement, 624 § 63.

I. Of Death. The Consequence of the Fall — The Dissolution of Soul and Body — Death threefold — The Immortality of the Soul — No Intermediate State of Dormancy, 624-639 § 64.

II. Of the Resurrection of the Dead. Attributes of the Resurrection Body, 640-643 § 65.

III. Of the Final Judgment. The Signs of its Approach — Antichrist — Conversion of the Jews — Christ the Judge — Form of the Final Judgment, 643-655 § 66. IV. Of the End of the World, 655-656 § 67.

V. Of Eternal Damnation and Eternal Life. 1. Eternal Death. 2. Eternal Life, 656-663

APPENDIX I.

Sketch of the Dogmaticians cited,     665-671

APPENDIX II.

Explanation of some Scholastico-dogmatico terms, 673-675 INDEX, 677