The Book of Religions Part 15

"Another doctrine of the Orthodox system is, that of justification by faith in Christ. But this, also, has been differently stated and explained. Some think the believer justified by Christ's righteousness, others by the influence of his sufferings and death, and others by the joint efficacy of both his obedience and sufferings. Some believe justification to be the same as forgiveness, while others regard it as implying, not only forgiveness, but also a t.i.tle to eternal life.

"It is evident, from the examples here given, that, although Orthodoxy denotes a general system of important doctrines or facts on the subject of religion, it is not to be inferred, either by friends or foes, that Orthodox Christians are tied up to precisely the same views of subjects, or that there exists no diversity of sentiment among them. There is, and always has been, a diversity of sentiment, in regard not only to modes and forms, but to the statement, proofs, and explanations, of the most important doctrines. Some of them, to be sure, are little more than verbal; but others are _real_, are fitted to excite interest, and are ent.i.tled to very serious consideration. Still, as they are all held in avowed consistency with that great series of facts which go to const.i.tute the Orthodox system, they should not be regarded as placing their advocates beyond the proper limits of Orthodoxy.

They const.i.tute a wide field of important discussion, over which those who agree in holding the Head,-in holding the great doctrines of redemption by the blood of Christ, and of sanctification by the Holy Spirit,-may freely and fraternally traverse. Modes and forms, the interpretation of pa.s.sages, and explanations of particular doctrines, (so long as essential doctrines are not discarded,) may be discussed without the interruption of brotherly affection, and without the imputation and reproach of heresy. One person may hold that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of _suggestion_; and another that, while some parts are the fruit of immediate suggestion, others may more properly be attributed to the inspiration of _superintendence_; and neither should charge the other with denying the inspiration of the Scriptures, or with being a heretic, or an infidel. One person may insist that the pa.s.sage in 1 John 5:7, is authentic Scripture, and strong proof of the doctrine of the Trinity; and another may doubt this, or deny it altogether; and neither should be charged with intentionally corrupting the Scriptures, or with being a Unitarian. One person may hold that G.o.d executes his immutable and eternal decrees by a direct efficiency, and another that he does it by the intervention of motives, and yet one be no more an Arminian than the other."

ANDOVER ORTHODOX CREED.

Every person appointed or elected a professor in the Theological Inst.i.tution at Andover, in the state of Ma.s.sachusetts, shall, on the day of his inauguration into office, publicly make and subscribe the following CREED and DECLARATION:-

Creed.

"I believe that there is one, and but one, living and true G.o.d; that the word of G.o.d, contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, is the only perfect rule of faith and practice; that, agreeably to those Scriptures, G.o.d is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth; that in the G.o.dhead are three Persons, the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY GHOST; and that those THREE are ONE G.o.d, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; that G.o.d created man, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; that the glory of G.o.d is man's chief end, and the enjoyment of G.o.d his supreme happiness; that this enjoyment is derived solely from conformity of heart to the moral character and will of G.o.d; that ADAM, the federal head and representative of the human race, was placed in a state of probation, and that, in consequence of his disobedience, all his descendants were const.i.tuted sinners; that, by nature, every man is personally depraved, dest.i.tute of holiness, unlike and opposed to G.o.d; and that, previously to the renewing agency of the DIVINE SPIRIT, all his moral actions are adverse to the character and glory of G.o.d; that, being morally incapable of recovering the image of his CREATOR, which was lost in ADAM, every man is justly exposed to eternal d.a.m.nation; so that, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of G.o.d; that G.o.d, of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, and that he entered into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of this state of sin and misery by a REDEEMER; that the only REDEEMER of the elect is the eternal SON of G.o.d, who, for this purpose, became man, and continues to be G.o.d and man, in two distinct natures, and one person, forever; that CHRIST, as our Redeemer, executeth the office of a Prophet, Priest, and King; that, agreeably to the covenant of redemption, the SON of G.o.d, and he alone, by his sufferings and death, has made atonement for the sins of all men; that repentance, faith, and holiness, are the personal requisites in the gospel scheme of salvation; that the righteousness of CHRIST is the only ground of a sinner's justification; that this righteousness is received through faith; and that this faith is the gift of G.o.d; so that our salvation is wholly of grace; that no means whatever can change the heart of a sinner, and make it holy; that regeneration and sanctification are effects of the creating and renewing agency of the HOLY SPIRIT, and that supreme love to G.o.d const.i.tutes the essential difference between saints and sinners; that, by convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds, working faith in us, and renewing our wills, the HOLY SPIRIT makes us partakers of the benefits of redemption; and that the ordinary means by which these benefits are communicated to us, are the word, sacraments, and prayer; that repentance unto life, faith to feed upon CHRIST, love to G.o.d, and new obedience, are the appropriate qualifications for the Lord's supper; and that a Christian church ought to admit no person to its holy communion, before he exhibit credible evidence of his G.o.dly sincerity; that perseverance in holiness is the only method of making our calling and election sure, and that the final perseverance of saints, though it is the effect of the special operation of G.o.d on their hearts, necessarily implies their own watchful diligence; that they who are effectually called, do, in this life, partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which do either accompany or flow from them; that the souls of believers are, at their death, made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pa.s.s into glory; that their bodies, being still united to CHRIST, will, at the resurrection, be raised up to glory, and that the saints will be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of G.o.d, to all eternity: but that the wicked will awake to shame and everlasting contempt, and, with devils, be plunged into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone forever and ever. I moreover believe that G.o.d, according to the counsel of his own will, and for his own glory, hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pa.s.s, and that all beings, actions, and events, both in the natural and moral world, are under his providential direction; that G.o.d'S decrees perfectly consist with human liberty, G.o.d'S universal agency with the agency of man, and man's dependence with his accountability; that man has understanding and corporeal strength to do all that G.o.d requires of him; so that nothing but the sinner's aversion to holiness prevents his salvation; that it is the prerogative of G.o.d to bring good out of evil, and that he will cause the wrath and rage of wicked men and devils to praise him; and that all the evil which has existed, and will forever exist, in the moral system, will eventually be made to promote a most important purpose, under the wise and perfect administration of that ALMIGHTY BEING, who will cause all things to work for his own glory, and thus fulfil all his pleasure."

Declaration.

"And, furthermore, I do solemnly promise that I will open and explain the Scriptures to my pupils with integrity and faithfulness; that I will maintain and inculcate the Christian faith, as expressed in the creed, by me now repeated, together with all the other doctrines and duties of our holy religion, so far as may appertain to my office, according to the best light G.o.d shall give me, and in opposition, not only to Atheists and Infidels, but to Jews, Papists, Mahometans, Arians, Pelagians, Antinomians, Arminians, Socinians, Sabellians, Unitarians, and Universalists, and to all heresies and errors, ancient and modern, which may be opposed to the gospel of CHRIST, or hazardous to the souls of men; that, by my instruction, counsel, and example, I will endeavor to promote true piety and G.o.dliness; that I will consult the good of this INSt.i.tUTION, and the peace of the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ on all occasions; and that I will religiously conform to the const.i.tution and laws of this SEMINARY, and to the statutes of this foundation."

The foregoing creed is considered a summary of what is commonly called the a.s.sEMBLY'S CATECHISM.

The _Westminster a.s.sembly_ met in London, in the reign of Charles I, A. D.

1643. It was a synod of learned divines, a.s.sembled by order of parliament, for the purpose of settling the government, liturgy, and doctrine, of the church of England.

NEW HAVEN ORTHODOX CREED.

Considerable anxiety existed, a few years since, in regard to the Orthodoxy of the Rev. Dr. TAYLOR, professor of divinity at Yale College, at New Haven, in the state of Connecticut. The following letter from Dr.

TAYLOR to the Rev. Dr. HAWES, of Hartford, contains a full exposition of the religious views of that distinguished theologian:-

YALE COLLEGE, _Feb. 1, 1832._

"Dear Brother:

"I thank you for yours of the 23d ult., in which you express your approbation of my preaching during the protracted meetings at Hartford. This expression of fraternal confidence is grateful to me, not because I ever supposed that we differed in our views of the great doctrines of the gospel, but because, for some reason or other, an impression has been made, to some extent, _that I am unsound in the faith_. This impression, I feel bound to say, in my own view, is wholly groundless and unauthorized. You think, however, that 'I owe it to myself, to the inst.i.tution with which I am connected, and to the Christian community, to make a frank and full statement of my views of some of the leading doctrines of the gospel, and that this cannot fail to relieve the minds of many, who are now suspicious of my Orthodoxy.'

"Here I must be permitted to say, that the repeated and full statements of my opinions, which I have already made to the public, would seem to be sufficient to prevent or remove such suspicions. The course you propose, however, may furnish information to some who would desire it before they form an opinion, as well as the means of correcting the misrepresentations of others. I therefore readily comply with your request, and submit to your disposal the following statement of my belief on some of the leading doctrines of the gospel. I believe,-

"1. That there are three persons in one G.o.d,-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

"2. That the eternal purposes of G.o.d extend to all actual events, sin not excepted; or that G.o.d foreordains whatsoever comes to pa.s.s, and so executes these purposes, as to leave the free moral agency of man unimpaired.

"3. That all mankind, in consequence of the fall of Adam, are born dest.i.tute of holiness, and are by nature totally depraved; in other words, that all men, from the commencement of moral agency, do, without the interposition of divine grace, sin, and only sin, in all their moral conduct.

"4. That an atonement for sin has been made for all mankind by the Lord Jesus Christ; that this atonement was necessary to magnify the law, and to vindicate and unfold the justice of G.o.d in the pardon of sin; and that the sinner who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is freely justified on the ground of his atoning sacrifice, and on that ground alone.

"5. That the change in regeneration is a _moral_ change, consisting in a new, holy disposition, or governing purpose of the heart, as a permanent principle of action; in which change, the sinner transfers the _supreme_ affection of his heart from all inferior objects to the living G.o.d, chooses him as the portion of his soul, and his service and glory as his supreme good, and thus, in respect to moral character, becomes a _new man_.

"6. That this moral change is never produced in the human heart by _moral suasion_, i. e., by the mere influence of truth and motives, as the Pelagians affirm, but is produced by the influence of the Holy Spirit, operating on the mind through the truth, and in perfect consistency with the nature of moral action, and laws of moral agency.

"7. That all men (in the words of the article of your church) may accept of the offers of salvation freely made to them in the gospel, but that no one will do this, except he be drawn by the Father.

"8. That the necessity of the influence of the Holy Spirit in regeneration results solely from the voluntary perverseness of the sinner's heart, or disinclination to serve G.o.d, which, while it leaves him a complete moral agent, and without excuse for neglecting his duty, suspends his actual salvation on the sovereign will of G.o.d.

"9. That the renewing grace of G.o.d is _special_, in distinction from that which is common, and is resisted by the sinful mind, inasmuch as it is that which is designed to secure, and does infallibly secure, the conversion of the sinner.

"10. That all who are renewed by the Holy Spirit are elected or chosen of G.o.d from eternity, that they should be holy, not on account of foreseen faith, or good works, but according to the good pleasure of his will.

"11. That all who are renewed by the Holy Spirit, will, through his continual influence, persevere in holiness to the end, and obtain eternal life.

"Such is my faith in respect to some of the lending doctrines of the gospel. These doctrines I preach; these I teach in the theological department of this Seminary; these I have repeatedly published to the world. With what truth or justice any regard me as a 'teacher of theology, introducing heresy into our churches,'

the candid can judge.

"But it may be asked, whether, after all, there are not some points on which I differ from my brethren generally, or, at least, from some of them. I answer,-It would be strange if any two man should be found to agree exactly in all the minute matters of religious opinion. With respect, however, to what is properly considered the Orthodox or Calvinistic SYSTEM of doctrines, as including the great FACTS of Christianity, and as opposed to, and distinguished from, the Unitarian, Pelagian, and Arminian _systems_, I suppose there is between the Orthodox ministry and myself an entire agreement. In respect to comparatively minor points, and philosophical theories, and modes of defending the Calvinistic system of doctrines, there has always been, as you are aware, a diversity of opinion, with freedom of discussion, among the Calvinists in this country, especially in New England, but which has never impaired their fellows.h.i.+p or mutual confidence. To these topics of difference, greater or less importance has been attached by different individuals. In respect to some of these, (and, in respect to them, I suppose myself to agree with a large majority of our Calvinistic clergy,) I will now briefly but frankly state what I do _not_, and what I do, believe.

"I do _not_ believe that the posterity of Adam are, in the proper sense of the language, guilty of his sin; or that the ill desert of that sin is truly theirs; or that they are punished for that sin. But I do believe that, by the wise and holy const.i.tution of G.o.d, all mankind, in consequence of Adam's sin, become sinners by their own act.

"I do _not_ believe that the nature of the human mind, which G.o.d creates, is itself sinful; or that G.o.d punishes men for the nature which he creates; or that sin pertains to any thing in the mind which precedes all conscious mental exercise or action, and which is neither a matter of consciousness nor of knowledge. But I do believe that sin, universally, is no other than selfishness, or a _preference_ of one's self to all others,-of some inferior good to G.o.d; that this free, voluntary preference is a permanent principle of action in all the unconverted; and that this is sin, and all that in the Scriptures is meant by sin. I also believe that such is the _nature_ of the human mind, that it becomes the occasion of universal sin in men in all the appropriate circ.u.mstances of their existence, and that, therefore, they are truly and properly said to be sinners _by nature_.

"I do _not_ believe that sin can be proved to be the necessary means of the greatest good, and that, as such, G.o.d prefers it, on the whole, to holiness in its stead; or that a G.o.d of sincerity and truth punishes his creatures for doing that which he, on the whole, prefers they should do, and which, as the means of good, is the best thing they can do. But I do believe that holiness, as the means of good, may be better than sin; that it may be true that G.o.d, all things considered, prefers holiness to sin in all instances in which the latter takes place, and, therefore, sincerely desires that all men should come to repentance, though, for wise and good reasons, he _permits_, or does not prevent, the existence of sin. I do _not_ believe that it can be proved that an omnipotent G.o.d would be _unable_ to secure more good by means of the perfect and universal obedience of his creatures, if they would render it, than by means of their sin. But I do believe that it may involve a dishonorable limitation of his power to suppose that he could not do it.(3)

"I do _not_ believe that the grace of G.o.d can be truly said to be _irresistible_, in the primary, proper import of this term. But I do believe that, in all cases, it _may be_ resisted by man as a free moral agent, and that, when it becomes effectual to conversion, as it infallibly does in the case of all the elect, it is _unresisted_.

"I do _not_ believe that the grace of G.o.d is necessary, as Arminians and some others maintain, to render man an accountable agent, and responsible for rejecting the offers of eternal life.

But I do believe that man would be such an agent, and thus responsible, were no such grace afforded, and that otherwise 'grace would be no more grace.'

"I do _not_ believe that it is necessary that the sinner, in using the means of regeneration, should commit sin in order to become holy. But I do believe that, as a moral agent, he is qualified so to use these means, i. e., the truth of G.o.d when present to his mind, as to become holy at once; that he is authorized to believe that, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, this _may be_ done; and that, except in so doing, he cannot be truly and properly said to _use_ the means of regeneration.

"I do _not_ believe that we are authorized to a.s.sure the sinner, as Arminians do, and some others also, that the Holy Spirit is always ready to convert him. But I do believe that we are authorized to a.s.sure any sinner that it _may be true_ that the Holy Spirit is now ready to convert him; 'that G.o.d PERADVENTURE will now give him repentance;' and that thus, in view of the possible intervention of divine influence, we remove what would otherwise be a ground of fatal discouragement to the sinner, when we exhort him to immediate repentance.

"I have dwelt the more on some of these particulars, because much pains has been taken, by some individuals, to make the impression that I have departed from the true faith respecting the influences of the Holy Spirit, even denying his influences altogether. So far is this from the fact, that, as you well know, no one attaches higher importance to this doctrine than I do, preaches it more decisively, or appreciates more highly its practical relations and bearings. In my own view, the power of the gospel on the mind of the sinner very much consists in the two great facts of his complete moral agency as the basis of his obligation, of his guilt, and of his duty;-and of his dependence on the sovereign grace of G.o.d, resulting from his voluntary perverseness in sin.

Without the latter, we could, in my opinion, neither show the Christian what thanks he owes his Deliverer from sin, nor awaken the sinner to flee from the wrath to come. This doctrine seems to be indispensable to destroy the presumptuous reliance of the sinner on future repentance, as it shows him how fearfully he provokes an offended G.o.d to withhold the grace on which all depends. At the same time, one thing is indubitably certain, viz., that G.o.d never revealed the doctrine of the sinner's dependence on his Spirit, to present the sinner from doing his duty at once. G.o.d does not call sinners to instant compliance with the terms of life, and then a.s.sure them that such compliance is utterly out of the question, and to be wholly despaired of. The opposite impression, however, is not uncommon; and it is an error not less fatal to immediate repentance, than the fond hope of repenting hereafter. Both are to be destroyed; and he who does not preach the gospel in that manner which tends to destroy both, preaches it but imperfectly.

"In the earlier revivals of this country, great prominence was given, in the preaching, to the doctrine of dependence, in the forms of regeneration, election, &c. This was what was to be expected from the Calvinistic preachers of the time, in view of the prevalence of Arminianism. In the more recent revivals, however, a similar prominence seems to be given to moral agency, in the forms of present obligation to duty, its present practicability, &c. The preaching, thus distinguished in its more prominent characteristics, has been undeniably owned and blessed by the Spirit of G.o.d, although we are very apt to believe that what is true of one kind of preaching at one time, must be true of it at another. Now, I believe that both the doctrines of dependence and moral accountability must be _admitted by the public mind_, to secure upon that mind the full power of the gospel. I also believe that greater or less _prominence_ should be given to the one or the other of these doctrines, according to the prevailing state of public opinion. When, at the earlier periods alluded to, the doctrine of dependence was dwelt on chiefly, (I do not suppose exclusively,) the public mind believed enough-I might say too much-concerning the free moral agency of man, and had not so well learned as since to pervert the doctrine of dependence to justify the waiting att.i.tude of a pa.s.sive recipient. And, then, both doctrines told with power on the mind and the conscience, and, through G.o.d, were attended with great and happy results. But the prominence given to the doctrine of dependence, in preaching, was continued, until, if I mistake not, it so engrossed the public attention, and so obscured or weakened the doctrine of responsibility, that many fell into the opposite error of quietly waiting for G.o.d's interposition. Hence, when this prevailing error is again corrected by a more prominent exhibition of man's responsibility, in the form of immediate obligation, &c., the power of both doctrines is again combined on the public mind, and we see the same or even greater results in revivals of religion.

Nor would it be strange if the latter kind of preaching should, in its turn, prevail so exclusively and so long, that the practical influence of the doctrine of dependence should be greatly impaired, to be followed with another dearth of revivals and a quiet reliance of sinful men on their own self-sufficiency. On this subject, I have often, in view of the tendency of the human mind to vacillate from one extreme to the other, expressed my apprehensions. In some of my brethren, whom I love and respect, I see what I esteem a _disproportioned_ estimate of the importance of preaching dependence; in others, whom I equally respect, I see what I regard as a _disproportioned_ estimate of the importance of preaching moral responsibility. In regard to myself, I can say that I have aimed, in this respect, rightly to divide the word of truth, and that those discourses in which I have best succeeded in bringing the two doctrines to bear, in their combined force, on the mind, have been more blessed to the awakening and conversion of sinners, than almost any others which I preach. When both doctrines are wisely and truly presented, the sinner has no resting-place. Ho cannot well avoid a sense of guilt while proposing to remain in his sins, for he sees that he is a free moral agent, under all the responsibilities of such an agent to immediate duty. He cannot well presume on his resolution of future repentance, for he sees that sovereign, injured grace may at once abandon him to hopeless sin. He is thus shut up to the faith,-to the immediate performance of his duty. In accordance with these views, I aim, in my instructions to those who are preparing for the ministry, to inculcate the importance of a consistent, well-proportioned exhibition of the two great doctrines of the sinner's dependence and responsibility, that, in this respect, they may hold the minds of their hearers under the full influence of that gospel which is the power of G.o.d to salvation.

"I have thus stated, more minutely, perhaps, than you antic.i.p.ated, my views and opinions. I could wish that they might be satisfactory to all our Orthodox brethren. I have no doubt that they will be to very many, and to some who have been alarmed by groundless rumors concerning my unsoundness in the faith. With respect to what I have called _leading doctrines_, I regard these as among the cardinal truths of the Christian system. They are truths to which I attach the highest importance, and in which my faith is more and more confirmed, the more I examine the word of G.o.d. To _some_ of those of which I have spoken as _comparatively minor points_, I attach a high importance in their practical bearings and doctrinal connections. They are points, however, in regard to which there is more or less diversity of opinion among the Orthodox; and, as it is not my intention nor my practice to denounce others as heretics, merely because they differ from me in these matters, so I should be pleased with the reciprocation of the like catholicism on their part."