^^«^ OF PRIWCf}^ jFP 16i949 THE WOEKS t'^^,* iVl-.Mj^*. JAMES AMINIUS, D. D. FORMERLY PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IX THE UNIVERSITY OF LEYDEN. TKANSLATED FEOM THE LATIN, IN THREE YOLUMES. THE FIRST AND SECOND * BY JAMES iNlCHOLS, AtrrnoE of " Calvinism aud arminlanism compared vs. titeik peincitlis and tendenct.' THE THIRD, WITH A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, BY E E V. W. R. B A G N A L L, A. M. OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHUROn. VOIilTME ONE. AUBURN AND BUFFALO : DERBY, MILLER AND ORTON. 1853. KNAPP * PECK, PPJNTEES, ATTBUBK, K; T. PREFACE. The scheme of theological doctrine, known, during the last two centuries, as Arminianism, received that appellation not because Arminius was its author, but from the fact that he collected, and embodied in a system, the scattered and frequently incidental obseryations of the Christijyi Fathers and the early Protestant Divines, and, more fully and definitely than any pre^ vious writer, explained and defended that scheme. Its main points, condi- tional in opposition to absolute predestination, and general in opposition to particular redemption, were advocated by the Fathers who flourished before Augustine, by Chrysostom and other Greek Fathers contemporaneous with him, by Erasmus in Holland, Melancthon in Germany, Hemmingius in Den- mark, Sneeanus in Friesland, Latimer in England, and many other eminent divines in different parts of Europe, prior to 1589, when Arminius discarded the views of Calvin, and embraced those which he afterwards ably advocated. These views have been entertained by most of the Lutherans in Germany, the North of Europe and the United States, by the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church of this country, and by that largest of denominations, not sustained by state patronage, which embraces, under various names, the followers of "Wesley in all parts of the world, and by some smaller denominations. The opposite view has obtained in the churches of Switzerland, Holland, and Scotland, among the Independents of England, and the Presbyterians and Cougregationalists (the Unitarians excepted) of this country. The largest denomination of Baptists is Calvinistie, while the General Baptists of England and the Free-Will Baptists of this country, both of them numerous and influential denominations, are decidedly Arminian. It is not to be denied that many, claiming to be Arminian, but departing farther from genuine Arminianism, than Arminius or Wesley did from Cal- vinism, have become Pelagians or Socinians, and have brought the odium of their errors on the system, which they adhere to only in name. On the other hand, it is equally true that Arminianism had exerted a very manifest influ- ence, particularly within the last century, in modifying the views of pro- fessed Calvinists, or, if not their views, certainly their modes of presenting IV PEEFACE. tliem, 60 that the doctrine of absolute decrees has lost its prominence in their teaching, and many of the ablest divines among them have advocated the Arminian views of the atonement. It may seem remarkable that, -while there have been so many advocates of this scheme, and so many treatises, published in our own language, elucidating and defending these views, the complete theological -works of Armiuius have never been published in an English translation. James Nichols, of London, a practical printer, but probably better versed in the Arminian and Calvinistic controversy of Holland than any other Englishman of his day, undertook and partly accomplished this ■work. His translation, though greatly encumbered by numeroxis notes ■which mostly contain information rather curious than valuable to most readers, is in general a faithful rendering of the original. It was published in two large octavo volumes, the first in 1825, and the second in 1828, and embraces not quite two-thirds of the works of Arminius, as published in Holland and Germany, in several editions between 1610 and 1635. This translation has been carefully revised for this edition, and its phraseology has been changed, where a change has seemed to be really desirable, but the meaning has been affected only in a few cases. The American editor is satisfied that,* in these cases, Nichols misunderstood and misinterpreted the original. In the part now, for the first time, published in the English language, the object has been to present, with clearness and accuracy, the ideas of Arminius, and the original has been adhered to as closely as possible, a nearly literal translation being often preferred to one adorned with greater elegance of Btyle. In both parts of the work, a word or phrase from the original has been frequently inserted, when it has been found difficult to convey in the English rendering the precise shade of meaning. It has also been thought expedient to insert a few brief notes, some of them preparatory to the differ- ent treatises, and others subjoined to the text as references, or needed explanations. More numerous and more extended observations might have been interesting and valuable, but the limits, which it was judged best to prescribe to the work, have prevented their insertion. A short sketch of the life of Arminius, designed only to elucidate some of the jiriueipal facts and events of his history, is prefixed to the translation. All the theolo^jical works of Arminius, the publication of which was ever sanctioned by himself or his friends, are here presented. His course of lectures on the prophecy of Malaehi, delivered at Leyden, and various lectures against Socinianism and Popery were preserved only in the notes of his auditors, and were not published in his works because, as they were taken down hastily, at the time of their delivery, many mistakes might have been made, and other views than those of Arminius might have been ascribed to him. His letter to Uytenbogardt "on the sin against the Holy Ghost,'" at the close of Nichols' tran^rlation is not contained in the Latin edition of his works, but was without doubt, translated by Nichols from some other work. In an appendix to the works of Curcellanis there is a letter from Arminius to Uy- tenbogardt, on the question — " Is the Son of God auro^so^ ?" which is strictly PREFACE. y a theological essay, and might have been translated for this edition, but th« views, contained in it, arc only a repetition of those jircsented in his Declara- tion of Sentiments, and elsewhere in his works. In view of bis early training, and the universal practice of the theological ■writers of that age, it might be expected that Arminius would adopt the phraseology and manner of the Schoolmen. This was, to some extent, true of him. Yet it will be found, we think, on the perusal of his writings, that he was less scholastic in his style and more practical and scriptural both in his views and in his mode of presenting them than most of his contempora- ries. Indeed, we hazard the assertion that no writer of that age equaled him in these respects. This, with other considerations, will, it is believed, render this an acceptable contributfon to our theological literature. Should such be tlie estimation of those to whom he submits it, the American editor will consider that his labor, undertaken and prosecuted chiefly from his admi- ration of the character and theological system of Arminius, has been amply repaid. W. E. BAGNALL. ^'iease H'e CONTENTS PAOK. £«FB OF ABMimirs J... 9 ORATIONS. I— The Priesthood of Christ , IT II— Tiie Objoot of Tlieolofcy 25 III— The Author and tlie Knd of Theology 63 lY— The Certainty of Sacred Theology 118 T — On recouciliug religious dissensions among Christians 146 DECLARATION OF SENTBIENTS. Introductory and explanatory remarks 193 1— On I'rertestiiifttion 211 8— On the Providence of Cod 251 3— On the Free-will of Man •. 252 4— On the Crace of God 253 5 — On the Perseverance of the Saints 254 6 — On the Assurance of Salvation 255 T— On the Perfection of Believers in this Life 255 8— On the Divinity of the Son of God 25T 9 — On the J ustiflcation of Man before God 262 10 — On the Revision of the Dutch Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism ... 264 APOLOGY AGAINST TIIIETT-ONE DEFAMATORY ARTICLES 2T6-880 1 — Faith, that is, justifying faith, is not peculiar to the elect 2T8 2 — It is possible for believers Anally to decline and fall away from faith and salvation 27S 8 — It is a matter of doutit, whether the faith, by which Abraham is said to be justified, was a faith in Jesus Christ who was still to come. No proof can be adduced of his liaving understood the promises of God in any other manner, than that he should be the heir of the world 282 4 — Faith is not an eJl'ect of election, but It is a ncces.sary requisite foreseen by God in tliose who are to be elected : And the decree concerning the bestowing of faith precedes the decree of election 285 5 — ^Naught among things contingent can be said to be necessakily done in respect to the Divine decree 289 6 — All things are done contingently 293 T — God has "not, by his eternal decree, determined future and contingent things to the one part or the other 296 8 — Sullicicnt grace of the Holy Spirit is bestowed on those to whom the Gospel is preach- ed, whosoever they may be ; so that, if they will, they may believe : otherwise, God would only be mocking mankind 299 9 — ^Tbe temporal afflictions of believers are notcorrectly termed '■' diastviements" but are puni«hmenU for eins. For Christ has rendered satisfaction only for eternal punish- ments 801 16 — It cannot be proved from Scripture, that believers under the Old Testament, before the Ascension of Christ, -were in Heaven 806 11 — It is a matter of doubt, whether believers under the Old Testament understood that the legal ceremonies were types of Christ and of his benefits 812 Vi — Christ has died for all men and for every individual 816 13 4 14 — Original sin will condemn no man. In every nation, all infants who die without [having committed] actual sins, are saved SIT 15 — If the heathen, and those who are strangers to the true knowledge of God, do thoso things which by the powers of nature they are enabled to do, God will not condemn them, but will reward these their works by a more enlarged knowledge by which they may be brought to salvatioa 822 Vm CONTEMl'S. 16 — The works of the unregencrate can be pleasing to God, and are (according to Borritts) the occasion, and (according to Aeminius,) the impulsive cause, by which God will be moved to communicate to them his saving giace 825 IT — God will not deny his grace to any one who does what is in him 328 18 — God undoubtedly converts, without the external preaching of the Gospel, gi'eat num- bers of persons to the saving knowledge of Christ, among those [uhi est] who have no outward preaching; and He efi'ects such conversions either by the inward reve- lation of the Holy Spirit, or by the ministry of angels. (Bokrius & Akminius.). . . 829 16 — Before his fall, Adam had not the power to believe, because there was no necessity for laitli; God, therefore, could not require faith from him after the fall 883 20 — It cannot possibly be proved from the Sacred "Writings, that the angels are now con- firmed in their e.-tate 83ft 21 (I.) — It is a new, heretical and Sabelliau mode of speaking, nay, it is blasphemous, to say " that the Son of God is au 'i''j".s [very God,] for the Father alone is very God, but not the Son and the Holy Spirit ' 839 22 (II.) — It is the summit of blasphemy to say, that God is freely good 844 23 (III.) — It frequently happens, that a creature who is not entirely hardened in evil, is unwilling u> j.ivform an action because it is joined with sin ; unless when certain arguments and occasions are presented to him which act as incitements to its com- mission. lAdminifitnitio} The management of this presentation also is in the hand of the Providence of God, who presents these incitements that He may accomplish his own work by the act of the creature 347 24 (IV.) — The righteousness of Christ is not imputed to us for righteousness; but to be- lieve [or the act of believing] justifies us 855 25 (V.)^The whole of that in which we appear before God, justifies us: But we appear before God, not only by faith, but also by works: thekefoee, we are justified be- fore God, not only by faith but likewise by works 359 26 (VI.) — Faith is not the instrument of justification 863 27 (VII.) — Faith is not the pure gift of God, but depends partly on the grace of God, and " partly on the powers of Free-will ; that, if a man will, he may believe or not believe 865 28 (VIII.) — The grace sufficient for sahation is conferred on the elect, and on the non- elect; that, if they will, they may believe or not believe, may be saved or not be saved 367 29 (IX.) — Believers can perfectly fulfill the law, and live in the world without sin 369 80 (X.) — It may admit of discussion, whet her Semi-Pelagiauism is not real Christianity.. 371 31 (XI.) — It is not correctly said in the Catechism, that " God is angry with us for \inna- ta] birth-sins ;" because orlgiiud sin is a punishment: But whatever is a punish- ment is not properly a sin 378 NINE QUESTIONS EXHIBITED FOK THE PFEPOSE OF OBTAINING AN AN- SWEK FItOM EACH OF THE PlloFESSOPS OF DIVINITY, AND THE EE- PLIES AVHICII JAMES AE.MINIUS GAVE TO THEM: AVITH OTIIEK NINE OPPOSITE ARTICLES 3S0-386 KEMAKKS ON THE PRECEDING QUESTIONS 387 TWENTY-FIVE PUBLIC DISPUTATIONS 890 1 — On the Authority and Certainty of the Sacred Scriptures 896 2 — On the SutHciency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures in opposition to traditions... 411 3 — On the Sufficiency and Perfection of the Holy ScriptuVes, in opposition to human tra- ditions 425 4— On the Nature of God 434 5 — On the Person of the Father and the Son 464 6— On the Holy Spirit 4T3 7_0n the First Sin of the First Man 479 &— On Actual Sins 486 9 — On the Righteousness and Efficacy of the Providence of God concerning Evil 493 10— On the Same 510 ll_On the Free Will of Man and its Powers 523 1:2 — On the Law of God 531 IS — On the Comparison of the Law and the Gospel 539 14 — On the Offices of our Lord Jesus Christ 548 15 — On Divine Predestination 565 16 — On the Vocation of Men to Salvation 570 17 — On Repentance 575 18 — On the Church and its Head 5S3 39 — On the Justification of Man before God 595 20— On Christain Liberty : 601 21 — On the Roman Pontiff", and the principal titles which are attributed to him 608 22 — The case of all the Protestant or Reformed Churches, with respect to their alleged se- cession 6 20 23— On Idolatry 637 24 — On the Invocation of Saints 657 25 — On Magistracy 663 ERRATA. 670 A SKETCH OF THE LIFE JAMES A R M I N I U S . James ARAUNros was born in Oudewater, a small town near Utrecht in Holland, in the year 1560. His parents were re- spectable persons of the middle rank in life, his father being an ingenious mechanic, by trade a cutler. His family name was Herman, or, according to some, Harmen. As was usual with learned men of that period, who either Latinized theii* own names, or substituted for them such Latin names as agreed most nearly in sound or in signification with them, he selected the name of the celebrated leader of the Germans in the early part of the first century. While Arminius was yet an infant, his father died, and he, with a brother and sister, was left to the care of his widowed mother. Theodore ^milius, a cler- gyman, distinguished for piety and learning, then resided at Utrecht, and, becoming acquainted with the circumstances of the family, he charged himself with the education of the child. AVith this excellent man Arminius resided till his fifteenth year, when death deprived him of his patron. During this period he exhibited traits of uncommon genius, and was thor- oughly taught in the elements of science, and particularly in the rudiments of the Latin and Greek languages. He was led to dedicate himself to the service of God, and became, though so young, exemplary for piety. About this time, Rudolph Snellius, a native of Oudewater, then residing at Marpurg in Hessia, to which place he had 10 LIFE OF AKMINnjS. retired from the tyranny of the Spaniards, and highly reputed for his learning, especially in mathematics and languages, vis- ited his native land Becoming acquainted with and interest- ed in his young townsman, he invited him to go to Marpurg under his own patronage. Arminius accordingly accompa- nied him thither, but had been engaged in his studies at the University only a short time when the mournful intelligence reached him that his native town had been destroyed by the Spanish army. He returned to Holland, and found his worst fears realized in the information that his mother, brother and sister were among the victims of the indiscriminate slaughter, which had ensued on the capture of the town. He retraced his steps sadly to Marpurg, performing the whole journey on foot. During the same year, 15T5, the new Dutch University at. Leyden w^as formed, under the auspices of William I, Prince of Orange. As soon as Arminius learned that the new institu- tion had been opened for the admission of students, he at once prepared to return to Holland, and soon entered as a student at Leyden. He remained there six years, occupying the high- est place in the estimation of his instructors, and of his fellow- students. At the expiration of that jjeriod, in his twenty-sec- ond year, he was recommended to the municipal authorities of Amsterdam as a young man of the largest promise for future usefulness, and as especially worthy of their patronage. They at once assumed 'the expense of the completion of his academic studies, while Arminius, on his part, gave into their hands a written bond, by which he pledged himself to devote the re- mainder of his life, after his admission to holy orders, to the service of the church in that city, and to engage in no other work and in no other place without the special sanction of the Burgomasters. He immediately went to Geneva, being attracted thither chiefly by the reputation of the celebrated Beza, who was then lecturing in that University. He remained there, however, but a short time, having given offence to some of the profes- sors by defending Ramus and his system of dialectics in op- position to that of Aristotle. He now repaired to the Uuiver- LIFE OF AEMTNTUS. H sity of Basle, and resided tliere a year, during a part of whicli, as was customary for undergraduates who had made the great- est proficiency, he delivered lectures on theological subjects out of the ordinary college course. By these and other exhibitions of his erudition, he acquired such reputation that, on the eve of his departure from Basle, tlie faculty of Theology in that University tendered him the title and degree of Doctor. This he modestly declined, alleging, as a reason, his youth. The feeling, -which had been excited against him, in the University of Geneva, on account of his adherence to the philosphy of Ramus, having, to a considerable degree, subsided, lie now re- turned to that University, and remained tliere three years, engaged in the study of divinity. About the end of this period, several of his young country- men, who had also been pursuing their studies at Geneva, de- parted on a tour through Italy, and Arminius determined to make a similar excursion. lie was j^articularly inclined to this by a desire to hear James Zabarella, at that time highly distinguished as Professor of Philosophy in the University of Padua. He remained at Padua a short time, and also visited Pome and some other places in Italy. This tour was of con- siderable advantage to him, as it afforded him an opportunity to become acquainted, by personal observation, M'itli "the mys- tery of inifpiity" and may account for the zeal and strenu- ousness with whicli he afterwards opposed many of the doc- trines and assumptions of the papacy. It was, however, tem- porarily to his disadvantage as he incurred the displeasure of his patrons, the Senate of Amsterdam. This displeasure prob- ably originated in, it was certainly increased by the efforts of certain mischievous persons, who grievously misrepresented his motives and conduct in visiting Italy, and it was readily removed by the statements of Arminius on his return to Hol- land, which occurred in the autumn of 15S7. In the begin- ning of the following year, after an examination before the Amsterdam Classis, he was licensed to preach, and by the re- quest of the authorities of the church, he began his i>ublic ministry in that city. His efforts in the pulpit were received with 80 much favor, that he was unanimously called to the 12 LIFE OF AEMINIUS. pastorate of the Dutch church in Amsterdam, and was ordain- ed on the eleventh of August, 1588. Circumstances occurred dm-ing the next year, which, in their result, exerted much influence on the doctrinal views of Arminius, and led, in the end, to his adoption of the system which bears his name. Coornhert, a deeply pious man, and one who had rendered important services to his country and the Reformation at the risk of his life, had in the year 1578, in a discussion with two Calvinistic ministers of Delft, in a masterly and popular manner, assailed the peculiar views of Calvin on Predestination, Justification, and the punishment of heretics by death. lie afterwards published his views and advocated a theory substantially the same with that afterwards known as the Arrainian theory, though some of his phraseolo- gy was not sufficiently guarded. His pamphlet was answered in 1589, by the ministers ot Delft, but instead of defending the supralapsarian view of Calvin and Beza, which had been Coornhert's particular object of attack, they presented and defended the lower or sublapsarian views, and assailed the theory of Calvin and Beza. The pamphlet of the Delft min- isters was transmitted by Martin Lydius, professor at Frane- ker, to Arminius, with the request that he would defend his former preceptor. At the same time, the ecclesiastical senate of Amsterdam requested him to expose and refute the errors of Coornhert. He at once commenced the work, but on ac- curately weighing the arguments in favor of the supralapsa- rian and sublapsarian views, he was at first inclined, instead of refuting, to embrace the latter. Continuing his researches, he betook himself to the inost diligent study of the Scriptures, and carefully compared with them the writings of the early Fathers, and of later divines. The result of this investigation was his adoption of the particular theory of Predestination which bears his name. At first, for the sake of peace, he was very guarded in his. expressions, and avoided special reference to the subject, but soon, becoming satisfied that such a course was inconsistent with his duty as a professed teacher of reli- gion, he began modestly te testify his dissent from the received errors, especially in his occasional discourses on such passages LIFE OF ARMINITS. 13 of Scripture as oLviously required an interpretation in accord- ance w:ith his enlarged views of tlie Divine economy in the salvation of sinners. This became a settled practice with him in 1590. Having been settled more than two years in the ministry at Amsterdam, ho was united in marriage to a young lady of great accomplishments and eminent piety, to whom, for some time previously, he had paid his addresses. Her name was Elizabeth Eeal. Her father, Laurence Jacobson Keal, was a judge and senator of Amsterdam, whose name is immortali- zed in the Dutch annals of that period, for the decided part which he took in promoting the Eeformation in the Low Countries, often, during the Spanish tyranny, at the risk of his property and life. "With this lady, to whom he was mar- ried on the sixteenth of September, 1590, Arminius enjoyed uninterrupted and enviable domestic felicity. Their children were seven sons and two daughters, all of wliom died in the flower of their youth, except Laurence, who became a mer- chant in Amsterdam, and Dimiel, who gained the highest rep- utation in the profession of medicine. The next thirteen years of Arminius' life, were spent in the ministry at Amsterdam, with eminent success and great pop- ularity, especially with the laity. His occasional presentation of views different from those of ministers around him, who were, almost without exception, strongly Calvinistic, some- times brought him into serious collision with them. Li 1591, he expounded the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Ro- mans, and in 1593, the ninth chapter of the same epistle. In these expositions, he presented the views which are con- tained in his treatises on those chapters embraced in this edition of his works, and on each of these occasions, consid- erable excitement was produced against him. His interpret- ation of the seventh chapter, in particular, which is substan- tially the same with that adopted by a large proi^ortion of the best modern connnentators, including some who claim to be Calvinists, was then, and frequently afterwards, during his life, opposed with great acrimony. About the end of 1G02, the death of Francis Junius, Pro- 14 LIFE OF ARMESnUS. fessor of Divinity at Levden, occurred. The attention of the Curators of the University was immediatel}'' directed to Ar- minius, as the person most suitable to fill the vacant chair. The invitation, which was accordingly extended to him, me^ the most strenuous opposition from the authorities of Am- sterdam, at whose disposal, as has been stated, Arminius had, in youth, placed his services for life. Their acquiescence in his transfer to Leyden was finally obtained through the spe- cial intercession of Uytenbogardt, the celebrated minister at the Hague, of ]^. Cromhoutius, of the Supreme Court of Holland, and of the Stadtholder himself, Maurice, Prince of Orange. Many of the ultra-calvinistic ministers protested violently against the call, to a position of so much importance, of one, whose sentiments, on what they considered vital points, were so heterodox as tliey deemed those of Arminius. In this, they were joined by Francis Gomarus, the Professor at Leyden, This man, at that time and subsequently dm'ing the life of Arminius, as well as after his death, in the religious contests which ensued between the Remonstrants and Contra- Eemonstrants, manifested a very narrow and bitter spirit. Having received the degree of Doctor of Divinity for the University of Leyden on the eleventh of July, 1603, he at once began to discharge the functions of Professor of Divin- ity, He soon discovered that the students in theology were involved in the intricate controversies and knotty questions of the schoolmen, rather than devoted to the study of the Scriptures. He endeavored at once to correct this evil, and to recall them to the Bible, as the fountain of truth. These efibrts, and the fact that his views on Predestination were unpalatable to many, furnished opportunity and a motive to accuse him of an attempt to introduce innovations. Injuri- ous reports were spread, and most unwarrantable means were used to injure his reputation with the government and the churches, Arminius endured these attacks with great equa- nimity, but did not publicly defend himself till 1G08, when he vindicated himself in three different ways ; first, in a let- ter to Hij^polytus, a Collibus, Ambassador to the United Pro- vinces from the Elector Palatine ; secondly, in an " apology lIfe of ARMmrus. 15 against thirty-one articles, &c.," which, though written in 1608, was not published till the following year ; and lastly, in his noble " Declaration of Sentiments," delivered on the thir- tieth of October, 1G08, before the States in a full assembly at the Hague. Early in the following year, a bilious disorder, contracted by unremitting labor and study, and continued sitting, and to which, without doubt, the disquietude and grief produced in his mind by the malevolence of his opponents contributed much, became so violent that he was hardly able to leave his bed ; but for some months, at intervals, though with great dif- ficulty, he continued his lectures and attended to other duties of his professorship, until the twenty-fifth of July, when he held a public disputation on " the vocation of men to salvar tion," (see p. 570,) which was the last of his labors in the Uni- "jersity. The excitement caused by some circumstances con- nected with that disputation, produced a violent paroxysm of his disease, from which he never recovered. He remained in acute physical pain, but with no abatement of his usual cheerfulness, and with entire acquiescence in the will of God. till the nineteenth of October, 1609. On that day, about noon, in the words of Bertius, " with his eyes lifted up to heaven, amidst the earnest prayers of those present, he calmly rendered up his spirit unto God, while each of the spectators exclaimed, ' O my soul, let me die the death of the righte- ous.' " Thus lived, and thus, at the age of forty-nine years, died James Arminius, distinguished among men, for the virtue and amiability of his private, domestic and social character ; among Christians, for his charity towards those who differed from him in opinion ; among preachers, for his zeal, eloquence and success ; and among divines, for his acute, yet enlarged and comprehensive views of theology, his skill in argument, and his candor and courtesy in controversy. His motto was " Bona cojnscientia pakadisus." W. B. B. ORATION I. TIIE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. Delivered 0)1 the Eleventh day of Jidy, 1603, by Arminius, on the occasion of his receiving the Degree of Doctor of Divinity. The noble the Lord Rector — the "stery faimous, reverend, SKILLFUL, intelligent, AND LEARNED ISIEN, WHO ARE THE FA- THERS OF THIS MOST CELEBRATED UNIVERSITY TIIE REST OF YOU, MOST WORTHY STRANGERS OF EVERY DEGREE AND YOU, MOST NOBLE AND STUDIOUS YOUNG ]SIEN, WHO ARE THE NURSERY OF THE Republic and the Church, ajstd who are increasing EVERY DAY IN BLOOM AND VIGOR : If there be any order of men in whom it is utterly mibe-^ coming to aspire after the honors of this world, especially after those honors which are accompanied by pomp and ap- plause, that, without doubt, is the order ecclesiastical — a body of men who ought to be entirely occupied with a zeal for God^. and for the attainment of that glory which is at his disposal. - Yet, since, according to the laudable institutions of our ances- tors, the usage has obtained in all well regulated Universifeies, to admit no man to the office of instructor in them, who has not previously signalized himself by some public and solemn testimony of probity and scientific ability — this sacred order of men have not refused a compliance with such public modes of decision, provided they be conducted in a way that is holy, decorous, and according to godliness. So fur, indeed, are those who have been set apart t<.» the pastoral office fvom being averse to public proceedings of this kind, that they exceedingly covet 2 VOL. I. 18 JAISIES AKlVnKIUS. and desire them alone, because they conceive them to be of the first necessity to the Church of Christ. For they arc mind- ful of this apostolical charge, " Lay hands suddenly on no man ;" (1 Tim. y, 22,) and of the other, which directs tliat a Bishop and a Teacher of the Church be "apt to teach, holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus i, 9.) I do not, therefore, suppose one person, in this numerous assembly, can be so ignorant of tlie public ceremonies of tliis University, or can hold them in such little estimation, as either to evince surprise at the undertaking in wliich we are now engaged, or wish to give it an unfavora- ble interpretation. But since it has always been a part of the custom of our ancestors, in academic festivities of this descrip- tion, to choose some subject of discourse, the investigation of which in the fear of the Lord might promote the Divine glory and the profit of the hearers, and might excite them to pious and imp(»i-tuuate supplication, I also can perceive no cause why I ouglit not conscientiously to comply with this custom. And although at the sight of this very respectable, numerous and learned assembly, I feel strongly affected with a sense of my defective eloquence and tremble not a little, yet I have selected a certain theme for my discourse which agrees well with my ])rofession, and is full of grandeur, sublimity and adorable majesty. In making choice of it, I have not been overawed by the edict of Horace, which says. f Sumite materiam vestris, qui acrihitU cequain, <£c. "Select, all ye who \vrite, a subject fit, A subject not too mighty for j-oiir wit 1 And ere you lay your shoulders to the wheel, Weigh well their strength, and all their weakness feel !"' For this declaration is not applicable in the least to theologi- cal subjects, all of which hy their dignity and importance ex- ceed the capacity and mental energy of every human being, and of angels themselves. A view of them so affected the Apostle Paul, (who, rapt up into the third heaven, had heard words ineffiible,) that they compelled him to break forth into this exclamation : " Who is sufficient for these things ?" (2 THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. 19 Cor. ii, 16.) If, therefore, I be not permitted to disregard the provisions of this Iloratian statute, I must either transgress the boundaries of my profession, or be content to remain silent. But I am permitted to disregard the terms of this statute; and to do so, is perfectly lawful. For whatever things tend to the glory of God and to the sal- vation of men, ought to be celebrated in a devout spirit in the congregations of the saints, and to be proclaimed with a grate- ful voice. 1 therefore propose to speak on the Priesthood of Christ : ISTot because I have persuaded myself of my capabil- ity to declare anything concerning it, which is demanded either by the dignity of my subject, or by the respectability of this numerous assembly ; for it will be quite sutScient, and I shall consider that I have abundant!}" discharged my duty, if ac- cording to the necessity of the case I shall utter something that will contribute to the general edification : But I choose this theme that I may obtain, in behalf of my oration, such grace and favor from the excellence of its subject, as I cannot possi- bly confer on it by any eloquence in the mode of my address. Since, however, it is impossible for us either to form in our minds just and holy concej^tions about such a sublime myste- ry, or to give utterance to them with our lips, unless the power of God influence our mental faculties and our tongues, let us by prayer and supplication implore his present aid, in the name of Jesus Christ our great High Priest. "Do thou, therefore, O holy and merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Fountain of all grace and truth, vouchsafe to grant thy favorable presence to us who are a great congregation assembled together in thy holy name. Sprinkle thou our spirits, souls, and bodies, with the most gracious dew of thy immeasurable holiness, that the converse of thy saints with each other may be pleasing to thee. Assist us by the grace of thy Holy Spirit, who may yet more and more ilhimi- nate our minds — imbued with the true knowledge of Thyself and thy Son ; may He also inflame our hearts with a sincere zeal for thy glory ; may He open my mouth and guide my tongue, that I may be enabled to declare concerning the Priest- hood of thy Son those things whichare, true and just and hoi v, ^ 20 JAMES AEMESriUS. to the glory of thy name and to the gathering of all of us to- gether in the Lord. Amen." Having now in an appropriate manner offered up those vows which well become the commencement of our underta- king, we will, by the help of God, proceed to the subject pro- posed, after I have entreated all of you, who have been pleased to grace this solemn act of ours with your noble, learned and most gratifying presence, to give me that undivided attention which the subject deserves, while I speak on a matter of the most serious importance, and, according to your accustomed kindness, to shew me that favor and benevolence which are to me of the greatest necessity. That I may not abuse your pa- tience, I engage to consult brevity as much as our theme will allow. But we must begin with the very first principles of Priesthood, that from thence the discourse may appropriately be brought down to the Priesthood of Ciikist, on which we profess to treat. First. The first of those relations which subsist between God and men, has respect to something given and something received. The latter requires another relation supplementary to itself — 'a relation which taking its commencement from men, may terminate in God ; and that is, an acknowledgment of a benefit received, to the honor of the munificent Donor. It is also a debt, due on account of a benefit already conferred, but which is not to be paid except on the demand and according to the regulation of the Giver ; whose intention it has always been, that the will of a creature sliould not be tlie measure of his honor. Ilis benignity .likewise is so immense, that he never requires, from those who are under obligations to him, the grateful acknowledgment of the benefit connnunicated in the first instance, except when he has bound them to himself by the larger, and far superior benefit, of a mutual covenant. But the extreme trait in that goodness, is, that be has bound himself to bestow on the same persons favors of yet greater excellence by infinite degrees. This is the order which he adopts ; he wi^lies himself first to be engaged to them, before they are considered to be engaged to Ilim. For every cove- nant that is concluded between God and men, consists of two TIIE PKIESTHOOD OF CnRIST. 21 parts : (1.) The preceding promise of God, by which lie oLli- ges himself to some duty and to acts correspondent with that^ duty : and (2.) The subsequent definition and appointment of (^ the duty, wliich, it is stipulated, shall in return bo required of men, and according to which a mutual correspondence subsists between men and God. He promises, that he will be to them a king and a God, and that he will discharge towards them all the offices of a good King; while he stipulates, as a counter obligation, that they become his people, that in this relation they live according to his commands, and that they ask and expect all blessings from his goodness. These two acts — a life according to his commands, and an expectation of all blessings from his goodnesS' — comprise the duty of men towards God, according to the covenant into which he first entered with them. On the whole, therefore, tlie duties of two functions are to be performed between God and men who have entered into covenant with him : Fikst, A regal 07ie, which is of supreme/^ authority : Secondly, A religious one, of devoted submission. (1.) The use of the former is in the communication of every needful good, and in the imposing of laws or the act of legisla- tion. Under it we likewise comprehend the gift of prophecy, which is nothing more than the annunciation of the royal pleas- ure, whether it be communicated by God himself, or by some one of his deputies or ambassadors as a kind of internuncio to the covenant. That no one may think the prophetic office, of which the scriptures make such frequent mention, is a matter of little solicitude to us, we assign it the place of a substitute, under the Chief Architect. (2.) But the further consideration of the regal duty being at present omitted, we shall proceed to a nearer inspection of that which is religious. AVe have already deduced its origin from the act of covenanting ; we have propounded it, in the exer- cise of the regal office, as something that is due ; and we place its proper action in thanksgiving and entreaty. This action is required to be religiously performed, according to their common vocation, by every one of the great body of tliose Avho are in covenant ; and to this end they have been sanctified by the \ 22 JAMES AEMTSnUS. word of tbe covenant, and liave all been constituted priests to God, that they might offer gifts and prayers to the Most High. But since God loves order, lie who is himself the only instance of order in its perfection, willed that, out of the number of those who were sanctified, some one should in a peculiar man- ner be separated to him ; that he who was thus set apart should, by a special and extraordinary vocation, l)e qualified for the ofiice of the priesthood ; and that, approaching more intimately and with greater freedom to the tin-one of God, he should, in the place of his associates in the same covenant and religion, take the charge and management of whatever affaii-s were to be transacted before God on their account. From this circumstance is to be traced the existence of the ofiice of the priesthood, the duties of which were to be dischar- ged before God in behalf of others — an ofiice undoubtedly of vast dignity and of special honor among mankind. Although the priest must be taken from among men, and must be ap- pointed in their behalf, yet it does not appertain to men them- selves, to designate whom they will to sustain that ofiice ; nei- ther does it belong to any one to arrogate that honor to him- self. But as the ofiice itself is an act of the divine pleasure, so likewise the choice of the person who must discharge its duties, rests with God himself: and it was his will, that the ofiice should be fulfilled by him who for some just reason held precedence among his kindred by consanguinity. This was the father and master of the family, and his successor was the first born, "We have examples of this in the holy patriarchs, both before and after the deluge. We behold this expressly in Noah, Abi'aham, and Job, There are also those, (not occu- pying the lowest seats in judgment,) who say that Cain and Able brought their sacrifices to Adam their father, that he might offer them to the Lord ; and they derive this opinion from the word ^i;qH i^ised in the samepassage. Though these examples are selected from the description of that period when sin had made its entrance into the world, yet a confirmation of their truth is obtained in this primitive institution of the human race, of which we are now treating. For it is j)eculiar to that period, that all the duties of the priesthood were con- THE PEIESTUOOD OF CHRIST. 23 fined witliin the act of offering only an eucliaristic sacrifice and . supplications. Having tliercfore in due form executed these functions, the priest, in the name of his compeers, was by the appeased Deity admitted to a familiar intercourse with Him, and ol)tained from Tlim a charge to execute among liiskin])resscd with the in- tolerable burden of their sins, and tainting under the weight of the wrath of God, than the remission and pardon of all their transgressions ? What could prove more acceptable to men, sons of the accursed earth, and to those who are devoted to hell, than to receive from God the adoption of sons, and to bo written in heaven ? What greater pleasure could those enjoy who lie under the dominion of Satan and the tyranny of sin, than a freedom from such a state of most horrid and miserable servitude, and a restoration to true liberty ? What more glo- rious than to be admitted into a participation of the Priesthood and of the Monarchy, to be consecrated priests and kings to God, even ro>/al priests and priestly kings ? And, lastly, what could be more desirable than to be brought to God, the Chief Good and the Fountain of all happiness, that, in a beau- tiful and glorious state, we may spend with him a whole eternity ? This priesthood was ipiposed by God himself, " with whom we have to dut let us consider the conditions that are generally em- ployed to commend the object of any science. That object is most excellent (1.) which is in itself the hest and the great- W eM, and immntaUe ^ (2.) which, in relation to the mind, is m/)st lucid and clear^ and most easily proposed and unfolded ^ to the view of the mental powers ; and (3.) which is likewise able, by its action on the mind, completely to fill it^ and to satisfy its infinite desires. These three conditions are in the highest degree discovered in God, and in him alone, who is the subject of theological study. 1. He is the hest heing j he is the first and chief good, and goodness itself; he alone is good, as good as goodness itself; as ready to connuunicate, as it is possible for him to be commimi- cated : his liberality is only equaled by the boundless treasures which he possesses, both of which are infinite and restricted only by the capacity of the recipient, which he appoints as a limit and measure to the goodness of his nature and to the communication of himself. lie is the greatest Being .^ and the only great One ; for he is able to subdue to his sway even no- thing itself, that it may become capable of divine good by the communication of himself, "//d calleth those things which BE not, «-9 though they were^'' (Rom. iv, 17,) and in that m^an- ner, by his word, he places them in the number of beings, although it is out of darkness that they have received his com- mands to emerge and to come into existence. "Ael nations hefore him are as nothing, tJie inhahitants thereof are as grasshoppers^ and the princes nothing." (Isa. xl, 17, 22, 23.) The whole of this system of heaven and earth appeal's scarce- ly ecpial to a point "before him, whose centre is every where, but whose circumference is no where." He is immutahle^ al- ways the same, and endureth forever ; " his years have no 58 JAMES AEMmiUS. endP (Ps. cii.) Nothing can be added to liim, and nothing can be taken from him ; with him " is no variableness^ neither shadow of turning.'''' (James i, 17.) Whatsoever obtains stability for a single moment, borrows it from him, and re- ceives it of mere grace. Pleasant, therefore, and most de- lightful is it to contemplate him, on account of his goodness ; --JLjit is glorious in consideration of his greatness ; and it is sure, ' in reference to his immutability. * 2. Jle is most resj)lendent and bright ; he is light itself, and "^ becomes an object of most obvious perception to the mind, according to this expression of the apostle, " that they shoidd seek the Lord., if haply they might feel after him., and find him., though he he not far from every one of us • for in him we live., and move., and have our being / for we are also his offs2)ring :'''' (Acts xvii, 27, 28.) And according to another passage, ''''God left not himself without witness., in that he did good., and gave us rain from heaven., and fruitful sea- sons., filling our hearts with food and gladnessP (Acts xiv, 17.) Being supported by these true sayings, I venture to as- r^sert, that nothing can be seen or truly known in any object, ' except in it we have previously seen and known God himself. In the first place he is called " Being itself," because he offers himself to the understanding as an object of knowledge. But all beings, both visible and invisible, corporeal and incor- j)oreal, proclaim aloud that they have derived the beginning of their essence and condition from some other than themselves, and that they have not their own proper existence till they have it from another. All of them utter speech, according to the saying of the Eoyal Prophet : ''''The heavens declare the glory of God., and the firmament showeth his handy-ioorlir Psalm xix, 1.) That is, the firmament sounds aloud as with a trumpet, and proclaims, that it is '•Hhe worh of the right hand of the Most Highr Among created objects, you may discover many tokens indicating " that they derive from some other source whatever they themselves possess," more strongly than " that they have an existence in the number and scale of beings." Nor is this matter of wonder, since they are always nearer to nothing than to their Creator, from whom they are TUE OBJECT OF THEOLOGY. 69 removed to a distance that is infinite, and separated by infi- nite space : while, by properties that are only finite, they are distinguislied from nothing, the primeval womb from whence they sprung, and into which they may fall back again ; but they can never be raised to a divine equality with God their maker. Therefore, it was rightly spoken by the ancient- heathens, " Of Jove all tilings arc fiill." 3. lie alone can completely fill the mind, and sat'n^fy its {pthei^Hse) insatiable desires. For he is infinite in his essence, his wisdom, power, and goodness. He is the first and chief verity, and truth itself in the abstract. But the human mind is finite in nature, the substance of which it is formed ; and only in this view is it a partaker of infinity — because it ap- prehends Infinite Being and the Chief Truth, although it is incapable of comprehending them. David, therefore, in au exclamation of joyful self-gratulation, openly confesses, that he was content with the possession of God alone, who by means of knowledge and love is possessed by his creatures. These are his words : ^''Whom have I in Jieaven hut tJieef cmd there is none upon earth that I desire heside thee.''"' (Ps. Ixxiii, 25.) K thou be acquainted with all other things, and yet remain in a state of ignorance with regard to him alone, thou art al- ways wandering beyond the proper pdint, and thy restless love of knowledge increases in the proportion in which knowl- edge itself is increased. The man who knows only God, and who is ignorant of all things else, remains in peace and tran- quility, and, (like one that has found " a pearl of great price ^"^ although in the jturchase of it he may have expended the whole of his substance,) he congratulates himself and greatly triumphs. This lustre or brightness of the object is the cause why an investigation into it, or an inquiry after it, is never instituted without obtaining it; and, (such is its fulness,) when it has once been found, the discovery of it is always attended, with abundant profit. But we must consider this object more strictly ; for we treat 60 JAIVIES AEMINniS. of it in reference to its being the object of our theology, ac- cording to which we have a knowledge of God in this life. We mnst therefore clothe it in a certain mode, and invest it in a formal manner, as the logical phrase is ; and thus place it as a foundation to our knowledge. Three CoNsroERATioNS of this matter offer themselves to our notice : The first is, that we cannot receive this object in the infinity of its nature ; our necessity, therefore, requires it to»be proposed in a manner that is accommodated to our ca- pacity. The SEcoxD is, that it is not proper, in the first mo- ment of revelation, for such a large measure to be disclosed and manifested bj the light of grace, as may be received into the human mind when it is illuminated by the light of glory, and, (by that process,) enlarged to a greater capacity : for by a right use of the knowledge of grace, we must proceed up- wards, (by the rule of divine righteousness,) to the more sub- lime knowledge of glory, according to that saying, "Jo him that hath shall he giveny The third is, that this object is not laid before our theology merely to be known, but, when known, to be worshiped. For the Theology which belongs to this world, is pr actio ajl and through faith : Theoretical 1^ Theology belongs to the other worlds and consists of pure and unclouded vision, according to the expression of tfee apos- tle, " We walk hy faith, and not hy sight f (2 Cor. v, 7,) and that of another apostle, '"''Then shall ice he like him, for we shall see Mm as he isP (1 John iii, 2.) For this reason, we must clothe the object of our theology in such a manner as may enable it to incline us to worship God, and fully to per- suade and win us over to that practice. This last design is the line and rule of this formal rela- tion according to which God becomes the subject of our Theology. But that man may be induced, by a willing obedience and humble submission of the mind, to w^orship God, it is neces- sary for him to believe, from a certain persuasion of the heart : (1.) That it is the will of God to be worshiped, and that wor- ship is due to him. (2.) That the worship of him will not be in vain, but will be recompensed with an exceedingly great THE OBJECT OF TIIEOLOGY. 61 reward. (3.) That ii mode of worship must Lc instituted ac- cording: to liis command. To these three particulars ought to be added, a knowledge of the mode prescribed. Our Theology, then, delivers three things concerning this object, as necessary and sufficient to be known in relation to the preceding subjects of belief. The first is concerning the natm-e of God. The second concerning his actions. And the THIRD concerning his will. (1.) Concemimj Jiis nature ; that it is worthy to receive adoration, on account of its justice; that it is qualified to form a right judgment of that worship, on account of its wisdom ; and that it is prompt and able to bestow rewards, on account of its goodness and the perfection of its own blessedness. (2.) 2wo actions have been ascribed to God for the same purpose ; they are Creation and Providence, (i.) The Cre- ation of all things^ and especially of man after God's own image ; upon which is founded his sovereign authority over man, and from which is deduced the right of requiring wor- ship from num and enjoining obedience upon him, according to that very just complaint of God by Malachi, " If then I he a father ^ where is mine honor? and if I he a master^ ivhcreis my fear V (i, 6.) (ii.) That P/'oy2'ears to have been this, they did not attribute that just conception to him to whom it ought to have been given; but they ascribed it either, (1,) to some vague and uncertain individual, as in the expression of the Roman poet, " O Jupi- ter, whether thou be heaven, or air, or earth !" Or to some imaginary and fabulous Deity, whether it be among created things, or a mere idol of the brain, neither partaking of the Divine nature nor any other, which the Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Komans and to the Corinthians, jDroduces as a matter of reproach to the Gentiles. (Rom. i, and 1 Cor. viii.) Or (3,) la^l/i/, they ascribed it to the unknown God ; the title of UNKNOWN being given to their Deity by the very persons who were his worshippers. The Apostle relates this crime as one of which the Athenians were guilty : 13ut it is equally true when applied to all those who err and wander from the tnie object of adoration, and yet worshij) a Deity of some description. To such persons that sentence justly belongs which Christ uttered in conversation with the woman of Sa- maria : " Ye worshij) ye know not what." (John iv, 22.) ' Although those persons are guilty of a grievous error who transgress in this point, so as to be deservedly termed Athe- ists, in scripture a^soi, or " men without God ;" yet they are by far more iiitolei*ably insane, who, having passed the extreme line of impiety, are not restrained by the consciousness of any Deity. The ancient Heathens considered such men as pecu- liarly worthy of being called Atheists. On the other hand, those who have a consciousness of their own ignorance occupy the step that is nearest to sanit}'-. For it is necessary to be careful only about one thing ; and that is, when we communi- cate inforaiation to them, we must teach them to discard the falsehood which they had imbibed, and must instruct them in the truth alone. When this tiiith is pointed out to them, they will seize it with the greater avidity, in proportion to the deeper sorrow which they feel at the thought that they have 64 JAMES AUmNIUS. been surrounded for a long series of years by a most pernicious error. But Theology, as it appears to me, principally effects four things in fixing our conceptions, which we have just mentioned, on that Deity who is true, and in drawing them away from fUkQ invention and formation of false Deities. First. It ex- plains, in an elegant and copious manner, the relation in which the Deity stands, lest we should ascribe to his nature any thing that is foreign to it, or should take away from it any one of its properties. In reference to this, it is said, " Ye heard the voice, hut saw no similitude / talce ye therefore good heed unto yoursehes, lest you make you a gixiven imaged (Dent, iv, 12, 15, IG.) Secondly. It describes both the universal and the particular actions of the only true God, that by them it may distinguish the true Deity from those which are fabulous. On this account it is said, " The gods that have not 'made the heavens and the earth, shall perish from the earth, and from under these Jieavcns.'''' (Jer. x, 11.) Jonah also said, " I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who hath made the sea and the dry land.'''' (i, 9.) And the Apostle declares, " Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to thhik that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven hy art and hy man^s device:'''' (Acts xvii, 29.) In another 2:)assage it is recorded, " lafn the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt ;''"' (Dent, v, 6.) '-'- L am the God that appeared to thee in BetheV (Gen. xxvi, 13.) And, " Behold the days come, saith the Lord, trial they shall no more say. The Lord Uveth, which hrought up the Children of Lsrael out of the Land of Egijpt, hid. The Lord Uveth which hrought up and which led the seed of tlie LLouse of Lsrael out of the North Comitry^'' c&c. (Jer. xxiii, 7, 8.) Thirdly. It makes frec[uent mention of the covenant into which the true Deity has entered with his worshippers, that by the recollection of it the mind of man may be stayed upon that God with whom the covenant was concluded. In reference to this it is said, " Thus shall thou say unto the Children of Lsrael, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Lsaac, and tJie God of Jacoh, liath sent me unto you : tliis is my THE OBJECT OF TIIEOLOOr. 65 name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.''^ (Exod. iii, 15.) Thus Jacob, when about to conclude a com- pact with Laban liis father-in-law, swears " hij the fear of his father Isaac.''^ (Gen. xxxi, 53.) And when Abraham's ser- vant was seeking a wife for his master's son, lie thus invoked God, " O Lord God of my master Abraham /" (Gen. xxiv, 12.) FouKTiiLY. It distinguishes and points out the true Deity, even by a most appropriate, particular, and individual mark, when it introduces the mention of the persons who are partakers of the same Divinity ; thus it gives a right direction to the mind of the worshipper, and fixes it upon that God who is THE FATHER OF OUR LOED jp:sus cnRisT. Tliis was manifested with some degree of obscurity in the Old Testament, but with the utmost clearness in the New. Hence the Apostle says, ^■^ Ihow my knee unto the leather of our Lord Jesus Christy (Eph. iii, 1-t.) All these remarks are comprehended and summed up by Divines, in this brief sentence, " That God must be invoked who has manifested himself in his own - word." But the preceding observations concerning the Ob.tect of Theology, ])rt>perly respect legal Theology, which was ac- commodated to man's primeval state. For while man in his original integrity acted under the protecting favor and benevo- lence of a good and just God, he was able to render to God tliat woi'shii) which had been prescribed according to the law of legal righteousness, that says, " This do, and thou shalt live 1^^ he was able to " love with all his heart and souV that Good and Just Being ; he was able, from a consciousness of his integrity, to repose confidence in that Good and Just One ; and he was a])le to evince towards him, as such, a filial fear, and to i)ay him the honor which was pleasing and due to him, as from a servant to his Lord. God also, on his part, without the least injury to his justice, was able to act towards man, i while in that state, according to the prescript of legal right- X eousness, to reward his worship according to justice, and, through the terms of the legal covenant, and consequently "^ deht,'"' to confer life upon him. This God could d<>, consist- ently with his goodness, which required the fulfilment of that 5 vol. I. Q6 JAilES AEMINIUS. promise. There was no call for any other property of his na- ture, wliich might co.itribute by its agency to accomplish this purpose : ISTo further progress of Divine goodness was neces- sary than that which might repay good for good, the good of perfect felicity, for the good of entire obedience : ISTo other action was required, except that of creation, (which had then been performed,) and that of a preserving and governing prov- idence, in conformity with the condition in which man was placed : Xo other volition of God was needed, than that by which he might both require the perfect obedience of the law, and might repay that obedience with life eternal. In that state of human affairs, therefore, the knowledge of the nature described in those properties, the knowledge of those actions, and of that will, to which may be added the knowledge of the Deity to whom they really pertained, was necessary for the performance of worship to God, and was of itself amply sufficient. But when man had fallen from his primeval integrity through disobedience to the law, and had rendered himself " a child -^ of wrath^'' and had become devoted to condemnation, this goodness mingled with legal justice could not be sufficient for the salvation of man. ISTeither could this act of creation and providence, nor this will suffice ; and therefore this legal The- ology was itself insufficient. For sin was to be condemned if men were absolved ; and, as the Apostle says, (in the eighth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans,) "^^ could not he con- demned l)y the law.'''' Man was to be justified : but he could not be justified by the law, which, while it is the strength of sin, makes discovery of it to ns, and is the procurer of wrath. This Theology, therefore, could serve for no salutary pm*- pose, at that time : such was its dreadful efficacy in convin- cing man of sin and consigning him to certain death. This unhappy change, this unfavorable vicissitude of affiiirs was in- troduced by the fault and the infection of sin ; which was like- wise the cause wliy " the law which vjas ordained to life and TionoT^'' (Rom. vii, 10,) became fatal and destructive to our race, and the procurer of eternal ignominy. (1.) Other prop- erties, therefore, of the Divine Nature were to be called into THE OBJECT OF TIIEOLOGV. 67 action ; every one of God's benefits was to be unfolded and explained ; mercy, long suffering, gentleness, patience, and clemency were to be brought forth out of the repository of his primitive goodness, and their services were to be engaged, if it was proper for offending nuui to be reconciled to Clod and re- instated in his favor. (2.) Other actions were to be exhib- ited : " A new creaticjn" was to be effected ; " a new provi- dence," accommodated in every respect to this new creation, was to be instituted and put in force ; " the work of redemp- tion" was to be performed ; " remission of sins" was to be ob- tained ; " the loss of righteousness" was to be repaired ; " the Spirit of grace" was to be asked and obtained ; and "lost sal- vation" restored. (3.) Another decree was likewise to be fra- med concerning the salvati(.)n of man ; and " another covenant^ a new one,'''' was to be made vvith him, " 7iot accm^ding to that former one,, hecatise those" who were parties on one side " had not continued in that covenant:" (Heb. viii, 11,) but, by an- other and a gracious ic'dl, they " were to hi sanctified " who might be " consecratedto enter into the Holiest hy a new and living way." (Heb. x, 20.) All these things were to be pre- pared and laid down as foundations to the new manifestation. Another revelation, therefore, and a different species of Theology, were necessary to make known those properties of the Divine Nature, which we have described, and which were most Avisely employed in repairing our salvation; to proclaim the actions which were exhibited ; and to occupy themselves in explaining that decree and neio covenant which we have mentioned. But since God, the punisher and most righteous avenger of sinnere, was eitherunwilling, or, (through the opposition made by the justice and truth which had been originally manifested in the law,) was unable to unfold those properties of his na- ture, to produce those actions, or to make that decree, except by the intervention of a Mediator, in whom, without the least injury to his justice and truth, he might unfold those proper- ties, perform those actions, might through them produce those necessary benefits, and might conclude that most gracious de- cree : on this account a Meuiatoij was to be ordained, wlio, ^ 68 JAMES AEMIOTUS. by his blood, might atone for sinners, by his death might ex- piate the sin of mankind, might reconcile the wicked to God, and might save them from his impending anger ; who might set forth and display the mercy, long suifering and patience of God, might provide eternal redemption, obtain remission of sins, bring in an everlasting righteousness, procure the Spirit of grace, confirm the decree of gracious mercy, ratify the new covenant by his blood, recover eternal salvation, and who might bring to God those that were to be ultimately saved. * A just and merciful God, therefore, did appoint as Media- tor, his heloved Son, Jesus Christ. He obediently undertook that ofiice which was imposed on him by the Father, and courageously executed it ; nay, he is even now engaged in ex- ecuting it. He was, therefore, ordained by God as the Re- deemer, the Savior, the King, and, (under God,) the Head of the heirs of salvation. It would have been neither just nor reasonable, that he who had midergone such vast labors, and endured such great sorrows, who had performed so many mir- acles, and who had obtained through his merits so many be- nefits for us, should ingloriously remain among us in meanness and obscurity, and should be dismissed by us without honor. It was most equitable, that he should in return be acknowl- edged, worshiped, and invoked, and that lie should receive those grateful thanks which are due to him for his benefits. But how shall we be able to adore, worship and invoke him, unless " we helieve 07i him f How can we helieve in him, un- less we hear of him f And how can we hear concerning him^'' except he be revealed to us by the word? (Rom. x, 14.) From this cause, then, arose the necessity of making a revela- tion concerning Jesus Christ ; and on this account two objects, (that is, God and his Christ,) are to be placed as a foundation to that Theology which will sutficiently contribute towards the salvation of sinners, according to the saying of om* Savior Christ : '' And this is life eternal, that they might Inow thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent^ (John xvii, 3.) Indaed, these two objects are not of such a nature as that the one may be separted from the other, or that the one may be collaterally joined to the other ; but the latter THE OBJECT OF TUFX)LOGY. 69 of them Is, in a proper and suitable manner, subordinate to the former. Here then M^e have a Theology, wliich, from Ciikist, its object, is most rightfully and deservedly termed Christian, wliich is manifested not by the law, but in the earliest ages by promise, and in these latter days by the Gospel, which is call- ed that '-^ of Jesus Christ^'''' although the words (Christian and legal) are sometimes confounded. But let us consider the union and the subordination of both these objects. I. Since we have God and his Christ for the object of our Christian Theology, the maimer in which legal Theology ^ explains God unto us, is undoul)tedly much amplified by this addition, and our Theology is thus infinitely ennobled above that which is legal. For God has unfolded in Christ all his own goodness. " For it pleased the Father, that in Jlim should all fullness dwell f"^ (Col. i, 19,) and that the '■'■fdlness of the Godhead should dwell in Mm^'' not by adumbration or according to the shad- ow, but " hodily ;" For this reason he is called " the image of the invisihle God f (Col. i, 15,) " the brightness of his Fa- therms glonj, and the exj^ress image of his person^'' (Heb.i, 3,) in whom the Father condescends to afford to us his infinite majesty, his immeasurable goodness, mercy and philanthropy, to be contemplated, beheld, and to be touched and felt; even as Christ himselfsays to Philip, ''''He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father^ (John xiv, 9.) For those things which lay hidden and indiscemable within the Father, like the fine and deep ti*aces in an engraved seal, stand out, become prominent, and may be most clearly and distinctly seen in Christ, as in an exact and protuberant impression, formed by the ai)plication of a deeply engmved seal on the substance to be impressed. 1. In this Theology God tnily appears, in the highest de- gree, the best and the greatest of Beings : (1.) The eest, be- cause he is not only willing, as in the former Theology, to communicate himself (for the happiness of men,) to those who correctly discharge their duty, but to receive into his liivor and to reconcile to himself those who are sinnere, wicked, unfruit- ful, and declared enemies, and to bestow eternal life on them when they repent. (2.) The greatest, because he has not 70 JAilES AEMINIUS. only produced all things from nothing^ through the annihila- tion of the latter^ and the creation of the former, but because he has also effected a triumph over sin, (which is far more nox- "^ions than nothing, and conquered with greater difficulty,) by graciously pardoning it, and powerfully '"'' putting it away /" and because he has '•''hrought in everlasting righteousness^^'' by means of a second creation, and a regeneration which far ex- ceeded the capacity of " tJie law that acted as schoolmaster^ (Gal. iii, 24.) For this cause Christ is called " the vnsdom and the poiuer of God^'' (1 Cor, i, 24,) far more illustrious than the wisdom and the power which were originally displayed in the creation of the universe. (3.) In this Theology, God is described to us as in every respect immutable, not only in re- gard to his nature but also to his will, which, as it has been manilested in the gospel, is peremptory and conclusive, and, being the last of all, is not to be corrected by another will. For " t/t'6W5 Christ is the same^ yesterday^ to-day^ and for- ever j (Ileb. xiii, 8,) hy lohorn God, hath in these last days spo- ken imto us?'' (Heb. i, 2.) Under the law, the state of this matter was very different, and that greatly to our ultimate ad- vantage. For if the will of God unfolded in the law had been fatal to us, as well as the last exjiression of it, we, of all men most miserable, should have been banished forever from God himself on account of that declaration of his will ; and our doom would have been in a state of exile from our salvation. J I would not seem in this argument to ascribe any mutability to the will of God. I only place such a termination and boun- dary to his will, or rather to something willed by him, as was by himself before affixed to it and predetenniued by an eter- nal and peremptory decree, that thus a vacancy might be made for a " hetter covenant cstahlished on hetter promises^ (Heb. vii, 22; viii, 6.) 2. This Theology offers God in Clirist as an object of our sight and knowledge, with such clearness, sjjlendor and plain- ness, that " we^ vnth open face ^ heholding as in a glass the glo- ry of the Lord^ are changed into the same image from glm'y to glory ^ even as l>y the Spirit of the LordP (2 Cor. iii, 18.) In comparison with this brightness and glory, which was so TUE OBJECT OF THEOLOGY. Tl pre-eminent and siirpassing, the law itself is said not to have been either bright or glorious : For it " had no glory in this respect^ hy reason of the glory that excellethP (2 Cor. iii, 8.) This was indeed " the ic'isdoni of God which was Icept secret since the world legan ;" (1 Cor. ii, Y. Rom. xvi, 25.) Great and inscrutable is this mystery : yet it is exhibited in Christ Jesus, and '"''made manifesf'' with such luminous clearness, that God is said to have been ^''manifest in the jicsh^'' (1 Tim, iii, IC,) in no other sense than as though it M'ould never have been jjossible for him to be manifested without the flesh ; for the express purpose " that the eternal life which was iciih the leather, A^D the word of UTRwhichwas from the hegi7ining with God^ might he heard with our ears ^ seen with o%ir eyes^ and handled icith our liandsP (1 John i, 1, 2.) 3. The object of our theoloc-y beina; clothed in tliis manner, 60 abundantly fills the mind and satisfies the desire, that the apostle openly declares, he was deteniiined " to hioio nothing among the Corinthia7is^ save Jesus Christy and him crucified^ (1 Cor. ii, 2.) To the Phillipians he says, that he " counted all things hut loss for tJie excellency of the hnoidedge of Chriit Jesus / for xohom he had suffered the loss of all things^ and he counted them hut dung that he might know Christ, and the powe?' of his resurrection, and the felloioshij) of his suffer- ings.''^ (Phil, iii, 8, 10.) Nay, in the knowledge of the ob- ject of our theology, modified in this manner, all true glory- ing and just boasting consist, as the passage which we before quoted from Jeremiah, and the purpose to which St. Paul has accommodated it, most plainly evince. This is the manner in Mhich it is expressed : "Z^^^ him that glo7icth glory in this, that he understandetli and hioweth me, tltat I am the Lord which exercise loving Mndness, judgment and righteousness in the earth.'''' (Jer. ix, 24.) "When you hear any mention of mercy, your thoughts ought necessarily to revert to Christ, out of whom "6W is a consuming fire^'' to destroy the sinners of the earth. (Deut. iv. 24- ; Ileb. xii, 29.) The way in which St. Paul has accommodated it, is this : '■''Christ Jesus is made unto us hy God, wisd)po^op(a, (a full assurance, Heb. vi, 2,) and zis'sioid-/i(fis ; (trust or confidence, 2 Cor. iii, 4,) and it is God who requires and demands such a species of certainty and of faith. . n. We may now be permitted to proceed by degrees from this point, to a consideration of those arguments which prove to us the divinity of the word ; and to the manner in which the required certainty and faith are produced in our minds. To constitute natural vision we know that, (beside an object capable of being seen,) not only is an external light necessary to shine upon it and to render it visible, but an internal strength of eye is also required, which may receive within itself the form and appearance of the object which has been illuminated by the external light, and may thus be enabled actually to behold it. The same accompaniments are neces- sary to constitute spiritual vision ; for, beside tliis external light of arguments and reasoning,) an internal light of the mind and soul is necessary to perfect this vision of faith. But infinite is the number of arguments on which this world builds and establishes its divinity. "We will select and briefly notice a few of those which are more usual, lest by too great a pro- lixity we become too troublesome and disagreeable to our au- ditory. 1. The DiviNrrY of Sckiptuee. Let scripture itself come forward, and perform the chief part in asserting its own Divinity. Let us inspect its substance and its matter. It is all concerning God and his Christ, and is 124 JAMES ARMESnUS. occupied in declaring the nature of both of them, in further explaining the love, the benevolence, and the benefits which have been conferred by both of them on the human race, or which have yet to be conferred ; and prescribing, in return, the duties of men towards their Divine Benefactors. The scripture, therefore, is divine in its object. (2.) But how is it occupied in treating on these subjects ? It explains the nature of God in such a way as to attribute nothing extraneous to it, and nothing that does not perfectly agree with it. It describes the person of Christ in such a manner, that the human mind, on beholding the description, ought to acknowledge, that " such a person could not have been invented or devised by any created intellect," and that it is described with such aptitude, suitableness and sublimity, as far to exceed the largest capacity of a created underetanding. In the same manner the scripture is employed in relating the love of God and Christ towards us^ and in giving an account of the benefits which we receive. Thus the Aj^ostle Paul, when he wrote to the Ephesians on these subjects, says, that from his former writings, the extent of " his knowledge of the mys- tery of Christ" might be manifest to them ; (Ephes. iii, 4,) that is, it was divine, and derived solely from the revelation of God. Let ns contemplate the law in which is comprehended the duty of men towards God. What shall we find, in all the laws of every nation, that is at all similar to this, or (omitting all mention of " equality,") that may be placed in comparison with those ten short sentences ? Yet even those command- ments, most brief and comprehensive as they are, have been still further reduced to two chief heads — the love of God, and the love of our neighbor. This law appears in reality to have been sketched and written by the right hand of God. That this was actually the case, Moses shews in these words, " What nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day ?" (Dent, iv, 8.) Moses likewise says, that so great and manifest is the divinity which is inherent in this law, that it compelled the heathen nations, after they had heard it, to declare in CERTAINTY OP SACKED TirEOLCOY. 125 ecstatic admiration of it. " Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people?" (Deut. iv, 0.) The scripture, therefore, is completely divine, from the manner in which it treats on those matters which are its subjects. (2.) If we consider the End, it will as clearly point out to us the divinity of this doctrine. That End is entirely divine, being nothing less than the glory of God and man's eternal salvation. What can be more equitable than that all things should be referred to him from whom they have derived their origin ? "What can be more consonant to the wisdom, good- ness, and power of God, than that he should restore, to his orig- inal integrity, man who had been created by him, but who had by his own faidt destroyed himself ; and that he should make him a partaker of his own Divine blessedness ? If by means of any word God had wished to manifest himself to man, what end of manifestation ought he to have proposed that would have been more honorable to himself and more salutary to man ? That the word, therefore, was divinely revealed, could not be discerned by any mark which was better or more legi- ble, than that of its showing to man the way of salvation, taking him as by the hand and leading him into that way, and not ceasing to accompany him until it introduced him to the full enjoyment of salvation : In such a consummation as this, the glory of God most abundantly shines forth and dis, plays itself. lie who may wish to contemplate what we are declaring concernmg this End, in a small but noble part of this word, should place " tlie Lord's Prayer" before the eyes of his mind ; he should look most intently upon it ; and, as far as that is possible fur human eyes, he should thoroughly investi- gate all its parts and beauties. After he has done this, unless he confess, that in it this double end is proposed in a manner that is at once so nervous, brief, and accurate, as to be above the strength and capacity of every created intelligence, and unless he acknowledge, that this form of prayer is purely divine, he nmst of necessity have a mind burrounded and enclosed by more than Egyptian darkness. 126 JAMES ARMmros. 2. The ageeement of this doctrine m its parts. Let us compare the parts of this doctrine together, and we shall discover in all of them an agreement and harmony, even in points the most minute, that it is so great and evident as to cause us to believe that it could not be manifested by men, but ought to have implicit credence placed in it as having certainly- proceeded from God. Let the predictions alone, that have been promulged con- cerning Christ in different ages, be compared together. For the consolation of the first parents of our race, God said to the serpent, " The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head." (Gen. iii, 15.) The same promise was repeated by God, and was specially made to Abraham : " In thy seed shall all the nations be blessed." (Gen. xxii, 18.) The patriarch Jacob, when at the point of death, foretold that this seed should come forth from the lineage and family of Judah, in these words : "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the o-athering of the people be." (Gen. xlix, 10.) Let the alien prophet also be brought forward, and to these predictions he will add that oracular declaration which he pronounced by the inspiration and at the command of the God of Israel, in these words : Balaam said, " There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." (Kum. xxiv, 17.) This blessed seed was afterwards promised to David, by l^athan, in these words : " I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom." (2 Sam. vii, 12.) On this account Isaiah says, " There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." (xi, 1.) And, by way of intimating that a virgin would be his mother, the same prophet says, " Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel !" (Isa. vii, 14.) It would be tedious to repeat every declaration that occurs in the Psalms and in the other Prophets, and that agrees most CERTAINTY OF BACKED THKOLOOY. 127 appropriately witli this sul)ject. Wlien tlicse prophecies are com]nircd with those occurrences that liave been described in the New Testament concerning theii* fulfillment, it will be evident from the complete harmony of the whole, that they were all spoken and written by the impulse of one Divine Sjnrit. If some things in those sacred books seem to be con- tradictions, they are easily reconciled by means of a right interpretation. I add, that not only do all the parts of this doctrine agree among themselves, but they also haniionize with that Universal Ti-uth which has been spread tlirough the whole of Philosophy; so that nothing can be discovered in Philoso- phy, which does not correspond with this doctrine. If any thing appear not to possess siich an exact correspondence, it may be clearly confuted by means of true Philosophy and right reason. Let the style and character of the scriptures be produced, and, in that instant, a most brilliant and refulgent mirror of the majesty which is luminously reflected in it, will display itself to our view in a manner the most divine. It relates things that are placed at a great distance beyond the range of the human imagination — things which far surpass the capaci- ties of men. And it simply relates these things without em- ploying any mode of argumentation, or the usual apparatus of persuasion: yet its obvious wish is to be understood and believed. But what confidence or reason has it for expecting to obtain the realization of this its desire ? It possesses none at all, except that it depends purely upon its own unmixed authority, which is divine. It publishes its commands and its interdicts, its enactments and its prohibitions to all persons alike ; to kings and subjects, to nobles and plebians, to the learned and the ignorant, to those that " require a sign" and those that "seek after wisdom," to the old and the young ; over all these, the rule which it bears, and the power which it exercises, are equal. It places its sole reliance, therefore, on its own potency, which is able in a manner the most efiica- cious to restrain and compel all those who are refractory, and to reward those who are obedient. Let the rewards and pfnishments be examined, by which 128 JAMES AEMDSriUS. the precepts are sanctioned, and there are seen both a promise of life eternal and a dennnciation of eternal punishments. He who makes such a commencement as this, may calculate upon his becoming an object of ridicule, except he possess an inward consciousness both of his own right and power ; and except he know, that, to subdue the wills of mortals, is a matter equally easy of accomplishment with him, as to execute his menaces and to fulfill his promises. To the scriptures themselves let him have recourse who may be desirous to prove with the greatest certainty its majesty, from the kind of diction which it adopts: Let him read the charming swan-like Song of MosES described in the concluding chapters of the Book of Deuteronomy : Let him with his mental eyes diligently survey the beginning of Isaiah's prophecy : Let him in a devout spirit consider the hundred and fourth Psalm. Then, with these, let him compare whatever choice specimens of poetry and elo- quence the Greeks and the Romans can produce in the most eminent manner from their archives ; and he will be con- vinced by the most demonstrative evidence, that the latter are productions of the human spirit, and that the former could proceed from none other than the Divine Sj)irit. Let a man of the greatest genius, and, in erudition, experience, and elo- quence, the most accomplished of his race — let such a well instructed mortal enter the lists and attempt to finish a com- position at all similar to these writings, and he will find him- self at a loss and utterly disconcerted, and his attempt will terminate in discomfiture. That man will then confess, that what St. Paul declared concerning his own manner of speech, and that of his fellow-laborers, may be truly applied to the whole scripture : " Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (1 Cor. ii, 13.) 3. The Pkophecies. Let ns next inspect the prophecies scattered through the whole body of the doctrine ; some of which belong to the CERTAINTT OF SACRED TIIICOLOGY. 129 substance of the doctrine, and otlici-s contribute towards pro- curing authority to the doctrine and to its instruments. It should be particularly observed, with what eloquence and dis- tinctness they foretell the greatest and most important matters, M'hich are far removed from the scrutinizing research of every human and angelical mind, and which could not possibly be performed except by power Divine : Let it be noticed at the same time with what precision the predictions are answered by the periods that intervene between them, and by all theii* concomitant circumstances ; and the whole world will be com- pelled to confess, that such things could not have been fore- seen and foretold, except by an omniscient Deity. I need not here adduce examples ; for they are obvious to any one that opens the Divine volume. I will produce one or two passages, only, in M^hich this precise agreement of the predic- tion and its fulfillment is described. When speaking of the children of Israel under the Egyptian bondage, and their de- liverance from it according to the prediction which God had communicated to Abraham in a dream, Moses says, "And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the self-same day it came to pa ss, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt:" (Exod. xii, 41.) Ezra speaks thus concerning the liberation from the Babylon- ish captivity, which event, Jeremiah foretold, should occur within seventy years : "JSTow in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremi- ah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Pei"sia," &c. (Ezra i, 1.) But God himself declares by Isaiah, that the divinity of the scripture may be proved, and ought to be concluded, from this kind of prophecies. These are his words : " Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are Gods." (Isaiah xli, 23.) 4. Miracles. An illustrious evidence of the same divinity is aiForded in ^he miracles, which God has performed by the stewards of his 9 VOL. I. 130 ■ JAMES AEMmrus. word, his prophets and apostles, and by Christ himself, for the confirmation of his doctrine and for the establishment of their authority. For these miracles are of such a description as in- finitely to exceed the united powers of all the creatures and all the powers of nature itself, when their energies are com- bined. But the God of truth, burning with zeal for his own glory, could never liave afforded such strong testimonies as these to false prophets and their false doctrine : nor could he have borne such witness to any doctrine even when it was true, provided it was not his, that is, provided it was not di- vine. Christ, therefore, said, " If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not ; but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works." (John x, 37, 38.) It was the same cause also, which induced the widow of Sarepta to say, on re- ceiving from the hands of Elijah her son, who, after his death, had been raised to life by the prophet : " Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth." (1 Kings xvii, 24.) That expression of Nicodemus has the same bearing : " Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be M'ith him." (John iii, 2.) And it was for a similar reason that the apostle said, " The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." (2 Cor. xii, 12.) There are indeed miracles on record that were wrought among the gentiles, and imder the auspices of the gods whom they invoked : It is also predicted, concerning False Prophets, and Antichrist himself, that they will exhibit many signs and wonders : (Rev. xix, 20.) But neither in number, nor in magnitude, are the}^ equal to those which the true God has wrought before all Israel, and in the view of the whole world. Neither were those feats of their real mira- cles, but only astonishing operations performed by the agency and power of Satan and his instruments, by means of natural causes, which are concealed from the human understanding, and escape the cognizance of men. But to deny the exist- ence of those great and admirable miracles which are related to have really happened, when they have also the testimony of CERTAINTY OF SACRED THEOLOGY. 131 both Jews and gentiles, who were the enemies of the true doctrine — is an evident token of bare-faced impudence and execrable stupidity. 5. The Antiquity of the Doctrine. Let the antiquity, the propagation, the preservation, and the truly admirable defence of this doctrine be added — and they will all'ord a bright and perspicuous testimony of its di- vinity. If " that which is of the highest antiquity possesses the greatest portion of truth," as TertuUian most wisely and justly observes, then this doctrine « one of the greatest truth, because it can trace its origin to the highest antiquity. It is likewise Divine, because it was manifested at a time when it could not have been devised by any other mind ; for it had its connnencement at the very period when man was brought into existence. An apostate angel would not then have pro- posed any of his doctrines to man, unless God had previously revealed himself to the intellio-ent creature wh»:)m he had recently formed : That is, God hindered the fallen angel, and there was then no cause in existence by which ha might be impelled to engage in such an enterprise. For God would not suffer man, who had been created after his own image, to be tem})ted by his enemy by means of false docti-ine, until, after being abundantly instructed in that which was true, he was enabled to know that which was false and to reject it. Neither could any odious feeling'of envy against man, have toiTiiented Satan, except God had considered him worthy of the connnunication of his word, and had deigned, through that communication, to make him a partaker of eternal felici- ty, from which Satan liad at that period unhappily fallen. The ruoPAcJATioN, preservation, and DEiaoNCE of this doc- trine, most admirable when separately considered, ■^'*ill all be found divine, if, in the Jirstj>hiC(', we attentively iix our eyes upon those men among whom it is propagated ; t/ien, on the foes and advei-saries of this doctrine ; and, lastly, on the man- ner in which its propagation, preseivation and detence have hitherto been and still are conducted. (1.) If we consider 132 JAMES AEMINnJS. those men among whom this sacred doctrine flourishes, we shall discover that their nature, on account of its corruption, rejects this doctrine for a two-fold reason ; (i.) The first is, because in one of its j)arts it is so entirely contrary to human and worldly wisdom, as to subject itself to the accusation of FOLLY from men of corrupt minds, (ii.) The second reason is, because in another of its parts it is decidedly hostile and inimical to worldly lusts and carnal desires. It is, therefore, rejected by the human understanding and refused by the will, which are the two chief faculties in man ; for it is according to their orders and commands that the other faculties are either put in motion or remain atm'est. Yet, notwithstanding all this natural repugnance, it has been received and believed. The human mind, therefore, has been conquered, and the subdued will has been gained, by Him who is the author of both. (2.) This doctrine has some most powerful and bitter ene- mies : Satan, the prince of this world, with all his angels, and the world his ally : These are foes with whom there can be no reconciliation. If the subtlety, the power, the malice, the audacity, the impudence, the perseverance, and the diligence of these enemies, be placed in opposition to the simplicity, the inexperience, the weakness, the fear, the inconstancy, and the slothfulness of the greater part of those who give their assent to this heavenly doctrine; then will the greatest wonder be excited, how this doctrine, when attacked by so many enemies, and do- fended by such sorry champions, can stand and remain safe and unmoved. If this wonder and admiration be succeeded by a su^^ernatural and divine investigation of its cause, then will God himself be discovered as the propagator, preserver, and defender of this doctrine. (3.) The manner also in which its propagation, preservation and defence are conducted, indi- cates divinity by many irrefragible tokens. This doctrine is carried into effect, without bow or sword — without horses chariots, or horsemen ; yet it proceeds prosperously along, stands in an erect posture, and remains unconquered, in the name of the Lord of Hosts : While its adversaries,- though supported by such apparently able auxiliaries and relying on such powerful aid, are overthrown, fall down together, and CEKTAINTY OF SACRED THEOLOGY. 133 perisli. It is accomplished, not by holding out alluring prom- ises of riches, gh»ry, and earthly pleasures, hut by a previous statement of the dreaded cross, anray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written." (Exod. xxxii, 32.) Behold his zeal for the salvation of the people entrusted to his charge — a zeal for the glory of God ! Would you see another reason for this wish to be devoted to destruction ? Eead what he had previously said : " Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say ? For mischief did the Lord bring them out to slay them in the mountains," (Exod. xxxii, 12,) " because he was not able to bring them out unto the land which he sware unto their Fa- thers." (jSTumb. xiv, 16.) We observe the same zeal in Paul, when he wishes that himself " were accursed from Christ for his brethren the Jews, his kinsmen according to the flesh," (Rom. ix,) from whom he had suffered many and great indig- nities. David was not ashamed publicly to confess his heav}-^ and enormous crimes, and to commit them to writing as an eternal memorial to posterity. Samuel did not shrink from mark- ing in the records of perpetuity the detestible conduct of his sons ; and Moses did not hesitate to bear a public testimony against the iniquity and the madness of his ancestors. If even the least desire of a little glory had possessed their minds, they might certaiidy have been able to indulge in taciturnity, and to conceal in silence these circumst^mces of disgrace. Those of them who were engaged in describing the deeds and achievements of other people, were unacquainted with the art of oft'ering adulation to great men and nobles, and of wrong- fully attributing to their enemies any unworthy deed or mo- tive. AYith a regai-d to tnith alone, in promoting the glory of God, they placed all persons on an equality ; and made no other distinction between them than that which God himself has commanded to be made between piety and wickedness. On receiving from the hand of God their appointment to this oflice, they at once and altogether bade farewell to all the world, and to all the desires which are in it. " Each of them said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; 136 JAMES AEMmiTJS. neither did he acknowledge his brethren ; for they observed the word of God, and kept his covenant." (Deut. xxxiii, 9.) 1. The Cokstancy of its Pkofessoks and Maktyks. But what shall we say respecting the constancy of the pro- fessors and martyrs, which they displayed in the torments that they endured for the truth of this doctrine ? Indeed, if w^e subject this constancy to the view of the most inflexible ene- mies of the doctrine, we shall extort from unwilling judges a confession of its Divinity. But, that the strength of this ai'gument may be placed in a clearer light, the mind must be directed to four particulars : the multitude of the martyrs, and their condition / the torments which their enemies inflict- ed on them, and \hQ patience yii\i\<^ they evinced in enduring them. (1.) If we direct our enquiries to the midtitude of them, it is innumerable, far exceeding thousands of thousands ; on this account it is out of the power of any one to say, that, because it was the choice of but a few persons, it ought to be imputed to phrenzy or to weariness of a life that was full of trouble. (2.) If we enquire into their condition^ we shall find nobles and peasants, those in authority and their subjects, the learned and the unlearned, the rich and the poor, the old and the young ; persons of both sexes, men and women, the married and the unmarried, men of a hardy constitution and inured to dangers, and girls of tender habits who had been delicately educated, and whose feet had scarcely ever before stumbled against the smallest pebble that arose above the surface of their smooth and level path. Many of the early martyrs were honorable persons of this description, that no one might think them to be inflamed by a desire of glory, or endeavoring to gain applause by the perseverance and magnanimity that they had evinced in the maintenance of the sentiments which they had embraced. (3.) Some of the torments inflicted on such a multitude of persons and of such various circumstances in life, were of a CERTAINTY OF SACRED THEOLOGY. 18T coiniiiou sort, and others unusual, some of them quick in their operation and others of them slow. Part of the unoffending victims were nailed to crosses and part of them were decapi- tated ; some were drowned in rivers, whilst others were roasted before a slow fire. Several were ground to powder by the teeth of wild beasts, or were torn in pieces by their fang-s ; iDany were sawn asunder, while others were stoned ; and not a few of them were subjected to punishments which cannot be expressed, but which are accounted most disgraceful and infa- mous, on account of their extreme turpitude and indelicacy. No species of savage cruelty was omitted which either the ingenuity of human malignity could invent, which rage the most conspicuous and furious could excite, or which even the infernal laboratory of the court of hell could supply. (4.) And yet, that we may come at once to the patience of these holy confessors, they bore all these tortures with con- stancy and equanimit}^; nay, they endured them M'itli such a glad heart and clieerful countenance, as to fatigue even the restless fury of their persecutors, which has often been com- pelled, when wearied out, to yield to the unconquerable strength of their patience, and to confess itself completely vanquished. And what was the cause of all this endurance 1 Tt consisted in their unwillingness to recede in the least point from that religion, the denial of which was the onl}^ circum- stance that might enable them to escape danger, and, in many instances, to acquire glory. What then was the reason of the great patience which they shewed under their acute sufferings ? It was because they believed, that when this short life was ended, and after the pains and distresses which they were called to endure on earth, they would obtain a blessed immoi- tality. In this particular the combat which God has nuiin- tained with Satan, appears to have resembled a duel ; and the result of it has been, that the Divinity of God's word has l)een raised as a superstructure out of the infamy and ruin of Satan. S. TuK TESTIMONY OF THE ChUKCU. The divine Omnipotence and Wisdom have principally em- 138 JAMES AKMmrus. ployed these arguments, to prove the Divinity of this blessed word. But, that the Church might not defile herself by that basest vice, ingratitude of heart, and that she might perform a supplementary service in aid of God her Author and of Christ her Head, she also by her testimony adds to the Di- vinity of this word. But it is only an addition ; she does not impart Divinity to it ; her province is merely an indication of the Divine nature of this word, but she does not communi- cate to it the impress of Divinity. For unless this word had been Divine when there was no Church in existence, it would not have been possible for her members " to be bom of this word, as of incorruptible seed," (1 Pet. i, 23,) to become the sons of God, and, through faith in this word, " to be made partakers of the Divine Kature." (2 Pet. i, 4.) The very name of " authority" takes away from the Church the power of conferring Divinity on this doctrine. For authokity is derived from an author : But the Church is not the author, she is only the nurseling of this word, being posterior to it in cause, origin, and time. We do not listen to those who raise this objection : " The Church is of greater antiquity than the scripture, because at the time when that word had not been consigned to writing, the Church had even then an existence." To trifle in a serious matter with such cavils as this, is highly unbecoming in Christians, unless they have changed their former godly manners and are transformed into Jesuits. The Church is not more ancient than this saying : " The seed of the woman shall bruise the serj^ent's head ;" (Gen. iii, 15,) although she had an existence before this sentence was re- corded by Moses in Scripture. For it was by the faith which they exercised on this saying, that Adam and Eve became the Church of God ; since, prior to that, they were traitors, deser- ters and the kingdom of Satan — that grand deserter and apostate. The Church is indeed the pillar of the truth, (1 Tim. iii, 15,) but it is built upon that truth as upon a founda- tion, and thus directs to the truth, and brings it forward into the sight of men. In this way the Church performs the part of a director and a witness to this truth, and its guardian, herald, and interpreter. But in her acts of interpretation, the 139 Chuvcli is confined to the sense of the word itself, and is tied down to the expressions of Scripture : for, according to the prohibition of St. Paul, it neither becomes her " to be wise above that which is written ;" (1 Cor. iv, C,) nor is it possible for her to be so, since she is hindered both by her own imbe- cility, and the depth of things divine. But it will reward our labor, if in a few words we examine the efficacy of this testimony, since such is the pleasure of the Papists, who constitute " the authority of the Church" the commencement and the termination of our certainty, when she beai*8 witness to the scripture that it is the word of God. In the first place, the efficacy of the testimony does not exceed the veracity of the witness. The veracity of the Church is the veracity of men. But the veracity of men is imperfect and inconstant, and is always such as to give occasion to this the re- mark of truth, " All men are liars." Neither is the veracity of him that speaks, sufficient to obtain credit to his testimony, unless the veracity of him who bears witness concerning the truth appear plain and evident to him to whom he makes the declaration. But in what manner will it be possible to make the veracity of the Church plain and evident ? This must be done, either by a notion conceived a long time before, or by an impression recently made on the minds of the hearers. But men possess no such innate notion of the veracity of the Church as is tantamount to that which declares, " God is true and cannot lie." (Tit. i, 2.) It is necessary, therefore, that it be imjiressed by some recent action ; such im])ressi()n being made either from within or from without. But the Church is not able to make any inward impression, for she beai*s her tes- timony by external instnmients alone, and does not extend to the inmost parts of the soul. The impression, therefore, will be external ; which can be no other than a display and indi- cation of her knowledge and probity, as well as testimony, often truly so called. But all these things can produce noth- ing more than an opinion in the minds of those to whom they are offered. Opinion, therefore, and not knowledge, is the supreme effect of this efiicacy. But the Papists retort, " that Christ himself established tho 140 JAMES AKMINroS. authority of his Church by this saying, " He that heareth you, heareth me." (Luke x, 16.) "When these unhappy reasoners speak thus, they seem not to be aware that they are establish- ing the authority of Scripture before that of the Church. For it is necessary that credence should be given to that expression as it was pronounced by Christ, before any authority can, on its account, be conceded to the Church. But the same reason will be as tenable in respect to the whole Scripture as to this expression. Let the Church then be content with that honor which Christ conferred on her when he made her the guardian of his word, and appointed her to be the director and witness to it, the herald and the interpreter. IIL Yet since the arguments arising from all those observa- tions which we have hitherto adduced, and from any othei-s which are calculated to prove the Divinity of the scriptures, can neither disclose to us a right understanding of the scrip- tures, nor seal on our minds those meanings which we have understood, (although the certainty of foith which God de- mands from us, and requires us to exercise in his word, con- sists of these meanings,) it is a necessary consequence, that to to all these things ought to be added something else, by the efficacy of which that certainty maybe produced in our minds. And this is the very subject on which we are no prepared to treat in this the third part of our discourse. 9. The estteknal witness of the Holt Spirit. We declare, therefore, and we continue to repeat the decla- ration, till the gates of hell re-echo the sound, " that the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration holy men of God have spoken this word, and by whose impulse and guidance they have, as his amanuenses, consigned it to writing ; that this Holy Spirit is the author of that light by the aid of which we obtain a per- ception and an understanding of the divine meanings of the word, and is the Effector of that certainty by which we be- lieve those meanings to be truly divine ; and that He is tlie ne- cessary AiitJior^ the all svfficlent Effector^'' (1.) Scripture de- monstrates that He is the necessary Author, when it says, CERTAINTr OF BACKED TDEOLOGT. 141 "The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. ii, 11.) 'No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." " (1 Cor. xii, 3.) (2.) But the Sc'rii)ture intro- duced liiui as the sufficient and the more than sufficient Effector, when it declares, "The wisdom which God ordained before tlie world unto our glory, he hath revealed unto us by his Spirit; fur the Spirit searchcth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (1 Cor. ii, 7, 10.) The sufficiency, therefore, of the Spirit pro- ceeds from the i)lcnitude of his knowledge of the secrets of God, and from the very eiScacious revelation which he makes of them. This sufficiency of the Spirit cannot be more highly extolled than it is in a subsequent passage, in which the same apostle most amply commends it, by declaring, " He that is spiritual [a partaker of this revelation,] judgeth all things," (verse 15,) as having the mind of Christ through his Spirit, which he has received. Of the same sufficiency the Apostle St. John is the most illustrious herald. In his general Epistle he writes these words : " But the anointing which ye have re- ceived of II im, abideth in you ; and ye need not that any man teach you ; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Ilim." (1 John ii, 27.) " He that be- Heveth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself." (1 John V, 10.) To the Thessalonians another apostle writes thus : " Our Gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. (1 Tliess. i, 3.) In this passage he openly attributes to the power of the Holy Ghost the certainty by which the faithful receive the word of the gospel. The Papists reply, " Many pei-sons boast of the revelation of the Spirit, who, nevertheless, are des- titute of such a revelation. It is impossible, therefore, for the faithful safely to rest in it." Ai-e these fair words ? Away- with such blasphemy ! If the Jews glory in their Talmud and their Cabala, and the Mahometans in their Alcoran, and if both of these boast themselves that they are Churches, can- not credence therefore be given with sufficient safety to the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, when they affirm their Divme Origin? Will the true Church be any less a 142 JAMES AE]\nNnJS. Church because the sons of the stranger arrogate that title to themselves? This is the distinction between opinion and knowledge. It is their opinion^ that they know that of which they are really ignorant. But they who do hnow it, have an assured perception of their knowledge. " It is the Spirit that beareth witness that the Spirit is truth ;" (1 John v, 8,) that is, " the doctrine and the meanings comprehended in that doc- trine, are truth." " But that attesting witness of the Spirit which is revealed in us, cannot convince others of the truth of the Divine word." What then ? It wnll convince them when it has also breathed on them : it will breathe its Divine affiatus on them, if they be the sons of the church, all of whom shall be (©sj^idaxroi) taught of God : every man of them will hear and learn of the Father, and will come unto Christ." (John vi, 45.) Neither can the testimony of any Church convince all men ot the truth and divinity of the sacred writings. The Papists, who arro- gate to themselves exclusively the title of " the Church," ex- perience the small degree of credit which is given to their tes- timonies, by those who have not received an afflatus from the spirit of the Roman See. " But it is necessary that there should be a testimony in the Church of such a high character as to render it imperative on all men to pay it due defference." True. It was the incum- bent duty of the Jews to pay defference to the testimony of Christ when he was speaking to them ; the Pharisees ought not to have contradicted Stephen in the midst of his discourse ; and Jews and Gentiles, without any exception, were bound to yield credence to the preaching of the aj^ostles, confirmed as it was by so many and such astonishing miracles. But the duties here recited, were disregarded by all these parties. . What was the reason of this their neglect ? The voluntary hardening of their hearts, and that blindness of their minds, which was introduced by the Devil. If the Papists still contend, that " such a testimony as this ought to exist in the Church, against which no one shall actu- ally offer any contradiction," we deny the assertion. And expe- rience testifies, that a testimony of this kind never yet had an CERTAINTY OF SACRED TIIEOLOGV. 143 existence, that it does not now exist, and (if we may form our judgment from the scriptures,) we certainly think that it never will exist. "But perhaps the Holy Ghost, Avho is the Author and Effect- or of this testimony, has entered into an engagement with the Church, not to inspire and seal on the minds of men this cer- tainty, except tlirongh her, and by the intervention of her au- thority." Tlie Holy Ghost does, undoubtedly, according to the good pleasure of his own will, make use of som 3 organ or instrument in performing these his offices. B.it this instru- ment is the word of God, which is comprehended in the sacred books of scripture ; an instrument produced and brought for- ward by Himself, and instructed in his truth. The Apostle to the Hebrews in a most excellent manner describes the efficacy which is impressed on this instrument by the Holy Spirit, in these words : " For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and mar- row, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. iv, 12.) Its effect is called " Faith," by the Apostle. " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. x, 7.) If any act of the Church occurs in this place, it is that by which she is occupied in the sincere preaching of this word, and by which she sedulously exercises herself in promoting its publication. But even this is not so properly the occupation t)f the Church, as of " the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers," whom Christ has consti- tuted his laborei"s 'for the edifying of his body, which is the Church.'" (Ephes. iv, 11.) But we must in this place de- duce an observation from the very nature of things in general, as well as of this thing in particular ; it is, that the First Cause can extend much farther by its own action, than it is possible for an instrumental cause to do ; and that the Holy Ghost gives to the word all that force which he afterwards em])loy8, such being the great efficacy with which it is endued and ap- plied, that whomsoever he only counsels by his word he him- self persuades by imparting Divine meanings to the word, by enlightening the mind as with a lamp, and by inspiring and 144 JAMES AEMmitrs. sealing it by his own immediate action. The Papists pretend, that certain acts are necessary to the production of true faith ; and they say that those acts cannot be performed except by the judgment and testimony of the Church — such as to believe that any book is the production of Matthew or Luke — to dis- cern between a Canonical and an Apocryphal verse, and to distinguish between this or that reading, according to the va- riation in different copies. But, since there is a controversy concerning the weight, and necessity of those acts, and since the dispute is no less than how far they may he performed hy the Church — lest I should fotigue my most illustrious audito- ry by two great prolixity, I will omit at present any further mention of these topics ; and will by Divine assistance explain them at some future opportunity. My most illustrious and accomplished hearers, we have al- ready perceived, that both the pages of our sacred Theology are full of God and Cheist, and of the Spirit of both of them. If any enquiry be made for the object, God and Christ hy the Spirit are pointed out to us. If we search for the author, God and Christ hy the operation of the Spirit spontaneously occur. If we consider the end proposed, our union with God and Christ offers itself — an end not to be obtained except through the communication of the Spirit. If we enquire con- cerning the truth and certainty of the doctrine ; God in Christ., by means of the efficacy of the Holy Giiost, most clear- ly convinces our minds of the truth, and in a very powerful manner seals the certainty on our hearts. All the glory, therefore, of this revelation is deservedly due to God and Christ in the Holy Spirit : and most deservedly are thanks due from us to them, and must be given to them, through the Holy Ghost, for such an august and necessary be- nefit as this which they have conferred on us. But we can present to our God and Christ in the Holy Spirit no gratitude more grateful, and can ascribe no glory more glorious, than this, the application of our minds to an assiduous contempla- tion and a devout meditation on the knowledge of such a noble object. But in our meditations uj)on it, (to prevent us from straying into the paths of error,) let us betake oiu'selves to the CERTAINTY OF SACRED TnEOLOOT. 145 revelation wliicli lias been made of this doctrine. From the word of this revelation alone, let us learn the wisdom of endea- voring, bj an ardent desire and in an unwearied course, to at- tain unto that ultimate design which ought to be our constant aim — that most blessed end of our union with God and Christ. Let us never indulge in any doubts concerning the truth of this revelation ; but, " the full assurance of faith being impressed upon our minds and hearts by the inspiration and sealing of the IIolj Spirit, let us adhere to this word, " till [at length] we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephes. iv, 13.) I most humbly supplicate and entreat God om- merciful Father, that he would be pleased to grant this great blessing to us, through the Son of his love, and by the communication of his Holy Spirit. And to him be ascribed all praise, and honor, and glory, forever and ever. Amen. 10 VOL. I. ORATION V. ON RECONCILING RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS AMONG CHRISTIANS. Dtlivered on the eighth of February, 1606, when Arminius resigned the Annual office of Rector of the University. Never since the first entrance of sin into the world, have there been any ages so happy as not to be disturbed bv the occurrence of some evil or other ; and, on the contrary, there has been no age so embittered with calamities, as not to have had a sweet admixture of some good, by the presence of the divine benevolence renewed towards mankind. The experi- ence of all ages bears witness to the truth of this observation ; and it is taught by the individual history of every nation. If, from a diligent consideration of these different histories and a comparison between them, any person should think fit to draw a parallel of the blessings and of the calamities which have either occurred at one and the same period, or which have succeeded each other, he would in reality be enabled to contemplate, as in a mirror of the greatest clearness and bril- liancy, how the BENIGNITY of God has at all times contended with his JUST SEVERITY, and what a conflict the goodness or THE Deity has always maintained with the perversfiy of men. Of this a fair specimen is afforded to us in the passing events of our own age, within that part of Christendom with which RECONCILING RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS. 147 we are more imniedlatelj acquainted. To demonstrate this. I do not deem it necessary to recount all the evils which have rushed, like an overwhelming inundation, upon the century which has been just completed : for their infinity would render such an attempt difficult and almost impossible. xSeither do I think it necessary, to enumerate, in a particular manner, the BLESSINGS by which those evils have been somewhat mitigated. To confirm this truth, it will be abundantly sufficient to mention one very remarkable blessing, and one evil of great magnitude and directly opposed to that blessing. This blessing is, that the Divine clemency irradiates our part of the world by the illustrious light of his sacred truth, and enlightens it with the knowledge of true religion, or Christian- ity. The evil opposed to it is, that either human ignurance or human perversity deteriorates and corrupts the clear light of this Divine truth, by aspersing and beclouding it with the blackest errors ; creates separation and division among those who have devoted themselves exclusively to the service of religion ; and severs them into parties, and even into shreds of parties, in direct contradiction to the nature and genius of Christianity, whose Author is called the " Prince of peace," its doctrine "' the Gospel of peace," and its professors " the Sons of peace," The very foundation of it is an act of pacifi- cation concludetl between God and men, and ratified by the blood of the Prince of peace. The precepts inculcated in each of its pages, are concerning peace and concord ; its fruits are " righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ;" and its end is peace and eternal tranquility. Put although the light from this torch of truth, which is diffused through the Chris- tian world, affords no small refreshment to my mind ; and although a view of that clearer light which shines among the Ciiurches that profess to have been Pefokmed from PorERT, is most exhilarating ; yet I cannot dissemble the intense grief which I feel at my heart on account of that religious discord which has been festering like a gangrene, and pervading the whole bf Christianity : Unhappily, its devastations have not terminated. In this unfeigned feeling of deep regret, I think, all those who love Christ and his Church, will partake with 148 JAMES AKMINIUS. me ; unless tliej possess hearts of greater hardness than Parian marble, and bowels secured from compassionate attacks by a rigidity stronger than that of the oak, and by defences more impregnable than those of triple brass. This is the cause which has incited me to offer a few re- marks on religious dissensions in the 'Christian world; for, according to^that common proverb, " Whenever a man feels any pain, his hand is almost spontaneously moved to the part affected." This, therefore, is the subject which I propose to introduce to the notice of the present celebrated assembly, in which the province has been awarded to me, of delivering an oration at this Academic Festival, according to an established and laudable custom. I shall confine myself to three partic- ulars : In the first place, I will give a dissertation on this DISCOKD ITSELF and THE EVILS WHICH SPKING FKOM IT. I will then shew its causes ; and, lastly, its remedies. The first particular includes within itself the necessity of removing such a great evil ; and the last prescribes the man- ner in which it may be removed, to which the middle par- ticular materially contributes. The union of the whole together exjDlains and justifies the nature of the design which I have now undertaken. I humbly pray and entreat the God of peace, that he will, by his Spirit of truth and peace, be present with me while engaged in speaking ; and that he will govern my mind and direct my tongne, that I may utter such things as may be pleasing to him and salutary to the Church of Christ, for the glory of his name and our mutual instruction. I lilvewise prefer a request to you, my veiy famous and accomplished hearers, that you will deign to grant me your favorable attention, while I glance at each of these particulars with much brevity, and discharge the ofiice of a director to you rather than that of an orator, lest I trespass on your patience. I. Union is a great good : it is indeed the chief good and therefore the only one, whether we separately consider each thing of which it is composed, or more of them contained together by a certain social tie or relation between themselves. RECONClI.INa RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS. 140 For all things together, and each thing separately, are what they are by that very thing by which they are one ; and, by this union, they are preserved in what they really are. And, if they have need and are cai)able of further perfection, they are, by the same union, still more strengthened, increased, and perfected, until they attain to the utmost boundary prescribed to them by nature or by grace, or by God tlie Author of both grace and nature. Of such certainty is this truth, that even the blessedness of God consists in that union by which He is One and always present with himself, and having all things belonging to him present together with him. Xotliing, there- fore, can be more agreeable or desirable than union, whether viewed in reference to single things or to the whole together ; nothing can be more noxious and detestable than dissension, by whicli all things begin at first to decline from their own condition, are afterwards diminished by degrees, and, at length, perish. But as there are differences of good, so are there likewise of union. More excellent than another is that good which in its own natm-e obtains the pre-eminence above the other, on account of its being more general and durable, and on account of its approaching more nearly to the Cuief Good. In like manner that union is also more excellent which consists of a thing of greater excellence, belongs to many, is more