THE OLD THEOLOGY THE TRUE THEOLOGY; OR, THE JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, OF THE EARLY FATHERS, AND OF THE CREED-BOOKS AND DOCTORS OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES BY THE REV. WILLIAM ELLIOTT, EPSOM, PAPERS READ AT "THE CHRISTIAN UNION INSTITUTE," AND PUBLISHED Question-If THE FOUNDATIONS be destroyed, what can THE RIGHTEOUS do? LONDON: JAMES NISBET AND CO., 21 BERNERS STREET. PREFACE. 1. The ORDER observed; 2. The LANGUAGE in which truth is conveyed; 3. The QUOTATIONS referred to; 4. The SPIRIT's aid. 1. The Order in which these Lectures appear, is that in which, at the request of "The Christian Union Institute," they were prepared and read. That order has this advantage, that by it certain errors, now prevalent, on the subjects of Sanctification and Faith, being first of all taken out of the way, the true doctrine of Justification is then presented. 2. The Teaching contained in this little volume is conveyed in language which no man of sense can so much as affect to despise; the words being those of that only and all-perfect Rule of our entire Faith-the Holy Scriptures, and of those subordinate but excellent instructors-the Early Fathers and the Creed-Books and Doctors of the Reformed Churches. 3. The Quotations made have all been verified; the references given being to the pages of only well-known Editions of the Authors. The extracts inserted are not one-tenth part of those prepared and now lying by me; but they are as many as could be safely introduced into three brief Lectures; and there are, no doubt, thousands of beautiful passages of which I know absolutely nothing. By the good providence of God, and by the kindness of one to whom through all eternity I shall hold myself indebted, I have long been familiar with the writings of our own old English Divines; and amongst them I reckon as chief Ussher and Davenant. On the subject herein treated of, the extracts from the Fathers found in them are both numerous and precious; and guided by them, I have found, for myself, in the originals, many not noticed at all by them. All these I hope some day to turn, to account, in the service of that PREFACE. 1. The ORDER observed; 2. The LANGUAGE in which truth is conveyed; 3. The QUOTATIONS referred to; 4. The SPIRIT's aid. 1. The Order in which these Lectures appear, is that in which, at the request of "The Christian Union Institute," they were prepared and read. That order has this advantage, that by it certain errors, now prevalent, on the subjects of Sanctification and Faith, being first of all taken out of the way, the true doctrine of Justification is then presented. 2. The Teaching contained in this little volume is conveyed in language which no man of sense can so much as affect to despise; the words being those of that only and all-perfect Rule of our entire Faith-the Holy Scriptures, and of those subordinate but excellent instructors-the Early Fathers and the Creed-Books and Doctors of the Reformed Churches. 3. The Quotations made have all been verified; the references given being to the pages of only well-known Editions of the Authors. The extracts inserted are not one-tenth part of those prepared and now lying by me; but they are as many as could be safely introduced into three brief Lectures; and there are, no doubt, thousands of beautiful passages of which I know absolutely nothing. By the good providence of God, and by the kindness of one to whom through all eternity I shall hold myself indebted, I have long been familiar with the writings of our own old English Divines; and amongst them I reckon as chief Ussher and Davenant. On the subject herein treated of, the extracts from the Fathers found in them are both numerous and precious; and guided by them, I have found, for myself, in the originals, many not noticed at all by them. All these I hope some day to turn, to account, in the service of that |