HYPOTHESIS OF ITS PREEXISTENCE.

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it has upon the statement of the doctrine of original sin. It is on account of its connexion with this single doctrine, (for it is not immediately connected with any other), that it has been so much agitated by theologians, especially since the time of Augustine. They have usually adopted that theory respecting the origin of the soul, which was most favorable to the views which they entertained respecting the native character of man. And hence the followers of Augustine, and of Pelagius, the advocates and opponents of the doctrine of native depravity, are uniformly ranged on opposite sides of the question concerning the origin of the soul.

There have been three principal hypotheses on this subject, which will now be stated.

1. The hypothesis of the preexistence of souls. Those who support this hypothesis, called Præcristiani, affirm that God, at the beginning of the world, created the souls of all men, which however are not united with the body before man is begotten or born into the world. This was the opinion of Pythagoras, Plato, and his followers, and of the Cabbalists among the Jews. Among these, however, there is a difference of opinion; some believing, that the soul was originally destined for the body, and unites with it of its own accord; others, with Plato, that it pertained originally to the divine nature, and is incarcerated in the body, as a punishment for the sins which it committed in its heavenly state. This hypothesis found advocates in the ancient Christian church. Some Christians adopted the entire system of the Platonists, and held, that the soul was a part of the divine nature, etc. Priscillianus, and his followers either held these views, or were accused of holding them by Augustine, De Hæres. c. 70. All who professed to believe the preexistence of the soul, cannot be proved to have believed that it was a part of the divine nature. This is true of Origen, who agreed with the Platonists in saying, that souls sinned before they were united with a body, in which they were imprisoned as a punishment for their sins; vid. Huetius, in his "Origenianæ," L. II. c. 2, quæst. 6.— The preexistence of the soul was early taught by Justin the Martyr, Dial. cum Tryphone Jud.-This has been the common opinion of Christian mystics of ancient and modern times. They usually adhere to the Platonic theory, and regard the soul as a part of the divine nature, from which it proceeds, and to which it will again return. This doctrine of the preexistence of the soul is, however, al

most entirely abandoned, because it is supposed irreconcileable with the doctrine of original sin. And, if the mystics be excepted, it has been left almost without an advocate, ever since the time of Augus tine.

2. The hypothesis of the creation of the soul. The advocates of this theory, called Creatiani, believe that the soul is immediately created by God, whenever the body is begotten. A passage in Aristotle, De Gener. II. 3, was supposed to contain this doctrine; at least it was so understood by the schoolmen; and in truth, Aristotle appears not to be far removed from the opinion ascribed to him. Cyril of Alexandria, and Theodoret among the fathers in the Grecian church, were of this opinion; and Ambrose, Hilarius, and Hieronymous, in the Latin church. The schoolmen almost universally professed this doctrine, and generally the followers of Pelagius, with whom the schoolmen for the most part agreed in their views with regard to the native character of man. For these views derived a very plausible vindication from the hypothesis, that the soul was immediately created by God, when it was connected with the body. The argument was this: If God created the souls of men, he must have made them either pure and holy, or impure and sinful. The latter supposition is inconsistent with the holiness of God, and consequently the doctrine of the native depravity of the heart must be rejected. To affirm that God made the heart depraved, would be to avow the blasphemous doctrine, that God is the author of sin. The theory of the Creatiani, was at first favored by Augustine; but he rejected it, as soon as he saw how it was employed by the Pelagians. It has continued, however, to the present time, to be the common doctrine of the theologians of the Romish church, who in this follow after the schoolmen, like them making little of native depravity, and much of the freedom of man in spiritual things. Among the Protestant teachers, Melancthon was inclined to the hypothesis of the Creatiani; although after the time of Luther, another hypothesis, which will shortly be noticed, was received with most approbation by Protestants. Still many distinguished Lutheran teachers of the seventeenth century followed Melancthon in his views concerning this doctrine, e. g. G. Calixtus. In the Reformed church, the hypothesis which we are now considering has had far more advocates, than any other; though even they have not agreed in the manner of exhibiting it. Luther would have this subject left with

AND PROPAGATION OF THE SOUL.

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out being determined, and many of his contemporaries were of the same opinion.

3. The hypothesis of the propagation of the soul. According to this theory, the souls of children, as well as their bodies, are propagated from their parents. These two suppositions may be made. Either the souls of children exist in their parents as real beings (entia), like the seed in plants, and so have been propagated from Adam through successive generations; which is the opinion of Leibnitz in his "Theodicée," P. I. 91; or they exist in their parents merely potentially, and come from them per propaginem, or traducem. Hence those who hold this opinion are called Traduciani. This opinion agrees with what Epicurus says of human seed, that it is “ σώματος τὲ καὶ ψυχῆς ἀπόσπασμα.” This hypothesis formerly prevailed in the ancient western church. According to Hieronymus, both Tertullian and Apollinaris were advocates of this opinion, and even "maxima pars Occidentalium," vid. Epist. ad Marcellin.-Tertullian entered very minutely into the discussion of this subject, in his work, "De anima," c. 25, sq. where he often uses the word tradux; but he is very obscure in what he has said. This is the hypothesis to which the opponents of the Pelagians have been most generally inclined; vid. No. 2; though many who were rigorously orthodox would have nothing definitely settled upon this subject. Even Augustine, who in some passages favored the Creatiani, affirmed in his book "De origine animæ," nullam (sententiam) temere affirmare oportebit. Since the reformation this theory has been more approved than any other, not only by philosophers and naturalists, but also by the Lutheran church. Luther himself appeared much inclined towards it, although he did not declare himself distinctly in its favor. But in the "Formula Concordia" it was distinctly taught, that the soul, as well as the body, was propagated by parents in ordinary generation.-The reason why this theory is so much preferred by theologians, is, that it affords the easiest solution of the doctrine of native depravity. If in the souls of our first progenitors the souls of all their posterity existed potentially, and the souls of the former were polluted and sinful; those of the latter must be so too. This hypothesis is not however free from objections; and it is very difficult to reconcile it with some philosophical opinions, which are universally received. We cannot, for example, easily conceive, how generation and propagation

can take place without extension; but we cannot predicate extension of the soul, without making it a material substance. Tertullian and other of the fathers affirm, indeed, that the soul of man, and that spirit in general, is not perfectly pure and simple, but of a refined material nature, of which, consequently, extension may be predicated; vid. § 19, ad finem, and $51, I. ad finem. And with these opinions, the theory of the propagation of the soul agrees perfectly well, certainly far better, than with the opinions which we entertain respecting the nature of spirit. Although even with these opinions we cannot be sure, that a spiritual generation and propagation is impossible. For we do not understand the true nature of spirit, and cannot therefore determine with certainty what is or is not possible respecting it.-There are some psychological phenomena which seem to favor the theory now under consideration; and hence it has always been the favorite theory of psychologists and physicians. The natural disposition of children not unfrequently resembles that of their parents; and the mental excellencies and imperfections of parents are inherited nearly as often by their children, as any bodily attributes. Again, the powers of the soul, like those of the body, are at first weak, and attain their full developement and perfection, only by slow degrees. Many more phenomena of the same sort might be mentioned. But after all that may be said, we must remain in uncertainty with regard to the origin of the human soul. Important objections can be urged against these arguments, and any others that might be offered. And if the metaphysical theory of the entire simplicity of the human soul be admitted, the whole subject remains involved in total darkness.

ARTICLE SEVENTH.

OF THE DOCTRINE RESPECTING ANGELS.

$58. Of the importance of the doctrine concerning angels, and some introductory historical remarks.

I. The importance of this doctrine.

1. Its practical importance. By one class of theologians, the practical importance of this doctrine has been very much exaggerated; while others, who are mostly modern writers, have denied it all practical utility, and have gone so far as to insist, that it should be entirely omitted in common religious instruction. To these views, we can by no means assent, if we make the Bible the source of our knowledge and the foundation of our belief in religious truth. Nor should we allow ourselves to entertain exaggerated views of this subject, the tendency of which must be injurious.-In the manner in which this doctrine is now generally held among Christians, we see the effect of the levity and irreverence, with which the doctrines of the Bible have often been treated in late years by theological writers. The contempt with which the belief in angels is often spoken of among common Christians is not to be wondered at, when we consider, how it has been treated by the teachers of religion in our schools, universities, and pulpits. Those who are preparing to be teachers of religion should take warning from the evils which they see produced by the light and irreverent manner in which the doctrines of the Bible have been lately exhibited. Vid. Reinhard's excellent sermon, "Wie sich Christen bey so mannichfachen Meinungen über die Geisterwelt zu erhalten haben," published in the collection for the year 1795.