far as possible, suggest advice, in passing, respecting the proper manner of exhibiting the truths of religion before a popular assembly. For those who are to be the religious teachers of the people, need to be taught, how they may enter into the views, and understand the wants of hearers of a far different intellectual culture from their own. A modern theologian has well remarked, that most of the students of theology know no better, than to address a promiscuous audience on the various subjects of religion, in the same way in which they themselves, as educated men, have been addressed, for their own conviction, by their theological instructer. The necessity of such advice to popular teachers of religion, is apparent from considering, that they are often wholly destitute of a deep internal conviction, and personal experience of the truths which they are expected to teach to others. It cannot be said with respect to them, pectus est quod discrtos facit. The want of this personal experience, cannot be made good by any thing else. The teacher of religion can never be qualified for his office, if he has not felt with joy in his own heart, the truth of the doctrines to which his understanding has assented.

(4) It is now very generally admitted, that the circumstances of our age require, that the history of doctrines should be connected with the study of theology. Many attempts have accordingly been made, to produce a complete history of doctrines; which, however, must prove unsuccessful, until the particular portions of which such a history is composed, have been more thoroughly studied. The latest works in this department, are those of Lange, Münscher, Münter, and Augusti. The historical method of treating the subject of theology has indeed been abused; but when properly employed, it possesses great advantages. It is useful in the following respects:

(a) It presents us with different views of these most important subjects of knowledge, makes us acquainted with the opinions of others respecting them, and shows us briefly the causes which led to these different views, and the arguments for and against them. In this way it serves to quicken the judgement of the teacher of relig ion, to confirm and settle his own convictions, and to preserve him from illiberality in his estimate of others. He is often enabled by a simple historical view, to decide upon the validity or invalidity of the different arguments by which a doctrine may be supported.

(b) In the established system of our churches, of which no teacher of the church should remain ignorant, there are many philosophi

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9. SCIENTIFIc treatment of CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY.

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cal and technical phrases, which have been introduced in consequence of the various errors and controversies which have existed. These phrases cannot be understood and properly estimated, unless we are acquainted with the time and manner in which they originated. And this we learn from the history of doctrines.

(c) There is another very important point of view with respect to the history of doctrines, which is too often overlooked.

There is a certain, universal analogy in the knowledge and opinions of men on the subject of religion; like the analogy existing, for example, among human languages. This analogy may be often used by the theologian to greater effect than many logical demonstrations. The opinions and conceptions of men respecting God and divine things, are indeed very different; and so are their languages. But in the midst of all this variety, both of religion and language, we find a striking similarity in some principal points. And this similarity leads us at last to the result, that even on the subject of religion men proceed every where on certain universal principles, which must have their ground in the original constitution which God himself has given us. Cf. §§ 2, 3. The thousand different modifications of these principles and modes of conception, are owing to the different degrees of intellectual and moral culture, and to other external circumstances by which men are affected. And it is for this reason, that the analogy of human opinions on the subject of religion, is most visible and striking in the infancy of society.

Knowing now these universal ideas, and modes of conception and expression on the subject of religion, we may safely presume, that if God has actually given a direct revelation to men, he has adapted it to these ideas and conceptions, founded as they are in the original constitution of the human mind. This is demanded by the nature of man; and this is found to be actually the case in the divine revela tions which we enjoy.

These ideas and conceptions, which belong essentially to the nature of man, give us the thread, as it were, by which we may traverse the labyrinth of religious opinions, and ascend up to their very origin. They illustrate the doctrine of divine revelation, and render the wisdom of the divine plan in the different degrees of revelation (vid. 8) every where conspicuous.

The theologian, therefore, who would cast the light of history upon the doctrines of revelation, must acquire, from all the sources

of information within his reach, both of ancient and modern date, a comprehensive knowledge of the religious opinions and conceptions of different nations, especially in the infancy of their existence; and from all these various sentiments deduce some universal results. In this inquiry, he will find the careful study of the Old Testament peculiarly important and instructive. For here he will discover the germs which were afterwards developed in the religions of the Jews, Christians, and other nations. With the sacred books of the Jews he should compare the writings of other nations, especially those which belong to their early history. Among all the writings of the people of the ancient world, none are so important as those of the Greeks, particularly the poems of Homer. They contain those fundamental ideas, which, in all their various modifications among the later Greeks, disclose their common origin in the essential nature of man. The passages which exhibit these fundamental ideas, should therefore be frequently cited, in order to render this analogy of principles obvious, in cases where important results are depending upon it.

NOTE. In the study of theology, the following works may be read with profit, and used as manuals. (1) Morus, Commentarius Exegetico-historicus, in suam Theologiæ Christianæ Epitomen, Tom. 2, edited by M. Hempel, Halle, 1797-98, 8vo. (2) Reinhard, Vorlesungen über die Dogmatik, edited with literary additions by Berger, Amberg and Sultzbach, 1801, 8vo. (3) Storr, Doctrinæ Christianæ pars theoretica e s. literis repetita, ed. 2, ex MS. auctoris emendata, 1808. (4) Storr, Lehrbuch der christlichen Dogmatik, with additions by Flatt, Stuttgard, 1803, 8vo.

The manuals of Ammon, Schmidt, Staudlin, and others, may be recommended, in many respects, to the more advanced student, who can examine for himself. The work of Storr deserves special recommendation, as a very thorough system of biblical theology. The works which give a merely historical view of the various theological opinions, are less suitable for beginners. One of the best among the works of this kind, is Beck, Commentarii historici decretorum religionis Christianæ et formulæ Lutheria, Lips. 1801, 8vo. The work of Augusti, above mentioned, gives a briefer sketch. Another work of the same author, System der christlichen Dogmatik, nach den Grundsätzen der lutherischen Kirche, im Grundrisse dargestellt, Leipzig, 1809, 8vo, contains much that is valuable.

ARTICLE FIRST.

OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AS THE SOURCE OF OUR KNOWLEDGE IN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY.

$1. Names and divisions of the books belonging to the Holy Scriptures.

THE Holy Scriptures are a collection of the productions of the prophets, evangelists, and apostles, containing the doctrines and the history of revealed religion. They are the archives of the records of revealed religion, and of its history. They consist of two principal parts the Old Testament, or the sacred national books of the Israelites; and the New Testament, or the sacred books of Christians. An and denote laws, religion, and religious writings; also the books, or the collection of the books, which embody all the precepts of religion. Bißriov diaýýans is used in the latter sense, 1 Macc. 1: 57, and nahaia diavan, 2 Cor. 3: 14. The sacred books of Christians are called, in distinction, zavn διαθήκη.

The books of the New Testament have been differently divided. At a very early period they were divided into to varyέhov and i anóorolos, of which we shall speak hereafter. They have also been divided into the historical part, containing the gospels and the Acts of the apostles; the doctrinal part, containing the epistles; and the prophetical part, the Apocalypse. The history of the remarkable events of the life of Jesus, stands first in the collection; because the divine revelation contained in the New Testament depends upon events, and upon the divine authority of Jesus, which was confirmed by these events. For the same reason, the history of the remarkable events of the life of Moses, and of his times, stands first in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament was divided by the Jews into three parts:

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(1)in, the law, containing the five books of Moses (лEVτάTεv

, נְבִיאִים רִאשׁוֹנִים the prophets ; subdivided into נְבִיאִים (2) ;(os)

priores, containing the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, and i, posteriores, containing the prophets, properly so called; (3) rn, Hagiographa, containing Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and the remaining books.

This division of the books of the Old Testament, at least the division into νόμος καὶ προφῆται, occurs in the prologue of Jesus Sirach, and in the New Testament, Luke 16: 16; and vóμos, лоo¶ñται, xai yaλuoi (libri poetici), in Luke 24: 44, in Josephus, and very frequently in the Talmud. All the books of the Old Testament are sometimes designated in the New, by the word vouos. They are also called ἱερὰ γράμματα, γραφαὶ ἅγιαι, and simply γραφή. They are sometimes called by the Jews, the four and twenty books.

The Holy Scriptures are frequently called the Word of God; especially since the time of Hutter, who gave them this name. Töllner, Semler, and others, object to this phrase, as inconvenient and liable to mistake. It may be allowed, however, if it is properly explained. This phrase, as used in the Bible, does not denote the sacred books; but (1) oracles, predictions, and other divine declarations; and (2) the doctrines and precepts of religion. So Rom. 3: 2. Acts 7:38. The Word of God may therefore be distinguished from the Holy Scriptures, of which, strictly speaking, it composes only a part. It cannot, therefore, in strict propriety of language, be used to signify the books belonging to the Bible. Cf. Morus, p. 16, § 1.

§2. Of the authenticity or genuineness of the books of the New

Testament.

The word αυθεντία properly denotes the credibility (αξιοπισ ria, Gloss. Vet.) of a work in respect to its author. In investigating the authenticity of the books of the Bible, we inquire, therefore, whether the opinion that they are the productions of the authors to whom they are ascribed, is worthy of credit.

We shall first exhibit the evidence of the genuineness of the