Systematic TheologyA Compendium and Commonplace-BookDesigned For The Use Of Theological StudentsByAugustus Hopkins Strong, D.D., LL.D.President and Professor of Biblical Theology in the Rochester Theological SeminaryRevised and EnlargedIn Three VolumesVolume 1The Doctrine of GodThe Judson PressPhiladelphia, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Seattle, Toronto1907ContentsPrefacePart I. Prolegomena.Chapter I. Idea Of Theology.I. Definition of Theology.II. Aim of Theology.III. Possibility of Theology.1. The existence of a God.2. Man's capacity for the knowledge of God3. God's revelation of himself to man.IV. Necessity of Theology.V. Relation of Theology to Religion.1. Derivation.2. False Conceptions.3. Essential Idea.4. Inferences.Chapter II. Material of Theology.I. Sources of Theology.1. Scripture and Nature.2. Scripture and Rationalism.3. Scripture and Mysticism.4. Scripture and Romanism.II. Limitations of Theology.III. Relations of Material to Progress in Theology.Chapter III. Method Of Theology.I. Requisites to the study of Theology.II. Divisions of Theology.III. History of Systematic Theology.IV. Order of Treatment in Systematic Theology.V. Text-Books in Theology.Part II. The Existence Of God.Chapter I. Origin Of Our Idea Of God's Existence.I. First Truths in General.II. The Existence of God a first truth.1. Its universality.2. Its necessity.3. Its logical independence and priority.III. Other Supposed Sources of our Idea of God's Existence.IV. Contents of this Intuition.Chapter II. Corroborative Evidences Of God's Existence.I. The Cosmological Argument, or Argument from Change in Nature.II. The Teleological Argument, or Argument from Order and Useful Collocation in Nature.III. The Anthropological Argument, or Argument from Man's Mental and Moral Nature.IV. The Ontological Argument, or Argument from our Abstract and Necessary Ideas.Chapter III. Erroneous Explanations, And Conclusion.I. Materialism.II. Materialistic Idealism.III. Idealistic Pantheism.IV. Ethical Monism.Part III. The Scriptures A Revelation From God.Chapter I. Preliminary Considerations.I. Reasonsa priorifor expecting a Revelation from God.II. Marks of the Revelation man may expect.III. Miracles, as attesting a Divine Revelation.1. Definition of Miracle.2. Possibility of Miracle.3. Probability of Miracles.4. Amount of Testimony necessary to prove a Miracle.5. Evidential force of Miracles.6. Counterfeit Miracles.IV. Prophecy as Attesting a Divine Revelation.V. Principles of Historical Evidence applicable to the Proof of a Divine Revelation.1. As to documentary evidence.2. As to testimony in general.Chapter II. Positive Proofs That The Scriptures Are A Divine Revelation.I. Genuineness of the Christian Documents.1. Genuineness of the Books of the New Testament.1st. The Myth-theory of Strauss (1808-1874).2nd. The Tendency-theory of Baur (1792-1860).3d. The Romance-theory of Renan (1823-1892).4th. The Development-theory of Harnack (born 1851).2. Genuineness of the Books of the Old Testament.II. Credibility of the Writers of the Scriptures.III. The Supernatural Character of the Scripture Teaching.1. Scripture teaching in general.2. Moral System of the New Testament.3. The person and character of Christ.4. The testimony of Christ to himself—as being a messenger from God and as being one with God.IV. The Historical Results of the Propagation of Scripture Doctrine.Chapter III. Inspiration Of The Scriptures.I. Definition of Inspiration.II. Proof of Inspiration.III. Theories of Inspiration.1. The Intuition-theory.2. The Illumination Theory.3. The Dictation-theory.4. The Dynamical Theory.IV. The Union of the Divine and Human Elements in Inspiration.V. Objections to the Doctrine of Inspiration.1. Errors in matters of Science.2. Errors in matters of History.3. Errors in Morality.4. Errors of Reasoning.5. Errors in quoting or interpreting the Old Testament.6. Errors in Prophecy.7. Certain books unworthy of a place in inspired Scripture.8. Portions of the Scripture books written by others than the persons to whom they are ascribed.9. Sceptical or fictitious Narratives.10. Acknowledgment of the non-inspiration of Scripture teachers and their writings.Part IV. The Nature, Decrees, And Works Of God.Chapter I. The Attributes Of God.I. Definition of the term Attributes.II. Relation of the divine Attributes to the divine Essence.III. Methods of determining the divine Attributes.IV. Classification of the Attributes.V. Absolute or Immanent Attributes.First division.—Spirituality, and attributes therein involved.1. Life.2. Personality.Second Division.—Infinity, and attributes therein involved.1. Self-existence.2. Immutability.3. Unity.Third Division.—Perfection, and attributes therein involved.1. Truth.2. Love.3. Holiness.VI. Relative or Transitive Attributes.First Division.—Attributes having relation to Time and Space.1. Eternity.2. Immensity.Second Division.—Attributes having relation to Creation.1. Omnipresence.2. Omniscience.3. Omnipotence.Third Division.—Attributes having relation to Moral Beings.1. Veracity and Faithfulness, or Transitive Truth.2. Mercy and Goodness, or Transitive Love.3. Justice and Righteousness, or Transitive Holiness.VII. Rank and Relations of the several Attributes.1. Holiness the fundamental attribute in God.2. The holiness of God the ground of moral obligation.Chapter II. Doctrine Of The Trinity.I. In Scriptures there are Three who are recognized as God.1. Proofs from the New Testament.A. The Father is recognized as God.B. Jesus Christ is recognized as God.C. The Holy Spirit is recognized as God.2. Intimations of the Old Testament.A. Passages which seem to teach plurality of some sort in the Godhead.B. Passages relating to the Angel of Jehovah.C. Descriptions of the divine Wisdom and Word.D. Descriptions of the Messiah.II. These Three are so described in Scripture that we are compelled to conceive of them as distinct Persons.1. The Father and the Son are persons distinct from each other.2. The Father and the Son are persons distinct from the Spirit.3. The Holy Spirit is a person.III. This Tripersonality of the Divine Nature is not merely economic and temporal, but is immanent and eternal.1. Scripture proof that these distinctions of personality are eternal.2. Errors refuted by the foregoing passages.A. The Sabellian.B. The Arian.IV. This Tripersonality is not Tritheism; for, while there are three Persons, there is but one Essence.V. The Three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are equal.1. These titles belong to the Persons.2. Qualified sense of these titles.3. Generation and procession consistent with equality.VI. Inscrutable, yet not self-contradictory, this Doctrine furnishes the Key to all other Doctrines.1. The mode of this triune existence is inscrutable.2. The Doctrine of the Trinity is not self-contradictory.3. The doctrine of the Trinity has important relations to other doctrines.Chapter III. The Decrees Of God.I. Definition of Decrees.II. Proof of the Doctrine of Decrees.1. From Scripture.2. From Reason.A. From the Divine Foreknowledge.B. From the Divine Wisdom.C. From the Divine Immutability.D. From the Divine Benevolence.III. Objections to the Doctrine of Decrees.1. That they are inconsistent with the free agency of man.2. That they take away all motive for human exertion.3. That they make God the author of sin.IV. Concluding Remarks.1. Practical uses of the doctrine of decrees.2. True method of preaching the doctrine.

Systematic Theology

A Compendium and Commonplace-Book

Designed For The Use Of Theological Students

Augustus Hopkins Strong, D.D., LL.D.

President and Professor of Biblical Theology in the Rochester Theological Seminary

Revised and Enlarged

In Three Volumes

Volume 1

The Doctrine of God

The Judson Press

Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Seattle, Toronto

1907

ContentsPrefacePart I. Prolegomena.Chapter I. Idea Of Theology.I. Definition of Theology.II. Aim of Theology.III. Possibility of Theology.1. The existence of a God.2. Man's capacity for the knowledge of God3. God's revelation of himself to man.IV. Necessity of Theology.V. Relation of Theology to Religion.1. Derivation.2. False Conceptions.3. Essential Idea.4. Inferences.Chapter II. Material of Theology.I. Sources of Theology.1. Scripture and Nature.2. Scripture and Rationalism.3. Scripture and Mysticism.4. Scripture and Romanism.II. Limitations of Theology.III. Relations of Material to Progress in Theology.Chapter III. Method Of Theology.I. Requisites to the study of Theology.II. Divisions of Theology.III. History of Systematic Theology.IV. Order of Treatment in Systematic Theology.V. Text-Books in Theology.Part II. The Existence Of God.Chapter I. Origin Of Our Idea Of God's Existence.I. First Truths in General.II. The Existence of God a first truth.1. Its universality.2. Its necessity.3. Its logical independence and priority.III. Other Supposed Sources of our Idea of God's Existence.IV. Contents of this Intuition.Chapter II. Corroborative Evidences Of God's Existence.I. The Cosmological Argument, or Argument from Change in Nature.II. The Teleological Argument, or Argument from Order and Useful Collocation in Nature.III. The Anthropological Argument, or Argument from Man's Mental and Moral Nature.IV. The Ontological Argument, or Argument from our Abstract and Necessary Ideas.Chapter III. Erroneous Explanations, And Conclusion.I. Materialism.II. Materialistic Idealism.III. Idealistic Pantheism.IV. Ethical Monism.Part III. The Scriptures A Revelation From God.Chapter I. Preliminary Considerations.I. Reasonsa priorifor expecting a Revelation from God.II. Marks of the Revelation man may expect.III. Miracles, as attesting a Divine Revelation.1. Definition of Miracle.2. Possibility of Miracle.3. Probability of Miracles.4. Amount of Testimony necessary to prove a Miracle.5. Evidential force of Miracles.6. Counterfeit Miracles.IV. Prophecy as Attesting a Divine Revelation.V. Principles of Historical Evidence applicable to the Proof of a Divine Revelation.1. As to documentary evidence.2. As to testimony in general.Chapter II. Positive Proofs That The Scriptures Are A Divine Revelation.I. Genuineness of the Christian Documents.1. Genuineness of the Books of the New Testament.1st. The Myth-theory of Strauss (1808-1874).2nd. The Tendency-theory of Baur (1792-1860).3d. The Romance-theory of Renan (1823-1892).4th. The Development-theory of Harnack (born 1851).2. Genuineness of the Books of the Old Testament.II. Credibility of the Writers of the Scriptures.III. The Supernatural Character of the Scripture Teaching.1. Scripture teaching in general.2. Moral System of the New Testament.3. The person and character of Christ.4. The testimony of Christ to himself—as being a messenger from God and as being one with God.IV. The Historical Results of the Propagation of Scripture Doctrine.Chapter III. Inspiration Of The Scriptures.I. Definition of Inspiration.II. Proof of Inspiration.III. Theories of Inspiration.1. The Intuition-theory.2. The Illumination Theory.3. The Dictation-theory.4. The Dynamical Theory.IV. The Union of the Divine and Human Elements in Inspiration.V. Objections to the Doctrine of Inspiration.1. Errors in matters of Science.2. Errors in matters of History.3. Errors in Morality.4. Errors of Reasoning.5. Errors in quoting or interpreting the Old Testament.6. Errors in Prophecy.7. Certain books unworthy of a place in inspired Scripture.8. Portions of the Scripture books written by others than the persons to whom they are ascribed.9. Sceptical or fictitious Narratives.10. Acknowledgment of the non-inspiration of Scripture teachers and their writings.Part IV. The Nature, Decrees, And Works Of God.Chapter I. The Attributes Of God.I. Definition of the term Attributes.II. Relation of the divine Attributes to the divine Essence.III. Methods of determining the divine Attributes.IV. Classification of the Attributes.V. Absolute or Immanent Attributes.First division.—Spirituality, and attributes therein involved.1. Life.2. Personality.Second Division.—Infinity, and attributes therein involved.1. Self-existence.2. Immutability.3. Unity.Third Division.—Perfection, and attributes therein involved.1. Truth.2. Love.3. Holiness.VI. Relative or Transitive Attributes.First Division.—Attributes having relation to Time and Space.1. Eternity.2. Immensity.Second Division.—Attributes having relation to Creation.1. Omnipresence.2. Omniscience.3. Omnipotence.Third Division.—Attributes having relation to Moral Beings.1. Veracity and Faithfulness, or Transitive Truth.2. Mercy and Goodness, or Transitive Love.3. Justice and Righteousness, or Transitive Holiness.VII. Rank and Relations of the several Attributes.1. Holiness the fundamental attribute in God.2. The holiness of God the ground of moral obligation.Chapter II. Doctrine Of The Trinity.I. In Scriptures there are Three who are recognized as God.1. Proofs from the New Testament.A. The Father is recognized as God.B. Jesus Christ is recognized as God.C. The Holy Spirit is recognized as God.2. Intimations of the Old Testament.A. Passages which seem to teach plurality of some sort in the Godhead.B. Passages relating to the Angel of Jehovah.C. Descriptions of the divine Wisdom and Word.D. Descriptions of the Messiah.II. These Three are so described in Scripture that we are compelled to conceive of them as distinct Persons.1. The Father and the Son are persons distinct from each other.2. The Father and the Son are persons distinct from the Spirit.3. The Holy Spirit is a person.III. This Tripersonality of the Divine Nature is not merely economic and temporal, but is immanent and eternal.1. Scripture proof that these distinctions of personality are eternal.2. Errors refuted by the foregoing passages.A. The Sabellian.B. The Arian.IV. This Tripersonality is not Tritheism; for, while there are three Persons, there is but one Essence.V. The Three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are equal.1. These titles belong to the Persons.2. Qualified sense of these titles.3. Generation and procession consistent with equality.VI. Inscrutable, yet not self-contradictory, this Doctrine furnishes the Key to all other Doctrines.1. The mode of this triune existence is inscrutable.2. The Doctrine of the Trinity is not self-contradictory.3. The doctrine of the Trinity has important relations to other doctrines.Chapter III. The Decrees Of God.I. Definition of Decrees.II. Proof of the Doctrine of Decrees.1. From Scripture.2. From Reason.A. From the Divine Foreknowledge.B. From the Divine Wisdom.C. From the Divine Immutability.D. From the Divine Benevolence.III. Objections to the Doctrine of Decrees.1. That they are inconsistent with the free agency of man.2. That they take away all motive for human exertion.3. That they make God the author of sin.IV. Concluding Remarks.1. Practical uses of the doctrine of decrees.2. True method of preaching the doctrine.

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