Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
most public places, that it might be seen, read, and known by all men; that those who were to obey the laws might not break them through ignorance, and thus incur the penalty. This was Called promulgatio legis, quasi provulgatio, "the promulgation of the law," that is, the laying it before the common people. Or from ligo, "I bind," because the law binds men to the strict observance of its precepts. The Greeks call a law nomos, from "to divide, distribute, minister to, or serve," because the law divides to all their just rights, appoints or distributes to each his proper duty, and thus serves or ministers to the welfare of the individual, and the support of society. Hence, where there are either no laws, or unequal and unjust ones, all is distraction, violence, rapine, oppression, anarchy, and ruin. "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," cuts every way; it convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment; pierces between the joints and the marrow, divides between the soul and the spirit, dissects the whole mind, and exhibits a regular anatomy of the soul. It not only reproves and exposes sin, but it slays the ungodly, pointing out and determining the punishment they shall endure. "It is a critic of the propensities and suggestions of the heart." How many have felt this property of God's word where it has been faithfully preached! How often has it happened that a man has seen the whole of his own character, and some of the most private transactions of his life, held up as it were to public view by the preacher; and yet the parties absolutely unknown to each other! Some, thus exhibited, have even supposed that their neighbours must have privately informed the preacher of their character and conduct; but it was the word of God, which, by the direction and energy of the divine Spirit, thus searched them out, was "a critical examiner of the propensities and suggestions of their hearts," and had pursued them through all their public haunts and private ways. Every genuine minister of the gospel has witnessed such effects as these under his ministry in repeated instances.
The law of God is a code of instruction, in which God makes himself known in the holiness and justice of his nature, his displacence at sin, and his love of righteousness;—as also to manifest himself in the magnitude of his mercy, and readiness to save. In a word, it is God's system of instruction by which men are taught the knowledge of their Creator and of themselves—directed how to walk so as to please God—redeemed from crooked paths—and guided in the way that leads to everlasting life. This is the Bible—The Book, by way of eminence—the Book made by God—the only book that is without blemish or error—the book that contains the TRUTH, the whole TRUTH, and nothing but the TRUTH: that without which we should have known little about God, less concerning ourselves, and nothing about heaven, the resurrection, or a future state: the book that contains the greatest mass of learning ever put together—the book from which all the sages of antiquity have, directly or indirectly, derived their knowledge: by means of which, the nations who have studied it most, and known it best, have formed the wisest code of laws, and have become the wisest and the most powerful nations of the earth. The revelation which God has given of himself is a perfect system of instruction. It reveals no more than we ought to know; it keeps nothing back that would be profitable. It gives us a proper view of the nature and authority of the Lawgiver. It shows the right he has to govern us. All well constituted and wisely enacted laws are for the benefit of the subjects. This is emphatically the case with the law of God. He needs not our allegiance—he wants not our tribute. He is infinitely perfect, and needs nothing that we can bring. There was the utmost necessity for this law:—he that is without law is without reason and rule. He has no line to walk by—nothing to teach, restrain, or correct him. He is led astray by his passions; and lives to his own ruin and destruction. God in his mercy has given him a law to bind, to instruct, and to lead him. In this law he has shown man at once his duty and his interest.
- Page 7 and 8: XXXIII.—Hell XXXIV.—Heaven XXXV
- Page 9 and 10: Mr. Clarke kept an English and clas
- Page 11 and 12: of sorrow, the day of deliverance d
- Page 13 and 14: another village, and repeated the s
- Page 15 and 16: Mr. Clarke entered on the regular w
- Page 17 and 18: In 1785 Mr. Clarke was appointed to
- Page 19 and 20: The year 1791 is remarkable in the
- Page 21 and 22: duty as a Methodist preacher. In th
- Page 23 and 24: His "Concise View of the Succession
- Page 25 and 26: eneficial effect upon his constitut
- Page 27 and 28: is indebted to Dr. Clarke, will not
- Page 29 and 30: the mightiest and happiest nation o
- Page 31 and 32: from 1 Tim. i, 15: "This is a faith
- Page 33 and 34: needlessly; keep from all unnecessa
- Page 35 and 36: serve for their dinner. I said, 'Go
- Page 37 and 38: popular; but God scarcely ever empl
- Page 39 and 40: on the shortest notice, and pour fo
- Page 41 and 42: voes, and men, and devils would be
- Page 43 and 44: itself. Whatever errors may be obse
- Page 45 and 46: Irish Academy,—member of the Amer
- Page 47 and 48: and intelligent heathens. They had
- Page 49 and 50: government, and with many millions
- Page 51 and 52: mercy on those whose ignorance lead
- Page 53 and 54: was in Judea, where every thing tha
- Page 55 and 56: 1. By the personal appearance of Hi
- Page 57: holiness, omniscience, and omnipote
- Page 61 and 62: The law could not pardon; the law c
- Page 63 and 64: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. Adam Clarke II.
- Page 65 and 66: Thus we find that he is the most ex
- Page 67 and 68: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. Adam Clarke III
- Page 69 and 70: God is a Spirit: he is nothing like
- Page 71 and 72: general laws, he chooses often to a
- Page 73 and 74: strength or power. It was this whic
- Page 75 and 76: BENEVOLENCE.—Entertain just notio
- Page 77 and 78: When man fell, the same love induce
- Page 79 and 80: "the wretched state of the sinner p
- Page 81 and 82: the thought. If cherubim and seraph
- Page 83 and 84: were manifested; and merely, I thin
- Page 85 and 86: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. Adam Clarke V.
- Page 87 and 88: has conceived the most astonishing
- Page 89 and 90: powers of the most astonishing comp
- Page 91 and 92: forth his glory: which they can do
- Page 93 and 94: endued with the gift of speech and
- Page 95 and 96: unfriendly to the continual support
- Page 97 and 98: "lieth in the wicked one," with an
- Page 99 and 100: in which we were created. 2. We are
- Page 101 and 102: were evil"—the very first embryo
- Page 103 and 104: sin has been denied by many, while
- Page 105 and 106: Men may amuse themselves by arguing
- Page 107 and 108: nature and dignity of that God agai
most public places, that it might be seen, read, and known by all men;<br />
that those who were to obey the laws might not break them through<br />
ignorance, and thus incur the penalty. This was Called promulgatio legis,<br />
quasi provulgatio, "the promulgation of the law," that is, the laying it<br />
before the common people. Or from ligo, "I bind," because the law binds<br />
men to the strict observance of its precepts. The Greeks call a law <br />
nomos, from "to divide, distribute, minister to, or serve," because the<br />
law divides to all their just rights, appoints or distributes to each his<br />
proper duty, and thus serves or ministers to the welfare of the individual,<br />
and the support of society. Hence, where there are either no laws, or<br />
unequal and unjust ones, all is distraction, violence, rapine, oppression,<br />
anarchy, and ruin.<br />
"The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," cuts every way;<br />
it convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment; pierces between the<br />
joints and the marrow, divides between the soul and the spirit, dissects<br />
the whole mind, and exhibits a regular anatomy of the soul. It not only<br />
reproves and exposes sin, but it slays the ungodly, pointing out and<br />
determining the punishment they shall endure.<br />
"It is a critic of the propensities and suggestions of the heart." How<br />
many have felt this property of God's word where it has been faithfully<br />
preached! How often has it happened that a man has seen the whole of his<br />
own character, and some of the most private transactions of his life, held<br />
up as it were to public view by the preacher; and yet the parties absolutely<br />
unknown to each other! Some, thus exhibited, have even supposed that<br />
their neighbours must have privately informed the preacher of their<br />
character and conduct; but it was the word of God, which, by the<br />
direction and energy of the divine Spirit, thus searched them out, was "a<br />
critical examiner of the propensities and suggestions of their hearts," and<br />
had pursued them through all their public haunts and private ways. Every<br />
genuine minister of the gospel has witnessed such effects as these under<br />
his ministry in repeated instances.
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