I wonder how many orders I could get for a corrected copy of Hodge’s Systematic Theology course all three volumes? For only $150.00, you get his three volume set and my three volumes a total of 6 volumes for $Mt.13:44-46. That is only (How Much Would You Give?) for a book, plus shipping.

This is a promo to the first rough draft of the book before editing:

“A Correction to the Problems with Hodge’s Systematic Theology.”

1 Cor.14: ³⁶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order.

Now let us look at the words of Charles Hodge, which is called Systematic Theology Volume 1, by Hendrickson Publishers. All rights are reserved and cannot be copied or transmitted without their consent, but we will use it to compare and find its legitimacy to the actual world of God; so with this being stated all that is in public print is public domain and is acceptable to public review and peer review, as to find its value and worth in the area of Theology, Academia, and Philosophies of the Historians of Christian Dogma.

We will leave this section clear for now and leave a few pages empty for Contents of the first volume.

15 pages for Contents of volume 1

Next we have Index for the three volumes: to page 82:

Starting at Systematic Theology page number 1Introduction.

Chapter 1.

On Method.

Sect.1. Theology as a Science. INTRODUCTION:

Here right off the bat, Hodges makes or assumes a supposition and calls it a fact in describing science; he says Science has two factors to it, one being FACT and the other IDEAS: or, facts and mind. We see time and time again Science claim facts as being the truth only to have to change them when another better fact or truth comes along the line of scientific discovery! So fact and truth to the scientific mind is relative to his apparent presuppositions, of that time of the last known testing of the said facts. All is questionable and relative to his conceptions or misconceptions, whichever the case may be: This too can be said the same for those who interpret the Bible to their own destruction as Peter said about those who miss interpret Apostles Paul’s own writings to us as well! You see one must have the Holy Spirit that is of God Himself in us to give us the Truth of His mind, 1 Cor.2:1-16, as told to us by Apostle Paul once again. For all scripture is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who is God Jn.4:23-24, that was in Jesus without measure Jn.3:34! Scripture then must be Spiritually discerned and translated by the same said Holy Spirit in us; as said before in the prophets that they will be taught of God, Jer.31:31-34, Is.54:13-14, and as seen in Heb.8:8-13 and 10:16-17. This too is found in Jn.8:47 & 51 and those who have the Spirit of God in them to teach the ways of the Lord to the lost, so that they may save some, who will have an ear for what thus sayeth the Lord of Host to them who are His seed Gen.3:15, for they who are His seed will hear His words to them Jn.8:47 and do them verse 51! This is too found in Jn.14:15 and told to us in Jn.15:20 as well, for they are those who have been filled with this Holy Spirit of God in them for the gifts of the church and its edification. See Ac.2:1-4 that is collaborated in Ac.11:1-18 and ratified in Jerusalem, when the first Roman Gentile named Cornelius received the gift of the Holy Spirit for all who were with Peter heard them give glory to God in other tongues! The same as they had received in the upper room in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, when about 3000 were baptized in Jesus’ name (Ac.2:37-41). This is the fact, of when the true Church of God bought with the very blood of God Ac.20:28; was birthed.

When we understand this for a fact we then can proceed with truth and find salvation that is required of all of us in Jn.4:23-24 or we are still in our sin if we know not that Jesus is the I Am (Jn.8:24), as seen in scripture which is the truth of God and God cannot lie, Num.23:19, 1 Sam.15:29; Tit.1:2 and Heb.6:18 as well because God changes not Mal.3:6 and Heb.13:8, so we will use the Holy Sacred Words of God and not man’s. This is the only truth that will be the same all the way through time! To this all Science must be built upon! That which is verifiable to or in the Sacred Words of God even in His Apocrypha and even in some Pseudepigrapha as well; if it agrees with the Bible that is in its inerrancy. Not that which man canonized but what God canonized by His will in keeping it alive and in use. Or He would have seen it destroyed from the public domains, for He is not the God of confusion; but we all know who is, and we are not unaware of his ways either. From some of these we get their simple theories of Evolution, such as Darwinism, which is from the adversary, which most scientific minds tends to dwell on the most.

Now back to the next line of Hodge’s statements on page 1, paragraph 1 line 2. “Science is more than Knowledge”. Not really…it is a consortium of knowledge classed and categorized and compartmentalized into fields of Science that are all in and of themselves more classes of statements; some right some wrong, that will be later corrected as time and equipment or experience allows us to advance in more knowledge, so it is only relative facts stored as knowledge of that day and time, and no more. So it is easy to see in Hodge’s time he was in a reality that was their own, that is not founded today on truth of our known facts, so theirs were only hypotheses.

Now line number 3 here in the first paragraph on page 1; says this: “Knowledge is the persuasion of what is true on adequate evidence.” This in most instances is a true statement, if one considers where the information came from as stated before or as I stated earlier in my previous writings, in the preceding paragraphs, of where these so called fact or truths come from to begin with. Are they Biblical or hypothetical? Mere suppositions or presuppositions? Or just plain assumptions unfounded? Like Pontius Pilate said to Jesus, “What is Truth?” Well Truth was standing right before him and he never even knew it, see Jn.1:17. Showing us God Himself the Only Truth was manifested and was in Jesus Reconciling the world unto Himself by Himself 2 Cor.5:19-21.This too is something only that God with us could do Mt.1:23, the begotten God Jn.1:18 in the Greek language!

Now to the next line: Hodge’s says this: “But the facts of astronomy, chemistry, or history do not constitute the science of those departments of knowledge. Nor does the mere orderly arrangement of facts amount to science.” As we have stated already Science itself is a relative term; this is what Oxford has to say about it:

sci·ence1

/ˈsīəns/

Noun

The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment:

Synonyms:        branch of knowledge, body of knowledge/information; more

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One thing for sure is this; you can never overstep one school of thought and place it in another and think you can get away with it; Philosophy must stay in philosophy and same with Theology and the only right mind is that founded on Jesus and God’s own principles to us, for us to have a right mind and a right psychology based on TRUTH that is founded on the Rock and that rock is Christ Jesus the maker of Heaven and earth Col.1:16-17. Only His truths will found all topic, systems, teachings, and higher education as well! For all subject matter whatsoever! All others will be only relative to that experience of that day and time. Until the next experiment comes along and refutes it. Only God’s Truths are Forevermore, Mt.7:18 and Mt.24:35 seen in Rev.19:10, for His word is forevermore 1 Pt.1:²⁵ But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. This too is what I will stand on all the way through this analysis of Hodge’s own work being examined by us today. Now let us continue onto the next line: Where he goes on into other fields of higher learning.

Hodge’s says this; “History facts arranged in chronological order are annals.” Well this much I too can agree with, without hesitation. Moving on into Philosophy, he says this: “The philosophy of history supposes those facts to be understood in their causal relations.” Which is true, we have to determine if they the so called facts are legitimate, can they be backed up with physical evidences? Or are they pertaining to a localized area and to their relative facts as they perceived them to be? Again all things are subjective to relativity to those involved in acquiring the resources or evidence to how this so called History or their philosophical eyes saw this in their reality, at that time. This too is very subjective to the evidences found that many times are lacking, in which all they can then determine is that they may assume to be of a fact or quality that is presumed to be factual; philosophically, theologically, or historically. Many times, many topic and even subject matter appears to be written up as factual and it is not even supported by the data and is tainted to substantiate a hypotheses someone is trying to establish as doctrine! Such as Darwin’s theory of Evolution as well as Albert Einstein’s theory of Relativity, that some of it was correct and some of it was wrong, but it was the doctrine of that age. Seen in this link here: http://search.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=sb-top&v_t=client97_searchbox&q=Albert+Einstein+and+where+he+was+wrong

Next we see Hodge’s say this: “In every department the man of science is assumed to understand the laws by which the facts of the experience are determined; so that he may not only know the past, but can predict the future.” This can only be assumed in the best case scenario, for I have already proven that if the so called facts or evidences is contaminated or misused all the so called facts are relative to those opinions of those who established them and no one else’s. Without a defined reference point to draw back to such as seen in Ac.17:10-11, we use the word of God as our only real Truth! If it matches with this, then we can then conclude that it is in fact, that it is factual indeed. Not just because Hodge wrote it was so. He too is only assuming. To substantiate his own presuppositions, in which he plans to keep building upon as we have seen already he is in error on some major points already. Which is not really his fault for this was the teaching at his time; as they thought it to be correct. Let us not move to his descriptions of astronomy.

He writes here as well this; “The astronomer can foretell the relative position of the heavenly bodies for centuries to come.” This is theoretically true, as long as nothing touches one another or any such gravitational pulls of other bodies cause other galaxies to collide with one another, and due to the expansion of the Universe according to their evidences of their own theory of the so called “Big Bang Theory” all bets are off. Even our own Milky Way galaxy is moving and is able to collide with other galaxies in this expanding Universe of ours, even to the point that it too will end up in a ball of fire someday according to Jesus and His Apostles, as seen in 2 Pt.3:1-18 and the book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John. So again astronomers can only predict with a near certainty what the heavenly bodies will do in the near future; for they do not even know where all the rogue asteroids, comets and or other heavenly bodies with thousands of year’s cycles have to do with our own solar system. Such as those of Immanuel Velikousky’s “World’s In Chaos” by Doubleday Publishers. So again for the time Hodge wrote this Systematic Theology he was as Einstein and others as well as Karl Barth and many others of their day such as Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summa_Theologica and this link as well; http://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/summa.html .

Next Hodge’s moves to chemistry and the chemist: “The chemist can tell with certainty what will be the effects of certain chemical combinations.” Yes but this too is subject to change for relative atmosphere pressures and or reality of presence where the tests are experienced too! Look at the Hadron Collider, there the scientists have no idea what they will find or do in their experiments, which will affect the whole universe for all we know, it might even change time and space continuum! Yet they continue to play with the unknown! This is not science it is Russian roulette!

Now Hodge’s tries his best to call Theology a science: “If, therefore, theology be a science, it must include something more than a mere knowledge of facts.” First let us break down what Theology means in layman’s terms. Again I will turn to Oxford Dictionary;

the·ol·o·gy1

/THēˈäləjē/

noun

the study of the nature of God and religious belief.

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Let us look at this compound word as it is formed in the Greek: Theos meaning God, Strong’s concordance number 2316:

Theos: God, a god

Original Word: θεός, οῦ, ὁ

Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine; Noun, Masculine

Transliteration: Theos

Phonetic Spelling: (theh’-os)

Short Definition: God, a god

Definition: (a) God, (b) a god, generally.

HELPS Word-studies

2316 theós (of unknown origin) – properly, God, the Creator and owner of all things (Jn 1:3; Gen 1 – 3).

 

[Long before the NT was written, 2316 (theós) referred to the Supreme Being who owns and sustains all things.]

Ology:

ol·o·gy1

/ˈäləjē/

noun

a subject of study; a branch of knowledge.

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So we can see Theology is never a Science up for experimentation or development to man’s determinations; it is God’s to do with what He will and is for Him to teach and us to learn from His own mouth to our ears; this too is seen and heard in all His scriptures recorded from time to this age for our own understanding, if He will allow us to have His Holy Spirit so we too can perceive all that He has in store for us. The most important attribute we too can learn is to become a Polyglotist: Even and Etymologist, to learn what the words of God meant when He originally said them at that day and time, so we too in this day can have the same correct understanding of all God had to say to them as well as to us in this day and age because God changes not and we must know Him as He is, and will always be. Or it is we who are not in His truths at all and only in an imaginary relationship as those who worship idols, warned about in 1 Jn.5:21; who are in a state of rebellion as seen in 1 Sam.15:22-23 as well! That is seen by God as IDOLATRY, still today!

Hodge’s is laying a foundational principle here, as he states this; “If. Therefore, theology be a science (which it is not!), it must include something more than mere knowledge of facts. It must embrace an exhibition of the internal relation of those facts, one to another, and each to all: It must be able to show that if one be admitted, others cannot be denied.” This is where most theologians go astray, they have a wrong interpretation or they forget one verse somewhere else that will not align with their terminologies and interpretations somewhere else on down the road; so that when they try to build upon the foundational facts as in presuppositions and or others things that they already admitted that were wrong they do not go back to correct the foundation that is set off square already and continue to build their faulty house of lies. They never go back and make it correct according to all scriptures in harmony with one another. Only by the Holy Spirit can we be shown all scripture in the related order; our God wants us to see the scriptures in; as seen in Is.28:9-12 or you are confounded like so many others who wrote their Systematic Theology in Error! As seen in verse 13 here in Isaiah; Is.28:⁹ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

¹⁰ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

¹¹ For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

¹² To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

¹³ But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Only they who have His Holy Spirit can go into all His words to us and bring out all that He wanted us to know about Him in the first place to have His mind, 1 Cor.2:1-16. No theologian can do this without the Holy Spirit seen in Ac.2:1-4; 8:16-17; 10:44-48; 11:1-18; and 19:1-7, which is the Spirit of all Prophecy of Jesus Christ, Rev.19:10; Ac.2:36 and Ac.10:36 who is LORD God of all! See Rev.19:10.

Hodge’s goes onto say this; “The Bible is no more a system of theology, than nature is a system of chemistry or of mechanics. Just because the Bible doesn’t always give us the topic or classes of mental awareness of all our aspects of life in a Systematic Order doesn’t mean that the Bible is not a Theology whether Systematic or not! It’s in there, all we have to do is read it and all life’s questions and answers are in the Bible if we only look and God will show us His will by the very scriptures we are reading and taking to heart so that we too can have a fulfilled life in all its glory according to His will and His glory for us who are made in His image! Systematic or not, we can find our own salvation and we too can work it out, so that we are found perfect in God’s own eyes too Mt.5:48 or Jesus would not have ever told us to be found as God is; if it were impossible; but with God in us all thing then are possible according to His Gospel messages, Mt.19:26! See Lk.1:37 that same Spirit is to be in us as well as Jesus without measure, Jn.3:34 for Jesus is our guide in all matters of life Jn.14:6, after all He created it Col.1:16-17! This is the true Monotheism that all true Systematic Theology is to be based on! Which Hodge did not to begin with; so in all actuality we can for all practical purposes stop right here, being Hodge’s Systematic Theologies are based on creeds and symbols of a Roman Catholic Church Dogma of man’s doing, which is not of God or they would have left the scriptures alone and never made anyone sign oaths to begin with, for that too is of evil as seen in Mt.5:³³ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

³⁴ But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

³⁵ Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

³⁶ Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

³⁷ But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

For in the year 325 A.D. the council of Nicene created a creed that is based in philosophies of the Greek and Pagans of that time and of mythologies of the Philosophers of earlier times as so all could be united under one roof of church and state of the religious ruler Constantine. That was carried onto this day by error of men’s commandments (Dogma) and rule of law that is tainted in every extreme, for the profit of faulty lucre, of the true Saints of God! This too is the Nicolaitan effect which God hates, seen in Revelations chapter 2 & 3.

Hodge goes onto say this: “We find in nature that facts which chemist or the mechanical philosopher has to examine, and from them to ascertain the laws by which they are determined. So the Bible contains the truths which the theologian has to collect, authenticate, arrange, and exhibit in their internal relation to each other. This constitutes the difference between biblical and systematic theology.” So far I too agree! Hodge says: “The office of the former is to ascertain and to state the facts of scripture.” No! The Holy Spirit is to do that; according to God’s will not men or a theologian’s unless that theologian is baptized in Jesus’ name and Born Again of God’s doing Jn.1:12-13 and Ac.2:1-4 and Ac.2:38-40; and no man’s traditions of rituals can do either! Only the apostolic Faith and Doctrines can complete that which Jesus started and finished at Calvary!

Hodge’s goes on to write: “The office of the latter is to take those facts, determine their relation to each other and to other cognate truths, as well as to vindicate them and show their harmony and consistency, This is not an easy task, or one of slight importance.” I have to ask why? The Bible is easy enough to read and understand even a child can get the doctrines of our God, it is man who makes things difficult in classification and analogy of topical analysis! Not our God. All this does is bring one man’s ideology against another’s as to how one’s own philosophical pursuits are differed from the others; this will always bring in confrontational differences, in philosophies and or historical terms and definitions to phrases and meanings of etymological understanding; but one thing is for sure; God knows who are His and who obey His every word to us! Those will be His Elite, the few and the chosen ones of God, the true children of God the Sons of God, bringing Him all glory, in word and deed Col.3:17 in all that they will ever do or say for Him as faithful servants Mal.3:16-18, seen as well in Ecc.12:7-14 too!  End of Introduction:

Sect.2] NECESSITY FOR A SYSTEM IN THEOLGY: page 2;

Necessity for System in Theology

It may naturally be asked, why not take the truths as God has seen fit to reveal them, and thus save ourselves the trouble of showing their relation and harmony?

The answer to this question is, in the first place, that it cannot be done. Such is the constitution of the human mind that it cannot help endeavoring to systematize and reconcile the facts which it admits to be true. In no department of knowledge have men been satisfied with the possession of a mass of undigested facts. And the students of the Bible can as little be expected to be thus satisfied. There is a necessity, therefore, for the construction of systems of theology. Of this the history of the Church affords abundant proof. In all ages and among all denominations, such systems have been produced.

Rev. G. L. Boyett; to this we might add that none of the above denominations, ever since a creed or symbol was manifested, has anyone of them agree with the church dogma or even the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas or any other from Augustine to Tertullian to Charles Spurgeon did any denomination agree with all the rest or there would not be division seen unto this day! So all their Systematic Theologies are based on their truths as they see them; we are not to add to the words of God Deu.4:4; Deu.12:32; Josh.1:7; Prov.30:6 and Deu.5:31-33; Deu.17:20; Deu.28:14; Prov.4:27 and Rev.22:18-19 as seen in Gal.1:8-9, which they all have done by their own creeds and symbols of their very own! To this I say return to God and His Apostles or find your own false salvation that brings you into His condemnation seen in Dan.12:¹ And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

² And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

³ And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Which one will you chose to be? Designing your own systematic theology or allowing God to present His word and will; His way to our own lives; which way are you going to allow God to use you and to bring His gospel to this world that lies in its wickedness? Some denominational way or God’s way as seen in Lk.21:14-15 according to the Holy Spirit who will tell you what you are to say?

Hodge’s third paragraph on page 2.

Second, A much higher kind of knowledge is thus obtained, than by the mere accumulation of isolated facts. It is one thing, for example, to know that oceans, continents, islands, mountains, and rivers exist on the face of the earth; and a much higher thing to know the causes which have determined the distribution of land and water on the surface of our globe; the configuration of the earth; the effects of that configuration on climate, on the races of plants and animals, on commerce, civilization, and the destiny of nations. It is by determining these causes that geography has been raised from a collection of facts to a highly important and elevated science. In like manner, without the knowledge of the laws of attraction and motion, astronomy would be a confused and unintelligible collection of facts. What is true of other sciences is true of theology. We cannot know what God has revealed in his Word unless we understand, at least in some good measure, the relation in which the separate truths therein contained stand to each other. It cost the Church centuries of study and controversy to solve the problem concerning the person of Christ; that is, to adjust and bring into harmonious arrangement all the facts which the Bible teaches on that subject.

Rev. G. L. B. Here Hodge says this: “Second, A much higher kind of knowledge is thus obtained, than by the mere accumulation of isolated facts.” How can the way man puts scriptures and discusses them and classes them or categorically classifies them going to be any better than how God puts them and embeds them into our own psyche? This too is a false statement only to bring you to their understanding of how they want you to perceive their thoughts and to establish their way of thinking to their educational systems! This confining you to their mentality and to their schools of higher education as if God was not enough for us to begin with! See 1 Jn.2:20 & 27, we have no need of a teacher so that Hodge and all the others are incorrect again according to God and His words to us! Not mine but His own word, Jn.12:45-50, that will judge us in the latter days!

Hodge’s next paragraph:

Third: We have no choice in this matter. If we would discharge our duty as teachers and defenders of the truth, we must endeavor to bring all the facts of revelation into systematic order and mutual relation. It is only thus that we can satisfactorily exhibit their truth, vindicate them from objections, or bring them to bear in their full force on the minds of men.

Rev. G. L. B. The only recourse we have is to let God have His way and to let Him teach the world His ways as He sees fit and if anyone is ignorant, let them be ignorant as seen in 1 Cor.14:³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order. And that is what we must do, as told to us by Jesus in Jn.15:20 and Jn.14:15 as well! God’s ways are good enough for anyone who has been regenerated in His Spirit with supernatural powers; not in wisdom of men but in the power of the Lord God Almighty! All that ever needs to be done by all men is this to obey every word out of God’s own mouth to us! And to rebuke them who try to systemize a theology to their needs instead of God’s! This too is folly of man that is seen in 1 Cor.1:1-fs that Paul says is foolishness of mankind! When they thought themselves wise they knew not God! So they came up with their own Systematic Theologies, Creeds, Symbols and Dogma!

Hodge’s next statement:

Fourth: Such is evidently the will of God. He does not teach men astronomy or chemistry, but He gives them the facts out of which those sciences are constructed. Neither does He teach us systematic theology, but He gives us in the Bible the truths which, properly understood and arranged, constitute the science of theology. As the facts of nature are all related and determined by physical laws, so the facts of the Bible are all related and determined by the nature of God and of his creatures. And as He wills that men should study his works and discover their wonderful organic relation and harmonious combination, so it is his will that we should study his Word, and learn that, like the stars, its truths are not isolated points, but systems, cycles, and epicycles, in unending harmony and grandeur. Besides all this, although the Scriptures do not contain a system of theology as a whole, we have in the Epistles of the New Testament, portions of that system wrought out to our hands. These are our authority and guide.

Rev. G. L. B. Hodge’s says this: “Such is evidently the will of God. He does not teach men astronomy or chemistry, but He gives them the facts out of which those sciences are constructed.” Wrong! God teaches us all things that we too can have the mind of Christ Jesus who is the Father, for they are one in the same Jn.10:30 as seen in Jn.14:7-18 & 26 Jn.15:1-26 to Jn.16:13 teaching us all things that pertain to God and His creation, so that we can have the very same mind as Jesus too, 1 Cor.2:1-16 to them who are Born Again of Him by His doing, Jn.1:12-13. When astrophysicists try to take their own knowledge too far all you get is mistakes and mass confusion that will have to be corrected later by someone who is of God and His Holy Spirit to see the things of God as He wants us to know them! All science produces is more atheists! Unless they are Born Again of God and study the scriptures and find themselves approved of God, as they too keep all His commands to us! Hodge also said this; “Neither does He teach us systematic theology, but He gives us in the Bible the truths which, properly understood and arranged, constitute the science of theology.” Didn’t Jesus come preaching the Gospel message? Well then He gave us His Systematic theology that he showed us in His own life Jn.14:6, that too is what we too are to do for Him in His way as He has already shown us in His Systematic way of life, for our own salvation, what more is needed? Certainly not another book of man’s Systematic theology, full of man’s errors! Certainly we don’t need another one of those, do we?

• 2. Theological Method.

Every science has its own method, determined by its peculiar nature. This is a matter of so much importance that it has been erected into a distinct department. Modern literature abounds in works on Methodology, i.e., on the science of method. They are designed to determine the principles which should control scientific investigations. If a man adopts a false method, he is like one who takes a wrong road which will never lead him to his destination. The two great comprehensive methods are the à priori and the à posteriori. The one argues from cause to effect, the other from effect to cause. The former was for ages applied even to the investigation of nature. Men sought to determine what the facts of nature must be from the laws of mind or assumed necessary laws. Even in our own day we have had Rational Cosmogonies, which undertake to construct a theory of the universe from the nature of absolute being and its necessary modes of development. Everyone knows how much it cost to establish the method of induction on a firm basis, and to secure a general recognition of its authority. According to this method, we begin with collecting well-established facts, and from them infer the general laws which determine their occurrence. From the fact that bodies fall toward the center of the earth, has been inferred the general law of gravitation, which we are authorized to apply far beyond the limits of actual experience. This inductive method is founded upon two principles: First, That there are laws of nature (forces) which are the proximate causes of natural phenomena. Secondly, That those laws are uniform; so that we are certain that the same causes, under the same circumstances, will produce the same effects. There may be diversity of opinion as to the nature of these laws. They may be assumed to be forces inherent in matter; or, they may be regarded as uniform modes of divine operation; but in any event there must be some cause for the phenomena which we perceive around us, and that cause must be uniform and permanent. On these principles all the inductive sciences are founded; and by them the investigations of natural philosophers are guided.

Rev. G. L. B. This is fine for scientific analogy and experimentation of the physical realms but when we put Theology and the Spirit of God into the mix all things become irrelevant to Him and to us, for it is not our will be done but His will always will be done! Therefore scientology, philosophy, and psychology can walk their own distinct ways and still co-mingle with the rest but not so with scripture that has only one meaning and that is God’s meanings that need to be taught of God to mankind and not a theologian! Therefore all that is part of Systematic theology is only as correct as that which is founded on sound Exegesis! That is given to us by God Himself not man’s assumptions or first priories or a posterior. And all Rational Cosmologies are only real if God allows them to be found the same, but with God who can do anything even walk on water against all known physics all rational cosmology is thrown out the windows of Heaven as well!

Hodge again:

The same principle applies to metaphysics as to physics; to psychology as well as to natural science. Mind has its laws as well as matter, and those laws, although of a different kind, are as permanent as those of the external world.

The methods which have been applied to the study of theology are too numerous to be separately considered. They may, perhaps, be reduced to three general classes: First, The Speculative; Second, The Mystical; Third, The Inductive. These terms are, indeed, far from being precise. They are used for the want of better to designate the three general methods of theological investigation which have prevailed in the Church.

Rev. G. L. B. Whose church is he talking about here the Universal Catholic Church or a Protestant Church affiliated with Luther, Calvin, Augustine, or another one of the heretics? Who walked away from the Apostolic Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Ordained, trained, and commissioned ones? Who Saint John said left us? Is this who Hodge’s is talking about here? Methinketh so! For if they would have continued with them, there would be not creeds, symbols, or Dogma to begin with only the scriptures to rely upon. For God cannot lie to us and must remain true to His every word. I will take the scripture in the order they come in any day of the week, over a man’s systematic theology!

Hodge’s says this: “The methods which have been applied to the study of theology are too numerous to be separately considered. They may, perhaps, be reduced to three general classes: First, The Speculative; Second, The Mystical; Third, The Inductive. These terms are, indeed, far from being precise. They are used for the want of better to designate the three general methods of theological investigation which have prevailed in the Church.”

Rev. G. L. B. So we have too many systems of theology to go into here…well I thought that was what this was all about, to teach us his system and those of others, the right and the wrong of it, but no, for no man’s ways is better than another’s Systematic theology because God has His own and that is the only one we are to keep. That is from the original languages used and to recall them perfectly as He has given us who have His Holy Spirit when we need it, Lk.21:14-15 as seen in Mt.10:20; Lk.12:11-12; as seen in 2 Sam.23:² The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. This too is found in Rev.19:10 and His word is our future and our past and our present, Rev.4:8. See Mk.13:9-11 and 2 Pt.1:19-21 and 1 Pt.1:9-11 and Zech.12:10, for one day all will look upon Him they have pierced, on account of their own sins! Even the false prophets and theologians who were never really born again of God at all, who said they had the correct systematic theology until the next one that was better came along! For that is how they earned a living, rewriting others mistakes! In endless commentaries and systematic analogies, of endless fools of man’s creeds, symbols, and dogma! That has cost us countless lives and blood that would fill the earth to the bridle of a horse!

Hodge’s next speculative example:

• 3. The Speculative Method.

Speculation assumes, in an à priori manner, certain principles, and from them undertakes to determine what is and what must be. It decides on all truth, or determines on what is true from the laws of the mind, or from axioms involved in the constitution of the thinking principle within us. To this head must be referred all those systems which are founded on any à priori philosophical assumptions. There are three general forms in which this speculative method has been applied to theology.

Rev. G. L. B. first off anyone has to set a first law or a first priori, the main cause of all live and existence of all things, must be set on the Principle that God is One, Deu.6:4; Gen.1:2-3 and Jn.4:24, that God is the creator of all that is, the main cause of all existence. The giver of life and the maker of the Universe in all its manifestations seen and unseen and known and unknown! To Him alone belongs all glory! All praise, adoration, and worship! Without the knowledge that God became flesh and bought our salvation by His blood Ac.20:28 as worshipped by Thomas in Jn.20:28 as well as God with us Mt.1:23 and no other is to be our God, all Systematic Theology must be based on these facts alone or we have the wrong foundation to build upon in the very beginning! This is true Monotheism that is of the Holy One, the true God 1 Jn.5:20 that is Jesus Christ! Truly the first Divine Spiritual man how God is all by Himself, Zech.14:9!

Deistic and Rationalistic Form. (Hodge)

1. The first is that which rejects any other source of knowledge of divine things than what is found in nature and the constitution of the human mind. It assumes certain metaphysical and moral axioms, and from them evolves all the truths which it is willing to admit. To this class belong the Deistical and strictly Rationalistically writers of the past and present generations.

Rev, G. L. B. This deistically formed rationality of the translation of the word and scriptures of God must be performed by a divine man, that has been given a divine calling from God to lead His children into His doctrines and commandments, which are all founded on His commissioning us with His Anointing Spirit that is above all Spirits that will allow us to remain in His truths as He brings them to our recall, as we prophecy of His will and word for our future and our destinies! This has nothing to do with the world around us that was cursed by Satan’s deceiving Eve and is to this day still in its sin and wickedness 1 Jn.5:19, so all that we perceive that is without regeneration is a false reality of Satan’s deception who blinds the eyes of those who do not hear the gospel message and turn from their own wicked ways still as told in 2 Cor.4:1-6. So is all who write a theology, who have never been baptized in Jesus’ name Ac.4:12or Lk.24:47 as scripture demands of us all. How then can they have a correct theology when they have never been with God or never have had the feeling of hearing His voice in their ears? To tell them the right way in which we all are to go. Only His revealed will and mind that is found in us in Ac.11:1-18 can be given to us by Himself for the churches edification and for His glory. That is how all the sanctified are founded in His truths Jn.17:17 that is of His doing it not man’s teachings or systematic theologies! That are founded on materialism and the physic of this polluted world around us! But on Godly principles and scriptural doctrine that is the only Dogma or systematic theology, man will ever need.

Dogmatic Form. (Hodge)

2. The second is the method adopted by those who admit a supernatural divine revelation, and concede that such a revelation is contained in the Christian Scriptures, but who reduce all the doctrines thus revealed to the forms of some philosophical system. This was done by many of the fathers who endeavored to exalt πίστις (Faith/fulness) into γνῶσις (Knowledge/knowing) i.e., the faith of the common people into philosophy for the learned. This was also to a greater or less degree the method of the schoolmen, and finds an illustration even in the “Cur Deus Homo” (BECAUSE God-Man) of Anselm, the father of scholastic theology. In later times Wolf applied the philosophy of Leibnitz to the explanation and demonstration of the doctrines of revelation. He says, “Scripture serves as an aid to natural theology. It furnishes natural theology with propositions which ought to be demonstrated; consequently the philosopher is bound not to invent but to demonstrate.”1 This method is still in vogue. Men lay down certain principles, called axioms, or first truths of reason, and from them deduce the doctrines of religion by a course of argument as rigid and remorseless as that of Euclid. This is sometimes done to the entire overthrow of the doctrines of the Bible, and of the most intimate moral convictions not only of Christians but of the mass of mankind. Conscience is not allowed to mutter in the presence of the lordly understanding. It is in the spirit of the same method that the old scholastic doctrine of realism is made the basis of the Scriptural doctrines of original sin and redemption. To this method the somewhat ambiguous term Dogmatism has been applied, because it attempts to reconcile the doctrines of Scripture with reason, and to rest their authority on rational evidence. The result of this method has always been to transmute, as far as it succeeded, faith into knowledge, and to attain this end the teachings of the Bible have been indefinitely modified. Men are expected to believe, not on the authority of God, but on that of reason.

Rev. G. L. B. therefore here lies all the problems with that realistic approach to Spirituality of God’s own Spirit bring in revelation that is of God alone, that supersedes all physical or rationalities known to mankind and his unregenerated mind of the wicked children in their fallen state! Only when they come to Jesus as He told them to do can they know His systematic theologies of His truths! That is true and Dogmatic to all men of God; not mankind who has not been born again seen in Jn.3:3-8 and Mk.16:15-20 and found in Ac.3:1-4 and 2:38-40, who have come out of the unclean generation Ac.2:40 and 2 Cor.6:14-7:1!

Transcendentalists. (Hodge)

3. Thirdly, and preeminently, the modern Transcendentalists are addicted to the speculative method. In the wide sense of the word they are Rationalists, as they admit of no higher source of truth other Reason. But as they make reason to be something very different from what it is regarded as being by ordinary Rationalists, the two classes are practically very far apart. The Transcendentalists also differ essentially from the Dogmatists. The latter admit an external, supernatural, and authoritative revelation. They acknowledge that truths not discoverable by human reason are thereby made known. But they maintain that those doctrines when known may be shown to be true on the principles of reason. They undertake to give a demonstration independent of Scripture of the doctrines of the Trinity, the Incarnation, Redemption, as well as of the immortality of the soul and a future state of retribution. Transcendentalists admit of no authoritative revelation other than that which is found in man and in the historical development of the race. All truth is to be discovered and established by a process of thought. If it be conceded that the Bible contains truth, it is only so far as it coincides with the teachings of philosophy. The same concession is freely made concerning the writings of the heathen sages. The theology of Daub, for example, is nothing more than the philosophy of Schelling. That is, it teaches just what that philosophy teaches concerning God, man, sin, redemption, and the future state. Marheinecke and Strauss find Hegelianism in the Bible, and they therefore admit that so far the Bible teaches truth. Rosenkranz, a philosopher of the same school, says Christianity is the absolute religion, because its fundamental principle, namely, the oneness of God and man, is the fundamental principle of his philosophy. In his “Encyklopädie” (p. 3) he says: “The only religion which conforms to reason is Christianity, because it regards man as the form in which God has revealed himself. Its theology is therefore anthropology, and its anthropology is theology. The idea of (Gottmenschheit) the godhead of man, is the key of Christianity, in which as Lessing says, lies its rationality.”

These are the principal forms of the speculative method in its application to theology. These topics will present themselves for fuller consideration in a subsequent chapter.

1 Theol. Nat. Prolegg. § 22; Frankf. and Leipz. 1736, vol. i. p. 22.

Rev. G. L. B. Thus when they talk about a trinity and a godhead, which always in scripture should be translated Divinity or Deity instead of godhead, this too is their way of sneaking in a plurality of persons of different gods to their theologies which is pagan in its formation through Socrates, Plato, And Aristotle and many others as well leading all the way to Egypt to Rome and beyond into today’s mistaken theologies of Satanic assemblies who know not the true God Jesus Christ 1 Jn.5:20 who was prepared a way for by John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah, see Is.40:3 and Mt.11:1-15 and Mt.17:1-13. Jesus is the only God there will ever be, even seen in 1 Cor.15:28 so God can be all in all! This too is seen in 2 Cor.5:17-21 to them who are New Creature in Christ Jesus, the Righteousness of God!

• 4. The Mystical Method. (Hodge)

Few words have been used with greater latitude of meaning than mysticism. It is here to be taken in a sense antithetical to speculation. Speculation is a process of thought; mysticism is matter of feeling. The one assumes that the thinking faculty is that by which we attain the knowledge of truth. The other, distrusting reason, teaches that the feelings alone are to be relied upon, at least in the sphere of religion. Although this method has been unduly pressed, and systems of theology have been constructed under its guidance, which are either entirely independent of the Scriptures, or in which the doctrines of the Bible have been modified and perverted, it is not to be denied that great authority is due to our moral nature in matters of religion. It has ever been a great evil in the Church that men have allowed the logical understanding, or what they call their reason, to lead them to conclusions which are not only contrary to Scripture, but which do violence to our moral nature. It is conceded that nothing contrary to reason can be true. But it is no less important to remember that nothing contrary to our moral nature can be true. It is also to be admitted that conscience is much less liable to err than reason; and when they come into conflict, real or apparent, our moral nature is the stronger, and will assert its authority in spite of all we can do. It is rightfully supreme in the soul, although, with the reason and the will, it is in absolute subjection to God, who is infinite reason and infinite moral excellence.

Hodge’s said this: “It is conceded that nothing contrary to reason can be true.”

Rev. G. L. B. Well God has no limits, He alone is Sovereign and His moral will and reasoning is supreme and all who disagree with Him are wrong and found to be liars! If He wants to walk on water or raise the dead before our logical, moral, reasonable, or rational eyes, doesn’t make it false! Therefore Hodge’s reasoning is an unfounded statement of certainly, is not a truth! At least when it comes to our God, who does as He sees fit. Which agrees with Hodge’s ending to that paragraph. Seen here; “It is rightfully supreme in the soul, although, with the reason and the will, it is in absolute subjection to God, who is infinite reason and infinite moral excellence.”

Sect. 4] Mysticism as applied to Theology. (Hodge)

Mysticism, in its application to theology, has assumed two principal forms, the supernatural and the natural. According to the former, God, or the Spirit of God, holds direct communion with the soul; and by the excitement of its religious feelings gives it intuitions of truth, and enables it to attain a kind, a degree, and an extent of knowledge, unattainable in any other way. This has been the common theory of Christian mystics in ancient and modern times. If by this were meant merely that the Spirit of God, by his illuminating influence, gives believers a knowledge of the truths objectively revealed in the Scriptures, which is peculiar, certain, and saving, it would be admitted by all evangelical Christians. And it is because such Christians do hold to this inward teaching of the Spirit, that they are often called Mystics by their opponents. This, however, is not what is here meant. The mystical method, in its supernatural form, assumes that God by his immediate intercourse with the soul, reveals through the Feelings and by means, or in the way of intuitions, divine truth independently of the outward teaching of his Word; and that it is this inward light, and not the Scriptures, which we are to follow.

According to the other, or natural form of the mystical method, it is not God, but the natural religious consciousness of men, as excited and influenced by the circumstances of the individual, which becomes the source of religious knowledge. The deeper and purer the religious feelings, the clearer the insight into truth. This illumination or spiritual intuition is a matter of degree. But as all men have a religious nature, they all have more or less clearly the apprehension of religious truth. The religious consciousness of men in different ages and nations, has been historically developed under diverse influences, and hence we have diverse forms of religion, — the Pagan, the Mohammedan, and the Christian. These do not stand related as true and false, but as more or less pure. The appearance of Christ, his life, his work, his words, his death, had a wonderful effect on the minds of men. Their religious feelings were more deeply stirred, were more purified and elevated than ever before. Hence the men of his generation, who gave themselves up to his influence, had intuitions of religious truth of a far higher order than mankind had before attained. This influence continues to the present time. All Christians are its subjects. All, therefore, in proportion to the purity and elevation of their religious feelings, have intuitions of divine things, such as the Apostles and other Christians enjoyed. Perfect holiness would secure perfect knowledge.

 

Rev. G. L. B. Hodge’s writes this: “Mysticism, in its application to theology, has assumed two principal forms, the supernatural and the natural. According to the former, God, or the Spirit of God, holds direct communion with the soul;” If Hodge knew God as Jesus Christ; he would never have made a statement such as this one to begin with; as we see in scripture that God is that Holy Spirit seen in Gen.1:2 and Jn.4:24, that God is a Spirit, told to us by Jesus, who was filled with that same Spirit from birth, by His own Created self in that seed in Mary, made that DNA His very own and caused Himself to be established in physical form, that only God and now Divine Man could do! Seen in 2 Cor.5:17-21 in us as well as in Himself, 1 Tm.3:16 & 6:13-16, that scripture describes to us in a reasonable explanation! Why then is it a Mystery to Hodge’s and the other so called Theologians? Could it be they are getting ready to establish another paradigm? Or even another Dogma? Laying a frame work and a spiders web of deceit, that is all they know how to do; in order to establish their way of thinking and subjection all who will not agree with them and their Dogma to their own scrutiny. Where they constitute all rational options; not the scriptures themselves but their Systematic Theologies, which are still to this day; thought of them to be equal in reasonable and rationale moral obligations to one and to all; as equal to scripture, from where they received this their own enlightenment! How so? When they cannot even say God is the Holy Spirit and know Him as such? So that God can be all in all in Jesus Christ and in us who receive Him in Spirit and in His truths! The One True God, 1 Jn.5:20! All others worship a false god and a false doctrine and dogma of men! 1 Jn.5:21! Therefore another paragraph of Hodge’s is destroyed right off the bat! Notice if you can find one axiom, or presupposition, or a priori, or a post priori, which is false the philosophical structure of that foundation is laid to rest as in error; in which all that follows it matters not if some of it be true and some mixed in with more erroneous facts , symbolisms, or allegorical innovations, all of it to be disregarded as mere delusional thoughts and folly! If he is wrong in the rationale of the Spiritual worlds of God, how then can he be correct in the natural worlds of those Born Again of the Supernatural anatomy of God’s divine world? In His mysticisms that are still mysterious to theologians to this day? With this said, why then would we keep putting stock in all Hodge as well as others keep printing for us to read and review? Is this not a waste of time and money for printing useless information that is only good for fiction not academic theology or doctrine, let alone Dogma! We find much of the same problems with Karl Barth and others as well; useless commentaries upon useless commentaries upon useless commentaries! Ro.3:¹ What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

² Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

³ For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

⁴ God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

⁵ But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

⁶ God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? Answer: See Jn.12:45-50! By every word out of His mouth, not man’s! Even if he is presumptuous enough to write a systematic theology, that is to be compared to Holy Scripture that is God’s Sacred Will for all mankind! Then this only shows the arrogance and folly of that ignorant man to all, for all the world to see!

The true Christian will allow God to speak to their own hearts, and to give us deep revelations to His will and mind that is not taught in the world around us that is still in its own wickedness! The true man of God will check all revelations against the scriptures to see if it is in fact the spirit of a false god or deceiver or even a demonic agency seeming to act as a light bearer, in physical form or spiritual, for some come in sheep’s clothing as ministers of light with their own systematic theologies even! They sound good but never line up with all scriptures, but only the ones they want to establish for their dogma and theologies, this too is called Eisegesis, not exegesis based on pure hermeneutics! As Hodge’s here describes for us a fine line or what he determined as Mystics, as those who do not agree with scripture but only on their internal enlightenments from spiritual beings or aberrations, some might even be demonic, or heavenly, but only one is to be adhered to; and that is they who agree with the Holy Spirit who is God’s Spiritual form from the beginning, Jn.4:24 as told to us by God’s physical form, that was filled with that Holy Spirit from birth and in fact is God with us Mt.1:23, the one true God the Holy One, Zech.14:9, spoken of in the prophesies of old! One thing is for sure; Satan will try his best to use our own conscience and reasoning to influence us to go another way, that many so called men of god say and try to do as well, being deceived from the start as well, who will agree with some of the Bible and yet not all of it…Only when we have the true Spirit of God in us can we be one with Him and have His true Understandings, that come from Him alone! His will and His way, will always match every word of this Holy Sacred Scripture

Hodge’s states this: “The religious consciousness of men in different ages and nations, has been historically developed under diverse influences, and hence we have diverse forms of religion, — the Pagan, the Mohammedan, and the Christian. These do not stand related as true and false, but as more or less pure. The appearance of Christ, his life, his work, his words, his death, had a wonderful effect on the minds of men. Their religious feelings were more deeply stirred, were more purified and elevated than ever before. Hence the men of his generation, who gave themselves up to his influence, had intuitions of religious truth of a far higher order than mankind had before attained. This influence continues to the present time. All Christians are its subjects. All, therefore, in proportion to the purity and elevation of their religious feelings, have intuitions of divine things, such as the Apostles and other Christians enjoyed. Perfect holiness would secure perfect knowledge.

Rev. G. L. B. We see in this last part of this paragraph that we find some truth in his statements; namely this; “All Christians are its subjects. All, therefore, in proportion to the purity and elevation of their religious feelings, have intuitions of divine things, such as the Apostles and other Christians enjoyed. Perfect holiness would secure perfect knowledge.”

This too is what the Holy Word of God says too that we are to be one with a Holy God, in Truth, Jn.17:17 that sanctifies us all in Jesus Christ so that we too can be Righteousness of God in Jesus, 2 Cor.5:17-21; new creatures, born again of God’s doing it, as seen in Ac.10:44-48, as Cornelius was then baptized in water in Jesus’ name, therefore putting Him on, Gal.3:26-27, so that we too can be found perfect as God is perfect Mt.5:8 & 48 seen in Eph.5:26-27 by us abiding in His every word to us Jn.6:63 & 68, that are His eternal words of salvation, that not only rest all His commandments but when kept with love that only His Spirit regenerates us that is of God and His doings, can we then do all that is called upon us in righteousness that brings Holiness and Godliness; without which no man enters into His Kingdom without! These are the few talked about by Jesus in Mt.7:13-14 & Mt.20:16 & Mt.22:14. Most others who think they are one with God are those who have still error in their systematic theologies as these shown in these scriptures here: Mt.7: ¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

²¹ Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?

²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The presumptuous who try to prepare a way for others to follow them instead of the One true God, these are they who design Systematic Theologies for others to read and buy their books as if they are someone! God’s children will have no need of a teacher 1 Jn.2:20 & 27! They will be taught of God alone, Jer.31:31-34 as seen in Ezekiel chapter 36 & 37, as well as Heb.8:8-13 and 10:16-17 and Is.54:13, by His Holy Spirit in us bringing us to all His truths Jn.14:26; Jn.15:16 and Jn.16:1-13, not man’s Science of Systematic Theologies! As Hodge and others would have us believe. Perfectness comes from living a life in God’s words to us because we believe Him to be true and that faith gives us His grace as our own righteousness, which was founded in Abraham and his children who followed after him. Obedience to the word of God brings us His favour, His grace as seen in Jn.1:16 founded in truth, Jn.1:17 in Jesus Christ who is not only a Divine Man but God Almighty as well Is.9:6 the Father of us all Heb.12:9.

Consequences of the Mystical Method. (Hodge)

It follows from this theory, — (1.) That there are no such things as revelation and inspiration, in the established theological meaning of those terms. Revelation is the supernatural objective presentation or communication of truth to the mind, by the Spirit of God. But according to this theory there is, and can be, no such communication of truth. The religious feelings are providentially excited, and by reason of that excitement the mind perceives truth more or less clearly, or more or less imperfectly. Inspiration, in the Scriptural sense, is the supernatural guidance of the Spirit, which renders its subjects infallible in the communicating truth to others. But according to this theory, no man is infallible as a teacher. Revelation and inspiration are in different degrees common to all men. And there is no reason why they should not be as perfect in some believers now as in the days of the Apostles. (2.) The Bible has no infallible authority in matters of doctrine. The doctrinal propositions therein contained are not revelations by the Spirit. They are only the forms under which men of Jewish culture gave expression to their feelings and intuitions. Men of different culture, and under other circumstances, would have used other forms or adopted other doctrinal statements. (3.) Christianity therefore, neither consists in a system of doctrines, nor does it contain any such system. It is a life, an influence, a subjective state; or by whatever term it may be expressed or explained, it is a power within each individual Christian determining his feelings and his views of divine things. (4.) Consequently the duty of a theologian is not to interpret Scripture, but to interpret his own Christian consciousness; to ascertain and exhibit what truths concerning God are implied in his feelings toward God; what truths concerning Christ are involved in his feelings toward Christ; what the feelings teach concerning sin, redemption, eternal life, etc., etc.

This method found its most distinguished and influential advocate in Schleiermacher, whose “Glaubenslehre” is constructed on this principle. By Twesten — his successor in the chair of Theology in the University of Berlin — it is held in greater subjection to the normal authority of Scripture. By others, again, of the same school, it has been carried out to its utmost extreme. We are at present, however, concerned only with its principle, and neither with the details of its application, nor with its refutation.

Rev. G. L. B. Here is Hodge’s leading analogy: “It follows from this theory, — (1.) That there are no such things as revelation and inspiration, in the established theological meaning of those terms. Revelation is the supernatural objective presentation or communication of truth to the mind, by the Spirit of God. But according to this theory there is, and can be, no such communication of truth.”

This too is by far, what happens when you go and decide that mysticism is only how one perceived it to be…even though revelations can come to the spirit of men in some other ways than by perceived intuitions, thought to be form God or His agent/servant, whether man or angelic, for we entertain angles unawares all the time, according to the author of Hebrews, whoever that might be. So those mystics can receive revelation by other ways than intuition, but as Joel described in chapter 2:28-fs. Sometimes even an audible voice, in dreams, in visions, in reading a passage of scripture over again and He will give us a new perspective of another deeper truth laying just under the surface. Even prophecy for Apostle Paul told us that prophecy was better than tongues and diversity of tongues but to prophecy is better, for the edification of the church. 1 Cor.14:¹ Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

² For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

³ But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

⁴ He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

⁵ I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Many today would call these Mystics would they not? But with all prophesies they are subject to the spirit of the prophets, and let all things be done in order and never confusion, which comes from Systematic Theologies of Creeds of Nicene in 325 A. D. These are they who must bring in doubt, to those who work in the Supernatural realms of God’s own Spirit in them, often labeled as false prophets, false teachers, and now Mystics as well; just like some preachers and some teachers too some preach truth and most others are only out there to fill their own bellies with filthy lucre off the labours of those working silently and quietly with their own hands, as God told them to do, while others place their theologies as the scriptures unto anathema to all those who will not agree with their dogma! So it is up to us even the mystic, the preacher, the teacher, the evangelist, and all the rest to study and show themselves approved needing no teacher among us but those who bring the true Gospel, without changing one word of it, Gal.1:8-9 or in reality it is they who anathema themselves out of the Assemblies of God and His Church based in His Truths Alone! But to the theologian, they will never begin to combine mysticism with reality unless it happens to them and then they might be able to see God in the Magnitude that some of His true Mystics/Prophets, has in power over the elements of the physical realms such as Samuel or even Moses, who were in fact relatively speaking mystical in their ways too. So we can see labeling is a dangerous field to try and present in anyone’s Systematic Theologies! Even Hodge’s!

Hodge’s says this too: “Inspiration, in the Scriptural sense, is the supernatural guidance of the Spirit, which renders its subjects infallible in the communicating truth to others. But according to this theory, no man is infallible as a teacher.” Well I have news for him, if we agree with Sacred Scripture in its truths then we too have the very mind of Christ Jesus who is the Father as well as God with us, Mt.1:23 and then we too can be found perfect as He required His servants and children to be as seen in His words to us Mt.5:48 and even in Apostles Paul’s own written words to us; in Eph.5: ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. In other words “Perfect” as He is PERFECT, and without sin because Jesus came to give us power over sin and the flesh that wars with the Holy Spirit as well as our own of the flesh. Gal.5:17 AND 1 Jn.2:16, to be as He is, NOW, in this age that we are now in, 1 Jn.3:8, with that power of Jesus in us! Therefore throwing Hodge’s Systematic Theology under his own bus! Why? Because he himself has not that power to remember all scripture as it was written, by the very one who is to bring those scriptures to our memory, that none can gainsay against, Lk.21:14-15, that He had written by His Holy men as they too were carried along in mysticism or the Holy Spirit of Truth 2 Pt.1:19-21, found in 1 Pt.1:9-11 and Rev.19:10, that is Jesus’ Owen Spirit in us, Ac.2:1-4! Two faults in one paragraph is enough let us move onto another one and see what becomes of it. After all we do not need to beat him on every point, all we need to do is find fault with one axiom or first priori.

Hodge’s in closing says this: “This method found its most distinguished and influential advocate in Schleiermacher, whose “Glaubenslehre” is constructed on this principle. By Twesten — his successor in the chair of Theology in the University of Berlin — it is held in greater subjection to the normal authority of Scripture. By others, again, of the same school, it has been carried out to its utmost extreme. We are at present, however, concerned only with its principle, and neither with the details of its application, nor with its refutation.”

Rev. G. L. B. so we see that Hodge’s most like all others only reports what he has learned from others and reports what he has been taught to say as defined in terms and definitions of others as well to their understanding of what appears to be true to them. Scholastically speaking. True Scribe and Scholar that he is; but our righteousness is to be greater than those of the scribes and the Pharisees who are teaching Systematic Theologies! Mt.5:17-20!

• 5. The Inductive Method. (Hodge) (Another definition of another Term, defined as INDUCTION, as applied to Theology or Science: still trying to combine the same principle to theology as to science or any other related filed of classification: Which are also terms used in Philosophies of men in their learning of facts and reasoning; which of course not always works with the Supernatural accounts of God and His natural ways, Rev. G. L. B.).

It is so called because it agrees in everything essential with the inductive method as applied to the natural sciences.

First: The man of science comes to the study of nature with certain assumptions. (1.) He assumes the trustworthiness of his sense perceptions. Unless he can rely upon the well-authenticated testimony of his senses, he is deprived of all means of prosecuting his investigations. The facts of nature reveal themselves to our faculties of sense, and can be known in no other way. (2.) He must also assume the trustworthiness of his mental operations. He must take for granted that he can perceive, compare, combine, remember, and infer; and that he can safely rely upon these mental faculties in their legitimate exercise. (3.) He must also rely on the certainty of those truths which are not learned from experience, but which are given in the constitution of our nature. That every effect must have a cause; that the same cause under like circumstances, will produce like effects; that a cause is not a mere uniform antecedent, but that which contains within itself the reason why the effect occurs.

Second: The student of nature having this ground on which to stand, and these tools wherewith to work, proceeds to perceive, gather, and combine his facts. These he does not pretend to manufacture, nor presume to modify. He must take them as they are. He is only careful to be sure that they are real, and that he has them all, or, at least all that are necessary to justify any inference which he may draw from them, or any theory which he may build upon them.

Third: From facts thus ascertained and classified, he deduces the laws by which they are determined. That a heavy body falls to the ground is a familiar fact. Observation shows that it is not an isolated fact; but that all matter tends toward all other matter, that this tendency or attraction is in proportion to the quantity of matter; and its intensity decreases in proportion to the square of the distance of the attracting bodies. As all this is found to be universally and constantly the case within the field of observation, he mind is forced to conclude that there is some reason for it; in other words, that it is a law of nature which may be relied upon beyond the limits of actual observation. As this law has always operated in the past, the man of science is sure that it will operate in the future. It is in this way the vast body of modern science has been built up, and the laws which determine the motions of the heavenly bodies; the chemical changes constantly going on around us; the structure, growth, and propagation of plants and animals, have, to a greater or less extent, been ascertained and established. It is to be observed that these laws or general principles are not derived from the mind, and attributed to external objects, but derived or deduced from the objects and impressed upon the mind.

Rev. G. L. B. This is all well as said and done if the physic of reality stay the same but as we see in later years of study as defined in these relative terms but imagine this; that all our known parameters of physics and even material world changes due to magnetism and the effects of second causes, which cause all parameters to fall out of balance by Supernatural or even unseen phenomena, such as heavenly or angelic activity, all science as man has ever studied then becomes terms of useless dribble. As so it is with inductance theology, based on scientific definitions, terms and or analogies! With God there is not set philosophical terms that in changeless if He decides to do a New Thing that might come down from heaven at some time or another, as it is written in the book of Revelations; then it would be best to base all presuppositions of those facts that are to be called as that new reality as if it were now and not later. What does God want from us and what does He want us to be now, that is the important question here not inductance or method of scientific methods?! Now we move on into the reality of Hodge’s presupposed methods of science and theology, we will see how well he does here.

 

Sec. 5] A. The Inductive Method as applied to Theology.

The Bible is to the theologian what nature is to the man of science. It is his store-house of facts; and his method of ascertaining what the Bible teaches, is the same as that which the natural philosopher adopts to ascertain what nature teaches. In the first place, he comes to his task with all the assumptions above mentioned. He must assume the validity of those laws of belief which God has impressed upon our nature. In these laws are included some which have no direct application to the natural sciences. Such, for example, as the essential distinction between right and wrong; that nothing contrary to virtue can be enjoined by God; that it cannot be right to do evil that good may come; that sin deserves punishment, and other similar first truths, which God has implanted in the constitution of all moral beings, and which no objective revelation can possibly contradict. These first principles, however, are not to be arbitrarily assumed. No man has a right to lay down his own opinions, however firmly held, and call them “first truths of reason,” and make them the source or test of Christian doctrines. Nothing can rightfully be included under the category of first truths, or laws of belief, which cannot stand the tests of universality and necessity, to which many add self-evidence. But self-evidence is included in universality and necessity, in so far, that nothing which is not self-evident can be universally believed, and what is self-evident forces itself on the mind of every intelligent creature.

Rev. G. L. B. Hodge’s stated this; “In the first place, he comes to his task with all the assumptions above mentioned. He must assume the validity of those laws of belief which God has impressed upon our nature. In these laws are included some which have no direct application to the natural sciences.”

Well that is not true, for we see that sin; the act of doing that which is wrong in God’s eyes has causes that include the sciences of the physical realms, as seen in Gen.3: Where Adam sinned and listened to his wife and ate of the tree of good and evil, as he was told not to, and then God curses the earth and the ground which Adam came out of, instead of the person, who had committed the sin. So the judgment fell onto physical earth, and on man later on in a shortened life, due to the new effects of the earth on man, which will now cause him to age, instead of maintain his health and being. So all our natural and spiritual realms as far as I see are tied directly together. After all God is the God of good and evil; He created light and He created darkness as well, for all things are created by Him, Col.1:16-17 and are in fact helped by His will. Which if disobeyed will produce ramifications and all realities. As it is done in Heaven and it is done on the earth, they are combined, and will all need to be purified sooner or later. Jn.3:16 for this reason He came in the flesh to save not only mankind but the Cosmos! From utter destruction and purification. Still soon to come though, as stated in the book of Revelations and the prophets of Old Testament. A New Heaven and a New Earth will come down from the Father above the New Jerusalem. Rev.21:¹ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

² And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

³ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

⁵ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

⁶ And he said unto me: It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

This is not what Science even teaches or believes, so how then can theology and the teaching parameters of science be related in any sense? Theology needs to be taught by those who have the Holy Spirit and the very mind of God renewed in the Holy Spirit of all Truths! That are only founded on God and His revealed truths to those who are His and who obey Him in all aspects of their physical beings! Then they will have an Induction that is found in Ac.2:1-4; 8:16-17; and Ac.10:44-48 and Ac.9:1-fs as seen with soon to be Apostle Paul to the gentiles and to John the Baptists disciples who soon heard the truth and became full-fledged Disciples of Jesus Christ in name and in deed who had an effect on the whole world around them. All those realms that had not received these truths have been hot spots for murders and war and killings upon killings even unto this day! Evil begets evil and only causes more evil to come upon the same ground till nothing will grow or flourish and new spring flowers in the wilderness of a meadow in the high mountains, until all is just a barren desert, good for nothing but scorpions, snakes and jackals, and wild asses of men, like Ishmael and his kin. Who only know of the Quran of an epileptic maniac, who uttered everything to others because he could not read or write. This leaves us to contemplate whose inductive method of God and or of man? Only those which agree with all scripture can be from the inductiveness of God Himself! Unregenerated mankind, will always have error in them and their theologies somewhere, until that man becomes brand new in spirit and in heart and mind of God in His truths, 2 Cor.5:17-21!

Sec.5] Facts to be collected. (Hodge) page 11:

In the second place, the duty of the Christian theologian is to ascertain, collect, and combine all the facts which God has revealed concerning himself and our relation to Him. These facts are all in the Bible. This is true, because everything revealed in nature, and in the constitution of man concerning God and our relation to Him, is contained and authenticated in Scripture. It is in this sense that “the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants.” It may be admitted that the truths which the theologian has to reduce to a science, or, to speak more humbly, which he has to arrange and harmonize, are revealed partly in the external works of God, partly in the constitution of our nature, and partly in the religious experience of believers; yet lest we should err in our inferences from the works of God, we have a clearer revelation of all that nature reveals, in his word; and lest we should misinterpret our own consciousness and the laws of our nature, everything that can be legitimately learned from that source will be found recognized and authenticated in the Scriptures; and lest we should attribute to the teaching of the Spirit the operations of our own natural affections, we find in the Bible the norm and standard of all genuine religious experience. The Scriptures teach not only the truth; but what are the effects of the truth on the heart and conscience; when applied with saving power by the Holy Ghost.

Hodge wrote this: “In the second place, the duty of the Christian theologian is to ascertain, collect, and combine all the facts which God has revealed concerning himself and our relation to Him. These facts are all in the Bible. This is true, because everything revealed in nature, and in the constitution of man concerning God and our relation to Him, is contained and authenticated in Scripture. It is in this sense that “the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants.”

Well if true religion is based on the Protestants religions, we are in trouble, for they left the scripture and carried with them an error of the fourth century called the Nicaean Creed of 325 A. D., which is Polytheism at its best of the philosophical kind of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, as well as many others which none of the Apostles of Jesus ever claimed to be part of the Gospel message! Which we see is carried on by the Roman Catholic Church unto this very day and the Protestants are just another offshoot of them, who are in error, of theology and the knowledge of the One True God called Jesus Christ who is God alone! So there revelations and inductance was in error from the beginning to this very day! For it doesn’t line up with all scripture, such as Deu.6:4 and Zech.14:9 or Is.9:6-7 and Is.7:14 and 8:8 and Is.40:3 either, so we cannot believe any of their Inductance theology or facts to be collected without acknowledging that they are in fact in errors of their own. If the Bible alone was the religion of the Protestants, they would have never agreed with Creeds, Symbols, or oaths to begin with, for all that comes from evil, Mt.5:³³ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

³⁴ But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

³⁵ Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

³⁶ Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

³⁷ But let your communication be: Yea, yea: Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil!

So we see the Protestant Religion is of men not of God alone! The same as all organized religions of men, who give us creeds, symbols, and Affirmations of Faith! Let God be true and His children Obedient to His every word and that will be enough, for His Salvation! This is the “Simplicity that is found in Christ Jesus alone!”

2 Cro.11:¹ Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

² For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

³ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Hodge also wrote this too in that last paragraph: “It may be admitted that the truths which the theologian has to reduce to a science, or, to speak more humbly, which he has to arrange and harmonize, are revealed partly in the external works of God, partly in the constitution of our nature, and partly in the religious experience of believers; yet lest we should err in our inferences from the works of God, we have a clearer revelation of all that nature reveals, in his word; and lest we should misinterpret our own consciousness and the laws of our nature, everything that can be legitimately learned from that source will be found recognized and authenticated in the Scriptures; and lest we should attribute to the teaching of the Spirit the operations of our own natural affections, we find in the Bible the norm and standard of all genuine religious experience.”

Rev. G. L. B. only can mankind have a natural affection that is natural in a supernatural way that is of God’s doing can mankind or any man for that matter ever experience a truly Natural Affection that is God Born in us by His doing it in baptizing us in His Holy Spirit of love, the agape love of God, that this world’s men can never experience in their natural lifetime until God enters them and makes them over brand new from the inside out, found in Ac.2:1-4, this is the Born Again experience, that all must have or they too will be left behind and their feet will never leave the ground when Jesus comes to bring His Bride Home to the Wedding Feast! For this reason science procedures is not going to get you saved or a theology whether Systematic and otherwise is going to bring Salvation either so what good is it really? Does Systemizing Scriptures bring new revelations or a power to bring self-consciousness under control or our intellectual cognizance into harmony with God’s? No, as seen in 1 Cor.1:¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

²⁰ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

²¹ For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

²² For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

²³ But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

²⁴ But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.

³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Only the reality of God in Jesus can bring this Glory of God in man, so that man can know what God wants from Him and the power to bring it about in a weak flesh that before had no chance to operate in the realms if the Supernatural and now God in man has brought the Kingdom of God in man Lk.17:20-21 so man can be all God wants him to be! God’s Regenerated Adam, a New Creature, Born in Righteousness that is of God in Jesus, reconciling a lost world and a lost humanity back to Himself by Himself in us! This the Protestants or the Roman Catholics cannot do or their systematic theologies either! Because they have left truth behind them for their own creeds, symbols and dogma, for a world that will never be received into Heaven who lords over all mankind now! They are Nicolaitans, the very thing that Jesus hates and will never see His Kingdom when they make their kingdoms their own, for those who they ordain instead of Jesus doing it. Jesus does the calling and He does the equipping not men or their Systematic Theologies!

So we find here that all their experiences in their religious lives are based on error and of unsound reasoning inducted or otherwise! They have taken man’s systems and tried to direct them to scripture which is Spiritually discerned and without the Holy Spirit none can even come close to fathoming the depths of God’s realities and power or grace, mercy and or His love! They have errored from the narrow way, to the broad way, that many will go in there at! Mt.7:13-14, for they have not strived to enter into the right way, that our One True God has shown us to go in there at, Jn.14:6 His right way!

Finally Hodge wrote this: “The Scriptures teach not only the truth; but what are the effects of the truth on the heart and conscience; when applied with saving power by the Holy Ghost.”

We see this in Ac.2:1-4, for this is “That” which Joel talked about as Peter himself proclaimed in Ac.2:16-21, that scripture verifies God’s own actions in mankind, for the purpose of bringing man, the apple of God’s own eye, His Glory, we are, and He will not give His glory to another, to those who are called of Him and follow Him in word and in deed, Col.3:17, with a faithful heart of love, for one and for all; for that is the confirmation of all the law, Gal.5:14! This can only be done by God acting in men, through the power of His Spirit that is Holy and that is in His every word to those who have ears to hear Jn.8:47 & 15 and power to overcome this flesh and this world, Jn.16:33 seen in chapter 2 & 3 in Revelations of Jesus Christ to Saint John! If they would have known God they would have His Holy Spirit in themselves! They would even know God when they see Jesus, Jn.12:45-50 in His every word to us, that is Holy Spirit inspired, in us without measure to those who have His repentance Ac.11:1-18! Hodge’s and the others did not; even though they did systematically structure their own theologies! In error I might add!

The Theologian to be guided by the same rules as the Man of Science. (Hodge’s Systematic Theology and his relative analysis of theology being a science still!)

In the third place, the theologian must be guided by the same rules in the collection of facts, as govern the man of science.

1. This collection must be made with diligence and care. It is not an easy work. There is in every department of investigation great liability to error. Almost all false theories in science and false doctrines in theology are due in a great degree to mistakes as to matters of fact. A distinguished naturalist said he repeated an experiment a thousand times before he felt authorized to announce the result to the scientific world as an established fact.
2. This collection of facts must not only be carefully conducted, but also comprehensive, and if possible, exhaustive. An imperfect induction of facts led men for ages to believe that the sun moved round the earth, and that the earth was an extended plain. In theology a partial induction of particulars has led to like serious errors. It is a fact that the Scriptures attribute omniscience to Christ. From this it was inferred that He could not have had a finite intelligence, but that the Logos was clothed in Him with a human body with its animal life. But it is also a Scriptural fact that ignorance and intellectual progress, as well as omniscience, are ascribed to our Lord. Both facts, therefore, must be included in our doctrine of his person. We must admit that He had a human, as well as a divine intelligence. It is a fact that everything that can be predicated of a sinless man, is in the Bible, predicated of Christ; and it is also a fact that everything that is predicated of God is predicated of our Lord; hence it has been inferred that there were two Christs, —two persons, — the one human, the other divine, and that they dwelt together very much as the Spirit dwells in the believer; or, as evil spirits dwelt in demoniacs. But this theory overlooked the numerous facts which prove the individual personality of Christ. It was the same person who said, “I thirst;” who said, “Before Abraham was I am.” The Scriptures teach that Christ’s death was designed to reveal the love of God, and to secure the reformation of men. Hence Socinus denied that his death was an expiation for sin, or satisfaction of justice. The latter fact, however, is as clearly revealed as the former; and therefore both must be taken into account in our statement of the doctrine concerning the design of Christ’s death.