Chapter XXXIII. The Augustinian Theory Not In The Bible.
In the preceding chapters it is shown that theological creeds and teachings maintain the common-sense system, and at the same time the contradictory Augustinian system. In other words, it is shown that the Augustinian theologians contradict at once our common sense, our moral sense, and themselves.
It will next be shown that the Augustinian theory is not contained in the Bible, and that theologians conflict with each other in regard to this point also.
[pg 229]There is only one passage in the Bible which was ever claimed by any one as teaching a depraved nature consequent on Adam's sin. That passage is Romans v., from the 12th to the 19th verse:
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
In this passage these things are taught:
1. By one man sin entered and death by sin, and so [i.e., by one man] death passed on all men, for that all have sinned.—Verses 12, 13, 14.
2. Through the offense of one many have died.—Verse 15.
3. The judgment was by one to condemnation.—Verse 16.
4. By one man's offense death reigned by one.—Verse 17.
5. By the offense of one, judgment came on all to condemnation.—Verse 18.
6. By one man's disobedience many were made sinners.—V. 19.
There are three modes of interpreting this passage, and the question all turns on whether the death spoken of is natural death or spiritual.
Interpretation of the Apostolic Age.
The first interpretation is that of the Apostolic age and onward to the time of Augustine. It is briefly this:
Adam is a type of Christ, and as by Adam's sin natural death came on all who are his natural children, (for they all, like Adam, have sinned and suffer death as the consequence,) so by one man, Christ, spiritual life comes to all who are Christ's spiritual children.
This simply teaches that Adam as the head of a sinning race, who suffer death in consequence of his sin and their own, is an emblem or type of Christ, the head of a holy family, who by him receive spiritual life. Condemnation and natural death come from sinning, both to Adam and to all the children brought into being by him. Justification and spiritual life come from Christ to all whom he has caused to become his spiritual children.
For abundant proof that this was the interpretation of this passage, from the apostles to the time of Augustine, the author refers to Dr. E. Beecher's Conflict of Ages, book v., chapter 2.
Augustinian Interpretation.
The Augustinian interpretation is this: The sin of Adam caused a depraved nature and consequent spiritual death to all his descendants. So also the obedience [pg 231] and death of Christ have purchased or caused a holy nature and spiritual life to all who are regenerated.
Princeton Interpretation.
It has been shown that the Princeton theologians teach, that though all men did not sin in Adam, or sin at all, before they were born, yet God imputes Adam's sin to them, and regards and treats them as if they had committed it.
Their interpretation of this passage then is briefly this:
As by, or on account of, Adam's sin a condemning sentence came on all men, so by Christ's obedience a sentence of acquittal (i.e., justification) came on all who are regenerated.
According to these divines, verse 12 does not refer to a depraved nature nor to actual sin, but only to the fact that all suffer the penalty for Adam's sin through all time and eternity, unless they are regenerated. The Princeton school of divines are the most strongly Calvinistic in maintaining the total depravity of man and his entire inability to perform any truly virtuous act previous to regeneration.
Here, then, we have these results:
The Augustinian theory of the depraved nature of man, consequent on Adam's sin, contradicts the common sense and moral sense of mankind, contradicts the creeds and teachings that contain it, and is not taught in the chief passage in the Bible claimed as teaching it, as interpreted by the whole Christian world in the first four centuries, and by a large body of Calvinistic divines who teach total depravity at the present time.
Whoever, then, denies that this passage of the Bible [pg 232] teaches this doctrine is sustained by the whole Church of the Apostolic ages and by a great body of the highest Calvinistic churches at this day.
There are some other passages that may be referred to as relating to this subject. The first is Romans, chapter ii., 6 to 16:
“Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first and also of the Gentile; but glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; for there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another;) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”
Taken in its connection, the word nature, as used in this passage, evidently is used in its primary and chief meaning, to signify the constitutional powers or organization of mind. “The work of the law written in their hearts,” “their conscience also bearing witness;” these are what are referred to when it is said, “the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law.” And it is doing those things which secures “glory, honor and peace”—“to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.”
[pg 233]Another passage is Ephesians, ii., 1-3:
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
In this passage the apostle is addressing those who in a succeeding verse are told, “remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh:” this being so, they are those who, the same writer says, “do by nature the things contained in the law.”
The signification of nature in this passage must be that which is according to ordinary experience. That is, according to ordinary experience mankind “are children of wrath,” i.e., subject to the wrathful penalties of disobedience to the laws of God. But by the influences brought by Christ, “a new life” is secured, which is a life of intelligent and voluntary obedience to law, an obedience which the natural penalties of law could not secure, but which the knowledge and love of God, as manifested by Christ, do secure.
One other text merits attention: 1 Corinthians, chapter ii., 14. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
In this passage the “natural man” must signify “man as he is found in our ordinary experience.” The idea evidently intended, is that mankind, as a race, do not understand or obey the truth as it is taught by Christ and the Spirit of God. The fact is [pg 234] affirmed that without Christ and the divine Spirit to aid, man as a race does not come to such knowledge of and obedience to the laws of God as secures eternal life.
In reference to most other texts quoted to prove a depraved nature, it will be found that they simply affirm depraved action. Men, in the Bible, are described as wrong-doers by their own wrong willing or choice and not by a depraved nature. Sometimes they are said to choose wrong and sometimes right, and their wrong willing no more proves a depraved nature than the right willing proves a holy nature.
Chapter XXXIV. A Reliable Revelation From The Creator Impossible If It Contains The Augustinian Theory.
The object aimed at in this chapter demands attention to the following preliminaries.
Before we can gain a reliable revelation from our Creator, we are obliged to establish the truth that there is such a Creator. Our only mode of doing this is by the method already set forth in chapter 10, and for which we are dependent on our reason or common sense.
Having, by the aid of reason, arrived at a knowledge of the existence and character of the Creator, we next inquire as to the mode by which we can receive direct revelations from him.
Here we find that we are again wholly dependent on reason or common sense. The principle on which we alone rely for revelations from God is this:
[pg 235]A change in the established order of nature surpassing human power, is evidence of a supernatural agency that is sanctioned by the Author of the Laws of Nature.
The conviction of the wisdom and power of the Author of this vast and wonderful frame around us is such that, whatever changes may occur in its established order, must be felt to be by his permission.
To illustrate this, suppose a man appeared, claiming to be a teacher sent from God. In proof of this, he commands a mountain to be uptorn and thrown into the sea. Now, if this phenomenon should follow his command, it would be impossible for any who witnessed it, to refrain from believing that the Author of Nature performed this miracle to attest the authority of his messenger.
In order to insure this belief in the interference of the Creator, there must be full evidence that there can be no deception, and that the miraculous performance is entirely beyond human power and skill. Men always talk and act on the assumption that such miracles are from God, and all rational minds so regard them.
We have shown that the chief cause of a wrong action of mind, is that it commences existence in perfect ignorance, while all those causes which experience shows to be indispensable to its right action, to a greater or less degree are wanting.
The grand want of our race is perfect educators to train new-born minds, who are infallible teachers of what is right and true.
We have presented the evidence gained by reason and experience that the Creator is perfect in mental [pg 236] constitution, and that he always has acted right, and always will thus act. This being granted, we infer that he always has done the best that is possible for the highest good of his creatures in this world, and that he always will continue to do so.
We proceed to inquire in regard to what would be the best that is possible to be done for us in this state of being, so far as we can conceive.
Inasmuch as the great cause of the wrong action of mind is the ignorance and imperfection of those who are its educators in the beginning of its existence, we should infer that the best possible thing to be done for our race, would be to provide some perfect and infallible teacher to instruct those who are to educate mind. This being granted, then all would concede that the Creator himself would be our best teacher, and that, if he would come to us himself in a visible form, to instruct the educators of mind in all they need to know, for themselves and for the new-born minds committed to their care, it would be the best thing we can conceive of for the highest good of our race.
We next inquire as to the best conceivable mode by which the Creator can manifest himself so as to secure credence.
To decide this, let each one suppose the case his own. Let a man make his appearance claiming to be the Creator. We can perceive that his mere word would never command the confidence of intelligent practical men. Thousands of impostors have appeared and made such claims, deceiving the weak and ignorant and disgusting the wise.
A person with such claims, were he ever so benevolent and intelligent, but having had no other evidence [pg 237] than his word to support them, would, by sensible persons, be regarded as the victim of some mental hallucination.
But suppose that a person claiming to be the Creator of all things, or to be a messenger from him, should attest his claim by shaking the earth, or turning back the floods of the ocean, it would be impossible for any man to witness these miracles without believing, that the Author of all things thus attested his own presence or the authority of his messenger. We have shown that the very organization of mind would necessarily force such a belief on all sane minds.
One other method would be as effective. Should this person predict events so improbable and so beyond all human intelligence, as to be equivalent to an equal interruption of experience as to the laws of mind, as time developed the fulfillment of these predictions, the same belief would be induced in the authority of the person thus supernaturally endowed.
In the case of miracles, the evidence would be immediate and most powerful in its inception. In the case of prophecy, the power of the evidence would increase with time.
Miracles and prophecy, then, are the only methods that we can conceive of, that would, as our minds are now constituted, insure belief in revelations from the Creator.
But if every human being, in order to believe, must have miracles, there would result such an incessant violation of the laws of nature as to destroy them, and thus to destroy all possibility of miracles.
The only possible way, then, to establish revelations to the race, is to have them occur at certain periods of time, and then have them adequately recorded and preserved.
[pg 238]The Bible is a collection of books written at different periods of the world's history. These books profess to be records of the various manifestations and teachings of the Creator to mankind. It is claimed for them, that their authority is established by miracles and prophecy, with all the evidence that is possible, so far as we can conceive, and that there are no other books in the world having any such evidence of authorized revelations from God.
No attempt will be made to set forth this evidence, which, it is claimed, is peculiar to the Bible. The point here attempted is, to show that, were the Augustinian system contained in these writings, it would destroy their claims as reliable revelations from God, even allowing that miracles and prophecy attested their authority.
All must allow that it is possible to have such things given in a revelation from God as would destroy its reliability. For example, suppose it were a fact that a revelation, supported by miracles, taught that there was no God. This would necessarily destroy its authority as a revelation from God.
Suppose again, that it taught that the Creator, who wrought the attesting miracles, was a liar, and loved to deceive his creatures; this would also destroy its reliability as a guide to truth.
Suppose again, that it taught that the Creator was a being who preferred evil to good, and chose to have his creatures ignorant and miserable, when he has power to make them wise and happy. This also would destroy the reliability of any revelation from the Creator, even were it sustained by undisputed miracles and prophecy.
[pg 239]This last is precisely what the Augustinian system does teach, and, as its advocates claim, it is a part of a revelation from the Creator, supported by miracles and prophecy.
In opposition to this, it is maintained that this system is not to be found in the Bible, and that were it there, all the miracles and prophecy conceivable could not prove these writings to be revelations from the Creator, which are reliable as our guide to truth and happiness. A Creator who wills ignorance and misery to his creatures, when he has power to will knowledge and happiness in their place, is not a being to be believed or trusted as our guide to truth and happiness.
It is in this light that the Augustinian theory, as a part of the Bible, brings the question fairly before the people, as “Bible or no Bible?”
Chapter XXXV. Tendencies of the Two Opposing Systems.
The preceding chapters have presented the distinctive features of two systems which, in their main points, are shown to be contradictory, while both are exhibited as incorporated into the chief creeds and theological teachings of the Christian world.
It is the object of this chapter to point out the tendencies of these antagonistic systems.
It is maintained, that the common-sense system, resting as it does on implanted principles common to all minds, is evolved and held very much in proportion [pg 240] to the development of the reasoning powers and the moral sense.
That part of this system which relates to man's duties and best interests in this life, without reference to a future state, has been more harmoniously evolved by the wise and good of all ages and nations than any other. Thus, in the teachings of Confucius, Zoroaster, Gaudama, Solon, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, and the Antonines, who are among the chief heathen sages, we can find nearly all the moral duties of man, to himself and to his fellow-man, which are to be found in the Bible. It is true that there are diversities and deficiencies in all; but a large body of pure morality could be made up from their united teachings. The account given of the system of Boodhism in a previous chapter is one illustration of this fact.
But, while it is comparatively easy for the good and wise heathen to reason out what is best for man in this life, as taught by experience, the grand failure is in motives which will secure obedience to the rules of virtue. “We see the right and yet the wrong pursue,” has been the universal lament of humanity.
The character of the Creator, as “the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow unto anger, of great kindness;” “who doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men;” who “like as a father pitieth his children;” who is “a father of the fatherless and a judge of the widow;” “a God without iniquity, just and right;” “a judge of the fatherless and the poor;” who “shall judge the world with righteousness;” “a righteous God, who trieth the heart and the reins;” who “will regard the prayer of the [pg 241] destitute;” who “knoweth the wants of the heart;” “who knoweth our down-sitting and up-rising, and is acquainted with all our ways;” who is “a righteous Lord who loveth righteousness;” “whose judgments are all right;” whose “word is right;” whose “word is truth from the beginning;” who is “plenteous in mercy and truth;” such a character as this, as it is recorded in the Jewish sacred books, was never evolved or set forth by the wisest and best sages of all the earth, unaided by these writings.
That such a Being regards our race with long-suffering compassion, and came himself to earth, by his teachings, example and self-sacrificing love, to save us from sin, this was never even imagined by any of the heathen sages of earth.
The power of motive, secured by a belief in the omnipresence, sympathy and love of such a God, never was attained by the unaided reasoning of any human being.
The fact that the soul survives the dissolution of the body, and that the good go where they are happy, and the wicked where they are punished, has been more or less clearly evolved by the heathen world. In some nations, as for example the followers of Boodhism, this doctrine is quite definite and distinct, but with most heathen nations all their notions on this subject are dim, shadowy and unpractical.
It is those nations alone, who have had access to the Bible, who have ever attained the powerful motives which are found in the system of common sense. And yet, as has been shown, these influences have been, to a great extent, nullified by a contradictory system.
[pg 242]It is claimed, that the system of common sense is the one on which the revelations of the Creator, contained in the Bible, are founded. This being so, those who are most developed in their reasoning powers, and who also yield the most reverence to the Bible, are those who are most powerfully protected against the pernicious tendencies of the antagonistic system of Augustine.
Thus, a system which is antagonistic to reason and common sense, has, by ecclesiastical authority and perversion, been fastened most firmly on that class of minds who bring all their cultivated powers to its defense, while at the same time the very cultivation of these powers, and their reverence for the Bible, tend to the destruction of the same system. We consequently find the strongest defenders, and the strongest antagonists of the Augustinian system, in those sects who were educated within its entrenchments.
If common sense and the Bible are to conquer this false system, it must be done by those whose common sense and reverence for the Bible are most effective and most prominent. And yet this class of persons are the ones, who would the most vigorously apply their energies in the defense of a system in which they have been trained from infancy, and which is sustained by all the power of public sentiment, and church organization. This being premised, the tendencies of the two antagonistic systems will now be set forth.
Chapter XXXVI. Tendencies of the Two Systems As They Respect the Cultivation of the Moral and Intellectual Powers.
The system of common sense rests on the assumption that there are principles of right and wrong founded on the eternal nature of things, existing independently of the will of the Creator in his own eternal mind, and by which his character and conduct may be judged.
The human mind is constructed in accordance with these principles, as the embryo image of the Eternal Creator. By the aid of these principles, we discover the design and character of God in the nature of his works, and can perceive what is right or wrong in moral action as tending to fulfill or oppose this design. Thus we are enabled to understand and to adore the rectitude, wisdom and goodness of our Creator, as manifested either in his works or in more direct revelations from him.
According to this system, all voluntary action is right which produces happiness without violating the laws of God. Thus every person who is making self or others happy in the best way, guided by the teachings of experience or by revelations from God, is fulfilling the great design of our Maker, and thus pleasing him by promoting his chief desire.
On the contrary, the Augustinian system assumes that the human mind, being totally depraved, is entirely disqualified to judge of the character and ways of [pg 244] God. Nay more, it assumes that there is no standard of right and wrong by which we can judge of the rectitude of the ways of God.
According to this theory, the fact that God wills a thing is what makes it right; so that any thing is right if God does it, and true if he says it, however contrary it may be to our moral nature and common sense.
In the teachings of moral science, founded on this theory, it is maintained that God has formed our minds to feel certain emotions of approval or disapproval in view of certain relations and actions, which are right or wrong only as agreeing or disagreeing with his will. But as the mind of man is depraved, this constitution is no certain guide, and we are dependent on direct revelations from God to teach us what is in agreement with his will. Yet here again we are at fault; for such is our depravity that we are disqualified to interpret these revelations, except as we are regenerated by God.
Accordingly, man has no means of judging of the designs or character of his Maker—nor, while unregenerate, as most of our race are and have been, has he any sure means of discovering the will of God, either by reason or revelation, saving as he may find infallible priestly interpreters.
Tendencies of the Two Systems in Regard to the Cultivation of the Reasoning Powers and Moral Sense.
The common-sense system, resting on the assumption that happiness-making, according to the laws of God, is the chief end of man, naturally leads to the development of the intellect and reason in order to discover these laws, and to the devotion of all our [pg 245] powers to happiness-making, according to these laws. This being so, every thing that tends to make enjoyment and diminish evil without violating law, is valued as good and right. All noble, generous, self-sacrificing and honorable sentiments and acts are regarded as right, pleasing to the Father of all, and tending equally to promote the best good of ourselves and of all our fellow-beings. In this light we become one with the Father and with all good beings just so far as we obey all the physical, social and moral laws of our Creator, and thus conform to his will, and add to his happiness. Thus the direct tendency of this system is to promote an earnest desire, first to discover all that is true and right, and then to follow it. And such efforts naturally tend both to develop our highest powers, and to bring the mind into harmony and communion with the Father of our spirits.
On the contrary, the Augustinian system, resting on the assumption that all the plans and ways of God are a mystery beyond our comprehension; that man, by nature, has no power to understand what is right or wrong in God's dispensations; that what we call goodness and virtue in unregenerate minds is not so in God's sight; that every act of every unrenewed mind is sin, and only sin; that until regenerated we never do any thing to move God to re-create our ruined nature; all this in its tendency leads to recklessness, hopelessness and neglect of all virtuous efforts, as useless in regard to our highest interests. As before intimated, these tendencies are more or less counteracted by the teachings of common sense and the Bible. Still, such tendencies must always be, more or less, effective and disastrous.