I have arranged these subjects in such a manner, that, if taken in course, they will lead to the contemplation of divine truth, with some reference to its proper proportions, although they do not completely cover the ground. Any particular topic, however, can be selected, according to the circ.u.mstances or inclination of the individual. Many of the subjects are divided under various heads; and, in some cases, one or two heads may perhaps be found sufficient for one season of meditation.
I. CHARACTER AND ATTRIBUTES OF G.o.d.
1. _Self-existence_--_being underived_. How this can be proved from reason. How this truth is recognized in Scripture. Ex. 3:14. Rev. 1:8.
Jer. 10:10. Dan. 6:26. All other existence derived from him. Ps. 33:6.
John 1:3. Col. 1:16, 17. Heb. 11:13.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) Ps. 53:1, f.c., (2.) Isa. 29:16, l.c.
45:9, 10. Rom. 9:20, 21. (3.) Ps. c. 3, 4. Isa. 43:7. Dan. 5:23, l.c.
2. _Eternity and Immutability of G.o.d._ How one of these involves the other. How these attributes can be discovered by reason. How by Scripture. Gen. 1:1. Deut. 32:40. Ps. 90:2. 102:24-27. Mal. 3:6. Heb.
13:8. Jas. 1:17. Rev. 1:4. 22:13.
Consider these attributes separately:--(1.) Eternity--being without beginning or end--ever being. (2.) Immutability--subject to no change in his manner of being, his perfections, his thoughts, desires, purposes, or determinations.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) How G.o.d appears to us in view of these attributes. (2.) How necessary they are to the character of the Supreme Ruler. (3.) How these attributes make G.o.d appear to the sinner. (4.) How to holy beings. (5.) What encouragements to prayer. Suppose G.o.d were changeable in his character, feelings, and purposes, what confidence could be reposed in his promises? (6.) What feelings these attributes should inspire.
3. _Omnipresence and Omniscience of G.o.d._ (1.) Contemplate knowledge without limit, and presence without bounds. (2.) How these attributes are manifest from the works of creation. (3.) How declared in the Word of G.o.d. Ps. 139:1-12. Jer. 23:24. Ps. 147:5. Isa. 40:28.
_Solemn Thoughts._ (1.) In what light G.o.d is manifested by these attributes. (2.) How necessary these attributes to the Supreme Governor and righteous Judge of all. (3.) No individual so small or unimportant as to escape the attention of such a being. Matt. 10:29, 30.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) Danger of forgetting or losing a sense of the presence of G.o.d. Ps. 9:17. 50:22. (2.) What feelings should be inspired in view of these attributes. Ps. 4:4. Heb. 4:13. (3.) How sinners should feel in view of them. Job 34:21, 22. Prov. 5:21. 15:3.
Jer. 16:17. Amos 9:2, 3. (4.) What emotions these attributes should excite in the hearts of G.o.d"s children. 2 Chron. 16:9, f.c. (5.) How these attributes will appear in the day of judgment.
4. _Omnipotence and Independence of G.o.d._ (1.) How the omnipotence of G.o.d is manifested by the works of creation. Job, chapters 38-11. Reflect on the works of creation as a whole, and minutely and particularly, and also _how_ they were made. Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26. (2.) How the independence of G.o.d is manifested by his works. Creative power must be underived. (3.) How the omnipotence of G.o.d is displayed, in his upholding and governing all things. (4.) How this attribute is declared in Scripture. Gen. 17:1. 18:14. Matt. 19:26. (5.) How omnipotence proves independence.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) How G.o.d is hereby qualified to be the Supreme Ruler. (2.) The condition of sinners, while they remain at enmity with such a being. Deut. 32:41. (3.) How Christians should feel, in view of this. Ex. 32:32. Rom. 9:2, 3. (4.) What they ought to do.
Acts 20:31. Jas. 5:20. Jude 23. (5.) Feelings of those who can view such a being as their Friend and Father. Rom. 8:28, 38, 39. 1 Cor. 3:22, 23.
(6.) Appropriate emotions on contemplating the omnipotence of G.o.d. Job 11:7, 8. 26:14. Ps. 145.
5. _Benevolence of G.o.d._ G.o.d is essentially benevolent. 1 John 4:8. (1.) How the benevolence of G.o.d is exhibited to us by the light of reason.
(2.) How by his works of creation and providence. (3.) By Revelation.
_First_, by direct a.s.sertion. Exod. 34:6. Ps. 145:9. Nah. 1:7. Matt.
5:45. _Second_, by the character of his law. Ps. 19:7, 8. Matt.
22:37-39. Rom. 7:12. _Third_, by the work of redemption. John 3:16, 17.
_Inferential Thoughts._ (1.) The benevolence of G.o.d without bounds. (2.) Always active (3.) It const.i.tutes his whole moral character. (4.) A being of infinite benevolence must prefer the greater good to the less, and the supreme good above all. (5.) Such a being must love the same disposition in his creatures, and hate the opposite.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) How odious selfishness must be in the sight of G.o.d. (2.) Sinners directly opposed in their characters and feelings to G.o.d. Exod. 20:5, l.c. Rom. 8:7. (3.) The exceeding great evil of sin, as committed against infinite benevolence. (4.) The ingrat.i.tude and baseness of sinners. (5.) What the goodness of G.o.d should lead them to. Isa. 30:18. Rom. 2:4. (6.) What emotions the contemplation of the goodness of G.o.d should excite in the hearts of his children. Ps. 118. Isa. 63:7. Eph. 5:20. (7.) How we may apprehend the goodness of the Lord. Ps, 107:43.
6. _The Justice of G.o.d._ (1.) What justice is: _First_, as exercised by intelligent beings, whose relations will admit of mutual giving and receiving; _Second_, as exercised by a ruler towards his subjects; _Third_, as relates to all actions, with reference to the general good.
(2.) Which of these relations G.o.d sustains to the universe. (3.) The disposition which would lead him to act justly in all these cases. (4.) How G.o.d is just as respects himself (5.) As respects his creatures. (6.) How the justice of G.o.d may be seen from the light of reason, and from the system of his providence. (7.) How from the Sacred History. (8.) The positive declarations of Scripture. Deut. 32:4. Isa. 45:21. Zeph. 3:5.
_Rev._ 15:3. (9.) From the revelation of a future day of righteous retribution. Eccl. 12:14. Acts 17:31. 2 Cor. 5:10.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) How, by this attribute, G.o.d is qualified to be the Supreme Governor. (2.) How terrible this renders him to the wicked. Exod. 34:7, l.c. Heb. 10:20-29. 12:29. (3.) How suffering the guilty to go unpunished, without satisfaction and reformation, would be doing injustice to the universe. (4.) Why we ought to look with complacency and delight upon this attribute.
7. _The Truth of G.o.d._ (1.) His _veracity_; or a disposition always to speak according to the real state of things. (2.) _Faithfulness_; or a disposition to conform his actions to previous declarations of his Word.
(1.) How the truth of G.o.d may be proved by reason. _First_, from his Benevolence. _Second_, from his Independence and Immutability. _Third_, from the excellence of truth and the turpitude of falsehood. _Fourth_, from the estimation in which truth is held by the intelligent creatures he has made.
(2.) How proved from the Scriptures. _First_, by direct declarations.
Exod. 34:6, l.c. Ps. 117:2. 146:6, l.c. _Second_, by the accordance of the histories recorded in Scripture with the facts substantiated by other evidence. _Third_, by the predictions of events which have since been fulfilled. _Fourth_, from the doctrines contained in his Word.
_Fifth_, by the agreement of Scripture with itself. _Sixth_, by the fulfilment of promises, threatenings, covenants, &c., recorded in his Word. _Seventh_, other proofs, as they may be suggested to the mind.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) How G.o.d is qualified by this attribute to be the moral governor of intelligent creatures. (2.) How necessary is faith to acceptance with G.o.d. Heb. 11:6. (3.) How odious to a G.o.d of infinite veracity must be the sin of _unbelief_. 1 John 5:10. (4.) How terrible to the wicked this renders the threatenings of G.o.d"s word. (5.) How valuable his promises to the righteous. (6.) At what an infinite expense G.o.d has sustained his truth, while pardoning rebels doomed to die. Ps. 85:10. Rom. 3:26.
8. _The Mercy of G.o.d._ (1.) What mercy is. (2.) Contemplate mercy as a disposition inherent in the Divine character. (3.) The only way in which mercy can be exercised by Him, towards those who have merited anger and punishment, consistent with the moral rect.i.tude of his character, and the great ends of his government. Ps. 85:10. Isa. 53:5, 6, 10. Acts 4:12. 5:31. Rom. 3:25, 26. (4.) How this attribute is manifested in his providence. Matt. 5:45. (5.) How in his Word. Neh. 9:17. Ps. 3:8. Matt.
5:7. Rom. 5:6. (These two may embrace several subdivisions.) (6.) Consider whether by the light of nature we could discover any possible way for G.o.d to exercise mercy towards the guilty.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) The loveliness and glory of this attribute. (2.) How we should feel in view of it. Ps. 118. (3.) The great guilt and danger of indulging an unmerciful or cruel disposition.
Prov. 11:17, l.c. 21:13. Mark 11:26. Jas. 2:13. (4.) The advantage of being merciful. Ps. 18:25. Prov. 11:17, f.c. Matt. 5:7. Mark 11:25.
9. _The Wisdom of G.o.d._ (1.) What wisdom is. How it differs from knowledge. How from cunning or subtilty. Whether that is wisdom which does not design to accomplish a _good_ end. Whether this is a _natural_ or _moral_ attribute, or both. (2.) How the wisdom of G.o.d is manifested in the works of creation. Ps. 104. Prov. 3:19. Examine particular objects and see how exactly everything is fitted for the end for which it is designed, and that a good end; such as the seasons; day and night; provision made for the wants and for the comfort and pleasure of men and animals; the body and mind of man; the laws which govern the material world, carried put in a great variety of ways; in the infinite variety, and yet extensive and convenient cla.s.sification, of objects; human languages; moral agency of intelligent beings, &c. (3.) The wisdom of G.o.d, as exhibited in his Word; _First_, its perfect adaptation to the wants of the world; its variety of authorship, style, matter, manner, &c.; _Second_, the truths revealed; particularly the plan of redemption.
Rom. 11:33.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) Ps. 48:14. (2.) The folly of setting up our own reason in opposition to the word of G.o.d. Isa. 40:13, 14. Rom.
11:34, 35. (3.) The folly of self-conceit. Prov. 26:12. (4.) From whom all wisdom comes. Prov. 2:6. (5.) What is the only true wisdom. Job 28:28.
II. DOCTRINES.
1. _The Decrees of G.o.d._ Doctrine: That G.o.d foreordains whatsoever comes to pa.s.s.
Proved, (1.) By reason. Otherwise, he would work without a plan, and could not certainly know what would take place hereafter; which is inconsistent with the idea of infinite wisdom. Acts 15:18. (2.) From Scripture. Job 23:13. Isa. 46:10. Jer. 10:23.
This doctrine does not destroy the freedom and accountability of the creature. Acts 2:23. This is not to be understood in any such sense as to make G.o.d the author of sin. Jas. 1:13. If the will of G.o.d is done, the greatest possible good will be accomplished. Ps. 119:68, f.c. How we ought to feel, in view of this doctrine. Phil. 4:4. Duty of submission.
Luke 22:42. Jas. 4:7.
2. _The Sovereignty of G.o.d._ Doctrine: That G.o.d rules the universe, according to his own pleasure, independently and without control, giving no further account of his conduct than he pleases.
Proved, (1.) By reason: _First_, his will the greatest good; _Second_, he has power to accomplish it; _Third_, if he fails to accomplish his will, he will be under constraint, which is inconsistent with the idea of an infinite being. Were he to fail of accomplishing his own will, he would not be qualified for a righteous governor. (2.) From Scripture.
Ps. 115:3. Dan. 4:35. Eccl. 8:3, l.c. Job 33:13.
_Reflections._ (1.) G.o.d does not act _arbitrarily_, without sufficient cause, or merely for the sake of doing his own will. His actions are controlled by a supreme desire for the greatest good, and always founded on the best of reasons. (2.) The consummate folly of those who resist his will. (3.) The feelings with which we ought to regard the sovereignty of G.o.d. 1 Chron. 16:23-31. Ps. 97:1. (4.) How terrible this doctrine to sinners. Ps. 99:1. Isa. 33:11. (5.) What ground of confidence, comfort, and joy to the righteous. Ps. 15:6. Hosea 14:9.
Rom. 8:28.
3. _Human Depravity._ (1.) How extensive. Rom. 3:23. Corroborated by facts. (2.) How great in degree. Gen. 6:5. Rom. 3:10-18. (3.) From whom derived. Rom. 5:12-19. (4.) How hereditary depravity becomes personal.
Ps. 58:3. (5.) How human depravity manifests itself. Rom. 8:7. John 3:19, 20. 5:40. Acts 7:51. Gal. 5:19-21.
_Practical Reflections._ (1.) How we ought to feel, in view of our own depravity. Ezra 9:6. Job 42:6. Ps. 38:1-7. 51:4, 17. Dan. 9:8. (2.) The necessity of regeneration. Heb. 12:14, l.c. (3.) How this load of guilt may be removed. Matt. 11:28-30. 1 John 2:1, 2. (4.) What it will bring us to, if we do not obtain deliverance from it. Rom 6:23, f.c.
4. _Regeneration._ (1.) Its nature. 2 Cor. 5:17. Eph. 4:24. (2.) Its author. John 3:5, 6. (3.) Influence of the Spirit; how exerted; not miraculous John 3:8. (4.) Man"s agency in the work of regeneration. Isa.
55:6, 7. Acts 2:38. 16:31. Phil 2:12, 13.
5. _The condition of fallen man._ (1.) Alienation from G.o.d. Job 21:14, 15. Rom. 1:28. Eph. 2:1, 2. (2.) Exposure to his wrath. Deut. 32:35, 41.
Ps. 7:11, 12. John 3:18, 36. Eph. 2:3. (3.) Personal misery. Isa. 57:20, 21. Misery the natural consequence of sin. Jer. 2:19.