A Treatise on Theism, and on the Modern Skeptical Theories

ANALYTICAL TABLE.

a3. From the nature of conscience itself, 2 13....... 25

b1. From the spiritual consequences of a violation of con-

science, e.g. remorse, & 22.............

35

cl. From the physical consequences of a violation of con-

b. Union of harmony in general laws, with special adaptations

of details, 35.........

CHAPTER IV.

FROM MATTER.

a. Universal belief in some eternal existence, & 41......

b. The atheist's eternity equally objectionable with the the-

ist's, 42........

64

c. Incomprehensibility of eternity not conclusive, ? 43.........................

d. Desolateness of a godless universe, & 44.........

CHAPTER V.

65

66

d1. As generating energy, patience, and sense of the beauti-

CHAPTER VII.

FROM GEOLOGY.

a. Anterior uninhabitability of the earth,

77.

PAGE

118

b. Subsequent creation of specific forms of life..

119

THE RELATIONS OF GOD AND MAN AS DETERMINED BY NATURAL

THEOLOGY.

a. Propositions established in the preceding chapters, 85....... 131

a1. That there is an all-powerful God who seeks the plea-

sure of His creatures, & 85..................... .

b1. That this God is sovereign, directing everything by His

131

d1. That besides this He has placed in each breast a moral

tribunal, armed with powerful sanctions, for the pur-

pose of directing right and prohibiting wrong, 285.... 131

b. Propositions apparently contradictory induced from the same

phenomena,

86....

a1. That what appear gratuitous pain and sorrow are often

inflicted on the animal creation, 2 86.............

131

.... 131

b1. That man is endowed with freedom of will and action,

which, however, he frequently perverts to his own

ruin, 86.......

c1. That human conduct is to a great degree affected by

what are called "accidents," i.e. events not to be ac-

counted for by any general law, 2 86

c. Reconciliation of these apparent contradictions,

131

87............ 132

a1. The attempt to reconcile them by the hypothesis of an

imperfect Creator illogical, & 87.....

132

¿1. They may be reconciled, however, by the following as-
sumptions, ? 91......

134

a2. Man is in a state of exile from God, & 91.........

¿2. The human heart, so far from maintaining a com-

munion with God, is more and more inclined to

place its affections on things earthly, 97............ 142

PAGE

c2. There is a future retribution which demands that the

free agency of those subject to it should remain

unimpaired, while there are such general influ-

ences about them as will promote patience, sub-

mission, and earnest endeavor, ? 98............................................... 143

sation,

de These disciplinary influences, however, are insuffi-
cient without special Divine aid, & 99.........

e2. A written revelation as a final educationary pro-

cess, is a priori probable under such a dispen-

144

"AN IMPERFECT CREATOR.

a. Inability of the finite to measure, 102.......

152

b. Incapacity of the infinite for measurement, 2 105.........

156

c. Supposing, however, apparently irreconcilable contradictions
and imperfections exist, 108......

161

a1. They cannot overcome the positive evidence of Almighty

wisdom and goodness, 108........

161

163

b1. They are reconcilable with the Divine perfections, 109, 162

a2. As necessary to moral agency, ¿ 110...............................

¿2. As ordained of God, as forming part of a scheme of

all others the best and most perfect, & 110......... 163

a3. Necessitarian view of moral evil, & 113........... 168

Objections:

a4. It renders human exertion useless, 2 115.... 172

b1. It enthralls God himself, 115............................. 172

¿3. Libertarian view of moral evil, & 119...................................... 178

Objections:

at. It still traces sin to God, 3 121

.... 180

b4. It sequestrates omnipotence, & 122........... 181

c4. It aggravates man's impotence, 123........ 181

d. It conflicts with consciousness, & 123........ 182

Present approximation of the two schools,

& 128.....

PAGE

186

7. The mere fact of the apparent opposition of the

truths of Divine sovereignty and of human

responsibility, does not justify the rejection

of either the one or the other, 2 132............................... 192

3. Incidental moral consequences of evil, 2 133... 196

2. As the necessary incidents of limited creatures,

? 135.......

a3. By a graduated scale there is room for the exer-

cise of charity and an interchange of favors,

? 136.........

63. By such a scale the earth will be more

thoroughly populated and human comfort

best promoted, & 138..........

198

199

201

c3. By such a scale a stimulus is afforded for enter-

prise and room for improvement, ? 140................. 203

d3. What may to the human eye be a lower and in-

ferior scale of happiness, may to a higher

vision occupy a reversed position, 143...... 205

d1. The defects and evils complained of are in many cases

d3. It is essential to the experience of pleasure,

e1. They are the incidents of an intermediate stage in a

series of progressive advances from chaos to final per-

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