Theological Institutes Or A View Of The Evidences Doctrines Morals And Institutions Of Christianity

In this classic work of Christian theology, Richard Watson explores the foundations of faith with a rigorous yet accessible approach. From the nature of God to the principles of morality, the book offers a comprehensive overview of Christian doctrine and its implications for daily life. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This Elibron Classics title is a reprint of the original edition published by John Mason in London, 1862.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ...but unto faith, and the obedience of faith, holiness, &c." Election, we have already said, must be either God's purpose in eter. nity to elect actually, or it must be actual election itself in time; for as election is choosing men " out of the world," into the true Church of Christ, actual election from eternity is not possible, because the subjects of election had no existence; there was no world to choose them " out of," and no Church into which to bring them. To affirm that any part of mankind were chosen from eternity, in purpose, (for in no other way could they be chosen, ) to become members of the Church without " foresight of faith, and the obedience of faith," is therefore to say, that God purposed from all eternity to establish a distinction between The World, " out" of which the elect are actually chosen, and the Church, which has no foundation in, or respect to, faith and obedience; in other words, to constitute his Church of persons to whose faith and obedience he had no respect. For how is this conclusion to be avoided? The subjects of this election, it seems, are chosen as men, as Peter, James, and John, not as believers. God eternally purposed to make Peter, James, and John, members of his Church, without respect to their faith or obedience; his Church is therefore constituted on the sole principle of this purpose, not upon the basis of faith and obedience; and the persons chosen into it in time are chosen because they are of the number included in this eternal purpose, and with no regard to their being believers and obedient, or the contrary. How manifestly this opposes the word of God, we need scarcely stay to point out. It contradicts that specific distinction constantly made in Scripture between the true Church and the...