"The Theological Questions of President Edwards, Senior, and Dr. Edwards, His Son"
The Theological Questions of President Edwards, Senior, and Dr. Edwards, His Son
This 1822 pamphlet contains two series of questions for which manuscript no longer exists. We can only speculate, therefore, if Edwards himself or one or more of his students, such as Hopkins, had compiled the list, and why the list existed. Probably they were assigned to students who came to study with the elder and younger Edwards (when the "Questions" were reprinted in Bibliotheca Sacra in 1882 [vol. 39], the title indicated they were "for their pupils in theology"). Alternatively, they could have been used when examining ministerial candidates. Starting with the nature of God and ending with the nature of the church, the questions reflect the structure of a systematic theology, as laid down most basically in the Westminster Confession. While Edwards Senior had 90 questions, Edwards Junior's tally rose to 313, incorporating many questions from his father's list but adding others that pertained to late eighteenth-century controversies and issues dear to the New Divinity.
Edwards Sr.'s list may be related in some way to the MS "Questions on Theological Subjects," though none of the questions there correlate exactly to the questions presented here.
THE THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS OF PRESIDENT EDWARDS, SENIOR, AND DR. EDWARDS, HIS SON.
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. Gen. XXVI. 18, 19.
PROVIDENCE:
Printed by Miller & Hutchens.
June--1822.
THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS,marginal
By REV. JONATHAN EDWARDS, President of the College in New-Jersey. He died 22d March, 1758, Aged 54.
1. How does it appear that something has existed from Eternity?
2. How does it appear that this earth and the visible system are not from eternity?
3. How does it appear that the existence of man is derived and dependent?
4. How do you prove the natural perfections of God, viz. his intelligence, infinite power, foreknowledge and immutability?
5. How do you prove his moral perfections, that he is a friend of virtue, or absolutely holy, true, just and good?
6. How do you prove that the scriptures are a revelation from God? and what are the evidences, internal and external?
7. How do you prove the divine Mission of Christ?
8. How do you prove the divinity of Christ?
9. How do you prove the personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost?
10. How do you prove that the persons in the Trinity are one God?
11. Whence arose the Manichean notion of two Gods, and how is it confuted.
12. Whence arose the polytheism of the Pagans and how confuted?
13. Whence was it that the knowledge of the one true God, in which Noah was instructed, was not preserved among his posterity in all ages?
14. Why are not mankind in all ages (their internal faculties and external advantages being sufficient) united in right sentiments of the one true God?
15. Were the moral character of God and the moral law understood and loved, would there be any objections against revealed religion?
16. What is the true idea of God's decrees?
17. How do you prove absolute and particular election?
18. Did God decree the existence of sin?
19. Why did God decree sin?
20. In what sense did he introduce sin into the universe?
21. How do you reconcile this with the holiness and goodness of God?
22. What is necessary to constitute a moral agent?
23. Are men moral and free agents?
24. What is the difference between natural and moral power and marginal inability?
25. How is absolute moral necessity, or inability, consistent with the free agency of man?
26. How is the doctrine of universal, absolute decrees consistent with the free agency of man?
27. How do you prove an universal and special providence?
28. What is the covenant of redemption?
29. If man was created in original righteousness, how is that consistent with moral agency? it being said that a necessary holiness is no holiness?
30. What was the constitution under which Adam in innocency was placed?
31. Was Adam under the same necessity of falling that we are of sinning?
32. Are all intelligencies bound to love God supremely, sinners and devils?
33. Is the law holy, just and good, and how is it proved?
34. Are they who are under its curse bound to delight in it?
35. How great is the demerit of sin?
36. Are the torments of hell eternal?
37. How do you reconcile them with the justice and infinite goodness of God?
38. How do you reconcile them with those texts which say Christ died for all men, that God will not that any perish?
39. How does it appear that human nature is originally depraved?
40. Whence comes that depravity?
41. How is it proved to be total?
42. What is the covenant of grace?
43. Are the law and gospel inconsistent with each other?
44. Why was an atonement and one so precious as the blood of Christ necessary?
45. In what manner did Christ atone for sin?
46. To whom does it belong to provide atonement, God or the sinner?
47. Did Christ redeem all men, alike, elect and non elect?
48. Can the offer of Christ be made with sincerity to the non elect?
49. How is redemption applied?
50. What is the office of the Holy Ghost in the work of Redemption?
51. What is regeneration?
52. Whence arises the necessity of it?
53. What is true love to God?
54. What is true benevolence to man?
55. What is true repentance, and how distinguished from legal?
56. What is true faith?
57. What is pardon and justification? what is their foundation and what is the influence of faith therein?
58. How are full satisfaction and free pardon consistent? marginal
59. Is the sinner forgiven before he repents?
60. Is sanctifying grace needful at all to any man, unless to that which is his duty, and in the neglect of which he would be without excuse?
61. What is the sum of man's duty, and what the effect produced by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit?
62. Can that holy volition in us, which is the effect of divine power be wholly our act or our duty?
63. How is it proved that unbelief is sin, and that all errors in moral matters are of a criminal nature?
64. Will the wicked heathens, Jews, Infidels and errorists of every kind be without excuse at the day of judgment?
65. What is the essence of true virtue, or holiness?
66. Is there no virtue in the exercise of natural conscience, the moral sense, natural compassion and generosity?
67. Is not self love the root of all virtue?
68. Do not the unregenerate desire to be regenerated and can they not properly pray for regenerating grace?
69. Do they not desire the heavenly happiness?
70. What is the utmost the unregenerate do in the use of the means of grace?
71. Is any duty done by them therein?
72. Do they grow better in the use of means?
73. To what are they to be exhorted?
74. What is the real advantage of the assiduous use of means to the unregenerate?
75. How do you prove that the institution of the Sabbath is of perpetual obligation?
76. How is it that the sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week?
77. How do you prove that publick worship is to be celebrated on the sabbath?
78. What is the foundation and duty of prayer, since God is omniscient and immutable?
79. How do you prove that family prayer is a duty?
80. To whom are the promises of the gospel made, to the regenerate or unregenerate?
81. Are no encouragements given to the unregenerate?
82. How do you prove the saints perseverance?
83. What is the nature of a Christian Church?
84. Who are fit for communion therein?
85. What is the nature and import of baptism?
86. How do you prove infant baptism?
87. What is the nature of the Lord's Supper?
88. What are the rules and ends of Church discipline?
89. What is the character of a good minister of Christ?
90. In what does the happiness of heaven consist?
THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS, marginal
By JONATHAN EDWARDS, D.D. President of Union College, Schenectady. He died 1st August, 1801.-Aged 56.
1. How does it appear that something has existed from eternity?
2. How does it appear that this earth and the visible system are not from eternity?
3. How does it appear that the existence of man is derived and dependant?
4. How do you prove the natural perfections of God, viz. his intelligence, omnipotence, omniscience, immutability, omnipresence and unity?
5. How do you prove the moral perfections of God, that he is a friend to virtue; absolutely holy, just, good and true?
6. What do you understand by the light of nature?
7. For what purposes is revelation necessary?
8. Is not the light of nature sufficient to direct mankind to their duty and happiness?
9. In what sense is the light of nature sufficient to direct men to the knowledge of their duty?
10. Is the light of nature so plain to every man that it is impossible to be rendered more plain by revelation?
11. If the light of nature were sufficient to direct mankind to their duty and happiness, if they would make a right use of it, would divine revelation be useful and worth while?
12. If mankind should become ever so well disposed after they had sinned, would the light of nature ever discover the way of pardon?
13. If a revelation be necessary must it not be given to all mankind in all ages?
14. How is it consistent, that a revelation should contain mysteries, as it is said that mystery is no revelation?
15. Are we to give up our reason, receiving a revelation which is inconsistent with reason?
16. If we are to receive no doctrines, under the pretence of revelation, which are inconsistent with reason, do we not make the dictates of reason the test of a true revelation? and if so, what advantage is there in a revelation, since we are to try that by the test of reason?
17. Is not the law of nature perfect? if so, what need of a revelation?
18. What, according to the light of nature, was the end of the creation of man?
19. If the end of the creation of man, were his own happiness, whence so much misery in the world?
20. On the supposition of no future state, what rational account marginal can be given of the creation of man and his state in this world?
21. What do you say to the maxim, that all, who are equally sincere in their religion, are equally acceptable to God?
22. Is it a matter of indifferency, what religion a man entertains, provided he be moral?
23. Will bare repentance and subsequent observance of the laws of nature secure pardon to the sinner?
24. Can God make positive institutions, which are not founded in reason and the nature of things?
25. Is the light of nature sufficient to enable us to judge in all cases what is subservient to the good of intelligent being in general, or even for the good of mankind in general?
26. What is meant by the religion of nature?
27. If the light of nature be sufficient to enable us to judge rightly, in matters of religion, whence is it, that the deists differ so widely in their religious principles?
28. Is it a true maxim that what concerns all, must be knowable by all?
29. Did not the unerring wisdom of God employ the most suitable means for human happiness? if so, is not the light of nature the most suitable mean to that end?
30. Does God ever prescribe services to man, which are in themselves, matters of indifferency?
31. If there be new things required of us in revelation, which are not prescribed to us by the law of nature, does this imply a change in God?
32. Is the diversity of sentiments among christians, a stronger argument against the truth of christianity than the diversity of sentiments among the deists is against the truth of the law of nature?
33. If we knew the nature and tendency of all moral actions, should we not be omniscient in morals?
34. Is it tyranny in God to require some things of us merely to try us?
35. How do you prove that the Scriptures are a revelation from God?
36. What is the internal proof of the truth of the Scriptures?
37. What is the external proof of the truth and divine original of the scriptures?
38. Are miracles impossible?
39. Are miracles incredible because contrary to our experience?
40. How do you prove that the whole Old Testament is not a forgery?
41. How do you prove that the books of the New Testament were written at the time they claim to have been written and by the men whose names they bear?
42. How does it appear that the apostles were not imposed upon as to the facts which they relate?
43. How does it appear that the apostles were not designing impostors?marginal
44. What remarkable facts of the gospel are attested by profane writers?
45. Are all the prophecies of the Old Testament of the facts of the New, allegorical?
46. Can we have evidence that the scriptures are a revelation from God, without previous evidence of the moral perfections of God?
47. Was revelation after the fall, necessary in order to any religion?
48. Does the moral and spiritual excellency and glory of the scriptures prove them not only to be true, but to be given by divine revelation?
49. Is it not inconsistent to argue the truth of a book or system from the manifest truth of the doctrines it contains, and then to argue the truth of those doctrines, from the circumstance that they are contained in that book?
50. In what sense does revealed religion depend on the reason of things?
51. Are we not to act reasonably in all things; and so follow our reason? If so, do we not really, and must we not necessarily set up reason above revelation?
52. Wherever the internal evidences of divine truth are found, are not external evidences needless?
53. Unless we grant the sufficiency of the light of nature, must we not allow that God has not given most men such rules and means as are necessary for their own happiness? And then how will you reconcile this with the moral perfections of God, especially his infinite and impartial goodness?
54. Is the gospel by the changes of tongues, the errors of transcribers, &c. become so obscure, that there is not sufficient evidence of its divine original?
55. Is the scripture itself sufficient to lead mankind to virtue and happiness? If not, why is the insufficiency of the law of nature to this end, brought as an argument in favour of divine revelation?
56. Are we accountable for any error in opinion concerning moral and religious subjects?
57. How do you prove a future state?
58. How do you prove the immortality of the soul?
59. Is a future state of rewards and punishments taught in the Old Testament?
60. Is a future state of rewards and punishments taught in the writings of Moses?
61. How do you prove the divine mission of Jesus Christ?
62. How do you prove the divinity of Christ?
63. If Christ were a creature could he atone for the sins of men?
64. Is Christ the son of God in any other sense than Adam was?
65. Did Christ first become a son by his birth of the Virgin Mary? marginal
66. Does the sonship of Christ consist in his appointment to the work of Redemption?
67. Was Christ a son from eternity?
68. Was Christ necessarily or voluntarily begotten of the father?
69. Is there more absurdity in supposing that Christ was eternally begotten, than that he was eternally the second person in the Trinity?
70. Was the human soul of Christ created before his conception by the Virgin?
71. How do you prove the personality of the Holy Ghost?
72. How do you prove that the three persons of the Trinity are one God?
73. Was the tripartite distinction of the Deity from eternity?
74. Was the subordination of the three persons in the Trinity, as first, second and third, from eternity?
75. How do you disprove the doctrine that those three persons are three distinct characters only?
76. Is it not a plain contradiction, that God should be one God and yet three persons?
77. What is the Arian scheme of the Trinity?
78. What is the Socinian scheme of the Trinity?
79. Whence arose the Manichean notion of two Gods? and how is it confuted?
80. Whence arose the polytheism of the pagans? and how is it confuted?
81. The internal faculties and external advantages of mankind being sufficient, why are they not in all ages united in true sentiments concerning the one true God?
82. Were the moral character of God and moral law understood and loved, would there be any objection against revealed religion?
83. What is the true idea of God's decrees?
84. Are God's acts or volitions successive? or do they successively take place in the divine mind?
85. Did God decree the existence of sin?
86. For what end did God decree the existence of sin?
87. In what sense is sin agreeable to the will of God?
88. Is the present system of the universe the best possible?
89. What is the difference between the secret and revealed will of God?
90. In what sense and in what manner did God introduce sin into the world?
91. How do you answer the objection, that this makes God the author of sin?
92. If the influence of God destroy the creature's free agency, can that influence produce sin in the creature?
93. If the divine influence do not destroy the creature's freeagency, in what sense, liable to objection, is God the author of sin?
94. What is necessary to constitute a moral agent? marginal
95. What is that liberty, which is necessary to moral agency?
96. Do we always act from motive? or what do you mean by motive?
97. Is a capacity to know our duty, necessary to moral agency?
98. Is self determination necessary to moral agency?
99. Are we conscious that our volitions are not effected by any cause without ourselves?
100. Must our volitions be self determinate in order that they may be our own?
101. Are men moral agents?
102. What is the difference between natural and moral necessity and ability?
103. How can absolute moral necessity and inability be consistent with free agency?
104. How can the doctrine of universal absolute decrees be consistent with free agency in man?
105. Is it consistent with human liberty that God should efficiently produce volition in the human heart?
106. Is it equally consistent with human liberty, that God should efficiently produce in the human heart an evil volition as a good one?
107. If God were to produce an evil volition in the human heart, would it prove that God were a sinner, or that he loves sin?
108. If moral necessity be inconsistent with liberty, can God be the author of sin?
109. How do you make it appear that men may be accountable, though they be not the efficient causes of their own volitions?
110. If all the volitions of men be decreed, how are they in a state of probation?
111. How do you prove a particular, special providence in every event?
112. What is meant by the covenant of redemption?
113. Which of the person in the Trinity created and governs the world?
114. What is the last end of creation?
115. Was the display of the divine glory the end of the happiness of the creation? or the happiness of the creation the end of the dis-lay of the divine glory?
116. Did God create the world for his own happiness in display of the divine glory?
117. Are God's own happiness and glory, and the happiness of the creation, two distinct ends of creation?
118. How do you make it appear, that God's own glory or happiness and the happiness of creation are one?
119. If man was created in original righteousness, how was that consistent with moral agency, as it is said that necessary holiness is no holiness?
120. What was the constitution under which man in innocency marginal was placed?
121. What is sin?
122. Is a mere want of love to God sin?
123. What was Adam's first sin?
124. If Adam had broken any precept of the moral law, would he have been liable to the death threatened?-Gen. ii. 17.
125. What was the death threatened in Gen. ii. 17?
126. In what sense, consistent with truth, was the sentence of death executed on Adam, in as much as he did not die the same day?
127. Had Adam before the fall any more freedom of will than we have?
128. Was Adam under the same necessity of falling that we are of sinning?
129. Are all intelligences, sinners and devils, bound to love God supremely?
130. Is the law of God, holy, just, and good? and how do you prove it?
131. Is a damning God the proper object of love?
132. How great is the demerit of sin?
133. How do you prove the endless duration of hell torments?
134. How do you reconcile the endless duration of hell torments with the perfect justice and infinite goodness of God?
135. How do you reconcile the endless duration of hell torments with those tests, which say, Christ died for all men-God will have all men to be saved, &c.?
136. Has God made any man to be damned?
137. Is God obliged by veracity to execute the threatening of his law?
138. Are the rewards and punishments of the gospel inconsistent with disinterested affection? Or do they prove christianity to be a selfish scheme?
139. How does it appear that human nature is originally depraved?
140. Whence comes the original depravity of human nature?
141. What do you mean by total depravity?
142. How do you prove human nature to be totally depraved? What arguments from scripture?-from reason, or experience and observation?
143. How do you prove that Adam was the federal head of his posterity?
144. In what sense is Adam's sin imputed to his posterity?
145. Is Adam's sin thus imputed by a judicial or sovereign act of God?
146. In what sense are Adam and his posterity one?
147. In what sense are mankind punished for Adam's sin?
148. Is it a punishment to the posterity of Adam that they come into the world in a depraved state?
149. Does God bring any evil on mankind, which he might not, marginal consistently with justice have brought upon them, if Adam had not been their federal head?
150. What is the covenant of grace?
151. Why was a satisfaction, or atonement, necessary to the dis-pensation of pardon?
152. Are the divine law and gospel consistent with each other?
153. Why was a satisfaction, or atonement, so great as that of Christ, necessary to the dispensation of pardon?
154. In what consisted the essence of the atonement of Christ? In his obedience, or suffering, or both?
155. In what sense did he satisfy divine justice by his sacrifice?
156. Was God under an obligation of justice to provide an atonement for sinners?
157. Does the appointment of a Mediator prove that God is already reconciled to men?
158. Did Christ redeem all men alike, the elect and non-elect?
159. In what sense does God love the elect, while unregenerate, different from what he loves the non-elect?
160. Is there evidence from scripture, or from history and observation, that any of the heathen are saved?
161. Is there evidence that none of the heathen are saved?
162. What are the reasons assigned in favour of the idea of the salvation of heathens?
163. Are a precise number of mankind elected to eternal life and the rest reprobated?
164. Did God from eternity foreknow all future events?
165. Is this foreknowledge founded on his decrees? or his decrees on his foreknowledge?
166. What do you mean by absolute and what by conditional election?
167. Is election absolute, or conditional, and founded on the foresight of the repentance and faith of the elect?
168. Does election extend to individuals, or to communities only?
169. Can the offers of the gospel be made with sincerity to the non-elect?
170. What chance of salvation have the non-elect, more than if Christ had never died?
171. Did Christ suffer in the stead, as well as for the benefit of his people?
172. Could he have made an atonement without suffering instead of his people?
173. Did Christ pay the debt for the elect, so that they can claim salvation on the foot of justice?
174. Were the sufferings of Christ to the supporting of the divine law, equivalent to the endless torments of the sinner?
175. Do the sufferings and obedience of Christ prove the divine law to be a just law?
176. How is redemption applied to the elect? marginal
177. What is the office of the Holy Ghost in the work of our salvation?
178. What is regeneration?
179. What is the difference between regeneration and conversion?
180. What is the native blindness of mankind?
181. Is the native blindness of mankind entirely criminal?
182. What is divine illumination?
183. Are spiritual beauty and glory seen by pure intellect?
184. Is the sight of beauty distinct from the love of beauty?
185. Is it a matter of duty to all men to see the spiritual glory of divine objects?
186. Does regeneration immediately affect any faculty of the mind beside the will?
187. Is regeneration effected by light?
188. What do you mean by the physical operation of the spirit in regeneration?
189. Is the subject of regeneration active or passive in it?
190. Whence arises the necessity of regeneration?
191. Is not the physical operation of the spirit, and the passivity of the subject under the operation of regeneration, inconsistent with the moral agency of the subject?
192. What is true love to God? and what is the primary foundation of it?
193. What is true benevolence to man?
194. What is repentance unto life? and how distinguished from legal repentance?
195. Does true repentance imply that we are sorry that we have committed those sins, which we have committed?
196. What is saving faith? and how distinguished from historical and doctrinal faith and the faith of miracles?
197. Have all a warrant to exercise an appropriating faith?
198. Is an appropriating faith a saving faith?
199. Is there a specific difference between common grace and special grace?
200. What is pardon of sin?
201. What is justification?
202. Is justification from eternity?
203. What is the meritorious cause of justification?
204. What is the influence of faith to justification?
205. In what sense is the believer one with Christ?
206. Is the believer, in justification, received and considered as one with Christ, and really thought by God to be one with him?
207. What is the true idea of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the believer?
208. Is the believer considered by God as possessed of the righteousness of Christ? or does he think that he possesses that righteousness?
209. Is justification a declaration that the believer stands right marginal with respect to the divine law?
210. Is free pardon included in justification as an essential part of it?
211. Is the justification of the believer a judicial and legal act, or an act of sovereign grace?
212. Has the believer on account of the righteousness of Christ, a right to demand justification as justly and legally due to him?
213. Is the believer even after he is justified by faith, condemned by the divine law?
214. In what sense then is the believer free from the law?
215. How are full satisfaction and free pardon consistent?
216. Is the sinner forgiven before he repents?
217. Is forgiveness granted on account of the sinner's repentance?
218. Does forgiveness extend to future sins?
219. Is the sinner forgiven by God's absolute goodness, or grace, without satisfaction?
220. If the sinner had of his own accord repented and become perfectly holy, could he have been forgiven, without the satisfaction of Christ?
221. Is the faith by which the believer is justified, a mere speculative assent?
222. If faith imply love, which is a moral exercise, or a work, is not the believer justified by works? Yet he is justified without the deeds of the law.
223. In what sense is the believer justified by works?
224. How do you reconcile James' account of justification, with Paul's?
225. Exhibit your proofs that James means justification in the sight of God?
226. Will not this scheme of justification derogate from the grace of God in act?
227. Is sanctifying grace, at all needful to any man, unless it be with respect to that which is his duty, and in respect to which he is without excuse?
228. What is the sum of man's duty, and what the effect produced by the sanctifying influence of the Spirit?
229. Can that holy volition in us, which is wholly the effect of divine power, be wholly our act, and our duty?
230. How can it be made to appear that unbelief is a sin? and that all error, in moral matters, are of a criminal nature?
231. Will the wicked, the heathen, jews, infidels and errorists of every kind, be without excuse in the day of judgment?
232. What is the essence of true virtue or holiness?
233. Is there no virtue in the exercises of natural conscience, the moral sense, natural compassions, natural generosity or natural affections?
234. What do you mean by self love? marginal
235. What do you say concerning this definition of self love?
236. Is not self love the root of all virtue?
237. Are the voluntary exercises of self love positively sinful?
238. Does self love proceed from an original, and peculiar bias, or principle?
239. As distinguished from selfishness, can self love be subordinate to the general good?
240. Does a sinner love himself, more than a saint loves himself?
241. Is the enmity of the sinner against God disinterested?
242. What do you mean by disinterested love?
243. Is God to be loved disinterestedly?
244. If a man love God directly, and disinterestedly at all, will he not love him supremely?
245. Are the voluntary exercises of natural compassion, natural generosity, natural affection, and all voluntary exercises in the unregenerate, positively sinful?
246. What do you mean by moral obligation?
247. What is the primary foundation of moral obligation?
248. Is the knowledge of the will of God, necessary to moral obligation?
249. Is the will of God itself or his moral perfections the primary foundation of moral obligations?
250. Is the knowledge of the existence of God, necessary to moral obligation?
251. Is the existence of God itself, necessary to moral obligation?
252. Is God himself free from moral obligations?
253. If the tendency of an action to happiness, be the primary foundation of moral obligation, will it not follow, that natural good is more valuable and important than moral good?
254. What other foundations of moral obligation, have been invented and published?
255. In what sense do the unregenerate desire to be regenerated? and in what sense can they pray for regenerating grace?
256. Is it the duty of the unregenerate to pray for regenerating grace?
257. Do the unregenerate desire the happiness of heaven?
258. What is the utmost which the unregenerate do in the use of the means of grace?
259. Is any real duty done by the unregenerate in the use of the means of grace?
260. Are all the voluntary external actions of the unregenerate, positively sinful?
261. Do the unregenerate grow better in the use of means?
262. What is the immediate duty of the unregenerate? and to what are they to be exhorted?
263. What is the real advantage, of an assiduous use of means, to marginal the unregenerate?
264. To whom are the promises of the gospel made? to the regenerate or unregenerate?
265. Are there no encouragements given to the unregenerate? and what are they?
266. How do you prove the saints perseverance?
267. Can you make it appear that the promises of the gospel mean more, than that those who persevere shall be saved?
268. Is assurance attainable by saints in this life?
269. Is assurance essential to faith?
270. By what means is assurance to be obtained?
271. What is the witness of the Spirit? and is it mediate, or immediate?
272. What is the seal of the Spirit?
273. Do all real christians know the time of their conversion?
274. Do all real christians certainly know that they are converted at all?
275. Are great awakenings and convictions of conscience, followed with great joys and comforts, and attended with texts of scripture, extraordinarily suggested to the mind, proofs of real conversion?
276. Is the state of the righteous and the wicked, between death and the resurrection, a state of sensibility? and how do you prove it?
277. How do you prove the resurrection of the body, and the general judgment?
278. How do you prove the immortality of the soul?
279. Will the secret sins of the righteous be made public at the day of judgment?
280. Do the saints in heaven know any thing that is done on earth?
281. How do you prove that the institution of the sabbath is of perpetual obligation?
282. How do [you] prove that the sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week?
283. How do you prove that public worship ought to be attended on the sabbath?
284. Which evening is to be kept as a part of the sabbath?
285. What is the foundation of the duty of prayer, since God is immutable?
286. How do you prove that family prayer is a duty?
287. Ought we to pray for perfection in this life?
288. What is the nature of a christian church?
289. Who are fit subjects for communion in the church?
290. Ought we to have universal charity for all professing christians?
291. Ought we to think that all sects of christians are right?
292. What is the nature and import of baptism?
293. How do you prove baptism? marginal
294. Does infant baptism alone give a title to all privileges of the church?
295. What is the nature and import of the Lord's supper?
296. Are the same qualifications necessary for an attendance on both sacraments?
297. What are the rules, and what the end of church discipline?
298. What is just matter of discipline and excommunication?
299. Is heresy a just matter of excommunication?
300. Is Universalism a just matter of excommunication?
301. Is marriage a sacrament?
302. In what case may a divorce take place?
303. May a man marry his wife's sister?
304. May an uncle marry his niece?
305. Is polygamy lawful?
306. What is the character of a good minister of Jesus Christ?
307. Have you reason to think that you are possessed of the spiritual part of the character of a good minister of Jesus Christ?
308. To whom does the performance of ordination belong?
309. May a man preach as a candidate before he is ordained?
310. If we hold that ordination belongs to the elders, must we also maintain that the line of ordination has never been broken?
311. In what does the happiness of heaven consist?
312. Why is holiness necessary to the enjoyment of happiness of heaven?
313. What are the essential or fundamental doctrines of christianity?
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