Definition.

2

THEODOSIUS I. called the Great, was native of Spain. The valour he had shown, and the great fervices he had done to the empire, made Gratian, attacked by the Coths and Gerraans, to admit him as a partner in the go. verninent. He received the purple in 379, aged 43. See CONSTANTINOPLE, no 77-88.

THEOGONY, formed from eos God, and youn genitura,

Hefiod gives us the ancient theogony, in a poem under that title. Among the most ancient writers, Dr Burnet obferves, that theogony and colmogony fignified the fame thing. In effect, the generation of the gods of the ancient Perfians, fire, water, and earth, is apparently no other than that of the primary elements.

THEOGNIS, an ancient Greek poet of Megara in Achaia, flourished about the 59th Olympiad, 144 B. C. We have a moral work of his extant, containing a fum. mary of precepts and reflections, ufually to be found in the collections of the Greek minor poets.

S a Greek word (roxoyia), and fignifies that fcience which treats of the being and attributes of God, hiз relations to us, the difpenfations of his providence, his will with respect to our actions, and his purposes with refpect to our end. The word was firit ufed to denote the systems, or rather the heterogeneous fables, of thofe poets and philofophers who wrote of the genealogy and exploits of the gods of Greece. Hence Orpheus, Mufeus, Hefiod, Pherecydes, and Pythagoras, were called theologians; and the fame epithet was given to Plato, on account of his fublime fpeculations on the same subject. It was afterwards adopt. ed by the earlieft writers of the Chriftian church, who ftyled the author of the apocalypfe, by way of eminence, oys, the Divine.

Although every pagan nation of antiquity had fome tutelary deities peculiar to itself, they may yet be confidered as having all had the fame theology, fince an intercommunity of gods was univerfally admitted, and the heavenly bodies were adored as the dii majorum gentium over the whole earth. This being the cafe, we are happily relieved from treating, in the fame article, of the truths of Chriftianity and the fictions of paganism, as we have elsewhere traced idolatry from its fource, and fhewn by what means "the foolish hearts of men became fo darkened that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beafts, and creeping things." See POLYTHEISM.

The abfurdities and inconfiftency of the pretended revelation of the Arabian impoftor have been fufficiently expofed under the words ALCORAN and MAHOMETANISM; fo that the only theology of which we have to treat at prefent is Chriflian theology, which comprehends that which is comtheology, monly called natural, and that which is revealed in the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftaments. Thefe taken together, and they ought never to be feparated, compofe a body of science to important, that in comparison with it all other sciences fink into infignificance; for without a competent knowledge of the attributes of God, of the feveral relations in which he ftands to us, and of the ends for which we were created, it is obvious that we muft wander through life like men groping in the dark, ftrangers to the road on which we are travelling, as well as to the fate awaiting us at the end of our journey.

3

To be ftu

those in

But if this knowledge be neceffary to all Chriftians, it is died care doubly fo to thole who are appointed to feed the flock of fully by Chrift, and to teach the ignorant what they are to believe, tended for and what to do, in order to work out their own falvation. the fervice The wildom and riety of our ancestors have accordingly founded profefforfhips of theology in all our univerfities, where the principles of our religion are taught in a fyftema VOL. XVIII. Part II.

of the

church.

tic and scientific manner; and the church has ordained, that no man fhall be admitted to the office of a preacher of the gofpel who has not attended a regular course of such theological lectures.

It must not, however, be fuppofed, that, by merely liftening to a courte of lectures however able, any man will become an accomplished divine. The principles of this science are to be found only in the word and works of God; and he who would extract them pure and unfophifticated, must dig for them himself in that exhaustlefs mine. To fit a man for Previous this important investigation, much previous knowledge is re-knowledge quifite. He muft ftudy the works of God fcientifically requifite before he can perceive the full force of that teftimony which fecution of they bear to the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of this study. their author. Hence the neceffity of a general acquaintance with the phyfical and mathematical fciences before a man enter upon the proper ftudy of theology, for he will not otherwite obtain juft and enlarged conceptions of the God of the univerfe. See PHYSICS, no115.

for the pro

But an acquaintance with the phyfical and mathematical fciences is not alone a fufficient preparation for the ftudy of theology. Indeed it is poffible for a man to devote himself fo wholly to any of thefe fciences, as to make it counteract the only purposes for which it can be valuable to the divine; for he who is conftantly immerfed in matter, is apt to fufpect that there is no other fubftance; and he who is habituated to the routine of geometrical demonftration, becomes in time incapable of reafoning at large, and eftimating the force of the various degrees of moral evidence. To avert thefe untoward confequences, every man, before he enter upon the fudy of that science which is the fubject of the prefent article, fhould make himfelf acquainted with the principles of logic, the feveral powers of the human mind, and the different fources of evidence; in doing which he will find the greatest affiftance from Bacon's Novum Organum, Locke's Effay on the Human Underflanding, Reid's Effays on the Intellectual and Alive Powers of Man, and Tatham's Chart and Scale of Truth. Thefe works, of which the young ftudent ought to make him!elf matter, will teach him to think juftly, and guard him againft a thoufand errors, which those who have not laid fuch a foundation are apt to embrace as the truths of God.

The man who proposes to study theology ought to have it in view, as the ultimate end of his labours, to impart to others that knowledge which he may procure for himfelf.. "Amongst the many marks which diitinguish the Chriflian philofopher from the Pagan, this (fays a learned writer *) is * Warbur one of the moft ftriking--the Pagan fought knowledge in aton. felfish way, to fecrete it for his own ule; the Chriftian feeks it with the generous purpose (firft in view, though laft in 3 G

execution)

tion.

Introduc execution) to impart it to others. The Pagan philofopher, therefore, having cultivated the art of thinking, proceeds to that of speaking, in order to difplay his vanity in the dexterous ufe of deceit. On the other hand, the Chriftian philofopher culti. vates the art of speaking, for the fole purpose of diffemina-, ting the truth in his office of preacher of the gofpel." As every man, before he enters upon the proper fudy of theology, receives, at leaft in this country, the rudiments of a liberal education, it may perhaps be fuperfluous to mention here any books as peculiarly proper to teach him the art of fpeaking we cannot however forbear to recommend to our Audent the attentive perufal of Quintilian's Inflitutions, and Dr Blair's Ledures on Rhetoric and the Belles Lettres. A tamiliar acquaintance with thefe works will enable him, if he he endowed by nature with talents fit for the office in which he propofes to engage, to exprefs his thoughts with correctnefs and elegance; "without which, it has been well obfer. ved, that science, especially in a clergyman, is but learned lumber, a burden to the owner, and a nuifance to every body elfe."

i

:

No man can proceed thus far in the purfuits of general fcience without having been at least initiated in the learned languages; but he who intends to make theology his profeffion fhould devote himself more particularly to the ftudy of Greek and Hebrew, because in thefe tongues the origi. nal fcriptures are written. By this we do not mean to infinuate that it is neceffary for the man whofe views afpire no farther than to the office of paltor of a Christian congregation, to make himself a profound critic in either of thele ancient languages. The time requifite for this purpofe is to long, that it would leave very little for other ftudies of infinitely more importance to him, whose proper business it is to inftruct the ignorant in thofe plain and fimple truths which are fufficient to guide all men in the way to falvation. Still, however, it is obvious, that he who is incapable of confulting the original fcriptures, muft reft his faith, not upon the fure foundation of the word of God, but upon the credit of fallible translators; and if he be at any time called upon to vindicate revelation againft the fcoffs of infidelity, he will have to struggle with many difficulties which are cafily folved by him who is mafter of the original tongues.

Cautions to The ftudent having laid in this flock of preparatory be obferved knowledge, is now qualified to attend with advantage the in at end- theological lectures of a learned profeffor; but in doing this, g the lec. tures of a he fhould be very careful neither to admit nor reject any profeffor. thing upon the bare authority of his master. Right principles in theology are of the utmoft importance, and can reft upon no authority inferior to that of the word of God. On this account we have long been of opinion, that a profeffor cannot render his pupils fo much fervice by a fyftematical courfe of lectures, as by directing their ftudies, and pointing out the road in which they may themfelves arrive in the fhorte time at the genuine fenfe of the facred fcrip.

tions.

Dr Campbell

tures. In this opinion we have the honour to agree with Prelim.
the ableft lecturer in theology that we have ever heard. nary Dice
The authors of all fyftems are more or lefs prejudiced in
behalf of fome particular and artificial mode of faith. He,
therefore, who begins with the itudy of them, and after-The late
wards proceeds to the facred volume, fees with a jaundiced Aberdeen.
eye every text fupporting the peiliar tenets of his first
mafter, and acts as abfurd a part as he who tries not the
gold by the copel, but the copel by the gold. Before our
young divine, therefore, fit down to the ferious perufal of
any one of those inflitutes or bodies of theology which abound
in all languages, and even before he read that which the
nature of our work compels us to lay before him, we beg
leave, with the utmoft deference to the fuperior judgment of
our more learned readers, to recommend to his confideration
the following

PRELIMINARY DIRECTIONS FOR THE STUDY OF
THEOLOGY.

6

CHRISTIAN theology is divided into two great parts, natural Christian and revealed; the former comprehending that which may theology be known of God from the creation of the world, even his divided in eternal power and Godhead; the latter, that which is dif- great parts. covered to man nowhere but in the facred volume of the Old and New Tellaments.

to two

7

communi

Concerning the extent of natural theology many opi- First prinnions have been formed, whilft fome have contended that ciples of there is no fuch thing. Into thefe difputes we mean not theology at prefent to enter. We believe that one of them could' cated have had no exiftence among fober and enlightened men, had the contending parties been at due pains to define with accuracy the terms which they used. Whatever be the origin of religion, which we have endeavoured to ascertain elfewhere (fee RELIGION, n° 6-17.), it is obvious, that no man can receive a written book as the word of God till he be convinced by fome other means that God exits, and that he is a Being of power, wifdom, and goodness, who watches. over the conduct of his creature man. If the progenitor of the human race was inftructed in the principles of religion by the Author of his being (a fact of which it is diffi cult to conceive how a confiftent theift can entertain a doubt), he might communicate to his children, by natural means, much of that knowled re which he himself could not have difcovered had he not been fupernaturally enlightened. Between illuftrating or proving a truth which is already talked of, and making a difcovery of what is wholly unknown, every one perceives that there is an immenfe difference (A).

8

mortals

To beings whofe natural knowledge originates wholly To the from fenfation, and whofe minds cannot, but by much dif-earliest cipline, advance from fenfe to fcience, a long feries of revelations might be neceffary to give them at first jult notions ed revela of God and his attributes, and to enable them to perceive tions.

the

by repeat

From

Prelimi- no means fuch difcoverers as they are fuppofed to be by nary Direc-their illiterate admirers.

tions.

The Atudent having made himself mafler of natural the ology, and carefully endeavoured to afcertain its limits, is now prepared to enter upon the important task of fearching the fcriptures. In doing this, he ought to diveft himself as much as poffible of the prejudices of education in behalf of a particular fyftem of faith, and fit down to the ftudy of the facred volume as of a work to which he is an entire franger. He ought firft to read it as a moral hiftory of facts and doctrines, beginning with the books of Mofes, and proceeding through the reft, not in the order in which they are commonly published, but in that in which there is reafon to believe they were written (lee SCRIPTURES). If he be maiter of the Hebrew and Greek languages, he will doubtlefs prefer the original text to any verfion; and in this perufal we would advife him to confult no commentator, because his object at prefent is not to fudy the doctrines contained in the bible, but merely to difcover what are the fubjects of which it treats. Many hiftories of the bible have been written; and were we acquainted with a good one, we fould recommend it as a clue to direct the young divine's progress through the various books which compole the facred volume. Stackhoute's hiftory has been much applauded by fome, and as much cenfured by others. It is not a work of which we can exprefs any high degree of approbation; but if read with attention, it may no doubt be ufeful as a guide to the feries of facts recorded in the fcriptures. Between the Old and New Teftaments there is a great chafm in the hiftory of the Jewish nation; but it is fupplied in a very able and fatisfactory manner by Dr Prideaux, whofe Old and New Teftament connected is one of the most valuable hiftorical works in our own or any other language. Shuckford's Sacred and Profane Hiflory of the World connected is likewife a work of merit, and may be read with advantage as throwing light upon many paflages of the Old Testament: but this author is not intitled to the fame confidence with Prideaux, as his learning was not fo great, and his partialities feem to have been greater.

In thus making himself mafter of the hiftory of the Old and New Teftaments, the ftudent will unavoidably acquire fome general notion of the various doctrines which they contain. Thefe it will now be his bufinefs to ftudy more particularly, to afcertain the precife meaning of each, and to diflinguifh fuch as relate to the whole human race, from thofe in which Abraham and his pofterity were alone interefted. He must therefore travel over the facred volume a fecond time; and still we would advise him to travel without a guide. From Walton's Polyglote bible, and the large collection called Critici facri, he may indeed derive much affiftance in his endeavours to afcertain the fenfe of a difficult text; but we think he will do well to make little ufe of commentators and expofitors, and ftill lefs of fyftem-builders, till he has formed fome opinions of his own refpecting the leading doctrines of the Jewish and Chriftian religions.

"Impreffed (fays an able writer) with an awful fenfe of the importance of the facred volume, the philofophical divine will shake off the bias of prejudices however formed, of opinions however fanctioned, and of paffions however conftitutional, and bring to the ftudy of it the advantage of a pure and impartial mind. Inftead of wafting all his labour upon a number of minute and lefs fignificant particulars, and of refining away plain and obvious fenfe by the

tions.

fubtleties of a narrow and corrofive mind, his first object Prelimi will be to inftitute a theological inquiry into the general de-nary Direcfign of the written word; and from principles fully contained and fairly understood, to illuftrate the true nature and genius of the religious difpenfation in all its parts. He will mark the difference between the firft and fecond covenants," and obferve the connection that fubfifts between them. He will trace the temporary economy of the Old Testament, and weigh the nature and intent of the partial covenant with the Jews; obferving with aftonishment how it was made introductory of better things to come: and he will follow it through the law and the prophets in its wonderful evolutions, till he fee this yaft and preparatory machine of provi dence crowned and completed in the cternal goipel. This New Teftament, the laif and beit part of the religious difpenfation, he will purfue through the facred pages of that gofpel with redoubled attention; contemplating the divine foundation on which it claims to be built, the fupernatural means by which it was executed, and the immortal end which it has in view. *”

*Tatham's

Truib.

In the course of this inquiry into the import of the fa- Chart ond Scale of cred volume, the ftudent will pay particular attention to the circumftances of the age and country in which its various writers refpectively lived, and to the nature of the different flyles, analogical and parabolical, in which it is written. He will likewile keep in mind that God, whom it claims for its author, is the parent of truth, and that all his actions and difpenfations must be confiftent with one another. He will therefore compare the different paflages of the Old and New Teftaments which relate to the fame doctrine, or to the fame event, reasonably concluding that the bible must be the belt interpreter of itself; and though the opinions which he thus forms may often be erroneous, they will feldom be dangerous errors, and may easily be corrected by mature reflection, or by confulting approved authors who have treated before him of the various points which have been the fubject of his fludies. Of this mode of proceeding one good contequence will be, that, having from the facied fcriptures formed a fyitem of the ology for himself, he will afterwards ftudy the systems of other men without any violent prejudices for or agaiaft them; he will be fo much attached to his own opinions as not to relinquish them in obedience to mere human authority, at the fame time that he will be ready to give them up when convinced that they are not well founded; and if he have read the fcriptures to any good purpofe, he will have acquired fuch a love of truth as to embrace her wherever fhe may be found, whether among Papifts or Proteftants, in the fchool of Arminius or in that of Calvin.

13

As we have fuppofed that every man, after having formed a theological fyftem of his own, will confult the fyftems of others, it may perhaps be expected that we fhould here recommend thofe which, in our opinion, are moft worthy of his attention. To do this, however, would, we appre-Approved" hend, be a very ungracious interference with the righ's offy items of private judgment. It would be to arrogate to ourselves a divinity. kind of authority to which, when affumed by others, we have cautioned our readers not to fubmit. But left we fhould be fufpected of wifhing to bias the mind of the young ftudent toward the fhort fyftem which we are obliged to. give, we fhall juft obferve, that by the divines or what is called the Arminian fchool, Epifcopius's Theologia Inftitutiones (c), Limborch's Theologia Chriftiana, and Locke's Rea

Jonableness