A Treatise on Mercersburg Theology; Or, Mercersburg and Modern Theology Compared
- ISBN-10
- 1230421920
- ISBN-13
- 9781230421926
- Pages
- 20
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2013-09
- Publisher
- Theclassics.Us
- Author
- Samuel Miller
Description
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. 1866 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV. 19.--THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY. HE office of the ministry, according to modern theology, is not invested with functions commensurate with the divine and supernatural facts and realities with which it has to deal, and in whose service it has been instituted. It has no power to bind the conscience of men in matters of faith and practice, being clothed with no binding power of any kind. However well a man may be accredited as a minister of Jesus Christ, he is, in no real sense, the organ through which Christ speaks, whose words and official acts are to be accepted in good faith, as beirfg in accordance with his instructions. Instead of such faith in his favor, or rather in favor of the truth he represents, in the premises, he must allow those to whom he is accredited, the advantage of entertaining a doubt in what he says, until he convinces them by documentary or other evidences, that he is not misrepresenting the truth, of which they themselves are to be the judges. He has, accordingly, no right to expect, for instance, that even the children of the Church should believe the Creed, until he has convinced their understanding, that its contents agree with the teaching of the Bible; and not even to believe in the Bible itself, until he has proved to them that it is the word of God; and that God's Word is something which they must accept by faith unconditionally, without asking any farther troublesome questions. But as he is not allowed to make any such demand in the premises, he will have some considerable difficulty to find the point where the unconditional faith comes in spontaneously, from which he can proceed to build them up in the faith and knowledge of the truth. This whole view of the office of the ministry is...
