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If God then withdraws Himself, if in the soul of men He bear no more witness to the truth of His Word, men can no longer believe, and no apologetics, however brilliant, will ever be able to restore the blessing of faith in the ScripturePrinciples of Sacred Theology, 366
Principles of Sacred Theology, 366Belief, Apologetics, Faith0The proclamation of new discoveries is not always a proof of devotion to the truth, it is sometimes a tribute to self-esteem.Sacred Theology, 577
Sacred Theology, 577Historical Theology, Truth, Pride0The dominating principles [of the Reformation] was not, soteriologically, justification by faith, but in the widest sense cosmologically, the sovereignty of the Triune God over the whole cosmos, in all its spheres and kingdoms, visible and invisible.
Kingdom, Spheres, Society, Reformation0the Holy Spirit, who gave the Scriptures, is Himself the perpetual author (auctor perpetuus) of all appropriations of their contents by and of all application to the individual. It is the Holy Spirit who, by illumination, enables the human consciousness to take up into itself the substance of the Scripture; in the course of ages leads our human consciousness to ever richer insights into its contentPrinciples of Sacred Theology, 402
Principles of Sacred Theology, 402Scripture, Holy Spirit0And as the Christian knights were inspired to high exploits by crusade upon crusade undertaken against Islam, the sight of this glittering arsenal in the writings of Aristotle made the scholars of those days quickly cast aside the sling and stone and immediately arm themselves with the lances of Aristotle's categories and with the armor of his distinctions, and so to gain trophies for their Christian faith. At the outset they foresaw none of the danger this implied. As yet they perceived nothing of what was to come to light in Abelard, in the Nominalists, and presently in the Humanists. They did not surmise that the Greek-Roman tradition held a spirit peculiar to itself, and that when once called out from its grave this spirit would soon prove able to enlist once more the sympathies of thinking minds, and for a second time let loose against the Church the old enemy which had spoken in Celsus and Porphyry. They thought they were simply dealing with the armor of a buried hero, and that they had a perfect right to appropriate this armor to themselves.Sacred Theology, 655
Sacred Theology, 655Scholasticism0Bee-masters tell us, that they are the best hives which make the greatest noise; so that conscience is the best which makes the greatest noise in daily reasonings and debates before it's own bar.
Conscience1we read in Acts viii.29: "And the Spirit said unto Philip, GO near, and join thyself to this chariot." It does not say that this thought arose in him, but that a speaking took placePrinciples of Sacred Theology, 442
Principles of Sacred Theology, 442Revelation, Listening Prayer0He is your friend who pushes you nearer to God.
Preaching0Her position in the state is not assigned her by the permission of the government, but Jure divino. She has her own organization. She possesses her own office-bearers... the sovereignty of the state and the sovereignty of the church exist side by side, and they mutually limit each other.
Church, State, Authority0A theologian who undervalues Logic, as being little necessary to him, simply disarms himself.Sacred Theology, 612
Sacred Theology, 612Logic0it does not follow that his studies are to have no other tendency than to confirm the confession of his Church, as if this were clothed with infallible authority. This was the fault committed by Scholasticism.Sacred Theology, 592
Sacred Theology, 592Scholasticism0In so far as our nature is created after the image of God in original righteousness, this excellency could be lost and our nature become depraved; but not our creation after God's image so far as it pertains to its essence (quod ad substantiam).Sacred Theology, 507
Sacred Theology, 507Image of God0Either Jesus' view of the Scripture is the true one, and then we should kneel in His presence; or Jesus' view of the Scripture is one enormous mistake, in which case the Rabbi of Nazareth can no longer be the absolute guide along the way of faith.Sacred Theology, 459
Sacred Theology, 459Scripture, Liberal Theology0Very unjustly at the mention of miracles one thinks almost exclusively of those in the material domain, and almost without a thought passes by the spiritual miracles. This of course is absurd.Principles of Sacred Theology, 420
Principles of Sacred Theology, 420Miracles0The truth of this mysticism lies naturally in the high estimate of the personal element in religion, and in preaching that not only every individual person must come to his God, but also, that God must reveal Himself to every individual, so that the secret walk with God may be found by every one for his own soul. As a fundamental principle of theology, on the other hand, this representation of the inner light (lumen internum) is of no use whatever, simply because it rests on fiction. If it were true, if the Lord our God did give to each one personally not merely a disposition, an emotion, a perception, but a real knowledge of God, then he who has been thus mystically inspired should be able to speak just like the prophets of old, and the witness of one should confirm the witness of another. Such, however, is not the case. You never receive from these mystics a clear communication of what has been revealed in this way to enrich our knowledge of God. For the most part they even avoid clear language, and hide themselves behind indefinite expressions of feeling and sounds without rational sensePrinciples of Sacred Theology, 350-351
Principles of Sacred Theology, 350-351Mysticism0A good conscience is one trained by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. When we understand God's truth clearly and are convicted by it firmly, then the governor of conscience begins to
rule us into righteousness. Mystery of the Holy Spirit (109)
Mystery of the Holy Spirit (109)Conscience0Conscience is the foundation of all religion, and the two pillars upon which it is built are the being of God and the bounty of God to those who diligently seek him (Heb. 11:6).Attributes, On God's Existence
Attributes, On God's ExistenceConscience0Conscience is like a looking glass. If it be foul and dusty, you can see nothing in it; but wipe away the dust, and you may see your face in it clearly. There is a time coming when God will wipe off the dust from the glass of a man's conscience, and he shall see his sins clearly represented.
Conscience0Conscience is God's echo, and sometimes it is so shrill and clamorous that the sinner cannot endure the noise, but silences conscience; and at last by often sinning, conscience begins to be sleepy and seared.
Conscience0But the sincere Christian that allows himself in no sin delights to commune with his own soul and when he is debating things with his own conscience esteems himself in good company. He had rather God's deputy, conscience, should admonish him to contrition than that God Himself should do it to his confusion.
Conscience0Conscience is the territory or dominion of God in man which He hath so reserved to Himself that no human power can possibly enter into it or dispose of it in any wise.
Conscience0Conscience must be satisfied with something; therefore men usually please themselves with so much of obedience as is least contrary to their interests and inclinations and have not an entire uniform respect to the whole law. As if a servant should think himself dutiful when he goes to a feast or a fair when his master bids him, when in the meantime he declines errands of less trouble but of more service; whereas in such matters he does not obey his master's will, but his own inclination. So in commands easy and compliant with our own humors and designs, we do not so much serve God as our own interests, and there is more of design than of duty and religion in such actions; and therefore they lose their reward with God.
Conscience0Every quiet conscience is not a clear conscience. Some are lulled asleep in security, and their consciences are quiet merely because they are insensible. It may be they have so harassed and wasted their consciences by dreadful sins, so often mortally wounded them, that now they have not strength enough to become quarrelsome and troublesome; and this they call peace.
Conscience0This is conscience: that faithful register in every man's bosom that writes down the actions, discourses, and cogitations of every hour and minute.
Conscience0He that hath a blind conscience which sees nothing, a dead conscience that feels nothing, and a dumb conscience that says nothing is in as miserable condition as a man can be in on this side hell.
Conscience0