The Gospel: An Exposition of its First Principles Revised and Enlarged Edition

In the investigation of any subject, it is of first importance that the terms employed be thoroughly understood; hence, I begin the subject in hand by asking and answering the q...

Having defined what the Gospel is, it is my purpose now, for convenience, to separate the subject into two grand divisions. These I shall call respectively: General Salvation, a...

In answer to the questions with which the last chapter closed, I may say that however difficult it may be to comprehend fully all things connected with man's fall, and God's pla...

Unbelievers delight to represent God, the great Law Giver, as unspeakably cruel in demanding such an Atonement as Christ made for the salvation of the children of men. But let i...

Having dealt with what I called General Salvation, I now turn to Individual Salvation. You have seen that man is redeemed from the evils brought upon him through Adam's sin, wit...

In this chapter I shall deal briefly and collectively with those principles that must be accepted, the ordinances that must be observed, the precepts that must be followed and t...

First in order, both from necessity and because of its importance, is the principle of faith. And following the same method of investigation I adopted at the commencement of thi...

A word, in passing, on the Bible as a whole, I am of the opinion that a very great many people look upon the Bible as simply one book, one testimony--one witness for God; when i...

Certain it is that the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, the same collection of books that we now have, was recognized by the Lord Jesus Christ and the prophets and apostles...

There is an impression existing, and it is one encouraged by infidel writers, that the acceptance of the books now comprising the New Testament, was the arbitrary action of a co...

The earliest reference we have to any writings or collection of writings now in the New Testament, and in which they are recognized as authoritative scripture, is in the second...

In the writings of Origen which remain, and in some extracts preserved by Eusebius, from works of his which are now lost, there are enumerations of the books of scripture, in wh...

Having now concluded our inquiry as to the authenticity and credibility of our principal volume of scripture--the Bible; having proven, as I hope, to the satisfaction of my read...

The evidence of tradition, confirmed by the works of nature, created the assurance or faith in the minds of men that God existed; and that faith led them to the performance of w...

Although belief in the fact that God exists is of first importance, it is not all that is necessary to an intelligent faith. It is the primary element, perhaps, but there are ot...

I have now considered two elements which enter into the principle of faith, and which are essential to its existence; _viz_., a belief in the being of God; and, secondly, the na...

In saying that the first result of belief in God, and in the revelations which he has given is _repentance_, I shall raise no controversy, for it is a truth generally accepted;...

Something of the importance of the subject of repentance, as connected with the Gospel, may be learned from the stress laid upon it by those who have been sent of God to instruc...

Historical illustration of the truth of the statement made by Isaiah, with which our last chapter closed, and which in effect says that the Lord will have mercy on the penitent...

If we turn to the history of peoples and nations in order to learn the lessons which their experiences teach, we shall find that the hand-dealings of God with them as collected...

"Except be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."[A] Such was the statement of Jesus to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and a ruler of the Jews, who came to Jesus by night to be t...

In speaking of the necessity of baptism I incidentally referred to the object of the ordinance also; which the reader will doubtless remember, is for the remission of sins. Such...

Having shown from all worthy sources of information that baptism is for the remission of sins, and that necessarily repentance and faith precede it, and, moreover, are pre-requi...

In relation to this matter there is much division among professed believers of the Bible. One class maintaining that the immersion of the whole body in water is the only manner...

He who said a man must be born again--born of water, said also that he must be born of the spirit;[A] and it is to that birth, or baptism of the Spirit that we now direct the at...

The reader has observed, perchance, that John the Baptist was sent to preach repentance and baptism before the coming of him who was to baptize with the Holy Ghost. We may also...

The manner in which the saints under the teachings of the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Ghost was through the laying on of hands. In proof of this I call attention o...

Can the naturalist find out and comprehend the secret of the endless variety of life in the vegetable and animal kingdoms? Can the chemist find out the essences of substances, o...

As the time drew near for Jesus to make his great sacrifice, and then depart from the immediate presence of his disciples, he manifested a great desire to comfort them in prospe...

I have now considered, at some length, the doctrines and ordinances which constitute the First Principles of the Gospel of Christ. In connection with these principles, however,...

If a man accepts the principles and obeys the ordinances I have now treated upon, and I hope with sufficient clearness, and they are administered by men having authority from Go...

I think it proper in this chapter to give a brief history of the gospel--for this reason: There is a very general idea existing in the Christian world that nothing was known of...

The reader will have observed, doubtless, that according to the history of the gospel, as given in the last chapter, there have been long periods of time when it has not been up...