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 inability?
25. How is absolute moral necessity, or inability, consistent with the free
agency of men?
26. How is the doctrine of universal, absolute decrees, consistent with the
free agency of men?
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 intelligences 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 should 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 doth it belong to provide an atonement, God, or the sinner?
47. Did Christ redeem all men alike, elect and non-elect?
48. Can the offer of the gospel be made in 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 men?
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?
59. Is the sinner forgiven before he repents?
60. Is sanctifying grace needful at all to any man, unless with respect to
that which is his duty, and in 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 duly 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 public worship is to be celebrated on the
Sabbath?
78. What is the foundation of the 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 end of church discipline?
89. What is the character of a good minister of Christ?
90. In what does the happiness of heaven consist?
—Jonathan Edwards.
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Tim,
ReplyDeleteThis is a surprising set of questions from Edwards. I would expect him to pose such deep personal examinations as #65: What is the essence of true virtue, or holiness?
But to include such apologetic inquiries as his many "How do I prove..?" questions - sounds rather like Ravi Zacharias. Not that these are bad questions.
So - nice collection. I start my homework tonight and see what answers I can give you tomorrow.
Love, - Dad