These lectures were printed in the1851 English edition of FINNEY'S SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY. They are the combination of his VOL. 2 AND VOL. 3 Systematic Theology published in 1846-1847, which was partly re-written by himself for the 1851 London Edition. The 1851 version has been out of print since then.

The 1878 version of FINNEY'S SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY was abridged from the 1851 London version. Subsequent printed versions have been taken from the 1878 version.

The 1994 edition of the 1878 reprint is available in our BOOK STORE.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

(With Original Lecture Descriptions)

 

 

TITLE PAGE

PREFACE by the AUTHOR

PREFACE by the EDITOR

 

LECTURE I -- MORAL GOVERNMENT

Definition of the term law. -- Distinction between physical and moral law. -- The essential attributes of moral law. -- Subjectivity -- Objectivity -- Liberty, as opposed to necessity. -- Fitness -- Universality -- Impartiality -- Practicability -- Independence -- Immutability -- Unity -- Expediency -- Exclusiveness

LECTURE II -- MORAL GOVERNMENT -- Continued

Definition of the term government -- Distinction between moral and physical government -- The fundamental reason of moral government -- Whose right is it to govern -- What is implied in the right to govern -- The limits of this right -- Moral obligation -- The conditions of Moral Obligation

LECTURE III -- MORAL OBLIGATION

Man a subject of moral obligation -- Extent of moral obligation

LECTURE IV -- FOUNDATION OF MORAL OBLIGATION

What is intended by the foundation of moral obligation -- Self-evident principles -- That the sovereign will of God is not the foundation of moral obligation -- The theory of Paley -- The utilitarian philosophy

LECTURE V -- FOUNDATION OF MORAL OBLIGATION. FALSE THEORIES

Right as the foundation of obligation

LECTURE VI -- FOUNDATION OF MORAL OBLIGATION. FALSE THEORIES

The goodness or moral excellence of God as the foundation

LECTURE VII -- FOUNDATION OF MORAL OBLIGATION. FALSE THEORIES

Moral order as the foundation of obligation -- The nature and relations of moral beings as the true foundation of obligation -- Moral obligations as founded in the idea of duty -- The complexity of the foundation of obligation -- Summing up

LECTURE VIII -- FOUNDATION OF MORAL OBLIGATION. PRACTICAL BEARINGS OF THE DIFFERENT THEORIES

The theory that regards the sovereign will of God as the foundation of moral obligation -- The theory of the selfish school -- The natural and necessary results of utilitarianism -- Practical bearings and tendency of rightarianism -- The practical bearings of the true theory of the foundation of obligation

LECTURE IX -- UNITY OF MORAL ACTION

What constitutes obedience to moral law -- Obedience cannot be partial -- Possible suppositions -- Objections considered

LECTURE X -- OBEDIENCE ENTIRE

Nothing virtue but obedience to the law of God -- No rule of duty but moral law -- Condition of justification

LECTURE XI -- OBEDIENCE TO THE MORAL LAW

What is not implied in entire obedience to the law of God

LECTURE XII -- ATTRIBUTES OF LAW

Certain facts revealed in consciousness -- Attributes of that love which constitutes obedience to the law -- Voluntariness -- Liberty -- Intelligence -- Virtuousness -- Disinterestedness -- Impartiality -- Universality

LECTURE XIII -- ATTRIBUTES OF LOVE -- Continued

Efficiency -- Complacency -- Opposition to sin -- Compassion

LECTURE XIV -- ATTRIBUTES OF LOVE -- Continued

Mercy -- Justice -- Veracity

LECTURE XV -- ATTRIBUTES OF LOVE -- Continued

Patience -- Meekness -- Self-denial -- Condescension -- Stability -- Holiness, or Purity

LECTURE XVI -- DISOBEDIENCE TO MORAL LAW

What disobedience to moral law cannot consist in -- What disobedience to moral law must consist in

LECTURE XVII -- ATTRIBUTES OF SELFISHNESS

Voluntariness -- Liberty -- Intelligence -- Unreasonableness -- Interestedness -- Partiality -- Efficiency -- Opposition to benevolence or to virtue -- Cruelty -- Injustice

LECTURE XVIII -- ATTRIBUTES OF SELFISHNESS -- Continued

Falsehood, or lying -- Pride -- Intemperance -- Total moral depravity

LECTURE XIX -- SANCTIONS OF MORAL LAW

What constitutes the sanctions of law -- In what light sanctions are to be regarded -- Duration of the penal sanctions of the law of God

LECTURE XX -- HUMAN GOVERNMENT

The ultimate end of God in creation -- Providential and moral governments indispensable to the highest good of the universe -- Human government a necessity of human nature -- This necessity will continue as long as human beings exist in the world -- Human governments are plainly recognized in the Bible as a part of the moral government of God -- Objections answered -- The limits of the right of government

LECTURE XXI -- HUMAN GOVERNMENT -- Continued

No form of civil government universally obligatory -- Revolutions -- In what cases human legislation is valid, and in what cases it is null and void -- The rights and duties of governments and subjects in relation to the execution of the penalties of law

LECTURE XXII -- MORAL DEPRAVITY

Definition -- Distinction between physical and moral depravity -- Mankind both physically and morally depraved -- Moral depravity of mankind universal -- Moral depravity total

LECTURE XXIII -- MORAL DEPRAVITY -- Continued

Proper method of accounting for moral depravity -- Dr. Woods' view of physical and moral depravity examined -- Standards of the Presbyterian Church examined

LECTURE XXIV -- MORAL DEPRAVITY -- Continued

Further arguments in support of the position that human natures is itself sinful -- The proper method for accounting for moral depravity -- Summary of the truth of this subject -- Remarks

LECTURE XXV -- ATONEMENT

Established governmental principles -- The term atonement -- Affirmations of reason upon the subject -- The fact of atonement -- Christ's obedience did not constitute the atonement -- The atonement not a commercial transaction -- The atonement a satisfaction of public justice

LECTURE XXVI -- EXTENT OF ATONEMENT

For whose benefit the atonement was intended -- Objections answered

LECTURE XXVII -- REGENERATION

The common distinction between regeneration and conversion -- The assigned reasons for this distinction -- Objections to this distinction -- What regeneration is -- The universal necessity of regeneration -- Agencies employed in regeneration -- Instrumentalities employed in the work -- The subject both passive and active -- What is implied in regeneration

LECTURE XXVIII -- REGENERATION -- Continued

Different theories of regeneration examined -- The taste scheme -- The divine efficiency scheme -- The susceptibility scheme -- Theory of a divine moral suasion -- Objections to this theory -- Remarks

LECTURE XXIX -- EVIDENCES OF REGENERATION

Wherein saints and sinners may agree -- Remarks

LECTURE XXX -- EVIDENCES OF REGENERATION -- Continued

Wherein saints and sinners must differ

LECTURE XXXI -- NATURAL ABILITY

The Edwardean notion of ability and of natural inability -- Natural ability identical with freedom or liberty of will -- The human will free -- Moral inability according to the Edwardean school -- This distinction between natural and moral inability nonsensical -- Fundamental error of the Edwardean school on the subject of ability -- Another scheme of inability

LECTURE XXXII -- GRACIOUS ABILITY

What is intended by the term -- This doctrine absurd -- In what sense a gracious ability is possible

LECTURE XXXIII -- THE NOTION OF INABILITY

Proper mode of accounting for it

LECTURE XXXIV -- REPENTANCE AND IMPENITENCE

What repentance is not, and what it is -- What is implied in it -- What impenitence is not -- What it is -- Some things that are implied in it -- Some evidences of it

LECTURE XXXV -- FAITH AND UNBELIEF

What evangelical faith is not -- What it is - What is implied in it -- What unbelief is not -- What it is -- What is implied in it -- Conditions of both faith and unbelief -- The guilt of unbelief -- Consequences of both faith and unbelief

LECTURE XXXVI -- JUSTIFICATION

What justification is not -- What it is -- Conditions of justification -- Foundation of justification

LECTURE XXXVII -- SANCTIFICATION

Some points that have been settled -- Definition of terms -- The real question -- Entire sanctification attainable in this life

LECTURE XXXVIII -- SANCTIFICATION

Paul entirely sanctified

LECTURE XXXIX -- SANCTIFICATION

Conditions of its attainment -- Relations of Christ to the soul

LECTURE XL -- SANCTIFICATION

Objections answered

LECTURE XLI -- SANCTIFICATION

Objections continued

LECTURE XLII -- SANCTIFICATION

Remarks

LECTURE XLIII -- ELECTION

LECTURE XLIV -REPROBATION

LECTURE XLV -- DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY

LECTURE XLVI -- PURPOSES OF GOD

LECTURE XLVII -- PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

The different kinds of certainty -- What is not intended by the perseverance of the saints

LECTURE XLVIII -- PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

The doctrine proved

LECTURE XLIX -- PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

Further proof

LECTURE L -- PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

Objections considered

LECTURE LI -- PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

Further objections

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