A Bible Hand-Book

by F. C. Holliday

CONTENTS.

		page.
BOOK I.
Doctrines Relating to God		[21]
CHAPTER I.
1.	Existence	[26]
2.	God Self-Existent	[26]
CHAPTER II.
ATTRIBUTES.
1.	Unity	[27]
2.	Spirituality	[28]
3.	Eternity	[28]
4.	Immutability	[29]
5.	Omnipotence	[29]
	(1.) Shown by the Fact of Creation, [29].(2.) By the Vastness and Variety of His Works, [30].(3.) The Ease with which He is said to Create and Uphold All Things, [30].(4.) Terrible Descriptions of Divine Power, [31].(5.) By the Universality of His Dominion, as well over Intelligent Beings as over the Material Universe, [32].(6.) Direct Scriptures, [33].
6.	Omnipresence	[34]
7.	Omniscience	[34]
8.	Wisdom	[36]
9.	Goodness	[36]
10.	Holiness	[38]
11.	Justice and Truth	[39]
12.	Majesty and Glory	[40]
CHAPTER III.
PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD.
1.	Trinity	[44]
2.	Three Persons, and three only, are spoken of under Divine Titles	[44]
3.	Baptism is in the Name of Three Divine Persons	[45]
4.	The Apostolic Benediction is in the Name of Three Divine Persons	[45]
CHAPTER IV.
DIVINITY OF CHRIST PROVEN.
1.	By His Pre-Existence	[45]
2.	He was the Jehovah of the Old Testament	[46]
3.	Divine Titles ascribed to Christ	[48]
	(1.) He is called God, [48].(2.) He is called Lord, [48].(3.) He is called the Son of God, [50].(4.) Christ, as the Son of God, calls God Father, [51].(5.) Christ, as the Son of God, is distinguished from Created Beings by the Phrase, "Begotten, Only Begotten," etc.(6.) Christ is One with the Father, [52].(7.) The Same Things are spoken of God the Father and of Christ, [52].(8.) Equal with God, [53].(9.) Styled God's Fellow, [53].(10.) Called Word of God, [53].
4.	Divine Attributes Possessed by Him	[53]
	(1.) Eternity, [53].(2.) Omniscience, [54].(3.) Omnipotence, [54].
5.	Divine Acts are attributed to Him	[54]
	(1.) Creation, [54].(2.) Preservation, [55].(3.) The Final Destruction of the Material Universe is attributed to Christ, [55].(4.) Christ claimed to perform the Works of His Father, and to possess Original Miraculous Power, [55].(5.) He promised to send the Holy Ghost, [56].(6.) He gave the Holy Ghost, [56].(7.) He forgave Sins, [56].
6.	Divine Worship paid to Him	[57]
	(1.) Before His Ascension, [57].(2.) After His Ascension, [57].(3.) Adored by Angels, [58].(4.) Doxologies to Christ, [58].(5.) But to Worship any Being or Thing but God is Idolatry, [58].
CHAPTER V.
THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
1.	His Humanity	[59]
2.	The Union of Two Natures in One Hypostasis	[59]
CHAPTER VI.
THE HOLY GHOST.
1.	Proceeds from the Father and Son	[60]
2.	His Personality	[60]
3.	His Deity	[62]
	(1.) The Subject of Blasphemy, [62].(2.) Divine Titles ascribed to Him, [62].(3.) Possessed of Divine Attributes, [62].a. Eternity, [62].b. Omnipresence, [62].c. Omniscience, [62].d. Holiness—He is styled the Holy Ghost, [63].e. Goodness, [63].f. Grace, [63].g. Truth, [63].
4.	He is the Source of Inspiration	[63]
5.	He is the Source of Life	[63]
6.	He is the Author of the New Creation—Regeneration	[63]
7.	He is the Source of Religious Comfort	[63]
BOOK II.
DOCTRINES RELATING TO MAN.
CHAPTER I.
MAN'S PRIMEVAL STATE.
1.	Made Under Law	[71]
2.	Created in the Image of God	[71]
	(1.) Dominion, [71].(2.) Spirituality, [72].(3.) Immortality, [72].(4.) Intellectual Powers—Knowledge, [73].(5.) Moral Image of God—Holiness, [74].
CHAPTER II.
THE FALL OF MAN.
1.	The Temptation—The Serpent the Instrument—The Devil the Real Tempter	[74]
2.	The Transgression	[75]
3.	The Results of the Fall—Physical Evil	[75]
	(1.) The Ground Cursed for Man's Sake, [75].(2.) Man Doomed to Labor, [75].(3.) Physical Suffering caused by the Fall, [75].(4.) Temporal Death the Result of Sin, [76].
4.	Results of the Fall—Moral Evil	[77]
	(1.) Spiritual Death—Loss of the Divine Image, [77].
5.	Man's Moral Nature Corrupted by the Fall	[78]
6.	Depravity Hereditary	[79]
7.	The Extent of Depravity is Total or Universal	[80]
	(1.) The Will is Depraved, [80].(2.) The Understanding Darkened, [81].(3.) The Affections Corrupt, [82].(4.) The Imagination Vitiated, [82].(5.) Man's Moral Powers Paralyzed, [83].(6.) Man's Utter Helplessness, [83].
BOOK III.
Atonement or Redemption		[87]
CHAPTER I.
REDEMPTION.
1.	Necessity for an Atonement	[90]
2.	Redemption by the Death of Christ	[92]
3.	The Death of Christ a Sufficient Atonement for the Sins of the Whole World	[94]
4.	The Death of Christ the Procuring Cause of Man's Salvation	[95]
5.	Benefits of the Death of Christ	[96]
	(1.) Justification, [96].(2.) Regeneration, [97].(3.) Reconciliation, [98].(4.) Adoption, [98].(5.) Peace, [99].(6.) Witness of the Spirit, [100].(7.) Sanctification, [101].
CHAPTER II.
BENEFITS OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST—CONDITIONS OF SALVATION.
1.	Repentance—Faith the Instrumental Cause of Man's Salvation	[104]
2.	The Holy Spirit the Efficient Cause of Man's Salvation	[107]
CHAPTER III.
FURTHER BENEFITS OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
1.	The Right to Pray	[108]
2.	The Power of Prayer	[110]
3.	Divine Providence—General and Special	[112]
4.	Victory over Death	[113]
5.	The Immediate Reception of the Souls of the Pious into a State of Blessedness	[114]
6.	The Resurrection of the Body	[114]
CHAPTER IV.
ELECTION, DECREES, AND FREE-WILL.
1.	Election	[117]
	(1.) The Election of Individuals to perform some Particular Service, [117].(2.) Collective or National Election, [117].(3.) Personal Election, or the Choosing of Individuals to be the Heirs of Eternal Life, [119].
2.	Scripture Doctrine of Divine Decrees	[120]
3.	Freedom of the Human Will	[121]
CHAPTER V.
THE DOCTRINE OF A GENERAL JUDGMENT.
1.	The Certainty of the Judgment	[123]
2.	The Judgment Subsequent to Death	[124]
3.	The Judgment Subsequent to the Resurrection	[124]
4.	Christ will be the Judge	[126]
5.	The Decisions of the Judgment will be Final and Equitable	[128]
6.	The Award to the Righteous	[129]
7.	The Doom of the Wicked	[131]
8.	Heaven a Place of Eternal Happiness	[133]
9.	Hell a Place of Endless Misery	[136]
BOOK IV.
THE MORAL LAW.
CHAPTER I.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.
1.	Idolatry Forbidden	[146]
2.	God to be Worshiped	[146]
3.	Threatenings against Idolatry	[147]
4.	The Judgments of God inflicted upon the Violators of this Commandment	[147]
5.	Instances of God's Judgments upon Particular Transgressors of this Commandment	[148]
6.	Idolatry Punished with Death	[152]
7.	Idols are but Vanity	[153]
8.	Against Inquiring Concerning Future Events of FalseGods and of those professing to have Familiar Spirits	[153]
9.	This Command requires us to have a God, and is thereforeagainst Atheism	[154]
10.	This Command requires Supreme Love to God	[155]
CHAPTER II.
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
1.	The Use of Images is Forbidden	[156]
2.	Images are not Representations of God	[157]
3.	The Judgments of God upon the Violators of this Command	[157]
4.	Images used by Apostates as Outward Symbols in the Worshipof the True God	[159]
5.	Images not to be Worshiped, though enjoined by HumanAuthority	[160]
6.	Threatenings against Idolatry	[160]
7.	The Following Crimes, as partaking of the Nature of Idolatry,are Prohibited	[161]
	(1.) Magic, [161].(2.) Sorcery, [163].(3.) Enchantments, [164].(4.) Soothsaying, [164].(5.) Observing of Times, [164].(6.) Witchcraft, [164].(7.) Divination, [166].(8.) Consulting Familiar Spirits, [166].
8.	Idolatry is Debasing	[167]
CHAPTER III.
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.
1.	Profane Swearing is Forbidden	[168]
2.	False Swearing is Forbidden	[169]
3.	Swearing by Creatures is Forbidden	[171]
4.	Instances of Swearing to commit Sin or to encourage it	[172]
5.	Civil Oaths Lawful	[173]
6.	Articles of Peace and Private Contracts ratified by an Oath	[174]
CHAPTER IV.
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	The Sabbath must be observed as a Day of Rest from Secular Work	[178]
2.	The Sabbath a Day for Religious Worship	[181]
3.	Works of Necessity and Mercy may be done on the Sabbath Day	[182]
4.	The First Day of the Week is the Christian Sabbath	[183]
CHAPTER V.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	This Command requires Reverence and Obedience on thePart of Children	[185]
2.	It requires Reverence to the Aged, whether they are ourParents or not	[186]
3.	God's Judgments against Disobedient Children	[186]
4.	It requires Reverence and Submission to Civil Rulers	[187]
CHAPTER VI.
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	Murder is Prohibited	[188]
2.	Threatenings against Murderers	[189]
3.	Cases where Killing a Man is not to be punished withDeath	[190]
4.	Human Life authorized to be taken by the Civil Government	[190]
5.	Hatred Forbidden	[191]
6.	Malice Forbidden	[191]
7.	Anger Forbidden	[191]
8.	Wrath Forbidden	[192]
9.	Contention Forbidden	[192]
CHAPTER VII.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	Statement of the Law	[193]
2.	Threatenings against Fornication and Adultery	[193]
3.	Impure Thoughts Condemned	[197]
4.	Polygamy Forbidden	[197]
5.	Against Divorce	[198]
CHAPTER VIII.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	Theft Forbidden	[199]
2.	Threatenings against Theft	[199]
3.	Threatenings against Robbery	[200]
4.	Fraud and Cheating Forbidden	[200]
5.	Precepts Concerning Landed Property	[201]
6.	Precepts Concerning Things Found, Loaned, or Intrusted toOthers	[201]
7.	Restitution to be made to the Injured	[202]
8.	Threatenings against Oppressors	[202]
CHAPTER IX.
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	False Swearing is Condemned	[203]
2.	Lying is Forbidden	[204]
3.	Evil Speaking is Condemned	[205]
4.	Slander is Condemned	[206]
5.	Tale-Bearing and Backbiting are Condemned	[206]
6.	Reviling and Railing Condemned	[206]
7.	Unprofitable Conversation Forbidden	[207]
8.	Flattery Forbidden	[207]
CHAPTER X.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
1.	Covetousness Condemned	[208]
2.	Unjust Means of Acquiring Property Condemned	[209]
3.	The Folly of Trusting in Riches	[210]
BOOK V.
INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY.
CHAPTER I.
THE CHURCH.
1.	The Church a Divine Institution	[217]
2.	The Unity of the Church under all Dispensations	[218]
3.	God's Dwelling-Place the Church	[220]
4.	The Stability of the Church	[220]
5.	The Church's Prosperity Dependent upon the Divine Blessing	[221]
6.	The Ultimate Universal Triumph of the Church	[221]
7.	The Blessedness of Church Fellowship	[223]
8.	The Duty of Christians toward Each Other	[225]
9.	The Duty of Union with the Church	[226]
10.	Heretics and Disorderly Persons to be Excluded	[227]
11.	Prayers for the Church's Prosperity	[228]
12.	Limits of Christian Fellowship	[229]
13.	The Church Missionary in its Constitution	[230]
CHAPTER II.
THE MINISTRY.
1.	Ministers are called of God	[231]
2.	The Preaching of the Gospel the Great Instrument of HumanSalvation	[233]
3.	Ministers to be Supported	[236]
4.	Different Orders in the Ministry	[237]
5.	Ministers to be Examples to the Church	[238]
CHAPTER III.
CHRISTIAN BAPTISM.
1.	Baptism a Christian Duty	[243]
2.	The Design of Baptism	[244]
3.	Examples of Baptism	[244]
4.	Baptism of Households	[245]
5.	The Spiritual Import and Scriptural Mode of Baptism	[246]
CHAPTER IV.
THE LORD'S SUPPER.
1.	Its Institution	[250]
2.	The Obligation upon Christians to Observe It	[251]
3.	The Elements to be Used	[252]
BOOK VI.
CHRISTIAN DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES.
CHAPTER I.
PRAYER.
1.	Prayer a Duty	[255]
2.	Vocal and Audible	[256]
3.	With Faith and Submission to the Will of God	[257]
4.	With the Spirit of Forgiveness	[258]
5.	Should be Importunate	[258]
6.	Should be in the Name of Christ	[259]
7.	The Posture of the Body in Prayer	[260]
8.	Secret Prayer	[260]
9.	Public and Social Prayer	[261]
10.	Prayer for Temporal Blessings	[262]
11.	Examples of Answers to Prayer	[263]
CHAPTER II.
PRAISE TO GOD.
1.	Praise is a Christian Duty	[265]
2.	Praise should be Earnest	[266]
CHAPTER III.
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.
1.	Love	[267]
	(1.) Love to God, [267].(2.) The Love of God, [268].(3.) Love to the Brethren, [270].(4.) Love to all Men, [271].
2.	Joy	[272]
	(1.) Rejoice in God, [272].(2.) Rejoice Always, [274].
3.	Peace	[275]
	(1.) Peace with God, [275].(2.) Peace of Mind—Tranquillity, [277].(3.) Disposed to Promote Peace, [278].
4.	Long-Suffering	[279]
	(1.) Patience under Provocation, [279].(2.) Submission to the Will of God, [280].
5.	Gentleness	[282]
	(1.) Must be Kind, [282].(2.) Not Contentious, [283].(3.) Should Help the Feeble, [284].
6.	Goodness	[285]
	(1.) The Right State of the Heart—Be Good, [285].(2.) Doing Good—Beneficence, [286].
7.	Meekness	[289]
	(1.) Christian Lowliness, [289].(2.) Humility, [290].
8.	Temperance	[291]
	(1.) Self-Denial, [291].(2.) Christian Moderation, [292].(3.) Self-Government, [294].
9.	Faith	[294]
	(1.) Belief in God's Word, [294].(2.) Trust in God, [296].(3.) Faith Exemplified, [298].
CHAPTER IV.
RELATIVE DUTIES OF CHRISTIANS TOWARD EACH OTHER.
1.	To Love One Another	[302]
2.	To Live in Peace	[303]
3.	Christian Forbearance	[303]
4.	Duty to Forgive One Another	[304]
5.	True Friendship	[304]
6.	To be Benevolent	[305]
7.	Liberality Rewarded	[305]
8.	Encouragements to Liberality	[307]
CHAPTER V.
DOMESTIC DUTIES.
1.	The Marriage Relation Instituted and Recommended	[308]
2.	Cautions against Improper Marriages	[308]
3.	Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives	[308]
4.	Duty of Parents to their Children	[309]
	(1.) To Provide for them, [309].(2.) To Administer Needful Correction, [309].(3.) Encouragements to Parental Faithfulness, [309].
5.	Duty of Children to their Parents	[310]
6.	Disobedient Children Punished	[310]
7.	Divorce	[310]
8.	Polygamy	[311]
BOOK VII.
Christian Experience		[315]
CHAPTER I.
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
1.	Conviction for Sin	[317]
2.	Sinners called upon to Repent	[318]
3.	God Expostulates	[320]
4.	Repentance Demanded	[321]
5.	Repentance includes Sorrow for Sin and Confession	[321]
6.	Genuine Repentance Acceptable to God	[323]
7.	Repentance includes Reformation	[324]
8.	Conversion, including Pardon and Regeneration	[325]
CHAPTER II.
1.	Evidences of Regeneration	[327]
2.	Christian Holiness	[329]

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BOOK I.
DOCTRINES RELATING TO GOD.

EXISTENCE OF GOD.

The plain argument for the existence of the Deity, obvious to all, and carrying irresistible conviction with it, is the evident contrivance and fitness of things for each other which we meet with throughout all parts of the universe. There is no need of subtile reasonings in this matter. A manifest contrivance immediately suggests a contriver. It strikes us like a sensation, and artful reasonings against it may puzzle us, but they do not shake our belief. No person who knows the principles of optics and the structure of the eye believes that it was formed without a knowledge of that science, or that the ear was formed without a knowledge of sounds, or that male and female in animals were not formed for each other and for continuing the species. All accounts of nature are full of instances of this kind. The admirable and beautiful structure of things for final causes exalts our idea of the contriver, and the unity of design shows him to be one. The great motions in the systems, performed with the same facility as the least, suggests his almighty power, which gave motion to the earth and the celestial bodies with equal ease as to the minutest particles. The subtility of the motions and actions in the internal parts of bodies shows that his influence penetrates the inmost recesses of things, and that he is equally active and present every-where. The simplicity of the laws that prevail in the world, and the excellent disposition of things in order to obtain the best ends, and the beauty which adorns the works of nature, far surpassing any thing in art, suggests his consummate wisdom. The usefulness of the whole scheme, so well contrived for the intelligent beings who enjoy it, with the internal dispositions and moral structure of those beings themselves, shows his unbounded goodness. These are arguments which are sufficiently open to the views and capacities of the unlearned, while at the same time they acquire new strength and luster from the discoveries of the learned.

The existence of God is the basis of religion. This truth will be evident if we remember that the word religion always denotes either a system of truths of which God is the great subject, or a system of affections and conduct of which he is the supreme object. Were there no such being, there could be no such relations and duties. Were the existence of such being incapable of proof, the existence of the relations and duties would be equally incapable of being proved. But God has not left himself without ample witness.

Because something exists, something must have existed always. The mind can not realize the fact that existence or change can take place without a cause. If nothing had originally existed, we can not possibly conceive that any thing could ever have existed. Causes absolutely the same must, in the same circumstances, produce absolutely the same effects. This, I think, is self-evident, and admitted as such. An absolute want of cause involves an absolute sameness of an opposite kind, and must, with nearly the same evidence, continue forever. The necessity of causes to all the changes of being is universally admitted. No absurdity can be greater than to argue with a man who denies the connection between cause and effect. He himself, in speaking, admits himself to be the cause of the words he utters, and of the opinions he communicates, and the act of arguing admits you to be a similar cause. If his body be not a cause, and your eyes another cause, you can not see him. If his voice and your ears be not causes, you can not hear him. If your mind and his be not causes, you can not understand him.

Mr. Locke presents the argument substantially as follows: Every man knows with absolute certainty that he himself exists. He knows, also, that he did not always exist, but began to be. It is clearly certain to him that his existence is caused, and not casual, and was produced by a cause adequate to the production. By an adequate cause is invariably intended a cause possessing and exerting an efficacy to bring any effect to pass. In the present case an adequate cause is one possessing and exerting all the understanding necessary to contrive and the power necessary to create such a being as the man in question. This cause is what we are accustomed to call God.

The understanding necessary to conceive and the power necessary to create a being compounded of the human soul and body admit of no limits. He who can contrive and create such a being can contrive and create any thing. He who actually contrived and created man certainly contrived and created all things. This argument is conclusive. It has not been nor will it ever be answered except with sophistry or sneers. I do not affirm that every step of it is attended with what logicians call intuitive evidence, nor that it amounts to what is, in the logical sense, an absolute demonstration. But it is in every step attended with such evidence as excludes all rational doubt, and approaches so near the character of a demonstration as to leave the mind completely satisfied. At the same time it is opposed to no counter evidence.

The state of existing things completely proves the being of a God. The argument derived from this source is presented by Bishop Berkley in a clear and forcible manner, and is substantially as follows:

We acknowledge the existence of each other to be unquestionable, and when called upon for evidence on which this acknowledgment is founded allege that of our senses; yet it can by no means be affirmed with truth that our senses discern immediately any man. We see, indeed, a form, and we hear a voice communicating to us the thoughts, emotions, and volitions of an intelligent being. Yet it is intuitively certain that neither the form, the motions, the actions, the voice, the thoughts, nor the volitions are that intelligent being, or the living, acting, thinking thing which we call man. On the contrary, they are merely effects of which that living, active, acting thing denominated by the word man is the cause. The existence of the cause, or, in other language, of the man, we conclude from the effects which he thus produces. In the same manner, and with the like certainty, we discover the existence of God.

In the universe without us, and in the little world within us, we perceive a great variety of effects produced by some cause adequate to their production. Thus the motions of the heart, arteries, veins, and other vessels; of the blood and other juices; of the tongue, the hands, and other members; the perceptions of the senses and the actions of the mind; the storm, the lightning, the volcano, and the earthquake; the reviviscence and growth of the vegetable world; the diffusion of light and the motions of the planetary system—are all effects, and effects of a cause adequate to their production. This cause is God, or a being possessed of intelligence and power sufficient to contrive and bring them to pass. He, with evidence from reason equally clear with the testimony of the Scriptures, thundereth marvelously with his voice, holdeth the winds in his fists, sendeth lightnings with rain, looketh on the earth and it trembleth, toucheth the hills and they smoke, melteth the mountains like wax at his presence, causeth the outgoings of the morning and the evening to rejoice, and maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good. Him also we are bound to praise, because we are fearfully and wonderfully made by him. Our substance was not hid from him when we were made in secret. His eyes saw our substance, yet being imperfect, and in his book all our members were written, which in continuance were fashioned by him, when as yet there was none of them. He also breathed into our nostrils the breath of life, and the inspiration of the Almighty hath given us understanding. Should it be said that these are the natural and necessary results of certain inherent powers of matter and mind, and therefore demand no extrinsic agency, I answer that this objection affects the conclusion only by removing it one step further back in the course of reasoning. That matter should have possessed these powers eternally without exerting them is impossible, and that it should have exerted them from eternity is equally impossible. It then follows that the properties and exertions of matter are derived from an extrinsic cause, and that that cause is possessed of intelligence and power to which no bounds can be assigned. The same argument may be stated in a more general and popular manner. The agency of God is clearly and certainly seen in the preservation and government of all things. The existence of all the forms and states of being which we behold in the universe is plainly derived, because it is a change in the former state of things, communicating, continuing, and terminating, and, as it is impossible that any thing should commence its own existence, derived certainly from an extrinsic and adequate cause. This cause can be none other than God.

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