AN INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL THEOLOGY. AN INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL THEOLOGY: BEING A SKETCH OF DOCTRINAL PROGRESS FROM THE ipostolic <!Era to tgr :!leformation. BY JOHN STOUGHTON, D.D. LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY, 56 PATERNOSTER Row, 65 ST. PAuL's CHURCHYARD, AND 164 PICCADILLv. ~nnga11 CLAY AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS PREFATORY NOTE. I N a former volume an attempt was made 'to trace, briefly, the Progress of Divine Revelation. At the close I intimated a hope of reviewing the department of thought which has arisen from Scripture studies moulded by influences such as a review of the kind helps us to discover. In the present work I have endeavoured to follow certain lines of Theological thought as far as the period of the Reformation, leaving subsequent developments for enquiry in a future volume. In most cases references are made to the writings of Authors described ; but in others notice is taken only of modern publications, where the reader may find copious and minute citations of authorities. My endeavour has been simply to furnish young Students with an elementary introduction to a most important and interesting field of literature. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION PART I. From the Apostolic to the Nicene Perz'od. A.D. 100-325. CHAP. I. DISTINGUISHED CHURCH TEACHERS 17 II. HERETICAL DOGMAS . 52 III. LINES OF GENERALLY ACKNOWLEDGED CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 64 PART II. From the Council of Nicma to the Development of Systematic Theology. A.D. 325-730. I. FORMATIVE INFLUENCES 85 II. THEOLOGICAL RESULTS • 103 III. THEOLOGTCAL RESULTS (continued) 134 PART III. From the Development of Systematic Theology to the Full Development of Scholasticism. A.D. 730-1060. I. EASTERN DIVINES II. \VESTERN DIVINES Vlll Contents. PART IV. From the Full Development of -Scholasticism to the Reformation. A.D. 106o-i518. CHAP. PAGE I. SCHOLASTIC DIVINITY. 1000-1224.. 213 II. SCHOLASTIC DIVINITY (continued). 106o-1224. 233 III. SCHOLASTIC DIVINITY (continued). 106o-1224. 241 IV. SCHOLASTIC DIVINITY (continued). 1224-1436. 256 V. POPULAR THEOLOGY. 600-1500. 289 VI. MYSTICISM. 1097-1500. 307 VII. PREPARATION FOR REFORM. 1350-1500.. 324 VIII. GENERAL REVIEW. 200-1500. 343 PART V. From the Commencement of the Reformation in Germany under Luther to the Conclusion of z't in England under the Reign of Elizabeth. A.D. 1518-156o. I. REFORMED THEOLOGY IN GERMANY 365 II, REFORMED THEOLOGY IN SWITZERLAND 384 III. REFORMED THEOLOGY IN FRANCE AND SCOTLAND 390 IV. REFORMED THEOLOGY IN ITALY 414 v. REFORMED THEOLOGY IN ENGLAND 427 CONCLUSION 447 HISTORICAL THEOLOGY. INTRODUCTION. N the present volume an attempt is made to trace the I development of Dogmatic Theology. Let me state what is meant by Dogmatic Theology. I distinguish it from Revelation on the one hand, and from Religion on the other. This distinction is of prime importance. Theology is drawn from Revelation, and the human mind is a factor in the process. That from which a science is derived cannot be identical with the science itself; and, as it will appear that the process of forming theo­ logical conclusions is complicated, we shall find that the possibilities and probabilities of mistake are numerous. Even wtre the logical manipulation faultless, a distinc­ tion ought to be recognized between the Divine material and the result of its human handling ; but the logical manipulation never has been faultless, and never will be. I do not bel'ieve that God's truth can ever be system­ atically expressed in words of human collocation, so that B 2 Introduction. those words shall certainly contain the whole of the matter of which they treat, and nothing else. In drawing water out of the wells of salvation, and pouring it into theological cisterns, some of it gets spilt; also the buckets give a tinge and a taste to the element which it had not when lying in the calm depths of the Holy Spring. The fact of liability to error in reasoning is a cogent consideration why we should not confound our theology with God's Word; and without the distinction I do not see how we can properly adjust the relation between unchangeable truth revealed in Scripture and varieties of opinion in the Christian Church. Equally important is the distinction between Theology and Religion, whether we regard it as taught in the Divine Book, or as experienced in the human soul. Theology has to do with it in both respects ; but it is as distinguishable from the second as from the first. In relation to religion, theology is analogous to physiology and, biology, which form the philosophy of organic structure and of organic life. Theology includes the philosophy of consciousness, viewed in the light of Divine revelation, and exemplified in the records of Church history. It takes account of spiritual health and spiritual disease, of the vis vitm in its stages of growth, and in its liability to decline, from the first throb to the last pulsation on this side eternity. Common sense shows in a moment the distinction, as well as the con­ nection, between theology and religion thus regardeq ; and without the distinction no one can discern where lies the true unity of Christ's Church, nor can any one demonstrate that Christianity has been a success. For theology has been changeful, and it takes a long time to Introduction. 3 point out only a few of its revolutions. But Christ's religion, living for eighteen hundred years under forms of varying theology, has been substantially one and the same; the same in its faith at the foot of the cross, the same in its adoration on the steps of the throne, the same in its beatific hope at the bottom of that ladder which touches heaven. The ground of the Church's unity exists in the sym­ pathies of a common religious trust. Could one of us converse with a Nicene or Media!val believer, there might be some difficulty in understanding him at first ; but getting below the crust of a metaphysical theology, as well as below worship, discipline, and a!Sthetic predilec­ tions-when each came to speak to the other of God's Fatherhood and Christ's redemption, and the Spirit's indwelling, varieties would be harmonized, and men, divided by ages and creeds, would clasp hands before the one Cross and the one Mercy-Seat. No ground of unity can be found except in a common trust in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. And the reconciliation of Church diversities in the present day-of sect with sect, party with party, and Christian with Christian - can only be accomplished after the same manner. Though regarded in distinction from revelation and religion, theology be but a human science, it is based upon Divine objects; the character of the Lord God, the person of Jesus Christ, the grace which brings salvation, the propitiatory sacrifice for our redemption, justification by faith, and the new birth of the Spirit of God. These should be to us dearer than our lives. The scientific treatment of such matters is to some persons a necessity. Of course the Positivist will say B 2 4 Introduction. that theology is an unscientific dream, a fanatical flight into cloud-land, where nothing is grasped but thin air. But in denying a place in human knowledge for theo­ logy, the Positivist also denies a place for religion, and therefore puts himself beyond our notice. The Pietist, with more plausibility, will ask, "What is the good of scientific theology ? Religion is best by itself, philosophy spoils it. What does one care about the opinions of people hundreds of years ago? How are common folks to understand wire-drawn distinctions and interminable I wranglings ? Go to the Bible, and read that, and ask God's Spirit to enlighten you, and what you know apply to practice, and leave the rest." The mere Popularist will follow, saying, "What is there attractive in this science of which you talk ? What is there in it to lay hold of the public mind ? It might do in the Middle Ages ; it excited interest at the Reformation, and during the Civil Wars,-but ours is a practical age; people don't care a rush about metaphysical abstractions ; and your endeavour to strike down certain dogmatic errors, as you call them, is not worth powder and shot." All I can say in reply is, that the spirit of such objec­ tions reaches to every kind of scientific inquiry-to all but the practical business of life, and the most superficial forms of knowledge ; indeed, to systematic studies of every description. It must, however, be frankly con­ fessed that for some people theology is not a necessity, any more than astronomy or geology. They can gaze on the stars without acquaintance with the Newtonian theory ; and can walk on God's earth, and admire the mountains, uninterested in the disputes of Vulcanists and Neptunists. But all are not like them. A mind, characterized by reflec~ive power, sagacity, and inquisi- Introduction. 5 tiveness, will not rest content with crude, unconnected notions. It must have things analyzed, sorted, arranged. It must see how one truth squares with another, how many parts make up a whole.· To such a mind, if it care about religion, theology becomes indispensable ; and as true spiritual religion makes its way in England, the demand will increase. The interests involved in the truths of Christianity will always inspire a large measure of enthusiasm respecting them. Goethe, no partial witness in the case, has said : "The deepest subject in the history of the world and of mankind, and that to which all others are subordinate, is the conflict bet\yeen faith and unbelief." Assuredly it is.