9.2 A Practical Directory for Young Christian Females by Harvey Newcomb. Letter 9 : Meditation - Part 2 - Doctrines

The Edified Ear

Note: As this letter is a listing of subjects for Biblical meditation and contains numerous Scripture references, the text including Newcomb's explanation is included below for your reference.

A Practical Directory For Young Christian Females ; Being a Series of Letters From a Brother to a Younger Sister. By Harvey Newcomb.

Boston : Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, 1851.

Letter 9 : Meditation, Part 2 - Doctrines

Read by Kathy Harris.

"I have arranged these subjects in such a manner, that, if taken in course, they will lead to the contemplation of divine truth, with some reference to its proper proportions, although they do not completely cover the ground. Any particular topic, however, can be selected, according to the circumstances or inclination of the individual. Many of the subjects are divided under various heads; and, in some cases, one or two heads may perhaps be found sufficient for one season of meditation." - Harvey Newcomb, Letter 9.

II DOCTRINES

1. The Decrees of God. Doctrine: That God foreordains whatsoever comes to pass.

Proved, (1.) By reason. Otherwise, he would work without a plan, and could not certainly know what would take place hereafter; which is inconsistent with the idea of infinite wisdom. Acts 15:18. (2.) From Scripture. Job 23:13. Isa. 46:10. Jer. 10:23.

This doctrine does not destroy the freedom and accountability of the creature. Acts 2:23. This is not to be understood in any such sense as to make God the author of sin. Jas. 1:13. If the will of God is done, the greatest possible good will be accomplished. Ps. 119:68, f.c. How we ought to feel, in view of this doctrine. Phil. 4:4. Duty of submission. Luke 22:42. Jas. 4:7.

2. The Sovereignty of God. Doctrine: That God rules the universe, according to his own pleasure, independently and without control, giving no further account of his conduct than he pleases.

Proved, (1.) By reason: First, his will the greatest good; Second, he has power to accomplish it; Third, if he fails to accomplish his will, he will be under constraint, which is inconsistent with the idea of an infinite being. Were he to fail of accomplishing his own will, he would not be qualified for a righteous governor. (2.) From Scripture. Ps. 115:3. Dan. 4:35. Eccl. 8:3, l.c. Job 33:13.

Reflections. (1.) God does not act arbitrarily, without sufficient cause, or merely for the sake of doing his own will. His actions are controlled by a supreme desire for the greatest good, and always founded on the best of reasons. (2.) The consummate folly of those who resist his will. (3.) The feelings with which we ought to regard the sovereignty of God. 1 Chron. 16:23-31. Ps. 97:1. (4.) How terrible this doctrine to sinners. Ps. 99:1. Isa. 33:11. (5.) What ground of confidence, comfort, and joy to the righteous. Ps. 15:6. Hosea 14:9. Rom. 8:28.

3. Human Depravity. (1.) How extensive. Rom. 3:23. Corroborated by facts. (2.) How great in degree. Gen. 6:5. Rom. 3:10-18. (3.) From whom derived. Rom. 5:12-19. (4.) How hereditary depravity becomes personal. Ps. 58:3. (5.) How human depravity manifests itself. Rom. 8:7. John 3:19, 20. 5:40. Acts 7:51. Gal. 5:19-21.

Practical Reflections. (1.) How we ought to feel, in view of our own depravity. Ezra 9:6. Job 42:6. Ps. 38:1-7. 51:4, 17. Dan. 9:8. (2.) The necessity of regeneration. Heb. 12:14, l.c. (3.) How this load of guilt may be removed. Matt. 11:28-30. 1 John 2:1, 2. (4.) What it will bring us to, if we do not obtain deliverance from it. Rom 6:23, f.c

4. Regeneration. (1.) Its nature. 2 Cor. 5:17. Eph. 4:24. (2.) Its author. John 3:5, 6. (3.) Influence of the Spirit; how exerted; not miraculous John 3:8. (4.) Man's agency in the work of regeneration. Isa. 55:6, 7. Acts 2:38. 16:31. Phil 2:12, 13.

5. The condition of fallen man. (1.) Alienation from God. Job 21:14, 15. Rom. 1:28. Eph. 2:1, 2. (2.) Exposure to his wrath. Deut. 32:35, 41. Ps. 7:11, 12. John 3:18, 36. Eph. 2:3. (3.) Personal misery. Isa. 57:20, 21. Misery the natural consequence of sin. Jer. 2:19.

Practical Reflections. (1.) How Christians should feel, in view of this subject. Isa. 51:1. 1 Cor. 15:10. (2.) How they should feel, in view of the condition of the impenitent. Rom. 9:1-3. (3.) How act. Acts 20:31, l.c. Rev. 22:17. (4.) The necessity of a mediator between God and man. Gal. 3:10.

6. The plan of Redemption. (1.) Why sin could not be pardoned without an atonement. Gen. 2:17. Dent. 27:26, compared with Deut. 32:4, l.c. Heb. 9:22. (2.) What a mediator is. Job 9:33. 2 Cor. 5:18, 19. (3.) Why it was necessary that our mediator should be God. (4.) Why, that he should be also man. (5.) Why it was necessary that he should obey the law. Isa. 42:21. Gal. 4:4, 5. (6.) Why, that he should suffer. Gal. 3:13. 4:4, 5. Heb. 9:22, 28. (7.) Why, that he should rise from the dead. Rom. 4:25. 1 Cor. 15:17. 1 Pet. 1:21. Heb. 7:25.

Practical Reflections. [1.] How the love of God is manifested in the provision of such salvation. John 3:16. Rom. 5:8. [2.] How we should feel and act in view of the amazing love of Christ. 2 Cor. 5:14, 15. [3.] What effect his love should have upon sinners. Zech. 12:10. Rom. 2:4. [4.] How Christians should feel, in view of the ingratitude of the impenitent. Ps. 119:136, 158.

7. Justification [1.] What justification is. [2.] {120}Why we cannot be justified by the law. Rom. 3:23. [3.] The nature of all our good works, religious exercises, duties, &c. Luke 17:10. [4.] The ground of justification. Isa. 53:11. Acts 13:39 Rom. 8:3, 4. [5.] The instrument or medium of justification. Rom. 3:28. [6.] The effects of justification. Rom. 5:1-5. 8:1-4. 15:13. 1 Pet. 1:8.

8. Adoption. [1.] What adoption is. Exod. 2:9, 10. [2.] Through whom believers are adopted. Gal. 4:4, 5. [3.] How their adoption is manifested to them. Rom. 8:15, 16. Gal. 4:6. [4.] To what adoption entitles them. Rom. 8:17. Gal. 4:7. [5.] What was the moving cause of adoption. 1 John 3:1. [6.] What emotions this should excite in the hearts of Christians.

9. Sanctification. [1.] What sanctification is. Rom. 6:6, 11—13. 8:13. [2.] By whom believers are sanctified. Rom. 8:13, l.c. 15:16, l.c. 1 Pet. 1:22. (3.) The instrument of sanctification. John 17:19. (1.) The procuring cause. 1 Cor. 1:2. 6:11. Heb. 10:10. (5.) The importance of sanctification, or growth in grace. John 15:8. Col. 1:9-12. (6.) How we are to strive for sanctification. Phil. 2:12, 13. 3:13, 14. (7.) How we may secure the aid of the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13. Rom. 8:26. (8.) How Christ regards us, when we are not making progress in holiness. Rev. 3:15, 16.

10. Death. (1.) Its certainty. Heb. 9:27. (2.) The uncertainty of life. Jas. 4:14. (3.) The shortness of life. Ps. 90:3-10. 1 Cor. 7:29-31. Bring death near, and commune with it; try to enter into the feelings of the death-bed. (4.) How we should live in view of the subject. Luke 12:33-40. (5.) The folly of laying up treasures for ourselves in this life. Luke 12:16-21. (6.) How death will appear to such. Isa. 33:14. (7.) How death appears to those who "set their affections on things above." 2 Cor. 5:6, 8. Phil. 1:23. (8.) The support {121}which such have in the hour of death. Isa. 43:1, 2. 1 Cor. 15:54-57.

11. Heaven. (1.) Heaven a place. John 14:2, 3. Heb. 9:24. (2.) The glory of heaven. Rev. 21:22, 23. (3.) What constitutes the blessedness of heaven to the righteous. [1.] Freedom from sin, and sinful associations. 2 Cor. 5:2-4. Rev. 21:27. [2.] Freedom from pain, and all evil. Rev. 21:4. [3.] Exercise of holy affections. 1 John 4:16. [4.] The company of holy beings. Heb. 12:22-24. [5.] The immediate presence of God, and such communion and fellowship with him as will make us like him. Ps. 17:15. Isa. 33:17, f.c. 1 John 3:2. [6.] The presence of Jesus, as our Redeemer, to whom we are indebted for all this glory. John 17:24. 1 Thess. 4:17. Rev. 5:9. (4.) The employments of heaven. [1.] The contemplation of the infinite perfections of God, and the glories of his moral government. Rev. 19:1, 2. [2.] Rendering cheerful obedience to his will. Ps. 103:20, 21. Matt. 6:10. 22:30. [3.] Singing his praises. Rev. 5:9. [4.] And we may suppose holy conversation. (5.) Contemplate this state as existing forever, with the continual increase of the capacity for enjoyment, and the discoveries of the divine character, his government and works.

12. The Resurrection. (1.) What signal will usher in the glorious morn. 1 Cor. 15:52. 1 Thess. 4:16. (2.) What will follow. 1 Thess. 4:16, l.c. (3.) What will come to pass in regard to the saints which shall then be alive on the earth. 1 Cor. 15:51. 1 Thess. 4:17. (4.) With what bodies the saints will arise. 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 50, 53, 54. (5.) To whom the saints will ascribe their victory and triumph, in that day. 1 Cor. 15:57. (6.) How the wicked will rise. Dan. 12:2.

13. The Judgment. (1.) This awful ceremony is to take place at a certain time, fixed in the councils of eternity. Acts 17:31. (2.) It will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Matt. 24:36-39. (3.) Who {122}will be the judge. Matt. 25:31. Rev. 20:11. (4.) Who will stand before him to be judged. Rom. 14:10. Rev. 20:12. (5.) In respect to what they will be judged. Eccl. 12:14. Matt. 12:36. Rom. 2:16. 2 Cor. 5:10. (6.) By what rule they will be judged. John 7:21. Rom. 2:2. (7.) How any will be able to stand this awful test. 1 John 2:1, 2. (8.) What separation will be made. Matt. 25:32. Consider this in its application to friends, and those who have in any way come under our influence. (9.) The final award of the righteous. Matt. 25:33-36. (10.) What state of feeling is indicated by their answer. Matt. 25:37-39. (11.) The final sentence of the wicked. Matt. 25:41-43. (12.) What state of feeling is indicated by their answer. Matt. 25:44.

14. The World of Woe. Contemplated for the purpose of arousing the attention to the condition of the impenitent. (1.) The place itself—the prison-house of the universe. Matt. 25:46. (2.) In what manner it is described. Isa. 33:14. Matt. 13:42, f.c. Rev. 20:14. (3.) What will constitute the misery of that dread abode. [1.] The consciousness of guilt. Rom. 3:19. [2.] The recollection of mercies abused. Rom. 9:22. [3.] The company that will be there. Matt. 25:41. Rev. 21:8. [4.] The wrath and curse of Almighty God. Rom. 2:8, 9. [5.] The reflection that this misery is to have no end. Mark 9:14. (4.) What will be the employments of that place. Matt. 13:42. 24:51. How we ought to feel, in regard to those who are exposed to this awful doom. Matt. 22:39. (6.) What we should do for them. Jude 23, f.c.