As we have said before, the preaching of Joseph II centered (1) on opposition to Deism which was trying to destroy revelation and providence and (2) on the sinfulness of the times. He calls his age a "sad time of corruption and apostacy. 086 Basically, he says man has been relying solely on the "Fallacious dictates of fallen and unremoved reason." 087 His father had never said reason was fallacious, but Joseph II is living in a time when reason has gone to greater extremes. Deism has virtually reduced the gospel of Jesus Christ to a few lectures on morality" "evangelican obedience", has been reduced to "a mere moral reformation." 088 In spite of his criticism of reason, he does make use of it.
Truth ... of every kind, is always worth maintaining; but our apostle doth not design ... to excite us only to a contention for that which is to be discovered by the light of nature: much less doth he at all intend, to engage our regard to such doctrines and institutions in religion, as are propos'd to our belief and practice by mere human authority . . .. We are always obliged to defend the discoveries which the light of nature, through fallen, affords US with regard to the existence and attributes of God ... 089
Likewise, one must use common sense in the study of the Bible:
If a bare assent to the letter of scripture were sufficient, without regard had the sense of it, the belief of transubstantiation itself, and the blasphemies of the Anthropomorphites, would be no bars to religious fellowship. 090
Speaking on Judges 8: 34, 35 he says that the Israelites should have appreciated the aid which God gave to them in the process of Gideon's victory over the Midianites "natural justice and humanity, as well as religion, would have taught them, to have shown a suitable regard to the instruments, he was pleased to employ in their favor." 091 His father had said that revelation goes beyond reason and that "there is nothing prescribed to us in religion but what is very reasonable and just . . . ." 092 Joseph II likewise says that revelation goes beyond reason 093 but adds that what human reason would think right. 094 Specifically, divine revelation is the "rule of faith." 095
While I am writing this thesis in 1953. America is experiencing a communist "scare." A great number of citizens are having to formally swear that they are not now and never have been communists. This same jitteriness happened with Joseph II. I don't think it was accomplished, but he once said that everyone should make "a public and explicit confession, as proper occasion offers, of every doctrine which we believe to be contained in the word of God"! 096
As Joseph Stennett II's publications are few, a systematic outline of his theology is sketchy. God is the creator and upholder of the world; He is a God of order. 097 That could be Deistic, except that God also is gracious 098 and He is active in the world through the agency of providence. The great wind storm we have mentioned before was a dispensation of providence. 099 Stennett says that, with some reservations, there is a providence that governs all things. 100 Yet sometimes the reasons for the ways of providence are hidden from view of men. 101 Also, there are limits on what we can expect from providence.
We are not insured indeed of the riches and honours of this world, of established health of body, or a long continuance here. The covenant nowhere engages for our freedom from the temptations of Satan, o r the cruelties of unreasonable men; 102
His father, also, had recognized that providence was not absolute and said that God's justice to individuals would be vindicated in the future life. Joseph II is very concerned because some people do not believe in "the proper priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ" and His atonement for sin. 103 He also defends the Doctrine of the Trinity, saying that the "three glorious persons have the same nature, attributes, works, and worship" ascribed to them in Scripture. 104 As to Joseph II's idea of man, he says that man has original sin, 105 the power of reasoning which can at times be depraved and he also has natural freedom of choice. 106 Man's relationship to God should be experiential, 107 and his religion should be expressed in life. 108 His father never stated an absolute doctrine of election, making salvation largely dependent on belief and living. Joseph II, however, states a full doctrine of election:
We assert, with the apostle Paul, that the saints are 'chosen in Christ Jesus, before the foundation of the world;' that they are 'predestined' by divine grace, to be partakers of the blessings of salvation .... 109
As in the writings of his father, so with Joseph II, there is a section which shows how religion supported the rise of capitalism:
Our holy religion commends diligence in business, and an honest industry in endeavouring to increase our worldly substance; it allows it to be a laudable ambition, for us to desire some good degree of interest in regard of our fellow creatures . . .. 110
Joseph Stennett II, on some points of theology, is a reactionary. His father had made use of "reason" and had seen its limitations, but he had never criticized it adversely. As some of the Christian theologians practically became philosophers, and as philosophy is founded on the human mind, Joseph II's reaction is that the human mind is "fallen." Likewise, Joseph II preached a stronger doctrine of election than did his father. Joseph I urged a humble search for truth; Joseph II is more interested in theological orthodoxy and, in materials available to me, he has nothing to say about humility. These changes were somewhat conditioned by the widened gap between the Deists and Christian revelation. Joseph II had witnessed both the battle against Deists and the rise of the Evangelical Revival which had indirectly but effectually contributed to the downfall of Deism. He also believed that religion consisted of Christian living as well as theoretical theology
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86 Gods's Awful Summons . . . , p. iv.
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87 Ibid. , pp. 41; cf. p. 1; this is a 1737 sermon, cf. The Christian Strife . . . , p. 11, 43. This is a 1738 sermon. I believe these are the only sermons in which he decries reason,
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88 Ibid. , pp. vii, 40.
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89 Ibid. , pp. 10f. cf. God's Awful Summons . . . , p. 40.
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90 The Christian Strife . . . , p. 16.
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91 National Ingratitude Exemplified . . . , p. 21; cf. on the use of nature and reason Joseph Stennett II, The Nature and Reward of True Liberty , p. 9 xand also The Everlasting Covenant the best Support , p. 8.
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92 Joseph Stennett, Works , II, 349.
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93 The Christian Strife . . . , p. 22.
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94 The Everlasting Covenant . . . , pp. 14, 24, cf. his oration at the funeral of Samuel Wilson, p. 2.
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95 The Christian Strife . . . , p. 11.
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96 Ibid. , p. 16; cf. National Ingratitude . . . , p. 41, when he is greatly alarmed over "the ungoverned liberty which is taken, not only in conversation, but by the press," but he does not quite go so far as to demand external control or censorship.
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97 Ibid. , p. 41; God's Awful Summons . . . , p. 16.
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98 National Ingratitude Exemplified . . . , p. 47.
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99 God's Awful Summons . . . , p. 32; cf. p. 35.
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100 The Everlasting Covenant . . . , p. 18.
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101 Ibid. , p. 23; on providence, cf. pp. 18-24; National Ingratitude Exemplified . . . , pp. 32, 45, 47; etc.
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102 Everlasting Covenant . . . , p. 33.
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103 God's Awful Summons . . . , p. 40.
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104 The Christian Strife . . . , p. 22.
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105 Ibid. , p. 33; cf. God's Awful Summons . . . , p. 40.
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106 The Everlasting Covenant . . . , p. 26.
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107 The Christian Strife . . . , p. ix.; like his father, he uses the word "experimental" which in present English means "experiential."
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108 Ibid. , p. 19.
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109 Ibid. , p. 58.
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110 Ibid. , p. 10.
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