ure from the special revelation of God and the unique disclosure
of man's possibilities in Christ, it gladly accepts and freely uses the
results of moral philosophy in so far as they throw light upon the
fundamental facts of human nature. As a system of morals Christianity
claims to be inclusive. It takes cognisance of all the data of
consciousness, and assumes as its own, from whatever quarter it may
come, all ascertained truth. The facts of man's natural history, the
conclusions from philosophy, the manifold lights afforded by previous
speculation--all are gathered up, sifted and tried by one
all-authoritative measure of truth--the mind of Christ. It completes
what is lacking in other systems in so far as their conclusions are
based upon an incomplete survey of facts. It deals, in short, with
personality in its highest ranges of moral power and spiritual
consciousness and seeks to interpret life by its greatest possibilities
and loftiest attainments as they are revealed in Christ.

But while Christian Ethics is at one with philosophic {24} Ethics in
postulating a natural capacity for spiritual life, it is differentiated
from all non-Christian systems by its distinctive belief in the
possibility of the re-creation of character. Speculative Ethics
prescribes only what ought ideally to be done or avoided. It takes no
account of the foes of the spiritual life; nor does it consider the
remedy by which character, once it is perverted or destroyed, can be
restored and transformed. Christian Ethics, on the other hand, is
concerned primarily with the question, By what power can a man achieve
the right and do the good? It is not enough to postulate the inherent
capacity of man. Experience of human nature shows that there are
hostile elements which too often frustrate his natural development.
Hence the practical problem which Christian Ethics has to face is, How
can the spiritual ideal be made a reality? It regards man as standing
in need of recovery, and it is forced to assume, that which
philosophical Ethics does not recognise, a divine power by which
character can be renewed. Christianity claims to be 'the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth.' Christian Ethics
therefore is based upon the twofold assumption that the ideal of
humanity has actually been revealed in Christ, and that in Him also is
the power by which man may realise this ideal.

II

_The relation of Christian Ethics to Dogmati