moral life from degenerating
into the vagaries of fanaticism or the apathy of fatalism. But while
both sciences form complementary sides of theology and stand in
relations of mutual service, each deals with the human consciousness in
a different way. Dogmatics regards the Christian life from the
standpoint of divine dependence: Ethics regards it from the {26}
standpoint of human determination. Dogmatics deals with faith in
relation to God, as the receptive organ of grace: Ethics views faith
rather in relation to man, as a human activity or organ of conduct.
The one shows us how our adoption into the kingdom of God is the work
of divine love: the other shows how this knowledge of salvation
manifests itself in love to God and man, and must be worked out through
all the relationships of life.

III

We may define more particularly the relation of Ethics to Dogmatics by
enumerating briefly the doctrinal postulates or assumptions with which
Ethics starts.

1. Ethics assumes the Christian _idea of God_. God is for Ethics not
an impersonal force, nor even simply the creator of the universe as
philosophy might conceive Him.[1] Creative power is not of course
denied, but it is qualified by what theology calls the 'moral
attributes of God.' We do not ignore His omnipotence, but we look
beyond it, to 'the love that tops the power, the Christ in God.'[2] It
is not necessary here to sketch the Old Testament teaching with regard
to God. It is sufficient to state that the New Testament writers,
while not attempting to proclaim abstract doctrines, took over
generally the Hebrew conception of the Deity as a God who was at once
almighty, holy and righteous. The distinctive note which the New
Testament emphasises is the Personality of God, and personality
includes reason, will and love. The fact that we are His offspring, as
St. Paul argues, is the basis of our true conception of God's nature.
Through that which is highest in man we are enabled to discern
something of His character. But it is specially in and through Jesus
Christ that the distinctive character of the Divine Personality is
declared. Christ reveals Him as our Father, and everywhere the New
{27} Testament writers assume that men stand in the closest filial
relations to him. In the fundamental conception of divine Fatherhood
there are implicitly contained certain elements of ethical
significance.[3] Of these may be mentioned:

(1) _The Spiritual Perfect