THE GOSPEL OF LIFE.

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THE GOSPEL OF LIFE:

THOUGHTS INTRODUCTORY TO THE

STUDY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.

BY

BROOKE FOSS WESTCOTT, D.D., D.C.L.,

BISHOP OF DURHAM ;

FORMERLY REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY, CAMBRIDGE.

London and Cambridge:
MACMILLAN AND CO.

AND NEW YORK.

1892

[All Rights reserved.]

ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια και η ζωή.

ST JOHN XIV. 6.

ἐν αὐτῷ ΖΩΜΕΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΙΝΟΥΜΕΘΑ καὶ ἐςΜέΝ.

ACTS XVII. 28.

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CONTENTS

PREFACE.

CHAPTER I.

THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE.

General statement of the scope of the inquiry

Three final existences assumed

(i) 'Self'.

(ii) The world'

(iii) 'GOD'

The reality of these existences cannot be es-

tablished by argument

Each brings its own difficulties

i. Difficulties as to the conception of 'self'

(b) Growth. Dependence. Influence of medium :

of mechanical inventions; of intellectual

conceptions

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(c) Independence. 'Freedom'

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(d) Complex nature of the individual man :

struggles: failure

(e) Sternness of 'Nature'. Yet man asserts

(f) looking to the future in spite of difficulties

These are facts

ii. Difficulties as to the conception of 'the world'

(a) The mystery involved in our belief in the

external world: the relation between

our impressions and that which excites

them

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