from them if recorded. There are thousands of presumptions, most rationally drawn from the lives and histories of nine-tenths of mankind, that no such man as Bonaparte would ever exist, and run his remarkable career in the world. But who would refuse their faith or credence in the accounts of him which exist, simply because, from first to last, they are one constant violation of all our rational conceptions of what is probable and likely to occur among men? The presumptions in the case, however strong and reasonable they may be, we do not for a moment permit to interfere with our belief in the event.

Nor can it be urged that we should be slow to submit our faith to the recorded mysteries and miracles of the Bible, because they do not seem to form a part of the original plan of the moral and intellectual universe. For there are many enigmas of this kind in the physical world. which we willingly believe, which seem as little in harmony with the original constitution of its nature, as are mysteries in the nature of the other. An earthquake, for instance, as it passes from land to land, defacing the beauteous face of nature, and spreading far and wide devastation and death, is evidently, so far as appearances are concerned, entirely inconsistent with the original plan of this glorious, harmonious and joyous creation. And yet these fearful enigmas occur, not frequently, but occasionally; showing us beyond the possibility of denial, that what appears adverse to the supposed order of nature, nay, wholly irreconcilable to it, may and does nevertheless exist. works of nature are usually governed by ordinary and constant laws; but the God of nature sometimes permits causes to operate, which break up that harmony and spread wide confusion. Thus a sovereign may govern his subjects by uniform laws, and the presumption justly is, that he will ever continue so to do. But in peculiar circum

The

stances he changes his principles of jurisdiction, and adopts new ones. The presumption here in favor of uniformity could argue nothing against the possibility of an innovation. Thus is it with the moral governor of the universe.

Taking for granted the opposite of our argument; if everything in a divine Revelation ought to be fathomable by Reason, the question arises, whether under more favorable circumstances, and developing mental power, reason could not have discovered these so simple truths, without the aid of Revelation? We could not predict whether those more favorable circumstances might occur or not. They might as possibly occur as not occur. Hereby the necessity of all revelation would be entirely removed; and as God does nothing superfluously, he would in all probability, have withheld the entire Revelation. Hence the mysteries of Revelation appear absolutely necessary to justify its own existence. But inasmuch as God cannot create anything superfluously, and inasmuch as he has revealed these mysteries, this fact proves their absolute necessity, in order to justify, in one form, the proclamation of any Revelation at all.

It may again be urged, and it is the only remaining plea possessing any logical force, which can be directed against the position maintained in this argument, that the mysteries revealed in any revelation, and hence in the Scriptures, which are designed to operate for human redemption, are or may be so slow and tardy in their development, permitting thousands of years to revolve of human woe, before their virtue and efficacy appear, and become active. In this respect their benevolence, though not changed in nature, becomes apparently diminished in degree; and hence the claim upon our faith in these mysteries, is proportionably diminished. But this same characteristic belongs to those mysterious agents in Nature,

which God has created, and which were long ago adapted to heal the diseases of the body. When the researches of modern pharmacy have brought to light the sanative powers of many of the plants, minerals, and chemical combinations which exist, but which have for ages before been unknown to a dying and suffering race; we do not for one moment withhold our confidence or faith in their energy, because they are mysterious, and because these valuable qualities of theirs have so long been unknown and inoperative. Whoever would venture thus to judge and act, would violate every universally conceded principle of reason. This argument is applicable to the benevolent mysteries of any divine revelation. If their value and efficacy should, in the progress of events, remain unknown for a time, it will doubtless result in a divine revelation, from just and righteous causes. Yet even if we had no conclusive evidence of this fact, we may reasonably infer that if this delay which actually exists in the beneficial agents in Nature, is no argument against Faith in their mysterious power; so a similar delay in the operative agency of the benevolent mysteries of Revelation, is no just argument against our exercising faith in their existence and power.*

From these considerations we think, we may safely rest in the conviction, that the positions which we laid down at the beginning of this chapter, are founded in truth; namely, that the existence of mysteries, or of that which demands the exercise of faith on the part of finite creatures, is not necessarily an argument against the credibility

* This remark may illustrate the fatuity of that objection which Modern Infidelity sometimes urges against the Bible,—that millions of heathens are dying every year, while God does not take measures to extend the blessings of his religion to them.

220 THE NECESSITY OF FAITH IN A DIVINE REVELATION.

and authority of any professedly divine revelation which contains them; that there is, moreover, a logical and hence absolute necessity for their existence in any Revelation professing to be divine; that the want of them would constitute a just and powerful ground for suspicion, regarding the validity of their claim to inspiration; and that hence the Bible in making this claim, and then in supporting it by teaching such mysteries, proves itself to be fully consistent, truly divine, and wholly deserving of our confidence and reception.

221

CHAPTER VI.

CONTRAST BETWEEN THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND MODERN INFIDELITY.

THERE are many practical motives which should urge men to receive the Bible. Religion is an exalted principle which is addressed to them as reasonable beings, possessed of the power of rational choice. Yet these free beings, in consequence of the primitive fall, resemble a mariner whose arms and oars are indeed unconstrained, but whom a strong and never ceasing current bears rapidly onward and away from his proper course. Hence religion, when presented to such individuals, will be regarded in various lights, in proportion as they are more or less under the influence of this undue bias. All along the progress of human history, from its remotest ages and primeval scenes, down until this hour, mankind may be distinguished into two great classes, of those who believe and those who disbelieve; of those who struggle for light, and those who rejoice in darkness; of those who are the friends of liberty and truth, or those who are votaries of bondage and error.

The relation which these two classes bear to each other, is necessarily that of active hostility. The self-preservation of each requires that it should seek the extermination of its irreconcilable opponent. Revealed truth can be received in only one of two ways. It must either meet with a cordial reception; or else with a virtual, and hence complete denial. If the Bible is rejected from its high