ENOCH'S " TRANSLATION." 231 this is why he is said to have "walked with God;" for it is well known, that to walk with God means to live according to his precepts. Truth is the way which God has laid down for men to walk in; it is the high road which leads to his kingdom: He is Himself, this way; indeed he says so, consequently the men who walk in it, also walk with God. (John xiv. 6.) This, then, was a distinguished feature of religion among the people called Enoch. The fact is twice stated, and, in the latter case, there is added this remarkable clause, “He was not, for God took him." (Gen. v. 22 & 24.) This is popularly understood to mean that he was taken to heaven, without the experience of natural death; not that the sentence contains such an idea, for the very same phrases occur respecting the supposed death of Joseph, and also, in reference to the death of Rachel's children: (Gen. xlii. 36; Jer. xxxi. 15;) but it is founded on the statement of the apostle, who says, "By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death." (Heb. xi. 5.) But, by translation, he must have meant a change of state, disposition, or bent of mind, (for he is treating of the effects of faith,) and not the removal of an individual with his body, into a place unfitted for its existence; for that body, as flesh and blood, he has said, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. xv. 50.) The view, therefore, which ought to be taken of the term translation, is somewhat similar to that which the apostle elsewhere expresses by the word transform, as when he says, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." (Rom. xii. 2.) And by Enoch's not seeing death, is denoted, that he did not experience condemnation. How should he, if he walked with God? the character of his faith prevented it! The original description is," he was not, for God took him:" where, by the sentence, "he was not," is simply meant that the doctrines of truth, which were collected by the people called Enoch, for the instruction of posterity, were not theirs; nothing of their mind was in them; they were divine things, which spoke of the glory of God, and were adapted to promote the intelligence of the people: and, by the phrase, “God took him,” is plainly meant that the truths, so collected, were preserved by Divine Providence, for the use and edification of all future conditions of the church. The correctness of this view of the case, is proved by the fact, that all subsequent ages, conditions, and diversities of the actual church of God, have been instructed by means of documents embodying the rules, teachings, commands, and promises of Divine truth. CHAPTER XIX. THE SONS OF GOD THE CORRUPTIONS OF THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD "On different senses different objects strike, POPE'S Essay on Man. THE moral and intellectual corruptions of the most ancient people, are historical circumstances, easily to be perceived, as a general idea, even though the narrative expressing them is written in language of a purely figurative character; general truths, in the Scriptures, frequently stand out, very conspicuously, amid the symbolical details in which they are embodied. Still, as such, they are surrounded with haze and mist, and they will remain so, so long as the mind rests in the generality merely. General ideas are comparatively obscure, like distant objects in the twilight of the morning; they become clear only as particular truths shine in upon them, and afford lucidity for the development of their forms. These are as beams from the rising sun, successively breaking in upon the uncertain outline of objects in the western vista, revealing to us their nature, their forms, their colors, and all their loveliness. Although the first few verses of the sixth chapter of Genesis, suggest a general idea concerning the corruptions of the ancient world; still, it is evident, that this general idea, if we do not carefully examine the sentences through which that impression may have been derived, will be more or less uncertain. The idea of corruption, may, indeed, not pass away; but the nature of it, how it was instigated, and why it should have produced results that were never to occur again, remain unravelled; and so, one of the great objects of revelation, which is to impart clear and decisive thoughts on the subjects of which it treats, is not obtained. General ideas, not grounded upon particular information, are not only imperfect, but liable to be lost. They are like a candle introduced into a murky atmosphere, the light of which grows dim, and so is in danger of being extinguished. We cannot be certain that our general ideas are true, unless we have been careful to form them on the consideration of particular and specific ON GENERAL AND PARTICULAR IDEAS. 233 knowledges: just in the same way that the general notion of being a sinner, is a very undefined notion, so long as it remains unfounded on the fact and consciousness of having perpetrated particular sins. Most persons will freely acknowledge themselves to be sinners in a general sense, but how few will confess to the guilt of particular transgression! The general assertion of being a sinner, is a mere word, which has a meaning in the faith of the utterer, no farther than he has searched out his particular sins. Again, how common is it for men to acquire a general prejudice, for or against certain things, without having furnished themselves with any particular reasons for the adoption of it. This is found to operate, not only with respect to persons and circumstances in the world, but likewise, in reference to the statements and purposes of revelation. Some men are well known to entertain certain general ideas about a variety of subjects, mentioned in the Word of God, although they may have never candidly examined the particular evidences on which they rest, or the conclusions to which they conduce. For instance: every one has a general idea, that the antediluvian people became exceedingly corrupt, but how few are they, who have any particular idea of the wickedness into which they fell, although it is evident, that it must have been of a very peculiar nature, or it could not have brought about so terrible a result as it is related to have done again, most persons have some general idea that the catastrophe called the flood, was an overflow of water and a drowning of the people; but, whensoever the particulars of science and theology are brought to bear upon this general notion, the whole matter becomes a dim and doubtful thing, so that, in order to retain any faith in the occurrence, as popularly understood, it is found requisite to refer the matter to Omnipotence. Of course, when false conceptions of this divine attribute are brought into a subject, the right activities of reason will go out of it. Omnipotence cannot be without its laws of order, nor can God transgress them. The importance of grounding our general ideas of theological truth upon particular conceptions of it, is of the utmost importance to the intellectual well-being of the church. It is in consequence of this duty not having been sufficiently attended to, that so many of the leading doctrines of popular Christianity are so full of perplexities. Take for example, the general proposition that there is a Divine Trinity in God: this, as a general proposition, presents no difficulties, but the moment we begin to inquire into those par ticular notions, of which that trinity is popularly said to consist, the subject becomes dark, and its advocates are compelled to wrap it up in the cloak of wonderment and mystery! The same may be said of the doctrines of the atonement, mediation, the resurrection, and several other tenets, as they are commonly understood. We refer to these subjects, merely to illustrate the distinction which may exist between the general and particular ideas of a subject, and to suggest that all general ideas, to be salutary and useful, must take their rise from such as are clear and sensible in particulars: it is only when this is the case, that the mass of truth is made up of coherent parts, and each contributes its light and strength to increase the power and brilliancy of the whole. The corruptions of the antediluvian church, viewed under a general idea, were similar to those which have taken place with the churches of after-times. It rejected the goods of charity and perverted the truths of faith, as was done by the Jewish church, before the coming of the Lord, and, also, as He predicted would be the case with that which he came to establish. (See xxiv. Matt. throughout.) But there was a peculiarity about the genius and character of the antediluvian people, which did not prevail in after-times, and this gave to their corruptions a peculiar enormity. In the possession of Eden they enjoyed a state of perception; by this they intuitively, and from an impulsive love of goodness, were immediately enabled to comprehend the ideas and purposes of faith. In consequence of their internal eminence, they could acquire the knowledges and delights of religious principles, by an influx from the Lord: whereas, the people of after-times have had to procure those things by external teachings, the difficulties of receiving which, have been increased by the evil inclinations which have been transmitted to them by the transgressions of their progenitors. They, who, by actual evils, render them infixed principles of their nature, must needs transmit the seeds thereof to their immediate descendants. The parent can only communicate to his offspring that which he himself possesses. Posterity is affected with his vices or benefitted by his virtues, so far as he makes them his own by actual life. Experience proves the action of this law, and revelation declares it. (Exod. xx. 5, 6. With the early posterity of the Adamic people, evils were not so deeply rooted as they afterwards became; and therefore, those internal influences from the Lord, by which their ancestors had been raised to the summit of religious intelligence and enjoyment, were not PECULIARITY OF THE ADAMIC PEOPLE. 235 suddenly destroyed: that was a progressive work, and it was afterwards effected. Now, as no other than an internal way had yet been opened out in man, for the Lord's approach to him, it is plain, that whenever that channel should be closed, mankind would be left without a guide; and consequently, they would rush, without a check, into every enormity, and guilt would necessarily bring about their destruction. But here we are anticipating an argument we shall have again to raise. The circumstances of the Adamic church having been once distinguished by the most exalted purity, and, that in successive generations, the people fell from their elevated condition into the fiercest wickedness, show that it was essentially different from that of any other church which has since been planted. Every other has had its commencement with mankind in a state of evil; this was not the condition of the primeval people of the Adamic church; consequently, when they fell, it was from a greater height than it has been possible for any dispensation since to do, and therefore it was, that they entailed, in that descent, so disastrous a calamity. It is a law that, "Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." There is a propriety and reasonableness about this scriptural enactment, which every one may see. It is also a law, that the "servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes;" (Luke xii. 47, 48;) which plainly means, that if those fall, who have had superior advantages, they will sink into deeper degradation than those, who may not have been so favorably circumstanced. The opposite of the highest good is the deepest evil: the higher the summit is from which man falls, the more certain, the more terrible becomes his destruction. Hence, the fall of the Adamic church was so dreadful in its results! It was effected by the successive shutting out of good and truth from their affections and thoughts, until, at last, both their wills and understandings were closed against their admission. Hereupon, they became infested with all sorts of abominable persuasions, from which they were not afterwards willing to recede. "The wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually:" (Gen. vi. 5:) therefore, whatsoever fell into their ideas, was, by the cupidity of their self-love, converted into a means of lust, and finally, they supposed themselves to be as gods: this was the state indicated by the delusion of the serpent, |