$8. THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS.

Ir is apparent to the most superficial inspection of the scriptures, that the religion even of the Old Testament saints, and much more that of the primitive church, was one which placed man in direct communication with God. Not a saint can be found among all whose names are enrolled on the inspired record-from Abel to the last of the apostles-whose biography does not savor strongly of that marvelousness which necessarily waits upon the open manifestations of Divinity. Dreams, visions, oracles, angelic visitations, conversations with God, inspirations, infusions of superhuman power, &c., are profusely scattered through the history of Judaism. And yet the glory of New Testament Christianity as far exceeds that of the preceding dispensation, in respect to all these and many other manifestations of God's presence, as sun-light exceeds star-light."

* Phrenologists define marvelousness to be 'credulity--disposition to believe what is not proved, or what are considered supernatural manifestations.' (Fowler & Kirkham, p. 141.) Spurzheim says it is 'a tendency to believe in inspirations, presentiments, phantoms, &c. Combe says the organ of marvelousness 'is uniformly large in fanatics. It predominates in the Rev. Edward Irving, and in all his followers whom I have seen.' (Combe's Phrenology, p. 79.) By the marvelousness of the Bible, we mean that characteristic of the Bible which requires 'marvelousness' in those who receive it. The following statistics give the result of a running examination of the whole Bible with reference to this point:

Supernatural omens,

Significant dreams,

MARVELOUS EVENTS RECORDED IN THE BIBLE.

Appearances of angels and other supernatural beings,

Supernatural visions,

Miracles specifically mentioned, (not including the vast number alluded to in Matt. 8: 16, and like passages,)

Inspired prophecies, revelations, and other direct communications from the Lord,

Total, 778

The items here enumerated, by no means embrace all the matter in the Bible that might be classed under the head of marvelousness. Special providences, religious exercises like those described in many of the psalms, and in short every recognition of the presence and direct agency of God or any other invisible being, might be placed in the same category. But the statistics already given are sufficient for our purpose. It is manifest that marvelousness is a very prominent characteristic of the Bible; and any one who will take the trouble to examine, may see that it pervades every part, we might almost say, every page of the book. It is not confined to those portions which were written in the earlier and darker ages of Judaism. Modern philosophy teaches that supernatural wonders diminish, as light increases. But we find the contrary of this true of the Bible. The character and history of Jesus Christ is surrounded with more of the materials of marvelousness, than that of Moses and the prophets. The new dispensation which he introduced, with all its increase of light, was accompanied by dreams, visions, appearances of angels, miracles, revelations and wonders of every kind, in greater abundance than ever was known before. The New Testament begins with the record of the supernatural conception of Jesus Christ, and ends with a gorgeous vision of the spiritual world.

Thus it is manifest that the Bible is fitted to feed and perpetuate what the sages of these philosophical times call fanaticism. A book, filled with excellent stories of special providences, miraculous deliverances, angelic visions, spiritual ecstasies, &c. &c.,and especially a book which is so implicitly credited as the Bible-cannot be generally read without begetting in many minds the image of its own spirit. Such men as Swe.

The main difference between the two dispensations, was this: In accordance with the general character of the introductory dispensation, God manifested himself to the Jewish saints in an external manner; i. e., by visions, vocal oracles, angels, or at the most by those external influences of the Spirit which affect, as it were, only the outer surface of the soul, as in the case of prophetic inspiration. Whereas he manifested himself to Christian believers in the deep sanctuary of their hearts, making them radically new creatures, taking away their sins, and giving them full and permanent fellowship with his own vitality. The indwelling of God was a mystery which was hid from the ages and generations' of Judaism, but was manifested to the primitive church. There was also this further difference. God manifested himself, even externally, only to a few under the Jewish dispensation. Whereas the promise of Christianity was, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.' This promise was fulfilled. The special manifestations which had before been confined to a few individuals in every age, were given, on the day of Pentecost and afterwards, to the whole church of God.

Hence

These differences, however, do not destroy the identity of faith under the two dispensations. The religion of both-i. e. the religion of the whole Bible -was based on immediate communication with God. The later manifestations were more complete, spiritual and universal, and of course produced greater changes of character, than the earlier; but the faith which invited and apprehended those manifestations, was the same in all ages. Paul, in the 11th of Hebrews, traces the history of one and the same faith, by a continuous line, from the beginning of the world till the advent of perfection by Christianity. The generic element in all the instances of faith which he adduces-and in the faith of Christianity as well as Judaism,-is an apprehension of, and confidence in the living God, as actually present, manifesting himself by signs and wonders, communicating superhuman wisdom and power, overruling, for the believer's comfort and protection, the powers of the spiritual and natural worlds.

We must distinctly mark the difference between this faith, and several counterfeits which have been extensively substituted for it.

1. Many talk about contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, as though this were to be referred to theological controversy, and as though the faith of the saints were belief in a mere scheme of doctrine. But was it by belief in an orthodox creed that the saints' stopped the denborg and Irving, however false and pernicious may have been their views in other respects, were certainly more nearly in spiritual concord with the Bible, in respect to marvelousness, than the philosophers and theologians who deride them. And while marvelousness remains a part of human nature, and the Bible is allowed to feed it, we may assuredly look for the appearance of such 'fanatics' ad infinitum. Those conserv. ators therefore, of the public morals, whose business it is to put down 'pestilent heresies,' must either return to the policy of Popery, and forbid the reading of the Bible by any but the clergy, (and even then some clerical enthusiast like Luther will break forth,) or they must give up their business, and seek the welfare of mankind by endeavoring to enlighten and purify the fanatical propensities, which they can neither smother nor control.

mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong?' Nothing can be plainer than that the faith once delivered to the saints,' as exemplified by Paul in the 11th of Hebrews, was directed, not toward doctrines, but toward the living God.

2. Philosophers and poets have an apprehension of God as manifested in the the works of nature,' which they call faith. But this implies no personal acquaintance with God. Believers of this kind sustain no nearer relation to God than one man would to another, in case the parties had never seen each other, or had any communication-but only had seen each other's productions. Whereas the faith exhibited in the Bible, manifestly introduced the saints to personal fellowship with God, so that they walked with him, conversed with him, received messages and messengers from him, and lived under his immediate protection and superintendence.

3. The faith of many religious persons consists in receiving the Bible as the word of God. They apprehend God as revealed through the scriptures.This kind of faith is like that last mentioned-only the believer in this case has not merely seen the works of the unknown being, but has received a letter from him, which he reveres and believes. The letter however is not addressed to him individually, but is a circular sent to all whom it may concern.' So that there is still no personal acquaintance.

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4. Another class of religionists, a little in advance of the former, by syste matizing the legal developments of the Bible, build up in their minds what they call a moral government, and place God at the head of it as king over moral beings. Their faith apprehends God in his official capacity. The relation between him and them is that of king and subject. Their king, like the kings of this world, is high and lifted up, far above his common subjects, distant and reserved. They see him only through his laws and state transactions. In all this there is no personal acquaintance, no vital union. God thus apprehended, is not in the believer, ruling by spiritual power, but over him' ruling by written laws. This is not the faith once delivered to the saints.' 5. Many of those already mentioned, and others, go so far as to admit certain measures of God's personal influence. They conceive of him not only as manifested through his works, his word, and his moral government, but as operating by his spirit on the mind. But they are careful to disclaim any thing like revelation, inspiration, and supernatural power. They regard the operations of the Spirit as only imperceptible auxiliaries to the truth, influences which never manifest themselves directly to the consciousness, or in any other way; and which never would be recognized at all, if the Bible did not testify of their existence. This is the worst counterfeit of all; for while it appropriates to itself much of the language of the ancient saints, and so makes itself the most respectable substitute for Bible faith, it as effectually excludes the living God from his proper place in the heart, and in the church, as any of the grosser forms of unbelief. It is this kind of faith which, while pretending to honor the spiritual power of God as the chief agent of salvation, yet dares not trust it, but thrusts the law into its place as the great presiding influence; and makes the Spirit its secondary adjunct. It is this kind of

faith which daubs over the apostasy of Christendom from the standard of the primitive saints, by teaching that 'the age of miracles is past'-an assumption, or rather a presumptuous falsehood, which is better fitted to destroy the legitimate influence of the Bible than all the enactments of Popery; since the Bible relates only to an age of miracles-its entire religion and morality is indissolubly interwoven with supernatural manifestations: it is therefore adap ted only to an age of miracles, and if it were true that the age of miracles is past, men of the present day would have little more practical interest in it than they have in the Arabian Nights' Entertainment. It is this kind of faith, which, while it loudly praises the prophets and apostles, derides as visionary enthusiasm every approach toward that direct communication with God which was the glory of prophets and apostles; and thus covertly, but really casts infamy on the entire religion of the Bible, and on all the saints of God. The true faith, of which the foregoing are counterfeits, while it recognizes the reflection of divine radiance in the works of nature, in the Bible, and in the moral government of the universe, still turns with chief interest to the direct manifestations of God by his Spirit; and it limits not the Holy One to imperceptible and dubious influences, but gives him room to reveal himself now, as in past ages, by all the appropriate operations of his infinite energy. There is an intrinsic and palpable absurdity in the idea of admitting the Spirit of God into the world, and yet curtailing its appropriate and formerly actual manifestations, under the plea that the age of miracles is past. age of miracles certainly is not past with God. He is as mighty as ever; and wherever his Spirit comes at all, there is superhuman, i. e., miraculous power; and if miraculous power is admitted into the world in the smallest degree, it cannot be said that the age of miracles is past with reference to man; and the way is therefore open for all the primitive manifestations of divine power. And then, how irrational it is to suppose that the same agent which once gave to man gifts of superhuman wisdom and power, is still present, but only as a latent auxiliary of the clergy! What a blasphemous descent is this, from the sublime to the ridiculous! As well might a purblind dotard say that the sun still shines, but the age of daylight is past, and only one of the seven colors which were the elements of ancient sunlight,—and that the dimmest-is now given to the world!

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The

We repeat it-the great central idea of the faith once delivered to the saints,' was that of the living God present in individual believers and in the church, and manifest by manifold tokens of superhuman wisdom and power. And let it be observed that the relation between God and man which this idea involves, is not, as unbelief would suggest, unnatural, and foreign from the original design of man's constitution. God made man in his own image, with the very intent that this relation should exist between themthat man should be the temple, or, we may say, the complement of God. Adam at the beginning lived in open companionship with his Maker. As woman was married to man, so man was married to God. And it was to restore this union, which sin had severed, that the Son of God was made flesh, and suffered death. The renewal and everlasting confirmation of the at-one-ment which existed between God and the first Adam, was the great

achievement of the second Adam. Moreover, it is plainly predicted in scripture that the human race in its final glory, shall return to open companionship with God-that his tabernacle shall be with men, and he shall dwell with them, and shall be their God.' A relation which existed at the beginningwhich Christ came and died to establish-which will exist in the final state of man, cannot be unnatural. On the contrary, the present ordinary condition. of mankind, living without God, is unnatural-at variance utterly with their original constitution. Man without his original spiritual Head, is as much out of the order of nature, as woman without a husband. The apostasy is the widowhood of the human race.

As the manifest indwelling of God is the essence of Bible religion, so it is the corner stone of Bible morality, education, social order, and physical wellbeing. All schemes of reform and improvement for soul and body, which have not this for their starting point and their end, however popular and promising they may be, are as certainly impostures as the Bible is a book of truth, and man was made to be the temple of his Maker. Who but a madman can expect to check the spiritual and physical disorders of social life, and restore mankind to harmony and happiness, while the first great wheel of the whole machinery by which the result is to be attained, is wanting? Trees without roots will as soon bud and blossom and bring forth fruit, as man will attain holiness of heart, virtue of action, wisdom of thought and health of body, without the indwelling of God.

The true reason why the great Reformation by Luther has failed, is that it turned the faith of the world to the Bible, rather than to God. Protes tants are learning by sore experience that the Bible is not a sufficient rule of faith and practice.' The numberless and still multiplying schisms of the reformed churches, are making it more and more manifest that the balancewheel of original Christianity is not yet recovered-that the Bible, without inspiration as the regulator of interpretation, is but an apple of discord.' In like manner all the subordinate reforms of more recent date which have any thing but the living God for their centre and propelling power, will sooner or later fail.

On the other hand, let the foundation of Bible faith be laid,-let God be invited by believing hearts to make his tabernacle with men, and reveal all the glory of his wisdom and power as he revealed it to the primitive church; let Him be installed and acknowledged as the ever-present and presiding Genius of Reform, and speedily sin and death will flee away, and the earth become as Eden.

Let all, then, who seek salvation for themselves, or long for the regener ation of the world- contend earnestly for the FAITH ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS.'