62. However, reason conceives that, if a mediator is possible, if a mediator has come, two indispensable traits must be found in him. 1st. That he must fulfil the evident condition of so merciful a reconciliation, namely, that of possessing a nature elevated enough to hold a relation to the Supreme Creator, and capable at the same time of entering into a relation with us; without which his mediation would be vain and of no effect. "A mediator is not a mediator of one." (Gal. iii. 20). (212.)

2d. He must fulfil, besides the fundamental and original condition of that perfect happiness which he wishes to restore to us, that of perfect innocence, or perfect virtue, without which he would himself, like us, have need of a Saviour. "You will surely say unto me this proverb," said Jesus to the Jews, "Physician, heal thyself." (Luke iv. 23.)

64. Here the teachings of reason are arrested, as before an insurmountable barrier; it has nothing more to say to us. We must pause, or take, to prosecute our inquiries, another guide superior to reason, and this guide can only be the teaching given by God to man; for beyond the reason of man we recognize nothing but the supreme reason of God. This Divine instruction is called Revelation.

TREATISE

Ο Ν THE

CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

REVELATION.

65. REVELATION is a communication from God to men, either to assure them of things which they believe, or to teach them things of which they are ignorant. Thence, it results that a revelation must be superior to our reason by the new information, or the greater certainty which it gives us; without which it could teach us nothing. But a revelation cannot be contrary to our reason, because it is God who has given us these two methods of knowing religious truths, reason and revelation. The act by which God reveals truth to man is called inspiration (232, 233, 234).

66. The revelation which constitutes the Christian religion is contained in the sacred books of the Old and New Testament. (2 Cor. iii. 6, 14.) They are also called the Bible, a Greek word

which signifies book, in order to designate them. as The Book above all others. which are of different kinds,

These writings,

some, historical

records; others, songs or poems; some, moral treatises; and lastly, epistles or letters, were composed at different periods, in a space of about two thousand years, by inspired men. The Bible, then, contains a direct and positive revelation from God.

The principal writers of the Old Testament are Moses, David, Solomon, Ezra, and among the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The authors of some of the historical books are unknown. The eight authors of the books and epistles contained in the New Testament are St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. John (the four Evangelists), and St. Paul, St. James, St. Peter, and St. Jude. The proofs of the inspiration and truth of the Holy Scriptures cannot be appreciated without first knowing the contents of the Bible (219, &c.).

CREATION.

67. The Bible opens with the account of the creation of all things. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." (Heb. xi. 3.) The beginning which is mentioned in Genesis, in the first account of the creation (Gen. i. 1, 2, 3), is the beginning, not of

"Where wast thou

humanity, but of all things. when I laid the foundations of the earth? (Job Xxxviii. 4.) This beginning, then, points out the mysterious period when God existed alone, since he existed before all his works (40). The history of our earth commences at the second verse, which is only a short and poetical description of the state in which it was before the creation of man. It is commonly called chaos, and this idea. is found in all early traditions.

68. The six days are six epochs, since it is only at the fourth epoch that the earth received light from the sun. The duration of these primitive periods it is impossible to know. It was at the sixth that man was created. (Gen. i.) "God himself formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited." (Isa. xlv. 18.)

69. The resemblance of man to God consists in the gift of God to him of a portion of his wisdom, his power, and his goodness. (Gen. i. 26; Eph. iv. 24.)

70. The sanction which God gave to his works

is expressed in these words: "God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good." (Gen. i. 31.) In this sanction man is included; he was then innocent and perfectly happy (47).

71. The sanctification of the seventh day should

be considered as a positive institution of a day of rest and of worship, and this gift remains to man in his sinful state, without losing any of its The Sabbath is a sign between God and

value.

man. (Ezek. xx. 12.)

INNOCENCE.

72. The second picture of the creation, which begins at Genesis ii. 4, shows man in Eden happy in his labor. "The Lord God placed man in Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. ii. 15); happy in the free use of all the products of the earth: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat" (Gen. ii. 16); and by fulfilling a law (49): "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it (Gen. ii. 17); and by his affections: "God gave to man · an help meet for him" (Gen. ii. 18); and by the exercise of his reason (8): "Adam named every creature on the earth." (Gen. ii. 19.)

different

73. The law laid upon Adam is very from the laws which we have received, because Adam was alone. This law, however, had three characteristics, it imposed a complete submission, an instructive privation, and a profound humility. It was, then, a moral law. This law was the condition (50) of Adam's happiness; and at first he remained faithful to it. We are igno