ARTICLE V.

VIEWS OF TRUTH PECULIAR TO CHRISTIANITY.

By Seth Sweetser, D. D., Worcester, Mass.

THE determination of the views of truth which are peculiar to Christianity, demands, almost necessarily, a previous consideration of the truths which are peculiar to revelation. For the inquiry, in its scope, is not limited to the doctrines or religious truths which distinguish the new dispensation from the old; but aims to determine what is distinctively Christian truth, as given in the New Testament, compared with religious truths, found anywhere else, within the range of human knowledge. Only a small portion of the world have enjoyed a written revelation. But without this limited circle, much knowledge of Divine things has been found in every age, and numerous correct ideas of duty have been entertained. To what extent this knowledge is traditionary from earlier unwritten revelation, and how far it may have incorporated into itself the ideas which had their origin in the Jewish or Christian Scriptures, cannot be easily determined. The strong presumption is, that the notions which prevailed among oriental nations of a Supreme Deity, and which, in connection with many superstitions and human inventions, were communicated to the Greeks and Romans, were derived from those, who, in the early history of the race, knew the true God as their Creator and Sovereign. The successive modifications which these notions underwent, give considerable force to the opinion, that a knowledge of the one true God preceded the gross forms of polytheism and the refined ideas of an elevated philosophy. From whatever source the primitive idea may have been derived, it is certain that men and nations, who have not had the written word of God, have arrived at many just and impres sive conceptions of the Deity, and established many rules of duty in harmony with those of the Holy Scriptures. In order to determine what truths, or what views of truth, are peculiar to the Bible, it is necessary to compare the ideas taught in the Bible with those which are found elsewhere. In making this comparison let us consider,

1. The notions held concerning God. In the Old Testament, God is distinctly announced as the one living and true God. To him is ascribed the creation of the world. He is the sole governor of the universe, the disposer of all events in providence, the one lawgiver. The various natural and moral、attributes of the Deity are clearly exhibited, presenting him as omnipotent, omniscient, infinite in holiness, goodness and truth. just God, a merciful God; kind and compassionate, regarding with paternal affection all the intelligent subjects of his kingdom. The unity of God is made especially prominent, and contrasted strongly and variously with the idolatrous notions prevalent among men. It is a pure system of Theism, allowing not the slightest departure from the strict idea of one God only, supreme on earth and in heaven, and alone entitled to the homage and adoration of men. God is distinctly an individual, not an abstract power, not an undefined cause, not a principle in nature or the animating spirit in a material universe. The personality of God, his independent existence, his individual spirituality are most rigidly declared. He is the antagonist of all pantheistic, material or polytheistic notions. The force with which these peculiarities are expressed, seems evidently to have been designed to meet the necessities of mankind at the time the revelation was given, and to check the tendency to idolatry and superstition. There is a manifest tendency in the Old Testament Scriptures, to reestablish and fix the knowledge of the living and true God, which had become so greatly obscured, or had been lost sight of. The teaching of the Old Testament, in relation to God, proceeds from this one idea. In passing into the pagan world, we at once meet with a different set of ideas. A conception of God, some notion of a Supreme Being, is found, perhaps we may say, everywhere. Connected with the grossest forms of Polytheism, the germs, at least, of the idea, that there is one God, are easily distinguished. This idea enters, with various degrees of clearness, into different religious systems, until it comes to be a well-defined spiritual idea in the minds of the gifted and deep-thinking philosophers, who earnestly struggled to comprehend both themselves and the universe. They taught that there is a Supreme Deity, who is to be worshipped and prayed to; who governs the world by his providence; who imparts knowledge, and presides over the actions of the intelligent creation. Plato, Seneca and Socrates, with a surprising depth and

clearness of intellect, uttered many profound and truthful sentiments respecting Divine things, and exhibited an understanding enlightened with striking views of God and his attributes. The idea of God is not, then, peculiar to the Bible. Nevertheless, the most erudite and acute philosophers mingled gross errors with the truths which they taught. They did not reach the simple idea of one only God, entirely and alone God, without connection with or any likeness to, any other God. The supreme numen of philosophy and of poetry, was only the greatest of the gods. He was the highest, the creator, he alone self-existent, king of kings, the father of men, and his existence defended by much the same arguments drawn from the order, fitness and beauty of material things, as are now used; but he was not God alone. Other inferior, subordinate beings, were also gods, so that, in the language of Cudworth, throughout the whole world "there is one agreeing language and opinion, that there is one God, the King and Father of all, and many gods, the sons of God, coreigners together with God." Without a written revelation as their guide, a very high and enlightened Theism was maintained as the speculation of philosophic minds. They reached these admirable notions by reconstructing and refining the fragmentary knowledge which they gathered from books and tradi tions, while, at the same time, the clear processes of reason which they adopted, justified their lofty conclusions. And, if the truths which they grasped, had not been obscured and weakened by associated errors; and had no polytheistic or pantheistic ideas been incorporated with them, philosophy might with much justice have vindicated its claim to a true knowledge of God.

2. We next consider the relations which were recognized towards God, with and without a revelation. It at once strikes the mind, upon surveying the two aspects of mankind, that, in one, the knowledge of God is with substantial authority, with the other, it is an almost powerless inference. The philosophers, whose researches were most profound and whose statements were most explicit, had no certain testimony. They proclaimed the being of God upon the authority of their own reason. It was with them the result of a nice and far-reaching speculation. From God they had received no communication, and such belief as they had, was so without sanction that, after all, it was little more than a bare, inoperative conception. They had ideas of God, notions of God, but not a substantial knowledge of God.

But in revelation God communicated himself, addressed himself to his creatures, uttered his law with awful sanctions, and the living and true God, in the absoluteness of his authority over men, was distinctly made known. Thinking men among pagans admitted that God was the lawgiver, but the people had no positive and authoritative knowledge of his law. Divine requirements and prohibitions were never understood so as to command the will and conscience. In the best forms of religious opinion, it was declared that men should submit in all things to the will of God, as the highest liberty. But this will was never explicitly known, nor was it known how God would deal with those who violated his will. It was a remarkable notion of the Stoics, that nothing was to be done without reference to God; and it seems much like the teachings of Scripture, when they say, that we are to trust in God and rely upon him, praise him as the author of all good, address all our devotions to him, and implore his assistance against temptations. These are Biblical ideas; and yet, as they stand upon no other authority than the conclusions of superior intellects, they have but little force. A revelation sets forth the exact relations of man to God; it is an authoritative director to obedience; it gives law precisely, in the name of God; it teaches from God, how God is to be worshipped, and what course of life he would that men should lead. It is doubtless true, that men had a consciousness of separation from God. But without a revelation they were unacquainted with the method of reconciliation with God. A great design, fulfilled by revelation as a whole, is, opening to men a way of pardon. The heathen mind was sadly in the dark on this important subject. Some faint glimpses they had concerning God's forgiving sin. They cherished some inadequate ideas of pardon. Still, they were profoundly ignorant of the way of peace with God. They were stung with a sense of guilt. They trembled before incensed deities. They brought sacrifices and offerings to altars consecrated by superstitious fears. They sought relief in expiatory rites and in solemn ceremonies. But no sweet promise of pardon had diffused joy in their sad hearts. The most refined speculations concerning God, and the relation of his creatures to him, afforded no practical solution to the weightiest problem of life. One message from the throne of Jehovah, one promise of mercy distinctly announced with its intelligent conditions, would have been of more worth than all the collected wisdom of the Grove

and the Porch. While cultivated minds cherished so many shadowy and unsettled notions respecting Deity, they could not teach the vulgar those necessary truths on which peace with God depends. They were left in a night well-nigh rayless and hopeless. "Across this night philosophy flitted on like the lantern fly of the tropics, a light to itself and an ornament, but alas! no more than an ornament of the surrounding darkness." Most strikingly in contrast are the vivid and luminous expositions of the Bible, revealing a God whose most illustrious attribute is mercy, and who delights in forgiveness upon known and settled conditions; pointing out to us our duty, and defining, with admirable clearness, the important relations of men to their Creator. 3. The views entertained in respect to the immortality of the soul. The germs of knowledge on this subject are almost coextensive with thought and reflection. Pagan systems generally imply, if they do not express, the notion of a future existence. Philosophy, in its speculations upon the immortality of the soul, has presented some of the proudest evidences of its strength, and reached some of its happiest conclusions. It has not, indeed, lifted the veil of futurity and dissipated its gloom. It has not fixed and delineated the position and character of the soul in another life. But, while it really settled, beyond question, no one truth of the doctrine of immortality, it did much to meet and encourage the unquenchable yearnings and aspirations of the mind. It accomplished all that could reasonably have been expected from the limited and infantile struggles of unaided reason. Even the Old Testament does not give all the light which the immortal aspirations of men crave. It is reserved for the more perfect revelation of Jesus Christ to bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel. And, moreover, the views entertained in regard to the condition of the soul in the immortal life, without a revelation, are insufficient and unsatisfying. It was declared that God would punish sin. Some taught that sin would be punished and that virtue would be rewarded in another life. But with how much childishness of fancy, and with what grossness of imagination these ideas were reduced to form, is too well known to be adduced here. It is eminently a distinction of revelation, to instruct men definitely in regard to a future state, and its condition, and the relation which its happiness or misery bears to this life. The teachings of the Bible transcend all human conceptions in regard to these vital points in religion,