66 * times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Hebrews i: 1, 2. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter i: 21. " Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently; ✶ ✶✶ searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings. of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel." 1 Pet. i: 11, 12. 1 Pet. i: 11, 12. "All Scripture, given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 2 Tim. iii: 16. "Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Ephes. ii: 20. I need not quote passages of Scripture to sustain this point. The entire Bible is characterized by records of divine revelations and inspirations given to patriarchs, prophets, apostles, &c. To deny that God ever has revealed, or ever does reveal himself to man, except in the ordinary course of Nature,-that he ever has inspired man, or ever does, except through the ordinary activities of the mind, is to discard the Christian Religion. Inq. How do you understand these divine revelations and inspirations to have been given to man? Ex. In various ways. That all-pervading, omnipresent divine essence, which I have called the Christ-Spirit, and which in Scripture is called the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, &c., I have described as concentrable and personalizable in any degree, at any point, or within any susceptible created mind. I have said that God can do this, at will, whenever and wherever necessary to the good of his finite children. It is by means of this concentrating and personalizing capability that all special divine revelations and inspirations are given. Sometimes they are given through angels and departed spirits, who render themselves visible and audible, or manifest them selves in a striking manner to the senses of the recipient. Sometimes throngh extraordinary visions, trances and dreams. Sometimes by powerful impressions and presentiments of a purely mental and spiritual nature. And sometimes by deep, distinct and irresistible suggestions to the inmost soul. Underlying all these there is a general, perhaps I may say universal, divine inspiration acting with greater or less effect on human nature. Inq. When you speak of supernatural and special divine revelations, do you mean that they are contrary to Nature, and that they imply a suspension of natural laws? Ex. I mean by supernatural, not contra-natural, but highernatural. It is as natural for the Divine Nature to act in its own way, as for any subordinate nature to act in its own way. There are higher and lower natures. The activities and manifestations of a higher nature are supernatural to every lower nature. As to natural laws, they are only the modes by which different natures under certain conditions operate or act. Mineral natures have their modes of action under given conditions, vegetable natures theirs, animal natures theirs, rational natures theirs, angelic natures theirs, and the Divine Nature its own. All these differ more or less, and the higher is always capable of transcending, modifying and even suspending the modes of action peculiar to a lower nature. And yet superior natures act as naturally in their sphere as inferior ones do in theirs. But the higher are supernatural to the lower, and are miraculous to them only because above their plane of natural action. Ing. Do you understand Divine revelations and inspirations to have ceased? Ex. By no means. What I have denominated general inspiration certainly has not ceased, and never can. Nor do I see why special revelations and inspirations should cease. I do not believe they have ceased, or ever will cease, till "God shall be all in all." The ancient revelations and inspirations intimate no long cessation of their like, but plainly point forward to fresh and even more glorious ones to be enjoyed by mankind. Inq. Do you regard Divine inspiration as perfect or plenary, in any case, so as to preclude all possibilty of human error on the part of the inspired person? Er. Jesus Christ alone claimed such perfection for himself, and stands honored by prophets and apostles, as the only one plenarily inspired, or perfectly God-possessed. All the Bible inspirees are declared to have received the Divine Spirit "by measure"; but he without measure. All the prophets and apostles, under both Testaments, confess the limitation of their inspiration, and that they were more or less erring and frail. But they all make him perfect in the Divine Spirit, Wisdom and Love-and sinless. And, without the least seeming vanity or boasting, he represents himself as dwelling perpetually in God, and having the Father within him; as speaking the words, doing the works, and cherishing the Spirit of the Highest; as always pleasing Him. He alone, then, stands forth the living illustration of a perfect, plenary, infallible inspiration. All others, ancient and modern, however gloriously and reliably inspired at times, and on occasions, have been, are and must be, liable to error in a greater or less degree. Do you understand me? Inq. I think I do; and I shall give every part of your exposition the most careful and just consideration. CONVERSATION V. The 4th principle of Theological Truth considered-Inquiries answered respecting the existence of evil angels and spirits; respecting the resurrection of the mortal body, Christ's body, &c.; and respecting the general resurrection-Manifestive resurrections, as distinguished from the universal, absolute resurrection-5th principle of Theological Truth considered, with the proper qualifications thereof-Recess. Inq. I am ready to consider what you have to say concerning your remaining principles of Theological Truth. Ex. I resume with the fourth of them; viz:-The immortal existence of human and angelic spirits. That there is a world of spiritual and immortal existence, into which all mankind pass at or soon after the death of the body-a world wherein are innumerable angels and spirits of various grades-is certainly a cardinal principle of the Christian Religion. The world to come, the resurrection of the dead, and the existence of angels and spirits, are prominently spoken of throughout the Christian Scriptures, as realities of the sublimest importance. The following passages are samples : "The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage; but they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for all live unto him." Luke xx: 34-38. "And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts xxiv: 15. "We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, carnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven; if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight). We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." 2 Cor. v: 1-9. Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah." 1 Pet. iii: 18-20. He "is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For, for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." Ib. iv: 5, 6. "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." Rom. xiv: 9. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." Luke ii: 13, 14. And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elias; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." Ib. ix: 30,31. "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" Matt. xxvi: 52. "When he bringeth the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." 'He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. i: 6, 7, 14. |