brother man, of divine These are the appropri nal life in the soul; selfishness mortified willingly by the cross of self-denial; true love of God, of principles, and of the universal good. ate fruits of regeneration. There is no other sufficient evidence that any human being has experienced spiritual regeneration. I need add no more. I think you must see that The necessity of spiritual regeneration is a cardinal principle of the Christian Religion; and that without this grand essential we cannot expect ever to build up true Practical Christian Communities, much less hope for the regeneration of universal humanity. CONVERSATION VII. The struggle of human nature from its lowest state of imperfection, internal and external, through the long career of progress upward to harmony with God-Scriptures relating to this struggle―The final, universal triumph of good over evil proved to be a cardinal truth of the Christian ReligionInquirer's objections and difficulties answered; showing that God's constitution of the universes, under conditions of progress from the lowest imperfection to final perfection, with all their variety of contrast, is an All-Wise system-Quotations from Pope and from Thompson. Inq. I have come to hear what you can say on your eighth principle of Theological Truth. I am very anxious to understand your views on that theme. Ex. I will endeavor not to disappoint you. The principle to be considered is,-The final universal triumph of good over evil. The Christian Religion contemplates human nature as struggling through a long and severe conflict for deliverance from its frailty, error, sin aud misery. This is a struggle of the spiritual mind with the carnal mind. It is a conflict of truth with error, light with darkness, love with selfishness, right with wrong, good with evil. Once commenced, it constantly goes on in each individual until truth and love, right and good, gain the victory. Likewise between lower and higher souls, the more carnal and the more spiritual. Likewise between the carnal and the carnal, the selfish and the selfish, the revengeful and the revengeful. Likewise between classes, parties, sects and nations-the wicked agaiust the wicked, the wicked against the righteous, the less righteous against the more righteous, and the less progressive against the more progressive. Hence Jesus declared that he came not to bring peace, but a sword of division among mankind; well knowing that so long as the world was low, dark, corrupt and unwilling to reform, in respect to the great majority, opposition, hatred and persecution would certainly be drawn forth against those who should em brace truth and righteousness. Hence also he knew that the animal man would war with the spiritual man, so soon as the latter should be born in every individual; and that the cross must be taken up daily, in order to the triumph of the spiritual mind over the carnal. Hence Paul wrote as in the following passages: 'Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came sin revived, and I died." "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which was good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin." For I know that in me (that is in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not." "I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. vii: 7-24. "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh [in the fleshly mind] cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none "Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye you. Ib. viii: 5-9. would." Gal. v: 16, 17. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing. that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. x: 4, 5. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood; but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephes. vi: 10-13. Inq. According to your ideas then, this individual, social, universal conflict, or warfare, is going on and will go on in the soul between the carnal and spiritual minds, between souls variously more or less carnal or spiritual, between societies variously carnal or spiritual, in fine, between all the powers of Light and Darkness manifestable in human nature, till at last Truth and Righteousness shall triumph over their opposites. Ex. Yes. Inq. And you are sure that the Scriptures affirm your eighth principle, as a cardinal truth in the Christian Religion, viz: The final universal triumph of Good over Evil? Ec. I am; and I present the following passages as samples of their class : 4 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matt. iii: 11, 12. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." John i: 29. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets : I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, Ib. till all be fulfilled." Matt. v 17, 18. Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." Matt. xii: 18, 20. "For the Son of man is come to save that which is lost." xviii: 11. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Ib. xxviii: 18. "After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Ib. vi: 9, 10. "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; which is indeed the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." Ib. xiii: 31-33. "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." "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: 10, 11, 13, 14. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." John iii: 17. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands." Ib. iii: 35. I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will who hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day. Ib. vi; 38, 39. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Ib. xii: 32. "And he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you; whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world |