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CHAPTER VIII.

RULES FOR INTERPRETATION.

SUPPOSE that a fellow-man, should set before you, a machine constructed by himself, and you should examine, and trace its uses, by the powers of your own mind. In this instance, you are yourself finite, the maker of the machine is finite, and the machine itself, is finite. There is nothing, therefore, in the nature of things, to preclude you from discovering the uses of the instrument, by your own capacities. Probably, however, the instrument may relate to some art or science, in the elements of which, you are not grounded, and then, before you can understand the machine, you must study those elements. Yet, if you have life and time enough, and if you diligently devote your capacities to the subject, I repeat, there is nothing in the nature of things, to preclude you from understanding the construction and uses of the instrument.

But now imagine, that, instead of putting you to this long trial of discovery, the maker of the instrument, having caused it to be placed before you, should himself appear and remain by your side, and reveal to you, by his words, the whole object of the mechanism. It is highly probable, that, in this manner, you might much better understand the design and action of the work. But one thing, however, is very certain-the revealed knowledge, which the maker of the instrument might disclose to you by his words, would not differ in its truths, from the natural knowledge which the workmanship of the machine, would itself communicate, if you were left to the discoveries of your faculties, and should use them aright and successfully. If, on the contrary, the maker should say to you," this part of my instrument operates in such and such a manner, and produces such a result," and you should examine, and find that it does not so operate, and that it does not and cannot produce that result, you then come to the conclusion, either that the maker has been mistaken, or that he is attempting to deceive you. You would act very unreasonably, if you should believe his unverified word, against all the dictates of your senses, and the unequivocal results of every experiment.

The conclusion that I wish to draw is this: natural and revealed truth are always in harmony; and our own reason, by which I mean not one faculty of our minds only, but all our powers, organs, or instincts, wherewith we are constituted, are the only criterion by which we can test and ascertain the accuracy or falsehood of any disclosure made to us.

In the former instance I have supposed that the maker and the instrument were finite; but I will now put another case.

The infinite Creator has set before man, the infinite creation or mechanism of the works of Jehovah; and has furnished us with powers of knowledge, conformably to His design, as to the part which we, who are also His work, are to act in His universe. Here it is manifest, at once, that, as we are finite, but the Maker or Creator is infinite, and His work or instrument, although seen by us, in parts, is either without limit, or, at least, is capable of an infinite operation and extension, according to His Almighty power and infinite wisdom; it is manifest, I say, that although we may discover certain small portions of the actions of the work of the Lord, we can never, by our own powers, comprehend its fulness, or lay hold of the infinite design of the Lord in the creation. Even if our powers were inconceivably greater than they are, yet all finiteness combined is as nothing compared with infinity; and if left to our own dogmas or assumption of wisdom, we should go on eternally, only plunging from one error into another. For never, never, could we discover or behold that one entireness of will, or unit of purpose and harmony, which is the great centre of action in the universe of God. It is true, we are furnished with powers of knowledge, conformably to the design of the Lord, in our creation; but those powers, by a necessity inherent in every creature, require that we should not only see the works, but also hear the word, or revelation of our infinite Parent.

But how are we to judge of a revelation professing to be divine? Simply, by all the powers which God has bestowed upon us; for they are bestowed upon us for the express purpose that we may know and glorify God. Revealed truth, when brought down from heaven, and presented to us for comparison and judgment, or placed within the reach or knowing distance of our mental eye, will never differ from natural knowledge, or the knowledge that our own powers would have communicated to us by discovery,

had they been competent to extend, at once, to the throne of heaven. By all the powers of our mind, viz: by every faculty, sentiment, and instinct which God has bestowed upon us, we are to receive, to know, to judge of, to construe, or interpret and obey, every work, and every word or revelation of the Almighty.

Let us now illustrate this rule, by some examples.

See that rich man: he is possessed of ample fields, and numerous and spacious mansions. His granaries are filled with abundance; his wealth is countless; beautiful flocks and herds pasture on his grounds; he is blessed with children, who grow up in health, and are adorned with every polite and pleasing accomplishment; men hold him in honor, and whenever he goes forth, greetings, apparently cordial, attend him, and his acquaintance contend for the privilege of being near his person. But is this man really holy and upright in the sight of God? Is he grateful for the benefits which he enjoys? Does he employ his possessions as a steward of the Most High? Does he seek and avail himself of every opportunity to do good? Is he the refuge and protection of the afflicted, the widow, and the orphan? Alas! No. So far from this, his heart is as a lion and a beast of prey. He tramples down the afflicted and the weak, and his immense wealth is the spoil of the defenceless, the ignorant, the widow, and the orphan. Every stone in his house calls out against him, for rapine, for extortion, and cruelty; and the name of God is openly scoffed and blasphemed by him.

Come now to the humble cot and the small patch of ground of the poor man, whose property adjoins the estate of this wealthy lord. The poor old man, broken by disease, and oppressed by the accumulating weight of years, can with difficulty earn a scanty subsistence by incessant and daily toil. No wife cheers his labor; no kindred gather around him; it has pleased his heavenly Father to try him with afflictions; and one after another, he has followed to the grave all whom he loved. Yet penury and grief have not extinguished the benevolence of that old man's heart. Cold and selfish has the world been to him. But the world has not taught him her selfish maxims, nor caused his heart to beat with one throb less of pity for others. Gladly does he receive and welcome the wanderer, and share his morsel with him. And, day and night, the grateful outpourings of his aged heart ascend to the Giver of all good, for undeserved mercies and manifold bounties.

What are the providences of our heavenly Father in respect to this just man, and the evil? "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust." This is what we call a law of nature. It is one of the parts of the operation of the great machine of creation, which the Lord has set before us. What lesson does the natural or unassisted heart of man derive from this action of the works of the Deity? It is this: "We are delivered to do all these abominations;*" "What is the Almighty that we should serve Him, and what profit should we have if we pray unto Him?t" "These things hast thou done, (says the Lord,) and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself." Thus we are hardened by the very goodness of the Lord, and we call the proud happy, and envy their condition; never considering that a day of fearful retribution will surely come, when every talent and possession which the Lord has committed to our care, will be required from us, with the most exact and unerring accuracy, and that the long-suffering and goodness of God are designed to lead us to repentance.

I call upon all my readers to say, whether any natural philosopher, uninformed by a revelation from the Lord, has ever drawn from the law of nature, which I have mentioned, the conclusion, that we should love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those, who despitefully use and persecute And yet no sooner is this argument announced by the Divine Mind, than we perceive the irresistible force of it; and are astonished that it did not before occur to our perceptions.

us.

Again let us consider another law of nature; in other words, another mandate of the Divine Will, impressed upon the creation, which the Lord exhibits to us.

Statistical inquiries have proved the fact, that the two sexes of our race are nearly equal. If we look through the present competitive and warring state of society, we shall discern that the strong instinct of nature, which binds the parent to the child, is almost the only hold which now unites communities. For the spirit of hate, has broken off men from each other, into such small fragments, that little remains but the domestic hearth, where a natural and generous love exists. And even there, this spirit seems like an archangel in ruins; although, impaired as its lustre is, it is still the

* Jer. vii. 10.

† Job xxi. 15.

Ps. 1. 21.

source of all the social strength, and public virtue which prevail. The child who yields a dutiful and affectionate reverence to its parent, will make a good citizen, an upright magistrate, a sincere friend; and, in its turn, will become a faithful husband or wife, and head of a family. This should teach us, the indispensable sanctity of the marriage vow, as an institution of heaven; it should cause polygamy, bigamy, seduction, and all incontinence, to be regarded not only with abhorrence, but as the actual destruction of national and social union, prosperity, and safety; and should brand every violator of chastity, as an enemy to man.

But is this the way, in which the world regards the law of nature, to which I have turned your attention? Do they not rather argue from the example of some beasts, that man has no other law, but the law of sensual appetite; and that desires were given in order to be gratified? Nay; even with the book of divine life, open before us, do not many persons pretend, that the law of marriage was a curse inflicted upon our first mother, for her original disobedience; and that, under the dispensation of Christ, the institution is done away? Philosophers, who advocate the utility of marriage and the duty of continence, in a temporal view, without deriving their authority from the Bible, do not ascribe the millionth part of the force to the law, which its importance demands. For the heart is affected and polluted by unchaste desires, although external circumstances may prevent the indulgence of them; and not only must women, but men, and all men and all women be upright and pure in thought, word, and action: for God is no respecter of persons.

Turn now to the revelation of God, and see how it is, that the word of our Maker, speaks of this law of nature, which He has impressed upon His work.

Had not the Supreme Being, power to make as many wives for Adam, or as many husbands for Eve, as He chose? And yet He made but one woman for one man. And why did He make one, and only one? He had the residue of power to make more. Wherefore, then, did He make only one? The answer is given"that He might seek A GODLY SEED."* This holy and loving union, was no curse, as some foolishly pretend, inflicted upon our first parents. It was a law of their original creation; and ought to be a source of tender joy, and pious constancy and fidelity; an

* Mal. ii. 15.