Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-08-14

oAo ~ ioesSc'3 III "utSo HAL SuSL1lDS
new relations to tho Hivino Being, and
is henco called upon tb discharge. hith.
orto unknown duties. Natural an /
revealed Religion-thus form parts of
ono great schemo of Providenco, and
their analogy to tho course and CEN
stitutlon of nature furnishes Il conclu.
sivo vindication of their truth. Is it
objected that tho doctrines of rcli-
gion arc mysterious and Incompetent
sIble, and that tho view which they
disclose of Gods dealings with his
creatures impugn his character for
justice and benovolcncc; it is shown,
that thore is no difficulty in theology
which docs not first emerge in nature;
and no objection to religion, which
may not be urged to that constitution
and course Of nature which has been
established by tho Natural and Moral
Governor of the Universe. Docs the
finito and feoble intellect of man pre-.
sumo TO scan tho purposes, and COM
prchcnd tho plans Of tho infinite and
eternal? Does it presume to apply
its own narrow. .compassos and light
balances, to measure those counsels
which embrace tho infinite universe,
and find their development in tho
everlasting ages? 1t is met in nature,
alike as i'll revelation, with difficulties
which baftio enquiry and mysteries
which transcend the fnito comprehcn-
sion, and find in the ignorance 'of man
and tho imporfcction of his faculties,
their only proper solution. All objec.
tions then, which arc urged to Revcla-
ton as scheme mysterious and in.
comprehensive, arc entirely frivolous.
Did it contain clear immoralitios, or
contradictions, either of these would
prove it false; but certainly it is no
objection to Divine Revelation, that
it embraces much which is abovo rea
son, and the gasp of our finite capaci-
ties.
But turning from the scheme of
Revelation, lot us consider for a mo-
ment the evidence upon which it rests
its credentials, that it is. i MESA. 20
from God.
First we have train of miracles :,
in the most auth oritative man.
ner, Which is within the competence of
history. 1t is an acknowledged his
torica! fact, that the great doctrines
Of the Old and Now Testaments were
offered to tho world and claimed to be
received on tho authority of miracles
publicly wrought in attostation of
their truth-that in this respect our
religion differs from all othor religi.
ous-and that upon tho faith of these
miracles, tho truths Of the Bibo were
embraced and proftssed, and that, too,
i n spite of tho opposing claims of tenn
poral interest, education, prejudice
and authority. Can We doubt the
competency Of witnesses who testified
to facts which wero publicly wrought
in their presence? Can we doubt tho
sincerity of men, who bore attesta-
tion to tho truth at the peril of their
lives, and vindicated their faith by
their sufferings and death? No tho
miracles of the Jewish and Christian
faith were too we'll established by
contemporary evidence to be gainsay.
ed, in the agos which Witnessed
their occurrence; but it was reserved
for tho critical sagaoity of Pauius
and a Strauss, or the philosophic acu-
men Of a Hume to deny the possibility
of miracle, or tho conolusiveness of
any testimony, which might be
brought to establish its occurrence.
The position of Hume that all oxperi-
ence is against miracles, is mere beg
ging of the question, whilst on the
contrary to assume that what is be.
yond experience, is contrary to 1t and
cannot be proved, involves the absurd.
,ity of rejecting every new discovery
in science. The miracle is not con-
trary to rfature, because it emanates
from the God Of nature himsolf. 1t is
merely an exercise Of power beyond
its ordinary manifestations, BY which
the God of nature and Revelation de-
signs to aceredit his messengers and
vindicate his truth; and extort from a
believing world Che testimony of Nico.
demus, "Rabbi, we know that thou ar.
teacher como from God, for no man
can do these miracles that thou doest
except God be with him."
But turning from miracle to proph.
ecy, we find proofs equally conclusive
of tho Divine origin .of. Revelation.
Roll back the stream Of time and
Listen with me in Imagination to that
proph promise which first. temper
ed the bitterness of. the curse, "The
seed of the woman shall bruise the ser