In precisely the same way, in nature, there are certain things that we must know, or we can not enjoy the blessings God has in nature for us. There are certain principles in nature that are practical and vital, and we must know them and act in continual reference to them, or we will come to inevitable ruin. But they are not subtle, deep and profound principles, requiring the utmost stretch of intelligence to set them forth or understand them. These lie upon the surface, are the first things we come to, and may be easily learned, and understood sufficiently for all practical purposes. God has wisely arranged, in both nature and grace, or in the temporal and spiritual kingdoms, so that what we must know may be easily learned, thus showing his benevolence in both, and that both have marks of the same Authorship. In these matters there is no excuse for being misled. In other words, if any one is misled, he must be an easy dupe, a willing victim.
In religion, on the part of the man of faith, certain principles are settled, and not to be opened anew, and investigated from the foundation, every time any new phase may appear. Certain other matters are so self-evident, that they need only to be well stated to satisfy any ordinary mind. These are the matters that move the world, and not the abstruse and subtle things. They are the matters that carry conviction to the mind, settle the understanding, and leave it in a state of satisfaction and rest. They call out the response, almost involuntarily, that is so. It does not have to be proved again.
As an illustration:—In a union meeting in which we participated, many years ago, and after the discussions had continued eight days and nights, in which some ten parties participated, on the last evening of the meeting, a gentleman rose and inquired if he might speak, at the same time explaining that he was a sceptic. The chairman said that it was no church meeting, and if he intended speaking to the point before the meeting, he should be heard. Several expressed a desire to hear him, and no one objected. He said he only intended to say a few words. Pointing to those of us who contended for union on the Bible, he said: “If the Bible is true, these men are right, for they insist on your taking the Bible and going by it. If the Bible is not true, I am right, and there is no show at all for the balance of you.” That is a case that needs no argument.
Before we belonged to the church, we spent a few days in a worthy family. The head of the family was a class leader in the M. E. Church, a kind-hearted and good man. He was zealous, and desired to benefit us religiously, and made sundry attempts to talk to us. We knew but little about the matters of which he talked, and really did not desire to say enough to discover to him how little we did know. But after further acquaintance we inquired of him as follows: “If a man will take the Scriptures, read them, believe them, and do what they require, will he not be a Christian?” With somewhat of an air of surprise, he replied: “No; he must have something more than that.” This “something more than that” was the perplexing part. What more could there be than the Scriptures require? Then, if there is something more than the Scriptures require, how did any man find it out? And, still further, what is it? If it is not required in Scripture, how does any man know that it is required at all? Of course we mean on the human part, or that which is required of man. When we inquire how a man is to obtain a crop of corn, we do not mean how he is to make soil, how he is to get atmosphere, sunshine, rain, etc., but how he is to perform his part. If the soil has not in it the qualities to produce corn; if the right state of atmosphere is not given, the sun does not shine, and the rain does not come, he is not to blame. It is useless to preach about the properties of the soil, the atmosphere, the warm sunshine, the rain, etc., in showing a man how to grow corn. On all these matters a man might preach philosophically, learnedly and correctly, but not another grain of corn would grow, for all his fine talk. This is not the practical nor the human part. But the man must be instructed how to put the ground in order, how to plant and cultivate, in showing him how to obtain a crop of corn, with the divine blessing, but certainly not without it.
First. We have long since settled the question about the authority of the Bible. That is no more an open question, unless we please, for the sake of argument, to look at it as an open question. We receive what the Bible says implicitly, or because the Bible says it.
Second. Then it is the rule, and there is not a reason in this world for not taking it and going by it. It is the rule, the final, the absolute authority. It must be received in all things.
Third. Then the gospel preached by the apostles—precisely, no more, no less, no other—must be preached by us. What they preached then or in their time must be preached now or in our time.
Fourth. The gospel preached by the apostles was precisely what the people were required to believe, in their time, and what they did believe to the salvation of their souls. This same gospel precisely is what the people in our time are required to believe, and what they must believe to the salvation of their souls, or not be saved at all.
Fifth. The things commanded to be done in the preaching of the gospel by the apostles were the things which they did that they might be saved. The same things precisely which they were commanded to do, and which they did to be saved, are the things now commanded to be done by those who believe the gospel, that they may be saved. These things must be done now for precisely the same purpose as they were then.
Sixth. If, with precisely the same faith, the same things are done, for the same purpose, the same result will follow. No man can give a reason against this conclusion.