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The Evening and The Morning Star/1/3
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| Source document in Mormon Publications: 19th and 20th Centuries online archive: The Evening and The Morning Star Vol. 1
Note: Some headings and bracketed texts are editorial and not part of the original text. |
| THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR | ||
| Vol. 1. | Independence, Mo. August, 1832 | No. 3. |
The Cholera.
This desolating sickness is spreading steadily over the United States. The account of its ravages, in many places, we cannot give: The whole number of cases in New-York, to July 31, is-3731. Deaths-1520.
No man can stop the work of the Lord, for God rules the pestilence, and the pestilence rules men. Oceans, sentinels, and forts, may hinder men, or money may bribe, but when the pestilence rides on the wings of the wind, the ocean is no barrier; the sentinel has no power; the fort is no obstacle, and money has no value: the destroying angel goes, waving the banner of death over all; and who shall escape his pointed arrow? Not he that could brave death at the cannon's mouth, but shrink at the sound of the cholera; not he that worshiped [worshipped] his god in some stately chapel, every sabbath till the cholera comes, and then flees for his life; no; none but him that trusts in God, shall be able to stand when a thousand shall fall at his side, and ten thousand at his right hand, by the noisome pestilence.
Revelations.
COMMANDMENT, GIVEN MARCH 8, 1831.
Hearken, O ye people of my church, for verily I say unto you, that these things are spoken unto you for your profit and learning; but notwithstanding these things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church, from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit: nevertheless ye are commanded never to cast any one from your public meetings, which are held before the world: ye are also commanded never to cast any one, who belongeth to the church, out of your sacrament meetings: nevertheless, if any has trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation. And again I say unto you, ye shall not cast any out of your sacrament meetings, who is earnestly seeking the kingdom; I speak this concerning those who are not of the church. And again I say unto you, concerning your confirmation meetings, that if there be any that is not of the church, that is earnistly [earnestly] seeking after the kingdom, ye shall not cast them out, but ye are commanded in all things to ask of God who giveth liberally, and that which the spirit testifies unto you, even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men, for some are of men, and others of devils: Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived? and that ye may not be deceived, seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; for verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do, that all may be benefited; that seeketh or that asketh of me, that asketh and not for a sign that he may consume it upon his lusts.
And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what these gifts are, that are given unto the church, for all have not every gift given unto them, for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the spirit of God; to some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profied [profited] thereby; to some is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world; to others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful. And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men. And again it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of opperations [operations], whether it be of God or not, so that the manifestations of the spirit may be given to every man to profit with all. And again, verily I say unto you, to some it is given to have faith to be healed, and to others it is given to have faith to heal. And again, to some it is given, the working of miracles; and to others it is given to prophesy, and to others the discerning of spirits. And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues, and to another it is given the interpretation of tongues: and all these gifts cometh from the Lord, for the benefit of the children of God. And unto the bishop of the church, and unto such as God shall appoint and ordain to watch over the church, and to be elders unto the church, are to have it given unto them to discern all those gifts, lest there shall be any among you professing and yet not be of God. Behold, it shall come to pass that he that asketh in spirit shall receive in spirit; that unto some it may be given to have all those gifts, that there may be a head, in order that every member may be profited thereby; he that asketh in spirit asketh according to the will of God, wherefore it is done even as he asketh. And again I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the spirit; and ye must give thanks unto God in the spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with: and ye must practice virtue and holiness before me continually; even so. Amen.
COMMANDMENT, GIVEN MAY 9, 1831.
Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to the voice of the living God, and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the church, and the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth. Behold verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits, which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world: and also satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you. Behold I the Lord have looked upon you and have seen abominations in the church, which profess my name; but blessed are they who are faithful and endure whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life. But wo unto them that are deceivers, and hypocrites, for thus saith the Lord, I will bring them to judgment. Behold verily I say unto you, there are hypocrits [hypocrites] among you, and have deceived some which has given the adversary power but behold such shall be reclaimed, but the hypocrites shall be detected & shall be cut off, either in life or in death, even as I will, and wo is unto them that is cut off from my church, for the same is overcome of the world: wherefore, let every man be aware lest he do that which is not in truth and righteousness before me.
And now come, saith the Lord, by the spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us reason together, that ye may understand: let us reason even as a man reasoneth one with another face to face: now when a man reasoneth he is understood of man, because he reasoneth as a man, even so will I the Lord reason with you that you may understand; wherefore I the Lord asketh you this question, unto what was ye ordained: to preach my gospel by the spirit, even the comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth; and then received ye spirits which ye could not understand, & received them to be of God, & in this are ye justified? Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves, nevertheless I will be merciful unto you: he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong. Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the comforter, in the spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the spirit of truth, or some other way: and if by some other way, it be not of God; and again he that receiveth the word of truth doth he receive it by the spirit of truth, or some other way; if it be some other way it be not of God: Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know that he that receiveth the word by the spirit of truth, receiveth it as it is preached by the spirit of truth, wherefore he that preacheth and he that receiveth understandeth one another and both are edified and rejoice together; and that which doeth not edify is not of God and is darkness; that which is of God is light and he that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light, and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you, for he that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is least, and the servant of all: wherefore he is possessor of all things, for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on earth, the life the light the spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father, through Jesus Christ, his Son; but no man is possessor of all things except he be purified and cleansed from all sin; and if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done: but know this, spirits shall be subject unto you: wherefore it shall come to pass, that if you behold a spirit manifested that ye cannot understand, and you receive not that spirit, ye shall ask of the Father in the name of Jesus and if he give not unto you that spirit, then you may know that it is not of God; and it shall be given unto you power over that spirit, and you shall proclaim against that spirit with a loud voice, that it is not of God; not with railing accusation that ye be not overcome; neither with boasting, nor rejoicing, lest you be seized therewith: he that receiveth of God, let him account it of God, & let him rejoice that he is accounted of God worthy to receive & by giving heed & doing these things which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive, and the kingdom is given unto you of the Father, and power to overcome all things, which is not ordained of him: and behold, verily I say unto you, blessed are you that hear these words of mine from the mouth of my servant, for your sins are forgiven you. Let my servant Joseph, in whom I am well pleased, and my servant Parley, go forth among the churches and strengthen them by the word of exhortation; and also my servant John, or as many of my servants as are ordaided [ordained] unto this office, and let them labor in the vineyard; and let no man hinder them of doing that which I have appointed unto them: wherefore in this thing my servant Edward is not justified, nevertheless let him repent and he shall be forgiven. Behold ye are little children, and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; and none of them which my Father hath given me shall be lost: and the Father and I are one: I am in the Father and the Father in me: and inasmuch as ye have received me ye are in me, and I in you: wherefore I am in your midst; and I am the good shepherd; and the day cometh that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I am. Watch, therefore, that ye may be ready; even so, Amen.
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EXTRACT FROM THE PROPHECY OF ENOCH.
And it came to pass that Enoch continued his speech saying, Behold our father Adam taught these things, and many have believed and become the sons of God, and many have believed not and have perished in their sins, and are looking forth with fear, in torment, for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God to be poured out upon them. And from that time forth Enoch began to prophesy, saying unto the people, That, as I was journeying and stood upon the place Mahujah, and I cried unto the Lord, there came a voice out of heaven, saying, Turn ye and get ye upon the mount Simeon. And it came to pass that I turned and went upon the mount, and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens open, and I was clothed upon with glory, and I saw the Lord; he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with an other face to face; and he saith unto me, Look, and I will shew [show] unto thee the world for the space of many generations. And it came to pass that I beheld in the valley of Shum, and lo, a great people which dwelt in tents, which were the people of Shum. And again the Lord said unto me, Look, and I looked towards the north, and I beheld the people of Canaan, which dwelt in tents. And the Lord said unto me, Prophesy, and I prophesied saying, Behold the people of Canaan, which are numerous, shall go forth in battle array against the people of Shum, and shall slay them that they shall utterly be destroyed; and the people of Canaan shall divide themselves in the land, and the land shall be barren and unfruitful, and none other people shall dwell there but the people of Canaan; for behold the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever: And there was a blackness come upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me, Look, and I looked and beheld the land of Sharon, and the land of Enoch, and the land of Omner, and the land of Heni, and the land of Shem, and the land of Haner, and the land of Hanannihah, and all the inhabitants thereof: and the Lord said unto me, Go to this people and say unto them, Repent, lest I shall come out and smite them with a curse, and they die. And he gave unto me a commandment that I should baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, which is full of grace and truth, aud [and] the Holy ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son.
And it came to pass that Enoch continued to call upon all the people, save it were the people of Canaan, to repent: And so great was the faith of Enoch that he lead the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them, and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled: and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language, which God had given him. There also came up a land out of the depth of the sea; and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off, and went upon the land which came up out of the depths of the sea; and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off, and went upon the land which came up out of the depths of the sea. And the giants of the land, also, stood afar off; and there went forth a curse upon all the people which fought against God; and from that time forth there was wars and bloodsheds among them, but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness. The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people: And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and of one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them: and Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, Even ZION. And it came to pass that Enoch talked with the Lord, and he said unto the Lord, Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever:-But the Lord said unto Enoch, Zion hath I blessed, but the residue of the people have I cursed. And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all of the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven! And the Lord said unto Enoch, Behold mine abode forever: and Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam, and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam, save it were the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them. And after that Zion was taken up into heaven, Enoch beheld and lo, all the nations of the earth were before him! and there came generation upon generation, and Enoch was high and lifted up, even in the bosom of the Father, and the Son of man; and behold the power of Satan was upon all the face of the earth! And he saw angels descending out of heaven; and he heard a loud voice, saying, Wo, wo, be unto the inhabitants of the earth! And he beheld Satan, and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness, and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced. And Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven bearing testimony of the Father and Son, and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion: And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept, and Enoch bore record of it, saying, How is it the heavens weep and shed forth her tears as the rain upon the mountains? And Enoch said unto the Lord, How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy and from all eternity to all eternity? and were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, and millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtins [curtains] are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and so, thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever; thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom from all thy creations, from all eternity to all eternity, and nought [naught] at peace, justice and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end: how is it that thou canst weep? The Lord said unto Enoch, Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them: and in the garden of Eden gave I unto man his agency; and unto thy brethren have I said, and also, gave commandment, That they should love one another; and that they should choose me their father, but behold they are without affection; and they hate their own blood; and the fire of mine indignation is kindled against him; and in my hot displeasure will I send in the floods upon them, for my fierce anger is kindled against them: Behold I am God; Man of holiness is my name: Man of council is my name, and Endless and Eternal is my name, also. Wherefore, I can stretch forth mine hands and hold all the creations which I have made; and mine eye can pierce them, also; and among all the workmanship of mine hand, there has not been so great wickedness, as among thy brethren, but behold their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers: Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands: Wherefore, should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer? But behold, these, which thine eyes are upon, shall perish in the floods; and behold I will shut them up: a prison have I prepared for them:-And that which I have chosen hath plead before my face: Wherefore he suffereth for their sins, inasmuch as they will repent in the day that my chosen shall return unto me; and until that day, they shall be in torment: wherefore, for this shall the heavens weep; yea, and all the workmanship of mine hands.
And it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Enoch and told Enoch all the doings of the children of men: wherefore Enoch knew, and looked upon their wickedness, and their misery, and wept, and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned, and all eternity shook. And Enoch saw Noah, also, and his family, that the posterity of all the sons of Noah should be saved with a temporal salvation: wherefore he saw that Noah built an Ark; and the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his own hand; but upon the residue of the wicked came the floods and swallowed them up. And as Enoch saw thus, he had bitterness of soul, and wept over his brethren, and said unto the heavens, I will refuse to be comforted; but the Lord said unto Enoch, Lift up your heart and be glad, and look: and it came to pass that Enoch looked, and, from Noah, he beheld all the families of the earth; and he cried unto the Lord, saying, When shall the day of the Lord come? when shall the blood of the righteous be shed, that all they that mourn may be sanctified, and have eternal life? And the Lord said, It shall be in the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and vengeance. And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying, The righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain, from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the father: and behold Zion is with me? And it came to pass, that Enoch looked upon the earth, and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying, Wo, wo is me the mother of men? I am pained: I am weary because of the wickedness of my children? When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which has gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me that I may rest, and righteousness, for a season, abide upon my face? And when Enoch heard the earth mourn, he wept, and cried unto the Lord, saying, O Lord wilt thou not have compassion upon the earth? Wilt thou not bless the children of Noah? And it came to pass that Enoch continued his cry unto the Lord, saying, I ask thee, O Lord, in the name of thy only begotten, even Jesus Christ, that thou wilt have mercy upon Noah and his seed, that the earth might never more be covered by the floods? And the Lord could not withhold: and he covenanted with Noah, and swore unto him with an oath, that he would stay the floods; that he would call upon the children of Noah: And he sent forth an unalterable decree, that a remnant of his seed should always be found among all nations, while the earth should stand: and the Lord said, Blessed is him through whose seed Mesiah [Messiah] should come: For he saith, I am Mesiah [Messiah], the King of Zion; the Rock of heaven, which is broad as eternity; whoso cometh in at the gate and climbeth up by me shall never fall: Wherefore, blessed are they of which I have spoken, for they shall come forth with sons of everlasting joy.
And it came to pass, that Enoch cried unto the Lord, saying, When the Son of man cometh in the flesh, shall the earth rest? I pray thee show me these things. And the Lord said unto Enoch, Look, and he looked and beheld the Son of man lifted upon the cross, after the manner of men; and he heard a loud voice; and the heavens were veiled; and all the creation of God mourned; and the earth groaned; and the rocks were rent: and the saints arose and were crowned at the right hand of the Son of man, with crowns of glory; and as many of the spirits as were in prison, came forth and stood on the right hand of God; and the remainder was reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day. And again, Enoch wept and cried unto the Lord again, saying, When shall the earth rest? And Enoch beheld the Son of man ascend up unto the Father: and he called unto the Lord saying, Wilt thou not come again upon the earth, for inasmuch as thou art God, and I know thee, and thou hast sworn unto me and commanded me that I should ask in the name of thine only begotten, thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself but through thine own grace: wherefore, I ask thee, if thou wilt not come again on the earth? And the Lord said unto Enoch, As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil [fulfill] the oath which I have made unto you, concerning the children of Noah: and the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve; and righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth to bear testimony of mine only begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men: and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather
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out of mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an holy city, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called ZION, a New Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other, and there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years shall the earth rest. And it came to pass that Enoch saw the days of the coming of the Son of man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness, for the space of a thousand years: but before that day he saw great tribulations among the wicked; and he also, saw the sea that it was troubled, and men's hearts failing them, looking forth with fear for the judgments of the Almighty God, which should come upon the wicked. And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world; and he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption, and received a fulness [fullness] of joy: And all the days of Zion in the days of Enoch, were three hundred and sixty five years: And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion: And it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is fled.
Selected.
THE EXCELLENCE OF SCRIPTURE.
[Continued.]
The Scripture comprehends matters of the most universal satisfaction to the minds of men; though many things do much exceed our apprehensions, yet others are most suitable to the dictates of our nature, as Origen bid Celsus see, whether it was not the agreeableness of the principles of faith with the common notions of human nature, which prevailed most upon all candid and ingenuous auditors of them. And therefore, as Socrates said of Heraclitus's books, what he understood was excellent, and therefore he supposed that which he did not understand was so to: so ought we to say of the Scriptures: if those things which are within our capacity be so suitable to our natures and reasons, those cannot contradict our reason which yet are above them. There are many things which the minds of men were sufficiently assured that they were, yet were to seek for satisfaction concerning them which they could never have had without divine revelation. As the nature of true happiness, wherein it lay, and how to be obtained, which the philosophers were so much puzzled with, the Scripture give us full satisfaction concerning it. True contentment under the troubles of life, which the Scripture only acquaints us with the true grounds of; and all the prescriptions of Heathen moralists fall as much short of, as the directions of an empiric do of a wise and skilful [skillful] physician. Avoiding the fears of death, which can alone be through a grounded expectation of a future state of happiness which death leads men to, which cannot be had but through the right understanding of the word of God. Thus we see the excellency of the matters themselves contained in this revelation of the mind of God to the world.
As the matters themselves are of an excellent nature, so is the manner wherein they are revealed in the Scripture; and that, I. In a clear and perspicuous manner; not but there may be still some passages which are hard to be understood, as being either prophetical, or consisting of ambiguous phrases, or containing matters above our comprehension; but all those things which concern the terms of man's salvation, are delivered with the greatest evidence and perspicuity. Who cannot understand what these things mean, "what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"-that "without faith it is impossible to please God?"-that "without holiness none shall see the Lord"-that "unless we be born again we can never enter into the kingdom of heaven:" these and such like things are so plain and clear, that it is nothing but men's shutting their eyes against the light can keep them from understanding them; God intended these things as directions to men; and is he not able to speak intelligibly when he pleases? He that made the tongue, shall he not speak so as to be understood without an infallible interpreter? especially when it is his design to make known to men the terms of their eternal happiness? Will God judge men at the great day for not believing those things which they could not understand? Strange, that every man should judge the Scriptures obscure in matters necessary, when the Scripture accounts it so great a judgment for men not to understand them. "If our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them." Sure Lot's door was visible enough, if it were a judgment for the men of Sodom not to see it, and the Scriptures then are plain and intelligible enough, if it be so great a judgment not to understand them.
2. In a powerful and authoritative manner; as the things contained in Scripture do not so much beg acceptance as command it; in that the expressions wherein our duty is concerned, are such as awe men's consciences and pierce to their hearts and to their secret thoughts; all things are open and naked before this Word of God; every secret of the mind and thought of the heart lies open to its stroke and force; "it is quick and powerful, sharper than a two edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The word is a telescope to discover the great luminaries of the world, the truths of highest concernment to the souls of men, and it is such a microscope as discovers to us the smallest atom of our thoughts, and decerns [discerns] the most secret intents of the heart. And as far as this light reacheth, it comes with power and authority, as it comes armed with the majesty of that God who reveals it, whose authority extends over the soul and conscience of man in its most secret and hidden recesses.
3. In a pure and unmixed manner; in all other writings, how good soever, we have a great mixture of dross and gold together: here is nothing but pure gold, diamonds without flaws, suns without spots. The most current coins of the world have their alloys of baser metals, their is no such mixture in divine truths; as they all come from the same author, so they all have the same purity. There is a Urim and Thummim upon the whole Scripture, light and perfection in every part of it. In the Philosophers we may meet, it may be, with some scattered fragments of purer metal, amidst abundance of dross and impure ore; here we have whole wedges of gold, the same vein of purity and holiness running through the whole book of Scripture. Hence it is called "the form of sound words;" here have been no hucksters to corrupt and mix their own inventions with divine truths.
4. In uniform and agreeable manner. This I grant is not sufficient of itself to prove the scriptures to be divine, because all men do not contradict themselves in their writings, but yet here are some peculiar circumstances to be considered in the agreeableness of the parts of Scripture to each other, which are not to be found in mere human writings.
1. That this doctrine was delivered by persons who lived in different ages and times from each other. Usually one age corrects another's faults, and we are apt to pity the ignorance of our predecessors, when it may be our posterity may think us as ignorant, as we do them. But in the Sacred Scripture we read not one age condemning another; we find light still increasing in the series of times in Scripture, but no reflections in any time upon the ignorance, or weakness of the precedent; the dimmest light was sufficient for its age, and was a step to farther discovery. Quintilian gives it as the reasons of the great uncertainty of Grammar rules, "quiz non analogia dimissa coelo formam loquendi dedit;" that which he wanted as to Grammar, we have as to divine truth; they are delivered from heaven, and therefore are always uniform and agreeable to each other.
2. By persons of different interests in the world. God made choice of men of all ranks to be inditers [indicters] of his oracles, to make it appear it was no matter of state policy or particular interest, which was contained in his word, which persons, of such different interest, could not have agreed in as they do. We have Moses, David, Solomon, persons of royal rank and quality; and can it be any mean thing, which these think it their glory to be penners of? We have Isaiah, Daniel, and other persons of the highest education and accomplishments, and can it be any trivial thing which these employ themselves in? We have Amos, and other prophets in the Old Testament, and the apostles in the New, of the meaner sort of men in the world, yet all these join in concert together; when God tunes their spirits, all agree in the same strain of divine truths, and give light and harmony to each other.
3. By persons in different places and conditions; some in prosperity in their own country, yet all agreeing in the substance of doctrine; of which no alteration we see was made, either for the flattery of those in power, or for avoiding miseries and calamities. And under all the different dispensations before, under, and after the law, though the management of things was different, yet the doctrine and design was for substance the same in all. All the different dispensations agree in the same common principles of religion; the same ground of acceptance with God, and obligation to duty was common to all, though the peculiar instances wherein God was served might be different according to the ages of growth in the church of God. So that this uniformity considered in these circumstances, is an argument that these things came originally from the same spirit, though conveyed through different instruments to the knowledge of the world.
5. In a persuasive and convincing manner: and that these ways, 1. Bringing divine truth down to our capacity, clothing spiritual matter in familiar expressions and similitudes, that so they might have the easier admission into our minds. 2. Propounding things as our interest, which are our duty; thence God so frequently in Scripture, recommends our duties to us under all those motives which are wont to have the greatest force on the mind of men; and annexeth gracious promises to our performance of them; and those of the most weighty and concerning things. Of grace, favor, protection, deliverance, audience of prayers, and eternal happiness, and if these will not prevail with men, what motives will? 3. Courting us to obedience, when he might not only command us to obey but punish presently for disobedience. Hence are all those most pathetical and affectionate strains we read in Scripture: "O that there were such a heart within them, that they would, fear me and keep all my commandments always, that it might go well with them, and with their children after them! Wo unto thee, O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboun? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.-O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not?" What majesty and yet what sweetness and condescension is there in these expressions! What obstinacy and rebellion is it in men for them to stand out against God, when he thus comes down from his throne of majesty and woos rebellious sinners to repent unto him that they may be pardoned! Such a matchless and unparalleled sign of rhetoric is there in the Scripture, for above art and insinuations of the past commemorators. Thus we see the peculiar excellency of the manner wherein the mates(?) contained in Scripture are revealed to us: thus we have considered the excellency of the Scripture, as it is a discovery of God's mind to the world.
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The Scripture may be considered as a rule of life, or as a law of God, which is given for the government of the lives of men, and therein the excellency of it lies in the nature of the duties, and the encouragements to the practice of them.
1. In the nature of the duties required, which are most becoming God to require, most reasonable for us to perform.
1. Most becoming God to require, as they are most suitable and agreeable to the divine nature, the imitation of which in our actions is the substance of our re-religion. Imitation of him in his goodness and holiness, by our constant endeavors of mortifying sin and growing in grace and piety. In his grace and mercy, by our kindness to all men, forgiving the injuries men do unto us, doing good unto our greatest enemies. In his justice and equity, by doing as we would be done by, and keeping a conscience void of offence [offense] towards God and towards men. The first takes in the duties of the first, the other the duties of the second table. All acts of piety towards God, are a part of justice; for as Tully saith, "Quid aluid est pietas nisi justitia, adversus does?" And so our loving God with our whole hearts, our entire and sincere obedience to his will, is a part of natural justice; for thereby we do but render unto God that which is his due from us as we are his creatures. We see then the whole duty of man, the fearing God and keeping his commandments, is as necessary a part of justice, as the rendering to every man his own is.
2. They are most reasonable for us to perform, in that 1. Religion is not only a service of the reasonable faculties which are employed the most in it, the commands of the Scripture reaching the heart most, and the service required being a spiritual service, not lying in meats and drinks, or any outward observations, but in a sanctified temper of heart and mind, which discovers itself in the course of a Christian's life: but 2. The service itself is reasonable; the commands of the gospel are such, as no man's reason which considers them, can doubt of the excellency of them.-All natural worship is founded from the dictates of nature, all instituted worship on God's revealed will; and it is one of the prime dictates of nature, that God must be universally obeyed. Besides, God requires nothing but what is apparently man's interest to do; God prohibits nothing but what will destroy him if he doth it; so that the commands of the Scriptures are very just and reasonable.
2. The encouragements are more than proportionable [proportional] to the difficulty of obedience. God's commands are in themselves easy, and most suitable to our natures. What more rational for a creature than to obey his Maker? All the difficulty of religion ariseth from the corruption of nature. Now God, to encourage men to conquer the difficulty arising thence, hath propounded the strongest motives, and most prevailing arguments to obedience. Such are the considerations of God's love and goodness manifested to the world by sending his son into it to die for sinners, and to give them an example which they are to follow, and by his readiness through him to pardon the sins, and accept the persons of such who so received him as to walk in him; and by his promises of grace to assist them in the wrestling with the enemies of their salvation. And to all these add that glorious and inconceivable reward which God hath promised to all those who sincerely obey him, and by these things we see how much the encouragements overweigh the difficulties, and that none can make the least pretence [pretense] that there is no motive sufficient to down-weigh the troubles which attend the exercise of obedience to the will of God. So that we see what a peculiar excellency there is in the Scriptures as a rule of life, above all the precepts of mere moralists, the foundation of obedience being laid deeper in man's obligation to serve his Maker, the practice of obedience being carried higher in those most holy precepts which are in Scripture, the reward of obedience being incomparably greater than what men are able to conceive, much less to promise or bestow.
The excellency of the Scriptures appear as they contain in them a covenant of grace, or the transactions between God and man in order to his eternal happiness. The more memorable any transactions are, the more valuable are any authentic records of them. The Scriptures contain in them the Magna Charta of heaven, an act of pardon with the royal assent of heaven, a proclamation of good will from God towards men; and can we then set too great a value on that which contains all the remarkable passages between God and the souls of men, in order to their felicity, from the beginning of the world! Can we think, since there is a God in the world of infinite goodness, that he should suffer all mankind to perish inevitably without his propounding any means for escaping of eternal misery? Is God so good to men as to this present life; and can we think, if man's soul be immortal, that he should wholly neglect any offer of good to men as to their eternal welfare? Or is it possible to imagine that man should be happy in another world without God's promising it, and prescribing conditions in order to it? If so, then this happiness is no free gift of God, unless he hath the bestowing and promising of it; and man is no rational agent, unless a reward suppose conditions to be performed in order to the obtaining it; or man may be bound to conditions which were never required of him; or if they must be required, then there must be a revelation of God's will, whereby he doth require them: and if so, then there are some records extant of the transactions between God and man, in order to his eternal happiness: for what reason can we have to imagine that such records, if once extant, should not continue still, especially since the same goodness of God is engaged to preserve such records, which at first did cause them to be indited [indicted]? Supposing then such records extant some where in the world, of these grand transactions between God and men's souls, our business is brought to a period: for what other records are in the world that can in the least vie with the Scriptures, as to the giving so just an account of all the transactions between God and men from the foundation of the world? which gives us all the steps, methods, and ways whereby God hath made known his mind and will to the world, in order to man's salvation? It remains only then that we adore and magnify the goodness of God in making known his will to us, and that we set a value and esteem on the Scriptures, as the only authentic instruments of that Grand Charter of peace, which God hath revealed in order to man's eternal happiness [Stillingfleet.]
THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN, AND THE DEAD SEA.
We left the convent at three in the afternoon, ascended the torrent of Cedron, and at length, crossing the ravine, rejoined our route to the east. An opening in the mountain gave us a passing view of Jerusalem. I hardly recognized the city; it seemed a mass of broken rocks; the sudden appearance of that city of desolation in the midst of the wilderness had something in it almost terrifying. She was in truth the Queen of the Desert.
As we advanced, the aspect of the mountains continued constantly the same, that is, a powdery white-without shade, a tree, or even moss. At half past four, we descended from the lofty chain we had hitherto traversed, and wound along another of inferior elevation. At length we arrived at the last of the chain of heights, which close in on the west the Valley of Jordan and the Dead Sea. The sun was nearly setting; we dismounted and I lay down to contemplate at leisure the lake, the valley, and the river.
When you speak in general of a valley, you conceive it either cultivated or uncultivated; if the former, it is filled with villages, cornfields, vineyards, and flocks if the latter, it presents grass or forest; if it is watered by a river, that river has windings, and the sinuousities or projecting points afford agreeable and varied landscapes. But here there is nothing of the kind. Conceive two long chains of mountains running parallel from north to south, without projections, without recesses, without vegetation. The ridge on the east, called the Mountains of Arabia, is the most elevated; viewed at the distance of eight or ten leagues, it resembles a vast wall, extremely similar to the Jura, as seen from the lake of Geneva, from its form and azure tint. You can perceive neither summits nor the smallest peaks; only here and there slight inequalities, as if the hand of the painter who traced the long lines on the sky had occasionally trembled.
The chain on the eastern side forms part of the mountains of Judea-less elevated and more uneven than the ridge on the west: it differs from it also in its character; it exhibits great masses of rock and sand, which occasionally present all the varieties of ruined fortifications, armed men, and floating banners. On the side of Arabia, on the other hand, black rocks, with perpendicular flanks, spread from afar their shadows over the Dead Sea. The smallest bird could not find in those crevices of rock a morsel of food; every thing announces a country which has fallen under the divine wrath; every thing inspires the horror at the incest from whence sprung Ammon and Moab.
The valley which lies between these mountains resembles the bottom of a sea, from which the waves have long ago withdrawn: banks of gravel, a dried bottom-rocks covered with salt, deserts of moving sand-here and there stunted arbutus shrubs grow with difficulty on that arid soil; their leaves are covered with the salt which had nourished their roots, while their bark had the scent and taste of smoke.
In stead of villages, nothing but the ruins of towers are to be seen. Through the midst of the valley flows a discolored stream, which seems to drag its lazy course unwillingly towards the lake. Its course is not to be discerned by the water, but by the willows and shrubs which skirt its banks-the Arab conceals himself in these thickets to waylay and rob the pilgrim.
Such are the places rendered famous by the maledictions of heaven: that river is the Jordan: that lake is the Dead Sea. It appears with a serene surface; but the guilty cities which are embosomed in its waves have poisoned its waters. Its solitary abyss can sustain the life of no living thing; no vessel ever ploughed [plowed] its bosom-its shores are without trees, without birds, without verdure; its water fright fully salt, it is so heavy that the highest wind can hardly raise it.
In travelling [traveling] in Judea, an extreme feeling of ennui frequently seizes the mind from the sterile and monotonous aspect of the objects which are presented to the eye: but when journeying through these deserts, the expanse seems to spread out to infinity before you, the ennui disappears, & a secret terror is experienced, which, far from lowering the soul, elevates and inflames the genius. These extraordinary scenes reveal the land desolated by miracles; that burning sun, the impetuous eagle the barren fig-tree; all the poetry, all the pictures of scripture are there. Every name recalls a mystery; every grotto speaks of the life to come; every peak re-echoes the voice of a prophet. God himself has spoken on these shores: these dried-up torrents, these cleft rocks, these tombs rent asunder, attest his resistless hand, the desert appears mute with terror; and you feel that it has never ventured to break silence since it heard the voice of the Eternal.
I employed two complete hours in wandering on the shores of the Dead Sea, not withstanding the remonstrances of the Bedouins, who pressed me to quit that dangerous region. I was desirous of seeing the Jordon, at the place where it discharges itself into the lake; but the Arabs refused to lead me thither because the river, near its mouth, makes a detour to the left, and approaches the mountains of Arabia. It was, therefore, necessary to direct our steps toward the curve nearest us. We struck our tens, and travelled [traveled] for an hour and a half with excessive difficulty, through a fine and silvery sand. We were moving towards a little wood of willows and tamarinds; which, to my great surprise, I perceived growing in the midst of the desert. All of a sudden the Bethlehemites stepped, and pointed to something at the bottom of a ravine, which had not yet attracted my attention.-
Without being able to say what it was, I perceived a sort of sand rolling on through the fixed banks which surrounded it. I approached it, and saw a yellow stream
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which could hardly be distinguished from the sand of its two banks. It was deeply furrowed through the rocks, and with difficulty rolled on, a stream surcharged with sand: it was the Jordan.
VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT.-The aspect of this celebrated valley is desolate the western side is bounded by a ridge of lofty rocks which support the walls of Jerusalem, above which the towers of the city appear. The eastern side is formed by the Mount of Olives, and another eminence called the Mount of Scandal, from the idolatry of Solomon. These two mountains adjoin each other, are almost bare, and of a red and sombre [somber] hue; on their desert side you see here and there some black and withered vineyards, some wild olives some bloughed [plowed] land, covered with hysop [hyssop], and a few ruined chapels. At the bottom of the valley, you perceive a torrent, traversed by a single arch, which appears of great antiquity. The stones of the Jewish cemetry [cemetery] appear like a mass of ruins at the foot of the mountain of Scandal, under the village of Siloam. You can hardly distinguish the buildings of the village from the ruins with which they are surrounded. Three ancient monuments are particularly conspicuous: those of Zachariah, Josophat, and Absalom. The sadness of Jerusalem, from which no smoke ascends, and in which no sound is to be heard; the solitude of the surrounding mountains, where not a living creature is to be seen; the disorder of those tombs, ruined, sacked, & half exposed to view, would almost induce one to believe, that the last trump had been heard, and that the dead were about to rise in the valley of the Jehoshaphat.
THE RUINS OF CARTHAGE.-From the summit of Byrsa, the eye embraces the ruins of Carthage; which are more considerable than are generally imagined: they resemble those of Sparta, having nothing well preserved, but embracing a considerable space. I saw them in the middle of February; the olives, the fig-trees, were already bursting into leaf; large bushes of angelica and scanthus formed tufts of verdure, amidst the remains of marble of every color. In the distance I cast my eyes over the Isthmus, the double sea; the distant isles, a cerulean sea, a smiling plain, and azare [azure] mountains. I saw forests and vessels, and aqueducts; Moorish villages, and Mahom tan hermitages; glittering minarels [minerals], and the white buildings of tunis. Surrounded with the most touching recollections, I thought alternately of Dido Sophonish, and the noble wife of Asdrubal; I contemplated the vast plains where the legions of Annibel, Scipio, and Caesar were buried; my eyes sought for the sight of Utica. Alas! the remains of the palace of Tiberious still remain in the island of Capri, and you search invain [in vain] at Utica for the house of Cato. Finally, the terrible Vandals, the rapid Moors, passed before my recollection which terminated at last on Saint Louis expiring on that inhospitable shore.-[Chateaubriand's Travels, &c]