mind is roused to action and expanded, and its power is in- creased by the truth, and, other things being equal, in proportion to the amount of truth communicated to it. (2.) It is the ten- dency of all moral truth in itself considered, to excite right moral feelings and to lead to right moral action. (3.) It is further conceded that the truths of the Bible and the sources of moral power therein contained are of the highest possible order. The doctrine, for example, therein taught concerning God, that He is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in being, wis- dom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth, is immeasur- ably above all that human reason ever discovered or human philosophy ever taught. There is more moral power in that single truth, than in all the systems of moral philosophy. The same may be said of what the Bible teaches of God's relation to the world. He is not merely its creator and architect, but also its constant preserver and governor; everywhere present, working with and by his creatures, using each according to its nature, and overruling all things to the accomplishment of the highest and most beneficent designs. To his rational creatures, especially to men, He reveals Himself as a father, loving, guid- ing, and providing for them ; never afflicting them willingly, but only when it would be morally wrong to do otherwise. The Bible doctrine concerning man is not only true, conformed to all that man reveals himself to be, but it is eminently adapted to make him what he was designed to be : to exalt without inflat- ing ; to humble without degrading him. The Bible teaches that God made man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life, and he became a living soul conformed to the image of God in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. Thus man is apparently the lowest of God's rational creatures, but made capable of indefinite progress in capacity, excellence, and blessedness. The actual state of man however exhibits a sad contrast with this account of his original condition. The Bible accordingly informs us that man fell from the state in which he was created by sinning against God. Thus sin was introduced into the world : all men are sinners, that is, guilty, polluted, and helpless. These are facts of consciousness, as well as doctrines of the Bible. The Scriptures however inform us that God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoso believeth on Him might not perish but have ever- lasting life. We are told that this Son is the image of God, equal with God. By Him were all things created that are in
472 PART IH. Ch. XX. — THE MEANS OF GRACE.
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers : all things were created by Him and for Him ; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. This divine Person, for us and for our salvation, took upon Him our nature, fulfilled all right- eousness, bore our sins in his own body on the tree ; and having died for our offences, rose again for our justification ; and is now seated at the right hand of the majesty on high ; all power in heaven and earth having been committed to his hands. There is more of power to sanctify, to elevate, to strengthen and to cheer in the single word Jesus, which means " Jehovah-saviour," than in all the utterances of men since the world began. This divine and exalted Saviour has sent forth his disciples to preach his Gospel to every creature, promising pardon, sanctification, and eternal life, including a participation in his glory, to every one, on the sole condition that he receive Him as his God and Sav- iour, and, trusting in Him alone for salvation, honestly endeav- our to do his will ; that is, to love God with all his heart and his neighbour as himself, and to do to others as he would have others do to him. In view of all these truths, God asks, " What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it ? " All the resources of moral power are exhausted in the Bible. Every consideration that can affect the intellect, the con science, the feelings, and the hopes of man is therein presented ; yet all in vain.
There are two conditions necessary for the production of a given effect. The one is that the cause should have the requisite efficiency ; and the other, that the object on which it acts should have the requisite susceptibility. The sun and rain shed their genial influences on a desert, and it remains a desert; when those influences fall on a fertile plain, it is clothed with all the wonders of vegetable fertility and beauty. The mid-day bright- ness of the sun has no more effect on the eyes of the blind than a taper ; and if the eye be bleared the clearest light only enables it to see men as trees walking. It is so with moral truth : no mat- ter what may be its inherent power, it fails of any salutary effect unless the mind to which it is presented be in a fit state to receive it.
The minds of men since the fall are not in a condition to receive the transforming and saving power of the truths of the Bible ; and therefore it is necessary, in order to render the Word of God an effectual means of salvation, that it should be attended by the
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supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle says ex- pressly, " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) In the preceding chapter he had said, that the same gospel which to the called was the power and wisdom of God, was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. Our Lord said to the Jews : " Why do ye not understand my speech ? even be- cause ye cannot hear my Word. He that is of God heareth God's words : ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God." (John viii. 43, 47.) Everything that the Scriptures teach of the state of men since the fall proves that until enlightened by the Holy Ghost they are spiritually blind, unable to discern the true nature of the things of the Spirit, and therefore incapable of re- ceiving a due impression from them.
Experience confirms this teaching of the Bible. It shows that no mere moral power of truth as presented objectively to the mind is of any avail to change the hearts of men. There once appeared on earth a divine person clothed in our nature ; exhib- iting the perfection of moral excellence in the form of a human life : holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners ; humble, disinterested, beneficent, tender, patient, enduring, and dispensing blessings on all who approached him. Yet this person was to the men of his generation without form or comeliness. He came to Ids own and his own received him not. They rejected him and preferred a murderer. And in what respect are we better than they ? How is Christ regarded by the mass of the men of this generation. Multitudes blaspheme Him. The majority scarcely think of Him. He is to them no more than Socrates or Plato. And yet there is in Him such a revelation of the glory of God, as would constrain every human heart to love and adore Him, had not the god of this world blinded the eyes of those who believe not. It is vain therefore to talk of the moral power of truth con- verting men.
There are some who throw a vail over this rationalistic doc- trine, and delude themselves and others into the belief that they stand on more Scriptural ground than Rationalists, because they admit that the Spirit is operative in the truth. Every theist be- lieves that God is everywhere present in the world and always sus- taining and cooperating with physical causes in the production of their various effects. So the Spirit is in the world, everywhere present and everywhere active, cooperating with moral causes in
474 PART in. Ch. XX. —THE MEANS OF GRACE.