CONTAINS THE AUGUSTINIAN THEORY.
The object aimed at in this chapter demands attention to the following
preliminaries.
Before we can gain a reliable revelation from our Creator, we are obliged
to establish the truth that there is such a Creator. Our only mode of
doing this is by the method already set forth in chapter 10, and for which
we are dependent on our reason or common sense.
Having, by the aid of reason, arrived at a knowledge of the existence and
character of the Creator, we next inquire as to the mode by which we can
receive direct revelations from him.
Here we find that we are again wholly dependent on reason or common sense.
The principle on which we alone rely for revelations from God is this:
A CHANGE IN THE ESTABLISHED ORDER OF NATURE SURPASSING HUMAN POWER, IS
EVIDENCE OF A SUPERNATURAL AGENCY THAT IS SANCTIONED BY THE AUTHOR OF THE
LAWS OF NATURE.
The conviction of the wisdom and power of the Author of this vast and
wonderful frame around us is such that, whatever changes may occur in its
established order, must be felt to be by his permission.
To illustrate this, suppose a man appeared, claiming to be a teacher sent
from God. In proof of this, he commands a mountain to be uptorn and thrown
into the sea. Now, if this phenomenon should follow his command, it would
be impossible for any who witnessed it, to refrain from believing that the
Author of Nature performed this miracle to attest the authority of his
messenger.
In order to insure this belief in the interference of the Creator, there
must be full evidence that there can be no deception, and that the
miraculous performance is entirely beyond human power and skill. Men
always talk and act on the assumption that _such_ miracles are from God,
and all rational minds so regard them.
We have shown that the chief cause of a wrong action of mind, is that it
commences existence in perfect ignorance, while all those causes which
experience shows to be indispensable to its right action, to a greater or
less degree are wanting.
The grand want of our race is _perfect educators_ to train new‐born minds,
who are _infallible teachers of what is right and true_.
We have presented the evidence gained by reason and experience that the
Creator is perfect in mental constitution, and that he always has acted
right, and always will thus act. This being granted, we infer that he
always has done _the best that is possible_ for the highest good of his
creatures in this world, and that he always will continue to do so.
We proceed to inquire in regard to what would be the best that is possible
to be done for us in this state of being, _so far as we can conceive_.
Inasmuch as the great cause of the wrong action of mind is the ignorance
and imperfection of those who are its educators in the beginning of its
existence, we should infer that the best possible thing to be done for our
race, would be to provide some _perfect and infallible teacher_ to
instruct those who are to educate mind. This being granted, then all would
concede that the Creator himself would be our best teacher, and that, if
he would come to us himself in a visible form, to instruct the educators
of mind in all they need to know, for themselves and for the new‐born
minds committed to their care, it would be the best thing we can conceive
of for the highest good of our race.
We next inquire as to the best conceivable mode by which the Creator can
manifest himself so as to secure credence.
To decide this, let each one suppose the case his own. Let a man make his
appearance claiming to be the Creator. We can perceive that his mere word
would never command the confidence of intelligent practical men. Thousands
of impostors have appeared and made such claims, deceiving the weak and
ignorant and disgusting the wise.
A person with such claims, were he ever so benevolent and intelligent, but
having had no other evidence than his word to support them, would, by
sensible persons, be regarded as the victim of some mental hallucination.
But suppose that a person claiming to be the Creator of all things, or to
be a messenger from him, should attest his claim by shaking the earth, or
turning back the floods of the ocean, it would be impossible for any man
to witness these miracles without believing, that the Author of all things
thus attested his own presence or the authority of his messenger. We have
shown that the very organization of mind would necessarily force such a
belief on all sane minds.
One other method would be as effective. Should this person predict events
so improbable and so beyond all human intelligence, as to be equivalent to
an equal interruption of experience as to the laws of mind, as time
developed the fulfillment of these predictions, the same belief would be
induced in the authority of the person thus supernaturally endowed.
In the case of miracles, the evidence would be immediate and most powerful
in its inception. In the case of prophecy, the power of the evidence would
increase with time.
_Miracles and prophecy_, then, are the _only_ methods that we can conceive
of, that would, as our minds are now constituted, insure belief in
revelations from the Creator.
But if every human being, in order to believe, must have miracles, there
would result such an incessant violation of the laws of nature as to
destroy them, and thus to destroy all possibility of miracles.
The only possible way, then, to establish revelations to the _race_, is to
have them occur at certain periods of time, and then have them adequately
_recorded and preserved_.
The Bible is a collection of books written at different periods of the
world’s history. These books profess to be records of the various
manifestations and teachings of the Creator to mankind. It is claimed for
them, that their authority is established by miracles and prophecy, _with
all the evidence that is possible, so far as we can conceive_, and that
there are no other books in the world having any _such_ evidence of
authorized revelations from God.
No attempt will be made to set forth this evidence, which, it is claimed,
is peculiar to the Bible. The point here attempted is, to show that, were
the Augustinian system contained in these writings, it would destroy their
claims as _reliable_ revelations from God, even allowing that miracles and
prophecy attested their authority.
All must allow that it is _possible_ to have such things given in a
revelation from God as would destroy its reliability. For example, suppose
it were a fact that a revelation, supported by miracles, taught that
_there was no God_. This would necessarily destroy its authority as a
revelation from God.
Suppose again, that it taught that the Creator, who wrought the attesting
miracles, was a liar, and loved to deceive his creatures; this would also
destroy its reliability as a guide to truth.
Suppose again, that it taught that the Creator was a being who preferred
evil to good, and chose to have his creatures ignorant and miserable, when
he has power to make them wise and happy. This also would destroy the
reliability of any revelation from the Creator, even were it sustained by
undisputed miracles and prophecy.
This last is precisely what the Augustinian system _does_ teach, and, as
its advocates claim, it is a part of a revelation from the Creator,
supported by miracles and prophecy.
In opposition to this, it is maintained that this system is not to be
found in the Bible, and that were it there, all the miracles and prophecy
conceivable could not prove these writings to be revelations from the
Creator, which are _reliable_ as our guide to truth and happiness. A
Creator who wills ignorance and misery to his creatures, when he has power
to will knowledge and happiness in their place, is not a being to be
believed or trusted as our guide to truth and happiness.
It is in this light that the Augustinian theory, as a part of the Bible,
brings the question fairly before _the people_, as “_Bible or no Bible_?”