That if any further answer to the above objection be needed, there is, at
least, the general and most sufficient reply, that we are no judges of
the right collocation of different points in God’s revelation to man.
When we see the fitness of anything, even as we can judge, we may glorify
Him and be thankful; when we cannot, we may and should “put our mouth in
the dust” and be humble. If things are not made more plain to us than
they are, or even are less plain than they might have been, let us
remember our state of trial, and acknowledge that all such may be, for
ought we know, exactly so revealed as they are, and so placed as they
are, for our trial. There is no reason why we should not be tried just
as much as to difficulties put before our intellect, as by temptations
appealing to our passions; and, as Bishop Butler has remarked, there are
some men who, but for the former, might be found to have hardly any trial
at all. (Analogy, Part ii., chapter 6.) If the particular objection
here advanced be analyzed, it will be found to be but this:—Why should
there have been _an omission_ of this law of the Levirate in Leviticus,
when, in the same place, there is the record of a prohibitory exception
to it? But who shall pretend to account for the omissions of Holy
Scripture? Take but that one record in St. Luke’s Gospel of the two
disciples who, on the morning of the Resurrection, walked to Emmaus, and
were met by Jesus on the way, as they talked of those things which had
come to pass, and were sad. What can be more wonderful to our conception
than what we find, and what we do not find! After their converse
concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in word and deed
before God and all the people, we find that He himself, “beginning at
Moses and all the Prophets, expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the
things concerning Himself.” {32} But we _do not find_ a single syllable
of all this discourse recorded in the Gospel. If we judged by what
seemed to us likely, how sure should we feel that it would have been set
down! Oh! how many difficulties might have been met! how many objections
have been answered! how many heresies have been avoided! how great a
flood of light have been thrown upon various points of history, prophecy,
and doctrine! and how great a guide have been given for all in life and
conduct! had it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to let the Evangelist
record that discourse. If we judged by our sense of likelihood, should
we not say, “What could be so full of interest and of edification! How
important! how needful for us to know what our Lord said, when beginning
at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded unto them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself!” But not one word of it is set
down, and, perchance, for the very cause that it would have too much
abridged our trial had we possessed such an exposition, and that we may
learn in all things not to judge amiss as to the hard things or the
secret things in God’s Word nor to think “His ways are as our ways.” Had
that discourse been placed before us, perchance there had never been an
Arian or a Socinian in the world. (How good we might think it!) Had the
whole marriage law of God, if we may so say, been systematically set down
in His holy Word, it may be there would have been none now to tamper with
it. (How happy, too, we should think it!) But we might as well say,
“How happy if Adam had had no trial put upon him, and so had never
fallen!”
But our duty is, as it is, and as God has thought fit to set it before
us. He has revealed to us His law and will in such manner and degree as
seemed to Him good. It is our’s to receive it and to seek to understand
it as most humbly and reverently we may, and, asking His grace and help,
to do our best to keep it: to keep it individually in our own lives, and
so far as He permits us, to keep it from all defilement or breach in the
laws of our country. We call ourselves, and rightly, a Christian
country, for we are, as baptized into the body of Christ, His members.
Let us remember, if even carelessly, much more if wilfully, we go against
His commands, and set human law in its permission against the divine law
in its prohibition, we are rebellious against Him who is our God and our
King; we are going back from our Christian state and profession; we are
placing ourselves on the level of the nations—the Egyptians and the
Canaanites—who committed all those abominations, against which His curse
is denounced who is “the same yesterday and today, and for ever.”
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s very faithful and humble servant,