possible that much which belongs to a future state might be inconceivable and incapable of representation by human words; and yet that our knowledge of it might be so enlarged as to exert an important influence on our present lives.

Many Divine things which, apart from Revelation, are unknown to us, may be supposed to bear sufficient resemblance to what we already know, to render their access to our minds possible, if not easy; and, as all our existing notions of the Divine nature are rendered possible by the analogy of our own, there seems no reason why the same analogy could not be used by Revelation to render possible some further disclosures. So, also, much concerning a future state might, for aught we know, be made intelligible by means of our experience of the present.

It is also conceivable that the human mind, subjected to a process of Divine instruction, might gradually, after training, receive an enlargement of capacity and an increased sharpness of perception; so that what was at first obscure might be seen clearly, and that some things which were not at first discerned at all, might be included within the widened circuit of vision.

Much, however, would still necessarily remain unrevealed; much beside, related to the former, must remain obscure; and many things might appear to be mutually irreconcileable, and await the disclosures of the future. So some of the more remote of the nebulæ baffle our best telescopes, and

could only be resolved by a nearer vision. Some Divine things, which would only have gratified curiosity, might be purposely withholden. The Revealer of Secrets would, probably, reserve much from the gaze of creatures.

It cannot be proved that, if God be a Person, intercourse with Him is impossible. I can converse with my fellow-man; why not with God, if it pleased Him to reveal Himself? I have not sufficient acquaintance with my own mysterious nature to know for certain that it has no inlet for the admission of a Divine communication; no faculties, usually dormant or unnoticed, which, being brought into exercise, might be made the means of intercourse with God. Nature has, in every other instance, provided for my necessity. I dare not deny the possibility of such intercourse on the side of God. To do so would be both impious and unphilosophic. Although God is incomprehensible to my intellect, I refuse to say that He could not, if it pleased Him, assume the forms of my nature for the purpose of establishing intercourse with me. The particular manner of Revelation is of comparatively small importance; the possibility of God's communicating with us in some way cannot be denied; and, for aught we know, such intercourse might be as direct and vivid as the ordinary intercourse between man and man.

Moreover, the belief of this possibility is so general amongst men as to imply, if not a wide

tradition that Revelation has taken place, at least an original and universal instinct, suggesting its possibility. The exceptions appear to be confined to cases where attention has not been turned to the subject, or where the belief has been artificially prevented, or, if once existing, has been weakened or destroyed. In other cases there is often more than a bare belief of the possibility, there is a strong desire for communication from God. As children, and even men, desire information for their guidance concerning the affairs of the outward and present life, and willingly become learners from those whom they believe competent to teach, so, when a man's serious attention has been turned to the service of God, and to his own condition after death, he naturally desires instruction. He has an instinct of discipleship, which suggests the possibility of supernatural communication as the complement of human nature, and its guide in what concerns God and eternity.

REVELATION PROBABLE.

If, then, Revelation is desirable, and not impossible, it is easily seen to be probable.

If God is a Person, He must be benevolent. Benevolence belongs to our notion of God. We infer from our nature itself, and from the fitness of the world for our habitation, enjoyment, and moral training, the benevolence of the Creator and Ruler. The truth of this doctrine is necessary to render

existence itself tolerable.

Without it men are

orphans, wandering in the wilderness.

If God has pleasure in creating and sustaining us, might not converse with us also afford Him pleasure? If He has thought it worth His while to make us, and to do so much for us besides, why should it not also be worth His while to establish intercourse with us? It seems unlikely that, having brought us on so far, He would on a sudden leave us imperfect for want of this crowning gift to carry us forward to our proper destiny. It is probable that the great God, of whose love we are the offspring, would acknowledge the paternity, reveal Himself as His children's chief good, give some intimation of His will in the matter of worship, tell us in what light He regards our faults, and how to gain or regain and keep His favour. Especially, in the event of our destination to another life, is it probable that He would provide us with information sufficient for our safe guidance. No higher degree of probability, short of certainty, can be conceived.

We have now to attempt to show what the Bible claims for itself, or how the Christian conceives of it, and how its claims are supposed to be made good. The removal of preliminary misconceptions may prepare the way for the reception of revelation; and this, rather than direct argument, is the aim of the following pages.

CHAPTER I.

THE VEIL.

GOD does not, in His works of nature, directly, but only indirectly manifest Himself. We see the works, but the Worker is hid. His attributes and His very existence are not immediately perceived, but are inferred by the reason. We may call His workings, in maintaining nature and man, and in managing the affairs of the world, His secret operations. The spectators of a drama behold the scenery, watch the actors, listen to the dialogue, follow the steps of the plot. From the skill of the scenery, and the plan of the story, they know that there is a painter and an author; they infer a manager; but painter, author, and manager are unseen. So God has created

mankind as actors, and has furnished a stage. He superintends history, the plot of which developes through the generations. Thus His existence and attributes may be known mediately by the reason, but not immediately by intuition, for He is invisible.

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