prise at our LORD's not making Himself publicly known to His enemies in His power and wisdom, the early Church suffered herself to be under the same obloquy and misinterpretation among heathens, who were singularly ignorant of the nature of Christianity. That, as our LORD implied that there was great and increasing danger to those who knew His will, so, in a manner quite different to our modern notions, do the Ancients imply, that great danger is to be apprehended from knowing the Gospels, and not acting suitably to that knowledge,-That, as the Gospels indicate throughout that the benefit conferred on every individual was exactly according to his faith, to the effort he made to ask, or to touch the hem of our SAVIOUR'S garment, so do the Fathers also teach that exactly according to the advancement in holiness of life, or the effort to advance, does CHRIST disclose the Eternal FATHer. That as our LORD continually pointed out to natural objects, as conveying spiritual instruction and the Wisdom of GOD,-the birds as teaching filial confidence, the lilies of the field humility, the seed sown the nature of the eternal kingdom,-so do the Fathers speak of nature itself being also but a clothing, by which the ALMIGHTY was concealed from us, and revealed to those who read His works with faith. Finally, it would appear that, as the mortification of the Cross, and keeping the commandments, was our LORD's teaching to all indiscriminately, and to those who were thus brought to Him that He made known His Divinity; so the object of the Disciplina Arcani was to effect this purpose, to procure a preparation of the heart previous to the imparting of the highest knowledge. That such is throughout the teaching of the Fathers, that the Doctrine of the Cross is among them one of extensive meaning, containing both the humiliation of the natural man, and in conjunction with it the knowledge of our LORD'S Divinity and Atonement.

PART V.

THE PRINCIPLE OPPOSED TO CERTAIN MODERN RELIGIOUS

OPINIONS.

1. The nature of the objections which have been made.

Ir is very evident that the mere mention of such a principle as this subject indicates, would immediately be met with the very strongest objections, before it is at all considered what is really meant by it. For let it be only suggested that Holy Scripture observes a rule of reserve, it may be answered at once by the strong and distinct contradiction, that the very word Revelation, directly declares the contrary; for is it not the very purpose of Scripture to communicate knowledge, not to conceal it? Does not, it may be said, its very graciousness depend on this very circumstance, that it reveals God's goodness to His creatures, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death? as well might it be said that the very object of light is to darken, of communica tion to conceal. And this argument, when not thus stated, might be put at great length, by adducing passages of Holy Writ which declare expressly this very object,--that its purpose is to reveal. But all these texts, thus adduced, need not be separately referred to, or answered, as the whole argument which they are brought to prove runs up into, and is contained in, this very simple statement, viz., that Scripture is a system of revelation; to imply therefore that it is a system of reserve, is at once a palpable contradiction.

And it is curious that the very texts, adduced in this mode of treating the subject, often imply or suggest all that we maintain. To refer to figurative language, it is said, does not God "deck Himself with light, like as with a garment?" Whereas this very expression conveys it; for does not a garment veil in some measure that which it clothes? is not that very light conceal

ment? The revelations of God must ever be to mankind in one sense mysteries; whatever He makes known opens to view far more which we know not. Not light only, but the "cloud" also, is the especial emblem of the SPIRIT's presence. "GOD is light," but "clouds and darkness," also "are round about Him;" "His pavilion is in dark waters, with thick clouds to cover Him." The comings and goings of our LORD are often significantly said to be with clouds; of Wisdom, that hath made her dwelling in Jacob, it is said, that she "dwells in high places, and her throne is in a cloudy pillar. She alone compasses the circuit of the heaven, and walks in the bottom of the deep 1."

In the same manner of considering the subject, which we have spoken of, it might be said, that St. Paul, a person of all others the most laborious in preaching, had no other object than that of declaring the Gospel to the world; and what did the Gospel contain of good tidings, but the Atonement? It might further be stated, (though I am not aware it has been,) that a certain Tappnoía, or openness in confessing the truth, was the very characteristic of St. Paul; it was the very object of his prayers; and his request, that it might be that of others for him, (Eph. vi. 19. Phil. i. 20,) that this free utterance and boldness of speech might be given him. It was his boasting that he had thus spoken; he appealed to his converts that he had kept back nothing from them that it was expedient for them to know. "With great boldness to speak the truth," is one of the first gifts of the SPIRIT, as bestowed on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost; and "utterance" is numbered among the highest Christian graces'. Now all this is not only granted, but also that if any thing here maintained would imply conduct different from that of the Apostle, would in any way derogate from the necessity of that rappŋoía, it would of course be to be condemned in the strongest manner: of this there could be no doubt. It is needless to observe, that to withhold the truth from fear or false shame or pride is to be ashamed of CHRIST, to which that awful warning is denounced. Let it therefore, if necessary, be ex

1 Ecclus. xxiv,

2 1 Cor. i. 5. 2 Cor. viii. 7.

plicitly stated that if any conduct is supposed to be here taught different from that which would have been practised by St. Paul, among inspired Apostles, by St. Chrysostom, among the Ancient Fathers, and by the earnest and single-hearted Bishop Wilson, in our own Church, such is far from being the intention of this treatise.

With regard to that mode of argument alluded to, it is evident that in this manner Holy Scripture might be quoted against itself, and a principle based on one command utterly repudiated without consideration, on account of its supposed discrepancy with another apparently opposed to it. But in such cases, it is by reconciling and explaining such apparent contradictions that we obtain the most life-giving principles contained within them, and the most important rules of conduct; thus we derive them best and most safely. These difficulties are like the hardness of an external covering, which preserves and guards the most precious fruits of nature, and affords trouble at arriving at them. That this reserve is not incompatible with such a declaration of the truth is evident from this, that the two persons whom we should select as most remarkable for fulness and freedom of speech, St. Paul and St. Chrysostom, are equally as much so for this reserve. For the Fathers speak of its being most observable in St. Paul; and it is evident how it marks his writings, especially when he touches on the subject of mysteries. Perhaps the most obvious passage that could be adduced, which seems at first against this supposition, is that in which St. Paul says, he "had kept back nothing that was profitable;" and it is remarkable of this text, so often quoted against us, first of all, that it was spoken to the Ephesians, to whom we know that St. Paul beyond all others revealed spiritual knowledge; secondly, that they were not the Church at large, but the elders of Ephesus; and, thirdly, to show how differently the ancients viewed these things, on referring to St. Chrysostom, we find he marks as emphatic the word "that was profitable, rwv ovμpepóvtwv; for there were some things," he says, "which it was not expedient for them to learn; to speak every thing would have been folly." And as to St. Chrysostom himself, he often refers to this reserve,

as an acknowledged principle, and it is observable that though he sometimes shows he is fully impressed with the secret senses of Scripture, yet in his Homilies he seldom alludes to them.

2. On preaching the word most effectually.

But with regard to that short and summary manner in which the whole subject may be got rid of by saying, that, notwithstanding all such speculative and abstract principles, it is nevertheless our duty to "preach the Word" (i. e. CHRIST Crucified) "in season, and out of season," and woe be to us, if we do it not. Doubtless it is so; a "dispensation is committed" unto us, a talent which it would be death to hide. And to this it must be said, that the principle of Reserve which we mention is so far from being in any way inconsistent with this duty, that it is but the more effectual way of fulfilling it. And this may be shown by another case very similar. It is our bounden duty to "let our light shine before men," to set a good example, that they "may see our good works :" but nevertheless it is true notwithstanding, that the great Christian rule of conduct, as the very foundation of all holiness, is that our religious actions should be in secret as much as possible. These two therefore are perfectly compatible. And unless we do act upon this latter principle, that of hiding our good works, our example will be quite empty and valueless. So also may it not be the case, that our "preaching CHRIST Crucified" may be in vain and hollow, unless it be founded on this principle of natural modesty, which we have maintained will always accompany the preaching of a good man under the teaching of GOD?

But without considering the subject in the light of a holy and religious principle, if we put it on the very lowest ground, why, it may be asked, in religion are all truths to be taught at once? in all other matters there is a gradual inculcation, something must be withheld, something taught first; and is not the knowledge of religion a much a matter of degrees as any human science? But we have rather treated it here in the higher point of view, in order to show that our efforts to do good will be