The Faith as Unfolded by Many Prophets/Of the Prophets
OF THE PROPHETS.
When Eber again approached his friend, he found him meditating on what he had read. Havilah pointed to the portion of the Gospel of John where Jesus is declared to have told the Jews that he was sent to fulfil the covenant made with Abraham.
The Jews were then, even as now, said he, slow of heart to believe what the prophets had spoken. Thus did Christ describe them, and thus have they ever been. See! they scoffed when the Christ spoke of Abraham as of one less favored than himself; and were ready to stone him, when he declared that Abraham saw his day, or knew that he should come. Yet they might have known as we know, that since there is One God, there is but one truth; and that to this truth, given in many forms, all the prophets of every age were sent to testify.
I am glad, replied Eber, that while we cannot agree whether or not Mohammed was one of these prophets, we are of one mind respecting the truth of God, and the purpose for which it has been so many times revealed.
Six times, replied Havilah, has God spoken from heaven by his chief prophets[1]; and each time has his eternal word been the same, though it was spoken in proportion as men could understand; as we should tell the same truth in one manner to my child this day, and in another when he shall be of mature age.
Several times has God thus spoken, replied Eber; and each time more fully and plainly than the last; so that the Jews who cursed the Christ had no excuse for their blindness concerning him. But what were the six dispensations?
Havilah replied, When Adam was formed from the dust of the ground, and became alive, who should tell him whence he came but He who brought him forth from nothing? At first the angels only gazed on him from afar, and no living beings were beheld by him who could declare the name of the Creator. It was Jehovah himself who said to Adam, 'I am thy God.'—This was the first revelation.
And in this first revelation, replied Eber, was man taught that he must obey or suffer. Whatever were the obedience required, whether to refrain from a certain fruit (as our Scriptures relate) , or to render the whole soul pure (as Christ taught), still the one truth has been ever repeated, — that God must be obeyed, if man would be happy.
Even so, said Havilah, was this truth shown in the second revelation. It was given to Noah. The sons of men multiplied on the earth, and their sins multiplied with them, till they forgot that God was One, and neglected his admonition. But as Noah was faithful, it was said to him from above, 'Be not grieved for that which they are doing, but make an ark in our presence, according as we have revealed to thee: and speak not unto me on behalf of those who have acted unjustly, for they shall be drowned[2]!' And thus it was done; and while the rain poured down, the ark swam between waves like mountains, so that Noah and they who were with him were saved. Thus was God merciful, and thus did he show yet a second time that they who obey are safe.
With each revelation, said Eber, God has given a sign. With Adam the sign was in the tree of knowledge, and with Noah in the cloud where the rainbow was fixed, to come forth with the sunshine after a storm, like the smile of God, for ever: as our Scripture saith, 'The waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh; and the bow shall be in the cloud: and this is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.' — Thus were finished the two first dispensations.
The third, said Havilah, was greater than either which had been given before. It was delivered to Abraham the faithful, who was no idolater, but an example of the true religion. He was beloved of God, and, according to his hope, were his sons Ismael and Isaac great and favored from Heaven; and according to his prayer was the mightiest of the prophets sent to confirm the true faith which was in early time given to him.
Even so, replied Eber, is he called in the Scriptures the friend of God, and the father of many nations; even so was it made known unto him that in his seed should the whole race of men be blessed; so that he rejoiced, as Christ said, 'Abraham saw my day, and was glad.' — The sign of this great covenant was the circumcision.
The Faithful believe, said Havilah, that in the seed of Ismael was the promise fulfiled, and therefore is the sign preserved among them.
The Christians preserve not the sign, replied Eber, because the covenant is fulfilled, and its outward forms abolished. That in Jesus the promise was fulfilled, we believe, not only because he himself said so, but because the words of the Scriptures of Moses are these: 'And Abraham said unto God, O! that Ismael might live before thee! And God said, Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ismael, I have heard thee. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget; and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bear unto thee, at this set time in the next year[3].' Of Isaac came Moses, and all the people to whom he said 'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from amidst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me. Unto him shall ye hearken. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I have commanded him.' Such an one was Jesus; who was gladly foreseen by Abraham, who was of the race of Isaac, and approved by signs from heaven, as him of whom God had given the promise. — As the third covenant was made concerning him, was he not foreshown in the fourth also?
The fourth, replied Havilah, was given by Moses. By him came the Law, through which the eternal truth was made known in the world till Christ came to reveal it more fully.
Eber answered, Though Abraham was wise, and believed that God is One, some of his posterity were darkened in mind like the Egyptians among whom they dwelt; and though they believed that Jehovah was the only God of the Hebrews, they supposed that other nations had also gods.
Therefore was the revelation given unto Moses, and the Law delivered from the Mount, that they might be separated from the follies of other nations, and might keep the eternal truth that the One God must be obeyed. While they were obedient, they were at peace: if they disobeyed, they were afflicted; and thus they learned to believe and preserve the truth, till the day when the holy Jesus came to shed a fuller light into the souls of men . Yet it was the same faith which had been given in narrower measure to Adam, to Noah, and to Abraham.
The signs of the covenant with Moses were many, said Havilah. It was he who said unto Pharaoh after the miracles which had been done in Egypt, 'Thou well knowest that none hath sent down these evident signs except the Lord of heaven and earth, and I truly esteem thee, O Pharaoh, a lost man![4]' Truly the Lord was with Moses.
Eber replied, When the people had been led forth with miracles from Egypt, and when Moses had seen the glory of God, and when there had been thunders and fire and clouds, and the sound of a trumpet on the Mount, Jehovah said again, 'Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among whom thou art shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.' — 'Behold I drive out before thee the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest.'[5] Thus was it done, so that the laid of promise was given to Abraham's seed.
The fifth dispensation, said Havilah, was greater than all that had gone before. When it was about to be given, the angels stood afar off to gaze, even as when man was first reared; and the Despairing One shrank back to hide himself, believing that his hour of punishment was come.
Man was indeed newly created on that day, said Eber; for eternal life was then offered to him. Then indeed began the warfare against the Powers of Evil, by which they shall surely be overthrown.
Here again, said Havilah, was the eternal truth revealed, and by signs from God was it again confirmed.
That truth was not shown in part, to one nation, as before, replied Eber. It is shown forth in the Gospel as clearly as the sun at noon day; and it can never again be obscured. No more shall there be light among the Hebrews, while darkness, as in the dwellings of Egypt, covers all besides. No more shall there be hopeless wailings for the dead in some dwellings, while there is peace among others. All men shall come to Jesus to partake of life, and to be assured of immortality. The blessings of his Gospel are so many and so deep, that men shall not know them fully till they speak of them one to another on the judgment day; and the wisdom which it teaches is so given, that it opens out as men watch for it; it comes forth as they need it. It has never been fathomed; it can never be exhausted: and if the earth should endure for many thousand years, the wisest man of the last and wisest age may yet learn of the Gospel of Jesus as thy child learneth of thee. God giveth no more dispensations, for this brings man to the very gates of heaven. Besides this, he gives no further revelation; for by this is his truth perpetually brightening forth, as the radiance increases from the early dawn till noon. By this Gospel may we know him as fully as we can know him till we see him face to face in heaven; therefore we know that his plan is completed. Neither can there be any higher sign than that which sanctified this last covenant. — Jesus was raised from the dead: and as this sign shall at length be acknowledged Over all the earth, none other shall be given but those which the spirit of the Gospel worketh in the heart of every man.
Nay but, said Havilah, one other dispensation there has already been, and new signs attested it. — The revelations of God have been six; and the sixth is that of Mohammed.
As I have said, replied Eber, Mohammed was wise, and many things which he said were true: but I believe that those truths had been told before, and that his wisdom was not from above. Read again, and meditate as thou hast meditated this day, and it shall be plain unto thee that there is nothing true, or pure, or lofty, which may not be found in the teachings of Jesus; nothing just, or mild, or holy, which was not in his character; nothing awful, which was not in his mission; nothing that righteous men can desire, which that mission had not secured to them. Tell me of any mighty sign which Mohammed has done, and which Christ did not surpass: tell me of any innocent desire which Mohammed was more ready than Jesus to fulfil; of any hope or fear given by Jesus, which Mohammed hath exalted; tell me of any new truth displayed by your Prophet, of which Jesus was not aware; show me that his dispensation is more certain to last, and more fit to be spread abroad in the earth than that of Christ, — and then will I own that there may be a better faith than that of Christians, and a greater prophet than Jesus. Let us read and think, and by their own deeds and words let each prophet be judged.
Be it so, replied Havilah; and then shall we be of one mind. Do the Christians believe, as the Faithful, that the multitude of the prophets and Apostles have been kept pure from great sins that they might purify the world? If they do thus believe, how is it that Judas is of the number of the Apostles?
The Christians know not, replied Eber, as the followers of Mohammed declare, that the number of the prophets has been many thousands; nor of the Apostles, properly so called, do they number more than thirteen; — viz. the twelve whom Jesus chose at the beginning of his mission, and Paul, who was called by miracle to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. Since a light from heaven was shed into the hearts of the prophets, and wisdom was laid upon their lips; since they knew God, and understood his judgments better than the people to whom they spoke, their faith was firmer, and their lives were more holy than those of men who were less favored. Thus was Samuel devoted to the Lord, so that his name shall be venerated for ever. Thus Elijah strongly reproved the worshipers of Baal, saying, 'Do ye not fear God? Do ye invoke Baal, and forsake the most excellent Creator? God is your Lord, and the Lord of your forefathers[6].' And therefore was Elijah beloved of God as one of his most faithful servants. Thus hath Elisha been ever esteemed holy; and the name of Isaiah is great; and the fidelity of Daniel is yet more esteemed than his wisdom. Yet the Prophets were men, and, however wise, were sometimes subject to folly; and, however strong in the spirit, they sometimes fell when pressed by temptation. Did not Moses murmur at some of the commands of God? And where was the faith of Jonah, when he would have fled from before the face of the Lord? Yet no man supposes that the word of God is injured by the frailty of those who speak it. Rather is his wisdom shown forth the more clearly by their folly, and his strength by their weakness; since the thoughts which they spoke were higher than their own thoughts, and the ways which they pointed out were truer than those which they had found.
But the Apostles, said Havilah, must have been pure; since their office was not only to speak as God gave them authority, but to reclaim men from infidelity and superstition. Theirs was the highest office next to that of the six revealers of God's dispensations: and though some were more excellent than others, yet all must have been free from great sins; and of their whole number, which our traditions relate to have been three hundred and thirteen, there can have been none so guilty as your Scriptures declare Judas to have been.
Eber replied, God rules in the hearts of all men; and in as far as he has given to any who are wise to make known his will and to convert their brethren, they may be said to be sent by him, and may bear the name of his Apostles: the number of such faithful servants cannot be reckoned by us, or by any men. But of those who were chosen or sent forth by Christ, and w ho in distinction from other men are called Apostles, it is clear that others besides Judas were not altogether sinless. Not only did Peter deny his Lord, but the other witnesses of Christ forsook him and fled.
How unfit were such to be Apostles! exclaimed Havilah.
Rather were they the more fit, replied Eber; and herein is another proof that the ways of God are wiser than our ways. These men were chosen to bear witness of Jesus, especially of his resurrection: and when men saw that they who had been dispersed in terror on the death of their Lord reassembled fearlessly after they had seen him alive again, and from that time preached in his name, through persecution and torture and in the face of death, — it was believed that Christ had risen indeed. If these men had not first needed to be themselves persuaded, they would not so certainly have convinced others.
Yet, said Havilah, how can the words of teachers from heaven be weighty, if their faith be not firm, and their lives holy?
Such was the faith of the Apostles, replied Eber; and such were their lives. Where, except in Christ himself, was ever beheld such faith as in Paul, when he went to Jerusalem, well knowing that bonds and afflictions awaited him; and when he preached the Gospel in prison; and when, believing that he was soon to die for his religion, he wrote to his friends of his hope and joy in the faith? Where was there ever greater fervor than in Peter, when he first taught the Gospel to the Gentiles; or greater purity than in his Epistles to the brethren? Whose love was ever more gentle than the love of John? And where was ever seen another band of brethren who devoted life and met death in like manner, through faith in God and love to man? Many wise men, many holy, many benignant, has God sent into the world; but the chiefest of these, except the Lord Jesus, were the Apostles.
Why then was Judas among them? asked Havilah.
Of all the witnesses of Christ, replied Eber, none has testified to him more effectually than Judas; though the testimony was against his own will. Judas was chosen, not that he might preach the Gospel and rejoice in it, as his brethren; for Christ knew from the beginning that the heart of Judas was unfaithful. He was chosen, that through him it might be shown that the deeds and words of Jesus were pure, since no accusation could be brought against him by one who had dwelt with him and beheld all that he did. By the remorse of Judas it was shown that he knew Christ to be true; and by the death of Judas it was proved, in the sight of all the people, that guilt and punishment were with the enemies of Jesus, and innocence and triumph with him and with his followers. By the guilt of his life and the horror of his death Judas testified to the Lord, no less than his brethren by their holiness and joy.
Thou hast declared, said Havilah, that no more prophets shall come. Shall there also be no more apostles?
I believe that to no more shall be given the power of working miracles. But by the Gospel it is given to every true believer to be, in some sense, an apostle. It is given to all to show forth in themselves the purity which Jesus taught, and the hope which he gave. It is given to all to declare how great is the favor of God in teaching men the truth, and in offering to them a happier life than this, beyond the grave. If Christians are strong in faith, and fervent, and pure, and gentle, like Paul, and Peter, and John, and if like them they labor diligently to give of their faith to others, they may enjoy as much favor from above, and as much peace from within, as if they had been Apostles indeed.