m MODERN SCIENCE. 22/ 



in human language. It might be in the form 

 of laws with penalties attached, or in that of 

 persuasions addressed to the reason and the 

 sentiments. It would probably be gradual and 

 progressive — at first simple, and later more 

 complex and complete. It would thus become 

 historical, and would be related to the stages 

 of that progress which it was intended to pro- 

 mote. It would necessarily be incomplete, more 

 especially in its earlier portions, and it would 

 always be under the necessity of more or less 

 rudely representing divine and heavenly things 

 by earthly figures. Being human in its medium, 

 it would have the characteristics and the idio- 

 syncrasies of man to a certain extent, except in 

 so far as it might please God to communicate it 

 directly through a perfect humanity identified 

 with divinity, or through higher and more per- 

 fect intelligences than man. 



We should further expect that such revela- 

 tion would not conflict with what is good in 

 natural religion or in the natural emotions and 

 sentiments of man ; that it would not contradict 

 natural facts or laws; and that it would take 

 advantage of the familiar knowledge of man- 

 kind in order to illustrate such higher spiritual 

 truths as cannot be expressed in human Ian- 



