loflds-reference
Lectures on Faith
Part 4
Lecture Four establishes that God's six attributes — knowledge, power, justice, judgment, mercy, and truth — are not abstract theological categories but the revealed foundation upon which saving faith is built. Without a correct idea of each attribute planted in the mind, the soul has no stable ground from which to trust Jehovah with its eternal welfare: His knowledge assures comprehensive salvation; His power ensures deliverance from every adversary; His justice and judgment secure righteous outcomes for covenant keepers; His mercy sustains the saint through persecution; and His immutable truth makes every promise a certainty, anchoring the mind against confusion and doubt.
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We have now shown how it was that the first thought ever existed in the mind of any individual, that there was such a being as a God, who had created and did uphold all things: that it was by reason of the manifestation which he first made to our father Adam, when he stood in his presence, and conversed with him face to face, at the time of his creation.
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Let us here observe, that after any portion of the human family are made acquainted with the important fact that there is a God who has created and does uphold all things, the extent of their knowledge, respecting his character and glory, will depend upon their diligence and faithfulness in seeking after him, until like Enoch the brother of Jared, and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God, and power with him to behold him face to face.
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We have now clearly set forth how it is, and how it was, that God became an object of faith for rational beings; and also, upon what foundation the testimony was based, which excited the enquiry and diligent search of the ancient saints, to seek after and obtain a knowledge of the glory of God: and we have seen that it was human testimony, and human testimony only, that excited this enquiry, in the first instance in their minds—it was the credence they gave to the testimony of their fathers—this testimony having aroused their minds to enquire after the knowledge of God, the enquiry frequently terminated, indeed, always terminated, when rightly persued, in the most glorious discoveries, and eternal certainty.
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Question.—Is there a being who has faith in himself indepen[d]ently?
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Answer.—There is. Q. Who is it? A. It is God.
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Q. How do you prove that God has faith in himself independently?
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A. Because he is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omnicient; without beginning of days or end of life, and in him all fulness dwells. Eph. 1:23. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Col. 1:19. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell. -[§ ii. ¶ 2.]-
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Q. Is he the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable beings centers, for life and salvation?
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Q. How do you prove it?
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A. Isa. 45:22. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Rom. 11:34, 35, 36. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. Isa. 40: from the 8th to the 18th. O Zion that bringest good tidings, -[Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion.]- get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, -[Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem,]- lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold the Lord your God will come with strong hand, -[Or, against the strong.]- and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. -[Or, recompense for his work.]- He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather his lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a ballance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor, hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the ballance: behold he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations are before him as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity! Jer. 51:15, 16. He -[the Lord]- hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath streached out the heaven by his understanding. When he uttereth his voice there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. 1st Cor. 8:6. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. -[§ ii. ¶ 2.]-
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Q. How did men first come to the knowledge of the existence of a God, so as to exercise faith in him?
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A. In order to answer this question, it will be necessary to go back and examine man at his creation; the circumstances in which he was placed, and the knowledge which he had of God. -[§ ii. ¶ 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.]- First, When man was created he stood in the presence of God. Gen. 1:27, 28. From this we learn that man, at his creation, stood in the presence of his God, and had most perfect knowledge of his existence. Secondly, God conversed with him after his transgression. Gen. 3: from the 8th to the 22nd. -[§ ii. ¶ 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.]- From this we learn, that, though man did transgress, he was not deprived of the previous knowledge which he had of the existence of God. -[§ ii. ¶ 19.]- Thirdly, God conversed with man after he cast him out of the garden. -[§ ii. ¶ 22, 23, 24, 25.]- Fourthly, God also conversed with Cain after he had slain Abel. Gen. 4: from the 4th to the 6th. -[§ ii. ¶ 26, 27, 28, 29.]-
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Q. What is the object of the foregoing quotation?
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A. It is that it may be clearly seen how it was that the first thoughts were suggested to the minds of men, of the existence of God, and how extensively this knowledge was spread among the immediate descendants of Adam. -[§ ii. ¶ 30, 31, 32, 33.]-
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Q. What testimony had the immediate descendants of Adam, in proof of the existence of a God?
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A. The testimony of their father. And after they were made acquainted with his existence, by the testimony of their father, they were dependent upon the exercise of their own faith, for a knowledge of his character, perfections and attributes. -[§ ii. ¶ 23, 24, 25, 26.]-
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Q. Had any others of the human family, beside Adam, a knowledge of the existence of God, in the first instance, by any other means than human testimony?
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A. They had not. For previous to the time that they could have power to obtain a manifestation for themselves, the all-important fact had been communicated to them by their common father: and so, from father to child, the knowledge was communicated as extensively, as the knowledge of his existence was known; for it was by this means, in the first instance, that men had a knowledge of his existence. -[§ ii. ¶ 35, 36.]-
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Q. How do you know that the knowledge of the existence of God was communicated in this manner, throughout the different ages of the world?
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A. By the chronology obtained thro’ the revelations of God.
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Q. How would you divide that chronology in order to convey it to the understanding clearly?
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A. Into two parts: Frst, by embracing that period of the world from Adam to Noah; and secondly, from Noah to Abraham: from which period the knowledge of the existence of God has been so general, that it is a matter of no dispute in what manner the idea of his existence has been retained in the world.
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Q. How many noted righteous men lived from Adam to Noah?
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A. Nine; which includes Abel, who was slain by his brother.
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Q. What are their names?
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A. Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, and Lamech.
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Q. How old was Adam when Seth was born?
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A. One hundred and thirty years. Gen. 5:3.
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Q. How many years did Adam live after Seth was born?
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A. Eight hundred. Gen. 5:4.
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Q. How old was Adam when he died?
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A. Nine hundred and thirty years. Gen. 5:5.
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Q. How old was Seth when Enos was born?
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A. One hundred and five years. Gen. 5:6.
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Q. How old was Enos when Cainan was born?
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A. Ninety years. Gen. 5:9.
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Q. How old was Cainan when Mahalaleel was born?
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A. Seventy years. Gen. 5:12.
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Q. How old was Mahalaleel when Jared was born?
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A. Sixty five years. Gen. 5:15.
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Q. How old was Jared when Enoch was born?
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A. One hundred and sixty two years. Gen. 5:18.
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Q. How old was Enoch when Methusaleh was born?
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A. Sixty five. Gen. 5:21.
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Q. How old was Methusaleh when Lamech was born?
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A. One hundred and eighty seven years. Gen. 5:25.
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Q. How old was Lamech when Noah was born?
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A. One hundred and eighty two years. Gen. 5:28. For this chronology see § ii. ¶ 37.
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Q. How many years, according to this account, was it from Adam to Noah?
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A. One thousand and fifty six years.
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Q. How old was Lamech when Adam died?
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A. Lamech, the ninth from Adam, (including Abel,) and father of Noah, was fifty six years old when Adam died.
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Q. How old was Methusaleh?
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A. Two hundred and forty three years.
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Q. How old was Enoch?
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A. Three hundred and eight years.
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Q. How old was Jared?
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A. Four hundred and seventy years.
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Q. How old was Mahalaleel?
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A. Five hundred and thirty five.
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Q. How old was Cainan?
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A. Six hundred and five years.
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Q. How old was Enos?
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A. Six hundred and ninety five years.
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Q. How old was Seth?
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A. Eight hundred. For this item of the account see section second, paragraph 38.
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Q. How many of these noted men were cotemporary with Adam?
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Q. What are their names?
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A. Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, and Lamech. -[§ ii. ¶ 39.]-
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Q. How long did Seth live after Enos was born?
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A. Eight hundred and seven years. Gen. 5:7.
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Q. What was Seth’s age when he died?
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A. Nine hundred and twelve years. Gen. 5:8.
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Q. How long did Enos live after Cainan was born?
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A. Eight hundred and fifteen years. Gen. 5:10.
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Q. What was Enos’s age when he died?
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A. Nine hundred and five years. Gen. 5:11.
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Q. How long did Cainan live after Mahalaleel was born?
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A. Eight hundred and forty years. Gen. 5:13.
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Q. What was Cainan’s age when he died?
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A. Nine hundred and ten years. Gen. 5:14.
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Q. How long did Mahaleel live after Jared was born?
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A. Eight hundred and thirty years. Gen. 5:16.
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Q. What was Mahalaleel’s age when he died?
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A. Eight hundred and ninety five. Gen. 5:17.
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Q. How long did Jared live after Enoch was born?
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A. Eight hundred years. Gen. 5:19.
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Q. What was Jared’s age when he died?
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A. Nine hundred and sixty two years. Gen. 5:20.
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Q. How long did Enoch walk with God after Methusaleh was born?
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A. Three hundred years. Gen. 5:22.
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Q. What was Enoch’s age when he was translatedd?
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A. Three hundred and sixty five years. Gen. 5:23.
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Q. How long did Methusaleh live after Lamech was born?
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A. Seven hundred and eighty two years. Gen. 5:26.
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Q. What was Methusaleh’s age when he died?
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A. Nine hundred and sixty nine years. Gen. 5:27.
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Q. How long did Lamech live after Noah was born?
