{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_56684/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_56684","id":"gutenberg_56684","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/56684","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines","Faith","Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines","Latter Day Saints"],"text":"Produced by the Mormon Texts Project (http://mormontextsproject.org)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Lectures on Faith\n\n\n\nLECTURE FIRST\n\nOn the Doctrine of the Church of the\n\nLatter Day Saints.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSection 1.\n\n1. Faith being the first principle in revealed religion, and the\nfoundation of all righteousness, necessarily claims the first place in\na course of lectures which are designed to unfold to the understanding\nthe doctrine of Jesus Christ.\n\n2. In presenting the subject of faith, we shall observe the following\norder--\n\n3. first, faith itself--what it is.\n\n4. Secondly, the object on which it rests. And,\n\n5. Thirdly, the effects which flow from it.\n\n6. Agreeable to this order we have first to show what faith is.\n\n7. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews, in the eleventh chapter\nof that epistle and first verse, gives the following definition of the\nword faith:\n\n8. Now faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the\nevidence of things not seen.\n\n9. From this we learn that faith is the assurance which men have of\nthe existence of things which they have not seen, and the principle of\naction in all intelligent beings.\n\n10. If men were duly to consider themselves, and turn their thoughts\nand reflections to the operations of their own minds, they would\nreadily discover that it is faith, and faith only, which is the moving\ncause of all action in them; that without it both mind and body would\nbe in a state of inactivity, and all their exertions would cease, both\nphysical and mental.\n\n11. Were this class to go back and reflect upon the history of their\nlives, from the period of their first recollection, and ask themselves\nwhat principle excited them to action, or what gave them energy and\nactivity in all their lawful avocations, callings, and pursuits, what\nwould be the answer?--Would it not be that it was the assurance which\nthey had of the existence of things which they had not seen as yet? Was\nit not the hope which you had, in consequence of your belief in the\nexistence of unseen things, which stimulated you to action and exertion\nin order to obtain them? Are you not dependent on your faith, or\nbelief, for the acquisition of all knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence?\nWould you exert yourselves to obtain wisdom and intelligence, unless\nyou did believe that you could obtain them? Would you have ever sown,\nif you had not believed that you would reap? Would you have ever\nplanted, if you had not believed that you would gather? Would you have\never asked, unless you had believed that you would receive? Would you\nhave ever sought, unless you had believed that you would have found?\nOr, would you have ever knocked, unless you had believed that it would\nhave been opened unto you? In a word, is there anything that you\nwould have done, either physical or mental, if you had not previously\nbelieved? Are not all your exertions, of every kind, dependent on your\nfaith? Or, may we not ask, what have you, or what do you possess, which\nyou have not obtained by reason of your faith? Your food, your raiment,\nyour lodgings, are they not all by reason of your faith? Reflect, and\nask yourselves if these things are not so. Turn your thoughts on your\nown minds, and see if faith is not the moving cause of all action in\nyourselves; and, if the moving cause in you, is it not in all other\nintelligent beings?\n\n12. And as faith is the moving cause of all action in temporal\nconcerns, so it is in spiritual; for the Savior has said, and that\ntruly, that he that _believeth_ and is baptized, shall be saved. Mark\n16:16.\n\n13. As we receive by faith, all temporal blessings that we do receive,\nso we, in like manner, receive by faith all spiritual blessings, that\nwe do receive. But faith is not only the principle of action, but of\npower also, in all intelligent beings whether in heaven or on earth.\nThus says the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, 11:3:\n\n14. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word\nof God: so that things which are seen were not made of things which do\nappear.\n\n15. By this we understand that the principle of power, which existed in\nthe bosom of God, by which the worlds were framed, was faith; and that\nit is by reason of this principle of power existing in the Deity, that\nall created things exist--so that all things in heaven, on earth, or\nunder the earth, exist by reason of faith as it existed in HIM.\n\n16. Had it not been for the principle of faith the worlds would never\nhave been framed, neither would man have been formed of the dust--It is\nthe principle by which Jehovah works, and through which he exercises\npower over all temporal as well as eternal things. Take this principle\nor attribute, (for it is an attribute) from the Deity and he would\ncease to exist.\n\n17. Who cannot see, that if God framed the worlds by faith, that it\nis by faith that he exercises power over them, and that faith is the\nprinciple of power? And if the principle of power, it must be so in\nman as well as in the Deity? This is the testimony of all the sacred\nwriters, and the lesson which they have been endeavouring to teach to\nman.\n\n18. The Saviour says Matthew 17:19,20, in explaining the reason why\nthe disciples could not cast out the devil, that it was because of\ntheir unbelief: For verily I say unto you, said he, if ye have faith\nas a grain of mustard--seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove\nhence to you yonder place! and it shall remove: and nothing shall be\nimpossible unto you.\n\n19. Moroni, while abridging and compiling the record of his fathers,\nhas given us the following account of faith as the principle of power:\nHe says, page 563, that it was the faith of Alma and Amulek which\ncaused the walls of the prison to be rent, as recorded on the 264th\npage; that it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi which caused a change to\nbe wrought upon the hearts of the Lamanites, when they were immersed\nwith the Holy Spirit, and with fire, as seen on the 421st page; and\nthat it was by faith that the mountain Zerin was removed, when the\nbrother of Jared spake in the name of the Lord. See also 565th page.\n\n20. In addition to this we are told in Hebrews 11:32,33,34,35, that\nGideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,\nthrough faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained\npromises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,\nescaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed\nvaliant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens, and that\nwomen received their dead raised to life again, &c., &c.\n\n21. Also, Joshua, in the sight of all Israel, bade the sun and moon to\nstand still, and it was done. Josh. 10:12.\n\n22. We here understand, that the sacred writers say, that all these\nthings were done by faith--It was by faith that the worlds were\nframed--God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order, by reason\nof the faith there was in HIM. So with man also--he spake by faith in\nthe name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains\nremoved, prisons fell, lions' mouths were closed, the human heart\nlost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its\nterror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith\nwhich was in him.\n\n23. Had it not been for the faith which was in men, they might have\nspoken to the sun, the moon, the mountains, prisons, the human heart,\nfire, armies, the sword, or to death in vain!\n\n24. Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has\npower, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by\nit they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain,\nagreeably to the will of God. Without it, there is no power, and\nwithout power there could be no creation, nor existence!\n\nOF THEOLOGY\n\n_Question_.--What is theology?\n\n_Answer_.--It is that revealed science which treats of the being and\nattributes of God--his relations to us--the dispensations of his\nprovidence--his will With respect to our actions--and his purposes with\nrespect to our end. [Buck's Theological Dictionary, page 582].\n\nQ. What is the first principle in this revealed science?\n\nA. Faith. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 1.]\n\nQ. Why is faith the first principle in this revealed science?\n\nA. Because it is the foundation of all righteousness. Heb 11:6. without\nfaith it is impossible to please God. 1st John, 3:7 Little children,\nlet no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness, is righteous, even\nas he [God] is righteous. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 1.]\n\nQ. What arrangement should be followed in presenting the subject of\nfaith?\n\nA. First, it should be shown what faith is. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 3.] Secondly, the\nobject upon which it rests. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 4.]\n\nAnd, thirdly, the effects which flow from it. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 5.]\n\nQ. What is faith?\n\nA. It is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things\nnot seen (Heb 11:1); that is, it is the assurance we have of the\nexistence of unseen things. And being the assurance which we have of\nthe existence of unseen things, must be the principle of action in all\nintelligent beings. Heb. 11:3 Through faith we understand the worlds\nwere framed by the word of God. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 8,9.]\n\nQ. How do you prove that faith is the principle of action in all\nintelligent beings?\n\nA. First, by duly considering the operations of my own mind; and,\nsecondly, by the direct declaration of Scripture--Heb. 11:7 By faith\nNoah, being warned of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared\nan ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world,\nand became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Heb. 11:8. By\nfaith Abraham, when he was called to go into a place which he should\nafterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not\nknowing whither he went. Heb. 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of\npromise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac\nand Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Heb 11:27 By faith\nMoses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured\nas seeing him who is invisible. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 10,11.]\n\nQ. Is not faith the principle of action in spiritual things as well as\nin temporal?\n\nA. It is.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. Heb. 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God. Mark 16:16\nHe that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Rom. 4:16 Therefore\nit is of faith that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might\nbe sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to\nthat also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us\nall--[\u00a7 I. \u00b6 12,13.]\n\nQ. Is faith anything else beside the principle of action?\n\nA. It is.\n\nQ. What is it?\n\nA. It is the principle of power also. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 13.]\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. First, it is the principle of power in the Deity as well as in man.\nHeb. 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by\nthe word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things\nwhich do appear.--[\u00a7 I. \u00b6 14,15,16] Secondly, it is the principle\nof power in man also. Book of Mormon, page 264. Alma and Amulek are\ndelivered from prison. Do. page 421. Nephi and Lehi, with the Lamanites,\nare immersed with the Spirit. Do. page 565. The mountain Zerin, by\nthe faith of the brother of Jared, is removed. Josh. 10:12 Then spake\nJoshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites\nbefore the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun,\nstand you still upon Gibeon, and you Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.\nJosh. 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the\npeople had avenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written\nin the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,\nand hasted not to go down about a whole day. Mat. 17:19 Then came the\ndisciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? Mat.\n17:20. And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily\nI say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall\nsay unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall\nremove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.--Heb. 11:32 And what\nshall I say more? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of\nBarak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and\nof the prophets. Heb 11:34 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought\nrighteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched\nthe violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness\nwere made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies\nof the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and\nothers were tortured, not accepting deliverance: that they might obtain\na better resurrection. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 16,17,18,19,20,21,22.]\n\nQ. How would you define faith in its most unlimited sense?\n\nA. It is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion,\nand authority over all things. [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 24.]\n\nQ. How do you convey to the understanding more clearly that faith is\nthe first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and\nauthority over all things?\n\nA. By it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed,\nor by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God; and without it\nthere is no power, and without power there could be no creation, nor\nexistence! [\u00a7 I. \u00b6 24.]\n\n\n\nLECTURE SECOND.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSection II.\n\n1. Having shown in our previous lecture \"faith itself--what it is,\" we\nshall proceed to show secondly the object on which it rests.\n\n2. We here observe that God is the only supreme governor and\nindependent being, in whom all fullness and perfection dwells; who is\nomnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without beginning of days or\nend of life; and that in him every good gift and every good principle\ndwell; and that he is the Father of lights; In him the principle of\nfaith dwells independently, and he is the object in whom the faith\nof all other rational and accountable beings center, for life and\nsalvation.\n\n3. In order to present this part of the subject in a clear and\nconspicuous point of light, it is necessary to go back and show the\nevidences which mankind have had, and the foundation on which these\nevidences are, or were based, since the creation, to believe in the\nexistence of a God.\n\n4. We do not mean those evidences which are manifested by the works of\ncreation, which we daily behold with our natural eyes: we are sensible\nthat, after a revelation of Jesus Christ, the works of creation,\nthroughout their vast forms and varieties, clearly exhibit his eternal\npower and Godhead. Romans 1:20. For the invisible things of him from\nthe creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the\nthings that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. But we mean\nthose evidences by which the first thoughts were suggested to the mind\nof men that there was a God who created all things.\n\n5. We shall now proceed to examine the situation of man at his first\ncreation. Moses, the historian, has given us the following account of\nhim in the first chap. of the book of Genesis, beginning with the 20th\nverse, and closing with the 30th. We copy from the New Translation:\n\n6. And the Lord God said unto the Only Begotten, who was with him from\nthe beginning, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and it\nwas done.\n\n7. And the Lord God said, Let them have dominion over the fishes of the\nsea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all\nthe earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.\n\n8. So God created man in his own image, in the image of the Only\nBegotten created he him; male and female created I them. And God\nblessed them, and God said unto them Be fruitful, and multiply, and\nreplenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of\nthe sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that\nmoveth upon the earth.\n\n9. And I, God, said unto man, Behold, I have given you every herb\nbearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree\nin the which shall be the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it\nshall be for meat.\n\n10. Again, Genesis 2:15,16,17,19,20: And the Lord God took the man,\nand put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it. And\nthe Lord God, commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden\nyou may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil\nyou shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, nevertheless, you\nmay choose for yourself, for it is given unto you; but remember that I\nforbid it, for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.\n\n11. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field,\nand every fowl of the air, and commanded that they should come unto\nAdam, to see what he would call them. * * * And whatsoever Adam called\nevery living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names\nto all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the\nfield.\n\n12. From the foregoing we learn man's situation at his first creation;\nthe knowledge with which he was endowed, and the high and exalted\nstation in which he was placed--lord, or governor of all things on\nearth, and at the same time enjoying communion and intercourse with his\nMaker, without a vail to separate between. We shall next proceed to\nexamine the account given of his fall, and of his being driven out of\nthe garden of Eden, and from the presence of the Lord.\n\n13. Moses proceeds: And they [Adam and Eve] heard the voice of the Lord\nGod, as they were walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and\nAdam and his wife went to hide themselves from the presence of the Lord\nGod amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam,\nand said unto him, Where goest you? And he said, I heard your voice in\nthe garden, and I was afraid, because I beheld that I was naked, and I\nhid myself.\n\n14. And the Lord God, said unto Adam, 'Who told you that you were\nnaked? Have you eaten of the tree whereof I told you you should not\neat? If so, you should surely die?' And the man said, The woman whom\nyou gave me, and commanded that she should remain with me, gave me of\nthe fruit of the tree, and I did eat.\n\n15. And I, the Lord God, said unto the woman, What is this thing which\nyou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did\neat.\n\n16. And again, the Lord said unto the woman, I will greatly multiply\nyour sorrow, and your conception. In sorrow you shall bring forth\nchildren; and your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule\nover you.\n\n17. And the Lord God said unto Adam, because you have hearkened unto\nthe voice of your wife, and have eaten of the fruit of the tree of\nwhich I commanded yous, saying, You shall not eat of it! cursed shall\nbe the ground for your sake; in sorrow you shall eat of it all the\ndays of your life. Thorns also, and thistles shall it bring forth to\nyou: and you shall eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your\nface shall you eat bread, until you shall return unto the ground--for\nyou shall surely die--for out of it you were taken: for dust you were,\nand unto dust you shall return. This was immediately followed by the\nfulfillment of what we previously said: Man was driven, or sent out of\nEden.\n\n18. Two important items are shown from the former quotations:\nFirst, after man was created, he was not left without intelligence,\nor understanding, to wander in darkness and spend an existence in\nignorance and doubt--on the great and important point which effected\nhis happiness,--as to the real fact by whom he was created, or unto\nwhom he was amenable for his conduct. God conversed with him face to\nface: in his presence he was permitted to stand, and from his own mouth\nhe was permitted to receive instruction--he heard his voice, walked\nbefore him, and gazed upon his glory--while intelligence burst upon his\nunderstanding, and enabled him to give names to the vast assemblage of\nhis Maker's works.\n\n19. Secondly, we have seen, that though man did transgress, his\ntransgression did not deprive him of the previous knowledge with which\nhe was endowed, relative to the existence and glory of his Creator; for\nno sooner did he hear his voice, than he sought to hide himself from\nhis presence.\n\n20. Having shown, then, in the first instance, that God began to\nconverse with man, immediately after he \"breathed into his nostrils the\nbreath of life,\" and that he did not cease to manifest himself to him,\neven after his fall, we shall next proceed to show, that, though he was\ncast out from the garden of Eden, his knowledge of the existence of God\nwas not lost, neither did God cease to manifest his will unto him.\n\n21. We next proceed to present the account of the direct revelation\nwhich man received, after he was cast out of Eden, and further copy\nfrom the New Translation:\n\n22. After Adam had been driven out of the garden, he began to till the\nearth, and to have dominion over all the beasts of the field, and to\neat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I the Lord had commanded\nhim: and he called upon the name of the Lord, and so did Eve his wife\nalso. And they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the\ngarden of Eden, speaking unto them; and they saw him not, for they were\nshut out from his presence; and he gave unto them commandments that\nthey should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings\nof their flocks for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient\nunto the commandments of the Lord.\n\n23. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam,\nsaying, Why do you offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto\nhim, I know not; but the Lord commanded me to offer sacrifices.\n\n24. And then the angel said unto him, This thing is a similitude of the\nsacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, who is full of grace and\ntruth. And you shall do all that you do in the name of the Son: and you\nshall repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forever. And in\nthat day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, and bore record of the Father\nand the Son.\n\n25. This last quotation, or summary, shows this important fact, that\nthough our first parents were driven out of the garden of Eden, and\nwere even separated from the presence of God, by a vail, they still\nretained a knowledge of his existence, and that sufficiently to move\nthem to call upon him. And further, that no sooner was the plan of\nredemption revealed to man, and he began to call upon God, than the\nHoly Spirit was given, bearing record of the Father and Son.\n\n26. Moses also gives us an account, in the 4th of Genesis, of the\ntransgression of Cain, and the righteousness of Abel, and of the\nrevelations of God to them. He says: In process of time, Cain brought\nof the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord.--And Abel also\nbrought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the\nLord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto Cain and to\nhis offering he had not respect. Now Satan knew this, and it pleased\nhim. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord\nsaid unto Cain, Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? If\nyou do well, will you not be accepted?--And if you do not well, sin\nlieth at the door, and Satan desires to have you; and except you shall\nhearken unto my commandments, I will deliver you up: and it shall be\nunto you according to his desire.\n\n27. And Cain went into the field, and talked with his brother Abel. And\nwhile they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel,\nand slew him. And Cain gloried in what he had done, saying, I am free;\nsurely the flocks of my brother will now fall into my hands.\n\n28. But the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel, your brother? And he\nsaid, I know not: am I my brother's keeper? And the Lord said, What\nhave you done? the voice of your brother's blood cries unto me from the\nground. And now, you shall be cursed from the earth which hath opened\nher mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till\nthe ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto you her strength. A\nfugitive and a vagabond you shall be in the earth.\n\n29. And Cain said unto the Lord, Satan tempted me because of my\nbrother's flocks. And I was angry: for his offering you accepted and\nmine was not: My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold you have\ndriven me out this day from the face of men, and from your face shall\nI be hid also; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth;\nand it shall come to pass that he that findeth me will slay me because\nof mine iniquities, for these things are not hid from the Lord. And the\nLord said unto him, Therefore, whoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be\ntaken on him seven fold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any\nfinding him should kill him.\n\n30. The object of the foregoing quotations is to show to this class\nthe way by which mankind were first made acquainted with the existence\nof a God: that it was by a manifestation of God to man, and that God\ncontinued, after man's transgression to manifest himself to him and\nto his posterity; and, notwithstanding they were separated from his\nimmediate presence, that they could not see his face, they continued to\nhear his voice.\n\n31. Adam thus being made acquainted with God, communicated the\nknowledge which he had unto his posterity; and it was through this\nmeans that the thought was first suggested to their minds that there\nwas a God. Which laid the foundation for the exercise of their faith,\nthrough which they could obtain a knowledge of his character and also\nof his glory.\n\n32. Not only was there a manifestation made unto Adam of the existence\nof a God, but Moses informs us, as before quoted, that God condescended\nto talk with Cain after his great transgression, in slaying his\nbrother, and that Cain knew that it was the Lord that was talking with\nhim: so that when he was driven out from the presence of his brethren,\nhe carried with him the knowledge of the existence of a God; and,\nthrough this means, doubtless, his posterity became acquainted with the\nfact that such a being existed.\n\n33. From this we can see that the whole human family, in the early age\nof their existence, in all their different branches, had this knowledge\ndisseminated among them; so that the existence of God became an object\nof faith, in the early age of the world. And the evidences which these\nmen had of the existence of a God, was the testimony of their fathers\nin the first instance.\n\n34. The reason why we have been thus particular on this part of our\nsubject, is that this class may see by what means it was that God\nbecame an object of faith among men after the fall; and what it was\nthat stirred up the faith of multitudes to feel after him; to search\nafter a knowledge of his character, perfections and attributes, until\nthey became extensively acquainted with him; and not only commune with\nhim, and behold his glory, but be partakers of his power and stand in\nhis presence.\n\n35. Let this class mark particularly that the testimony which these men\nhad of the existence of a God, was the testimony of man; for previous\nto the time that any of Adam's posterity had obtained a manifestation\nof God to themselves, Adam their common father had testified unto them\nof the existence of God, and of his eternal power and Godhead.\n\n36. For instance, Abel, before he received the assurance from heaven\nthat his offerings were acceptable unto God, had received the important\ninformation of his father that such a being did exist, who had created\nand who did uphold all things. Neither can there be a doubt existing\non the mind of any person, that Adam was the first who did communicate\nthe knowledge of the existence of a God, to his posterity; and that\nthe whole faith of the world, from that time down to the present, is\nin a certain degree, dependent on the knowledge first communicated to\nthem by their common progenitor; and it has been handed down to the day\nand generation in which we live, as we shall show from the face of the\nsacred records.\n\n37. First, Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born. Genesis 5:3. And\nthe days of Adam, after he had begotten Seth, were 800 years; making\nhim 930 years old when he died. Genesis 5:4,5. Seth was 105 when Enos\nwas born. 5:6. Enos was 90 when Cainan was born. 5:9. Cainan was 70\nwhen Mahalaleel was born. 5:12. Mahalaleel was 65 when Jared was born.\n5:15. Jared was 162 when Enoch was born. 5:18. Enoch was 65 when\nMethuselah was born. 5:21. Methuselah was 187 when Lamech was born.\n5:25. Lamech was 182 when Noah was born. 5:28.\n\n38. From this account it appears that Lamech, the 9th from Adam, and\nthe father of Noah, was 56 years old when Adam died; Methuselah, 243;\nEnoch, 308; Jared, 470; Mahalaleel, 535; Cainan, 605; Enos, 695; and\nSeth, 800.\n\n39. So that Lamech the father of Noah; Methuselah, Enoch, Jared,\nMahalaleel, Cainan, Enos, Seth, and Adam, were all living at the same\ntime, and beyond all controversy, were all preachers of righteousness.\n\n40. Moses further informs us, that Seth lived, after he begat Enos,\n807 years, making him 912 years old at his death. Genesis 5:7,8. And\nEnos lived, after he begat Cainan, 815 years, making him 905 years old\nwhen he died. 5:10,11. And Cainan lived, after he begat Mahalaleel, 840\nyears: making him 910 years old at his death. 5:13,14. And Mahalaleel\nlived after he begat Jared, 830 years, making him 895 years old when he\ndied. 5:16,17. And Jared lived after he begat Enoch, 800 years, making\nhim 962 years old at his death. 5:19,20. And Enoch walked with God,\nafter he begat Methuselah 300 years: making him 365 years old when he\nwas translated. 5:22,23. And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech,\n782 years, making him 969 years old when he died 5:26,27. Lamech lived\nafter he begat Noah, 595 years; making him 777 years old when he died.\n5:30,31.\n\n41. Agreeably to this account, Adam died in the 930th year of the\nworld; Enoch was translated in the 987th, Seth died in the 1042nd; Enos\nin the 1140th; Cainan in the 1235th; Mahalaleel in the 1290th; Jared\nin the 1422nd; Lamech in the 1651st; and Methuselah in the 1656th, it\nbeing the same year in which the flood came.\n\n42. So that Noah was 84 years old when Enos died, 176 when Cainan died,\n234 when Mahalaleel died, 366 when Jared died, 595 when Lamech died,\nand 600 when Methuselah died.\n\n43. We can see from this that Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared,\nMethuselah, Lamech, and Noah, all lived on the earth at the same time;\nand that Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech, were\nall acquainted with both Adam and Noah.\n\n44. From the foregoing it is easily to be seen, not only how the\nknowledge of God came into the world, but upon what principle it\nwas preserved: that from the time it was first communicated, it was\nretained in the minds of righteous men, who taught, not only their own\nposterity, but the world; so that there was no need of a new revelation\nto man, after Adam's creation to Noah, to give them the first idea, or\nnotion of the existence of a God: and not only of a God, but of the\ntrue and living God.\n\n45. Having traced the chronology of the world from Adam to Noah, we\nwill now trace it from Noah to Abraham. Noah was 502 years old When\nShem was born; 98 years afterwards the flood came, being the 600th year\nof Noah's age. And Moses informs us that Noah lived after the flood,\n350 years, making him 950 years old when he died. Genesis 9:28-29.\n\n46. Shem was 100 years old when Arphaxad was born. Genesis 11:10.\nArphaxad was 35 when Salah was born. Gen. 11:12. Salah was 30 when Eber\nwas born. 11:14. Eber was 34 when Peleg was born, in whose days the\nearth was divided. 11:16. Peleg was 30 when Reu was born. 11:18. Reu\nwas 32 when Serug was born. 11:20. Serug was 30 when Nahor was born.\n11:22. Nahor was 29 when Terah was born. 11:24. Terah was 70 when Haran\nand Abraham were born. 11:26.\n\n47. There is some difficulty in the account given by Moses of Abraham's\nbirth. Some have supposed that Abraham was not born until Terah was 130\nyears old. This conclusion is drawn from a variety of scriptures, which\nare not to our purpose at present to quote. Neither is it a matter of\nany consequence to us whether Abraham was born when Terah was 70 years\nold, or 130. But in order that there may no doubt exist upon any mind\nin relation to the object lying immediately before us, in presenting\nthe present chronology we will date the birth of Abraham at the latest\nperiod, that is, when Terah was 130 years old. It appears from this\naccount that from the flood to the birth of Abraham, was 352 years.\n\n48. Moses informs us that Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad, 500\nyears. Gen. 11:11. This added to 100 years, which was his age when\nArphaxad was born, makes him 600 years old when he died. Arphaxad lived\nafter he begat Salah, 403 years. 11:13. This added to 35 years, which\nwas his age when Salah was born, makes him 438 years old when he died.\nSalah lived after he begat Eber, 403 years. 11:15.--This added to 30\nyears, which was his age when Eber was born, makes him 433 years old\nwhen he died.--Eber lived after he begat Peleg, 430 years. 11:17. This\nadded to 34 years, which was his age when Peleg was born, makes him\n464 years old. Peleg lived after he begat Reu, 209 years. 11:19. This\nadded to 30 years, which was his age when Reu was born, makes him 239\nyears old when he died. Reu lived, after he begat Serug, 207 years.\nGen. 11:21. This added to 32 years, which was his age when Serug was\nborn, makes him 239 years old when he died. Serug lived after he begat\nNahor, 200 years. 11:23. This added to 30 years, which was his age when\nNahor was born, makes him 230 years old when he died. Nahor lived after\nhe begat Terah, 119 years. 11:25. This added to 29 years, which was his\nage when Terah was born, makes him 148 years old when he died. Terah\nwas 130 years old when Abraham was born, and is supposed to have lived\n75 years after his birth: making him 205 years old when he died.\n\n49. Agreeable to this last account, Peleg died in the 1996th year of\nthe world, Nahor in the 1997th, and Noah in the 2006th. So that Peleg,\nin whose days the earth was divided, and Nahor, the grandfather of\nAbraham, both died before Noah--the former being 239 years old, and the\nlatter 148. And who cannot but see that they must have had a long and\nintimate acquaintance with Noah?\n\n50. Reu died in the 2026th year of the world, Serug in the 2049th,\nTerah in the 2083rd, Arphaxad in the 2096th, Salah in the 2126th, Shem\nin the 2158th, Abraham in the 2183rd, and Eber in the 2187th: which was\nfour years after Abraham's death. And Eber was the fourth from Noah.\n\n51. Nahor, Abraham's brother, was 58 years old when Noah died, Terah\n128, Serug 187, Reu 219, Eber 283, Salah 313, Arphaxad 344, and Shem\n448.\n\n52. It appears from this account, that Nahor, brother of Abraham,\nTerah, Nahor, Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Salah, Arphaxad, Shem, and Noah,\nall lived on the earth at the same time. And that Abraham was 18 years\nold when Reu died, 41 when Serug and his brother Nahor died, 75 when\nTerah died, 88 when Arphaxad died, 118 when Salah died, 150 when Shem\ndied, and that Eber lived 4 years after Abraham's death. And that Shem,\nArphaxad, Salah, Eber, Reu, Serug, Terah, and Nahor, the brother of\nAbraham, and Abraham, lived at the same time.--And that Nahor, brother\nof Abraham, Terah, Serug, Reu, Eber, Salah, Arphaxad, and Shem, were\nall acquainted with both Noah and Abraham.\n\n53. We have now traced the chronology of the world agreeable to the\naccount given in our present Bible, from Adam to Abraham, and have\nclearly determined, beyond the power of controversy, that there was\nno difficulty in preserving the knowledge of God in the world from\nthe creation of Adam, and the manifestation made to his immediate\ndescendants, as set forth in the former part of this lecture, so that\nthe students in this class need not have any dubiety resting on their\nminds, on this subject; for they can easily see, that it is impossible\nfor it to be otherwise; but that the knowledge of the existence of a\nGod, must have continued from father to son, as a matter of tradition\nat least. For we cannot suppose, that a knowledge of this important\nfact, could have existed in the mind of any of the before--mentioned\nindividuals, without their having made it known to their posterity.\n\n54. We have now shown how it was that the first thought ever existed\nin the mind of any individual, that there was such a Being as a God,\nwho had created and did uphold all things: that it was by reason of the\nmanifestation which he first made to our father Adam, when he stood in\nhis presence, and conversed with him face to face, at the time of his\ncreation.\n\n55. Let us here observe, that after any portion of the human family\nare made acquainted with the important fact that there is a God, who\nhas created and does uphold all things, the extent of their knowledge,\nrespecting his character and glory, will depend upon their diligence\nand faithfulness in seeking after him, until like Enoch the brother of\nJared, and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God, and power with him to\nbehold him face to face.\n\n56. We have now clearly set forth how it is, and how it was, that\nGod became an object of faith for rational beings; and also, upon\nwhat foundation the testimony was based, which excited the inquiry\nand diligent search of the ancient saints, to seek after and obtain\na knowledge of the glory of God; and we have seen that it was human\ntestimony, and human testimony only, that excited this enquiry, in\nthe first instance, in their minds--it was the credence they gave to\nthe testimony of their fathers--this testimony having aroused their\nminds to inquire after the knowledge of God, the enquiry frequently\nterminated, indeed always terminated when rightly pursued, in the most\nglorious discoveries, and eternal certainty.\n\n_Question_.--Is there a being who has faith in himself, independently?\n\n_Answer_.--There is. Q. Who is it? A. It is God. Q. How do you prove\nthat God has faith in himself independently?\n\nA. Because he is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without\nbeginning of days or end of life, and in him all fullness dwells. Eph\n1:23: Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.\nCol 1:19. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness\ndwell. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 2.]\n\nQ. Is he the object in whom the faith of all other rational and\naccountable beings center, for life and salvation?\n\nA. He is.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. Isa. 45:22. Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:\nfor I am God, and there is none else. Romans 11:34,35,36. For who hath\nknown the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? or who\nhath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?\nFor of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be\nglory for ever. Amen. Isa. 40: from the 8th to the 18th verses. O Zion\nthat bringest good tidings; [or, O thou that tellest good tidings to\nZion?] get you up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest\ngood tidings; [or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem] lift\nup thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the\ncities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold the Lord your God will come\nwith strong hand [or, against the strong]; and his arm shall rule for\nhim: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. [Or,\nrecompense for his work]. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he\nshall gather his lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom,\nand shall gently lead those that are with young. Who hath measured\nthe waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the\nspan, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, weighed the\nmountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed\nthe Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor, hath taught him? With\nwhom took he counsel, and who instructed him and taught him in the\npath of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way\nof understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket and\nare counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the\nisles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,\nnor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations are\nbefore him as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing,\nand vanity. Jer. 11:15, 16: He [the Lord] hath made the earth by his\npower, he hath established the world by his Wisdom, and hath stretched\nout the heaven by his understanding. When he uttereth his voice there\nis a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapors to\nascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and\nbringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. 1 Cor 8:6 But to us there\nis but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and\none Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6\n2.]\n\nQ. How did men first come to the knowledge of the existence of a God,\nso as to exercise faith in him?\n\nA. In order to answer this question, it will be necessary to go\nback and examine man at his creation; the circumstances in which\nhe was placed, and the knowledge which he had of God. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6\n3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11.]. First, when man was created he stood in the\npresence of God. Gen. 1:27,28. From this we earn that man, at his\ncreation, stood in the presence of his God, and had most perfect\nknowledge of his existence. Secondly, God conversed with him after\nhis transgression. Gen 3: from the 8th to the 22nd. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6\n13,14,15,16,17.] From this we learn that, though man did transgress,\nhe was not deprived of the previous knowledge which he had of the\nexistence of God. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 19.] Thirdly, God conversed with man after\nhe cast him out of the garden. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 22,23,24,25.] Fourthly, God\nalso conversed with Cain after he had slain Abel. Gen 4: from the 4th\nto the 6th. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 26,27,28,29.]\n\nQ. What is the object of the foregoing quotation?\n\nA. It is that it may be clearly seen how it was that the first thoughts\nwere suggested to the minds of men of the existence of God, and how\nextensively this knowledge was spread among the immediate descendants\nof Adam. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 30,31,32,33.]\n\nQ. What testimony had the immediate descendants of Adam, in proof of\nthe existence of God?\n\nA. The testimony of their father. And after they were made acquainted\nwith his existence, by the testimony of their father, they were\ndependent upon the exercise of their own faith, for a knowledge of his\ncharacter, perfections, and attributes. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 23,24,25,26.]\n\nQ. Had any other of the human family, besides Adam, a knowledge of the\nexistence of God, in the first instance, by any other means than human\ntestimony?\n\nA. They had not. For previous to the time that they could have power\nto obtain a manifestation for themselves, the all-important fact had\nbeen communicated to them by their common father: and so from father to\nchild the knowledge was communicated as extensively, as the knowledge\nof his existence was known; for it was by this means, in the first\ninstance, that men had a knowledge of his existence. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 35,36].\n\nQ. How do you know that the knowledge of the existence of God was\ncommunicated in this manner, throughout the different ages of the world?\n\nA. By the chronology obtained through the revelations of God.\n\nQ. How would you divide that chronology in order to convey it to the\nunderstanding clearly?\n\nA. Into two parts: First, by embracing that period of the world from\nAdam to Noah; and secondly, from Noah to Abraham: from which period the\nknowledge of the existence of God has been so general, that it is a\nmatter of no dispute in what manner the idea of his existence has been\nretained in the world.\n\nQ. How many noted righteous men lived from Adam to Noah?\n\nA. Nine; which includes Abel, who was slain by his brother.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, and\nLamech.\n\nQ. How old was Adam when Seth was born?\n\nA. One hundred and thirty years. Gen 5:3.\n\nQ. How many years did Adam live after Seth was born?\n\nA. Eight hundred. Gen. 5:4.\n\nQ. How old was Adam when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and thirty years. Gen. 5-5.\n\nQ. How old was Seth when Enos was born?\n\nA. One hundred and five years. Gen. 5:6.\n\nQ. How old was Enos when Cainan was born?\n\nA. Ninety years. Gen. 5:9.\n\nQ. How old was Cainan when Mahalaleel was born?\n\nA. Seventy years. Gen. 5:12.\n\nQ. How old was Mahalaleel when Jared was born?\n\nA. Sixty-five years. Gen. 5:15.\n\nQ. How old was Jared when Enoch was born?\n\nA. One hundred and sixty two years. Gen. 5:18.\n\nQ. How old was Enoch when Methuselah was born?\n\nA. Sixty-five years. Gen. 5:21.\n\nQ. How old was Methuselah when Lamech was born?\n\nA. One hundred and eighty seven years. Gen. 5:25.\n\nQ. How old was Lamech when Noah was born?\n\nA. One hundred and eighty-two years. Gen. 5:28. For this chronology,\nsee \u00a7 II. \u00b6 37.\n\nQ. How many years, according to this account, was it from Adam to Noah?\n\nA. One thousand and fifty-six years.\n\nQ. How old was Lamech when Adam died?\n\nA. Lamech, the ninth from Adam (including Abel), and father of Noah,\nwas fifty-six years old when Adam died.\n\nQ. How old was Methuselah?\n\nA. Two hundred and forty-three years.\n\nQ. How old was Enoch?\n\nA. Three hundred and eight years.\n\nQ. How old was Jared?\n\nA. Four hundred and seventy years.\n\nQ. How old was Mahalaleel?\n\nA. Five hundred and thirty-five years.\n\nQ. How old was Cainan?\n\nA. Six hundred and five years.\n\nQ. How old was Enos?\n\nA. Six hundred and ninety-five years.\n\nQ. How old was Seth?\n\nA. Eight hundred. For this item of the account, see section second,\nparagraph 38.\n\nQ. How many of these noted men were cotemporary with Adam?\n\nA. Nine.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah and\nLamech. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 39.]\n\nQ. How long did Seth live after Enos was born?\n\nA. Eight hundred and seven years. Gen. 5:7.\n\nQ. What was Seth's age when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and twelve years. Gen. 5:8.\n\nQ. How long did Enos live after Cainan was born?\n\nA. Eight hundred and fifteen years. Gen. 5:10.\n\nQ. What was Enos's age when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and five years. Gen. 5:11.\n\nQ. How long did Cainan live after Mahalaleel was born?\n\nA. Eight hundred and forty years. Gen. 5:13.\n\nQ. What was Cainan's age when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and ten years. Gen. 5:14.\n\nQ. How long did Mahalaleel live after Jared was born?\n\nA. Eight hundred and thirty years. Gen. 5:16.\n\nQ. What was Mahalaleel's age when he died?\n\nA. Eight hundred and ninety five years. Gen. 5:17.\n\nQ. How long did Jared live after Enoch was born?\n\nA. Eight hundred years. Gen. 5:19.\n\nQ. What was Jared's age when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and sixty two years. Gen. 5:20.\n\nQ. How long did Enoch walk with God after Methuselah was born?\n\nA. Three hundred years. Gen. 5:22.\n\nQ. What was Enoch's age when he was translated?\n\nA. Three hundred and sixty five years. Gen. 5:23\n\nQ. How long did Methuselah live after Lamech was born?\n\nA. Seven hundred and eighty two years. Gen. 5:26.\n\nQ. What was Methuselah's age when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and sixty nine years. Gen. 5:27.\n\nQ. How long did Lamech live after Noah was born?\n\nA. Five hundred and ninety five years. Gen. 5:30.\n\nQ. What was Lamech's age when he died?\n\nA. Seven hundred and seventy seven years. Gen. 5:31. For the account of\nthe last item see [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 40.]\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Adam die?\n\nA. In the nine hundred and thirtieth.\n\nQ. In what year was Enoch translated?\n\nA. In the nine hundred and eighty seventh.\n\nQ. In what year did Seth die?\n\nA. In the one thousand and forty second.\n\nQ. In what year did Enos die?\n\nA. In the eleven hundred and fortieth.\n\nQ. In what year did Cainan die?\n\nA. In the twelve hundred and thirty fifth.\n\nQ. In what year did Mahalaleel die?\n\nA. In the twelve hundred and ninetieth.\n\nQ. In what year did Jared die?\n\nA. In the fourteen hundred and twenty second.\n\nQ. In what year did Lamech die?\n\nA. In the sixteen hundred and fifty first.\n\nQ. In what year did Methuselah die?\n\nA. In the sixteen hundred and fifty sixth. For this account see \u00a7 II. \u00b6\n41.\n\nQ. How old was Noah when Enos died?\n\nA. Eighty four years.\n\nQ. How old when Cainan died?\n\nA. One hundred and seventy nine years.\n\nQ. How old when Mahalaleel died?\n\nA. Two hundred and thirty four years.\n\nQ. How old when Jared died?\n\nA. Three hundred and sixty six years.\n\nQ. How old when Lamech died?\n\nA. Five hundred and ninety five years.\n\nQ. How old when Methuselah died?\n\nA. Six hundred years. See \u00a7 II. \u00b6 42, for the last item.\n\nQ. How many of those men lived in the days of Noah?\n\nA. Six.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6\n43.]\n\nQ. How many of those men were contemporary with Adam and Noah both?\n\nA. Six.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6\n43.]\n\nQ. According to the foregoing account, how was the knowledge of the\nexistence of God first suggested to the minds of men?\n\nA. By the manifestation made to our father Adam, when he was in the\npresence of God, both before and while he was in Eden. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 44.]\n\nQ. How was the knowledge of the existence of God disseminated among the\ninhabitants of the world?\n\nA. By tradition from father to son. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 44.]\n\nQ. How old was Noah when Shem was born?\n\nA. Five hundred and two years. Gen. 5:32. 11:10.\n\nQ. What was the term of years from the birth of Shem to the flood?\n\nA. Ninety eight.\n\nQ. What was the term of years that Noah lived after the flood?\n\nA. Three hundred and fifty. Gen. 9:28.\n\nQ. What was Noah's age when he died?\n\nA. Nine hundred and fifty years. Gen. 9:29. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 45.]\n\nQ. What was Shem's age when Arphaxad was born?\n\nA. One hundred years. Gen. 11:10.\n\nQ. What was Arphaxad's age when Salah was born! Thirty five years. Gen.\n11:12.\n\nQ. What was Salah's age when Eber was born?\n\nA. Thirty years. Gen. 11:16.\n\nQ. What was Eber's age when Peleg was born?\n\nA. Thirty four years. Gen. 11:14.\n\nQ. What was Peleg's age when Reu was born?\n\nA. Thirty years. Gen. 11:18.\n\nQ. What was Reu's age when Serug was born?\n\nA. Thirty two years. Gen. 11:20.\n\nQ. What was Serug's age when Nahor was born?\n\nA. Thirty years. Gen. 11:22.\n\nQ. What was Nahor's age when Terah was born?\n\nA. Twenty nine years. Gen. 11:24.\n\nQ. What was Terah's age when Nahor (the brother of Abraham) was born?\n\nA. Seventy years. Gen. 11:26.\n\nQ. What was Terah's age when Abraham was born?\n\nA. Some suppose one hundred and thirty years, and others seventy. Gen.\n12:4. 11:26. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 42.]\n\nQ. What was the number of years from the flood to the birth of Abraham?\n\nA. Supposing Abraham to have been born when Terah was one hundred and\nthirty years old, it was three hundred and fifty two years: but if\nhe was born when Terah was seventy years old, it was two hundred and\nninety two years. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 47.]\n\nQ. How long did Shem live after Arphaxad was born?\n\nA. Five hundred years. Gen. 11:11.\n\nQ. What was Shem's age when he died?\n\nA. Six hundred years. Gen. 11:11.\n\nQ. What number of years did Arphaxad live after Salah was born?\n\nA. Four hundred and three years. Gen. 21:13.\n\nQ. What was Arphaxad's age when he died?\n\nA. Four hundred and thirty eight years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Salah live after Eber was born?\n\nA. Four hundred and three years. Gen. 11:15.\n\nQ. What was Salah's age when he died?\n\nA. Four hundred and thirty three years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Eber live after Peleg was born?\n\nA. Four hundred and thirty years. Gen. 11:17.\n\nQ. What was Eber's age when he died?\n\nA. Four hundred and sixty four years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Peleg live after Reu was born?\n\nA. Two hundred and nine years. Gen. 11:19.\n\nQ. What was Peleg's age when he died?\n\nA. Two hundred and thirty nine years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Reu live after Serug was born?\n\nA. Two hundred and seven years. Gen. 9:21.\n\nQ. What was Reu's age when he died?\n\nA. Two hundred and thirty nine years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Serug live after Nahor was born?\n\nA. Two hundred years. Gen. 11:23.\n\nQ. What was Serug's age when he died?\n\nA. Two hundred and thirty years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Nahor live after Terah was born?\n\nA. One hundred and nineteen years. Gen. 11:25.\n\nQ. What was Nahor's age when he died?\n\nA. One hundred and forty eight years.\n\nQ. What number of years did Terah live after Abraham was born?\n\nA. Supposing Terah to have been one hundred and thirty years old when\nAbraham was born, he lived, seventy five years; but if Abraham was born\nwhen Terah was seventy years old, he lived one hundred and thirty five.\n\nQ. What was Terah's age when he died?\n\nA. Two hundred and five years. Gen. 9:32. For this account, from the\nbirth of Arphaxad to the death of Terah, see [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 48.]\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Peleg die?\n\nA. Agreeable to the foregoing chronology, he died in the nineteen\nhundred and ninety sixth year of the world.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Nahor die?\n\nA. In the nineteen hundred and ninety seventh.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Noah die?\n\nA. In the two thousand and sixth.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Reu die?\n\nA. In the two thousand and twenty sixth.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Serug die?\n\nA. In the two thousand and forty ninth.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Terah die?\n\nA. In the two thousand and eighty third.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Arphaxad die?\n\nA. In the two thousand and ninety sixth.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Salah die?\n\nA. In the twenty one hundred and twenty sixth.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Abraham die?\n\nA. In the twenty one hundred and eighty third.\n\nQ. In what year of the world did Eber die?\n\nA. In the twenty one hundred and eighty seventh. For this account of\nthe year of the world in which those men died, see [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 49,50.]\n\nQ. How old was Nahor (Abraham's brother) when Noah died?\n\nA. Fifty eight years.\n\nQ. How old was Terah?\n\nA. One hundred and twenty eight.\n\nQ. How old was Serug?\n\nA. One hundred and eighty seven.\n\nQ. How old was Reu?\n\nA. Two hundred and nineteen.\n\nQ. How old was Eber?\n\nA. Two hundred and eighty three.\n\nQ. How old was Salah?\n\nA. Three hundred and thirteen.\n\nQ. How old was Arphaxad?\n\nA. Three hundred and forty eight.\n\nQ. How old was Shem?\n\nA. Four hundred and forty eight. For the last account see [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 51.]\n\nQ. How old was Abraham when Reu died?\n\nA. Eighteen years, if he was born when Terah was one hundred and thirty\nyears old.\n\nQ. What was his age when Serug and Nahor (Abraham's brother) died?\n\nA. Forty one years.\n\nQ. What was his age when Terah died?\n\nA. Seventy five years.\n\nQ. What was his age when Arphaxad died?\n\nA. Eighty eight.\n\nQ. What was his age when Salah died?\n\nA. One hundred and eighteen years.\n\nQ. What was his age when Shem died?\n\nA. One hundred and fifty years. For this see [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 52.]\n\nQ. How many noted characters lived from Noah to Abraham?\n\nA. Ten.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and\nNahor, (Abraham's brother). [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 52.]\n\nQ. How many of these were cotemporary with Noah?\n\nA. The whole.\n\nQ. How many With Abraham?\n\nA. Eight.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Nahor (Abraham's brother), Terah, Serug, Reu, Eber, Salah, Arphaxad,\nand Shem. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 52.]\n\nQ. How many were cotemporary with both Noah and Abraham?\n\nA. Eight.\n\nQ. What are their names?\n\nA. Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Reu, Serug, Terah, and Nahor (Abraham's\nbrother). [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 52.]\n\nQ. Did any of these men die before Noah?\n\nA. They did.\n\nQ. Who were they?\n\nA. Peleg, in whose days the earth was divided; and Nahor, (Abraham's\ngrandfather). [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 49.]\n\nQ. Did any one of them live longer than Abraham?\n\nA. There was one. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 50.]\n\nQ. Who was he?\n\nA. Eber, the fourth from Noah. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 50.]\n\nQ. In whose days was the earth divided?\n\nA. In the days of Peleg.\n\nQ. Where have we the account given that the earth was divided in the\ndays of Peleg?\n\nA. Gen. 10:25.\n\nQ. Can you repeat the sentence?\n\nA. Unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his\ndays the earth was divided.\n\nQ. What testimony have men, in the first instance, that there is a God?\n\nA. Human testimony, and human testimony only. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 56.]\n\nQ. What excited the ancient saints to seek diligently after a knowledge\nof the glory of God, his perfections and attributes?\n\nA. The credence they gave to the testimony of their fathers. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6\n56.]\n\nQ. How do men obtain a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections\nand attributes?\n\nA. By devoting themselves to his service, through prayer and\nsupplication incessantly strengthening their faith in him, until, like\nEnoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they obtain a manifestation of\nGod to themselves. [\u00a7 II. \u00b6 55.]\n\nQ. Is the knowledge of the existence of God a matter of mere\ntradition, founded upon human testimony alone, until persons receive a\nmanifestation of God to themselves?\n\nA. It is.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. From the whole of the first and second lectures.\n\n\n\nLECTURE THIRD.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSection III.\n\n1. In the second lecture it was shown, how it was that the knowledge\nof the existence of God, came into the world, and by what means the\nfirst thoughts were suggested to the minds of men, that such a Being\ndid actually exist: and that it was by reason of the knowledge of his\nexistence that there was a foundation laid for the exercise of faith\nin him, as the only Being in whom faith could center for life and\nsalvation. For faith could not center in a Being of whose existence we\nhave no idea; because the idea of his existence in the first instance,\nis essential to the exercise of faith in him. Rom. 10:14 How then shall\nthey call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they\nbelieve in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear\nwithout a preacher? (or one sent to tell them?) So then faith comes by\nhearing the word of God. [New Translation.]\n\n2. Let us here observe, that three things are necessary, in order that\nany rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life\nand salvation.\n\n3. First, the idea that he actually exists.\n\n4. Secondly, A _correct_ idea of his character, perfections, and\nattributes.\n\n5. Thirdly, An actual knowledge that the course of life which he is\npursuing, is according to his will.--For without an acquaintance with\nthese three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be\nimperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it can become\nperfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and\nglory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.\n\n6. Having previously been made acquainted with the way the idea of his\nexistence came into the world, as well as the fact of his existence,\nwe shall proceed to examine his character, perfections and attributes,\nin order that this class may see, not only the just grounds which they\nhave for the exercise of faith in him, for life and salvation, but the\nreasons that all the world, also, as far as the idea of his existence\nextends, may have to exercise faith in him the Father of all living.\n\n7. As we have been indebted to a revelation which God made of himself\nto his creatures in the first instance, for the idea of his existence,\nso in like manner we are indebted to the revelations which he has given\nto us, for a correct understanding of his character, perfections, and\nattributes; because, without the revelations which he has given to\nus, no man by searching could find out God. Job 11:7,8,9. First Cor.\n2:9,10,11: But as it is written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard,\nneither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath\nprepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by\nhis Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things\nof God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man\nwhich is in him? Even so, the things of God knows no man but by the\nSpirit of God.\n\n8. Having said so much, we proceed to examine the character which the\nrevelations have given of God.\n\n9. Moses gives us the following account in Exodus, 34:6 And the Lord\npassed by before him, and proclaimed, 'The Lord God, the Lord God,\nmerciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in goodness and\ntruth. Psalm 103:6,7,8 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment\nfor all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts\nunto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow\nto anger and plenteous in mercy: Psalm 103:17,18: But the mercy of\nthe Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,\nand his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his\ncovenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. Psalm\n90:2: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed\nthe earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are\nGod. Heb. 1:10,11,12 And you, Lord, in the beginning, have laid the\nfoundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands:\nthey shall perish, but you remain; and they shall wax old as a garment;\nand as a vesture shall you fold them up, and they shall be changed;\nbut you are the same and your years shall not fail James 1:17: Every\ngood gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down from\nthe Father of lights; with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of\nturning. Malachi 3:6. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye\nsons of Jacob are not consumed.\n\n10. Book of Commandments, chpt. 2nd, commencing in the third line of\nthe first paragraph: For God does not walk in crooked paths, neither\ndoes he turn to the right hand or the left, or vary from that which he\nhas said, therefore his paths are strait, and his course is one eternal\nround: Book of Commandments, chapt. 37:1. Listen to the voice of the\nLord your God, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose\ncourse is one eternal round, the same yesterday to-day and forever.\n\n11. Numbers, 23:19. God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the\nson of man that he should repent. First John, 4:8. He that loves not,\nknows not God; for God is love. Acts 10:34: Then Peter opened his mouth\nand said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but\nin every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted\nwith him.\n\n12. From the foregoing testimonies, we learn the following things\nrespecting the character of God.\n\n13. First, That he was God before the world was created, and the same\nGod that he was, after it was created.\n\n14. Secondly, That he is merciful, and gracious, slow to anger,\nabundant in goodness, and that he was so from everlasting, and will be\nto everlasting.\n\n15. Thirdly, That he changes not, neither is there variableness with\nhim; but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the\nsame yesterday to-day and forever; and that his course is one eternal\nround, without variation.\n\n16. Fourthly, That he is a God of truth and cannot lie.\n\n17. Fifthly, That he is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he\nthat fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him.\n\n18. Sixthly, That he is love.\n\n19. An acquaintance with these attributes in the divine character,\nis essentially necessary, in order that the faith of any rational\nbeing can center in him for life and salvation. For if he did not, in\nthe first instance, believe him to be God, that is, the Creator and\nupholder of all things, he could not _center_ his faith in him for life\nand salvation, for fear there should be greater than he, who would\nthwart all his plans, and he, like the gods of the heathen, would be\nunable to fulfill his promises; but seeing he is God over all, from\neverlasting to everlasting, the Creator and upholder of all things, no\nsuch fear can exist in the minds of those who put their trust in him,\nso that in this respect their faith can be without wavering.\n\n20. But secondly: unless he was merciful and gracious, slow to anger,\nlong-suffering and full of goodness, such is the weakness of human\nnature, and so great the frailties and imperfections of men, that\nunless they believed that these excellencies existed in the divine\ncharacter, the faith necessary to salvation could not exist; for doubt\nwould take the place of faith, and those who know their weakness and\nliability to sin would be in constant doubt of salvation if it were\nnot for the idea which they have of the excellency of the character of\nGod, that he is slow to anger and long-suffering, and of a forgiving\ndisposition, and does forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin. An idea\nof these facts does away doubt, and makes faith exceedingly strong.\n\n21. But it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that\nhe is a God who changes not, in order to have faith in him, as it is\nto have the idea that he is gracious and long-suffering. For without\nthe idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt\nwould take the place of faith. But with the idea that he changes not,\nfaith lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken\nconfidence, believing he is the same yesterday, to-day and forever, and\nthat his course is one eternal round.\n\n22. And again, the idea that he is a God of truth and cannot lie, is\nequally as necessary to the exercise of faith in him, as the idea of\nhis unchangeableness. For without the idea that he was a God of truth\nand could not lie, the confidence necessary to be placed in his word in\norder to the exercise of faith in him, could not exist. But having the\nidea that he is not man that he can lie, it gives power to the minds of\nmen to exercise faith in him.\n\n23. But it is also necessary that men should have an idea that he is no\nrespecter of persons; for with the idea of all the other excellencies\nin his character, and this one wanting, men could not exercise faith\nin him, because if he were a respecter of persons, they could not\ntell what their privileges were, nor how far they were authorized to\nexercise faith in him or whether they were authorized to do it at all,\nbut all must be confusion; but no sooner are the minds of men made\nacquainted with the truth on this point, that he is no respecter of\npersons, than they see that they have authority by faith to lay hold on\neternal life the richest boon of heaven, because God is no respecter of\npersons, and that every man in every nation has an equal privilege.\n\n24. And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in God,\nis the idea that he is love; for with all the other excellencies in his\ncharacter, without this one to influence them, they could not have such\npowerful dominion over the minds of men; but when the idea is planted\nin the mind that he is love, who cannot see the just ground that men of\nevery nation, kindred, and tongue, have to exercise faith in God so as\nto obtain eternal life?\n\n25. From the above description of the character of the Deity which is\ngiven him in the revelations to men, there is a sure foundation for the\nexercise of faith in him among every people, nation and kindred, from\nage to age, and from generation to generation.\n\n26. Let us here observe that the foregoing is the character which is\ngiven of God in his revelations to the Former Day Saints, and it is\nalso the character which is given of him in his revelations to the\nLatter Day Saints, so that the saints of former days, and those of\nlatter days, are both alike in this respect; the \"Latter Day Saints\"\nhaving as good grounds to exercise faith in God, as the former day\nsaints had; because the same character is given of him to both.\n\nQ. What was shown in the second lecture?\n\nA. It was shown how the knowledge of the existence of God came into the\nworld--[\u00a7 III. \u00b6 1.]\n\nQ. What is the effect of the idea of his existence among men?\n\nA. It lays the foundation for the exercise of faith in him.--[\u00a7 III. \u00b6\n1.]\n\nQ. Is the idea of his existence, in the first instance, necessary in\norder for the exercise of faith in him?\n\nA. It is. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 1.]\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. By the tenth chapter of Romans and fourteenth verse. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 1.]\n\nQ. How many things are necessary for us to understand, respecting the\nDeity and our relation to him, in order that we may exercise faith in\nhim for life and salvation?\n\nA. Three. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 2.]\n\nQ. What are they?\n\nA. First, that God does actually exist; secondly, correct ideas of his\ncharacter, his perfections and attributes; and thirdly, that the course\nwhich we pursue is according to his mind and will. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 3,4,5.]\n\nQ. Would the idea of any one or two of the above-mentioned things\nenable a person to exercise faith in God?\n\nA. It would not, for without the idea of them all, faith would be\nimperfect and unproductive. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 5.]\n\nQ. Would an idea of these three things lay a sure foundation for the\nexercise of faith in God, so as to obtain life and salvation?\n\nA. It would; for by the idea of these three things, faith could become\nperfect, and fruitful, abounding in righteousness unto the praise and\nglory of God. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 5.]\n\nQ. How are we to be made acquainted with the before mentioned things\nrespecting the Deity, and respecting ourselves?\n\nA. By revelation. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 6.]\n\nQ. Could these things be found out by any other means than by\nrevelation?\n\nA. They could not.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. By the scriptures. Job 11:7,8:9. 1 Corinthians 2:9,10,11. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6\n7.]\n\nQ. What things do we learn in the revelations of God respecting his\ncharacter?\n\nA. We learn the six following things: first, that he was God before\nthe world was created, and the same God that he was after it was\ncreated. Secondly, that he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger,\nabundant in goodness, and that he was so from everlasting, and will\nbe so to everlasting. Thirdly, that he changes not, neither is there\nvariableness with him, and that his course is one eternal round.\nFourthly, that he is a God of truth and cannot lie. Fifthly, that he\nis no respecter of persons; and sixthly, that he is love. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6\n12,13,14,15,16,17,18.]\n\nQ. Where do you find the revelations which give us this idea of the\ncharacter of the Deity?\n\nA. In the bible and book of commandments, and they are quoted in the\nthird lecture. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 9,10,11.]\n\nQ. What effect would it have on any rational being not to have an idea\nthat the Lord was God, the Creator and upholder of all things?\n\nA. It would prevent him from exercising faith in him unto life and\nsalvation.\n\nQ. Why would it prevent him from exercising faith in God?\n\nA. Because he would be as the heathen not knowing but there might be a\nbeing greater and more powerful than he, and thereby he be prevented\nfrom fulfilling his promises. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 19.]\n\nQ. Does this idea prevent this doubt?\n\nA. It does; for persons having this idea are enabled thereby to\nexercise faith without this doubt. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 19.]\n\nQ. Is it not also necessary to have the idea that God is merciful, and\ngracious, long-suffering and full of goodness?\n\nA. It is. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 20.]\n\nQ. Why is it necessary?\n\nA. Because of the weakness and imperfections of human nature, and the\ngreat frailties of man; for such is the weakness of man, and such his\nfrailties, that he is liable to sin continually, and if God were not\nlong-suffering, and full of compassion, gracious and merciful and\nof a forgiving disposition, man would be cut off from before him in\nconsequence of which, he would be in continual doubt and could not\nexercise faith; for where doubt is, there faith has no power, but\nby man's believing that God is full of compassion and forgiveness,\nlong-suffering and slow to anger, he can exercise faith in him and\novercome doubt, so as to be exceedingly strong. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 20.]\n\nQ. Is it not equally as necessary that man should have an idea that\nGod changes not, neither is there variableness with him, in order to\nexercise faith in him unto life and salvation?\n\nA. It is; because without this, he would not know how soon the mercy\nof God might change into cruelty, his long-suffering into rashness,\nhis love into hatred, and in consequence of which doubt man would be\nincapable of exercising faith in him, but having the idea that he is\nunchangeable, man can have faith in him continually, believing that,\nwhat he was yesterday he is to-day, and will be forever. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 21.]\n\nQ. Is it not necessary also, for men to have an idea that God is a\nbeing of truth before they can have perfect faith in him?\n\nA. It is; for unless men have this idea they cannot place confidence\nin his word, and not being able to place confidence in his word, they\ncould not have faith in him; but believing that he is a God of truth,\nand that his word cannot fail, their faith can rest in him without\ndoubt. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 22.]\n\nQ. Could man exercise faith in God so as to obtain eternal life unless\nhe believed that God was no respecter of persons?\n\nA. He could not; because without this idea he could not certainly know\nthat it was his privilege so to do, and in consequence of this doubt\nhis faith could not be sufficiently strong to save him. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 23.]\n\nQ. Would it be possible for a man to exercise faith in God, so as to be\nsaved, unless he had an idea that God was love?\n\nA. He could not; because man could not love God unless he had an idea\nthat God was love, and if he did not love God he could not have faith\nin him. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 24.]\n\nQ. What is the description which the sacred writers give of the\ncharacter of the Deity calculated to do?\n\nA. It is calculated to lay a foundation for the exercise of faith\nin him, as far as the knowledge extends among all people, tongues,\nlanguages, kindreds and nations and that from age to age, and from\ngeneration to generation. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 25.]\n\nQ. Is the character which God has given of himself uniform?\n\nA. It is, in all his revelations, whether to the Former Day Saints,\nor to the Latter day saints, so that they all have the authority to\nexercise faith in him, and to expect by the exercise of their faith, to\nenjoy the same blessings. [\u00a7 III. \u00b6 26.]\n\n\n\nLECTURE FOURTH.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSECTION IV.\n\n1. Having shown in the third lecture, that correct ideas of the\ncharacter of God are necessary in order to the exercise of faith in\nhim unto life and salvation, and that without correct ideas of his\ncharacter, the minds of men could not have sufficient power with God\nto the exercise of faith necessary to the enjoyment of eternal life,\nand that correct ideas of his character lay a foundation as far as his\ncharacter is concerned, for the exercise of faith, so as to enjoy the\nfulness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ, even that of\neternal glory; we shall now proceed to show the connection there is\nbetween correct ideas of the attributes of God, and the exercise of\nfaith in him unto eternal life.\n\n2. Let us here observe, that the real design which the God of heaven\nhad in view in making the human family acquainted with his attributes,\nwas, that they through the ideas of the existence of his attributes,\nmight be enabled to exercise faith in him, and through the exercise of\nfaith in him, might obtain eternal life. For without the idea of the\nexistence of the attributes which belong to God, the minds of men could\nnot have power to exercise faith in him so as to lay hold upon eternal\nlife. The God of heaven understanding most perfectly the constitution\nof human nature, and the weakness of men, knew what was necessary to be\nrevealed, and what ideas must be planted in their minds in order that\nthey might be enabled to exercise faith in him unto eternal life.\n\n3. Having said so much we shall proceed to examine the attributes of\nGod, as set forth in his revelations to the human family, and to show\nhow necessary correct ideas of his attributes are, to enable men to\nexercise faith in him. For without these ideas being planted in the\nminds of men it would be out of the power of any person or persons to\nexercise faith in God so as to obtain eternal life. So that the divine\ncommunications made to men in the first instance, were designed to\nestablish in their minds the ideas necessary to enable them to exercise\nfaith in God, and through this means to be partakers of his glory.\n\n4. We have, in the revelations which he has given to the human family,\nthe following account of his attributes.\n\n5. First, Knowledge. Acts 15:18. Known unto God are all his works from\nthe beginning of the world. Isaiah 46:9,10. Remember the former things\nof old; for I am God and there is none else; I am God, and there is\nnone like me, _declaring the end from the beginning_, and from ancient\ntime the things that are not yet done, saying. My counsel shall stand,\nand I will do all my pleasure.\n\n6. Secondly, Faith, or power. Heb. 11:3. Through faith we understand\nthat the worlds were framed by the word of God. Gen. 1:1. In the\nbeginning God created the heaven and the earth. Isaiah 14:24,27. The\nLord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought so shall it\ncome to pass; and as I have purposed so shall it stand. For the Lord\nof Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is\nstretched out, and who shall turn it back?\n\n7. Thirdly, Justice. Psalm 89:14. Justice and judgment are the\nhabitation of thy throne. Isaiah 45:21. Tell ye, and bring them near;\nyea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from the\nancient time? Have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me;\na just God and a Saviour. Zeph. 5:5. The just Lord is in the midst\nthereof. Zech. 9:9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O\ndaughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just,\nand having salvation.\n\n8. Fourthly, Judgment. Ps. 89:14. Justice and judgment are the\nhabitation of thy throne. Deut. 32:4. He is the Rock, his work is\nperfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without\niniquity: just and right is he. Ps. 9:7. But the Lord shall endure for\never: he has prepared his throne for judgment. Ps. 9:16. The Lord is\nknown by the judgment which he executeth.\n\n9. Fifthly, Mercy. Ps. 89:15. Mercy and truth shall go before his face.\nExodus 34:6. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The\nLord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. Neh. 9:17.--But you art a\nGod ready to pardon, gracious and merciful.\n\n10. And Sixthly, Truth. Ps. 89:14. Mercy and truth shall go before thy\nface. Exodus 34:6. Long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth.\nDeut. 32:4. He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are\njudgment. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. Ps\n31:5. Into thy hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord\nGod of truth.\n\n11. By a little reflection it will be seen, that the idea of the\nexistence of these attributes in the Deity, is necessary to enable\nany rational being to exercise faith in him. For without the idea\nof the existence of these attributes in the Deity, men could not\nexercise faith in him for life and salvation; seeing that without the\nknowledge of all things God would not be able to save any portion of\nhis creatures; for it is by reason of the knowledge which he has of\nall things, from the beginning to the end, that enables him to give\nthat understanding to his creatures by which they are made partakers\nof eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the minds\nof men that God had all knowledge, it would be impossible for them to\nexercise faith in him.\n\n12. And it is not less necessary that men should have the idea of\nthe existence of the attribute power in the Deity. For, unless God\nhad power over all things, and was able, by his power, to control\nall things, and thereby deliver his creatures who put their trust in\nhim, from the power of all beings that might seek their destruction,\nwhether in heaven, on earth, or in hell, men could not be saved; but\nwith the idea of the existence of this attribute planted in the mind,\nmen feel as though they had nothing to fear who put their trust in God,\nbelieving that he has power to save all who come to him, to the very\nuttermost.\n\n13. It is also necessary, in order to the exercise of faith in God,\nunto life and salvation, that men should have the idea of the existence\nof the attribute justice, in him. For without the idea of the existence\nof the attribute Justice, in the Deity, men could not have confidence\nsufficient to place themselves under his guidance and direction; for\nthey would be filled with fear and doubt, lest the Judge of all the\nearth would not do right, and thus fear, or doubt, existing in the\nmind, would preclude the possibility of the exercise of faith in him\nfor life and salvation. But, when the idea of the existence of the\nattribute justice, in the Deity, is fairly planted in the mind, it\nleaves no room for doubt to get into the heart, and the mind is enabled\nto cast itself upon the Almighty without fear and without doubt, and\nwith the most unshaken confidence, believing that the Judge of all the\nearth will do right.\n\n14. It is also of equal importance that men should have the idea of the\nexistence of the attribute judgment, in God, in order that they may\nexercise faith in him for life and salvation; for without the idea of\nthe existence of this attribute in the Deity, it would be impossible\nfor men to exercise faith in him for life and salvation, seeing that\nit is through the exercise of this attribute that the faithful in\nChrist Jesus are delivered out of the hands of those who seek their\ndestruction; for if God were not to come out in swift judgment against\nthe workers of iniquity and the powers of darkness, his saints could\nnot be saved; for it is by judgment that the Lord delivers his saints\nout of the hands of all their enemies, and those who reject the gospel\nof our Lord Jesus Christ. But no sooner is the idea of the existence\nof this attribute, planted in the minds of men, than it gives power to\nthe mind for the exercise of faith and confidence in God, and they are\nenabled, by faith, to lay hold on the promises which are set before\nthem, and wade through all the tribulations and afflictions to which\nthey are subjected by reason of the persecution from those who know not\nGod, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, believing, that\nin due time the Lord will come out in swift judgement against their\nenemies, and they shall be cut off from before him, and that, in his\nown due time he will bear them off conquerors and more than conquerors\nin all things.\n\n15. And again, it is equally important that men should have the idea\nof the existence of the attribute mercy, in the Deity, in order to\nexercise faith in him for life and salvation. For without the idea\nof the existence of this attribute in the Deity, the spirits of the\nsaints would taint in the midst of the tribulations afflictions, and\npersecutions which they have to endure for righteousness' sake; but\nwhen the idea of the existence of this attribute is once established\nin the mind it gives life and energy to the spirits of the saints:\nbelieving that the mercy of God will be poured out upon them in the\nmidst of their afflictions, and that he will compassionate them in\ntheir sufferings, and that the mercy of God will lay hold of them and\nsecure them in the arms of his love, so that they will receive a full\nreward for all their sufferings.\n\n16. And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in\nGod, is the idea of the existence of the attribute truth, in him. For\nwithout the idea of the existence of this attribute the mind of man\ncould have nothing upon which it could rest with certainty: all would\nbe confusion and doubt; but with the idea of the existence of this\nattribute in the Deity, in the mind, all the teachings, instructions,\npromises, and blessings, become realities, and the mind is enabled\nto lay hold of them with certainty and confidence: believing that\nthese things, and all that the Lord has said, shall be fulfilled in\ntheir time; and that all the cursings, denunciations, and judgments,\npronounced upon the heads of the unrighteous will also be executed in\nthe due time of the Lord: and, by reason of the truth and veracity of\nhim, the mind beholds its deliverance and salvation as being certain.\n\n17. Let the mind once reflect sincerely and candidly upon the ideas of\nthe existence of the before-mentioned attributes in the Deity, and it\nwill be seen, that as far as his attributes are concerned, there is\na sure foundation laid for the exercise of faith in him for life and\nsalvation. For inasmuch as God possesses the attribute knowledge he\ncan make all things known to his saints necessary for their salvation;\nand as he possesses the attribute power he is able thereby to deliver\nthem from the power of all enemies; and seeing also, that justice is an\nattribute of the Deity, he will deal with them upon the principles of\nrighteousness and equity, and a just reward will be granted unto them\nfor all their afflictions and sufferings for the truth's sake. And as\njudgment is an attribute of the Deity also, his saints can have the\nmost unshaken confidence that they will, in due time, obtain a perfect\ndeliverance out of the hands of all their enemies, and a complete\nvictory over all those who have sought their hurt and destruction.\nAnd as mercy is also an attribute of the Deity, his saints can have\nconfidence that it will be exercised towards them; and through the\nexercise of that attribute towards them comfort and consolation will\nbe administered unto them abundantly, amid all their afflictions and\ntribulations. And lastly, realizing that truth is an attribute of the\nDeity, the mind is led to rejoice amid all its trials and temptations,\nin hope of that glory which is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus\nChrist, and in view of that crown which is to be placed upon the heads\nof the saints in the day when the Lord shall distribute rewards unto\nthem, and in prospect of that eternal weight of glory which the Lord\nhas promised to bestow upon them when he shall bring them into the\nmidst of his throne to dwell in his presence eternally.\n\n18. In view, then, of the existence of these attributes, the faith of\nthe saints can become exceedingly strong, abounding in righteousness\nunto the praise and glory of God, and can exert its mighty influence\nin searching after wisdom and understanding, until it has obtained a\nknowledge of all things that pertain to life and salvation.\n\n19. Such, then, is the foundation, which is laid, through the\nrevelation of the attributes of God, for the exercise of faith in\nhim for life and salvation; and seeing that these are attributes of\nthe Deity, they are unchangeable--being the same yesterday, to day,\nand forever--which gives to the minds of the Latter Day Saints the\nsame power and authority to exercise faith in God, which the Former\nDay Saints had; so that all the saints, in this respect have been,\nare, and will be alike until the end of time; for God never changes,\ntherefore his attributes and character remain forever the same. And as\nit is through the revelation of these that a foundation is laid for\nthe exercise of faith in God unto life and salvation, the foundation,\ntherefore, for the exercise of faith was, is, and ever will be the\nsame. So that all men have had, and will have an equal privilege.\n\n_Question_. What was shown in the third lecture?\n\n_Answer_. It was shown that correct ideas of the character of God are\nnecessary in order to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation;\nand that without correct ideas of his character, men could not have\npower to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation, but that\ncorrect ideas of his character, as far as his character was concerned\nin the exercise of faith in him, lay a sure foundation for the exercise\nof it. [\u00a7 IV. \u00b6 1.]\n\nQ. What object had the God of Heaven in revealing his attributes to men?\n\nA. That through an acquaintance with his attributes they might be\nenabled to exercise faith in him so as to obtain eternal life. [\u00a7 IV. \u00b6\n2.]\n\nQ. Could men exercise faith in God without an acquaintance with his\nattributes, so as to be enabled to lay hold of eternal life?\n\nA. They could not. [\u00a7 IV. \u00b6 2,3.]\n\nQ. What account is given of the attributes of God in his revelations?\n\nA. First, Knowledge; secondly, Faith, or power; thirdly, Justice,\nfourthly, Judgment, fifthly, Mercy, and sixthly, truth. [\u00a7 IV. \u00b6\n4,5,6,7,8,9,10.]\n\nQ. Where are the revelations to be found which give this relation or\nthe attributes of God?\n\nA. In the Old and New Testaments, and they are quoted in the fourth\nlecture, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth paragraphs.*\n\nQ. Is the idea or the existence of these attributes, in the Deity,\nnecessary in order to enable any rational being to exercise faith in\nhim unto life and salvation?\n\nA. It is.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. By the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and\nsixteenth paragraphs in this lecture.*\n\nQ. Does the idea of the existence of these attributes in the Deity,\nas far as his attributes are concerned, enable a rational being to\nexercise faith in him unto life and salvation?\n\nA. It does.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. By the seventeenth and eighteenth paragraphs.*\n\nQ. Have the Latter Day Saints as much authority given them, through the\nrevelation of the attributes of God, to exercise faith in him as the\nFormer Day Saints had?\n\nA. They have.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. By the nineteenth paragraph of this lecture.*\n\n_Note._ Let the student turn and commit these paragraphs to memory.\n\n\n\nLECTURE FIFTH.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSECTION V.\n\n1. In our former lectures we treated of the being, character,\nperfections, and attributes of God. What we mean by perfections, is,\nthe perfections which belong to all the attributes of his nature. We\nshall, in this lecture, speak of the Godhead: we mean the Father, Son,\nand Holy Spirit.\n\n2. There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless,\ngoverning, and supreme power over all things--by whom all things\nwere created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or\ninvisible: whether in heaven, on earth, or in the earth, under the\nearth, or throughout the immensity of space--They are the Father and\nthe Son: the Father being a personage of spirit, glory, and power:\npossessing all perfection and fullness: the Son, who was in the bosom\nof the Father, a personage of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto\nman, or being in the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was\nformed after his likeness, and in his image;--he is also the express\nimage and likeness of the personage of the Father: possessing all the\nfullness of the Father, or the same fulness with the Father; being\nbegotten of him, and ordained from before the foundation of the world\nto be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on\nhis name, and is called the Son because of the flesh--and descended in\nsuffering below that which man can suffer, or, in other words, suffered\ngreater sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions\nthan any man can be. But notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of\nGod, and remained without sin: Showing thereby that it is in the power\nof man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And also, that\nby him a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all\nwho walk not in the law of God, may justly be condemned by the law,\nand have no excuse for their sins. And he being the Only Begotten of\nthe Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a\nfullness of the glory of the Father--possessing the same mind with the\nFather, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father\nand the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three\nconstitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all\nthings: by whom all things were created and made, that were created and\nmade: and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one: the Father\nand the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power,\nand fullness: Filling all in all--the Son being filled with the fulness\nof the Mind, glory, and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory,\nand power, of the Father--possessing all knowledge and glory, and the\nsame kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image\nand likeness of the Father--a mediator for man--being filled with the\nfullness of the mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of\nthe Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name\nand keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments\nshall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly\nkingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind,\nbeing transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express\nimage of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fullness of\nhis glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy\nSpirit are one.\n\n3. From the foregoing account of the Godhead, which is given in his\nrevelations, the Saints have a sure foundation laid for the exercise\nof faith unto life and salvation, through the atonement and mediation\nof Jesus Christ, by whose blood they have a forgiveness of sins, and\nalso a sure reward laid up for them in heaven, even that of partaking\nof the fulness of the Father and the Son, through the Spirit. As the\nSon partakes of the fullness of the Father through the Spirit, so the\nsaints are, by the same Spirit, to be partakers of the same fullness,\nto enjoy the same glory; for as the Father and the Son are one, so in\nlike manner the saints are to be one in them, through the love of the\nFather, the mediation of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit;\nthey are to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.\n\n_Question_. Of what do the foregoing lectures treat?\n\n_Answer_. Of the being, perfections, and attributes of the Deity. [\u00a75.\n\u00b61.]\n\nQ. What are we to understand by the Reflections of the Deity?\n\nA. The perfections which belong to his attributes.\n\nQ. How many personages are there in the Godhead?\n\nA. Two : the Father and Son. [\u00a75. \u00b61.]\n\nQ. How do you prove that there are two personages in the Godhead?\n\nA. By the Scriptures. Gen. 1:26. Also \u00a72. \u00b66. And the Lord God said\nunto the Only Begotten, who was with him from the beginning, Let us\nmake man in our image, after our likeness:--and it was done. Gen. 3:22.\nAnd the Lord God said unto the Only Begotten, Behold, the man is become\nas one of us: to know good and evil. John, 17:5. And now, O Father,\nglorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with you\nbefore the world was. [\u00a75. \u00b62.]\n\nQ. What is the Father?\n\nA. He is a personage of glory and of power. [\u00a75. \u00b62.]\n\nQ. How do you prove that the Father is a personage of glory and of\npower?\n\nA. Isaiah 60:19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for\nbrightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be\nunto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 1 Chron. 29:11\nThine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory. Ps 29:3\nThe voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders.\nPs 79:9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name.\nRomans 1:23. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an\nimage made like to corruptible man. Secondly, of power. 1 Chron. 29:4\nThine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory. Jer.\n32:17 Ah! Lord God, behold thou hast made the earth and the heavens\nby thy great power, and stretched-out arm; and there is nothing too\nhard for thee. Deut 4:37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore\nhe chose their seed after them, and brought them out in his sight with\nhis mighty power. 2 Samuel 22:33. God is my strength and power. Job 26\ncommencing with the 7th verse to the end of the chapter. He stretcheth\nout the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.\nHe binds up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent\nunder them. He holds back the face of his throne, and spreads his\ncloud upon it. He has compassed the waters with bounds, until the\nday and night come to an end. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are\nastonished at his reproof. He divideth the sea with his power, and by\nhis understanding he smites through the proud. By his Spirit he has\ngarnished the heavens; his hand has formed the crooked serpent. Lo,\nthese are parts of his ways! but how little a portion is heard of him?\nBut the thunder of his power who can understand?\n\nQ. What is the Son?\n\nA. First, he is a personage of tabernacle. [\u00a75. \u00b62.]\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. John 14:9,10,11, Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time\nwith you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? He that has seen me\nhas seen the Father; and how do you say then, Show us the Father? Do\nyou not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The\nwords that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that\ndwells in me he does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and\nthe Father in me. Secondly, and being a personage of tabernacle, was\nmade or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of\nman. [\u00a75. \u00b62.] Philip. 2. Let this mind be in you, which was also in\nChrist Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to\nbe equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him\nthe form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and, being\nfound in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto\ndeath, even the death of the cross. Heb. 2. 14, 16. Forasmuch then as\nthe children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise\ntook part of the same. For verily he took not on him the nature of\nangels: but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Thirdly, he is also in\nthe likeness of the personage of the Father. [\u00a75. \u00b62.] Heb 1. 1,2,3.\nGod, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past to\nthe fathers, by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us\nby his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he\nmade the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express\nimage of his person. Again, Philip. 2:5,6 Let this mind be in you,\nwhich was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought\nit not robbery to be equal with God.\n\nQ. Was it by the Father and the Son that all things were created and\nmade that were created and made?\n\nA. It was. Col 1:15,16,17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the\nfirst born of every creature; for by him were all things created that\nare in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether\nthey be thrones or dominions, principalities or powers; all things were\ncreated by him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all\nthings consist. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and\nthe earth. Heb. 1:2 [God] Has in these last days spoken unto us by his\nSon, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the\nworlds.\n\nQ. Does he possess the fullness of the Father?\n\nA. He does. Col. 1:19. 2:9. For it pleased the Father that in him\nshould all fullness dwell. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the\nGodhead bodily. Eph 1:23. Which is his [Christ's] body, the fullness of\nhim that fills all in all.\n\nQ. Why was he called the Son?\n\nA. Because of the flesh. Luke 1:33 That holy thing which shall be born\nof thee, shall be called the Son of God.--Math. 3:16,17 And Jesus,\nwhen he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo,\nthe heavens were opened unto him, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God\ndescending like a dove and lighting upon him: and lo, a voice from\nheaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\n\nQ. Was he ordained of the Father, from before the foundation of the\nworld, to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should\nbelieve on his name?\n\nA. He was. 1 Peter 1:18,19,20: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not\nredeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain\nconversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the\nprecious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without\nspot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world,\nbut was manifested in these last times for you. Rev. 13:8 And all that\ndwell upon the earth shall worship him [the beast] whose names are not\nwritten in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of\nthe world. 1 Corin. 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,\neven the hidden mystery, which God ordained before the world unto our\nglory.\n\nQ. Do the Father and the Son possess the same mind?\n\nA. They do. John 5:30. I [Christ] can of my own self do nothing: as I\nhear, I judge, and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will,\nbut the will of the Father who sent me. John 6:38 For I [Christ] came\ndown from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent\nme. John 10:30. I [Christ] and my Father are one.\n\nQ. What is this mind?\n\nA. The Holy Spirit. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I\nwill send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which\nproceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me. [Christ]. Gal. 4:6.\nAnd because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into\nyour hearts.\n\nQ. Do the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the Godhead?\n\nA. They do. [\u00a75. \u00b62.] Let the student commit this paragraph to memory.\n\nQ. Do the believers in Christ Jesus, through the gift of the Spirit,\nbecome one with the Father and the Son, as the Father and the Son are\none?\n\nA. They do. John 17:20,21. Neither pray I for these (the apostles)\nalone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word;\nthat they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,\nthat they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou\nhast sent me.\n\nQ. Does the foregoing account of the Godhead lay a sure foundation for\nthe exercise of faith in him unto life and salvation?\n\nA. It does.\n\nQ. How do you prove it?\n\nA. By the third paragraph of this lecture. Let the student commit this\nalso.\n\n\n\nLECTURE SIXTH.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSECTION VI.\n\n1. Having treated, in the preceding lectures, of the ideas, of the\ncharacter, perfections and attributes of God, we next proceed to treat\nof the knowledge which persons must have, that the course of life which\nthey pursue is according to the will of God, in order that they may be\nenabled to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation.\n\n2. This knowledge supplies an important place in revealed religion;\nfor it was by reason of it that the ancients were enabled to endure\nas seeing him who is invisible. An actual knowledge to any person\nthat the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of\nGod, is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence\nin God, without which no person can obtain eternal life. It was this\nthat enabled the ancient saints to endure all their afflictions and\npersecutions, and to take joyfully the soiling of their goods, knowing\n(not believing merely,) that they had a more enduring substance. Heb.\n10:34.\n\n3. Having the assurance that they were pursuing a course which was\nagreeable to the will of God, they were enabled to take, not only the\nspoiling of their goods, and the wasting of their substance, joyfully,\nbut also to suffer death in its most horrid forms; knowing, (not merely\nbelieving,) that when this earthly house of their tabernacle was\ndissolved, they had a building of God, a house not made with hands,\neternal in the heavens. Second Cor. 5:1.\n\n4. Such was and always will be the situation of the saints of God, that\nunless they have an actual knowledge that the course they are pursuing\nis according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds\nand faint; for such has been, and a ways will be, the opposition in the\nhearts of unbelievers and those that know not God against the pure and\nunadulterated religion of heaven, (the only thing which ensures eternal\nlife,) that they will persecute, to the uttermost, all that worship God\naccording to his revelations, receive the truth in the love of it, and\nsubmit themselves to be guided and directed by his will, and drive them\nto such extremities that nothing short of an actual knowledge of their\nbeing the favorites of heaven, and of their having embraced that order\nof things which God has established for the redemption of man, will\nenable them to exercise that confidence in him, necessary for them to\novercome the world, and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for\nthem that fear God.\n\n5. For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his\nhonor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands,\nhis brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own\nlife also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency\nof the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or\nsupposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge:\nrealizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into\neternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.\n\n6. For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the\nwill of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the\nCreator, were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when\nhe should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this\nknowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God,\nhis confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the\nglory of God.\n\n7. Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the\nsacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the\nfaith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence\nof man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation\nnever could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things.\nIt was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained\nthat men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the\nsacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they\nare doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When\na man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's sake,\nnot even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has\nbeen called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he\ndoes know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice\n& offering, & that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under\nthese circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to\nlay hold on eternal life.\n\n8. It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs\nwith those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in\nsacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him\nso as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer unto him\nthe same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that\nthey are accepted of him.\n\n9. It was in offering sacrifices that Abel, the first martyr, obtained\nknowledge that he was accepted of God. And from the days of righteous\nAbel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are\naccepted in the sight of God, is obtained by offering sacrifice: and\nin the last days, before the Lord comes, he is to gather together his\nsaints who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice. Ps. 50: 3,4,5.\nOur God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour\nbefore him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall\ncall to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge\nhis people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a\ncovenant with me by sacrifice.\n\n10. Those, then, who make the sacrifice will have the testimony that\ntheir course is pleasing in the sight of God, and those who have this\ntestimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal life, and will be\nenabled, through faith, to endure unto the end, and receive the crown\nthat is laid up for them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus\nChrist. But those who do not make the sacrifice cannot enjoy this\nfaith, because men are dependent upon this sacrifice in order to obtain\nthis faith: therefore, they cannot lay hold upon eternal life, because\nthe revelations of God do not guarantee unto them the authority so to\ndo, and without this guarantee faith could not exist.\n\n11. All the saints of whom we have account, in all the revelations of\nGod which are extant, obtained the knowledge which they had of their\nacceptance in his sight, through the sacrifice which they offered\nunto him: and through the knowledge thus obtained their faith became\nsufficiently strong to lay hold upon the promise of eternal life, and\nto endure as seeing him who is invisible; and were enabled, through\nfaith, to combat the powers of darkness, contend against the wiles of\nthe adversary, overcome the world, and obtain the end of their faith,\neven the salvation of their souls.\n\n12. But those who have not made this sacrifice to God, do not know\nthat the course which they pursue is well pleasing in his sight; for\nwhatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter of doubt\nand uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty are,\nthere faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in\nthe same person at the same time. So that persons whose minds are under\ndoubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence, and where unshaken\nconfidence is not, there faith is weak, and where faith is weak the\npersons will not be able to contend against all the opposition,\ntribulations, and afflictions which they will have to encounter in\norder to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus; and they\nwill grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over\nthem and destroy them.\n\n_Note_. This Lecture is so plain, and the facts set forth so\nself-evident, that it is deemed unnecessary to form a catechism upon\nit: the student is therefore instructed to commit the whole to memory.\n\n\n\nLECTURE SEVENTH.\n\nOf Faith.\n\nSECTION VII.\n\n1. In the preceding lectures, we treated of what faith was, and of the\nobject on which it rested. Agreeably to our plan, we now proceed to\nspeak of its effects:\n\n2. As we have seen in our former lectures, that faith was the principle\nof action and of power in all intelligent beings, both in heaven and\non earth, it will not be expected that we shall, in a lecture of this\ndescription, attempt to unfold all its effects; neither is it necessary\nto our purpose so to do; for it would embrace all things in heaven\nand on earth, and encompass all the creations of God, with all their\nendless varieties: for no world has yet been framed that was not framed\nby faith; neither has there been an intelligent being on any of God's\ncreations who did not get there by reason of faith, as it existed\nin himself or in some other being; nor has there been a change or a\nrevolution in any of the creatures of God, but it has been effected\nby faith: neither will there be a change or a revolution unless it is\neffected in the same way, in any of the vast creations of the Almighty;\nfor it is by faith that the Deity works.\n\n3. Let us here offer some explanation in relation to faith, that\nour meaning may be clearly comprehended: We ask, then, what are we\nto understand by a man's working by faith? We answer: We understand\nthat when a man works by faith he works by mental exertion instead of\nphysical force: it is by words instead of exerting his physical powers,\nwith which every being works when he works by faith--God said, Let\nthere be light, and there was light--Joshua spake and the great lights\nwhich God had created stood still--Elijah commanded, and the heavens\nwere stayed for the space of three years and six months, so that it did\nnot rain: he again commanded and the heavens gave forth rain--all this\nwas done by faith; and the Saviour says, If you have faith as a grain\nof mustard seed, say to this mountain, remove, and it will remove; or\nsay to that sycamine tree, Be ye plucked up and planted in the midst of\nthe sea, and it shall obey you. Faith, then, works by words; and with\nthese its mightiest works have been, and will be, performed.\n\n4. It surely will not be required of us to prove, that this is the\nprinciple upon which all eternity has acted and will act; for every\nreflecting mind must know, that it is by reason of this power that\nall the hosts of heaven perform their works of wonder, majesty, and\nglory: Angels move from place to place by virtue of this power--it is\nby reason of it that they are enabled to descend from heaven to earth;\nand were it not for the power of faith they never could be ministering\nspirits to them who should be heirs of salvation, neither could they\nact as heavenly messengers; for they would be destitute of the power\nnecessary to enable them to do the will of God.\n\n5. It is only necessary for us to say, that the whole visible creation,\nas it now exists, is the effect of faith--It was faith by which it\nwas framed, and it is by the power of faith that it continues in its\norganized form, and by which the planets move round their orbits and\nsparkle forth their glory: So, then, faith is truly the first principle\nin the science of THEOLOGY, and when understood, leads the mind back to\nthe beginning, and carries it forward to the end; or in other words,\nfrom eternity to eternity.\n\n6. As faith, then, is the principle by which the heavenly hosts\nperform their works, and by which they enjoy all their felicity, we\nmight expect to find it set forth in a revelation from God as the\nprinciple upon which his creatures, here below, must act, in order to\nobtain the felicities enjoyed by the saints in the eternal world, and\nthat when God would undertake to raise up men for the enjoyment of\nhimself, he would teach them the necessity of living by faith, and the\nimpossibility there was of their enjoying the blessedness of eternity\nwithout it, seeing that all the blessings of eternity are the effects\nof faith.\n\n7. Therefore, it is said, and appropriately too, that without faith\nit is impossible to please God. If it should be asked, Why is it\nimpossible to please God without faith? The answer would be, because,\nwithout faith it is impossible for men to be saved; and as God desires\nthe salvation of men, he must of course desire that they should have\nfaith, and he could not be pleased unless they had, or else he could be\npleased with their destruction.\n\n8. From this we learn that the many exhortations which have been given\nby inspired men those who had received the word of the Lord, to have\nfaith in him, were not mere common-place matters, but were for the\nbest of all reasons, and that was, because, without it there was no\nsalvation, neither in this world nor in that which is to come. When men\nbegin to live by faith they begin to draw near to God; and when faith\nis perfected they are like him; and because he is saved they are saved\nalso; for they will be in the same situation he is in, because they\nhave come to him; and when he appears they shall be like him, for they\nwill see him as he is.\n\n9. As all the visible creation is an effect of faith, so is\nsalvation, also. (We mean salvation in its most extensive latitude of\ninterpretation, whether it is temporal or spiritual.) In order to have\nthis subject clearly set before the mind, let us ask what situation\nmust a person be in, in order to be saved? or what is the difference\nbetween a saved man and one who is not saved? We answer from what we\nhave before seen of the heavenly worlds, they must be persons who can\nwork by faith, and who are able, by faith to be ministering spirits\nto them who shall be heirs of salvation. And they must have faith to\nenable them to act in the presence of the Lord, otherwise they cannot\nbe saved. And what constitutes the real difference between a saved\nperson and one not saved, is the difference in the degree of their\nfaith: one's faith has become perfect enough to Lay hold upon eternal\nlife, and the other's has not. But to be a little more particular, let\nus ask, Where shall we find a prototype into whose likeness we may\nbe assimilated, in order that we may be made partakers of life and\nsalvation? or in other words, where shall we find a saved being? for if\nwe can find a saved being, we may ascertain, without much difficulty,\nwhat all others must be, in order to be saved--they must be like that\nindividual to be saved: we think, that it will not be a matter of\ndispute, that two beings, who are unlike each other, cannot both be\nsaved; for whatever constitutes the salvation of one, will constitute\nthe salvation of every creature which will be saved: and if we find\none saved being in all existence, we may see what all others must be,\nor else not be saved. We ask, then, where is the prototype? or where\nis the saved being? We conclude, as to the answer of this question,\nthere will be no dispute among those who believe the bible, that it is\nChrist: all will agree in this, that he is the prototype or standard\nof salvation; or, in other words, that he is a saved being. And if we\nshould continue our interrogation, and ask how it is that he is saved?\nthe answer would be, because he is a just and holy being; and if he\nwere anything different from what he is he would not be saved; for his\nsalvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else;\nfor if it were possible for him to change, in the least degree, so sure\nhe would fail of salvation and lose all his dominion, power, authority\nand glory, which constitutes salvation; for salvation consists in the\nglory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses,\nand in nothing else; and no being can possess it but himself or one\nlike him: Thus says John, in his first epistle, 3:2 and 3: Behold, now\nare we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be;\nbut we know that, when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we\nshall see him as he is. And any man that hath this hope in him purifies\nhimself, even as he is pure.--Why purify themselves as he is pure?\nbecause, if they do not they cannot be like him.\n\n10. The Lord said unto Moses, Leviticus, 19:2: Speak unto all the\ncongregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be\nholy: for I the Lord your God am holy. And Peter says, first epistle,\n1:15 and 16: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in\nall manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I\nam holy. And the Saviour says, Matthew, 5:48: Be ye therefore perfect,\neven as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. If any should ask,\nwhy all these sayings? the answer is to be found from what is before\nnoted from John's epistle, that when he (the Lord) shall appear, the\nsaints will be like him: and if they are not holy, as he is holy, and\nperfect as he is perfect, they cannot be like him; for no being can\nenjoy his glory without possessing his perfections and holiness, no\nmore than they could reign in his kingdom without his power.\n\n11. This clearly sets forth the propriety of the Saviour's saying,\nrecorded in John's testimony, 14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you,\nhe that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and\ngreater works than these, because I go unto my Father.--This taken in\nconnection with some of the sayings in the Saviour's prayer, recorded\nin the 17th chapter, gives great clearness to his expressions: He says\nin the 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24: Neither pray I for these alone, but for\nthem also who shall believe on me through their words; that they all\nmay be one; as you, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also\nmay be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.\nAnd the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be\none, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be\nmade perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent\nme, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that\nthey also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am: that they may\nbehold my glory which thou hast given me; for thou lovedest me before\nthe foundation of the world.\n\n12. All these sayings put together, give as clear an account of the\nstate of the glorified saints as language could give--the works that\nJesus had done they were to do, and greater works than those which\nhe had done among them should they do, and that because he went to\nthe Father. He does not say that they should do these works in time;\nbut they should do greater works because he went to the Father. He\nsays, in the 24th verse: Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast\ngiven me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory. These\nsayings, taken in connection, make it very plain, that the greater\nworks, which those that believed on his name, were to do, were to be\ndone in eternity, where he was going, and where they should behold his\nglory. He had said, in another part of his prayer, that he desired of\nhis Father, that those who believed on him should be one in him, as\nhe, and the Father were one in each other: Neither pray I for these\n(the apostles) alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through\ntheir words; that they all may be one: that is, they who believe on him\nthrough the apostles' words, as well as the apostles themselves: that\nthey all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee; that\nthey also may be one in us.\n\n13. What language can be plainer than this? The Saviour surely intended\nto be understood by his disciples: and he so spake that they might\nunderstand him; for he declares to his Father, in language not to be\neasily mistaken, that he wanted his disciples, even all of them, to\nbe as himself and the Father: for as he and the Father were one so\nthey might be one with them. And what is said in the 22nd verse is\ncalculated to more firmly establish this belief, if it needs any thing\nto establish it. He says, And the glory which thou gavest me, I have\ngiven them, that they may be one, even as we are one. As much as to\nsay, that unless they have the glory which the Father had given him,\nthey could not be one with them: For he says he had given them the\nglory that the Father had given him, that they might be one; or, in\nother words, to make them one.\n\n14. This fills up the measure of information on this subject, and shows\nmost clearly, that the Saviour wished his disciples to understand that\nthey were to be partakers with him in all things: not even his glory\nexcepted.\n\n15. It is scarcely necessary here to observe what we have previously\nnoticed: that the glory which the Father and the Son have, is because\nthey are just and holy beings; and that if they were lacking in one\nattribute or perfection which they have, the glory which they have,\nnever could be enjoyed by them; for it requires them to be precisely\nwhat they are in order to enjoy it: and if the Saviour gives this glory\nto any others, he must do it in the very way set forth in his prayer\nto his Father: by making them one with him, as he and the Father are\none.--In so doing he would give them the glory which the Father has\ngiven him; and when his disciples are made one with the Father and Son,\nas the Father and the Son are one, who cannot see the propriety of the\nSaviour's saying, The works which I do, shall they do; and greater\nworks than these shall they do, because I go to my Father?\n\n16. These teachings of the Saviour most clearly show unto us the nature\nof salvation; and what he proposed unto the human family when he\nproposed to save them--That he proposed to make them like unto himself;\nand he was like the Father, the great prototype of all saved beings;\nand for any portion of the human family to be assimilated into their\nlikeness is to be saved; and to be unlike them is to be destroyed: and\non this hinge turns the door of salvation.\n\n17. Who cannot see, then, that salvation is the effect of faith? for,\nas we have previously observed, all the heavenly beings work by this\nprinciple; and it is because they are able so to do that they are\nsaved: for nothing but this could save them. And this is the lesson\nwhich the God of heaven, by the mouth of all his holy prophets, has\nbeen endeavouring to teach to the world. Hence we are told, that\nwithout faith it is impossible to please God; and that salvation is of\nfaith, that it might be by grace to the end, the promise might be sure\nto all the seed. Romans 4:16--And that Israel, who followed after the\nlaw of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.\nWherefore? because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the\nworks of the law; for they stumbled at that stumbling stone. Romans\n9:32. And Jesus said unto the man who brought his son to him, to get\nthe devil who tormented him, cast out, If you canst believe, all things\nare possible to him that believeth. Mark, 9:23. These with a multitude\nof other scriptures, which might be quoted, plainly set forth the\nlight in which the Saviour, as well as the Former Day Saints, viewed\nthe plan of salvation.--That it was a system of faith--it begins with\nfaith, and continues by faith; and every blessing which is obtained,\nin relation to it, is the effect of faith, whether it pertains to\nthis life or that which is to come.--To this, all the revelations of\nGod bear witness. If there were children of promise, they were the\neffects of faith: not even the Saviour of the world excepted: Blessed\nis she that believed, said Elizabeth to Mary, when she went to visit\nher;--for there shall be a performance of those things which were told\nher from the Lord; Luke, 1:45: Nor was the birth of John the Baptist\nthe less a matter of faith; for in order that his father Zacharias\nmight believe he was struck dumb. And through the whole history of\nthe scheme of life and salvation, it is a matter of faith: every man\nreceived according to his faith: according as his faith was, so were\nhis blessings and privileges; and nothing was withheld from him when\nhis faith was sufficient to receive it. He could stop the mouths of\nlions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, wax\nvaliant in fight, and put to flight the armies of the aliens; women\ncould, by their faith, receive their dead children to life again; in a\nword, there was nothing impossible with them who had faith. All things\nwere in subjection to the Former Day Saints, according as their faith\nwas--By their faith they could obtain heavenly visions, the ministering\nof angels, have knowledge of the spirits of just men made perfect, of\nthe general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are\nwritten in heaven, of God the judge of all, of Jesus the Mediator of\nthe new covenant, and become familiar with the third heavens, see and\nhear things which were not only unutterable, but were unlawful to\nutter. Peter, in view of the power of faith, 2nd epistle, 1:1,2 and 3,\nsays to the Former Day Saints: grace and peace be multiplied unto you,\nthrough the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his\ndivine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and\ngodliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us unto glory\nand virtue. In the first epistle, 1:3,4 and 5, he says, Blessed be the\nGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant\nmercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection\nof Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and\nundefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who\nare kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be\nrevealed in the last time.\n\n18. These sayings put together, show the apostle's views most clearly,\nso as to admit of no mistake on the mind of any individual. He says\nthat all things that pertain to life and godliness were given unto them\nthrough the knowledge of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And if the\nquestion is asked, how were they to obtain the knowledge of God? (for\nthere is a great difference between believing in God and knowing him:\nknowledge implies more than faith. And notice, that all things that\npertain to life and godliness were given through the knowledge of God;)\nthe answer is given, through faith they were to obtain this knowledge;\nand, having power by faith to obtain the knowledge of God, they could\nwith it obtain all other things which pertain to life and godliness.\n\n19. By these sayings of the Apostle we learn, that it was by obtaining\na knowledge of God, that men got the knowledge of all things which\npertain to life and godliness, and this knowledge was the effect of\nfaith. So that all things which pertain to life and godliness are the\neffects of faith.\n\n20. From this we may extend as far as any circumstances may require\nwhether on earth or in heaven, and we will find it the testimony of\nall inspired men, or heavenly messengers, that all things that pertain\nto life and godliness are the effects of faith and nothing else; all\nlearning, wisdom and prudence fail, and every thing else as a means\nof salvation but faith. This is the reason that the fishermen of\nGalilee could teach the world--because they sought by faith and by\nfaith obtained. And this is the reason that Paul counted all things\nbut filth and dross--what he formerly called his gain he called his\nloss; yea, and he counted all things but loss for the excellency of\nthe knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord. Phil 3:7,8,9 & 10. Because,\nto obtain the faith by which he could enjoy the knowledge of Christ\nJesus the Lord, he had to suffer the loss of all things: this is the\nreason that the Former Day Saints knew more, and understood more of\nheaven, and of heavenly things than all others beside, because this\ninformation is the effect of faith--to be obtained by no other means.\nAnd this is the reason, that men, as soon as they lose their faith,\nrun into strifes, contentions, darkness, and difficulties; for the\nknowledge which tends to life disappears with faith, but returns when\nfaith returns; for when faith comes, it brings its train of attendants\nwith it--apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, gifts,\nwisdom, knowledge, miracles, healings, tongues, interpretation of\ntongues, &c. All these appear when faith appears on the earth, and\ndisappear when it disappears from the earth. For these are the effects\nof faith, and always have, and always will, attend it. For where faith\nis, there will the knowledge of God be also, with all things which\npertain thereto revelations, visions, and dreams, as well as every\nother necessary thing, in order that the possessors of faith may be\nperfected and obtain salvation; for God must change, otherwise faith\nwill prevail with him. And he who possesses it will, through it, obtain\nall necessary knowledge and wisdom, until he shall know God, and the\nLord Jesus Christ, whom he has sent: whom to know is eternal life: Amen.\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note\n\nThis version of the Lectures on Faith is meant to match the relevant\nportion of the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Scans are\navailable, for example, at\nhttp://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/doctrine-and-covenants-1835/13","title":"The Lectures on Faith","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":24318}