The Bible is not a book of information in the mere I historic sense, but a book of revelation. It is unlike man's book, which tells me of man's things. In the Bible I find things stated which I never could have known had not the Bible told me.
If you reject the Scripture, you have no revelation from God, and you are making man's mind the measure of your thoughts. You are supposing that knowledge of God is measured by your own power. The question then is, Has God revealed anything that man should have,-anything beyond man? If you measure by your own knowledge, it is, on the face of it, no philosophy at all. How can you dare say that there is no God and no angel, when you yourself know nothing of them? Your ignorance is no proof that they are not.
If man could apprehend the Infinite, he would be infinite; if man were almighty, he would be the Power; but man is neither, and so his place before God is subjection.
The Word of God judges you, and without it you are in the dark, but if you judge the Word of God, you have made yourself the Judge:that will not do-Scripture judges you, and if you in this world reject it, what have you got yourself, or to give another in its stead?
God is not to be known in creation merely, but by revelation. If there is a God, and He is good, revelation is a necessity, for one cannot conceive His being light, and leaving man in the dark. But Creation does not give the character of God; it does not tell us His heart. Thus I may look at and study St. Paul's Cathedral. I can say, Sir Christopher Wren was a great architect, a man of genius; but whether he was a good son, a good husband, a good neighbor,-I cannot tell from his works. I admit that beneficence is visible in the works of God, but I do not from them alone learn that "God is Love."
If you accept the Scripture as the Word of God, God's thoughts will soon turn man's thoughts out; just as when the sun is shining an extinguisher is put on the candle; its feeble light is eclipsed and not needed; and all our blessing depends on having God's thoughts. "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!"
The reasoner rejects Scripture as being childish, but who ever clothed such thoughts as God's in such simple terms, thus:"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." "I am that I am." "God is Light." "God is Love." "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Man covers his little thoughts with big – words, but they often will not bear sifting. "Who is this (says God) that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?"
That man who voluntarily gives up one sentence of Scripture, gives up all, and breaks his responsibility to God. He denies God's authority, and all is given up. He gives up the great bond of allegiance to God. Man was created for God, so that if you have not God, you must be infinitely miserable, and how can you have Him if you reject His Word?
Infinite is the mercy which has thus given a revelation; and, remember, "It is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it ? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God." "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "He that believeth on Him is not condemned:but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life:and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."