fore that can be taken is, to account in the beft manner that our weak reafon is able to do, for fuch feeming objections; and where that fails, to acknowledge its weakness, and acquiefce under the certainty, that our very imperfect knowledge or judgment cannot be the meafure of the Divine wisdom, or the univerfal standard of truth. So likewife it is with respect to the Chriftian religion. Some difficulties occur in that Revelation, which human reafon can hardly clear; but as the truth of it stands upon evidence so strong and fo convincing, that it cannot be denied without much greater difficulties than thofe that attend the belief of it, as I have before endeavoured to prove, we ought not to reject it upon fuch objections, however mortifying they may be to our pride. That indeed would have all things made plain to us; but God has thought proper to proportion our knowledge to our wants, not our pride. All that concerns our duty is clear; and as to other points either of natural or revealed religion, if he has left fome obfcurities in them, is that any reasonable caufe of complaint? Not to rejoice in the benefit of what he has graciously allowed us to know, from a prefumptu

ous

ous difguft at our incapacity of knowing more, is as abfurd as it would be to refufe to walk, because we cannot fly.

From the arrogant ignorance of metaphyfical reafonings, aiming at matters above our knowledge, arofe all the fpeculative impiety, and many of the worft fuperftitions of the old heathen world, before the Gofpel was preached to bring man back again to the primitive faith; and from the fame fource have fince flowed fome of the greateft corruptions of the Evangelical truth, and the most inveterate prejudices against it: an effect just as natural as for our eyes to grow weak, and even blind, by being ftrained to look at objects too distant, or not made for them to fee.

Are then our intellectual faculties of no use in religion? Yes, undoubtedly, of the most neceffary use, when rightly employed. The proper employment of them is to distinguish its genuine doctrines from others erroneously or corruptly afcribed to it; to confider the importance and purport of them, with the connection they bear to one another; but first of all to examine with the ftricteft attention the evidence by which religion is proved, internal

internal as well as external. If the external evidence be convincingly ftrong, and there is no internal proof of its falfhood, but much to fupport and confirm its truth, then furely no difficulties ought to prevent our giving a full affent and belief to it. It is our duty indeed to endeavour to find the beft folutions we can to them; but where no fatisfactory ones are to be found, it is no less our duty to acquiefce with humility, and believe that to be right which we know is above us, and belonging to a wifdom fuperior to ours.

Nor let it be faid, that this will be an argument for the admitting all doctrines, however abfurd, that may have been grafted upon the Chriftian faith. Those which can plainly be proved not to belong to it, fall not under the reasoning I have laid down (and certainly none do belong to it which contradict either our clear, intuitive knowledge, or the evident principles and dictates of reason). I fpeak only of difficulties which attend the belief of the Gospel in fome of its pure and effential doctrines, plainly and evidently delivered there, which, being made known to us by a Revelation fupported by proofs that our reafon ought to admit, and not being fuch

things as it can certainly know to be false, must be received by it as objects of faith, though they are fuch as it could not have discovered by any natural means, and fuch as are difficult to be conceived, or fatisfactorily explained, by its limited powers. If the glorious light of the Gospel be fometimes overcaft with clouds of doubt, fo is the light of our reafon too. But fhall we deprive ourfelves of the advantage of either, because those clouds cannot perhaps be entirely removed while we remain in this mortal life? Shall we obftinately and frowardly shut our eyes against that day-fpring from on high that bas vifited us, because we are not as yet able to bear the full blaze of his beams? Indeed, not even in heaven itself, not in the highest ftate of perfection to which a finite being can ever attain, will all the counfels of Providence, all the height and the depth of the infinite wisdom of God, be ever disclosed or understood. Faith even then will be neceffary and there will be myfteries which cannot be penetrated by the most exalted archangel, and truths which cannot be known by him otherwise than from Revelation, or believed upon any other ground of affent than a sub

miffive

missive confidence in the Divine wisdom. What, then, fhall man prefume that his weak and narrow understanding is fufficient to guide him into all truth, without any need of Revelation or Faith? Shall he complain that the ways of God are not like his ways, and past his finding out? True philofophy, as well as true Christianity, would teach us a wifer and modefter part. It would teach us to be content within thofe bounds which God has affigned to us, cafting down imaginations, and every bigh thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrift*.

2 Cor. x. 5.

FINIS.

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