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is serious and practical in their christianity must be essentially the same, as that, which we have adopted.

Undoubtedly however though we hope we do thus fundamentally agree with all the sincere disciples of our Lord in every nation and age-we have some characteristick and not unimportant modes of viewing the theory of our religion. Our interpretations of the scriptures, any more than those of any other single body of christians, do not agree in all respects with those of all the rest. On these peculiarities I proceed now to remark.

II. 1. I conceive, that the chief characteristick of those christians, in whose name I now presume to speak, arises from the view we take of the sentiment contained in our text and other similar passages of the scriptures. Christianity we believe to be, in the truest sense, a rational religion.* The truths it unfolds conform, we think, to the intellectual and moral nature of man-are consistent each with itself; with one another; with the dictates of conscience, and with the maxims of truth, which the universal reason of man acknowledges and respects. They harmonize, in one word, with the best conclusions and results of those faculties, which God has given us for discerning truth.-Let not our meaning, however, be misunderstood. We neither say, that the truths of christianity were, or ever would have been discovered by reason, unassisted by revelation-nor that the objects, to which these truths relate, can now all be comprehended * Note A.

by reason in all their extent-nor that they are all necessarily founded on facts, which conform to analogies within our present knowledge. Least of all does reason, in our view of it, advance any claim in opposition to revelation. We say only, that reason is, equally with revelation, the gift of God; and that both are given for purposes perfectly consistent and harmonious.* We say, that as revelation continually appeals to reason for its proofs, and its conformity to sound reason is an important part of its evidence-a clear and decided repugnance and contrariety to reason in any of its doctrines would be so far an argument against its truth. We therefore believe, that the truths of the christian religion do contain and can contain nothing, which enlightened reason after full and serious inquiry does not approve. The gospel and a sound philosophy, right reason and a revelation from God must be in perfect harmony, can never really and essentially disagree.

It is difficult to conceive, how any one should fail to see that this must be so, who considers the nature and use of our rational faculties. They are the organs for admitting all truth into the mind; and an intelligent belief of revelation is no more possible without the use of reason, than sight is possible without the organ of vision. Religious faith, then, instead of being opposed to reason, is in truth the highest exercise of reason. This is practically felt to be so true, that, when men profess to believe what is opposed to reason, it is only by bringing

* Note B.

themselves to imagine, that they have in some way found a sufficient reason for renouncing the use of reason. And thus we see the extreme of scepticism and the extreme of credulity meet and unite in the common absurdity of using reason to destroy all confidence in reason.-But our Maker, we may be sure, will never contradict himself in his own works. Having given us reason, as the faculty for discerning truth, he will do nothing, which shall confound and subvert the uses of his gift. He will not say one thing to us in nature, and a different thing in revelation; but as the truths both of reason and revelation flow ultimately from the same source, they will be consistent with themselves and with every other truth.

But indeed, my friends, to assert seriously, that christianity is not consistent with the best dictates of reason, what is it but to offer to God's word the deepest dishonour? It is to degrade its evidence to a level with that of the religion of Mahomet, or the dreams and fictions of the impostors and fanaticks of every age.* It is in effect to say, that its proofs depend on the internal sensations of every one who receives it; a ground of belief-in which we are always exposed to the grossest self-deception-which we certainly can never exhibit to other men, and therefore can never obey the direction of the apostle in the text-and which may be pleaded alike, and is alike unanswerable, whether urged by wisdom or folly, learning or ignorance, honesty or fraud. Such a representation was never learned in the school of the Author and Finisher of our * Note C.

faith. The New Testament is full of appeals to our perceptions of right and wrong; and every argument it contains is in itself a distinct refutation of the idea, that our faith is to supersede the uses or falsify the conclusions of reason. Every miracle our Lord performed, every prophecy to which he referred, was a call on those around him to exercise their reason. No. The religion of Christ is one, which not only permits, but requires us to prove all things, and hold fast only what is true. Let it not then be reproached with elevating itself on the ruins of human reason. Libel it not, I beseech you, by so unworthy a charge. Betray it not into the hands of infidelity by throwing away those arms, which the most exalted reason rejoices to supply for its defence.

But do we then raise the authority of reason so high, as to deny our need of the aids and irradiations of the holy spirit of God? I trust, my friends, that this is far from being true. Our principles leave this doctrine unimpaired to be believed in its most consolatory form. We say only, that these gracious influences will be vouchsafed to us, in consistency with the other gifts of God, by the instrumentality of regular means; and that they will guide and exalt, not supersede and confound our rational faculties.-Do not object to us still, that our views nourish a temper of pride and presumptuous confidence in human reason, fatal to a humble sense of our dependence on God. Our dependence on God is absolute and entire. If any man will show me in what way this sentiment can be

more fully expressed, I will adopt his language and renounce my own. We differ from those, who make this objection-if we differ from them at all only in going farther than they do in our belief of this truth.-We believe, that we depend entirely on God for ordinary as well as extraordinary blessings; not merely for the special influences of his spirit; but also, quite as much, for every moment's use of the faculty of reason.-But, indeed, / if the comparison is forced on us, we may venture to ask, which belief is most likely to enkindle a spirit of presumption-that we have received the gift of reason in common with our fellow beings, and that the means and aids for enlightening and elevating it, are alike open to all, who sincerely seek and faithfully use them ?—or that belief, which teaches a man, that he is the selected favourite of heaven, and enjoys those miraculous infusions of the divine spirit, which are denied to the honest and intelligent exertions and prayers of his fellow men? In truth, when I think of this latter opinion, I am constrained to say, that it seems to me, that it may claim any other praise sooner, than that of being founded in or promoting the humility of the gospel.*

2. On grounds like these, and in the sense now explained, we believe, that christianity is a rational religion. This belief produces an anxiety, that, in all our statements and exhibitions of its doctrines, their rationality should be made apparent. This is, in part, the origin of that difference of phraseology and of those different modes of stating the

* Note D.

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