think him fo ridiculous and weak, as to be justly beneath the Notice of any Man. 3. Although it is no Part of our Religion to account for the Manner of God's Omniprefence, yet it is no inconfiderable Branch thereof, to adore this incomprehenfible Truth, or to reverence and fear him, who is every where prefent. All Adoration and true Reverence of God, arifes from an Apprehenfion and Belief of his incomprehenfible Perfections. That Religion, therefore, is fo far from ending, where the Myftery, in Truths relating to God, begins; that there it commences. Man who believes nothing farther concerning God, than he can comprehend, I am confident, will never fee cause to adore and fear him. Hence it is evident, that this jingling Sentence is fo falfe, that nothing can be expreffed which is more untrue. Thus far, I think, we may proceed upon the Principles of natural Religion. If we attend to Revelation, we fhall find, that it contain Truths, which are ftiled Myfteries. We fpeak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden Wisdom ("). Without Controverfy great is the Mystery of Godliness (). Even the Myftery, which hath been hid from Ages and Generations paft (*). And to make all Men fee, what is the Fellowship of the Mystery (1). Now, either the Gospel is called a Mystery, merely, because it was once unknown, or because it confifts (h) 1 Cor. ii. 7. (*) Col. i. 26. () 1 Tim. iii. 16. confifts of Doctrines, that are of a wonderful and myfterious Nature. In the former Senfe only, Mr. Fofter understands it. In his Opinion, it contains nothing, but what may easily be comprehended. Its Truths do not at all exceed the Capacities of Men. There are no Heights in the Gospel, to which the human Mind cannot raife its Ideas: Nor any Depths in the deep Things of God, which the human Understanding cannot fathom. All the Doctrines of Christianity, being once revealed, are upon a Level with our reafoning Powers. In natural Religion, we have many Truths, which are above the Comprehenfion of Men, but the Gospel only confifts of Doctrines, whofe Nature, may be taken in, in its full Latitude and Extent. Our Ideas of its Principles, may not only be clear, but adequate alfo; for there is not any Thing, that exceeds the Reach of our narrow Minds. This is the Doctrine, which this Gentleman teaches us; which is a Point, that ought to be very clearly proved, because it naturally leads us to reject any Doctrine, which exceeds our Comprehenfion. If this Principle is not fully proved, we cannot be juftified in a Difbelief of other Principles, upon this Foundation. If this is found a Prejudice only, which has taken Poffeffion of the Minds of Men, how will they be able to defend or excufe themselves, in the Denial of Truths, of important Truths, under the Influence of this Prejudice? If God. has has communicated to Man, the Knowledge of Things, which are above his Comprehenfion, in a natural Way; is it irrational to think, that the Knowledge of other myfterious Things, concerning himself, his Defigns, and his Operations, may be conveyed to Men, in a fupernatural Manner, or by a Revelation fuperadded to the Light of Nature? If we find ourselves obliged to believe Things, that are above the utmoft Stretch of our Thoughts as Men; is it abfurd to conceive, that as Chriftians, we are under fuch an Obligation: And that an Addition is made to the Number of fuch myfterious Things, we are required to believe, by a farther Revelation we have received from Heayen? If natural Religion did not contain Truths which the Mind of Man cannot thoroughly underfland, it might be argued with fome Shew of Probability, that the Chriftian Religion recommends no myfterious Principles to our ferious Regard: But fince it evidently appears, that a Man muft become an Atheist, if he will not believe more than he can comprehend, what Wonder is it, if the Chriftian finds the Number of Truths to increafe upon him, which he cannot form adequate Ideas of, by that Revelation Providence puts into his Hand? And as in believing the incomprehenfible Truths of natural Religion, it cannot be faid, either, that we renounce our Reason, or believe without Ideas; becaufe our reafoning Powers are exercifed in the Discovery of those Truths, and we form Ideas of the Truth of thofe thofe myfterious Things, tho' not of the Mode of thofe Things: So it is not true, that in believing the Mysteries of revealed Religion, we either renounce our Reafon, or believe without Ideas, for we employ our Reafon upon Revelation, in the Discovery of its Truths, and we have Ideas of the Truth of its myfterious Doctrines, tho' not of thofe revealed incomprehenfible Things. It is therefore, a very weak and abfurd Obfervation, which one Perfon makes, viz. this, it appeared to me a very odd Method to make a Man, a Chriftian, by requiring him to renounce that Faculty, which alone made bim a Man ("). But the Obfervation is not more abfurd than it is groundless, for none require Men to renounce their Reafon, in order to become Chriftians, that I know of, tho' it is certain they muft believe, as Chriftians, more than they can comprehend, and fo they muft as Men, if they will not be Atheists, and deny all religious Principles, which if they do, I am fure, they must really renounce their Reafon, and will deferve to be numbered among the Brutes, for fo doing. Gentlemen, who allow not of Myfteries in Religion, are very free in charging others with Prepoffeffions and Prejudices, in forming their religious Sentiments. 'Tis therefore, highly reasonable to expect, that they fhould take up no Principle for granted, without evident Proof of its Truth, and efpecially, a Principle of fo much Confequence as this is, whereby other (") Mr. CRUTTENDEN's Experience. other Doctrines are to be tried, and if they are not found to agree with this, a bold Demand is immediately made upon us, to give them up. If we enquire how this Principle may be prov'd to be true, which is made a Criterion of revealed Truth; we shall plainly find confiderable Difficulty will attend it. Reason can never prove it; because that most evidently leads, us to embrace Doctrines, which far furpafs our Comprehenfion. And, therefore, it cannot be irrational to believe Truths, of which we have not, nor can poffibly have adequate Ideas. By the Light of Nature, we most clearly difcern that many Things are true, the Mode of which, we know nothing at all of. The Proof of this Principle therefore, must be fetched from Revelation, if it, ever receives any. I ask, where do the Scriptures acquaint us, that they contain no Doctrines above our Comprehenfion, or that Faith is not required of us, except we thoroughly understand the Nature of the Truths to which they demand our Affent? I am not able to find any Thing like this in the Word of God. On the contrary, I find the infpired Writers fpeak of wonderous Things in God's Law And of the Things of God, as deep: And of the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God, and of his Judgments, as unSearchable, and of his Ways, as paft finding out: And of the Gofpel, tho' it is clearly revealed, as being ftill a Mystery: Great is (not was) the Mystery of Godliness, &c. And concerning |
