Of the Sacred Writings, &c.

PRINCIPLES.

Concluding remarks

27. That the soul is immaterial and immortal, and can sub- | Nature, and their sovereign suitableness to the nature and sist independently of the body. state of man: thus reason approves and applauds Some men, it is true, cannot reason: and, therefore, they declaim against reason, and proscribe it in the examination of religions truth. Were all the nation of this mind, Mother Church might soon reassume her ascendancy, and "feed us with Latin masses and a wafer god."

28. That there will be a general resurrection of the dead; both of the just and unjust: that the souls of both shall be reunited to their respective bodies; and that both will be immortal, and live eternally.

29. That there will be a day of judgment, after which all shall be punished or rewarded, according to the deeds done in the body: the wicked being sent to hell, and the righteous taken into heaven.

30. That these states of rewards and punishments shall have no end; forasmuch as the time of probation or trial is for ever terminated; and the succeeding state must necessarily be fixed and unalterable.

Men may incorporate their doctrines in creeds or articles of faith, and sing them in hymns; and this may be all both useful and edifying, if the doctrine be true: but in every ques tion which involves the eternal interests of man, the Holy Scriptures must be appealed to, in union with reason, their great commentator. He who forms his creed or confession of faith without these, may believe any thing or nothing, as the cunning of others, or his own caprices, may dictate. Human creeds and confessions of faith have been often put in the place of the Bible, to the disgrace both of revelation and resson. Let those go away: let these be retained, whatever be the consequence. Fiat justitia: ruat cælum.

31. That the origin of human salvation is found in the infi. nite philanthropy of God: and that, on this principle, the unconditional reprobation of any soul is absolutely impossible. 32. The SACRED WRITINGS are a system of pure unsophisticated reason, proceeding from the immaculate mind of God: in many places, it is true, vastly elevated beyond what the reason of man could have devised or found out; but in no case contrary to human reason. They are addressed not to the passions, but to the reason, of man; every command is urged with reasons of obedience; and every promise and threatening founded on the most evident reason and proprie ty. The whole, therefore, are to be rationally understood, and rationally interpreted. He who would discharge reason from this, its noblest province, is a friend in his heart to the anti-thy of its homage. The more knowledge increases, the more christian maxim, "Ignorance is the mother of devotion." Revelation and reason go hand in hand: faith is the servant of the former, and the friend of the latter: while the Spirit of God, which gave the revelation, improves and exalts reason, and gives energy and effect to faith.

To conclude, the doctrines or principles which I have stated above, and defended in this work, I believe to be the truths of God. Those against which I have argued, I believe to be either false or unproved. The doctrine which cannot stand the test of rational investigation, cannot be true. The doctrines or principles already enumerated, have stood this test: and those which shrink from such a test, are not doctrines of Divine Revelation. We have gone too far when we have said, "such and such doctrines should not be subjected to rational investigation, being doctrines of pure revelation." I know no such doctrine in the Bible. The doctrines of this Book are doctrines of eternal reason: and they are revealed, because they are such. Human reason could not have found them out; but, when revealed, reason can both apprehend and com. prehend them. It sees their perfect harmony among themselves, their agreement with the perfections of the Divine 546

No man either can or should believe a doctrine that contradicts reason: but he may safely credit (in any thing that concerns the nature of God) what is above his reason: and even this may be a reason why he should believe it. I cannot com prehend the divine nature, therefore I adore it: if I could comprehend, I could not adore; forasmuch as the nature or being which can be comprehended by my mind, must be less than that by which it is comprehended, and therefore unwor we shall see that reason and learning, sanctified by piety toward God, are the best interpreters of the Sacred Oracles. O thou who dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth and in thy light we shall see light. I have but two words more to add at the conclusion of this long and severe work: one concerning myself,

END OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.