The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-01-06

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taught US. But if he has thought pro-
per, by supernatural means, and by our
own consciousness, to assure us that our
situation, our relations, our depravity,
our merits and our demerits, and our
powers, are all of kind entirely differ
ent from what we imagine; and that his
dispensations towards US are founded on
principles far beyond the range of human
reason, and which cannot be explained
to US, because in our natural state, we
are unable to comprehend them; this is
revelation, which we may believe or
not, according to our opinion of its au-
thority but let US not attempt to reason
it into no revelation at all, for this is un-
reasonable.
The writer's of the New Testament
frequently declare, that the religion which
they teach, is a mystery, that Is, a reve
lation of the dispensatioh of God to
mankind, which without supernatural in
formation, we never could have discover
ed. Thus, the Apostle Paul says, "Hav-
ing made knOoOn to as the mystery Of his
,CiH.' What then is the mystery? Not
the moral precepts of the Gospel,-for
they are no more mystery than the Ethics
of Aristotle or the Offices of Cicero.
The mystery consists alone in those very
doctrines, which the Rationalst rejects,
because they disagree with the conclu.
sions of his reason that is, because they
are mysteries, as they are avowed to be
by those who taught them.
But these bold advocates for reason,
seem not to understand its extent, its
powers, ore the proper application of
them. The utmost perfection of human
reason, is the knowledge of its own de-
fects, and the limits of its own confined
powers, which are extremel y narrow. 1t
is lamp which serves US very well for
the common occupations of life which are
near at hand, but can show us no pros
pect at distance. On all speculative
subjects, it is exceedingly fallacous, but
in none so frequently misleads us, in our
religious inquiries.
Of all men who are called Christians,
the Nationalist seems to have the least
pretence to that title,-except indeed,
the Ritualist should enter the lists to dis
pute the palm. Of him, we cannot speak
now, but may do it hereafter. All the
the Churches professedly acknowledge
their belief in the fundamental doctrines
of the Christian religion, and most of
them aim to embody them in their Arti
cles of Faith, however variously held
and explained but the Rationalist re,
probates the whole as impious, ridiculous,
and contradictory to the justice of God,
and the reason Of man. Nor is he less
opposed to the spirit, than to the letter
of this religion. The true Christian is
humble, teachable, and difident; the
Nationalist is assuming, dogmatic, obsti-
nate, and self. sufficient. The Christian
"hopeth, feareth all things, and believ.
eth all things" The Nationalist hopeth
for nothing, but from his own merits,
feareth nothing from his own depravity,
believeth nothing, the grounds of which
he cannot understand. Why then, must
he be called Christian? Other assail-
ants of Christianity do not covet the
name-why should the Nationalist p
The professed Deist gives Christianity
fair play. If she cannot defend herself
let her fall. But the Rationalist assassi-
mates her in the dark; the Deist attacks
Christ, as did the multitude, with swords
and slaves; the Nationalist, like Judas,
betrays him with kiss.
AN OLD DISCIPLE.