456 LOGIC: OR, TfIE Main. OE OF REASON. reaebn ought by no means to assume to itself a power to Con - tradict divine relation. Though revelation be not contrary to reason, yet there are four classes Wherein matters of revelation ma_y be said to rise above, or go beyond our reason. 1. When revelation " asserts two things of which we have clear ideas, to be joined, whose connection or agreement is not discoverable by reason ; as when scripture informs us, that the dead shall rise, that the earth shall be burnt up, and the Klan Christ Jesus shall return from heaven, none of, the things could ever be found out or proved by reason. 2. When revelation 00 affirms any proposition, while reason has no clear and distinct ideas of the subject, or of the predicate; as God created all things by Jesus Christ ; by the Urim and Thummim God gave forth divine oracles." f he predicate of each of these propositions is to us an obscure idea, for we know not what Was the peculiar agency of Jesus Christ, when God the Father created the world by him ; nor have we any clear and certain conception what the Urim and Thummim were, nor how God gave answers to his people by them. 3. When revelation 00 in plain and express language, de- clares some doctrine Which onr reason at present knows not with evidence and certainty, how or in what sense to reconcile to some of its own principles ;" as that the child Jesus is the mighty God; 1sa. ix. 6. which proposition carries a seeming opposition JO the unity and spirituality of the godhead, which are principles of reason. 4. " When two propositions or doctrines are plainly assert- ed by divine revelation, which our reason at present knows not how or in what sense, with evidence and certainty, to recon= ode with one another ;" as, the Father is the only. true God ; John xvii. 3. and yet Christ is over all, God blessed for ever t Rom. ix. 5. Now divine revelation having declared all these propositions, reason is bound to receive them, because it canna prove them to be utterly inconsistent or impossible, though the ideas of them may be obscure, though we ourselves see not the rational can- neétiön of them, and though we khow not Certainly how to reeoncile them. In these Cases reason must submit to faith ; that is, we are bound to believe what God asserts, and Wait till he shall clear up that which seems dark and difficult, and till the mys- teries of faith shall be farther explained to us, either in this world or in the world to oome4, and reason itself dictates the submission. VII: Direct. It is very useful to " have some general prin.. * See somethfbg more on this. subject, Direct. ii. preceding, and Chap. V. Sect. S.
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