_Shewing how far human reason is able to judge of the reasonableness, truth, and certainty of divine revelation._
THE former chapter has plainly shewn, from the state and relation between God and man, that we must be strangers to the true reasons on which a divine revelation is founded, both as to its _time_, _matter_, and _manner_.
But it is here objected, “If God by reason of his own perfections must be thus mysterious and incomprehensible, both in the matter and manner of divine revelation; how can we know what revelations we are to receive as divine? How can we be blamed for rejecting this, or receiving that, if we cannot comprehend the reasons on which every revelation is founded, both as to its matter and manner?”
If a man may be blameable, or commendable, for his right or wrong belief of a God; then a man may be accountable for a right or wrong belief of such matters, as are in their own nature too mysterious for his comprehension. And tho’ a man knows the reasons of a divine revelation, either as to its _matter_ or _manner_, as imperfectly as he knows the divine nature; yet he may be as liable to account for believing _false revelations_, as for _idolatry_; and as full of guilt for rejecting a _true revelation_, as for denying the only _true God_.
_Secondly_, Tho’ we are insufficient for comprehending the _reasons_, on which the particular _matter_ or _manner_ of any divine revelation is founded; yet we may be so far sufficient judges, of the reasons for _receiving_ or not _receiving_ a revelation as divine, as to make our conduct therein justly accountable to God.
For if God can shew a revelation to proceed from him, by the _same undeniable_ evidence, as he shews the _creation_ to be his work; if he can make himself as visible in a _particular extraordinary_ manner, as he is by his _general_ and _ordinary_ providence; then, tho’ we are as unqualified to judge of the mysteries of a _revelation_, as we are to judge of the mysteries in _creation_ and _providence_; yet we may be as fully obliged to receive a revelation, as to acknowledge the creation to be the work of God; and as highly criminal for disbelieving it, as for denying a general providence.
_Adam_, _Noah_, _Abraham_, and _Moses_, were very incompetent judges, of the reasons on which the particular revelations made to them were founded; but this did not hinder their sufficient assurance, that such revelations came from God, because they were proved to come from God in the same manner, as the creation is proved to be the work of God.
And as _Adam_ and _Noah_ must see every thing wonderful, mysterious, and above their comprehensions, in those new worlds into which they were introduced by God; so they could no more expect, that he should require nothing of them, but what they would enjoin themselves, than that their own _frame_, the _nature_ of the creation, the _providence_ of God, or the _state_ of human life, should be exactly as they would have it.
And if their posterity will let no _messages_ from heaven, no _prophesies_ and _miracles_ persuade them, that God can call them to any duties, but such as they must enjoin themselves; or to the belief of any doctrines, but such as their own minds can suggest; nor to any methods of changing their present state of weakness and disorder for a happy immortality, but such as suit their own _taste_, _temper_, and way of reasoning; it is because they are grown senseless of the mysteries of creation and providence with which they are surrounded, and forget the awful prerogative of infinite wisdom, over the weakest, lowest rank of intelligent beings.
* And as we can only know what is worthy of God in creation, by knowing what he has created; so we can no other way know what is worthy of God to be revealed, but by a revelation. And he that pretends independently of any relation, to shew _how_, and in what manner God ought to make a revelation worthy of himself, is as great a _visionary_, as he that should pretend independently of the creation, or without learning any thing from it, to shew how God ought to have proceeded in it, to make it worthy of himself. For as God alone, knows how to create worthy of himself, and nothing can possibly be proved to be worthy to be created by him, but because he has already created it; so God alone knows what is worthy of himself in a revelation, and nothing can possibly be proved worthy to be revealed by him, but because he has already revealed it.