object of that revelation is to make more generally known, and to authenticate for the masses, the truths of reason, or doctrines of natural rehgion. These doctrines are received by cultivated minds not on the ground of authority, but of rational evidence. The fun- damental px'inciple of this class of Rationalists is, that nothing can be rationally believed which is not understood. " Nil credi posse, quod a ratione capi et intelligi nequeat." If asked, Why he be- lieves in the immortality of the soul ? the Rationalist answers, Be- cause the doctrine is reasonable. To his mind, the arguments in its favor outweigh those against it. If asked, Why he does not be- lieve the doctrine of the Trinity? he answers, Because it is un- reasonable. The philosophical arguments against it outweigh the arguments from reason, in its favor. That the sacred writers teach the doctrine is not decisive. The Rationalist does not feel bound to believe all that the sacred writers teach. The Bible, he admits, contains a Divine revelation. But this revelation was made to fal- lible men, men under no supernatural guidance in communicating the truths revealed. They were men whose mode of thinking, and mauner of arguing, and of pi'esenting truth, were modified by their culture, and by the modes of thought prevailing during the age in which they lived. The Scriptures, therefore, abound with misapprehensions, with inconclusive arguments, and accommoda- tions to Jewish errors, superstitions, and popular beliefs. It is the office of reason to sift these incongruous materials, and separate the wheat from the chaflP. That is wheat which reason apprehends in its own light to be true ; that is to be rejected as chaft' which reason cannot understand, and cannot prove to be true. That is, nothing is true to us which we do not see for ourselves to be true.
B. Refutation. It is sufficient to remark on this form of Rationalism, — 1. That it is founded upon a false principle, ft is not necessary to the rational exercise of faith that we should understand the truth believed. The unknown and the impossible cannot be be- lieved ; but every man does, and must believe the incomprehensi- ble. Assent to truth is founded on evidence. That evidence may be external or intrinsic. Some things we believe on the testimony of our senses ; other things we believe on the testimony of men. Why, then, may we not believe on the testimony of God ? A man may believe that paper thrown upon fire will burn, although he does not understand the process of combustion. All men believe that plants grow, and that like begets like ; but no man understands