I am not declaim at large in favours of religion; this were to write a book by way of preface. Many able pens have been employed in recommending it to the world, by strong arguments drawn from its usefulness to society, its suitableness to the dignity of the rational nature, and the advantages arising to men from it in this and the other world. But, after all, may not one be allowed to doubt, if religion be rightly understood by all its patrons? may not the beauties and excellencies of a precious gem be elegantly described by a naturalist, or jeweller, who never saw the particular one he talked of, and knows little of its nature, less of the construction of its parts, and nothing of […] proper use? Are there not men of bright parts, who reason finely in defence of religion, and yet are so much strangers to it, that they brand the persons who are so happy as to be possessed of ⟨p. vii⟩it, with the hard name of spiritualists, reckoning them a kind of Enthusiasts, unworthy of their regard. The truth is, Christianity is a mystery, mere reason does not comprehend it There is a spiritual discerning necessary to its being rightly understood▪ whence it comes to pass that men of great learning and abilities, tho' they read the Scriptures with attention, and comment learnedly upon them; yet do not, yea cannot, enter into the vein of thought peculiar to the inspired penman, because they share not of the same Spirit: wherefore it is, that the Apostle Paul asserts, the natural, that is, unregenerate man, not to know the things of God, neither indeed to be capable of knowing them, because they are spiritually discerned.
I am not declaim at large in favours of religion; this were to write a book by way of preface. Many able pens have been employed in recommending it to the world, by strong arguments drawn from its usefulness to society, its suitableness to the dignity of the rational nature, and the advantages arising to men from it in this and the other world. But, after all, may not one be allowed to doubt, if religion be rightly understood by all its patrons? may not the beauties and excellencies of a precious gem be elegantly described by a naturalist, or jeweller, who never saw the particular one he talked of, and knows little of its nature, less of the construction of its parts, and nothing of 〈…〉 proper use? Are there not men of bright parts, who reason finely in defence of religion, and yet are so much strangers to it, that they brand the persons who are so happy as to be possessed of ⟨p. vii⟩it, with the hard name of spiritualists, reckoning them a kind of Enthusiasts, unworthy of their regard. The truth is, Christianity is a mystery, mere reason does not comprehend it There is a spiritual discerning necessary to its being rightly understood▪ whence it comes to pass that men of great learning and abilities, tho' they read the Scriptures with attention, and comment learnedly upon them; yet do not, yea cannot, enter into the vein of thought peculiar to the inspired penman, because they share not of the same Spirit: wherefore it is, that the Apostle Paul asserts, the natural, that is, unregenerate man, not to know the things of God, neither indeed to be capable of knowing them, because they are spiritually discerned.
