predestinated mankind to salvation? A moderate divine will tell you, that the only thing that he knows upon this subject is, that God hath determined to save those who shall believe in Jesus Christ, and to condemn those who shall refuse to receive him. He will confess that he knows no more than this concerning it, that this affair is to him a mystery. But the rigid divine will not be content with such a concise account; he will gradually unfold to you all the most hidden secrets of this mystery; will tell you which is the first decree which God formed in this respect, which the second, and which the third, fourth, and fifth. You would suppose he had known the secret counsels of the Almighty, so little is he embarrassed with this subject, and with such facility he pronounces on what creates to others the greatest difficulties.

Is it inquired, what shall be the final condition of the heathens, who have not the happiness of knowing Jesus Christ? What shall be the everlasting state of those, who have fallen into such and such an error? A moderate divine will say, that he leaves them to the equitable judgment of God, the sole legislator, who can save and who can destroy; he will say, that he hath not sufficient light to decide, in any peremptory manner, the fate of the erroneous; that this is to him a mystery. But a severe divine, far from adopting this mystery, will directly pronounce the sentence, which they shall assuredly

receive at the last day, and condemn them all without mercy. An observer of characters will find, that the moderate divine suspends his judgment on an infinite number of subjects, and freely owns that they are mysteries to him; whilst the rigid, by his temerity in determining every thing, annihilates divers mysteries, which the weakness of his understanding ought to make him acknowledge.

3. A third reflection, which presents itself on this subject, is, that the more mysterious a doctrine is, full of obscurity and difficult of comprehension, the less important it is to salvation. In effect, a doctrine is not important in religion, but in proportion to the influence it may have on our sanctification. But a doctrine, full of obscurity, can have but little influence on our hearts. As it presents very to us but few ideas, and those ideas very indistinct, it can make but a very slight impression upon us. One may even assert here, that if there were among the doctrines of religion, mysteries incomprehensible, these mysteries would be of no importance; that not presenting any distinct idea to our mind, they could not act upon it, nor, consequently, contribute to its sanctification, and its happiness.

4. A fourth reflection, which we ought to make here, is, that one ought to be very circumspect in the judgments, which he delivers concerning mysteries in religion. We ought to assert nothing but what reason and scripture teach us in a clear and accurate

manner. To give here free scope to imagination, to be eager to decide every thing, is to put one's self in evident danger of being deceived. One then walks in a dark region; he has no light to direct his steps. If he refuses to stop, he runs a risk of wandering from the path, of stumbling every moment, and being precipitated into error.

ment.

5. Another reflection, which naturally follows from our principles, is, that we ought to entertain great candour towards those who fall into any error with regard to mysteries. They are in truth guilty of imprudence and temerity. They are wrong in hazarding a decision on these matters, without having a sufficient light by which to form a clear judgBut still, the subjects, on which their opinions are erroneous, are very difficult; it is not easy to gain clear and exact ideas of them. The difficulty of the matter in question requires, that we should exercise indulgence and charity towards them. If the point were concerning things obvious and evident, on which it was easy to determine, one would have some reason to censure them for the bad use they made of their understanding. They have no excuse, who suffer themselves to be deceived on subjects, which have nothing in them but what is simple and level to our capacity. But the more difficult a matter is, the more easy is it to be deceived in our judgments concerning it, and the more lenity and candour ought we to cherish towards those, who have the misfortune

to wander from the truth, on subjects so susceptible of error and misapprehension.

6. Another reflection, which we will add on this subject, is, that they are not the difficult and abstract doctrines of religion, which ought to attract most of our attention and study. Such doctrines are but of little use and importance. Though we should meditate on them from morning to night, they would contribute but very little to the illumination of our minds, and the satisfaction of our hearts. We should become neither much wiser nor much better. That, which ought most to occupy us, is the meditation of those plain and clear truths, which our religion contains. It is the study of these truths, which, by the light they diffuse in our minds, are efficacious in sanctifying our hearts; it is the study and practice of our duties; it is this which ought to constitute our principal study, and our principal employment. In this regard we ought to follow that excellent maxim recorded in Deuteronomy; "Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things that are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever, in order that we may observe all the words of this law."

But men have too much passion for mysteries easily to acquire the moderation we here request of them. They will have mysteries, that may serve to occupy, to exercise, and to call forth their genius. To cure them of this affection, which they have for speculative doctrines, the contemplation of which is

a very useless employment, one must point out to them subjects better suited to their capacities, and on which they may exercise their understandings with profit and advantage. Several of this kind we might indicate to them. There are, for example, in morality several nice and abstruse points, on which we can acquire but imperfect ideas. These are mysteries, into which it would be proper to make deep researches; it would be very useful to labour assiduously here, in order to gain precision and accuracy, that we may not be embarrassed on the part we are to take, when we shall find ourselves in situations, which require a clear perception of these things. There are in the heart of man many depths, which it would be useful for us frequently to sound. "The heart of man," says the scripture, "is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" In general we know ourselves but very imperfectly. We ought to labour to acquire as accurate a knowledge of ourselves as possible. We ought to endeavour to discover what is the situation of our hearts; what are the passions that commonly agitate them; what are the objects which make the deepest impression upon them, and which serve to excite the passions. We ought to endeavour to discover the vain illusions which we cherish, and by which we confirm ourselves every day in bad habits. These are mysteries of iniquity, which merit all our attention.