xi Possibility of Revelation. 221 



is already to have reached a fact of knowledge." 1 

 Such Agnosticism as this is not blank ignorance, but 

 the first step out of ignorance ; not blank atheism, 

 but the first step out of atheism. Such a conclusion 

 respecting the Invisible, the Infinite, or the Un- 

 knowable, may more properly be called naturalistic 

 Pantheism ; it nearly amounts to a recognition of 

 what, in the theology of the eighteenth century, were 

 called the physical attributes of Deity. 



But when we seek to build on the foundation here 

 laid, and to add to these the doctrines of Divine 

 Will, Knowledge, and Holiness, with the possibilities 

 of Kevelation and Incarnation, agnostics meet us 

 with the assertion that these are beyond the limits of 

 our possible knowledge ; that, even if true, we could 

 not know them to be true. Why not ? If we can 

 recognise the Divine Power, as the Agnosticism of 

 Herbert Spencer teaches that we must, though he 

 does not call it Divine, why should it be impossible 

 for us to recognise the Divine Wisdom and Holiness 1 

 Even if it is certain which I by no means admit 

 that these are made known neither in Nature nor in 

 Consciousness, why should it be impossible for God 

 to make them known by Revelation ? On his own 

 principles, one who asserts nothing about the In- 

 visible Power of the Universe except that it is 

 inscrutable, ought not to dogmatise on the subject. 

 Whether dogmatic belief is reasonable, must depend 

 on reason and evidence ; but dogmatic unbelief 

 1 Can the Old Faith live with the New ? p. 356. 



