Christian posterity give assent to the whole Sacred Volume of Scripture by the same method and means by which Adam assented to and believ'd that Synopsis of the whole Gospel The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head If it is said that Adam's posterity have a measure of knowledg as much greater than that of their first forefather as the second Adam is justly exalted above the first yet this advance of knowledg owes not its Original to mere natural powers For though the Christian Believer without breach of modesty may be said to know more than his first Forefather yet that higher degree of knowledg doth not only owe its improvement to a fuller declaration of God's Will in the latter than in the first Gospel preacht to Adam by God himself but also to the Divine supplyes which are proportion'd to the extent of the Revelation otherwise the Christian could no more believe his large Creed than it can be imagin'd Adam could have comprehended the sum of it declar'd to him in few words without Divine interpretation or assistance If this instance seem not close to the question let the will and the understanding be two eyes of faith though by some one is called blind Caeca potestas which error is corrected by later Philosophy be examin'd and they will in their pure naturals be found defective For as in naturals 't is not enough that the eye is well disposed but a certain position of the object and direction of the eye is necessary for some Discoveries so although 't is allow'd that Reason is no more new Reason by Grace than an eye is a new eye which by skilful directions discerns that which it saw not before yet this assistance though it do not frame sight but direct the eye 't is enough to destroy that position which says in spiritual Vision only the object is brought nigher Add to this the mere disposal of Media in order to perfect Vision and it will give way for this assertion that Divine assistance is necessary for we must acknowledg that several conclusions have been passed as true which before were doubted of when a quick and happy invention hath found a fit medium to prove them or at least render them more easie to be understood To instance in that which is nearest to man his own Soul its existence is better apprehended by being compared to some thin air which hath power though invisible Besides it is beyond dispute that some supernatural power infuseth notions in dreams which the Soul it self could not excite I dispute not whether there are any such in these days 't is enough to shew that the Divine method without violence to Reason hath made such discoveries in some ages of the Church and may continue his assistance though not in the same manner for that would not appear consistent with the setled and more perfect state of the Church to help Reason in giving its assent to Divine truth I need add no more for the confutation of the Reasoners position than the proposal of the Discourse in the former disqusition which shews that there is a Beam in the eye of Reason which if not removed renders it so dim-sighted that it cannot discern the Elements and first principles of Religion which are rudely in mans mind and need some assistance for the due composure of the thoughts concerning God and his worship wherefore let the Reasoner consider Grace but as a Chirurgians hand which couches a Pearl on the eye or takes away the Gutta serena Yet by this act the sight is better and this cannot be without alteration Add to this the proposal of objects and the disposition of the eye and media which the eye it self cannot dispose is enough to shew that Grace by such acts may be said to have alter'd the sight which might be rendred obscure and confused by default of the medium or Organ for as the Soul looks through the eye as a Glass which if sullied or discolour'd by any Disease the judgment is pass'd according to the tincture which is in the eye not in the object and consequently is as ill a Judg of colours as he who views objects with colour'd Prospectives or any Catoptrical device to deceive the eye so in spiritual Vision the Soul looks with the eyes which have the disease therefore 't is not probable it should discern its own malady much less discover truth To conclude this part of the Disquisition it may be confidently affirmed that Grace alters the sight though it do but take off a film or scale as from St. Paul's eyes which the natural man by his own power is no more able to remove than the eye by dropping tears a way to put out eyes rather than restore them can do as much as any eye-water which the Oculist can prepare From what is here said there is an easie digression to the other part of the Disquisition how Reason is laid aside in some acts of Faith a question which much exercised the Reconciler whilst it doth not follow the dictates of its own understanding but gives it self up to the guidance of another the Divine knowledg which advantagiously supplies natures defect which makes way for this conclusion viz. Reason in some cases is as much and may as properly be said to be laid aside as a Judg who is limited by his Monarch that he may not pass sentence in all cases on his own judgment but in some must consult and follow the directions of the supreme Magistrate by doing of which he is so far laid aside that as to that particular case he may not so properly be called Judg as a Proclaimer of Justice determined by his Superiour And for the illustration I cannot but insert a story which I borrow from an Eminent Mathematician who says a Judg puzled with a Case of two persons who had made exchange of Fields which were Isoperimeters or of equal sides but different figures one a Rombus or oblique Angled the other a square or right Angled parallelogram was necessitated to call a Geometrician to discover the Cheat which discovery in strictness was enough to call the Mathematician Judg though the sentence was pronounced by another This is applicable to the Spiritual method of improving the understanding and determining the Will in matters of faith if God be considered as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inform Reason which is defective and as ignorant as the Judg in the former Case From this instance 't is plain and easie to imagine how advantagiously Reason is laid aside being diverted from its usual method in giving assent to propositions which are true yet in themselves not sufficiently evident now evidence of the truth to the Soul in its pure naturals is so necessary that there is no assent certain without it but it is otherwise in the act of saith when Divine Testimony supplies the place of natural evidence If it be urged that Reason proceeds according to it's
vain imaginations who scorn'd all ties of Laws and Religion As subjection to Governours is never more effectually recommended by any mere rational argument than that which comes with this consideration of the necessity of bring obedient to Magistrates because humane nature is not so able to provid for it self in solitude as in Societies So the extravagant Reasoners in Religion are not any way better reduced to obedience to Ecclesiastical Authority than by contemplating the vanity of their own imaginations For that prospect of their own ignorance will make Reason so obsequious and tame that though Ecclesiastical Laws as the Greek Law-giver saies of Laws in general are lookt on as Cobwebs yet they will not think it their interest to break them This consider'd I hope may supplant all censure which might condemn this way of arguing as prejudicial to Religion by rendring arguments which were design'd to fortifie it weakned by too severe an inquisition for this method doth no more violence to Religion than a Chirurgion doth to his Patient whilst he stretches the Sinews in order to set a bone which was out of its place Neither shall I fear that these Papers will be lookt upon as vainly speculative seeing the Dedication directs the Reader to so eminent an Example which alone though the Church was not protected by civil power and truth naked in that sense which the factious Adversary would have it is able to win practice and engage all Christian obedience which is desired and design'd so far as these Papers can promote it by My L d. Your Lordships most humble and obedient Servant John Warly An Advertisement SO often as the word Reasoner occurrs in this Tract it is to be understood of the Author of the Treatise of Humane Reason or of any other who is conducted by his principles and so often as the word Reconciler is us'd it is to be understood of the Author of the considerations of the Reconcileableness of Reason and Religion other Authors antient and Modern are either plainly cited or so discoverable by their matter that nothing more need be said by way of Explanation ERRATA REad as streight an Union page 16. for who read which p. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 65. dele they 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 83. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 85 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 90. r. terminated p. 92. r. p. 104 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 108 r. Minucius Felix 112. dele that 115. r. as much p. 116. dele least r. or p. 118. r. Erroneous p. 139. dele not and r. are not p. 153. r. scales p. 162. for which r. when 170 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 173. for that r. what 178. fornor r. now p. 180. Dele not 184. REASON in some late Treatises being set up Umpire in Religion challenging Appeals to be made to it as the highest Tribunal and being asserted with priviledges which are exalted above Pelagian invention or what any other Heresie could project And one Article of the Church of England being threatned by some positions which directly oppose it by saying That a man may be sav'd by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he diligently frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature I thought my self obliged to examine the foundation on which this natural infallibility was built which is supported by these positions which say That faith is an assent given to Religious matters the understanding and will being no otherwise assisted than they are in drawing other Conclusions And that Reason requires no other assistance in the act of faith than the proposal of that which is to be believed which the Reasoner calls the near approach of the object being brought nigher by Revelation The former account of faith is imperfect and attended with many false conclusions which are deductions from it amongst many let this be considered That no man according to that description of faith can be an Infidel who hath readholy Scripture or its contents or matter proposed to his understanding And as it is an impossibility that Euclid should not render the intelligent Reader a Mathematician so it is equally impossible that the contents of holy Scriptures proposed to the Infidel should not make him a Convert This is necessarily inferred from the former position and shall be more illustrated by a supposition suppose therefore an Ethnic made so much a Proselite to the true Religion by reading holy Scriptures that he gives assent to matters of Religion no further than upon Examination he shall find them agreeable or congenial to his Reason or to speak another Phrase Reason can confess them to be true and let him be suppos'd to speak like the Samaritan-Woman in another case saying I do not believe the Creation of the World the incarnation of Christ and other matters of faith because of the evidence of the Divine Records but because I presume my belief will be ratifi'd and approv'd by my reason which is naturally bound to confess them when they are propos'd it will appear upon experiment that he is a wavering and weak Convert not far remov'd from infidelity This supposition is agreeable to the Reasoners account of faith and that term of art which expresseth it calling under standing and will the Elements of which faith is compounded In examining which I intend not to be so critical as he in interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will equally admit of such critical exercise but rather take it in the common acceptation That out of which bodies are made and into which is their last Return or Resolution which being accommodated to the Reasoners sense will conclude that Religious knowledge was no otherwise in mans mind than Idaea's or some dormantknowledg to be excited by proposal of holy Scriptures or as letters to make words to be fram'd by the Divine Paedagogy the Law and Gospel too being in his sense but as a School-master not according to the Apostles meaning to prompt the understanding This is so false that it may be confuted by History which sayes many perused the Mosaical-Scripture and some past critical judgments on them Longinus and others with the Greek Law-givers though some of their knowledg seems borrowed from them who must be in the Catalogue of Infidels And later ages give examples of this kind many men who must be acknowledged to be Masters of reason being not able to reduce themselves to belief according to the former method which wanting the Divine Testimony to byass their wills and to command assent left them in desperate Scepticism for though the contents of Religion are such as may be presum'd sufficient to command or at least win assent yet the medium which begets this perswasion is taken of holy Scriptures which saith Reason in some sense must be laid aside which shall be more proved in its proper place whilst it resigns it self to a more insallible conduct Let it be
The Natural FANATICK OR Reason Consider'd In its Extravagancy in RELIGION and in some late Treatises Usurping the Authority of the Church and Councils By JOHN WARLY B.D. late Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridg Sic si homines rationem bono consilio a Diis immortalibus datam in fraud m malitiamque Convertunt non dari illam quam dari humano generi melius fuit Cicer. de nat Deor. lib. 3. Satius fuerit nullam omnino nobis a Dijs immortalibus datam esse rationem quam tantam cum pernicie datam ibidem London Printed and are to be sold by Thomas Basset at the George in Fleet-street 1676. IMPRIMATUR 2. Novemb. 1675. Geo. Hooper R mo D no. Arch. Cant. Ã Sacr. Domesticis TO THE Right Honourable HENEAGE Lord FINCH Baron of DAVENTRY AND Lord High Chancellor of England May it please your Lordship THough Dedications as much as Prefaces may seem formal impertinencies yet they cease to be such when the Patronage it as the Broad Seal of England to Authorize and licence the Examination of the Libertine though in such method as may seem unkind and unnatural to Humanity in the discovery of Reasons defect and exposing it to the publick vieu naked and intoxicated This way of arguing is so far justifiable as it is more necessary at some times to declare that men are mad sools and bewitch'd in their search for Religion than to flatter them with soft compellations of men of sober minds dispos'd for reasonable service and critically wise to Salvation This method is also commended by Christ's practise who disputing with the Pharisees and Opinionative formalists of the Jewish Church answers their questions with questions and at the same time confounded them whilst he inform'd them by retorting their folly and turning the edge of their own troublesom queries on themselves which was the most proper way to silence a Pragmatical Jew The present state of Religion as it is to be found in factions minds makes this method seasonable for this age which is ful of Rea soning Zelots the secular Fanaticks who must be Catechiz'd in the first Elements of their natural Religion though in a stile as rough as that by which Arnobius discovered the folly of the Gentiles These considerations I hope may render this bold address more pardonable and the Tract less liable to censure which being presum'd I cannot but think it necessary that I declare which were the first motives which conmended the task to my thoughts and what directed it to your most Honourable Patronage Libertinism exalting it self above Sacred Authority and Vsurping its power pleading Reasons claim and right to the spiritual Judicature and it being seasonably checkt by that Oration which made England in its Representatives its Auditor when it captivated both ear and mind with sweetness and vigour and as it is the property of Eloquence commanded whilst it perswaded I thought it would not appear an impertinent peice of curiosity in a private person to inquire into and examin the composition of that Leaven with which Faction swells and turbulently serments I was also more confident in this address to your Lordship whilst I consider'd that some of the matter of these papers when spoken as duty call'd me as well as written found encouragement from the Right Honourable Heneage Earl of Winchilsea my very good Lord presuming they might find the same favourable entertainment whilst they apply themselves to the same name which is now famous both for Forreign and Domestick administration of the affairs of the Kingdom For it is no contradiction in my hopes to conclude that Souls may be allied as well as bodies and that there may be Affinity of Opinions as well as Persons and the same singular Candour and Humanity may run in the same blood as Hereditary to the Family This Task was also encouraged as necessary whilst I considerd that several interested persons cloakt their practise under the thin film of a pretended Religion which might exempt them from the imputation of being Atheists which is a name so odious as would effectually stifle their designs and make their practise nauseous and seem'd careless whether Christian Religion as it is said of Astraea return'd again to heaven so that the world was possessed with a belief that they acknowledged the Deity which they would have prov'd and worshipped by their rational Method Now that such might not impose upon credulous minds by perswading them they are truly Religious I thought it proper to unmask them by shewing that they are so far from being so that by that method they cannot intitle themselves to the names of Theists These men also pleas'd themselves or at least others with an empty name of a new kind of faith which they did no more understand than the Exorcist doth the Sacred words abus'd in his Charm making it natural Reason with an object brought nigher by Revelation and to supply its defect have impudently medled with the object God himself representing him as a Proteus to be ador'd in several shapes or as a Picture to be seen and worshipped in divers forms according to the various situation of the Spectators by which arbitrary Transsiguration of Christ in each mans brain he will be as much abus'd in mens phancies as the Deity was in the Heathens Idolatrous way of worship It need not be call'd to your Lordships mind that such extravagant liberty will exceed all former Her esie and schism which seem more modest for they were never contracted into a more narrow compass than an Assembly or congregation but this makes in its Ecclesiastical Anarchy each Zelot an independent-Church But I was not only led to this Task by the wild projects of Extravagant brains but by the practice of men of more sober minds who perhaps observing the predominant humour and prevailing prejudices of some against Ecclesiastical Authority as Tyrannical over Consciences out of their great zeal for the Church and Christian resolution like Commanders disarm'd in sight snatch a Sword from their Enemies hand when ill success deprived them of their own dispute with the Atheist upon his own principles and fight against him with his arguments which way hath been little succesful And it is no great wonder for Divine Authority which is excluded in such disputes sets the edge on the spiritual sword is the strength of that arm which weilds it All natural arguments so managed are as some vitious Syllogisms which have all the propositions but concluded nothing But this being not so easily believ'd as said in This Treatise Reason and Religion dispute their rights to be judg in spiritual matters This method is altogether necessary for the Reasoner will never believe he is lawfully condemn'd if he have not liberty to bring in all natural evidence in the Trial which large concession will make him know the vanity of liberty falsly so call'd and subjugate his unruly mind playing like a fish which is wearied with the line of his
also consider'd if the will and understanding are the Elements of Faith that an Ethnic laying aside the Divine Testimony and retiring to his reason would be more confirm'd in his perswasion As a Chymist asserts his principles and practical knowledge above that which Theory teacheth whilst he Analyses or dissolves a body by which he makes sense a witness of his reason and gives evidence of the truth by both or as the Mathematical knowledge challenges greater certainty than that in other Sciences which taking a Scheme asunder by demonstration and rebuilding it on the same principles confidently and justly calls it true but the success is different in Religious cases as in some curious contexture which is defective by its too fine threads and not far remov'd from nothing when most tenderly unwoven To this another consideration may be added how it can be imagined that the Heathens should be ignorant of the contents of Religion at least so far as practical seeing Reason is allow'd a Judge naturally qualified for decision of Religious controversies and consequently able to comprehend matters of Faith and in capacity to frame Religious precepts or notions without any assistance from without but only furnisht with its own innate faculty For that as well as he who is set up as judge in all controversies must be supposed to understand the whole Law though particular cases determine the sentence to some parts of it Let this be illustrated by that fam'd instance of a Theorem revealed to Pythagoras by a Daemon which although acknowledged to be borrowed from Revelation yet the principles by which judgment was past on it were not derived from that kind Spirit and it may be though possible that the Sophy might have made the discovery without that Monitor and himself proclaim the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This instance apply'd to the present case will force the Reasoner to confess that it was possible that the Ethnic might have luckily discover'd the matter which Religion proposes to be believ'd by his own saculties following their natural conduct which cannot be granted If it is objected that a great part of Religion is to be found in Heathens writings It may find an answer from this consideration that no arguments taken from Pagans Books for the proof of the truth of Religion can be said to prevail otherwise than by being probable and perswasive and they borrowing their force from Christian Interpretations and those which have influence on practice notwithstanding the seeming affinity between Reason and Religion are like Towers or Buildings which at a great distance seem contiguous which the eye by a nearer approach finds remov'd from their fallacious neighborhood That which is said may find another check from the Reasoner's fundamental position which concludes that it is a sufficient assistance to reason in act of faith if the object be brought nigher by Revelation which if true he may impute Heathenish ignorance in matters of Religion to no other cause but the want of holy Scriptures and retort the force of the former considerations by proposal of this question whether it is possible that the curious and secret Mechanism of nature in Animals and other Bodies could be discern'd without a Microscope which being deny'd may make it applicable to the former case Revelation being as necessary for the begetting of faith in the Heathen as a Glass for discerning the small parts of matter This must not be deny'd but if by Revelation the bare proposal of holy Scripture is understood as sufficient to command assent this will be a necessary consequence That the true Religion was not imbrac'd or believ'd in several Ages for no other reason than the Sporades which were confusedly discern'd in the Viá lacteá were not discern'd till Galilaeus made the discovery For as a Telescope was necessary for the discerning of the one so the holy Scriptures for believing of the other the want of which cannot be thought the sole cause of infidelity the contrary being demonstrable from the practice of the Jews who must not altogether by one peremptory sentence be depriv'd of their Reason who have not and perhaps could not be reduc'd to belief though conversant with holy writings this makes way for this Disquisition Whether in the act of faith the understanding is enlightned and consequently the will determined in such manner as it cannot be by a mere natural conduct The affirmative of this may be proved according to the method of the Schools from this Topick of Gods concurse with man which alwayes leaves goodness as its effect which must be called perfection according to the meaning of the Character which was given of the whole Creation that all that was made was good viz. Every Creature perfect in its kind seeing therefore faith is the work of God on the understanding 't is past doubt that it is improv'd and the sight more perfect How it is perfected shall be declared in another disquisition in this place 't is enough if I remove prejudices which the former assertion may create by saying that the perfection which the Soul hath in the act of faith is not such as advances its nature to an Angelical degree of knowledge yet it hath more than could be the result of mere natural powers guided by their own methods Neither must this perfection be restrain'd to simple apprehensions or notions but complex which would be as Ropes of Sand without any true connexion which must be such because matters of Religion transcend reasons highest pitch which knows not how to compound its notions or thoughts so as to make true propositions as may appear from an instance in one fundamental If this question be proposed to reason whether God and Man could be in streight an union as they are in Christ's person it must remain undetermined And God and Man must stand in the proposition as Subject and Praedicate till Divine testimony comes as a Copula To prevent such misprisions this explanation may be added viz. That by the perfection attributed to the Soul in the act of faith no new faculties are to be suppos'd that could transform its nature and remove humanity to another kind However that which is said may make way for an objection if the mind is thus perfected or inlightned to discern the truth of proposition of which it must be ignorant whilest guided or inform'd by its own natural evidence and conduct all believers are Enthusiasts This is no necessary consequence of the former assertion For Enthusiasin derives not its name from the Divine concurse with the Soul in some particular acts but when it comes at times when it is not expected and out of the common course and method or when knowledge which seems extraordinary such as a man could not attain to by use of his reason and which he doth not understand when spoken Now the improvement of the pious mans knowledge which is acquir'd by regular means which Religion commands to be us'd deserves not