of It destroys the pretensions of both I COME now IV. to the Inferences that may be raised from the whole 1. Reason is certain and inâ—… This follows from the state I gave of the Nature and notion of Reason in the beginning It consists in First Principles and the Conclusions that are raised from them and the observations of sense Now first Principles are certain or nothing can be so for every pâ—…ssible Conclusion must be drawn from those or by their help and every Article of Faith supposeth them And for the Propositions that arise from those certain Principles they are certain likewise For nothing can follow from truth but truth in the longest series of deduction If error creep in there is ill consequence in the case And the sort of Conclusions that arise from the observations of sense if the sense be rightly circumstantiated and the inference rightly made are certain also For if our senses in all their due circumstances deceive us All is a delusion and we are sure of nothing But we know that first Principles are certain and that our senses do not deceive us because God that bestowed them upon us is true and good And we are as much assured that whatever we duely conclude from either of them is as certain because whatever is drawn from any Principle was vertually contained in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Reason is in a sense the Word of God viz. that which he hath written upon our minds and hearts as Scripture is that which is written in a Book The former is the Word whereby he hath spoken to all Mankind the latter is that whereby he hath declared his Will to the Church and his peculiar people Reason is that Candle of the Lord of which Solomon speaks Prov. 20. 27. That light whereby Christ hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world John 1. 9. And that Law whereby the Consciences of the Heathen either accuse or excuse one another Rom. 2. 15. So that Hiâ—…rocles spoke well when he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be perswaded by God and right Reason is one and the same thing And Luther called Philosophy within its own bounds The Truth of God 3. The belief of our Reasons is an exercise of Faith and Faith is an act of Reason The former part is clear from the last particular and we believe our Reasons because we have them from God who cannot mistake and will not deceive So that relying on them in things clearly perceived is trust in Gods veracity and goodness and that is an exercise of Faith Thus Luke 12. The not belief of Reason that suggests from Gods cloathing the Lillies that He will provide for us is made by our Saviour a defect of Faith vers 28. O ye of little Faith And for the other part that Faith is an act of Reason that is evident also For 'T is the highest Reason to believe in God revealing 4. No Principle of Reason contradâ—…ts any Articles of Faith This follows upon the whole Faith befriends Reason and Reason serves Religion and therefore They cannot clash They are both certain both the truths of God and one truth doth not interfere with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle Truth agrees with all things that are Whatsoever contradicts Faith is opposite to Reason for 't is a fundamental Principle of that That God is to be believed Indeed sometimes there is a seeming contradiction between them But then either something is taken for Faith that is but Phansie or something for Reason that is but Sophistry or the supposed contradiction is an error and mistake 5. When any thing is pretended from Reason against any Article of Faith we ought not to cut the knot by denying Reason but endeavour to untye it by answering the Argument and 't is certain it may be fairly answered For all Hereticks argue either from false Principles or fallacioâ—…ly conclude from true ones So that our Faith is to be defended not by declaiming against Reason in such a case which strengthens the enemy and to the great prejudice of Religion allows Reason on his side But we must endeavour to defend it either by discovering the falshood of the Principles he useth in the name of Reason or the ill consequence which he calls proof 6. When any thing is offered us for an Article of Faith that seems to contradict Reason we ought to see that there be good cause to believe that this is divinely revealed and in the sense propounded If it be we may be assured from the former Aphorisms that the contradiction is but an appearance and it may be discovered to be so But if the contradiction be real This can be no Article of Revelation or the Revelation hath not this sense For God cannot be the Author of Contradictions and we have seen that Reason as well as Faith is his I mean the Principles of Natural Truth as well as those of Revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle Truth is throughout contrary to falshood and what is true in Divinity cannot be false in Reason 'T is said indeed in the Talmud If two Rabbins disfer in Contradictories yet both have thâ—…ir Opinions from Moses and from God But we are not obliged to such a non-sensiâ—…al kind of Faith And ought not to receive any thing aâ—… an Article in a sense that palpably contradicts Reason no more than we may receive any in a sense that contradicts other Scriptures Faith and Reason accord as well as the Old Iestament and the New and the Analogy of Reason is to be â—…ded also because even that iâ—… Divine and Sacred 7. There is nothing that God hath revealed to oblige our Faith but he hath given us reason to believe that he hath revealed it For though the thing be never so clearly told me If I have not reason to think that God is the Revealer of what is so declared I am not bound to believe except there be evidence in the thing it self For 't is not Faith but vain credulity to believe every thing that pretends to be from God So that we ought to ask our selves a Reason why we believe the Scripture to be the Revelation of Gods Will and ought not to assent to any sense put upon it till we have ground to think that that sense is his mind I say we must have ground either from our particular Reasons or the Authority of the Church otherwise our Faith is vain credulity and not Faith in God 8. A man may hold an erroneous opinion from a mistaken sense of Scripture and deny what is the truth of the proposition and what is the right meaning of the Text and yet not erre in Faith For Faith is belief of God revealing And if God have not so revealed this or that as to give us certain ground to believe this to be his sense he hath not sufficiently revealed it to oblige our Faith So that though I deny such or such a sense while
I believe it is not from God his veracity and Authority is not concerned since I am ready however to give a chearful assent to whatever is clearly and sufficiently revealed This Proposition follows from the former and must be understood only of those Doctrines that are difficult and obscurely delivered And that many things are so delivered in Scripture is certain For some are only hinted and spoken occasionally some figuratively and by way of Parable and Allegory some according to mens conceptions and some in ambiguous and Aenigmatical Phrases which obsâ—…urities may occasion mistake in those who are very ready to believe whatever God saith and when they do I should be loth to say that such erre in Faith Though those that wrest plain Texts to a compliance with their interests and their lusts Though their affections may bring their judgments to vote with them yet theirs is error in Faith with a witness and capable of no benefit from this Proposition 9. In searching after the sense of Scripture we ought to consult the Principles of Reason as we do other Scriptures For we have shewn That Reason is another part of Gods Word And though the Scripture be sufâ—…icient to Its end yet Reason must be presupposed unto It for without this Scripture cannot be used nor compared nor applied nor understood 10. The essentials of Religion are so plainly revealed that no man can miss them that hath not a mighty corrupt bias in his will and affections to infatuate and blind his understanding Those Essentials are contained in the Decalogue and the Creed Many 〈◊〉 remoter Doctrines may be true but not Fundamental For 't is not agreeable to the goodness or justice of God that mens eternal interests should dâ—…pend upon things that are difficult to be understood and easily mistaken If they did No man could be secure but that do what he could he should perish everlastingly for not believing or believing amiss some of those difficult points that are supposed necessary to salvation and all those that are ignorant and of weak understanding must perish without help or they must be saved by implicit Faith in unknown Fundamentals THESE are some Propositions that follow from my Discourse and from one another The beâ—…ter they are considered the more their force will be perceived and I think they may serve for many very considerable purposes of Religion Charity and the peace of mankind AND now give me leave to speak a word to You my Breâ—…hren of the CLERGY Those I mean of the Younger sort for I shall not prâ—…sume to teach my Elders You have heard no doubt frequent and earnest declamations against Reason during the years of your Education and Youth we know receives impressions easily And I shall not wonder if you have been possessed with very hard thoughts of this pretended terrible enemy of Faith and Religion But did you ever consider deeply since what ends of Religion or Sobriety such vehement defamations of our faculties could serve And what Ends of a Pâ—…rty they did I hope these things you have pondered as you ought and discern the consequent mischieâ—…s But yet I shall beg leave â—…o refresh your thoughts with some Considerations of the dangerous tendencies and issues of such Preachments 1. To disclaim Reason as an Enemy to Religion tends to the introduction of Atheism Infidelity and Scepâ—…icism and hath already brought in a flood of these upon us For what advantage can the Atheist and Insidel expect greater than this That Reason is against Religion What do they pretend What can they propose more If so there will be no proving That there is a God or That the Scripture is his Word and then we believe gratis and our Faith hangs upon humour and imagination and that Religion that depends upon a warm Phansie an ungrounded belief stands but till a disease or a new conceit alter the Scenc of imagination and then down falls the Castle whose soundation was in the Air. 'T was the charge of Julian the Apostate against the Primitive Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That their wisdom was to believe as if they had no ground for their Faith And those that renounce and decry Reason justifie Julian in his charge Thus Religion will have no bottom but the Phansie of every one that prosesseth it and how various and inconstant a thing Imagination is every man knows These are the Consequences of the defamations of Reason on the pretended account of Religion and we have seen in multitudes of deplorable Instances That they follow in practice as well as reasoning Men of corrupt inclinations suspect that there is No Reason for our Faith and Religion and so are upon the borders of quitting it And the Enthusiast that pretends to know Religion best tells them that these Suspicions are very true and thence the Debauchee gladly makes the desperate Conclusion And when others also hear Reason disparaged as uncertain various and fallacious they deny all credit to their Faculties and become confounded Scepticks that settle in nothing This I take to have been one of the greatest and most deadly occasion of the Atheism of our days and he that hath rejected Reason may be one when he pleaseth and cannot reprehend or reduce any one that is so already 2. The Denial of Reason in Religion hath been the principal Engine that Hereticks and Enthusiasts have used against the Faith and that which lays us open to inâ—…inite follies and impostures Thus the Arrians quarrelled with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was deduced by consequence but not expressed in Scripture The Apollinarists would by no means allow of Reason And St. Austin saith of the Donatists that they did calumniate and deâ—…ry It to raise prejudice against the Catholick Faith and elsewhere Doctores vestri Hominem dialecticum â—…ugiendum potius cavendum quà m refellendum censuerunt The Ubiquitarians defend their Errors by denying the judgment of Reason and the Macedonians would not have the Deity of the Holy Ghost proved by Consequence The later Enthusiasts in Germany and other places set up loud and vehement out crys against Reason and the Lunaticks among us that agree in nothing else do yet sweetly accord in opposing this Carnal Reason and this indeed is their common Interest The impostures of mens Phansies must not be seen in too much light and we cannot dream with our eyes open Reason would discover the nakedness of Sacred Whimsies and the vanity of mysterious non-sense This would disparage the darlings of the brain and cool the pleasant heats of kindled Imagination And therefore Reason must be decryed because an enemy to madness and Phansie set up under the Notion of Faith and Inspiration Hence men had got the trick to call every thing that was Consequent and Reasonable Vain Philosophy and every thing that was Sober Carnal Reasoning Religion is set so far above Reason that at length it is put beyond Sobriety and Sense and then 't was fit to be believed
encourage them to it I shall adventure to add That it seems very probable that much of the matter of those Hallelujah's and triumphant Songs that shall be the joyful entertainment of the blessed will be taken from the wonders of Gods Works and who knows but the contemplation of these and God in them shall make up a good part of the imployment of those glorified Spirits who will then have inconceivable advantages for the searching into those effects of Divine Wisdom and Power beyond what are possible for us mortals to attain And those discoveries which for ever they shall make in that immense Treasure of Art the Universe must needs sill their Souls every moment with pleasant astonishment and inslame their hearts with the ardors of the highest love and devotion which will breathe forth in everlasting thanksgivings And thus the study of Gods Works joyned with those pious sentiments they deserve is a kind of partial anticipation of Heaven And next after the contemplations of his Word and the wonders of his Mercy discovered in our Redemption it is one of the best and noblest imployments the most becoming a reasonable Creature and such a one as is taught by the most reasonable and excellent Religion in the World FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A Seasonable Recommendation and Defence OF REASON In the Affairs of RELIGION AGAINST Infidelity Scepticism and Fanaticisms of all sorts LONDON Printed by J. M. for James Collins at the Kingsâ—…ead in Westminster-Hall 1670. AD CLERUM Rom. XII the latter part of verse 1. Which is your reasonable Service THERE is nothing that I know hath done so much mischief to Christianity as the disparagement of Reason under pretence of respect favour to Religioâ—… since hereby the very Foundations of the Christian Faith have bin undermined and the World prepared for Atheism For if Reason must not be heard the Being of a GOD and the Authority of Scripture can neither be proved nor defended and so our Faith drops to the ground like a house that hath no foundation Besides by this way those sickly conceits and Enthusiastick dreams and unsound Doctrines that have poysoned our Air and infatuated the minds of men and exposed Religion to the scorn of Infidels and divided the Church and disturbed the peace of mankind and involved the Nation in so much blood and so many Ruines I say hereby all these fatal Follies that have been the occasions of so many mischiefs have been propagated and promoted So that I may affirm boldly That here is the Spring-head of most of the waters of bitterness and strife and here the Fountain of the great Deeps of Atheism and Fanaticism that are broken up upon us And now to damme up this sourâ—…e of mischiefs by representing the fair agreement that is between Reason and Religion is the most seasonable service that can be done unto both since hereby Religion will be rescued from the impious accusation of its being groundless and imaginary And reason also defended against the unjust charge of those that would make this beam of God prophane and irreligious This I shall endeavour at this timâ—… and I think it proper work for the occasion now that I have an opportunity of speaking to You Reverend Fathers and Brethren of the Clergie For 't is from the Pulpit Religion hath received those wounds through the sides of Reason I do not say and I do not think It hath fâ—…om yours But we know that indiscreet and hot Preachers that had entertain'd vain and unreasonable Doctrines which they had made an interest and the badges of a Party perceiving that their darling opinions could not stand if Reason their enemy were not discredited They set up a loud cry against Reason as the great adversary of free-Grace and Faith and zealously endeavoured to run it down under the mis-applied names of Vain Philosophy Carnal Reasoning and the Wisdom of this World And what hath been the issue of those cantings we have sadly seen and felt So that 〈◊〉 think 't is now the duty of all sober and reasonable men to rise up against this spirit of Folly and infatuation and something I shall attempt at present by shewing that Reason is very serviceable to Religion and Religion very friendly to Reason both which are included in these words of the Apostle WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE He had proved in the preceding part of this Epistle That the Gospel was the only way of happiness and here he enters upon the application of this Doctrine and affectionately exhorts his Romans to conform themselves unto it I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies By which no doubt he means their whole persons For they are to be a living sacrifice Living in opposition to the dead services of the Ceremonial Law Holy acceptable unto God in opposition to those legal performances that had no intrinsick goodness in thâ—…m and were not acceptable now that thâ—…ir institution was determinâ—…d And the motives whereby he enforceth his exhâ—…rtation are these two viz. The mercies of GOD which the Gospel hath brought and propounded I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God And the reasonableness of the thing it self that he urgeth them to Which is your reasonable service My business is with this latter and I liâ—…fer from it That Religion is a reasonable thing IN treating of this Propâ—…sition I shall I. State what I mean by Religion and what by Reason II I shall demonstrate their harmony and agreement III Indeavour to disable the main Objections that are alledged against the use of Reason in the affairs of Faith And IV. Improve all by some Inferences and Advices TO BEGIN with the first the setling the distinct Notions of Religion and Reason We know there is nothing in any matter of enquiry or debate that can be discovered or determinâ—…d till the Terms of the Question are explained and their Notions setled The want of this hath been the occasion of a great part of those Confusions we find in Disputes and particularly most of the Clamours that have been raised against Reason in the affairs of Religion have sprung from mens mistakes of the nature of both For while groundless opinions and unreasonable practices are often called Religion on the one hand and vain imaginations and false consequences are as frequently stiled Reason on the other 'T is no wonder that such a Religion disclaims the use of Reason or that such Reason is opposite to Religion Therefore in order to my shewing the agreement between true Religion and genuine Reason I shall with all the clearness that I can represent the just meaning of the one and of the other FOR Religion First the name signifies Binding and so imports duty and all duty is comprised under these two Generals Worship and Virtue Worship comprehends all our duties towards God Virtue all those that relate to our Neighbour or our selves Religion then primarily consists in these