Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	believe_v	faith_n	revelation_n	2,830	5	9.5573	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25771	A sermon preached at the visitation of the Right Reverend Father in God, John Lord Bishop of Chester, at Chester by James Arderne ...	Arderne, James, 1636-1691.; Pearson, John, 1613-1686.	1677 (1677)	Wing A3625; ESTC R20728	9,763	22

it would make these men who are both for Dissention and Peace the very worst of Hypocrites Having now given you some account of the original and tokens of Innovation it remains we consider the fairest Pleas on whose credit the man excepts against what is well established these are chiefly two 1. That what has hitherto been receiv'd in the Church is contrary to the Rules of Reason Or 2. Contrary to the enlight'ning of the Spirit 1. Contrary to the Rules of Reason It was indeed never denied of reason by those who might be suppos'd to have some share of it that it was very serviceable about Religion and it is yeilded among us that it could never find so creditable employment as in defending that of Christians but there is a wide difference betwixt Instrument and Contriver betwixt Service and Authority Reason was very useful in discovering the honesty and infallibility of the first Publishers of the Christian Doctrine but then it has no right to take the Doctrines asunder and to make an exact search whether these agree to those apprehensions of things which flow from the alone light of Nature and to order that as the Doctrines shall approve themselves upon this trial suitably their success shall be either to be entertain'd or rejected no certainly the Laws of God do not so doubtfully depend upon the sentence of our faculties nor is the Scripture a fair proposal only that may probably be receiv'd if we approve the matter of it All the power of debate and that is fully enough which God gives to our reason antecedent to our belief is this to examine the miracles wrought in confirmation of our faith and so to consider whether these and consequently the Gospel which accompanies 'em can proceed from any one but the most High God and after this hearing is over reason changes its person it lays down all its Ensigns of Jurisdiction descends from its Judgment-seat and does homage to this Vicegerent come from Heaven professing an entire obedience to its Authority and afterwards if it be found that some of these Laws so Divinely authorized shall appear capable of two meanings or of none that is plain to us reason is not to take this advantage for an excuse to restore it self to its former power but it must go to consult with those who convers'd familiarly face to face with the Publishers of this Law or with their nearest Successors to know what interpretation they receiv'd of this dark saying or what Doctrines were deliver'd them nearest the possible meaning of this place and so it believes according to their true report This is in a manner the whole process of the Knowledg and of the Faith of Christianity and he who will attribute to reason an employment higher than this must be requested to tell us how by reason he arrived at the belief of the Trinity and of other mysteries of the Christian Faith If he say that he has as distinct a conception of these as of any self-evident proposition we congratulate his early attainments and his being already wrapt up into Heaven but if his free answer prove as we may well suspect quite contrary that for his part he does not at all believe these things because he cannot clearly understand 'em and that Christian Religion has nothing in it but what is plain and easie to conceive it will be expected in the next place he shew after these incomprehensible propositions are laid aside what so difficult truths there are in our Religion more than were in the world before that it should be worthy of God to make a man on purpose in such a wonderful manner to preach them and to communicate to him his own power to do those mighty works that men might believe on this score that which mankind believ'd long afore by the light of Nature Thus as the argument deriv'd from divine Revelation and the strange attendants of it proves that more was requir'd to be believ'd than reason could suggest so we shall find if we look into Scripture that it professes to contain more than human reason even after the revelation given can fully conceive 2. Some plead in behalf of their novelties that they proceed from the enlight'ning of the Spirit They apply hither those promises of the Old Testament made concerning the latter days whereas those latter days are by St. Peter understood of the days of the Apostles preaching and so they were applied by the primitive Church in opposition to the Enthusiasm of Montanus and his fellows We acknowledg sufficient aids of the Spirit of Grace in the use of means but we say it does not give this knowledg by inspiration in our days this extraordinary grant being formerly accompanied with the gift of strange tongues and with that of working of Miracles these two or the like being necessary to go along with that Spirit which distinguishes the Divinely inspired from the pretending Impostor Having said thus much concerning Innovations let me further disswade you from them consider that what is of the greatest standing and continuance is truth it self truth is that which is eternal in God and among men it is the off-spring of Divine perfection whereas error is modern and an upstart thus was it with the Idolatry of the Iews they serv'd new Gods newly come up In the stile of Scripture the Ancient People signifies the same with the true Church Deut. 2. 19 and the good way and the old way are one and the same Our Saviour makes this the best trial of Doctrine whether it be true or no by seeing whether it was so from the beginning The Iews are directed in matters of Religion to consider the years of many Generations ask thy Fathers and they will tell thee thy Elders and they will shew thee the whole Church in all ages is but one Flock and we that come after must as Solomon bids observe the steps of the old Flock The first Christian Church is that Pillar of truth on which Divine Laws were affix'd that they might be made publick whom may we then with better success follow than those whose bright knowledge of what they raught was not sullied with lusts nor swol'n with arrogance nor envenomed with malice How can we suspect their evidence who knew God's will by doing it and who rather chose to dye than betray their Faith given to God or the Faith delivered to them Blessed Saints The second Advice of St. Paul is to improve in knowledg He would not that they who are Teachers should not understand what they say Eph. l. 7. Nor would he a Teacher should only begin to understand so ch 3. Not a Novice lest he be filled with pride But instead hereof one who hath well studied his work 1 Ep. ch 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved to God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth Of all knowledg most principally the knowledg of Scripture is required this