Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy works And again Psal. 14. 8. 3. Praise him Sun and Moon praise him ye Stars and Light which intimates that these Works of his afford matter to our reasons for religious acknowledgments And Reason proves the existence of God from the beauty and order and ends and usefulness of the Creatures for these are demonstrative Arguments of the being of a wise and omnipotent mind that hath framed all things so orderly and exactly and that mind is God This Article then Reason proves which was the first branch of the particular and I add that it is Reason only that can do it which was the other This you will see when you consider that there are but three things from whence the existence of any Being can be concluded viz. Sense Revelation or Reason For Sense it hath no more to do here but to present matter for our Reasons to work on and Revelation supposeth the Being of a God and cannot prove it for we can have no security that the Revelation is true till we are assured it is from God or from some Commissioned by him The knowledge of his Being therefore must precede our Faith in Revelation and so cannot be deduced from it Thus Reason befriends Religion by laying its corner stone And the next to this is the other Principle mentioned II. The Divine Authority of Scripture This also is to be proved by Reason and only by It. The great Argument for the truth of Scripture is the Testimony of the Spirit in the Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles Our Saviour himself useth this Argument to gain credit to his Doctrines Believe me for the works sake The works that I do bear testimony of me and if I had not done among them the works that no other man did they had had no sin Joh. XV. 24. And the Apostles continually urge that great Miracle the Resurrection of Christ from the dead for the conviction both of the Jews and Gentiles That he was the Son of God and his Doctrines true Now Miracles are an Argument to our Reasons and we reason from them thus Miracles are Gods Seal and they are wrought by his Power and He is true and good and would not lend these to Impostors to cheat and abuse mankind Therefore whoever works real Miracles for the confirmation of any Doctrine it is to be believed that He is taught of God and Commissioned to teach us And that Christ and his Apostles did those things which are recorded of them is matter of Testimony and Reason clears the validity of this by the aggregation of multitudes of Circumstances which shew that the first Relators could not be deceived themselves and would not deceive us nor indeed could in the main matters if they had designed it And the certainty of the conveyance of these things to us is evinced also by numerous convictive Reasons So that the matter of fact is secure and that such Doctrines were taught as are ascribed to those divine persons and those persons inspired that penned them are proved the same way And so it follows from the whole that the Gospel is the Word of God and the Old Testament is confirmed by that Thus Reason proves the Divine Authority of Scripture and those other Arguments that use to be produced for it from Its style and Its influence upon the Souls of men from the excellency of its design and the Providence of God in preserving it are of the same sort though not of the same strength Reason then proves the Scriptures and this only For that they are from God is not knâ—…wn immediately by sense and there is no distinct Revelation that is certain and infallible to assure us of it and so Reason only remains to deâ—…onstrate this other Fundamental Article These two great Truths The existence of God and Authority of Scripture are the first in our Religion and they are Conclusions of Reason and Foundations of Faith Thus briefly of those Principles of Religion that are Fundamentally such We have seen how Reason serves them by demonstrating their Truth and certainty I COME now to the SECOND sort of Principles viz. those that are formally so They are of two sorts mixt and pure The mixt are those that are discovered by Reason and declared by Revelation also and so are Principles both of Reason and Faith Of this kind are the Attributes of God Moral good and evil and the Immortality of humane Souls The Principles of pure Faith are such as are known only by Divine Testimony as the Miraculous Conception the Incarnation and the Trinity The first sort Reason proves as well as Scripture this I shew briefly in the alledged instances 1. That the Divine Attributes are revealed in the Holy Oracles 't is clear and they are deduced from Reason also For 't is a general Principle of all Mankind That God is a Being absolutely perfect And hence Reason concludes all the particular Attributes of his Being since Wisdom Goodness Power and the rest are perfections and imply nothing of imperfection or defect and therefore ought to be ascribed to the infinitely perfect Essence 2. That there is moral good and evil is discoverable by Reason as well as Scripture For these are Reasons Maxims That every thing is made for an end and every thing is directed to its end by certain Rules these Rules in Creatures of understanding and choice are Laws and the transgressing these is Vice and Sin 3. The Immortality of our Souls is plain in Scripture and Reason proves it by shewing the Spirituality of our natures and that it doth from the nature of Sense and our perception of spiritual Beings and Universals Of Logical Metaphysical and Mathematical Notions From our compounding Propositions and drawing Conclusions from them From the vastness and quickness of our Imaginations and Liberty of our Wills all which are beyond the powers of matter and therefore argue a Being that is spiritual and consequently immortal which inference the Philosophy of Spirits proves Also the Moral Arguments of Reason from the goodness of God and his Justice in distributing rewards and punishments the nature of virtue and tendencies of religious appetites conclude I think strongly That there is a life after this Thus in short of the Principles I called mixt which Reason demonstrates BUT for the others viz. II. Those of pure Revelation Reason cannot prove them immediately nor is it to be expected that it should For they are matters of Testimony and we are no more to look for immediate proof from Reason of those things than we are to expect that abstracted Reason should demonstrate That there is such a place as China or that there was such a man as Julius Caesar All that it can do here is to assert and make good the credibility and truth of the Testimonies that relate such matters and that it doth in the present case proving the Authority of Scripture and thereby in a
remoter way It demonstrates all the Mysteries of Faith which the Divine Oracles immediately discover And it is no more disparagement to our Reasons that they cannot evince those Sacred Articles by their own unaided force than it is a disgrace unto them that they cannot know that there are such things as Colours without the help of our eyes or that there are Sounds without the faculty of hearing And if Reason must be called blind upon this account because it cannot know of it self such things as belong to Testimony to discover the best eyes in the world may be so accounted also because they are not sagacious enough to see sounds and the best Palate dull and dead because it cannot taste the Sun-beams But though I have said that Reason cannot of it self immediately prove the truths of pure Revelation Yet 1. it demonstrates the divine Authority of the Testimony that declares them and that way proves even these Articles If this be not enough I add the second Assertion II. That Reason defends all the Mysteries of Faith and Religion and for this I must desire you to take notice that there are two ways whereby any thing may be defended viz. Either 1 By shewing the manner how the thing is or if that cannot be done by shewing 2 That it ought to be believed though the manner of it be not known For instance if any one denies all sorts of Creatures were in the Ark under pretence that it is impossible they should be contained within such a space He that can shew how this might be by a distinct enumeration of the kinds of Animals with due allowance for the unknown Species and a computation of the particular capacity of the Ark he defends the Sacred History the first way But if another denies the conversion of Aaron's Rod into a Serpent upon the same account of the unconceivableness of the manner how it was done this cannot indeed be defended the former way But then it may by representing that the power of God is infinite and can easily do what we cannot comprehend how it is effected and that we ought to believe upon the credit of the Testimony that being well proved to us though the manner of this miraculous performance and such others as it relates be unknown And aâ—… it is in this last case so it is in all the mysteries of Faith and Religion Reason cannot defend them indeed the first way But then it doth the second by shewing that the Divine Nature is insinite and our Concepâ—…ions very shallow and sinite that 't is therefore very unreasonable in us to indeavour to pry into the secrets of his Being actions and to think that we can measure and comprehend them That we know not the Essence and ways of acting of the most ordinary and obvious things of Nature therefore must not expect throughly to understand the deeper things of God That God hath revealed those holy Mysteries unto us and that 't is the highest reason in the world to believe That what He saith is true though we do not know how these things are These are all considerations of Reason and by the proposal of them it sufficiently defends all the Mysteries that can be proved to be contained in the Sacred Volume and shews that they ought to be received by us though they cannot be comprehended Thus if any one should ask me How the Divine Nature is united to the Humane and declare himself unwilling to believe the Article till he could be satisfied how My answer would be in short That I cannot tell and yet I believe it is so and he ought to believe the same upon the credit of the Testimony though we are both ignorant of the manner And I would suggest that we believe innumerable things upon the evidence of our senses whose nature and properties we do not know How the parts of matter cohere and how the soul is united to the body are questions we cannot answer and yet that such things are we do not doubt And why saith Reason should we not believe Gods revelation of things we cannot comprehend as well as we do our senses about matters as little understood by us 'T is no doubt reasonable that we should and by proving it is so Reason defends all the Propositions of Faith and Religion And when some of These are said to be Above Reason no more is meant than that Reason cannot conceive how those things are and in that sense many of the affairs of nature are above it too Thus I have shewn how serviceable Reason is to Religion I am next to prove II. That Religion befriends it and here I offer some Testimonies from the holy Oracles to make that good and in them we shall see how GOD himself and CHRIST and his APOSTLES do owne and acknowledge Reason 〈◊〉 consider then that GOD Isa. 1. 18. calls the rebellious Israelites to reason with him Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord and by Reason he convinceth the people of the vanity of Idols Isa. 44. 9. And he exposâ—…ulates with their Reasons Ezâ—…k 18. 31. Why will ye die ye house of Israel And Mich. 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee And wherein have I wearied thee Testisie against me He appeals unto their Reasons to judge of his proceedings Isa. 5. 3. And now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you beâ—…ween me and my vineyard are not my ways equal and are not your ways unequal In this he intimates the competency of their Reasons to judge of the equity of his ways and the iniquity of their own And OUR SAVIOUR commands the Disciples of the Pharisees to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the the things that are Gods implying the ability of their Reasons to distinguish between the things that belonged to God and those that appertained to Caesar. And he in divers places argues from the Principles and Topicks of Reason From that which we call à majori ad minus from the greater to the less John 13. 14 He shews it to be the duty of his Disciples to serve their brethren in the meanest Offices and to wash one anothers feet because he had washed theirs Vers. 14. inâ—…cing it by this consideration of Reason for the Servant is not greater than his Lord Vers. 16. and useth the same John 15. 20. to shew that they must expect persecution because He their Lord was persecuted And Luke 12. 23. He endeavours to take them off from carking care and solicitude about meat and raiment by this consideration from Reason that the life is more than meat and the body than raiment intimating that God having given them the greater there was no doubt but he would bestow the less which was necessary for the preservation of that To these instances I add some few from the Topick à minori ad majus from the less to the greater in the
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
advantage and promotion of the Affairs of Religion Thus we see that the Real knowledge and search into Gods works puts Philosophers at great distance from that fond Principle of Enthusiasm That Reason is an Enemy to Religion and we may learn from the Discourses cited That it may be happily and proâ—…itably used in the proof of many of the greatest Articles of Faith and that Philosophy doth much assist it in that service And so it doth SECT V. II. IN defending other points of Faith which are purely of Revelation and immediately discoverable no other way For this is a Maxim of Reason that whatever God saith is to be believed though we cannot comprehend the manner of it or tell how the thing should be By this Axiom whoever hath proved the Revelation may desend the Article and 't is an absurdity in Philosophick reasoning to argue against the being of a thing that is well attested from the unconceivableness of the manner how it is According to which principle even the Trinity and Incarnation may be as well defended as the existence of matter and motion and upon the same grounds In these there are many modes which are perfectly unaccountable and full of seeming contradictions which if they should be urged against the existence of these most sensible Beings we could not make our defence by untying those knots but may well do it by recourse to this Maxim That what is an evident object of Sense or clearly proved by Reason ought to be believed though there are many things in the Theory and manner of it unconceivable And by using the same we are safe in all the Mysteries of Faith that are well proved to be so But this I have more fully handled else where and shall only adde now That the Free Experimental Philosophy begets the deepest perswasion of the truth of this modest Proposition by acquainting the Philoâ—…opher every day with innumerable things in the works of God oâ—… which he can give no account though he know by his senses that they are really existing And by this means Reason assisted by Philosophy cuts off all the Cavils and silencâ—…th the Objections of bold Inâ—…idelity which for the most part are raised from the difficulties that are in our conception of the Articles of Religion And thus the Free Philosophy lays a foundation for defence of the greatest sublimities of Faith and common Reason doth the best by shewing the certainty and divine Original of the Testimony that acquaints us with those sacred Mysteries This it doth by aggregating those multitudes of circumstances that shew the Infallible truth of Scripture History and twists such a cord as is as strong as any thing in Geometry or Nature And therefore I cannot chuse but wonder what it is that inclines some men who are otherwise sober enough to let slye so lavishly and indiscreetly against Reason and Philosophy especially in an Age so exceeding prone to Phantastry and Madness and that hath been ruined in all its concerns by Enthusiasm and vain pretences to the Spirit 'T is true the discourses of some who have talk't much of Philosophy and Reason have been bold and sawcy and no doubt of evil tendency to the interest of Religion But true Philosophy and well manag'd Reason vindicate Religion from those impudent abuses and shew that there was Sophistry and imposture in those pretensions So that they are no more to be blamed for the insolencies and riots of those that usurp their name then Religion it self is for the Immoralities of those that cloath themselves in the garments of external Piety and Saintship Thus of the services of Philosophy against ENTHUSIASM I come now to the last Instance CHAP. VI. Philosophy serves Religion against the Humour of Disputing Some of the mischiâ—…fs of that Spirit briefly reciâ—…ed Six ways whereby Philosophy destroies the disputing humour The main things that may be urged in behalf of disputes Answer'd SECT I. V. IT helps Religion against the Humour of Disputing by which I mean that which believes uncertain opinions sirmly assâ—…rts them confidently and clamorously conteâ—…ds against every different appâ—…ehe siâ—…n This is that pestilâ—…nt Spirit that turns Religion into air of notion and makes it intricate and uncertain subject to eternal quarrels and obnoxious to Scepticism and Infidelity That which supplants charity modesty peace and Meekness and substitutes in their room Rage Insolence Pride Bitter Zeal Clamours and Divisions and all the opposites of the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel So that it depraves Religion and makes it 's sacred name an instrument to promote the projects of the Kingdom of darkness by cankring men one against another and inflaming their Spirits and crumbling them into Sects and disturbing Societies and so it hinders the Progress of the Gospel and lays it open to the scorns of unbelievers it turns men from the desire of practising to the itch of talking and abuses them into this dangerous belief that Godliness consists more in their beloved Orthodoxy then in a sober vertue and the exercise of Charity it makes them pert and pragmatical busie about the Reformation of others while they neglect their own Spirits fancying a perfection in the fluency of the tongue while the worst of passions have the Empire of their Souls These are some of the sad effects of the humour of disputing which hath done deplorable execution upon Religion in all places and times and therefore 't is none of the least services that can be afforded it to destroy this evil genius and there is nothing meerly humane that contributes more towards the rooting of it out of the world than the Free and Real Philosophy For SECT II. I COnverse with Gods works gives us to see the vâ—…st difficulties that are to be met with in the speculation of them and thereby men are made less conâ—…dent of their sentiments about Nature and by many considâ—…tions and observations of this kind are at length brought to such 〈◊〉 â—…itual modesty that they are 〈◊〉 to pass bold judgments upon those opinions in Religâ—…n of which there is no 〈◊〉 assurance And II By the freqâ—…t exercises of our minds we 〈◊〉 to be made sensible how 〈◊〉 and how oft we are deceived through the fallibility of sensâ—… and shortness of our undâ—…rstandings by Education Authority Interest and our Affections and so are disposed to a more prudent coldness and dâ—…ffidence in things of doubtful speculation by which the dispâ—…ting humour is destroyed at the bottom Besides which III. The Real Philosophy brings men in love with the Practical knowledge the more we have imployed our selves in notion and Theory the more we shall be acquainted with their uncertainty and our â—…steem and regard of them will abate as that sence increaseth and by the same Degrees our respect and loâ—…e to operative knowledge will advance and grow which disposition will incline us also to have less regard to niceties in Religion and teach us to lay out our chief cares and
They had not their conversation in fleshly wisdom we cannot think he meant humane Reason by that Reason directs us to live in simplicity and godly sincerity which he opposeth to a life in fleshly wisdom By this therefore no doubt he means the Reason of our Appetites and Passions which is but sense and imagination for these blind guides are the directors of the Wicked but not the Reason of our minds which is one of those lights that illuminate the Consciences of good men and help to guide their actions And whereas 't is objected 5. From Col. 2. 8. Beware lest any spoil you through Philosophy I answer there is nothing can be made of that neither for the disgrace of Reason for the Philosophy the Apostle cautions against is the same which he warns Timothy of 1 Tim. 1. 4. Neither give heed to Fables and endless Genealogies that minister Questions calling these prophane and vain bablings and oppositions of Science falsely so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. By all which learned Interpreters understand the pretended knowledge of which the Gnosticks boasted which consisted in the fabulous pedigrees of the Gods under the name of Aeones and it may be the Genealogies of which the Jews were so fond and the disputing Philosophy among the Greeks which was properly Science falsely so called and did minister Questions and endless strife I say 't is very probable these might be comprehended also But Reason is no otherwise concerned in all this but as condemning and reproving these dangerous follies THUS we see the pretensions from Scripture against Reason are vain But there are Other Considerations by which it useth to be impugned as 1. OUR Reason is corrupted and therefore is not sit to meddle in spiritual matters To this I say That Reason aâ—… it is taken for the faculty of understanding is very much weakened and impaired It sees but little and that very dully through a glass darkly as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13. And it is very liable to be misled by our senses and affections and interests and imaginations so that we many times mingle errors and false conceits with the genuine dictates of our minds and appeal to them as the Principles of Truth and Reason whâ—…n they are but the vain Images of our Phansies or the false Conclusions of ignorance and mistake If this bâ—… meant by the corruption of Reason I grant it and all that can be inferred from it will be That we ought not to be too bold and peremptory in defining speculative and difficult matters especially not those that relate to Religion nor set our Reasonings against the Doctrines of Faith and Revelation But this is nothing to the disreputation of Reason in the object viz. Those Principles of Truth which are written upon our Souls or any Conclusions that are deduced from them These are the same that they ever were though we discern them not so clearly as the Innocent state did They may be mistaken but cannot be corrupted And as our understandings by reason of their weakness and liableness to error may take falsâ—…oods for some of those or infer falsely from those that are truly such so we know they do the same by the Scriptures themselves viz. they very often mis-interpret and very often draw perverse conclusions from them And yet we say not That the Word of God is corrupted nor is the use of Scripture decryed because of those abuses But here advantage will be taken to object again 2. That since our natural understandings are so weak and so liable to mistake they ought not to be used in the affairs of Religion and 't will signifie little to us that there are certain Principles of eternal Reason if we either perceive them not or cannot use them To this I answer That if on this account we must renounce the use of our natural understandings Scripture will be useless to us also For how can we know the meaning of the words that express Gods mind unto us How can we compare one Scripture with another How can we draw any Consequence from it How apply General Propositions to our own particular cases How tell what is to be â—…aken in the Letter what in the Mystery what plainly what in a Figure What according to strict and rigorous truth What by way of accommodation to our apprehensions I say without the exercise of our understandings using the Principles of Reason none of these can be done and without them Scripture will signifie either nothing at all or very liâ—…tle to us And what can Religion get this way This inference therefore is absurd and impious All that can justly be concluded from the weakness of our understandings will be what I intimated before that we ought to use them with modesty and caution not that we should renounce them He is a mad-man who because his eyes are dim will therefore put them out But it may be objected further 3. That which men call Reason is infinitely various and that is reasonable to one which is very irrational to another Therefore Reason is not to be heard And I say Interpretations of Scripture are infinitely various and one calls that Scriptural which another calls Heretical Shall we conclude therefore That Scripture is not to be heard Reason in it self is the same all the World over though mens apprehensions of it are various as the light of the Sun is one though colours its reflexes are infinite And where this is it ought not to be denied because follies and falshoods pretend relation to it or call themselves by that name If so farewel Religion too But 4. ' T is Socinianism to plead for Reason in the affairs of Faith and Religion And I answer 'T is gross â—…ticism to plead against it This â—…me is properly applicable to the enemies of Reason But the other of Socinianism is groundlesly applied to those that undertake for it and it absurdly supposeth that Socinians are the only rational men when as divers of their Doctrines such as The Sleep and natural mortality of the Soul and utter extinction and anniâ—…ilation of the wicked after the day of Judgment are very obâ—…oxious to Philosophy and Reason And the Socinians can never be confuted in their other opinions without using Reason to maintain the sense and interpretation of those Scriptures that are alledged against them 'T is an easie thing we know to give an ugly name to any thing we dislike and by this way the most excellent and sacred things have been made contemptible and vile I wish such hasty Censurers would consider before they call names No truth is the worse because rash ignorance hath thrown dirt upon it I need say no more to these frivolous Objections Those that alledge Atheism and tendency to Infidelity against the reverence and use of Reason are disproved by my whole Discourse Which shews that the enemies of Reason most usually serve the ends of the Infidel and the Atheist when as a due use
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
are observ'd when they hit not when they miss I say notwithstanding these the real experimental Philosophy makes it appear that they are heavenly Bodies far above all the regions of vapours in which we are not concerned and so they are neither the signs nor the causes of our mischiefs For the other little things which afford matter for the Tales about Prodigies and other ominous appearings the knowledge of nature by exciting worthy magnificent conceptions of the God of Nature cures that blasphemous abuse of the adorable majesty whereby foolish men attribute every trivial evâ—…nt that may serve their turns against those they hate to his immediate extraordinary interposal For 't is ignorance of God and his works that disposeth men to absurd ridiculous surmises uncharitable censures seditious mâ—…chinations and so to thoughts that are prejudicial to the Glory of God the interests of Religion and the security of Government to that justice and charity we owe to others and the happiness and the love of our selves To which I adde That this kind of Superstition is a relique of Pagan ignorance which made men look on Thunder Eclipses Earthquakes and all the more terrifying Phaenomena of nature as the immediate effects of powers supernatural and to judge events by flights of birds and garbages of cattel by the accidental occursions of this creature and another and almost every casual occurrence But these particulars have been most ingeniously represented and reproved in a late very elegant discourse about Prodigies And though I do not acquiesce in the design of that excellently penn'd Book which is to discredit and take away all kinds of presages Yet I think it hath done rarely well so far as it discovers the folly and mischiefs of that ignorant and superstitious spiâ—…it that makâ—…s every thing a Prodigy And with such apprehensions as these the knowledge of nature sills the mind that is instructed in it And there is no doubt but that the Antipathy the Real Pâ—…ilosophy hath to all the kinds of Superstition is one cause why zealous ignorance brands those researches wiâ—…h the mark of Aâ—…heism For Superstitious folly adopâ—…s those paultry trifles which Philosophy contemns and reproves into the Family of Religion and therefore stigmatizeth those that despise them as enemies to Faith and Piety So it fared with some of the bravest spirits of antient times who have had the black character â—…ixt upon their great and worthy names only for their oppositions of the foolish Rites and Idolatries of the vulgar Heathen We know the case of Socrates And as to the interest of their names that of Anaxagoras Theodorus Protagoras and Epicurus was much worse the cauâ—…ess insamy coming down the stream as far as the last Ages Since then we know who was an Heretiâ—…k for saying there were Antâ—…podes and a Pope was taken for a Conjurer for being a Mathematician yea those noble Sciences were counted diabolical and even the sacred language could searce escape the suspicion In later times Galilaeo fell into the Inquisition for the discoveries of his Telescopes and Campanella could not endeavour to assert and vindicate the Freedom of his mind without losing that of his external person I might come nearer to our days and knowledge Gothick barbarity and the spirit of the Inquisition is not quite worn out of the Reformation Though the best on 't is it ordinarily remains but among the scum and dregs of men And no one is either less Religious or less wise for being accounted an Aâ—…eist by the Rabble But where ever the knowledge of Naâ—…ure and Gods works hath in any degree obâ—…ain'd those vile Superstitions have been despised and put to an infamous flight But to take another sâ—…ep CHAP. V. Philosophy serves Religion against Enthusiasm Enthusiasm hurts Religion two ways I. By crying up diseases and excesses of fancy for heights of Godliness II. By the disparagement of Reason Philosophy discovers that there is nothing but nature in the high pretensions of the Enthusiast The mischiefs of decrying Reason Philosophy removes thâ—… fancy of it's enmity to Religion It improves Reason and fits it for the service of Religion Religion hath received many services from Philosophical Writers who have labour'd to prove it's Truth and certainty Philosophy assists Reason to defend Religion SECT I. IV. THE Real Philosophy and knowledge of Gods works serves Religion against Enthusiasm another of its deadly enemies Now Enthusiasm is a false conceit of inspiration and all the bold and mistaken pretensions to the Spirit in our days are of this sort What particularly Religion hath suffer'd from it would be too long to describe upon this occasion It will be 〈◊〉 to say in an Age that hath so much and such sad experience of it that Enthusiasm I. By crying up the exâ—…s and diseases of Imagination for the greatest height of godliness And II. By the disparagement of sober Reason as an enemy to the Principles of Faith I say by these two ways it hath inâ—…oduc'd a Religion that is Phantastical and made way for all imaginable follies and even Atheism it self For the â—…rst of these in order The real knowledge of Nature detects the dangerous imposture by shewing what strange things may be effected by no diviner a cause then a strong fancy impregnated by Heated Melancholy For this sometimes warms the brain to a degree that makes it very active and imaginative full of odde thoughts and unexpected suggestions so thaâ—… if the Temper determine the imagination to Religion it flies at high things at interpretations of derk and Prophetick Scriptures at predictions of future events and mysterious discoveries which the man expresseth fluently and boldly with a peculiar and pathetick eloquence And now these pregnances being not ordinary but much beyond the usual tone and temper of the Enthusiast and he having heard great things of the spirits immediate motions and inspirations cannot well fail of believing himself inspired and of intitling all the excursions of his fancy to the immediate actings of the Holy Ghost which thoughts by thâ—… help of natural pride and self-love will work also exceedingly upon the heightned affections and they upon the body so far as to cast it sometimes into raptures extasies and deliquiums of sense in which every dream is taken for a Prophecy every image of the fancy for a vision and all the glarings of the imagination for new Lights and Revelations Thus have our Modern Prophets been inspired who yet are not to be reckon'd Hypocritical Impostors for they infinitely believe themselves and the strength of their highly invigorated fancies shuts out the sober light of Reason that should dis-abuse them as sleep doth that of our external senses in our dreams And which is worse the silly people that understand not nature but are apt to take every thing that is vehement to be sacred are easily deceived into the belief of those pretensions and thus diseases have been worship'd for Religion This account the Philosophy of humane
Nature gives of that by which the world hath been so sadly couzned as hath been largely represented by a modern Philosophical Divine And when we cast our eyes abroad into the wide world we see that those glorious things are no more then what hath been done by the Exstatick Priests of the Heathen Oracles and the Madmen of all Religions by Sybils Lunaticks Poets Dreamers and Abreptitious persons of all sorts And we see daily to what degrees of elevation excess of drinking will heighten the brain making some witty nimble and eloquent much beyond the ordinary sizâ—… of their parts and ingenuity and inclining others to be hugely devout who usually have no great sense of Religion As I knew one who would pray rapâ—…urously when he was drunk but at other times was a moping sott and could scarce speak sense Thus also some kinds of madness diseases accidents peculiarities of temper and other natural things that heat the brain â—…ill men with high surprising conceits about Religion and furnish thâ—…m with servid devotion great reaâ—…iness of expression and unexpected applications of Scripture to their crasie conceits I say the experimental Philosophy of our natures informs us that all this is common in alienations and singularities of mind and complexion And they were remarkable in the Propâ—…ets of the Heathen and the Pâ—…iest whom Saint Austin knew that would whine himself into an extasie In the wonderful discourses of the American Bishop that said he was the Holy Ghost and the canting fluency of the German Enthusiasts some of whose imaginations were as wild and extravagant of such Instances I might make up a much larger Catalogue if I should descend to our Domestick Lunaticks but their temper is well known and therefore I only adde this more That I have often met with a poor Woman in Warwick-shire whose habitual conceit it was that she was Mother of God and of all things living I was wont to personate a kind of complyance with her fancy and a modest dâ—…sire to be further informed about it which gentleness drew from her so many odde fetches of discourse such applications of Scripture and such wonderful references to things in which she was never instructed that look'd like scraps taken out of Hobbs and Epiâ—…urus that I have been much amazed at her talk And yet when I diverted her to any thing else of ordinary maâ—…ters she spoke usually with as much sobriety and cold discretion as could well be expected from a person of her condition noâ—… did she use â—…o be extravagant in any thing but about that particular imagination which instance among many others I might produce very much confirms me in the truth of that observation of those Philosophers who have given us the best light into the Enthusiastick tâ—…mper viz. That there is a sort of madness which takes men in some particular things when they are sound in others which one Proposition will assord a good account of many of the Phaenomena of Enthusiasm and shews that the extravagants among us may be really distracted in the affairs of Religion though their brains are untouch't in other matters Thus a Philosophical use of observation and the knowledge of humane nature by it helps us to distinguish between the effects of the adorable Spirit and those of an hot distemper'd fancy which is no small advantage for the securing the purity honour and all the interests of Religion SECT II. BUT II. there is another mischief of the Enthusiastick spirit behind and that is it's bringing Reason into disgrace and denying the use thereof in the aâ—…irs of Faith and Religion This is a mischief that is the sad cause of insinite more for it hath brought into the world all kinds of Phantastry and â—…lly and exposed Religion to contempt and derision by making madness and diseases sacred It bewilders mens minds in a maze of confused imaginations and leads them into bogs and precipices and deprives them of their light and their Guide and lays them open to all the Delusions of Satan and their own distemper'd brains It takes Religion off from it's foundations and leaves the interest of eternity in meâ—…s Souls to chance and the hits of imagination teaching those that are delâ—…ded to lay the stress of all upon raptures 〈◊〉 and mysterious notions 〈◊〉 they forget and scorn the plain Christianity which is an imitation of Christ in Charity Humility Justice and Purity in the exercise of all vertue and command of our selves It renders men obnoxiouâ—… to all the Temptations of Atheism and the blackest Insidelity and makes it impossible to convince an Insidel to setle one that doubts or to recover one that is backsliden from the Faith These evils I am here content to name only having represented them more fully in another discourse and the experience of our own Age may convince us with a little consideration upon it That all those fatal mischiefs have been the effects of the contempt and disparagement of Reâ—…son But yet though I assirm this I am not so rash or so unjust as to believe or say that this spirit hath produced all those sad things in every one that speaks hotly and inconsiderately against Reason I am far from the wildness of such a censure because I know how much imprudent zeal customary talk high pretensions and superstitious fears may work even upon honest minds who many times hold bad things in the principle which they deny in the practice and so are upright in their wills while they are very much confused and mistaken in their understandings This I account to be the case of multitudes of pious people in reference to Reason They have heard hot-headed indiscreet men declaim against it and many of them whose opinions will not bear the light have an interest to do so their pretensions were plausible and their zeal great their talk 〈◊〉 and their 〈◊〉 bold and the honest well-meaning folks are caught in their assections and these lead bad principles into their minds which are neither disposed nor able to examine So they believe and talk after their Teachers and say that Reason is a low dull thing ignorant of the spirit and an enemy to Faith and Religion while in this they have no clear thoughts nor yet any evil meaning But let these sancies swim a top in their imaginations and upon occasions they run out at the tongues end though they are not always improved to deadly practices For Charity 〈◊〉 Caution I have said this but yet nothing hinders but that all the forecited evils are justly said to be the Tendencies and in too many Instances have been and are the Issues of this Spirit And now I doubt not but 't will be granted readily by all that are conâ—…derate that whatever assists Religion against this destructive enemy doth it most important service and this the Free and Real Philosophy doth in a degree very eminent In order to the proof of this we may consider what I intimated just now
viz. That men are led into and kept in this fancy of the enmity of Reason to Religion chieâ—…ly by two things SECT III. I BY an implicit assent to the Systemes and dictates of those who first instructed them which Teachers came also into the fancy the same way and both are held under the power of it by strong prejudice arising from that implicit Faith And II. By want of clear thoughts and ability to state things distinctly and to understand their dependencies and sequels Both which imperfections the Free Philosophy 〈◊〉 For as to the First I. That Philosophy begins with the inlargment of the mind and attempts to free it from prejudices and pre-ingagements which sophisticate and pervert our judgments and render us incapable of discerning things as they are Modest impartial enquiry is the Foundation of the real experimental way of Philosophy Not that it teacheth Sceptiâ—…ism and absolute Neutrality in all things but so much caution in our disquisitions that we do not suddenly give firm assents to things not well understood oâ—… examin'd which no doubt is very just and safe But as to what concerns those who through ignorance or other occasions are incapable of making due enquiry I think they ought not to concern themselves about matters of speculation at all or at least not to affirm any thing positively of them 'T is enough for such to â—…lieve and practise the plain duties of Religion which arâ—… clear in the holy Oracles and with which they may be acquainted without much sagacity or deep judgment For matters of Theory and dissicult enquiry appertain â—…ot to the vulgar and lower rank of understandings But for those who are capable of sâ—…arch after Truth and are provided with advantages for it Freedom of judgment is necessary in order to their success With this I said the Real Philosophy â—…egins and in all it 's progresses still mâ—…e and more dispoâ—…th the mind to it and so delivers it from the vassallage of Customary sayings and opinions Now whoever is so disposed will not be so ready to believe that Reason is an Enemy to Religion till he have consider'd and examin'd the matter with an impartial judgment And I dare say whoever shall do that will want nothing to convince him that such an opinion is false and groundless but clear and distinct thoughts and the knowledge of consequence with which Philosophy will furnish him This is the second way whereby it helps to overthrow this principle of Enthusiasm viz. II. By teaching us to state matters clearly and to draw out those conclusions that are lodged in them For 't is confusion of notions and a greaâ—… defect in reasoning that makes dark zeal to rave so furiously against Reason Now Philosophy is Reason methodized and improved by study observation and experiment and whoever is addicted to these is exercised frequently in inquiry after the causes properties and relations of things which will inure the mind to great intentness and inable it to define and distinguish and infer rightly And by these the allegations against Reason will be made appear to be idle Sophisâ—…s that have no sound sense or substance in them This is shewn in a late discourse call'd a Vindication and desence of the use of Reason in the affairs of Faith and Religion in which also the whole matter is stated distinctly and I think right is done both to Reason and Religion For it is made evident there that all the Articles of Faith may either be proved by Reason or defended by it which two particulars we will here touch a little That Reason proves the greatest Articles of Religion is sufficiently made appear by those Philosophick Reasoners that have doâ—…e it and to say a word of this will be no digression since it will shew that Philosophy destroys the conceit of Reasons being an Enemy and demonstrate that it improves Reason to many purposes of Religion SECT IV. I. IT is well known that divers great men have labour'd in the Rational proof of Christian Religion as the most Learned Hugo Grotius Duplessis Raymond de Saâ—…undis The Pious and most Excellent Doctor Hammond Mr. Baxter and others among our selves and the Immortal Bishop of Downe Doctor Jer. Tayler hath in ten leaves of his Ductor Dubitantium given such an invincible rational Demonstration of Christianity by a most elegant and judicious collection of all the most important parâ—…iculars of evidence that if there had never been any thing said before for the Truth and certainty of our Religion this alone had been enough to have won upon the most shie and difficult assent and to have confounded all the Infidels under Heaven this Testimony I must give to that glorious performance and it will not I presume be thought excessive by any one that reads and is fit to judge in such cases I could not omit mention of these worthy Asserters and Defenders of Religion But there is another sort of Reasoners for our Faith that are more proper for my present notice viz. Those that have used the aids of the modern Free Philosophy in proving and defending some main Articles of Religion And there are several Members of the Royal Society who have imployâ—…d their ingenious and Pious pains this way The Wise Learned and deservedly Celebrated Prelate Dr. Seth Ward the present Lord Bishop of Sarum hath in his Philosophical Essays fully though in a small compass of words and perspicuously shewn That the Foundations of Religion are laid in eternal Reason and by this hath cleared the Nature and Attributes of God the Immortality of our Souls and Divine Authority of Scripture which are the grand Basis of Faith and Obedience And the Illustrious Mr. Boyle hath in his excellent Treatise of the Usesulness of Experimental Philosophy made it appear that Philosophick Reason gives the strongest evidence of the existence of the Deity and very glorious Illustrations of his Attributes and by it he infinitely shames and disproves the Follies of the Epicurean Atheist which great interests of Faith and Piety have also been egregiously promoted by the judicious Philosophical performances of the Learned Doctor H. More who hath every where in his Works discover'd to what useful purposes Reason and the Free Philosophy may be imployed in the services of Religion And the Noble Sir K. Digby writ a discourse concerning the Immortaâ—…ty of the Soul which he proves and defends by the Principles and reasonings of Philosophy which design also of making Philosophy serve the Altar hath been happily undertaken and as successfully managed by the Ingenious Mr. Sam. Parker in his Learned Tentamina in which he strenuously proves the Being of God and explains many difficulties about his Attributes by the use of Free Philosophical Reason These are and were all Members of the Royal Colledge of Philosophers To these I may adde the Instances of the great Des-Cartes and our worthy and Learned Doctor Stillingfleet who have also excellently imployed the Free Philosophy for the