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
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
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
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
Gnosticks the Genealogies of the Jews or the disputing â—…earning of the Greeks and perhaps he might have a respect to all of them That the disputing Philosophy of the Greeks is concerned in the caution will appear very probable if we consider That much of it was built on meer notion that occasioned division into manifold Sects which managed their matters by Sophistry and Disputations full of nicety and mazes of wit and aimed at little but the pride of mysterious talk of things that were not really understood Such a Philosophy the Apostle might justly condemn and all wise men do the same because 't is very injurious to Religion real Knowledge and the Peace of men But what is this to that which modestly inquires into the Creatures of God as they are That collects the History of his Works raising observations from them for the discovery of Causes and invention of Arts and helps for the benefit of Mankind What vanity what prejudice to Religion can be supposed in this Is this think we that Philosophy that wisdom of this world which the great Apostle censures and condemns He is bold that saith it speaks a thing he knows not and might if he pleased know the contrary Since the Method of Philosophy I vindicate which proceeds by observation and experiment to works and uses of life was not if at all the way of those times in which the Apostles lived nor did it begin to shew it self in many Ages after and therefore cannot be concerned in S. Paul's Caution to his Colossians nor in his smartness against worldly wisdom elsewhere for by that we are to understand the Fetches of Policy the Niceties of Wit and Strains of Rhetorick that were then engaged against the progress of the Gospel But what is all this to the Philosophy of Gods Works which illustrates the Divine glory and comments upon his Perfections and promotes the great design of Christianity which is doing good and in its proper nature tends to the disposing oâ—… mens minds to Vertue and Religion SECT III. BUT III. If Philosophy be so excellent an Instrument to Religion it may be 〈◊〉 and the Question will have the force of an Objection why the Disciples and first Preachers of the Gospel were not instructed in it â—…ey were plain illiterate men altogether unacquainted with those sublimities God chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise So that it seems he did not value this kind of wisdom so much as our discourse seems to imply But this choice that the Divine Wisdom made of the Publishers of the glad Tydings of Salvation is no more prejudice or discredit to Philosophy than it is to any other sort of Learning and indeed 't is none at all to either For the special reasons of Gods making this choice seem such as these viz. That his power might more evidently appear in the wonderful propagation of the Religion of Christ Jesus by such seemingly unqualified instruments That the World might not suspect it to be the contrivance of wit subtilty and Art when there was so much plainness and simplicity in its first Promotâ—…rs And perhaps too it was done in contempt of the vain and pretended knowledge of the Jews and Greeks over which the plainness of the Gospel was made gloriously to triumph And to these I adde that it might be to shew That God values simplicity and integrity above all natural perfections how excellent soever So that there being such special Reasons for the â—…using plain men to set this grand aâ—…air on foot in the world it can be no disparagement to the knowledge of Nature that it was not begun by Philosophers And to counter-argue this Topick we may consider That The Patriarchs and Holy men of ancient times that were most in the Divine favour were well instructed in the knowledge of Gods Works and contributed to the good of men by their useful discoveries and inventions Adam was acquainted with the Nature of the Creatures Noah a Planter of Vineyards Abraham as Grotius collects from ancient History a great Mystes in the knowledge of the Stars Isaac prosperous in Georgicks Jacob blessed in his Philosophical Stratagem of the speckled Rods. Moses a great man in all kinds of natural knowledge Bezaliel and Aholiab inspired in Architecture Solomon a deep Naturalist and a Composer of a voluminous History of Plants Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah skilled in all Learning and Wisdom Ten times better saith the Text than the Magicians and Astrologers in Nebuchadnezzar's Realm And to accumulate no more instances the Philosophers of the East made the first addresses to the Infant Saviour CONCLUSION THus we see upon the whole That there is no shadow of Reason why we should discourage or oppose modest inquiries into the Works of Nature and whatsoever ignorant zeal may prompt the common sort to methinks those of generous education should not be of so perverse a frame Especially it becomes not any that minister at the Altar to do so great a disservice to Religion as to promote so unjust a conceit as that of Philosophy's being an enemy unto it The Philosophers were the Priests among the Aegyptians and several other Nations in ancient times and there was never more need that the Priests should be Philosophers than in ours For we are liable every day to be called out to make good our Foundations against the Atheist the Sadduce and Enthusiast and 't is the knowledge of God in his Works that must furnish us with some of the most proper Weapons of Defence Hard names and damning sentences the arrows of bitter words and raging passions will not defeat those Sons of Anâ—…k These are not sit Weapons for our warfare No they must be met by a Reason instructed in the knowledge of things and sought in their own Quarters and their Arms must be turned upon themselves This may be done and the advantage is all ours We have steel and brass for our defence and they have little else than twigs and bull-rushes for the assault we have light and firm ground and they are lost in smoak and mists They tread among Bogs and dangerous Fens and reel near the Rocks and Steeps And shall we despise our advantages and forsake them Shall we relinquish our ground and our light and muâ—…e our selves up in darkness Shall we give our enemies the Weapons and all the odds and so endeavour to insure their Triumphs over us This is sottishly to betray Religion and our selves If this Discourse chance to meet with any that are guilty of these dangerous follies it will I hope convince them That they have no reason to be afraid of Philosophy or to despise its aids in the concerns of Religion And for those who never yet thought of this part of Religion to glorifie God for his Works I wish it may awaken them to more attentive consideration of the wisdom and goodness that is in them and so excite their pious acclamations And to
which are the sum of the Law and the Prophets But duty cannot be performed without knowledge and some Principles there must be that must direct these Practices And those that discover and direct men in those actions of duâ—…y are called Principles of Religion These are of two sorts viz. Some are 1. Fundamental and Essential others 2. 〈◊〉 and assisting Fundamental 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaphor taken from the foundâ—… of a building upon which the Fabrick stands and without which it must sink to the ground So that Fundamental Principles are such as are supposed to the duties of Religion one or more and such as are absolutely necessary to the performance of them respectively Of this sort I mention four viz. I. That there is a God of infinite perfâ—…ction Thâ—… bâ—…lief of this iâ—… 〈◊〉 necâ—…ssary to all the parâ—…s oâ—… Râ—…ligion II. That we are sinners and exposed to his displeasure This is necessary to confession of sins and repentance parts of Worship III. That God is our Maker and the Author of all our blessings This is necessary to the Duties of Prayer Praise and Adoration IV. That there is Moral Good and Evil. Without this there can be no Charity Humility Justice Purity or the rest These Propositions I say are Fundamentals of Religion for it supposeth and stands upon them There are others which are not so absolutely necessary as these but yet very incouraging and helpful I reckon Four here also Viz. 1. THAT God will pardon us if we repent 2. THAT he will assist us if we endeavour 3. THAT he will accept of Services that are imperfect if they are sincere 4. THAT he will reward or punish in another world according â—…o what we have done in this This I count to be the sum of Religion general and Christianity takes in all those Duties and all the Principles advancing the Duties to nobler measures and incouraging them by new motives and assistances and superadding two other instances Baptism and the Lords Supper And for the Principles it confirms those of natural Religion and explains them further and discovers some few new ones And all these both of the former and the latter sort are contained in the Creed Here are all the Fundamentals of Religion and the main assisting Principles also And I call nothing else Religion but plain Duties and these acknowledged Principles And though our Church require our assent to more Propositions yet those are only Articles of Communion not Doctrines absolutely necessary to Salvation And if we go beyond the Creed for the Essentials of Faith who can tell where you shall stop The sum is Religion primarily is Duty And duty is All that which God hath coâ—…ded to be done by his Word or our Reasons and we have the substance of these in the Commandments Religion also in a secondary sense consists in some Principles relating to the Worship of God and of his Son in the ways of devoâ—…t and virtuous living and these are comprised in that Summary of belief called the Apostles Creed This I take to be Religion and this Religion I shall prove to be reasonable But I cannot undertake for all the Opinions some men are pleased to call Orthodox nor for all those that by many private persons and some Churches are counted essential Articles of Faith and Salvation Thus I have stated what I mean by Religion THE OTHER thing to be determined and fixt is the proper Notion of Rea on For this you may please â—…o consider that Reason is sometimes taken for Reason in the Faculty which is the Understanding and at other times for Reason in the object which consists in those Principles and Conclusions by which the Understanding is informed This latter is meant in the dispute concerning the agreement or disagreement of Reason and Religion And Reason in this sense is the same with natural truth which I said is made up of Principles and Conclusions By the Principles of Reason we are not to understand the Grounds of any mans Philosophy nor the Critical Rules of Syllogism but those imbred fundamental notices that God hath implanted in our Souls such as arise not from external objects nor particular humours or imaginations but are immediately lodged in our minds independent upon other principles or deductions commanding a sudden assent and acknowledged by all sober mankind Of this sort are these That God is a Being of all perfection That nothing hath no Attributes That a thing cannot be and not be That the whole is greater than any of its parts And such like others which are unto Us what instincts are to other Creatures These I call the Principles of Reason The Conclusions are those other notices that are inferred rightly from these and by their help from the observations of sense And the remotest that can be conceived of all these if it be rightly inferred from the Principles of Reason or duely circumstantiated sense is as well to be reckoned a part and branch of Reason as the more immediate Conclusions that are Principles in respect of those distant truths And thus I have given an account also of the proper notion and nature of Reason I AM to shew next 2 That Religion is reasonable and this implies two things viz. That Reason is a friend to Religion and that Religion is so to Reason From these two results their correspondence and agreement I begin with the FIRST and here I might easily shew the great congruity that there is between that light and those Laws that God hath placed in our Souls and the duties of Religion that by the expressness of his written Word he requires from us and demonstrate that Reason teacheth All those excepting only the two Positives Baptism and the holy Eucharist But there is not so much need of turning my discourse that way and therefore I shall confine it to the Principles of Religion which are called Faith and prove that Reason mightily befriends these It doth this I. By proving some of those Principles II. By defending all For the clearing both these you may consider That the Principles of Religion are of two sorts Either 1. such as are presupposed to Faith or such as 2. are formal Articles of it Of the first sort are The Being of a God and the Authority of the Scripture And of the second such as are expresly declared by Divine Testimony As the Attributes of God the Incarnation of his Son and such like I. For the former â—…ey are proved by Reason and by Reason only The others we shall consider after I. That the Being of a God the foundation of all is proved by Reason the Apostle acknowledgeth when he saith That what was to be known of God was manifest and to the Heathen Rom. I. XIX and he adds vers XX. That the invisible things from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made And the Royal Psalmist speaks to the like purpose Psal. XIX The Heavens declare the
Sadduces and Fanaticks to rail against Philosophy is not at all strange 'T is no more than what may well be expected from such Cattel Philosophy is their enemy and it concerns them to disparage and reproach it But for Religious and sober men to do any thing so unadvised and so prejudicial to Religion is wondeâ—…ul and deplorable To set these right in their Judgment about Philosophical inquiry into Gods Works is the principal design of these Papers and in order to the further promoting of it I advance to the last Head of Discourse proposed viz. CHAP. VII That the Ministers and Professors of Religion ought not to discourage Philosophy The slanders and objections against it answered viz. That of Atheism and the other of its tending to the lessening our value of the Scriptures fully confuted It teacheth no Doctrines contrary to Gods Word Those of the motion of the Earth and terrestrial Nature of the Moon consider'd as they refer to the Scriptures SECT I. IV. THat the Ministers and Professors of Religion ought not to discourage but promote the Knowledge of Nature and the Works of its Author This is the result of the whole matter and follows evidently from all that went before which though it will not infer a necessity of all mens deep search into Nature yet this it will That no Friend or Servant of Religion should â—…inder or discountenance such inquiries And though most private Christians and some publick Ministers have neither leisure nor ability to look into matters of natural research and inquisition yet they ought to think candidly and wish well to the endeavours of those that have and 't is a sin and a folly either in the one or other to censure or discourage those worthy undertakings Upon which accounts it grieves me to see how apâ—… some are that pretend much to Religion and some that minister in it to load those that are studious of Gods Works with all the odious names that contempt and spigâ—…t can suggest The Irreligion of which injurious carriage nothing can â—…xcuse but their ignorance Aâ—…d I will rather hope that they neither know what they say nor what they do than believe that they have any direct design against the Glory of their Maker or against any laâ—…dable endeavours to promote it I know well what mischief prejudice will do evâ—…n upon minds that otherwise are very honest and intelligent enough And there are many common slanders and some plausible objections in the mouths of the Zealous against Philosophy which have begot an ill opinion of it in well-meaning men who have never examined things deeply For the sake of such I shall produce the most considerable allegations of both sorts and I hope makâ—… such returns to them as may be â—…fficient to satiâ—… those whose minds are not barr'd by obstinacy or ignorance SECT II. I Speak first of the bold and broad slanders among which that I. Of Atheism is one of the most ordinary But certainly 't is one of the most unjust accusations that malice and ignorance could have invented This I need not be industrious to prove here having made it appear that Philosophy is one of the best Weapons in the World to defend Religion against it and my whole Discourse is a confutation of this spightful and ridiculous charge 'T is true indâ—…ed the men of the Epiâ—…urean sort have left God and Providence out of their accounts But then other Philosophers have shewn what fools they are for doing so and how absurd their pretended Philosophy is in supposing things to have been made and ordered by the casual hits of Atoms in a mighty void A d though their general Doctrine of Matter and Motion be â—…xceeding ancient and very accountable when we supposâ—… matter was at first created by almighty Power and it's motions ordered and directed by omniscient Wisdom Yet the supposal that they are independent and eternal is very precarious and unreasonable And that all the regular motions in Nature should be from blind tumultuous jumblings is the most unphilosâ—…phical phaâ—…e and ridiculous dotagâ—… in the world So that there is no â—…ason to accuse Philosophy of a fault which Philosophy sufficiently shames and disproves and yet I doubt there are many have great prejudice against it upon this score and 't is a particular brand upon some of the modern men that they have revived the Philosophy of Epicurus which they think to be in it 's whole extent Atheistical and irreligious To which I say that the opinion of the world's being made by a fortuitous jumble of Atoms is impious and abominable This those of Epicurus his elder School taught whereas the late Restorers of the Corpuscularian Hypothesis hate and despise the vile Doctrine But yet they thus far think the Atomical Philosophy reasonable viz. as it teacheth That the operations of Nature are performed by subtile streams of minute bodies and not by I know not what imaginary qualitiâ—…s and forms They think That the various motions and figures of the parts of matter are enough for all the Phaenomena and all 〈◊〉 varieties which with relation to our senses we call such and such qualities But then they suppose and teach That God creâ—…ted matter and is the supreme Orderer of its motions by which all those diversities are made And hereby Piety and the Faith of Providence is secured This as far as we know any thing of elder times was the ancient Philosophy of the World and it doth not in the least grate upon any Principle of Religion Thus far I dare say I may undertake for most of the Corpuscularian Philosophers of our times excepting those of Mr. Hobb's way And therefore I cannot but wonder that a person of so much reason learning and ingeâ—…ty as Mr. Baxter should seem to conclude those Modern Philosophers under the name and notion of such Somatists as are for meer matter and motion and exclude immaterial beings This I take it he doth in his Defence of the Souls Immortality at the end of his Reasons of Religion whereas those Philosophers though they owne matter and motion as the material and formal causes of the Phaenomena They do yet acknowledge Gods efficiency and Government of all things with as much seriousness and contend for it with as much zeal as any Philosophers or Divines whatsoever And 't is very hard that any number of men should be exposed to the suspicion of being Atheists for denying the Peripatetick Qualities and Forms and there is nothing else overthrown by the Corpuscularian Doctrines as they are managed by those Philosophers So that methinks that Reverend Author hath not dealt so fairly with the great names of Des-Cartes and Gassendus where he mentions them promiscuously with the meeâ—… Epicurean and Hobbian Somatists without any note to distinguish them from those Sadduces For both those celebrated men have laboured much in asserting the grand Articles of Religion against the Infidel and Atheist This inadvertency of that pious Divine I thought
sit to take notice of because I doubt some may be misled into an undue opinion of those excellent Persons and others of their way by finding their names among those of an abhorred Character in an Author of so much note I say 't is for this reason I have given this hint and not out of any humour of opposing or carping at that worthy Man No I think he is to be honoured much for his stout rational and successful oppositions of the mischievous Antinomian â—…ollies when the current Systematick Divinity then called Orthodox was over-grown with them for his frequent asserting and vindicating the Reasonableness of Religion against the madness of spreading Enthusiasm for his earnest endeavours for the promotion of peace and universal charity when 't was held a great crime not to be â—…ierce in the way of a Sect For his quick piercing and serious practical Writings I say I judge the Author the slip of whose Pen in a thing relating to my Subject I have noted to be a person worthy of great respect and I can scarce forbear affirming concerning him as a learned Doctor of our Church did That he was the only man that spoke sense in an age of non-sense He meant the only man that was reckoned among the people of those times with the madness of which he contested But I am digress'd The business of this Section hath been to shew that the charge of Atheism against the Real Philoâ—…ophy is a gross and groundless slander and I hope I have made good what I undertook SECT III. BUT 2. 't is alledg'd by some That Philosophy disposeth 〈◊〉 to despise the Scriptures or at least to neglect the study of them and upon that account is to be exploded among Christians To which I say That Philosophy is the knowledge of Gods works and there is nothing in Gods Works that is contrary to his Word and how then should the study of the one incline men to despise the other Certainly had there been any such impious tendency in searching into Gods Works to the lessening of our value of the Scriptures The Scripture it self would never have recommended this so much unto us as we have seen it doth Yea indeed this is so far from being â—…rue that on the contrary the knowledge of Gods Works tends in its proper nature to dispose men to love and veneration of the Scriptures For by converse with Nature we are made sensible of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God fresh instances of which we shall still find in all things And 't is one great design of the Scripture to promote the Glory of these Attributes How then can he that is much affected with them chuse but love and esteem those holy Records which so gloriously illustrate the perfections which he admires Besides by inquiry into Gods Works we discover continually how little we can comprehend of his ways and managements and he that is sensible of this will find himself more inclined to reverence the declarations of his Word though they are beyond his reach and though he cannot fathom those Mysteries he is required to believe Such a disposition is necessary for the securing our reverence to the Divine Oracles and Philosophy promotes it much So that though 't is like enough there may be those that pretend to Philosophy who have less veneration and respect for the Scripture than they ought yet that impious disesteem of those sacred Writings is no effect of their Philosophy but of their corrupt and evil inclinations And to remove the scandal brought upon natural wisdom by those Pretenders it may be observed that none are more earnest or moâ—… â—…requent in the prooâ—… and recommendation of the Authority of Scripture than those of Philosophiâ—…al inclination and genius who by their publick capacity and profession have the best opportunities to give testimony to the honour of that Divine Book And besides the many Sermons that are continually preach't but no further publish't by the Divines that are disposed to this sort of knowledge I may for instance mention the excellent performanof those incomparable Philosophers the present most learned Bishop of Sarum and the deservedly famous Mr. Boyle the former in the Essay before mentioned and in a late â—…lose smart and judicious Sermon agâ—…inst the Antiscripturists and in another annext against Infidelity newly Printed hath with great perspicuity strength and demonstrative order refuted and shamed the pretensions of the Inâ—… and roundly proved the Divine Authority of the Holy Volume And the other excellent Philosopher Mr. Boyle in a most elegant and learned Discourse concerning the Style of Scripture hath vindicated those inspired Writings from the cavils and exceptions of the nice Wits of men of corrupt minds which performances of these two deep and pious Inquirers into Gods Works may with better reason be pleaded for the Piety of Philosophy in reference to the Scriptures then the irreverences of any that pretend to natural wisdom can be alledged against it SECT IV. BUT to justifie the imputation of the disservice Philosophy doth Religion and the Scriptures it may by some be pleaded That Philosophy viz. that which is called the new teacheth Doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God or at least such as we have no ground from Scripture to believe as for instance that the Earth moves and that the Moon is of a terrestrial nature and habitable which opinions are supposed to be impious and Antiscriptural In return to this Objection I say 1. In the general That 't is true indeed that Philosophy teacheth many things which are not revealed in Scripture for this was not intended to instruct men in the affairs of Nature but its design is to direct Mankind and even those of the plainest understandings in life and manners to propose to us the way of Happiness and the principles that are necessary to guide us in it with the several motives and incouragements that are proper to excite our endeavours and to bear them up against all difficulties and temptations This I say was the chief design of that Divine Book and therefore 't is accommodated in the main to the most ordinary capacities and speaks after our manner and suitably to sense and vulgar conception Thus we â—…ind that the Clouds are called Heaven the Moon one of the greater Lights and the Stars mentioned as less considerable and the Stars also Gen. 1. We read of the going down of the Sun and of the ends of the Earth and of the Heavers and divers other such expressions are in the Scriptures which plainly intimate unto us That they do not concern themselves to recâ—… the mistakes of the vulgar in Philosophical Theories but comply with their infirmities and speak according as they can understand So that 2. No Tenent in Philosophy ought to be condemned and exploded because there may be some occasional sayings in the Divine Oracles which seem not to comport with it And therefore the Problems mentioned concerning