proper light But we insist further That witness which the Spirit bears to it self is it a strong and obstinate Persuasion or an Ecstatical Joy or a kind of Zeal and Fervor of Mind or Lastly a clear and savoury Persuasion of the Dignity and Excellency of those things that are revealed If this last it is very consentaneous and agreeable to what we have already spoken But as for the other particulars it is very well known what an Innumerable company of Men there have been who upon such like grounds have very pertinaciously affirmed themselves to be compounded oâ—… Glass or Butter to be Dogs Cats Kings Emperors Popes the Paraclete the Messiah the last and greatest Prophet the Judge of Quâ—…ck and Dead nay even God himself And we find most of these to have been actuated with an Excess of Joy and transported with a seemingly Divine Fervor All which Effects are so far from the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit that they are no better then Frenzies and Symptoms of Melancholy and derive their Original from no higher Principle then the undue Fermentation of the Blood and Spirits and chiefly from that Melancholy which above all other disposes the Minds of Men to fancy Divine Influxes and Illuminations For this as Aristotle affirms is wont to produce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore to be too easie and credulous in believing an obstinate Persuasion or strong Imagination whether there be a mixture of exultancy or zeal with it would argue a great want of Caution and Circumspection But we are to note especially where our Internal Sense is so obnoxious to Error That the Suffrages of other Faculties are first to be obtained upon whose refusal it behooves us at least to suspend our Assent But that we may not seem to derogate from the Holy Spirit we may â—…itly here suggest what mere Nothings we are and how little it is we can do without his help so that there is no Man whatever that can come to Christ without the supervenient Assistance of Divine Grace And as this is clearly attested in the Sacred Scripture so it is no less Consentaneous to Reason forasmuch as this is a most certain Truth that 't is a great Vanity to dispute against Sense and Experience And though some one as 't is reported of Zeno should go about to prove there is no such thing as Motion and should endeavour by subtilty of Argumentation to banish Quantity Matter and Time out of the Nature of Things yet he could never induce any sober Person wholly to distrust his Eyes and Hands By the same Reason since every Man finds his Senses highly gratified with that Pleasure flowing from External and Mundane Objects and yet not to be alike affected with things of a higher and nobler Nature how much resistence soever he may make by Virtue of the Counsels of severer Reason and strive to alienate his Mind from those as things less comporting with the Dignity of his Nature yet he will be no more able to reclaim himself then the Arguments of Zeno were able to move Diogenes Moreover so long as that brisk and lively rellish of sensual Pleasures draws away the Mind it will not be at leisure to attend to the soâ—…t Whispers of that gentle Monitor within Or perhaps it will easily slop its mouth or at least allure it to its own side For we are led by Sense either External or Internal not by dry and insipid Reason which gives much what the same Account of the Delights of a Spiritual life as a blind Man would do of colours And doubtless it would be but lost labour to teach a blind Man how pleasant a thing it is to behold the Sun and to enjoy the benefit of the Light and recreate himself with the Variety of Objects It is only the Eye that is sufficient to make such a Demonstration of these things as may affect the Mind You can never persuade a Man that is a perfect Slave to his Pleasures that there is any greater Delight and Satisfaction in Understanding the Reason of a Mathematical Demonstration then there is in Wine or the Caresses of a Mistress For if they were not bashful in declaring the Sentiments of their own Minds it would soon appear that the Reason of all Mankind is subjugated to the Imperious Dictates of present sense And unless God so affect our Minds as that on the one hand they may find some allay uneasiness in these Terrestrial Pleasures and on the other give them some Prelibations of the sweetness of things Celestial it can hardly be that we should either be weaned from those or very much desirous of these I add moreover that to render our selves obedient to the will of our heaâ—…enly Father is the only plain and easie way to the attaining a true Knowledge and Vital Sense of Divine Revelations For heavenly things are not otherwise to be known but by such an in ward rellish and affecting light as Divine Grace usually imparts to defecate humble Minds And further to admonish them that are going astray to illuminate the Eyes of the Mind to strengthen the Faith and to fix and impress the Arguments of Godliness upon the Soul which otherwise would be driven away with the least Wind of a Temptation these and such like things we owe to the Beâ—…ign Influence of the Holy Spirit All which we readily acknowledge to descend from Heaven by that Congruity they retain with that Divine Principle the only remain of God in us But if we discharge this Criterium of Truth and subject our Reason to the Conduct and Guidance of prevailing Phansis we must bid adieu to all Religion but that which under pretence of Divine Inspâ—…ration is nothing but the Result of 〈◊〉 and the feculent steams of the Blood Thus all Religions will be alike For by what Argument shall the Excellency of Christianity appear above 〈◊〉 or Gentilism when the use of Reason is laid aside But that we may not spend time in Ambiguity of Words we must know Tâ—…at nothing is perceived by us but the Operations 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 and thereâ—…re the Spirit as 't is a Principle of Knowledge in us is either Internal Sense or Reason for these are the only Faculties unless we will add Natural Instinct capable of being inlightned with the Beams of Divine Light To return therefore from whence we have digressed since our Internal Sense is so slippery and fallacious that Man that shall hearken to its Testimony against the Voice of all his other Faculties must be a Person of a very Imprudent and Temerarious Belief But you will say We grant indeed that it appears from this Argument that nothing can be believed without Reason but it does not follow froâ—… hence that the thing to be believed is not contrary to Reason because we ought to credit a Divine Attestation though the matter attested be never so much Contrary to Reason For it may happen that Humane Understanding may thenErr when
of it self with Corporeity Ibid. We are led by sense either External or Internal not by dry and insipid Reason It is 〈◊〉 Part of the Authors Design to prove that bare and dry Reason is a sufficient Criterion to discern the true and â—…ffecting rellish of Heavenly Things for as there is some Principle in us which has a Vital sense and sapid Gust of Corporeal Joys and Pleasures so there is a Principle likewise in the Soul of Man which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something better then Reason and which a Platonist would call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Flower and Summity of the Mind when by due Purification of its self from all Corporeal Dregs and Pollutions it arises to such a Measure of Participation of the Divine Life as that it perceives a Generous Rellish and Gâ—…ateful and affecting Pleasure in Holiness and Virtue For till this inward Intellectual Sense be in some Good measure awakened Religion it self does but very little and weakly affect the Mind Therefore our Author adds That heavenly Things are not otherwise to be known but by such an inward rellish and affecting light as Divine Grace usually imparts to defecate and humble Minds And a little above he says That to render our selves Obedient to the Will of our heavenly Father is the only plain and easy way to the attaining a true knowledge and vital Sense of Divine Revelations Consonant to what our Saviour himself expresly affirms Joh. 7. 17. If any Man will do the Will of God he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self i. e. The true rellish and vital sense of Religion arises from a Conformity of Mind with the Will of God So that though Reason may furnish a Man with sufficient Arguments to assure him of the Truth of Religion yet the sapid gust and affecting sense of it flows from the Expergefaction of the Intellectual Powers into a Divine life Ibid. To admonish them that are going astray to illuminate the Eyes of the Mind to strengthen the Faith and to fix and impress the Argument of Godliness upon the Soul these and such like Things we owe to the benign Influence of the Holy Spirit It is a very great Indication of a Malâ—…ous Mind or weak and crazy Intellectuals when Men shall load and burden their Adversaries with the opprobrious and Invidious Term of Heresie as denying the Aid Assistance of the Spirit of God to be Necessary when they only endeavour to make the Mystery of our Faith the Oeconomy of Christian Religion to appear in all its Parts Rational i. e. worthy and becoming of its Author the Eternal Wisdom of God It has been the ill Fortune of some Eminent and Ingeâ—…ous Persons of late to be traduced for Pelagians Sociniâ—…s and what not for no other cause that I know of but because they speak sense and care not to explicate Religion by unintelligible Words and Phrases quaint Allusions and odd Similitudes but instead of all this jingling noise they appeal to the Common and Rational Faculties of all Mankind And in this they are so far from laying aside or rendring useless the Aid of the Holy Spirit of God under the Gospel that they â—…eely acknowledge all their strength to derive from his ever-blessed Influence that of themselves they are nothing but that it is he who works in them both to will and to do and that he is not only the beginner but Finisher of every good work Although perhaps they may not think the Operation of the Spirit of God to be by an Omnipotent Power at large but Hypothetical and upon certain Terms and Conditions like the great Formative Power in Nature which produces not the Lineaments and Primigenial Rudiments of the Body of a Plant or Animal out of a Flint but requires a pliable Ductility and Sequaciousness in the Matter it works upon Pag. 14. Pythagoras Apollonius Tyanaeus who endeavoured by Magick Art to keep up the Credit of sinking Idolatry was famous for Miracles That Miracles may be wrought by wicked Persons for ill ends and designs is evident not only from the Prediction before cited Deut. 13. as also from the Miracles wrought by the Egyptian Magicians to invalidate those of Moses but likewise from the express Prophesie of our Saviour himself concerning false Prophets that should arise and shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the Elect. And the Apostles of our Lord Jesus foretelling the coming of Antichrist describe it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the efficaâ—…y of Satan with all Power and Signs and Wonders or Miracles of a Lye And St. Iohn speaking of the same Person says that 〈◊〉 shall do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Wonders and deceive them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles which he has Power to do in the sight of the Beast Now â—…rom hence we may collect these things 1. That true Miracles may be wrought by wicked Persons not that God does immediately concur by his Almighty Power in assisting them to do Miracles to countenance Falsehoods and the open Violation of his Laws but that he may permit invisible created Spirits to exert their Energy and Power in producing Supernatural Effects Whence we have no Reason to think that the Miracles foretold to be done by Antichrist and his Followers or by false Prophets to be mere Juggles and Delusions of our Senses but that some of them may be real Miracles but because they are wrought to confirm Idolatry and to establish such Doctrines as are plainly repugnant to the Rational Faculties of Mankind therefore we are not to heed them but to look upon them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miracles of Falshood and a Lye And of this sort were the Miracles of Apollonius who though he might dazle the Eyes of some by the Glittering Brightness of his Counterfeit Virtues it being for the Interest of the Divels Kingdom that he should act that part well yet he never transcended the bounds of the Animal life but was an Archi-mago or Grand Magician as Moeragenes who wrote his life testifies 2. That God never permits false Prophets to do Miracles by the Assistance of evil Doemons but only in the Case of such Falshoods as are clearly discoverable by the Light of Nature or common Dictates of Universal and Right Reason because if he should it would be an Invincible Temptation But as our Author speaks a little below it no way comports with Divine Goodness and Veracity to bear witness to a falshood or to expose men in things of the greatest moment to an everlasting and inevitable Delusion 3. That Miracles alone are not a sufficient Confirmation of the Divinity of a Doctrine forasmuch as they have been wrought by Pagans and the same is asserted by Busbequius of some among the Turks therefore besides Miracles to perfect and compleat a Divine Testimony there is
A DISCOURSE OF THE Use of Reason IN Matters of Religion Shewing That CHRISTIANITY Contains nothing Repugnant to RIGHT REASON Against ENTHUSIASTS and DEISTS Written in Latin by the Reverend Dr. RVST late Lord Bishop of Dromore in Ireland AND Translated into English with Annotations upon it By HEN. HALLYWELL LONDON Printed by Hen. Hills Jun for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-Head in St. Paul's Church-yard 1683. TO THE Reverend and profoundly Learned Dr. Henry More Fellow of Christ's-Colledge in Cambridge Honoured Sir THat I presume to intitle this Discourse with it s affixed Annotations to your Great Name proceeds from a real sense that it is but your just due who have merited so much of the Learned World and whose Labours and Pains to advance all useful Knowledge have been so indefatigable more especially in rendring the Christian Doctrine in all its Parts such as it ought to be that is Rational and Unexceptionable bringing the Glories both of Greek and Barbarick and whatever other piece of Ancient Wisdom was ever esteemed to adorn and beautifie the new Jerusalem and partly because you were an intimate Friend of the Reverend Author whose Great Soul could not take up with little and dwindling Conceipts but strove to enlarge his own Mind with noble and important Truths and became a Happy Instrument in promoting the same generous Temper in others And now Sir give me leave among the other Motives which persuaded me to this Address to add this as none of the least that I may testifie to the World to be what I really am An humble Honourer of your Virtues HEN. HALLYWELL The PREFACE to the READER READER THat I may do right to that Great and Excellent Person the Author of this Discourse I have adventured to publish and likewise obviate all Cavils and Mistakes which freakish Wits may make upon the Account of giving a Reason of our Faith it will be needful to suggest somthing by way of Preface as 1. That this Discourse is principally level'd as is intimated by the Reverend Author himself against Enthusiasts and Deists The one pretending to immediate Inspiration and so taking the various Impulses of their own Private Spirits as the sole Criterium to know and discern the Will of God though they be never so extravagant and Contrary to the common Reason of Mankind And the other pleading only for a Natural Religion in opposition to any Particular Mode or Way of Divine Revelation And hence though they profess to acknowledge a God and Providence yet have withal a mean and low esteem of the Scriptures and Christianity as if the Christian Religion were a thing that could not well be Apologized for nor any fair and rational Account given of it Wherefore Theism being so opposite to Christian Religion as Christian and the Natural Current of Enthusiasm falling at last into down-right Atheism it became necessary to Assert a Modest and Discrcet use of Reason in Things of Religion and to shew that the Christian Religion will bear the strictest and severest Tryal of Right and unprejudic'd Reason 2 ly That our Learned Author had no Intent or Design to abet or countenance Capricio's of such pert persons as think themselves obliged to believe and profess nothing more then they can maintain by their own solitary Reason applying it self to the Scriptures Which Presumption what strange work it hath made in the World is evident from the Socinians and other Sectarists who upon this very Ground are really bewildred in their Speculations of Things and under Pretence of Reason have obtruded their own Fancies upon the World and vented such crude and indigested Notions as are not only inconsistent with the clear Current of Scripture but contrary to the sense of the best and purest Antiquity Wherefore 3 ly according to the intention and meaning of the Author in this Discourse the Authority of the Primitive Church before the Times of Apostasie and of Reformed Churches in such Things wherein they generally agree with the Primitive times wherein the Church was Symmetral is to be taken in as one solid Reason of our Faith and Belief For the Spirit of Prophesie which is the Testimony of Jesus having so clearly predicted the Times of the Apostasie of the Church it is manifest that the Authority and Profession of the Ancient Church while it was Symmetral and Apostolical ought to be had in the greatest Esteem and Veneration and stand as a light whereby to steer â—…afe from those dangerous Rocks of Errors upon which they that have neglected this and ventured wholly to their own Reason have split themselves Nor is the Authority of our own Church to be less regarded for the being with the rest of Reformed Christendom so plainly indigitated and pointed at by the Rising of the Witnesses in that Divine Book of the Apocalypse immediately upon which follows that joyful Acclamation in Heaven The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ it cannot be but a mighty Confirmation and strengthning to any Man's Faith to see so clear a Testimony and Approbation of that Church whereof he is a Member given by the Spirit of Prophesie that it is really emerged and risen into the state and condition of the Church when it was Symmetral and Apostolical And this will further appear to be of huge Consequence to private men and of but mean Capacity in the dicussing of Things For they being neither Philosophers nor guiding themselves by that Synosura of the Unapostatized Church nor of our own Church reformed into the Condition of the Church while it continu'd Symmetral if they be pert and confident or follow such pert confident Guides into what Errors may they not run Wherefore here such of the Populacy will find a solid and sure Rule for their safe conduct and guidance in rendring an Account or Reason of their Faith These things I have hinted as well to prevent all sinister Interpretations of the Sense of that Pious and Learned Prelate now with God as to free my self from all Suspicion in my Annotations of setting up Private Reason against the Authority of the Ancient and Unapostatized Church or our own Church so excellently well temper'd and reformed according to the Primitive Pattern H. H. 1 PET. 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NOn me pudet Evangelii Christi dixit ille magnus Apostolus Gamaliele Praeceptore gaudens omni tum Judaicâ tum Graecâ Doctrinâ instructissimus Adeóque Religione Christianâ undique oppressâ despicatui habitâ Judaeis scandalo Graecis ludibrio nihilominus spretâ ignominiâ cruce contemptâ Paratus sum inquit Vobis qui Romae estis apud egregios Urbis istius non Armorum magis quam Artium Magistrae Philosophos Oratores Evangelium praedicare Quippe etiamsi non defuere sibimet de suâ sapientiâ magnificè plaudentes â—…aecitatis interea Ignorantiae tenebris obducti qui Doctrinam Evangelicam stultitiae insimulant deridendam exhibent Veruntamen
of Evident and sound Reason then to â—…ancy that our Reason which is given us of God for a Guide should be deceived in its clearest and most distinct conception of things For if we throw a way Reason there is no other Directive Faculty but External sense and its Inclinations and blind and uncertain Phansie which is obnoxious to innumerable Deceptions Wherefore bidding adieu to Reason do we not evidently expose our selves to the Illusion of every Jugling Spirit who by crafty Tricks shall counterfeit a Divine Power and Assistance If therefore Moses ordain'd his Law as a Touchstone to try the Truth of a Prophet advising his People not to hearken to any who should do Signs and Miracles if he taught aâ—…y thing contrary to that Law which he himself had delivered to them from God Ought not we in like manner to examine all those that pretend Divine Authority by the Law of Nature and Right Reason as by an inâ—…allible and unerring Rule By the way it is to be noted that I here speak of incorrupted Reason freed from all evil Affections and inlightned by the Spirit of God For without the help of this Guide our Minds perhaps may be filled with a Great Measure of Confidence and Obstinate Persuasion but can never attain any settled Assurance that they are in the right way Neither is it any thing to the Purpose to say that Reason may indeed judge of Humane but not of Divine Things For though this be true of Reason darkned with evil Passions and indubitable in such things as are rather Objects of Taste and Internal sense than Reason yet it is quite otherwise where the Assent of the Understanding alone is required For whatever is proposed as matter of Explicit Belief there must in the first place be a Conception formed of it but now whatever we can frame a Conception of there Reason either discovers the Harmony of the Terms of which it consists and its Agreement with some common Notion and so pronounces the Thing to be true or eâ—…se it finds the Terms to be contradictory and Repugnant and that the Thing is Diametrically opposite to some iâ—…ate Principle and consequently judges it to be false Or else it perceives the Terms to be partly agreeing and partly diâ—…onant or to have no Relation at all to one another and from hence affirms and allows the Thing to be either Probable or Possible And now if any Part either of the Probability or Poâ—…bility shall be confirmed by some Illustrious Miracle then Reason adds its Suffrage that it ought to be believed As for Example let us imagine what is already done a certain Person compassing Sea and Land and wâ—…olly intent upon this very Thing to teach and instruct Mankind in their Duty to God and to one another promising Eternal Blessedness upon Condition of Obedience he himself in the mean time leading a most innocent and inoffensive life and withal declaring himself to be a Law-giver sent from God and to have all Power both in Heaven and Earth committed into his hands and that Prayers and Praises are all to be offered to God through his Mediation Here is nothing in this that implies a Contradicâ—…on or is repugnant with the Principles of Nature though Reason may be apt to suspect some Pride and Affectation of Divine Glory and Worship to lie underneath But now when that which is barely looked upon as Possible shall be effected and accomplished by Divine Power and the Author of this Doctrine inabled to work such stupendious Miracles as never Man before saw Reason will presently conclude that the Thing it self is very credible Yet not withstanding if this Perâ—…on should have taught any thing contrary to the Dictates of Right Reason and introduced either a Proâ—…ane and imâ—…ious Doctrine or countenanced a licentious and disorderly way of living and that he might the better persuade us to these things should have gone about to confirm his Divine Mission by Miracles our Reason would immediately have suggested to us that he was an Impostor and Deceiver because nothing can be 〈◊〉 by God or by any Person commissionated by him which is contrary to the Law of Nature or Right Reason And though it may be urged that it is contrary to the Divine Veracity to bear Witness to a lie and therefore whatever is grounded upon the Credit of Miracles since these are the only visible signs of the Divine will must of necessity be supposed to derive from God yet because I cannot be assured whether these things may not be permitted for a Tryal or for some other end unknown to me yet agreeâ—…ble to Divine Wisdom I should rather dâ—…strust this way of Reasoning then admit any thing from the Authority of this Argument as Divine which contradicted the clear Principles of Nature 2. A Second Argument The Nature of Man is so framed that it cannot yield Assent to any thing without the Conduct of Reason Which that it may more clearly appear we shall borrow some few things hugely suitable to our present Purpose from the Famous Lord Herbert in his Book of Truth According to his Opinion therefore there are four Faculties by which we come to the Knowledge of things Natural Instinct or that Faculty which diâ—…cerneth Common Notions Internal Sense External Sense and Discourse From whence may be collected this great Truth more valuable then whole Volumes written concerning the Souâ—… and its Faculâ—…es That which 〈◊〉 be known neither by Natural Instinct Internal Sense External Sense nor by Discourse cannot any way be proved properly true Now since these are Faculties and that whatever is propounded to be believed must necessarily correspond and be conformable to some one of these Reason affirms that to each of them being rightly dâ—…posed creâ—…t is to be given viz. to Natural Instâ—…t to Inteâ—…nal and Exâ—…nal Sense Moreover Reason it self according to its proper Office making use of the 〈◊〉 of the aforesaid Faculties and relying upon first and self-evident Principles summons Discourse and deduces Conclusions Natural Instinct is always to be believed but sense as well External as Internal may sometimes be deceived and therefore sometimes deserves Credit and at other times not to discriminate and discern the Differences of which is in the Power of Reason alone there being no other Faculty to preside in this Case From whence it follows First That the Mind cannot assent to any thing where Right Reason or at least some shadow of it does not give a preceding light And then That Christian Religion requiring Faith cannot force or compel assent against the Dictates of Right Reason But against these Clear and Natural Sentiments the Enthusiasts importunately urge the Spirit and indeed every man will pretend the Testimony of the Spirit tâ—…at he may not seem to be less favour'd of God then others If we demand how they know the Testimony of the Spirit they Answer After the same manner as we discern the splendor of the Sun by its own
or Ray of the Intellectual Sun bearing the Resemblance of Primigenial light For Divine Wisdom is nothing else but a steady Comprehension of the Idea's of Things together with those Reasons Aâ—…ections and Mutual Relations whether of Concord or Discord which Immediately slow from the Nature of Things themselves as Relations poâ—…ito fundamento termino And the Divine Intellect does intimately penetrate and behold at one view these Affections together with the Idea's of the Things themselves and discerns their Order and Reciprocations Now what is this but fixed and stable Reason looking upon the Reasons and Connections of all things at once and as it were with an Unmoved Eye Whose express and accurate Resemblance is Right Reason engraven on Humane Minds which though it cannot know and lay open all things and their respective Reasons by one single Act yet it explicates and unfolds them successively and in order Moreover we have a clear and distinct Perception of the Consent or Discrepancy of so many of these Idea's and Reasons as we have an Entire and Comprehensive view of and accordingly undertake either the Probation or Refutation of one from another Wherefore Humane Reason does truly imitate and express Divine Wisdom with this only Difference that what she comprehends at once with one single Act Reason deduces by many and operose Consequences That God should therefore reveal any thing contrary to Right Reason is alike impious as to suppose him to be a Liar and to contradict the internal Conceptions of his own Wisdom For Right Reason and Divine Wisdom give the same Judgment of things and if Humane Understanding shall at any time determine otherwise that must not be looked upon as the Fault of Reason but of Ignorance Therefore if any thing propounded under the Plausible Name of Divine Revelation shall seem to contradict Reason I ought to suspect that I do not fully conprehend the meaning of it and therefore must insist upon a further search and resolve that God intended that to be believed which should be most consonant to the Principles of Nature Nevertheless I would not have Humane Understanding arrogate too much to it self nor rashly attempt to condemn presently that which exceeds its Capacity For if the chiefest Part of those things which are delivered and consigned by Divine Testimony be worthy of God and Consonant to ouâ—… Faculties as to other things we ought to yield an implicit Faith to Divine Revelations though they seem otherwise to clash with Reason yet to give our Assent to them at least according to the sense of the Spirit of God although what that is we cannot yet so fully understand 5. A Fifth and last Argument shall be drawn from the Nature of the Christian Religion it self And first of all as to its Precepts their Purity sanctity and usefulness both as to particular Persons and also the Publick are so clear to every attentive and considerative Man that it would be altogether superâ—…luous to go about to evince their Agreement with Reason More especially when the thing it self is so fully made good already by the learned Dr. Hammond From hence it likewise follows That the Promises and Comminations in Religion are extreamly agreeable to Reason forasmuch as they are a kind of Hedge and Security for the Precepts contain'd in it And though these three Parts of Christianity do far excel yet they are not wholly different from other Religions that have taken place in the World especially among the wiser and more Philosophical Pagans who set the Precepts of Morality at a high Pitch and also held the Doctrine of Rewards and Punishments after this life So that whatever may be said in Vindication of the Ancient Piety and Wisdom may with greater Reason be spoken in behalf of Christian Religion For even the most profané and Atheistical Wits upon reading the Holy Scriptures have confessed that they contain in them the most excellent Precepts of Piety and Virtue Therefore I shall choose rather to discourse briefly of Christianity under the Notion of a Determiâ—…ate Religion different from all other that its Conformity with Right Reason may from hence likewise be made apparent First therefore What can be thought more agreeable to Reason then that God should intrust some certain Person with the Office of teaching and instructing Mankind in the Discharge of their Duty to him and to one another For the Degenerate Offspring of Adam are hugely ignorant of their Duty whence so many ridiculous Rites of Superstition have been observable throughout all Ages and very much need a Teacher And besides they are obstinately and wilfully bent upon the Lusts of the Flesh and for this Reason want such a Law-giver as may Cause a Veneration and Fear in them And that this Legislator should be a Person of an unspotted and blameless life is very congruous both that he may be a Pattern and Example to us and likewise beget a Reverence and Esteem of his Doctrine That he should be conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of a Virgin without the concurrence of Man is an excellent provision for a higher Esteem and Valuation of his Person being separated from Humane Defilements and the Ordinary Course of Nature That he should be intimately united to the Divine Nature and so truly and properly God adds the greater Majesty to what he should deliver Nor could God signifie his will in a way more agreeable to the Nature of Man for he cannot appear to us but under some Corporeal Veil and what more fitting Mansion or Covering then our Flesh Why may not God make use of some one of us as the Soul doth of the Body as an Instrument by whose Intervention he may discover his Mind to us Here is nothing either Contrary to Reason or hard to be understood For why should the Conjunction of the Deity with the Nature of Christ more trouble the Understanding then the Union of the Soul with the Body For the higher and more exalted Nature any thing is of with the greater Facility may it insinuate and derive it self But though this Person be so illustrious yet it seems Reasonable that in reference to this Bodily life he should be of mean Quality and obscure Condition obnoxious to the same Evils and Infirmities to which we our selves are exposed For so we shall have mighty Incentives to the Love of God and Patient bearing of Afflictions when we see the most Innocent Captain of our Salvation suffer fo much upon our Account Besides that it is an Argument of the greatest Trust and Confidence in our Lord and Saviour who being himself made perfect through sufferings knows how to succour and relieve those that are oppressed under them Moreover we may reasonably expect that God should give us some greater certainty of Eternal and Immortal life then what was found among the Heathen who spake very doubtfully of it as likewise that we should be more fully assured of the Resurrection of the
now reprinted with another useful Discourse of an Ingenious Person with Annotations upon them both To which for full satisfaction and Prosecution of the Heads here mentioned I refer And shall only transcribe what I find concerning this Subject in a Philosophical Poem If God do all things simply at his Pleasure Because he will and not because it 's Good So that his Actions will have no set measure Is 't possible it should be understood What he intends I feel that he is lov'd Of my dear Soul and know that I have born Much for his sake yet is it not hence prov'd That I shall live though I do sigh and mourn To find his Face his Creatures wish he 'll slight scorn When I breath out my utmost Vital Breath And my dear Spirit to my God commend Yet some foul Fiend close lurking underneath My serious humble Soul from me may rend So to the lower shades down we shall wend. Though I in Hearts simplicity expected A Better doom sith I my steps did bend Towards the Will of God and had detected Strong Hope of lasting Life but now I am rejected Nor of well Being nor Subsistency Of our poor Souls when they do hence depart Can any be assured if liberty We give to such odd thoughts that thus pervert The Laws of God and rashly do assert That Will rules God but Good rules not Gods will What e're from Right Love Equity doth start For ought we know then God may act that ill Only to shew his Might and his free Mind fulfil Pag. 5 6. That God should plant such Faculties in us as may then deceive us when they most clearly and distinctly perceive their respective Objects is contrary to the Divine Goodness and Veracity 'T is trâ—…e if God were such an Arbitrary Being whose sole Will were the Rule and Measure of Goodness and Justice as the forecited Author contends he is it is uttâ—…rly impossible we should have any certainty of the clearest Truth not so much as that Three and Three make Six because we can never be assured that this Arbitrary Omnipotent Deity did not purposely make the Frame of our Souls so as that they should then be deceived when they have the clearest and most evident Perception of things Therefore that Acute Philosopher Des-Cartes committed a great over-sight when he would have us doubt of the Truth of those Things whereof we have the clearest Evidence and Demonstration becauâ—…e till we come to the Knowledge of a God we cannot be certain that our Faculties are not false and imposturous for we have no way to come to the knowledge of God but by our Faculties And therefore this were 1. To condemn us to an Eternal Scepticism from which there is no possibility of ever extricating our selves 2. It is a Ridiculous way of Argumentation to prove the Truth of God's Existence â—…rom our Faculties of Reason and Understanding and then to prove the Truth of those Faculties from the Existence of God 3. There being nothing more Immediate to us nor any thing whereby we can conclude more certainly a thing to be true then by our own Faculties if the Truth of our Faculties is to be proved by any thing it is evident it is to be proved by our Faculties themselves but this were also a ridiculous circular Demonstration to prove the Truth of our Faculties by the Truth of our Faculties Whence it necessarily follows that we are only to suppose our Faculties to be true it being Impossible for us to prove them to be so But to be above this Pitch is the Priviledge only of the Eternal Mind or of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only wise God as our Faculties if rightly cultivated suggest unto us the Apostle does admonish us That therefore was the main slip in Des-Cartes that he was not content to suppose our Faculties to be true but he would prove them to be so when he was destitute of all Argument for it but the Truth of the Faculties themselves But some Philosophers bring the business to a closer pinch as they conceive by supposing the very Essence of Truth to be clear and distinct Perceptibility insomuch that not Omnipoteuce it self much less Casualty can bring to pass that what is false should be clearly perceived to be But these otherwise witty and learned Contemplators do not consider That Truth is a Thing antecedent to Perceptibility which respects the Perceptive Intellect and is in it self nothing else I mean Eternal Truths but the necessary Coherence or Incoherence of the Terms of which the Truth it self doth consist And therefore Perceptibility cannot be the Essence of Truth I speak here of Truth in the Object not in the Subject as our Author has distinguished in his Ingenious Discourse of Truth which no Intellect Perceptive or Conceptine makes but finds in the Intellect Exhibitive as his Annotator has also observed Insomuch that the Divine Intellect it self quatenus Perceptive or Conceptive is not the Aâ—…thor of Archetipal Truth but quatenus Exhibitive Moreover though clear and distinct Perceptibility were the very Essence of Truth whenas indeed it is only a Relative Mode thereof what is this to our Perceptive Faculty till it come to a clear actual Perception and what is this but a strong Cogitation that I clearly and distinctly perceive a thing But that many have been mistaken when they have had such a strong Cogitation is indeed the known Disgrace of Speculation and Philosophy Whence it is manifest when they say that Omnipotence it self cannot bring to pass that what is false should be clearly perceived to be that the Word perceived is fallaciously abused to a sense beyond the Capacity of the present Circumstanâ—…es as if it signified really to find whenas it only signifies strongly to think we clearly perceive a Thing to be Which many have and yet have been in a mistake and this by Casualty What then cannot Omnipotence do in this kind if it would But supposing our â—…aculties to be true when all Moral diligence has been employed to fit them for use and none but a Humorist will then call into Question their Verdict when they clearly discern a thing to be the Existence of God and his Attributes being plain to us we have a further Assurance we having such an Author of our Being that he gave not our Faculties to abuse us but to inform us faithfully of all Truth necessary and useful for us so that what is clear to them is really true Which is the Assertion of this our Learned and Pious Writer without any Cartesian Fetches and Ambages And lastly we may note by way of Overplus That clearness and distinctness of Perception in the Intellect Perceptive or Conceptive is not the Right notion of Truth but the Conformity of the Perception or Conception with the Thing conceived which is Truth in the Object and that therefore in false Opinions the Perception of the Intellect is not only