of a visible Church at any time since it was founded if not the being of any truly so called For that principle which obligeth a man to believe that all Councils have been fallible will never put him out of doubt whether the profession of the Church at any time was agreeable to the truth of Religion For seeing the Reasoners rule admits of nothing as certain further than it is knowable by some faculty of the Soul independent form Divine assistance it is impossible that he can have any more than conjectural knowledg Reason being not able to inform him of a Criterion of a true Church by its own evidence but by Revelation which says the true faith shall not fail Now that this true faith is in a doubtful case must be determin'd by those who have power from God to make a certain discovery of it That which is said is so agreeable to the Apostolical rule no Scripture is of private interpretation which must be confest by the Reasoner though there was no Sacred Authority to confirm that Canon that it is only necessary that objections are remov'd The first of which may be this that by the delivery of Reason in private persons to be determin'd by that which prevails in a multitude is to make or set up a Rational Papacy For as each Member of the Roman Church is no further esteem'd Orthodox than he delivers up his private reason either to the Pope alone or as he is in juncto with a general Council which is said to have such power to determine infallibly though the interpretation make Scripture to be no Scripture So every Christian is to be esteem'd Orthodox or Haeretical according to the sense of the Council which hath power to interpret and make his reason to be no reason No such conclusion can follow and if it did it would not break the force of the arguments which confirm the former positions For suppose the Definitions of Councils as conclusions which Reason draws from the premises nor as none can be so rash as to say Reason makes the conclusion true which was so before only it could not commend it to the will and understanding as an object of natural faith till the two propositions were brought as witnesses of the truth of the conclusion or that Logick creates truth but only assists the invention in its search for it so by the same reason none may say that Councils make Articles of true Religion though they are the means of their discovery But let this objection be consider'd as it relates to Papal Decretals The name Pope will never affright the sober man out of that reverence which is due to just Authority Councils and holy Synods or if it be found to be so in a single person For if it could be prov'd as some have affirm'd that the Pope was and is the Church Virtual it would be beyond dispute that infallibility did at some time since Christian Religion was in the World sit in the Chair or at least may do when fundamental controversies arise which threaten the Churches ruine without the imputation of making Scripture to be no Scripture by his Authority It may be safely said by any Christian that he would not give assent to several Doctrines which are urg'd as matters of faith necessarily to be believ'd for the attaining Salvation did not the Church declare them to be so yet the same person on the same principle is not oblig'd to think that which is so defin'd by the Church is made true by its definition Hitherto I have us'd this comparison which makes the determinations of Councils as conclusions of a Syllogism made by the Heads of the World to illustrate the answer to an objection but it being so apposit to another design it shall be us'd to shew that the Reasoner in a Council is not capable of making a Syllogism from mere natural Topicks to demonstrate the truth of that which is debated This will appear to be true from the consideration of the Structure of a Syllogism which leads us to the knowledg of a proposition which was less known by others which are more evident and easie to be understood For the medium which is an ingredient of both propositions is as clear and as certain as a common notion and the truth of the conclusion depends on it which if mistaken makes the Syllogism a fallacy Suppose therefore the Members of a Council as so many Scholasticks arguing they have no such common notions as Philosophers have by which as media they can draw conclusions Although it must be confest that the understanding by its own evidence can judg of the truth of some propositions viz. It is impossible God can do any act which implyes a contradiction c. Yet Divine Revelation is the medium by which truth in propositions which are more obscure is determined Hence it sollows that the Sanctions and Definitions of Councils must be said to be Hypothetically pronounc'd true as this saying is viz. If the Moon is Eclipsed the Earth interposeth it self between it and the Sun Not unlike this is the way of arguing in a Council which proves Christ's humanity from his Passion for if he suffereth humane nature did interpose it self else he could not suffer Now as none will say there is and always was anecessity not in the nature of the Moon but in the manner of its motion that it must be Eclipsed at some times for to say so is to confine the Almighty's wisdom to one System and to take away the possibility of the Worlds being in such a frame in which neither Sun or Moon might be Eclipsed but when it is seen to be so it is evident that the Earths interposition is the cause of that seeming defect So a Council cannot conclude the necessity of Christs being Man but Hypothetically For the Divine decrees which reason cannot know but by Revelation are as the condition or antecedent which makes Christ's humanity necessary Let not this assertion seem strange since it is impossible but that reason must be defective as it appears from the former instance as also from this consideration that the mere Reasoner cannot conclude the necessity of Christs incarnation and will be more at a loss in other mysterious matters of faith The definitions and conclusions of Councils thus hypothetically drawn are not less certain because they are such seeing the Antecedents of their propositions are matters of fact contain'd in holy Scriptures and those who discourse have Divine assistance in discerning the connexion and inferring the consequences Now the connexion and sequel is true because of the Divine direction as is already prov'd and the Antecedent viz. matters of fact is so as it appears from the miracles which confirm'd their truth which were such as reason might discern to be Divine for Reason may be allow'd a Judg in this case though not in all doubts which come under debate in a Council The reason of which is this
Christian posterity give assent to the whole Sacred Volume of Scripture by the same method and means by which Adam assented to and believ'd that Synopsis of the whole Gospel The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head If it is said that Adam's posterity have a measure of knowledg as much greater than that of their first forefather as the second Adam is justly exalted above the first yet this advance of knowledg owes not its Original to mere natural powers For though the Christian Believer without breach of modesty may be said to know more than his first Forefather yet that higher degree of knowledg doth not only owe its improvement to a fuller declaration of God's Will in the latter than in the first Gospel preacht to Adam by God himself but also to the Divine supplyes which are proportion'd to the extent of the Revelation otherwise the Christian could no more believe his large Creed than it can be imagin'd Adam could have comprehended the sum of it declar'd to him in few words without Divine interpretation or assistance If this instance seem not close to the question let the will and the understanding be two eyes of faith though by some one is called blind Caeca potestas which error is corrected by later Philosophy be examin'd and they will in their pure naturals be found defective For as in naturals 't is not enough that the eye is well disposed but a certain position of the object and direction of the eye is necessary for some Discoveries so although 't is allow'd that Reason is no more new Reason by Grace than an eye is a new eye which by skilful directions discerns that which it saw not before yet this assistance though it do not frame sight but direct the eye 't is enough to destroy that position which says in spiritual Vision only the object is brought nigher Add to this the mere disposal of Media in order to perfect Vision and it will give way for this assertion that Divine assistance is necessary for we must acknowledg that several conclusions have been passed as true which before were doubted of when a quick and happy invention hath found a fit medium to prove them or at least render them more easie to be understood To instance in that which is nearest to man his own Soul its existence is better apprehended by being compared to some thin air which hath power though invisible Besides it is beyond dispute that some supernatural power infuseth notions in dreams which the Soul it self could not excite I dispute not whether there are any such in these days 't is enough to shew that the Divine method without violence to Reason hath made such discoveries in some ages of the Church and may continue his assistance though not in the same manner for that would not appear consistent with the setled and more perfect state of the Church to help Reason in giving its assent to Divine truth I need add no more for the confutation of the Reasoners position than the proposal of the Discourse in the former disqusition which shews that there is a Beam in the eye of Reason which if not removed renders it so dim-sighted that it cannot discern the Elements and first principles of Religion which are rudely in mans mind and need some assistance for the due composure of the thoughts concerning God and his worship wherefore let the Reasoner consider Grace but as a Chirurgians hand which couches a Pearl on the eye or takes away the Gutta serena Yet by this act the sight is better and this cannot be without alteration Add to this the proposal of objects and the disposition of the eye and media which the eye it self cannot dispose is enough to shew that Grace by such acts may be said to have alter'd the sight which might be rendred obscure and confused by default of the medium or Organ for as the Soul looks through the eye as a Glass which if sullied or discolour'd by any Disease the judgment is pass'd according to the tincture which is in the eye not in the object and consequently is as ill a Judg of colours as he who views objects with colour'd Prospectives or any Catoptrical device to deceive the eye so in spiritual Vision the Soul looks with the eyes which have the disease therefore 't is not probable it should discern its own malady much less discover truth To conclude this part of the Disquisition it may be confidently affirmed that Grace alters the sight though it do but take off a film or scale as from St. Paul's eyes which the natural man by his own power is no more able to remove than the eye by dropping tears a way to put out eyes rather than restore them can do as much as any eye-water which the Oculist can prepare From what is here said there is an easie digression to the other part of the Disquisition how Reason is laid aside in some acts of Faith a question which much exercised the Reconciler whilst it doth not follow the dictates of its own understanding but gives it self up to the guidance of another the Divine knowledg which advantagiously supplies natures defect which makes way for this conclusion viz. Reason in some cases is as much and may as properly be said to be laid aside as a Judg who is limited by his Monarch that he may not pass sentence in all cases on his own judgment but in some must consult and follow the directions of the supreme Magistrate by doing of which he is so far laid aside that as to that particular case he may not so properly be called Judg as a Proclaimer of Justice determined by his Superiour And for the illustration I cannot but insert a story which I borrow from an Eminent Mathematician who says a Judg puzled with a Case of two persons who had made exchange of Fields which were Isoperimeters or of equal sides but different figures one a Rombus or oblique Angled the other a square or right Angled parallelogram was necessitated to call a Geometrician to discover the Cheat which discovery in strictness was enough to call the Mathematician Judg though the sentence was pronounced by another This is applicable to the Spiritual method of improving the understanding and determining the Will in matters of faith if God be considered as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inform Reason which is defective and as ignorant as the Judg in the former Case From this instance 't is plain and easie to imagine how advantagiously Reason is laid aside being diverted from its usual method in giving assent to propositions which are true yet in themselves not sufficiently evident now evidence of the truth to the Soul in its pure naturals is so necessary that there is no assent certain without it but it is otherwise in the act of saith when Divine Testimony supplies the place of natural evidence If it be urged that Reason proceeds according to it's
Miracles being works which exceed mere natural power or ordinary course of nature it is furnished with faculties which can discern what is natural and what not but is at a loss in higher mysteries This assertion perhaps may be checkt by an instance in conciliary proceedings in discerning Canonical Books of Holy Scripture from Apocryphal or any falsly so called in which judgment is past by mere rational evidence whilst it distinguisheth the one from the other by their Contents This must not be granted for though the contents of Holy Scriptures are a good argument of their truth yet they are not the only Characteristicks to distinguish them from others which are not Canonical When there is any debate in a Council concerning any part of Scripture to be admitted into Canon appeals are not made to mere Reason to judg of its contents any further than by comparison of them with those of other Books which are received without any controversie It is the Councils business to argue as the Apostolical Canon says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Church of England concludes the definitions of Councils deductions of Reason Artic. 21 which admits of this limitation or rather interpretation that though Reason draws the conclussions yet their truth is not measur'd by a bare congruity to it but the reception of it in the primitive Church or the most free and unbiassed Councils and so much of its as belongs to the Old Testament by the Jewish Catalogue and by several other Rules which are as a Touchstone to discover Gold and distinguish it from baser Mettals To speak all Conciliary Discussions in this case do not inquire how Revelation is agreeable to Reason but what is to be admitted as Revelation and what to be rejected and when that is done compare one Text with another till they agree which consent is the most infallible evidence of truth However it is scarce probable that the Reasoner will be perswaded or argued out of his pretended private infallibility whilst he concludes every individual man may proceed on the same ground which Councils do because each rational man being in some degree more or less able to draw conclusions by Analogy or comparing the several contents of Holy Scriptures Wherefore let it be suppos'd that each reasonable man is naturally qualified to find truth yet seeing the promise of Divine assistance which is the most sure foundation on which infallibility can rest is not to a single person those natural qualifications cannot assure them of finding it I am sensible that the Reasoner may take occasion from what is said of urging a question whether the former assertion doth take the priviledge from every private person so that in any case he cannot interpret Scripture The affirmative of this question may be safely maintain'd as it hath respect to private persons who are known Members of the Church and have opportunity of being acquainted with and to be inform'd what is the interpretation and sense of the Church in general which must be a direction to those who pass judgment in particular cases for they may not appeal from Synods to their own private reason and because truth is certainly to be found in Councils and there are Rules of finding it If it is further demanded whether a private person who hath neither learning or opportunity to understand the sense of the Church may not be a safe interpreter of Scripture in order to his own Satisfaction and Salvation As this proposes an extraordinary case so the answer may be dubiously return'd However it may be said to the first part of the question that it cannot be well supposed that any illiterate person should of necessity be ignorant of the sense of the Church seeing he is a known Member of the same and the pastors are as Mouths to declare it To the other part of the question which supposes a Christian so unfortunately amongst the Infidels plac't that he cannot have access to Pastors of the Church it is enough to propose another question viz. Whether the Thief on the Cross who may be supposed to want time though nothingmore could be wanting whilst Christ was with him did give assent to all fundamentals of Religion by faith as explicit as is required of other Chistians who have the advantage of more time and other circumstances The answer given to this will help the solution of the other doubt The manner of Conciliary proceedings being considered and the unfitness of the mere reasoner for such debates in he next place the necessity of Councils shall be prov'd by which the other part of the Disquisition will be better understood Such Sacred Assemblies are necessary though not at all times for some ages pass't without them for the exigency of the Church requires such supplies To imagin it could always be without them is to conclude it exempt from all possibility of erring and independent as to the Divine conduct which is promis'd to lead it and continue it in the way of truth The former cannot be granted for Heresies must be and then there is as great necessity of their condemnation The latter cannot be allow'd for as it intrenches on the Divine Dominion so it doth equalize the Church Militant with the Triumphant whose greatest Trimuph is ovr Error This necessity of Councils is confirm'd from the consideration of different opinions concerning matters of faith which equally commend themselves to the Christian and render his Will so indifferent that he knows not to which part to incline till determined by Authority It is no strange thing to meet with two opinions in other cases which plead for themselves with such equal probability that the most accurate judgment will rather suspend its belief than give assent to either neither let it appear a prodigy if Religion afford such cases as would render its proselytes or professors sceptically puzled without a more infallible guide than their own Reason But it may be said that in other cases the wise men do not give themselves up to a Sect or Council of Philosophers to be Vmpires in dubious matters This is granted for it is unreasonable that they should deliver up their Reason to the most fam'd Sophies but the reason is not the same in Religious debates For a single person may be qualifi'd for finding truth in Philosophy with such certainty as may vie with the numerous Sects but no private member of the Church may pretend to that cretainty which must be allow'd in Councils It is possible that one man may be master of more reason and Philosophy than is to be found in all the World at that time and one walking Library more valuable than a Vatican but Religious knowledg is not design'd to be so Monastical as to live in solitude or a single person Besides if it could be prov'd that the Philosophers had the same assurance of a true conduct in their doubts by reason which the Councils have by Divine supplies he would be unreasonable
in a high degree who would not give up or resign his private reason to their determinations The great assertor of the Roman Church D. Stap. was not altogether mistaken when he introduc't Divine assistance to help the Church in making a Syllogism though the manner of its conveyance seems inconsistent whilst he makes the Members of it to be discursive in the premifes as mere Reasoners but infallibly assisted in the conclusion for Revelation must take place of pure natural invention in the whole matter of Religious debates That there is a necessity of the Resignation of Reason to Authority must be granted and it is urg'd by several methods Two late Authors who consider'd and examin'd humane Reason endeavour to convince men of the necessity of giving up our private reason to the publick judgment of other persons who have better means of knowing of truth than we our selves have as one expresseth it and both press it by an instance of an appeal in naturals from sense to reason This way of arguing may be perswasive but not cogent enough to evince men of the necessity of that which they design'd to prove for although it is safely concluded that the Members of Councils have better qualifications for discovery of truth than private persons yet their learning and natural endowments are not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the foundation on which faith is laid Besides the similitude of appeals from Sense to Reason is not apposit and implies a supposition of the senses being erroneous which in strictness cannot be allow'd but let that be suppos'd it cannot well be accommodated to the case for sense and reason in man are not so much strangers as the publick Representatives of the Church in Councils are to its particular Members The same percipient is imploy'd in reason and sense and according to its different acts and objects hath distinct compellations sensual or rational as the same River takes several names from the Channels through which it runs For when the Soul perceives material impresses on the Brain without any consideration or reflex act it is call'd sensation as when it perceives a body as it is figur'd in that part which nature design'd for Phancy to be Triangular or Globular red or white or as it is represented in other figures or colours but when it deliberates and draws conclusions such as cannot be the work or result of a naked representation of the object it challengeth its just title rational Now to suppose this similitude exactly apposit is to conclude that every private person should have his Soul imployd and acting as junto which cannot be imagin'd in every particular debate of a Council as the percipient is in sensation and Reasoning More arguments might be urg'd to evince the necessity of Councils but I do not intend to be so voluminous but to pass to another inquiry concerning truth and its certainty of being so as it is in lawful Councils Satisfaction will be given to this inquiry if it is considerd that the true faith was once delivered to the Saints as St. Jude says and what that true faith is may be found in some conciliary Definitions since Christ's coming into the World and that it may be safely concluded that it is found when there is a general consent which is an infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as certain as any medium in Demonstration Suppose one true opinion in Philosophy and a Thousand in which there is truth but mixt with error If they all agree in some positions it is an undoubted argument of the truth of those in which all agree This way of passing judgment on Definitions of Councils upon examination will appear as certain as that which draws conclusions from this rule Quoe in aliquo tertio conveniunt inter se conveniunt That trite saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more than a proverbial conclusion for it is founded in reason which must conclude error hath many Moeanders and distracting paths but truth hath a narrow way in which only it self can walk And it must needs be so for this reason truth being in some Conciliary Definitions they must be as the Center in which all which are true necessarily meet If it is said that it is possible that those Definitions which are to be as a Standard to measure others may not be found the Church being defrauded or abus'd by misfortune or cunning and consequently at a loss in the search for truth as much as he who sails without a Compass This cannot be suppos'd because of the Divine promise of the preservation of the truefaith though not at all times discoverable But let it be imagin'd that some true Conciliary Definitions may be wanting then the supposition is destroy'd which implyes a Catholick consent which cannot be so call'd if but one Definition is left out Therefore it may be concluded that Truth is to be found by this Method though with as much difficulty as Archimedes discovered the Gold and the quantity of it in his Princes Crown which a Cheat had Adulterated with baser Metals Religion therefore being in its own frame and nature fitted for the severest Inquisition it will not stand in fear of the boldest Adversary Authority in its name bids the Reasoner be modest and its matter which it injoyns further commands him to be so whilst he speaks of that which transcends his understanding It may now seem proper to suggest these Arguments which seem to invalidate Authority and render it less valuable This is done by objecting the errors of Councils and the manner of their Process by Votes or Suffrages the first of which seems to insinuate to the Christian the posibility of the body of the Church being altogether disjointed and its total Apostacy with the same reason that a man may conclude that man-kind cannot be exempt from the possibility of being Cripples because that some bones have been out of their proper place and the other seems to render them more contemptible by comparing them with Processes of Courts which are purely humane both these are as easily confuted as named and may be more effectually retorted on reason as it is exercised in the several ways of Government in several ages For the former objection is removed in the precedent Disquisition and the other will appear to be weak and disabled if it is considered that Votes and Suffrages in holy Councils are as Lots in the choice of an Apostle which having infallible Direction from God may vie certainty with a Decree or any way of Election Matthias was no less an Apostle neither was his Authority more doubted with which he was invested by Lots than that of the other Apostles who had an oral mission from Christ himself I might further assert Ecclesiastical Authority by shewing the safety of relying on the Authority of Councils with a more firm assent than History or the humane Law-giver can challenge For the Historian I mean the profane commits not Annals to
vain imaginations who scorn'd all ties of Laws and Religion As subjection to Governours is never more effectually recommended by any mere rational argument than that which comes with this consideration of the necessity of bring obedient to Magistrates because humane nature is not so able to provid for it self in solitude as in Societies So the extravagant Reasoners in Religion are not any way better reduced to obedience to Ecclesiastical Authority than by contemplating the vanity of their own imaginations For that prospect of their own ignorance will make Reason so obsequious and tame that though Ecclesiastical Laws as the Greek Law-giver saies of Laws in general are lookt on as Cobwebs yet they will not think it their interest to break them This consider'd I hope may supplant all censure which might condemn this way of arguing as prejudicial to Religion by rendring arguments which were design'd to fortifie it weakned by too severe an inquisition for this method doth no more violence to Religion than a Chirurgion doth to his Patient whilst he stretches the Sinews in order to set a bone which was out of its place Neither shall I fear that these Papers will be lookt upon as vainly speculative seeing the Dedication directs the Reader to so eminent an Example which alone though the Church was not protected by civil power and truth naked in that sense which the factious Adversary would have it is able to win practice and engage all Christian obedience which is desired and design'd so far as these Papers can promote it by My L d. Your Lordships most humble and obedient Servant John Warly An Advertisement SO often as the word Reasoner occurrs in this Tract it is to be understood of the Author of the Treatise of Humane Reason or of any other who is conducted by his principles and so often as the word Reconciler is us'd it is to be understood of the Author of the considerations of the Reconcileableness of Reason and Religion other Authors antient and Modern are either plainly cited or so discoverable by their matter that nothing more need be said by way of Explanation ERRATA REad as streight an Union page 16. for who read which p. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 65. dele they 73. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 83. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 85 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 90. r. terminated p. 92. r. p. 104 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 108 r. Minucius Felix 112. dele that 115. r. as much p. 116. dele least r. or p. 118. r. Erroneous p. 139. dele not and r. are not p. 153. r. scales p. 162. for which r. when 170 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 173. for that r. what 178. fornor r. now p. 180. Dele not 184. REASON in some late Treatises being set up Umpire in Religion challenging Appeals to be made to it as the highest Tribunal and being asserted with priviledges which are exalted above Pelagian invention or what any other Heresie could project And one Article of the Church of England being threatned by some positions which directly oppose it by saying That a man may be sav'd by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he diligently frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature I thought my self obliged to examine the foundation on which this natural infallibility was built which is supported by these positions which say That faith is an assent given to Religious matters the understanding and will being no otherwise assisted than they are in drawing other Conclusions And that Reason requires no other assistance in the act of faith than the proposal of that which is to be believed which the Reasoner calls the near approach of the object being brought nigher by Revelation The former account of faith is imperfect and attended with many false conclusions which are deductions from it amongst many let this be considered That no man according to that description of faith can be an Infidel who hath readholy Scripture or its contents or matter proposed to his understanding And as it is an impossibility that Euclid should not render the intelligent Reader a Mathematician so it is equally impossible that the contents of holy Scriptures proposed to the Infidel should not make him a Convert This is necessarily inferred from the former position and shall be more illustrated by a supposition suppose therefore an Ethnic made so much a Proselite to the true Religion by reading holy Scriptures that he gives assent to matters of Religion no further than upon Examination he shall find them agreeable or congenial to his Reason or to speak another Phrase Reason can confess them to be true and let him be suppos'd to speak like the Samaritan-Woman in another case saying I do not believe the Creation of the World the incarnation of Christ and other matters of faith because of the evidence of the Divine Records but because I presume my belief will be ratifi'd and approv'd by my reason which is naturally bound to confess them when they are propos'd it will appear upon experiment that he is a wavering and weak Convert not far remov'd from infidelity This supposition is agreeable to the Reasoners account of faith and that term of art which expresseth it calling under standing and will the Elements of which faith is compounded In examining which I intend not to be so critical as he in interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will equally admit of such critical exercise but rather take it in the common acceptation That out of which bodies are made and into which is their last Return or Resolution which being accommodated to the Reasoners sense will conclude that Religious knowledge was no otherwise in mans mind than Idaea's or some dormantknowledg to be excited by proposal of holy Scriptures or as letters to make words to be fram'd by the Divine Paedagogy the Law and Gospel too being in his sense but as a School-master not according to the Apostles meaning to prompt the understanding This is so false that it may be confuted by History which sayes many perused the Mosaical-Scripture and some past critical judgments on them Longinus and others with the Greek Law-givers though some of their knowledg seems borrowed from them who must be in the Catalogue of Infidels And later ages give examples of this kind many men who must be acknowledged to be Masters of reason being not able to reduce themselves to belief according to the former method which wanting the Divine Testimony to byass their wills and to command assent left them in desperate Scepticism for though the contents of Religion are such as may be presum'd sufficient to command or at least win assent yet the medium which begets this perswasion is taken of holy Scriptures which saith Reason in some sense must be laid aside which shall be more proved in its proper place whilst it resigns it self to a more insallible conduct Let it be
infallible in defining matters of faith as a Council For by the same Reason he will not allow the eye-sight alter'd in a private person he will deny any alteration of it which is that which makes it infallible in a Council Thus making the private Reasoner and rational members of a Council to discover truth no otherwise than by a mere natural sight the object being brought nigher he concludes them equally infallible This project is built on a weak foundation which will appear to be so by considering the unaptness or indisposition in the Soul to discern truth from falsehood in Religious debates which is plain from the vain attempts of Reason in the discovery of it And the indisposition of the mind which is not such as can be removed by frequent acts which make a habit to facilitate knowledg in Arts and Sciences for the Soul in this case after the utmost of its endeavours to improve its understanding must be beholding to or dependent on some power besides its own which must help it as well as bring the object nigher For if we do but consider the several ways by which the understanding is improv'd we must conclude it is not by its own power For the believers Soul must have Divine aid or assistance either mediate or immediate in the act of Faith which must be call'd Grace which if it be only suppos'd to dispose the Organs as there is a necessity of it in mad men and those which are Fools only by a bodily defect which renders those parts useless which were designed for the service of the Soul in the exercise of her Functions it is more than bringing the object nigher Logicians which is only a hard name for rational men say there is potentia prima which renders a blind man as capable of seeing if the Organs were well disposed as he who hath a perfect sight And those who say all Souls are equal conclude the fault is in the Organs if a man after the utmost of industry joyned with advantage is a Fool for this Reason because his Soul is as capable of knowledg as that of the greatest Sophies This instance will agree with the Reasoner's case who will allow no man to be a Spiritual Fool but on his own default wherefore he stretches the interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the sensual man which cannot be allowed for if he mean the debaucht Epicure then it would follow that every sober man would be assured of finding truth for if there is not any fault in the eye of Reason sensuality according to his assertion being removed what can hinder for if the eye is well disposed and the object high the the eye cannot but see This is so certain that there is a natural necessity of it but the case is otherwise in discerning spiritual truth For the most sober Heathens heave complained they were in darkness Quancum mortalia caecae Pectora noctis habent The natural frame and indisposition of the mind occasioned this invincible ignorance which may be so call'd seeing it cannot be removed by humane Art or Industry any more than a mad man can restore himself to a right mind That God can improve the understanding is as evident as he can render it less perfect which is plain from the punishment of our first forefather who by his default forfeited much of his Reasoning faculty which was less perfect than in innocency This cannot be denied although the manner how the natural light was diminisht may puzle those who will strictly examin it For to diminish the understanding according to those who make cognitation the form of the Soul is to make it to be less a Soul which will not be allowed in Legick or Metaphysicks or according to that opinion which calls it a faculty or power of the mind to draw conclusions it is hard to imagine how it should be disabled except God uncreate or withdraw some perfection or at least his Grace or Divine assistance which is as much if not more necessary for preserving it in its due exercise of Reason in Religious debates than the concourse of providence which hinders the World from turning to its first nothing The former opinion cannot be allowed the later if granted will serve for the proof of the former assertion for if it be as it must be allow'd that God hath and can make the Soul less perfect by withdrawing his Grace he can and doth improve it by supplies of the same also The truth of this cannot be denyed although it may seem obscure if it meet with the Reasoner who perhaps will be as much puzled with the word Grace as he is with the word Schism Which demur will soon be removed if Grace be taken for Divine assistance which perfects the understanding although the manner how it is done cannot be otherwise than conjecturally expressed For the strict Reasoner says if the matter of Fact be certain what 's and how 's not and not to hinder assent wherefore it being proved that there is a necessity of Divine assistance 't is not so necessary to examine strictly the manner any more than when we take it granted that a Spirit can act on matter though the invention cannot imagine how It is enough to conclude the truth of the former assertion if God in the Act of faith do only excite notions in the mind not only by proposal of objects nigher but by direction of the wil to give its assent without which these notions or conclusions would have been dormant or at least doubtfully entertain'd by mere Reason following its own conduct Before I dispatch this part of the Disquisition it is necessary to prevent what may be objected from the former instance viz. If Adam in his pure naturals had a distinct knowledg of God and consequently could have assented to all the Articles of Religion without any other assistance than the bare proposal of them with appeals to his own Reason laying aside sensuality which must be allow'd to be the occasion of his fall without straining Cabalistical Divinity which calls it forbidden fruit so his posterity may be abstracting their thoughts from sensual objects arrive at the same degree of perfection This granted which cannot be will not qualifie the Reasoner for Christian belief for could he suppose himself indow'd with the same faculties with which innocency was invested he will be but a Viator as the Schools say more imperfect than the Christian not a Comprehensor of matters of faith Some Scholasticks have been so far from concluding that the knowledg which Adam had of God at least as Triunus was purely natural that they doubted not to call it infus'd for this reason as well as the Authority of St. Austin lib. undec de Genesi ad liter because it is not probable that God would suffer the Protoplast to be ignorant of that which was matter of faith to all his posterity And it may be safely concluded that Adam's