of It destroys the pretensions of both I COME now IV. to the Inferences that may be raised from the whole 1. Reason is certain and inâ—… This follows from the state I gave of the Nature and notion of Reason in the beginning It consists in First Principles and the Conclusions that are raised from them and the observations of sense Now first Principles are certain or nothing can be so for every pâ—…ssible Conclusion must be drawn from those or by their help and every Article of Faith supposeth them And for the Propositions that arise from those certain Principles they are certain likewise For nothing can follow from truth but truth in the longest series of deduction If error creep in there is ill consequence in the case And the sort of Conclusions that arise from the observations of sense if the sense be rightly circumstantiated and the inference rightly made are certain also For if our senses in all their due circumstances deceive us All is a delusion and we are sure of nothing But we know that first Principles are certain and that our senses do not deceive us because God that bestowed them upon us is true and good And we are as much assured that whatever we duely conclude from either of them is as certain because whatever is drawn from any Principle was vertually contained in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Reason is in a sense the Word of God viz. that which he hath written upon our minds and hearts as Scripture is that which is written in a Book The former is the Word whereby he hath spoken to all Mankind the latter is that whereby he hath declared his Will to the Church and his peculiar people Reason is that Candle of the Lord of which Solomon speaks Prov. 20. 27. That light whereby Christ hath enlightned every one that cometh into the world John 1. 9. And that Law whereby the Consciences of the Heathen either accuse or excuse one another Rom. 2. 15. So that Hiâ—…rocles spoke well when he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be perswaded by God and right Reason is one and the same thing And Luther called Philosophy within its own bounds The Truth of God 3. The belief of our Reasons is an exercise of Faith and Faith is an act of Reason The former part is clear from the last particular and we believe our Reasons because we have them from God who cannot mistake and will not deceive So that relying on them in things clearly perceived is trust in Gods veracity and goodness and that is an exercise of Faith Thus Luke 12. The not belief of Reason that suggests from Gods cloathing the Lillies that He will provide for us is made by our Saviour a defect of Faith vers 28. O ye of little Faith And for the other part that Faith is an act of Reason that is evident also For 'T is the highest Reason to believe in God revealing 4. No Principle of Reason contradâ—…ts any Articles of Faith This follows upon the whole Faith befriends Reason and Reason serves Religion and therefore They cannot clash They are both certain both the truths of God and one truth doth not interfere with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle Truth agrees with all things that are Whatsoever contradicts Faith is opposite to Reason for 't is a fundamental Principle of that That God is to be believed Indeed sometimes there is a seeming contradiction between them But then either something is taken for Faith that is but Phansie or something for Reason that is but Sophistry or the supposed contradiction is an error and mistake 5. When any thing is pretended from Reason against any Article of Faith we ought not to cut the knot by denying Reason but endeavour to untye it by answering the Argument and 't is certain it may be fairly answered For all Hereticks argue either from false Principles or fallacioâ—…ly conclude from true ones So that our Faith is to be defended not by declaiming against Reason in such a case which strengthens the enemy and to the great prejudice of Religion allows Reason on his side But we must endeavour to defend it either by discovering the falshood of the Principles he useth in the name of Reason or the ill consequence which he calls proof 6. When any thing is offered us for an Article of Faith that seems to contradict Reason we ought to see that there be good cause to believe that this is divinely revealed and in the sense propounded If it be we may be assured from the former Aphorisms that the contradiction is but an appearance and it may be discovered to be so But if the contradiction be real This can be no Article of Revelation or the Revelation hath not this sense For God cannot be the Author of Contradictions and we have seen that Reason as well as Faith is his I mean the Principles of Natural Truth as well as those of Revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle Truth is throughout contrary to falshood and what is true in Divinity cannot be false in Reason 'T is said indeed in the Talmud If two Rabbins disfer in Contradictories yet both have thâ—…ir Opinions from Moses and from God But we are not obliged to such a non-sensiâ—…al kind of Faith And ought not to receive any thing aâ—… an Article in a sense that palpably contradicts Reason no more than we may receive any in a sense that contradicts other Scriptures Faith and Reason accord as well as the Old Iestament and the New and the Analogy of Reason is to be â—…ded also because even that iâ—… Divine and Sacred 7. There is nothing that God hath revealed to oblige our Faith but he hath given us reason to believe that he hath revealed it For though the thing be never so clearly told me If I have not reason to think that God is the Revealer of what is so declared I am not bound to believe except there be evidence in the thing it self For 't is not Faith but vain credulity to believe every thing that pretends to be from God So that we ought to ask our selves a Reason why we believe the Scripture to be the Revelation of Gods Will and ought not to assent to any sense put upon it till we have ground to think that that sense is his mind I say we must have ground either from our particular Reasons or the Authority of the Church otherwise our Faith is vain credulity and not Faith in God 8. A man may hold an erroneous opinion from a mistaken sense of Scripture and deny what is the truth of the proposition and what is the right meaning of the Text and yet not erre in Faith For Faith is belief of God revealing And if God have not so revealed this or that as to give us certain ground to believe this to be his sense he hath not sufficiently revealed it to oblige our Faith So that though I deny such or such a sense while
advantage and promotion of the Affairs of Religion Thus we see that the Real knowledge and search into Gods works puts Philosophers at great distance from that fond Principle of Enthusiasm That Reason is an Enemy to Religion and we may learn from the Discourses cited That it may be happily and proâ—…itably used in the proof of many of the greatest Articles of Faith and that Philosophy doth much assist it in that service And so it doth SECT V. II. IN defending other points of Faith which are purely of Revelation and immediately discoverable no other way For this is a Maxim of Reason that whatever God saith is to be believed though we cannot comprehend the manner of it or tell how the thing should be By this Axiom whoever hath proved the Revelation may desend the Article and 't is an absurdity in Philosophick reasoning to argue against the being of a thing that is well attested from the unconceivableness of the manner how it is According to which principle even the Trinity and Incarnation may be as well defended as the existence of matter and motion and upon the same grounds In these there are many modes which are perfectly unaccountable and full of seeming contradictions which if they should be urged against the existence of these most sensible Beings we could not make our defence by untying those knots but may well do it by recourse to this Maxim That what is an evident object of Sense or clearly proved by Reason ought to be believed though there are many things in the Theory and manner of it unconceivable And by using the same we are safe in all the Mysteries of Faith that are well proved to be so But this I have more fully handled else where and shall only adde now That the Free Experimental Philosophy begets the deepest perswasion of the truth of this modest Proposition by acquainting the Philoâ—…opher every day with innumerable things in the works of God oâ—… which he can give no account though he know by his senses that they are really existing And by this means Reason assisted by Philosophy cuts off all the Cavils and silencâ—…th the Objections of bold Inâ—…idelity which for the most part are raised from the difficulties that are in our conception of the Articles of Religion And thus the Free Philosophy lays a foundation for defence of the greatest sublimities of Faith and common Reason doth the best by shewing the certainty and divine Original of the Testimony that acquaints us with those sacred Mysteries This it doth by aggregating those multitudes of circumstances that shew the Infallible truth of Scripture History and twists such a cord as is as strong as any thing in Geometry or Nature And therefore I cannot chuse but wonder what it is that inclines some men who are otherwise sober enough to let slye so lavishly and indiscreetly against Reason and Philosophy especially in an Age so exceeding prone to Phantastry and Madness and that hath been ruined in all its concerns by Enthusiasm and vain pretences to the Spirit 'T is true the discourses of some who have talk't much of Philosophy and Reason have been bold and sawcy and no doubt of evil tendency to the interest of Religion But true Philosophy and well manag'd Reason vindicate Religion from those impudent abuses and shew that there was Sophistry and imposture in those pretensions So that they are no more to be blamed for the insolencies and riots of those that usurp their name then Religion it self is for the Immoralities of those that cloath themselves in the garments of external Piety and Saintship Thus of the services of Philosophy against ENTHUSIASM I come now to the last Instance CHAP. VI. Philosophy serves Religion against the Humour of Disputing Some of the mischiâ—…fs of that Spirit briefly reciâ—…ed Six ways whereby Philosophy destroies the disputing humour The main things that may be urged in behalf of disputes Answer'd SECT I. V. IT helps Religion against the Humour of Disputing by which I mean that which believes uncertain opinions sirmly assâ—…rts them confidently and clamorously conteâ—…ds against every different appâ—…ehe siâ—…n This is that pestilâ—…nt Spirit that turns Religion into air of notion and makes it intricate and uncertain subject to eternal quarrels and obnoxious to Scepticism and Infidelity That which supplants charity modesty peace and Meekness and substitutes in their room Rage Insolence Pride Bitter Zeal Clamours and Divisions and all the opposites of the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel So that it depraves Religion and makes it 's sacred name an instrument to promote the projects of the Kingdom of darkness by cankring men one against another and inflaming their Spirits and crumbling them into Sects and disturbing Societies and so it hinders the Progress of the Gospel and lays it open to the scorns of unbelievers it turns men from the desire of practising to the itch of talking and abuses them into this dangerous belief that Godliness consists more in their beloved Orthodoxy then in a sober vertue and the exercise of Charity it makes them pert and pragmatical busie about the Reformation of others while they neglect their own Spirits fancying a perfection in the fluency of the tongue while the worst of passions have the Empire of their Souls These are some of the sad effects of the humour of disputing which hath done deplorable execution upon Religion in all places and times and therefore 't is none of the least services that can be afforded it to destroy this evil genius and there is nothing meerly humane that contributes more towards the rooting of it out of the world than the Free and Real Philosophy For SECT II. I COnverse with Gods works gives us to see the vâ—…st difficulties that are to be met with in the speculation of them and thereby men are made less conâ—…dent of their sentiments about Nature and by many considâ—…tions and observations of this kind are at length brought to such 〈◊〉 â—…itual modesty that they are 〈◊〉 to pass bold judgments upon those opinions in Religâ—…n of which there is no 〈◊〉 assurance And II By the freqâ—…t exercises of our minds we 〈◊〉 to be made sensible how 〈◊〉 and how oft we are deceived through the fallibility of sensâ—… and shortness of our undâ—…rstandings by Education Authority Interest and our Affections and so are disposed to a more prudent coldness and dâ—…ffidence in things of doubtful speculation by which the dispâ—…ting humour is destroyed at the bottom Besides which III. The Real Philosophy brings men in love with the Practical knowledge the more we have imployed our selves in notion and Theory the more we shall be acquainted with their uncertainty and our â—…steem and regard of them will abate as that sence increaseth and by the same Degrees our respect and loâ—…e to operative knowledge will advance and grow which disposition will incline us also to have less regard to niceties in Religion and teach us to lay out our chief cares and
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
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
endeavours for that knowledge which is Practical and certain and will assist and promote our vertue and our happiness and incline us to imploy our selves in living according to it which also will be an effectual means to destroy the humour of contending And IV. Philosophy gives us a sight of the causes of 〈◊〉 intellectual diversities and so takes us off from expecting an 〈◊〉 in our apprehensions whâ—…reby it discovers the 〈◊〉 of making harmony in oâ—…inion the condition of Charity and Union and of being angry and dividing upon every difference of judgment and hereby the hâ—…riful malignities of disputes are qualified and the disease it self is undermined V. It inclines men to reckon as was intimated before that the Essential Principles of Religion lye in the plain certain Articles For Philosophers are disposed to think by converse with Nature that certainty is in very few things and whoever believes so concerning the tenents of Theology will not lay the main stress upon any but the clear acknowledg'd Principles and he that doth that serves all the important concernments of Religion He will not not wrangle for every conceit nor divide for every difference but takes care to walk in the ways of Charity Humble Obedience and Conscionable practice of the Truths he knows and owns By such a course the Church is safe and Schisms are prevented Yea Popery is disappointed by it in most of the considerable things it hath to say which indeed arise from the consideration of the vast diversities of opinions in Religion that seem to infer the necessity of a Judge of Controversies to setle mens minds in the right way and to rectifie the consequent disorders whereas if this be stood to That the necessary Christian Articles are plain and acknowledg'd There will be no need of a Judge and so all the most specious pretensions of the Church of Rome sink to the ground VI. The Real Philosophy tends to the ending of disputes by taking men off from unnecessary Terms of Art which very often are occasions of great contests If things were stated in clear and plain words many Controversies would be at an end and the Philosophy I am recommending inclines men to define with those that are simplest and plainest and thereby also very much pâ—…omotes the interests both of truth and peace Thus I have shewn briefly how the real Philosophy tends to the overthrow of the pugnacious disputing humour which is so hurtful to Religion To coâ—…firm which we may observe that where-ever this sort of knowledge prevails the Contentious Divinity loseth ground and 't will be hard to find any of those Philosophers a zealous Votary of a Sect which reservedness gives occasion indeed to those that are so to accuse them of Atheism and Irreligion but it is really no Argument of less Piety but of more wisdom and conduct And 't would make much for the advantage of Religion and their own if those fierce men would understand that Christianity should teach them that which they rail against in the Philosophers But now I must expect to hear SECT III. I. THAT disputes serve to discover truth as by the collision of two flints one against another those sparks are produced and excited that before were latent in them So that the real Philosophy upon this account doth rather disserve then promote the concerns of Religion To which I answer I. That all the necessary material truths in Divinity are already discover'd and we have no need of New Lights there the Antientest are truest and bâ—…st though in the disquisitions of Philosophy there will be always occasions of proceeding But I adde II. Disputes are one of the worst ways to discover Truth If new things were to be found out in Religion as well as Nature they would scarce be disclosed by this way of enquiry A calm judgment and distinct thoughts and impartial consideration of many things are necessary for the finding truth which lyes deep and is mingled up and and down with much errour and specious falshood and 't is hard if not utterly impossible to preserve any one of these in the heat of disputation In such occasions the mind is commonly disordered by passion and the thoughts are confused and our considerations tyed to those things which give colour to our opinions We are biast by our affections towards our own conceits and our love to them is inâ—…lamed by opposition we are made incapable of entertaining the assistance of our opposites suggestions by strong prejudice and incâ—…ined to quarrel with every thing he saiâ—…h by spight and desire of triumph and these are ill circumstances for the discovery of truth He is a wonderful man indeed that can thread a needle when he is at Cudgels in a crowd and yet this is as easie as to find truth in the hurry of dispute The Apoâ—… intimates 〈◊〉 Tim. VI. 5. That perverse Disputers are destitute of truth and tells us that of the strife of words come envy railings evil surmisings but no discovery of unknown verities But II. we are commanded to contend earneâ—…ly for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints and hereby Heresies are confuted and overthrown To this pretence I say That by the Faith we are to contend for I conceive the Essentials and certain Articles are meant These we may and we ought to endeavour to defend and promote as there is occasion and we have seen how the Real Philosophy will help our Reasons for that service But pious contentions for these are not the disputings I meant for I defined the humour of disputing in the entrance on this Head to be that which is stiff in the belief of uncertain opinions affirming them with confidence and quarrelling with every different sentiment To dispute about such matters of doubtful Speculation and in the manner specified is no contending for the Faith but the way to make shipwrack of it As for those other Disputes that are requisite for the convincing mâ—…n of the Truths of the Gospel and the great Articles thereof and for the disproving Infidelity and Heresie they are necessary and Philosophy is an excellent Instrument in such Contests So that those other objections that might be alledged against my Discourse from the necessity of proving and trying our Faith and convincing Hereticks From the example of our Saviour's disputing with the Doctors and the Sadduces and of S. Paul at Athens with the Jews These little Cavils I say and such like can signifie nothing to the disadvantage of what I have said against the humour of disputing about doubtful and uncertain opinions to which the Real Philosophy is destructive And thus I have shâ—…wn under five matâ—…rial â—…ads That the Knowledge of Nature and the Works of God promotes the greatest interests of Religion and by the three last it appears how Fundamentally opposite it is to all Schism and Fanaâ—… which are made up and occasioned by Superstition Enâ—…siasm and ignorant perverse disputings So that for Atheists and