Reason than to be guided by Books which are the Counters of Wise men but the Money of Fools For though Error be almost as old as Truth and he that in the Gospel ask'd what Truth was would not stay for an Answer and that Infidelity after due search yet disconviction may seem no Crime there is left to us poor mortals no imaginable Cure for that Evil nor a more proper Antidote for to prevent the Debauchery of this conceited Age than to study the excellency of Humane Reason which will lead us to confess believe and obey the Commands of the Giver thereof And this great Truth is that which according to my capacity I have in the following Discourse illustrated not by quoting of particular Books tho the chiefest are wholly on my side that way being a little out of fashion but by familiar and known Instances and whereof the Reader may easily judge without trouble or charge and I have declined to say any thing as foreign to my Apology in Answer to some other Papers Printed since the Answer call'd Plain Dealing about the Abuse of Humane Reason because 't is well known the wickedness of man's heart has alwayes been too ready to abuse God's chiefest Blessings unto wantonness which does not take off from the Excellency of the Gift on the other side we are commanded to offer up to God our Reasonable Service and if Faith were contrary to Reason no body could believe at all nay to speak freely tho Faith may be above it yet few men without special and particular Revelation have hitherto believ'd the truth of Canonical Scripture upon any other Conviction but Tradition Comparison which cannot be done without Reason As for External Obedience to Humane Powers which is a great part of man's Duty no man as Christian ever pretended hitherto to be warranted therein but by considering of it as a general Duty where such Commands do not contradict the Divine Precept so that still it is Reason which must shew him such contradiction and therefore till any man can shew us a Safer Guide the point is if not absolutely gained yet all pretences of a safer Guide must be look'd upon as very fallible AN APOLOGY FOR Humane Reason IF for no other Cause yet for this that 't is more generous to vindicate the Dead where the Living are concern'd in the impressions of Envy upon their silent Ashes than to comply with the Humours of our Dearest Relations and especially where Truth is like to suffer by our silence I have adventur'd to publish this small Piece for the Justification of Mr. Clifford's Excellent Treatise Entituled Humane Reason by way of Reply to that Gent. who wrote the Answer call'd Plain Dealing without assigning any Reasons why this was not published till now having been written at Mr. Clifford's desire who dyed soon after Pursuant therefore to my Title Page as to the Countrey Gentleman's pretty Story of his travelling and enquiring of a lusty Follow the way to the next Town and of his direction after wise circumspection to go by the Esquire's House I am oblig'd to say the Folly lay in the Enquirer who might with the same Breath have ask'd on which hand or whether right on the House stood but it seems the Queen of Waters had too much influenc'd his upper Garret being as much out of his Wits as out of his Way But I 'le be charitable only craving leave to infer it is more than probable his narrow Collegiate Education a thing often fatal to good Wits hath a little blown him up and consequently expos'd him to the Character of Pedantry otherwise had he consulted more cooly our Learned Author 's very generous Design and observ'd how general an Applause that which he terms a little Pamphlet hath worthily had here at London from the best Persons as to Understanding he would have been more civil to the Writer and more cautious in his Censures unless it be grown a Fashion at Cambridge to make up defects of Reasoning with Clamour or Impertinency if that be the Mode there or if it be not the Gentleman's Design is equally defeated for even in the Conduct of it he hath yielded up the Palm to our Author as having made use of what way he conceived most rational to confute him However the Gent. saith and truly that all which the Author hath said amounteth to no more than this that every man must follow right Reason which is his direct way whither to his proposed End and what 's that he hath told him to Happiness but he urgeth that he who doth not before hand know wherein right Reason doth consist as most Mankind doth not will saith the Gent. be as much to seek in his way notwithstanding the Author's Directions which are that a man should use those Directions with Care and Constancy which Reason affordeth as he himself was not knowing whereabouts the Esquire's House was whereunto his wise Guide directed him To all which the Answer is at hand and easie for if the way to Happiness be no otherwise to be found out and attained than by an orderly pursuance of Virtue which the Gent. will not deny then to live virtuously is to live Rationally consequent whereunto it appeareth that to use Reason is no other than to be obedient to the Divine Law of which if any man be ignorant in Christ'ndom either he doth not follow Reason's guidance or is a Fool by reason of some Defect in his Natural Organs The Gent. granteth that by reason of the intricacies of the way to Happiness to choose the right paths and then to guide our selves therein we had need of a better Eye-sight than is left us by the Fall of our First-father but quarrelleth that the Author after all Considerations assigneth no other Guide than Reason and pretendeth not to understand how that can be nay he putteth his Life upon it to verifie his ignorance for he knoweth of no other Guide left unto us after the Fall but Humane Reason concluding that the Author by telling us we had need of a better Guide hath confuted his whole Book for then we have need of a better Guide than Humane Reason and this the Gent. calleth the coming out of Truth in spite of the Author's teeth The onely Question here is what those Directions are which a man's Reason ought to take before and in his Journey to Happiness for the Author told the Gent. Reason would do it if it took right Directions which the Gent. somewhat slily pretermitteth in his disingenuous and carping Inference I say what those Directions are and really I after having consider'd the great truth of the Assertion do more admire the Gentleman's blindness than he himself can be pleas'd with what he hath written for that the Author intended by right Directions Tradition is obvious to any indifferent Reader which is a due consideration of the History of God's Providence his Love Promises and Performances but lest the Gent. should
AN APOLOGY FOR THE DISCOURSE OF HUMANE REASON Written by MA. CLIFFORD Esq Being a REPLY to PLAIN DEALING With the Author's Epitaph and Character Frustra ei consilium datur qui per se non sapit Machiavel Princepâ—â— London Printed for Walter 〈◊〉 Amen Corner MDC 〈…〉 To the Right Honourable ANTHONY EARL OF SHAFTESBURY Baron Ashley of Wimbourne St. Giles and Lord Cooper of Pawlet SIR I Presume to lay this my Discourse tending to Peace humbly at your Feet because 't is well known You are a Courteous Generous Excellent and Impartial Judge and not so more from your long Experience in the highest Concerns of your Native Countrey than from the unequall'd choiceness of your Natural parts and besides all these which were not my least Inducements from my assurance of your Lordships Condescention in formerly obliging the now deceased Author of the Discourse about HUMANE REASON by a particular Favour and so significant then that there may be Reason to doubt whether if it had not been seasonably done we had ever seen the Publication of that Issue of his Brain for nothing has more often dampt the pregnancy of clear Understandings than the Iron hand of terrible Necessity which was Mr. Clifford's Case till by the Mediation and prevalent Influence of your Lordship his before narrow Salary as Master of Sutton's Hospital was inlarged and consequently by this my Apology for him I have happily gotten opportunity of presenting the best Sacrifice I could of Gratitude for him and my self If then what is here advanc'd shall happen to please your Lordship I may rationally conclude it will not displease the most Discerning and Virtuous part of the English Nation so worthy an Esteem it has of whatever Action does any way appear considerably good in your opinion because your Soul cannot own a mean thing nor unprofitable to the Publick Interest Pray therefore Honourable Sir be pleased to pardon this boldness of him whose Design is and has for many years been only to let you know he is and from a true sense of Duty Your Lordships Most devoted and most Humble Servant Albertus Warren London Octob. 1680. THE PREFACE DEdications and Prefaces to Books seldom if at all used by the Ancients though never so tempting or glorious like the Bushes of our Taverns which unless answering the Readers or the Guests expectation alwayes subject the Writers to Scorn or Ridicule the Book-sellers to Repentance and I the Vintners to Poverty aâ—er of which Effects no Age has been more fertile than the Modern every Apology supposing a tincture of Guilt and good Wine not needing a Garland Therefore all that I dare to say here is That I have advisedly done my utmost to justifie Mr. Clifford's Licens'd Papers in his Discourse of Humane Reason which is the Gift of God as well as Faith in opposition to that Gentleman who to confess the truth has as strongly and smartly as I think can be done endeavour'd to expose â—ur Author not only as a bold and weak man but as pernicious in the consequence of his Arguments to Men as Christians and Subjects which Charge if it had been true I that honour Truth would never have oppos'd but now whether that Gentleman who wrote the Answer or I who reply be in the wrong for we cannot both be in the right others must judge or whether which is possible we have divided Truth betwixt us 't is not very considerable if the standers by reap any profit by it which was my aim and I hope was his also However I am apt to flatter my self as Victorious from this Evidence which no man can properly gainsay that if Humane Reason were not experimentally found to be the supreme Arbiter in all Appeals and the true Allay to all the sensible priviledges of Beasts then Beasts for ought we know are more happy than men for they can think though not syllogize then I say bateing Reason which is our Light to judge of our Self-preservation by all Precepts impos'd by men in Power must be swallow'd though contrary to Peace all Exhortations to Obedience in order to Temporal or Eternal Happiness must be unexaminable and we had continued in a state of War for no other tye could have oblig'd us to keep Covenant when the Violation had appear'd more profitable and then the Laws which Necessity first begot might have been truly said to be in a great measure if they who made them did not pretend Reason rather traps to get money from honest men than design'd to continue Peace and though with me the Publick Reason shall alwayes be very Sacred yet I hope to wish for or propound the Rationability of either the Explanation or Correction of some Laws strainable and strain'd by het men and posibly ignorantly zealous or ill men for their private Interests beyond if not contrary to the intent of former Legislators in Times of other Complexions will never be by any true English-man and wise objected to me as Criminal especially at this time when some Tools made when the Times requir'd them have their Edges turn'd by accident against many quiet though probably misguided Dissenters to the pleasant humouring of that Classis of men amongst us whom both his Majesty and his Great Counsel have declar'd we have reason to suspect and prepare against as our Enemies though 't is plain that the Bigots on all sides and on our Dissenters also have made moderate Men and true Lovers of their King and Countrey uneasie which ugly Fever next malignant if the Reason of the Seat of Power cannot Remedy we shall be in great danger lest that Mischief may return which a Great Man not long since honestly deprecated in words to this Effect viz. It were strange if We should be twice undone by the same Method which God forbid and every good Subject by being quiet in his Station ought to endeavour to prevent In the mean time 't is better to examine and consult the Reason of things than by trusting to any Book not Sacred to be slily Cully'd into affected and unnecessary Zeal or foolish Atheism which will if it increase overmuch vainly project to invalidate not only the King 's but higher Evidence nor do I know a better Method of Cure relating to those Fears and Jealousies which perhaps are now less terrible to some good men than a close retirement to Reason nor better Advice for Individuals when they do go to Law than to consult that generally Learned and Old Serjeant who is reported wittily to have answered a Client lately That he thought his Case was good but could not be positive unless he knew the Judge which shrewd yet ingenious Opinion may stand for a celebrated Precedent and is as reasonable for us to admire as it was for the Worthy man to give and if it were truly ascrib'd to that prodigious Master of Law and consequently of Humane Reason it clearly shews 't is generally safer for a man to trust to his Natural
other we need not fear he will punish us for not finding out such Truths Where 's Wilful Ignorance now for saith he if they had been necessary I wish he had told us what are necessary for our Salvation they would have been suited to our Capacities but if we are wilfully ignorant of necessary Truths then it is not more contrary to the Goodness of God to punish us Eternally for that than for any other sin which we dye in without Repentance I reply That in all Cases where I cannot assent to any Proposition about Faith because unconvinc'd having search'd and try'd what possibly I could to convince or inform my self I need not fear God will punish me eternally for in this case I cannot be guilty of that he calleth Wilful Ignorance for it followeth that all Truths which I assent not to having so search'd by my Reason do either surpass my Understanding or they do not if they do I am not punishable saith the Gent. eternally and I say If they do I am not punishable eternally because I could not know they were Truths Punishment alwayes presupposing Guilt and it is no Crime not to be able to know but a natural Infirmity indeed it is a Crime not to search for Truth but none to think such a Position false Neither do I know that men are any were in Scripture said to be condemned eternally for any other but unrepented actual Sins But if I should grant that some Errors are damnable how shall I know which are so one Church condemning another must not my Reason judge for me Yet higher If it be hard to say which a Great Author saith not yet answer'd nor perhaps ever will that God who is the Father of Mercies that doeth in Heaven and Earth all that he will that hath the Hearts of all men in his disposing that Worketh in men both to Will and to Do and without whose free gift a man hath neither inclination to Good nor repentance of Evil should punish mens Transgressions without any end of Time and with all the extremity of Torture that men can imagine and more it seemeth hard to think which I add that he will punish men eternally for not being able to find out the Truth harder for their Errors which they believe to be Truth but hardest of all for not conforming to the External Modes of honouring him which are alterable and many times accommodated to the Interest of a Nation and are only honourable towards him because they are legally declar'd to be honourable in one place not so in another How much therefore doth it concern the Supreme Power every where to consider and weigh the present Genius of the People before they make Ecclesiastical Laws for they alwayes touch the Consciences of men not so other Laws for they are for Publick Peace strictly and must be obey'd they are I say to be considered especially there where in the very Nature of the People there is much pity for Sufferers about Religious concerns and in whom there is a general abhorrence as with us about Religion from Persecution which His Majesty well understood when he afforded that Gracious Condescention besides all men know Persuasion was the Method of the Apostles not Rigor nor will Rigor prevail here And we have lived to see once more to say it the Profit of that demonstrative and rational way of Preaching and Printing used of late whereof D. Stillingfleet's Book Entitled Origines Sacrae that most Excellent Book proving the Being of God the Immortality of the Soul and the truth of Scripture is no mean Example nor are D. Tillotson's Printed Sermons less considerable against Atheism From whence I pass by as granted on all hands the Gentleman's long Harangue which he before play'd with of the Rationability of Men's being obliged to consult with Divines Lawyers and Physicians as answered before Though I may pertinently subjoyn what great Reason our Author had to mention the Ignorance or Malice of one sort of our spiritual Phisicians together with their too visible Vices I mean in some of them as none more likely to let in a Flood of Atheism and Popery than the Disobedience of Dissenters from whence I pass to the Gentleman's next Argument against our Relyance upon Reason he putting the case of meeting with a Jesuit or Sectary who shall attaque me how I will avoid being made either of those two To which I must reply and can give no other than this that in such a Case I must fly to Reason as my safest Guard all other Guides being fallible which no man in his Wits was ever yet so irrational as to say of Reason nor the Gentleman neither Yet to speak freely I cannot think otherwise but that I am obliged to yield to either of those two if they appear either of them to have greater Reason than mine and that I may be safe with either of them the Gent. allows so there 's no Danger at all in meeting with either the one or the other but a possible Profit So great is the use of Reason and so great is the Force and Defence of it The plain Truth is it is the thinking man that is wise As for Books they may be useful yet 't is dangerous relying upon them 't is true a few Books well chosen and digested may open and establish the Understanding when as too much reading dazles it how many Persons of good Natural Parts acquired Wit and Learning wear out their dayes in a perpetual hurry of reading is obvious to every man of general Conversation such are alwayes learning and never come at truth So that every Humane Excellency resolves into Reason or shrowds under its Umbrage Reason which as a Light Divine govern'd the World before the Metaphorical word Conscience was known This begot Government teaches Obedience and first of all oblig'd men to Natural Religion which can never be cancell'd or forgotten All the Lawyers in the World cannot make any Case Law which is not Reasonable 't is not Precedents will do it they are but Opinions Nor can any Divine preach me into a belief of any Proposition unless he be able to convince my Reason that what he sayes is true Nor any Politician warrant the soundness of his Advice to his Sovereign till the Event has justified the Rationability of his Counsel which is the Reason why it has been observed that some wary men in Counsels endeavour to speak last 'T is hard to conceive what that thing is which the Learned call Physicum Fatum so many little and impossible to be foreseen intervening Accidents may and do often alter the most subtile Projections On the other side a Rational and Prudent man may live in Peace in most Times under the changes of Government by complying as Judge Hale did in the times of Usurpation to maintain Property 'T is true Subjects have Liberty in all things where they are not restrain'd by Laws and in such things they have