of our Reason, than to see what is the literal Meaning of Texts; and to admit That only to be the Will of God, tho' ever fo inconfiftent with the Light of Nature, and the eternal Reason of Things. Is not this to infer, there's nothing good or evil in itself, but that all depends on the Will of an arbitrary Being; which, tho' it may change every Moment, is to be unalterably found in fuch a Book? And,

ALL Divines, I think, now agree in owning, that there's a Law of Reafon, antecedent to any external Revelation, that God can't dispense, either with his Creatures or himself, for not observing; and that no external Revelation can be true, that in the leaft Circumstance, or minutest Point, is inconfiftent with it. If fo, how can we affirm any one Thing in Revelation to be true, till we perceive, by that Understanding, which God has given us to difcern the Truth of Things; whether it agrees with this immutable Law, or not?

If we can't beliève otherwife than as Things appear to our Understandings, to fuppofe God requires us to give up our Understandings (a Matter we can't know but by using our Understanding) to any Authority whatever, is to fuppofe he requires Impoffibilities. And our felf-evident Notions being the Foundation of all Certainty, we can only judge of Things, as they are found to be more or lefs agreeable to them; to deny This on any Pretence whatever, can ferve only to introduce an univerfal Scepticifm. And therefore Bishop Taylor very juftly obferves, "'Tis Reason that is Polem. Difcoi "the Judge; and Fathers, Councils, Tradition, and Scrip P. 507.

ture the Evidence." And if Reafon be the Judge, can it form a right Judgment, without examining into every Thing which offers itself for Evidence? And wou'd it not

exa

examine in vain, if it had not certain Tefts, by which it cou'd try all Evidences relating to religious Matters.

B. THO' Reason may be the Judge; yet the Scripture, we say, is the Rule, by which Reason must judge of the Truth of Things.

A. If it be fuch a Rule, must it not have all the Qualifications neceffary to make it fo? But if Reason must tell us what those Qualifications are, and whether they are to be found in Scripture; and if one of those Qualifications is, that the Scripture must be agreeable to the Nature of Things; does not That suppose the Nature of Things to be the standing Rule, by which we must judge of the Truth of all thofe Doctrines contain'd in the Scriptures? So that the Scripture can only be a fecondary Rule, as far as it is found agreeable to the Nature of Things; or to those self-evident Notions, which are the Foundation of all Knowledge, and Certainty.

In short, no Man can any more discern the Objects of his own Understanding, and their Relations, by the Faculties of another, than he can fee with another Man's Eyes; or than one Ship can be guided by the Helm of another : And therefore, he, who demands a Man's Affent to any Thing, without conveying into his Mind fuch Reasons as may produce a Sense of the Truth of it; erects a Tyranny over his Understanding, and demands an impoffible Tribute. No Opinion, tho' ever fo certain to one Man, can be infus'd into another as certain, by any Method, but by opening his Understanding, fo that he may find the Reasonableness of it in his own Mind; and consequently, the only Criterion, by which he tries his own Reasonings, must be the internal Evidence he has already of certain Truths, and the Agreeableness of his Inferences to them. And,

Το

To fuppofe a Creature to have Reason to direct him, and that he is not to be directed by it, is a Contradiction; and if we are religious as we are rational, can Religion oblige us not to be govern'd by Reason, tho' but for a Moment? Nay, what is the Religion of all rational Beings, but what the Scripture terms it, a reafonable Service? Or, their Reafon employ'd on fuch Subjects, as conduce to the Dignity of the rational Nature? So that Religion and Reafon were not only given for the fame End, the Good of Mankind; but they are, as far as fuch Subjects extend, the same, and commence together. And if God can no otherwise apply to Men, but by applying to their Reason, (which he is continually doing by the Light of Nature) does he not by That bid them use their Reafon? And can God at the fame Time forbid It, by requiring an implicit Faith in any Perfon whatever?

IF You allow, that Men by their reasoning Faculties are made like unto God, and fram'd after his Image; and that Reason is the most excellent Gift God can beftow; do they not deftroy this Likeness, deface this Image, and give up the Dignity of human Nature, when they give up their Reason to any Perfon whatever?

CAN we lay too great a Strefs on Reason, when we confider, 'tis only by Virtue of It God can hold Communication with Man? Nor can otherwife, if I may so speak, witness for himself, or affert the Wisdom and Goodnefs of his Conduct; than by fubmitting his Ways to Mens cool" Deliberation, and ftrict Examination? fince 'tis from the Marks we difcern in the Laws of the Universe, and its Government, that we can demonftrate it to be govern❜d by a God of infinite Wisdom and Goodness: He, whofe Reason

does

does not enable him to do This, can neither difcern the Wisdom, Goodness, or even the Being of a God.

;

THEY Only answer the End for which their Reason was given them, who judge of the Will of God, by the Reafonableness and Goodness of Doctrines and think his Laws, like his Works, carry in them the Marks of Divinity; and they likewise do the greatest Honour to the Scripture, who fuppofe it deals with Men as with rational Creatures; and therefore admit not of any of its Doctrines without a strict Examination; and thofe, who take a contrary Method, wou'd, if they liv'd in Turky, embrace Mahometifm, and believe in the Alcoran.

AND indeed, a blind Submiffion is fo far from doing Credit to True Religion, that it puts all Religions on the fame Foot; for without judging of a Religion by its internal Marks, there's nothing but Miracles to plead; and Miracles true or falfe, if they are believ'd (and where are they not?) will have the fame Effect: Nay, if Mira_ cles can be perform'd by evil, as well as by good Beings, the worst Religion may have the moft Miracles, as needing them most. And it was a proverbial Saying among the Philofophers of Greece, Odvpala pois: Miracles for Fools, and Reajons for wife Men. The Boetians were remarkable for their Stupidity, and the Number of their Oracles; and if You look no further than the Chriftian World, You will find, that Ignorance, and the Belief of daily Miracles go hand in hand; and that there's nothing too abfurd for the Peoples Belief. And if the most learned See bis Alna- Huetius gives us a true Account of Things, there are tana Queftiand Conno Miracles recorded in the Bible, but many of the like cordantia fi- Nature are to be found in Pagan Hiftories.

dei & rationis

WOU'D

Wou'd not Chriftians themselves, think it a fufficient Proof of a Religion's not coming from God, if it wanted any-of those internal Marks, by which the Truth of all Religion is to be try'd, without inquiring into its Miracles, or any other external Proofs ? and consequently, wherever these internal Marks are found, are not external Marks needlefs? But,

How can we maintain, that the Scripture carries with it all those internal Marks of Truth, which are infeparable from God's Laws; and at the fame Time affirm, it requires an implicit Faith, and blind Obedience to all its Dictates? if it does fo, how could we have examin'd whether it had those internal Marks? Or how can we say, we can't know without the Scripture, what are the internal Marks of Truth; and at the fame Time fuppofe, we must by our Reason know what are thofe Marks, before we can tell whether they are to be found in the Scripture ?

If our Nature is a rational Nature, and our Religion a reasonable Service, there must be such a neceffary, and close Connexion between them, as to leave no Room for any Thing that is arbitrary to intervene : And consequently, the Religion of all rational Beings must confift, in ufing such a Conduct to God, and their Fellow-Creatures, as Reason, whatever Circumftances they are in, does direct.

We find St. Paul himself saying, that Tho' We, (the Apoftles) or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel, let Gal. x.. bim be accurfed: And is not this laying the whole Stress on its internal Marks? Since there's nothing in the Nature of fuch Things as have not those Marks, to hinder them from being chang'd every Moment.

AND as to those who deprefs Reason, in Order to exalt Revelation, I wou'd ask them; what greater Proof the