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 S£3«. 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 Shaw 
 
 The use and office of reason in 
 matters of religion
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 <r//v 
 
 7%e Ufe and Office^ with fome In/lances 
 of the Weaknefs and ImperfeSlion^ of 
 Reafon in Matters of Religion. 
 
 S E R SI .ON 
 
 Preached at the 
 
 TRIENNIAL VISITATION 
 
 Of the Reverend 
 The D e an and Chapter, 
 a T 
 The Cathedral Church of Lichfield, 
 
 o N* 
 Saturday 3 April the 20th, 1765. 
 
 By THOMAS SHAW, M. A.~ 
 Late of Queen's College in Oxford. 
 
 Publifhed at the . Requeft . of the Dean, Preben- 
 daries, and Clergy. 
 
 OXFORD: 
 
 At the Clarendon-Press, MDCCLXV. 
 Sold by Daniel PriNci. 
 
 Alfo by J o h n R 1 V 1 n g t o n, in St , PauPs Church-Tardy 
 
 Lcndsn.
 
 w % 
 
 Imprimatur, 
 
 JO. BROWNE, 
 
 Vice-Can. Ox on. 
 June, 15. 1765.
 
 I 
 
 5733 
 
 T O 
 THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 Harry Earl of Stamford. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 AT the Time of writing, and de- 
 livering this Difcourfe, I little 
 thought of it's Publication. But, 
 moved as I am by the Requeft, which 
 I efteem the command, of my Supe- 
 riors, I beg Leave to introduce it into 
 the World under your Lordfliip's Pa- 
 tronage ; — not unmindful of its De- 
 fects, and how much therefore it ftands 
 in need of that Candour in the Readers, 
 which was happily experienced in the 
 Hearers of it. 
 
 Whatever may be it's Fate, I rejoice in 
 the Opportunity it affords me of pay- 
 ing the Tribute of a grateful Heart: 
 a Heart filled with a warm and aclive 
 
 a 2 Senfe 
 
 869814
 
 iv DEDICATION. 
 
 Senfe of the particular Favours which- 
 you have conferred upon me; — fuch 
 as would argue me difingenuous, and 
 altogether unworthy, to forget on any, 
 or indeed not to mention on every, oc- 
 cafion. — Long, my Lord, very long 
 may you live to your Family, to your 
 Friends, and to your Country. May 
 the Title of Stamford defcend to late 
 Pofterity, with the Benevolence, the 
 Generofity, and the Publick-fpirited- 
 nefs of it's prefent Pofleflbr : — Virtues 
 which add Luftre to the mod Alining 
 Honours, and diffufe Bleffings all ar- 
 round them ! And that this Addrefs 
 too may be accepted as a Teftimony of 
 
 real Gratitude, is the earneft Defire 
 
 and fincere Wifh of, 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 Tour Lordjhip's very much obliged, 
 and moji faithful humble Servant ', 
 
 THOMAS SHAW. 
 
 Dud?'?, 
 May 10. 1765.
 
 ( I ) 
 
 .' 
 
 ' Proverbs VIII. 12. 
 / Wifdom dwell with Prudence. 
 
 HOW hard is the Fate of Revela- 
 tion, at once to encounter the 
 Malevolence of Oppofition, and 
 to fuffer by the Indifcretion of Zeal ! Not 
 open Enemies only, but not a Few, who 
 walk in the Houfe of God, efteeming them- 
 felves, and wifhing others to efteem them, 
 it's truefr. Friends, do it much Dijhonour; and 
 the latter of thefe by a well-meaning probably, 
 but furely an ill-tempered Warmth, expofe it, 
 no lefs than the former, to Scorn and Deri/ion. 
 Some are enamoured with the Faculty of 
 Reafon in Man, as if it was almoft equal to 
 the Power of Intuition in Angels ; — and it's 
 
 A Praife
 
 ( 2 ) 
 
 Praife is ever in their Mouths. So clear, fo 
 bright is the Light of Nature, that the Sun 
 of Right eoufnefs needs not to arife upon them, 
 either to difcover the Path of Life, or to con- 
 duel their Feet into the Way of Peace. — Not 
 fo fplendid is the Talent of Underftanding in 
 the Eye of Others. With thefe it's original 
 Luftre is not only fullied and obfeured, but 
 utterly effaced : The primitive Vigour and 
 Perception of the Mind not only enfeebled, 
 but loft. Between it's Abode in the Body, 
 and the Region of divine Knowledge, there 
 is a great Gulph fixed : So that the vain 
 Wretch, who prefumes to advance towards 
 the Palace of Wifdom, like the (a) Men of 
 Sodom at the Entrance of the righteous Man's 
 Houfe, is {truck with Blindnefs, and wearies 
 hi mf elf to find the Door. 
 
 Errors both ! Human Reafon is not fo all- 
 fufricient, as it appears through the flatter- 
 ing Medium of Pride, and Self-Conceit; — 
 nor is it fo dark, and blind, as it is repre- 
 fented by the gloomy Religionift. It's Powers 
 in their utmoft Extent 6c Cultivation, do not 
 fuperfede the Ufe, I may add, the Neceflity 
 of Revelation : Yet this glorious Superstruc- 
 ture is founded upon Reafon, as a Rock; 
 
 (a) Gen. 19. 11. 
 
 and
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 and however violently the Winds and Waves 
 beat upon it, it here ftands firm, and immove- 
 able. The Truth is : Thefe nobleft Gifts of 
 God to Man fupport and illuftrate each 
 other, are moil intimate Friends and Compa- 
 nions for ever infeparable. — / Wifdom dwell 
 ivith Prudence. 
 
 Interpreting Wifdorn here of Religion, and 
 Prudence of Under/landing in general, — from 
 the PafTage conlidered in this unreftrained 
 Senfe, I mall take Occafion to difplay the 
 Ufe, and deferibe the Province of the latter in 
 refpect to the former; — yet not omitting 
 fuch Inftances of the Weaknefs, and Imper- 
 fection of Reafon, as will evince the Dignity, 
 and Excellence of a Revelation. 
 
 That there is a God, a Being infinitely 
 perfect, who created the Univerfe, and pre- 
 iides over the Work of his Hands, is the fun- 
 damental Principle of all Religion. — Vain is 
 every Hope, and every Fear, if there is not a 
 fovereign Friend above to patronize the vir- 
 tuous, and good ; Objects (if their befl: Fa- 
 culties do not deceive) Objects of Efteem, and 
 Happinefs -, — nor a righteous Governor to 
 punim the vicious and immoral; VefTels (if 
 Confcience does not falfly divine) Veffcls of 
 Difionour, and Wrath, and fitted for Deftruc- 
 
 A 2 tion
 
 (4) 
 
 tion. If Man can boaft of no higher an Ori- 
 gin, than to be the Offspring of Chance ; if 
 he Hands in no more honourable a Relation, 
 than to be the Slave of Fate ; alas ! in his 
 befr. Eftate, Anxiety is his Lot here, and No- 
 thing, or he knows not What, his Portion 
 hereafter. — But by what Way is he affured 
 that he is the Creature of God, and a Subject 
 of his Providence ? — By Infpiration ? That 
 He, in whom all Spirits live, and move, and 
 have their Being, may dart upon any of them 
 fuch Rays of his Glory, as to remove the Oc- 
 cafion of any farther Enquiry, can be doubt- 
 ed by thofe alone, who would fix Limits to 
 the divine Power. But that he mould con- 
 defcend thus to mew himfelf to the Sons of 
 Men in their prefent State, is either Folly or 
 Madnefs to expect, or pretend. — So like- 
 wife to urge a more general Revelation, before 
 it is certain, that there is a Deity to reveal, 
 is an Aflumption of the Point, which wants 
 Confirmation. Nay, if Miracles mould be 
 wrought to atteft fuch a Revelation, the mar- 
 vellous Works might indeed aftonim ; — but 
 would they convince Mankind, unlefs it were 
 previouily known, that his moral Perfections 
 will not fuffer other Spirits to delude weak, 
 and fallible Mortals ? Or would it avail to 
 
 dwell
 
 (5) 
 
 dwell upon it's intrinfick Purity, and Excel- 
 lence, till it appeared, that God (a) is righ- 
 teous in all his Ways, and holy in all his 
 Works ; and that Nothing, unlefs tending to 
 the Advancement of Virtue, Piety, and Ho- 
 linefs can flow from him ? 
 
 How then is the Foundation of Religion 
 laid in the Hearts of Men ? By the Light of 
 Nature, and the Ufe of Reafon ; which with 
 irrefiftible Perfpicuity demonflrate, and afcer- 
 tain the Exigence, and Perfections of a God. 
 As it is abfurd to fay, that Something may 
 proceed from Nothing; fo the Confequence 
 is neceffary, that there muft be an eternal 
 Caufe of all Things. There is no Being, which 
 offers itfelf to our Notice, lb perfect, and in- 
 dependent, as to be capable of producing, or 
 even of fultaining itfelf: So that the Machine 
 of Nature, as it was contrived and made, fo 
 it is conducted and upheld by fome mighty 
 Hand, whole wonderful Formation and Dif- 
 pofition of Parts befpeak a moil wife, and 
 mofl powerful Artift. — When we look down 
 upon the vegetable World, and are ftruckwith 
 the delicate Construction of Plants, and 
 Flowers; how uniform each, and yet how 
 various the feveral Tribes of them, together 
 
 (a) Pfal. 145. 17. 
 
 with
 
 (6 ) 
 
 with their Ufe, Pleafure, and Beauty: — 
 When we rife from paffive Matter, to breath- 
 ing Animals, and furvey the Organization of 
 their Bodies j how diftinguimed the Species, 
 and ordained to peculiar Offices fubferving the 
 general Good, infpired too, as it were, with 
 inftinctive Faculties proper, and commodious 
 to them ; how their Conftitutions are adapted 
 to their refpe&ive Elements, the genial Hand 
 of Nature alfo every Moment opening* and 
 filling all Things living with Plenteoufnefs : — 
 If, once more, Man turns his Eye upon him- 
 felf, and views the exquiiite Art, and pecu- 
 liar Shape of his own Body, the Parts de- 
 pending upon, and affifting each other, and 
 conftituting one beautiful Whole : and then 
 contemplates the Fabrick of his Mind, how it 
 perceives, compares, judges, wills, and re- 
 flects; it's Difcernment of Good and Evil, 
 how amiable the one, how deformed the 
 other ; — its Senfe of Order and Harmony, — 
 together with the Prefages of Confcience, and 
 the Thirft of Immortality : — Does Reafon 
 return filent from this Profpect of natural Mi- 
 racles ? — Silent a while in Admiration, and 
 loft in Amazement, me at length breaks forth, 
 and cries aloud — (a) Who knoiveih not in all 
 
 (a) Job 12. 9. 
 
 thefe,
 
 (7) 
 
 tbefe, that the Hand of the Lord hath wrought 
 this, in whofe Hand is the Soul of every living 
 
 Thing, and the Breath of all Mankind ? 
 
 Thus the common, but mofl ftupendous Scene 
 of Nature bears as flrong and illuftrious a 
 Teftimony of a Divine Agency, as could be 
 given by any extraordinary Interpolitions to 
 eftablifh fuch a Revelation, as is before fup- 
 pofed. Should a putrifying Lazarus be recall- 
 ed from the Grave; — or mould the moulder- 
 ed Bodies of thole, who have flept for Ages, 
 awake, and arife, from their Beds of Duft, 
 
 — would fuch preternatural Effects require a 
 greater Profufion of Skill, and Power, than 
 to inlpire the breathlefs Clay of Adam with a 
 living Soul, or to caufe fa) the Bones to grow 
 in the Womb of her, that is with Child? — 
 Or mould the Sun be darkened in it's meri- 
 dian Brightnefs, or be flopped (humanly, 
 not philofophically fpeaking ) be flopped, 
 when like a Giant running it's Courfe in the 
 midft of Heaven ; — would thefe Phenomena 
 more plainly argue an omnipotent Arm, than 
 in the Beginning to kindle the Beams of this 
 great Light,a*wlgive Motion to the vaft Body, 
 
 — ordaining it to brighten diftant Worlds, 
 and fcatter it's Rays on this our Earth, to ani- 
 
 (a) Eccl. ii. 5. 
 
 mate
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 mate the Face of Nature, and difplay the 
 Beauties of Creation. — However therefore 
 Miracles may proclaim the Authority of God, 
 yet the People not favoured with Prodigies, 
 even the moil: -barbarous, and uncivilized Na- 
 tions, have upon fure Principles concurred in 
 the Acknowledgment of a Deity from his 
 many wonderful Operations upon the Earth, 
 and from thofe glorious Orbs, the Sun, the 
 Moon, and the Stars of Light -, which, unin- 
 telligent themfelves, ferve the Purpofes of a 
 mofl: confummate Wifdom, dividing the Day 
 from the Night, and bringing about Winter, 
 and Summer, Seed Time, and Harveji. Hence 
 St. Paul declares, that (a) God never left him- 
 felf without Witnefs ; but that the invifble 
 Things of him from the Creation of the World 
 are clearly feen, being underjlood by the Things, 
 that are made, even his eternal Power, and 
 Godhead. 
 
 Thus Nature itfelf difcovers, that Man 
 does not live in a fatherlefs World, but is the 
 Child of Him, who (b) is mighty in Strength, 
 and Wifdom, and whofe (c) tender Mercy is 
 over all his Works. — Gratitude, and Intereft 
 confpire in prompting him to give Thanks 
 for every Expreflion of Kindnefs, to implore 
 
 (a) Afts 14.17. (b) Job 36. 5. (t) Pfal. 145. 9. 
 
 the
 
 (9) 
 
 the Supply of prefent, and future Wants, 
 and to obtain his Favour (the only Means of 
 Glory and Happinefs) by all poffible Inftances 
 of Duty ; that fo, when God takcth aivay his 
 Breath at the End of a Life fpent according 
 to his Will, the pious Son may be tranflated 
 to a better Inheritance. — Now from the pa- 
 ternal Goodnefs of God it may be prefumcd. 
 that he would not leave his Creatures to the 
 hard (if poffible) Tafk of deducing by their 
 natural Abilities a perfect and efficacious Rule 
 of Life ; but would favour them with one 
 by a divine Revelation. But, as an Impoftor 
 may ufurp an heavenly Authority, and cheat 
 the World with lying Wonders -, how mall 
 they difcern between Truth, and Fraud, and 
 diftinguifh the Prophet from the Deceiver ? 
 Afk Reafon. — No fooner is the MefTenger 
 (aid to defcend from Heaven, but me mo- 
 deftly examines his Credentials, and confiders 
 his Claims ; aflured, that a blind Credulity is 
 the Source of endlefs Error, is no Virtue, and 
 merits no Praife. 
 
 Firft, if theMefiage itfelf does not coincide 
 with the natural Idea of the divine Attri- 
 butes, if (a) the Commandment is not holy, jujl, 
 and good-, Reafon not only fufpends Alien t, 
 
 (a) Rom. 7. 12. 
 
 B but
 
 (IO) 
 
 but without Hefitation concludes, that (a) 
 there is a Lie in his right Hand, Or if it 
 contains any thing imporTible in itfelf, or 
 contrary to any certain Truth, whether per- 
 ceived by the Senfes, felf evident, or fairly in- 
 ferred; it cannot be the Embafly of Heaven. 
 The Reprefentation of the fame Thing, as 
 true, and falfe at the fame Time, — true, as 
 it appears to Senfe in Nature, and falfe, as it 
 is offered to Faith in Religion ; — is repug- 
 nant to that Confiftency, and Harmony, which 
 unite fo ftrongly in all the Creator's Works. 
 Such Contradiction belongeth not unto God: 
 Nor can en Angel from Heaven induce a Be- 
 lief of a manifeft Falfhood. 
 
 But if the Meffage is not unworthy of the 
 Divine Nature, and approves itfelf to the 
 Confcience of Man , it is then a fair Pre- 
 emption, yet not an abfolute Certainty, that 
 God has fent it. But farther, if to excellent 
 Precepts the extraordinary Atteftation of Mi- 
 racles is annexed ; Reafon with all Readinefs 
 of Mind receives it, as the Word of God -, and 
 the Prophet, as a Man of God. — The ge- 
 neral Courfe of Nature rolls along with ad- 
 mirable Exaclnefs, and Regularity ; a Series 
 of Caufes acting uniformly, and producing a 
 
 (a) Ifai. 44. 20. 
 
 con-
 
 ( » ) 
 
 conftant Series of Effects. This eftablifhed 
 Order can be interrupted only by the Power, 
 or PermhTion of God. In Him, according to 
 our natural Conceptions of the Rectitude and 
 Perfection of his Nature, Mercy, and Truth 
 are eflentially inherent : And therefore Im- 
 mutability mufl change, before He himfelf 
 can, or will permit inferior Spirits to work 
 Miracles in Confirmation of a Prophet, whom 
 He has not fent; unlefs He empowers his 
 Creatures to difcover the Cheat, and detect 
 the Impoftor. So that a Teacher from God, 
 by performing Works plainly fupernatural, 
 repeatedly and publickly, by curing invete- 
 rate Difeafes with a Word, and raifing the 
 Dead ; — and if farther, after laying down 
 his own Life in ArTurance of his high Preten- 
 fions, he ihould reftore it to himfelf; — by 
 thefe extraordinary Effects he exhibits a claim 
 to a divine Commiffion inconteftable, an Evi- 
 dence only not irrefiftible. — That God mould 
 ufe, or grant his Power to deceive the W T orld, 
 is a blafphemous Suppofition : And it is a 
 grofs Abfurdity to imagine, that the Devil, 
 or his Angels ihould maintain the Caufe of 
 Virtue, and aid in the Subverfion of their 
 
 own Kingdom. 
 
 B 2 In
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 In after-Times when Miracles are ceafed, 
 and the Report of them is conveyed to the 
 Mind, not through Senfe, but by Tefci- 
 mony ; — The Skill, and Fidelity of the Hif- 
 torians, with the Genuinenefs of their Ac- 
 counts, will be Subjects of rational Enquiry. 
 In the Days of the Prophet, Men being com- 
 petent Judges of what they fee with their Eyes, 
 or hear with their Ears, will be at once de- 
 termined in their Opinion. But Poflerity will 
 not praife their Saying, nor build a Faith upon 
 it, unlefs perfuaded, that the Teftifiers of the 
 furprifing Facts were Men of found Heads, 
 and upright Hearts, neither deluded as En- 
 thuiiaus, nor feducing as Impoftors; — and 
 that their Records carry plain Marks of Cre- 
 dibility, — fuch as, being publifhed, when s 
 if falfe, Confutation was eafy, and yet not 
 confuted, though in the hands of fubtle, and 
 violent Opponents, — acknowledged by the 
 Authors, received by their Followers, and 
 allowed too by Adverfaries, — difperfed in 
 great Numbers, and into different Regions, 
 lb as to cut of all Opportunity of mangling, 
 or destroying the Originals, and fubftituting 
 Forgeries, — and moreover diftinguifhed by 
 the Air of the Times, in which they are fup- 
 pofed to be penned, and correfponding in the 
 
 feveral
 
 ( *3 ) 
 
 feveral PafTages alluded to, or quoted by co- 
 temporary, and fucceeding Writers. — Here 
 then I would obferve, that Reafon recom- 
 mends, and approves the Inftitution of Jefus, 
 as a Revelation from Heaven. His Precepts 
 are entirely divine: — The mighty (a) Works, 
 which he did, bear Witnefs of him, that the 
 Father hathj'ent him : — The mighty Works, 
 which if he did not, and the Evangelifls were 
 either deceived, or meant to deceive; — even 
 the Senfe of Multitudes had loft it's Difcern- 
 ment, and the venerable Hiftory of Antiquity 
 is but folemn Romance. 
 
 Especially too, as comparing this with the 
 former Declarations of the Divine Will, (the 
 farther Office of Reafon) there is a mutual 
 Reference to each other; and it explains, im- 
 proves, and completes, whatever (b) God at 
 fundry Times, and in divers Manners fpake in 
 Times pajl by the Prophets, whofe Laws, and 
 Predictions he came mofl eminently to (c) ful- 
 fil. — Thus (d) IVifdom is jujlijied of all her 
 Children. The Characters of the Meffiah are 
 fairly applicable, and therefore were applied 
 by the Difciples of Jefus to the Perfon of their 
 Mailer. Juft before the firft Martyr expired, 
 
 (a) John 5. 36. (h) Heb. I. i. (c) Mat. 5. 17. 
 (d) Luke 7. 35. 
 
 he
 
 ( 1+ ) 
 
 he was difcourfing to this Effect, (a) The elo- 
 quent (b) Apollos, mighty in the Scriptures, 
 by them convinced the Jews. And (c) fre- 
 quent are the Reafonings of the Apoftles, that 
 ye/us was the Cbriji foretold by the Prophets. 
 A Revelation thus deriving it's Origin from 
 Heaven, and given to be the Standard of 
 Faith, and Obedience, is not left to be cor- 
 rupted by the Figments of Tradition, but, as 
 it has been fuggefted, is configned to Wri- 
 ting; that fo it may appear in it's Purity, and 
 Simplicity to remoter!: Ages. Reafon then 
 does not yet become ufelefs. The Serif e of 
 this holy Book, like that of others, is to be 
 investigated by the Underftanding. — Not but 
 that every ingenuous Mind, as Need requires, 
 may expect a fuperior Aid to quicken it's Per- 
 ceptions in the difcovery of Truth; coope- 
 rating with it's Motions, and helping it's In- 
 firmities, but neither thrufting Reafon from 
 it's Station, nor intruding upon the free Agen- 
 cy of Man. It is a Frenzy to expect, that 
 God lhould open our Eyes, that we (d) may 
 fee the wondrous Things of his Law, unlefs, 
 during fome Portions of our Time, we fiudy 
 in it. 
 
 (a) Ads 7. (1) — 18. 24, &c. (c) — 3. 18. 
 — 10. AV — 26. 22, 23, &c. (d) Pf. 1 19. 18. 
 
 And
 
 ( '5) 
 
 And whenever we take the facred Pages in 
 our Hands, the fame ufeful Guide directs us, 
 in order to attain the genuine Signification, to 
 admit no private Interpretation in Oppofition 
 to the whole revealed Will of God ; — to 
 keep in view the particular Aim of the 
 Speaker, or Writer, — together with the 
 Modes, and Cuftoms of the Age, and Coun- 
 try, and his fpecial Applications to the People, 
 to which he is addrefling himfelf ; — to con- 
 fider the Forms of Speech peculiar to every 
 Language, and to check the Flights of Fi- 
 gures ; — to explain Paffages difficult, or ob- 
 fcure, by others more eafy and lefs ambiguous, 
 and to preferve the Coherence of the princi- 
 pal Parts, like the Pillars of a magnificent 
 Temple, flrong, regular, and beautiful. — 
 Through Inattention to thefe Dictates of 
 Reafon, — how have the Words c/Trut/j, and 
 Soberncfs been mifinterpreted, and wrefted to 
 the Purpofes of Error, Confufion, and De- 
 flru&ion ! Some, it is to be feared, from 
 hence renouncing the Faith, whilfl Others 
 have been eftablifhing fuch Principles, as con- 
 tradict, our cleareft Notions, undermining that 
 Morality, which hath immoveable Founda- 
 tions, and defeating the main End, for which 
 
 our
 
 ( i6 ) 
 
 our Saviour came into the World, which was 
 to (a) dejlroy the Works of the Devil. 
 
 With the utmoft Propriety therefore do the 
 Scriptures themfelves allow, and encourage a 
 free, and unprejudiced Ufe of the Under- 
 flanding in Matters of Religion. Some Paf- 
 fages have indeed been appealed to, as op- 
 pofing fuch a Practice. But thofe very Paf- 
 fages mew, how Scripture may be mifunder- 
 flood by injudicious, or perverted by ill-mind- 
 ed Men i — * fince taken with the Context 
 they declare only againft the Abufe, or the 
 Pride, not the fober Ufe of Reafon. This is 
 inculcated in Terms, and recommended in a 
 Manner, One would think, incapable of Tor- 
 ture or Refiftance. Not to mention our Lord's 
 Injunction to his Difciples, — (b) Be ye wife 
 as Serpents ; — nor his Reproof of them, — 
 
 (c) How is it, that ye do not under/land? with 
 other Places, in which the Exercife of Rea- 
 fon is implied, and enforced ; — let it fuffice 
 to obferve, that the Apoftle, who preached 
 the Word of God to the Inhabitants of Be- 
 rea, whofe Praife is recorded, becaufe they 
 (d)fearched the Scriptures, and who (e) rea- 
 
 foned in the Synagogue every Sabbath, per" 
 
 (a) i John 3. 8. (b) Mat. 10. 16. (c) — 16. II. 
 
 (d) Acts 17. II. (e) — 18.4- 
 
 fuading
 
 ( i7) 
 
 JUading the Jews, and the Greeks, — tells hU 
 Corinthians, that he (c) /peaks as unto wife 
 Men, and bids them judge what he /aid-, ex- 
 horting them, in another' Epiftle, to (d) ex- 
 amine them/elves, whether they were in the 
 Faith, He advifes the Ephefians (e) not to 
 be unwife, but under/landing what the Will of 
 the Lord is ; — and the Theffalonians to ( f J 
 prove all Things. So likewife St. Peter en- 
 joins a (g) Readinefs to give an Anfwer to 
 every Man, who afketh a Reafon of the Chri- 
 ftian Hope : And St. John inftructs us (h) to 
 try the Spirits, whether they be of God, left 
 by believing every Spirit we be feduced by 
 the many falfe Prophets, which are gone out 
 into the World. 
 
 Still, after all our Endeavours, we muft 
 not expect to matter every Difficulty. The 
 various Explications of thofe Interpreters, 
 who lived in the earlieft Ages after the A^- 
 poftles, confirm, that there are fome Things 
 hard to be under/hod, and of doubtful Im- 
 port, which cannot be fuppofed to be more 
 eafy, or more clear to us, who live at thi9 
 Diftance of Time, and Place. And where 
 
 (c) i Cor. io. 15. (d) 2 Cor. 13. 5. (e) Eph. 
 5. 17. (f) 1 ThcfT. 5. 21. (g) 1 Pet. 3. 15. 
 (h) i John 4. 1. 
 
 C the
 
 ( »8 ) 
 
 the Letter of Scripture is plain, and it's 
 Meaning obvious j yet fome fuch Articles are 
 there contained, as overpower the Compre- 
 henfion of Human Intellect, and baffle it's 
 mod laboured Application : Articles difclofed, 
 not to excite Curiofity, or raife Wonder only, 
 but to exercife Faith, and ferve the Purpofes 
 of Religion; — though iie moft improved 
 Powers of Man can neither account for, nor 
 explore the Manner of them: — What a won- 
 derful Analogy difplays itfelf in the Works 
 
 and Ways of God ! That (i) all Things 
 
 were made by Him, and that without Him was 
 not any Thing made that was made, is the Voice 
 of univerfal Nature. Yet, Creation ! who 
 can underftand it ? Or, who can penetrate 
 beyond the Surface into the internal ErTence 
 even of the leaft Particle of Matter, which 
 lies continually before us ? The viiible Order 
 and Regularity of Things are inconceivable, 
 if (k) God ruleth not in Jacob, and unto the 
 E?ids of the Earth : Yet, daily Occurrences 
 compel us aftoniflied to confefs, that His 
 (I) Way is in the Sea, and His Path inThe 
 great Waters, and that His Fooijlcps arc not 
 known. Juft fo, though Revelation is clear 
 
 (I) John i. 3. (k) Pfal. 59. 13. (I) Pfcl m 
 
 77. 19. 
 
 and
 
 ( *9) 
 
 and exprefs, the Subject, too fublime for our 
 Faculties, foars far above out of our Sight. 
 — Yet Reafon is not faithlefs. Where Falff. 
 hood appears, Affent, as obferved before, is 
 impoflible. Where it is not evident, the 
 Mind is in a pendulous State, if on the other 
 Hand it does not perceive the Truth of a 
 Proportion. But, though thick Darknefs 
 thus intercepts the View of Man, yet if God, 
 who knoiveth all Things, declareth the Truth 
 in a Myjlery, Reafon humbly acquiefces, and 
 firmly credits the infallible Authority.— I 
 fhall not affect to entertain you with the Rea- 
 fons, why the Deity may be fuppofed thus to 
 bide, as it were, Himfelf, and His Difpenfa- 
 tions from us : Whether the Cafe be, that 
 more ample Difcoveries might overwhelm our 
 Faculties, or anticipate the Progremon re- 
 ferved for another State. Be this as it will : 
 It may calm our eager Enquiries to confider, 
 that Virtue, not Knowledge, is the Tafk of 
 Man ; and that a due Portion of the one, 
 will raife us to fuch a Degree of the other, 
 as is too great and wonderful for us to attain 
 here. Every Thing conducive to this End 
 lies plain and even to the moft ordinary Ca- 
 pacity. The Sacred Volume unfolds every 
 Rule pertaining to Life, and Godlinejs. The 
 
 C2 //,..
 
 ( *>) 
 
 Wifdom unto Salvation is infcribed in fuch 
 Characters, that he who runs may read them. 
 —Of the Depths both of natural, and fuper- 
 natural Knowledge, it may be affirmed, that 
 (m) God underjlandeth the Way thereof, and 
 He knoweth the Place thereof. This is not 
 the Province of Man : To him He faith, 
 (n) The Fear of the Lord, that is Wifdom, 
 and to depart from Evil is Underftanding. 
 
 But to return. The Rules of Revelation 
 beings general muft be applied to particular 
 Adtions by common Judgment. The Nature 
 of Things will not allow the Specification of 
 all poflible Cafes. So furrounded with variety 
 of Circumftances are the Lives of every In- 
 dividual, that, if they fhould be ftated, and 
 they could be ftated only by the Finger of 
 God, the World itfelf could not contain the 
 Books that fhould be written. Thus, Tem- 
 perance and Sobriety are eminent Branches of 
 Duty. But, as a Courfe of Life compatible 
 with thefe Virtues in one Man, may, through 
 Difference of Conftitution, or other Acci- 
 dents, be criminal in another ; fo, Attention 
 and Obfervation are requilite to fix, in fuch 
 Cafe, the Limits of Duty. Charity is the 
 oreat Commandment in the Law of Chrifl : 
 
 o 
 
 (m) Job 28. 23; (n) 28. 
 
 Yet,
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 Yet, this needs not only the Incitement of 
 Senfe to quicken Companion, but the Re- 
 ftraint of Judgment, left Benevolence dege- 
 nerate into Weaknefs. What mould we 
 think of the Man, who, mindful of the Pre- 
 cept of inceflant Prayer, fhould deem him- 
 felf engaged to fpend every Moment of his 
 Life upon his Knees ? Moll: certainly, that 
 he wanted Prudence to cool the Ardour of 
 Devotion, and to teach him, that this Com- 
 mand was fulfilled by a conftant habitual 
 Preparation, and a frequent actual Difcharge, 
 when Time and Place allowed, and other In- 
 ftances of Duty did not interfere. 
 
 But what need of expatiating farther on 
 the ufe of Reafon, when they, who in Words 
 decry, in Fact acknowledge it ? For, to what 
 Principle in Human Nature do thefe fpiritual 
 Men apply themfelves to work Converfions, 
 but to carnal Reafon ; to which, however 
 difparaged, or to Nothing, they muft be un- 
 derstood to fubmit their Appeals. In fhort, 
 — to renounce Intelligence, becaufe we enjoy 
 the Light of the Gofpel, is juft as abliird as 
 it would be to extinguish our Eyes, becaufe 
 we walk in the Mid-Day, in the Glory of 
 the Sun. 
 
 But,
 
 ( ") 
 
 But, left any one mould boafl of Under- 
 ftanding, and give it a Perfection foreign to 
 it, — it muft be remembered, that it is a Fa- 
 culty only, capable indeed of Growth and Re- 
 finement, yet liable too to ruft in Inaction, 
 and fubjecT: to Corruption. Experience has 
 fadly verified, that thefe were but the too 
 natural Events, fhortly after the Monfter Sin 
 feared it's Head, and depraved the Wills of 
 Men. They foon (o) became vain in their 
 Imaginations, intermixing moft erroneous 
 with true Notions of the Divine Nature, and 
 funk, by Degrees, into the moll: fhameful 
 Idolatry, and barbarous Superflition. So that, 
 in few Ages, the Multitude of Men too near- 
 ly refembled Elymas, whofe Eyes once en- 
 joyed the BlefTmg of Sight, but, at the Word 
 of the Apoflle, fp) there fell on him a Mift, 
 and a Darkncfs ; and he ivent about, Jeeking 
 fome to lead him by the HarJ. At different 
 Periods, and in diitant Countries, God raifes 
 up wife Men, and Prophets, to remove the 
 Scales from their Eyes j and at length he 
 lends his Son, to relfore corrupted Truth, 
 and re-enlighten the World with a clear Re- 
 presentation of his Nature, Worfhip, and 
 Service. 
 
 (oj Rom. i. 21. (p) Acts 13. 11. 
 
 Im-
 
 ( 23) 
 
 Immorality treads clofe upon the Heels of 
 Irreligion. The Sacred Hiftorian foon in- 
 forms us, that (q) alll*lefi bad corrupted bis 
 Way upon the Earth: -And the (r) Apoftle gives 
 a terrible Defcription of the Wickcdneis of 
 thofe Times in which the Gofpel appeared. 
 — And how could the contrary be expected ? 
 When Reafon lay neglected, or was unheard, 
 in vain did the ProfefTors of Wifdom deliver 
 wholfome Precepts, and fage Counfels : In 
 vain did they fpeak the Praife, or delineate 
 the Beauty of Virtue, — or even urge Happi- 
 nefs as it's infeparable Attendant. — The Tor- 
 rent of Corruption was only to be flopped by 
 
 the Interpofition of Heaven. The divine 
 
 Reformer therefore defcends, — enforces the 
 Obfervance of his Laws by the moll: awful 
 Sanctions, — and, with a fovereign Authority, 
 commands us to cleanfe ourfelves from all Fil- 
 
 thinefs of Flefo and Spirit, and to abjlain 
 
 from all Appearance of Evil, — to add to Faith 
 Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, 
 and Charity; — to rife through the feveral De- 
 grees of Perfection, till the whole Man is 
 adorned with moral Beauty. The antient 
 Philofophers have exhibited a Sketch, the 
 Out-lines, with the dead Colouring of Vir- 
 
 (q) Gen. 6. 12. (r) Rom. i. 21, isfc. 
 
 tue :
 
 ( 24) 
 
 tuc : A more perfect Artift has added the 
 fine Strokes, and delicate Touches ; and, by 
 a mod exquifite Finifhing, has given Life and 
 Grace to the whole Picture. 
 
 Why mould I mention, that Reafon is in- 
 debted to Revelation for raifing her languid 
 Hope into an ahfolute Certainty of the Effi- 
 cacy of Repentance, and the Aid of Heaven. 
 The Heathen ftrives to quiet his Confcience, 
 and appeafe the Deity, by Purifications, Sa- 
 crifices, and fundry Kinds of fuperftitious 
 Obfcrvances : But, hearing no Anfwer of 
 Peace, his Mind is like the troubled Sea, con- 
 tinually agitated by Hope and Fear. But the 
 Chriftian, upon the Terms of Faith in a Sa- 
 viour, and Repentance towards God, is af- 
 fured of the Remiflion of Sins ; and, in the 
 clear Profpect of Forgivenefs, may (s) re- 
 jcice with Joy unfpcakable, and full of Glory. 
 
 Nay farther, his natural Impotence is 
 
 ftrengthened from above : The Armour of 
 God enables him to fuftain every Prefiure, to 
 repel every Temptation, to fubdue every Cor- 
 ruption. Where Nature would fail, Grace 
 is victorious. She brings her Champion out 
 of every Conflict more than Conqueror, and 
 
 (s) i Pet. i. 8. 
 
 en-
 
 ( 2 5 ) 
 
 enables him finally to triumph over the Devil, 
 tbe JVorld, and the Flejh. 
 
 But I mufl not pafs over in Silence, that 
 however ftrong the Suggeftions of Nature and 
 Reafon are, that there will be a future State, 
 yet their Powers cannot infallibly difcover 
 that moft important, and moft comfortable. 
 Truth to every good Man, — that he will live 
 for ever in Regions beyond the Grave. The 
 State of the World demonftrates, that his 
 Hope is not in this Life only. But are fond 
 Defires, are ardent Longings, are plaufible 
 Conjectures ftrong enough to work a folid 
 Conviction of an Eternity hereafter ? And, 
 fo fwift is every Portion of Duration, fc> dark 
 and full of Horror is the View of Extinc- 
 tion, even at the moft lengthened Diftance, 
 that the gloomy Thought, the difmal Ex- 
 pectation, muft difturb every intermediate 
 Enjoyment, damp every Pleafure, and dimi- 
 nifh even the Blifs of Heaven. What glad 
 Tidings then are thofe, which bring Life and 
 Immortality to Light -, — which declare Man's 
 Title to it ; — which reprefent the Nature of 
 this eternal State, as furpafling all the Powers 
 of Thought, and Language ; — and even it's 
 Degrees of Happinefs urging him to excel 
 in Virtue, by defcribing the Saints above out- 
 D (Inning
 
 ( 2 6) 
 
 fliining each other according to their Attain- 
 ments here, as (t) one Star differeth from 
 another Star in Glory. 
 
 To conclude : Reafon cultivated, and 
 
 confulted, leads Man, by necefTary Steps, to 
 the Maker of all Things ; and teaches him to 
 expect and embrace a Declaration of his Will. 
 If fuch a Declaration is propofed, it exa- 
 mines whether it brings with it the Imprefs 
 of the Deity ; — not admitting it in the Dark, 
 left the Alcoran take place of the Gofpel j — 
 nor yet capricioufly carting its words behind 
 it, (uj left haply it he found even to fight againfl 
 God; — afking fuch Proof as may convince 
 the Underftanding, but not requiring more 
 evidence than the Nature of the Thing will 
 admit of. The divine claim confirmed, it 
 applies itfelf with Modefly and Impartiality 
 to know the DoBrines which be of God ; — 
 not ftarting, becaufe it comprehends not fome 
 Things in his Word, when in his Works 
 every Thing is a Myftery •> — not expecting 
 to gratify a vain Curiofity in Points not ne- 
 cefTary, nay, at prefent, as impofTible to be 
 known, as the Nature of Colours by a Man 
 who is born blind, and thereby betraying it's 
 
 (t) i Cor. 15. 41. (u) Ads 5. 39. 
 
 Weak-
 
 ( 2 7 ) 
 
 Weaknefs, Folly and Prefumption *-~ Ohd to 
 find it's Infirmities healed and it's Defects 
 fupplied, it's Errors prevented or rectified, 
 it's Fears quelled or removed, and it's Hopes 
 
 raifed and extended ; it labours with all 
 
 Diligence to hold it's Supremacy over the Af- 
 fections, and to obferve the Precepts of 
 Heaven j — waiting with Patience for ck>fer 
 Views, and clearer Perceptions, till that great 
 Change comet h, when this and every Power 
 of the Mind may expand, or be enlarged, 
 and Faith will be fwallowed up in Vifion. 
 
 In a Word : — Reafon fuftains, confirms 
 and explains Religion; — which, in it's Turn, 
 fuccours, improves, and embellimes Reafon. 
 
 Let both j therefore, grow together until 
 
 the Hafvejl. When our Lord mall come and 
 rec&an.Y/ith us, he will require the Ufe of 
 both thefe talents. He who faithfully ne- 
 gotiates with them, will thereby fecure to 
 himfelf the Approbation and Reward of his 
 Mailer : Whilft he who hides either of them 
 in the Earth, will fubject himfelf to the tre- 
 mendous Sentence of the unprofitable Ser- 
 vant. When God mall (x) return, and 
 difcern between him that ferveth him, and him 
 
 '*;M.-ii. 3 . 18. 
 
 D
 
 (28 ) 
 
 that ferveth him not, (y) the Wife fiall 
 
 inherit Glory, hut Shame Jhall be the Promo- 
 tion of Fools, 
 
 (y) Prov. 3. 35. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 N 
 

 
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