Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

We have, indeed, in this Section, as fair a flourish of words as in any other; but, there can be but little reason in the words that men make use of, to plead against Reason it self. And yet I am persuaded▪ most Readers think as well of this […] as any in the Book. To whom the un•easonableness of this is evident, that of the others is so also; and those who willingly imbibe the other parts of his Discourse, will little strain at this. Nothing is to be trusted unto Prejudice. Nor, if we will learn, are we to think strange of any thing. Let us weigh then impartially, what is of Reason in this Discourse against the use of Reason. What ever he pretends, he knows full well, that he hath no difference with any sort of Protestants about finding out a Religion by Reason, and adhering only to its dictates in the Worship of God. All the World of Protestants profess, that they receive their Religion wholly by Revelation from God, and ⟨p. 190⟩no otherwise; Nor is it about ascribing a Sovereignty to Reason to judge of the particulars of Religion so Revealed, to accept or refuse them, according as that shall judge them suitable, or not, to its principles and liking. This is the Sovereign dictate of Reason, That whatever God reveals to be believed, is true, and as such must be embraced, though the bottom of it cannot be sounded by Reason's line; and that because […] reason of a man is not absolutely reason▪ but being the reason of a man, is variously limited, bounded, and made defective in its ratiocinations. An objective Truth our Reason supposes▪ all that it hath to do, is but to judge of what is proposed to it according to the best Principles that it hath; which is all that God in that kind requires of us; unless in that work wherein he intends to make us more then men, that is, Christians, he would have us make our selves less then Men, even as Brutes. That in our whole obedience to God, we are to use our Reason, Protestants say indeed; and moreover, that what is not done reasonably, is not Obedience. The Scripture is the Rule of ⟨p. 191⟩all our Obedience, Grace the Principle enabling us to perform it; but the manner of its performance must be Rational, or it is not the supposition of Rule or Principle that will render any act of a man, Obedience.