A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

But to say, that a man is not to use his reason in finding out the sense and meaning of the propositions wherein the Truths of Religion are represented unto him, and in judging of their truth and falsehood by the Rule of them, which is the Scripture, is to deny that indeed we are men, and to put a reproach upon our mortality, by intimating, that men do not, cannot, nor ought to do that which they not only know they do, but also that they cannot but do. For they do but vainly deceive themselves who suppose or rather dream that they make any determination of what is true or false in Religion, without the use and exercise of their Reason; it is to say they do it as beasts, and not as men; then which nothing can be spoken more to the dishonour of Religion, nor more effectual to deter men from the entertainment of it. For our parts, we rejoice in this, that we dare avow the Religion which we profess to be highly rational; and that the most mysterious Articles of it are proposed unto our belief on grounds of the most unquestionable ⟨p. 365⟩reason, and such as cannot be rejected without a Contradiction to the most Sovereign dictates of that Intellectual nature wherewith of God we are endued. And it is not a few trifling instances of some mens abuse of their Reason in its prejudicate exercise about the things of God, that shall make us ingrateful to God that he hath made us men, or to neglect the laying out of the best that he hath entrusted us with by nature, in his service in the work of Grace. And what course do you your self proceed in? When any thing is proposed unto you concerning Religion, do you not think upon it? doth not your mind exercise about it those first acts of Reason or Understanding which prepare and dispose you to discourse and compute it with your self? do you not consider whither the thing it self be good or evil? and whither the propositions wherein it is made unto you are true or false? do you not call to mind the Rule and measure whereby you are to make a judgement, whither they be so or no? we talk not now, what that Rule is, but only whither you do not make a judgement of the Propositions that are made unto you by some Rule or other, and whither with that judgement, your mind do not assent unto them or dissent from them? Yea is not your judgement which you so make, the assent or dissent of your mind? or what course do you take?

But to say, that a man is not to use his reason in finding out the sense and meaning of the propositions wherein the Truths of Religion are represented unto him, and in judging of their truth and falshood by the Rule of them, which is the Scripture, is to deny that indeed we are men, and to put a reproach upon our mortality, by intimating, that men do not, cannot, nor ought to do that which they not only know they do, but also that they cannot but do. For they do but vainly deceive themselves who suppose or rather dream that they make any determination of what is true or false in Religion, without the use and exercise of their Reason; it is to say they do it as beasts, and not as men; then which nothing can be spoken more to the dishonour of Religion, nor more effectual to deter men from the entertainment of it. For our parts, we rejoyce in this, that we dare avow the Religion which we profess to be highly rational; and that the most mysterious Articles of it are proposed unto our belief on grounds of the most unquestionable