SERM. what contrary to it, is a strong Symptom
VIII. of a flavish Mind, and argues the same

Weakness, as it would be to shake off
Reason, or any other part of the Human
Compofition; nay more, for if any
any Prín-
ciple is predominant in Human Nature,
Faith is that Principle; for the World is
govern'd by it, and they themselves too,
who at the fame time difpute against it,
this being an Elaftticity in the mind of
Man, an Endeavour to recover its for-
mer State, however it may be depriv❜d of
it for a certain time. Religion, Philofo
phy, nay even Trade, and every Thing
in Human Life turn upon this Axis; all fe
cular and temporal things being carried on
by Faith in Man, all religious and fpiritual
things by Faith in God; all the Know-
ledge we have from abroad depends upon
a Faith in others, and we must likewife
put a Faith in ourfelves too, and give
every Faculty within us Credit for fo much
Knowledge as we receive from thence.
I do not say this to depreciate Reafon, or
make it less than it is, but only to fhew
that it is not greater, and that there are
other

other Principles in Man, that put in for SERM. at leaft an equal Share with it. In Beings VIII. that are all Mind and Spirit, Reafon may be the Sole Governing Principle; but where there is a mixture of Senfe along with it, it must do as it can, and we ought to reft fatisfied with that Share of it that belongs to fuch a State: However where it is defective, Faith is that Prinple that is to help it out, and give it all the Perfection it is capable of.

But it is faid, that the Religion of Nature or Reason is a plain fimple thing, calculated for the Benefit of all Mankind, which Revelation is not, but only fome-. what thrown in by the Craft of defigning Men, to harafs and perplex Mankind, and make them Slaves and Bigots; and that it is always univerfally the same, whereas Revelation is a precarious, changeable Thing, fubject to Alterations, one thing in one Age, and another thing in another, and therefore cannot be fuppos'd to come from God, who is infinite in Widom, as well as every thing else, and therefore would do nothing that should Ꮓ

want

VIII.

SERM. want any Correction, or Amendment. As to the first part of the Objection, that Reason is a plain fimple thing, calculated for the Benefit of all Mankind, I do not know any one, who denies the Benefit of it, as far as it goes; but that it is calculated for fo univerfal a Benefit as Revelation, is falfe. For the Bulk of Mankind are not provided for in the way of Reason, whatever fome particular People may be, or rather fancy themselves to be; whereas in the way of Faith, where People find Employment for their Eyes and Ears, and the Faculties together, they are all equally provided for; all are capable of the Grounds of Faith, tho' they are not capable of abstracted Reason. As to the Purity and Simplicity of it, I think I have said enough already, and I will only add further, that whenever they talk of this, they must mean not Human Reafon, but Right Reason, or the Reason of God, which is nothing at all to the Purpofe.

Then as to the other Part of the Objection, that Reafon is always univerfally

the

the fame, whereas Revelation is a change- SERM able thing, it is readily granted, that VIII. Right Reason is fo, but the Reafon of Man is not: For the Reafon of one Age and Nature is very different from the Reason of another Age and Nature; nay, the Reafon of one Man is not the fame at different Times. Now where is this Difference in Revelation? How does that alter, or vary? It is the fame now, as it ever has been; only there are different Manifeftations of it at different Times. The Faith of a Christian is not a different thing from the Faith of a Jew, or any other Faith, only as it comprehends, and fwallows up all the reft; i. e. juft as different as the Whole is from its Parts; which Diffeernce is only this, that the Whole is not any one Part more than another, but all the Parts united: So that God did not mend his own Work by making Faith to shine out more at one time than another, for He perfected, and compleated it at once; but the Alteration is in Ourselves, and in our way of apprehending Things: For, being only Creatures of Time in this present State,

Z 2

SERM. State, we fee every thing by Succeffion, VIII. and can fee no more of any thing, than the Portion of Time we take up will admit of.

The whole of the Matter in fhort is this: Liberty confifts in a Power of thinking and acting right; and we are then most free, when nothing hinders us from it: But now Man, as he is an imperfect Creature, muft of course, as far as he is imperfect, want fo much Liberty; i. e. he must be in Proportion a Slave; and the greater this Imperfection is, the greater will be the Slavery of fuch a Being. The Scripture gives us an Account of the Original of this Imperfection, that it was brought into the World by Sin; which the Deift defpifes and ridicules: But then it is easier to laugh at Things than to dif prove them; and this Account must be allow'd to ftand good, till we have a better in the room of it. 'Tis plain, Man could not be made incapable of Error without being made a God at the fame Time; and if he was capable of Error, who can take upon him to prove that he

did