Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

ther is it not demonftrably true, that by a SERM. proper Submiffion to the Understanding of XV. others, you have not only your own, but the Benefit of others at the fame Time? Whereas upon the other Hand, the Lofs is very confiderable, for the lefs Credit we give to others, the lefs Benefit shall we receive from them. And indeed a Man that will give no Man Credit but himself, ought according to his own Principles to relinquish all manner of Claim to any Benefit arising from the Maxims, Rules, Precepts, or any Sort of Knowledge whatfoever that comes from abroad. Let him give back all Con- ' clufions, which the Induftry of Ages has already form'd to his Hands, and fee when he will be able to acquire the ten millionth Part of them by his own. A Being thus bereft of all his acquired Knowledge, cut off from all Benefit to be had from his Fellow-Creatures, left deftitute of every foreign Help, would never arrive at any Truth, because that which could afcertain him of it, the concurring Judgment of his Fellow-creatures, would be wanting.

But perhaps it will be faid, that tho' it be proper to submit to others, as to what we have to fay, yet it will not be right to put a Faith in them, 'till they convince the Reafon, i. e. tho' their Judgments fhall be of fome Weight, yet they fhall be allow'd to weigh nothing at all. In anfwer to this, let it be obferved, that when the Reason is Sf

con

SÉR M. convinc'd, Faith has nothing to do, for XV. 'tis Nonfenfe to talk of Faith, when we expect Demonftration. Indeed were we all Reafon, 'twould be right for all Application to be made to that Faculty, but fince we are likewife compounded of Senfe as well as Reason, and have a Faith alfo arifing out of it, and it was given us to fupply the Defects of Reafon; where there is a proper Demand for it, 'tis unreasonable not to comply with it.

If it be ask'd how far we must submit and give Credit: I anfwer as far as their Character requires, but to require the very Point is childish. You may as well ask, where one Colour begins, and another ends in the Rainbow. Thefe are Points, tho' not to be fix'd by any Rule, yet Nature knows where to find that out, and after all the Stir that fome make about thefe Things, every one does more or lefs fubmit, and the bet ter his Difpofition is, the nearer he comes to this Point.

The Child obeys his Parents, Governors and Masters, and, when he is grown up, fees the Reafon for fo doing, and enjoys the Benefit of it. The Man of Trade and Bufinefs gives Credit, well knowing that Trade cannot fubfift without it, and the fame holds good likewife in all other Parts of Life. And now fhall every Thing have the benefit of Faith, but Religion? whatever Reason will juftify a Faith in any one,

will

will conci much more frongly in favour SERM. of those Doctrines that are manifeftly reveal- XV. ed to us, and of contèquence must be the Standard of divine Truth. From what has been faid, it appears, that as they are Depths which the Line of human Rcafon is not able to fathom, every modeft Searcher after Truth fhould take in all thofe Helps and Affiftances, which the Goodnefs of God has offer'd, and every Man in Prudence must accept of, for we are not, according to St. Paul, fufficient, of our Selves, to think any Thing of our felves, fo as to make our private Judgment an infallible Guide in matters of Religion, but our Sufficiency is of God, who hath abundantly provided for our Weakneffes and Wants. How prepofterous and abfurd is it then to defpife Authority, or even to give up the general Judgment of Mankind to our own Fancies and Opinions. Thofe that will allow nothing to be put in the Scale against their Vanity and Prefumption, muft in juftice to their own Principles expect but little regard to be paid to them, the fame measure they mete, will be measured to them again. What will be the Confequence of fuch incoherent Syftems of Divinity, where every Man must dictate, and judge as he pleafes, according to his own Humour and Fancy? at this rate, every Thing that is ufeful and beneficial must be given up, to make room for Confufion and every evil Work. There Sf2

is

SERM. is no Intent to debar Men the ufe of Rea XV. fon in matters of Religion, as if they were inconfiftent to one another; neither is there any Occafion, that the one shall be taken and the other left, they both come from the fame Fountain, derive their Being from the Father of Light, with whom is no Variableness, neither Shadow of turning. Tis a commendable Employment, and as fuch, is recommended by the Example of the Bereans, to fearch the Scriptures, to fee whether the Things were fo, as were reprefented to them; and next to them, are those able Minifters of the of the new Teftament, who without fome Proof, ought not to be fufpected of a Defign to impofe upon o ther People. Our Reafon is fcanty, and when we lean too much upon it, 'tis apt to deceive us, and as we have other Guides to come into our Affiftance, can we in prudence turn our Backs upon them, or be fo ungrateful as to fay, I have no need of you? Twas a Reflection of our Saviour upon the anbelieving Jews in his Time, and what the calls their Condemnation, That Light is come into the World, and Men loved Darknefs rather than Light, because their Deeds were evil.

[ocr errors]

ECA

BOD

THE EN D.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »