Chap. II.  eſſential to the Chriſtian Religion  1-9

by which we aſſure ourſelves that God
ſpeaks, and endeavour to underſtand what
he means. And the concluſion of it, is that
aſſent which we give to the truth of a pro-
poſition, becauſe it is contained in the Re-
velation of God; and becauſe we are per-
fectly ſatisfied, that whatever God ſays muſt
be true --Theſe things premiſed, I readily
grant, that reaſon leads us to the principle
of faith. By the pureſt light of our under-
ſtanding we are perſuaded, that whatever
God ſays is true. Reaſon alſo, I freely ac-
knowledge, makes the diſcreation of faith :
becauſe it is that faculty of the mind which
is impreſſed with thoſe characters of Divi-
nity, that are contained in Revelation; and
afterwards inquires, whether ſuch or ſuch
a doctrine be revealed, by examining and
comparing one paſſage of Scripture with
another. But this is all; and reaſon muſt
acquieſce in what God ſays, without pre-
ſuming to call into queſtion the truth or
the propriety of his words, when once their
meaning appears. The contrary diſpoſition
is not divine faith, but an intolerable teme-
rity of a kind of reaſon that would be inde-
pendent on God. We may, therefore, ſafe.
ly conclude, without the imputation of
raſhneſs, that the language of smalcius, in
the paſſage produced, is pregnant with blaſ-
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