rit is of more Advantage to a true Believer, than the utmost Reach, and deepest Penetration of Judgment; and that Simplicity of Faith is vaftly more worth than all the Splendor of Science: Because, indeed, the Works of God, which bear the nobleft Character of his Power and Greatnefs, are thofe which leaft fall under our Discovery; and therefore nothing can be more just, than to humble our Reason, and to fubject it to the Rule of eternal Reafon; especially, fince there's no Science whatsoever, that do's not require a previous Submiffion, in order to the Establishment of its first Principles. But is it reafonable, that we fhould allow a Sort of Tyranny to be exercis'd over our Mind and Opinion, in Matters indifferent, and that we should, at the fame Time, challenge an abfolute Freedom as to the Subjects of Religion! Descartes tells us very incomprehenfible Things,and fuch as court us with no manner of Intereft or Advantage,and we believe him upon his Word: God Almighty propounds to us Myfteries that are every Way confiftent and credible, and are accompanied with the Promise of eternal Life, and shall we refuse to believe him?

V.

After that Reason has been taught to keep its proper Place, and to fubmit to Revelation, Philofophy, which is its Rule and Guide, may affift it in uttering its Conceptions. This is the firft Ufe of Philofophy in Religion. And by this means it comes to pafs, that Religion, in explaining it felf by the Decifions of Councils and Fathers, and the Mouth of Doctors and Divines, has been accuftom'd to make Ufe of the Ariftotelian Method; because these Councils and Fathers, thefe Doctors and Divines, have follow'd the fame Method; Anatolius, Bishop of Laodicea, S. Ferom, S. Austin, Theodoret, Didimus

of

of Alexandria, Boethius, S. John Damafcen, first introduc'd the Philofophy of Ariftotle into the Service of the Chriftian World, which was continu'd by the chief Fathers and Divines in the fucceeding Ages of the Church. Among whom Aquinas fignaliz'd him felf beyond all Comparifon. For this great Doctor, the moft accurate of the Schoolmen, found fo much true Solidity in Ariftotle's Way of Reafoning, that he thought the most holy Mysteries of our Religion would not be better exprefs'd or defended, than in the Terms, and upon the Maxims of this Philofophy. Not that Aquinas, or his Succeffors in the Schools, had any the leaft Defign to build and fufpend the Truth of Chriftianity upon that of the Peripatetick Philofophy, as fome would fuggeft; but they thought this Doctrine, if rightly applied, might ferve indirectly to the establishing the Principles of Faith, after the Use of it had been confirm'd and regulated by the Experience of fo many Ages. And tho' our Religion is not founded upon human Reafonings, but purely upon the Simplicity of chriftian Belief, which is ever oppofite to the Weakness and Corruption of Man's Underftanding; yet 'tis lawful to inforce our Faith with all the auxiliary Strength of rational Arguments, when it has once afferted its Superiority over Reason. Thus God himself whofe Prerogative it is to bring Light out of Darkness, Speaks to us by the Voice of Men, an Inftrument beft proportion'd to the Weakness of our Capacity, yet fuch as do's not impair the Dignity of Him who is pleas'd to use it. The lowest and meanest of Creatures, are, as it were, fo many Mouths, publishing the Holinefs and Glory of the Creator; the moft ftupid and dumb Things in Nature do fome way or other instruct

us

us in the Knowledge of Nature; and fhall the Reafons, the Terms and Expreffions of Ariftotle, be voted useless in religious Subjects, becaufe they are borrow'd from a Pagan Writer? Have we good Caufe to be afraid of afferting our facred Mysteries in thefe Forms, and with thefe Diftinctions, when Aquinas, fo exact a Follower of the Fathers and Councils, has scarce made Ufe of any others? Let us continue the Method which this great and good Man has authoriz'd by his Example, and in which he has been imitated by all the eminent Divines fince his Days. And whatsoever Overtures may be made, let us never give the Enemies of the Church that Satisfaction, as to fee her change her Language at the Pleafure of certain upstart and modish Philofophers.

VI.

Nor may Philofophy be only ferviceable to Religion, in fupplying it with Terms and Expreffions, but may likewise affift it with a Method of Reasoning. For tho' the Reason of a Christian ought to fubmit to his Faith, yet it fhould be able to give an Account of its Submiffion by Inftructing thofe that are ignorant of his Faith, and refuting those that oppofe it. And Ariftotle's Method being the most folid of all that have ever been invented, (as was before obferv'd in the Reflections upon Logick) Aquinas chose to make Ufe of this, in preference to all others, as the most proper for the Subversion of Error, and the Establishment of the Truth. It is this excellent Method that has rendred our Religion fo impregnable to all the Innovators of these latter Times, who not being able to refifts its Force, have attempted to invalidate its Authority, by declaiming against the Schoolmen, and much more against Ariftotle, whofe Method had

been

in Hiftor.

Nichol. been thus adopted by the Schools. The AnaBlefdik. baptifts, who fwarm'd in the northern Parts, beDavid. gan to decry the Ufe of all Philofophy in geneGeorg. ral, and alledg'd the Words of S. Paul to the Co

loffians, for the Prohibition of it in all their Seminaries. For nothing is indeed fo proper, either for the Supporting of Truth, or for the Detection of thofe falfe Reafonings under which Error is wont to disguise it felf, as this Ariftotelian Method. And therefore, the University of Paris, which has ever appear'd fo zealous in the Defence of the Faith, in the Year MDCXI folemnly reviv'd and reinforc'd that ancient Rule, which oblig'd the Profeffors, ftrictly to teach Ariftotle's Philofophy, and to obferve the most useful Manner of teaching it. And what can be faid more for the Glory of Ariftotle's Doctrine, than that it has been as conftantly approv'd and recommended by the Fathers and orthodox Profeffors, who were best acquainted with it, as it has been inceffantly reviled and condemn'd by Hereticks, and by all the Enemies of Religion?

VII.

Befides thofe Terms, and that Method of reafoning which Religion may derive from Philofophy, as the Rule of its Thoughts, and the Organ of its Words, it may from the fame Store be furnish'd with Arguments and Motives to arm its Defenders, and difarm its Oppofers. It was Philofophy that first adventur'd to open the great Book of the Univerfe to the Eyes of the Learned and of the Ignorant, and by the Beauty of the Creatures to inftruct all the Nations of the Earth in the Power and Majefty of the Creator. It was Philofophy that by its excellent Lessons rais'd up the Mind of Man from the Contemplation of these Wonders, to the Knowledge

Cali enar

Knowledge of their great Origin and Principle, by difplaying the Caufe of fo many admirable Effects. It was Philofophy that rendred Man capable of hearing that Voice of the Heavens and the Stars, which publishes the Greatness of God, and declares his Glory. It was by the wonderful Succeffion of Day and Night, by the uniform and conftant Return of Seafons, by the Order and Harmony of the rant glori Elements, and of all the Parts which compofe am Dei. the general Syftem, that this Science of Na- Pf. XIX. ture, proclaim'd, as by Sound of Trumpet, the Divinity of the Almighty Author, while it pointed out the Traces and Footsteps of his perfect Work. It was this that engaged Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato, and Ariftotle, the most folid Genius's of all Antiquity, to acknowledge the Unity of the Divine Nature, of which they were convinc'd by one visible Argument, the Contemplation of the great Theater of the World. But the fame Reflection which ascertain'd these great Men of fo important a Truth, ferv'd only to baffle and confound the Pride of certain minute Philofophers, who, as St. Paul speaks, became vain in their Ima- Rom. 1 gination, and their foolish Heart was darkned, profeffing themselves to be Wife, they became Fools; in as much as they afcrib'd to the Creature the Honour and Worship which was only due to the Creator, by the perverted Ufe of their Rea- Appetitor fon and Philofophy, and by studying Nature artis, de without a juft Regard to its Author. This was fertor artificis, the Cafe of Epicurus, who pretended, that the comple&tionly Service of natural Knowledge was to al- tur fpeci lay thofe Fears that arose in the Mind from re- em, cujus ligious Impreffions. On the contrary, Plato non mira turn'd all his Science of Nature into a Demon- rem. stration of the Existence of God, and

tur auto

main- Euch.Ep. tain'd ad Val