Excerpt from Summaries of the Sermons and Discourses: Of Sherlock and Jeremy Taylor

Conclusion - the bad return made for so great a blessing by those who set up reason and nature in opposition to it. The success of such an attempt however will not be greater than its wisdom and piety.

Part II.

Second head considered: religion shown to be founded in the principles of reason and nature, hence it must be formed with a view of securing our future happiness: that therefore is the best religion which will most surely conduct us to the end proposed: the nature of religion enlarged on: eternal happiness out of our own power, it is the gift of God alone: if eternal life therefore be the end of religion, and likewise the gift of God, religion is nothing but the means of obtaining from God this most excellent gift: thus far all religions that have appeared in the world are shown to agree: from this account of the nature of religion, that it is to know the living God and to serve him acceptably, some consequences follow - First, Since to please God, and to act according to the will of God, are but one and the same thing, that must be the most perfect religion which instructs us best in the knowlege of his will: defect of reason and nature in this point of view - Secondly, It is wrong to compare natural religion and revelation together, for the purpose of inquiring which is preferable, for this is to inquire whether we know God's will better than he himself knows it. Since revelation must needs be the surest guide in religion, every man is bound to consider its pretensions when offered to him: this inquiry excluded by those who argue against all revelation, à priori, as inconsistent with God's wisdom. Sum of the argument against revelation à priori stated - viz. that God, having given to us reason, has bound us to obey its dictates, and will judge us by its rule, otherwise he would have given an imperfect rule, which is inconsistent with his wisdom: but, the rule being sufficient, revelation, must be useless and impertinent, and therefore riot derived from God: moreover, as reason and natural religion never yet prevailed universally, it must be supposed that whatever happens in the world is designed by God, and those who have least reason are in that state for which he designed them, it is therefore absurd to suppose a revelation would be given to take them out of that state.

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