Page 136
Sect. 4.
[A man may have a revelation of many things above, but of nothing against natural reason.] This seems to be flat against the excellency of that Faith,* 1.1 for which the Father and patterne of the faithfull is commended by St. Paul, Rom. 4.18. who, speaking of Abraham, saith, Who against (not onely above) hope, beleeved in hope; where in expresse terms the Apostle overthrows his distinction; for against hope (must be against that hope, which natural Reason could give him) he beleeved in the promise which God made; in Faith as it was with him, so it must be with us. It is said in the following verse, that he considered not his own body now dead, nor the dead∣nesse of Sarahs womb; so must we not consider our im∣possibility in things delivered by God, how they oppose our reason, but beleeve, without thought of nature or rea∣son for it, yea though it be against our reason; and there∣fore it is most appositly phrased by St. Paul in the first and last Chapters to the Romans, Obedience unto faith; men must captivate their Reason to the revelations of God, and, not considering what Reason saith against it, submit to it. Thus I think, in those cases where the in∣struments of forming a Religion doe propose any thing though contrary to our reason, or contradictory in our ap∣prehension, we ought to submit to it, although not, in those cases, to these who have the government in Reli∣gion, when it is once formed.