JL WO of the greatest, faithfullest, and most intimate friends in the world, reason and conscience, command me here, in their names, courteously to salute and invite you in.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. 471
They earnestly desire three or four hours serious and private con- ference with you, about some very important personal concerns of yours, which cannot admit of denial, or long delay. And if you make any trifling excuses, they have commanded and instructed me, here to answer them.
In case of absolute and obstinate refusal to hear them, they order me to tell you ; if you will not talk with me now, they will talk with
}^ou shortly, whether you will or no. If you say, you are not now at eisure, having other business to do ; they both desire you to consi- der, Firsts You can have no business in the world of equal import- ance with theirs. Secondly^ That whatever other lawful affairs you are pursuing, their business with you will no way obstruct, but greatly promote it. And, lastly^ That a greater person than any of you, lost his life, by pocketing up a letter at night, saying, To-morrow is a new day ; and it proved to him indeed dies novissima, his last day ; he losing by that neglect the only opportunity of living longer.
If you demand, how your reason came to be bound up in this little book, and say, that which is reason to this author, may be folly and nonsense to you : I am bid to tell you, you are obliged first to read and compare ; else your own reason will presently call it your own folly and nonsense, so to pronounce. Sound reason is uniform, and like itself all the world over. It is true, laws and dictates equally oblige one, as another, in like cases and circumstances.
If you say, there have been some jars and disgusts betwixt you and your reasons and consciences ; you and they have fallen out so oft, that you have no great fancy to come near them in private, for you expect nothing but harsh and chiding language from them ; and therefore are fain, by continual diversions, and quick successions of business, to maintain your peace, by keeping at as great a distance from them as you can.
It is their desire you should here know, Firsts That their debates with you will be as calm and friendly, as they are seasonable and ne- cessary. Secondly, That they profess (and you may believe them) they neither do, nor can design any thing but your good. Thirdly^ That that person is certainly in a very bad case, that cannot endure to converse with himself. Fourthly, That you herein deny a civility to your own reasons and consciences, which you daily pay to stran- gers and inferiors. And, in a word, that they desire a reconcihation with you upon as fair and honourable terms as can well be desired : and that this being done, they will both stick faithfully by you in all the troubles and dangers of your lives, and follow you as your inseparable friends, into any thing but sin.
If you say, this is but a wheedle, to draw you into a book, that will make you melancholy, and perhaps mad.
It is their sense and judgment, that of all men living, you have least reason to pretend the one or the other, in this case : for they are very confident, you are now in the most melancholy circumstances men
472 THE EEASONABLENESS OF TERSOXAL REFORMATION.
can ordinarily be on this side hell. And for madness they desire tcr know, what you yourselves would call that man, that is running with' such poste-haste to hell, as will not admit of two or three hours stop upon the road, to prove himself to be no madman, but in his right mind and wits?
Moreover, they command me to inform you, it is their desire, that seeing their debates with you will neither be tiresome nor impertinent, you will please to hear them out what they have to say to you: and then, if you shall find cause to complain, that your pleas and excuses are not fairly drawn, or that you have new matter to furnish a better apology; they are both content you shall have your liberty to amend, or add what you please ; and if they be not able to refute them, they will give you no furtlier trouble or interruption in your course.
This, Gentlemen, is what I have in charge to say to you in the porch ; and now, if you please, the door is open : you may be as private as you will. They will attend you to your bed-chamber, or closet ; and I heartily wish an happy issue to this friendly debate.
The introduction and state of the case.
§ 1 . jKe ASON exalts man above all earthly beings ; it is his dig-- nity and privilege, that God hath furnished him with abilities of mind, to recollect, animadvert, compare, infer, ponder, and judge his own actions. Hereby he becomes not only capable of moral govern- ment by human laws, (which no creature beside him is) but also of spiritual government by divine laws, and the blessed fruition of God in glory, which no other species of creatures (angels only excepted)^ have a subjected capacity for.
Right reason, by the law of nature, (as an home-born judge) arbi- trates and determines all things within its proper province ; which province is extended far and wide. All actions, natural, moral, and civil, are weighed at this beam and standard ; none are exempted, but matters of supernatural revelation ; and yet even these are not wholly and in every respect, exempt from right reason : for though there be some mysteries in religion above the sphere and flight of reason : yet nothing can be found in religion, that is unreasonable.
And though these mysteries be not of natural investigation, but of supernatural revelation; yet reason is convinced, nothing can be more reasonable, than that it takes its place at the feet of faith ; which is but to suffer itself to become pupil to an omniscient and infalliblo
THE REASONABLENESS OF PERSONAL REFORMATION. 475
ihstructor. The resolution of our reason into faith, and of faith into God's veracity, are acts highly becoming reasonable beings in such cases as these.
It may not pry too nicely into unrevealed mysteries, demand the reasons, or examine the causes of them as bold and daring Socinians do ; but it feels itself obliged to receive all those things, both as possi- ble and true, which God hath revealed, counting his revelation alone to be reason sufficient. For the veracity of God takes out of reason's mouth all objections against the truth of them ; and his almighty- power silences all its scruples against the possibilit}' of them.
But in all matters properly under the jurisdiction of reason, every man is obliged to account with himself, as well as others, for the rea- sonableness of his own actions ; and that act which will not endure the test of sound reason, it judges not fit for the entertainment of man. If reason cannot justify it, it is beneath the rank and dignity of a man to do it.