In ascertaining these truths of reason or of inference, as they are called, there are various steps or operations. described under different names. Thus we have (1) Deduction, or Syllogism; (2) Induction; and (3) Gen- eraUzation of notions, of which Abstraction and Defini- tion are various phases. These are well represented by their several designations. The nature of the function or faculty denominated Reason, or the Reasoning Facul- ty, can be explained by showing how it results from the fundamental powers of the intelligence.
There is another .and peculiar signification attached to the word reason, growing oul of the philosophy of Kant i q. v.), which maintains a distinction between rea- son and understanding, the latter being that faculty called by the Greeks vou£, and by Hamilton called the "Regulative Faculty." Chambers's Encyclop.s. v. See 1 leming and krauth. Vocab. of Philosophy, s. v.
REASON, Use of, in Religion. The sublime, incomprehensible' nature of some of the Christian doc- trines has so completely suhducd the understanding of many pious men as to make them think it presumptu- ous to apply reason in any way to the revelations of God; and the many instances in which the simplicity of truth has been corrupted by an alliance with philoso- phy confirm them in the belief that it is safer. as well as more respectable, to resign their minds to devout im- pressions than io exercise their understandings in any speculations upon sacred subjects. Enthusiasts and fa- natics of all different names and sects agree in decrying
the use of reason, because it is the very essence o| fanat- icism to sulistifule. in place of the sober deductions of
reason, the extravagant fancies of a disordered imagina- tion, and to consider these fancies as the immediate illu- mination ofthe Spirit of (iod. Insidious writers in the deistical controversy have pretended to adopt those seii- of humility and reverence which are insepara- 1 luistians, and even that total subjection of reason to faith which characterizes enthusiasts. A
pamphlet was published about the middle of the last
century thai made a noise in its day, although ii is now forgotten, entitled Christianity ift Founded on Argu- ment, which, whili to a careless reader it may seem to magnify the Gospel, does in reality lend to undermine
our faith by Separating it from a rational assent; and Mr. Hume, in the spiril of this pamphlet, concludes his Essay on Miracles with calling those dangerous friends or disguised enemies to the Christian religion who have
undertaken to defend it by the principles of human rea- son. "Our most holy religion," lie says, with a disin- genuity very unbecoming his respectable talents, --is founded on faith, not on reason;" and -mire reason is insufficient to convince us of its veracity." The Church of Koine, in order to subject the minds of her votaries to Iter authority, has reprobated the use of reason in matters of religion. She has revived an ancient posi- tion, that things may be true in theology which arc false in philosophy; and she lias, in some instances. male the nieril of faith to consist in the absurdity of
that which was believed.
The extravagance of these positions has produced, since the Reformation, an opposite extreme. While
those who deny the truth of revelation consider reason as in all respects a sufficient guide, the Socinians, who admit that a revelation ha- be. n made, employ reason as the supreme judge of its doctrines, and boldly strike out of their creed every article that is not altogether conformable to those notions which may be derived from the exercise o| reason. These controversies con- cerning the use of reason in matters of religion are dis- putes, not about words, but about the essence of Chris- tianity. Bui a few plain observations are sufficient to ascertain where the truth lies in this subject.
The first use of reason in matters of religion is to ex- amine the evidences of revelation; for. the more entire the submission which we consider as due to everything that is revealed, we have the more need to be satisfied that any system which professes to lie a divine revelation does really come from (hid. See Faith ani> Re VSON.
After the exercise of reason has established in our minds a firm belief that Christianity is of divine ori- gin, the second use of reason is to learn what are the truths revealed. As these truths are not in our days communicated to any by immediate inspiration, the knowledge of them is to be acquired only from hooks transmitted to us with satisfying evidence that they were written above seventeen hundred years ago, in a remote country and foreign language, under the direc- tion of the Spirii of (hid. In order to attain the mean- ing of these I ks, \\c must study the language in which
they were written; ami we must study, also, the man- ners ofthe times and the state ofthe countries in which the writers lived, becau-e these arc circumstances to which an original author i~ often alluding, and by which his phraseology is generally affected ; we musl lay to- gether different passages in which the same word or phrase occurs, because w ii hout this labor we cannot ob- tain its precise signification ; and we mnsl mark the dif- ference of style and manner which characterizes differ- ent writers, because a right apprehension of their mean- ing often depends upon attention to this difference. All this supposes the application of grammar, history, geog- raphy, chronology, and criticism in matters of religion — that is. it supposes that the reason of man had been pre- viously exercised in pursuing these different branches of knowledge, and thai our success in attaining the true sense of Scripture depends upon the diligence with which we avail ourselves of the progress thai has been made in them. It is obvious thai every Christian is not capable of making this application. But this is no argument against the use of reason, of which we are now speaking; for they who use translations and commen- taries rely oiih upon the reason of others instead of ex- ercising their own. The several branches ol knowledge