I have made this digression for the sake of those, who think great devotion to be _bigotry_ and _poorness_ of _spirit_; that by these considerations they may see, how _poor_ and _mean_ all other _tempers_ are, if compared to it: that they may see all worldly attainments, whether of greatness, wisdom, or bravery, are but _empty sounds_; and there is nothing _wise_, or _great_, or _noble_, in an _human spirit_, but rightly to _know_, and heartily _worship_ and _adore_ the great God, that is the _support_ and _life_ of all spirits, whether in _heaven_, or on _earth_.
An extract from the Rev. Mr. LAW’s LATER WORKS.
An extract from the Case of Reason, or Natural Religion, fairly and fully stated. In answer to a book, entitled _Christianity as Old as the Creation_.
_The Introduction, shewing the state of the Controversy._
THE infidelity which is now openly declared for, pretends to support itself upon the _sufficiency_, _excellency_, and _absolute perfection_ of reason, or natural religion.
The author with whom I am engaged, makes no attempt to invalidate the _historical evidence_ on which Christianity is founded; but by arguments drawn from the nature of God, and natural religion, pretends to prove that no religion can come from God, which teaches any thing more than that, which is fully manifest to all mankind by the _mere light_ of nature.
His chief principles may be reduced to these following propositions.
1. That human reason, or natural light, is the _only means_ of knowing all that God requires of us.
2. That reason, or natural light, is so full, sufficient, plain, and certain a rule in all religious duties, that no external divine revelation can add any thing to it, or require us to believe or practise any thing, that was not as fully known before. A revelation, if ever made, can only declare those very _same_ things _externally_, which were before equally declared by the _internal_ light of nature.
3. That this must be the case of natural and revealed religion, unless God be an arbitrary being. For if God be not an arbitrary being, but acts according to the reason and nature of things; then he can require nothing of us by revelation, but what is already required by the nature and reason of things. And therefore, as he expresses it, _reason and revelation must exactly answer one another like two tallies_¹.
¹ Page 60.
4. That whatever is at any time admitted as matter of religion, that is not manifest from the reason of the thing, and plainly required by the light of nature, is gross superstition.
5. That it is inconsistent with the divine perfections, to suppose, that God can by an external revelation give any religious knowledge, at _any time_, to _any people_, which was not equally given at _all_ times, and to _all_ people.
This is the state of the controversy. As to the railing accusations, which this author pours out, at all adventures, upon the clergy, I shall wholly pass them over; my intention being only to appeal to the reason of the reader, and to add nothing to it, but the safe, unerring light of divine revelation.