ionally assented to by us.

For tho' Reason cannot from the Evidence of the thing it self induce
our assent to any Proposition, where we cannot perceive the Connexion
of the Ideas therein contain'd; yet if it appears that such a
Proposition was truly reveal'd by God, nothing can be more Rational
than to believe it: since we know that God can neither Deceive, nor be
Deceived: That there are Truths above our Conception, and that God may
(if he so pleases) communicate these to us by Supernatural Revelation.

The part of Reason then, in regard of such a Proposition as this, is,
only to examine whether it be indeed a Divine Revelation: which should
Reason not attest to the Truth of; it is then evidently Irrational to
give, or require assent to it as being so.

And as plainly Irrational must it be to give, or require assent to
any thing as a Divine Revelation, which is evidently contrary to
Reason; no less being herein imply'd than that God has made us so as
to see clearly that to be a Truth, which is yet a Falshood; the which,
were it so, would make the Testimony of our Reason useless to us; and
thereby destroy also the Credit of all Revelation; for no stronger
proof can be had of the Truth of any Revelation than the Evidence of
our Reason that it is a Revelation.

Now if the Christian Religion be very often represented as teaching
Doctrines clearly contrary to Reason; or as exacting belief of what we
can neither perceive the Truth of, nor do find to be reveal'd by
Christ, or his Apostles: And, (what is still more) that this pretended
Divine Religion does even consist in such a Belief as This; so that a
Man cannot be a Christian without believing what he neither from
Arguments or Authority has any Ground for believing; what must the
Natural Consequence of this be upon all whoever so little consult
their Reason, when in riper Years they come to reflect hereupon, but
to make them recal, and suspend, at least, their assent to the Truth
of a Religion that appears to them thus Irrational? since an
Irrational Religion can never Rationally be conceived to come from
God.

And if Men once come to call in question such Doctrines as (tho' but
upon slender Grounds for it) they had received for unquestionable
Truths of Religion, they are ordinarily more likely to continue
Scepticks, or to proceed to an intire disbelief of this Religion, than
to take occasion from hence to make a just search after its Verity:
The want either of Capa