PREFAC E.

R

EASON, in religious matters ftands but an ill chance of being heard, when one part of the public attention is engaged in the gratifications of sense; another bufied in the vifionary purfuits of an overheated fancy; and the reft is fecurely repofing in the cool and venerable fhade of AUTHORITY.

In the tumultuous fcenes of life the voice of Reafon is too weak to be heard, or too difficult to be underftood: In the indulgent anarchy of Fancy her language is too fimple or too fevere to perfuade; but where AUTHORITY bears fway, fhe is ena 3 joined

joined compliance, or reduced to filence.

Thus, we fee, in one quarter fhe is ftared at as a Stranger; in another, she alarms as an Enemy; and in the third, fhe is treated as a Slave. Here indeed, her cafe is at the worft. She may familiarize herself to the fenfual man; fhe may be reconciled to the Vifionary; but, with AUTHORITY, fhe can come to no compofition; tho' fhe be unable to withstand its power. And yet it is against this laft FOE TO REASON that the following fheets are chiefly directed.

But, to vindicate the rights of Reafon in religion appears now fo defperate an adventure to the learned of Oxford, that in a fudden fit of defpair, as it fhould feem, they are for giving up the cause at once, and ridding us of all our labour at a blow. The scheme is to expell REASON out of

a

1 See a fermon called The Chriftian Apology:

the

the province of FAITH and to believe on no other account but because it is thus written: That the DATA for the truths of Revelation are fo flender, that the application of human Reafon to it only makes it totter the more; for that all which human Reafon can do is to furnish out TOPICAL arguments; which as they have two handles, two faces, and two edges, are laid hold on equally by the two Parties; who with the fame eafe and facility turn them against onè another, till the conflict ends in an univerfal fcepticism. The learned Doctor, who has made this important discovery, concludes therefore that human Reafon is that carnal weapon, which the Apostolic men most of all disclaimed; and which it is now

preached before the Univerfity of Oxford at St. Mary's, on Act-funday in the afternoon, July 13, 1755. by Thomas Patten, D. D. Fellow of Corpus-Chrifti College. Published at the request of the Vice-Chancellor, and other Heads of Houfes.

high time, after having done fo much mifchief with it, to throw finally afide.

It may be faid, perhaps, Why fuch refentment against Reafon at this junċture? There is not fo much of it as to be troublesome to any body: and what there is, is not fo well received as to excite envy. But this fhews the difinterestedness of the Projector. And if he may appear ungenerous to take advantage of her prefent low defenfelefs condition, to exclude her from her pretended rights, it is all for the Public good. Be this as it may. For my

own part, I cannot but wish his project good fuccefs. Reafon has fo little befriended me, and I fuppofe it is the cafe of many others, that I am ready to cry out (as a certain person did against something he thought her enemy) Would we were well rid of it. But this fhews us we ought to do nothing rafhly. In my mind, these two projects fhould go hand in hand;

that