3 oo BACON 



into the notions and comprehensions of our reason, and accom- 

 modating his inspirations to the opening of our understanding, 

 as a key is fitted to open the lock. Though, in this respect, we 

 should not be wanting to ourselves : for as God makes use of 

 our reason in his illuminations, so ought we likewise to exer- 

 cise it every way, in order to become more capable of receiving 

 and imbibing mysteries; provided the mind be enlarged, ac- 

 cording to its capacity, to the greatness of the mysteries, and not 

 the mysteries contracted to the narrowness of the mind. 



With regard to inferences, we must know that we have a cer- 

 tain secondary and respective, not a primitive and absolute, use 

 of reason and arguing left us about mysteries. For after the 

 articles and principles of religion are so seated, as to be entirely 

 removed from the examination of reason, we are then permitted 

 to draw inferences from them, agreeable to their analogy. But 

 this holds not in natural things, where principles themselves are 

 subject to examination by induction, though not by syllogism, 

 and have, besides, no repugnancy to reason : so that both the 

 first and middle propositions are derivable from the same foun- 

 tain. It is otherwise in religion, where the first propositions 

 are self-existent, and subsist of themselves, uncontrolled by that 

 reason which deduces the subsequent propositions. Nor is this 

 the case in religion alone, but likewise in other sciences, as well 

 the serious as the light, where the primary propositions are 

 postulated : as things wherein the use of reason cannot be ab- 

 solute. Thus in chess, or other games of the like nature, the 

 first rules and laws of the play are merely positive posulates, 

 which ought to be entirely received, not disputed: but the 

 skilful playing of the game is a matter of art and reason. So, 

 in human laws, there are numerous maxims, or mere placets of 

 law received, which depend more upon authority than reason, 

 and come not into dispute. But, then, for the inquiry, what is 

 not absolutely, but relatively most just herein : viz., in conform- 

 ity with those maxims ; this, indeed, is a point of reason, and af- 

 fords a large field for dispute. Such, therefore, is that second- 

 ary reason which has place in sacred theology, and is founded 

 upon the good pleasure of God. 



And as the use of human reason, in things divine, is of two 

 kinds, so it is attended with two excesses: i. the one, when 

 it too curiously inquires into the manner of a mystery ; 2. the 

 other, when it attributes an equal authority to the inference as 



