378 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



other side interdicteth argument altogether : the one having 

 the very face of error, and the other of imposture: whereas 

 the Faith does both admit and reject disputation with 

 difference. 



The use of human reason in religion is of two sorts ^ the 

 former, in the conception and apprehension of the mysteries 

 of God to us revealed ; the other, in the inferring and 

 deriving of doctrine and direction thereupon. The former 

 extendeth to the mysteries themselves ; but how ? by way 

 of illustration, and not by way of argument. The later 

 consisteth indeed of probation and argument. In the former 

 we see God vouchsafeth to descend to our capacity, in the 

 expressing of his mysteries in sort as may be sensible unto 

 us ; and doth grift his revelations and holy doctrine upon 

 the notions of our reason, and applieth his inspirations to 

 open our understanding, as the form of the key to the 

 ward of the lock ; for the later, there is allowed us an use 

 of reason and argument secondary and respective, although 

 not original and absolute. For after the articles and prin- 

 ciples of religion are placed, and exempted from examination 

 of reason, it is then permitted unto us to make derivations 

 and inferences from and according to the analogy of them, 

 for our better direction. In nature this holdeth not ; for 

 both the principles are examinable by induction, though 

 not by a medium or syllogism ; and besides, those principles 

 or first positions have no discordance with that reason which 

 draweth down and deduceth the inferior positions. But 

 yet it holdeth not in religion alone, but in many know- 

 ledges both of greater and smaller nature, namely wherein 

 there are not only posita but placita ; for in such there can 

 be no use of absolute reason. We see it familiarly in 

 games of wit, as chess, or the like ; the draughts and first 

 laws of the game are positive, but how? merely ad placitum, 

 and not examinable by reason ; but then how to direct our 

 play thereupon with best advantage to win the game, is 

 artificial and rational. So in human laws there be many 

 grounds and maxims which are placita juris, positive upon 

 authority and not upon reason, and therefore not to be dis- 

 puted : but what is most just, not absolutely, but relatively 



