10. In matters where reason can afford certain knowledge, that is to be hearkened to.
Thus far the dominion of
faith reaches, and that without any violence or hindrance to reason; which is not injured or disturbed, but assisted
and improved by new discoveries of truth, coming from the eternal fountain of all knowledge. Whatever God hath
revealed is certainly true: no doubt can be made of it. This is the proper object of faith: but whether it be a divine
revelation or no, reason must judge; which can never permit the mind to reject a greater evidence to embrace what
is less evident, nor allow it to entertain probability in opposition to knowledge and certainty. There can be no
evidence that any traditional revelation is of divine original, in the words we receive it, and in the sense we
understand it, so clear and so certain as that of the principles of reason: and therefore Nothing that is contrary to,
and inconsistent with, the clear and self-evident dictates of reason, has a right to he urged or assented to as a
matter of faith, wherein reason hath nothing to do. Whatsoever is divine revelation, ought to overrule all our
opinions, prejudices, and interest, and hath a right to be received with full assent. Such a submission as this, of our
reason to faith, takes not away the landmarks of knowledge: this shakes not the foundations of reason, but leaves
us that use of our faculties for which they were given us.
