As Reason is a Rebel unto Faith, so Passion unto Reason: As the Propositions of Faith seem absurd unto Reason, so the Theorems of Reason unto Passion, and both unto Reason; yet a moderate and peaceable discretion may so state and order the matter, that they may be all Kings, and yet make but one Monarchy, every one exercising his Soveraignty and Prerogative in a due time and place, according to the restraint and limit of circumstance. There is, as in Philosophy, so in Divinity, sturdy doubts and boisterous Objections, wherewith the unhappiness of our knowledge too nearly acquainteth us. More of these no man hath known than my self, which I confess I conquered, not in a martial posture, but on my Knees. For our endeavours are not only to combat with doubts, but always to dispute with the Devil: the villany of that Spirit takes a hint of Infidelity from our Studies, and by demonstrating a naturality in one way, makes us mistrust a miracle in another. Thus having perused the _Archidoxes_ and read the secret Sympathies of things, he would disswade my belief from the miracle of the Brazen Serpent, make me conceit that Image worked by Sympathy, and was but an _Ægyptian_ trick to cure their Diseases without a miracle. Again, having seen some experiments of _Bitumen_, and having read far more of _Naphtha_, he whispered to my curiosity the fire of the Altar might be natural; and bid me mistrust a miracle in _Elias_, when he entrenched the Altar round with Water: for that inflamable substance yields not easily unto Water, but flames in the Arms of its Antagonist. And thus would he inveagle my belief to think the combustion of _Sodom_ might be natural, and that there was an Asphaltick and Bituminous nature in that Lake before the Fire of _Gomorrah_. I know that _Manna_ is now plentifully gathered in _Calabria_; and _Josephus_ tells me, in his days it was as plentiful in _Arabia_; the Devil therefore made the _quære_, Where was then the miracle in the days of _Moses_: the _Israelite_ saw but that in his time, the Natives of those Countries behold in ours. Thus the Devil played at Chess with me, and yielding a Pawn, thought to gain a Queen of me, taking advantage of my honest endeavours; and whilst I laboured to raise the structure of my Reason, he strived to undermine the edifice of my Faith. SECT. 20