on the very same ground attend to the former because that is from God no less than this Wherefore those who oppose one to the other make â—od contradict himself because he is the Aâ—thor of both And here I cannot but take notice of the Injustice of some late Penmen who represent the Asserters of the Trinity and of such like Points of Faith as persons that are Enemies to Reason and such as will by no â—â—ans admit of a Rational Religion This they craftily urge and aggravate to blacken the Cause which they have set themselves against but there is nothing of Truth in the accusation but as they manage it a great deal of Falshood and Wrong For we give unto Reason the things that are Reason's we assert the use and necessity of it in Religion yea in the Christian Religion and we are able and ready to defend and maintain a considerable part of it by Rational Principles We most freely profess with Iustin the Philosopher and Martyr That whatever was well said by any of the Philosophers Poets and Historians is to be found in the Christian Writings of the Bible We declare that the Christian Institution commends and enforces all the Maxims of Morality and the Natural Religion of mankind and the Common Dictates of Reason Those therefore are very Injurious to us and to Truth itself who labour as we see they do to fill Mens heads with other apprehensions But though it be thus in the general yet there are Particular Doubts and Difficulties relating to this Holy Institution there are some certain Points which are in themselves Mysterious Incomprehensible and Inconceivable and will not submit to the nicer Scrutinies of Humane Reason The â—ery Deity it self which is the very foundation of all Christianity is a 〈◊〉 and the greatest of all Mysteries Whence it was the acknowledgment of 〈◊〉 a very Wise and Good Man God is Great and we know him not Job 36. 26. We cannot fully understand his Nature and Attributes yea we are capable of knowing but very little of them Which is fitly express'd by that of the Apostle He dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6. 16. This inaccessible Splendor admits not of a full view The more we gaze upon this Glorious Sun the more we are dazzled and almost blinded In some case it is unsafe and perillous saith a Pious Father to speak what is True of God â—â—e is best known by a modest 〈◊〉 â—â—ith another We know not whâ—â— he is but only what he is not saith a Third And it is observable that Socinus himself in the first Chapter of his Praeâ—â—ctions stiâ—â—y contâ—nds though upon no solid grounds at all that the Existence of God is not discoverable by the light of Naâ—ure and Reason how then can he and his â—ollowers imagine â—hat the Divine Nature and Essence are to be comprehended by humaâ—e thoughts If we cannot according to him discover that God is how shall we understand what he is There are several unutterable Abstrusities and Difficulties in the notion of an Eternal Self-subsisting Being We cannot penetrate into the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God we have not adequate conceptions of his Immutability his Justice his Faithfulness and none of his Perfections and Excellencies are throughly understood by us So that according to the way of Arguing which some men use viz. that Nothing must be receiv'd in Religion but what is exactly according to plain Reason they may renounce the Deity it self for in the notions we have of the Nature and Attributes of God there are some things above our Reason The Manner how Three real Subsistencies are united in One Essence or Substance of the Godhead is not comprehensible but the Holy Scripture puts it beyond all doubt that it is so There are many Principles and Propositions in Christianity which are far above our weak capacities There are several things in the Conduct of our Redemption and Salvation the exact knowledge of which is hidden from us at least the Modes and Circumstances belonging to them are not to be comprehended though we are sure of the General Truth There are sundry Difficult things occur concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God but we have no reason to disbelieve the Doctrine it self I know saith St. Chrysostom that the Son was begotten of the Father but how I know not I know he was born of a Virgin but I can't tell the Manner of it for we acknowledge the production of Both Natures and yet the Manner of both we are not able to declare So as to the Vnion of the Divine and Humane Natures in Christ's Person we have not an accountable idea of it though the thing it self is agreeable to Reason We cannot answer all the doubts concerning Christ's Satisfaction but upon incontestable grounds we may be convinc'd of the Truth of it The Resurrection of the same Body at the last day is an unquestionable Article of the Christian Faith but if we be ask'd how a dead body crumbled into dust and perhaps dissipated by the winds into several quarters or how a body converted into the substance of other creatures after innumerable introductions of new shapes preserves its proper Identity â—nd Individuation if we be ask'd I say How this can be The Answer in brief can 〈◊〉 no other than this We cannot tell But it will be said This is an unbecoming Answer for any man that pretends to Knowledge and Understanding in the matters of Religion I reply This is no ways unbecoming but to pretend to give Reasons and Accounts when we are not able to do it is very unbecoming and absurd And many other Points of Christianity are hid from our Natural Reason and are Inscrutable Secrets Our Religion hath many Mazes and Labyrinths in it which we cannot extricate our selves out of The Gospel not only was but is a Mystery it is so now and will continue so to the end of the world If we enquire into the Reasons of this so far as we are able to judge there may be this Account given of it 1. That which Solomon suggests to us ought to have the preference to all other Reasons that can be assign'd It is the glory of God saith he to conceal a thing Prov. 25. 2. The Supreme Being is pleas'd to hide the knowledge of several things from men because this redounds to the Honour and Glory of the Divine Majesty Hereby the Sovereignty of the Great Disposer of all things is displayed to mankind hereby his Transcendent Nature which infinitely â—urpasses that of all Created beings is proclaim'd to the world This was the sense of another Wise and Holy man who speaking of the Almighty saith He giveth not account of any of his matters Job 33. 13. Though sometimes yea frequently he vouchsafes to render a Reason of what he saith as well as of what he doth yet in many cases he thinks fit to deal with us otherwise
and Rule are to be made use of in the searches and enquiries about Divine Truths This Discourse lays the Foundation for those which follow for even the Sacred Verities and Principles of our Religion have a tendency to Practise The second is of the Divine Authority of Rulers and Judges wherein I have endeavonr'd to Establish the Right and Iurisdiction of Civil Governours upon the sure basis of Reason and Scripture and thereon have grounded our Obedience to them which is an indispensable Law and Duty of the Christian Institution But as we are to obey Magistrates so they are to do Homage to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to give proof of this Reverence and Submission by their Religious and Holy Demeanour Wherefore in the third place I have shew'd the absolute Necessity of their being Exemplary in their lives and of their surpassing others in all Moral and Religious Actions Next I undertake to display thâ— Office of the Guides and Rulers of the Church the Ministers of the Gospel the Publick Instructors of Souls and to shew what Excellencies and Perfections they ought to be Masters of in order to their Edifying the Church of Christ. Then I descend to the more Particular Cases and Conditions of persons and shew how necessary Religion and Vertue are to men of Traffick and Business in the world and that the Decay of Riches and Plenty in a Nation is to be attributed to their Vicious Practices Afterwards I represent to the Reader that Extravagant Pride and Vanity of Apparel which are so conspicuous in this Age and with that Freedom which becomes a Dispenser of the Divine Oracles I set before the offenders the Sinfulness and Mischief of this Excess Again I took occasion from the commencing of the late War to satisfie the Scrupulous about the Lawfulness yea and Necessity in some cases of going to War And soon after there was ground for another Discourse viz. concerning the Causes of Ill Success in Martial Affairs And because it was requisite that whilst we were engaging the Enemy abroad there should be Peace at home I impartially represented the Mischievous and Pernicious Consequences of Intestine Broils and Divisions in a Kingdom and warmly Exhorted to Vnity and Concord This is a brief View of Ten of the Sermons in this Volume which are so mixed that there is no Degree or Quality of persons but will find themselves concern'd in the Subjects here treated of Princes and Monarchs Inferiour Rulers and Magistrates Ecclesiaâ—tical persons and all others whether publick or private Civil or Military Wealthy or Indigent of the Manly or of the Softer Sex have their share in these Papers As for the two last Sermons they had their birth from the two much prevailing Opinion of those men who deny that there are Mysteries in the Christian Religion I strike only at that General Doctrine and wave all Set Reflections on Particular Persons or their Attempts The sum of my Vndertaking here is this I give a particular account of the word Mystery as it is mention'd and understood in the New Testament more especially I settle the true notion of that Term as it peculiarly respects the present Case and hath reference to Christianity I shew upon what Reasons and Grounds this doctrine of Mysteries is founded I represent the notorious Blemishes of the Contrary Opinion and lastly I intersperse such proper Inferences as are the natural result of the respective Particulars Thus though others have handled this Subject I make it a Peculiar Province by the particular way of my undertaking and managing it which whether it be done aright and to the satisfaction of the Learned and Pious I leave to the Reader to judge But this only I am able to say and that most sincerely that I design'd what I have here written for the Vindication of the Cause of Christianity and for the Glory and Honour of its Divine Author And this is the Design of all my Writings of what Subject soever I have already treated or shall hereafter treat Some perhaps may think I pour them in too fast upon the Reader and don 't keep a due distance such as they would have between one book and another I am so Vncivil a Writer that I will scarcely give the Reader time to breath And besides it is a blemish to my Reputation that I hereby give occasion to some to censure me for being too Forward a man and one that affects to appear often in publick view and therefore they prudently advise to observe a Moderation and according to the Rule of Husbandry to lie Fallow some time I thank these Gentlemen for the care they pretend to have of the Reader and me but I must tell them this good Advice of theirs belongs to those Novices who want Materials for a Scrible though it be but a four-penny Cut or those poor starv'd souls that write for Bread and clap all their Book and sometimes more than is in it into the Title Page Here the Counsel would be seasonable especially for the Readers Good to be Temperate Writers But if they will be so Civil as not to rank me in the number of those fore-mention'd persons I think I have enough to plead in behalf of the Frequency of my Writing I could support my self herein by very Good and Vnexceptionable Examples half a douzen of the Best Penmen we have at this day among us two of the Learnedest Prelates of our Church who fail not every year to present the Learned with an Offering and their Teeming Thoughts are still designing to oblige the world in the same manner But waving Precedents especially those which are too High for me I will justifie my practise from the Reason and Equity of the Thing it self I hold it proper to offer sâ—meâ— Truths to the world now whilst I am able to defend them against the Objections which some may think fit to make against them as I have in some part found it necessary to be done already and I know not why Truth may not be as Sharp as Error Besides some things are proper for this Peculiar Age and if they should be deferr'd would prove Vnseasonable I conceive our Sceptical Times require some such sort of Writings as I have had occasion to publish more than any that were before or perhaps ever will be Again what I do is pursuant to my Character and Function which exact a Publick Appearance and an Open doing of good to mankind For a Clergyman should give an account of his Time to the World as well as to God Wherefore being not engaged at present in the Employment of the Pulpit I think my self obliged in Conscience to â—â—eak to the world from the Press and to let my Pen do the Office of my Tongue And truly why one should be a Crime and not the other is unaccountable Or rather it is not much to be doubted that those men whom I have to do with at present look upon both equally
This is the Christian Truth Our singular Glory whereby We are distinguished from all those who profess any other Religions whatsoever whether of the Unbelieving Iews or the Idolatrous Gentiles or the Deluded Saracens and Turks or downright Atheists and others of a like Perverse Perswasion These all Err especially the three first Ranks of Men by not knowing or not imbracing the Scriptures which are deservedly stiled The Word of Truth and are the only supreme Rule of Faith and Doctrin We then who imbrace this Christian Rule are Blessed with that Institution which is Pure and Undefiled which is grounded on undoubted Revelation which is backed by a more sure Word of Prophecy which hath a divine Impress stamped upon it So that Our Religion as far surmounts all Others as the Gold which hath passed the Refiners Fire and hath the Royal Stamp upon it outbids the common Ore and shames its Dross and meaner Alloy You see then which are the unalterable Standards of Truth viz. Reason and Revelation the Light of Nature and of Scripture And I dare confidently aver that if our Enquiries and Determinations in Religion were faithfully managed by these two it were impossible to fail of Truth If we would but act thus as Men and Christians and that is as we ought to do we cannot miss of it For it is certainly the Purchase of all those who make a right Use of their Rational Powers and also help and direct those Powers by the Revelation of the Sacred Spirit in the Holy Scriptures By these two we may examine the Truth of the Whole Christian Religion and we shall find that it will abide the Test. By these Standards of Truth we may examine the Doctrins of all Seducers that are abroad in the World and we shall find them to be False and Adulterate If we would sincerely follow these Rules the great Diversity of Opinions and Sentiments amongst us would soon be reconciled If we would faithfully take these Measures i.e. always be Ruled and Conducted by Reason and Scripture we should easily agree upon what is to be believed and asserted in Religion and all our Disputes and Controversies would vanish Now from what hath been hitherto Discoursed we may in some good measure be able not only to return an Answer to Pilates Question What is Truth but to another near a kin to it viz. What is Error and Falshood All Propositions which contradict the common Notices and first Principles in our Minds and which affront right Reason and the plain Deductions made from it are to be looked upon as False And on the same account those Assertions which overthrow the Verdict of our Senses and much more those that imply Contradictions in them and consequently Impossibilities cannot be True And on These Grounds I might shew that the Divinity of some High-flown Enthusiasts and the Doctrin of the Roman Catholicks concerning Transubstantiation are justly to be impeached of Falshood Again whatsoever Assertions in any Religion are repugnant to Divine Revelation to God's Will declared by some Positive Law to such Discoveries as are known to be immediately from Heaven these must necessarily be False And on this Ground the Religion of the Pagans Iews and Mahometans must be voted to be such because they oppose an Infallible Revelation and That confirmed by unparallelled Miracles And semblably in Christianity all those Tenents of several Sects which bid defiance to any part of the Sacred Scripture which is left us by the Holy Ghost as the generality of the Roman Opinions the Doctrins of Pelagians Socinians Anabaptists Antinomians Libertines Quakers Hobbians c. are False and Erroneous Thus far then by vertue of the Premises we have advanced that when there are several Claims and Pretences to Truth and it is enquired What Judge shall decide the Controversy the Answer must be That Right Reason and Inspired Scripture are the only Judges they being the fixed Standards and Measures of Truth But then here will lie the main Difficulty of all that in the Questions and Debates of Religion Scripture is quoted with equal Vigor and Confidence on all Sides as if what the Iewish Rabbies say of Scripture That it hath Seventy-two Faces were the received Opinion of Christians Nay some of these seem to acknowledge by their strange way of Interpreting it That it hath not only different but contrary Aspects When therefore there are Disputes about Scripture-Interpretation What must we do How can we discern what is Truth by Consulting of Scripture when as that is Dubious and Uncertain If contrary Sects and Parties quote it and plead it how can it be a fixed Standard of Truth How is it an unerring Guide It might suffice to say in General That it is no wonder that all Opinionists even the Wildest of them make use of Scripture yea a great Part of the Turks Alcoran is express Words of the Bible It is no wonder I say since Scripture was quoted by Satan himself who when he Tempted our Saviour misapplied it to the vilest Purpose But particularly to satisfie this Great and Affrighting Difficulty we may inform our selves that in Religion there are Five Sorts of Enquiries and Doctrines Now I will briefly shew how Scripture is to be made use of and when it is fit to Apply it to any of these Particulars I. Some Points of our Religion are in themselves Mystical and Profound and the Sacred Writings having not Explained them it cannot be expected that we should ever do it Such Difficult and Sublime Doctrines as the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity i.e. a Trinity of Divine Persons in the Unity of the Godhead the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature in One Person the Manner of the Resurrection and the like are not to be throughly known by us as long as we sojourn on Earth These are like the Book in the Revelation which none is able to open in Heaven or in Earth but the Lamb. And seeing he is not pleased to Unfold them to us we must Admire and Adore them but not be sollicitous to Comprehend them We are to remember this that some Things must be believed on the mere Authority of the Speaker and it argues Infidelity to question the Truth of them or so much as to be Inquisitive about them The Things are spoken by God therefore we ought to give Credit to them The Manner and Circumstances of them are not discovered therefore I 'm obliged not to pry into them This was the Sense and Practice of the Primitive Christians as we may learn from Origen who tells us That the believing some Articles of Faith on the bare Authority of the Scriptures was objected to the Christians by the Heathens Their Complaint against them was That they would neither give nor receive a Reason of their Faith but were wont to cry out Examine not but believe Here likewise I may rank some Insuperable Problems concerning the Divine Decrees and Predestination the Abstruseness of which forbids
Barbarians was the Disagreeings and Animosities in the Church Socrates Particularly observes this that at the same time that the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy persecuted other Dissenting Christians the Gothes and Longobards invaded Italy The fourth Century had abounded with Schism and Faction as well as Heresies And behold as the Effect as well as Recompence of these the fifth Century labour'd under an other sort of Plagues viz. the Irruption of those Savages partly Pagans and partly Arians who miserably Persecuted the Orthodox Christians in Italy Spain France and other Countries The Church might justly ascribe this to their own Home-Divisions Those Dreadful things it is probable had never come to pass if the Christians had not been Shatter'd and Distracted among themselves if they had not swarm'd with Various Opinions and fill'd every place with Disputes and Controversies if they had not mangled and corrupted many Heads of the Christian Faith if their Bishops had not been Haughty and Proud and not only despised and vilified their Inferior Brethren but likewise had Jarr'd with one another in short if both Governors and People had not been given to Tearing and Rending amongst themselves and if a Spirit of Division had not possess'd them beyond all Exorcism Thus it happen'd to the Church in the fifth Century Again to touch upon an other Coast of History when in Arabia Felix and Syria and the adjoyning Countries several Sects and Parties of Christians had sprung up as Melchites Maronites Eutychians Nestorians Monothelites c. then in that very Arabia but no longer to be call'd the Happy appeared the Grand Impostor Mahomet He and his Successors got up and gain'd Ground not only there but in other Places by the many Disputes and Parties which were among the Christians And whilst the Churches of Ierusalem Antioch and Constantinople unchristianly contended about Priority and such like Points the Turks came and decided the Controversy This is now known to be a Great Truth and not to be doubted of that the Mahometan Empire arose from the Contentions in the East when the Churches were torn asunder with the Arian and Manichean Doctrines For this Dissention bred in many Men an hatred of the Christian Religion and of the very Name of it and then any Opinion or Doctrine especially if grateful to the Flesh could not but be easily entertain'd and embraced Is it not fad to consider that the Vilest Cheat in the World That of Mahometism was foster'd and set forward by the Differences of those who were of the Christian Religion And afterwards it was no wonder that when the Greek Church was divided within it self into Armeniâ—ns Georgians Iacobites c. it was oppressed by the Turks and Saracens and quite over-run by them Their own Divisions armed these People against them their Quarrels among themselves put Weapons into the Hands of their Enemies and helpt them to Vanquish them To make this Reflection the more Authentick I will give it you as it is represented in one of the Homilies of our Church Where after it was observ'd that the Dissention of the Eastern and Western Christians was very much promoted by the Quarrel about Images the Conclusion is this So that when the Saracens first and afterwards the Turks invaded the Christians the one part of Christendom would not help the other By reason whereof at last the Noble Empire of Greece and the City Imperial Constantinople was lost and came into the Hands of the Infidels And immediately after Thus a Sea of Mischiefs was brought in a horrible Schism between the East and the West Church an hatred between one Christian and another Councels against Councels Church against Church Christians against Christians Princes against Princes at last the tearing in sunder of Christendom and the Empire in two Pieces till the Infidels Saracens and Turks common Enemies to both parts have most cruelly Vanquish'd Destroy'd and Subdued the one part and have won a great Piece of the other Empire and put the whole in dreadful Fear and most horrible Danger Still in pursuance of the Argument I am upon I might remind you that the Discord of Christians was it which lost Ierusalem after it had been held by them Successively a long time after it had cost them so much Blood in their several Expeditions and Crusades The Saracens strength in the Holy Land accrued by the Misunderstandings of the Princes of Europe when the Holy War was turn'd into Civil Dissentions And as Turcism arose and increased by the Dissentions of Christians so it is easy to prove that Popery had the same Rise and Advance for there is abundant History to make it clear that by Divisions in Doctrine and Practice in the Church in the first Ages those Corruptions first crept in Especially by reaso of the Dissention among Christian Emperours Kings and Princes the Papal Religion arrived to what it is For whenever These fell out with one another the Popes stood ready to make advantage of it and they always thereby increas'd and advanc'd their own Power and Authority and consequently the Papal Cause I might leave Christendom and travel as far as China and shew you that vast and spacious Kingdom which above 4000 Years together enjoy'd an uninterrupted Peace and knew not so much as the Use of Arms to defend their Country which no People in the World can say besides them At last the occasion of putting a Period to this long Tranquility was the Discords of this Kingdom among themselves the Divisions and Inflammations within their own Bowels and the Civil Wars occasion'd by Usurpers of the Throne Which were follow'd with the irruption of the Scythians and Asiatick Tartars upon them who in those unhappy Circumstances got the better of them and after a long and bloody War possess'd that Kingdom the wealthiest and most populous in the whole World that we know of and to this Day are Masters of it And now when we are travelling we may visit the Famous Country of the Abyssines or Ethiopia a large Kingdom in Africk but lately shrunk into a lesser Compass and almost lay'd wast by the Natives of the Place some of them having turn'd State-Rebels and others set on by the Iesuites fighting on a Religious Account But I will not wander so far but come home to our selves and prosecute the Argument with relation to this Land of our Nativity They were the Civil Wars of the Antient Britains which tempted Iulius Caesar to invade this Island at first This was the Rise of the Romans coming hither and this was the occasion of the Britains being conquered It is evident from the most Credible Historians that our Ancestours a very warlike and valiant People were vanquished rather by the Perfidiousness of their own Androgeus and the Quarrels of others among themselves than by the valour and force of the Invaders For they tell us that Iulius Caesar was invited over by that Androgeus who at that time quarrell'd with
not be misinterpreted And now I have produced every individual place of Scripture where the word Mystery occurs and I have faithfully and impartially set them before the Considerate in their true and proper light that they may have a view of the right and genuine meaning of them and not misunderstand and misapply the word as some have done to the great prejudice of Truth but that more especially they may be convinc'd of this that Mystery as it is applied in the Sacred Writ to the Christian Doctrines expresses the Nature of them and lets us know that Christianity hath this Title given it because it is a Real Mystery in it self Wherefore after I have thus clear'd the way I will offer this Proposition and make it good that the Sublime Truths of the Christian Religion still retain and ever shall the nature of a Mystery This in general is evident from that idea and notion which we have of a Mystery which we learn from the Original denotation of the word whether we borrow it from the Hebrew or Greek viz. that it is some Hidden Secret thing some thing Shut up for such are the Chief Doctrines and Truths of the Gospel they are in a great measure hid and as it were lock'd up from us Many of the Articles of our Christian Faith are cover'd with great Darkness a Veil is cast over them and we are not able to penetrate into them Thus Christianity is a Mystery But particularly and distinctly to demonstrate this I will insist upon these two Heads 1 Christianity is an incomprehensible Mystery in a special manner to some 2. In a more extensive way of speaking it is so to all I begin with the first Christianity is in a special and singular way a Mystery to some persons and ever will be Those whom I here mean are all such as according to the Apostle's Emphatick stile lie in their wickedness continue in their state of Degeneracy and Corruption and have felt nothing of the Divine Birth and Renovation which are the sole gift of the Holy Spirit These as long as they remain in this wretched state are in darkness as the same Inspired Writer speaks that is they have no Effectual and Saving Knowledge of the divine Truths of the Gospel they understand nothing of them to any purpose for these cannot be thus known but by Divine Illumination by a Supernatural discovery from above which they wilfully debar themselves of Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveal'd them unto babes saith our Blessed Lord Mat. 11. 33. Therefore to the former of these the Fundamental doctrines of the Gospel concerning the Redemption of mankind by the Blood of Iesus and much more the doctrines of Regeneration Faith Self-denial Mortification c. are no other than Mysteries yea insignificant Iargon to them We hear the same Infallible Master speaking at another time thus It is given it is a Particular Donation a Special Grant unto you my Disciples to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven but to them i.e. the whole Multitude who are not Enlightned it is not given Mat. 13. 11. There are such representations of those Heavenly and Divine things made by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the Regenerate as are not to be found in others Which is according to those other Sayings of our Saviour The Spirit of Truth the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him i.e. in a Saving way but ye know him Joh. 14. 17. O righteous Father the world hath not known thee Joh. 17. 25. They are in the dark and all thy Sacred Truths are Riddles to them And this is the Apostolical doctrine The Natural man receives not discerns not entertains not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. The Natural or Animal man here meant saith an Ancient Father of the Church is he that lives according to the flesh and hath not his mind yet enlightned by the Spirit But he adds this to the Character That he is one that hath only that inbred and humane knowledge which the Creator furnishes all mens minds with And so other Ancient Writers interpret the words as we shall hear afterwards According to the Learned Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one that is govern'd by the affections of his fleshly part but he that is lead only by the light of Humane Reason he that hath no other light but that of Nature This Interpretation of this Learned Writer is the more considerable because the persons I 'm concern'd with at present have so great an esteem and veneration and that not unjustly for him and boast that he is theirs It appears they are mistaken for now he is ours whilst he directly and expresly avows the Apostle's Natural or Animal Man to be one that is wholly conducted by the light of Natural Reason and Humane Wisdom Such a one having no Supernatural guidance and direction cannot as long as he is such attain to a Right Knowledge of the things of God because they are foolishness unto him as the Apostle here subjoyns Nay he adds further he cannot know them there is no Possibility of the thing That the Natural man should rightly perceive the things of the Spirit of God implies as evident a Contradiction as to say a Blind man should be able to see things visible So a Judicious Divine of our Church expresses himself concerning this matter The ground of the Apostle's Assertion follows which is very remarkable These things saith he of the Spirit of God can't be known by a Natural man because they are Spiritually discerned Spiritual things are discover'd and known in a peculiar way and such as is proper to Good and Holy men only These persons have an inward sense and conviction of the Reality of the things and they know the true Value and Worth of them They know them so as to make them their own proper Concern they know them so as to feel an influence from them on their hearts affections and lives Thus a Religious person knows and discovers these things in an other manner than Natural and Vnregenerate men do It is true the knowledge of both these is alike as to some sort of discoveries relating to Holy things Thus not only the Grammatical Critical Rhetorical Historical and Philosophical part of the Bible may be understood by the one as well as the other for the Worst men may have as great an insight into these as the Best but even the Theological part of this Inspired Book so far as is meant by it the meer Speculative and Notional discovery of Divine Truths may be equally known by both But to know the Truths contain'd in this Sacred Volume so as to be better'd by them is from Supernatural Light alone and this is it which distinguishes the Spiritual from the Natural man This latter falls
us this Excellent Memorandum This is to be fix'd on our memories as a Principal Rule that whatever things are reveal'd unto us by God are to be believ'd by us as the most certain of all And though perhaps the most clear and evident light of Reason should seem to suggest to us some other thing notwithstanding this we are to give credit to the sole Authority of God rather than to our own judgment Thus these Mighty Genius's of Philosophy give their Suffrage to our Greater Apostle and declare to the world how rational it is to keep the Reasoning as well as the Elective part in subjection And indeed seeing it is the same Soul that affects wills and understands and these Faculties are not really different from the Soul it self it follows that if the Soul in one capacity may be check'd and regulated then it may be so in another and if we are oblig'd to chastise the extravagancy of the Will and Appetites we may and ought to correct the disorder of the Vnderstanding The Socinians grant the former but deny the latter though without any ground for there is the same reason for the one that there is for the other Which shows that they despise the Parity of Reason that they attend not to the Consequence of their Propositions that they argue not alike in thinâ—â— that are alike that they vary in Cases that are of the same nature that they deal not fairly and ingeniously that they contradict themselves that they are froward and perverse and are resolv'd to 〈…〉 and Partiality have the 〈…〉 Thirdly There is yet another Great Disparagement and Blemish lies upon this Sentiment and this Behaviour for as they are the off-spring of Pride and Insolence of Partiality and Perverseness so they are the nurse of Indifferency and Scepticism in Religion Whilst persons acquiesce in Divine Revelation they are upon safe and firm ground but when they quit this and undertake to measure Christianity by the Principles of Natural and Common Reason they have no sure footing but they waver and fluctuate they start queries about all things and utterly overthrow all Certainty in Religious and Divine matters For when Over-curious and Wrangling heads come to argue about those High Points of Christianity which I have before mention'd and make them the matter of a Formal Dispute and encounter them with meer dint of Reason they soon perswade themselves that they are Victors in such an Engagement and then they carry their Conquests further and range and flie about and make it their work to unsettle Religion and bring all the Concerns of it into question They teach men to doubt of all the Propositions which they before received and especially to dispute about every part of Christianity For they infuse this notion into mens heads that they must not admit of the doctrine of the Trinity and such receiv'd Articles of Faith because they are against Reason and Reason with them is their own Prejudice and Dislike which prompt them to use a sort of Argumentations against these Truths But they are able to use the like Reasonings against all other Articles of Christianity and when there is occasion they will not fail to do it for they seem to begin with those â—â—ore Difficult and Abstruse Points and to bring people off from them because they think they can't easily maintain them that they may make way for shaking the Plainer ones afterwards I must needs profess I have more Charity than to think that this is a formed design of the generality of those that profess the Socinian way for I believe there are some well disposed persons among them But I am enclin'd to believe that there is such a Project carried on by some ill-minded and perverse men who take this opportunity to render Religion Doubtful and Disputable and by degrees to represent it as an Indifferent and Unâ—ertain thing By this course which they are at this day taking the most Sacred and Venerable Truths will be slighted nay they are already slighted and actually disregarded by this race of men as 〈◊〉 of the Artributes of God Christ's 〈◊〉 the Rising of the same bodies the Sâ—bâ—iâ—tence and Perception of Separate Souls the Torments of Hell c. And sundry other substantial Verities as the Existence of Good and Evil Angels the Universal Providence of God in the world the Miracles of our Saviour the Truth of the Christian Religion and many more such doctrines are either doubted of or denied by Deists or Atheists and that on the Socinian Principles that is the thing observable at present I say upon the Socinian Principles viz. because there are some Difficulties that attend the notions and apprehensions of these things and because they are not on all accounts adjusted to the model of mens ordinary Reasonings therefore they are unwilling to admit of them on that very account But for the same reason all the Main Doctrines of the Gospel will be doubted of the weightest Articles of our Religion will be voted to be but Arbitrary Hypotheses and Christianity it self will be thought to be no other as we find in the Writings both of our Foreign and Domestick Adversaries Christianity is laid in the same Scales with Iudaism and Turcism and some parts of it nay the Weightiest are determin'd to be lighter than any in the other two This naturally follows from their arrogantly presuming upon the Strength of their Understandings and Reasons in the things of God from their peremptory resolving to entertain nothing in Religion but what is commensurate to Natural Principles from their opposing and denying a Doctrine which is plainly and expresly asserted in Scripture meerly because they cannot define the exact Manner of the thing that is asserted This I say is the Consequence of founding all Religion upon Natural Reason and Argument We must throw up a great part of that which is Reveal'd meerly to gratifie the Deists and Racovians Nay this will not suffice for it is to be suspected that those who strike at Reveal'd Religion bear no kindness whatever they pretend to the Natural It is likely that those who bid defiance to the former will do the same in time to the latter for we can't imagine but that those bold men who disregard the Immediate Discoveries of Heaven to mankind and represent them as altogether Incredible by intelligent and inquisitive minds will also vilifie the more Mediate and Common Dictates of Nature those that slight the Extraordinary Voice of God cannot be supposed to attend to the Ordinary one those that refuse to hear him speaking in the Holy Writ will not be obsequious to his dictates in their own breasts Thus you see how dangerous and pernicious an Opinion our Adversaries maintain and promote we see how they feed the humour of this Sceptical Age and work upon unstable and wavering minds and wheadle them out of their Religion by plausible insinuations and pretences of Humane Reason by this means they directly lead them