we cannot but entertain these Divine Doctrines and firmly believe them and heartily approve of them for when we find any thing though 't is impossible to explain and unfold it vouch'd by Scripture we need desire no more Whence we may judge of Socinus aud Smalcius the former of whom declares concerning the Satisfaction of Christ and the latter concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God that they would not believe these doctrines though the Scripture should expresly assert them These are strange passages in Writers that bear the Name of Christians and seem to own the New Testament as well as the Old where every thing is Authentick and worthy of all acceptation and depends not on the arbitrement of our shallow Reasons Here to doubt is Inâ—idelity to be scrupulous is an affront to Heaven to dispute is an injury to the Deity To conclude It appears from the whole that the Disciples of Socinus are the most foolish and sensless pretenders to Reason in the whole world because they make it their business to argue against the God of Reason and the Spirit of Truth But if they will call their Anti-Scriptural Notions by the name of Reason who can help it Only this we are sure of and it is all I will add at present no truly Rational and Sober man will be pleas'd with that Reason which rejects what God hath reveal'd which vilifies the Discoveries that come from Heaven which contradicts the Bible and gives the Lye to Him who is the Original Truth the Eternal Reason the Source of all Understanding and Light and Knowledge it self FINIS BOOKS written by the Reverend Mr. John Edwards and printed for Jonathan Robinson and John Wyat. AN Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them In Two Vol. 8 o A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament with a continued Illustration of several difficult Texts throughout the whole Work In Three Vol. 8 o Some Thoughts concerning the several Causes and Occasions of Atheism especially in the present Age with some brief Reflections on Socinianism and on a late Book Entituled The Reasonableness of Christianity as deliver'd in the Scriptures 8 o Price 1s 6 d. A Demonstration of the Existence and Providence of God from the Contemplation of the visible Structure of the Greater and the Lesser World In Two Parts The first shewing the Excellent Contrivance of the Heavens Earth Sea c. The Second the wonderful Formation of the Body of Man 8 o Price 4 s. 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A brief Vindication of the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith as also of the Clergy Vniversities and Publick Schools from Mr. Lock 's Reflections upon them With some Animadversions on two other late Pamphlets viz. of Mr. Bold and a Nameless Socinian Writer 8 o Price 1s 6d Brief Remarks upon Mr. Whiston's New Theory of the Earth and upon another Gentleman's Objections against some Passages in a Discourse of the Existence and Providence of God relating to the Copernican Hypothesis 8 o Price 6 d. Several Sermons Preached on Special Occasions Price 5 s. BOOKS printed for Jonathan Robinson and John Wyat. A Practical Exposition on the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer In Two Vol. In 4 o The Vanity of the World with other Sermons In 8 o Sermons or Discourses on several Scriptures In Four Vol. In 8 o The Almost Christian discovered in some Sermons on Acts 26. 28. All these written by the Right Reverend Father in God Ezekiel Hopkins late Lord Bishop of Londonderry Bishop Vsher's Life and Letters By Dr. Parr In Fol. 's Body of Divinity Or the Sum and Substance of the Christian Religion Fol. 's 22 Sermons on several Subjects Fol. Iosephus's History of the Iews Fol. Dr. Bates's Harmony of the Divine Attributes 8 o Fourth Edition 1697. Charron of Wisdom In Three Books All Dr. Anthony Walker 's Works viz. The Sinfulness and Danger of delaying Repentance The Vertuous Woman Or the Life of the Countess of Warwick The Vertuous Wife Or the Life of Mrs. Eliz. Walker His Sermons of Water-drinking Preached at Tunbridge-wells c. The worthy Communicant A Treatise shewing the due Order of Receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper The Seventeenth Edition By Ieremiah Dyke Newly reprinted 1697. The Poor Doubting Christian drawn unto Christ. By Thomas Hooker Ovid's Metamorphosis in English Verse By George Sandys Aesop's Fables in Prose with Cuts Solitude improved by Divine Meditation By Nathaniel Ranew late Rector of Felsted in Essex Practical Discourses concerning Death and Heaven By Nathaniel Ranew Correction Instruction Or a Treatise of Afflictions By Tho. Case The Principles of Christian Religion with a brief Method of the Doctrine thereof By Bishop Vsher. The Sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ. In 2 Sermons By W. Bridge Brinsley's Posing of the Parts reprinted 1697. Sir Simon D'ew's Journal of all Queen Elizabeth's Parliaments Fol. Bacon's Historical and Political Account of the Government of England Fol. BOOKS lately Printed and Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard A Fourth Volume of the Works of Dr. Thomas Goodwin In Fol. Mr. Clark's Survey of the Bible Or an Analytical Account of the H. Scriptures 4 o Ten Sermons Preached on several Occasions By William Bates D. D. A Discourse concerning Natural and Reveal'd Religion Evidencing the Truth and Certainty of both By the Considerations for the most part not yet touched by Any By S. N. The Altogether Christian his Duty Explained and Enforced in some Sermons on Acts 26. v. 28 29. Together with the Causes why there are so few who are Altogether Christians By Iohn Foxcroft M. A. formerly of Clare-Hall in Cambridge now Rector of Wifordby in Leicestershire The Character and Blessings of a Prudent and Vertuous Wife with other Particulars relating to the Marriage State practically considered in a Discourse on Prov. 19. 14. The Beauty of Magistracy with other Observations concerning Government Represented in an Assize Sermon Preached in St. Mary's Church in Leicester Mar. 26. 1697. Both by the same Author BOOKS Printed for and Sold by John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-yard FAmily Devotions for Sunday Evenings throughout the Year In Four Volumes each containing Thirteen Practical Discourses with suitable
Bishop treating of the Office of a Clergy-Man Concerning Basil and Gregory Nazianzen we are told by Rufinus that for Thirteen Years together they laid aside all Books that treated of Secular Matters and applied themselves wholly to the Reading of the Volumes of the Sacred Scripture This most truly may be said that though we are not to neglect other Writings yet these are indispensably Necessary and we must lay aside all other Books rather than not find time to read These And the Reason is plain because no Man can pretend to Theological Studies who hath not acquainted himself with the Sacred Text. For see how it is in Other Arts and Faculties there are Books proper and peculiar to them and without which there is an utter despair of attaining any Skill in them Thus to offer one Example only the Civil Law is gain'd by Reading the Digests or Pandects of which the Institutions are an Abstract compiled out of the Immense Volumes of the Roman Lawyers some of which were Writ before our Saviour's Time and others afterwards and they are no other than the Sayings Responses and Decisions of the Chief of the Learned in the Law by reading the Code which is made up of the Rescripts Decrees and Constitutions of the Roman Emperors and their Wise Councel from Adrian to Iustinian So that this Volume differs from the Pandects as among us the Statute-Law or Acts of Parliament differ from the Common-Law i. e. the Judgment of Lawyers call'd Reports Wherefore the Pandects must give way to the Code this being more Valid than they as the Commands of Princes are of greater Force than the Dictates of Lawyers Moreover by reading the Authenticks or Novels called so because they were New Laws added to the other Lastly by looking into the Feuds i.e. the Customs and Services for the Lands held by Vassals of their Lords which last Volume of the Imperial Laws was not added till about the Year 1150. under the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa There is an utter Despair I say of gaining any competent Knowledge in this Excellent sort of Learning unless a Man peruses these Books and the Commentators on them And so in the Study of Physick no Man can arrive to any Perfection in it unless he be conversant with the Particular Authors whether Antient or Modern that are Famous in the Faculty And the same may be said of all other Arts and Sciences But this is in a special manner true in Divinity the Knowledge of which no Man can possibly reach without a diligent and constant Perusal of the Books which Constitute the Holy Canon the Writings of the Old and New Testament for both are necessary as we see plainly in the Quotations out of the former which we meet with in the latter There are Four and twenty Books of the one cited or referr'd to in the other and out of some of them there are above Forty out of others above Sixty Passages alledged and made use of The Bible then is a Volume of absolute Necessity and cannot be out of the Hands of one that is devoted to the Ministry For this cause it was heretofore ordered that this Sacred Book should be read at Bishops and Priests Tables even at Dinner and still there is a perpetual Obligation on those of the Sacred Function to give themselves daily to the Study of the Scriptures the Divine Writings of Moses and the Prophets and the Books of the Evangelists and Apostles And there is good reason for it because they must Build which is the thing we are now speaking of by a Rule and the Scripture is that Rule But it is impossible we should make use of it to this Purpose unless we be very well acquainted with it We cannot Regulate our own or other Mens Actions by this Canon we cannot Skilfully apply this Rule this Square if we be not very conversant with it and have a knowledge of its Excellent Doctrines and Precepts These are the Writings that have this Peculiar and Matchless Character That they are able to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. iii. 15. for as it follows All Scripture i.e. all Holy Scripture which he had mentioned in the Verse before is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrin for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God the Minister of the Gospel may be perfect throughly furnish'd unto all good Works may be enabled to perform all the Parts of his Duty more especially those which appertain to his Sacred Calling Besides on other accounts the Scriptures are to be admir'd and to have the preference to all other Books whatsoever The Great Admirers of Homer tell us That they find all things in his Poems what is Excellent in any Art or Profession is to be met with there But upon better grounds I could make it appear that the Writings I am speaking of deserve that Character and Testimony There is no Man of clear Reason but is fully perswaded that there is more Undoubted Antiquity more Excellent History more profound Reason more delightful Eloquence more Choice Learning of all sorts in the Bible than in any other Writings extant in the whole World There need then no Elaborate Perswasives to read this Sacred Volume which is the best under Heaven not only in respect of Divine but Humane Literature and that of all kinds contained in it Even as to this latter there is none can be said to be an Accomplish'd Scholar if he be not acquainted with this Book Next to the Infallible Records of both Testaments the First and Antientest Fathers of the Church call for our Esteem and Enquiry Antiquity in Monuments is Venerable in Religion it should be much more so Prescription corroborates the Civil Rights and Tenures I see not why it should not fortify the Ecclesiastical Luther and Calvin are Great Names and will ever be so in the True Christian Church but yet they ought in some respects to Veil to those Greater and Earlier Lights of the Church Ignatius Iustin Martyr Irenâ—â—us Clement of Alexandria Tertullian Cyprian and others of the Antients from whom we learn what Defections there were from the Truth what were the Errors and Heresies and Corrupt Practices of the First Ages of Christianity and how the Virgin Purity and Simplicity of the Church were almost defac'd by them Especially from those that were the Learn'd Apologists in those Times and afterwards who Asserted Christianity against the Iews on one hand and the Pagans on the other we may in a great measure discover what is Orthodox and Authentick and what is of a different Nature And it is reasonable to infer hence that the Church at this day should for the most part be Defended and Vindicated by the Writings of those who were its First Defenders they being so Great Judges of the Primitive Doctrine and Practice Thirdly To Reading I must necessarily adjoin Meditation both which perform'd by due Turns is
to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think but to think soberly have other thoughts and apprehensions and are most willing to acknowledge the shallowness of their own Judgments and the depth of Divine Truth We have Instances on Record of those Humble Souls who though of singular sagacity and improvements proclaim'd the Unsearchableness of the Divine Wisdom and the Exalted Truths that belong to it The Ancient Inspired Arabian expresses it thus Man knoweth not the price of it i. e. as I apprehend he cannot come up fully to the Purchase or which is the same the Attainment of it for we purchase things by price neither is it found in the land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the sea saith it is not in me Whence then cometh Wisdom and where is the place of Vnderstanding Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowls of the air i. e. those that are most quick-sighted for Naturalists observe that the eyes of Birds generally excel those of other Animals But he concludes God understands the ways thereof and he knoweth the place thereof that is he hath reserved the perfect knowledge of these Divine and Supernatural things to Himself This was the humble sense of another Great and Wise Man the Royal Psalmist concerning whom it is worth our observing that after he had asserted and maintain'd the doctrine of God's Omniscience and All-seeing Providence he adds Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it which is as much as if he had said though it is impossible for me to apprehend the infinite and boundless knowledge of the Eternal God the Sovereign Disposer of all things though I can't tell how he sees and foresees all things whatsoever yet I heartily own this Universal Sight and Prescience of his and I verily believe it to be a certain and unshaken Truth It is Humility which furnishes a man with such perswasion and language as this and it is this which causes him to believe and assert that there are Mysteries in his Holy Faith which far transcend his thoughts and conceptions This is that Wisdom which according to another Divine and Inspired Sage is far off and exceeding deep and therefore as it follows who can find it out To which irrefragable Testimonies permit me to adjoyn that of an Apocryphal Writer and the rather because I will take occasion thence to offer a Conjecture on that dark place Wisdom is according to her Name and she is not manifest unto many What is the meaning of that according to her Name What Title hath Wisdom that imports any such matter viz. that she is not manifest Some Criticks think it refers to the Hebrew word for Wisdom Chocmah others to the Arabick Algnalam but what they propound seems to be very much strain'd and doth not reach the purpose And how can it seeing they forget that this Book was writ in Greek and that the Title of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must therefore repair to the Greek for a solution but we must first confer with the Hebrew where we meet with the Verb Saphah or Tsaphah which signifies to hide or cover and thence it is probable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived and this it is likely is the Name that is here meant because though the language in which this book was originally drawn up was Hebrew as appears from the Prologue of it yet it was soon translated into Greek because the Iews at that time spoke Greek generally and had their Bible and Service in Greek and accordingly this place hath reference to the name of Wisdom in that tongue wherein there are many words deriv'd from the Hebrew and hence it is that the denomination of Wisdom imports something hid and mysterious and therefore she is according to her Name The Iewish Doctors had a sense of this as appears from their Proverbial Saying When Elias comes he will untie all knots i. e. solve all Difficult and Abstruse Points of which there are not a few in Religion There are sundry things hid from our understandings here which shall not be clear'd till the last day Now if the Wisest persons spoke thus concerning the things of Religion which is the Wisdom of God under those Dispensations of old is there not much more reason to say the like of the Divine Wisdom under the Oeconomy of the Gospel when doctrines of an higher nature are published to the world such as far surpass all humane comprehension But there is a generation of men among us that will not stoop to this they will not own themselves to be in a state of Weakness Childhood and Minority in this life though the Great Apostle as we have heard expresly did when he so far own'd the deficiency of his Understanding as to say he knew in part and spake and understood and thought as a Child And all the Great and all the Wise men in the world have been ready to say the same yea even with reference to matters of a lower nature The Learned in the Law confess they have their Perplexed and Knotty Cases Statesmen their Arcana Physicians their Opprobious Maladies Anatomists their Unknown Ductus's Astronomers their Eccentrical Motions which they can't reduce into regular and exact Order Mathematicians their Insoluble Problems And in brief most Professions and Sciences labour under some insuperable Difficulties and Intricacies and this is freely acknowledg'd by the most Skilful in those Arts. But here is a sort of men that will not own any such thing in Divinity although it be conversant about Objects that are infinitely Higher and Greater Notwithstanding this they think it is below a man of Parts to own any thing to be Inexplicable they profess that it becomes not a man of Sense and Reason to admit of this yea that it is an unsufferable affront to Humane Nature to believe such a thing They think it a sufficient ground to cashier a doctrine in Religion because it is attended with Obscurity In short they think it unreasonable to yield assent to a Proposition on the account of its being reveal'd in Scripture meerly because they are not able to conceive the Manner of it Thus their Pride makes them Infidels and they bid adieu to Modesty and the Faith together Secondly Another Great Disparagement and Inexcusable Blemish of these mens Perswasion is that it argues wilful Prejudice and Partiality I will make this evident from these two Considerations First Tho' they deny not that there are Mysteries in the Divine Providence yet they altogether renounce them in the Articles before mention'd Secondly Though they grant there may and ought to be a Government and Restraint on the Imaginations Will and Affections of men yet at the same time they perversly disapprove of the like restraint on the Vnderstanding and Reasoning Faculty Both these are Instances of their egregrious Prepossession