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not_o comprehend_v the_o nature_n of_o any_o one_o thing_n in_o the_o world_n how_o evident_a soever_o it_o be_v to_o sense_n and_o reason_n that_o there_o be_v such_o thing_n nature_n be_v as_o great_a a_o mystery_n as_o revelation_n and_o it_o be_v no_o great_a affront_n to_o our_o understanding_n no_o more_o against_o reason_n for_o god_n to_o reveal_v such_o thing_n to_o we_o as_o our_o reason_n can_v comprehend_v than_o it_o be_v to_o make_v a_o whole_a world_n which_o reason_n can_v comprehend_v when_o we_o make_v it_o a_o objection_n against_o any_o thing_n that_o it_o be_v without_o reason_n or_o as_o we_o apprehend_v against_o reason_n and_o contrary_a to_o reason_n we_o must_v first_o consider_v whether_o it_o be_v the_o proper_a object_n of_o reason_n otherwise_o it_o be_v no_o objection_n as_o it_o be_v no_o objection_n against_o sound_n that_o we_o can_v see_v they_o nor_o against_o colour_n that_o we_o can_v hear_v they_o because_o sound_n be_v not_o the_o object_n of_o sight_n nor_o colour_n of_o hear_v now_o no_o man_n pretend_v that_o the_o pure_a nature_n and_o essence_n of_o thing_n or_o their_o essential_a reason_n property_n union_n operation_n be_v the_o object_n of_o humane_a reason_n for_o no_o man_n live_v know_v any_o thing_n about_o they_o and_o yet_o this_o be_v all_o the_o incomprehensibility_n man_n have_v to_o complain_v of_o in_o the_o doctrine_n of_o the_o trinity_n and_o the_o incarnation_n that_o they_o can_v comprehend_v how_o god_n can_v beget_v a_o eternal_a son_n nor_o how_o three_o divine_a person_n shall_v be_v so_o unite_v as_o to_o be_v essential_o one_o god_n nor_o how_o the_o divine_a and_o humane_a nature_n can_v be_v unite_v into_o one_o person_n god-man_n all_o which_o concern_v the_o essence_n and_o essential_a property_n operation_n union_n relation_n of_o the_o deity_n which_o a_o modest_a man_n
the_o dean_n of_o st._n pavl_n sermon_n before_o the_o lord_n mayor_n and_o alderman_n on_o april_n 25._o 1697._o clerk_n mayor_n martis_n quarto_fw-la die_fw-la maij_fw-la 1697._o annoque_fw-la r._n rs._n wilhelmi_n tertii_fw-la angliae_fw-la etc._n etc._n nono_fw-la this_o court_n do_v desire_n mr._n dean_n of_o st._n paul_n to_o print_v his_o sermon_n preach_v before_o the_o lord_n mayor_n and_o alderman_n of_o this_o city_n on_o sunday_n the_o 25_o day_n of_o april_n last_o goodfellow_n the_o danger_n of_o corrupt_v the_o faith_n by_o philosophy_n a_o sermon_n preach_v before_o the_o right_a hon_fw-fr ble_a the_o lord-mayor_n and_o court_n of_o alderman_n at_o guildhall-chappel_n on_o sunday_n april_n 25._o 1697._o by_o william_n sherlock_n d._n d._n dean_n of_o st._n paul_n master_n of_o the_o temple_n and_o chaplain_n in_o ordinary_a to_o his_o majesty_n london_n print_v for_o w._n rogers_n at_o the_o sun_n against_o st._n dunstan_n church_n in_o fleetstreet_n mdcxcvii_o colos._n ii_o 8._o beware_v lest_o any_o man_n spoil_v you_o through_o philosophy_n and_o vain_a deceit_n after_o the_o tradition_n of_o man_n after_o the_o rudiment_n of_o the_o world_n and_o not_o after_o christ._n have_v st._n paul_n live_v in_o our_o age_n it_o will_v have_v require_v little_o less_o than_o the_o courage_n and_o bravery_n of_o the_o spirit_n of_o martyrdom_n to_o have_v say_v this_o and_o nothing_o but_o the_o authority_n of_o so_o great_a a_o apostle_n which_o though_o some_o man_n do_v not_o much_o value_n yet_o they_o dare_v not_o open_o despise_v can_v screen_n those_o who_o venture_v to_o say_v it_o after_o he_o what_o some_o man_n call_v philosophy_n and_o reason_n and_o there_o be_v nothing_o so_o foolish_a and_o absurd_a which_o some_o man_n will_v not_o call_v so_o be_v the_o only_a thing_n which_o those_o man_n adore_v who_o will_v either_o have_v no_o god_n or_o a_o god_n and_o a_o religion_n of_o their_o own_o make_n and_o what_o attempt_v some_o have_v make_v to_o undermine_v all_o religion_n and_o other_o to_o corrupt_v and_o transform_v the_o whole_a frame_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n upon_o a_o pretence_n of_o its_o contradict_a natural_a reason_n and_o philosophy_n be_v too_o well_o know_v to_o need_v a_o proof_n that_o thus_o it_o be_v in_o his_o day_n and_o that_o thus_o it_o be_v likely_a to_o be_v in_o future_a age_n st._n paul_n be_v very_o sensible_a when_o he_o give_v this_o caution_n to_o his_o colossian_n and_o i_o be_o sure_a it_o be_v as_o proper_a a_o caution_n for_o we_o as_o ever_o it_o be_v for_o any_o age_n since_o the_o write_n of_o this_o epistle_n for_o this_o vain_a pretence_n to_o reason_n and_o philosophy_n never_o more_o prevail_v and_o never_o do_v more_o mischief_n to_o the_o world_n it_o be_v a_o endless_a and_o fruitless_a task_n to_o go_v about_o to_o confute_v all_o the_o absurd_a hypothesis_n and_o wild_a inconsistent_a reason_n wherewith_o man_n abuse_v themselves_o and_o other_o the_o experience_n of_o so_o many_o age_n wherein_o philosophy_n be_v in_o all_o its_o glory_n and_o the_o several_a sect_n dispute_v and_o wrangle_v eternal_o without_o end_v any_o one_o controversy_n give_v no_o great_a encouragement_n to_o hope_v for_o much_o this_o way_n at_o least_o it_o can_v never_o be_v expect_v that_o ordinary_a christian_n shall_v be_v better_o instruct_v and_o confirm_v in_o the_o faith_n by_o philosophical_a dispute_n the_o christian_a religion_n have_v from_o the_o very_a beginning_n be_v corrupt_v by_o a_o mixture_n of_o philosophy_n thus_o it_o be_v in_o the_o apostle_n day_n and_o thus_o it_o have_v be_v more_o or_o less_o in_o all_o age_n of_o the_o church_n to_o this_o day_n and_o the_o direction_n the_o apostle_n give_v for_o the_o security_n of_o the_o christian_a faith_n be_v not_o to_o dispute_v such_o matter_n but_o to_o distinguish_v between_o philosophical_a dispute_n and_o matter_n of_o revelation_n and_o to_o reject_v all_o the_o pretence_n of_o philosophy_n when_o it_o do_v or_o seem_v to_o contradict_v the_o faith_n of_o christ_n or_o will_v make_v any_o corrupt_a addition_n to_o it_o beware_v lest_o any_o man_n spoil_v you_o through_o philosophy_n and_o vain_a deceit_n 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d be_v to_o make_v a_o prey_n or_o to_o carry_v away_o as_o a_o prey_n that_o be_v to_o seduce_v they_o from_o the_o christian_a faith_n or_o from_o the_o purity_n and_o simplicity_n of_o it_o through_o philosophy_n and_o vain_a deceit_n that_o be_v through_o the_o vain_a deceit_n of_o philosophy_n which_o cheat_v man_n with_o a_o flatter_a but_o empty_a appearance_n may_v unsettle_v weak_a mind_n but_o can_v lay_v a_o sure_a and_o solid_a foundation_n of_o faith_n may_v cheat_v man_n out_o of_o their_o faith_n but_o when_o that_o be_v do_v can_v give_v they_o nothing_o certain_a in_o the_o room_n of_o it_o for_o it_o be_v but_o after_o the_o tradition_n of_o man_n and_o after_o the_o rudiment_n of_o this_o world_n some_o of_o these_o doctrine_n may_v possible_o plead_v prescription_n as_o have_v be_v so_o long_o receive_v that_o no_o man_n know_v their_o original_a or_o if_o they_o have_v the_o authority_n of_o some_o great_a name_n yet_o it_o be_v but_o a_o human_a authority_n and_o they_o be_v but_o the_o tradition_n of_o man_n and_o of_o man_n who_o at_o best_o have_v no_o better_a information_n than_o from_o the_o visible_a appearance_n of_o nature_n and_o their_o own_o imperfect_a observation_n and_o corrupt_v or_o defective_a reason_n after_o the_o rudiment_n of_o this_o world_n and_o be_v this_o a_o authority_n to_o oppose_v against_o the_o faith_n of_o christ_n which_o both_o want_v that_o divine_a confirmation_n which_o he_o give_v to_o his_o doctrine_n and_o contradict_v they_o for_o they_o be_v not_o after_o christ_n neither_o teach_v by_o christ_n nor_o consonant_n to_o what_o he_o teach_v these_o word_n may_v afford_v great_a variety_n of_o discourse_n but_o i_o shall_v confine_v myself_o to_o what_o be_v most_o useful_a and_o reduce_v that_o into_o as_o narrow_a a_o compass_n as_o i_o can_v by_o show_v i._n what_o great_a need_n there_o be_v of_o this_o caution_n to_o beware_v lest_o any_o man_n spoil_v we_o through_o philosophy_n and_o vain_a deceit_n ii_o what_o great_a reason_n we_o have_v to_o reject_v all_o these_o vain_a pretence_n to_o philosophy_n when_o they_o be_v oppose_v to_o the_o authority_n of_o a_o divine_a revelation_n i._o as_o for_o the_o first_o of_o these_o whoever_o consider_v what_o a_o enemy_n these_o vain_a pretence_n to_o philosophy_n have_v always_o be_v to_o religion_n will_v see_v need_n enough_o for_o this_o caution_n true_a reason_n and_o the_o true_a knowledge_n of_o nature_n which_o be_v true_a philosophy_n will_v certain_o direct_v we_o to_o the_o acknowledgement_n and_o worship_n of_o that_o supreme_a be_v who_o make_v the_o world_n and_o yet_o we_o know_v that_o there_o never_o be_v a_o atheist_n without_o some_o pretence_n to_o philosophy_n and_o general_o such_o loud_a noisy_a pretence_n too_o as_o make_v ignorant_a people_n think_v they_o very_o notable_a philosopher_n and_o that_o tempt_v some_o vain_a empty_a person_n to_o affect_v atheism_n that_o they_o may_v be_v think_v philosopher_n that_o this_o be_v vain_a deceit_n all_o man_n must_v own_v who_o believe_v there_o be_v a_o god_n and_o if_o it_o be_v possible_a to_o pretend_v philosophy_n for_o atheism_n itself_o it_o be_v no_o great_a wonder_n if_o it_o be_v make_v to_o patronize_v infidelity_n and_o heresy_n but_o this_o plain_o show_v of_o what_o dangerous_a consequence_n it_o be_v to_o admit_v philosophical_a dispute_n into_o religion_n which_o if_o at_o any_o time_n they_o may_v do_v any_o service_n to_o religion_n much_o often_o great_o corrupt_v it_o and_o shake_v the_o very_a foundation_n of_o it_o of_o which_o more_o anon_o at_o present_a i_o shall_v only_o show_v you_o how_o the_o matter_n of_o fact_n stand_v that_o most_o of_o the_o dispute_n in_o religion_n be_v nothing_o else_o but_o the_o dispute_n of_o philosophy_n and_o therefore_o according_a to_o the_o apostolical_a command_n to_o be_v whole_o fling_v out_o of_o religion_n and_o not_o suffer_v to_o affect_v our_o faith_n one_o way_n or_o other_o to_o be_v a_o philosopher_n and_o a_o christian_a to_o dispute_v and_o to_o believe_v be_v two_o very_a different_a thing_n and_o yet_o it_o be_v very_o evident_a that_o most_o of_o the_o argument_n against_o revelation_n in_o general_n and_o most_o of_o the_o dispute_n about_o the_o particular_a doctrine_n of_o christianity_n be_v no_o better_o than_o this_o vain_a deceit_n of_o philosophy_n that_o be_v the_o matter_n of_o faith_n and_o the_o dispute_n of_o philosophy_n true_o distinguish_v this_o alone_a will_v be_v sufficient_a to_o settle_v the_o faith_n of_o christian_n and_o restore_v peace_n and_o unity_n at_o least_o in_o the_o great_a fundamental_o of_o religion_n to_o the_o