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
must needs say I had not dealt thus with you but that I saw no other person would undertake this work Or if any hath attempted it it is evident that their Undertaking hath proved successless Wherefore it was requisite to urge this matter afresh and freely to set before you your Fault and your Danger that you may seriously reform the one and happily avoid the other This is the grand design of my present Enterprize and I hope it will not be altogether void of success To which end I will conclude with an Exhortatory Address to those who are most concern'd in this Discourse because they are generally the most Criminal Let it be your chief study to deck your selves with those Ornaments that embelish the Soul and adorn the Life and Conversation Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle is pleas'd to express it Rom. 13. 14. Put on bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-susering and above all these put on charity which is the bond of perfectness which is as it were the rich gridle that ties all your spiritual Attire together Col. 3. 12. More especially be exhorted in the same Apostle's Words to adorn your selves with shamefacedness and sobriety and in the language of another Apostle Let your adorning be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. Which Words as I told you before do not exclude all Ornaments of the Body If they exceed not Christian Modesty and Gravity and offend not against the other Rules before laid down and in a word if they are not unbecoming women professing godliness as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 2. 10. you may lawfully use them But then you must be sure that you do not by means of these or in the use of them forget and neglect the Inward and Spiritual Adorning Nay you must be Chiefly concern'd for this latter for this is the sole Ornament of the Spouse of Christ who gave himself for his Church that he might sanctiâ—ie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 25. c. This is the Beauty and Finery which you are to be solicitons about and let the Care which others take in beautifying and garnishing the Bodies remind you of a much Greater Concernedness which you ought to shew for your Immortal Spirits It was a Specimen of a great Devotion and Religion in that Good Father who one time observing a Harlot and minding how curiously she had trick'd up her self and how elaborately she had made her self fine stept aside and retired into his own breast and there sharply chid himself because he had never taken half so much care in adorning his Soul for the entertaining of the Holy Iesus as that vile Curtezan had done in trimming of her body for the pleasing of her lewd guests Thus we may make the Vanity and and Sinfulness of others administer to our Pious Thoughts and Reflections Let him who beholds the utmost gallantry and splendor of the most Polished Creature presently turn his eyes inward and look upon his Naked Soul and blush at his neglect of it How nice and exact are Vain persons in accoutring and furbishing themselves And that their Bodies may not be disproportionable to their Apparel what cost are they at to repair and beautifie those houses of clay What little Arts and Methods do they use to set off themselves They are not ashamed to borrow the Beauty which they boast of from a Drug or a Dark Spot Some of them are at the trouble every day of putting on a New Complexion But be not you of the number of these Gaudy Fools let your principal design be to beautifie your Minds in adorning of which you cannot spend too much time or take too much pains To this purpose think seriously of the Excellency and Worth of your Souls remember that this is your Better Part and therefore you ought to be solicitous above all things to have this adorn'd with Divine Vertues and Graces And consider likewise that these are the only True and Valuable Ornaments these alone deserve that Name because they have an intrinsick worth in themselves and convey an inward and substantial Excellency to those that have them and which is the highest commendation of them they are in the sight of God of great price as the Apostle informs us These Rich Jewels and Diamonds carry a commanding Lustre and Splendor along with them and even sparkle in the â—yes of Heaven These therefore must be esteem'd by you as the True Christian 〈◊〉 as the Genuine Bravery which outshines and at the same time darkens and sullies all the most exquisite Embelishments of Art And therefore these are to be infinitely preferr'd in your wishes desires and affections before them Lastly These will fit you for those Shining Robes of Glory those Garments of Light and Everlasting Happiness which you shall be cloathed with in the highest Heavens Christianity Mysterious A Sermon shewing the true Meaning and Acception of the Word Mystery in Scripture And why the Christian Religion is call'd a Mystery Occasioned by some late Socinian Writings which explode all Christian Mysteries 1 TIM III. 16. And without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness THAT there are Fathomless Depths in the Gospel which none can arrive to the full knowledge of that there Profound Abysses in the Christian Religion which utterly surpass our conceptions and are above the comprehension of all Humane Reason be it never so exalted is a Truth as bright and manifest as perspicuous and illustrious as the Writings of the New Testament can possibly make it Here the kingdom of heaven is compared to an hidden treasure Mat. 13. 44. Here we read of hidden wisdom 1 Cor. 2. 7. of the wisdom of God in a Mystery in the same Verse of the deep things of God v. 10. of things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. of things which have not enter'd into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. Finally if a Mystery be a Religious Secret as will appear afterwards then there are many Mystical things in the Gospel and Christianity it self is a Mystery and a Great one as the Apostle here assures us The Reasons of which Denomination if we particularly enquire into I conceive this Account may be given of it It is stiled so upon this double ground 1. In way of Comparison 2. On a Positive and Absolute consideration As to the former I will prove that the Christian Religion is a Mystery as it may be compared with or distinguish'd from Other Mysteries viz. Iewish Pagan Heretical or Antichristian First It is stiled a Mystery in opposition to the Iewish Rites and Observances which it is well known were Mystical and Obscure
Ministry of the Gospel in the immediately foregoing verse These saith the Apostle are a Mystery because the things which are now preach'd and proposed in the Gospel were hid from those that lived in the former ages And though it is added that God hath made known to his Saints the riches of the glory of this mystery yet this is spoken Comparatively and not Absolutely for these riches are the unsearchable riches of Christ as we heard before that is they still remain in a great measure hidden and unknown to us Thus in these three places it is evident that the Evangelical Doctrine is call'd a Mystery chiefly in respect of the Iews and Gentiles of former ages It was conceal'd from the one under Types and Shadows and Mystical Rites it was kept secret from the other by their adhering only to Natural and Philosophical Principles In short the first knew little of it the second knew nothing therefore it is deservedly call'd a Mystery And there are no other Texts but these can be produc'd where the word mystery is mention'd with relation to what Christianity was heretofore It is true when our Saviour arriv'd it was reveal'd and in some manner laid open but yet not so as that it ceases to be a Mystery Which is the next thing I propounded viz. that Christianity is still a Mystery In this respect and not with reference to what it was before it hath this denomination in these Texts of the New Testament which I shall now produce and briefly glance upon First our Saviour himself calls the Grand Doctrines of the Gospel the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven Mat. 13. 11. where not the Parables as some fancy in which those Evangelical Truths were couch'd but the Truths themselves are meant for if it were otherwise Christ would have call'd them Parables and not Mysteries but we find that he calls them by this latter name and that in plain contradistinction to Parables as may be observ'd not only in this v. 11. but in 10 and 13. And this is more plain from the Parallel places in Mark 4. 11. and Luk. 8. 10. Those therefore that confound Parables and Mysteries here have not learn'd to distinguish of things aright they make no difference between Comparisons or Dark Representations of Spiritual things and the Things that are Compared and Represented Parables are the former but the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are the latter And the reason why many of the Substantial Truths of the Gospel or the kingdom of heaven for in the stile of the New Testament these are the same are thus denominated is because of the great Obscurity and Difficulty which attend them Again not only our Saviour but the Great Apostle uses this language when he speaks of the Great Matters of Religion these are said by him to be the wisdom of God in a Mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7. not only because they were hidden from former ages and from the Princes of this world v. 8. both Iewish and Pagan Rulers but because they are in themselves Mysterious and Obscure as the Apostle explains himself in v. 9. by applying that passage Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him It is no wonder saith he that they are ignorant of these Great things viz. the Method of Redemption and Salvation by Christ's Undertaking for us and all the Benefits and Priviledges that attend these for these are the things which God hath prepared and provided in the Gospel it is no wonder that these are not fully known and perceived because they are Mysteries they surpass all humane understanding they are not to be comprehended by our weak and shalâ—ow intellects though it is true the knowledge of these Great Articles of the Christian Faith so far as it is conducible to Salvation is imparted to all true Believers as it follows God hath reveal'd them unto us by his Spirit v. 10. And these things are said in several other places of the New Testament to be revealed which is not to be understood as if they were so reveal'd that we can fully comprehend them and see throughly into the nature of them but they are so reveal'd and discovered that we have some knowledge of them and as much as is requisite and no Wise man would desire more but more is unknown than is known Hence we may understand that Paradox of the Apostle to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. The Undertakings of Christ wherein he shew'd his transcendent Love to us may be known and yet they pass knowledge they far exceed the utmost conceptions we can form of them Next I might add that the Apostles are call'd the stewards of the mysteries of God 1. Cor. 4. 1. where all Commentators of Note understand by the Mysteries of God the Dispensation of the Word as well as of the Sacraments and other things belonging to the Evangelical Ministry Indeed the whole Administration of Christianity is meant here this is a Mystery yea even now it is so for the Apostle actually applies this Appellation of Stewards of the Mysteries of God to himself and the Ministers of Christ. Christianity then is a Mystery there are several things in it of that exalted and elevated nature that humane understandings cannot possibly comprehend them some doctrines lie under perpetual Obscurity they will by no means undergo a scrupulous examination they will not bear a strict and severe scrutiny manag'd by mere Reason Again the Apostle makes mention of the mystery of his i. e. Gods will Eph. 1. which as the Context plainly shews is meant of the Wise but Mysterious Method of Man's Salvation contain'd in the Gospel as it is now preach'd for there is not any one word or syllable in the foregoing or following verses that seems to restrain it to what it was before viz. before Christ's Coming And again in chap. 6. of this Epistle v. 19. we read of the mystery of the Gospel where it is simply and irrespectively spoken that is without any regard to former Times and Ages of Christianity or the Gospel it self and the true nature of it And that the Apostle refers not to what was past but speaks of the Gospel as it was at that time when he preach'd it is plain from this that he immediately adds that for this very Mystery of the Gospel he was then an Embassador in bonds v. 20. But it may be Objected how could the Gospel be Mysterious and Abstruse in it self when the Apostle in the same place would have the Ephesians pray for him that he might make it known The Answer is plain from what we observ'd before upon Eph. 3. 19. Though it be Mysterious and Dark and may be said to surpass knowledge yet it is in some degree to be known and consequently may be made known i.e. so far as the things are capable of it The Truth and
thing in nature yet it hath been long controverted where it is in what part of the body it is placed Though it be sufficiently demonstrated that there is such a being as the Rational Soul and that it is really distinct from Matter and that this latter is uncapable of Cogitation as was never more nervously proved than of late by a Great and Eminent Person of our Church against one that shews himself inclined to believe that Matter can Think though I say it is evident that there is such a Distinct Being as is the Sovereign Empress of all our Functions and actions yet it is not certainly known where her Throne is For some give her the whole body for her seat others believe she circulates in the Blood and others assign her the Heart as her particular Chair of State And though it is true the most Piercing Philosophers of late have confined her to the Brain yet they are not agreed in what part of it her Residence is Many other Instances indeed almost as many as there are Phaenomâ—na in the world of the Uncertainty of Natural Speculations might be produced A great part of that which passes for Knowledge is ingenious Guessing and Surmise And yet notwithstanding the Scruples and Difficulties which attend all these things which I have mention'd the Things themselves are readily own'd and assented to So that these several Particulars which I have named are clear demonstrations of these two things First That Propositions may be True and consequently that we may give our Assent to them though the matter of them surpasses our Reason yea tho' it is not only hard but impossible to explain it and to give an account of the Manner of it Secondly The foresaid Examples plainly shew that some things even in Nature may be above Reason and yet not â—ontrary to it for if they were the latter no man would yield assent to them but wholly reject them as inconsistent and impossible But even the very persons with whom our business is at present profess their ready assent to the truth and reality of all these things though they know not how to explain them and solve the right manner of them Hence it follows that we ought not to disbelieve a thing meerly because it surmounts our Reason and that we are not to infer from a thing 's being above Reason that it is contrary to it for after this rate we must discard all Natural Philosophy and believe nothing of the most ordinary Occurrences in Nature And what hinders now that we should not make the like Deductions with reference to those Higher matters which I before mention'd May we not on much better grounds make these two Inferences viz. that we ought not to disbelieve those things because they exceed our Reason and that though they do so yet it follows not thence that they are repugnant to Reason Such Inferences as these are very good and valid because of the difficult and recondite nature of these Spiritual and Divine matters which far outdoeth that of Bodily and Sensible things And we shall find that this is the way of Reasoning which one of the Ancientest and Learnedest of the Primitive Writers of the Christian Church made use of against the Hereticks and Seducers of his and the immediately foregoing times He argues from the Obscurity in matters of Sense to those that are Spiritual and of a Sublime Nature Thus then in imitation of that Great Man we may solidly argue with relation to the foregoing disquisitions in Philosophy If in things of an inferior nature there be such Obscurities and Difficulties which yet are no impediments to our Assent how much more then in Higher things may we expect there should be Great Difficulties and amazing Obscurities If Natural Knowledge be so Cloudy is there not reason to believe the Divine and Heavenly to be much more so If we are not able to find out the True System of the Material World how can we apprehend the unspeakable nature of the Spiritual one If there be Mysteries in Philosophy surely there are Greater ones in the Gospel If the nature of a Groveling Plant confounds us how shall we be able to solve all the difficult Problems in Christianity If a man can't attain all his life time to the knowledge of a single Mineral is it probable that he can in a much less time know fully the Secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven If he can't give an account of a sorry Insect how shall he be able to unravel the Mysteries of our Faith If we can't tell with all our reason and argumentation how the Soul is united to and acts upon the Body how is iâ— possible to tell the manner of the Son of God's being joyn'd to the Humane nature or how could it be expected we should give an account of the Unity of the Three Persons in the Godhead or of other the like surprizing doctrines in our Religion If we have so mean a discovery of what is within us and so near to us and is the Best part of us yea is Our selves it is no wonder that we can't arrive to a full knowledge of the things that are without us and are remote from us and which are not of the same Limited nature with Our selves but are Boundless and Infinite If it was the Opinion of a Great Philosophick Wit that the Material World is indefinitely extended that the Compass of the Universe is beyond all that we can imagine that it is impossible to frame a conception of the limits and bounds of it then may we not with more reason hold the Intellectual World to be a boundless Expanse such as we cannot possibly reach to the Extremity of an endless unlimited and as it were infinite System Especially if we speak of the Divine and Supernatural things belonging to it we must be forced to own this Truth and to confess that what we know of them is the least part of what is kept from our knowledge and that we cannot possibly with the greatest art and wit attain to a greater insight For if there be Apocrypha in Nature as hath been shew'd it is not strange that there are Mysteries in Divinity which it is impossible whatever some pretend to solve by reason of their Profound and Immense nature These will not admit of an accurate Inquisition and therefore all our knowledge concerning them is defective and must needs be so We are presently beyond our depth we are soon plung'd when we venture into this Fathomless Ocean The Reason is because the Mind of man can have no perfect knowledge of what is of so Transcendent a nature especially it can't attain to a compleat notion and perception of what is Infinite This alone were sufficient to decide the Dispute between the Anti-Trinitarians and us If they would put the whole Controversie upon this issue it would soon have a period I wish they would well consider of it and shew themselves what they so