Reason Hence it appears that what is said by Right Reason is said by God for that is the Voice of God I have said Ye are Gods Secondly The Sacred Scripture saith it whereof God the Holy Ghost is the Inditer The Law strictly charges Men not to Revile the Gods nor speak Evil of the Ruler of the People Exod. xxii 28. Besides that the Judges or Rulers of the Sanedrim are call'd Gods by the Psalmist in the Person of God the Divine Approbation is farther evidenced from the first Verse of this Psalm where we are told That God standeth in the Congregation of the Gods the Great God presides over them and Authorizes their Office and Employment so far as they discharge it lawfully This Divine Authority of our Superiors is for ever Established by that Royal Patent Prov. viii 15 16. By me i.e. by the Eternal and Essential Wisdom Kings reign and Princes decree Iustice By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of earth This unexceptionably makes them to be the Ordinance and Institution of God himself And the New Testament abets and confirms the Old for in Iohn x. 34. our Saviour refers to the very Words of the Psalmist saying Is it not written in your Law I have said Ye are Gods The known Practice of Christ and his exemplary Subjection to the Powers then in being may be concluded to be Authentick in this case and to prove the Divine Commission both of Superior and Subordinate Magistrates But to wave that at present if you peruse the Epistles of those Great Apostles St. Paul and St. Peter you will find the Regal and Magistratical Office fully Asserted and set up to its utmost heighth Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. xiii 1. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto those that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. ii 13. Thus whether they be Dii Majorum or Minorum Gentium the Gods of an higher or an inferior Rank whether they be those that have the Supreme Authority or whether they be Deputed Officers and Rulers they are All to be Reverenced Honoured and Obey'd and there is the Command of God for it But a severe Enquirer into these forementioned Texts will arrest me it may be with with this Objection The Apostles seem to Clash and to Contradict one another for the former asserts That the Powers which be are Ordained of God but the latter tells us plainly That they are the Ordinance of Man These are two different Things yea Repugnant to be the Ordinance of God and to be the Ordinance of Man I have no time now to offer to you the several Glosses of the Learned on that Passage of St. Peter nor am I at leisure to acquaint you with the sundry Criticisms upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to tell you how variously it is rendred But adhering at present to our own Translation I will in few words dispatch the Difficulty and shew you that Magistracy may be the Ordinance of Men as well as of God and these are not Repugnant to one another It is not unfitly stiled an Humane Ordinance 1. In respect of the Object and Matter about which it is conversant viz. Humane Society the Affairs of Mankind The Higher Powers are set over Men and Transact those things which are Civil and Humane 2. In regard of the Subject in which it is seated it may have this Denomination These Gods are really of the same Nature and Make with our selves 3. In respect of the End it is justly called an Humane Ordinance for it is appointed for the Good and Preservation of Mankind for the well ordering and governing the Societies of Men in the World Now all this is consistent with what St. Paul saith viz. That Magistracy is the Ordinance of God for though the Particular Form and Manner of Government be not fixed by God or Nature by a Divine or Natural Law but by a Positive One otherwise there would be but One Lawful Form of Government yet this is certain that Government in the General is the Direct and Express Appointment of God himself Thus it is evident that the Powers are the Ordinance of Man and yet it is as true that they are Ordained of God they are Constituted and Authorized by Him and they are ratified by his Written and Revealed Will. Thence we are assured that Divinity is Incircled in the compass of a Crown and that Rulers are Invested with their Authority from the Supreme Sovereign of the World Among Pythagoras's Scholars if their Master said it it was enough it was Authentick and Unquestionable Much more surely with the Disciples of Christ Iesus must that be held Indisputable which God hath said in his Holy Word I have said Ye are Gods We have not only the Suffrage of Reason of which I spoke before but the Infallible Dictates of the Heavenly Oracles The Reason of the Thing it self and the Will of the Supreme Majesty of Heaven concur here And what Proof more Convincing can be desired and expected than Divine Testimony superadded to Natural Light But Thirdly As these so likewise the Strange Events and Occurrences in the World whereof God is the Cause and Procurer proclaim aloud this Truth That Magistrates and Governors are God's Ordinance There have not been wanting Wonderful Signs to confirm this Government and Order have had a Blessing entail'd upon them by Providence When Magistrates have faithfully discharged their Duties some signal and open Manifestations of God's Favour have acquinted us that he is pleased with them When Phineas whom we must look upon as a Publick Minister of Justice stood up and Executed Judgment upon that Pair of Infamous Sinners whose Contagion else might have spread it self through the whole Land the Plague presently ceased and the Divine Vengeance was appeased But when bold and hardned Sinners have openly affronted Magistracy and Mutinied against their Governors they have but ill succeeded in such Expeditions Thus when those three Notorious Conspirators opened their Mouths against Moses and Aaron the Earth in a resembling sort open'd its mouth and swallowed them up and all that appertain'd to them Num. xvi 30 32. These Rebels found their Punishment in their Sin and their Destruction in their Disobedience Opposing of Government as it is a Curse in it self so Judicially it is followed with one from Heaven Not only Reason and Nature detest it but the Divine Nemesis It is the Inscription on the Scottish Coin as the Emblem I suppose of their Thistle Nemo me impune lacesset None shall provoke me and be unpunished It may justly indeed be the Magistrates Motto for none ever Affronted them but received the Reward of their Folly for the King of
hear Persons of different Judgments cite the same Passages of Holy Writ should not give Offence to any Because that Trumpet gives an uncertain Sound I see no reason why the Parties should prepare themselves for Battle and Dispute with so much Fierceness and Rage as generally they do I cannot sufficiently Admire and Commend the excellent Candor and Moderation of the first Pious Reformers of Our Church who in such Articles as are Dubious and Disputable have not shewed themselves Stiff and Peremptory Rigid and Magisterial have not wound up the Strings too high lest they should marr the Harmony and Peace of the Church But where the Arguments are deemed to be Equal on both Sides they have allowed us an ingenuous Freedom and permit us to make use of our own Judgments and yet at the same time severely and indispensably urge upon us all Articles that are of the Foundation and which are certainly known to be True And this brings me to the Fifth and Last Rank of Principles in our Holy Religion and they are Fundamental and Necessary and of the very Essence of Christianity Of which sort are the Doctrines of Man's Corruption and Degeneracy of the Reparation made by Christ the Redeemer of Forgiveness and Justification by his Blood c. with all those substantial Articles of Faith comprised in the Creed which goes under the Name of the Apostles These are the Christian Verities and these are clear and manifest in God's Word and have plain Evidence of Scripture and are agreed upon by all Sober and Considerate Persons who have not renounced the Christian Profession Here it is that we have the greatest Use and Guidance of Scripture and for that plain Direction which it gives us in these we are to Prize and Value it as the Richest Treasure nay as the Only Treasure in the World For from this Inspired Book alone we have these Heavenly and Divine Doctrines they were originally in no other Writings in the World but these Wherefore let us look upon these grand Truths as the main and necessary Contents of the Bible and as the Matters which we are indispensably concerned in As for those Texts which are Obscure and Difficult or which relate not to Faith or Manners and consequently are not necessary to be known let us not be displeased that we cannot reach the meaning of them Let it not seem strange that Interpreters vary here and cannot agree about the Sense of these Places St. Ierom upon the Place saith thus St. Augustin otherwise and St. Chrisostom varies from both and it may be a fourth differs from these and a fifth comes and diffents from them all This doth not offend me in the least for where the Scripture speaks of things that are Abstruse or speaks in an obscure and dark manner it is not strange that we have not a clear and plain discovery of those Passages and consequently that those Writers who have treated of them differ in their Expositions Let not this trouble us for it was God's Will there should be these Difficulties in Scripture and he hath not made it necessary for us to have the certain sense and meaning of these Places But this should satisfy us that whatever is necessary to Salvation is plainly revealed declared and written in the Old and New Testament and that the Knowledge of this alone is absolutely necessary This then is that which I say that if Christian Men would read the Bible to learn thence these undoubted Principles and their indispensable Duty and not to furnish themselves with Matter of Dispute they would be the happiest People under Heaven and be no longer Scandalous to the greater which is the Unbelieving Part of the World by their Dissentions and Disagreements O when will that Blessed Day come when Rectified and Unbiassed Reason and the plain Arbitrement of Scripture shall decide the Controversies in Christendom If these were once admitted as Impartial Umpires they would make short Work of all the Quarrels about Religion namely by pronouncing Many of them to be vain Janglings and Most of them Unreasonable and Absurd by assuring the Christian World That if they would lay aside Prejudice and Interest and Vile-Affections nothing would appear so Clear and Evident and Undisputable as the Fundamental Doctrines above-named and that all who name the Name of Christ are obliged to Embrace and Profess these necessary and unquestionable Maxims and that they ought to be Wary and Modest in their Determinations concerning other Propositions which are uncertain and that in Matters which are Indifferent and Circumstantial it is Reasonable that they should either conform themselves to the Practice of the Church they live in or mutually agree to bear with one another Where then is there any place left for Uncharitable Disputes and Unchristian Animosities No where certainly but where meer Wilfulness and Perversness reign For are not the Rules and Standards of Truth Easy and Intelligible Have we not the Eternal Laws of Reason the immediate Directions of Nature and the Convictions of our own Minds and moreover have we not the Infallible Oracles and Inspired Writings to rectify our Mistakes Have we not Heavenly and Divine Knowledge to Exalt our Natural Notions Hath not the Divine Goodness blessed us with abundant Discoveries both from the Law of Nature and the Positive Laws of Christ Jesus but more especially from the Latter that compleat Body of Divine Laws that Authentick Volume of Religion that Inestimable Treasury of true Wisdom and Knowlege So that if we will sincerely make use of these Helps which God hath given us we shall have no occasion to renew this Demand What is Truth Now to the God of Truth and Father of Lights and to his Son Christ Iesus who is the Way and the Truth and to the Holy Spirit of Truth and Grace be ascribed everlasting Honour and Glory Amen Why Rulers and Iudges are called Gods A Sermon Preach'd before the Iudges at the Assizes held at Cambridge PSALM LXXXII 6 7. I have said Ye are Gods and all of you are the Children of the most High But ye shall die like Men and fall like one of the Princes THIS Psalm may not unfitly be stiled the Iudges or Magistrates Psalm for of them it speaks and for them it was Penn'd that they might understand their Duty and not be ignorant of their Dignity that they might know how to discharge their Office which is briefly summed up in the third and fourth Verses and that they might be assured likewise that Heaven it self hath vouched their Function and authorized their Profession that they might be Ascertained that those of their Eminent Rank and Quality are under the peculiar Influence of Providence that they are God's Charge and that they are themselves Gods I have said Ye are Gods In which Words and the following ones which I have read to you we may take notice of these Two General Parts viz. a Concession and a Correction 1st An honourable Concession of
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
and Scarcity Difficulties and Perils and make them abandon their Sloth and Drowsiness and betake themselves to such wise and manly Methods as may best secure their Safety Thus it was the Judgment of one of the Scipio's that Carthage was not to be Demolish'd and Destroy'd that thereby the Romans might be kept in Exercise and Breath But the main Reason of the Lawfulness of War depends on the Principle of Self-Preservation The standing Law of Nature bids us guard our selves from Injuries it allows us when we are unjustly Invaded and Assaulted to make Resistance It pushes us on to assert our Civil and Natural Rights and to defend our Country against all Violent Aggressors And therefore that Kingdom is happy which is furnish'd with Valiant and Brave Men that are willing and able to appear in its Defence when it is Injur'd by Unjust Neighbours As on the contrary it is reckon'd among the Calamities and Curses of a Nation that God will take away from them the Man of War and the Captain of fifty Isai. iii. 2 3. i.e. Persons of such Valour and Spirit as are requisite for the Security of their Country And lastly Sovereignty Laws and Arms were designed for the same End and thence it is evident that they are alike useful to Mankind When People first United into a Body and Society they made certain Laws and Constitutions and Magistrates were appointed by them to be the Preservers of those Laws and at the same time they Voted Arms or Coercive Power to be necessary both for Asserting the Governors and the Laws and indeed the Whole Community From what hath been thus briefly Suggested it may be Concluded that it is Lawful even in the Times of the Gospel to make use of Warlike Provisions on Just and Necessary Occasions All that we have to do is to satisfy our selves as to the Cause we Fight for for the War is Just when the Cause is so Therefore Numa that Religious King of the Old Romans knowing that an Unjust War was not like to be Successful instituted a College of Priests on whose Arbitrement the Decision of War should depend These Feciales as they were call'd enquir'd into the Nature of the Quarrel and after great Deliberation pronounced the War Just before the Romans fought In this we are to imitate them we ought in the first place to be satisfied concerning the Lawfulness of what we do and that our Cause is Good And we may assure our selves that it is so when the War is undertaken for the Defence of our Country our Religion our Lives our Laws for the subduing or weakning of a Powerful Enemy who encroaches upon others Territories and in time may Invade ours for the Defence and Support of those Neighbouring Kindoms or States that stand in need of and implore our Aid and would in all probability be swallow'd up by the Potent Adversary without our timely Assistance This is a Just and Honest Cause and this is ours at present and consequently we may Lawfully engage in it We have a Warrant from Nature and Reason to justify our Arms. It cannot be denied that some of the Antient Christian Fathers seem to Condemn all going to War Iustin Martyr in his Apology and in his Dialogue with Trypho utters Words to this purpose But Tertullian is more direct and positive in this Matter he will not allow Christians either to make War or serve in it as might be proved from several express Places in his Writings and in one place I remember he hath this fanciful Passage Our Lord saith he when he disarmed Peter did the same to every Soldier He hath taken away their Swords and they cannot Fight But this was a Mistake and Failing of this Good Father when he enclined to the Vanities of Montanism For before he was of another Opinion as appears from what he said in his Defence he made for the Christians Some other Writers of the Church seem to hold that it is not Lawful for a Christian to be a Soldier and to bear Arms but their favouring of such a Notion as this proceeded from their mistaking of that Prophesy in Isai. ii 4. They shall beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall any learn War any more And other Predictions there are which speak to the same purpose Whence they inferr'd that all Warlike Preparations are inconsistent with our Saviour's Coming into the World and with his Evangelical Kingdom Whereas the True Meaning of such Prophetick Passages is this That the Principles of the Gospel if attended to inspire Men with Peace and Amity and that Outward Wars and Hostilities shall in time actually cease that as there was this Cessation in part at the time when our Saviouâ— came into the World so there shall be a more Remarkable and Compleat one before the Consummation of all things when the Church of Christ on Earth shall enjoy a profound and entire Repose And this I add further which may give us a brief Account of the whole Case of taking up of Arms under the Gospel Our Saviour without doubt intended in his Sermon on the Mount and more especially in that part of it which is the close of the Fifth Chapter of St. Matthew that his Followers should be more exact than the Iews and accordingly he propounds there a Higher Pitch of Religion than they were capable of He would have Christians be of such a Temper that no Swearing no Going to Law no Fighting should be used by them He would have them deny themselves and be much Better than others and refuse Oaths and Suits of Law and War on slight Occasions and never be engaged in any of them but on Necessary and Unavoidable Grounds and more especially not in the last of them viz. War till they have tried all Mild and Peaceable Ways and have found them ineffectual And perhaps this is all that some of those forementioned Writers meant and design'dâ—â— tho' they seem to speak otherwise and thereby have given occasion to some since to interpret Scripture after that manner Thus Socinus though he seems to qualify and restrain this Doctrin in his Epistle to Arcissevius yet in another place he speaks in a general way and seems to condemn all going to War As he tells us the Magistrate hath no Authority to inflict Death on any Man so according to this same Casuist he cannot wage War against an Enemy And others of the Racovian way pronounce it unlawful to undertake any War whether Defensive or Offensive No Wars saith Wolzogen are lawful and permitted to Christians no not for the Defence of our Religion Herein as in several other things some Anabaptists are the Disciples of Socinus and vote all War to be Unchristian And we know there is another Noted Sect of Men that inveigh against the Carnal Weapon and pretend great Aversness to Fighting But I hope
Animal and Carnal were not able to penetrate into them In contra-distinction to these the Apostle who foresaw these Mysterious Cheats and Impostures in the Church and who in 1 Tim. 6. 4. and in other places of his Epistles plainly foretold them is pleas'd to call the Christian doctrines a Mystery to signifie that they are such of a singular kind and nature In the last place Christianity in its Purity and Simplicity is most justly stiled a Mystery in opposition to that which is called by the same Holy Pen-man the Mystery of Iniquity 2 Thess. 2. 7. Conformably to which stile we read of Mystery Babylon the Great Rev. 17. 5. by which questionless is meant the Church of Rome or the Corrupt and Idolatrous part of it at least Yea we are inform'd that this very word MYSTERY is found inlay'd in plain and legible Characters within the Roman Pontif's Triple Crown Indeed the Main of the Roman Religion is Mystery and Disguise They pretend one thing and really are another They seem to have cast off Pagan Idolatry but yet they too apparently symbolize with it in a great part of their Worship Heretofore they paid Adoration to Venus and now to the Virgin Mary of old they pray'd to False Gods and now to Saints and Angels before they fell down to an Idol and now to the Cross. Thus they have given the Idolatry of Old Heathen Rome a little finer Turn otherwise it is the same that it was They boast of their Miracles but they are not other than Lying wonders a sort of Religious Legerdemain or Juggling They at some times pretend to greater Strictness Mortification and Austerity than others but none are generally more Loose and Licentious Thus there is a False and Counterfeit Shew of things in the Papal Constitution there is an horrid Mystery of Iniquity call'd The Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast Rev. 5. 7. In contra-distinction to which the Apostle who by a Prophetick spirit foresaw what would come to pass gives the name of Mystery to the True Primitive Christianity this being indeed such but of quite another nature than the Superstitious and Corrupt Religion of the Roman Church But I am to give a farther and more positive account of this matter wherein I will clearly and distinctly assign the true acception and meaning of the word Mystery in the Writings of the New Testament which hath of late been very much mistaken and grosly perverted meerly to maintain an Opinion which some persons think serviceable to the Cause they have espoused Christianity is entitul'd a Mystery not only Comparatively or in a way of Opposition to other things as I have shew'd already but Absolutely and Positively because it is really so in it self Take this in these two Particulars it is call'd a Mystery by the Apostle because 1. It was so 2. Because it is so now First I say it is justly stiled a Mystery in regard of what it was heretofore The doctrine of Christianity was hid and shut up a long time and to this the following Texts refer and therefore ought to be applied Christianity is said to be a Mystery which was kept secret since the world began Rom. 16. 25. for it is evident that by Mystery here is not only meant the Calling of the Gentiles as some imagine which indeed was Mysterious and kept secret till Christ's Coming but the way of the Salvation of men in general by Christ Iesus which is the grand thing contain'd in the Gospel That this is here to be understood may be gather'd from the preceding words of the Apostle my Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ which are synonymous with the Mystery and from the subsequent words made known to all nations for the obedience of faith where the great end or design of Christianity is express'd viz. that men may be brought to yield obedience to the divine Commandments by believing the Gospel for in this very form of words the Apostle had before in this Epistle told them what was the design of his Apostleship and of his preaching the Gospel it was for obedience to the faith among all nations Rom. 1. 5. This Faith and this Preaching of it saith he were a Mystery heretofore in all those past perpetual ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render since the world began men had but a very dark Notion of these things in all those preceding Dispensations they were scarcely thought of for though it is true there were constantly through all the several Models and Administrations of Religion some Intimations of this and Tendencies as it were towards it yet the notices that could be gather'd thence were but mean and obscure and they were at the best but faint glimmerings of that Glorious Light which was afterwards to break forth Of this the Apostle speaks again Eph. 3. 3 4 5. where the Gospel is call'd the Mystery and the Mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men And in ver 9. he calls it the Mystery which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God For though the word Mystery in this place also hath a more particular and special respect to that fore-nam'd Secret of the Conversion of the Gentiles as appears from the 3 4 5 and 6 Verses of this Chapter yet it is not wholly restrained to this but comprehends in it the whole Gospel-Dispensation the Doctrine of Salvation and Redemption by Jesus Christ which he calls preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ v. 8. And then immediately in the next verse he calls it a Mystery a hidden secret unsearchable Mystery that is it was so with respect to the former Times it had been hid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from ages as 't is in the Greek and that in God namely according to his Eternal Decree and Purpose But because the Apostle applies it to the wonderful Converting and Reclaiming of the Pagan world therefore some hence conclude that it is not meant of the doctrine of the Gospel and of Christianity it self But they are mean Arguers that talk thus and they discover themselves to be no Genuine Sons of Reason for every one knows that Particulars are not inconsistent with Generals and that one excludes not the others And besides they shew that they are not acquainted with the Comprehensive Sense of Scripture and have not studied the Sacred Stile which is of a wonderful Latitude and at the same time contains in it both a Singular and a Common a Special and a General a Restrain'd and a Larger Meaning There is another Text that confirms this Col. 1. 26. where the Evangelical Dispensation is call'd a Mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations They palpably misinterpret these words who apply them wholly to the admitting of the Gentiles into the Church for the word mystery refers to the dispensation of God i. e. the Evangelical Preaching and the fulfilling of his word viz. by the
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
pitch could not but render him a very Accomplish'd Person such as was able to discern and judge of things in the best manner and to know and comprehend whatever was to be known and comprehended of them But we are to remember this further that his knowledge in Divine and Sacred things was as eminent for even as to these he had those Helps which other Christians had not yea which the rest of the Apostles were not honoured with for he tells Gal. 1. 11 12. That the Gospel which was preached of him was not after man for he neither received it of man neither was he taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. He was in an Extraordinary and unparalell'd manner call'd to the Office by Christ himself then in heaven he had Immedâ—ate declarations of God's will by Visions and Revelations 2 Cor. 12. 1. yea by abundance of Revelations v. 7. for he had the matchless dignity and priviledge to be caught up to the third heaven into paradice as he otherwise expresses it the Seat of the Divine Majesty and the place of the Blessed and there he heard those unspeakable words those Doctrines and Truths which it is not possible for a man to utter i. e. fully v. 4. Then were display'd before him those Mysteries and Profound Doctrines which his Writings every where abound with several of which are not so much as mention'd in the Writings of the other Apostles which plainly shews that he far excell'd them in Spiritual Knowledge and in the understanding of some of the Main Heads of the Christian Religion And yet behold this Apostle who was thus bless'd with all manner of Intellectual Accomplishments and was possessor of all the Knowledge that Nature or Art and his own happy Genius could furnish him with and which is unspeakably much more all that Knowledge that God himself vouchsafed to infuse into him and inspire him with Behold this very Apostle is the man who uses here this humble and mean language We know in part we see through a glass darkly When he saith we he means himself as well as other Christians nay it appears that he chiefly and principally intends himself for he changes the plural into the singular v. 12. Now I know in part as much as to say notwithstanding all my advantages of Knowing much more than others I acknowledge my self to be but a Smatterer a Novice I own my self to have but a mean and imperfect insight into the High and Mystical Points of the Gospel and if they were not such I should not have so short and partial a knowledge of them This is an unanswerable place of Scripture to prove that there are Mysteries in Christianity such Divine Truths which no quickness of thoughts no sharpness and sagacity of mind can wholly reach And therefore if St. Paul be in the right we know who have taken the wrong part If Plato could say of the Rites of Sacrificing and Divine Worship It is impossible for our mortal nature to have any knowledge of these things surely then our conceptions concerning the Sublime Points of Christianity which is the Noblest and Highest Dispensation of Religion must needs be weak and shallow Divine matters are not clear and manifest of themselves to men said one of the Greek Sages quoted by Iustin Martyr To the same purpose Clement of Alexandria cites that eminent passage of Plato in his Timaeus The only way to learn Truth is to be taught it of God himself or of those that are from God Those are notable words of Iamblicus a Platonick Philosopher It is not easie to know what things God is pleas'd with unless we have convers'd with those who have heard them from God or we have heard God himself or we have attain'd to that knowledge by some Divine Art These are the apprehensions of Improved Heathens concerning Religious matters and shall not those who have attain'd to clearer notions believe the same with a more special relation to the doctrines of the Gospel As these things were not at first found out by Man so they cannot be comprehended by him As they were not discover'd by humane skill and art so they can never be fully known and explain'd by them Thus they are universally a Mystery It is true and I am very forward to grant it that the Christian Religion is stock'd even with Natural Principles such as are in themselves manifest Even that Model of Religion which is made up wholly of the Law of Nature and therefore is call'd Natural Religion is here entirely receiv'd All Rational and Moral dictates are incorporated into this Institution Here are Admirable Notions which carry with them an Intrinsick Evidence as an undeniable demonstration of their Worth and Excellency here are Reason and Morality at their Heighth It was excellently said of an Ancient Writer of the Church Far â—e it that God should hate in us that very thing wherein he hath created us more excellent than other creatures So we may say Far be it that Christianity should disallow that very thing in us which distinguishes our nature from that of Brutes and gives us a Preference to them Some of the Mahometans have a conceit that Idiots and Mad-men are Inspired persons that those who have so little of Man have the more of God But this is an idle fancy and unworthy of our Humane Nature as well as of the Supreame Being it self who was the Author of it The Best Brains are fittest for Religion and even for the Best Religion Christianity It is admirably shew'd by a Worthy Person that the Christian Religion suits even with a Philosophick Genius I question not but it may be made evident from Strict Reason that the Main System of the Christian Theology is uniform and harmonious in it self and conformable to all the Divine Attributes and Perfections that the Coming of Christ in the flesh was requisite in order to the Redemption of lost Man that his Undertatakings were the most Rational Expedient for the restoring of mankind that they were the most Proper and Suitable Method to reduce lapsed creatures and raise them up again after their fall and that Christ's Divinity was no more impair'd by being joyned to the Humane Nature than the Soul of Man is by its Union with the Body These and several things of this kind I could make clear and evident and thereby shew that Christianity is consonant to the most sober Reflections we can make on things that it is agreeable to the most solid and natural Reasonings we can form For we are not to imagine as some Enthusiastick Spirits do that Divine Revelation contradicts the principles of Reason this being a certain Truth that it is impossible to know that any Revelation i. e. any Reveal'd doctrine is from God unless we be first Reasonably satisfied that it is from him Besides Reason is from God as well as Revelation and therefore if we receive the latter we must
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 not to answer or account for all his matters as the Original hath it Though we demand a Reason he is not obliged to give because as it is rightly suggested by the same Pious Observer God is greater than man v. 12. He is infinitely exalted above the nature of mortal men and therefore it is unsufferable boldness to search into his Divine Secrets and to promise our selves a full comprehension of them For these things are conceal'd from us on purpose to give us an assurance of the Infinite Nature and Wisdom of our Maker We hence are effectually taught that God is not like one of us that his Essence and Properties are of an immense and unsearchable nature not to be comprehended by us Even concerning Visible and Natural things One of the Ancients â—peaks thus If any of them surpass your understanding and you can't find out the reason of them then for that very reason glorifie the Creator because his Transcendent Wisdom shew'd in these things exceeds your apprehension Much more then may we nay ought we to pronounce the same concerning Divine and Heavenly matters the Transcendent Nature of them discovers a Wisdom much more so This is a convictive proof to sober and thoughtful minds that God is Great and Wise above what humane intellects can conceive This then is a sufficient account if there were no other of the Unsearchableness of the Divine Nature and those things that immediately depend upon it and flow from it 2. It is God's pleasure to render Divine Truths more Venerable by their Obscurity We might say and that truly with a Learned Christian Philosopher That the Darkness of these Sacred things and our ignorance concerning them are useful to preserve and uphold the Reverence and Majesty of them If the sacred doctrines of the Gospel were to be prostituted to the capricious reasonings of vain men if we could exactly fathom all the depths of Divinity we should not have that superlative Admiration and Regard for them which they deserve and we plainly see that those who pretend to lay them open do in reality undervalue them and lower the Excellency of them We have reason therefoâ—e 〈◊〉 think that it was design'd by Heaven that the Abstruseness of Divine matters should inhanse our Esteem of them and render them in our apprehension what they are in themselves August Great and Venerable And consequently we must not reject the doctrines conveyed to us in the Holy Scripture because they are thus Obscure and exalted above our natural light but we are rather to admire and reverence them because they are so i. e. because they are of so high and transcendent a nature 3. This likewise might be added that it is the divine will and pleasure that not only our Estimation and Reverence but our Diligence and Sedulity should be excited by this means For though we cannot reach to a full knowledge of these Profound matters and though we are forbid a bold and saucy prying into them yet there is always something gain'd by a Humble and Modest Searching into them and by an industrious and careful Enquiry into the Holy Oracles where these infallible dictates are For as there are Plain and Obvious Truths in the Sacred Writings so there are others that are Abstruse and Perplexed to check our Negligence and Oscitancy our carelesness end unconcernedness and to rouze our Industry and encourage our pains and study for those portions of Scripture wherein these Truths are contain'd will abundantly employ these and recompence our labour Even on this account it was fitting that there should be some Mysteries in our Holy Religion 4. The Chief and Grand Reason to be assigned of this matter and which I will more amply insist upon is this that the very Nature of the things themselves which we are treating of renders them Mysterious and Difficult For things of an Infinite and Transcendent nature are above the reach of finite understandings Such is God such is the Sacred Trinity and such are those Doctrines which I mention'd before which immediately relate to the Godhead it self and its Attributes or the Divine Persons subsisting in the Godhead or more particularly Christ Iesus and his Blessed Undertakings for us which are the proper matter of the Gospel the knowledge of which depends wholly on the Will of God for no mortal man could have any notice of them unless God himself had been pleas'd to discover them And now when they are discover'd they are of that high and soaring nature that no humane creature can reach them they are of that towering pitch that they are above all finite intellect More especially the nature of the Sacred Trinity is such that it is above being described which we are not to be dissatisfied with for if the Holy Trinity were not abstruse and mysterious it would not be what it is and what it cannot otherwise be Therefore he that expects this doctrine should be Clear fancies an Impossibility both as to the Trinity it self and as to us For this Infinite and Perfect Trin-Vnity is in its own nature unsearchable and in respect of our finite and imperfect Understanding is much more so Wherefore those Propositions which belong to this Infinite Subject must needs be dark and intricate and cannot be otherwise How can we imagine we should be able to grasp these things which consider'd in themselves are of so elevated a nature It is certain we cannot with reason imagine or expect this And we may be convinc'd of it from this one Consideration which I will somewhat enlarge upon viz. that many things of a meaner and lower degree such as the Common Works of Nature and the Phaenomena of the Visible and Sensible World have rais'd great Disputes and after all the exactest enquiries into them remain still hidden and obscure How then can we expect that Divine and Supernatural things should be void of all Obscurity An Acute Naturalist speaking of things of the former sort tells us That he pretends not to Science but contents himself with bare guessing for God saith he hath not laid open all things to humane sight and perception there is a considerable part of this great Work which the Wise Maker of all things hath thought good to hide from our Eyes Thus this Great Philosopher ingenuously owns his Ignorance and at the same time the Wise Disposal of Heaven That Noted and Trite Problem of the Divisibility of Matter or Quality hath posed all the Learned heads in the world and yet upon this one Property of Matter depends the whole System of Geometry and all the Mathematick Arts and Sciences which above all others boast of their Certainty and Demonstration It is not to this very day unanimously agreed what the True Scheme of the world is and whether the Sun or the Earth be the Center of the Universe If we consider it well it is a manifest Argument of our shallow Understanding and Sense that we can't tell whereabouts
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
thing shews their mistake and that they are on this side of that place for they betray the weakness and uncertainty of their Knowledge These persons indiscreetly antedate the Last day anticipate the Future World and confront the revealed Purpose of Heaven for it was not design'd by the Supreme Being that we should here below have a full insight into those Divine Recesses this is reserved for another State Thus much of the Reasons so far as we can apprehend why Christianity is a Mystery that is why some of the most weighty and momentous doctrines of it are in some part hid from all mens understandings What I have said administers to us this double Reflection 1. From the premises we may discover the vanity and falsity of the Socinian Notion that there are no Mysteries in the Christian Religion 2. We may gather what is our Proper Duty and Concern in the Case before us First I say this discovers and detects and at the same baffles the false apprehension of those men who cry down all Mysteries in Christianity and tell us that all is levell'd to the meanest capacities Notwithstanding those Remarkable Attestations to the Contrary Truth from the plain words of our Saviour and his Apostles yet they perversly oppose and deny it and magnifie Reason as the only Measure of Truth and Rule of Faith whatever their late Pretences are and nothing will serve them in Religion but Logick and downright Demonstration I have observ'd it in the Modern Writings of this sort of men and of one also that is a late Friend of theirs that they seldom or never finish a Discourse though it be about Religion without bringing in of Geometrical terms especially Angles and Triangles These Gentlemen under a pretext of Mathematicks would subvert Christianity and demonstrate us out of the Articles of our Faith and make a Triangle baffle the Trinity This is the grand Source of their present Delusion and of that disturbance which they make in the World viz. their labouring to exclude all Mysteries from Christianity It arises wholly from this that they will not give credit to any thing in Religion but what is entirely Clear and Evident and commensurate to exact Reason This is perfectly according to that Description which one of the Fathers of the Primitive Church gives of St. Paul's Natural man He is one saith he that attributes all to the Reasonings of his Soul and thinks not that he stands in need of help from Above neither will be receive any thing by Faith but counts all foolishness which cannot be made out by Demonstration And an Ancient Critick defines him thus He is one who turns all over to Humane Reason and admits not of the operation of the Spirit i. e. any thing that is Supernatural in Religion This is the brief but full Character of a Disciple of Socinus so far as we are concern'd in him upon the present occasion but certainly it ill becomes a Christian man for I have proved already that such a spirit and genius are against the plain determination of Christ and his Apostles against the very nature of the things themselves and unsuitable to the present state we are in Such a one forgets to distinguish between Philosophy and Christianity The Professors of the former act not amiss in squaring all their opinions and sentiments by Strict Reason but the Adherers to the latter who are eminently stiled Believers must yield their assent to things which they cannot by Reason comprehend Otherwise they confound the natures of things and take away the Distinction between Reason and Faith which is much more absurd and unaccountable than what Scenkius in his Medical Observations fancies that it is possible for a man to receive the Visible Species through his Nostrils or in plainer terms that a man may See with his Nose for here is only a substituting of one Bodily Sense for another but in the other case there is a mistaking of one Mental Operation for another viz. Reason for Faith This is the Absurdity of those of the Racovian way and we ought carefully to avoid it We are to believe Christianity to be a Reasonable Service as the Apostle deservedly stiles it but it may be truly said of those men that they make Christianity more reasonable than it is that is they make it submit wholly to Humane and Natural Reason and this is the ground of their exploding all Mysteries Secondly Seeing a great part of the Christian Religion is a Mystery and design'd to be such we are concern'd to Behave our selves accordingly that is never to be so bold and rash as to demand a Positive and Punctual Account of things of this high and abstruse nature It is required in a Good Grammarian said One who was as skilful in that Art as any man that he be ignorant of some things The same may be said of a Good Divine to be ignorant of some Mysteries and not to search too earnestly into them is a good qualification in one of that Profession and indeed in all persons that study Christianity This is a Learned kind of Ignorance and we are not to be ashamed of it It is not necessary we should have a clear understanding of Theological Secrets because the Holy Writ is silent about them but yet we ought to hold and believe the things themselves because the same Infallible Word asserts them Those that go any further shew indeed that they are very Prying and Inquisitive but let them beware of handling the Word of God deceitfully and making Truth uphold Falshood As that Egyptian in Plutarch answer'd the men who ask'd him What it was that he carried so close Covered Therefore it is cover'd said he that you should not know what it is and therefore your asking was in vain So it is here these Divine things are purposely hid from us and wrapt up in Obscurity that we may not with too eager a Curiosity search into them and busie our heads about them Let every one of us think that spoken to us which the Good Christian said to the Philosopher at the Council of Nice Ask not How Be not inquisitive concerning the Manner of Sacred and Heavenly things for this is hid from us A Learned and Pious Writer of the Primitive Church tells us That it is enough for us to know that in Christ's Person the Divine Nature was so joyn'd by an ineffable kind of Tye with the Humane Nature that the same Hypostasis contains in it two distinct Natures but how that Union is made it is not necessary to know nor is it fit to search only let us believe and hold what is written And the same Excellent Person in another place and indeed in several places of his Writings exceedingly blames the rashness and curiosity of those that prie into Divine Mysteries and dispute and wrangle and raise vain questions about them and ask why and how such things are It
was excellently said by another Brave Man of a true primitive temper This question How can have no place in the things of God whose only Will is sufficient and is to be greatly admired of all And with these Ancient Writers agrees the Great Modern Reformer This word Why saith he hath misled and destroy'd many souls it is too high for us to search into When we come to insist too busily on these demands Why or How God saith or doth this or that we shew that we are loth to submit our Reason to Faith and to give assent to God's Word though we cannot clearly conceive it Which argues a very Unchristian temper for the Gospel hath propounded many things to us which are Mystical which neither our thoughts can fully apprehend nor our words express But this should not hinder us from believing and embracing them for though they are Mysterious yet it is plain and manifest that they are asserted in the Sacred Writings It was prudently and Christianly advised and determin'd by St. Augustine in such Points as these which I have been of speaking and especially the Trinity which that Pious Father particularly mentions Let us saith he by that previous Faith which helps the eye-sight of the mind clearly imbrace what we understand and firmly believe what we understand not The Reason of which Advice and Resolution is this that some things that are above the reach of our Understandings may be and ought to be the matter of our Belief Which is founded on this that the object of Faith is of a much larger Extent than that of Reason and therefore we may give assent to some Propositions which we cannot explain and clear up by the light of Reason And besides every Thinking Man ought to revolve this in his mind that Faith is of an higher nature than Reason and accordingly was designed to bear Sway over it and to controul it To this purpose it is to be consider'd that there are these Three Faculties or Operations in Men Sense and Reason and Faith and they gradually rise one higher than the other Sense is common to us with Brutes and takes notice only of Corporeal and External Objects but Reason is proper to us as we are Men and is bestow'd upon us to correct the mistakes of Sense thus by Sense we can't perceive the Motion of the Sun and Stars they so couzen our sight that we can't apprehend when they move yea they seem to stand immoveable wherefore we must consult with something else than Sense and that is Reason which tells us that either those Heavenly Bodies or the Ground we stand upon move very swiftly our Reason not our Eyes must give us an account of this Thus it is plain that Reason controuls Sense and consequently is a higher and superior faculty But then comes Faith and claims a Superiority over them both for as Reason was given by God to correct Sense so this Function was added to give a check to Reason as being Higher and Nobler than that This is the Order of these Operations in Man and it is by Divine appointment and therefore no man of sober thoughts can find fault with it If we are free to acknowledge that Reason is a Curb to Sense and we cannot deny it then we should be as forward to own that Faith is the same to Reason and that we ought to make use of the one to check and bridle the other when Sacred and Supernatural things are under our consideration Here then as is fitting let us strenuously exert our Faith and not judge of the Divine Being and the Truths revealed by him according to humane measures according to what we find and perceive in one another still remembring that they are Mysteries As for the Contrary Sentiment there are these three Great things that disparage it 1. It argues Pride and Arrogant Stiffness 2. It is an undeniable proof of gross Prejudice and Partiality 3. It unavoidably introduces Indifferency in Religion I will distinctly insist upon this Triple Charge and then leave the Judicious to judge of my performance First It is a great argument of a Proud and Haughty Spirit For it must needs proceed from this Principle that the men of that perswasion will by no means acknowledge their Short-sightedness and the Shallowness of their Intellectuals They cannot brook such Condescention as this and therefore they scorn to own any Mysteries If any Difficult Truths are propounded to them they have learnt of a Great Conqueror to cut the knot instead of untying it they violently null the proposition and so make it no Mystery as we see they do in the Articles of the Trinity and the Incarnation of the Son of God and the like For they pretend to manage all by meer force of Reason and reject all propositions and doctrines which they think come not up to this heighth They take it very ill if you allow them not a Catholick and Unbounded Knowledge of every thing whether finite or infinite and of the particular Manner and minutest Circumstances that appertain to them They disdain that there should be any thing in nature which they are not able to comprehend they deem it an unsufferable disgrace to their understandings that any thing should be above the reach of them that there should be any Point of Speculation so deep and abstruse that they cannot penetrate to the very bottom of it they scorn to have it said that there are any Mysteries and Darknesses in Religion when their minds are so bright and their intellects are so shining What is this but Pride What is this but being over-conceited of their natural Faculties and having too great an opinion of their own Rational Capacities what is this but an immodest and extravagant magnifying of these Powers Yea what is it but a kind of aspiring to Divinity and attributing to themselves an Infinite and Immense nature an extraordinary and more than humane Wisdom Zophar gives us the true Character and Pedigree of this sort of persons Iob 11. 12. Vain man would be wise this Empty Hollow Creature would fain be thought to be full of Knowledge though he be born like a wild asses colt though he be by nature ignorant and rude he hath such an opinion and esteem of his Parts and Acquirements he is of such Arrogancy and Elation of Mind that he thinks it below him to acknowledge any Abstrusities in Religion He takes part with the Conceited Sect of the Stoicks among whom it was a Maxim That it became not a Wise man to wonder at any of those things which to others seem to be Paradoxes Nay he is so much of this Vaunting humour that he will not be perswaded that there is any thing Wonderful and Amazing even in Religion it self St. Paul stiles Christianity a Mystery but he being intoxicated with Pride and Self-conceit directly contradicts him and saith it is not mysterious But those who attend to the Apostle's Advice Not
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