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reason_n divine_a faith_n revelation_n 3,413 5 9.3938 5 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A26588 A discourse of wit by David Abercromby ... Abercromby, David, d. 1701 or 2. 1686 (1686) Wing A82; ESTC R32691 73,733 250

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We run yet much more counter to reason and the Subordination that God has established in this World when we presume to set up for Judges of our Soveraign or dare to question upon what account he does this or that issue out this or that Order as if we understood better than he the Publick Interest which God has entrusted to him not to us We shall never then be useful Members to the Common-wealth we make a part of unless we keep within the bounds of our Respective Stations 'T is then safe and a greater piece of Wit in a Tradesman for instance to mind his business and Domestick con●erns rather than to asperse th● Government by his malicious reflections or which is yet worse to writ seditious Pamphlets and calumniatory Libels in opposition to his Superiours Such Men have a great account to render one day to God for this disorderly use of their Wit I conceive the Devil himself with his Hellish Tribe to be but in one point worse than those troublesom Spirits that he is not capable of Repentance But I need not enlarge on this Subject since to the great advantage of the established Government 't is daily handled with so much accuracy by that very ingenious and truly Loyal Gentleman Sir Roger L' Estrange SECT XI The use of Wit 1. That Wit is sometimes the occasion of great disorders 2. That a witty man may live happily in a solitude 3. That the common word Man is a sociable Animal is only to be understood of the duller sort 4. The Duty of a Christian 5. That the clear light of Reason may contribute somewhat towards the increase of the dark Light of Faith 6. Divine revelation to be proposed by and received from the Vniversal Church 7. The vulgar Error that of three Phisitians two are Atheists confuted 8. The foresaid Reproach pressed home to some Divines especially to those of the Romish Church with a greater appearance of Truth 9. The usefulness of natural Philosophy and the best method of Learning 10. That we must conform our Discourse to those we converse with and not make an affected show of Wit before the duller Sort. 1. IT may be a Paradox though no untruth that Wit is the worst of Gods Gifts bestowed upon Mankind if we Judge a thing bad that either is the occasion or cause of evil and mischief For it is not only the Headwel of Rebellion Sedition and Heresie which we may easily discover whether we reflect upon our times or by a start backwards take a view of the foregoing Ages but 't is also the Inventer of those innumerable Engins made use of by men for the Ruine of Mankind under pretence either of a necessary defence or just attack Yet as by Malice or misapplication it may be a fit Instrument for evil so if we turn it once the right way it may prove the most useful as undoubtedly it is the most shining participation of the Divine Nature And I know not why Aristotle said that a Man who can live in a retired solitude must be either a God or a Beast Since for this I conceive nothing else requisite but a not too narrow Wit For Spiritualis homo omnia judicat the Spiritual Man that 's the Witty discerns and makes use of every thing Of such an one 'tis truly said Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus that he is never in better company than when he is with no body for then in his retired Thoughts he calls himself to an account and examines severely all his own actions thoughts and Words I know not then whereupon 't is grounded that a Man is a sociable Animal and loves to live together with his like in Nature and Shape For I have always observed the wittyest sort of men to delight more in their retired Solitudes than in the greatest Crouds If this common Maxim be not a vulgar Error as I believe 't is none it cannot be understood but of the duller Sort who being once alone are in all sense alone and with no body because they are no Company to themselves I mean they know not how to play the time away with what either is within or without themselves But such as can act the Philosophers part with whatever they see feel or touch do neither need or incline much to converse except perhaps those that are of a no less or rather of greater Abilities than themselves Nay Books to such men are not necessary Companions in their Retirements For they can want their Company too though not so well as that of Men. One of these three they are always conversant with themselves God or the Obvious Works of his Power that are without us I conceive not 't is true what God is for how should he be what he is if I could comprehend him yet I may apprehend him to be a being infinitely perfect that is to say whose perfections are numberless I need not then if I please want a Subject to think on when alone if considering apart those perfections one after another I measure as far as I can reach their dimensions their length their breadth and their depth So I shall now meditate upon his Power and then contemplate the strange effects thereof in the works of the Creation which I shall always conceive infinitely below what he could have done or may yet do I shall again represent to my self though very imperfectly the brightness of his Glory in the Sun Moon and Stars his constancy in the Earth his activity in the Fire the depth of his Essence in the bottomless Seas and the least of his Creatures shall be unto me a fair Copy of his Wisdom Goodness and other Perfections 2. But if I make no other use of my Wit than this I am but a meer Moralist and not a Christian for as such I must lay aside my Philosophy and believe what I conceive not upon the infallible Authority of an obscure Revelation Nevertheless tho' my Religion forbids me to play the Philosopher yet if I pretend to a rational belief I presume nothing against its true Maxims As I look then upon the meer light of Faith to be somewhat dark so I know the light of reason to be somewhat clearer May not I then joyn those two Lights together and make perhaps a greater one of them both I believe the mystery of the Trinity though I comprehend it not I think it not unlawful to slatter my own Weakness with the discovery of some Rudiments thereof in my Soul as being one in Nature and threefold in Operation I mean as having three distinct Faculties the Memory Understanding and Will The Incarnation is above the reach of an Angelical Understanding The Angels themselves by the meer light of Nature could not but judge it impossible 'T is a strange Metamorphosis that faith only teacheth me to be real Stile me not nevertheless quite impertinent if for my own satisfaction I endeavour to perswade to my self the