the VVorld takes notice Job 11.12 That vain man would be wise He Aspires to the Reputation of being so tho he be Born like the wild Ass Colt the most Undisciplinable of all Animals so silly and so wild and yet the Emblem of Human VVisdom Notwithstanding this every Age hath Risen up in this presumption upon their own Reason This is that Gnosticism of every Age The Apostle says we know that we all have Knowledg that is we take upon us to have so 1 Cor. 8.2 But he adds If any man think he knows any thing he knows nothing yet as he ought to Know and therefore he prefers the Love of God and being known of him to our Airy Knowledge or Reason 2 Thes 4.2 He looks upon them as Men of no Topicks that is of no Reason who have not Faith who are not instructed of God by his Spirit in his Word Yet we Dwarfs of Reason of a Span long and Hand Breadth dare to measure Reasons with the Almighty Col. 2.18 vainly pufft up in our minds which are but Carnal while we think them so sublime as to measure Divine Things In the wisdom of God the World by wisdom knew not God The Lord knoweth the Thoughts of the wise that they are vain even the Discursive reasonings of the wise 1 Cor. 1.20 21. c. 3.18 19 20. The wisdom of this world is Foolishness with God Let a man become a Fool that he may be wise With innumerable such Scriptures that would put an humble Christian quite out of conceit with his own reason and make him rather cry out with Solomon All this have I proved by wisdom I said I will be wise but it was far from me That which is far off and exceeding Deep who can find it out Eccles 7.23 Prov. 30.1 Surely I am more bruitish than any man I have not the understanding of man viz. In his first Creation I neither learned wisdom nor know the knowledg of the Holy Rom. 12.3 The Great Wisdom is not to be wise above what is written but to be wise to Sobriety So little in all this and much more that might be Collected of the same Sense doth Scripture set by above or contrary to Human Reason as now current among Men For what the Reason of Man condemns as the Foolishness of God or Foolishness in Divine Things that do not commend themselves to Reason or the Wisdom of Men is yet wiser than that Imaginary Reason or Wisdom of Men. CHAP. IV. Of the Second Head proposed in this Discourse An Enquiry after the Nature of Revelation with an Answer upon it to Former Objections THere needs no Introduction concerning the word or sense of the word Revelation For it plainly signifies the uncovering and making plain visible and open what was before Covered Vailed Hidden and Concealed And this is the Apocalypsis every where spoken of in Scripture from God and his Spirit and herein the Discourse Christianity not Mysterious agrees and acknowledges Mysteries before Revelation as being of the Deeps of God which no Man can know seeing not the Deeps of a man But it is supposed that Revelation is recommended to Reason and is no more than Information or Testimony from any other Hand the certitude only of Divine Excells For in Human Information Reason Judges of the Credibility and if it finds cause disallow the Veracity of the Testimony and rejects the Things but in Divine Information it allows the Testimony but if it cannot receive the things as credible in such an appearance Reason changes them by Interpretation into other appearances wherein it can allow them altho it be never so plain by compare of Scripture and Reason guided by it Scripture intends what Reason Rejects but I shall endeavour to make plain by Scripture and true Reason according to it and the consent of Experience that this is a wholly mistaken Expedient as I go on thus to Remonstrate § 1. REvelation is a Manifestation of God to his Intellectual Creatures from the Secret of his own Purpose and the Deeps of his Counsel towards them or any of them above what was made known to them or might be found out by them according to their First Creation or Establishment but they being from an Holy Wise and Infinitely Gracious Being They are and cannot but be in every one of these Regards like to himself and as they are super-induced to Creation they are of Further and higher Grace for what-ever was necessary to the First Creation was given and made known by the Infinitely wise and good Creator who yet being Infinite and Infinitely Free had more to give than he gave at first but was not obliged to Give all at once Now these things could not be known but by Revelation For what man knows the things of a man 1 Cor. 2.11 but the Spirit of a man that is within him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God The Gospel on this Account is so often Stiled The Mystery hid in God kept secret since the World began hidden Wisdom the wisdom of God in a mistery Angels therefore Principalities and Powers could not by their Higher Light than that of the human Creation find it out but learn it by the Church This is indeed Agreed but yet ought to be set in its clearest and fullest Light § 2. The Intellectual Eye was in Creation enabled to see and behold only the Objects proper to such a Creation as it was Created even as the Beasts of the Field and Fowls of the Heavens have no higher a Light than that of sense as proper to their Creation So have the Higher Creations each in their Classe a Light Proportionable to such or such an Elevation of Creation For else such higher Light must be supposed to have lain Superfluous or might have known the mind of the Lord and been his Counseller before Revelation or could at least have immediately comprehended the secret Counsels of God whenever Revealed But Angels Learn and Desire to Look into them Further and Further and undoubtedly partake of that grand Priviledg of the Church the Spirit of Revelation to Enable them That which puts the matter out of all doubt is that the Apostle joyns and so Scripture throughout the Spirit of God Given and Receiv'd that we might know and Discern Now the Spirit is not an outward but an inward Revealer and Elevator of the Spirit of a Man as Elihu speaks in Job God Exalts Job 32.26 lifts up by his Power the Spirit of his Creatures whom he Teaches who therefore Teaches like him The Spirituality of this Higher New Creation is as much above Rationality as Rationality above Sense herein therefore differs Divine Teaching from all Created Teaching If any of the Angels be supposed the Higher to Reveal to the Lower or to men what they Know by the much Larger Sphere of their Creation and what is Mistery to those that are of a
principally in Difference is attained viz. On the Side of the Treatise it is affirm'd by the Author There is no Doctrine of Christianity that can be properly styled a mystery that is above Reason or contrary to it In Answer to the Treatise I Affirm There are Greatest Truths of the Gospel Above Reason though not consider'd as Corrupt and many more Yea the whole Tenor and Frame of the Gospel as it comprizes the Redemption of Man Fallen by our Lord Jesus Christ is Both above and contrary to it as Corrupted and so mystery And according to the Measures of Reason so are the Powers of Free-will to be Arbitrated and Estimated as shall be seen through the Assistance of God in the Following Debate The Topicks or Seats of Argument on which the Author and his Treatise Rely are 1. That when the Truths of the Gospel are once Revealed the Mind and Reason of Man is able by its self to Form Ideas of Them according to Revelation so far as is necessary to our Advantage however not Adequate and by Former Ideas Implanted to Judge of them as from God and according to Truth Else they could be nothing to us any more than if never Revealed nor could we else distinguish them from Falshood and Delusion so proper to the Mystery of Iniquity And that Man hath a Power of Free-will Obedientially to Answer the Ends of such Revelations if not wanting to himself Else he could not be justly Condemned 2. That the Gospel is prepared and Addressed to the Minds and Wills of Men according to the former Hypothesis or Argument and not as if it were Mystery On the Contrary Part to shew the Gospel is Mysterious I will endeavour after the Closest Pursuits of the Nature of Reason and of Revelation according to both Scripture and Reason and the Intimate Sense of Awaken'd Mind From Both these therefore Compared we shall Attain the Knowledge How the very word Mystery came into the use of the Gospel and Adjust thereunto the use of it in the Impure Mysteries of Paganism and Antichristianism and the Common use of it in ordinary Concernments and for what Excellent purposes it is to be Zealously Contended for in Divine Things till All Mystery be Finish'd And to Exemplify Gospel Reason and Mystery I will do it in Him who is indeed the Highest Exemplar of Both The Eternal Logus or Reason and the Mystery as he is Christ in us the Hope of Glory And hereby we shall be led into the Supreme Mystery of the Father The Word The Spirit And all along in Answer to this Treatise I would remove the Scandals and Reproaches cast upon the Truths of the Gospel Asserted to be Mysterious and the Faithful Stewards of those Mysteries as if they had any Symbolism with the Mystery of Iniquity and shew how they differ as Light and Darkness In the Last Place Any Objections I can Derive from the Treatise that can be supposed to be made against the Mysteriousness of Christianity as it shall be made out in the Answer shall be throughout it as particularly as may be taken into Just and Equal Consideration According to this Scheme I shall by the Assistance of God not only endeavour a Scripture but a Rational Conviction that the Doctrines of Christianity are and must needs be in Truest Sense Mysteries I Conclude therefore this short Scheme with Applying that Grave Observation to the whole It is said A little Knowledge in Nature makes Men Atheists But a Deep and Well-Ballasted Knowledge more strongly Rootes Them in the Acknowledgment and Adoration of the Divine Being So Superficial Tinctures of Reason give Men occasion to Deny the Mysteriousness of Christianity but the Juster Presences of it in the Mind give Fullest Assurances It is in All True Senses Mysterious even the Adorable Mystery of the Divine Wisdom and Grace A Discourse of the Mysteriousness of Christianity in answer to a treatise Christianity not Mysterious CHAP. I. Of the close and strict consideration of Reason IN speaking of Reason The Introduction to that Head The close pursuit after Reason I cannot acquiesce to the singling out of that compare and ballancing of the Idea's of the Mind and Arguing from them in finding out Truth assigned in this Treatise to be a sufficient Representation of Reason but that there ought to be as just an Animadversion on what the Author does indeed Represent which ought to be taken in viz. the Mind the Idea's of the Mind the Evidences the Mind hath of Notions or Propositions immediately and as issuing in Full Demonstration And also what the Author takes no notice of viz. That Holiness Purity Righteousness Universal Goodness and Probity inseparate from True Reason That Inward and Prophoric or outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speech so Essential to Reason and that Energy Vigor and Power of Imprinting it self upon Rational Beings so immediately resulting from Reason according to the Excellency of the Reason from which it flows For thus I find Scripture does extend it self with Relation to what is to be Discoursed upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Reason viz. Spirit Mind the Vnderstanding the Discursive Mind Wisdom Knowledg Truth The Wisdom that is the Fear of the Lord the Knowledg of the Holy The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law Written in the Heart The speaking in the Heart or Communing with it The Tongue of the Wise of the Learned a might and power an Authority of Teaching But were it not that in one peculiar case of greatest moment as shall be set out but deferr'd till what is more universally agreeable have made the way to it I should have no favor for the word Reason on a Religious Account as being a word taken from the Pride and Supercile of Philosophy and not from Scripture but set in opposition to the Spirituality of the Gospel But seeing it hath pleased the Spirit of God to single out that word that all the Great Men of Reason have expressed it by viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to apply it to the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reason as Scripture is The Writing therein Sanctifying the Learning of Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Transcendent a Revelation and so plainly pointing upon the sense of that word we are to be upon in styling that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light of Men as Reason in the General Acceptation is and the Light that Lightneth every man that cometh into the World I shall generally adhere to it in the following Discourse and have an especial Regard to it as it must needs be understood in this Debate viz. That Reason or Reasoning Vnderstanding planted in the Mind or intellectual Spirit of Man constituting such an Intellectual Rational Creation altho in this Fallen Condition of Man there are only some Reserves or some Mentions and Ruins of it § 1. IT is agreed on both parts as is acknowledged in the Scheme Foregoing That to be Above or not above
that there is truth so far they are to be received But the Reason transposed perverted distorted in the Love of Evil is in nothing to be confided in for its own sake nor is a whole Council of sinful Fallen Men to be confided in in any one Point because they have Fail'd in so Radical a One as to have sinn'd they may not attend to some one great Principle that bears up such or such a truth Even as in that Radical One And though they may Acknowledg and Subscribe to many Holy Rules and Live in Obedience to some yet this as shall be further offered flows from Grace towards some and in others from a Righteous Judgment of God who as he holds fast all Holy Truths in himself so Demonstrates them by others as he pleases Variously But it still remains no such Judgment or Understanding or Reason is to be trusted on its own Account And all the Truth and Good that is in the World is to be Ascribed to other Springs as we shall see § 7. We know in our selves as we are Beings of Reason Every Intellectual Being hath an Internal Annunciation to it self and within it self according to its comprehensions of Reason that is even Consubstantial to it self and according to which it Declares it self to other Intellectual Beings by external Enunciation or Elocution And these are so much reason that both the inward and the outward are expressed by Reason it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are the great Distinction of Man the Creature of reason from Creatures of no reason That Angels have within Themselves such Internal Notices of their own Comprehensions we are most assured by our own Experience and that they have Enunciation to other Intellectual Beings of their own order we cannot doubt in Allusion to which the Apostle speaks of the Tongue of Angels The Excellency of God's Internal and Declarative word I will Discourse on another Head but to speak of what will not be denyed by any who acknowledg God and Scripture the word of God it 's this That if Infinite reason Wisdom and Truth hath condescended to speak there is no such speech in the whole Creation as His Word and the Records of what he hath spoken to contain in it self and to Reveal Mystery and no other but his Word can be proper for either Seeing External Speech is Govern'd by inward Intellectual Power of Enunciation as the one Excells so does the other If therefore the understanding and reason of God be the only Infallible reason his Enunciation and Declaration can be only Infallible Reason in us was his word and would be so if it were the same he gave But it is now fallen And this Assures the Excellency of the Word of God spoken or written There is a Declaration or Voice of God in the Creation declaring his Infinite Wisdom and Understanding to the Intellectual Creation according to their First Creation but the word of God declares the Counsels of his Will in Receiving of Fallen Psal 12.6 Prov. 30.6 and Lost Man Every word of which is pure as Silver tryed in a Furnace of Earth purified seven times and whosoever dares to add to it of his own as if it were the same or equal will be found a Lyar that is a Forger and Deceiver or a Reason falsly so call'd § 8 Every rational Being or reason hath in the motions of reason a Force Might Spirit of reason or presence of it active in himself and impressive on those to whom he declares himself according to the Degree and Excellency of his reason and by which he looks back upon himself and is Conscious of the reason that mooves in and from him and knows that he knows and this gives Life to the inward Notions and Notices or that inward word of reason and to the Communications or Enunciations of reason to other Intelligent Beings This assures there is in the Divine Being the infinite reason an Infinite Spirit and Power of Wisdom and Understanding of which in its highest Excellency I will further speak by his own Assistance But in general Apprehension Job 36.22 Job 32 8. God Exalteth by his Power none teacheth like him There is a Spirit in Man but the mighty Breathing of the Allmighty gives him Vnderstanding a mighty Energy or Spirit from God the Supreme reason and Understanding This we cannot but acknowledg and Ascribe to the Supreme Understanding For if we find it in such Reasons as we are one towards another a Communication with some peculiar Efficacy according to the Reason that does Communicate or the Reasons that Communicate one with another How much more is it to be acknowledged to the Infinite Reason Teaching man Knowledg and therefore how can any Gracious Aproaches by his Spirit to the Souls of his Servants Inlightning and Teaching them be Denyed CHAP. III. Of Created Reasons and their various Orders and References one to another as Beings of Reason and of their upright and Fallen Estate and the great difference of their Reason therein § 1. I Have thus far considered the Paramount and Transcendent Infinite Being Wisdom Truth Reason By those Tracings of Reason as in Us not only Finite but Degenerate Spirits or Beings of Reason that whatever true Lines thereof are Discoverable in us may lead us up to the Infinite and Infinitely Pure Original and shew us the Immenseness of his Perfections For it is certain Intellectual Spirits cannot be made such or continue in any Activity as such but that God the Infinite Intellectual Object and most Intelligible must needs be seen by them in his Great Perfection and Attributes But I would now consider Created Intellectual Beings and such as we cannot but by our Reason Divine are of a Higher Sphere and Order than our selves and Scripture makes known to us as Seraphic Angelic Beings and among them Thrones Principalities Dominions Powers and so come down to Human Spirits in Bodies and observe upon these and the various Elevations of them and All in their State of Integrity and unfallen what may Direct us in our main pursuit after Reason § 2. All Created Spirits of what Order soever are Beings or Spirits Begotten by Creation of the Father of Lights the Father of Spirits in his own Image and Likeness and so are Intellectual Spirits and Beings of Reason by their very Being and Descent And in their first Creation they bear a Resemblance of the Eternal Wisdom and Reason in every one of the forementioned particulars as hath been already sufficiently to the present purpose Remark'd concerning them And as there is an Original Begetting Breathing or Creation at First so there is a continual sustentation of Intellectual Beings so far as they are in their First Estate or are but preserved in any Remains of it and according to the Degrees of their Creation and Sustentation or as I may call it their Reservation in an Intellectual State Jude 6. notwithstanding their Leaving their First Estate and
Scripture and those Intellectual Exercitations upon them are suited to Men of Thought and Contemplation though not so Familiar to Common Readers or Hearers who may yet have those Difficulties Masticated and Prepared for them by more plain Discourses I do not yet Plead for Binding Men's Faith and Consciences to any Words or Form of Words that do not especially in Christian Mysteries Keep as close as may be not onely to Scripture-Sense but to Scripture-Expressions with as little variation as is possible Comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual and that they who do this come nearest to the Thing as the Author speaks though with what Design in his Explaining of those Words p. 5. I will not undertake to Judge Let him therein Stand or Fall to his own Master The Things that give me Scandal in the Treatise are First The Boldness and Insolency of the Frontispiece so very Contemptuous and even Contradictory to the Constant Language of the New Testament Styling the Gospel Mystery and its Truths Mysteries whilst that openly Bears out Christianity not Mysterious this savours of Too mean an Esteem of the Sacred Stamp and Superscription and the Images it gives of Things and Highly Countenances Antioscripturism which yet the Writer would Appear not to have any Favour for I look upon it as a Just Occasion for a Christian Zeal against it That the Deists as the Men of Reason and Virtuoso's as they would be Thought in Religion Take the Pretensions of this Treatise as Service to Themselves Finding so much settled in what They Account Their own Territory and Demesne Reason and Free-Will And in the mean time they Act the Part of Ananias and Saphira They Keep Back or Withdraw some Noblest Principles of the Gospel on these very Interests To which Secret Service one cannot but Suspect this Discourse is Devoted I cannot but be Troubled The Observing Atheist with whom the Deist is in a Close Allyance Rejoyces to find his Account in this Suppositing a Dead Child of Reason and Free-will as they now go amongst Men in the Room of that Living Spirituous Christianity of the Scriptures or at least That it is Divided between a Nominal Faith and a Philosophy that is indeed Vain and Science Falsly so Called The Beaux-Esprits The Men of Ayr and Wit are pleas'd with Meeting the Sacred and Awful Mysteries of Christian Religion under Burlesque and Railleny which ought to Affect the Sincere Lovers of it with Sadness and Lamenting such a Prophane Temper of the Age. I will not Deny That some not to be Looked upon with so Ill an Eye as the Former who do not Closely Inspect nor Penetrate the Scope and Tendency of such a Discourse but suffer Themselves to be Impos'd upon by Palliations and Pretences think it Innocent But even this Deserves Lamentation as shewing a Soft and Tame Surrendry of the Faith of the Gospel or a Gallio-Like Spirit that does not Generously and Genuinely Care for these Things But All who more Wisely and Discerningly Consider such Dissertations in their Spring and Issue are Aware How Destructive to and Subversive of the Doctrines Life and Power and even of the Profession of the Gospel they are On the Whole therefore I make this Solemn Profession with Appeal to Him who Searches Hearts That I have no other Design in this Answer but the Glory of God in the Blessed and Glorious Gospel of his Son the Salvation of Souls That they may Buy the Truth and not on Any Fair Glozes Sell it And therefore I can with All Humble Supplications and Assurance Commend the Vndertaking to the Divine Acceptance in and through the Mediator and to His Blessing upon it to the Approbation of Sincere Christians and to the very Reason of the Adversaries between God and their own Consciences THE SCHEME OF THE TREATISE Christianity not Mysterious and of the Answer to it THE Fairest and Clearest Method for the Attaining Truth in any Debate is the Plainest Laying Down the State of it or Giving a Scheme of what is Agreed on Both Parts of what is mainly in Difference and of the Principal Topicks of Argument on each side These therefore I would lay down in one View P. 40 4 c. 1. There is an Acknowledgment on Both Parts of the Divine Original of the Gospel and of its Truths That They are from God The Advantage of which in Deciding this Controversy is That whatever is regularly Argued from Scripture and from the very Stream and Current of it is to be Own'd Receiv'd and Rested upon as Truth by each Party and is undoubtedly Agreeable to Right Reason and Right Reason to it 2. There are yet Truths of the Gospel P. 40 41 c. that could never have been Found out by the Truest or even the Highest Created Reason seeing they are the Deeps of God and can be known onely by Revelation from Himself The Advantage of this Acknowledgment is That in Regard of the Original of the Truths of the Gospel whatever of Adorableness and Exciting Profoundest Reverence is Imported in Divine Mysteries is for ever due to the Truths of the Gospel as in their Unsearchable Spring and Origin And this certainly ought to have Moderated a Zeal without Knowledge or Due Consideration of All that do but Acknowledge so much in De-Mysterizing them if I may so speak or Laying them Common This should Conciliate to them most Humble Veneration and Love as Inestimable Pledges of the Good-will of the Supreme Being to such Unworthy Despicable Creatures as we the Children of Men Are to whom the Gospel is Vouchsafed and even of Condescension to Angels whom Sacred Writing shews to have an Interest at least of Beholding with Admiration and Delight And besides this there are Reasons as will appear that what is so Originally Mystery should be always so till such a State of Perfect Comprehension as wherein All Mystery shall be Finished 3. It is Acknowledged That the Gospel is prepared Sect. 2 3. Chap. 3d. and even Gloriously Accomplish'd to Inform and to Illuminate And that it was Attended with an Undoubted Evidence and Demonstration of the Power of God in Miracles that might give All Assurance and Satisfaction to the Reason and Mind of Man That it was and is from God The Advantage of this Acknowledgment on Both Parts is That hereby First There is an Unpassable Gulph Fix'd between the Great Mystery of Godliness and the Mystery of Iniquity which is a Mystery of Darkness as Darkness it Self and its Miracles Lying Wonders that is Wonders of Darkness Like only to the Foul Idolatrous Mysteries of Paganism and its Fables as Scripture continually shades the one by the otheâ— Let there therefore be no shade of Reproach cast on the Gospel Notion or style of mystery from the mystery of Iniquity seeing the One is separate from the Other as Light from Darkness or as Heaven from Hell and that by Scripture it self which though it uses the word mystery so continually as
more confined compass and below them they may Congregate and stir up by Reasoning and Instruction all the Light such had before and extend it as far as it can be extended under the Manutemency of the Eternal Light and Reason sustaining and acting both the higher and lower Intellects but they can give no Inward Supernatural Light when what they find is not sufficient That is the Glory of the Father of Glory and of Lights The Exalting Spirits by his Spirit is his Prerogative alone and what hath been said of Light may be much more affirmed of Grace Love Holy Conformity of the whole Spirit to Revealed Truth That is from the God of all Grace by his Spirit so that the Author of the Treatise Saw and yet would not or did not see in seeing the Renewing the Faculties by the Spirit of God Given now and of the very Organs in the Spiritual Body a Body fitted by the Quickning Spirit at the Resurrection and the Finishing All Mystery to see things above Reason as was before observ'd in the Scheme which Scripture every where Teaches is done by the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation And yet the Dignity of the First Creation is herein still affirm'd That the Father of Spirits hath given the Immortal Spirit of Man in his own Image so that it is capable of the Inhabitation of his own Spirit as an Higher Spirit in it and hath also Engrafted and notwithstanding sin Reserved such Principles of Truth that are of Great Service and Use in the Renovation as shall be more shewn § 3. If now the Light of Creation be so unable without an higher Illumination and Grace tho considered without any Loss or Abatement of it self not only to find out but to receive Revelation much less can it be a Standard to it when it is but a Partial Light and not Adequate to Truths above its Sphere what shall we think then of a Broken Shatter'd Shipwrack'd Reason whose Light is Darken'd in its very Heavens For that it is so is Evident not only by all the Difficulties of attaining Wisdom a far off and Exceeding Deep in all kind of Knowledg but the Imperfections many Mistakes and Presumptions not born up by Truth so that when we say we will be wise it is far from us All these plainly shew a Degraded Reason But that which I look upon as the most Pungent Demonstration to every Mans Conscience is that however we may be or are convinc'd of Godliness Righteousness Soberness yet Reason is not Able to give its last Positive Peremptory and Conclusive Dictate That these are best for us in all our Actions This shews some Vertical Point in all Probity Reason in this State it is now in does not see Now this is the principal Point of Wisdom and of Reason And it was given in Creation when to Man he said equally with making weights for the Wind The Fear of the Lord That is wisdom and not only to know we ought to do it but Actually to Depart from Evil is Vnderstanding And Any Reason that does it not is Laesum Principium a Reason Broken and out of Joint For if it were not it would Operate true to the very utmost Point of All Goodness even as all other Laws of Creation are observ'd so had that Law first Given of the Fear of the Lord and Departure from Evil in Man The Reason of Man is now like the Failure of an Instrument or an Engine of the Virtuosoes in Experimental Philosophy All seems to be set Fair and True and Right But it misses in the last point of Effect And therefore notwithstanding all Probabilties and handsome Appearances it is not to be trusted Thus the present Reason of Man Judges for Piety Justice and Temperance and so seems Right for its Purpose and End but it miscarries in the Doing It is not Blessed in the Deed and so is not for its own sake in any thing to be Trusted The Reason of the First Man did not thus start aside as a broken Bow just at the Mark before his Sin and Fall If you say then How did Sin Enter The Answer is plain Adam Luxated and strain'd his Reason in Judging by it of what was above it matter of Revelation of becoming Like God more than he was by Creation not Acquiescing by Faith in the Will of and Grace of the Creator and obedience to his Command in not Eating and so was Deceived and Disobey'd and Ruin'd Himself and His Posterity by the Righteous Judgment of the All-mighty whose ways are past finding out by Reason for they are above it And yet by Trusting in our Bankrupt Reason we daily more Entangle our Selves Can we think the Fallen Adam was to be Trusted for not the Finding out that may be Allowed in the Negative but for the Judging of or Receiving a Revelation of the way of his Recovery by a Reason that had so fouly miscarryed in Reaching beyond it self And how much less is ours to be confided in as to what is above it which does so daily fall short of what was at first placed in a Just Level to that Reason § 3. The grand Revelation of God in his Word and Gospel is the Recovery of Lost Man by his own Begotten Son who came from Heaven into that very Lost Nature and Redeemed from Death Hell the Curse the Wrath and Justice of God by his own Death and by the Sacrifice of Himself and by His Mediation and Intercession at the Right Hand of God and appearing at last in the Resurrection of the Dead Bodies of his Saints and the Glorification of the whole Man is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to All that Obey Him Heb. 5.9 Herewith Fall in All those Truths of the Gospel attendant hereupon and that concenter with them Even the Godliness Righteousness and Soberness that the True Reason hath Lost are hereby Restor'd and Brought to Light in a much Higher Lustre and Spirituality with a greater Efficacy and more Indefeizable certainty That they shall not be Lost when the Spirits of those Redeemed by Christ are Redintegrated in them § 9. This is now such a New Heaven and Earth of Things that the Reason of Man if it were whole and entire as in the First Creation could not by it self Judg of nor Try in its own Beams the Supreme Excellencies and Splendors of but would be Oppressed with the Glory and Dazl'd with the Brightnefs however in some as it were Back-Parts it would see a Divinity in them As to those Glories that may be stiled the Face of them it must even as Angels submit it self to the Paramount and Infinite Reason and shut its Mouth at as at that which Had not not been Told it and that It had not Heard in first Creation How much less then can the Decayed Reason those Poor Relicks Fragments and Broken Peices of Reason judg of them But through that Sin and Impurity that hath United it self therewith the more it
things Revealed by God to them what the Spirit of Christ in them did signify and did not think it concern'd them not because they wanted Idea's of what they understood not Christ Taught by Parables which were yet mysteries till opened by him and to all but those to whom he opened them The Book we call the Revelation is still mysterous This I urge that the joyning the mystery of the Gospel with Revelation may not be looked upon as proof sufficient it is no longer Mistery § 2. There are particular Branches of Evangelical Truth to which the Spirit of God is pleased peculiarly to apply mystery the first Scripture of the New Testament in which we find it used Matth. 13.11 I reserve for after consideration Colos 2.2 viz. The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven so of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Of which I will give a further Account in the close of the Discourse The Mediatorship of Christ in the various Progresses of it to highest Glory shall remain without Controversy the great mystery of Godliness till his Return in Glory wherein It is most manifest as there are some Points very Indisputably deeply mysterious 1 Tim. 3.16 as God manifested in Flesh Justified in Spirit So others more plain as Preached to the Gentiles believed on in the World that as to their out side were plain matters of Fact Yet these as well as the others make up the great mystery of Godliness which shews there is some deep Reason in the Eye of the Divine Spirit why the Notion and Word mystery should be applied to each truth of the Gosyel though some of those truths are more plain Ephes 5.26.32 than others the Union betwixt Christ and his Church and so with every Believing Soul is what will be mystery till he present it to himself in every particular Member of it à glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle Rev. 19.7 which The Revelation stiles the Nuptials of the Lambs Wife and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb For who can declare this Union rather inwardly perceived than possible to be Expressed yet The Final Recapitulation of all things in Heaven and Earth in Christ that shall be Happy and Blessed is stiled the mystery of the Divine Will and it is to be done in the grand Oeconomy of the Fullness of Times or of all Time when mystery shall be Finished and before which it shall not be Finished but Remain mistery till then according to the Sense of all Scripture There are some great Propheticks of Scripture as the Fulness of the Gentile Churches or their coming to a fuller Light after the Eclipse of the Apostasy by Antichrist Rom. 11.25 Ephes 3.3 1 Cor. 15.51 Rev. 1.30 c. 10.7 1 Cor. 13.1.2 together with their whole number coming in and making one Body with the Israelites or rather a Joynt Body The mystery spoken of the Changing of the Living Saints at the coming of Christ the mystery of the seven Stars and seven Candlesticks and the mystery of God Finished of which I fear there are yet so low Idea's in the general Professors of Christianity that if ever they were mysteries they are so still as particularly to Instance in that of the Living Saints Changed which we generally look upon as if it meant no more than the suddenness of a change equivalent to Death upon those Saints who shall be Found Alive at the Coming of Christ which is so far from a mystery that it cannot be otherwiie the Coming of Christ being so Instantaneous as Scripture every where declares it which Assures there lies a much deeper sense under those words as comparing them with The Living The Remaining or rather Reserv'd twice used 1 Thes 4.15 17. will assure them who closely consider it But I think it unseasonable any further to engage herein only to observe the Importance of the word Mystery in Scripture to be That what it Reveals as in the Sum and main Substance hath yet unconceivable Recesses and Retirements of Truth which we connot yet comprehend or find Ideas of and yet what it doth Reveal is of great moment to us and ought to fill us with a desire of Fuller Comprehensions of as perfective of not only of our Understandings but makeing blessed our whole Man § 3. There is yet remaining one use more the Scripture makes of the word mistery in what it doth not own as mystery of or from it self but Blazons as Counter-mystery to it self and so far as we suppose the Holy Spirit transferr'd the use of the word mystery from Pagan Idolatrous Impurity it does in this one Instance Refund it and place it on its own Base And this is the mystery of Iniquity of which the Apostle speaks 2 Thes 2.7 And after leads us to the Land of Shinar as the Base of it Babylon the Great on whose Forehead was written great mystery Rev. 17.7 And herein Scripture on one side teaches us the Sense of mystery that it signifies Coverture and Concealment For tho these two mysteries differ as Heaven and Hell for in one we have the Deeps of God In the other are hid the deeps of Satan though under the Name of a Catholick Church Antichristianism under the Name of Christianity It teaches us therefore to Abhor to Ascribe to Gospel Mystery any of its Cheates or Lyes But in that this Mystery of Iniquity is not Consum'd but by the Breath of Christ's Mouth and the Glory of his Appearance It shews the Gospel shall continue Mystery while this Counter-mystery is sufferr'd to Endure § But while we thus according to the Gospel it self speake of it as mystery and that the mystery of Iniquity is a counter-mystery to it we Exalt the Wisdom of it as the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God only Wise Just and Right Prov. 8.6 c. 1 Sam. 2.3 2 Pet. 1.16 c. 1.4 1 Tim. 5 4. c. 4.7 c. 6.20 the words of whose Lips are All in Righteousness and there is nothing Froward nor Perverse in them His mouth speaketh Truth Wickedness is an abomination to his Lips He is a God of Judgment and by him All things are weighed Nothing of Jargon or Chymere The Gospel abhors Fables either those cunningly devised or Old Wives Fables Endless genealogies oppositions of Science falsly so call'd All these are peculiar to the mystery of Iniquity its Lyes and Delusions after the manner of Satan the Lyar from the beginning and the Father of Lyes the Baalzebul and Baalzebub the God of Dung and of a Fly but the mysteries of the Gospel are all of greatest weight substance of Wisdom and Truth and hereof it gives assurance to all Believers who are not Blind Devotionists Colos 2.2 but have All Riches of the Full Assurance of Vnderstanding even in the mysteries of the Gospel that are most sablime altho it be an Understanding of Faith as hath been already and shall be further shewn yea even those who by
the Assistances of its General Grace apply themselves with Humility and sincere desires of its Truth to the Word of God find great Sweetness and Satisfaction and an unusual Light ariseth in Opposition to Darkness The Entrance of thy Word giveth Light it giveth Vnderstanding to the Simple Psal 119.13 Eccles 5.1 2 Tim. 3.7 nothing is more Abhor'd by it than Superstition the Sacrifice of Fools the sillyness of even Women ever Learning never able to come to the Knowledg of the Truth All these things are to be remanded to Paganism and Antichristianism and are the Characters of the mystery of Iniquity Nor do the mysteries of Christianity consist in dark and cloudy Speculations or thorny Scholastic Disputes those oppositions of Science Falsely so call'd They are rather the Boldnesses of Reason that would bring down the mysteries of the Gospel under it self and the Artifice of Sathan so to entangle them whereas in their own pure Fountain the Word of God They are all profitable for Doctrine Reproof 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Rom. 15.4 Instruction in the ways of Righteousness and that through the Patience and Comfort of the Scripture we might have hope and they make often an outward Reformation where they have not the full saving Effect Gospel mysteries are not therefore the Monopoly or the Engrossment of a Profession Heb. 5.12 1 Cor. 4.1 or a Priest-craft every Christian ought to Aspire to be a Teacher and the Faithful Stewards of these mysteries to use utmost Diligence they may be so as the greatest Seale of their own Ministry Acts 20.26.27 Col. 1.18 Jud. 12.13 And woe to them if they shun to that end to declare fully the Counsel of God Teaching every man and Warning every man that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Not Wells without Water or Clouds without Rain It is only for Order and Government sake and in Trust that this grand Office may be certainly Discharged that there is a distinct Presbytery who are only worthy of double or of any Honour at all but upon their Labour in the Word 1 Tim. 1.17 v. 13.15.16 and Doctrine and watching Night and Day to save themselves and those that hear them who might attend on this very thing and give themselves wholly to Reading and Meditation for general Profit A Guild for mystery is only proper to the Craftsmen of Diana the Merchants of Babylon the Priests of Antichrist False Apostles whose Reproach thrown upon the Gospel Their Lord will Return upon them and the Blood of Souls lost by their Unfaithfulness in the discharge of their Duty and to conclude this Branch Gospel Mysteries shall not be mysteries for ever but the perfect Comprehension of them is Ordained for the Glory of Saints and the Knowledg of them tho not perfect here yet shall end in the brightness of the Firmament to all the Wise in them and They who Instruct in them shall shine as the Stars whereas the mystery of Iniquity shall be consumed by the Brightness of the appearance of Christ and the Ministers of it go into Perdition those Planetory Stars are They for whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever Dan. 12.3 2 Thes 2.8 Jud. 13. § 5. The Reason therefore of so close adhering to the word and notion of mystery is that high Reverence due to the very word the wisdom of the Divine Spirit hath chosen 1 Cor. 2.13 c. 1.10 who compares Spiritual things with Spiritual if Christians should speak the same thing as the Apostle Admonishes who would not desire to speak the same word the Spirit of God hath so often used This is an Honour due to Scripture and to the Holy Spirit the Author but beyond this the Gospel Notion of mystery Keeps up the Reverence due to these great Truths for the sake of that Abysse of Wisdom Love and Grace from whence they Flow and puts us in mind always of their Original and that Riches of Compassion making known what had else for ever lay hid The sense hereof keeps always low all proud Reflexions on our own Reason and Holds in a constant dependence upon the Enlightning Grace of God This keeps the Divine Life at the due Elevation being laid up in Divine mysteries and Issuing from them by the Enlivening Spirit of God not Prostrated to Fallen Reason and its Power of Free Will as at the Highest but a more exalted Ethics or Moral Philosophy Hereby the Truths Revealed in the word are kept safe from Sacrilegious Violation or being Condemn'd at the Tribunal of corrupt Reason but Enthron'd in mystery far above reason this Gives the Adequate Account of miracles not only to assure the Revelations they Sealed were from God but to shew a Supernatural Power like themselves necessary to Enlighten the Understanding and to Sanctify the whole Spirit in conformity to them This gives Reason to an Earnest Desire of that Eternal Life and Happiness the Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory shewn to be Incomprehensible as the Truths in which they are contain'd and that lead thereunto and which cannot be comprehended till that finishing of mysteries in that Everlasting Kingdom Now all these Reasons of Holding Fast the Evangelick word and Notion of mystery are as so many Countermines to the Artifices of Sathan and his Instruments to Deprive us of the Real Benefits of it and therefore we ought to be Jealous over them for our own and others sake least as the great Engineer of false Reason beguiled Eve with it 2 Cor. 11.1 so our minds should be Corrupted from the Purity of Divine Truth as It is in Christ For thus Antiscripturism and Superstition mutually circulating one into another by the Help of Human Reason and Imagination have produced Paganism Antichristianism and Mahometism of which Intimation was before made § 6. To conclude then the whole concerning mystery as above Reason that is above our Fallen Corâ—upted Reason That great Oracle of our Lord of which intimation was before made gives us the sum of the matter Mat. 13.11.12 c. he speaking to his Disciples sayth to them Vnto you it is given to know the mysteryes of the Kingdom of Heaven To others it is not given This is the First occasion the Spirit of God was pleased to take to make use of the word mystery in the New Testament and it was before the calling of the Gentiles which gives a more Heauenly and Divine Descent to the use of the word mystery than the taking it from the Familiarity the Gentiles had with it Psal 49.4 Psal 78.2 and accommodating the Language of the Gospel to them For it alludes to that of the Psalm I will open my mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of Old And it is applied by Christ to the distinguishing Grace of God giving to some to know these mysteries and hiding them from others To them it is not given which is the most proper notion of mystery in all
Rom 8.20 and yet is Subject by Reason of him who so Subjected it in Hope into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God § 10. As every Reason and Wisdom together with the Speech and Expression it hath and makes of it self hath a certain Energy and Force or Spirit that it powerfully sends forth and works on others by so it is Attributed to the Eternal wisdom Reason and word of God to Powre out his Spirit Prov. 1.23 c. 14. Joh. c. 15.16 to send the Paraclet or Comforter the Holy Spirit whom the Father sends in the Sons Name who is called the Spirit of that Word by whom the world was made the Spirit of Wisdom of Revelation The Spirit of the Son The Spirit of Christ and which was given upon the Glorification of Christ Iohn 7.30 the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets and whom Scripture Introduces on all Accounts as the Spirit Breathing in and with the Declared Word of God and Revealing the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven that cannot otherwise be knwon and yet this Spirit none can know but they who have it John 14.17 Thus in all things appears the Happy Union of Reason and Mystery in the Supreme Reason and Mystery and Word CHAP. VII Of the Mystery of the Father The Word The Spirit In whom the Gospel gives the most Explicate and Consummate Manifestation of Eternal Wisdom and Reason THE former Parts of this Discourse concerning Reason and Mystery hath necessarily led to the distinct consideration of God The Father of Lights and of Spirits The Introduction All Beings of Reason descending from Him Of The Son of the Father in Truth viz. The Eternal wisdom and Reason and in Love The Word declaring the Father Full of Grace Full of Truth Of The Spirit of wisdom of Holiness of Power The Spirit giving Vtterance The Father the VVord who is the Son and the Spirit are plainly Assured to us in Scripture to be ONE Herein is highest Mystery as a conclusion therefore of this Discourse Let us in very Brief consider them so and the rather because One cannot but suspect This Jannes and Jambres Treatise Christianity not mysterious 2 Tim. 3.8 was designed to Resist this great Truth The Discourses of which however keeping close to Scripture it Stiles p. 25. Extravagancies about the Trinity and that Period pag. 29. Savors strongly of the fame Leven But what do they mean by Consisting with themselves yet not with our common Notions Four may be called Five in Heaven but so only the Name is chang'd the thing remains the same And since in this World we cannot know any thing but by our common Notions How shall we be sure of this Pretended consistency between our present seeming Contradictions and the Theology of the World to come In Answer hereunto in this great point let us consider § 1. It is certain an intellectual Spirit cannot be made such but that the Infinite Intellectual Object and most Intelligible GOD must needs be seen in his great Glory and Attributes of Perfection by it But he cannot yet be found out to Perfection but still dwells in that Light to which no one can Approach both in regard of Infinity and Infinite Holiness and Spirituality Job 4.3 so as to Charge purest Created Beings with Folly to put no Trust in the Holyest of his Servants and the Stars are not pure in his sight The most Blessed of Created Spirits cover not only their Feet but their Faces and cast their Crowns before him Even those who are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 6.2 2 Pet. 3.17 Jud. v. 13. Defirmamented nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wandring Stars Who have not Left their first Estate nor forsaken their own Habitation They dare not stand on their Intellectual or Moral Accomplishments How much less they who dwell in Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust who are but worms The Author of the Treatise we are upon acknowledges we have not Adequate conceptions of the Divine Being and yet denies Mystery because not above Reason not considering That we must now by Faith that Intellectual Grace of the New Creation and of Divine Illumination and therefore necessarily above the Reason of the First Creation if entire much more as fallen come to God Believing He is and is a Rewarder of them who Diligently seek him That is To know him in the Mediator and in the Light of his Divine Spirit according to the Revelation of his Word § 2. This Revelation of Scripture is so clear and full throughout especially the New Testament that it cannot be Denied There are so many and so distinct Namings of them both apart and together The Father The Word who is the Son The Spirit They are so Distinguished One from the Other and yet their Union one to another is most Illustriously made known as in this one Instance the Spirit is Stiled The Spirit who proceeds from the Father John 14. c. 15. c. 16. whom the Father sends in the Sons Name Now the Father as he is the Father cannot be the Son SO the Spirit is stiled The Spirit whom the Son sends from the Father The Spirit who Glorifies Christ The Spirit of the Son The Spirit of Christ And we know The Son cannot be The Father as he is the Son when therefore as the Apostle Expresly Affirms The Spirit is the One and the Self Same Spirit and he is continually stiled the Spirit of God whom most of the Adversaries acknowledg one with God as the Spirit of a man is one with himself and that yet the Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son It is absolute Scripture Demonstration that the Father the Son the Spirit are both most distinct and yet most truly The One true God Their Attributes are Distinct to Each and yet the same Divine Perfections shine out alike in All Their Acts of Love and Grace in the Salvation of man are so distinct and yet proper only to the One Eternal Being as the Fountain of them That they from whom those Emanations are cannot but be understood as Distinct and yet but One. The acknowledgments and Returns that are called for from and made by Redeemed Saints unto the Father the Son the Spirit are such as can only be Required by the most High God to himself nor without Horrible and Abominable Idolatry yeilded to any other The Gospel is so Abundant in all these and makes this manifestation of God so principal an end and scope of all its Discourses and places so much its Glory in it as in what it most designs to declare That if we own it to be a Revelation from God it is as great an Injury either to reject or to interpret it contrary to it self herein because our short and corrupt Reason cannot allow it as to impute any monstrous Thing to it For it must be supposed either to Reveal some such Portent as cannot be Believed or
of the Stile of the New Testament in the word Mystery Fitted by it self to its own Revelations and that it may not be waved or removed from upon any Forreign Suggestions nor particularly on that very weak one pardon me in so plainly Expressing it that because it Names the Mystery of Iniquity and that on the Forehead of Babylon there was written Mystery Note that Mystery is made the Distinguishing mark of the False or Antichristian Church and therefore that as Far as any Church allows of Mysteries so far it is Antichristian and may with a great deal of Justice tho little Honour claim Kindred with the Scarlet Whore If this be not the Argument of one Driven to Shifts I know not what is Who must not of necessity infer if the once mentioning the Mystery of Iniquity and once more Mystery on the Forehead of Babylon can be so supposed to the Disadvantage and Dishonour of Mystery the so often Recording it for the Honour of the Gospel and of the Doctrines of it must not be much more to the Glory of the Word and Thing Mystery and that the other Naming of it was not indeed to the dishonour of it but of that Iniquity only to which it is Joyned And further Is it not plain That the Mystery of Iniquity is a Counter Mystery to the Mystery of Godliness And that the Counter Mystery were nothing if the Grand Mystery did not super-Exist to it Even as Antichrist is to Christ and Antichristianism is to Christianism so is the Mystery of Iniquity to the Mystery of Godliness Antichristianism hath not so much as a shaddow of Appearance without that great Substance Christianity nor Antichrist without The Christ the Former infers the Latter and it might be as well said Christianity is a Note of a False Church because Antichristianism hath any Allyance of Sound or so much as that sound implies of Relation to it or that it were the Note of a False Christ That Antichrist hath the last Syllable of his Name from Christ as that the mystery of Godliness is so because the mystery of Iniquity is out of all doubt the mark of the False Church Whereas indeed the dark side of the Pillar in Each is a demonstration of the other side full of Light and Glory This therefore could no way deserve to be among the Enlargements of the Second Edition which ought to be upon Refinement of Thoughts and yet it is found p. 107. of the Second Edition 2. I have been so zealous of mystery least any of the Great Doctrines of the Gospel should be Clandestinely withdrawn under the Pretension of Christianity not mysterious that is If Reason as it is now so Fallen Co rupted and even Detruncated but as Restor'd by the Supreme Reason cannot please it self in any of the great Truths of the Gospel It should be Rejected and herein I have especial Regard to that great Doctrine of the Father the Word who is the only Begotten Son of the Father the Spirit Who are One The One God and to the Redemption of Jesus Christ by the Sacrifice Offered by the Eternal Spirit As I have at more full debated in the Answer 3. I have especially desired that the Scripture Word and Notion of Mystery may be Considered as it shews the necessity of Dependence upon the Divine Grace upon the constant Superintendency of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation For that being always in the Hearts of his Servants a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Enlightning them into the great Truths of the Gospel they must according even to the Acknowledgment of the Author be Mystery because a continual Internal Revelation is necessary not only to the First Reception but to the Progression of Christians their growing in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Which great consideration I would most Humbly and yet mosi Affectionately Recommend to the Author with All his Favourers That seeing they seem to Re-due so much to Sacred Oracles They would with all seriousness consider these great Words Grace Free-Grace Gifts from above Wisdom from the Father of Lights and Exchange that so Admired Word Reason as it is now or as Human for that Adorable word Grace that they would Attently Contemplate the Censure of the Holy Spirit in his Word upon all Human Intellectuals till there be a Renovation in the Spirit of the mind and this would most easily Conciliate to Them the True Scripture-Notion of Mystery And seeing the Author hath Promised an Undeceiving of those whom he supposes Deceived concerning the Illumination and Efficacious Operation of the Divine Spirit I desire of Him to have a Particular Regard herein to my self how Triflng or Absur'd an Adversary soever I may appear to him And that he would do it in the meekness of the Spirit of Christianity respecting only the Substance and Merits of the Point and of what I have said I find nothing further in the Enlargements of the Second Edition that I have not considered in the Answer to the First and therefore beseeching the conducts of the Spirit of Truth into All Truth and that the Greater Proportions of Reason or Intellectuals and Elocution the Author or any of his Friends have the more they may ascribe and dedicate themselves to the Supreme Reason and his Grace This shall be the Prayer of SIR In All Truly Christian Offices Your Friend and Servant T.B. Pardon some smaller mistakes particularly P. 1. Margin read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 14. after Egypt put in to P. 16. l. 23. before Affirm put in whereof they P. 46. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉