Forsaking their own Habitation They are in Dependence upon their Supreme a Standard of Wisdom Reason and Truth to themselves within themselves Psal 36.9 yet so that in the Original Light Truth Wisdom Reason they see this Light and enjoy this Priviledg that is they are Intellectually Seeing Discerning Spirits Beings of Reason As the Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord a Light shining in his Light Prov. 20.27 Job 35.11 who Teacheth Man Knowledg more than the Beasts of the Field and the Fowls of the Air Thus as before-said There is a Spirit in Man and the Breath of the Almighty giveth him Vnderstanding § 3. But yet it is always to be Remembred In their very Original Creation without the consideration of any after Abatement or Diminution they are but Finite and cannot see beyond the Limits and Bounds of their Creation either to Find out or Judg of what is Above and beyond Them Any more then the Eye of the Body because it is a seeing Organ and the Light of the Body can see at too great Distance without the help of Telescopes or when the Object is so Great as not to be measur'd by it but by the Help of Mathematic Instruments or so Minute as not to be Discern'd but by the help of Microscopes § 4. Of Intellectual Spirits There are by the very supreme Dispose and Arbitration of the Infinite Understanding and Reason various Spheres and Orbs Higher and more Ample Lower and more Narrow One Star differs from another Star in Glory There are Intelligences Angelic and Human. In the Angelic the before observ'd Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers which Eminencies Arise from different Glories of Understanding and so we know there are different Elevations of Human Understanding whether by the Immediate Hand of the Father of Lights and Spirits or the Disposes of Providence in the Fabric of the Body or the Opportunities of Education State and Condition in the World â—râ—v 18.1 Separation to Intermeddle with Wisdom through earnest Desire But no Intellectual Created Spirit can by vertue of its being Intellectual Transcend its own Sphere The highest Created Spirit cannot Approach within any distance of the Increated or be supposed Infinite in its Reason because a Spirit For God is The only Wise and his Vnderstanding is alone Infinite Psal 147. â— That therefore which is clearly known and within the compass of the Reason of Intellectual Beings of a First Magnitude may be above the Reason of those Below Them and so successively and Subalternately till we come to the Lowest but to the longhtyest Seraphic Understanding There are in the Divine Understanding Truths and Deeps of Counsels that are above the Reason of it so that it can be only said of the Infinite Vnderstanding There is nothing above Reason that is above it self nor contrary to it that is Reason and Truth § 5. But how much more must many and those very great Truths of God be above Reason to Fallen Lost Man so depressed and abased by sin that he cannot lift up himself but with great Difficulty in any Act of Understanding and whose Reason as hath been before more fully Argued can be of no Reputation because it can upon all circumstances consider'd give its ultimate Vote or Dictate for Sin For now the Intellectual Spirit being under an Aversion from the Father of Lights distorted by Lust and Love of Evil is easy of Access to the Father of Lyes Blinding and Bemisting it to whom it is now Turn'd How then can it form Idea's of Divine Things Behold the Proportions and true Respects of Things one to another Judg of Good and Evil of true Pleasure or Grief and Pain in a Moral Sense of Happiness or Misery How can it make true Inferences or Conclusions Rise up to the Holiness of the Law of God or receive his Manifestations of himself or submit to the Energies of his Grace it self so corrupted What was not Above it before Corrupted is now become Above it How much more Supernatural Revelations Nay They are contrary to Reason so Corrupted and Reason Corrupted to these Truths of God against which it moves in Array as Black Clouds and Vapors against the Sun and its Light So do Intellectual Spirits Angelic become Diabolic Rulers of the Darkness of this World and Degenerate Human Spirits against the Light and Truths of God and of his Word § 6. If it be said The Lusts of Men are not Reason It is True but as the Enquiry is in Job Where is wisdom to be found and where is the Place of Vnderstanding viz. in its Purity seeing it is hid from the Eyes of all Living Even as it is kept close from the Fowles of the Air Death and Destruction have heard the Fame of it with their Ears God alone understandeth the way thereof And if Man hath lost what God said to Him concerning it and is under Conviction how much it is Lost by Creation The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Vnderstanding Wherein can his Reason be Now Accounted of All must be Resolv'd into what Solomon only found Counting Men one by one God made Man upright He made him him an entire Reason but he hath sought out many Inventions carrying a shew of Reason but Reason is lost A Distorted Reason is not to be confided in Such is that of All men In one Man only viz. The Second Adam Reason is found Eccles 7.27 § 7. If it be further said Shall we Allow no Reason nor Truth in the World Is It no Test to Try True and False Good and Evil by And if it be why may not Reason be Trusted in every thing And if it be not How shall we secure our selves from being imposed upon The Answer shall be given in its proper place undeâ— the Head of Revelation to each of these Enquiries by way of Answer to them as Objections § 8. But seeing this Treatise makes acknowledgment of Scripture by so many References to it I think to sum up this head viz. The Pursuit after the true Notion of Reason according to Scripture and our Inward Sense and Experience by giving the general Sense of Scripture upon the present State of Human Reason Wisdom and Understanding in our Fallen Condition that we may see how far in the Judgment of That it can be thought of Value to Decide Truth by viz. This Above or contrary to Reason that is to Human Reason yea we might Ascend higher even to highest Created Reason the Reason of Unfallen Angels in whom God puts no Trust tho his Servants Fulfilling his Will and the Ministers of his Pleasure but charges with Folly comparing them with his own Holyness and Vnderstanding which is Infinite and therefore they cover not only their Feet but their Faces their highest Perfections before him For these Stars are not pure in his sight but as to the present purpose of Human Reason Zophar so near the beginning of
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
Reason determines Mystery or no Mystery it is most necessary therefore to Examine wherein the true nature of Reason consists ascending up to the Supreme and Eternal Reason and coming down by the several Scales and Degrees of Created Reason and in Created Reason to consider it as Upright and Entire and as Fallen and Depraved To make therefore the Exactest enquiry after the Scripture-notion of Reason comparing it with the intimate sense of Man-kind if that sense be duly Reflected upon shall be the first part of my undertaking § 2. The very force and weight of the word Reason and so of Wisdom Vnderstanding Truth leads to some supreme wisdom and reason for every name and pretence to these high and excellent things cannot be themselves And yet one pretence would be as good as another and the loudest sound like the strongest sword would carry it were there not some Absolute Wisdom and Reason by which all the various pretensions are to be Tryed and Determin'd § 3. We find among Men There are various Degrees and Elevations of Reasons and Wisdoms as we may stile them or of Vnderstandings some Higher and some Lower and we Naturally Appeal from the Lower to those we judg Higher till we come to what we esteem Highest And if those various Vnderstandings or Reasons are at difference among themselves we cannot but acknowledg our selves obliged and we do necessarily acquiesce in what we judg the Truest and the most excellent Understanding If we are sincere in our Search after and desire of Truth § 4. It is true this is because we do if we do as Intellectual Beings Ought Try and Examine and reduce all to some infallible Standard in which we can acquiesce and of which we have a Sense within our selves And He Or that which we find comes nearest to that Standard we most defer to and acquiesce in and cannot but do so which Argues we have all a Sense or Consciousness of some Absolute perfect Standard of Wisdom or Reason without Agreement with which what would be Reputed Wisdom is Insipience or Folly what would be reputed Reason is Irrationality and Absurdity § 5. This Infallible Standard if we make a curious and home Reflection upon it in our selves we cannot conceive of as One Abstracted Norma Rule or Line of Wisdom and Reason that doth not know it self or doth not it self know that it knows or understands That doth not Judg so as to know that it Judges and That cannot pronounce and declare according to it self and know it does so For this were such an Allay and Degradation of its excellency as is most intollerable once to suppose It must be therefore some Living Self-knowing Self-intelligent Being He or That which teacheth Man Knowledg shall not It or He know Even All Perfections of Being Omnipotence Omnipresence Eternity necessarily lead to that Self-knowing Self-intelligent Living Being who is all those Perfections And in Universal Sense and Character of Language is the Divine Being GOD who is All these and knows he is all these and who is Able even by the very Perfection of his own Supreme Wisdom and Reason uncontrollably to know even by that very Reason that he is that infallible wisdom Reason and Vnderstanding and All who reason cannot but acknowledg he is so but if there were any such Abstracted Dead Law stiled wisdom or reason God derived the Rule and Measure of his Understanding and Actions from and referr'd them to that were not Himself and his own Being He were not then Supreme but Accountable and Apostate Spirits might maintain an Everlasting and Undecidable Plea against God whether God or they themselves came nearest to that Rule but the Glory Lustre and Claritude of his Being declare him that Supreme wisdom and reason and the Rule of it and Devils Believe and Tremble Here then is the First and most Fundamental Notion of reason or wisdom The Father of Lights the Father of Spirits with whom is no variation nor shaddow of Turning is the Supreme Absolute Infallible Reason or Vnderstanding and to speak of Reason and not to Acknowledg him Supreme it is not to know what we speak nor affirm CHAP. II. Of the Excellencies that are to be Attributed to the Infinite Wisdom and Reason and that we Know cannot but be so Attributed § 1. WIth this Eternal Wisdom and Reason are all Idea's of Being not only Existing but possible to Exist in the Pure and most Exquisite Truth of each who gives a possibility of Existence to them if Infinite Being pleas'd For Infinite Understanding and Reason is the Origin and Exemplar of all Ideas the Test by which they are Tryed the Beam at which they are weighed whether Just and True or Counterfeit False and Light and the Immense Repository from whence they are Deriv'd Even as Infinite Being is the Source and Fountain of all Being and thus this Eternal Spirit Mind and Reason Sees by and in it self or in its own Spirit it s own Infinite Being and in that Infinite Being all Beings that have been are and ever shall be or that if he had pleased might have been or may be if he pleases to have them be according to their several Natures Distinctions and the Ideas of them He holds all in himself as the Fountain of Being and according to his own will concerning them All these are Held § 2. Hence arises that great and excellent word and notion Truth which is a Correspondence between Being or Reality and an Understanding Beholding and Looking upon it with Judgment any pretended Idea's that are not according to Things are Fantoms and not Idea's all other Apprehensions Conceptions Notions Conclusions that Created Understandings can Form are nothings if taken out of the Understandings that Formed them Because Created Understandings cannot touch them into Being as Increated Can and not only so but Reality and Truth Rushing against them breaks them to nothing even within the Understandings that Form'd them finding things so much otherwise And which we ought well to consider Truth and Reality take hold of Those who had no Idea's of them and to their Full Perfection of those who had only Inadequate Ideas of them as the words of the Dead Prophets took hold of the Jews Zach. 1.5 because from God however Insensible of them of the Fathers who heard them and Believed them not and of their Children who were not Born when they were spoken Now Truth is Infinite even as the Divine Being and Understanding is and of unexpressible multiplicity as the Divine Displayes in the Works of Creation and Providence are Deep unfathomable and unsearchable as the Counsels of his Will are till Revealed § 3. The Relations Aspects upon mutual Respects Proportions Operations between Being and Being with their whole state from the Infinite Increated Being to the Highest Created Being and so from one to another to the very lowest of Beings are next to be Considered some of which are Evident to Reason by Sense some by
and Monstrous Opinions that may be imposed upon us under the Sacred Name of Revelation and things above Reason and not to be Examined by it If we have not such a Faithful Test as our own Reasan always present to us and that may guide us out of All these Mazes and Labirinths But on the other side It is a very great disreputation to Human Reason that so great Parts of Mankind have been Involved in these so Horrible Delusions and that it hath not guided them betterr and it leads us to the Profoundest Humiliation under the Sense of the Righteous Judgment of God upon his Intellectual Lower Creation fallen from him by Sin and so abused and deceived by That higher Angelis Apostate Nature called Sathan and to earnest Supplication to him through the Redeemer That that Blessed Time may come quickly when the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord Esay 11. Hab. 2.14 and the Knowledg of the Lord shall fill the Earth as the waters cover the Sea and also to Adore him that we have the Light of his Gospel a much surer Guide than our own Reason as it is now and a much higher Light than it was before its so great debasement by Sin in which we find all the true pure Reason that we have Lost or that we have any Sentiments Foot-steps or Remains of in us or that we can find in our selves that may assure us as far as Reason can assure us It is of God and in which the things that are most above our Reason shed yet such Beams of Light upon our Understanding and truest Reason as Assures They are from the Father of Truth and not of Lyes awakening and Enlightning Reason while it raises us far above our Reason and wherein we have above all that Highest most Assuring Sealing Holy and Comforting Spirit the Spirit of God the only Paraclet the Advocate of truth within us promised to us for which we should always Pray with an Importunity that will not be ashamed that it may be given given to us and in which it is much better to Trust with all our Hearts then to Lean to our own Vnderstanding Tho they were as the Understandings of Angels Luke 1.5 Prov. 3.5 in which so great a Number of them trusting and not in that Higher Vnderstanding and Spirit Fell and are in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the Great Day So little Encouragement have we to trust in Created reason CHAP. V. Of the third Head Proposed viz. The Nature of Mystery THE two main Hinges of this Debate viz Concerning Reason and concerning Revelation as Above The Introduction of the 2d Head concerning Mystery or Contrary to Reason having been so far Treated of The further Discourse of Mystery may seem unnecessary seeing it is on both Parts agreed Above or contrary to Reason demtermines Mystery or not Mystery But because Mystery or not Mystery bears the Face of the whole matter in Dispute and especially because Reverence of the word of God and of the Truths of it as an Ark or Sanctuary of and for which the Spirit of God hath Separated and Sanctified the Word Mystery It calls for a particular Research how and to what Truths and for what Ends It hath so Consecrated it The Sense or Significaaion of the word it self may be derived from the Old Testament where we meet with the plain notion of mystery the Mosaic Types are presented as mysterious by the Veil thrown over Moses's Face even as the Apostle calls them Figures so we read of Secret Things Things kept secret The secrets of Wisdom Proverbs and the Interpretation of them Parables Dark Sayings of the Wise Prophetic Visions All in Figures some of them Interpreted others left under their Veils This Original of mistery is worthy to be preferrd as most Pure and Divine And there is a Hebrew word of very near found comporting with the Sense though never so applied by the Sacred Text viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which easily passes into the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet it might fall in herewith The word mystery was a word known to the Gentiles to signify the Secresies of Pagan Devotions Communicated only to their mystae peculiar Devoted Persons However those Rites were fowl and Idolatrous The Spirit of God was pleased to take it from those impure uses as the Merchandise and Hire of Tyrus to be Holiness to the Lord to convey the Apprehension of the Secrecy of the Truths of the Gospel as Revealed in it by himself at that Time that had been hidden before and at that very time from those who Believed not the hidden Wisdom of God spoken to them who were the Perfect or the Consecrated Mystae of it Thus as God was pleased to separate the Gentiles Rom. 15.16 and Sanctify them as an Offering to Himself by the Holy Spirit through the Preaching of the Apostles who were before as Vnclean so he pleased also to Hallow this word mystery however impure in its former use and to appoint it a Vessel of Honour to himself Let us now consider the importance of it in the Sacred Writings of the New Testament with the Reason of things that shall be Discoursed out of it and Universal consent of Language in it § 1. The Spirit of God makes use of the word mystery in speaking of the whole Frame and Complex of the Gospel the Preaching of which is said to be the Revelation of the mystery which had been hid in God Rom. 16.27 1 Cor. 29. c. 4. 1. Colos 1.26.27 The Preachers of the Gospel are called Stewards of the mysteries of God It is stiled the mistery of Christ the mystery of Faith the hidden Wisdom of God in mystery Ordain'd to the glory of Saints to whom it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God This mystery Now this so often Repeated Denomination of the Gospel by mystery not only as before but since the Rrvelation of it and without any mention of Revelation together with the calling it mystery shews It is an Appellation the Spirit of God much Delights in and hath made as one may say the very Title of the Gospel It is therefore very amazing Any one who professes a Veneration of its Records should be so Industrious and Buisy to tear it off and pull away this Seale It is most true Revelation hath much chang'd the State of mysteriousness in the Gospel but hath not so Removed mystery from it but that there is principal Reason that even surmounts the Clearer Revelation of it in the New Testament why the Title is still continued For it is plain mystery may be in some sense Revealed and yet be mystery still notwithstanding that Revelation Nebuchadnezzar's Dream was in it self a Revelation from God to that Proud Monarch Dan. 2.12 and yet was mystery till Expounded by Daniel because not understood So Daniel's Visions when he himself understood not The Prophets Researched upon the
a Vessel of Honour and Proper to its own Divine Truths hath yet set Antichristianisme the Counterfeit of Christianity under the Title of a Counter-mystery also the mystery of iniquity 4. It is from hence Agreed on Both parts that Faith is no Implicit Sequacious Blind Assent but a Grace of Greatest Wisdom and Understanding Full of Clearest Light and Perceptions of Truth Able to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Presence or Solid Argument of Things not seen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Demonstration of Things Hoped for The Advantage of this Agreement is that if notwithstanding this There shall be Found some Intimate and even Essential Reason why mystery should be Acknowledged mystery and that even because Faith is so wise and Intelligent a Grace It will then come home to the Decision of the Main Point whether Christianity be mysterious or not and it will be Decided for it 5. We are Both One That we have not Adequate Ideas of the Truths of the Gospel nor Behold the Essences of the things therein no more than we have Adequate Conceptions of the Divine Being or Attributes or can Behold the Divine Essence Nor have we so much as Adequate Conceptions of Things in Nature nor can behold their Essences The Advantage of this Acknowledgment lies in this That one Undenyable Sense of mystery viz. Some Kind of Concealment and Reserve is Found in the Truths of Christianity There are such Secresyes in them that we cannot by our selves have Proportionate Apprehensions nor Adequate Ideas of and yet that this cannot be a sufficient Reason of mysteryzing them But if there may be Reasons given why their Hiddennesses should be called mysteries and the Secrets of Nature not on those Reasons styled mysteries Yea if some Reason of Great Value may be given why the Truths of the Gospel may be called mysteries more particularly then the Divine Being and Attributes which yet cannot be Found out to Perfection This Acknowledgment may be very serviceable and conduce much to the Stating the Principal Point now in hand 6. It must of necessity be Agreed by All that have Reverence for the Gospel and the Revelations of it That there are no Real Contradictions therein All such are to be Remov'd into the mystery of Iniquity with All Things that would come within the Verge of Religion and are of a Trivial Nature or which Falling under a Contradiction in the very Judgment of Sense can be likened to a Ball White and Black together or a Square that 's Round or a Cane without Two Ends. For all the Truths of Christianity are not only Free from Contradiction but known to be from God by the Heavenlyness Dignity Salutariness of their Nature Tendency to the Glory of God and to the Salvation of Souls But as to seeming Contradictions where the Seemingness is the Effect of the Weakness and Darkness of our Intellectual Powers and that are Dimm'd with the Vapors of Corruption and Steams of Lust and where the Objects are Pure Spiritual Sublime and we do not in our Grossness Comprehend them Herein a more strict Account is to be taken than the Author hath given 6. That to Understand the Truths of the Gospel so as to Receive Them the Prejudices of a Carnal Mind and all Lusts are to be Remov'd Men must be Humble not Proud Considerate not Hasty Diligent in Search after Truth not Slothful or Careless They must use their Reason and Intellectual Faculties aright The Advantage of this Acknowledgment on both sides is That it lets us into a Great Reason why the mysteries of the Gospel are to be Allow'd mysteries Because there is a necessity of Divine Grace to Enlighten and Conform the Mind to the Obedience of Faith 7. There 's a Supposition in the Treatise of Supra-Intellectual Truths that none can understand except their Perceptions be Communicated to them in an Extraordinary Manner as by New Powers and Organs And by the same Favour these Truths are Communicated from One to Another in the Preaching of the Gospel Now this Supposition I mean of Supra-Intellectual Truths and a Supernatural Manner of Communication at a Distance and so Coldly Supposed is That which I would endeavour to make good to be the Constant and Uniform Sense of the New Testament as appears by those Expressions of the Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination of which the Author himself takes notice Regeneration and Renovation of the Spirit of the Mind And I see not what Absurdity or Unreasonableness the Author can charge upon it since he owns There are Men Taught of God and that God wants not Ability Rightly to Inform them as necessary to such Communications p. 132. That he Himself does not suppose Absolutely New Faculties or Organs but as by New Faculties or Organs I look upon as a Great Truth of the Gospel In this Supposition therefore the Word of God which is sharp as a Two-Edged-Sword seems to me to have met him as the Angel of the Lord did Balaam in the way with a Drawn Sword Warning him that his Reasoning is in the Sight of God Perverse and to be cut in pieces by it Lastly Herein I am of the same Mind with this Treatise and the Author of it as that on which he Builds his Discourse throughout if it be but Explained Aright and That Aright as I suppose he will allow viz. For any thing to be mystery is to be Above our Reason Acting according to our Innate Ideas those that may be supposed to be Concreated with us or that we have a Natural Power to Form and to Reason according to in our present state And whatever is not Above these Ideas and our Reason acting upon them is not mystery though we have not Adequate Ideas or Perfect Conceptions of Things or Intuition of their Essences Now if Reason be taken in this Limited Sense there may be and as things are there must be mystery But if in a Supreme Absolute sense it is certain As there can be no Truth Above Divine Reason so there can be no mystery Contrary to Reason can only be supposed of any Truth as Corrupted Reason can be called Reason Or as Men will obstinately hold their Measure of Reason to be the Standard so that whatever is Higher or Deeper Longer or Broader then that Measure or Standard is not Reason but Contrary to it Now either of these is so Falsly called Reason that they have very little Interest in the strictest Consideration I confess of mystery But seeing This Corruption of Reason or Adherence to any Short Measure of though True Reason be now a Depravation Immedicinable but by the Lifting up of the Mind above it self by a Supernatural Power The Truths of the Gospel may too Truely be said to be Contrary to Reason and so mystery even as and more then if they were Above Reason only The Advantage of this Accord in the Description of mystery is That hereby a clear and distinct understanding of what is
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
an immediate intuitive Act of the Mind or Reason now herein even in these mutual Propositions and Respects Resides a second Apprehension or Notion of what we mean by Reason And all the Reason we have will defer to the Infinite Reason to be the infallible Standard of Reason and Truth herein For who as he can discern all the strait and direct the Branching out and Transverse Lines in Created Beings from one to another and the immediate Influences from himself to all Created Beings in whom all Beings have their Being even as they that Live and Move have their Life and Motion in him for all these he holds Originally in Himself and continually sustains and guides by himself even as he drew them out with so admirable Mathematicks that the Secrets of Wisdom herein are Double to all that is known to the wisest of Angels much more to the most Curious Human Investigator of what we call Nature And from hence arises an inexplicable multiplicity of Truth and so of the activity of Reason concerning it § 4. The Trains Deductions Connexions and Inferences that may be made from one Branch of Being and the Truths arising from it to another Branch of Being and the Truths Arising from That and so throughout from the several Connexions and Enterweavings of one with another come next under Account and are very particularly to be considerd For from the comparing and ballancing these one with another and the Idea's of them one with another flows what we properly call Ratiocination or Argument of Reason Now all these seeth and beholdeth by one Intuitive Act of Seeing the Eternal Understanding or Reason and no understanding can see or behold them but in his Light and according to his Infinite and Infallible Standard of Ratiocination nor can any Ratiocination upon them be Right but as they agree with and are according to this Infinite and Infallible Standard of Ratiocination who holds in himself and continually derives from himself those Bonds of Union and Links of Connexion things have one with another on which Ratiocination and Argument are founded and therefore cannot but know to Infiniy of Certainty and exactness for what we see but one after another and not with a Just Equality he sees together and with a just Poize of Each the want of which presence of and regard to all Idea's and the Equipoize of them was the Ruin of Angels What trust then can be to our due Congregating Compare and Ballance of Ideas one with another when we either leave out altogether or do not Righteously weigh some principal Idea as most certainly befell Adam in his Deception and Fall and yet herein even in this Ratiocination or comparing and librating Ideas one with another The Author of this Treatise places Reason and it is certainly the Fort-Royal of it altho what went before and what is to follow ought to have full consideration in our Estimate of Reason § 5. In those Accounts of Reason before insisted upon we may and I have endeavour'd to Argue from the little of Reason in our selves to the Infinity of Reason in the Infinite Reason Wisdom Understanding and Truth But in the Account I would now give of Reason I shall Argue from the Infinite Reason to all Finite Reason That no Reason Wisdom or Understanding can be according to Truth so that is not entirely Holy and Good and although we want this excellency of Reason yet we cannot but acknowledg it the excellency of Reason and Ascribe it to God the best of Beings and Reasons That Reason then is not to be acknowledged Reason nor worthy Trust in any Enquiry after Truth that can betray its Trust so Far as to Resign up the Will to any sin which according to the Law of Creation it hath in its Conduct and Power if therefore the Understanding and Reason did not turn away from good by Darkness or not brightning its own Beams but Receiving an even voluntary Eclipse upon them no Evil could be Admitted For it is indeed certainly true the Will of a Rational Being is one with its Reason and the Reason with the Will when ever one Errs the other Errs The wisest of the Fallen Angels is but a Prince of Darkness held in Chains of Darkness and his Fundamental Wickedness is in an Apostate Rebel Disloyal Reason Judging that Holiness Conformity with Obedience to the Supreme Being is not Good for him and so it is in us sinful Men and our sins and yet because There is Will in this Reason it is under an everlasting righteous Condemnation But The Infinite Reason is Infinite Holiness and Goodness He cannot be Tempted of Evil Jam. 1.13 neither can he Tempt any one If it were not thus he could not have made weights for the Winds nor weighed the Water by Measure Job 28.23 He could not have made a Decree for the Rain Prov. 3.19 nor a way for the Lightning of Thunder By the Wisdom of Infinite Holiness he Founded the Earth by an understanding of Infinite Purity he Established the Heavens by a Knowledg of Infinite Freedom from and distance from sin the Depths are Broken up and the Clouds drop down their Dew All the Ordinances of the Creation are settled and so kept in Order There are the same Mathematicks in one as in the other if the Creator could have Err'd in the one he had in the other also and if he could now so Err the whole Course of Nature would fly in Peices as the Apostle James intimates it endanger'd by the Wickedness of the Tongue And so it is in every Created Reason and particularly in Man if he can so mis-judg that all Circumstances laid together it is not best for him to be Holy Righteous Good his Reason is not to be trusted for any thing because it is his Upon his Credit that two and two make Four is not to be Received The Mathematicks of the whole Creation are Violated in him For when God made weights for the Winds Job 28.28 Rom. 2.14 c. He said to Man he fixed him as a Being of Reason in this The Fear of the Lord That is Wisdom To depart from Evil that is Vnderstanding This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that In-Written Law in the Heart of Man If he does not so Fear so Depart Reason as it is his Reason is worth nothing Prov. 3.8 The Wisdom that Founded the Earth c. Is to hate Evil It understands Righteousness Judgment and every good Path The Wisdom that can entertain Evil is then of no Value nor to be trusted in any thing as it is such a Wisdom For the whole of such a Reason is spoiled § 6. I know it will be objected Are not Evil Men great Philosphers Mathematicians Politicians and States-men but the Answer is The Infinite Reason Holds in it self the Truth of all Natural Prudential Political Wisdom and Understanding and so far as it appears by the Evidence of things themselves