A vindication of Dr. Sherlock's sermon concerning The danger of corrupting the faith by philosophy in answer to some Socinian remarks / by William Sherlock ...
         Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707.
      
       
         
           1697
        
      
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             A vindication of Dr. Sherlock's sermon concerning The danger of corrupting the faith by philosophy in answer to some Socinian remarks / by William Sherlock ...
             Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707.
          
           [4], 40 p.
           
             Printed for W. Rogers ...,
             London :
             1697.
          
           
             Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707. -- Danger of corrupting the faith by philosophy.
           Faith -- Early works to 1800.
           Socinianism.
        
      
    
     
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           A
           VINDICATION
           OF
           Dr.
           
           Sherlock's
           SERMON
           CONCERNING
           
             The
             Danger
             of
             Corrupting
             the
             Faith
             by
             Philosophy
             .
          
        
         
           IN
           ANSWER
           TO
           SOME
           Socinian
           Remarks
           .
        
         
           By
           WILLIAM
           SHERLOCK
           ,
           D.
           D.
           Dean
           of
           St.
           
           Paul's
           ,
           Master
           of
           the
           Temple
           ,
           and
           Chaplain
           in
           Ordinary
           to
           His
           Majesty
           .
        
         
           LONDON
           :
           Printed
           for
           
             W.
             Rogers
          
           ,
           at
           the
           Sun
           against
           St.
           
           Dunstan's
           Church
           in
           Fleetstreet
           .
           MDCXCVII
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           To
           the
           Right
           Honourable
           Sir
           
             EDWARD
             CLARKE
          
           ,
           LORD
           MAYOR
           :
           And
           to
           the
           Honourable
           Court
           of
           Aldermen
           .
        
         
           
             MY
             LORD
             ,
          
        
         
           I
           Beg
           leave
           to
           Present
           Your
           Lordship
           with
           the
           Vindication
           of
           my
           Sermon
           lately
           Published
           by
           the
           Order
           of
           Your
           Court
           ,
           against
           the
           Cavils
           ,
           Calumnies
           ,
           and
           wilful
           Misrepresentations
           of
           a
           Socinian
           Writer
           .
           The
           Argument
           is
           of
           that
           great
           Consequence
           that
           it
           deserves
           to
           be
           defended
           ;
           and
           this
           Pamphleteer
           has
           so
           rudely
           reflected
           upon
           the
           Honour
           and
           Sincerity
           of
           the
           Court
           ,
           for
           their
           
           Order
           to
           Print
           it
           ,
           that
           I
           look'd
           upon
           my self
           under
           a
           double
           Obligation
           ,
           to
           Defend
           so
           Important
           a
           Truth
           ,
           and
           in
           that
           to
           justify
           Your
           Lordship's
           Order
           .
           I
           pray
           God
           rebuke
           that
           perverse
           Spirit
           of
           Infidelity
           and
           Heresy
           which
           is
           gone
           abroad
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           secure
           the
           Faith
           of
           Christians
           from
           all
           the
           Arts
           and
           Insinuations
           of
           Impostors
           .
           That
           God
           would
           bless
           Your
           Lordship's
           Government
           ,
           and
           preserve
           this
           Great
           City
           from
           all
           Temporal
           and
           Spiritual
           Evils
           ▪
           is
           the
           hearty
           Prayer
           of
           ,
        
         
           
             MY
             LORD
             ,
          
           
             
               Your
               Lordship's
               ,
               Most
               Obedient
               Servant
               ,
            
             William
             Sherlock
             .
          
        
      
       
         
         
           A
           VINDICATION
           OF
           Dr.
           SHERLOCK'S
           Sermon
           before
           my
           LORD
           MAYOR
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           WHEN
           I
           receiv'd
           the
           threatning
           and
           boasting
           Message
           from
           some
           busy
           Factors
           of
           the
           Socinian
           Fraternity
           ,
           what
           work
           they
           would
           make
           with
           my
           late
           Sermon
           before
           my
           Lord
           Mayor
           ,
           concerning
           
             the
             Danger
             of
             corrupting
             the
             Faith
             by
             Philosophy
             ,
          
           my
           greatest
           Concernment
           was
           ,
           how
           to
           meet
           with
           their
           Answer
           ,
           which
           usually
           comes
           last
           to
           my
           hands
           ,
           and
           how
           to
           bear
           the
           Drudgery
           of
           reading
           it
           ;
           for
           their
           Arguments
           have
           been
           spent
           long
           since
           ,
           and
           that
           little
           Wit
           they
           had
           is
           now
           degenerated
           into
           Railing
           .
           That
           scurrilous
           Treatment
           they
           have
           lately
           given
           to
           so
           many
           Excellent
           Persons
           ,
           especially
           to
           that
           Great
           Man
           the
           Bishop
           of
           Worcester
           ,
           is
           a
           fair
           Warning
           to
           all
           who
           dare
           oppose
           them
           ,
           what
           they
           must
           expect
           :
           And
           besides
           the
           Experience
           of
           their
           many
           former
           Civilities
           ,
           I
           had
           more
           than
           ordinary
           reason
           to
           expect
           it
           now
           ,
           they
           being
           touch'd
           in
           a
           very
           sensible
           part
           ,
           without
           any
           other
           Defence
           to
           make
           :
           And
           this
           Author
           has
           not
           deceiv'd
           my
           Expectations
           ;
           for
           upon
           a
           
           Perusal
           of
           his
           Remarks
           ,
           I
           find
           nothing
           of
           Argument
           ,
           a
           very
           little
           Wit
           ,
           and
           abundance
           of
           Railing
           .
           His
           Wit
           and
           Railing
           be
           to
           himself
           ;
           but
           I
           am
           sorry
           I
           can
           find
           nothing
           that
           looks
           so
           like
           an
           Argument
           ,
           as
           to
           administer
           occasion
           for
           any
           useful
           Discourse
           .
           This
           there
           is
           no
           help
           for
           ;
           if
           Men
           will
           write
           Books
           without
           any
           Arguments
           to
           be
           answered
           ,
           there
           is
           nothing
           to
           be
           done
           ,
           but
           only
           to
           shew
           that
           they
           have
           offered
           nothing
           to
           the
           purpose
           ,
           or
           that
           needs
           an
           Answer
           :
           And
           this
           will
           be
           done
           in
           a
           few
           words
           ;
           for
           he
           has
           disputed
           at
           large
           against
           what
           I
           never
           said
           nor
           thought
           ,
           but
           has
           not
           one
           word
           against
           any
           part
           of
           the
           Argument
           of
           that
           Sermon
           .
        
         
           His
           Title-Page
           pretends
           a
           great
           Zeal
           for
           
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Catholick
             Church
             ,
             and
             of
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           ,
           
             concerning
             the
             Blessed
             Trinity
          
           :
           Which
           is
           as
           true
           ,
           as
           that
           
             Richard
             Baldwin
          
           printed
           this
           Pamphlet
           ,
           who
           has
           publickly
           disowned
           it
           in
           Print
           :
           But
           though
           a
           Socinian
           Conscience
           can
           digest
           such
           Godly
           Cheats
           ,
           as
           a
           piece
           of
           Wit
           and
           Artifice
           ,
           yet
           a
           Wise
           Man
           would
           not
           venture
           on
           them
           ,
           because
           Mankind
           hate
           to
           be
           abused
           ,
           and
           grow
           very
           jealous
           of
           Men
           of
           Tricks
           .
           And
           yet
           had
           we
           to
           deal
           with
           Modest
           Men
           ,
           it
           would
           be
           thought
           a
           little
           of
           the
           latest
           for
           a
           Socinian
           to
           talk
           of
           defending
           
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Catholick
             Church
             ,
             and
             of
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           ,
           
             concerning
             the
             Blessed
             Trinity
          
           :
           For
           their
           Cant
           about
           
             Real
             and
             Nominal
             Trinitarians
             ,
             and
             Three
             Infinite
             Minds
             and
             Spirits
             ,
          
           is
           too
           well
           known
           to
           pass
           for
           so
           much
           as
           a
           Jest
           any
           longer
           ;
           and
           till
           they
           can
           defend
           
             the
             Judgment
             of
          
           their
           
             Disinteressed
             Person
          
           a
           little
           better
           than
           by
           scorning
           the
           Answer
           ,
           which
           they
           will
           never
           be
           able
           to
           make
           any
           other
           Reply
           to
           ,
           it
           were
           time
           for
           them
           ,
           could
           they
           find
           any
           thing
           else
           to
           say
           in
           the
           room
           of
           it
           ,
           to
           let
           that
           alone
           .
           And
           yet
           this
           is
           what
           he
           would
           bring
           this
           present
           Dispute
           to
           ,
           if
           he
           knew
           how
           :
           He
           often
           flirts
           at
           
             Three
             Infinite
             Minds
             and
             Spirits
          
           ,
           though
           there
           is
           no
           such
           Expression
           in
           the
           whole
           Sermon
           ;
           but
           still
           he
           says
           I
           intimate
           this
           
           in
           asserting
           
             a
             Real
             Trinity
          
           :
           Now
           if
           
             Three
             Infinite
             Minds
             and
             Spirits
          
           be
           essential
           to
           the
           Notion
           of
           
             a
             Real
             Trinity
          
           ,
           (
           as
           his
           Inference
           supposes
           )
           it
           is
           the
           best
           Vindication
           that
           could
           possibly
           be
           thought
           of
           for
           that
           Expression
           :
           For
           not
           to
           believe
           
             a
             Real
             Trinity
          
           ,
           is
           to
           deny
           the
           Father
           to
           be
           a
           True
           and
           Real
           Father
           ,
           and
           the
           Son
           to
           be
           a
           True
           and
           Real
           Son
           ,
           and
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           to
           be
           a
           True
           and
           Real
           Spirit
           ;
           and
           this
           is
           to
           deny
           the
           Catholick
           Faith
           of
           Father
           ,
           Son
           ,
           and
           Holy
           Ghost
           ,
           which
           cannot
           be
           a
           Real
           Trinity
           ,
           cannot
           be
           really
           Three
           ,
           if
           each
           of
           them
           be
           not
           truly
           and
           really
           what
           is
           signified
           by
           those
           Names
           .
           But
           though
           that
           Phrase
           of
           
             Three
             Infinite
             Minds
             and
             Spirits
          
           was
           used
           very
           innocently
           by
           me
           ,
           only
           to
           signify
           Three
           Infinite
           Intelligent
           Persons
           ,
           each
           of
           which
           is
           Infinite
           Mind
           and
           Spirit
           ,
           and
           neither
           of
           them
           is
           each
           other
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           Catholick
           Faith
           ;
           yet
           I
           freely
           acknowledge
           ,
           as
           I
           have
           done
           more
           than
           once
           ,
           That
           it
           is
           liable
           to
           a
           very
           Heretical
           Tritheistick
           Sense
           ,
           if
           understood
           absolutely
           ,
           and
           in
           that
           Sense
           I
           always
           disowned
           it
           :
           And
           it
           is
           a
           sign
           Men
           have
           very
           little
           to
           say
           ,
           when
           they
           make
           such
           a
           noise
           with
           an
           inconvenient
           Form
           of
           Speech
           ,
           
           though
           expounded
           to
           a
           Catholick
           Sense
           :
           But
           the
           Margin
           will
           direct
           the
           Reader
           where
           he
           may
           find
           the
           true
           State
           of
           this
           Controversy
           .
        
         
           But
           what
           is
           all
           this
           to
           my
           Sermon
           ?
           which
           neither
           explains
           nor
           defends
           any
           particular
           Hypothesis
           about
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           but
           is
           a
           general
           Vindication
           of
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           from
           the
           Pretences
           of
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           .
           But
           ,
           
             The
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Catholick
             Church
             ,
             and
             of
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           ,
           
             concerning
             the
             Blessed
             Trinity
             ,
             explained
             and
             asserted
             ▪
             against
             the
             dangerous
             Heterodoxies
             in
             a
             Sermon
             by
             Dr
          
           William
           Sherlock
           ,
           &c
           And
           ,
           
             Remarks
             upon
             Dr.
          
           William
           Sherlock
           '
           
             s
             (
             False
             and
             Treacherous
             )
             Defence
             and
             Explication
             of
             some
             Principal
             Articles
             of
             Faith
             ,
          
           &c.
           were
           more
           specious
           Titles
           ,
           and
           both
           so
           good
           ,
           that
           they
           knew
           not
           which
           to
           chuse
           ,
           and
           therefore
           adorned
           the
           Title-Page
           
           with
           one
           ,
           and
           the
           Frontispiece
           with
           the
           other
           ,
           that
           if
           ever
           a
           poor
           Sermon
           was
           confuted
           with
           Titles
           (
           which
           have
           a
           strange
           Magick
           in
           them
           )
           this
           is
           utterly
           undone
           .
        
         
           But
           it
           is
           time
           to
           consider
           his
           Remarks
           ,
           which
           exactly
           answer
           the
           Title
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           nothing
           to
           the
           purpose
           .
           I
           am
           not
           at
           leisure
           to
           follow
           him
           in
           all
           his
           Harangues
           ;
           and
           his
           Wit
           and
           Buffoonry
           I
           despise
           too
           much
           to
           take
           notice
           of
           it
           ;
           and
           when
           it
           appears
           that
           a
           Man
           has
           discharged
           all
           his
           Artillery
           of
           Witticisms
           against
           his
           own
           Mistakes
           ,
           he
           is
           witty
           at
           his
           own
           Cost
           too
           .
        
         
           He
           has
           made
           an
           
             Abstract
             or
             Summary
          
           (
           as
           he
           calls
           it
           ,
           P.
           4.
           )
           of
           my
           Sermon
           ,
           but
           in
           his
           own
           Method
           ,
           his
           own
           Words
           ,
           and
           directly
           contrary
           to
           my
           Sense
           :
           That
           is
           ,
           he
           has
           abstracted
           from
           every
           thing
           that
           is
           in
           the
           Sermon
           ,
           that
           no
           Man
           living
           by
           his
           Abstract
           can
           tell
           what
           the
           Subject
           or
           Drift
           of
           the
           Sermon
           was
           ,
           or
           any
           one
           Argument
           contained
           in
           it
           :
           I
           'm
           sure
           I
           who
           made
           the
           Sermon
           ,
           knew
           nothing
           of
           it
           but
           by
           mere
           guess
           ,
           as
           I
           read
           it
           in
           his
           Abstract
           ;
           and
           would
           those
           Men
           who
           read
           these
           Remarks
           ,
           be
           but
           so
           fair
           and
           honest
           as
           to
           read
           the
           Sermon
           too
           ,
           there
           would
           need
           no
           other
           Answer
           .
        
         
           The
           First
           Branch
           of
           my
           Sermon
           in
           his
           Abstract
           (
           P.
           8.
           )
           is
           this
           ;
           
             Philosophy
             and
             Reason
             are
             the
             only
             things
             which
             those
             Men
             adore
             ,
             who
             would
             have
             no
             God
             at
             all
             .
             And
             what
             makes
             some
             Men
             Atheists
             and
             Infidels
             ,
             even
             the
             Philosophick
             Tincture
             ,
             and
             their
             adherence
             to
             Natural
             Reason
             ,
             the
             same
             makes
             others
             to
             be
             Hereticks
             ,
             that
             is
             ,
             to
             be
          
           Arians
           ,
           Socinians
           ,
           and
           Pelagians
           .
           Now
           any
           one
           would
           think
           that
           this
           were
           one
           of
           the
           Heads
           of
           my
           Sermon
           ;
           which
           is
           so
           far
           from
           truth
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           such
           Proposition
           to
           be
           found
           there
           ,
           but
           the
           contrary
           to
           this
           is
           to
           be
           found
           there
           in
           express
           words
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           first
           Page
           of
           my
           Sermon
           there
           are
           these
           words
           :
           
             What
             some
             Men
             call
             Philosophy
             and
             Reason
             (
             and
             there
             is
             nothing
             so
             foolish
             and
             absurd
             which
             some
             Men
             will
             no
             call
             so
             )
             is
             
             the
             only
             thing
             which
             those
             Men
             adore
             ,
             who
             would
             either
             have
             no
             God
             ,
             or
             a
             God
             and
             Religion
             of
             their
             own
             making
             .
             And
             what
             Attempts
             some
             have
             made
             to
             undermine
             all
             Religion
             ,
             and
             others
             to
             corrupt
             and
             transform
             the
             whole
             Frame
             of
             the
             Christian
             Religion
             ,
             upon
             a
             pretence
             of
             its
             contradicting
             Natural
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             ,
             is
             too
             well
             known
             to
             need
             a
             Proof
             .
          
           And
           soon
           after
           (
           P.
           2.
           )
           
             This
             vain
             Pretence
             to
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
          
           ;
           the
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           the
           vain
           deceit
           in
           my
           Text
           ,
           which
           is
           applicable
           to
           all
           vain
           spurious
           Philosophy
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           Platonism
           ,
           and
           is
           so
           meant
           by
           the
           Apostle
           .
           And
           P.
           7.
           
           
             Truly
             that
             which
             makes
             some
             men
             Infidels
             ,
             makes
             others
             Hereticks
             ,
             that
             is
             ,
             a
             vain
             Pretence
             to
             Philosophy
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           let
           any
           man
           judge
           ,
           Whether
           this
           be
           to
           charge
           Atheism
           ,
           Infidelity
           ,
           and
           Heresy
           ,
           
             upon
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
          
           ,
           or
           
             upon
             what
             some
             men
             call
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             ,
             which
             may
             be
             very
             foolish
             and
             absurd
          
           ?
           Whether
           
             the
             Pretences
             of
             contradicting
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             ,
          
           and
           
             the
             vain
             Pretences
             to
             Philosophy
          
           ,
           signify
           
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
          
           ?
        
         
           This
           is
           wilful
           Misrepresentation
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           impossible
           he
           should
           mistake
           ,
           I
           having
           expresly
           distinguisht
           between
           
             these
             vain
             Pretences
             to
             Philosophy
             ,
             and
             true
             Philosophy
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           3.
           )
           
             Whoever
             considers
             what
             an
             Enemy
             these
             vain
             Pretences
             to
             Philosophy
             have
             always
             been
             to
             Religion
             ,
             will
             see
             need
             enough
             for
             this
             Caution
          
           (
           of
           the
           Text.
           )
           
             True
             Reason
             ,
             and
             the
             true
             knowledge
             of
             Nature
             ,
             which
             is
             true
             Philosophy
             ,
             would
             certainly
             direct
             us
             to
             the
             acknowledgment
             and
             worship
             of
             that
             Supream
             Being
             ,
             who
             made
             the
             World
             ,
             and
             yet
             we
             know
             ,
             there
             never
             was
             an
             Atheist
             without
             some
             pretence
             to
             Philosophy
             :
          
           Though
           it
           seems
           ,
           as
           this
           Author
           tells
           us
           ,
           (
           p.
           9.
           )
           there
           has
           been
           an
           Arch-heretick
           ,
           even
           Socinus
           himself
           without
           it
           ;
           and
           so
           may
           all
           his
           Disciples
           be
           too
           ,
           and
           yet
           be
           vain
           Pretenders
           to
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ;
           however
           ,
           I
           am
           as
           Orthodox
           in
           this
           Point
           ,
           as
           my
           Lord
           Bacon
           himself
           ,
           whom
           he
           objects
           against
           me
           ,
           whose
           Sense
           I
           exactly
           expressed
           ,
           though
           not
           his
           Words
           .
        
         
         
           But
           nothing
           can
           more
           fully
           declare
           my
           sense
           in
           this
           particular
           ,
           than
           what
           the
           Reader
           may
           find
           (
           p.
           10.
           )
           2dly
           .
           
             Let
             us
             now
             consider
             what
             great
             reason
             we
             have
             to
             reject
             all
             the
             vain
             Pretences
             to
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             ,
             when
             opposed
             to
             a
             Divine
             Revelation
             .
             For
             that
             i●
             all
             the
             Apostle
             intends
             in
             this
             Caution
             ,
             not
             to
             discourage
             the
             use
             of
             Reason
             ,
             or
             the
             study
             of
             Philosophy
             ,
             which
             are
             great
             improvements
             ,
             and
             a
             delightful
             entertainment
             of
             Human
             Minds
             ,
             and
             with
             a
             wise
             and
             prudent
             conduct
             may
             be
             very
             serviceable
             to
             Religion
             too
             ;
             but
             we
             must
             not
             set
             up
             any
             Conclusions
             in
             Philosophy
             against
             the
             Christian
             Faith
             ;
             nor
             corrupt
             the
             Faith
             with
             a
             mixture
             of
             Philosophy
             ;
             nor
             reject
             any
             Revealed
             Truths
             for
             want
             of
             Natural
             Ideas
             to
             conceive
             them
             by
             .
          
           Nothing
           can
           be
           plainer
           than
           this
           ;
           That
           I
           am
           very
           far
           from
           condemning
           the
           sober
           use
           of
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           though
           with
           the
           Apostle
           ,
           I
           will
           not
           allow
           them
           to
           oppose
           the
           Authority
           of
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           .
           So
           that
           our
           Author
           need
           not
           be
           so
           terribly
           frighted
           ,
           as
           if
           this
           Innocent
           Sermon
           were
           a
           designed
           
             revenge
             against
             the
          
           Oxford
           
             Heads
             ,
             the
             Learning
             of
             the
             Place
             ,
             and
             Philosophy
             it self
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           1.
           )
           (
           though
           the
           Apostle
           indeed
           will
           not
           allow
           Philosophy
           alone
           to
           make
           Decrees
           in
           Articles
           of
           Faith
           )
           ;
           here
           is
           no
           danger
           of
           setting
           up
           
             Folly
             and
             Falshood
          
           (
           which
           would
           be
           to
           encroach
           upon
           his
           Province
           )
           or
           of
           writing
           a
           second
           
             Moriae
             Encomium
             ,
             or
             praise
             of
             Folly.
          
           Here
           is
           no
           danger
           ,
           that
           
             the
             Articles
             of
             Faith
             should
             disagree
             with
             true
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             ,
          
           though
           a
           vain
           appearance
           ,
           a
           Socinian
           Philosophy
           ,
           may
           contradict
           the
           Articles
           of
           Faith.
           Nay
           
             my
             Lord
             Mayor
             ,
             and
             the
             Court
             of
             Aldermen
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           9.
           )
           notwithstanding
           this
           Sermon
           ,
           may
           very
           safely
           send
           
             their
             Children
             to
          
           Cambridge
           or
           Oxford
           ,
           if
           they
           get
           good
           Tutors
           for
           them
           ,
           who
           will
           reach
           them
           no
           Socinian
           Logick
           or
           Philosophy
           :
           And
           which
           is
           more
           ,
           we
           may
           confute
           Atheists
           and
           Infidels
           by
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           (
           p.
           8.
           )
           without
           being
           at
           the
           charge
           of
           
             buying
             a
             massy
             Quarto
             Bible
             ,
             with
             Clasps
             ,
             and
             Bosses
             ,
             to
             knock'em
             down
             with
             :
          
           As
           he
           very
           wittily
           ,
           
           and
           with
           great
           reverence
           to
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           ,
           expresses
           it
           :
           For
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           may
           confute
           Atheists
           and
           Infidels
           ,
           though
           they
           have
           no
           Authority
           to
           make
           or
           unmake
           Articles
           of
           Faith
           ,
           as
           to
           matters
           of
           pure
           Revelation
           .
           Nay
           more
           than
           this
           still
           (
           if
           it
           be
           possible
           to
           please
           him
           )
           ,
           we
           will
           allow
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           to
           confute
           Heresies
           ,
           though
           not
           to
           judge
           absolutely
           in
           matters
           of
           Faith
           :
           Which
           I
           suppose
           is
           the
           reason
           ,
           why
           ,
           as
           he
           observes
           (
           p.
           9.
           )
           
             Hereticks
             ,
             many
             of
             them
             ,
             are
             no
             less
             bitter
             against
             this
             same
             (
             damnable
             )
             Philosophy
             :
             They
             protest
             ,
             especially
             in
             their
             Latin
             Works
             ,
             that
             't
             is
             this
             Philosophy
             that
             corrupted
             and
             debauched
             Divinity
             .
             Damnable
          
           is
           a
           very
           fashionable
           word
           ,
           and
           shews
           him
           to
           be
           well
           bred
           ,
           and
           to
           have
           good
           Acquaintance
           ;
           but
           it
           is
           a
           very
           great
           Truth
           ,
           That
           though
           Catholick
           Christians
           would
           never
           build
           their
           Faith
           on
           Philosophy
           ,
           yet
           Hereticks
           have
           always
           had
           great
           reason
           to
           rail
           at
           true
           Philosophy
           ,
           as
           I
           observed
           in
           my
           Sermon
           (
           p.
           10.
           )
           
             The
             importunity
             of
             Hereticks
             did
             very
             often
             engage
             the
             Catholick
             Fathers
             in
             Philosophical
             Disputes
             ;
             but
             this
             they
             did
             ,
             not
             to
             explain
             the
             Christian
             Mysteries
             by
             Philosophy
             but
             only
             to
             shew
             ,
             that
             as
             incomprehensible
             as
             these
             Mysteries
             are
             ,
             the
             Philosophy
             of
             Hereticks
             ,
             and
             their
             Objections
             against
             these
             Articles
             ,
             were
             very
             absurd
             .
             And
             such
             Disputes
             as
             these
             may
             sometimes
             be
             absolutely
             necessary
             ,
             and
             of
             great
             use
             to
             shame
             these
             vain
             Pretences
             to
             Philosophy
             ,
             while
             we
             do
             not
             put
             the
             trial
             of
             our
             Faith
             upon
             this
             issue
             .
          
           And
           thus
           much
           for
           his
           first
           Proposition
           ,
           (
           for
           it
           is
           none
           of
           mine
           )
           
             that
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             are
             the
             two
             Idols
             of
             Atheists
             and
             Hereticks
             ,
             and
             that
             make
             Atheists
             to
             be
             Atheists
             ,
             and
             Hereticks
             to
             be
             Hereticks
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           12.
           )
        
         
           His
           second
           Proposition
           (
           Ibid.
           )
           runs
           thus
           .
           
             That
             to
             ascertain
             the
             very
             and
             true
             Faith
             ,
             we
             must
             attend
             only
             to
             that
             meaning
             of
             Scripture
             which
             the
             Words
             and
             Phrases
             do
             imply
             :
             Rejecting
             all
             mixture
             of
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             in
             our
             Disputes
             about
             Religion
             ,
             and
             our
             Inquiries
             about
             the
             meaning
             of
             
             Scripture
             .
          
           Now
           let
           any
           Reader
           try
           ,
           whether
           he
           can
           find
           any
           such
           Proposition
           as
           this
           in
           all
           my
           Sermon
           ,
           either
           in
           words
           or
           sense
           .
           I
           could
           not
           for
           some
           time
           guess
           ,
           what
           shadow
           of
           pretence
           he
           could
           have
           for
           charging
           such
           a
           Proposition
           on
           me
           :
           I
           did
           indeed
           in
           some
           principal
           Articles
           distinguish
           between
           Faith
           and
           Philosophy
           ;
           between
           what
           is
           revealed
           in
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           what
           Philosophical
           Disputes
           ,
           which
           the
           Scripture
           takes
           no
           notice
           of
           ,
           have
           been
           raised
           about
           them
           ,
           and
           warned
           all
           men
           from
           mixing
           and
           corrupting
           the
           Faith
           with
           Philosophy
           ;
           but
           does
           this
           forbid
           us
           Expounding
           Scripture
           agreeable
           to
           Reason
           and
           common
           Sense
           ,
           and
           Philosophy
           too
           ,
           where
           Sense
           ,
           and
           Reason
           ,
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           are
           proper
           judges
           ?
           They
           are
           not
           the
           supreme
           and
           absolute
           judges
           in
           matters
           of
           pure
           Revelation
           ;
           But
           does
           it
           hence
           follow
           ,
           that
           they
           cannot
           judge
           of
           their
           proper
           Objects
           ?
           Do
           I
           any
           where
           say
           ,
           That
           we
           must
           always
           expound
           the
           Scripture
           to
           a
           literal
           Sense
           ?
           That
           when
           Christ
           is
           called
           a
           Way
           ,
           a
           Door
           ,
           a
           Rock
           ,
           we
           must
           understand
           this
           literally
           ?
           And
           yet
           this
           is
           plainly
           what
           he
           would
           have
           to
           be
           my
           Sense
           ,
           as
           his
           beloved
           instance
           of
           Transubstantiation
           shews
           .
        
         
           In
           this
           Sermon
           I
           have
           given
           no
           Rules
           for
           Expounding
           Scripture
           ,
           which
           in
           time
           I
           hope
           I
           may
           .
           But
           what
           I
           assert
           is
           this
           ,
           That
           when
           by
           all
           those
           Methods
           which
           Wise
           Men
           observe
           in
           expounding
           any
           Writing
           ,
           we
           have
           found
           out
           what
           the
           true
           sense
           of
           Scripture
           must
           be
           ,
           we
           must
           not
           reject
           such
           Doctrines
           meerly
           because
           natural
           Reason
           cannot
           conceive
           or
           comprehend
           them
           .
           
             That
             Revelation
             as
             to
             such
             matters
             as
             are
             knowable
             only
             by
             Revelation
             ,
             must
             serve
             instead
             of
             Sense
             ,
             natural
             Ideas
             ,
             and
             natural
             Reason
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           11.
           )
           This
           gives
           a
           plain
           Answer
           to
           all
           his
           Cant
           about
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           from
           our
           Saviour's
           words
           ,
           
             This
             is
             my
             Body
          
           ,
           (
           p.
           12.
           )
           For
           is
           there
           no
           way
           of
           knowing
           what
           is
           Bread
           ,
           and
           what
           is
           Flesh
           ,
           but
           by
           Revelation
           ?
           Is
           not
           this
           the
           proper
           object
           of
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           ?
           And
           then
           it
           does
           not
           come
           within
           
           my
           Rule
           ;
           for
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           must
           judge
           of
           their
           proper
           Objects
           ,
           though
           Revelation
           must
           serve
           us
           instead
           of
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           ,
           as
           to
           such
           matters
           as
           can
           be
           known
           only
           by
           Revelation
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           as
           I
           expresly
           add
           ,
           we
           must
           upon
           the
           Authority
           of
           Revelation
           
             believe
             things
             which
             we
             do
             not
             see
             ,
             things
             which
             we
             have
             no
             natural
             notion
             or
             conception
             of
             ,
             things
             which
             are
             not
             evident
             to
             natural
             Reason
             :
          
           As
           for
           instance
           ,
           If
           it
           be
           Revealed
           in
           Scripture
           that
           God
           has
           an
           Eternal
           Word
           ,
           his
           Only-Begotten
           Son
           ;
           and
           that
           in
           time
           this
           Word
           was
           made
           Flesh
           and
           dwelt
           among
           us
           ;
           this
           Son
           of
           God
           became
           Man
           ;
           that
           God
           sent
           forth
           his
           Son
           made
           of
           a
           Woman
           ,
           made
           under
           the
           Law
           :
           Though
           neither
           Sense
           nor
           natural
           Ideas
           ,
           nor
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           ,
           give
           us
           any
           notice
           of
           it
           ;
           yet
           if
           we
           will
           own
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           we
           must
           believe
           it
           upon
           the
           sole
           Authority
           of
           Revelation
           :
           But
           though
           Revelation
           in
           such
           cases
           be
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           to
           us
           ,
           because
           we
           have
           no
           other
           means
           of
           Knowledge
           ;
           yet
           Sense
           must
           judge
           of
           the
           natural
           Objects
           of
           Sense
           ,
           and
           Reason
           of
           the
           Objects
           of
           natural
           Reason
           ;
           but
           Revelation
           was
           never
           intended
           to
           unteach
           us
           what
           Sense
           and
           natural
           Reason
           evidently
           teach
           ,
           and
           therefore
           it
           cannot
           teach
           us
           ,
           that
           Bread
           is
           Flesh
           ,
           and
           Wine
           is
           Blood.
           
        
         
           But
           this
           Socinian
           is
           got
           so
           far
           towards
           Popery
           ,
           that
           he
           will
           not
           allow
           Sense
           to
           be
           judge
           of
           this
           matter
           ,
           whether
           the
           Bread
           be
           Transubstantiated
           or
           not
           ,
           and
           that
           for
           a
           very
           pleasant
           Reason
           ;
           his
           words
           are
           these
           ,
           (
           p.
           13.
           )
           
             He
             cannot
             have
             recourse
             to
             Sense
             in
             the
             case
             ,
             't
             is
             only
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             can
             help
             him
             out
             :
             For
             though
             the
             Apostles
             ,
             who
             saw
             and
             tasted
             that
             it
             was
             Bread
             only
             ,
             and
             not
             Flesh
             ,
             might
             have
             appealed
             also
             to
             their
             Senses
             ;
             yet
             we
             that
             never
             saw
             or
             tasted
             the
             Substance
             which
             Jesus
             gave
             then
             to
             the
             Disciples
             ,
             can
             know
             by
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             only
             ,
             by
             nothing
             else
             ,
             that
             it
             was
             not
             his
             Flesh
             and
             Blood
             :
          
           That
           is
           ,
           I
           can't
           know
           by
           Sense
           that
           Christ
           gave
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           ,
           and
           not
           Flesh
           and
           Blood
           to
           his
           Disciples
           ,
           because
           I
           did
           not
           See
           and
           Taste
           my self
           
           that
           very
           Substance
           that
           Christ
           gave
           to
           his
           Disciples
           :
           But
           can
           I
           judge
           by
           Sense
           that
           what
           I
           my self
           See
           and
           Taste
           in
           the
           Lords
           Supper
           ,
           is
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           after
           Consecration
           ,
           not
           Flesh
           and
           Blood
           ?
           For
           that
           is
           the
           Question
           between
           us
           and
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           ;
           not
           ,
           whether
           we
           receive
           the
           same
           now
           which
           Christ
           gave
           to
           the
           Apostles
           in
           the
           first
           Institution
           (
           which
           they
           take
           for
           granted
           ,
           and
           to
           question
           which
           ,
           is
           meer
           Scepticism
           )
           but
           what
           that
           change
           is
           ,
           which
           the
           words
           of
           Consecration
           make
           in
           the
           Elements
           to
           this
           day
           ;
           and
           if
           we
           cannot
           judge
           of
           this
           by
           Sense
           ,
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           have
           a
           better
           Plea
           for
           themselves
           than
           I
           thought
           they
           had
           .
           And
           if
           I
           can't
           now
           judge
           by
           my
           own
           Senses
           what
           it
           was
           Christ
           gave
           to
           his
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           what
           they
           Saw
           and
           Tasted
           ,
           I
           fear
           it
           will
           much
           weaken
           some
           other
           very
           good
           Arguments
           against
           Transubstantiation
           .
        
         
           But
           how
           will
           this
           Socinian
           ,
           who
           rejects
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Sense
           ,
           confute
           Transubstantiation
           ?
           Why
           that
           is
           easily
           done
           by
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ;
           as
           thus
           ,
           
             The
             Text
             expresly
             says
             ,
             it
             was
             Bread
             which
             he
             blessed
             and
             brake
             ,
             and
             called
             it
             his
             Body
             ;
             therefore
             it
             was
             his
             Body
             in
             Sign
             and
             Signification
             ,
             not
             in
             Reality
             .
             All
             this
             is
             Arguing
             ,
             't
             is
             Reason
             that
             convinces
             us
             ,
             not
             Sense
             ,
             that
             the
             Substance
             he
             divided
             to
             them
             was
             indeed
             Bread
             ,
             not
             his
             Flesh
             ,
             which
             he
             neither
             blessed
             nor
             brake
             .
          
        
         
           This
           is
           Reasoning
           indeed
           ;
           But
           did
           I
           ever
           reject
           Reasoning
           and
           Arguing
           about
           the
           meaning
           of
           Scripture
           Words
           and
           Phrases
           ,
           and
           the
           true
           Sense
           and
           Interpretation
           of
           Scripture
           ?
           Is
           there
           no
           difference
           between
           Reasoning
           about
           the
           Sense
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           setting
           up
           the
           Conclusions
           of
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           against
           the
           plain
           and
           evident
           Doctrines
           of
           Scripture
           ?
           It
           is
           certain
           I
           made
           a
           manifest
           distinction
           between
           them
           ,
           p.
           9.
           
           
             In
             all
             these
             cases
             we
             are
             concerned
             to
             enquire
             what
             the
             true
             sense
             of
             the
             Article
             is
             ;
             for
             this
             the
             Scripture
             teaches
             ,
             and
             so
             far
             our
             Faith
             is
             concerned
             ,
             and
             these
             are
             not
             only
             justifiable
             ,
             but
             necessary
             Disputes
             ,
             
             if
             the
             true
             Faith
             be
             necessary
             .
             And
             such
             were
             the
             Disputes
             of
             the
             Catholick
             Fathers
             with
             the
          
           Sabellian
           ,
           Arian
           ,
           and
           Photinian
           
             Hereticks
             ,
             &c.
          
           
           So
           that
           I
           allow
           of
           Arguing
           and
           Reasoning
           as
           much
           as
           he
           does
           ;
           and
           add
           ,
           But
           that
           which
           we
           are
           to
           beware
           of
           ,
           is
           not
           to
           mix
           
             Philosophy
             with
             our
             Faith
             ,
             nor
             to
             admit
             of
             any
             meer
             Philosophical
             Objections
             against
             the
             Faith
             ,
             nor
             to
             attempt
             any
             Explication
             of
             these
             Mysteries
             ,
             beyond
             what
             the
             Scriptures
             and
             the
             Faith
             and
             Practice
             of
             the
             Catholick
             Church
             will
             justify
             .
          
           This
           distinction
           he
           knew
           very
           well
           ,
           but
           very
           honestly
           dissembles
           it
           ,
           and
           endeavours
           to
           impose
           upon
           his
           Readers
           ,
           as
           if
           Reasoning
           and
           Arguing
           about
           the
           Sense
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           resolving
           our
           Faith
           into
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           were
           the
           same
           thing
           .
        
         
           He
           was
           aware
           what
           Answer
           would
           be
           given
           to
           this
           ,
           and
           therefore
           in
           the
           very
           next
           Paragraph
           he
           confutes
           his
           own
           Reasoning
           from
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           proves
           that
           the
           Text
           does
           not
           confute
           Transubstantiation
           :
           
             But
             if
             our
             Preacher
          
           ,
           says
           he
           ,
           
             believes
             it
             was
             only
             Bread
             ,
             because
             the
             Text
             it self
             calls
             it
             Bread
          
           (
           which
           was
           his
           own
           Argument
           )
           ,
           
             let
             him
             consider
             ,
             that
             seeing
             what
             was
             called
             Bread
             before
             Christ
             blessed
             it
             ,
             after
             the
             blessing
             he
             calls
             it
             his
             Body
             ;
             we
             cannot
             know
             by
             Sense
             or
             by
             the
             Text
             ,
             but
             by
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             only
             ,
             that
             it
             was
             not
             changed
             (
             by
             the
             blessing
             )
             into
             what
             now
             he
             calls
             it
             ,
             namely
             ,
             his
             Body
             .
          
           But
           if
           This
           signifies
           Bread
           ,
           then
           .
           
             This
             is
             my
             Body
          
           ,
           signifies
           ,
           
             This
             Bread
             is
             my
             Body
          
           ;
           and
           if
           Bread
           be
           his
           Body
           ,
           then
           his
           Sacramental
           Body
           is
           not
           Flesh
           :
           But
           I
           do
           not
           intend
           to
           dispute
           this
           Point
           with
           him
           ,
           but
           only
           observe
           ,
           That
           to
           set
           up
           his
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           to
           be
           absolute
           Judges
           in
           Matters
           of
           Faith
           ,
           he
           will
           not
           allow
           either
           Sense
           or
           Scripture
           to
           confute
           Transubstantiation
           .
        
         
           It
           cannot
           but
           give
           all
           sober
           Christians
           a
           just
           Indignation
           ,
           to
           see
           the
           most
           Sacred
           and
           Venerable
           Mysteries
           perpetually
           ridicul'd
           at
           this
           Prophane
           rate
           !
           In
           the
           Reign
           of
           King
           James
           there
           was
           a
           Pamphlet
           published
           to
           reconcile
           men
           to
           
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           by
           representing
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           to
           the
           full
           as
           absurd
           ,
           and
           chargeable
           with
           as
           many
           Contradictions
           as
           Transubstantiation
           it self
           :
           This
           was
           then
           charged
           on
           the
           Papists
           ,
           and
           they
           were
           sufficiently
           expos'd
           for
           it
           ;
           but
           a
           Great
           Man
           has
           lately
           informed
           us
           ,
           That
           it
           was
           writ
           by
           a
           Socinian
           ,
           to
           make
           men
           Papists
           or
           Socinians
           ,
           as
           it
           should
           happen
           ;
           which
           was
           a
           Glorious
           Design
           at
           that
           time
           of
           day
           ,
           for
           men
           who
           take
           it
           ill
           if
           you
           will
           not
           allow
           them
           to
           be
           Protestants
           ,
           and
           to
           enjoy
           the
           Liberty
           of
           Protestants
           :
           For
           they
           could
           not
           but
           see
           that
           Popery
           was
           then
           grown
           very
           Fashionable
           and
           Tempting
           by
           the
           Favour
           and
           Frowns
           of
           a
           Popish
           Prince
           ;
           and
           that
           the
           generality
           of
           Christians
           did
           so
           firmly
           believe
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           that
           could
           they
           have
           persuaded
           them
           ,
           as
           they
           endeavoured
           ,
           That
           Transubstantiation
           was
           as
           reasonable
           a
           Doctrine
           as
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           it
           was
           much
           more
           likely
           that
           they
           would
           turn
           Papists
           than
           Socinians
           .
        
         
           Instead
           of
           Popery
           men
           are
           now
           running
           into
           the
           other
           Extremes
           of
           Atheism
           ,
           Deism
           ,
           and
           a
           Contempt
           of
           all
           Reveal'd
           Religion
           ,
           and
           that
           upon
           a
           pretence
           of
           making
           mere
           Natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           their
           sole
           Guide
           and
           Judge
           ;
           and
           now
           our
           Socinians
           have
           a
           new
           Game
           to
           play
           ;
           and
           if
           they
           dare
           not
           absolutely
           deny
           the
           Authority
           of
           Revelation
           (
           which
           in
           many
           Instances
           they
           have
           shewn
           a
           good
           Inclination
           to
           )
           ,
           yet
           they
           give
           a
           superior
           Authority
           to
           Reason
           ,
           which
           will
           serve
           as
           well
           ,
           and
           make
           less
           noise
           than
           to
           reject
           all
           Revelation
           .
           And
           if
           you
           shew
           them
           how
           absurd
           this
           is
           ,
           to
           pretend
           to
           own
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           to
           make
           Revelation
           submit
           to
           mere
           Natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           they
           presently
           take
           sanctuary
           in
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           and
           defend
           it
           against
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Sense
           ,
           and
           the
           Authority
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           to
           make
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           the
           Supreme
           Judge
           in
           Matters
           of
           Faith
           ;
           and
           in
           the
           mean
           time
           matter
           not
           what
           becomes
           of
           Religion
           ,
           what
           advantage
           they
           give
           either
           to
           Popery
           or
           Deism
           ,
           so
           they
           can
           but
           expose
           the
           Faith
           of
           the
           Trinity
           .
        
         
         
           He
           has
           given
           us
           a
           little
           Specimen
           of
           it
           here
           ;
           
           but
           the
           same
           Author
           ,
           as
           far
           as
           I
           can
           guess
           from
           the
           same
           Words
           and
           the
           same
           Thoughts
           ,
           has
           with
           his
           usual
           Civility
           attack'd
           my
           Lord
           Bishop
           of
           Sarum
           upon
           this
           Argument
           ,
           which
           upon
           this
           occasion
           I
           shall
           briefly
           consider
           .
        
         
           His
           Lordship
           in
           vindication
           of
           the
           Christian
           Mysteries
           ,
           with
           great
           reason
           rejects
           Transubstantiation
           out
           of
           the
           number
           of
           Mysteries
           ,
           because
           it
           contradicts
           Sense
           in
           the
           Object
           of
           Sense
           ;
           his
           words
           are
           these
           :
           
             Transubstantiation
             must
             not
             be
             a
             Mystery
             ,
             because
             there
             is
             against
             it
             the
             Evidence
             of
             Sense
             in
             an
             Object
             of
             Sense
             :
             For
             Sense
             plainly
             represents
             to
             us
             the
             Bread
             and
             Wine
             to
             be
             still
             the
             same
             that
             they
             were
             before
             the
             Consecration
             .
          
           Now
           I
           cannot
           think
           this
           Author
           in
           earnest
           in
           the
           two
           first
           Answers
           he
           gives
           to
           this
           .
           His
           first
           Answer
           is
           ,
           That
           
             it
             is
             not
             pretended
             by
             the
             Papists
             ,
             that
             the
             Bread
             and
             Wine
             have
             received
             any
             the
             least
             Change
             in
             what
             is
             an
             Object
             of
             Sense
             .
          
           This
           is
           a
           Discovery
           worthy
           its
           Author
           ,
           that
           the
           Papists
           don
           't
           deny
           that
           they
           see
           ,
           and
           feel
           ,
           and
           taste
           ,
           and
           smell
           the
           sensible
           Qualities
           of
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           :
           For
           who
           ever
           charged
           them
           with
           such
           a
           Contradiction
           to
           Sense
           as
           this
           ?
           But
           our
           Senses
           judge
           of
           the
           Substances
           of
           things
           by
           their
           sensible
           qualities
           ;
           judge
           that
           to
           be
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           ,
           which
           has
           all
           the
           qualities
           of
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           :
           And
           therefore
           to
           say
           ,
           as
           the
           Papists
           do
           ,
           That
           what
           our
           Sight
           ,
           and
           Taste
           ,
           and
           Smell
           tell
           us
           has
           all
           the
           qualities
           of
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           ,
           is
           not
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           ,
           does
           not
           indeed
           contradict
           our
           Senses
           as
           to
           sensible
           qualities
           ,
           but
           contradicts
           that
           Judgment
           our
           Senses
           make
           of
           the
           Natures
           of
           things
           from
           their
           sensible
           qualities
           :
           And
           this
           is
           that
           Contradiction
           to
           Sense
           which
           the
           Bishop
           justly
           charges
           upon
           Transubstantiation
           ;
           as
           is
           evident
           in
           his
           very
           words
           .
        
         
           In
           his
           Second
           Answer
           he
           Disputes
           against
           the
           
             Infallibility
             of
          
           our
           Senses
           ,
           as
           he
           calls
           it
           ,
           by
           such
           Common
           Arguments
           as
           every
           Freshman
           knows
           how
           to
           Answer
           ;
           only
           I
           do
           not
           remember
           ,
           that
           the
           Delusions
           of
           our
           Dreams
           
           used
           to
           be
           objected
           against
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Sense
           ;
           but
           suppose
           our
           Senses
           may
           deceive
           us
           in
           some
           few
           instances
           wherein
           both
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           can
           Correct
           the
           mistake
           ,
           must
           they
           therefore
           deceive
           in
           the
           Nature
           of
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           ?
           Can
           he
           prove
           ,
           that
           they
           ever
           deceive
           us
           with
           Qualities
           and
           Accidents
           without
           a
           Substance
           ?
           For
           that
           is
           the
           Cheat
           of
           Transubstantiation
           :
           It
           is
           not
           pretended
           ,
           as
           he
           observed
           in
           his
           First
           Answer
           ,
           That
           our
           Senses
           deceive
           us
           in
           the
           Colour
           ,
           or
           Figure
           ,
           or
           Taste
           ,
           or
           Smell
           of
           Bread
           and
           Wine
           ;
           and
           therefore
           all
           his
           instances
           of
           the
           Deception
           of
           our
           Senses
           are
           nothing
           to
           the
           purpose
           ;
           but
           let
           him
           give
           us
           any
           one
           instance
           of
           the
           other
           kind
           ,
           if
           he
           can
           ,
           and
           then
           we
           will
           believe
           Transubstantiation
           in
           Contradiction
           to
           our
           Senses
           .
        
         
           But
           does
           he
           consider
           ,
           what
           the
           Consequence
           of
           this
           Argument
           is
           ?
           He
           will
           not
           allow
           it
           a
           good
           Argument
           against
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           That
           it
           contradicts
           Sense
           ,
           because
           our
           Senses
           may
           deceive
           us
           in
           the
           Objects
           of
           Sense
           (
           which
           by
           the
           way
           makes
           his
           instance
           of
           the
           Delusions
           of
           Dreams
           ,
           which
           are
           not
           the
           Objects
           of
           Sense
           ,
           very
           impertinent
           ;
           )
           now
           if
           contradiction
           to
           Sense
           be
           not
           a
           good
           Objection
           ,
           because
           Sense
           is
           not
           Infallible
           ,
           what
           will
           become
           of
           his
           great
           Argument
           of
           Contradiction
           to
           Reason
           ?
           For
           all
           men
           confess
           ,
           That
           Reason
           is
           not
           so
           Infallible
           as
           Sense
           is
           ,
           as
           is
           evident
           from
           all
           the
           Disputes
           and
           Clashings
           of
           Reason
           ,
           and
           those
           Absurdities
           and
           Contradictions
           which
           contending
           Parties
           mutually
           charge
           upon
           each
           other
           ;
           and
           if
           a
           Contradiction
           to
           Fallible
           Sense
           be
           not
           a
           good
           Objection
           against
           the
           Truth
           of
           any
           thing
           ,
           how
           comes
           a
           Contradiction
           to
           
             much
             more
             Fallible
          
           Reason
           to
           be
           so
           unanswerable
           an
           Objection
           ?
           And
           then
           we
           may
           much
           more
           safely
           believe
           a
           Trinity
           in
           Unity
           ,
           notwithstanding
           all
           their
           pretended
           Contradictions
           to
           Reason
           ,
           than
           we
           can
           believe
           Transubstantiation
           in
           Contradiction
           to
           Sense
           .
           But
           in
           his
           Third
           Answer
           ,
           he
           seems
           to
           be
           in
           good
           earnest
           ,
           and
           I
           shall
           consider
           it
           as
           such
           ;
           and
           it
           is
           this
           .
        
         
         
           
             Transubstantiation
             is
             contradicted
             by
             Sense
             ,
             saith
             his
             Lordship
             ,
             in
             an
             Object
             of
             Sense
             ;
             therefore
             't
             is
             a
             false
             Mystery
             .
             This
             is
             as
             much
             as
             to
             say
             ,
             That
             a
             Faculty
             or
             Power
             judging
             of
             its
             proper
             Object
             ,
             always
             judges
             truly
             ,
             and
             must
             determine
             our
             Belief
             .
             He
             must
             say
             this
             ,
             or
             his
             Reasoning
             is
             nothing
             .
             I
             ask
             now
             of
             what
             Faculty
             or
             Power
             is
             Almighty
             God
             the
             Object
             .
             He
             will
             Answer
             ,
             God
             is
             the
             Object
             ,
             not
             of
             Sense
             ,
             which
             discerns
             him
             not
             ,
             but
             of
             Reason
             ,
             which
             discovers
             ,
             and
             sees
             this
             most
             Glorious
             Being
             .
             Therefore
             Reason
             ,
             by
             his
             Lordship
             's
             own
             Argument
             ,
             judges
             infallibly
             concerning
             God
             ,
             and
             must
             determine
             our
             Belief
             about
             him
             :
             We
             must
             hearken
             to
             Reason
             ,
             when
             it
             finds
             Contradictions
             in
             what
             men
             affirm
             concerning
             God.
          
           Now
           notwithstanding
           his
           vain
           Brags
           ,
           and
           his
           Triumphant
           Challenge
           to
           the
           Bishop
           ,
           a
           very
           little
           Skill
           will
           Answer
           this
           Argument
           .
           For
           ,
        
         
           1.
           
           The
           Bishop
           need
           not
           say
           ,
           because
           it
           is
           not
           true
           ,
           That
           every
           Faculty
           and
           Power
           judges
           as
           certainly
           of
           its
           proper
           Object
           ,
           as
           Sense
           does
           ,
           and
           then
           his
           Argument
           is
           quite
           lost
           :
           For
           if
           Sense
           judges
           more
           certainly
           than
           Reason
           ,
           then
           a
           manifest
           Contradiction
           to
           Sense
           is
           a
           more
           unanswerable
           Objection
           ,
           than
           any
           appearing
           and
           pretended
           Contradictions
           to
           Reason
           .
           I
           believe
           this
           Author
           is
           the
           first
           man
           who
           ever
           thus
           universally
           equalled
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Reason
           to
           that
           of
           Sense
           ;
           or
           that
           ever
           affirmed
           ,
           that
           
             Reason
             could
             judge
             infallibly
             of
             God.
          
           And
           if
           Reason
           may
           be
           mistaken
           (
           which
           I
           shall
           take
           for
           granted
           )
           especially
           in
           the
           Infinite
           and
           Incomprehensible
           Nature
           of
           God
           ,
           some
           appearing
           Contradictions
           ,
           or
           what
           some
           men
           will
           call
           Contradictions
           ,
           are
           not
           a
           sufficient
           reason
           to
           reject
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           to
           disbelieve
           what
           God
           tells
           us
           of
           Himself
           ,
           and
           his
           own
           Nature
           .
        
         
           2
           dly
           .
           Whatever
           certainty
           we
           allow
           to
           our
           Faculties
           in
           judging
           of
           their
           proper
           Objects
           ,
           we
           must
           extend
           it
           no
           farther
           than
           to
           what
           belongs
           to
           the
           judgment
           of
           that
           Faculty
           :
           The
           same
           thing
           may
           be
           the
           Object
           of
           different
           
           Faculties
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           of
           our
           different
           Senses
           ;
           but
           every
           Faculty
           ,
           and
           every
           Sense
           ,
           judges
           of
           nothing
           in
           any
           Object
           ,
           but
           only
           what
           belongs
           to
           it self
           .
           All
           the
           Objects
           of
           Sense
           are
           the
           Objects
           of
           Reason
           too
           ;
           but
           Sense
           judges
           of
           nothing
           but
           what
           belongs
           to
           Sense
           ,
           and
           Reason
           of
           what
           belongs
           to
           Reason
           ;
           and
           Reason
           can
           judge
           no
           farther
           of
           any
           Object
           ,
           than
           it
           is
           knowable
           by
           Reason
           ;
           and
           not
           only
           the
           Divine
           ,
           but
           even
           Created
           Nature
           has
           such
           Secrets
           and
           Mysteries
           as
           are
           not
           knowable
           by
           Reason
           ;
           and
           therefore
           it
           is
           manifest
           Ignorance
           or
           Sophistry
           ,
           to
           conclude
           from
           
             God's
             being
             the
             Object
             of
             Reason
             ,
             therefore
             Reason
             judges
             infallibly
             concerning
             God
             :
          
           For
           ,
           not
           to
           Dispute
           about
           the
           
             Infallible
             Judgment
          
           of
           Reason
           ,
           God
           is
           the
           Object
           of
           Reason
           ,
           because
           Reason
           can
           know
           something
           concerning
           God
           ;
           but
           God
           can
           be
           the
           Object
           of
           Reason
           no
           farther
           than
           he
           is
           knowable
           by
           Reason
           ;
           and
           therefore
           if
           there
           be
           any
           thing
           which
           Natural
           Reason
           cannot
           know
           of
           God
           (
           as
           I
           hope
           this
           Author
           himself
           will
           own
           )
           ,
           with
           respect
           to
           such
           matters
           God
           is
           not
           the
           Object
           of
           Reason
           ,
           and
           Reason
           cannot
           judge
           at
           all
           ,
           much
           less
           
             judge
             infallibly
             concerning
             God.
          
           But
           as
           Sense
           leaves
           room
           for
           Reason
           in
           the
           same
           Object
           ,
           so
           Reason
           leaves
           room
           for
           Faith.
           
        
         
           But
           must
           we
           not
           
             hearken
             to
             Reason
             when
             it
             finds
             Contradictions
             in
             what
             men
             affirm
             concerning
             God
             ?
          
           Yes
           ,
           most
           certainly
           ,
           as
           far
           as
           God
           is
           the
           Object
           of
           Reason
           ,
           and
           knowable
           by
           Reason
           ,
           but
           no
           farther
           ;
           for
           in
           such
           matters
           as
           Reason
           cannot
           judge
           of
           at
           all
           ,
           it
           cannot
           judge
           of
           Contradictions
           .
           Sense
           and
           Reason
           can
           judge
           of
           Contradictions
           only
           for
           themselves
           ,
           or
           as
           far
           as
           their
           judgment
           reaches
           ,
           but
           may
           appear
           Contradictions
           themselves
           to
           each
           other
           .
           As
           for
           instance
           :
        
         
           Reason
           assures
           us
           that
           Man
           consists
           of
           Soul
           and
           Body
           ,
           which
           are
           closely
           united
           to
           each
           other
           ,
           and
           yet
           the
           Union
           of
           Spirit
           and
           Matter
           is
           no
           better
           than
           contradiction
           to
           the
           judgment
           of
           Sense
           ;
           for
           Sense
           knows
           no
           Union
           but
           by
           Contact
           ,
           
           nor
           any
           Contact
           but
           between
           Bodies
           ,
           which
           have
           extended
           and
           solid
           Parts
           ,
           that
           can
           touch
           each
           other
           ;
           so
           that
           an
           Union
           without
           Contact
           is
           one
           contradiction
           to
           the
           judgment
           of
           Sense
           ,
           and
           a
           Contact
           without
           extended
           solid
           parts
           ,
           which
           a
           Spirit
           has
           not
           ,
           is
           another
           ;
           and
           yet
           Reason
           does
           not
           matter
           these
           Contradictions
           to
           the
           judgment
           of
           Sense
           ,
           because
           Sense
           is
           not
           the
           Judge
           of
           such
           things
           :
           And
           it
           is
           the
           same
           Case
           between
           Reason
           and
           Faith
           ,
           which
           receives
           its
           information
           from
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           ,
           concerning
           such
           Matters
           as
           are
           not
           knowable
           by
           Natural
           Reason
           :
           should
           Reason
           contradict
           Faith
           in
           such
           Matters
           as
           Reason
           is
           no
           Judge
           of
           ,
           this
           is
           no
           more
           an
           Objection
           against
           the
           Superior
           Evidence
           and
           Authority
           of
           Faith
           ,
           than
           the
           Judgment
           of
           Sense
           is
           against
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Reason
           ;
           such
           Contradictions
           are
           not
           in
           the
           nature
           of
           things
           ,
           but
           are
           owing
           to
           our
           ignorance
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           presumption
           in
           judging
           of
           what
           we
           cannot
           understand
           .
        
         
           The
           Example
           he
           gives
           of
           such
           a
           contradiction
           to
           Reason
           ,
           is
           
             a
             Trinity
             of
             Persons
             ,
             every
             one
             of
             which
             is
             perfect
             God
             ,
             and
             yet
             all
             of
             them
             but
             One
             God
          
           ;
           but
           for
           my
           life
           ,
           I
           cannot
           see
           this
           plain
           Contradiction
           ,
           That
           Three
           Persons
           ,
           each
           of
           which
           has
           all
           the
           Perfections
           of
           Divinity
           ,
           and
           is
           perfect
           God
           ,
           should
           be
           so
           essentially
           united
           in
           the
           s●me
           One
           Eternal
           and
           Infinite
           Nature
           ,
           as
           to
           be
           but
           One
           God.
           This
           is
           not
           a
           Contradiction
           
             in
             terminis
          
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           Three
           Persons
           and
           but
           One
           Person
           ,
           or
           Three
           Gods
           and
           but
           One
           God
           ,
           but
           Three
           Divine
           Persons
           ,
           and
           One
           God.
           If
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Godhead
           consisted
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           a
           Person
           ,
           I
           grant
           it
           would
           be
           a
           flat
           Contradiction
           to
           say
           ,
           Three
           Persons
           and
           One
           God
           ,
           which
           would
           be
           equivalent
           to
           Three
           Gods
           and
           One
           God
           ;
           but
           if
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Godhead
           consists
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           Nature
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           but
           One
           Eternal
           and
           Infinite
           Nature
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           One
           God
           ,
           and
           this
           Unity
           ,
           and
           Identity
           of
           Nature
           be
           perfectly
           and
           entirely
           preserved
           in
           Three
           Divine
           Persons
           ,
           it
           is
           so
           far
           from
           a
           Contradiction
           to
           
           say
           ,
           That
           Three
           Persons
           are
           One
           God
           ,
           that
           it
           would
           be
           a
           Contradiction
           to
           say
           ,
           That
           Three
           Divine
           Persons
           ,
           who
           have
           the
           same
           One
           Identical
           Nature
           ,
           should
           be
           more
           than
           One
           God
           ;
           for
           that
           is
           to
           say
           ,
           That
           One
           Divine
           Nature
           ,
           which
           can
           be
           but
           One
           God
           ,
           is
           Three
           Gods.
           
        
         
           Now
           this
           is
           all
           that
           Natural
           Reason
           tells
           us
           of
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Godhead
           ,
           That
           there
           is
           ,
           and
           can
           be
           ,
           but
           One
           Eternal
           Infinite
           Nature
           ,
           which
           is
           but
           One
           God
           ;
           this
           we
           expresly
           teach
           ,
           and
           therefore
           do
           not
           contradict
           Reason
           ;
           but
           then
           Scripture
           tells
           us
           ,
           That
           there
           are
           Three
           ,
           Father
           ,
           Son
           ,
           and
           Holy
           Ghost
           ,
           to
           whom
           the
           Name
           and
           Attributes
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           therefore
           this
           One
           Infinite
           Undivided
           Nature
           ,
           belong
           .
           This
           Reason
           boggles
           at
           ,
           and
           Socinians
           call
           a
           Contradiction
           ;
           but
           it
           is
           such
           a
           Contradiction
           ,
           as
           Sense
           would
           judge
           the
           Union
           of
           Spirit
           and
           Matter
           to
           be
           :
           At
           most
           it
           is
           an
           imaginary
           Contradiction
           in
           the
           Subsistence
           of
           the
           Divine
           Nature
           ,
           which
           Reason
           knows
           nothing
           about
           ,
           and
           therefore
           can
           make
           no
           judgment
           of
           ;
           and
           such
           appearing-Contradictions
           are
           no
           Objections
           ,
           because
           they
           may
           be
           no
           Contradictions
           ;
           as
           we
           are
           sure
           they
           are
           none
           ,
           when
           the
           Doctrines
           charged
           with
           these
           Contradictions
           are
           taught
           in
           Scripture
           .
        
         
           There
           is
           one
           distinction
           ,
           which
           seems
           to
           me
           to
           set
           this
           matter
           in
           a
           clear
           light
           ,
           and
           to
           answer
           all
           the
           Pretences
           of
           Contradictions
           ;
           and
           that
           is
           ,
           The
           distinction
           between
           Contradictions
           in
           Logick
           and
           Philosophy
           .
           A
           Contradiction
           in
           Logick
           ,
           is
           when
           two
           Propositions
           in
           express
           terms
           contradict
           each
           other
           ;
           and
           all
           men
           grant
           that
           both
           parts
           of
           such
           Contradictions
           cannot
           be
           true
           ,
           as
           that
           there
           are
           Three
           Gods
           ,
           and
           but
           One
           God
           ,
           which
           is
           to
           say
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           ,
           and
           that
           there
           are
           not
           Three
           Gods
           ;
           that
           there
           is
           ,
           and
           that
           there
           is
           not
           ,
           but
           One
           only
           God.
           A
           Contradiction
           in
           Philosophy
           ,
           is
           when
           any
           thing
           is
           affirmed
           concerning
           the
           Nature
           or
           Essential
           Properties
           of
           any
           Being
           ,
           which
           seems
           to
           contradict
           all
           the
           Notions
           and
           Ideas
           we
           have
           of
           Nature
           in
           
           other
           Beings
           ,
           and
           such
           Contradictions
           as
           these
           may
           be
           both
           true
           ;
           for
           the
           Natures
           of
           things
           may
           be
           contrary
           to
           ,
           and
           contradict
           each
           other
           and
           yet
           both
           of
           them
           be
           true
           and
           real
           Beings
           .
           There
           are
           infinite
           Instances
           of
           this
           in
           all
           Nature
           ;
           the
           Ideas
           of
           Hot
           and
           Cold
           ,
           of
           White
           and
           Black
           ,
           of
           Light
           and
           Darkness
           ,
           of
           solid
           and
           fluid
           Bodies
           ,
           of
           Matter
           and
           Spirit
           ,
           are
           direct
           Contradictions
           ,
           in
           this
           notion
           of
           a
           Contradiction
           ,
           to
           each
           other
           :
           And
           had
           we
           known
           but
           one
           of
           these
           Opposites
           by
           our
           Natural
           Ideas
           ,
           and
           the
           other
           had
           been
           revealed
           to
           us
           ,
           we
           might
           as
           justly
           have
           cried
           out
           of
           Contradictions
           ,
           as
           the
           Socinians
           now
           do
           ,
           when
           you
           mention
           a
           Trinity
           of
           Persons
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Divine
           Nature
           .
           For
           Heat
           contradicts
           the
           Idea
           of
           Cold
           ,
           and
           Fluid
           of
           Solid
           ;
           as
           much
           as
           Three
           Persons
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           Nature
           ,
           contradicts
           the
           Unity
           of
           Nature
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           a
           Person
           :
           This
           latter
           indeed
           is
           the
           natural
           notion
           we
           have
           ,
           That
           there
           is
           but
           One
           Person
           in
           One
           Subsisting
           Intelligent
           Nature
           ;
           for
           we
           have
           no
           example
           of
           any
           thing
           else
           ,
           and
           therefore
           can
           have
           no
           natural
           Idea
           of
           any
           other
           Unity
           ;
           but
           this
           does
           not
           prove
           ,
           that
           it
           cannot
           be
           otherwise
           ;
           for
           there
           may
           be
           Oppositions
           and
           Contrarieties
           in
           Nature
           ;
           and
           did
           we
           but
           consider
           what
           an
           infinite
           distance
           and
           unlikeness
           there
           is
           between
           God
           and
           Creatures
           ,
           we
           should
           not
           think
           it
           reasonable
           to
           judge
           of
           the
           Divine
           Nature
           by
           the
           Ideas
           of
           Created
           Nature
           .
        
         
           This
           is
           a
           very
           real
           and
           sensible
           distinction
           between
           Contradictions
           in
           Logick
           ,
           and
           in
           Nature
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           and
           there
           is
           a
           certain
           way
           to
           know
           them
           :
           Logical
           Contradictions
           are
           always
           immediately
           reducible
           to
           is
           ,
           and
           
             is
             not
          
           ;
           for
           they
           affirm
           and
           deny
           the
           same
           thing
           in
           the
           same
           sence
           :
           The
           Contradictions
           in
           Nature
           and
           Philosophy
           are
           only
           the
           opposition
           and
           contrariety
           there
           is
           between
           the
           Ideas
           of
           several
           Beings
           ,
           which
           can
           never
           be
           reduced
           to
           a
           Contradiction
           in
           Logick
           ,
           but
           through
           Ignorance
           or
           Mistake
           ,
           by
           changing
           the
           sense
           and
           use
           of
           words
           .
           Let
           any
           Socinian
           try
           the
           Experiment
           
           in
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           in
           Unity
           ,
           and
           reduce
           it
           to
           such
           a
           Contradiction
           if
           he
           can
           .
           A
           Trinity
           of
           Persons
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Divine
           Nature
           ,
           is
           a
           Contradiction
           to
           that
           Idea
           we
           have
           of
           the
           Unity
           of
           Person
           and
           Nature
           in
           created
           Beings
           ,
           but
           this
           is
           no
           Contradiction
           in
           Logick
           ;
           for
           it
           is
           not
           a
           Contradiction
           in
           the
           same
           Nature
           and
           Being
           ,
           as
           all
           Contradictions
           in
           Logick
           must
           be
           ,
           but
           it
           is
           a
           Contrariety
           or
           Contradiction
           (
           if
           we
           will
           so
           call
           it
           )
           between
           the
           Unity
           and
           Personalities
           of
           two
           very
           different
           Natures
           ,
           the
           Divine
           and
           the
           Created
           Nature
           ;
           and
           all
           the
           Contradiction
           that
           can
           be
           made
           of
           it
           ,
           is
           no
           more
           than
           this
           ,
           That
           the
           Unity
           of
           the
           Divine
           Nature
           ,
           which
           is
           perfect
           and
           undivided
           in
           Three
           distinct
           Persons
           ,
           contradicts
           the
           Notion
           of
           Unity
           in
           a
           Created
           Nature
           ,
           which
           admits
           but
           of
           One
           Person
           in
           One
           Individual
           Nature
           :
           But
           there
           are
           a
           thousand
           such
           Contradictions
           in
           Nature
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           different
           Natures
           ,
           whose
           Ideas
           are
           opposite
           and
           contrary
           to
           each
           other
           ,
           and
           yet
           all
           of
           them
           real
           Beings
           :
           But
           could
           they
           make
           a
           Trinity
           in
           Unity
           contradict
           it self
           ,
           that
           the
           Trinity
           should
           in
           express
           terms
           destroy
           the
           Unity
           ,
           and
           the
           Unity
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           this
           would
           be
           somewhat
           to
           the
           purpose
           ;
           for
           it
           would
           prove
           a
           Contradiction
           in
           Logick
           ,
           when
           the
           Terms
           destroy
           each
           other
           ;
           but
           then
           the
           Trinity
           and
           Unity
           must
           be
           the
           same
           ;
           a
           Trinity
           of
           Persons
           ,
           and
           but
           One
           Person
           ;
           or
           a
           Trinity
           of
           Natures
           ,
           and
           but
           one
           Nature
           :
           But
           a
           Trinity
           of
           Persons
           ,
           true
           ,
           proper
           ,
           subsisting
           Persons
           ,
           in
           the
           Unity
           of
           Nature
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           Catholick
           Faith
           ,
           is
           not
           a
           Contradiction
           in
           Logick
           ,
           though
           it
           contradicts
           the
           Notion
           of
           Human
           Personalities
           ,
           which
           it
           may
           do
           ,
           and
           yet
           be
           very
           true
           .
           This
           is
           abundantly
           enough
           to
           shew
           the
           Weakness
           and
           Folly
           of
           this
           Socinian
           Cant
           about
           Transubstantiation
           ;
           the
           Impiety
           ,
           Prophaneness
           ,
           and
           mischievous
           Consequences
           of
           it
           ,
           let
           others
           consider
           .
        
         
           His
           Third
           Charge
           is
           ,
           That
           I
           say
           ,
           That
           
             as
             we
             are
             Christians
             ,
             and
             unless
             we
             will
             be
             understood
             to
             reject
             the
             Supreme
             
             Authority
             of
             Divine
             Revelation
             ,
             we
             must
             believe
             those
             Doctrines
             which
             are
             thought
             to
             be
             most
             mysterious
             and
             inconceivable
             ,
             notwithstanding
             any
             Objection
             from
             Reason
             or
             from
             Philosophy
             against
             '
             em
             .
             He
             that
             believes
             no
             farther
             than
             Natural
             Reason
             approves
             ,
             believes
             his
             Reason
             ,
             not
             the
             Revelation
             ;
             he
             is
             a
             Natural
             Philosopher
             ,
             not
             a
             Believer
             .
             He
             believes
             the
             Scriptures
             as
             he
             would
             believe
          
           Plato
           or
           Tully
           ,
           
             not
             as
             Inspired
             Writings
             ,
             but
             as
             agreeable
             to
             Reason
             ,
             and
             as
             the
             result
             of
             wise
             and
             deep
             Thoughts
             ,
          
           p.
           14.
           
        
         
           Here
           he
           has
           taken
           some
           of
           my
           Words
           ,
           and
           so
           put
           them
           together
           ,
           as
           to
           conceal
           the
           whole
           Force
           of
           the
           Argument
           ,
           which
           he
           always
           takes
           care
           to
           do
           .
           My
           business
           (
           P.
           10
           ,
           11
           ,
           &c.
           )
           was
           to
           prove
           ,
           
             That
             we
             ought
             to
             believe
             those
             Doctrines
             which
             are
             thought
             the
             most
             mysterious
             and
             inconceivable
             ,
             notwithstanding
             any
             Objections
             from
             Natural
             Reason
             and
             Philosophy
             against
             them
             :
             And
             this
             I
             proved
             from
             the
             Nature
             ,
             Use
             ,
             and
             Authority
             of
             Revelation
             .
             That
             Revelation
             ,
             as
             to
             such
             matters
             as
             are
             knowable
             only
             by
             Revelation
             ,
             must
             serve
             instead
             of
             Sense
             ,
             Natural
             Ideas
             ,
             and
             Natural
             Reason
             .
             That
             if
             we
             believe
             upon
             God's
             Authority
             (
             which
             is
             the
             strict
             Notion
             of
             a
             Divine
             Faith
             )
             we
             must
             believe
             without
             any
             Natural
             Evidence
             ,
             merely
             because
             God
             has
             revealed
             it
             ;
             and
             then
             we
             must
             believe
             such
             things
             as
             are
             not
             evident
             to
             Sense
             and
             Reason
             .
             That
             to
             believe
             no
             farther
             than
             Natural
             Reason
             can
             conceive
             and
             comprehend
             ,
             is
             to
             reject
             the
             Divine
             Authority
             of
             Revelation
             ,
             and
             to
             destroy
             the
             distinction
             between
             Reason
             and
             Faith.
             He
             that
             will
             believe
             no
             farther
             than
             his
             Reason
             approves
             ,
             believes
             his
             Reason
             ,
             not
             the
             Revelation
             ,
             and
             is
             in
             truth
             a
             Natural
             Philosopher
             ,
             not
             a
             Believer
             .
          
        
         
           Here
           any
           man
           may
           perceive
           that
           our
           Socinian
           was
           plainly
           baffled
           ,
           for
           he
           has
           not
           one
           word
           to
           answer
           ,
           but
           only
           says
           ,
           that
           I
           contradict
           this
           my self
           in
           my
           Vindication
           of
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           where
           I
           assert
           ,
           That
           
             suppose
             the
             
             natural
             Construction
             of
             the
             Words
             of
             Scripture
             import
             such
             a
             Sense
             as
             is
             contrary
             to
             some
             evident
             Principle
             of
             Reason
             ,
             I
             won't
             believe
             it
             :
          
           Of
           this
           more
           presently
           ;
           but
           what
           is
           this
           to
           the
           purpose
           ?
           Is
           there
           no
           difference
           between
           what
           Reason
           can't
           conceive
           ,
           comprehend
           ,
           approve
           ,
           and
           what
           the
           Reason
           of
           all
           Mankind
           contradicts
           ?
           No
           difference
           between
           believing
           
             what
             we
             do
             not
             see
             ,
             what
             we
             have
             no
             natural
             notion
             or
             conception
             of
             ,
          
           what
           is
           
             not
             evident
             to
             natural
             Reason
          
           ,
           and
           believing
           in
           contradiction
           to
           sense
           ,
           and
           such
           natural
           Notions
           ,
           and
           natural
           Evidence
           ,
           as
           all
           Mankind
           agree
           in
           ?
        
         
           But
           he
           is
           very
           much
           troubled
           ,
           according
           to
           his
           Principle
           of
           believing
           Scripture
           no
           farther
           than
           Natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           approves
           ,
           how
           to
           distinguish
           between
           believing
           Plato
           and
           Tully
           ,
           and
           believing
           a
           Revelation
           .
           He
           says
           ,
           They
           look
           upon
           Plato
           and
           Tully
           ,
           as
           
             great
             Men
          
           ,
           but
           Fallible
           (
           p.
           15.
           )
           and
           therefore
           may
           take
           the
           liberty
           to
           dissent
           from
           them
           ;
           and
           believe
           them
           no
           farther
           than
           Reason
           approves
           :
           Very
           right
           ;
           but
           will
           he
           believe
           the
           Scripture
           any
           farther
           than
           Reason
           can
           
             conceive
             ,
             comprehend
             ,
             approve
          
           ?
           Have
           a
           care
           of
           that
           :
           But
           they
           will
           do
           as
           well
           ;
           if
           Reason
           will
           not
           approve
           of
           such
           Scripture
           Doctrines
           ,
           as
           it
           can't
           conceive
           and
           comprehend
           ,
           they
           will
           Expound
           and
           Torture
           Scripture
           ,
           till
           it
           submits
           to
           Reason
           :
           For
           
             it
             is
             more
             congruous
             to
             think
             ,
             that
             an
             Inspired
             Writer
             uses
             a
             Figurative
             ,
             or
             it
             may
             be
             a
             Catachrestical
          
           (
           very
           Catachrestical
           )
           
             Expression
             or
             Phrase
             ,
             than
             that
             he
             delivers
             flat
             contradictions
             ,
             or
             downright
             impossibilities
             :
          
           That
           is
           to
           say
           ,
           they
           must
           by
           all
           means
           believe
           ,
           or
           pretend
           to
           believe
           ,
           the
           Scripture
           ;
           but
           then
           they
           must
           never
           own
           any
           thing
           to
           be
           in
           Scripture
           ,
           which
           their
           Reason
           calls
           
             a
             flat
             contradiction
             ,
             or
             downright
             impossibility
          
           ;
           which
           is
           the
           very
           same
           thing
           ;
           for
           the
           reason
           why
           they
           will
           not
           allow
           ,
           that
           the
           Scripture
           contains
           any
           thing
           ,
           which
           their
           Reason
           does
           not
           approve
           ,
           is
           because
           they
           must
           believe
           the
           Scripture
           ,
           but
           
           must
           not
           believe
           it
           beyond
           their
           own
           Reason
           and
           Comprehension
           ;
           and
           the
           only
           difference
           they
           make
           between
           Plato
           and
           Tully
           ,
           and
           the
           Scripture
           is
           ,
           That
           they
           can
           safely
           reject
           their
           Authority
           ,
           when
           they
           please
           ,
           but
           must
           be
           at
           the
           trouble
           of
           Expounding
           away
           whatever
           they
           do
           not
           approve
           in
           the
           Scripture
           .
        
         
           This
           is
           what
           I
           told
           them
           in
           the
           Vindication
           ;
           and
           as
           Impious
           as
           this
           Author
           thinks
           it
           ,
           I
           will
           venture
           to
           Transcribe
           that
           whole
           Paragraph
           .
        
         
           
             But
             I
             have
             not
             done
             with
             our
             Author
             thus
             ;
             
             but
             must
             give
             him
             a
             little
             more
             about
             Expounding
             Scripture
             according
             to
             Reason
             :
             For
             I
             affirm
             ,
             that
             Natural
             Reason
             is
             not
             the
             Rule
             and
             Measure
             of
             Expounding
             Scripture
             ,
             no
             more
             than
             it
             is
             of
             Expounding
             any
             other
             Writing
             .
             The
             true
             and
             only
             way
             to
             interpret
             any
             Writing
             ,
             even
             the
             Scriptures
             themselves
             ,
             is
             to
             examine
             the
             use
             and
             propriety
             of
             Words
             and
             Phrases
             ;
             the
             Connexion
             ,
             Scope
             ,
             and
             Design
             of
             the
             Text
             ,
             its
             allusion
             to
             Ancient
             Customs
             and
             Usages
             ,
             or
             Disputes
             ,
             &c.
             
             For
             there
             is
             no
             other
             good
             reason
             to
             be
             given
             for
             any
             Exposition
             ,
             but
             that
             the
             words
             signify
             so
             ,
             and
             the
             circumstances
             of
             the
             place
             ,
             and
             apparent
             Scope
             of
             the
             Writer
             requires
             it
             .
          
           
             But
             our
             Author
             (
             as
             many
             others
             do
             )
             seems
             to
             confound
             the
             Reasons
             of
             believing
             any
             Doctrine
             ,
             with
             the
             Rules
             of
             Expounding
             a
             Writing
             .
             We
             must
             believe
             nothing
             that
             contradicts
             the
             plain
             and
             express
             Dictate
             of
             Natural
             Reason
             ,
             which
             all
             Mankind
             agree
             in
             ,
             whatever
             pretence
             of
             Revelation
             there
             be
             for
             it
             ;
             Well
             ,
             say
             they
             ,
             then
             you
             must
             Expound
             Scripture
             so
             as
             to
             make
             it
             agree
             with
             the
             necessary
             Principles
             and
             Dictates
             of
             Reason
             :
             No
             ,
             say
             I
             ,
             that
             does
             not
             follow
             ;
             I
             must
             Expound
             Scripture
             according
             to
             the
             use
             and
             significations
             of
             the
             Words
             ;
             and
             must
             not
             force
             my
             own
             Sense
             on
             it
             ,
             if
             it
             will
             not
             bear
             it
             .
             But
             suppose
             then
             ,
             that
             the
             Natural
             Construction
             of
             the
             words
             import
             such
             a
             sense
             as
             is
             contrary
             to
             
             some
             evident
             Principle
             of
             Reason
             ;
             Then
             I
             wont
             believe
             it
             .
             How
             ?
             Not
             believe
             Scripture
             ?
             No
             ,
             no.
             I
             will
             believe
             no
             pretended
             Revelation
             ,
             which
             contradicts
             the
             plain
             Dictates
             of
             Reason
             ,
             which
             all
             Mankind
             agree
             in
             ;
             and
             were
             I
             persuaded
             ,
             that
             those
             Books
             ,
             which
             we
             call
             the
             Holy
             Scriptures
             ,
             did
             so
             ,
             I
             wou'd
             not
             believe
             them
             ;
             and
             this
             is
             a
             fairer
             and
             honester
             way
             ,
             than
             to
             force
             them
             to
             speak
             ,
             what
             they
             never
             intended
             ,
             and
             what
             every
             impartial
             man
             ,
             who
             reads
             them
             ,
             must
             think
             was
             never
             intended
             that
             we
             may
             believe
             them
             :
             To
             put
             our
             own
             Sense
             on
             Scripture
             ,
             without
             respect
             to
             the
             use
             of
             words
             ,
             and
             to
             the
             Reason
             and
             Scope
             of
             the
             Text
             ,
             is
             not
             to
             believe
             Scripture
             ,
             but
             to
             teach
             it
             to
             speak
             our
             Language
             ;
             is
             not
             to
             submit
             to
             the
             Authority
             of
             Scripture
             ,
             but
             to
             make
             Scripture
             submit
             to
             our
             Reason
             ,
             even
             in
             such
             matters
             as
             are
             confessedly
             above
             Reason
             ,
             as
             the
             Infinite
             Nature
             and
             Essence
             of
             God
             is
             .
          
           
             Though
             I
             am
             never
             so
             well
             assured
             of
             the
             Divine
             Authority
             of
             any
             Book
             ,
             yet
             I
             must
             Expound
             it
             ,
             as
             I
             do
             other
             Writings
             ;
             for
             when
             God
             vouchsafes
             to
             speak
             to
             us
             in
             our
             own
             Language
             ,
             we
             must
             understand
             his
             words
             ,
             just
             as
             we
             do
             ,
             when
             they
             are
             spoke
             by
             men
             :
             Indeed
             when
             I
             am
             sure
             that
             it
             is
             an
             Inspired
             Writing
             ,
             I
             lay
             it
             down
             for
             a
             Principle
             ,
             That
             it
             contains
             nothing
             absurd
             and
             contradictions
             or
             repugnant
             to
             the
             received
             Principles
             of
             Natural
             Reason
             ;
             but
             this
             does
             not
             give
             me
             Authority
             to
             Expound
             the
             words
             of
             Scripture
             to
             any
             other
             sense
             ,
             than
             what
             they
             will
             naturally
             bear
             ,
             to
             reconcile
             them
             with
             such
             Notions
             as
             I
             call
             reason
             ;
             for
             if
             one
             man
             has
             this
             liberty
             ,
             another
             may
             take
             it
             ,
             and
             the
             Scripture
             will
             be
             tuned
             to
             every
             man's
             private
             Conceit
             ;
             and
             therefore
             in
             case
             the
             plain
             sense
             of
             Scripture
             contradicts
             those
             Notions
             I
             have
             of
             things
             ,
             if
             it
             be
             possible
             to
             be
             true
             ,
             I
             submit
             to
             the
             Authority
             of
             Scripture
             ;
             if
             it
             seems
             to
             include
             a
             Contradiction
             and
             Impossibility
             ,
             if
             that
             Contradiction
             
             be
             not
             plain
             and
             notorious
             ,
             and
             in
             such
             matters
             ,
             as
             I
             am
             sure
             ,
             I
             perfectly
             understand
             ,
             there
             I
             submit
             again
             ,
             and
             conclude
             it
             is
             no
             Contradiction
             ,
             though
             I
             cannot
             comprehend
             how
             it
             is
             ;
             if
             I
             can
             by
             no
             means
             reconcile
             it
             ,
             I
             will
             confess
             ,
             I
             do
             not
             understand
             it
             ,
             and
             will
             not
             pretend
             to
             give
             any
             sense
             of
             it
             ,
             much
             less
             to
             give
             such
             a
             sense
             of
             it
             ,
             as
             the
             words
             will
             not
             bear
             .
          
        
         
           His
           Fourth
           Charge
           is
           ,
           that
           I
           say
           ,
           
             Difficulty
             of
             conceiving
             a
             thing
             ,
             nay
             ,
             the
             absolute
             unconceivableness
             of
             it
             ,
             must
             not
             hinder
             our
             assent
             to
             what
             is
             contained
             in
             Revelation
             ;
             because
             we
             do
             not
             disbelieve
             what
             is
             made
             known
             to
             us
             by
             Sense
             or
             by
             Reason
             ,
             notwithstanding
             any
             difficulty
             or
             inconceivableness
             adhering
             to
             such
             things
             .
          
           These
           are
           neither
           my
           Words
           nor
           my
           Argument
           .
           My
           Argument
           is
           this
           ;
           That
           since
           ,
           as
           I
           had
           shewn
           ,
           in
           matters
           of
           pure
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           can
           be
           known
           no
           other
           way
           ,
           
             Revelation
             must
             stand
             in
             the
             place
             of
             Sense
             and
             Reason
             ,
             we
             must
             allow
             no
             Objections
             against
             revealed
             Mysteries
             ,
             but
             what
             we
             will
             allow
             to
             be
             good
             Objections
             against
             Sense
             and
             Reason
             .
             Now
             no
             man
             questions
             the
             truth
             of
             what
             he
             sees
             and
             feels
             ,
             or
             what
             he
             can
             prove
             to
             be
             true
             by
             plain
             and
             undeniable
             Reason
             ,
             meerly
             because
             there
             are
             unconceivable
             difficulties
             in
             it
             ,
             as
             there
             is
             in
             every
             thing
             ,
             even
             the
             most
             certain
             and
             familiar
             things
             in
             Nature
             :
             And
             if
             revealed
             Truths
             are
             not
             more
             unconceivable
             than
             many
             Natural
             Objects
             of
             Sense
             and
             Reason
             ,
             why
             should
             their
             being
             unconceivable
             be
             a
             greater
             Objection
             against
             believing
             a
             Revelation
             ,
             than
             it
             is
             against
             believing
             our
             Sense
             and
             Reason
             in
             matters
             equally
             unconceivable
             ?
          
           (
           Serm.
           p.
           13.
           )
        
         
           This
           Argument
           is
           easily
           understood
           ,
           but
           can
           never
           be
           Answered
           ;
           and
           therefore
           he
           wisely
           resolved
           not
           to
           understand
           it
           .
           In
           Answer
           to
           this
           he
           tells
           us
           ,
           That
           he
           does
           not
           always
           believe
           his
           Senses
           ,
           nor
           
             his
             Reason
             neither
             ,
             when
             it
             is
             not
             clear
             ,
             but
             perplext
             with
             difficulties
             ,
             or
             darkening
             
             doubts
             ,
             but
             especially
             when
             there
             is
             a
             remarkable
             and
             manifest
             inconceivableness
             .
          
           Nor
           do
           I
           require
           he
           should
           ;
           but
           my
           only
           Question
           is
           ,
           Whether
           he
           does
           not
           believe
           ,
           both
           his
           Senses
           and
           Reason
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           many
           things
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           whose
           Natures
           are
           so
           mysterious
           ,
           that
           he
           cannot
           conceive
           or
           comprehend
           the
           Reasons
           and
           Philosophy
           of
           them
           ?
           That
           though
           he
           sees
           Men
           and
           Beasts
           ,
           Heaven
           and
           Earth
           ,
           Sun
           ,
           Moon
           ,
           and
           Stars
           ,
           he
           will
           not
           believe
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           such
           things
           as
           he
           sees
           ,
           because
           he
           cannot
           understand
           the
           Philosophy
           of
           their
           Natures
           ,
           and
           sees
           a
           great
           many
           things
           done
           by
           them
           ,
           which
           are
           perfectly
           unaccountable
           ,
           and
           would
           have
           been
           thought
           absolutely
           impossible
           ,
           had
           we
           not
           seen
           them
           done
           ?
           These
           are
           all
           
             the
             contradictions
             and
             impossibilities
             ,
             which
             I
             say
             men
             may
             make
             or
             find
             ,
             when
             they
             know
             not
             the
             Philosophical
             Natures
             of
             things
             ,
             nor
             how
             they
             act
             ,
             and
             yet
             will
             be
             reasoning
             and
             guessing
             at
             them
          
           ;
           which
           this
           wise
           Author
           calls
           a
           Sermon
           for
           Contradictions
           .
           But
           do
           I
           require
           any
           man
           to
           believe
           Contradictions
           ?
           Nay
           ,
           do
           I
           say
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           any
           such
           Contradictions
           ?
           But
           this
           ,
           I
           say
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           such
           unconceivable
           Mysteries
           ,
           in
           all
           Created
           Nature
           ,
           much
           more
           in
           the
           Incomprehensible
           Nature
           of
           God
           ,
           as
           some
           
             Gotham
             Philosophers
          
           (
           as
           he
           who
           knows
           them
           best
           calls
           them
           )
           charge
           with
           impossibilities
           and
           contradictions
           ;
           and
           yet
           these
           
             Gotham
             Philosophers
          
           are
           so
           wise
           as
           not
           to
           disbelieve
           their
           Senses
           as
           to
           the
           being
           of
           those
           things
           ,
           how
           unconceivable
           and
           incomprehensible
           soever
           their
           natures
           are
           ;
           and
           this
           is
           all
           I
           ask
           ,
           that
           in
           matters
           of
           pure
           Revelation
           we
           give
           the
           same
           credit
           to
           Revelation
           ,
           that
           in
           the
           Objects
           of
           sense
           we
           give
           to
           sense
           ,
           
             i.
             e.
          
           not
           to
           disbelieve
           what
           is
           revealed
           ,
           As
           ,
           that
           God
           has
           an
           Eternal
           Son
           ,
           and
           that
           this
           Eternal
           Son
           in
           time
           was
           made
           Man
           ,
           because
           the
           Eternal
           Generation
           and
           Incarnation
           are
           inconceivable
           Mysteries
           ;
           as
           we
           do
           not
           disbelieve
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           any
           Men
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           because
           Human
           Generations
           ,
           and
           
           the
           Union
           of
           Soul
           and
           Body
           are
           inconceivable
           Mysteries
           in
           Nature
           .
        
         
           Towards
           the
           Conclusion
           of
           my
           Sermon
           ,
           I
           Answered
           Two
           Objections
           against
           believing
           a
           Revelation
           as
           to
           such
           Doctrines
           which
           are
           inconceivable
           and
           incomprehensible
           to
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           .
           And
           here
           to
           prepare
           the
           way
           ,
           he
           first
           scorns
           the
           Objections
           ,
           
             as
             never
             made
             before
             ,
             or
             however
             by
             none
             but
             my self
             .
             That
             I
             pass
             over
             known
             and
             very
             dangerous
             Objections
             ,
             and
             Answer
             only
             to
             Chimera's
             and
             Follies
             ,
             never
             suggested
             or
             thought
             of
             by
             any
             .
          
           (
           p.
           18.
           )
        
         
           I
           am
           glad
           to
           find
           ,
           that
           he
           grows
           ashamed
           of
           these
           Socinian
           Chimera's
           and
           Follies
           ;
           but
           let
           us
           hear
           what
           they
           are
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           
             It
             is
             thought
             very
             unnatural
             ,
             that
             when
             God
             has
             made
             us
             reasonable
             Creatures
             ,
             and
             therefore
             made
             natural
             Reason
             to
             us
             the
             measure
             of
             truth
             and
             falshood
             ,
             he
             should
             require
             us
             to
             believe
             without
             Reason
             ,
             as
             we
             must
             do
             ,
             if
             he
             reveal
             such
             things
             to
             us
             ,
             as
             we
             do
             not
             ,
             and
             cannot
             possibly
             know
             the
             reasons
             of
             :
             If
             we
             must
             believe
             with
             our
             understanding
             ,
             how
             can
             we
             believe
             things
             ,
             which
             we
             cannot
             understand
             ?
          
           Now
           this
           Socinian
           
             does
             not
             believe
             ,
             that
             any
             Sect
             of
             Religious
             ever
             made
             this
             or
             the
             like
             Objection
          
           ;
           Let
           him
           ,
           as
           he
           says
           ,
           
             snuff
             his
             Candle
          
           once
           more
           ,
           and
           look
           into
           the
           late
           Socinian
           Pamphlets
           :
           What
           is
           the
           meaning
           of
           all
           their
           Zeal
           for
           Reason
           in
           this
           Cause
           ,
           of
           their
           great
           noise
           and
           outcry
           about
           Mysteries
           ,
           Nonsense
           ,
           Contradictions
           ?
           What
           is
           the
           meaning
           of
           their
           Expounding
           Scripture
           by
           Reason
           ,
           not
           
             like
             Fools
             ,
             but
             like
             Wise
             men
             ?
          
           Why
           has
           this
           Author
           shewn
           such
           a
           furious
           Zeal
           against
           believing
           a
           Revelation
           notwithstanding
           any
           Objections
           from
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           against
           it
           ?
           If
           ,
           as
           he
           now
           says
           ,
           
             our
             Reason
             and
             Understandings
             are
             finite
             and
             imperfect
             ,
             and
             the
             Wisdom
             and
             Power
             of
             God
             most
             perfect
             :
             Therefore
             he
             may
             reveal
             many
             things
             to
             us
             ,
             to
             be
             believed
             by
             us
             ,
             though
             we
             understand
             them
             not
             ,
             nor
             have
             any
             other
             cause
             of
             our
             believing
             
             them
             ,
             but
             only
             God's
             Revelation
             of
             them
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           19.
           )
           Nothing
           can
           be
           more
           true
           ,
           than
           what
           he
           says
           ,
           
             that
             Reason
             is
             the
             measure
             of
             truth
             and
             falshood
             ,
             but
             not
             the
             frail
             Fallible
             Reason
             of
             Men
             ,
             but
             the
             Infallible
             Wisdom
             of
             God.
          
           If
           he
           be
           sincere
           and
           hearty
           in
           this
           ,
           we
           are
           perfectly
           agreed
           ;
           for
           this
           is
           the
           very
           Doctrine
           of
           my
           Sermon
           ,
           which
           he
           has
           so
           furiously
           opposed
           ,
           or
           would
           be
           thought
           to
           oppose
           ;
           for
           to
           speak
           the
           Truth
           ,
           he
           has
           not
           opposed
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           my
           Sermon
           ;
           but
           ,
           in
           his
           own
           Language
           ,
           his
           
             own
             Chimera's
             and
             Follies
          
           .
        
         
           But
           here
           is
           either
           a
           Fallacy
           in
           his
           Words
           ,
           or
           he
           gives
           up
           his
           Cause
           ,
           which
           it
           is
           plain
           he
           never
           intended
           :
           The
           Question
           is
           not
           absolutely
           ,
           What
           
             is
             the
             Rule
             and
             Measure
             of
             Truth
             and
             Falshood
             ,
          
           but
           what
           is
           so
           to
           us
           ?
           Now
           if
           he
           will
           allow
           ,
           
             that
             Frail
             and
             Fallible
             Reason
          
           is
           not
           
             a
             Rule
             to
             us
          
           ,
           then
           we
           may
           believe
           things
           ,
           which
           our
           Reason
           does
           not
           approve
           ;
           nay
           ,
           which
           it
           may
           judge
           improbable
           and
           false
           :
           And
           if
           the
           
             infallible
             Wisdom
             of
             God
          
           be
           a
           Rule
           
             to
             us
          
           ,
           it
           can
           be
           so
           only
           in
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           then
           we
           may
           and
           must
           believe
           the
           
             infallible
             Wisdom
             of
             God
          
           in
           a
           Revelation
           against
           the
           Objections
           of
           
             Frail
             and
             Fallible
             Reason
          
           .
        
         
           And
           one
           may
           easily
           guess
           ,
           there
           is
           something
           amiss
           still
           ,
           notwithstanding
           all
           these
           concessions
           ;
           for
           as
           
             silly
             an
             Objection
          
           ,
           as
           he
           says
           ,
           this
           is
           (
           which
           I
           am
           glad
           to
           hear
           )
           ,
           he
           will
           by
           no
           means
           own
           ,
           that
           I
           have
           Answered
           it
           ,
           and
           then
           I
           have
           very
           ill
           luck
           indeed
           ,
           to
           make
           a
           
             silly
             Objection
          
           ,
           which
           
             was
             never
             made
             before
          
           ,
           and
           not
           be
           able
           to
           Answer
           it
           when
           I
           have
           done
           .
        
         
           The
           Answer
           I
           give
           to
           this
           Objection
           is
           this
           ,
           That
           the
           Matter
           of
           the
           Objection
           is
           not
           true
           ;
           for
           we
           do
           understand
           both
           what
           it
           is
           we
           believe
           ,
           and
           the
           reasons
           why
           we
           believe
           it
           ;
           and
           this
           I
           suppose
           may
           pass
           for
           an
           Answer
           to
           that
           Objection
           :
           But
           then
           it
           is
           farther
           Objected
           ,
           
             That
             we
             believe
             such
             things
             ,
             whose
             Natures
             we
             cannot
             understand
             ,
          
           
           
             and
             cannot
             account
             for
             by
             natural
             Reason
             :
          
           To
           this
           I
           Answer
           ,
           
             That
             Reason
             is
             not
             the
             judge
             of
             the
             Nature
             and
             Phil●sophy
             of
             things
             ,
             nor
             does
             it
             require
             us
             to
             believe
             nothing
             but
             what
             we
             thus
             understand
             and
             comprehend
             :
          
           For
           then
           ,
           as
           I
           had
           shewn
           ,
           
             we
             must
             no
             more
             believe
             Sense
             and
             Reason
             ,
             than
             Revelation
             :
          
           And
           this
           I
           take
           to
           be
           a
           good
           Answer
           too
           ;
           but
           then
           to
           shew
           the
           reason
           of
           this
           ,
           I
           add
           :
           
             When
             we
             make
             an
             Objection
             against
             any
             thing
             ,
             that
             it
             is
             without
             Reason
             ,
             or
             as
             we
             apprehend
             ,
             contrary
             to
             reason
             ,
             we
             must
             first
             consider
             ,
             whether
             it
             be
             the
             proper
             Object
             of
             Reason
             ;
             otherwise
             it
             is
             no
             Objection
             ;
             as
             it
             is
             no
             Objection
             against
             sounds
             ,
             that
             we
             cannot
             see
             them
             ,
             nor
             against
             colours
             ,
             that
             we
             cannot
             hear
             them
             ;
             because
             sounds
             are
             not
             the
             object
             of
             sight
             ,
             nor
             colours
             of
             hearing
             .
          
           This
           ,
           I
           think
           ,
           is
           plain
           Sense
           ,
           and
           good
           Reason
           too
           ;
           but
           this
           he
           says
           is
           no
           Answer
           to
           that
           Objection
           ,
           
             Why
             should
             reasonable
             Creatures
             be
             obliged
             to
             believe
             things
             without
             Reason
             ?
          
           Nor
           was
           it
           ever
           intended
           as
           an
           immediate
           Answer
           to
           it
           ;
           the
           Answer
           I
           give
           is
           ,
           That
           we
           are
           not
           oblig'd
           
             to
             believe
             without
             Reason
          
           ;
           but
           when
           such
           Men
           as
           this
           Author
           Object
           farther
           ,
           That
           
             to
             Believe
             things
             ,
             whose
             natures
             we
             do
             not
             understand
             ,
             and
             cannot
             account
             for
             by
             natural
             Reason
             ,
             is
             to
             believe
             without
             Reason
          
           ;
           it
           is
           a
           proper
           Answer
           to
           say
           ,
           
             That
             Reason
             is
             not
             judge
             of
             the
             Nature
             and
             Philosophy
             of
             things
             ,
             and
             nothing
             can
             be
             said
             to
             be
             without
             Reason
             ,
             or
             against
             Reason
             ,
             which
             is
             not
             the
             object
             of
             Reason
             ;
             as
             no
             man
             pretends
             ,
             that
             the
             pure
             Natures
             and
             ●ssences
             of
             things
             ,
             or
             their
             Essential
             Reasons
             ,
             Properties
             ,
             Unions
             ,
             Operations
             ,
             are
          
           ;
           (
           Serm.
           p.
           19.
           )
           But
           herein
           ,
           it
           seems
           ,
           I
           was
           mistaken
           ;
           for
           I
           have
           met
           with
           a
           Man
           at
           last
           ,
           who
           makes
           Reason
           the
           judge
           of
           all
           this
           ;
           
             for
             if
             these
             be
             not
             the
             Objects
             of
             Reason
             ,
             Reason
             has
             no
             Object
             at
             all
             ;
             for
             our
             Reason
             can
             be
             no
             otherwise
             employed
             ,
             but
             either
             about
             Substances
             ,
             or
             their
             Unions
             ,
             Essential
             Reasons
             ,
             Operations
             or
             Properties
             ,
          
           (
           p.
           20.
           )
           Very
           right
           !
           we
           may
           know
           something
           of
           all
           this
           ;
           but
           I
           speak
           of
           the
           Philosophy
           of
           
           Nature
           :
           Now
           can
           this
           new
           Philosopher
           tell
           us
           ,
           What
           the
           pure
           simple
           Essence
           and
           Substance
           of
           any
           thing
           is
           ?
           What
           naked
           Matter
           stripp'd
           of
           all
           Accidents
           and
           Qualities
           is
           ?
           How
           Soul
           and
           Body
           are
           United
           ,
           which
           cannot
           Touch
           each
           other
           ?
           How
           a
           Spirit
           should
           feel
           Pain
           or
           Pleasures
           from
           the
           Impressions
           on
           the
           Body
           ?
           How
           we
           Think
           and
           Reason
           ?
           Nay
           ,
           How
           we
           See
           and
           Hear
           ?
           How
           Thought
           moves
           our
           Bodies
           ,
           and
           excites
           our
           Passions
           ?
           And
           a
           Thousand
           such
           like
           Mysteries
           ;
           which
           could
           he
           Unriddle
           ,
           he
           would
           infinitely
           gratify
           the
           Inquisitive
           world
           :
           But
           
             Christianity
             not
             Mysterious
          
           ,
           and
           the
           Philosophy
           of
           pure
           simple
           Nature
           ,
           are
           too
           great
           Discoveries
           for
           one
           Age
           ;
           and
           yet
           if
           ever
           this
           happens
           ,
           they
           must
           go
           together
           .
        
         
           For
           as
           I
           observed
           ,
           
             this
             is
             all
             the
             incomprehensibility
             men
             have
             to
             complain
             of
             in
             the
             Doctrine
             of
             the
             Trinity
             and
             Incarnation
             :
          
           The
           first
           concerns
           the
           pure
           Nature
           ,
           Essence
           ,
           Substance
           ,
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           Essential
           Distinction
           and
           Unity
           of
           the
           Godhead
           ,
           which
           we
           neither
           do
           ,
           nor
           can
           know
           any
           thing
           of
           ;
           for
           all
           Nature
           is
           a
           Secret
           and
           Mystery
           to
           us
           ,
           much
           more
           the
           Infinite
           Nature
           of
           God.
           And
           the
           second
           concerns
           the
           Union
           of
           the
           Divine
           and
           Human
           Nature
           in
           the
           Person
           of
           Christ
           ;
           which
           is
           a
           Mystery
           ,
           but
           what
           we
           ought
           not
           to
           complain
           of
           ,
           since
           the
           Philosophy
           of
           all
           Natural
           Unions
           is
           a
           Mystery
           to
           us
           .
           These
           things
           are
           not
           the
           Objects
           of
           Reason
           ;
           and
           therefore
           though
           we
           believe
           them
           upon
           the
           Authority
           of
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           without
           understanding
           the
           Mystery
           of
           them
           ,
           this
           is
           not
           to
           believe
           
             without
             ,
             or
             contrary
             to
             Reason
             .
          
           And
           what
           now
           does
           this
           Socinian
           say
           to
           this
           ?
           truly
           not
           one
           word
           ,
           but
           falls
           out
           with
           Socinus
           and
           Crellius
           ,
           and
           some
           of
           his
           best
           Friends
           ,
           for
           talking
           so
           much
           of
           Mysteries
           ,
           (
           which
           by
           the
           way
           shews
           ,
           that
           this
           is
           not
           such
           a
           new
           and
           unheard
           of
           Objection
           ,
           as
           he
           would
           pretend
           )
           for
           now
           he
           has
           found
           out
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           no
           Mystery
           at
           all
           in
           the
           Doctrines
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           and
           Incarnation
           ;
           and
           he
           is
           in
           the
           right
           ,
           if
           his
           Socinian
           Explication
           of
           these
           
           Doctrines
           ,
           (
           which
           destroys
           the
           Mystery
           ,
           and
           the
           Catholick
           Faith
           together
           )
           may
           pass
           for
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Church
           .
           But
           there
           has
           been
           enough
           said
           of
           that
           in
           
             the
             distinction
             between
             Real
             and
             Nominal
             Trinitarians
             examined
             ,
          
           which
           the
           Reader
           may
           consult
           ,
           and
           this
           Author
           answer
           ,
           at
           his
           leisure
           ;
           though
           I
           am
           very
           sensible
           he
           can
           never
           want
           such
           Answers
           as
           this
           for
           any
           thing
           .
        
         
           2
           dly
           ,
           The
           Second
           
             Objection
             against
             such
             a
             Revelation
             ,
             as
             contains
             matters
             which
             natural
             Reason
             cannot
             comprehend
             ,
             is
             ,
             to
             what
             purpose
             such
             a
             Revelation
             serves
             ?
             what
             merit
             there
             can
             be
             in
             believing
             such
             Doctrines
             ?
             and
             of
             what
             good
             use
             such
             a
             Faith
             can
             be
             to
             us
             ?
          
           Serm.
           p.
           2●
           .
           This
           is
           another
           Objection
           ,
           which
           
             he
             thinks
             no
             Sect
             of
             Religious
             ever
             made
          
           (
           p.
           24.
           )
           but
           the
           Irreligious
           m●y
           make
           this
           Objection
           ,
           and
           there
           are
           more
           than
           one
           Sect
           of
           these
           .
        
         
           As
           to
           the
           usefulness
           of
           it
           ,
           I
           observed
           ,
           That
           
             though
             neither
             Natural
             ,
             nor
             Revealed
             Knowledge
             extends
             to
             the
             Reasons
             and
             Causes
             of
             Nature
             ,
             and
             of
             Essential
             Properties
             and
             Operations
             ,
             yet
             both
             Natural
             and
             Revealed
             Knowledge
             is
             of
             as
             much
             use
             to
             us
             ,
             as
             if
             we
             did
             perfectly
             understand
             all
             the
             Secret
             and
             Incomprehensible
             Mysteries
             of
             the
             Nature
             of
             God
             ,
             or
             of
             the
             Natures
             of
             Creatures
             .
             Both
             Natural
             and
             Revealed
             Knowledge
             are
             alike
             upon
             this
             account
             ,
             that
             they
             only
             acquaint
             us
             what
             things
             are
             ,
             and
             what
             ends
             they
             serve
             ,
             and
             then
             we
             know
             what
             use
             to
             make
             of
             them
             ,
             without
             understanding
             the
             Secret
             Mysteries
             of
             Nature
             .
          
           This
           I
           shew'd
           both
           in
           the
           Knowledge
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           added
           ;
           
             We
             may
             make
             all
             the
             use
             that
             can
             be
             made
             of
             this
             World
             ,
             and
             of
             every
             thing
             in
             it
             ,
             without
             understanding
             the
             Essential
             Reasons
             and
             Causes
             ,
             or
             Internal
             Nature
             of
             any
             thing
             .
          
           This
           last
           Clause
           he
           fixes
           his
           Remarks
           on
           ;
           and
           that
           he
           may
           have
           something
           to
           remark
           ,
           he
           changes
           my
           Words
           thus
           .
           
             We
             may
             use
             the
             World
             as
             fully
             ,
             and
             every
             thing
             in
             it
             to
             as
             good
             purpose
             ,
             as
             if
             we
             understood
             the
             Reasons
             and
             Internal
             Natures
             of
             things
             .
          
           And
           then
           adds
           ,
           
             No
             ,
             Trisler
             ;
             not
             so
             fully
             ,
             nor
             to
             so
             good
             purpose
             ,
             
             as
             if
             we
             better
             understood
             the
             Natures
             of
             things
             .
          
           Now
           this
           fully
           ,
           and
           to
           
             as
             good
             purpose
          
           ,
           are
           not
           my
           Words
           but
           his
           own
           ;
           
             nay
             we
             can
             make
             no
             use
             at
             all
             of
             it
             ,
             but
             only
             so
             far
             forth
             as
             we
             understand
             the
             Nature
             and
             Reasons
             of
             things
             in
             it
             .
             We
             can
             use
             nothing
             to
             any
             purpose
             ,
             till
             we
             know
             or
             understand
             something
             of
             its
             nature
             ;
             and
             no
             farther
             can
             we
             apply
             it
             and
             use
             it
             ,
             than
             we
             understand
             its
             Nature
             ,
             and
             know
             its
             Properties
             and
             Powers
             .
          
           Now
           this
           is
           not
           meerly
           trifling
           ,
           but
           Knavery
           :
           He
           represents
           me
           very
           ridiculously
           asserting
           ,
           That
           we
           may
           
             as
             fully
          
           ,
           and
           to
           
             as
             good
             purpose
          
           use
           every
           thing
           in
           the
           World
           without
           knowing
           its
           Nature
           ,
           Vertues
           and
           Properties
           ,
           as
           if
           we
           knew
           them
           ;
           whereas
           I
           expresly
           assert
           ,
           That
           we
           must
           first
           know
           ,
           
             what
             things
             are
             ,
             and
             what
             ends
             they
             serve
          
           (
           and
           the
           better
           we
           know
           this
           ,
           to
           be
           sure
           the
           better
           )
           
             and
             then
             we
             know
             what
             use
             to
             make
             of
             them
             ,
             without
             understanding
             the
             secret
             Mysteries
             of
             Nature
             .
          
           That
           is
           ,
           when
           by
           Experience
           and
           Observation
           ,
           we
           know
           what
           things
           are
           good
           for
           ,
           we
           know
           how
           to
           use
           them
           without
           understanding
           the
           secret
           Mysteries
           and
           Philosophy
           of
           Nature
           :
           As
           how
           God
           created
           all
           things
           out
           of
           nothing
           ;
           how
           the
           Corn
           grows
           ,
           or
           our
           Food
           nourishes
           us
           ,
           and
           the
           like
           :
           And
           thus
           I
           shew'd
           it
           was
           as
           to
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           and
           Incarnation
           ,
           that
           how
           unaccountable
           soever
           these
           Mysteries
           be
           ,
           it
           is
           the
           most
           useful
           and
           necessary
           Knowledge
           in
           the
           world
           .
        
         
           But
           there
           is
           one
           thing
           still
           behind
           ,
           which
           I
           find
           nettles
           this
           Author
           ;
           and
           I
           don't
           wonder
           at
           it
           :
           To
           shew
           how
           much
           
             it
             became
             the
             Goodness
             of
             God
             to
             reveal
             these
             Mysteries
             of
             Salvati●n
             to
             us
             ,
          
           I
           observed
           ,
           
             That
             the
             lapsed
             state
             of
             Human
             Nature
             makes
             Supernatural
             Knowledge
             necessary
             :
          
           —
           For
           though
           
             Natural
             Knowledge
             must
             be
             allowed
             sufficient
             to
             all
             the
             ends
             of
             Human
             Life
             ,
             while
             man
             continued
             Innocent
             —
             Yet
             when
             man
             had
             sinned
             ,
             he
             forfeited
             the
             Favour
             of
             God
             ,
             and
             a
             natural
             Immortality
             ;
             and
             whether
             he
             should
             be
             restored
             or
             not
             ,
             and
             by
             what
             means
             he
             should
             be
             restored
             ,
             depended
             
             wholly
             on
             the
             Sovereign
             Will
             and
             Pleasure
             of
             God.
             And
             therefore
             the
             Light
             of
             Nature
             ,
             though
             it
             could
             direct
             an
             innocent
             man
             how
             to
             please
             and
             worship
             God
             ,
             and
             to
             preserve
             himself
             Immortal
             ,
             it
             could
             not
             teach
             Sinners
             how
             to
             make
             Attonement
             for
             Sin
             ;
             nor
             give
             them
             any
             certain
             Hopes
             that
             God
             would
             for●ive
             sins
             ,
             and
             bestow
             immortal
             Life
             on
             them
             :
             Which
             makes
             it
             necessary
             ,
             that
             the
             Religion
             of
             a
             Sinner
             be
             a
             Revealed
             Religion
             .
          
           This
           he
           imperfectly
           transcribes
           ,
           and
           adds
           ;
           
             True
             ,
             but
             not
             in
             the
             least
             to
             the
             purpose
             :
             'T
             is
             no
             Answer
             to
             that
             Objection
             ,
             but
             to
             another
             :
             Namely
             to
             this
             ;
             Why
             Revelation
             or
             a
             ●upernatural
             Knowledge
             is
             necessary
             ?
          
           Here
           he
           had
           overshot
           himself
           ,
           in
           allowing
           
             Supernatural
             Knowledge
             necessary
          
           ,
           and
           therefore
           immediately
           qualifies
           it
           with
           ,
           
             or
             however
             highly
             requisite
          
           ,
           which
           declares
           this
           
           Socinian's
           Opinion
           ,
           That
           we
           might
           have
           been
           saved
           without
           the
           Knowledge
           of
           Christ
           or
           the
           Gospel-Revelation
           ;
           for
           I
           know
           nothing
           that
           can
           make
           any
           thing
           more
           necessary
           ,
           than
           the
           necessity
           of
           ●alvation
           :
           And
           therefore
           if
           it
           be
           not
           necessary
           ,
           but
           only
           
             highly
             requisite
          
           ,
           we
           might
           be
           saved
           without
           it
           :
           He
           adds
           the
           Reason
           why
           he
           says
           this
           is
           nothing
           to
           the
           purpose
           .
           
             The
             Obje●tion
             was
             concerning
             a
             Revelation
             and
             Faith
             ,
             not
             intelligible
             ,
             or
             not
             conceiveable
             ;
             the
             Answer
             is
             only
             concerning
             Revelation
             or
             Supernatural
             Knowledge
             )
             in
             general
             ,
             Why
             it
             was
             given
             to
             men
             .
          
           But
           it
           is
           neither
           so
           ,
           nor
           so
           ;
           the
           Objection
           concerns
           the
           use
           of
           such
           a
           Revelation
           as
           contains
           matters
           which
           Natural
           Reason
           cannot
           comprehend
           ;
           This
           part
           of
           the
           Answer
           proves
           from
           the
           lapsed
           state
           of
           Human
           Nature
           the
           absolute
           Necessity
           of
           the
           Gospel
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           contains
           these
           Mysteries
           .
           For
           
             if
             Nature
             can't
             save
             us
             ,
             it
             can't
             discover
             to
             us
             the
             way
             of
             Salvation
             neither
             ;
             and
             if
             we
             must
             be
             saved
             by
             a
             Supernatural
             Grace
             and
             Power
             ,
             it
             must
             be
             supernaturally
             revealed
             ;
             and
             what
             is
             Supernatural
             is
             the
             Object
             of
             Faith
             ,
             not
             of
             Natural
             Knowledge
             .
          
           Serm.
           p.
           24.
           
        
         
         
           But
           he
           adds
           ,
           
             There
             is
             a
             great
             difference
             between
             Supernaturally
             revealed
             ,
             and
             unconceivable
             ;
             the
             whole
             Christian
             Religion
             ,
             the
             Precepts
             as
             well
             as
             Faith
             of
             it
             ,
             is
             a
             Supernatural
             Revelation
             ,
             and
             yet
             a
             System
             so
             intelligible
             that
             it
             must
             be
             taught
             to
             the
             Women
             ,
             to
             the
             Poor
             ,
             and
             ●ven
             to
             little
             Children
             .
          
           This
           is
           true
           ,
           but
           there
           is
           a
           difference
           between
           
             Supernatural
             Knowledge
          
           ,
           as
           opposed
           to
           
             Natural
             Knowledge
          
           ,
           and
           
             Supernatural
             Revelation
          
           :
           Such
           things
           as
           Nature
           can
           teach
           us
           ,
           may
           be
           supernaturally
           revealed
           ,
           and
           the
           degeneracy
           of
           Mankind
           may
           make
           this
           ,
           in
           his
           Language
           ,
           
             highly
             requisite
          
           ;
           as
           the
           Nature
           and
           Providence
           of
           God
           ,
           a
           future
           State
           ,
           and
           the
           differences
           of
           Good
           and
           Evil
           :
           But
           
             Supernatural
             Knowledge
          
           is
           a
           Knowledge
           which
           Nature
           cannot
           teach
           ,
           but
           must
           be
           learned
           only
           by
           Revelation
           ;
           and
           this
           is
           the
           Knowledge
           ,
           and
           a
           Mysterious
           Knowledge
           it
           is
           ,
           which
           the
           lapsed
           state
           of
           Human
           Nature
           makes
           necessary
           ,
           as
           necessary
           as
           the
           Salvation
           of
           Sinners
           by
           the
           Incarnation
           and
           Death
           of
           the
           Son
           of
           God
           :
           Which
           makes
           a
           great
           difference
           between
           the
           Precepts
           and
           Faith
           of
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           though
           both
           contained
           in
           the
           same
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           He
           adds
           ,
           
             It
             was
             not
             made
             the
             matter
             of
             Supernatural
             Revelation
             ,
             for
             its
             Difficulty
             ,
             Mysteriousness
             ,
             or
             Transcendency
             of
             the
             Human
             Understanding
             ,
             but
             to
             ascertain
             the
             Truth
             of
             it
             ,
             and
             to
             enforce
             its
             Authority
             in
             the
             world
             .
          
           Which
           is
           in
           plain
           English
           to
           say
           ,
           That
           the
           Design
           of
           the
           Gospel-Revelation
           was
           not
           to
           teach
           us
           any
           thing
           beyond
           the
           Discovery
           or
           Comprehension
           of
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           ,
           but
           only
           to
           give
           greater
           Certainty
           and
           Authority
           to
           the
           Laws
           and
           Religion
           of
           Nature
           And
           here
           ,
           for
           a
           conclusion
           ,
           I
           joyn
           Issue
           with
           this
           Socinian
           (
           and
           am
           glad
           to
           take
           the
           least
           Hint
           for
           some
           useful
           Discourse
           )
           ,
           Whether
           the
           Gospel
           Revelation
           contain
           any
           thing
           which
           Nature
           could
           not
           teach
           us
           ,
           and
           which
           Natural
           Reason
           cannot
           comprehend
           ;
           or
           were
           only
           intended
           to
           give
           greater
           Certainty
           and
           Authority
           to
           the
           Religion
           of
           Nature
           ?
        
         
         
           That
           the
           Gospel
           is
           a
           New
           Revelation
           of
           what
           Nature
           could
           not
           teach
           ,
           nor
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           comprehend
           ,
           I
           shall
           prove
           ;
           not
           from
           the
           Name
           or
           Notion
           of
           Mysteries
           ,
           which
           these
           men
           so
           foolishly
           and
           absurdly
           ridicule
           ;
           but
           from
           the
           express
           Authority
           of
           St.
           Paul
           ,
           1
           Cor.
           2.14
           .
           
             But
             the
             natural
             man
             receiveth
             not
             the
             things
             of
             the
             spirit
             of
             God
             ,
             for
             they
             are
             foolishness
             unto
             him
             ,
             neither
             can
             he
             know
             them
             ,
             because
             they
             are
             spiritually
             discerned
             .
          
           A
           brief
           Explication
           of
           which
           Words
           will
           be
           of
           great
           use
           in
           our
           present
           Dispute
           .
        
         
           The
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           or
           Natural
           Man
           ,
           as
           Theophilact
           and
           other
           Greek
           Fathers
           observe
           ,
           is
           the
           man
           who
           judges
           only
           by
           Natural
           Light
           and
           Reason
           ,
           and
           will
           receive
           and
           believe
           nothing
           beyond
           what
           Nature
           teaches
           :
           And
           the
           Context
           proves
           this
           to
           be
           the
           true
           meaning
           of
           it
           .
           This
           account
           the
           Apostle
           gives
           of
           the
           Graecian
           Philosophers
           ,
           That
           as
           
             the
             Jews
             required
             a
             sign
             ,
             so
             the
             Greeks
             seek
             after
             wisdom
             ,
          
           1
           Cor.
           1.22
           .
           nothing
           would
           content
           them
           but
           some
           Philosophical
           Speculations
           ,
           and
           Natural
           Proofs
           and
           Demonstrations
           of
           Faith
           ;
           which
           in
           this
           Chapter
           he
           calls
           ,
           
             The
             enticing
             words
             of
             man's
             wisdom
             ,
          
           and
           opposes
           to
           the
           
             demonstration
             of
             the
             spirit
             ,
             and
             of
             power
             :
          
           that
           is
           ,
           to
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Miracles
           wrought
           by
           the
           Spirit
           of
           God
           ;
           which
           are
           a
           more
           certain
           and
           infallible
           Proof
           than
           all
           their
           Pretences
           to
           Reason
           and
           Demonstration
           :
           For
           
             where
             is
             the
             wise
             ?
             where
             is
             the
             scribe
             ?
             where
             is
             the
             disputer
             of
             this
             world
             ?
             hath
             not
             God
             made
             foolish
             the
             wisdom
             of
             this
             world
             ?
             for
             after
             that
             in
             the
             wisdom
             of
             God
             ,
             the
             world
             by
             wisdom
          
           (
           by
           natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           )
           
             knew
             not
             God
             ,
             it
             pleased
             God
             by
             the
             foolishness
             of
             preaching
             to
             save
             them
             that
             believe
             ,
          
           1
           Cor.
           1.20
           ,
           21.
           
           These
           are
           the
           men
           who
           rejected
           the
           Faith
           of
           Christ
           ,
           of
           whom
           the
           Apostle
           here
           speaks
           ,
           and
           gives
           an
           account
           of
           the
           reason
           of
           their
           Infidelity
           in
           these
           words
           ,
           
             The
             natural
             man
             receiveth
             not
             the
             things
             of
             the
             spirit
             of
             God.
             
          
        
         
         
           Which
           will
           more
           fully
           appear
           ,
           by
           examining
           what
           
             these
             things
             of
             the
             Spirit
             of
             God
             are
             :
          
           And
           it
           is
           evident
           from
           the
           whole
           Context
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           matters
           of
           pure
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           can
           be
           known
           only
           by
           the
           Revelation
           of
           the
           Spirit
           ,
           or
           the
           whole
           Oeconomy
           of
           our
           Salvation
           ,
           by
           the
           Incarnation
           ,
           Death
           ,
           Resurrection
           ,
           Ascension
           ,
           of
           Jesus
           Christ
           ,
           the
           Eternal
           Son
           of
           God
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           Subject
           of
           the
           Gospel-Revelation
           .
           This
           he
           calls
           ,
           
             The
             Wisdom
             of
             God
             in
             a
             Mystery
             ,
             even
             the
             hidden
             Wisdom
             ,
             which
             God
             ordained
             before
             the
             world
             to
             our
             glory
             ,
          
           ver
           .
           7.
           and
           what
           this
           is
           ,
           immediately
           follows
           ;
           
             Which
             none
             of
             the
             princes
             of
             this
             world
             knew
             ;
             for
             had
             they
             known
             it
             ,
             they
             would
             not
             have
             crucified
             the
             Lord
             of
             Glory
          
           ;
           which
           can
           refer
           only
           to
           the
           Dispensation
           of
           Grace
           by
           Jesus
           Christ.
           This
           Nature
           could
           not
           teach
           us
           ,
           
             as
             it
             is
             written
             ,
             Eye
             hath
             not
             s●en
             ,
             neither
             ear
             heard
             ,
             neither
             have
             entred
             into
             the
             heart
             of
             man
             ,
             the
             things
             which
             God
             hath
             prepared
             for
             them
             that
             love
             him
             ,
          
           v.
           9.
           
           That
           is
           ,
           such
           things
           as
           neither
           Sense
           ,
           nor
           Natural
           Reason
           could
           inform
           us
           of
           :
           
             But
             God
             hath
             revealed
             them
             to
             us
             by
             his
             Spirit
             ,
             for
             the
             Spirit
             searcheth
             all
             things
             ,
             even
             the
             deep
             things
             of
             God
             ;
             for
             what
             man
             knoweth
             the
             things
             of
             a
             man
             ,
             but
             the
             Spirit
             of
             a
             man
             which
             is
             in
             him
             ?
             even
             so
             the
             things
             of
             God
             knoweth
             no
             man
             ,
             but
             the
             spirit
             of
             God
             :
             Now
             we
             have
             received
             not
             the
             Spirit
             of
             the
             World
             ,
             but
             the
             Spirit
             which
             is
             of
             God
             ,
             that
             we
             may
             know
             those
             things
             which
             are
             freely
             given
             us
             of
             God
             :
          
           Which
           proves
           that
           these
           are
           properly
           the
           things
           of
           the
           Spirit
           ,
           which
           could
           never
           be
           known
           but
           by
           the
           Revelation
           of
           the
           Spirit
           :
           For
           they
           
             are
             the
             deep
             things
             of
             God
             ,
          
           his
           Secret
           Counsels
           and
           Purposes
           for
           the
           Redemption
           of
           Mankind
           ;
           the
           free
           Results
           of
           his
           own
           Wisdom
           and
           Goodness
           ,
           
             the
             things
             which
             are
             freely
             given
             us
             of
             God
          
           ;
           and
           therefore
           can
           be
           known
           ,
           and
           can
           be
           revealed
           only
           by
           the
           Spirit
           ;
           and
           these
           are
           
             the
             things
             of
             the
             Spirit
          
           ,
           which
           
             the
             natural
             Man
          
           ,
           the
           vain
           Pretender
           to
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           
             receiveth
             not
          
           .
           Now
           can
           any
           man
           desire
           a
           plainer
           Proof
           than
           this
           ,
           how
           incompetent
           a
           
           Judge
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           is
           of
           the
           Mysteries
           of
           Faith
           ,
           of
           the
           whole
           Oeconomy
           of
           Gospel-Grace
           ?
           For
           what
           the
           natural
           Man
           does
           not
           receive
           ,
           that
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           does
           not
           receive
           ;
           for
           the
           only
           Reason
           why
           the
           natural
           Man
           does
           not
           receive
           it
           ,
           is
           because
           natural
           Reason
           does
           not
           receive
           it
           ;
           and
           what
           is
           foolishness
           to
           the
           natural
           Man
           ,
           is
           foolishness
           to
           natural
           Reason
           ;
           and
           what
           the
           natural
           Man
           cannot
           know
           ,
           because
           they
           are
           
             spiritually
             discerned
          
           ,
           that
           natural
           Reason
           cannot
           discern
           .
        
         
           Now
           can
           there
           be
           a
           plainer
           Proof
           than
           this
           (
           if
           we
           believe
           St.
           Paul
           )
           that
           there
           are
           such
           Doctrines
           contained
           in
           the
           Gospel
           ,
           as
           natural
           Reason
           does
           not
           receive
           ,
           or
           approve
           ,
           but
           rejects
           with
           scorn
           :
           For
           it
           is
           not
           said
           ,
           That
           the
           natural
           Man
           cannot
           by
           the
           mere
           Light
           of
           Nature
           find
           out
           ,
           or
           discover
           these
           things
           of
           the
           Spirit
           ;
           that
           he
           had
           asserted
           before
           ,
           but
           these
           words
           give
           a
           reason
           of
           the
           Infidelity
           of
           the
           Wise
           Men
           ,
           the
           Scribes
           ,
           the
           Disputers
           of
           this
           World
           ,
           who
           rejected
           the
           Faith
           when
           it
           was
           preached
           to
           them
           by
           the
           Apostles
           ;
           that
           the
           natural
           Man
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           does
           not
           receive
           or
           approve
           the
           Faith
           ;
           and
           not
           only
           so
           ,
           but
           rejects
           it
           as
           foolishness
           ,
           as
           absurd
           ,
           contradictious
           ,
           impossible
           ,
           unworthy
           of
           a
           Man
           of
           Reason
           ,
           and
           Philosophy
           .
           Like
           
             the
             Philoso●hers
             of
             the
          
           Epicureans
           ,
           
             and
             the
          
           Stoicks
           ,
           
             who
             encountred
             St.
          
           Paul
           ,
           when
           he
           preached
           at
           
             Athens
             ;
             and
             some
             said
             ,
             What
             will
             this
             babler
             say
             ;
             other
             some
             ,
             He
             seemeth
             to
             be
             a
             setter
             forth
             of
             strange
             gods
             ,
             because
             he
             preached
             unto
             them
             Jesus
             and
             the
             res●rrection
             .
          
           17.
           
           Acts
           18.
           
        
         
           If
           then
           there
           be
           such
           Doctrines
           as
           these
           in
           the
           Gospel-Revelation
           ,
           it
           is
           certain
           ,
           it
           can
           be
           no
           O●jection
           against
           any
           Article
           of
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           that
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           does
           not
           receive
           ,
           approve
           ,
           comprehend
           it
           ,
           but
           accounts
           it
           absurd
           ,
           ridiculous
           ,
           foolish
           ;
           for
           thus
           the
           things
           of
           the
           Spirit
           of
           God
           were
           to
           the
           natural
           Man
           in
           St.
           
           Paul's
           days
           ,
           and
           thus
           they
           will
           always
           be
           .
           Nay
           if
           the
           things
           of
           the
           Spirit
           of
           God
           are
           so
           far
           above
           the
           comprehension
           of
           Human
           
           Reason
           ,
           then
           such
           Doctrines
           as
           meer
           natural
           Reason
           does
           not
           receive
           ,
           have
           this
           Mark
           and
           Character
           of
           Divinity
           ,
           if
           they
           are
           contained
           in
           the
           Gospel-Revelation
           :
           Nay
           ,
           let
           me
           add
           farther
           ,
           That
           those
           Doctrines
           which
           have
           been
           always
           owned
           and
           defended
           with
           the
           warmest
           Zeal
           by
           the
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           and
           opposed
           and
           rejected
           with
           as
           great
           scorn
           and
           contempt
           by
           Pagans
           ,
           Infidels
           ,
           and
           Hereticks
           ,
           as
           a
           contradiction
           to
           the
           Reason
           of
           Mankind
           ,
           and
           the
           Philosophy
           of
           Nature
           ,
           are
           most
           likely
           to
           be
           the
           true
           Christian
           Faith
           ;
           for
           this
           proves
           that
           the
           Christian
           Church
           always
           believed
           them
           to
           be
           Gospel-Doctrines
           ;
           and
           Infidels
           and
           Hereticks
           rejected
           them
           as
           incomprehensible
           ,
           and
           inconceiveable
           ,
           and
           absurd
           to
           Human
           Reason
           ;
           and
           such
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Trinity
           ,
           and
           Incarnation
           ,
           and
           Cross
           of
           Christ
           ,
           have
           always
           been
           to
           such
           natural
           Men.
           
        
         
           Nay
           ,
           farther
           :
           If
           there
           be
           such
           Doctrines
           in
           the
           Gospel-Revelation
           ,
           which
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           receiveth
           not
           ,
           but
           accounts
           foolishness
           ;
           then
           it
           is
           certain
           ,
           that
           is
           not
           the
           true
           Christian
           Faith
           which
           contains
           none
           of
           these
           Mysteries
           ,
           none
           of
           this
           
             hidden
             Wisdom
          
           ,
           none
           of
           
             these
             deep
             things
             of
             God.
          
           Let
           the
           Socinian
           then
           tell
           us
           ,
           What
           things
           there
           are
           in
           their
           Faith
           ,
           which
           the
           Natural
           Man
           receiveth
           not
           ,
           which
           are
           above
           the
           comprehension
           of
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           :
           They
           glory
           that
           they
           have
           no
           such
           incomprehensible
           Mysteries
           in
           their
           Faith
           ;
           that
           they
           have
           
             a
             reasonable
             Faith
          
           ,
           that
           they
           have
           stript
           Christian
           Religion
           of
           Riddles
           and
           Mysteries
           ,
           and
           fitted
           it
           to
           the
           level
           and
           comprehension
           of
           Human
           Reason
           ;
           but
           this
           very
           thing
           wherein
           they
           glory
           ,
           is
           a
           demonstration
           against
           them
           ,
           that
           Socinianism
           is
           not
           the
           true
           Christian
           Faith
           ;
           for
           that
           contains
           such
           Doctrines
           ,
           as
           the
           Natural
           Man
           and
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           receiveth
           not
           .
        
         
           They
           commonly
           laugh
           at
           that
           distinction
           between
           things
           
             contrary
             to
             Reason
          
           ,
           and
           
             above
             Reason
          
           ,
           which
           Human
           Reason
           is
           no
           judge
           of
           .
           We
           assert
           ,
           That
           a
           Divine
           
           Revelation
           can
           never
           contradict
           true
           Reason
           ;
           for
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           must
           be
           true
           ,
           and
           true
           Reason
           is
           true
           ,
           and
           Truth
           cannot
           contradict
           Truth
           :
           But
           we
           assert
           ,
           that
           there
           are
           many
           things
           in
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           which
           are
           
             above
             Reason
          
           ;
           which
           Reason
           is
           not
           a
           competent
           judge
           of
           ,
           and
           which
           Natural
           Men
           may
           call
           contradictions
           ,
           if
           every
           thing
           must
           pass
           for
           a
           contradiction
           to
           Reason
           ,
           which
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           does
           not
           receive
           ,
           approve
           ,
           allow
           .
           But
           after
           all
           ,
           they
           must
           find
           something
           above
           Natural
           Reason
           ,
           if
           they
           will
           believe
           like
           Christians
           ;
           for
           such
           things
           there
           are
           in
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           and
           then
           let
           them
           distinguish
           as
           they
           can
           between
           
             contrary
             to
             Reason
          
           ,
           and
           
             above
             it
          
           .
        
         
           But
           I
           must
           take
           notice
           of
           one
           thing
           more
           in
           these
           words
           ,
           the
           reason
           why
           
             the
             natural
             man
             receiveth
             not
             the
             things
             of
             the
             Spirit
             of
             God
             ,
          
           and
           
             cannot
             know
             them
          
           ,
           viz.
           
             because
             they
             are
             spiritually
             discerned
          
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           they
           are
           to
           be
           known
           and
           judged
           of
           only
           by
           Spiritual
           Arguments
           and
           Methods
           ;
           and
           therefore
           the
           Natural
           Man
           ,
           who
           rejects
           all
           means
           of
           Knowledge
           but
           Natural
           Reason
           ,
           can
           never
           know
           them
           .
           The
           Truth
           and
           Certainty
           of
           our
           Faith
           must
           be
           learnt
           ,
           not
           from
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Natural
           Reason
           and
           Philosophy
           ,
           which
           was
           the
           Evidence
           the
           Philosophers
           expected
           .
           
             The
             Greeks
             seek
             after
             Wisdom
          
           ,
           1
           Cor.
           1.22
           .
           But
           ●t
           .
           Paul
           tells
           us
           ,
           
             That
             Christ
             sent
             him
             to
             preach
             the
             Gospel
             ,
             not
             with
             Wisdom
             of
             words
             ,
             lest
             the
             Cross
             of
             Christ
             should
             be
             made
             of
             none
             effect
             .
          
           v.
           17.
           &c
           2.4
           ,
           5.
           
           
             And
             my
             Speech
             and
             my
             Preaching
             was
             not
             with
             enticing
             words
             of
             man's
             wisdom
             ;
             but
             in
             demonstration
             of
             the
             Spirit
             and
             of
             Power
             .
          
           I
           did
           not
           confirm
           my
           Doctrine
           by
           Natural
           Reasons
           and
           Arguments
           ;
           but
           by
           the
           Evidence
           of
           Miracles
           wrought
           by
           the
           Power
           of
           the
           Holy
           Spirit
           ;
           
             That
             your
             Faith
             should
             not
             stand
             in
             the
             wisdom
             of
             men
             ,
             but
             in
             the
             power
             of
             God.
          
           And
           the
           true
           Interpretation
           ,
           and
           admirable
           Wisdom
           of
           these
           Divine
           Mysteries
           ,
           must
           be
           
             spiritually
             
             discerned
             also
             .
             Which
             things
             also
             we
             speak
             not
             in
             the
             words
             which
             man's
             Wisdom
             teacheth
             ;
             but
             which
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             teacheth
             ,
             comparing
             spiritual
             things
             with
             spiritual
             .
          
           There
           is
           a
           spiritual
           Language
           belongs
           to
           spiritual
           Things
           ;
           and
           we
           must
           learn
           the
           true
           Sense
           and
           Interpretation
           of
           the
           Faith
           ,
           not
           from
           Natural
           Ideas
           ,
           or
           the
           Words
           and
           Notions
           of
           Philosophy
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           in
           the
           Socinian
           Language
           ,
           by
           Expounding
           Scripture
           by
           Natural
           Reason
           ;
           but
           by
           studying
           the
           Language
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           and
           the
           meaning
           of
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           in
           it
           ,
           especially
           by
           comparing
           the
           Old
           and
           the
           New
           Testament
           together
           ;
           
             Spiritual
             things
             with
             Spiritual
          
           :
           This
           is
           a
           way
           of
           Learning
           which
           Natural
           Men
           despise
           ,
           and
           therefore
           cannot
           know
           the
           things
           of
           the
           Spirit
           of
           God
           ,
           which
           must
           be
           spiritually
           discerned
           .
           All
           this
           I
           think
           abundantly
           proves
           that
           there
           are
           such
           Mysteries
           in
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           as
           meer
           Natural
           Reason
           cannot
           discover
           ,
           cannot
           prove
           ,
           cannot
           receive
           and
           comprehend
           ,
           cannot
           interpret
           ;
           which
           shews
           what
           reason
           we
           have
           to
           distinguish
           betwen
           matters
           of
           pure
           Faith
           and
           Philosophy
           ;
           and
           what
           danger
           there
           is
           of
           corrupting
           the
           Faith
           by
           Philosophy
           .
        
         
           And
           now
           I
           think
           I
           may
           conclude
           ;
           for
           I
           suppose
           no
           body
           will
           expect
           ,
           that
           I
           should
           defend
           my self
           against
           his
           ridiculous
           Charge
           ,
           That
           I
           am
           a
           Socinian
           ;
           which
           had
           he
           believed
           ,
           I
           should
           have
           found
           better
           treatment
           from
           him
           :
           But
           I
           shall
           leave
           him
           to
           rave
           by
           himself
           ,
           and
           look
           upon
           all
           these
           Hurricanes
           of
           Fury
           and
           Vengeance
           ,
           as
           a
           good
           sign
           that
           they
           feel
           themselves
           mortally
           Wounded
           .
        
         
           THE
           END
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A59900-e270
           
             
               The
               Distinction
               between
               Real
               and
               Nominal
               Trinitarians
               examined
               ,
            
             &c.
             
          
           
             
               Considerations
               on
               the
               Explications
               of
               the
               Doctrine
               of
               the
               Trinity
               ,
            
             p.
             21
             ,
             22.
             
          
           
             Vindicatition
             ,
             p.
             150.