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I N
A N S W ER to a late Treatife,
Chriftianity not Myfterious:
THAT IS
Not Above, Not Contrary to Reafon.
In oppofition to wjiich is AiTerted,
Chriftianity is above Created Reafon, in its
pure Eftate.
And contrary to Humane Reafon, as Fallen and cor- ,
rupted : and therefore in proper fenfe, Myftery. |
, / " '• .. : i
Together with a Pofttripi- Letter to the Author, on his Second
Edition Enlarged. I
By T. B.
(
D 0 N D 0 N:
Printed for I V.Mtr(!)&', at the; Bible m Newgtte-Street: And John 1
MAfpdl at the J3ible in Grace-Ckurch-ftreet* 16 96.
O«?^iro a
0<l.» y <s3O_£
TO THE
T ruly Chriftian Readers.
I Have (I hope through the Grace of God) with a fincere
flian Zeal, dcfircd to Argue for the Glory of the Truths of
theGofpel, under the Honourable Title of Myjteriesfas they
were, once for All, delivered to the Stints,') according to the
b'eft Methods of Difcuffion, and Ratiocinative Debate from
Scripture Reafon : But behold, I firil fbew to my felf and toyou,
a more Excellent, ovTranfcendent way: That is, Receiving the love
of Truth,or Truth in the Love of it; and with thofe mighty Energies,
and Efficacies of it upon the Heart and Life. David obferving
Men making void the Law, that is, the whole Doflrine of God in
his word, was Holily Enflarffid upon it; Therefore I love thy
Commandments above Gold, yea, above Fine Gold ; Therefore I efeem
All thy Precepts concerning AU Things to be Rights and I hate every
falfe way. The beft Antidote againft the Poyfon of an Infe&i-
ous Air, or Age is the inward Experimental Senfe , that God
hath chofenus to Salvation, through San It if cation of the Spirit, and
Belief of the Truth. The moil diftinguifhing Ted of Truth, that
it is of God , is felf-Refignation and Obedience in doing the Will
of God; The Witnefs of the Father, the Word, the Spirit, when •
we have it in our Selves, can alone enable us to fet our Seal to
that Truth; TiltConfcience purged from dead Works to fervethe Liv-
tng God, by the Blood Offerd by the Eternal Spirit ; and the Blood of
the Everlafling covenant, making f erf eel in every Good 11 crk to do his
Will, and working in us, what is well pleafing in his S/g/tf ,are the moil
Affuring Seals of the Eternal Godhead of our Lord jefus Chrift
in fuch an Antichrijltan Time ; The Gates of Hell, All the Reafon,
Policy,Wit, Authority of it, cannot prevail againft a Chriftian fo
founded on that Rock: The Work of Faith with Power, according
to that Hiftory of Believers, Hcb. 11, does above All,difplay the
a. 2_ Mv~
To the Trulv Chnjiian Reader.
k-v j
Myfterious Efficacy of it, which none know, but they who have it.
That it gives a pretence of irsObjects above ail,that Sencecan do,
Of its proper Objects; and a Demonftration of its Idea's, above all
that Reafonis Able for; For it can prevail Above both, when they
would carry contrary to its Scope and End, and Xmpowers to
Aftion far above them, by vert ue of that Hypostafis > and thofe
its DemonfirAt 'wns :Let us therefore our l\.nees mutually, that
the Father of our Lord Jeffs Qhrifi: would grant us, according to
the Riches of his Glory, to be frrengtheD d by his Spirit in the Inner
Man, that Chrijl may dwell in our Hearts by Faith; that we may
comprehend with All Saints, the Heighths, and Depths, the Breadths
and Lengths of what paffes Kjiowledg ; That we may be filled with
All the Fulnefs of Him, who can, to perfeft Myftery, do above AU
we can ask or think ; and yet to flhew it no Blind Chimerick, or
Imaginary thing \ By a Power that Worketh 1N us; To HimbeGlo-
ry in his Church by Jefus Chrift throughout All Ages, Amen.
And in Regard of fo many Antichrifts, Enemies to the Glory
of Chrift and of his Gofpel in this Age, and in the midft of us;
Let us Hereby know to our Confolation, It is the very Laft of the
Loft Time, the Time for God to Work for the Con fuming the Grand
Antichriftall the LefTer kntichrtfts$a.X. come out of his Smoke
with Him.
The Lord Haften it in this his very Time ; So joyn, I befeech
you in Supplication with your molt
Humble Affeftionate Servant
.In our Lord Jefus
T. B.
\
THE
P R
FACE
THere hath Lately Appeared in Print, A Book
Entituled, Chriftianity not Myfterious; And
It Undertakes to Shew, There is nothing in
the Gofpel, Contrary to Reafon, or Above
it; And that no Chriftian Do&rine can be caU'd, A
Myftery.
The Writer Conceals his Name, and I do not de-
fire to make Enquiry after it; For it is not a Name, but
Truth, and Weight of Difcourfe I would Infift upon;
Nor would /, if 1 could, make Any Reflexion upon *Per-
Jons, Having All Reafons in my jelf for Humility, in Re'
gard both of Confcioufnefs of my own Weaknefs, and
alfo of Vnworthinefs : I would deal onely with Things,
and Treat tbem^ as They Require to be Treated, That All
may Reft on the Merit of True Reafon, according to the
Word of God, and not on Sallyes of Wit, or Satyre;
And, that AU may be Managed with a Gravity Conde-
cent to the Myfteries of Chriftianity, and with Re-
A verenci
The Preface.
verence of Scriptures, as All, who Difcourfe
fence, ought to Speak and Write : 1 defire to obferve the
Apoftolical Rule, To give the Apology of the Hope
of Chriftianity to Tbofe, who Ask for it, with Meek-
nefs, and Fear; and, in Meeknefs to Inftruft, If Any
oppofe Themfelves ; If God Peradventure will Give
them Repentance to the Acknowledging the I ruth.
Icould Have Heartily wiftid, that even the Writer of
the Treatile, / Defign to Review, bad Avoided any thing,
that Looks fo Like Ridiculing, and Expoling*, as that
Dialogue between the DoStor and Pariihioner, p. f 12,
&c. and Left his Reader to Bow before the Majefty of
Evidence, (as He exprefjes it) wherever he Found it: and
had Forborn that, as Leaf Indecorolifneffe of Ex prep
fion , towards Perfims of fo Great Veneration for their Ac-
eomplifhment* of Holinefs, aud Learning; as alfo
their Early Profeflion of Chriftianity ; I mean, The
Fathers, whom He calls, p. 5. The Herd of the Fa-
tkers; as if becaufe of Their Reverence of the Myfteries
of the Golpel above the Pretenflons of Reafon , They
were to be Loofd upon as, Irrational, not to fay Worfe:
A Vein ofcleary unfullyed Reafon^ effect ally Bowing be-
fore a Greater Majefty, then what we are too
prone to call Evidence; I mean the Authority of God
jn his Word; lvalue above AU Flourifhes, tbajfervethe
Reader'j Fdiverfioh and Airy nefs, rather, then bis lnftruBi-
on, and Behefit.
I am glad to find fo many Reflexions on the My fter y of
Iniquity, and the Depths of Sathan, as I hope will
\
The Preface.
Jhortly be Vniverfatty deetnd, and fpoken ofj l mean That
of Popery, or Antichriftianifm, fo Great an Eclipfe
upon the Glory of ( rue Chriftianity ; becaufe Scrip-
ture hath fo often Doomed it to Impenitency, arid Per-
dition : But I cannot but look upon a* rnofi
to Parallel, in any Degree with it, thofe Forms of Sound
Do£trine,jo often Reproached under the Name of Syflems,
or Syftematic theology; wherein any have taken care
to keep, especially Clofe to Scripture ; and thofe Intel-
r sj ledtual Fxercitations upon them are fuited to Men of
'% Thought and Contemplation, though not fo Familiar
to Common Readers, or Hearers; who may yet have thofe
Difficulties Maficated, and Prepared for by more
plain Difcourfes.
I do not yet Plead for Binding Mens Faith and Con-
fciences to any Words, or Form of Words, that do not, ef-
pecially in Chriftian Myileries, Keep, as clofe as may be,
mtcnely to Scripture-Senfe, but to Scripture-ExpreiTi-
ons, with as little variation as is poffibl; Comparing Spi-
ritual things with Spiritual; and that they who do this,
come nearest to the Things as the Author [peaks ', though
wdh what Defign, in his Explaining op thofe Words, p. 5.
I will not undertake to Judge , Let bim therein Stand or
Fall to his own Mailer. ! ; - •
The Things that give me Scandal in the TrCatite,
are', Firfti, The Boldnefs, and Infolency op the Front if-
pkoe^ fo very Contemptuous. and even Contradictory t&dhe;
Conftant Language op the New- T eftameot, 'Styling
Gofpel, Myftery, and its Truths, Myfterids;
openly Bears out, Chriftianity not Myfterious; this
1 An fa-
Da
The Preface.
favours of Too mean an Efteem of the Sacred Stamp,
and Superscription, and the Images it gives of Things,
aud Highly Countenances Antiofcripturhm, which jet the
Writer would Appear not to have any Favour for.
J look upon it, as a JuJl Qccafion for a Chriftian Zeal
againft it; That the Deifts, as the Men of Reafon, and
V irtuofo'i , as they would be Religion,
Take the Pretenjions of this Treatife, ,is Service to
Themfelves ; Finding fo much fettled, in what, They Ac-
count Their own Territory, and Demefne ; Reafon, and
Free-Will; And, in the mean time, they ASi the Part
of Ananias, and Saphira; They Keep Back, or With-
draw, fome Noblefi Principles of the Gofpel on thefe very
Inter efts ; To which Secret Serv, one , but Suf~
peti, this Difcourfe is Devoted.
I cannot but be Troubled', The Obferving Atheift, with
whom the Deift is in a Clofe A, to find hist
Account in this Suppofiting a Dead Child of Reafon, and
Free-will, as they now go amongft Men, in the Room of-
that Living Spirituous Chriftianity of the Scriptures ;
or at leaf, That it is Divided between a Nominal Faith,
and a Philofophy, that is indeed Vain, and Science,
Falfly fo Called.
The Beaux-Efprits , The Men of Ayr, and Wit,
are pleased with Meeting the , and Awful My-
fteries of Chriftian Religion under Burlefque, WRail-
lery : which ought to AfieSi the Sincere Lovers of it with
Sadnefs, and Lamenting fuch a Prophane Temper of the
Age.
I
The Preface. 5
mPt 1 will not E>eny, That fomnot to Looked upon
nos: with Jo III an Eye, as the Former, who do not Clofely In-
fpeff,nor Penetrate the Scope, and Tendency of fucha Dif-
courfe, but fuffer Tbemfelves to be Imposed upon by Palli-
at ions, and Pretences, think it Innocent : But even this
«al Leferves Lamentation, as Jhew a and Tame -
W rendry of the Faith of the Gofpel, or a Gallio-Like Spi-
§10n: rit, that does not Generoujly, and Genuinely Care for thefe
'Cl Things.
'■jh fit# All, who more Wifely Confider-
I ® /# cfc Dijfertations in their Springs and Ijjlue^ are A ware,
II ft How Dejlru&ive to, and Subverfive of the
Wi- Life, and Power, anc/ wen of the Profejfion of the Gofpel,
fl'M) ffjgyare%
On the Whole, therefore I make this Solemn Pro-
fefion, with Appeal to Him, who Searches Hearts,
iH That I have no other DeJIgn inthis Anfwer, but the Glo-
ilb» ry ofGod in the Blefled, and Glorious Gofpel of his
i Son; the Salvation of Souls, That they may Buy the
Mtf Truth, and not,, on Any Fair Glozes, Sell it. And there-
ire; fore 1 can with All Humble Supplications, and Afjurance,.
litfi. Commend the Undertaking to the Divine Acceptance, in,.
ace, and through the Mediator, and to His Blejfing upon it; to
the Approbation of Sincere Chriflians ; and to
% Reafon of the Adverfeits between God, and their own <
if Qonfciences.
il-
, 1
tb
» " THE
/
THE
S C H EM E
OF THE
TREATISE,
4c, 4
rt
Chrijiian'tty not Myfierious; and of the Anfwer to it,
' • *♦ . -
HE Faireft, and Cleareft Method for the Attaining
Truth in any Debate, is the Plaineft Laying Down the
State of it, or Giving a Scheme of what is Agreed on
Both Parts ; of what is mainly in Difference ; and of the Prin-
cipal Topicks of Argument on each fide. Thefe therefore I
would lay down in one View.
&c. i. There is an Acknowledgment on Both Parts of the Divine
Original of the Gofpe/, and of itsTruths; That They are from
God: The Advantage of which in Deciding this Controver-
fy, is; That whatever is regularly Argued from Scripture, and'
from the very Stream, and Current of it, is to be Own'd, Re-
ceiv'd, and Refted upon as Truth by each Party; and is un-
dciibsedly Agreeable to Right Realon, and Right Reafon to
it.
2. There
if y 1 1
The SCHEME of the Treatife. 7
• 3. There are yet Truths of the Gofpel, that could never ha v€p- 40.4i»
been Found out by the Trueft, or even the Higheft Created &c*
' Reafon, feeing they are the Deeps of God, and can be known
onely by Revelation from Himfelf. The- Advantage of this
Acknowledgment is; That in Regard of the Original of the
Truths of the Gofpel, whatever of Adorablenefs, and Exciting
Profoundeft Reverence is Imported in Divine Myfteries, is for
ever due to the Truths of the Gofpel, as in their Unfearchable
Spring, and Origin : And this certainly ought to have Mode-
^ rated a Zjd without Knowledge, or Due Confideration ot All,
that do but Acknowledge fo much, in De-Myftcriz.ing them (if I
may fo lpeak) or Laying them Common-, This fhould Con-
ciliate to them moft Humble Veneration, and Love, as In-
eftimahle Pledges of the Good-will of the Supreme Being, to
fuch Unworthy Defpicable Creatures, as we the Children of
Men Are, to whom thzGofpel is Vouchfafed; and even of Con-
defcenfion to Angels, whom Sacred Writing fhews to have an
Intercft, at leaft of Beholding with Admiration, and Delight.
And befides this, there are Reafons, as will appear, that what
) it, is fo Originally My fiery y fhould be always fo, till fuch a State
of Perfctl: Comprehenfion, as wherein All fball be Fi-
- nifhed. ~
ttainuf ■
wi jt |s Acknowledged, That xht Gofpel is prepared, and even Sea. 3,
reedo: Glorioufly Accomplifh'd to Inform, and to Illuminate; And that ffap*
cPnr, was Attended with an Undoubted Evidence, and Demon-
reforcl ftration of the Power of God in Miracles, that might give All
AiTurance, and Satisfaction to the Rcafon, and Mind of Man ;
, Tliat it was, and is from God.
The Advantage of this Acknowledgment on Both Parts is,
'W That hereby, Fir ft, There is an Unpayable Gulpb Fisfd be-
rover- tween the Great Myftery of Godhmjs, and tht Myftery of Iniquity,
and which is a Myftery of Darknefs , as Darknefs it Self ; and its
Miracles Lying H'orders ,. that is . Wonders of Darknefs, Like
only to the Foul Idolatrous Myfterisj of Pagamjm, and its Fables;
»10 as Scripture continually {hades the one by the othe •
Let there therefore be no (hade of Reproach caft on the Got
pel Notion, or ifyleof my fiery, from the myftery of Iniquity, feeing
the One is feparate from the. Other, as Light from Darknefs, or
The SCHEME of the Treatife.
as Heaven from Hell, and that by Scripture it felf;
(though it ufes the word my fiery, io continually, as a V ejjel p
Honour, and Proper to its own Divine Truths,) hath yet let
Anttchrifiianifme, the Counterfeit of Chriftianity, under the
Title cf a Counter-rnyfiery alfo, the myfiery of iniquity,
4. It is from hence Agreed onBoth parts, that Faith is 00
Implicit,Sequacious, Blind Affent; but a Grace of GreateftWif-
dom, and Undetftanding, Full of Cleareft Light, and Percep-
tions of Truth, Able to be the vvowis, the veryPrefence, or
Solid Argument of Things not feen; the %hty\osy the Demon-
, ft ration of Things Hoped for. # >
The Advantage of this Agreement is, that, if notwith-
ftanding this, There fhall be Found fome Intimate, and even
EiTential Reafon , why myfiery fhould be Acknowledged my-
fiery ; and that even becaufe Faith is fo wife, and Intelligent a
Grace; It will then come home to the Dccifion of the Main
Point, whether Chriftianity be my Her ions or not, and it will be
Decided for it.
s. We are Both One, That we have not Ideas of
the Truths of the Gofpel, nor Behold the Effencesof the things
therein, no more, than we have Adequate Conceptions of the
Divine Being, or Attributes; or can Behold the DivineEf-
fence: Nor have we fo much, as Adequate Conceptions of
Things in Nature, not can behold their EiTences: The Advan-
tage of this Acknowledgment lies in this, That one Undenyable
Senfe of myfiery viz. Some Kind of Concealment, and Referve
is Found in the Truths of Christianity; There are fuch Secre-
fyes in them, that we cannot by our felves have Proportionate
Apprehenfions, nor Adequate I of; and yet, that this can-
not be a fufficient Reaibn of myfleryztng them ; But if there
may be Reafons given, why their Hiddenneffes fhould be called
myfieries, and the Secrets of Nature not on thofe Reafons
ltyled myfieries; Yea, if fome Reafon of Great Value may be
given, why the Truths of the Gofpel may be called myfieries
more particularly, then the Divine Being, and Attributes, which
yet cannot be Found out to Perfection ; This Acknowledge
inent may be very ferviceable, and conduce much to the Stating
the Principal Point now in hand. — —— --— - -1
The SCHEME of the Treatife.
6. It muft of necefiity be Agreed by All, that have Rever-
ence for the Gofpel, and the Revelations of it; That there are
no Real Contradictions therein; All fucli are to be RernovM
intoth z my fiery of Iniquity ^ with All Things, that would come
within the Verge of Religion, and are of a Trivial Nature; or
which Falling under a Contradiction in the very Judgment of
Senfe, can be likened to a Ball, White and Black together ; or a
vVquare that's Round ; or a Cane without Two Ends. For all
the Truths of Chriftianity are not only Free from ContradiTi-
on, but known to be from God, by the Heavenlynefs, Dignity,
Salutarinefs of their Nature, Tendency tQ the Glory of God,and
to the Salvation of Souls.
But as to teeming Contradictions, where the Seemingnefs is
the EffeCt of the W-eaknefs, and Darknefs of our Intellectual
Bowers,and that are Dimm'd with the Vapors of Corruption^nd
Steams of Luft; and where theObjecls arePure,Spiritual,Sublime^
and we do not in our GroiTnefs Comprehend them; Herein a
more ftriCt Account is to be taken, than the Author hath given.
6. That to Underftand the Truths of the Gofpel, fo as to
Receive Them; the Prejudices of a Carnal Mind, and all Lufts
are to be Remov'd ; Men muft be Humble, not Proud; Con-
fiderate, not Hafty; Diligent in Search after Truth, not Sloth-
fill, or Carelefs ; They muft ufe their Rcafon , and Intellectual
Faculties aright: The Advantage of this Acknowledgment on
both fides is, That it lets us into a Great Rcafon, why the
myjlenes of the Gofpel are to be Allow'd myfleries; Becaufe
there is a neceffiry of Divine Grace to Enlighten, and Conform
the Mind to the Obedience of Faith.
7. There's a Suppofition in the Treatife of Supra-Intellectual
Truths, that none can underftand, except their Perceptions be
Communicated to them in an Extraordinary Manner, as by
New Pavers and Organs. And, by the fame Favour thefe Truths
are Communicated from One to Another in the Preaching of the
Gofpel ; Now this Suppofition, I mean, ol Supra-Intellectual
Truths, and a Supernatural Manner of Communication , at a Di-
ftance, and fo Coldly Suppofed is That, which I would endeav-
our to make good to be the Conftant, and Uniform Senfc of
the New Tcftament; as appears by thofe Expreflions of the
Spirit of Wifdom, and Illumination (of which the Author himfelf
B stakes
TO
The SC HE M E of the Treatife.
takes notice) Regeneration, and Renovation of the Spirit of the
Mind; And I fee not what Abfurdity, or Unrcafonablenefs tbc
Author can charge upon it; fince he owns ; There arc Men
Taught of God, and that God wants not Ability Rightly to Inform
them,as neceffary to fuch Communications, p. 132.
That he Himfelf docs not fuppofc Absolutely New Facul-
ties, or Organs, but as by New Faculties, or Organs: I look
upon as a Great Truth of the Gofpel : In this Suppoliti-
on therefore, the Word of Gody which is [harp, as a Two-Edged-
Sword, fcems to me, to have met him, as the Angel of the Lord
did Balaam in the way, with a Drawn Sword, Warning him, that
his Reafoning is in the Sight of God Perverfe, and to be cut in
pieces by it.
LaBly, Herein I am of the fame Mind with this Treatife, and
the Author of it, as that on which he Builds his Difcourfe
throughout, if it be but Explained Aright; and That Aright
(as I fuppofc) he will allow, viz,. For any thing to be mystery,
is to be Above our Reafon, Afting according to our Innate Ideas j
thofe that may be fuppofed to be Concrcated with us, or that
we have a Natural Power to Form, and to Reafon according to
in our prefent ftate. And whatever is no thefe Ides*, and
our Reafon acting upon them, is not though we have not
Adequate Ideas, or Perfect Conceptions of Things, or Intuition
of their Eifences. :
Now if Reafon be taken in this Limited Senfe , there may
be, and, as things are, there muft be my si try • But if in a Supreme
Abfolutefenfe, it is certain; As there can be no Truth Above
Divine Reafon, fo there can be no mystery.
Contrary to Reafon can only be fuppofed of any Truth as
Corrupted Reafon can be called Reafon; Or, as Men will ob-
ftinately hold their Meafure of Reafon to be the Standard • fo
that whatever is Higher or Deeper, Longer, or Broader then
that Meafure, or Standard, is not Reafon, but Contrary to it: Now
either of thefe is fo Falfiy called Reafon, that they have very
little bitcreft in the ftritteft Consideration, I confefs, of myflery.
But feeing This Corruption of Reafon, or Adherence to" any
Short Meafure, of (though True) Reafon be now a Depravati-
on Immedicinable, but by the Lifting up of the Mind above
it felf by a Supernatural Power ; The Truths of theGofpel may
ntm, a
L;
lkk
1 w! • Mr
51, Ik
m
Or
'4
h
k
too
The SC HE ME of the Treatife. 11
COO Trudy be faid to be Contrary to Reafon, and fo my fiery ;
even as, and more then if they were Above Reafon only.
The Advantage of this Accord in the Defcription of my fiery
is, That hereby a clear, and diftinft underftanding of what is
principally in Difference, is attained, viz,.
On the Side of the Treatife y it is affirmed by the Author ;
There is no DoTrine of Chriftianity, that can be properly ftyl-
ed a my fiery; that is ; above Reafon, or contrary to it.
In Anfwer to tht Treatife, I Affirm; There are Greateft
Truths of the Gofpel Above Reafon, though not confiderd, as
Corrupt; and many more; Yea, the whole Tenor, and Frame of
the Gofpel, as it comprizes the Redemption of Main Fallen, by
our Lord Jefus Chrifi, is Both above and contrary to it, as Cor-
rupted, and fo myfiery.
And according to the Meafuresof Reafon, fo are the Powers
of Free-will to be Arbitrated, and Eftimated, as (hall be feen,
through the Affiftance of God , in the Following Debate.
The Toptcks, or Scats of Argument, on which the Author,
and his Treatife Rely, are,,
1. That when the Truths of the Gofpel are once Revealed, the
Mind and Reafon of Man is able, by its felf, to Form Ideas of
Them, according to Revelation; fo far as is neceffary to our Ad-
irion vantage, however not Adequate ; and by Former Ideas Implant-
ed, to Judge of them, as frpm God, and according to Truth;
Eife they could be nothing to us -any more, than if never Reveal- -
ed ; nor could we elfe diftinguifh them from Falfhood , and
Deluffon, fo proper to the Myfiery of Iniquity; And that Man
hath a Power of Free-will Obedientially to Anfwer the Ends
of fuch Revelations, if not wanting to himfelf; Elfe he could
not be juftly Condemned.
2. That the Gofpel is prepared and AddrefTed to the Minds
and Wills of Men, according to the former Hypothefis, or Argu-
ment; and not,as if it were Myfiery.
On the Contrary Part, to Ihew, the Gofpel is Mjfi trioiis : I
will endeavour, after the C'ofcfl Purfuits of the Nature of
Reafon-. and of Revelation, according to both Scripture and Rea-
fon, and the Intimate Senfe of Awaken'd Mind. ^
" From Both thefe therefore Compared, we fhall Attain the
Knowledge; How the very word Myfiery came into the ufe
The SC HE M E of the Treatife,
of'the Gofpel, and Mjufl thereunto the tile of it in the fmpute
Myfierks of Pagakijm, and Jnticbrfiiamjm ; and the Common
ufe of it in ordinary Concernments; and for what Excellent
purpofes it is to be Zealoufly Contended for in Divine Thing%tili
All Myfiery be Fimfrfd.
And to Exemplify Gofpel Reafon, and Myfiery, I will do it in
Him, who is indeed the Higheft Exemplar of Both; The Eter-
nal Logus, of Reafon, and the Myfiery ; as he is Chrifi in us the
Hope of Glory. And hereby we fhall be led into the Supreme
Myfiery of the Father; The Word; The Spirit,
And all along, in Anfwer to this Treatife, I would remove
the Scandals and Reproaches caft upon the Truths of the Go-
fpel, Afferted to be Myfierious\ and the Faithful Stewards of thofe
Myfieries, as if they had any Symbolifm With the Myfiery of Ini-
quty ; and fhew how they differ as Light and Darknefs.
In the Laft Place, Any Objections I can Derive from the Trea-
fife, that can be fuppofed to be made againft the Myfierioufnefis
of Chriftianity, as it fliall be made out in the Jnfwer, fhall be
throughout it, as particularly as may be taken into Juft, and E-
qual Confideration.
According to this Scheme I fhall, by the Affiftance of God,
not only endeavour a Scripture, but a Rational Conviftion,
that the Doftrines of Chriftianity are, and muft needs be in
Trueft Senfe Myfieries.
I Conclude therefore this fhort Scheme with Applying that
Grave Obfervation to the whole ; It is faid; A little Knowledge
in Nature makes Men Jtheifis ; But a Deep, and Well-Ballaft-
eel Knowledge more ftrongly Rootes Them in the Acknow-
ledgment, and Adoration of the Divine Being; So Superficial
Tinctures of Reajon give Men occafion to Deny the Myfierioufi
fiefs of Chriftianity; but the Jufter Prefences of it in the Mind
give Fulleft Affurances ; It is in All True Senfes Myfierious,
even the Adorable Myftery of the Divine Wifdom and Grace. '
A
it in
iter-
s tk
'eme
I
i * \ x 210
( n ) 1 .
A Difcourfe of the Myfterioufiiefs of Chrifti-
anity, in anfwer to a treatife, Chriftianity
not Myfterious.
CHAP. I.
Of the clofe and fir iff confederation of Re a fon.
TN fpeaking of Reafon, I cannot acquiefce to the fingling out of the m
that compare, and ballancing of the Idea's of the Mind, and ^ffion to t
Arguing from them, in finding out Truth, affignedin this Trea-fffe'Jfe,
tife, to be a fufficient Reprefentation of Reafon; but that there p^on.
ought to be as juft an Animadverfion, on what the Author does
indeed Reprefent; which ought to be taken in, viz. the Mind,
the Idea's of the Mind, the Evidences the Mind hath of Notions,
or Proportions immediately, ard as iffuing in Full Demonitrati-
on; And alfo what the Author takes no notice of,-viz.T hat Holinefs,
Purity, Righteoufnefs, Univerfal Goodnefs and Probity, infepa-
rate from 1 rue Reafon ; That Inward , and Profhorie, or out-
ward, ao os, Speech fo EiTential to Reafon and that Energy, Vi-
gor, and Power of Imprinting it feif upon Rational Beings, fo
immediately refulting from Reafon,according to the Excellency
of the Pvealbn, from which it Hows: For thus I find Scripture does
extend it felf, kh Relation to what is to be Difcotirfed- upon, as ,
Reafon, viz. Spirit, Mind, the understanding^ the Difcurfive Mind,,, ') ff,
Wifdom, Kjiorvledg, Truth; The Wijdo that is the
Lord the Kjiorvledg of the Holy, The the Law4
C - • • Written
( '4 )
Writ ten in the He Art. 1 he /peaking in the Heart, or Communing
with it; The 'Tongue of the Wife, of the Learned; ^ fow~
er, an Authority of Teaching. But were it not that in one peculiar
eafe of greateft moment (as fhall befet out: but deferred till what
is more univerfally agreeable, have made the way to it.) I fhould
have no favor for the word Reafon, on a Religious Account; as be-
ing a word taken from the Pride and Superciie of Philofophy, and
not from Scripture; but fet in oppofitidn to the Spirituality of the <
Gofpel: But feeing it hath pleated the Spirit of God to Tingle out
that word., that all the Great Men of Reafon have exgreffed it by
viz. Koyos ; and to apply it to the Son of God, o AoSo>, the Reafon,
as Scripture is, The Writing ; therein Sanctifying the Learning of
Egypt, fo Tranfcendent a Revelation , and fo plainly point-
ing upon the fenfe of that word, we are to be upon, An ftyling
that o Koyoy the Light of Men, as Reafon in the General Accep-
tation is ; and the Light, that Lightneth every man that cometh into
the World ; I fhall generally adhere to it in the following Difcourfe,
and have an efpecial Regard to it, as it muft needs be underftood
in this Debate, viz. That Reafon, or Reafoning Understanding
planted in the Mind, or intellectual Spirit of Man, conftituting
fuch an Intellectual, Rational Creation ; altho in this Fallen Con*
ditionof Man, there are only fome Referves, or fome Mentions
and Ruins of it.
J J iU - J . \ »-• ■ • * J A . ' T * t «- m ; »
. * *■ . *
••
§. i. T is agreed on both parts, as is acknowledged in the
t Scheme Foregoing ; That to be Above, or not above
Reafouy determines Myjlery, or no Myfiery ; it is moft
neceflar'y therefore to Examine, wherein the true nature
of Reafon confifts^ afcending up to the Supreme and Eternal Rea-
fon, and coming down by the feveralScales, and Degrees of Cre-
ated Reafon jand in Created Reafon to confider it as Upright and
Entire, and as Fallen and Depraved. To make therefore the
Exafteft enquiry after the Scripture-notion of Reafon, comparing
it with the intimate fenfe of Man-kind (if that fenfe be duly Re-
Hefted upon) fhall be the firft part of my undertakings
§. 2. The very force and weight of the word and fo
of Wifdom? Understanding,, Truth ; leads to fome fupreme wifdom
and reafon j for every name, and pretence to thefe high and ex-
( T5 )
ccllent things,cannot be themfelves; And yet one piytence would
be as good as another, and the loudeft found, like the ftrongeft
fword, would carry it, were there not fome Abfolute Wifdom,
and Reafon, by which all the various pretenfions are to be Tryed
and Determin'd.
§. 3. We find among Men,There are various Degrees andEle-
vations of Re of on s and Wifdoms (as we may ftile them) or of
Under (landings; fome Higher, and fome Lower, and we Na-
turally Appeal from the Lower, tothofe we judg Higher ; till
we come to what we efteem Higheft ; And if thofe various
Underloadings, or Reafons are at difference among themfelves;
we cannot but acknowledg our felves obliged, and wc do ne-
ceffarily acquiefce in what we judg the Trueft, and the moft ex-
cellent Underftanding; If wearefincereinour Search after, and
defireof Truth.
C. 4. It is true,this is,becaufe we do; if .we do, as Intelleftu-
al Beings Ought; Try and Examine, and reduce all to fome
infallible Standard, in which we can acquiefce, and of which
we have a Senfe within our felves; And He, Or that which
we find comes neareft to that Standard, we moft defer to, and
acquiefce in, and cannot but do fo ; which Argues, we have ail
a Senfe, or Confcioufnefs of fome Abfolute perfect Standard of
Wifdom 01* Reofon ; without Agreement with which, what would
be Reputed Wifdom, is Infipience or Folly; what would be re-
puted Reofon is Irrationality, and Abfurdity.
§. 5. This Infallible Standard, if we make a curious and
home Reflection upon it in our felves, we cannot conceive of, as
One Abftra&ed Norma, Rule, or Line of Wifdom and Reafon,
that doth not know it felt, or doth not it felf know, that it
knows, or underftands; That doth not Judg fo, as to know,
that it Judges, and That cannot pronounce and declare, ac-
cording to it.felf ;and know it does fo ; For this were luch an Al>
lay and Degradation of its excellency, as is moft intolerable
once to fuppofe: Itmuftbe therefore fome Living,. Self-know-
ing, Self intelligent Being, He, orThot which teacbeth Man Kjiow^
'-jl JjjaH not It, or He know ? Even AIL Perfections of Being,
Omnir
211
y
Kaw«5*
( «o
Omnipotence, Omniprcfence, Eternity, necefiarily lead to that
Self-knowing, Self-intelligent Living Being, who is allthofe Per-
feCtions : And in Universal Senfe and Character of Language is
the Divine Being, GOD, who is All thefe, and knows he is all
thefe; and who is Able, even by the very Perfection of his own
Supreme Wtjdom and Rea[on) uncontrollably to know, even by
that very Reafon, that he is that infallible wifdom, Re afon ana
Underfianding, andAll who reafon cannot but acknowledg he is fo;
but if there were any fuch Abftrafted Dead Law, ftiled wifdom
or reafon, God derived the Rule and Meafure of his Underftand-
ing, and Aftions from, and referred them to ; that were not
Himfelf, and his own Being; He were not then Supreme, but
Accountable; and AfojlateSpirits might maintain an Everlafting
and Undecidable Plea againft God, whether God, or they them-
felves came neareft to that Rule ; butthe Glory, Luftre and Cla-
ritude of his Being declare him that Supreme wifdom, and reafon,
aud the Rule of it; and Devils Believe and Tremble : Here then
is the Firft, and moft Fundamental Notion of reafon or wifdom ;
The Father of Lights, the Father of Spirits, with whom is no varia-
tion, nor(haddow of Turning, is the Supreme, Abfolute, Infallible
Reafon or Vnderftauding ; and to fpeak of Reafon, and not to Ac-
knowledg him Supreme, it is not to know what we fpeak, nor
affirm.
C H A P. II.
Of the Excellencies that are to be Attributed to the Infinite
Wifdom and Reafon, and we Know cannot but be
fo Attributed.
.. t t 7 ifVi this Eternal Wifdom and Reafon, arc all Idea's of
'W Beine, not only Exifting, but poffibleto Exift m the
Pure and moft Exquifite Truth of each, who gives a poffibi-
lity of Exiftence to them, if Infinite Being pleas d For Infinite
,Undemanding, and Reafon is the Origin, and Exemplar of all
m*// •! y/y. '•
•'•'•V.V.v/.v
Ink
Ml
('7 )
Ideas ^ the Teft by which they are Tryed, the Beam at which
they are weighed; whether juft and True, or Counterfeit, Falfe
and Light; and the Immenfe Repofitory from whence they are
Deriv'd ; Even as Infinite Being is the Source and Fountain of all
Being ; and thus this Eternal Spirit, Mind and Reafon Sees by,
and in it felf,or in its own Spirit, its own Infinite Being;and in that
Infinite Being all Beings that have been, .are, and ever fhall be;
or that if he had pleafed, might have been, or may be, if he pleaf-
es to have them be ; according to their feveral Natures, Diftincti-
ons, and the Ideas of them. He holds all in himfelf, as theFoun-
tain of Being, and according to his own will concerning them
Allthefe are Held.
2. Hence arifes that great and excellent word, and notion,
Truth ; which is a Correfpondence between Being or Reality,
and an Underftanding, Beholding, and Looking upon it with
Judgment; any pretended Ideas that are not according to Things,
zxtFantoms^nA notldea'spll otherApprehenfions,Conceptions,No-
tions, Conclufions, that Created Underftandings can Form, are
nothings, if taken out of the Underftandings that Formed them ;
Becaufe Created Underftandings cannot touch them into Being,
as Increated Can; and not only fo, but Reality and Truth Rufh-
ing againft them, breaks them to nothing, even within the Un-
derftandings that Form'd them, finding things fo much other-
wife: And which we ought well to confider; Truth and Rea-
lity take hold of Thofe, who had no Idea*s of them; and, to their
Full Perfection, of thofe, who had only Inadequate Ideas of them ;
as the words of the Dead Prophets took hold of the Jews, becaufe zacli.
from God, however Infcnfible of them ; of the Fathers who heard
them, and Believed them not; and of their Children, who were
not Born, when they were fpoken : Now Truth is Infinite, even
as the Divine Being and Underftanding is ; and of unexpref-
fible multiplicity, as the Divine Ditplayes in the Works of Cre-
ation and Providence are;Deep, unfathomable, andunfearchable,
as the Counfeks of his Will are, till Revealed.
§. 3. The Relations, Afpects upon, mutual Refpects, Pro-
portions,Operations between Being, and Being, with their whole
ftate, from the Infinite, Increated Being, to the Higheft Creat-
OS j
ed Being, and fo from one to another to the very loweft of Be-
ings, arc next to he Confidered ; fome of which are Evident to
Reafon by Senfe, fome by an immediate, intuitive A <3: of the
Mind, or Reafon ; now herein, even in thefe mutual Propofiti-
ons, and Refpefts Refides afecond Apprehenfion, or Notion, of
what we mean by Reafon : And all the Reafon we ha ve, willde-
fer to the Infinite Reafon to be the infallible Standard of Reafon
and Truth herein ; For, who, ashecan difcern all the ftrait, and
direft, the Branching out, and Tranfverfe Lines in Created Be-
ings from one to another ; and the immediate Influences from
himfelf to all Created Beings, in whom all Beings have their
Being; even as they that Live, and Move,have their Life and Mo-
tion in him; for all thefe he holds Originally in Himfelf, and con-
tinually fuftains, and guides by himfelf; even as he drew them
out with fo admirable Mathematicks , that the Secrets of jVifdom
herein are Double to all that is known to the wifeft of Angels,
much more to the moft Curious Human Inveftigator, of what
we call Nature: And from hence arifes an inexplicable multipli-
city of Truth, andfoof the aftivity of Reafon concerning it.
§. 4. The Trains, Deductions , Connexions and Inferences
that may be made from one Branch of Being, and the Truths
arifing from it, to another Branch of Being, and the Truths Ari-
fing from That, and fo throughout from the feveral Connexions
and Enterweavings, of one with another, come next under Ac-
count, and are very particularly to be confiderd ; For fiom the
comparing and ballancing thefe one with another, and the
of them one with another flows, what we properly call Ratioci-
nation, or Argument of ReafonNow ail thefe feeth and behold-
eth by one Intuitive Aft of Seeing, the Eternal Underftanding,
or Reafon • and no underftanding can fee, or behold them, but in
his Light,, and according to his Infinite, and Infallible Standard
of Ratiocination; nor can any Ratiocination upon them be Right,
but as they agree with, and are according to this Infinite and
Infallible Standard of Ratiocination ; who holds in himfelf, and
continually derives, from himfelf thofe Bonds of Union, and
Links of Connexion, things have one with another, on which
Ratiocination and Argument are founded ; and therefore cannot
but know, t.o Infiniy of Certainty, and exactnefs; for what we
( *9 )
Ice, but one after another, and not with a juft Equality, he feei
together, and with a juft Poize of Each; the want of which
prefenceof, and regard to all Ideaand the Equipoize of them,
was the Ruin of Angels: What truft then can be to our due Con-
gregating, Compare, and Ballance of Ideas one with another ;
when we either leave out altogether, or do not Righteoufly
weigh fome principal Idea; asmoft certainly befell Adam in his De-
ception and Fall; and yet herein, even in this Ratiocination, or
comparing, and librating Ideas one with another , The Author
of this Treatife places Reafon ; and it is certainly the Fort-Royal
of it, altho what went before, and what is to follow, ought to
have full confideration in our Eftimate of Reafon.
§. 5. In thofe Accounts of Reafon before infilled upon, we
may, and I have endeavoured to Argue from the little of Reafon
in our felves, to the Infinity of Reafon in the Infinite Reafon,
Wifdom, Underftanding, and Truth ; But in the Account I
would now give of Reafon, I fhall Argue from the Infinite Rea~
fon to all Finite Reafon ; That no Reafon, Wifdom, or Un-
derftanding can be according to Truth fo, that is not entirely
Holy, and Good ; and although we want this excellency of
Reafon y et we cannot but acknowledg it the excellency of
Reafon, and Afcribe it to God the heft of Beings, and Reafons;
That Reafon then is not to be acknowledged Reafon, nor worthy
Truft in any Enquiry after Truth, that can betray its Truft fo
Far, as to Refign up the Will to any fin; which according to the
Law of Creation, it hath in its Conduct and Power ; if there-
fore the Underftanding and Reafon did not turn away from good
by Darknefs, or not brightning its own Beams, but Re-
ceivingan even voluntary Eclipfe upon them , no Evil could be
Admitted ; For it is indeed certainly true, the Will of a Ration-
al Being is one with its Reafon, and the Reafon with the Will;
when ever one Ens, the other Errs: The wifeft of the Fallen
Angels is but a Prince of Darknefs, held in-Chains of Darknefs ;
and his Fundamental Wickednefs is in an Apoftate,Rebel,Difloyal
Reafon: Judging that Holinefs, Conformity with, Obedience to
the Supreme" Being is not Good for him; and io it is in us fin-
ful Men, and our (ins; and yet becaufe There is Will in this
Reafon, it is under an everlafting righteous Condemnation : But
D s the
flls I.
b*8.
ov. 3
*3-
23.
. 191
I 2$.
n* 2.
28.
14.
v. 3. 8.
( 20 )
The Infinite Reafon is Infinite Holinefs and Goodnefs; He cannot
be Tempted of Evil; neither can he Tempt any one. If it were
not thus, he could not have made weights for the Winds, nor weigh-
ed the Water by Me a fur e : He could not have made a Decree for the
Rain> nor a way for the Lightning of Thunder : By the Wifdom of
Infinite Holinefs he Founded the Earthy by anunder(landing of ln~
finite Purity he Eslablifhed the Heavens ; by a- Kjiowledg of Infi-
nite Freedom from^ and diftance from fin, the Depths are Broken
up, and the Clouds drop down their Dew h All the Ordinances of the
Creation are fettled, and fo kept in Order «, There are the fame
Mathematicks in one, as in the other 3 if the Creator could have
Err'd in the one, he had in the other alio ; and if he could now-
fo Err, the whole Courfe of Nature would fly in Peices, as the A-
poftle James intimates it endangered by the Wickednefs of the
Tongue. And fo it is in every Created Reafon, and particularly im
Man, if he can fo mif-judg, that all Circumftances laid together,
it is not beft for him to be Holy, Righteous, Good ; his Reafon is
not to be trufted for any thing, becaufe it is his; Upon his Cre-
dit, that two and two make Four, is not to be Received: The
Mathematicks of the whole Creation are Violated in him : For
when God made weights for the Winds, &rc. He I aid to Man, he fix-
ed him, as a Being of Reafon in this ; The Tear 'of the Lord, That is
Wifdom, To depart from Evil, that is Tnderfiandtng ; This is that
vofbs iyy^ocQx;; that In-Written Law in the Heart of Man. If
he does not fo Fear, lb Depart, Reafon, as it is his Reafon, is worth
nothing. The Wifdom that Founded the Earth, &c. Is to hate
Evil; 11-under/lands Righteoufnefs, Judgment, and every good Path :
The Wifdom that can entertain Evil, is then of no Value, nor to
be trufted in any thing, as it is fuch a Wifdom ; For the whole;
of fuch a Reafon is fpoiled.
§. 6.1 know it will be objected ; Are not Evil Men great Phi-
lofphers, Mathematicians, Politicians and States-men ; but the An-
fwer is : The Infinite Reafon Holds in it felf the Truth of all
Natural, Prudential, Political Wifdom, and Underftanding; and
fofar as it appears by the Evidence of things themfelves,? that
there is truth, fofar they are to be received.- But the Reafon-
tranfpofed, perverted, diftorted in the Love of Evil, is in nothing
tp be confided in for.its own fake; not is a whole Council of fin-
± _ fill,
fill
/ 7W
( 21 >
ful, Fallen Men to be confided in, in any one Point; becaufe
were they have FaiPd in fo Radical a One, as to have finn'd ; they
may not attend to fome one great Principle, that bears up fuch,
^Vorfuch a truth; Even as in that Radical One : And though they
^ of may Acknowledg and Subfcribe to many Holy Rules, and Live
i h in Obedience to fome ; yet this, as (hall be further offered, flows
Infi. from Grace towards fome, and in others from a Righte-
Brotoous Judgment ol God ; who as he holds faff all Holy
of the Truths in himfelf, fo Demonftrates them by others as he
elame pleafes Varioufly ; But it ftill remains, no fuch Judg-
4 have ment or Underfianding, or Reafon, is to be trufted on its own
d noi Account; And all the Truth and Good that is in the World, is to
'the A- be. Afcribed to other Springs, as we fhall fee.
of tilt
larlyk §. 7. We know in our felves, as we are Beings of Reafon ;
)gether, Every Intellectual Being hath an Internal Annunciation to it felf,
afoni and within it felf, according to its comprehenfions of Reafon, that
visCre. is even Confubftantial to it felf ; and according to which, itDe-
1: Hie clares it felf to other Intellectual Beings, by external Enunciati-
n: For on or Elocution : And thefe are fo much reafon that both the in-
kjx- ward, and the outward are expreffed by Reafon it felf; Koyx :
, 7kn They are the great Diftinftion'of-Man, the Creature of reafon,
i is that from. Creatures of no reafon\ That Angels have within Them-
lan. if lelves fuch Internal Notices of their own Comprehenfions, we arc
sworth moftatfured by our ownExperience;andthat they haveEnunciation
to kf toother Intellectual Beings of their own order,we cannot doubt,
i fith: in. Allufion to which, the Apoftle fpeaks of the 7 "ongue of Angels \
norto The Excellency ofGod's Internal and'Declarative word,I will Dif-
wide courfe on another Head, but to fpeak of what will not be denyed
by any who acknowledg God, and Scripture the word of God.;itrs..\
this;That if Infiniter^/^jWifdom andT ruth,hath condefcended to
t Phfpeak, there is no fuch fpeechin the whole Creation-,as His Word,
and the Records of what he hath fpoken; to contain in it felf, and C
)f all t0 Reveal My fiery ; and no other but his Word can be proper for ,
2/id either. Seeing External Speech is Governed by inward Intel-
that leftual Power of Enunciation ; as the one Excells, fo does the o-
3fofl ther; If therefore the underfianding, and reafon of God be the v
ling onlylnfallible ^y^/?,hisEnunciation and Declaration can be onlyln-
fai fallible; Re a/on 'in us was his word,and would be fo,if it were the .
C 22 ;
feme he gave ;But it is now fallen: And this Allures the Excellency
of the Word of Godfpokenor written ; There is a Declaration
or Voice of God in the Creation, declaring his Infinite Wifdom,
and Underftanding, to the Intellectual Creation, according to
their Firft Creation ; but the word of God declares the Counfcls
of his Will in Receiving of Fallen, and Loft Man. Every nyrd
of which is pure as Silver tryed in a Furnace of Earth, purified feven
times ; and whofoever dares to add to it, of his own, as if it
were the fame, or equal, will bzfound a Lyar, that is, a Forger,
and Deceiver; or a Reafon falfly fo calTd.
§. 8 Every rational Being, or reafon, hath in the motions of
reafon, a Force, Might, Spirit of reafon, or prefence of it, active in
himfelf, and impreilive on thofe to whom he declares himfelf,
according to the Degree and Excellency of his reafon,and by which
he looks back upon himfelf, and is Confcious of the reafon that
mooves in and from him ; and knows that he knows ; and this
gives Lifeto the inward Notions, and Notices, or that inward
word of reafon; and to the Communications, or Enunciations of
reafon to other Intelligent Beings: This allures there is in the Di-
vine Being, the infinite reafon, an Infinite Spirit, and Power of
Wifdom, and Underftanding ^ of which in its higbeft Excel len-
cy, I will further fpeak by his own Affiftance; But in general
Apprehenfion, God Exalteth by his Power, none teacheth like him.
There is a Spirit in Man, but the mighty Breathing of the AIL
mighty gives him Under/landing \ a mighty Energy, or Spirit from
God, the Supreme reafon, and Underftanding': This we cannot
but acknowledg, and Afcribe to the Supreme Underftanding :
For if we find it in fuch Reafons, as we are, one towards ano-
ther, a Communication with fome peculiar Efficacy, according
to the Reafon, that does Communicate, or the Reafons that Com-
municate one with another ; How much more is it to be acknow-
ledged to the Infinite Reafon Teaching man Kjiowledg ; and there-
fore how can any Gracious Aproaches, by his Spirit, to the Souls
of his Servants, Inlightning, and Teaching them beDenyed ?
CHAP.
( *3 )
11W1
CHAP. III.
Of Created Reafons, and their various Orders, and Re-
ferences one to another, as Beings of Reafon, and of
their upright and Fallen Eft ate, and the great difference
of their Reafon therein.
§•
I Have thus far eonfidered the Paramount, and Tran-
fcendent Infinite Being, Wifdom, Truth, Reafon, By
thofe Tracings of Reafon, as in Us, not only Finite, but Dege-
nerate Spirits,or Beings of Reafon; that whatever true Lines there-
of are Difcoverable in us may lead us up to the Infinite, and
Infinitely Pure Original; and mew us the Immenfenefs of his
Perfections ; For it is certain Intellectual Spirits cannot be made
fuch, or continue in any Aftivity, as fuch , but that God the In-
finite, Intellectual Objeft, and moft Intelligible, muft needs be
feen by them in his Great Perfection, and Attributes: But I
would now confider Created Intellectual Beings, and fuch, as
we cannot, but by our Reafon, Divine, are of a Higher Sphere,
and Order, than our felves; and Scripture makes known to us,
as Seraphic, Angelic Beings, and among them Thrones, Principals
ties, Dominions, Powers ; and fo come down to Human Spirits
in Bodies, and obferve upon thefe, and the various Elevations
of them (and All in their State of Integrity, and unfallen) what,
may Direct us in our main purfuit after Reafon.
§. 2, All Created Spirits, of what Order fcever, are Beings,.,
or Spirits Begotten by Creation of the Father of Lights, the Fa-~
ther of Spirits in his own Image, and Likenefs; and fo are Intel-
leftual Spirits, and Beings of Reafon by their very Being, and
Defcent; And in their firft Creation they bear a RefemManee
of the Eternal Wifdom, and Reafon in every one of the icremem
tioned particulars; as hath been already fufficiently to the prefer :t
purpofe Remarked concerning them : And as there is an Orig nal
Begetting, Breathing, or Creation at Firit, fo there is a continu-
: al :
V
Jude 6,
Pfal. 36.9.
Prov.2p.27.
t Job 35. 11.
mm to
i
i J, Bu
IiW(
dakU
• *¥. iS. ><
c 3 4-) . . jlri
al fuftentation of Intelleftual Beings, fo far, as they are in their
First Eft ate, or are but prefer ved in any Remains of it; and Iff
according to the Degrees of their Creation, and Suftenration, or
fas I may call it) their Refervation in an Intellectual State, not-?*'
withftanding their Leaving their Fir ft Eft ate, and For Caking their
own Habitation, They are in Dependence upon their Supreme, M]er
a Standard of Wifdom, Reafon, and Truth to themfelves, with- IW".
in themfelves; yet fo that in the Original Light, Truth, iVifdom,
Reafon they fee this Light, and enjoy this Priviledg; that is, they SMern21
are Intellectually Seeing, Difcerning Spirits, Beings of Reafon ; As 1^'
the Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord, a Light paining in hi* Wing,Tl
Light ; who Teacheth Man Kjiowledg, more than the Beasts of the xof it;:
Field, and the Fowls of the Air: Thus, as belore-faid, 1 here is a ' fe
Spirit in Man, and the Breath of the Almighty giveth him Under♦
standing.
§. But yet, it is always to be Remembred; In their very
Original Creation, without the confideration of any after Abate-
ment, or Diminution ; they are but Finite, and cannot fee be-
yond the Limits and Bounds of their Creation, either to Find out,
orjudg of what is Above, and beyond Them: Any more then
the Eye of the Body, becaufe it is a feeing Organ, and the Light
of the Body; can fee at too great Diftance, without the help of Te-
lefcopes; or when the ObjeCt is fo Great, as not to be meafur'd by
it, but by the Help of Mat hematic Xnftruments ; or fo Minute,
as not to be Difcern'd, but by the help of Microfcopes.
§. 4. Of Intelle&ualSpirits, There are by the very fupreme
Difpofe, and Arbitration of the Infinite Underftanding, and R«-
fon, various, Spheres, and Orbs Higher, and more Ample ^ Low-
er, and more Narrow ; One Star differs from another Star in Glory;
There are Intelligences Angelic, and Human. In the Anoelic the
before obferv'd Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers which
Eminencies Arife from different Glories of Underftanding ; and
fo we know, there are different Elevations of Human Under-
handing, whether by the Immediate Hand of the of
Lights, and Spirits, or the Difpofes of Providence in the Fabric of
the Body, or the Opportunities of Education, State and Condi- ^
tion in the World ; Separation to Intermeddle with Wifdom thromh ^
itc
ml!
MMg
Mm
M, of!
•' Happi
Hit
%et
i&(
feCc
finatu
Comi^
'1 I
. j/'; ■ # w>)
i., f 5' )
wfcf Defirc; But no Iiitc!lofl-ua! Created Spirit can, by vcrttteof
its being Intellectual, Tranfcend its own Sphere. The higheft
Created Spirit cannot Approach within any diftance of the In-
created ; or be fuppofed Infinite in its Reafon, becaufe a Spirit;
For God is, The only Wife, and his Under flan ding is done Infinite. pTaW47.
That therefore which is clearly known, and within the compafs
of the Reafon of Intelleftual Beings of a Firft Magnitude, may be
above the Reafon of thole Below Them, and fo lucceilively and
Subalternately, till we come to theLoweft; but to the longhty-
eft Seraphic Underftanding, There are in the Divine Under-
ftanding,Truths, and Deeps of Counfels, that are above die Rea-
fon of it ; fo that it can be only faid of the Infinite Vnderfland-
ingy There is nothing above Reafon, that is, above it felf, nor
contrary to it, that is Reafon and Truth,
§. 5. But how much more muft many, and thofe very great
Truths of God be above Reafon to Fallen Loft Man, fo deprefled
and abafed by fin, that he cannot lift up himfelf, but with great
Difficulty in any Aft of Underftanding ? and whofe Reafon, as
hath been before more fully Argued, can be of no Reputation;
becaufe it can, upon all circumftances confider'd, give its ulti-
mate Vote, or Dictate for Sin : For now the Intelleftual Spirit
being under an Averfion from the Father of Lightsy diftorted by
Luft, and Love of Evil, is eafy of Accefs to the Father of Lyesf
Blinding and Bemifting it, to whom it is now Turn'd;. How then
can it form Jdeds of Divine Things ? Behold the Proportions,
and true Refpects of Things cne to another ? Jndg of Good and
Evil, of true Pleafure, or Grief, and Pain, in a Moral Senfe,
of Happinefs or Mifery ? How can it make true Inferences, or
Conclufions ? Rife up to the Holinefs of the Law of God, or
receive his Manifeftations of himfelf, or fubmit to the Energies
of his Grace it felf, fo corrupted? What was not Above it be-
fore Corrupted, is'now become Al>o*eit; How much more Su-
pernatural RevelationsNay, They are contrary to Reafon- fo
Corrupted, and Reafon Corrupted to thefe Truths of God j a-
gainft which it moves in Array , as Black Clouds and Va-
pors againft the Sun, and its Light: So do Intelleftual Spi-
rits ( Angelic become Diabolic) Rulers of the Darknefs of this
v E ' - ~ World.
1
f *6
World, and Degenerate Human Spirits againft the Light, and.
Truths of God, and of his Word.
§. 6. If it be faid, The Lufts of Men are not R It is
True ; but as the Enquiry is in ''Job ; Where is wifdom to be found,
And where is the Place of *Vnderfianding, viz. in its Purity? feeing it is
hid from the Eyes of all Living: Even a* it is kept clofe from the
Fowles of the Air: Death and Defirutfion have heard the Fame of it
with their Ears : God alvne underfandeth the way . thereof : And if
Man hath loll, what God faid to Him concerning it, (and is un-
der Conviction, how much it is Loft) by Creation; The Fear of
the Lord, that is Wifdom, and to depart from Evil, is Underf an ding ;
Wherein can his Reafon be Now Accounted of ? All muft be
KefolvM, into whatSolomon only found, Counting Men one by one;.
God made Man upright; He made him him an entire Reafon ; but
he hath fought out many Inventions, carrying a fhew of Reafon,
but Reafon is loft : A Diftorted Reafon is not to be confided in :
Such is that of All men; In one Man only, viz,.. The.*Second Adam,,
Reafon is found, Ecclefj. zjf
7. If it be further faid, Shall we Allow no Reafon, nor
Truth in the World ? Is It no Teft to Try Truq, and Falfe,
Good and Evil by ? And if it be , why may not Reafon be
Trufted in every thing ? And if it be not, How (hall we fecure
our felves from being impofed upon ? The Anfwer fhall be
given in its proper place, unde- the Head of Revelation to each
of thefe Enquiries by way of Anfwer to them as Objections.
8. But feeing this Treatife makes acknowledgment of
Scripture by fo many References to it, I think to fum up this head
viz. The Purfuit after the true Notion of Reafon, according to'
Scripture, and our Inward Senfe, and Experience, by giving the
general Senfe of Scripture upon the prefent State of Human Rf4-
Jon, Wifdom, and Underftanding in our Fallen Condition ^ that
we may fee how far, in the Judgment of That, it can be
thought of Value to Decide Truth by, fie. This or contrary
to Reafon ; that is, to Human Reafon ; yea, we might Afcend
higher, even to higheft Created Reafon, the Reafon of Unfallen
Angels 3 inrvhm God puts no Truf, tho his Servants fulfilling his
%
10i
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"litis
xqii
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mojn
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i j that
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otrary
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faJIcj)
kk
L> 4 /
«, ( 27 )
and the Ministers of his P leafiere, hut charges with FWys
comparing them with his own Holynefs,and Vnderfiandtng, which
is Infinite, and therefore they cover not only their Feet, out their
Faces, their higheft Perfections before him: For thefe Stars are not
pure in his fight; but as to the prefent purpofe of Human Reafon,
Zophar, fo near the beginning of the World, takes notice ; That
vain man would he wife ; He Afpires to the Reputation of being 11,1 x%
fo} tho he he Bom like the wild Afs Colt, the moft Undifciplinable
of all Animals, fo filly and fo wild, and yet the Emblem of
Human Wifdom : Notwithftanding this, every Age hath Rifen
up in this prelumption upon their own Reafon; This is that
Gnoflicifm of every Age : The Apoftle fays, we know that we all
have finowledg ? that is, we take upon us to have fo ; But he t Got. 3.
adds, If any man think he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet, as
he ought to If now ; and therefore he prefers the Love of God, and
being known of him to our Airy knowledge or Reafon. He looks
upon them, as Men of no Topicks 1 that is, of no Reafon, who 2 Ther«4«
have not Faith; who are not inftrufted of God by his Spirit in
his Word; Yet we Dwarfs of Reafon, of a Span long, and Hand
Breadth, dare tomcafuvc Reafons with the Almighty, vainly pujfit up Co\2.18.
in our minds, which are but Carnal, whilewe think them fo fublime
as to meafure Divine Things ; In the wifdom of God, the World by
God: The ' " * m *Un ~'r"
/en the Di
of this world is Foolifhnefs
he may be wife : With innumerable fuch Scriptures that would put
an humble Chriftian quite out of conceit with his own reafon, and
make him rather cry out with Solomon, All this have I proved by
wifdom, 1 [aid, I will be wife, but it was far from me: That which
is far off and exceeding Deep, who can find it out ? Surely I am more Ecc|eE ^ ^
bruit j lb than any man j I have not the under ft anding of manyvi&iLnVrov. 30. i„
his fir ft Creation. I neither learned wifdom, nor know the knowleig of
the Holy. The Great Wifdom is not to be wife above what is writ- Rom-12.3.
ten ■ but to be wife to Sobriety: So little in all this, and much more,
that might be Collefted of the fame Senfe, doth Scripture let by ■
above, or contrary to Human Reafon,as-now current among Men:
For what the Reafon of Man condemns as the Foolifhnefi of God,
or Foolifhnefs in Divine Things, that do not commend themfelves
E 2
(28) •
to Reafon,or the Wifdom of Men, is yet than that Imagi-
nary Reafon or Wifdom,of Men.
CHAP. IV.
Of the Second Head propofed in this , An En-
quiry after the Nature of Revelation, with an Anfxver
upon it to Former Obje&hns.
THcre needs no Introduction concerning the word, or fenfe
of the word Revelation ; For it plainly fignifies the unco*
vering and making plain, vifible, and open, what was
before Covered, Vailed, Hidden, and Concealed : And this is
the Jpocalypfis every where fpoken of in Scripture from God
and his Spirit; and herein the Difcourfe, Chrijiianity not Myfte-
rious, agrees, and acknowledges Myfteries before Revelation, as
being of the Deeps of Gody which no Man can know, feeing not
the Deeps of a man ; But it is fuppofed that Revelation is re-
commended to Reafon, and is no more than Information, or
Teftimony from any other Hand; the certitude only of Divine
Excells; For in Human Information Reafon Judges of the Cre-
dibility, and if it finds caufe, difallow the Veracity of the Tc-
ftimony, and rejects the Things ; but in Divine Information, it
allows the Teftimony ; but if it cannot receive the things as cre-
dible in fuch an appearance, Reafon changes them by Interpretati-
on, into other appearances, wherein it can allow them ; altho
it be never foplain by compare of Scripture, and Reafon guided by
it, Scripture intends what Reafon Rejects; but I fhall endeavour
to make plain by Scripture, and true Reafon, according to it, and
the content of Experience ; that this is a wholly miftaken Expe-
dient, as I go on thus to Remonftrate.
kl
. iktte
% Kfe
§. i. T> Evelation is a Manifeftation of God to his Intellectual
-TV Creatures from the Secret of his own Parpofe, and the
Deeps of his Counfel towards them, or any of them,* above what
n
u
( *9)
% was made knoXvn to thorn, or might be found out by them ac-
cording to their Firft Creation, or Eftablifhment 5 but they be-
ing from an Holy, Wife, and Infinitely Gracious Being, They
— are and cannot but be in every one of thefe Regards like to him-
felf; and as they are fuper-induced to Creation, they are of Fur-
ther and higher Grace ; for what-ever was neceffary to the Firft
Creation, was given, and made known by the Infinitely wife
and good Creator ; who yet being Infinite, and Infinitely Free, '!
1 £(|, had more to give than he gave at firft, but was not obliged to
Infra Give all at once: Now thefe things could not be known but by
Revelation, For what man knows the things of a man, but the Sfir it 1 Cor. 2. 11,
of a man, that is within him: Even fo the things of God knoweth no
man9 but the Spirit of God : The Gofpel on this Account is fo of-
Or feci ten Stiled, The My fiery hid in God, kept fecret fince the World be-
leuncD gan \ hidden Wi[domythe wifdom of God in a miftery ; Angels there-
hat 1 fore, Principalities and Powers could not by their Higher Light,
1 this, than that of the human Creation, find it out; but learn it by the
)m ft Church: This is indeed Agreed, but yet ought to be fet in its clear-
eft; and fulleft Light.
'dm, 1
:eing Da §• 2*. The Intelleftual Eye was in Creation enabled to fee9,
auk and behold only the Objects proper to fuch a Creation, as it .
ation, c; W2S Created; even as the Be ails of the Field, and Fowls of the
fDira Heavens have n© higher a Light, than that of fenfe, as proper to
the& tbeir Creation : So have the Higher Creations, each in their
tj]e]j ClaiTe, a Light Proportionable to fuch, or fuch an Elevation of
latioo,! Creation ; For elfe fuch higher Light muft be fuppofed to have
JS2Sffi lain Superfluous, or might have known the mind of the Loid, and '•
been his Qmnfeller before Revelation, or could, at leaft, have im- -
2i,v mediately comprehended the fecret Counfels of God, whenever L ' i
'fcfy Revealed'-, But Angels Learn, and Defire to into them Further
'wos and Further ; and undoubtedly partake ot that grand Priviledg
jt J of the Church, the Spirit of Revelation to - That
which puts the matter out of all doubt,is t that the Apoftie joyris,
and fo Scripture throughout,the Spirit of God Given, and Rectiv% i1
that we might know and Difcern: Now the Spirit is not an out-
j ward, "but an inward Revealer, and Elevator of the Spirit of a
\,C Man.;, as Elihufpeaks in fob, God Exalts, lifts up by his Power Iob ,22f
. the.Spirit of his Creatures whom he Teaches-, who, therefore
( 3° I.
'fetchesy like him;The,Spirituality of this Higher New Creation,
is as much above Rationality,as Rabove Senfe; herein
therefore differs Divine Teaching from all Created Teaching: If
any of the Jngels be fuppofed,the Higher to Reved to the Low-
er, or to men , what they Know by the much Larger Sphere of
their Creation, and what is Mtftery to thole, that are of a more
confined compafs, and below them ; they may Congregate, ancf
ftir up by Reafoning, and /nftruftion all the. Light, fuch had
before, and extend it as far as it can be extended under the Ma-
outemency of the Eternal Light, and Rexfon fuftaining and aft- '
ing, both the higher and lower Intellefts; but they can give no
inward Supernatural Light, when what they find is not fuffieicnt;
That is the Glory of the Father and of Lights; The
Exalting Spirits by his Spirit is his Prerogative alone ; and what
hath been faid of Light, may be much more affirmed of Grace,
Love, Holy Conformity of the whole Spirit to Revealed Truth ;
That is from the God of all Grace by his Spirit; fo that the Author
of the Treatife Sany and yet would not, or did not fee in feeing
the Renewing the Faculties by the Spirit of God, Given now;
and of the very Organs in the Spiritud Body, a Body fitted by
the Quickmng Spirit, at the Refurreftion, and the Finijhing All
Myfiery, to fee things above Reafon (as was before oblerv'd in
the Scheme) which Scripture every where Teaches, is done by
the Spirit of Wifdom and Revelation. And yet the Dignityx)f the
Firft Creation is herein ftill affirm'd, That the Father of Spirits
hath given the Immortal Spirit of Man in his own Image ; fo that
it is capable of the Inhabitation ol his own Spirit, as an Higher
Spirit in it; and hath alfo Engrafted, and notwithftanding! fin
Referved, fuch Principles of Truth, that are of Great Service
and Ufe in the Renovation, as fhall be more fhewn. '
3. If now the Light of Creation be fo unable, without an
higher Illumination, and Grace i tho confidered without any
Lofs, or Abatement of it felf; not only to find out, but to re-
ceive Revelation; much lefs can it be a Standard to it, when it is
but a Partial Light, and not Adequate to Truths above its '
Sphere ; what fhall we think then of a Broken, Shattered, Ship-
wrack'd Reafony whofe Light is Darkened in its very Heavens •
Far that it is fo, is Evident, not only by all the Difficulties of
. l0?< attaining Wifdom, afar off and Exceeding Deep in all kind of
Knowledg; but the Imperfe&ions, many Miftakes, and Pre-
fumptions, not born up by Truthi fo that when we fay,
' * itmje, it ufar front us.All thefe plainly Ihew a Degraded Rea-
*** foQ. > But that which I look-upon, as the mod Pungent Demon-
arn5'! ftration to every Mans Confcicnce, is, that however we may
^anl be, or are convinced of Godlinefs, Right eoufnefs, SoberneCs ; yet
•" had R eafonis not Able to give its lall Pofitive, Peremptory, and Con-
neMj. clufive Diftate^ That thefe are beft .for us in all our Aftions :
indafi- This (hews fome Vertical Point in all Probity, Reafon in this
. State it is now in, does not fee; Now £his>i"s the principal Point
efficient; of Wifdom, and of Reafon. And it was given in Creation,
ft when to Man, he faid equally with making weights for the
ind what Wind, The Fear of the Lord, That is wifdom ^ and not only to
ofGract, know, we ought to do it, but Actually, to Depart from Evil, is
* Truth; Vnderfandwg^ And Any Reafon that does it not, is Lafuin Principi-
^Author um, a Reafon Broken, and out of Joint ; For -if it were not,
' infuiij it would Operate true to the very utmoft Point of All Goodnefs ;
'tn now; even as all other Laws of Creation are obferv'd, fo had that
fitted by Law firft Given of the Fear of the Lord, and Departure from
Evil in Man. The Reafon of Man is now like the Failure of an
jferv'dii! Infttument, or an Engine of xhz Virtuofoes m Experimental Philo-
;donchjr fopjg* jUl- feems to be fet Fair, and True, and Right; But it
lityrfffl miffes in thelaft point of Effefl;And therefore notwithstanding
tfSfiriti all Probabilties,and handfome Appearances, it is not to be trufted
; (otk Thus the prefent Reafon of Man Judges for Piety, Juftice, and:
i Higher Temperance, and fo feems Right for its Purpofe, and End ,
idingjin hut it mifearries in the Doing ; It is not Bleffed in the Deed,
Service, and fo is not for its own fake in any tiling, to be Trufted;
The Reafon of the Firft Man did not thus fart afide as a broken
Bowjuft at the Mark, before his Sin and Fall: If you fay then,
loutan How did Sin Enter? The Anfwer is plain; Jdam Luxated,
ut any and ftrain'd his Reafon in Judging by it, of what was above it
tore- matter of Revelation-, of becomingLtke God morfe Than he was
:n it is by Creation, not Acquiefcing by Faith in the Will of and Grace
re its of the Creator, and obedience to his Command in not Eating
Sliip- and fo was Deceived, and Difobey'd, and Ruin'd Himfelf andf
Jr. His Pofterity by the Righteous Judgment of the All-mighty,
>s of whofc wayt are pa ft fnding out by'Reafon ; for tliey are above it
7 \
V '>
flj
f'jp) ...
.And yet by Trufting in our Bankrupt Reafon, we daily more
Entangie our Selves. Can we think the Fallen Adam was to be
Trufted, for not the Finding out That may be Allowed in the
Negative) but for the Judging of, or Receiving a Revelation of
the way of his Recovery by a Reafon that had fo fouly mif-
-canyedip Reaching beyond it fclf: And how much left is ours
-ft) be confided in, as to what is above it, which does fo daily fcfil
fhort of what w«s at firft placed in a Juft Level to that Reafon.
■
•• • *
§. j, The grand Revelation of God in his Word, and Gof-
pel is the Recovery of Loft Man by .his own Begotten Son; who
name from Heaven into that very Loft Nature, and Redeemed
from Death, Hell, the Curfe, the AVrath, and Juftice of God
by his own Death, and by the Sacrifice of Himfelf, and by His
Mediation, and Interceffion at the Right Hand of God ; and ap-
pearing at laft in the Refurrection of the Dead Bodies of his
Saints, and the Glorification of the whole Man, is become the Au-
thor of Eternal Salvation to All that Obey Him, Heb. 5. 9. Here*
with Fall in All thofe Truths of the Gofpcl, attendant here-
upon,and that concenter with them: Even theGoalinefs, Righte-
oufnefs, and Sobernefsy that the TrueReafon hath Loft, are here-
by Reftor'd, and Brought to Light in a much Higher Luftre,
•and Spiritualityj with a-greater Efficacy, and more Indefeizable
certainty, That they fhali not be Loft, when the Spirits of
thofe Redeemed by Chrift are Redintegrated in them.
9. This is now fuch a New Heaven and Earth of Things,
that tfie Reafon of Man, if it were whole, and entire, as in the
Firft Creation, could not, by itfelf Judgof, nor Try in its own
Beams , the Supreme Excellencies and Splendors of , but
would be Oppreffed with the Glory, and Dazl'd with the Bright-
nefs ; however in fome, as it wer Parts, it would fee a
Divinity in them ; As to thole Glories, that may be (tiled the Face
of them,itmuft, even as Angels, fubmit itfelf to the Paramount
and Infinite Reafon, and jout its Mouth at, as at that, which
Had not not been Told it, and that It had not Heard, in firft Cre-
ation ; How much lefs then can the Decayed R thofe Poor
ReHcks, Fragments, and Broken Peices of Reafon judgof them.'
-8 up through that Sin and Impurity, thajt hath United itfelf there-
lfffi
... . ( ( 13> r
with, the more it endeavours to Rally, and Re-unite it fell (be-
caufe of that Corruption wherewith it is fo Tainted, and De~
filed , that even the Mind and Conjcience of the Unbelieving are
Defied) Not only the greater Ignorance, and want of SkiH, but
the greater Enmity and Hatred to fuch a Superior Light, ftirr'd
up, as well as blinded by Sathan, It Difcovers and Detects it
felf ofj And all Directions, Advices, or Commands to Sepa-
rate it felf from that Corruption, are but Prefcribings to the
Blackamore io change bis Skin, and the Leopard his Spots. For this
Corrupted Reafon it felf Teaches fo (and can do no ctherwifej Jfr
to Refute Divine Truth. Hence have fprung all those Bold and
Daring Efforts of pretended fhrcwdnefs of Reafon^ and Argu-
ment; Infolencies of it in Scorn and Raylery againft the Purity oi
the Doflrine of Chrifl , That Arch-Fallen Reafon, the Devil,
Turnes himfelf into all fhapes, fometimes as a fevere Rationalift,
fometimes as a S arc a (lie Scoffer, and fometimes is Transform'a into
an Angel of Light.,and as a Zelot for the Honour of Christianity *}
and therefore it is no wonder, if his Minifters are Transformed,
fo alfo, and even, as the Mwifiers of Righteoujnefs : And ah thefe - s
very Shapes hath The Treatife, we have to do with, put on.
§. 5. It will be faid,If Reafon be not in a Capacity to Receive
Revelation, what fhall Receive it ? Is it to be (wallowed in
Ignorance, and Blind Obedience, or by an Implicit Faith? the
Anfwer is.- The Infinitely,Onlj Wife God, (as the Apoftle Adores R
him upon the very Account of the Gofpef the Myfery, kept hid,
and Revealed after for the Obediente op taithj hath prepared a New
Creation,a Regenerations Renovation of the Spirit oj the Mindjviz,.
Faith, a New Underftanding, and Light; a Grace of great Wif-
dom and Intelligence; and were it not for Confounding it with
the Exploded Fallen Reafon ; as men are fo incliifd to do, who
are fo Def roust obe Teachers of Reafon, but not Rationally, as the
Jews were of the Lan\ but not Lawfully ; not Kjiowwg what
they fay, nor whereof they affirm ; It might be call d, a New
fon, that fees in, and by, and is wholly guided by Revelation, in, 1
and from the word of God, Dwelling richly in if in All Wif dom
and Spiritual Under Handing; And in this Light it Proves and Ex-
amines all Things, and holds faf that which is good; And that
which is Above All, In this New Creation, and Faith the Light
F ' . of
f ,?f, i
of it; THe great Recfeefrier by his Spirit^ Unite's himfelf to the
Renewed Spirit, and Dwells in it; whidi is a spirit of Wifjom
and Revelation, and fo Reveals the Dieps of Godthat we might
know the Myfieries of the Kjngdom of God] and the Things, that are
freely given us of God.,
§. 6. If it be further Demanded, Is the Firft Creation, and the
Reafon of it wholly Antiquated, and Removed in the New Creati-
on? The Anfwer is, All the unchangeable and unmovable
Parts of it are comprehended, and taken into the New Creation,
and much Exalted; And even, as to men Unrenewed, and before
Renovation, The Great Redeemer hath laid hold upon, and
made a Rcferve of fome great Principles of Truth, and Reafon,
or Re-imprinted them in the Minds of Men in General; and the
Law is Written in the Heart, even of the Gentiles, for many Great
and Wife Ends of the Government of the World ; And that
Thefe may give Teftimony to the Holinefs, Purity, Divinefsand
Wifdom of the Truths of Revelation-, They are a kind of Rude
Draught, orlndentings, which the New Creation takes hold of
in the Minds of Men, that they may know by thenyThe Light
of the Gofpel is from Heaven, and of God : And on the Ac-
count of this, They are Righteoufly Condemned, who do not Re-
ceive the Truths of it, fo far, as thefe Impreffions of Natural
Light Lead ; and it is certain here is the Condemnation of men,
that They have not Relieved in the Name of the Son of God ; hecaufe
they loved Darknefs, rather than Light 5 and that hecaufe, Their
Deeds are Evil: And on this Account alfo, even in Devils, and
Loft Spirits, thofe Principles of fo Great Light given in the firft
Creation are Prefervd by God in Higheft Actuation, that do
what they can, They may Glorify His juftice in their Condem-
nation } Thus is his way in the Sea, and his Path in the great Wa~
ters, and his Foot-Jleps cannot be Traced as yet, or in the way of his
prefent Government of the World * He, who is Light, and in
whom is no Darknefs at All, Caufes Light to prevail to Condem-
nation, where it hath not, and does not prevail to Conformity
and Obedience to it ; But in the New Creation\ Behold, all thirf)
become New. There is Inward, Supernatural Illumination, and the
Power of Grace, and Holinefs Conforming the whole intelle&u-
al Spirit to it; and Comprizing alfo within it fclf the Firft Hit,
, mlnatjoQ •, fothatit is known ?6 be that Firft Illumination* that
ReveUtion hatli yet taken wholly into it fe{f,that there may be no
mif-judging by a Partial Light, and yet the Teftiinonv of thaf
^ Light preferved, Steered, but Exalted Far, above it felt.
§.7. It may be largely Remonftrated upon, how great Affiance
there is due to the Light, and conduct of Rea/oa, in the Govern-
lS rrient of States, of Families, of Human Affairs; in all Sciences
and Arts, Aftronomy, Pbjficky MxtbemxtickSy Muficky&griculture.
^ Archtitclurey Nxyigxtion^ Mxnujxcture 5 and how certain, an
if?*' evident the concIuGons, that are made according to it are ; and
® whatTtuft therefore may be given to it in Religion . But on the
> 7 other fide, we ought to confider, How much parknefs and Ig-
? *' norance there is ; How difficult and flow the Attainments ol
7' ' Know'ledg are; How many things yet unknown ;How many
, f Errors, and Miftakes, hardly founa out,, ^and more haidiy Coi
/. ! refled; what great Differences, and Difagreeirients of Judg-
ments in moll things pretended to be known, And we lhall have
,7 great caufe to Refolve all the Honour .and-Glory, we■think:10 due
•M t0 pjuman E.eafon into the Glory and Praile of the Infinite Reajotiy
;llSk YVtfdom, Under (tending, Truth and Gooinefs; who holds All Be-
A ^ ings and Truths together in his own Underftanding, ev en as in
otRt. his
own Uochangeable, and immenfe Being s elfe all had been
H foon Diffolved s and who, for his own Glory, and Government
n® of the whole Creation, gives fuch, and fuch Degrees of Auur-
ancetothe Undemanding of Man in fo many Things s and yet
lm Humbles it under fo many, and fo great Failures;; Thai.it may
>> ^ net prefume upon it felt, efpecially in things relating to J im
lelf, being convinced of its own fiiortneis in what it is more
eafily fenfible of: Of all which Thoic lafi Chapters oi. GodEx-
7 poftulation with Job, are fo great an Admonition, 1 need enlarge
no further upon it.
Jin v. 8. It may, in thelaft place be urg'd', ^hkfeciirity have wj£.
era- againft all the Impoftures ol P*g*ni}m,A. A --
it)') mettfm and other Portentous, and Monftrous Opinions, that
m mav be impoled upon us under the Sacred Name oi
|e 2 dove deafen; and not to be Examined by it ? It we
. h", e nof fuch a Faithful Tell, as our own always pre-
11. . P 2
sfay. 11,
i^b.2.14.
tke 1 u
ov. 3. 5.
imdajuw/ *6 ) ... ,
lent to us, and that may guide us out of All thefe Mazes and
Labirinths ; But on the other fide, It is a very great difreputation
to Human Reafon, that fo great Parts of Mankind have been
Involved in thefe fo Horrible Delufions s and that it hath not
guided.them betterr; and it leads us to the Profoundeft Humili-
ation under.the Senfe of the Righteous Judgment of God upon
his Intellectual, Lower Creation, fallen from him by Sin, andfo
abufed and deceived by That higher, Angelie Apojf'ate Nature,
called Sathan ; and to earneft Supplication to him through the
Redeemer, That, that BlclTed Time may come quickly, when
the Kjiowledg of the Glory of the Lord, and the Kjiowledg of the
Lordfhall fill the Earth, as the waters cover the Sea; and alfo to
Adore him, that \vc have the Light of his Gofpel a much fur-
er Guide, than our own Reafon, as it is now ; and a much higher
Light, than it was before its fo great debafement by Sin 5 in which
we find all the true, pure Reafon that we have Loft, or that wc
have any Sentiments, Foot-fteps,or Remains of in us; or that we.
can find in our felves ; that may aflure us, as far as Reafon can
allure us,. It is of God \ and in which, the things that are mofti
above our Reafon fhed yet fuch Beams of Light upon our Un-
derftanding,and trueft Reafon,as A(Tures;They are from the Father
of Truth, and not of Lyes, awakening and Enlightning Reafon,
while it raifes us far above our Reafon ; and wherein we have a-
bove all, that Higheft,moftAfluring, Sealing, Holy and Comforting
Spirit, the Spirit of God; the only Paraclet, the Advocate of
truth within us, promiled to us ; for which we fhould al-
ways Pray with an Importunity that will not be afhamed, that it
may be given given to us ; and in which it is much better to
Trust, with all our Hearts, then to Lean to our own Understandings
!Tbo they were as the Uuderftandings of Angels, in which fo great :
a Number of them trufting, and not in that Higher Under funding
and Spirit Fell, and are in Chains of Darknefs to the ^judgment of
the Great Day: So little Encouragement have we. to truft .in .«
Created reafon.
Imy
CHAP;
102
( 57 )
CHAP. V.
Of the third Head Propojed} viz. The Nature of
fteO-
THE two main Hinges of this Debate, viz, Concerning
Reafony and concerning Revelation, as Above, or Contrary 5 The Int
to Reafon having been fo far Treated of; The further Difcourfe ^ Head*c!
of Myftery may feem unnecefTary, feeing it is on both Parts ccrning Myl
agreed; Above, or contrary to Reafon, demtermines Myftery, or notry*
}AyJlcry : But becaufe My fiery, or not Myfiery bears the Face of the
whole matter in Difpute, and efpecially, becaufe Reverence of
the word of God, and of the Truthsof it (as an Ark or Sunctu-
aryof, and for which, the Spirit of God hath Separated, and
Sanffified the Word, Myfiery) It calls for a particular Refearch,
how, and to what Truths, and for what Ends It hath fo Con-
fecrated it: The Senfe or Significaaion of the word it felf may
be derived from the Old Testament, where we meet with the
plain notion of myftery ; the M ofaic Types are piefented," as my fie-
rious by the Veil thrown over MoJes*s Face, even as the Apoftle ;
calls them Figures ; fo we read of Secret Things, Things kept fecret;
The fecret s of tVifdom \ Proverbs, and the Interp et at ion of them •
Parables'7 Dark Sayings of theWije\ Prophetic Vifions;All in Figures-
fomeof them Interpreted, others left under their Veils: This 0-'
riginal of mi fiery is worthy to be preferr d as moft Pure, and Di°
vine; And there is a Hebrew word of very near found, comport- :
ing with the Senfe ; though never fo applied by the Sacred Text;,
viz.moo, which cafily paffes into the Greek, And yet it.
might-fall in herewith ; The word myftery was a word known to
the Gentiles, to fignify the Secrefies of Devotions, Com- -
municated only to their myfta, peculiar Devoted Perfons; How-
ever thofe Rites were fowl, and Idolatrous; The Spirit of God 1
was'pleafed to take it frcm thofe impure ufes, as the Mdrchan--
dife and Hire of Tyrtts, to be Holinef to the Lord; to convey the.:
Apprehenfionofthe Secrecy of theTrnths of the Gofpefas Reveal-
ed.'m it-by himfelf at that Time, that had been hidden before,
'5 --
and X
iom, 15.i'
j$n. 15, 27
Cor. 29
.. 1.
iof. 1. 26.
2. it.
( 3 s ),
and at that very time, from thofe who Believed not; the hidden
Wifdom of God fpoken to them, who were the Perf ell, or the
Confecrated Myfi* of it; Thus as God was,pleafed tofiparate the
Gentiles, and Sanftify them, as an Offering to Himfelf by the Holy
Spirit, through the Preaching of the Apoftles, who were before
as Vnclean; fo he pleaftd alfo to Hallow this word mffiery, how-
ever impure in its former ufe, and to appoint it a Veffel of
Honour to himfelf. Let us now confider the importance of it in
the Sacred \Vritings of the Hew Tefiament with the Reafon of
tilings that fhaj be Difcourfed out of it,, and Uuiverfal con-
feat of k\ ite
I • •" i
§. 1. Thev Spirit of God, makes ufe of the word myfiery^ in
fpeaking of the whole Frame, and Complex of the Gofpel; the.
Preaching of which is faid to be the Revelation of the myfiery,
. which had been hid in God ; The Preachers of the< Gofpel are calk.d
Stewards of the myUenes of God ; It is ftiled the• mifiery of Chrijf
the my fiery oj Faith, the hidden Wifdom of God in my fiery, Ordained
to the glory of Saints3 to whom it is given to know the myfieries of
the Kjngdom of God. This my fiery: Now this fo often Repeated
Denomination of the Gofpel by myfiery ; not only, as before, but
ihce the Rrvelation of it; and without any mention of ReveUr
tion, together with the calling it myfieryfhews, It is an Appellati-
on the Spirit of God much Delights in, and hath made (as one
may fay'; the very Title of the Gofpel; It is therefore very a-
mazing ; Any one who profelfes a Veneration of its Records,
fhould be fo Induftrious and Buify to tear it off, and pull away
this Seale: It is moll true ; Revelatio hath much chang'd the
State, of mjfterioufnefs in the Gofpel, but hath not fo Removed
mjflery from it; but that there is principal Reafon. th^t even
furmounts the Clearer Revelation of it in the New Tellament •
why the Title is ftill continued .* For it is plain, my ft try may be
in lome fenfe Revealed, and yet be myjrerj ftill, notwithftand-
ing that Revelation ; Nebuchxdnez^zaFs Dream was in it- fejf a *
Revelation from God to that Proud Monarch; and yet was wv-
llerj, till Expounded by Darnel, becaufe not underftood: So
Daniefi Vifipns, when he himfelf underftood. not, ; The Pro-
phets. Refearched upon the things Revealed by God to them"
what the Sprit of Chrijr in them did fignify,, and did not think
ILdfl
MM
I |
IP I
.J • 1
i Tim.
( 39 ) ,
it cbncem'd them not, becaufe they -wanted Tele as of what
they underftood not •, Chrift Taught by Parables, Which were
yet tnyfi tries, till opened by him, aind to all but thofc to whom
he opened them. The Book we call the Revelation-, is ftill y-
fierious. This I urge, that the joyning thz my fiery p the Go,pel
with Revelation, may not be looked lipon as proof fumcient, it
is no longer Mifiery.
s. 2. There are particular Branches of Evangelical Truth,
to which the Spirit of God is plcafed peculiarly to apply myfiery^,
the firft Scripture of the New Teflament, in Which we nnd it
ufed, Wdtth.ii. ii. I referve for after confederation, w. w;%iof.2
my fieri es of the Kjngdom of Heaven ; fo of the my fiery oj o
and of the Father, and of ChriH ; Of Which I will give a further
Account in the clofe of the Difcourfe. The Mediatiorfhip o*
Chrift in the various Progreffes of it ro higheft Glory, 1 hall 1re-
main without ConlrovMtfy,the great mjifit/jof GodlineJsy till Its c
turn in Glory; wherein It is moft manifeft, as there are
fome Points very lndifputably, deeply myfienous, as God mam-
felled in F/elb, full fed in SpiritSo others more plain,
Yreached to the Gentiles, believed on in the IVdrLf that, as to t icir
out fide, were plain matters of Faft. Yetthefe, as well as the
others make up the great my fiery of Goahnejs■ ; ^111C
there is fome deep Reafon in the Eye of the Divine 5 pn it, w y
the Notion, and Word, myftery, fnould be applied to eacn truth .
of the Gofyel, though fome of thofc truths are more plain, than ^
others.- the Union betwixt Chrift and his Church* and o with 3?> .
every Believing Soul is, what will be till lie [
him/elf in every particular Member of it, aglouousUwicFyo ■
having fpot, orwrmcUe • which The hies the .\«pttalsKw.
of the' Lambs Wife,and the Marriage Supper oi the «
n-1 , , .f tL. Divine Win,and it is to be done in tnc -
filledthe myjteryoNthe Uiy , 0r of all Time, when ,
grand Oeconomy yj^ndbeibre which, it fell not be Fmjh- •
"fftffj • miker* till then, according to_the S'Cn'e of all
' ' I There are fome great Prophclicks 'df Scripture, asthfe
10.
Horn. 11. i
Ephef. 3. 3.
1 Cor. 15.<$
Rev. 1. 30.
10. 7.
vi Cor. 13.
2.
( 40) _ '0th
Fulnefs of the Gentile Churches, or their coming to a fuller Light 30^
after the Eclipfe of the Jpoftafy by Antichrift, together with their
x, whole number coming in, and making one Body with the Ifra-
elitesy or rather a Joynt Body ; The myftery fpoken of the Chung-
1* °f t^3e Living Saints at the coming of Chrift ; the myftery of - ^
the [even Stars, and feven Candlesticks, and the myftery of God Fi-
wffl
: wel
''If1
M
nijhed, of which, I fear," there are yet fo low Idea's in the general a is
ProfefTors of Chriftianity, that if ever they were myjteries, they
are fo (till; as particularly, to Inftance in that oi the Living
Saints Changed; which we generally look upon, as if it meant
no more, than the fuddennefs of a change equivalent to Death up-
on thofe Saints, who fhall be Found Alive at the Coming of Chrift;
which is fo far from a myftery, that it cannot beotherwiie; the 1 l'd{
Coming of Chrift being fo Inftantaneous , as Scripture every
where declares it ; which Allures, there lies a much deeper fenfe fe H
under thofe words ; as comparing them with The Living, The vrXc
Remaining, or rather, Re fervid, twice ufed, 1 7 heft 4. 1 ^ 17. ,;&[(!
will affure them, who ciofely confider it > But I think itunfea- *(a
fonable any further to engage herein } only to obferve the Im- itM
portance of the word Myftery, in Scripture, to be That
what it Reveals, as in the Sum and main Subitance, hath yet ii;
unconceivable Recedes, and Retirements of Truth ; which we
connot yet comprehend, or find Idem of, and yet what it doth
Reveal, is of great moment to us ; and ought to fill us with a ;r: y
defire of Fuller Comprehenfions of; as perfefrive of, not only of iy,}
our Underftandings, but makeing bleffed our whole Man. g Jc
4iui, asi
ifh
§. 3. There is yet remaining one ufemore the Scripture makes ftf
of the word, mtftery, in what, it doth not own, as myftery of, • "c
or from it felf ; but Blazons, as Counter-myfiery, to it felf; and jC
fo far as wefuppofe, the Holy Spirit transferred the ufe of the •
word myftery from Pagan Idolatrous Impurity ; it does in this
one Inftance Refund it, and place it on its own Bafe ; And this is
the myftery of Iniquity, of which the Apoftle fpeaks, 2 The]'. 2.
"4
on
7. r 1
And after-leads us to the Land of Shinar, as the Bafe of it, Ba- '.'Y'
by Ion the Great, on whofc Forehead was written great myftery Rev. ^
x 7.7. And herein Scripture on one fide teaches us the Senfe of my- 'P<<
fiery j that it fignifies Coverture, and Concealment} For tho ' 'lr
thefe two myfteries differ, as Heaven and Hell; for in one wc C"
lis1 ¥VC tnc ®eets. °f G°d; In the other are hid the deeps of
hii ough under the Name of a Catholick Churchy Antichrifiiantjm
,e y under the Name of Chriftianity; It teaches us therefore to Ab«
h hor, to Afcribc to Gofpel Myfiery, any of its Cheates, or Lyes ;
But chat this Mystery of Iniquity is not Confum'd but by the
f Breath of Chrifi^s Mouth, and the Glory of his appearance, It
y< fhews the Gofpel (hall continue My fiery, while this Qounter-my*
gent; flery is fufferr'd to Endure.
',^!l" §. But while we thus according to the Gofpel it felf fpeake of
it, as my fiery, and that the my fiery of Iniquity is 2. counter any fiery
J* to it ; we Exalt the Wifdom of it, as. the Glorious Gofpel of the
Bleffed God, only Wife, Jufi, and Right, the words of whofe Lips p , v ^
Me All tn Righteoufnefs, and there is nothing Froward, nor Perverfe x Sam.'
ore e,; in them; His mouth (peaketb Truth, Wickednefs is an abomination to 2 Pet. 1
;v"' his Lips. He is a God of Judgment ; and by him All things an ^ 1A'
weighed: Nothing of Jargon, or Chymere-, The Gofpel abhors Fa-c.
v }[> bles, either thofe cunningly devifed, tr Old Wives Fables, Endlefsgene* c- & 20.
ihtiir. alogies, oppofitions of Science falfiyfo calPd. All thefe are peculiar
,£ ^ to the my fiery of Iniquity, its Lyes and Delufions after the manner of
> oe I;. Satan, the Lyar from the beginning, and the Father of Lyes, the
e, hin Baalzebul, and Baalzebub, theG^of Dung, and of a Fly, but
wire p the myfteries of the Gofpel are all of greateft weight, fubfiance,
kite of Wifdom and Truth ; and hereof it gives affurance to all Be-
us wilt lievers, who are not Blind Devotionifts, but have All Riches of ^
notori the Full Affurance of Vnderfianding, even in the myfieries of theCoI°l* 2
Man. Gofpel, that are mofi fablime ; altho it be an Underftanding of
Faith, as hath been already, and fhall be further fhewn 5 yea,
rsrc E even thofe, who by the Affiftancesot its General Grace, apply
rnjJ themfelves with Humility, and fincere dcfires of its Truth to. the
felf- « Word of God, find great Sweetnefs, and. Satisfaction, and an
vfedi unufual Light arifeth in Oppolition to Darknefs; The Entrance of
KS in ithy Word 'givethLight, it giveth Vnderfianding to the ; no- Pj& »
Indite thing is more Abhor'd by it, than the Sacrifice
Ihtfi- Fools, the fillynefs of even Women, ever Learning, never able t
of it- i to the Kjioivledg of the Truth. All tliefe things are tobe remanded
tn. Rt to Pa -anifm, and Antichrifiiamfm, and are the Characters of the
fe'ofr my Herj'of Iniquity. Nor do the myfteries of Chriftianity confift
For m in dark and cloudy Speculations, or thorny Schvlaftts Difputes,
cue d G thofe
( 42 )
thofe oppofitionsof Science Falfely fo calPd. They arc rather theBold-
nelTcs of Reafon, that would bring down the of the Gof-
pel under it fclf, and the Artifice of Sathan fo to entangle them :
whereas in their own pure Fountain, the Word of God, They
nil. 3.16. are all profitable for Doctrine Reproof, Infraction in the trays of
Righttoufnefs, and that through the Patience and Comfort of the
11.15. 4. Scripture,we might have hope-,and they make often an outward
Reformation, where they have not the full faving Effect} Gofpel
myfteries are not therefore the Monopoly, or the Engroflrnent of a
12. Profefiion, or a Prieft-craft ; every Chriftian ought to Afpire to
or. 4. 1. be a Teacher ; and the f aithful Stewards of thefe myfteries, to ufe
utmoft Diligence, they may be fo , as the greateft Scale of their
s 20, i&. ownMiniitry; And woe to them, if they fhun to that end, to
1 ig. i declare fully the Counfel of God, Teaching every man, and Warning
. \i._ .13. every man • that they may prefent every man perfect in Chrift Jefus ;
Not Wells without Water, or Clouds without Rain. It is only for
Order and Government lake, and in Truft that this grand Office
maybe certainly Difcharged, that there is a diftinft Presbytery
who are only worthy of double, or of any Honour at all, but up-
Tim- 7.17. on their Labour in the Word, and Doctrine, and watching Night and
3. 1 <. Day, to fave themfehes, and thofe. that hear them : who might#-"
tend on this very thing, and give them he Ives wholly to Reading and Me-
dilation for general Profit. A Guild for myflery is only proper to
the Craftfmen of Diana, the Merchants of Babylon, the Priefts of
Antichnft; Falfe Apoftles, whofe Reproach thrown upon the
Gofpel, Their Lord will Return upon them, and the Blood of
Souls loft by their Unfaithfulnefs in the difcharge of their Du-
ty; and to conclude this Branch, Gofpel Myfteries (hall not be my-
jieries for ever, but the perfeft Comprehension of them is Ordain
ed for the Glory of Saints; and the Knowledg of them, tho not
perfeft here, yet fhall end in the brightnefs of the Firmament to all
the Wife in them;and They who InHruU in them fhall fhine as the
Stars ; whereas the myflery of Iniquity fliall be confumed by the
Bright nefs of the appearance of Chrift, and the Minijlets of it go in-
to Perdition • tbofe Planetory Stars are They, for whom is reserved
heC2.%. BUcknefs of Dark nefs for ever, Jud. 1
1,
§. 5. The Reafon therefore of fo clofe adhering to the word
and notion of myftery, is that high Reverence due to the very
( 43 )
195)
word, the wifdom of the Divine Spirit hath chofen, who compares
Spiritual things with Spiritual j> if Chriftians fhould /peak the fame/ f/,/
thing, as the Apoftle Admonifhes, who would not defire to fpeak
the fame word, the Spirit of God hath fo often ufed / This is an
Honour due to Scripture, and to the Holy Spirit the Author; but
beyond this, the Gofpel Notion of myfery Keeps up the Rever*
ence due to thefe great Truths, for the fake of that Abyffe of
Wifdom, Love and Grace, from whence they Flow, and puts us
in mind always of their Original, and that Riches of Compafli-
on, making known what had elfe for ever lay hid $ The fenfe
hereof keeps always low all proud Reflexions on our own Reafon,
and Holds in a conftant dependence upon the Enlightning Grace
of God ; This keeps the Divine Life at the due Elevation, be-
ing laid up in Divine myferies, and Ifluing from them by the En-
livening Spirit of God, not Proftrated to Fallen Reafon, and its
Power of Free Will, as at the Higheft, but a more exalted Ethics,
or Moral Philofophy. Hereby the Truths Revealed in the word
are kept fafe from Sacrilegious Violation, or being Condemned
at the Tribunal of corrupt Reafon, but Enthron'd in myftery far a-
bove reafon; this Gives the Adequate Account of miracles,not on-
ly to allure, the Revelations they Sealed, were from God s but
to fhew a Supernatural Power, like themfelves, ncceflary to En-
lighten the-Underftanding, and to Sanctify the whole Spirit in
conformity to them : This gives Reafon to an Earned Defire of
that Eternal Life andHappinefs, the Exceeding and Eternal weight
of Glory, {hewn to be Incomprehenfible, as the Truths in which
they arc contain'd, and that lead thereunto, and which cannot
be comprehended, till that finijbing of in that
Kjngdom. Now all thefe Reafons of Holding Fall the E-vange-
lick word, and Notion of myftery, are as fo many Countermines
to the Artifices of Sathan, and his Inltruments, to Deprive us of the ;
Real Benefits of it, and therefore we ought to be Jealous over •
them for our own, and others fake ; leaft, as the great Engineer
of falfe Reafon beguiled Eve with it, fo our minds fhould be Cor-
rupted front the Purity of Divine Truth, as It is Chrtfi.Rov thus "
Antifcripturifm and Superftition mutually circulating one into ano-
- * " ' C TJnfn-n P ^sfnn 3nrl TmQCTinnrinn iiotmnm-
2.V
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timation was before made,
&A
mm. .r.9
CW.
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I efc.
. 11
^ 1
ai.49.
;aJ. 78.
4.
2.
I
ftf# 1. I.
( 44 )
§. 6. To conclude then the whole concerning as above
R eafon^ that is, above our Fallen, Corrupted Reafon, That great
Oracle of our Lord, of which intimation was before made, gives
. usthefumof the matter; he fpeaking to his Difciples, faythto
them ; Unto you it ts given to know the myfteryes of the Kjngdom of
Heaven ; To others it is not given: This is the Firft occafion, the
Spirit of God was pleafed to take, to make ufe of the word, my-
jtery, in the New Teftament : and it was before the calling of the
Gentiles ; which gives a more Heauenlv, and Divine Defcent to
the ufe of the word myftery, than the taking it from the Familia-
rity the Gentiles had with it, and accommodating the Language of
the Gofpel to them ; For it alludes to that of the P falm.\ I will open
my mouth in a Parabley 1 will utter dark fiyings of Old. Jlnd it isap-
plied by Chrift to the diftinguifhing Grace of God, giving to fome
to know thefibmyjteries, and hiding them from others; To them it is
not given; which is the moft proper notion of myfiery inallLan-
guages; the word rnyjtery Importing in universal ufe, a Know-
ledg in any thing peculiar to fome, and not to othersand lo this
ufe of it by ourLord gives a principal Reafon why Scripture choofes
this word ; viz. to Magnify this very Grace; For if thefeTruths
were in our Power, underour Command, or under our Reafon
what neceffity were there of giving to know, and how to fome,
and not to others ? Who have yet the fame things laid before 'em,
but in feeing Jee not; even as the 'Parable of the Sower which our
Lord makes a Figure and Type of this diftinguifhing Grace:
It was equally Offered, but Expounded Apart xo the Difciples : To
thofe to whom It was not Expounded, it was ^/ft^becaufethey
had the outfide, but feeing and hearing, jaw not, heard not, to them It
was not given-fTo the Difciples, to whom it was Expounded,it was
ftill rnyjterious in one great fenfe, becaufe they held it by the Te-
nure of Grace * they did not attain by their Reafon, but to them it
wm given. The Ideas were kept for them in the word of the Kjw-
dom, and from thence ftill given them afrefh ; to him that hath
jhall be given, and he fhall hive more abundance : The Spirit of God
as a higher mind, as that Spirit of mfdom and Revelation, upholds
the Spirit of theMind, Sancfifyed and Renewed in the Underftand-
ing; Ballancing, Applying, Arguing, Inferring and Producing into
holy Action ; declaring within themfelves,and to others in words
and giving them an Utterance, an Elocution proper to thofe
V
\
r/ \ _
(41) 2.^6 j !
it things, thofe Truths } as he is called the Sprit giving utterance \ Ac's 2< 3*
k And thus in higheft Senfe, thofe Truths are myfterious^cvtti ac-
Teat C0,rdin§ t0 t^le ^en^e °f the Treatife, as being above Reafon ; For
L(< ah thofe, that attempt this Circuit by their own Reafony and
Judg and Condemn by it, and will have the whole within the
im Cognifance of their Reafon^vc fo Dazled and amaz'd, that even
T the Advantages of the Reafon, referved by general Grace, are
f k taken from them ; and they become defpifers, deniers, profeffed
T Enemies to thofe Truths, Tx' "i, men °f of $0UK that is,
not having the Spirit; and fo according to that fevere Doom, That
J is Taken from them , even which they bad; and what was above their
^ \ Reafon, thus becomes contrary to their Reafon. And this is the
^ conclufive Reafon, why the Underftanding, humble, Chriftian
' V can never part with myjtery, Gofpel-myfiery ; what is held in myjlery
1U^ is held by Grace, and not by Reafon ; and Grace is their Title ^
to onic ^ow t|ien {]10U}J they part with myjlery L
allLan- . '' •'
jj»| CHAP. VI. J
:ckts Of Reafon and Myftery united in their higheft ,
eTni in the £ternal Son of the Father ; The Reafon,The
Myftery.
iota, J '
;0l?clT T Have intimated before, 1 fhould have abandoned in Sacred DiF Jhc IntI°"
courfes, the fo much abufed word, Reafon , were it not not for t^s chapter. ;
^ one tranfeendent Scripture ; in which I am fully perfwaded, the
^ Divine Spirit hath on purpofe fingled out that word,the Philofophers, Joh.i.i.Cfr. 1
■ , I the Reputed Princes of the wifdom of the worlds amongthe Greeks j
r>m,> (whom the Apoftle Remarks for feeking after wifdom) have unver-
T' fally ExprelTed it by ;that is,Acyos,now of this the Ev.wgehft John
in Spirit makes choice to Exprefs the only begotten Son oj God, by ;
''I0'" and I fliall endeavour to make plain, by this word, he intends E-
P't ternd Wifdom,or Reafon in the firft place: andbecaufe this Sonfhip
utlid Qf th ^EternalWifdom or Reafon is higheft fame Apoftle
f&4 J o # x 2,1 ^. is InfpirM to joy n the Name, he hath writ ten,which no
pWi mm knowethfutHe himfelfwitb the Name whereby He is c ailed,TheRe/o-
^ [on of God. So uniting'Reafon and Myftery in him; as Solomon fays,
what is theName of God, and what is his Sons Name, if thou canfi \
■ordi, /e//?cl)e Father and the Son divell alike inthe Light,to which none an
irilt- ' ' ' H • Ap-
f ( 4a,
Jpp'oaeb. To fliew therefore how in the higheft Reafon the higheft
myjlery concenters, fliall be the undertaking of this chapter; that I Wn0
may bring Reafon and Myflery to the happieft Confpiratiori, and
; ho moredifpute between them ; I know the undertaking is high,
and difficult, but by the Affiftance of The Wzfdom, The Reafon, of P™
! whom I am to fpeak, I will proceed.
§. i . The Wife of the Pagan Nations had not two greater Noti- \ wo
ons, or Vv jrds, than Reafon and Myflery; the one expreffing Natti-
rdlWifdoin, or Religion; and the other as Communicated to their f4
peculiar Followers, or Difciples, and wrapped up in fecret Figures, ^4
6r Cabalas; Supernatural Wifdorn, and manifeftation from their rT
Gods; In both they were extreamly Foolifh,-and Deceived ; asal- )fe^
fo dreadfully Corrupted, and Defiled Thefe two, yet the wif- M
dom of God and his Grace in Jefus Chrift, hath laid hold upon in 1
the Gofpel, according to feme former delineations in the Old Ttft-
amenta yet taking in thofe Gentile Notions, and words alfo as
fuited to them, when Grace broke out upon them in their Calling ; kk
as hath been already fhown in myjlery, and now fhallbe in Reafon; M
and then both Applyed to our Lord and Saviour JefusChrift. aid
§. 2. That the word, 6 hlyos, is in our Tranfation given, and Mi;
Received, and by long ufe fettled [The word] is fo known, it ifelf,!
may feem a Eoldnefs to offer at fuch a change as to Interpret it, jsipelfj
1 - [The Reafon'] but befides, that Grave, and Learned Interpreters W\
have not differed much, as fhall be after fhewn 5 and that, there M
fhall alfo be due Reverence in the Progrefs, given to that Trah- Jfcjj
. fat ion [The Word] I do with greater Authority fo Expound,
Prov. g.a'. fuftain'd therein by a paralel of the Beloved Difciple with Solomon !A
C:c. the Jedidiah, or Beloved of God\ the Expreffions are Uniform, as
from the fame Spirit intending the fame Truth; yet making more Ufo
Full, and plain by the Latter, what was not fo fully made known ^jr
by the Former ; as the New Tefament in its Parrhe(ia} Plainnefs, [3j|
or opennefs of Speech, as in clearnefs of Light, excells The
Tefament.
§- That Wzfdom and Reafon differ only in found, or fome very T
thin Diftinftion one from another, I think none will deny ; who \
will not allow, the wifeftMan hath, and is the greateft Reafon ? ^
1 or that he who hath the moft, or beft Reafon, hath the moft wif- ;C
dom , and is the wifeft man ? The fame things then, that Solomon, jj,
afcribeth to Wtfdom, The Evangekfi John by the fame Spirit, at- u
tributes to the Reafon; The WiJ'dom fpeaks of it felf3as diftinft from !
; — God, *
,W,t \ \ Ut ) .
ana yet, as hath been fhewn, Supreme, Abftracl, Infinite wifdom, /
cannot be divided from God , It muft be one with him: The
Reafon is ipoken of by the Evangelist "John, as diftinft from God,
and yet was God; The wifdom fpeaks of it felf, as in the Beginnings
from Everlastings before the Creation; The Evangel ft John fpeaks
of The Reafon in the Beginning i and neceffarily before the Creati-
on, becaufe All things were made by him, and withcut him was not any
Thing made, that was made. The wifdom fpeaks of it felf, pojjejfed by
God, aofe by him, with him; The Reafon was with God, The \sme was
with God's The wifdom fpeaks of it felf, as brought up with God, &
wordt)f higheft Senfe, exprefling the fame Life ; The Reafon, as
before, was with God, was Gcd\ In him was Life j The Wifdom fpeaks
of it felf, as Tnited with God in the Creation, The Lord by wijdom
hounded the Earth ; By underjlanding he Efabhfhed the Heavens ; Prov> ^ ,
The wifdom was there, when he Jet a compafs on the Face of the Deep,
Of the Reafon it is laid as before, All Things were made by him ?
and without him was not any thing made, that was made : The Wifdom
* fpeaks it felt, as broughtjorth,fet up\ Of the Reafon It is faid ; we Be-
held his Glory, as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father, full of
Truth, that is, wifdom, as before Explained; The wifdom faith of
it felf, I was daily his delight, rejeyeing always before him : The
Gofpel faith feveral Times of the Reafon ; This is my Beloved Son,
In whom I am well pleafed. The Wifdom faith, Rejoycing in the Ha-
bit able Parts of his Earth, and my Delights were with the Sons of Men.
Qf the Reafon it is faid, He was made Elefh, and came, and dwelt a-
mong us\ all thefe Paralellifms plainly fhew; this Wifdom, and this
Reafcn are the fame ; And He is That Word, who is faid
to be Living, Powerful, fharper than a two edged Sword, &c. Heb. 4-
And that awful Perfon, That He, with whom we have to do, as he
hath it, and it cometh out of his Mouth, fo it is the Suw^with two
Edges fo fharp as to divide between the Senfe and Spirit, and all things
are immediately open and manifefl and naked in its fight, becaufe in
his fight, whofe word it is, and who is himfelf, the fupreme word
and wifdom.
4. The word of God, asfpoken, and written, and given out
from Eternal Wifdcm and Reafon,gives together with thofetruths,
•that are above the Illumination of the Fir ft Creation, and there-
fore M feries, All thofe Truths, that are fo juft, and level to the
Intellectual Mature of Man, as he was made in Kjwwledg, Righte-
cufnefs and True Holinefs; that cho they are much obfeur'd, and
; J " effacd
I (44 .
effacM, and many of them loft, and the Ability to Form Idea's
and Apprehenfions of them infome almoft, and in fome alto-
gether extinguifhed; Yet partly by the Referve, Jefus Chrift,
as the Eternal Wifdom, and the Son of the Father in Love and Gracey
i as well,as Truth,and asthe Redeemer hath made ; and partly by
the Enforcing,and Invigorating that Light,Thofe Truths cannot,
but be acknowledged by the Mind, and Confcience of Man ; fo
far as to condemn the Violation of them by EvilPractifes, and to
Reftrain thofe Evil PraHifes, and to make better Human Conver-
fation, and Manners: Therefore they appear abfolutely neceffary
for Human Society, and to pafs into Laws ; but that excellent
and Illuftrious Light in which they at firft flioneout, fo as that
the Mind and Spirit fhould taft the full fweetnefs, and perfe&ly
refign to them, is not Reftored, but by a Supernatural Re-Illu-
mination, and Renovation; in which regard even thofe Truths^
whofe Implantation, and the Power of Forming Ideas of them,
were at the firft Natural, are now become Supernatural and my fie-
rious, and require anew Writing in the Heart, as to the firft Ex-
cellencyand Spirituality of them.
$. 5. The Eternal Wifdom, Reafon and Word by the Light, and
Spiritjwith which they are given, gives Teftimony to thofe truths
of the Firft Creation in the Heart of Man, fo far as they are rer
ferved,fuftained, enforced, according to the Firft Implantation or
Writing in the Heart; and then it receives Teftimony from them
to thofe fupernatural Truths, that it delivers together with them.-,
As Letters he it is that Finds out the Kjiowledg of witty Inventions 5 All
wing, print*that we admire fo much, and that have obtained general Appro-
bation, and Ufe s and make fo honourable the memory of the
firft Inventors in what .Science,or Art foever, are from him, as
the Supreme Original: In allthefe we hold our Reafon by Him,
who is above our Reafon, even him, who hath that Name, which none*
knows but he himfelf; who is therefore Supreme Myfiery^ we hold all
by Grace from him, how unthankful then is it to hold upour
Reafon againft the Grace, againft him by whom we hold
it ? or againft the Myfiery of Him, and His Grace? For there
is not an Idea rightly Formed, nor one true Ratiocination
not one witty Invention for good ufe} not one Righteous Law'
or wife Decree 5 but it is,(as things are now,)by Grace through
the Mediator, and from him, as the Saviour thus far of All Men,
H and
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( 45 )
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and in thefe Regards, Tafting Death for every Man ; but though
the W or Id was at firfi made by him, and is yet upheld ; yet this
great L:g ht Shi net h by his word inDarknefs^and theDarknefs comprehends
it not, knows not him from whom it comes:No,not altho theFirft
Engravings of the Law on our Hearts are fo far, as they are, Re-
ferv'd, or Re-enlightened by him ; and tho with fuch a variety,
and free Difpofeto fome, and not to others \ Yet i hey to whom
greateft meafures are given, except a higher Grace be given alfo ,
thro' the great Degeneracies of Human Nature,lift up thoie high-
er meafures of R ea/on, highdt again ft him ; which plainly fhtws
how little Re a; on can tffcCt by itieif in things ahpve fuch an 11! u-
ruination, as is given to it. -
f. 6. As our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Eternal Wifdom and Reafon
of the Father is,as in all Intellectual Beings, Reafon is, an Ellen-
tial word within the mind it felf; and as he Declares the Father by
Infpirations of Creation, and Mediatory Suftcntations of all In-
tellectual Beings in their Intellectual Irradiations, and Motions^
fo he in a Supreme Government, and, Conduct by his Spirit, hath
Ifiued out into all thole Declarations by his Prophets, Jpoftles and
other Servants of his, peculiarly Employed by him, which when
fpoken, and as now Collected into Scripture, we call the word of
God s the fubfiftence to w hich the Eternal Wifdom and Word of the
Father gives; Chrijiytflrrday, to day, the fame for ever. And as he
is in that word, the lupreme Self fubfiftent Word, fo he hath
made known ail Supernatural Truths, Truths of the New Crea-
tion, and flowing from Redemption by his Declarative Word in
the Scriptures; the fame, word that gives the firft, gives the other
alfo ; and the very Truthsthemieivesoi that Supernatural Eleva-
tion and Excellency jhav&brigbt Beams of thoie firft truths, effenti-
ally united 4diherri, throughput fhining within them, Spark-
ling out of Them, and round about Them ; by which they
may be known to be of God, and are by their Weight, by
their rarity, by their Heavenlynefs, by their entire Excellency
Di tinguifhable from the Myfterj of Imraity: Thus we find the
Gofpel of Chrift,; asSupernatural Truths, fo full of what m t
eve is Lovely, Trnp P&ftj Fertuous5 of Good Report, worthy of
pr ;y . even whole, univerfal moft unfpotted Morality ; and the
Si . •-natural Trudr themielves are ()rient with the fame, far eve-
rv way above the Traded, B'afted, Withered Ideas, or glozed Sem-
"id bi inces of thofe,who have fpoken moft Excellingly of them with-
I out
J
(^)
out that Light; And herein is thtCondemndtion^H men receive not
fupernatural Truths,They Recoile,not from the Supernaturalnefs ,
but fromthevery Holinefs,Strictnefs,Purity,they aredazled with;
even that, which was Implanted in Firft Creation ; They Love
Darknefs, rather than Light, becaufe their Deeds are Evil ^ and
make a pretence of Prejudice againft the Supernaturalnefs, and
that they have not Affurance fuch Truths are from God, to fihelter
the Evil Works, to which they adhere, and upon which thefe
Truths Shine fo warm and:bright, and fo fharply Reproove ; And
thus the Gofpel of Chrift firft gives Teftimony to all Implanted
Truth, fhewing to Man all that was written in his Heart; fills up
the Vacuities, and Empty Spaces; gives new Light, and Beauty
to theDefaced, and loft Gharafters s fo that men may know in
their own Confidences,It is that Firft writing Reftor'd, and they
find it fo undeniably within themfelves to be fo, that they cannot
deny it: And then Supernatural Truths fo elfentially united to
Implanted, and Both fo Circulating one within another , Superna-
tural Truths Receive Teftimony frcm thofe Implanted* Truths,
that if the one are fo undoubtedly from God, the other muft be
alfo.; and no one can rejeft revealed Truth, but he muft firft dif-
obey, and Rebel againft Natural, and therein is Juflly and Righ-
teoufly Condemned.
§. 7. Upon the whole then, we may from Jefus Chrift the Su-
p. erne Reafon, Wifdom, and Word of God, and the Supreme Myfiery
derive this Train, and connexion of Truths. 1 That Godlinefs,
Righteoufnefs and Sobernefs, being in the moft inward Senfe of
Mans mind, the principal Points of truq Reafon\ where ever they
are found at fulleft Dimenfions andftrongeft Excellency, Thre is
higheft Reafonnow, in the cleareft Light, and Harmony, and the
proper Language of it; Thefe are fo found in the word of God,
above the to y\Z-^y the Natural Implanted Knowledg of God,
now fo obfcur'd, and ecclipfed by mans fin, and Fall; and above -
that excellent Light Creation Gives, as David, Pfal. 19. upon the
compare gives the preference to the word of God above the
Knowledg given from the Speech of Heaven and Earth. 2. Who
ever therefore is the Author of that Word is the Supreme Wif-
dom, Reafon and Word of God; and that is Jefus Chrijl the Son of
the Father in Truth y Full of Truth ; the Living Word of God, whole
Name is called, The wordof God* g. That he, who is the Su-
ij?r erne Re a/on ? Wifdom, Truth and word of God} as He is He bv whom
m
ill
r ( 47 )
Jf Wis fo He is He, by whom all isConferved, and Reftor-
J 1 he Son of the Father in Love, as well as I ruth, and full of
Grace, as well as Truth. 4. He therefore, as lie is himfelf Supreme
Myftery,and is therefore called Faith, which is the Rcafon Superna-(
turalized for Myftery ; fo he Reveals the Myftery of xhcCounfel of
the Independent Will and Grace of the Father. 5. He Referves
and Continues all the Light of the Firft Illumination by Cre-
ation, that is found, even where there is no Knowledg ct Him;
All the Learning in Arts,Sciences, and witty Inventions s He Dif-
penfes All that Light, and Knowledg, Receiving for, and giving
Gifts even to the Rebellious, under the Profefllon of his Gofpel,
that the Lord God way have a Tabernacle among them, 6. But Efpe-
daily, He as the Truth,and MyfteryInftrufts Savingly all his own
Servants, and by inward Light,and Truth communicated to them,
TransferSjby hisSpirit,from his wordSupernatural with ailNatural
Truths into their Hearts ; fo that they are at once, The only true
Men of Reafon, and th cMyftn, ther^o/, the In ft rubied in the My-
steries of the K^ingdom of Heaven : So that as in Chrift himfelf
Supreme Wifdom, Reafon, Truth, and Supreme Mystery, (whom
none Kjioweth but the Father, and they to whom the hat her Reveals
Hini) Reafon, and Myftery are United; fo in All true Chriftians
Reafon, and Myftery dwell together; All Natural and Supernatu-
ral Truth according to Godlinefs, but Supernaturally given, and
Communicated by an Illumination after the manner of the Com-
munication of Myftery. 7. Through the Delufion of Sathan un-
der the Vizor of Chriftianity hath fprungup by falling from the
Supreme Word of God, and the True Myftery, the myftery of Ini-
quity, and Jntichrift the Son of Perdition \ as the Pagans of old*
Fell Irom Natural Truth, into Idolatry.
§. 8. But becaufe He, who is the Supreme VJifdom, Reafon,
Truth, and by whom all things were made, and whofc Name is
the word oj God, hath a Title written on his vefture, and en his
Thigh• KJng of Kjngs,andLord of Lords', There fhall be a Kingdom
of Higheft Illumination,and Reafon, the Inheritance of the Saints in
Light, a Kingdom of Redemption, the World to come of
Adam, wherein all myftery, Natural and Supernatural fhall be
Finilhed, or fully laid Open, and Underftood; and then the my-
tleryoi Into my fball be wholly Deftroyed-, when not only the
Faculties of the Mind fhall be Perfectly Reftored by Renovation
but the Organs of the Spiritual Body, fitted to the Aftion of the
I 2 Spirit;
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Spirit; and the Divine Being fhall be feen in the Eternal Son, Em-
manuel, in our Nature, fo far as it is poflible for a Finite Being to
comprehend an Infinite ; to which alfo in and by him Saints fhall
be United.
§. p. Thus all Wifdom, Reafon and Truth circulates with it
fell in the Eternal Reafon, and all his Oeconomy in his making
the World; in the Government of it ; in the Referves of Truth
and Rcafon in the mind of Man in anyDegree now;in the perfect
Purity of the Word ofGod;andin thzlYorld to come,ovKingdom of
the Eternal Reafon and word of God ; fo that we may Argue from
the one to the other with great A flu ranee; If there be W ildom in
the Laws of. Creation, and Providence there are certainly Laws
of Holinefs, Righteoufnefs and Sobernefs, every way correfpond-
ing them;the FearoftheLord in man;Departure from Evil cannot
but anfwer the Ballancmg the Clouds, and the weights for the wind.
Sec. If we have any fuch Laws of Wifdom, and Equity in ei-
ther Kind, there is an entire Syftem and Complex of Each, if
an Infraftion had not been made by Sin. On the other part
if there be a Renovation of the. Laws of inward and outward
Holinefs, in and by the Redemption of Chrift, and the New Crea-
tion in-his Redeemed; The Reft i tut ion of the Creation, wherein fo-
ever it Groses, and Travels in Pain until now, and the Adrni*
rriftration of its Government fhall be as Glorious ; when it fhall
he Deliveredfrom the Bondage of vanity .ana corruption, whereunto
;c' it was, and yet is Subjeft, by Reafon of him who fo Subletted
it in Hope, into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God.
C .10. As every Rcafon and IVtfdom, together with the Speech
and Expreflion, it hath, and makes of it felf, hath a certain £-
tterp and Force, or Spirit, that it powerfully fends forth and
works on others by * fo it is Attributed to the Eternal wifdom, Rea-
$3. fan and word of God to Powre out his Spirit, to fend the Paraclet or
f Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father fends in the Sons
' Name, who is called the Spirit of by whom the.
world was made, the Spirit of W of The Spirit of
the Son, TheSpirit\f Chriftand which was given upon the Glo-
30. |. rfcation of Chrift, the Spirit of Chrift. in the Prophets, and whom
11 Scripture Introduces on all Accounts, as the Spirit Breathing in
and with the DeclaredFIWof God ; and Revealing the Mjfteries
v
•f;
ii-.: srats'.
C 49 ) V
°f the Kingdom of Heaven, that cannot otherwife be knwon ;
and yet this Spirit none can know but they who have it ; Thus in L),n l7
all things appears the Happy Union of Rtafon and My ft cry in the
Supreme R eft on and Myftery and Word,
CHAP- VII.
Of the ,4/y fiery of the Father, The Word, The Spirit,
In whom the Go/pel gives the moji Explicate^ and Con-
fur/mate Mam feft at ion of Eternal Wifdom and Rea-
ion..
T" HE former Farts of this Difcourfe concerningReafon and Theintrd
S Myftery hath neceffarily led to the dirtincf confideration ofduaion>
God',The Lather oj Lights and of Spirits; All Beings of Reafon de-
fcending from Him.Of The Son of the Father in Truth,'viz. The
Eternal wijdcm and Reafon ; and in Love; The Word declaring
the Fat her-.Full of Grace, Full of Truth;. Of The Sfir it of wifdom ^ of
Holinefs, of Power } The Spirit giving Utterance ; The Fat her y,
the77 W,(whoisthe67w,)and the Spirit are plainly Allured to us
in Scripture to be OAT : Herein is higheft Myftery ; as a con-
ciufion therefore of this Difcourfe, Let us in very Brief confi- •
der them fo ; and the rather, becaufe One cannot but fufpeft,
This 'James and fambres Treatifiy Chriftianity not my fterto us,
was defigned to Rcftft this great Truth ; The Difcourfes of
which, however keeping clofe to Scripture, it Stiles/. 25. Extra-
c vagancies about the Trinity ; and that Period, pag. 29. Savors
c ftronsly of the fame' Leven r But what do they mean by
Confining with themfelves, yet not with our common No-
c tions ? Four may be called Five in Heaven, but fo only the
t Name is chang'd ; the thing remains the fame: And fincein
c this World, we cannot know any thing, but by our com-
mon Notions ; How fhall we be fure of this Pretended con-
* fiflency between our prefent feeming Contradictions, and the
Theo-
>2 Tim. 3. $
9
( 5° f
4 Theology of the World to come ?
this great point, let us con Oder.
In Anfwer hereunto in
lb. 4. 8.
11 6
2.
i. It is certain, an intellectual Spirit cannot be made fuch,
But that the Infinite, Intellectual Object, and molt Intelli-
gible-GOD; mult needs be feen in his great Glory, and Attri-
butesof Perfection by it: But he cannot yet be found out to Per-
feci ion, but {till dwells in that Light, ro which no one can Approach,
both in regard of Infinity, and Infinite Holinefs and Spiritual!-
ty; foasto Charge purcft Created Beings with Folly; to put no
Tru/l in the Holyejl of his Servants ; and the Stars arc not pure in
his fight : The m9ft Bleffed of Created Spirits cover not only their
Feet, but their Faces, and call their Crowns before him : Even
thofe who are not Defirmamented ; nor 7rk<xv£mc, wan-
fet. 3 17. dring Stars. Who have not Left their firjl Eflate, nor forfaken
ia '' I3* their own Habitation ; They dare not ftand on theirlntelleclual,
or Moral Accomplifhments : How much lefs they who dwell in
Houfes of Clay, whof 'e Foundation is in the Dujl, who are but
worms. The Author of theTreatife we are upon, acknowledges,
we have not Adequate conceptions of the Divine Being, and yet dc-
nies Myfiery, becaufe not above Reafon s not confidering, That
wc muft now by Faith, that Intellectual Grace of the ATew
Creation, and of Divine Illumination, and therefore neceifarily
above the Reafon of the Firft Creation, if entire; much more,
as fallen, come to God ; Believing, He is, and is a Rewarder of
them, who Diligently feek him : That is ; To know him in the
Mediator, and in the Light of his Divine Spirit, according to
the Revelation of his Word.
6 2 This Revelation of Scripture is fo clear and full through-
out especially the New Teflament, that it cannot be Denied:
There are fo many, and fo diftincT Nammgs of them both a-
Lvt and together : The Father, The Word (who is the Son) The
Spirit • They are fo Diftinguifhed One from the Other , and
vet their Union one to another,is molt IUuftnpufly.made known;
as in this one Inftance; the Spirit is Soled,The Spent who proceeds
from the Father, whom the Father fends tn the Son, Nor,.* ■ Now
the Father, as he is the Father, cannot be the Son, SO the 6ptnt
is'ftiled, The Spirit, whom the Son fends from the ; .
c.i 6*
ru
Iran
m
f 51 ) •I9"
fit who Glorifies Chriff ; 7 he Spirit oj the Son, 1 he Spirit of Chrijl •
And we know, The Son cannot be The Father, as he is the Son ;
when therefore,as theApoft!eExprefiyAffirms,The^/r/> is thcOne
and the Self Same Spirit 5 and he is continually ftiled, the Spirit of>
God, whom moft of the Adverfaries acknowiedg one with God, as
the Spirit of a man is one with himfelf; and that yet the Spirit is
the Spirit of the Father, and of the SonItis abfolute Scripture De-
monftration, that the Father, the Son, the Spirit are^both moftdi-
ftinft, and yet moft truly, The One true God a Their Attributes are
Diftinft to Each, and yet the fame Divine Perfections fhine out
alike in All; Their Acts of Love and Grace in the Salvation of man,
are fo diftinft, and yet proper only to the One Eternal Being, as the
Eountain of them ~ That they, from whom thofe Emanations are,
cannot but be underftood, as Diftinct, and yet but One. Theac-
knowledgments, and Returns, that are called for from, and made
by Redeemed Saints, unto the Father, the Son, the Spirit, arefuch
as can only be Required by the moft High God to himfelf, nor
without Horrible, and Abominable Idolatry yeilded to any other :
The Gofpel is fo Abundant in all thefe, and makes this manifefta-
tion of God fo principal an end, and fcope of all its Difcourfes,and
places fo much its Glory in it, as in what it molt defignsto declare;
That if we own it to be a Revelation from God, it is as great an In-
jury either to reject or to interpret it contrary to it felf herein; (be- -
caufe our fhort and corrupt Reafon cannot allow it) as to impute
any monftrous Thing rolt: For it muft be fuppofed either to Re- -
vealfome fuch Portent as cannot be Believed; or that it knows fo
little how to exprefsit felf,that wherein it fpeaks, as fully as plain*
ly, without a Figure, as conftantly as may be,it muft yet be over- -
rul'd by Interpretation, and Taught to Speak; or elie it would
fpeak fo, as to > un men into Idolatry, and Blafphemy againft the •
One true God.
X 5. If then the Father, the Word, the Spirit be a Revelation of
the Divine Being to us from it felf; we dare not but Acknowiedg
it Infinite Wifd om and Reafon, becaufe we acknowiedg the Divine
Bcin^ tobefo; and becaufe the very Titles, and Eifential Attri-
butes of each are fo/heFather of Lights is he,with whom is no t artat ion
or (hadow of turning; the Eternal Wifdom, Reand Word the Son is
he in whom is Light, the true Light' the Truth : The Spirit is the Spi-
■ ■' of Truths Wifdom, of Holinefs; and becaufe from them is the
a! nududion into All Wifdom, and Truth; Every Good and
' Perfetf /
Perfect Gift comes from the Father; The Son is, the true Light,
the Light of Mm ; the Spirit leads into all Truth*
f* 4. Yet is this great Truth of the Ineffable Union, and Com-
munion, and yet Diilinftion.Profoundefl: Myjhrn in Regard of the
Revelation of lucha Deep of God--, the Imperfect Knowledg we
have of it ; and the neceffity of Divine Illumination, andSanfti-
hcation unto Adoration, Love, Service, Obedience of Faith, fuit-
able to it.
§. 5. Yet it is not to be Reproached, as Jargon, or the Chjmera of
Tranfuhftantiation, or other Antichrifiian Falfhoods; For the Saints \ ln)
and Servants of this great Truth have a full affurance in it, tho a
My fiery, and whereas it feems to encounter the Unity of the Divine ffitll £
Being, or the Notion we have of One and Three-, Faith Enlightned
1
j
SIR,
1ST,
force
by the Divine Spirit fees fo many more great Principles of Truth
and Holynefs Centring in it,that itconfiders we are no more able to
Judgof Unity in Him, (whois All, andnotapoor, (ingle Unite,)
than a Child is able to know, an Unite is the Beginning and Foun-
tain of Number; nor according to our Low Arithmetic, to judgof
the Application of Three to the Father, the Son, and the Spirit the £(glfci
One God; fo Supreme, Glorious, Bxmoov'd from All Approach of Suua
Created Being ; than a Child can work by the Rule of Three; Only <*'k
we know in him, it mult be Perfeftion of Being, and Operation.
And as Abraham, in the Sacrificing Ifaac, was taught to over-
ballance that Natural Principle of Parental Affection, and even of
Hcb. 11.
18.
Oracle; In Ifaac (ball thy feed be Called-, by that therein more Para-
mount'Light of" Faith"; God was able to bun from the Dead,
from whence he Received him in a I igure .■ So are tiuc Believers by
that great Light of Faith enabled in thofe fo Refplendent Beams
of Revelation before mention'd,to Adore the One God in the Fa-
3 belli
rtitfe
isaaHc
Mo the
T'vi vfi iB 1)10 llK
iher thcSon and the Spirit; tho they underfand and (peat: but as
Children j and fee through a Glafs Darkly, till they come to fee Face to iw
a *
acr.
ukc 10. 12
' ifol. T T 0
Tim. 1.
lace ; and to know, <#> they are known, or fhall be then made to know, c r
and if there are thofe Soas of Anak in Reafon, as theyfeemto ^
themfelves, that cannot receive ir, we Adore with the "Son of the
lather in our Nature ; 1 thank thee. Oh lather, Lord of Heaven,
and Earth ; that thou hafi hid thefe Things from the Wife, and Pru-
# dent, and hafi Revealed them to Babes ; evenfo Father, for fo it feemed
good in thy fight. Lord open thou our Eyes, that rve may behold the
Tq. Wonders of the Myfiler ies of the 1 ruth. Now to the King, hnmor-
i7- td, Invtfible, the only wife God,be Glory for Ever.
FINIS.
ft .
And
ktct
tf 5®
a xb
. ... -- - - -i
A
It
a
J
ETTER
V
In POSTSCRIPT
T O T H E
Author of the Treatile on his Second Edition,
with Enlargements, and the Addition of His Name.
S I R,
tej "JUST, as the very laftof the preceding Difcourfe was Print-
ing off, your Second Edition came to my Hand with your
Name prefixed ; which to me, makes no Alteration ; it be-
ing the Name of a Perfon wholly unknown to me; nor do I de-
fire (as I laid at firft) to make any Enquiry ; For, be it never fo
Great, it can add no weight to the main importance of the De-
bate, which is a purfuit after Truth } nor can any fuppofable
Diminution(tho I fuppofe none; Abate the Intrinfic value of Any
Argument: I leave that therefore to its Juft value with any,
that know it; The Regard,and Deference,The Ecok may leem
to have Right to, on the Account of a Second Edition* in my
Judgment, depends wholly on the Sterlyn worth of the Dif-
courfeitfelf a For if thatbeMaffy, and of the Alloy of Truths
it is an Honour tothofe, who have fo great aGuft of it, as well
as to the Difcourfe, that fo well Deferves; If That, being on fo
High a Point, have not juft Merit, it is only a Character of the
Degeneracy, and Irreligion, as well, -as the Infipience of the
Many of the Age; Leaving therefore thofe things that have no
Intereft in the prefent concern, Iconie to what is more material.
And in the firft place, I would, with all due modefty Remon-
fixate to you the method, I have obferv'd in order to the Anfwer
of your Treatife a which hath not been I confefs,to Follow you,
as they fay , srocAas, or Paragraph by Paragraph ; that I
might avoid any fmall infignificant Remarks, and the Tediouf-
nefsConfequent thereupon; as alfo, becaufe there are many Ten-
K aencies
f 54 ) . ; -
dencics of your Diffeitation, that I exceedingly concur with you
in; As the Deteltation of whatever comes near, or hath any
Allyance with the Myftery of Iniquity, or what you call Pr ft
Craft, and Secular Xotereft in the Miniftry of the Gofpel; what—
ever fhelters Ignorance, or Sloth, or Covers Implicit Faith and
Blind Obedience in the Profeffors of Chriftianity : All that fpeaks
Humbleft Adorations of the Divine Majelty, and gives Glory
to the Gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and to the Supreme
Light of it; and the True Reafon Flowing from Him, the So-
vpreignReafon,fm and throughout, I molt Humbly joyn in $
Tho I acknowledg there is great Reafon of Caution when the
Deflgnation of Gofpel-Truth is not Univerfal, and Uniform;
Leaf! there be an Advantage given to the Prince of Darknefs or
any of his Artifices, becaufe of fomeFlafhesof an Angel of Light
from Him : Or a bidding good Speed to thofe, who Bring not
this Doltriner,. viz. of I he Son oj God, as the Apoftle. ftiles it«
& John* 10. Laftly , I have not been Minute in the Pro-
fecutions of your \ eriods, becaufe there are many things, that
fly off from the Principal Matter; And it isof no concernment to*
what is Principal in myEye, whether they are one way, or other/
I have therefore made it my Aim, and I hope, it hath been my
Bufinefs toDifcover (as I may fay) the Foundation to the very
Neck. And in thefe Things I have Efpscially placed my main
intention, and my Argumentation.
i. To uphold the Honour, Glory and Authority of the Stile
of the New Teft anient in the word, My Aery: Fitted by it felf to
its own Revelations ; and that it may not be waved or re-
moved from upon any Forreign Suggeftions ^ nor particularly on
that very weakone^ pardon me, info plainly Expreffing it; that
becaufe it Names the Myftery of Iniquity, and that on the Fore~
head of Babylon, there was written, Myjtery; 1 Note, that My-
£ ftery is made the Diftinguifhing mark of the Falfe or Anti-
& chriftian Church ; and therefore; that as Far, as any Church-
' allows of Mjfterit.y, To far it isAnti chriftian, and may with a
' great deal of Juftice5 tho little Honour, claim Kindred with
' the S car let Whore: If this be not the Argument of one Driven
to Shifts 1 know not whatis ! Who muft not of neceffity infer
if-the once , mentioning the Myftery of Iniquity, and once more'
Myjtery on the Forehead of Babylon, can befofuppofed to the Dif*
advantage, and Difhonour of Myftery, the fo often Recording it
v for
for the Honour of the Gofpel, and of the Doftrines of* it muft not
be much more to the Glory of the Wor A and Things My fiery? and
that the other Naming of it, was not indeed to the difbonour of
it, but of that Iniquity only, to which it is Joyncd: And further,
Is it not plain ? That the My fiery of Iniquity, is a Counter Myfiery
to the My fiery of Godlintfs? And that the Counter Mystery were
nothing, if the Grand Myfiery, did not fuper-Exift to it; Even as
Antichrifi is to Chrijf and Antichrifiiamfm is to Chrifiianifin ; fo
is the Mystery of Iniquity, to the Myfiery of GodlineJ's; Antichri-
fiiamjm hath not fo much as a fhaddow of Appearance without
that great Subftance, Chrifiinnity\ nor Antichr ifi without, 1 heCbrifi\
the Former infers the Latter ; and it might be as well faid, Chri-
flianity is a Note of a Falfe Church, becaufe Antichriftianifm hath
any Allyanceof Sound, or fo much, as that found implies of Re-
lation to it ; or that it were the Note of a Falfe Chnfi; That
Antichrtfi hath the laft Syllable of his Name from Chnfi, as that
the myfiery of Godhnefs is fo, becaufe the myfiery of Iniquity is out
of all doubt the mark of the Falfe Church. Whereas indeed, the
dark fide of the Pillar in Each, is a demonftration of the other
fide full of Light, and Glory,- This therefore could no way de«
ferve to be among the Enlargements of the Second Edition
which ought to b§ upon Refinement of Thoughts ; and yet it is
found, p. 107. of the Second Edition. •
2. I have been fo zealous of mystery, Icafl: any of the Great
Doctrines of the Gofpel fhould be Clandeftinely Withdrawn un-
der the Pretenfion of Chrifiianity not myfterious ; that is, If Rex-
(on, as it is now fo Fallen, Co rupted, and even Detruncated (but
as Reifodd by theSupreme Reafon) cannot pleafe it felf in any of
the great Truths of the Gofpel, It fhould be Rejected ; and
herein I have efpecial Regard to that great Doftrine of the Fa-
ther, the Word, (who is the only Begotten Son of the Father) the
Spirit, Who are One, The One God; and to the Redemption of
jefus Chtift by the Sacrifice Offered by the Eternal Spirit. As I
have at more full debated in the Anfwer. *
3. I have efpecially defired, that the Scripture Word, and No-
tion of Myfiery may be Confidered, as it flhews the neceffity
Dependence upon the Divine Grace, upon die conftant Super-
intendency of the Spirit of Wifdom and Revelation; For that be-
incr always in the Hearts of his Servants a Sfir it of Wifdom and
Revelation, Enlightning them into the great Truths of the Gcf-
( 5^ )
pel • they mult according, even to the Acknowledgment of the
Author be Myjtery, becauie a continual Internal Revelation is ne«
ceftary not only to the Firft Reception, but to the ProgreiTipn of
j£htiftiahs;their*rowing in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jejus Chnji : Which great conHderation I would moll
Humbly, and yet mofi Affe&ionately Recommend to the Author,
with All his Favourers; That feeing they feem to Re-due fomuch
to Sacred Oracles, They would with all ferioufnefs confider thefe
great Words, Grace, Free-Grace, Gifts from above, Witdom from the
Father of Lights, and Exchange that fo Admired Word,
it is now, or as Human, for that Adorable word, Grace ; that
they would Attently Contemplate the Cenfure of the Holy Spi-
ritinhis Word upon all Human Intellectuals, till there be a R*-
novation in the Spirit of the mind; and this would moll eafily
Conciliate to Them the True Scripture-Notion of My fiery: Ana
feeing the Author hath Promifed an Undeceiving of thofewhom
he fuppofes Deceived, concerning the Illumination, andEfficacf
ous Operation of the Divine Spirit; I dcfire of Him to have a
Particular Regard herein to my felf, how Triflng or AbfurM an
Adverfary foever I may appear to him ; And that he would do it
in the meeknefs of the Spirit of Chriftianity, reipeCting only
the Subftance, and Merits of the Point,and of what 1 have laid ; I
find nothing further in the Enlargements of the Second Edition,
that I have not confidered in the An fiver to the Firft; and there-
fore befeeching the conducts of the Spirit of Truthinto All Truth;
and that the Greater Proportions of Reafon, or Intelleftuals, and
Elocution, the Author, or any of his Friends have ;the morethey
may afcribe, and dedicate thernfelves to the Supreme Reafon and
his Grace, This fhall be the Prayer of,
SIR,
In All Truly Chriftian Offices,
Your Friend and Servant, -
r. b. *
Pardon fome fmaller miftakcs, particularly, P. i. Margin, read&xmoc
<frtxKoyi<;u&j 1. ult. iyy<>p. 14 after Egypt, putin to. P. 16.1. 23,
before Affirm % put in whereof they. P« 46. r. ywov«
:■
■HHi i i a mm B £ 8 -> • i—
ww—wi1 iinniwimi win nil ■ iiiw imiaaniwiwrr1 nit—^iitiin i hi m i mm nmvt linn iw n
I