The Growth of Error, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The firſt Particular, inſtanced in as an Occaſion of Error, is a Prejudice againſt Goſpel Doctrines, becauſe of their Myſteriouſneſs. The unreaſonableneſs of this Prejudice diſcovered.
THE firſt thing I ſhall obſerve, which for the moſt part runs through all the reſt, their foreign, the chief Ground and Reaſon of their many Miſtakes and Errors, is the Prejudices they have conceived againſt the Myſteriouſneſs of our Holy Religion, which is founded on a grand Maxim, they have fixed as the Rule and Standard by which they…ll try what is Truth, and what is Error: It's this, Nothing is to be receiv'd into our Religion, as true, but what we have an Adequate and Comprehenſive Idea of.
When therefore, in our Syſtems, they meet with what tranſcends their underſtandings, they reject it as Falſe, Abſurd and Ridiculous.
This was the way of the Remonſtrants, touching the Doctrine of particular Election, Reprobation, Irreſiſtible Grace, &c. And of the Socinians, about Chriſt's ſatisfaction; the Incarnation of the Son of God; the Bleſſed Trinity, &c. And of the Deiſt againſt all reveal'd Religion; who by a Late Ingenious Author, in the Account he gives of the growth of Deiſm, is brought in, (ſaying) Many Doctrines are made neceſſary to Salvation,pag. 20 which 'tis impoſſible to believe, becauſe they are in their Nature Abſurdities. I replyed (ſaith the Author) That theſe things were Myſteries, and ſo above our Ʋnderſtandings. But he asked me, to what end could an Ʋnintelligible Doctrine be revealed? Not to inſtruct, but to puzzle, and amuſe. What can be the effect of an Ʋnintelligble Myſtery upon our minds, but only Amuſement? That which is only above Reaſon, muſt be above a Rational Belief; and muſt I be ſaved by an Irrational Belief? If a propoſition be inconſiſtent with its ſelf, I cannot but believe it to be falſe.
But what doth this ſignifie leſs, than that whatever tranſcends our Underſtandings, and is above our Reaſon, is an Abſurdity, an Unintelligible Doctrine, fit only to puzzle and amuſe, and the belief thereof Irrational; ſo that, if they can't frame an Adequate Idea, or comprehend the whole of what their thoughts are converſant about; if they can't reduce every thing to their own Preconceived order, and know it to perfection, it cannot in their opinion be true, but muſt, you ſee, be rejected as Abſurd, Falſe, and Irrational.
Though nothing more manifeſt and clear, than that the moſt enlarged Create Mind is Finite, Confin'd and Limited, and that there is a Being whoſe Eſſence and Perfections are Boundleſs, Unconfin'd, Incomprehenſible, and paſt finding out; and that it's impoſſible, and a contradiction to ſuppoſe a Finite Mind, able to comprehend what is Incomprehenſible, or to get to the uttermoſt Bounds and Limits of what is Boundleſs, and Unlimitable; yet with theſe Men the notion of a Deity, if we aſſign unto it Infinite Perfections, though eſſential thereunto, muſt be rejected, that is, they will believe nothing of God, unleſs they may take him to be ſuch another as themſelves, or themſelves ſuch as He is, as to the extent of his Being; nor muſt any things be received into our Religion as true, that ſpeak of his Tranſcendency, but muſt be eſteemed as falſe and irrational, which amounts to thus much, nothing in theſe matters muſt be believ'd to be true, but what is impoſſible to be ſo.
However, to an unbyaſſed mind, its moſt evident that there is a God, with whom are the Secrets of Wiſdom,Job 11.7. whoſe Being by ſearching cannot be found out, and who cannot be known to Perfection? And that the Life of true Religion lyeth in the knowledge of this God; and ſeeing an Adequate Knowledge, which is the ſame with a knowing to Perfection, is impoſſible, and yet there can be no true Religion without ſome knowledge of God; the inference is Manifeſt, Natural and Eaſie, viz. That we may attain to a knowledge of God according to Truth, tho' we can't have an Adequate and Comprehenſive knowledge of him, and that it's not ſufficient to ſay, we can't comprehend it, therefore not true.
The moſt Momentous parts then of true Religion, being about the Perfections of God; ſuch as his Holineſs, his Juſtice, as diſtinct from his Goodneſs and Mercy, together with the unchangeableneſs of his Being, and the like, muſt be above our Reaſon too, and yet may be true: The ſame may be ſaid of the Bleſſed Trinity and Incarnation of the Son of God; which are not more Tranſcendent and Incomprehenſible than what we find to be ſaid of the Eſſential Perfections of his Nature; nor is there any thing more difficult, and inſcrutable in what is reveal'd about the Eternal Decrees, and the Modes of Divine Operation, than there is in the Doctrine of the Trinity, or Divine Attributes, and therefore our belief of them equally Rational.
Well then, if the points in Controverſie between us are all reduced to one, or other of theſe heads, as really they are, for either to the Glorious Attributes, Perſonalities, Decrees or Modes of Divine Operations; the Doctrine of the Trinity, the Incarnation of the Son, the neceſſity of a proper ſatisfaction to Juſtice, and thoſe other points about Election, Reprobation, Irreſiſtible Grace, are reducible; a rejecting theſe Doctrines, becauſe there is ſomewhat in them, exceeding the utmoſt extent of our Knowledge, and Unſearchable; or, which is the ſame becauſe there is ſomewhat Myſterious in them, muſt be upon a reaſon, that neceſſarily obliges us to caſt off the Belief of a Deity.
Beſides, the Grand Maxim of thoſe Gentlemen, who pretend ſo much to Reaſon, being, as I have already noted, this; that nothing is to be received into our Religion as true, but what we can Comprehend; a ſpice of the firſt ſin muſt be at the bottom, as the cauſe of all their Errors; namely, an ambition to be like unto God, in his eſſential Perfections; which, in good earneſt, is the import of this Maxim; for it's impoſſible for them to know God to Perfection, unleſs the extent of their Underſtandings bears a proportion to his Perfections: So that in the iſſue, they cannot fairly deny the myſteries of our Holy Religion; but on a Topick, whereby they make themſelves equal with God.
Thus you ſee, that by oppoſing our Holy Religion, for the ſake of the Myſteries there are in it; they are driven either to the denyal of a God, or to the making themſelves Gods; either of which is, of all Abſurdities, the moſt vile and groſs.
But to follow the Deiſt in his way of Arguing: He makes a Myſtery to be an unintelligible Doctrine, that can only puzzle and amuſe, becauſe in it there is ſomewhat above our Reaſon; whereas it's very clear, that the Doctrine may have ſomewhat unſearchable in it, and yet be intelligible enough; thus when it's ſaid Man's underſtanding is Finite, but God's is Infinite, I clearly and diſtinctly enough perceive the meaning hereof, and have as good reaſon to believe God's to be Infinite, as I have that Man's is Finite; and tho' there is ſomewhat included in Infinity, that is above my Reaſon, yet the Revelation, which ſaith, that the Divine Underſtanding is Infinite, and unſearchable, is to inſtruct, and not to puzzle or amuſe.
Once more, ſeeing God, whoſe Perfections are Infinite, in creating all things, hath left ſuch impreſſes of his Infinity on the things Created, that the profoundeſt Philoſopher, in his Cloſeſt ſearches into their Nature, ſees enough to conclude, there is ſomewhat in them, unſearchable, and paſt finding out, which to me is an uncontroulable Argument, that an Infinitely wiſe Agent is their Maker: Even ſo, when I read the Holy Scriptures, look into the Doctrines therein contained, there are ſuch clear and diſtinct Revelations of ſundry Glorious Myſteries, touching infinite Wiſdom, and the other Divine perfections, that I cannot but with ſtrongeſt Aſſurances conclude, that God is their Author too.
An Anti-Trinitarian, in a Letter to the Clergy of both Ʋniverſities, pag. 33.concerning the Trinity, and the Athanaſian Creed, doth, I confeſs, hope to extricate himſelf out of this difficulty; by diſtinguiſhing between the things themſelves and the manner of them; affirming, that the things themſelves, that is, God's Eternity, Infinity, Omnipreſence, are intelligible, but the manner of them is impoſſible to be apprehended. The Idea's (ſaith he) we have of God's Eternity, Infinity, Omnipreſence, Omniſcience, and all that we are required to believe concerning them, are ſo clear and diſtinct, that an ordinary Capacity apprehends what we mean, when we ſay, God is Eternal, Infinite, Omniſcient, Omnipreſent, though theſe things themſelves are intelligible, yet the manner of them is impoſſible to be apprehended, and as we are now framed, we are not capable of having it revealed to us; and none but a blind Metaphyſician, who pretends to know all things, but really knows nothing, would be ſo vain, as to attempt to explain the manner of God's Omnipreſence, or his Omniſcience. It is no wonder there are inſuperable difficulties about the manner of things of this Nature, when there are as great difficulties in apprehending the manner of Nature's Operating in the moſt common things, which things none disbelieveth, becauſe he does not apprehend how they are done. Who disbelievth there is ſuch a Creature as Man, though he does not know how he was formed? But it is quite otherwiſe when we cannot apprehend the things themſelves, there is then an abſolute impoſſibility of believing them.
A perfect Idea of the things themſelves, that is, of Eternity, Infinity, &c. (he ſaith) we may have, but not of the manner; whereas if the Reaſon, why we can't have a perfect Idea of the manner of Infinity, Eternity, &c.. can be no other, than what makes it as impoſſible to have an Adequate Idea of Infinity, Eternity, &c. the things themſelves; it cannot be more poſſible to apprehend Eternity, than the manner of it. And it's manifeſt that the difficulty of apprehending the manner, ariſes from its Infinity, we cannot have a perfect Idea of the manner of Eternity, becauſe of the Infinity is in it; and as we can't comprehend how God is Eternal, neither can we have a perfect Idea of Eternity. It's true, the Doctrine of Eternity, Omniſcience, &c. is intelligible, we know what we mean when we diſcourſe of Eternity, &c. But then muſt add, that we mean by Eternity ſomewhat with reſpect to duration that exceeds the Bounds of the moſt enlarged Create underſtanding, of which we cannot have a perfect Idea.
This Diſtinction then between the things themſelves, and their manner is in this Caſe inſufficient to ſolve the difficulty; for there is as much of Infinity in the things themſelves, as is in their manner, and therefore equally above our Reaſon; and the impoſſibility to frame a perfect Idea of either, is the ſame. The Nature of God, is as unſearchable, as his ways are paſt finding out.
Beſides, if we apply this diſtinction to the Doctrine of the Trinity, it muſt be acknowledged, that the Idea we have of a Perſon in the Bleſſed Trinity, is as Intelligible as any one of the Divine Attributes; and that the difficulty, in Controverſie is about the manner how three perſons can be in the unity of Eſſence, not in the things themſelves. A Trinity of Perſons is as intelligible, as a Variety of Attributes, and the manner of Conciliating a variety of Attributes, with abſolute ſimplicity, is as impoſſible as the conciliating a Trinity of Perſons with Unity of Eſſence.
The Error, therefore of theſe Men, lyeth in their inſinuating that it's not impoſſible to have a perfect Idea of Eternity, Infinity, Omniſcience, &c. the things themſelves, but of their manner, when as the one and the other is equally impoſſible, and that touching the Trinity, the Controverſie is not about the manner, but the thing it ſelf; and yet nothing more evident than the thing it ſelf, to wit, the Trinity hath nothing more inſuperable in it, than a variety of Attributes, and that in reality the objections are in this Caſe raiſed from the manner of the thing, not from the thing it ſelf: It is about how it can be, not what it is.
Another therefore is more bold, averting, that he can comprehend Infinity, and whatever is truly predicated of God; but not being able to comprehend the Trinity, it cannot be true; whereby his own underſtanding is not only made the meaſure of Divine Truths; but according to what I have already ſuggeſted, he himſelf made equal with God, or the Infinite God made ſuch another as himſelf.
When I read, that great is the Myſtery of Godlineſs; 1. Tim. 3.16.God manifeſt in the Fleſh; juſtified in the Spirit, ſeen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up into Glory. Prov. 8.22. to 31.And when I reflect on thoſe Sacred Texts, which ſpeak of the Eternal Generation of the Son; his being in the Boſome of the Father from everlaſting; his Revealing the Father to Us clearly, that we with open Face beholding, Mat. 11.27. 2 Cor. 3.18. 1 Cor. 13.12.as in a Glaſs the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image from Glory unto Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord: And now tho' we ſee but through a Glaſs darkly, yet ſhall we hereafter ſee face to face. I ſay, when I meditate on theſe Parts of the Holy Revelation, whilſt I am convinc'd, that theſe and ſuch like Texts, ſpeak of things Myſterious, and Ʋnſearchable, paſt finding out; yet am I hereby inſtructed to believe and hope, that though the Saints ſhall never know the Almighty to Perfection, yet ſhall they be raiſed to a clearer, and more diſtinct knowledge of thoſe now unconceiveable, as well as ineffable Glories.
And when I read in the Writings of ſome Men, who, in Reaſoning about other things, are ſtrong and nervous, yet weak and feeble in their arguings againſt the profound Myſteries of Chriſt's Goſpel; I cannot but clearly perceive a Truth in thoſe words of the Apoſtle,; the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are Fooliſhneſs unto him,1 Cor. 2.14. neither can he know them becauſe they are Spiritually diſcerned, for which reaſon theſe Men are rather to be pityed than envyed; prayed for, than Reviled; that,2 Tim. 2.25. if 'twould pleaſe the Lord they might come to the acknowledgment of the Truth, and ſee how great their Folly was, in making their Confin'd Underſtandings, the meaſure of all Knowledge, which undoubtedly is done by them that reject all things as Abſurd and Falſe, which are above, or beyond their Reaſon.
But the Deiſt adds, 'Twas once to ſerve a Turn againſt the Papiſts, that our Church held all Doctrines neceſſary to ſave Souls, were plainly Revealed in Scripture. How could you ſay plainly revealed, unleſs you underſtood the Revelation?
And why to ſerve a Turn, and that once 'twas ſo, as if we had now forſaken our Principles, and profeſs'd to believe unintelligible Revelations, whereas 'tis our conſtant Judgment, that the Doctrines neceſſary to Salvation are not dark and obſcure, but Clear, Evident, and Perſpicuous, that what is not clearly delivered in the Scripture, is not of indiſpenſible Neceſſity to be Known and Believed, and Conſiſtently aſſert, that the Myſteries our Adverſaries reject, are clearly revealed. The Revelation is very Plain, Clear, and Open; though the things Reveal'd are Myſterious, Inſcrutable, and paſt finding out: And yet theſe Myſterious Points are in themſelves Great, Glorious, True and Evident; and only becauſe our Underſtandings are Finite, Weak and Feeble, are we unable to comprehend them. This Truth is by a Learned Divine thus Illuſtrated. We can ſee other things by the Light of the Sun, better than we can ſee the Sun it ſelf; not becauſe the Sun is leſs viſible and diſcernable in it ſelf, but becauſe our Viſive Faculty is too weak to bear its Reſplendent Light.
The Deiſts miſtake therefore, (into which the Socinian hath led him) is complicated, and lyeth in a Confounding the Revelation with the thing Revealed, and in a Perſwaſion, that becauſe the Myſtery is paſt out Knowing to Perfection, therefore not in it ſelf Evident, Clear, or Knowable: And if not to be fully known by vain Mortals, it cannot, he thinks, be true, but muſt be Falſe, Abſurd and Irrational: And thus, according to the Scripture-Revelation, being Puff'd up in his fleſhly Mind, Col. 2.1….intrudes into thoſe things, which he hath not ſeen; and, contrary to the Apoſtolical Prohibition, thinks of himſelf more highly than he ought to think;Rom. 12.3. is reſolved to penetrate into the Secrets of the Almighty, to make his own miſtaken; fanciful, and narrow Underſtanding the Meaſure, Rule, and Standard of Truth; and like a Man, who is ſo weak as to imagine his viſive Faculty able to bear the Reſplendent Light of the Sun, looks on it till his Eyes are ſo Dazled, that he cannot rightly judge of Colours; even to the Preſuming Deiſt and Ami-Trinitariants, who think they can look into the Deep things of God, and Comprehend the Divine Perfections, are overcome by the Glory of Divine Myſteries, their Minds darkened, and they plunged into the Depths of Error; and thus, in a Meaſure, 'tis with others that have Erred from the Truth.