A Preservative Against Deism, Preface
THE PREFACE.
THOƲGH refined and inquiſitive Men have aimed at a perfect Comprehenſion of All things; yet the Experience of every Age doth convince us, that the Author of Nature hath ſet Bounds to our Knowledge as well as our Beings; There is a certain Meaſure of Ʋnderſtanding as well as of bodily Stature which we cannot exceed; and though in both there is a mighty difference, yet there are many Points which are too high for us, and above the reach of the moſt Elevated Minds. There's none of them, but what an Ingenious Man would be glad to have cleared up; but yet moſt of them are of a Speculative Nature, the Knowledge whereof would be of very little Ʋſe and Service, and therefore we may ſafely ſit down in a quiet and contented Ignorance. There is an Obſcurity on the Face of Light; and though it manifeſts all other Objects, yet its Self is in a great meaſure hidden from us. But were we perfect Maſters of the Philoſophy of it, whether it be a Subſtance or an Accident, Fire, or the Preſſure of the moſt ſubtil Matter, how it ſo ſwiftly ſpreads, and ſtrikes our Eyes, it would be no help to the Traveller in his Way, or the Labouring Man for the quicker diſpatch of his Work.
Did a Man throughly underſtand the Cauſe of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea, and could he demonſtrate it to proceed from the Motion either of the Sun or Earth, or the Preſſure of the Moon; could he dive as deep into that Secret as ſome do into the vaſt Ocean, he would not enrich himſelf by the one as Men do by the other. Could the Mariner reaſon ever ſo exactly about the Nature of the Wind, open the ſecret Treaſures whence it comes, and point out the inviſible Places whither it retreats, and aſſign the Natural Cauſes of its giddy and uncertain Motions; he could not gather it in his Sails with greater Advantage, nor the ſooner reach his deſired Haven.
But there are ſome Points of another Nature, the Ignorance whereof will unavoidably create great Perplexity of Mind in any Conſidering Man. Of theſe I ſhall pitch upon Two, which are of Common Concern to all, and of the greateſt Importance of any that can be mentioned, viz. The Pardon of Sin while we are in this World, and our Future State when we leave it, and paſs into the next. And in treating on both of them, I ſhall compare Reaſon and Revelation, ſet one againſt the other; and endeavour to demonſtrate, againſt the Deiſts of the preſent Age, That if we have no other Guide than the Former, we muſt needs be at a dreadful Loſs, and remain covered with the Shadow of Death; Pſal. 44.19.but if we follow the Later, we ſhall have ſuch a clear and ſatisfactory Account of both of them, as will be comfortable as the Light of Life unto our Souls.John 8.12.