Vindication of the Truth of the Christian Religion, Religious treatise · Section 4 · Subsection 8
VIII. Portraiture of the Chriſtian Religion, as it is conſider'd in its Myſteries.
THe Myſteries God has revealed unto us in his Word, are like the cloudy Pillar which led the Children of Iſrael through the Wilderneſs. For like that, they are clear on one ſide, but dark and obſcure on the other.
If we contemplate them on the brighter ſide, they appear great, ſublime, and conformable to the Nature of things, worthy of God, and cloſely united to the moſt inviolable Principles both of our Heart and Underſtanding.
Their Greatneſs and Sublimity cauſed ſuch an Admiration in thoſe Perſons, who had the Honour to divulge them to the World, as they could not poſſibly conceal. For ſometimes they are forced to declare that they are things which Eye has not ſeen, nor Ear heard, neither have entred into the Heart of Man, 1 Cor. 2. 9. An Expreſſion which is as natural as full of Energy, and clearly demonſtrates what great Ideas they had of them. Another while they expreſs themſelves after this manner, and without controverſy, great is the Myſtery of Godlineſs: God was manifeſt in the Fleſh, juſtified in the Spirit, &c. 1 Tim. 3. 16. And again, Coloſ. 2. 3. they call them the Treaſures of Wiſdom, and ſeem to be continually at a loſs to find out Expreſſions worthy the Majeſty of them.
And theſe Objects are infinitely raiſed above our Senſes, ſcarce ſeem to have any probability, are altogether repugnant to the Ideas of the Heathens, and carnal Notions of the Jews; are above any Conjecture of Men, and conſequently Objects worthy of God himſelf. For they glorify him after an excellent manner; and clearly reveal unto us his Greatneſs and Majeſty, either in the Gifts he confers upon Men, or the Sublimity of thoſe Duties he preſcribes them to follow, or the Excellency of the Reward he propoſes to them, or the uſe of thoſe means whereby he leads them to it. Compare the Notions of Chriſtianity with thoſe of other Religions, and you'll be convinc'd of this Truth. But 'tis not ſufficient that thoſe Myſteries ſeem to us far above the Capacity of Men, who could never have invented them, and worthy the Majeſty of God, who alone was able to reveal them to us. We may alſo further add, that the Principles of Reaſon and Natural Religion exactly fall in with them.
For they are not like the idle Tales and Fictions of the Poets, which the Heart of Man formerly ſo eagerly embraced, when at the ſame time their Reaſon condemned them for it. The Creation of Heaven and Earth by an Almighty Being, the Redemption of the World by a Mediatour, the expiatory Sacrifice of Chriſt, the Communion of Saints, the Reſurrection of the Dead, the Remiſſion of Sins and life Everlaſting, are all Objects equally reaſonable, ſublime and full of Majeſty, and the Denial of them will take away the improvement of the Light of Reaſon by the cleareſt Revelation, and deſtroy the very Nature of the Supream Being.
What would become then of the Wiſdom of God? Would it ſuffer Men to be wholly taken up by ſuch ends as are contrary to the deſign of their Creation? Would God permit Irregularities and Confuſions to reign in publick Societies, and never compoſe them; whilſt at the ſame time he eſtabliſhes a firm Union, and as it were a Society amongſt irrational Creatures? If ſo, what would then ſignify thoſe Principles of Morality, and that natural Law which he has written in our Hearts? Wherefore ſhould he make ſo many things for the good and preſervation of Man, that were not the End he was deſigned for? What would become of the Juſtice of God? And what would be the Truth of the inward ſenſe of Conſcience? What would be the Puniſhment reſerved for the Wicked, and the Reward which attends the Juſt? What would become of our Soul, ſince Reaſon has taught us, that the thinking Principle within us, is diſtinct from Matter, and that the Soul depends not upon any Diſſolution of the Parts of Matter? Whence is it that this Soul has Notions of its Immortality? What uſe would there be of Equity and Juſtice? Why might not Men rather give themſelves up to Vice, which would then be wholly preferrable before Virtue?
Who then will refuſe to acknowledge ſuch Principles to be in themſelves lawful and reaſonable, without which there is nothing but Confuſion and Diſorder in publick Society, Darkneſs and Incertainty in the Mind; nothing but Errour and Illuſion in the Conſcience and natural Law of Reaſon; nothing but Prejudice and Miſery in the practice of Virtue; and if things are ſo, then alſo the Goodneſs, Wiſdom, and Juſtice of God are at an end, thoſe excellent Attributes which had ſo clearly proved to us the Truth of his Exiſtence.
Theſe are not the Speculations of contemplative Men, or the Niceties of School-men; but certain Truths that ſlow from the nature of things, and in an excellent manner agree with the ultimate End of Man. But how clear ſoever the one ſide of theſe Myſteries may be, they are very obſcure on the other; not that they have, or can contain any thing that is repugnant to ſound and unprejudiced Reaſon; but 'tis becauſe they cannot be fathomed by our ſhallow Underſtanding, and that tis neither ſecure nor allowable, or even poſſible for any man to ſearch into the Depth of them.
Now, tho' it be not abſolutely neceſſary for us to enquire, why God was pleaſed not to explicate all Difficulties in his Myſteries, and tho' it be ſufficient only to alledge that ſuch was his Will and the Decrees of his Wiſdom, yet we muſt not neglect to illuſtrate and interpret them as far as Scripture and Reaſon will permit.
Every body knows the Difference between Sight and Faith. Sight admits of no Difficulty; but Faith is intermixed both with Light and Darkneſs; both their Objects being very different from one another. For we do not ſee what we believe, and properly ſpeaking, we do not believe that which we ſee.
To ſee, is to perceive by ones ſelf; but to believe is to perceive by another Mans Eyes. Sight is twofold, that of the Senſe, which perceives thoſe Objects only that are ſuitable to its nature; and that of the Ʋnderstanding, when it judges of the nature of things by its own proper Light. Faith alſo is twofold, Humane and Divine. The firſt, is that Perſuaſion we have of ſacred Myſteries, grounded upon the Teſtimony of Men; and the other, that which is eſtabliſhed upon the Teſtimony of God. So that after what has been thus premiſed, 'tis an eaſy matter to underſtand the meaning of the Apoſtle, who tells us, that the Will of God is that we ſhould walk by faith and not by ſight, that is, we muſt lay aſide our Reaſon, and follow only the Light of Revelation, and receive thoſe Truths which promiſe us Salvation on the Teſtimony of God alone.
Nevertheleſs, 'tis eaſy to perceive how great a Repugnance we have to it, in as much as the Pleaſure of God in not giving us Myſteries without Difficulties, reſtrains the roving Speculations of our Minds. It humbles the proud Reaſon of Man, and robs him of the Priviledge of a full Inſight into matters, which yet infinitely concern him. When we ſhould renounce the World, which is preſent to our Eyes, we would fain ſee thoſe Objects Religion has put in the other Scale to overbalance it; but tis not the Pleaſure of God we ſhould, and we muſt reſt content to believe thoſe Objects which make us thus renounce that which we actually ſee. And ſhould they be never ſo agreeable to the Principles of Common Senſe, yet Faith, and not Reaſon ought chiefly to induce us to receive them. Now the ſame Principle that ſets the Heart at variance with the Law that impoſes on it the neceſſity of acting after that manner, the ſame Principle, I ſay, makes Reaſon oppoſe Revelation, which lays upon it an invincible Neceſſity of believing what it cannot comprehend.
'Tis certain however, that this Command of God is very conformable to the nature of things, very ſuitable to our preſent Condition, neceſſary to our Sanctification, and uſeful for the advancement of Gods Glory. We muſt not think it ſtrange that the Diſpenſation of Faith ſhould preceed that of Sight, ſince we daily obſerve Darkneſs to preceed Light, by a natural Order, and that we are Children before we come to be Men. Both Experience and Reaſon tell us, that our Knowledge is very imperfect in this Life, wherein the Soul is as it were preſſed down by the Clog of the Body, that we may walk more ſecure by the help of the Light of Nature. And thoſe Heathens who attempted to go beyoud it, wandred blindly about, and loſt their Way.
There are two ſorts of Irregularities in Man, which produce all his other Diſorders, Pride, and Ʋoluptuouſneſs. The latter of which ſprings up in the moſt inferiour part of the Soul, and is chiefly produced by the Senſes: But Pride is properly a Defect of the Mind. As therefore there has not been found hitherto a better Remedy againſt Voluptuouſneſs, than that of afflicting the Senſes, by denying them thoſe Pleaſures they ſo earneſtly thirſt after; ſo it does not appear there has been as yet a better means thought of, to remove the Pride of the Mind, than to humble it, by reſtraining thoſe Speculations of Knowledge, which puff it up beyond meaſure, and mortify it by requiring it to ſacrifice all its weak Conjectures and vain Reaſonings to Faith.
And indeed this Sacrifice of our ſelves is deſervedly owing to God, ſince there is as much Reaſon for ſubmitting our Willby our Obedience to his Laws, as there is for ſubjecting our Mind to him by Faith. For by the former of theſe acts, we own him for our Lord that has a Right to command us; and by the latter, we readily confeſs his Veracity, and that we need not fear being impoſed upon, when we receive thoſe things he commands us to obſerve.
Thus Man, who had loſt himſelf in his Deſire of infinite Knowledge, is bound in ſome meaſure to expiate his Crime in not deſiring to know any thing by himſelf. He had attempted to get as clear a Knowledge of all things as God himſelf; But now he refuſes to know any thing but from God.
He was blind whilſt he walked in the Light of Nature, but now he muſt ſee clear in the Darkneſs of the Diſpenſation of Faith. For after that, in the Wiſdom of God, the World by Wiſdom knew not God, it pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſs of preaching to ſave them that believe, 1 Cor. 1. 21.
'Tis certain, ſhould God familiarly and frequently Reveal himſelf unto Men by ſenſible and continued Miracles, we ſhould then walk by Sight and not by Faith; and 'tis true alſo, that if the Objects of Revelation were not in ſome ſort obſcure, there would be no Endeavours, no Difficulty, no Sacrifice of Reaſon made to believe them.
The Difficulties that Myſteries are attended with, have almoſt the ſame Influence over our Ʋnderſtanding, as Afflictions have upon our Heart: For as theſe bring the latter in ſubjection, ſo the others ſerve to try the Conſtancy of the former. And ſince God Almighty was pleaſed to encreaſe our Patience by two different ſorts of Sufferings, the one, which he himſelf inflicts immediately upon us; and the other he permits worldly minded and ſinful Men to inflict upon us; ſo in like manner he was pleaſed to exerciſe our Faith by two different ſorts of Difficulties, ſome whereof ſpring immediately from God himſelf, and others proceed from the very Heart and Ʋnderſtanding of Men.
For we muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt that Obſcurity with reſpect to the Myſteries which proceed from God, and that which proceeds from the Ʋnderſtanding of Men. The firſt is either neceſſary, as all thoſe Difficulties which ariſe from the eſſential Diſproportion between infinite Objects, ſuch as thoſe of Revelation, and a finite Underſtanding, like ours; or elſe voluntary, and ſo enter into the very Plan and Deſign of Religion it ſelf.
And theſe again may be diſtinguiſhed according to that Diverſity which in our manner of conceiving things, we are obliged to ſuppoſe in the Perfections of God himſelf; There being ſome which proceed from the Council of his Wiſdom; others from that of his Justice; others from that of his Majeſty; and laſtly, from that of his Goodneſs and Mercy.
Thus Divine Wiſdom was pleaſed to intermix ſome ſort of Darkneſs amidſt the moſt expreſs Prophecies we have, leſt that too clear an Evidence of them, ſhould deſtroy their Event. To this Principle alſo muſt we refer all thoſe Shadows, Types, Parabolical Repreſentations, that mixture of ſenſible Objects with ſpiritual Benefits, that of the State of the Church with the State of Iſrael according to the fleſh; and generally all thoſe other means, which the Holy Ghoſt made uſe of, partly to cover thoſe Events he has declared to Men many Ages before their Completion.
God drew a Veil over the moſt eſſential Truths of the Old Teſtament, ſuch as the Immortality of the Soul, the Trinity, the Redemption of Mankind, &c. that a diſtinct Revelation from all theſe Objects, might be an undeniable Character of the Meſſias; and that his Diſciples might boldly affirm, that Life was manifeſted in Jeſus Chriſt, that Grace had appeared unto all Men. For no Man hath ſeen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him, John 1. 18. To this Wiſdom of God alſo muſt be referred that Conduct of the Holy Ghoſt, in inſpiring the Patriarchs, thereby to reveal a better life to them, and make them cry out upon their Death-beds, Lord I have waited for thy Salvation; but withal giving them but a faint Proſpect of that Object, by ſuch obſcure Thoughts and dark Notions as they were not able of themſelves to ſolve; deferring to give a more perfect Knowledge of his Myſteries till that Time which he had ſet apart for the fulfilling of his Oracles, and the Manifeſtation of him, that was to be the Author and End of Chriſtian Religion. For this cauſe therefore there is hardly mention made of any thing elſe in the Writings of Moſes, but of temporal Promiſes and Threatnings; and hence it was duplicate page duplicate page that Jeſus Christ himſelf, when diſputing againſt the Sadducees, proved the Reſurrection of the dead but by Conſequence only.
Divine Wiſdom was alſo pleaſed that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould be born in Obſcurity and Humiliation, that thoſe mean outward Appearances being offenſive to the prejudice of carnal and worldly minded Jews, they might as it were by chance give occaſion to the execution of thoſe things, which the Council of God had determined. And this is one of the principal cauſes of his Poverty and Humiliation; of the Meanneſs of his Birth, and the Ʋnworthineſs of his firſt Profeſſion; the choice of his Diſciples, &c.
The Juſtice of God acting in concert with his Wiſdom, obliges him to ſpeak to all prophane Contemners of his Myſteries in an obſcure Language, and ſo as it were to conceal thoſe Pearls from them, leſt like unclean Beaſts they ſhould trample them under their Feet. And this may very well ſerve for a Reaſon of the denial which Chriſt formerly made to the Unbelievers of thoſe Times, of ſignalizing his Power among them, and of the great care he often took to conceal his Miracles from them. For this cauſe therefore ſpoke he ſometimes in Parables to Strangers; but he always very clearly expreſt himſelf to his Diſciples, giving them to underſtand the meaning of thoſe Parables, and telling them, that as for them they had the Priviledge of ſeeing all things openly.
Neither does his Majeſty ſuffer him to reveal himſelf as familiarly to the ſinful Man, as he would to the innocent. This we ought not to wonder at, ſince Men themſelves are wont ſo to deal with one another. There is nothing more common than for Great Men to baniſh their Preſence thoſe who have incurr'd their Diſpleaſure. To think it then ſtrange if God conceals himſelf from a Sinner, would be to entertain a more unworthy Idea of his Majeſty, than that of an Earthly Monarch. This was the Reaſon why God took ſuch care to conceal himſelf, even when he deſign'd to manifeſt his Glory. And for this Cauſe he ſhewed himſelf only in Viſions and Dreams, or when hidden in the Cloud and Ark, or covered with ſome other Veil. On this account alſo he was wont to baniſh from his Preſence all thoſe as were defiled in their Bodies, and order the Prieſts of the Sanctuary to purifie themſelves. He commanded too the People to waſh their Garments, when he gave them notice, that within three Days he would come down to them; nothing but an external and corporeal Purity being ſufficient to qualify thoſe that were to approach the Deity manifeſted under corporeal Symbols. But Chriſt fulfilling in the Spirit every thing hidden in the Letter of the Law, teaches us that thoſe only ſhall ſee God, who ſhall be found pure in Heart; ſo that we have no reaſon to wonder, if when Man, by reaſon of his Guilt hides himſelf from God, the Almighty withdraws the Influence of his Glorious Majeſty from Man.
Laſtly, The Goodneſs and Mercy of God overſhadows Revelation with ſome ſort of Darkneſs, to exerciſe our Faith and keep up our Minds in Vigour, which alſo would grow ſluggiſh, if not ſtirred up by ſuch Difficulties as are proper to Myſteries; as alſo to humble our proud and haughty Reaſon, which is immediately puffed up with its own Knowledge; to make us ſubmit our Underſtandings to him, ſince we ought to believe any Truths, tho incredible, if he reveals them; as alſo to ſway our Hearts and Affections, which ought readily to embrace any ſorrowful and mortifying Objects that he is pleaſed to offer them; to ſtrip our Pride of all its Pretences, and to diſpoſe our Minds that we muſt neceſſarily acknowledge every Benefit we enjoy, ſprings from him; and that too ſo much the more, becauſe we thereby attain to life Eternal by ſuch means and objects as are above our Capacity to comprehend: So neceſſary is it that it ſhould appear that our Sufficiency is of God, and that the Goſpel is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth, Rom. 1. 16. To this Principle we owe the choice of thoſe perſons which God has made uſe of to preach the Goſpel; the nature of thoſe ſeeming Paradoxes he commanded them to publiſh, ſo contrary to the Light of Nature and Reaſon; the Silence of the Holy Ghoſt in thoſe things which a few Words from him would have rendred plain, and eaſy to our Underſtandings.
But God is not content to exerciſe our Faith by thoſe Obſcurities we find diſperſed throughout the Divine Revelations; he further permits, Hereſies, Schiſms, and Errours, nay Superſtition it ſelf to reign among us, that thoſe who are approved may be made manifeſt. Thus we may ſay he ſuffers all Egypt to be covered with Darkneſs, the more eminently to diſcover his wonderful Protection, in bleſſing at the ſame time the Land of Goſhen with the Light of his Truth; that is, by giving us a Religion accompanied with ſo bright an Evidence, as carnal and worldly minded Men can never comprehend, becauſe their Reaſon is eclipſed by Senſuality, and the Corruption of their Hearts produces thoſe thick Clouds that hide the Truth from their ſight. God, 'tis true, enlightens the Minds of Men; but Men wilfully blind themſelves. He permits it ſhould be ſo to confound their Ignorance, and demonſtrate to us that he is the Father of Light. But let us now enquire into the Principles of that Obſcurity which ſolely ſprings from Men.
And I. So groſs are all the Prejudices of the Senſes, that there is no body ſo void of ſhame as to follow them openly. Yet 'tis certain, they are very prevalent in the Hearts of moſt Men, who ſtick not to ſay, I never ſaw the like; I could willingly believe it, if I ſhould but ſee it. Who ever ſaw dead Men riſe again from their graves? And who ever aſcended into Heaven, or went down into the Pit? All which Reaſonings are manifeſtly abſurd. For can there be any greater Folly in a Man, than to refuſe to believe that which he does not ſee, when theſe Objects of his Faith could have no Exiſtence, were they not inviſible? Did any one ever ſee the Time paſt long before he liv'd, or the future long after his Death? Did he ever ſee his own Soul, the Deity, &c. For 'tis nothing elſe but the Time paſt and the future, the Objects and Intereſts of the Soul, together with the Benefits of God, which Faith offers to our Conſideration.
II. We are accuſtomed by Education not to believe any thing that happens not in the ordinary courſe of Nature. We confine our ſelves as it were to a Circle of Objects, which we willingly admit of, becauſe they contain nothing that is repugnant to Experience or Probability: So that the Cuſtom we have of refuſing to give our Aſſent to all other things, reaching even unto matters of Religion, inevitably caſts us into Scepticiſm and Incredulity. Yet ſhould we but throughly conſider thoſe Objects which fall under common Experience, they would certainly appear as ſurpriſing and incomprehenſible as thoſe of Religion. If you think it ſtrange that the Soul ſhould outlive the Ruins of the Body, you muſt be much more ſurpriſed to ſee it ſo cloſely united to a ſubject ſo different from its Perfection. 'Tis the Union of the Soul with the Body, and not its Diſſolution we ought to admire. Endeavour to comprehend if you can the ſtrict Alliance there is between a thing that is extended, that takes up Space, that is confined to certain Limits, that acts upon Subjects preſent only and neareſt to it; and a thing that has neither figure nor extenſion, colour, fluidity, or ſolidity, which in ſome ſenſe is every where, and yet has no Parts to take up any Space; which reflects upon the Time paſt, and the future; upon it ſelf, and its manner of acting in ſuch a wonderful way, as muſt neceſſarily perſwade us maugre all our Reluctancies and Doubts, that we have a Spiritual and Immaterial Subſtance within us.
If you are amazed when you are taught that there is a Maker and Preſerver of all things; you ought rather to be ſurpriſed to think you have lived ſo long in the World, without putting theſe Queſtions to your ſelf, To what End was I made? Whence have I my Being? What will at laſt become of me? And who was th… Authour of all that I behold?
The Thoughts of a future Judgment, whatſoever notion you may have of its Accompliſhment, ought not in the leaſt to ſtartle you, who ought rather to wonder at the long Forbearance of God, who permits all things, that he may one day judge all things. That Confuſion and Diſorder that appears in publick Society, might raiſe Scruples in you, were it not bounded by ſuch an Event, as will clearly juſtify the Juſtice and Wiſdom of God. To follow the Opinion of Incredulous Men, one would ſay that there is nothing extraordinary o… ſurpriſing in the World; whereas we cannot behold any thing that is not ſo.
III. But all our Incredulity ariſes principally from our Paſſions, and it is their greateſt Intereſt to create in us an Averſion for Religion, and in order to that make us inclinable to receive thoſe Doubts which favour their Pretences.
And this is that which gives riſe to all ſorts of Difficulties. Men are incredulous, meerly becauſe they will be ſo; and they will be ſo, becauſe it concerns their Paſſions to have it ſo. Hence it is that every thing concurrs by accident towards the producing ſo miſerable an End; ſo Sciences, Eloquence, Policy, &c. create Doubts and Difficulties in us, not of themſelves, but through our ill management of them.
IV. Pride, of all the Paſſions the moſt dangerous and moſt inveterate, ſuffers us not to remain in ſuch a due diſpoſition of Mind as God requires we ſhould have, in order to receive his Revelation. Now this Diſpoſition is twofold. 1ſt. It conſiſts in our readily receiving all revealed Truths; and 2ly, in receiving them altho they are far above our Capacity to comprehend, without endeavouring to dive too far into the Depth of the Council of God.
To have then a right Belief, we muſt not only be perſwaded of the Certainty of all revealed Truths; we muſt alſo learn how to be ſatisfied with the Ignorance of thoſe things it has pleaſed God to conceal from us. We muſt be always ready to acknowledge our Ignorance, and that we do not clearly underſtand, what yet we ſincerely believe. We muſt humbly cloſe our Eyes before the dark ſide of Myſteries, as well as gladly open them to behold the bright one. 'Tis our Incredulity which makes us reject thoſe Truths we ought to acknowledge at firſt ſight, and the irregular Curioſity of the Mind prevents our paying our profound Reverence, to thoſe ſacred Obſcurities wherein they are involved.
Now from this Principle we may very reaſonably conclude, 1ſt. That nothing could argue more Extravagance and Impiety, than the project of ſeveral Doctors, who tho famous upon other Accounts for their Learning and great Inſight into things, yet have endeavoured to make as it were a New System of Religion, by removing all the Difficulties of it, and oftentimes cutting thoſe Knots aſunder, which they were not able to untie. And this ſhews, that they were ignorant, how that the dark Myſteries of Religion, either follow the Nature of things, or elſe proceed from the external Wiſdom and Council of God, in deſigning to give us ſuch a Religion as ſhould not be free from ſuch dark Myſteries, as the Apoſtles themſelves give us to underſtand, when they tell us that the Will of God was to bring to nothing the underſtanding of the prudent; and when they cry out, O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wiſdom and Knowledge of God! How unſearchable are his judgments, and his ways paſt finding out! Rom. 11. 33. Secondly, We may infer from thence, That humane Curioſity that has ſo much increaſed the number of Theological Queſtions, is one of the greateſt Obſtacles which Faith is with much ſtrugling to overcome.
For we are not content to have a bare Knowledge of things; we yet endeavour to ſearch into the Manner how things are done; whereas 'tis the Manner how they are done which God is pleaſed to conceal from us; and 'tis the dark ſide we ought to look upon with profound Reverence.
It was ſufficient for us to know that we were very corrupt from our Cradles, and that nothing but the Grace of God is capable to deliver us from that wretched State we are in. But we were not wife enough to fix our Enquiries there: We further had a mind to know how Sin entred into the World; what Springs of our Soul were firſt of all put out of order by it, and how it was tranſmitted to Poſterity. The Holy Ghoſt is as the Wind, the Sound whereof we hear, but cannot tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. Nevertheleſs, ſo impertinent is the Curioſity of Men, as to attempt diving into his manner of acting. They pretend by ſuch and ſuch Deciſions to limit the Degrees of his operation and retrench whatſoever they pleaſe. They continually uſe ſuch Diſtinctions as are altogether obſcure and barbarous in compariſon of the Scripture, as Antecedent Grace, Conſequent, Sufficient, Efficacious, Ʋniverſal, Particular, mediate, and immediate▪ Grace; all which Diſtinctions they ſeem indeed to have contrived, as ſo many deviations and ſhifts on purpoſe to be exempted from owning, that notwithſtanding all our Endeavours, it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good Pleaſure, Phil. 2. 13. And tho 'tis certain we are altogether ignorant of the manner of his Operation, yet can any thing be more juſt and reaſonable than ſuch a free and ingenuous Confeſſion? And does it not very far exceed all the Speculations of School-men, who are themſelves confounded, and fall from one Depth into another, whilſt they pretend to ſearch into thoſe Myſteries God has concealed from them?
But the Misfortune which reſults from all this, is, that the Chriſtians having prodigiouſly ſwell'd up their Syſtem of Divinity by theſe and other like Speculations (whoſe End is to dive into the Manner how thoſe things are done which God has revealed to us,) thereby give Riſe to the moſt conſiderable Difficulties of our Incredulous Adverſaries, who heap up all thoſe humane Speculations together, the better to impugn the Foundations of Religion it ſelf, or elſe raſhly conclude from thoſe vain Diſputes of humane Curioſity, that Religion has nothing of Certainty or Solidity in it. But we ſhall eaſily confute both the Errour and Injuſtice of thoſe Un believers.
Faith is aſſaulted by two ſorts of Enemies. 1ſt. The Incredulous, who impugn it on that ſide on which it is moſt clear and evident; and 2ly. The Inconſiderate and Curious, who have no regard to its ſacred Obſcurity; ſo that we have here thoſe who deny all things, and thoſe who will know all things. You will do well to ſhew thoſe curious inconſiderate Men that they are miſtaken; and think not that their being convinc'd of the Uſeleſſneſs of their nice Diſtinctions can do any prejudice at all to Religion; becauſe an unſeaſonable Curioſity is no leſs contrary to the Genius of Religion and the Nature of Faith, than Scepticiſm and Incredulity.
V. This Curioſity is inſeparably attended with Raſhneſs; and it is impoſſible to expreſs into what ſtrange Exceſſes both of them have inſenſibly brought Men. To confirm this, we ſhall only ſet down one neceſſary Example, and that is, of the Trinity, and Incarnation, one of the moſt profound and unſearchable Myſteries of our Religion. In this, Curioſity has induced Men to exceed the Bounds of Revelation, and Raſhneſs has obliged them not to believe it.
The Scripture teaches us, that there is but one God, and one Mediatour. It aſſures us alſo, that Jeſus Chriſt is God, that he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; that he made the World, Time, and all things therein. It aſcribes to him all the Attributes, the Works and the Names of the Deity, his Power, his Wiſdom, his Eternity, Immenſity, &c. It further aſſures us, that the Holy Ghoſt is God. It aſſerts that thoſe Three are One. It commands Baptiſm in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt. It ſpeaks of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt as of Three Perſons. And why ſhould we not reſt ſatisfied with this?
'Tis becauſe the Pride of Men thinks fit it ſhould be otherwiſe. I do not know, or I do not understand are Confeſſions ſo terrible to them, that there is nothing they won't invent to avoid them. They are deſirous to know how three Perſons can ſubſiſt in one and the ſame Eſſence. They tell us of Modes, and Relations, of modal and formal Diſtinctions, of abſolute and relative Entities, &c. They aſſert that the divine Intellect produced the Word, and that the Holy Ghoſt is the uncreated production of the Divine Will, and a thouſand other things of this kind, which if certain, at leaſt are not revealed. And why all theſe Diſtinctions and Subtilties? Unleſs they would make us comprehend a Myſtery God is reſolved ſhall remain the incomprehenſible Object of our Faith.
Others, diſpleaſed with thoſe Scholaſtick Speculations, are ſo impious as to attempt to deſtroy that Myſtery which they cannot conceive, either by utterly rejecting thoſe places of Scripture which mention it; or if they receive them, by putting ſuch a forced Interpretation upon them, that the Holy Ghoſt muſt needs have had a deſign to deceive us, if he meant what ſuch Teachers would have him. Thus for inſtance, this place of Scriptnre, Before Abraham was I am, ſignifies, according to the Socinians, before the Prophecy contained in the Name of Abraham was fulfilled, and before he became the Father of all Nations, I am. So they ſay this Text, Glorify me with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was, John 17. 5. imports as much as, Glorify me with the Glory thou hadſt reſolved to honour me with. And this other; The ſame was in the beginnning and all things were made by him, that is (as they interpret it) he was before the time of John the Baptiſt, and by him all things were done in the Church.
But to what end do they invent thoſe Niceties ſo contrary to the Goſpel Simplicity and Truth? 'Tis doubtleſs on purpoſe to make void the effect of thoſe ſacred Obſcurities, which God has diſperſed throughout his Myſteries, and to ſave thoſe by Humane Wiſdom, whom God deſigned to bleſs with Life eternal through the Fooliſhneſs of preaching, as Men firſt called it.
VI. We may add Superſtition to this irregular Curioſity and raſhneſs of the Mind, which ariſes by little and little from the Paſſions, endeavouring to hide themſelves, or avoid by vain Pretexts the Mortification of Repentance, and ſhift off the ſevere Injunctions of Chriſtian Morality; and to that end they employ Man in ſome unprofitable bodily Exerciſes, or elſe wholly fix his Mind upon ſome carnal Worſhip. Superſtition is no ſooner thus inſenſibly formed, but it thruſts it ſelf into Credit, and as it were claims a privilege of Freedom in Religion; So that the moſt prodigious Whymſies and Imaginations of the former, are confuſedly hudled together with the moſt ſacred Myſteries of the latter; and then there are no Abſurdities ſo extravagant that human Paſſions ſuggeſt, but what the Incredulous immediately take hold on as Inſtruments wherewith they attack the Foundations of Religion, which is in ſome reſpect as it were infected with them. And ſuch is the Folly of Men, that they will needs ſave all, or loſe all. For if you go about to deſtroy Superſtition, you are then immediately condemned for being an Enemy to Christianity: And if you endeavour to maintain the Glory and Holineſs of Chriſtianity, Men expect you ſhould too in ſome manner defend the abſurd Extravagances of Superſtition.
But our Deſign of writing in behalf of the Chriſtians in general, ſuffers us not to make any Application of this at preſent. It is enough if the Poſition we advance be certainly true, as will fully appear by the Examples as may be ſought of it elſewhere, and which 'tis no difficult matter for any Man to find out.
We ſhall therefore reſt contented to aſſert in that reſpect, that the Multiplicity of Sects which ſo miſerably divide the Chriſtian Church amongſt Men, and on whoſe Account the Name of our common Lord and Maſter is ſo frequently Blaſphemed among Infidels, ſolely ſprings from theſe Three Principles, viz. An irregular Curioſity, a Raſhneſs of the Mind, and Superſtition; and theſe Three Principles themſelves proceed from a more antient Original, which is the Diſorder and Irregularity of our Paſſions.
Now to demand why God permits ſuch a multitude of Sects and different Religions to reign amongſt Men, is juſt as if one ſhould ask, why God ſuffers Wicked Men to live in the World? For he that permits the Licentiouſneſs of the Paſſions, neceſſarily ſuffers the natural Effects and infallible Conſequences of them.
VII. This being granted, we cannot doubt but that Philoſophy it ſelf is another Source of inevitable Difficulties, when joyned to Religion. Their Ends are ſo different, that they may juſtly be allowed to be oppoſite. For 1. The main Deſign of Philoſophy is to gratify the vain Curioſity of Men; whereas Religion deſigns only to mortify it. 2. The one endeavours to find out the Nature of things, the other profeſſes an utter Ignorance of them. 3. That ſwells up the Heart of Man, by encreaſing his Knowledge; This humbles it, by requiring him to ſubmit his Reaſon to his Faith. Laſtly, Philoſophy endeavours to comprehend all things; whereas one of the moſt eſſential parts of Religion conſiſts in hmbly acknowledging that we comprehend nothing at all of the hidden Myſteries of Nature, much leſs of thoſe of Religion.
And therefore hence it is that Philoſophy ſeldom agrees with Religion, nor Religion with Philoſophy. Thus Copernicus and Deſcartes doubtleſs were not well pleaſed with the Deſcriptions the Author of Geneſis gives us of the Creation of the World; of the Two great Luminaries of Heaven; of the Miracle of Joſhuah, who ſtopt the Courſe of the Sun, of the third Heaven which St. Paul ſpeaks of; of the New Heavens and the New Earth, which ſacred Authors make us expect; of the Conflagration of the Heavens, the Diſſolution of the Elements, and the putting out the Light of the Stars; all which Signs are to preceed the great and wonderful Day of Judgment; I ſay ſuch Philoſophers as theſe would perhaps cry out, that theſe Objects had no relation to their Ideas of Aſtronomy.
But certainly there is no reaſon to wonder at it. For thoſe Holy Writers intended to ſpeak in the Language of the People, and not in that of the Philoſophers. They had a mind to ſanctify Mankind, and not to explain the Mysteries of Nature; and therefore it was highly neceſſary they ſhould accommodate their Expreſſions to the Vulgar Notions. Nay, the Holy Ghoſt was pleaſed they ſhould uſe no other, that ſo his Myſteries being repreſented under thoſe Vulgar Ideas, might be ſuitable to every ones Capacity, at leaſt in the manner of their Revelation, ſince they could not be ſo in their own Nature.
Nor ought we to think this Conduct of his, extraordinary or unuſual. For thus the Wiſdom of God acted when it was to repreſent to the Ancient Iſraelites the Wonders of the Goſpel Diſpenſation. And it made uſe of Expreſſions borrowed from Cuſtoms and Practices generally received amongſt Men. It ſays, that all Nations ſhall go up to Mount Sion; that there ſhall be an Altar in the midst of the Land of Egypt; that in every place Incenſe ſhall be offered unto God, and a pure Offering; that the Tabernacle of God ſhall be with the Gentiles, &c. But if it be asked then, why the Prophets foretold the Calling of the Gentiles in this familiar way? 'Twas becauſe thoſe were the Notions of the People, and that it was neceſſary they ſhould uſe only Expreſſions known and familiar to the Vulgar, ſince Revelation it ſelf would have become unintelligible without that condeſcending Goodneſs of God, who is wont to accomodate himſelf to the Capacity of every Man, without Exception.
For ſuppoſing that God had deferr'd his Revealing to us the Truth of the Creation of the World, the Miracle of Joſhua, the Glory which the bleſſed enjoy in the other World, the Judgment to come, &c. till all Men had been made to underſtand by the Principles of Philoſophy, that the Stars are bigger than the Moon; that 'tis the Earth, and not the Sun which moves; that the Heavens are nothing but liquid Spaces of an Infinite Extenſion; that the Sun is ſo eſſentially bright, that he cannot loſe his Brightneſs without an immediate Annihilation of his Eſſence, &c. Heavens! where ſhould we be, and what would become of us, if all Men muſt neceſſarily firſt become Philoſophers, before they can learn to fear God?
But the Wiſdom of God is ſo wonderful, in that he not only accomodates Himſelf to the Notions of every Man that he may render Himſelf intelligible to all; but alſo in that he has at the ſame time taken care we ſhould not be deceived, in urging too far the literal Senſe of all thoſe vulgar Expreſſions.
Thus for inſtance, nothing can be more inſipid than the ridiculous Jeſts of our Incredulous Adverſaries touching thoſe Deſcriptions which the Scripture gives us of Hell-fire. And certainly, they do but Expoſe themſelves as often as they pretend to mock and deſpiſe Religion. For he that will truly conſider what Holy Writ tells us in that reſpect, will certainly find that it puts ſeveral different Images together, to repreſent to us by known and familiar Ideas an Object altogether unknown, and ſet before us by all thoſe different Images, ſuch Notions as one ſingle Idea was wholly unable to repreſent. Thus for that end it borroweth the Notions of the Fire and Brimſtone of Sodom, the ſore Affliction of the Days of Noah, the Judgments which God himſelf diſplayed over the Nations in the Valley of Joſaphat, the terrible Darkneſs ſpread over all the Land of Egypt, whilſt at the ſame time the People of Iſrael freely enjoy'd the the Light of God in the Land of Goſhen; the unquenchable Fire and the Worm of the Valley of the Children of Hinnon, which dieth not, &c. the weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth of thoſe Children ſacrificed to Moloch, who for that End were thrown alive into the Arms of that burning Statue.
Now 'twould be full as reaſonable to carry on the ſenſe of ſome of theſe Ideas too far, as to raiſe any Difficulties upon the Notions of Paradiſe, the Boſom of Abraham, the Celeſtial Canaan, the Heavenly Jeruſalem, &c. all which Notions are particularly deſigned to repreſent to us the Bliſs that attends the Faithful. And theſe Ideas would be abſolutely falſe and contradictory, if underſtood in a literal Senſe; becauſe 'tis certain that Paradiſe can never be taken for the Land of Canaan, or Jeruſalem for the Boſom of Abraham.
Hence therefore it plainly appears by the Variety of all thoſe Images, that they can never be taken in a ſtrict and literal Senſe; and that the Nature of the Object repreſented to us after ſo many different ways, was too great and ſublime to be deſcribed unto Men by any one ſingle Idea of this Kind.
And indeed according to this Notion 'tis an eaſy matter to anſwer a certain Objection raiſed about a future Judgment, which at firſt may ſeem ſomewhat conſiderable, and to carry in it ſome intricate Difficulty. Some hold, that the Deſcription which Holy Writ gives us of the Day of Judgment, when it tells us that the Son of God is to be preceeded by his Holy Angels; that he will place Men, ſome on his right Hand, and others on his left, &c. I ſay, they affirm that this Deſcription neither agrees with the Idea which we already have of the Nature of Spirits, nor with that we ſhould entertain of ſo great and ſignal an Event.
To anſwer this Objection, we are only to diſtinguiſh the Object from the manner after which it is repreſented to us. The firſt indeed is very reaſonable, great, and ſublime, worthy to take up our Thoughts, and able to move our Hearts. And we have already ſufficiently evinced its Conformity to our Reaſon in ſhewing that we either muſt deny any Evidence to be in the light of Reaſon, and Nature of things themſelves, or elſe acknowledge a future Judgment. And what can be greater than an Object which juſtifies the Wiſdom of God, his Juſtice, and all his other Attributes, and brings all Men under his ſtrict Examination, all their Actions, all the Thoughts of the Underſtanding, and all the Motions of the Heart? And this Object is that alone as is real and immutable.
As for the manner that is propoſed to us of its Accompliſhment, 'twould never ſuit with our weak Knowledge, were it altogether as ſublime as the Object it ſelf; and we ſhould be ſo far from comprehending any thing in the nature of it, that it would certainly dazzle our ſhallow Reaſon, if God did exactly repreſent it to us as it is in it ſelf.
But Chriſt has ſufficiently ſhewed us we muſt not puſh too far the ſignification of any of thoſe expreſſive Images, in that he uſes ſuch a multitude and variety of others to repreſent that Judgment to us. For ſometimes he deſcribes it by the Parable of the groom and the Virgins; then again by the juſt Judgment a Lord paſt upon all his Servants, whom he had in his abſence intruſted with his Talents. One while he repreſents the Judge of all the World as a Shepherd ſelecting his Sheep from the He-goats, another time he deſcribes him under the Image of an Houſholder, plucking up the Tares and dividing it from the Wheat, that he might burn the former, but gather the latter into his Barn. In a word, he compares him to a glorious and triumphant Monarch, who is preceeded by ſeveral Legions of Angels, or Meſſengers, ſounding the Trumpet before him. Now all theſe Deſcriptions would certainly be of no uſe, were they to be taken in a ſtrict and literal Senſe.
The ſame Judgment muſt neceſſarily be made of the Hiſtory of Dives and Lazarus, which tho it appears never ſo reaſonable and circumſtantially told, yet for all that is but a Parable in the Opinion of all the ſenſible part of the World, and would ſeem abſurd if it were underſtood in a literal Senſe.
Let not then Philoſophy any longer be offended at any of the Scripture Phraſes, or its figurative Expreſſions: Let it not object, that a material Fire properly ſo called cannot burn up our Souls; that Angels have no Mouths to ſound Trumpets; that the Valley of Joſaphat is too little to contain all Mankind, &c. Theſe are ſuch trivial Difficulties as can't puzzle thoſe who are never ſo little acquainted with the Language of Canaan.
Beſides, it is certain that the Mixture Men have made of Philoſophy and Religion, has been conſiderably prejudicial to our Faith. For firſt, Philoſophy as it were heaping up one Speculation upon another, tells us, that there is an infinite Extenſion of Matter; that there are other Globes inhabited and peopled, other Worlds framed of the Concourſe of Atoms; that there are certain invio Iable Laws of Nature; that there is an Eternity of Matter, and ſeveral other Imaginations of this kind, as have not the leaſt relation with the Principles of Religion. And thereupon the Paſſions which are upon the watch to catch and embrace every thing that favours their ſeveral pretences in reſiſting Faith, authoriſe the ſmalleſt Conjectures, and give ſuch weight and credit to thoſe things, which otherwiſe would certainly paſs for meer Extravagancies. And thus it happens, that the Scruples of Philoſophy are changed into Certainties, through our unreaſonable deſire of changing Certainties of Religion into Doubts.
Secondly, Philoſophy creates in us an Habit of endeavouring to judge of every thing by our ſelves only; a Diſpoſition indeed abſolutely contrary to the Nature of Faith, which requires of us a Belief purely grounded on the Teſtimony of God. But Men are ſo far from relying upon it, that they are continually asking Demonſtrations of us, and thoſe too they would have to be Geometrical ones, that is, ſo clear and evident, as to be free from all perplexing Obſcurity. Theſe Men make large Pretenſions and Demands; and ſure it is that we have ſufficient Demonſtrations, but they are all Demonſtrations of Faith, and there can be no Faith but what has ſome Obſcurity as well as Light.
Thirdly, Another very dangerous Effect of Philoſophy, is that it changes Religion from Practice into Speculation. For the nicer and ſublimer our Inquiries are into the Nature of Myſteries, the more we neglect the Body of Religion, which is eſſentially practical. Religion appears not then to us in its uſual Brightneſs and Majeſty. And the more we purſue it by nice Speculations, the farther it gets out of our reach. Experience teaches us, that the Progreſs we make in reaſoning, ſets us at a greater Diſtance from the true Center of Religion, which is Piety; and that the more Metaphyſical it is, the leſs able it is to ſatisfy our Mind, but rather raiſes Scruples in the Underſtanding. Whereas on the contrary the more we practiſe Religion, the better we are acquainted with it, becauſe we grow then ſenſible of its divine Efficacy by our own Experience, and are made to believe the true value of it by the Impreſſions it leaves in our Hearts. Had Religion indeed been purely deſign'd to teach us how to Philoſophize and argue about the Nature of things, it would have been ſufficient to take the Meaſure of it from a Speculative Knowledge of the Underſtanding. But ſince it was given us to ſanctify our Hearts, it is but reaſonable that Contemplation ſhould yield to Practice, and the inward ſenſe we have of its Divine Efficacy.
VIII. Policy is yet a far greater Enemy to Religion than Philoſophy. Not but that it often happily makes uſe of Religion to keep Men within the Bounds of their Duty; but it pretends to have a Right of Superiority over it. It would have Religion ſubmit to its Orders, whereas Religion ſubmits only to the Orders of God. Policy generally looks upon the greateſt part of Men as no better than Slaves to thoſe that are in power; but Religion in ſpite of Policy makes all Men equal, and effectually removes all thoſe Diſtinctions which humane Paſſions had put between them. Policy according to the Prejudices of Pride and Ambition, acts as if the Lives of the meaner ſort of People, were of no more value than thoſe of Brutes. But Religion aſſures us, that the Soul of a Peaſant is as dear and precious to God as that of a Monarch. What! Says the Ambitious Man, muſt all People become my Equals and Companions? Yes certainly, replies Religion, and far happier than thou art like to be, unleſs thou repenteſt. A great and mighty Character indeed, which truly convinces us that it ſolely ſprings from God, who is no reſpecter of Perſons; and not from Men, who give and receive Praiſe and Honour from one another.
But Politicians uſually argue thus. Religion, ſay they, is very uſeful to us to keep Men within the Bounds of their Duty, and bring them under Subjection to the Sovereign and the Laws of the State. It follows therefore, that Religion was deſigned for no other End. But this does not follow.
And to comprehend that Religion was deſigned for a ſublimer and nobler End, they ought chiefly to conſider, that 'tis no leſs repugnant to the Ambition of Princes, than the Rebellion of their People; that it relates not to the Welfare of any private State; but eſſentially tends to promote Peace amongſt Nations and Kingdoms, and perfect that Union and Society which ought to reign amongſt Men; that it deſpiſes all Prohibitions, Politick Laws, and even the ſecular Power when it endeavours to conſtrain it; that all the Roman Policy tho' armed with the ſevereſt and moſt cruel Puniſhments that could be thought of, was not powerful enough to ſtop its wonderful Effects; that by teaching Men to deſpiſe Death, and hope for a better Life after this, it puts them above the reach as well of the Promiſes as Threats of Policy; and that by ſanctifying both their Hearts and Conſciences, it produces that Effect in them, which Policy never durſt ſo much as attempt.
IX. In like manner, Rhetorick has been prejudicial to Religion, through the ill uſe Men have made of it. The Objects of the Goſpel, as they were at firſt offered to Men, without any Oſtentation of Wit and Learning, ſtruck their Minds with ſuch Surprize and Admiration, as moved their Hearts, and made them wholly renounce their deareſt Pleaſures and darling Sins. This was the only Eloquence uſed in the Primitive times. But the Church afterwards unfortunately taking in the filly Vanities of the Greeks and Romans, the Myſteries of the Goſpel became then either Matters of Philoſophical Diſputes, or ſubjects of Eloquence; and becauſe this laſt derives its Original from Poetry, whoſe grand Commendation ſolely conſiſts in Fiction, things came to be either diſguiſed and varniſhed, or heightned and exaggerated; and from thence proceed all your Panegyricks, Funeral Orations, &c. and all thoſe Paradoxes and falſe Tenets ſet off with glittering Reaſons and pompous Language, which in time produced ſo many monſtrous Opinions. But this we ought the leſs to wonder at, ſince Eloquence, and all the charming Expreſſions of humane Invention, are no leſs repugnant to Religion than we have ſhew'd Philoſophy to be. For if it becomes not Men to endeavour to comprehend by the help of Philoſophy thoſe Myſteries which God himſelf is pleaſed ſhould remain incomprehenſible, it certainly as ill becomes them to attempt to ſet off with falſe Ornaments of humane Eloquence, thoſe Objects which the Wiſdom of God deſign'd ſhould be adapted to every Mans Capacity, by the ſimple manner after which he was pleaſed to propoſe them.
X. Laſtly, Even Grammar, when differently managed according to the Paſſions and evil Deſigns of Men, mav ſerve to darken and perplex Religion. This gives occaſion to ſome Mens Complaints, that the Jewiſh Grammar is uncertain; that the pointing of it is dubious; that there are ſeveral various Readings both in the Old and New Teſtament; that we are ignorant who it was that collected the Books of Scripture, and compoſed the Catalogue of thoſe Books which are to be held Canonical; that the Apoſtles, when quoting the Prophecies in their Epiſtles, altogether make uſe of the Greek Tranſlation of the Septuagint, and are not very exact in reciting all the Words of thoſe Texts they mention; that there are many obſcure and imperfect places in them for want of Expreſſions to fill up the Senſe, &c.
But 'tis certain, that this grammatical Exactneſs, or rather Superſtition, is not very agreeable to our Faith. This a certain Author has very well hinted at, when he ſays, Scriptura non amat nimium diligentes. And the Reaſons that may be alledged for it are, 1. Becauſe the Objects of the Goſpel are of too great and important concern for the Wiſdom of God to ſuffer them to depend upon the inſignificant Niceties of Grammar. If Men dont uſually enquire whether a King's Laws are ſet forth in ſuch words as are altogether in uſe, or whether there be any Tranſpoſitions and Parentheſes, in them; whether the Rules of Grammar are duly obſerved, or who it was that drew them up; if it be enough that we know them to be really the Laws of ſuch a Prince, and that they are clear enough to be underſtood by all; I ſay, if thoſe conſiderations are ſufficient to incline us to a due Obſervance of them, I do not ſee how any one can reaſonably raiſe all theſe Difficulties, againſt the Books of Scripture, which have that peculiar Advantage over the Ordinances of Princes, that the very ſame things are often and often repeated in them, and conſequently need no Grammatical alteration.
Beſides, if the Eſſentials and Subſtance of Religigion depended upon any ſuch external Alterations, it would follow from thence, that no Man could be a Christian, without being firſt a Critick; and that he muſt be a perfect Maſter of Languages, before he could be allowed to ſtudy the Means of Salvation; and conſequently, that we could make no further Progreſs in Religion, than we had well employed our Time in the Ʋniverſity, which certainly is a thing contrary to the Deſign of God, who is pleaſed to call all ſorts of Men to the Knowledge of himſelf.
To this we might alſo add, that if Mens Salvation was affixed purely to the Order and Diſpoſition of Words and Syllables, they would pay a Reverence to Words and Syllables inſtead of Myſteries; and thus we ſhould inevitably fall into all the Extravagances of the ſuperſtitious Cabbaliſts,
Suppoſe you had lived in the Time of the Apoſtles, and had diſtinctly heard them one after another preaching the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, tho' each of them expreſſing himſelf after his particular way, 'tis certain you would never have made your Salvation depend upon their different manner of expreſſing their Thoughts, but upon thoſe Objects they would have unanimouſly laid before you; and had you been never ſo little moved at thoſe excellent things which they preached and repeated ſeveral ways, it may well be preſumed you would not have cavilled about a few equivocal Words as perhaps eſcaped them, or the Method and Order of their Diſcourſe, or any other inſignificant Trifles of this Kind. Now the written Word is of the very ſame Nature with that which they preached, and conſequently we cannot chuſe but paſs the ſame Judgment upon it. For thoſe good and holy Men who ſpoke as the Spirit gave them utterance, that is, with all Simplicity as was neceſſary for the Accompliſhment of the Deſign of God, imagined not in the leaſt that thoſe who were to come after them would be ſo nice in their Judgments, or raiſe any ſuch Scruples againſt their ſo very ſimple and natural Expreſſions.
It is our chiefeſt Concern to regard the Subſtance and Eſſential part of their preaching, and that is God's Deſign, to ſave Mankind by the Death of his Son. To this every thing relates, and it is ſupported by Three other very great and important Objects, the Reſurrection of Christ atteſted by the Apoſtles themſelves; the Completion of all the Prophecies contained in the Old Teſtament; and the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt; all which things the Apoſtles ſaw, and clearly and diſtinctly taught Men, and at laſt digeſted in Writing, directed by the Wiſdom of God, when the whole Earth ſeemed full of Aſtoniſhment at the ſight of the Extraordinary Gifts God poured down upon Men, at the accompliſhment of ſo many Prophecies in the Perſon of Christ, and at the ſufferings and Trials of the Witneſſes of God.
And this is the main Subſtance of the Writings of the Apoſtles, as well as of their Preaching. And Divine Providence was pleaſed that all thoſe things ſhould be digeſted in Writing, in a time when they could not poſſibly be forged or altered; that they ſhould be received and approved of in all Chriſtian Societies of the World; that they ſhould be firſt diſperſed every where by an infinite number of Copies and Tranſlations of them, then afterwards quoted by almoſt an infinite number of Doctors, carefully preſerved almoſt every where, and carried generally into thoſe places whence Perſecution had baniſhed and removed the Chriſtians. Nay, God has pleaſed that thoſe Writers ſhould all conſpire to teach us the ſame things, tho each expreſſed himſelf after his own particular way; that the manner of their Compoſitions ſhould be the ſame with that of their Speaking; that they ſhould exactly follow in all their Quotations the Greek Tranſlation which was known of the People, and not puzzle the Faith of the ſimple and ignorant by any critical Remarks, which were things beneath thoſe Men who had both ſeen and handled the Word of Life, had declared the wonderful Works of God, and received the Gift of Tongues, that they might be clearly underſtood by all Men. It was alſo neceſſary, that thoſe wonderful Writers ſhould inſiſt rather upon the things themſelves, that they delivered, than the ordering of their Words, that ſo they might keep up the great Character of their Office, and we might learn from thence to regard rather the Senſe of what they have written, than the accuracy of their Expreſſions. They have ſufficiently expounded all the fundamental Truths of Religion, which tho not very many, are yet repeated almoſt in every Page of their Writings. They left to their Diſciples the Care of collecting their Writings, and ſetting together thoſe Canonical Books, which contain all things neceſſary for Salvation: Not that that Collection has all the Writings of the Apoſtles, but it contains certain Truths often and often repeated by them ſufficient to promote the Sanctification of Mankind. As for the various Readings, they are ſo few and ſo inconſiderable in themſelves, that they alter not in the leaſt the Senſe of theſe Books, ſo far are they from changing the unalterable Subſtance of Religion, in as much as there is no part of the Apoſtles Writings to which it is not inſeparably united, and almoſt every where repeated.
And as for the Objections about the Hebrew Grammar, and Authority of the Books of the Old Teſtament, were all true as is objected, which yet is dubious, it ought not to diſturb us, ſince Chriſt and the reſt of his Apoſtles have ſo fully confirmed thoſe Books. Thoſe little and inconſiderable Difficulties are far from being prejudicial to our Faith, ſince 'tis enough to know that the Scripture is the Word of God, as we perceive by the Marks and Characters of it. 'Tis enough to be certain that it is impoſſible that either through the Faults of the Tranſcribers, or Negligence of Men, or the want of Exactneſs found in the Tranſlations; or laſtly, through the Multitude of equivocal Terms, it ſhould ever want thoſe important Precepts and evident Truths which are neceſſary for our Salvation and Sanctification, and of which 'tis as it were a conſtant Repetition: For otherwiſe God muſt either have deceived us, or his Wiſdom have been deceived, in being wanting in the preſervation of ſuch Means, as it purely deſign'd to maintain and keep up the Faith of Mankind.
However it be, 'tis not our preſent Deſign to blame in the leaſt, either the Care which ſome take to inſtruct themſelves in the Criticiſms of the Holy Scripture, or the Reſpect they have for its Expreſſions, which are indeed worthy to be preferred before all others. God forbid we ſhould ever entertain any ſuch impious and fooliſh Thoughts: We therefore here intend only to aſſert Two things; 1ſt. that all thoſe ſmall Difficulties the Criticks raiſe againſt them, ought not to be looked upon as any way ſufficient to ſhake the Foundations of our Faith, the Wiſdom of God having wonderfully provided, that our Faith ſhould be eſtabliſhed without Reſpect had to thoſe Difficulties. The ſecond is, that thoſe very Difficulties are not only of excellent uſe to humble our Minds, but alſo neceſſary to keep us from the Superſtition of inſiſting only upon a literal Signification, and from that Folly which we may call the Adoration of Words.
We muſt therefore grant, that all things, our Senſes, Education, the Curioſity of the Mind, Superſtition, Philoſophy, Policy, Humane Eloquence, and Grammar, are as ſo many Inſtruments which our Paſſions employ to make void that Submiſſion which our Faith owes to God; that through the ill uſe we put them to, they are converted into ſo many different ways of ſhaking off that Divine Obedience; and that the Speculations which ſpring from all theſe Principles, aim at nothing elſe but the weakning our Faith, juſt as the looſe and remiſs Maxims of ſome Caſuiſts tend to the Deſtruction of Morality; it being as difficult for the Ʋnderſtanding to believe, as for our Heart to mortifie it ſelf.
Nevertheleſs, it may reaſonably be affirmed; 1ſt. That this Submiſſion of our ſelves to God, is abſolutely neceſſary; and that unleſs we pay it him by readily receiving the Principles of his Religion, we muſt inevitably yield it up to Matter, and ſo give up our ſelves to the moſt wretched and impious Ignorance, and horrid Darkneſs of Underſtanding; it being moſt certain, that we ſhall no better comprehend, what Eternity, Infinity, Extenſion, the manner and neceſſity of the Exiſtence of Matter is, than we already know what paſſes within God. 2ly. That our Heart is diſpoſed to ſuch a ſubmiſſion of Mind in thoſe things which relate to our civil and natural Concern. And if it be certain that we do not defer to receive Nouriſhment, till we are fully inſtructed after what manner Nutrition is made within us, and if we are eaſily induced to beleive the Attraction of the Magnetick Stone, tho we are ignorant of the manner of that Operation, why ſhould we not in like manner as eaſily beleive Myſteries, tho we are not able to dive into the manner of them? 3dly. This Submiſſion to God is ſo very reaſonable, that none but a Man utterly void of Senſe, can be ſo ſtupid as not to perceive it. For till we are endowed with an infinite Underſtanding, we ſhall never be able to know but one ſide of things, and conſequently we muſt neceſſarily be for ever ignorant of the other. 4thly. It is very juſt and equitable, if ever any thing was ſo; and it aims at nothing but ſhewing us our Ignorance, and repreſenting to us that being liable to be deceived, we ought carefully to follow Revelation as a true and faithful Guide. We ſhould certainly be extravagant, proudly to deny our own Ignorance, or impiouſly ſuſpect that God could deceive us, when his Deſign is to reveal his Majeſty to us.
V. But what is chiefly to be obſerved for the Honour of our Religion, what ſhews the Characters of its Divinity, and forces us to acknowledge them, is that it teaches us that to ſee clear into matters of Religion; we ought not to rely upon the Light of our Underſtanding, and that we muſt lay aſide the Evidence of Reaſon, if we would be free from Errours in point of Faith.
'Tis a wonderful Effect of the Chriſtian Religion, that it renders us happy, by inducing us to renounce our ſelves; and no leſs admirable that it enlightens our Minds by obliging us to renounce our Reaſon.
To look boldly and ſtedfaſtly upon Myſteries is the way to be blind; whereas we ſhall eaſily perceive the Light of God ſhining about us, if we do but humbly caſt down our Eyes. We ſhall be ſufficiently learned if we reſt ſatisfied with the Knowledge of what God has been pleaſed to reveal unto us: And nothing more betrays an Univerſal Ignorance than an inſignificant Deſire to be ignorant of nothing. In other Sciences a Man's Skill is meaſured by his Knowledge; but in that of Salvation, he is beſt inſtructed who is moſt humble; he who has the leaſt Pride has the moſt underſtanding. And the proof of it is eaſy. We have already ſeen that the nice Speculations of Reaſon about Myſteries do but more perplex and darken what was before obſcure. Let us now ſee how much the ſubmitting our Reaſon to Faith makes us have a clearer Inſight into thoſe Myſteries, or at leaſt how much it hinders our being confounded by them.
'Tis certain, that by continuing in ſuch a ſtate of Humility, whatſoever Difficulties may ariſe, they will not have force enough to diſcompoſe our Minds. We ſhall not be ſurpriſed that we are not able to comprehend the Nature of God, or his manner of Knowing, loving and acting; or his Eternity, Immenſity, &c. but we ſhall rather be raviſhed with Admiration to think that we that are no better than Worms or Atoms, are yet thought worthy to know him, and raiſed to that pitch of Glory, as to have ſome Proſpect, tho but a faint one of his wondrous Works and infinite Perfections.
Neither ſhall we have any reaſon to be offended becauſe, God formerly abandon'd the Gentiles, and caſts away other Nations which ſtill abide in profound Ignorance and Darkneſs; tho perhaps there is nothing in Nature ſo difficult, or incomprehenſible as the Conduct of God. But we ſhall rather reflect upon our Selves, and endeavour to ſearch into the Knowledge of our own Nature. And upon ſuch a conſideration we ſhall find our ſelves buried and ſwallowed up, if I may ſo ſpeak, in ſome Corner of this vaſt Univerſe, and that too in ſuch a Time or conjuncture as is a meer Point, in compariſon of that almoſt infinite Duration of Time which has elapſed, and that Eternity which is ſtill to paſs away. We ſhall only perceive a few Years and a few Nations, which we aſcribe to Providence as its Object; as if that which preſides over the whole Creation were to be bounded by a few Ages or Nations. But weak and fooliſh Creatures that we are, we perceive not that infinite Succeſſion of Objects which take their Turn, and move on according to the Decree of eternal Wiſdom; we perceive not the ſtrict union of this World with that which is to come, or the ſhare thoſe Nations (whoſe Ignorance we ſo much deplore) have in that continued Chain of Events; nor the Rights which Divine Juſtice has over them, or at leaſt we have but a faint and imperfect Knowledge of them: We conſider not that a thouſand Years are as one Day, and one Day as a thouſand Years; one Nation as an hundred Nations, and an hundred Nations as one Nation in his ſight, who is able to create an infinite number of them out of Nothing, as he did us. And in this we may be compared to thoſe, who lying in the bottom of a Well, would fain ſee the whole Extent of the Heavens.
Were we truly ſenſible of our wretched Nature, we ſhould not be ſo curious or inconſiderate, but rather dread the Fate of thoſe Men who were ſmitten from above, for having looked into the Ark of God. We ſhould find out the Falſity of thoſe Opinions which are the products of a raſh Curioſity; and whilſt we limited our Enquiries by Revelation, we ſhould eaſily diſcern thoſe that went beyond it. We ſhould diſtinguiſh Religion which mortiſies us, from Superſtition which flatters and agreeably deludes us; and however Policy in the height of its Pride might rank us among Creatures not much ſuperiour to Brutes, we ſhould not ceaſe to think our ſelves the Children of God. No Charms of Eloquence ſhould impoſe upon our Belief; no idle Niceties of Grammar perplex that Faith which depends upon the Objects of the Goſpel, which are indeed too manifeſt in their Nature, too often repeated, and cloſely united to the Principles of Common Senſe; too well confirmed and atteſted by their Events; too worthy of God himſelf, and conduce too much to our Sanctification to be ever called in queſtion. In a word, we ſhould then ſhake off our Incredulity, when we removed that which excited within us a ſecret Propenſion to it.
It is therefore certain, that God has covered the Myſteries of Religion with a ſacred Darkneſs, and has even permitted Men to make them yet more obſcure by their vain Speculations. But what at once gives us Wonder and Conſolation, is that the deepeſt Philoſophers and moſt curious Enquirers ſee not always cleareſt into the matters of Religion; but thoſe only who make leaſt uſe of the force of their Reaſon, and forbear to enquire nicely into thoſe things which it becomes them humbly to believe. This ſeems to be the Opinion of Chriſt himſelf, who ſaid to his Father, I thank thee O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becauſe thou hast hid theſe things from the Wiſe and Prudent, and haſt revealed them unto Babes, Mat. 5. 11.
And here indeed we cannot but tremble with Reverence and Admiration, when we joyn this Character of the Divinity of our Religion to the reſt. Hence it is that we muſt renounce our ſelves, and beg of Almighty God that he would enlighten our Underſtanding, when we perceive that ſuch a ſublime and elevated Science, which offers ſuch noble and magnificent Objects to our Conſideration, is yet conceived by thoſe only that are pure in Heart. Here then ought we to cry out, what a Divine Religion is this! Which at once enlightens and humbles us, which amazes, and yet clears our Underſtanding; which leads us to ſaving Knowledge by the free and ready confeſſion of our own Ignorance; and takes away all the Imperfections of our Underſtanding by making it ſubmit to Faith. Where is the Wiſe? Where is the Diſputer of this World?