CHAP. I.

IN speaking of Reason, The Intro­duction to that Head, The close pursuit after Reason. I cannot acquiesce to the singling out of that compare, and ballancing of the Idea's of the Mind, and Arguing from them, in finding out Truth, assigned in this Trea­tise, to be a sufficient Representation of Reason; but that there ought to be as just an Animadversion, on what the Author does indeed Represent; which ought to be taken in, viz. the Mind, the Idea's of the Mind, the Evidences the Mind hath of Notions, or Propositions immediately, and as issuing in Full Demonstrati­on: And also what the Author takes no notice of, viz. That Holiness, Purity, Righteousness, Universal Goodness and Probity, insepa­rate from True Reason; That Inward; and Prophoric, or out­ward, [...], Speech so Essential to Reason and that Energy, Vi­gor, and Power of Imprinting it self upon Rational Beings, so immediately resulting from Reason, according to the Excellency of the Reason, from which it flows: For thus I find Scripture does extend it self, with Relation to what is to be Discoursed upon, [...]. as Reason, viz. Spirit, Mind, the Ʋnderstanding, the Discursive Mind, Wisdom, Knowledg, Truth; The Wisdom, that is the Fear of the Lord, the Knowledg of the Holy, The [...], the Law [Page 14] Written in the Heart. The speaking in the Heart, or Communing with it; The Tongue of the Wise, of the Learned; a might and pow­er, an Authority of Teaching. But were it not that in one peculiar case of greatest moment (as shall be set out, but deferr'd till what is more universally agreeable, have made the way to it.) I should have no favor for the word Reason, on a Religious Account; as be­ing a word taken from the Pride and Supercile of Philosophy, and not from Scripture; but set in opposition to the Spirituality of the Gospel: But seeing it hath pleased the Spirit of God to single out that word, that all the Great Men of Reason have expressed it by; viz. [...]; and to apply it to the Son of God, [...], the Reason, as Scripture is, The Writing; therein Sanctifying the Learning of Egypt, [...] so Transcendent a Revelation, and so plainly point­ing upon the sense of that word, we are to be upon, in styling that [...], the Light of Men, as Reason in the General Accep­tation is; and the Light, that Lightneth every man that cometh into the World; I shall generally adhere to it in the following Discourse, and have an especial Regard to it, as it must needs be understood in this Debate, viz. That Reason, or Reasoning Ʋnderstanding planted in the Mind, or intellectual Spirit of Man, constituting such an Intellectual, Rational Creation; altho in this Fallen Con­dition of Man, there are only some Reserves, or some Mentions and Ruins of it.

§. 1. IT is agreed on both parts, as is acknowledged in the Scheme Foregoing; That to be Above, or not above Reason, determines Mystery, or no Mystery; it is most necessary therefore to Examine, wherein the true nature of Reason consists, ascending up to the Supreme and Eternal Rea­son, and coming down by the several Scales, and Degrees of Cre­ated Reason, and in Created Reason to consider it as Upright and Entire, and as Fallen and Depraved. To make therefore the Exactest enquiry after the Scripture-notion of Reason, comparing it with the intimate sense of Man-kind (if that sense be duly Re­flected upon) shall be the first part of my undertaking.

§. 2. The very force and weight of the word Reason, and so of Wisdom, Ʋnderstanding, Truth; leads to some supreme wisdom and reason; for every name, and pretence to these high and ex­cellent [Page 15] things, cannot be themselves; And yet one pretence would be as good as another, and the loudest sound, like the strongest sword, would carry it, were there not some Absolute Wisdom, and Reason, by which all the various pretensions are to be Tryed and Determin'd.

§. 3. We find among Men, There are various Degrees and Ele­vations of Reasons and Wisdoms (as we may stile them) or of Ʋnderstandings; some Higher, and some Lower, and we Na­turally Appeal from the Lower, to those we judg Higher; till we come to what we esteem Highest; And if those various Ʋnderstandings, or Reasons are at difference among themselves; we cannot but acknowledg our selves obliged, and we do ne­cessarily acquiesce in what we judg the Truest, and the most ex­cellent Understanding; If we are sincere in our Search after, and desire of Truth.

§. 4. It is true, this is, because we do; if we do, as Intellectu­al Beings Ought; Try and Examine, and reduce all to some infallible Standard, in which we can acquiesce, and of which we have a Sense within our selves; And He, Or that which we find comes nearest to that Standard, we most defer to, and acquiesce in, and cannot but do so; which Argues, we have all a Sense, or Consciousness of some Absolute perfect Standard of Wisdom or Reason; without Agreement with which, what would be Reputed Wisdom, is Insipience or Folly; what would be re­puted Reason is Irrationality, and Absurdity.

§. 5. This Infallible Standard, if we make a curious and home Reflection upon it in our selves, we cannot conceive of, as One Abstracted Norma, Rule, or Line of Wisdom and Reason, that doth not know it self, or doth not it self know, that it knows, or understands; That doth not Judg so, as to know, that it Judges, and That cannot pronounce and declare, ac­cording to it self; and know it does so; For this were such an Al­lay and Degradation of its excellency, as is most intollerable once to suppose: It must be therefore some Living, Self-know­ing, Self-intelligent Being, He, or That which teacheth Man Know­ledg, shall not It, or He know? Even All Perfections of Being, [Page 16] Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Eternity, necessarily lead to that Self-knowing, Self-intelligent Living Being, who is all those Per­fections: And in Universal Sense and Character of Language is the Divine Being, GOD, who is All these, and knows he is all these; and who is Able, even by the very Perfection of his own Supreme Wisdom and Reason, uncontrollably to know, even by that very Reason, that he is that infallible wisdom, Reason and Ʋnderstanding; and All who reason cannot but acknowledg he is so; but if there were any such Abstracted Dead Law, stiled wisdom or reason, God derived the Rule and Measure of his Understand­ing, and Actions from, and referr'd them to; that were not Himself, and his own Being; He were not then Supreme, but Accountable; and Apostate Spirits might maintain an Everlasting and Undecidable Plea against God, whether God, or they them­selves came nearest to that Rule; but the Glory, Lustre and Cla­ritude of his Being declare him that Supreme wisdom, and reason, and the Rule of it; and Devils Believe and Tremble: Here then is the First, and most Fundamental Notion of reason or wisdom; The Father of Lights, the Father of Spirits, with whom is no varia­tion, nor shaddow of Turning, is the Supreme, Absolute, Infallible Reason or Ʋnderstanding; and to speak of Reason, and not to Ac­knowledg him Supreme, it is not to know what we speak, nor affirm.

CHAP. II.

§. 1. WIth this Eternal Wisdom and Reason, are all Idea's of Being, not only Existing, but possible to Exist in the Pure and most Exquisite Truth of each, who gives a possibi­lity of Existence to them, if Infinite Being pleas'd; For Infinite Understanding, and Reason is the Origin, and Exemplar of all [Page 17] Ideas, the Test by which they are Tryed, the Beam at which they are weighed; whether Just and True, or Counterfeit, False and Light; and the Immense Repository 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 Reason Sees by, and in it self, or in its own Spirit, its own Infinite Being; and in that Infinite Being all Beings that have been, are, and ever shall be; or that if he had pleased, might have been, or may be, if he pleas­es to have them be; according to their several Natures, Distincti­ons, and the Ideas of them. He holds all in himself, as the Foun­tain of Being, and according to his own will concerning them All these are Held.

§. 2. Hence arises that great and excellent word, and notion, Truth; which is a Correspondence between Being or Reality, and an Understanding, Beholding, and Looking upon it with Judgment; any pretended Idea's that are not according to Things, are Fantoms, and not Idea's; all other Apprehensions, Conceptions, No­tions, Conclusions, that Created Understandings can Form, are nothings, if taken out of the Understandings that Formed them; Because Created Understandings cannot touch them into Being, as Increated Can; and not only so, but Reality and Truth Rush­ing against them, breaks them to nothing, even within the Un­derstandings that Form'd them, finding things so much other­wise: And which we ought well to consider; Truth and Rea­lity take hold of Those, who had no Idea's of them; and, to their Full Perfection of those, who had only Inadequate Ideas of them; as the words of the Dead Prophets took hold of the Jews, Zach. 1.5. because from God, however Insensible of them; of the Fathers who heard them, and Believed them not; and of their Children, who were not Born, when they were spoken: Now Truth is Infinite, even as the Divine Being and Understanding is; and of unexpres­sible multiplicity, as the Divine Displayes in the Works of Cre­ation and Providence are; Deep, unfathomable, and unsearchable, as the Counsels of his Will are, till Revealed.

§. 3. The Relations, Aspects upon, mutual Respects, Pro­portions, Operations between Being, and Being, with their whole state, from the Infinite, Increated Being, to the Highest Creat­ed [Page 18] Being, and so from one to another to the very lowest of Be­ings, are next to be Considered; some of which are Evident to Reason by Sense, some by an immediate, intuitive Act of the Mind, or Reason; now herein, even in these mutual Propositi­ons, and Respects Resides a second Apprehension, or Notion, of what we mean by Reason: And all the Reason we have, will de­fer to the Infinite Reason to be the infallible Standard of Reason and Truth herein; For, who, as he can discern all the strait, and direct, the Branching out, and Transverse Lines in Created Be­ings from one to another; and the immediate Influences from himself to all Created Beings, in whom all Beings have their Being; even as they that Live, and Move, have their Life and Mo­tion in him; for all these he holds Originally in Himself, and con­tinually sustains, and guides by himself; even as he drew them out with so admirable Mathematicks, that the Secrets of Wisdom herein are Double to all that is known to the wisest of Angels, much more to the most Curious Human Investigator, of what we call Nature: And from hence arises an inexplicable multipli­city of Truth, and so of the activity of Reason concerning it.

§. 4. The Trains, Deductions, Connexions and Inferences that may be made from one Branch of Being, and the Truths arising from it, to another Branch of Being, and the Truths Ari­sing from That, and so throughout from the several Connexions and Enterweavings of one with another, come next under Ac­count, and are very particularly to be considerd; For from the comparing and ballancing these one with another, and the Idea's of them one with another flows, what we properly call Ratioci­nation, or Argument of Reason. Now all these seeth and behold­eth by one Intuitive Act of Seeing, the Eternal Understanding, or Reason; and no understanding can see, 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 himself, and continually derives from himself those Bonds of Union, and Links of Connexion, things have one with another, on which Ratiocination and Argument are founded; and therefore cannot but know, to Infiniy of Certainty, and exactness; for what we [Page 19] see, but one after another, and not with a Just Equality, he sees together, and with a just Poize of Each; the want of which presence of, and regard to all Idea's, and the Equipoize of them, was the Ruin of Angels: What trust then can be to our due Con­gregating, Compare, and Ballance of Ideas one with another; when we either leave out altogether, or do not Righteously weigh some principal Idea; as most certainly befell Adam in his De­ception and Fall; and yet herein, even in this Ratiocination, or comparing, and librating Ideas one with another, The Author of this Treatise places Reason; and it is certainly the Fort-Royal of it, altho what went before, and what is to follow, ought to have full consideration in our Estimate of Reason.

§. 5. In those Accounts of Reason before insisted upon, we may, and I have endeavour'd to Argue from the little of Reason in our selves, to the Infinity of Reason in the Infinite Reason, Wisdom, Understanding, and Truth; But in the Account I would now give of Reason, I shall Argue from the Infinite Rea­son to all Finite Reason; That no Reason, Wisdom, or Un­derstanding can be according to Truth so, that is not entirely Holy, and Good; and although we want this excellency of Reason yet we cannot but acknowledg it the excellency of Reason, and Ascribe it to God the best of Beings, and Reasons; That Reason then is not to be acknowledged Reason, nor worthy Trust in any Enquiry after Truth, that can betray its Trust so Far, as to Resign up the Will to any sin; which according to the Law of Creation, it hath in its Conduct and Power; if there­fore the Understanding and Reason did not turn away from good by Darkness, or not brightning its own Beams, but Re­ceiving an even voluntary Eclipse upon them, no Evil could be Admitted; For it is indeed certainly true, the Will of a Ration­al Being is one with its Reason, and the Reason with the Will; when ever one Errs, the other Errs: The wisest of the Fallen Angels is but a Prince of Darkness, held in Chains of Darkness; and his Fundamental Wickedness is in an Apostate, Rebel, Disloyal Reason, Judging that Holiness, Conformity with, Obedience to the Supreme Being is not Good for him; and so it is in us sin­ful Men, and our sins; and yet because There is Will in this Reason, it is under an everlasting righteous Condemnation: But [Page 20] The Infinite Reason is Infinite Holiness and Goodness; He cannot be Tempted of Evil; Jam. 1.13. neither can he Tempt any one. If it were not thus, he could not have made weights for the Winds, nor weigh­ed the Water by Measure: Job. 28.23. He could not have made a Decree for the Rain, Prov. 3.19. nor a way for the Lightning of Thunder: By the Wisdom of Infinite Holiness he Founded the Earth; by an understanding of In­finite Purity he Established the Heavens; by a Knowledg of Infi­nite Freedom from, and distance from sin, the Depths are Broken up, and the Clouds drop down their Dew; All the Ordinances of the Creation are settled, and so kept in Order; There are the same Mathematicks in one, as in the other; if the Creator could have Err'd in the one, he had in the other also; and if he could now so Err, the whole Course of Nature would fly in Peices, as the A­postle James intimates it endanger'd by the Wickedness of the Tongue. And so it is in every Created Reason, and particularly in Man, if he can so mis-judg, that all Circumstances laid together, it is not best for him to be Holy, Righteous, Good; his Reason is not to be trusted for any thing, because it is his; Upon his Cre­dit, 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, Job 28.28. Rom. 2.14. &c. He said to Man, he fix­ed him, as a Being of Reason in this; The Fear of the Lord, That is Wisdom, To depart from Evil, that is Ʋnderstanding; This is that [...]; that In-Written Law in the Heart of Man. If he does not so Fear, so Depart, Reason, as it is his Reason, is worth nothing.Prov. 3.8. The Wisdom that Founded the Earth, &c. Is to hate Evil; It understands Righteousness, Judgment, and every good Path: The Wisdom that can entertain Evil, is then of no Value, nor to be trusted in any thing, as it is such a Wisdom; For the whole of such a Reason is spoiled.

§. 6. I know it will be objected; Are not Evil Men great Phi­losphers, Mathematicians, Politicians and States-men; but the An­swer is: The Infinite Reason Holds in it self the Truth of all Natural, Prudential, Political Wisdom, and Understanding; and so far as it appears by the Evidence of things themselves, that there is truth, so far they are to be received: But the Reason transposed, perverted, distorted in the Love of Evil, is in nothing to be confided in for its own sake; nor is a whole Council of sin­ful, [Page 21] Fallen Men to be confided in, in any one Point; because they have Fail'd in so Radical a One, as to have sinn'd; they may not attend to some one great Principle, that bears up such, or such a truth; Even as in that Radical One: And though they may Acknowledg and Subscribe to many Holy Rules, and Live in Obedience to some; yet this, as shall be further offered, flows from Grace towards some, and in others from a Righte­ous Judgment of God; who as he holds fast all Holy Truths in himself, so Demonstrates them by others as he pleases Variously; But it still remains, no such Judg­ment or Understanding, or Reason, is to be trusted on its own Account; And all the Truth and Good that is in the World, is to be Ascribed to other Springs, as we shall see.

§. 7. We know in our selves, as we are Beings of Reason; Every Intellectual Being hath an Internal Annunciation to it self, and within it self, according to its comprehensions of Reason, that is even Consubstantial to it self; and according to which, it De­clares it self to other Intellectual Beings, by external Enunciati­on or Elocution: And these are so much reason that both the in­ward, and the outward are expressed by Reason it self; [...]: They are the great Distinction of Man, the Creature of reason, from Creatures of no reason; That Angels have within Them­selves such Internal Notices of their own Comprehensions, we are most assured by our own Experience; and that they have Enunciation to other Intellectual Beings of their own order, we cannot doubt, in. Allusion to which, the Apostle speaks of the Tongue of Angels; The Excellency of God's Internal and Declarative word, I will Dis­course on another Head, but to speak of what will not be denyed by any who acknowledg God, and Scripture the word of God; it's this; That if Infinite reason, Wisdom and Truth, hath condescended to speak, there is no such speech in the whole Creation, as His Word, and the Records of what he hath spoken; to contain in it self, and to Reveal Mystery; and no other but his Word can be proper for either. Seeing External Speech is Govern'd by inward Intel­lectual Power of Enunciation; as the one Excells, so does the o­ther; If therefore the understanding, and reason of God be the only Infallible reason, his Enunciation and Declaration can be only In­fallible; Reason in us was his word, and would be so, if it were the [Page 22] same he gave; But it is now fallen: And this Assures the Excellency of the Word of God spoken or written; There is a Declaration or Voice of God in the Creation, declaring his Infinite Wisdom, and Understanding, to the Intellectual Creation, according to their First Creation; but the word of God declares the Counsels of his Will in Receiving of Fallen,Psal. 12.6. Prov. 30.6. and Lost Man. Every word of which is pure as Silver tryed in a Furnace of Earth, purified seven times; and whosoever dares to add to it, of his own, as if it were the same, or equal, will be found a Lyar, that is, a Forger, and Deceiver; or a Reason falsly so call'd.

§. 8 Every rational Being, or reason, hath in the motions of reason, a Force, Might, Spirit of reason, or presence of it, active in himself, and impressive on those to whom he declares himself, according to the Degree and Excellency of his reason, and by which he looks back upon himself, and is Conscious of the reason that mooves in and from him; and knows that he knows; and this gives Life to the inward Notions, and Notices, or that inward word of reason; and to the Communications, or Enunciations of reason to other Intelligent Beings: This assures there is in the Di­vine Being, the infinite reason, an Infinite Spirit, and Power of Wisdom, and Understanding; of which in its highest Excellen­cy, I will further speak by his own Assistance; But in general Apprehension,Job. 36.22. Job 32 8. God Exalteth by his Power, none teacheth like him. There is a Spirit in Man, but the mighty Breathing of the All­mighty gives him Ʋnderstanding; a mighty Energy, or Spirit from God, the Supreme reason, and Understanding: This we cannot but acknowledg, and Ascribe to the Supreme Understanding: For if we find it in such Reasons, as we are, one towards ano­ther, a Communication with some peculiar Efficacy, according to the Reason, that does Communicate, or the Reasons that Com­municate one with another; How much more is it to be acknow­ledged to the Infinite Reason Teaching man Knowledg; and there­fore how can any Gracious Aproaches, by his Spirit, to the Souls of his Servants, Inlightning, and Teaching them be Denyed?

CHAP. III.

§. 1. I Have thus far considered the Paramount, and Tran­scendent Infinite Being, Wisdom, Truth, Reason, By those Tracings of Reason, as in Us, not only Finite, but Dege­nerate Spirits, or Beings of Reason; that whatever true Lines there­of are Discoverable in us may lead us up to the Infinite, and Infinitely Pure Original; and shew us the Immenseness of his Perfections; For it is certain Intellectual Spirits cannot be made such, or continue in any Activity, as such, but that God the In­finite, Intellectual Object, and most Intelligible, must needs be seen by them in his Great Perfection, and Attributes: But I would now consider Created Intellectual Beings, and such, as we cannot, but by our Reason, Divine, are of a Higher Sphere, and Order, than our selves; and Scripture makes known to us, as Seraphic, Angelic Beings, and among them Thrones, Principali­ties, Dominions, Powers; and so come down to Human Spirits in Bodies, and observe upon these, and the various Elevations of them (and All in their State of Integrity, and unfallen) what may Direct us in our main pursuit after Reason.

§. 2. All Created Spirits, of what Order soever, are Beings, or Spirits Begotten by Creation of the Father of Lights, the Fa­ther of Spirits in his own Image, and Likeness; and so are Intel­lectual Spirits, and Beings of Reason by their very Being, and Descent; And in their first Creation they bear a Resemblance of the Eternal Wisdom, and Reason in every one of the foremen­tioned particulars; as hath been already sufficiently to the present purpose Remark'd concerning them: And as there is an Original Begetting, Breathing, or Creation at First, so there is a continu­al [Page 24] sustentation of Intellectual Beings, so far, as they are in their First Estate, or are but preserved in any Remains of it; and according to the Degrees of their Creation, and Sustentation, or (as I may call it) their Reservation in an Intellectual State,Jude 6. not­withstanding their Leaving their First Estate, and Forsaking their own Habitation, They are in Dependence upon their Supreme, a Standard of Wisdom, Reason, and Truth to themselves, with­in themselves;Psal. 36.9. yet so that in the Original Light, Truth, Wisdom, Reason they see this Light, and enjoy this Priviledg; that is, they are Intellectually Seeing, Discerning Spirits, Beings of Reason; As the Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord, a Light shining in his Light; Prov. 20.27. Job 35.11. who Teacheth Man Knowledg, more than the Beasts of the Field, and the Fowls of the Air: Thus, as before-said, There is a Spirit in Man, and the Breath of the Almighty giveth him Ʋnder­standing.

§. 3. But yet, it is always to be Remembred; In their very Original Creation, without the consideration of any after Abate­ment, or Diminution; they are but Finite, and cannot see be­yond the Limits and Bounds of their Creation, either to Find out, or Judg of what is Above, and beyond Them: Any more then the Eye of the Body, because it is a seeing Organ, and the Light of the Body, can see at too great Distance, without the help of Te­lescopes; or when the Object is so Great, as not to be measur'd by it, but by the Help of Mathematic Instruments; or so Minute, as not to be Discern'd, but by the help of Microscopes.

§. 4. Of Intellectual Spirits, There are by the very supreme Dispose, and Arbitration of the Infinite Understanding, and Rea­son, various, Spheres, and Orbs Higher, and more Ample; Low­er, and more Narrow; One Star differs from another Star in Glory: There are Intelligences Angelic, and Human. In the Angelic, the before observ'd Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, which Eminencies Arise from different Glories of Understanding; and so we know, there are different Elevations of Human Under­standing, whether by the Immediate Hand of the Father of Lights, and Spirits, or the Disposes of Providence in the Fabric of the Body; or the Opportunities of Education, State and Condi­tion in the World; [...]r [...]v. 18.1. Separation to Intermeddle with Wisdom through [Page 25] earnest Desire; But no Intellectual Created Spirit can, by vertue of its being Intellectual, Transcend its own Sphere. The highest Created Spirit cannot Approach within any distance of the In­created; or be supposed Infinite in its Reason, because a Spirit; For God is, The only Wise, and his Ʋnderstanding is alone Infinite. Psal. 147. [...]. That therefore which is clearly known, and within the compass of the Reason of Intellectual Beings of a First Magnitude, may be above the Reason of those Below Them, and so successively and Subalternately, till we come to the Lowest; but to the longhty­est Seraphic Understanding, There are in the Divine Under­standing, Truths, and Deeps of Counsels, that are above the Rea­son of it; so that it can be only said of the Infinite Ʋnderstand­ing, There is nothing above Reason, that is, above it self, nor contrary to it, that is Reason and Truth.

§. 5. But how much more must many, and those very great Truths of God be above Reason to Fallen Lost Man, so depressed and abased by sin, that he cannot lift up himself, but with great Difficulty in any Act of Understanding? and whose Reason, as hath been before more fully Argued, can be of no Reputation; because it can, upon all circumstances consider'd, give its ulti­mate Vote, or Dictate for Sin: For now the Intellectual Spirit being under an Aversion from the Father of Lights, distorted by Lust, and Love of Evil, is easy of Access to the Father of Lyes, Blinding and Bemisting it, to whom it is now Turn'd; How then can it form Idea's of Divine Things? Behold the Proportions, and true Respects of Things one to another? Judg of Good and Evil, of true Pleasure, or Grief, and Pain, in a Moral Sense, of Happiness or Misery? How can it make true Inferences, or Conclusions? Rise up to the Holiness of the Law of God, or receive his Manifestations of himself, or submit to the Energies of his Grace it self, so corrupted? What was not Above it be­fore Corrupted, is now become Above it; How much more Su­pernatural Revelations! Nay, They are contrary to Reason so Corrupted, and Reason Corrupted to these Truths of God; a­gainst which it moves in Array, as Black Clouds and Va­pors against the Sun, and its Light: So do Intellectual Spi­rits (Angelic become Diabolic) Rulers of the Darkness of this [Page 26] World, and Degenerate Human Spirits against the Light, and Truths of God, and of his Word.

§. 6. If it be said, The Lusts of Men are not Reason; It is True; but as the Enquiry is in Job; Where is wisdom to be found, and where is the Place of Ʋnderstanding, viz. in its Purity? seeing it is hid from the Eyes of all Living: Even as it is kept close from the Fowles of the Air: Death and Destruction have heard the Fame of it with their Ears: God alone understandeth the way thereof: And if Man hath lost, what God said to Him concerning it, (and is un­der Conviction, how much it is Lost) by Creation; The Fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom, and to depart from Evil, is Ʋnderstanding; Wherein can his Reason be Now Accounted of? All must be Resolv'd, into what Solomon only found, Counting Men one by one; God made Man upright; He made him him an entire Reason; but he hath sought out many Inventions, carrying a shew of Reason, but Reason is lost: A Distorted Reason is not to be confided in: Such is that of All men; In one Man only, viz. The Second Adam, Reason is found, Eccles. 7.27.

§. 7. If it be further said, Shall we Allow no Reason, nor Truth in the World? Is It no Test to Try True, and False, Good and Evil by? And if it be, why may not Reason be Trusted in every thing? And if it be not, How shall we secure our selves from being imposed upon? The Answer shall be given in its proper place, unde [...] the Head of Revelation to each of these Enquiries by way of Answer to them as Objections.

§. 8. But seeing this Treatise makes acknowledgment of Scripture by so many References to it, I think to sum up this head, viz. The Pursuit after the true Notion of Reason, according to Scripture, and our Inward Sense, and Experience, by giving the general Sense of Scripture upon the present State of Human Rea­son, Wisdom, and Understanding in our Fallen Condition; that we may see how far, in the Judgment of That, it can be thought of Value to Decide Truth by, viz. This Above, or contrary to Reason; that is, to Human Reason; yea, we might Ascend higher, even to highest Created Reason, the Reason of Unfallen Angels; in whom God puts no Trust, tho his Servants Fulfilling his [Page 27] Will, and the Ministers of his Pleasure, but charges with Folly, comparing them with his own Holyness, and Ʋnderstanding, which is Infinite; and therefore they cover not only their Feet, but their Faces, their highest Perfections before him: For these Stars are not pure in his sight; but as to the present purpose of Human Reason, Zophar, so near the beginning of the VVorld, takes notice;Job 11.12. That vain man would be wise; He Aspires to the Reputation of being so; tho he be Born like the wild Ass Colt, the most Undisciplinable of all Animals, so silly and so wild, and yet the Emblem of Human VVisdom: Notwithstanding this, every Age hath Risen up in this presumption upon their own Reason; This is that Gnosticism of every Age: The Apostle says, we know that we all have Knowledg? that is, we take upon us to have so;1 Cor. 8.2. But he adds, If any man think he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet, as he ought to Know; and therefore he prefers the Love of God, and being known of him to our Airy Knowledge or Reason. 2 Thes. 4.2. He looks upon them, as Men of no Topicks? that is, of no Reason, who have not Faith; who are not instructed of God by his Spirit in his Word: Yet we Dwarfs of Reason, of a Span long, and Hand Breadth, dare to measure Reasons with the Almighty, Col. 2.18. vainly pufft up in our minds, which are but Carnal, while we think them so sublime as to measure Divine Things; In the wisdom of God, the World by wisdom knew not God: The Lord knoweth the Thoughts of the wise, that they are vain, even the Discursive reasonings of the wise. 1 Cor. 1.20, 21. c. 3.18, 19, 20. The wisdom of this world is Foolishness with God. Let a man become a Fool, that he may be wise: With innumerable such Scriptures that would put an humble Christian quite out of conceit with his own reason, and make him rather cry out with Solomon, All this have I proved by wisdom, I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me: That which is far off and exceeding Deep, who can find it out? Eccles. 7.23. Prov. 30.1. Surely I am more bruitish than any man; I have not the understanding of man; viz. In his first Creation. I neither learned wisdom, nor know the knowledg of the Holy. Rom. 12.3. The Great Wisdom is not to be wise above what is writ­ten; but to be wise to Sobriety: So little in all this, and much more, that might be Collected of the same Sense, doth Scripture set by above, or contrary to Human Reason, as now current among Men: For what the Reason of Man condemns as the Foolishness of God, or Foolishness in Divine Things, that do not commend themselves [Page 28] to Reason, or the Wisdom of Men, is yet wiser than that Imagi­nary Reason or Wisdom, of Men.

CHAP. IV.

THere needs no Introduction concerning the word, or sense of the word Revelation; For it plainly signifies the unco­vering and making plain, visible, and open, what was before Covered, Vailed, Hidden, and Concealed: And this is the Apocalypsis every where spoken of in Scripture from God and his Spirit; and herein the Discourse, Christianity not Myste­rious, agrees, and acknowledges Mysteries before Revelation, as being of the Deeps of God, which no Man can know, seeing not the Deeps of a man: But it is supposed that Revelation is re­commended to Reason, and is no more than Information, or Testimony from any other Hand; the certitude only of Divine Excells; For in Human Information Reason Judges of the Cre­dibility, and if it finds cause, disallow the Veracity of the Te­stimony, and rejects the Things; but in Divine Information, it allows the Testimony; but if it cannot receive the things as cre­dible in such an appearance, Reason changes them by Interpretati­on, into other appearances, wherein it can allow them; altho it be never so plain by compare of Scripture, and Reason guided by it, Scripture intends what Reason Rejects; but I shall endeavour to make plain by Scripture, and true Reason, according to it, and the consent of Experience; that this is a wholly mistaken Expe­dient, as I go on thus to Remonstrate.

§. 1. REvelation is a Manifestation of God to his Intellectual Creatures from the Secret of his own Purpose, and the Deeps of his Counsel towards them, or any of them, above what [Page 29] was made known to them, or might be found out by them ac­cording to their First Creation, or Establishment; but they be­ing from an Holy, Wise, and Infinitely Gracious Being, They are and cannot but be in every one of these Regards like to him­self; and as they are super-induced to Creation, they are of Fur­ther and higher Grace; for what-ever was necessary to the First Creation, was given, and made known by the Infinitely wise and good Creator; who yet being Infinite, and Infinitely Free, had more to give than he gave at first, but was not obliged to Give all at once: Now these things could not be known but by Revelation, For what man knows the things of a man, 1 Cor. 2.11. but the Spirit of a man, that is within him: Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God: The Gospel on this Account is so of­ten Stiled, The Mystery hid in God, kept secret since the World be­gan; hidden Wisdom, the wisdom of God in a mistery; Angels there­fore, Principalities and Powers could not by their Higher Light, than that of the human Creation, find it out; but learn it by the Church: This is indeed Agreed, but yet ought to be set in its clear­est, and fullest Light.

§. 2. The Intellectual Eye was in Creation enabled to see, and behold only the Objects proper to such a Creation, as it was Created; even as the Beasts of the Field, and Fowls of the Heavens have no higher a Light, than that of sense, as proper to their Creation: So have the Higher Creations, each in their Classe, a Light Proportionable to such, or such an Elevation of Creation; For else such higher Light must be supposed to have lain Superfluous, or might have known the mind of the Lord, and been his Counseller before Revelation, or could, at least, have im­mediately comprehended the secret Counsels of God, whenever Revealed; But Angels Learn, and Desire to Look into them Further and Further; and undoubtedly partake of that grand Priviledg of the Church, the Spirit of Revelation to Enable them; That which puts the matter out of all doubt, is; that the Apostle joyns, and so Scripture throughout, the Spirit of God Given, and Receiv'd; that we might know and Discern: Now the Spirit is not an out­ward, but an inward Revealer, and Elevator of the Spirit of a Man; as Elihu speaks in Job, God Exalts, Job 32.26. lifts up by his Power the Spirit of his Creatures whom he Teaches; who, therefore [Page 30] Teaches, like him: The Spirituality of this Higher New Creation, is as much above Rationality, as Rationality above Sense; herein therefore differs Divine Teaching from all Created Teaching: If any of the Angels be supposed, the Higher to Reveal to the Low­er, or to men, what they Know by the much Larger Sphere of their Creation, and what is Mistery to those, that are of a more confined compass, and below them; they may Congregate, and stir up by Reasoning, and Instruction all the Light, such had before, and extend it as far as it can be extended under the Ma­nutemency of the Eternal Light, and Reason sustaining and act­ing, both the higher and lower Intellects; but they can give no Inward Supernatural Light, when what they find is not sufficient; That is the Glory of the Father of Glory, and of Lights; The Exalting Spirits by his Spirit is his Prerogative alone; and what hath been said 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; so that the Author of the Treatise Saw, and yet would not, or did not see in seeing the Renewing the Faculties by the Spirit of God, Given now; and of the very Organs in the Spiritual Body, a Body fitted by the Quickning Spirit, at the Resurrection, and the Finishing All Mystery, to see things above Reason (as was before observ'd in the Scheme) which Scripture every where Teaches, is done by the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation. And yet the Dignity of the First Creation is herein still affirm'd, That the Father of Spirits hath given the Immortal Spirit of Man in his own Image; so that it is capable of the Inhabitation of his own Spirit, as an Higher Spirit in it; and hath also Engrafted, and notwithstanding, sin Reserved, such Principles of Truth, that are of Great Service, and Use in the Renovation, as shall be more shewn.

§. 3. If now the Light of Creation be so unable, without an higher Illumination, and Grace; tho considered without any Loss, or Abatement of it self; not only to find out, but to re­ceive Revelation; much less can it be a Standard to it, when it is but a Partial Light, and not Adequate to Truths above its Sphere; what shall we think then of a Broken, Shatter'd, Ship­wrack'd Reason, whose Light is Darken'd in its very Heavens: For that it is so, is Evident, not only by all the Difficulties of [Page 31] attaining Wisdom, a far off and Exceeding Deep in all kind of Knowledg; but the Imperfections, many Mistakes, and Pre­sumptions, not born up by Truth; so that when we say, we will be wise, it is far from us. All these plainly shew a Degraded Rea­son. But that which I look upon, as the most Pungent Demon­stration to every Mans Conscience, is, that however we may be, or are convinc'd of Godliness, Righteousness, Soberness; yet Reason is not Able to give its last Positive, Peremptory, and Con­clusive Dictate; That these are best for us in all our Actions: This shews some Vertical Point in all Probity, Reason in this State it is now in, does not see: Now this is the principal Point of Wisdom, and of Reason; And it was given in Creation, when to Man, he said equally with making weights for the Wind, The Fear of the Lord, That is wisdom; and not only to know, we ought to do it, but Actually, to Depart from Evil, is Ʋnderstanding; And Any Reason that does it not, is Laesum Principi­um, a Reason Broken, and out of Joint; For if it were not, it would Operate true to the very utmost Point of All Goodness; even as all other Laws of Creation are observ'd, so had that Law first Given of the Fear of the Lord, and Departure from Evil in Man. The Reason of Man is now like the Failure of an Instrument, or an Engine of the Virtuosoes in Experimental Philo­sophy, All seems to be set Fair, and True, and Right; But it misses in the last point of Effect: And therefore notwithstanding all Probabilties, and handsome Appearances, it is not to be trusted Thus the present Reason of Man Judges for Piety, Justice, and: Temperance, and so seems Right for its Purpose, and End, but it miscarries in the Doing; It is not Blessed in the Deed, and so is not for its own sake in any thing, to be Trusted: The Reason of the First Man did not thus start aside as a broken Bow just at the Mark, before his Sin and Fall: If you say then, How did Sin Enter? The Answer is plain; Adam Luxated, and strain'd his Reason in Judging by it, of what was above it; matter of Revelation; of becoming Like God more than he was by Creation, not Acquiescing by Faith in the Will of and Grace of the Creator, and obedience to his Command in not Eating; and so was Deceived, and Disobey'd, and Ruin'd Himself and His Posterity by the Righteous Judgment of the All-mighty, whose ways are past finding out by Reason; for they are above it. [Page 32] And yet by Trusting in our Bankrupt Reason, we daily more Entangle our Selves. Can we think the Fallen Adam was to be Trusted, 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 Reason that had so fouly mis­carryed in Reaching beyond it self: And how much less is ours to be confided in, as to what is above it, which does so daily fall short of what was at first placed in a Just Level to that Reason.

§. 3. The grand Revelation of God in his Word, and Gos­pel is the Recovery of Lost Man by his own Begotten Son; who came from Heaven into that very Lost Nature, and Redeemed from Death, Hell, the Curse, the Wrath, and Justice of God by his own Death, and by the Sacrifice of Himself, and by His Mediation, and Intercession at the Right Hand of God; and ap­pearing at last in the Resurrection of the Dead Bodies of his Saints, and the Glorification of the whole Man, is become the Au­thor of Eternal Salvation to All that Obey Him, Heb. 5.9. Here­with Fall in All those Truths of the Gospel, attendant here­upon, and that concenter with them: Even the Godliness, Righte­ousness, and Soberness, that the True Reason hath Lost, are here­by Restor'd, and Brought to Light in a much Higher Lustre, and Spirituality, with a greater Efficacy, and more Indefeizable certainty, That they shall not be Lost, when the Spirits of those Redeemed by Christ are Redintegrated in them.

§. 9. This is now such a New Heaven and Earth of Things, that the Reason of Man, if it were whole, and entire, as in the First Creation, could not, by it self Judg of, nor Try in its own Beams, the Supreme Excellencies and Splendors of, but would be Oppressed with the Glory, and Dazl'd with the Bright­nefs; however in some, as it were Back-Parts, it would see a Divinity in them; As to those Glories, that may be stiled the Face of them, it must, even as Angels, submit it self to the Paramount and Infinite Reason, and shut its Mouth at, as at that, which Had not not been Told it, and that It had not Heard, in first Cre­ation; How much less then can the Decayed Reason, those Poor Relicks, Fragments, and Broken Peices of Reason judg of them! But through that Sin and Impurity, that hath United it self there­with, [Page 33] the more it endeavours to Rally, and Re-unite it self (be­cause of that Corruption wherewith it is so Tainted, and De­filed, that even the Mind and Conscience of the Ʋnbelieving are Defiled) Not only the greater Ignorance, and want of Skill, but the greater Enmity and Hatred to such a Superior Light, stirr'd up, as well as blinded by Sathan, It Discovers and Detects it self of; And all Directions, Advices, or Commands to Sepa­rate it self from that Corruption, are but Prescribings to the Blackamore to change his Skin, and the Leopard his Spots. For this Corrupted Reason it self Teaches so (and can do no otherwise) to Refuse Divine Truth.Jerem. 13.23. Hence have sprung all those Bold and Daring Efforts of pretended shrewdness of Reason, and Argu­ment; Insolencies of it in Scorn and Raylery against the Purity of the Doctrine of Christ; That Arch-Fallen Reason, the Devil, Turnes himself into all shapes, sometimes as a severe Rationalist, sometimes as a Sarcastic Scoffer, and sometimes is Transform'd into an Angel of Light, and as a Zelot for the Honour of Christianity; and therefore it is no wonder,2 Cor. 11.13. &c. if his Ministers are Transform'd so also, and even, as the Ministers of Righteousness: And all these very Shapes hath The Treatise, we have to do with, put on.

§. 5. It will be said, If Reason be not in a Capacity to Receive Revelation, what shall Receive it? Is it to be swallowed in Ignorance, and Blind Obedience, or by an Implicit Faith? the Answer is: The Infinitely, Only Wise God, Rom. 16.27. (as the Apostle Adores him upon the very Account of the Gospel, the Mystery, kept hid, and Revealed after for the Obediente of Faith) hath prepared a New Creation, a Regeneration, a Renovation of the Spirit of the Mind, viz. Faith, a New Understanding, and Light; a Grace of great Wis­dom and Intelligence; and were it not for Confounding it with the Exploded Fallen Reason; as men are so inclin'd to do, who are so Desirous to be Teachers of Reason, but not Rationally, as the Jews were of the Law, but not Lawfully; not Knowing what they say, nor whereof they affirm; It might be call'd,1 Tim. 17.8. a New Rea­son, that sees in, and by, and is wholly guided by Revelation, in, and from the word of God, Dwelling richly in it, in All Wisdom, and Spiritual Ʋnderstanding; And in this Light it Proves and Ex­amines all Things, and holds fast that which is good; And that which is Above All, In this New Creation, and Faith the Light [Page 34] of it; The great Redeemer by his Spirit, Unites himself to the Renewed Spirit, and Dwells in it; which is a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, Ephes. 1.17. 1 Cor. 2.12. and so Reveals the Deeps of God, that we might know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and the Things, that are freely given us of God.

§. 6. If it be further Demanded, Is the First Creation, and the Reason of it wholly Antiquated, and Removed in the New Creati­on? The Answer 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 Reserve of some great Principles of Truth, and Reason, or Re-imprinted them in the Minds of Men in General; and the Law is Written in the Heart, Rom. 2.14.15 even of the Gentiles, for many Great and Wise Ends of the Government of the World; And that These may give Testimony to the Holiness, Purity, Diviness and Wisdom of the Truths of Revelation; They are a kind of Rude Draught, or Indentings, which the New Creation takes hold of in the Minds of Men, that they may know by them; The Light of the Gospel is from Heaven, and of God: And on the Ac­count of this, They are Righteously Condemn'd, who do not Re­ceive the Truths of it, so far, as these Impressions of Natural Light Lead; and it is certain here is the Condemnation of men, that They have not Believed in the Name of the Son of God; Joho 3.18. because they loved Darkness, rather than Light; and that because, Their Deeds are Evil: And on this Account also, even in Devils, and Lost Spitits, those Principles of so Great Light given in the first Creation are Preserv'd by God in Highest Actuation, that do, what they can, They may Glorify His Justice in their Condem­nation; Thus is his way in the Sea, and his Path in the great Wa­ters, and his Foot-steps cannot be Traced as yet, or in the way of his present Government of the World; He, who is Light, and in whom is no Darkness at All, Causes Light to prevail to Condem­nation, where it hath not, and does not prevail to Conformity, and Obedience to it; But in the New Creation; Behold, all things become New. 2 Cor. 5.17. There is Inward, Supernatural Illumination, and the Power of Grace, and Holiness Conforming the whole Intellectu­al Spirit to it; and Comprizing also within it self the First Illu­mination; [Page 35] so that it is known to be that First Illumination, that Revelation hath yet taken wholly into it self, that there may be no mis-judging by a Partial Light, and yet the Testimony of that Light preserved, Steered, but Exalted Far, above it self.

§. 7. It may be largely Remonstrated upon, how great Affiance there is due to the Light, and conduct of Reason, in the Govern­ment of States, of Families, of Human Affairs; in all Sciences and Arts, Astronomy, Physick, Mathematicks, Musick, Agriculture, Architecture, Navigation, Manufacture; and how certain, and evident the conclusions, that are made according to it are; and what Trust therefore may be given to it in Religion? But on the other side, we ought to consider, How much Darkness and Ig­norance there is; How difficult and slow the Attainments of Knowledg are; How many things yet unknown; How many Errors, and Mistakes, hardly found out, and more hardly Cor­rected; what great Differences, and Disagreements of Judg­ments in most things pretended to be known; And we shall have great cause to Resolve all the Honour and Glory, we think so due to Human Reason into the Glory and Praise of the Infinite Reason, Wisdom, Ʋnderstanding, Truth and Goodness; who holds All Be­ings and Truths together in his own Understanding, even as in his own Uochangeable, and Immense Being; else all had been soon Dissolved; and who, for his own Glory, and Government of the whole Creation, gives such, and such Degrees of Assur­ance to the Understanding of Man in so many Things; and yet Humbles it under so many, and so great Failures; That it may not presume upon it self, especially in things relating to him­self, being convinced of its own shortness, in what, it is more easily sensible of: Of all which Those last Chapters of God's Ex­postulation with Job, are so great an Admonition, I need enlarge no further upon it.

S. 8. It may, in the last place be urg'd, what security have we against all the Impostures of Paganism, Antichristianism, Maho­metism, and other Portentous, and Monstrous Opinions, that may be imposed upon us under the Sacred Name of Revelation, and things above Reason; and not to be Examined by it? If we have not such a Faithful Test, as our own Reasan always pre­sent [Page 36] to us, and that may guide us out of All these Mazes and Labirinths; But on the other side, It is a very great disreputation to Human Reason, that so great Parts of Mankind have been Involved in these so Horrible Delusions; and that it hath not guided them betterr; and it leads us to the Profoundest Humili­ation under the Sense of the Righteous Judgment of God upon his Intellectual, Lower Creation, fallen from him by Sin, and so abused and deceived by That higher, Angelis Apostate Nature, called Sathan; and to earnest Supplication to him through the Redeemer, That, that Blessed Time may come quickly, when the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord, Esay. 11. Hab. 2.14. and the Knowledg of the Lord shall fill the Earth, as the waters cover the Sea; and also to Adore him, that we have the Light of his Gospel a much sur­er Guide, than our own Reason, as it is now; and a much higher Light, than it was before its so great debasement by Sin; in which we find all the true, pure Reason that we have Lost, or that we have any Sentiments, Foot-steps, or Remains of in us; or that we can find in our selves; that may assure us, as far as Reason can assure us, It is of God; and in which, the things that are most above our Reason shed yet such Beams of Light upon our Un­derstanding, and truest Reason, as Assures; They are from the Father of Truth, and not of Lyes, awakening and Enlightning Reason, while it raises us far above our Reason; and wherein we have a­bove all, that Highest, most Assuring, Sealing, Holy and Comforting Spirit, the Spirit of God; the only Paraclet, the Advocate of truth within us, promised to us; for which we should al­ways Pray with an Importunity that will not be ashamed, 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 Ʋnderstanding; Tho they were as the Understandings of Angels,Luke 1.5. Prov. 3.5. in which so great a Number of them trusting, and not in that Higher Ʋnderstanding and Spirit Fell, and are in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the Great Day: So little Encouragement have we to trust in Created reason.

CHAP. V.

THE two main Hinges of this Debate, viz Concerning Reason, and concerning Revelation, as Above, The Intro­duction of the 2d Head con­cerning Myste­ry. or Contrary to Reason having been so far Treated of; The further Discourse of Mystery may seem unnecessary, seeing it is on both Parts agreed; Above, or contrary to Reason, demtermines Mystery, or not Mystery: But because Mystery, or not Mystery bears the Face of the whole matter in Dispute, and especially, because Reverence of the word of God, and of the Truths of it (as an Ark or Sanctu­ary of, and for which, the Spirit of God hath Separated, and Sanctified the Word, Mystery) It calls for a particular Research, how, and to what Truths, and for what Ends It hath so Con­secrated it: The Sense or Significaaion of the word it self may be derived from the Old Testament, where we meet with the plain notion of mystery; the Mosaic Types are presented, as myste­rious by the Veil thrown over Moses's Face, even as the Apostle calls them Figures; so we read of Secret Things, Things kept secret; The secrets of Wisdom; Proverbs, and the Interpretation of them; Parables; Dark Sayings of the Wise; Prophetic Visions; All in Figures; some of them Interpreted, others left under their Veils: This O­riginal of mistery is worthy to be preferrd as most Pure, and Di­vine; And there is a Hebrew word of very near found, comport­ing with the Sense; though never so applied by the Sacred Text; viz. [...], which easily passes into the Greek, [...]: And yet it might fall in herewith; The word mystery was a word known to the Gentiles, to signify the Secresies of Pagan Devotions, Com­municated only to their mystae, peculiar Devoted Persons; How­ever, those Rites were fowl, and Idolatrous; The Spirit of God was pleased to take it from those impure uses, as the Merchan­dise and Hire of Tyrus, to be Holiness to the Lord; to convey the Apprehension of the Secrecy of the Truths of the Gospel, as Reveal­ed in it by himself at that Time, that had been hidden before, [Page 38] and at that very time, from those who Believed not; the hidden Wisdom of God spoken to them, who were the Perfect, or the Consecrated Mystae of it; Thus as God was pleased to separate the Gentiles, Rom. 15.16. and Sanctify them, as an Offering to Himself by the Holy Spirit, through the Preaching of the Apostles, who were before as Ʋnclean; so he pleased also to Hallow this word mystery, how­ever impure in its former use, and to appoint it a Vessel of Honour to himself. Let us now consider the importance of it in the Sacred Writings of the New Testament with the Reason of things that shall be Discoursed out of it, and Universal con­sent of Language in it.

§. 1. The Spirit of God makes use of the word mystery, in speaking of the whole Frame, and Complex of the Gospel; the Preaching of which is said to be the Revelation of the mystery, which had been hid in God; Rom. 16.27. 1 Cor. 29. c. 4. 1. Colos. 1.26.27. The Preachers of the Gospel are called Stewards of the mysteries of God; It is stiled the mistery of Christ, the mystery of Faith, the hidden Wisdom of God in mystery, Ordain'd to the glory of Saints, to whom it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. This mystery: Now this so often Repeated Denomination of the Gospel by mystery; not only, as before, but since the Rrvelation of it; and without any mention of Revela­tion, together with the calling it mystery, shews. It is an Appellati­on the Spirit of God much Delights in, and hath made (as one may say) the very Title of the Gospel; It is therefore very a­mazing; Any one who professes a Veneration of its Records, should be so Industrious and Buisy to tear it off, and pull away this Seale: It is most true; Revelation hath much chang'd the State of mysteriousness in the Gospel, but hath not so Removed mystery from it; but that there is principal Reason, that even surmounts the Clearer Revelation of it in the New Testament; why the Title is still continued: For it is plain, mystery may be in some sense Revealed, and yet be mystery still, notwithstand­ing that Revelation; Nebuchadnezzar's Dream was in it self a Revelation from God to that Proud Monarch;Dan. 2.12. and yet was my­stery, till Expounded by Daniel, because not understood: So Daniel's Visions, when he himself understood not; The Pro­phets Researched upon the things Revealed by God to them, what the Spirit of Christ in them did signify, and did not think [Page 39] it concern'd them not, because they wanted Idea's of what they understood not; Christ Taught by Parables, which were yet mysteries, till opened by him, and to all but those to whom he opened them. The Book we call the Revelation; is still my­sterous. This I urge, that the joyning the mystery of the Gospel with Revelation, may not be looked upon as proof sufficient, it is no longer Mistery.

§. 2. There are particular Branches of Evangelical Truth, to which the Spirit of God is pleased peculiarly to apply mystery; the first Scripture of the New Testament, in which we find it used, Matth. 13.11. I reserve for after consideration,Colos. 2.2. viz. The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; so of the mystery of God and of the Father, and of Christ; Of which I will give a further Account in the close of the Discourse. The Mediatorship of Christ in the various Progresses of it to highest Glory, shall re­main without Controversy, the great mystery of Godliness, till his Re­turn in Glory; wherein It is most manifest, as there are some Points very Indisputably, deeply mysterious, 1 Tim. 3.16. as God mani­fested in Flesh, Justified in Spirit, So others more plain, as Preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the World, that, as to their out side, were plain matters of Fact. Yet these, as well as the others make up the great mystery of Godliness; which shews there is some deep Reason in the Eye of the Divine Spirit, why the Notion, and Word, mystery, should be applied to each truth of the Gosyel, though some of those truths are more plain,Ephes. 5.26.32. than others: the Union betwixt Christ and his Church; and so with every Believing Soul is, what will be mystery, till he present it to himself in every particular Member of it, à glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinckle; Rev. 19.7. which The Revelation stiles the Nuptials of the Lambs Wife, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb; For who can declare this Union, rather inwardly perceived, than pos­sible to be Expressed yet? The Final Recapitulation of all things in Heaven, and Earth in Christ, that shall be Happy and Blessed, is stiled the mystery of the Divine Will, and it is to be done in the grand Oeconomy of the Fullness of Times, or of all Time, when mystery shall be Finished; and before which, it shall not be Finish­ed, but Remain mistery till then, according to the Sense of all Scripture. There are some great Propheticks of Scripture, as the [Page 40] Fulness of the Gentile Churches, or their coming to a fuller Light after the Eclipse of the Apostasy by Antichrist, Rom. 11.25. Ephes. 3.3. 1 Cor. 15.51. Rev. 1.30. c. 10.7. 1 Cor. 13.1.2. together with their whole number coming in, and making one Body with the Isra­elites, or rather a Joynt Body; The mystery spoken of the Chang­ing of the Living Saints at the coming of Christ; the mystery of the seven Stars, and seven Candlesticks, and the mystery of God Fi­nished; of which, I fear, there are yet so low Idea's in the general Professors of Christianity, that if ever they were mysteries, they are so still; as particularly, to Instance in that of the Living Saints Changed; which we generally look upon, as if it meant no more, than the suddenness of a change equivalent to Death up­on those Saints, who shall be Found Alive at the Coming of Christ; which is so far from a mystery, that it cannot be otherwiie; the Coming of Christ being so Instantaneous, as Scripture every where declares it; which Assures, there lies a much deeper sense under those words; as comparing them with The Living, The Remaining, or rather, Reserv'd, twice used, 1 Thes. 4.15, 17. will assure them, who closely consider it; But I think it unsea­sonable any further to engage herein; only to observe the Im­portance of the word Mystery, in Scripture, to be That what it Reveals, as in the Sum and main Substance, hath yet unconceivable Recesses, and Retirements of Truth; which we connot yet comprehend, or find Ideas of, and yet what it doth Reveal, is of great moment to us; and ought to fill us with a desire of Fuller Comprehensions of; as perfective of, not only of our Understandings, but makeing blessed our whole Man.

§. 3. There is yet remaining one use more the Scripture makes of the word, mistery, in what, it doth not own, as mystery of, or from it self; but Blazons, as Counter-mystery, to it self; and so far as we suppose, the Holy Spirit transferr'd the use of the word mystery from Pagan Idolatrous Impurity; it does in this one Instance Refund it, and place it on its own Base; And this is the mystery of Iniquity, of which the Apostle speaks, 2 Thes. 2.7. And after leads us to the Land of Shinar, as the Base of it, Ba­bylon the Great, on whose Forehead was written great mystery, Rev. 17.7. And herein Scripture on one side teaches us the Sense of my­stery; that it signifies Coverture, and Concealment; For tho these two mysteries differ, as Heaven and Hell; for in one we [Page 41] have the Deeps of God; In the other are hid the deeps of Satan, though under the Name of a Catholick Church; Antichristianism under the Name of Christianity; It teaches us therefore to Ab­hor, to Ascribe to Gospel Mystery, any of its Cheates, or Lyes; But in that this Mystery of Iniquity is not Consum'd but by the Breath of Christ's Mouth, and the Glory of his Appearance; It shews the Gospel shall continue Mystery, while this Counter-my­stery is sufferr'd to Endure.

§. But while we thus according to the Gospel it self speake of it, as mystery, and that the mystery of Iniquity is a counter-mystery to it; we Exalt the Wisdom of it, as the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God, only Wise, Just, and Right, Prov. 8.6 &c. 1 Sam. 2.3. 2 Pet. 1.16. c. 1.4. 1 Tim. 5 4. c. 4.7. c. 6.20. the words of whose Lips are All in Righteousness, and there is nothing Froward, nor Perverse in them; His mouth speaketh Truth, Wickedness is an abomination to his Lips. He is a God of Judgment; and by him All things are weighed: Nothing of Jargon, or Chymere; The Gospel abhors Fa­bles, either those cunningly devised, or Old Wives Fables, Endless gene­alogies, oppositions of Science falsly so call'd. All these are peculiar to the mystery of Iniquity, its Lyes and Delusions after the manner of Satan, the Lyar from the beginning, and the Father of Lyes, the Baalzebul, and Baalzebub, the God of Dung, and of a Fly; but the mysteries of the Gospel are all of greatest weight, substance, of Wisdom and Truth; and hereof it gives assurance to all Be­lievers, who are not Blind Devotionists,Colos. 2.2. but have All Riches of the Full Assurance of Ʋnderstanding, even in the mysteries of the Gospel, that are most sablime; altho it be an Understanding of Faith, as hath been already, and shall be further shewn; yea, even those, who by the Assistances of its General Grace, apply themselves with Humility, and sincere desires of its Truth to the Word of God, find great Sweetness, and Satisfaction, and an unusual Light ariseth in Opposition to Darkness; The Entrance of thy Word giveth Light, it giveth Ʋnderstanding to the Simple; Psal. 119.13. Eccles. 5.1. 2 Tim. 3.7. no­thing is more Abhor'd by it, than Superstition, the Sacrifice of Fools, the sillyness of even Women, ever Learning, never able to come to the Knowledg of the Truth. All these things are to be remanded to Paganism, and Antichristianism, and are the Characters of the mystery of Iniquity. Nor do the mysteries of Christianity consist in dark and cloudy Speculations, or thorny Scholastic Disputes, [Page 42] those oppositions of Science Falsely so call'd. They are rather the Bold­nesses of Reason, that would bring down the mysteries of the Gos­pel under it self, and the Artifice of Sathan so to entangle them: whereas in their own pure Fountain, the Word of God, They are all profitable for Doctrine Reproof, 2 Tim. 3.16.17. Rom. 15.4. Instruction in the ways of Righteousness, and that through the Patience and Comfort of the Scripture, we might have hope; and they make often an outward Reformation, where they have not the full saving Effect; Gospel mysteries are not therefore the Monopoly, or the Engrossment of a Profession,Heb. 5.12. 1 Cor. 4.1. or a Priest-craft; every Christian ought to Aspire to be a Teacher; and the Faithful Stewards of these mysteries, to use utmost Diligence, they may be so, as the greatest Seale of their own Ministry:Acts 20.26.27. Col. 1.18. Jud. 12.13. And woe to them, if they shun to that end, to declare fully the Counsel of God, Teaching every man, and Warning every man; that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; Not Wells without Water, or Clouds without Rain. It is only for Order and Government sake, and in Trust that this grand Office may be certainly Discharged, that there is a distinct Presbytery who are only worthy of double, or of any Honour at all, but up­on their Labour in the Word, 1 Tim. 1.17. v. 13.15.16. and Doctrine, and watching Night and Day, to save themselves, and those that hear them: who might at­tend on this very thing, and give themselves wholly to Reading and Me­ditation for general Profit. A Guild for mystery is only proper to the Craftsmen of Diana, the Merchants of Babylon, the Priests of Antichrist; False Apostles, whose Reproach thrown upon the Gospel, Their Lord will Return upon them, and the Blood of Souls lost by their Unfaithfulness in the discharge of their Du­ty; and to conclude this Branch, Gospel Mysteries shall not be my­steries for ever, but the perfect Comprehension of them is Ordain­ed for the Glory of Saints; and the Knowledg of them, tho not perfect here, yet shall end in the brightness of the Firmament to all the Wise in them; and They who Instruct in them shall shine as the Stars; whereas the mystery of Iniquity shall be consumed by the Brightness of the appearance of Christ, and the Ministers of it go in­to Perdition; those Planetory Stars are They, for whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever, Dan. 12.3. 2 Thes. 2.8. Jud. 13.

§. 5. The Reason therefore of so close adhering to the word, and notion of mystery, is that high Reverence due to the very [Page 43] word, the wisdom of the Divine Spirit hath chosen,1 Cor. 2.13. c. 1.10. who compares Spiritual things with Spiritual; if Christians should speak the same thing, as the Apostle Admonishes, who would not desire to speak the same word, the Spirit of God hath so often used! This is an Honour due to Scripture, and to the Holy Spirit the Author; but beyond this, the Gospel Notion of mystery Keeps up the Rever­ence due to these great Truths, for the sake of that Abysse of Wisdom, Love and Grace, from whence they Flow, and puts us in mind always of their Original, and that Riches of Compassi­on, making known what had else for ever lay hid; The sense hereof keeps always low all proud Reflexions on our own Reason, and Holds in a constant dependence upon the Enlightning Grace of God; This keeps the Divine Life at the due Elevation, be­ing laid up in Divine mysteries, and Issuing from them by the En­livening Spirit of God, not Prostrated to Fallen Reason, and its Power of Free Will, as at the Highest, but a more exalted Ethics, or Moral Philosophy. Hereby the Truths Revealed in the word are kept safe from Sacrilegious Violation, or being Condemn'd at the Tribunal of corrupt Reason, but Enthron'd in mystery far a­bove reason; this Gives the Adequate Account of miracles, not on­ly to assure, the Revelations they Sealed, were from God; but to shew a Supernatural Power, like themselves, necessary to En­lighten the Understanding, and to Sanctify the whole Spirit in conformity to them: This gives Reason to an Earnest Desire of that Eternal Life and Happiness, the Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory, shewn to be Incomprehensible, as the Truths in which they are contain'd, and that lead thereunto, and which cannot be comprehended, till that finishing of mysteries in that Everlasting Kingdom. Now all these Reasons of Holding Fast the Evange­lick word, and Notion of mystery, are as so many Countermines to the Artifices of Sathan, and his Instruments, to Deprive us of the Real Benefits of it, and therefore we ought to be Jealous over them for our own, and others sake; least, as the great Engineer of false Reason beguiled Eve with it,2 Cor. 11.1. so our minds should be Cor­rupted from the Purity of Divine Truth, as It is in Christ. For thus Antiscripturism and Superstition mutually circulating one into ano­ther, by the Help of Human Reason and Imagination have pro­duced Paganism, Antichristianism, and Mahometism, of which In­timation was before made.

[Page 44]§. 6. To conclude then the whole concerning mystery, as above Reason; that is, above our Fallen, Cor [...]upted Reason; That great Oracle of our Lord, of which intimation was before made, gives us the sum of the matter;Mat. 13.11.12. &c. he speaking to his Disciples, sayth to them; Ʋnto you it is given to know the mysteryes of the Kingdom of Heaven; To others it is not given: This is the First occasion, the Spirit of God was pleased to take, to make use of the word, my­stery, in the New Testament: and it was before the calling of the Gentiles; which gives a more Heauenly, and Divine Descent to the use of the word mystery, than the taking it from the Familia­rity the Gentiles had with it,Psal. 49.4. Psal. 78.2. and accommodating the Language of the Gospel to them; For it alludes to that of the Psalm; I will open my mouth in a Parable, I will utter dark sayings of Old. And it is ap­plied by Christ to the distinguishing Grace of God, giving to some to know these mysteries, and hiding them from others; To them it is not given; which is the most proper notion of mystery in all Lan­guages; the word mystery Importing in universal use, a Know­ledg in any thing peculiar to some, and not to others; and so this use of it by our Lord gives a principal Reason why Scripture chooses this word; viz. to Magnify this very Grace; For if these Truths were in our Power, under our Command, or under our Reason, what necessity were there of giving to know, and how to some, and not to others? Who have yet the same things laid before 'em, but in seeing, see not; even as the Parable of the Sower which our Lord makes a Figure and Type of this distinguishing Grace: It was equally Offered, but Expounded Apart to the Disciples: To those to whom It was not Expounded, it was mystery, because they had the outside, but seeing and hearing, saw not, heard not, to them It was not given; To the Disciples, to whom it was Expounded, it was still mysterious in one great sense, because they held it by the Te­nure of Grace; they did not attain by their Reason, but to them it was given. The Ideas were kept for them in the word of the King­dom, and from thence still given them afresh: to him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: The Spirit of God, as a higher mind, as that Spirit of wisdom and Revelation, upholds the Spirit of the Mind, Sanctifyed and Renewed in the Understand­ing; Ballancing, Applying, Arguing, Inferring and Producing into holy Action; declaring within themselves and to others in words, and giving them an Ʋtterance, 1 Cor. 1.1. an Elocution proper to those Spiritu­al [Page 41] things, those Truths; as he is called the Spirit giving utterance; Acts 2.3. And thus in highest Sense, those Truths are mysterious, even ac­cording to the Sense of the Treatise, as being above Reason; For all those, that attempt this Circuit by their own Reason, and Judg and Condemn by it, and will have the whole within the Cognisance of their Reason, are so Dazled and amaz'd, that even the Advantages of the Reason, reserved by general Grace, are taken from them; and they become despisers, deniers, professed Enemies to those Truths, [...], men of of Soul, Reason, that is, not having the Spirit; and so according to that severe Doom, That is Taken from them, even which they had; and what was above their Reason, thus becomes contrary to their Reason. And this is the conclusive Reason, why the Understanding, humble, Christian can never part with mystery, Gospel-mystery; what is held in mystery is held by Grace, and not by Reason; and Grace is their Title; how then should they part with mystery!

CHAP. VI.

I Have intimated before,The Intro­duction into this chapter. I should have abandon'd in Sacred Dis­courses, the so much abused word, Reason; were it not not for one transcendent Scripture; in which I am sully perswaded, the Divine Spirit hath on purpose singled out that word, the Philosophers, Joh. 1.1. &c. the Reputed Princes of the wisdom of the world, among the Greeks (whom the Apostle Remarks for seeking after wisdom) have unver­sally Expressed it by; that is, [...], now of this the Evangelist John in Spirit makes choice to Express the only begotten Son of God, by; and I shall endeavour to make plain, by this word, he intends E­ternal Wisdom, or Reason in the first place: and because this Sonship of the Eternal Wisdom or Reason is highest mystery, the same Apostle Rev. 19.12, 13. is Inspir'd to joyn the Name, he hath written, which no man knoweth, but He himself, with the Name whereby He is called, The Rea­son of God. So uniting Reason and Mystery in him; as Solomon says, what is the Name of God, and what is his Sons Name, if thou canst tell? the Father and the Son dwell alike in the Light, to which none can [Page 42] Approach. To shew therefore how in the highest Reason the highest mystery concenters, shall be the undertaking of this chapter; that I may bring Reason and Mystery to the happiest Conspiration, and no more dispute between them; I know the undertaking is high, and difficult, but by the Assistance of The Wisdom, The Reason, of whom I am to speak, I will proceed.

§. 1. The Wise of the Pagan Nations had not two greater Noti­ons, or words, than Reason and Mystery; the one expressing Natu­ral Wisdom, or Religion; and the other as Communicated to their peculiar Followers, or Disciples, and wrapp'd up in secret Figures, or Cabalas; Supernatural Wisdom, and manifestation from their Gods; In both they were extreamly Foolish, and Deceiv'd; as al­so dreadfully Corrupted, and Defiled: These two, yet the wis­dom of God and his Grace in Jesus Christ, hath laid hold upon in the Gospel, according to some former delineations in the Old Test­ament; yet taking in those Gentile Notions, and words also as suited to them, when Grace broke out upon them in their Calling; as hath been already shown in mystery, and now shall be in Reason; and then both Applyed to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

§. 2. That the word, [...], is in our Translation given, and Received, and by long use settled [The word] is so known, it may seem a Boldness to offer at such a change as to Interpret it, [The Reason] but besides, that Grave, and Learned Interpreters have not differ'd much, as shall be after shewn; and that, there shall also be due Reverence in the Progress, given to that Tran­slation [The Word] I do with greater Authority so Expound, sustain'd therein by a paralel of the Beloved Disciple with Solomon the Jedidiah, Prov. 8.22. &c. or Beloved of God; the Expressions are Uniform, as from the same Spirit intending the same Truth; yet making more Full, and plain by the Latter, what was not so fully made known by the Former; as the New Testament in its Parrhesia, Plainness, or openness of Speech, as in clearness of Light, excells The Old Testament.

§. 3. That Wisdom and Reason differ only in sound, or some very thin Distinction one from another, I think none will deny; who will not allow, the wisest Man hath, and is the greatest Reason? or that he who hath the most, or best Reason, hath the most wis­dom, and is the wisest man? The same things then, that Solomon, ascribeth to Wisdom, The Evangelist John by the same Spirit, at­tributes to the Reason; The Wisdom speaks of it self, as distinct from God, [Page 43] and yet, as hath been shewn, Supreme, Abstract, Infinite wisdom, cannot be divided from God; It must be on with him: The Reason is spoken of by the Evangelist John, as distinct from God, and yet was God; The wisdom speaks of it self, as in the Beginning, from Everlasting, before the Creation; The Evangelist John speaks of The Reason in the Beginning; and necessarily before the Creati­on, because All things were made by him, and without him was not any Thing made, that was made. The wisdom speaks of it self, possessed by God, close by him, with him; The Reason was with God, The same was with God; The wisdom speaks of it self, as brought up with God, a word of highest Sense, expressing the same Life; The Reason, as before, was with God, was God; In him was Life; The Wisdom speaks of it self, as Ʋnited with God in the Creation, The Lord by wisdom Founded the Earth; By understanding he Established the Heavens; Prov. 3.19. The wisdom was there, when he set a compass on the Face of the Deep; Of the Reason it is said as before, All Things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made, that was made: The VVisdom speaks it self, as brought forth, set up; Of the Reason It is said; we Be­held his Glory, as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father, full of Truth, that is, wisdom, as before Explained; The wisdom saith of it self, I was daily his delight, rejoycing always before him: The Gospel saith several Times of the Reason; This is my Beloved Son, In whom I am well pleased. The VVisdom saith, Rejoycing in the Ha­bitable Parts of his Earth, and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. Of the Reason it is said, He was made Flesh, and came, and dwelt a­mong us; all these Paralellisms plainly shew; this Wisdom, and this Reason are the same; And He is That Word, who is said to be Living, Powerful, sharper than a two edged Sword, &c.Heb. 4.12. Rev. 1.16. And that awful Person, That He, with whom we have to do, as he hath it, and it cometh out of his Mouth, so it is the Sword with two Edges, so sharp as to divide between the Sense and Spirit; and all things are immediately open and manifest and naked in its sight, because in his sight, whose word it is, and who is himself, the supreme word and wisdom.

§. 4. The word of God, as spoken, and written, and given out from Eternal Wisdom and Reason, gives together with those truths, that are above the Illumination of the First Creation, and there­fore Mysteries, All those Truths, that are so just, and level to the Intellectual Nature of Man, as he was made in Knowledg, Righte­ousness and True Holiness; that tho they are much obscur'd, and [Page 44] effac'd, and many of them lost, and the Ability to Form Idea's and Apprehensions of them in some almost, and in some alto­gether extinguished; Yet partly by the Reserve, Jesus Christ, as the Eternal VVisdom, and the Son of the Father in Love and Grace, as well, as Truth, and as the Redeemer hath made; and partly by the Enforcing, and Invigorating that Light, Those Truths cannot, but be acknowledged by the Mind, and Conscience of Man; so far as to condemn the Violation of them by Evil Practises, and to Restrain those Evil Practises, and to make better Human Conver­sation, and Manners: Therefore they appear absolutely necessary for Human Society, and to pass into Laws; but that excellent and Illustrious Light in which they at first shone out, so as that the Mind and Spirit should tast the full sweetness, and perfectly resign to them, is not Restored, but by a Supernatural Re-Illu­mination, and Renovation; in which regard even those Truths, whose Implantation, and the Power of Forming Ideas of them, were at the first Natural, are now become Supernatural and myste­rious, and require a new Writing in the Heart, as to the first Ex­cellency and Spirituality of them.

§. 5. The Eternal Wisdom, Reason and Word by the Light, and Spirit, with which they are given, gives Testimony to those truths of the First Creation in the Heart of Man, so far as they are re­served, sustained, enforced, according to the First Implantation or Writing in the Heart; and then it receives Testimony from them to those supernatural Truths, that it delivers together with them; As he it is that Finds out the Knowledg of witty Inventions; As Letters, writing, Print­ing, the Com­pass, &c. All that we admire so much, and that have obtained general Appro­bation, and Use; and make so honourable the memory of the first Inventors in what Science, or Art soever, are from him, as the Supreme Original: In all these we hold our Reason by Him, who is above our Reason, even him, who hath that Name, which none knows but he himself; who is therefore supreme Mystery, we hold all by Grace from him, how unthankful then is it to hold up our Reason against the Grace, against him by whom we hold it? or against the Mystery of Him, and His Grace? For there is not an Idea rightly Formed, nor one true Ratiocination, not one witty Invention for good use; not one Righteous Law, or wise Decree; but it is, (as things are now,) by Grace through the Mediator, and from him, as the Saviour thus far of All Men, [Page 45] and in these Regards, Tasting Death for every Man; but though the World was at first made by him, and is yet upheld; yet this great Light Shineth by his word in Darkness, and the Darkness comprehends it not, knows not him from whom it comes: No, not altho the First Engravings of the Law on our Hearts are so far, as they are, Re­serv'd, or Re-enlightened by him; and tho with such a variety, and free Dispose to some, and not to others; Yet They to whom greatest measures are given, except a higher Grace be given also, thro' the great Degeneracies of Human Nature, lift up those high­er measures of Reason, highest against him; which plainly shews how little Reason can effect by it self in things above such an Illu­mination, as is given to it.

§. 6. As our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Wisdom and Reason of the Father is, as in all Intellectual Beings, Reason is, an Essen­tial word within the mind it self; and as he Declares the Father by Inspirations of Creation, and Mediatory Sustentations of all In­tellectual Beings in their Intellectual Irradiations, and Motions; so he in a Supreme Government, and Conduct by his Spirit, hath Issued out into all those Declarations by his Prophets, Apostles and other Servants of his, peculiarly Employed by him, which when spoken, and as now Collected into Scripture, we call the word of God; the subsistence to which the Eternal Wisdom and Word of the Father gives; Christ yesterday, to day, the same for ever. And as he is in that word, the supreme Self-subsistent Word, so he hath made known all Supernatural Truths, Truths of the New Crea­tion, and flowing from Redemption by his Declarative Word in the Scriptures, the same word that gives the first, gives the other also; and the very Truths themselves of that Supernatural Eleva­tion and Excellency have bright Beams of those first truths, essenti­ally united to them, throughout shining within them, Spark­ling out of Them, and round about Them; by which they may be known to be of God, and are by their Weight, by their Purity, by their Heavenlyness, by their entire Excellency Distinguishable from the Mystery of Iniquity: Thus we find the Gospel of Christ, as full of Supernatural Truths,Phil. 4.8. so full of what ever is Lovely, True, Honest, Vertuous, of Good Report, worthy of Praise; even whole, universal most unspotted Morality; and the Supernatural Truths themselves are Orient with the same, far eve­ry way above the Faded, Blasted, Wither'd Ideas, or glozed Sem­blances of those, who have spoken most Excellingly of them with­out [Page 46] that Light: And herein is the Condemnation, that men receive not supernatural Truths; They Recoile, not from the Supernaturalness, but from the very Holiness, Strictness, Purity, they are dazled with; even that, which was Implanted in First Creation; They Love Darkness, John 3.19. rather than Light, because their Deeds are Evil; and make a pretence of Prejudice against the Supernaturalness, and that they have not Assurance such Truths are from God, to shelter the Evil Works, to which they adhere, and upon which these Truths Shine so warm and bright, and so sharply Reproove; And thus the Gospel of Christ first gives Testimony to all Implanted Truth, shewing to Man all that was written in his Heart; fills up the Vacuities, and Empty Spaces; gives new Light, and Beauty to the Defaced, and lost Characters; so that men may know in their own Consciences, It is that First writing Restor'd, and they find it so undeniably within themselves to be so, that they cannot deny it: And then Supernatural Truths so essentially united to Implanted, and Both so Circulating one within another, Superna­tural Truths Receive Testimony from those Implanted Truths, that if the one are so undoubtedly from God, the other must be also; and no one can reject revealed Truth, but he must first dis­obey, and Rebel against Natural, and therein is Justly and Righ­teously Condemn'd.

§. 7. Upon the whole then, we may from Jesus Christ the Su­p [...]eme Reason, Wisdom, and Word of God, and the Supreme Mystery derive this T [...]ain, and connexion of Truths. 1. That Godliness, Righteousness and Soberness, being in the most inward Sense of Mans mind, the principal Points of true Reason; where ever they are found at fullest Dimensions and strongest Excellency, Thre is highest Reason now, in the clearest Light, and Harmony, and the proper Language of it; These are so found in the word of God, above the [...], the Natural Implanted Knowledg of God, now so obscur'd, and ecclipsed by mans sin, and Fall; and above that excellent Light Creation Gives, as David, Psal. 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 Wis­dom, Reason and Word of God; and that is Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in Truth, Full of Truth; the Living Word of God, whose Name is called, The word of God. 3. That he, who is the Su­preme Reason, Wisdom, Truth and word of God, as He is He by whom [Page 47] All was made, so He is He, by whom all is Conserved, and Restor­ed; The Son of the Father in Love, as well as Truth, and full of Grace, as well as Truth. 4. He therefore,Gal. 3.23. as he is himself Supreme Mystery, and is therefore called Faith, which is the Reason Superna­turalized for Mystery; so he Reveals the Mystery of the Counsel of the Independent Will and Grace of the Father. 5. He Reserves and Continues all the Light of the First Illumination by Cre­ation, that is found, even where there is no Knowledg of Him; All the Learning in Arts, Sciences, and witty Inventions; He Dis­penses All that Light, and Knowledg, Receiving for, and giving Gifts even to the Rebellious, under the Profession of his Gospel,Psal. 68.18. that the Lord God may have a Tabernacle among them. 6. But Espe­cially, He as the Truth, and Mystery Instructs Savingly all his own Servants, and by inward Light, and Truth communicated to them, Transfers, by his Spirit, from his word Supernatural with all Natural Truths into their Hearts; so that they are at once, The only true Men of Reason, and the Mystae, the [...], the Instructed in the My­steries of the Kingdom of Heaven: So that as in Christ himself Supreme Wisdom, Reason, Truth, and Supreme Mystery, (whom none Knoweth but the Father, and they to whom the Father Reveals Him) Reason, and Mystery are Ʋnited; so in All true Christians Reason, and Mystery dwell together; All Natural and Supernatu­ral Truth according to Godliness, but Supernaturally given, and Communicated by an Illumination after the manner of the Com­munication of Mystery. 7. Through the Delusion of Sathan un­der the Vizor of Christianity hath sprung up by falling from the Supreme Word of God, and the True Mystery, the mystery of Ini­quity, and Antichrist the Son of Perdition; as the Pagans of old, Fell from Natural Truth, into Idolatry.

§. 8. But because He, who is the Supreme Wisdom, Reason, Truth, and by whom all things were made, and whose Name is the word of God, hath a Title written on his vesture, and on his Thigh; King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; There shall be a Kingdom of Highest Illumination, and Reason, the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, a Kingdom of Redemption, the World to come of the second Adam, wherein all mystery, Natural and Supernatural shall be Finished, or fully laid Open, and Understood; and then the my­stery of Iniquity shall be wholly Destroyed; when not only the Faculties of the Mind shall be Perfectly Restored by Renovation but the Organs of the Spiritual Body, fitted to the Action of the [Page 48] Spirit; and the Divine Being shall be seen in the Eternal Son, Em­manuel, in our Nature, so far as it is possible for a Finite Being to comprehend an Infinite;John 17.21.23. to which also in and by him Saints shall be United.

§. 9. Thus all Wisdom, Reason and Truth circulates with it self in the Eternal Reason, and all his Oeconomy in his making the World; in the Government of it; in the Reserves of Truth and Reason in the mind of Man in any Degree now; in the perfect Purity of the Word of God; and in the World to come, or Kingdom of the Eternal Reason and word of God; so that we may Argue from the one to the other with great Assurance: If there be Wisdom in the Laws of Creation, and Providence there are certainly Laws of Holiness, Righteousness and Soberness, every way correspond­ing them; the Fear of the Lord in man; Departure from Evil cannot but answer the Ballancing the Clouds, and the weights for the wind, &c. If we have any such Laws of Wisdom, and Equity in ei­ther Kind, there is an entire System and Complex of Each, if an Infraction had not been made by Sin. On the other part if there be a Renovation of the Laws of inward and outward Holiness, in and by the Redemption of Christ, and the New Crea­tion in his Redeemed; The Restitution of the Creation, wherein so­ever it Grones, and Travels in Pain until now, and the Admi­nistration of its Government shall be as Glorious; when it shall be Delivered from the Bondage of vanity and corruption, whereunto it was,Rom 8.20. and yet is Subject, by Reason of him who so Subjected it in Hope, into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God.

§. 10. As every Reason and Wisdom, together with the Speech and Expression, it hath, and makes of it self, hath a certain E­nergy and Force, or Spirit, that it powerfully sends forth and works on others by; so it is Attributed to the Eternal wisdom, Rea­son and word of God to Powre out his Spirit, Prov. 1.23. c. 14. Joh. c. 15.16. to send the Paraclet, or Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends in the Sons Name, who is called the Spirit of that Word, by whom the world was made, the Spirit of Wisdom, of Revelation, The Spirit of the Son, The Spirit of Christ; and which was given upon the Glo­rification of Christ,Iohn 7.30. the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets, and whom Scripture Introduces on all Accounts, as the Spirit Breathing in, and with the Declared Word of God; and Revealing the Mysteries [Page 49] of the Kingdom of Heaven, that cannot otherwise be knwon; and yet this Spirit none can know but they who have it;John 14.17 Thus in all things appears the Happy Union of Reason and Mystery in the Supreme Reason and Mystery and Word,

CHAP. VII.

THE former Parts of this Discourse concerning Reason and Mystery hath necessarily led to the distinct consideration of God; The Father of Lights and of Spirits;The Intro­duction. All Beings of Reason de­scending from Him. Of The Son of the Father in Truth, viz. The Eternal wisdom and Reason; and in Love; The Word declaring the Father; Full of Grace, Full of Truth; Of The Spirit of wisdom, of Holiness, of Power; The Spirit giving Ʋtterance; The Father, the VVord, (who is the Son,) and the Spirit are plainly Assured to us in Scripture to be ONE: Herein is highest Mystery; as a con­clusion therefore of this Discourse, Let us in very Brief consi­der them so; and the rather, because One cannot but suspect, This Jannes and Jambres Treatise, Christianity not mysterious, 2 Tim. 3.8. was designed to Resist this great Truth; The Discourses of which, however keeping close to Scripture, it Stiles p. 25. ‘Extra­vagancies about the Trinity; and that Period, pag. 29. Savors strongly of the fame Leven: But what do they mean by Consisting with themselves, yet not with our common No­tions? Four may be called Five in Heaven, but so only the Name is chang'd; the thing remains the same: And since in this World, we cannot know any thing, but by our com­mon Notions; How shall we be sure of this Pretended con­sistency between our present seeming Contradictions, and the [Page 50] Theology of the World to come?’ In Answer hereunto in this great point, let us consider.

§. 1. It is certain, an intellectual Spirit cannot be made such, but that the Infinite, Intellectual Object, and most Intelli­gible; GOD; must needs be seen in his great Glory, and Attri­butes of Perfection by it: But he cannot yet be found out to Per­fection, but still dwells in that Light, to which no one can Approach, both in regard of Infinity, and Infinite Holiness and Spirituali­ty;Job. 4.3. so as to Charge purest Created Beings with Folly; to put no Trust in the Holyest of his Servants; and the Stars are not pure in his sight: The most Blessed of Created Spirits cover not only their Feet, but their Faces, and cast their Crowns before him: Even those who are not [...],Isa. 6.2. 2 Pet. 3.17. Jud. v. 13. Defirmamented; nor [...], wan­dring Stars. Who have not Left their first Estate, nor forsaken their own Habitation; They dare not stand on their Intellectual, or Moral Accomplishments: How much less they who dwell in Houses of Clay, whose Foundation is in the Dust, who are but worms. The Author of the Treatise we are upon, acknowledges, we have not Adequate conceptions of the Divine Being, and yet de­nies Mystery, because not above Reason; not considering, That we must now by Faith, that Intellectual Grace of the New Creation, and of Divine Illumination, and therefore necessarily above the Reason of the First Creation, if entire; much more, as fallen, come to God; Believing, He is, and is a Rewarder of them, who Diligently seek him: That is; To know him in the Mediator, and in the Light of his Divine Spirit, according to the Revelation of his Word.

§. 2. This Revelation of Scripture is so clear and full through­out, especially the New Testament, that it cannot be Denied: There are so many, and so distinct Namings of them, both a­part, and together: The Father, The Word (who is the Son) The Spirit; They are so Distinguished One from the Other, and yet their Union one to another, is most Illustriously made known; as in this one Instance; the Spirit is Stiled, The Spirit, who proceeds from the Father, John 14. c. 15. c. 16. whom the Father sends in the Sons Name; Now the Father, as he is the Father, cannot be the Son; SO the Spirit is stiled, The Spirit, whom the Son sends from the Father; The Spi­rit [Page 51] who Glorifies Christ; The Spirit of the Son, The Spirit of Christ; And we know, The Son cannot be The Father, as he is the Son; when therefore, as the Apostle Expresly Affirms, The Spirit is the One and the Self Same Spirit; and he is continually stiled, the Spirit of God, whom most of the Adversaries acknowledg one with God, as the Spirit of a man is one with himself; and that yet the Spirit is the Spirit of the Father, and of the Son, It is absolute Scripture De­monstration, that the Father, the Son, the Spirit are both most di­stinct, and yet most truly, The One true God; Their Attributes are Distinct to Each, and yet the same Divine Perfections shine out alike in All; Their Acts of Love and Grace in the Salvation of man, are so distinct, and yet proper only to the One Eternal Being, as the Fountain of them; That they, from whom those Emanations are, cannot but be understood, as Distinct, and yet but One. The ac­knowledgments, and Returns, that are called for from, and made by Redeemed Saints, unto the Father, the Son, the Spirit, are such as can only be Required by the most High God to himself, nor without Horrible, and Abominable Idolatry yeilded to any other: The Gospel is so Abundant in all these, and makes this manifesta­tion of God so principal an end, and scope of all its Discourses, and places so much its Glory in it, as in what it most designs to declare; That if we own it to be a Revelation from God, it is as great an In­jury either to reject or to interpret it contrary to it self herein; (be­cause our short and corrupt Reason cannot allow it) as to impute any monstrous Thing to it: For it must be supposed either to Re­veal some such Portent as cannot be Believed; or that it knows so little how to express it self, that wherein it speaks, as fully as plain­ly, without a Figure, as constantly as may be, it must yet be over­rul'd by Interpretation, and Taught to Speak; or else it would speak so, as to [...]un men into Idolatry, and Blasphemy against the One true God.

§. 3. If then, the Father, the Word, the Spirit be a Revelation of the Divine Being to us from it self; we dare not but Acknowledg it Infinite Wisdom and Reason, because we acknowledg the Divine Being to be so; and because the very Titles, and Essential Attri­butes of each are so; the Father of Lights is he, with whom is no variation or shadow of turning; the Eternal Wisdom, Reason, and Word the Son is he, in whom is Light, the true Light, the Truth: The Spirit is the Spi­rit of Truth, of Wisdom, of Holiness; and because from them is the Manuduction into All Wisdom, and Truth; Every Good and [Page 52] Perfect Gift comes from the Father; The Son is, the true Light, the Light of Men; the Spirit leads into all Truth.

§. 4. Yet is this great Truth of the Ineffable Union, and Com­munion, and yet Distinction, Profoundest Mystery; in Regard of the Revelation of such a Deep of God; the Imperfect Knowledg we have of it; and the necessity of Divine Illumination, and Sancti­fication unto Adoration, Love, Service, Obedience of Faith, suit­able to it.

§. 5. Yet it is not to be Reproached, as Jargon, or the Chymera of Transubstantiation, or other Antichristian Falshoods; For the Saints and Servants of this great Truth have a full assurance in it, tho a Mystery; and whereas it seems to encounter the Unity of the Divine Being, or the Notion we have of One and Three; Faith Enlightned by the Divine Spirit sees so many more great Principles of Truth and Holyness Centring in it, that it considers we are no more able to Judg of Unity in Him, (who is All, and not a poor, single Unite,) than a Child is able to know, an Unite is the Beginning and Foun­tain of Number; nor according to our Low Arithmetic, to judg of the Application of Three to the Father, the Son, and the Spirit the One God; so Supreme, Glorious, Remoov'd from All Approach of Created Being; than a Child can work by the Rule of Three; Only we know in him, it must be Perfection of Being, and Operation. And as Abraham, in the Sacrificing Isaac, was taught to over­ballance that Natural Principle of Parental Affection, and even of Oracle;Heb. 11.17.18. In Isaac shall thy seed be Called; by that therein more Para­mount Light of Faith; God was able to raise him from the Dead, from whence he Received him in a Figure: So are true Believers by that great Light of Faith enabled in those so Resplendent Beams of Revelation before mention'd, to Adore the One God in the Fa­ther, the Son and the Spirit; tho they understand and speak but as Children, and see through a Glass Darkly, till they come to see Face to Face; and to know, as they are known, or shall be then made to know; and if there are those Sons of Anak in Reason, as they seem to themselves, that cannot receive it, we Adore with the Son of the Father in our Nature; I thank thee, Oh Father, Lord of Heaven, and Earth; that thou hast hid these Things from the Wise, and Pru­dent, Luke 10.12. and hast Revealed them to Babes; even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Lord open thou our Eyes, that we may behold the Wonders of the Mysteries of the Truth. Psal. 110.18. 1 Tim. 1.17. Now to the King, Immor­tal, Invisible, the only wise God, be Glory for Ever.