the refurrection and afcenfion of the blessed Jefus. The doctrine of one God, and a judgment to come, may receive much light and Strength from natural reason: and whatever establishes a revealed truth, will be fo far from diminishing, that it will increase the virtue and efficacy of it. All the caution I think fit to give here is, that we be fure that the ground be plain and firm, on which we build the belief of an illuminating truth. Philofophy, in many cafes is clear and convictive: St. Paul himself amongst the Gentiles frequently ap-. peals to reafon. But too often we call our fancy philofophy; and obtrude upon the world, the wild and undigested theories of a warm and confident imagination, for new difcoveries. What strange stuff was GnoStick philofophy once? What did it produce but the corruption of the Chriftian faith? And what can be expected from myftick, euthnfiaftick philofophy or divinity in any age, any man may guess, without any deep penetration. Nor do I doubt but that all judicious and experienced men, do as much despise and nauseate the blendures and mixtures of pretended philofophy with our faith and morals, as the world generally does the fubtilties and perplexities of the Schools. For my part, I can't endure to have my religion lean upon the rotten props of precarious notions. I admire, I love the ele

vations

vations and enlargements of foul: but I can have no value for unaccountable amusements or rambles of fancy. An itch of novelty or curiofity has a tincture in it of our original corruption. I ever fufpect an opinion that carries an air of novelty in it; and does always prefer a vulgar truth be fore refined error. They are vulgar truths, which like vulgar bleffings, are of most use, and trueft worth: and furely our Saviour thought fo, when he thanked his Father, that he had bid these things from the wife and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. And when he himself taught the people with power and authority, and not as the fcribes, he did advance no fubtil theories, but bright and dazling, useful and convictive truths. This minds me of another property of illi minating knowledge.

2. This knowledge muft not be obfcure and confused, but diftinet and clear. Where the images of things are flight, faint, and vanifhing, they move men but very weakly, and affect them but very coldly; efpecially in fuch matters as are not subject to our fenfes. And this I perfuade my felf is one chief reafon why thofe glorious and wonderful objects, God, a judgment to come, heaven, and hell, do ftrike us fo feebly, and operate fo little. We have generally no lively, diftinct, and clear conception of them: It being otherwife impoffible, that things

in

in their own nature dreadful and amazing, fhould excite in us no fear; or that things in their own nature infinitely amiable, fhould inkindle in us no paffion, no defire. The notions we have of fpiritual and invifible things are dim, dufky, and imperfect: our thoughts pafs over them fo fightly, that they scarce retain any print or traces of them. Now this fort of knowledge will never do the work. These drowsy notices of things will never ferment and raise our paffions for heaven high enough to confront and combat those we have for the world. From hence we may give a fair account, what the ufe is of prophetick retirement, and prophetick eloquence: what is the purpose of all thofe fchemes and tropes which occur in infpired writings: and why the best of men have ever fo much affected folitude and retreats, from the noife and the hurry of the world. Serious, frequent, and devout contempla tion is neceffary to form in our minds, clear, distinct, and fprightly notions: and to communicate thefe well to the world, they must be expreffed in moving language, in living tropes and figures. Ah! did we but confider this, we fhould fure allot more time to the study of divine truths; and we fhould not think, that to discover them throughly, it were enough to let our thoughts glance upon them. But we fhould furvey

and

and ponder them with all the exactness and diligence that were neceffary to make lasting and diftinct impreffions upon us. Could we know by intuition, doubtlefs wonderful objects would raise very extraordinary paffions in us. But this we cannot, let us come as near it as we can only let us avoid forming abfurd and false notions of things, whilft we endeavour after diftinct and clear ones. Spiritual things do not anfwer corporeal, like face to face in a glafs and therefore, tho' to give some light to things that are above us, we may find out all the resemblances of them we can in those things we are acquainted with here below; yet we muft ftill remember, that the one do vaftly exceed the other, and that we cannot thus get a juft adequate notion of them.

every

3. This knowledge muft not lie in the understanding, crude and undigested; but it must be throughly concocted and turned into nourishment, blood, and spirits. We must know the true value and ufe of principle, of every truth; and be able readily to apply them. For what does it fignify, how important truths are in themselves, if they are not fo to me? What does it avail that they are impregnated with life and power, if I feel not any fuch influence? Of what ufe is the knowledge of gospel-promifes to me, if I reap no comfort from them?

Or

Or the knowledge of gospel-threats, if they are unable to curb and restrain my paffions? And fo is it with other truths: what will it avail me that I know, the life of man confifts not in the multitude of the things which he poffeffes, if notwithstanding I cannot content my felf with a competency? That righ teousness is the chief good, and the richest treasure of the foul of man; if notwithstanding I feek this world, and the things of it, with a more early and paffionate concern? That fin and pain are the moft confiderable, if not only, evils of man; if notwithstanding I be caft down and broken under every adverfity? And thus I might go on, and fhew you, that the knowledge which is not digefted into nourishment is, if not a burden, of no benefit to us. 'Tis plain, that is to me nothing worth, which I make no ufe of. We mult then follow the advice of Solomon, and never quit the fearch and meditation of truth, till we grow intimate and familiar with it; and fo have it always ready for a guide and guard for our fupport and ftrength, and for our delight and pleasure. We muft bind it about our heart, as he speaks, and tie it as an ornament about our neck. Then, when we go forth it shall lead us, when we fleep it fhall keep us, and when we awake it fhall talk with us: for the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of inftruction are the way of life, Prov.