inhumane Practices whereof their E- Ch. 3. nemies most unjuftly accus'd 'em, he cries, We are befet, we are difcover'd every day; - But if we keep always hid, how are thofe "things known which we are faid to commit? Nay, who could make them known? Such as are guilty!, Not fo, furely for all Mysteries are of Course under an Oath of Secrecy. The Samothracian, the Eleufinian Myfteries are conceal'd; how much rather fuch as being difcover'd would now provoke the Juftice of Men, and might expect to meet with that of God hereafter? They are fecret Practices, you fee, and not incomprehenfible Doctrines which this Father counted Mysteries. 44. Origen makes the Encampments of the Ifraelites in their Journey to the I 3 Pro こ 12 * Quotidiè obfidemur, quotidiè prodimur, Si femper latemus, quando proditum cft quod ad mittimus? Immo à quibus prodi potuit? Ab ipfis reis! Non utique, cum vel ex forma cmnibus My fteriis filentii fides debeatur, Samothracia & Eleu finia reticentur; quantò magis talia quæ prodira interim etiam Humanam animadverfionem provocabunt, dum Divina fervatur? Pag. 8. edir. Parif 1675. Sect. 3. Promis'd Land to be * Symbols or Myfteries defcribing the way to fuch as fall travel towards Heaven, or hea venly things. I need not add what he fays of the Writings of the Prophets, of the Vifion of Ezekiel, or the Apocalypfe in particular: for he is uníverfally confefs'd to have brought this Myftick or Allegorical Method of interpreting Scripture to its Perfection, and to have furnifh'd Matter to all that trod the fame Path after him; an Honour, in my Opinion, not to be envy'd him. But he was fo far from thinking any Doctrine of our Religion a Mystery in the prefent Senfe of the Word,that he exprefly affirms them +to agree all with COMMON NOTIONS, and to commend themselves to the Affent of every well-difpos'd Hearer. 45. The * Εἰ δὲ δύναται διὰ συμβόλων καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν δεδηλω Αθώων 7 ὁδευσόντων ἐπὶ τὰ θεῖα μαθεῖν ἀναγνώτο τις επιγεγραμμένος Αριθμός Μωυσέως, και εκτιτάτο τὸν δυνάμενον [αυτὸν μυςαγωγῆσαι ἐπὶ τα ἢ παρεμ βολῶν Τυιῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἀγαγεγραμμένα. Lib. 6. contra Celf. pag. 291. edit. Cantab. r677. † Ορα δὲ εἰ μὴ τὰ ἢ πίςεως ἡμῶν ταῖς ΚΟΙΝΑΙΣ ΕΝΝΟΙΑΙΣ αρχήθεν συναγορεύονται, μετατίθησι τὸς ευγνωμόνως ακέοντας 7 λεγομβρίων. Lib. 3. contra Celf. pag. 135. 1 ~ 45. The other Fathers of the three Ch. 3. firft Centuries have exactly the fame Notions of Mystery: And fhould they in this Matter happen to contradict in one Place what they establish'd in another, (as they ordinarily do in moft things) it would only ferve to exclude them from being a true Rule to others that were none to themselves. But what is no small Prejudice in our Favour, feeing we have to do with Men fo apt to forget, they keep very conftant to this Point: fo that I may juftly hope by this time the Cause of Incomprehenfible and Inconceivable Myfteries in Religion should be readily given up by all that fincerely refpect FATHERS, SCRIPTURE, or REASON. I 4 CHAP, Sect. 3. ན་ CHA P. IV. Objections brought from particular Texts of SCRIPTURE, and from the Nature of FAITH anfwer'd. 46. Myfteries, and it feems they S OME Men are fo fond of 灣 find their Account in it, that they are ready to hazard any thing fooner than part with them. In the mean time, whether they know it or not, -they lay nothing less than their Religion at ftake by this Conduct; for it is an ugly Sign when People profefs that what they believe is above the Examination of Reafon, and will fuffer it by no means to come into queftion: It argues in themselves a Diftruft of their Caufe; and others conclude, that what dares not abide the Trial of Reafon, muft needs it self be unreasonable at Bottom. 47. Notwithstanding these Confequences are fo obvious, they harden them themselves against them, and are not Ch. 4. afham'd to bring even Scripture to w countenance their Affertion. You fhall hear nothing more frequently in their Mouths than these Words of the Apoftle, Beware left any Man fpoil Col. 2.8. you by PHILOSOPHT and vain Deceit, after the Tradition of Men, after the Rudiments of the World, and not after Chrift. Ridiculous! as if Reafon and Truth were Vanity and Craft! By Philofophy is not here underftood found Reafon, (as all Interpreters agree) but the Syftems of Plato, of Ariftotle, of Epicurus, of the Academicks, &c. many of whofe Principles are directly repugnant to common Senfe and good Morals. Sophiftry was never more in vogue than in the Days of Paul; and feveral out of thefe Sects imbracing Christianity, found the way to mix with it their old Opinions, which they were loth to quit for good and all. The Apoftle therefore had weighty grounds to warn his Converts not to confound the Inventions of Men with the Doctrine of God. It appears nevertheless that this good Advice was to little Purpofe, for you'll |