on my fide, than to pass for Orthodox Ch. 3. with the whole World, and have them

against me.

23. Now by fearching the Scriptures I find some of the Evangelick Do. &rines call'd Myfteries, in a more general, or in a more particular Senfe. They are more generally fo call'd with refpect to all Mankind: for being certain Matters of Fact only known to God, and lodg'd in his Decree, or fuch Events as were quite loft and forgot in the World, it was impoffible for any Perfon, tho never fo wife or learned, to discover them; for the things of God knoweth none but the Spirit of 1 Cor. 2. God, as none can find out the fecret 11. Thoughts of Man till he tells them himfelt. Such Revelations then of God in the New Teftament are call'd Myfteries, not from any prefent Inconceiveablenefs or Obfcurity, but with refpect to what they were before this Revelation, as that is call'd our Task which we long fince perform'd.

24. If any fhould queftion this, let him hear the Apostle Paul declare for himself and his Fellow-Labourers in the Gospel; We Speak, fays he, the

Wisdom

7,8.

Sect.3. Wisdom of God hid in a MYSTERY, which God ordain'd before the World for 1 Cor. 2. our Glory, which none of the Princes of the World knew, &c. And, to fhew that this Divine Wisdom was a Myftery for want of revealing InformaVer. 9,10. tion, he presently subjoins, Eye hath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepar'd for them that love him; but God hath reveal'd them' to us by his Spirit. The most perfpicacious Philofophers were not able to foretel the Coming of Chrift, to discover the Refurrection of the Body, nor any other Matter of Fact that is deliver'd in the Gospel And if they happen'd now and then to fay fomething like the Truth, they did but divine at beft, and could never be certain of their Opinion. It is a moft delightful thing to confider what Pains the enquiring Heathens were often at to give a Reason for what depended not in the leaft upon any Principles in their Philofophy, but was an historical Fact communicable by God alone, or fuch as had undoubted Memoirs concerning it. Of this I think it not amifs to add the following Example.

25.

25. The fame Fxperience that Ch. 3. taught the Gentiles their mortal Condition, acquainted them alfo with the Frailty of their Natures, and the numberlefs Calamities conftantly attending them. They could not perfwade themselves that the Species of Man came in fuch deplorable Circumstances out of the Hands of an infinitely good and merciful Deity; and fo were inclin'd to impute all to the Wickedness of adult Perfons, till they perceiv'd that Death and Misfortune did not Spare innocent Children more than Robbers and Pirates. At laft they imagin'd a pre-existent State, wherein the Soul acting feparately like Angels, might have contracted fome extraordinary Guilt, and fo for Punishment be thruft into the Body, which they fometimes compar'd to a Prifon, but oftner to a Grave. This was likewife the Origin of Tranfmigration, tho in procefs of Time. the Sins of this World became as much concern'd in that Opinion as those of the other. But nothing is more ingenious than the Ac

*

* As if Ewun had been a Corruption of Σnua.

Sect.3. Account which Cebes the Theban gives us of the Matter in his most excellent Portraiture of humane Life. He feigns * Imposture fitting in a Throne at the Gate of Life, in the Shape of a most beautiful Lady, holding a Cup in her Hand: She obligingly prefents it to all that are on their Journey to this World, and these as civilly accept it; but the Draught proves Ignorance and Error, whence proceed all the Disorders and Mifery of their Lives.

16.

26. This Point was a great Mystery to these honest Philofophers, who had only Fancy to guide them, and could not pretend to Inftructions from the Mind of God; but the thing is now no 1 Cor. 2. Mystery to us that have the Mind of Christ. We know that Adam the firft Man became also the firft Sinner, and Mortal; and that fo the whole Race propagated from him could be naturally no better than he was: By one. Rom.5.12. Man Sin enter'd into the World, and Death by Sin.

27. But

* Ορος, εἶπε, πραὶ τὴν πύλην θρόνον τινα καί μενον—ἐφ ̓ ὁ κάθηται γυνὴ πεπλασμψη τῳ ἤθεν, καὶ πυ Savn parounn, &c. Cebet. Tab.p.11.Ed.Amft. 1689.

27. But fome Doctrines of the Go- Ch. 3. fpel are more particularly call'd Myfte. ries, because they were hid from God's peculiar People under the Mofaick Oeconomy; not that they knew nothing concerning them, for the Law had a Heb. 10.1. Shadow of good things to come; but they were not clearly and fully reveal'd till the New Testament Times, being vail'd before by various Typical Reprefentations, Ceremonies, and figurative Expreffions. Christ tells his Difciples, Many Prophets and Kings have defir'd Luke 10. to fee thofe things which you fee, and 24. have not feen them, and to hear thofe things which you hear, and have not heard them. Paul fays, we use great 2 Cor. 3. PLAINNESS of Speech, and 12, 13. not as Mofes who put a VAIL over his Face And then exprefly adds, that this VAIL is taken away in Ver. 14. Chrift, which could not be truly affirm'd, were the things reveal'd fill inconceiveable; for I know no Difference between not hearing of a thing at all, and not comprehending it when you do. In another Place Paul has these remarkable Words; The Preaching of Jefus Rom. 16. Christ according to the REVELATION 25, 26,

of