the prison, sometimes the grave of the foul; which never could enjoy its full and perfect liberty, till it had fhaken off its mortal perishable part. These were but the gueffes of a few: Had they been favoured with our light and certainty, how would they have exulted in the glorious hope, that both body and foul, would hereafter be united and purified in a state of complete and endless blifs.

This is the knowledge which the Gospel alone can difcover: this is the comfort it offers to us, from the fupreme authority and pleasure of the Almighty; from him cometh our wifdom and truth, our knowledge and certainty. Whereas the light of nature being grounded upon human wifdom and reafon corrupted and depraved; can only speak of such great articles by weak arguments, and often from uncertain likelihoods concludes certain untruths. Such and fo great is the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man. From the former, we have all that the faving knowledge of divine Revelation cant impart from the latter, only what the im

perfect

perfect surmises of uninformed opinion can fuggeft, without any authority to support fuch random fuppofitions.

By the comparison in these few particulars here attempted, the fuperior excellency of the Gospel State is clear and manifeft. We cannot but acknowledge, that no precepts of philofophy can fo inftruct us, no examples of history so move us, no sweetness of numbers fo allure us, no force of eloquence fo perfuade us to godliness or virtue, as the motives, evidence, and authority of the revealed will of God. So great and powerful is the wisdom of God, fo weak and unavailing the wisdom of man's reafon.

Thus doth God deftroy the wisdom of the wife, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. But notwithstanding this demonstration of the fpirit, and power, and wifdom of God, there are those who obftinately refift such evidence. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can be know them,

because they are spiritually difcerned". They are not proved from principles of natural knowledge, which is the only wisdom he admires. Such human reafoners did from the beginning, fuch do ftill reject and oppose the Gofpel; while the charms of the wisdom of words", and the arts of eloquence are abused to deprive us of our confolation, and to rob us of our reward in Chrift °. They may indeed pretend great matters, to set us free from the prejudices of education, and the burthenfome yoke of Revelation. But for what purpofe? unless to bring us into the wretched ftate of heathenifm; that is, of doubt, of ignorance, of error, and perplexity. Whatsoever such disputers may affirm, none can be real friends to virtue, who are enemies to Chrif tianity.

Let not therefore our conftancy be fhaken by those false pretences to clearer light, or

Such endeavours to corrupt the fimplicity that is in Chrift, (2 Cor. xi. 3.) the Apostle in one place calleth

( Col. ii. 4. ) in another, εν πείθοις ανθρωπινης σοφίας λογους, (1 Cor. ii. 4.) that he might guard us against being feduced by fuch plaufible fpecious reasonings, which are founded more upon the fubtlety of evafions, and the arts or embellishments of ftyle and language, than the force of truth and conviction.

greater

greater knowledge. Of divine matters Reason alone is an incompetent judge, and can go no farther than opinion, which may be ill founded and erroneous: Now error in fpeculation is often the real caufe, and more often the alleged and pretended cause of immoral and vicious practice. Let divine Revelation therefore, the unerring rule of our Faith have its perfect work; let it correct our opinions, and direct our conduct. Let us hold faft our profeffion, as we are taught; knowing from whom we have learned, and how fure and certain the hope of our calling is in Chrift, who is both the power, and the wisdom of God unto Salvation.