2. 'Tis above the strain and reach of natural Reason to attain to the knowledge of it. There are seminal sparks of the Law in the heart of Man, 1some common principles of Piety, Justice, and Charity, without which the World would soon disband, and fall into confusion; but there is not the least presumption or conjecture of the contrivance of the Gospel. Though misery sharpens the mind, and makes it more ingenious to find out ways of Deliverance, yet here Reason was utterly at a loss. How could it ever enter into the thoughts of the Israelites that by erecting a Brazen Serpent on a Pole, and looking towards it, the wounds made by the Fiery Serpents should be healed. And how could guilty Man find out a way to satisfy Infinite Justice by the Sufferings of a Mediator, and to heal the wounded spirit by believing on him. The most inquiring Reason, could never have thought of the Wonders of the Incarnation, that a Virgin should conceive, and a God be born, nor of the Death of the Prince of Life, and the Resurrection, and Ascension of the Lord of Glory. We may see how impossible it is for the natural understanding to discover the mystery of Redemption, when those that had the highest reputation for wisdom were ignorant of the Creation. The Philosophers were divided in nothing more,2 then in their account of the Worlds Original. Some imagined it to proceed from Water, others from Fire; some from Order, others from Confusion; some to ⟨p. 110⟩be from Eternity, others in Time. If the Souls eye be so weakened as not to see that Eternal Power, which is so apparent in its effects, much less could it pierce into the Will, and free determinations of God, of which there is not the least intimation or shadow in the things that are made. This Wisdom comes from above and was hidden from Ages, 3and Generations. 'Tis called the Mystery of Christ; he is the Object, and Revealer of it. The Mystery of Faith, the discovery of which was by pure Revelation.4 The Mystery of his Will, 5an inviolable Secret till he was pleased to make it known. Were the humane understanding as clear as 'tis corrupt, yet it cannot by the strength of discourse arrive to the knowledge of it. Supernatural Revelation was necessary to discover it to the Angels. The thoughts of Men are a secret, into which the Creator alone hath right to enter, it being his prerogative to search the heart.6
2. 'Tis above the strain and reach of natural Reason to attain to the knowledge of it. There are seminal sparks of the Law in the heart of Man, 1some common principles of Piety, Justice, and Charity, without which the World would soon disband, and fall into confusion; but there is not the least presumption or conjecture of the contrivance of the Gospel. Though misery sharpens the mind, and makes it more ingenious to find out wayes of Deliverance, yet here Reason was utterly at a loss. How could it ever enter into the thoughts of the Israelites that by erecting a Brazen Serpent on a Pole, and looking towards it, the wounds made by the Fiery Serpents should be healed. And how could guilty Man find out a way to satisfie Infinite Justice by the Sufferings of a Mediator, and to heal the wounded spirit by believing on him. The most inquiring Reason, could never have thought of the Wonders of the Incarnation, that a Virgin should conceive, and a God be born, nor of the Death of the Prince of Life, and the Resurrection, and Ascension of the Lord of Glory. We may see how impossible it is for the natural understanding to discover the mystery of Redemption, when those that had the highest reputation for wisdom were ignorant of the Creation. The Philosophers were divided in nothing more,2 then in their account of the Worlds Original. Some imagin'd it to proceed from Water, others from Fire; some from Order, others from Confusion; some to ⟨p. 110⟩be from Eternity, others in Time. If the Souls eye be so weakned as not to see that Eternal Power, which is so apparent in its effects, much less could it pierce into the Will, and free determinations of God, of which there is not the least intimation or shadow in the things that are made. This Wisdom comes from above and was hidden from Ages, 3and Generations. 'Tis called the Mystery of Christ; he is the Object, and Revealer of it. The Mystery of Faith, the discovery of which was by pure Revelation.4 The Mystery of his Will, 5an inviolable Secret till he was pleased to make it known. Were the humane understanding as clear as 'tis corrupt, yet it cannot by the strength of discourse arrive to the knowledge of it. Supernatural Revelation was necessary to discover it to the Angels. The thoughts of Men are a secret, into which the Creator alone hath right to enter, it being his prerogative to search the heart.
- 1Rom. 2.15.
- 2Facilius inter Horologia quam inter Philosophos conveniet, Senec.
- 3Rom. 16.25. Ephes. 3.4.
- 41 Tim. 3.9.
- 5Ephes. 1.9.
- 62 Chr. 6.30.
