The arrogancy of reason against divine revelations, repressed

JOHN 3. 9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him; How can these things be?

IN the beginning of this Chapter you have a Lecture read by the Great Teacher of the Church, to a Scholar that was newly entering into his School He is yet but a Catechumenus in preparation to be a Christian, rather then one indeed; having good thoughts of Christ, but not believing in him as the Messiah, nor engaged by Baptism to be one of his Disciples: And accordingly doth Christ suit his Doctrine to his condition, and teach him first the great Principle of Christianity. What success it had at first, we find in the Text, but not ⟨p. 6⟩what was the issue at last: Though by other Texts we may probably conjecture.

IN the beginning of this Chapter you have a Lecture read by the Great Teacher of the Church, to a Scholar that was newly entring into his School He is yet but a Catechumenus in preparation to be a Christian, rather then one indeed; having good thoughts of Christ, but not believing in him as the Messiah, nor engaged by Baptism to be one of his Disciples: And accordingly doth Christ suit his Doctrine to his condition, and teach him first the great Principle of Christianity. What success it had at first, we finde in the Text, but not ⟨p. 6⟩what was the issue at last: Though by other Texts we may probably conjecture.

First, The Scholar is by name, Nicodemus; by Sect, a Pharisee; by place, a Ruler of the Jews, or one of their great Council. For the frame of his mind, the degree of his preparatory knowledge or belief, you may discern it; 1. By the season of his coming; 2. By the motive that prevailed with him to come; And 3. by the confession that he makes of his belief. From all which you may see, first, that he believed that there was a God, and that it belonged to God to teach mankind; and that it was his way to teach by men; and that it was mans duty to seek after Gods teaching from his Messengers, and come to them and request it; and that who ever could give sufficient evidence of his Mission from God, should be heard by men; and that Jesus Christ did truly and undoubtedly work Miracles; and that such Miracles as Christ wrought, were an undoubted proof, that God was with him. All these things it is apparent he did believe by these words, Vers. 2. [Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God; for no man can do thse miracles that thou dost, except God be with him.]