The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

Not that indeed any truths can be contrary one to another: For that which is true in Philosophy, is contrary to no one truth in Theology: But Philosophers have deceived themselves and the world, with a multitude of uncertainties and falsities; and by straining them to subtle niceties, and locking them up in uncouth terms, have kept the common people from trying them, and understanding them; and thereby have made it their own prerogative explicitly to err, and the peoples duty not to contradict them; but to admire that error as profound parts of learning, which they cannot understand. And then their conclusions oft go for principles which must not be gainsaid, when they are perhaps either false, or nonsense. And then when they meet with any thing in Scripture, which crosseth their opinions, the reputation of humane ⟨p. 162⟩folly maketh them despise the wisdom of God. I have given you elsewhere some instances about the immortality of the soul: They know not what Generation is; they do not know it: nor what are the true principles and elements of mixed bodies; nor what is the true d•fference between immaterial and material substances; with an hundred such like: And yet some expect, that we should sacrifice the most certain useful truths, to their false or uncertain useless suppositions, which is the true reason why Paul saith, Col. 2.8, 9, 10. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy, and vain deceit (not true Philosophy, which is the true knowledge of the works of God, but the vain models which every Sect of them cried up) after the tradition of men (that is, the opinions of the Masters of their Sects) after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in him. See Act. 17.18. It is Christ who is the kernel and summary of the Christian Philosophy; who is therefore called The Wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.24, 30. both because he is the heavenly Teacher of true Wisdom, and because that true Wisdom consisteth in knowing him. And indeed even in those times, the several Sects of Philosophers accounted much of each others principles to be erroneous; and the Philosophers of these times, begin to vilify them all; and withal to confess that they have yet little of certainty to substitute in the room of the demolished Idols;