He that is acquainted amongst men, and knows the quality of Professors in England, must needs know, the generality of them are no great Scholars, nor have much read, or studied Controversies, nor are men of profoundest natural parts, nor have the Ministers of England much preached Controversies to them, but were glad if their hearers were brought to Christ, and got so much knowledge as might help to Salvation, as knowing that to be their great work. And can it be expected, That men void of Learning, and strength of parts, unstudied and untaught, should at the first on set know those Truths, which they are almost uncapable of knowing at all? when the greatest Divines of clearest Judgment, acknowledge so much difficulty, That they could almost find in their hearts, sometimes to profess them quite beyond their reach? Except we will allow them to lay aside their divine Faith, and take up an humane, and see with other mens eyes, the weight and weakness of Arguments, and not with their own; It cannot be thought, That the most of Christians, no, nor the most Divines, should be free from erring in those difficult points, where we know they have not Head-pieces able to reach. Indeed, if it were the way of the Spirit to teach us miraculously, as the Apostles were taught the knowledge of Tongues, without ⟨p. 105⟩the intervening use of Reason; or if the Spirit infused the acts of Knowledge, as he doth the immediate knowing Power, then he that had most of the Spirit, would not only know best, but also know most; but we have enough to convince us of the contrary to this. But O that happy approaching day, when Error shall vanish away for ever! When our understandings shall be filled with God himself, whose light will leave no darkness in us! His face shall be the Scripture, where we shall read the Truth; and himself instead of Teachers and Counsels, to perfect our understandings, and acquaint us with himself, who is the perfect Truth. No more Error, no more Scandal to others, no more Disquiet to our own spirits, no more mistaking zeal for falsehood, because our understandings have no more sin. Many a Godly man hath here in his mistaken zeal, been a means to deceive and pervert his Brethren, and when he sees his own Error, cannot again tell how to undeceive them. But there we shall all conspire in one Truth, as being one in him, who is that Truth.
He that is acquainted amongst men, and knows the quality of Professors in England, must needs know, the generality of them are no great Scholars, nor have much read, or studied Controversies, nor are men of profoundest natural parts, nor have the Ministers of England much preached Controversies to them, but were glad if their hearers were brought to Christ, and got so much knowledg as might help to Salvation, as knowing that to be their great work. And can it be expected, That men voyd of Learning, and strength of parts, unstudied and untaught, should at the first on set know those Truths, which they are almost uncapable of knowing at all? when the greatest Divines of clearest Judgment, acknowledg so much difficulty, That they could almost finde in their hearts, sometimes to profess them quite beyond their reach? Except we will allow them to lay aside their divine Faith, and take up an humane, and see with other mens eyes, the weight and weakness of Arguments, and not with their own; It cannot be thought, That the most of Christians, no, nor the most Divines, should be free from erring in those difficult points, where we know they have not Head-peeces able to reach. Indeed, if it were the way of the Spirit to teach us miraculously, as the Apostles were taught the knowledg of Tongues, without ⟨p. 105⟩the intervening use of Reason; or if the Spirit infused the acts of Knowledg, as he doth the immediate knowing Power, then he that had most of the Spirit, would not onely know best, but also know most; but we have enough to convince us of the contrary to this. But O that happy approaching day, when Error shall vanish away for ever! VVhen our understandings shall be filled with God himself, whose light will leave no darkness in us! His face shall be the Scripture, where we shall read the Truth; and himself instead of Teachers and Councels, to perfect our understandings, and acquaint us with himself, who is the perfect Truth. No more Error, no more Scandal to others, no more Disquiet to our own spirits, no more mistaking zeal for falshood, because our understandings have no more sin. Many a Godly man hath here in his mistaken zeal, been a means to deceive and pervert his Brethren, and when he sees his own Error, cannot again tell how to undeceive them. But there we shall all conspire in one Truth, as being one in him, who is that Truth.
