Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

It is scarce worth while, to remark his mistake in the foundation of his discourse of the Obscurity of God, as he is pleased to state the matter, from that of the Prophet, asserting, that God is a God who hides himself; or, as he renders it, an hidden God. His own Prophet will tell him, that it is not concerning the Essence of God, but the Dispensation of his Love and Favour towards his People, that those words were used by the Prophet of old, and so are unwillingly pressed to serve in the design he hath in hand. Neither are we more concerned in the ensuing Discourse of the Soul's cleaving to God by Affection, upon the Metaphysical representation of His excellencies ⟨p. 154⟩and perfections unto it; it being purely Platonical, and no way suited to the revelation made of God in the Gospel, which acquaints us not with any such amiableness in God, as to endear the souls of sinners unto him, causing them to reach out the wings of their love after him, but only as he is in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world to himself; a consideration that hath no place, nor any can obtain, in this flourish of words: And the reason is, because they are sinners, and therefore without the Revelation of an Atonement, can have no other apprehension of the infinitely Holy and Righteous God, but as of a devouring Fire, with whom no sinner can inhabit. Nor yet in the aggravation of the obscurity of God from the restless endeavours of mankind in the disquisition of him, who, as he says, show their love in seeking him, having at their birth an equal right to his favour, which they could no wise demerit before they were born, being directly contrary to the Doctrine of his own Church, in the head of Original Sin.

It is scarce worth while, to remark his mistake in the foundation of his discourse of the Obscurity of God, as he is pleased to state the matter, from that of the Prophet, asserting, that God is a God who hides himself; or, as he renders it, an hidden God. His own Prophet will tell him, that it is not concerning the Essence of God, but the Dispensation of his Love and Favour towards his People, that those words were used by the Prophet of old, and so are unwillingly pressed to serve in the design he hath in hand. Neither are we more concerned in the ensuing Discourse of the Soul's cleaving to God by Affection, upon the Metaphysicall representation of His excellencies ⟨p. 154⟩and perfections unto it; it being purely Platonical, and no way suited to the revelation made of God in the Gospel, which acquaints us not with any such amiableness in God, as to endear the souls of sinners unto him, causing them to reach out the wings of their love after him, but only as he is in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world to himself; a consideration that hath no place, nor any can obtain, in this flourish of words: And the reason is, because they are sinners, and therefore without the Revelation of an Attonement, can have no other apprehension of the infinitely Holy and Righteous God, but as of a devouring Fire, with whom no sinner can inhabite. Nor yet in the aggravation of the obscurity of God from the restless endeavours of mankind in the disquisition of him, who, as he sayes, shew their love in seeking him, having at their birth an equal right to his favour, which they could no wise demerit before they were born, being directly contrary to the Doctrine of his own Church, in the head of Original Sin.