Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Hence the Apostle speaking to the Corinthian Church as a chaste virgin espoused to Christ, adds this caution, least as the Serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11.2. & 3. ver. That is, take heed of falling off from the pure doctrine of the Gospel, the head of every man is Christ, so much adherence and subjection as reason hath unto him and his holy truth, so much chastity and virginity it hath;¹ but as soon as it elapes, it becomes an adulteress, and should not be suffered to speak in holy things. Moreover, the irrationality of it will further appear, if we consider that the sphere of reason and the sphere of revelation are two distinct things. The sphere of reason is filled with natural notions, the elements of mans spirit; but the sphere of revelation is filled with supernatural truths, the dictates of God; Reason, so far as it is reason, is a divine spark, a petty Prince in its own dominions; but when it leaves these, and passes over into the supernatural region, and there, instead of sitting down at Gods feet to be taught and enlightened, assumes the magisterial chair, and falls a judging divine mysteries, it is no longer reason, but a fool and a brute, and speaks as simply in matters of Religion, as a beast, if it could ⟨p. 50⟩speak would do in matters of reason. Thus when our Saviour discoursed Nicodemus about regeneration, reason prattled after a strange rate, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born? So foolishly and absurdly doth carnal reason carry it self in supernatural things. To make this more plain, let us compare the weakness of reason with the sublimity of holy mysteries, and then the fallibility of reason with the certainty of them.

Hence the Apostle speaking to the Corinthian Church as a chast virgin espoused to Christ, adds this caution, least as the Serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11.2. & 3. ver. That is, take heed of falling off from the pure doctrine of the Gospel, the head of every man is Christ, so much adherence and subjection as reason hath unto him and his holy truth, so much chastity and virginity it hath;