8. Observations upon the prospects of the progress of know ledge. REVEALED RELIGION 299 1. It is the sabbath of all men's labours. 2. The prerogative of God extends to man's reason, and to his will. 3. Sacred theology is grounded upon the oracle of God. 4. The use of reason in matters spiritual is extensive. The Christian Faith, as in all things, so in this deserveth to be highly magnified; holding and preserving the golden mediocrity in this point between the law of the heathen and the law of Mahomet, which have embraced the two extremes. For the religion of the heathen had no constant belief or confession, but left all to the liberty of argument; and the religion of Mahomet, on the other side, interdicteth argument altogether: the one having the very face of error, and the other of imposture. 5. Uses of reason in spiritual matters 1. In the conception of revealed mysteries. 2. In inferences from revelation. 301 6. A treatise on the limits of reason in spiritual matters is wanting. This would be an opiate to stay and bridle not only the vanity of curious speculations, wherewith the schools labour, but the fury of controversies, wherewith the church laboureth. 7. Parts of divinity. 1. The matter revealed. 2. The nature of the revelation 302 THE NATURE OF THE REVELATION. 1. Its limits. 2. Its sufficiency. 3. Its acquisition. 8. The points fundamental and of perfection ought to be distinguished 305 We see Moses when he saw the Israelite and the Egyptian fight, he did not say, Why strive you ? but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian: but when he saw the two Israelites fight, he said, You are brethren, why strive you? The coat of our Saviour was entire without seam, and so is the doctrine of the Scriptures in itself; but the garment of the church was of divers colours. The Limits of the Information 9. Considerations respecting the limits. 1. The inspiration of individuals. 2. The inspiration of the church. 3. The proper use of reason. The Sufficiency of the Information 10. Considerations respecting the sufficiency. 1. Fundamental and perfective points of religion. They ought to be piously and wisely distinguished to abate controversy. 2. The gradations of light for the generation of belief. 11. It rests upon the sound interpretation of scripture. They are the fountains of the waters of life. 12. Different modes of interpreting scripture. 1. Methodical. 2. Solute or at large. This divine water, which excelleth so much that of Jacob's well, is drawn forth much in the same kind as natural water useth to be out of wells and fountains; either it is first forced up into a cistern, and from thence fetched and derived for use; or else it is drawn and received in buckets and vessels immediately where it springeth. 18. Methodical mode of interpretation. It seems to be more ready, but is more subject to corrupt. 14. Objects of methodical interpretation. 1. Summary brevity. 2. Compacted strength. 3. Complete perfection. 15. Solute method of interpretation 16. There have been divers, curious but unsafe modes. 17. Divine knowledge beyond human reach. 1. The mysteries of the kingdom of glory. The philosophical mode To seek philosophy in divinity is to seek the dead amongst the living neither are the pots or lavers, whose place was in the outward part of the temple, to be sought in the holiest place of all, where the ark of the testimony was seated. 2. The perfection of the laws of nature. 3. The secrets of the heart of man 4. The future succession of all ages. 18. The expositions of scripture are not deficient. 311 19. A work is wanted of a sound collection of texts, not dilated into common places, or hunting after controversies, or methodized, but scattered. 20. Different sorts. MATTER REVEALED 313 The one being as the internal soul of religion, and the other as the external body. 1. Matter of belief. 2. Matter of science. 21. Emanations. 1. Faith. 1. The nature of God. 2. The attributes of God. 2. Manners Of the law, as to substance and style. 314 It imposes restraint where God granteth liberty, or in taking liberty where God imposeth restraint. 3. Liturgy 4. Government. 1. Patrimony of the church. 2. The franchises of the church. 4. The laws of the church. 22. Diviations from religion. Atheism. 315 Heresy. Idolatry. Witchcraft. 23. There is no deficience in divinity. I can find no space or ground that lieth vacant and unsown in the matter of divinity; so diligent have men been, either in sowing of good seed, or in sowing of tares. Thus have I made as it were a small Globe of the Intellectual World, as truly and faithfully as I could discover ; with a note and description of those parts which seem to me not constantly occupate, or not well converted by the labour of man. |