is it! a man to call himself a Christian! But he lies, and | and issue. To hate instruction is to hate knowledge; and must do so upon one account, if he live in the continual he is said to love knowledge that loves instruction, Prov. violation of the Christian precepts, and upon another, if xii. 1. But to be brought in under the notion of a hater he understand nothing of the Christian principles. It is a of knowledge, divine knowledge, oh! how dreadful a lie; it is to suppose that Christian is a name without a thing is that! "They shall call but I will not answer, they meaning, a name that means nothing. And, shall seek me early but they shall not find me." Why, 4. We may collect hence, that it is very stupid folly for what is the matter? what is all that resolved into which men to live all their days under this profession, without you read to that purpose in the 1st chapter of Proverbs? ever concerning themselves to understand the principles of Why in the 29th verse it is said, Because they hated knowChristianity. It is very presumptuous rashness to take up ledge and would not choose the fear of the Lord; therefore that profession, when a man will commence Christian all he would be deaf to all their cries and importunities, when of a sudden without ever having understood its principles. destruction was coming upon them as a whirlwind. Why But it is far more stupid folly if a man will, all his days, is God so inexorable towards them? Because they hated live under the Christian profession in continued ignorance knowledge, they would not endeavour to learn. And, of the principles of the Christian religion. How ridiculous 7. Lastly, If there be so absolute a necessity of being doth that man make himself that will all his time go under taught such principles of religion, or such "Oracles of the name of a merchant, and yet never understand any God," there surely ought to be a very peculiar temper and thing of merchandise! or if a man will be called a philo- disposition of spirit in order to learning. And that I would sopher, when every one that knows him, knows that he have you to take an account of in a few heads which I understands not any of the principles of philosophy! But, shall only name. We are all to be learners here in this 5. It is of so great importance to understand well the world, we must learn as long as we live. And if it be of principles of Christian religion, that they need to be taught. so absolute necessity that we learn such things, we should, Is there so great weight laid upon the teaching of them? (1.) Apply ourselves to them with very great reverence, are they hereby represented to us to be matters of absolute for they are "the oracles of God" that we have to do with ; necessity then by the importance of the principles judge it is something sacred and divine, that we are conversant of the excellency of the end of the Christian religion. And and taken up about. When any thing of these oracles was so consider, Hath God thus brought it about that we should to be first given in writing, though it was but a little, to a be all of us in one degree or other under the Christian in- peculiar and select people of his, we see what an awful stitution? What is it for? That which hath so very im- business was made of it. God comes down; manifests his portant principles must have a proportionable end. Then glorious presence in the mountain that he had selected for let us see what that is. Religion is a thing that terminates that purpose; the people are there assembled and cast about upon eternity, that runs into another world: they therefore the foot of the mountain; the mountain is enclosed, and that are under the Christian institution (as we all are to be they are forbidden, on pain of death, to approach the borin the church of God while we are here in the world) are ders; "Touch not the borders; for whosoever toucheth to look upon themselves as so many candidates for the them shall die," Exod. xix. 20, 21. In that assembly of blessed eternity. Here in this world we are training up that people, on purpose to hear the divine oracles that were for heaven, for everlasting glory; and hereupon are the to be preached among them, there was a glorious revelaprinciples of religion, of the oracles of God, represented tion that came from heaven. And do we think the Gospel as the most important things, that have their final and de- revelation that we have is less glorious? No, saith the terminate reference to another world, the glories of the apostle, "The glory wherewith the law was given upon heavenly and eternal state. This were a great thought for mount Sinai, was no glory in comparison with this glory us to carry about with us, whensoever we are under Gos- that so much excels." Oh! we should be learners with pel teaching, to think that God hath provided and taken the greatest reverence imaginable, as having from time to care that I should be trained up for heaven and fitted for time the divine oracles to be opened among us. Here is the eternal kingdom, and for an everlasting abode in that the most glorious appearance of God. When there was blessed glorious state. And when you are training up your comparatively an unspeakably less appearance even than child, oh! how great a thing is it to be training it up in the that on mount Sinai, that is, when some of the Divine knowledge of God! for there are some steps that must be glory shone in one bush, it is charged upon Moses (to taken with it, to make it meet for partaking" of the inhe-strike his mind with a due awe) presently to put off his ritance of the saints in light." You know there is great shoes. This was to be significant to us, with what great care taken about the education of great heirs. The very and profound reverence we are to have our souls impresschildren of the church are God's children. He calls themed and possessed upon an appearance of God; and these so, (Ezekiel xvi. 20, 21.) "Is this a small matter that thou are the brightest and most glorious appearances, in the hast slain my children?" speaking of Jewish parents mak- kind, that we know above any besides. ing their children pass through the fire to Moloch. In the degenerate state of that church and people, he calls them his children. Now I say, great care is wont to be taken in the education of great heirs. Those that are the children of God and are really so, if children they are also heirs; and they are begotten to a lively hope, to an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled. And they are, by "the sincere milk of the word" which they receive from time to time, to grow up to a fitness and capacity to partake of that inheritance. We should never think of the principles of the Christian religion, but it should put us in mind of the end of it, and what it refers to. And yet again, 6. We may further learn from hence, that since there is such need that such principles should be taught, men should take heed of neglecting, and much more of opposing, any fit methods wherein they may be taught. And why do they so? Why, they think themselves too wise to learn, they understand too much already to need being taught. But while they account themselves so very wise, see how the Spirit of God counts them, what notion they pass under with him; "Fools despise instruction," Prov. i. 7. And that is certainly a very ill character, that the contempt of instruction brings upon persons: they think themselves wise, and God thinks them foots; and certainly his judgment is the most discerning and true: and as it draws on ➜ bad character, so it is very likely to draw on a bad end (2.) We should apply ourselves to learn the things of the kingdom of God with very deep humility; with a most humble sense of our own ignorance, and that we know so little. "He that thinks he knows, any thing, knows nothing as he ought to know," saith the apostle. And nothing was a more ignominious brand upon a sort of men that did start up early in the Christian church, that affected to be called by the name of gnostic, than that they so much valued themselves upon that knowledge to which they pretended, and but pretended; as that name did signify. Whether they were so soon called by that name, as some imagine, is a matter of doubt, but the genius and spirit of the men undoubtedly appeared early; and many passages in the epistles of the apostles have a direct reference thereunto, as particularly that, (1 Cor. viii. 2.) "Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth." But (I say) it was the ignominy and reproach of that sort of men, that they did so highly glory in an airy kind of knowledge, that they were never the better for, nay, that made them undoubtedly upon the whole matter much worse men: it doth always so where there is not great humility, which doth accompany and go with knowledge. That is, they who are learners, ought to consider themselves as such, as we must all of us always be while we are here in this world, such as "know but in part." Here we are to have very self-diminishing thoughts of our own knowledge. Surely it is but little that we know, as we find Agur speaks concerning | but what sort of knowledge was it he aimed at? See what himself; "I am more brutish than any man, and have not it was in what follows, such a knowledge as by which he the understanding of a man.” And so the Psalmist speaks might be transformed into his likeness, whereby he might of himself, (Psal. lxxiii.)" So foolish was I and ignorant; be conformable to his death and to his resurrection, such I was as a beast before thee." Such diminishing thoughts a knowledge as to have the image impressed by it of a it becomes us to have of ourselves, as to look upon our- crucified and glorified Jesus. And no other knowledge selves under such a self-despising notion, (as I may so would serve his turn, "I count all things but loss and dress speak,) that while we are here we are but in a state of and dung in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ learners, and must be so as long as we are in this earthly my Lord," so to "know him" as to "be found in him," as state. But then, to have "the fellowship of his sufferings and the power of his death," and to attain with him the resurrection from the dead. (3.) We should be learners still with fervent desire of learning more and more; and this agrees well with an humble sense of our yet knowing so very little. It hath always been mentioned concerning one eminent heathen, as an honourable character he went under, that he was known by that motto, "Hoc tantum scio, me nihil scire:" this only I know, that I know nothing: though he was one of the greatest and most learned men of his age. If there be a sincere desire of increasing knowledge, nothing better agrees with it than such a sense as this, Alas! it is little I know, and I am to be still aiming to know more and more, in reference to things wherein I am so much concerned. "I opened my mouth and panted," saith the Psalmist, "for I longed for thy commandments," Psal. exix. 131. We are to be continually desiring that which is to be the means of our growth in knowledge. "As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:" and these principles are called "milk," as you see in the close of this 5th chap. of the epistle to the Hebrews, where the text is. And I desire in the close of this discourse to leave this with you. It is a dreadful thing to trifle with sacred malters. If at any time we open this book, or any thing out of it be opened to us, and we have not that serious design before our eyes and upon our hearts, that we would know more of divine things, that we may be made more like Gol and be more fitted for his service and communion both here and hereafter, we shall be found guilty of trifling with that which is sacred: and though in this world the punishment may not be so visibly severe, yet the guilt is undoubtedly great with (and indeed incomparably greater than) what Uzzah lay under when he rashly laid hold on the ark, and the Bethshemites, when they opened and would be curiously prying into it. And what, do we therefore make light of God, and the sacred things of God, because in the Gospel days there are not so terrible examples set in view before our eyes? But if we look into the great mysteries of the Divine kingdom, with a slight mind and (4.) It ought to be with a continued pleasant savour and a vain heart, without any serious design of the same thing relish of divine knowledge, that we should be driving the that these discoveries, these truths, these doctrines that are design to increase; to increase and grow in it. "Grow brought to our knowledge are designed for, we are all that in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sa- while deserving that, which will be worse in the issue and viour Jesus Christ;" labour to have a continual intermix-end, than to have the name put upon the place “Perez ture of grace with knowledge that may give it a pleasant| Uzzah, the breach that Uzzah made," and it will be a more savour. There is very little delight in dry notions that dreadful thing than if he did signalize the place by a ternever influence a man's heart. "When wisdom enters rible stroke from heaven upon us. When a man meddleth into the heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto the soul," with the great things of God, and can give no account for (saith the wise man.) "then understanding shall preserve what, but only to satisfy his own curiosity, and the idle thee, discretion shall lead thee." Knowledge doth its office fancy of a vain mind; this will have the sad issue. But effectually, to guide and lead us in our way, when once it let it be for this, and my heart bear me record that it is for becomes of a grateful taste and relish to our souls; if it this, that I may become a serious, holy, knowing Chrisbe taken and digested, and we relish a sweetness and tian, a useful Christian; that I may live up to Christianipleasantness in it, then it will have power to do its work, ty through the whole of my course while I am here upon that is, to be our guide and director in our way and course, earth, and then shall I be fitted at length for the heavenly as you have it, Prov. ii. 10. And then, inheritance with the saints in light, who shall possess that glorious inheritance. (5.) It ought to be with continual gratitude, adoring and blessing God that he makes any of his light to shine in this dark world; especially that it should shine to any of us; that we have this "sure word of prophecy" put into our hands that makes up the "Oracles of God" in an eminent sense; till the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts." And, (6.) Lastly, It must be (or else we do nothing) with a serious design of getting a holy impression in our hearts by the truth we know, or else all is lost. There are too many, (the Lord knows,) that if they take pleasure in knowing, and increasing knowledge, they do yet know but for the knowledge' sake, and aim no further. It is a fine thing to know much, to understand more than one's neighbour, more than such and such; and so be able superciliously to look down upon them as comparatively very ignorant. But to know on purpose that I may be accordingly and do accordingly, is the true end of Christian knowledge. "I desire to know more that I may have a better heart, and that I may be able to love God more; that I may be more like God, more fitted to serve him, and walk with him in this world and enjoy him in the next:" if this be not the design we drive at, in aiming to know, in all our desire of knowing much of the things of God and Christian religion, we do but labour for the wind, and shall at length reap the whirlwind. In what a transport is the apostle (in that Phil. iii.) in the thoughts and estimates that he expresseth there of the knowledge of Christ, "I count all things loss and dross and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord!" Well, *Preached December 5th, 1690.-The preceding discourse was, doubtless, preached in two Lectures, but the division, and the time when the second was deuvered, are not noticed in the manuscript. Edit. Our next great work will be to fall upon the first principle, the very first of these principles, that which is the principal of principles; and that is concerning the Deity; the deepest foundation of all our religion. LECTURE III.* Romans i. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. OUR business (as we have proposed, you know) is, with God's gracious assistance, to open to you the principles of religion. Christian religion (which we finally intend) is founded in natural; and the principles of the former must be understood, therefore, to comprehend the latter, as things at least necessarily pre-supposed unto the doctrine of Christ. Now it being our design, in the general, to open to you the principles that do any way belong to that doctrine, we chose (as it is most fit) to begin with HIM who is the beginning of all, the principle that is most firstly first, primo primum, as they use to speak. Such is the Deity, whether we speak of principles of being or of knowledge; for there is no being that depends not upon the Divine Being, and no knowledge, rightly so called, which some L way or other depends not upon divine knowledge. He is not only the first being, but the first and primary known, the primum esse and the primum cognoscibile, as he is justly to be reckoned. Now this text shows us the true method of arriving to the knowledge of him, the unmade Being, by the things that are made; and not only to the certainty of his existence, but of the excellency of his nature; both discover able by the same light, by the same evidencing mediums, which that you may see, let us view the contents of this text briefly. We have in it, so clearly to be understood, that they are manifestly left (as the close of this verse is) without all excuse who understand them not. And upon that account, in the words presently following," that which may be known," (so we read it,) the expression is, that which is known of God; but the meaning is, that which may be known of God, as we translate it. Then, Thirdly, We are to consider the evidencing medium in the text, "by the things that are made;" the made things that are visible, are clearly demonstrative of their unmade Cause, of the excellency of the power and Godhead of that invisible Being who is the unmade Maker of them. And, Fourthly, You have the constancy and continuedness of this concealment and revelation, "from the creation of the world." It is not ex, out of, but ano, from; and notes the term of time and not casualty, which is expressed in the other phrase of speech we noted to you before, "the things that are made." But all along, ever since the world began, ever since there was a world in being, the invisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead, they have been concealed and revealed; concealed in one respect, that is, they have been invisible to mortal eyes; and revealed in another respect, that is, have been visible to mortal minds. And then you have, First, What is revealed concerning God, expressed first of all more indefinitely, "the invisible things of him." This must not be understood distinctively, as if some things of God were visible and some invisible; that is, of : things belonging to the Divine nature; but it must be understood adversatively, that is, though they are invisible, and notwithstanding their invisibility, they are yet clearly demonstrable by the things that are made. And then, secondly, they are declared to us more expressly, first, in one great instance of his eternal power, the effects whereof we see (as is here said) in the things that are made. But the cause itself is still invisible. And this is most fitly instanced in reference to the creature and the creation, which is said to be demonstrative thereof. All this vast creation, with that great variety of creatures that do compose and make it up, having lain in that, as in the pregnant womb thereof, from all eternity; out of which it is at length produced by it as its mighty creative cause. And then, secondly, besides this instance of one peculiar excellency of the Divine Being, (his eternal power,) to save a long and a particular enumeration, all the rest of the divine ex- That the sundry excellencies of the Divine Being, allcellencies are summed up in that one expression, "God- comprehending Godhead, are clearly demonstrable by the head:" his eternal power and Godhead, comprehending all things that are made. And you may take in (as that which his other excellencies and perfections besides. This is the gives the greater lustre to the truth) that which is put adfirst thing we have to note to you from the text-what is versatively, if you please, notwithstanding their invisibility revealed concerning God, even the invisible things of him, in themselves. particularly his eternal power, the immediate cause of all things, and his Godhead, which comprehends all his excellencies together. And, Fifthly, In the last place, (which will be fit to be considered as the use of all,) the inexcusableness of those that receive not this revelation; so that they are without excuse, that do not acknowledge and adore the invisible Godhead, so demonstrating himself by the things that are made. As to what we intend, you may take the ground of the whole discourse from this scripture thus. In speaking to this, these two things are principally to be insisted on: I. They show you what the Godhead comprehends, as far as is needful or possible unto us, or what are the excellencies that belong to the nature of God. And then, II. To show how these are demonstrable of him by the things that are made. Secondly, We have to consider here the revelation hereof, these things "are clearly seen," seen, and clearly seen. This indeed looks like a riddle; invisible things seen! and clearly seen! things are seen that are invisible, or that cannot be seen! But the next words solve it, "be- I shall not dispute the reasonableness of that method in ing understood by the things that are made." Seen! How speaking to other subjects, first to inquire about the an sit, are they seen? Not occularly, but intellectually; they are and then about the quod sit, or rather the quid sit; to inseen as being understood. They are seen by the eye of quire first whether such a thing be, and then to inquire the mind, though they cannot be seen by the bodily eye. what it is. There may, indeed, as to some confused knowGod, and every thing belonging to the nature of God, be- ledge of a thing, be an inquiry concerning its existence, ing in that respect by the excellency thereof invisible. But and afterwards a descent made to inquire more particularly it may be said, How are they so seen and clearly seen by into its precise nature. But simply speaking, it would be the minds and understandings of men? when the com- the most absurd thing in the world to inquire first whether plaint is concerning men generally, even in the very con- this or that be, before there is any apprehension at all what text, "their foolish hearts are darkened," and "the light it is; for then we inquire about a shadow; and neither he shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it that demonstrates, nor he to whom the demonstration is not," as it is in the beginning of John's Gospel. How made, can do other than beat the air; the one understands then are they intellectually seen? Why nothing is more not himself, nor can the other understand what he goes usual than to express a matter of right (where that right is about. But it would be much more absurd in this case, most evident) by matter of fact, and by such forms of to follow such a method as that, because, by universal conspeech as signify the fact. "No man liveth to himself;" sent, the Divine nature includes existence in it, which that is, no man should. It is so plain a case that no man some therefore rely upon as sufficient demonstration of the should live to himself, that when the design is to speak existence of God, that is, that his very idea doth include the reason of the thing, this is the expression of it, "no existence, so that it is impossible to conceive of the Divine man liveth to himself," that is, is allowed to do so; and Being, but we must conceive of it as existing, inasmuch as indeed in common language it is usual to express the pas- the very idea and notion of it is inclusive of all perfections, sive future by the present or the preterit, as we say, vir whereof existence cannot be but one, and a very fundaspectatus, for vir spectabilis, or spectandus; one that is very mental one, too, to all the rest. And therefore it must be much regarded, for one that ought to be or deserves to be so. a manifest contradiction, so much as but to suppose, that And a thing that we say is indubitate fidei, of undoubted the most perfect Being must not exist, because a possibility faith and certainty; we mean by it indubitante, that ought of not existing is a very great and manifest imperfection. not to be doubted, or that there is no reason why it should be doubted. So clearly seen" here, is clearly to be seen and understood, that is, such as might be understood, that ought to be understood, and there is no reason why they are not understood, but because men will not understand; shut their eyes and are willingly blind and ignorant, "not liking" (as it is afterwards expressed in the context)" to retain God in their knowledge." Or, there are here things But that is not the method of demonstration which I choose, but that which the text lays before us, that is, to demonstrate by that which is made, both the certainty of God's existence, and the excellency of his nature. But the latter we must have some understanding of first, otherwise neither do I nor you know what we are doing, if we have no apprehension among us, who or what a one he is, whose existence we speak of. ence. If you can be sure that something now is, one so. LECTURE IV.* dence his infinite power! But, where, to wit, by a word's speaking. He spake and the were made. He commanded and they stood forth. The there are made things is a proof to us that he was thei Maker. A made thing and a maker are relatives one another, and there can be no maker of that which was o itself. Whence should that which was made not of itse come, but from that being that was of itself? 4. We must conceive and may clearly prove from wha is made, the vast power of the Eternal Being. The thing that are made prove that he is a Being of the greatest co ceivable power, the greatest that we can conceive, and in deed unspeakably greater than we can conceive. Th appears in that, first, he hath made all things out of nothing as nothing can of itself arise out of nothing, so it is th greatest power that is conceivable to bring any thing o of nothing: if all the contrivances and all the power this world were put together to bring the least thing o of nothing, you would easily apprehend it impossible all. If all the force that is in the whole earth, and eve in the whole creation, should be exerted together to brin a grain of sand out of nothing, you would easily appr hend it would never be, and therefore how vast is th power of this Eternal Being! he to whom the etern Godhead belongs, (as the text speaks,) to bring things in being that were not; that were nothing immediately befor But then, secondly, consider also the vastness of the cre tion. To bring the least thing out of nothing must requi the greatest power, but to bring so great a creation as th out of nothing, is that which doth render the power of t Creator both perspicuous and admirable at once. To ha such a frame of things as we behold with our eyes fr day to day made to rise up out of nothing, and only b E come in the next place to prove to you the self-word speaking, how perspicuous and admirable doth it e of such a Being. There is such a Being first, and condly, that eternal Being must be of itself, could 5. We are to apprehend and may prove, the admira r way be, but of and from itself. Now here you beneficence of him that made them. If we cast our onjoin these two things in your own thoughts, that through the universe, and consider, that the first orde you will see in the sequel) every thing that is thus creatures that have life are made capable of pleasure; so may be found to be proved of one and the same kind of satisfaction to themselves, that is, that are capa Now then it is evident, that this eternal Being is of the meaner life, the sensitive life; and that the creatu st of all beings, there can be nothing before it, and beneath them are made to afford the matter of that p re it cannot have its existence from another, there sure; when it was very easily possible for a Being of v nothing before it, from whence it could have its ex- immense power to have made creatures only for self, and therefore it must have its existence from itself; ment; upon this account it appears that the whole ea once beginning to exist, for we have shown already, the whole creation, is full of his goodness. So that ris possible, that if there were nothing in being, any thing a little from the meanest sort and order of creatures, of itself rise up out of nothing into being. And immediately ascend to such a sort and order of creat re this is such a Being, as must be understood by as hath, every one, its suitable delectation. That all cellency of its own nature, to have been always in repasts of that life that are given to the several order without beginning, and so it will appear to be an creatures, are mingled and sweetened with so much Being and to be a self-existing Being both at once; light, speaks all to be full of his goodness. Whatsoev ich is all one) a necessary Being, a Being that doth necessary for the support of it, is generally taken in pend upon will and pleasure, as all made things do. delight and complacency. If this Being who is the Au ade things depend upon will and pleasure; "for and Spring of all other beings, were not a being of a asure they are, and were created. But the un-rable goodness and beneficence, it had been as easy a t Being must needs be self-existent, no way depend- to him, that what should have been necessary for the on the pleasure of another, there being nothing be- port of inferior beings should always have been accor and so (which is the same thing) itself necessarily nied with torture as well as pleasure. That whereas ng, as that excellency, that peculiar excellency of and the creatures beneath us find it needful in order to n nature, to which it was simply repugnant not to support of life to eat and drink, he might have order And so for the same reason, if there have been an so that there never should have been eating and drin self-subsisting Being, there must be still an eternal without torment: now we find it is with continued bsisting Being, for it is upon these terms, and for sure, for the greater part, with all sorts of creatures w eason, for which it was impossible to it ever not to case doth require it. And again, And so that nature which he is pleased to assume to If is most admirably expressive of this peculiarity nature, "I AM THAT I AM," or simply "I AM," Exod. All beings besides being but (as it were) shadows ng in comparison of this. And We are further to conceive and to prove concerning this 6. We must understand from the things that are m this Eternal Being to have been their intelligent and signing Maker. We are to prove this intellectuality the things that are made; that he is an intellectual B that he did not give rise to this creation by an effort of and resistless power alone; but by a power that was ed and governed by wisdom, so as to know and desig his work throughout. And (as I have told you) it being business in speaking to this head, to evince and mak to you an object of religion, to give you a plain and factory answer to this first question, Have we an obj religion, yea or no? this is most absolutely necessa the resolution of it. We have not an object of rel without this, that is, without the supposition of an int tual designing Maker of all things. If we should su |