from the fupreme Truth, becomes a forlorn fpectacle Chap. 2. of vanity. In a kind of felf-fplendor it goes out in the darkness of errour and confufion. But now to humble our minds, it is of excellent use to confider the divine Wisdom, which is fo much above us. When our Reason stands by fenfe, it hath a noble stature and greatness; but, as foon as it turns about to infinite Wisdom, it perceives a greater Presence than it self, and must in all reafon confefs it felf a little spark, a very Nothing in comparison. It cannot step out into the sphere of Nature, but it finds matter of humility; being true to it felf, it can do no less than fay, that it is everywhere pofed and nonpluft. It is not able rationally to stand under the fecrets of Nature, much more must it stoop and do reverence before fuch a Mystery as that is, God manifeft in the flesh; in which the tranfcendent Mystery amazes us, and the unparallel'd Pattern draws us into humility. Thither must we come, or elfe turn Infidels, and allow Reason for a Deity; faying with Seneca, Quid aliud voces animam, quam Deum in humano corpore hofpitantem? What is the rational Soul but God dwelling in flesh, a kind of Christ, or rather Antichrift? This, I am fure Chriftian ears cannot bear. But a little more to demonstrate how neceffary a thing humility of mind is; let us confider Reason in a three-fold state: then it will appear, that Reason in its Integrity could not find out fupernatural Mysteries; in its Fall cannot spiritually. know them; and laftly, in the irradiations of Faith cannot comprehend them.

1. Reason in its Integrity could not find them out. The pure primitive light in Adam could dive into the fecrets of Nature, but it could not reach fuch a Mysterie as that of the facred Trinity, which is the

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fun..

Chap.2. fundamental center of Christian Religion. He could name the creatures, and that fignificantly to their natures, but that Question, What is kis fons name, Prov. 30.4, would have been too hard for him. There are, fay the School-men, fome obfcure Images of the Trinity in the Volume of Nature, but they were found out à pofteriori, and not to be read till after Revelation; and how fhould humane Reafon dictate in those things which it could not find out? or know any thing from it felf, when it hath all from Revelation? Nothing can be more abfurd than fuch a prefumption.

2. Reason in its Fall could not fpiritually know them. Evangelical Mysteries being propofed, it can go as far as its own line, unto letters, and words, and fentences: it can gather in a Notion, a form of knowledg, but it wants a congruous light; it cannot spiritually difcern them, there being no alliance or resemblance between an unregenerate mind and fupernatural Mysteries. Were it not thus, the new creature would be new only ex parte, there would need no renovation in the fpirit of the mind; God, who proposes the Object, need not shine into the heart; the Spirit of Wisdom which reveals the Gospel, need not open the eyes. We must either affirm fuch things as thefe, or elfe confefs that Reason of it self hath not light enough to be Umpire in fupernatural Myfteries. It doth not fpiritually difcern them, and for that cause cannot be an Umpire; and, as foon as by fupernatural Illumination it difcerns them, it will not, dares not be fuch, but with all reverence acquiefces and repofes it felf in the divine Teftimony: Deus dixit then is enough.

3. Reason

3. Reason in the irradiations of Faith cannot com- Chap. 2. prehend them: a difcerning there is, but no comprehenfion; let the Believer fail as far as he can in the pursuit of holy Truths, ftill there will be a Plus ultrà, an Abyss, a vast Ocean, fuch as the humane understanding can never pass through. Faith feals to Gods Veracity, but it offers not to meafure the Mysterie; it believes the thing so to be, but it pryes not into the Modus, nor faith, How can thefe things be? that is the voice of depraved Reason, not of Faith, whofe excellent genius is to crucifie How's and Why's, and to fubject the mind to the Word and Authority of God.

These things being fo, we should be all over cloathed with Humility, Understanding and all. The higher the faculty is, the more excellent is the Humility; then is God honoured indeed, when av ona, all the Intellect, the highest thing in man, is fubjected unto Him.

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Chap. 3.

CHAP. III.

Holiness the glory of the Deity: By it God acts like himself, and doth all for his own Glory. It imports an batred of fin, and love of Holiness in man. In all these respects it was manifeft in Chrift. It was not indecent for God to come in the flesh and die; the Glory of God breaks forth therein. His hatred of fin, and design to extirpate it; His love to Holiness, in doing so much to recover it, and linking it with Salvation. We should be followers of God therein.

AVING feen the Attribute of Wifdom in God, I proceed to that of Holiness, which is the glory of the Deity. He is called the Holy One above thirty times in Scripture: the Seraphims in an Extafie cry out Holy, Holy, Holy; denoting by that repetition the fuperlative Eminency of his Holinefs. This is an univerfal Attribute, which runs through all the other. Hence we find in Scripture that His Power or Arm is Holy, Ifa.52.10. His Truth or Promife Holy, Pfalm 105. 42. His Mercy Holy, Acts 13. 34. A vein of Purity runs through His whole Name. Without Holinefs his Wifdom would be Subtilty, His Juftice Cruelty, His Soveraignty Tyranny, His Mercy foolish Pity; all would degenerate into fomething unworthy of God. Holiness is the infinite Purity and Rectitude of his Effence ; and it may be confidered either refpectively to himself, or to the creature. Refpectively to himself it includes two things: 1. That

1. That God, in all that he doth, acts like him- Chap. 3. felf, in a juft decorum to his excellent Being and Attributes, having no Law without or above himfelf. He conforms to his Effence, and carries himself so fitly to himself, that no fpot, no darkness, no fhadow of turning, no indecency or irregularity can poffibly happen to him. He cannot deny himself, or do any thing unworthy of his Being or Attributes. He doth whatever he doth, in fuch a manner as becomes Him. Hence Anfelm obferves, That when God fpares and is merciful towards finners, he is just to Himself, and that because he acts condecently to his infinite Goodnefs. This is the first and prime part of his Holiness, to be juft and true to Himself, to do all congruously to his own Excellency.

2. That God doth all things for Himfelf, his own Glory. He that is Alpha, the first Principle of all things, muft of neceffity be Omega, the laft End of them his Sanctity requires, that all his works fhould return and give glory to their Original; he should not be true or juft to Himself, if he should have any Center befides himself; his Holinefs is a Transcendent above that in Man. Supreme Self-love, which in man is a Belial thing, is a Perfection in Him: To do all for one's felf, which in man is Idolatry, it is true Sanctity in Him. It is most proper for him, the fupreme Caufe and Effence, to make all things for Himfelf; as of and through him, so to him are all things.

Again, Gods Holiness taken respectively to the Creature, imports two things:

1. It imports an hatred of fin: His pure Eyes can

Juftus es fe

cundum te, mifericors es fecundum nos. Profol. cap.