fore laid down the properties of thofe truths, fo will I now lay down the properties of that knowledge of them, which is effential to illumination.

1. Illuminating knowledge must be deeply rooted. This our Saviour has taught us in that parable, wherein he has obferved to us, that the feed which had not depth of earth, as it foon sprang up, fo it foon withered and dried away. We often know (or pretend to do fo) the rudiments of our religion, without the grounds and foundation of it. We embrace conclufions, without examining the principles from whence they flow; and contrary to the advice of the apostle, we are unable to give a reafon to any one that asketh us of the faith, aud the hope that is in us. And then ours is not properly knowledge, but opinion; 'tis not faith but credulity: 'tis not a firm perfuafion, but an easy customary affent. And this is overthrown by every temptation; defaced or much blurred by every atheistical fuggeftion or propbane objectron. Does the world or our luft tempt us, as the devil did our first parents, ye shall not furely die? How eafily is that faith fhaken, which is no better founded? How eafily is a man induced to hope, that fin is not very fatal and pernicious, that God will eafily be prevailed with to pardon it, that the flames of bell are metaphorical, and its eternity a miftaken notion and groundless

fancy,

fancy, if he be ignorant of the true reafons of God's wrath and indignation, which are founded in the very nature of God and fin? Whereas on the other hand, he that well underftands both thefe; the deformity and tendency of fin, and the holinefs and the purity of the divine Nature, cannot but difcern an irreconcileable oppofition between them; and be convinced, that were there no tribunal erected for the finner, yet would fin be its own punishment; and that an intolerable hell, confifting in the diforder of nature, an exclufion from God, &c. would be the natural and necessary fue of it. The fum of this argument is, that knowledge, which has no deep root, is fubject to be overthrown by every blast: that faith which is little more than credulity, does very feldom ftand against any very rude shock. Now the grounds of our faith and duty are fully and clearly expounded in the gospel and bere especially we must seek them. When I fay this, I reject no collateral arguments, I refuse no foreign aids, which contribute any thing to confirm and fortify our belief of gospel truths. The faith of St. Thomas did, in part at least, depend upon the evidence of fenfe, Tho mas, because thou hast seen thou hast believ ed, John xx. 29. And fo did that of the reft of them, who were eye-witnesses of

the

the refurrection and afcenfion of the blessed Jefus. The doctrine of one God, and a judgment to come, may receive much light and Strength from natural reafon: and whatever establishes a revealed truth, will be fo far from diminishing, that it will increase the virtue and efficacy of it. All the caution I think fit to give here is, that we be fure that the ground be plain and firm, on which we build the belief of an illuminating truth. Philofophy, in many cafes is clear and convictive: St. Paul himself amongst the Gentiles frequently appeals to reafon. But too often we call our fancy philofophy; and obtrude upon the world, the wild and undigefted theories of a warm and confident imagination, for new difcoveries. What ftrange stuff was GnoStick philofophy once? What did it produce but the corruption of the Chriftian faith? And what can be expected from mystick, euthnfiaftick philofophy or divinity in any age, any man may guefs, without any deep penetration. Nor do I doubt but that all judicious and experienced men, do as much despise and nauseate the blendures and mixtures of pretended philofophy with our faith and morals, as the world generally does the fubtilties and perplexities of the Schools. For my part, I can't endure to have my religion lean upon the rotten props of precarious notions. I admire, I love the ele

vations

vations and enlargements of foul: but I can have no value for unaccountable amusements or rambles of fancy. An itch of novelty or curiofity has a tincture in it of our original corruption. I ever fufpect an opinion that carries an air of novelty in it; and does always prefer a vulgar truth before refined error. They are vulgar truths, which like vulgar blefings, are of most use, and trueft worth: and furely our Saviour thought fo, when he thanked his Father, that he had hid these things from the wife and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. And when he himself taught the people with power and authority, and not as the foribes, he did advance no fubtil theories, but bright and dazling, useful and convictive truths. This minds me of another property of illuminating knowledge.

2. This knowledge must not be obfcure and confused, but diftinct and clear. Where the images of things are flight, faint, and vanishing, they move men but very weakly, and affect them but very coldly; efpecially in fuch matters as are not fubject to our fenfes. And this I perfuade my felf is one chief reason why thofe glorious and wonderful objects, God, a judgment to come, heaven, and bell, do ftrike us fo feebly, and operate fo little. We have generally no lively, distinct, and clear conception of them: It being otherwife impoffible, that things

in

in their own nature dreadful and amazing, fhould excite in us no fear; or that things in their own nature infinitely amiable, fhould inkindle in us no paffion, no defire. The notions we have of fpiritual and invi fible things are dim, dufky, and imperfect: our thoughts pafs over them fo flightly, that they scarce retain any print or traces of them. Now this fort of knowledge will never do the work. These drowsy notices of things will never ferment and raife our paffions for heaven high enough to confront and combat those we have for the world. From hence we may give a fair account, what the ufe is of prophetick retirement, and prophetick eloquence: what is the purpose of all thofe fchemes and tropes which occur in infpired writings: and why the best of men have ever fo much affected folitude and retreats, from the noise and the hurry of the world. Serious, frequent, and devout contemplation is neceffary to form in our minds, clear, diftinct, and fprightly notions and to communicate thefe well to the world, they must be expreffed in moving language, in living tropes and figures. Ah! did we but confider this, we fhould fure allot more time to the study of divine truths; and we fhould not think, that to discover them throughly, it were enough to let our thoughts glance upon them. But we should furvey

and