ledge indeed is fo very imperfect concerning the Nature of moft things, that I may almost venture to fay, that if we will but be contented for the prefent to believe what God has delivered concerning his own Nature, we may hereafter know God himself as plainly as now we know many things here. For now we fee through a Glafs darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then fhall I know, even as alfo I am known, I Cor. xiii. 12.

If it be thought unreafonable however, that fuch abftrufe Myfteries fhould be made neceffary to Salvation, and that we fhould pronounce that whofoever will be faved, must thus think of the Trinity, and that all who do not thus think and believe, fhall without doubt perifh everlastingly.

ved

Let it be confidered, that in all Religions, whether Natural or Revealed, there must be fomething believed, which is above all Humane Comprehenfion, and which can be known no further than in order to be belie; there can be no Faith without all Knowledge, but Knowledge, if it were compleat, would exclude Faith, which is the Evidence of things not feen. Knowledge may be confidered either as it is general and imperfect; or as it is particular and adequate to the Nature of the thing known; we muft have a general Knowledge of whatever is the Object of Faith, but if we had a particular and adequate knowledge of it, there could remain nothing of it

Ee A

un

unknown, to be the Object of Faith. The difference between Science and Faith is, not that we are lefs certain of the Objects of Faith, than of the Objects of Science, but that we know lefs of them. For Certainty depends upon our general Knowledge, as that God is true; and therefore what he has revealed, is as certain, as if we faw it, or could demonstrate it in every particular. And this general Knowledge, which is neceffary in order to Faith is, in Natural Religion, attained to by Reason, and in Revealed Religion, from Revelation. Thus we attain to fuch a general Knowledge of the Divine Nature by Rational Evidence, as to be convinced, that Infinite Power, and Goodness, and Truth, and all manner of Infinite Perfections belong to it; but we believe the Divine Perfections without any particular comprehenfive Knowledge of them; in like manner, from Revelation we attain to this general Knowledge, that the Divine Nature confifts of Three Perfons in One undivided Effence, but we believe these Three Perfons to be One God, without any particular and comprehenfive Knowledge of fo great à Mystery; for then it would no longer be a Mystery, and Faith would be no more Faith.

I would therefore ask the Adverfaries of this Doctrine, whether the Belief of a God, Omniprefent, Eternal, Almighty, Omniscient, Infinitely Holy, Juft, and Merciful, be

not

not neceffary to Salvation? No rational Man can deny it. I enquire further, whether Infants and Ideots are obliged neceffarily under pain of Damnation to this Belief? They must certainly answer, no; because none can be obliged to Impoffibilities. I demand then again, whether, if one or more of these Attributes, or the Agreement of them one with another be impoffible to be understood (with a general and imperfect Knowledge) by any who are capable of knowing and believing the reft; the ignorance of these Articles, which are above their Understandings (even as to this general and imperfect way of Knowledge) can be deftructive of their Salvation? They must needs fay it cannot, because God can require nothing impoffible of any Man. And the very fame Anfwers applied to the Cavils against the Athanafian Creed will be fufficient to Silence them. That Creed contains fuch Truths as are neceffary to be believed in order to Salvation, but neceffary to particular Perfons fo far only, as they are capable of knowing them, in order to believeing them. He that will be faved, must thus think of the Trinity; but this fupposes him capable of thinking thus; for it is ever fuppofed and agreed in all Cafes, that no Man is bound to any thing impoffible; and that God requires nothing of any Man either in Faith or Practice beyond his Power and Capacity. Whosoever will be Saved, before all

1

things it is neceffary, that he hold the Catholick Faith; which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. But this fupposes that he has already attained, or is able to attain to the Knowledge, which is neceffary to Faith, for no Man can hold that Faith, the generat Knowledge whereof he cannot attain. We muft with an implicit Faith believe all that God fays to be true, tho' it be never fo much above our Understanding; but no Man is bound to believe explicitly any more than he can understand so far, as is neceffary to fuch a Belief. He is able to understand fo much of it, as to know in general what he is required to believe, tho' he can have no fuch compleat and comprehenfive Notion of it, as to give a particular and full Account of the Nature and Manner of Existence of that which is to be believed by him.

And let the Articles of Faith fuppofed neceffary to Salvation according to Natural Religion be never fo few and plain, yet there will still be fome Men, who are uncapable of understanding them in any way or measure; and then there will lie the fame Objections against thofe Articles of Natural Religion, which are upon this Account urged against their Faith in the Trinity it felf; which, fo far as it is required to be known and believed, is not above the Capacity of the Generality of Mankind; and no more is

required

required to be believed explicitely of any, than they are capable of knowing in fuch a Degree as is neceffary in order to fuch a Belief; whatever Articles of Faith be affigned in Natural or Revealed Religion, they will be above the Capacity of many Adult Perfons, and of all Infants to apprehend them; who therefore according to all Religions may be Saved without the actual Knowledge of thofe Articles which are never fo neceffary to others. And what may be objected against all Religions, Natural as well as Revealed, ought in Reason to be objected against none; for there can be no force

in it.

III. This Doctrine exceedingly tends to the advancement of Vertue and Holiness, and has a great influence upon the Lives and Converfations of Men.

That God the Father fhould fend his Son, his only Begotten, and only beloved Son to be Born and to Die for us, is an endearing and amazing Act of the Divine Goodne The Death not of a meer Man, but of the Son of God, Blessed for ever, in our stead, must needs heighten our Love of God, and our Faith and Dependance on him; our Hatred of Sin, and our Affurance of Pardon upon Repentance. This I have proved at large in Difcourfing of the Incarnation and Death of the Son of God for us, and therefore shall not infift upon it here.