. D parmonpofMe íine2fttrtutrz, -:.. p. VI on their Author. Things endued with life, declare him Li-Y,4,..) to be the fountain of Life, and intelleélual creatures reprefent him to be the Father of Lights. But theper- fonal being as Perfonal,operating nothing out ofthe Di- vine Nature, there is no refemblance in the World that expreffes the Diftin&ion, Propriety, and Singularity of the Perlons, fo as to difcover them to the humane un- derfranding. Thole deeper Myfleries ofthe Deity are onlymade known by the WordofGod. 2. 'Tis above the (train and reach ofnatural Reafon to attain to the knowledge of it. There are feminal ttom s. TS* (parksof the Law in the heart of Man, force common principles ofPiety, Juftice, and Charity,without which the Worldwould loondisband, and fall into confufion; but there is not the leafl prefumption or conjeélure of thecontrivanceof theGofpel. Thoughmifery tharpens the mind, and makesit more ingenious to find out ways of Deliverance, yet here Reafonwas utterly at a lofs. Howcould it ever enter into the thoughtsofthe ifrae- lites that by ereéling a Brazen Serpent on a Pole, and looking towards it, the wounds made by the Fiery Serpents fhouldbe healed ? Andhow could guilty Man find out a way to fatisfie Infinite Juftice by the Suffer- ings of a Mediator, and to heal the wounded fpirit by believing on him? The molt inquiring Reafon could never have thought of the Wondersof the Incarnation, that a virgin thould conceive, and a God be born; nor of the Deathof the Prince of Life, and theRefurreCli- on, and Afcenfion of the Lord of Glory. We may Tee how impofible it is for the natural underftanding to difcover the myftery of Redemption, when thofe Facilius inter that had thehi heft no- reputation for wifdom were ig quam g inter rant of the Creation. The Philofophers weredivided Philofophos in nothing more, than in their account ofthe Worlds & °' t Original. Some imagin'd it to proceed from Water, others
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