p R E F A c E. 111 tudes or Metaphors are borrowed from vifible Things, to difplay and illuf– trate the excellent Nature of invifible Things. Yea, heavenly Things are often called by the very Names, that material or earthly Things are; which is not to obfcure, or hide the meaning of them from us, but to ac– commoC\ate them to our Underll:anding. God by a gracious ~yxa/a~a..,, or Condefcenfion, conveys the Knowledge of himldf, and fpiritual Things, by preaching them by their refpective earthly, or terre!l:ial Similitudes. '·' If I have told you of earthly Things, and ye believe not; how fhaH " ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly Things," 2 John iii. 12. The Sacra Phi!o!ogia, was more particularly defigned for the Benefit and Affill:ance of young Students aad Minill:ers. And it is certain, that no Clafs of Men have more need of Learning than the Minifrers of the Gof– pel, becaufe their Employment is of the highefr Cont:ern, viz. rightly to divide the Word of Truth, and therefore that facred Office is not to be intruded into, but by Perfons duly qualified, and called. And moft certai11 it is, that human Literature withollt Grace, has often proved· a dangerous Enemy to the Chrill:ian Religion, and barely confidered in itfelf, gives no Right to the Exercife of that facred Function, any more than the meaneft of mechanical Arts. For as Dr. Car/ton, formerly Bifhop of Chichefter, well fays, " That a Layman that bath the Spirit of God, is better able to judge " of the Church, and its Members, than a Man in ecclefiafl:ical Function, " that hath not the Spirit of <:;od." And Jzfflin Martyr excellently fays, ~' Infelix eft fapientia extra •verbum Deifapere." So that it is not the Formality of academical Degrees, nor any philofophical Dexterity, which is to be exercifed in the Things that may be known by the Light of natural Reafon, nor variety of Languages, that qualifies a Preacher. He that Minifters the Word, ought principally td experience the Grace of God in his own Heart, and the Power of it, in that grand and evangelical Work of Regeneration ; as alfo to underfl:and thofe blcffed Myll:eries of the facred Scriptures, that he may unfold them to others, and have a lawful Call, which altogether Confl:itutes, though he never faw a Unive;jity. This Reafon was given by the royal Pfalmift, " I " have believed, and therefore have I fpokcn." His Faith being the Autho– rity for his Prophefying, or Preaching; yet I would not be underfl:ood to difparage human Learning, for it is excellent in its Place, when rightly employed. The Knowledge of the ~rigi11al Languages, in which the Scrip– tures arc penned, is of very great Utility, that we may Converfe with that facrcd Book in its own emphatical and native Idiom ; fo that this kind of Literature is good as a Handmaid, I-lagar like; but if it mufl: needs be Mill:refs, and ufurp Authority in the Family,; if like fcoffing Ijbmael, it ..,.;n mock at the S~irit, and the Simplicity of the Gofpel, let it be ca!l: out. To aid fuch whofe Chrill:ian.Minds incline them to infl:ruCl: others, when their tender Years have loft the Education of Languages, I fhould rejoice: But at the fame Time would ihongly recommend them to be in– defatigable towards the Attainment of the I-lct),·c"o and Greek Languages. And Reader, as I have introduced the Types into the Work, it is ne– ceffary to inform thee, that I believe there is a great DifFerence between metaphorical and typical Scriptures, yet I flattered myfeif, that the Work, inftead of being injured, would be more acceptable thereby. And becaufe 3 fome
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