, CHAPTER II, -133 chine managed by thy puissance, that is, an engine managed by thy power. We are chagrin, because of the hurries and tenta- tions of the malign spirit, that is, Weare vexed and grow uneasy by reason of the temptations of the devil. Or these, which are borrowed from the Latin : The beatific splendors of thy face irradiate the celestial region, and felicitate the saints : there are the most exuberant profusions of thy grace, and the sempiternal efflux of thy glory. By philosophical expressions, I intend such as are taught in the academical schools, in order to give learned men a shorter and more comprehensive view of things, or to distinguish nicely between ideas that are in danger of being mistaken without suds distinction. As for instance, it is not proper to say to God in public prayer, Thou art hypostatically three, and essentially one. By the plentitude of perfection in thine essence, thou art self- sufficient for thine own existence and beatitude; who in an in- complex manner eminently though notformally, includest all the infinite variety of complex ideas that are found among the cu'ea- Mures. Suds language as this may be indulged perhaps in secret, by a -man that uses himself to think and meditate under these forms ; but his meaner fellow-christians wouldno more be edified by them, than by praying in an unknown tongue. By the lan- guage of mystical divinity, I mean such incomprehensible sort of phrases, as a sect ofdivines among the papists have used, and some few protestants too nearly imitated. Such are of the deform fund of the soul, the superessential life of singing a hymn of silence. That God is an abyss of light, a circle whose centre is every where, and his circumference no where. That hell is the dark world made up of spiritual sulphur, and other ingredients not unitedor harmonized, and without thatpure bal- samical oil that flows from the heart of God. These are great swelling words of vanity, that,captivate silly people into raptures, by the mere sound without sense. By running long metaphors, I mean the pursuing of a simi- litude or metaphor, and straining so far, as to injure the doc- trines of religion by a false sense, or very improper expressions. Such was the language of a foolish writer, who bids us give our hearts to the Lord, cut them with the knife of contrition, take out the blood of your sins by confession, afterward wash it with satisfaction, 8;c. By expressionsthat favour too much of party- real, Ì mean such as would be useless, if not offensive, to Chris tians of different judgments that join with us in prayer: we should not in our prayers too much insist on the corruptionsof doctrine and worship in any church, when some of that commu- nion join with us ; nor of the infants' interest in the covenant of grace, and baptism the first seal of it; when baptists are wor- shippingwith us together. Our prayers should not savour of i 3.
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