Chapter 6: Obscurity of God

to Chap II. Obscurity of God, &c.

To the ensuing whole Chapter, wherein our Author exspatiates, with a most luxuriant Oratory, throughout; and oft times soars with Poetical raptures, in setting forth the obscurity and darkness of all things, [illegible] ignorance and disability, to attain a right and perfect knowledge of them, canting by the way, many of those pretty notions, which the Philosophical discoursive men of our days do use to whet their wits upon, over a glass of wine; I have not much to offer. Nor should I once reflect upon that discourse, were it not designed to another end, than that which it is ushered in by, as the thing aimed to be promoted by it. Forbearance of one another in our several persuasions, on a sense of our infirmity and weakness, and the obscurity of those things, about which our minds and contemplations are conversant, is flourished at the entrance of this Harangue. After a small progress, the Snake begins to hiss in the grass, and in the Close openly to show itself, in an enticement to an embracing of the Roman Religion; which, it seems, will disentangle our minds out of that maze about the things of God and Man, in which, without its guidance, we must of necessity wander for ever. As for his Philosophical notions, I suppose they were only vented, to show his skill in the learned talks of this Age, and to toll on the Gallants, whom he has most hope to ensnare; knowing them to be Candidates for the most part, to that Scepticism which is grown the entertainment of Tables and Taverns. How a man that is conversant in his thoughts about Religion, and his choice of, or settlement therein, should come to have any concernment in this Discourse, I cannot imagine. That God, who is infinitely wise, holy, good, who perfectly knows all his own excellencies, has revealed so much of himself, his mind, and will, in reference to the knowledge which he requires of himself, and obedience to him, as is sufficient to guide us while we are here below, to steer our course in our subjection to him, and dependence on him, in a manner acceptable to him, and to bring us to our utmost end and blessedness in the enjoyment of him: This Protestants think sufficient for them, who as they need not, so they desire not to be wise above what is written; nor to know more of God, than he has so revealed of himself, that they may know it. Those barren, fruitless speculations, which some curious Serpentine wits, casting off all reverence of the sovereignty and majesty of God, have exercised themselves in and about, even in things too high and hard for them, darkening counsel and wisdom, by words of pretended subtlety, but real folly; are fitter to be exploded out of the world, than fomented and cherished in the minds of men.

Nor does that discourse about God and his essence, which lies before us, seem to grow on any other roots than ignorance and curiosity; ignorance of what it is that God requires us to know of him, and how; and curiosity in prying into, and using words about what we do not understand, nor is it the mind of God that we should. Were poor sinners throughly sensible of their own condition, and what acquaintance with God their concernment does lie in, they would little value such vain towering imaginations as some men's minds are exercised withal. Come, Sir, let us leave these vain flourishes, and in deepest abasement of soul pray that we may know how the Father, whom no man has seen at any time, is revealed by the only begotten Son, who is in his bosom. What he is in his Law towards impenitent sinners, what in the Covenant of his Grace to them that fly for refuge to the hope that is set before them; even that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give to us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of our understanding being enlightened, we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards them that believe, according to the working of the might of his power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places; that our hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all riches of the FULL ASSURANCE OF UNDERSTANDING to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge, and by whom alone we may obtain any saving acquaintance with them; who also is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true.

This is the Port-Haven of Protestants, whatever real darkness may be about them, or whatever mists may be cast on them by the sleights of men that lie in wait to deceive, that they need know no more of God, that they may love him, fear him, believe in him, and come to the enjoyment of him, than what he has clearly and expressly in Christ revealed of himself by his Word. Whether the storms of this Gentleman's indignation be able to drive them, or the more pleasant gales of his Eloquence to entice them, from this harbour, time will show. In the mean while, that indeed, they ought not so to do, nor will do so with any but such as are resolved to steer their course by some secret distempers of their own, a few strictures on the most material passages of this Chapter will discover.

It is scarce worth while, to remark his mistake in the foundation of his discourse of the obscurity of God, as he is pleased to state the matter, from that of the Prophet, asserting, that God is a God who hides himself; or, as he renders it, an hidden God. His own Prophet will tell him, that it is not concerning the essence of God, but the dispensation of his love and favor towards his people, that those words were used by the Prophet of old, and so are unwillingly pressed to serve in the design he has in hand. Neither are we more concerned in the ensuing discourse of the soul's cleaving to God by affection, upon the metaphysical representation of his excellencies and perfections to it; it being purely Platonical, and no way suited to the revelation made of God in the Gospel, which acquaints us not with any such amiableness in God, as to endear the souls of sinners to him, causing them to reach out the wings of their love after him, but only as he is in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world to himself; a consideration that has no place, nor any can obtain, in this flourish of words. And the reason is, because they are sinners, and therefore without the revelation of an atonement, can have no other apprehension of the infinitely holy and righteous God, but as of a devouring fire, with whom no sinner can inhabit. Nor yet in the aggravation of the obscurity of God from the restless endeavours of mankind in the disquisition of him, who, as he says, shew their love in seeking him, having at their birth an equal right to his favor, which they could no wise demerit before they were born, being directly contrary to the doctrine of his own Church, in the head of original sin.

That which first draws up towards the design he is in pursuit of, is his determination, that the issuing of men's perplexities in the investigation of this hidden God, must be by some Prophet or Teacher, sent from God to men; but the uncertainty of coming into any better condition thereby, is so exaggerated by a contempt of those ways and means, that such Prophets have fixed on to evidence their coming forth from God, by miracles, visions, prophesies, a shew of sanctity, with a concourse of threats and promises, as that means also is cashiered from yielding us any relief. Neither is there any thing intimated, or offered, to exempt the true Prophets of God, nor the Lord Christ himself, from being shuffled into the same bag with false pretenders in the close, that were brought forth to play their game in this pageant. Yes, the difficulty put upon this help of the loss we are at in the knowledge of God, by Prophets and prophesies, seems especially to respect those of the Scripture, so to manifest the necessity of a further evidence to be given to them, then any they carry about them, or bring with them, that they may be useful to this end and purpose. And this intention is manifest a little after, where the Scripture is expressly reckoned among those things which all men boast of, none can come to certainty or assurance by. Thus are poor unstable souls ventured to the borders of Atheism, under a pretence of leading them to the Church. Was this the method of Christ, or his Apostles, in drawing men to the faith of the Gospel? This the way of the holy men of old, that laboured in the conversion of souls from Gentilism and Heresy? Were ever such bold assaults against the immoveable principles of Christianity made by any, before Religion came to be a matter of carnal interest? Is there no way to exalt the Pope, but by questioning the authority of Christ, and truth of the Scripture? Truly, I am sorry, that wise and considering men should observe such an irreverence of God and his Word to prevail in the spirits of men, as to entertain thoughts of persuading them to desert their Religion, by such presumptuous insinuations of the uncertainty of all divine revelation. But all this may be made good on the consideration of the changes of men after their profession of this or that Religion; namely, that, notwithstanding their former pretensions, yet indeed, they knew nothing at all, seeing that from God and the Truth no man does willingly depart; which if it be universally true, I dare say, there is not one word true in the Scripture. How often does God complain in the Old Testament, that his people forsook him for that which was not God? And how many do the Apostles shew us in the New, to have forsaken the Truth? It is true, that under the notion of God the chiefest good, and of Truth the proper object and rest of the understanding, none can willingly and by choice depart: but, that the minds of men might be so corrupted and perverted by their own lusts, and temptations of Satan, as willingly and by choice to forsake the one or the other, to embrace that which in their stead presents itself to them; is no less true, than, that twice two make four. And it is mere weakness and ignorance of the condition of mankind, since the entrance of sin, to conclude, that, because men may forsake the Truth which they have professed, therefore there is no evidence in that Truth which they so forsake; as though, Truth and its evidence were to be measured and judged by the carriage and deportment of corrupt and unstable men towards it. Though the Sun continue to shine in the firmament, yet there be a thousand ways whereby men may become blind, and so rendered unable to see it. And there are no fewer ways whereby men either wilfully themselves darken the eyes of their understanding, or suffer them to be put out by others. Shall the Truth be from there calumniated, as though it sent forth no beams whereby it may be clearly discerned? Are they not rather justly to be supposed blind themselves, who can entertain such thoughts of it?

We dwell too much on these remote attempts towards the special end aimed at. The Rhetorick of this Discourse is wound up (Pag. 76, 77, 78, 79) in a perswasive to Popery; the substance whereof is, that the Papacy being rejected, there is a necessity that all men must become Atheists; which requires a little further consideration. He says, then, That these dissentions of ours (he means, of Protestants, one of whom he most undecently personates) about the Faith in its branches so hot, so various, so extravagant, are apt to inferr a suspition in its very root; Are not a hundred in our own Countrey become Atheists already upon that very notion? And these men supposing substantial change once made in Religion, and deliberately admitted, are rather to be commended for their wit, than blamed. For they do but that suddenly, which all the Land will come to by degrees. This in general; in which entrance into his further application of what he had largely, and indeed loosly, before discoursed to his present purpose; I wish I could find any thing sound. If dissentions about the Faith, however extravagantly mannaged, are apt to inferr a suspition in its very root, it is most certain, that since the first preaching of it, or within a few years after its first Revelation, causes of suspition have been given, and will be given, and it is the mind of God should be given, who said, there must be Heresies, that the approved may be tryed. And this very argument did Celsus press against Christianity almost 1500 years ago; which is worthily answered by Origen — nor is there need of adding any thing to what that excellent man replyed to one of the first Coyners of this Objection. The truth is; our dissentions are evils; our evils, the evils of men that are ingaged in them. And yet it may be, not all out so evil in themselves as is pretended; they are farr enough from meriting the Title of, lo here is Christ, and, lo there is Christ; Protestants are all of them well enough agreed, who is Christ, and where alone he is to be found: If they jump not wholly into the same conceptions, about some few things of less importance in the way and manner of the worship of Christ, it is no more, but what has been the lot of the best of men ever since Christ was preached on the Earth, that were not infallibly inspired; Such contests ever were, and he that knows what men are, will have little cause given him to suspect the truth of the foundation of that about which they contend. Nor is any ground of such suspition administred by these differences; men of corrupt minds, may take occasion from them to vent the enmity which is in their hearts against the faith; ground of suspition none is given to them. No, rather, it is a strong evidence of the certainty of the faith in general, that all those who contend about the branches of it, do every one of them charge one another with the failure; and all agree, that the faith it self about which they contend, is certain, sure, and stable. And, I hope, the Gentleman is mistaken in the calculation of the numbers that are become Atheists in our Countrey; or, if he have brought them to the pole, I do not believe, that he has taken a particular account of the occasions and reasons that cast them on that commendable piece of wit, as he styles it; and so knows not, but that they may have been made witty by some of those wayes, whereby, if a learned Frier may be believed, there were no less then 60000 become Atheists, and that not of Protestants, but good Catholicks, in one City in our neighbouring-Nation. But this falls out, says he, by a supposal of a substantial change made in Religion, and deliberately admitted. This, indeed, were something; but, Whoever supposed so? The Religion of Jesus Christ, is the same, once delivered to the Saints. This is still one and the same, yesterday, to day, and for ever, unalterable; as Christ himself. Men indeed, who are lyars, are changeable Worms; and many, as to their Profession in Religion, alter, change, turn, apostatize, with or without deliberation: but he that shall from there conclude, that his best course is speedily to be an Atheist, will not deserve much commendation for his wit, less for his wisdom; and, for his grace, none at all. That the Land will come to Atheism by degrees, is the Prognostication of our Author, calculated from the Meridian of Rome. For my part, I fear not such kind of Prophets: Protestant Religion has, by the blessing of God, retrived the Nation from the doors of Atheism, and kept it safe almost these hundred years, notwithstanding the woful miscarriages of some that have professed it; why they must now all by degrees turn Atheists, I know no reason to fear, nor presume does our Author, but that he is prompted to like his conjecture, by his love to his Countreymen, desiring they may follow them, who are so commended for their wit.

But we must proceed with the improvement of this consideration. If the Papist, or Roman-Catholick, who first brought the news of Christ and his Christianity into the Land, as all men must needs know, that have either heard or read of Christianity's ingress into England, or other Countries and Kingdoms, (for we do no sooner hear news of Christianity than Popery, and its Crucifixes, Monasteries, Reliques, Sacrifice, and the like), I say, If the Papist is now become so odious, as we see he is, and if the faith he brought and maintained a thousand years together, be now rent all asunder by Sects and Factions, which bandy all to the ruine of that Mother-Religion; if all her practical truths, wherein chiefest piety consists, be already abandoned as erroneous; does not this justifie the Pagan whom this Catholick Christian displaced to make way for his own Law? And must not this be a certain way and means to introduce Atheism, which naturally follows that faith once removed, even as a carkass succeeds a living body once deceased? For, one truth denyed, is a fair way to question another, which came by the same hand; and this, a third: till the very authority of the first Revealer be at stake, which can no more defend himself than he can his Law? For the same Axe and Instrument, that cut down the branches, can cut up the root too; and, if his reverence, for which all the rest was believed, defend not their truth, it must needs at length utterly fail in his own; for all the authority they had was purely from him, and he fails in them before he falls in himself. That the Papists, or Roman-Catholicks, first brought Christ and his Christianity into this Land, is most untrue; and I wonder how any one that has read any story of the Times that are past, should so often averre what he cannot but know to be untrue. The Gospel might have been brought into England by Romans, and yet not by Papists; for I cannot find, nor can this Gentleman shew, that the Romans Saint Paul wrote to, were any one of them, in any one poynt, Papists. But neither was it brought here by Romans, but came immediately out of the East; from where also about the same time it came to Rome. Nor is it any jot truer, that we no sooner heard news of Christianity, than Popery, with its Crucifixes, Monasteries, Reliques, Sacrifice, (that is, the Mass), and the like; Apage nugas! What do we talk of tother-day things, when we speak of the first news of Christianity? The first planting and watering of these things, was in after-Ages, and their growing up to that consistency, wherein they may justly be called Popery, a work of many Centuries. And yet, I shall grant, that most of them got the start in the World, of that Papal Soveraignty, from where Popery is peculiarly denominated. But the first news we hear of Christianity, is in the Gospel; where there is not the least tidings of these trifles, nor was there in some Ages, that next succeeded the publication of it. If this Gentleman, give any further occasion, the particulars shall be evinced to him. For my part, I know not how, nor to whom a Papist is become odious, which nextly he complains of. I can, and do love their persons, pitty them in their mistakes, hate only their vices. But yet, certain it is, a Papist may be odious, that is, men may not love those parts of his Religion, from where he is so denominated, without the least impeachment of that faith that extirpated Gentilism in the World. It is for that faith which ruined Gentilism, that we contend against Papists. Let us have that, and no more, and there is an end of all our Contests. The things we strive about, sprang up since Gentilism was buryed, the most of them out of its grave, some from a deeper place, if there be a deeper place. For the practical truths of the Papists, which he complains to be abolished, I was in good hope, he would not have mentioned them; their speculations are better than their practises, whether he intends their moral divinity, or their agenda in Worship; I would desire this Gentleman to mention them no more, lest he hear that of them, which, I know, he is not willing to do. As for the practical truths of the Gospel, they are maintained, and asserted in the Church of England, and by all Protestants; and about others, we are not solicitous. What tendency then, the Rejection of Popery, which had no hand in supplanting Gentilism, and which is no part of the Religion of Christ, has to the leading of men into Atheism, is as hard to discover, as the quadrature of a Circle, or a Subterranean passage into the Indies. But he gives his reasons; If one truth be denyed, a fair way is made to question another, which came by the same hand, and this a third, till the very authority of the first Revealer be at stake, which can no more defend himself than he can his Law. This first Revealer, I take to be the Lord Christ; he that grants a thing, or doctrine, to be taught and delivered by him, yet denyes it to be true, does indeed deny his authority. However, he will defend himself and his Law, let men do what they please. But, he that denyes such a thing to be truth, because it is not revealed by him, nor consistent with what is revealed by him, doing this out of subjection of soul and conscience to his authority, is in no danger of questioning or opposing that authority. No, be it, that it be indeed a truth which he denyes: being only denyed by him, because he is perswaded, that it is not of Christ, the first Revealer, and therefore not true; there is no fear of the danger threatned. But the matter is, that all that is brought from Christ by the same hand, must be equally received. It is true, if it be brought from Christ by the same hand, it must be so; not, because by the same hand, but because from Christ. They that preached Christ, and withall, that men must be circumcised, had put men into a sad condition; if, in good sooth, they had been necessitated to embrace all that they taught; the same men teaching Christ to be the Messias, and Circumcision to be necessary to life eternal. Among those that were converted to the Gospel by the Jews that were zealous of the Law, how easie had it been for their Teachers, to have utterly frustrated Saint Paul's doctrine of Christian liberty, by telling them, that they could not forgo Circumcision, but they must forgo Christ also; for, all those things they received by the same hand. If, indeed, a man comes and delivers a Systeme of Religion upon his own authority and Reputation only, he that denyes any one point of what he delivers, is in a fair way of everting all that he asserts. But if he come, as sent from another, and affirm, that this other commanded him to declare, that which he delivers for Truth in his Name, and produce for that end his Commission, wherein all the truths that he is to deliver, are written; if he deliver what he has not received in Commission, that may honestly be rejected, without the least impeachment of any one truth that was really committed to him, by him that sent him. And this was the way, this the condition of them who planted the Gospel in the Name of Christ, not being themselves divinely inspired. So that, if in the second Edition of Christianity, in some parts of this Nation by Austine, and his Associates, any thing was taught or practised, that was not according to the Rule and Commission given by Christ, it may be rejected, without the least impeachment to the authority of the first Revealer; no, his authority being once received, cannot be preserved entire without such rejection. I confess, I do almost mistrust, that by this Revealer of Christianity, and his authority, which he discourses about, our Authour intends the Pope; which, if so, what we have discoursed of Christ, is, I confess, to little purpose; and it were easie to turn our Reply that way; but, because I have not clear Evidence for it, I will not charge him with so horrid a presumptuous Insinuation; when he declares his mind, he shall hear more of ours.

But he further specifies his meaning in an enumeration of doctrines that were preached by the first planters of the Gospel, in and to the extirpation of Gentilism. If, says he, the institution of Monasteries, to the praise and service of God, day and night, be thought as it has been now these many years a superstitious folly; If Christian Priests and Sacrifices be things of high Idolatry; If the seven Sacraments be deemed vain, most of them; If it suffice to Salvation, only to Believe, whatever life we lead; If there be no value, or merit, in good Works; If God's Laws be impossible to be kept; If Christ be not our Law-maker and Director of doing well, as well as Redeemer from ill; If there be no Sacramental Tribunal for our Reconciliation ordained from by Christ on the Earth; If the real Body of our Lord be not bequeathed to his Spouse in his last Will and Testament; If there be not under Christ a general Head of the Church, who is chief Priest and Pastor of all Christians upon Earth under God, whose Vicegerent he is in Spiritual Affairs; all which things are now held forth by us, manifestly against the doctrine of the first Preachers of Christianity in this Land; then I say, Paganism was unjustly displaced by these doctrines, and Atheism must needs succeed; for if Christ deceived us, upon whom shall we rely; and if they that brought us the first news of Christ, brought along with it so many grand lies, why may not the very story of Christ be thought a Romance?

I could wish there had been a little more clearness and ingenuity in this annumeration; the mixing of what he takes to be truths, with some negatives that he condemns in the same series, breeds some confusion in the discourse. And I am also compelled to complain of want of candor and ingenuity in his representation of the Protestant doctrine in every particular, wherein he takes occasion to mention it. Let us then separate the things that have no place of their own in this argument, than what is ambiguously proposed: after which, what remains may be distinctly considered.

1. What makes that enquiry in our way at this time, If it suffice to Salvation, to believe, whatever life we lead? Who ever said so, taught so, wrote so, in England? Is this the doctrine of the Church of England? Or of the Presbyterians, or Independents? Or whose is it? Or what makes it in this place? If this be the way of gaining Catholics, let them that please make use of it. Protestants dislike the way as much as the end.

2. What is the meaning of that which follows, If there be no value or merit in good Works? Who ever taught that there is no value in good works? That they are not commanded of God, that they are not accepted with him, that they are not our duty to be careful in the performance of; that God is not honoured, the Gospel adorned, the Church and the World advantaged by them? Do all these things put no value on them? For their merit, the expression being ambiguous, unscriptural, and, as commonly interpreted, derogatory to the glory of Christ, and the grace of God; we shall let it pass, as proper to his purpose: and much good may it do him with all that he gains by it.

3. If (says he) God's Laws be impossible to be kept; but, Who said so? Protestants teach indeed, that men in their own strength cannot keep the Laws of God; that the grace received in this life extends not to an absolute sinless perfection in their observation, which is inconsistent with the Covenant of Grace, and men's walking with God therein: but, that the Laws of God were in their own nature impossible to be observed by them to whom they were first given, or, that they are yet impossible to be kept in that way of their sincere observation which is required in the Gospel, Protestants teach not that I know of. He proceeds.

4. If Christ be not our Law-maker and Director of doing well, as well as our Redeemer from ill. This is a little too open and plain; does he think any man will believe him, that Protestants or Presbyterians teach that Christ is not our Law-maker and Director of doing well, &c. I dare say, he believes not one word of it himself, what confidence soever he has taken upon him of imposing on the minds of weak and unstable men.

Other things mentioned by him are ambiguous; as, If the seven Sacraments be deemed vain, most of them, &c. Of the things themselves, which they term Sacraments, there is scarce any of them by Protestants esteemed vain; that one of Unction, which they judge now useless, they only say, is an unwarrantable imitation of that which was useful: of the rest, which they reject, they reject not the things, but those things from being Sacraments; and a practice in Religion is not presently condemned as vain, which is not esteemed a Sacrament. There is no less ambiguity in that other supposition, If the real Body of our Lord be not bequeathed to his Spouse in his last Will and Testament; which no Protestant ever questioned; though there be great contests about the manner of the Sacramental Participation of that real Body; the same may be said of some other of his supposals. But I need not go over them in particular. I shall only say in general; that take from among them, what is acknowledged to be the doctrine of the Papists, and, as such, is opposed by the Church of England, or by Presbyterians (as Papal Supremacy, Sacrifice of the Mass, Monasteries of Votaries under special and peculiar Vows and Rules, necessity of auricular Confession, Transubstantiation, which are the things gilded over by our Author) and prove that they were the doctrines, all, or any of them, whereby, and wherewith, the first Preachers of Christianity in this Nation, or any where else in the old known World, displaced Paganism; and, for my part, I will immediately become his Proselyte. What then can be bound with this Rope of Sand? The first Preachers of Christianity preached the Pope's Supremacy, the Mass, &c. By these doctrines Paganism was displaced; if these doctrines now be decried, as lies, why may not Christ himself be esteemed a Romance? For neither did the first Preachers of Christianity preach these doctrines; nor was Paganism displaced by them; nor is there any ground to question the authority and truth of Christ, in case those that do first preach him, do therewithal preach somewhat that is not true, when they bring along with them an authentic conviction of their own mistakes, as was manifested before, and might be made good by innumerable other instances.

I shall not need to follow him in his declamation to the end of this paragraph; the whole foundation of his many flourishes and pretences being totally taken out of the way.