SER/VII of Application and there are alsolfeverak Minuteneffes, little Punctilios, and finder spain curious. Notians and thofe Subjects are lintelligible enough in the Grofs and in Genaə ral; which, when branched out too minutes ly into all their little Circùmftantin and Appendages, care extremely perplexed cand intangled. Just as Matter lies open to the View in it's Bulk and in it's maffy and more fubftantial Parts: whereas the intimate Cons figuration and Texture of it's finer, and minuter Particles will be ever indifcernible.

It is morally impoffible we fhould errin judging Christianity to be true; because the Proofs for it are ftrong, decifive, and lye level to our Capacities; but we may very pro bably err in fancying that to be abfurd, which relates to the Nature and Effence of the Deity where there is an infinite Difproportion between the Faculty and the Ob ject. If there be any Criterion of Truth; if we are not neceffarily liable to be deceived web may fafely conclude, that, what has all the diftinctive Characters of Truth, that any ancient Record can haveļ cannot be a Forgery or Impofture: But we cannot be fure, but that in Matters of fo high and elevated a Nature, what we con ceive,

2

ceive,(without clearly perceiving any Thing) SER. VII. to border upon an Abfurdity, may be not fo in itself, but merely owing to our Want of more extenfive Views. One Proof from a Matter of Fact fhould weigh more to confirm a mysterious Doctrine, than all the ideal and metaphyfical Arguments, which fall short of Demonstration, to disprove it. Because we are very competent Judges of Matter of Fact; but all our Ideas about the intrinfic Nature of God are short and indiftinct and where our Ideas are indiftinct, our Knowledge, which is founded upon them, must be foo too. One intermediate Idea, which is wanting, might, if taken into the Account, make our Conclufion quite different: And one foreign Idea, which has intruded where it has nothing to do, will, like a little Leaven, spread and diffuse itfelf, and give a Tincture to the whole Mafs of our Reasoning.

This is only a general Answer to the Difficulties with which this Doctrine is attended. Under my fecond Head, which must be reserved for another Difcourfe, I fhall remove particular Objections.

SERMON

SERMON VIII.

olidnow brown bas bool v1105) uhr Preached at the AT

bas, MATTHEW XXVIII.19.

Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.

T

HE Deity is to human Minds, SER. VIII. what the main Ocean, is to nar row Veffels: They may take in as much Knowledge of his Nature, as their fcanty Dimenfions will admit;a there will remain an infinite Surplus ftill which we want Capacities to receive *

* See Cudworth's Intellectual Syftem.

and

yet

SER. VIII. withing, that human Nature was raifed to

an

an higher Perfection that the divine Na, tule may be better understood, more per fectly loved, and more worthily praised.

The Chain of Beings afcends upwards, from Brutes to Men from Men, in a beautiful, and regulan Gredetion, to Angels Archangels, and all thofe thousand. Thoufands, that ftand before God, and the ten thousand timesi ten thousand that minifter unto him. The Tranfitions in this Poem of Nature from one Kind to another, are fo extremely fine and delicate; that we scarce cam diftinguishy where one ends, and the other begins. nobleft of these

Yet the Dignity of the Beings, bears no more Proportion to his who dwelleth in unapproachable Glory; than a gilded Cloud, on which the Evening Sun has impreffed it's III. Be and enriched with beautiful Stains of Light, does to that great Abyss of Light, from which it derives it's reflected Beauty. He can fill make Beings, which shall as much furpals an Archangel of the highest Clafs, as an Archangel of the: highest Class furpaffes the most groveling. Infect. For every finite Creature, how great foever; must be infinitely beneath an

all