Babe; but strong Meat belongeth to them "that are of full Age." And peaks be not of Melchizedek; (i) "Of whom we "bave many Things to fay, and hard to be "understood, because ye are dull of hearing." Are they commended for this? Or doth he jay, that Things hard are never to be spoken ? For what were they then written by the Wifdom of God, if at no Time, or by no Perfon, they are to be explained? He repeats this Point as a Matter of Rebuke and Reproof: I, Brethren, could not speak "unto you as unto Spiritual, but unto Car"nal, even as unto Babes in Chrift. I "have fed you with Milk, and not with "Meat, for hitherto ye were not able to

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bear it, neither yet now are ye able." -Is it a Commendation or a Reprehenfion for their Ignorance? Let it be remembered, that the Apoftle did not speak to Perfons of Learning, for few wife Men of this World were of his Church. Is it not then a Truth, that ftrong Meat is as much a Part of the Gofpel, as Milk? Muft it then never be given? And if few only are able to underStand,

(i) Heb. v. 13.

Stand, thefe are not to be neglected; a fewer will thefe be, if Doctrines of a Spiritual Nature are never to be taught at all. To prevent Repetition, the Reader is defired to turn to what has been faid to this Objeclion in a Note at Page 144, where it has been more fully answered.---Now, all Divines confefs a (k) fpiritual Senfe, called Myftical, because it is in a fhadowy Way veiled under the written Letter. The Queftion in Difpute is, which is the true Spiritual Senfe. And on this Point it may be justly affirmed, that which preferves the Letter for the Ground and Foundation of interpreting, which is so much adhered unto by the myfiical Writers, and fo closely pursued in this Work.---It is certain alfo, that there is a Mode of Prophefying which keeps only the Letter, and deftroys the Spirit. And this is often confounded with the true and fcriptural one, just as the Doctrine of Regeneration or the Birth from above, (which is the one Foundation of all the Gospel,) propagated by the Methodists and others like them, may be mistaken for that which is taught by the

(k) Vid. Gia Philol. Sac, de Myftico Senf

the pure myftical Writers, though there be nothing alike but the mere Name. For, Error and Delusion, though it defires to affociate with Truth, to pass itself off with the World, ought to be separated; nor should fo great a Truth as Regeneration be facrificed or injured, because it gives Occafion to many falfe Reprefentations and Pretences concerning it.--

It may be objected alfo, why are not the moral Leffons of the Gospel inculcated, and not the phyfical Mediums, and heavenly Powers, by which Redemption is fecretly carried on in Man? For two Recfons; first, becaufe Mofes treats of Physics in the daily Service and Miniftry, and not of moral Duties at all. Secondly, because the Root must precede the Tree, and the Seed of Wheat go before the Blade and the Ear. Had I been writing on the ten Commandments, or on our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount, they should have been treated as their Nature required, as Leffons of eternal Truth, unchangeable Fitness and Obligation; but, as the Subject here is quite of a different Kind, the Manner of Interpretation must be fo likewife.--I will add yet a third Reafon, that Morality

is preached too much as the Ground and Foun dation, which is the Fruit and Effect of Faith in Chrift, and of his Power and Operation on the Spirit of Man. With more moral Lectures and eloquent Declamations than were ever known in this Kingdom, we are as diffolute and immoral a People, con-. fidering our Light and Advantage of Revelation, as any under the Sun.---The true Gofpel is that which the great and good Dr. Whichcote defcribes it to be in his valuable (1) Aphorifms; I ufe his Name as a Shield against the Darts of the Divines of mere Reafon: "Christ (m) is not fo little as a "Name and Notion; he is a Nature, and

Spirit of Life in us.---The Spirit of God. " in us, is a living Law, informing the "Soul; not conftrained by a Law without, "that enlivens not: But we act in the

Power of an inward Principle of Life, "bich enables, inclines, facilitates, deter"mines.---In the Incarnation of Chrift, "we understand (n) God in Conjunction "with human Nature: And this ftrengthens "our Faith, that human Nature may be

con

(1) Aphorifm. 355. (m) Aphor. 625. (n) Aphor. 306.

"conjoned to God eternally." Now, thefe, are the very Truths delivered by this fpiritual, and truly rational Divine, that I bave endeavoured to prove in all my writings, as well as to point out the heavenly Means and Principles derived through Christ, as the Fountain of Communication, by which this great Union of the divine Nature with the Human is always carried on; through which a divine Life Springs up from the Seed of Promife, or the new Man and new Creature quickened and building up into a Temple, that is, a glorified Body from the Power of Chrift, our Lord.--

The learned among us may probably object to the ancient Interpreters called the Cabalifts by the Jews. But there is no good Ground for this, because we ought to gather what is true and worthy, and feparate the Chaff from the Wheat. They have also been much efteemed by Men as capable of judging, as their Opponents: By thefe great Scholars, Broughton, Mede, More, Cudworth, Smith, Kircher, Vitringa, Erafmus, Huet, Allix, Buddeus, and many more than thefe whom I could name.---. --Secondly, they are brought only as collateral Evidence, (for I build

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