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ny Scripture Affertions: all which are eafie, and familiar to those that knew the exact propriety of such Languages, were acquainted throughly with fuch Hiftories, Customs, ufages, and manner of Speakings: and befides all thefe, the application of general Rules, to particular Cafes, (where a little circumftance may make a great alteration,) is full of puzzle and intricacy. Infomuch, that fome D'Espagne pohave thought, that there are feveral cafes of Confcience, that are pular Errours. not yet fully determined, and that are like fo to remain. S. 2. Chap.12.

Fourthly, Neither is the nature of Knowledg it felf, without an -Argument to prove,the infufficiency of our Knowledg; to Know, is properly to understand things by their Causes; or at least, by their Effects and to make a right refult of Particulars from a general Maxim. Such a kind of Knowledg, is neceffary in Religion for fetting afide, fome particulars of mysterious height, (about which, God hath fet bounds, left Men in prefumptuous boldness fhould adventure to break through unto the Lord to gaze.). And fome things which are the Principles of Nature, or their next refults, (which are upon that score, beyond all need of enquiry,). in all which, 'tis enough to believe, that what the Scripture faith is true, without asking a further account: yet in other things,. the Scripture gives us the Grounds, Reafons, and Proofs of what it declares, or afferts; as may appear by infinite Examples: fo that to know Chrift dyed, or that we are juftified by Faith, or that Chrift hall come to Fudgment; without a knowledge of the grounds, and reafons of these things, is indeed but grofs ignorance. The like may be faid, of the Knowledg of general Precepts, without the Knowledg of their neceffary Application.

But how few are there that do thus know? the greateft part of Men fatisfie themselves with the bare affirmations of Scripture, and they refolve all into this, That the Word of God faith so: or, That it is the Will of God it should be fo, without further en-quiry.

And as for others, though they may know the Reasons of many things, yet are there a vaft number of Particulars, whofe reafons we know not, though the Scripture may contain them :. and as for Confequences, and the application of general Rules, their juft limitation, and the Enumeration of the Cafes wherein they are true, or falfe: it is that that keeps the Wits of Men upon the rack perpetually.

Fifthly, The unfuitablenefs of our Capacities, to thofe Objects.

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of Knowledg, may be particularly confidered as a further confirmation of our Ignorance. The incapacity of the Vulgar, is generally observed; fome we find fo grofly ignorant, that they are uncapable to comprehend the eafieft matte's; and this makes their Perfwafion to fome plain Truths fo very difficult, that when they are (as it were) brayed in a Morter by a Multitude of unreasonable Arguments; yet their ignorance departs not from them: but they will ftubbornly hold the conclufion of their own fancy, whatever become of the Premises. Those that are of an higher form, and feem to understand a great many particulars in Religion, are (ordinarily) unable to conjoyn all Truths into one intire proportionable Body; they heap up feveral Notions that they hear here and there, but know not their confiftencies; infomuch, that they either are like Children, who know all the letters of the Alphabet, without the skill to frame Words or Sentences out of them, being unable to give an account how their Notions are related one to another, or to the whole; or if they attempt fuch a thing, they hang inconfiftent things on the fame thred, and do but humano capiti, cervicem jungere equinam. If these inftances (and a great many more of like kind) were not at hand,. yet the very condescentions of our great Prophet the Lord Jefus, and of his Difciples in their wayes of Teaching, do evince; that the capacities of Men are low: that they are dull of Hearing, children in understanding. The course they took, was to inftruct them in a plain familiar way, by Parables, and Examples: Thus were they fed as babes in Chrift (according to the Apoftles Simi1 Cor. 3. 1. litude,) with Milk, and not with ftrong Meat, because they were not able to bear it. And yet Chrift fometimes complained, That this would not do. For fo he speaks, John 3. 12. If I have told you Earthly things (that is Divine Truth, in earthly and common Similitudes) and ye believe not, (i. e. cannot apprehend them) how fhall ye believe, if I tell you of Heavenly things? How unable then would you be, to understand these Truths, if I fhould fpeak in Language, and Expreffion properly fuited to their Natures? a great check to our flowness of apprehenfion.

But poffibly, fome may expect higher matters, from those that are exalted above the common rank of Men, by the repute they have of Learning. And indeed it cannot be denied, but fuch have very great advantages for the widening of their Capacities: yet are they not fuch as wholly take away the Distemper, but

still so much in capacity may be feen in them, as will fufficiently juftifie the charge of imperfection in Knowledg against the mont Learned. Let us bring in fome inftances, and it will be evident,

First, The greatest Errours that have moft difturbed the Church in all Ages, have had their rife from Learned Men; the names of their Authors are marked upon their Foreheads. Thefe known Errours are so many, that they fill whole Volumes. The refult of which confideration, will be this, That Learned Men have often been very dangerously mistaken. (2) The prefent Contentions and Difputes of Men, managed on all hands with fo much carneftnefs, wherein one party Triumphs over another, and all (in their own apprehenfions) are Victorious; instead of Conquests, by Arguments and Answers, each party is but more confirmed in its own apprehenfions, and yet the one half is certainly wrong, and perhaps in many things both Parties are mistaken. This (I fay)fufficiently fhews the incapacities of the Learned: for if every capacity were truly correspondent to Truth, there would be no more Difputes nor differences. (3) The moft Learned, find the bufinefs of their own perfwafion and fatisfaction in many Truths (in which com-mon People have no fcruple nor doubt) very difficult, because they fee more Objections to be answered, and more of the weaknefs of Arguments than others do; but this fhews their Capacities are not fo large as fome would think. (4) Let us once for all, confider that which feems to be the highest Evidence for Knowledge and Understanding in the Learned; and we fhall find upon juft examination, 'tis no more than an argument of their Ignorance: What is there wherein they feem more acute, and Eagleey'd, than in their Distinctions, by which they would give us the molt minute differences of things; and appear fo exact, as if they would divide an Atom, and give every thing its just weight and meafure. But let us confider, that (though all Diftinctions are not unprofitable) their multitude is become oppreffive and troublefom, and more time muft be spent in learning terms and words of Art, than things; and their nicety and fubtilty fo great, that they rather darken Truth, and give occafion to bold Spirits, to undertake the defence of any Paradox. Nay, if we could fever thefe clearly from their abuses, yet, seeing 'tis certain there are more diftinctions of terms than things; they will evince, That our Knowledge is more verbal than real, and that often for a moun

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tain of Words, we have but a mole-bill of fubftantial Matter. Nay, feeing we make but a forry fhift, at best, by these Artifices to come to fome rude conceptions of things, which otherwife we cannot in any tolerable manner comprehend; it is as great a proof of our imperfection in Knowledg, as the neceffary use of Staves and crutches is an evidence of lameness. If I fhould pafs from this, to the confideration of the Multitude (beyond all number) of Books that are written, we shall find them but so many Proclamations of our Ignorance; for if we could believe them all to contain fo many wholfome Precepts of neceffary Truth (which yet we cannot rationally imagin) this would imply, That the greatest part wanted thefe informations; and that common Ignorance is not only a general distemper, but alfo a Diftemper hard to be cured, that ftands in need of fuch Multitudes of Inftructors, and fuch varieties of helps. But if we believe, that among this infinite number of Volumes there are thousands of Lyes, millions of unproved Conjectures, millions of millions of idle unprofitable Fancies; then do we in exprefs terms pronounce them guilty of Ignorance, and of Ignorance fo much the more dangerous, by how much the more bold it is, to avouch it felf in the Light, and to obtrude it self upon the belief of others, who inftead of being better informed by it, fhall but encrease their own blindness: were there nothing to be faid but this, That there are such a vast multitude of Commentators upon the Bible, which do all pretend to expound and explain it, it would of neceffity admit of these Conclufions. (1) That the Bible hath in it things fo dark or at leaft, our capacities are fo dull, that there is need of great endeavours to explain the one, or affift the other. (2) That the Knowledg of Men is imperfect for if all, or moft Men could certainly interpret the Scripture, there needed not fo many Volumes, but that one, or two might have fignified as much, as now whole Libraries can do.

The imperfection of our Knowledg, being thus laid open, 'tis eafie to fee, what advantages the Devil may make out of it, for the promoting of Errour; for it must now become our wonder, not that any Man errs, but that all do not. We find it eafie to impofe any thing upon Children, 'tis an eafie matter for a trifle to cheat them out of all they have. Surely then Satan may do as much by Men, who are but Children in understanding. The ApoAle, Ephef. 4.14. puts us in mind of this hazard, under that ve

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ry fimilitude, That we henceforth be no more Children toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine. How fitly doth he refemble us to Children? Their weakneffes are, (1) Want of difcerning, they fee not the true worth of things. (2) Credulity, they believe all fair fpeeches, and fpecious Promifes; and the hazard of both thefe is in this, That it makes them unconftant, uncertain, and fickle; and fuch are we made by our Ignorance: fo little do we truly difcern, fo apt are we to believe eve ry pretence (for the fimple believes every word, Prov. 14. 15.) That KλudoviČqueros as the Apostle's Metaphors do tell us)we are eafily toffed from one Περιφερόμενοι conceit or Opinion to another, as a Ship is by the Waves, or a Feather in the Wind.

Thirdly, A third advantage which the Devil takes against us in his defign of Errour, is the byafs of the Mind; were our Understandings purely free, in a juft and even ballance toward all things propounded to its deliberation and affent, (though it were imperfect in its Light) the danger were the lefs; but, now in regard of the bent and fway it is under; 'tis commonly partial, and inclined to one fide more than to another, and yet the Matter were the less, if only one or two noted things had the power of fetting up a falfe-Light before the Mind; but there are many things that are apt to do us this mischief, which have the fame Effect upon us, that bribes have upon perfons interested in Judgment, which not only tempts them to do wrong, but fo blindes their eyes, that they know not they do fo, or at least, not in fo great a measure. The Mind is byaffed.

Firft,Naturally to Errour, rather than Truths; the corruption of our Nature is general,and doth not only difpofe the will and affections to practical iniquities, but doth alfo incline the Understanding to Errour and mifapprehenfion. And that feems to be the ground of Chrifts affertion against the Jews; Jo. 5.43. I am come in my Fathers Name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, bim ye will receive. Which implies, That Men are Naturally more prone to believe an Impofter, than one that speaks the most certain and profitable Verities: and befides this general inclination to vanities and lyes, there are (if fome think right) fome Errours that are formally engraven in the nature of faln Man; D'Espagne poas that Opinion, To be faved by Works. For not only do all Men pular Errours. (that have any apprehenfions of a future Eternal State) refolve S. 2. Chap. 4. that question of obtaining Salvation into Works, as the proper

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