Use of all Terms of Art, and all Latin and Greek Words. In drawing of them up, I have consulted fuch Commentators as my own or my Neighbours Studies would furnish me with; and, which I believe will not be unacceptable to the Reader, I have often fet down the (1) Interpretations of some of our most eminent Divines, to whom I frequently refer. I have the rather done this, to bring those to whom they are not known acquainted with them. I have likewife made Ufe of an Effay for a new Translation of the Bible, which was translated from the French, and contains many useful and curious Observations, tho' it may have a few, which some will be ready to style, bold Conjectures.

In drawing up the Notes, I may possibly have had too much Regard to Difficulties which occurr'd to me, when I first began to read the Scriptures, which I did early; but this will be excused, when it is considered, how natural it is for any one to think, that what was a Difficulty to him, may be fo to others. Some Observations there are on Texts which relate to Practice, and have no Difficulty in them.

There are fome Notes on (2) Texts produced in the prefent unhappy Difpute, concerning the ever Bleffed and Adorab'e Trinity. My Design here is not Controverfie, but to fettle the Minds of fincere and honest Christians, which I fear have been made uneafie by these Disputes; the Rise of which is, I am perfwaded, in a great Measure owing to Mens going further in their Divisions, Distinctions, and Definitions concerning this Subject, than (3) Divine Revelation will

:

(1) My Lord Bacon, towards the End of his Second Book of the Advancement of Learning, expresses himself to this Effect: That if the Choice and Best of those Obfervations on Texts of Scripture, which had been made in Sermons for about Forty Years or more then past, leaving out the Exhortations and Applications, were set down according to the Order of Scripture, it would be the best Work in Divinity which had been written fince the Apostles Times. And one may venture to fay, that were fuch a Work to be undertaken now, it might be done with much greater Advantage. For my Lord Bacon's Book was Printed at Oxford 1633.

(2) See the Notes on Mar. 13.33. Joh. 1. 3, 14. Joh. 3. 13. Joh. 8. 58. Rom. 8.29. 1 Cor. 15. 51. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Phil. 2. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Rev.1.8. (3) The Difpute here can be only about the Senfe of Revelation; for had not God been pleased to discover this Doctrine in the holy Scriptures, we could not have had any Notion thereof from Principles of Reafon. And therefore to pretend to argue against this Mystery, from what we call rational Principles, is great Presumption ; for in so doing

we

will bear them out. I have expressed my Sense in the Words of fome of our most eminent Writers, to whom I refer. Those I have cited wrote before the prefent unhappy Controverfie began.

Did we consider how scanty our Knowledge is, even of Things which are the Object of our Senfes, we should be more modest and humble in our Determinations about what is so far out of our Reach. For how can a created and finite Understanding (1) comprehend or measure God, who is an infinite and unfearchable Being? Can any one pretend to know God so perfectly, as to be able to demonftrate, that it is impoffible for him to be Three in one Respect, and One in another? If God has thus revealed himself in the holy Scriptures, Reason will oblige us to afsfent to it, even tho' we cannot comprehend it, or form in our Minds any Idea of the Manner thereof. For in this Case our Affent is not founded on Conclusions drawn from rational Principles, but on the Truth and Authority of God, whom the Chriftian Church believes to have thus revealed himself, tho' he has not thought fit to reveal the Manner thereof to us; and consequently has not made it our Duty to form any determinate Idea concerning it.

I will beg Leave humbly to offer one Thing to be | confidered with Reference to this Subject, namely, whether fuch a (2) Profession of Faith in our Redeemer as was accepted of, and approved by, our Lord and his Apostles, ought

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we oppose our shallow Reason to Revelation, and fuffer it to pass its due Bounds. I will fet down a Passage from the ingenious Reflections on Learning, wherein is shewn the Infufficiency thereof in its several Particulars, in order to evince the Ufefulness and Necessity of Revelation, Edition 4. p. 284. 'Our Reason is a proper Guide in our Enquiries, and 'is to be followed where it keeps within its Sphere; but shining dimly, it must borrow Rays from the Fountain of Light, and must always act subordinately to Revelation. Whenever it crosses that, it is out of its Sphere, and indeed contradicts its own Light; for nothing is more reasonable than to believe a Revelation, as being grounded on God's Veracity, without which even Reason it self will be often doubting. That whatever God (who is Truth it self) reveals is true; is as fure and evident a Proposition, as any wecan think of: It is certain in its Ground, and evident in its Connection, and needs no long Consequencesto make it out; whereas most of our rational Deductions are often both weakly bottom'd, and depending upon a long Train of Consequences, which are to be spun from one another, their Strength is often lost, and the 'Thread broken, before we come at the Conclufion. See the laft Note on the Preface.

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(1) See Dr. Lucas's Sermon, of the Incomprehenfibleness of God, on Job 11. 7. in which he discourses of the Nature of Mysteries.

(2) See the References on Matt. 16. 16,

ought not to be sufficient to clear any one from the Imputation of being an Heretick? It is here supposed that the Words are taken in the Sense which is obvious to every unprejudiced Mind. But if Men (1) mistake the Sense of Scripture, I fee not what we can do better than pity and pray for them, and calmly in the Spirit of Meekness and Love debate the Matters in Dispute, illustrating a doubtful Text by others which are more clear. For to give those who differ from us opprobrious Names, or to fix odious Consequences on their Opinions, which are by them disowned and disavowed, or to call Mens Sincerity into Question, because they do not think just as we do; whatever any may pretend, these are not the Effects of a (2) true Zeal for God and Religion, I would only defire thofe

(1) It is difficult for us to know, when Men wilfully mistake the Sente of Scripture, and wrest it to their own Destruction; for we are ignorant of the Reasonings and Thoughts of each other, and therefore cannot judge of them any farther than they by Words and Actions difcover them to us. It is surprizing to observe what plausible Colours Men of Parts and Learning will put upon any Subject, if they will give themselves Leave to say any Thing to advance their Caufe. The following Instances, being the Efssays of two of the Church of Rome, are not exceeded by any. Christopher Davenport a Franciscan, known in England by the Name of Francifcus a Santa Clara, wrote a Paraphraftical Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles; and tho' feveral of them were directly levelled against the Doctrines of the Church of Rome, yet by a dextrous Management he makes them capable of a good Roman CathoJick Senfe. The other Instance, is the Attempt of one Ranaudus, who by

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finifter, but poffible Interpretation, has made every Article of the Creed appear like Heresie and Blafphemy. So that the plainest Words and Writings in the World may be perverted to another, sometimes to a quite contrary Senfe. See the Preface to Mr. Bradly's impartial View of the Truth of Chriftianity.

(2) Let us take heed that we do not sometimes call that Zeal for God and his Gofpel, which is nothing else but our own tempestuous and ftormy Paffion. True Zeal is a tweet, heavenly, and gentle Flame, which maketh us active for God, but always within the Sphear of Love, It never calls for Fire from Heaven, to confume those that differ a little from us in our Apprehenfions. It is like that kind of Lightning, which the Philofophers ipeak of, that melts the Sword within, but fingeth not the Scabbard: It strives to save the Soul, but hurteth not the Body. True Zeal is a loving Thing, and makes us always active to Edification, and not to Destruction. True Zeal is a foft and gentle Flame, that will not scorch one's Hand; it is no predatory or voracious Thing: But carnal and fliefhly Zeal is like the Spirit of Gunpowder set on Fire, that tears and blows up all that stands before it We may learn what kind of Zeal it is that we should make Use of in promoting the Gofpel, by an Emblem of God's own, given us in the Scripture; those

Fiery

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those who are apt to suffer themselves to be thus transported, but to suppose it possible for them to be mistaken; and then to confider, whether fuch Treatment would be likely to convince them of their Mistakes and Errors? I shall, I hope, be excused, if I digress a little, and observe the Weakneß and Partiality of Men, and the strange Influence which too many fuffer Power to have upon their Minds; for none are more ready : to deny that Liberty to others, who are subject to them, or who have a Dependance upon them, than many of those who express great Zeal for the Liberties of Mankind, by whom, as their Actions too plainly demonftrate, they mean only themselves, For were they truly concern'd for the Liberties of Mankind, they would readily allow that to others, which they claim themselves. By Liberty, I do not mean Licentiousness, but a Liberty of judging and determining for our selves, believing that we are accountable to God, if through wilful Prejudice or Carelesness we run into dangerous Errors. We may distress those who are under us in their Circumftances, or by outward Force, as Fines, Imprisonments, and bodily Punishments; we may make Men Hypocrites, but they are no way fuited to convince a reasonable Mind. Such Proceedings never yet wrought Conviction in any Man, nor did they ever serve the Interest of Religion and Truth.

I am not moved to this by any Doubts I have my felf, but to express my Dislike of a Practice too too common among the too many Denominations of Christians, the impofing their own Glosses and Interpretations of Scripture, as the undoubted, certain, and infallible Mind and Will of Chrift, Even the Proteftant Churches, tho' they have justly caft off the Romish Yoke, yet have they not fufficiently purged out this Remainder of Popery. It is undoubtedly more agree. able to the Temper of the Gofpel, to bear with those we cannot convince, than it is to perfecute them. Our Duty is to speak the Truth to them in Love. As on the one Hand, we ought earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints; so, on the other, we ought to have and maintain

Fiery Tongues, that upon the Day of Pentecoft fate upon the Apostles, which fure were harmless Flames, for we cannot read that they did any Hurt, or that they did so much as finge an Hair of their Heads. Dr, Cudmorth's Sermon on 1 Joh. 2.3, 4. which contains more useful, folid, and necessary Truth, than some large Volumes.

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a compaffionate Love for those who deviate from it. I ar perswaded, that this Way of proceeding would conduc more than any other, to the bringing in the (1) universa Practice of Holiness, Peace, and Love, which many wife and good Men think they are incouraged to hope for in the Scriptures of both Teftaments. No Establish'd Church in the World, that I know of, is so free from Blame in this Respect, as our Church; nor does any require less as Terms of Communion than she does. For we ought to distinguish between what is required as a Term of Communion, and what is required of those who officiate as Ministers in a Church.

Our Bleffed Saviour could eafily have engaged all the Powers of this World on his Side, but he did not think fit to do it; No, he used no outward Violence to gain Men over to his Religion. And those who were converted by the Apostles, were prevailed with to believe and obey the Gofpel without any worldly Force used towards them. For the Apostles received no Instructions to compel Men by any other Methods than Arguments drawn either from Scripture, or from the Reason and Nature of Things; the Works they did, the good Example they set before them, their patient Suffering for the Truth Sake, and the Rewards and Punishments of another Life. When therefore there was no Hope of their Converfion left, they were bid to shake off the Dust of their Feet, to depart from them, and leave them to the just and righteous Judgment of God. Afterwards, in the Primitive Church, for

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(1) Care must be taken so to understand the Nature, Perfection, and Completion of the Evangelical Difpenfation, that tho' the Revelation be compleat, so that the Doctrines therein given us are Eternal Truths, and the Duties prescrib'd us are Everlastingly obligatory, and the Ordinances enjoined us are of perpetual Ufe and Neceffity; yet the Prevalency of this Difpenfation will be vastly greater than now it is, there being scarcely any Thing of Futurity clearer in Scripture, than the coming in of the Fulness of the Gentiles, the general Conversion of the Jews, the total Destruction of Antichrist, and of the Dominion of Satan, and the Triumphant State of the Church thereupon, when the Kingdom of Truth, Righteousness, and Peace, shall univerfally prevail; when Idolatry shall be totally abolished, and the Terms of Reconciliation, or the Covenant of Grace, will be made known to, and complied with by all Men, all, both Jews and Gentiles, coming into the Church, and submitting unto the Messiah. Dr. Bray's Bibliotheca Parochialis, Second Edirion, p. 66. See Mr. Alen's State of the Church in future Ages; Dr. Henry More's three laft Dialogues, Dr. Clagett's Sermon on If. 11.9.