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ters of religion, as to think every thing impoffible and absurd, which they cannot conceive, How often do we contradict the right rules of reason, in the whole course of our lives? Reafon itself, is true and juft; but the reafon of every particular man, is weak and wavering, perpetually fwayed and turned by his interests, his paffions, and his vices. Let any man but confider, when he hath a controverfy with another, though his cause be ever so unjust, though the whole world be against him, how blinded he is, by the love of himself, to believe that right is wrong, and wrong is right, when it makes for his own advantage. Where is then the right ufe of his reafon, which he fo much boafts of, and which he would blafphemously fet up to control the commands of the Almighty?

Secondly, When men are tempted to deny the myfteries of religion, let them examine and search into their own hearts, whether they have not fome favourite fin, which is of their party in this difpute, and which is equally contrary to other commands of God in the gospel. For, why do men love darkness rather than light? The fcripture tells us, Because their deeds are evil; and there can be no other reafon affigned. Therefore, when men are curious and inquifitive, to difcover fome weak fides in Christianity, and inclined to favour every thing that is offered to its difadvantage, it is plain they wish it were not true: and those wifles can proceed from nothing but an

evil conscience; because, if there be truth in our religion, their condition must be miferable*.

And therefore, thirdly, Men fhould confider, that raising difficulties concerning the mysteries in religion, cannot make them more wife, learned, or virtuous; better neighbours, or friends, or more serviceable to their country; but, whatever they pretend, will deftroy their inward peace of mind, by perpetual doubts and fears arifing in their breafts. And God forbid we should ever see the times fo bad, when dangerous opinions in religion will be a means to get favour and preferment; although, even in fuch a cafe, it would be an ill traffic, to gain the world, and lofe our own fouls. So that, upon the whole, it will be impoffible to find any real ufe towards a virtuous or happy life, by denying the myfteries of the gospel.

Fourthly, Thofe ftrong unbelievers, who expect that all myfteries fhould be fquared and fitted to to their own reason, might have somewhat to say for themselves, if they could fatisfy the general reafon of mankind in their opinions. But herein they are miferably defective, abfurd, and ridiculous. They ftrain at a gnat, and swallow a camel: they can believe, that the world was made

by

It is an high encomium on reformed Chriftianity, and a ftrong argument of its fuperior excellence, that a corrupt life always inclines men to with it were not true. It does not appear, that Mahometans and Papifts with their religion to be falfe, in proportion as their lives are immoral; and it is faid of Dryden, that, not being able to fortify himself in infidelity, he died a Papift. Hawkef.

by chance; that God doth not concern himself with things below, will neither punish vice, nor reward virtue; that religion was invented by cunning men, to keep the world in awe; with many other opinions equally false and detestable; against the common light of nature, as well as reafon; againft the univerfal fentiments of all civilized nations, and offenfive to the ears even of a fober Heathen.

Laftly, Since the world abounds with peftilent books, particularly written against this doctrine of the Trinity, it is fit to inform you, that the authors of them proceed wholly upon a mistake. They would fhew how impoffible it is, that three can be one, and one can be three: whereas, the fcripture faith no fuch thing, at leaft in that manner they would make it; but only that there is fome kind of unity and diftinction in the divine nature, which mankind cannot poffibly comprehend. Thus, the whole doctrine is fhort and plain, and in itself incapable of any controverfy; fince God himself hath pronounced the fact, but wholly concealed the manner. And therefore, many divines, who thought fit to answer those wicked books, have been mistaken too, by anfwering fools in their folly, and endeavouring to explain a mystery, which God intended to keep fecret from us. And as I would exhort all men to avoid reading those wicked books written against this doctrine, as dangerous and pernicious; fo I think they may omit the apfwers, as unneces

fary.

fary. This, I confefs, will probably affect but few or none among the generality of our congregations, who do not much trouble themselves with books, at least of this kind. However, many, who do not read themselves, are feduced by others that do; and thus become unbelievers upon truft, and at fecond hand; and this is too frequent a cafe: for which reason, I have endeavoured to put this doctrine upon a short and fure foot, levelled to the meaneft understanding; by which we may, as the apostle directs, be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reafon of the hope that is in us, with

meeknefs and fear.

And thus I have done with my subject; which probably I fhould not have chofen, if I had not been invited to it by the occafion of this season, appointed on purpose to celebrate the mysteries of the Trinity, and the descent of the Holy Ghost, wherein we pray to be kept stedfast in this faith; and what this faith is, I have fhewn you in the plainest manner I could. For, upon the whole, it is no more than this: God commands us, by our dependence upon his truth and his holy word, to believe a fact that we do not understand. And this is no more, than what we do every day in the works of nature, upon the credit of men of learning. Without faith, we can do no works acceptable to God; for if they proceed from any other principle, they will not advance our falvation; and this faith, as I have explained it, we may acquire, without giving up our fenfes, or contradicting

contradicting our reafon. May God, of his infinite mercy, infpire us with true faith in every article and mystery of our holy religion, fo as to difpofe us to do what is pleafing in his fight: and this we pray through Jefus Chrift; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the myfterious incomprehenfible ONE GOD, be all honour and glory, now and for ever more. Amen.

This is one of the beft fermons in its kind. Dr. Swift feems not to have made fuch a plan his voluntary choice, nor to have built, fuo ex motu, upon fuch a basis; but he has completed the fuperftructure in a moft masterly manner. The materials anfwer the dignity of the edifice; and the artificer may af fume great honour, upon the completion of fo noble, fo fimple, and fo useful a pile. The myfterious parts of our religion are apt to have dreadful effects upon weak minds. The general comments upon the facred writings, and the feveral fermons upon the most abftrufe points of scripture, are too often compofed in the gloomy ftyle. Damnation, eternal damnation, is placed with all its horror before our eyes; and we are fo terrified at the profpect, that fear makes us imagine we can comprehend myfteries, which, on this fide of the grave, must be for ever denied to our limited understandings. Swift has taken the safest, and the propereft method of expounding thefe arcana. He advances every position that can be established upon fo incomprehenfible a fubject. He fuftains the belief, avows the doctrine, and adapts the matter of faith as well as poffible to the human capacity. His manner of reasoning is masterly, and his arguments are nervous, particularly, where he says, "It is highly probable, that if God fhould please to reveal unto us this great mystery of the Trinity, or fome other mysteries in our holy religion, we fhould not be able to understand them, un"lefs he would, at the fame time, think fit to bestow on us fome 66 new powers or faculties of the mind, which we want at pre"fent, and are referved till the day of refurrection to life eter"nal." p. 137. Orrery.

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