The possibility, expediency, and necessity of divine revelation a sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields, Jan. 7. 1694/5 : at the beginning of the lecture for the ensuing year, founded by the honourable Robert Boyle, Esquire / by John Williams ... Williams, John, 1636?-1709. 1695 Approx. 40 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A66409 Wing W2718 ESTC R2129 12498271 ocm 12498271 62586 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A66409) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 62586) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 951:85) The possibility, expediency, and necessity of divine revelation a sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields, Jan. 7. 1694/5 : at the beginning of the lecture for the ensuing year, founded by the honourable Robert Boyle, Esquire / by John Williams ... Williams, John, 1636?-1709. Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691. [4], 29, [1] p. Printed for Ric. Chiswell ... and Tho. Cockerill ..., London : 1695. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Half title: Dr. Williams's first sermon at Mr. Boyle's lecture, 1695. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Revelation -- Sermons. Salvation -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2007-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion D r. WILLIAMS's FIRST SERMON AT M r. BOYLE'S Lecture . 1695. IMPRIMATUR , Jan. 26. 1694 / 5 ; . Guil. Lancaster . THE remaining Sermons for this Year will be Preach'd at St. Martins , the First Mondays of February , March , April , May , September , October , and November . The Possibility , Expediency , and Necessity of Divine Revelation . A SERMON Preached at St. Martins in the Fields , Jan. 7. 1694 / 5. AT THE Beginning of the LECTURE For the Ensuing YEAR . Founded by the Honourable ROBERT BOYLE , Esquire . By JOHN WILLIAMS , D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty . LONDON : Printed for Ric. Chiswell , at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard : And Tho. Cockerill , at the Three Legs in the Poultrey . M DC XC V. TO THE Most Reverend Father in God , THOMAS Lord Archbishop of Canterbury . Sir HENRY ASHHURST , Knight and Baronet . Sir JOHN ROTHERAM , Serjeant at Law. JOHN EVELYN , Senior , Esquire . TRUSTEES by the Appointment of the Honourable Robert Boyle , Esquire . MOST HONOURED , HAving by your Generous Election entred this Year upon the Lecture founded by the Honourable Robert Boyle , the Great Encourager of Piety and Learning , it becomes me in Obedience to your Order , and according to the Intent of the Deceased , to Present You with the First-fruits of my Labour . The Subject I treat of is of Vniversal Concernment to the Christian World , and is to be handled with Reverence and Care : The former I shall all along keep in my eye , and the latter I shall not neglect , as far as in me lies : But whatever Defects your Better Judgments shall espy throughout these Composures , I hope the same Goodness that disposed you to place me in this Sphere , will incline you to overlook ; and to accept of the Sincere Endeavours of , MOST HONOURED , Your most Faithful and Humble Servant , JOHN WILLIAMS . HEB. I. 1 , 2. God who at sundry times , and in divers manners , spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets , hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. THERE are Two ways by which Mankind may attain to the Knowledge of Divine Things ; namely , Natural or Supernatural . Natural is what we have springing up with our Faculties , or what we attain by Natural means , by Sight , Observation , and Experience , by Tradition ( which is the History of others Knowledge and Experience ) ; and lastly , by Reason and Argument , deducing Effects from their proper Causes , or finding out the Cause by its Effects : As for instance ; Thus we come to the Knowledge of God by observing the Frame of the World , by the Series , Order , and Course of Things , which could never be without some Cause to produce them , and that Cause no less than One Infinitely Powerful and Wise . Thus we Argue , That there is a Soul in Man distinct from the Body , and surviving a Separation from it ; forasmuch as there are such Operations as are not Competent to Matter ; and that there is such a desire of Immortality placed in Mankind , as would make the Flower and Choicest part of the Visible Creation , the most Miserable , if there was no Capacity in the Soul for such a State , or no such State for a Soul capable of it . Such Inferences as these , are as Natural to a Reasonable Mind , as those Observations are which we make from the reports of Sense ; and are therefore deservedly accounted Branches of Natural Religion . Now this kind of Knowledge is more or less evident , is stronger or weaker , according to the capacities and dispositions of Mankind , and according to the opportunities and means they have of Information . And therefore a Philosopher that sets himself to enquire into the Mysteries of Nature , and to observe the Curiosity , Order and Beauty of its Fabrick , may , in Reason be supposed to be more confirmed in the Belief of a God , and more disposed to Serve and Adore him , than he that is ignorant ; as he that understands Painting or Carving , can more observe and applaud the Ingenuity and Skill of the Artist , than he that is unacquainted with it . But after all , so much is the Subject above our reach , and so dark and intricate are all our Reasonings upon it , that the Sagest Philosopher , in the conclusion , is left as unsatisfied as the meanest Peasant ; and perhaps more unsatisfied with his Knowledge , and the deep and unfathomable Abyss he sees before him , than the other is with his Ignorance ; so far making good what Solomon observes , He that increaseth knowledge , increaseth sorrow , Eccles . 1. 18. So that there needs some brighter Light than that of Nature , to conduct us to Happiness , and bring us to a compleat and entire Satisfaction ; and that is a Supernatural Knowledge , a Knowledge that is not to be obtained by the ways aforesaid , by Enquiry and Observation , but by inspiration and Revelation from Almighty God. And this is the Subject of the Text. God who at sundry times , and in divers manners , spake in time past by the Prophets , hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. In which Words we have , 1. A Description given of Revelation , it 's God's speaking to the Fathers , &c. that is , it is God's delivering his Mind to Mankind by Persons chosen for that purpose , and peculiarly fitted for it by Inspiration . Such were the Prophets in time past , and the Son in the last days . 2. The certainty of it ; it is by way of Declaration , God who at sundry times , and in divers manners , spake , &c. The Apostle takes this for granted , as having been sufficiently proved , and so needs no farther confirmation . So it was in times past , when God spake by the Prophets ; and so it was in the last days in the Revelation of the Gospel , which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord , and was , saith our Apostle , confirmed unto us by them that heard him : God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders , and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost , Chap. 2. 3 , 4. And therefore as Moses did not think himself obliged at the entrance into his Divine Work , to prove there is a God , and that God made the World , when there is such an inbred knowledge of a Deity implanted in human Nature , and such clear and undoubted evidences of it throughout the Universe ; but supposes and asserts it , In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth : &c. So after such manifest proofs of the Divine Authority of both the Prophetical and Evangelical Revelation , the Apostle would not so much as suppose any doubt in the minds of those he wrote to ; but begins his Epistle , with a certain Majesty becoming an Inspired Author , God who at sundry times , &c. 3. The Order observed in delivering that Revelation , it was at sundry times , and in divers manners . At sundry times , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or in several parts ; which may refer either to the several Ages and Periods , viz. The Patriarchal , Mosaical , and Prophetical ; or to the several Manifestations of Divine Revelation through those Ages and Periods ; from the first Embryo of it in Adam , to the close of it in John the Baptist ; in whom the time past ended , and the last days began . In divers manners , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to the manifold ways the Divine Spirit thought fit to communicate it self ; whether by Illapses on the Persons Inspired , or by Raptures , Visions , Voices , &c. 4. The Perfection and Completion of Divine Revelation ; God hath in these last days spoken by his Son. So that what was gradually , and at sundry times , delivered in time past to the Prophets , was at once intirely and perfectly Revealed by the Son of God , whom he hath appointed heir of all things . Under the First of these I shall shew , 1. What we mean by Revelation . 2. The possibility of God's Revealing himself so to the Creature , that the Creature shall certainly and evidently know that it is God that speaketh . 3. The Expediency , Usefulness , and Necessity of a Revelation , with respect to the Circumstances Mankind are in . Under the Second I shall shew , 1. That as it 's possible for God to Reveal himself , and Expedient and Necessary for man that there should be a Revelation ; so God has actually thus Revealed himself at sundry times , and in divers manners by the Prophets , through the several Periods before spoken of , and in the last days by his Son. 2. I shall consider the difference between a real and pretended Revelation , and how we may distinguish the true from the false . 3. I shall shew , that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain the matter of Divine Revelation , and have upon them the Characters belonging to it . Under the Third , 1. I shall consider the several ways by which God did Reveal himself in times past by the Prophets , as by Illapses , Inspirations , Visions , &c. 2. I shall endeavour to shew the difference between Divine Inspirations , and Diabolical Illusions , Natural Impressions , and Delusory Imaginations . 3. I shall consider the several Periods before the Law , under the Law , and under the Gospel ; and the gradual progress of Revelation from first to last , from the lower to the higher degree , and the perpetual respect one had to the other . 4. I shall consider why God did thus gradually , and at sundry times , proceed in Revealing his Will to Mankind ; and why he did not at the first Communicate his Will to them as fully , and perfectly , as he did in the last days by his Son. Under the Fourth , I shall shew the Perfection of the Gospel-Revelation , and that there is not to be any other Revelation till the End cometh when our Lord shall be revealed from heaven , and shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father . I have chosen thus at once to lay in Order the Scheme of what I intend ( God granting Life and Assistance ) to pursue ; that so the dependance of one upon another , and the assistance each Point gives to the other throughout the whole , might be the better observed . I. I am to begin with Revelation . 1. Where I am to consider , What we mean by Revelation ; which is nothing else in the first Notion , but the making known that which before was a secret ; so things revealed and secret , are opposed , Deut. 29. 29. And when it 's applied to a Religious use , it 's God's making known Himself , or his Will , to Mankind , over and above what he has made known by the Light of Nature and Reason . Here we may observe , that there are Three Classes , into which whatever is the Object of our Knowledge may be reduced . 1. There are things of pure and simple Nature , and knowable by the Light of it , without Revelation ; of this kind is the Knowledge of God by the Effects of a Divine Power and Wisdom in the world ( as has been shewed ) of which the Apostle treats , Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of him , from the creation of the world are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal Power and Godhead . 2. There are things of pure and simple Revelation , that are not knowable by the Light of Nature , but only by Revelation ; and if not Revealed , are never in this state ( at least ) to be known or found out by Mankind ; of this sort is the Salvation of the World by Jesus Christ , which was not discoverable by Men or Angels ; so the Apostle describes the Mystery of it , Ephes . 3. 9 , 10. Which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God , — to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places , might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God. So 1 Pet. 1. 12. 3. There are things partly of Nature , and partly of Revelation , discoverable by the Light of Nature , but imperfectly , which we see , as it were , through a glass darkly ; and so they need Revelation to give them farther Proof and Evidence ; of this the Apostle gives an instance , 2 Tim. 1. 10. when he saith our Saviour brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , making it as evident as the Light ; whereas before it was rather wished for , than certain , as was the case of the Heathens ; or much involv'd in Types , as among the Jews , Heb. 4. 3 , &c. So that Revelation , of which sort soever it is , is Supernatural , and is only from God. 2. I shall shew the Possibility of a Revelation , and that Almighty God , if he so pleases , can so Reveal himself to the Creature , that the Creature shall certainly and evidently know that the Revelation comes from God. This one would reasonably think should need no proof ; and I shall therefore briefly touch upon it , tha● I may proceed to the Third , which I principally intend to make the Subject of this present Discourse . I say it 's possible for God to Reveal himself to his Creatures . ( 1. ) Why should this be questioned , when we every day see men mutually discover their Minds each to other ; and by the use and direction of certain Organical Powers , signify their Intentions , Desires , and Commands ? And why may not the Creator Reveal his Will to the Creature , when one Creature thus can do it to another ? ( 2. ) Why should this be questioned , when we may be certain Evidences know that a person is sent from God ? And then certainly the person that produces such Evidences as are to the satisfaction of others , may himself be satisfied of the truth of his own Commission , and the certainty of a Divine Revelation . The former , that others may be satisfied concerning a Mission from God , is evident from such things declared , which none but God could Reveal , as Prophecies ; and such things done , which none but God , in man , could do , as Miracles . Where these are , they are as evident Proofs of a Revelation and Mission from God , as the works of Creation are a Proof a Divine Agent . The works of Creation prove a God , because they are worthy of such an Infinite Cause , and what none but such a Cause could produce : And when such things are discovered , which none but an Omniscient Being could discover , and such things done , which none but an Almighty Power could do ; we are , by a Parity of Reason , as sure that there is such a Revelation by which such things are made known , and in confirmation of which such mighty Works are done . ( 3. ) If this be questioned , it must be from a deficiency in God to impart such a Revelation to man ; or that there is an incapacity in man to receive it . But how can God's Power herein be questioned that he can Operate thus on the Soul , when he both Created it , and is thoroughly acquainted with all the secret springs of Motion , all the tendencies and inclinations , all the thoughts and desires of it , and consequently must be supposed to have a Power of directing it as he pleases ? And how can there be any incapacity in man , when as to the matter he can both receive it , and deliver it as he received ; and as to the manner , it 's in a way suitable to his Faculties , and is therefore call'd here , God's speaking to the Prophets , which is so as the other may understand . This is a matter so evident , that it has been generally believed throughout the world among the Heathens ; and therefore nothing more common than to have Oracles , Places where they were wont to consult their Deities , as well as the Jews had theirs : A Subject I am not at present concerned in , but it 's sufficient to shew what has been the sense of all Ages in this case : And which even those that would call this in question , in part consent to , while they grant somewhat equivalent to it , if not a branch of it , I mean Prophecy ; which when it falls not within the Power of any Natural Causes , is the product of what is Supernatural , and what the Prophet must then receive from a higher hand , God. Grant this , and the whole will follow ; for if it be possible in one case , it 's possible in all , to one and the same Infinite Power . 3. I am to Consider the Expedience , Usefulness , and Necessity of a Revelation ; for that is here supposed , when it 's said , God spake in time past , and in these last days ; that is , from the beginning of the world to that time . Now Revelation is a means extraordinary ( as has been shewed ) and consequently such as the means are , such must the case be , extraordinary ; for God , not doing any thing in vain , cannot be supposed to use extraordinary means , where the case is ordinary , and may as well be served by ordinary means . Thus it is in Miracles , which are acts above the common standard of Nature , and are then only exerted , when nothing less will engage the Attention of Faith of Mankind . And so it is in Revelation , which is to the Light of Reason , what Miracles are to the common Law of Nature , Supernatural and Extraordinary ; and consequently where Almighty God takes that course for the Information of Mankind , it shews that there is some deficiency or corruption that calls for it , and makes it expedient and necessary . As it was with Adam at his first Creation , who being an utter stranger to himself , and the world he was at once brought into , without some further kind of Information , instead of a pleasure he might have taken in viewing the glorious Fabrick of the Heavens , and the variety of Creatures in the Earth , must have been full of Amazement and Confusion . For in so wide a Scene as was before him , Where must he begin , or where could he hope to end ? How divided must he be in his own Mind ? What a cold and dry Speculation would it have been , if he had hit upon it , to have concluded , with that Modern Philosopher , Cogito , ergo sum ; I think , therefore I am ? He indeed felt himself to be , but how he came to be , he knew not ; for he saw nothing about him that could either be supposed to have given him that Being , or could tell him how he came by it . He saw he had a Body , and a Body that obsequiously moved as he pleased to direct and determine ; but what that Body was originally made of , he could not possibly tell : For how could he suppose such warm , soft , and tender Flesh , those firm and well compacted Joynts , those radiant and sparkling Eyes ( which he had as other living Creatures ) that moveable and limber , and well-complexioned matter of which his Body consisted , should be formed out of cold , moveless , crumbling , and shapeless Earth ? He felt his Body move , and pliable in all its motions to his Will , and quick as Thought to answer his Mind , but what that inward Principle was that moved it , he was wholly ignorant ; nor could he possibly , of himself at that instant , conceive that there was an inward Immaterial Spirit that was vitally United to a Gross and Material Body , that was the Principle of all , and was as distinct from the Body in it's Nature and Subsistence , as if it were not United at all to it . He might observe the Creatures about him of different sorts , that there were certain Notes that each Kind had , and all were known and understood among themselves ; but that notwithstanding they were all dumb to him , and he to them ; and what it was that made the difference , he could not understand . When he pleased himself in the Contemplation of the Heavens above , and that glorious Luminary that gave ( as he perceived ) Light to all about him ; he could not tell whether it was an intelligent Being , and that as it gave Light to all , so it was Superior to them : And when that set , he knew not but he was to be inclosed in perpetual Darkness . When a heavy Stupidness began to seize himself , and he was forced to submit to the power of it , he knew not but it was to end that Life , which was that day began , and that he was to close his Eyes , and conclude his Life together . So that though he had what we call Reason , and suppose it as his Body , in its prime ; yet even that Reason must have been his Torment for a while ; when it made him inquisitive , but could not give him satisfaction . To prevent which disorder and confusion he would otherwise be in , at the first opening of his Eyes and his Mind together , as it was necessary that he that was to begin the world , should be Created in a full Age and Strength ; and that he that was alone , should have a present power and faculty of Elocution and forming of Words for the Conversation he was to have with the Help designed for him ; so it was requisite that he should have some immediate Inspiration , to inform him of what was necessary for him to know as to God , himself , and the World ; and which he could not have known without such Inspiration , or the slow and tedious compass of Observation ; and so must have waited for satisfaction till time and experience had formed his Judgment , and made him a wise Philosopher . But this Adam was at the first , and so forthwith knew whom it was that he was to own as the Author of his Being , and of what his Body was made , and by what means an Intelligent Spirit came to be inclosed in a Material Body ; and could as soon resolve all those perplexing doubts , which otherwise he would have been assaulted with , as he understood at first sight that Eve was bone of his bone ; and knew how to give Names to the Creatures suitable to their Natures , Gen. 2. 19 , 23. But now the reasons for such an Inspiration to Adam were personal , belonging to him alone ; but after what manner the Divine Wisdom would have imparted the Knowledge of it self to Adam's Posterity , if he and they had stood and continued in a state of Primogenial Innocency ; or whether there would , in those Circumstances , have been any need of a Supernatural Inspiration after the Revelation made to Adam , from whom they might have Infallibly received it ; no more concerns us , than it doth to know how Mankind would then have been disposed of when they were not to Dye , but to have subsisted in the same State , Body and Soul inseparably United : Those are among the secret things which belong unto God ; but things revealed belong unto us . We must therefore alter the Scene , and consider Mankind in a State of Imperfection and Depravation ; and there we shall find Revelation absolutely necessary as a remedy against a fourfold Mischief , which , without it , would unavoidably ensue ; As with respect to the Confusion Adam was in by reason of Guilt ; The Danger he was in from his Enemy , The Subtile and Malicious Serpent ; The Ruin that threatned him from the impotency and disorder he found in his Faculties ; which like a Dislocation in the Limbs , though fit in themselves for Action , yet being removed out of their Sockets are not capable of discharging their Functions . This being the State of Fallen Man , there was need of a Supervenient Revelation to recover him , as well as it was the determination of the Divine Goodness to design it . There was need of this to comfort him under the sense of his Apostacy and the Guilt he had contracted , to prevent his Despair : To fortify him against the power of his insolent and triumphant Adversary , and to aid him under his contracted disability , for preventing his Discouragement : And to caution him against the sad effects of his Depravation , or the falling into a repetition of a new disobedience , for preventing his Presumption . For these Reasons Almighty God so soon interposed in the Garden by a new Revelation of Himself , and Instructed him in his gracious design to restore him to Favour , and in the method he would observe for that purpose , inwhat he saith to the Serpent , Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman , and between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head , and thou shalt bruise his heel . Thus the Gospel was Preached to Adam , who was the first Prophet to whom the Mystery of Salvation was revealed ; to which those places in the New Testament seem to refer , Luke 1. 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from the beginning , so Acts 3. 21. This was the case of Adam , and the exigence he would have been in , without this immediate and comfortable Revelation . And the Condition of his Posterity would have been worse than his , without a Revelation ; had this Revelation died with this their Progenitor , and not have been transmitted to them . For besides the state of Guilt , which must equally have invaded them as it did him , and what Conscience in them could no more quietly digest , than in him ; there were several disadvantages they laboured under , which he did not . As if we consider Adam in a bare State of Nature ( without any Supernatural provision ) he had this advantage above his Posterity , that being Created in a full Age , he was free from all prepossessions of Sense or Education ; and in the first moment of his Being , had his Reason clear in the fountain of it , like the Sun in its Meridian Glory ; and all his Faculties bright , and as ripe at once for Observation and Reflection , as his Body was for Action . But his Posterity growing up from their Infancy among sensible Objects , from thence would ( in a meer course of Nature ) have received all their Information ; and by slow degrees from things Visible , must have argued themselves into the Belief of things Invisible ; and from the Effects of a Supreme Cause , to the Supreme Cause it self ; which in the Apostle's Words , Acts 17. 27. would be to seek the Lord , if haply they might feel after him , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as men blundering in the dark ] and find him . In such danger would the fundamental Principles of Natural Religion have been , if there had been no Revelation to prevent it : And this was the reason of such a provision by Inspired Persons , to preserve those Principles alive and safe ; of the number of whom Abel is accounted , and therefore called a Prophet , Luke 11. 50. and Enoch , Jude 14. and Noah 2 Pet. 2. 5. But now as the Rays of the Sun , the farther they are projected , grow weaker and weaker ; so it was in the derivation of these Principles , which lost very much of their primitive lustre ; and notwithstanding the certainty of the evidence , the credibility and authority of those Holy Patriarchs ; Vice , like a deluge , broke in upon the world , so that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts ( generally speaking ) was only evil continually , Gen. 6. 5. And if now when there was a Revelation , and a Revelation seconded by the Authority of such Eminent Persons , the World so soon grew Corrupted , What would it not have been , if there had been no such Revelation , or no such Curators of it ? And this the World was soon sensible of after the Flood ; for notwithstanding so late and astonishing an instance of the Divine Vengeance , yet in their several Dispersions , for want of a Revelation , they lost the sense of the true and great Principles of Religion ; some , as the Chaldeans , turning it into a vain Inquiry into the Influences of the Heavenly Bodies ; others placing their Religion in ridiculous and opprobrious Superstitions , as the Egyptians ; others pleasing themselves in nice Disputations , and the Vanity of new-discovered Deities and Religions , as the Greeks : And all acting in Divine matters , as if they were in inextricable Labyrinths , being distracted , and eternally divided about the Origine of the World , whether it were Eternal , or Accidental , or the Product of a Divine Power ; about the Origine of Evil ; about the Government of the World , whether it be by different Deities , Good or Evil ; or whether by none , but be wholly Acted by the levity of Chance , or the immutable Law of Destiny and Fate . So that in process of time the World was brought into the condition of Elymas , Acts 13. 8 , 11. that once had the advantage and pleasure of Sight , but upon the opposition made to St. Paul , immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness , that he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand . Too close a Representation of the condition of Mankind in that Degenerate State , who because that when they knew God , they glorified him not as God — but became vain in their imaginations ; their foolish heart was darkned , Rom. 1. 21. Of which darkness and confusion in matters of the greatest importance , the World , the Commonalty as well as the Philosophical part of Mankind , was sensible , and of the necessity of a Revelation , or somewhat beyond Nature , Reason and Argumentation , to remove these difficulties , to inform them of what they could not otherwise know , and to clear up to them what they did know but imperfectly . Of which I shall offer some undeniable Instances . 1. They universally complained of the loss they were at , and of the insufficiency of all their Maxims and Principles , of all their Enquiries and Speculations , to give them any tolerable satisfaction ; so that they were in nothing more divided , than about what Happiness is , as St. Austin from Varro has shew'd : And therefore there was somewhat further necessary to satisfy them , or else they must for ever remain unsatisfied . 2. There was nothing more desired than a Revelation , and therefore they were prone to hearken to all pretences to it ; and when they conceived , or were made to believe it was a Revelation , they were in nothing more obsequious and pliable . So that to gain Authority to his Laws , and to keep the People Quiet and Orderly , Numa Pompilius did then ( as Mahomet of latter years ) pretend he had all by Revelation from the Nymph Egeria . And of such Authority was this pretence , that as Tully saith , There was nothing so absurd which was not maintained by some of the Philosophers ; so I may say , There was nothing so foolish , or wicked , which was not an ingredient in the Worship they gave to their Deities . Insomuch , as the nature of things should be perverted , Reason and Humanity should be abandoned , and God himself be made worse than those that Worshipped him , in compliance with their pretended Revelations . What Beastiality and Lewdness ! what Savage and Barbarous Practices and Rites were allowed and required ! The Blood of Captives , and of their own Children , must be a Libation ; nay , even Suicide was not only Honourable , but a Religious Martyrdome , if the Oracle commanded it ; and they chose rather to be unnatural to the highest degree , than not to be Obedient to Divine Revelation . Now of what authority must that be , which should over-rule the Laws of Nature , and so infatuate Mankind , that they should not be able to espy the Imposture ? And what could thus impose upon them , if they were not sensible of the imperfect state they were in , and the need they stood in of some higher Principle and , greater Light to direct them , than that of Nature ? 3. There was no Nation without a Revelation , that is , without some pretence to it , and which they generally vouched for their Rites and Religious Observances ; from whence it was that there was scarcely a People of any note in the more Civilized parts of the World that had not their Sibyls , such as were accounted to be the mouth of their God ; to be sure none in any part of the known world without an Oracle , that they repaired to , and whose Injunctions they readily Obeyed . The use I make of all this is to show , what a sense Mankind had of a Revelation , and what all the World has thought Expedient , if not Necessary , which was the thing to be proved . From what has been said , we may observe , I. What a Happiness it is to have a Revelation , by which Mankind are brought out of darkness into a marvellous light ; and from an endless and fruitless Enquiry , Who will shew us my good ? are placed in a quiet and full possession of it . If there be no Revelation , we are , as it were , with ut God in the world ; and know not whether that Divine Power be our Friend or our Enemy ; or whether it shall be exerted to our Good or our Ruine . If there be no Revelation , we are still in our sins , and have no Sanctuary against the accusation of our own embittered Consciences , the fears of our own guilty Minds , or the Justice of an incensed Deity . If there be no Revelation , we have no hope , and can have no comfort in our Death , and no assurance of Immortality after it . If there be no Revelation , we are in a perpetual maze , as if we were at Sea without Star or Compass , and knew not what course to take to gain our Harbour . So thoughtful and pensive , so confounded and lost is Mankind without this , that if I were to chuse whether I would have no Revelation , or a false one , for the quiet of my own mind ( did I believe the false one to be true ) I would rather chuse the content of the latter , than the distraction of the former , and leave it to my own reason to rectify the manifest mistakes in it , rather than have my hovering Reason to be my constant affliction under the want of Revelation . But Blessed be God that there is no cause for such a supposition , and that we have all the reason in the world to believe there is a Revelation ; a Revelation that is such as all Mankind would desire , that touches upon all points necessary to our comfort and entire satisfaction , as to the Nature and Will of God , the Present and Future State of Mankind , the Providence that Governs this World , and the Rewards of another . A Revelation , where all the parts of it agree together , and bear a conformity to the Nature of things , to the Holiness , Justice , and Mercy of God , and to the Reason of Mankind ; where there is a System of the best Principles , and a Scheme of the best Rules and Directions ; and which , like the Book of Nature , the more it 's viewed and consulted , the more do the lively Characters of a Divine Hand and Wisdom appear in the Composure . A Character this is that the Book of Scripture exactly answers . For what holy Precepts ! what heavenly Promises ! what useful Examples ! what excellent Encouragements do the Sacred Pages abound in ! Such as are sufficient to direct us in every point of our Duty , to inform us in every necessary Truth , to establish our Hearts in every condition of Life , to enable us to encounter all the difficulties of it with Resolution , and to bear all the evil of it with Patience . Here behold God Reconciled to Mankind , the trembling Sinner Pardoned , the Weak sustained , the Doubtful satisfied , and nothing wanting on God's part to make us Happy , if we are not wanting in a fit disposition of Mind to receive it . So that if there be any Revelation , it is the Christian ; if that be not a Revelation from God , there is no Revelation in the World ; And if that be a Revelation , that only is so , and there can be no other . II. Such as the Revelation is , such is the Obligation ; the Authority it receives from God , the Obligation lies upon us to Obey as well as Believe it . The times of ignorance God winked at , and overlook'd ; but now he commandeth all men every where to repent , Acts 17. 30 ▪ He hath commanded them by a Revelation , which is of universal concernment , and extends its Authority over the World. So that a Bad man is no better or safer for a Revelation , how perfect soever it be , and how great soever the advantages of it are , than he that is without Revelation ; nay , so much the worse , as the latter is a state of Unbelief , the former of Disobedience ; this errs without his will , but the other with it . And therefore if the Heathens , who had only the Book of Nature to read , and a blundering Reason for their Guide , were yet so far inexcusable , because that when they knew God , they glorified him not as God , Rom. 2. 21. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation ? which at the first was spoken by the Lord , and was confirmed by those that heard him ; God also bearing them witness , &c. Heb. 2. 3 , 4. What remains then , but since the Grace of God , in the Revelation of the Gospel , hath appeared unto all men , that we be thereby taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts , and to live soberly , righteously , and godlily in this present world . And then we may comfortably look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God , and our Saviour Jesus Christ , who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all iniquity , and purifie unto himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works , Tit. 2. 11. FINIS . Books Printed for Richard Chiswell and Thomas Cockerill . RVshworth's Historical Collections : The Third Part in Two Volumes : Containing the Principal matters which happened from the Meeting of the Parliament , November 3 , 1640. to the end of the Year , 164● Wherein is a particular Account of the Rise and Progress of the Civil War to that Period . Fol. 1692. Dr. John Conant's Sermons , Octavo . Published by Dr. Williams .