and the earnest he gave, had bespoken very ample expectations in those who know and beard bim: But it pleafed pleased God God (having first melted him with his love, and then chastised him, though somewhat sharply) to take him to himselfe; from the contemplation of the Light of Nature, to the enjoyment of one supernatural, that φῶς ἀπείον Light inaccessible, which done can see and live; and to translate him from Snuffing a Candle here to be made partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in Light. So that all be fimisbt towards that undertaking was this Discourse of the Light of Nature in general, not defcending so low as to Shew how the Moral law was founded in it or that Gospel-revelation doth not extinguish it. Wherein, if, ftanding in the midst between two Adversaries of extreme perswasions, while he opposes the one, be feem to favour the other more then is meet when thou shalt observe him at another time, to declare as much against the other, thou wilt then be of another mind. Fudge candidly, and take his Opinion, as thou wouldst do his Picture, fitting; not from a luxuriant expreffion (wherein he always allowed forthe shrinking) but from his declared judgment, when he speaks profefJedly of Such a fubject. For instance, if any expreffion feem to lift Reason up too high; you may if you please, otherwhere hear it confess and bewail its own [a] weak the the head, weakness; (Chap. 12.) you may fee it bow and worship, and then lay it felf down quietly at the feet of Faith; (Chap. 18,) So that if thou read but the whole Discourse, thou wilt easily perceive (as himfelf would often affirm) that he abhorred the very thought of advancing the power of Nature into the Throne of Free-Grace, or by the Light of Nature in the leaft measure to eclipse that of Faith. I would not willingly by any Prolepsis forestall thy reading, yet if thou shouldst defire a foretast of the Authour's Stile, I would turn thee to the beginning of the seventeenth Chapter; never was light so bespangled, never did it triumph in greater bravery of expression. But I detain thee too long. Let this suffice thee, as a course Lift to Lift to a finer Webzor as wast Cambr. Aug. 10. 1652. Paper of its couers. Chap. XIV. The light of Reason is a certain Light 115 Courteous T Courteous READER, His Difcourse, which had my Brother for the Authour, might justly have expected me to have been the Publisher: and I should think : not the remote distance of my present abode, andthe frequent avocations from study, by attendance upon my Miniftery, together with the ruins of a crazie body, fome what apologize in my behalf. my felf inexcusable in this particular, did That is obvious, and πολυθρύλληλον in every man's mouth, that the Brother sbould raise up feed to the Brother; but here, lo! a Friend, that is nearer then a Brother, who rears up this living Monument to the memory of his deceased Friend. In this Treatise we may perceive, how the Gentiles Candle out-went us with our Sun-beams: how they guided onely by the glimmering twilight of Nature, out-strip'd us, who are furrounded with the rays of Supernatural light of revealed Truth. Thou may'st here finde Plato to be a Mojes Atticissans, and Aratus, Menander, and Epimenides called into the Court, to bring in their Suffrages to Saint Paul's Doctrine. Here we may finde Reasonlike a Gibeonite, hewing Wood, and drawing Water from the Sanctuary; Jethro giving counsel to Moses. God draws us with the cords of man; he drew profess'd Star-gazers with a Star to Chrift. Galen, a Physician, was wrought upon, by fome Anatomical Obfervations, to tune an Hymn to the praise of his Creatour; though otherwise Atheist enough. Reafon, though not permitted (with an over-daring |