For it is as demonftrable, that Religion is foun ded in Mystery; as it is evident to Reason, that there is a God. If I mistake not, it is fully proved in the following Sheets, that the Principles of natural Religion in great Part are myfterious, or incomprehenfible: And that it is fo far from being true, that Religion ends where a Mystery begins, that on the contrary, there it

Commences.

'Tis not in the leaft Degree dishonourable to our Reafon to affert, that there are Truths, which demand our most religions Regard, whofe Nature far exceeds our Comprehenfion. It can't be fo, if it is rational to believe the Existence of a Being, who is infinitely above us. Which at prefent, I fuppofe, may be taken for granted. But how long this will be allowed by fome Men, I shall not pretend to fay.

8

The Diftinction of Things above, and contrary to Reason, is juft and true. The former are Myfteries, the latter are Abfurdities. 'Tis often affirmed, that our Principles are of the Latter Sort. If they be fo indeed, then we must

either

either contradict and renounce our Reafon in believing them or not use it, or not have a fuffi cient Degree of Reason to discover the Abfurdity of thofe Principles. I cannot be perfuaded, that a confiderable Share of Senfe is necessary to difcover an Abfurdity; and if it is not, then without the Vanity of fancying ourselves, to be equal in Difcernment, to the very rational Gentlemen, who pronounce our Opinions abfurd; it might be apprehended, that we are capable of discerning their Abfurdity, provided, we exercised that lower Degree of Reafon we have. This we profefs to do, and in Fact we do it; but we cannot poffibly difcover, that they are in the leaft contradictory to Reafon; and, therefore, we are almoft tempted to imagine, that thofe Gentlemen do not so much exceed us in good Senfe, as in. Prejudice, Pride and Arrogance,

If Man is a fallen Creature, he is not what God made him, nor bears his Image. I cannot but think, that a little Attention to the Difpofitions and Acts of our Minds will be fufficient to convince us, that we are far from being fuch, as a virtuous and holy Man wishes to be. The Hap

piness

piness of an intelligent Creature, must very much confift in the Regularity of its Thoughts, the Purity of its Defires, and the Refinement of its Pleasures. If there is any one Man in the World, whofe Thoughts are exactly regular, or always employed upon fuch Subjects, as it is proper they should be, and suitable to that Relation in which he stands to the great Creator, and the different Relations, he bears to thofe of his own Species, without starting afide from thofe important Subjects, and running on others, which are vain, idle and finful: Whofe Defires are pure, and abfolutely restrained from all criminal Excess, that perpetually flow in a right Channel, and only center in what it is wife and fit to wish for the Poffeffion of: Whofe Pleafures are truly noble, whofe Delight is in God, as the chief Good, and not at all in the Creature, but as a real Good, derived from him, and altogether under that Confideration; I fay, if there is fuch a Man in the World, be ftands diftinguished from all others in Happiness, whether he is a Prince or a Peafant; and is what I should wish to be. But alas! no fuch Man is to be found among us; and, confequently,

All

All Men are Tranfgreffors, and if Punishment in Juftice is due to a Breach of Duty, then the whole buman Species are fubject to Penalty, and must be in a miferable State. Reason itself affords us evident Proof of this melancholy Truth. But Reafon cannot discover how a guilty Creature may recover its Holiness and Happiness. Revelation alone acquaints us with the Method of Salvation; but as that Method bides Pride from Man, and obliges us to an Acknowledgement of our great Guiltinefs, Depravity, and Unworthiness, and utter Incapacity to contribute in any Measure to our Recovery from deferved Ruin, Men can't be reconciled to it. They are very unwilling to allow, that they have deftroyed themfelves, and that in God alone is their Help. These are the two principal Things in Difpute between Mr. Fofter and myself.

I am willing to hope, that not only the miferable Condition of Men by Nature, is proved; but also, that Salvation is of God alone, and entirely, if these two things are done, I fhall rejoice, because to contribute, as far as I am able, to the

Conviction

Conviction of Men, of their wretched State by Nature, and to direct them to look for Help and Succour from the God of all Grace, through the Mediation of Jefus Chrift, that God and the Redeemer may share the whole Praise of their Salvation, I hope, is the Height of my Ambition.

With respect to the Dialogue, which I have added to what is wrote in Anfwer to Mr. Fofter, Some it may be, will cenfure it very heavily, becaufe an Attempt is therein made to prove, that Baxterianifm leads directly to Arminianism; they may perhaps do this out of an Esteem for the Memory of Mr. Baxter, and from an Apprehenfion not only of his Piety, but of the Piety of many, who embrace bis Scheme. To which, I would anfwer three Things, Firft, I hope Piety is not confined wholly to his Principles: Without the leaft Reflection on him or his Followers; I think it may be allowed, that the first Reformers, who thought the Doctrine of Juftification by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift alone to be of the greatest Importance, were not his Inferiors in Piety, nor bebind any of his Followers, in real Holiness and the Power of Religion. Secondly,

I