herefies is true, not only in our church, but also in any other: even in doctrines heretical there will be fuper-herefies, and Arians not only divided from their church, but also among themselves; for heads that are difpofed unto fchifm, and complexionally propenfe to innovation, are naturally disposed for a community, nor will ever be confined unto the order or economy of one body; and therefore when they fcparate from others, they knit but loofely among themselves; nor con- nat tented with a general breach or dichotomy with their church, do fnbdivide and mince themselves almoft into atoms. 'Tis true, that men of fingular parts and humours have not been free from fingular opinions and conceits in all ages; retaining famething not only befide the opinion of his own church or any other, but alfo any particular author; which notwithstanding a

fober

und

fober judgment may do without
offence or herefy: for there is yet,
after all the decrees of councils and
the niceties of the fchools, ma-
ny things untouched, unimagined,
wherein the liberty of an honest
reafon may play and expatiate with
fecurity, and far without the circle
of an herefy,

SECT. IX.

luding As for those winged myfteries in u gradivinity, and airy fubtilties in religion, which have unhinged the brains of better heads, they never ftretched the Pia Mater of mine; methinks there are not impoffibili- . ties enough in religion for an active faith; the deepeft myfteries ours contains have not only been illuftrated, but maintained by fyllogifm, and the rule of reafon: I love to lofe myself in a mystery, to pursue my O reafon to an altitudo. 'Tis my folitary recreation to pofe my apτεπεα πτερόεντα caprehenfion of the rainbow flying when we pursue

irritant

animum

Jemissa per aures qua sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus

RELIGIO MEDICI.

21

vol.3.p.4. Boswelli Johnson

prehenfion with thofe involved æ-
nigmas and riddles of the Trinity,-
with incarnation and refurection.
I can answer all the objections of
fatan, and my rebellious reason,
with that odd refolution I learned
of Tertullian, Certum eft quia impoffi-
bile eft. I defire to exercise my faith
in the difficulteft point; for to cre-
dit ordinary and visible objects is
not faith, but perfuafion. Some
believe the better for feeing Christ's
fepulchre, and when they have
feen the red fea, doubt not of the
miracle. Now on the contrary Fontin

lion

allied

bless myself, and am thankful that I lived not in the days of miracles, to bil

Effect of

Не деним

that I never faw Chrift nor his dif
ciples; I would not have been one
of those Ifraelites that passed the red be on
fea, nor one of Chrift's patients, on j
whom he wrought his wonders;
my faith been thrust upon

then had

me, nor fhould I enjoy that greater
bleffing pronounced to all that be-

2nd Series Tales of my

Landlord

lieve

v. 2. p. 160. Caleb William', vol. 2. p. 158 D. Zer

Butlers Analogy - Part 2 Ch

lieve and faw not. 'Tis an easy and necessary belief to credit what our eye and sense hath examined: I be-' lieve he was dead, and buried, and rofe again; and defire to see him in his glory, rather than to contemplate him in his cenotaphe, or fepulchre. Nor is this much to be-lieve; as we have reason, we owe this faith unto hiftory: they only. had the advantage of a bold and noble faith, who lived before his coming, who, upon obfcure prophecies and myftical types, could raise a belief, and expect apparent impoffibilities.

SECT. X.

'Tis true, there is an edge in all firm belief, and with an eafy metaphor we may fay the fword of faith; but in these obfcurities I rather use it in the adjunct the Apostle gives it, a buckler; under which I conceive a wary combatant

may

a

may ly invulnerable. Since I was of understanding to know we knew nothing, my reafon hath been more pliable to the will of faith; I am now content to understand a mystery, without a rigid definition, in an eafy and platonick defcription. That allegorical description of Hermes pleaseth me beyond all the metaphyfical definitions of divines; where I cannot fatisfy my reafon, I love to humour my fancy; *I'd as foon chufe you would tell me that anima eft angelus hominis, eft corpus Dei, as Entelechia; Lux est umbra Dei, as actus perfpicui: where there is an obscurity too deep for our reafon, 'tis good to fit down with a description, periphrafis, or adumbration; for by acquainting our reason how unable explain it is to difplay the vifible and obvious effects of nature, it becomes more humble and fubmiffive unto

a

the

Sphæra cujus centrum ubique, circumferentia nullibi.