ion, and the conveyance of it into the souls of men, as revealed
in this gospel which brings life and immortality to light, that
fighters against the grace of God in its value and virtue can forge,
stretching their blind reason to the overthrow of true religion, and
ruin of the souls of men. For to this height these masters of reason
have, in their blind rage, risen up against the Lord and against his
anointed; this is the dreadful period of that path, wherein we are
persuaded to walk, yea hectored, if we would not forfeit the repute of
men by these grand sophies, who arrogate to themselves the name and
thing of knowledge, as if wisdom were to die with them. The deep
mysteries of salvation, which angels desire to look into, and only
satisfy themselves with admiration at, must appear as respondents at
their bar; and if they decline the judge and court, as incompetent, they
flee out and flout at subjecting this blind mole, man's reason, to the
revelation of faith in a mystery. The manifold wisdom of God, and the
manifold grace of God, must either condescend to their unfoldings, and
be content to speak in their dialect, or else these wits, these Athenian
dictators, will give the deep things of God, because beyond their
divings, the same entertainment which that great gospel preacher, Paul,
met with from men of the same mould, kidney, and complexion, because he
preached unto them Jesus, What would the babbler say, said they. The
Spirit of wisdom and revelation they know not, they have not, they
acknowledge not; nay, they despise him in his saving and
soul-ascertaining illuminations; and the workings of that mighty power
to them-ward who believe, is to the men of this new mould (because they
have not found it) an insufferable fancy, to be exploded with a disdain
and indignation, which discovers what spirit actuates them in this
opposition.

But I would recommend to you, who can neither purchase nor peruse what
is more voluminous (how worthy soever) the serious perusal, as of the
whole of that savoury and grace-breathing peace, the fulfilling of the
Scriptures; so therein that short but sweet digression, against
black-mouthed Parker, wherein the gracious author takes out his own
soul, and sets before thine eye, the image of God impressed thereon; for
while he deals with that desperado by clear and convincing reason,
flowing natively from the pure fountain of divine revelation, he hath
the advantage of most men, and writers to