did it triumph in greater bravery of expression. But I detain thee too long. Let this suffice thee as a coarse list to a finer web, or as waste paper to defend this book from the injury of its covers.-Farewell. CAMER., Aug. 10, 1652. RICHARD CULVERWEL TO THE READER. COURTEOUS READER,-This discourse, which had my brother for the author, might justly have expected me to have been the publisher. And I should think myself inexcusable, in this particular, did not the remote distance of my present abode, and the frequent avocations from study, by attendance upon my ministry, together with the ruins of a crazy body, somewhat apologize in my behalf. 5-10. That is obvious and notorious'1 in every man's mouth, that the brother should raise up seed to the brother; but Deut. xxv here, lo a friend that is nearer than 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 outwent us with our sunbeams: how they, guided only by the glimmering twilight of Nature, outstripped us who are surrounded with the rays of supernatural light, of revealed truth. Thou mayest here find Plato to be a Moses speaking Attic Greek,' and Aratus, Menander, and Epimenides called into the court, to bring in their suffrages to St. Paul's doctrine. Here we may find reason, like a Gibeonite, hewing wood 2 Atticissans. 1 Πολυθρύλλητον. Exod. xviii. 17. Josh. ix. 23. and drawing water for the sanctuary; Jethro giving counsel to Moses. God draws us with the cords of a man; He drew professed star-gazers with a star to Christ. Galen, a physician, was wrought upon, by some anatomical observations, to tune a hymn to the praise of his Creator, though otherwise atheist enough. Rom. i. 19. Reason, though not permitted, with an over-daring Pompey, to rush into the Holy of holies, yet may be allowed to be a proselyte of the gate, and, with those devoted Greeks, to worship in the court of the Gentiles. Natural light, or the law written in the heart, improved by that 'knowledge of God'1 which is written in the book of the creature in capital letters, so that he that runs may read, is that which this treatise bears witness to; where these 'heavenly twins,'2 those heaven-born lights are set up in the soul of man; like those twin flames on the mariner's shroud, they presage a happy voyage to 'the fair havens.' As for the bosom-secrets of God-gospel mysteries, the mercy-seat itself, into which the angels desire to bend 1 Pet. i. 12. down and look,' reason's plumb-line will prove too short to fathom them; here we must cry with the Apostle, 'O Rom. xi. 33. the depth !' Reason may not come into these seas, except she strike her topsail; here we may say with Aristotle at the brink of Euripus, not being able to give an account of the ebbs and flows, 'If I cannot comprehend thee, thou shalt me!' It is storied of Democritus, that he put out his eyes that 3 Παρακύψαι. 1 Τὸ γνωστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. 2 AlóσKOVρol-Castor and Pollux. * Ω βάθος. he might contemplate the better. I do not counsel you to do so; but if you would wink with one, the eye of reason -captivate every thought to the obedience of Christ-you might, with that other of faith, take the better aim at the mark, to obtain the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ.' Possibly an expression or two, more there are not, may seem to speak too much in reason's behalf, but, if well examined, will prove nothing to the prejudice of free grace the whole scope of the book endeavouring to fix those land-marks and just bounds between religion and reason, which some, too superciliously brow-beating the handmaid, and others too much magnifying her, have removed. These exercises suit well with the place where, and the auditors to whom they were delivered; but, like Aristotle's 'physical lectures,'1 these are not for vulgar ears. These lucubrations are so elaborate, that they smell of the lamp, 'the candle of the Lord.' Phil. iii. 14. As concerning the author of this treatise, how great his parts were, and how well improved, as it may appear by this work, so they were fully known, and the loss of them sufficiently bewailed by those among whom he lived and conversed; and yet I must say of him, he suffered a mis- 1 Cor. x. 13. fortune incident to man." And as it is hard for men to be under affliction, but they are liable to censures, so it Luke xiii. 2, 4. fared with him, who was looked upon by some, as one whose eyes were lofty, and whose eyelids lifted up, who Prov. xxx. 13. bare himself too high upon a conceit of his parts; although 1 Ακροάσεις φυσικαί. 2 ̓Ανθρώπινόν τι ἔπαθεν. they that knew him intimately, are most willing to be his compurgators in this particular. Thus prone are we to think the staff under the water crooked, though we know it to be straight. However, turn thine eyes inward, and censure not thine own fault so severely in others. Cast not the first stone, except thou find thyself without this fault; dare not to search too curiously into the untraceRom. xi. 33. able ways' of God; but rather learn that lesson of the Apostle's in that elegant paronomasy, not to think of thyself more highly than thou oughtest to think, but to Rom. xii. 3. think soberly.'2 Thus not willing longer to detain thee from the perusal of this discourse, I commend both thee and it to the blessing of God, and rest Thine to serve thee in any spiritual work or RICH. CULVERWEL. From my study at Grundisburg, in the county of Suffolk, 1 Ανεξιχνιάστους ὁδούς. 2 Μὴ ὑπερφρονεῖν παρ' δ δεῖ φρονεῖν, ἀλλὰ φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ σωφρονεῖν. |