SER. VII. of Application; and there are also several Minuteneffes, little Punctilios, and fine-spun curious Notions; and those Subjects are intelligible enough in the grofs and in general; which, when branched out too minutely into all their little Circumftantials and Appendages, are extremely perplexed and intangled. Just as Matter lies open to the View in its Bulk and in its mafy and more fubftantial Parts: whereas the intimate Configuration and Texture of its finer and minuter Particles will be ever indifcernible.

It is morally impoffible we should err in judging Christianity to be true; because the Proofs for it are strong, decifive, and lie level to our Capacities; but we may very probably err in fanfying that to be abfurd, which relates to the Nature and Effence of the Deity, where there is an infinite Dif proportion between the Faculty and the Object. If there be any Criterion of Truth, if we are not neceffarily liable to be deceived; we may fafely conclude, that, what has all the distinctive Characters of Truth, that any ancient Record can have, cannot be a Forgery or Impofture; But we cannot be fure, but that in Matters of fo high and elevated a Nature, what we con

ceive, (without clearly perceiving any thing) SER. VII. to border upon an Absurdity, may be not fo in itself, but merely owing to our Want of more extenfive Views. One Proof from a Matter of Fact should weigh more to confirm a mysterious Doctrine, than all the ideal and metaphyfical Arguments, which fall short of Demonstration, to disprove it. Because we are very competent Judges of Matter of Fact; but all our Ideas about the intrinfic Nature of God are short and indiftinct: and where our Ideas are indiftinct, our Knowledge, which is founded upon them, must be so too. One intermediate Idea, which is wanting, might, if taken into the Account, make our Conclufion quite different: And one foreign Idea, which has intruded where it has nothing to do, will, like a little Leaven, spread and diffuse itself, and give a Tincture to the whole Mafs of our Reasoning.

This is only a general Answer to the Difficulties with which this Doctrine is attended. Under my fecond Head, which muft be reserved for another Difcourse, I shall remove particular Objections.

SER

Preached at the

Lady MOYER'S LECTURE.

On the Doctrine of the TRINITY.

MATTHEW XXVIII. 19.

Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.

HE Deity is to human Minds, SER.VIII. what the main Ocean is to narrow Veffels: They may take in as much Knowledge of his Nature, as their fcanty Dimenfions will admit; and yet there will remain an infinite Surplus ftill, which we want Capacities to receive * ; wifhing, that human Nature was raised to

See Cudworth's Intellectual System.

an

SER.VIII. an higher Perfection, that the divine Nature may be better understood, more perfectly loved, and more worthily praised.

The Chain of Beings afcends upwards, from Brutes to Men-from Men, in a beautiful and regular Gradation, to Angels, Archangels, and all those thousand thoufands, that ftand before God, and the ten thousand times ten thousand, that minifter unto him. The Tranfitions in this Poem of Nature, from one Kind to another, are fo extremely fine and delicate; that we scarce can distinguish, where one ends, and the other begins. Yet the Dignity of the noblest of these Beings, bears no more Proportion to his, who dwelleth in unapproachable Glory; than a gilded Cloud, on which the Evening Sun has impreffed its Beams, and enriched with beautiful Stains of Light, does to that great Abyss of Light, from which it derives its reflected Beauty. He can ftill make Beings, which fhall as much furpafs an Archangel of the highest Class; as an Archangel of the highest Class furpaffes the most groveling Infect. For every finite Creature, how great foever; must be infinitely beneath an all-perfect Being. This, however, is the