of operation, which, for want of terms fit to exprefs them by, we call perfons, and are called in fcripture the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; and that the fecond of these did unite himself in a moft intimate manner with the human nature of Jefus Chrift; and that the fufferings he underwent were accepted of God as a facrifice for our fins; who thereupon conferred on him a power of granting eternal life to all that fubmit to the terms on which he offers it; and that the matter of which our bodies once confifted, which may as justly be called the bodies we laid down at our deaths as thefe can be faid to be the bodies which we formerly lived in, being refined and made more fpiritual, fhall be reunited to our fouls, and become a fit inftrument for them in a more perfect eftate; and that God inwardly bends and moves our wills by fuch impreffions as he can make on our bodies and minds.

Thefe, which are the chief mysteries of our religion, are neither fo unreafonable, that any other objection lies against them, but this, that they agree not with our common notions, nor fo unaccountable, that somewhat like them cannot be affigned in other things, which are believed really to be, though the manner of them cannot be apprehended: fo this ought not to be any juft objection to the fubmiffion

of our reason to what we cannot fo well conceive, provided our belief of it be well grounded. There have been too many niceties brought indeed rather to darken than explain thefe: they have been de fended by weak arguments, and illuftrated by fimilies not always so very apt and pertinent; and new fubtilties have been added, which have rather perplexed than cleared them. All this cannot be denied; the oppofition of heretics antiently occafioned too much curiofity among the fathers, which the fchoolmen have wonderfully advanced of late times. But if myfteries were received rather in the fimplicity in which they are delivered in the fcriptures than according to the defcantings of fanciful men upon them, they would not appear much more incredible than fome of the common objects of fenfe and perception. And it is a needlefs fear, that, if some mysteries are acknowledged, which are plainly mentioned in the New Teftament, it will then be in the power of the priefts to add more at their pleasure. For it is an abfurd inference from our being bound to affent to fome truths about the Divine Effence, of which the manner is not understood, to argue that therefore in an object, prefented daily to our fenfes, fuch as bread and wine, we fhould be bound to believe, against their teftimony, that it is not what our

fenfes

fenfes perceived it to be, but the whole flesh and blood of Christ, an entire body being in every crumb and drop of it. It is not, indeed, in a man's power to believe thus against his fenfe and reason, where the object is proportioned to them, and fitly applied, and the organs are under no indifpofition or diforder. It is certain that no mystery is to be admitted but upon very clear and express authorities from fcripture, which could not reasonably be understood in any other sense. And, though a man cannot form an explicit notion of a myftery, for then it would be no longer a mystery, yet, in general, he may believe a thing to be, though he cannot give, himself, a particular account of the way of it; or, rather, though he cannot anfwer fome objections which lie against it. We know we believe many fuch in human matters, which are more within our reach; and it is very unreafonable to fay we may not do it in divine things, which are much more above our apprehenfions.

For the fevere restraint of the use of women, it is hard to deny that privilege to Jesus Christ, as a lawgiver, to lay fuch reftraints as all inferior legiflators do; who, when they find the liberties their fubjects take prove hurtful to them, fet fuch limits, and make fuch regulations, as they judge neceffary

and expedient. It cannot be faid, but the restraint of appetite is neceffary in fome instances; and, if it is neceffary in thefe, perhaps other restraints are, no lefs neceffary to fortify and fecure them: for, if it be acknowledged that men have a property in their wives and daughters, so that to defile the one, or corrupt the other, is an unjust and injurious thing, it is certain that, except a man carefully governs his appetites, he will break through these restraints; and therefore our Saviour, knowing that nothing could fo effectually deliver the world from the mischief of unrestrained appetite as fuch a confinement, might very reasonably enjoin it. And, in all fuch cases, we are to balance the inconveniences on both hands; and, where we find they are heaviest, we are to acknowledge the equity of the law. On the one hand there is no prejudice, but the reftraint of appetite; on the other are the mifchiefs of being given up to pleasure, of running inordinately into it, of breaking the quiet of our own family at home and of others abroad, the engaging into much paffion, the doing many false and impious things to compafs what is defired, the waste of mens eftates, time, and health. Now, let any man judge whether the prejudices on this fide are not greater than that fingle one on the other fide,

of

of being denied fome pleasure. For polygamy, it is but reasonable, fince women are equally concerned in the laws of marriage, that they fhould be confidered as well as men; but, in a state of polygamy, they are under great mifery and jealousy, and are indeed barbaroufly used. Man being alfo of a fociable nature, friendship and converse were among the primitive intendments of marriage; in which, as far as the man may excel the wife in greatness of mind and height of knowledge, the "wife fome way makes that up with her affection and tender care; fo that, from both happily mixed, there arifes a harmony, which is, to virtuous minds, one of the greatest joys of life: but all this is gone in a state of polygamy, which occafions perpetual jarrings and jealoufies. And the variety does but engage men to a freer range of pleasure; which is not to be put in the balance with the far greater mischiefs that must follow the other courfe. So that it is plain our Saviour confidered the nature of man, what it could bear, and what was fit for it, when he so restrained us in these our liberties. And for divorce, a power to break that bond would too much encourage married perfons in the little quarrellings that may arise between them, if it were in their power to depart one from another: for, when

they