Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/218

34 hand, was continually whipping them to hasten their speed. I found afterwards that they were all flocking towards a church, which was invisible, by reason of the snow which covered it; some, however, who had the care of the church, melted the snow, and by its removal made way for the people to enter, who accordingly descended, and took their places. I was then, permitted to take a view of the inside of the church: it was enlightened with lamps, and candles, in great abundance; the altar was of hewn stone, behind which hung a tablet with this inscription,. Presently the priest standing at the altar, after he had three times kneeled down before the sacred tablet, with a book in his hand, ascended the pulpit, and begun a sermon on the divine trinity, crying out in a loud voice, "O what a grand mystery! that the most high God should beget a son from eternity, and by him produce the holy ghost, and that they three should be joined in essence, but yet be separate in their properties, which are imputation, redemption and operation! If however we set reason to look into this mystery, her eye is blinded, and is overspread with darkness, as when one attempteth to look at the naked sun with the bodily eye; wherefore, my brethren, it is my advice that, in a subject of this nature, we keep our understandings in obedience to faith." After this he again lifted up his voice, and said, "0 what a grand mystery is our holy faith! that God the father imputeth the righteousness of his son, and sendeth the holy ghost, who, in consequence of that imputation, giveth the pledges of justification, which are remission of sins, renovation, regeneration, and salvation; of whose influx, or operation, man is as ignorant as the statue of salt into which Lot's wife was turned, and