Orations of divers sorts accommodated to divers places written by the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

An Oration to a Congregation.

Dearly Beloved Brethren,

MAn hath not only Vain or Erroneous Ima∣ginations or Opinions, but Beliefs, being without Ground or Foundation, which is with∣out Sense and Reason; for what Sense and Rea∣son hath Man to Imagine or Believe, that Hea∣ven, which is Celestial, should be Composed of Terrestrial Materials, as of Pure Gold, Crystal, and Pretious Stones, and not rather Believe it to be only the Beatifical Vision of God? and what Sense and Reason hath man to Believe that Hell is Hell, for Want of the Presence of God, whereas the Omnipotent God must Necessarily be all Fulfilling? and is it not a strange Contra∣dicting Opinion or Belief, that Hell is Dark, and yet that in Hell is Elemental Fire and Terrestrial Brimstone? and what Sense and Reason hath Man to believe, that Celestial Bodies have Ter∣restrial Shapes, whereas we may easily Perceive, that all outward Shapes, Forms or Figures, are according to the Degrees of the Purity or Gross∣ness of the Substance or Matter they are Com∣posed of? Wherefore, Man hath not any Rea∣son

to Believe, that Angels, which are Celestial Substances, can have Terrestrial Shapes; and what Reason hath Man to Believe, that Angels in Heaven have the Shapes of Men on Earth; but if they should believe they have Terrestrial Shapes, why should they believe them to have Mens Shapes, and not the Shapes of other Crea∣tures? it might be Answered, the Belief Pro∣ceeds from the Son of God, who did Take upon Him the Shape of Man, but then we may believe, that Angels are of the Shape of Doves, because the Holy Ghost, which is Co-equal and Co-eternal with the Son, did Take upon Him the Shape of that Bird. Also what Reason hath man to Believe, that the Devils Shapes are partly of the Shape of Beasts, as to have Tails, Horns, Claws, and Cloven feet? do they believe that the Shape of Beasts is a more VVicked or Cursed Shape than any other Animal Shape? But these Opinions or Beliefs proceed from Gross Conceptions, made by Irregular Moti∣ons, in Gross Terrestrial Bodies, or Brains in Mankind, who make Hell and Heaven, God, Angels and Devils, according to their Fancies, and not according to Truth, for Man cannot Know what is not in his Portion of Reason and Sense to Know, and yet man will Judge and Believe that, which he cannot possibly Know, which is Ridiculous even to Human Sense and Reason. But to Conclude, Dearly Beloved, men's Thoughts are too Weak, their Brains too

Little, their Knowledge too Obscure, and their Understandings too Cloudy to Conceive Gods Celestial Works or Workings, or his Will or Decrees, Fates or Destinies; Wherefore, Pray without Forming, Obey without Censuring, Fear his Power, Love his Goodness, and Hope in his Mercy, and the Blessing of God be amongst you.