what is that which Ministers the Principles to the Law of Reason which are in it by Nature but that which is the Lord of Nature viz. the head of every man Lastly Synteresis quoque a quibusdam sic describitur Synteresis est potentia nata assentire naturaliter principio practico evidenti ex terminis dictanti id est significanti in Universali aliquid operandum vel fugiendum per hoc quod dicitur potentia excluditur actus habitus acquisitus dicitur nata assentire quia non oporter quod actu assentiat quia etiam potentia dicitur Synteresis dum actu nullum principium apprehendit dicitur naturaliter assentire id est statim apprehensis terminis assentire quia non requirit probationem vel discursum ad hoc quod assentiat sed ex conditione suae naturae statim apprehensis terminis non potest non assentire dicitur etiam evidenti ex terminis quia respectu principii evidenâ—â—per experientiam Non dicitur Synteresis eo quod tale Principium apprehensum potest ignorari etiam addit in universali ad excludendum Conscientiam quae est judicium conclusionis practicae in particulari distantis That is Synteresis also by some is thus discribed Synteresis is a Power born to assent naturally to a practical principle evident by the tearms dictating that is signifying in every thing something to be done or something to be avoided And by this that it is said a Power Acquired Act and Habit is excluded And it is said Born to ascent Because it need not that it ascent by the Act in regard that Synteresis is even called a Power whilest it apprehends no principle by the Act and it is said naturally to ascent That is presently the tearms being apprehended to ascent because it doth not require proof or discussion unto that to which it ascents but out of the condition of its own nature presently the terms being apprehended it cannot but assent It is also said evident by the Terms because in respect of the Principle evident by experience Synteresis is not said in it that such a Principle being apprehended it can be ignorant And it is added in every thing For the excluding of Conscience which is the Judgement of a Practical conclusion dictating in the particular And what is this but that which seeth all things not as man but as they are and is greater than Conscience Thus far Seyngerman in answer to the question Quid sit Synteresis What is Synteresis Now for the derivation of the Word do not your Books say that it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they say may be called conservatio a conservation from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conservo to conserve or keep together Unde ea pars animae say they quae vitiis adversatur sese semper immaculatum a vitiis cupit conservare perpetrata malo continuò arguit Synteresis dicitur That is From whence that part of the soul which is against evil and alwayes desires to keep it self unspotted of it and continually argueth against evil perpetrated is called Synteresis And what is that but the Religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father which keepeth it self unspotted of the World Thus much of Synteresis which ye lay as the ground or Principle of the Law and the derivation of it and what it is and signifies Now as to LAW And for this look again into your Books and see whether they speak not of LAW as they have of Synteresis and both the same as I have asserted For Example See Bracto … Lib. 1 Chap 〈…〉 Lex est say they sanctio sancta jubens honesta prohibens contraria Law is a holy sanction Commanding things honest forbidding the contrary And what is this but the holy Commandement 〈…〉 1 〈…〉 fol. 〈…〉 in◠… d … hs … e. Thus of LAW in its General difinition More particularly of LAW as ye distinguish it into the law of Nature and the law of Reason * your two great foundations of Law which Nature and Reason ye call those two great lights which God hath set in the firmament of your heart And as to the term LAW As to the law of Nature See … ch his … ok … W … ap 1. … g 3. Seyngerman saith and generally your Law Books lex Naturae est lex Eterna The law of Nature is the law Eternal And who is the law Eternal but the King Immortal The Phylosophers ye say call it Justitia Originalis Original Justice now who is Original Justice but He by whom Kings reign See … ch his … ok … W … ap 1. … g. 4. and Princes decree Justice * Finch in his Book intituled LAW thus discribes it lex Naturae est ratio summa insita in hominis Natura quae jubet ea quae faciendasunt prohibetque contraria that is The law of Nature is that Sovereign Reason fixed in mans Nature which commandeth those things which are to be done and forbideth the contrary And what is this but the same with the general definition of LAW as aforesaid As to the Law of Reason … c. … 1. de … g. Finch saith again Chap. 2. pa. 4. in the words of Tully which he quotes under that head Lex est radius divini luminis and recta ratio summi Jovis that is Law is a beam of Divine Light and right Reason of the Soverâ—â—gn God Now who is the Divine light but Christ the Light of the World And what is the Beam of Divine light but the light of Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the World And what is the Beam of the Sovereign God but the principle of God For the Beam is of the same Nature with the Light and comes from it and from the Light cannot be separated Lastly as to the Term or word LAW Finch tells ye Chap. â— page 2. of his Book aforesaid that the Hebrews câ—llâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thorah from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jaâ—rah which is to Teach because it is the Doctrine of Truth as saith he Plato saith in in his 9th Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leges ad hominum Doctrinam ponuntur Laws are for the teaching of men So that saith he LAW carryes with it and hath as it were inclosed in the Name and Nature of it those three Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Golden Chain of â—all good learning Lex veritatis Lex Justitiae Lex Sapientiae the Law of Truth the Law of Justice the Law of Wisdom And therefore is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientia Science which word the Phylosophers use whereby to expresse the Divine understanding but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientificissima Scientificissimous or the superlative efficient of an understanding Divine Whereupon saith he Plato telleth us ‖ Plato Lib. 4. â— Rep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nomen menti
A Tender Visitation of Love To both the UNIVERSITIES OXFORD and CAMBRIDGE AND To the Jnns of Court and Chancery Even to the Seed of God in you All for you to mind and consider ere it be too late From the movings of the Lord in your Friend George Bishop And I said Hear I pray you O Heads of Jacob And ye Princes of the House of Israel is it not for you to know Judgement LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson and are to be sold at his Shop at the Black-spread Eagle and Windmill in Martins Le Grand and also by Richard Moon Book-Seller in Wine-Street in Bristol 1660. A Tender Visitation of Love to Both the Universities Oxford and Cambridg and to the Inns of Court and Chancerie c. FRIENDS THere is something in you all that 's Eternal which nothing but God can satisfie which came from God In the Prosperity or Suffering of which stands your Welfare or undoing for Ever for as much as God is with or against you as well or ill ye deal with it And Gods being with or against you is your blessedness or Everlasting Destruction Now this Eternal thing in you all is the Soul God breathed into man the breath of Life and man became a living Soul after the Image of God created he him in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse which being in Death by reason of Corruption for By one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin And so Death passed over all men for that all have sinned and by Death being held under or in Captivity by him who hath the Power of Death it is made subject unto Bondage for being Servants of sin ye are free from Righteousnesse And to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey Whether of sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Life And the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord and being held under or made subject to Bondage it is separate from God without Christ an Alien from the Common-wealth of Israel A stranger from the Covenant of promise havving no hope And without God in the World And this is the State of all men by Nature and this is your state whilst ye know not that your Redeemer liveth and that your Redeemer lives ye know not whilst ye feel not Him living in you And him ye feel not living in you whilst ye are in Death and in Death ye are whilst Death hath power over you And Death hath power over you whilst ye are not delivered from the fear of Death and from the fear of Death ye are not delivered whilst ye are subject to Bondage for forasmuch as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto Bondage and subject unto Bondage ye are whilst sin hath dominion over you for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in Bondage and sin ha … dominion over you whilst ye obey it in the lusts thereof and sin having dominion over you ye are under the Law And whilst ye are under the Law ye are under the curse And being under the curse ye are dying so most miserable for such shall be turned into Hell and out of Hell there 's no Redemption For Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels will the King say to them on his left hand when he shall come in his Glory and all his Holy Angels with him and shall sit unpo the Throne of his Glory and these shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Therefore it concerns you whilst ye have time to mind and consider ere it be too late the things that appertain to your Eternal peace That so it may be well with that in every one of you in the welfare of which doth stand your Blessednesse and Prosperity for ever Now unto this there is no other way than Christ the Light the Light of the World the true Light that lighteh every man that cometh into the World in whom was life and the life was the Light of men Who was in the beginning with God who was God by whom all things were made and without whom was not any thing made that was made The Word the Word of God The Word nigh you in your mouth and in your heart which Moses spake of saying This Commandment viz. the Book of the Law which I command thee this Day It is not hidden from thee nor is it far off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us into Heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the Sea and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it And which Paul Preached when he said the Righteousnesse which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring up Christ again from the dead but what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach Whose Commission to the Gentiles was to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith which is in me And for this was he sent by him who is the Son of God who met him in the way the Saviour of the Soul the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles and the glory of his People of Israel And this Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and the Light of this Christ it is in you which shews you evil the compasse and end of all your actions which searcheth your heart tryeth your reigns the candle of the Lord that searcheth the inward parts of the belly which shines in darknesse but the darknesse comprehends it not And the Dominion of this Christ it is in you the Kingdom of God which reproves you for sin the Comforter when he is come he shall reprove the World of sin Now the Lord is that Spirit who is the Power of God the Gospel of Salvation the Everlasting Gospel the Law the Rule the measure of all things That 's over all that 's above all that comprehends all The Supream the Higher Power The Head of Principalities and Powers and of every man and of the Church which is his Body the fulnesse of
the God whom ye serve And now least what I have asserted concerning the Principle of God in you which witnesseth for God the Light of Christ which reproves and makes manifest the way to God the Saviour of the Soul and there is no other Should seem strange unto you or I to be a setter forth of a strange God of a Principle or Principles strange and forreign to your professions look ye Students of the Law into your own Books especially such of them as are usually read for the initiating you into the ground or Principle of the Law and see whether they do not speak what I say For example look into Christopher de Sancto Germano commonly called Seyn German his Dialogue concerning the foundamental Laws of England c. And see whether he doth not tell you of such a thing in man as is called Synteresis unto which he directs as the ground and bottom of the Law And of which Chap. 11. in answer to this question placed in the head of it Sc. Quid sit sinteresis what is Synteresis He thus speaketh Sinteresis est vis motiva seu potentia naturalis animae rationalis quae semper est nata figi in superioribus partibus animae movens Stimulans ad bonum abhorrens malum ideo secundam sinteresim non est errare neque peccare sicut nec circa principium in speculabilibus that is Sinteresis is the living virtue or power natural of the reasonable Soul which is born alwayes to reside in the superiour parts of the Soul moving and pricking unto God And abhorring evil and therefore according to Synteresis there is neither sinning nor erring as there is not about the principle in things that are under speculation Now what is that which sinneth not but the born of God And what is that according unto which one cannot sin or erre but the seed which remaines in him that he cannot sin because he is born of God And what is that which moves and pricks unto good and abhorrs evil but the principle of God which is therefore placed in man to bring him unto God Again Hanc quoque Synteresim ideò posuit Deus in homine ut servetur ordo connexio rerum This Synteresis God therefore hath put into man that the Order and Connexion of things might be preserved Now what is that which preserveth the Order and Connexion of things but that which upholdeth all things by the word of his Power And what is that which upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power but that by which the worlds were made Moreover Quae synteresis non potest totalitèr extingui nec etiam in damnatis Sed tamen quantum ad actum potest ad tempus impedire five propter tenebram obcaecationis sive propter lasciviam delectationis sive propter duritiem obstinationis Propter tenebram obcaecationis impeditur synteresis ne malo remurmuret pro eo quod malum creditur esse bonum sicut in haereticis qui morientes pro impietate erroris credunt se mori pro pietate fidei Propter lasciviam delectationis quando Scilicet synteresis ita absorbetur ut remorsus non habet locum quia carnales homines tanto impetu delectationis feruntur ut ratio non habet locum propter duritiem obstinationis impeditur etiam sinteresis ne ad bonum stimulet sicut in damnatis qui adeo sunt in malo obstinati ut nunquam possunt ad bonum inclinare propterea quantum ad illum actum quo synteresis stimulat ad bonum potest in illis damnatis dici extincta non tamen extincta simplicitèr quia habet alium usum scilicet remurmurationem contra malum paenae quae maximè vigebit in damnatis unde synteresis murmurabit in damnatis contra culpam in relatione tantuÌ„ ad poenam Et sic synteresis quantuÌ„ adaliqueÌ„ actuÌ„ impedire potest nunquà m tamen extincta potest universalitèr quantum ad omne actum quantum ad omne tempus That is Which Synteresis cannot totally be extinguished no not in the damned But nevertheless as to act and time it may be said to be hindred either by reason of the darkness of blindness or the wantonnesse of delight or the hardnesse of obstinacy by reason of the darkness of blindness Synteresis may be hindred that it remurmurates not for that evil which it believes to be good As in Hereticks who dying for the impiety of error do believe that they die for the piety of Faith by reason of the wantonness of delight when as Synteresis is so absorbed that remorse hath no place because carnal men are so hurried with the violence of delight that reason hath no place by reason of the hardness of obstinacy Synteresis is also hindred that it pricks not unto good as it is in the damned who are so hardned in evil that they can never incline to good for which cause in reference to that act by which Synteresis pricks unto good iâ— may be said in the damned to be extinguished not simply extinguished because it hath another use to wit the remurmuration against the evil of pain which greatly lives in the damned from whence Synteresis will murmur in the damned against the fault in relation onely to the pain And so Synteresis in reference to some Act may be said to be hindred but it can never be Vniversally extinguished in reference to every Act and as to all time And what is this but the witnesse of God which can never be rased out though by reason of the blindenesse of mens minds and the hardnesse of their hearts and their living in pleasures it answers not The Worm that never dies and the fire that never goes out Furthermore Synteresis etiam est principium quoad speculativa est quoad operativa exemplum de speculativis ut omne totum est majus sua parte quodlibet est vel non est Exemplum de operativis ut nullum malum est faciendum bonum est prosequendum similia idâ—â— Synteresis dicitur a quibusdam lex rationis quia principia legis rationis ministrat quae ei insunt a natura That is Synteresis is also a principle as to things that appertain to speculation and operation Example of things that appertain to Speculation as every whole is greater than its part every thing is or not is example of things that appertain to operation as no evil is to be done good is to be followed and such like And therefore Synteresis is called by some the Law of Reason because it Ministers the Principles of the Law of Reason which are in it by Nature And what is the Principle of Seeing and Doing which comprehends all things but that by which all things were made which Principle must be in man or there can be no such thing in man as Seeing and Doing For a thing is not nor can be without its Principle And