less than aspire to the highest degree of holiness Our imitation of God doth imply our being made like unto him But lest any one should doubt the existence of this ultimate I shall attempt its demonstration 1. We must endeavour after it but no man is obliged to attempt impossible things it would be in vain But to attempt any thing in vain would become neither a wise God to require nor a wise man to endeavour 2. If this degree of holiness cannot be attained then it is necessary that we sin sometimes but it cannot be necessary that we sin for then it would not be sin for all sin is freely committed Hand est nocens quicunqne non sponte est nocens Ciâ—mens If there be necessity in the case it loses the nature of sin 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our misfortune not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliberate acts are punished It cannot demerit punishment nor be justly imputed nor ever did the God of equity impute it to any man But that the lapses of good men were sins and might be imputed to them should God use his right is evident for that they do and ought to ask the pardon of them Now where pardon is asked there the crime is confessed therefore good men might have abstained from the few lapses of their lives and so not have sin'd which was the point to be demonstrated 3. When we daily pray that the will of God might be done in Earth as it is in Heaven what can we infer but that we as the Angels may do his will if our prayers are so ardent and our endeavours so serious as God requires Is that Petition in vain You 'l say no. Then God is as willing as able to effect it in us and our non-attainment doth loudly accuse our prayers or our endeavours or both of languor or remisness For of this we are confident that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us now what can be more agreeable to his will than that we should be holy in our whole conversation as he is holy 4. Without this notion what shall we make of the options of our great Apostle not to single and eximious Saints but to entire Churches The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly The Lord establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God That you may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ We cease not to pray that ye may walk worthy of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut omnimodò placeatis Deo i. e. that ye might every way please God being fruitful in every good work The God of peace make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight 'T is somewhat too dilute to say here are excluded only habitual sins or such flagitious sins which are as habits the words being pregnant and emphatick nor is there any just cause why we should enervate them by departing from their proper sence and not think rather the Apostle intended by them that which is most perfect in its kind But that which doth not argue the necessity may shew the possibility which was the thing to be demonstrated 5. Shall we say that the holy Spirit and all the other aids of Vertue which God affords us through Christ are so weak and invalid that notwithstanding all our endeavours sin cannot be subdued or extinguished in us is not this to derogate from the Spirit of God and to be injurious to God himself I am yet to seek for a reason why whilst God would have us break the bonds of sin and cast those cords from us to imbrace an entire holiness in this present World and thereunto hath furnished us with divine aids and supernatural strengths he should deny us such measures and degrees of them as to inable us to abstain from all Sin and to embrace an universal Righteousness especially seing St. John resolves the Victory 4. 4. over the instruments of Sathan into the power of God because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world That which some say that God would leave some Canaanites in the land to humble us and to try us some reliquiae and remains of sins lest we should too much pride and please our selves seems too light to preponderate all the precedent discourse For indeed 't is Vanity it self 't is as if God would have us sin lest we should sin or as if whilst God would eradicate all sin he should not once lay the Axe to the root of the first and fowlest in the World And now I would willingly ask any Advocate for the wicked lives of Christians Why it should be thought impossible by the Grace of the Gospel to obtain such a deliverance from Sin Did not God make man upright Are not Christ's Precepts very consentaneous to that Original nature Is not Vertue where there is a parity of custom much more pleasant than Vice Is it not true which Salvian observes that Fidelity Chastity Humility Sobriety Mercy Sanctity non onerant nossed ornant they are not our burthens but our ornaments Doth not reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though obscurely discern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some Sympl p 74. measure contend for it Is not Sin its own punishment Is it not like the Locusts of St. John Their faces were like the faces of men and their hair like the hair of a Women but had tails like Scorpions and stings there What else mean those ictus those laniatus those surda verbera those Vultures those furies and Thespian Vipers I mean those sad and disconsolate reflections upon an immoral and ill-govern'd life No no Sin is but the disease and dyscrasie of the Soul Righteousness is the health and natural complexion of it Now there is a propension in every thing to return to its proper state and to cast off whatsoever is heterogeneous to it As some Physicians say Medicaments are but subservient to Nature by removing impediments and obstructions but Nature it self and the inward Archeus released and set at liberty works the cure Then this reproves two popular Errors 1. Of those who think those words The good that I would I do not the evil that I would not that I do to be the highest measure of a Christian's proficiency for the undeceiving of whom I shall observe a triple estate of impiety or enmity to God 1. Of such who night and day do little else but provide for the Flesh to fulfil its lusts who without all shame wallow in many kinds of sins in whom the sence of good and evil is near upon extinguished or but very obscure footsteps of it do remain Whose Character St. Paul hath given us Of vain Eph. 4. 18 19. minds having their understandings darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
Apostles 2. That the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles is not a Speculative but a Practical Doctrine 3. And which will follow from both The raising of Opinions beside the Doctrine of our Lord and his Apostles and which have no good influence upon the lives of men is the effect of Pride Ignorance Corruption and destitution of Truth and the cause of Envy Strife Reproachings Suspicions and perverse Disputings Of these succinctly The only Rule of a Christian's faith and life is the Doctrine of Tertul. de Praescript C. 6. Nobis verò nihil ex nostro arbitrio inducere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus Auctores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent elegerunt sed acceptam à Christo discipliuam fideliter Nationibus assignaverunt 1 Pet. 4. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles St. Peter would have him that speaks as the Oracles of God i. e. without Addition Subtraction or Alteration For the Apostles were Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Now 't is required of Stewards that they be found faithfull 1 Cor. 4. 1. St. Paul was not wont to withhold any thing profitable from them but Acts 20. 20 27. to declare the whole Counsel of God And Moses speaking of our Saviour truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall Acts 3. 22. ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you and the voice from the cloud telling us he was the beloved Son of God commands us to hear him Luke 9. 35. Why else are we bid to search the Scriptures are said to have Moses and the Prophets Why did St. Paul think it a just and full defence of himself to say After the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written Acts 24. 14. in the Law and the Prophets But here I expect the objections of the old Gnosticks decliners of the Scripture Lucifugae Scripturarum Tertul de c. 47. In accusationem ipsarum Scripturarum convertuntur as Tertullian calls them when they are reproved out of the Scriptures they accuse the Scriptures themselves either they want sufficient Authority or are hard to be understood or imperfect without Tradition not written but oral because St. Paul said We speak wisdom among them that are perfect So Clemens Iren. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 757. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Alexandria tells us of some who did patch together false and feigned doctrines that with very good reason they might refuse the Scriptures But when God's Church had exploded those conceits the Romanist rises up against the Word Scriptures saith he be not necessary nor written by divine command are imperfect obscure that we have no original Books and such as we have be corrupted and some others quos dicere nolo imagin that they can speak better than the Wisdom and Spirit of God and notwithstanding St. Paul hath told us the Scripture is useful for reproof yet these men are pleased 1. Tim. 3. 16. to take up what Timothy was to avoid the introduction of Profanas vocum novitates So Ambr and the vulgar Latin Chrysostom as Theophylact intimates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though there is as little difference in the sence as the sound All new terms i. e. postnate to the sealing of the Canon in matters of faith being vain and empty as to the establishing any one Article in it New and Extra-scriptural words for the more effectual reproving of Hereticks forsooth as if he could be an Heretick who did receive the whole Scripture as his only Rule of Christian faith and life But if that be the Rule which is the language of the whole Reformation it must be so complete that it needs no addition as Chilling worth 54. well as so evident that it needs no interpretation for both these we are assured are properties requisite to a perfect Rule 'T is a strange piece of arrogance to think we can speak of God or the things of God better than he himself hath spoken Cannot he that fram'd Num Deus mentis vocis linguae Artifex disertè loqui non potest the mind the voice the tongue speak apposity Yes sure divine Providence took care that those things which were divine should be clear that all might understand Carere fuco voluit ea Lactan. de vero cultu p. 623. what things he spake to them all And Chrysostom having very much urged the reading of the holy Scriptures at length meets that objection What if we do not understand the things we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homil 3. de Laz. there He answers 'T is not possible you should be equally ignorant of all things therein For the grace of the Spirit hath so disposed matters therein that Publicans and Fishers and Tent-makers and Shepherds and Rusticks and Ideots and Illiterate did compose the books So that the most Idiotick soul cannot excuse himself on this account things being plain enough to be seen that mechanick Servants and Women and the worst educated may receive great benefit by them These things were not composed for vain glory Tom. 5. p. 244. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for the salvation of such as should hear them Gentile Philosophers indeed and Rhetoricians and Writers not consulting the publick good but their own reputation delivered the most useful notions in their usual obscurity But Prophets and Apostles take the very contrary course their clear and manifest notions they explicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men as became the common teachers of the whole World So that every man of himself may by reading only understand the things that are said in these books And afterwards on occasion of the Eunuch's reading the Prophet he vehemently recommends a diligent reading of the holy Books He tells us how the reading of them defends us against sins the ignorance of them is a dangerous Precipice and deep Abyss A great hazard it is of our Salvation to be ignorant of the Scriptures This is it that introduces Heresies into our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyp. de lapsu Ecclesiae non jungitur qui ab Evangelio separatur Aufer haereticis quae cum ethnicis sapiunt ut de Scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt Tertul. Faith Immoralities into our lives and causes great confusion in matters of Religion 'T is the neglect or contempt of Scripture is cause of heresie So that we say as Austin All things De doct Chr. l. 2. c. 9. In its quae apertè in Scriptura posita sunt inveniri illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Epist 3. ad Vo. Iren.
4. 7. of God You will further perceive that the scope of the Gospel was 1. To break down the Partition wall between Jew and Gentile 2. To scour up the Old Law and fill up its vacuities which the Scripture calls Self-denial Repentance Righteousness Charity Obedience mainly insisted on in the Sermon on the Mount And 3. To declare the remission of sins to penitents i. e. such as reform themselves according to the Law aforesaid which supports our hope in place of the Ceremonial expiatory Sacrifices The first of these was last insisted upon as well became the prudence of our Lord and was the occasion of that Councel Acts 15. at Jerusalem and of several discourses and of some Writings of St. Paul But the second and third were the first and common argument of the Baptist our Lord and his Apostles by commission from him Repentance having reference to the Moral Law and Remission of sins superseding the Mosaick expiations This being the main substance of that form of Prayer by which he assists us in our duty and summing up his design in coming into the World to his Disciples after his Resurrection tells them all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning Luke 24. 44. me That it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day that by all those signs accomplished in him and by him he might give sufficient assurance that he was the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations St. Paul tells us indeed Faith 1 Cor. 13. 13. Hope and Charity remain but how as the Rock which followed Israel in its 4. 14. 13. effects so their works follow the dead These Vertues shall have their reward which the Lord the righteus Judge shall give at that day These are main Theological Vertues Faith is as the Eye of Reason to direct and Hope as the Food or the spirits to chear us in this spiritual life but the Way we are to walk and the main work we have to do is Charity and that answers to Repentance If we consider Christianity as a Plant Faith resembles the root Hope the stalk but the fruit which is principally designed is Charity A right faith is an excellent foundation and if it be operative it is all in all It guides and so raiseth our Hope and Charity for a firm Hope is an exalted degree of Faith in things of the same nature and a degree towards Charity And this is the reason why the Scripture supposing man as he ought to be to be consentaneous to himself doth impute that sometimes to Faith sometimes to Hope which is more peculiarly and ultimately proper to Charity or at least to one of these Vertues that which is but adequate to all But now if we compare these Vertues one with another and so set them at difference which men do too often and the Scripture for our information sometimes doth you will find Charity the more final and publick Good The two former viz. Faith and Hope being but means to this end They determine in our selves but this is extended beyond us even as far as to God to do him honour and to do our Neighbour good the greatest of these is Charity saith the Apostle not only for duration but for worth and dignity too fruition determines Hope and Faith is that which bears up and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 G. Nyssen p. 646. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supports under the uncertainty of things hoped But when they are obtained Charity remains not having any thing to succeed it Faith is so recommended and injoyned for the light it yields and for the fruit it bears for there is no walking without light nor no fruit without a root Wherefore our Obedience So long as the Church looked upon her Faith as the foundation of her Obedience she made good the Title Christ gives her Cant. 6. of his love his dove his undefiled Causes of decay of Christian Piety p. 247. is built upon our Creed and the dis-believing of some Articles like the failing of a foundation may bring down all the superstructure with it Such is the denyal of the Resurrection of the dead or all future rewards or the Allegorizing away the history of the Gospel or the making of it like an Aesopick Fable with a canting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an unintelligible Moral hidden under it For although St. Paul supposes it in that enumeration the meanest Vertue yet of very great use as the foundation of an house usually is the builder chiefly intending its strength for the whole Fabrick is raised upon it If we divide the Gospel into Laws and Miracles which are the most substantial parts of it you will find much of the history spent in proving the Divinity of Christ that he was the promised Messiah of the World the Prophecies of the Old Testament being fulfilled and the Types of the Mosaick Law having their complement and period in him and so warranting his Commission but all the signs accomplished in him and all the wonders wrought by him even his being raised from the dead by which the Gospel which was in a manner dead and buried with him reviv'd though evidence of his Authority and principal motives to believe on him yet are necessary to be known by us only in order to his Doctrine as they render his Precepts and his Promises the more remarkable as it is usual to satisfie our selves of the validity of a Commission before we yield obedience to it or take orders from it It is not God's work upon us by these signs and miracles so much as his works within us or by us which we shall be Nihil mihi oblicitur nisi quod dicor plusculum laudare bona opera saith Melancthon to Joachimus Camerarius Epist 193. pag. 742. Edit Lond. Hence the Christian Religion is called the profession of our hope Heb. 10. 23. 1 Pet. 3. 15. judged by which because his doctrin regulates and we cooperate in are therefore called our works Now the Doctrines of Christianity which concern us more nearly are of two sorts such as sustein our Hope or direct our Charity 1. Such as sustein our Hope of them we make daily profession in the Capitular called the Apostles Creed which particulars are not Articles of simple Belief so much as Objects to erect our Hope 2. Such as direct our Charity or obedience comprised in that Digest of the Law of Nature called the Ten Commandements together with some excellencies and perfections of Morality superadded by our Lord. So that you perceive Faith and Hope Fides multa promissa habet quia via est ad dilectionem Grot. how much soever is said in advancing them serve only in their places in order to our main work which is Charity or Obedience In