the Soul he understands it in his darke way according to the mind of sacred Philosophie whence he borrowed this as other of the choisest of his Philosophemes Now in sacred Philosophie this moral death of the Soul is not hyperbolic but real albeit metaphorically expressed Psal 5.9 Rom. 3.13 Thus Psal 5.9 cited by Paul Rom. 3.13 Their throat is an open sepulchre What David ascribes to the throat Plato Gorg. 499. attributes to the whole bodie namely that it is but the sepulchre of the Soul Whence he makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be by a Paronomasie derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sepulchre as before And Democritus said That the diseases of the Soul were the greatest which if men could open they should find there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sepulchre ful of evils David cals the throat an open sepulchre because 1 the heart or soul of al by nature lies morally dead and rotten in the bodie as in a sepulchre 2 The Soul lying dead in this sepulchre continually sends forth loathsome and noisome smels as if you draw nigh to an open sepulchre where dead bodies newly rotten lie buried you wil soon scent their noisome sumes 3 Mens mouths and throats are as it were the mouth of this sepulchre by which mens dead rotten hearts breathe forth their loathsome smels You may scent mens corrupt hearts in their words which passe through their throats those open sepulchres Again that men are borne naturally and morally dead in sin is wel illustrated Esa 1.4 Ah! Esa 1.4 sinful nation a people laden with iniquitie as with a mountain of lead But lest men should conceit that al this iniquitie comes only by custome and frequence of sinful acts he addes a seed of evil doers or maligne sinners This notes that men are borne sinners a sinful brood that sin is hereditarie and not only by custome Esa 57.4 Thus Esa 57.4 Children of transgression i. e. 1 borne in sin of sinful parents 2 Addicted to transgression given up to it for according to the Hebrew Idiome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a child being used with a Genitive Case of Appellatives is taken for such an one as is wholly addicted and devoted to such a thing Thence it follows a seed of falsehood i. e. a lumpe or masse of hypocrisie wholly composed and made up of iniquitie an adulterous brood Al sin is in the heart of man and the heart of man is in al sin albeit he be not always hurried into al acts of sin Hence Plato mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an innate and connate evil or vitiositie of nature commun to al as before § 2. of this Chapter And Seneca assures us That corrupt Nature has drunke in such deep draughts of iniquitie which are so far incorporated with its bowels as that you cannot get it out but by tearing out its very bowels Hence 2. Prop. There are no seeds of spiritual life No seeds of Virtue in corrupt Nature no active power or disposition to what is spiritually good in corrupt Nature Thence Cyril Alexandr termes Virtue or Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prerogative above the Creation And Chrysostome in Gen. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gift above Nature overcoming Nature it self Where there is a spiritual death there is a total privation without the least seed of active power for the production of a virtuose life Free-wil in corrupt nature is alive to do evil but dead as to the doing what is good it is mighty knowing and potent to do evil as Jer. 4.22 but every way ignorant and impotent as to doing what is good it can find legs to run away from God but none to run to him And if the person be dead can his acts or workes be alive May we expect a good thought or word or deed from such al their days so long as they continue in such a dead state of sin Is it possible for a dead corps to take up its coffin and grave upon its back and thence to arise and walke And is it not much more impossible for a dead Soul to dispose it self towards a virtuose life It is frequently inculcated in sacred Philosophie That there are no seeds of spiritual life in corrupt nature A human power is not sufficient to produce an act more than human The divine life and motion towards God must procede from God Mans sin and miserie come from his own free-wil but al Virtue and Beatitude from free Grace he that is not acted by divine Grace is necessarily acted by carnal lust corrupt nature is not only emty of but contrary to al good and therefore al workes done by it are dead workes because they procede from a dead nature and tend to death wherefore true moral Virtue cannot be extracted out of the power of Nature Thus Cyril Alexandr lib. 1. in Esa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's proper to human Nature in no wise to receive any heavenly gifts of Grace out of its own nature but to enrich it self with the gifts of God above Nature This Hypothesis albeit the Stoics and Aristoteleans contradict it is evidently deducible from Socrates and Plato's Philosophie Thus Plato Meno pag. 99. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virtue comes not by Nature neither from the Institutes of Learning but by divine Afflation or Inspiration without the concurse of the human mind in those in whom it 's produced It 's true the Stoics held 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Virtue might be taught because there were sparkes or seeds thereof in human Nature which might be drawen forth by good institution but this Socrates greatly opposed as that which was inconsistent with the depraved state of the Soul and divine concurse for the production of Virtue And sacred Philosophie is most positive in this that there are no seeds of spiritual life or virtue in man Psal 5.9 Thus Psal ◠9 Their inward part or the most sublime refined intimate part of the Soul is very wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickednesses pravities The Plural for the Singular and abstract for the concrete which denotes 1 an Vniversalitie both of the predicate and subject that al their inward parts were ful of sin and that al sin was in their inward parts 2 The perfection of Sin For abstracts specially in the Plural Number speak Essences and Spirits The Elixir and Spirits of Sin are in the inwards of corrupt Nature Hence 3. Prop. The inclination of corrupt Nature to evil Natural impotence to what is good and its impotence as to what is good is universal and total This naturally follows from what precedes for if the Soul be morally dead in sin without any seeds of spiritual life or moral virtue then it follows that its impotence to good is total for as in naturals death is a total privation of life there is not the least seed for the reduction of the life lost so in morals such
the more intimately it adheres to him The motion of the Soul towards its last end is much stronger than that towards the means and therefore the adherence is the greater What more natural than for a rational Creature to adhere to its last end And O what perfection ariseth hence To be drawen by God as our last end is to be drawen by our most noble perfect and best self and therefore this speaks not only Subjection but blessed Constitution and Perfection § 3. Having summed up Plato's Philosophemes of the last End The chiefest Good its Proprieties we now procede to his Contemplations of the chiefest Good which hath intimate connexion therewith His main Discourses of the chiefest Good he layes down in his Philebus his Convivium 1. It is the Idea of Good and de Repub. l. 26. c. 9. we shal reduce the whole to these following proprieties 1. Plato stiles the chiefest Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Idea of al good So in his Philebus having proposed this Question Wherein the chiefest Good consistes he resolves it into the Idea of Good Which he elsewhere stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Good meaning the chiefest He termes the chiefest good the Idea of al good 1 because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-sufficient Good yea Goodnesse it self in the abstract i. e. al Good pure Good Good by himself and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfectly Good The chiefest Good is Good by his own Goodnesse and not by any participated Goodnesse Whence some of the Platonists stile him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superessential Goodnesse Where ever is the chiefest Good there is the Essence of Good Goodnesse in the abstract and the chiefest Good are convertible you cannot find the one but you 'l find the other also Whatever good is predicable of any Creature is in the chiefest Good in the abstract and al know that Abstracts speak Formes and Essences So that the chiefest Good must needs be essential Goodnesse in the abstract and thence by consequence al Good in Idea Thus Basil in Psal 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The self-good or Ideal good is really blessed unto which al look and which al desire as the measure of al good 2 Plato stiles the chiefest Good the Idea of Good because he is both the prime Efficient and Exemplar of al Good 1 He is the prime Efficient of al good As al Creatures flow from and reflow to God as the Ocean or plenitude of al Being so also their Goodnesse participates of the like fluxe from and refluxe to the Divine Goodnesse No Creature hath any good in it further than it partakes of the chiefest Good whatever you possesse if you want the chiefest Good you possesse nothing Hence 2 the chiefest Good is the measure of al Good Every thing is so far good to us as it corresponds with and refers to the chiefest Good So Plato Repub. 2. pag. 357. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We love the chiefest Good for its own sake as also althings else that flow from it meaning the chiefest Good is the only measure of our love So Arist. Rhet. l. 1. c. 7. makes that the chiefest Good which is chosen for it self and thence the measure of al good 2. The chiefest Good according to Plato is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The chiefest Good the first Beautie Beautie it self or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Beautie So in his Conviv pag. 210. Whosoever is brought thus far to contemplate things beautiful rightly and in their order arriving to the end of things lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shal immediately contemplate that wonderful native Beautie for the sake of which we have hitherto undertaken al our labors Wherein he teacheth us that we may not fixe our eyes only on these inferior Beauties but by them as by so many ascents mount up to the contemplation of the first supreme Beautie which is our chiefest good That the prime Beautie is the chiefest good wil be most evident if we look into the nature of Beautie as opened by Plato who makes al Beautie to consiste 1 in Symmetrie and Proportion So in his Timaeus pag. 87. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Good is beautiful and what is beautiful cannot want measure order or proportion Aquinas makes this difference between Bonitie and Beautie that Bonitie or Goodnesse properly regards the Wil but Beautie the Eye and Understanding thence beautiful colors arise from that varietie and convenance which is in them to please the eye That Symmetrie is essential to Beautie Timaeus tels us p. 103. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Principes of Beautie are Symmetrie or proportion of parts c. Thence Plato Leg. 3. makes Wisdome to be most beautiful because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest of Symphonies or Harmonies So Conviv pag. 205. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdome is the greatest of Beauties Now Plato Conviv pag. 211. saith The chiefest Good is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it self with it self the most uniforme and simple Being and therefore most beautiful Again is Wisdome most beautiful because most concordant with it self And is not God the chiefest Good also the most uniforme Wisdome The proportion required to Beautie is wel expressed by Sales de l'Amour de Dieu l. 1. c. 1. Union saith he establisht in distinction makes order order breeds convenance agreament and proportion and convenance in things entire and accomplisht makes Beautie An Armie is beautiful when it is composed of al its parts so ranked together in their order that their distinction is reduced to that agreament which they ought to have together To make Music beautiful there is required not only that the voices be clear and wel distinguished but also that they be conjoined in such sort one to t'other that they make one just consonance and harmonie by means of the union that is in the distinction and the distinction that is in the union of the voices which may deservedly be called a discordant Accord or rather an accordant Discord Hence 2 Al Beautie ariseth from Perfection and Integritie of parts Those things are most beautiful in their kind which are most perfect And is not the chiefest Good most absolutely and simply perfect 3 The last and main Cause of Beautie is Splendor Light and Claritie Thence Beautie is defined by Plato the Fulgor and Lustre of Good Splendor and Brightnesse is essential to Beautie to the end that it may be visible or intelligible Obscurities Shadows and Darknesses are deformed and render althings deformable because nothing in them is visible or intelligible neither order nor distinction nor union nor convenance So Job 10.22 in the description of the grave he saith It is a land of darknesse as darknesse it self and of the shadow of death without any order and where the light is as darknesse i.e. There is no light therefore no order and beautie Light gives life to brightnesse which is but a dead inutile
to their Soldiers to eat with their bread Death is the proper stipend which Sin gives to its Soldiers and Slaves to feed on to preserve life it is the reward of al their labors and toil in the ways of sin 't is their sustenance and food al they have to keep them alive unto al eternitie And O! what a miserable life is that which is maintained by death 5 Sin is in it self the greatest punishment Sin in it self the worst Jounishment because the greatest evil Sin was the first evil that came into the world that which opened the door to al other evils and conteins in it the spirits venime and malignitie of al evils therefore there cannot be a more severe punishment of sin than to be left to a course of sin This Plato once and again takes notice of Thus in his Gorgias pag. 477. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The moral evil of the Soul is of al evils the greatest This is an universal evil nothing but evil is in sin it is the Spirit and Elixir of al evil al evil is in sin and sin is in al evil So pag. 479. Thou accountest unjust men happy if they escape punishment but I account them more miserable And he gives the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For not to be punished for sin is the stablissement of Sin So pag. 472. According to my opinion O Polus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unjust man is of al most miserable yet he is more miserable who acting unjustly avoids punishment For what greater miserie or punishment can there be than to be given up by God to the swinge of a mans own lusts without check or rebuke Are not such punishments which seem most silent most severe and desperate Albeit men may enjoy securitie in their sin for a while yet is not this the worst part of their punishment Doth not the righteous God oft conveigh his worst curses and plagues in the sweet wine of temporal prosperitie There is no one blessing that such a Sinner enjoys but there is a curse stamped on it Divine Justice writes a piece of Hel on al his temporal comforts as he writes a piece of Heaven on al the chastisements of the righteous Thus also Plato in his Meno pag. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For what else is it to be miserable than to desire evils and to possesse them And this indeed is a general Dogme with Plato as in his Gorgias That to be punished by a Judge for sin is not the greatest punishment but even then when they are involved in their sins they fal under the most severe punishment That sin that is guilt in the commission of it Maximum scelerum supplicium est in ipsis Statim puniuntur cum facta sunt imo dum fiunt Non nascitur ex malo bonum ad semen nata respondent Sen. Epist. 87. is punishment in the power of it so much pleasure as men take in the commission of their sin so much torment they find in the issue The evil of punishment is answerable to the evil of doing He that departs from God executes on himself his own doom and the farther he departs from God the more he is involved in chains of darknesse O! what an indissoluble connexion is there between sin and punishment Can any sin be so deliciose in the commission as it is bitter in the issue Is not sin a pregnant mother with child of miserie Yea doth it not carrie Hel in its wombe He that loseth his God by sin doth he not lose comforts life yea self and al 6 Albeit the servitude of Sin be in it self the greatest punishment Other punishments of Sin yet there are many other punishments that attend it 1 Al Sin is attended with fear and shame As sin breeds guilt so guilt breeds fear and shame So Plato Leg. 5. tels us That he who fils his Soul with sin clothes it with reproche and shame as before § 6. Prop. 6. And that Fear always attends sin is frequently asserted by the ancient Philosophers who tel us Tuta scelera esse possunt secura non possunt Sen. That Fortune may deliver some from punishment but none from fear A nocent person has sometimes the privilege to lie hid but never any true confidence Sins may be safe but not secure it 's a great portion of securitie to do no il Thence Bion said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That impietie is the worst companion of confidence And it was a good observation of Tertullian That Nature hath clothed al Sin either with fear or shame 2 The servitude of Sin is attended with Instabilitie Plato in his Philebus Imperitis ac rudibus nullus praecipitationis finis est In Epicureum illud chaos decidunt inane sine termino Sen. pag. 59. saith That such things as have no firmitude in them are most instable Such is Sin The firmitude of the Soul consistes in its adherence to its first Principe and last End Thence by how much the farther men depart from God by so much the more instable they are He that leans on a thing instable must needs be instable in al his ways and what more instable than Sin and sinful Idols Whatever the Soul by inordinate love cleaves unto it is overcome by and suffers changes as that object lusted after changeth As a Ship is poised by its ballast and a Bee poiseth its airy bodie by a gravel so the heart is poised by virtue but corrupt Nature and sinful passions are ful of Levitie and Instabilitie whereby the heart is kept in suspense as a Meteor in the Air as Luk. 12.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was Cains curse and a great part of his servile punishment Gen. 4.12 13. Gen. 4.12 A fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be in the earth i. e. in an instable vagrant condition both as to soul and bodie and what follows v. 13. And Cain said unto the Lord My punishment is greater than I can bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my punishment or my sin O what an heavy piece of servitude is this to an awakened conscience to have a wandring vagrant spirit Jam. 1.6 8. This instabilitie which attends the servitude of Sin Hos 6.2 is wel illustrated Hos 6.2 But they al like men have transgressed the Covenant Hebr. like Adam i.e. like vain inconstant man Adam had no sooner entred into Covenant with God but he brake it Thus al his seed turne after him 3 Another punishment that attends the servitude of Sin is Anxietie and Torment Thus Plato Repub. 9. pag. 579. speaking of the Soul under the Tyrannie of Sin he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is inflamed with perpetual sparkes of Fears Angors and Agitations So in his Symposium pag. 206. he informes us That the Soul when it adheres to sin is under dolors and torments and yet brings forth nothing but wind Isal 7.14 as Psal 7.14 He travelleth with iniquitie and
and influence whence they consecrated the Laurel to Apollo which signified with them the heat and influence of the Sun the Laurel being a Plant as they say hot and alwaies green Such a soverain efficace did the Grecian Philosophers ascribe unto the Sun in regard of its influence not only on Plants but also on animal Bodies and therefore it is deservedly made by Plato a symbolic image of Gods efficacious Concurse on al create Beings and Operations Thus in sacred Philosophie we find Christ as the first cause of al Grace compared to the Sun and his gracious influxe to the beams of the Sun So Mal. 4.2 Mal. 4.2 But unto you that fear my Name shal the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and ye shal go forth and grow up as calves of the stal Christ here as the first original Spring of al Grace and compared to the Sun whence he is said to arise with healing in his wings i. e. his Beams for the Beams of the Sun are its wings whereby it conveighs an healing prolific influence to althings that have life The Sun indeed vouchsafeth warme efficacious influences to al natural bodies both vegetable and animal it has an universal prolific influence on al sublunarie bodies Thence it 's said Psal 19.6 Psal 19.6 And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof i. e. it s warme benigne influxe reacheth as some conceive unto al natural effects even to the very Minerals and Metals But certain it is that Vegetables and Plants are greatly influenced by the Sun Job 8.16 Hence that Job 8.16 He is green before the Sun Whence is the beautie of Roses the delicious suavities of Fruits the medicinal virtues of Herbes the nourishment of Corne the fatnesse of Olives the cordial and heart-reviving influences of Grapes but from the Sun So for the animal life are not al Insects produced by the Sun Yea doth not the health strength vivacitie and comforts of mans bodie receive much influence from the efficacious beams of the Sun as Job 30.28 Eccles 11.7 Is not then the Sun both in Sacred and Platonic Philosophie made an apt Symbol to represent the efficacious Concurse of God as the first cause of althings but more specially of supernatural effects O! what Soul-reviving influences are there in the warme beams of Divine concurse What universal inexhaustible infinite treasures of Divine light and heat are there in the Sun of Righteousnesse Are not his beams the light of life as Joh. 8.12 Psal 84.11 Such is the efficace of Divine concurse There is moreover a great emphase and elegance in that phrase Mal. 4.2 And ye shal go forth and grow up as calves of the stal i.e. as weak feeble Calves which in the winter by reason of the cold are kept in the stal at spring when they go forth and sport themselves under the warme healing beams of the Sun how greatly do they grow and thrive so the sick infirme friends of Christ when they lie under the warme refreshing corroborating influences of his medicinal Grace Yea this efficacious soverain Grace doth not only cure infirme consumtive Souls but also give life to dead Souls Thus Esa 9.2 The people that walked in darkenesse have seen a great light Esa 9.2 they that dwel in the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined 1 This Prophecie refers to our Lords first Preaching among those that inhabited the land of Zabulon and Nephthali mentioned v. 1. and so applied Mat. 4.14 15 16. who were indeed at the coming of our Lord under very black Egyptian darkenesse whence they are said to walke in darkenesse 2 They are said to dwel in the land of the shadow of death 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that dwel denotes a fixed immobile state not only of such as travel or passe throwo a countrie but of inhabitants Then 2 we have the place of their habitation the land of the shadow of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the shadow of death whereby we may understand either a deadly shade such as by the dampe thereof strikes dead which is very frequent in some darke cavernes of the Earth or else by the shadow of death we may understand the Grave which is the darke shadowy habitation of the dead as Job 10.21 the Grave is stiled the land of darkenesse and the shadow of death And look as dead men are loged in the darke shadowy Grave so were these dead Souls in the land of Zabulon and Nephthali loged in the Grave of sin under the darke deadly shade thereof which implies a total privation of spiritual light and life Now 3 on these dead Souls dwelling in the Grave of sin the light shined i. e. Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse arose with healing under his wings or warme beams of efficacious Grace Yea how oft doth this omnipotent heart quickening Grace picke out the worst of sinners as fit mater to exert its soverain efficace on Esa 19.18 Thus Esa 19.18 In that day i. e. when the Sun of Righteousnesse shal arise on Egypt with healing under his wings shal five cities in the land of Egypt speake the language of Canaan i. e. be converted to God and swear to the Lord of Hostes i. e. bind themselves inviorably to Christ by an Oath of Allegeance and Supremacie one shal be called the Citre of Destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render the Citie of Destruction is rendred by Grotius Gataker and other Critics the Citie of the Sun called by the Grecians who possessed it Heliopolis which the Hebrews expressed by Bethsenes the house of the Sun i. e. consecrated to the Sun their principal God which was with al manner of idolatric Rites worshipped in this Citie For Herodotus assures us that this Citie Heliopolis was one of the sixe unto which the Egyptians used at some solemne times to repair out of al parts to celebrate the Worship of the Sun because here was their renowned Temple of the Sun as also Mnevis one of their sacred Buls which they worshipped as God of which see Court Gent. P. 1. B. 2. C. 8. § 9. Now this Heliopolis so much addicted to and immersed in Idolatrie is made one of the principal objects on which the Sun of Righteousnesse should arise with healing under his wings or beams of efficacious medicinal Grace So v. 22. And the Lord shal smite Egypt he shal smite and heal it and they shal returne even unto the Lord c. What! shal Egypt yea the most idolatrous Citie of Egypt Heliopolis be healed by the soverain Grace of the Sun of Righteousnesse O! what a potent demonstration is this of the omnipotent efficace of medicinal Grace May not this Argument be further promoved by a reflexion on these Britannic Iles and their prodigiose Idolatrie when the Sun of Righteousnesse at first arose on them with healing under his wings of Evangelic medicinal Grace But for the more ful explication
8. also Philos Gen. P. 1. L. 1. c. 2. s 5. L. 3. c. 4. BREVIARIE OF CONTENTS The COURT of the GENTILES PART IV. Of Reformed Philosophie Preface THE first Reformers of Philosophie Wiclef Wesselus Savonarola Picus Mirandula Lud. Vives Melanchton Stapulensis and Ramus 1. The Right Vse and Abuse of Platonic Philosophie 4. The Designe of this Discourse to render Philosophie subservient to Christian Theologie 6. A Proemial Scheme of Reformed Philosophie Philosophie Considered 1. Generally 1 in its Historie 2 In its generic Nature Cognition Which includes nine Intellectile Habits 3 In its Ends Adjuncts Differences Right Vse Abuse Parts and Characters c. 1. 2. Particularly 1. As Notional or Logic. Wherein consider 1 Its End the Refinement of the Intellect 3. 2 Its Parts touching 1 Simple Ideas or Notions both Objective and Subjective and these both first and second 4 5. 2 Propositions and Judgements 6. 3 Syllogisme and Discourse its Mater and Forme Figures and Modes 8 9. 4 Method which regardes the former three Parts 12. 2. Real Philosophie 13. 1 Natural Physiclogic and Mathematic Ib. 2 Moral Ethic or Private Oeconomic and Politic. Ib. 3 Metaphysic or Prime 14. BOOK I. Of Moral Philosophie CHAP I. Of Prudence the last End and chiefest Good Use Fruition and Delectation MOral Philosophie its Genus Prudence 2 Prudence its Nature and Object Ib Its Offices and Parts 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The Subject of Prudence Conscience 5. The Law of Conscience Ib. Synteresis and Syneidfies what 6. The Rule of Purdence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 1 Subjective right Reason Ib. 2 Objective right Reason 8. The Last End its influence in Morals 9 The last End as extensive as the First Principe and but one 10. The last End desired infinitely 11. God the Last End of al. 12. Assimilation to the Divine Bonitie the Last End of Man 13 To adhere to God as our Last End speakes Perfection 14. The Chiefest Good its Proprietles Ib. 1 It 's the Idea of al Good 15. 2 It 's the Preme Beautle Ib. The Nature of Beaurie Explicated 16. The Soverain Beautie of God 17. 3 The chiefest good most proper 18. Vse and its Regulation Ib. What Temperance is 19. The Vtilitie of things in reference to their Last End 20. Concupiscence the Fruition of created good for itself 22. Intention of God as the Last End how it must be ever actual 23. Fruition its Difference from Vse 25. Al Fruition importes 1 Love 26. 2 Vnion and Possession 28. 3 Communion with the best Good 29. By Contemplation and Love 30. 4 Delectation and Joy 31. Which requires 1 a sweet Good 32. 2 Possession thereof 33. 3 Action thereon 34. Adjuncts of Delectation 1 Realitie 35. 2 Connaturalitie and Agreament 36. 3 Vniformitie and Harmonie 37. 4 Puritie 5 Force 39. 6 Infinitude without excesse 40. The Effects of Delectation 1 Amplitude Ib. 2 Quietation and Satisfaction 41. CHAP. II. Of the Moralitie of human Acts and Moral Bonitie THE Moralitie of human Acts. 42. Moral Bonitie in Conformitie to the Divine Law 46. The measure of Moral Good Perfect 48. The Vniversalitie of a perfect Law Ib. Subjective right Reason not the measure of Moral Good 50. No human Law a perfect Rule Ib. The Divine Law the rule of Moral Good 51. Right Reason Objective Light 52. The Mosaic Law a perfect Rule 54. The Parts and Causes of Moral Good 55. The Mater of Moral Good 56. Things Indifferent in Genere and Specie 57. No Action Indifferent in Individuo 58. A Virtuose Wil the Effective Principe of Moral Good 60. The best End Essential to Moral Good 62. The Forme of Moral Good in Conformitie to the Moral Law 63. How the Forme of Good Consistes in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wel-doing Ib. How far Circumstances Moralise 64. The Vnitie and Vniformitie of Good 68. Al Good and Virtue Supernatural 69. The Difficultie of Moral Good 70. The Virtues of Pagans only lesser Sins 71. The Distribution of Virtue into Pietie and Justice 72. CHAP. III. Of Virtue and Moral Libertie MOral Virtue an Habitual Perfection 74. Moral Libertie as to State in Virtuose Habits 76. Virtue gives 1 Dominion 78. 2 Life Health Vigor and Force 79. 3 Amplitude and Enlargement 80. 4 Nobilitie and Dignitie 82. 5 Beautie and Glorie 84. Moral Libertie as to Exercice 85. 1 Contemplation of God 86. 2 Adherence to the chiefest Good 87. 3 Dependence on the first Cause 90. 4 Conformitie 1 To Gods Precept 93. 2 To his Providential Wil. 95. 5 The reference of althings unto God as the Last End 96. Moral Libertle of Exercice the highest demonstrated 1 From its Order 98. 2 From its Spontaneitie and Suavitie 99. 3 From its Vitalitie 101. 4 From its Amplitude 103. 5 From its Purgation of Sin Ib. 6 From its Stabilitie 104. 7 From its Improving Virtue 105. 8 From its Formal Beatitude 106. CHAP. IV. Of Sin and Moral Servitude SIN a Transgression of the Law 108. Sin as to its formal Reason Privative 110. The Causes of Sin 1 Mans Defectibilitie 111. 2 The Vitiositie of human nature 112. The Nature and Influence of Original Sin 114. 3 Practic Error 115. 4 Self-love 119. Sins of Ignorance Passion Wilful 121. The Moral Servitude of Sin 122. 1 Sin repugnant to human Nature 123. 1 As a Falling from God Ib. 2 As it strips of the Image of God 124. 3 As Enmitie against God 125. 4 As it divestes men of Humanitie 126. 2 Sins repugnant each to other 127. 3 Sin most Impotent 128. 4 Sin the defilement of the Soul 129. 5 Sin ful of Shame and Reproche 130. 6 Sin the Tyrannie of the Soul 132. 7 Sin ful of Penurie and Want 133. 8 Sin the Fetters of the Soul 134. 9 Sin Folie and Madnesse 135. 10 Sin makes Men Bestes 136. The Adjuncts and Effects of this Servitude 137. The Servitude of Sin 1 Voluntary Ib. 2 Necessary the Degrees and Kinds of this sinful Necessitie 138. 3 Infinite as to Number and Magnitude 141. 4 Penal with the Nature of Punishment 142. 5 Sin in it self the greatest Punishment 144. 6 Other Punishments of Sin 145. 1 Sin breeds Fear and Shame Ib. 2 Sin ful of Instabilitie 146. 3 Sin ful of Anxietie and Torment Ib. 4 Eternal Punishment of Sin 147. Sinners Dead in Sin 148. 1 The Death of Sin not Metaphoric or Hyperbolic but Real 149. 2 No Seeds of Virtue or Spiritual Life in Corrupt Nature 150. 3 The Impotence of Corrupt Nature to what is Good Vniversal and Total 152. 4 Man cannot prepare himself for the Reception of Virtue 153. 5 No Freewil in Nature to Moral Good 155. CHAP. V. Of Plato's Politie its Essential Constitution and Administration POlitic Philosophie what 158. Politie its Forme in Order 159. The Object of Politie the Multitude or Communitie 161. God the Founder of al Polities 162. Man's
as are dead in sin are under an universal privation of spiritual life and total impotence to what is spiritually good This Hypothesis may be demonstrated 1 From the universal ignorance of the natural mind Plato discourseth accurately of this Theme as we have in what precedes § 3. mentioned but more fully Philos Gen. P. 1. l. 3. c. 3. sect 4. § 5. Yea so great and soverain is the natural ignorance of the mind that those very commun notions of knowlege loged therein are not to be estimed as some cal them the fragments of the Image of God but rather effects of divine Bountie vouchsafed his lapsed Creature upon the Intercession of the Mediator who illuminates every man that comes into the world as Joh. 1.9 That al true knowlege of things divine is the effect of divine illumination has been generally confest by Platonists as wel as Divines Thence Clemens Alexandr cals Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supernatural contemplation So Chrysostome cals divine Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which instructes and illustrates the mind Grace from above not from human Nature 2 From the formal Idea and nature of moral or spiritual good which consistes in a conformitie to the moral Law and that not only as to its mater but also as to its end and manner now it is impossible for corrupt nature by its own power to reach a supernatural end or conforme to the moral Law 3 From the disproportion and incapacitie of the subject The natural power of the Wil as now vitiated has no connatural capacitie next power or formal capacitie for the production of what is spiritually good Alas what proportion is there between a carnal mind and spiritual objects And can an object be received into the mind unlesse there be some proportion Is not every thing received according to the nature and disposition of the recipient Can then a carnal mind have any other than carnal notions of things spiritual as a spiritual mind has spiritual notions of things carnal See 1 Cor. 2.14 Joh. 6.44 8.43 12.39 40. So also for the corrupt wil it cannot possibly have any connatural virtue next power or formal capacitie for the production of any virtuose Act. Is it possible that a natural power should have any causal connexion with or connaturalitie unto a supernatural act or effect 4 Should we suppose corrupt Nature to have any moral power for the production of Virtue would not this subvert the whole Oeconomie and Dispensation of efficacious Grace For 1 Thence the whole efficace of Grace would be measured and specificated according to the complexion of Free-wil and so variated according to its diversitie 2 Whence also the last differential reason whereby Grace is differenced from Nature must be resolved into Nature 3 Natural Free-wil would from this Hypothesis be of it self and nextly flexible to spiritual good and so Virtue not the gift of God Aristotle himself who was a good Friend to corrupt Nature confesseth al good to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of God 5 From sacred Philosophie Jer. 13.33 Thus Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin c. Consider 1 That this is a proverbial speech touching the vain attemts of such as endeavor to bring about things impossible Hence that commun Proverb To wash a Black-moor relating to such as attemt things impossible 2 The manner of expressing it is very emphatic for such rhetoric interrogations carrie in them more vehement logic negations Then he addes or the Leopard his spots Then may ye also do good who are accustomed to do evil And that this impotence is total and universal on al mankind is evident from that other Proverb Ezech. 16.44 As is the mother such is the daughter Ezech. 16.44 i. e. This contagion runs in the bloud it is an hereditary disease commun to al mankind Hence sinners are said to be borne in sin Psal 51.5 and to be in sin Exod. 32.22 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world is said to be in sin i. e. immersed and plunged thereinto What this impotence to sin is and how far natural we have explicated Philos Gen. P. 1. l. 3. c. 3. sect 5. § 1. 4. Prop. Man under the servitude of Sin cannot dispose or prepare himself for the reception of Virtue Thus Greg. Nyss or de Scopo Christ Man cannot prepare himself for Virtue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The force of human virtue is not of it self sufficient to elevate Souls void of Grace to a forme of divine life unlesse God build the house c. That there can be no disposition though never so remote unto true moral Virtue from the alone facultie of Nature is evident because nothing can dispose it self to a condition above its nature by its own force unlesse it be influenced by a superior Agent A man in the state of corrupt nature cannot by al his own forces natural or moral 1 overcome any one tentation or 2 mortifie any one lust or 3 attain any one good thought inclination or desire or 4 remove the Remora or bar in his heart against conversion or 5 by doing what in him lieth lay any obligation on God to give grace I know it is a Position maintained by some That such as improve their natural abilities to their utmost power shal thereby obtain supernatural Grace But for answer hereto 1 It 's certain that none ever did or wil improve to the utmost their natural abilities 2 Or if men should improve their natural forces to the utmost what obligation is there on God to give to such supernatural Grace Is God obliged by any law or promise to give grace upon the performance of such an act or condition which is in it self sinful and hath nothing of true moral virtue in it And have we not already sufficiently proved that there can be no true moral virtue but by supernatural Grace That there is no law or obligation on God to give supernatural Grace to natural emprovements is wel demonstrated by Bradwardine de Caus Dei l. 1. c. 37. pag. 316. Yea doth it not implie a contradiction in the Adject that man should make a right use of his natural abilities or prepare himself for the reception of supernatural Grace Is it not also a sacrilegious Hypothesis to suppose that God should fetch the commun rule of his giving or not giving grace from mans dignitie or indignitie Corrupt nature wants not only an active power to do good but also an immediate passive power to receive good thence it can't dispose it self to virtue which is above its natural capacitie Is not al true virtue above the whole sphere of corrupt nature The Greek Fathers such as were more orthodoxe acknowleged That the preparation to Grace was from Grace whence it was by them termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the direction of the way also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preparation of the wil likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the attraction of
much the more perfect this self-motion is by so much the more perfect is the life Plants are said by some kind of Analogie to live because they have a shadow of self-motion which appears in their Vegetation yet they cannot be said properly to live because they rejoice not in any true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-motion or spontaneitie Brutes are said properly to live because they have a true self-motion and spontaneitie arising from the actuation of their animal and vital spirits yet their life is much short of the rational life which consistes in a rational 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-motion or spontaneitie of moving towards the last end And yet the Angelic life is higher than the rational in that the Angels have no dependence at al on physic mater But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-motion of the Life of God is of al most perfect in that it is absolutely independent The most noble Creatures have but imperfect self-motion Angels move themselves but not primarily and independently as to God the prime Motor yea their being moved by God the first Motor is in order of nature before their own self-motion so that they are but as man moved self-movers But God being independent in his Being is also independent in his self-motion he moves himself and althings else but is moved by nothing This is excellently illustrated by Plato Leg. 10. pag. 894. where he proves That God who is the prime Motor moving himself and althings else doth infinitely excel of which more largely before Chap. 2. § 3. Thus also Aquinas contra Gent. l. 1. c. 97. Life is in this respect attributed unto things as they are said to be moved by themselves and not by another hence those things which seem to move themselves are said by way of analogie to live as living Springs and Quicksilver But properly those things are said to move themselves which are composite of mover and moved as animates But nothing operates from it self so much as God because he is the first Cause of althings c. Hence 4. God Life it self God is Life it self For Gods Life being his Essence as actuose and independent he doth not only live but is Life in the abstract Whence Plato Phaedo pag. 106. cals God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very species forme or idea of life as before Creatures live but they are not life it self because they have their life by participation and every Being by participation must be reduced to somewhat that is such of it self therefore the life of the Creature must be reduced to God who is life it self Thus Aquinas sum part 1. Quaest 18. Art 3. God being Essence it self and Intelligence it self therefore life doth chiefly belong unto him For the clearing whereof we are to consider that seing things are said to live so far as they operate of themselves and are not moved by others therefore by how much the more perfectly this mode of self-operating doth belong to any thing by so much the more perfect its life is Hence those things that have understanding have the most perfect mode of living because they have the most perfect mode of self-moving but albeit our Intellect doth in somethings act it self yet in somethings it is acted by others Therefore that which in its own nature is Intelligence it self and is not determined or moved by any other that obtains the highest degree of life and is indeed life it self Hence 5. God is eternal immortal life Thus Plato Phaedo Gods Life immortal pag. 106. proves that Gods life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immortal because he is the Idea of life So in his Phaedrus pag. 245 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is ever moved is immortal but that which moves another and is moved by another because it hath an end of its motion it must necessarily have an end of its life His designe is to prove that the Soul being a self-moving principe must necessarily be an ever-moving principe and so immortal And his Argument is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatever is moved by it self i. e. rationally or intellectually that is ever moved and therefore immortal Thence he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seing it is manifest that what moves it self is immortal So Johan Grammaticus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is moved of it self i. e. intellectually is ever moved and what is so is immortal That Gods Life is immortal is most evident because 1 it has no beginning therefore no end 2 God being the prime Motor must necessarily be immobile without succession or mutation 3 Al death importes dissolution and where there is dissolution there must necessarily be composition and parts But God is most simple 6. God is Life effectively God the Cause of al Life Act. 17.28 as he is the first cause of al life to his Creatures Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being i. e. we receive al life from him because we receive al motion from him and we receive al motion from him because we receive our being from him So Damascene Orthod Fid. l. 1. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it the Deitie gives to althings Being as their Nature requires and it is the Being of Beings and the Life of things living and the Reason of things rational and the Intelligence of things intellectile Thus Plato Phaedr pag. 245. Therefore that only that moves it self because it is never deserted by it self can never cease to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea to al other things that are moved this is the fountain and principe of motion The first self moving Principe or Cause cannot cease to move because it gives motion to althings but receives motion from nothing It is the fountain of al motion and therefore of al life Of the Life of God that it is intellectual self-sufficient most blessed c. see Suarez Metaphys Disput 30. Sect. 14. pag. 116. § 2. Gods Science or Knowlege Having discoursed of the Life of God in the general we passe on to explicate the modes and ways in which this life is said to be actuose For as the Actuositie of the Rational life is manifested by Acts of Intelligence and Volition so proportionably the Actuositie of the Divine Life is explicated by Acts of Divine Intelligence and Volition We shal begin with the divine Intellect Intelligence Science and Sapience which are one and the same in God and no way distinct from his Essence For God being a pure Act the Intelligent Intellect intelligible Species Act of Intellection and objective Idea are but one in him God is the prime Being the prime Life and the prime Self-mover and therefore the prime Intelligent His Intellect is that whereby he understandes himself and althings without himself which either are or were or shal be or may be together with the various Modes Orders and Habitudes of althings and al these not by any abstract Ideas
Judicial Gubernation of Sin consistes of these several particulars 1 God suspendes and withdraws the Celestial Influences of Divine Grace and means of restraint Thus Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shal not always strive with man How soon wil the softest heart grow harder than the Adamant if God withdraw his celestial dews of Grace as Zach. 7.12 14.17 18 Hence 2 God leaves men to the plague of their own corrupt hearts which is Plato notes is the worst judgement 3 God leaves Sinners to the heart-betwitching allurements and blandishments of this World Thus Balaam Num. 22 c. 2 Pet. 2.14 15. 4 God delivers Sinners up to the power of Satan 2 Cor. 4.3 4. 2 Tim. 2.26 5 God so orders and disposeth his providences as that al do accidentally by reason of their corrupt hearts tend to their induration Rom. 11.9 10 11. 6 Yea God permits that the very means of life be to them the savor of death 2 Cor. 2.16 Esa 28.12 13 14. 7 Yea the Prince and Mediator of life is to such a strumbling-stone and occasion of death Esa 8.14 15 16. 38.13 8 God leaves them to a spirit of slumber or spiritual occecasion Rom. 11.8 Esa 19 11-14 44.18 19. 60.1 2. 2 Thes 2.10 11. 9. Prop. In the whole of Divine Gubernation about Sin his Wisdome Justice and Sanctitie Gods Attributes illustrious in his Gubernation of Sin with other Attributes are most illustrious and resplendent 1 Gods Wisdome is eminently manifest in his gubernation of Sin in that he brings the greatest good out of the greatest evils those very sins whereby wicked men endeavor to darken the Glorie of God he turnes to the advance of his Glorie We have a good Philosopheme to this purpose in Plato Theaetet pag. 167. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A wise man makes those things which are in themselves evil turne to good and to seem such as a wise Physician turnes poison into a medicament which similitude he useth 2 The Justice of God is most resplendent in the punishing that sin he permits to be 3 Gods Sanctitie is also most conspicuous in that those very acts which are morally evil in regard of God are both morally and naturally good in regard of Divine Gubernation The sin which God governes is not sin in regard of God but of the Creature that comes short of the Divine Law The holy God violates no Law by concurring as an universal Cause with the Sinner that violates his Law The sinful qualitie of a moral effect may not be imputed to the first universal Cause Duo cùm faciunt idem non est idem Proverb but only to the second particular cause Here that commun Proverbe holds true When two do the same it is not the same i. e. the same sinful act whereto God and the Sinner both concur is not the same as to both but morally evil as to the Sinner and yet naturally yea morally good as to Gods concurrence Sin as to God speakes a negation of his concurse not a privation of any thing due neither doth God wil sin simply as sin under that Reduplication but only as good and conducible to his Glorie The reason of Gods willing and governing sin both in the Elect and Reprobate is univocally one and the same namely the advance of Divine Glorie For the greatest evil of sin has something of good mixed with it which God wils and orders for his Glorie There is nothing in the world purely simply and of it self evil if there were God who is the chiefest good could not wil it Lastly man only is the proper and formal cause of sin or moral evil because he alone comes short of the rule of moral good so that Divine Gubernation both as permissive ordinative and judicial about Sin is sufficiently vindicated from the least imputation thereof CHAP. X. Of Divine Gubernation about Virtue Virtuose men and Angels Supernatural Illumination from God The Infusion of Virtues Gods care of virtuose Men. Gods Gubernation of the Angelic World The Angels Law Obedience and Disobedience Good Angels their Communion with Saints The Ministration of Angels 1 At the giving of the Law and Christ's Incarnation 2 For the Protection of Saints 3 For their Conduct 4 Their Sympathie with Saints Their Ministration at the final Judgement Divine Gubernation as to evil Angels Satans power to temt and his Limitation § 1. Supernatural Illumination from God HAving discussed Gods Divne Gubernation about Sin we now passe on to his supernatural Efficience and Gubernation of Virtue and virtuose Men. We intend not to treat hereof as it belongs to Christian Theologie but only as it fals under metaphysic or prime Philosophie termed by some Natural Theologie 1. Plato gives us frequent and great notices of Divine Illumination which is the Origine of al supernatural Virtue Thus in his Theages he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it please God thou shalt profit much and speedily otherwise not So in his Philebus he assures us That the cognition of the supreme infinitie Being is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of God to men The like Epinom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How is it that God should be accounted the cause of al other good things and not much more of wisdome which is the best good But to treat more distinctly of Divine Ilumination we are to know that as there is a twofold spiritual Darknesse the one objective in the things to be known the other subjective in the mind that is to know them so proportionably there is a twofold Light the one objective whereby God reveles the things to be known the other subjective whereby God takes off the veil from the mind and thereby inables it to apprehend supernatural Objects Now by this twofold Light Divine Gubernation conductes the Rational Creature to his supernatural end 1 God conductes the Rational Creature by an objective Light or Divine Revelation of his Wil whereby he reveles mans supernatural end and the means conducing thereto Some imperfect fragments or broken notices of this Divine Revelation were gleaned up by the wiser Heathens Pythagoras Solon Socrates Plato which gave them sufficient cause to admire and in some superstitiose manner to imitate the Judaic Institutes and Laws as the Fountain of the best Wisdome as it was foretold by Moses Deut. 4.5 6 7. and as we have sufficiently demonstrated in the precedent Parts Whence we find mention in Plato Minos pag. 317. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Royal Law as elsewhere of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Word which if I mistake not refer to Divine Revelations vouchsafed the Church of God for its conduct unto eternal life 2 As God governes and conductes the Rational Creature by an objective so also by a subjective Light which is essentially requisite for the acquirement of its supernatural end Of this also we find some and those not vulgar notices in Plato So in his Repub. 6. pag. 507 508. where he
thing if splendor and beautie give not life and efficace to it as we see in lively colors So in man his beautie is not accomplisht without a good grace and lustre which is the life of beautie Thus in the soverain Beautie of God the Splendor and Brightnesse of his Perfections renders him most beautiful Whence Beautie and Glorie both in profane and sacred Philosophie have one and the same Idea for what is beautie but the effulgence or shine of al perfections in any object And if this fulgor or splendor be illustrious and most bright it 's termed Glorie So the beautie of the Sun what is it but the gloriose effulgence or brightnesse of its light Whence it being a grand Question among the Ancients What in Nature was most beautiful it was answered Light Hence beautie is defined by the Orator A due congruence with a certain suavitie of color This suavitie of color is nothing else but the light or splendor of that perfection or goodnesse which is in the subject Whence Aquinas defines Beautie A certain bland face of Bonitie or Goodnesse And do not al these notions of beautie greatly illustrate the surpassing heart-ravishing Beautie of God the chiefest Good What more gloriose resplendent and effulgent than the chiefest Good Where may we expect more gloriose light and beautie than with the Fountain of Light in whose light alone we behold light Has not the chiefest Good the most sweet color and bland face of goodnesse Yea Plato Repub. lib. 6. pag. 509. discriminating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things which are good by participation only from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest Good he addes That this has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain infinite immense Beautie So Conviv pag. 211. he assures us That althings else are beautiful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by participation and in some certain mode only but the first Beautie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. most sincere pure immixed not contaminated with human colors or other trifles And then he breaks forth into this rapture of Admiration O what a blessed sight would it be to contemplate this divine sincere incontaminate simple uniforme Beautie Yea he positively affirmes That God who is the chiefest Good has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most illustrious and amiable Beautie Thus the spurious Dionysius de Nom. Divin cap. 4. saith That God as the soverain Beautie is the Author of the soverain Convenance beautiful Grace and lustre which is in althings making the distributions and departments of his rayes by which althings are made beautifully to shine forth God intending to render althings beautiful and good hath reduced their multitude and distinction to a perfect unitie i. e. to subserve the enjoyment of himself as the first Beautie 3. Plato makes the chiefest Good to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chiefest Good most proper c. most proper So Repub. 9. pag. 586. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is best for every one that is most proper Thus Conviv pag. 205. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chiefest Good is most proper to every one and yet commun to al Proprietie with Communitie is proper only to the chiefest Good There are several other proprieties of the chiefest Good mentioned by Plato namely that it is the most pleasant solid substantial vital uniforme agreable infinite eternal necessary divine Good which by his own concession are applicable to none but God Of which hereafter more in Aristotle's Philosophie B. 4. c. 1. § 22. § 4. Next to the last End Of Vse and its Regulation and chiefest Good follows Vse and Fruition the former belonging to the Means the later to End Vse properly consistes in the subordination and reference of althings to our last end which alone is the object of Fruition The whole life of man is distributed into Vse and Fruition Vse is a tendence or referring thing to our end This by Plato is oft expressed under the notion of Temperance which he makes to be the moderate use and reference of althings to our last end So in his Gorgias pag. 507. he begins thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The temperate Soul is good Thence he collects That the intemperate Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mad and dissolute Whence he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The temperate man wil do that which has a decorum both towards God and men And he gives the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is not the part of a temperate man to prosecute or flie from what he ought not but to flie from and prosecute both things persons and pleasures as need requires as also patiently to tolerate the same Thence he concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This seems to me to be the primarie and chief end of a regular life that Justice and Temperance be always present In which we have these observables 1 That the temperate Soul is the best and the intemperate the worst 2 That Temperance formally consistes in giving al persons and things their just decorum and measure 3 That we then give althings their just measure when we prosecute or flie from them in that manner and measure as we ought 4 That we then prosecute and flie from things as we ought when we use or use them not in subservience to our last end which is the measure of althings This is wel expressed by Aristotle who followed Plato herein Eth. l. 3. c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore in a temperate man the concupiscent part ought to conforme to reason for moral good is the end of both Thence a temperate man desires what he ought and in that manner as he ought and when he ought which is the Constitution Law and Order of Reason Whereby he fully confirmes Plato's sentiment that Temperance gives althings their just number weight and measure by reducing al to such an Order as may render them subordinate to the last end The Stoic expresseth this Temperance in the use of things by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sustain what is grievous and abstain from what is delicious Which is thus expounded The temperate man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sustains without grief the absence of pleasures and abstains from the fruition of them when present This some make to be a great degree of fortitude for the valiant man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears things terrible and forbears things audacious The sum of al is that the temperate man is not inordinately afflicted for the losse or excessively affected with the presence of any inferior good but useth althings in measure and subservience to his last end This Temperance in the use of things Plato also illustrates by the notions of Order and universal Justice So Gorg. pag. 506. The virtate of every thing is its order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That therefore which is constituted and conformed by order is the virtue of every thing Wherefore the Soul that keeps its order is better than