one the other is Dead The Works of Love are the End of all Miracles and more Blessed then they Nay Love is the End of Faith as well as it is of the Law for the Apostle saith The End of the Commandment it Charity out of a pure Heart and of a good conscience and of Faith unfeigned It is the End of the very Creation of the World of all Gods Labors and Endeavours of all his Ways in all Ages all the faculties and powers of the Soul the very End of the Redemption of Mankind the End of the Jewish Oeconomy under the Law the End of all the Dispensations of Grace and Mercy under the Gospel the End of our Saviours coming down into the World the End of all his Miracles Tears and Blood the End of the Holy Ghosts appearing upon Earth the End of all the Means of Grace and in some sort the very last End of all Rewards and Punishments whatsoever The everlasting Continuance of this Love is the End of Eternity it self in a manner and if our Love be not the End of GODS Love his is of ours And if the Truth be deeply inquired into the Intermixture is so sweet that his is the End of ours ours of his For he Loveth us with the Love of Benevolence that we may Love him and he desires to be beloved of us that he may Love us with another Kind of Love distinct from the former even that of Complacency Which Love of Complacency is the Crown of ours and so Delightful to us that it is the very End of our Desire and begetteth in us a new Love of Complacency fitly answering his unto us NOW if Love be the End of all the laws Works and Ways of GOD of all our Saviours Labours and sufferings of our souls and Bodies of the whole Creation of all the Endeavours and Desires of the Deity in all the Dispensations of his Grace and Providence there must be something in its Nature Equivalent to all these Transcendent Undertakings to justifie the Wisdom that selected Love for its Sovereign Object for it is the office of Wisdome to suit the means and their End together so that the Excellency of the one may be worthy of all the Cost and Difficulty of the other For it is a foolish thing to pursue a base and feeble End by Glorious and Wonderful Methods because its Vileness will Disgrace the Design and with it their Beauty their very Grandure will be absurd where their Issue is but contemptible The Apostle therefore telleth us that Love is the fulfilling of the Law and that it is the Bond of Perfectness And pursuing its properties a little more Ample he saith Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envyeth not Charity Vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth beareth all Things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Charity never faileth c. IT is one noble Effect of Charity that it suffereth afflictions cheerfully and patiently for the sake of its Beloved Another is its Kindness to its Object its sweet and Courteous inclination to do all manner of Good Another for which it is highly valuable is that it envieth not the Felicity or Glory of its Beloved but taketh Pleasure to see it far higher and greater then its own is not apt to vaunt and brag of its Perfections but hath an humble Esteem of all its Atchievments doth not behave it self in distasteful manner but studies and designes the Honour Benefit and satisfaction of its Object But that which of all other is its greatest Perfection is that it seeketh not its own it is not Mercenary or self ended but truly Generous and Heroick in its Performances It Sacrificeth it self and all its interests to the Advantage of its Object it preferreth the person it Loveth above it self desires its Exhaltation and delights in its Glory more then its own It is not easily provoked because it puts the best sence upon all that is done by its Object Thinketh no evil is not suspicious or malevolent or censorious but frameth honourable and fair Ideas of all that is thought or done by its Beloved Hateth all Impurity that may displease its Object all black and crooked Apprehensions that may wrang and disguise it beareth all with Hope and Equanimity because it believeth its Object to be Good and Wise till it must of necessity change its Opinion and entertain a Judgement tending to its condemnation It is no longer Charity then but dislike and aversion when it ceaseth to think well of its Object for it is another Principle or distinct in Nature from Love as its Actions are from the Actions of Love the diversity of the Effects evidently proving a Difference in their Causes THE Quality by which Charity rejoyceth in the Truth is an incomparable excellence and commendation of its Nature Because the Truth is GODS infinite Goodness and Love and Providence which are exercised in preparing Delights and Treasures for his Beloved The truth is the Felicity and Glory of the Soul And if it be true that all Eternity is full of Joys and all the World enriched with Delights that a man is infinitely beloved of GOD and made in his Image on purpose that he might enjoy all the Best of all possible Treasures in his similitude he may well rejoyce in the Truth because no Truth can be greater or more delightful than that himself is exalted to the Throne of GOD and ordained to live in Communion with him BUT that Quality by which the Soul believeth and hopeth all things that concern the Honour and Fidelity of its Beloved is yet more acceptable and delightful than the former For a good opinion of the Nature and Intention of the Person with whom we are united is the Basis and Foundation of all our Respect the Cement of our Peace and the Life and Soul of all that Honour that is paid unto him The very Grace and Beauty of all our Conversation dependeth upon it and if it be true that we are more to love GOD for the intrinsick Perfections of his Essence then for all his Gifts the chief Business of our Knowledge is to Frame glorious Apprehensions of his Nature and to Believe him in all things so Kind and Wise that he is True and Faithful in all his Declarations and most fit to be Honoured in all the Dispensations of his Providence because he is ever mindful of his Protestations and Promises For then we can believe that all things shall work together for our Good can safely trust our selves and all that is ours in his hands resign our selves up to his Disposal with Joy and say Thy Will be done for it is Holy Good and acceptable Thy Will alone is of all other Wilis most Perfect and Desirable There are on Earth indeed more nice Emergencies many Obscurities and
Christian ETHICKS OR Divine MORALITY Opening the WAY to BLESSEDNESS By the RULES of VERTUE AND REASON By THO. TRAHERNE B. D. Author of the Roman Forgeries LONDON Printed for Jonathan Edwin at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street 1675. TO THE READER THE design of this Treatise is not to stroak and tickle the Fancy but to elevate the Soul and refine its Apprehensions to inform the Judgment and polish it for Conversation to purifie and enflame the Heart to enrich the Mind and guide Men that stand in need of help in the way of Vertue to excite their Desire to encourage them to Travel to comfort them in the Journey and so at last to lead them to true Felicity both here and hereafter I need not treat of Vertues in the ordinary way as they are Duties enjoyned by the Law of GOD that the Author of The whole Duty of Man hath excellently done nor as they are Prudential Expedients and Means for a mans Peace and Honour on Earth that is in some measure done by the French Charron of Wisdom My purpose is to satisfie the Curious and Unbelieving Soul concerning the reality force and efficacy of Vertue and having some advantages from the knowledge I gained in the nature of Felicity by many years earnest and diligent study my business is to make as visible as it is possible for me the lustre of its Beauty Dignity and Glory By shewing what a necessary Means Vertue is how sweet how full of Reason how desirable in it self how just and amiable how delightful and how powerfully conducive also to Glory how naturally Vertue carries us to the Temple of Bliss and how immeasurably transcendent it is in all kinds of Excellency And if I may speak freely my Office is to carry and enhance Vertue to its utmost height to open the Beauty of all the Prospect and to make the Glory of GOD appear in the Blessedness of Man by setting forth its infinite Excellency Taking out of the Treasuries of Humanity those Arguments that will discover the great perfection of the End of Man which he may atchieve by the capacity of his Nature As also by opening the Nature of Vertue it self thereby to display the marvellous Beauty of Religion and light the Soul to the sight of its Perfection I do not speak much of Vice which is far the more easie Theme because I am intirely taken up with the abundance of Worth and Beauty in Vertue and have so much to say of the positive and intrinsick Goodness of its Nature But besides since a strait Line is the measure both of it self and of a crooked one I conclude That the very Glory of Vertue well understood will make all Vice appear like dirt before Jewel when they are compared together Nay Vice as soon as it is named in the presence of these Vertues will look like Poyson and a Contagion or if you will as black as Malice and Ingratitude so that there will need no other Exposition of its Nature to dehort Men from the love of it than the Illustration of its Contrary Vertues are listed in the rank of Invisible things of which kind some are so blind as to deny there are any existent in Nature But yet it may and will be made easily apparent that all the Peace and Beauty in the World proceedeth from them all Honour and Security is founded in them all Glory and Esteem is acquired by them For the Prosperity of all Kingdoms is laid in the Goodness of GOD and of Men. Were there nothing in the World but the Works of Amity which proceed from the highest Vertue they alone would testifie of its Excellency For there can be no Safety where there is any Treachery But were all Truth and Courtesie exercis'd with Fidelity and Love there could be no Injustice or Complaint in the World no Strife nor Violence but all Bounty Joy and Complacency Were there no Blindness every Soul would be full of Light and the face of Felicity be seen and the Earth be turned into Heaven The things we treat of are great and mighty they touch the Essence of every Soul and are of infinite Concernment because the Felicity is eternal that is acquired by them I do not mean Immortal only but worthy to be Eternal and it is impossible to be happy without them We treat of Mans great and soveraign End of the Nature of Blessedness of the Means to attain it Of Knowledge and Love of Wisdom and Goodness of Righteousness and Holiness of Justice and Mercy of Prudence and Courage of Temperance and Patience of Meekness and Humility of Contentment of Magnanimity and Modesty of Liberality and Magnificence of the waies by which Love is begotten in the Soul of Gratitude of Faith Hope and Charity of Repentance Devotion Fidelity and Godliness In all which we shew what sublime and mysterious Creatures they are which depend upon the Operations of Mans Soul their great extent their use and value their Original and their End their Objects and their Times What Vertues belong to the Estate of Innocency what to the Estate of Misery and Grace and what to the Estate of Glory Which are the food of the Soul and the works of Nature which were occasioned by Sin as Medicines and Expedients only which are Essential to Felicity and which Accidental which Temporal and which Eternal with the true Reason of their Imposition why they all are commanded and how wise and gracious GOD is in enjoyning them By which means all Atheism is put to flight and all Infidelity The Soul is reconciled to the Lawgiver of the World and taught to delight in his Commandements All Enmity and Discontentment must vanish as Clouds and Darkness before the Sun when the Beauty of Vertue appeareth in its brightness and glory It is impossible that the splendour of its Nature should be seen but all Religion and Felicity will be manifest Perhaps you will meet some New Notions but yet when they are examined he hopes it will appear to the Reader that it was the actual knowledge of true Felicity that taught him to speak of Vertue and moreover that there is not the least tittle pertaining to the Catholick Faith contradicted or altered in his Papers For he firmly retains all that was established in the Ancient Councels nay and sees Cause to do so even in the highest and most transcendent Mysteries only he enriches all by farther opening the grandeur and glory of Religion with the interiour depths and Beauties of Faith Yet indeed it is not he but GOD that hath enriched the Nature of it he only brings the Wealth of Vertue to light which the infinite Wisdom and Goodness and Power of GOD have seated there Which though Learned Men know perhaps far better than he yet he humbly craves pardon for casting in his Mite to the vulgar Exchequer He hath nothing more to say but that the Glory of GOD and the sublime Perfection of Humane Nature are united in
Vertue By Vertue the Creation is made useful and the Universe delightful All the Works of GOD are crowned with their End by the Glory of Vertue For whatsoever is good and profitable for Men is made Sacred because it is delightful and well-pleasing to GOD Who being LOVE by Nature delighteth in his Creatures welfare There are two sorts of concurrent Actions necessary to Bliss Actions in GOD and Actions in Men nay and Actions too in all the Creatures The Sun must warm but it must not burn the Earth must bring forth but not swallow up the Air must cool without starving and the Sea moisten without drowning Meats must feed but not poyson Rain must fall but not oppress Thus in the inferiour Creatures you see Actions are of several kinds But these may be reduced to the Actions of GOD from whom they spring for he prepares all these Creatures for us And it is necessary to the felicity of his Sons that he should make all things healing and amiable not odious and destructive that he should Love and not Hate And the Actions of Men must concur aright with these of GOD and his Creatures They must not despise Blessings because they are given but esteem them not trample them under feet because they have the benefit of them but magnifie and extol them They too must Love and not Hate They must not kill and murther but serve and pleasure one another they must not scorn great and inestimable Gifts because they are common for so the Angels would lose all the happiness of Heaven If GOD should do the most great and glorious things that infinite Wisdom could devise if Men will resolve to be blind and perverse and sensless all will be in vain the most High and Sacred things will increase their Misery This may give you some little glimpse of the excellency of Vertue You may easily discern that my Design is to reconcile Men to GOD and make them fit to delight in him and that my last End is to celebrate his Praises in communion with the Angels Wherein I beg the Concurrence of the Reader for we can never praise him enough nor be fit enough to praise him No other man at least can make us so without our own willingness and endeavour to do it Above all pray to be sensible of the Excellency of the Creation for upon the due sense of its Excellency the life of Felicity wholly dependeth Pray to be sensible of the Excellency of Divine Laws and of all the Goodness which your Soul comprehendeth Covet a lively sense of all you know of the Excellency of GOD and of Eternal Love of your own Excellency and of the worth and value of all Objects whatsoever For to feel is as necessary as to see their Glory The Contents CHAP. I. OF the End for the sake of which Vertue is desired Chap. II. Of the Nature of Felicity its excellency and perfection Chap. III. Of Vertue in general The distribution of it into its several kinds It s definition Chap. IV. Of the Powers and Affections of the Soul What Vertues pertain to the estate of Innocency what to the estate of Grace what to the estate of Glory Chap. V. Of the necessity excellency and use of Knowledge Its depths and extents its Objects and its End Chap. VI. Of Love and Hatred The necessity and sweetness of Love It s general use and efficacy The several kinds of Love Of the power inclination and act of Love its extent and capacity Chap. VII What benefit GOD himself does receive by his eternal Love That when our Love is made compleat and perfect it will be like his and the benefit of it will be eternal Chap. VIII Of the excellency of Truth as it is the object and cause of Vertue The matter and form of Vertuous Actions That their form is infinitely more excellent than their matter and the Heathen Morality infinitely defective and short of the Christian. Chap. IX Wisdom is seated in the Will it attaineth best of all possible Ends by the best of all possible Means Chap. X. Of Righteousness how Wisdom Justice and right Reason are shut up in its Nature What God doth and what we acquire by the exercise of this Vertue Chap. XI Of Goodness natural moral and divine its Nature described The benefits and Works of Goodness Chap. XII Of Holiness Its nature violence and pleasure It s beauty consisteth in the infinite love of Righteousness and Perfection Chap. XIII Of Justice in general and particular The great good it doth in Empires and Kingdoms a token of the more retired good it doth in the Soul It s several kinds That Gods punitive Justice springs from his Goodness Chap. XIV Of Mercy The indelible stain and guilt of Sin Of the Kingdom which God recovered by Mercy The transcendent nature of that duty with its effects and benefits Chap. XV. Of Faith The faculty of Believing implanted in the Soul Of Nature its Objects are The necessity of Faith Its end its use and excellency It is the Mother and fountain of all the Vertues Chap. XVI Of Hope It s foundation its distinction from Faith its extents and dimensions its life and vigour its several kinds its sweetness and excellency Chap. XVII Of Repentance It s original its nature it is a purgative Vertue its necessity its excellencies The measure of that sorrow which is due to Sin is intollerable to Sence confessed by Reason and dispensed with by Mercy Chap. XVIII Of Charity towards God It sanctifieth Repentance makes it a Vertue and turns it to a part of our true Felicity Our Love to all other objects is to begin and end in God Our Love of God hath an excellency in it that makes it worthy to be desired by his eternal Majesty He is the only supream and perfect Friend by Loving we enjoy him Chap. XIX Charity to our Neighbour most natural and easie in the estate of Innocency Adams Love to Eve and his Children a great exemplar of our Love to all the World The sweetness of Loving The benefits of being Beloved To love all the World and to be beloved by all the World is perfect security and felicity Were the Law fulfilled all the World would be turned into Heaven Chap. XX. Of Prudence It s foundation is Charity its end tranquility and prosperity on Earth its office to reconcile Duty and Convenience and to make Vertue subservient to Temporal welfare Of Prudence in Religion Friendship and Empire The end of Prudence is perfect Charity Chap. XXI Encouragements to Courage It s Nature cause and end It s greatness and renown Its ornaments and Companions Its objects circumstances effects and disadvantages how Difficulties increase its vertue Its Victories and Triumphs How subservient it is to Blessedness and Glory Chap. XXII Of Temperance in matters of Art as Musick Dancing Painting Cookery Physick c. In the works of Nature Eating drinking sports and recreations In occasions of passion in our lives
Christ is an incredible mystery to them that do not consider the Love of GOD towards Men in the Creation of the World But they that measure it by his Laws and works and see it in the value of their own Souls would think it very Strange if that Love which appeareth so infinite in all other things should be defective only in its Ways of Providence They easily believe it may express it self in the Incarnation Especially Since all Ages are Beautified with the Effects and Demonstrations of this verity that GOD so Loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life For Love is apt to transform it self into all shapes that the necessity of its Object requires and as prone to suffer as rejoyce with it as apt to suffer for it as with it Many fathers have died for their Children many for their Country but the Love of GOD exceedeth them all To be beloved in our Guilt is exceeding Wonderful but this also is in the Nature of Love it may be provoked with the Guilt or moved with Compassion at the misery of a Sinner WHERE the Love is extreamly violent and the weak Estate of the Object fit for Compassion it is more inclined to Pity than Revenge Tho where the Object is strong and endued with all advantages it is more offended at the Outrage of its Rebellion WHETHER we consider the Nature of Man or his Estate before the Fall we have some reason to believe that he was more Beloved then the Holy Angels for there was more exquisite Care and Art manifested in the Creation of his Person and his Condition was fitted for a more curious Tenderness and Compassion if he offended IF you look into the Nature of Angels and Men you will find this mighty Difference between them Angels are more Simple Spirits Men are Images of GOD carefully put into a Beautiful Case Their Souls would seem equal to the Angels were they not to live in Humane Bodies and those Bodies are Superadded certainly for unspeakable and most Glorious Ends the visible World was made for the sake of these Bodies and without such persons as men are it would be utterly useless The Hypostatical Union of two Natures so unspeakable different as the Soul and Body are is of all things in the World most mysterious and Miraculous Man seems to be the Head of all Things visible and invisible and the Golden clasp whereby Things Material and Spiritual are United He alone is able to beget the Divine Image and to multiply himself into Millions His Body may be the Temple of GOD and when it pleased GOD to become a Creature he assumed the Nature of Man Angels are made Ministring Spirits for the sake of Man and by him alone GOD and his works are United IF you respect his Condition he was made a little lower than the Angels that he might be crowned with Glory and Honour Lower for a Time that he might be Higher for ever The Angels were placed in such an Estate that if they fell it would be with more shame yet if they stood it would be with less Glory For having the Advantages of Greater Light and strength to Sin against them was more Odious and to stand in them less Wonderful While man being more remote from GOD was more Obnoxious to Dangers and more Weak to resist them His Want of Clear Light if he fell would lessen his offence And the Difficulties wherewith he was surrounded if he stood would increase his Vertue which by consequence would make his Obedience more pleasing and much augment his Eternal Glory All which put together when Angels and Men both fell fitted Man rather to be chosen and redeemed he being the Greater Object of Compassion and Mercy THE Degrees and measures of that Mercy which was shewn to Man in his Redemption are very considerable When he was Weak and unable to help himself when he was Guilty when he was an Enemy when he was Leprous and deformed when he was Miserable and Dead before he desired or Thought of such a Thing God freely gave his Son to die for his Salvation and condescended to propose a reconciliation Which should teach us tho higher then the Cherubims and more pure then the Light tho our Enemies are never so base and injurious and ingrateful nay Obstinate and Rebellious to seek a reconciliation by the most Laborious and Expensive Endeavors to manifest all our Care and kindness toward them pursuing their Amendment and Recovery For the same Mind ought to be in us that was in Christ Jesus who being in the form of GOD thought it no Robbery to be Equal with GOD yet took upon him the Form of a Servant and being found in fashion as a man humbled himself to the Death of the Cross Wherefore GOD also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee might bow The very reason why we so infinitely adore him being the incomparable Height and Perfection of his Mercy expressed in his Humiliation and Abasement for us If we would enter into his Glory we must walk in the Way which he hath trod before us for that only will lead us into it THO GOD hath in his infinite Mercy redeemed us from the unavoidable Necessity of being Damned yet hath he with infinite Prudence ordered the Way and Manner of our Redemption in such sort that we are not immediately translated into Heaven but restored to a new Estate of Trial and endued with Power to do new Duties as pleasing to him as those which he required from us in Eden For he Loved a Righteous Kingdome from the Beginning wherein his Laws were to be obeyed Rewards and Punishments expected and administred in a Righteous manner THE Great and necessary Duties in this second Kingdome are Faith and Repentance introduced by his Wisdom and occasioned by Sin necessary for our Justification and Sanctification and Superadded to the former THIS Kingdome of Evangelical Righteousness being founded on the Blood of Christ is by Death and Sin and by the Supernatural Secrets of Love and Mercy made infinitely more Deep and mysterious than the former CHAP. XV. Of Faith The Faculty of Believing implanted in the Soul Of what Nature its Objects are The Necessity of Faith Its End Its Use and Excellency It is the Mother and Fountain of all the Vertues FAITH and Repentance are the Principal Vertues which we ought to exercise in the Kingdome of Evangelical Righteousness because by them alone a Sinner is restored to the Capacity and Power of living in the Similitude of GOD in the Practice of his Divine and Eternal Vertues For without Faith it is impossible to please GOD because we can never believe that he is the Rewarder of all those that diligently seek him without that Credit which is necessary to be given to the Discovery of his Love to them that are
defiled by the Guilt of Sin For as long as we think GOD to be an infinite and Eternal Enemy to all Offenders we cannot use any Endeavor to please him because we Know there is no Hope of Reconciliation and the vanity of the Attempt appears like a Ghost that always haunts us and stands in our Way to oppose and discourage us in the Archievment we would undertake For to Fight with Impossibility is so Foolish a thing that Nature it self keeps us back from doing it Till therefore we believe our Reconciliation possible we have no Strength at all to endeavour our Salvation Our Despair oppresseth and frustrates our Desires with the inevitable Necessity of our Eternal shame and Guilt and misery TO believe that GOD will be so Gracious as to pardon our horrible Apostacy and Rebellion is a Work so Great that GOD accepteth it instead of all other Works of Innocence and Piety to believe that he hath given his Eternal Son to dy for us and that he so Loved us as to come down from Heaven to suffer the wrath of GOD in our stead is so much against the Dictates of Nature and reason that GOD imputeth this Faith alone for Righteousness not as if there were no Good Works necessary beside but by this alone we are justified in his Sight and out Justification cannot be ascribed to any other Work of ours whatsoever Howbeit that which maketh Faith it self so Great a Vertue is that we thereby receive a Power and an Inclination with all to do those Works of Love and Piety the Performance and the Reward of which was the very End of our Saviours Coming THAT there is implanted in Man a Faculty of believing is as certain as that his Eys are endued with the Faculty of seeing or his Soul with Knowledge or any other Faculty And that this Power implanted is of some Use in Nature is as sure as any Thing in the World For nature never gave to any thing a Power in vain this therefore being one of the Powers of the Soul must have a certain End ordained for it And its use is the Excercise of Faith in order to that End OBJECTS of Faith are those Things which cannot be discovered but by the Testimony of others For some things are known by Sence some by Reason and some by Testimony Things that are Known by Sence are present some time or other to the Senses themselves Those Things which Reason discovers are Known as Effects are by Causes or as Causes by Effects a Good and rational Demonstration being made by the Concatenation of Causes and Effects depending upon each other whereby Things remote from Sence are evident to Reason because the one is necessarily implied by the existence of the other But some Things there are which have no such necessary Dependance at all such are the fortuitous Occurences that have been in the World with all those Actions of free Agents that flow meerly from their Will and pleasure For of these there can be no certain Knowledge when they are past but by History and Tradition That the World was made so many years ago that Man was created in an estate of Innocency that he fell into Sin that GOD appeared and promised the seed of the Woman to break the Serpents Head that there was a Flood that Sodom and Gomorrah was burnt by fire that all the World spake one Language till the Confusion at Babel that there were such men as Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great or such as Abraham and Moses and David that the children of Israel were in Egypt and were delivered from thence by Miracles that they received the Law in the Wilderness and were afterwards setled in the Land of Canaan that they had such and such Prophets and Priests and Kings that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary that he was GOD and Man that he died and rose again that he ascended into Heaven and sent the Holy Ghost down upon his Apostles Nay that there is such a City as Jerusalem all these things can no other Way be understood but only by Faith for no Light of Nature nor principle of Reason can declare such verities as these among which we may reckon these that all the Nations in the World except that of the Jews were Pagans and Idolatrous till the Gospel began to come forth from Jury that by the Miracles and Perswasions and Faith and Patience and Persecutions and Deaths of the Martyrs they were converted and forsook their Dumb Idols and erected Temples to the GOD of Heaven that his Eternal Son was crucified in Judea that such Emperors made such Laws that such Councils were held in such Ages that such and such Fathers sprung up in the Church that there is such a Place as Rome and Constantinople these and many Millions of the like Objects to them that live in this Age and never stirred any further then the English Coast are revealed only by the Light of History and received upon Trust from the Testimony of others Nevertheless there is as great a Certainty of these Things as if they had been made out by Mathematical Demonstration or had been seen with our Eys FOR tho there are some false and some Doubtful Testimonies yet there are also some that are True and Certain And least all Faith should be utterly blind and vain and uncertain there are External Circumstances and inward Properties by which those Testimonies which are true and infallible are distinguished from others ALL those Things that are absolutely necessary to the Welfare of Mankind the Knowledge of which is of general Importance that are unanimously attested by all that mention them and universally believed throughout all the World being as firm and certain as the Earth or the Sun or the Skye it self We are not more Sure that we have Eys in our Heads then that there are Stars in the Heavens tho the Distance of those Stars are many Millions of Leagues from our Bodily Organs THE Objects and Transactions which in former Ages occur to our Eys I mean the Spiritual Eys of the intelligible Soul that are seated within are by Faith received and brought to the understanding When they are transmitted to our Knowledge their Nature is apprehended immediately by the Soul and their existence examined by Reason There being certain clear and infallible Rules by which their Truth or falshood may be discerned And for this Cause is it that we are commanded to Try all Things and bold fast that which is Good It is our Duty to be ready always to give a reason of the Hope that is in us For Reason is a transcendent faculty which extendeth to all Objects and penetrates into all misteries so far as to enquire what probability may be in them what Agreement or repugnance there is in the Nature of the Things revealed what Harmony or Contradiction there is in the Things themselves what Correspondence in all the Circumstances what consistence between those
and Nations upon Earth adoring his Glory in the Highest Heavens Especially to see the manner of his satisfaction by way of Sacrifice in our stead the laying of our Sins upon his Head the sprinkling of his Blood upon all Nations so lively represented the Necessity of such a Saviour exhibited by the Rigor and Severity of the Law his Person and his Office being pointed out in so particular a Manner all this as it is sweet Heavenly so does it enrich the Contemplation of the Soul make it meet to walk in Communion with GOD in all Ages adoring his Wisdome and Goodness and Power admiring delighting in the fulness of his Love And all these most Great Transporting Things we receive into our souls by Faith alone BUT that which above all other Things is most satisfactory is to see Jesus Christ the end of the Law and the centre of time the main Business of all the Dispensations of GODS Providence and the only Hinge upon which all mysteries both of the Law and Gospel Principally turn HAD he come in the Beginning of the World there had been no Room nor Place for all these Prophesies and Figures and Expectations and Miracles Precedeing his Birth we had had nothing but a bare and naked Tradition that he had been in the world which by the carelesness of men had passed away like a Dream and died unprofitably As we may plainly see by their Backwardness to believe these Things notwithstanding their strength and Beauty and the reiterated Appearances of GOD to excite and awaken Man-kind notwithstanding his care to erect a Ministery among us for this very end that Jesus Christ might be Known HAD he not been GOD and MAN in one Person had no satisfaction been necessary for our sins had he not made satisfaction for us there had been no Necessity of believing on his name The light of nature had been sufficient to guid us to sorrow and Obedience all this trouble and care might have been spared all this Oeconomy might have been changed into a Government of less expence and the most of these proceedings had been impertinent and superfluous For they all receive their Attainment and Perfection in Jesus Christ who is the fulness and substance and Glory of them NOR is it the excellency of Faith alone that it looks back upon Ages past it takes in the Influences of all these that it may bring forth fruit in our Lives for the time to come For what is it but the Faith of these things attended with the Glory which is intimated by them that made so many Divine and Heavenly persons so many Wise and Holy Heroes so many Saints and Martyrs What can enflame us with the love of GOD inspire us with Courage or fill us with Joy but the Sence of them A true and lively Faith is among Sinners the only Root of Grace and Virtue the only Foundation of Hope the only Fountain of excellent Actions And there fore it is observed by the Apostle Paul that by Faith Abel offered a more Excellent sacrifice than Cain by Faith Enoch walked with GOD by Faith Noah prepared an Ark in which being warned of GOD he saved himself from the general Deluge by Faith Abraham did such Things as made his Seed to multiply above the Stars of Heaven by Faith Moses despised the Honours and Treasures of Egypt and endured as seeing him that was invisible What should I say more saith the Apostle For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Jeptha of David also and of Samuel and of the Prophets who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises Stopped the mouths of Lions Quenched the violence of fire escaped the Edge of the Sword out of Weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Women received their Dead raised to Life again and others were tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection and others had tryal of cruel Mocking and Scourges yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonments They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the World was not worthy they wandered in Deserts and Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the earth All these things were done through Faith while yet there were but a few Things seen to encourage them But the whole Accomplishment of mysteries and myracles is far more fair and vigorous and enflaming the Beauty of the whole Body of GODS Dispensations fitly united in all its Parts being an eternal Monument of his Wisdom and Power declaring the Glory of his Love and Kingdom in a more Eminent manner and making us more then conquerors in and thorrow Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us CHAP. XVI Of Hope It s foundation its Distinction from Faith its Extents and Dimensions its Life and Vigor its Several Kinds its Sweetness and Excellency JANUS with his two Faces looking backward and forward seems to be a fit Emblem of the Soul which is able to look on all Objects in the Eternity past and in all Objects before in Eternity to come Faith and Hope are the two Faces of this Soul By its Faith it beholdeth Things that are past and by its Hope regardeth Things that are to come Or if you please to take Faith in a more large and Comprehensive Sence Faith hath both these Faces being that Vertue by which we give Credit to all Testimonies which we believe to be true concerning Things past present and to come Hope is a Vertue mixt of Belief and Desire by which we conceive the Possibility of attaining the Ends we would enjoy and are stirred up to endeavour after them Faith respects the Credibility of Things believed to be True Hope the Possibility and Goodness of their Enjoyment The Simple Reality of Things believed is the Object of the one the facility of their attainment and our Interest united are the Object of the other HOPE presupposes a Belief of the Certainty of what we desire It is an Affection of the Soul of very general Importance Which forasmuch as it is founded on Faith and derives its strength from the Sure Belief of what we hope to attain and there can be no fruition of that which is not really existent to lay the foundation of our Hope more firmly we will again consider the Objects of Faith in the best Light wherein their apparent certainty may be discerned THE Objects of Divine Faith revealed in the holy Scripture may fitly be ranked into three Orders For the Matter of the Bible being partly Historical and partly Prophetical and partly Doctrinal the Objects of Divine Faith fall under these three Heads of Doctrine History and Prophesie THE Doctrine of the Scripture is of two sorts for some Doctrines are Natural some are Supernatural The Natural are
the Felicity to which we are called out of the Depth of our misery all the Advantages we receive upon our Redemption the Improvements of our miserable Estate the Degrees and Ornaments that are added to the Beauty and perfection of Gods Kingdome upon so sad an occasion as Sin is all these things take up our Thoughts in such a manner that while we are actually and fully Just to these and Loving GOD for his Eternal Love infinitely more than we Love our selves we live in him and are all in raptures of Blesseduess yet is there a Vertual Sorrow which Reason conceives as most due to Sin which being expressed only in the Humility of our Souls and seen as it were underneath the fruition of our Joys in the lowly Conceit we retain of our selves in the confession of our vileness and the deep Sence of our own unworthiness is far Greater now we are restored to the favour and Love of GOD far sweeter to be seen and deeper to be understood than the Grief for Sin would have been had we been not redeemed but Damned forever CHAP. XVIII Of Charity towards GOD. It Sanctifieth Repentance makes it a Vertue and turns it to a Part of our true Felicity Our Love to all other Objects is to begin and End in GOD. Our Love of GOD hath an Excellency in it that makes it worthy to be desired by his Eternal Majesty He is the only Supreme and Perfect friend By Loving we enjoy him REPENTANCE without Love is so far from seating us in the Felicity of Heaven that it is one of the Ingredients of the Torments in Hell a natural Effect of Sin and a great Part of the Misery of Devils Love is a genuine Affection of the Soul and so powerfully Sweet when it is Satisfied and pleased that it communicates the Relish of its own Delightfulness to every Thing near it and Transformes the most Virulent Affections into Smooth Healing Perfective Pleasures Insomuch that in Heaven our Sorrow for Sin shall perhaps be infinite yet the malignity of it so perfectly correctd that tho we continue Eternally Just in rendring our Sins that grief which is their due it shall not discompose our peace norcorrode our Delighs but increase our Repose in the Beauty of our souls and make our Joys more full of Extasie by those Melting Lively Bleeding Resentments which our Love will occasion in the very Grief where with it perfects our Felicity For as the falling out of Lovers is the Renewing of Love so is the Mercy and Kindness of the one even of him that was injured and the calm and secure Indignation wherewith the other hates himself for being guilty of so vile a miscarriage the very Grace and Beauty of the Reconciliation it is a great means of their mutual Endearment and Tenderness ever after the Compassion of him that is Innocent and the humble grief of the Guilty making the Joy of their future Correspondence more Deep and Serious more Vigorous and Enflaming more lasting LOVE is that which Sanctifies Repentance and makes it pleasant both to him that is Beloved and to him that is adored Acceptable and Delightful to him that repenteth as well as to him that had been injured For the Sinners Restauration makes it as Natural to grieve for his Fault as to rejoyce in his Felicity his fad and humble Resentments are his own Satisfaction because he sees himself Just and Rational in them he delighs in his Sorrow because it is Honourable and finds a new Kind of pleasure in his Abasement because it is relieved by the Wonder of his Happy condition and what he hath lost in himself is regained in the pefection and Goodness of his Object THAT GOD is the sovereign Object of Love I scarcely need to mention all I shall observe upon this occasion is that we are more to Love him for his Mercy and Compassion towards us as Sinners then for his Goodness and Bounty expressed at the first as we were Innocent Creatures The Bleeding Spectacle of his Incarnate Deity and the Perseverance of his Miraculous and Transcendent Love after all our Offences is another Kind of Motive to heighten our Charity of and gives it another form as much more Mysterious so much more perfect and Delightful then ever Our Sorrow for Sin infuses a New Sense into Nature a New Beauty into Love and gives as much unto it as it receiveth from it But this being better known by Experience then by description I shall refer you to the Life of Heaven and Grace for more ample satisfaction LOVE as we have shewed may be extended to all Objects in Heaven and Earth all that is Goodly and Amiable being capable of that Affection Hereupon the Word Love is generally used for that Liking and Esteem we have for any thing whether Dead or alive We can Love Life and desire to see Good Days we can Love the Sun and Wine and Oyl and Gold Love our Dogs and Horses fine Clothes and Jewels Pleasures Honours Recreations Houses Riches and as well as Love Men and Women Souls and Angels And evermore our Love expresseth it self in Tenderness and Care for the Preservation of what we Love in Esteem of its Worth and Delight in its Beauty in endeavours also to promote its Welfare as far as it is capable But there is another sort of Love towards Living Objects Divine and reasonable which we call Charity This is that Vertue of which the Apostle saith after he had spoken of all the Miracles Helps Governments Prophesies Tongues and other Gifts of the Holy Ghost that were then in the Church And Yet shew I unto you a more Excellent Way 1 Cor. 12. ult And in the next Chapter Tho I speak with the Tongues of Men and of Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And tho I have the Gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all Knowledge and tho I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing and tho I bestow all my Goods to feed the poor and tho I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing It is that concerning which our Saviour Speaketh The first of all the commandements is Hear O Israel the Lord our GOD is one Lord and thou shalt Love the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind and with all thy Strength This is the first Commandement And the Second is like namely this Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self There is none other Commandement greater then those Nay perhaps it is that of which he saith to his Apostles when they had admired at his Miracles He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater Works then these shall he do because I go to the Father For Faith worketh by Love Love is the Life of Faith and without the Works of the
of the Soul and its Honour founded in the freedom of its Desire Whatsoever it does not desire and delight in tho the matter of the performance be never so excellent the Manner is spoiled and totally Blasted Now can we compel another to desire or delight in any Thing The Soul in it self hath an Inclnation to or an a version from every object The Ingennity and Worth of the Soul is expressed in the Kindness of its own Intention in the freedom of its Desire to do what is Excellent in the delight it taketh to love its Goodness is founded Now tho GOD infinitely hated Sin yet he gave us an irrevocable Power to do what we pleased and adventured the Hazzard of that which he infinitely hated that being free to do what we would we might be Honourable and delightful in doing freely and of our own Accord what is Great and Excellent For without this Liberty there can be no Love since Love is an active and free affection that must spring from the Desire and pleasure of the Soul It is the Pleasure of a Lover to promote the Felicity of his object Whatsoever Services he is compelled to do he is either meerly passive in them or Cross unto them they are all void of the Principal Grace and Beauty that should adorn them and make them pleasant and satisfactory men may be Dead and moved like stones but in such causes there is no Love neither do they act of themselves when they are over-ruled and forced by another For this cause hath it pleased God in order to our Perfection to make the most Sublime and Sovereign Creatures all Free wherein he hath expressed the greatest Love in the World As we may see by all the Displeasures and Pains it hath cost him through our Abuse of so illimited and great a perfection But where his Love is most Highly and Transcendently expressed there are we most prone to suspect it Nature is so Cross and disorderly There can be no Wisdom without a voluntary Act for in all Wisdome there is Counsel and design Where no consultation nor Election precedes the best operation in all the World is Blind and Casual Fortune and chance must have no hand in that which wisdom Effecteth no more then Force and necessity must have in that Goodness where all the kindness ought to be in the Intention of the Benefactor There is something in it which I cannot explain It is easily conceived but will never I think in Words be expressed The Will has a mighty hand in all the Divinity of perfect Goodness It is the Mind of the Doer that is the principal object of all our Desire and Expectation HAVING for these Causes made his Creatures free he has forfeited their Choise and secured their Determination as far as was possible He hath done all that can be devised to make them Love us and left nothing undone but only that which was absolutely necessary that they might Love They could not Love us if they were not left to themselves to do it freely And their Ability being provided for nay an Inclination given to make them willing he has strictly commanded enjoyned them to Love by Nature allured them ordered us so that we might be fit to be Beloved he hath made it sweet and rational to Love given them his own Example and solemnly protested that he will accept of no Love to himself but what is accompanied with Love to his friends and servants engaged them to Love or be Eternally miserable And if for all this they will not Love the fault is none of his All that he has done to let secure then Love to himself he has done to secure then Love to us and is as much or more concerned in their Love to us then in that which himself requireth and Expecteth Nay he hath made it impossible for them truly to Love themselves without doing of it And if they will neither Love GOD nor themselves we may well be despised for Company He infinitely desires their Love and would take infinite Pleasure in the Operation There is no Way to make themselves Honourable and Delightful to GOD but only by Loving us as his soul requireth And by all these Inducements and Causes are we our selves stirred up to Love freely to exert the Power of Love to others in like manner THAT which yet further commendeth this Vertue of Love unto us is that it is the only Soul of all Pleasure and Felicity in all Estates It is like the Light of the Sun in all the Kingdomes and Houses and Eyes and Ages in Heaven in Earth in the Sea in Shops and Temples in Schooles and Markets in Labours and Recreations in Theatres and Fable It is the Great Daemon of the World and the Sole Cause of all Operations It is evidently impossible for any Fancy or Play or Romance or Fable to be composed well and made Delightful without a Mixture of Love in the Composure In all Theatres and Feasts and Weddings and Triumphs and Coronations Love is the Soul and Perfection of all in all Persons in all Occupations in all Diversions in all Labours in all Vertues in all Vices in all Occasions in all Families in all Cities and Empires in all our Devotions and Religious Actions Love is all in all All the Sweetness of Society is seated in Love the Life of Musick and Dancing is Love the Happiness of Houses the Enjoyment of Friends the Amity of Relations the Providence of Kings the Allegiance of Subjects the Glory of Empires the Security Peace and Welfare of the World is seated in Love Without Love all is Discord and Confusion All Blessings come upon us by Love and by Love alone all Delights and Blessings are enjoyed All happiness is established by Love and by Love alone is all Glory attained GOD Knoweth that Love uniteth Souls maketh men of one Heart in a House filles them with Liberallity and Kindness to each other makes them Delightfull in presence faithful in Absence Tender of the Honour and Welfare of their Beloved Apt to obey ready to please Constant in Trials Patient in sufferings Couragious is Assaults Prudent in Difficulties Victorious and Triumphant All that I shall need to observe further is that it compleated the Joys of Heaven Well therefore may Wisdome desire Love well may the Goodness of GOD delight in Love It is the form and the Glory of his Eternal Kingdome And therefore it is that the Apostle saith Charity never faileth but whether there be Prophesies they shall fail whether there be Tongues They shall cease whether there be Knowledge it shall vanish away For we know in part and we Prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away For now we see through a Glass darkly but then Face to Face now I Know in part but when shall I know as also I am Known And now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three
but the Greatest of these is Charity CHAP. XX. Of Prudence It s Foundation is Charity its End Tranquillity and Prosperity on Earth its Office to reconcile Duty and Convenience and to make Vertue subservient to Temporal Welfare Of Prudence in Religion Friendship and Empire The End of Prudence is perfect Charity CHARITY is that which entereth into every Vertue as a main Ingredient of its Nature and Perfection Love is the fountain and the End of all without which there can be no Beauty nor Goodness in any of the Vertues Love to one self Love to GOD Love to man Love to Felicity a clear and intelligent Love is the Life and Soul of every Vertue without which Humility is but Baseness Fortitude but Feirceness Patience but Stupidity Hope but Presumption Modesty but Simpering Devotion but Hypocrisie Liberality is Profuseness Knowledge vanity Meekness but a sheepish Tameness and Prudence it self but fraud and Cunning. For as all other Vertues so is prudence founded on Charity He that is not Good can never be Prudent for he can never benefit himself or others For the Designes of Prudence are to secure one self in the Exercise of every Vertue and so to order the Discharge of ones Duty as neither to hurt a mans self in his Life Estate Honour Health or Contentment nor yet to fail in the Attainment of that Worth and Beauty which will make our Lives Delightful to others and as Glorious to our selves as Beneficial and Delightful PRUDENCE hath an eye to every Circumstance and Emergence of our Lives It s Designe is to make a mans self as Great and glorious as is possible and in pleasing all the World to order and improve all Advantages without incurring the least inconvenience To reconcile our Devotion Obedience and Religion to our Interest and Prosperity in the World To shun all extreams to surmount all Difficulties to overrule all Disadvantages to discern all Opportunities and lay hold on all Occasions of doing Good to our selves It s Office is to consult and contrive and effect our own Welfare in every Occurrence that can besal us in the World and so to mingle all Vertues in the Execution of our Duties that they may relieve and aid and perfect each other in such a manner as at once to be pleasing to GOD profitable to his Creatures and to our selves To take heed that we do nothing out of Season nor be guilty of any Defect or Excess or Miscarriage All the Vertues are United by Prudence like several Pieces in a Compleat armour and disposed all like Souldiers in an Army that have their several Postes and Charges or like the several Orders and Degrees in a Kingdom where there are Variety of Trusts services to be done and every Man has his Office assigned by the King and knows his own work and is fitted for the same FOR as no one man is sufficient for all the same person cannot be chief Priest in the Temple and General in the Army and Admiral at Sea c. So neither can every Vertue serve for all purposes but there must be several Vertues for several Ends. AS the King ordereth and directeth all his Officers and subjects in their several Places if they do their duty in their own sphere the Great End is attained by all which no one of them alone was able to Effect so here one Vertues supplies the Defects of another and tho every one of them moves in his own Precincts and does not at all intermeddle with anothers charge yet the Work is done as effectually as if any one Vertue did all alone WHILE all the Vertues conspire to supply what is wanting in each other Prudence is the general Overseer and Governour of all which while every single Vertue is ignorant of what the other are doing fits and proportions the subservient Ends to which every one of these Directeth its Care and Labour and Skill to the Great and last End of all the intire Perfection and Glory of the Kingdome So that here upon Earth Prudence seemeth to be the King of Vertues because we have such a Multiplicity of Concernes and Affairs to look after that it is impossible for any one Vertue but Prudence alone to attend them all THIS discovereth the Excellency of Vertue detected a very great Error to which we are liable while we are prone imprudently to expect more from any Vertue than it is able to perform We are apt to believe that in every Vertue there is an infinite Excellency And this great Expectation of ours is a good opinion of Vertue yet turneth not seldome to its Disgrace and Infamy For when we look upon any single Vertue and see it so Defective that it scarce answereth one of many Ends because we find our selves deceived in our expectation of its perfection and the Service of that Vertue so Curt and narrow which we thought to be infinite we are distasted at its Insufficiency and prone to slight it as a poor inconsiderable Business infinitly short of our Hopes and expectations Nay and to be discouraged from the practice of it because we find it attended with many Difficulties and inconveniences which it is not able to remedy or answer Thus are we deterred from Liberality for fear of the Poverty to which it exposeth us from Meekness because it encourageth all People to trample us under feet from Holiness because it is scorned and hated in the World from Fortitude and Courage because of the Perils and Hazzards that attend it from self-Denial because of the Displeasures we do to our selves in crossing our Appetite Nay sometimes men are so wicked as to hate to be obliged for fear of the Inconveniences of Gratitude and are much Prejudiced against Fidelity and Love and Truth and Constancy For all these Vertues can answer but one exigence for which they are prepared especially in our Daily Conversation with men and a mistake in one of them doth expose us to more Inconveniences then its Benefit is worth THIS is the Offence and the Truth is no Vertue is of any Value as cut off from the rest We may as well expect all Beauty in a Nose divided from the Face or an eye pluckt out of the head all Perfection in an Ear or a tongue cut off all serviceableness in a Hand or Foot dismembred from the Body as a full and perfect Security from any one Vertue whatsoever If one were sufficient the rest would be Superfluous Mans Empire and Dominion would be a very narrow Thing at least a very Empty and Shallow thing if any one Vertue were enough for his Felicity As his Exigencies and Concerns are Innumerable so are his Cares and Endowments his Honors and Pleasures his Offices and Employments his Vertues and Graces His Offices and his Vertues must be at least so many as will serve to regulate all his Concerns And if any be so comprehensive as to cure many Exigencies at the same time his Vertues are the Greater