they did receive from their immediate Forefathers as of Faith and saw their practice of For if this Principle were their Rule always and if it be now it must they say have bin so then the Faith of each succeeding Age must needs have bin the Faith of the preceding and by consequence there having bin no change the Faith of this Age must needs be the same with that of Christ and his Apostles Now since in the resolution of our Faith we proceed not by this Rule upon this Principle we have no Rule of faith nor certain resolution of it and by consequence no Faith Now it appears at first sight fully evident that this Rule of theirs does supersede and quite evacuate those Doctrines that maintain either the sayings of the Fathers or Decrees of Councils or the Definitions of the Popes or the infallible Autority of the Church whatever that Church signify hath any part or interest in the Rule of faith and very justly so for Fathers are but eminent Members of the Church Popes can pretend to be but Heads of that Church Councils but the Representatives and what infallible Autority soever can be in the Church that Church being the Congregation of the Faithful and those onely being Faithful that hold the true Faith therefore till it be known which is the true Faith it cannot be known who are the ture Faithful nor by consequence which is the Church nor therefore which is Head Member or Representative of it or hath that Autority and therefore before all those men must have a Rule for their Faith whereby they may try which is the true But when we say we have God's own Revelation of his will what he would have to be believ'd his Word the Scriptures they add that since we cannot know which is the Scripture but by the continued testimony of those that recommended it from the beginning neither can that be the Rule which needs another Rule to establish it nor can that which is believ'd upon that other Principle of universal testimony be any part of the Rule since what is believ'd is the Object of Faith and so presupposes the Rule of Faith and therefore we who make that to be the onely Rule have no Rule no not a part tho the Trent Council do allow the Scriptures to go shares with Tradition 'T is easy to reply that that which is the Object of that Faith whereby we assent to it as a book written by such inspir'd men or as a true historical Narration of which Testimony does assure us may yet be the Rule of that Faith whereby we assent to Doctrines as reveal'd from God which we believe those are that we find there recorded And it were as easy to retort that if this arguing were good men could not know that the Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles orally deliver'd to them was from God but by the testimony of the Miracles they taught therefore neither could Christ's or the Apostles oral tradition living voice be a Rule of Faith to those Ages since they were the Objects of belief and presuppos'd those Miracles as the Rule by which men did believe what Doctrines came from God nor can the Succession of Doctrine be the Rule for we know not the whole Succession but by the living voice of the present Church that does deliver Doctrine by the foresaid Rule or Principle But not to reply to this Scholastically but suppose for their sakes that Scripture could be known to be the word of God no otherwise than by testimony yet that it might be the Rule one short familiar instance shall evince irrefragably to the meanest understanding We know the Books of Scripture are entituled Books of the Old and New Testament both Scripture it self and Fathers giving cause for that expression Now in making a man's testament the Testator's last bequests or that which he last of all wills as to the disposal of his goods and possessions is the primary rule we know by which they are to be disposed off and when that disposition and will of his is put into writing sign'd and seal'd that writing or that Instrument is secundarily the rule by which Legacies must be demanded and upon performance of conditions the Inheritance entred upon Now possibly they that either demand Legacies or the Executors yea the Heir indeed himself it may be know not either hand or seal however that the writing was in good deed honestly subscrib'd and sealed by the deceased party none can know but who were present and saw or heard him declare and publish it and if any are concern'd to be assur'd whether it be a true will neither forg'd nor alter'd or deprav'd they can no otherwise be satisfied than by their testimony It is on that account that men give credit to that will from thence it is of force and afterwards continues to be so as to all ends and uses of a Will by being witnessed and sworn to that is prov'd and then enrolled and layd up in an Office for that purpose and by that becomes a firm Record and as such is there conserved Now certainly no man is so far destitute of common sence to say either the Witnesses or their Testimony or the Office that conserves the Instrument or the Clerks and Registers or Judg of that Office is the Rule by which the man's goods must be distributed or the Rule of those things that the Heir or the Excecutors must perform for the man's last Will I shew'd you was the prime Rule that Will put into writing sign'd and seal'd that is that Instrument the secondary Rule of all that and the Testimony Office Clerks and Judg are but onely means of bringing that Will to the knowledg of all such as are concern'd the way of assuring the truth and uncorruptness of the Instrument and of conserving it entire for after uses The Application of this to Christ our Savior's Testament is easy If by Penmen which himself inspir'd he caus'd his last Will in disposing the Inheritance of Heaven to be written and what things he would have believ'd what don all which he seal'd with his own God's Seal with Miracles and if those Penmen and the other Witnesses before whom he declar'd and publish'd it did attest it and gave it to the Church to be conserv'd there and her Pastors are perpetual successive Conservators of the integrity of these Records 't is plain our Lord's Will here is primarily the Rule of Faith and Action and secondarily the Testament that authentic Instrument is so and the Testimony is no more that Rule here than in the man's Will nor yet than the prerogative Office nor the Pastors or the Head if such an one there were than the Clerks the Judg of that Office nor all nor any of these are the Rule it self The Testimony is but the means of conveying down to us the knowlege of that Testament and of the uncorruptness of it and as far as that Conveyance and that
Testimony is assur'd and certain so far they must grant the Faith we give that that writing is the Rule must be assur'd and certain And since all the means and kinds of their Tradition make that very Testimony and Conveyance of that Book therefore all that certainty and that infallibility their faith can have from those grounds the same certainty and infallibility the faith we give to that Book must needs have too on their own grounds But it hath more for since the ground of all faith must be testimony and by consequence none but Divine Testimony can be ground sufficient for Divine Faith and that Testimony was I shew'd you Miracles wrought by the Publisher to confirm the Doctrine both which are in this Rule of ours Therefore altho that universal Testimony all their Tradition for it which is merely humane may be a sufficient method of conveyance to derive all notice as the first men's eyes and ears that saw the Miracles and heard Christ tho they be but humane senses were sufficient to them also they suffice not yet to a Divine Belief they cannot ground that Faith which must be given to Divine supernatural Doctrines upon a Divine Testimony which Tradition is not but our Rule hath So that the resolution of our Faith is made by a Divine Rule such as theirs pretends not to be made by and the mere conveyance of that Rule to us hath all that certainty and that infallibility that they pretend their Rule it self to have and so we may have Faith and may be Christians But we are never the nearer however for if the Rule of Faith if true must be a means to make our assent more infallible than Science upon Demonstration and there can be no other such Rule besides the living voice and present practice of that Church which does and always did resolve her Faith into it by this Principle not to believe or teach or practise any thing as of Faith but what they did receive from their immediate Forefathers as of Faith and saw their practice of which most undeniably renders their Faith impossible to be erroneous therefore we that owne neither such a resolution rule or principle can neither have true rule nor Faith But yet how fine soever and self-evident this Principle and Resolution appear to them as speculators if it were practically enquir'd into it would appear the weakest of all other For first I might evince that ever since the first beginnings of Religion and mankind while either they had no other rule at all but this of oral practical tradition as in the first times before the Law was given and Scripture wrote their faith and practice grew all false and diabolical or when they had another rule so far as they made use of this rule thereby that they did make void their own Faith and God's Laws as the Pharisees among the Jews or lastly when they had not an entire rule written as in the first Age of Christianity while the Scriptures were not spread amongst Believers but they had the living and inspir'd voice of the Apostles to resolve their Faith into and by that Rule and Principle of oral practical Tradition most perfectly yet then the most execrable Heresies that ever infested the Church had their rise and growth Secondly I might demonstrate their Church did not always so resolve their Faith and by that Principle Look thro their Councils all from the beginning where their Church sometimes the whole Church met together either to confirm the true Faith or confound the false and you shall find no footsteps of this oral practical Tradition but of doctrinal enough The Sayings of the Fathers and Decrees of Former Councils and the Texts of Scripture these they call their Demonstrations Thirdly where there is most need still of a certain rule and resolution there this is unpracticable wholly namely in all great divisions of the Church in points of Faith To instance in the Arrian contentions where the World was against St Athanasius and St Athanasius against the World and the Pope himself Liberius was then Arrian who could then hear and distinguish the living voice of the Church When the whole East was so universally and bloudily divided in the matter of Images one Greek Council defining against them and another for it and the West as much the French Italian German Bishops presently in a great Synod declaring against them and the British Church particularly Now I will not ask how it was possible the greater parts of the whole Church should so at once have laid aside their infallible self-evident Rule and chanc'd together to forget it should not once bethink themselves whether they had seen their Forefathers practise that Worship or no and heard them teaching that they had received it too from their Forefathers nor ask how it was possible their Enimies should not mind them of it if it were the Churches rule and had bin generally taught and practised and assure them by their Principle how impossible that it should be erroneous But there is not a word of this in the whole two Nicene Councils but some Texts of Scripture and some Sayings of the Fathers which no more evince the practice than Tentordin steeple does cause Goodwin Sands But I will ask how in the noise and the confusion of both States and Churches while wars and Anathemas thunder'd in the quarrel how it was possible poor souls could hear and distinguish what the living voice and present practice of that Age was which was so extremely various and contradictory Those that were then to be instructed in the Faith what could they hearken to How could they guide themselves by that Rule when as in their Doctrines they condemn'd each other in their practice murder'd one another And when each party pleaded that theirs was the Faith deliver'd to them which should they believe The major party How should they know infallibly which was How be assured the major party is requir'd Why truth must be on that side where the most are What self-evident Rule had they to judge of these by Surely none Accordingly it was not by this Rule but by being overpower'd they receiv'd that Faith and practice Fourthly that it may appear in no case useful in the calmest Sun-shine of the Church and when if ever they were all of one mind namely before Luther when if ever there were any Article that the Latin Church was possessed of an explicit belief of it was that of Purgatory as it is now held amongst them there was all expresses of an oral practical Tradition for it and if there were not 't is impossible to know when any Doctrine is receiv'd upon that Principle so that the Rule is frivolous as to practice yet as if that Principle had ow'd the very Founder of it a great spight he must go write a Book against that Purgatory which stood by his own Principle for which he is under censure by his own Church But least
that requires strict evidence in things of faith which cannot bear it he that calls for Mathematical demonstration nor will believe on easier terms yet is so credulous and so unwary that he can believe so many things which by the nature and the disposition of mankind I have demonstrated not possible which yet must be true unless these Scriptures be from God 't is plain he does not seek for certainty but for a pretence of not believing would fain have his Infidelity and Atheism look more excusable and is not fit to be disputed with but to be exploded But if these Scriptures be from God then whatsoever they affirm with modesty I may conclude is true And therefore when St Luke Acts 1. 1. declares his former treatise contain'd all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up since Christ before he did ascend taught every thing that was requir'd to be believ'd and don in order to salvation and more too therefore if his Gospel did contain all that he taught and did since it did not contain all absolutly it must needs mean it contained all that was necessary or it must mean nothing And since the same St Luke in the beginning of that Gospel does affirm he wrot it that Theophilus might know the certainty of those things wherein he had bin instructed 'T is plain he avers that the certain knowledg of all those things wherein the having bin instructed made Theophilus a Christian might be had out of the Gospel and when St Paul says here that the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus and St John in his 20 chap. v. 31. that tho he had not wrot all the things that Jesus did yet those that he had wrot were written that we might believe that Jesus was the Christ the son of God and that believing we might have life through his name 'T is evident the Scriptures say that what was written was sufficient to work that belief which was sufficient to life and salvation as far as the credenda do concur to it And when St Paul in that verse that succeeds my text in most express particular words sets down the usefulness of Scripture in each several duty of a man of God or Preacher of the Gospel both for Doctrine of faith for reproof or correction of manners and instruction unto righteousness and tells you Gods express end in inspiring it and consequently its ability when so inspir'd was that the man of God might be made perfect throughly furnisht unto every good work that belongs to his whole office 't is most certain that what is sufficient for that office to instruct reprove correct and teach in must needs be sufficient to believe and practise in for all men i. e. what my text affirms they are able to make us wise unto salvation I might call in Tradition universal to bear witness to this truth for holy Scriptures if having once demonstrated that they are Gods word when that does affirm it and bears witness to it there were need of any other And this I dare boldly say that if the Scripture did say as expresly that the Pope had a supremacy or soveraignty over the whole Church or that he or the Roman Church were infallible their definition or the living voice of their present Church a most sure rule of faith as it doth say Scripture is able to make us wise unto salvation those Articles would suffer no dispute it would be blasphemy or sacriledg to limit or explain them by distinctions when those sayings of the perfectness of Scriptures are forc'd to bear many Then we should have no complaints of the obscurity of those books if those articles were either in the Greek or Hebrew they would never say the Bible were not fit to be a Rule of Faith because the Language were unknown to the unlearned and they could not be infallibly secure of the Translation were they there they would account them sure enough who think them plain enough already there and that we must believe them because Thou art Peter Feed my sheep and Tell the Church are there And for him that shall affirm all necessaries that must make us wise unto salvation are not in the Scripture 't is impossible to give a rational account how it should come to pass that some are there the rest are not It must be either on design or else by chance Now 1. That God should design when very many things that were not necessary were to be written that the main and fundamental ones should be omitted and when of the necessaries most he did design for Scripture then He should not suffer the Apostles to write the remainder of them and yet what he would not suffer them to write design'd that the Trent Fathers who I hope have perfected the Catalogue should write all of these since 't is not possible to give a reason 't is not therefore rational to affirm it was upon design But 2. If he shall say it only happen'd so by chance he does affront both Scriptures and Gods Holy Spirit who as they affirm inspir'd them for this very end to bring men to the faith and to salvation But there is no place for chance in those things that are don in order to an end by the design impulse and motion of the infinit wisdom of Gods Holy Spirit He certainly does most unworthily reproch his Maker who can think it possible that what he did design expressly and on that account alone to attain such an end by namely that men should believe and be sav'd and inspire it for that purpose should yet fail not be sufficient for that purpose And sure if it be sufficient it contains all necessaries otherwise it were deficient in the main yea so clearly also as that they for whose salvation they are intended may with use of such methods as are obvious and agreed upon by all men understand them for otherwise they could not be sufficient if men could not be instructed by them in things necessary both to faith and life they could not make them wise unto salvation I must confess the Scripture labors under a great prejudice against this doctrine from the different sense and interpretations that are made of it even in the most fundamental points by them that grant it is the word of God when yet all use the same means to find out the meaning and no doubt they seek sincerely after it But yet I think it evident this happens not from the obscurity of Scripture since it is not only in the most express texts but also if you should suppose the doctrins were as plain set down there as words can express them yet there are such principles assum'd into the faith of different sects as must oblige them to interpret diversly the same plain words I am not so vain as to imagin that no places are obscure in
countenance from Scripture and for want of better they are therefore forc'd to interpret those words I will lift up mine eyes unto the Hills thus I will invocate the Saints Now will any say 't is the obscurity of this Scripture that does hinder Protestants from seeing the bright evidence of this argument and not rather that it is the weak foundation of this practice that does make the Romanists seek to build it on those mountains So among those several texts which in the 2d Nicen general Council are produc't for adoration of the images of Christ and of the Saints and are expounded to evince it none is plainer then that which I produced now from Bellarmin I shall give one or two examples from the Psalms Thy face Lord will I seek and Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and again the rich among the people shall entreat thy face therefore David thought the picture of Christ was to be ador'd It is their own conclusion from these texts and they have no better for it Yet they saw the doctrine in these so apparently as that with great opposition to great Councils and more bood-shed I think then yet ever any doctrine hath bin setled with it was impos'd Yea more the first experiment of the Popes power over Soveraign Princes was on the account of this same doctrine when for opposing Image-worship Gregory the 26d excommunicated the Greek Emperour Pope Constantine for the same cause indeed had 14 years before don so to Philippicus but he did not go much further whereas Gregory absolv'd the Emperor's subjects in the Roman Dutchy from their Allegiance commanded them not to pay him any tribute nor in any wise obey him whereupon they kill'd their Governors and swore obedience to the Pope And this was the beginning of St Peters patrimony and it was thus gotten by this doctrine which they saw so cleerly in these Scriptures when they cannot see the contrary in those plain words Thou shalt not make to thy self any whether Graven image or idol it matters not since it follows nor the likeness of any thing which is heaven above c. nor in those where God takes care expresly that himself be not worship't by an image Deut. 4. 15. and then judg if 't is obscurity or plainness that makes them see or not see doctrines in the Scripture rather if it be not meerly the necessity of prejudice So again we differ in the meaning of the 14th chap. of the 1. of Cor. where we think St Paul asserts and argues yea and chides against all service in an unknown tongue in the public assemblies saying all must be don there so as it may be understood and to edification But that which is perform'd there in an unknown tongue does not edify says he there yet to justify this practice they must make it have a different meaning which no Fathers countenance but which several expound as we do yea and diverse of their own do so too particularly their Pope John 8th in his 247th Epistle writing expresly on that Subject Once more so their half communion that it may be reconcil'd with that express command Drink yee all of it and this do obliges them to find another meaning drink yee all must be directed to them only as Apostles and do this must signify consecrate the Elements altho St Paul apply it most directly to the drinking and the drinking to his lay Corinthians Nor dare they say in truth it means the other for St Paul when he does say do this did not intend to make his Lay Corinthians male and female all priests and give them power to consecrate The words are plain there 's nothing in the text obscure that makes us differ but the practice had by little and little grown upon them till it became Universal and so grew into their faith and then since they believe they cannot erre they must expound Christ's words so as they may not contradict their practise because that would overthrow their Principle But the Church that builds upon no Principle but Gods word can have no temtation to pervert or strain it since what ever does appear to be the meaning of it that their Principle must needs engage them to believe And therefore if it say This is my body we believe it if it saies too after consecration it is bread we believe that also and because it therefore says 't is both we so believe it one that it may be the other which since both say it is impossible that it can be substantially neither hath God in express words told us which it is substantially therefore seeing when he calls it body he is instituting his Sacrament there 's all reason in the world he should mean Sacramentally since 't is the most proper meaning and by consequence 't is bread substantially as all waies of judging in the world assure us Here 's no stress on Scripture as there is no Principle to serve when as the other makes us differ not in Scripture only even where 't is plainest but tradition too For the most express and evident sayings of the primitive Fathers are on every head of difference as much the matter of contention as the texts of Scripture are as it were easy to demonstrate if that were my business So that it is meer deceit to lay our quarrels to defects in Gods word and particularly to its obscurity which a man would think were evident enough from this that Children knew it The last thing I am to speak to And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus I cannot pass this that it is St Chrysostomes observation that Timothy was nurst up in the Scriptures from his childhood Yea and since his Father was an Heathen he must have bin taught them by his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice whose faith St Paul speaks of 2 Tim. 1. 5. Children therefore then and Women and they sure are Laics read the Bible Yea and since they knew it they must read it in a language which they understood and we know where that is unlawful now If we consider the first prohibition that appear'd in that Church with Synodical autority against such mens having any Bibles in their own tongue we shall find it was immediatly upon the preaching of the Waldenses one of whose doctrines it was that the Scripture was the rule to judg of faith by so that whatsoever was not consonant to that must be refus'd This they preach't in France and over Europe in the latter end of the twelf Century and that Council which forbad their having of the Bible we find lately put forth by the frier D. Achery as held at Tholouse in the beginning of the 13th Century It seems they apprehended then their doctrines hardly
would abide that touchstone and they therefore had no surer more compendious way for its security then to prevent such trial taking care men should not know what was or what was not in Scripture And it is not possible for me to give account why in their catechising they leave out all that part of the commandments Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image c. but this only that they dare not let the laity compare their doctrine and their practice with that Scripture But tho it is possible they might conceive some danger if the whole Scripture should be expos'd yet in those portions which the Church it self chose out for her own offices the little Lessons and Epistles and Gospels those sure one would think were safe no not their Psalter Breviary nor their Hours of the Blessed Virgin must they have translated in their own tongue as that Council did determin And truly when the Roman Missal was turn'd lately into French and had bin allow'd to be so by the general Assembly of the Clergy in the year 1650. and when it was don it had the usual approbation of the Doctors and some Bishops and then was printed at Paris with the license of the Vicars general of their Archbishop Yet another general Assembly of the Clergy the year 1660 whereat there were 36 Bishops upon pain of excommunication forbid any one to read it and condemn not only that present traduction but the thing in general as poysonous in an Encyclical Epistle to all the Prelates of the Kingdom and in another they say of him that did translate it and the Vicars general that did defend him in it that by doing so they did take arms against the Church attaquing their own Mother namely by that version at the Altar in that sanctuary that closet of her spouses mysteries to prostitute them and in another Epistle they beseech his Holiness Pope Alexander 7th to damn it not in France alone but the whole Church which he then did by his Bull for ever interdicting that or any other Version of that book forbidding all to read or keep it on severest pains commanding any one that had it to deliver it immediatly to the Inquisitor or Ordinary that it might be burnt forthwith Now thus whatever it be otherwise the Mass is certainly a sacrifice when 't is made a burnt offering to appease his Holiness's indignation when that verâ— Memorial of Christs passion again suffers and their sacred offices are martyr'd To see the difference of times 't was heretofore a Pagan Dioclesian a strange prodigy of cruelty who by his edict did command all Christians to deliver up their Bibles or their bodies to be burnt 'T was here his Holiness Christs Vicar who by his Bull orders all to give up theirs that is all of it that they will allow them and their prayers also that they may be forthwith burnt or themselves to be excommunicated that is their souls to be devoted to eternal flames And whereas then those only that did give theirs up were excommunicate all Christians shun'd them as they would the plague and multitudes whole regions rather gave themselves up to the fire to preserve their Bibles now those only that have none or that deliver up theirs are the true obedient sons of that Church and the thorough Catholics I know men plead great danger in that book it is represented as the source of monstrous doctrines and rebellions I will not say these men are bold that take upon them to be wiser then Almighty God and to see dangers he foresaw not and to prevent them by such methods as thwart his appointments but I will say that those who talk thus certainly despise their hearers as if we knew not Heresies were hatcht by those that understood the Bible untranslated and as if we never heard there were rebellions among them that were forbid to read the Bible For if there were a Covenant among them that had it in their own tongue so there was an Holy League amongst those men that were deni'd it While those that had the guidance of the subjects conscience were themselves subject to a forreign power as all Priests of that communion are How many Kings and Emperors have there bin that did keep the Scriptures from their people but yet could not keep their people from sedition nor themselves from ruine by it In fine when God himself for his own people caus'd his Scripture to be written in their own tongue to be weekly read in public too and day and night in private by the people and when the Apostles by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost indited Scripture for the world they did it in the language that was then most vulgar to the world what God and the Holy Spirit thus appointed as the fittest means for the Salvation of the world to define not expedient as the Holy Fathers of Trent did looks like blasphemy against God and the Holy Spirit But blasphemies of this kind are not to be wondr'd at from that kind of men that call the Scripture a dumb judg a black Gospel inken Divinity written not that they should be the rule of our faith and Religion but that they should be regulated by submitted to our faith that the autority of the Church hath given canonical autority to Scriptures and those the chief which otherwise they had not neither from themselves nor from their authors and that if the Scriptures were not sustain'd by the autority of the Church they would be of no more value then Aesops fables And lastly that the people are permitted to read the Bible was the invention of the Devil But to leave the controversy and speak to the advantages which may be had from early institution in the Scripture 't is so evident that I need not observe how 't is for want of principles imprest and wrought into the mind in Childhood that our youth is so licentious And 't is not possible it can be otherwise when they have nothing to oppose to constitution when 't is growing and to all the temtations both of objects and example no strict sense of duty planted in them no such notions as would make resistance to the risings of their inclination and seducements of ill company and they therefore follow and indulge to all of them And in Gods name why do parents give their Children up to God in their first infancy deliver him so early a possession of them as if they would have Religion to take seizure on them strait as if by their baptizing them so soon they meant to consecrate their whole lives to Gods service make them his as soon as they were theirs as if they had bin given them meerly for Gods uses And they therefore enter them into a vow of Religion almost as soon as they have them why all this if accordingly they do not season and prepare
came along to them by the way of oral practical Tradition If it did 't is not a sure infallible Rule of conveying Faith if it did not then that Church did not still receive their Faith upon that Rule and Principle or by that method tho that they did so is their first great Principle and the great Master of that Scheme assur'd his Holiness it was not possible to maintain their doctrine otherwise against the subtlety of the English Hereticks And truly they that make the greatest noise amongst us now are fled to the last hold of it but that indeed it does alone protest Infallibility whether of the Church or the Succession of their doctrine by that way of practical Tradition and that is the infallible most necessary certainty of Faith But I shall say no more to this than what the grand Abettor of the Principle hath said in answer to himself objecting what was to be said to them that could not penetrate into his demonstrations see the force and evidence of that Rule and Principle and yet have that Faith that 's necessary to Salvation I shall give it you in his own words as near as I can put them into English He says there is a certainty deriv'd into the understanding of these men out of their will for since they think themselves assur'd these truths were brought down by the Church from Christ to them stand convinc't of that act this is sufficient to cause their wills firmly to adhere to them and by that adherence to repell all difficulties and objections to which curious wits are subjects And whether the man see that the Autority of the Church which he follows is of more force at least to him than particular objections in those truths or whether he thinks nothing at all of it but rests stedfast in that assent which his very ignorance caus'd 't is plain he hath a certainty of will which in its way extends it self to the Government of his whole life answerably to that his perswasion and by consequence he hath a certainty exclusive of all doubt and such as moves him to direct his actions all to God that is there is in him that Faith which worketh by love So he Now hence 't is evident by his Concessions first that there may be a saving Faith which hath not that infallible certainty arising from the motives Guide or Principle or way of Resolution And that secondly a Certainty deriv'd into the Understanding from a Will that is piously dispos'd sufficeth Thirdly that there is this certainty where the Will firmly cleaves and adheres to God relying on him with a vigorous hope and trust directing all the actions up to God and to his service and persevering in it to the life's end Now this is all that I am all this while contending for It is not by self-evident or demonstrative methods or by an infallible Guide that he provides against mens unbelief but when with preparation like our man here in the Text in weeping earnestly we betake our selves to him crying out for help and direction and applying our understanding meekly to attend his methods he disposes piously the Will to entertain the gracious blessed Proposals of the Gospel with complacency and heartiness and from conversing with the experience of them to prefer them before all worldly carnal things that used to bait our lusts ravish our hearts and carry us away from God and from our duty and it is against this unbelief in thus departing from the living God that his assistances are mainly level'd and our Praiers chiefly are to be directed For 't is most infinite madness to perswade and satisfy our selves we are of the true Church have the onely true certain Faith if yet our practices be such as set us at as great a distance from Almighty God as Hell is from Heaven and while we do commit such things 't is as impossible we can adhere to God as 't is impossible for Christ to have communion with Belial It is a Contradiction by ungodly actions to defy God and turn our backs upon and depart from him yet to cling and adhere to him 't is as I say a Contradiction to believe that we have Faith while we do not cling to and adhere but depart from him Lord help thou this our unbelief And if his grace but once dispose us to prefer the blessed expectations of a Christian he does easily prevail with us to cling to them with such certain assurances as will carry us thro all the stages of our life and duty with all chearfulness and constancy This is that certainty of Faith by which the Martyrs cleav'd to and embrac'd at once the Cross and their Religion firm in dying as believing and when with arts of torment they broke all their joynts and their limbs piece-meal scatter'd all their parts asunder tore their souls out of their bodies still they kept their Faith whole and their Tormentors could not tear one Article of their belief or Christian practice from them and when their Wills were once inflam'd with the desires and expectations of God's preparations then no other martyring flames could make them shrink Those seem'd to them but brighter Emblems of and speedier Conveyances to that Eternal Light and Glory which their Faith had given them the evidence and the first vision of they knew by them they onely did expire into Everlasting Life and Glory SERMON XIV THE CHRISTIANS LIGHT is to shine before men Matt. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven THE words have two parts a command and a reason of it the command Let your light shine before men the reason That they may see your good works c. The command affords to us this instruction the life of a Christian is to be fruitful and exemplary Both these are commanded not onely in the command it self but proved in the reason That they may see your good works there must therefore be works which are the fruits of virtue Yea and fruitfulness is every where requir'd by Christ and if we look upon the current of Scripture and our duty we shall find that it will not serve a Christian's turn not to bring forth ill fruit to be onely barren ground not to have vices bud and sprout within us and grow with an increase of sin but we must do good In the Parable of the Sower Matt. 13. 23. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth some an hundred fold We are gods Husbandry 1 Cor. 3. 9. Now is any of you satisfied with his field because it plows well and receives the seed most kindly if it bring you no increase or crop yield you no harvest No saith the Author to the Hebrews c. 6. 8. such ground is nigh to cursing Why your works they are your
no such command and it were not my duty for till then I knew nothing of it this alone therefore do's propose and apply duty to us and consequently whether that which it proposes be my duty really in it self or no yet I must needs look upon it as so having no other direction imaginable what to do or forbear but what my conscience some way instructed tells me God or my Governors have commanded or forbid me So that if I am resolv'd in my mind of the sinfulness and obliquity of an action propos'd tho really the thing be innocent yet to me in my present circumstance 't will be utterly unlawful and tho the action be innocent the agent will be guilty 2. That God hath plac'd the conscience in us as the only next and immediate rule of all our actions according to which they are to be directed which if they be not they are faulty as every thing that swerves from its rule is not right tho what I have said will sufficiently prove yet Scripture do's confirm when it saies Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin that is to say whatsoever is contrary to the perswasion of lawfulness that is in other words contrary to conscience is sin whatsoever he do's as long as he thinks in conscience he should not do it he sins whether the thing be sin or no as that was no sin of which he there spake And reason good for we are so far honest hearted lovers of God as we embrace that which our hearts are really possest is his service and our duty and hate the contrary that is as we follow our conscience conscience being nothing but the persuasion that this is duty which if we go against 't is sure we like and follow that which in our thoughts is vicious and wicked be it what it will in it self to us 't is so 't is sure the inclinations and the actions pursue vice when they pursue that which they cannot look upon but as vice Conscience therefore is the rule from which 't is sin to recede 'T is with fair pretence to reason said that nothing can be a rule which is it self crooked and irregular That which is strait is indeed said to be index sui obliqui and having justified its own rectitude becomes qualified to be a test of right and wrong in others For certainly if the man knew what God's Law do's require of him in that case the conscience do's not erre if he do not know what God's word do's require how can he follow it against that which his conscience tells him God requires And it is certain if the man should suspend his action and have not reason to act according to his erring conscience he never can have reason to act according to a conscience well-inform'd not when it tells him God is to be lov'd for it is sure his conscience do's as much propose the error as his duty as it do's the truth the man as really believes the one is to be don as the other and hath no reason to make difference and therefore if at any time he must follow his conscience he must alwaies and it will be sin to act against it be it what it will But then you 'l hope it will excuse to act according to it Oh no alas for that 's the second thing in this case of erring conscience if a man act according to his conscience he sins too if he act against the Law of God Scripture will furnish me with several examples and proofs of this and 't is a doctrine worth the taking notice of it having prov'd to so many persons a plea for actions otherwise abominable they follow'd their conscience 't was it may be mistake in judgment but 't was uprightness of heart sincerity of conscience Now to take off this color which I shall do with all imaginable plainess Our Savior John 16. 2. foretells to his Disciples they shall put you out of their Synagogues yea the time will come that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he do's offer God an oblation or worship shall think it not only lawful but acceptable to God and of the nature of a Sacrifice which propitiates for other offences to put you to death See here a conscience bravely glos'd when the error look'd like Religion and Attonement a color not at all strange to our daies in such another case and yet these Jews that did so for of them he speaks were given up to the direst punishments that ever any nation did groan under Of the same Jews S. Paul saies Rom. 10. 2. I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledg that is I must testify of them that they are very many of them great zealots for their Law as that which is commanded them by God and so in their way and heart zealous to have God obeied only for want of knowledg they are mistaken in their zeal Here is strong conscience granted in these Jews and that built up upon a Law of God then indeed outdated which yet thro a zealous earnestness they were ignorant of but yet the following this zeal and conscience was plagued with total induration of of that people c. 11. 8 9 10. Nor was this S. Pauls heat against that persecuting nation but that Apostle do's more plainly yet and home to our matter say of himself Acts 23. 1. I have liv'd in all good conscience before God until this day I have all my life long even when I was a defender of the Mosaical Law against Christ's reformation acted sincerely and uprightly according to my conscience and again 2 Tim. 1. 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience i. e. whom I have obeied sincerely all my time even when thro ignorance I persecuted the Christian faith doing according to the dictate of my conscience and as I was perswaded I ought to do And now if conscience will excuse there was enough of that a good conscience and a pure conscience and will his fiery persecutions nâ—w by vertue of his conscience be Christned holy zeal shall the pure conscience make his bloudy hands to be undefil'd Oh no 't was Blasphemy and injury and persecution for all 't was conscience 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer c. and notwithstanding I did it all in the uprightness and sincerity of my heart I am the chief of sinners v. 15. And let us not suppose these aggravations were laid on by S. Paul upon himself because of his unbelief that that was the only thing that gave guilt to his actions and that we thro faith and assurance shall escape if we do such gross actions out of an erring conscience For on the contrary S. Paul do's bring his unbelief not as the Aggravation but the Apology of his crimes he pleads that for himself v. 13. and he finds
evade onely I allow 1. That Christ came down to settle his Religion plant the Christian Faith without a grant from or the leave of Secular Powers when he commissioned his Apostles to conveigh the Gospel thro the world they did expect or ask no Pass-port from the several Princes but in opposition to the Magistrates and Governors and Kings against whom he promis'd them to justify and bear them out they preach'd it I allow too 2. That he autoriz'd and gave right to Christians as such to assemble for Gods Worship and Service according to the rule of his Religion whatever prohibition threats or persecution they should meet from Secular powers on account of doing so Accordingly the Apostles and their Converts did so and St Paul gives it in charge to the Hebrews not to forbear doing so for any fear or suffering whatsoever not forsaking the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is Now he that does require that they shall do so notwithstanding any opposition from the Secular Powers gives them right to do so tho in opposition to those Powers for all must have a right to do their duty and accordingly the Christians of the first Ages did meet for Gods Worship against all the edicts all the persecutions of the Heathen Emperors But 3. Tho our Savior by this grant seems to pass by those Powers unregarded or at least not taken notice of when he gives their Subjects Privilege to meet in public full assemblies such as those of Christians ought to be without their leave yea and against their orders yet does not this grant diminish or intrench upon their safety in the least because the onely men he gives it to are such as can design or do no hurt to any Government For Christ conferr'd this privilege merely on the account of that Religion which he instituted and to men as his Disciples and Followers in it Now himself so renounc'd all pretence to any Secular interest or power practisâ—d such obedience to his Governors tho most unjust taught such subjection to all in Authority whether good or bad Patrons or Enemies to the Religion nursing Fathers to his Followers or Slaughter-men and Executioners and hath made all this so much the temper and the constitution of Christianity which condemns all enterprizing upon any rights of others and much more of Princes that it is impossible that companies of such men that is of such Christians such to whom alone Christ gives the privilege of meeting can create a danger or a jealousy in any State men that must indeed assemble but must not resist act or contrive against their Governors but die if they and laws will have it so for that their meeting So the Primitive Christians did so 20000 in one day at Nicomedia for assembling But men whose Principles or former practices upon their principles have any thing that tends to sedition in them especially if they have us'd such meetings to foment it or tho they did not that the other also till they can give such security as will satisfy the state of which the State is to judg can no more by their Christian birth-right by Christs whether grant or injunction of assembling for Gods Worship claim a privilege of such assemblies then notoriously sinful scandalous Christians or then open Heretics can by vertue of that same injunction claim the privilege of the public Assemblies till they satisfy the Church for the Church may excommunicate these and the State may restrain those others and they have no right or plea in conscience against it The rights he gave were given to men so far as they should follow the Religion which he instituted he gave no more privilege to the seditious then the scandalous He did not by requiring such assemblies for religious Worship mean to weaken the security of Governments which his Religion is above all other institutions fram'd to settle and establish which therefore by the grant of Christs Religion as well as by a right inherent in their office Governors may take care to provide for by restraints of that kind not at all examining mens pretension whether their Religion or their Principles be true or false for that were endless and to no effect every mans Religion and his Principles are true to himself but onely if they tend towards commotions or give cause of jealousy which still Governors must judg of Which if they cannot satisfy they can plead no Privilege to which they have no further right then as they free themselves from such suspicions In fine they cannot claim this on account of Christianity since Christianity admits of nothing that is prejudicial or gives fear to Governments but is the basis of Obedience the cement of Society Ecclesiastical and secular it compacts all the Stones of Sion of the House of God and of the seat of David of the Sanctuary and the Throne And therefore in the 4th place Romanists and 't is the same of every other Sect of men so far as they abet such Principles or have ever shew'd themselves in prosecution of them but Romanists for instance at the present who by all ways of assurance have convinc'd the world the most destructive Tenets to government most abhorrent from the state of Christianity are their Principles their Faith as namely by the general dictates of their Schole-men their allow'd Theology of their Canonists their allow'd Laws of a shole of particular Councils and some general their allow'd Rule of Faith of their Popes their infallible Judg and what 's worse by multitudes of practices the most inhumane that were ever heard of and would never yet however call'd on or accus'd retract or sentence but still justify and practise them Since they therefore know themselves incapable of claming Toleration by the Laws of Christianity we can interpret them to mean no other thing by claming and endeavoring it but to get more opportunities to destroy the Government both of Church and State to widen and to make more breaches in the gaping tottering walls of Sion tumble down her stones into the dust and make their dust their grave Nor need I discourse how others turn these mercies into gall and bitterness to contrive for parties and widen their own interests and the breaches of the Government the outcry for liberty ending alwaies in its denial of it to all besides themselves Such is our prospect of the stones of Sion it looks fatal but it hath this Argument of comfort in it that when Sion is in this condition that it is usually Gods time of mercy and of shewing favor then the appointed time for it is come the next thing that I am to speak to That this is ordinarily Gods time of appearing to shew mercy is notorious from Davids challenging his aids elsewhere upon the same account Psal. 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work or it is time for Thee to put to thine hand for they have made void thy
the disturbance of his Faith as I declar'd convincing it that conscience is not to accuse or else excuse but by the measures of sincerity or insincerity in known real duty not from the events or dispensations of God's providence on one side nor on the other in little things wherein there is no Law to guide us and which onely prejudice or seduction can make doubtful assuring us the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink indifferent rites but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Thus as St Paul says Heb. 6. 4. they that have tasted of the heavenly gift the comfort of the pardon of their sins and consequent to that the peace of Conscience and v. 5. tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come have intimate experimental relish of the Gospel-promises those powers of heaven those omnipotent forces God hath prepar'd to cast down every reasoning or imagination that should rise against the Christian Doctrine and bring every thought to the obedience of it 2 Cor. 10. 5. All which are said to be effected there in them who had bin made partakers of the Holy Ghost By these means therefore he enflames the Will sets it all on fire with ardent love to God and his rewards and consequently to his service in all the works of Piety and Virtue and endued with firm and setled resolutions of adhering to him in faithful constant practice of all this And thus Christ by his Spirit as he was the Author the Beginner of the faith by which he is stil'd Heb. 12. 2. so by the same he is the Finisher and the completer of it He was the Author as that Testimony which the Spirit gave by miracles did evince the infallible certainty and the Divinity of the doctrine to the world for the Spirit is said to bear witness to it by those signs and wonders Heb. 2. 3. and those signs are called the demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. that which did irrefragably prove and demonstrate all the Doctrine of the Gospel and make certain Faith of it and in this sense it is that Faith is truly said to be resolv'd into the testimony of the Spirit So also by the same he is the Finisher by the graces the preventings and excitings overshadowings and assistings of that Spirit working in us as we shew'd a firm sincere adherence to that Faith and the obedience of it which when it is wrought Faith hath attain'd that height and in that degree that is to make us capable of those benefits which Christ hath promis'd to bestow on true believers The last thing I was to shew and withal whether such Believers in that true degree can say with our man here Lord I believe yet say too help my unbelief Faith as the Son of Syrach does define it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the principle of cleaving to God that which knits joints us to him and St Paul saith as much when he makes the formality of an evil heart of unbelief to consist in departing from the living God and to Faith by which the just must live opposes drawing back slinking away for fear of danger or affliction Heb. 10. 38. So that according as that cleaving and adherency must be firm and indissoluble so we are to judge of Faith But secondly 't is certain this adherency must be without waverings James 1. 6 7. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering for let not that man him that wavers think that he shall receive any thing at the hands of God A firm and infallible assurance of God's promises a confident expectation of a grant to his petitions tho the power of Praier be almost omnipotent on that account What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11. 24. yet those are not meant by Faith here for the person that is bid not to expect a grant is here suppos'd to think and to be confident he shall receive it but the Praier here spoken to is for wisdom how to behave ones self in times of chance and danger or affliction for the truth's sake in these trials of his Faith v. 3. Now that he may obtain that wisdom he is bid to ask for it of God but he is also bid to ask it in faith nothing wavering i. e. he must come to God for it with firm adherence to him with dependance on him onely and a mind resolv'd whatever happens to stick fast to him and his commands and methods not to labor or accept deliverance on terms not allow'd by God and a good Conscience must not waver betwixt duty and security nor be double minded so as to apply now to Christ and Religion now to worldly carnal politics Such double minded men that have a mind to God and their duty but a mind also to safety interest or some other satisfaction are unstable are divided betwixt two not knowing which to turn to now taking one now the other do not stick to God they are not faithful It is not sound Faith where there is not a resolv'd and setled cleaving such false-hearted wavering ulcerates and gangrenes all But then thirdly where there is that firm sincere adherency to God and duty with such a dependance on him there is Faith that is effectual to the ends of Faith for this is true Faith that works and is consummated by love and that begets an efficacious Hope by that hope works out the purifying of our selves as God is pure and consequently does entitle us to see God i. e. to the beatifick Vision I know there are some who besides this certainty of adherence do require an absolute certainty of evidence affirming there is no true Faith but such as stands on a clear resolution into Principles more evident and certain than those Propositions are which are made out to us by Demonstration than any Principles of Sciences which Principles since they are more necessary than that first one that which is is and the contrary to them more impossible than for the same thing that is to be and not to be at the same time while it is by consequence they cannot but infuse greater necessity and certainty into our Faith than there is in the knowledg of those Propositions so that 't is impossible for him that is a true Believer to say Lord I believe help thou my unbelief I shall not put it to the question whether the Rule of Faith be firm and immovable or the Principle which true Belief must be resolved into is most infallible and necessary for all those which resolve their Faith into God's Revelation and that make his Word the Rule must needs assert all that and where it is affirm'd that the motives laid in second Causes by God's Providence to perswade men to embrace the faith must be such as of their own nature cannot fail to conclude points true if they mean
they cannot chuse but be sufficient to conclude that they are such as ought to be believed that is assented to as true I shall allow it yea so far and in that manner as God intended that they should conclude that is by the assistant grace and influence of his Holy Spirit so far in that manner I will grant they could not fail to be conclusive But that God intended they should be conclusive to us themselves with the evidence of such Metaphysical necessity so that by consequence they cannot but infuse a greater certainty and evidence into that assent that must be given to the points of Faith than there is in the Science of those Propositions that are first in Science and where there is not such necessity certainty and evidence raised by clear resolution into Principles more evident certain and necessary than those are there is not that Faith wich is alone is true and consequently that all true Faith must assent with the highest evidence necessity and certainty This I say may be granted when it shall be made appear how it is possible that God can variously deal to men the measure of Faith if every true Believer must needs have the greatest fullest measure or how any man that hath Faith and by consequence is certain most infallibly can be weak in Faith or have his Faith increase so as that it may grow exceedingly and wax very strong even till it come to full assurance and plerophory how all this I say is not impossible if all true Faith have essentially this plerophory that highest most infallible certainty and evidence But it is certain that God variously deales the measure of faith Rom. 12. 3. that there are those who have Faith and yet are weak in faith Rom. 4. 19. 14. 1. that have their faith increased Luke 17. 5. so as that it does grow exceedingly 2 Thess. 1. 3. wax very strong Rom. 4. 20. even to a full assurance Heb. 10. 22. Is it not therefore certain but that he that hath true Faith may say here with our Confessor Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Moreover if those Principles and motives blaz'd with such an evidence so bright a lustre of so cogent a necessity can any man believe that God would think it needful to arm that necessity with strict precepts fortify it with the aids of his own Holy Spirit and eternally reward Obedience to a most invincible necessity Dare any man imagin God could be so sportive in commanding as on pain of everlasting torment to engage us to believe that that which is existent is existent or that the Sun does shine at bright noon-day when we behold it so as that we cannot see it 't is our Author's own instance or to assent to these must there be the graces and assistance of the Holy Ghost or to believe the Sun shines when it does is that a Faith that is fit to be rewarded with eternal light and glory In fine since that the onely certainty of Faith wich is effectual to the ends of Faith is the certainty and firmness of adherency to God and Christ and to our duty without which all other certainty however infallible can but help towards our condemnation and since where the Holy Spirit and his Graces intervene not howsoever evident men fancy that their principles and motives are their way of resolution demonstrative there will be no true Faith and where he works with his Graces tho they were not so infallible and bright yet the adherency is firm the Faith true and saving Therefore there appears no evident necessity of such pompous principles and ways of resolution of our Faith For I would onely ask for whose sake and on whose account it is so needful that these motives principles and ways of resolution should be so infallibly certain evident and necessary Those that do embrace the Faith sincerely and are saved or those that do not give their hearts up to it and so perish in their unbelief As to these since besides all arguments internal to the doctrine outward testimony the onely argument in matter of fact and that in behalf of Christians it is far greater and more pregnant than there is for any other fact that ever was such as humanely speaking is impossible not to be true nor could there ever yet be found a rational exception or just ground of doubt against it so that 't is impossible but they must be convinc't in reason that 't is most irrational not to assent Those therefore that do wilfully resist their understandings and their reason and withal God's ordinary methods of conviction and so put a bar against his Graces and his Spirit since much more than was enough was don for them they are without excuse and since they did defy what was more than sufficient in it self and so resist God's methods also there is no pretence or reason for more helps of evidence on their account As for the other those that give themselves up to the guidance of their light and reason and Almighty God's convictions and are made Partakers of the Holy Ghost 't is most certain that his Holy Spirit will do all that is needful to complete their Faith and make it certain to salvation so that there is no need on their behalf of such self evidence of principles and motives to infuse such metaphysical certainty into their Faith And yet this certainty of Faith not onely is the ground on which alone is built Infallibility wherever that is to be placed for they are not agreed about it and indeed there were no great need to assure their Faith into such certainty but besides poor we because we do not take upon us to assert dogmatically the necessity of such most infallible certainty not onely are unchurch'd but unchristen'd concluded beyond all possibility of evasion not to have true Faith nor be truly Faithful An heavy imputation therefore I crave leave a little to consider it in one word not desiring to reflect on others but to justify our selves for in truth God knows we would as willingly go to Heaven as our Neighbors where we know we cannot be receiv'd without true Faith Now tho it looks unlucky that we should be doom'd thus upon grounds of which the Founder is himself under censure for them and his books that laid them damn'd even by his own Church tho we are by vertue of their Principles condemn'd as Hereticks because we come not into their Church which condemns the Founder of these very Principles on their account yet since however any thing does serve their turns provided it condemns us 't is not therefore to be passed by Now the ground not onely of their Faith but this their Confidence whereby they so exalt themselves and censure us is the absolute certainty of the living voice and practice of that Church which resolves her Faith by this Rule or Principle not to believe or teach or practise any thing as of Faith but what
this should seem onely an Argument ad hominem I will urge onely one instance There was a time when the immaculate Conception of our Lady stood by oral practical Tradition for in the publick Liturgies of their Church it was expresly own'd and celebrated For in their Liturgy printed 1551. after a devout Praier to the B. Virgin there is added Ave Hail Mary full of grace c. Blessed also be Saint Anne thy Mother out of whom thy virgin flesh came without any stain immaculate And again Hail c. woman blessed be thy Mother Anne out of whom thou didst proceed a Virgin without any stain or sin Once more in another Praier All hail thou most chast Mother of God c. and blessed be thy Parents Joachim and Anne out of whom thy virgin flesh proceeded without stain immaculate The same too was defin'd expresly in their Oecumenical Council at Basil in a session on purpose for it c. 36. after long debate decreeing that she never had Original or Actual sin but was immaculate and tho the Pope for other reasons and not this definition would not confirm this Council yet besides that by the way of oral practical Tradition his Holiness is declar'd to have but one vote and no negative yet if his vote signify Alexander VI. a little after gave ten thousand years of pardon for all mortal sins twenty for venial toties quoties to all that said devoutly in that Worship of our Lady and St Anne the former Praier Rubr. Now if the Church did not believe what was thus in her publick Praiers in her definitions which was the judgment of her Pastors of the whole Church Representative but if somwhat else must intervene to prove what is of Faith the Rule is insignificant it is impossible to know their Churches Faith at any time But we are bound to think they would not in their Solemn Divine Worship owne what they did not believe and they could not believe any thing by this Rule but what they did receive and so their Faith and Practice consequent must have bin always and must be infallible Yet we know that was defin'd the Doctrine taken up merely to countenance the Worship that had formerly bin given to the Blessed Virgin in the celebrating her Conception For since it always was the Churches Rule never to solemnize with a Festival but what they did account was Holy according to that saying of St Bernard quo pacto festus habetur qui minime sanctus est And accordingly the present Church that does still celebrate it also in her new Reformed Breviaries calls it Sanctam Conceptionem having therefore entertain'd the Festival they must needs entertain the Doctrine And the forenamed Council does expresly owne this in defining it ut consonum cultui Ecclesiastico in that it was agreeable to that Worship which the Church perform'd in the celebration of it But if you would know how the Solemnity began you may receive it from themselves thus A Canon of a Church in France greatly devoted to the Blessed Virgin returning home over the large mouth of the Seine in a vessel alone from the other side where he had bin committing Adultery with another man's wife and as he sail'd singing the Hours of the Blessed Virgin a great troop of Devils drown his vessel himself in the deep and his soul they drag'd away to torments On the third day while they were tormenting him the Mother of our Lord came thither with a train of Angels asking why they did unjustly so torment the soul of her servant Whom they answer'd that they had a just right to it for it was taken in its being about their employment she replies if it ought to be theirs whose service it was in then of right it is mine for you seiz'd it as he sung my Mattins so that you are guilty Upon which they fled and left it and the Blessed Virgin brought his soul back to his body and himself alive to shore where falling at her feet he said Dear Lady what shall I render unto thee for so great benefits that thou hast don unto me she replies I desire that henceforward thou commit no more Adultery least the later end be worse than the beginning I desire moreover that thou wouldest devoutly celebrate the Feast of my Conception yearly on the eighth day of December Good Lord that singing Mattins to our Lady should attone for him whose Vespers had bin offer'd up to a foul shrine to his Paramour celebrated in the vile Embraces of his Neighbor's Wife That the Blessed Virgin should be so concern'd for her own immaculate Conception so indifferent so easy or indeed indulgent to the gross Adultery of others However as it well became him he obey'd her and observ'd it and upon two other such like visions so did several others But the Worship by all this was onely private mens particular devotions therefore there was one more made to Anselme who immediatly began it in his Priory and being made Archbishop afterwards of Canterbury made it publick and then Innocent the III. did so in France and so the Worship became universal in their publick Services and to justify that Worship too the Doctrine of immaculate Conception was receiv'd into those Services and then defin'd in that great Council above mention'd Had this but bin in one of the dark Ages it had certainly prevail'd but somthing checking with the doctrin of the whole world that was more awake then the Popes afterward altho they kept the Worship up durst not vouch the Doctrin for a point of strict Faith tho sought to by two solemn Embassies from two Kings of Spain Philip III. and IV. Now truly by the equipage pursuit and carriage of the business one would think they came to crave an Audience for some new Faith as they were wont for any extraordinary grant or dispensation that at Rome they could decree Divinity as they did Acts of the Conclave and give out Articles as they did Cardinals Caps and make a new Creation for belief for sure they did not send that Embassy to enquire whether their own immediat Forefathers had so taught them and so forwards that there had bin always a perpetual succession But tho that would not do 't is evident there was a doctrinal Point defin'd by the great Representative of their whole Church and for some Ages receiv'd with the Devotions and the Worship of their whole Church and by consequence into their Faith for otherwise they gave Worship upon that account which they did not believe and it is also evident to sight how doctrines did come in into their Faith upon all least pretence of Visions the known way some that were devout men began a practice after other some in power adopted and gave credit to it and then gave autority by this means the practice in a while grew universal then became their Doctrine and their Faith Now I would know whether it was so it
some men made this reliance or dependance trust or faith our whole condition of the Covenant But tho 't is true the Covenant does require some disposition in us that we also may be trusted for those that are not faithful to him cannot have faith in him for us he knows our needs he knows our hearts too and if they be false he sees it and the trust is broken on both sides such hearts cannot trust him for it is impossible that one can trust upon another if he know that other does discern that he is false to him for he knows that he is not in condition to be dealt with by the rules of trust Yet the sincere and honest-hearted person may cast all his care there Faith does his work and he knows well whom he hath believed The sum is this however grievous Sinner one hath bin if he return and with intire submission to God's will become faithful to him and assure his own heart towards him he may commit himself and all his Spiritual and Eternal interests with all assurance absolutely into his hands and his temporal so far as they shall be succesful in all cases except those wherein God sees it necessary for his more advantage to determin otherwise All his concerns too for Religion he may put into the same safe hands with all assurance for God will never destroy his own Religion if it do not change first vitiate and put out it self And in whatever Judgments God at any time shall bring upon the publick he may perfectly assâ—re himself that whatsoever happens shall be for good to him for how sad soever the necessity be he knows both it and how to remedy it and is able and hath said he will he is true and just and faithful in his promises it is his very Nature that he cannot change or fail him and how desperate soever his condition seem here that state is God's opportunity and that time his set time and depending on him is yet a further engagement to him Yet in all this I have said very little all these grounds for trust reliance the old Covenant afforded Thus far the Jew knew whom he had believ'd but sure the Christian knows more comfortably hath more cause to trust on God as on the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And certainly we may rely upon that Father that he will deny us nothing who denied ns not his son 'T is St Pauls argument Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things We may resign our selves into his hands that lov'd us at these rates and cannot but be confident as the Apostle was v. 38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which he hath to us in and thro Christ our Lord and Savior or shall hinder him from preserving and delivering us in and from the hopes and fears the terrors and allurements of them all the temtations that either fear of death or hope of life or malice of the Devil and his Angels or of Principalities or powers whether earthly Potentates or infernal or distresses present or to come or heights of honor or depths of disgrace may assault us with How can these hinder when sin could not hinder Or what possibly can separate when God chose to be divided as it were from his own Son rather than any thing should separate him from the love of man And then what may we not expect from this the Eternal Son of God who became one of us that so he himself suffering by being temted might be able to succour them that are temted Heb. 2. 18. Able to succour Sure he could have don it ere he took upon him weak flesh being God Almighty he was not less able when he was Omnipotent yet being when he was made man himself afflicted having the experience of our infirmities in all points temted like as we are he is enabled to be much more sensibly compassionate and toucht with the feeling of our weak condition which himself felt so the ability which he hath gain'd is the Omnipotency of kindness One would have thought indeed it had bin large enough before when to shew mercy to us seem'd more dear to him and more considerable than to enjoy Divinity when he emtied himself of this that he might be qualified for the other How infinitely willing then was he to be compassionate to us when he takes flesh to learn to be compassionate How desirous was he to succour us who lays down Heaven and glory above and life here below that he might be able to succour us To whom can we betake our selves for mercy with such confidence as him who made himself like one of us that he might be a merciful High-Priest to expiate and make reconciliation We that are the sheep of his pasture what hands can we possibly resign our Souls into with such assurance as to those of this Bishop and Shepherd of our Souls this good Shepherd who not onely seeks the lost sheep that is run away but who also lays down his life for his sheep 10. 15. And what may not his poor Church depend upon him for who purchased to himself his Church with his own bloud What design can he have to fail us possibly who would be crucified for us In a word if one that for us men and for our Salvation would come down from Heaven be incarnate and made man a man of sorrows and afflictions and would suffer want shame and reproches agonies a Cross a bitter passion and a cruel death for us and who is sat down on the right hand of Majesty and Power hath all power in Heaven and Earth the keys of Death and Hell in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen faithful and true faithful to immutability Jesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever if I say he that is all this can be trusted we know whom we have believed And now I have no more to do but onely ask whether we are assur'd of any other whom on more or safer grounds we have or may believe I will upbraid none with that Irony which Eliphas insults on Job with c. 5. 1. Call now see if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee There are that do with all the evidence imaginable of a strong confidence and chearful hopes to speed in doing so pour out their needs their whole Souls to a fancied or it may be true Saint whom they have adopted as the object of their invocation which it seems they cannot do so feelingly with such a close and intimate dependance with such comfortable expectations upon Christ himself Now I would onely put the question of f
all that does pretend to God or Vertue in him Where 't is thus let no man flatter or persuade himself he does what he would not when it is plain he does impetuously will the doing it Let him not think that he allows not but hates that which he does when it is certain in that moment that he does commit not to allow that which he does resolve and pitch upon and chuse to hate what with complacency he acts or to do that unwillingly which he is wrought on by his own Concupiscence to do and by his inward incitations by the mutiny of his own affections which the Devil raises and when it is the meer height and prevailency of his appetite that does make him do it as it must be where there is reluctancy before he do it his desires and affections there are evidently too strong for him or at last to hate the doing that which 't is his too much love to that makes him do are all impossibilities the same things as to will against the will desire against appetite But do but keep thy self sincerely and in truth from being willing and thou must be safe For God expects no more but that we should not voluntarily yield to our undoing He hath furnish'd us with his own compleat Armour for no farther uses of a War but to encourage us to stand Take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil And again Put ye on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand There is no need to do more than this not to be willing and consent to fall for no man can be beaten down but he that will fall It were very easie for me to prescribe you how to fortifie against those Engines of the Devils battery which I produced to you But that I may not stay upon particulars directing those whom he prevails upon through want of Imployment to find out honest occasions not to be idle and sure it is the most unhappy thing in the World for any man to be necessitated to be vicious by his having nothing else to do and because while the World accounts it a Pedantick thing to be brought up by Rules and under Discipline he cannot learn how to imploy himself to his advantage to pass by these I say the universal strength against this Enemy is Faith Your adversary the Devil like a roaring Lion goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith And that not onely as it frustrates all that he attempts by means of Infidelity but it also quenches all his fiery darts whatsoever bright Temptation he presents to draw us from our Duty or whatever fiery trial he makes use of to affright and martyr with For the man whose Faith does give him evidence and eye-sight of those blessed Promises eye hath not seen and gives substance present solid being to his after-hopes and whose heart hath swallowed down those happy expectations which have never entred in the heart of man to comprehend what is there that can tempt or fright him from his station To make all that which Satan gave the prospect of prevail on such a Soul the Kingdoms of the Earth must out-vie Gods Kingdom and their Gauds out-shine his Glory and the twinkling of an eye seem longer than Eternity For nothing less than these will serve his turn all these are in his expectations Or what can fright the man whose heart is set above the sphere of terrours who knows calamity how great soever can inflict but a more sudden and more glorious blessedness upon him and the most despiteful cruel usage can but persecute him into Heaven 'T is easie to demonstrate that a Faith and Expectation of the things on Earth built upon weaker grounds than any man may have for his belief of things above hath charg'd much greater hazards overcome more difficulties than the Devil does assault us with For sure none is so Sceptical but he will grant that we have firmer grounds to think there is another World in Heaven than Columbus if he were the first Discoverer had to think there was another Earth and that there are far richer hopes laid up there in that other World for those that do deny themselves the sinful profits and the jollities of this and force them from their inclinations than those Sea-men could expect who first adventur'd with him thither For they could not think to gain much for themselves but onely to take soism of the Land if any such there were for others covetous Cruelty could get little else but only richer Graves and to lie buried in their yellow Earth Nor are we assaulted in our Voyage with such hazards as they knew they must encounter with the path of Vertue and the way to Heaven is not so beset with difficulties as theirs was when they must cut it out themselves through an unknown new World of Ocean where they could see nothing else but swelling gaping Death from an Abyss of which they were but weakly guarded and removed few inches onely And as if the dangerousest shipwrecks were on shore they found a Land more savage and more monstrous than that Sea Yet all this they vanquish'd for such slender hopes and upon so uncertain a belief A weak Faith therefore can do mighty works greater than any that we stand in need of to encounter with our Enemy It can remove these Mountains too the golden ones that Covetousness and Ambition do cast up Yea more it can remove the Devil also for if you resist him stedfast in the Faith he flies which is the happy issue and my last Part. Resist the Devil and he will Fly from you And yet it cannot be denied but that sometimes when the messenger of Satan comes to buffet though S. Paul resist him with the strength of Prayer which when Moses managed he was able to prevail on God himself and the Lord articled with him that he might be let alone yet he could not beat off this assailant 2 Cor. xii 7 8 9. When God either for prevention as 't was there v. 7. or for exercising or illustrating of Graces or some other of his blessed ends gives a man up to the assaults of Satan he is often pleased to continue the temptation long but in that case he does never fail to send assistances and aids enough against it My grace is sufficient for thee â—aith he to S. Paul there And when he will have us tempted for his uses if we be not failing to our selves he does prevent our being overcome so that there is no danger in those Trials from their stay But yet it must not be denied but that the Devil does prevail sometimes by importunacy and by continuance of Temptation so that Resistance is not always a Repulse at least not such an one as to make