Infidelity towards the King are said to have operated very far towards a general Apostacy from the faith and the production of Infidelity towards God both which appealing to the tenor of the Scriptures must be examined by them The first is of a famous Author and it is this That the Scriptures do not make Infidelity to be a Sin at the time of the delivery of the Scriptures The second is of a Writer more obscure but in it self so agreeable to the disposition of the present generation that it hath possessed the minds of many it is this that Although Infidelity according to the Scriptures in the times of Christ and his Apostles were sinful and inexcusable yet in our times it is excusable These are the pretences to be examined The Substance of the Gospel as it immediately relates to Christian duty is summarily reduced to the Doctrines and Injunctions of our Lord Christ and his Apostles The Author of Leviathan cap. 42. pag. 286. tells us in plain terms that We do not read any where in the Scriptures that they which received not the Doctrine of Christ did therein Sin And again that the Injunctions of Christ and his Apostles men might refuse without sin Now concerning this assertion I cannot chuse but say that had I not been acquainted with the works of that authour especially those relating to religion I should exceedingly wonder at it because it supposes men never to look into their Bibles which is the thing it would perswade In the 21. of Matth. Our Saviour askes the Jewes this question Did ye never read in the Scriptures such a thing a question which I must repeat to the Assertors of this doctrine Did they never read in the Scriptures the Sinfulness the Danger the Heynousness of Infidelility Surely he that runs may read it Our Saviour Christ before his death did oftentimes vehemently rebuke his Disciples for Infidelity O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I endure you Quousque tandem abutemini patientiâ nostrâ And after his Resurrection he calls them fools and slow of heart for unbelieving Did they never read these Increpations The Author of this Epistle and the rest of the Apostles do every where vehemently and earnestly dehort from Unbelief Did they never read these Dehortations In the 8 of John Christ tells the Jews that if they believe not they shall dy in their Sins That the wrath of God abideth on them that he that believeth not is damned already Did they never read these Denunciations Yes these last it seems this Author had read as his manner is thinking he could accommodate an answer to these he hath pronounced securely of all the rest To these he saith that they import onely a non-remission of the sins committed aganst the laws of their Country that they should dy in them but that they do not evince any sinfulness to be in Infidelity Wherefore I must crave licence to proceed The Apostle in the 21 of the Revelations give a Catalogue of such sinners as are of the bigest rank Such as are most abominable in the eyes of God Such as are to have their portion in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone and he puts Unbelievers in the head of this Regiment The fearful and Unbelievers and Abominable and Murtherers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Lyars shall have their portion in that lake But it may be perhaps that the Scripture doth not in plain and express termes affirm Infidelity to be Sinful The Text tells us plainly and expresly that an heart of unbelief is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not incommodious but wicked But Philosophers and Mathematicians pretending Strictness demonstration in discourse regard not general words but have recourse to the Definitions of things and from thence proceed to affirm or deny the Attribution which is under question Let us therefore have recourse to the definition of Sin Those who have spoken most accurately concerning the nature of Sin they have resolved that the formal notion of it consists in a departure from God it is Aversio à Deo Conversio ad creaturam In the second of Jeremy and 12. we find the Prophet as it were in furore sacro in a prophetic rage breaking forth into this Exclamation Be astonished O ye heavens be ye horribly afraid be very desolate saith the Lord What ailes the Prophet to cry so loud to make the heavens resound his Exclamation my people saith he have committed two Great evils they have Forsaken me that 's the first An heart of unbelief is an evil heart in departing from the living God It is true that the Spirit of God in the Scriptures doth not usually descend to Logical accuracy to the quatenus or Causality to the observation of the rules of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this makes it oft-times harder to deal with men of perverse minds then many do imagine But the more rare this is the more you will take notice of the Providence when you shall consider how accurately and how fully the Scripture hath determined that which is in Question In the 16. of Joh. 8. our Saviour tells them that the Spirit shall rebuke the world of Sin of righteousness of judgement Of Sin Because they believe not on him Joh. 3.18 he that believeth not is Condemned because he believeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rejection of the Gospel is said to be the very Condemnation So expressly is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivered to us by Causal and Identical propositions in the Scripture Who is it now that can perswade us that the Scriptures do not affirm any Sinfulness to be in Infidelity Yes verily the Scriptures not onely teach us that unbelief is a sin but they teach us likewise 6. The Heinousness and Aggravation the Sinfulness and Punishment of this Sin It was this that brought all other sin into the World and every Premeditated sin arises from it It hardens the heart and sears the Conscience and makes it bid defiance to the Lord of Glory Concerning David we read in the Psalms that once he said in his Hast that all men are liars did he revoke it when he was at leisure No the more he thought of it the higher he proceeds and becomes the more assured in this charge Surely saith he Men of low degree are Vanity and men of high degree are not liars but a Lie Yet if one gives the lie to one of these lyars it is the utmost provocation it is the stated word of defiance concluded fit to justifie the Duel or the Stab On the other side God glories in this that he is not a man that he should lie that the strength of Israel will not lie yet infidelity gives him the lye He that believeth not God makes him a Liar 1 Joh. 5.10 7. I desire to know what
1667 68. BY SETH Lord Bishop of Sarum LONDON Printed for James Collins at the Kings-head in Westminster-hall 1670. THE SINFULNESS OF INFIDELITY Heb. III. 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Exhort one another daily I Shall not spend time in a disputation concerning the Author of this Epistle viz. whether it were Paul or Barnabas or Luke or Clemens or Apollos c. but shall with the Church of England suppose S. Paul to have been the Author of it If the Author of it be not infallibly knowen this ought not to detract from its Authority Most of the other Epistles have been acknowledg'd to be of divine Authority because they were known to have proceeded from Apostolical writers This on the contrary hath been concluded to be an Apostolical Epistle propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Characterem by reason of that divine and Apostolical Spirit which to those who have had their Senses exercised hath manifestly appeared in it If it were lawful in this sense to compare spiritual things with spiritual I should not fear to affirm that this Epistle hath in it some peculiar advantages Compared with some other of the Epistles Advantages I mean of usefulness not of Authority seeing all of them issued from the same Spirit The design of it is General Fundamental Comprehensive not Private Circumstantial Occasional And it hath peculiarly conveyed to the Church two great treasures 1. A Compleat Model or System of Christian Divinity And 2. the Way of that Analogy and manner of ratiocination whereby the true Spirit and meaning of the Types and Prophesies of the Old Testament is to be found out and applied It was directed to the Hebrews That is to those of the Jewish Nation who had received the Gospel and made a Profession of Christianity And the main Scope and design of it is to preserve the Professors of Christianity from Apostacy and Infidelity The means used to this purpose are partly Didactical and partly Protreptical Demonstrating the truths of the Gospel and then urging the Professors of those truths to be stedfast in the faith and to beware of Infidelity The Method here used is a mixt method of Doctrine and Application Dogmatical truths and pathetical Exhortations continually interwoven He begins with the Great foundation of our faith Christ is the Son of God the brightness of his glory better then the Angels Wherefore if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation From the Comparison of Christ with Moses he concludes against Hardness of Heart and Infidelity He demonstrates the Priesthood of Christ to be more Excellent then that of Aaron and in the midst of his argument he falls into an Application or Corollary concerning the dreadful Condition of them that fall away This is his design and method thorowout the Epistle Whatever Doctrine he is upon this is still the drift and aim of all his Applications namely to preserve the Professors of Christianity from Apostacy and Infidelity The words which I have chosen are a Reiteration or Reinforcement of an Application or Corollary arising from the Consideration of the Excellency of Christ above Moses Moses was faithful in the house as a Servant Christ as a Son over his own house This house are we if we hold fast our faith Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith Harden not your hearts Take heed brethren lest I say the words are an Use of Exhortation and in them are considerable 1. The Persons to whom directed Professors of Christianity expressed in the Word Brethren 2. Matter or Object about which it is conversant Unbelief heart unbelief 3. Form of Exhortation by way of Caveat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed Now every Caveat implies 1. Evil in the thing 2. Danger of the thing 3. That there are wayes and means to prevent it This is implyed in the Caveat and expressed in words following My design at this time will be to enforce the Exhortation of the Text And seing that every Application is a Consequence or Corollary arising from some Antecedent Proposition and the force of it is finally resolved into the truth and evidence and concernment of that Antecedent Therefore it will be necessary to draw out that Antecedent by reflecting briefly upon the Text as it lies in the Series of the Epistle I. Then â—or the Persons They are here styled Brethren and elsewhere Holy Brethren Partakers of the heavenly Calling â—hey were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptized into the Profession of the Gospel they had tasted of the Word of God and the power of the world to come II. The Matter Unbelief or rather Disbelief not Negative Infidelity but a positive Revolting from the faith which they had professed Generally a Disbelief of the Word of God Particularly a Disbelief of the Gospel as to the Doctrines or Promises or Threatnings thereof III. For the Form that which is here expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look to it is in the other forms of Exhortation thorowout the Epistle expressed by termes of the greatest Emphasis and earnestness imaginable Let us Fear lest we fall short 4.1 Labour to enter 4.11 Use diligence not be slothful 6.11 12. Press earnestly draw near hold fast 10.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us give more diligent heed lest by any means we should let it slip 2.1 So that the Summe of the Apostles Argumentation is this The last resolution of all the Obligation of men is into reasons of Duty and of Interest If there be Wickedness in Infidelity it is matter of Duty if there be Danger in it and Danger of it it is matter of Interest and Concernment to Beware of it This Heart of Unbelief is an Evil heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is Wickedness in it It grieves the Spirit of God It provoked him So that he sware in his wrath that he would take Vengeance for it there is Danger in it Yet it was a thing Ordinary and common amongst the Fathers of these Hebrews it was neque Novum neque Rarum There is Danger of it It is the Duty and Concernment of every one Professing Christianity to take heed lest there be in them an heart of Unbelief and to use all means to prevent it This is the Antecedent Wherefore take heed brethren c. which is the Exhortation by way of Caveat Exhort one another dayly c. which is the way to prevent it So then for the enforcement of the exhortation upon the whole matter I am to speak I. Of the Evil of Infidelity II. Of the Danger of falling into it III. Of the meanes of preventing it And then to conclude with IV. The Exhortation of the Text. In speaking of the Evil of Infidelity I shall not discourse at large but confine my self to an enquiry into two pretenses Which having been broached in the late times of
these are some of those standing means and Arguments whereby the Proneness of our hearts to Infidelity may be overcome and faith may be begotten confirmed recovered at this day These are therefore to be revolved Exhoâ—t one another dayly To come therefore to a Conclusion My text it self is an Application by way of Exhortation Exhortations are enforced by Reasons of Duty and Concernment and these I have â—itherto endeavoured to lay before you If indeed there were no Sinfulness in Infidelity Or If in such times as ours it were excusable If there were no danger of falling into it or no means left to remedy or prevent it It would then indeed be to little purpose to Exhort men to beware But if the state of all these things is otherwise if that be plain and evident agreeable to Scripture to Reason and to Experience If the Speaker hath not beaten the Air nor the hearers been careless and inattentive I know not what can be required to enforce and sharpen the exhortation If the time would suffer it and I were speaking to a Common or Injudicious Auditory I might think my self concerned after all that hath been spoken to the understanding to Apply my discourse to your affections I should take unto me the various forms of Application used in this Epistle I would Reprove Rebuke Exhort I would cry aloud and would not spare I would lift up my voice like a Watchmans trumpet warning you from the Lord concerning that Spirit of irreligion and infidelity which is said to have overspread the land I would take to my self a Lamentation yea it should be for a Lamentation for the Professors of Infidelity and the Infidelity of Professors every where But I may not now be permitted to enlarge upon these things I may onely pray to God to give you understanding in all things and beseech you earnestly to consider what hath been spoken Concluding in the words of the Text Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Exhort one another dayly FINIS Two Books newly printed for James Collins A seasonable Recommendation and defence of Reason in the Affairs of Religion Against Infidelity Scepticism and Fanaticism of all sorts 4 o A Discourse of the Forbearance of Penalties which a due Reformation Requires by Herbert Thorndike one of the Prebendaries of Westminster 8o. a Gal. 1.23 b 3.25 c Rom. 12.6 d Tit. 1.4 e Jud. 3. Joh. 5.46 Joh. 5.39 Luk. 10.26 Luk. 16.29 Mar. 14.49 Joh. 10.35 Mat. 3.31 Mar. 5.18 Luk. 24.27 44. a Mat. 1.22 b Mat. 1.22 c Mat. 1.22 d Mat. 2.15 e Mat. 2.23 f 4.14 g 21.4 h Mat. 26.56 i 27.35 Joh. 19.24 k Joh. 19.29 l Joh. 37. m Joh. 36. n Mat. 8.17 o Mat. 13.15 p Mat. 2.17 q Gal. 3.10 r â—ct 7.42 s Act 1 2â— 13 33. u Rom. 4.3 x Gal. 3.22 y Acts 18.24.28 z Jam. 4.5 a Rom. 1.12 b Rom. 3.21 c Act. 13.18 10.43 d Act. 24.14 e Act. 26. â—â— f Rom. 7.12 g Act. 3.21 h Tim. 3.15 i Rom. 3.2 k Act. 7.38 l Act. 3.21 m 2 Pet. 1.21 n 2 Tim 3.15 * Mat. 21.23 Mar. 11.27 a Joh. 14.6 b Joh. 6.63 c Joh. 14.10 d Joh. 7.16 e Joh. 8 2â— f Joh. 12.49 g Joh. 12.50 h Mat. 24.35 a 1 Pet. 5.1 b 1 Pet. 1.5 c 1 Joh. 1.3 d 1 Joh. 1.1 e Apoc. 1.9 10. f Ib. 19. a Gal. 1.1 b Rom. 1.1 2 Tim. 1.11 Phil. 1.17 c Eph. 3.1 d 2 Cor. 13.3 e 1 Cor. 14.37 f Col. 4.16 g Ibid. h 2 Thes. 3.14 a Eph 4.11 b 3.5 * Porphyr Hier. Prooem Galat. in c. 2. Celsus c Gal. 2. d 2 Pet. 3.15 a Joh. 15.26 b 14.26 c 16.13 d 14.26 e 16.13 f Act. 1.5 a Joh. 11.11 b 4.17 c Joh. 4.29 d Joh. 6 6â— 64. e 16.19 f Luk. 9.47 g Mat. 12.15 25. h Mar. 2.8 i Luk. 6.8 k Luk. 11.17 l Joh. 2.24 25. a Mat. 17.21 Mat. 17.21 Mat. 17.27 b Joh. 18.4 c 11.11.13.11 d Mat. 20.18 e Mar. 10.23 f Mat. 16.21 g Joh. 14.28 h Luk. 19.44 i Mat. 26.34 k Mat. 31. l Luk. 21.20 m Joh. 12.32 n Mat. 24.14 a Mat. 13.31 b Luk. 10.18 c Mat. 24.25 a Mat. 14.19 b Mat. 15.36 c Mat. 15.30.9.27.4.23 h Mat. 8.14 i Mat. 14.4 k Mat. 4.13 l Mat. 17.12 m Mat 4.23 a Luk. 22.51 b Mat. 9.20 c Joh. 5.5 d Multos e Mat. 9.20 f Mat. 8.6 g Joh. 5.5 h Mar. 5.41 i Luk. 7.11 k Joh. 11.39 l Mat. 27.52 Eus. Eccl. H. l. 4. c. 3.3.37 Annot. p. 81 m Mat. 17.18 a Mar. 16.9 b Luk. 8.27 c Mat. 10.7 Luk. 9.3 d Luk. 10.1 9. e Mat. 16.17 f Mat. 16.21 g Mat. 28.2 h Joh. 16.16 28.20.17 g Luk. 24.57 h Act. 2.4 b Acts 9 c Acts 10.10.22.17 d Acts 16.9 e 16.6 7. f Cor. 1â— 9 i Ap. 4.1 a Act. 27.10 22. b 2 Thes. 2. c 2 Tim. 3 1 d Act. 11.8 e Act. 21.10 f Act. 5.13 Arist. polit l. 7. c. 8. Ob. sol a Cor. 5.8.6.4.8 Phil. 4.8 b Jam 3.14 Eph. 4.25 Apoc. 21.8.27.22.15 c 2 Pet. 1.16 2 Cor. 2.17 1 Thes. 2.3.4 Mat. 9.9 Mat. 4.20.22 Act. 1.6 Luk. 1.5 Luk. 3.1 Mat. 14.3 Vide Joseph Ant. 18. c. 9.10 Luk. 2.1 Mat. 4.6 Mic. 5.2 Luk. 3.23 Joh. 2.1.11 Mat. 9.18 Mat. 8.6 Luk. 7. â— Joh. 11.18 Acts 9.33.40.10.1 13.6 14.13 a Cyrill c. 10. c. Jul. b Orig. c. C. c Euseb. d Tertio Historiarum Citat à Julio Afr. 3. Chronograe Orig. c. c. l 3. e 15.44 Annalium f Athanas. Synops. g Const. ad p.p. Niceae Vide Theodoret l. 1. c. 6. Gr-Lat Pan. Joh. 11.48 Mat. 27.64 Act. 4.6 Act. 7.57 Act. 9.2 Act. 13.45 14.2 13.50 Eus. l. 4.15 Deut. 7. Orig. c. C. l. 1. b Plin. Ep. 10.97 Act. 2.41 1 Pet. 1.1 Act. 15. Lib. 10. Epist. 97. Adv. Judaeos c. 7 8. Pliny Porphyr Tert. Ap. 37 Eus l. 8. c. 3 Vide Orig. C. Cels. l. 3. 1 Cor. 6.9 Lact. de fals sap l. 3. c. 26. Mar. 16.19 Dial. cum Tryphone Iren. l. 22. c. 56. Eus. b. 5. c. 7 item c. 20. L. 3. Vide Philos Essay Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. 5.6.7 8. â—â— 6. 3.5 3.1 5 4. 1. 3. 2. C.W. Mat. 21.42 Luc. 9.41 24.25 Jo. 8.24.3.36 R. 21.8 Obj. 1. Res. 1. Obj. 2. Res. 2. Jer. 2.12 Ioh. 16.8.3.18.19 Ps. 62.9 Neh. 23 1â— Th. 1.7 Ro. 11.20 Heb. 3. Ps. 95. 1. 2. 3. Luc. 11.47 Mat. 23.30 Iob. 10 1â— Io. 20.29 Psalm 74 9. Jo. 5.47 Luc. 5.21 Joh. 9 2â— Luc. 20.20 Ma. 13.58 Mar. 3.21 Jo. 7.5 Jo. 6.10 Ma. 5.17 Jo. 7.12 Jo. 10.20 3. Luc. 16.23 Ioh. 12. 53. II. Kin. 3.3 Kin. 11.5 Sam. 16.13 Psal. 89.4 Psal 1 19. Mar. 8.31 32. Mar. 2.7.62 Mat. 26.31 Mar. 16.11 13. Luc. 24.41 Mat. 28.7 17 Mar. 16.14 Mic. 7.8 III. Io. 8.13 18.15.26.27 Mar. 3.17.17.5 Io. 12 2â— Luc. 1.16.19 Mar. 1.20 Luc. 2.9 31. Mar. 2.13 1.9.20 4 11. Luc. 22.43 Mar. 28.2 Mar. 16.6 Io ' 20.12 Ac. 1.16 2. Rom. 1. Act. 2.5 Act. 22 17 Act. 16 9. Cor. 1.2