Thou art God from everlasting that is without beginning and thou art God to everlasting that is without end And so also is Religion Eternal both from everlasting and to everlasting from everlasting in the reason of it because it is a service or reverence due to God by vertue of his excellent Majesty and consequently that due is Eternal with his very Being but onely to everlasting in the practise of it because there was no creature from everlasting to practise it how then should we exceedingly desire to know Religion how to love it how to practise it whereby alone our souls are prepared to believe Eternity and to enjoy it and to employ it an irreligious soul could it possibly get to heaven would not know what to do there for there is nothing but the practise of Religion or praising God Rev. 19. 1 5 7. Again as God in that he is Eternal oweth his Beginning and Continuance to none but onely to himself and as Eternity because it is from it self is therefore without a Beginning and because it is of it self is therefore without an end so true Religiō hath in some sort its Being from it self for it is bonum in se it is good in and by it self and therefore hath its subsistence in and by it self let the whole world turn Atheist as it is turning apace yet the true Religion will still be the true Religion there may be in the practise of Religion many things good because they are commanded but in the substance of Religion the internal goodness is the reason of the external command so that Religion is indeed a beam of that light which proceedeth from the Father of Lights shewing unto Angels men what they are to know love and do and so leading them both to the Light everlasting for as God himself is so is his service and therefore I could not better explain the properties of Religion then from the properties of God Onely God hath his properties immediately flowing from his own essence but Religion partakes of these mediately from God as it is his service God hath these properties not onely Formally in himself but also Originally from himself Religion hath them Formally in it self but Originally from God Thus hath Religion all those properties of God which are incommunicable to the Creature and thereby appears to have in it self more of Divinity then any Creature whatsoever either in Heaven or in Earth for these being the properties of the true Religion in it self shew it to be spiritual far above the nature of all created spirits whereby themselves draw nearer to the God of Spirits in their affections then in their natures If therefore thou O man desire to be truly Religious thou must desire to be spiritually minded and the way to be so is to have a kinde of Simplicity or Incomposition that is a sincerity of the soul in the love of God To have a kinde of Immutability that is a Constancy to have an Immensity that is a servent Zeal and Alacritie which will not endure to be straitned or confined and to have an Eternity that is an unwearied perseverance in the Faith and Fear and Love of God Nay indeed these same properties are already in thy soul if thou be truly Religious for then thou art spiritually minded and thou canst not but have an uncompounded soul by sincerity of its service not dividing thy affection betwixt God and Baal betwixt Christ and Belial Thou canst not but have a constancy in his service which will let thee be no Changeling a thing as monstrous and abominable in the second as in the first birth thou canst not but have an alacrity and fervency of spirit which will not be circumscribed or confined either to or by time or place neither to a Conclave at Rome nor to a Consistory at Geneva nor to a Conventicle in England for as Christianity it self is not confined so neither the soul as 't is Christian but joyns in Communion with all Christians that ever were or that are or that shall be in the honour and love of Christ thy house is too little thou wilt to the Church nay the Church is too little thou wilt to the Catholick Church the whole Church Militant thy spirit shall be with theirs when theirs is with Christ nay the Catholick Church is too little here on Earth thou wilt up to that part of it which is triumphant in Heaven for Christian duties as they are practised here will cease with our lives therefore the Christian soul will look after such duties as she may practise in Heaven and at least in habit if not in act will even here be eternally Religious as we are divinely taught by our own Church saying with a most Catholick spirit It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee O Lord holy Father Almighty everlasting God thereby shewing us the Immensity of Religion That it is not to be circumscribed to or by any place for it is meet that we give thanks in all places and also the eternity of Religion that it is not to be confined to or by any time for it is meet that we give thanks at all times Eternity being the blessedness we look for the means whereby we compass it must needs be eternal not onely in the efficient cause God himself but also in the instrumental cause that is Religion And since Omnipotency All sufficiency and Omnisciency are but three branches of Eternity It is necessary before I come to the Communicable Properties that I speak of them for God in that he is Eternal is Omnipotent since there could be no other fountain of power unless we would make two Eternals and the same God as he is Eternal is All-sufficient for having his being of himself he must needs also have it perfectly in himself and lastly the same God as he is Eternal is also Omniscient for it is the Property of Eternity to have all things present to it as to be always present to it self wherefore it will be worth our while briefly to consider these Properties as they are in God and as they are also in Religion the service of God and first of the Omnipotency Gods Omnipotency or Almighty Power appears especially in two things First that he hath power to do all that he will Secondly that he hath power over all when he will had he not the First he could not be Almighty in himself had he not the second he could not be Almighty in our esteem the first tends to the Execution the second to the Declaration of his Almighty power The text doth ordinarily prove them both together as 1 Tim 6. 15. the Son of God is called the blessed and onely Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords The onely Potentate that hath power to do all that he will and hath also power to do all when he will as King of kings
and Lord of lords Wherefore those men that under pretence of setting up Christs kingdom do fight against the power and authority of earthly Kings and powers do directly oppose this Text as well as very many other for they would so make Christ a King and a Lord as not a King of kings and Lord of lords but as a king and lord of the meanest of the people whereas though there be never so many kings and potentates and lords yet he is truly the onely Potentate the onely King the onely Lord because he is so in and of himself for all others have power and kingship and lordship from him as himself hath taught us S. Mat. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth It will be a hard task for any man to shew who it was that took this power from Christ and gave it to the people that kings and princes here on earth should have their power derived from them and not from Christ but yet least we should think the Power and Kingdom of Christ not the same with the Power and Kingdom of God we finde them both joyned together Rev. 11. 15. where it is said The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ he shall reign for ever and ever He not they to shew there is but one kingdom but one power of Christ and of God and lest we should further think the kingdom of Christ could not be set up without pulling down other kingdoms it is made evident in the 17 v. that his kingdom is set up by taking to himself his great power to reign not by giving it to the people v. 17. We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned where we see the Elders in heaven give thanks to God for taking to himself his Almighty power In imitation whereof our Church hath taught us to say We praise thee we bless thee we worship thee we glorifie thee we give thanks to thee for thy great glory O Lord God heavenly King God the Father Almighty joyning also God the Son and holy Ghost in the same power in the praise and without doubt we have little reason to persecute but we have great reason to honour a Church that teacheth us so to praise God here on earth as we shall hereafter praise him in heaven for thus is God the Father Son and holy Ghost Almighty in power and therefore thus to be praised for being so If then thou murmure and repine under this power when it punisheth thee or presume upon it much more rebel against it when it sustaineth thee thou art as far from heaven as thou art from true thankfulness But if God hath this Almighty power that he can do all how is it that S. Paul saith He cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. The answer is easie God cannot do what he cannot will and he cannot will any thing of impotency for that were directly to overthrow his Omnipotency and in this sense did Nazianzene speak like a Divine saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One kinde of impossibility with God is his unwillingness as the text plainly saith of the Son of God That he could there do no mighty work S. Mar. 6. 5. that is he would there do no mighty work because of their unbelief which unbelief of theirs was so great a miracle to him as that it hindred his working all other miracles accordingly Divines do say That some things are impossible to God in regard of his own will because he cannot will them as to give a new Gospel to make a new Religion to destroy the whole world with a second deluge to extirpate the Catholick Church which imply no contradiction in themselves and therefore might be done though God having promised the contrary cannot now will to do them Habent rationem factibilium sed non habent rationem factoris Other things are impossible to God in regard of themselves because they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non habent factibilium rationem are not things to be done nec rationem factoris and therefore God cannot do them as those things that imply a contradiction as for the same thing to be and not to be at the same time for this being a contradiction cannot be without a lie and therefore that was a strange assertion of Bellarmines lib. 3. de Euchar. cap. 7. deinde and not maintained for its own sake when he said Per divinam potentiam posse ab homine tolli facultatem seu potentiam intelligendi interim ut maneat homo That God can take away a mans reasonable faculty or power of understanding and yet leave him still a man for that is all one as to say That God can make the same man reasonable and unreasonable for if he take away his reasonable faculty he makes him unreasonable and yet if he leave him still a man he leaves him reasonable for this indeed were Impotency in God not Omnipotency if he could make both parts of a contradiction true because they cannot both be made true without a lie And thus also is Religion Omnipotent by vertue of Gods Omnipotencie for it hath power to do all hath power over all Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having in a readiness to avenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. The power of the sword may cast down images but 't is onely the power of Religion that can cast down Imaginations and they no less then the other do exalt themselves against the knowledge of God the power of the sword can bring into captivity every man to the obedience of the Conquerour but 't is onely the power of Religion can bring into captivity everythought to the obedience of Christ That power can avenge the disobedience without which is but half disobedience but 't is onely this power can avenge the disobedience within as well as without that is all disobedience Will you raise an army against Religion Alas That can scatter a people that delight in war for when Christ shall come to judge among the nations they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks Isa. 2. 4. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day v. 17. and this being the signe the prophet hath given us of the coming of Christs kingdome let not those who are of a quite contrary disposition pretend to be under Christs government who labour to exalt man not Christ for as Dagon fell before the Ark so must all ensignes of hostility fall down before Christs banner and if they that carry them do not fall
the reconciliation would be easily effected as to what concerns Gods interest were it not impeded and hindred by our own Hence it is also that many under a pretence of settling and regulating Religion do indeed disturb and disorder it and in stead of rightly guiding the Christian do indeed misguide him whiles they stand so much upon ceremonals which are of their own making as that they much more neglect morals which are Gods undoubted commands and so desire to have their converts be some of Paul some of Appollos some of Cephas as they little regard and less care to see they be truly all of Christ. And yet amidst all these grand miscarriages of men which no Rhetorick can sufficiently express no repentance can sufficiently bewail though we finde much that may trouble us in the practise of Religion yet we finde nothing that can excuse us if we practise it not for there is matter enough uncontroverted on all sides to engage the whole soul of man if we would take notice of that engagement Satis ampla pietatis exercendae materia est in iis rebus de quibus utrinque convenit nam de side in Christum mortuum resuscitatum pro nobis collocandâ de charitate Deo proximo exhibendâ controversia nulla est at in his duobus capitibus pietatis summa consistit saith the most judicious and pious Cassander in his book De officio pii viri What pitie is it that there should be the greatest defect where is the least controversie amongst Christians This made the forenamed Authour profess that he was nothing at all satisfied with those men who pretended that the contentions of Christians hindred their progress in Christianity for saith he There is matter enough for the exercise of piety which is quite exempted from all controversie for all sides agree that we must be saved by faith in Christ crucified for our sins and raised again for our justification and by the love of God for his own sake and of our neighbour for Gods sake and in these two heads saith he of faith and charity is comprised the sum of all true Christianitie Saint Paul had said no less before him 1 Tim. 1. 5 6. The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith unfained which Aquinas thus proves most substantially Omnes enim virtutes de quarum actibus dantur praecepta ordinantur vel ad purificandum cor à turbationibus passionum sicut virtutes quae sunt circa passiones vel saltem ad habendam bonam conscientiam sicut virtutes quae sunt circa operationes vel ad habendam rectam sidem sicut illae quae pertinent ad divinum cultum haec tria requiruntur ad diligendum Deum nam cor impurum à Dei dilectione abstr ahitur propter passionem inclinantem ad terram conscientia vero mala facit horrere divinam justitiam propter timorem poenae fides autem ficta trahit affectum ad id quod de Deo fingitur separans à Dei Veritate 22 ae qu. 44. art 1. All the vertues whose acts are commanded in the Law directly tend either to the purging of the heart from the disturbances of the passions as those vertues which teach us to order our affections or they tend to the getting and keeping of a good conscience as those vertues that concern our works and operations or they tend to the getting and keeping of a true Faith as those vertues which immediately concern the worship of God and all these three are required to the true love of God 1. A pure heart for that else will cleave to the earth by its impurity 2. A good conscience for that else will run from God because of its guiltiness 3. an unfained faith for that else will follow a fiction in stead of God and falsities in stead of his truth This being taken for granted which cannot rationally be denied the meanest man that is will finde little cause to be discouraged or disheartened in the Christian Religion by reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all which S. Paul so exceedingly dehorts S. Timothy that there are amongst Christians so many strifes about words and so many vanities and novelties and emptinesses in those strifes for if he will have a diligent care of his own heart that it may be pure of his own conscience that it may be good and of his own faith that it may be unfained he will not dangerously neglect his duty either towards himself or towards his neighbour or towards his God but will always finde matter enough to busie his soul here and take a sure course to save his soul hereafter it is evident from the ensuing words that none but they who swerve from these three scil a pure heart a good conscience and a faith unfained do turn aside unto vain janglings And for this cause our blessed Saviour chides not onely the Scribes and Pharisees but also the meanest of the common people for not following and embracing the undoubted truth though there were at that time as great contentions in the Jewish as are now in the Christian Church S. Luke 12. 54 56 57. And he said also unto the people Ye hypocrites can ye discern the face of the sky and of the earth But how is it that ye do not discern this time yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right He chides them for being quick-sighted in matters of earth but as it were pur-blinde in the things of heaven that they could of themselves judge rightly of the seasons for their profit not so for their amendment and notwithstanding he professeth that he came not to give peace on earth but rather divisions such as should divide the nearest and dearest relations from and against themselves yet he gives no writ of ease to any man that he should leave off being a judge in matters of his salvation for if divisions hinder them not from judging what is right in husbanding their lands why should they hinder them from judging what is right in husbanding their souls To apply this to our present purpose since 't is not in our power to doubt either of Christian faith or Christian Charity as necessarily required and immediately conducing to salvation why should it be in our will to neglect them both for this is in effect to proclaim that we had rather with Martha be troubled about many things then with Mary choose that good part which shall not be taken from us it is in effect to declare that we will have a Religion rather to serve our selves then to serve our God rather agreeable with mens present humours then with Gods eternal truth otherwise our whole labour would be to conform our selves to that eternal truth in our understandings by faith in our wills by charity which two would make us
unto God blind lame and sick prayers but in so doing we do rather in truth offer him defiances then prayers we do rather contemn then worship him unless we will say that God is less honoured with the Christians prayers then he was with the Jews sacrifices or that we have a greater priviledge granted us that we may more securely dishonour him Again if we seriously consider that there is an incomprehensible mysterie in this incomprehensible majestie three persons in one God we will labour for such prayers as may be suitable with the properties of the persons no less then with the majestie of the Godhead thus if we consider the power of the Father the wisdome of the Son the charity of the holy Ghost we will earnestly desire to have our mouths and our hearts filled with powerfull wise and charitable prayers not guilty either of emptiness or of indiscretion or of faction but however it is necessarie that in all our prayers we invocate One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance for the Father Son and holy Ghost are equally to be worshipped and equally to be glorified nor may we communicate with other Christians in their prayers who worship not one God in three coequal and coeternal Persons no more then we may with Turks and Jews who worship an idole in stead of God for S. John in saying Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 S. John 2. 23. hath plainly taught us that Turks and Jews do not worship the same God with us Christians and since we do certainly worship the true God it must needs follow that they do worship an idole in stead of God wherefore doubtless all Anti-Trinitarians are idolaters for though many of them talk much of the spirit yet they have kept him onely in their mouths but thrust him out of their Creed and consequently in vain do they pretend to godliness whiles they fight against God for they cannot truly honour him in their prayers whiles they falsly conceive of him in their belief not acknowledging Three Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in one immortal invisible and onely wise God The fourth Name of God alledged by S. Hierome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Septuaginta virtutum Aquila exercituum transtulerunt saith he which the Septuagint translate Powers but Aquil a translates Hosts And this name we find Isa. 6. 3. Holy holy holy the Lord of Hosts which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Cherubims the true ground of the hymn called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Church for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a declaration of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy O God Holy O Powerfull Holy O Immortal is but an exposition of this Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth and who can say Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth and not say also Heaven and earth are full of the majestie of glory and who can confess that heaven and earth are full of Gods majestie and not earnestly desire that his own soul may not be empty of it And indeed this Name of God the Lord of Hosts is able to strike terrour into their hearts who make it their work to terrifie all the world multitudes of armed men who have violence in their mouths to threaten and swords in their hands to act their threats for 't is not their multitudes or their strength can bear them out in their impiety and injustice since there is far greater strength there are far greater multitudes with God then with them even all the hosts of Heaven and earth Let this consideration move me to take that care of my soul which the approach of an army would me to about mine estate that I may take heed above all least I be spiritually plundred for what have I worth the keeping if I have lost my Saviour and how shall I not lose my Saviour if I lose my Religion Let therefore those angry fellows of the children of Dan ransack me as they did Micah Iudg. 18. yet shall they never get any power over my Religion nor shall it ever be said They have taken away my God for I am commanded by my Saviour who best knew the right way of salvation not to fear those hosts which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather to fear him who is Lord of hosts and is able to destroy both body and soul in hell and will certainly so destroy all those hosts that oppose him if they impenitently persist and persevere in their oppositions Let me thus in my greatest frights think more of spiritual then of carnal Terrours and though I may perchance be almost frighted out of my wits yet I shall be sure of this that I shall not be frighted out of my Religion The fifth Name of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod nos excel sum dicimus saith the same Saint Hierome the most High and this Name is recorded Gen. 14. 18. where it is said that Melchisedeck was the Priest of the most High God and thus let me with the heavenly host say Glory to God in the Highest S. Luke 2. 14. let me always think of his Highness who is no less above heaven then above earth He is in the Highest I am in the lowest in a twofold deep in duplici prosundo inobedientiae miseriae as S. Gregory said of Jonas when he was swallowed up in the whales belly in the depth of disobedience and in the depth of misery and therefore in the depth of misery because in the depth of disobedience Out of these depths have I called unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voice and let thine ear consider well the voice of my complaint that I may be delivered out of the depth pf misery and let not thine eye be too extreme to mark what is done amiss that I may not be confounded in the depth of disobedience so shall I say with great admiration and greater consolation Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth Psal. 113. 5 6. the higher he dwelleth the lower he humbleth himself to behold me the greater is his condescension the greater is my consolation let me then delight in my devotions as being the only means to bring down my Saviour to raise up my soul. The sixth Name of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 QUI EST unfit me I AM hath sent me unto you Exod 3. 14. and again I AM that I AM. This Name of God should make me constant in my Religion zealously to practise it at all times and resolutely to maintain that practise in the worst times for my Master in calling himself I AM forbids me to be a changeling in his service and indeed true Christianity is able to say with Christ Before Abraham was I AM John 8. 58. for the same
possess this world as to hazard their interest in the next it being S. Pauls express Maxime they that resist much more if they impenitently persist in that resistance shall receive to themselves damnation here then is a Looking-glass for the good Subject to see his duty the bad his guiltiness the one to receive the comfort of a good the other to feel the burden of a bad Conscience the expressions were at first plain and the method easie upon force because a Countrey-auditour may easier be posed then instructed and they ought to be no other now upon choice because a censorious Reader may sooner be instructed then ashamed The discourse was at first abruptly broken off with the Kings life but 't is since compleated in regard of length though in no other respect would the malice of bloud-guilty and bloud-thirsty men which is already compleat in all other respects were also compleat for the length and duration of it But O my soul come not thou into their secret and God keep them from coming into thine for in their anger they slew a man yea more then a man a King and in their self-will they digged down a wall enough to make an everlasting breach in this distracted Kingdom cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49. 6 7. when and where Simeon and Levi Laity and Clergy are partners in such a grand iniquity then and there this is Gods sentence against them and must be his Churches Prayer but I have nothing to say to them onely hope they will not be angry with me if I still pray for their conversion though I may not quietly preach for it This small Tractate speaks to and of those onely who still keep the old true Protestant Religion of the Church of England and with it their Allegiance and their Conscience and the spokes-man verily perswades himself that he is the meanest not of seven but of seventy seven thousands of Israel the true Sons of the Church that have not bowed their knees unto Baal Baal Berith that is Baal for a Covenant in his holy pretensions but since turned into Baal-Peor that is Baal for the mount Peor to over-top all through the pride of his spirit or Peor in the other sence to corrupt all through the Libertinism of his flesh in his unholy performances Baal Peor he is without question though beyond example for all that have joyned themselves to this Baal have not onely eat the offerings of the dead Psa. 106. 28. but also of the Living and 't is most notorious that those of that unhappy City which first began these troubles and that they might do it with some colourable pretence commonly called the most Orthodox Divines Baals Priests are now themselvs by the just judgement of God made Baals bondslaves and those of the Ministry who were most defamed with that ignominious and false aspersion are by the mercy of God the chiefest if not the onely men of their order who would rather lose all then be Baals Chaplains they were frightned with the consideration of that Text which once made Origen break out with tears and speak rather with his eyes then with his tongue in the Pulpit Psa. 50. 16 17. verses Lord how many dumb Sermons should we have now adays by those who would be thought the onely Preachers if they would as he did lay that Text unto their hearts but unto the ungodly saith God why dost thou preach my Laws and takest my Covenant in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee when thou sawest a thief thou consentedst unto him c. See who they were that most hated a Reformation amongst us even they who though they did cry it up yet did practise it down they who did see a thief yea such a thief as impudently answered the Prophets question Mal. 3. 8. will a man rob God and put it out of question and yet consented unto him no wonder if such men have let their mouth speak wickedness and with their tongue have set forth deceit no wonder if the next verse also concern many of them thou satest and spakest against thy brother yea and hast slandered thine own mothers son her truest her best her eldest Son and withall most of her true younger Sons but 't is not a slander can frighten them from their Religion who fear God rather then men Illi mors sibilus cui plausus vita they served not God as hypocrites and therefore have not fallen from his service as Apostates such men are still of the same Church though they cannot so publickly profess it and of the same Religion established in that Church and to them this Treatise belongs which though it be not elegant enough to be their Mothers the Churches Apology yet 't is true enough to be the Churches doctrine for that never taught other then true Allegiance to Gods on earth then true Conscience to God in heaven and never thought that the one could be without the other so that the true Church of England may still with Bishop Jewell in his Apology give solemn thanks to Almighty God Quòdin Angliâ Regia Majest as non minuitur but it must be with relation to its Religion not to the men that have pretended it the Religion of the Church of England is for Obedience and Faithfulness to Kings in the highest degree though some outward professours of that Religion have been as highly for disobedience and unfaithfulness much more then we could have imagined because much more then others ever practised but let not any man say that to be an Apostle hath Treason in it because one of the twelve was a Traitour especially since our Defender of the Faith hath also defended the true professours of our Church in that his Seraphical Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most unquestionable image of himself of his Piety of his Patience and of his Charity a book infinitely above the spirit of any man but a King and as much above the Piety of any King but such a Christian King so throughly conversant with Christ not onely in his doings but also in his sufferings not onely in the innocency of his life but also in the persecutions of it Eâ—pectore mult is tribulationibus macerato prodiêre Psalmi saith Musculus The Psalms of David the sweetest of devotions flowed from the bitterest Marah the bitterness of his soul so our David could not have made such Cherubical ditties fitting the best of Angels had he not been persecuted and reviled by the worst of men this discord gave occasion to that heavenly Musick but I shew my defect of Allegiance whiles I thus labour to express it that book is above all the acknowledgements of Allegiance and can stoop no lower then the Conscience Come and see a Miracle here all ye whose eyes are so wide open to see
to the earth with them 't is because they have not yet seen the light of Christ nor heard his voice saying I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Act. 9. But we shall the more clearly see the splendour of this Omnipotency if we do seriously consider how suddenly the light of the Gospel notwithstanding all oppositions and persecutions did shine to the remotest corners of the earth insomuch that Polidore Virgil saith lib. 2. Hist. Ab initio orti Evangelii Britanniam fidem recepisse That Great Britain received the Faith from the first preaching of the Gospel and yet Britain was looked upon as divided from all the habitable world penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos many years after Christ. But Gildas saith more expresly De excidio Britan. in Biblioth Patrum Tom. 5 Tempore ut scimus summo Tiberii Caesaris c. We know that Britain received the faith towards the latter time of Tiberius now the very last year of Tiberius was the year of our Lord 38 in Baronius his account so that it is evident if Gildas say true and he was worse then mad if he produced his scimus to broach a lie That Britain received the Christian Faith within five years after the resurrection of Christ and therefore sure not from the Church of Rome for that Church did not it self receive that faith till the 45 year of the Lord that is at least ten years after the resurrection of Christ as saith the same Baronius that in the year of Christ 45 on the 15 of the Calends of Febr. that is the 17 of our January the Church of Rome was instituted by S. Peter and the Popes chair erected there and on that day this prayer was used in ancient rituals Omnipotens sempiterne Deus qui ineffabili sacramento Apostolo tuo Petro principatum Romae urbis tribuisti unde se Evangelica Veritas per tota mundi regna diffunderet Praesta quaesumus ut quod in orbem terrarum ejus praedicatione manavit Universitas Christiana Devotione sequatur Bar. Anti-Christ 45. nu 1. And surely if the truth of the Gospel did go into all the world from Rome and came not to Rome till the 45 year of Christ there were at least ten whole years from the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ wherein the truth of the Gospel did lie as it were hid in a corner but this was certainly far otherwise and Baronius his old prayer must therefore be accounted a new invention and might easily from the very stile of it be so proved for sure very few parts of the now Christian world did stay so many years for the Christian Faith And if the Church of Rome were so unhappy to stay so long for Christianity that she might get Supremacy she may still be so unhappy for ought we know as to keep the Supremacy and lose the Christianity however certain it is that innumerable other Churches and amongst the rest this of Britain received the Christian Faith long before that time the Sun of Righteousness breaking forth like the Sun in the firmament not unto any one place or people alone but unto all What providence brought Joseph of Arimathea or any other Apostolical man to England before St. Peter came to Rome might perchance be accounted a curious but would certainly be a vain dispute 't is enough for the proof of the Omnipotency of the Christian Religion That the Saviour of the world who died for all did not suffer the distance of place to keep or intercept from any the speedy knowledge of his salvation The second branch of Eternity is All-sufficiency and therefore God as he is eternal is likewise all-sufficient as he is eternal of himself so he is all-sufficient in himself which all-sufficiency consists of these three parts 1. That he hath an absolute perfection 2. That he hath this perfection in and from himself 3. That this perfection is not onely sufficient for himself but also for all things besides himself First God hath an absolute perfection not onely of essence or being but also of operation or working for even in that grand Objection That the wicked do flourish and the righteous are oppressed appears a three-fold perfection of Gods operation First in the variety of his providence that he dispenseth both prosperity and adversity Secondly in the justice of his providence that he punisheth sinne in his own servants who though they can say their adversities are greater then other mens yet can they not say they are so great as are their own sins Thirdly in the mercy of his providence that he punisheth them onely temporally therein shewing his mercy to be greater then either their adversities or their sins And so also true Religion hath an absolute perfection both in its being and in its working that is both in its substance and in its exercise and what defects or faults are to be found in the exercise of it among any sort of Christians belong to the men not to the Religion Some will needs kneel to Images that were of their own making others will not kneel to God their Maker the one may go for the exercise of Superstition the other for the exercise of profaneness but neither can go for the exercise of Religion Secondly God hath his perfection in and from himself For who hath first given unto him and it shall be recompensed unto him again Rom. 11. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath given first unto him We may and do and must give unto God O give thanks unto the Lord saith the Psalmist there 's our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our giving unto him but even in this is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his giving first to us for he gives us the grace before we give him the praise we give but he gives first for he hath his perfection in and from himself we have ours in and from him And so hath Religion its perfection in and from it self whence it is called the beauty of Holiness Psal. 96. 9. The Christian Religion is the Beauty of earth even as Christ the Authour of it is the Beauty of Heaven And the Beauty of Holiness which is in Religion consists not in our adorning of Churches or in outward pomp and Ceremonies but in its own internal harmony and congruity to and conformity with him who is the very Beauty of Heaven the proper place of Holiness as being the habitation of the Holy One If thou come to worship thou receivest beauty from the holiness not the holiness beauty from thee thy soul is beautified thereby and made the Love of God and Angels but Religion was so of it self ever before as it is said Psal. 93. 6. Holiness becometh thy house for ever the holiness of Gods House is a becoming holiness and it is a holiness for ever a holiness that was before the creation of the world and a holiness that shall be after the end thereof Therefore outward ornament may not be pleaded for as matter
to little purpose to labour his conversion For first he is ignorant in his understanding knowing nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecum for he who knows not that which he ought to know is as if he knew nothing nay he is much worse not onely possest with ignorance but also with a kinde of devil as saith the same authour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that will not know God cannot but know the devil he that will not receive Christ and his wholsome words into his understanding shall not be able to keep the devil and his poisonous dictates out of it Secondly he is pertinacious in his will which appears from his contradiction from his obstinacy from his ambition His contradiction is discovered in that he teacheth otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecumen he teacheth other things then those which of right are to be taught we may say he first teacheth otherwise then the Christian Church opposing his novelty against her antiquity but at last he teacheth otherwise then himself opposing his own novelty with new and worse novelties his obstinacy appears in this he will remit nothing of his humour either for truth or peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others may come nearer him but he will not come nearer them he will not approach or as we render it he will not consent to wholsome words for if he draw near to the truth with his lips yet his heart is far from it Lastly His ambition and haughtiness of minde is seen in that he is proud he scorns to be a follower of any but will be a leader of all and takes more pleasure because more pride in being head of a faction then in being an inferiour member of Christ which shews his blindness that he sees not the blessing of those who are of Christs communion as well as his perversness that he will not joyn with those communicants and accordingly the Apostle here useth a word that hinteth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he is blinded as it were with smoke for so Ulpian upon Demosthenes descanteth that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some derive it from darkening the sight with smoke there 's his blindness again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the same Critick This word is derived from Typhon one of the Giants that was so mad with pride as to raise war against the gods wherefore we say of a proud man that he is as that Typhon there 's his perverseness Thus far a heathen Critick may be alledged to interpret this strange word here used by S. Paul but the Christian Divine who knew that this warring against God which was but a fable in the Giant was a truth in the devil gives us this gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this kinde of pride that first swells against the true Church and at last against the God of truth is a very great friend and companion of the devils so that the proud heretick and the perverse schismatick for they cannot well be parted though they are very ill joyned under a pretence of finding a new way to heaven hath brought himself directly to hell gate and being once there the devil will not easily suffer him to go from thence but he will forthwith teach him to spend all his time and zeal upon idle questions fit for none but those that dote and upon quarrelsome disputations fit for nothing but to beget new disputes and endless contentions for if you once turn Questionist in stead of Dogmatist seeker in stead of beleever you must needs fall into logomachies strifes of words as endless as needless therefore the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sick about questions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecum see here To be a seeker is indeed to be sick so to be sick in minde and that in Tullies language is to be mad Nomen insaniae significat mentis aegrotationem morbum Cic. 3. Tuscul. for madness is nothing else but a sickness of the minde and we cannot deny this if we observe the course of such a man which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to spend time but to mispend it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogenes appellat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euclidis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Laertius Diogenes theCynick called Plato's Schooling meer fooling and said to be Euclide's Scholar was to be in choler but S. Paul hath found out an expression that in one word speaks more then both these though with less acrimony and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second strange word here used by the Spirit of God to shew here is set forth as strange a monster such devices and trifles as are meer new nothings whereby men do onely deceive themselves and seek to deceive others for so Oecum readeth and glosseth the word out of S. Chrysostome inverting the Prepositions and reading not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and withal enlarging the sense for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an ill use of study and disputation not to confirm the judgement but to unsettle it not to discover the truth but to dissemble it which mischief may go no further then him alone who is guilty of the sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this same mischief as it seeks to corrupt and infect others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecum the infecting others with this itch of vain disputing for as a scabby sheep rubbing against those that are sound of the same flock infecteth them with his touch so do these men that have itching ears rambling heads and hollow hearts infect others by their conversation saith S. Chrysost. and from him Oecumenius All this considered 't is easie to see the reason why S. Paul said to Timothy From such withdraw thy self he commands him as a Bishop to rebuke some Presbyters cap. 5. v. 19 20. which shews his jurisdiction over them but breaks not his communion with them but he must have nothing at all to do with these 't is Oecumenius his observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith not converse with such a man and oppose him converse with him according to your Christian Communion and oppose him according to your Episcopal Jurisdiction but wholly depart from him after one or two admonitions which is supposed from cap. 1. v. 3. where Timothy is commanded to charge them not to preach other doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used here for you shall never make that man your convert who hath made mammon his God and this indeed is the chief reason of the great distemper and greater disturbance in Christendome that many men are mammons rather then Gods Chaplains and therefore are more ready to plead for Baal that is for their own lording it over their brethren then for God more for Belial that is for their own licentiousness then for Christ hence it is we have fiercer disputations against men then for God
the Image of God the Son our good of Glory shall be according to the Image of God the Holy Ghost for as the Father and the Son enjoy each other in the communion of the holy Spirit so shall we enjoy them in the same communion And thus also is the Goodness of Religion in it self it is an universal and essential goodness demonstrable by way of efficiency that it makes men good those that have it though not all those that profess it by way of sufficiency that it makes men contented St Paul and Silas were better contented in their prison then the Magistrates that put them there were in their palaces and by way of eminency for that must needs be eminently good which hath filled the earth with so much goodness which were it not for Religion would be filled with nothing but rapine and unrighteousness Again In regard of us the goodness of Religion is the rule or exemplary cause of all goodness Similitudo formae est in omni agente vel secundùm esse naturale vel secundùm esse intelligibile saith Aqu. par 1. qu. 15. The similitude of every form is in the agent that labours for that form either according to its natural or according to its intellectual being so is the similitude of Religion in every man that works according to Religion God saying unto us in the Gospel Go and do likewise S. Luk. 10. 37. as he said in the Law See thou do it according to the pattern in the mount the form in the beginning of the action is the end but in the end of the action it is the form so also is Religion the end of our living and the form or pattern of our life as the knowledge and love of God was the form of man in his first creation as being the Image of God in him and yet withal the end for which he was created The third communicable property in God is Purity in his Action for as is his Power so is his Purity since all matter of impurity is also matter of Impotency and most true is that position of Divines Removentur a Deo actiones culpabiles poenales corporales inconvenientes all culpable or penal or corporal or inconvenient actions are removed far from God we may say in one word all impure actions so that in saying Gods work is pure we do in effect say it is holy as not culpable it is unpassionate as not penal it is unwearied as not corporal it is unblameable as not inconvenient But it shall be enough at present to say God is pure as loving purity and commanding it and as punishing impurity First God is pure as loving purity Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God S. Matth. 5. 8. the eye of the soul is to be refined and purged before it can behold such a heavenly beauty hence it is that the voice of reason proclaims our sinfull eyes to be as bats eyes when they should discern some more excellent created truths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ar. 2. Metaph. how much more doth the voice of Religion proclaim our dimness of sight when we should discern that one supereminent uncreated truth for as the bird that is used to darkness cannot endure to see the Sun so also a man that is habituated to the works of darkness cannot look upon the Father of lights and much less stedfastly six his eyes upon the Sun of righteousness Secondly God is pure as commanding Purity S. Iames 4. 8. cleanse your hands you sinners and purisie your hearts ye double-minded an impure minde is a double minde so thinking of heaven as also and much rather of earth that minde onely is pure which is a single minde and that minde onely is single which thinks of heaven where is very much to settle and to compose but nothing at all to distract divide the soul wherefore he that thinks wholly of earth cannot draw near to God and consequently God will not draw near to him and what is the effect of Gods being at a distance from us is most terrible to think and yet more terrible to finde which made the Psalmist cry out so earnestly Psal. 69. 19. Draw nigh unto my soul save it for if God be far off we can have no hope of salvation Thirdly God is Pure as punishing impurity Our Saviour did cast out all wicked spirits but he is said most of all to have rebuked the unclean spirits and S. Paul advising us to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit as having the promises 2 Cor. 7. 1. doth plainly shew that we can have no good of Gods promises as long as we continue in any filthiness either of flesh or spirit and if we have not a share in his promises we are sure to have a share in his punishments And thus also is Religion pure in its action as doing what is pure and pure in its affection as wishing and requiring others to do it and pure also in its disaffection as punishing those who delight in impurity nor can any man be impure and impenitent in his impurity and not be excommunicated by the Canon of Religion though haply the Canon of the Church may not take notice of him or not be able to reach him This consideration of Gods Purity should make us repent and abhor our selves in dust and ashes because of our manifold impurities for the heavens are unclean in his sight Job 15. 15. nay the purest bodies of heaven the moon and the stars Job 25. 5. nay the purest spirits of heaven the angels Job 4. 18. he charged his Angels with folly so that we need not with Rabbi David be overmuch inquisitive why Isaiah's Seraphins have six wings when Ezekiels Cherubins have but four for the Prophet himself gives the reason of six Isa. 6. 2. twain to sly withall there 's the readiness of their obedience twain to cover their faces as not daring to see saith Targum there 's their reverence and twain to cover themselves as not daring to be seen saith the same Paraphrast there 's their fear if these three vertues Obedience Reverence and Fear be so truly angelical what are our contrary vices not onely in Gods presence but also in his service but such as we may be ashamed to name and much more afraid to own that is to say diabolical for if all these purest creatures of heaven be impure in his sight and tremble at the thought of their impurity how much more we that are of earth nay of the most contemptible part of the earth of the dust of the earth Gen. 2. 7. and daily groveling in that dust by our affections before we return to it by our dissolution and in that respect alone fitly called worms twice together in one breath Job 25. 6. man that is a worm and the Son of man that is a worm we then who have the most impurity ought not to have the least