next chapter he makes his prayer to God for it This prayer is also set down in the book of the kings and which is more the text saith that the speech 〈◊〉 the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing When we have attained to knowledge we must as is required in Deut. 1. bring it into our heart that is past the brain 2. we must whet or Catechize our children for Catechizing in the principles must be diligently observed 3. We must talk of Gods statutes that is use conference 4. We must write them which includes also reading both fruitful 5. We must binde them before our eyes which implyes meditation 6. We must bind it about our hands a thing unusual in these dayes but yet as in physick it is a rule per brachiam fit judicium de corde The pulse comes from the heart to the hands so in Divinity by the arm practise and excercise is meant and this is to binde it on our armes It is a good way to make a conscience to practise what we know Saint Bernard saith Quod datur 〈◊〉 quod aperitur 〈◊〉 id exerce practise what we have attained by prayer and industry for the contrary not practising what we know brings coecitates poenales for illicitas cupiditates The heathen man saith that he that hath an habit of Justice shall be able to say more of it then he that hath a perfect speculation of all the Ethicks So the meanest man that hath practised his knowledge shall be able to say more of God and Religion then the most learned that hath not practised It is in divinity as in other things Exercitium signum est 〈◊〉 and so signum scientiae practise is the signe of power and so of knowledge It is a true saying that the best rule to judge of the Consequence is by the Antecedent as if fear be wanting there can be no Love if love be away there can be no obedience but especially if humility be wanting there can be no saving knowledge Saint Augustines prayer was Domine noverim te noverim me and adds that no man knows God that knoweth not himself And vera scientia non facit 〈◊〉 exultantem sed lamentantem True knowledge puffs not up but dejects a man and the Heathen man could say Inter sapientes sapientior qui 〈◊〉 he is the wisest among the wise that is humblest and he that hath a conceit of himself can never come to kowledge Aristotle in his Metaphysiks saith Scientis est ordinare he is wise that can order his doings prefer every thing according to order as in divinity knowledge of God which brings life eternal should be prefered before other knowledge which brings onely temporal profit But we do contrary for it is a common order with us as to prefer private profit before publick so to place temporal things before eternal and the knowledge of the one before the knowledge of the other which is a signe that our knowledge is not rightly ordered The Apostle saith we must not be children in knowledge that is carried away with every false winde of doctrine but must be rooted and grounded that we may be stedfast in the truth not clouds without water carried away with every winde as Saint Jude hath it and like waves of the sea that is carried with the tide here with the ebbe and there with the flood as it is in our times The last rule is we must not hinder knowledge in others either by authority commandment permission or counsel but provoke others to it and increase it in them as much can be Our knowledge must be to help others and that three wayes 1. In teaching them that are ignorant 2. In satisfying them that doubt and strengthning them that waver 3. In comforting the distressed and afflicted conscience And thus much for knowledge the first duty of the minde CHAP. VII The second Inward vertue Commanded in the first precept is faith Reasons for the necessity of faith Addition 8. Concerning the evidence of faith and Freedome of assent The certainty of faith Of unbeleif Addition 9. Concerning the nature of faith means of beleeving Of Trust in God for things temporal The trial of our trust six signes of faith THe next inward vertue of the minde is faith This supposes a knowledge of the object or things to be beleeved which being propounded sufficiently as credible our assent thereto is called faith which rests upon divine authority though it see not the proper reasons to enforce assent for seeing we cannot by meer natural reason attain sufficient knowledge of supernatural truthes but that divine revelation is needfull therefore besides natural knowledge faith is necessary which reecives them for this authority of the speaker To explain this There is in every proposition an affirmation or a denial 1. Sometimes a man holdeth neither part because he sees that equall reasons may be brought on both sides and that is called doubting 2. If we encline to one part yet so as we feare the reasons of the other part may be true then it is called Opinion As Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian 3. If we consent to one part that is called kowledge which goes beyond both the other and arises from evidence and assurance of the truth Knowledge is threesold 1. By sense 2. By discourse of reason 3. By relation of other men and this is properly faith 1. Knowledge by sense is such as was that of Josephs brethren that had seen him before they sold him into Egypt and therefore knew him 2. Knowledge by discourse Such as Jacobs was when he saw the chariots come out of Egypt he conceived straightway that his son was alive 3. That by relation of others as Jacob knew that his son yet lived when his sons told him so 1. For the first when a thing cannot be present to the sense then must we rely upon the third Relation The Queen of Sheba did first heare of Solomons wisdome in her own land before she came and heard him her self 2. For point of reason ther 's nothing absent from that but that which is supernatural and above our understanding when a thing exceedeth the capacity of meer natural reason without divine illumination as we see in Nicodemus a great Rabbi in Israel For concerning mysteries in religion the Apostle saith out of the prophet eye hath not seen or eare heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man that is they exceed both the capacity of the sense and reason and therefore we must come to the third way which is by faith for as Job speaks God is great and we know him not neither 〈◊〉 the number of his years be 〈◊〉 therefore it must necessarily follow Nisi credider it is non stabiliemini as the Prophet assures us if ye will not beleeve ye shall not be established And yet this restrains us not so far but
19. 18. Deut. 23. and hate thine enemies viz. Those seven nations whom they were to destroy and to make no league with them nor to shew them mercy Exod. 34. 21. Deut. 7. 1. to whom the Amalekite is added with whom they were to have perpetuall war Exod. 17. 19. Deut. 25. 14. We see then that Christ is so far from taking any thing away from the Morall Law that he rather addes more to it and therfore the matter of the Decalogue is still in force and belongs to Christians as much as to any Nay faith it self which some of late have transformed into a meere Platonicall Idaea abstracted from good works I mean that Faith to which Justification and Salvation is ascribed in Scripture includes obedience as to all the commandments of Christ so to the morall law as the very life and form of it without which as S. Jam. 〈◊〉 it is as a body without a Soul for what is Faith but a relying or trusting upon Christ for salvation according to the promises of the Gospell now seeing that those promises are not absolute but always require the conditions of repentance and new obedience it can be nothing but a shadow of faith when these conditions are not It s true that to beleeve in the proper and formal notion is nothing else but to assent to the truth of a proposition upon the authority of the speaker And to beleeve in one signifies properly to trust rely upon him doth not in its formal conception considered barely and abstractly by it self include the condition of obedience or any other And therefore we may be said to beleeve or trust in one that requires no condition of us but when the words are referred to one that commands or requires something of us to be done and promises nothing But upon such condition of obedience as nothing is more certain then that Christ never promises remission of sins or life eternall but upon condition of Repentance and new obedience In this case to beleeve in Christ must of necessity include obedience to the commandments of Christ as the very life of faith without which it is a meere fansie and hence some have observed that in the New Testament faith and obedience and unbelief and disobedience are often promiscuously used for one and the same First because that to trust or believe in one that promises nothing but to those that obey him and to obey him in hope of what he hath promised are all one and therefore that absolute affiance or unconditionate belief of Gods mercy in Christ which some make to be faith in Christ is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of those first and primitive errours from which those doctrines of Antinomians and other Sectaries that would dissolve the law do follow with ease When Christ upbrayded the Jewes for not beleeving John the Baptist though the Harlots and Publicanes believed who doubts but that his meaning is that the one repented upon Johus preaching which the other did not although to beleeve in the proper formall notion signifies nothing else but to assent to the trueth of what he said Hence S. Aug. saith Non solum bonam vitam inseparabilem esse a fide sed ipsam esse bonam vitam that a good life is not onely inseparable from faith but that faith is good life it self and S. Cyprian Quomodo se in Christú credere dicit qui non facit quae Christus facere praecipit How can he say that he believes in Christ who doth not the things which Christ hath commanded And before them Irenaeus tells us that Credere in Christum est voluntatem ejus facere to believe in Christ is to do his will As for that generall faith of the latter School-men and the Romanists which they make to be nothing but an assent to revealed trueths for the authority of God the speaker I say the latter School-men for some of the Elder where they speak of fides charitate formata which they make to be true faith mean nothing else but that which S. Paul calls faith working by love and Saint James faith consummated by works As also that faith of some amongst our selves who would have it to be nothing but a perswasion that their sins are pardoned in Christ c. Neither of these have any necessary connexion with a good life and therefore neither of them is that faith to which the promises of pardon and Salvation are annexed in the Gospel Not the first as themselves acknowledge and appeares by Bellar. who labours to prove by many reasons that true faith may be in a wicked man Nor the second for how doth it necessarily follow that if a man believe all his sins past present and to come to be forgiven that therefore he must needes live according to the Rules of Christ whereas the contrary may rather be inferred That he needes not to trouble himself about obedience to the commandments in order to remission of his sins or salvation who is perswaded that all hissins are pardoned already and that nothing is required of him for the obtaining of so great a benefit but onely to believe that it is so And if they say that the sence of such a mercy cannot but stir men up to obedience too much experience of mens unthankfulness to God confutes this The remembrance of a mercy or benefit doth not necessarily enforce men to their duty for then none could be unthankfull to God or man Besides it is a pure contradiction which all the Sophistry in the world can never salve to say that a mans sins are pardoned by believing they are pardoned for they must be pardoned before he believes they are pardoned because the object must be before the act and otherwise he beleeves a lye and yet by faith he is justified and pardoned as all affirm and the Scripture is evident for it and so his pardon follows upon his belief and thus the pardon is both before and after the act of faith it is before as the object or thing to be beleeved and yet it comes after as the effect or consequent of his belief which is a direct contradiction True faith then is a practicall vertue and establishes the Law and as this is the proper work of true faith so to direct and quicken our obedience thereto is the whole scope of the Bible There is nothing revealed in the whole Scripture meerly for speculation but all is referd some way or other to practise It is not the knowledge of Gods Nature Essence but of his will which is required of us or at least so much of his Nature as is needfull to ground our faith and obedience upon That observation of some is most true That in the Scripture verba scientiae Connotant affectus words of knowledge do imply affections and actions answerable To know God is not so much to know his Nature and essence as to Honor and obey him which
those that do not are said not to know him though they know never so much of his Nature and atributes knowledge without practise is with God accounted ignorance and hence are all sins tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignorances Thus to know Christ or to beleeve in him or to beleeve the Gospel Includes in the Scripture sence repentance new life and indeed the whole duty of a Christian because al these duties ought to follow upon this knowledge or belief are actus imperati as the Schools speak acts which flow from belief though the actus elicitus be only an assent to the trueth And hence some of the most eminent and Ancient School-men have determined that Theologie or Divinity is a practical science Theologia est scientia affectiva c. Principaliter ut ipsi boni fiamus saith Bonav Theologie is an affective knowledge whose chief end is to make us good The same is affirmed by Alex. Hales Gerson and others Scotus maintains the same conclusion Theologiam esse simpliciter practicam That Theologie is simply practicall and Durand proves it by unanswerable reason quia ejus operatio circa objectū suum non consistit in Contemplatione veritatis sed dirigit in prosecutione operis ut patet in centum locis Scripturae Et mirum esset si non sit practica cum considerantes Scripturam a principio usque ad finem c. Pro una Scripturae columna in qua agitur de pure speculabilibus sunt plus quam quingenta folia in quibus agitur de pure practicis The operation of Theologie about its object consists not in bare speculation of truth but in directions for our practice as appears in an hundred places of Scripture and therefore it were strange it should not be a practicall Science seeing if we consider the Scripture from the beginning to the end for one place which treates of matters speculative wee may finde five hundered which handle things meerely practicall This then being the scope of all revealed truthes in Scripture and the proper end of Theologie to direct us in our practise This book wherein all those practicall truthes are distinctly handled and explained cannot but be of great use to all whose care is to worke out their salvation And if he was accounted the wisest man among the heathen by the Oracle that brought Philosophie out of the Clouds into Cities and Houses that is from aire and vain speculations to practicall precepts no doubt but they shall be counted wise Scribes in the Church of God that laying aside fruitlesse controversies and Polemick disputes wherewith peoples heads have been so troubled that the power of Religion is in a manner quite lost bend their studies and endeavours to urge this unum necessarium the practise of those morall and Christian duties wherein the life of Religion consists and which will bring glory to God benefit to others honor to our profession sure comfort to the soul when all other comforts fail This practising of what we know will be the surest Antidote against the growing errours and Heresies of the times for if any man will do the will of God saith Christ hee shall know whether the Doctrine be of God or no. Faith and good conscience go both in a bottome he that le ts goe the one will quickly make ship-wrack of the other All apostacy begins in practise and errours in the life produce errours in Judgement for when the will is corrupted the understanding is darkned and the apostle tels us that those which are given up to strong delusions are such as receive not the truth in the love of it Whereas practise is a sure preservative against defection this will make a man whose knowledge is lesse then others remain stedfast in times of tryall like a fixed star while others of greater parts like blazing stars may shine for a while but at length vanish into smoke That which is the scope of this work to urge the practise of Religion and was no doubt the end propounded by the learned Author when he at first penned and delivered these Lectures is also the end aimed at in the publishing of them at this time and though many others have written upon the same Subject whose labours I shall not any way disparage yec I doubt not but he that shall reade and peruse these labors of this Reverend Authour will finde them to be as usefull and profitable as any hitherto extant in this kinde and that they containe the most full compleate learned and elaborate body of Practical Divinity that hath been hitherto published and that scarce any thing of note is to be found on this large subject in any Authors Divine or humane which is not here with admirable judgement clearnes of method and fulnesse of expression digested And considering how this subject is handled neither superficially and slightly as too many have done in our owne Language nor yet so coldly and Jejunely as divers of the Casuists in their large and intricate disputes who inform the Judgement but work not upon the affections at all but that as the matter is solid in it self so it is clothed with emphaticall significant words adorned with choise sentences apt allusions and Rhetoricall amplisications out of the best authors besides pregnant applications of Scripture and sundry criticall observations upon divers texts not vulgar nor obvious it will be hard to say whether the profit or delight of the reader will be greater And as the works in regard of the generall subject may be usefull for all persons of what rank soever so I doubt not but it may be of special use for the publique dispensers of the word especially the younger sort of Divines who besides many directions for usefull and profitable Preaching may finde also variety of excellent matter upon any practicall Subject without Postills or Polyanthea directions for deciding most cases of conscience which out of the grounds here laid may be easily resolved Now concerning this Edition and what is herein performed I am not ignorant what prejudice attends the printing the posthumous works of any how easy it is to mistake the sence of an Author especially where the work was not perfected by himself and that diverse things in mens private papers would have been thought sit to be altered omitted or enlarged by the Authors themselves if they had intended them for publick view for which and diverse other reasons it might have been thought sit not to publish what the Author had kept so long by him and had not fitted for the Presse nor those reverend Persons to whose care his Papers and Writings were by his late MAJESTIE committed intended to divulge for who would presume to put a Pencil to a Piece which such an Apelles had begun yet considering that there is already a rude imperfect draught or rather some broken Notes of these his Lectures which had passed
go to God before we can come to him There are two wayes to come to God one held by Hereticks which is by the reach of reason 2. The other held by Christians which is by faith 1. The Manichees as Saint Augustin testifies of them in opposition to the Catholiques held that men were to come to God by reason and not by belief and therefore vaunted that whereas others did imponere jugum credendi impose a yoke of beleeving upon men desirous to come to God that they would bring men to God by opening fontem sciendi the fountain of knowledge onely they would effect it by demonstration This way because it was most plausible grew strongest and prevailed long In so much that if any Philosopher had entred Christian religion he first became a Manichee which appeared by Faustus the Manichee whose heresy was most dangerous and of longest continuance The like sectaries are in our dayes who are called by the learned 〈◊〉 that must have a reason forsooth of every thing and as long as you go with them in the way of reason they will keep you company so far will they go with you and no further Therefore we are to prove that the way to God by belief is most convenient and necessary and that the way by reason without faith is the worst and most inconvenient 1 If we must come to God by reason onely and knowledge then it wil 〈◊〉 follow that none shall be saved but the learned and those of excellent wit and capacity for none but they are capable of demonstration but that way of all othe is most inconvenient that but few onely can go in This is as if many undertake a Journey together and because some can climbe hedges and ditches the rest must passe that way also But Gods way is Via regia The kings high-way 2 Againe besides the excellency of wit and apprehension there are great paines necessarily required to come to knowledge and many are so weake by nature that they cannot take the pains that shall be needful to acquire it many also are so imployed in several affairs that they cannot spare somuch time as is requisit and many as we see by daily experience that bend themselves that way are cut off before they can attain to it so that we may say that if there were no other way to get the knowledge of God but by reason there would be few that should enjoy that felicity But God hath prescribed a more compendious way we need do no more then beleeve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have attained it 3 And whereas they object as Porphirie did to the Christians of his time that too much Credulity is a signe of levity and was an hindrance to many in coming to God by belief we may 1 answer them by another saying of their own Nemo credulus nisi credis stulto aut improbe No man is to be accounted credulous but he that shall beleeve a fool or a knave And of folly and impiety God must needs be acquitted lest we fall into Blasphemy for Deus as he is perfecta veritas perfect truth and cannot deceive so is he perfect wisdom and perfect righteousnesse too even righteousnesse truth and wisdom it self and cannot erre therefore it is no danger to be taxed with credulity for coming to God by belief Now that this way by beleeving is the surest and most certaine way cannot be denied because faith is grounded upon the word of God though published and set forth by man And this appeareth by four effects or circumstances as Origen sets them down 1 As healing of incurable diseases such as were the leprous hydropique paralytique and men possessed with unclean spirits which Physick could not cure 2 By raising and reviving men from death 3 By shaking the powers of heaven 4. In that simple and unlearned men in one hour proved excellent and wonderfully skilsul in all the tongues And therefore there must needs have been a divine power in them that wrought these things whereby appeareth the certainty of the effect though not of thecause 2 A second answer to Porphiries objection is That the suspition of credulity appeares rather in the way of reason then faith because 1 There being two hundred eighty eight severall opinions of Philosophers and every one of them having a reason for his summum bonum or felicity there must needs be many crosse wayes among them And the way of truth being simplex 〈◊〉 but one it were impossi le for a man among such diversitie of opinions to be in any certainty and therefore necessarily must fall into the tax of greater credulity 2 Aristotle saith there 's no necessary thing without mixture of contingency in it and therefore there can be no absolute demonstration and consequently there 's nothing subject to knowledge without contradictory opinions And this being so what can be more uncertain 3 But chiefly in the knowledge of prima emia things that have the first being they confesse themselves to be in the dark they transcend theire understanding aswell in respect of the object because they are 〈◊〉 immaterial without matter as of the fountain or cause of our knowledge because Principia rationis a sensibus 〈◊〉 the senses are doors letting in what reason worketh upon 4. And in Metaphysiques Deus coelestia fensibus non subjiciuntur God is above nature and sense can give no reason nor rules concerning Coelestial matters our reason and understanding are confounded but they are simple and unconfounded Therefore we cannot come to God by reason alone we must finde out some other way 1. The way of necessity then must be by faith For take away belief and overthrow all commerce men will be friends to none nor any to them Saint August saith that if upon our report of that we have seen to another that was not present nor did see that which we related he should not believe it unlesse we make proof of every circumstance conducing to the sight thereof nonne adigerit nos ad insanidm would it not almost drive us into madnesse 2. Again he saith If a man should come to me and say Shew me the true way by reason and I reply thou comest but in the way of dissimulation and hypocrisie not out of any good meaning then will he make protestation of his integrity and good intent and explain it with words as well as he is able then I say I believe you Sir yet you cannot perswade me to it by reason And seeing you will have me believe you is there not as great equity that you should believe me seeing that your believing me redounds not to my benefit but your own Who dares call in question the word of a Prince And God being at least as good as a Prince ipsius 〈◊〉 non credere quanta impietas it were great impiety not to believe his Word Therefore the way by belief is not altogether to be rejected There
are many things that cannot be demonstrated by reason yet of necessity must be believed as a father to be a father A man that would travail to a place which he knows not must believe those that have been there And if a man returning from travail report that he hath seen such aman or such a place it were hard he should not be believed except he bring proof or witnesse it being impossible to make demonstration by reason of that 〈◊〉 the like So much for the necessity of belief In the way of Faith we are to observe four Rules 1. It was the Rule of the Heathen that into what art soever a Scholar was initiated Oportet discentem credere the Scholar must beleeve his Master for whatsoever good we receive at the first we receive it from our Teachers And this ground hath this principle Actio perfecti in imperfecto recipitur we are imperfect before we can come to any perfection first imperfect then perfect Wood receives heat from fire before it can burn and be fire So learners receive knowledge by faith from others before they come to be perfect themselves This is confirmed by the Prophet Nist credideritis non stabiliemini if you will not beleeve surely you shall not be established 2. When we have received by beleef then we may seek for demonstrations either a prieri or a posteriori to confirm our belief because ut virtutum 〈◊〉 ita religionis principia quaedam in nobis innata sunt some principles of religion as of other vertues are inbred and natural to us though much defaced and depraved by humane corruption and principia religionis non sunt inter se contraria the principles of religion are not contrary one to another for then we should never come to any certainty of true knowledge But reason and religion agree and the true worship of God is proved by the principles of natural reason True reason is 〈◊〉 help to faith and faith an help to reason but faith is the Lady reason her dutiful Handmaid Eaith and right reason are not contrary but as a greater and a lesser light yea faith is samma ratio 3. Having thus submitted our selves to belief and strengthened it with reason we must look for an higher teacher For though faith be a perfect way yet we being unperfect walk unperfectly in it and therefore in those things which transcend nature and reason we must beleeve God onely and pray to him that by the inspiration of his holy spirit we may be directed and kept in this way 4. Because this inspiration cometh not totally at the first all at once we must grow to perfection pedetentim by little and little and come up by degrees till it please him to send in full measure to us Festinandum lente we must hasten yet slowly and take heed of and avoid praepropera consilia rash attempts according to the Prophets rule Qui crediderit non festinabit he that 〈◊〉 shall not make haste but go on according to the Apostles gradation Adde vertue to faith and knowledge to vertue c. and so by degrees And thus much for this point of via ad Dominum the way to come to God 1. By beleeving 2. By strengthening that belief 3. By expecting the Spirit for our Directer 4. And lastly by proceeding by degrees in a right path CHAP. V. 3 That we must beleeve there is a God Misbelief in four things 1. Autotheisme 2. Polytheisme 3. Atheisme 4. Diabolisme The reasons of Atheists answered Religion upholds all states The original of Atheisme from 1. Discontent 2. Sensuality THe third point is that we must believe there is a God This is our third station or journey for our better preparation and strengthening wherein we are to note four obstacles or errors which the Devil layes in our way Misbelief seen in four points The first is Autotheisme When Adam was in the state of perfection it was impossible to perswade him either 1. That he was a God or 2. To worship any Creature as God or 3. To believe that there was no God 4. Or to worship the Devil as a God And therefore he used all his art to deceive him and perswaded him that by eating the Apple his eyes should be opened and that he should plainly perceive that he should be like to God And by his perswasion he departed from God by unbelief and presumption to whom he must come again by belief and humiliation but in the same day wherein he transgressed Gods command and followed the Devils counsel he confuted that opinion assoon as he had tasted the forbidden fruit by hiding himself behinde the bush So Alexander by his flatterers perswasions was drawn to believe himself to be a god but being wounded at a siege he cryed hic sanguis hominem denotat his blood shewed plainly to be a man And the Emperour Claudius that was in the same humour being scared with a clap of thunder fled into his tent and hiding himself could cry out Hic Deus Claudius non est Deus this is God Claudius is none The second is Polytheisme Because God was a help to Man after his fall in making him garments directs him how to dresse the earth to yield him food and gave him the use of the creatures and this was a help and stay to man the Devil by a false inversion struck into the mindes of his posterity that whatsoever was beneficial to man was his god and so saith the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which feedeth us is a god and so deriving that good to the instrument which was proper to the 〈◊〉 many gods were brought into the opinions of men as Men and Celestial Bodies and at last they came unto such an extremity of absurdity as that Cats Crocodiles and many other unreasonable creatures became to be worshipped as gods The third is Atheisme When this multitude of Gods grew so great as that the Poet said of them Quorum nascuntur in hortis numina they had gods growing in their Gardens it soon became a question and a doubt was made whether there were a God or no. And this was the cause as some conceive why Diagoras first broached this doubt Lastly Diabolisme After that the Devil had brought the World thus far it was impossible it should stay long there therefore to shew his Master-piece he brought himself by his lyes false and doubtful Oracles and the like first into admiration and then even to adoration causing the people to worship him as a god And he wanted not worshippers even of the most learned and greatest persons As Appollonius Tyaneus Jamblicus and Julian the Apostata who being of no religion fell to worship the Devil and proved Necromancers Sorcerers and Conjurers The like successe he had in the East Indies where the Gospel was preached by S. Thomas the Apostle The people in after ages falling into contention about religion they grew at length
as none can be partakers of true happinesse by his own guidance or conduct as other creatures attain in some sort and therefor the heathen confesse with us that there is a maime and a main defect in mans nature But we our selves were the cause of it as appears by the History of the Bible namely by dealing with the tree in being our own choosers And therefore this choosing of ours this making Laws to our selves must be left we must leave and submit our selves to the will and choyce of a superiour nature that knoweth what is best for us 2. Of the second the reason is evident that seeing a God we are to have we ought in all reason to desire a true God No man would willingly erre even they that bend themselves to deceive others cannot endure to be deceived themselves And no man desires to think that to be which is not nor that not to be which is The reason of the third is That there be sundry things that a man cannot have but he must have them alone without partner or competitor Of which number a master is one And God is our Master he is pleased to call himself so And our Saviour saith Nemo potest duobus Dominis servire no man can serve two masters the service to a master must be to him a lone else not And the prophet in the person of God faith I will 〈◊〉 thee unto me for ever and the Apostle I have espoused you unto one husband that is Christ now a husband also comes within the number and is to be had alone and the condition of having God is like to that of a husband one and a lone or not at all 4. Another reason may be added The joyning of God with any other thing must needs be much to his dishonour and derogation for he 〈◊〉 the most transcendent nature in the world 〈◊〉 no inferiour thing but being joyned with him doth much abase him and he will endure no dishonour his honour he is very jealous of and thereof his worship must be kept pure without intermingling it with the worship of any other for if any thing of a nobler nature be joyned with some thing of a viler substance the nobler nature is thereby adulterated and corrupted therefor Gods worship must be pure and not mixt or sophisticated CHAP. VI. In the 1. proposition of having a God is included 1. Knowledge of God wherein 1. The excellency 2. the necessity 3. how it is attained The contrary forbidden is 1. Ignorance 2. light knowledge What we are to know of God Impediments of knowledge to be remooved Rules of direction to be followed For the 1. consideration of the proposition S. Pavl saith that an Idol is nothing we know it and that ther is no other God but one And therefore it may seem strange that in respect that Idols nor ought elie be Gods he should command us to haue no other Gods We say though a man take armes against his Prince yet he is his Prince still and he hath no other and this having is onely true inrespect of the superiour yet the rebellious subject hath him not for his Prince or atleast will not have him because he accompts him not his Prince the like is between God and us He is our God and his law is lex ferrea it will hold us and have us whether we will or no. Yet in regard we rebel against him and endeauor to exempt our selves from his service and obedience in breaking his laws we have him not for our God It is the course of the holy Ghost to use this phrase They had Baal and Ashteroth not that they were Gods but that they in their accounts had them for Gods 2. Again as the Philosopher a thing is said to be had when it is known to be had for if a man have 〈◊〉 under his ground and knows not of it he hath it not Besides a man cannot be properly said to have that which he makes no account of as if he have rushes or cobwebs in his house and caring not for them he cannot be said to have them Therefore a man cannot be said to have that which he knoweth not of or knowing he hath them regards them not And so he that will be said to have God must both know and regard him and this is that which is meant by having a God It hath been formerly said that the spritual worship and having of God was the end and scope of this commandment The worship of the spirit is divided as the soul. The principall parts of the soul as God himself makes them are two 1. Reason or understanding called the spirit in a strict sence and sometimes the soul or mind 2. Affection or will called the heart Now as we know the parts of the minde so we must know that these parts have their order Vires annimae sunt ordinatae the powers of the soul are set in order saith the Philospher and the order is first to know then to regard and love that we know for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Saint Austine saith Invisa 〈◊〉 cupere ignota nequaquam we may desire things we have not seen but never those things that we have never heard of Therefore as they say well If two things be to be done in order whereof the second depends upon the first if the first be taken away the second can not be fulfilled So if we be ignorant of God we shall never desire or Love him and so we shall not have him at all God must first be known then Loved 1. Knowledge lieth in the understanding part The minde 2. Love is in the affection The heart 1. Cocerning knowledge the obect thereof is God and he cannot be known a priori therfore we must seek to know him a posteriori and that must be either by his Attributes ascribed to him in his word or by his effects and works His Attributes 〈◊〉 ten Exod. 34. 6. 7 Majesty Truth Vnchangeablenesse Will Justice Mercy Knowledge Power Vbiquity Eternity other things are attributed to God in scripture but they may be reduced to some of these as love patience c. may be referred to mercy anger or wrath to Justice c. Of these Justice and mercy are the two principal and concerne us most the other eight have influance upon these two parts to make them the fitter objects of our faith fear love and hope c. To work upon our knowledge or faith apprehending 1. Gods Justice 2. his mercy and beleeving them both if you adde the other attributes to his Justice 1. that he is infinite in majesty 2. infallible in his truth 3. without change c. and they make his Justice more perfect and consequently more fearfull In the second place adde the same also to his mercy that he which loveth us is 1. A King of eternal majestie and life 2. Infallible 3. Unchangable and the rest it makes his mercy more
and consequently far more to be beloved 1. Out of this faith or knowledge apprehending his Justice ariseth feare and out of feare humility 2. Out of knowledge and faith of his Mercy with the other eight attributes arise 2. Duties more 1. Hope 2. Love 1. The fruit of hope is 1. Invocation and prayer for what we want 2. thanksgiving in acknowledging whence we have received it 2. Love hath its fruit or effect in obedience in conforming our selves and our wills to God will both in doing what he requirs and in bearing willingly whatsoever it pleaseth him to lay upon us and this last is called patience Obedientia crucis And in these doth the hauing of God wholly consist We are further to understand that the Holy Ghost in the scripture is pleased by the figure Synechdoche for shortnesse of speech oft times to name one of these and in that one to comprehend the whole worship of God as in Saint John all the worship of God is attributed to knowledge This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God And in a nother place all to fear feare God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man In a nother place to hope Saint Paul saith we are saved by hope And so of the rest under the name of one duty Synechdochically are comprehended all the other and this without injury to the rest of the duties for they all have good dependance one of another Now to these we are to adde the duties of the second proposition That we must have the Lord for our God that is true religion And of the third to have him onely for our God that is pure religion against joyning of it with other worship And besides these out of the word shalt it must be perpetual till non erit swallow up our erit which implieth the vertue perseverance throw all the Commandments And corum facie mea before me includeth sincerity of heart against hypocrisy and these make up the manner of Gods worship In the resolution of this first commandment the first thing is knowledge of God which in regard of the excellency of it Saint John saith as before This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God In the handling of which we must follow this method 1. To shew the excellency of the knowledge of God 2. The necessity of it 3. How it is to be attained 1. The first thing concerning knowledge is the excellency of it for other knowledge without this is but a puff a tumor that swells naturally in them that possesse it The Apostle saith asmuch knowledge 〈◊〉 up That therefore our knowledge may be right we must pluck from us our peacockes feathers the gifts of nature as strength wisdom riches birth c. And not be proud or rejoyce in them but as God by the prophet speaketh Let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me 〈◊〉 totae scientia hominis magna est saith S. Augustine 〈◊〉 quia nihil ipse est per se quoniam quicquid est ex Deo est 〈◊〉 Deum 〈◊〉 is the chief knowledge of man to know that of himselfe he is nothing and that whatsoever he is it is of and for God And this is the use we must make of our Knowledge 2. The second is the Necessity of this knowledge It is not the excellency of this knowledge that altogether worketh upon the desires of all men and the hearts of many are so dull and heavy that they desire not to be excellent a meane degree of perfection contents them in it But when we come to perceive that necessitas incumbit there lies a necessity upon us to get it a ferrea ratio that strong forcible persuasion and stricketh to the heart for the Law is Doctrina agendorum and no action can be without moving no motion without the will no will without desire and no desire without knowledge of that we desire So that take away knowledge and take away all and then nothing shall be done It cannot be denied but that evil men are in action they are practicall enough but their knowledge being deprived of the true end and obejct we must also confesse that they must needs erre and fall upon false ends and wayes wandring in by pathes and never attain to the right end butthey walk in darknesse and so they misse of the end for which they came into the world The Apostle saith that without hearing there can be no knowledge for hearing is called the sense of discipline and without knowledge ther 's no beleife without faith there can be no love and without love ther 's no obedience And therefore in as much as faith love and obedience are necessary it follows that it is necessary to have knowledge as the ground of all vertues whatsoever There is in all these vertues inchoation in this life and a consummacion in the life to come The schoolmen call them a first and second perfection or 〈◊〉 partixm graduum and therefore the knowledge we attain to in this life is but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tast of that blessed knowledge we shall have in the other And as the Apostle makes two Resurrections the first and the second and saith that Blessed is he that hath his part in the first for he shall have it also in the last So there are two degrees of knowledge the first is fides faith the second visio dei or vita aeterna the beatificall vision and blessed is he that hath his part in the first for he shall have his part in the second the beatificall vision of God And as in the second Resurrection none shall have part but they which have part in the first so none can have their portion in the second knowledge but they that had in the first A witnesse without exception of this is our Saviour Martha troubled her self about many things and no doubt necessary to the honorable entertaining of 〈◊〉 yet we know that Christ said vnum necessarium there was one thing necessary and Mary had chosen it to sit down at Christs feet and learn his will So that if this be onely necessary and without it ther 's no getting to the end then have we done with the first part wherein we see the use and necessity of this knowledge 3. If the knowledge be so necessary by what means shall we attain to it In knowledge there is a teacher and a learner we must either finde it of our selves or learn it from others For our own abilities the Propher hath told us long since what they are Every man is brutish or a beast in his knowledge if he haue none to direct him but his own natural parts he shal attain no more knowledge then the brute beasts The wise-man saith that we are all vain by nature We are vain in our imaginations saith the Apostle And according to holy Job
we utter but vain knowledge therefore having no hope to learn the true knowledge of our selves and being as far from learning it from other natural men 〈◊〉 our selves we must look after another teacher that hath deeper knowledge then we have And who that is we shall finde in the book of Samuel Deus scientiarum Dominus The Lord is a God of knowledge it is he onely that can teach us and as he is able so is he willing too Our Saviour tells us that it is written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God for so saith the Prophet Esay And thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. And the kingly Prophet David gives the reason Because that with him is the well of life and in his light we shall see light Though we be naturally blinde and have no light neither in nor of our selves yet in his light we shall see light And therefore he it is that must be our teacher and as he must be our teacher so we may be sure that this teacher is willing to instruct us Gods loving practise tells us that he is He began it with Adam and preserved it in the Patriarchs and then it beginning to decay he continued it by tradition After that people being corrupted and knowledge decaying more and more he wrote the Law which being broken he took order for a new writing and enjoyned them to hear it and appointed Priests and Levites who by interpreting it caused the people to understand it for as the text saith they read the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading When they failed and false interpreters came he raised up prophets to give the true sense of the Law and when this was not sufficient he sent his onely Son the last and most perfect teacher or doctor of the Church and he ascending to the glory of his Father gave gifts to men as Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers whom he promised to send and enable with gifts for the instruction and edification of his Church and to continue a succession of them to the end of the world Now as God is the Author of this knowledge so he provides what is necessary for us to attain it viz. the outward ministery of man and the inward work of his Spirit 1. For the first we have the Eunuch sitting in his Chariot and reading a place in Esay and being desirous to know the meaning of the place God provides him a Minister Philip to expound it to him And so when Cornelius was continuing in fasting from the fourth hour to the ninth and falling to prayer God sent Peter to him 2. For the second Our Saviour hath promised on Gods behalf that God shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him So that the outward means being diligently performed on our part we may rest assured that God will perform his part Christ in the Gospel perswades the Pharisees and us in them to search the Scriptures to come to the true knowledge of him and so to life That which remaineth God will supply by the unction of his Spirit there will be no defect on his part provided that we look to ours But the fear is on our part and it appeareth by the commandment here laid upon us that we are not willing for a good man is a Law to himself but we have a commandment to stir us up to knowledge Now further in this as in all the other Commandments we are to consider two things 1. That which is commanded Knowledge of which we have now spoken 2. That which is forbidden Ignorance of which in the next place The affirmative and the negative part In the affirmative is commanded 1. Knowledge 2. A rich measure of it according as our vocation will permit non solum scire sed etiam bene scire And in this negative two things are forbidden 1. Ignorance 2. Light superficial knowledge for the rule in Divinity is Peccatum non tantum est appetitus malorum sed etiam desertio meliorum Where fulnesse is commanded not onely emptinesse but scarcity is forbidden also So not onely ignorance but a light fleeting and superficial knowledge is forbidden Ignorance The Church of Rome is taxed to justifie it though it cannot be found that they are Patrones of it but onely faulty in allowing small superficiall knowledge in the people yet if any man conceive that Ignorance of God is justifiable let this perswade him to the contrary 1. A sinne it must needs be else what needed a sacrifice for it 2. If it had been a light offence David had been uncharitable to pray to God to powre out his indignation on them that knew not his Name 3. It is not onely sin but first the cause of it and secondly the cause of punishment 1. It is the cause of sin for the Prophet saith The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land for that there was no mercy and the reason of that was because there was no true dealing and the reason of both was because there was no knowledge of God and presently after he tells them of their destruction for it So the Apostle after he had reckoned up the offences of the Heathen he concludes it was because of their ignorance of God 2. Ignorance is the cause of punishment 〈◊〉 Prophet faith That the captivity of Babylon was because the people wanted the knowledge of God And it is not the cause of punishment but as it is the cause of sin The Wise man asketh this question Do they not erre that imagine evil there is no sin without error therefore the planting of knowledge would be the rooting out of evil Non erratur saith S. Augustine nisi ignorantia men erre not but for want of knowledge Therefore to both these points S. Augustine hath a pertinent place Quia ipsa ignorantia in eis qui intelligere noluerunt 〈◊〉 dubitatione peccatumest in eis autem qui non potuerunt poena peccati ergo in utrisque non est 〈◊〉 excusatio sed justa damnatio because ignorance it self was a sin without doubt in them that would not understand and a punishment of sin in them that could not therefore in both are condemned neither justified Some there be that argue out of the Acts and excuse ignorance alledging that place That God winked at the times of ignorance and so make it no sin when it is as they call it invincible Ignorance excusable is fourfold 1. In children before they come to years of reason and discretion 2. In fools those that naturally want the use of reason 3. In those that by sicknesse or disease are bereft of the use of reason 4. Where the means cannot be had to take it away But this is not simply and altogether invincible for the
law of nature may teach them He that hath the Law of God in his heart as every one is some measure hath if he set himself to seek God he shall surely finde him for God hath made his minde known to them that are careful to observe the rules of Nature habenti dabitur to those that use the general light well God will not be wanting in means of further knowledge These may be excused but the last a tanto from so much but not a toto from all They are not absolutely without sin But there two other 〈◊〉 of ignorance utterly inexcusable 1. Affectata ignorantia affected ignorance when it comes to that height Noluerunt intelligere ut bene agerent they would not understand to do well and it is in them that know they are ignorant and are unwilling to come out of it but nectunt sibi argumenta devise arguments to defend their ignorance They will not know that they are workers of iniquity this is cum libenter ignorent 〈◊〉 liberius peccent when men are willfully ignorant that they may sin the more freely without check or remorse when men shut their eyes against the light and reject means of knowledge saying as they in Job depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes S. Augustine saith ubi non est dolus in inquisitione ibi non est peccatum in inventione where there is no deceit in enquiry there is no sin in finding out but many would ask his opinion and he would answer dolose quaesisti dolose invenisti thou soughtest fraudulently and foundest accordingly This it is in effect when a thing is made plain to us we will not have it plain and so we continue in this kinde of ignorance 2. Supina ignorantia is the second and that is a carelesse and wretchlesse ignorance and this is the fault of these times When a man hath ex quo discat sed non vult discere may learn if he will take the pains but will not And it is chiefly in them that either propter 〈◊〉 sciendi or 〈◊〉 discendi carelessenesse to know and slothfulnesse to learn or ob verecundiam querendi modesty in seeking after knowledge will be ignorant still Of one of which the whole land is for the most part guilty The second thing forbidden is a light knowledge contrary to the Apostles rule according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith so that not onely the whole want of faith but the want of the measure of faith is condemned When a thing is commended to us in measure not onely the not having it at all but the not having the measure of it is a fault and not onely that but it is also required that according to our years and guifts our knowledge should increase We must according to the Apostles rule be men in understanding and children in malice The Prophet goeth lower Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand doctrine them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts This is as low as may be Therefore as we grow in years we must grow in knowledge and not be ever taught and never learning To have precept upon precept as he speaks in the next verse line upon a line here a little and there a little not too much at once Ever learning as the Apostle and never coming to the knowledge of the truth And it is that which is inveighed against in another place that the Hebrew Christians after much time spent in learning profited no better but still needed to be catechized in the principles of religion It was prophecied before Christs time that the succeeding ages should have great knowledge as by Daniel They that be wise shall shine as the brightn 〈◊〉 of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and by Joel I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh And by Esay All thy children shall be taught of God and great shall be the peace of thy Children And this was foretold of the primitive Church by the same Prophet The people that sate in darknesse have seen a great light c. And the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. S. Paul was so confident of their knowledge in his time that he asketh a question not by way of doubt but of full perswasion of it and that not in small matters but high mysteries Know ye not saith he that the Saints shall judge the world And in in the next verse Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels And we may see that the Corinthians were so forward in Religion that the women thought themselves able to dispute and teach the weightiest points in it so that the Apostle is forced to make a prohibition to them not to speak in the Church which argueth much knowledge though too great boldnesse in them In the Acts of the Apostles we see Aquila was but a Tent-maker yet he afterwards attained to such knowledge that he became a pillar of the Church The Ecclesiasticall story makes mention of Severus that he was at first but of mean condition yet afterwards for his knowledge was chosen Bishop of a great See Antioch Now if we consider these and see how carefull they were to exceed in knowledge we shall think it an odious thing to be of the number of the ignorant And if that which the prophet speaks of prevail not with us I have written to them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a vain thing because we may pretend the profundity as an impediment Yet let the tax upon the Hebrews work shame in us that whereas we should be past the principles we have not that measure of knowledge in us The extent of our knowledge must reach as to a discerning quid verum what is true so to a giving of reason quare verum why it is true To prove that we say or know as the Apostle and as our Saviour speaks to know our own Shepherd and his voice or at least with S. Peter to give a reason of that we hope Yet is it not fit with our Sciols for the people to enter into dispute of controversies of discussing great and hard questions this is not required of them but of Timothy and others to whose office and place it wholly belongs for in such things sancta simplicitas est virtus Laicorum holy simplicity is a vertue in Lay-men yet as it is not required or expedient they should jangle about every quiddity so must they not be like them that know not nor will understand but walk in darknesse nor such as will take upon them to check or controll their teachers for herein they shew their own ignorance for if the foundations be out of course that is the teachers how can the building
that after we have beleeved we may search after a reason that we may be able and ready as the Apostle bids us alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in us For grace doth not annihilate and make nature voyd faith is aboue and not contrary to right reason it is as a greater light to the lesse yea religio est summa ratio it is the quintessence of reason or reason exalted or elevated But we are to use reason as the hand-maid to faith for faith must bring the understanding of man into captivity to the obedience of Christ as Saint Paul saith and we must expect from the holy Ghost the teaching of these things which our nature neither can nor is able to conceive Now faith differs from science thus In science there is first an enquiry after the reasons and causes and then the assent follows But in faith there is first the assent and then the understanding of that to which we have assented Auditu 〈◊〉 by the hearing follows Assoon as they heare of me they shall obey me saith God It is conceptus cum assensu because the object of our faith is not propounded with such evidence to the understanding as to constrain us to beleeve but the will holdeth the understanding prisoner and keepeth it captive Thus faith becoms a free act an act of obedience whereas if things were propounded with that evidence that we could not distrust there could be 〈◊〉 place for freedom of obedience in beleeving God hath so ordered it that matters of faith are propounded as summe credibilia highly credible such that in prudence we may safely assent unto yet not with that evidence which necessitates assent for then there could be no trial of obedience in beleeving nor any pretence left for reward to beleevers or punishment to unbeleevers See the Schoolmen generally and master Hookers 〈◊〉 Of the certainty of saith added to his Eccles-politic With the heart man beleeveth faith the Apostle belief being an act of the understanding it should come first a mente but he saith there we must corde 〈◊〉 for the will hath an especial act in it Now the reason why it pleased God thus to order the matter in production of faith is because if reason of it self could have attained to the things pertaining to God little or no glory at all had come to God by it Again seeing matters of faith cannot be attained by reason this shews the vanity of the wisdom of the flesh and we may see how God doth confound and abase it For in Religion the ground is contrary to that in Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to beleeve is the way of Philosophy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve of divinity at which Lucian scoffed For the warrant of beleeving or assenting before we know something hath been said before we will adde a little more in this place Saint Cyrill in his fift 〈◊〉 Cyprian Chrysostome and other of the ancient fathers prove against Philosophers that Quic quid fit fide fit whatsoever is done is done by faith This appeares in all civill affaires wherein men go upon a civill faith without certain knowledge of the things and therefore much more in matters of religion which are supernatural may we live by faith Thus we see the husbandman who though he sees the weather unkindly c. yet fits himself to till and sow his ground and bestows his cost though he have no demonstrative knowledge whether he shall reape any profit or no. And so the Merchants though their goods and ships are subject to storms pyrats c. yet they run the hazard and adventure upon this Civill faith So in marriage though some may be barren yet they marry in hope to have children and so in warfare though the victory be uncertain yet the souldier goes one to battel c. The Schoolmen after the fathers goe a subtiller way to work and hold that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fide scitur that we beleeve even those things we know for by our senses and understanding we know many things and herein they are our witnesses which we beleeve yet all confesse that these witnesses are very doubtfull in many things For the eye which is the most certain and chiefe of all the outward senses because it apprehendeth more differences and apprehends its object after a more special and spiritual manner yet they which are skilful in the Optiques reckon up 20 wayes how it may be deceived and what greatimperfections are in it And for our reason or understanding we see how uncertain it is in our younger yeers and how we correct former errours as we grow in years when we are children we speak as children reason as children and conceive as they do but when we are men we put away childish things Ploughmen cannot reason of the formall causes of things because they cannot see them but tell them of labour that they can conceive and so in respect of a more sublime understanding they come far short And therfore we also may be deceived in things that are above us and therefore the third way of knowledge that is by relation is necessary The certainty of faith is grounded upon the condition and qualitie of the relaters and hath onely two exceptions 1. Either against the authors that they want skill and are ignorant of the things they relate 2. Or else that they are such upon whose fidelity we cannot rely Now in either of these cases if the party relating want skill and cannot relate the truth or is not honest and will not his testimony is not to be taken So then there is no more certaine way then this that whereas the knowledge of faith and grounds of Religion are to be built upon such witnesses as want neither skill nor fidelity but for their skill can and for their faithfulnesse will deliver the truth we are to embrace what they deliver as certain truths The Apostle saith not I beleeve whom I know but scio cuicredo I know whom I beleeve We know that whom we beleeve is Amen just and true That cannot lie a faithful witnes it is a thing impossible for him so to do And for the manner of giving his testimony The termes in Scripture are 1. Dictum Jehovaeh and Dixit 〈◊〉 the word of the Lord and thus saith the Lord. And because mans stipulation and promise is more certain then his bare affirmation therefore God hath made promises to us and his promises are precious as the Apostle saith 3. And for our greater comfort and assurance hath confirmed his promise with an oath 4. Again because if we have a mans handwriting we give greater credit to that then toan oath we have his own handwriting written with his own finger 5. And for confirmation of that he hath put to his feal 6. And lastly beyond which no
man goeth nor any man desireth more to strengthen a promise he hath given an carnest penny a true Gods penny as we call it 1. Now that which may be objected against this is that the immediate voice of God is not now amongst us and that which we heare is from Moses Esay Saint Matthew Saint Paul c. Yet this we must know that though we heare it from them being but men yet did they not speake of themselves not of their own braines but as they were inspired by the holy Ghost And this Saint Peter tells us the Prophecy saith he came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost For a Prince usually speaketh not to the people immediatly from his own mouth but by Edicts and proclamations published by others in his name And as the Scepter or mace which is delivered to them that publish those Edicts is a signe and token that they come from and for the Prince so the Scepter of Gods extraordinary power was committed to his Prophets Apostles c. The Jews required no more then a signe of our Saviour which with them was the Scepter And our Savionr desired no more of them then that if they would not beleeve him for his words yet they should for his works And that if he had not done among them the works which no other man did those were his miracles they mighe have been excused for their unbeleefe Upon which Saint Augustine saith that either we must grant that they were done or else that without miracles all the world was converted and became Christians which is a greater miracle then all the rest which he did and so we must grant miracles whether we will or no. And this is our warrant that these men the Prophets and Apostles came from God and that God hath spoken to us by them 2. The next quere is whether he is able to performe those things which he hath promised by them To that we say with the Angell that with God nothing shall be unpossible The Prophet saith His hands are not shortned it is able to reach all things When Moses mistrusted Gods providence to feed 600000 men saying shall all the flocks and the herds be slain or all the fish of the sea be gathered together to suffice them God answered is the Lords hand waxed short Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to passe or not 3. Lastly for his Will take a place of a Father for all Scio pcsse scio scire cupere velle for The Lord is good to them that trust in him to the soul that seeketh him That faith is necessary may be thus proved it is called the substance of things hoped for and the evidence ground or demonstration of things not seen both which argue the necessity of it for in totis ordinatis as Religion hath its order the first part is substantia reliquorum as the substance of a house is in the foundation of a ship in the Stern of a tree in the root The Apostle compareth it to a foundation and to a root and he saith there is naufragium fidei a shipwrack of faith and so consequently it is compared to the sterne of a ship If faith then be necessary as the root and foundation of all religion then without it nothing can be done by a Christian which is accepted of God ad salutem to salvation If we stand it is by faith If we walk we walk by faith whatsoever we do if we do it not by faith it is not pleasing to God ad salutem And it is in this respect that faith is called Mater obedientiae the mother of obedience because all duties arise out of it Luther hath a saying which is true if it be taken in a good sense that in faith all the Law is fulfilled before we have fulfilled any part of it in act because it is the root from whence all Christian obedience arises and wherin it is vertually contained and therefore in regard of the necessity of it it pleased God to reject all the high titles of the learned wise men of the world as Philosophers c. and to entitle his flock onely by the name of believers And Euseb. Emisenus gives a good reason for it for the first word of a Christian is credo and that which maketh him a Christian if we be not faithful then are we no Christians God giveth Christians no other name then he gives to himself Fidelis est Deus God is faithful And his Son is called the author and finisher of our faith and his word is called sermo fidelis the word of faith and his family the houshold of saith and prayer is called by Saint James the prayer of faith And Saint Paul calls the Sacraments the seals of faith So we see that faith leadeth us through all duties and not onely this but that which hath bin said of knowledge may be said of faith that it is the beginning of our blessednesse Our Saviour saith to S. Thomas Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have beleeved There is an apt similitude in the Prophet to express this I will betroth thee to me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. The inchoation of marriage is in sponsalibus when hands are given so are our sponsalia in fide in this life the marriage is consummate in heaven It is said Qui non crediderit condemnabitur he that beleeveth not shall be damned nay further as S. John hath it his sentence is not deferred but it is gone already upon him he is condemned already Therefore for the necessity of it we may conclude with the Apostle Without faith it is impossible to please God And the reason is because there is no man but thinks it a disparagement not to be credited and the greater the person the more desirous he is to be beleeved A private man would be beleeved upon his honesty and a man of greater state upon his honour the Prince upon his own word he writes teste meipso to argue the sufficiency of his word and a disgrace he accounteth it to break it and if any of these persons should not be credited on these terms they would think that a great discourtesy were offered to them If then there be a God he must needs expect more then a Prince and consequently he may of greater right say teste meipso because he is above all Princes Job saith Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked or to Princes Ye are ungodly though they be so much lesse to a good Prince and least of all to God Now he that beleeveth hath set to his seal that God is true And on the contrary He that beleeveth not maketh God a Lyar and there can be no
〈◊〉 contained in it with the punishments and the rewards thereof Christ tells the Jews of a faith in the Law If ye had beleeved Moses ye would have believed me This was peculiar to the Jews before Christ came and is not proper for us 3. The Evangelical is the third which is the belief of the Gospel whereby we trust and relie upon Christ for 〈◊〉 of sins and eternal life in the way by him prescribed in the Gospel which is by repentance and new obedience which way they that walk in are said to believe in Christ or to believe the Gospel whereas to apply the promises absolutely not performing the conditions is a meer fancy and not faith in Christ or the Gospel because Christ hath no where promised pardon or life but to such as repent and lead a new life and therefore those that resolve not seriously so to do and as occasion is offered do not put their purposes in execution do nothing lesse then believe in Christ but turn the gospel into a doctrine of liberty Therefore saith S. Cyprian Quomodo se credere in Christum dicit qui non facit quae Christus facere praecipit how can any say he beleeves in Christ who doth not what Christ commands him And S. Augustine de 〈◊〉 operib c. 23. saith not onely that a good life is inseparable from faith but also ipsam esse bonam vitam that faith and good life are all one And Irenaeus before them both Credere in Christo est voluntatem ejus facere to believe in Christ is to do his will The object of all faith is the word of God which as it is said profited not the Jews because it was not mingled with faith when it is was preached to them So that there must be a mixture of faith with the word for the word and faith continue the Spirit of God in us Our Saviour tells his Disciples that his coming upon earth was fovere ignem to cherish and keep fresh the Spirit which is there compared to a fire S. John the Baptist calls him the Baptizer with fire and the Holy Ghost and therefore it is that S. Paul adviseth not to quench the Spirit and that which nourisheth it is in the next verse Despise not prophecy which is lampas fidei the oyl of faith The word is the matter of this fire If it come into a man it is but as a lamp without oil which flameth for a time it is but a blaze in the Hearers when it is not mingled with faith it bideth but a while if this nutriment be wanting And it is wanting in the wicked Non quia dicitur sed quia creditur sicut credis ita sit tibi Non est semen immortale nisi credas esse a Deo qui est solus immortalis And this is the necessary use of faith Thus much for the first Rule The second and third rules are of little use in this Commandment The fourth rule is concerning the means to believe about which we need not much to labour because it is certain that the first way whereby we come to believe is the relation of others The Q. of Sheba believed Solomons wisdom upon report And the reports of Saints who reposed their whole confidence in God may be able to perswade us else which cannot be we must think that all the Patriarchs and Prophets were either unwise or dishonest and their faith in vain but they according to their own experience left that which they found to posterity Thus the testimony of the Church is the first motive and inducement to belief though not the sole or the the principal for this is divine authority viz. the word of God derived and conveighed unto us by the Church of God into which our faith must be finally resolved and ultimately terminated upon which when our faith is grounded we may say as the Samaritans to the woman that had related to them the passages between her and Christ at Jacobs well Now we beleeve not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world And so we may say we finde by experience the truth of what we have heard therefore the proper and especial ground of faith is the word of God Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God as the Apostle saith And after it is preached we must take the same course that we held in knowledge or meditation and conference c to acquaint our selves with it after we hear or read it as it is in Deuteronomy 6. But because he cannot be faithful in much that is not so in a little and as Christ saith If we beleeve him not in earthly things we shall come far short in the belief of heavenly therefore the learned have distinguished faith into fidem Coelestium Terrestrium by faith of heavenly and earthly And the latter of these is a means or way to the former Therefore it being a way or preparation to faith somewhat is to be said of it as a special and most effectual part of faith and is rather to be called fiducia or confidentia then fides confidence or trust then faith It pleased God to prepare and make way to faith by the last of the two that a man may repose himself and rely wholly upon God and he that can be brought to this etiam vacuo penu when there is no hope of good being unfurnished of all earthly means and help will be able also to put his confidence in him for heavenly things But when the storehouse of faith in earthly things is empty we cannot be furnished with faith in heavenly 1. Now this faith or rather confidence in God is considered two wayes 1. Either he that hath it hath the means also 2. or he that hath it is utterly without the means Both here are enjoyned If we have them we are to use them because it hath pleased God to ordain them as ordinary means to work with as Jacobs care was to provide for his family And Isaac said to his father here is wood and fire but where is the sacrifice Abrahams answer was Deus providebit God will provide the rest If we do our parts God will do the rest We must not do as the Tempter would have Christ do cast himself from the pinacle when there was an ordinary way to come down from it for this were to neglect the ordinary and seek out for extraordinary means which is not warrantable 2. And as we are commanded to use them and not presume without them so on the other side we are forbidden to trust in them and rest upon them whether it be in the private art we practise to sacrifice to our own nets that is to ascribe all to our own skill or in our wealth which Job accounted as a
motives to fear taken from Gods judgements The signes of feare VVE have seen out of the Apostle that saith must be in the heart and the heart must beleeve else there can be no righteousnesse there must be a mutual affection of the minde and heart for if the heart love not the minde will not long beleeve and if the minde beleeve not the heart will not love long Faith in regard of the actus elicitus assent is an act of the minde but in respect of the actus imperati as the Schools speak which flow from assent and belief as love fear obedience c. So it is in the heart and whole man so that the duty of a Christian may be called the work of faith because it is commanded and produced by faith though belief be the formal and onely proper immediate act of it Now the heart is the seat of the affections and the affections are about such objects as are partly agreable to our nature and such as we wish for and imbrace and partly such as we desire not but turn from Of the former sort are love hope joy and of the other are fear grief hate And God hath 〈◊〉 both of them to a double use as those of the second sort to restrain us from evil or after we have committed evil to torment and punish us So of the former either they are provocations to good or after we have done well to cherish and comfort us for so doing It is the work and office of faith to stir up these 〈◊〉 in us the first of which is fear towards God and the reason is because the word of God being the object of faith whether we take it in whole or in grosse the five books of Moses or the four Gospels in all we finde punishments 〈◊〉 to such as should transgresse which threatnings being 〈◊〉 by faith must needs work fear to 〈◊〉 and so they restrain from sin or fear of the punishment in those that have offended and so they stir up to repentance for in the very beginning we see faith had a word of threatning to apprehend In what day soever Adam should eat of the fruit of the tree he should die and this was before the promise that The seed of the woman should bruise the serpent head Now faith apprehended Gods justice which with his other attributes made it seem more fearful and the conscience telling that an offence was committed by eating fear must needs arise out of the consideration of it And this is it which was remembred before in our Saviours speach to the Jews If ye had believed Moses ye would also have believed me First Moses was to be believed then Christ first the Law then the Gospel The first is a faith in Gods justice There is a manifest example of this in the Ninevites Crediderunt Deo timuerunt they believed God and feared which is Moses fear a faith in Gods justice Among many motives to fear given by writers the chief is 〈◊〉 legis the knowledge of the Law and this works contritionem a grinding to powder by fear of that which the Law brings into their hearts And of this the Psalmist speaks telling us what is the true object of fear My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements This is the effect of faith upon the knowledge of Gods Justice The reason why it pleased God to set justice and fear in the first place is because before any thing can be effected the impediment and that which hindereth must be taken away We cannot possesse God and the reason is because as the Prophet tells us there is a separation between him and us our sins do separate between God and us a partition wall as the Apostle calls it Now seeing there is a necessity to have God and that this partition wall keeps us asunder in the first place we must not build this wall higher but we must cease to build sin upon sin and look for Christ to beat down that which is already built That which causeth us to cease from sin is the fear of God Expulsor peccati timor Domini saith the Wise man we must not say shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid saith the Apostle And this is the reason why God commandeth fear because it maketh us to leave sin Besides fear there are two other affections which cause men to live well though it pleased God here to make choice of fear as 1. Shame 2. Pain and grief Make their faces ashamed O Lord saith the Psalmist that they may seek thy Name and for the other Vexatio dat intellectum affliction brings understanding If a man smart for any thing experience will give him understanding But we see that in the multitude of offenders there is no place for shame and for pain we have terrenas consolatiunculas poor worldly comforts at least if not to drive it away yet to season it and therefore God foresaw that neither of these would strike so deep as fear But fear which it pleaseth God to set before us and to require at our hands is that affection which toucheth us neerest and when other fail fails not Examples we have of it in offenders Adam being naked and clothed onely with fig-leaves might have been ashamed yet he walked up and down Paradise confidently and his humbling came not till he heard the voice of the Lord and then he was afraid Felix was a corrupt governour and made no conscience of it yet hearing Saint Paul discourse of Justice and Temperance and especially of Gods Judgements he fell into a trembling And this affection is not onely in men but predominant in beasts also and in those beasts which are most stupid and brutish 〈◊〉 asse fearing the angel of the Lord notwithstanding all his Masters beating fell down flat and would not stir a foot to run into danger Nay further the Devils which fear nothing else yet in respect of God S. James tells us Demones credunt contremiscunt the Devils believe and tremble And therefore this must needs be a prevalent means and that man is far gone and in a fearful case that feareth not But it may be objected That since God speaketh so much of love why should we not be brought to obedience by love rather then by fear It cannot be denied but that were a more acceptable way but our case is so that love will not prevail with us for he that loveth a good thing must have knowledge of it and that comes by a taste of it Now if his 〈◊〉 be corrupt as theirs is that are feavorish nothing can please him but that wich pleaseth the corrupt taste wholsome things are distasteful to him yet though they love not those things that are good for their disease this reason will prevail against their liking that if they take it not their fit
his own sinne and his own transgressions are ever before him and not busie himself with other mens faults whereas the proud mans thoughts are bona sua mala aliena the evil in others and the good that is in himself 3. Another signe is when a man is able to suffer the slander backbiting and reproches of ill tongues and not regard them as King David did As for me saith he I was like a deaf man and heard not and as one that is dumb and openeth not his mouth and in the next verse I became even as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth is no reproof Thus he shewed his humil ty when he bare patiently the railing of Shimei Christ being reviled reviled not 4. The fourth not to do any thing that may be against Gods glory though it be to a mans own reproach and suffering in this world when he is willing to suffer any thing himself rather then any dishonour should red ound to God or his Church by opening the mouths of the wicked Psal. 69. 6. Let not them that trust in thee be ashamed O Lord God of hosts for my cause let not those that seek thee be confounded through me c. 5. The last is not to rob God of his glory or to give it to another How can yee beleeve saith Christ that seek glory one of another The humble man as the Psalmist saith setteth not by himself but is lowly in his own eyes Psal. 15. 4. this is evidentissimum signum appropinguantis gloriae for before honour goes humility as a proud looke before a fall Pro. 33. CHAP. X. Of the fift inward vertue Hope Hope and fear come both from faith The several vses of hope The nature and exercise of hope Of presumption and despair Reasons against both Means to strengthen hope Signes of true hope Spes Hope AS the knowledge and belief of Gods justice worketh in us fear and humility of which we have spoken so from the knowledge and apprehension of his mercy ariseth hope and love After humility we come to the valley of Achor for a doore of hope as the Prophet speaks When we have been brought to the valley of mourning and have bin in fear and despaire then will God open to us a door of hope so that in stead of the first spirit the spirit of bondage unto fear we shall receive the spirit of adoption unto hope Now by conferring our strength and performances with the strict rule of Gods justice we finde it impossible that we should hope for salvation but by faith apprehending Gods mercy it may be possible it may be considered as attainable two wayes 1. either by our selves 2. or by some other 1. Now concerning the former if we look upon our selves the effect of faith is fear inasmuch as the object of it is Gods justce and so we can have little comfort in our selves for this shews that it is impossible to us as of our selves but as it is in the Apostle every mouth must be stopped and all the world must become guilty before God ther 's little hope that way 2. But we are not left alltogether to despair for though it be impossible to us of our selves yet if it be possible by another if another way may be found ther 's some hope Faith reasoneth as the Psalmist doth Hath God made all men for nought or in vain If he hath then why falleth not his wrath at once And searching further for the cause why we are not consumed we finde that his mercy is the cause It is of the Lords mercy saith the Prophet that we are not consumed for his compassions fail not and that the work of his creation is not in vain Then consequently a remnant there shall be and God will have a tenth alwayes preserved to himself and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof and as it is in the Gospell there shall be a little flock and we may hope that of that little flock we are If the Lord were sparing of his mercy that might be a great impediment to our hope but when we read that the Lord waiteth to be gracious to us it setteth our hope in a better forwardnesse Now because that out of the gate of mercy all our hope cometh we are to consider upon whom God vouchsafeth to bestow this mercy how they must be qualified The prophet saith he will thrust his face into the dust that is he will humble himself if peradventure he may have hope And hope is given to them that fear and are of a contrite spirit and that tremble at Gods word Spes timentibus Deum hope is a reward to them that fear God And as fear is requisite so faith much more God shews this kindnesse to them that put their trust in him and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute or forsaken And when we hear God himself say liberabo eum qui sperat in me when the act of hope shall have such a reward ther is good encouragement and we may surely expect it Now to hope is to trust in Gods mercy and so the psalmist saith My trust is in thy mercy for that is Porta spei the gate of hope there 's no entrance unto God but by this gate and no issue of good to us but by it for faith apprehending mercy hopeth and the rather because there is such plenty of mercy promised to them that hope in God that it will compasse them round Who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy imbraceth him on every side But it may be demanded how faith can beget both fear and hope two contraries or how two contraries can stand in one subject To this may be answered first we should not question it in respect that the holy Ghost hath put them together so often The Psalmist saith The Lords delight is in them that fear him and put their trust in his mercy Again faith breedeth fear in us in respect of our weaknesse and it breeds hope in respect of the mercies of God so that they being contraries non secundum idem they may well stand together in the soule of a just man For distinction sake Fides credit promissis faith beleeveth the promise and spes expectat credita hope looketh for the things we beleeve Again a thing may be believed and yet not hoped for as no true Christian though he hopes not for hell yet he believes there is such a place So the general truth of God being the object of our faith and containing many threatnings bringeth forth fear and the mercy of God in his promises being likewise an object of our faith produceth hope And so we see they are distinguished ab objecto the one having Gods justice and the other his goodnesse for its object S. Bernard distinguisheth the three vertues of Faith Hope and Charity by presenting to
a man have a taste of Gods mercy in the remission of his sins The Prophet David being before cast down presently saith Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer S. Augustine asketh how David knew this and answereth himself habuit gustum aliquem divinorum he had some taste that God had forgiven him his sins 3. The third is when a man continueth in a patient waiting of Gods leisure as King David did 〈◊〉 till God came to him he would walk in a perfect heart and take no wicked thing in hand O when wilt thou come unto me saith he I will walk within my house with a perfect heart 1. The signes of true thankfulnesse likewise are diverse The first is when a man feeleth himself filled with marrow and fatnesse as rapt with consideration of Gods favours and benefits 2. When a man is jealous of his own ingratitude that after his cleansing he wallow no more in sin and lest he make himself uncapable of Gods hearing his prayer for any more mercies 3. When beneficia become veneficia when his benefits charm us and make us withstand strong temptations as Joseph did though his Mistris tempted him very strongly yet he answered her My Master hath done this and this for me how can I then do this great wickednesse and sin against God This is a great signe that a man is truely thankful unto God that when God hath bestowed his benefits upon him he is the more careful thereby not to break his law 4. The last signe is when we defer not our thanks A type of this was in the law The sacrifice of thanksgiving was to be eaten the same day not kept longer No procrastination of thanks Nihil citius senescit gratia nothing grows old sooner then thanks Now concerning the sixth rule as in the former we are to procure this duty to be performed by others 1. Saul when he should have betaken himself to prayer thought the enemies came too fast and not only layed away the ephod himself but willed the Priest to withdraw his hand it is noted by the holy Ghost to Sauls infamy Therefore as we are to avoid all impediments to our selves so are we not to discourage others with them in Job Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray to him One of the Fathers maketh this answer Beneficium projicitur ingrato collocatur grato a good turn is cast away upon an unthankful man but bestowed upon a thankful person He is kinde unto the unthankful and evil 2. And as we must not hinder others so for the affirmative part the invitation we have Davids and it is in the beginning of our Liturgie O come let us sing unto the Lord. O come let us worship and fall down And O praise the Lord with me and let us magnifie his name together But especially in the hundred fourty eighth Psalm he is not contented onely to the company of men in this duty but dragons snow fire and all creatures not that they could praise the Lord but that there is not the basest creature of them all that had not cause enough to praise the Lord if they could And thus much for prayer CHAP. XII The seventh vertue required is Love of God That God is to be loved Of mercenary and free Love The excellency of Love The measure of Love The opposites to the Love of God 1. Love of the world 2 Self-love 3 Stupidity 4. Loathing of God All the motives of Love are eminently in God 1. Beauty 2. Propinquity 3. Benefits bestowed Six signes of Love Of drawing others to Love God THe next duty is Love The same which the Apostle saith of the Law to have been for a time till the promised seed came may be said concerning the other affections and their actions that they were onely till the love of God came of which the Fathers say that occupare amorem to have love in us drowneth all other affections For we have fear first and being delivered from that we feared we love and being heard in what we hope and pray for we love God and say with the Prophet dilexi quia audivit c. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice There is a coherence between love and prayer We have formerly said that to enjoy and have a thing we are first to know it and the knowledge of it breeds in us a true estimate of it and the estimate of a thing makes us love it so habere Deum est scire to possesse God is to know him and this knowledge breeds a true estimate of God whereupon we love him for according to our estimation our love is more or lesse to that we have These affections of fear and hope are for this end that when God hath bestowed on us the things we either fear to lose or hope to enjoy we may the better esteem of them For as cito data vilescunt we sleight those things which are easily got when we can but ask and have so the things we have felt the want of so long and for which we have been humbled when they come we will the better regard them and love him the better for them The object of love is bonum in which the very natural reason of man hath found two properties viz. that it is 1. Communicative 2. Attractive 1. Every good is desirous to communicate it self to as many as are willing and meet to partake of it As we see in the Sun and other celestial bodies in the natural elements so there is in God a quality of desiring to communicate his goodnesse and indeed it was the cause why he created all things to have a church and to shew his glory and mercy on it So that the minde of man seeing this nature in God consequently hath a desire to it and that desire goeth so far till it come to a conjunction and that to an union ita conjungi 〈◊〉 uniantur because by the union of two good things there will come good to the desirer which he had not before and whereby he is made better 2. Secondly it hath vim attractivam It hath been said that if inferiour things be coupled and united with things of more excellent nature they are thereby made more noble As a potsheard being covered with gold As on the other side things which are excellent being joyned with viler are made more abject as the minde of man with inferiour creatures And there can be nothing which can make the minde more transcendent then the conjunction of it with that which in it self is all good and containeth all good things and that for ever and from hence ariseth this attractive property and force for in every good there is that force which allureth And therefore to shew us this good it is nececessary that faith and knowledge precede
beget a holy seed and the 〈◊〉 also for education and this last the fatherhood of the Prophets and teachers in schools and universities are all of them ordained to prepare and fit men for this fatherhood in the Church and for the furthering of their paternal power in the work of the ministry this being the principal paternity and other fathers being but as pales and rayles to the 〈◊〉 to keep all within their due bounds thereby to set this worke the better forward For we may see that the Apostle setteth them in this order 〈◊〉 that Christ did by his descending his passion c. was to this end First to gather together the Saints which was to be 〈◊〉 Secondly by the work of the ministry by which they being gathered then cometh the third thing which is to build them up by faith knowledge and vertue as in verse 13. they being as S. Peter calls them living stones and so consequently they are to be partakers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the growth or increase till they come to the fulnes of the stature of Christ being joyned togetherwith Christ the head here by the spirit and hereafter by perfect fruition of his presence and this was the chief and great work of all other for which all others 〈◊〉 ordained for which schooles were founded and the ministery ordained and common-wealthes established And therefore Saint Paul saith let no man glory in men for all things are yours speaking of the Church things present and things to come c. And you are Christs and Christ is Gods Thus we seethe institution ordination and withall the end of those which be lawfully called to become fathers in the Church and what account we are to make of this work seeing that families schooles and commonwealths were established yea the whole world created for this which is effected by the worke of the ministery the building up of the Church And it is the want of due consideration herein that hath brought that confusion and disturbance into the world which we daily see For whereas this ought to be the thing 〈◊〉 which we ought all anhelare to breath after and the Prophet sayes that Regeserunt nutritii Reginae nutrices 〈◊〉 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers that is of the Church and that their duty is nutrire whereby the churches estate might be the more glorious Some according to Ezeckiels Princes think that when they are 〈◊〉 to high places that the end for which they were so preferred is but to soake in the broth to live at ease or to do what they list as Jezebel said and all their care is but to have pacem in 〈◊〉 suis peace in their dayes and that outward peace that invasions tumults and broyles may not hinder them in their ease and pleasures And on the other side when subjects are such as king David speaks of men indeed made to be in honour but become without understanding that they know no other good but bonum sensibile their bellies tables furniture for their houses c. set their affections in the Apostles phrase on earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so make that commutation which our Saviour speaks of gain the world and lose their soules they would soon bring this purpose of God to none effect if he laid not his helping to hand by this work of the ministry And because they look onely at the 〈◊〉 sensibile hence is their base account they hold of this ministery and that because of the outward appearance by which they judge we see that after Saint Paul had given forth great words concerning the power of his ministery that it was mighty through Christ to cast down strong holds c. yet as appears by his words after the Corinthians contemn all this because they looked on things according to the outward appearance In our Saviour himself was al the fulnes of the Godhead this power was 〈◊〉 none so ful as in him yet because as the prophet speaks when he was seen there was no beauty in him that he should be desired in 〈◊〉 of the outward appearance We see how he was handled on earth scorned and 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 and Pharisees and the rest of the Jews and by 〈◊〉 and his men of war they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set him at nought and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scoff at him so that this calling which God had so highly advanced the world set at nought and scoffe at it And so the prophets were used before for Ahaziahs servants in derision called Eliah the man of God els why should he have called for fire from heaven to consume them And 〈◊〉 courtiers were likewise pleased to vent their scorne upon Elisha why came this mad fellow to thee But in this point the comfort is there is a good distinction observed by David I will hope in thy name saith he for thy Saints like it well as the common translation hath it but the new which is better saith I will wait on thy name for it is good before thy Saints There is bonum coram Sanctis bonum coram mundo the Saints have one thing good in their estimation and the world another The world would think it an idle humour in a man to praise God by siuging to him but the Saints like it well So that it is not the good conceit a man hath of himself as the Apostle speaks that shall help him nor others commendations of him but he whom the Lord commendeth may comfort himself in Gods approbation We will now come to the particular duties of the minister The Apostl e when he speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things appertaining to God he shews the end of the ministerie or priesthood of the Gospel viz. That he is to stand and appear for us in the things which concern God or when we have to deale with God therefore he saith that the priest is taken from among men that is being fitted by education of which before he is selected out of the ordinary sort of men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God that is to execute the offices of the Church in our stead before God so that this being a place of honour no man ought to thrust himself into the ministry but to expect till he shall be thought fit and be 〈◊〉 lawfully called No man taketh this honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron Now Gods calling is known by his gifts wherby he fits men by the talent he bestowes which when we have then we are inwardly called of God and then having the gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the power to administer holy 〈◊〉 by imposition of hands as the Apostle speaks we are then outwardly called by the Church And being thus called we are to performe the
purpose to act it but onely gaze and stare upon it and this they call conceptionem 〈◊〉 the conceiving of sin 4. The 〈◊〉 is called Morosa delectatio a delaying or lingring in the thought of it so that when a man hath once consented so far as to take pleasure in it he will abide by it and dwell in it and this they call articulationem ftaeus the framing of all the parts in the womb of the soul whereby it becomes perfect when every corner is sought into and every circumstance weighed and considered how the sin may be acted Dum populus morabatur in Sittim 〈◊〉 est populus when the people 〈◊〉 at Shittim the people 〈◊〉 commit 〈◊〉 with the daughters of Moab 5. There is aberratio cordis the wandring of the soul after it that is when the thought is gone and once past over yet we resume it and call it back again and make a covenant contrary to that of Jobs That we will not suffer our eyes to look from it but will still behold it and not onely so but we also imploy those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aditus phantasmatum those gates and passages to the phansie the senses to raise up this delight in us again that we may continue in it We reade in Genesis of figmentun cogitationum when there is no real object and yet a man will notwithstanding frame or imagine a false object to convince the pleasure of a thought So here is a framing of imaginations to please the soul in such a sinful thought when besides occasions offered a man procures to himself occasions outwardly or inwardly devises fancies to delight himself this is peregrinatio in peccato and is commonly called the quickning of sin when it begins to stir in the womb 6. The last they call Nixum the travel or birth The Greek Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conatum a laying hold on the occasion offered to act the sin formerly resolved upon It proceedeth upon a syllogisme thus Si tanta voluptas in cogitando vel animo revolvendo quid si potiar if there be so much pleasure in thinking of it or revolving of it in my minde what will there be if it be actually performed After 〈◊〉 comes consensus rationis the full consent of the minde and then we are out of this Commandement for there wants nothing but means and opportunity to act it The conclusion is setdown in the heart Faciam I will do it and then when occasion is 〈◊〉 it is done and so sin is brought forth and perfected And these are the six degrees of sin although iniquitas mentitur sibi sin flattereth and lyeth to it self perswading men they are not guilty till they come to the last degree the very act when as there is sin in all the rest CHAP. IV. The wayes whereby a man is tempted of his own lust 1. There is a bait 2. A hook The same wayes used by the Devil and the World The affirmative part of this precept Renewing the heart and minde The necessity of this Renovation The meanes of Renovation NOw there are two wayes mentioned by s. Iames whereby a man is tempted by his lust he is either drawn by a kinde of violence or enticed by some allurement Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and entised There is esca and uncus a pretty inticing bait to allure and a violent pushing and haling of the soul to enforce For a man is drawn either voluptate sensus by the pleasure of the sense or else importunitate mentis by the importunity of the minde Either sin gets within us and tols us on till we be catched or else it assaults us in a boystrous manner that we yield and think we can do no other Against both these we must watch lest we be like those in Hosea They have made ready their heart as an oven the Baker sleepeth all the night in the morning it burneth like a flaming fire They are all hot as an oven and there is none that calleth upon me In the same order do the other two the World and the Devil tempt us There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the alluring and the drawing in them both The Devil is called in Scripture the old Serpent and the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a method of craftinesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a deceit cogging at dice whereby men are deceived The Serpent we know is subtile by nature but he is an old serpent who if he had any natural defect might by custome and long experience have supplyed it Again the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fetches and wiles of the Devil The Apostles were not ignorant of them but another may fear lest it be the Devils method and craft by which he is allured and that he is not wise enough of himself to descry it 2. He is called a roaring Lion And under these two names a Serpent and a Lion all that is spoken of him in Scripture may be included As he is a Serpent for his subtilty so for his strength violence and cruelty he is called a Lion and a roaring Lion When he had leave given him we see he made the swine run headlong with violence into the Sea And the Apostle tels us that he torments extra pugnis intra terroribus with fightings without and terrours within and whereas the Apostle had a good purpose of coming to the 〈◊〉 to have confirmed their faith Sathan 〈◊〉 him The Apostles had extraordinary knowledge to discern his fetches and power to oppose his violence which we have not and therefore we must stand upon our watch the more diligently and put on our spiritual armour that we may be able to oppose him The extremity in violence and the exceeding subtilty in perswasion will bewray whether the temptation come 〈◊〉 our selves within or from the Devil without And as we say of him so we may say of the World it tempts sometimes by fair means using subtilty offering pleasures profits preferments c. to allure us And if we will not be allured there is a hook to draw us instead of profit we shall have damage and losse instead of pleasure grief and instead of preferment reproach and disgrace thereby to prevail against us and bear us down s. Augustine saith Aut amor male 〈◊〉 or timor male humilians either love of the bait will inflame us or fear of the hook will 〈◊〉 us to draw us to evil or to keep us from good Thus we see all temptations to evil may be reduced to these three heads they come either from our own 〈◊〉 or from Sathan or the World and all of them seek either to allure us by the bait or draw us by the hook We see the Negative part of this