those pictures and representations of being that are set before an Intellectual eye carry such a light and beauty in themselvs as may justly engratiate them with the understanding And though some tell us that they have too much drosse impurity that they are too muddy and feculent not proportionable to the purity of a reasonable soul yet let them but think of those many strainers they have gone through those double refinings and clarifyings that they have had from so many percolations and withall they may know that the understanding can drink in the most pure and flowring part of the Species and can leave the dregges at the bottome Have you not thus often seen a seal stamping it self upon the waxe and yet not communicating the least particle of matter but only leaving a form and impression upon it However there is as much proportion between these Species and an Intellectus Patiens as between these and an Intellectus Agens Nay there is more proportion between these Species and the understanding then between the soul and body which yet are joyn'd and married together in a most loving and conjugal union CHAP. X. Of the consent of Nations THough Natures law be principally proclaim'd by the voyce of Reason though it be sufficiently discover'd by the Candle of the Lord yet there is also a secondary and additional way which contributes no small light to the manifestation of it I mean the harmony joynt consent of Nations who though there be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no communion nor commerce nor compact between them yet they do tacitly and spontaneously conspire in a dutiful observation of the most radical and fundamental Lawes of Nature So that by this pleasant consort of theirs you may know that the same Nature did tune them all When you see the same prints and impressions upon so many several Nations you easily perceive that they were stampt eodem communi Sigillo with the same publique Seal When you see the very same seeds thrown in such different soyles yet all encreasing and multiplying budding and blossoming branching out and enlarging themselves into some fruitful expressions you know then that 't was Natures hand her bountiful successeful hand that scatter'd such Seminal Principles amongst them you presently know that 't is no enclosed way 't is a Via Regia in which you meet with so many Travellers such a concourse and confluence of People Amongst many others the learned Grotius is ful and expresse for searching out the Law of Nature in this manner You shal hear his own words which he speaks in that excellent work of his De jure Belli Pacis Esse aliquid juris Naturalis probari solet tum ab eo quod Prius est tum ab eo quod Posterius quarum probandi Rationum illa subtilior est haec popularior A Priori si ostendatur Rei alicujus convenientia aut disconvenientia Necessaria cum Natura Rationali ac Sociali A posteriori verò si non certissimâ side certè probabiliter admodum juris Naturalis esse colligitur id quod apud gentes omnes aut moraliores omnes tale esse creditur And â—he does annex this reason of it Vniversalis effectus Vniversalem requirit causam When you see such fresh springs and streams of Justice watering several Kingdoms and Nations you know that they are participations of some rich Fountain of a vast Ocean When you see so many Rayes of the same light shooting themselves into the several corners of the world you presently look up to the Sun as the glorious original of them all Let me then a little vary that place in the Acts of the Apostles you may hear every man in his own Language in his own Dialect and Idiom speaking the same works of Nature Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judea and Cappadocia in Pontus in Asia Phrygia and Pamphylia in Egypt and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene and strangers of Rome Jewes and Proselytes Cretes and Arabians you may hear them speak in their Tongues the wonderful works of God and Nature For whatsoever is Natural and Essential is also universal in order to such a Species The Philosopher speaks to this very pertinently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is whatsoever is Natural is immovable and in the same manner perpetually energetical as fire does not put on one colour amongst the Grecians and paint its face otherwise amongst the Persians but it has alwayes the same ruddinesse and purity the same zeal and vehemency As Nature shews choice variety and Needle-work in this in that she works every Individuum with several flourishes with some singular and distinguishing notes So likewise she plainly aspires to concord and unity whilst she knits altogether in a common and specifical identity Not only in the faces of men but in their beings also there is much of Identity and yet much of variety You do not doubt but that in all Nations there is an exact likenesse and agreement in the fabrick and composure of mens bodies in respect of integrals excepting a few Monsters and Heteroclites in Nature nor can you doubt but that there is the very same frame and constitution of mens spirits in respect of Intrinsecals unlesse in some prodigious ones that in the Philosophers languge are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As face answers face so does the heart of one man the heart of another even the heart of an Athenian thâ— heart of an Indian Wherefore the Votes and Suffrages of Nature are no contemptible things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet sings This was the minde of that grave Moralist Seneca as appears by that speech of his Apud nos veritatis argumentum est aliquid omnibus videri But the Oratour is higher and fuller in his expression Omni autem in re Consensio omnium Gentium Lex Naturae putanda est And that other Oratour Quintilian does not much differ from him in this Pro certis habemus ea in quae communi opinione concessum est Or if the judgement of a Philosopher be more potent and prevalent with you you may hear Aristotle telling you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You may hear Heraclitus determining that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Truth and therefore he wss wont to lay down this for a Maxime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred Vox Populi Vox Dei yet upon this condition that it be took with its due restraints and limitations If you would have a sacred Author set his seal to all this Tertullian has done it Quod apud multos unum invenitur non est erratum sed traditum Surely that must needs be a clear convincing light that can command respect and adoration from all beholders it must be an orient Pearl indeed if none will trample upon it It must be a conquering and triumphant truth that
Creation and though we put all the letters and Characters of it together as well as we can yet we shall finde it hard enough to spell it out and read what it is for as it is in corporeal vision the too much approximation and vicinity of an object do's stop up and hinder sight so 't is also many times in Intellectual Opticks we see something better at a distance the soul cannot so easily see its own face nor so fully explain its own nature We need some Scholiast or Interpreter â—o comment upon our own beings and to acquaint us with our own Idiomes and I meet with many Authors that speak of the light of Nature but I can scarce finde one that tells us what it is Those famous and learned Triuâ—viri SELDEN that has made it his work to write De Jure Naturali and Grotius that has said somewhat of it in his book De Jure Belli Pacis and Salmasius that has toucht it in his late Treatise De Coma and in his little Dialogue subordinate to it in either of which if he had pleased he might have described it without a digression yet none of these as far as I can finde give us the least adumbration of it which notwithstanding was the rather to be expected from them because the Philosophers had left it in such a cloudy and obscured manner as if they had never seen Nature face to face but only through a glasse darkly and in a riddle And as we reade of a Painter that represented Nature appearing to Aristotle with a veile and mask upon her face so truly Aristotle himself painted her as he saw her with her veile on for he shews her only wrapt up and muffled in matter and forme whereas methinks he that could set Intelligences to the wheele to spin out time and motion should have allowed them also some natural ability for performing so famous a task and imployment which his head set them about And truly why Angelical beings should be banished from the Common-wealth of Nature nay why they should not properly belong to Physicks as well as other particular beings or why bodies only should engrosse and monopolizâ— natural Philosophy and why a soul cannot be admitted into it unlesse it bring a certificate and commendamus from the body is a thing altogether unaccountable unlesse it be resolved into a meer Arbitrary determination and a Philosophical kinde of Tyranny And yet Aristotles description of Nature has been held very sacred and some of the Schoolmen do even dote upon it Aquinas tells us in plain termes Deridendi sunt qui volunt Aristotelis definitionem corrigere The truth is I make no question but that Aristotles definition is very commensurate to what he meant by Nature but that he had the true and adaequate notion of Nature this I think Aquinas himself can scarce prove and I would fain have him to explain what it is for a thing innotescere lumine Naturae if Nature be only principium motûs quietis Yet Plutarch also in this point seems to compromise with Aristotle and after a good specious and hopeful Preface where he saies that he must needs tell us what Nature is after all this preparation he does most palpably restrain it to corporeal beings and then votes it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Empedocles as he is quoted by him will needs exercise his Poetry and make some Verses upon Nature and you would think at the first dash that they were in a good lofty straine for thus he sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T was not of a mortal withering off-spring nor of a fading Genealogy but yet truly his Poetical raptures were not so high as to elevate him above a body for he presently sinks into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he falls down into matter and makes Nature nothing else but that which is ingenerable and incorruptible in material beings just as the Peripateticks speak of their materia prima But Plato who was more spiritual in his Philosophy chides some of his contemporaries and is extreamly displeased with them and that very justly for they were degenerated into a most stupid Atheisme and resolved all beings into one of these three Originals that they were either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were either the workmanship of Nature or of Fortune or of Art Now as for the first and chief corporeal beings they made them the productions of Nature that is say they they sprung from eternity into being by their ovvn impetus and by their ovvn vertue and efficacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like so many natural automata they were the principles of their own being and motion and this they laid down for one of their axiomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Master-pieces of being the most lovely and beautiful pictures were drawn by Nature and Fortune and Art only could reach to some poor rudiments to some shadows and weaker imitations which you will be somewhat amazed at when you hear by and by what these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were The foundation of being that they said was Natural the mutation and disposing of being that they made the imployment of Fortune and then they said the work of Art was to finde out Laws and Morality and Religion and a Deity these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they spake of before But that Divine Philosopher does most admirably discover the prodigious folly of this opinion and demonstrate the impossibility of it in that excellent discourse of his in his 10 De Legibus Where he does most clearly and convincingly shew that those things which they say were framed by Art were in duration infinitely before that which they call Nature that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that spirituals have the seniority of corporeals This he makes to appear by their 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these three though they be not expressely mentioned in him yet they may very easily be collected from him Souls they move themselves and they move bodies too and therefore must needs be first in motion so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason and Religion Laws and Prudence must needs be before density and rarity before gravity levity before all conditions and dimensions of bodies And Laws and Religion they are indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the contrivances and productions of that eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisdome of God himself So that all that Plato will allow to Nature amounts to no more then this that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opifex rerum but only Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famula ministra As the eyes of a servant wait upon his master and as the eyes of an handmaiden look up to her mistris so wait her eyes upon the Lord her God And he doth fully resolve and determine that God is the soul of the world and Nature but the body which must
soul who can make sufficient provision fot a soul but only that pure and invisible Spirit that shoots them and darts them into bodies by his own Almighty power And as the forementioned Author goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God the Father of being the Father of life and nature did frame and fashion man much like himself and love him as his proper off-spring for those words of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be taken in an allayed and tempered sense for they must by no means be understood of an equality but only of a similitude In the very same sense he calls God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Painter and trimmer of the soul thus representing himself to the life As for the minde of the Platonists and the Stoicks we have before acquainted you with it one looks so high as if a Creation would scarce content them unlesse they may have it ab aeterno and the other seem to plead for a traduction and generation of the soul not from the parents but from God himself which makes Epictetus so often mention the affinity and consanguinity of the soul with the Deity And to use such words as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Philosophers saies he speak truth when they tell us how neer a kin the soul is to God why then doth such a soul streighten and confine it self why doth it contract and imprison so vast an essence why does it look upon some spot of ground with such a partial and peculiar affection why doth it love the smoke of its earthly counâ—rey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why does it not rather warm it self in the flame of its heavenly original why does such an one stile himself an Athenian a Corinthian a Lacedemonian why does he not rather think that he hath a whole world within him why does he not summe up all his happinesse in this great and honourable title that he is the Son of God and thus you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be the same with Socrates his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the words you see will passe currantly in this sense But yet if we may take the liberty of a conjecture I am ready to think that the first negative particle doth intrude it self too unseasonably against the drift and meaning of the place and therefore is to be refused and rejected so that whereas the words were printed thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then they will run thus Quid se mundanum vocat cur non potius filium Dei why doth he think himself a worldling why doth he measure himself by earth if he were born of heaven where yet you may perceive that the Philosopher ascribes that to the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is due only to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be called a Son of God Nay which indeed is due only to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the only begotten Son of God Thus Philo the Jew too Stoical in this calls souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the very same title that the Apostle applies to God himself and Plotinus gives as much to the soul as the Arrians did to Christ for he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Plato stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Epictetus he goes on to keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much in the Language of the Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it can mean nothing else but God himself the Father of spirits and these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are such love-tokens as he has left with the sonnes of men to engage their affections to him These Symbols are the very same which Moses calls the image of God those representations of himself which he has scattered and sown in the being of man as this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does imply which made the wise Grecian Thales conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all men were brethren born of the same supreme being that did educate and instruct them this teaching is the same which the Persian Magi call'd a divine inebriation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was replete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you see then that the joynt consent of the Chaldeans Egyptians Persians Grecians was for the creation of the soul and if you desire more testimonies from them you may consult with Eugubin in his learned work de perenni Philosophia where you shall meet with whole heaps of them But as for Aristotles opinion you know that his custome was when he could not beat out a notion into a rational account fairly to passe it by and not to piece it out with such fabulous inventions as Plato did abound withall and though it is like he did often dispute this question in his thoughts yet he makes no solemne entrance upon it in his works but only toucheth it occasionally and scatters a passage or two that seeme very clearly to acknowledge the creation of it for not to speak of the place in his morals where he calls the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shal only commend unto you those ful and pregnant words in his two books de generatione animalium the words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had but a little before evinced that the sensitive and vegetative souls were conveighed in a seminal way like a couple of sparks they were struck ex potentia materiae but sayes he the rational that came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex altiori sede as Seneca speaks the window of heaven was open'd and present light sprung in for the compleating of those former rudiments and preparations the misunderstanding of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did it may be occasion but it did at least corroborate the phancy of an Angels being an Intellectus Agens yet Simplicius that known Interpreter of Aristotle does expound it of the souls creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he speaks and this which Aristotle here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psellus the Philosopher stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato termed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sybils call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still conspiring with this of Solomons the Candle of the Lord and Seneca setting aside his Stoicisme has very gallant and brave apprehensions of the souls nobility and tels us that it was haustus ex divina origine which Tully thus varies ex mente divina decerptus souls like so many flowers were cropt and gathered out of the garden of God and were bound up in fasciculo viventium in the bundle of the living and if you will but attend to the noble Oratour and Philosopher you shall hear him thus pleading for the souls divinity Animorum nulla in terris origo inveniri poâ—est nihil enim est in animo mixtum atque concretum aut quod è terra natum atque fixum esse videatur nihilque aut humidum quidem aut flabile aut igneum
is understood of the God of Nature they were words of truth and loyalty but if they meant them as certainly they did of that strength which was for the present communicated to them they were but the interpreters of their own weaknesse and vanity Yet 't is no wonder to hear any of the Heathen Rhetoricating in the praise of Nature it may seem a more tolerable piece of gratitude in them to amplifie and extoll this gift of their Creatour 't is no wonder if such a one admire a Candle that ne're saw a nobler light But for such as are surrounded and crown'd with Evangelical beams for men that live under Gospel-Sun-shine for them to promise themselves and others that they may be saved by the light of a candle a Stoick an Academick a Peripatetick shall enter into heaven before these Yet I finde that in the very beginning of the fifth Century Pelagius an high Traitor against the Majesty of Heaven scattered this dangerous and venomovs Error endeavouring to set the Crown upon Natures head and to place the creature in the throne of God and grace The learned Vossius in his Historia Pelagiana a book full fraught with sacred Antiquity gives us this brief representation of him that he was humani arbitrii decomptor Divinae Gratiae contemptor a trimmer of Nature and an affronter of grace His body was the very type of his soul for he wanted an eye he was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sure he wanted a spiritual eye to discern the things of God He was a Scot by Nation a Monk by profession a man exemplary in Morals and not contemptible for learning for though Hierom vilifie him in respect of both yet Chrysostom gives him a sufficient Commendamus and Augustine himself will set his hand to it that learned adversary of his full of grace and truth the very hammer that broke his flinty and rebellious Errour in pieces If you would see the rise and progresse and variations of this Errour how it began to blush and put on more modesty in Semipelagianisme how afterwards it cover'd its nakednesse with some Popish fig-leaves how at length it refin'd it self and drest it self more handsomely in Arminianisme you may consult with the forementioned Author who kept a relique of his Pelagian History in his own breast whilest it left upon him an Arminian tincture This spreading Errour leaven'd the great lump and generality of the world as the profound Bradwardin sighs and complains Totus penè mundus post Pelagium abiit in errorem for all men are born Pelagians Nature is predominant in them it has took possession of them and will not easily subordinate it self to a superior principle Yet Nature has not such a fountain of perfection in it self but that it may very well draw from another this Heathenish principle after all its advancements and improvements after all its whitenings and purifyings it must stand but afar off in Atrio Gentium it cannot enter into the Temple off God much lesse into the Sanctum Sanctorum it cannot pierce within the veile The ennoblement of intellectuals the spotlesse integrity of Morals sweetnesse of dispositions and the candor of Nature they are all deservedly amiable in the eye of the world The Candle of Socrates and the candle of Plato the Lamp of Epictetus they did all shine before men and shine more then some that would fain be call'd Christians Nature makes a very fine show and a goodly glittering in the eye of the world but this Candle cannot appear in the presence of a Sun all the paintings and varnishings of Nature they please and enamour the eyes of men but they melt away at the presence of God The Lamp of a Moralist may waste it self in doing good to others and yet at length may go out in a snuffe and be cast into utter darknesse The harmonious composing of natural faculties the tuning of those spheres will never make up an heaven fit for a soul to dwell in Yet notwithstanding whatsoever is lovely in narure is acceptable even to God himself for 't is a print of himself and he does proportion some temporal rewards unto it the justice of an Aristides the good laws of a Solon or a Lycurgus the formal devotion of a Numa Pompilius the prudence of a Cato the courage of a Scipio the moderation of a Fabius the publitk spirit of a Cicero they had all some rewards scattered among them Nor is there any doubt but that some of the Heathen pleased God better then others Surely Socrates was more lovely in his eyes then Aristophanes Augustus pleased him better then Tiberius Cicero was more acceptable to him then Catiline for there were more remainders of his image in the one then in the other the one was of purer and nobler influence then the other Minùs malus respectu pejoris est bonus the one shall have more mitigations of punishment then the other Socrates shall taste a milder cup of wrath when as Aristophanes shall drink up the dregs of fury if divine justice whip Cicero with rods 't will whip Catiline with Scorpions An easier and more gentle worm shall feed upon Augustus a more fierce and cruel one shall prey upon Tiberius if justice put Cato into a prison 't will put Cethegus into a dungeon Nor is this a small advantage that comes by the excellencies improvements of Nature that if God shall please to beautifie and adorne such an one with supernatural principles and if he think good to drop grace into such a soul 't will be more serviceable and instrumental to God then others Religion cannot desire to shine with a greater glosse and lustre it cannot desire to ride among men in greater pomp and solemnity in a more triumphant Chariot then in a soul of vast intellectuals of Virgin and undeflowered morals of calme and composed affections of pleasant and ingenuous dispositions When the strength of Nature and the power of godlinesse unite and concentricate their forces they make up the finest and purest complexion the soundest and bravest constitution like a sparkling and vigorous soul quickening and informing a beautiful body Yet this must be thought upon that the different improvement even of Naturals springs only from grace For Essentials and Specificals which are meer Nature they are equal in all but whatsoever singular or additional perfection is annext to such a one flows only from the distingushing goodnesse of an higher cause that Socrates was any better then Aristophanes was not nature but a kinde of common gift and grace of the Spirit of God for there are the same seminal principles in all Augustus Tiberius were hew'n out of the same rock there are in Cicero the seeds of a Catiline and when the one brings forth more kindely and generous the other more wilde and corrupted fruit 't is accordingly as the countenance and favourable aspect of heaven is pleased to give the increase for as the Philosophers
tell us Motio moventis praecedit motum mobilis was there any propension or inclination to goodness in the heart of a Cicero more then of a Catiline 't was only from the first mover from the finger of God himself that tuned the one more harmoniously then the other As take two several Lutes let them be made both alike for essentials for matter and form if now the one be strung better then the othet the thanks is not due to the Lute but to the arbitrary pleasure of him that strung it let them be both made alike and strung alike yet if the one be quickened with a more delicate and graceful touch the prevailing excellency of the musick was not to be ascribed to the nature of the Lute but to the skill and dexterity of him that did move it and prompted it into such elegant sounds The several degrees of worth in men that are above radicals and fundamentals of nature they are all the skill and workmanship the fruits and productions of common grace For Omnis actio particularis habet originem ab agente universali Now if the universal agent did only dispense an equal concourse in an equal subject all the operations and effects that flow from thence must needs be equal also if then there be any eminency in the workings of the one more then of the other i◠can have no other original then from that noble influence which a free and supreme agent is pleased to communicate in various measures so that naked Nature of it self is a most invalid and inefficacious principle that does crumble away its own strength and does wear and waste by its motions and for every act of improvement it depends only upon the kindnesse of the first being They that tell you Nature may merit Grace and Glory may as well tell you if they please that a Candle by its shining may merit to be a Star to be a Sun Nor yet is Nature alwayes constant to its own light it does not deal faithfully with its intimate and essential principles Some darlings of Nature have abundantly witnessed this whilest they have run into some unnatural practices that were the very blushes of Nature if then Nature cannot tell how to live upon earth will it ever be able to climbe up to heaven Sinesciat servire nescit imperare if it be not faithful in a little do you think that it shall be made Ruler over much no certainly moral endowments when they are at the proudest top and apex can do no more then what that great Antipelagian Prosper tells us Mortalem vitam honestare possunt aeternam conferre non possunt God has ordeined men to a choycer end then these natural faculties can either deserve or obtaine or enjoy Natures hand cannot earn it Natures hand cannot reach it Natures eye cannot see it That glorious and ultimate end which must fill and satiate the being of man is the beatifical vision of God himself Now there is no natural power nor operation proportioned to such a transcendent object as the face of God as the naked essence of a Deity Inferior creatures may do move within the compasse of their natures and yet they reach that end which was propounded and assigned to their being but such was the special and peculiar love of God which he manifested to a rational nature as that it must be advanc't above it self by a supernaturale auxilium before it can be blest with so great a perfection as to arrive to the full end of its being Yet God has toucht nature with himself and drawes it by the attractive and magnetical vertue of so commanding an object as his own essence is which makes Nature affect and desire somewhat supernatural that it may make neerer approaches unto happinesse for this end God did assume humane nature to the divine that he might make it more capable of this perfection and by a strict love-knot and union might make it partaker of the divine nature not that 't is changed into it but that it has the very subsistence of its happinesse by it Every being does naturally long for its own perfection and therefore a rational nature must needs thus breath and pant after God and the neerer it comes to him the more intensely and vehemently it does desire him for as they tell us Motus naturalis velocior est in sine the neerer a body approaches to its centre the more cheerful and vigorous is its motion The Understanding that sees most of God desires to see more of him its eye will never leave rolling till it fix it self in the very centre of the Divine essence Nature that has but some weake glimpses of him and so it has but faint and languishing velleities after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he speaks of the Heathens they seem to nod after a summum bonum What the states and conditions of those Heathens was and is in order to eternal happinesse we cannot easily nor certainly determine yet thus much may be safely granted though we say not with the Pelagians that the emprovements of nature can make men happy nor yet with the Semi-Pelagians that natural preparations and predispositions do bespeak procure Grace nor yet with the Papists and Arminians that works flowing from Grace do contribute to more Grace Glory yet this we say that upon the improvement of any present strength God out of his free goodnesse may if he please give more As God freely gave them nature which makes Pelagius sometimes call Nature Grace and as he freely and out of his Grace gave them some emprovement of Nature so he might as freely give them supernatural strength if it so please him Yet a creature cannot come to heaven by all those improvements which are built upon Natures foundation for if it should accurately and punctually observe every jot and tittle of Natures Law yet this natural obedience would not be at all correspondent or commensurate to a supernatural happinesse which makes Saint Augustine break out into such an expression as this Qui dicit hominem servari posse sine Christo dubito an ipse per Christum servari possit for this is the only way the new and living way by which God will assume humane nature to himself and make it happy Yet notwithstanding their censure is too harsh and rigid who as if they were Judges of eternal life and death damne Plato and Aristotle without any question without any delay at all and do as confidently pronounce that they are in hell as if they saw them flaming there Whereas the infinite goodnesse and wisdome of God might for ought we know finde out several wayes of saving such by the Pleonasmes of his love in Jesus Christ he might make a Socrates a branch of the true Vine and might graffe Plato and Aristotle into the fruitful Olive for it was in his power if he pleased to reveale Christ unto them and to infuse faith into them after
an extraordinary manner Though indeed the Scripture does not afford our charity any sufficient ground to believe that he did nor dorh it warrant us peremtorily to conclude the contrary Secreta Deo it does not much concerne us to know what became of them let us then forbear our censure and leave them to their competent Judge But when we mention Socrates Plato and Aristotle and the more eminent and refined ones among the Heathens you must be sure not to entertain such a thought as this that the excellency of their intellectuals and morals did move and prevail with the goodnesse of God to save them more then others of the Heathen as if these were dispositiones de congruo merentes salutem aeternam this indeed were nothing but Pelagianisme a little disguised whereas you must resolve it only into the free grace of God that did thus distinguish them here in time and might more distinguish them eternally if it pleased him to bestow a Saviour upon them Which grace of God is so free as that it might save the worst of the Heathens and let go the rest it might save an Aristophanes as well as a Socrates nay before a Socrates as well as a Publican before a Pharisee not only all Heathen but all men are of themselves in equal circumstances in order to eternal happinesse 't is God only that makes the difference according to his own determinations that were eternal and unconditional Yet I am farre from the minde of those Patrons of Universal Grace that make all men in an equal propinquity to salvation whether Jewes or Pagans or Christians which is nothing but dight and guilded Pelagianisme whilest it makes grace as extensive and Catholick a principle of as full latitude as nature is and resolves all the difference into created powers and faculties This makes the barren places of the world in as good a condition as the Garden of God as the inclosure of the Church It puts a Philosopher in as good an estate as an Apostle For if the remedium salutiferum be equally applied to all by God himself and happinesse depends only upon mens regulating and composing of their faculties how then comes a Christian to be neerer to the Kingdome of Heaven then an Indian is there no advantage by the light of the Gospel shining among men with healing under its wings Surely though the free grace of God may possibly pick and choose an Heathen sometimes yet certainly he does there more frequently pour his goodnesse into the soul where he lets it streame out more clearely and conspicuously in external manifestations 'T is an evident signe that God intends more salvation there where he affords more means of salvation if then God do choose and call an Heathen 't is not by universal but by distinguishing grace They make Grace Nature that make it as common as Nature Whereas Nature when 't was most triumphant shining in its Primitive beauty and glory yet even then it could not be happy without Grace Adam himself besides his integritas naturae had also adjutorium gratiae for as the Schoolmen explain it though he had viros idoneas ad praestanda omnia naturalia reipsa tamen nihil praestitit sine auxilio gratiae As if you expect any goodly and delicious clusters from a Vine besides its own internal forme which we 'll stile Nature there must be also auxilium gratiae the Sun must favour it and shine upon it the raine must nourish it and drop upon it or else Nature will never be pregnant and fruitful Adams Candle did not shine so clearly but that Grace was fain to snuffe it Nature though 't were compleate and entire yet 't was faine to strengthen and support it self by its twinings about Grace and for want of the powerful support and maintenency of Grace Nature fell down presently it startled from it self and apostatiz'd like a broken bowe What meane the Pelagians to tell us of a Naturalis Beatitudo when as Nature now is surrounded with so many frailties and miseries so many disorders and imperfections Yet were it as green and flourishing as ever it was when 't was first planted in Paradise yet even then 't would be too remote from happinesse for perfect happinesse excludes and banishes all futurity and possibility of misery which Nature never yet did nor could do And happinesse never flows out till the Sunne look upon it till it see the face of God himself whom Natures eye will ne're be able to behold Yet Oh! how desirous is Nature of this how inquisitive is humane Nature into the causes of things and esteems it no smal piece of its beatitude if it can finde them out Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas What a goodly sight is it then to behold the first cause of all being and its own being how faine would an intellectual eye behold him that made it Nature longs to see who 't was that first contrived it and fram'd it and fashion'd it the soul would fain see its Father of Spirits The Candle would faine shine in the presence of him that lighted it up Yet Nature cannot see the face of God and live Ante obitum nemo supremáque funera foelix The Moralists happiness is dormant in the night-time for there 's no operatio secundùm virtutem then nor can the soul while 't is clogg'd with a fraile body climbe to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of goodnesse or happiness the soul here has not a perfect enjoyment of inferiour objects much lesse of God himself it has but a shadowy sight of Angels propter connaturalitatem intellectûs nostri ad phantasmata and if natures eye cannot look upon the face of a twinkling Starre how will it behold the brightnesse of a dazling Sunne that general knowledge which it hath of God here is mixt with much error and deceit Nor can Faith look upon the divine essence 't is a lovely grace indeed yet it must die in the Mount like Moses it cannot enter into the Land of promise 't is auditui magis similis quà m visioni it hears the voice of its God it does not see his face it enflames the desire of the soul it does not quench it for men would faine see what they beleeve the object of Faith is obscure and at a distance but the face of God is all presence and brightnesse Happinesse it consists in the noblest operation of an intellectual being whereas in beleeving there is imperfectissima operatio ex parte intellectûs licèt sit perfectio ex parte objecti Nor yet is the divine essence seen in a way of demonstration for then only a Philosopher should see his face such only as had skil in Metaphysicks who yet may be in misery for all that for demonstrations are no beatifical visions The damned spirits can demonstrate a Deity and yet they are perpetually banisht from his face there can be no demonstration of him à priore for he is
so neere the fountain of light and continually drink in the beams of glory that are exactly conformable to their Creatour in all his motions for the same end he furnished and beautified this lower part of the world with intellectual lamps that should shine forth to the praise and honour of his name which totally have their dependance upon him both for their being and for their perpetual continuation of them in their being 'T was he that lighted up these lamps at first 't is he that drops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the golden oile into them Look then a while but upon the parentage and original of the soul of Reason you 'll presently perceive that it was the Candle of the Lord. And if you have a minde to believe Plato he 'll tell you such a feigned story as this That there were a goodly company of Lamps a multitude of Candles a set number of souls lighted up altogether and afterwards sent into bodies as into so many dark Lanthorns This stock and treasure of souls was reserved and cabinetted in I know not what Starres perhaps that they might the better calculate their own incarnation the time when they were to descend into bodies and when they came there they presently sunk into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they slipt into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he tearms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting off of knowledge for a while the clouding and burying of many sparkling and twinkling notions till by a waking reminiscence as by a joyful resurrection they rise out of their graves again Plato it seems lookt upon the body as the blot of nature invented for the defacing of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or at the best as an impertinent tedious parenthesis that checkt and interrupted the soul in her former notions that eclipsed and obscured her ancient glory which sprung from his ignorance of the resurrection for had he but known what a glory the body was capable of he would have entertained more honourable thoughts of it Yet Origen was much taken with this Platonical notion it being indeed a pretty piece of Philosophy for him to pick allegories out of And though he do a little vary from Plato in a circumstance or two yet in recompence of that he gives you this addition and enlargment that according to the carriage behavior of these naked spirits before they were embodied there were prepared answerable mansions for them That such a soul as had walkt with God acceptably was put into a fairer prison was clothed with an amiable and elegant body But that soul which had displeased and provoked its Creator was put into a darker dungeon into a more obscure and uncomely body That Candle which had shined clearly was honoured with a golden Candlestick that which had soiled its light was condemned to a dark Lanthorne one would think by this that Origen had scarce read Genesis he doth in this so contradict the Sacred History of the Creation Nor is this the just product of Plato's opinion but 't is pregnant with much more folly he returns him his own with usury gives him this as the just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and improvement of it Aquinas doth clash in pieces all these Platonical fictions in his two books Contra Gentiles yet upon this sinking and putrid foundation was built the tottering superstructure of connate Species For when Plato had laid down this Error for a maxime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the souls of men were long extant before they were born then that other phansie did presently step in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the soul was very speculative and contemplative before it was immerst in the body which made way for the next conceit that the soul brought many of its old notions along with it into the body many faithful attendants that would bear the soul company in her most withering condition when other more volatile and fugitive notions took wing to themselves and flew away many a precious pearl sunk to the bottome of Lethe but some reliques of notions floated upon the top of the waters and in the general Deluge of notions there was an Ark prepared for some select principles some precâ—pta Nouchidarum which were to increase and multiply and supply the wants of an intellectual world This makes the Platonists look upon the spirit of man as the Candle of the Lord for illuminating and irradiating of objects and darting more light upon them then it receives from them But Plato as he failed in corporeal vision whilest he thought that it was per extramissâ—onem radiorum So he did not ab errore suo recedere in his intellectual optioâ—â—but in the very same manner tells us that spiritual vision also is per emissionem radiorum And truly he might as well phansie such implanted Ideas such seeds of light in his external eye as such seminal principles in the eye of the minde Therefore Aristotle who did better clarifie both these kindes of visions pluckt these motes out of the sensitive eye and those beames out of the intellectual He did not antedate his own knowledge nor remember the several postures of his soul and the famous exploits of his minde before he was born but plainly profest that his understanding came naked into the world He shews you an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abrasa tabula a virgin-soul espousing it self to the body in a most entire affectionate and conjugal union and by the blessing of heaven upon this loving paire he did not doubt of a Notional off-spring posterity this makes him set open the windows of sense to welcome and entertain the first dawnings the early glimmerings of morning-light Clarum mane fenestras intrat Angustas extendit lumine rimas Many sparks and appearances fly from variety of objects to the understanding The minde that catches them all and cherishes them and blows them and thus the Candle of knowledge is lighted As he could perceive no connate colours no pictures or portraictures in his external eye so neither could he finde any signatures in his minde till some outward objects had made some impression upon his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soft and plyable understanding impartially prepared for every seal That this is the true method of knowledge he doth appeal to their own eyes to their own understandings do but analyse your own thoughts do but consult with your own breasts tell us whence it was that the light first sprang in upon you Had you such notions as these when you first peept into being at the first opening of the souls eye in the first exordium of infancy had you these connate Species in the cradle and were they rockt asleep with you or did you then meditate upon these principles Totum est majus parte Nihil potest esse non esse simul Ne're tell us that you wanted origanical dispositioÌ„s for you plainly have recourse to the sensitive powers and must needs subscribe to
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not to disquiet this same Pyrrhon any longer I shall choose more really to scatter those empty fancies by discovering the true original and foundation the right progresse and method of all certainty Now God himself that eternal and immutable being that fixt and unshaken Entity that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs be the fountaine of certainty as of all other perfections and if other things be compared to him they may in this sense without any injury to them be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of the infinite reality and weighty and massy solidity that is in his most glorious being by vertue of which as himself hath everlastingly the same invariable knowledge of all things so he is also the most knowable and intelligible object a sunne that sees all things and is in it selfe most visible An Atheist must needs be a Sceptick for God himself is the onely immoveable verity upon which the soul must fix and anchor Created beings shew their face a while then hide it again their colour goes and comes they are in motu fluxu God is the onely durable object of the soul Now that the soul may have a satisfactory enjoyment of its 〈◊〉 and that it may be accurately made according to his image God stamps and prints as resemblances of his other perfections so this also of certainty upon it How else should it know the minde of its God how should it know to please him to believe him to obey him with what confidence could it approach unto him if it had onely weak wavering conjectures Now God le ts the soul have some certaine acquaintance with other beings for his own sake and in order to his own glory Nor is it a small expression of his wisdome and power to lay the beginnings of mans certainty so low even as low as sense for by means of such an humble foundation the structure proves the surer and the taller 'T is true there is a purer and nobler Certainty in such beings as are above sense as appeares by the Certainty of Angelical knowledge and the knowledge of God himself yet so much certainty as is requisite for such a rational nature as man is may well have its rising and springings out of sense though it have more refinings and purifyings from the understanding This is the right proportioning of his certainty to his being for as his being results out of the mysterious union of matter to immateriality so likewise his knowledge and the certainty of his knowledge I speake of naturall knowledge first peeps out in sense and shines more brightly in the understanding The first dawnings of certainty are in the sense the noon-day-glory of it is in the Intellectuals There are indeed frequent errours in this first Edition of knowledge set out by sense but 't is then onely when the due conditions are wanting and the understanding as some printers use to do Corrects the old Errata of the first Edition and makes some new Errours in its owne And I need not tell you that 't is the same soul that moves both in the sense and in the understanding for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as it is not priviledged from failings in the motions of the sense so neither is it in all its intellectual operations though it have an unquestionable certainty of some in both The certainty of sense is so great as that an Oath that high expression of certainty is usually and may very safely be built upon it Mathematical demonstrations chuse to present themselves to the sense and thus become Ocular and visible The Scepticks that were the known enemies of certainty yet would grant more shadow and appearance of it in sense then any where else though erroneously But sense that rackt them sometimes and extorted some confessions from them which speculative principles could never do Away then with that humour of Heraclitus that tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mens eyes sayes he are but weak and deceitful witnesses Surely he speaks onely of his owne watery and weeping eyes that were so dull'd and blur'd as that they could not clearly discerne an object But he might have given others leave to have seen more then he did Nor can I tell how to excuse Plato for too much scorning and sleighting these outward senses when that he trusted too much inwardly to his owne fancy Sextus Empiricus propounds the question whether he were not a Sceptick but he onely shew'd himself a Sceptick by this for which he mov'd such a question 'T is sure that Plato was sufficiently dogmatical in all his assertions though this indeed must be granted that some of his principles strike at certainty and much indanger it for being too fantastical and Poetical in his Phisosophy he plac't all his security in some uncertaine airy and imaginary Castles of his own contriving and building and fortifyng His connate Ideas I mean which Artistotle could not at all confide in but blowed them away presently and perceiving the proud emptinesse the swelling frothinesse of such Platonical bubles he was faine to search for certainty some where else and casting his eye upon the ground he spyed the bottome of it lying in sense and laid there by the wise dispensation of God himself from thence he lookt up to the highest top and Apex to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pinacle of certainty plac't in the understanding The first rudiments of certainty were drawn by sense the compleating and consummating of it was in the understanding The certainty of sense is more grosse and palpable the certainty of intellectuals 't is more cleere and Crystalline more pure and spiritual To put all certainty or the chiefest certainty in sense would be excessively injurious to reason and would advance some sensitive creatures above men for they have some quicker senses then men have sense 't is but the gate of certainty I speak all this while but of humane certainty the understanding 't is the throne of it Des-Cartes the French Philosopher resolves all his assurance into thinking that he thinks why not into thinking that he sees and why may he not be deceived in that as in any other operations And if there be such a virtue in reflecting and reduplicating of it then there will be more certainty in a super-reflection in thinking that he thinks that he thinks and so if he run in infinitum according to his conceit he will still have more certainty though in reality he will have none at all but will be fain to stop and stay in Sceptisme so that these refuges of lyes being scatter'd first pinciples and common notions with those demonstrations that stream from them they onely remaine as the nerves of this assurance as the souls of natural Plerophory and he that will not cast Anchor upon these condemnes himself to perpetual Sceptisme which makes me wonder at a passage of a Right honourable of our own Though whether he be the Authour of
sparkles and makes them subject and obedient to the Lord and rule of light Created intellectuals depend upon the brightnesse of Gods beams and are subordinate to them Angelical Star-light is but Lumen Aristocraticum it borrows and derives its glory from a more vast and majestical light As they differ from one another in glory so al of them infinitly differ from the Sun in glory Yet 't is far above the Lumen Democraticum that light which appears unto the sons of men 't is above their lamps Torches poor and contemptible lights if left to themselves for do but imagine such a thing as this that this external and corporeal world should be adjudg'd never to see the Sun more never to see one Star more If God should shut all the windows of heaven and spread out nothing but clouds and curtains and allow it nothing but the light of a Candle how would the world look like a Cyclops with its eye put out 'T is now but an obscure prison with a few grates to look out at but what would it be then but a capacious grave but a nethermost dungeon yet this were a more grateful shade a pleasanter and more comely darknesse then for a soul to be condemned to the solitary light of its own Lamp so as not to have any supernatural irradiations from its God Reason does not refuse any auxiliary beams it joyes in the company of its fellow-Lamp it delights in the presence of an intellectual Sun which will so far favour it as that 't will advance it and nourish it and educate it 't will encrease it and inflame it and will by no means put it out A Candle neither can nor will put out the Sun an intellectual Sun can but will not put out the Lamp The light of Reason doth no more prejudice the light of faith then the light of a Candle doth extinguish the light of a Star The same eye of a soul may look sometimes upon a Lamp and sometimes upon a Star one while upon a first principle another while upon a revealed truth as hereafter it shall alwayes look upon the Sun and see God face to face Grace doth not come to pluck up nature as a weed to root out the essences of men but it comes to graft spirituals upon morals that so by their mutual supplies and intercourse they may produce most noble and generous fruit Can you tell me why the shell and the kernel may not dwell together why the bodies of nature may not be quickened by the soul of grace Did you never observe an eye using a prospective-glasse for the discovering and amplifying and approximating of some remote and yet desirable object and did you perceive any opposition between the eye and the glasse was there not rather a loving correspondency and communion between them why should there be any greater strife between Faith and Reason seeing they are brethren do they not both spring from the same Father of Lights and can the Fountain of love and unity send forth any irreconcileable streams do you think that God did ever intend to divide a rational being to tear and rend a soul in pieces to scatter principles of discord and confusion in it If God be pleased to open some other passage in the soul and to give it another eye does that prejudice the former Man you know is ordained to a choicer end to a nobler happinesse then for the present he can attain unto and therefore he cannot expect that God should now communicate himself in such bright and open discoveries in such glorious manifestations of himself as he meanes to give hereafter But he must be content for the present to behold those infinite treasures of reserved love in a darker and more shadowy way of faith and not of vision Nature and Reason are not sufficiently proportion'd to such blessed objects for there are such weights of glory in them as do opprimere ingenium humanum there are such depths such pleonasmes such oceans of all perfections in a Deity as do infinitely exceed all intellectual capacity but its own The most that mans Reason can do is to fill the understanding to the brim but faith that throws the soul into the Ocean and lets it roll and bathe it self in the vastnesse and fulnesse of a Deity Could the sons of men have extracted all the spirits of Reason and made them meet and jump in one head nay could Angels and men have united and concentricated all their Reason yet they would never have been able to spy out such profound and mysterious excellencies as faith beholds in one twinckling of her eye Evangelical beauties shine through a veile that 's upon their face you may see the precious objects of faith like so many pearls and diamonds sparkling and glittering in the dark Reveal'd truths shine with their own beams they do not borrow their Primitive and original lustre from this Candle of the Lord but from the purer light wherewith God hath cloathed and attir'd them as with a garment God crowns his own Revelations with his own beams The Candle of the Lord it doth not discover it doth not oppose them it cannot eclipse them They are no sparks of Reasons striking but they are flaming darts of heavens shooting that both open and enamour the soul They are Stars of Heavens lighting men behold them at a great distance twinckling in the dark Whatsoever comes in Gods name does aut invenire viam aut facere Whatever God reveals in his Word 't is supra providentiam rerum communem constitutum 'T is not in the road of nature and therefore for the welcoming and entertaining of it as a noble Author of our own doth very well observe explicatur sensus quidam supernaturalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's an opening of a new window in the soul an intellectual eye looks out at the window and is much pleased and affected with the oriency of that light that comes springing and rushing in upon it as there 's a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so there 's an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too the one 't is written by the pen of nature the other by the finger of the Spirit for ubi desinit natura ibi incipit gratia and this second Edition set out by Grace 't is auctior emendatior yet so as it doth not at all contradict the first Edition that was set out by Nature for this is the voice of Nature it self that whatsoever God reveals must needs be true and this common Principle is the bottome and foundation of all Faith to build upon The soul desires no greater satisfaction then an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if God himself say it who can question it who dare contradict i◠Reason will not Reason cannot for it does most immovably acknowledge a Deity and the unquestionable truth of a Deity in all believing there is an assent a yielding to him that speaks by vertue of his own Authority
spread their infection farther And though 't is true that Paul and Apollo here mentioned in the Text were in a manner priviledg'd persons acted by an extraordinary spirit no fear of this in them yet some that are admired as much or more then ever they were we can't tell how to secure them from it And this is the third respect why 't is carnall to glory in men because it breeds Schismes and Divisions in the Church which hinder the communion of Saints stop the progresse of the Gospel give great advantage to the enemies they being bolder to oppose and that being weaker to resist and then in a more speciall way 't is laid open to all errours and heresies Fourthly As it drawes evil out of good and surely this if any thing else argues a carnall Spirit Gods attributes shine very gloriously his wisdome and power more especially and eminently in extracting good out of evil the least touch of providence turnes all to gold even sinnes that seems to be all drosse a meere obliquity a transgression of the law yet even this by the over-ruling hand of an infinitely wise God becomes a clear illustration of his glory and the crucifying of the LORD of Life shall tend to the salvation of the Church And a Christian thus far participates of the divine Nature as that he can draw good out evil too sweetnesse out of the worst condition and gain strength by his corruptions What then must it needs shew but a divelish and envenomed spirit that assimilates to it self to tâ—rne every thing to poyson and this is the nature of corruption Every thing that a carnall man toucheth is defiled he soyles every Ordinance and discolours every blessing turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse he fights against God with his own weapons with his most precious favours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a most strange Chymistry he extracts drosse out of the purest refined gold â—â—legme out of quintessence dregs out of the purest spirits a savour of death from that which breaths out nothing but life and happinesse 'T is cleare in the Text. What a choise and magnificent gift was this a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adorne the Church with all variety of excellencies These made up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the Needle-worke in the Spouses Garment the opus ocellatum Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundantly displayed themselves in them These were the Donaria which Christ gave at his Triumph when he led captivity captive he have gave gifts unto men And see what use and improvement they make of them O how quickly do they become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strifes and Divisions Bitternesse and Contention these are the best fruits they gather from so great a mercy They that glory in some excellencies viliâ—ie meaner nay they vilifie choise ones too For such as glory in Paul slight Apollo and such as admire Apollo disesteem Paul and both rend the Church in pieces Do you thus requite the LORD O ungratefull People and unwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian though an Atheist could say so much No gift coming from above is so mean as to be despis'd none so great as to be gloried in Me thinks the diversity of gifts in severall men hath some resemblance with the diversity of colours in severall bodies Some bodies you see are cloathed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in bright and orient colours Nature took a Sun-beam for her Pensil and flowrish't them most gloriously they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher speaks a greater collection and condensation of light and are varnish't over other sullen and discontented bodies in sad and dusky colours drawn with a coale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the brightest colours they have aliquid umbrae and the darkest they have aliquid lucis And some bodies they are content with one colour others have a pleasant variety and are set out with a rich Embroidery See the same in the excellencies of the minde These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these interni colores as I may so call them which are divine light severally distributed unto soules where some have a fairer glosse set upon them a twinkling and glittering soul all bespangled with light others have more sad and darke-coloured spirits Now the brightest they have somewhat of a cloud darknesse and imperfection enough to take them off from boasting and the darkest they have somewhat of a beam some light and excellency enough to keep them from discouragement Some are apparently eminent in one gift others have variety of colours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animam variegatam They that glory in some one excellency what do they but as if a man should refuse to look only upon some one colour most pleasant to him when as all are suitable to the eye though some more delightful All those tend to the beauty of Nature and all these to the beauty of Holinesse Every one that is serviceable to the Temple is not a Bezaleel and Aholiab cunning to work in gold and many that can build up the Temple yet know not how to carve it That which Philostratus has in the life of Apollonius may be moraliz'd into very good counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etiam Analecta deorum sunt colligenda the least gift to be received with a most thankful acknowledgement a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eunapius calls a mean Schollar a drop of Helicon even that 's precious It is a notable speech of one of our Prelates I think it honour enough to be vouchsaf'd to bring but one pin to the decking up of Christs Spouse whil'st others adorne her with her costly Robes and rich Medals And thus 't is carnal to glory in men as it drawes evil out of good We should now spend a word or two in reference to Paul and Apollo that they would disclaime all glory and ascribe it unto God I know they did so but I speak of such as have the like gifts and excellencies as Paul here in the Text he chides the Corinthians for siding with him and glorying in him whil'st one saith I am of Paul c. and this is the most likely way to take them off from their vanity when they shall see such a one as they glory in not lightly but sharply reproving them for it and then in a reall way men should so aime at the glory of God as that wholly denying their own aimes and excellencies all the world may see that they only seek the advancement of the Gospel And this should be done in a suitable way chiefly improving that excellency which God hath intrusted them withall and in a proportionable way for to whom much is given of them much is required As God doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dispense his gifts in proportion so he looks for an improvement of them according to a geometrical proportion Two men may give up their account the one that has done lesse
were done already in respect of Eternity all things being equally present to that 3. This takes away all method and order of prosecution for the end is alwayes in intention before the means God first resolves to save Jacob and then provides means accordingly 4. It quite demolisheth the goodly and faire structure of grace no discriminating grace 't is no longer for his own sake but for your sakes now A man now makes himself to differ free will must be set on the throne 't is a Roman and must not be bound and free grace must lye at the footstool and be trampled on as they please But all they that know what grace is and have had any gracious impressions upon their own spirits will easily tell you who 't was that made them differ even he who chose them not because they were any better then others but he chose them and so would be sure to make them better and if they be lovely it is with the comlinesse which he hath put upon them Grace is free if you look to the fountaine of it the primitive goodnesse of God in election bubling out from all Eternity Secondly If you look to the severall streamings out of the fountaine you must admire the riches of free grace For 1. Gods giving of his only Sonne and founding and eternal Covenant of love and peace in him the richest and preciousest stream that ever flow'd to the sons of men Now if there were an assembly of those bright and intelligent creatures gathered together the most glorious Cherubims and glittering Seraphims and if this mystery which they now pry into were fully unseal'd and explain'd unto them O how would they stand gazing upon the riches of free grace how would they think eternity it self too short for the admiring of it and what could they resolve it into but meere love God so lov'd the world so freely so fully so unconceiveably that he gave his only Sonne c. What was there in thee to draw a Saviour down from heaven was there such an attractive and magnetical vertue in an undone and bankrupted creature How didst thou perswade him to disrobe himself of light as of a garment to cloud and eclipse the lustre of his Divinity by the interposition of a pale mortall body What was it that mov'd him to take upon him the seed of Abraham and not the nature of Angels to let passe those faire and eminent beings and to advance a poor crauling worme Out of what Topicks didst thou fetch an argument that prevail'd with him to espouse thee to himself in mercy and truth and so to love thee as to dye for thee I know they thoughts are swallowed up with the consideration of so boundlesse and bottomlesse a love and desire some time for astonishment 2. What should I tell you of those free expressions and manifestations of this his love those fresh eruptions and ebullitions of it in the Gospel I mean those precious promises that are so many several sproutings and branchings out of the Covenant The Gospel's like a sweet and precious honey-combe these are the severall droppings of it that flow freely from it Indeed the whole Gospel like the midst of Solomons bed in the Canticles is pav'd with love 3. Think upon those free offers of grace and tenders of reconciliation how he woes you to receive mercy how he beseeches you to be happy how he intreats you to be sav'd to accept of him and of heaven of grace and of glory So that if you looke to the streamings out of the fountaine you see they all carry with them the riches of grace Thirdly Consider the severall conveighances of it how God diffuses this his goodnesse to thy soul and thou shalt see how thou hast liv'd upon the expences of free grace all thy dayes And for this observe how he tun'd all circumstances in a sweet and harmonious way so as they did all sweetly agree and consort in thy happinesse and how all providentiall passages did joyn for thee and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work together for thy good As 1. 'T was out of the riches of free grace that he planted thee in a place of light when he shut up and imprison'd the rest of the world in palpable darknesse The Gospel shines out but upon a little spot of ground which God hath enclos'd for himself and stiles it his Garden Paul plants it and Apollos waters it and he himself gives it an increase The rest of the world lyes like a barren and desolate wildernesse the word of the Gospel never dropt upon it nothing but briers and thornes fit for the fire Now how fell thy lot in so faire a ground and who is it that gives thee so goodly an heritage Who is it that shines thus upon thy Tabernacle and fixes it in a land that flowes with milke and honey Give a reason if thou canst why thou wert not plac't in some obscure corner of America and left only to the weak and glimmering light of nature Prethee tell me who that was that open'd for thee so many wells of salvation and feasted thee with all those spirituall dainties and delicacies that are disht out in variety of Ordinances I would fain know who that was that crush't the honey-combe on purpose that it might drop upon thy soul Prethee tell me if thou can'st who that was that bespoke a place for thee in the Church among the assembly of the Saints Hath God dealt so with every Nation or have the Heathen knowledge of this Law Ascribe this then to free grace 2. That salvation should wait upon thee so long and when thou hadst repuls't so many rich offers of grace and mercie that still it should be importunate with thee If mercy had knock't once or twice nay according to the rule Si ter pulsanti c. if it had then bid thy soul farewell thou hadst dropt into hell irrecoverably How many years hath free grace stood at the door and begg'd for some admission and thou hast not so much as bid it welcome Free grace followes thee and pursues thee and will not let thee go till thou hast a blessing Would any friend have given thee so many invitations after thou hast rejected them Are there not many of the damned that must lye roaring there to all eternity that never tasted of so much goodnesse and long-sufferance as thou hast done O why wert not thou sent thither amongst the rest that that Spirit which thou hast so much griev'd and so often vext should still breath upon thee and follow thee with secret whisperings and gentle solicitations to entice and allure thee to goodnesse what canst thou call this but free grace 3. Consider in what state thou wert all the while and Enemy a Rebell studying how to be damn'd galloping to hell and destruction with full careere a scholars pace who was 't now that stopt thee in thy course who bridl'd in the proud waves and said Hither
foot-steps of this in Nature some obscure representations of this truth there The Sun it do's not monopolize its beams and engrosse its light but scatters them abroad gilds the whole world with them it shines more for others then it self it is a publick light Look on a fountaine it do's not binde in its streams seale up it self and enclose its waters but spends it self with a continual bubbling forth it streams forth in a fluent liberal and communicative manner it is a publick spring Nay natural bodies will part with their own properties leave their motions nay crosse their own inclinations for a general good The Aire a light and nimble body that mounts upwards and do's naturally ascend yet for an universal good rather then there shall be a breach and rupture in nature a vacuum it will descend for the stopping of that hiatus In the body of man the inferiour members will venter themselves for the good of the whole The hand will be cut off and lose its own being rather then the head shall be endanger'd you see some shadowes of this truth in Nature 3. And the weak and glimmering light of Nature shews thus much that a man is not borne for himself alone he is a sociable â—reature and sent into the world for the good of others The â—oice of an Heathen A mans countrey and his friend and others challenge great part of him It is a miserable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make his own self the centre of all his actions 4. Consider that every mans private welfare is included in the publick The welfare of Meroz depended upon Israels safety what would have become of Meroz if the rest of their fellow-brethren had perisht So that it was a part of great folly in Meroz not to come out to the help of Israel When the disease seazes upon a vitall part as the head or the heart or the like so as to endanger the whole then every member is in danger though for the present they may be free from paine The well-being of every private man depends on the publick good A single drop is soon dry'd up and consum'd I but a drop in the Ocean when 't is united to a multitude of other drops 't is there more safe and a drop by it self is weak and can make no resistance I but a drop in the Ocean is terrible Men have a more safe and a more honourable being as joyn'd to the whole then taken single by themselves A single drop can do nothing but a multitude of drops joyn'd together will make a stream and carry all before them A single beame is obscure but in the Sun the centre of rayes meeting in the publick point they are glorious And these arguments may prevaile with you as men living in common society but then as Christians I. Consider that Gods children have been alwayes of this disposition of publick spirits seeking the glory of God and the good of Sion Exod. 32. 32. If not blot me I pray thee out of thy Book Moses out of a pang of vehement zeale would part with his own happinesse rather then Israel should perish If it would make more for the glory of God he would be content to be damn'd or at least to have the beams of Gods favourable presence withdrawn from him Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ or separated for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh for the Jews Israelites which is meant of the poena damni I could be content to have the face of Christ hid from me for my brethrens sake as Gods face was once hid from Christ upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me A most strong affection and zeale for the publick good Paul knew what the face of Christ was how glorious a sight it was to see God face to face And he knew what answer God had given to Moses too Him that sinnes him will I blot out of my Book And yet out of a most ardent desire of the salvation of the Jews he will part with the face of Christ so they may be saved here were publick spirits indeed What should I tell you of Vriah that famous Souldier his brave and heroical resolution how he would take no complacency in outward things and marke his reason 2 Sam 11. 11. The Arke and Israel and Judah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields as if he should say What shall the Arke be in danger and shall Vriah be secure Or shall my Lord Joab be more forward then I am in Israels cause As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing He raps out an Oath like a Souldier which he might have well spar'd but yet he shews a most generous and publick spirit And this was no small aggravation of Davids sin 137. Psalme See how the Psalmist and the rest of Gods people behave themselves By the rivers of Babylon we sate down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion We hanged our Harpes upon the Willows in the midst thereof If I forget thee Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning David had a most delicate touch upon the Harpe a soft and silken touch He could still Saul's evil spirit with his Musick but if I forget thee Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning And when did Jeremy make his Lamentation that whole book of mourning but when the glory of Sion was laid in the dust when Ierusalem the Lady of Nations was made desolate Gods people have been alwayes of publick spirits and have sympathiz'd with the Church II. That you may follow so good example think whose cause it is The cause of Israel is the cause of God To the help of the Lord c. Can you have a better cause The good of the Church and the glory of God are knit together by an act of Gods gracious will So that he that seeks the good of the Church do's in the same act seek the glory of God And he that helps not Israel comes not out to the help of the Lord. Now you are bound to maintaine the cause of God and to help the Lord. 1. By many and severall engagements As creatures at his beck he has a sovereignty and dominion over you Not to obey the great God is to deny his supremacy You are bound in a way of thankfulnesse to stand for him and his cause by those sweet mercies those precious pledges of his love which he every moment heaps upon you by those many blessings that come swimming to you in the blood of a Saviour 2. By many Promises Vowes Protestations Your first and Originall vow in Baptisme obliges you to maintaine the cause of God and of his Church against all the enemies thereof And you have often repeated this Vow and seal'd it again in the Lords Supper for you know that 's a sealing up of
Ministery if once they come to neglect souls if Cura Animarum be made but a slight businesse But they that convert souls to righteousnesse sayes the Prophet Daniel they shall shine as the starres in the firmament they shall have a more bright and massy Crown answerable to a greater degree of service 4. Arg. If you would still see more clearly the worth and preciousnes of souls do but consider the variety of Gospel-dispensations in respect of souls 1. Those many invitations that are made to souls to come into Christ that sweet Rhetorick those strong motives those powerfull perswasions those precious wooings and beseechings of them We beseech you by the mercies of Christ by the bowels of a Saviour we beseech you as if God himself should beseech you to be reconcil'd unto him Do you think there would be so much wooing and beseeching if they were not very precious Do you think the Spirit himself would so intreat do you think the Holy Ghost would be so importunate with them else Nay these souls are so precious as that he will have some for himself he will take no denial no refusal Go and compell them to come in 2. Consider those sad Lamentations that are made when souls will trample upon their own mercy as Christ speaks to Jerusalem in that passionate strain and dips his words in teares O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. This great lamenting shews that 't is the losse of a precious thing 3. Know that the World is kept up for this very end for the bringing in of some souls for a Saviour Do you think that God is at this vast cost and expence in maintaining this vast fabrick of the Creation only for men that oppose him and provoke him and violate his Lawes No 't is for the gathering of his Jewels for the binding up some precious souls in the bundle of Life If 't were not for this the very pillars and foundations of the world would crack asunder 4. Think upon the great Preparation that is made for the entertainment of souls how that Christ is gone to prepare a place for them What treasures of love and sweetnesse what heaps of joy are stor'd up for them what a weight of Glory what Crowns what Thrones what glorious and unexpressible and unconceiveable Priviledges shall they then enjoy Thus by all these several Arguments you have seen the worth and preciousnesse of souls Vse 1. And now when we consider the worth of them we might even take up this sad lamentation How is the gold become drosse how is the most fine gold chang'd The precious souls of men that were purer then Snow ruddier then Rubies more polisht then Saphirs in their first Original now their visage 't is blacker then a coal How are they become the reproach of him that made them the body's slaves the devils captives the scorn of every lust and temptation Nay you might even melt and dissolve into tears under this sad and serious consideration that so few of these precious souls shall be saved that there are so many of them that drop into hell irrecoverably And though there be a generation of men in the world that will never go over this narrow Bridge unlesse they put on Spectacles that so they may tumble in more Artificially men that lay down such large and reaching principles of so vast a latitude as that they scarce make it possible for any to be damn'd men that widen the narrow gate in their own apprehensions yet God has reveal'd his minde expressely and 't is the constant voice of the Gospel it self that there are but few of these precious souls that be sav'd And which is more that as for men of the rarest and most admirable endowments of the choicest accomplishments men of most orient and glittering souls there are fewer of these then of others Not many wise c. And yet all this comes not about because of any want of Gospel-provision not but that there is Balm enough in Gilead Oile enough in that horn of salvation not but that there are abundance of bowels in God which yearn towards the precious souls that he has made but because men refuse his goodnesse and abuse his mercy imprison his truth and shut it up in unrighteousnesse Now when men are told of the worth of their souls when they are put in minde of their preciousnesse again and again when they have all means for the welfare of their soul and when they are directed in the wayes that tend to the saving of the soul when they are convinc'd that such and such lusts fight against their souls and when they know that the present season of grace is all they are sure of for the welfare of their soul If they shall stubbornly refuse their own mercy and wilfully and violently rush into their own ruine though their souls were ten thousand times more precious then they are yet they perish deservedly Vse 2. Me thinks therefore at length men should come to such thoughts as these 'T is time now to provide for our own souls 'T is time now to build for Eternity Tanquam semper victuri If he that does not provide for his own house is worse then an Infidel then surely he that does not provide for his own soul is little better Yet how many are there in the world that live so as if they had no souls to save Many that take no notice of their own souls These are spiritual Beings and run not into their outward senses and so they never minde them These mens souls are so dark as they cannot see themselves Others that do take some little acquaintance with their own spirits yet how do they leave them in a rolling and fluctuating condition how do they venture Eternity upon what strange uncertainties do they leave a precious soul as he that was ready to die said He should know by and by whether the soul were immortall or no that was all he made of it Or as that other that complemented with his soul in that sporting language Animula vagula blandula Quae tandem abitura es in loca And yet 't is an impression engraven upon every Being with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond Nay 't is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stampt upon every Being by the finger of God himself that it should look to its own preservation to the maintaining of it self so that 't is matter of amazement astonishment that the souls of men being such precious Beings should look to their own welfare no more And it can be resolv'd into nothing else but into that same first and grand Apostasie from their God the fountain of their life and happinesse When they lost their God they lost themselves and when they fell off from him they Apostatiz'd from their own Essence And now they minde the body and take care for things here below and neglect themselves If there be any that can repair the ruins of Nature
be took only in sensu florido in a flourishing and Rhetorical sense that God is the fountain of being and Nature but the chanel that he is the kernel of being and Nature but the shell Yet herein Plato was defective that he did not correct and reform the abuse of this word Nature that he did not scrue it up to an higher and more spiritual notion For 't is very agreeable to the choycest and supremest being and the Apostle tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that 't is time at length to draw the veile from Natures face and to look upon her beauty And first 't is the usual language of many both Philosophers and others to put Nature for God himself or at least for the general providence of God and this in the Schoolmens rough and unpolisht Latin is stiled Natura naturans thus Nature is took for that constant and Catholick Providence that spreads its wings over all created beings and shrouds them under its warme and happy protection Thus that elegant Moralist Plutarch speaks more like to himself then in his former description 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature is in all things accurate and punctual 't is not defective nor parsimonious nor yet sprouting and luxuriant and consonant to this is that sure axiome Natura nihil facit frustrá Thus God set up the world as a fair and goodly clock to strike in time and to move in an orderly manner not by its own weights as Durand would have it but by fresh influence from himself by that inward and intimate spring of immediate concourse that should supply it in a most uniform and proportionable manner Thus God framed this great Organ of the world he tuned it yet not so as that it could play upon it self or make any musick by vertue of this general composure as Durand fansies it but that it might be fitted and prepared for the finger of God himself and at the presence of his powerful touch might sound forth the praise of its Creatour in a most sweet and harmonious manner And thus Nature is that regular line which the wisdome of God himself has drawn in being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he speaks whereas that which they miscall'd Fortune was nothing but a line fuller of windings and varieties and as Nature was a fixt and ordinary kinde of Providence so Fortune was nothing but a more abstruse and mysterious and occult kinde of Providence and therefore Fortune was not blinde as they falsely painted and represented her but they themselves were blinde and could not see into her And in this sense that speech of that grave Moralist Seneca is very remarkable Providentia fatum natura casus fortuna sunt ejusdem Dei varia nomina But then secondly Nature as 't is scattered and distributed in particular beings so 't is the very same with essence it self and therefore spirituals as they have their essence so they have their Nature too and if we gloried in names 't would be easie to heap up a multitude of testimonies in which these two must needs be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus Nature speaks these two things 1 It points out Originem entis 't is the very Genius of Entity 't is present at the nativity of every being nay 't is being it self There is no moment in which you can imagine a thing to be and yet to be without its Nature 2 It speaks Operationem entis and 't is a principle of working in spirituals as well as principium motûs quietis in corporeals All essence bubbles out flows forth and paraphrases upon it self in operations Hence it is that such workings as are facilitated by custome are esteemed natural Hence that known speech of Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Customes are frequently adopted and ingraffed into Nature Hence also our usual Idiom calls a good disposition a good nature Thus the Moralists expresse Vertues or Vices that are deeply rooted by this terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so some and Grotius amongst the rest would understand that place of the Apostle Does not even Nature it self teach you of a general custome but that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does plainly refuse that interpretation and the learned Salmasius does both grant and evince that it cannot be meant of custome there And thus having seen what Nature is 't will be very easie in the next place to tell you what the Law of Nature is CHAP. IV. Of the nature of a Law in general BEfore we can represent unto you the Law of Nature you must first frame and fashion in your mindes the just notion of a Law in general And Aquinas gives us this shadowy representation of it Lex est quaedam regula mensura secundâ—m quam inducitur aliquis ad agendum vel ab agendo retrahitur But Suarez is offended with the latitude of this definition and esteems it too spreading and comprehensive as that which extends to all Naturals I and to Artificials too for they have regulas mensuras operationum Thus God has set a Law to the waves and a Law to the windes nay thus clocks have their lawes and Lutes have their Lawes and whatsoever has the least appearance of motion has some rule proportionable to it Whereas these workings were alwayes reckoned to be at the most but inclinationes pondera and not the fruits of a legislative power But yet the Apostle Paul to staine the pride of them that gloried in the Law calls such things by the name of Law as were most odious and anomalous Thus he tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though sin be properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus he mentions Legem membrorum the same which the Schoolmen call Legem fomitis And yet this is sure that a rational creature is only capable of a Law which is a moral restraint and so cannot reach to those things that are necessitated to act ad extremum virium And therefore Suarez does give us a more refined description when he tells us that Lex est mensura quaedam actuum moralium it à ut per conformitatem ad illam Rectitudinem moralem habeant si ab illa discordent obliqui sint A Law is such a just and regular tuning of Actions as that by vertue of this they may conspire into a moral musick and become very pleasant and harmonious Thus Plato speaks much of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Lawes and in his second book De Leg. he does altogether discourse of harmony and does infinitely prefer mental and intellectual musick those powerful and practical strains of goodnesse that spring from a well-composed spirit before those delicious blandishments those soft and transient touches that comply with sense and salute it in a more flattering manner and he tells you of a spiritual dancing that is answerable to so sweet a musick to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉