Commandments of God with a performance of the superadded Duties which respect the Mediator is the qualification required in every one that would escape legal Wrath. And if it were not thus the most wicked might lay claim to Pardon and Salvation as well as the most Holy And the Gospel in stead of being an engagement to duty were an indulgence to sin Christ is the Author of Salvation to none but to them who thus obey him Heb. 5.9 And that we may not here deceive our selves and think that we are sincere when we are not I will only mention two things leaving the prosecution of them to practical discourses 1. That to live in the constant allowed neglect of any duty or prosecution of any sin is inconsistent with sincerity 1 Joh. 3.6 10. Rom. 6.12 14 20. 2. There are some sins which the very falling into argues the heart never to have been upright with God 1 Joh. 5.16 17 18. Secondly Improvement in all habits of Grace and degrees of Holiness with endeavours after a most exact strictness are likewise required of us Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect see 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. 2 Pet. 3.18 2 Cor. 7.1 And though damnation be not denounced here in case of faileur yet hereupon we miss much comfortable communion with God are liable to the withdrawments of the sense of his love and are exposed to what paternal castigations he thinks fit in his Wisdom to inflict Psal. 89.31 32 33. Thirdly There is provision made in the New Covenant for the promotion of our strength and growth if we be not wanting to our selves There is a fulness of Grace in Christ out of which we have ascertainment of supply providing we attend unto the means appointed for the Communication of it An unshaken Faith in the power of God and in the assistance of the Spirit a watching unto prayer with diligence and constancy Meditation of the ugliness of every sin and amiableness of Universal Righteousness c. are exceeding useful hereunto Here mainly lies a Believers Province and the attainment is not onely possible but easie if sloth negligence love of ease indulgence to the flesh superficialness in Duty unbelief of the promises do not preclude and bar us But then we are only to blame our selves not to slander the provisions of the Gospel Fourthly In the vertue of Gods furnishing us with a principle of Grace the heart is immediatly imbued with a sincere Love to God and becomes habitually inclined to walk in his Laws Obedience is connatural to the New principle And though through remains of indwelling sin and the souls hearkning to temptations we be not so uniform in our Obedience nor at all times alike disposed to Holy exercises yet partly from the struglings and workings of the vital seed it self and partly through the supplies ministred by the Spirit according to our exigences we are so far secured that we shall not disannul the Covenant see 1 Joh. 3.9 Jer. 32.42 1 Cor. 10.13 1 Pet. 1.5 So that now upon the whole Christs yoke is an easie yoke Math. 11.30 nor are his Commandments grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 CHAP. III. 1 The Question reassumed Two Great Instruments of Duty The measure regulating it and the principle in the strength of which it is performed The first of these discoursed in this chap. 2. All that Relates to Religion belongs either to Faith or Obedience so far as Natural Light is defective in being the measure of that so far is it defective in being the measure of this 3. All Obedience refers either to Worship or Manners Natural Light not the measure of Religious Worship 4. An inquiry into the Original of Sacrifices not derived from the Light of Nature nor taken up by Humane Agreement their foundation on a divine Institution justified at length 5. Manners either Regulated by Moral Laws or by Positive Natural Light no Rule of positive Duties 6. As it's subjective in Man not a sufficient Rule of Moral ones 7. Considered as objective in the Decalogue only an adequate Rule of Moral performances not of Instituted Religion § 1. I Cannot think that I have digressed from the subject which I have undertaken while I have been discoursing Principles which have so great an influence as well upon the due Understanding as the right deciding of it These being then proposed and confirmed in the former Chapter We are now not only at leisure but somewhat better prepared for the prosecuting the assertion at first delivered viz. That Morality doth not comprehend the whole of practical Religion nor do'th all the Obedience we owe to God consist in Moral Vertue For the clearer stating and determining of this it must be observed that there are two great Instruments of Duty the measure Regulating it which we call Law and the Principle in the strength of which it is to be performed which we call Power That directs and instructs us about it this adapts and qualifies us to the performance of it By the first we are furnished with the means of knowing it and by the second with strength to discharge it Both these were at first concreated with subjective in our Natures There resided in us Originally not only an ability of mind of discerning the whole of our Duty which the Law of Creation exacted of us but a sufficient power to fulfil it Whether since the Fall we abide qualified as to either of these is yet farther to be debated The first we shall Discuss in this Chapter having designed the following for the examination of the other We have already demonstrated the Law of Creation commonly called the Law of Nature to be the alone Rule and measure of Moral Vertue This is granted by a late Author The practice of Vertue saith he consists in living suitably to the Dictates of Reason and Nature Eccl. Polit. p. 68. Now the Law of Nature may be considered either as 't is Subjective in man or as 't is Objective in the Decalogue As 't is Subjective in man 't is vulgarly stiled Right Reason The Light of Nature The Philosophers who were the primitive Authors of the Term Vertue knew no other Rule by which it was to be regulated but Reason This they made the alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vertues Mediocrity The Mediocrity of Vertue saith Aristotle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Right Reason dictates Eth. lib. 3 cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue is a Habit measured by right Reason idem Eth. lib. 4. cap. 3. Other testimonies to this purpose we have elsewhere produced viz. cap. 1. Now I affirm that the Law of Nature is no sufficient Measure of Religion and consequently that all Religion consists not in the meer practice of Vertue but that there is something beyond the bounds of Moral Vertue besides Chimera's and flying Dragons Eccl. Pol. p. 69. def and continuat p. 338 339. ibid. p. 315. And that the Christian Institution is not a
the matter it self And that what is afterwards to be offered may be the more clearly apprehended and the lines measures principles of Vertue and Grace the more duly stated I shall in this Chapter propose and endeavour to establish several conclusions which as they are of considerable import in themselves so of no less influence to the enlightninâ— of what we have undertaken First then All moral actions become Good â— Bad from their agreeableness or disagreeableâ—ness to some Rule which is as their measâ—â—â— and standard to which being commensurâ—â—â— they appear either equal or unequal As in mâ—â—terial and sensible things we judg of theâ—â— streightness crookedness by their agreeâ—ment or disagreement to a material rulâ— which is the measure of their Rectitude anâ— Obliquity so in things Moral we judg wheâ—ther a thing or action be Good or Evil bâ— their agreement or disagreement to somâ— moral Rule For an Action then to bâ— good or bad it imports two things thâ— entity of the Action the Rule to whicâ— it is commensurate They greatly misâ—take who state the moraâ—lity of an action As Compton doth de bonitate malitiâ humanorum actuum Disp. 89. Sect. 1. N. 4. formally to consist in its being spontaneous voluntary and free for though no action can be Moral that is not free yeâ— its morality doth not lie formally in its freeâ—dom Hence those very Philosophers who made Vertue and Vice to be thingâ— only Arbitrary founded alone in the imaginations of men did nevertheless acknowledg man to be a free agent and that â—iberty is inseparable from every Humane â—ction Freedom intrinsecally belongs to eâ—ery action as it is an human action whereâ—s morality is but partly intrinsecal namely â—s it imports and includes the entity of the â—ction and partly extrinsecal viz. as it deâ—otes the measure by which it is regulated § 2. The second thing we premise is That â—he immediate and formal Rule of Moral â—ood or evil is Law or the constitution of the Rector as to what shall be due I â—â—ant that the fundamental measure of â—ctions unchangeably Good or Evil is 〈◊〉 Divine Nature and of things and â—ctions indifferent and variable the Diâ—â—ne Will But the formal and immeâ—â—ate Rule of both is Law No action 〈◊〉 otherwise Good or Bad than as it is â—â—ther enjoyned or forbidden It is imâ—ossible to conceive any action or omisâ—â—on to be a duty abstracting from obâ—â—gation and it is as impossible to conâ—â—ive obligation secluding Law This â—â—nd's abundantly confirmed by that of â—he Apostle John 1 Epist. chap. 3. ver ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin is the transgresâ—â—on of the Law An illegality or deviation â—â—om law To which accords that of Paul Rom. 4 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where no Law is there is no transgressioâ— It is a great mistake which yet I find toâ— many guilty of to make either the objecâ— or circumstance of an aâ—ction In hoc hallucinantur Iâ—sâ—ite fâ—re omnes vid. Vâ—sâ— diâ—p 57. Compt. dist 84. Sect. 2. de act Ham. the rule of its Moâ—rality or to constituâ—â— them the measure whâ— we judg an action gooâ— or evil An action is â—ot otherwise Gooâ— or Evil with respect to its circumstances then as cloathed with them it is either prâ—â—hibited or enjoyned It is true the cirâ—cumstances of an action conduce and coâ—â—tribute towards the discerning and defiâ—â—ing when it is forbidden when commanâ—ded when allowed and when disallowed But still the Law permitting and enjoyâ—ning the action in such cases and circumâ—stances disapproving and prohibiting it iâ— other is the proper and immediat Rule oâ— its morality § 3. The Third premise it this that maâ— being created a rational creature was uâ—â—der the Sanction of a law It is a contraâ—diction for man to be such a creature as hâ— is and not to be obliged to love fear anâ— obey God All creatures according tâ— their respective and several natures anâ— necessarily subject to him that made them â—t is impossible that whatever owes its enâ—â—re being to God should not also be in â— suitable subjection to him Man then â—eing a Rational creature must owe God â— rational subjection and on supposition â—hat his being is of such a Species and kind â— necessarily follow 's from the constituâ—â—on of his nature and his Habitude to God as his Maker that he should be acâ—ordingly bound to love reverence and â—â—rve him that made him so this being 〈◊〉 only Reasonable subjection But forâ—â—much as not only Pyrrho Epicurus c. â—f old but Hobbs and some other wild â—theistically disposed persons of late have â—anaged an opposition to all natural Laws â—ontending that all things are in themâ—elves indifferent that Moral Good and Evil result only from mens voluntary reâ—training and limiting of themselves and â—ow that antecedently to the constitutions â—ppointments and custom's of Societies â—here is neither Vertue nor Vice Turpiâ—ude nor Honesty justice nor injustice That there are no laws of Right and Wrong previous to the laws of the Commonwealth but that all men are at liberty to do as they please I say matters standing thus I shall discourse this head a little 〈◊〉 amply That there have been some who eithâ—â— through a supine negligence in not exâ—â—â—cising their faculties or through have defiled and darkned their Reasons by coâ—â—verse with sin have lost the sence 〈◊〉 distinction of Good and evil as well 〈◊〉 memoir's of ancient times as the sad â—â—â—perience of our own do evidently 〈◊〉 Diogenes Laertius in the life of Pyrrho 〈◊〉 us that he denyed any thing to be just unjust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by nature But that all this were so only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by positive law 〈◊〉 Custom Nec Natura potest justo secernere 〈◊〉 quum There is no difference betwixt what 〈◊〉 call good and what evil by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forasmuch as there are different lawes 〈◊〉 different places it thence follows that theâ—◠〈◊〉 nothing in it self honest or dishonest but that according to occasion the same thing may be sometimes the one and sometimes â—he other In Fragmentis Pythagoreorum â—nter opuscula edita a D. Theoph. Gale Seâ—eca as well as others chargeth the same â—pon Epicurus and saith that therein he will dissent from him Ubi dicit nihil esse â—ustum naturâ where Epicurus affirmeth â—hat by nature or natural law there is noâ—hing just and honest And this indeed â—ecessarily follows from Epicurus his disâ—harging God from the Government of the World For if there be no Government â—here is no law and if no law there is neither moral Good nor Evil As Good and Evil are relatives to law so is law the â—elative of Government and all these â—tand and fall together With those already produced doth Mr. Hobbs fully agree Ubi nulla Respublica nihil injustum where there is no Common-wealth there is
not that which prevails â—â—mongst pâ—rsons debauched Mich. Epâ—â— ad Nicomachia For as Andronicus infâ—â—â—meth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Nature is unchangeable among such 〈◊〉 are of a sound and healthful Mind 〈◊〉 doth it make any thing to the contrarâ— that men of Distempered and depraved â—â—â—dâ—rstandings think otherwise for he dotâ— not mistake who call's Honey sweet thougâ— sick and diseased Persons be not of 〈◊〉 judgment The Second is this that there be no Law of Nature constituting what is Good and what is Evil anâ—tecedently to Pacts and Agreements aâ—mongst Men then all humane Laws signifie in Effect just nothing For if there be no antecedent obligation binding to obey the just Laws and constitutions of the Commonwealth then may they at any time be broken without Sin and Rebellion will be as lawful as obedience â—or needs any one to continue longer â—oyal that he hopes to mend his conâ—â—â—ion by turning Rebel Nor doth it â—ffice to plead Promises Pacts and Coâ—enants to the contrary For if it be not 〈◊〉 it self a duty to keep ones Word and â—o perform what a man hath promised â—hen are promises but Wâ—ths to be broken at pleasure and serve for nothing â—ut to impose on the easiness of good-natured men According to this Hypothesis we are discoursing against no Man is bound to be honest if he can once hope to promote his interest by being otherwise and we may be either True or False Just or Unjust as we find it most for our turns All Humane Laws suppose the Law of Nature And seeing Revelation extends not to every place where Humane Laws are in force that Civil Laws do at all oblige must be resolved into Natural Law Obligation of Conscience with respect to the Laws of Men is a conclusion deduced from two Premises whereof the First is the Law of Nature enjoyning Subjection and Obedience to Magistrates in whatsoever they justly command The Second is the Law of Man under the Character of Just from both of which results the obligatâ—â—â— of Conscience to such a Law In a 〈◊〉 if there be no Natural Law then 〈◊〉 ever hath either Wit enough to 〈◊〉 Humane Laws or Power and Strength â—â—nough to despise them is innocent 〈◊〉 do men deserve punishment for beâ—â—wicked only it is their unhappiness 〈◊〉 they are weak and cannot protect theâ—â—selves in their Villanies The Third 〈◊〉 this supposing all things originally 〈◊〉 in themselves indifferent as there can no sin in disobeying the justest Laâ— of the Common-Wealth so no 〈◊〉 can offend by despising and transgrâ—â—sing the Laws of God Yea precluding â—â—â—tural Law it is not possible for God to 〈◊〉 an obligation upon us by any positive Laâ— and that upon two accouts First in 〈◊〉 after the clearest Revelation and promâ—â—â—gation of it I am still at liberty to belieâ—â— whether it be a law from God or not Uâ—â—less it be in it self good and a duty to belieâ—â— God because of his Veraâ—ity whensoevâ—â— he declares himself it will be still a maâ—â—ter of courtesy to believe it to be a 〈◊〉 from God notwithstanding that it come aâ—â—compained with all the evidences and mâ—â—tives of credibility that a Divine declarâ—â—tion is capable of being attended with Seâ—ondly because supposing we should be 〈◊〉 courteous as to believe God to be the Author of such and such Laws that it is with all his will command that upon our Allegiance to our maker and the greatest â—enalty that angry God can inflict or finite creatures undergo that we be found in the practice and pursuit of such and such things I say supposing all this it still remains a matter of liberty and indifferency whether we will obey him or not For if there be not any thing that is Good in it self nor any thing that is in it self bad then it is not an evil to despise the Authority of God nor is any man obliged to obey him further then he himself pleaseth and judgeth for his interest the Authority of God being according to the principles we are dealing with a meer precarious thing The Fourth and last that I shall name is this If all things be in themselves adâ—aphorous and good and evil be only regulated by customs and civil constitutions Then if men please they may invert the whole moral frame of things and make what the world hath hitherto thought Vertues to be adjudged Vices and Vices to come into the place of Vertues Yea a man may be bound to 〈◊〉 his opinion of Truth Honestly Verâ—â— Justice c. both according as he chanâ—â—eth his Country and according as the 〈◊〉 Laws of the Nation where he lives 〈◊〉 alter So that what is Truth to day 〈◊〉 be Falshood to morrow and what he â—â—â—tertain's as Religion in one place he 〈◊〉 detest as Irreligion in an other Nor it more lawfull to worship Christ in Enâ—â—land than it is to worship Mahomet in 〈◊〉 Levant Nor do the idolatrous heathâ— adore a stock or a stone upon weaker reâ—â—sons or worse motives than we do the Goâ— that made the World For as Tully saiâ— well Si populorum jussiâ— si Principâ—â— decretis si sententiis judicum jura coâ—â—stituerentur jus est latrocinari jus adulteerari si haec suffragis aut scitis multitudinis probarentur If justice be regulated bâ— the Sanctions of the People the decrees oâ— Princes or the opinions of judges then it is lawfull to rob to commit adultery whenâ—soever these things come to be established by the acts and ordinances of the civil power de Legib lib. 1. This inference is so natural and clear that the Authors of the Hypothesis we are examining have granted no less The Scripture of the new Testament is there only Law where the civil power hath made it so saith Hobbs Leviath cap. 24. The Magistrate can only define what is Scripâ—ure and what is not saith the same Author â—n the same Book That the Scripture obligeth any man is to be ascribed to the Authorty of the civil power nor are we bound to obey the laws of Christ if they be repugnant to the Laws of the Land idem ibid. All which a man of any Reason as well as Conscience must have an abhorrency for And indeed these things pursued to their true issues will be found so far from befriending any Religion that they are shapen to overthrow all Religion And this for the third prâ—mise that man was created at first under the Sanction of a Law § 4. The Fourth thing we are to declare is the nature of this Law that man was created under the obligation of and the manner of its Promulgation Learned men do wonderfully differ and some of them strangely prevaricate in stating the Measure of natural Law and in defining what Laws are natural Some would have that only to be a natural Law quod Natura docuit omnia ainimantia which beasts are taught by instinct Iustinian lib. 1. Institut But though the consideration of 〈◊〉
call men to account for what was never in their power to do He cannot expostulate with men for their sins if he created them destitute of the means and power of obedience In such a case we might be pitied but could not be blamed In a word this were to charge our sins upon God in a degree beyond what the asserters of fate and destiny ever did I may usurp therefore what the Philosopher say's in the like case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ascribe our wickedness to necessity is to justifie our selves and to condemn God Salâ—â—st de diis mundo cap. 9. An ability then of answering the Law of Creation man must at first have been endow'd with What this was and the nature of it is next to be declared God then having created man He not only made him a Rational Creature furnished with a soul of an immaterial and immortal nature which was his essential perfection and did perfect him in genere Physico as he was such a particular being in the universe which may be stiled the Natural Image of God in man Being in its spiritual immortal nature a representation of the Divine nature and is accordingly alluded to under that notion by the Holy Ghost Gen. 9.6 But besides He impressed a Rectitude on the soul of man perfecting him in Genere Morali as he stood in Relation to God as his Rector and Governour and was under such and such Laws Lo this only have I found that God made man upright Eccles. 7.29 i. e. endowed with divine Wisdome to understand his duty and with perfect ability to perform the same And this is principally intended Gen. 1.26 Where God saye's Let us make man in our Image after our own likeness For the likeness of man to God consists chiefly in purity Be ye Holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.15 And be ye perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect Mat. 5.48 A moral resemblance can in both these places only be understood And that this is the primary proper intendment of that phrase our being created in the Image of God The Apostle Paul in more than one place doth confirm Put ye on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.24 with Col. 3.10 And this we may call the Moral Image of God in man not only because it consists in Moral perfections answerable to what we conceive in God under that notion but especially because it adapts and qualifies us for the observance of the Law of Morality appointed us as the Rule of our living to Him Now this Moral Image though it was no part of our essence nor belonged inseparably to our faculties nor did our being Rational creatures consist in it yet it was not only concreated with Humane nature consentaneous to it and perfective of it but was in the state of Creation naturally due considering the end man was made for and the duties which were required of Him Had God sent man out of his hand without this Divine impressed Image Si hoc adjutorium vel Angelo vel homini cum primùm facti sunt Dâ—fuisset quoniam non talis natura facta erat â—t sine Divino adjutorio posseâ— manere si vellet non uti que suâ culpâ cecidissent Adjutorium quippe defuissâ—t sine quâ— manere non possent Aug. de corr et Grat. cap. 11. he had not had that goodness which 't is necessary every work of God should have which the Holy Ghost tells us that every work of God had And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very Good Gen. 1.31 That is every Creature was not only furnished with such perfections as might Render it a Being of such a species and kind in the creation but besides was endowed with whatever might qualify and adapt it to the ends that it was made for In this superadded rectitude image I mean superadded with respect to our essence but Natural as well as connate with to the respect State and Law we were made in and under conâ—isted our ability of living to God in an observance of the Law of Creation commonly stiled the Law of Nature Nor could man even in the State of innocency have so lived to God in the single strength of his Rational faculties as to be accepted with him Natural Grace I stile it so not with respect to the kind but the dueness was as necessary in order to our observing the Law of Creation then as Supernatural is to the obeying the Law of faith now This I would have due heed given to forasmuch as there will be considerable occasion to improve it afterwards § 6. Though man was created under the Sanction and in the knowledg of a Law and every way qualified and adapted for the keeping of it had he not been wanting to himself Yet if we consider him precisely as under the Law of Creation without any farther stipulation from God he was the meer object of Gods Dominion made at his will and for his pleasure and annihilable by the same will to which he owed his subsistence I readily grant that Gods Dominion which is nothing else but a right of disposing his Creatures according to his own pleasure in way's becoming Holiness Justice Goodness did no way Warrant him to damn them without the intervention of sin For this were to inflict a torment on them outweighing the Good of existence which he had given them If God should create a Creature only to make it miserable in stead of bestowing a benefit on it He would do it the greatest injury he possibly could Though bare existence be a term of perfection yet when it is over-ballanced with an extream and infinite misery it becomes an unhappiness and can be no longer eligible While we are then asserting the Soveraignty of God we would not affront his Justice and Goodness Now to reduce an innocent Creature into a worse estate than that out of which it was taken we cannot but esteem it inconsistent both with the Justice and Goodness which essentially belong to the supreme Being Nor can we once admit into our thoughts that he whose ways are weight and measure can inflict on any an extream and endless torment without the consideration of an antecedent crime There is nothing more repugnant to the notions of justice and equity than to damn a harmless Creature meerly out of will and pleasure The Savage allowances in the Heathen Worship have been alway's reckoned a just impeachment of the Deity of those they adored and shall we admit a worse Barbarity to be an appendage of the Dominion of the Holy Jehovah God forbid Nor do I in the second place deny but that tranquillity and serenity of mind would have necessarily accompanied Rectitude and Obedience Light is not more inseparable from a Sun-beam than pleasure and peace of Soul is from a state of purity and uprightness The obedient Soul â—asts
of all Moral Duties be laid in the Law of Nature yet the practice of every Duty with respect to acceptance with God since the fall is regulated by that great positive Law of the New Covenant which enjoyns the tendring of all things through the Messiah Now the manner of performance being an essential ingredient into the determination of the Moral quality of an action and the New Covenant determining this as the manner in which every Moral action ought to be performed it naturally follows that Faith in Jesus Christ is become an ingredient into and a part of every Moral Duty § 14. Having intimated the introduction of a Remedying-Law and the subordination of the Original Law thereunto That which we are next to address to is the unfolding our impotency and inability for the performance of the Duties and Conditions of this Law of Grace We here suppose that the New Covenant hath its terms and conditions as well as the Old Every Covenant of God made with us as with parties Covenanting doth by vertue of the Nature of the thing require some performance or other of us antecedently to our having an interest in and benefit by the promises of that stipulation We take likewise for granted that Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Act. 20.21 are the terms and conditions of the New Covenant The state and condition of Weakness Alienation and Enmity that we are in to these great Duties of the Gospel is what I intend a little farther to treat First then The terms of the Gospel together with the foundations on which they bear were not discernable by Natural Light They take their alone Rise in the soveraign will and pleasure of God nor is there any medium by which we can know the free determinations of the Divine Will but his own Declaration These things have no foundation in the imagination of any Creature They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things not possible to be found out by sense or reason It is only Faith on the Word of God that gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evidence and convincing demonstration of them and that begets an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confidence and full assurance concerning them Heb. 11.1 Hence it is that the Gospel is so often stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mystery see Math. 13.11 Rom. 16.25 Eph. 1.9 6.19 1 Cor. 4.1 c. Some take the word to be of a Hebrew Original and to be equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret or a thing hidden others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nicto clausos oculos habeo Whencesoever we fetch it the unsearchableness and hiddenness of the Gospel is intended in it The New Covenant both in the Doctrines and Duties of it lies in a higher Region than humane Reason in its most daring flight can mount to The matters and concerns of it are omni ingenio altiora out of the reach of Reason to discern till brought nigh by the Revelation of them in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world by all their Natural and Metaphysical Wisdom knew not God viz. as reconciling Sinners to himself by Christ till by the Gospel and the Preaching of it he made it known 1 Cor. 1.21 How should it come under the Apprehensions of men when it lay out of the reach of the Angelical Understanding Eph. 3.10 Unto Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God Had it not been for God's revealing it to the Church the Angels themselves had abode in everlasting ignorance of it There are no footsteps of it in the whole Creation nor evidence of it in the works of Providence The Placability of God through Christ is no part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that which maybe known of God by the things that are made Alas How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 That sin is pardonable we can only learn it there where we are taught how it is actually pardoned Before we can be sure of the Reconcileableness of God or the remissableness of Sin upon Faith and Repentance We must first be perswaded of one of these three 1. Either that God both can will forgive Sin without any satisfaction But this according to the Amyraldians themselves contradicts that idea of Righteousness Holiness and Justice which we have of God Or 2. That the Sinner himself can make satisfaction but that is repugnant to Natural light as much if not more than the former Or 3. That God hath found out a way of satisfying himself and that either by the death of his Son or by some other means not the first for as much as there is not one Iota of the incarnation death satisfaction c. of Christ in the whole book of Creation and Providence neither the second because notwithstanding the advantages which we through the enjoyments of the Scripture have beyond the Heathen of knowing what could have been and what could not have been we are yet so far from any clear certain grounds of believing the possibility of Salvation in any other way that we are furnished with very momentous arguments to the contrary Besides if I should not not be counted Young Raw Petulant c. I would ask the Disciples of Amyrald whether the works of God do naturally and by a vertue intrinsecal to them declare this Placability of God and Pardonableness of Sin on Faith and Repentance or whether they do it by vertue of a Divine Institution If they affirm the last pray how come the Heathens without a Revelation acquainted with that Institution Where and by whom had God told the world so much If they assert the first which alone carries probability in it Then 1. Adam from his own and his Wifes not being instantly destroyed upon the commission of Sin had sufficient assurance of the Placability of God and pardonableness of Sin previously unto and abstracting from all promulgation of the Covenant of Grace 2. How is it that seeing there are in the Government of the World as manifest instances of God's severity as his Lenity that forgetting all thoughts of the Wrath and Anger of God they should only possess a perswasion of his Mercy and Kindness 3. Suppose that God had preserved the Creation in Being without transacting with Sinners in a Covenant of Grace which I think implies no Contradiction pray what then of the Placableness and Compassion of God could it have taught us In a word all the Notices which the Heathen have or at any time had of the Reconcileableness of God they had it by Tradition from the Church nor do they resolve themselves into any other Original Shall I add in the last place that I never understood the consistency of the Amyraldian Hypothesis either with the Wisdom or Goodness of God A Reconcileableness on terms which according to those we are dealing
had never assumed the Sacerdotal Office which they did by their offering Sacrifices these two being Relates But I find I have been already too prolix upon this head and they who can withstand the force of the fore-going Arguments are not like to be influenced by any thing I am further able to subjoyne § 5. We have already shewn that the whole of Obedience which we owe to God belongs either to Worship or Manners We have also declared the insufficiency of Natural Light for the Regulating of Worship Our next task is to demonstrate the defectiveness of it as to the conduct of Manners Manners are either such Duties as in themselves are acceptable and good or such as derive all their goodness from a Command with respect to the first revealed Laws are only declarative of the goodness of the Duty The Absolute Bonity of it having an antecedent foundation in the Nature of God the Nature of man and the Relation that man stands in to God But with reference to the second supernatural Law is constitutive of the goodness of the Duty There being nothing in the thing it self previous to the Command rendring it so And here though obedience be a Moral Duty yet the Law prescribing it is not properly Moral Law For the Morality of Obedience ariseth not from the Nature of the Command but from the Relation we stand in to God and the Dependence we have on him whereas the Morality of Law hath its Reason in the Nature of God and the congruity or incongruity of things enjoyned or forbidden to it That there are acts of Obedience distinct from Natural Duties which yet are not properly acts of Worship might be demonstrated by innumerable instances Of this kind there are several Duties founded in personal commands whereby none were obliged but onely they to whom they were immediatly given Such was the Duty of Abrahams leaving his Fathers House being built on a precept wherein he only was concerned The like may be said of the Obligation laid on the young man in the Gospel of selling all that he had c. Of this sort also there are several Duties arising from Divine Laws which concerned only a particular Nation and yet emerged not from Laws properly Ritual Of which number we may reckon the Obligations proceeding from the Judicials given to the Jews at least where the Reason of them was not Natural Equity By these Laws they came under Obligations that the rest of man-kind were not concerned in Yea they became bound to some things which setting aside the positive Law of God could not have been lawfully done and which at this day no Nation or Person can practice with Innocency viz. The Marrying the Widow of a Brother dead without Issue Such Laws Gods Dominion over all men as his Creatures authoriseth him to make and that as a proof of his own absolute Prerogative and for tryal of his Creatures obedience Nor did God ever leave man since he first Created him singly to the Law of Nature for the payment of that Homage he owes him but even to Adam in Innocency he thought fit to give a positive Law a Law which for the matter of it had no foundation at all in Mans Nature further than that he was obliged by his Nature to do whatsoever God enjoyned him Now these Laws having their foundation in Institution not in Nature The Reason of them being not so much the Holiness of God as his Soveraignty Natural Light can no ways be suppos'd a due measure of them nor able to instruct about them All that Obedience that resolves into the Will of God must suppose Revelation in that nothing else can discover its Obligation to man-kind saith a late Author Def. continuat p. 427. How consistently to himself in other places where he tells that all Religion consists in nothing else but the practice of Vertue and that the practice of Vertue consists in living suitably to the dictates of Reason and Nature I leave to himself to declare That there are positive Laws of God now in being and that in the vertue of them we are under Obligation to several Duties I shall God willing evince when I come to shew the insufficiency of the Law of Nature as it's Objective in the Decalogue as to being the measure of the whole Obedience we owe to God § 6. That there are Natural Laws as well as positive and that the latter are but accessions to the former we have else-where demonstrated Now these Laws being stiled Natural non respectu Objecti not because of their object many of the Duties we are under the Sanction of by them referring immediatly to God but respectu principii medii per quod cognoscimus because communicated to our Nature and cognoscible by Natural Light If the Light of Nature alone be of significancy in any thing 't is here And indeed the Writings of Heathen Philosophers such as Aristotle Plato Epictetus Seneca Plutarch Cicero Hierocles Plotinus c. The Laws of Pagan Common-wealths especially the Republicks of Greece and Rome the vertuous actions of persons not enlightned by Revelation of all ranks and qualities such as Socrates Aristides Phâ—cion Cato and many others not easie to be recounted shew that men left to the meer conduct of Natural Light can attain a better insight into the Duties of Nature than of Religion and know more of Vertue than of Piety For as both Amyrald and Sir Charles Wolseley besides others observe Cicero wrote to better purpose in his books de officiis than he did in those de Naturâ Deorum Yea even the Platonists the great Refiners of Religious Ceremonies who in stead of obscene and barbarous usages introduced civil and modest Rites discoursed much better of Vertue than Divinity Their Sentiments for the conduct of conservation being for the most part Rational and Generous whereas their Theological Notions are either obscure uncertain or romantick If we be then able to prove that Natural Light or the Law of Nature as it is subjective in man since the Fall is no sufficient measure of Moral Duties or of those Duties we are under the Sanction of by the Law of Creation we shall get one step farther in our design namely that Natural Light is a very inadaequate measure of Religion In confirmation of this I might in the first place take notice how the great pretenders to the conduct of Reason prevaricated in all those prime Laws of Nature which Relate to the Unity of the God-head Though not onely the Being but the Unity of the Divine Nature be witnessed to by every mans Reason and we need onely exercise our faculties against Polytheism as well as Atheism Yet the Universality of man-kind setting aside those who had the benefit of a supernatural Revelation not onely sunk into the belief and adoration of a plurality of Gods but into the worshipping those for Gods whom to acknowledg for such is more irrational than to believe that
continuat p. 315 316. All men are agreed that the real end of Religion is the happiness and perfection of mankind and this end is obtained by living up to the dictates of Reason and according to the laws of nature This promptitude and facility of acting conformably to the dictates of Reason the Philosophers stiled the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good order of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The musick of the Soul And herein they stated the Souls sanity beauty harmony c. Hence Pythagoras and from him Plato defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertue to be the harmony of the Soul Plat. in Phaed. Secondly Vertue is used by Philosophers to denote any act which because of its conformity to Reason is Morally good Whatever actions were found agreeable and conformable to Reason they stiled them vertues and on the contrary any act that was morally evil they called it vice stating withal the obliquity of vice in a difformity to Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vice is a Practice against right Reason Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat besides or beyond reason Arist. Eth. lib. 1. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vice is a transgression against right Reason Stob. Serm. 1. The denomination of vertue being once used to signify the conformity of our mind unto the law of Reason it is thence applyed to express the agreeableness of our actions unto the same law And these are the alone acceptations of vertuâ— which can claim any room in the present debate all other signification put upon it being forreign to the matter we have in hand By consulting then the original Authors of this term we have found it appropriat and fixed to express the conformity of our minds and Actions its Habit 's and Operations to the Law of Reason and this must carefully be attended to in the whole of our future proceed § 3 With reference to these habit 's it is further needful to be observed that though they be not affirmed to be essential to our Natures nor to proceed by way of emanation from them nor to be congenite and connate with us it is yet contended that there are those igniculi and semina sparks and seeds naturally in all men which may be maturated and improved by frequent repetition of Acts into habit 's of Vertue It is true all the Philosophers were not of this mind some of the wisest of them acknowledging a Divine interposure in the communication of Vertues to men Hence Plato in his Meno discourseth at large that Vertue comes by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine infusion And that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither from nature nor teachable See Maximus Tyrius dissertat 22. and the Dialogue between Alcibiades and Socrates in Plato But the generality of them were otherwise perswaded all the Stoicks affirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Vertue was teachable This was what they meant by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-power and absolute free-will to Good their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good Nature or Seeds of Vertue in Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertues are acquired by a rational government of ones self and by good Education whereas Vices spring and proceed from the contrary Sallust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beata vita causa firmamentum est sibi fidere the alone foundation and source of Happiness is for a man to trust to himself Sen. Ep. 31. Omnibus natura fundamentum dedit semenque virtutum omnes ad omnia ista nati sumus cum irritator accessit tunc illa animi bona velut sopita excitantur Seneca Nature hath bestowed on every one the Seeds and means of Vertue We are all born disposed to these things and whensoever excited thereunto by a praeceptor those dormant endowments display themselves The passage of Apuleius lib. de philosoph is pat to this purpose viz. That man by Nature is neither good nor bad but alike indifferent and equally disposed to either haveing semina quaedam utrarumque rerum cum nascendi origine copulata quae educationis disciplina debeant emicare congenite with him some Seeds of each which education maturates excites Hence though they used to acknowledg themselvs indebted to Jupiter for life and estate yet as to the honour of being vertuous they would neither allow him nor any other to have a share with them in it It was upon this account that Seneca thought it not enough that his Vertuoso should vie perfection and happiness with God himself Deus non vincit sapientem felicitate etiamsi vincit aetate non est virtus major quae longior God doth not excel a wise man in happiness but only in duration nor is Vertue the greater for being of a long standing Ep. 73. But he add's elsewhere est aliquid quo sapiens antecedat Deum ille enim naturae beneficio non suo sapiens est there is something wherein a wise man challengeth the precedence of God for as much as God is good only through the advantage of his Nature but the wise man is so through his own study and endeavour Epist 3. Of the same complexion are all the notions of Aristotle with respect to the attainment and acquisition of Vertue as may be seen at large lib. 2. Eth. cap. 1 2. Yea some flew higher contending Vertue not only in the principles and Seeds of it to be an appurtenance of our Nature but to be formally inlay'd into us Hence that of Cleanthes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That a wise man is such by Nature and not by institution To which accords that of Cicero justos quidem naturâ— nos esse factos c. That we are naturally good and upright In a word the Original Authors of this Term neither knew nor acknowledged any other Vertue save that whose alone measure was Reason and power of operation natural strength He that desires to see more of this may consult Plutarchs Dissertation entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Vertue is teachable And Stobeus Serm. 101. Now how suitable soever this Idea of Vertue already assigned be to Humane Nature considered as innocent yet falling upon it as corrupâ— it hath proved of no better use than to keep men off from Christ and the Covenant of Grace and to lead them to live upon In potestate habeo justum esse justum non esse The common saying of the Pelagians Dubitari non potest inesse quidâ—m omni animae naturaliter virtutum semina Cass. and trust to a Covenant of Works From these and no other principles sprung Pelagianism and the dogmata of the one are nothing but a transcript of the sentiments of the other Instances ly at hand if it were needful to produce them The Pelagians recta Ratio is all one with the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Ipsâ enim naturâ inserta sunt velut semina quae aâ—ditu voluntate exculta fructificant testimonium
meer digest of the Eternal Rules of Nature right Reason § 2 All that Relates to Religion may be reduced either to faith or obedience to what we are to believe or what we are to perform Faith and practice engross the whole of mans duty Credenda agenda constitute the System of Religion nor are the Articles of our Creed less necessary than the precepts of the Decalogue It is not therefore the running after a Bubble of our own blowing as a late Author phraseth it def continuat p. 326. To discourse the obligation we are under to Articles of Belief For as they constitute one entire part of Religion and are bound upon our souls by the same Authority and under the same penalty with Moral services So our assent to them and belief of them is not only a necessary part of that Homage and Fealty we owe to God but it is introductive of all the other operations and services we exert towards him Every distinct act of obedience supposeth a distinct act of faith with reference to some Article or other So far as we preclude any Article of faith from our Belief we so far discharge our selves from the practical obedience that emergeth from it Our obeying the Soveraign will of God doth not only suppose his Veracity in every Revelation of his will concerning our Duty but a distinct knowledg and fiduciary assent to the several Articles from which it ariseth and on which it attends The Articles of our faith are not like the Theories of Philosophy which no way influence obedience but every Dogma in the Creed is subservient to and authoriseth a practical Homage So far then as Natural Light fals short of being a sufficient measure of the Credenda of Religion so far doth it also fall short of being a Measure of the Agenda of it Is it probable that it should direct us to the conclusions when it is ignorant of the premisses or that it should inform us of the superstructures when it hath no knowledg of the foundation Though nothing proposed to our belief be repugnant to Reason yet I hope we do not so far Socinianize as to deny but that there are some things above the reach and comprehension of it Some Articles of our Religion as they have no foundation at all in Nature by which they can be known or understood such are the Doctrines of the Trinity The Incarnation of the Son of God The Resurrection of the dead the Oeconomy of the Spirit and the whole method and means of our Recovery by Jesus Christ So being most plainly revealed they exceed the Grasp of our minds as to the full comprehending of them Though Reason be the great Instrument by which we come to discern what is Revealed for our belief yet 't is no way's the Formal Reason of believing them Though we examine the Truth and certainty of Revelation by it whether such a Declaration be from God or not yet it neither is nor can be the Standard Regulating the things Revealed There are other Doctrines which though as to our perception of them they have a foundation in Nature and there be Natural Mediums by which they may be discerned yet such is the present Darkness and pravity of our minds that without the assistance of a Revelation they only puzzle mislead or leave us sceptical about them Of this kind are the Articles relating to the Production and Fabrick of the World the Origine of Evil the Corruption of Humane Nature the Ingress of Death c. Concerning which never any without a supernatural Revelation attained either to satisfaction or certainty Much of that Homage and practical obedience which we pay to God results from Truths depending on meer Revelations Yea it were not difficult to demonstrate thaâ— there is hardly one Article of Belief so fully and certainly known by Natural Light as is requisite to a through incouragement and practice of vertue and suppression of vice A knowledg of the Entrance of sin the corruption of Nature our obnoxiousness to Punishment together with an account of the means provided of God for the Removing of Guilt and the bringing us to a Reconciliation with himself are absolutely necessary to be understood in order to the performance of the Duties of the Gospel On these Heads doth the whole of Instituted Religion and Christian odedience depend Now whatever dark and uncertain guesses men through the exercise and improvement of Natural Light may arrive at as to some of those yet no one left to the conduct of meer Reason arose ever to any clear perswasion full certainty about them See Amyrald his Treatise concerning Religions from page 183 to 264. That Light wherewith every man is born hath served the best improvers of it for little else but to mislead them about these things Nor needs there any other evidence of this but the sad prevarications of the most knowing persons of the World where a Revelation hath not been heard or received concerning them Forasmuch therefore as Natural Light is every way uncapable of instructing us in these Truths it necessarily follows that it can direct us unto none of the Duties which proceed from them It is a poor Apologie of a late Author that intending a comprehensive scheme of the practical Duties of Religion he purposely omitted articles of meer belief as impertinent to the matter and design of his enquiry Def. Continuat p. 326. For besides that there are no Articles of Meer Belief every one being adapted more or less to influence our conversation either towards God or man The doctrines represented by the learned person whom he there reflects on are such as ground the whole of Christian practice and to exclude them the Scheme of Religion is plainly to vacate all the Duties which as Christians we are bound to § 3. Whatsoever appertains to Obedience must be referred either to Worship or Manners To one of these branches do all the practical Duties of Religion belong That which we advance to then in the next place is That the Light of Reason or the Law of Nature as it is subjective in man is no due measure for the Regulating of Divine Worship We do not deny but that Natural Light instructs us That God is to be Worshipped That there is such a Homage as Worship due from man to God we need no other Assurance than what our Reason gives us Though the School of Epicurus differ from the rest of man-kind in their inducements of venerating the Deity yet they acknowledg that we ought to venerate Him Never any that confessed a Supreme Being but they also confessed that such an honour as worship ought to be paid him This is indelible in every mans Nature without devesting our selves of our faculties we cannot gain-say it Nor do we deny in the second place but that we may arise by the Light of Reason to that knowledg of God Primus est deorâ—â— cultus Deos
Nullum est naturale praeceptum ex quo sufficienter â—â—lligi possit determinationem illius ad talem 〈◊〉 cultus sc per sacrificium esse omnino â—ecessariaâ— ad mâ—rum honestatem There is no precept of Nature defining the mode of worshipping God by Sacrifices to be a necessary part of our Obedience Suarez part 3. Sum. Theolog. Arâ— 1. dist 71. Sect. 8. The inducement leading the generality of the Divines of the Romish Communion to derive the institution of Sacrifice from the Obligation of Nature is that they may the better justifie the Sacrifice of the Mass. Nor upon any other account do they concern themselves in this opinion one fable requires another to uphold it and indeed if we should yield them our being under an Obligation from Nature for our approaching God by Sacrifices We must also graunt either the Sacrifice of the Mass or we must substitute some other by which we continue to pay our Natural Homage to God For no supernatural Law can repeal a Natural Revelation builds upon the Law of Nature but can vacate neither the whole nor any part of it What-ever Obligation we are under by the Law of our Being is inseparable from and of the same continuance with it But as there are no Rational arguments to engage our belief of the affirmative viz. that Sacrifices are appointed by the Law of Nature so we are not destitute of proofs both from Reason and Scripture for the defence of the Negative But this is not that which I am concerned in for should the approaching of God by Sacrifices be resolved into the Law of Nature it doth not at all disserve us for as upon the one hand it doth hence plainly follow that the institution of them according to this Hypothesis is immediatly derived from God He being as much the Author of the Law of Nature as he is of any Law prescribed to the world by supernatural Revelation So it no ways follows upon the other hand that because the Law of Nature prescribes some parts of Worship that therefore it is the measure of all divine Worship The Second opinion is theirs who deduce the Original of Sacrifices from the voluntary choice of men who by this arbitrary invention endeavour to express the gratefull resentments of their minds for the obligations of Gods Love and Bounty to them Porphyrius the only Pagan Philosopher who hath designedly handled the Original of Sacrifices resolve's the first beginning and Rise of them into the will and pleasure of men who thereby intended to express their thankfulness to God for the benefits He bestowed on them As we saye's he by some returns of bounty use to declare our gratitude for the kindnesses which other men confer upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So ought we say's he in testimony of thankfulness to the Gods to offer first-fruits to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. Grotius tell 's us that many of the Jews were of this perswasion Multi Hebraei sentiunt sacrificia prius ab hominum ingenio excogitata quam a Deo jussa lib. 5. de verit Christ. Rel. Videatur etiam Seld. de jure natur apud Gent. lib. 3. cap. 8. Nor are they therein mistaken for Abravanel assign's this as the Reason of God's instituting Sacrifices namely that the world being accustom'd to them it had not been easy to have wean'd them from them commentâ— in Pentateuch I have quoted these testimonies to shew that they who derive the Original of Sacrifices from the institution of God are so far from doing it because of the Authority of the Jews and Easterlings as a late Author would perswade us def continuat p. 426. That on the contrary the opinion which himself embraceth received its first countenance from them And may indeed be reckoned among the rest of the fables of which they are impleadable as the Authors Of the same judgment were some of the ancient Fathers as to the Original of Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome speaking of Abel having saies he been taught by none nor having any Law prescribed him concerning the offering of first-fruits of his own accord moved only by the gratitude of a thankful mind he offered Sacrifice to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of all those who antecedently to the giving of the Law sacrificed Beasts to God no one did it by a Divine command though it be certain that God did both accept their offering and was well pleased with the offerers in Resp. ad Orthodox in operibus Justini ad interrogatum 83. I need not add that the Socinians are Universally of the same judgment the Reason why they are so being throughly understood Nor will I quote the testimonies which occur in Episcopius the Arminian and others of his perswasion to the same purpose For in matters of this Nature naked testimonies signifie only to tell us what men thought and ought to be of no further validity to engage our assent than as they are grounded on proofs and rational motives Now when we weigh the grounds of this opinion we meet not with the least thing that can sway a Rational mind to submit to it They who make Sacrifices an arbitrary invention of men to testifie their Homage to God have but two things to alledg in confirmation and proof of it First That Divine Worship being a Dictate of Humane Nature and it being agreeable to the Reason of mankind to express their sense of this Duty by outward Rites and significations there could be no symbol more natural and obvious to the minds of men whereby to signifie their Homage and Thankfulness to the Author of all their happiness than by presenting him with some of the choycest portions of his own gifts in acknowledgment of that bounty and providence that had bestowed them Def. Contin p. 421. For Answer I readily graunt it to be a Dictate of Humane Nature that God ought to be Worshipped And I withal acknowledg that it is agreeable to the Reason and Sense of mankind to express their sense of this duty by outward Rites and Significations nor have any supposed Thoughts Words and Gestures to be alone a sufficient expression of that Homage we owe to God But two things I deny 1. that precluding supernatural Revelation mankind since the fall have had any sufficient assurance that God would accept any Homage and Service from them at all The principles on which that supposition is raised are but two and both of them unable to bear that structure that is built upon them The one is the consideration of the Benefits which the divine Bounty confers on us but these being blended and out-weighed with so many calamities with which our lives are attended and there being other ends besides the ascertaining his complacency in us and our performances for which God in his Wisdom might confer them can give us no assurance either of the acceptation of our persons
the Divine Institution of Sacrifices may be fetcht from the consideration of that peace welfare inward consolation c. which in the adoration of God by the offering of Sacrifices all mankkind especially the Patriarchs proposed to themselves There is in all men a Natural Consciousness of sin with an apprehension of punishment and Vengeance due for it Hereupon in all their addresses to the Deity they endeavoured the procuring the pardon of sin and peace with God and the obtaining comfort in their own Consciences This must be at least the subordinate end of the whole Religion of Sinners nor otherwise do they act rationally with respect to the estate they know themselves in Now they must promise themselves the attainment of these things either in the vertue of the Action it self or else through the application of some promise of God entitling them to such mercies upon a due performance of such services If the Latter then Sacrifices must necessarily be of a Heavenly Original For where the Thing signified depends upon the alone Will and Pleasure of God there the Symbol and sign of it depends upon his sole Will and Institution also Though the sign materially may have a Being in Nature yet formally considered as 't is the representation of such a gracious design and of such a voluntary and free benefit 't is perfect nonsence to imagine that Natural Light can give any direction about it But if they expected pardon of sin and peace with God and in their own Consciences from the bare Action it self and in the vertue of the meer offering They did that 1 which God expresly declares his abhorrence of The Lord upon all occasions testifies his Detestation of Sacrifices when Trusted to for Reconciliation and Remission of sin Psal. 40.6 50.8 9 10 11 12. Mic. 6.6 7. Heb. 10.1 2 3 4. 2. They acted repugnantly to Natural Light Our Reason how much soever distempered clouded weakned can still instruct us that the blood of sheep or Oxen is too mean a trifle to satisfie for an offence against God He hath indeed mean thoughts both of God and Sin who thinks that the Justice of God can be attoned or the guilt of Sin expiated by the blood of a Calf or Lamb. What either proportion or Relation is there betwixt Men and Beasts that the Lives of the One should commute for the Lives of the Other Men might sin at an easy rate could the Death of a brute Animal satisfie for the offence He is generally supposed to have been a Heathen however he cloaths himself with the Name of one that said Quum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victims prote Cato lib. 4. distich 5. Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem Ne credas placare Deum cum câ—de litatur a part of the 39 dist The Fourth Argument in justification of our assertion concerning the Rise of Sacrifices from the Institution of God I take from that of the Apostle Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain c. Abel and Cain may be reckon'd among the First that made their approach to God by Sacrifice At least the first Notice we have of applying to God by this Medium of Worship is in them And the Reason here aâ—â—igned by the Holy Ghost why the Lord when he rejected the Sacrifice of Cain had regard to that of Abel is because Abel offered his Sacrifice by Faith If we can then evince that the Faith here spoken of had respect unto the Testimony Revealing Commanding and Promising to accept them in that way of Homage and address we shall in so doing fully demonstrate that Sacrifices owe not their rise to Humane choice but that they began upon the Warrant of a Divine Institution and precept This we shall therefore attempt to make good by two Topicks First The Faith attributed to Abel from which he receives the testimony of having offered an acceptable Sacrifice to God must be of such a Nature and kind to which the Definition of Faith verse 1. may agree The Apostles Description of Faith in the first vers is that which he plainly intends for the Regulation of the several Instances of it in the whole ensuing part of the chapter Let us view then the definition of Faith there laid down and we shall find it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may either understand Expectation according to that of the Seventy Psal. 39.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expectatio mea in te est And theâ— the sence will be that faith is the expectation of things hoped for which sounds better than our translation by Substance Or we may render it Confidence agreeably to the import of the word 2 Cor. 9.4 2 Cor. 11.17 Heb. 3.14 And then the meaning will be that Faith is the Confidence of things hoped for It is much at one which of these significations we here admit either of them will render the definition of Faith clear and congruous Whereas oâ— rendring it by Substance makes it both obscure and harsh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evidence Argument convincing demonstration as Hiâ—rome renders it Certa ac clara intuitio â— sure and clear evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen not discernable either by sence or Reason Things out of the view of whatever is natural in us Now this definition is that which must Regulate every Instance of Faith in the whole Chapter and by consequence every act ascribed to it must have a Revelation Command or promise of God for its foundation otherwise it should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle expresly affirms it to be 2. The Faith ascribed to Abel is of the same Nature and kind with the Faith of others whom the Apostle here mentions Whereas then the Faith of every other Worthy recorded in the Chapter doth infallibly suppose a Divine Revelation as that on which 't is bottom'd and by which 't is warranted If we will speak coherently we must likewise acknowledg that Abels Faith had the same Authority to rest on Not onely the tenour of the Apostles whole discourse induceth us to this belief but we have a plain testimony verse 39. to indubitate it to us All these having obtained a good Report through Faith received not the promise The same kind of Faith is predicated of all And by their not receiving the actual exhibition of the thing promised which is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainly intimated that they had a Divine Command or Promise to rest on in all these exercises of Faith there celebrated A fift Argument in Confirmation of the Divine Original of Sacrifices might be taken from the consideration that every Priest ought to be ordained of God and that no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5.1.4 and consequently that the Patriarchs were authorised of God otherwise they
succours of Divine Grace and the inability of men to Good precluding the subjective influence and effectual assistance of the Holy Ghost they overthrew humane Liberty and introduced a Fate more irresistible than that of the Stoicks and Chaldeans Whereas the whole of those mens declamations builds upon a gross prevarication and mistake concerning the Nature of Liberty They suppose Humane Freedom to consist in an aequilibrium to both extreams or in an absolute indifferency of acting or not acting or doing this or the contrary Whereas it standeth only in an acting conformably to the judgment and in doing whatever one apprehends that he ought Nor did the Ancient Philosophers either own or know any other notion of liberty For they understood by liberty only a Rational spontaneity and therefore they make Freedom all one with Voluntariness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Voluntary is that which hath its principle in him that acteth it who likewise understandeth the particulars of what he acts Arist. Eth. lib. 3. cap. 3. Nor doth he understand any more by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which he explains liberty but that these things are in our power and we are free in our actings about them to which we are carried by a Rational spontaneity and a voluntary motion That is voluntary which moves and inclines it self conformably to its judgment saye the Platonists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andrâ—n Rhâ—d lib. 3. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. lib. 1. Metaph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andr. Rhâ—d ubi sup Hâ—c quisque in potestate habere dicitur quod si vult facit si non â—ult non facit Aug. lib. de Spirit lit Liberum Arbitrium est re sibiâ—placitae spontanâ—us appetitus Prosp. lib. de grat liber arbit contra Cassian Illuâ— in potestate habemus ad quod alienâ violenâ—iâ cogi non possumus Rich. de Sancto Victore Nor did the Greek Fathers mean any more by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Determination to one Species of Moral actions doth not at all impeach our Freedom God is the prime Free Agent of all and yet his liberty consists not in an arbitrary indifferency to the love of Good and Evil but he is so determined by the Rectitude and Sanctity of his Nature to a delectation in what is Good that he is not capable of the least propension to an allowance of Evil. Numquid saith August quia peccare non potest Deus ideo liberum arbitrium habere negandus est Shall we say that God is not a Free Agent because he cannot sin de Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. ult God is most Free because he is most Rational and always acts suitably to his own infinite Understanding The obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ being highly meritorious behoved likewise in an eminent manner to be voluntary For no man praiseth or rewards an action that is not spontaneous no more than we do the fire for burning and yet his Will was only and ever determined to the choyce and pursuit of Good nor could he fall under the least inclination to Evil without ceasing to be what he was which was impossible The same may be said of the Elect Angels who through a confirmed Sanctity are unchangeably Good and yet they practice obedience with the highest Freedom because upon the most rational conviction that they should do so and that it 's not only their duty upon the account of the Soveraignty of God who commands it but because it is most congruous to and becoming their Natures and the Relations they stand in to God as intellectual Creatures The Daemons also are by a self-Determination obdurately and irreclaimably wicked and yet hereby do not cease to be Free Agents Again when the Saints arrive at consummated purity and are actually stated in glory is it to be imagined that they shall remain in a dubious suspension between Good and Evil or in an equal propension to both No! But though the liberty of our Souls be then dilated to its utmost dimensions yet we shall from an eternal Principle steadily adhere to God the perfected Understanding influencing the whole man to an intire subjection to the Divine Will For as Austin sayes well Voluntas Libera tanto erit liberior quanto sanior c. Epist. 89. The beatified Soul discovers that repugnancy in sin to the Rational Nature that it can never be any more reconciled to it or cast one favourable glance upon it Once more If the Essential idea of humane Freedom were an aequilibrious Disposition of the mind then by how much holier any man becomes by so much the less Free he is and by how much we grow disinslaved from sin and breath in a freer air of holiness by so much should our obedience receive the lesâ— praise of God Yea the more Habituated in Evil any are by so much should they be the less criminal a decrease in point of culpableness and guilt necessarily ensuing upon every detraction from our Essential Liberty In a word liberty of Will is an Essential property of the Soul of man and a necessary adjunct of every Humane action If we Will a thing we Will it freely si enim volumus libere volumus as Austin saith To Will and to be Unwilling to Will is a plain contradiction for as Austin saith both acutely and solidly non vellemus si nollemus We never do any thing which at the same time we would not do The manacles by which we are held and enslaved are nothing but our Practical judgment and choyce Coactus tua voluntate es Thou art fettered by thy own Will Aug. so that Seventhly These considerations that men chuse to be wicked love aversation from God and approve themselves in the disaffection of holiness is vindication enough of all the judicial procedures of God against sinners whatever their Connate and Congenite impotency be I wave at present the plea of Gods with-holding nothing from men that he is bound to give and that there is nothing kept from us that belongs essentially to the Rational Nature nor shall I plead that whatever is now wanting to our perfection in esse Morali is a just punishment of Adams sin and comes entayl'd upon us as a Righteous Fruit of our first Fathers Apostacy Though all these be true and may be justified against any opponent but that which I insist on is this That it 's our Sloth and Enmity which the Lord threatneth and punisheth not our Weakness and Impotency It is our Will-not nor our Can not that ariseth in judgment against us 'T is our contempt not disability that we shall be arraigned for We are so infatuated in the love of sin wedded to the blandishments of the world and enamoured on the titillations of the Flesh that neither the suggestions of Reason the Promises of the Gospel nor the Threatnings of the Law have any prevailing influence upon us It is our obstinacy and wicked aversation that undoes