common The Psalms speak of the Cedars of God to express their extraordinary height in the First Book of Sam. Chap. 10. v. 7. it is said The fear of the Lord fell on the People which signifies a very great fear and in this sense all things which exceeded the Capacity of the Iews and whose natural Causes where not known to them were always referr'd and attributed to God. Tempests were called Gods Chiding and Threatnings Thunder and Lightning his Darts and Arrows they thought God kept the Winds shut up in the Caverns of the Earth which they called his Treasuries in which Opinion they differ'd from the Heathen only by believing God and not AEolus to be their Ruler upon this ground Miracles are also called the Works of God that is stupendious wonderful works tho' indeed all things in Nature are the Works of God and only by Divine Power act and subsist in the same Sence the Psalmist calls the Miracles done in Egypt the Powers of God because in the Iews greatest danger they open'd a way to their safety and deliverance when they least expected it and were therefore so much admir'd by them Seeing then the Works of Nature which are strange and unusual are called the Works of God and Trees of extraordinary height and magnitude the Trees of God it is no wonder that in Genesis Men very Valiant and of great Stature tho' impious Robbers and Fornicators were called the Sons of God the Ancient Heathen as well as the Iews used to attribute to God every thing in which any one excell'd other Men Pharaoh when he heard the Interpretation of his Dream said that the Spirit of the Gods was in Ioseph and Nebuchadnezzar said the Spirit of the Holy Gods was in Daniel nothing was more frequent among the Latines then to say things very curiously wrought were done by a Divine Hand which Expression if a Man would turn into Hebrew he must say done by the Hand of God. By these places I have quoted many other in Scripture where mention is made of the Spirit of God may be easily understood and explained the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Iehovah in some places signifie nothing but a vehement dry and destroying Wind as Isa. Chap. 40. v. 7. The Grass withereth the Flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Also Gen. Chap. 1st v. 2. and the Spirit of God that is a strong Wind moved upon the Waters It also signifies a great Mind or Courage the Courage of Gideon and Sampson are stiled in Scripture the Spirit of God that is a bold daring Mind ready to undertake and attempt any thing So also any particular vertue or skill more then ordinary is in Scripture called the Spirit of God Exod. Chap. 31. v. 3. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in Wisdom and Workmanship speaking of Bezaleel so Isa. Chap. 11. v. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him that is as the Prophet more fully explains himself the Vertue of Wisdom Councel and Might in like manner Sauls Melancholy is called an Evil Spirit of God or from God that is deep Melancholy for Sauls Servants who called his Melancholy the Melancholy of God were they that sent for Musick to recreate him which shew'd that they did not think his Melancholy to be any more than Natural sometimes by the Spirit of God is signified the Life of Man Iob Chap. 27. v. 3. The Spirit of God is in my Nostrils alluding to what is said Gen. Chap. 2. v. 7. God breathed into Mans Nostrils the Breath of Life so Ezek. Chap. 37. v. 14. saith Prophesying to the Dead and I will put my Spirit in you and ye shall live that is I will restore Life to you in the same Sense speaks Iob Ch. 34. v. 14. If he gather unto himself his Spirit and his Breath so likewise is to be understood the 3 Verse of the 6 th Chap. of Gen. My Spirit also shall not always strive with Manfor that he also is flesh that is Man hereafter shall do according to the dictates of his Flesh and not of his Mind which I gave him to discern Good from Evil Psal. 51. v. 10 11. David says Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me cast me not away out of thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me because it was believed that Sins came only from the Flesh and that the Soul or Mind did incline Men only to good therefore the Psalmist implores Gods Assistance against his carnal Affections and prays that his Mind or Soul which God gave him may be preserved and kept by God now because the Scripture describes God like a Man and because the Common Peoples Capacity is weak doth attribute to God a Mind affections of Mind and likewise a Body and Breath therefore the Spirit of God is many times in Scripture taken for the Will the Mind the Power and the Breath of Gods Mouth Isa. Chap. 40. v. 13. the Prophet saith who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord that is who hath disposed the mind of God to will any thing which he himself hath not determin'd Likewise Chap. 63. v. 10. They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit Hence it is that sometimes 't is taken for the Law of Moses because it doth as it were explain and unfold Gods Mind for Isa. in the 11 th V. of the 63. Ch. saith where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him that is the Law as is clearly Collected from the Context Nehemiah Ch. 9. v. 20. saith thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them speaking of the time of the Law Deut. Ch. 4. v. 6. Moses speaking of the Law saith This is your wisdom and understanding so David Psal. 43. v. 11. saith Thy good Spirit leadeth me into the Land of Vprightness that is thy mind revealed to us leadeth us into the right way the Spirit of God also signifies the Breath of God which is as improperly attributed to God as is Body or Mind Psal. 33. v. 6. And all the Host of them by the breath of his Mouth it signifies the power and might of God Iob Chap. 33. v. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me that is the Power of God or rather his decree for the Psalmist speaking poetically saith by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth Also Psal. 139. v. 7. It is said whether shall I go from thy Spirit where Spirit signifies Gods Power and presence Lastly the Spirit of God is used in Scripture to express the affections of Gods Mind namely his Benignity Mercy c. Michah Chap. 2. v. 7. Is the Spirit of the Lord straightned are these his doings so Zachary Chap. 4. v. 6. not by might not by power but by my Spirit that is only by my Mercy and in this Sense I think ought to be understood
the Scripture saith that God did command Adam that he should not eat of that Tree and yet notwithstanding he did eat of it it must necessarily be said that God only revealed to Adam the Evil that would follow upon it but did not reveal the necessity of the Evil's following whence it came to pass that Adam understood that Revelation not as an eternal verity and necessary Truth but as a Law or Ordinance upon which Gain or Loss was to follow not in respect of the Necessity and Nature of the Action done but only in respect of the Absolute Will and Command of a Prince The Revelation therefore in respect of Adam only and only for want of Knowledge in him was a Law and God a Law-giver and Prince For the like defect of Knowledge was the Decalogue a Law to the Iews because they knew not the Being of God to be an Eternal Verity therefore that which was revealed to them in the Decalogue namely that there was a God and that he only was to be worshiped was received by them as a Law but had God spoken to them immediately and not by Corporeal means they had taken it for an Eternal Verity and not for a Law and what we say of Adam and the Israelites may be said of all the Prophets who writ Laws in the Name of God that they did not rightly understand God's Decrees to be Eternal Verities For Example Moses by Revelation or by Principles revealed to him understood the means whereby the People of Israel might be best united in a particular Place of the World form a Common-wealth and erect a Government and also the best way to compel that People to obedience but yet he did not know nor was it revealed to him that those means or that Way was best neither that from the common Obedience of the People in such a Climate of the World that end would necessarily follow to which those means were directed and therefore all those things were not understood by him as Eternal Verities but as Precepts and Institutions which he prescribed as the Laws of God and this was the Reason that he imagined God was a Governour a Lawgiver a King merciful and Just when all these are only the Atributes of Human Nature and not any Part of the Divine Nature but tho' we say this of the Prophets who writ Laws in the Name of God we ought not to say the same of Christ for though he seemed to write Laws in the Name of God we are to believe that he understood things truly and perfectly for Christ was not so much a Prophet as he was the Mouth of God for God by the Mind of Christ as we have shewn in the first Chapter did reveal some things to Mankind as he did before by Angels that is a Created Voice And by Visions wherefore it would be altogether Irrational to think that God accommodated his revelations to the Opinions of Christ as that God fitted heretofore his revelations to the Opnions of the Visions and of the Angels that is created Voices that he might communicate the things which were to be revealed to the Prophets then which nothing can be more absurd especially since Christ was not sent to the Iews only but to all Mankind so that it was not sufficient his Mind should be fitted to the Opinion of the Iews but to the Opinions and Documents general to all Mankind that is those Notions which were common and True and from communicating himself immediately to Christ or to his understanding and not as he did to the Prophets by words and Signs nothing else can be concluded but that Christ did truly perceive and understand those things which were revealed for then a thing is clearly understood when it is clearly and mentally perceived without the help of Words and Signs Christ therefore understood things truly and plainly and if ever he prescribed them as Laws he did it because the People were ignorant and obstinate and acting God's Part applyed himself to the Nature and Dispofition of the People and therefore tho' he spoke somewhat plainer then the rest of the Prophets yet sometimes he spoke Obscurely and by Parables especially when he spoke to them to whom it was not given to know the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. chap. 13. v. 11. But without doubt all things which he taught those to whom it was given to know the Misteries of the Kingdom of Heaven he taught them as Eternal Verities and did not prescribe them as Laws and in this confideration he freed them from the Bondage of the Law and yet nevertheless did the more confirm it and deeply ingrave it on their Hearts which Paul seems to declare in the 7 th chap. of his Epist. to the Romans v. 6 th But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in Newness of Spirit and not in the Oldness of the Letter and in chap. 3. v. 8. Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law. But neither doth Paul speak very clearly for he saith Rom. chap. 3. v. 5. I speak as a Man which he expresly saith when he calls God just and righteous and without doubt because of the Frailty of the Flesh he supposeth Mercy Grace and Anger to be in God applying his Discourses to the understanding of the Common People as may be seen in his first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3. v. 1 2. Brethren I could not speak unto you as Spiritual but as unto Carnal Men. Rom. chap. 8. v. 18. He declareth that the Mercy and Wrath of God doth not depend upon Mens Works but on his own Will. Moreover no Man is justified by the Works of the Law but only by Faith Rom. chap. 3. v. 28. And by Faith nothing is meant but a full consent of the Mind Lastly Paul declares that no Body is Blessed who hath not in him the Mind of Christ Rom. chap. 8. v. 9. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his by which Mind and Spirit he may understand the Laws of God to be Eternal Verities We conclude therefore that God was described as a Prince and Law-giver and stiled Just and Merciful only in regard to the Capacity of the Vulgar and their want of Knowledge but that God from the necessity and perfection of his Nature doth act and govern all things and his Will and Decrees are Eternal Verities and imply Eternal Necessity which is the thing I purposed in the first Place to explain and prove passing now to the Second Particular let us run through the whole Scripture and see what it saith of this Natural Light and Divine Law. The first thing we meet with is the History of the first Man where we are told God commanded Adam he should not eat of the Fruit of the Tree of good and evil which seems to signify that God commanded Adam to do and seek
clearly shew that they were not by Divine Revelation and Command but were the dictates of their own natural Reason and contain nothing but brotherly admonitions full of gentleness and kindness no evidence of Prophetical Authority such as is that excuse in the 15. chap. to the Rom. verse 15. Brethren I have written the more boldly unto you and this Opinion may with the greater confidence be maintain'd because we no where read that the Apostles were commanded to Write but only to Preach where ever they went and to confirm their Doctrine by Signs for their Presence and Signs were absolutely requir'd to convert the Nations to Christianity and confirm them in it as Paul himself in his Epist. to the Rom. chap. 1. v 11. expresly declares I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be establish'd But here it may be objected that if we allow the Apostles did not write as Prophets then by the same reason it may be concluded they did not preach as Prophets for when they went hither and thither to preach they did it not by express Command as did the Prophets in time past We read in the Old Testament Ionah went to Nineveh to preach that he was expresly sent thither and that which he was there to preach was reveal'd to him We are told at large that Moses was sent into Egypt by God what he was commanded to say to the people of Israel and to King Pharaoh what Signs and Wonders also he was to do in their presence to make them believe Isaiah Ieremy and Ezekiel were expresly commanded to preach to the Israelites Lastly the Prophets never preached any thing but what the Scripture testifies they receiv'd from God but of the Apostles we very seldom read any such thing when they went hither and thither to preach but on the contrary we find the Apostles according to their own Will and Inclination chose what places they would preach in as appears by that contention even to separation between Paul and Barnabas Act. chap. 15. v. 39. and that the Apostles many times in vain attempted to go to some particular places whereof we have instances in Paul himself who says in his first Chapter to the Romans v. 13. I would not have you ignorant that oftentimes I purposed to come to you but was let hitherto and chap. 15. v. 22. For which cause I have been often hindred from coming to you And lastly in the 16 th chap. 1 st Epist. to the Corinth v. 12. he saith As touching our brother Apollos I greatly desir'd him to come unto you with the Brethren but his Will was not at all to come at this time but he will come when he shall have convenient time so that from such expressions as these from the Apostles contention and because when they went hither and thither to preach the Scripture doth no where testify as it did of the Ancient Prophets that they went by the express command of God we ought to conclude that the Apostles did not preach as Prophets but as Men who were only Teachers But this Objection may be easily answered if we take notice of the difference between the calling of Apostles in the New and of Prophets in the Old Testament for the Prophets were not called to Preach and Prophesie to all Nations in general but only to some particular people for which an Express and particular Command was necessary but the Apostles were called to preach to all Nations without exception and to convert them to Christ so that where-ever they went they executed his Commission nor was there any necessity before they went that which they were to preach should be reveal'd to them they being those Disciples to whom Christ said Matth. chap. 10. v. 19 20. When they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given unto you in that same hour what you shall speak We therefore conclude the Apostles had those things by particular Revelation which they personally preach'd and confirm'd by Signs but what they simply spake or writ without Signs to confirm it that proceeded only from their Natural Reason and Knowledge as you see in the forecited 14 th chap. of the 1 st Epist. to the Corinth v. 6. That all their Epistles begin with the Declaration and Approbation of their Apostleship makes nothing against me for on the Apostles as I shall presently shew was not only bestow'd the gift of Prophesie but they had also Authority given them to teach and instruct Upon this ground the Apostles began and wrote their Epistles with the declaration of their Apostleship and perhaps to gain upon the Minds of their Readers and to stir them up to Attention did in the first place testify That they were those Men who by their Preaching were known to all Believers and who by such clear proofs had made it evident they taught the true Religion and right way to Salvation What I find in these Epistles concerning the Call of the Apostles and of the Divine and Holy Spirit wherewith they were inspir'd relates only to their Preaching except it be in those places where by the Spirit of God and the holy Spirit is meant only a sound right Judgment and a pure sanctify'd Mind devoted to God of which we have spoken in our first Chapter For example Paul in 1 Corinth chap. 7. v. 40. saith But she is happier if she so abide after my Iudgment and I think also I have the Spirit of God where by the Spirit of God is understood his own Opinion as the Context proves his meaning is that in his Judgment and Opinion the Widdow was happy who would not marry a second Husband for he himself had resolv'd to live single and therefore thought himself happy Of this kind we find other expressions which I think needless to mention If then it pass for granted That the Epistles of the Apostles were the dictates only of Natural Reason how could the Apostles only by Natural Reason teach those things which did not fall within the compass of it Consider what I have said in the seventh Chapter of this Treatise concerning the Interpretation of Scripture and we shall find no difficulty in the Question for tho' many things contain'd in the Bible often surpass our Capacity and Understanding yet we may safely dispute of them provided we admit of no Principles but what are fetch'd from the Scripture and upon this ground the Apostles might conclude collect and as they pleas'd teach many of those things which they had seen heard and were reveal'd to them Tho' Religion as it was preach'd by the Apostles in barely publishing the History of Christ is not to be comprehended by Natural Reason yet the principal and chiefest part thereof which consists as doth the whole Doctrine of Christ in moral Precepts and Instructions every Man by Natural Light may attain The Apostles did not stand in need of
thereby more inclin'd to obey God in those things which relate to Justice and Charity but we blame the Sectaries for not allowing other Men the same liberty they themselves take they count all Men be they never so honest and vertuous who are not of their Opinions the Enemies of God and persecute them as such but call those who are of their Mind God's Elect be they never so very Knaves which is the most pernicious wicked humour can possibly be in a Common-wealth To make it clear then how far in point of Faith every Man may extend his liberty of thinking what he pleaseth and upon whom we are to look as Believers tho' they differ in Opinion I resolve to shew in this Chapter what Faith is to declare what are the fundamentals of Faith and to distinguish Faith from Reason or Philosophy which is the chief design of the whole Treatise To do these things in order 't is necessary to put you in mind again what is the Scriptures principal intention for that will shew us the right Rule of determining what is Faith. We have told you in the preceding Chapter that the chief design of Scripture is to teach Men Obedience which no Man can deny for who doth not plainly see the Discipline of Obedience to be the main scope of the Old and New Testament The only End of both is to make Men obey God with all their Heart I need not repeat what I have already told you that Moses did not endeavour to convince the Israelites with Reason but to bind and oblige them by a Covenant by Oaths and Benefits he threatned those that broke the Law with punishment and encouraged the observers of it with Rewards which were means not to increase Knowledge but only to procure Obedience The Doctrine of the Gospel contains nothing but plain simple Faith namely to believe God and to reverence and worship him or which is the same thing to obey him There is no need of demonstrating a thing so evident or of heaping up Texts of Scripture that commend Obedience whereof there are many in both Testaments what a Man is to do to obey God the Scripture in many places declares namely that the whole Law consists in loving our Neighbour so that it must be granted that he in the Judgment of the Law is obedient who according to God's Command loveth his Neighbour as himself and that he on the contrary who hateth his Neighbour or cares not for him is rebellious and disobedient Lastly it must be confest that the Scripture was written and published not only for the Wise and Learned but for all people in general of all times Hence then must it follow that we are not commanded by Scripture to believe any thing else but what is absolutely necessary to enable us to perform and obey this Commandment so that this Precept is the only Rule of Catholick Faith and by it only all those fundamental Doctrines of Faith which every one is oblig'd to believe ought to be defined and determined which being clear and manifest and that from this Foundation only all things ought to be rationally deduced and derived Let any Man judge whether the many Disputes and Dissentions sprung up in the Church could have any other cause than those I mentioned in the beginning of the seventh Chapter which force me here to shew from this Foundation I have laid the manner and reason of stating and determining what are the true Doctrines and Principles of Faith for unless I do this and make it good by sure and certain Rules I have indeed hitherto done very little seeing otherwise every Man may introduce what he pleases under pretence that 't is a necessary means to Obedience especially when any thing comes into question concerning the Divine Attributes To proceed orderly in making the thing clear and plain I will begin with the definition of Faith which according to the Foundation I have laid ought to be thus defined Faith is to have such Thoughts or Opinions of God as make a Man obey him where such thoughts are not there is no Obedience and where they are Obedience necessarily follows such Opinions which definition is so clear and evidently follows from what we have already demonstrated that it needs no explication What follows from this definition I will briefly shew first that Faith of it self without Obedience is not able to save a Man as Iames saith Chap. 2. 17. Faith without Works is dead which is the Subject of that whole Chapter Secondly That he who is truly obedient must necessarily have Saving Faith for where ever there is Obedience there as I have said must be Faith which the same Apostle saith expresly in the 18 th verse of the said 2 d chap. Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works and Iohn in his 1 st Epist. chap. 4. v. 78. Every one that loveth his Neighbour is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love from whence it likewise follows that we can judge no Man to be a Believer or an Unbeliever but by his Works that is if his Works be good tho' in his Opinions he dissent from other Believers yet he is a Believer and if his Works be evil tho' in words he agree with others that believe he is an Infidel for where there is Obedience there must necessarily be Faith and Faith without Works is dead which Iohn in chap. 4. 13. expresly declares Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit which Spirit is Love for he said just before God is Love and concludes from his own Principles that he certainly hath the Spirit of God who hath Love and because no Man ever saw God he concludes that no Man can have any sense or knowledge of God but only by Love and that no Man can know any other Attribute of God but Love by partaking of it which Reasons if they do not absolutely convince yet they sufficiently explain St. Iohn's meaning What he saith in the 3 d and 4 th verses of his 2 d chap. in express words fully proves what we maintain And hereby saith he do we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments he that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him hence it again follows that they are Antichrists who persecute honest and just Men that differ from them in Opinion and do not maintain their Doctrines they that love Justice and Charity are thereby only known to be Believers and whoever persecutes such Believers is Antichrist Lastly it follows that Faith doth not require Opinions that are in themselves true but such only as are pious and incline a Man's Heart to Obedience There are many things that have not the least shadow of â—ruth in them which a Man may believe and yet be
ignorant that they are false otherwise he would necessarily be disobedient How cometh it to pass that he who is a lover of Justice and studies to obey God reverenceth that as Divine which he knows is no way agreeable to the Divine Nature Men may err in the simplicity of their Hearts and the Scripture as I have already said condemns stubbornness not ignorance which follows from the very definition I have given of Faith every part thereof being derived from the general Foundation before mentioned and from the main end and design of Scripture so that Faith doth not require from Men Opinions absolutely true in themselves but such only as are necessary to Obedience and to confirm a Man in love towards his Neighbour by which Love to use St. Iohn's expression every Man is in God and God in him Seeing then every Man's Faith in respect of Obedience or Disobedience and not in respect of truth or falshood is to be esteemed good or evil and seeing Mens dispositions are so various that none agree in all things but are so diversly sway'd by Opinion that what moves this Man to Devotion begets in another Laughter and Contempt it fâ—llows that to Universal Faith only those Doctrines are necessary concerning which amongst honest Men there can be no dispute those things that are of such a nature that one Man may account them Religious and another Irreligious are to be judged only by Works to Catholick Faith then those Doctrines only belong which beget in a Man Obedience toward God and of which if a Man be ignorant 't is impossible he should obey him in other things every Man according to the knowledge he that of himself may to establish himself in the love of Justice think what to him seemeth best which will take away all occasions of Dispute and Controversie in the Church Now I will not fear to name those Doctrines of Universal Faith or those Fundamentals of Scripture that by what I have proved in these two last Chapters tend all to this that there is a Supreme Being that loveth Justice and Charity to whom all that will be saved must be obedient and worship him in the exercise of Justice and love towards their Neighbour and from hence these several Positions clearly and easily follow First That there is a God or Supreme Being who is most just and merciful by whose Example every Man ought to regulate his life he that knoweth not or doth not believe that God is cannot obey him or acknowledge him to be his Judge Secondly That this God is one which Opinion is absolutely necessary to make a Man adore admire and love God for Devotion Admiration and Love are caused by that excellency which is in one above all others Thirdly That he is every where present or that all things are known to him for if any thing were hidden from him or if Man did not think that he seeth all things we might doubt of his Equity and Justice whereby he governeth all things Fourthly That he hath Supreme Power and Dominion over all things that he doth nothing by compulsion but of his own good Will and Pleasure all are bound to obey him and he no body Fifthly That the worship of God and obedience to him consists only in Justice and Charity towards our Neighbours Sixthly that only they who obey God by such a course of life will be saved and others who live Slaves to their Lusts and Pleasures will be condemned If Men did not firmly believe this there would be no reason why a Man should rather obey God than his own desires and pleasures Seventhly and lastly God pardoneth the sins of those that repent there is no Man living without sin and therefore if this were not an Article of Faith all would despair of Salvation and there would be no reason to believe God merciful but he who stedfastly believes that God through Grace and Mercy whereby he ordereth all things pardoneth Men's offences and is thereby more flamed with love towards God he knoweth Christ according to the Spirit and Christ is in him Every one of these things is necessary to be known that all Men without exception may obey God according to the prescript of the Law which we have already explained If you take away any of the aforesaid Positions or Doctrines there can be no Obedience but what God or what this exemplar of living well is Whether he be Fire a Spirit Light Cogitation c. it concerns not our Faith neither in what notion or respect he is an example for us to live by Whether it be because he hath a just and merciful Mind or because all things subsist and act by him and consequently we by and through him understand what is just and good it matters not what every Man thinks or concludes of these things neither is Faith concerned whether a Man believe that God is in respect of his Power Omnipresent or whether he govern all things by the freedom or necessity of his nature whether he prescribe Laws as a Prince or teach Eternal Verities whether Men obey God as free agents because they have freedom of Will or because they are necessitated by God's Decrees Whether the reward of good Men and the punishment of evil be natural or supernatural Faith is not concerned how a Man understands these things so long as he makes no conclusions whereby he may take a liberty of sinning or lessen his Obedience to God Of these Doctrines of Faith a Man may make such an interpretation as is most likely to make him believe and obey God chearfully without any reluctancy for as we have already shewn Faith was heretofore revealed and written according to the Capacity and Opinions of the Prophets and People of that time so that now also every Man is bound to apply his Faith to his own Reason in such a manner as may make him without the least doubting or reluctancy believe for as we have proved Faith rather requires Piety than Verity and as Faith cannot be pious and saving without Obedience so nothing but Obedience makes a Man a faithful Believer his Faith is not best who can give the best reasons for it but he that hath done the most and greatest works of Justice and Charity A Doctrine which must in all Mens Judgments be very wholsome and necessary in all Common-wealths for taking away the causes of much wickedness and many troubles Before I go further by what hath been said the Objections may be easily answered which were mentioned in the first Chapter where I treated of God's speaking to the Israelites from Mount Sinai for tho' that Voice which the Israelites heard could not give that people any Philosophical or Mathematical certainty of God's Existence yet it was sufficient to make them admire God under that knowledge they before had of him and incite them to Obedience towards him which was all that God purposed and designed in that spectacle it was not God's intention
purchase another new Tyrant So that there was no end of their Discords and Intestine Wars and the Causes of violating God's Law were still the same which could never end but with the Total Destruction of the Common-Wealth We have now seen how Religion began in the Iewish Common-Wealth and how the Government might have been perpetual if the Just Wrath of God would have permitted it to continue But because it would not therefore it perished I have here spoken only of their First Government the Second being but a Shadow of their First seeing they were still under the Power of the Persians After they obtained their Liberty of Cyrus the High Priests became their Princes by usurping the Supreme Authority the Priests having as great a Mind to the Crown as to the Mitre Of this Second Government I need say no more Whether their First Government as it was conceived Durable or Religious be a Pattern that may be followed will appear in the next Chapter For the Close of all I desire it may be particularly observed That by what hath been declared in this Chapter it is evident That Divine Right or Religion had its Beginning and Rise from a Covenant or Contract without which there is no Right but that of Nature and therefore the Iews were not obliged by any Precept of Religion to shew any Kindness towards any other Nations who were not concerned in the Covenant but only to those of their own Common-Wealth CHAP. XVIII Certain Political Maxims Collected from the Government and Histories of the Jews Commonwealth THough the Government of the Jews as it hath been describ'd in the preceding Chapter might have been perpetual yet 't is an Example that cannot now be follow'd nor is it advisable to put it in practice for if any Men would transfer their power upon God they ought to do it as the Jews did by an express Contract or Covenant so that not only the mind of them that transfer their power but also the Will of God upon whom the power is transfer'd ought to be known but God hath revealed by the Apostles that the Covenant of God shall no more be written with Ink nor in Tables of Stone but shall by his Spirit be written in our Hearts That form of Government under which the Jews lived might be very useful and convenient for them who lived alone without any foreign Trade or Commerce who kept themselves within their own Territories and separated themselves from all the rest of the World but 't is in no wise fit for People that live by trading with others and consequently it is to very few people that the Jewish government can be of any use or advantage but though it be a pattern that cannot be follow'd in all things yet there were in it many things very worthy of our observation and which are fit to be put in practice Because my intention is not to treat expresly of Government I will pass many things by and only take notice of those that make for my purpose Namely That it is not repugnant to the Kingdom of God to make Majesty Elective that is to chuse the Person or Persons who shall have the Supream Power of Government for after the Iews transferr'd their Power upon God they delivered the Supream Power of Governing to Moses who thereby had in God's Name the sole Authority of making and abrogating Laws of chusing sacred Ministers and likewise the sole power of teaching judging and punishing and though the Priests were Interpreters of the Law yet they had no power at all to judge the People nor to excommunicate any person for none could do that but the Judges and Princes who were chosen out of the People as appears Ioshua chap. 6. v. 26. where Ioshua adjured the people not to rebuild Iericho Iudges chap. 21. v. 18. where the Elders of the Congregation appointed what Women the Benjamites should marry to propagate their Tribe and 1 Sam. chap. 14. v. 24. where Saul commanded the People not to eat any food till Evening If we consider the Histories and Successes of the Iews we shall find other things very well worth our Observation First That there were no different Sects of Religion amongst them till after the Priests in the Second Government usurped the Supream Authority and the Power of making Laws To make their Authority lasting they took upon them the Power which the Princes had and at last would be called Kings The Reason is apparent for in the First Government nothing was made Law by the High Priest because he had no power of decreeing any thing his Business was only to return those Answers to the Princes and Council which were given by God So that at that time their High Priests could not desire to make new Decrees but only to do that which was their known Duty for they had no other way to preserve their Liberty against the Princes but by keeping the Laws free from Violation and Corruption but after the Priests got power of medling with matters of Government and of Priests became Princes then every one as well in Religion as other Affairs would have all things determin'd by the Pontifical Authority daily making Decrees which they would have to be as Sacred as the Laws of Moses so that Religion degenerated into horrible Superstition the true Sense and Interpretation of the Law was corrupted and the Priests after the Restauration attempting to get the Supream Power into their hands to gain the People so soothed and flatter'd them that they approved of all they did were it never so wicked and made Interpretations of Scripture suitable to their Humours and Practices which Malachy in express Words testifies reproving the Priests of his own time in this manner Mal. chap. 2. v. 7 8. The Priest's lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the law ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts And so goes on in reproaching them with interpreting the Law as they pleased with their respecting of persons and taking no heed to walk in God's ways It is certain that though the Priests were never so cautious and wary yet they were narrowly observed by the wiser sort who taking notice of the Priests Boldness declared That the People were not bound to the Observation of any Laws but those that were Written and that all Decrees made by the Priests which the deceived Pharisees chosen as Iosephus tells us out of the meanest of the People called the Tradition of their Fathers were not at all obligatory nor to be obey'd Without all doubt the High Priest's flattering the People the Corruption of Religion and the Multiplication of Laws became a great occasion of those Disputes and Controversies which could never be ended for when men in the heat of Superstition begin to quarrel and