effect by disenabling their apprehensions For knowledge or perfect apprehension applied to these subiects we speake of besides a representation of their logicall truth or correspondencie includes an impression of their esteeme vpon that part wherein the affection is seated The want of disposition to receiue such impression or rather the temper most opposite to it is that which in Scripture is called hardnesse of heart 10. From these grounds of true Philosophy we may reduce the reasons why the naturall man so hardly assents to matters of his owne saluation vnto these two heads The one because they are so directy opposite to the chief obiect of his corrupt desires the other because these are so strong and deeply diffused throughout the substance of our soules For all affections set on matters contrary to these we should affect according to the degrees of their strength more or lesse either mussle or sheath the edge of our wits that they cannot pierce into truth or goodnesse or weaken that intention of mind which should whether actiuely or passiuely worke the mutuall penetration betwixt truths proposed and the apprehensiue facultie Thus we see by experience that men proue most expert in those arts or sciences whereto they are most inclined by nature and are though otherwaies dull oft-times very witty in that subiect whereon their desires are chiefly set their conceits in others being vsually but forraine and borrowed from their delightful apprehensions of matters most familiar Our readinesse againe to belieue whatsoeuer is plesant to our nature or lies in the way to our especiall purposes plainly argues the backwardnesse of our beliefe in diuine misteries to be vsually if not wholly from naturall propensions to sensuality or secular contentment And that the former vnaptnes in youth especially to perceiue truths morall or theologicall doth not spring from any inherent dulnesse in the Intellectiue faculty were the motions of it towards such points proposed free vnfettered is euident in that their wits are in that age for the most part sharpest and able with ease to perceiue the truth of such Mathematicall conclusions as will hardly enter into riper iudgements much lesse doth this inconuenience spring from any faintnesse in their endeuours for their spirits are most liuely therefore onely from the abundance of affection or heat of passion which secretly disswade their vnderstandings from all acquaintance with such obiects as are repugnant to themselues Of laughter sayth the wise King thou art madde and of ioy and pleasance what is this thou doost Now these being the chiefe markes whereunto young men stretch their wits seldome haue we seene any of that ranke without extraordinary education to recouer their right mind in matters pertaining to God vntill he binde them on their beds of sorrow and scourge them with the roddes of affliction But then they become more docile auditors of sacred lore then men of mature age are vnlesse formerly accustomed to penitency or long trained in the scholle of Christ because the affections of youth though more violent in their motion are not so stiffe or stubborne in the habit and young mens hearts euen because vnconstant or lesse setled are more apt to repent then old mens are oft-times hardned by affliction through too much constancy in their wonted courses No man I thinke hath either so much or little acquaintance with suddaine passions as to be ignorant that their violence for the time being quite blinds the soule in such matters as at other times it sees most cleerely and drawes it oft-times to a liking of what it otherwise hath condemned From which experience reason free from partiality will collect that strength of habituall affection makes vs vncapable of diuine knowledge partly by hindering the natiue cleerenesse of the apprehension partly by weakning the Assent or adherence to what we apprehend partly by breeding an obstruction in the soule or by resisting the impression of such truths as contradict and countersway them For suddaine or violent passions differ from strong habituall affections or desires but as actuall motions do from inclinations or propensions 11 From these considerations we may gather that the vsuall distinction betweene the speculatiue and practique vnderstanding and the will ariserh not from any diuersitie in the faculty but onely in the obiects willed or vnderstood For of them some haue affinity or repugnancy to affections or propensions to their obiects and with referrence to these the intellectiue nature is denominated practique and is said to will or nill These termes in vsuall speech including alwaies a competition betwixt seuerall goodnesses proposed Others haue neither affinity or repngnancy at least directly with any sensitiue affection a naturall inclination saue onely that contemplation of the truth causeth such a transcendent delight in the intellectiue nature as euery conuenient obiect doth in its proper faculty and in respect of these the vnderstanding is denominated speculatiue A scholler might make shew of curious skill in metaphisicall contemplations as many yeers together as Scotus is said to haue studied the naturall motion of bodies before any practicall wit or polititian did either enuie or contradict him vnlesse it were to make himself sport whereas should he but defend som paradoxes of the like subiect in the Schools or seeme to know more of such matters then others of his profession doe he should quickly perceiue that he had stird a wasps nest Now as in the ciuell conuersation abroade or in publique societies a man may professe skil or insight in diuerse matters without emulation or corriualshippe but shall bee instantly crossed and thwarted if he seeme but desirous of acquaintance of some others or knowledge of the same truths in different companies so may our intellectiue faculty within this little world or domestick common-weale euery one of vs carries about with him affect some obiects without check of any contrarie desire or inclination but others he cannot so much as seriously think vpon without ielousies discontents reluctations or distractions The obiects whose contemplations exasperate no opposite propensiōs either to obscure their apprehensions retradate their assent or dull their impression are matters most abstract from vse of moral or religious life especially the mathematiques whereunto many Gentlemen are happily therefore most addicted because the most curteous studies they could conuerse with Their truth is certaine and their delight resulting from the apprehension of it sincere because not preiudiced by opposition of other desires Knowledge of generall Theorems breeds a longing after more particular corrolaries or conclusions which from the highest to the lowest as little controule any ambitious thought or wanton purpose as the most vniuersal principles in that faculty So is it not in moral discipline no not in the most vseful Poets or Historians in which many things wil often apply themselues and such as delight in the general wil be loath to diue too farre into particulars least they find the pictures of their owne passions or resolutions truly
helping and nourishing the poore For when Zacheus said Loe the one halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man I restore it fourefold Iesus answered and said This day is saluation come to this house was much as this man also is the sonne of Abraham For if Abrahams belieuing God were reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he likewise that giues almes according to Gods commandement belieues God and he that hath the truth of faith retaines the feare of God and he that retaines the feare of God hath God in his thoughts whiles he shewes compassion to the poore Therefore he workes because he belieues because he knowes all the word of God fore tels is true that the sacred scripture cannot lie that vnfruitfull trees i men barren of good workes must be cut downe and cast into the fire but the mercifull shall be called vnto the heauenly kingdome And in another place he cals such as are fruitfull in works faithfull denying this title to the vnfruitfull and barren If ye haue not beene faithfull in the vnrighteous Mammon who will commit the true riches to your trust And if ye haue not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who will giue you that which is your owne Saluianus * words here inserted in the margine imports no lesse 3. If the workes required by Saint Iames be not truely good without presupposall of saith nor iustification possible without presupposall of such workes the more opperatiue wee make Saint Pauls faith the more we rather draw then loose this former knot whose solution in this respect must be sought by vnfolding the diuerse acceptions of iustification Sometimes then it imports the decree or purpose of God to iustifie sinfull men as whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified About iustification in this sence there either is or neede to be no controuersie at least none pertinent to our present purpose But as God decreed before all times to create man yet did not create him vntill time had numbred sixe daies so although his purpose was from eternity to iustifie or absolue vs from our sinnes yet actually he doth not iustifie or absolue vs before we haue actuall being nor doth he iustifie all that haue such being but those onely which haue the seales or pledges of his calling of which whosoeuer are partakers are in a secondarie sence accompted iustified How shall we â—aith the Apostle that are dead to sin liue yet therein Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death All persons baptized may be accounted iustified in the same sence they are dead to sinne and dead all such are to sinne not really or actually but by profession in as much as by receiuing this outward seale of Gods couenant or other like pledges of his fauour they binde themselues to abrogate the soueraigntie of sinne in their mortall bodies and to giue their members weapons of righteousnesse vnto God Thus when the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all their saluation or iustification to whom he writes his meaning can be no other then this that all of them haue receiued vndoubted pledges of Gods mercy and neede doubt of iustification actuall or finall absolution so they walke worthy of their calling Their error whose rectification Saint Iames sought did consist in holding these outward seales or conspicuous tokens of Gods fauour whereby their Assent vnto his promises as true was confirmed sufficient to finall approbation or admission into the inheritance of Saints albeit they did not consent vnto euery part of the Law as good in the practise Concerning iustification thus taken there is at this day little or no controuersie vnlesle betweene the spirit and the flesh or betweene our owne conscience and Sathan who still labours to perswade vs this kinde of iustification might suffice Thirdly in as much as God decreed to iustifie man by faith which euen in such as are saued by it is not ordinarily perfected in a moment we are said sometimes to be iustified when the first seeds of that faith which by taking firme roote by fructification or perfection added by the immediate hand of God becomes saluificall are first sowne in our hearts Hee that hath but a resolution for the present syncere though variable to walke in all the waies of his God is in scripture often instiled iust or righteous and may by this resolution or purpose be truely said iustified in the sight of God not absolutely but in respect of opposite prophanenesse or expresse dissimulation If the righteous saith the Lord vnto his Prophet turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquities in his transgression that he committed and in his finne that hee hath sinned in them he shall die And againe The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of transgression c. when I shall say vnto the righteous that he shall surely liue if hee trust to his owne righteousnesse and commit iniquitie all his righteousnesse shall be no more remembred but for his iniquitie that he hath committed he shall die for the same And vnto such as are here specified though not vnto such alone that speech of Saint Iohn is litterally appliable Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc he that is righteous let him be righteous stil or more iustified Nor can that other of S. Paul be restrained to those that haue attained sauing faith or final absolution The hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the Law shall be instified That is God doth approue their deeds so farre as they are consonant to his law and accounts the syncere practise of morall dueries whereunto light of nature did leade the Gentiles much better then the outward obseruance of legall ceremonies or sabhatarian delight in hearing Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God saith our Sauiour to him that that had discreetely acknowledged this truth to loue the Lord withall the heart and with all the vnderstanding and withall the soule and withall the strength and to loue his neighbour as himselfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices Now if by such workes as the heathen or auditors of the Law not yet sanctified often practised much more by those workes which accompany true and liuely faith we may in a higher degree of the same sence be accounted iustified that is approueable in the sight of God or passiuely capable of a finall absolution or effectuall iustification And this was all Saint Iames meant in that assertion Yee see then how that a man of workes is iustified and not of faith onely which words are but equiualent to the like precedent what auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no workes
me for euer Doubts againe in other points apprehended and assented vnto though but conditionally or imperfectly yet by the habit of Christian faith are finally resolued into the article of the diuine prouidence which is to most others as vndoubted principles to scientificall conclusions whence faith admits such discourse or resolution as hath been mentioned in the former bookes 10. A speculatiue euidence likewise there is intensiuely as perfect as can be expected in most demonstratiue sciences but infinitely more pleasant though we respect only the transient delight of actuall contemplation and extensiuely no lesse though not for facilitie of its apprehension or number of persons to whom it so appeares yet for the multitude of necessary inferences vpon one and the same subiect all which might appeare most euident to all were not many of vs wilfully blinde slothfull or carelesse and yet discoursiue too because analitical the resolution I meane of Euangelicall testimonies into Propheticall predictions legal types or historical figures of the Messiah as in due place by Gods assistance shall be manifested If anie obiect that this resolution can be euident onely vpon supposition if the Scriptures of the old Testament were from God I must answere him as the Parents of that blinde man did the captious Iewes search them For their Characters rightly taken euidently signifie their vndoubted antiquitie to be greater then any record he can bring of this distinct vicissitude betwixt day and night summer and winter seed time and haruest or other seasons the possibility of whose interruption in times past may from some extraordinary changes within our memory be argued with greater probabilitie then any can possibly be brought why the bookes of holy scripture should be suspected for new and counterfait And the antiquity of the old Testament being euident the admirable consonancie of it with the new and multitude of manifest experiments euery kind fully answerable to their rules better ascertaines the truth of Gods promises contained in them then any induction natural reason can frame to proue either the vicissitude of times or seasons or reuolution of the heauens to haue been since the beginning perpetuall The truth of which conclusion as of many others in Philosophy for which great Artists thinke they haue demonstratiue reasons I professe I much better belieue and more euidently know from Gods couenant to this purpose recorded in sacred writ then from all the writings of Philosophers or any reason they or I can bring or our successors shall be able to finde although after vs they study this point till the foundations of the earth be shaken the elements melt with heat and the heauens be gathered like a scrole Yea further to me it seemes an euident demonstration from the effect that there is such a subtill Polititian as wee call the Diuell which cunningly bewitcheth or blinds the eyes of mens soules or else with golden balls auerts them from looking vnto those heauenly misteries in that they seeme either incredulous or improbable vnto such as can discerne the truth of curious and abstruse conclusions in secular arts 11. Lastly of those Articles which seeme to flesh and blood as is their distinct apprehension euen to Gods children in this life most impossible the possibility is directly euident That they shall actually be accomplished depends vpon resolution of promises made to vs in Scripture into his fidelity that hath promised whereof wee haue euident and full assurance The one ranke of especiall marks wherat these present meditations aime shal be to set forth these seueral euidences in the articles wherto they properly belong as the euidence of possibility in the Articles of creation and the resurrection of our mortall bodies the euidence of speculation in the Articles of the God-head diuine prouidence of Christs incarnation life death passion and resurrection the euidence likewise of internall sense answering to touch or taste in the doctrine of Original sinne and life euerlasting Not that Assent in respect of this obiect can be euident to mortality but that there may be a cleere distinct apprehension of such a disposition as hath been mentioned of body and minde more then naturall inclining our soules with patience to expect the accomplishment of those promises concerning ioyes vnspeakable in the world to come which though neuer formally represented may notwithstanding be fully assented vnto in this life as certainly future from sure experiments of his fidelity and ability that exhibited this present pledge or assurance whether the certaintie of future matters yet vnseene or vndistinctly apprehended can possibly in this life bee as great as the euident certaintie of their present assurances or vvhether delay or long expectation necessarily weaken faith as excesse in length makes bodies of equall strength more easie to be broken then if they were shorter hath a more fit place to be disputed in The euidence of Faith answerable to the euidence of bodily motion or impulsion must be reserued as Artists do difficult problems as an appendix to this worke finished he that is desirous of information in this kinde may finde rules not altogether impertinent to this effect in such as write of the triall of spirits or mysticall Theologie 12. Here some happily will demaund whether this Assent we treate of being of things past present and to come or of things partly seene and partly vnseene bee properly termed faith in respect of all or some of these onely For ought I haue obserued in Scripture or from the common vse of speech the name of faith is giuen to it especially in respect of things past or to come which are vnseen but this I dispute not It sufficeth that the habit of inherent grace whereby wee formally assent vnto all the obiects of Christian faith whether they include a relation vnto times present past or to come is one the same and may in part be defined an Assent vnto supernaturall truths reuealed in Scriptures firme in respect of all directly euident only in respect of some Or if any will exclude euidence from the definition because not incident to those obiects with reference to which this habit originally takes his name let him say it is a firme infallible Assent vnto supernaturall truths already past or hereafter to he manifested grounded vpon an experimentall euidence of others present or vpon a true knowledge of scriptures diuine truth or such points as they teach indefinitely considered without peculiar reference to this or that time 13. From these discussions about the imperfect euidence or certainety of some the inexhaustible capacity of all and the incomprehensiblenesse of the two finall obâ—ects of Christian faith life and death euerlasting the one distinctly apprehended in its pledge or assurance the other in its presignifications it may appeare the most natiue property of this Assent thus far differenced is admiration horror Admiration is properly of things rare and excellent knowne in part but not comprehended so as the more we know the more
hane fashioned my conceipt vnto the form of words wherein he expresseth his from which my phrase or dialect doth somwhat differ In the maine point we well agree that Faith is an assent as well vnto the goodnesse as vnto the truth of matters diuine That which hee with some auncient Schoole men tearmes certainty of adherence is in my dialect stability oâ— firmnesse of beleefe which I deriue not so much from the euidence or certainty of things beleened as from their worth and goodnesse All of vs by nature adhere more firmly to things of great and knowne worth then wee could doe vnto the very same if their worth either were in it selfe or by vs esteemed lesse albeiâ— their certainty were equall The next lesson which reason will hence learne is That vnto some truths our adherence may be more firme then vnto others of greater euidence and certaintie in case the former excell the later more in goodnesse then they are exexceeded by them in euidence and certaintie But seeing with the Romanist we admit the nature of faith to consist in Assent we might perhaps be thought to confine it wholy as hee doth to the vnderstanding an error iustly abandoned by most in reformed Churches who in this respect for the most part either define it not by Assent or else to make vp one entire and compleate definition match Assent with other tearmes not so well consorting with it as the rules of art in my occasions require To this purpose rather in defence of mine owne then any waie to preiudice other mens methods which must be measured by the end at which they aime the first and second Chapters are premised But some perhaps would reply that Assent being terminated vnto truth can haue no greater alliance with goodnesse then with those differences assigned vnto it by other writers reiected by vs not as false but as not formall And the obiection to speake the truth could not be put off as impertinent did we follow the Romanist in another erroneous principle not discouered much lesse disclaimed by such as most oppugne them from which principle notwithstanding the worst inconueniences can in this argument be obiected to their doctrine directly follow and are not so cleerely or fully auoided by those that contradict them as by vs that assent vnto them in defining Christian faith by Assent Not with the moderne pontifician onely but generally amongst the schoolemen faith and works are so dissociated as if they were of linages altogether distinct and had small or no affinity Most protestant writers acknowledge them to be of entire blood yet somewhat farther remoued then in my opinion they are The principall reason whereof as I coniecture is that they esteeme more of schoole-philosophy then schoole-diuinity and with the schoole-men specially Aquinas and his followers imagine the will and vnderstanding from which faith and good works in their â—erauldry seuerally discend to be faculties really distinct like brother and sister being indeed but two names or titles of one and the same intellectuall nature as truth and goodnesse their supposed really different obiects in matters morall differ onelie in degrees of apprehension as one and the same person knowne a farre off vnder the common notion of a man is oft times cleerely discerned by his approach to be an honest man and our louing friend Sutably to this true Philosophie learned out of the best professors of that facultie and to omitte other Schoole-men out of the wise and learned Gerson I place faith neither in the wil nor vnderstanding but in the intellectual nature as subiect to both these titles or appellations The inference hence taken is that faith although it be formally an Assent may be as imediately terminated vnto the goodnesse as vnto the truth of reuelations diuine And these being of all the matters that can be reuealed or knowne both in themselues and in respect of vs far the best I make that faith which primarily distinguishethâ— true Christian from an hypocrite or fruitlesse professor of orthodoxall religion to bee an assent or adherence vnto reuelations diuine as much better then any contrary good the world the diuell or flesh can present to peruert our choice of what they prescribe for our sauing health or habitually to interrapt or hinder the prosecution of their designes By these deductions drawne forth at large in the sixth Chapter the Reader may easily perceiue the linke betweene faith and works to be most immediate and essentiall This maine conclusion whereon the most of the Treatise following depends is further confirmed Chap. 7. by instances of sacred writers ascribing all the victories of Gods Saints ouer the world Diuell or flesh vnto faith or apprehension of diuine promises better then ought could come in competition with them all backsliding into euill or backwardnesse in good courses vnto want of faith or apprehension of Gods iudgements or threatnings as more terrible then any tortures which man can deuise against his fellow creatures Briefely the whole drift or scope of the Apostle from the later part of the tenth Chapter to the Hebrewes vnto the end of that Epistle iumps fully with the former conclusion Whereunto likewise the vsuall dialect of the holy spirit when he speakes absolutely not with reference to the solecismes of hipocrites or such as haue diuorced truth from honesty or set words and works at variance is exactly consonant It is generally obserued by all interpreters of sacred writ that the termes which it vseth to expresse the proper asts or exercises of sence and vnderstanding still include those affections or practique faculties which are most homogeneall to them The true reason whereof is not because hee who sees the heart and inspires it with faith speakes more vulgarlie or grosly but rather more metaphysically then many Diuines or Philosophers doe as supposing the truth before specified concerning the identity of the wil and vnderstanding with the essentiall combination of truth and goodnesse in matters practicall The consequences hence inferred and exemplified at large in the eight and ninth Chapters are in briefe vnto this purpose As the apprehension of diuine infalibility breeds an infallibility of perswasion or sure reliance vpon his promises so assent vnto his goodnes or imitable attributes assimulates our soules to them Euery obiect rightly apprehended or vnderstood imprints it similitude vpon the apprehensiue faculty The diuine nature therfore must leaue an impression or stampe in our soules as well of his goodnesse as of his veracity otherwise wee apprehend him who is essentially as good as true without any liuely apprehension of his goodnesse This stampe or character of goodnesse diuine is as a touch to drawe the soule as the Adamant doth the iron after it selfe and in this adherence of the intellectiue nature once touched with grace vnto the celestiall promises the definition of sauing faith is accomplished Chap. 9. whose generall or cheefe properties are set foorth Chap. 10. For conclusion of the first Section Chap. 11. I
vse of humane industry for attaining vnto the faith whose nature and properties are set forth in the first notwithstanding that such faith is the sole gift of God not wrought in part by vs but wholy created by him The points whereto our endeauours must bee addressed thou shalt easily perceiue by the titles of the Chapters onely let mee request thee to beare in mind Chap. 6. of Section 1. whi est thou readest the fowrth of this third as also to compare Chap. â— of Section 1. with the â— of this Order of doctrine did require that I should set down the nature properties of that faith by which the iust doth liue before I admonish for auoidance of misper swasions concerning the present cossession right vse or regiment of it and these againe were to be preuented before I direct for the right planting of it Notwithstanding he that desires to bee a doeâ— not a hearer onely of the truth must beginne where I end and first practise the rules giuen in the last Section and so proceed to the first and second Thus he shall finde euery Section suited to the three branches of his vowe made in Baptisme as they are set downe in the Catechisme authorised by our Church The first To for sake the Diuell and all his workes the pompes and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh The third Section expounds the meaning of this resolution shewing withall that serious endeauours to performe it are ordinarily precedent to the infusion of faith The second To beleeue all the articles of the Christian faith The nature and properties of this beliefe are set downe in the first Section The third to keep Gods holy will and commaundements and to walke in the same all the daies of this life How beleefe of the Creed doth enable vs to this obseruance is partly shewed in the first but more fully in the second Section wherein likewise is handled at large how far we are bound to obserue Gods commaundements How necessary prayers are eyther for attaining to this perfection or for absolution from all our sins after faith is infused which is an other principall part of that Catechisme the Reader may be informed by the later part of the same Section what it shall please any well-affected to aduise me of as eyther defectiue or amisse in this Treatise shal by Gods assistance be amended in my exposition of that Catechisme a worke vpon speciall occasions lately begun for the benefit of the vnlearned Besides these generalls euery part of this Treatise hath a peculiar vse for more commodious explication of the articles following The last Section hath speciall reference to the Article of euerlasting life The second to the articles of CHRISTS death his passion and comming vnto iudgement and containes withall an Elench of those vulgar fallacies which must be auoided before we come to search what certainety of iustification or saluation may be had in this life or of whom it may be expected The handling of these fallacies in my first intention was referred in the Articles concerning Christ and remission of sinnes The first Section hath a transcendent vse throughout all the Articles following what peculiar reference the seuerall passages of it haue to particular Articles wil better apeare in their seuer a explications wherunto my next labors are now consecrated God of his infinite mercy assist meinwardly with his grace and blesse me outwardly with that measure of health of vacancy from other businesse and whatsoeuer meanes he knowes fittest for his seruice To the Author SIr according to your request I haue perused your booke I would my occasions had beene such that I might haue ouerseene the Presse also I would haue thought no paines too much for this purpose partly for the loue I beare to the Author but specially for the liking I haue of the worke You know my nature farre from flattery and I know yours as free from ambition Yet if I should speak what mine heart thinks and as the truth would giue me leaue perhaps it might be subiect to misconstruction I will only say thus much I haue profited by reading of your booke and so I thinke will hee say whosoeuer shall reade it with deliberation and vnderstanding And so I leaue you and your labours to Gods blessing Your euer louing friend HENRY MASON A Table containing the principall arguments of the seuerall Sections and Chapters contained in this Booke SECTION 1. Of the Nature Essence and properties of that Faith by which the Iust doth liue Page 1. CHAP. 1 Rules of method for the right differencing of that Assent wherein Christian faith consists page 1. CHAP. 2 The vsuall diuision of Faith or Assent into historicall and saluificall not so form all as rightly to fit the method proposed p. 5 CHAP. 3 What Assent is whence the certaintie firmenesse and stabilitie of it properly arise p 8 CHAP. 4 What correspondencie euidence and certaintie hold in Assents or perswasions what measure of either in respect of what obiects is necessarily required to the constitution of that Assent wherein Christian faith consists p 11 CHAP. 5 The seuerall kindes of euidences whereof some are appliable vnto faith in respect of certaine Articles others in respect of other That the certaintie of faith in respect of diuine truthes not euident is grounded vpon an euident certaintie of others the propertie naturally arising from this difference of Assent as it is of obiects partly knowne and partly vnknowne p 19 CHAP. 6 The mutuall affinity betwixt truth and goodnesse the reall identity of the will and vnderstanding that the Assent of faith cannot be so appropriated to the one as to be excluded from the other that admitting such a difference betwixt them as true Philosophic may approue faith in respect of some obiects must be attributed to the will in respect of others to the vnderstanding the originall of difficulties in assenting to morall obiects or of the naturall mans back wardnesse to beleeue truths diuine what dependance other Christian vertues haue on faith that to adhere vnto diuine reuelations as good not simply considered onely but comparatiuely or with opposition to anie other good is altogether as essentiall to faith rightly Christian as to beleeue or acknowledge them for true p 32 CHAP. 7 Illustrating and confirming the conclusion last inferred by practies properly ascribed to faith in Scripture as well Canonicall as Apocryphall of hypocrisie and the contrarie progresse obserued by it and Christian faith p 54 CHAP. 8 That knowledge of morall obiects in sacred dialect includes the affections concomitant The exact conformitie or correspondencie betwixt the Assent or adherence resulting from such knowledge and the proper obiect whereto it is applied p 80 CHAP. 9 What manner of knowledge it is whence the last and proper difference of that Assent wherein Christian faith consists doth result the complete definition of such faith p 92 CHAP. 10 Of the generall consequences
the well of life into the fountain of our corrupt affections otherwise then by drops whose soft instillations during the time of our infancy in CHRIST bring forth such transient apprehensions or imperfect tastes as rather breed a longing after the like againe then any waies enable vs to discerne aright the nature and quality of what is past that so the loue of these euerlasting truths neuer comprehensible in this life thus secretly kindling by degrees insensible in our soules might at length breake forth into a flame much more ardent and durable then if our apprehension at first acquaintance with them had been as euident certaine as our first Parents had of them in Paradise or Lucifer before his fall 7. Thus granting euidence and certainty to liue and die together like Hippocrates twinnes oâ— rather the latter to follow the former as closely as Iacob did Esau out of the wombe we may conclude that as well the euidence as certainty of that Assent wherein Christian faith consists is in some respects lesse in others as great as can be found in any science Both in many at least rightly enioying the name of Christians are directly much lesse whiles we compare particulars with particulars as beliefe of seuâ—rall Articles with Assent to demonstratiue conclusions The certainty notwithstanding of this generall resolution That all diuine truths proposed in Scriptures are most vndoubtedly to be embraced though with opposition to all other professions is as great as can be found in any scientificall conclusion because manifestly grounded vpon euidence as great as can be required in the vndoubted maxims or common principles of exact sciences For vnto breasts inspired with such inward comfort in this life as may nurse hope of â—oies vnspeakable in the life to come or vnto consciences so wounded with the sting of sinne as thence to conceiue fearefull expectation of horrible torments after death the wisdome of this choise most firmely and constantly to adhere vnto all diuine truthes whatsoeuer speculatiue or practique particular or generall though apprehended directly in themselues neither as euident nor certaine but in some high degree of probability rather then to endanger the hopes of life or increase feares of death eâ—erlasting either by open renouncing their profession or vnconstant wauering betweene the practices they prescribe and the contrary which the world followes is most clâ—â—re and euident In the iudgement of such as will not be partiall for sensuality against the euident testimony of meere naturall reason the reiection of the former choice vpon such experience of vncouth ioies and terrours includes more degrees of extreame folly and desperate madnesse then can be imagined of certainty in any science or of prudence in any other morall consultation No heathen Philosopher though vnwilling because wanting all such experience to renounce his profession but would haue condemned him as more brutish then any beast that hauing such would doubt to continue the former resolution Now this firmenesse or constancie of adherence vnto diuine truthes in particular thus grounded vpon an euident and certaine appehension of true wisdome in the former generall choice may serue as the first difference of that Assent which is necessary to the being or constitution of a true Christian which primarily distinguisheth him from an Hypocrite or worldling Whether more be not required to full assurance of our actuall state in grace and fauour of the sonnes of God is hereafter to be discussed CHAP. V. The seuer all kinds of euidences whereof some are appliable vnto Faith in respect of certaine Articles others in respect of other That the certainty of Faith in respect of diuine truths not euident is grounded vpon an euident certainty of others the properly naturally arising from this difference of Assent as it is of obiects partly knowne aud partly vnknowne 1. THe Conclusion last inferred as I maintaine not either against any lawfull authority that shall commaund or learned diuine that will instruct me to the contrary so left herein to my Christian liberry I would aduise men of mine owne profession not to content themselues with such generall euidence or certaintie albeit perhaps sufficient to some of their flocke honestly minded but dull in apprehension of particular diuine truthes Wherefore as well to encourage such as are come thus farre to goe further as to occasion the learned to looke more narrowly into these points it will not be amisse to set downe the seuerall kindes of euidence and which of them may in this life be had of points belieued 2. Euidence according to the Etimologie of the Latine word includes a cleere distinct and full apprehension of obiects present and is most properly applied to the objects of sight Amongst them such are most euident as are most visible or apt to inforce their apprehension vpon the eye whence the Sunne of all visibles is held most euident because such as cannot see it can see nothing and hardly canany sight be so distempered as to be mistaken in the apprehension of it Hence is this appellation translated to obiects of the speculatiue vnderstanding because that faculty hath most affinity with sight And with reference to it those things are said to be most euident that are of easiest apprehension or most apt to imprint their truth vpon it Such for the most part are mathematicall principles common notions or maxims generall to all sciences For scarcely can any distemper of body or minde phrenzy excepted worke any distrust whether the whole be not bigger then it part whether all right angles are equall or whether ademption of equal portions from things equal leaue not such equality betwixt them as it found And in this sence it will be impossible to assigne any obiect of christian faith so vniuersally euident as these maxims are for vnto the meere naturall man most diuine tâ—uthes are distastefull none so euident as to enforce their apprehension vpon his heart vntill he be cured of his naturall distemper 3. But as light to the eie so to euery other sense the proper obiect within iust distance is most euident albeit distemperance in them may more easily breed either a dulnesse in the apprehension or an error in the composition as cold in the head either obstructs or corrupts oursmel albeit odoriferous obiects be present bad humors either dead the taste or by imprinting an apprehension of themselues make meates sweete and pleasant seem bitter sower or loathsome according to the seuerall vngrateful noisome qualities which they communicate to the organ Vnto this last kinde of euidence all Assent to matters morall is more properly resembled and vpon this such as write of mysticall Theologie for the most part ground their discourses 4. Besides these sorts of euidences arising from exact proportion betwixt the passiue capacities of particular senses and the actiue force of the obiects to imprint their shapes vpon them an euidence there is of bodily impulsion or motion whereunto in the minde is answerable an
wee desire to know of them This affection it was which first brought forth philosophy according to the dunsticall prouerbe propter admiraricaeperunt homines philosophari and as an excellent Philosopher tels vs mindes naturally disposed to admire things strange secret oâ— vncouth are the fittest for this study Belike want of this disposition in moderne wits hath beene the cause we haue added so little to the inuention of the ancient in this noble science Nor should I much deplore this defect in vs that haue giuen our names vnto diuinity if the lesse wee minded such problems as nature propounds the more earnestly wee set our affections vpon heauenly things or more faithfully employed our best faculties in discouering these celestial obiects in themselues much more worthy of contemplation as distinctly apprehended in part albeit the latitude length and profundity of their internall credibility be infinitely more incomprehensible In all which respects they are more apt as to begin so to continue a longing after that which is behinde But I know not how the Philosophers fields looke like gardens and the Paradise which wee are set to dresse like an heath or wildernesse The theoricall part of Theologie becomes loathsome vnto many being for the most part wholy attired in slouenly tearmes of triuiall Arts whiles the beauty of the practique is thought chiefely to consist in the flourish of Scripture phrases or embellishment of popular discourses with diuine sentences most admirable I must confesse in themselues but like Scanderbegs sword in a weakelings arme vsually loosing their edge and strength whilest not mannaged by that affection or disposition from which they sprung Nor is it possible the Prophets flowers should retaine their natiue odour of life in our lippes without such influence from our hearts as they had from theirs Nor can our hearts be fitly qualified for this purpose without a deepe and penetrant apprehension of what they haue discouered or new discoueries of our owne without assiduous and accurate obseruation of that heauenly order exact proportion and sweet aspect which the seuerall rowes of these plants of life growing in this great nurserie of wonderment and admiration haue each with other He that thinks as much hath been as can be said concerning these diuine mysteries hath doubtlesse forgotten who is their author and saith in his heart God is growne old or the spirit weary of teaching his children Let vs therefore as many as be or would be perfect be so minded as the Apostle was Doubtlesse saith he I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe â—udge them to be dung that I might win Christ That I may knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable vnto his death If by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead not as though I had already attained vnto it or were already perfect but I follow if that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus Brethren I count not my selfe to haue apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth vnto those things which are before I presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS This obseruation in this place I rather touch because who list to examine shall vpon sure triall finde that admiration springing from calme and quiet contemplation of harmony amongst these heauenly mysteries wil be as an armour of proofe to his most firme and best Assent better enabling it to resist all the fiery darts of Sathan especially to neglect the wanton allurements of the flesh or fairest proferres the world can make then the strongest perswasions he can enforce vpon himselfe by perpetuall gazing vpon that point whereat we all hope to arriue but from whose direct aspect it would argue no error sometimes a little to deflect our course to haue our sailes filled with these sweete and gentle blasts which may well stretch our harts with ioy but neuer puffe them vp with pride 14. As for the contrary affection of horror and astonishment arising from the sting of conscience imperfectly representing the vnknowne terrors of that dreadfull day and casting our soules as it were into a spice or grudging of that deadly scorching feuer wherwith the wicked and impenitent shall euerlastingly be tormented the best course were to stop the progresse of it by subcracting the fewell Yet seeing these our mortall bodies can neuer be free from matter too much of this disease it will not be much amisse for the best of vs to allot selected howres for the attentiue hearing of such complaints as our own consciences vpon iust occasions will present vnto vs or otherwise when none are offered to addresse our contemplations to take a perfect view of that infernall region where no goodnes growes nor misery euer fadâ—s No danger can accrew froÌ„ either practice but rather great aduaÌ„tage to sinful soules if not possessed with preiudicial coÌ„ceits of vtter exclusion from that eternall league of grace and peace or of abâ—olute damnation to that lake from which is no redemption But to what vse the contemplation of hell torments may serue Gods children at the full by Gods assistance in the last Article of this Creed CHAP. VI. The mutuall affinity betwixt truth and goodnesse the reall Identitie of the will and vnderstanding that the Assent of Faith cannot be so appropriated to the one as to be excluded from the other that admitting such a difference betwixt them as true Philosophy may approue faith in respect of some obiects must be atributed to the will in respect of others to the vnderstanding the originall of difficulties in assenting to morall obiects or of the naturall mans backwardnesse to beleeue truths diuine what dependance other Christian vertues haue on faith that to adhere vnto diuine reuelations as good not simply considered onely but comparatiuely or with opposition to any other good is altogether as essentiall to Faith righly Christian as to beleeue or acknowledge them for true VNto some not ill affected towards the truth we seeke perhaps the manner of the search may seeme iniurious vnto Christian faith in that restraining it to Assent we may be thought to confine it wholy to the vnderstanding the greatest glory of whose prerogatiue consisteth in reformation of the will and this a cure in some mens iudgements not dischargeable but as it were by personall residence in that part or faculty of the soule And vnto some great Diuines it seemes improbable if not impossible that faith being no aggregated accident but one pure immixt simple quality should haue it seate in two diuers subiects or mansions for such they account the will and vnderstanding because as they suppose two seuerall parts or faculties of the reasonable soule really distinguished one from another But in
rather morall then meerely speculatiue nor can wee euer vnderstand them a right but we must vnderstand them as good to vs. But though so to vnderstand any obiect be the cleerest and best â—â—ration or definition the most acute follower Aquinas hath can giue of will or volition yet vnto many not much addicted vnto either it will I doubt seeme a doctrine new and strange that we should will whatsoeuer we vnderstand to be good to vs. 5. But Truth I hope shall not be worse entertained by the ingenious and courteous Reader because a stranger Rather then it should it shall learne the common language after some briefe aduertisements for auoiding the errors thence occasioned or for discouering the originall of the former vnnecessary distinction which doubtlesse was for want of another more needfull betwixt our intellection or approbation of good whilest simply considered in it selfe and whilest compared either with some other more familiar good we must forgoe or some euill which would befall vs if we should continue or accomplish our former choise or approbation For as a candle though as truly bright as visible remaines only visible and rather obscure then bright while actually compared with the mid-day Sunne so our vnwillingnesse to purchase the good which we late approued appearing most cleere and euident from actuall refusall of it and free choise of the contrarie when we come to examine the termes or conditions vpon which it is profered doth quite ouershadow and drowne all former acts of our will or desire to haue it as simply considered and leaues only a conceit of it as true in the braine Yet that both are properly acts of the will or desires is most apparant in matters of secular vse or commodity For euery man knowes it is one thing to desire a commodity simply another to accept it at such a rate A mans vnwillingnesse to giue fiue hundred pound for a Farme doth not argue his vnwillingnesse to haue it gratis or if hee perfectly knew another purchase to be as well worth a thousand his willingnesse would be the same to haue it for fiue hundred as to haue the former gratis Thus many diuine truths are in our first apprehensions assented vnto as good and therefore truly willed whilest simply considered which yet we euidently refuse or will when we come to question about their price And this later act obliterating all impression of the former we vsually appropriate that vnto the vnderstanding though as much belonging vnto the wil. For I neuer knew any so idle or dissolute but would diuerse times wish hee were like some godly men whom he will not imitate and yet his wish to be like them is as proper an act of the will as his vnwillingnesse to imitate them this later notwithstanding wee vsually appropriate to the will though equally appertaining to the vnderstanding would wee make an equall comparison In the former we cannot but will diuine truths simply because simply considered wee vnderstand them as good in the later we do not therefore truly will them because wee doe not at the instant of choyce apprehend or vnderstand them as good being compared either with some entising sensuall good or much seared euill their prosecution would depriue vs of or procure vs. For as in the Article of euerlasting life by Gods assistance shall be shewed it is impossible the intellectiue nature should will or chuse a lesse good before a greater vnlesse there be a defect in such acts as are confined vnto the vnderstanding euen by such as distinguish it from the vvill as either the representation of the good in grosse acknowledged for greater is not formall distinct or cleere or because the approhension is dull or the impression weake Here it contents me that in this resolution I follow our Apostles forme of speech To will sayth he is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Thus he attributes the first act of the intellectiue nature whereby he assented vnto diuine truths contained in the lawe of God as good whilest simply considered vnto the will that afterwards hee effected not the purchase of what he so willed or approued hee ascribes not to anie peculiar defect in the will but to want of abilitie arising partly from the strength of sinnefull affection partly from weakenesse or insufficiencie of Assent or inclination of the minde as it comprehends both the will and vnderstanding 6. But is there no difference betweene Truth and Goodnesse no vse of any distinction betwixt the will and the vnderstanding Yes wee deny not all but had rather seeke a true difference betweene the one couple and a commodious distinction between the other Truth precisely considered includes a right apprehension or representation of the obiect whether actuall or possible As the representation of a winged horse or Hippocentaure or Chymera is false but of a winged Eagle true because the Eagle actually is the horse possibly cannot be such Although it were all one in respect of our ends or purposes whether the Eagle had fowre feet without feathers or the horse wings without feet Goodnesse as in common vse of speech it is made the peculiar obiect of the will besides the true representation of the obiect or conformitie of our imagination to it as hauing actuall or possible being includes a conueniencie in respect of vs or oppertunity of furthering our desires That properly is good which is agreeable that bad which is contrary that indifferent which is alike farre from contrarietie or agreement to such affection as we haue or should haue 7. Notwithstanding this distinction whilest we consider the whole latitude of obiects good and true Truth and Goodnesse in morall matters fully apprehended are in a sort coinsident altogether as vnseparable as sound and melody are in a pleasant consort to attentiue eares within iust distance And as of sounds perceiued by one and the same â—are some are dissonant some consonant some neither one nor other to the internal harmony or constitution of our soules so of truths assented vnto by one and the same intellectiue faculty some are pleasant some distastfull some indifferent in respect of our desires or morall purposes Such as are either indifferent in their nature or essence or vnto some certaine point or degree of apprehension we are sayd to apprehend or conceiue as meerely true And this apprehension or conceit we vsually appropriate to the vnderstanding not that it absolutely excludes euery degree or branch of goodnesse but all besides that immanent delight which floweth from the bare representation or is comprised within the impression made vpon the apprehensiue faculty neuer diffusing it selfe into any other part of the soule saue only that which first entertaines and embraceth the obiect vnapt either by internall nature or imperfect apprehension to make any further entrance As the bare quality of light though not accompanied with any other visible ornaments after long darknesse pleaseth the eye so doth
the meere dispelling of ignorance which is as blindnesse to the minde or cleere manifestation of truths how abstract simple soeuer if before obscure and vnknowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vnderstanding and therefore containe as many 〈◊〉 of goodnesse as they quench of our naturall thirst after knowledge â—â— true it is what was intimated before that the most slender truth we can imagine is a surface not meerely Mathematicall but Physicall of goodnesse the greatest good we can desire but a solidity of truâ—â— Whence as truth and goodnesse are one in that incomprehensible fountaine from which they flowe so shall our apprehensions of them when we come to a distinct view thereof be coincident For it includes a contradiction that we should apprehend the truth of that obiect in whose actuall contemplation or apprehension consists the greatest felicity out humane nature is capable of otherwise then as the greatest good conceiueable Such is the glory of the God-head bodily dwelling and personally shining in the Man CHRIST IESVS This is a truth so cleere so sweet and solid as will in the first moment of its distinct apprehension throughly quench our extreame thirst after knowledge and at once more fully satiate all our desires whether of truth or goodnesse then the light of the Sunne in his strength doth the appetite of sight So strict is the cleere vnion of his truth and goodnesse both infinite in him and will fill euery corner and angle of our apprehensiue faculties euen whiles the sight thereof enlargeth our capacities to comprehend ten thousand times more then before they could So forcible againe is the attractiue influence thence diffused throughout our soules as will perfectly vnite our most distracted appetites or inclinations into one maine flame of desire to continue holy as he is holy we shall not then say This is profitable That is pleasant but yonder other truly good and honest For this sanctitie whereby we are made conformable to that Holy one and capable of his glorious presence shall become all in all as it were a perfect vnity of the former Trinity 8. But in this life from imperfection partly of the obiects apprehended partly of our apprehension we frame vnto our selues distinct conceits as of profit pleasure and honesty so likewise of truth and goodnesse That truly is a morall good and absolutely honest which qualifies our soules for better attaining that blessed sight of our Redeemer To our nature taken in this life as it is all that generally is good and the compleate obiect of mans corrupted will which besides the delight directly arising from the representation of its nature or possession of its right shape or resemblance inflames other parts of the soule with a desire of further vnion with it or more reall fruition of it and emploies our motiue or practique faculties for bringing the match about Rightly to apprehend or finde out the true conceit or notion of Temperance or that harmony of affections which is required to this or other morall vertues doth as much delight the soule as contemplation of those Mathematicall proportions betwixt sounds whence melody resultes But so to apprehend this vertue as to take denominatioÌ„ from its acquaintance includes further such a loue and liking of this Idea or image in the braine as causeth vs submit all our affections to it to addict our best abilities to the seruice of it and direct our actions to attaine familiarity with so beautifull and chaste a mistris as it represents All morall knowledge if it be perfect includes as great a delight in the exercise or practice of duties subordinate or the internall sense of that consort or concordance the sensitiue affections haue one with another and all with reason as men vsually take in the hearing of melodious sounds For practice or right composall of affections being the end as the Philosopher teacheth of all morall discipline knowledge in that subiect is imperfect vnlesse it bring foorth good actions with ioy Whence a meere contemplator of moralities and a moralist differ as if a Musitian besides his skill to set a graue or pleasant lesson should further out of the honesty of his minde desire to heare it perpetually sung or to haue his spirits alwaies so composed as they are whilst externall harmony workes vpon them But as a man either by dulnesse of hearing farre distance or intentiuenesse on other obiects may perceiue the sound indistinctly and yet be nothing at all affected with the melody so may he likewise as most haue an imperfect or confused notion of morall doctrines as true without delight in their practice neuer moued with that internall harmonie of affections which is most sweet and pleasant to all such as haue their wits at home and their mindes attentiue to such musicke 9. That this sufferance of our imaginations to wander abroad or fixing our desires on forraine obiects doth either altogether hinder the forcible impressions of morall truths vpon our soules or worke such disturbance in our conceits as great noises do in men intentiue vnto contemplations needs no further confirmation then euery mans owne experience The reason is as plaine as the thing it selfe is true for euen our most abstract speculations or apprehensions suppose an inclination of the soule though this in some be scarce sensible because but weake as the obiect is but slender in others much weakned either for want of positiue attention or renitency of some contrary inclination The ground of this assertion we take as granted by all because for ought we know neuer denied by anie that whether the vegetatiue sensitiue and intellectiue faculties haue their distinct soules or substances for their seuerall originals or all spring from one the inclinations of all three are so vnited in one common center that the intention of one doth alwaies hinder the execution of what another intends and diminish the natiue force of the soule in all by dissipation or distraction Thus intention of minde as hard students know much weakens the digestiue faculty by this meanes comming euen with the belly whose seruice most binders all true deuotion or contemplation But more offensiue are the contrary inclinations of one and the same facultie when they come to band directly one against another From this diuision of inclinations within vs it is that Mathematicall truths are easily assented vnto by youth which as the Philosopher obserues rather recite morall duties by rote then belieue them because these in his phrase of speech are not knowne but by experience And seeing experience as he elsewhere notes ariseth from many memories of the same obiect all presupposing distinct apprehensions of its truth Impossible it is youth should either haue experience or true knowledge of moralities vntill affection or passion bee asswaged Nor doe these whilest vnnurtured disenable young men onely for action or practice of what is good as the same Philosopher or some for him may seem to say Rather euen this backwardnesse to practice they especially
to shake off the yoke of Romish ciuill tyranny neuer had her blasphemous positions been publiquely held in such detestation as now they are Whence hardly could anie doctrine of diuels haue beene distastfull to our distempered soules which had vnaware sucked deadly poison with our first nurses milke If Princes againe or Potentates had not held the doctrine of the Trinity as an ancient religious custome no way preiudiciall but rather aduantagious to their states and therefore religiously to be obserued either discontented Prelates crossed in their ambitious hopes of honour or such curious contemplators as hold ciuil honour in contempt out of vain-glorious affectation of fame amongst posterity by new inuentions had wrought the maior part of Christendome to their faction so as Arrianisme or some worse heresie had long ere this been established by nationall constitutions 14 The necessitie of these collections depends vpon the vnquestionable truth of this maxim which in the sequell will manifest it selfe that carnall desires or resolutions of equall strength are alwaies a like forcible to weaken alter or inuert our Assent to any one point of beliefe as to another if the opposition be a like direct and our beliefe is of it selfe soonest mis-led or infeebled in matters most remote from light of nature as is the Article of the Trinity This obseruation of diuerse coniunctions or oppositions betwixt mens carnall affections and seuerall points of beliefe is the chiefe part of Sathans astrologie whereby he forecasts the fall of most in sundry ages by meanes in shew most contrary in issue the same By this skill he brings his matters so about that the greater part of mankind in latter daies in their owne conceit louingly embrace Christianity vpon the same grounds or motiues that disposed the heathen so bitterly to oppugne it eleuating the one as high in hipocrisie or Pharisaicall perswasions of their misgrounded faith as he depressed the other in infidelity or malignancie to the Gospell It is a rule againe as cleere and indeficient that either habituall neglect of particular duties enioined or indulgent practice of euill forbidden by Gods word do as euidently euince want of true faith in professed Christians as oppugnation of the whole frame of Christianity doth in infidels or of some principall parts in Arch heretiques Difference there is betwixt them none in the internall constitution of the minde onely the doctrine of faith by alteration of times publicke constitutions or references to som priuate ends gets a coniunction with the ones predominant carnall affections retaining opposition with the others The reason of both assertions is perspicuous to the intelligent for seeing supernaturall obiects compared with others exceed them further in worth then in certainty or credibility we must if rightly both certainly and firmly Assent vnto them not onely as truer then any arguments can bee brought against them but as much better then any profit pleasure or other good the world flesh or diuell can profer vnto vs. Both parts of this certaine and firme Assent must be vniuersal in respect of the obiect and perpetuall in respect of time for as he is not to be held an orthodoxal professor that acknowledgeth the speculatiue or general diuine truth of all the Articles in his Creed or matters proposed by the word of God whiles none gaine-sayes but doubts or recants while the aduersary oppugnes them so is he not to be reputed a sincere faithful christian but rather tainted with hypocrisie that assents vnto the goodnes of diuine precepts whiles temptations are far off but disesteems them in the choice whiles they come in competition with sensual pleasure worldly goods ciuil honour estimation or the like And if we could perswade our selues to a liking of scripture phrase which doubtlesse hath a more fresh and liuely form of wholsome doctrine then Aquinas summes or his followers disputes this Assent vnto diuine matters especially such as peculiarly concerne mans saiuation as perpetually good is a more essentiall part of Christian faith then the acknowledgement of their truth which is a difference proper to an orthodoxall professor of Christianity but remote to a faithfull man or true Christian as he is distinct not onely from Infidels or Hereticks but from Libertines or Hippocrites Thus defect in practice is censured by the spirit of God for vnfaithfulnesse albeit euery omission of good or commission of euil doth not conuince the delinquent of absolute infidelity nor is euery intemperate or incontinent act a iust imputation of incontinencie or intemperancy But as euery partiall defect is a degree or portion of vnfaithfulnesse so if the delinquencie bee habituall without remorse or ioined with indulgence it truly denominates the delinquent an Infidel in his sight that knowes his heart So the Psalmist vsually stiles the wicked and obstinate Israelites by the name of Heathens albeit they renounced not the profession of the true God 15. Our vsuall appropriating this delinquency whether habituall or by intermission actual vnto a peruersity or vntowardnesse of the will as if it did not necessarily argue a correspondent defect or weaknesse of that Assent which we call faith and most suppose to be placed in the vnderstanding onely may hence appeare to be a soleeisme of the Romish language in that to the redresse of this enormity no peculiar reformation of the will or other intellectiue faculty we can imagine distinct from the vnderstanding is required sole fortification of the former Assent in what part of the soule soeuer it be seated or abatement of the contrary desire or inclination inherent for the most part in the sensitiue faculty will suffice Yet it may be such as first vsed this dialect now much abused by the Papacie did take the will in such a generall or catachresticall sense as Saint Augustine doth where vnder this name he comprehendeth not only the inclination rational or intellectuall vnto good but euery appetite desire or motion of the inferiour or sensitiue part whose reformation is in part presupposed as necessary but principally consequent to true Christian faith whose first office ere it selfe be perfect is to subdue affections or keep them vnder from doing euil afterwards to vse them as instruments in doing anie good the word of God shal commend vnto vs. Whence it may bee questioned whether this Assent should not belong vnto the sensitiue faculty in which the Philosopher for the reason late alleadged hath placed moral vertue not altogether incongruously to his speculatiue positions For if the efficacie of agents or terme of their actions be in the Patient moral vertue consisting especially in the modulation of sensitiue desires or affections vnto reason may wel bee referred vnto that part of the soule wherein affections are placed which in respect of the intellectiue faculty is patient Or perhaps to speake more properly and reconcile Aristotle with his master Plato moral vertue may consist partly of a directly or commaunding power in the vnderstanding partly of a submissiue obedience
or right mixture of our sensitiue desires or affections Or lastly seeing in true Philosophy the faculties sensitiue and intellectiue are but branches of one and the same soule or at the most but two parts of that compleat forme which distinguisheth a Man from creatures inanimate and takes from him life sense and reason all at once by it departure this Assent of faith being such as we haue sayd may most commodiously be placed in the common center wherein sensitiue and intellectiue inclinations concurre whence it may easiliest commaund the motions of both and diffuse it force and vertue throughout the whole substance and euerie faculty of the humane soule 16. If the Reader be desirous to haue the definition of faith or that part of it which naturally ariseth from this discourse comprehended as the schoole fashion is in two words he shall not much mistake if he terme it a spirituall prudence which includes as much as an Assent of the inteliectiue faculty able to ouersway and moderate the sensitiue or generally all humane affections or inclinations The Romanists conceit that Christian charity should informe true liuely faith is as preposterous as if we should say the affection doth informe the vnderstanding or vertues morall the intellectuall or if we speake of the loue wee beare to God the analogie of speech is no better then if wee should say the gratefull memory of pleasant obiects informes the faculty that perceiues them In what part of the soule soeuer this Queene of vertues lodge it hath the same commaund ouer our affections or practique powers that sense or appetite hath ouer the progressiue faculty which nature hath giuen to sensitiue creatures for accomplishmēt of their necessary desires That our Christian vertue should physically informe another is a conceit altogether dunsticall and now disclaimed in the explication of the old schoole maxim wherein without Iesuiticall comments no man but would thinke it were literally and necessarily included That Faith morally informes directs and commaunds charity as a guide appointed to it by him that is the author of both neither of them consulted by him that hath them will deny Albeit if lawfull it be to enstamp matters sacred with the exact forme of scholastique speech it is perhaps but one and the same spirituall grace which animates and enables the soule as to discerne the truth so to embrace the goodnesse of reuelations diuine and constantly to practice all kindes of Christian duties bearing diuers titles from execution of seuerall offices whiles it inspires diuers faculties of the same soule as one and the same breath hath different sounds in the seuerall pipes of the same organes or other wind instrument As it illuminates the mind or soueraigne part of the rationall soule it is tearmed faith as it moderates euery particular affection or desire it takes the name of the vertue peculiarly appointed to that charge making it of meerely morall truely Christian Vnto Parents kinsfolk acquaintance benefactors or such as wel deserue of them most men naturally are wel affected vnto all as men we owe humanitie and this affection being made conformable and subordinate to the directions of liuely faith becomes christian charity But ere it become such the same grace which as it illuminates the minde to see and strengthens it to embrace diuine truths proposed is tearmed faith doth alter the quality of this affection by purging it from carnall respect of persons or priuate purposes is termed faith doth alter the quality of this affection by purging it from carnall respect of persons or priuate purposes by enapting it to be ruled by faith which fixeth it only vpon such obiects as Gods word commends and in that degree it prescribes Though before we did affect others vpon such motiues as flesh and blood suggested yet afterwards wee must know no man so but all our loue is in the Lord. And though faith teach vs to enlarge our benignity or good minde towards all as well foes as friends yet it fixeth it especially on such as we deeme neerest allied vnto our Redeemer albeit their personall deserts or references towards vs be not so great In like sort doth one and the same grace perhaps for the manner physically but faith morally informe and moderates euery affection disposition or inclination that can be matter or rudiment of vertue It perfects our notions of equity and iustice it ripens and sublimates our seeds of temperance of valour of liberality For all these or other vertues are in a higher degree in minds endued with faith then in such as are destitute of it and principally set vpon such obiects as the naturall man could not affect But because loue thus informed by grace and directed or touched by faith of all christian vertues most resembles the dispositiō of our Lord and Sauiour and if in this life it could be perfect would fulfill at least the second part of the lawe if we compare it and faith as they are parts of our imperfect righteousnesse charity within its own proper sphere is intensiuely the greater or higher in this edifice as being supported held vpby faith but because our righteousnes is in it selfe imperfect and our charity towards others vnable to withstand Sathans malice against vs without externall muniments procured not by the merits of it but by faithfull prayers and supplications therfore as Christ is Alpha and Omega so is faith the first of al christian vertues in plantation and the last we must in this life rely vpon for retaining vniō with this author and finisher of faith CHRIST IESVS Briefly as he is to all the faithfull so is faith to all other vertues in this life a transcendent foundation and complement It remaines we shew first the truth of our maine conclusion by instances of sacred writ or such practices as it ascribes to faith Secondly the philosophicall premises whence we infer it to be most consonant to the phrase of Gods spirit which often teacheth vs more true philosophy in one word then Philosophers do in large volums The conclusion is we are then said rightly to belieue matters of our owne saluation when we Assent vnto them as good as necessary and worthy to be embraced not only whilst considered in themselues or in generall or without such incumbrances or occurrents as doe often interpose or hinder their practice but euen whilst actually compared with present losse of any sensual good or infliction of any transitory euill the world diuell or flesh can oppose to raise their price 17. Such must this Assent be in the habite or constant resolution though often defectiue in the act vpon disaduantages espied by Sathan But euery such defect we must account a dangerous sinne especially if we haue any distinct notice of actuall competition between carnal and spiritual good for this preposterous choice is properly not of faith but rather directly against the very nature of it as it is now defined to be an Assent vnto the meanes of
mans saluation as much better thâ—n any temporall good CHAP. VII Illustrating and confirming the conclusion last inferred by practices properly ascribed to faith in Scripture as well Canonicall as Apochriphall of hypocrisie and the contrary progresse obserued by it and Christian faith 1. YEE haue need of patience sayth the Apostle that after yee haue done the will of God ye might receiue the promise For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the Iust shall liue by faith but if any man drawebacke my soule shall haue no pleasure in him The manner how we liue by Faith wherin that great controuersie betwixt and the Romanists consists Saint Paul in this place handles not as elsewhere he doth and we from his principles hereafter must according to the measure of abilities bestowed vpon vs. Here it shall suffice to trace out his foot-steps in vnfolding that faith by which the iust doth liue and whereby he that rightly hopes to liue must in some measure be made iust That this withdrawing whose distaste vnto our God is here intimated is a defect in faith none I presume vpon better examination will deny Not that it argues a totall apostacie from christianity or hostile reuolt vnto the aduersary but only a disesteeme or vnderualuation of those gracious promises whose accomplishment must with patience be expected whiles their future goodnes comes in actuall competition with such grieuous bodily afflictions which euery Christian did then expose and as it were bend himselfe vnto by profession of the truth Such were the conditions of those times that if their hopes had been confined to this life Christians of all the sonnes of men had been most miserable And conceit of extreame misery without sure hope of redresse can haue no fellowship with patience it admits no consolation Whiles they looked only on things which were seene they might descrie an army of enemies as many creatures almost as are visible planted against them and must haue cried out with the Prophets seruant vnto this great Teacher of the Gentiles Alas Master what shall wee doe by his owne practice he instructs them not to looke on things which are seene for they are temporall but on the things that are not seene for they are eternall Faith as he addes is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene This lower hemisphere or visible part of the world is but as the diuels chesse-board wherin hardly can our soules moue backe or foorth but he sets out one creature or other to attach them nor haue we any other means to auoid his subtilty but by looking vnto the hils whenâ—e commeth our helpe or into that part of this great sphere which is altogether hid from the worlds eyes where we may behold more for vs then those that be against vs. And seeing we come in danger of Sathans checke either by feare causing our soules to drawe backe or loue of some worldly creatures alluring them beyond the lists they are to combate in if we view that hoast of heauenly souldiers which are for vs we may alwaies haue one of the same rank more potent to remoue all feare or diminish the loue of any visible creature or other incumbrance which Sathan can propose vnto vs and which vnlesse wee be negligent in our affaires may as we say giue our Antagonist the check-maâ—e If he tempt vs vnto wantonnesse by presenting entising lookes of amiable but earthly countenances to our sight wee haue sure hopes of being as the Angels of God and consorts of the glorious vnspotted Lambe to encourage vs vnto chastitie If with pleasantnesse or commodiousnesse of our present habitations he seek to detaine vs from the place of our appointed residence or discharge of necessary duties we haue the beauty of the new Ierusalem to rauish our thoughts with a longing after it to cause vs chuse the readiest way that leads vnto it rather then take vp our rest in Princely palaces If with honour he go about to entrappe vs or terrefie vs with worldly disgrace wee may contemnâ—â—he one by looking vpon that shame and confusion of face wherewith the wicked though in this life most honorable shall be couered in the day of vengeance and loath the other by fixing the eyes of our faith vpon that glorious promise made to all the faithfull Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you If syrants by his instigation threaten vs with feare of death which is the vtmost of their despite Faith sets another before our eyes whom we must feare more then such as can only kill the bodie If with sicknesse and languishment we may by Faith feele the inward man daily grow as the outward man decaies Finally let him assault vs what way he can the affliction can be but light and for a moment in comparison of that excellent and eternall weight of glory which we hope shall be reuealed of which hope Faith is the onely substance These are the rootes of reformation in life or manners whose seuerall branches will spread themselues more at large in the Article of euerlasting life Here it more concernes to confirme and illustrate our former inferences by sacred rules and instances subordinate to the late description of Faith 2. That Faith is appointed as Guide and Generall to all Christian vertues ordering and marshalling euery affection as is fittest for Gods seruice is implied in these speeches of the Apostle By it the Elders obtained a good report without it impossible it is to please God As the successe of resolute souldiers valour is the generals praise so is the effect of euery other worke or commendable quality here ascribed to Faith as their director or chiefe commaunder Had it been possible vnto them or were it so yet to vs without faith to make or prosecute a choice of true good or settle our desires aright no doubt our workes though imperfectly yet truly conformable vnto Christs should for his sake be acceptable vnto his Father who is so well pleased in him that for him hee cannot but be pleased with all that are in what degree soeuer truly like him The fundamentall act or radicall qualification of Faith for the formall generall seruice is the stedfast acknowledgements of Gods Being and Bounty For he that commeth to God must belieue that he is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him This is a transcendent maxim wherein truth and goodnesse are so apparently coincident that to Assent vnto it as true and not as good to the party assenting implies an euident contradiction For if the rule of strict iustice be obserued the hire must bee as worthy the labour as the labourer the hire But where reward is properly an act of bounty or liberality it must exceede the worth of any paines vndertaken for obtaining it And being such once proposed it instantly allures the minde to motion
or resolution to attempt the meanes that may procure it if it bee apprehended as sure and easie to bee atchieued as it is great Will or desire in this case commonly out-starts the vnderstanding as men in thirst swallow their drinke before they perfectly discerne the taste Now as we say there is no seruice to the seruice of a King so is there no reward to the reward of the Almighty and therefore no workes so faithfully to bee performed as his For as shall hereafter better appeare euen that Faith by which we liue must be concurrent by an vniforme force or strength in euery worke that is truly good for such it is not if not faithfully done Nor can the truth force or vertue of Faith be better discerned or tried without lesse danger of error than by an vniforme or constant practice of what it teacheth to bee good In our Assent vnto the truth of the former maxim That God is a rewarder of then that diligently seeke him this second is necessarily included It is better to obey God than Man Not in this or that particular only or vpon some speciall dayes or seasons peculiarly set apart for his seruice but at all times in all places in euery thing that he commaunds For seeing wee are taught by the Article of creation that his dominion ouer euery creature is perpetually most absolute that of all their Being Existence Effects or Operations it is most true which Iob sayth of Riches The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away at his pleasure that as he caused light to shine out of darknesse so can he turne matter of sorrow and mourning into ioy and mirth and laughter into woe and lamentations The conclusions essentially answering to these premises are Nothing can be against vs if he be for vs nothing for vs if he be against vs no harme can happen vs from any losse or paine if He be pleased no good from any ioy or mirth wee reape from any creature if He take displeasure at vs. Not that the condition of the faithfull in this life is alwaies so sweet pleasant as they could not be contented to exchange it with others for the present but that the worst which can befall them whilest sustained with hope of ioifull deliuerance grounded on Gods promises or allayed with internall sense of his sauours and extraordinary supportance is much better then the greatest ioyes or pleasures of the wicked whose issue is death This is our Apostles doctrine For no chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous neuerthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are exercised thereby 3. That men acknowledging the euident truth of these generalities should vsually faile most grieuously in the performance of particulars is not because they knew the generall and are ignorant of particulars directly subordinate for that is impossible but their assent to either being weake and not well rooted what they knew and assented vnto as true yea willed as good whiles simply considered in the absence of other good or temptations to the contrary they neither truely know nor assent vnto as good when they descend to actuall choise which is neuer effected but by comparing particulars with particulars present Then other desires which before were couched or dormiant begin to rouse themselues and oppugne the assent of faith which at the first like a wise and lawfull but an impotent Monarch may exhort not able to commaund them at length rather yeelding to their importunate demands then continuing resolute to controule their outrages least the soule in which both are seated be rent and torne with ciuill warres That which the Apostle in the processe of the former discourse so much commends in the Patriarches was not so much the quality or heauenly progeny as the strength and valour of their assent vnto Gods word and promises able to commaund all contrary affections of feare hope ioy and loue Noah did not differ from others of the old world in the obiect of his beliefe that there was a God which had created the world and could at his pleasure bring it to nothing was a truth â— manifestly knowne by light of nature and tradition of their Ancestours which successiuely had not beene so many but that they might easily deriue their pedigree from the almighty nor had they any philosophicall heresies or strange paradoxes to draw backe their assent from this part of truth but that God which had lately made would in so short a time destroy the earth with all the inhabitants by her neihhbour element would hardly be assented vnto by drunkards or gluttoÌ„s or if the eares of their soules were not closed vp in the fatnesse of their bellies yet these like their maister the diuell fearing least they had but a short time to raigne would rage the more and belch out these or like vnsauourie speeches Come let vs eate drink make merry and enioy the pleasures of the flesh whiles we may for if this scripulous fellowes words be true wee must all shortly die A present good they felt in such practices and hath the world learned any such wisedom since as to forgoe what they see and enioy vpon vncertaine hope of things vnseene No but rather this hypocrisie to say the truth which hee preached was more euident to them of his times then such as Gods messengers would enforce vpon vs or that Noah was a better Preacher then any wee haue now adayes Yet euen to this Preacher himselfe the Reuelation had been as obscure as most our messages are to this people had his mind been as much set on worldly mirth wealth or iollities This then was the commendation of that Faith by which hee became heire of the righteousnesse we seeke by ours that warned by God of things not seene as yet being waâ—y or as others read moued with feare of God no doubt in feare of whom true religious warinesse consists he prepared an Arke for the sauing of his house by the which he condemned the world and yet saued it too for an euerlasting Couenant was made with him that all flesh should perish no more by the sloud A shadow he was of that great Redeemer which hath comforted vs concerning our hereditarie curse and will saue his people from that fire which shall destroy the world wherin the wicked and worldly minded shall perish without redemption 4. The difficulties which Abrahams faith in his first triall was to wrestle with were much what of the same nature lands and possessions no doubt he had plenty in that place which hee knew and was well knowne in And who would leaue his fathers house or lose assurance of his naturall inheritance for faire promises of a better in a strange land None well experienced in the world Yet such was the strength of Abrahams Assent vnto Gods fidelity and bounty that no sooner called but he obeyed to goe out into a place which he should
better he had a cleered view of the recompence of the reward promised which enabled him to endure as well the want of earthly pleasures and contentments as the height of that great kings displeasure with such constancy as if he had seene him which is invisible and yet was in some sort seene by Moses so is faith of things to the naturall man vaseenâ— but in a manner seene by it 9. Scarse now one liuing would do as Moses did not one that would but should be censured not by worldlings only for a foole but by forward professors of truth for betraying Gods peoples cause if hauing such opportunity as he had of soliciting their good in the Court he should leaue his place to expect Gods prouidence or the priuate contentment of his conscience else-where But from commendation of his Faith the indicious reader may resolue not to troble his mind with such scrupulous cogitations as whether the faithfull albeit no such reward were promised were to indure as Moses did or whether as the Papists falsly lay to our great Worthies charge though others of lesse worth haue spoken somewhat indiscreetly intuition of reward pollute such workes as would be otherwise good if vndertaken onely because we know them pleasant to our God It is a truth most orthodoxall that the chiefe end of our best workes should be the fulfilling of Gods will or pleasure But let not any man hence take occasion by nice distinctions or curiosities to separate what God hath conioyned for his good will and pleasure it is to reward vs bountifully for well doing and to glorifie his name in our felicity nor can wee intend the accomplishment of his will or glory aright but as they are linked with his intention of good to vs. For surely he wils our life and happinesse more then our good deeds which but for the other he willeth not It was a slaunderous speech of an vngracious seruant to say his master reaped where hee had not sowen for our God lookes not for glory but vpon presupposall of good bestowed he neuer punisheth but for ingratitude neglect or abuse of his mercy or bounty The greatest praise we can procure him is to suffer our selues to be saued by the meanes hee hath thereto ordained and this hope of reward euen by his ordinance is that which strengthens the faith of his best seruants Or if thou thinkest that Moses faith was imperfect thy Sauiours beliefe or knowledge of his exaltation as man doubtlesse was not so Yet he as the same Apostle sayth for the ioy that waâ—â—et before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and hence is set at the right hand of God notwithstanding he did all things for the glory of his Father and because he knew it was his will so to doe of which will likewise hee knew it an especiall part that hee should propose heauenly ioyes as a counterpoise to vvorldly paine and sure hope of endlesse ioy as an antidote against transitory shame or disgrace Wherefore let vs also looke vppon CHRIST IESVS the Author and finisher of our faith and haue respect vnto the reward that we may endure with patience the race that is set before vs. 10. That the same faith so much commended by this Apostle was in respect of some obiects speculatiue or but an Assent of foresight of some diuine reuelations as true according to that difference betwixt Truth and Goodnes before handled is apparant from these instances By Faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau conc erning things to come By Faith Iacob when he was a dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and leaning on the end of his staffe worshipped By Faith Ioseph when he was a dying made mention of the departing of the children of Israell and gaue commaundement of his bones In none of these did their Assent vrge them to any difficult painfull or dangerous practise it was to wrestle only with the naturall imperfection of mans vnderstanding or incredulity arising thence not from any direct opposition of sensuall or corrupt affection Greater difficulties there were to disswade the people from aduenturing to passe through the red-sea but after this accomplished without danger the miraculous fall of Ierichâ—es walls was not so hard to be perswaded to their posterity or vnto such as had heard what the Lord had done for their fathers Yet by firme Assent vnto this diuine truth as certainly future the City was destroyed and Rahab saued What should we more say for the time would be too short and the discourse too long to insist vpon the like in Gedeon in Baruc in Samson in Iephte in Dauid in Samuel and in the Prophets What victory soeuer these or other Saints of God obtained ouer themselues or their passions ouer the enemies of God his lawes or their country ouer men wilde beastes or other creatures our Apostle ascribes to faith For by Faith they subdued kingdomes not by belieuing they had ouercome before they fought but by becomming valiant in fight from firme beliefe that all victory was from the Lord of hosts to whom it was a like casie to saue with few or with many By the same faith but as fixed vpon the morall lawe or other meanes of saluation they wrought righteousnesse By the same faith they obtained the promises not by perswading themselues they had them already sealed but by practising the conditions annexed vnto them By the same faith they stopped the mouthes of lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong The weomen receiued their dead raised to life others also were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection And others haue been tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds imprisonment They were stoned sawen a sunder tempted slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented 11. These last passages of the Apostle warrant the canonicall truth of what an author not canonicall relates concerning these heroicall sonnes and that more heroicall mother whose reolution best exemplifies the nature of faith hitherto described by S. Paul to be such as we haue defined an Assent vnto euery part of Gods service or euery diuine promise not only as true good simply considered but as much better to the party assenting than the fairest profers supreme earthly powers can make either for auoidance of pain or torments present or speediest aduancement to greatest dignities The first resolutely professes in the name of all the rest we are ready to die rather then to transgresse the lawes of our fathers Nor did his soule draw back or shrink at such sauage and vnmerciful vsage as would moue pitty to see it practised vpon a beast Euen to behold a flourishing tree first bereft of bark then of al the naked branches yet 〈◊〉 standing lastly the greene trunk downe and cast full of sap into the fire would be
Salomons raigne that he deemed vs sufficiently charged with thankefulnesse to our Creator in that we were enioined to remember him and vpon this consideration he exhorts vs to take the inuentory of what we receiued from him in our creation in those dayes wherein we most delight in which the characters of his blessings bestowed vpon vs and their true worth are most fresh and sensible in all our faculties well knowing that if wee deferred this suruey til old age come vpon vs in which life it self becomes a burthen our returne of thanks for fruition of it and the vnpleasant appertinencies would be but wearyish Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the euil daies come not nor the yeeres drawe nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them While the sun or the light or the moone or the starres be not darkned nor the cloudes returne after the raine c. 4 In like sort as well in sacred as common though lesse in the schoole language the greater the schoole-mens folly to know or belieue include not only a logicall conceit of the things we know or of their truth considered in themselues but withal a right esteeme of their worth or consequence in respect of vs. The originall of these scholastique solecismes in morall or sacred arguments iâ— I mistake nor ariseth hence that intentionall or abstract truths whereunto in younger daies wee are most accustomed being most comprehensible and best known we vse our apprehension or conceit of them because definite and vnuariable as the fittest scale to measure matters of morality not considering that these require more dimensions then obiects meerely speculatiue that their degrees are of another size and oft-times asymmetrall with the former that our soules for the exact discernment of their quality require a more peculiar touch then that light tincture or impression they haue taken from matters logicall mathematicall or meerly secular albeit all true knowledge euen of these must be commensurable to the subiect we professe to know rightly propâ—â—â—tionate or rather actually reaching to that end where at it leâ—els Euen in matters secular or most abstract if we wel obserue that conceit or knowledge which in respect of one obiect or some subordinate end thereof is exact and perfect applied either to an obiect altogether different or to an other end of the same will appeere to be meer ignorance or knowledge either imperfect or impertinent 5 Know we may the length or circumference of some plot of ground to an haire-breadth and this abundantly sufficeth euen curiosity it selfe in him that hath no other intent then to course or exercise in it In iourâ—ying or shooting wee examine not how wide but how long the countrie is through which we roue or trauâ—il but the exact knowledge of this dimension would little auaile a surueier vnlesse he haue skil withall to gather the iust quantity of the whole surface from the breadth as accurately knowne as the length or he that could from these two dimensions curiously calculate thus much should be accounted meerely ignorant in measuring timber or other solids vnlesse he knew th 〈…〉 icknesse of them and from the distinct knowledge of all three dimensions to notifie the iust quantity of the whole masse or substance the most accurate knowledge whereof vvere little pertinent to him that stands more vpon their weight then magnitude both which onely to know vnto a scruple would argue ignorance in him vnto whose purpose or profession the notification of their qualities vse or operation were only or principally necessary 6. Such a difference as I haue specified betweene knowledge of lines and plaine figures betweene them and solids or betweene the quantity of such bodies as their weight or quality we must imagine betweene the knowledge of truths speculatiue and morall or betweene meerely morall and diuine concerning our owne saluation The conceit or knowledge of these last how exact soeuer it be if it be only in the braine and imprint not the true character of it selfe vpon the affection is no better to a Christian then it would be for a Carpenter to know the length oâ— bredth of a peece of timber without the thicknesse or all three dimensions without any iudgement whether it were sound or faulty whether rightly seasoned or vnto what vse it would best serue in building It would be all one as if a Physitian or Apothecary should know the picture shape or colour of any hearbe in Mathiolus or other Herbalist ignorant of its vertue or operation or how it should be prepared for medicine Or as if a Merchant or Auditor should be able to display all the perfections nature hath bestowed on goâ—d 〈…〉 other mettals not acquainted with the worth of it 〈…〉 ents or in what countries it is most currant Briefly seeing all knowledge must be measured by the vse or end and this in the subiect we treat of is the saluation of our soules whereunto we growe by newnesse of life our knowledge cannot be perfect vnlesse terminated to a right structure of affections in the heart answerable to the Idea or modell of truth in our braines vnlesse it bring forth readinesse or promptitude in euery faculty to put such precepts as require their seruice in execution Of these two parts of Christian knowledge the one in the head the other in the heart much better the former were defectiue then the latter He that knowes rightly to husband the ground he enioyes what part is good for medow what for pasture what for corne what for this kinde of graine what for that how euery parcell may bee imploied to the best commodity of the owner may be ignorant in suruaying or drawing a right plat-forme of it with lesse losse then he that could suruey it most exactly but hath no experimentall skill at all in tillage or husbandry Now seeing our Sauiour tels vs his father is an husbandman and is best glorified by such fruites as we shall bring forth vnto saluation the true end of Christian knowledge he may be truly sayd to know more at least better then others doe that can improue whatsoeuer he heares or reades to the benefit of his owne soule and imploy those faculties God hath giuen him to his seruice It shall be little or no preiudice to such a man albeit hee cannot draw a map or perfect systeme of diuinity or deduce one diuine attribute from another Albeit he that can do this and leaue not the other vndone shall receiue his reward according to the measure of his talent rightly imployed But if his chiefe knowledge consist in distinct conceiuing of the deity or methodicall discoursing of diuinity this glorifies God but as the Painter doth the party whose picture hee hath exactly taken whereas our Creators glory must shine not in liuelesse painted words but in our workes patternized to his image renewed in our minds as towardly children expresse their noble ancestors worth by liuely resemblance of
Confident perswasions they had of Gods extraordinary fauour which notwithstanding because it proceeded not from faith fructifying in deeds conformable to his goodnesse made them presumptuous and open rebels against his Sonne the onely image of his glory for dooing the workes here prophecied by this Psalmist They despised him as a sinner once for raising vp a poore creature not bowed downe only but together so as she could not raise her selfe another time for giuing sight vnto the blinde vpon a Sabbaoth day Often for the like workes here ascribed to that God whose name they were to sanctifie by hallowing the Sabbaoth day all liuely documents that he which visibly wrought them was the Lord to whom this Psalme of praise and thanksgiuing was dedicated Such confidence as they whiles thus affected boasted in was the very way of the wicked which the Lord turneth vpside downe His sentence is already pronounced vpon it Euerie one that exalteth himselfe shall bee brought lowe which words he spake of the proud Pharisee and such as trusted in themselues that they vvere iust despising others Notwithstanding euen this Pharisee himselfe whom he makes the patterne of hypocrisie gaue God thankes for his conceited righteousnesse acknowledging that whatsoeuer he had he had receiued but in that hee gloried in it as if he had not receiued it the holy Ghost taxeth him for trusting in it not in the Lord whom he intended to glorifie for this gift amongst others And were we so wise that a word though from the spirits owne mouth might suffice for our admonishment this one place alone would instruct vs that he trusts not in the Lord but in his wealth or dignity that contemnes his brother for his meane giftes whether of Art or Nature or disparageth his worth onely for the lownesse of his fortunes 6. Thus much of confidence fiducia or trust so nearely allied to faith that some include it in the essence or formall signification of the word in the learned tongues which opinion may seeme to haue some countenance from the booke of Homilies But what there is said of faith to this purpose is a popular description not an accurate or artificiall definition like as also we may not think the Author of those Homilies meant formally and essentially to define faith when he saith that faith is a firme hope for so in the same place doth he describe it And to speake the truth he that puts fiducia in the essentiall definition of faith and leaues hope out had need of as much cunning as hee that should vndertake to make paiment of ten pounds and substract seauen For confidence or this trust in their form of doctrine whose authority for the right vse of such words is most authentique is the period or complement of Hope contemnenda est omnis iniuria malorum praesentium fiducia futurorum bonorum sayth Saint Cyprian And againe Laus est fides fiducia futurorum mundi aduersa tolerare It is the commendation of Faith to support our selues vnder such grieuances as the vvorld layes vpon vs with sure hope of future good In this godly fathers orthodoxall conceit of this chaine of christian vertues we may behold patience springing from faith but presupposing trust or confidence at least if perfect paralell herein to the Apostle Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of revvard for ye haue neede of patience whose hold-fast he supposeth confidence that after ye haue done the will of God ye might receiue the promise The ground or supporter as well of patience as confidence and fidelity in doing Gods will is faith as is before deduced Whether such confidence as we haue that there is a reward laid vp for the faithfull reach in the same strength and tenor vnto personall saluation or bring forth like assurance of our possessary right in state of grace or if so whether it be proper to all as it is doubtlesse onely to such as are endued with sauing faith or whether equall in all or at all times or rather decreasing according to the degrees of their delinquencie in such duties as this confident hope of Gods mercy and fidelity in rewarding all without respect of persons that doe his will doth impell and encourage them to cannot so fitly be disputed vntill the tenor of Gods couenant with mankind and other difficulties concerning free-will and contingencie with the articles of Christs death and resurrection from firme Assent vnto which this speciall confidence or assurance must flow be vnfolded Here I onely would commend that place of our Apostle to the religious Readers priuate meditation for rectifying and strengthening his faith in this point Hauing therfore Brethren bouldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the blood of IESVS by a new liuing way vvhich he hath consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh And hauing an high Priest ouer the house of God Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith hauing our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience and our bodies washed vvith pure water Let vs hold fast the profession of our faith without vvauering for he is faithfull that promised And let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes Many other properties of faith there be and diuerse peculiar branches of these generall ones here touched to be discussed after the explication of the Articles out of which they properly spring CHAP. XI Of the diuerse acceptions of faith in Scriptures or Fathers of the Romanists pernicious error concerning the nature of it and charitie whereby his imaginarie workes of merit necessarily become either dead apish or polluted 1. FRom the seuerall degrees or differences of Assent vnto diuine truthes before assigned it will bee easie for the Reader to deriue the diuerse acceptions of beliefe whether in writings Canonicall Apochriphall or of Fathers from one head Albeit I hold it not worth the inquirie whether the name of Faith in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine were propagated from the obiect to our apprehension or Assent or from these vnto the obiect for in all three tongues faith is taken as well for that which deserues credit as for the credence we giue vnto it More pertinent to our present occasions it is that beliefe euen in scriptures is sometimes applied to the very first and lowest degree of Assent vnto truths diuine and they are sayd to belieue that acknowledge any article of faith or part of Christs doctrine as true albeit the ground of their Assent were not sincere or sound but rather humorous So it is sayd in the second of Iohn that many when they saw his Miracles belieued in him but IESVS committed not himselfe vnto their hands because hee knewe them all so did hee their humours to bee like theirs that vpon like beliefe of his power would haue made him king Others againe are sayd to belieue when they Assent perhaps to all Articles of faith
as true and good whilest considered onely in themselues without oppositions of such matters as they much value So our Sauiour telleth vs that some when they haue heard receiue the word with ioy and for a while belieue but in time of tentation depart and Saint Iohn that euen amongst the Rulers many belieued on him By true and liuely faith rooted in the heart So Bellarmine would perswade vs or otherwise wee might make the Scriptures as a nose of waxe or alter the nature of sacred phrase as wee do counters in accompts Yet if they had in heart belieued vnto righteousnesse they had confessed with their mouth vnto saluation but sayth the Euangelist because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him least they should be put out of the synagogue And was not this to be ashamed of him and of his Gospell before men And whosoeuer is so affected belieueth not in that sense the Prophet speakes whosoeuer belieueth on him shall not be ashamed for vnlesse he acknowledge them in that day they shall not only bee ashamed but confounded with vnbelieuers yea the very reason the Euangelist giues why they did not confesse him condemns the Cardinals glosse either of great folly or impietie For sayth he they loued the prayse of men more then the prayse of God vnto which latter they had assented as much better had they so belieued as our Sauiour meanes when hee demaunds of the Iewes How can ye belieue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour vvhich commeth from God onely Ere our faith become such as layes sure hold on life for of such in that place he speakes wee must Assent vnto the honour that comes from God alone as so much better then that we receiue of men that the later must seem as nothing in coÌ„parison of the former The same word beliefe oft-times is taken not only as it includes these last degrees or proper differences of Assent vnto diuine truthes but as it is accompanied with it essentiall properties or with such works as impulsiuely are from it though proper acts or exercises of other vertues faculties or affections whence they spring as from their naturall roote wherein they reside as in their natiue subiect The places are obuious to euerie one conuersant in Scriptures The like latitude of perfection whether from difference of essence or diuersitie onely in degrees knowledge or vnderstanding in the vse of sacred writers admits Nor did Saint Iohn in that speech He that sayth hee knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar contradict our Sauiour where he supposeth that many know their masters will and do it not For the disciple speakes of true and perfect knowledge the Lord of knowledge externall or imperfect The same analogie the Fathers retaine in the vse of beliefe or faith That the Pontificians can alledge their testimonies to proue faith may bee separated from works or charity is as little pertinent to the point in question betwixt vs and them as it would bee in the schooles to vrge the authority of late Philosophers that stones and mettals did not growe or that trees and plants had no locall motion against him that out of Aristotle did maintaine all bodies endued with life were capable of growth and diminution or all with sense of locall motion He that holds the former conclusions would account stones and mettals amongst bodies inanimate and trees and plants amongst vnsensitiue Now our question is not of euery sort or degree of faith but of that by which the Iust doe liue That no Father did affirme it should be without fruites or workes of holinesse is more then my small reading in them can secure me to affirme albeit reason I haue none to thinke otherwise but iust cause so to presume by the places our aduersaries alleadge so idle they are and impertinent Howsoeuer I dare vndertake for our assertion to bring three Fathers for one or testimonies thrice as many out of the best approued as any Iesuite shall do for his And because some of them scramble at some scattered sentences in Cyprians vvorkes or others fathered vpon him I will instance at this time in him especially the rather because he sealed the truth of his profession with his blood and had least reason to bee partiall for Faith against Charitie of whose abundance in his heart euery letter in his writings almost is a character yea so he esteemed of it that hee thought it impossible for him to prooue a true witnesse of Christ though dying in his cause if hee had liued without brotherly loue How doth hee say he belieues in Christ that doth not vvhat Christ hath giuen him in charge to doe Or how shall hee ataine to the reward of faith vvhich vvill not faithfullie keepe his Commaundements And againe Seeing to see Christ is our ioy nor can our ioy haue being vntill we see him what blindnesse of heart what mad nesse is this to loue the grieuances the paines and miseries of this world not rather to make hast vnto that ioy which neuer can be taken from vs Yet all this beloued brethren comes to passe because wee haue no faith because none belieues the truth of what God hath promised who is true whose word is eternally sure to belieuers If a graue man and of good note should promise thee any thing thou wouldst rely vpon his promise thou wouldst not belieue thou shouldst be deceiued or disappointed by him whom thou knowest to be constant in his words and deeds Behold God speaks to thee and â—ost thou perfidiously wauer through incredulity of minde God hath promised thee at thy departure out of this world immortality and eternity and dost thou doubt This is to be altogether without the knowledge of God this is to offend Christ the master of the faithfull vvith the sin of incredulity this is to haue a place in the Church and to be without faith in the house of faith The like hath Bernard who speaking of the victory that is by faith thus resolues flesh and blood moouing doubts to the contrary Perchance it may tempt some in that they see so many acknowledging Christ to bee the Sonne of God still entangled with the lusts of this world How sayth the Apostle then who is he that ouer commeth the world but he which belieues that IESVS is the Sonne of God vvhen as the world it selfe belieues this truth yea do not the very diuels belieue as much and tremble but I reioine Dost thou imagine that he reputes CHRIST for the sonne of God whosoeuer hee be that is not terrified with his threats that is not allured with his promises which obeies not his commandements and rests not satisfied with his aduise doth not such a one albeit he professe he knowes God deny him by his deeds Valentian notwithstanding would perswade vs that the Fathers when they say faith without works is dead would onely giue vs to
vnderstand that it is not liuely and perfect such as indeed it should be He meanes they denie it not to be numerically the same without workes and with them as the body in his conceipt is one and the same without the soule and with it And it is a manner of speech in his obseruation vsuall to account that which is imperfect in any kinde not to bee true in the same kinde As for example wee vse to say ioy or griefe imperfect or little is no true ioy or griefe although it be some ioy or griefe Who vseth to say so but dunces or who but haeretickes would denie the least degree of spirituall ioy to be true ioy the least sting of conscience to be true griefe Things little in any kinde actually compared with others incomparably greater we vse to reckon as none so we might say the ioy of the godly in this life is as none in respect of that which shall be reuealed But yet the least measure of our internall ioy truely denominates vs ioyfull if we speake absolutely as the Fathers doe when they denie faith without workes to bee true faith For they denie withall that it then denominates as truely faithfull or belieuers as is euident from that obseruation of Gregory vpon those wordes of our Sauiour He that shall belieue and be baptized shall be saued It is likely euery one of you will say within himselfe I haue beleeued therefore I shall be saued He speakes the truth if he haue faith with workes For that is true faith which in manners or deedes contradicts not what it thus professeth in wordes Hence it is that Paul saith of certaine false beleeuers They confesse they know God but denie him by their workes Hence saith Iohn He that saies he beleeues God and keepes not his commandements is a liar This should teach vs to acknowledge the truth of faith in examination of our life For then we are truely faithfull or belieuers when we fulfull in deed what we promised in word For in the day of baptisme wee promised vtterly to forsake all workes and pomps of the old enemy Therefore let euery one of you turne the eies of his minde vnto the former examination and if after baptisme he haue kept his promise made before then let him reioice being thus assured that he is faithfull He ads with all that he which knowes to bewaile his offences past shal haue them couered in the day of iudgement 2. This last testimony will direct the reader to gather the like in other Fathers from their expositions of those passages wherein mention is made of that faith whereunto our Sauiour ascribes eternall life or his Apostles righteousnesse The euidence of which places is in it selfe to such as weigh the circumstances co 〈…〉 nt and praecedent or compare one place with another so forsible that it oft times extorts confessions from pontifician expositors against the most receiued Tenents of their Church first hatched by the schoolemen which neuer saw the light of heauen but through the darke painted glasses of the Cels wherein they were imprisoned and hence imagine our Sauiours forme of doctrine to be of the same hew with midnight Dunsery or grossest ignorance of sacred dialects One vpon these wordes of the Prophet The worke of righteousnesse shall bee peace and the effects of righteousnes quietnes and assurance for euer saith that faith whereto S. Paul ascribeth righteousnes includes all these branches to commit our selues and all our waies vnto God as to a most louing father to whom we haue plight our faith whom we accept for our God sincerely promising to obey him and obserue his lawes He thinks withall that the Apostle did borrow this speech Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ from the former place of the Prophet Yet this Commentator stiffely denies iustification by such faith alone how inconsequently to this obseruation shall hereafter be examined It well fits our present purpose that the righteousnesse herespoken of by the Prophet is included in Saint Pauls faith 3. Another vpon those wordes of the same Apostle The Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation counsels vs to learne the right signification of this tearme to belieue as it is vsed in Saint Paules disputes from other places of Scripture especially from that speech of our Sauiour Hee that belieueth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall slow riuers of liuing water The scripture saith this iudicious pontifician expositor whereto our Sauiour had respect is in the sixteenth Chapter of the second of Chronicles Thâ—â—â—ies of the Lord behold the whole earth and giue strength to such as belieue on him with a perfect heart Now they belieue with a perfect heart which doe not onely giue credence to what the Scripture saith or is otherwise reuealed from aboue but further addresse all the faculties of their soules to doe what faith requires or praescribes And in this sence doth Saint Paul vse this word belieue as if it were to be moued at the hearing of the vvord and to embrace vvhat is said vvith an entire adhaerence of the soule Very fitly to this purpose doth our English translation in the booke of common praier render that place of the Psalmist whose spirit cleaueth not stedfastly vnto God Which the vulgar latine seeking to expresse the hebrew word by word hath rudely expressed non est creditus cum Deo spiritus eius 4. Two places of Scripture onely there be with whose difficultie or obscurity the Iesuite or other of the Trent Councels vassailes hope to extinguish the light and euidence of all the rest so pregnant for vs. The first is that of Saint Paul though I speake vvith the tongues of men and Angels and haue not charity I am become as sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball He that supposeth all faith may be without charity saith Valentian excepteth none But our writers reply That the faith by which miracles of what kind soeuer are wrought is here onely mentioned and such faith though neuer so entire and perfect may be as in these Corinthians it was without true loue The truth of which answeare most probable from the circumstances of the place as it needs perhaps no further confirmation so for the fuller illustration of it impertinent it will not be for the reader to obserue that of all the Churches which Saint Paul had planted of all he wrote vnto or vouchsafed any mention this of Corinth did most abound in all those extraordinary gifts of the spirit which might set forth the glory of Christ and his gospell before heathen and vnregenerate men especially such as these Corinthians by nature and education weere earnestly addicted to humane arts and sciences wherewith that City at this time flourished most for which reason the Lord in his wisdome would haue the messengers of his truth vnto that place rich in all kind
death Thus much of true faith and the errors concerning the Nature of it It remaines we intreate of misperswasions concerning the possession or presence of it with the right vse of it and other spirituall graces that attend it SECTION 2. Of immature perswasions concerning mens present estate in grace with the meanes to rectifie or preuent them CHAP. I. The generall heads or springs of hypocriticall perswasions with briefe rules for their preuention 1. HHappy were we whom God hath appointed to sowe good seede in others hearts because not altogether without hope to see some fruits of our labours if this censorious age would permit vs to strike as freely at the rootes of Atheism infidelity or hypocrisy as it is ready to censure Atheists Infidels Hereticks or Hypocrites To me it hath often seemed a question very doubtfull but farre aboue my capacity to determine whether such as reuolt from the orthodoxall Church vpon obseruation of monstrous dissonancy betweene the truthes professed in it and the professors liues or resolutions be in case better or worse then such as embrace true religion vpon no better grounds then they or their confederates oppugne it Thus much the word of God will warrant that the portion of hypocrites shall be the bitterest in the life to come And yet hypocrisie if it be of that stampe which our Sauiour so much condemnes is alwaies moulded in that deepe notice or strong perswasion which men haue of their owne loue and others opposition vnto diuine truthes of their owne diligence and others negligence in performance of sundry duties expresly required by Gods lawe And this is a miserie of miseries peculiar to the hypocrite that whereas the height of others impiety ariseth from their opposing the way of truth and godlinesse this monster the more he detests falsehood and error or the impietie whether of others practises or opinions the more still he increaseth his owne corruption and warres vnwittingly against his owne soule For seeing loue to himselfe indulgence to his deare affections or carnall glorying in prerogatiues perhaps spirituall is the common roote as well of his imaginary loue vnto such points of truth as haue some kinde of coniunction with his humours as of the detestation he beares to others obliquities that in life or profession ill consort with him the oftener he lookes either on their knowne transgressions or his owne precise obseruance of such duties as by nature hee is addicted or otherwise accustomed to by both meanes he more pampers and nourishes that vicious habit whence the forementioned bad fruites did growe And thus at length by vsing the helpe of strong but impure vnruly affections to abandon particular errors he ouerthrowes his owne soule as the ancient inhabitants of this land did their state by vsing the Saxons aide to driue out the Picts 2. After this manner the Iew by nursing a loathsome conceit of Publicanes and open sinners dissoluâ—nessesse not tyed vnto so much as any solemn acknowledgement of their misdeeds or set forme of repentance tooke a surfet of those outward ceremonies which God had ordained as sauees to sharpen not as foode to satiate his appetite of sauing health Other-whiles fiercely bending his indignation against the idolatrie of the heathen by too much depression or debasement of their folly he sublimated his owne naturall inclination vnto pride and haughtinesse into presumptuous boasting in the purity of that lawe which God had giuen him by Moses Whence in the fulnesse of time sprung an irreconcileable hatred of the long expected Messias desperate contempt of his Gospell and wilful refusall of saluation preached in his name But howsoeuer the deadlinesse of this disease was most conspicuous in the fall of Gods chosen people whom wee may without suspition of slaunder seeing the holy Ghost hath written the obseruatioÌ„ safely charge with the infection yet the danger of it amongst all professors of true religion throughout euery age and nation continues the same as hauing a perpetuall cause in nature For whether wee speake of contraries morall or phisicall the enmities of the extreames is alwaies greater then betwixt them and the meane from which they alwaies so much further decline as they more eagerly entend their force each against other The greater strength heate and cold from their vicinity gather whether by mutual irritation or a secret kinde of daring each other to combate or by a stricter vnition of the materiall parts wherein their forces lodge the more both disagree with the luke-warme temper The more likewise the prodigall detests the niggards manners or the niggard his the farther both roaue the one ouer the other short from that marke whereat they aime but which truly liberality only hits And as the mutuall discord of extreames grows greater by the increase of their seueral strengths so the hastie or violent introduction of the one into a subiect capable of both makes waie for the others entertainment and excludes the meane which findes no entrance but where it is vshered by moderation So water too much or too violently heated is more apt to freeze then to retaine the middle temper Young prodigalls we often see turne old niggards seldome liberall vnlesse their education haue been exceeding good their naturall discretion extraordinary or the seeds of vertue in them very strong And what more vsuall then for a niggards feast because not agreeable to his ordinary disposition to smell of waste and prodigalitie Buzzards by naturall constitution through extreamity enforced to take heart and turne againe ouerrunning valour boisterously rush into fury And desperate hotshots once made to feele the smart of their folly become afterwards basely timerous The Cynicke could spurne at his fellow Philosophers pride but so as his scornfull heeles did bewray his preposterously proud ambitious heart 3. Are these obseruations true in workes of nature or morall affections onely and not in perswasions of religion Yes euen in these also for hath not the vntimely heat of indiscreete precisenesse disposed sundry in our daies to freeze the sooner in the dregges of Popery Haue not others mounted so high in groundlesse and presumptuous confidence that their sudden fall hath made them sinke for any helpe man could affoord without recouery into the very suds of melancholy and desperation Others vpon a dislike of their former hot enforced zeale haue changed their wonted confidence into carelesnesse and become open professors of licentiousnesse like the possessed childe in the Gospell falling sometimes into the fire sometimes into the contrary element And experience prooues it so common a thing for young Saints such I meane as affect to be ripe in holinesse ere well growne in ordinary discretion or common honesty to prooue old diuels that the bent of nature vnseasonable or too much curbed in the parents oftentimes burst out in the vnbridled affections of their children 4. The reason of the experiments whether in nature moralities or religion is as perspicuous as they are true For contrarie exstreames alwaies
spring from one roote and though the natures wherein they are be much different in respect of their masse or substance yet the forme of contrariety is the same euen in materiall and immateriall entities consisting in an incompetiblenesse betweene the actuall motions of two opposite inclinations both in a subiect capable of both so fastened in one center that the depression of the one is the eleuation of the other Whence it is that the violent or intensiue agitation of the one once come to the point of reflexion breedes a like motion in the other as the sharper frost by night makes more slippery waies by day softest waies in moist winters surbeate the sorest in dry Summers the farther or swifter we mooue one part of a ballance one way the farther and swifter it moues it selfe towards the opposite point at the rebound Thus many by an eager depulsion of knowne errors or impieties loosing their naturall station are carried about by their violent reuolution and as it were cast round moturaptus vnto the point from which they sought and at the first seemed directly to flie as the sunne by speedy course vnto the West comes quicklier backe vnto the East from which it diuerted Instances to this purpose in other meditations were taken from such in our times as from a passionate humorous Cynicall spurning at monkish practices and Popish customes haue throwen themselues off the shoare into the whirlepoole which finally sinkes them in the verie dregges of that errour wherein the others are drowned The very selfe same superstitious or magicall conceipt the one hath of his beades and crosses the other feeds by praecise hearing sermons and loathsome abuse of the word of life vpon euery secular or triuiall occasion as if he were bound to vtter a set number of sentences in Scripture phrase euery day This circular course errors continually keepe in moralities vnlesse our desires be kept vnder by reason in diuinity vnlesse directed and moderated by faith not onely in the right choice of obiects but also in the manner of their prosecution For where affections which alwaies either ebbe and flow as the Sea or change as the Moone are chiefe managers of either businesse the humane soule which should be compact within it selfe and exactly sphaericall becomes exorbitant in it inclinations and is turned round by alteration of obiects as the wheele is by the streame sometimes held as it were in a backe water by a reciprocall checke of vnconstant turbulent passions or exestuations Or though the same affection should continue still praedominant yet is it apt to be impelled and impell the soule contrary waies from contrarietie of obiects presented or diuers references vnto obiects in themselues the same 5. The rules these obseruations yeeld for rectifying our perswasions in matters of religion or trying the sinceritie or strength of our faith are especially two The first To be as obseruant vpon what motiue we dislike or hate any opinion or practise as what the opinion or practise is which we iudge worthy of hate alwaies assured that the extremity of hatred to heresie impiety or infidelity can affoord vs no better assurance of our piety soundnesse or true zeale vnto the truth then these or like collections doe of certainty vnto right examiners of arguments This man detests niggardnesse and that cowardise therefore the one is liber all the other valourous Our hate to falsehood oâ— impieties may as well spring from corrupt affection as from syncere loue to truth or goodnesse The second rule is as diligently to examine our consciences vpon what grounds we imbrace a truth knowne as we are desirous to know it that we measure not our assent vnto the Gospell by our affection to some one or few points contained in it or some degrees of truth contained in them For the meane in that it is contrary vnto all must needes haue some affinitie with euery extreame warmth could not disagree from cold but by agreeing in part with heat The prodigall is like the liberall in that hee is bountifull so is the niggard in that he is not lauish Both of them would well agree with him in discourse so long as hee added no definite quantitie to his rules or propositions but indefinitely commended bounty to the one and thrift to the other The truth which in it selfe is but one if we apply it to seuerall parts or diuers degrees of the same obiect indefinitely taken may haue partiall agreement with any affection And so againe may one and the same temper or constitution of minde include a loue or good affection to truth indefinitely considered and an hate vnto it as intire or as it is referred vnto the end whereto both it and our desires shold be proportioned So the Iews seeing our Sauiour feede fiue thousand men with fiue barley loaues and two fishes said of a truth this is the Prophet that should come into the world The confession it selfe was orthodoxall and good but conceiued from a false and dangerous motiue they expected that great Prophet should be a glorious King able to wreake their malice vpon the nations And from this present document they rightly gathered our Sauiour was able to maintaine an armie with lesse cost then any earthly Prince or Monarch could For he that of late with fiue barley loaues and two fishes had fully satisfied fiue thousand men might as casily feed fiue hundred thousand if euery one that had tasted of these should but bring his loafe with him Their next illation wherein they ouershot the truth vnto which indefinitely considered they had subscribed was to elect him for their King which he perceiuing departed againe into a mountaine himselfe alone Though in a loâ—t they beleeued in his name yet he thought it not safe to commit himselfe into their hands whose forwardnesse once crost in this proiect he knew would prooue the same his Countrymens of Nazareth had beene to attempt some mischiefe against his person The more gloriously they conceiued of him whilest apprehended as a furtherer of these proud hopes the more despitefully they had entreated him after manifestation of his dislike vnto their purpose And this very temper which was the onely ground of their assent vnto the former truth was in his sight the maine obstacle to all true beliefe because in this they sought but to honour him and bee honoured by him with that honour which one man may bestow vpon another not with that which commeth of God alone Hee that would haue pusht these ambitious propensions forward or vndertaken their conduct against the nations might haue commaunded them to haue throwne themselues headlong from the top of that steepe hill from which the Nazarites would haue cast him for vnto such practices false Prophets that come in their owne name giuing and taking honor one of another did after his death perswade this people Euen whiles the act of their imaginary loue vnto the great Prophet seemed most feruent their temper
was as hatefull to him as theirs that wished his blood might bee vpon them for it was but one and the same in both onely with these mens affections mentioned in the sixth of Iohn the apprehension of his miracles had coniunction for a time but opposition with all at his passion when they saw all his workes and doctrine tend to an end quite contrary vnto that whereupon their desires were set euen to the vtter debasement of their lofty proud imaginations 6 As well those Iewes that crucified our Lord and Sauiour as the heathens that persecuted his followers vnto death we often accuse of deadly malice and indite of murther more then wilfull vnto which crimes euery Christian must by his faith acknowledge them guiltie in the highest degree But our hate to such as hated our Redeemer may as the Psalmist speaks be perfect and vnsaigned and yet not proue our loue towards him to be such albeit the only measure most men vse for notifying the fulnesse of their beliefe is this supposed loue they beare vnto their Sauiour which if in many it be but imaginary or swimme onely in the braine whilest reall hatred of his will reuealed no lesse offensiue to him then the despite of Iewes or heathens lodge in their hearts or beare rule in their affections their faith must needes be but a fancie onely seruing to leauen their naturall infidelitie with pharisaicall hypocrisie To begin with the gentile CHAP. II. That our Assent vnto the first principles of christianitie by profession of which the faith of auntient Christians was vsually tried may be to our owne apprehension exceeding strong and yet our beliefe in Christ no better then the heathens that oppugned them that it is a matter of more difficultie to be a true Christian now then in the Primitiue Church did wee rightly examine the strength of our faith not by such points as theirs was tried but by resisting popular customes or resolutions of our times as fully opposite to the most essentiall and vtmost as Idolatrie is to the remote or generall differences of Christian faith 1. TAke no thought sayth our Sauiour saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be cloathed for after all these things seeke the Gentiles for your heauenly father knoweth that yee haue neede of all these things To thinke the vvisdome of God should in these words Oratour-like make vse of his auditours detestable hatred towards the vncircumcised as an argument to disswade them from such heathenish resolutions as were disagreeable to their calling would be a glosse plausible perhaps to flesh and blood easie in this case to be thus far perswaded But who so is better acquainted with his Masters vsuall method will quickly obserue his further purpose to giue vs in this short instance these or the like maxims of life That profession of truth without conformable practice though in matters most difficult makes circumcision become vncircumcision That to put on the name or title of his Disciples not shaking off such resolutions as heathen that is men without knowledge of the true God or reliance on his prouidence is but to cloath our selues with the leaues and barke of the true Vine being full within of such sap as at the best can bring foorth but wilde grapes And if most of them which had been continuall auditors of Moses lawe trained vp in Iewish discipline were vntill they learned to liue according to this rule altogether as bad as the Gentiles what reason haue we to hope the carelesse education of moderne Christians should make them better Besides outward appearance which without internall integrity correspondent is meere hypocrisie ods we shall finde none at all betweene our selues and the Gentiles of whom our Sauiour speakes if we vnpartially consider The vsuall grounds and motiues whereupon we embrace his Gospel or The vnconsonant practises or resolutions wherewith wee continually match the profession of it or lastly which is the verie life and spirit of Gentilisme Our diffidence vnto Gods prouidence for redressing the disorders of his Church 2. What were the reasons may we thinke which so long with-held the auntient heathen from profession of Christianitie Was the doctrine of the Gospell lesse probale in their time then in ours No as God so his word is still the same alwaies alike true because alwaies most true Were the people of those Countries wherein it was first preached lesse docile by nature then we are Rather generally more witty and capable of anie other lore such especially as were most auerse from the truth wee now professe The consonancy of their morall precepts with the sacred rules of the lawe the Prophets and Euangelists was such that had they conuersed with our Sauiour and seene his doctrine so truely acted in his life they could not without contradiction of their owne principles but haue admired his wisedome and magnified his constant vnaffected contempt of all applause from men or of such vaine fashions or customes as the gentry of that world highly esteemed but these Philosophers vsually derided not without iust suspicion of sinister or preposterous desires of catching that glory at the rebound which they seemed to neglect whiles it naturally fell into their hands or mooued it selfe directly towards them as if they had held the stelth or vnderhand receipt of it more lawful or pleasant then the purchase of it in the open market Was his Gospell lesse powerfully preached in their dayes then now it is No his Apostles and their associates were indued with farre more excellent giufts of tongues of miracles of prophecying c. for manifesting the power of it to naturall men then any Preacher this day liuing is And what then could preiudice either them or their doctrine First and principally their lowe estate whose pouerty according to the fashion then most followed did ill beseeme any attempt of innouation or alteration especially of such rites and practises as had been first authorized by men of grauitie place and great iudgement countenanced by antiquitie confirmed by ioint consent of all and custome neuer interrupted Philosophers thought it a disparagement to their wit states-men and magistrates to their wisdome and experience inferiour professors losse of their studies corporations disaduantageable to their trades or priuate labours to receiue new lawes from forrainers of presence and estate so meane And albeit the integritie of Christians liues and conuersation was such that no penalties inflicted or statutes enacted against offendors for publique good could take hold of them yet because their sacred rites and profession were incompatible with authorized idolatrous practises and held as cases omitted by their law-giuers the great Pharohs of those times inuented new exactions and oppressions to stint the increase of Gods children and make the profession of Christianitie ignominious and odious euen to babes and sucklings who nuzzeled vp in this preiudice conceiued hatred against CHRIST ere they knew what manner of man he had been and
one or few good qualities or practises of such duties as our naturall affections out of particular affinitie or alliance impell vs vnto not counterpoising these perswasions with proposall of contrary difficulties or trying their strength by performance of such other Christian exercises as are most contrary to their natural inclinations As what man is ther by nature free and bountiful but wil throughly Assent vnto our Sauiours saying as true good beatius est dare quà m accipere it is more blessed to giue then to receiue Yet many by too much applauding their obedience in this particular come at length to giue more then is their owne or so much of their owne as others cannot get from them what is theirs and so excessiue diligence in this breeds extreame negligence or rather manifest breach of that other rule altogether as necessary owe nothing vnto any man but loue and yet whiles they compare themselues and their good deeds with the miserable and hard hearted these seeme as Iewes vnto them and they againe vnto these as worse then Infidels being not more carefull to prouide for their wife children and other committed by nature to their charge Many againe by wedding their thoughts vnto this perpetually diuorce themselues from the former of our Sauiour vtterly abandoning all deeds of charitie as the bastard brood of popery and superstition 3. Not one almost by nature faire conditioned or of a a plausible behauiour by education desirous to gaine the loue of all without giuing iust offence to any but will admire the humility the meekenesse the placide and sweet affection of our Sauiour his gentle tollerance of his Disciples long ignorance the milde intreatie and kinde inuitations of grieuous and open sinners And yet many I haue obserued and some farre aboue the vsuall pitch of vulgar Christians many times from too much congratulating this affinity betwixt their naturall disposition and our Sauiours degenerate into old Elies facility or the contrary Stoicall apathie demeaning themselues as if all sinnes were alike as little moued with fowle and grieuous offences against Christ contempt of his Sacraments wilfull and affcted breach of sacred lawes flouting at professed obseruance of fundamentall precepts of Christianitie open auowing wretchlesse neglect of oaths as if they were but matters of ordinary passe some light ierke or gibe or hadnsome exchange of words in table-talke not worthy to be stood vpon amongst friends or mutuall welwillers This is a defect of faith so common to such as for their esteeme and experience in the world are held to be fittest censurers of Christian manners that if one should be put to giue a phisicall definition of discretion according to the vse or application of the word in such mens language he could not better expresse the nature of it than by a temper apt to bee much moued with nothing but what directly crosseth their maine purposes or may defeat them of their principall ends as gaine preferment honor applause of the multitude or fauour with men whose persons they hold in admiration for some aduantage But were our hearts enspired with true and liuely faith it would teach our affections as to hold one straine or tenor in matters of course indifference or wordly consequence so to rise and fall to swell and asswage whether in admiration or detestation according to the different worth or indignity of obiects presented to them Not thus qualified we cannot hold consort with the sweet harmony of our Lord and Sauiours affections whose indignation at indulgence to such open sinnes as directly dishonoured his father did raise it selfe aboue the straine of princely wrath and displeasure witnesse his whipping the buiers and sellers without respect of persons out of the temple yet buying and selling of temples with the appertinences is the readiest meanes with vs to compasse greatest places in the Church and and oft times because we see no meanes of preuailing against the wolues we hope to haue some share or offals of the prey or for our silence to be at length admitted into the association but O my soule come not thou into their secrets vnto their assembly mine Honour though honour should be thy reward bee not thou vnited In their ambition they slay and murder soules and in their selfe will they ruinate the wals of Christs Church Here were a fit place to admonish some most detesting Idols or images in Churches that the sacriledge they commit continually is a sin no lesse detested of their God But it would require a larger comment then in this place I may insert to perswade that truth vnto the belly which euery true Diuine comparing the Prophets word with the Euangelists will conceiue that the abuses committed by these marchandizing Iewes in the Temple wâ—â— more offensiue to the pure eies of the Lord then their forefathers walking after other Gods and burning incense vnto Baall 4 The holy Ghost I am perswaded would not so pathetically haue deciphered the sweet amity of Dauid and Ionathan but with purpose to commend it as an especiall ornament of heroicall minds or as a vertue to be imitated by euery faithfull professor of the truth And yet in men farre otherwise qualified then these woorthies were and aiming at contrary ends first linked in friendship vpon dislike occasions for the most part vpon mutuall consciousnesse of foule crimes or combination in euils and continuing the bond vpon worldly or carnall considerations the imitation of like loue is adulterous It may be Achitophell was as firme and constant vnto Absalom against Dauid as Ionathan was to Dauid against the commandement of his father Saul Notwithstanding that Ionathans reference vnto Saul was neerer then Achitophels vnto Dauid the same affection in the one was like the loue of the bridegroome and the spouse chast and loiall in the other praeposterous and abhominable like the vncleane lusts of Sodome This is a wild plant of barbarous Gentilisme so deepely rooted in most professed Christians hearts that the extirpation of it requires a peculiar volume for scarce can we find any loue amongst men which is not deadly enmity against Christ So mightely is the poison of it diffused throughout all our faculties and affections that close sticking to a friend though in matters neither iustifiable by the law of God or man is held such an extraordinary act of charity as may serue to couer a millian of other vnchristian practises Most out of consciousnesse of such performances will not spare to censure others most maliciously if they will not accord with them to forsweare themselues for their friend forsake their God and denie their Redeemer for so he doth that resolues to patronage or beare his brother out in wrongs or foule offences and rather seekes not first to worke him vnto true repentance to sue for mercy at Gods hands christian reconcilement with his brother whom he offends Whosoeuer loues father or mother brother or sister much more a friend more then
brother abideth in death vnlesse out of this loue as iointly respecting our brethren we lay downe our liues in loue or testimony of the truth we doe not rightly confesse CHRIST nor die in faith for whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer And as he addeth hereby perceiue we the loue of God because he laid downe his life for vs. but whereby shall we perceiue our loue to him if we doe as we ought and we ought as it followeth to lay downe our liues for the brethren Not onely to redeeme many of them if that were possible from a bodily death by dying for them but rather to encourage euery one by our examples to embrace the truth and confesse CHRIST before men whether by life or death whether by profession of truth or practise of workes commanded as occasion shall be offered He that requires vs to lay downe our liues for their soules will looke we should distribute our goods to relieue their bodies otherwise to die for them is no true testimony of our loue to CHRIST for who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath neede and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Againe though we feede the poore with all our goods and yet haue not this loue to lay downe our liues for the brethren it profiteth nothing and though we giue our bodies to be burned for them and haue not this other part of loue to feede them or those attributes of it in the same place expressed by the Apostle as long sufferance kindnesse without enuie without boasting without pride without disdaine without exaction of our owne with placide affections neither prouoking nor easie to be prouoked but reioscing in truth and detesting iniquity with viformity of faith hope and conscience it profiteth nothing For as hath beene obserued before consideration of what CHRIST hath done for vs must bring foorth in vs the same minde that was in him a minde to doe his fathers will in euery point alike sincerely but with greater intentions or alacritie as the occasions or exigence of seasons shall require Sometimes we may more faithfully confesse his name by standing for some branch of truth no generall point of saluation in opposition to men of contrary mindes with whom we liue whose proiects tending to the dishonour of Gods name and preiudice of his dearest children we may hinder then by professing all the articles of true religion vpon the enemies racke or witnessing some principall truth before the fagot 7. Besides the obhomination of the causes they maintaine great presumptions or rather strong euidences there be many of their corrupt mindes whom the Romish Church in latter yeares sets footh for Martyres to the world First the Diuifications ascribed vnto them as their enrolements in the catalogue of former Saints inuocations adorations of their reliques and the like would haue mooued most heathen Romanes or Egyptians to haue aduentured on greater dangers or indignities then they are put to for one of their foolish Gods an ape a serpent or a crocodile Yet these men not inconsequently I must confesse vnto their magicall conceipt of faith and holinesse imagined by them in dead workes thinke their blood shed in the Catholique cause shall wipe away their actuall sinnes as clearely as the water of baptisme by their doctrine doth originall And as that sweete relator of his fruitefull obseruations in matters of religion hath ascertained vs that Italians are vsually imboldned to sinne because they must haue matter to confesse so men of great place and authority in this land would not suffer vs retired students to be ignorant that some seminary priests haue purpoposely giuen the raines to fleshly lusts vpon confidence the executioners knife should worke a perfect circumcision or the fire purifie their polluted members at the day of execution Or in case they neuer felt the seuere stroake of iustice yet their constant resolution to suffer and daily expectation of being called vnto this fiery triall should serue as a cloake to couer those impuriâ—es which the purity of CHRISTS blood shed vpon the Crosse such is the abhomination of their hypocrisie without perfect inherent righteousnesse cannot hide So farre too many of them are from sobriety meeknes and humility those other qualifications required by Saint Cyprian in true Martyres that the gift of impudence scurrility and disdaine serues no home-bred malefactors halfe so well in the time of their durance or whilest they are brought before the face of authority or arraigned at the barre of iustice as it doth them as if they would giue vs to vnderstand that the marke of the beast spoken of by S. Iohn had some such especiall vertue as these characters traiterous Gowry brought out of Italy which stopped his blood from running out after his body was runne through as this doth theirs from appearing in their foreheads for onely to blush they are ashamed euen whilest they pierce through their owne soules and pollute their country aire with hideous forraine blasphemies but in re mala animo sâ—vtare bono iâ—uat a good face put vpon a bad matter ofttimes auaileth much yet with men not with God vnto whose mercy I leaue such as affect to bee Pseudo-martyres beseeching him of his infinite goodnesse to alighten their hearts that they may see at length the abhominable filth of that Idole to which so many parents in this land are desirous to sacrifice their dearest children and these men their very soules But oh Lord stop the infection that it spread not from the dead vnto the liuing 8. But leauing this huge lake two no small sinckes of hypocrisie I haue espied from whose noysomenesse many otherwise well affected scarce are free but into which Lord let not my soule descend for their euâ—cation is into the bottomelesse pit The one an opinion there can bee no fit matter of martyrdome in a state authorising the free profession of that religion which amongst many we like best and left to our selues would make choise of The other which in part feeds this is a perswasion that meere errors in doctrine or opinion are more pernitious then affected indulgence to lewd practises or continuance in sinfull courses or open breaches of Gods commandements These are teliques of Romish sorcery which puts an abstract sanctity in the mathematicall forme or superficial draught of orthodoxal doctrine as it is in the braine though deuoide of true holinesse in life and conuersation or good affection in the heart and hence accompteth heresie that is euery opinion different from the tenents or contrary to the practises of their Church a sinne more deadly then any other and which in their iudgement doth vtterly depriue vs of such faith as they maintaine though that no better if not worse then diuels But if we recall what hath been hitherto discussed First That Christian faith is an Assent vnto diuine reuelations not only as true in themselues
but as good to vs in the practise as much better then auoiding the displeasure or gaining the fauours of any earthly powers Secondly That this Assent must be vniforme and a like sincere to euery truth a like strong to euery practise alwaies increasing according to the seuerall degrees of truth or goodnesse apprehended in the obiect or different exigence of times and place wherein wee liue these points are most cleere That Christian faith is more directly oppugned by wilfull neglect or auowed violations of morall or Euangelicall precepts then by bare errors in opinion or such heresie as directly include not blasphemie against the blessed Trinity for the chiefe euill of all others consists in reference to wicked practises whereunto they lead or incline men That the Ministers of the Gospell may deny CHRIST or manifest their ashamednesse of his Gospell as directly by not laying his Lawe as closely to the great Herods of the world as Iohn Baptist did suppose the case be as notorious and as well knowne vnto them as if they had been afraid to confesse him for feare of being put out of the synagogue or â—ayd with those other Iewes wee know that God spake with Mose and gaue authority vnto Magistrates but this man we know not whence he is nor do we care for his Counsells Yet were Iohn Baptists kinde of preaching vsed in many kingdomes though by such as professe the same Religion with the Potentates they should offend with their boldnesse I think it would proue matter of martyrdome in the end That any age since Christian Religion was first propagated hath wanted store of Martyrs is more to be attributed vnto the negligence ignorance and hypocrisie or want of courage in Christs embassadors or appointed Pastors then vnto the sincerity mildnesse or fidelity of the flock especially of the bell-weathers or chiefe ring-leaders Or if Satan had not abated the edge of primitiue zeale and resolution by that dishonorable peace concluded betweene Christianity and Gentilisme after the setling of Gothes and Vandalls in these parts of Christendome had hee not vtterly benummed mankinde by locking vp their spirituall senses in mid-night darkenesse and fettering their soules in superstition since the time he himselfe was let loose Rome Christian had seene more Martyrs euen of such as did not much dissent from her in most opinions held within sixe hundred yeeres of CHRIST in one yeere then Rome heathen at any time had knowen in ten Euen in Churches best reformed it would bee much easier I thinke to finde store of iust matter for Martyrdom than of men fit to make Martyrs And hee that hath liued any long time in these quiet mansions and seates of Muses secure from Mars his broiles or externall violence hath great cause either to magnifie the tender mercies of his gracious God or suspect himselfe for an hypocrite if hee haue not suffered some degrees of Martyrdome But vnto such as haue been exercised therein it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse and ought to encourage rather then daunt them whilest they liue in these Paradises free God bee praysed from boysterous blasts as taint other plants of the same nursery remooued abroad to vse this calme and happy season they enioy for setting their faith and loue aright that they may spread themselues equally to euery point of that compasse by which they are to direct their course in this troublesome sea of vncertainties that their strength in practise and profession may iointly increase without all respect to persons or particular duties saue what ariseth from the excesse of worth in the things themselues belieued or loued or of necessity or speciall occasions of performances that they may further as much as in them lies by word and deed the vnpartiall execution of their blessed Founders statutes of whose beneficence they daily taste albeit oft-times with opposition to them or offence taken by them in whose arbitrement their estimation in the world or a great part of the maintenance prouided for them depends If by framing our resolutions and affections by little and little to march on constantly though but slowly in this vniformity and proportion wee can come at length to repell proffers of Honour whereunto we cannot ascend but by winding and crooked steppes or of gaine not easily gotten but by vnlawfull meanes or to hold fleshly pleasures as deadly poisons to our soules then shall our deaths bee acceptable in the sight of our God and if it be his heauenly wil hereafter to call vs to resistance of iniquitie euen vnto blood wee haue these sure grounds of hope that we shall offer vp our mortall bodies in sacrifice vnto Him the onely true and euerliuing GOD not to the sactious humours of these corrupt times or vaine Idoles or our foolish fancies 9. This vniformity of growth in faith and want of partiality in our zeale I haue affected since I knew what belonged vnto either the rather because as I sincerely professe in the sight of God the first ground of my dislike vnto the chiefe sollicitors of reformation in our Church men whose excellent parts and good labours I then did and euer shall reuerence was the difformity of their zeale for had it been vniforme no question but it had moued them to lay downe their liues for redressing knowne enormities in the Common-weale as much more materiall and more neerely concerning the aduancement of the Gospell then those doubtfull controuersies for so I apprehended them of formalities about which they stroue as death it selfe is more terrible then depriuation The principall authors or abettors of which enormities notwithstanding were imboldened by these encomiasts in whose language euery Cormorant that would countenance their cause was a sanctified person a sonne of God Their partialitie herein towards others may occasion vs to obserue a blast of like temptation naturally rising from like humours which oftentimes ouerthrowes faith where it is well-nigh rightly set and ready to take By nature if not preuented by grace and a watchfull eye ouer our perswasions we seeke to make amends for our delinquency in points whose practise our affections cannot well brooke by a supererogation in some other duties wherein we either naturally delight or can inflict vpon our selues as an easie penance because not much distastfull to our sweet desires nor contrary to our principall resolutions Many gallants of dissolute and debaushed behauiour and sometimes Ministers of life scandalous and obnoxious though neither of there I vse as instances for proofe of my assertion will in their discourses bewray an affected desire of declaiming against errors in generall opinions abstract from vse or reformation of life or some antient heretiques whose heresies might oft-times sleepe with their bodies were they not wakened by loud out-cries against them What is the reason that such men as are most vnfurnished in these subtilities are vsually most forward to entertaine conflicts with the dead or men farre absent They are afraid to looke vpon themselues without
all that he held faith without workes to be altogether vaine and vnable to iustifie in the sight of God if with them it were in his iudgement not sufficient he had denied all iustification in Gods sight either by faith alone or by workes and faith so as no meanes of saluation could be left vs. More arguments I need not vse for euery obseruant Reader may furnish himselfe with plenty all demonstratiue that workes taken as Saint Iames meant not for the act or operation onely but either for the act or promptitude to it are necessary to iustification not before men but before God and in order of nature precedent 2. But the Readers minde as for a while mine was may be held in suspense that albeit we must be operatrue ere we can be iustified yet the first operation of that faith which iustifies is alwaies seen in the busines of iustification as that of Saint Austen may necessarily seeme to imply Bona opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum If we be not iustified as all agreed without some operation or worke of faith and all other good workes as this Father affirmes are not precedent but subsequent to iustification those operations of faith which belong to the worke of iustification must of necessity in order of nature if not of time be of all others the first This golden sentence notwithstanding will not abide ihe touch vnlesse we take iustification as Saint Austen doth for the first infusion of that grace wherby we are iustified and enabled to bring forth works truely good That the habite of grace whereof faith is the principall part or foundation should in order of nature be precedent to workes done in faith for vnlesse so done they are not truely good is a case excluded by it clearenesse from all controuersie But the workes by which as Saint Iames affirmes we are iustified must needs goe before the iustification which he speaks of yet not before the first infusion of faith vnlesse we affirme which no protestant must or any intelligent Papist doth that wee may bring foorh good workes ere faith bee planted in our soules The infallable consequence of these deductions is that betweene Saint Pauls faith and Saint Iames his iustification there must be workes intermediate of what kind it skils noâ— so they be done in faith Of workes so done to question which are in time and nature first were as if you should demaund what meates such as after a long sickenesse haue well recouered their tast and appetite vse first to feed vpon Curiosity of methode or nice prescriptions would in this case be offensiue to good stomaches which should not doe much amisse in falling to such wholsome food as first comes to hand Thus much in generall is not vnfitting to our present purpose That the internall eliâ—itiue or formall acts are in order of nature and time precedent to the impulsiue acts of faith to wit such operations or exercises of other vertues faculties or affections as are inspired by it as wee most firmely assent to Gods mercy wisdome truth and iustice before we can be faithfully mercifull iust or true or doe the workes of righteousnesse mercy or truth in faith Of the internall or proper acts or exercises of faith such as flow directly from it are before such as are conceiued by way of reflexion Such as flow immediately from the essence are at least in order of nature before such as proceed from the properties of it In both rankes these are before others of the same kinde which are of more generall or abstract points as we actually assent vnto diuine reuelations first as true then as good lastly as good to vs and yet we must so assent vnto them ere we can firmely or confidently relie vpon them nor can our reliance or trust whether on Gods prouidence in generall or vpon his mercies in CHRIST be more firme and faithfull then is our precedent deniall of our selues and renunciation of all trust in worldly meanes which property as was before obserued immediately results from our direct assent vnto Gods wisdome power and mercy and vnto our owne misery ignorance and imbecillitie From assent to both these and vnfaigned deniall of our selues thence resulting as from ioint rootes springs true confidence in Gods prouidence alwaies in order of nature precedent to stedfast and inseperable adherence vnto CHRIST which is the end of all our working and as it must for this reason be first intended so can it hardly be accomplished without some intermediate acts or exercises of Gods graces in vs vnto all which faith necessarily is concurrent If we shall then compare the acts or operations of faith amongst themselues according to the same strength or equall degrees of fidelity in doing Gods will the effectuall application of CHRISTS merits is but a branch of the former vniformity in working required by Saint Iames neither necessarily nor ordinarily the first either in order of nature or time whether we speake of application actuall and expresse or of implicit and potentiall that faith which is of strength sufficient for firme and faithfull application of Christs righteousnes or conceiuing sure trust in Gods mercie offred in him is as immediatly operatiue of other workes as powerfull to bring forth deedes of mercy alwaies vniformely prompt to doe any part of Gods will that first whereunto it is first called It was an act of that faith by which Abraham liued an act commendable in the sight of God to forsake his Countrey when God called him yet an act in time long precedent to that which was imputed vnto him for righteousnes and in his legend the holy Ghost would instruct vs that the safest way to get full assurance of our heauenly inheritance is to execute Gods will without delay first to renounce the world father and mother natiue Countrey c. that we may be ready when he shall call and on these foundations surely laid to raise our confidence in CHRIST Know saith the Apohle they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham but euery one is not the sonne of faith that saies or thinkes he belieues as his father Abraham did vnlesse he haue such an operatiue faith as Abraham had well trained to euery point of seruice that shall be enioined This speech of Saint Paul is but equiualent to that of our Sauiours If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the workes of Abraham what were these faithfully to assent vnto the truth reuealed by God and louingly to entertaine his messengers but now saith our Sauiour You goe about to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I haue heard of God this did not Abraham The nature and vniformity of faith supposed such as hath been often inculcated Saint Gyprians collections in this point are as strong and sound as the point it selfe is orthodoxall Christ cals them Abrahams children whom he sees operatiue in
despaire of saluation In that they make such grace the sole formal cause of iustificatioÌ„ without which as all grant there is no entrance into Gods rest a Romanists trust hope or beliefe of life eternall as possible to him must first be terminated in the same degrees vnto so full a measure of grace or righteousnesse as they require either as present or possibly future He that doubts as Bellarmine confesseth â—ll mâ—st haue iust cause to doubt whether hee bee perfectly righteous or no must of necessity conceiue equall doubt of his estate in grace He that knows as who throughly examining his own heart for any space together but may know he is not able to plead for his cause with God in iustice is bound to belieue his present want of sauing grace Hee that cannot raise his heart through consciousnesse of his often transgressions much deiected to these magnanimous hopes of euer being able to fulfill the Law of God is this distrust remaining by his blinde beliefe of the Churches infalibility in this decree bound finally to despaire of saluation or any good Gods mercies or his Redeemers blood can doe him VVee are content to take Bellarmines testimony as authentique against his fellowes that our arguments prooue his former conclusion It is safest to put our whole trust and confidence in Gods mercies the vndoubted consequence whereof is that the Trent Councell did erre perniciously in so resoluing this principall point of saluation as hath beene declared But it is a wonder to behold what miraculous reconciliations the imaginary vnity of the Romane Church can worke in Iesuiticall braines Bellarmine whether out of feare of sharper censure enforced to vse this miserable shelter or so dazled with the mysticall vnity of the inerrable Church that hee could discerne no difference betwixt the Trent Councells decree and his owne conclusion takes it as approued by the Romane Church because that Church allowes the same collect wee doe vpon Sexagessima Sunday As if because he now had captiuated his vnderstanding to thinke the Church is alwaies the same and cannot erre therefore the author of that collect must needs be of the same mind the Trent Councell was when as a greater part of their best Schollers about the time it was celebrated did in this point better accord with the Auspurge confession then with it Had the doctrine contained in that collect been exhibited to the Councell by reformed Churches it had bin as peremtorily condemned as any Article of Wikliffe or Luthers doctrine but now seeing it hath slept so long in their liturgy that the sufferance of it may seeme to argue a tacite consent or approbation of that Church into whose thoughts it neuer came the author of it though for ought they know a man as obnoxious to error as we are out of all question of our opinion in the point of iustification must be thought not to haue erred in coÌ„ceiuing that praier which the Church allowes his meaning rather shall bee quite contradictory to his words More then miraculous must the composition of that body haue beene which but one in it selfe should exactly haue symbolized with euery ingredient in olde chaos yet no lesse strange may the Iesuites temper seeme were hee not homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which can infallibly belieue euery opinion held for this thousand yeares by that Church which in respect of faith and doctrine is but one after the same manner chaos was one huge masse of contrarieties and confusions in this respect better consorting with Iesuiticall faith which is but a prime matter or indeficient seminary of various treachery as the whole body of his religion is but a meere hogepoge of dictinctions CHAP. VIII How farre the Law must be fulfilled in this life of the regiment of grace of the permanencie of iustification what interruptions it may admit how these must be repaired or in what sense it may bee said to be reiterated That euery sin is against Gods Law though not incompatible with the state of grace 1. SEeing that iustification which is by faith in Christ so much pressed by S. Paul presupposeth that state of integrity or qualification for acceptance with God whereunto S. Iames requireth workes or to vse his words the fulfilling of the royall Law of libertie without respect of persons or reserued indulgence to our desire it will be necessary briefly to examine how far the Law may be fulfilled by vs in this life or which is all one with what measure of inherent righteousnes or sanctifying grace that faith which onely iustifies must bee accompanied Now seeing the Law is but the image of Gods will or of that internall Law of righteousnesse which was in Christ whereunto faith as hath beene saide includes a conformity such a fulfilling of the Law in this life as may witnesse our true imitation of diuine goodnesse noâ— in good will or minde onely but in good workes is in this life not onely possible but requisite We must be perfect as our heauenly father is perfect which speech of our Sauiour cannot be vnderstood according to the measure of perfection nor was he himselfe as man so holy and perfect as God his father but according to the truth of the proposition for vero nihil verius we must be as truely perfect and holy according to that imperfect measure which our polluted nature is capable of as God is according to the infinite or absolute perfection of holinesse yet are wee not holy after the same manner Christ was holy or Adam in the state of his integrity It is a very fit distinction vsed by diuines in this argument that there is a twofolde perfection one of parts another of degrees whereof the former is as necessary as the other impossible to all in this life The perfection of parts may in generall be illustrated by a childe or infant which though wanting the strength and agility hath the true life and right proportion of man in euery part and able in some sort to moue euery member it hath though not by perfect motion Strong sound men in Christ Iesus we canot be in this life yet altogether dead monstrous or mishapen wee may not bee Howbeit if wee apply this resemblance to the point in question it better fits that opinion of the Diuines of Colen which held mens righteousnes inherent to bee imperfect onely in respect of the quantity then the doctrine of reformed Churches which with our best righteousnes admit a mixture of sin inherent so as this perfectioÌ„ of parts according to their teneÌ„ts may more aptly bee compared vnto a childe indued with life and rightly proportioned yet subiect to some disâ—aâ—e or infirmity able to walke but depraued in all his motions alwayes pâ—one to stumble or fall The maner as wel of sins inherence in our nature after infusion of grace as of its concurrence in our actions shal be declared by Gods assistance in the seuenth
there were in sight hee were altogether blind and ignorant And I thinke it would be hard for any man to prooue that all such as our Sauiour restored to sight had sauing faith before he opened their eyes or that Naamans condescending to his seruants counsell my father if the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldest thou not haue done it how much more when he saith to thee wash beclean was an assent of iustifying faith yet were all these cures as immediate workes of Gods power as is the illumination of the minde by faith What God hath wrought in them we know but if Naaman had beene so wilfull as not to haue washed himselfe seauen times in lorden or those blinde men so wayward as vpon the constant fame of former miracles not to haue besought CHRIST to worke the like in them all of them for ought we know or can imagine to the contrary had remained still in their former misery Thus if we graunt that a man altogether vnregenerate vpon the hearing of Gods word or the report that others whom he hath no reason to distrust doe make of the vertue thereof may haue a naturall apprehension of his naturall misery and a desire meerely naturall to bee like them whose estate hee knoweth no better then he that is borne blind doth the light or that as well his apprehension as desire is but a qualification meerely passiue tending onely to this purpose that ascribing the worke of faith to Gods power alone hee may be a subiect not vncapable of this creation we shall auouch nothing contrary to reason naturall or supernaturall For knowledge naturall and spirituall differ not in respect of the materiall obiects knowne but in the manner of apprehending their truth and properties What subiect is there whereof we may not logically dispute albeit demonstration or scientificall conclusions we can haue none but from the proper principles of that science whereto it belongeth first distinctlie and infallibly apprehended And what doth hinder vs to conceiue a naturall or morall assent vnto truths diuine as not impossible though to haue a true tast or homogeniall apprehension of them be the sole and proper effect of faith infused or supernaturall Of the same Diuine truths or rather of the goodnesse annexed to them there may be a naturall or morall desire right in it kinde though not such as Gods lawe requires or can immediately please the lawgiuer yet such as he requires that we may be capable of better None I thinke but would perswade a man whom he knew to be as yet vnregenerate to confesse his sinnes to crie for mercy how spiritually so to perswade him were a mockery but rather to sue for grace that hereafter hee might spiritually desire what now he naturally doth Nor doth he amisse in praying thus albeit his praiers in respect of the fountaine whence they spring be meerely naturall polluted with the poison of sinne Absolutely he praies not aright but in his kinde in as much as his desires are set vpon right obiects though not so symbolized or proportioned to them as they should be This rectitude of naturall desires or endeauours which ariseth from the rectitude of the obiects wheron they are imperfectly set not in respect of degrees or circumstances onely but for the very essence or substance of the act is the point whereunto this discourse is directed Whether this right vse of faculties as yet vnsanctified be in some degree possible to all that heare the word or whether if possible to all any are absolutely excluded from saluation without presupposall of some neglect or abuse of naturall faculties is to be disputed in the seauenth booke From our assertion thus explicated we may inferre the true meane betweene Pelagianisme and Stoicisme to be this Albeit man before regeneration hath no abilitie of doing any thing in it selfe not deseruing Hell yet is there a true and reall possibility left him of doing that which being done maketh him capable of grace to be created in him but which not done by him he shall remaine vncapable of such creation 3. Vpon these plaine grounds we hope now to proceed without offence to God or man It was the meere good will and pleasure of God to ordaine his meere wisedome to reueale those meanes of mans saluation vnto which now reuealed the naturall man may so farre assent as to make some triall of their truth as Naaman did of the Prophets words The deeper apprehension though but naturall man hath of his naturall misery or want of ability to raise himselfe the more apt hee is not to lay but to haue the sure foundation of faith laid in his heart by CHRIST IESVS who is the foundation and chiefe corner stone in the spirituall Temple so he will but frame his life by his masters precepts and example CHAP. III. Of the fundamentall rule of Christianity to forsake all and denie our selues That the sincere practise thereof is a method more admirable and compendious for the attainment of faith then any Artist could prescribe the principles of Christianitie being supposed That the want partly of instruction in the duties contained in it partly of solemne and publicke personall protestation for their performance is the principall cause of hypocrisie and infidelitie 1. THat CHRIST the Sonne of God should suffer so many indignities of the Elders and be killed seemed a doctrine so strange to his Apostles that one of them begins to checke him for abooding so ill of himselfe Bee it farre from thee Lord this shall not come vnto thee What was the reason touching this particular they were not as yet spirituall Thus much at the least our Sauiours reply to Peter imports Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence vnto me for thou sauourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men This truth the Prophets long before had deliuered though not so plainly as it could easily bee apprehended without any expositor Our Sauiour therefore vpon this dialogue betwene him and Peter shewes not onely his owne willingnesse to vndergoe all the calamities the Prophet had foretolde but withall that vnlesse his followers which had confessed him for the Messiah were made conformable to him in this point they could not be his Disciples not capable of any other lesson of sauing health If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Necessarie it was the wisdome of God should thus plainly reueale this fundamentall principle of Christianitie vnto whose necessitie notwithstanding men in some sort may assent without the spirit of sanctification or any branch of supernaturall inherent grace Ordinarily it is as true of the first as of the second resurrection First is that which is naturall then that which is spirituall Manie haue assented vnto this rule as true which did neuer spiritually assent vnto it as good in the choyce albeit they haue desired so to do Now
could not bee greater then they often exposed themselues vnto against the enemie yet feare of disgrace which might ensue would in this case asswage that boldnesse whereunto hope of honour vsually animates greatest spirits Cato then and other such resolute Romans as gaue Caesar to vnderstand they had lesse dread of death then of his pardon would haue prooued but dastards in the campe of CHRIST for many principall points of whose seruice he that is more afraid of a miserable or disgraced life then of a violent or bloody death is very vnfit Now faith if it be vniformely set equally enclines vs to make choice of either station as the disposition of our lot shall fall The best ground of our qualification for vndergoing either will be with deliberate vnpartiality to rate as well the calamities or incumbrances as the prosperities or pleasures incident to this mortall life no higher then in nature they are for quality vaine and for durance momentary still weakning our naturall desires of the one and fortifying our feeblenesse or peculiar indispositions to sustaine the other Some are more easily deiected with feare of ignominy others of want or pouerty most are apt to be much moued with bodily pain but all most with that which is most contrary to the inclinations or accustomances in whose exercise oâ— practice they most delight And seeing the abundance of our desires or affectiors vsually brings forth a conceited greatnesse of the sensuall obiects whereon they are set the enfeebling or pining of internall appetites will be the readiest way to erect our spirits and ruinate all drowsie imaginations of greater terror then can really be presented to resolute and vigilant thoughts The best meanes againe to enfeeble inbred appetites or impaire the strength of naturall or customary inclinations is substraction of their fewell as much familiarity with their proper obiects or affectation of what we see most followed by others which vsually haue wit enough to accomplish their chiefe desires but want grace to account the inconueniences that without great circumspection alwaies attend on their accomplishment What though our meanes be so short as will not permit vs to fare deliciouslie our presence not so gratious as to win their fauour that behold vs our countenances not so armed with authority as to imprint awe in our inferiours our wits not so nimble as may enable vs to lead a faction our experience not so great as to compasse preferment or winde our selues out of intricate perplexed businesses yet all these defects haue this comfort annexed That although we had Diues fare and Cressus wealth Tullyes eloquence and Caesars fortune Aristotles subtilty and Achitophels policy Sampsons strength and Absolons beauty Salomons wisdome with all and all his roialty yet were we bound to vse all these blessings as if we vsed them not to employ them not to our owne but to his praise that gaue them in whom without these we may more truely delight then any can doe in their abundance For to whom much is giuen of him much shall be required This in the first place not to reioice though in miraculous effects of graces bestowed vpon him but rather in that his name is written in the booke of life in whose golden lines none are enfraunchised but such as in pouerty of spirit haue serued an apprentiship to humility Thus may the brother of lowest degree so he will not be wilfully proud nor stretch his desires beyond the measure God hath destributed to him stoope without straining to that pitch whereto euen such as are of gifts most eminent or in highest dignity must of necessity descend but by many degrees and with great difficulty seldome without some grieuous fall or imminent danger of precipitation 4. But is not this to calumniate our Creators goodnes as if he did baite his hookes with seeming blessings or set golden snares to entangle the soules of his seruants No reason taught the heathen to thinke more charitably of their supposed Goddesse Nature on whom they fathered that truth which faith instructs vs to ascribe vnto our heauenly Father Natura beatis Omnibus esse dedit si quis cognouerit vti If from true blisse thou chance to stray doe not the blame on nature lay Enough shee gaue thereto t' attaine but gifts without good vse are vaine The gifts meane or great bestowed on euery man by his maker are best for him so he would faithfullie implore the assistance of his spirit wholly submitting himselfe to his direction for their vsage His mercy is many times greatest to such as he endowes with least blessings of art or nature in that as their spirits are vsually slow their capacities shallow and abilities weake so their conquest ouer delight or pride in their own good parts in which the strength and vertue of faith consists especially is the easiest their aptitude to delight in spirituall goodnesse the greatest and their alliance to true humility most immediate His mercies againe many waies appeare most towards such as excell in gifts of nature First if they seriously addresse their best faculties to contemplate the fountaine whence they slow or to esteeme of their Creators goodnesse by his good blessings bestowed on themselues they haue a perpetuall spurre to stirre vp their alacrity in good courses a curbe to restraine them from falling into ordinary and vulgar sinnes whereinto others vsually slide through deiection of minde or opportunitie of their obscure place and low esteeme with others The best lesson I remember in old Chaucer and for ought I can perceiue the onely right vse can be made of a mans notice of his owne worth is to thinke euery offence of like nature more grieuous in himselfe then in others whom he accounts his inferiours Againe as eminencie of naturall or acquired worth exposeth men to more then ordinary spirituall danger so no question rightly emploied it makes them capable of great reward and few of this temper if free choice were left vnto themselues but would rather desire to get honour though with aduenture of an auoidable danger then to be assured of ordinary recompence for safe emploiments Briefly as their stocke or talent is greater and through indiscreet or vnthrifty courses may bring them into great arrerages at their finall accompts so watily and faithfully emploied it alwaies yeelds greater encrease to Gods glory who will not suffer the least excesse of good seruice done to passe without an ouerplus of reward That which turnes all his blessings into curses is an ouerweening conceipt of our owne worth and a perswasion thence arising that wee are sit for any fortunes whereunto industrious practices authorised by humane Law can raise vs and inwardly furnished for sustaining any place for which the dispensers of ciuill honour can be wrought outwardly to grace or qualifie vs. As the disease it selfe is deadly so is it vsually accompanied with a phreneticall symptome for like wandering Knights that seeke aduentures in vnknowne Countries we apprehend
not in them much lesse doth our felicitie Now as in all mens iudgements he liues much better that is able to liue of his owne then he which hath the same supplies of life in more competent measure from his friends beneuolence so much happier is that soule which hath delight and contentment competent within it selfe then that which hath them heaped vpon it from without seeing all the delights or pleasures these can beget suppose a precedent paine or sorrow bred from desires vnnecessary in themselues but such as lay a necessity vpon vs to satisfie them whiles wee haue them It is pleasant no doubt to a woman with childe to haue what shee longs for but much more pleasant to a manlike minde neuer to be troubled with such longings Not to need honour wealth bodily pleasures or other branches of voluptuous life is a better ground of true peace and ioy then full satisfaction of our eager desires whilest they are fixed on these or other transitories The strength of our spirits by whose vnited force our vnion with the spirit of truth must be ratified is much dissipated by the distractions which their very presence or entertainment necessarily require so doth the life and rellish of all true delight internall into which the true peace of conscience must be engrafted exhale by continuall thinking on things without vs. Finally whiles we trouble our selues about manie things it is impossible we should euer intirely possesse our own soules with patience or make the best of them for purchasing that vnum necessarium that one thing which is onely necessary But these are points which require more full peculiar treatises to which many Philosophers especially Plato Aristotle Seneca Plutarch and Epictetus haue spoken much very pertinent to true diuinity as shall by Gods grace appeare in the Article of euerlasting life As in some other particular discourses framed some yeeres agoe for mine owne priuate resolution The counsell I here commend vnto the reader is no way dissonant vnto Saint Paules aduice vnto his dearest sonne Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine for we brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out and hauing food and raiment let vs therewith be content But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition For the loue of money is the roote of all euill which while some coueted after they haue erred from the faith and pierced themselues thorough with many sorrowes But thou O man of God flie these things and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith loue patience meekenesse Fight the good fight of faith CHAP. VIII Of the goodnesse or honesty of heart required by our Sauiour in fruitfull hearers of the ordinary progresse from faith naturall to spirituall and the different esteeme of diuine truthes or precepts in the regenerate man and him that is not but sincerely desires to be such vacancie to attend all intimations of the spirit to be sought after by all meanes possible That alienation of our chiefe desires from their corrupt obiects is much auaileable for purchase of the inestimable pearle 1. IF riches loue of honour or voluptuous life make the soule so vnfruitfull that temper which in proportion answeares to good soile well husbanded presupposeth a vacuity of these desires The positiue qualification whereto these negatiue properties are annexed is more particularly described by our Sauiour as Saint Luke relates in his exposition of this parable Eut that which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the Word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Vnto such honesty or goodnesse of heart apt thus to receiue and retaine the word of faith heard is required first a sincerity of intention or choice which presupposeth a distinct and vncorrupt notion of good and euill secondly a constant resolution of prosecuting the right choyce made which presupposeth a greater freedome or liberty of practique faculties then can bee found in the couetous ambitious or voluptuous For their desires as all concupiscences of the flesh preiudice the sinceritie of the intention or choice by corrupting the notions of good and euil and maime our resolutions withal to follow what is euidently best by counterswaying or resisting our inclinations vnto goodnesse The point most likely to trouble a curious inquisitor in this argument is whether vnto the bearing of fruit with patience there bee required a goodnesse or honesty of heart precedent to the infusion of sanctifying grace or that faith by which the iust doth liue as vnto a faire croppe there is a goodnesse of soile requisite besides the goodnesse of the seed sowne in it To my capacity he should much wrest our Sauiours words and offer violence to his spirit that should deny the truth or proportion of this similitude Nor can I perceiue any inconuenience not easily auoidable by application of the former distinction of a twofold goodnesse or honesty one commendable onely in it kinde or by way of meere passiue qualification in it selfe of no more worth then a field ploughed but vnâ—own another acceptable in the sight of God as the croppe or fruit is to the husband-man The former is ordinarily precedent the later alwaies subsequent to true and liuely faith All soiles at least in this our land are though ploughed and manâ—red alike vnapt to bring forth good wheat sweet grapes or other precious fruit without seeds precedent yet not all alike apt to bring forth fruit sowne or planted in them supposing their â—illage or husbandry were equall It is alike true of all the sonnes of Adam that all by nature are the sonnes of wrath all destitute of the grace of God all alike vnapt to doe any thing truely good yet the degrees or measure of their aâ—ersion from God and goodnesse not perhaps alike in all albeit wee consider them as they are by birth without difference of education or as they are by meere ciuill education without any naturall knowledge of Gods written Lawe That such as heare the word and are pertakers of outward Christian discipline though not inwardly sanctified are not equally indisposed to bring forth fruit is necessarily included in the difference of vnfruitfull hearers resembled by the high way side and by stony and thorny grounds The framing notwithstanding of this dispotition supposed precedent to the infusion of liuely faith may not be ascribed to our abilities but to the spirit of God directing our thoughts and enabling vs for conceiuing a kinde of preuiall faith more then naturall by some externall or inferior grace so proportioned to these effects as sanctifying grace is to the fruits of true holinesse Probable it is might we speak out of experience that as Bees first make their Cels then fill them with hony or as the formatiue vertue first like an artisicer frames the organs or instruments of life and sense and