Secondly to take off that vain and frivolous cavil that assurance is a Principle of Libertinisme and that if men be once assur'd of their salvation they may then do what they list And first for the grounds that make them deny Assurance And though I might here shew at large that all Popery the Quintessence of it is extracted out of guesses and conjectures their whole Religion is but a bundle of uncertainties a rude heap of contingencies built upon the thoughts of others upon the intentions of a Priest yet I shall let that passe now and give you these foure considerations that prevaile with them to deny Assurance 1. They lay too much stresse upon good works Now Assurance is too goodly a structure to be built upon such a foundation They part stakes between grace and merit and so leave the soul in a tottering condition There is so much pride bound up in the Spirits of men as that they are loth to depend upon another for their happinesse they would have an innate and domestick happinesse within themselves But alas self-bottomings are weak and uncertain and they that build upon their own good meanings and their good wishes and good resolutions upon their good endeavours and goodworks when they have done all they have built but the house of the Spider These that spin salvation out of their own bowels their hope 't is but as a Spiders web And there are many that neither thus spin nor toile and yet I say unto you that a Pharisee in all his glory is not cloth'd like one of these If men do but enquire and look a little to the ebbings and flowings of their own spirits to the waxing and waining of their own performances surely they will presently acknowledge that they can't fetch a Plerophory out of these Believe it the soul can't anchor upon a wave or upon its own fluctuating motions So that 't is a piece of ingenuity in them to tell men that whilest they build upon the sand they can have no great security that their house will last long they may safely say of the Spider that it can have no certainty that its house shall stand Whilest they lean upon a reed wee 'l allow them to question whether it won't break or no nay if they please they may very well question whether it won't pierce them thorough They can be sure of nothing unlesse they be sure of ruine Assurance cannot be founded in a bubble in a creature for the very essence of a creature is doubtful and wavering it must be built upon an immutable Entity upon the free love of God in Christ upon his royal word and oath the sure expressions of his minde and love upon the witnesse of the Holy Ghost the seal of God himself Here the soul may rest and lean and quiet it self for with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning The creature is all shadow and vanity 't is filia noctis like Jonah's gourd man may sit under its shadow for a while but it soon decayes and dies All its certainty is in dependance upon its God A creature if like a single drop left to it self it spends and wastes it self presently but if like a drop in the fountain and Ocean of Being it has abundance of security No safety to the soul but in the armes of a Christ in the embraces of a Saviour No rest to a Dove-like spirit but in the Ark of the Govenant and there 's the pot of hidden Mannah You know that dying Bellarmine was faine to acknowledge that the nearest way to Assurance was only to rest upon the free grace of God in Christ And they that cry down duties so much if they would mean no more then this that men must not trust in them nor make Christs of them nor Saviours of them as they use to express it wee 'l easily grant them this if they 'l be content with it 2. They take away that clasping and closing power of faith it self by which it should sweetly and strongly embrace its own object They would have the soul embrace clouds and dwell in generals they resolve all the sweetnesse and preciousnesse of the Gospel either into this Universal Whosoever believes shall be saved or else which is all one into this Conditional If thou beleevest thou shalt be saved Now this is so farre from assurance as that the Devils themselves do thus believe and yet tremble The thirsty soul may know that there is a fountaine but it must not presume to know that ever it shall taste of it The wounded soul with them may take notice that there is balme in Gilead but it must only give a guesse that it shall be heal'd They won't allow the soul to break the shell of a Promise so as to come to the kernell They silence Faith when it would speak in its own Idiom My Lord and my God O what miserable comforters are these How can they ever speak one word upon the wheels one seasonable word to a wearie soul when as all they can reach to by their own acknowledgement is to leave the soul hovering betwixt heaven and hell And as they say in matter of Reproof Generalia non pungunt so 't is as true in matter of Comfort Generalia non mulcent Yet to see how abundantly unreasonable these men are for in the matter of their Church there they require a particular appropriating faith a Monopolizing faith that the Church of Rome is the only true visible Church and this is no presumption with them Thus they can embrace a dull Errour and let go a precious Truth But the true Church of Christ as 't is it self built upon a Rock so every Member of the Church has the same security And the soul with a Spouse-like affection do's not only conjecture who is her Well-beloved but is in his very armes and breaks out into that expression of love and union I am my well-beloved's and my well-beloved is mine But how strangely do's their conjectural certainty take away the sweetness of such Relations Christians with them must only conjecture that they are the Sons of God the Spouse must only guesse at her beloved husband the sheep must hope that this is the Shepherds voice O how do they emasculate and enervate Religion how do they dispirit it and cut the very sinews of the power of godlinesse But all you that would finde rest to your souls must know that you can never apply a Christ too much that you can never appropriate a Saviour enough that whole happinesse is in union with him 3. They deny perseverance and so long may very well deny Assurance And yet the Arminians have an Art of reconciling Assurance and Non-perseverance They allow men a little brief Assurance for one moment a breve fulgur a little corruscation of joy that only shews it self that it may vanish and disappear The summe of their meaning amounts to thus much For that moment that thou
Sceptical writer Sextus Emricus confeffes that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vehemency importunity of sensitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are saith he so urgent and cogent as that they do extort some kinde of assent from us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we seem to be hungry saith he perhaps we go to our meat and when we have made a shew of eating at length we seem to be satisfied all such matters of sense they resolve into their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into some kinde of appearances that do for the present affect them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honey seems to be pretty sweet and pleasant to them but whether it do not dissemble whether it be as it seems to be that they question I finde that Pyrrhon the great promoter and propagator of this Sect was at first a Painter by his trade and it seems he was very loath ab arte sua recedere for he looks upon every being as a picture and colour a shadow a rude draught and portraicture a meere representation that hath nothing of solidity or reality These pictures of his drawing enamor'd many others for this Sect was patroniz'd by men of acutenesse and subtilty the wits of the age magna ingenia sed non sine mixtura dementiae mala punica sed non sine grano putrido I could name you Authors of good worth and credit who tell you that Homer and Archilochus and Euripides and the Wise men of Greece were all Scepticks yet those proofs which they bring to evidence and evince it are not so pregnant and satisfying but that you may very lawfully doubt of it and yet be no Scepticks neither But Francis Mirandula reckons many very learned men that were deeply engaged in this Sect and some others that did very neere border upon it Protagoras among the rest whom Plato frequently mentions and whom Aristotle confutes who was of this minde that all opinions were true Sextus Empericus passes this censure upon him that he was too positive and dogmatical in asserting theirs but if he had only question'd and deliberated upon it whether all opinions were not true he had then been a rare and compleat Sceptick The ground that Protagoras went upon was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he meant nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Aristotle thus explains the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he made appearance of the whole essence formality of truth So that according to him severall opinions were but the various discoveries and manifestations of truth There was one verum quod ad te pertinet and another verum quod ad illum pertinet Honey was as truly bitter to a feaverish palate as it was sweet and dellcious to an ordinary taste Snow was as truly black in respect of Anaxagoras as it was white in the eye and esteem of another Thus saith he mad men wise men children old men men in a dream and men awake they are all competent Judges of these things that belong to their several conditions for as he tells us truth varies according to several circumstances that 's true to day which is not true to morrow and that 's true at Rome that 's not true at Athens that 's true in this age that 's not true in the next That 's true to one man that 's not true to another There 's none of you but can spie out such a weak fallacy as this is and if he meant to have spoken truth he would have said no more then this that every man thinks his own opinion true For as the will cannot embrace an object unlesse it be presented sub umbra boni so neither can the understanding close and comply with any opinion unlesse it be disguised sub apparentia veri But to make appearance the very essence of truth is to make a shadow the essence of the Sun 't is to make a picture the essence of a man I shall say no more to Protagoras then this that if any opinion be false his cannot be true but must needs be the falsest of all the rest Yet the end that these Scepticks propound to themselves was if you will believe him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a freedom from jarres and discords from Heresie and Obstinacy to have a minde unprejudic'd unprepossest the avoiding of perturbations a milky whitenesse and serenity of soul a fair marke indeed but how a roving Sceptick should ever hit it is not easily imaginable for what Philosophy more wavering and voluble was there ever a more reeling and staggering company was there ever a more tumbling and tossing generation What shall I say to these old Seekers to this wanton and lascivious Sect that will espouse themselves to no one opinion that they may the more securely go a whoring after all If they be resolv'd to deny all things as they can do it very easily and have seem'd to do it very compendiously truly then they have took a very sure way to prevent all such arguments as can be brought against them yet because they seem to grant appearances we will at least present them with a few 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we will see how they will move them and affect them 'T were well then if Pyrrhon the forementioned Painter would but tell us whether a picture would be all one with a face whether an appearance be all one with a reality whether he can paint a non-entity or no whether there can be an appearance where there is no foundation for it vvhether all pictures do equally represent the face whether none can paint a little better then he used to do whether all appearances do equally represent being whether there are not some false and counterfeit appearances of things If so then his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs be took away or if there be alwayes true and certain appearances of things then his doubting and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs vanish When he is thirsty and chooses rather to drink then abstaine what then becomes of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he be sure that he is athirst and if he be sure that he seems to be athirst what then becomes of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the dog was ready to bite him if he was indifferent why did he run away if it were an appearance why did he flee from a shadow why was the Painter afraid of colours If his sense was only affected not his understanding how then did he differ from the sensitive creature from the creature that was ready to bite him if he tels us that he was the hansomerpicture of the two who was it then that drew him so fairly was it an appearance also Doth one picture use to draw another when he perswades men to encline to his Scepticisme what then becomes of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he makes no doubt nor scruple of denying certainty what then becomes of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Creation and though we put all the letters and Characters of it together as well as we can yet we shall finde it hard enough to spell it out and read what it is for as it is in corporeal vision the too much approximation and vicinity of an object do's stop up and hinder sight so 't is also many times in Intellectual Opticks we see something better at a distance the soul cannot so easily see its own face nor so fully explain its own nature We need some Scholiast or Interpreter â—o comment upon our own beings and to acquaint us with our own Idiomes and I meet with many Authors that speak of the light of Nature but I can scarce finde one that tells us what it is Those famous and learned Triuâ—viri SELDEN that has made it his work to write De Jure Naturali and Grotius that has said somewhat of it in his book De Jure Belli Pacis and Salmasius that has toucht it in his late Treatise De Coma and in his little Dialogue subordinate to it in either of which if he had pleased he might have described it without a digression yet none of these as far as I can finde give us the least adumbration of it which notwithstanding was the rather to be expected from them because the Philosophers had left it in such a cloudy and obscured manner as if they had never seen Nature face to face but only through a glasse darkly and in a riddle And as we reade of a Painter that represented Nature appearing to Aristotle with a veile and mask upon her face so truly Aristotle himself painted her as he saw her with her veile on for he shews her only wrapt up and muffled in matter and forme whereas methinks he that could set Intelligences to the wheele to spin out time and motion should have allowed them also some natural ability for performing so famous a task and imployment which his head set them about And truly why Angelical beings should be banished from the Common-wealth of Nature nay why they should not properly belong to Physicks as well as other particular beings or why bodies only should engrosse and monopolizâ— natural Philosophy and why a soul cannot be admitted into it unlesse it bring a certificate and commendamus from the body is a thing altogether unaccountable unlesse it be resolved into a meer Arbitrary determination and a Philosophical kinde of Tyranny And yet Aristotles description of Nature has been held very sacred and some of the Schoolmen do even dote upon it Aquinas tells us in plain termes Deridendi sunt qui volunt Aristotelis definitionem corrigere The truth is I make no question but that Aristotles definition is very commensurate to what he meant by Nature but that he had the true and adaequate notion of Nature this I think Aquinas himself can scarce prove and I would fain have him to explain what it is for a thing innotescere lumine Naturae if Nature be only principium motûs quietis Yet Plutarch also in this point seems to compromise with Aristotle and after a good specious and hopeful Preface where he saies that he must needs tell us what Nature is after all this preparation he does most palpably restrain it to corporeal beings and then votes it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Empedocles as he is quoted by him will needs exercise his Poetry and make some Verses upon Nature and you would think at the first dash that they were in a good lofty straine for thus he sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T was not of a mortal withering off-spring nor of a fading Genealogy but yet truly his Poetical raptures were not so high as to elevate him above a body for he presently sinks into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he falls down into matter and makes Nature nothing else but that which is ingenerable and incorruptible in material beings just as the Peripateticks speak of their materia prima But Plato who was more spiritual in his Philosophy chides some of his contemporaries and is extreamly displeased with them and that very justly for they were degenerated into a most stupid Atheisme and resolved all beings into one of these three Originals that they were either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were either the workmanship of Nature or of Fortune or of Art Now as for the first and chief corporeal beings they made them the productions of Nature that is say they they sprung from eternity into being by their ovvn impetus and by their ovvn vertue and efficacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like so many natural automata they were the principles of their own being and motion and this they laid down for one of their axiomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Master-pieces of being the most lovely and beautiful pictures were drawn by Nature and Fortune and Art only could reach to some poor rudiments to some shadows and weaker imitations which you will be somewhat amazed at when you hear by and by what these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were The foundation of being that they said was Natural the mutation and disposing of being that they made the imployment of Fortune and then they said the work of Art was to finde out Laws and Morality and Religion and a Deity these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they spake of before But that Divine Philosopher does most admirably discover the prodigious folly of this opinion and demonstrate the impossibility of it in that excellent discourse of his in his 10 De Legibus Where he does most clearly and convincingly shew that those things which they say were framed by Art were in duration infinitely before that which they call Nature that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that spirituals have the seniority of corporeals This he makes to appear by their 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these three though they be not expressely mentioned in him yet they may very easily be collected from him Souls they move themselves and they move bodies too and therefore must needs be first in motion so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason and Religion Laws and Prudence must needs be before density and rarity before gravity levity before all conditions and dimensions of bodies And Laws and Religion they are indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the contrivances and productions of that eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisdome of God himself So that all that Plato will allow to Nature amounts to no more then this that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opifex rerum but only Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famula ministra As the eyes of a servant wait upon his master and as the eyes of an handmaiden look up to her mistris so wait her eyes upon the Lord her God And he doth fully resolve and determine that God is the soul of the world and Nature but the body which must
nakednesse this Candle flamed in Gains conscience and this Law was proclaimed in his heart with as much terror as 't was publisht from Mount Sinai which fill'd him with those furious reflections for his unnatural murder Enoch when he walkt with God walkt by this light by this rule Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse took this Law for his text Nay you may see some print of this Law upon the hard heart of a Pharaoh when he cries out the Lord is righteous but I and my people have sinned Hence it was that God when he gave his Law afresh gave it in such a compendious Brachygraphy he wrote it as 't were in Characters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any explication or amplification at all He only enjoyned it with an Imperatorious brevity he knows there was enough in the breasts of men to convince them of it and to comment upon it only in the second Command there is added an enforcement because his people were excessively prone to the violation of it and in that of the Sabbath there is given an exposition of it because in all its circumstances it was not founded in Natural Light So that in Plutarchs language the Decalogue would be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gold in the lump whereas other Law-givers use to beat it thinner Of this Law as 't is printed by Nature Philo speaks very excellently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Right Reason saies he is that fixt and unshaken Law not writ in perishing paper by the hand or pen of a creature nor graven like a dead letter upon livelesse and decaying Pillars but written with the point of a Diamond nay with the finger of God himself in the heart of man a Deity gave it an Imprimatur and an eternal Spirit grav'd it in an immortal minde So as that I may borrow the expression of the Apostle the minde of man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I take it in the very same sense as 't is to be took of the Church 'T is a Pillar of this Truth not to support it but to hold it forth Neither must I let slip a passage in Plutarch which is very neer of kin to this of Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You may take it thus This Royal Law of Nature was never shut up in a paper-prison was never confin'd or limited to any outward surface but it was bravely situated in the Centre of a Rational Being alwayes keeping the Soul company guarding it and guiding it Ruling all its Subjects every obedient Action with a Scepter of Gold and crushing in pieces all its enemies breaking every rebellious Action with a Rod of Iron You may hear the Lyrick singing out the praises of this Law in a very lofty straine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Law which is the Queen of Angelical and humane Beings does so rule and dispose of them as to bring about Justice with a most high and powerful◠and yet with a most soft and delicate hand You may hear Plato excellently discoursing of it whilest he brings in a Sophister disputing against Socrates and such a one as would needs undertake to maintain this Principle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there was an untunable antipathy between Nature and Law that Lawes were nothing but hominum infirmiorum commenta that this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most bright and eminent Justice of Nature for men to rule according to Power and according to no other Law that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all other Lawes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay he calls them cheatings and bewitchings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they come saies he like pleasant songs when as they are meer charmes and incantations But Socrates after he had stung this same Callicles with a few quick Interrogations pours out presently a great deale of honey and sweetnesse and plentifully shewes that most pleasant and conspiring harmony that is between Nature and Law That there 's nothing more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then a Law that Law is founded in Nature that it is for the maintaining and ennobling and perfecting of Nature Nay as Plato tells us elsewhere There 's no way for men to happinesse unlesse they follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these steps of Reason these foot-steps of Nature This same Law Aristotle does more then once acknowledge when he tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Positive Law with him is a more private Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Natures Law is a more publike and Catholike Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he proves to be a very Sovereign and commanding Law for thus he saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law that is most filled with Reason must needs be most victorious and triumphant The same Philosopher in his tenth Book De Rep. has another distinction of Lawes one branch whereof does plainly reach to the Law of Nature There are saies he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the same with those which he call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before and then there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are all one with that he stil'd before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now as he speaks these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawes of the first magnitude of a Nobler Sphere of a vaster and purer influence Where you see also that he calls the Law of Nature the Moral Law and the same which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he with the rest of the Heathen calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 couching the same sense in a seeming contradiction The Oratour has it expressely Non scripta sed nata lex And amongst all the Heathen I can meet with none that draws such a lively pourtraiture of the law of Nature as that Noble Oratour does You may hear him thus pleading for it Nec si regnante Tarquinio nulla erat scripta lex de stupris c. Grant saies he that Rome were not for the present furnisht with a Positive Law able to check the lust and violence of a Tarquin yet there was a Virgin-law of Nature which he had also ravisht and deflour'd there was the beaming out of an eternal Law enough to revive a modest Lucretia and to strike terror into the heart of so licentious a Prince for as he goes on Est quidem vera lex Recta Ratio Naturae congruens diffusa in omnes constans sempiterna quae vocet ad officium jubendo vetando à fraude deterreat quae tamen Probos neque frustrà jubet aut vetat nec improbos jubendo aut vetando movet Hinc Legi nec Propagari fas est neque derogari ex hac aliquid licet Neque tota abrogari potest Nec verò aut per Senatum aut per Populum solvi hac Loge possumus Neque est quaerendus explanator aut interpres ejus alius Non erat alia Romae alia Athenis
the Physicians that of traduction Nay Galen tells in plain termes that the soul is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meere temper or complexion the right tuning of the body which is not farre distant from the Fidlers opinion that Tully speaks of that would needs have the soul to be an harmony His soul that plaid him some lessons and his body danc'd to them And indeed some of the Physicians are as loath as he was ab arte sua discedere and therefore they do embody the soul as much as they can that their skill may extend to the happinesse and welfare of it as if they could feel the pulse of the soul and try experiments upon the spirits as if they could soften and compose the Paroxysme of the minde and cure all the Languors and distempers of the soul as if their drugs would work upon immaterial beings as if they could kill souls as fast as they can kill bodies as if the Candle of the Lord did depend upon these Prolongers as though the Lamp would go out unlesse they pour in some of their oile into it No doubt but there is a mutual communion and intercourse between this friendly and espowsed paire the soul and body no doubt but there is a loving sympathy and fellow-feeling of one anothers conditions but 't is not so strong and powerful as that they must both live and die together Yet I speak not this as though the maintaining of the souls traduction did necessarily prejudice the immortality of it for I know there are many learned Doctors amongst them and Seneca amongst the rest that are for the souls beginning in a way of generation and yet do detest and abominate the least thoughts of its corruption Nay some sacred writers contend for the souls traduction who yet never questioned the perpetuity of it not only the African father Tertullian but most of the Western Churches also and the opinion of Apollinaris and Nemesius that one spiritual being might propagate another I have not yet found sufficiently disprov'd though it be generally reprehended The truth is the original of all formes 't is in profundo 't is very latent and mysterious yet the Naturalists must needs acknowledge thus much that the matter and forme of every thing must have at least an incompleat being before generation for by that they do not receive any new absolute entity for then it would be a creation but the parts are only collected and disposed and united by a strict Gordian knot by an inward continuity So that in all such production the materia oritur ex materia forma ex forma generantis and thus formes are continued according to that degree of being which they had in the first Creation Now why there should not be such a traditio Lampadis in the souls of men will not easily be shewn the nobility and purity of the soul doth not at all hinder this for there is a proportionable eminency in the soul that doth produce it One soul prints another with the same stamp of immortality that it self had engraven upon it But if any question how an immaterial being can be conveighed in such a seminal way let him but shew us the manner by which 't is united to the body and we will as easily tell him how it entered into it Yet Hierome was so zealous against this that he pronounceth a present Anathema to all such as shall hold the soul to be ex traduce But Austin was a great deale more calme and pacate Nay indeed he was in this point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a kinde of equipoise and neutrality and therefore with a gentle breath he did labour to fanne and coole the heat of Hieromes opinion and putting on all mildnesse and moderation plainly confesses Se neque legendo neque or ando neque ratiocinando invenire potuisse quomodo cum Creatione animarum peccatum originale defendatur It seems he could not solve all those difficulties which the Pelagians raised against original sin unlesse he held the traduction of the soul He could not perceive how the Candle should be so soyld if it were lighted only by a pure Sun-beame fetcht from heaven Yet that knot which so skilful and laborious a hand could not unty some others have easily cut asunder and indeed there is no such cogency and prevalency in that argument as can justly promise it self the victory For the Schoolmen that are strong assertors of the souls creation do satisfie all such doubts as these And the major part of modern writers do encline to this that these Lamps are lighted by God himself though some indeed do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will determine nothing as the acute Pemble does among the rest in his little Tractate De Origine Formarum and so doth that learned Knight in his late discourse of the soul where he doth only drop one brief passage that countenances the souls traduction upon which he that pretends to answer him takes occasion to huddle up no lesse then twenty Arguments against it which sure he should by number and not by weight But that Oxford answerer of that Brutish Pamphlet of The Souls Mortality doth more solidly and deliberately handle the question yet being very vehement and intense for the souls Creation he slips into this error that the traduction of the soul is inconsistent with the immortality of it But it may be you had rather hear the votes and suffrages of those ancient heathen writers that had nothing to see by but the Candle of the Lord perhaps you would willingly know what their souls thought of themselves You 'll believe nature the universal mother if she tell you who is the father of spirits Wee 'll begin with Pythagoras and he tells you his minde freely and fully whilest he gives you that piece of leafe-gold in one of his Verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aratus is in the very same streine and was honoured so farre as to be quoted by an Apostle for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if these seeme somewhat more generally not exactly pointing out at the soul the Caldy Oracle will speak more punctually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of spirits by his thought and word by his commanding breath did kindle this Lamp of the soul for the quickening and illuminating of such a noble creature Zoroaster pouers it out more at large and does thus dilate and amplifie it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O soul saies he why do'st thou not aspire and mount up to the centre and light of glory to that fountain of beams and brightnesse from whence thou wert derived and sent down into the world cloath'd and apparell'd with such rich and sparkling indowments The consideration of this made the Divine Trismegist break into that pang of admiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what womb saith he is fit to bear a soul who is fit to be the father of the soul what breast is able to nourish a
their lives For it seem'd a strange thing to others and little better then ridiculous for a small number a little handful of men to go against a vast army enemies cloath'd with terrour that might even blow them away in lesse then an houre And yet they go out against Jabin and Sisera they feare not his nine hundred chariots of iron What means Sisera to brandish his glittering sword to bend his bowe and prepare his deadly arrowes No weapon against them shall prosper Zebulun and Nephtali if they were lesse then they are they would adventure their lives and if they perish they perish In the High places of the field On Mount Tabor where they might have a view of Sisera's army a terrible prospect for Zebulun and Nephtali one would have thought And yet they march forward with an undaunted courage and resolution Zebulun and Nephtali more eminent in their forwardnesse and obedience and so have a more singular commendation given them And Meroz ha's a more bitter curse then any of the rest God took notice of all the others remissenesse and hath left it upon record to the view of all Posterity I but Meroz ha's a Curse with a greater emphasis Curse ye Meroz The Jewes have a Proverbe we must leap up to Mount Gerizim but creep into Mount Ebal You know upon Mount Gerizim all the blessings were pronounc't by Moses as upon Mount Ebal all the Curses So then you must leap up to Mount Gerizim be forward and ready to blesse but creep into Mount Ebal be slow and unwilling to curse I but where God gives a special command to curse there you must leap up to Mount Ebal too Gurse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord. This does not come out of any revengeful thoughts or private respect that Deborah had but she ha's a special command to curse them Saith the Angel of the Lord. Expositors are dubious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendered Nuncius Jehovae and so some take it to be Barak who call d out as is very like this City to the War but they refused to come But whether it be meant of an Angel properly or of any that had a Prophetical Spirit Gods Messenger his Angel this we are sure the drift is to shew that this Curse comes by divine authority by heavenly mandate by the dictate of the Spirit Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord. Curse ye bitterly Curse ye with Cursings an usual Hebraisme But how comes Meroz to have a more bitter and sharp Curse then any of the rest that came not This City was very near the place where the battel was fought it was very nigh Mount Tabor the inhabitants were within the noise of the Trumpet other tribes had excuses this City none And no doubt but they were requested by Barak to help and yet they came not out Because they came not out to the help of the Lord. Why does the Lord need any aid And does the God of Hostes need the help of Meroz Is the hand of Omnipotency abbreviated that it cannot help or his arme shortened that it cannot save Do's the mighty God call for help and the great Jehovah need auxiliary forces what meanes this holy Prophetesse when she sayes and repeates this They came not out to the help of the Lord c. They that help Israel are said to help the Lord. What is done to the Church God reckons as done for himself Inasmuch as ye did it to one of these little ones you did it unto me O the infinite goodnesse of God that hath conjoyn'd his own glory and the salvation of his People together He hath wrought Israels name in the frame of his own glory it is for his honour to save Israel They that come not out to help Israel they come not out to help the Lord. God needs not the help of men he can save his people miraculously he did so here The Starres fought in their courses against Sisera He can raise a glorious Army of Stars and can order them as he pleases they shall all keep their ranks they fight in their courses against Sisera How did the Stars fight against him Their beams and influences were their weapons they wrought impressions in the Aire and rais'd meteors raine haile lightning thunder The Stars like bright and eminent Commanders lead under them an Army of meteors their train'd Souldiers they set them into their severall postures like the Centurion they say to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he comes If they bid the clouds discharge they instantly dart out lightning-flashes and present a volley of thunder-claps They 'l try what they can do with proud Sisera And if Israel be too weak for them the Hoast of Heaven shall fight against them The Starres fought in their courses against Sisera I but all this is no thank to Meroz nay it rather aggravates their sinne and so embitters their curse shall inanimate creatures more sympathize with Israel then their fellow-brethren Shall the Stars fight in their courses and shall not Meroz stir a foot to help them And the river Kishon sweeps them away as dung that ancient river the river Kishon now swelling by reason of the excesse of raine and drowning many of the Canaanites as the Egyptians were once drown'd in the Red-Sea they sinke like lead in the mighty waters Stars and Rivers fight for them but Meroz will not help them Against the mighty Jabin and Sisera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potent puissant enemies The Church of God ha's had alwayes mighty opposers great enemies Satan the Prince of the Aire Antichrist and his forces These and many such like observations lye scatter'd in the words and might be gather'd out of them but we will unite them all in this one truth which is directly aim'd at and intended in them Doct Every Christian should be of a publick spirit he is bound under paine of a bitter curse as much as in him lyes to promote the cause of God and to help Israel to help the Church of God against its mighty enemies Wee 'l branch it into these two particulars 1. 'T is a thingfull of reason and equity that every one that professes himself an Israelite should help Israel that Christians should be of a publick spirit it is but just that Meroz should aid Israel 2. How every one may help the Lord against the mighty and stand for the peace of Sion by what means they may do this 1. A Christian should be of a publick and enlarged spirit not seeking only himself and his own ends with a narrow and contracted heart but he should seek the glory of God and the good of Sion of his Church and people 1. It is the very nature of goodnesse to diffuse it self abroad in a spreading and liberal manner for it do's not thus lose any thing but augments and increases its being by communicating it self 2. You may see some prints and
streams but yet I may die with thirst there are spiritual dainties and precious delicacies but I am not sure to have one taste of them many a promise looks with a pleasant and propitious eye but 't is not fixt upon my soul so that take away a Christians interest and propriety in a promise and what becomes of his consolation God has given his word his oath his seal his earnest and all to this very end that a poor Christian may be assur'd of his salvation that he might have strong and vigorous consolation so that to deny him this is to annihilate the word of God to frustrate the oath of God to evacuate the seal of God and as much as in them lies to make him lose his earnest and to leave the soul in an intricate and perplext condition 4. From the nature of Christian hope There 's a vast difference between the Moralists hope and that which is the Theological grace and yet this is scarce took notice of they require these three ingredients into the object of hope that it must be 1 bonum 2. futurum 3. incertum but Christian hope is certain infallible it looks upon good as to come and as certain to come indeed 't is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clem. Alexand. elegantly blood running in the veins of Faith if hope expire Faith will presently bleed to death That good which Faith sees Hope waits for Faith eyes it as present but yet at a distance and Hope tarries for it till it come Christian hope is nothing but a waiting and expectation of a certain good you have a pregnant text for this in Hebr. 6. 19. Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Hope were but a poor Anchor if it should leave the soul to the courtesie of a wave to the clemency of a Rock to the disposing of a storme Hope were but a weak Anchor if it should let the soul be lost with uncertainties if it should leave it in danger of shipwrack I but this Anchor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it pierces within the vaile it will be sure to have fast hold 't will fix upon heaven it self upon the sanctum sanctorum See another Rom. 5. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that 's a poore glory to triumph in uncertainties to triumph before the victory little cause of joy and exultation till the soul be provided for eternity I can tell you the very possibility of being damn'd is enough to extinguish joy so that till the soul come to be in a safe condition safe for all eternity and till it know it self to be in this safe condition 't is so farre from being joyful as that it cannot tell how to be quiet A probable hope will bear up and support the soul a door of hope in the valley of Achor but it will not quiet and satisfie the soul The least dawning of hope in the initials of grace does mightily cherish and encourage the soul O how pleasant are the eye lids of the morning how welcome is the day-break after a dark and disconsolate night Nay the very possibility of being sav'd was that which first drew us all to look after heaven the very consideration that there was Balme in Gâ—lead But the weary soul will ne're rest here the Dove will ne're take this for an Ark No the beams of Gods love will shine out stronger and brighter upon the soul and ripen his hope into assurance Christian hope when 't is in its full vigour is all one with assurance Rom. 5. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if hope could be frustated it then might make asham'd disappointment would cause a blush hope differr'd will make the heart sick and uncertain hope will scarce make the soul well a Christians hope is not like that of Pandora which may flie out of the box and bid the soul farewel no 't will ne're vanish till it be swallow'd up in fruition The hope of the Hypocrite 't is as his righteousnesse like the morning-dew but the hope of a Christian 't is like the morning-light the least beam of it shall commence into a compleat Sun-shine 't is Aurora gaâ—dii and it shall shine out brighter and brighter till perfect day We shall further clear this truth if you consider the manner how Christians are assur'd of their salvation the third thing we propounded 1. By the graces of God which are in them those precious seeds of immortality and the Prints of the Spirit by which they are sealed to the day of Redemption Grace is the Spirits stamp by which it marks the soul for its own The first-fruits of the Spirit the least grace if true and sincere is sufficient to salvation and therefore the sense of the least grace is sufficient to Assurance But how shall the soule know that it has these graces in truth and not in shadow and colour only how shall it be certain that these are not counterfeit and painted There might be given many signes and characters of true grace that it must flow from a principle of sincerity from a principle of love that it must be conformable to the grace of Christ But all this will not satisfie for the soule will still question how shall I know that my graces are such so then that which we must ultimately resolve it into is that in Rom. 8. 16. For in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing shall be established Now we have here two witnesses omni exceptione majores we have a double Testimony a twin-Testimony The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he confirmes what the other sayes both the witnesses do fully agree and make up one entire testimony the soul may say here as Paul Rom. 9. 1. I speak the truth I lie not my Conscience bearing me witnesse by the Holy Ghost The whole work of Assurance is summ'd up in this Practical Syllogism Whosoever beleeves shall be saved but I beleeve and so shall certainly be saved The Assumption is put out of doubt 1. Conscience comes in with a full testimony And if natural Conscience be a thousand witnesses then sure an enlight'ned and sanctifi'd Conscience can be no lesse then ten thousand 1 John 3. 10. He that beleeves has a witnesse in himself a Certificate in his own breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the same Apostle 1 John 3. 2. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is the same with Conscience for the Hebrewes have no other word for Conscience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then if our heart acquit us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have as much liberty as we can desire It feares not now the edge of the law nor the fiery darts of Satan it doth not stagger with sense of its own weaknesse and unworthinesse but
breasts much lesse into the breast of a Deity Thou caust not fathome sometimes a shallow creature and do'st thou think to reach to the bottome of infinite depths Has God given thee secret springs of working has he made the wheeles and motions of thy soul secret and undiscernable and may he not have the same priviledge himself So then if God has put a vaile upon Election do'st thou think to see into it When he has shut and clasp't the book of Life do'st thou think to open it and read it II. Vocation comments upon Election Gods decrees that were set from everlasting do bud and blossome and bring forth fruit in time Election buds in a promise and blossomes in an offer of grace The Book was written before the foundations of the world were laid but it was not publisht till God himself gave it an Imprimatur The Letter was dated from eternity the Supersociption was writ in time in Vocation Now you know though the Letter be writ first yet the Superscription is read first by him that receives the Letter 'T was decreed from eternity that Decrees should be known in time And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulnesse of time is the time when Gods decrees are fulfilled When the decrees of God are ripe then he lets the soul taste them and then they are sweetest Then thou perceivest that thou art a vessel of honour when God puts thee upon an honourable imploiment That fountain of love which ran under ground from everlasting bubbles up and flowes to thee in time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation Thus thoughts of men when they would appear they put on words they take wings to themselves and flie away III. There is a strict and an inseparable connexion betwixt Election and Vocation For who is there that can blast the decrees of Heaven or who can reverse the Seale of the Almighty Who can break one linke of this golden chaine To be sure 't is not in the power of created Beings to evacuate and annihilate the counsels of God A creature as it had no influence upon Election so neither has it any power to alter it A shadow does not alter the Sun but rather shews you what time of the day it is And then to be sure God himself will not reverse his own seale Nulla est litura in dâ—crâ—tis sapientum say the Stoicks A wise man will scorne to blot out any thing Nulla sunt litura in libra vitâ— God is so full of light as that there is no shadow of change in him Therefore has God pickt thee out as a Jewel and laid thee up in a secret repository in the Cabbinet of his secret councel He will then bring thee out and shew thee in time he means to polish thee and put a lustre upon thee he means to set thee as a Diamond in his Ring and to put thee upon the band of a Saviour Did God from all eternity resolve to set thee as a captive soul at liberty Truely then thou needest not doubt but that he will in time break open the prison-doors and beat off thy chaines and thy â—etters and give thee full inlargement God has been preparing a feast for thee from everlasting a feast of sweet and fat things a refined an Evangelical feast To be sure then he will invite thee in time he will stand at thy door and knock nay he will compell thee to come into it God glanced an eye of love upon thee when thou layest hid in the barren wombe of nothing to be sure then in time he means to wooe thee and to winne thee and to espouse thee to himself in faithfulnesse and in truth IV. Election and Vocation though in respect of us they have gradual and climbing accomplishments yet in respect of God they are equally present For there is no succession in eternity There can be no Priâ—â— posterius where there was no beginning 'T is true that our finite Beings as they cannot sufficiently graspe an infinite Essence so neither can they measure an infinite Duration And therefore our understandings put many times severall periods there where there ought not to be the least Comâ—â— because we span out things by our own narrow Duration For Duration is nothing else but permanoâ—â—ia in esse a continuation and abiding in Being the spinning out of Entity And therefore as the soul cannot see the face of God so neither can it see the vastnesse of his Duration which is adequate and commensurate to the degree of his Entity So that we being but of yesterday are not competent judges of Eternity And as the soul imprisoned in a body can but darkly conceive of spiritual Beings and cannot behold the lustre and oriency of an Angel nay it cannot behold its own beauty much lesse is it able to behold the glory of God himself So being here conversant with transient things that have their Ortum Occasum their Fluxum Refluxum their Spring and Autumne their bounds and their bottome and dwelling among temporals 't is not so well acquainted with the vast Duration of Eternity And yet it can far better behold the back-parts of Eternity then the face of it Eternity à parte pòst then Eternity à parte antè because the soul it self is measured by that Duration Whereas only that one Supreme Being God himself has the compleatnesse and perfection of Eternity No wonder then that our understandings put several periods there where there ought not to be the least comma because we span out things by our own Duration that which bubbles from Eternity comes flowing to us in time But Vocation is as eternall as Election In respect of God Jacob was as soon call'd as he was chosen and that not only in respect of the secret counsel and decree of God but whensoever God does actually call Jacob he calls him ab Aeterno for Eternity is not at all spent and exhausted by continuance but is alwayes in vigore viridi 'T is a flourishing Duration that never withers nor decayes Indeed Vocation is nothing else but Election pulling off her velle and smiling upon the soul and telling her that God loves her and manifests and displayes his love to her V. It is altogether irregular and anomalous for the soul 1. To prie into Election 'T is dangerous to tread on the highest round first and here it is impossible Thus the soul forgets that it is a creature it forgets its own Duration and would be measuring it self by Eternity The windowes of the soul must be set open for the entertaining of such light as do's more immediately flow in upon it and the understanding must close and comply with such objects as are best proportioned to it Now you know that those things which are first intelligible in their own nature yet are not alwayes first presented to the view and eye