labour that they may be strengthened by piety and godliness yet will I not enter upon a particular enumeration of Gods communicable Properties I have been too long already upon this argument much less upon a particular explication of them for it will be sufficient for my purpose which is the advancement of the true Religion in the hearts and lives of men if I briefly insist onely upon these three to which all the rest may be reduced and they are Truth in his Understanding Goodness in his Will and Purity in his Action for we cannot better consider Gods Activity then in the Purity of his Action unto which we must also annex a short discourse of Liberty as belonging to all three that is to say to Understanding and Will and Action And these three Properties of Truth Goodness Purity as they are eminently in God and evidences of his perfection so are they also eminent in Religion the service of God And first of the Truth of God and of Religion God is true by a metaphysical and by a moral Truth First By a metaphysical Truth as having the true knowledge of all things Psa. 139. 2. thou understandest my thoughts long before God understandeth our thoughts before they are the angels not when they are and therefore they are defective in truth because defective in understanding for Truth metaphysically is a conformity of the thing with the understanding and accordingly our blessed Saviour is particularly called the Truth as being the Omniscient Wisdome of God and the eternal Understanding of the Father even as the holy Ghost is the eternal Love both of Father and Son Secondly God is True by a moral Truth as having his Affection Expression Action agreeable to his knowledge and that in three respects 1. As Truth is opposed to Falshood for God neither wills nor speaks an untruth 2. As Truth is opposed to Dissimulation for God neither dissembleth nor deceiveth 3. As Truth is opposed to Inconstancy for God changeth not his judgement in truths declared or determined he changeth not the event in truths foretold or prophesied for in promises he keeps his word and his truth if man perform the conditions in threats he may not keep his word and yet keep his truth because they are but conditional And as for deceiving the Prophets Ezek. 14. 9. and 1 King 22. 23. we generally and truly answer Tradit diabolo decipiendos he delivereth them over to the devil to be deceived by him so saith the Text Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes. 2. 10 11 12. a text that gives us a fearful but yet a full account of all those strong delusions among men which led directly to the Father of lies the first step was a voluntary unrighteousness in not loving the truth the second step is a strong delusion in beleeving a lie the third step God keep them from treading in that who have trodden in the two former is a necessary damnation both for not loving the truth and for having pleasure in lies but still God is true though every man be a liar for God deceiveth the Prophet Ez◠14. 9. as he hardeneth the heart Exod. 10. 1. permissivè non efficienter permissively no◠efficaciously by not inhibiting or not purging those ill qualities that are already is the heart not by infusing any ill qualities into it and therefore though he saith I have hardened Pharaohs heart yet he saith unto us Harden not your own hearts and accordingly he threatneth in Ezekiel to destroy such a prophet from the midst of his people whose heart was hardned so fa◠as to deceive himself and others whereas he could not in justice destroy him onely for being that which himself had made him nay this permission is most plainly set forth in that parable of 1 Kin. 22. for all that God doth there is onely to let the evil spirit go forth that is not to inhibite him from going and deceiving not to send him down from heaven For it is evident that the evil spirit never did and never can come into heaven again since he was first thrown down from thence And thus briefly God is True Metaphysically and Morally Metaphysical truth consisting in the right apprehension of things as they are in themselves Moral truth in the right affection and profession of things as they are apprehended and this profession is either in word by veracity or in action by sincerity or in continuance of action by constancy so that moral truth is opposed to falshood because 't is the same with reality to dissimulation because 't is the same with sincerity and to wavering and floating because 't is the same with certainty And this same metaphysical and moral truth is also in Religion passing from the Master into his service for the Father seeketh such to worship him who worship him as he is that is who worship him in spirit because he is a Spirit and who worship him in truth because he is the Truth S. John 4. 23 24. The worship in spirit points at the metaphysical truth of Religion which requires a true apprehension of God the worship in truth points at the moral truth of Religion which requires an Affection Profession Action agreeable to that true apprehension and for both these hath our own Church taught us to pray Collect 7th Sunday after Tri. Graff in our hearts the love of thy Name Increase in us true Religion nourish us with all goodness and of thy great mercy keep us in the same Do you look for the metaphysical Truth of Religion 'T is in the knowledge of Gods Name which must be presupposed before the love of it since no man can love what he doth not know that you know God by his true Name such as himself hath proclaimed Exod. 32. 5 6 7. or that you apprehend God as he is not set up to your self an idol in stead of God as do all those who worship not the Father by the Son in the unity of the Spirit Again do you look for the moral truth of Religion 'T is in the love of Gods Name that you love him according to your knowledge or that you have your affection agreeable to your apprehension for to know God and not to love him is in effect to proclaim you do not truly know him since the same God is the first Truth and ground of our knowledge and also the last good and cause of our love and you may here likewise finde this moral truth of Religion in all respects First in its Reality for it is the very true Religion opposed to falshood or superstition 't is indeed Gods Name Secondly in its Sincerity or Fidelity for it is all Goodness not onely in the tongue but also in the heart
offend many of those that manifestly oppose the truth and immortally injure their brethren by turning them out of the road of salvation to look after some new by-paths no less doubtfull then perilous for if St. Paul did wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren his kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9. 3. then none that takes upon him St. Pauls calling but is bound to have so much of St. Pauls zeal as to think the salvation of souls his greatest blessing and to make it his chiefest aim and he that doth the one will certainly do the other and consequently not regard the causless displeasure of many if he may take the right course to save but one and without doubt this doctrine doth immediately tend to the salvation of all which adviseth men to take heed of hypocrisie in professing Religion and of apostacy in renouncing it or of schisme in receding from it for schisme is a particular apostacy even as a apostacy is a general schisme For the onely way to be assured of our future communion with God in happiness is to be assured of our present communion with God in holiness and we cannot be assured of communion with the Father of lights unless we walk as children of the light It is in effect St. Iohns argumentation 1 Epist. c. 1. v. 5 6 7. He that saith he hath communion with God must walk in the light But all we that profess our selves Christians do say we have communion with God in and by our Saviour Christ Therefore we must all walk in the light We that do profess our selves Christians as we do say that we have communion or fellowship one with another so we do much more say that we have communion with God not inviting men to our civil but to our Christian communion and unless we make good that saying we cannot make good our own Christian profession for he that hath communion with Christ hath communion with the Son of God and he that hath the Son hath the Father also 1 Joh. 2. 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father therefore Turks and Infidels and Antitrinitarians do not worship the same God with us Orthodox Christians but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also therefore Orthodox Christians in having Christ are sure they have communion with God For although these latter words He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also be not in the Greek originals either of Greek or Latine Church for which cause they are by our Interpreters inserted in different characters from the text who did not desire to follow Beza where Beza did not follow the Church yet they are in the Vulgar Latine and are owned by Clemens of Alexandria in his comment upon this Epistle as it is recorded in Bibliothecâ Patrum and also by the Syrus Interpres and indeed are in effect owned by the Spirit of God himself for that they are virtually included in the former words by the rule of Contrariety or Opposition for by the same reason that whosoever denieth the Son hath not the Father it is most undoubtedly true that whosoever confesseth the Son hath the Father therefore all our labour must be that we may have the Son for in having him we are sure to have the Father And this is the grand doctrine of all the New Testament this is the main gospel-Gospel-truth that the Apostles maintained against all sorts of gainsayers in their time and they have left us their writings that we should also maintain it unto the worlds end That the Christian Religion is the only way to eternal salvation This their doctrine was strongly opposed in their days by four sorts of men 1. By the Gentiles not yet converted for they still maintained their heathenisme 2. By the Jews not yet converted for they still maintained their Judaisme 3. By the Jews not fully converted for they still maintained a mixture of Judaisme with Christianity they mingled together the Jewish and the Christian Religion 4. By the Christians converted but withal partly perverted for they brought in untrue professions and ungodly practises into their Christianity they corrupted and depraved the Christian Religion and the Apostles were accordingly very carefull as to confute these heresies so also to confirm and establish the contrary truth whence it is that all their writings are wholly taken up either in those confutations or in this confirmation For though the truth it felf is but one yet the controversies concerning it were no less then four and the Apostles thought it necessary not only to establish the truth in it self that it might appear truth but also to establish it in our hearts that it might appear truth to us that is truth without controversie not only a mystery of Godliness but also a manifest and confessed mystery 1. Tim. 3. 16. Wherefore it will not be amiss for us to see the state of the several Controversies that so we may the more clearly see the more firmly embrace the more constantly profess the truth The state of the first Controversie which the Apostles had with the Gentiles consisted of these two questions First whether there were a life everlasting to be looked for after this life Secondly whether that life everlasting were to be obtained by continuing in the idolatry of the heathen or by turning to the Religion of the Christians And in both these questions the truth of the Christian Religion is declared or rather demonstrated against the heathenish superstition out of the principles of natural reason and that truth summ'd up by St. Paul 1 Thes. 1. 9 10. How ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come There is a resurrection from the dead therefore the soul dies not with the body but lives eternally and this eternal life is not to be gotten by serving Idols but by serving the living and true God and there is no serving him but by waiting for his Son from heaven Thus was the Christian Religion justified against Heathenisme which afforded the first Controversie The state of the second Controversie which the Apostles had with the Jews not converted consisted but of this one Question Whether eternal life and salvation was to be obtained by the Jewish or by the Christian Religion And we finde the Apostles still proving out of the Old Testament the Ground of the Jews Religion and so acknowledged by themselves without the least doubt or contradiction that salvation was not to be had by Moses but by Christ so S. Peter in his several Sermons Acts 2. and 3. and 4. Christus Messias that Christ was the Messias the Saviour of the world is the subject of them all This he proves Acts 2. for that he had given the holy Ghost and was risen from the dead and both his proofs are out of the Old
continuance for herein Gamaliel spake as the oracle of God if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought Acts 5. 38. If the counsel be to serve our own ends the work is so to and then both counsel and work are of men of perverse and refractory men and being of men it will come to nought and God forbid but so it should All this while here is a certainty of nothing but onely of the good seed It is most sure the seed which God sowes is good and yet neither hypocrites nor profane nor perverse men are fully assured of its goodness because they have but an assurance of speculation not of affection such an assurance as swims onely in the brain to convince them by way of information not such an assurance as sinks down into the heart to convert them by way of reformation making them out of love with their own errours much less by way of confirmation making them really in love with Gods truth for this latter assurance belongs onely to those who follow St Peters advice laying aside all malice or wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is against the profane persons and all guile and hypocrisies that is against the hypocrites and envies and evil speakings that is against the perverse as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby 1 S. Pet. 2. 1 2. not grow rich or powerfull or honorable in this world but grow pious and religious and devout prepared for a better world for such men only receive that heavenly seed in good ground which is like to bring forth encrease such men only receive the word in an honest and a good heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a heart that is honest and free from hypocrisie in a heart that is good and free from wickedness that will not let the man be profane in a heart that is good and free from refractoriness that will not let the man be perverse for even Aristotle's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 requires a man to be good in all these three respects without hypocrisie in his intention without profaneness in his action without perverseness in his affection and therefore surely Christs school will not admit of any other scholar and if any other scholar be admitted he will be but little benefitted by his learning for he that doth not thus receive the word of grace hath not yet tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 S. Pet. 2. 3. Nor is it requisite here to insist upon the impediment of ignorance amongst us who say we live in the sun-shine of the Gospel and that our eyes are open to see more then all our fathers before us or all our neighbours about us or all our brethren with us for in truth we cannot justly complain of ignorance whom God hath so effectually called to the knowledge of his truth and faith in him by placing us in a Church which is able to protest with St. Paul and indeed every true Christian Church being the grand Apostle of its nation ought to make good this Apostolical protestation Ye know how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and have taught you publickly testifying repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20. 21 22. I say we cannot justly complain of ignorance who have our eyes open to see the truth but we may and must complain of our detestable unthankfulness which hath filled us with hypocrisie and profaneness and perversness but especially with perversness for whiles our eyes are open our hearts are shut shut faster then the iron gate that lead unto the city was shut against St Peter because we generally defie those whom God hath called his Angels Apoc. 1. 20. for whiles they did go along with us and we with them the iron gate which leadeth unto the City of God the true Jerusalem did open to us of its own accord like Acts 12. 10. we had no difficulty in Religion which we were not able to conquer But now we have gotten very many difficulties which we shall never be able to subdue till we have conquered that which caused them all our own perversness Indeed we have gotten almost as many Religions as men and yet as many difficulties as Religions for having turned our Jerusalem into Babel God hath justly divided our languages and which yet is far worse hath also divided our minds that since we would not all speak the same thing we should not be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. so far are we now from enjoying Gods blessing because we have been far from obeying his command for the command hath not the weaker obligation because it is uttered by way of benediction but ought rather to have the stronger influence Rom. 15. 5 6. Now the God of all patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We would not glorifie God with one mouth when we were thereunto called and now we cannot glorifie him with one minde that it is more then evident whiles we have pretended to thrust out the Papist we have let in the Atheist and that in the most dangerous kind of Atheism if we be not overcome by it but the most damnable if we be the perverse Atheisme For it is a misery which may be lamented but cannot be denied that though all the world cannot make one and the same person more then one man yet he may make himself no less then three Atheists an Atheist in his Understanding by not knowing God an Atheist in his Will and Affections by not loving and regarding him and an Atheist in his Life and Conversation by not honouring and obeying him The first you may call the ignorant or blind Atheist the second the perverse the third the profane Atheist the heathen had most of the ignorant but the Christian hath most of the perverse and of the profane Atheist and if you will ask which of these two is the worser there is no Divine but must be unwilling to answer you because he cannot be willing to countenance either but yet you may take this observation in part of payment till you have a fuller answer to discharge the reckoning That our blessed Saviour whiles he lived on the earth converted many Publicans and sinners which were in the number of profane but very few Pharisees and hypocrites which were in the number of perverse Atheists CHAP. 3. Of the Substance and the Exercise of Religion and the difference betwixt them in regard of the Authority Certainty and Immutability THere are two substantial parts of the Christian Religion The first is conversant in the knowledge The second in the worship of God in Christ so that the substance of the Christian Religion
which he doth continually defile with with his intemperances and uncleanness And this truth being granted which is not to be denied and scarce to be disputed it must needs follow that 't is impossible there should be an absolute infallibility of Faith in any man till there be in him an absolute impeccabilitie of life for from the corruption in manners will proceed the corruption in doctrine and from corruption in doctrine corruption in manners so that the doctrine cannot be the form and the duty the matter of Religion since the false doctrine corrupts the duty and the defective duty corrupts or depraves the doctrine and we must allow the substance of Religion to be altogether incorruptible and because there can be in it no corruption 't is evident there is in it no Physical composition Secondly There is in Religion no Logical composition ex subjecto accidente for no part of it but is substantial and essential Faith can no more save without good works then good works can be without faith It seems the man had faith who came running to kneel to our blessed Saviour and to ask him What he should do to inherit eternal life sure a better faith then any of our Solifidians have who neither run nor kneel nor ask yet our Saviours answer is Thou knowest the commandments S. Mark 10. He saith not Thou knowest the faith in Christ and yet without doubt he included it but so it is Christ himself teaching us to go to heaven by obedience doth plainly shew there can be no true faith without it and Bona opera sunt perniciosa ad salutem is a most pernicious blasphemous doctrine though Amsdortius broach'd it out of zeal to the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ and out of opposition to the merit of condignity in good works for 't is not the right way to build up faith by pulling down obedience since the Apostle himself telleth us that the truth of the Gospel was made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 26. and 't is evident that faith it self is an act of obedience and a duty enjoyned in the first commandment so that we cannot take away faith from obedience but we must take away obedience from the first and great commandment that most requires it which will not be so much as good Judaisme and therefore sure cannot be good Christianity for the Jews did of purpose in their doctrine as it were entangle the commandments one with another to shew that one could not be violated alone and that our obedience was alike due to all therefore did they teach that the preface I am the Lord thy God was directly on the other side answered by the sixth commandment Thou shalt do no murder for he that kills a man destroys the image of God The first commandment it self Thou shalt have no other gods but me was directly answered by the seventh Thou shalt not commit adultery for idolatrie is a spiritual fornication The third for it seems they looked on the second as included in the first Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain was answered by the eighth Thou shalt not steal for he that will be a thief will not stick to forswear himself The fourth Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day was answered by the ninth Thou shalt not bear false witness for he that will not keep the sabbath doth bear false witness of God that he did not rest on the seventh day The fifth Honour thy father and thy mother was answered and as it were seconded by the tenth Thou shalt not covet for he that gives the reins to his concupiscence shall beget a son that shall dishonour and disobey him Salomom Iarchi in Cantic cap. 4. v. 5. Thus did they make one commandment not onely as a second to vindicate and avenge but also as a principle champion to fortifie and strengthen another that we should pay the readier obedience to them all for they did not this to confound our dutie towards God and our duty towards our neighbour but to shew that though these several duties might be distinguished yet they might not be divided nor separated for that no one commandment of the Moral Law was accidental but all alike substantial in that obedience which God doth now require and will hereafter reward so that there is no composition of Subject and Accident in Religion Thirdly and lastly There is in Religion no Metaphysical composition ex actu potentia of act and power for though this Metaphysical composition is in the Angels yet 't is not in Religion 'T is in the Angels for they have not all their essence and perfection together but as it were successively some after other so that in this respect Religion hath a prerogative above the Angels and therefore may not stoop down so low as to worship them for that hath its whole perfection altogether the Old the New Testament differing onely in modo not in re for the same Faith Hope and Charity saved Abraham that still saveth us and hence it is evident that all is either superstition of faction which cannot consist and be maintained without addition to the text the onely rule of Religion though it pretend not to be addition but onely exposition or declaration As for example When Christ hath said Drink ye all of this that the Laity or Clergy not administring are not bound to drink of it may pretend to be a declaration of the Church Ecclesia declarat nullo divino praecepto Laicos aut Clericos non conficientes ad bibendum obligari Concil Trid. Sess. 21. cap. 1. but it is indeed a depravation of the truth by way of addition Again when God hath said Thou sh'alt not worship any graven image for any man to say Thou shalt not worship the graven image of Venus or Bacchus or Jupiter but thou mayst worship the image of Christ and of the saints seems to be a declaration but is indeed a down right depravation by way of addition and yet this is the fleight whereby Baronius endeavours to elude the second commandment and why may not we as well say Thou shalt not kill that is Thou shalt not kill a Romane Catholick but thou mayst kill an heretick Thou shalt not steal that is Thou shalt not assault or invade the property of a brother one of the godly party but thou mayst of one that is a malignant or a reprobate and yet not be guilty of stealing In a word to instance in the fifth commandment which hath been alike trampled upon by the two grand factions of Christendome Honour thy father and thy mother saith God that is If he be not an heretick saith the one side for then he may be excommunicated deposed and killed If he be not a reprobate saith the other side for then he may be dishonoured and disobeyed and destroyed for having no share in grace he hath no right to
with us so that the best way to serve him cordially is to serve him with eye-service considering that he always looks upon us and therefore we ought always to act as in his presence Excellently the Casuist Reiginaldus Adjumenta operandi bonum in ordine ad nosipsos sunt consider are Christum ut mandantem spectantem adjuvantem The main helps that encourage any man in regard of himself to do that which is good is the consideration of Christs presence as if he were actually standing by him to command to observe and to assist him that he commands me to obey observes me in my obedience and assists me in obeying whosoever truly hath this consideration of Christ cannot but have his heart full of true Christianity and he that hath his heart full cannot have his mouth or his hand empty for out of the aboundance of the heart not onely the mouth speaketh but also the hand acteth and worketh But Gods Infinitie though it most appear to us in his Omnipresence yet is it the immediate property of his essence which being a pure act or form admits of no materiality to limit and to confine it and so also are the duties of Religion in some sort infinite in their very essence for nothing is proportionable to God but what is infinite and like himself and therefore it is said Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect St. Mat. 5. 48. God justly requires a perfection of degrees in all duties of Religion though he graciously accepts a perfection of parts it is well for us that the truth and sincerity not the measure and degree of our faith or repentance puts us in the state of salvation for else we should not onely be always doubtfull of that state but also very often come short of it and yet in truth our faith and repentance and obedience is infinite as it is in Gods acceptance though not as it is in our performance for though it be performed in much unrighteousness yet it is accepted in an infinite righteousness even the righteousness of the eternal Son of God 3. Communicatione essentiae Thirdly and lastly God may be said to be infinite in the communication of his essence which he hath communicated in an infinite variety to infinite sorts of creatures which all have their being onely from him So also Religion is infinite in this respect that it can never be enough communicated he that is truly converted himself will make it his whole work to strengthen his brethren according to that advice of our blessed Saviour St. Luke 22. 32. which having been given to St. Peter in his own person cannot but more peculiarly belong to all his successours then many things else that are more zealously claimed by most of them and how then may the Scriptures be denied to the people in a tongue they know or prayers be obtruded to them in a tongue they know not since the Scripture communicates Religion from God to man and prayer expresseth the desire of that heavenly communion Wherefore that of the Trent Council Sess. 22. cap. 8. Nè tamen oves Christi esuriant pastores frequenter aliquid in missâ exponant c. Least the flock of Christ should be hunger-starved the priâ—st ought often to expound the missal is in effect a tacit Confession that though Religion ought to be effectually communicated to the people to feed their souls unto the full yet they are resolved it must not be so but that they shall still wholly depend upon the priests for a little broken bread whereas all that know good to be naturally diffusive of it self most willingly acknowledge that Religion the greatest good of this world and the onely practise of the next the more it hath of goodness the more it ought to have likewise of the diffusion The third incommunicable property of God is his Immutability for as God changeth not in his essence I AM hath sent me unto you Exo. 3. 14. so he changeth not in his government or dominion of souls I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. he changeth not as our Lord and we cannot pretend to change as his servants for Religion hath also its share in this Immutability in which sense I perswade my self Iustin Martyr called Abraham a Christian and Socrates too though a heathen yet observing some of that righteousness all which we Christians do or should observe and he proves that the Christian Religion is that whereby God was then and is now truly worshipped and glorified what the heathen had of idols they had of Paganisme what of moral duties or of reasonable service they had of Christianity for there is no reason why the martyrs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not agree with the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 1. So likewise the Iews and the Christians have the same Religion in substance though not in ceremonies or circumstance or the old Testament could not be brought so appositely to prove the doctrines of the New or Moses have been said to bear the reproach of Christ Heb. 11. 26. and so likewise all Christians have one and the same Religion though they have many different professions the Christian Religion being altogether unchangeable one and the same in all places and at all times and what is otherwise will be found either to be superstition or faction or matter of order but in no case matter of Religion it being impossible that what is truly Christian in one place or time should be made either Antichristian or Unchristian in another And this property of Immutability Religion partakes in a higher degree then the sublimest spirit in the highest order of Angels for they are all changeable by a power without them though not by a power within them but Religion is not so God himself cannot make another Religion or service of himself then that which he hath already made I mean as to the substantial and internal nature of holiness consisting in the immediate duties of Religion Aliquid dicitur mutabile dupliciter uno modo per potentiam quae in ipso est altero modo per potentiam quae est in altero Aquin. par 1. qu. 9. what is absolutely unchangeable cannot be changed by any power either within or without it self so is God so is the service of God Religion which God cannot change no more then he can change himself that is no more then he can change his truth that taught it his justice that prescribed it his excellent majesty that still requireth it his infinite mercy that still accepteth it for it was Gods own Spirit that spake those words by the mouth of Gamaliel Acts 5. 38 39. If this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it and upon serious examination we shall finde it most true in our Christian Religion what hath been either in the doctrine or practise thereof meerly the counsel
of Religion but onely as matter of decency for decency hath much of its perfection from men but Religion hath all its perfection in and from it self and as God is proved to be all-sufficient from himself because he made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. for even the wicked though without the order of particular yet are within the order of universal providence For God wills himself and his own goodness onely as the end but all other things as ordered to that end that is for himself and in relation to his own goodness So is it with Religion it admits of Ceremonies not for theirs but for its own goodness and thereby appears to be sufficient of it self without them If the shadow grow longer then the substance 't is an argument the Sun is yet either not at its heighth or past it so where Ceremonies are more looked after then piety and godliness it argues in men a defect of Religion and goodness God using the creature as an instrument doth not so use it for the want of vertue but for the abundance of his goodness non propter defectum virtutis sed propter abundandam bonitatis saith Aquin. par 1. qu. 22. So Religion using the ordinances of men doth it not for want of sufficiency in it self but to impart some excellencie to those ordinances Ut dignitatem causalitatis communicet to communicate to them so much vertue as to make them though not the essential yet the accidental causes of devotion in us and therefore we may no more reject such Ordinances then we may reject the helps of devotion Thirdly Gods perfection makes him not onely All-sufficient for himself but also for all things else besides himself Psal. 84. 11. For the Lord God is a sun and a shield a sun to give life and a shield to preserve it The Lord will give grace and glory grace to our sanctification glory to our salvation that is a full sufficiencie for this life and for the next And no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly that is he hath already given all good things that we were able to receive and when we shall be able to receive the rest he will give them too for he will withhold none according to that of the same Prophet Psal. 145. v. 16. Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing scil whether it be living in earth or in heaven So is true Religion not onely sufficient in and for it self but for us also for what other reason can be given why so many men are contented to lose all that they may keep their consciences but onely this That Religion wants no perfection in it self and brings them that follow it to enjoy the perfection that is in God The third branch of Eternity is Omnisciency and God in that he is Eternal is also Omniscient Now the Omnisciencie of God consists in these two things First in that he fully knows himself Secondly in that he fully knows all other things in and by himself First God fully knows and understands himself the whole compass of his own minde and intentions what they are have been or ever shall be because eternitie is present to its self hence it is said Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15. 18. and this is a propertie not belonging to the Angels and much less to men the Angels know what their intentions have been and still are but not what they shall be for ever because then they could comprehend Infinity which cannot be in the understanding where it is not in the essence but as for us men we know not what our intentions have been Remember not the sins of my youth Psal. 25. 7. q. d. I have forgot them O do not thou remember them nor what they are Jer. 17. 9. The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and indeed never more deceitfull then when it labours to deceive it self nor what they shall be the best way concerning those is to say with the Psalmist Keep thy servant Psal. 19. for he that cannot tell what he shall resolve to morrow can less tell what he shall resolve all his life but God knows all his intentions from the beginning to the end so that he alone fully understands himself Secondly God fully knows all other things in and by himself this is a truth acknowledged by the father of lies though therefore acknowledged that it might be abused as truth is still by all the devils instruments Gen. 3. 5. Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil that is all things for they were either good or evil the looking-glass of eternity in it self representing all things to it self Good things by their proper forms and resemblances Evil things by the contrary good Bonum in se per speciem malum non per privationem in se existentem sed per bonum oppositum Aquin. par 1. qu. 14. Thus the Lord is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2. 3. as fully knowing himself and as fully knowing all other things in and by himself So also is Religion a thing of great knowledge cares not for an implicite faith in the knowing no more then in the assenting part cares not for a faith which doth not know for it self no more then for a faith which doth not assent for it self and so is in effect omniscient because it makes us know our selves and know our God that is in the serpents words Know good and evil for we know evil in knowing our selves and we know good in knowing our God First Religion is in effect omniscient because it makes us know our selves nothing else cares to look after the deceitfulness of the heart but sure nothing else can finde it out no man knows so much of himself as he that is religious he knows his own heart his own thoughts what they have been exceeding sinfull what they are very penitent and in some sort what they shall be very perseverant for upon supposition of Gods grace he can promise to himself a perseverance in the way of godliness This you will say is a comfortable doctrine and I doubt not but if you addict your self wholly to your devotions to have a constant communion with God but you will finde it as certain as 't is comfortable For if natural reason makes men very knowing that well improve it though it be but the dim light of men how much more doth Religion make men knowing that rightly use it since it is no other then the glorious light of God so that to live but one day according to the rules of piety and devotion will make a man more truly wise then study without piety will make him though he be a constant student very many years The prophet David tells us this Psal. 119. v. 98. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser then mine enemies but lest any should say That may easily be that a good
unto God blind lame and sick prayers but in so doing we do rather in truth offer him defiances then prayers we do rather contemn then worship him unless we will say that God is less honoured with the Christians prayers then he was with the Jews sacrifices or that we have a greater priviledge granted us that we may more securely dishonour him Again if we seriously consider that there is an incomprehensible mysterie in this incomprehensible majestie three persons in one God we will labour for such prayers as may be suitable with the properties of the persons no less then with the majestie of the Godhead thus if we consider the power of the Father the wisdome of the Son the charity of the holy Ghost we will earnestly desire to have our mouths and our hearts filled with powerfull wise and charitable prayers not guilty either of emptiness or of indiscretion or of faction but however it is necessarie that in all our prayers we invocate One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance for the Father Son and holy Ghost are equally to be worshipped and equally to be glorified nor may we communicate with other Christians in their prayers who worship not one God in three coequal and coeternal Persons no more then we may with Turks and Jews who worship an idole in stead of God for S. John in saying Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 S. John 2. 23. hath plainly taught us that Turks and Jews do not worship the same God with us Christians and since we do certainly worship the true God it must needs follow that they do worship an idole in stead of God wherefore doubtless all Anti-Trinitarians are idolaters for though many of them talk much of the spirit yet they have kept him onely in their mouths but thrust him out of their Creed and consequently in vain do they pretend to godliness whiles they fight against God for they cannot truly honour him in their prayers whiles they falsly conceive of him in their belief not acknowledging Three Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in one immortal invisible and onely wise God The fourth Name of God alledged by S. Hierome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Septuaginta virtutum Aquila exercituum transtulerunt saith he which the Septuagint translate Powers but Aquil a translates Hosts And this name we find Isa. 6. 3. Holy holy holy the Lord of Hosts which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Cherubims the true ground of the hymn called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Church for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a declaration of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy O God Holy O Powerfull Holy O Immortal is but an exposition of this Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth and who can say Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth and not say also Heaven and earth are full of the majestie of glory and who can confess that heaven and earth are full of Gods majestie and not earnestly desire that his own soul may not be empty of it And indeed this Name of God the Lord of Hosts is able to strike terrour into their hearts who make it their work to terrifie all the world multitudes of armed men who have violence in their mouths to threaten and swords in their hands to act their threats for 't is not their multitudes or their strength can bear them out in their impiety and injustice since there is far greater strength there are far greater multitudes with God then with them even all the hosts of Heaven and earth Let this consideration move me to take that care of my soul which the approach of an army would me to about mine estate that I may take heed above all least I be spiritually plundred for what have I worth the keeping if I have lost my Saviour and how shall I not lose my Saviour if I lose my Religion Let therefore those angry fellows of the children of Dan ransack me as they did Micah Iudg. 18. yet shall they never get any power over my Religion nor shall it ever be said They have taken away my God for I am commanded by my Saviour who best knew the right way of salvation not to fear those hosts which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather to fear him who is Lord of hosts and is able to destroy both body and soul in hell and will certainly so destroy all those hosts that oppose him if they impenitently persist and persevere in their oppositions Let me thus in my greatest frights think more of spiritual then of carnal Terrours and though I may perchance be almost frighted out of my wits yet I shall be sure of this that I shall not be frighted out of my Religion The fifth Name of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod nos excel sum dicimus saith the same Saint Hierome the most High and this Name is recorded Gen. 14. 18. where it is said that Melchisedeck was the Priest of the most High God and thus let me with the heavenly host say Glory to God in the Highest S. Luke 2. 14. let me always think of his Highness who is no less above heaven then above earth He is in the Highest I am in the lowest in a twofold deep in duplici prosundo inobedientiae miseriae as S. Gregory said of Jonas when he was swallowed up in the whales belly in the depth of disobedience and in the depth of misery and therefore in the depth of misery because in the depth of disobedience Out of these depths have I called unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voice and let thine ear consider well the voice of my complaint that I may be delivered out of the depth pf misery and let not thine eye be too extreme to mark what is done amiss that I may not be confounded in the depth of disobedience so shall I say with great admiration and greater consolation Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth Psal. 113. 5 6. the higher he dwelleth the lower he humbleth himself to behold me the greater is his condescension the greater is my consolation let me then delight in my devotions as being the only means to bring down my Saviour to raise up my soul. The sixth Name of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 QUI EST unfit me I AM hath sent me unto you Exod 3. 14. and again I AM that I AM. This Name of God should make me constant in my Religion zealously to practise it at all times and resolutely to maintain that practise in the worst times for my Master in calling himself I AM forbids me to be a changeling in his service and indeed true Christianity is able to say with Christ Before Abraham was I AM John 8. 58. for the same
but also to the ignorant and foolish to leave even the meanest of the people inexcusable for this sin this horrid sin of disloyalty which though it least lodgeth in their hearts and is never to be contrived by their heads yet is alwaies acted by their hands Let a man be never so impatient in hearing as Festus was to S. Paul Act. 26. 24. which made him lay the imputation of madness upon the Apostle for the words of truth and soberness v. 25. Let him be never so inconsiderate in censuring as the Barbarians were to the same S. Paul Act. 28. 4. thinking him at first a murderer whom presently after they were ready to worship as a God Lastly let him be never so imprudent in collecting and observing looking rather upon the sound then upon the sense of the Text like those Interpreters of weak judgements but strong perswasions complained of 2 Pet. 3. 16. which were so unlearned as to understand nothing yet so unstable as to wrest every thing yet this doctrine of Allegiance cannot possibly be mistaken much less depraved either by his impatient hearing or by his inconsiderate censuring or by his imprudent collecting Let him run a way with what piece of it he can and take it without respect or relation to the whole which hath hitherto much wronged Gods Word both written and preached yet'tis not possible for him to take so little of the Text but it will be able both to stop his mouth and condemn his heart So that here we may forgoe that incomparable Rule of the Civilians Incivile est particulam aliquam Legis sumere non perspect â totâ Lege 't is very uncivil to lay at the catch with the Law and take that onely which serves our own turn I say we may forgo this Rule which yet is much more true of Gods then of mans Law and notwithstanding fear no mischievous tenents or practises to be deduced from this portion of the Text In a word let any seditious miscreant deal here with Solomon as Saul did with Samuel as he turns about to go away from him being resolved not to serve his purpose lay hold upon the skirt of his mantle and rent it of yet that very little parcel will signifie unto him that if he persist in his willfull disobedience The Lord will rent him from his Kingdom and that the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent 1 Sam. 15. 27 28 29. but teacheth Israel there is no way for them to be saved that are guilty of such a dismal lie but by repentance which may satisfie us that our Preacher here in this Doctrine of Allegiance is a Preaching Wisedom beyond himself in other Doctrines that begin and end where you will catch what you can of the Text it will wholly speak for your King and will silence you I know not how I have been over pressive in this patticular almost to a Tautology But that can never be too much spoken which can never be enough understood a preaching sinner a preaching conscience a preaching wisedom I hope we shall accordingly open not our ears but our hearts to his doctrine a preaching sinner who hath sin in his person not in his Sermon is fittest to admonish us a preaching conscience is fittest to advise us a preaching wisedom is fittest to overrule us here is not onely conscience and wisedom preaching this doctrine that we may not sin against it but here is also a sinner preaching it that we may repent us after we have sinned Solomon preaching before his Apostacy at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8. 22. where he was first a Preacher had his first Congregation and afterwards in his Proverbs and Canticles is a miracle and monument of grace but preaching in Ecclesiastes after his wives had seduced him to be a Chaplain to Chamosh the abomination of Moab 1 King 11. 7. he is a miracle and monument of mercy O the infinite comfort from such a preacher if we follow him O the infinité condemnation if we do not And so it is high time I should pass from the Preacher and the manner of his preaching to the matter of his Sermon To keep the Kings Commandment c. wherein are comprised two doctrines that inseparably belong to Soveraignty the one of Allegiance the other of Supremacy the doctrine of Allegiance is clearly set down v. 2 3. and that of Supremacy v. 4. the first teacheth the duty of Subjects the second sheweth the reason of their subjection Allegiance is the duty of Subjects and Supremacy is the reason of their subjection In both it must be my endeavour onely to make my self and you truly understand this Preachers Sermon and so lay it to our consciences as he propounds it for Solomon here speaks both of Allegiance and Supremacy as they concern the conscience and divine obligation not as they concern humane conveniences or consultations therein shewing himself a true Preacher speaking to mens souls by which they hope to live in the next not to their interests by which they do live in this world first of the Allegiance A Sermon of Allegiance can never be unwelcome to a good Subject or a good Christian not to a good Subject because it puts him in minde of that condition wherein God hath placed him not to a good Christian because it puts him in minde of that duty which God hath commanded him and here is a Sermon of Allegiance briefly but fully setting it forth in its positive and in its privative act 1. In its positive act to be true and faithfull to the King in loving honouring and obeying him loving his person honouring his authority and obeying his commands I advise theè to keep the Kings Commandment and the reason thereof and that because of the Oath of God 2. In its privative act not to be guilty of any disloyalty or dis-allegiance either in affection Be not hasty to go out of his sight or in action stand not in an evil thing and the reason thereof for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him First Of the positive Act of this Allegiance to be true add faithfull to the King in loving honouring and obeying him in these words To keep the Kings Commandment 't is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Os Regis observa observe the Kings mouth to observe argues an act of loving honouring and obeying In this sense doth God say unto the Jews Ye shall observe all my statutes and Christ saith unto his Apostles Teaching them to observe all things Matth. 28. 20. that is to love honour and obey them So here to observe the mouth or command of the King is to love honour and obey his commands with an unwearied diligence with an undisturbed patience First It is to love them for who cares to look after that which he doth not regard Ubi amor ibi oculus is as true when made convertible ubi oculus ibi amor the eye is the quickest messenger