and four footed beasts and creeping things of birds as the Ibis among the Egyptians the golden calf among the Israelites the Owl among the wise Graecians and the Eagle with the Romans and Belus in the shape of a Dragon with the Babylonians and worms with the Trogloditi 4. Plants as the Dodonean Grove to Jupiter Nay they descended even to garlike 5. They worshipped also things made by art as a Piece of Red cloth as Strabo relates of Nations in the North East 3. In the waters They worshipped Syrens and Dagon as it is in the first of Samuel who was resembled by a water snake and dragons and Crocodiles fishes as the Dolphin as also 〈◊〉 whom they adored as God of Physick in the shape of a water Serpent So that God seeing what had bin done to his dishonour and foreseeing what would be done and that men had and would abuse all his creatures in this kinde interdicebat 〈◊〉 gave a straight injunction against them all allowing neither similitude nor pattern God would be resembled by none of them And therefore 〈◊〉 making as it were a comment upon this Commandment and letting them know that they must not account of Gods worship as a ceremonial thing puts them in minde that when God spake to them out of the midst of the fire they heard a voice but saw no similitude but onely a voice and therefore a voice say the Rabbins because a voice cannot be drawn into any shape and so was not likely to deprive God of any part of his honour and he bids them therefore take heed that they attempted not to make any likenesse of any thing as you may read there at large for if God had bin willing they should have made any certailny he would have represented himself to them in some forme or shape when he came unto the mount Let us take heed therefore that we take not upon us to frame to our selves any representation of God and to make Images to his dishonour It is the nature of faith to beleeve things not visible and therefore to make invisible things become visible in religion is the next way to dishonour God and to overthrow faith and consequently religion it self Our Saviour tells the woman of Samaria that the time was coming when the true worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth and in Images there is no truth but 〈◊〉 veritatis a resemblance of truth the very Temple of Jerusalem as a type should not be accepted It is objected if all similitudes be condemned how came it to passe that God himself prescribed the making of Cherubins and they were resemblances There was no such resemblance in them as their definition of an Image imports which is as they say quod habet exemplar in rerum natura that is like some natural thing but Cherubins were not so for they were made like boyes without armes instead thereof were two great wings which we cannot paralel in nature But it is plain that God caused them not to be made to the entent to be worshipped for then he would not have put them into the darkest places in the sanctum sanctorum whither 〈◊〉 came but the high priest and he but once a year And indeed God sheweth wherfore he made them that the Priest might know from whence to receive his answer and to signify the readinesse of the angels to execute the will of God And Tertullian answereth this fully God saith not that an Image should not be made but non facies tibi thou shalt not make it to thy self God commanded these to be made by Moses God might dispense with his own precept so far as it was positive as the prohibition of making any Image is but to worship or give any divine honour to it which is malum inse simply evil though it were not forbidden this God never allowed or dispen'ed with the other is onely malum quia prohibitum this is prohibitum quia malum It is said also why then did God command the image of the fiery serpent to be made This was not ut coleretur sed ut mederetur not that it should be worshipped but that it should be as a means to heal the people that had bin plagued for their murmuring And indeed Tertullian hath the same objection and answereth it thus Quod idemDeus vetuit lege similitudinem fieri 〈◊〉 prescripto aeneum serpentem 〈◊〉 fecit si tu eandem legem 〈◊〉 legem habes eam observa si 〈◊〉 preceptum factum 〈◊〉 feceris tu imitare Mosen idest ne sacias tibi simulachrum nisi Deus te 〈◊〉 that the same God did both forbid by his law the making of images and yet by an extraordinary command caused the brasen serpent to be made if thou observe the same law thou hast a law keep it if thou be afterward commanded to make an image imitate Moses that is make none except God command thee Concerning this point we have shewed what moved God to make this restraint on his own part Now it followeth to shew why he did it on our part in regard of our corruption 1. Tertullian saith in the booke before quoted that before the flood even in the dayes of Seth the worship of God was corrupted with images and that Enochs instauration was nothing but the restoring of pure religion again and that therefore he is said to have walked with God Again we see that after the flood Jacob by being in 〈◊〉 house had learnt to take Teraphim Images of gods and to mingle them in Gods worship Now the reason of this God himselfe gives Man is but flesh Though he consists of two parts flesh and spirit yet the grossnesse of the flesh overgrows the purenesse of the spirit and corrupt it turning that other part of man the spirit into flesh insomuch as the Apostles many times in their writings call the soul and minde by the name of flesh and Saint Paul gives us warning to take heed of the flesh of the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence it is that we have an affection in us which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire to feel or see This was the disease of Saint Thomas that would not beleeve except he might feel Christs wounds and see him himself 〈◊〉 of Mary Magdalen and Martha about their dead brother both told Christ. Lord if thou hadst bin here my brother had not died and not theirs alone but of all the Apostles they were desirous that Christ might stay and be with them alwayes to erect an earthly kingdom insomuch that he was fain to tell them that if he went not away the Comforter would not come unto them And such a thing there is in religion Moses had bin in the mount but three dayes and the Israelites cry out to Aaron fac nobis Deos visibiles make us gods which shall go before us Upon
19. 18. Deut. 23. and hate thine enemies viz. Those seven nations whom they were to destroy and to make no league with them nor to shew them mercy Exod. 34. 21. Deut. 7. 1. to whom the Amalekite is added with whom they were to have perpetuall war Exod. 17. 19. Deut. 25. 14. We see then that Christ is so far from taking any thing away from the Morall Law that he rather addes more to it and therfore the matter of the Decalogue is still in force and belongs to Christians as much as to any Nay faith it self which some of late have transformed into a meere Platonicall Idaea abstracted from good works I mean that Faith to which Justification and Salvation is ascribed in Scripture includes obedience as to all the commandments of Christ so to the morall law as the very life and form of it without which as S. Jam. 〈◊〉 it is as a body without a Soul for what is Faith but a relying or trusting upon Christ for salvation according to the promises of the Gospell now seeing that those promises are not absolute but always require the conditions of repentance and new obedience it can be nothing but a shadow of faith when these conditions are not It s true that to beleeve in the proper and formal notion is nothing else but to assent to the truth of a proposition upon the authority of the speaker And to beleeve in one signifies properly to trust rely upon him doth not in its formal conception considered barely and abstractly by it self include the condition of obedience or any other And therefore we may be said to beleeve or trust in one that requires no condition of us but when the words are referred to one that commands or requires something of us to be done and promises nothing But upon such condition of obedience as nothing is more certain then that Christ never promises remission of sins or life eternall but upon condition of Repentance and new obedience In this case to beleeve in Christ must of necessity include obedience to the commandments of Christ as the very life of faith without which it is a meere fansie and hence some have observed that in the New Testament faith and obedience and unbelief and disobedience are often promiscuously used for one and the same First because that to trust or believe in one that promises nothing but to those that obey him and to obey him in hope of what he hath promised are all one and therefore that absolute affiance or unconditionate belief of Gods mercy in Christ which some make to be faith in Christ is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of those first and primitive errours from which those doctrines of Antinomians and other Sectaries that would dissolve the law do follow with ease When Christ upbrayded the Jewes for not beleeving John the Baptist though the Harlots and Publicanes believed who doubts but that his meaning is that the one repented upon Johus preaching which the other did not although to beleeve in the proper formall notion signifies nothing else but to assent to the trueth of what he said Hence S. Aug. saith Non solum bonam vitam inseparabilem esse a fide sed ipsam esse bonam vitam that a good life is not onely inseparable from faith but that faith is good life it self and S. Cyprian Quomodo se in Christú credere dicit qui non facit quae Christus facere praecipit How can he say that he believes in Christ who doth not the things which Christ hath commanded And before them Irenaeus tells us that Credere in Christum est voluntatem ejus facere to believe in Christ is to do his will As for that generall faith of the latter School-men and the Romanists which they make to be nothing but an assent to revealed trueths for the authority of God the speaker I say the latter School-men for some of the Elder where they speak of fides charitate formata which they make to be true faith mean nothing else but that which S. Paul calls faith working by love and Saint James faith consummated by works As also that faith of some amongst our selves who would have it to be nothing but a perswasion that their sins are pardoned in Christ c. Neither of these have any necessary connexion with a good life and therefore neither of them is that faith to which the promises of pardon and Salvation are annexed in the Gospel Not the first as themselves acknowledge and appeares by Bellar. who labours to prove by many reasons that true faith may be in a wicked man Nor the second for how doth it necessarily follow that if a man believe all his sins past present and to come to be forgiven that therefore he must needes live according to the Rules of Christ whereas the contrary may rather be inferred That he needes not to trouble himself about obedience to the commandments in order to remission of his sins or salvation who is perswaded that all hissins are pardoned already and that nothing is required of him for the obtaining of so great a benefit but onely to believe that it is so And if they say that the sence of such a mercy cannot but stir men up to obedience too much experience of mens unthankfulness to God confutes this The remembrance of a mercy or benefit doth not necessarily enforce men to their duty for then none could be unthankfull to God or man Besides it is a pure contradiction which all the Sophistry in the world can never salve to say that a mans sins are pardoned by believing they are pardoned for they must be pardoned before he believes they are pardoned because the object must be before the act and otherwise he beleeves a lye and yet by faith he is justified and pardoned as all affirm and the Scripture is evident for it and so his pardon follows upon his belief and thus the pardon is both before and after the act of faith it is before as the object or thing to be beleeved and yet it comes after as the effect or consequent of his belief which is a direct contradiction True faith then is a practicall vertue and establishes the Law and as this is the proper work of true faith so to direct and quicken our obedience thereto is the whole scope of the Bible There is nothing revealed in the whole Scripture meerly for speculation but all is referd some way or other to practise It is not the knowledge of Gods Nature Essence but of his will which is required of us or at least so much of his Nature as is needfull to ground our faith and obedience upon That observation of some is most true That in the Scripture verba scientiae Connotant affectus words of knowledge do imply affections and actions answerable To know God is not so much to know his Nature and essence as to Honor and obey him which
to worship him in an image called Thor and continue his worship to this day We shall insist especially upon the third Errour Atheisme They which have stood in defence of this errour set down these five Heads for their grounds 1. That there was a time when there was no society among them but that they wandred promiscuously like 〈◊〉 2. That by the wisdom of some excellent man they were reduced into society and became sociable being made a political body 3. That to contain men within their duties and to preserve this society lawes were enacted 4. That these lawes being not able to bridle them and keep them in order another course was invented which was to perswade men that there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an invisible power that took notice of mens secret actions and would punish them for their offences either in this life or hereafter and that severely as well in soul as body This they say but prove nothing and yet themselves will yeeld to nothing nor be perswaded to any thing without great proofs and demonstrations and so condemn themselves by their own practise Nor can they alledge reason or authority all these grounds being false For first if there were Nomades such kinde of people as they alledge yet they became so not generando by creation but degenerando by degenerating from that whereunto they were created either being outlawed by othere or 〈◊〉 themselves from society for some notable offence committed by them 2. That a society was made from these Nomades is as untrue for 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est animal politicum Of himself man is naturally a 〈◊〉 and sociable creature and political societies began first in Families and from Families they 〈◊〉 to Villages and from them to Cities c. 3. Lawes were made after Religion Religion was long before Lawes as the very Poets and other Heathen Writers testifie For in 〈◊〉 time there was Religion and yet no Laws other then the wils and pleasures of Princes known then and their own stories testifie that Lawes came into the World 1000 years after Religion But when men began to degenerate and that Religion became too weak not powerful enough to keep such bruitish people with in their bounds then were Laws enacted to be as bridles to untamed and unruly horses But more particularly of these 1. The universality of the perswasion of the worship of God is not onely written in the heart of every man but it is confirmed by the consent of all History for there is no History but it describes as well the Religion as the manners of the people and therefore it is impossible to be the invention of man As for instance The Nations and Countreys that have been discovered within these hundred years by the Spaniards and Portugals in the Americane part of the World both in the South and West which had no entercourse or commerce with any other Nations the Natives whereof though in a manner they seemed barbarous as having no apparel to cover them nor lawes to govern them yet were they not without a kinde of Religion and something they had which they called and worshipped as a god though they had nothing but either natural instinct to lead and direct them to it or general and unquestioned tradition continued from the first parents of mankinde 2. Nor can it be truly affirmed that these Nations should have learned their religion meerly from others bordering upon them in respect of the difference and 〈◊〉 of Religion among them there being as much variety therein as is possible and without the least proportion or likenesse of one religion to another though in conditions they be very like But all inventions will have some analogy with the 〈◊〉 For as soon as the Jewes came to worship an invisible thing God himself all the Gentiles worshipped things visible as the Heavens Stars Planets Elements Birds Beasts Plants Garlick and Onions some a piece of red cloath hanging upon a pole some the thing they first met with they worshipped all the following day Therefore it is evident that Religion came not meerly by Propagation from one Nation to another 3. Falsehood can claim no kindred with Time for truth onely is Times 〈◊〉 or rather we may say more truly that truth is beyond all time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delet dies naturae indicia confirmat Time obliterates the fictions of 〈◊〉 opinions but confirmes the right and true 〈◊〉 of nature Therefore whatsoever is besides truth and brought in by mans invention or any other way wears 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 is was and shall be perpetual never wears out 4 If it be objected that the reason why Religion continueth so long is because they are kept in awe by it that otherwise would be exorbitant This is an argument against them that make that objection For falsehood and truth are not competible cannot stand together And they will not say that policy is a fained thing in a Common-wealth Therefore if Religion uphold policie it must needs be true and not fained for truth needs no fained thing nor falsehood to maintain it The very Heathen confesse that Religion upholds all politique states and common-wealths and that it is the Back-bone of them And that it is so we may see it by three things 1 It preserves faith in mutuall transactions and commerce For take away faith or fidelity from among men and men would not trust one another There would be no dealings no commerce at all 2 It preserves temperance for without Religion the head-strong concupiscence and unbridled affections of men would not be kept in true temper and order 3 It preserves Obedience and submission to Government No people without Religion would be subject to Authority no one Country would obey one Prince and so no Kingdom would subsist Now concerning the Originall of Atheisme the very persons that forged it and the just time and place of that forgery cannot easily be shown The person or first broacher of it as some conjecture was Chaem the youngest son of 〈◊〉 whom the Heathen call Cambyses who upon the Curse of God and his father denounced against him began it Egypt was the place and the time accord-to Josephus was about Anno Mundi 1950. This man seeing himself deprived of all future joyes gave himself to sensualitie and brutish pleasures in this world and began to teach that there was no God but fell to worship the Devil from whence he was called 〈◊〉 the great Magitian This is the opinion of some But doubtlesse whosoever was the Author the time was ancient and not long after the deluge For then as the world encreased with people so it was fruitfull in sin and impiety So that neare to these times it must needs take its originall And surely those things that were the true causes of it afterwards doubtlesse gave it the first being Namely 1 Stomack anger and desire ofrevenge 2 Sensuality and delight in the pleasure of this life drowning all thoughts of a better life hereafter
was an enigmatical speech of our Trinity But no Religion teacheth the purgation of the soul but ours And it teacheth that the word took the similitude of sinful flesh to purge away the sinne of Man Therefore our Religion is the true all other are meerly fabulous For their Exorcismes and sacrifices are meerly corporeal not spiritual and the Christians God is not like the Heathen Gods 2 God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of man he delighteth not in cutting of throats or burning men to ashes like to the Devills to whom virgins babes old and young men were sacrificed And the sacrifices in the old Law were vsed in these 2 respects 1 To be Types of things in the Gospel 2 To admonish men that they have deserved to be slain and sacrificed But God is so far from the sacrificing of men to him that he himself came down from heaven and suffered for us offering himself a sacrifice for our sins and what greater love can there be then that a man should give his life for that he loveth there can be no greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then this 3 For the credit of the Gospel we have Evangelists and Apostles for witnesses And in witnesses two things are required Knowledge and Honesty 1. For skill and knowledge That which our witnesses have left us upon record is not taken upon trust but they related it as eye witnesses And none of theirs either Homer Plato or any of them can say as Saint John said That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled For they had theirs from others and but upon bare report Besides neither any of their ancient or latter Historians though they hated the writers of the Scriptures durst at any time offer to set pen to paper against them 2. For the honesty of our witnesses there can be no better reason or proof given then that which Tacitus giveth to confirme the testimony of an honest witnesse which is Quibus nullum est mendacii 〈◊〉 that have no reward for telling an untruth And certainly the Evangelists and Apostles had nothing for their paines nay they were so far from that as that they sealed their testimonies with the blood of Martyrdome 3. For the credit of the Story itself We know that the Sybils oracles were in so great credit among the Heathen that they were generally beleeved Now if they be true which we have of them as ther 's no question but many of them are divers of which we refer to Christ being mentioned in their own writers Virgil Cicero and others it will follow that nothing can make more in their esteeme for the credit and truth of the Nativity life and death of Christ then their Oracles for we may see almost every circumstance in them And by reading their verses divers of their learned men were converted to Christianity as Marcellinus Secundanus and others 4. Tacitus and Suetonius say that about Christs time it was bruited through the world that the king that should rule over all the world should come out of Jury and for this cause it was that not onely Vespasian but Augustus and Tiberius who had heard the like had a purpose to have destroyed all the Jews even the whole nation of them because they would be sure to include that Tribe out of which this king should come 5 Coelius Rhodiginus and Volateranus upon their credits leave us this in their writings that among the Monuments of Egypt was found an Altar dedicated Virgini pariturae to a Virgin that should have a child like to the Temple of peace before mentioned that should stand Donec peperit virgo untill a virgin should bring forth a child And Postellus testifies from the Druides that they had an Altar with this inscription Ara primo-genito Dei an Altar to the first begotten of God 6. Suetonius saith that in such a yeare which was the year before Christs birth in a faire day at the time of a great concourse of people at 〈◊〉 there appeared a great Rain-bow as it were about the Sun of a golden colour almost of equal brightnesse with the Sun The Augur's being demanded the reason answered that God would shortly 〈◊〉 humanum genus visit mankinde And upon the day that our Saviour was born three Suns appeared in the firmament which afterward met and joyned into one The Augur's being likewise questioned about this apparition their answer was that he was then born whom Angustus the people and the whole world should worship whereupon as it is storied Augustus at the next meeting of the Senate gave over his title of dominus orbis terrarum Lord of the whole world and would be so stiled no more 7. But the most remarkable thing that hapned at Christs birth was the star mencioned in the Gospel and confessed by the Heathen themselves to be stella maxime salutaris the happiest star that ever appeared for mankinde Plinie calleth it Stella crinita sine crine A blazing or hairy star without haire Vpon the appearance and due consideration of which star many were converted to the truth as Charemon among the stoicks and Challadius among the Platonists who meditating upon the strangenesse of it went into Jury and became Proselytes 8. Now concerning the death of Christ we finde that the ancient Egyptians who vsed no letters but Characters or Hieroglyphiques when they would expresse vitam aeternam everlasting life they did it by the signe of the Crosse whereby they deciphered the badge of our salvation which concurred with the manner of Christs death 9. The next is the two wonders or strange accidents mentioned by the Holy Ghost at the death of our Saviour 1. The general Earthquake and 2. the universal Eclypse of the Sun so often cast in the teeth of the Heathen 1 For the first they are not ashamed to confesse it As 〈◊〉 himselfe and Trallianus and Phlegon say that it came not of any natural cause For in nature every thing that is moved must have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat to stay upon but this Earthquake went thorow the whole world 2 For the Eclypse many were converted by reason of the strangenesse of it as Dionysius and others For all 〈◊〉 of the Sun are particular this general and vniversal This hapned at the feast of the Passeover which was 14 a Lunae the fourteenth day of the Moon when it was just at the full which is cleane opposite to the Rules of Astronomy and mans reason 10. It is reported that in the raigne of Tiberius presently upon this Eclypse there was a general defect of Oracles Of which argument Plutarch hath a whole Treatise in which he saith that a man in great credit with the Emperour sayling by the Cyclades heard a voice as it were coming out of those Islands saying that the great God Pan was dead The Emperour hearing this report sent for the Augurs
to know who this Pan should be but they could give him no satisfaction herein And one asking counsel at the Oracle at Delphos about these things was told that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puer Hebreus an Hebrew child that had silenced them 11. 〈◊〉 Tertullian and Justin Martyr testifie so doth Eusebius that 〈◊〉 wrote to Tyberius about Christs miracles after his death and that he died and suffered as an innocent person Whereupon Tiberius wrote to the Senate commanding them to deifie him But the Senate refused because Pilate had written to Tiberius and not to them A cheife man in this opposition was Sejanus who afterward came to a miserable end 12. The next and none of the least general arguments to prove the truth of Christian Religion is the progresse of it For whereas nature and reason teach us that in every action fit Instruments must be had and used or else the action will prove defective and vain and that the matter must be well fitted and disposed before we can work it in this case there were neither For in the eye of man there could be no unfitter instruments then the Apostles they being rude unlearned and most of them Mechanique Men And for the matter to work upon they had it altogether unprepared nay clean against them For the Jewes continued the hatred to the Disciples which they had born to the Master continually persecuting them And the most learned among the Gentiles were the greatest opposite to that which they endeavoured namely the propagation of the Gospel as might be as Vlpian the greatest Lawyer who wrote many books against it and the Christians Galen the greatest Physician Plotinus the greatest Platonist Porphyrius the greatest Aristotelian Libanius a great writer in the Greek tongue Lucian a great scoffer and Julian the great Sorcerer who not onely made Dialogues between Christ and Peter to breed hatred and contempt against Christianity but being Emperour bent all his force against it prohibiting Christian schools c. Besides if we consider the ten bloody Persecutions wherein many thousands of Martyrs suffered and that in most horrid and barbarous manner and kindes To which if we adde which was touched before the unaptnesse of the instruments and the matter the World so rigid ill disposed and harsh to work upon and yet to have the work effected it cannot but be confessed that Christianity is the true Religion and that magna est veritas praevalet great is the truth and prevaileth 13. In the next place if we consider how averse and unpleasing to flesh and blood the precepts of this Religion are we must confesse the premises to be true For they give us not leave to be Libertines or licentious and carnal as the Religion of the Turk of which we spake before For instead of taking revenge of our enemies for injuries done unto us we are bound by them to love our enemies and to speak good of them that persecute us Instead of committing folly with a Woman we must not so much as cast our eye upon a woman to lust after her there is not the least thought left at our pleasure Non concupisces Instead of covetous heaping up of riches we must leave all for the truths sake 14. The promises contained in the Scriptures to them that shall observe this Religion are not of the nature of those in the Religion of the Epicures and Turks c. that is honour preferment wealth pleasure in this World and the like but the contrary as They shall whip and scourge you they shall binde and leade you whither you would not take your Crosse and follow me and leave all and follow me But this a man would think were not the way for sequimini me follow me but discedite a me depart from me rather a deterring and disheartning then any manner of perswading And in this there is a great resemblance between the Creation and the Regeneration In the first something was made of nothing and here nothing to confound something that we may plainly see and 〈◊〉 that it is digitus Dei qui hic operatur the finger of God that bringeth this to passe that strength should be confounded by weaknesse something by nothing Therefore this Religion cannot be but Divine 15. Again if we consider the times when Mahomet began to broach his forged Religion we shall finde it to be in a dissolute time a time of idlenesse and ignorance when Heraclius and Constans ruled the Empire the first being an incestuous Prince one that married his brothers daughter and exasperated the Saracens in denying them pay in his wars the other being a Monothelite and bloody having murthered his brother both of them giving opportunity to the Saracens not onely to enlarge their territories but to propagate their Religion And if we shall observe the Ecclesiastical story well we shall finde that Age very much destitute of learned and pious men Whereas on the contrary when Christianity began and prevailed the world was never so full of eyes never so many learned men as the Scribes and Pharisees the Greek Philosophers c. yet it pleased God to work upon the hearts of many of them in converting them to it as upon Paulinus Clemens Origen Augustine Ambrose and others especially many of the Jewish Priests before these Acts 6. 7. 16. And indeed Conversions are a great argument of the truth of Religion The most memorable whereof we see in S. Paul who was a zealous Pharisee who not only had a warrant from the Counsel at Jerusalem to apprehend and imprison all sorts of people addicted to Christianity but was a principal actor in the martyrdom of Saint Stephen And yet he neglecting the preferment he was like to come to by this his forwardnesse was content upon a sudden to expose himself to all dangers and disgrace to whippings perils by sea and land c. and to embrace this as the true Religion And if any say he aimed at honour and esteem among Christians his practice shews the contrary for when the men of Lyaconia would have sacrificed to him and Barnabas with great zeal he opposed it they rent their clothes and ran in amongst them and told them they were men like themselves so far were they from vain glory Insomuch as Porphyrius said of him that it was great pity that so great a Scholar and so near to preferment should have been converted to Christianity The like may be said of Origen after him the fairest for preferment of any in his time who being scholar to Ammonius and preferred by him before Plotinus afterward loaded with honours in the Common-wealth yet he was content to leave all and to betake himself to a poor Catechists place in Alexandria where he was every minute in danger of his life Never in any other Religion appeared the like examples of life and manners as in those of the Christian Religion as of fasting abstinence
next chapter he makes his prayer to God for it This prayer is also set down in the book of the kings and which is more the text saith that the speech 〈◊〉 the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing When we have attained to knowledge we must as is required in Deut. 1. bring it into our heart that is past the brain 2. we must whet or Catechize our children for Catechizing in the principles must be diligently observed 3. We must talk of Gods statutes that is use conference 4. We must write them which includes also reading both fruitful 5. We must binde them before our eyes which implyes meditation 6. We must bind it about our hands a thing unusual in these dayes but yet as in physick it is a rule per brachiam fit judicium de corde The pulse comes from the heart to the hands so in Divinity by the arm practise and excercise is meant and this is to binde it on our armes It is a good way to make a conscience to practise what we know Saint Bernard saith Quod datur 〈◊〉 quod aperitur 〈◊〉 id exerce practise what we have attained by prayer and industry for the contrary not practising what we know brings coecitates poenales for illicitas cupiditates The heathen man saith that he that hath an habit of Justice shall be able to say more of it then he that hath a perfect speculation of all the Ethicks So the meanest man that hath practised his knowledge shall be able to say more of God and Religion then the most learned that hath not practised It is in divinity as in other things Exercitium signum est 〈◊〉 and so signum scientiae practise is the signe of power and so of knowledge It is a true saying that the best rule to judge of the Consequence is by the Antecedent as if fear be wanting there can be no Love if love be away there can be no obedience but especially if humility be wanting there can be no saving knowledge Saint Augustines prayer was Domine noverim te noverim me and adds that no man knows God that knoweth not himself And vera scientia non facit 〈◊〉 exultantem sed lamentantem True knowledge puffs not up but dejects a man and the Heathen man could say Inter sapientes sapientior qui 〈◊〉 he is the wisest among the wise that is humblest and he that hath a conceit of himself can never come to kowledge Aristotle in his Metaphysiks saith Scientis est ordinare he is wise that can order his doings prefer every thing according to order as in divinity knowledge of God which brings life eternal should be prefered before other knowledge which brings onely temporal profit But we do contrary for it is a common order with us as to prefer private profit before publick so to place temporal things before eternal and the knowledge of the one before the knowledge of the other which is a signe that our knowledge is not rightly ordered The Apostle saith we must not be children in knowledge that is carried away with every false winde of doctrine but must be rooted and grounded that we may be stedfast in the truth not clouds without water carried away with every winde as Saint Jude hath it and like waves of the sea that is carried with the tide here with the ebbe and there with the flood as it is in our times The last rule is we must not hinder knowledge in others either by authority commandment permission or counsel but provoke others to it and increase it in them as much can be Our knowledge must be to help others and that three wayes 1. In teaching them that are ignorant 2. In satisfying them that doubt and strengthning them that waver 3. In comforting the distressed and afflicted conscience And thus much for knowledge the first duty of the minde CHAP. VII The second Inward vertue Commanded in the first precept is faith Reasons for the necessity of faith Addition 8. Concerning the evidence of faith and Freedome of assent The certainty of faith Of unbeleif Addition 9. Concerning the nature of faith means of beleeving Of Trust in God for things temporal The trial of our trust six signes of faith THe next inward vertue of the minde is faith This supposes a knowledge of the object or things to be beleeved which being propounded sufficiently as credible our assent thereto is called faith which rests upon divine authority though it see not the proper reasons to enforce assent for seeing we cannot by meer natural reason attain sufficient knowledge of supernatural truthes but that divine revelation is needfull therefore besides natural knowledge faith is necessary which reecives them for this authority of the speaker To explain this There is in every proposition an affirmation or a denial 1. Sometimes a man holdeth neither part because he sees that equall reasons may be brought on both sides and that is called doubting 2. If we encline to one part yet so as we feare the reasons of the other part may be true then it is called Opinion As Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian 3. If we consent to one part that is called kowledge which goes beyond both the other and arises from evidence and assurance of the truth Knowledge is threesold 1. By sense 2. By discourse of reason 3. By relation of other men and this is properly faith 1. Knowledge by sense is such as was that of Josephs brethren that had seen him before they sold him into Egypt and therefore knew him 2. Knowledge by discourse Such as Jacobs was when he saw the chariots come out of Egypt he conceived straightway that his son was alive 3. That by relation of others as Jacob knew that his son yet lived when his sons told him so 1. For the first when a thing cannot be present to the sense then must we rely upon the third Relation The Queen of Sheba did first heare of Solomons wisdome in her own land before she came and heard him her self 2. For point of reason ther 's nothing absent from that but that which is supernatural and above our understanding when a thing exceedeth the capacity of meer natural reason without divine illumination as we see in Nicodemus a great Rabbi in Israel For concerning mysteries in religion the Apostle saith out of the prophet eye hath not seen or eare heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man that is they exceed both the capacity of the sense and reason and therefore we must come to the third way which is by faith for as Job speaks God is great and we know him not neither 〈◊〉 the number of his years be 〈◊〉 therefore it must necessarily follow Nisi credider it is non stabiliemini as the Prophet assures us if ye will not beleeve ye shall not be established And yet this restrains us not so far but
proper to God and yet in our practise nothing is more common then to ascribe infallibility to our selves and others whom we admire and thus that pride which we tax in them we practise our selves So likewise it is usual among great men They will speak in Gods phrase and as God saith I will be gratious to whom I will be gratious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy So they will prefer whom they will prefer and whereas God hath appointed to prefer whom he will without gifts they will prefer without gifts and lastly whereas there are no merits with God but all is ex gratia out of favour they will have no merits but all favour and so in all things they behave themselves not as men but Gods and that comes because our hearts are lifted up as the Prophet there speaks Come we to the common sort and in them we shall finde S. Bernards seven notes or signes of pride two whereof are in the soul. 1. Pursuing our own counsel 2. Following our own will and pleasure Two in the mouth 1. Grudging against our betters 2. Disdaining and vilifying our inferiours And three in outward things 1. Superbia habitus pride of apparel 2. Superbia habitus pride in our table and 3. Superbia supellectilis pride in our furniture In the means of grace which God gives us to beget in us humility and other graces we shew much pride as when we take a pride in praying hearing c. and do herein affect the praise and applause of men but an higher degree is when men reject those means of grace especially when they resist the good motions wrought in them and quench those sparkles which are kindled by the word when it comes home to their hearts as if they could have the motions of Gods spirit when they please whereas they know not whether God will ever offer them the like again and so this may be the last offer of grace Nay not onely in the means of grace but even in the graces themselves will pride appeare and whereas the objects of other sins are base and vile even the best things and most excellent graces are made the object or matter of pride Cineres 〈◊〉 peccatorum fomes superbia when other 〈◊〉 are consumed to ashes even out of those ashes will pride spring up yea we are apt to be proud even of our humility There is a pride in the crosse when we are humbled under Gods hand we may be proud in that we are not proud or not so proud as other men or as we have been before Thus the greater our gifts are the more secure we grow and the lesse jealous and suspicious of our selves and so are overtaken as 〈◊〉 David 〈◊〉 and others Therefore where the greatest gifts are there is greatest danger and therefore the greater watch ought to be kept and where the richest prize is there the devil will use his greatest power and subtilty to rob us of it Therefore the more any man hath received the more ought he to humble himself and watch that he be not overtaken with pride 1. We will adde a little to that we have said and that shall be concerning the punishment of this sinne Gods glory as one well saith is fiscus regalis his chief treasure and exchequer into which the proud man breaks robbing God by extenuating his glory and taking it as much as he can to himself But as the wise man speaks the Lord will destroy the house of the proud as he did Pharoah Haman Herod and many others who were taken away even when they magnified themselves most of all 2. Or else God punisheth him by depriving him of the guist which was the cause of his pride His tongue shall cleave to the roof of his mouth or his right hand shall forget her cunning 3. Or when he thinks he hath gotten strength enough that he is able to leane upon his own staff God suffers him to fall under every small temptation because he seeks not to God for supply of his spirit whereas by humility he might have withstood the greatest assaults Thus some of great parts when they will be singular as vnicorns that will have no match they break the net of humility which should bring men unto God by pride and so God leaving them to themselves they become the authors of heresies and errors 4. Or though it pleaseth God to let the gift remain whereof they are proud yet he gives not a blessing to it but leaves it fruitlesse Some have been endued with excellent graces but without fruit they haue made no returne to God of his Talents not a soul gained unto him by them whereas a man of mean endowments joyned with humility hath gained more then the golden tongue of an eloquent Tertullus 5. Or Lastly which is the greatest punishment there is in the minde as ost times in the body as towards the end of a mans dayes a Palsy or an Appoplexy a certain stupidity or numnesse so that neither threats can terrifie them nor perswasions allure them to repentance but passe out of this world without the fear of God or sense of his judgements so that they die and perish like beasts And God punisheth their pride with this dulnesse lest they should feel as Saint Paul did a thorn in the flesh which as the best interpreters expound it was a wrestling against pride 1. Another thing forbidden is forced humility coacta humilitas And such was that of Pharoah So long as Gods hand was upon him and his people and that he was sensible of the plagues sent by him so long he humbled himself and promised to let the people go but when he perceived that the plagues ceased he and his servants hardened their hearts and grew to that height that he said who is the Lord that he should let his people go Saint Bernard describeth these kind of humble men thus vidimus multos humiliates sed non humiles we see many humbled few humble 2. Counterfeit or bastard humility spuria humilitas for in every vertue besides the two extreams there is that which hath the likelihood of vertue which they call spuriam virtutem wherewith many are deceived Thus some are naturally of a low servile disposition which some take for humility though it be nor neither is it true humility to give in Gods cause and not to be stout in maintaining it for detrimentum veritatis non est ornamentum humilitatis that which brings detriment to the truth can be no ornament of humility So to deny the gifts or graces of God in our selves is not true humility Saint Paul would have the Ephes. understand his knowledge in the mysterie of Chist Ephes. 3. 4. 5. and preferres the Jews of which himself was one before the Gentiles Gal. 2. 15. and all this without pride In every one there is somewhat of God somewhat of nature somewhat of sinne now it s true every man
his own sinne and his own transgressions are ever before him and not busie himself with other mens faults whereas the proud mans thoughts are bona sua mala aliena the evil in others and the good that is in himself 3. Another signe is when a man is able to suffer the slander backbiting and reproches of ill tongues and not regard them as King David did As for me saith he I was like a deaf man and heard not and as one that is dumb and openeth not his mouth and in the next verse I became even as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth is no reproof Thus he shewed his humil ty when he bare patiently the railing of Shimei Christ being reviled reviled not 4. The fourth not to do any thing that may be against Gods glory though it be to a mans own reproach and suffering in this world when he is willing to suffer any thing himself rather then any dishonour should red ound to God or his Church by opening the mouths of the wicked Psal. 69. 6. Let not them that trust in thee be ashamed O Lord God of hosts for my cause let not those that seek thee be confounded through me c. 5. The last is not to rob God of his glory or to give it to another How can yee beleeve saith Christ that seek glory one of another The humble man as the Psalmist saith setteth not by himself but is lowly in his own eyes Psal. 15. 4. this is evidentissimum signum appropinguantis gloriae for before honour goes humility as a proud looke before a fall Pro. 33. CHAP. X. Of the fift inward vertue Hope Hope and fear come both from faith The several vses of hope The nature and exercise of hope Of presumption and despair Reasons against both Means to strengthen hope Signes of true hope Spes Hope AS the knowledge and belief of Gods justice worketh in us fear and humility of which we have spoken so from the knowledge and apprehension of his mercy ariseth hope and love After humility we come to the valley of Achor for a doore of hope as the Prophet speaks When we have been brought to the valley of mourning and have bin in fear and despaire then will God open to us a door of hope so that in stead of the first spirit the spirit of bondage unto fear we shall receive the spirit of adoption unto hope Now by conferring our strength and performances with the strict rule of Gods justice we finde it impossible that we should hope for salvation but by faith apprehending Gods mercy it may be possible it may be considered as attainable two wayes 1. either by our selves 2. or by some other 1. Now concerning the former if we look upon our selves the effect of faith is fear inasmuch as the object of it is Gods justce and so we can have little comfort in our selves for this shews that it is impossible to us as of our selves but as it is in the Apostle every mouth must be stopped and all the world must become guilty before God ther 's little hope that way 2. But we are not left alltogether to despair for though it be impossible to us of our selves yet if it be possible by another if another way may be found ther 's some hope Faith reasoneth as the Psalmist doth Hath God made all men for nought or in vain If he hath then why falleth not his wrath at once And searching further for the cause why we are not consumed we finde that his mercy is the cause It is of the Lords mercy saith the Prophet that we are not consumed for his compassions fail not and that the work of his creation is not in vain Then consequently a remnant there shall be and God will have a tenth alwayes preserved to himself and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof and as it is in the Gospell there shall be a little flock and we may hope that of that little flock we are If the Lord were sparing of his mercy that might be a great impediment to our hope but when we read that the Lord waiteth to be gracious to us it setteth our hope in a better forwardnesse Now because that out of the gate of mercy all our hope cometh we are to consider upon whom God vouchsafeth to bestow this mercy how they must be qualified The prophet saith he will thrust his face into the dust that is he will humble himself if peradventure he may have hope And hope is given to them that fear and are of a contrite spirit and that tremble at Gods word Spes timentibus Deum hope is a reward to them that fear God And as fear is requisite so faith much more God shews this kindnesse to them that put their trust in him and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute or forsaken And when we hear God himself say liberabo eum qui sperat in me when the act of hope shall have such a reward ther is good encouragement and we may surely expect it Now to hope is to trust in Gods mercy and so the psalmist saith My trust is in thy mercy for that is Porta spei the gate of hope there 's no entrance unto God but by this gate and no issue of good to us but by it for faith apprehending mercy hopeth and the rather because there is such plenty of mercy promised to them that hope in God that it will compasse them round Who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy imbraceth him on every side But it may be demanded how faith can beget both fear and hope two contraries or how two contraries can stand in one subject To this may be answered first we should not question it in respect that the holy Ghost hath put them together so often The Psalmist saith The Lords delight is in them that fear him and put their trust in his mercy Again faith breedeth fear in us in respect of our weaknesse and it breeds hope in respect of the mercies of God so that they being contraries non secundum idem they may well stand together in the soule of a just man For distinction sake Fides credit promissis faith beleeveth the promise and spes expectat credita hope looketh for the things we beleeve Again a thing may be believed and yet not hoped for as no true Christian though he hopes not for hell yet he believes there is such a place So the general truth of God being the object of our faith and containing many threatnings bringeth forth fear and the mercy of God in his promises being likewise an object of our faith produceth hope And so we see they are distinguished ab objecto the one having Gods justice and the other his goodnesse for its object S. Bernard distinguisheth the three vertues of Faith Hope and Charity by presenting to
Ghost saith In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly And In all this did not Job sin with his lips He did nothing to bewray impatience True patience is humble and saith with David Tacui Domine quia tu fecisti I kept silence O Lord because it is thy doing 2. The other note is Alacrity It was observed by the Fathers that the Circumcelliones in their sufferings had no alacrity but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without passion it is true they were not moved but they suffered not cheerfully They bore them but they rejoyced not they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 overcome as those that in some diseases cure without pain or using Narcotick medicines do overcome the pain but Christian patience doth more In all these saith the Apostle Romans 8. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we do more then overcome It doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 overcome and more then so for it rejoyceth too So the Apostles after they had been scourged departed rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ whereas the suffering of Hereticks though it discovered no fear or grief yet it wanted this rejoycing it had no alacrity in it Now concerning the sixth Rule as is in the former It is not enough for a man to say to his own soul Why art thou so impatient but we must say to others Sustine Dominum as the Psalmist wait and that patiently on the Lord. We do what we can by our comforts and exhortations to make them patient On the other side if there be any provocation to impatiency in others as Jobs wife we must answer them with him And this is the knowledge that every one should have and it is folly in them that have it not For Doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur the discretion of a man deferreth anger saith Solomon Proverbs 19. 11. and as S. Gregory addes Tanto minus quisque ostenditur doctus quanto convincitur minus patiens nec enim potest veraciter bona docendo impendere si vivendo aequanimiter nesciat mala tolerare every man shews himself the lesse learned by how much the lesse patient nor can he well teach to do well if he know not how to bear evill And thus much concerning the first Proposition Thou shalt have a God CHAP. XV. The second thing required in the first Commandment To have the true God for our God Reasons hereof Of true Religion This is the true pearl to be sought Three rules in seeking The extreams of Religion 1. Idolatry 2. superstition 3. Prophanenesse 4. novelty of which three degrees 1. Schisme 2. Heresy 3. Apostacy The means of true Religion The signes of procuring it in others The second Proposition THere remain two propositions more in this Commandment 1. Thou shalt have me the true God for thy God and this includes the vertue of religion viz. true religion which is the having the true God for our God All other religions are the extreams forbidden 2. The second is Thou shalt have no other Gods but me that is thou shalt have one God alone and thou shalt have me alone and this includes the vertue of sincerity which is opposite to all mixtures of true religion with any other Besides these propositions drawn out of the whole precept there are two other vertues included in the first and last words of this Commandment 1. Upon the last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coram facie mea before my face is grounded the vertue of integrity or uprightnesse opposed to hypocrisie and upon the first words Non erunt tibi thou shalt not the vertue of perseverance For the words are in the future tense and extend to the whole course of our life and these are the particulars that remain to be handled in this commandment The second proposition then is Thou shalt have me for thy God For it is not enough to have a God unlesse he be the true God And this is true religion Naturally our affections are bent and chiefly bestowed on some one thing above the rest and to this all our actions refer and this whatsoever it be is our God As some upon an Idol or false god which as the Apostle speaks is nothing Or some upon the god of this world that is the Devil Some have their belly for their god that is the flesh Some idolize their money and wealth the love where of is idolatry as the same Apostle Thus as S. Augustine saith unusquisque comeditur ab aliquo zelo every man is zealous for some thing or other And concerning all such the Prophet makes his complaint that there is a generation of men that turn the glory of the true God into dishonour that are not careful to render God his true honour and their religion is as the Apostle saith of knowledge scientia falsi nominis religion falsly so called For they follow vanity and lies and therefore eat the fruit of lies as the Prophet speaks that is grief of minde smart of body and confusion of soul. That which Plato saith of this is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Every soul if it hath not the truth it is not because it wants desire of the truth and if it finde it not out it is against the will of it unlesse it degenerate from its nature When Abraham had told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister not his wife he though a Heathen could tell Abraham that he had done that he ought not to have done And that which is more strange the Devil though the father of lies could say to the woman Yea is it true indeed Hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden He was desirous that Eve should give him a true answer So we see the force of truth that howsoever it is not practised yet in judgment not only the good but the wicked even the Heathen and the Devil himself would not willingly be beguiled with falshood One reason why God though he commands onely true religion yet permits the false is in respect of that which was named before the tryal of our faith which is more precious with God then all the riches of the world This tryal hath been the cause why God hath permitted and doth permit so many errours heresies and false worships we may allude to it by comparison that albeit God hath abundance of all things to make all men rich and so could have done yet for tryal of a liberall and compassionate minde in the rich he saith The poor shall never cease out of the land So it may be said in the case of truth It had been an easie matter for God to have taken order that every man should enjoy the true profession but on ly for this tryal Ideo oportet haereses esse inter vos therefore there must be heresies among you and why because they which are approved
may be made manifest among you He that said Fiat lux let there be light and it was made could have as easily said Sit veritas let there be truth let there be plenty of truth and it should have been so but he hath given the reason why he suffereth errour that they may be tryed that seek after the truth Another reason of this is that forasmuch as God hath magnified his word and truth above all things and that it is the chiefest thing and that he maketh most account of he would therefore have it diligently to be sought by us that we should shew our conformity to him in the estimation of it and magnifie it above all things For the necessity of it much need not be spoken it hath been partly handled already but because truth and true religion is a way as S. Peter calls it and that way must bring us to the right end then it follows that of necessity we are to finde it The spirit of truth is to guide us and therefore it is requisite we finde him If we finde it not we cannot come to our end Eunti in via aliquis trit terminus but error immensus est if a man keep the way he shall at length come to an end of his journey but errour hath no end therefore the way must be found The thing commanded is Religion and true Religion veri nominis Religio which our Saviour under the name of the kingdom of heaven compareth to a pearl and him that sought after it to Merchant that seeking after many found one pearl of inestimable price and value and when he had found it sold all that he had and bought it In which we may consider his desire which is branched out into three acts 1. Quaesivit 2. Invenit 3. Emit He sought found and bought 1. In regard of the manifold errours and falshoods in the world Investigation is most necessary that is an earnest study and applying of the minde to finde out truth among many errours contrary to the custome of this age where no man desires to seek but in that Religion wherein a man is born in that he will grow up and in that he will dye and imagine that he hath found the pearl without seeking and so when our studies ripen we onely stick to some mens institutions Moses seemeth to be of another minde and not onely exhorteth but commandeth the Israelites to enquire into all antiquities and in all parts and ends of the world whether there were any Religion so true as theirs No man then ought to suppose he hath found the truth before he hath sought it and a promise there is of finding if we seek The promise of the calling of the Gentiles that God would be found of them that sought him not is no rule for us in this case but as we must enquire so we must examine all truths There are many counterfeit pearls a man must be able to distinguish before he sell all to buy a pearl Hereditary Religion Religion upon offence taken Religion upon a sudden these three at this time possesse the most of mankinde 1. Either because they will be of the minde of Auxentius In hac fide natus sum in hac item moriar and in this case Religion findeth us and not we it 2. Or because I have received some indignity in one Religion I will be of another or because we have sustained some losse or had some crosse by our Religion therefore we will go over seas and there we will seck and finde the pearl and are able to defend it to be so 3. There is religio repentina a sudden religion This is a stumbling upon Religion without study by some that seek to revelations and prefer fancies before ordinary means whereas God hath given ordinary means we must have time and study and means to finde it for in other cases and without these there 's no promise nor warrant from God that we shall light upon it But if any shall say we have found it before we sought it as God saith of a people I was found of them that sought me not we must adde with the Apostle Omnia probate there is an examination answerable to seeking they that have it must either seek it or examine it and not make examination of the truth in Religion a matter of death as the Turks do Seek therefore we must and in seeking the Fathers give many rules but especially two rules must be observed 1. The first our Saviour gives quaerite primū It must be sought before all other things and in the first place because the seeking of it will it all things else Seek the Lord saith the Prophet while he may be found and call upon him while he is neer S. Paul saith All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs But if we give primum to our own and not when we seek for Christs God will not be neer but leaves us 2. The second is given by Moses If thou seek the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul thou shalt finde him God saith by the Prophet Ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart We must seek with tears as Mary did the body of Christ John 20. 15. we must seek for the truth as Solomon saith men must do for wisdom how is that as men seek for silver or hid treasures and as the Prophet if ye will enquire enquire that is enquire indeed But if either we primum quaerere grandia if we first seek great things for 〈◊〉 selves and religion after or seek and not seek by seeking coldly 〈◊〉 seeking his fathers asses and the woman seeking her groat will prove to be with more care then ours for religion such seekers will never finde 3. The third is As we must seek for the truth if we have it not and when we have it examine it so when we have it we must acquiescere we must rest in it The use of religion serves us instead of a girdle to 〈◊〉 our loyns that is truth must be applyed as close to our souls as a girdle to our reins For the negative part what is here forbidden may be reduced to these two heads 1. One extream opposite to true religion is 〈◊〉 the excesse when we give honour either cui non oportet to whom it is not due or quantum non oportet or more then is due the first is commonly called Idolatry the other superstition 2. Another extream is parum the defect when we do not give honour cui oportet to whom it is due or not quantum oportet not so much as is due The first is called prophanenesse which usually ends in Atheisme the other is non-acquiescence or not resting in religion when men seek out novelties and receive the truth 〈◊〉 in part and this
divides it self into two branches 1. Schisme 2. Heresse which ends in Apostacy 1. The cui non oportet is Idolatry whether it be by giving divine honour and worship or ascribing any part of Gods office to any creature as S. Augustine speaks within which comes dealing and covenanting with the Devil or trusting to his instruments Sorcerers Charmers Dreamers and other Inchanters So if a man yeeld any of the former affections and vertues as love fear c. to the Devil if he fear the stars or attribute any thing to dreams inchantments ligatures lots characters c. it is comprehended within this God telleth us by the Prophet that none can foreshew things to come but himself not meaning things known by natural causes but where there is causa libera a free cause Therefore if divine honour be attribute to any of these a part of Gods peculiar offices is taken from him and the most of them are reckoned up by Moses and God threatens to punish them In the 〈◊〉 Jeremy there is a plain commandment against the ascribing any thing to stars So 〈◊〉 against Wizards and divination Saul enquired of the Witch of Endor and you see Gods anger towards him for it And Ahaziah using the like means to recover his sicknes was reproved by Elijah Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Though the Witch at Endor foretold Sauls death and spake truth yet Sauls act is condemned 1. Chronicles 10. 13. And though the Pythonist in the Acts confessed that the Apostles were servants of the living God yet S. Paul rebuked the spirit that was in her and made him come forth Yea though a Prophet foretell a truth and yet saith let us go after other gods he shall be put to death 2. The other quantum non oportet to give too much honour is commonly referred to superstition The second Council at Nice erected images and their principal reason was because God could not be remembered too much but that was no good argument for then there could be no superstition Tully shews how the word superstition came first up There were certain old Romanes that did nothing but pray day and night that their children might outlive them and be superstites whereupon they were called superstitious In this respect we also condemn the Euchytes It is true as the Fathers say that for quantitas absoluta the absolute quantity if we were as the Angels there were no 〈◊〉 but for as much as in man there is but quantitas ad analogiam or ad propartionem and thereby he hath no absolutenes but ex conditione we must do that whereby we may continue and go forward to the glorifying of God and because of his weaknes for a man to spend himself in one day maketh a nimium in religione and consequently superstitition 2. For the other extreame Parum when we give too little and that either 1. cui non oportet or non quantum the fi st is commonly called Prophanent 〈◊〉 which was a punishment from the beginning that a man should be such a one that he should not come intra sanum within the Church but to stand extra which many now a dayes count no punishment nay it is to be feared that it hath a reward and that such people are the better thought of Too many of this fort are in these times that value religion and Gods worship no more then 〈◊〉 did his birth-right 2. The second part of this extreame is when we give not quantum oportet so much to God as we ought when we will not rest or acquiesce in what God hath by his Church prescribed and delivered to us but affect novelties and desire new and strange things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore that God might make novelties the more odious to us he hath made it a name for those things he most hateth Nadab and Abihu are said to have offered strange fire to the Lord and the wiseman calleth an harlot a strange woman Jacob commands his family to put away strange gods It is called in Deut. for 〈◊〉 post deos alienos This being bewitched with the desire of novelties and new devises hath changed the pure doctrine of the Primitive religion and marred this religion where it is predominant Thus the Galatians were bewitcht Galat. 3. 1. and none but the Attica ingenia which is spoken of in the acts are given to it Academick doubting spirits Scepticks in Religion There are three degrees in novelty 1. Schisme 2. Heresy 3. Apostacy In which one makes way for another 1. Schisme is the high way to superstition as also to prophanenesse And it is so called properly when a man upon unjust dislike either of government or worship or doctrine professed or for some indifferent rites withdraws from the communion of the Church in publike duties and refuses to submit to his spiritual governours the Bishops and Pastors of the Church and so will make a rent in and from the whole body whereas the Apostles counsel is that all would speak one thing and that there be no dissentions but be knit in one minde and in one judgement and in another place not to forsake the fellowship we have among our selves 2. Heresy is as S. Augustine defines it Dum scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene quod in 〈◊〉 non bene intelligitur etiam temere audaciter asseritur when good Scripture is not well understood and that they affirm that rashly and boldly that they understand not well S. Jerome goes further Quicunque alias scripturam intelligit quam sensus spirious S. flagitat quo conscripta est licet de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus appellari potest he that makes another interpretation of Scripture then according to the sense of the holy Ghost although he depart not from the Church yet may be called an Heretick This must not be understood of every errour but of sundamental errours and such as are wilfully held when there are sufficient means to convince one of the truth Acts 5. 17. 3. Apostacy is a general defection or falling from all points of religion The means to finde out true religion are besides the publike and general means Hearkening to the voice of the Church to whom Christ hath entrusted the truth and which is therefore called by S. Paul the ground and pillar of truth 1. The Eunuchs means reading the Scripture He read the Prophet Esay 2. Cornelius meanes prayers almes and fasting and that which is strange being a Heathen before he was called he was said to be a man that feared God But the Fathers resolue it well why he was said to be so quia non detinuit veritatem in injustitia he withheld not the truth in unrightousnesse as the Apostle speaks and did not abuse his natural light and therefore
Strong and weak good and bad Corn and chaffe vessels of gold and silver of wood and earth and therefore hath need of some thing to cleanse the floore and to sever the corn from tares and to prune bad succors from the vine And this the Church doth by Discipline and Censure which all that live within the Church must either willingly submit to or else be forced to obedience Quicunque Dei 〈◊〉 jam sibi nota non facit et corripi non vult etiam propterea corripiendus est quia corripi non vult Saith Augustine He that knoweth the will of God and doth it not nor will submit to correction is to be corrected even for that because he refuseth correction But there are a sort of people and ever hath bin that cry out against discipline as a tyrannical burden imposed upon the conscience Saint Augustine tells of such as these which were in his time Multi sunt qui sanae doctrinae adversantur justitiam 〈◊〉 et disciplinam imperium esse judicant c. There are many that oppose sound doctrine finde fault with justice and account discipline as a thing imperious and ascribe moderate correction to an act of pride whereas there can be nothing imperious but that which is commanded unjustly nor can any thing be more properly termed Pride then the contempt of discipline But howsoever we esteeme of it it is neither unjust nor new We finde it commanded by our Saviour Dic Ecclesiae Tell it to the Church And Saint Paul gave order to deliver the incestuous person to Satan that his spirit might be saved which is the true end of discipline And in divers other places he gives order for care to be had that discipline fal not to the ground Be ready to revenge all disobedience and Corripite inquietos Warne or rebuke the unruly To Timothy he prescribes many rules concerning it and among them Them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may fear Whereupon Saint Augustine saith sinne must be punished that the party punished may be thereby amended or else that others thereby may be terrified from offending in the like manner And upon Saint Pauls words put that wicked person from among you he saith Ex quo appare ut qui aliquid tale commisit 〈◊〉 dignus sit Hoc enim nunc agit 〈◊〉 in excommunicatione quod agebat in veteri Testamento interfectione The Church doth now that by Excommunication which the church in the old Testament did by putting to death And therefore to conclude this point Disciplina Ecclesiae dormire non debet the Discipline of the church ought not to sleep CHAP. V Of Ceremonies in Gods worship The vse of them 4. 〈◊〉 to be observed about them The means of preserving Gods worship The signes Addition 17. Concerning customs and traditions of the church The 6. rule of causing others to keep this Commandment THe second general considerable in the external worship of God are ceremonies not Jewish but Christian which how soever they are by some that either well weigh them not or by others possessed with a spirit of opposition accounted Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God and therfore to be abolished out of the church yet in the judgement of moderate and well affected men nay of al men that are not sowred with the leaven of schisme or 〈◊〉 they are reputed no 〈◊〉 part of this external duty for they which are versed in the ancient story of the church cannot but confesse that in all ages before Popery had its birth and in al places where christianity was profest some ceremonies have ever bin practized as lawfull and necessary nor was there at any time any religion ever practized in the world without some ceremonies nay the most seemingly reformed sectaries themselves cannot but vse some ceremonies in the practize of their religion and therefore of their own fraternity the wisest sort have acknowledged That they are necessarily to be observed as conducing to the advancing of the true worship of God 〈◊〉 saith one 〈◊〉 ad Dei cultum atque necesse est et sint persokae destinatae in Ecclesia qui Magistri vel Ministri potius sint Ceremoniarum eas exerceant in Ecclesia secundum Domini instituta Ceremonies belong to the worship of God and it is very necessary that there should be some persons in the Church appointed to be Masters or Ministers rather of Ceremonies to use them in the Church according to the Lords institution and he closeth with a good reason Vt norint cultores Dei qualem Deo cultum exhibeant that the worshippers of God may know what manner of worship to exhibit to him For the Fathers take the judgement of S. Augustine for the rest Nulla Disciplina in his est melior gravi prudentique Christiano quam ut eo modo agat quo agere 〈◊〉 ecclesiam ad quamcunque forte devenerit quod enim neque 〈◊〉 neque contra bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter est habendum pro corum inter quos vivitur societate servandum there is no better 〈◊〉 in these things viz. ceremonies to a sober and wise Christian then to observe them in that manner which he sees the Church wherein he lives to keep them for whatsoever is enjoyned so it be neither against faith nor good manners it is to be held as a thing indifferent and to be observed in regard of the society of those among whom we live And this is a good way to follow the Apostles Counsel to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace You shall hear the same Fathers censure against them that are refractory in this point In 〈◊〉 rebus de quibus 〈◊〉 statuit divina Scriptura mos populi Dei constituta majorum tenenda sunt Et sicut praevaricatores divinarum legum 〈◊〉 contemptores Ecclesiasticarum consuetudinum coercendi sunt In those things of which the holy Scripture hath determined nothing the custome of Gods people and the Constitutions of the Ancient are to be observed and the Contemners of Ecclesiastical Customes are no lesse to be reduced to conformity then they which offend against Gods Laws And withal there is no doubt but these ceremonies may be changed and varied according to the diversity and alteration of times and nations and other circumstances S. Aug. saith in defence of this point Non itaque verum est quod dicitur Semel recte factum 〈◊〉 est mutandum mutata quippe temporis causa c. that is not then true which is said A thing once well established may not by an means be altered for as time so true reason may call for 〈◊〉 alteration and whereas they say it cannot be well done to change it so truth may say it cannot be well sometimes if it be not altered because both may well stand together and be right if upon alteration
to the 1000 generation the threatning extends onely to the third and fourth The object of his mercy such as love him Our love must be manifested by keeping his Commandments How they must be kept The benefit they will keep and preserve us THe Commination or Punishment we see in the Psalm Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandements The Curse In this last part which is the Promise of Reward the Apostle tells us that exceeding great and precious promises are given to us whereby we are partakers of the divine nature Under this promise of mercy are contained all the benefits and blessings of God all other promises are included in this this is the fountain of all the rest if we partake of his mercy we shall want nothing that 's good for us The commination was like the smoking upon mount Sinai terrible and dreadfull this like the dew descending upon mount Sion brings blessing and everlasting life blessed and comfortable This promise is mercy for under this name he propoundeth the reward Now God hath a reward for evilas well as for good For the first Samuel tells Saul Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord therefore the Lord hath rejected thee There was his reward for evill And for the last a cup of cold water given out of a pious and charitable intent hath also its reward A reward of good And it is well worth the noting under what word and by what name this Reward is promised which is under the name of mercy for without it we were in an 〈◊〉 case even the best of us they that doe his work best We are unprofitable servants all we can do is not worth so much as thanks so that he promiseth meerly in mercy and though his visitation be in justice yet his reward is gratuita ex misericordia non merito free without any respect but his own mercy not our merit merces ex 〈◊〉 non ex merito and therefore not to be pleaded in any court of justice There 's nothing ascribed to our merit Sowe saith God by the Prophet to your selves in righteousnesse reap not in justice but in mercy So the Apostle Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me He 〈◊〉 it to be of Gods gift It is Gods mercy then and in this one thing are comprehended all rewards privative and positive His mercy is great towards us in delivering our soules from the nethermost hell And it is of his mercy that we are not consumed All rivers flow from this It is fundatrix nostra it layes our foundation of happines in blessings preventing as also in blessings following And it is Coronatrix nostra for he crowneth us with loving kindnes and tender mercies He could have said in this as in the Commination visitans visiting the Prophet David prayed for no more Behold and visit this vine And old Zachary took it for a great blessing that God had visited his people But God is so good to us that he thinks it not enough It is justice onely that is a visitation an act intermitted 1. His mercy is a continual work to shew that there 's no intermission in his work of mercy but he continues every day doing good to us which is the first degree of it 2. The second degree of it is that the stripes of his justice are but 3. or 4. which in it self is mercy his justice is restrained to the fourth generation but his mercy is a thousand fold it is extended to the thousandth generation so that the proportion of his mercy exceeds that of his justice 250. times to shew that his delight is more in exercising the works of mercy then of justice his mercy rejoyceth or triumpheth over judgement The one being Opus proprium his own work the other Opus alienum a worke that is strange to him He wil save Sodome if but ten righteous men may be found in it and Jerusalem for one Davids sake Nay he bids them run through that City and if they can finde but one just man in it he will save it But to whom is this mercy promised even to them that love God and to none other And this love must have some proportion with Gods love It must be regulated by his Now the manner of Gods love is set forth to us under the name of jealousy And he makes it no little part of punishment when he withdraws his jealousy from a people Therefore this mercy is promised to them that are jealous for him He is jealous for us we should be jealous for him We should say with Elias 〈◊〉 zelatus sum I have been very jealous for the Lord zelantes potius quam amantes Our zeal for him should even consume us with the kingly Prophet Now there is a fained and a true love and therefore the Apostle directs us to it which is the true and gives a mark of it Not in word but in deed and truth what the deed is to be we finde by our Saviours speech If ye love me keep my Commandments even the same which God speaks here The affection of this love is seen by the effects God lets us see his mercy by the effects of it which is faciens by performing it So must our love be discovered by keeping his Law Saint Ambrose saith est zelus ad vitam et est zelus ad mortem ad vitam zelus est divina praecepta servare et amore nominis ejus custodire mandata There is a zeal to life and a zeal to death that to life is when we observe Gods laws and for the loue of his name keep his Commandments A true keeper is he which preserveth things carefully which are committed to his charge God needs not our keeping as we do need his he is able to keep himselfe but our love must be shewed in keeping 1. mandata his Commandments 2. minimos istos his little ones what we doe to one of them he wil account it as done to himself Mat. 25. 45. And 3. we must esteem them worth the keeping as David did Psal. 119. 10. 72. The office of a keeper is to preserve what is committed to him that it be not lost or cast away or broken but kept sound till his coming that gave it in charge There 's a heavy sentence in the Gospel against the breakers of them They must not be contemned or cast behinde us nor may we lose or forget them we may see Gods judgement against Ahab for the losse of them Now we shall keep them the better if we make a true estimate of them And King David tells us they are worth the having They are more to be desired then gold saith he yea then much fine gold and in
may think that to be true which is false and then we swear rashly and in vain Or we may know or think that to be false which is so and swear it for true and swear wickedly in vain And these two perjuries 〈◊〉 For in the first case though it be perjury yet it is not wiful As if I sell a horse and swear as I think he is sound yet proves lame In the other it is flat perjury As if I sell a jewel for true and right and swear it to be so though I know it to be a counterfeit stone Such was juramentum Petri S. Peters oath swearing that he knew not Christ a fearful thing it cost many tears before he recovered himself And there is a third perjury when we swear that to be true which we think false yet proves true As I ask a man whether a third person were at such a place at such a time he though he thinks he were not yet for some end swears he was and that proves true which he swears yet is he perjured For in the like case S. Augustine gives the reason Interest quemadmodum verbum procedat ex animo ream 〈◊〉 non facit nisi mens rea regard must be had to the heart whence words proceed the tongue sins not but where the minde sins with it Nor is it safe to swear with a mental reservation That hath not sworn deceitfully saith the Psalmist It is not he that shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle but he that 〈◊〉 the truth from his heart and that hath used no deceit in his tongue The Poets juravi lingua mentem injuratam gero will not serve the turn But the oath of the mouth must agree with the meaning of the heart God will not be mocked Deus sic accipit ut ille qui dat He will make a litteral interpretation of it For as Isidore saith Quacunque arte verborum quis juret Deus tamen qui 〈◊〉 test is est it a hoc accipit sicut ille cui juratur intelligit with what cunning soever of words one swears God who knows mans heart takes the oath as he to whom the oath is made doth understand it 2. And as in the oath of assertion so in that of promise a man may swear falsly too Either when we promise and binde that by oath which we mean not to perform As I borrow money and binde my self by oath to repay such a day and fail because I never meant or intended it Or when we do the like by oath and fail simply As I borrow money and see as well a possibility how I may repay it as a purpose in my self to perform and thereupon swear to repay at a set time in the interim before the day comes such losses befall me that I cannot do that I promised and intended The first of these is perjurium simplex absolutum The other per accidens and not so bad as the former But if one have power to perform his oaths and for self respects upon the change of times and circumstances refuse to perform it as Saul did to the Gibeonites violating the oath which Joshua and the people of Israel had made to them this is wicked and odious to God as we see in the punishment of Sauls posterity though the text saith he did it out of zeal for the house of Israel Nay to swear absolutely to do that which is not in our power is unlawful it is a sin to take such an oath it is a rash oath and if it be taken it bindes to no more then is in our power all such o aths ought to be with an expresse or tacite condition si Deus voluerit if God will and if we live and be able we will do this or that as S. James speaks of bare purposes which ought much more to be in oaths Therefore our care must be to swear truly Ne eloquaris mihi nisi veritatem in nomine Domini saith king Abab to Michaiah Tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord. And we must imitate Saint Paul in the place before quoted I speak the truth in Christ my conscience bearing me witnes in the holy Ghost we must swear sine dolo malo and not seek to delude an oath by any sinister practise And this for the truth In judgement in discretion saith S. 〈◊〉 that is deliberatly as interpreters distinguish not rashly take time advise before thou swearest Not lightly but upon great necessity Be not rash with thy mouth saith the preacher consider that it is a holy thing thou goest about and that an oath is not bonum per se but bonum quia 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 necessarium extra terminos necessitatis is neither necessary nor good as a physicall potion which is to be taken onely when a man needs it and not otherwise We cannot say of swearing the oftner a man performes it the better it is as we may say of a good act but 〈◊〉 defectum when credit failes on the one part and the knowledge of a mans heart on the other part we must not come to swear but as David did to eat the shewbread in case of necessity Therefore neither Davids oath to kil Nabal nor Herods to take John Baptists head were good because there was no necessity in either they were both rash besides the unlawfulnes in the matter This swearing onely in case of necessity is to 〈◊〉 in judgement and is opposite to swearing in vain for it excludes 〈◊〉 finis when no end viz. Gods glory nor mans benefit do require it as also vanitatem cordis when the heart is light and unconstant not fixed and settled 2. Not rashly but reverently Holy and reverend is his name It was Gods charge not to pollute his name to wit by rash or common vse thereof without fear for holy is opposed to common or prophane and therefore when men swear out of anger or grief or other heady affection Gods name is polluted and prophaned And in case of necessity a truth is not to be sworn rashly but in fear and reverence The reason the preacher gives in the verse before named for God is in heaven and thou art on earth therefore be not rash with thy mouth And therefore good order is taken in the publick taking of an oath before a magistrate that neither the rules of judgement nor discretion be transgressed in not admitting any under age or any perjured person to swear and that men swear not but uncovered and the book of God the holy Bible to be toucht or laid before them with an admonition included in the form because of Gods more solemne presence at an oath taking and to stir up an awful deliberation and judgement in what men are to swear In righteousnesse or Justice And this consists for the most part in the promissory oath 1. First it must be in 〈◊〉 for
Speak every man the truth to his Neighbour First to make plain the words and the meaning of them This Commandement is not delivered in one word as some of the others but consists of divers words which rendred according to the Hebrew run thus Non respondebis testimonium falsum super vicinum tuum thou shalt not answer a false testimony concerning thy Neighbour The words non respondebis thou 〈◊〉 not answer must be understood according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 in which to answer is to speak whether there be any question asked or no. So the Evangelists often begin a story thus Jesus answered and said though no man spake to him nor demanded any thing of him So that by answering is not meant onely speaking the truth when it is demanded but also to speak truth 〈◊〉 we speak though no question be asked of us For the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 〈◊〉 to speak or utter ones minde and therefore we finde it used to expresse singing as in Exod. 32. 18. where Moses saith he heard vocem cantantium the voice of them that sung 〈◊〉 the same word is used so that it signifies to speak either by way of question or answer or otherwise Although it be true the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie generally to speak and so is often rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respondeo and though all contained under the general signification may be reduced hither yet it is more probable that literally and properly in this place the word is strictly taken for answering because the custome was among the Jews that the Judges did adjure the witnesses by the name of God to speak the truth to which the witnesses made answer and therefore whereas we reade Levit. 5. 1. If a soul sin and hear the voyce of swearing and be a witnesse c The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by the Greck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 the voyce of one adjuring c. as referring to the adjuration of the Judge to which the 〈◊〉 was to answer So also guilty persons or such as were accused were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 as we see in the example of Achan adjured by Joshua and of our Saviour adjured by the High Priest The form of such adjurations was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give glory to God as in that place of Josh. and John 9. 24. or in other words equivalent as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I adjure thee to speak the truth to me in the name of the Lord 1 Kings 22. 16. The next word is witnesse Thou shalt not bear false witnesse c. which we 〈◊〉 applyed four wayes in Scripture 1. To the great and chief witnesse God himself When 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 accused by his friends he appeals to this 〈◊〉 Ecce testis meus est in Coel. s 〈◊〉 my witnesse is in heaven and S. John saith There are three that bear witnesse in heaven the 〈◊〉 the Word and the Spirit every person in the Deity is a 〈◊〉 of the truth and 〈◊〉 witnesses we have of our thoughts words and 〈◊〉 whether they be 〈◊〉 or evil These are true and faithful 〈◊〉 God is often stiled the God of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 is called that true and faithful witnesse yea truth it 〈◊〉 and the Holy Ghost is Spiritus veritatis the Spirit of truth These are the witnesses with whose testimony we must 〈◊〉 our selves This must be our comfort 〈◊〉 our praise is not of men but of God who onely can judge of the sincerity 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men may often be applauded by the wicked when a good man shall be slighted 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 shall not stand a man in stead it is not the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 that makes one praise worthy nay it 〈◊〉 a great judgement to be well spoken of and 〈◊〉 by wicked men Wo be to you saith Christ when all men shall 〈◊〉 well of you Qui laudatur ab hominibus vituperante Deo 〈◊〉 salvabitur ab hominibus damnante 〈◊〉 He that is praised by men when God abhors him shall not be saved by men when God condemns him He is not a Jew that is one out wardly but he that is one inwardly whose praise is not of 〈◊〉 but of God Therefore the Apostle when the 〈◊〉 past rash judgement upon him tels them 〈◊〉 pro minimo 〈◊〉 c. It is a small matter for me to be judged of you 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 me is the Lord. 2. Now 〈◊〉 this great witnesse in the second place cometh 〈◊〉 witnesse which the Apostle 〈◊〉 of Rom. 2. 15. Attestante ipsis conscientia Their conscience bearing them witnesse and Rom. 9. 1. I 〈◊〉 the truth in Christ my conscience also bearing me 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said that it is 〈◊〉 testis as a thousand witnesses because it is the knowledge of our selves and of our own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 him Miserum miserable Qui contemnit 〈◊〉 testem that despiseth this witnesse For 〈◊〉 that regards not the testimony of his own conscience will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Commandement in bearing 〈◊〉 witnesse against his brother and when men 〈◊〉 not to the voice of their conscience it is the beginning of all apostasie both in faith and practice and therefore the Apostle saith that the wrath of God is 〈◊〉 from Heaven against all such as suppresse or smother the truth in unrightcousnesse 〈◊〉 when men have a wicked affection or inclination to any sinful act and though their consciences speak unto them and tell them this they ought not to do and they will not hearken unto it then they detain the truth in unrighteousnesse for they suppresse and keep down the truth as a prisoner which would shine forth in their hearts For 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said the foundation of Gods justice begins here when he speaks in the hearts and consciences of men and they will notwithstanding do the contrary for this moves God to leave them to themselves and as s. Paul saith to give them over to strong delusions that they may believe lies And though this witnesse be great yet God is greater then our consciences as s. Paul and s. John say and therefore S. Paul saith that though our hearts acquit us yet are we not thereby justified Men do often dream strange things of themselves and are deceived in their judgement and purposes for the heart of man as the Prophet speaks is deceitful above all things and therefore when our consciences come to be 〈◊〉 up coram magno judice before that great Judge it will appear that in many things we have been mistaken which made S. Paul say That though he knew nothing by himself yet was he not thereby justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that judgeth me saith he is the Lord.
like those in Micah of whom he saith He that would prophecy of such things as they delighted in as of wine or strong drink should be Prophet for that people And hence it is that as S. Hierom saith Qui nescit adulari he that cannot 〈◊〉 nor apply himself to the humours of others is thought to be either superbus or invidus proud or envious all which ariseth from this that men like those that do sooth them up Now this vice of flattery is two fold for it is either in things uncertain or certain 1. In things uncertain as when we commend a man before we be certain he deserves it this is 〈◊〉 laus 〈◊〉 praise when a man is praised at first sight or when he begins to do well for some will then so highly commend him as to make him think he hath done enough and answered all expectation whereas it is not the puting on of the armour but the putting of it off which shews what praise a man deserves It is not stadium a part of the race well run but the whole race that deserves the Garland Praeclarum stadium sed metno dolichum the entrance of the race is excellent and I like it well but I am afraid of the length and continuance of it many begin well who fall short and faint before they come to the goal Therefore whilest things are uncertain we ought not to be liberal in commending nor prodigal in our 〈◊〉 2. In things certain and those either evil or good 1. In evil things which are by God condemned Laudatur male qui 〈◊〉 ob malum or de malo it is a very sorry commendation to be praised or cried up in evil or for evil He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse nations shall 〈◊〉 him And the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man saith That he speaketh well of the covetous whom God 〈◊〉 The Prophet Esay denounceth a woe against all such as call evill good or good evill that call light darknesse and darknesse light 〈◊〉 writes of Cambyses that he having a minde to an incestuous mariage moved the question to those about him 〈◊〉 he might marry such an one they told him that they could not well answer in general for that the action seemed not good but they found this in particular that whatsoever the King would do he might do it This 〈◊〉 was abominable and to be hated of all good men The Prophet compares such to those that build a wall with 〈◊〉 morter which cannot therefore stand For as it followes when the wall is fallen it shall be said unto them where is the daubing where with ye have daubed it These are Caementarii 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 daubers And therefore at the 18 verse there is a woe denounced against those that sow pillows under mens elbows for he would have men that are asleep in sin to sleep with as little ease as may be without pillows or curtains that so they may wake the sooner but flatterers by sowing pillows 〈◊〉 them make them sleep the more secure 2. In good things one may be guilty of flattery by praising them above measure 〈◊〉 brings men into an errour of thinking otherwise then it is whereas the Apostle 〈◊〉 not have any to think of him above that which was in him Thus praise above a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond proportion this breeds in men a better 〈◊〉 of themselves then they deserve and whereas they ought to strive and endeavour to go on and to attain more perfection they stand still and rest in what they have attained Such flatterers though they pretend great love yet usually there is no such affection in their heart and therefore Solomon saith of 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 his friend with a loud voice rising early in the morning it shall be counted a 〈◊〉 to him Yea it may be sometime he hath a 〈◊〉 affection he hates him whom he slatters and therefore the same Solomon saith Though he 〈◊〉 favourably believe him not for there are seven 〈◊〉 in his heart 〈◊〉 such men did truly love those they praise they would speak no more then truth of them for love 〈◊〉 in truth as truth ought to be in love If the one be without the other if either love be without truth or truth without love the law is broken Thus whether it be upon uncertainties that we praise men or if upon 〈◊〉 yet in evil things or if in good things yet if it be too much or too high or without affection or love it is flattery in them all and here 〈◊〉 The lips that utter such flatteries the Psalmist 〈◊〉 and wishes that such men might be liplesse and that they might be rooted 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 they might not utter with their 〈◊〉 that venenum quod habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Heathen man said that poyson which is conveyed 〈◊〉 smooth words It is true there is a pleasing of men which is lawful sin being set aside and the truth preserved and the heart first wrought upon truly to affect them and desire their good Thus s. Paul laboured to become all things to all men but without these conditions whosoever he be that sets himself to please men cannot be the servant of Christ. To avoid this plague of flattery we must not countenance such persons nor open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them lest we be like those spoken off by the Prophet that make falsehood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love to be well spoken off rather then to deserve well Or 〈◊〉 that of Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he that flatters most shall fare best when as the Prophet speaks they bend their tongue 〈◊〉 a bow for lies and take pains to do wickedly we must rather pray with the Psalmist Ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caput meum that his head may not be 〈◊〉 with the oyl of wicked men that is with their words which are smooth as oyl that his senses may not be so bewitched with their flatteries that his heart might be perverted And as we must not suffer our selves to be flattered so we must not flatter others but reprove them rather for we may be assured that if he 〈◊〉 wise whom we reprove he will make use of it 〈◊〉 a wise man and he will love thee If he do not the fault is his we have done our duty And though for the present he seem to be offended yet as the Wiseman saith He that rebuketh a man shall at last finde more favour then he that flattereth with his lips We have done with flattery as it 〈◊〉 others we come now to that which they call actum reflexum when a man by reflecting upon himself doth praise himself This is Jactantia boasting or vaunting of ones self As in the former Commandement a man may sin against himself as we shewed so here he may break
this by bearing 〈◊〉 witness against himself not onely by suppressing the truth in 〈◊〉 inwardly but also in daily and common talk by glorying and vaunting of that which is not in him S. Paul saith it was not expedient for him to boast and therefore lest he should be thought so to do though he spake nothing but the truth speaking of his revelations and the mysteries he heard when he was wrapt up into the third Heaven he speaks of it in the third person as of another man and lest he should fall into this sin he had one sent to buffet him that he might not be exalted above measure Our Saviour excepts not against their assertion that said He bore witnesse of himself for ordinarily it is true he that witnesseth of himself must have another witnesse but Christ being truth it self needed not any other witnesse for the truth may bear witnesse of it self but otherwise as the Wiseman advises Laudet te os alienum Let another mans mouth praise thee and not thine own lest we fall into Moabs sin and partake of the punishment threatned Jer. 48. 29 30. And as this is every where to be avoided so especially in this place when we utter the word of God The Prophet that telleth lyes is the tail of the people the most vile and abject of all others God hath no need of our lyes as Job saith what we speak from him must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and nay true and false but onely 〈◊〉 The Apostle would not 〈◊〉 of any of those things which Christ had not wrought by him It is vain arrogancy in men to names 〈◊〉 they have never seen or affirm that which they do not know especially in the Ministers of Christ. And as it is a sin for a man to boast of what he hath not so also to take that fault upon himself which he is not guilty of as he that when Saul had killed himself said that he had killed him hoping for a reward So also to deny any thing of a mans self which is true 〈◊〉 be to his 〈◊〉 or dispraise S Gregory saith this is Mendax humilitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lying humility and unadvised And s. Augustine saith He that uttereth an untruth of himself out of modesty or humility though he had not sinned before yet peccator 〈◊〉 mentiendo he sins now by lying Therefore S. Hieroms rule is Ne ita caveatur arrogantia ut caveatur veritas not so to shun arrogancy as to deny the truth It s true in the 〈◊〉 a man may affirm minus de se 〈◊〉 of himself because in majore est minus the greater doth contain the lesse but otherwise where there is a necessity of answering concerning himself he must stand on the negative not to deny any truth of himself Again on the other side a man is not bound praedicare peccatum suum to 〈◊〉 his sin It was the height of impiety in them that declared their sin as Sodom yet being asked where we are bound to answer we must not deny our sin with Sarah though we are not bound alwayes to speak all the truth of our selves yet we must 〈◊〉 deny the truth or speak an untruth of our selves Having done with this actus reflexus we come to that which is false witnesse directly of which we spake something before viz. Mendacium a lye These we have already spoken of are 〈◊〉 perniciosa mendacia serpentis pernicious lyes the lyes of the Serpent whose first word was Nequaquam 〈◊〉 ye shall in no wise dye Besides these there is a lye they call Innocuum a harmlesse lye of which cometh no hurt or losse But s. Augustine saith they that say so that there is mendacium innocuum an innocent lye are not innocui innocent themselves And though men account nothing to be losse but losse of name goods life and such like yet there is no lye wherein there is not losse of truth which is more worth then all these CHAP. VI. Of a rash lye an officious lye a merry lye Four cases wherein a man seems to speak contrary to the truth but doth not Of Mendacium Facti the Real Lye by simulation NOw a lye in this sence may be two wayes 1. To speak contra quam se res habet otherwise then the thing is though he that speaks is perswaded in his minde that it is true and such an one as S. Augustine saith Non tam mendacii 〈◊〉 temeritatis accusandus est is not so much guilty of a lye as of 〈◊〉 and temerity such as the same Father saith should learn their tongues to say 〈◊〉 I know not and not like those in S. Jude to speak of things they know not 2. To speak contra quam se animus habet otherwise then a man thinks and this they divide into officiosum mendacium the Midwives lye an officious lye and 〈◊〉 the merry lye or the scorners lye mentioned in Hosea They make the Princes glad with their lyes Now for the former of these the officious lye which is for our neighbours profit S. Augustine confesses that these mendacia compensativa did somewhat trouble him As if a man lying sick his only son should dye of which if I should tell him it would kill him In this case saith he what shall I answer if he should ask me I must either say he is alive or he is dead or I cannot tell if I say he is alive or I cannot tell a lye is made if I say he is dead it kils the father so that on the one hand here is 〈◊〉 mendacium a saving lye on the other hand here is Homicida veritas a killing truth What should a man do in this case He answers When I am in this case I cannot tell what to say and yet when I am out of it me thinkes I can answer well enough For I see Saint Paul saith Nihil possumus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We 〈◊〉 do nothing against the truth I see David saith 〈◊〉 omnes qui 〈◊〉 mendacium Thou shalt destroy all those that speak lies I see that God is truth and I see that as Christ is the truth who is the first-begotten and onely begotten Son of God so a lye is of the Devil and that a lyer is the first-born of the Devil and I see that if I grant 〈◊〉 mendacia some lyes to be lawful I must also grant aliqua 〈◊〉 some sinnes to be lawful And further if I may lye to save a mans life or with the Priscillianists to bring another to Christian Religion then a man may commit adultery to save ones life I put the case to stand thus There is a woman so fondly enamour'd on a man that except that unlawful act be committed she would dye whether this may be 〈◊〉 adulterium or no It is certain no man in the world would defend it Therefore neither can the other salubre 〈◊〉 be
good So his conclusion is that neither for safeguard of bodily life or for the soul must a lye be spoken And this 〈◊〉 hath been generally held since by the Fathers and by the most and best of late Writers This is called the Midwives lye but improperly for I like not the racking of places of Scripture to make more faults in the Fathers and others then they were guilty of All the Midwives say is that the Hebrew women were so strong that they were delivered before the Midwife came which is likely to be true of many of them as we see there are divers such among us That they spake then may be said to be onely occultatio veritatis the concealing of some truth rather then the uttering of an untruth This kind of lye may more fitly be called Rahabs lye Who hid the Spies and yet said they were gone for in her as S. Augustine saith there was rather virtutis indoles a good disposition then 〈◊〉 virtus perfect 〈◊〉 as appeared by this act For that other which they call Jocosum a merry lye the Prophet makes it a fault to make the King merry with lyes and if a man may not speak the truth to please men as the Apostle saith much lesse may he uttera a lye to please them And though a pernicious lye be worse then this yet as S. Aug. saith it is no good argument to say this is good because the other is worse no more then it is to say because one man is worse then another therefore the other is good Therefore he condemns all three as evil and though these two last are without any great fault yet not without any sault But though we must in no case speak 〈◊〉 to the truth yet there are some cases wherein we seem to go against but do not 1. When things are spoken in parabolical and figural speeches as where in Jothams parable the trees are said to go and choose a King So when our Saviour taught by parables such speeches are not lyes nor here prohibited for what in them is propounded is not res sed figura rei not as a real truth but onely as a figure of some thing that is true This is lawful in speech as painting is lawful to represent things the better to the 〈◊〉 and thus hyperbolical speeches are lawful because neither in the intention of the speaker nor in the sense of the hearer they are contrary to the truth 2. When part of the truth is concealed but no untruth uttered As when 〈◊〉 told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister which she was according to 〈◊〉 Hebrew phrase for she was his brothers daughter but denied not that she was his wife but 〈◊〉 that so when Samuel went to anoint David King and the Elders of the City asked him what he came about he told them he came to sacrifice to the Lord which was true for that was one end of his coming though he had another end also which he concealed 3. When a question may have two sences or meanings and the answer is true in the one but not in the other a man may answer it in his own sence which is true though it be false in another sence As when Christ was asked by 〈◊〉 Whether he were a King he answered that he was and that truly viz. A spiritual King though he had no temporal kingdom which was that that Pilate meant So Jacob might truly say to his father Isaac that he was his eldest son in one sence viz. because hee bought his brothers birth-right though otherwise hee were not So our SAVIOUR expounds that prophesie of Malachy concerning Elias saying that Elias was then come meaning not Elias in his own person but one in the power and spirit of Elias 4. When the thing is changed in circumstances a man may 〈◊〉 contrary to what he said and yet not be guilty of an untruth the Angels said to Lot they would not 〈◊〉 in but would lodge in the streets s. Peter said Christ should not wash his 〈◊〉 and s. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come to 〈◊〉 and yet the Angels came and lodged in Lots house Peter suffered Christ to wash his feet and S. Paul did not come yet none of them were guilty of a lye because the circumstances were changed The Angels had not come in if Lot had not importuned them S. Peter would not have had his feet washed if he had not been better informed and Paul would have gone to Corinth if Satan had not hindred him All these speeches were to be understood 〈◊〉 sic stantibus but not if there were an alteration in the circumstances 〈◊〉 often change moral actions besides that the promises of a good man in moral matters ought to be conditional In these 〈◊〉 both the elder Church and 〈◊〉 Schoolmen have resolved there is nothing against the truth Having spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lye in words we are now to proceed to mendacium 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 in our actions for as S. Augustine saith Non refert utrum quis dicto 〈◊〉 aut facto it is all one to lye in our actions and in our words For truth is nothing else but an evennesse or an equality 1. Between the thing in its nature and the imagination we have of it in our heart and if they be even then there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Between the conceit we have in our mindes and the expression of it by our words or deeds If the tongue and heart agree then there is 〈◊〉 oris truth in our speech and if our actions agree with both then there is 〈◊〉 facti truth in our actions for that Facta deeds or facts may be signes as well as words appears by that of our Saviour when he saith that men shall be knowne by their fruits that is by the actions as fignes of what is in their hearts and by that question of the Pharisees who 〈◊〉 of him a signe that is some act to testifie his greatnesse and power as also for that as good is done to edification and hurt to give offence by words or precepts so good or evil is done by fact or example for which cause God hath taken order that both by our deeds and by our words the truth should be confirmed and that there should not be Simulatio dissimulation which is the vice we here speak of when men make shew by their actions of what they are not For if the Factum the fact or deed be not commensurate or equal to the thought and heart this is simulation Yet as we said before a man may conceal some part of the truth in words and is not bound to utter all he knows so here in his actions he is not bound to signifie or declare all his minde but that onely which without sin cannot be kept close God himself was the author of an ambushment to Joshua when he made shew of flying