offend many of those that manifestly oppose the truth and immortally injure their brethren by turning them out of the road of salvation to look after some new by-paths no less doubtfull then perilous for if St. Paul did wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren his kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9. 3. then none that takes upon him St. Pauls calling but is bound to have so much of St. Pauls zeal as to think the salvation of souls his greatest blessing and to make it his chiefest aim and he that doth the one will certainly do the other and consequently not regard the causless displeasure of many if he may take the right course to save but one and without doubt this doctrine doth immediately tend to the salvation of all which adviseth men to take heed of hypocrisie in professing Religion and of apostacy in renouncing it or of schisme in receding from it for schisme is a particular apostacy even as a apostacy is a general schisme For the onely way to be assured of our future communion with God in happiness is to be assured of our present communion with God in holiness and we cannot be assured of communion with the Father of lights unless we walk as children of the light It is in effect St. Iohns argumentation 1 Epist. c. 1. v. 5 6 7. He that saith he hath communion with God must walk in the light But all we that profess our selves Christians do say we have communion with God in and by our Saviour Christ Therefore we must all walk in the light We that do profess our selves Christians as we do say that we have communion or fellowship one with another so we do much more say that we have communion with God not inviting men to our civil but to our Christian communion and unless we make good that saying we cannot make good our own Christian profession for he that hath communion with Christ hath communion with the Son of God and he that hath the Son hath the Father also 1 Joh. 2. 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father therefore Turks and Infidels and Antitrinitarians do not worship the same God with us Orthodox Christians but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also therefore Orthodox Christians in having Christ are sure they have communion with God For although these latter words He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also be not in the Greek originals either of Greek or Latine Church for which cause they are by our Interpreters inserted in different characters from the text who did not desire to follow Beza where Beza did not follow the Church yet they are in the Vulgar Latine and are owned by Clemens of Alexandria in his comment upon this Epistle as it is recorded in Bibliothecâ Patrum and also by the Syrus Interpres and indeed are in effect owned by the Spirit of God himself for that they are virtually included in the former words by the rule of Contrariety or Opposition for by the same reason that whosoever denieth the Son hath not the Father it is most undoubtedly true that whosoever confesseth the Son hath the Father therefore all our labour must be that we may have the Son for in having him we are sure to have the Father And this is the grand doctrine of all the New Testament this is the main gospel-Gospel-truth that the Apostles maintained against all sorts of gainsayers in their time and they have left us their writings that we should also maintain it unto the worlds end That the Christian Religion is the only way to eternal salvation This their doctrine was strongly opposed in their days by four sorts of men 1. By the Gentiles not yet converted for they still maintained their heathenisme 2. By the Jews not yet converted for they still maintained their Judaisme 3. By the Jews not fully converted for they still maintained a mixture of Judaisme with Christianity they mingled together the Jewish and the Christian Religion 4. By the Christians converted but withal partly perverted for they brought in untrue professions and ungodly practises into their Christianity they corrupted and depraved the Christian Religion and the Apostles were accordingly very carefull as to confute these heresies so also to confirm and establish the contrary truth whence it is that all their writings are wholly taken up either in those confutations or in this confirmation For though the truth it felf is but one yet the controversies concerning it were no less then four and the Apostles thought it necessary not only to establish the truth in it self that it might appear truth but also to establish it in our hearts that it might appear truth to us that is truth without controversie not only a mystery of Godliness but also a manifest and confessed mystery 1. Tim. 3. 16. Wherefore it will not be amiss for us to see the state of the several Controversies that so we may the more clearly see the more firmly embrace the more constantly profess the truth The state of the first Controversie which the Apostles had with the Gentiles consisted of these two questions First whether there were a life everlasting to be looked for after this life Secondly whether that life everlasting were to be obtained by continuing in the idolatry of the heathen or by turning to the Religion of the Christians And in both these questions the truth of the Christian Religion is declared or rather demonstrated against the heathenish superstition out of the principles of natural reason and that truth summ'd up by St. Paul 1 Thes. 1. 9 10. How ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come There is a resurrection from the dead therefore the soul dies not with the body but lives eternally and this eternal life is not to be gotten by serving Idols but by serving the living and true God and there is no serving him but by waiting for his Son from heaven Thus was the Christian Religion justified against Heathenisme which afforded the first Controversie The state of the second Controversie which the Apostles had with the Jews not converted consisted but of this one Question Whether eternal life and salvation was to be obtained by the Jewish or by the Christian Religion And we finde the Apostles still proving out of the Old Testament the Ground of the Jews Religion and so acknowledged by themselves without the least doubt or contradiction that salvation was not to be had by Moses but by Christ so S. Peter in his several Sermons Acts 2. and 3. and 4. Christus Messias that Christ was the Messias the Saviour of the world is the subject of them all This he proves Acts 2. for that he had given the holy Ghost and was risen from the dead and both his proofs are out of the Old
courage in regard of Gods goodness who hath promised salvation to those that sanctifie him in their hearts by good resolutions and in their mouthes by good professions and in their lives by a good conversation and it fills them with constancy in regard of Gods truth and faithfulness who cannot but perform his promise This is the Tenure of a true Catholick he holds both his Religion and Salvation upon certainty not upon conjecture his Religion he holds upon the certainty of Gods most holy word for nothing else can furnish his mouth with a satisfactory answer to silence much less with a sufficient reason to convince his adversary and his Salvation he holds upon the certainty of Gods most faithfull promise for nothing else can furnish his heart with comfort or establish it with courage to satisfie and content himself and agreeable to this as far as concerns the certainty of Religion upon which alone is founded the certainty of salvation is Vincentius Lirinensis his description of a true Catholick Ille verus germanus Catholicus est qui divinae Religioni Catholicae sidei nihil praeponit non hominis cujusquam Autoritatem non Amorem non Ingenium non Philosophiam non Eloquentiam sed haec cuncta despiciens in fide stans permanens amplectitur quicquid universaliter Antiquitas Ecclesiam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit He is a true and genuine Catholick who prefers nothing above divine Religion and the Catholick faith not the Authority of any man not Love not Wit not Philosophy not Eloquence but despising all these and standing fast in the faith doth embrace whatever he knows was universally and anciently held by the Catholick Church From this description it is easie to gather who are the true Catholicks viz. those Christians First Who in their Religion prefer causes above persons who pretend not to infallible Doctours but make sure of an infallible doctrine who look after Gods not mans Authority as the foundation of their faith for else they cannot stand so fast in it as to despise the Authority Love Wit Philosophy Eloquence of man in comparison of the Oracles of God Secondly Who in their communion prefer persons above themselves that is Gods Trustees above their own humours regard not any novelty or singularity but make much of antiquity and universality or in a word those who are immoveable in the Catholick Truth that they may persist in the true Christian Religion and who are obedient to the Catholick Church that they may persist in the true Christian communion Accordingly my business in this Treatise shall be to shew First The certainty of Religion in its substance that notwithstanding all our present impieties on all hands men may know when they have the true Christian Religion Secondly The certainty of Religion in its exercise that notwithstanding all our present inconstancies men may know when they have the true Christian Communion and when this Certainty of Religion both in its substance and exercise is compassed and atchieved which is the work then the certainty of salvation will be an undeniable consequent which is the reward of good Christians But till I come to my preaching I think it needfull to give my self to praying for though we may get the knowledge of Religion by preaching yet we cannot get the certainty much less the comfort of that knowledge but by praying so ill a course have those Divines taken of late to make this people gain the certainty of their Religion who have turned all praying into preaching for he that prays what the congregation knows not doth rather preach then pray as â—o his congregation for they can onely hear â—s judges they cannot joyn as Communicants in his prayer well he may teach them to pray after him but he cannot cause them to pray with him for though they may wish yet they cannot pray but in the assurance of faith and they cannot have the assurance of faith upon uncertainty and there is nothing but uncertainty in ignorance the ignorance of intention disposition and an erring direction of him that prays and the ignorance not onely of the substance and nature but also of the scope and drifts of his prayer If any faith can be exercised here it must needs be wholly implicite such a faith as we justly blame in the Papists and therefore most unjustly force upon Protestants a faith that hath no particular evidence of what it is to do and therefore can have no particular assurance of what it doth But whilest I have fallen upon others prayers I have almost forgot mine own God of his infinite mercy look upon us once more shew us the light of his countenance that we seeing our new building is upon the sand which is never the surer for being cemented with bloud may return again unto the Rock our Saviour Christ the onely foundation of our souls that is the onely way to make atonement for our impieties and finding the want of the Master builders or most artificial workmen may return also to his Church which also is built on that foundation for that is the best if not the onely way to get a remedy for our uncertainties that so coming to the infallible certainty of our Religion both in its substance and in its exercise we may also come to the most comfortable certainty of our salvation and from the certainty pass to the enjoyment from the assurance pass to the inheritance thereof through the Authour and Finisher both of our Religion and of our salvation our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This being the main scope of this small treatise ought to be the fervent prayer of its Authour who knoweth this lesson is not to be learned by recommending his book to you but by recommending your souls to God for 't is not all the preaching in the world though the whole world should turn preachers not onely with swords in their hands but also with Authority in their mouthes and with grace in their hearts I say it is not all the preaching in the world can bring you to this saving knowledge of Christ and of your self but onely praying and since you will not abide your Church to pray you may be the better contented to let his reviled Ministers continue and increase their prayers for you because you have the greater need though the lesser ability and power to pray truly and heartily for your self as either praying without Christs intercession or praying against his word but sure praying without Christs Communion because praying without if not against his Church 'T is hard to be a wilfull Separarist from your Church and not to be thus peccant in your prayers but you are all for preaching Christ whilest I am rather for praying him that is for such sound and set prayers as by their matter assure me of his intercession and by their form assure me of his communion and I am sure that with Mary I have chosen the better part though
is our best policy and our best security This is to make haste in times of persecution for Religion and this he will not do who truly beleeves in Christ and because such haste commonly ends in confusion the Greek interpreters Saint Paul from them in stead of shall not make haste do thus render the words shall not be confounded Rom. 9. 33. A good Christian will make no such haste as tends onely to shame and confusion because he beleeves in Christ and therefore will patiently wait his leisure and zealously follow his example that is he will profess Gods truth maugre all the oppositions of malicious all the scorns and reproaches of ungodly and profane blasphemers for so Saint Chrysostome saith our blessed Saviour made his profession and he hath good ground for saying so as have generally all the fathers for what they say though our upstart Divines come most commonly with an Ipse dixit a proof rather of their confidence then of their doctrine such a proof as is not indurable in sound Philosophy and much less in sound Divinity for Saint Iohn had said so much before him S. Iohn 18. 37. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely to be a witness to the truth but also to be a martyr for the truth This was our Saviours profession concerning himself not onely as he was personally Christ but also as he was mystically so and in that regard must needs concern every Christian who is a part of his mystical body for it was an excellent determination of the Feudarie law si in praelio Dominum non mortuum nec ad mortem vulneratum reliquit Vasallus Feudum amittit Cataneus in Feudo If the fee-farmer or copy-holder leave his lord in the battle being wounded but not dead nor having his deaths wound he is to forfeit his fee-farm or copy-hold because of his detestable unthankfulness This rule will much concern us Christians if we seriously consider it and if not it will concern us so much the more For we all hold the right of our inheritance to heaven as it were by copy from our blessed Saviour whom God hath appointed heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. This our Lord is often wounded Acts 9. 4. why persecutest why woundest thou me but cannot be wounded unto death for he is our almighty God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. If we run away and leave him in the battels or rather the uproars and counter-scuffles of wicked ungodly miscreants for man can have no title to a just war against his Maker and much less against his Redeemer we shall forfeit our copies and perchance may loose our inheritance Nor let us think to excuse our selves by saying we took them who grievously wounded our Lord for his friends because of their specious and godly pretenses not for his enemies for it is all one as to our sin if we leave him and shall be all one as to our punishment whether he be wounded by his enemies or by his friends for himself owneth to be wounded by his friends as well as by his enemies Zech. 13. 6. and one shall say unto him what are those wounds in thy hands nay in thine heart Lord for our profaneness hath more pierced thine heart then their nails pierced thine hands then he shall answer Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends that is such men as pretended to be my friends saying they would advance the glory of Christ the purity of the Christian Religion for he that was wounded for our transgressions Isa. 53. 5. is still so wounded by transgressours as our transgressions do wound us some wound us as enemies that appear in their own hostile colours some as friends that carry a pretence a shew of righteousness If we leave him in his wounds we forfeit our copies and let go our interest to heaven for thar of Saint Mark 14. 50. and they all forsook him and sled was before his title to his Lordship had been fully cleared and therefore obtained pardon but now if we forsake him and slee neither will his mercy pardon us nor can our own consciences admit his pardon untill we return again for if we will needs forget him why should we think he will remember us and we may forget him not onely by letting him slip out of our memory but also by letting him slip out of our commemoration it is Ezra's observation upon the words of the Preacher Eccl. 9. 15. yet no man remembred that same poor man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely to remember in the minde but also to commemorate with the mouth and so it is said no man remembred that poor man because no man spake honourably of him so is it with us if we commemorate not our Saviours merits and mercies we forget them and therefore if we profess not his truth we may not be thought to remember it for we cannot but know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. He is that poor man who by his wisdom hath delivered the city of God and in it our souls Oh let it never be said Through our fearfulness and much less through our unthankfulness that we did not remember that poor man Secondly this profession is such as we may not be ashamed of after the way which they call heresie Here was a course taken to make Saint Paul ashamed as well as afraid for he was not onely questioned for his life to make him afraid but he was also questioned as if he had been a delinquent or malefactour to make him ashamed of his Religion he was publickly indicted at a grand Sessions as if he had been some felon or murderer and Tertullus would fain perswade his judges that he and his complices were able to prove the indictment v. 5. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow Graetè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer plague or pestilence as ready to infect our souls as the plague is ready to infect our bodies a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world it was they were the movers of the sedition though the Apostle was accused for it and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that stood in the first rank or file as ready both to maintain promote the sect We may in brief say with S. Chrysostome that they did seek to make him odious for his disaffection as well as contemptible for his Religion accordingly used all cunning artifice that they might so do therefore they said they found him as if he had been some run-away whereas he was no less then seven whole days together in the temple but their chiefest spite was against his Religion and
to do and not as an act of Custom we would all labour to be as unchangeable in our profession as we desire to be thought unchangeable in our Faith then would this distinction of Faith essentially accidentally Catholick come to nothing for as the Christian Faith is at all times equally Catholick in the Veracity of its perswasion so it would also all times be equally Catholick in the extent of its profession And good reason it should be so since it is grounded upon Gods Word which is as unchangeable as himself for so saith S. Paul Beleeving all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets which is the reason or proof that his Faith is truly Catholick because it beleeves nothing but what is written Non credimus quia non legimus was S. Hieroms rule to confute Helvidius Mariam nupsisse post partum non credimus quia non legimus Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem câdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur We do not beleeve that the Blessed Virgin had any other childe after our Blessed Saviour because we do not reade it for what hath not its authority from the Scriptures is rejected with the same facility that it is alledged so S. Paul here urgeth the Scripture the written word as the rule of his Faith and the Law and the Prophets as the specification of that rule Out of this Rule our Saviour Christ confuteth the devil S. Mat. 4. nor doth the devil cavil with the manner of his confutation as some of late have done as if they thought it too little to be tormented by the devil unless they might also be condemned by him objecting the uncertainty of the Hebrew Points or the difference of the Greek and Latine Translations or the various readings of the Text and as various expositions of it yet it is observable that not one of those Texts there quoted by our Saviour Christ doth exactly agree with the original word for word not one Text is the same with the Original in words though every one be in sense As for example in Deut. 8. 3. no mention is made of Word yet our Saviour saith by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God so Deut. 6. 16. the Text speaks in the Plural number Ye shall not tempt Our Saviour quoteth it in the Singular Thou shalt not tempt So Deu. 6. 13. Moses saith Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him but our Saviour Christ quoteth him thus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve altering one word and adding another O that men would be ingenuous with God and rather then not learn this good lesson would learn it from this bad Master who durst not in Gods cause refuse to be tried by Gods Word but was far from loading himself with more sin by seeking to load the Word of Truth either with Cavils or with Calumnies for if it be written in the Law in the Prophets it is not to be gainsaid it is not to be contradicted if it be not written there as it was not in S. Pauls Religion so it may not be in ours But you will say the specification of this Rule is too narrowly confined to the Law and the Prophets I answer that by these words is meant whatsoever is comprised in the Canon of the Old Testament as it was established and received in the Jewish Church For the holy Ghost plainly saith that to them i. e. to the Jews were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. now the Jews before and at the coming of Christ were of two sorts the one properly called Hebrews which lived in Jerusalem or Judea and understood the Hebrew tongue or else S. Paul would not have spoken to them in it Act. 21. 40. The other called Hellenists or Grecians either because they were dispersed among the Greeks as saith Baronius Judaeos in Graeciâ habitantes dictos Graecos in Palaestinâ Hebraeos or because they used in their Synagogues to read the Bible onely in Greek as Scaliger will have it Quia Biblia Graecè tantum legere soliti sunt We read of these two several sorts of Jews both together Act. 6. 1. There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews that is of the Jews that used the Greek Bibles against those Jews that used the Hebrew Bibles in their Synagogues And hence it came to pass that as the Jews themselves were of two sorts so they did use a twofold Text of Scripture in their Synagogues the one in Hebrew the orher in Greek whence Tertullian in his Apology cap. 18. advising even Painims to search the Old Testament whereby they might be drawn to the Christian Faith saith That it was to be seen in Ptolemies library or to be heard in Rome and other places in the Jewish Synagogues who by paying a standing tribute did purchase this liberty of openly reading the Scriptures and that not onely in Hebrew but also in Greek in the same tongue wherein they were translated in Ptolemie's library as appears by a supplication of the Jews unto the Emperour Iustinian Authenti 146. Col. 10. quod sic incipit Aequum sanè wherein they make request That it might be lawful for them to read the Greek translation of the seventy Interpreters in their Synagogues as their custome before had been for in all probability the Jews of the dispersion made this petition because they understood not the Hebrew text as did not the Jews of Palestine who did partly understand it in it self but fully as it was translated in the Chaldee Paraphrase which was therefore read with the text in their Synagogues and hence it came to pass that the Greek text was first generally received by the Christian Church because those Jews which used it were dispersed among the Gentiles and the Greek was now become the common language of the world and this Greek text or translation having been used in the Apostles times for these reasons to wit for the uniting of the Jews and Gentiles into one communion and for the common edification of both being so united did happily cause Saint Luke to continue the name of Cainan in the genealogy of Christ because he found it in the Greek though it was not in the Hebrew Bible lest if he should have altered the long received translation he should have discountenanced the newly received Religion which evangelical condescension of his did no more authorize the Greek translation to justle with the Hebrew text then the Apostles condescension before of abstaining from bloud and meats offered to idols did authorize the Gentiles to turn Jews or the Jews to continue in their Judaisme But however sure we are the Greek Translation was first generally received because it was generally understood both by Jews and Christians whereas the Hebrew text was then fully understood onely by some few Jews and scarce at all by any Christians And thus did the Jews use
labour that they may be strengthened by piety and godliness yet will I not enter upon a particular enumeration of Gods communicable Properties I have been too long already upon this argument much less upon a particular explication of them for it will be sufficient for my purpose which is the advancement of the true Religion in the hearts and lives of men if I briefly insist onely upon these three to which all the rest may be reduced and they are Truth in his Understanding Goodness in his Will and Purity in his Action for we cannot better consider Gods Activity then in the Purity of his Action unto which we must also annex a short discourse of Liberty as belonging to all three that is to say to Understanding and Will and Action And these three Properties of Truth Goodness Purity as they are eminently in God and evidences of his perfection so are they also eminent in Religion the service of God And first of the Truth of God and of Religion God is true by a metaphysical and by a moral Truth First By a metaphysical Truth as having the true knowledge of all things Psa. 139. 2. thou understandest my thoughts long before God understandeth our thoughts before they are the angels not when they are and therefore they are defective in truth because defective in understanding for Truth metaphysically is a conformity of the thing with the understanding and accordingly our blessed Saviour is particularly called the Truth as being the Omniscient Wisdome of God and the eternal Understanding of the Father even as the holy Ghost is the eternal Love both of Father and Son Secondly God is True by a moral Truth as having his Affection Expression Action agreeable to his knowledge and that in three respects 1. As Truth is opposed to Falshood for God neither wills nor speaks an untruth 2. As Truth is opposed to Dissimulation for God neither dissembleth nor deceiveth 3. As Truth is opposed to Inconstancy for God changeth not his judgement in truths declared or determined he changeth not the event in truths foretold or prophesied for in promises he keeps his word and his truth if man perform the conditions in threats he may not keep his word and yet keep his truth because they are but conditional And as for deceiving the Prophets Ezek. 14. 9. and 1 King 22. 23. we generally and truly answer Tradit diabolo decipiendos he delivereth them over to the devil to be deceived by him so saith the Text Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes. 2. 10 11 12. a text that gives us a fearful but yet a full account of all those strong delusions among men which led directly to the Father of lies the first step was a voluntary unrighteousness in not loving the truth the second step is a strong delusion in beleeving a lie the third step God keep them from treading in that who have trodden in the two former is a necessary damnation both for not loving the truth and for having pleasure in lies but still God is true though every man be a liar for God deceiveth the Prophet Ez◠14. 9. as he hardeneth the heart Exod. 10. 1. permissivè non efficienter permissively no◠efficaciously by not inhibiting or not purging those ill qualities that are already is the heart not by infusing any ill qualities into it and therefore though he saith I have hardened Pharaohs heart yet he saith unto us Harden not your own hearts and accordingly he threatneth in Ezekiel to destroy such a prophet from the midst of his people whose heart was hardned so fa◠as to deceive himself and others whereas he could not in justice destroy him onely for being that which himself had made him nay this permission is most plainly set forth in that parable of 1 Kin. 22. for all that God doth there is onely to let the evil spirit go forth that is not to inhibite him from going and deceiving not to send him down from heaven For it is evident that the evil spirit never did and never can come into heaven again since he was first thrown down from thence And thus briefly God is True Metaphysically and Morally Metaphysical truth consisting in the right apprehension of things as they are in themselves Moral truth in the right affection and profession of things as they are apprehended and this profession is either in word by veracity or in action by sincerity or in continuance of action by constancy so that moral truth is opposed to falshood because 't is the same with reality to dissimulation because 't is the same with sincerity and to wavering and floating because 't is the same with certainty And this same metaphysical and moral truth is also in Religion passing from the Master into his service for the Father seeketh such to worship him who worship him as he is that is who worship him in spirit because he is a Spirit and who worship him in truth because he is the Truth S. John 4. 23 24. The worship in spirit points at the metaphysical truth of Religion which requires a true apprehension of God the worship in truth points at the moral truth of Religion which requires an Affection Profession Action agreeable to that true apprehension and for both these hath our own Church taught us to pray Collect 7th Sunday after Tri. Graff in our hearts the love of thy Name Increase in us true Religion nourish us with all goodness and of thy great mercy keep us in the same Do you look for the metaphysical Truth of Religion 'T is in the knowledge of Gods Name which must be presupposed before the love of it since no man can love what he doth not know that you know God by his true Name such as himself hath proclaimed Exod. 32. 5 6 7. or that you apprehend God as he is not set up to your self an idol in stead of God as do all those who worship not the Father by the Son in the unity of the Spirit Again do you look for the moral truth of Religion 'T is in the love of Gods Name that you love him according to your knowledge or that you have your affection agreeable to your apprehension for to know God and not to love him is in effect to proclaim you do not truly know him since the same God is the first Truth and ground of our knowledge and also the last good and cause of our love and you may here likewise finde this moral truth of Religion in all respects First in its Reality for it is the very true Religion opposed to falshood or superstition 't is indeed Gods Name Secondly in its Sincerity or Fidelity for it is all Goodness not onely in the tongue but also in the heart
drunkard or unclean or profane person doth in effect deny the Forgiveness of sins and the Resurrection of the body Wherefore when Almighty God requireth every Christian to be true or faithfull unto the death that he may receive a crown of life Revel 2. 10. he requires of him a double truth or faithfulness not onely that he be true and faithfull in his Belief but also and much rather that he be true and faithfull in his life First God requires a faithfulness in our Belief by a right apprehension of Gods word not adding thereto nor diminishing therefrom for that is forbidden from the beginning of the Law as Deut. 4. 2. to the end of the Gospel as Revel 22. 18 19. not adding thereto by Superstition nor diminishing therefrom by Faction for as the superstitious seeks to flatter his God Religiosi sunt Deorum amici Superstitiosi Deorum adulatores so the factious seeks to flatter himself do thou thy duty and let alone thy flattery for it is not safe for thee to flatter thy God and much less to flatter thy self Secondly God requires faithfulness in our affection life and conversation that we may be saithfull professours of his truth and as faithfull witnesses to it for a man may be Gods witness by speaking by living by dying and he that is commanded to be faithfull unto the death that is to be faithfull in dying if God call him to it is already supposed to be faithfull in speaking and in living for he that bids thee be fathfull unto thy death doth surely suppose thee already faithfull in thy life and commands thee to continue so and this faithfulness is shewed by thy words in confessing and that 's veracity by thy deed in professing or practising and that 's fidelity and by thy perseverance unto the death both in words and deeds and that 's constancie This is the truth of Religion both formally and efficiently formally in regard of it self and efficiently in regard of us that as it is true in it self so it also makes us true and faithfull at all times and in all respects and if you further desire to know how far any Christian Church hath followed or doth follow this truth you may try it by this touch-stone which being infallible in reason cannot be erroneous in Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle lib. 4. Eth. cap. 13. Greece is not so happy as to afford us a name for this moral truth and may justly own to be Graecia mendax upon that account but he that hath that vertue is called by Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A true man both in life and word and is to be known by these three properties that he is full of equity will do no man wrong is full of authoriey will ask no mans leave whereas the hypocrite is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself for all others but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all others for himself and lastly is full of modesty will ask no mans praise and therefore will set forth himself though in true colours yet with the least varnish so also is the true Religion first it is full of justice and equity for it looks onely after Gods glory not after this worlds advantages and therefore declares things as they are not as they conduce to mens interests secondly it is full of authority in all words and deeds still like it self neither dissembling what is nor pretending what is not that it may please men rather then God but saith with S. Paul For if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. thirdly 't is full of modesty rather delighting in extenuations of its own worth then in amplifications of it for though hypocrisie be a great talker a greater boaster yet Religion doth very much abhor all vain babbling and much more all vain boasting Not walking in crastiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending it self in every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. and therefore any Christian Church whatsoever that either turns Religion into State policy making Christs interest subservient to its own or that changes its Doctrine to please its new lords and masters or that boasts too much of its own Purity and Perfection as if none could be Christians but in outward communion with it none good Christians in comparison of it must in these respects be said not to be 〈◊〉 true Church for though it be Metaphysically a true Church yet is not so morally not according to moral truth for that it wants either equity or authority or modestie or all three that is to say it wants some necessary attendant of moral truth And here I had rather bewail then examine rather deplore then detect the present condition of many Christian Churches It is enough that the now so much despised and persecuted Church of England cannot have it justly laid to her charge that either she laboured to inter-weave her own with Christs interest much less to advance her own interest above his for want of equity or did not deal plainly with those Churches that did so for want of authorite or did revile other Reformed Churches which surely had not been infallible could not be impeccable for want of modesty and my hope is that a Church so full of Moral truth no less then of Metaphysical as it hath the God of Truth to own it so it will in due time finde the God of Power to vindicate to restore and to defend it however I doubt not but many good Christians had rather suffer in her afflicted communion then reign in the prosperity and glory of those who either do cause or do not regard her affliction In the mean time I cannot but pass this for a general animadversion That since onely the true Catholick is the true Christian and he hath two oposites the pseudo-catholick who is peccant in excess and the anti-catholick who is peccant in defect it fares with these two opposites as it fares with those two extreams that oppose the moral truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The proud boaster loves to make shew of more then is so doth the pseudo-catholick who obtrudes more for Religion then can be proved Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the dissembler is quite contrary for he denies things that are and dimininishes what he doth not deny so doth the anti-catholick who denies that to be Religion which God hath made so and diminisheth what he cannot deny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the same Authour the boaster and the dissembler both are to be blamed because neither is so true a man as he ought to be yet more the boaster then the dissembler So also in Religion the pseudo-catholick seems farther from the truth for his superadditions then the anti-catholick for his diminutions for he that avoweth uncertainties for certainties brings a suspicion upon his faith even in most undoubted truths whereas he
to little purpose to labour his conversion For first he is ignorant in his understanding knowing nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecum for he who knows not that which he ought to know is as if he knew nothing nay he is much worse not onely possest with ignorance but also with a kinde of devil as saith the same authour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that will not know God cannot but know the devil he that will not receive Christ and his wholsome words into his understanding shall not be able to keep the devil and his poisonous dictates out of it Secondly he is pertinacious in his will which appears from his contradiction from his obstinacy from his ambition His contradiction is discovered in that he teacheth otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecumen he teacheth other things then those which of right are to be taught we may say he first teacheth otherwise then the Christian Church opposing his novelty against her antiquity but at last he teacheth otherwise then himself opposing his own novelty with new and worse novelties his obstinacy appears in this he will remit nothing of his humour either for truth or peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others may come nearer him but he will not come nearer them he will not approach or as we render it he will not consent to wholsome words for if he draw near to the truth with his lips yet his heart is far from it Lastly His ambition and haughtiness of minde is seen in that he is proud he scorns to be a follower of any but will be a leader of all and takes more pleasure because more pride in being head of a faction then in being an inferiour member of Christ which shews his blindness that he sees not the blessing of those who are of Christs communion as well as his perversness that he will not joyn with those communicants and accordingly the Apostle here useth a word that hinteth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he is blinded as it were with smoke for so Ulpian upon Demosthenes descanteth that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some derive it from darkening the sight with smoke there 's his blindness again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the same Critick This word is derived from Typhon one of the Giants that was so mad with pride as to raise war against the gods wherefore we say of a proud man that he is as that Typhon there 's his perverseness Thus far a heathen Critick may be alledged to interpret this strange word here used by S. Paul but the Christian Divine who knew that this warring against God which was but a fable in the Giant was a truth in the devil gives us this gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this kinde of pride that first swells against the true Church and at last against the God of truth is a very great friend and companion of the devils so that the proud heretick and the perverse schismatick for they cannot well be parted though they are very ill joyned under a pretence of finding a new way to heaven hath brought himself directly to hell gate and being once there the devil will not easily suffer him to go from thence but he will forthwith teach him to spend all his time and zeal upon idle questions fit for none but those that dote and upon quarrelsome disputations fit for nothing but to beget new disputes and endless contentions for if you once turn Questionist in stead of Dogmatist seeker in stead of beleever you must needs fall into logomachies strifes of words as endless as needless therefore the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sick about questions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecum see here To be a seeker is indeed to be sick so to be sick in minde and that in Tullies language is to be mad Nomen insaniae significat mentis aegrotationem morbum Cic. 3. Tuscul. for madness is nothing else but a sickness of the minde and we cannot deny this if we observe the course of such a man which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to spend time but to mispend it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogenes appellat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euclidis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Laertius Diogenes theCynick called Plato's Schooling meer fooling and said to be Euclide's Scholar was to be in choler but S. Paul hath found out an expression that in one word speaks more then both these though with less acrimony and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second strange word here used by the Spirit of God to shew here is set forth as strange a monster such devices and trifles as are meer new nothings whereby men do onely deceive themselves and seek to deceive others for so Oecum readeth and glosseth the word out of S. Chrysostome inverting the Prepositions and reading not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and withal enlarging the sense for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an ill use of study and disputation not to confirm the judgement but to unsettle it not to discover the truth but to dissemble it which mischief may go no further then him alone who is guilty of the sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this same mischief as it seeks to corrupt and infect others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecum the infecting others with this itch of vain disputing for as a scabby sheep rubbing against those that are sound of the same flock infecteth them with his touch so do these men that have itching ears rambling heads and hollow hearts infect others by their conversation saith S. Chrysost. and from him Oecumenius All this considered 't is easie to see the reason why S. Paul said to Timothy From such withdraw thy self he commands him as a Bishop to rebuke some Presbyters cap. 5. v. 19 20. which shews his jurisdiction over them but breaks not his communion with them but he must have nothing at all to do with these 't is Oecumenius his observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith not converse with such a man and oppose him converse with him according to your Christian Communion and oppose him according to your Episcopal Jurisdiction but wholly depart from him after one or two admonitions which is supposed from cap. 1. v. 3. where Timothy is commanded to charge them not to preach other doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used here for you shall never make that man your convert who hath made mammon his God and this indeed is the chief reason of the great distemper and greater disturbance in Christendome that many men are mammons rather then Gods Chaplains and therefore are more ready to plead for Baal that is for their own lording it over their brethren then for God more for Belial that is for their own licentiousness then for Christ hence it is we have fiercer disputations against men then for God
also conformable thereto in our lives either by our obedience or by our repentance so saith the Psalmist Psal. 119. V. 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way as if he had said Through thy word I get the knowledge of the saving truth and that makes me avoid and abandon whatever is destructive of salvation for every way is a false way that leads from truth and from the God of truth wherefore the Greek translation thus renders the latter part of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I hate every wicked way for a false way is a wicked way and a wicked way is a false way the Urim and Thummim being inseparably joyned together so that what is against the light of the truth is also against the perfection of life and indeed the way of wickedness is a false way according to Aristotle's own determination of falsity who in the fifth of his Metaph. cap. 29. saith that things are said to be false 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either because they are not in being so a Chimaera or a castle in the air is said to be false or because they make a false appearance and beget in us false apprehensions and so a glass that represents those colours and those proportions which are not in the object is called a false glass In both these respects is the way of wickedness properly said to be a false way both because it is defective in a true being for it is a meer non entity and also because it is excessive in a false being making a false appearance and begetting in us false apprehensions as if it were pleasant and profitable when as it is the onely cause of all our wo and misery of all our punishment whether of sense or of loss And it is observable that every irreligious man hath in himself these two properties of a liar a wilfull liar which is the falsest of all false men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first he loves and embraces that which is false and secondly he desires to propagate and derive it to others so the irreligious man whether he be irreligious out of superstition or out of faction delights in the errour of his own way and desires to bring others into the same perdition as we finde it spoken by the mouth of truth S. Matth. 23. 15. That Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made they make him twofold more the childe of hell then themselves factious men and hypocrites are much more zealous for their own new and false opinions then for Gods eternal and undoubted truth so that were there nothing else in impiety and irreligion but onely its own falseness yet that alone were enough to make it eternally odious to God the God of truth and to the godly man the lover of truth for God cannot but be true even as he cannot but be God and as he is God he is truth for God is truth and for this reason some Schole Divines do answer negatively to this question Whether God can dispence with a lie as he can with the other commandments and the reason is because in his own essence he is truth so the master of Advertencies upon S. Chrys. and the four Doctours of the Church S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine and S Gregory An Deus possit in mendacio dispensari sicut in aliis praeceptis Decalogi Negatur Quia ex sua Essentia est Veritas But we may go much further because the truth will go along with us for not onely the ninth Commandment which requires us to be true men is indispensable but also all the rest of the moral Law which requires us to be good men for indeed we cannot be one without the other therefore is all the moral Law alike indispensable that is all that is intrinsecally moral by its own nature whereby we do not onely obey God but also imitate him and not extrinsecally moral being made so by Gods command or by Divine precept whereby we onely obey God but do not imitate him and the reason is because all that is contrary to what is intrinsecally moral is a lie and consequently contrary to the truth of God and God cannot will not dispence with his own truth And this is the cause that whatsoever is evil in it self is necessarily displeasing unto God and that indeed under a twofold reason for as it is evil in it self and defective in a right being so it is opposite to his goodness and as it is a lie and redundant or excessive in a false being by a counterfeit appearance and representation so it is opposite to his truth Men may and do too much out of stomack and animositie oppose one another in matters of disputation but 't is out of some spice of atheisme if they wilfully oppose Gods undoubted truth in matters of Religion either speculatively by going in a false way or practically by going in a wicked way The next communicable property in God is Goodness in his Will which appears in that he hath been so diffusive of himself in communicating his being to the creature therefore is our creation put as a ground of our thankfulness and thanksgiving Psal. 149. 2. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him which could not be if God had not created us out of his Goodness to give us a good being to make us the object of his mercy but out of his power that by his absolute dominion he might give us an everlasting ill being to make us the object of his justice Therefore 't is an excellent position of the Protestant Divines in Colloquio Mempelgertensi recited by Osiander Neque ex lege neque ex ratione humana sed ex solo Evangelio de praedestinatione electorum judicandum est That neither out of the law nor out of humane reason but onely out of the Gospel can we rightly judge of the predestination of the elect and the Gospel condemns none for reprobates but those who despising the riches of Gods goodness and forbearance by their infidelitie and impenitencie heap upon themselves damnation But let us more particularly consider this Goodness of God both in regard of it self and also in regard of us First In regard of it self and so it is an essential and universal Goodness demonstrable these three ways per viam efficientiae per viam sufficientiae per viam eminentiae as saith Bonavent by the way of efficiencie for he made all that is good by the way of sufficiencie for he satisfieth the desire of all with good by the way of eminencie for all that is good being made by him is most eminently in him that made it Secondly Consider we this Goodness of God in regard of us and so 't is the rule or exemplarie cause of all goodness in man for our good of Nature is according to the image of God the Father our good of Grace is according to
unto you more then unto God judge ye Act. 4. 19. there is no obligation of man that can reach to the altar of God to make us either neglect it or defile it usque ad aras did stint the heathen and much more the Christian in his obedience he that obeys the Magistrare to the altar gives him his right he that obeys him beyond or above the altar doth him wrong loading his authority with that sin which cannot help to hold it up but may help to pull it down it is much to be observed that among all the high Priests of the Jewish Temple none hath that signal character of recommendation in the Text that is given to Azariah because he withstood Uzziah the king when he invaded the Priests office 2 Chr. 26. 17. therefore saith the holy Ghost concerning him he it is that executed the Priests office in the Temple that Solomon built at Jerusalem 1 Chron. 6. 10. as if none had been high Priest but he who had so zealously so magnanimously vindicated the honour and the authority of the Priesthood for this is Rabbi Davids gloss upon the place he was not the first Priest of Solomons temple for that was Zadok nor was he the onely high Priest for there were many others but our Rabbies say this was Azariah in the days of Uzziah who gave his minde to the holiness of the Temple and would not let Uzziah offer Incense therefore it is said of him this is he that was the high Priest because he was zealous for the glory of the Priesthood and accepted not the person of Uzziah so Kimchi And it appears again that this Azariah was not to be named without some special note or title of honour for in the ninth Chapter and the eleventh verse after the reciting of his Ancestors though some of them had executed the same office as well as himself yet he alone is called the Ruler of the house of God 1 Chro. 9. 11. none had kept so good rule and order in the house of God as he therefore none so fit to be called a ruler of it And if Thomas Becket did indeed stand meerly upon Gods interest in the controversie betwixt him and his Liege Soveraign the doctors of Paris did very ill in disputing eight and fourty years after his death whether he were damned or saved for no duty that he owed to his King could oblige him to be undutifull to his God and if he suffered death for not being undutifull to his Father in heaven there is no doubt but as a dutifull childe he received his inheritance yet in that the Doctours disputed it so long after it is evident that his Festival was not presently instituted in the Latine Church much less celebrated with this Preface Gaudeamus omnes in Domino diem festum celebrantes sub honore Thomae Martyris de cujus Passione gaudent Angeli collaudant Filium Dei Let us all rejoyce in the Lord celebrating a Festival for the honour of Thomas the Martyr for whose passion the Angels rejoyce and praise the Son of God by which Preface the Festival of this supposed Martyr is preferred before the Proto-martyrs in dignity though it follow the same three days after in time or else the Doctours of Paris did think it lawfull if not laudable to dispute against the solemnities of their own Church when they found so much done upon so little ground and did also themselves in effect declare that as no civil authority could so likewise no ecclesiastical authority can oblige equally with God much less either above him or against him Fourthly Religion is free from servitude the Church may be in bondage not so the Religion that makes a Church the Israelites asked liberty of Pharaoh for themselves to go and serve God they asked not liberty for Gods Service that had never been in durance nor in captivity and S. Paul very plainly determines this controversie for so profane men are willing to make it when Gods Church is under persecution though in it self it be an undoubted truth 2 Tim. 2. 9. I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds but the word of God is not bound the bonds that are upon the hands are far from the tongue and farther from the heart they cannot hinder an honest man from speaking Gods truth amidst the enemies thereof much less from loving it excellently Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no bonds can fetter the tongue but onely fearfulness and unfaithfulness and those are ingredients of the worlds not of Gods Religion Fifthly and lastly Religion is free from Coaction there is no oblation so acceptable as that which is voluntary and there is no oblation so voluntary as that whereby a man offers himself to God therefore it is the doctrine of the Church that the children of Jews and other Infidels who never embraced the Christian faith ought not to be baptized without their Parents consent till they can give their own not onely because it is against the justice of nature to take the childe from his own Parents whilest he is yet as it were a limb or part of them which he must needs be till he can dispose of himself but also because it is against the nature of Religion to offer unto God an unvoluntary Sacrifice and for the same reason though the Church never thought she could be sufficiently zealous in propagating the Catholick Faith yet she never thought that Jews and Pagans were to be compelled to embrace it onely they were to be compelled not to hinder or to blaspheme it so Aquinas 22ae qu. 10. art 8. Utrum infideles compellendi sint ad sidem Whether Infidels are to be compelled to the Christian Faith he answers with a distinction those Infidels that never received the Faith are not to be compelled to it quia credere est voluntarium because to beleeve is to give a voluntary assent but those Infidels who once received the Faith and are since fallen from it as hereticks and apostates are to be compelled by corporal punishments to become regular and orderly Christians that they may be made to fullfil their promise and to retain what they did receive Nam sicut vovere est voluntatis sed reddere est necessitatis ita fidem accipere est voluntatis sed tenere eam acceptam est necessitatis For as it is voluntary to make a vow but necessary to keep it when it is made so it is voluntary to receive the faith but necessary to retain it when it is received And St. Augustine in the second Book of his Retractations ca. 5. doth most ingenuously recall his former opinion that schismaticks were not to be constrained and compelled to the communion of the Church I retract saith he that in my first Book against the party of Donatus I did say I was not pleased that the secular power should violently force schismaticks to the communion of the Church verè mihi tunc non placebat
quia nondum expertus eram vel quantum mali eorum auderet impunitas vel quantum eis in melius mutandis conferre possit diligentia Disciplinae and indeed this course then pleased me not because I had not yet seen the experiment either how much mischief their uncurbed licentiousness would produce or how much the diligence of a severe discipline would conduce to their amendment so St Augustine and yet all this while the coaction or compulsion doth in truth reach no farther then to conformity and order it reacheth not to Religion which can no more be driven into the hearts of hypocrites by the power of the lawfull Magistrate then it can be driven out of the hearts of true beleevers by the outragious persecutions of Tyrants and Atheists so that we must conclude that though none are more exposed to violence then religious and godly men for he that would needs make his beloved Son perfect with sufferings will not make his unworthy servants perfect without them yet Religion it self is wholly exempted from all violence being the Queen Regent of heaven and earth to give commands both to angels and men but to receive commands of neither CHAP. VII The assurance we have of Religion for that it resembles God in his attributes of Justice Grace and Mercy IN the last place we come to the attributes of God which are as it were external perfections belonging to him in regard of his creature though not to be truly and fully known from our creation but from our redemption for no one attribute of God is rightly understood by those who are not of the Church of God not his Justice for they know not God in himself that he is of purer eyes then to look on iniquity not his Mercy for they know not God in his Son in whom alone he sheweth mercy not his Wisdome for they know not God in his word the fountain of all true wisdome not his Truth for they know not God in his promises and cannot say he is faithfull that promised Heb. 10. 23. and so of the rest they that are not of Gods Church cannot know his attributes because they are not to be known from our creation but from our redemption and they that are most truly of Gods Church that is to say non numerò sed meritò as Aquinas hath distinguished not onely by outward profession but also by inward affection do most truly understand Gods Attributes they clearly see the severity of his Justice requiring a full satisfaction for sin they clearly see the goodness of his Mercy accepting of satisfaction from his Son when he could not have it from his servant they clearly see that vast Wisdome which found out this way to save man when he was lost and they clearly see that unchangeable Truth which both calls and brings him to salvation But I will follow my former method and insist onely on the chief Attributes to which the rest have relation and may therefore have reduction and these Attributes are three Justice Grace and Mercy Justice whereby he renders to every man according to his works Grace whereby he freely gives what is wanting to us and Mercy whereby he freely forgives what is due unto himself these I say belong to God in relation to the creature for though his Iustice flow from his Truth yet he could not shew that justice either in punishing or in rewarding were there not a creature to be punished or rewarded so likewise his Grace in giving and Mercy in forgiving though they flow from his Goodness and his Liberty which they deny who will not let him have mercy on whom he will have mercy yet he could neither shew his Grace in giving nor his Mercy in forgiving were there not an indigent creature to want his giving and a sinfull creature to want his forgiving The first of these Attributes is Iustice which we must first contemplate in God and then in Religion as it is his service God is just by universal and by particular Iustice First By universal Iustice and that in two respects both in regard of himself as willing and doing all manner of right Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18. 25. and also in regard of us being the rule of all justice in man Ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement 2 Chron. 19. 6. Secondly God is just by particular Iustice retributing to every man according to his works Rom. 2. 6. who shall render to every man according to his works and v. 5. the day of judgement is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Gods righteous judgement because it is all one in him to judge and to judge righteously thus did S. Chrysostome qualifie the mistake or rather rectifie the abuse which was in some inconsiderate men from Gods decree of election Thou sayest that God hath predestinated and I say that God is a righteous judge and will reward thee according to thy deservings But 't is objected against Gods universal justice that he commanded some things contrary to his own Law as Abraham to slay Isaac and the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians the one against the sixth the other against the eighth commandment 'T is answered by some Divines Generali derogans speciali voluntate that God did in these cases derogate from his general will by his special will but we may not easily approve this answer because Gods will cannot clash with it self and therefore he may not be said to command that by his special which he forbids by his general will and consequently God in commanding Abraham to kill his son did not make murder lawfull but made that killing no murder by passing upon Isaac the sentence of death and commanding the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians did not make it lawfull to rob and steal but made that spoiling no robbery since he who was Lord of all had translated the right of property and this is most acutely dicussed by the Master of subtilties Scotus in lib. 1. sent dist 44. Quando in potestate agentis est Lex rectitudo Legis potest tale agens ordinatè rectè agere aliter quà m Lex illa dictat quia non subest illi Legi sic ejus potentia absoluta non est inordinata When the Law and the justice of the Law are both in the power of the agent we need not then fear any obliquity in the action whether he act by his ordinary or by his absolute power for if by his ordinary power he act not according to the law by his absolute power he can make the law to be in that case no law and where there is no law there is no transgression this rule being allowed which cannot be denied we shall little need to patronize Gods justice in commanding Abraham to kill his son who was guilty of death nor yet in delivering over his own Son to the death of the cross who knew
but also to the ignorant and foolish to leave even the meanest of the people inexcusable for this sin this horrid sin of disloyalty which though it least lodgeth in their hearts and is never to be contrived by their heads yet is alwaies acted by their hands Let a man be never so impatient in hearing as Festus was to S. Paul Act. 26. 24. which made him lay the imputation of madness upon the Apostle for the words of truth and soberness v. 25. Let him be never so inconsiderate in censuring as the Barbarians were to the same S. Paul Act. 28. 4. thinking him at first a murderer whom presently after they were ready to worship as a God Lastly let him be never so imprudent in collecting and observing looking rather upon the sound then upon the sense of the Text like those Interpreters of weak judgements but strong perswasions complained of 2 Pet. 3. 16. which were so unlearned as to understand nothing yet so unstable as to wrest every thing yet this doctrine of Allegiance cannot possibly be mistaken much less depraved either by his impatient hearing or by his inconsiderate censuring or by his imprudent collecting Let him run a way with what piece of it he can and take it without respect or relation to the whole which hath hitherto much wronged Gods Word both written and preached yet'tis not possible for him to take so little of the Text but it will be able both to stop his mouth and condemn his heart So that here we may forgoe that incomparable Rule of the Civilians Incivile est particulam aliquam Legis sumere non perspect â totâ Lege 't is very uncivil to lay at the catch with the Law and take that onely which serves our own turn I say we may forgo this Rule which yet is much more true of Gods then of mans Law and notwithstanding fear no mischievous tenents or practises to be deduced from this portion of the Text In a word let any seditious miscreant deal here with Solomon as Saul did with Samuel as he turns about to go away from him being resolved not to serve his purpose lay hold upon the skirt of his mantle and rent it of yet that very little parcel will signifie unto him that if he persist in his willfull disobedience The Lord will rent him from his Kingdom and that the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent 1 Sam. 15. 27 28 29. but teacheth Israel there is no way for them to be saved that are guilty of such a dismal lie but by repentance which may satisfie us that our Preacher here in this Doctrine of Allegiance is a Preaching Wisedom beyond himself in other Doctrines that begin and end where you will catch what you can of the Text it will wholly speak for your King and will silence you I know not how I have been over pressive in this patticular almost to a Tautology But that can never be too much spoken which can never be enough understood a preaching sinner a preaching conscience a preaching wisedom I hope we shall accordingly open not our ears but our hearts to his doctrine a preaching sinner who hath sin in his person not in his Sermon is fittest to admonish us a preaching conscience is fittest to advise us a preaching wisedom is fittest to overrule us here is not onely conscience and wisedom preaching this doctrine that we may not sin against it but here is also a sinner preaching it that we may repent us after we have sinned Solomon preaching before his Apostacy at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8. 22. where he was first a Preacher had his first Congregation and afterwards in his Proverbs and Canticles is a miracle and monument of grace but preaching in Ecclesiastes after his wives had seduced him to be a Chaplain to Chamosh the abomination of Moab 1 King 11. 7. he is a miracle and monument of mercy O the infinite comfort from such a preacher if we follow him O the infinité condemnation if we do not And so it is high time I should pass from the Preacher and the manner of his preaching to the matter of his Sermon To keep the Kings Commandment c. wherein are comprised two doctrines that inseparably belong to Soveraignty the one of Allegiance the other of Supremacy the doctrine of Allegiance is clearly set down v. 2 3. and that of Supremacy v. 4. the first teacheth the duty of Subjects the second sheweth the reason of their subjection Allegiance is the duty of Subjects and Supremacy is the reason of their subjection In both it must be my endeavour onely to make my self and you truly understand this Preachers Sermon and so lay it to our consciences as he propounds it for Solomon here speaks both of Allegiance and Supremacy as they concern the conscience and divine obligation not as they concern humane conveniences or consultations therein shewing himself a true Preacher speaking to mens souls by which they hope to live in the next not to their interests by which they do live in this world first of the Allegiance A Sermon of Allegiance can never be unwelcome to a good Subject or a good Christian not to a good Subject because it puts him in minde of that condition wherein God hath placed him not to a good Christian because it puts him in minde of that duty which God hath commanded him and here is a Sermon of Allegiance briefly but fully setting it forth in its positive and in its privative act 1. In its positive act to be true and faithfull to the King in loving honouring and obeying him loving his person honouring his authority and obeying his commands I advise theè to keep the Kings Commandment and the reason thereof and that because of the Oath of God 2. In its privative act not to be guilty of any disloyalty or dis-allegiance either in affection Be not hasty to go out of his sight or in action stand not in an evil thing and the reason thereof for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him First Of the positive Act of this Allegiance to be true add faithfull to the King in loving honouring and obeying him in these words To keep the Kings Commandment 't is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Os Regis observa observe the Kings mouth to observe argues an act of loving honouring and obeying In this sense doth God say unto the Jews Ye shall observe all my statutes and Christ saith unto his Apostles Teaching them to observe all things Matth. 28. 20. that is to love honour and obey them So here to observe the mouth or command of the King is to love honour and obey his commands with an unwearied diligence with an undisturbed patience First It is to love them for who cares to look after that which he doth not regard Ubi amor ibi oculus is as true when made convertible ubi oculus ibi amor the eye is the quickest messenger
of the souls affection yet not so quick as at any time to go without its errand Secondly It is to honour them and that not cursorily or meerly for fashion sake but with the engagement of the soul to know them distinctly and to perform them diligently there is an outward honour in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eye-service or the service of the man but there is moreover an inward honour in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in soul-service or the service of the minde the first is in all manner of serving and the second is peculiarly in observing Thirdly and lastly It is to obey them for observation is vain where it is not active and idle where it is ineffectual which makes our Saviour joyn observing and doing both together S. Mat. 23. 3. that observe and do and consequently the Preacher here bids us so observe the Kings Commands as to be sure not to leave them undone for then our observation will but make us guilty of the greater contempt the wise Historian sets those down for little better then a mutinous rabble of whom he saith Interpretari magìs quà m exequi they were more ready to interpret then to execute all commands truly to observe a command is to love honour and obey it and not onely so but also with the greatest patience as 't is serving with the greatest diligence as 't is observing with the greatest patience as 't is serving for what more tedious then wholly to attend upon anothers will and pleasure yet this you must do if you are bound to serve for that is to wait and with the greatest diligence as 't is observing for wherein can you be negligent if you may not once close much less turn away your eye yet this you may not do if you must observe for that 's to watch as then this word intimates waiting it requires all possible patience and as it intimates watching it requires all possible diligence and yet neither patience nor diligence can be so great as is the reason of them both in the next words and that in regard of the Oath of God where Aben-Ezra's gloss is most admirable a Jew writing to the admiration yet much more as the case now stands with us to the shame of Christians the Preacher saith he useth two such arguments as are both unresistable the one is the word of the Kings mouth the other is the word of thine own mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what hath proceeded from the Kings mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what hath proceeded from thine own mouth that is to say because he hath commanded and because thou hast covenanted so to do sc. to be true and faithfull to thy King and the same Doctour goes on as admirably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a King among men will not acquit him that rejects his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and much less will the King of truth the King of Kings hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain here is a probable conjecture that among the Jews there was some kinde of Oath made unto their Kings not unlike to our Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy there is mention made of a League or Covenant that King David made with the Elders of Israel in Hebron before the Lord when they came to anoint him King 2 Sam. 5. 3. which Covenant was reciprocal without question that David should not molest them for making Ishbosheth King for two years and after Sauls death yet staying five years longer before they came to anoint David King over them saith Kimchi and consequently that they should play no more such pranks with him be no more false to nor averse from his Soveraignty though mention is made onely of David in the Covenant as of the chiefest party yet the Elders did swear too by Kimchi's own confession though he record not the words of their part of the Oath and indeed it were strange if a Nation instructed in the Law of God should against that Law be forward to binde it self under an Oath not to do good to such or such a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo of his own Countreymen and not be much more forward to swear homage and allegiance to their Kings which that Law did oblige them to but 't is sufficient for us that the Jews did think themselves bound without any peculiar Oath by vertue of their general Covenant with God To be true and faithfull to their Kings for that the fifth commandment was one of those ten to which they had vowed their obedience nay it was indeed the first commandment of promise and they looked by their obedience to inherit the promisedland and if that nation did think so religiously of the obligation of an Oath or Vow as to pretend that for an actual breaking of a commandment as it was answer enough for them why they did not relieve their father or mother to say they had sworn by Corban by the gift on the Altar not to do it Mat. 15. 5. what will become of us who have sworn to the keeping of this commandment to the honouring of our Father and rather then keep the commandment will break our Oath Jews Pharisees and Sadducees that deny the resurrection shall rise up in judgement against this generation and shall condemn it for they made the keeping of an Oath their pretence for breaking the fifth commandment but we have nothing save the breaking of an Oath or rather of many Oaths to alledge for our selves in that we have so shamefully broken it and can onely say we have made our selves guilty of perjury that we might be guilty of rebellion what have we not as great hopes as had the Jews have we not as great Promises as they had why then should we have a less obedience To be undutiful is not the way to obtain our inheritance in earth much less in heaven especially since God looks upon this grand undutifulness to kings as if it were unto himself And we may challenge all Christendom to shew us any nation or people that is not fully as defective in Conscience as it is in Allegiance Jannes and Jambres that first withstood Moses Gods immediate Vicegerent though not to them and then resisted the truth having left this unhappy legacie to all their followers that as they are men of corrupt minds for want of obedience so they are reprobate concerning the faith for want of a good Conscience God will not so far countenance rebellion as to let the true Religion long continue and much less thrive under it and 't is the general observation of all sound Divines that the Scripture doth most commonly joyn the fear of God with Obedience to Kings as 1 Pet 2. 17. Fear God Honour the King not supposing the one possible without the other and to shew it is not they are both joyned together in one act of Fear Prov. 24. 21. My son Fear God and the King and meddle not with them