no posterity but it is in it If they object that the necessity maketh it continue so long Obj. Sol. it may be a fourth argument against them for falshood and truth can never agree And they dare not say that policy is fained thing 4. The necessity of religion Religion standeth very well with policy nay it is the backbone of policy nor the common wealth Therefore in saying thus they say that a thing of truth is upholden by a thing of falshood The Gentiles call Religion the backbone of the common wealth therefore religion can be no devise because it agreeth with truth 2. Because it upholdeth truth Quorum neutrum falsitati competit neither of which appertaineth to falshood for truth needeth not falshood to sustaine it That religion upholdeth the common wealth it may appeare by these three things 1. If faith were taken from the dealings of men one would not trust another neither should there be any dealings at all 2. It no preaching of the word there would be no outward restrainer of the concupiscence of man to bridle it then would not so many be poore so few ritch 3. Without religion there would be no submission to government A whole country would not obey one Prince But for Atheisme we can shew the persons Atheisme began 3701. or 3702. yeeres agoe time and place of forging it It began in Egypt of Cham the youngest sonne of Noe whom the Gentiles call Cambyses Cato in his Origines Cameses Berosus Agosthenes c. C ham as it is in Iosephus in the yeere of the world 1950. being cursed of God and his father If Atheisme were a truth it were impossible it should worke to the destruction of a truth and so out of the favour of them both 1. out of a stomacke against then both began to teach that men were not beholding to God but one to another Being by this curse deprived of all joyes in the world to come whiles he lived in this world gave himselfe to all brutish pleasures and at length taught that there was no God and fell to worshipping the divell hence was he called Zoroastes the great Magitian Therefore we see in him both the causes of Atheisme 1. stomacke desire of revenge 2. sensuality Which two are from the two filthy parts of the mind 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. a stout stomacke 2. a desire of revenge For stomacke we may see in Diagoras which was on this occasion as Diodorus Siculus affirms having made a booke in verse that pleased him well either by negligence lost it or by subtilty of another had it stolne from him before he could set it forth in print This person that had it being brought before the Senate of Athens about it sware that he had it not and so by this oth was set free After the same partie set them out in print and got all the commendation of the worke Now because Diagoras saw that this wickednesse was not punished presently with a thunderbolt froÌ„ Heaven but that he prospered got all the praise he on a stomack affirmed that there was no religion no God The reasons of his book are very frivolous and such as in that great confuting world none would vouchsafe to answer his booke For thus he reasoned Iupiter Saturne c. were no Gods therefore there were no Gods As if one should say many who seem to be good Schollers are not therefore there are none As in Diagoras so Nicephorus testifieth of Porphyrie and Lucian who first were Christians after receiving injuries one of words Porphyrie the greatest enemy the Church had for writing the other of blowes in the Church when they saw that they that wronged them had not punishment of the Church to their mind to doe the Church a spite on a stomacke became plaine Atheists though they termed themselves but Apostataes Epicurus and his followers fell first into Atheisme affirming there was no God 2. For sensuality the Epicure and his followers as Lucretius say that they have an excellent and great benefit to become brutish in their pleasures and at first held Diagoras his opinion that there was no God This came of that that they thought they should not live after this world and the soule of man was not immortall but the very Heathen at that time confuted them sufficiently 2. Into semi-Atheisme affirming God had no care of man The best foundation of sensuality to have care of things present 1. In things that together are corrupted corruption taketh hold of both at once but in senectute in old age when the body is most weake the soule is most strong 2. The perfection of the soule is the abstracting it from the body the more it is abstracted from the body the perfecter it is 3. Augustine saith that the soule is the subject of truth but no subject of truth decayeth else should truth decay but truth is immortall 4. Corruption is by contraries and nothing is corrupted but where there is a contrary but the soule wheÌ„ it heareth an evil thing turneth it to good and a good thing to good or evill and receiveth contrary things and yet receiveth no harme Therefore Then they fell to the denying of Gods providence over man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me this day take to morrow to thy selfe after they tooke the easiest way they could for their pleasures and as Arcesilas the chiefe of the Academickes seeing with what difficulty men came to knowledge and with what great paines they attained to small learning tooke a very short course to himselfe and held that there was no knowledge at all so the Epicures seeing a restrayning of Religion and that circumstances limited every action they brought in a short course and held that there was no God the rather for that they saw it was a hard thing to live godly and as the thiefe desireth to have the Candle put out that he might be in the darke that his trechery may not be seene least if he were in the light every one might checke him So they having a light in them that would not suffer them to walke in the darknesse of their brutish pleasures would have this light put out that their conscience might no more checke them And because conscience will not checke them without religion and knowledge of God therefore they extinguished all light forgetting that there was any God and putting away the byting of their conscience by little and little as Marius having a convulsion in his thigh had every day a cicuta a kind of Hemlocke put to his legge and a piece of flesh puld from him at length fell into Atheisme Quamdiu in nobis insunt conscientiae stimuli non patientur nos corporis obvolutare voluptatibus so long as tâ—e prickes of conscience are in us they will not suffer us to wallow in the pleasures of the body The point it selfe that God is Now the
because he returned not food and nourishment to his parents So saith one to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic ut satis sit vives thou shalt live long Among Charondas his lawe◠there was one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summum esto scelus senum contemptus let it be accounted an hainous crime the neglect of venerable old men For the sixt it is a canon of the common law homicida quod fecit expectet the murtherer what he hath done let him expect For the seventh Stephan out of Nicostratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever would live in this City and not be fleyed let the very name of Adultery be feared For theft Demosthenes against Timocrates repeateth Solons law very close joyned with the words in this law For the ninth tab 12. Qui falsum testimonium dixerit Tarpeio sane dejiciatur whosoever shall give a false testimony let him be throwne downe from Tarpeius a great high rocke in Rome For the other foure which are now more darke with them For the first though we finde them for the most part speaking in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship the Gods or to feare the Gods yet the thing was notoriously well knowne to the Philosophers and especially to Pythagoras If any man say he is a God beside one that made all things let him make another World c. So Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his truth there is one God and they could dispute in their schooles that there was but one God For the second that which Socrates in Platonis repub he would have us worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he himselfe thinketh best And so the Heathen altogether thought it meete and this is the very ground of the second Commandement But for the thing it selfe Augustine 8. de civitate Dei cap. 31. ex Varrone That Varro's allowance of the Jewish religion was great because it excluded Images and saith that if all had used it it had beene a great meanes to have taken away much trifling For the fourth but very little to be found yet they had this common among them that numerus septenarius est numerus quietis the number of seven is the number of rest and that 7. betokeneth rest and that numerus septenarius est Deo gratissimus the number of seven is most acceptable to God Out of these they might have gathered a conclusion that God would have his rest on that day c. The practise of this in the finishing of their exequiae burials seven daies after the birth in many funerals seven daies after any mans death So did they allow Saturne Jupiter and Apollo c. the seventh day One of the Pythagoreans mysteries was in numero Septenario in the number of seven For the ten Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Divine covet not at any time so much as another mans needle They must not desire so much as another mans Pinne or Button as some say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to covet another mans is the top and pitch of justice And indeed though in their lawes they never touched this yet the very scope of their lawes though they thought no such thing did drive them to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to covet therefore we may conclude with Paul Rom 1.20 that they were inexcusable Now to shew that they had the grounds and the rules of these lawes They had written on the doore of Apollo's Temple at Delphos in the uppermost place the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if to signifie that if any one would aske counsell at that Oracle if God once say it he should doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if the rule of godlinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy selfe the rule of sobernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing too much a rule of justice And that was Subde Deo quod habes commune cum Angelis subdue to God what thou hast commune with Angels Under the one leafe of the doore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy selfe that a man should acknowledge how farre he is better then the beasts and the mind then the body and so by this knowledge should Subdere appetitum rationi quod habet commune cum brutis corpus animae c. To subdue the appetite which he hath commune with bruites to reason and the body to the soule On the other leafe was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. fac quod vis pati nothing too much that is doe that which thou wouldest suffer Covetousnesse the root of all evill Sobriety the ground of justice That no man should desire more then he should against covetousnesse And though they had not had this yet they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aequale repensum due recompence Nemo facit injuriam quin velit idem sibi fieri no man doth an injury who would the same to be done to him As soone as ever Severus the Emperour heard this sentence he ever after used it in every punishment Quod tibi fieri non vis alieri ne feceris that which thou wouldest not to be done to thy selfe see that thou doe it not to another 2. Modus the manner and caused it to be graven in his plate And thus they had rules for actions and for the substance of obedience 2. The manner 1. for doing it toti totis viribus animi corporis the whole man with the whole strength of soule and body they had this among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either all or not at all We must doe with all our mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either we must eate sea snailes whole or not eate of them with all our scope affection strength heart or not at all Plutarch compareth our duties to a kind of fish if we eate niggardly of it it will doe us no good and withall will be troublesome to us but if we eate it whole it is not onely wholesome but also medicinable 2. For doing the whole duty totum They found fault with Euripides the Philosopher and Caesar that used this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The summe is We must keepe justice in all but onely in the way to obtaine a Kingdome So the adulterer And man must keepe justice onely for pleasure he may breake it c. Therefore justice must not be broken for any thing 3. Toto tempore and the daies of our life continually there must be in a good man the resemblance of a tetragonisme on all sides alike as a die Alway like himselfe never like a Camaeleon sometime good sometime bad For reward and punishment we see what they hold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiters parchment that god Iupiter had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sheet or parchment made of the skinne of the Goat that nourished him wherein he wrote all mens deeds what they had done in this life and that those that had done well he had the 3.
the Prophet Psal 4.2 maketh his complaint that there is a generation of men that turne the glory of the true God into dishonour i. are not carefull to deliver unto him his true honour And therefore 1 Tim. 6.20 to have scientiam falsi nominis i. to follow vanity and lies and come to have the fruit as Hosea they shall eat the fruit of lies i. Griefe of mind smart of body confusion of soule therefore to have it is not sufficient but we must also have the truth And indeed that which the heathen man Plato saith of this is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man if he will have a thing he will have it according to the truth Every soule if it have not the truth it is not because it is not desirous of the truth but if it find not out the truth it is against the will of it unlesse it goe against nature Gen. 20.9 When as Abraham had made answer to Abimelech not in truth as he thought Every mâ—n for knowledge is desirous to have the truth Abimelech being an heathen could tell him that he had done those things that he should not so these men can say that see meerly by the eye of reason that truth is it which wee all seeke after But that which is yet more strange Gen. 3.1 the Devill begins there Yea is it true indeed hath God said indeed Ye shall not eate of every tree of the garden so that he himselfe being the author of lies Now when â—t commeth to practise Aug. distinction bonum dulce bonum amabile wee will first seeke after yet this is his desire that the woman should make him a true answer So we see the mighty force of truth that howsoever it is not sought in practise yet in judgement not onely good men but also the wicked the Heathen yea and the devils themselves would not willingly be beguiled but witnesse to it This Commandement is because of our triall and our triall is because it â—s precious in Gods eyes and that is because it is the course of nature The end and scope of the Law and the Lord the Lawgiver it is in respect of triall which before was named 1 Pet. 1.7 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the triall of our faith is more precious to the Lord than all the riches and goods in the world This triall of us hath bin the cause why God hath permitted doth permit so many errours heresies and false worships Deu. 15.11 We may say in a fit coÌ„parison that albeit God hath plenty and abundance of all things that he could have made all rich yet for the triall of a liberall and a compassionable mind in the rich he would suffer the poore alwaies to be So it may be said of truth it had beene an easie matter for him to have taken order for every one to have had the true profession but onely for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our triall 1 Cor. 11.19 Ideo oportet esse haereses inter vos therefore there must be heresies among you that there may be a triall and that they may be knowne that are sound and true He said fiat lux facta est let there be light and there was light As easie had it been for him to have said fiat veritas let there be truth let there be great plenty of truth there should have bin nothing else but truth only He hath given a cause and a reason why he suffereth errour that they may be tried that seeke after the truth The meaning is this Psal 138. â— that forasmuch as it being set downe that God hath magnified his word and truth above all i. that it is the highest thing that he maketh account of and most highly esteemeth it therefore he would have it diligently to be sought of us that we should shew our estimation conformable to his and that we likewise should esteeme it and magnifie it above all things and this is Pauls counsell and this is the end and he would thus have his glory sought For the necessity of it we need not speake much of it for it hath partly beene handled heretofore And for as much as truth and true religion is a way and is called so 2 Pet. 2.2 and that way must bring us unto the right end then necessary it is we find it if we find it not aliquis erit terminus eunti in via but error immensus est if a man keepe the right way he shall at length come to the end of his journey Jam. 1.8 but errour hath no end Therefore it is requisite By the spirit of truth and the way of truth we shall come into the truth The thing commanded is Religion or true religion veri nominis religio which Christ Mat. 13.35 under the name of the Kingdome of heaven likeneth to a pearle and him that sought after it to a Merchant that sought many pearles and at the last found one of inestimable value and when he had found it he sold all that ever he had and bought it Herein are three things 1. that we seeke the truth 2. that when we have found it we rest in it 3. that it be to us a girdle Then this desire is first an earnest studie and applying of the mind to find out the truth among errours and falshood in the world ought to be in us Whereas the common manner is this every man in that religion he is borne in he will grow up in it and die in it and we presuppose our selves to have found the pearle before we seeke it and so when our studies begin to ripen we only sticke to some learned mans institutions Deut. 4.32 Moses seemeth to be of another mind it is not onely an exhortation but commeth in the way of a commandement that the Israelites they should enquire into all antiquities and in all parts and ends of the world whether there were any such religion as theirs and that they had nothing but truth it selfe and wisedome it selfe So that this is the first thing As there is inquisitio dubii so there is examinatio veri Esa 65.1 Rom. 10.20 that no man do suppose that he hath found the truth before he hath sought it and Mat. 7.7 he that seeketh for it he hath a promise that he shall find it The promise of the calling of the Gentiles that God would be found of them that sought him not is not a patterne for us in this case but as we are to enquire into all doubts so are we to examine all truths among the pearles that sundry shew us and promise us that they have worthy stuffe for us we must take that course that we can distinguish that all those are not such pearls as that a man should sell all that he hath for them but that we indeed have the inestimable pearle that the Merchant found and bought with all that hee had Hereditary religion religion upon offence
the living God yet God condemneth Sauls act 1 Chron 10.13 and the cause of his death is attributed to the seeking and asking counsell of a familiar spirit and Act. 16. Paul rebuketh the spirit that spake in her and made him to come forth And Deut. 13.2 there is a commandement though a Prophet foretell a truth and say Let us have another God he must not be followed but he shall be stoned The other i. Quantum non oportet when we give more honour then is required is commonly referred to superstition but rather it is in idolatrie as the other in prophanesse it lightly doth end in Atheisme Superstitiâ— Quantum non as it appeareth by the second Councell of Nice they that brought up Images their principall reason among all is this because God cannot be too much remembred and therefore that it were good to have images that we may have God alwaies in our mind which is no argument for then there should be no superstition Tully shewing the first beginning of superstition he saith that certaine of the old Romans did nothing but pray day and night that their children might be superstites and survive them and upon that occasion these men were called superstitiosi and after it went to other things In this respect also we condemne the Euchites It is true as the Fathers say that for quantitas absoluta Râ—â—◠〈…〉 quanâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—dum araâ—◠〈…〉 We must 〈◊〉 so that we 〈◊〉 continue Nâ—n cut nâ—â— quantum if we were as the Angels there were no nimium no excesse but for as much as in an earthly man there is but quantitas ad proportionem that he may still go forward in the worshipping of God and so how an absolutenesse exconduione he is but weake and therefore not to consume himselfe in one day but so that he may continue this maketh that there is a nimium in religion and so consequently a superstition For the other extreme parum the defect they call it commonly prophanenesse and it was a punishment in the beginning that a man should be such a one that he should not be suffered to come within the Church intra fanum but to stand extra fanum without the Church but now in these dayes there are many that account it no punishment nay it is to be feared that it hath a reward and they are better thought of which be such We come to the second point to non acquiescere that proceedeth from a corrupt veine in us a desire of new and strange things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore that God might make them more odious unto us he hath made it a name for those things that he hateth most of all Num. 18.7 he calleth him externum ministrum the stranger that offereth Levit. 10.1 Nadab and Abihu are said to have offered strange fire to the Lord ignis alienus Prov. 2.16 an Harlot is called aliena mulier the strange woman Gen. 35.5 alieni or peregrini dii and to follow strange Gods Deut. 31.16 is called fornicari post deos alienos And thus we come to that That Witch being our 〈◊〉 wiâ—â— Gal. 3.1 to be bewitched by this Witch and desire of novelty being the Witch This putting to new devises is that that hath changed the pure doctrine in the Primitive Church and it hath made our religion so as it is Acts 17.21 these Attica ingenia Academick wits are lightly given to it In both these there be three degrees according to our exceedings and defects 1. Schisme in superstition and in the way to superstition and so in the way to prophanenesse and to have such a conceit that he should not or not that that he should 2. Haeresis 3. Apostasia 1. A Schisme is when a man upon indifferent things and for trifles will make a rent in the whole body 1 Cor. 1.10 Heb. 10.25 2. But when it commeth to a point of doctrine then it is an Heresie as 1 Cor. 11.19 Acts 5.17 haeresis Sadducaeorum 3. But if all be given over Apostasie a denying of all the points of religion Heb. 6.14 The meanes for finding out the truth and true religion They be fourâ— * The Fathers derive religion a religande but Cicero Varro a relegende of often reading and the Prophet Daniel seemeth to be of the same minde chap. 12. v. 12. we see what they be in the state of them that are Heathens 1. in the Eunuch Acts 8.28 his meanes was that he read the Prophet Esay 2. Acts 10.2 in an Heathen Cornelius a Centurion his meanes were prayers and almes and fasting and that which is somewhat strange before he was called he was said to be a man that feared God but that the Fathers have well resolved it that say he was called so quia non detinuit veritatem naturae suae in injustitia by holding as contra Rom. 1.18 that truth of nature which God hath given him and not abusing it to licentiousnesse but exercising it with good and godly exercises therefore God bestowed a further light upon him i. his feare and such is the feare of God that is in men before they are called so then if we use Cornelrus his meanes and if we shall feare God thus much that that light and truth we have we doe not presse it nor detaine it in unrighteousnesse 3. The third is in Acts. 18.24 the meanes of Apollos that in that he knew he was ready to speake fervently and teach diligently the things of the Lord i. in the Baptisme of Iohn that we be ready and willing to speake for the confirmation of that we know till more come These are the principall meanes the rest may be taken from the wayes of increasing knowledge Signa 1. Antiquitas 2 Puâ—gati â—â—â—nae 3. Pâ—â—gâ—eâ—ius 4. Exemplum morum The signes of true religion twenty and more we spake before of them and therefore we neede not to repeate them here but onely this we say that of them 1. the antiquity 2. the purgation of the soule 3. the beginning and growing up of religion and 4. the examples of excellent vertues in the professors these foure Aug. de civit dei accounteth to be the especiall For longer life he moveth his pâ—tition for this end The sixth rule for the promoting of it in other Psal 30.10 Davids desire there is that he may not yet die because the dust shall not declare his truth and Iohn 18.37 Christ saith that he was borne and came into the world to this end to beare witnesse of the truth On the other side as it is Rom. 16.17 whosoever cause strife and offences we are bidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to avoyd them The third part if we have him it is not enough but we must have him alone the Chaldee he addeth Barmin so have the 70. Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but me Matth. 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve
sinne indeed but those that are cast into us are no sinne if they infect us not 1. Now we are infected of those sixe wayes 1. for the fruit when sinne beganne Gen. 3.6 was holden out to be 1. profitable and 2. pleasant and 3. to be desired in regard of the knowledge or preferment it should bring And so the first thing was and is to turne our selves to Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 Gal. 4.9 to entertaine him this is prostitution of the soule to his temptation when they would have it 2. Which affection if it be sudden Ierome on Mathew calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first passion or motion that is desires upon sight but if it be more impressed he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passion that is a setled lust This is Iob 20.13 poyson to the mouth which if it be spit out hurteth not but if it be retained under the tongue it breedeth woe 3. And this retentio seminis consensus in delectationem retentation of the fuell is a consent to the pleasure of sinne for consensus in opus est suppuratio for the consent to the lust is the very impostume of sin to delight in it And this is conceptio peccati the conceiving of sin 4. Morosa delectatio a lingring delight to stay in it and to consider every circumstance and this is articulatio foetus the forming of this deformed issue 5. Aberratio cordis in peccato the wandring of the minde in sinne reasoning of it and after it once left to call it backe againe and to make a contrary covenant to Iob that is to looke still upon it or else to make figmentum cogitationis a wicked imagination in the heart Gen. 4. of that which was never seene And this vita peccati is the life of sinne for here it moveth 6. Nixus the endeavour and as the fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laying hold on the occasion si tanta voluptas in animo quid si potiar if there be so much pleasure in the imagination what in the fruition And these sixe are in every sinne though many have not the spirit of God to watch them all for that saepe iniquitas mentitur sibi wickednesse often cousens it selfe The Devilâ— fetches Now Iames 1.14 we are brought into this two wayes 1. by the esca the baite the allurements 2. by uncus the hooke force 1. For this concupiscence will make pleasure libido a sensuall delight libido and this delight will make consuetudo custome consuetudo and custome will make necessity for the concupiscence is like an hot Oven Hose 7. which will ever have matter So the Devill hath those two also by these two speciall termes unto the which the rest may be brought as to allure Revel 20.6 which doth not as they cogge a Die but hath Ephes 4.14 methodum decipiendi a cunning craftinesse or the art and method of deceiving by subtilty And this distinguisheth his allurements from ours And this his craft extraordinarily the Apostle could know 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fetches 2. To draw by force 1 Pet. 5.8 a roaring Lion and Matth. 8.31 cast them headlong as he did the Swine 2 Cor. 7.5 his thrusting sore that if he might he would cast us downe and this also could Paul perceive 1 Thes 2.18 that Satan hindred him Mundâ— illâ—â—â—â—ae So the world also hath these three to allure us 1. profit 2. pleasure 3. preferment And contra if they will not prevaile it will be violent with 1. losse 2. griefe 3. reproach As Aug. saith aut amor erit mali inflammans aut timor mali humilians either love shall be the inflamer and kindler of evill or feare the humbler and bringer downe to evill so that these two meanes are in our selves the Devill the world to bring us to the danger of this fin â—â—itas quid After simulationem dicti simulation in words we come to consider simulationem facti simulation in words and deeds for first the truth is nothing but an agreement or equality betwixt the heart and minde and that which we conceive in our minde 2. a consent of the minde with the tongue 3. a consent of our minde with our deedes and actions If there be agreement betwixt these then are we witnesses of the truth for as veritas oris truth is in the mouth if the speech and heart goe together so is veritas vitae truth in our life if it be agreeable to the word which is signum ejus rei quae menie signata est the signe and fruit of that thing which is sealed up in the minde which is plaine by Christs assertion By their fruits yee shall know them Mat. 7. and Matth. 12.36 the Scribes require a signe from Heaven to testifie to them the greatnesse of Christs power And workes and not onely words but deeds may be called signa ejus rei quae in mente est signes of such things as are in the minde This also is manifest by common experience For we see not onely by precept and speech but also by example and action good and hurt done therefore we must expresse the truth as well in action as in word avoid simulation in both which opposite in this place for this cause God taketh order that neither in deede nor in word men should counterfeit to be that which they are not Notwithstanding as before a man may lawfully occultare partem veritatis in dictis conceale a part of the truth in his discourse so also so he may doe it in factis in his actions except it be manifest to the eyes of all men as that of the Sodomites Gen. 19. or of the Benjamites Iudg. 19. and that of Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25. who were not ashamed to make their sinne manifest even to the sight and view of all men and not to this end to make them loath and detest their sinne but rather to glory in it Also there may be significatio ejus quod deest an intimation and signification of what is wanting As he is not bound to tell that forth in word which he knoweth so neither is he bound by conscience to utter that by countenance which he knoweth Otherwise in time of warre to oppose our selves to such as resist the truth a man may with Iosua 8.15 simulare fugam make as if they fled As also for triall as our Saviour Christ did Luke 24.28 he made as though he would have gone further if intreaty had not stayed him and it is plaine by Gal. 4.20 A principall part of this vice is hypocrisie which is an outward resemblance or cloke of religion without any ground of it in the heart of this we have spoken heretofore we will therefore passe it over and come to that which the Prophet hath Psal 26.4 hee saith he hath not kept company with vaine persons For as in Commandement 8. not onely injury was forbidden but also superfluity
as a speciall means thereto in Commandement 7. not onely adultery but also all wantonnesse so here is forbidden not onely falshood but also vaine and foolish speech Our Saviour sets downe three heads of the sinnes against this Law 1. Slander 2. Pride the occasion of flattery and boasting 3. Foolishnesse which is the roote of vaine speech Our Saviour Matth. 12.36 and verses before going treateth of this Commandement and concludes it thus of every idle word wee must account Besides false witnesse in judgement and out of it of flattery boasting and simulation notwithstanding this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and jesting and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he distinguisheth not as he did in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy communication and filthie but he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and jesting though it be accounted of nothing in the world but urbanity Whereas indeed they doe but abuse that word for in truth it is nothing but a foolish and idle babling as our Saviour cals it and after shall appeare and as Iob 34.35 words of no value The Prophet Esa 5.18 Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords c. woe to them and Prov. 30.8 he prayeth to be removed farre from vanity and lies By which two places it is manifest that vanity brings lies and with them the catalogue of those sinnes that belong unto this Commandement As wantonnesse is forbidden in the seventh and superfluity in the eighth Commandement so here vanity of speech Concerning which Psal 144.8 he maketh it an especiall part of a wicked man And Esa 59.4 they trust in vanity which is the first step to lies and they proceed further to iniquity David Psal 26.4 glorieth that he had not kept company with dissemblers and vaine men or as Solomon saith Prov. 21.6 among such as tosse vanity like a Tennis-ball Such as make questions and receive as vaine answers and reply againe as vainely And this Iob. 31.5 by the light of nature saw among the rest that this was one thing wherein his conscience bare him witnesse that he was free that hee had not walked in vanity which is good for no use And then as Chrysostome saith well upon Ephes 4. what workeman is there that will have any toole that will serve him to no use and therefore he concludeth that this ars animarum this art of saving of soules being ars artium scientia scientiarum the Art of Arts and Science of Sciences there must not be any thing in it belonging to vanity And hereupon the Fathers say that Quicquid est ociosum est criminosum whatsoever is idle is sinfull For this cause the Apostle bids us stay foolish questions Tit. 1.8.9 and his reason is because they be vaine Now except the major proposition be this which must be generall whatsoever is vaine is to be avoided it were no syllogisme And we see this is to be avoided so there is in us saith the holy Ghost an untowardnesse as is pullus onagri the wild Asses colt so is man from his youth A forge of vanities 1 Pet. 1.18 Rom. 13.4 For as Iob saith there is a forge of idle thoughts which bring forth Ephes 4.17 vaine conversation therefore we must in the beginning take heede of this that we will not as the Gentiles doe that we lift not up our heads to vanity Both which we shall doe Psal 24.4 if we have our conversation idle and vaine Ephes 4.29 he sheweth us what this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no corrupt communication proceed c. He will have our conversation to be to edification that God may have praise our neighbour may be built up in his knowledge and affection by our example If not this then a second that there be a necessary use of it or if not that yet it must be such as may give grace to the hearer And if we will take Paul for example we may best learn ex verbis ejus in Epistolis from his owne words in his Epistles what his speech was For we doubt not but he shewed himselfe like in his common speech For the first we know his examples are plentifully to edification That we may doe it ad necessitatem for our necessary use it is manifest by 1 Tim. 5.23 he bids him for the health of the body drinke wine which no man will say was done ad aedificationem but ad justam necessitatem to edification but yet it was done upon just and necessary grounds Thirdly if not this yet that whereas he bade him bring the cloak which he left at Troas 2 Tim. 4.13 c. and so vers 20. he saith Erastus abode at Corinthus Trophimus I left at Miletum sicke which doe not directly serve to edification though indirectly it doe all other things And therefore those narrations which concerne a man to know being not things of necessary use take a second place for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutations this is a third whither Rom. 16. wholly may be reduced Now in these Salutations there is no edification nor yet just necessity for in divers examples they are omitted but they serve to encrease love and savour among men Col. 4.6 he exhorts every man that his speech be powdered with Salt not with scurrisity and profane urbanity non nigro sale Momi sed canâ—â—nte sale Mercurit not with that blacke Salt of Momus but with the white Salt of Mercurie Whereby our wits being dulled and our spirits condensated they may be sharpened againe which often have a good and necessary use To this end serveth that 2 Cor. 12.13 where he saith I have not beene chargeable to any of you I pray you forgive me this wrong Surely there was no cause why he should crave pardon for this fault but no doubt this pierced deeper then if he had uttered it in direct words and termes Now but that grace must concurre with edification Rom. 12.3 a fruitfull speech and profitable to edification and none in the world could have expressed it more wittily and Phil. 3.3 he calleth the circumcision concision Eph. 5.4 The Apostle disswadeth us from foolish talking and exhorteth us to thanksgiving whereupon the Hereticks called fratricelli the poore humble brethren would have no word in answering but laudate Deum praise God Who when they were demanded any question said alwayes laudate Christum praise Christ But the old Church understood well enough per metonym effecti by a metonymy of the effect thanksgiving for that which was thankworthy Then whatsoever speech it is that may be brought to one of these three kindes is not evill but good Albeit that that which is lawfull be not kept for we are to strive after the best things that is that it may be done ad aedificationem to edification so that though these terrene consolations these pety comforts be lawfull yet exultations in Psalmes and spirituall songs are better Yet