Idoll as that he sets it in the place of God or lastly the worship which God challengeth to himselfe and thus worship or honour may be said in generall to be giuen as well to the creature as to the Creator But it is the forme of euery thing that giues it being The truth of worship to God-ward the formall cause of Religion Now the forme of this Religion may be taken to consist in two things In the Worship of God and in the truth of that Worship Here is not meant that forme spoken of by Paul to Timothy 2. Tim. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which a man may haue and yet deny the power of Religion but that forme which is powerfull to make a man truly religious must informe a man what Religion is So that he that will be religious must worship God and that in Trueth First he must worship God And what is God Himselfe tels vs that his Name is Exod. 3.14 I AM and Christ in the Gospell of S. Iohn Ioh. 8.58 being asked of the Iewes whether he had seene Abraham being not yet fifty yeers old does not answer them That before Abraham was I was but said vnto them before Abraham was I AM. And what is he That I AM saies God and that is All and that All is All. Let a man mount vpon the wings of cogitation which is swifter then any flying bird into the highest Heauen which is the Seate of Gods incomprehensible Maiestie and there imagine an vnimaginable glory that He is let him come downe into the Firmament and if he can without dazeling looke vpon that orient Ruby and that splendent Diamond the bigger and lesser light round beset with the sparkling Starres all which doe as much excell in operatiue vertue the most precious Stone the Earth affoordes as there is distance betweene heauen and earth and that He is Let him passe thorow the element of fire and there make a little stay where he shall stand in the middest of fire and not burne nor be sensible of the heate if hee were bodily there which fire sets on fire all other bodies and that He is Let him make a step lower into the element of Aire and there hee shall finde such a friendly discord as that neither moisture shall quench heate nor heate dry vp moisture without temperature no liuing creature could breathe and that He is Let him take a iourny to the vttermost parts of the earth and where-euer he comes inquire of God and there hee shall here of Him for the earth and the fulnesse thereof is the Lords Psal 24.1 Let him discend into the Store-house of the earth and search the seuerall Cabinets of Gods Iewels and the whole Treasury of his Riches and there hee is to be found Psal 104.5 For he hath laid the foundation of the earth Let him go downe into the deepes of the water and there take view of Gods creatures which are for number incredible and many of them for shape proportion and condition accounted Monsters and likewise thinke vpon that common benefit which all liuing creatures receiue from this element of water without which they could not subsist and there he shall vnderstand of Him they are the words of the Psalmist Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord that did he in the heauen and in the earth and in the sea And when a man hath taken a sight of the Mycrocosme or great world and receiued some apprehension of God therein let him cast his eye vpon that Mycrocosme or little world himselfe wherein is as much contracted and compacted as is conteined in the whole Vniuerse and see if there hee can receiue any farther information of God There a man shall see as it were the Sunne and Moone vnderstanding and sence placed in the vppermost and sphericall part of his body The opinion of the Naturalist is that the Sunne and a man generate a man Sol homo generāt hominem which in this fabricke is true that the sunne of vnderstanding working vpon the terrene and elementary parts of a man makes vp a man and withall this glorious and Heauenly Planet sends forth light and influence whereby the whole man is continually directed and preserued Here likewise may bee obserued the Quotidian motion of this Planet which daily visiteth the whole man with sweete comfort and illumination and the annuall motion like vnto that yeerely progresse of the Sunne wherein it takes a more particular and serious view of all the parts of the Earth And indeed it is a good yeeres worke for the swiftest contemplation to take an exact consideration of all the faculties and parts of a man and that inward and estimatiue sence which is called by some the common sence and represents the Moone receiues all the light it hath from the vnderstanding whence commeth the Eclipse as may be said of this Moone within a man when the earthly carnall and externall parts of a man are interposed betweene sence and the light of the vnderstanding and the like eclipse is there of the Sunne which is resembled by the vnderstanding when sence interposeth it selfe betweene a man and true reason Let a man looke into the firmament of thoughts and cogitations which are in number and quality like the twinkling Starres of Heauen whereof some are fixed but most wandering and hee shall easily discerne a similitude betweene the things compared which is likewise to be found in the whole bodie of a man The shape of a man as long as he is conteined in the round wombe of his Mother is Globary till that diuine part of him be infused which requires a maiestike and commanding stature since God hath subiected all the creatures vnder his gouernement which is liuely expressed by Ouid the Poet who hauing set forth the Creation of the world with the creatures inhabiting therein proceeds with words to this purpose There was yet wanting saith hee a more perfect and sacred liuing creature that should bee capable of transcendent knowledge Ouid. Metamorph lib. 1. Sanctius his animal mentisque capacius altae Deerat adhuc quod dominari in caetera posset Natus homo est Proraque cùm spectent animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit coelùmque videre Iussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus and might beare rule ouer all other things Man was borne and whereas all other creatures were framed with their eyes cast downe vpon the earth God gaue man a lofty countenance and an vpright and stately proportion commanding him to looke vp to heauen from whence he came But the elements retaine the same qualities and opposition in the body of a man which they had before this composition for heate and coldnesse and moisture and drinesse are in continuall strife which shall haue the predominancy and which is a strange thing this discord is a cause both of the conseruation and destruction of the same
subiect for â—ithout all the elements there is no body could subsist and yet this warre amongst the elements is the ruine of euery body in which warre they are all conquerers and yet all ouercome for the fire dries vp the water and the water quenches the fire the aire moulders the earth and the earth expels the aire and yet they haue a mutuall concord for the fire and aire agree in heate the aire and water agree in moistnes the water earth agree in coldnesse and the earth and fire agree in drienesse they all agree in this that none of them will depart the field till they haue destroyed the subiect of their contention which is the body of a man and in this is to be admired the wonderfull workmanship of God But yet for all this search the knowledge of God is not to bee found for he is incomprehensible and how can a man comprehend an incomprehensible He is a Spirit and how can flesh and bloud apprehend a Spirit God is infinite not to be limited in time he is euery where and yet no where either circumscriptiuely or definitiuely how can a man circumscribed within two yards receiue a notion of him that fils all things and all places He is omnipotent and how can the weake braine of a man conceiue what He is He is onely good and how can a man that is onely euill be able to vnderstand what He is that is all good He is Wisedome Strength Iustice Fortitude and all Vertue diuine and morall yea in Him are comprehended all Arts and Sciences what man is He is what any other liuing creature is He is yea what is in heauen and earth He is for euill it is a priuation and therefore is not nor cannot haue any being in him and this is all the knowledge man can haue of God that what he himselfe or any other creature is not that God is yea God onely is and man is nothing but what he is in God God is in man and yet no part of maÌ„ man is in God and yet no part of God yea God is absolute without man man is nothing without God and this knowledge of God as imperfect as it is is yet sufficient to direct man to worship God in whom he liues moues and hath his being But how shall man worship him whom he hath not knowne The manner how to worship God which is part of the forme of Gods worship is in truth Seneca a heatheÌ„ man could make a distinction betweene Religion and Superstition or Idolatry Religio Deos colit superstitio violat when he sayes That Religion is an obseruation of God in his Worship whereas Superstition is a violating of his Worship in drawing it from truth and sincerity but what the true Worship of God is man can no way come to the knowledge of but from God himselfe because no man doth in any degree of perfection know what God is Now there are two Bookes that God hath giuen man to study vpon the Booke of Nature and the Booke of the Word In the Booke of Nature although man may reade sufficient to condemne himselfe yet there he shall finde nothing but what will confound him In the Booke of his Word God hath beene graciously pleased more at large to open himselfe vnto man and thereout to affoord him not onely instruments to frame him fit for his Worship but directions how to worship him aright Euery naturall man walkes in darkenesse as is wrriten by the Prophet Isaiah â—saiah 9.2 The people that walked in darkenesse haue seene a great light that is in the Gospell of Iesus Christ The Word sayes the Prophet in the Psalme Psal 119.105 Is a Lampe or a Lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes And Dauid sheweth how he got vnderstanding and was growne to a hatred of false-hood and errour namely by the Precepts and Word of God Salomon or Christ is said to ride vpon the Word of Truth Psal 45.5 as one that would ride in triumph ouer all Heresie Now euery man is content to haue some forme of Religion but this true worship doth so strictly tie the conscience to that forme and practcie of Religion which is taught out of the Word of God as that a man is ready to frame to himselfe any kinde of Religion whereby he might haue some dispensation for his euill course of life rather then to be held to so hard termes and hence it comes to passe that so many fall to Popery who when they are loth to deny and crosse themselues in the lusts of the flesh and yet are desirous to go to heauen they imbrace this Religion wherein they beleeue that though they commit neuer so great sinnes yet if they can get Pardons of Indulgences from the Pope or absolution from the Priest or do some workes of Charity or such as are meritorious in their owne opinion or procure some intercession of Saints or some prayers to be made for them after they are dead they thinke God to be well satisfied for their sinnes and well pleased with them Nay such is their grosse stupidity as that they thinke the sprinkling of a little holy water to be salutary for soule and body which appeares plaine in those conjuring words spoken by the Priest in diuine Seruice In Manual ad vsum ecclesiae Sarisburiensis Exorcise te creatura salis per Deum ✚ viuum Sis omnibus te sumentibus sanitas animae carporis effugiat atque discedat ab eo loco quo aspersum fuerit omnis nequitia I exorcise or conjure thee O creature of Salt that thou beest to all that shall partake of thee sanitie of soule body and that all euill shall depart from that place where thou art sprinkled And farther he saith I exorcise or coniure thee O creature of water that thou mayest serue to the casting out of Diuels Exorciso te creatura aquae in nomine Dei Paâ—â—ris vt fias aqua exorcisata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici c. Ad abijciendos daemones morbósque pellendos vt quicquid in domibus vel in locis fidelium haec vnda respersit careat omni immunditiâ liberetur à noxa non illîc resideat spiritus pestilens non aura corrumpens c. to the expelling of diseases that vpon whatsoeuer thou art sprinkled in any house of the faithfull it may haue taken from it all vncleannesse it may be freed from all obnoxitie that no pestilent spirit may remaine vpon it nor any corrupt ayre Let all the trecheries of the hidden enemy depart and if there be any thing aduerse to the health or quiet of the inhabitants let it be chased away by the aspersion of this water And then the Priest casts the salt into the water crosse-wayes after the manner of the Crosse and sayes priuately Let there bee an equall coÌ„mixture of salt and water And thus is their Holy water made and
of God Now to feare God and obserue his Commandements is the summe of the Law but without the feare of God there is no keeping of the Commandements and that makes a compleat obedience It is not punishment that a man must onely feare but feare God because he is God yea though there were no punishment for offending him and feare the committing of an euill act because it is displeasing to him and contrary to his pure nature which feare in the Corinthians is called the perfection of holinesse and these foure qualities of knowledge faith loue and feare are so linked together as that they are not to be found one without another but make a golden bracelet to adorne Religion withall for out of knowledge a man must be able to giue a reason of his faith as Peter 1. Pet. 3.15 exhorts and loue is the efficacie of faith Gal. 5.6 as Paul affirmes and true feare is distinguished from slauish feare by loue as will appeare by comparing the Prophesie of Zacharias which saies That we being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies Luk. 1.74 might serue him without feare with the conclusion of the Psalmist Psal 119. ve 119.120 who professeth that he loued the Testimonies of God and his flesh trembled before him and hee was afraid of his Iudgements Zacharias frees such as are redeemed by Christ Q. d. non quidem à praesentia tua metuo vt Adam Gen. 3. nam contra illam mihi adesse expeto sed ab infirnutate mea ne prouocem iudicia tua from a seruile feare but the Psalmist sheweth what caused a childlike feare in him namely the loue of Gods Testimonies Tremellius Iunius render this exposition of the feare spoken of by the Psalmist it is as if he had said I feare not thy presence O God as Adam did but contrarily I wish thee alway with me but I feare my owne weakenesse lest I should prouoke thee to iudgement So that a Christian man may bee said to beleeue in God because he spiritually knowes him to loue him because hee beleeues in him and to feare him because hee loues him Besides these proper adiuncts of Religion The common adiuncts of Religion all morall vertues there are common adiuncts of Religion in the number of which are Zeale Mildnesse and Patience and Temperance Iustice and all morall vertues for though these do not so neerely depend vpon Religion as the other do yet where there is true Religion these are in some measure to be found For Zeale take the opinion of Paul Gal. 4.18 That it is good to be zealous alwayes in a good thing For Meekenes take the words of Salomon Pro. 2.34 Surely God scorneth the scorners but giueth grace vnto the lowly For Patience take the precept of Christ Luk. 21.19 In your patience possesse ye your soules For Temperance take our Sauiors inquiry and blessing Mat. 24.45 Who is a faithfull and wise seruant whom his Lord hath made ruler ouer his houshold to giue them meate in due season Blessed is that seruant whom his Lord when he commeth shall find so doing For Iustice Gen. 6.9 take Noah for a Patterne Noah was a iust man perfect in his generations and walked with God And for all manner of morall vertues there are Precepts Promises and Examples to bee found in the Scripture which directs all men to Religion And now out of what hath gone before there may bee a gesse giuen what this Religion is which is taken vpon them by many but found in few To define Religion from its essentiall causes and internall is not so easie it being a difficult thing to find out the matter forme of elementarie substances and distinguish betweene them and their properties much more hard then must it be precisely to set forth the matter forme of incorporall substances and most difficult to giue a definitioÌ„ out of the essentiall causes of a spirituall thing yet from what was taken before to bee the matter and forme of Religion this definition may bee giuen Definition of Religion Zanch. de relig Thes 1. vera religio quae idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vero dei cultu posita est That ReligioÌ„ is the true Worship of God It is first worship it is secondly the Worship of God in truth and this is the definition of Zanchy but where a definition may not be easily gathered a description may giue more light and a description of Religion may be this That Religion A descriptiâ—n of Reliâ—ion is the true Worship of God wrought by God himselfe in man by meanes of his Word which worketh in a man Obedience Sanctitie and Wisedome and is seated principally in the soule of man whence it disposeth of and directeth all the faculties of the mind the actions of the body and the whole estate of man to Gods glory and the saluation of man and is alwayes accompanied with sauing knowledge a liuely faith loue of God and his Saints and feare of God and all vertues Spirituall and Morall in some measure and this description is gathered out of all the consentany artificiall arguments of Logick There was a Heathen man that describes Religion to bee that Cic. 2. Inuent Religio quâ— superioris et iusdam naturam quam diuinam vocaut curam caeremoniem que affâ—rt which workes a care and ceremonious obseruation of some superior nature which saies he they call Diuine but this man seemed onely to point at the outward forme of Religion which indeed was all the Religion they had Caluin in one place saies Cal. in Comment super 2. Cap. Iohan Vera antiquâ— religio quae in Christo sundata est that true and ancient Religion is that which is founded vpon Christ where he seemed to direct onely to the true foundation wherupon the doctrine of Religion was to bee grounded namely Christ Iesus Mel. de simplicibus thematibus religio constat esse cultum Dei Melancton defines Religion to bee the Worship of God and though indeed God is not worshipped but rather dishonoured where he is not truly worshipped and so this definition may stand compleat yet because most pretended Religions acknowledge a Worship of God and many Learned Diuines haue made a definition betweene true and false worship and this Melancton himselfe in a description hee makes of Religion saies that ReligioÌ„ is the Worship of God which consists in the feare of God and beliefe in God including in that description two of the proper adiuncts before named In these regards truth may not bee altogether superfluously called part of the forme of Religion and yet is it not to be conceiued that the forme of Religion is to be deuided but truth to Godward of that worship which was taken to be the matter may be receiued to mans apprehension as a forme of Religion and if these things are all true notwithstanding so many claimes laid to Religion as there are yet it will appeare that Religion is not so conuersant in the world as euery man would haue it It were to be wished that men would not rest content with a bare name of Religion deceiuing themselues whilest many of them thinke to deceiue others certainely some women that vse to paint themselues coÌ„ceiue that the colours which they vse for that purpose when they once are laid on by them are the natural coluors of their faces for else why should they be proud except it be of their skill in painting So men that haue put on a guise of Religion imagine themselues to be such as they outwardly appeare to be for else why should they glory in it except it bee of their art in hypocrising Narcissus seeing himselfe in the water fell in loue with himselfe and was turned into a Flowre so a man when he lookes vpon himselfe in the waterie conceit of his owne swimming fancy is subiect to grow in loue with himselfe who yet shall proue but a fading flowre suddenly conuerting to rottennes but if he view himselfe in the Christall Glasse of the pure Word of God he shall appeare before Regeneration to be a Leper a Swine a Dogge a Diuell yet notwithstanding when this blessed forme of Religion is put vpon him he shall be here like Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and in heauen conformed vnto the likenesse of the Sonne of God his elder Brother and Sauiour Iesus Christ FINIS
goddesse Diana would bee destroyed Act. 19.27 And what was pretended the cause of that tumultuous sedition but the preseruation of their Religion to their great goddesse Diana Liu. in Historiâ Romanâ Existimauit Ancus Marcius quâ—niaâ— Numa in pace religiones instituisset à se bellicae ceremoniae producerentur c. Liuie in the Historie of the Romanes relates of Marcus Ancus of the Progeny of Numa and his successor that when he had receiued some iniury from the Latines as vnlawfull taking away the commodities of his Realme and holding diuers of his subiects captiue and receiuing as he thought an insolent answer vpon demand of them to be restored being minded to recouer them by warre all his labour is to find out a faire pretence and giue a faire challenge and vpon these considerations he beginnes that since his predecessor Numa had founded Religion in peace it concerned him to ground his warre vpon Religion whereupon his Ambassador being dispatched with Commission to proclaime warre Audi Iupiter ego sum pulibcus nuncius populi Romani iustè piéque venio si ego impiè illos homines dedier nuncio populi Romani mihi exposco tum Patriae compotem me nunquam sinas esse haec quicunque ei obâ—ius fuit haec portum ingrediens haec forum ingressus peragit thus runs his message Heare O Iupiter I am sent by the generall consent of the Roman people and that what I do as Ambassador is iust and religious I call thee to witnesse and if I do herein vniustly or impiously then neuer suffer me to be a man thought fit for seruice or worthy regard in my Country and these things the Legate buzzed into euery mans eare that met him thinking that when hee had made Religion the colour of his Masters warre and inuoked God that then hee might fairely denounce warre for the effecting of his particular end When the Pharises were almost ready to burst with malice against our Sauiour Christ and could finde no rest within themselues till they had committed that deuillish matchlesse and colourlesse murther vpon him for Pilate confesseth he could find no cause they pretend he was a Sabbath-breaker he was a Deuill hee was a Blasphemer he was a mouer of Sedition and these things could not be tolerated in their Religion therefore away with him crucifie him crucifie him So that here the maintenance of Religion is the cloak of this horrible fact But there are too many witnesses of later dayes before our eyes of this truth What vnsheathed the sword of so many Massacrers in France not long since to the taking away of so many Christian soules in one night They will tell you Religion What gaue boldnesse to that desperate Villaine to make his Soueraignes the late King of France his bowels the Scabberd for his poison'd dagger If he were aliue he would tell you Religion What sharpened the wits and steeled the hearts of our Englishmen lately that if there had bene a Councell called in Hell and a company of grand Diuels sent vpon earth for the executing of their designes they could not haue found out a more damnable Plot nor with greater resolution haue prosecuted it then they did the Gun-powder Treason All their excuse would be that it was in the cause of Religion What hath plucked of late the louing Husband from his Wifes tender imbraces the beloued Sonne from his Parents carefull gouernement the diligent Seruant from his Masters serious imployment and the Loyall subiect from his Kings peaceable Dominions and all from their natiue Country either to make way for their enterprises thorow the bowels of men women and children or expose themselues to vnauoydable slaughter Is it not because men pretend Religion the colour of their warre though they intend nothing but the getting of some Towne or Country So that looke into men of all nations and conditions you shall find euery man claime an interest in Religion and yet how hard a thing it is to find sincere and true Religion planted in any Nation our owne excepted or particular mans heart Wherefore it is not altogether vnexpedient for a man as well as hee may to informe himselfe what true Religion is Some will haue the word Religion to be deriued from a Latine word RÄ•lÄ•go which signifies to reade ouer againe or to remember but this seemeth not to bee so proper a deriuation because reading is an act of the tongue and conuersant aswell about falshood as truth and Religion is chiefly seated in the mind and imbraceth nothing but truth Againe for remembrance it is of somthing forepast but neuer man yet knew what belonged to Religion before it is wrought in him by the holy Ghost and therfore cannot remember that of which hee neuer had so much as a notion Farther if it should haue this former deriuation it should onely intimate a bare remembrance of a thing and no way giue light to the nature of the thing There is a word which more fitly offers it selfe and signifies in Latine Religo August de vera relig religat ergo nos vera religio vni omnipotenti Deo vnde religio dicta est to bind or tye True Religion sayes an ancient Writer doth tye vs to the onely and Almightie God and from this tying doth Religion take its name Adam had no sooner transgressed the commandement of God but takes his flight seekes shelter vnder the trees of the Garden to hide him selfe from the presence of the Lord God but when God apprehends him with his cal there is no longer keeping out Adam being arraigned and hauing receiued the sentence of his punishment hee might yet bee like to many children or seruants that when they haue once gotten a custome of running away from their Fathers or Masters they shall neuer keepe them at home without they shackle or tie them fast and therfore God to preuent this runnagacy in Adam and his posteritie hath prouided this bond of Religion to tie them fast to himselfe as the reuerend Father sayes Ierem. super nonum cap. Amos. Ecclesia est fasciculus vnâ Domini religione constrictus vnde ipsa religio à religando in fascem domini vinciendo nomen accepit The Church sayes another is a bundle tyed together with the wreath of Religion whence saies he religioÌ„ takes the name from binding Till the comming of our blessed Sauiour the Church of God was only amongst the Iewes but they when he came into the world refused subiection to him Whereupon our blessed Lord sends his Apostles throughout all the World to gather vp as it were heere a sticke and there a Christian sticke which being presented to God hee makes a bundle and tyes it vp with this wreath of Religion and so hath made himselfe a new Church and this latter word binding giues some insight into the nature of Religion which is either a binding to or a binding from a thing a binding to is a
sprinkled And who would not be a Papist to haue this benediction of Holy water And the like benediction is there of the Bread Nay such is their horrible blasphemy as that they hold the wax Candles to be inlightned with the light of Gods heauenly Benediction as they call it and kindled at the fire of his most sweet clarity and who would not be a Papist to partake of this light Farther some of their Prayers for the dead are these We commend vnto thee O Lord the soules of thy Seruants that being dead they may liue with thee for euer and what sinnes they haue fallen into through the frailtie of their worldly conuersation doe thou wipe them away by the Pardon of thy most mercifull goodnesse Another is this God which art the giuer of Pardon and louer of mans saluation we implore thy Clemency that those Brothers and Sisters of our Congregations which are gone out of this world may come to the societie of thy euerlasting blessing by the intercession of the blessed Mary for euer a Virgin of Michael the Archangel and of all the Saints A third is this Make good we beseech thee O omnipotent and mercifull God that the soules of our Brethren and Sisters of our Congregations for whom we offer vp to thee this sacrifice of Praise being expiated by vertue of this Sacrament from all their sinnes may receiue the blessing of thy euerlasting light And who would not be a Papist to haue these Prayers said for him after his death if they were effectuall The Heathen since they could not be so religious to God as the light of Nature informed them they ought to be framed to themselues gods of men that since they could not or would not bee like God they would make gods like themselues And thus Saturne and Iupiter and diuers other men being famous vpon earth for some extraordinary qualities or exploytes were called gods after their deaths Seneca obserues that amongst Heathen men that worshipped Iupiter one will haue him to be winged another will haue him to beare hornes another accuses him of Adultery another complaines that hee is cruell towards the gods In all which sayes the Authour they intend nothing but to take away the shame of sinning from men who beleeued such gods as these and conceiued it no shame for them to do as their gods did And hereby appeareth the truth of the Worship of God declared in his Word in that it opposeth sinne and the reason why Idolatry and false religion draw away so many is because they either giue a liberty to sinne or a Pardon of sinne vpon easie conditions but these men which are thus seduced are of another mind then Dauid was who hid the Word of God in his heart that hee might not sinne He found no safety so long as he continued in sinne nor any meanes to auoid sinne but the Word of God which is the Touchstone to trie all metals of Religion If a man doubt of the doctrine of Religion let him bring it to this Touchstone and he shall soone discerne whether it be currant or no If he bring his life and actions to this Touch-stone he shall quickly know whether they be good or no If he bring his faith and repentance to this Touchstone it will quickly shew whether they be sound or no If hee bring his honesty and iustice to this Touch-stone he shall easily discouer whether they be counterfeit or no. It is the speciall care of euery good Schoolemaster to see that his Schollers performe all their exercises truly so this Schoolemaster the Word which vndertakes to teach the Worship of God directs to the true Worship of God And this truth is not onely required in the outward practice of Religion but in the heart and inward soule of a man Behold Psal 51.6 thou requirest truth in the inward parts saith the Psalme and it is the complaint of God in Isaiah Isai 29.13 That the people drew neere vnto him with their mouthes and with their lips did honour him but had remoued their hearts farre from him A man may be a great Scholler well read in all controuersies able to distinguish betweene true Religion and false opinions well grounded and of good vnderstanding in the doctrine and discipline of Religion orthodoxall in point of faith a carefull obseruer of diuine worship a iust dealer amongst men ciuill in his course of life well reported of for hospitalitie diligent in all his affaires true in all his Words and of a faire demeanor in all his actions and yet if this inward vprightnesse to God and man for conscience sake of Gods Commandement be wanting to this man hee may be wanting of true Religion Ioshua 24.14 For Ioshua requires the people to feare the Lord and serue him but how In sincerity and truth And Samuel commands them not onely to serue the Lord but it must be done in truth and with all their hearts Religion then appeares from the efficient cause thereof to bee the worke of God from the materiall cause to bee worship The finall causes of Religion the glory of God and mans saluation Nihil sit frustrà and from the formall cause to be true and onely and properly applied to God But the Naturall Philosopher could reach so farre as to apprehend that nothing could be made in vaine and therefore if in that inferiour workmanship of God in the framing of all the creatures was expressed a rare Art and in this worke there was intended an end then certainely much more in the framing a man after Gods owne Image Man must beleeue an end yea a more speciall end by how much the effect is of a more excellent nature There are two finall causes of Gods Workes the one communicated to man with all other creatures which is the last the vttermost and chiefest end the other onely for mans sake the former of these ends is the glory of God to which end he made all that is made and doth dispose of all things that are done to which purpose are the words in the Reuelation Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things c. If God had not made the world to our apprehension he had lost the glory of his power if he had not made man perfect he had lost the glory of his goodnesse if man had not fallen though God was not the Author thereof he had lost the glory of his Iustice if he had not redeemed man hee had lost the glory of his Mercy if he had not continued man he had lost the glory of his Prouidence and if he had not beene the worker of Religion in man he had lost all his glory vpon Earth For to what end was it to make a world if man had not bene placed as a Gouernour ouer it To what end was it to make man perfect but to trie his obedience To what end was it to