them that the Cure had been to have made them more Religious and not less And that the true Belief of a Life to come is the end the motive the poise of all wise and regular actions and of Love and Peace of right Government and obedience and of justice mercy and all that is lovely in the world An OBJECTION about the Worlds Eternity HAving said thus much about the point which I thought most considerable I shall answer an Objection about the Worlds Eternity because I perceive that it sticks with some Obj. We finde it the harder to believe the Scripture and the Christian Doctrine because it asserteth a thing which Aristotle hath evinced to be so improbable as is the Creation of the World within less than 6000 years When no natural reason can be brought to prove that the World is not eternall Answ 1. It is you that are the affirmers and therefore on whom the natural proof is incumbent Prove if you can that the World is eternal Were it not tedious I should by examining your reasons shew that they have no convincing force at all 2. There is so much written of it that I am loth to trouble the Reader with more I now only again referre the Reader to Raymundus Lullius desiring him not to reject his arguments if some of them seem not cogent seeing if any one of all his multitude prove such it is enough 3. I now only desire that the Controversie between the Christian and the Infidel may be but rightly stated And to that end do not charge Christianity with any School-mans or other confident persons private opinions nor suppose Christ or Scripture to determine any thing which they do not determine 1. Christianity and Scripture do not at all determine whether the whole Universe was created at the same time when this our Heaven and Earth was But only that the Systeme or World which we belong to the Sun and Moon and Starrs and Earth were then created Nay a great part of the ancient Doctors and of the most learned late Expositors on Gen. 1. do expound the Heavens which God is said to create as being only the visible Heavens and not including the Angels at all And others say that by In the beginning is meant ab initio rerum and that the Heavens there meant being the Angelical Habitations and the Earth as without form were both ab initio rerum before the six dayes Creation which began with the making of Light out of the pre-existent Heavens or Chaos I think not this opinion true but this liberty Christian Doctors have taken of differing from one another in this difficult point But they utterly differ about the time of the creation of Angels on Gen. 1. and on Job 1. and consequently whether there were not a World existent when this World was created 2. Or if any that seeth more than I can prove the contrary yet it is certainly a thing undetermined by Scripture and in the Christian Faith whether there were any Worlds that had begun and ended before this was made That God is the maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible is most certain But whether this Heaven and Earth which now is was the first which he hath made is a thing that our Religion doth not at all meddle with They that with Origen affirm that there were antecedent worlds are justly blamed on one side not for speaking things false but things uncertain and unrevealed and for corrupting Christianity by a mixture of things alien and doubtfull And those who affirm that there were no antecedent worlds are as much culpable on the other side if not more on the same account and upon further reasons On the one side we know that God needeth nothing to his own felicity but is perfectly sufficient for himself and that he createth not the World ex necessitate naturae as an agent which acteth ad ultimum posse And on the other side we know that though he hath a Goodness of self-perfection unspeakably more excellent than his Benignity as Related to man not that one Property in God is to be said more excellent than another in it self but that quoad Relationem there is an infinite difference between his Goodness in Himself and his Goodness only as Related to his Creatures and measured by their interest yet we confess that his Fecundity and Benignity is included in his own Goodness and that he delighteth to do Good and is communicative and that he doth Good ex necessitate voluntaria ex naturae perfectione without coaction it being most necessary that he do that which his Infinite wisdom saith is best which made Th. White de Mundo say that God did necessarily make the World and necessarily make it in time and not ab aeterno and yet all this most voluntarily because he doth necessarily do that which is best in the judgement of his Wisdom And we deny not that if a man will presume to give liberty to his Reason to search into unrevealed things that it will seem to him very improbable that he who is Actus purus of Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness and who now taketh pleasure in all his works and his delights are with the Sons of men should from all Eternity produce no Creature till less than 6000 years ago when a thousand years with him are but as a day and that he should resolve to have Creatures to all Eternity who as to future duration shall be so like to Himself when from all Eternity he had no Creature till as it were five or six dayes agoe Christians are apt to have such thoughts as these as well as you when they look but to rational probabilities But they hold that all these matters whether there were antecedent worlds and how many and of what sort and of what duration whether this was the first are matters unrevealed which they ought not to trouble the world or themselves with prying into or contending about And they finde that they are unfruitfull speculations which do but overwhelme the minde of him that searcheth after them when God hath provided for us in the Christian Faith more plain and sure and solid and wholsom food to live upon 3. And if it be unrevealed in Scripture whether before this there was any other World we must confess it unrevealed whether there were any emanant or created Entity which God did produce from all Eternity considered quoad durationem only For the Scripture saith no more of one than of the other And if there were one moment dividing Eternity only imaginarily in which there had been nothing but God we must equally confess an Eternity in which there was nothing but God because Eternity hath no beginning 4. But Christianity assureth us of these two things 1. That certainly there is no Being besides God but what was created produced or totally caused by Him And that if any Creature were eternal as to
them have their right and part And this is the common reward or benefit of obedience and fidelity Besides which some great exploits are usually rewarded with some special praemium In humane Kingdoms as such the End is no higher than the Beginning Temporal Governours give but temporal Rewards The felicities of the Kingdom which are the ends of Government as they are from Man are but temporal and our share in them is all our Reward from men But the original and end of the Kingdom of God are higher and of further prospect The benefits of fidelity are greater as shall be further proved But let it be noted that this Objection saith nothing against a life of Punishment Governours never leave their Precepts without this sanction And he that believeth future Punishment will easily believe a future Reward Let it also be noted that Paternal Government hath evermore Rewards in the strictest sense that is a special favour and kindness shewed to the Childe that is specially obedient and so the rest according to their measures But the Kingdom of God is A PATERNALL KINGDOM as is proved That God will make in his Retributions a just difference between the good and bad is proved from his Justice in Government If his Laws make no difference then men are left at liberty to keep or break them nor can it rationally be expected that they should be kept Nor could he be said so much as to love or approve or justifie the obedient more than the rebellious But so unholy a Nature and so indifferent between sin and duty and so unwise and unjust in governing is not to be called God Either he justly differenceth or he doth not Govern That God maketh not a sufficient differencing Retribution in this life is the complaint of some and the confession of almost all the World The bad are commonly the greatest and the Lords and Oppressors of the Just The Turks the Tartarians the Moscovites the Persians the Mogull and more such brutish Monarchs who use the people as the slaves of their pride and lust do take up the far greatest part of the Earth Few places are so good where Goodness exposeth not men to sufferings from the rabble of the vulgar if not from the Governours slanders and abuses are the common lot of those that will differ from the carnal wilde rebellious Rout. And poverty pain sickness and death do come alike to all The sensual that have wit enough so far to bridle their lusts as to preserve their health do usually live longer than more obedient men And they deny themselves none of those fleshly pleasures which the obedient do continually abstain from Obj. But do you not ordinarily say that Vice bringeth its punishment with it in its natural effects and Obedience its Reward Is not the life of a Glutton and Drunkard punished by poverty and shame and sickness And is not Godliness a pleasure in it self If it be our highest end and Happiness to love God and please him then sure the beginnings of it here must have more good than all the pleasures of sin and so God maketh a sufficient difference here Answ Some Vices that are sottishly managed do bring poverty shame and sickness but that may easily be avoided by a vicious wit Gluttony and drunkenness may fall short of sicknesses Fornication and adultery and incest may be managed with greater craft Pride and ambition may attain dominion and wealth Theft may be hid and cheating and fraud may make men rich and free them from the pinching wants and cares and the temptations to discontent and contention of the poor Malice may delight it self in secret revenges in poysonings murderings and such like without any worldly hurt to the transgressour A Tiberius a Nero a Caligula a Domitian a Commodus a Heliogabalus a Sardanapalus may be on the Throne when a Socrates a Seneca a Cicero a Cato a Demosthenes is put to death yea when a Paul or Peter an Ignatius a Cyprian are sacrificed to their bloody rage Yet it is true that all this while they want the dignity and comfort of the Just But while they value it not and feel not the want of it they take it not for a punishment but choose it as a felicity And as for the present Rewards of Virtue to speak impartially I verily think that if there were no life to come Virtue and Holiness were rationally more eligible But that is much because God is an End above our selves And for our own content in many Holiness would give the minde more pleasure than all fleshly pleasure and worldly greatness could counterpoise But with many others whose afflictions are very heavy and pains and poverty very great and who are grievously tormented by cruel persecutors and perhaps a Melancholy constitution may forbid them much delight it is hard to say that if they durst let loose themselves to all sin which maketh for their fleshly interest their Pleasure would not be much greater While the Soul is in flesh it unavoidably partaketh of the pain or pleasure of the flesh Therefore the torment of the Stone or Strangury or of a Rack or Strappado will reach the Soul And the operations of the Soul being in and by the body a tormented body will hinder those Contemplations which should feed our Joy and also hinder the Joy of those Contemplations Most Christians enjoy little comfort in Holiness through the very cares of this life and the weakness of Grace and power of Corruptions and doubts and fears which do attend them Much less would they have much comfort if they were here tormented and miserable in body and had no hope of another life In some sense we may say that Heaven is begun on Earth because Holiness is begun But the Heaven on Earth is the hope and reflection of the Heaven indeed and is soon gone if that be gone as the light here ceaseth when the Sun is set God seen and loved in a glass doth more differ as to us from God as seen and loved in the intuition of his Glory than the heart of man is now able to conceive The difference may be well called specifical as to our actions yea transcendently such Let any man in torment without any hope of Heaven be Judge And though Honesty without the Pleasure and Comforts of it be still better and more eligible yet while mans Reason and Virtue is so weak and his sense and appetite so strong and his body hath so much power upon his minde it is very few that the meer Love of Virtue would prevail with if that Virtue were never to come to a higher degree than this It is undoubtedly true that the Delights of Holiness are incomparably more desireable as we have them in this life than Kingdoms and all the pleasures of the flesh But that is principally because that this life is the passage to a better and hath relation to so glorious a reward The least fore-thought of
we do nothing against our Neighbours Life or Bodily welfare but carefully preserve it as our own 7. That no man defile his Neighbours wife nor commit Fornication but preserve our own and others Chastity in thought word and deed 8. That we wrong not another in his Estate by stealing fraud or any other means but preserve our Neighbours Estate as our own 9. That we pervert not Justice by false witness or otherwise nor wrong our neighbour in his Name by slanders backbiting or reproach That we lie not but speak the truth in love and preserve our neighbours right and honour as our own 10. That we be not selfish setting up our selves and our own against our Neighbour and his good desiring to draw from him unto our selves But that we love our Neighbour as our selves desiring his welfare as our own doing to others as regularly we would have them do to us forbearing and forgiving one another loving even our enemies and doing good to all according to our power both for their Bodies and their Souls This is the Substance of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION § 15. II. The summ or Abstract of the Christian Religion is contained in three short Forms The first called The Creed containing the matter of the Christian Belief The second called The Lords Prayer containing the matter of Christian Desires and hope The third called The Law or Decalogue containing the summ of Morall Duties which are as followeth The BELIEF 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended to Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come again to judge the quick and the dead 3. I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the body and the Life Everlasting The LORDS PRAYER Our FATHER which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever Amen The Ten COMMANDEMENTS God spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likeness of any thing in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the water under the Earth Thou shalt not vow down thy self to them nor serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain 4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor the Stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not Steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-servant nor his Maid-servant nor his Oxe nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours § 16. The ten Commandements are summed up by Christ into these two Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and might and Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self § 17. These Commandements being first delivered to the Jews are continued by Christ as the summ of the Law of Nature only instead of Deliverance of the Jews from Egypt he hath made our Redemption from sin and Satan which was thereby typified to be the fundamental motive And he hath removed the memorial of the Creation-Rest from the seventh day-Sabbath to be kept on the Lords day which is the first with the Commemoration of his Resurrection and our Redemption in the solemn Worship of his holy Assemblies § 18. III. The briefest Summary of the Christian Religion containing the Essentials only is in the Sacramental Covenant of Grace Wherein the Penitent Believer renouncing the Flesh the World and the Devil doth solemnly give up himself to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit as his only God his Father his Saviour and his Sanctifier engaging himself hereby to a Holy life of Resignation Obedience and Love and receiving the pardon of all his sins and title to the further helps of grace to the favour of God and everlasting life This Covenant is first entered by the Sacrament of Baptisme and after renewed in our communion with the Church in the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ So that the Christian Religion is but Faith in God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifyer producing the hope of Life Everlasting and possessing us with the love of God and Man And all this expressed in the genuine fruits of Patience Obedience and Praise to God and works of Charity and Justice unto Man § 19. That all this Religion might be the better understood received and practised by us the Word of God came down into Flesh and gave us a perfect Example of it in his most perfect Life in perfect holiness and innocency conquering all temptations contemning the honours riches and pleasures of the World in perfect patience and meekness and condescension and in the perfect Love of God and Man When perfect Doctrine is seconded by Perfect Exemplariness of Life there can be no greater Light set before us to lead us out of our state of darkness into the everlasting Light And had it not been a pattern of holy Power Wisdom and Goodness of Self-denyall Obedience and Love of Patience and of Truth and Prudence and of contempt of all inferiour things even of Life it self for the Love of God and for Life eternal it
must be embraced And there is no doubt but God hath made use of Mahumet as a great Scourge to the Idolaters of the World as well as to the Christians who had abused their sacred priviledges and blessings Whereever his Religion doth prevail he casteth down Images and filleth mens mindes with a hatred of Idols and all conceit of multitude of Gods and bringeth men to worship one God alone and doth that by the sword in this which the preaching of the Gospel had not done in many obstinate Nations of Idolaters § 12. But withall I finde a Man exalted as the chief of Prophets without any such proof as a wise man should be moved with and an Alcoran written by him below the rates of common Reason being a Rhapsody of Nonsence and Confesion and many false and impious doctrines introduced and a tyrannical Empire and Religion twisted and both erected propagated and maintained by irrational tyrannical means As which discharge my reason from the entertainment of this Religion 1. That Mahomet was so great or any Prophet is neither confirmed by any true credible Miracle nor by any eminency of Wisdom or Holiness in which he excelled other men nor any thing else which Reason can judge to be a Divine attestation The contrary is sufficiently apparent in the irrationality of his Alcoran There is no true Learning nor excellency in it but such as might be expected among men of the more incult wits and barbarous education There is nothing delivered methodically or rationally with any evidence of solid understanding There is nothing but the most nauseous repetition an hundred times over of many simple incoherent speeches in the dialect of a drunken man sometimes against Idolaters and sometimes against Christians for calling Christ God which all set together seem not to contain in the whole Alcoran so much solid usefull sense and reason as one leaf of some of those Philosophers whom he opposeth however his time had delivered him from their Idolatry and caused him more to approach the Christian Faith 2. And who can think it any probable sign that he is the Prophet of truth whose Kingdom is of this World erected by the Sword who barbarously suppresseth all rational enquiry into his doctrine and all disputes against it all true Learning and rational helps to advance and improve the Intellect of man and who teacheth men to fight and kill for their Religion Certainly the Kingdom of darkness is not the Kingdom of God but of the Devil And the friend of Ignorance is no Friend to Truth to God nor to mankinde And it is a sign of a bad Cause that it cannot endure the light If it be of God why dare they not soberly prove it to us and hear what we have to object against it that Truth by the search may have the Victory If Beasts had a Religion it would be such as this 3. Moreover they have doctrines of Polygamy and of a sensual kinde of Heaven and of murdering men to increase their Kingdoms and many the like which being contrary to the light of Nature and unto certain common Truths do prove that the Prophet and his doctrine are not of God 4. And his full attestation to Moses and Christ as the true Prophets of God doth prove himself a false Prophet who so much contradicteth them and rageth against Christians as a blood-thirsty Enemy when he hath given so full a testimony to Christ The particulars of which I shall shew anon CHAP. III. Of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION and First What it is § 1. IV. THE last sort of Religion to be enquired into is CHRISTIANITY in which by the Providence of God I was educated and at first received it by a humane Faith upon the word and reverence of my Parents and Teachers being unable in my Childhood rationally to try its grounds and evidences I shall declare to the Reader just in what Order I have received the Christian Religion that the Inquisition being the more clear and particular the satisfaction may be the greater And it being primarily for my own use that I draw up these Papers I finde it convenient to remember what is past and to insert the transcript of my own experiences that I may fully try whether I have gone rationally and faithfully to work or not I confess that I took my Religion at first upon my Parents word And who could expect that in my Childhood I should be able to prove its grounds But whether God owned that method of Reception by any of his inward light and operations and whether the efficacy of the smallest beams be any proof of the truth of the Christian Faith I leave to the Reader and shall my self only declare the naked history in truth § 2. In this Religion received defectively both as to Matter and Grounds I found a Power even in my Childhood to awe my Soul and check my sin and folly and make me carefull of my salvation and to make me love and honour true wisdom and holiness of life § 3. But when I grew up to fuller use of Reason and more distinctly understood what I had generally and darkly received the power of it did more surprize my minde and bring me to deeper consideration of spiritual and everlasting things It humbled me in the sense of my sin and its deserts and made me think more sensibly of a Saviour It resolved me for more exact Obedience to God and increased my love to God and increased my love to persons and things sermons writings prayers conference which relished of plain resolved Godliness § 4. In all this time I never doubted of the Truth of this Religion partly retaining my first humane Belief and partly awed and convinced by the intrinsick evidence of its proper subject end and manner and being taken up about the humbling and reforming study of my self § 5. At last having for many years laboured to compose my mind and life to the Principles of this Religion I grew up to see more difficulties in it than I saw before And partly by temptations and partly by an inquisitive mind which was wounded with uncertainties and could not contemptuosly or carelesly cast off the doubts which I was not able to resolve I resumed afresh the whole inquiry and resolved to make as faithfull a search into the nature and grounds of this Religion as if I had never been baptized into it The first thing I studyed was the Matter of Christianity What it is and the next was the evidence and certainty of it of which I shall speak distinctly § 6. The Christian Religion is to be considered 1. In its self as delivered by God 2. In its Reception and Practice by men professing it In its self it is Perfect but not so easily discernable by a stranger In the Practisers it is imperfect here in this life but more discernable by men that cannot so quickly understand the Principles and more forcibly constraineth
among themselves who are his disciples How to mortifie sin and to contemn the wealth and honours of the world and to deny the flesh its hurtful desires and lusts and how to suffer any thing that we shall be called to for obedience to God and the hopes of Heaven To tell us what shall be after death how all men shall be judged and what shall become both of soul and body to everlasting But his great work was by the great demonstrations of the Goodness and Love of God to lost mankind in their free pardon and offered salvation to win up mens hearts to the love of God and to raise their hopes and desires up to that blessed life where they shall see his glory and love him and be beloved by him for ever At last when he had finished the work of his ministration in the flesh he told his Disciples of his approaching Suffering and Resurrection and instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud in Bread and Wine which he commandeth them to use for the renewing of their covenant with him and remembrance of him and for the maintaining and signifying their communion with him and with each other After this his time being come the Jews apprehended him and though upon a word of his mouth to shew his power they fell all to the ground yet did they rise again and lay hands on him and brought him before Pilate the Roman Governour and vehemently urged him to crucifie him contrary to his own mind and conscience They accused him of blasphemy for saying he was the Son of God and of impiety for saying Destroy this Temple and in three days I will re-build it he meant his Body and of treason against Caesar for calling himself a King though he told them that his Kingdom was not worldly but spiritual Hereupon they condemned him and clothed him in purple like a King in scorn and set a Crown of thorns on his head and put a Reed for a Scepter into his hand and led him about to be a derision They cover'd his eyes and smote him and buffeted him and bid him tell who strake him At last they nailed him upon a Cross and put him to open shame and death betwixt two Malefactors of whom one of them reviled him and the other believed on him they gave him gall and vinegar to drink The Souldiers pierced his side with a Spear when he was dead All his Disciples forsook him and fled Peter having before denied thrice that ever he knew him when he was in danger When he was dead the earth trembled the rocks and the vail of the Temple rent and darkness was upon the earth though their was no natural Eclipse which made the Captain of the Souldiers say Verily this was the Son of God When he was taken down from the Cross and laid in a stone-Sepulchre they set a guard of Souldiers to watch the grave having a stone upon it which they sealed because he had fore-told them that he would rise again On the morning of the third day being the first day of the week an Angel terrified the Souldiers and rolled away the stone and sate upon it and when his Disciples came they found that Jesus was not there And the Angel told them that he was risen and would appear to them Accordingly he oft appeared to them sometimes as they walked by the way and once as they were fishing but usually when they were assembled together Thomas who was one of them being absent at his first appearance to the rest told them he would not believe it unless he saw the print of the nails and might put his finger into his wounded side The next first day of the week when they were assembled Jesus appeared to them the doors being shut and called Thomas and bad him put his fingers into his side and view the prints of the nails in his hands and feet and not be faithless but believing After this he oft appeared to them and once to above five hundred brethren at once He earnestly prest Peter to shew the love that he bare to himself by the feeding of his flock He instructed his Apostles in the matters of their employment He gave them Commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and gave them the tenour of the New Covenant of Grace and made them the Rulers of his Church requiring them by Baptism solemnly to enter all into his Covenant who consent to the terms of it and to assure them of pardon by his Blood and of salvation if they persevere He required them to teach his Disciples to observe all things which he had commanded them and promised them that he would be with them by his Spirit and grace and powerful defence to the end of the world And when he had been seen of them forty days speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God being assembled with them he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but wait till the holy Spirit came down upon them which he had promised them But they being tainted with some of the worldly expectations of the Jews and thinking that he who could rise from the dead would sure now make himself and his followers glorious in the world began to ask him whether he would at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel But he answered them It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father hath put in his own power But ye shall receive power after that the holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses to me both at Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth And when he had said this while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up two men stood by them in white apparel and said Why gaze ye up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Upon this they returned to Jerusalem and continued together till ten days after as they were all together both the Apostles and all the rest of the Disciples suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and the likeness of fiery cloven tongues sate on them all and they were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance By this they were enabled both to preach to people of several languages and to work other miracles to confirm their doctrine so that from this time forward the holy Spirit which Christ sent down upon Believers was his great Witness and Agent in the world and procured the belief and entertainment of the Gospel wheresoever it came For by this extraordinary reception of the Spirit the Apostles themselves were much fullier instructed in the doctrine of salvation than
Covenant of Grace confirming his Doctrine by abundant uncontrolled Miracles contemning the World he exposed himself to the malice and fury and contempt of sinners and gave up himself a Sacrifice for our sins and a Ransom for us in suffering death on a Cross to reconcile us to God He was buryed and went in Soul to the Souls departed And the third day he rose again having conquered death And after forty dayes having instructed and authorized his Apostles in their Office he ascended up into Heaven in their sight where he remaineth Glorified and is Lord of all the chief Priest and Prophet and King of his Church interceding for us teaching and governing us by his Spirit Ministers and Word 5. The New Law and Covenant which Christ hath procured made and sealed by his Blood his Sacraments and his Spirit is this That to all them who by true Repentance and Faith do forsake the Flesh the World and the Devil and give up themselves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit their Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier he will give Himself in these Relations and take them as his reconciled Children pardoning their sins and giving them his grace and title to Everlasting Happiness and will glorifie all that thus persevere But will condemn the unbelievers impenitent and ungodly to everlasting punishment This Covenant he hath commanded his Ministers to proclaim and offer to all the World and to baptize all that consent thereunto to invest them Sacramentally in all these benefits and enter them into his holy Catholick Church 6. The Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son did first inspire and guide the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists that they might truly and fully reveal the Doctrine of Christ and deliver it in Scripture to the Church as the Rule of our Faith and Life and by abundance of evident uncontrolled Miracles and gifts to be the great witness of Christ and of the truth of his holy Word 7. Where the Gospel is made known the HOLY SPIRIT doth by it illuminate the minds of such as shall be saved and opening and softening their hearts doth draw them to believe in Christ and turneth them from the power of Satan unto God Whereupon they are joyned to Christ the Head and into the Holy Catholick Church which is his Body consisting of all true Believers and are freely justified and made the Sons of God and a sanctified peculiar people unto him and do Love him above all and serve him sincerely in holiness and righteousness loving and desiring the Communion of Saints overcoming the Flesh the World and the Devil and living in Hope of the coming of Christ and of Everlasting life 8. At death the Souls of the Justified go to Happiness with Christ and the Souls of the wicked to misery And at the end of this World the Lord Jesus Christ will come again and will raise the Bodies of all men from the dead and will judge all the World according to the good or evil which they have done And the righteous shall go into Everlasting Life where they shall see Gods Glory and being perfected in Holiness shall love and praise and please him perfectly and be loved by him for evermore and the Wicked shall go into Everlasting punishment with the Devil II. According to this Belief we do deliberately and seriously by unfeigned consent of Will take this One God the infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness the Father Son and Holy Spirit for our only God our reconciled Father our Saviour and our Sanctifyer and resolvedly give up our selves to him accordingly entering into his Church under the hands of his Ministers by the solemnization of this Covenant in the Sacrament of Baptism And in prosecution of this Covenant we proceed to stirre up our DESIRES by daily PRAYER to God in the Name of Christ by the help of the Holy Spirit in the order following 1. We desire the glorifying and hallowing of the Name of God that he may be known and loved and honoured by the World and may be well-pleased in us and we may delight in Him which is our ultimate end 2. That his Kingdom of Grace may be enlarged and his Kingdom of Glory as to the Perfected Church of the sanctified may come That Mankinde may more universally subject themselves to God their Creator and Redeemer and be saved by him 3. That this Earth which is grown too like to Hell may be made liker to the Holy ones in Heaven by a holy conformity to Gods Will and Obedience to all his Laws denying and mortifying their own fleshly desires wills and minds 4. That our Natures may have necessary support protection and provision in our daily service of God and passage through this World with which we ought to be content 5. That all our sins may be forgiven us through our Redeemer as we our selves are ready to pardon wrongs 6. That we may be kept from Temptations and delivered from sin and misery from Satan from wicked men and from our selves Concluding our Prayers with the joyfull Praises of God our Heavenly Father acknowledging his Kingdom Power and Glory for ever III. The Laws of Christian PRACTICE are these 1. That our Souls do firmly adhere to God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifyer by Faith Love Confidence and Delight that we seek him by desire obedience and hope meditating on himself his word and works of Creation Redemption and Sanctification of Death Judgement Heaven and Hell exercising Repentance and mortifying sin especially atheism unbelief and unholiness hardness of heart disobedience and unthankfulness pride worldliness and flesh-pleasing Examining our hearts about our Graces our Duties and our sins Watchfully governing our thoughts affections passions senses appetites words and outward actions Resisting temptations and serving God with all our faculties and glorifying him in our Hearts our Speeches and our Lives 2. That we worship God according to his Holiness and his Word in Spirit and Truth and not with Fopperies and Imagery according to our own devices which may dishonour him and lead us to Idolatry 3. That we ever use his Name with special Reverence especially in appealing to him by an Oath abhorring prophaneness perjury and breach of Vows and Covenants to God 4. That we meet in Holy Assemblies for his more solemn Worship where the Pastors teach his Word to their Flocks and lead them in Prayer and Praise to God administer the Sacrament of Communion and are the Guides of the Church in Holy things whom the people must hear obey and honour especially the Lords Day must be thus spent in Holiness 5. That Parents educate their Children in the Knowledge and Fear of God and in obedience of his Laws and that Princes Masters and all Superiours govern in Holiness and Justice for the glory of God and the common good according to his Laws And that Children love honour and obey their Parents and all Subjects their Rulers in due subordination unto God 6. That
like have more noble and blessed Inhabitants Look to them if you would see his Love in its most glorious demonstration Justice also must be demonstrated if men will sin And if Hell be quite forsaken and Earth which is next it be partly forsaken of the favour of God for all that God may gloriously demonstrate his Love to a thousand thousand-fold more subjects of the nobler Regions than he doth demonstrate his Justice on in Hell or Earth But these two things I gather for the confirmation of my Faith 1. That the sin and misery of the World is such that it groaneth for a Saviour And when I hear of a Physician sent from Heaven I easily believe it when I see the wofull World mortally diseased and gasping in its deep distress The condition of the World is visibly so suitable to the whole Office of Christ and to the Doctrine of the Gospel that I am driven to think that if God have mercy for it some Physician and extraordinary help shall be afforded it And when I see none else but Jesus Christ whom Reason will allow me to believe is that Physician it somewhat prepareth my minde to look towards him with hope 2. And also the Evil of this present World is very suitable to the Doctrine of Christ when he telleth us that he came not to settle us here in a state of Prosperity nor to make the World our Rest or Portion but to save us from it as our enemy and calamity our danger and our Wilderness and trouble and to bring up our hearts first and then our selves to a better World which he calleth us to seek and to make sure of Whereas I finde that most other Religions though they say something of a Life hereafter yet lead men to look for most or much of their felicity here as consisting in the fruition of this World which experience tells me is so miserable § 3. Moreover I finde that the Law of entire Nature was no more suitable to Nature in its integrity than the Law of Grace revealed by Christ is suitable to us in our lapsed state so that it may be called the Law of Nature-lapsed and restorable Naturae lapsae restaurandae Nature entire and Nature depraved must have the same pattern and rule of perfection ultimately to be conformed to because lapsed man must seek to return to his integrity But lapsed or corrupted man doth moreover need another Law which shall first tend to his restoration from that lost and miserable state And it was no more necessary to man in innocency to have a suitable Law for his preservation and confirmation than it is to man in sin and guilt to have a Law of Grace for his pardon and recovery and a course of means prescribed him for the healing of his Soul and for the escaping of the stroke of Justice The following particulars further open this § 4. It seemeth very congruous to Reason that as Monarchy is the perfectest sort of Government which it is probable is even among the Angels so Mankinde should have one universal Head or Monarch over them Kingdoms have their several Monarchs but there is surely an Universal Monarch over them all we know that God is the primary Soveraign but it is very probable to Nature that there is a subordinate Soveraign or general Administrator under him It is not only the Scriptures that speak a Prince of the Devils and of Principalities and Powers and Thrones and Dominions among the happy Spirits and that talk of the Angels that are Princes of several Kingdoms Dan. 10. but even the Philosophers and most Idolaters have from this apprehension been drawn to the worship of such as an inferiour kinde of Deity And if man must have a subordinate universal King it is meet that it be one that is also Man As Angels and Devils have Principals of their own sort and nature and not of others § 5. It seemeth congruous to Reason that this Head be one that is fitted to be our Captain Generall himself to lead us by Conduct Precept and Example in our warfare against those Devils who also are said to have their Prince and General As Devils fight against us under a Prince of their own nature so is it congruous that we fight against them under a Prince of our own nature who hath himself first conquered him and will go on before us in the fight § 6. It is congruous to Reason that lapsed Man under the guilt of sin and desert of punishment who is unable to deliver himself and unworthy of immediate access to God should have a Mediator for his restoration and reconciliation with God If any be found fit for so high an Office § 7. And it is congruous to Reason that this Mediator be one in whom God doth condescend to Man and one in whom man may be encouraged to ascend to God as to one that will forgive and save him And one that hath made himself known to man and also hath free access to God § 8. It is congruous to Reason that lapsed guilty darkened sinners that know so little of God and of his Will and of their own Concernments and of the other World should have a Teacher sent from Heaven of greater Authority and Credit than an Angel to acquaint us with God and his will and the Life that we are going to more certainly and fully than would be done by Nature only That this is very desireable no man can doubt How gladly would men receive a Letter or Book that dropt from Heaven Or an Angel that were sent thence to tell them what is there and what they must for ever trust to Yea if it were but one of their old acquaintance from the dead But all this would leave them in uncertainty still and they would be doubtfull of the credit and truth of any such a Messenger And therefore to have one of fuller Authority that shall confirm his Word by unquestionable attestations would very much satisfie men I have proved that Nature it self revealeth to us a Life of Retribution after this and that Immortality of Souls may be proved without Scripture But yet there is still a darkness and unacquaintedness and consequently a doubting and questioning the certainty of it upon a carnal minde And it would greatly satisfie such if besides meer Reason they had some proof which is more agreeable to a minde in flesh and might either speak with some credible Messenger who hath been in Heaven and fully knoweth all these matters or at least might be certainly informed of his Reports And indeed to men that are fallen into such a dark depravedness of Reason and such Strangers to God and Heaven as mankind is it is become needful that they have more than natural light to shew them the nature the excellency and certainty of the happiness to come or else they are never like so to love and seek it and prefer it before all
permitted Satan to tempt him extraordinarily by carrying him from place to place that he might extraordinarily overcome When Nathanael came to him he told him his heart and told him what talk he had with Philip afar off till he convinced him that he was Omniscient At Cana of Galilee at a Feast he turned their Water into Wine At Capernaum he dispossessed a Demoniack Luk. 4.33 34 c. He healed Simons Mother of a Feaver at a word Luk. 4.38 39. He healed multitudes of torments diseases and madness Mat. 4.24 Luk. 4.40 41. He cleanseth a Leaper by a word Math. 8.2 3. Luk. 5.12 so also he doth by a Paralitick Math. 9. Luk. 5. He telleth the Samaritane woman all that she had done Joh. 4. At Capernaum he healed a Noble-mans Son by a word Joh. 4. At Jerusalem he cured an impotent Man that had waited five and thirty years A touch of his Garment cureth a Woman diseased with an Issue of blood twelve years Math. 9.20 He cured two blinde men with a touch and a word Math. 9.28 29. He dispossessed another Demoniack Mat. 9.32 He raiseth Jairus daughter at a word who was dead or seemed so Mat. 9.23 24. He dispossessed another Demoniack blinde and dumb Mat. 12. He healeth the Servant of a Centurion ready to dye by a word Luk. 7. He raiseth the Son of a Widow from death that was carried out in a Biere to be buried Luk. 7. With five Barley Loaves and two small Fishes he feedeth five thousand and twelve baskets full of the fragments did remain Mat. 14. Joh. 6. He walketh upon the waters of the Sea Mat. 14. He causeth Peter to do the like Mat. 14. All the diseased of the Countrey were perfectly healed by touching the hem of his garment Mat. 14.36 He again healed multitudes lame dumb blinde maimed c. Math. 15. He again fed four thousand with seven Loaves and a few little Fishes and seven baskets full were left Math. 15. He restoreth a man born blinde to his sight Joh. 9. In the sight of three of his Disciples he is transfigured into a Glory which they could not behold and Moses and Elias talked with him and a voice out of the Cloud said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. Luk. 9. He healed the Lunatick Mat. 17. Multitudes are healed by him Mat. 19.2 Two blinde men are healed Mat. 20. He healed a Crooked woman Luk 13.11 He withereth up a fruitless Tree at a word Mark 11. He restoreth a blinde man nigh to Jericho Luk. 18.35 He restoreth Lazarus from death to life that was four dayes dead and buryed Joh. 11. He foretelleth Judas that he would betray him And he frequently and plainly foretold his own sufferings death and resurrection And he expresly foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple and the great calamity of that place even before that generation past away Mat. 24 c. He prophesied his death the night before in the institution of his Supper When he dyed the Sun was darkened and the Earth trembled and the Vail of the Temple rent and the dead bodies of many arose and appeared so that the Captain that kept guard said Truly this was the Son of God Mat. 27. When he was crucified and buried though his Grave-stone was sealed and a guard of Souldiers set to watch it Angels appeared and rolled away the Stone and spake to those that enquired after him And he rose and revived and staid forty dayes on Earth with his Disciples He appeared to them by the way He came oft among them on the First day of the week at their Meetings when the doors were shut He called Thomas to see the prints of the Nails and put his finger into his side and not be faithless but believing till he forced him to cry out My Lord and my God! Joh. 20. He appeareth to them as they are fishing and worketh a miracle in their draught and provideth them broiled Fish and eateth with them He expostulated with Simon and engaged him as he loved him to feed his Sheep and discourseth of the age of John Joh. 21. He giveth his Apostles their full Commission for their gathering his Church by Preaching and Baptism and edifying it by teaching them all that he had commanded them and giveth them the Keyes of it Mat. 28. Joh. 19. 20. He appeareth to above five hundred Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15. He shewed himself to them by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty dayes and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and being assembled with them commanded them to tarry at Jerusalem till the Spirit came down miraculously upon them And he ascended up to Heaven before their eyes Act. 1. And two Angels appeared to them as they were gazing after him and told them that thus he should come again When Pentecost was come when they were all together about a hundred and twenty the Holy Spirit came upon them visibly in the appearance of fiery Cloven Tongues and sate on each of them and caused them to speak the languages of many Nations which they had never learned in the hearing of all Upon the notice of which and by Peters Exhortation about three thousand were then at once converted Act. 2. After this Peter and John do heal a man at the entrance of the Temple who had been lame from his birth and this by the name of Jesus before the People Act. 3. One that was above forty years old Act. 4.22 When they were forbidden to preach upon their praises to God the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 4.31 Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead by Peters word for hypocrisie and lying Act. 5. And many Signs and Wonders were done by them among the People Act. 5.12 Insomuch that they brought the sick into the streets and laid them on Beds and Couches that at least Peters shadow might over-shaddow them Act. 5.14 15. And a multitude came out of the Cities round about to Jerusalem bringing sick folks and Demoniacks and they were healed every one v. 16. Upon this the Apostles were shut into the common Prison But an Angel by night opened the Prison and brought them out and bid them go preach to the People in the Temple Act. 5. When Stephen was martyred he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at his right hand Act. 7. Philip at Samaria cured Demoniacks Palsies Lameness and so converted the people of that City insomuch that Simon the Sorcerer himself believed The Holy Ghost is then given by the Imposition of the hands of Peter and John so that Simon offered money for that gift Act. 8. Philip is led by the Spirit to convert the Aethiopian Nobleman and then carryed away Act. 8. Saul who was one of the murderers of Stephen and a great Persecutor of the Church is stricken down to the Earth and called by Jesus Christ appearing
themselves as being wholly his own 3. It absolutely subjecteth the Soul to God and sitteth up his Authority as absolute over our thoughts and words and all our actions And maketh the Christians life a course of careful obedience to his Laws so far as they understand them 4. It taketh up a Christians mind with the thankful sense of his Redemption so that the pardon of his sins and his deliverance from hell and his hopes of everlasting glory do form his soul to a holy gratitude and make the expressions of it to be his work 5. It giveth man a sense of the love of God as his gracious Redeemer and so of the goodness and mercifulness of his Nature It causeth them to think of God as their greatest Benefactor and as one that loveth them and as LOVE it self and so it reconcileth their estranged alienated minds to him and maketh the love of God to be the very constitution and life of the Soul 6. It causeth men to believe that there is an everlasting Glory to be enjoyed by holy Souls where we shall see the glory of God and be filled with his love and exercised in perfect love and praise and be with Christ his Angels and Saints for evermore It causeth them to take this felicity for their portion and to set their hearts upon it and to make it the chief care and business of all their lives to seek it 1. It causeth them to live in the joyful hopes and foresight of this blessedness and to do all that they do as means thereunto and thus it sweetneth all their lives and maketh Religion their chief delight 8. It accordingly employeth their thoughts and tongues so that the praises of God and the mention of their everlasting blessedness and of the way thereto is their most delightful conference as it beseemeth travellers to the City of God and so their political converse is in heaven 9. And thus it abateth the fears of death as being but their passage to everlasting life And those that are confirmed Christians indeed do joyfully entertain it and long to see their glorified Lord and the blessed Majesty of their great Creator 10. It causeth men to love all sanctified persons with a special love of complacency and all mankind with a love of benevolence even to love our neighbours as our selves and to abhor that selfishness which would engage us against our neighbours good 11. It causeth men to love their enemies and to forgive and forbear and to avoid all unjust and unmerciful revenge It maketh men meek long-suffering and patient though not impassionate insensible or void of that anger which is the necessary opposer of sin and folly 12. It employeth men in doing all the good they can it maketh them long for the holiness and happiness of one another's souls and desirous to do good to those that are in need according to our power 13. This true Regeneration by the Spirit of Christ doth make those Superiours that hath it even Princes Magistrates Parents and Masters to Rule those under them in holiness love and justice with self-denial seeking more the pleasing of God and the happiness of their Subjects for soul and body than any carnal selfish interest of their own and therefore it must needs be the blessing of that happy Kingdom Society or Family which hath such a holy Governour O that they were not so few 14. It maketh subjects and children and servants submissive and conscionable in all the duties of their Relations and to honour their Superiours as the Officers of God and to obey them in all just subordination to him 15. It causeth men to love Justice and to do as they would be done by and to desire the welfare of the souls bodies estates and honour of their neighbours as their own 16. It causeth men to subdue their adpetites and lusts and fleshly desires and to set up the government of God and sanctified Reason over them and to take their flesh for that greatest enemy in our corrupted state which we must chiefly watch against and master as being a Rebel against God and Reason It alloweth a man so much sensitive pleasure as God forbiddeth not and as tendeth to the holiness of the soul and furthereth us in God's service and all the rest it rebuketh and resisteth 17. It causeth men to estimate all the wealth and honour and dignities of the world as they have respect to God and a better world and as they either help or hinder us in the pleasing of God and seeking immortality and as they are against God and our spiritual work and happiness it causeth us to account them but as meer vanity loss and dung 18. It keepeth men in a life of watchfulness against all those temptations which would draw them from this holy course and in a continual warfare against Satan and his Kingdom under conduct of Jesus Christ 19. It causeth men to prepare for sufferings in this world and to look for no great matters here to expect persecutions crosses losses wants defamations injuries and painful sicknesses and death and to spend their time in preparing all that furniture of mind which is necessary to their support and comfort in such a day of trial that they may be patient and joyful in tribulation and bodily distress as having a comfortable relation to God and Heaven which will incomparably weigh down all 20. It causeth men to acknowledge that all this grace and mercy is from the love of God alone and to depend on him for it by faith in Christ and to devote and refer all to himself again and make it our ultimate end to please him and thus to subserve him as the first Efficient the chief Dirigent and the ultimate final Cause of all of whom and through whom and to whom are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen This is the true description of that Regenerate Sanctified state which the Spirit of Christ doth work on all whom he will save and that are Christians indeed and not in Name only And certainly this is the Image of God's Holiness and the just constitution and use of a reasonable Soul And therefore he that bringeth men to this is a Real Saviour of whom more anon II. And it is very considerable by what means and in what manner all this is done It is done by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and that in plainness and simplicity The curiosity of artificial oratory doth usually but hinder the success as painting doth the light of windows It was a few plain men that came with spiritual power and not with the entising words of humane wisdom or curiosities of vain Philosophy who did more in this work than any of their successors have done since As in Naturals every thing is apt to communicate its own nature and not anothers heat causeth heat and cold causeth cold so wit by communication causeth wit and common learning causeth common
interest of their sect or cause and party 6. Nor by your own partial interest which will make you judge of men not as they are indeed and towards God but as they either answer or cross your interests and desires 7. Nor must you judge of all by some that prove hypocrites who once seemed sincere 8. Nor must you judge of a man by some particular fall or failing which is contrary to the bent of his heart and life and is his greatest sorrow 9. Nor must you come with a fore-stalled and malicious mind hating that holiness your self which you enquire after for malice is blind and a constant false interpreter and a slanderer 10. You must know what Holiness and Honesty is before you can well judge of them These conditions are all so reasonable and just that he that liveth among religious honest men and will stand at a distance unacquainted with their lives and maliciously revile them upon the seduction of false reports or of interest either his own interest or the interest of a faction and will say I see no such honest and renewed persons but a company of self-conceited hypocrites this man 's confirmed infidelity and damnation is the just punishment of his wilful blindness partiality and malice which made him false to God to truth and to his own soul § 107. It is not some but All true Christians that ever were or are in the world who have within them this witness or evidence of the Spirit of Regeneration As I have before said Christ will own no others Rom. 8. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 2 Cor. 5.17 Luk. 14.26.33 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new He that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts Indeed the Church visible which is but the congregate Societies of professed Christians hath many in it that have none of this Spirit or grace but such are only Christians equivocally and not in the primary proper sense 1 Joh. 5.7 8 9 10. There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son § 108. The more any one is a Christian in degree the more he hath of this witness of the sanctifying Spirit in himself and the holier he is § 109. The nearer any Philosopher or others are like to Christians the nearer they come to this renewed Image of God § 110. As this Image of God the holiness of the soul is the very end and work of a true Saviour so the true effecting of it on all true Christians is actually their begun salvation and therefore the standing infallible witness of Christ which should confound unbelief in all that are indeed his own This which I spake of the fore going Chapter is a testimony in every holy soul which the gates of hell shall not prevail against He that undertaketh to cure all of the Plague or Stone or Gout or Fever that will take his medicines and be ruled by him is certainly no deceiver if he do that which he undertaketh He that undertaketh to teach all men Arithmetick Geometry Astronomy Musick c. who will come and learn of him is certainly no deceiver if he do it What is it that Jesus Christ hath undertaken Think of that and then tell me whether he be a deceiver He never undertook to make his Disciples Kings or Lords or rich or honourable in the world nor yet to make them the best Logicians Orators Astronomers Mathematicians Physicians Musicians c. but to make them the best men to renew them to the love of God in holiness and thereby to save them from their sins and give them repentance unto life Nor hath he promised this to all that are baptized or called Christians but only to those that sincerely consent to learn of him and take his counsel and use the remedies which he prescribeth them And is it not certain that Christ doth truly perform this undertaking How then can he be a deceiver who doth perform all that he undertaketh Of this all true Christians have a just demonstration in themselves which is his witness Object But Christ undertaketh more than this even to bring us to everlasting blessedness in heaven Answ It is our comfort that he doth so but me-thinks its easie to believe him in that if he perform the rest For 1. I have proved in the first part of this Book that by the light of nature a future life of retribution must be expected and that man is made for a future happiness 2. And who then should have that happiness but the holy and renewed souls Doth not natural reason tell you that so good a God will shew his love to those that are good that is to those that love him 3. And what think you is to be done to bring any man to heaven but to pardon him and make him holy 4. And the nature of the work doth greatly help our faith For this holiness is nothing but the beginning of that happiness When we find that Christ hath by his Spirit begun to make us know God and love him and delight in him and praise him it is the easier to make us believe that he will perfect it He that promiseth to convey me safely to the Antipodes may easily be believed when he hath brought me past the greatest difficulties of the voyage He that will teach me to sing artificially hath merited credit when he hath taught me the gradual tones the Scale of Musick the Sol-fa-ing the Cliffs the Quantity the Moods the Rules of time c. He that causeth me to love God on earth may be believed if he promise me that I shall love him more in heaven And he that causeth me to desire heaven above earth before I see it may be believed when he promiseth that it shall be my great delight when I am there It is God's work to love them that love him and to reward the obedient and I must needs believe that God will do his work and will never fail the just expectations of any creature All my doubt is whether I shall do my part and whether I shall be a prepared subject for that felicity and he that resolveth this resolveth all He that will make me fit for
luculentissima Josephi edita paulo post annum à Christi abitu 40. Cum quibus consentiunt ea quae apud Thalmudicos de iisdem temporibus leguntur Neronis saevitiam in Christianos Tacitus memoriae prodidit Exstabant olim libri tum privatorum ut Phlegontis tum acta publica ad quae Christiani provocabant quilus constabat de eo sidere quod post Christum natum apparuit de terrae motu solis deliquio contra naturam plenissimo lunae orbe circa tempus quo Christus crucis supplicio affectus est Celsus and Julian do not deny the miracles of Christ Mahomet himself confesseth Christ to be a true Prophet and the Word of God and condemneth the Jews for rejecting him he confesseth his miraculous Nativity and mighty works and that he was sent from heaven to preach the Gospel He bringeth in God as saying We have delivered our declarations to Jesus the Son of Mary and strengthned him by the holy Ghost And We have delivered him the Gospel in which is direction and light c. And he teacheth his followers this Creed Say We believe in God and that which was delivered to Moses and Jesus and which was delivered to the Prophets from their Lord we distinguish not between any of them and we deliver up our selves to his faith And if Christ be to be believed as Mahomet saith then Christianity is the true Religion for as for his and his followers reports that the Scriptures are changed and that we have put out Christ's prediction that Mahomet must be sent c. they are fables not only unproved but before here proved utterly impossible Read Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 8 c. 17 18. l. 9. c. 10. of God's strange judgments on Maximinus the Emperour whose bowels being tormented and his lower parts ulcerated with innumerable worms and so great a stink as kill'd some of his Physicians which forced him to confess that what had befallen him was deservedly for his madness against Christ for he had forbidden the Christians their assemblies and persecuted them wherefore he commanded that they should cease persecuting the Christians and that by a Law and Imperial Edict their Assemblies should be again restored He confessed his sins and begg'd the Christians Prayers and professed that if he were recovered he would worship the God of the Christians whom by experience he had found to be the true God See Bishop Fotherby Atheomast l. 1. c. 3. p. 140 141. comparing his case with Antiochus his Paulus Orosius histor li. 6. fine telleth us of a Fountain of Oyl which flowed a whole day in Augustus Reign and how Augustus refused to be called Dominus and how he shut up Janus Temple because of the Universal Peace and that eo tempore id est eo anno quo fortissimam verissimamque pacem ordinatione Dei Caesar composuit natus est Christus cujus adventum pax ista famulata est in cujus ortu audientibus hominibus exultantes Angeli cecinerunt Gloria in excelsis Deo in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis See also what after others he saith of Tyberius motioning to the Senate that Christ might be accounted a God and Sejanus resisting it li 7. Auct Bib. Pat. To. 1. p. 209. where he saith also that aliquanti Graecorum libri attested the darkness at Christs death And li. 7. p. 216. he sheweth that as after the ten Plagues of Egypt the Israelites were delivered and the Egyptians destroyed so was it in the Roman Empire with the Christians and Pagans after the particular revenges of the ten Persecutions But because he is a Christian Historian I cite no more from him CHAP. IX Yet Faith hath many Difficulties to overcome What they are and what their Causes THere are two sorts of persons who may possibly peruse these things and are of tempers so contrary that what helpeth one may hurt the other The first are those who see so many objections and difficulties that they are turned from the due apprehension of the Evidences of Christianity and can think of nothing but stumbling-blocks to their Faith To tell these men of more difficulties may adde to their discouragement and do them hurt And yet I am not of their minde that think they should be therefore silenced For that may tempt them to imagine them unanswerable if they come into their mindes The better way for these men is to desire them better to study the Evidence of truth And there are other men who must be thought on who seeing no difficulties in the work of Faith do continue unfortified against them and keep up a Belief by meer extrinsick helps and advantages which will fall as soon as the storms assault it And because no doubt is well overcome that is not known and Nil tam certum quà m quod ex dubio certum est I will venture to open the Difficulties of Believing § 1. That Believing in Christ is a work of Difficulty is proved both by the paucity of sound Believers and the imperfection of Faith in the sincere and the great and wonderfull means which must be used to bring men to believe Superficial Believers are a small part of the whole World and sound Believers are a small part of professed Christians And these sound Believers have many a temptation and some of them many a troublesom doubt and all of them a Faith which is too farr from perfection And yet all the Miracles Evidences Arguments and Operations aforesaid must be used to bring them even to this § 2. The Difficulties are I. Some of them in the things to be believed II. Some of them in extrinsecal impediments III. And some of them in the minde of Man who must believe § 3. I. 1. The mysteriousness of the doctrine of the blessed Trinity hath alwayes been a difficulty to Faith and occasioned many to avoid Christianity especially the Mahometanes and many Hereticks to take up Devices of their own to shift it off § 4. 2. The Incarnation of the second Person the Eternal Word and the personal union of the Divine Nature with the Humane is so strange a condescension of God to man as maketh this the greatest of difficulties and the greatest stumbling-block to Infidels and Hereticks § 5. 3. The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ and the advancement of mans nature in him above the Angelical nature and glory is a difficulty § 6. 4. To believe all the history of the Miracles of Christ the Prophets and Apostles is difficult because of the strangeness of the things § 7. 5. It is not without difficulty firmly to believe the Immortality of Souls and the endlesness of the felicity of the life to come § 8. 6. And it hath proved hard to many to believe the endless miseries of damned souls in Hell § 9. 7. And it is as hard to believe the paucity of the blessed and that the damned are the farr greater number § 10. 8.
these Who can say that God is unable to raise the dead who seeth so much greater things performed by him in the daily motion of the Sun or Earth and in the support and course of the whole frame of Nature He that can every Spring give a kinde of Resurrection to Plants and Flowers and Fruits of the Earth can easily raise our bodies from the dust And no man can prove that the Wisdom of God or yet his Will are against our Resurrection but that both are for it may be proved by his Promises Shall that which is beyond the power of Man be therefore objected as a difficulty to God 2. Yea it is congruous to the Wisdom and Governing Justice of God that the same Body which was partaker with the Soul in sin and duty should be partaker with it in suffering or felicity 3. The Lord Jesus Christ did purposely die and rise again in his humane body to put the Resurrection out of doubt by undenyable ocular demonstration and by the certainty of belief 4. There is some Natural Reason for the Resurrection in the Souls inclination to its Body As it is unwilling to lay it down it will be willing to reassume it when God shall say The time is come As we may conclude at night when they are going to bed that the people of City and Countrey will rise the next morning and put on their Cloaths and not go naked about the streets because there is in them a Natural inclination to rising and to cloaths and a natural aversness to lie still or to go uncloathed so may we conclude from the souls natural inclination to its body that it will reassume it as soon as God consenteth 5. And all our Objections which reason from supposed contradictions vanish because none of us all have so much skill in Physicks as to know what it is which individuateth this Numerical Body and so what it is which is to be restored But we all confess that it is not the present mass of flesh and humours which being in a continual flux is not the same this year which it was the last and may vanish long before we die Obj. X. If Christ be indeed the Saviour of the World why came he not into the World till it was 4000 years old And why was he before revealed to so few and to them so darkly Did God care for none on earth but a few Jews or did he not care for the Worlds recovery till the later age when it drew towards its end Answ It is hard for the Governour of the World by ordinary means to satisfie all self-conceited persons of the wisdom and equity of his dealings But 1. it belongeth not to us but to our free Benefactor to determine of the measure and season of his benefits May he not do with his own as he list And shall we deny or question a proved truth because the reason of the circumstances is unrevealed to us If our Physician come to cure us of a mortal disease would we reject him because he came not sooner and because he cured not all others that were sick as well as us 2. The Eternal Wisdom and Word of God the second Person in the Trinity was the Saviour of the World before he was incarnate He did not only by his Vndertaking make his future performances valid as to the merit and satisfaction necessary to our deliverance but he instructed Mankinde in order to their recovery and Ruled them upon terms of grace and so did the work of a Redeemer or Mediator even as Prophet Priest and King before his Incarnation He enacted the Covenant of Grace that whoever repenteth and believeth shall be saved and so gave men a conditional pardon of their sins 3. And though Repentance and the Love of God was necessary to all that would be saved even as a constitutive cause of their salvation yet that Faith in the Mediator which is but the means to the Love of God and to sanctification was not alwayes nor in all places in the same particular Articles necessary as it is now where the Gospel is preached Before Christs coming a more general belief might serve the turn for mens salvation without believing that This Jesus is the Christ that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed and descended to Hades and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven c. And as more is necessary to be believed since Christs incarnation and resurrection than before so more was before necessary to the Jewes who had the Oracles of God and had more revealed to them than to other Nations who had less revealed And now more is necessary where the Gospel cometh than where it doth not 4. So that the Gentiles had a Saviour before Christs Incarnation and not only the Jewes They were reprieved from Legal Justice and not dealt with by God upon the proper terms of the Covenant of Works or meer Nature They had all of them much of that mercy which they had forfeited which came to them by the Grace of the Redeemer They had time and helps to turn to God and a course of means appointed them to use in order to their recovery and salvation According to the use of which they shall be judged They were not with the Devils left remediless and shut out of all hope under final desperation No one ever perished in any Age or Nation of the World who by believing in a mercifull pardoning holy God was recovered to love God above all And if they did not this they were all without a just excuse 5. The course of Grace as that of Nature doth wisely proceed from low degrees to higher and bringeth not things to perfection at the first The Sun was not made the first day of the Creation nor was Man made till all things were prepared for him The Churches Infancy was to go before its Maturity We have some light of the Sun before it rise much more before it come to the height As Christ now teacheth his Church more plainly when he is himself gone into Glory even by his Pastors whom he fitteth for that work and by his Spirit so did he though more obscurely yet sufficiently teach it before he came in the flesh by Prophets and Priests His work of Salvation consisteth in bringing men to live in Love and Obedience And his way of Teaching them his saving doctrine is by his Ministers without and by his Spirit within And thus he did before his coming in flesh and thus he doth since we that are born since his coming see not his Person any more than they who were born before But we have his Word Ministers and Spirit and so had they His reconciling sacrifice was effectual morally in esse cognito volito before the performance of it And the means of reconciling our mindes to God
humane testimony And you shall finde the Miracles of the Apostles also to have a fuller attestation Even 1. besides the most credible humane testimony 2. a natural impossibility of deceit and falshood 3. and a further attestation of God supernaturally And you shall finde that the Gospel hath its certain evidence in the sanctifying effect by the co-operation of the holy Spirit of Christ unto this day Peruse it impartially and you will finde all this in what is said What would men rather desire to attest the veracity of a Messenger from Heaven than Miracles Evident uncontrolled multiplyed miracles And must this messenger live in every age and go into every Land to do these Miracles in the presence of every living Soul If not how would those that live in another Land or Age be brought to the knowledge of them but by the testimony of those that saw them And how would you have such testimonies better confirmed than by multiplyed miracles delivered in a way which cannot possibly deceive and fully and perpetually attested by the Spirit of effectual sanctification on Believers It is an unreasonable arrogancy to tell our Maker that we will not believe any miracles which he doth by whomsoever or howsoever witnessed unless we see them our selves with our own eyes and so they be made as common as the shining of the Sun and then we should contemn them as of no validity So much shall here suffice against the Objections from the Intrinsecal difficulties in the Christian Faith Many more are answered in my Treatise against Infidelity published heretofore CHAP. XI The Objections from things Extrinsecal resolved Obj. I. ALL men are Liars and History may convey down abundance of Vntruths Who liveth with his eyes open among men that may not perceive him partially men write and how falsly through partiality and with what brazen-faced impudency the most palpable falshoods in publick matters of fact are most confidently averred and that in the Land the City the Age the Year of the transaction who then can lay his salvation upon the truth of the history of acts and miracles done one thousand six hundred years ago Answ The Father of Lies no doubt can divulge them as well by Pen or Press as by the Tongue And it is not an unnecessary Caution to Readers and Hearers too to take heed what they believe especially 1. when one Sect or party speaks against another 2. or when carnal Interest requireth men to say what they do 3. or when falling out provoketh them to asperse any others 4. or when the stream of the popular vogue or countenance of men in power hath a finger in it 5. or when it is as probably contradicted by as credible men 6. or when the higher Powers deterre all from contradicting it and dissenters have not liberty of speech But none of these nor any such are in our present case There are Lyars in the world but shall none therefore be believed There is history which is false but is none therefore true Is there not a certainty in that history which telleth us of the Norman Conquest of this Land and of the series of Kings which have been since then and of the Statutes which they and their Parliaments have made yea of a battail and other transaction before the Incarnation of Jesus Christ Doth the falshood of Historians make it uncertain whether ever there was a Pope at Rome or a King in France or an Inquisition in Spain c But I have proved that it is more than the bare credit of any Tradition or Historians in the world which assure us of the truth both of fact and doctrine in the Christian Faith Obj. II. Are not the Legends written with as great confidence as the Scriptures and greater multitudes of Miracles there mentioned and believed by the Subjects of the Pope And yet they are denyed and derided by the Protestants Ans Credible History reporteth many miracles done in the first ages of the Christian Church and some since in several ages and places And the truth of these was the Cloak for the Legends multiplyed falsities which were not written by men that wrought Miracles themselves to attest them nor that proved the verity of their writings as the Apostles did Nor were they ever generally received by the Christian Churches but were written a while ago by a few ignorant superstitious Friers in an age of darkness and in the manner exposing the stories to laughter and contempt and are lamented by many of the most learned Papists themselves and not believed by the multitude of the people And shall no Chronicles no Records no certain History be believed as long as there are any foolish superstitious Lyars left upon the Earth Then Lyars will effectually serve the Devil indeed if they can procure men to believe neither humane testimony nor Divine Obj. III. Many Fryers and Fanaticks Quakers and other Enthusiasts have by the power of Conceit been transported into such streins of speech as in the Apostles were accounted fruits of the Spirit Yea to a pretence of Prophesie and Miracles And how know we that it was not so with the Apostles Answ 1. It is the Devils way of opposing Christ to do it by apish imitation So would the Egyptian Magicians have discredited the miracles of Moses And Christianity consisteth not of any words which another may not speak or any actions of devotion or gesture or formality which no man else can do There are no words which seem to signifie a rapture which are not miraculous but they may be counterfeited But yet as a Statuary or Painter may be known from a Creator and a Statue from a Man so may the Devils imitations and fictions from the evidences of Christianity which he would imitate Look through the four parts of the testimony of the Spirit and you may see this to be so 1. What antecedent Prophesies have foretold us of these mens actions 2. What frame of Holy doctrine do they deliver bearing the Image of God besides so much of Christs own doctrine as they acknowledge 3 And what Miracles are with any probability pretended to be done by any of them unless you mean any Preacher of Christianity in confirmation of that common Christian Faith There are no Quakers or other Fanaticks among us that I can hear of who pretend to miracles In their first arising two or three of them were raised to a confidence that they had the Apostolical gift of the Spirit and should speak with unlearnt Languages and heal the sick and raise the dead but they failed in the performance and made themselves the common scorn by the vanity of their attempts Not one of them that ever spake a word of any Language but what he had learnt nor one that cured any disease by Miracle One of them at Worcester half famished and then as is most probable drown'd himself and a woman that was their Leader undertook to raise him from the dead But
me who I know canst neither be deceived or by any falshood or seduction deceive On thee therefore O my dear Redeemer do I cast and trust this sinful soul with Thee and with thy holy Spirit I renew my Covenant I know no other I have no other I can have no other Saviour but thy self To thee I deliver up this soul which thou hast redeemed not to be advanced to the wealth and honours and pleasures of this world but to be delivered from them and to be healed of sin and brought to God and to be saved from this present evil world which is the portion of the ungodly and unbelievers to be washed in thy Bloud and illuminated quickned and confirmed by thy SPIRIT and conducted in the ways of holiness and love and at last to be presented justified and spotless to the Father of spirits and possessed of the glory which thou hast promised O thou that hast prepared so dear a medicine for the clensing of polluted guilty souls leave not this unworthy soul in its guilt or in its pollution O thou that knowest the Father and his Will and art nearest to him and most beloved of him cause me in my degree to know the Father acquaint me with so much of his will as concerneth my duty or my just encouragement leave not my soul to groap in darkness seeing thou art the Sun and Lord of Light O heal my estranged thoughts of God! is he my light and life and all my hope and must I dwell with him for ever and yet shall I know him no better than thus shall I learn no more that have such a Teacher and shall I get no nearer him while I have a Saviour and a Head so near O give my faith a clearer prospect into that better world and let me not be so much unacquainted with the place in which I must abide for ever And as thou hast prepared a Heaven for holy souls prepare this too-unprepared soul for Heaven which hath not long to stay on earth And when at death I resign it into thy hands receive it as thine own and finish the work which thou hast begun in placing it among the blessed Spirits who are filled with the sight and love of God I trust thee living let me trust thee dying and never be ashamed of my trust And unto Thee the Eternal Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son the Communicative LOVE who condescendest to make Perfect the Elect of God do I deliver up this dark imperfect soul to be further renewed confirmed and perfected according to the holy Covenant Refuse not to bless it with thine indwelling and operations quicken it with thy life irradiate it by thy light sanctifie it by thy love actuate it purely powerfully and constantly by thy holy motions And though the way of this thy sacred influx be beyond the reach of humane apprehension yet let me know the reality and saving power of it by the happy effects Thou art more to fouls than souls to bodies than light to eyes O leave not my soul as a carrion destitute of thy life nor its eyes as useless destitute of thy light nor leave it as a senseless block without thy motion The remembrance of what I was without thee doth make me fear lest thou shouldest with-hold thy grace Alass I feel I daily feel that I am dead to all good and all that 's good is dead to me if thou be not the life of all Teachings and reproofs mercies and corrections yea the Gospel it self and all the liveliest Books and Sermons are dead to me because I am dead to them yea God is as no God to me and Heaven as no Heaven and Christ as no Christ and the clearest evidences of Scripture verity are as no proofs at all if thou represent them not with light and power to my soul Even as all the glory of the world is as nothing to me without the light by which it 's seen O thou that hast begun and given me those heavenly intimations and desires which flesh and bloud could never give me suffer not my folly to quench these sparks nor this bruitish flesh to prevail against thee nor the powers of hell to stifle and kill such a heavenly seed O pardon that folly and wilfulness which hath too often too obdurately and too unthankfully striven against thy grace and depart not from an unkind and sinful soul I remember with grief and shame how I wilfully bore down thy motions punish it not with desertion and give me not over to my self Art thou not in Covenant with me as my Sanctifier and Confirmer and Comforter I never undertook to do these things for my self but I consent that thou shouldest work them on me As thou art the Agent and Advocate of Jesus my Lord O plead his cause effectually in my soul against the suggestions of Satan and my unbelief and finish his healing saving work and let not the flesh or world prevail Be in me the resident witness of my Lord the Author of my Prayers the Spirit of Adoption the Seal of God and the earnest of mine inheritance Let not my nights be so long and my days so short nor sin eclipse those beams which have often illuminated my soul Without thee Books are senseless scrawls studies are dreams learning is a glow-worm and wit is but wantonness impertinency and folly Transcribe those sacred precepts on my heart which by thy dictates and inspirations are recorded in thy holy word I refuse not thy help for tears and groans but O shed abroad that love upon my heart which may keep it in a continual life of love And teach me the work which I must do in Heaven refresh my soul with the delights of holiness and the joys which arise from the believing hopes of the everlasting Joys Exercise my heart and tongue in the holy praises of my Lord. Strengthen me in sufferings and conquer the terrors of death and hell Make me the more heavenly by how much the faster I am hastening to heaven and let my last thoughts words and works on earth be likest to those which shall be my first in the state of glorious immortality where the Kingdom is delivered up to the Father and GOD will for ever be All and In all of whom and through whom and to whom are all things To whom be glory for ever Amen CHAP. XIII Consectaries 1. What Party of Christians should we joyn with or be of seeing they are divided into so many Sects I Shall briefly dispatch the Answer of this Question in these following Propositions § 1. GODLYNESS and CHRISTIANITY is our only Religion and if any party have any other we must renounce it § 2. The Church of Christ being his Body is but One and hath many Parts but should have no Parties but Vnity and Concord without Division § 3. Therefore no Christian must be of a Party or Sect as such that is as
duration yet it is after God in order of being as caused by Him as the shadow is after the substance and as the beams and light are after the Sun or rather as the leaves would be after the life of the Tree if they were conceived to be both eternal One would be an eternal Cause and the other but an eternal Effect 2. It is certain that this present World containing the Sun and Moon and Heavens and Earth which are mentioned Genes 1. is not from Eternity And indeed Reason it self doth make that at least very probable as Revelation makes it certain Which will appear when I have opened the Philosophers opinions on the other side 2. Among your selves there are all these differences and so we have several Cases to state with you 1. Some think that this present Systeme of compounded beings is from Eternity 2. Others think that only the Elements and Heavens and all simple Beings are from Eternity 3. Others think that Fire or Aether only as the Active Element is from Eternity or the incorruptible matter of the Heavens 4. Others think that matter and motion only were from Eternity 5. Others think that only spiritual purer beings Intelligences or Mindes were from Eternity and other things produced immediately by them 6. And there have been those Heathen Philosophers who held that only God was from Eternity Among all this variety of opinions why should any one think the more doubtfully of Christianity for denying some of them which all the other deny themselves Is it a likely thing that any individual mixt body should be eternall when we know that mixt bodies incline to dissolution and when we see many of them oriri interire daily before our eyes And if Man and Beast as to each individual have a beginning and end it must be so as to the beginning of the species for the species existeth not out of the Individuals and some individual must be first And as Bp. Ward argueth against Mr. Hobs If the World be eternal there have infinite dayes gone before e. g. the birth of Christ and then the whole is no greater than the parts or infinity must consist of finite parts The Heavens and the Earth therefore which are compounded beings by the same reason are lyable to dissolution as man is and therefore had a beginning So that the truth is there is no rational probability in any of your own opinions but those which assert the Eternity of some Simple Beings as Matter or Intelligences or an Anima Vniversalis Now consider further that if ever there was a moment when there were no Individuals or mixt Beings but only some universal Soul or Matter then there was an Eternity when there was nothing else For Eternity hath no beginning And then will it not be as strange to your selves to think that God should from all Eternity delight himself in Matter unformed if that be not a contradiction or in an Anima simplex unica without any of all the variegated matter and beings which we now finde besides in Nature as that he should eternally content himself with Himself alone If all individuals of compound beings were not from Eternity what was Either the Egge or the Hen must be first as the old instance is If you will come to it that either Anima unica or Atoms unformed were eternal why should not God as well be without these as be without the formed Worlds What shall a presumptuous minde now say to all these difficulties why return to modesty Remember that as the Bird hath wit given her to build her nest and breed her young as well as man could do it and better but hath no wit for things which do not concern her so man hath reason for the ends and uses of reason and not for things that are not profitable to him and that such looks into Eternity about things unrevealed do but over-whelm us and tell us that they are unrevealed and that we have not one reason for such employments And what is the end of all that I have said Why to tell you that our Religion doth not only say nothing of former worlds but 2. that it also forbiddeth us to say Yea or Nay to such questions and to corrupt our minds with such presumptuous searches of unrevealed things And therefore that you have no reason to be against the Scripture on this account for it doth not determine any thing against your own opinion if you assert not the eternity of this present world or system but it determineth against your presumption in medling with things which are beyond your reach And withall it giveth us a certainty that as in one Sun there is the Lux Radii Lumen so in one God there is Father Son and holy Spirit eternally existent and self-sufficient which quieteth the mind more than to think of an eternity of an Anima or Materia which is not God All this I have here annexed because these Philosophical self-deceivers are to be pitied and to have their proper help And I thought it unmeet to interrupt the discourse with such debates which are not necessary to more sober Readers but only for them who labour of this disease and I know that when they read the first leafe of the book which proveth that man hath a Soul or Mind they will rise up against it with all the objections which Gassendus Mr. Hobs c. assault the like in Cartesius with and say You prove not this Mind is any thing but the subtiler part of Matter and the temperament of the whole To whom I now answer 1. That it is not in that place incumbent on me nor seasonable to prove any more than I there assert 2. But I have here done it for their sakes more seasonably though my discourse is entire and firm without it And I desire the unbelieving Reader to observe that I am so far from an unnecessary incroaching upon his liberty and making him believe that Christianity condemneth all those conjectures of Philosophers which it asserteth not it self that I have taken the liberty of free conjecturing in such cases my self not going beyond the evidence of probability or the bounds of modesty and that I think them betrayers of the Christian cause or very injurious to it who would interess it in matters with what it medleth not and corrupt it by pretending that it condemneth all the opinions in Philosophy which themselves are against Nor am I one that believe that Christianity will allow me that zeal which too hastily and peremptorily condemneth all that in such points do hold what I dislike I do not anathematize as Hereticks all those who hold those opinions which either Stephanus or Guilielm Episc Parisienses condemned in their Articul Contra varios in fide errores though I think many of them dangerous and most very audacious e. g. Quod intelligentia motrix coeli fluit in animas rationales sicut