consentaneum possidet Divina nobis admirabillia Lex Law a Name consentaneous or agreeable to the minde that is to God faith Finch whom the Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mens the Minde which is Truth Wisdom and Justice it self possesseth in us Divine and things most admirable â—â—so that the Name it self saith he doth shew the Author from whence it came And as he saith that is Plato Qui tanti talem genuere parentes How great are those parents which have brought forth such a Child Now who is he that carries with him and hath as it were inclosed in his Name and nature those three Lawes and Golden Chain of all good learning to wit the law of Truth the law of Justice the law of Wisdom who therefore is not onely Science but Scientificissimous whose Name is agreeable to God to the minde from whence he came who is Truth Wisdom and Justice it-self and possesseth in us Divine and things most Admirable whose Name shews the Author from whence he came of whose Father it may be said How great is he that hath begetten such a Son But the Son to whom the Father saith thy Throne O God is for Ever and Ever a Scepter of Righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Thou hast loved Righteousnesse and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy Hands they shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a Garment and as a Vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thine years shall not faile The Son on whose shoulders the Government lies the word of God which abideth for Ever The LAW of the Lord which is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord which is sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord which are right rejoycing the Heart The Commandement of the Lord which is pure enlightning the eyes The Fear of the Lord which is clean enduring for ever The Judgements of the Lord which are true and Righteous altogether more to be desred than Gold yea than fine Gold sweeter also than the Hony or the Hony-comb And who is the Doctrine of Truth but he who is the Teacher of his People in whose mouth was the LAW of Truth and Iniqvity was not found in his lips And who puts Laws as of Right for the Teaching of men but he of whom Moses â—ruly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto You And it shall come to pass that every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People The Man Christ Jesus Again saith Finch in the same Chapter and Page Laws are Native or Positive Tully in his Oration pro Mitone taketh us out this Lesson Est enim haec non scripta sed nata lex quam non didicimus accepimus legimus verum e natura ipsa arripuimus hausimus expressimus ad quam non docti sed nati non instituti sed imbuti sumus For this LAW is not written but born which we have not learned received read but out of Nature it self have drawn suck't and expressed unto which we are not taught but born not instituted but endued In his first Book de Legibus he that is Tully doth again repeat it Constituendi verò juris ab illa Summa Lege Capiamus Exordium quae secuâ—is omnibus ante nata est quam Scripta lex ulla That is But let us take the Rise of constituting Law from that Soveraign Law which is born before all Ages before any Law was written where this Native Law he that is Tully calleth the Soveraign Law as that from which all other Laws do stream And lastly saith Finch Native are those Laws which are in Vs of themselves and therefore unchangeable and perpetual Now what is that LAW that is not Written but Born which we have not learned received read unto which we are not taught but born not instituted but endued but the law put into the Mind and writ in the Heart not with Ink and Paper but the Spirit of the living God the New Covenant which the Lord said he would make with the house of Israel after those dayes even that he would put his Laws into their Mind and write them in their Hearts and that He would be unto them a God and that they should be to him a People and that they should not Teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all should know him from the least unto the greatest for that he would be Merciful to their Vnrighteousnesse and their Iniquities he would remember no more And what is that Nature it self out of which we draw suck and expresse it but the Nature by which the Gentiles which had not the Law did the things contained in the Law these having not the Law were a Law unto themselves which shewed the work of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witnesse The Nature Divine the uncircumcision which is by Nature which keeps the Righteousnesse of the Law which fulfills the Law by which is judged he who by the Letter and Circumcision transgresses the Law even hee who is called a Jew and resteth in the Law and maketh his boast of God and knoweth his Will and approveth the Things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law and is confident that he himself is a guide to the blind a light to them who sit in darknesse an Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of Babes which hath the form of Knowledge and Truth in the Law and yet through breaking the Law dishonors God whose Circumcision is made uncircumcision but the uncircumcision of the other is counted for Circumcision For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of Men but of God The Divine Nature of which they are made partakers who have escaped the Corruption that is in the World through lust And who is the Soveraign Law from whom all other Laws do stream which is born before all ages before any Law was Written but he who is without beginning of dayes or end of life who cannot be written And whose Laws are Native or in Vs of themselves and therefore Vnchangeable and Perpetual but his who changeth not in whom is no variablenesse or shadow of changing who is a Priest for e-ever after the order of Melchisedeck whose Laws are like him And indeed were not some such
A Tender Visitation of Love To both the UNIVERSITIES OXFORD and CAMBRIDGE AND To the Jnns of Court and Chancery Even to the Seed of God in you All for you to mind and consider ere it be too late From the movings of the Lord in your Friend George Bishop And I said Hear I pray you O Heads of Jacob And ye Princes of the House of Israel is it not for you to know Judgement LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson and are to be sold at his Shop at the Black-spread Eagle and Windmill in Martins Le Grand and also by Richard Moon Book-Seller in Wine-Street in Bristol 1660. A Tender Visitation of Love to Both the Universities Oxford and Cambridg and to the Inns of Court and Chancerie c. FRIENDS THere is something in you all that 's Eternal which nothing but God can satisfie which came from God In the Prosperity or Suffering of which stands your Welfare or undoing for Ever for as much as God is with or against you as well or ill ye deal with it And Gods being with or against you is your blessedness or Everlasting Destruction Now this Eternal thing in you all is the Soul God breathed into man the breath of Life and man became a living Soul after the Image of God created he him in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse which being in Death by reason of Corruption for By one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin And so Death passed over all men for that all have sinned and by Death being held under or in Captivity by him who hath the Power of Death it is made subject unto Bondage for being Servants of sin ye are free from Righteousnesse And to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey Whether of sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Life And the wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord and being held under or made subject to Bondage it is separate from God without Christ an Alien from the Common-wealth of Israel A stranger from the Covenant of promise havving no hope And without God in the World And this is the State of all men by Nature and this is your state whilst ye know not that your Redeemer liveth and that your Redeemer lives ye know not whilst ye feel not Him living in you And him ye feel not living in you whilst ye are in Death and in Death ye are whilst Death hath power over you And Death hath power over you whilst ye are not delivered from the fear of Death and from the fear of Death ye are not delivered whilst ye are subject to Bondage for forasmuch as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto Bondage and subject unto Bondage ye are whilst sin hath dominion over you for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in Bondage and sin ha … dominion over you whilst ye obey it in the lusts thereof and sin having dominion over you ye are under the Law And whilst ye are under the Law ye are under the curse And being under the curse ye are dying so most miserable for such shall be turned into Hell and out of Hell there 's no Redemption For Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels will the King say to them on his left hand when he shall come in his Glory and all his Holy Angels with him and shall sit unpo the Throne of his Glory and these shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Therefore it concerns you whilst ye have time to mind and consider ere it be too late the things that appertain to your Eternal peace That so it may be well with that in every one of you in the welfare of which doth stand your Blessednesse and Prosperity for ever Now unto this there is no other way than Christ the Light the Light of the World the true Light that lighteh every man that cometh into the World in whom was life and the life was the Light of men Who was in the beginning with God who was God by whom all things were made and without whom was not any thing made that was made The Word the Word of God The Word nigh you in your mouth and in your heart which Moses spake of saying This Commandment viz. the Book of the Law which I command thee this Day It is not hidden from thee nor is it far off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us into Heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the Sea and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it And which Paul Preached when he said the Righteousnesse which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring up Christ again from the dead but what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach Whose Commission to the Gentiles was to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith which is in me And for this was he sent by him who is the Son of God who met him in the way the Saviour of the Soul the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles and the glory of his People of Israel And this Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and the Light of this Christ it is in you which shews you evil the compasse and end of all your actions which searcheth your heart tryeth your reigns the candle of the Lord that searcheth the inward parts of the belly which shines in darknesse but the darknesse comprehends it not And the Dominion of this Christ it is in you the Kingdom of God which reproves you for sin the Comforter when he is come he shall reprove the World of sin Now the Lord is that Spirit who is the Power of God the Gospel of Salvation the Everlasting Gospel the Law the Rule the measure of all things That 's over all that 's above all that comprehends all The Supream the Higher Power The Head of Principalities and Powers and of every man and of the Church which is his Body the fulnesse of
what is that which Ministers the Principles to the Law of Reason which are in it by Nature but that which is the Lord of Nature viz. the head of every man Lastly Synteresis quoque a quibusdam sic describitur Synteresis est potentia nata assentire naturaliter principio practico evidenti ex terminis dictanti id est significanti in Universali aliquid operandum vel fugiendum per hoc quod dicitur potentia excluditur actus habitus acquisitus dicitur nata assentire quia non oporter quod actu assentiat quia etiam potentia dicitur Synteresis dum actu nullum principium apprehendit dicitur naturaliter assentire id est statim apprehensis terminis assentire quia non requirit probationem vel discursum ad hoc quod assentiat sed ex conditione suae naturae statim apprehensis terminis non potest non assentire dicitur etiam evidenti ex terminis quia respectu principii evidenâ—â—per experientiam Non dicitur Synteresis eo quod tale Principium apprehensum potest ignorari etiam addit in universali ad excludendum Conscientiam quae est judicium conclusionis practicae in particulari distantis That is Synteresis also by some is thus discribed Synteresis is a Power born to assent naturally to a practical principle evident by the tearms dictating that is signifying in every thing something to be done or something to be avoided And by this that it is said a Power Acquired Act and Habit is excluded And it is said Born to ascent Because it need not that it ascent by the Act in regard that Synteresis is even called a Power whilest it apprehends no principle by the Act and it is said naturally to ascent That is presently the tearms being apprehended to ascent because it doth not require proof or discussion unto that to which it ascents but out of the condition of its own nature presently the terms being apprehended it cannot but assent It is also said evident by the Terms because in respect of the Principle evident by experience Synteresis is not said in it that such a Principle being apprehended it can be ignorant And it is added in every thing For the excluding of Conscience which is the Judgement of a Practical conclusion dictating in the particular And what is this but that which seeth all things not as man but as they are and is greater than Conscience Thus far Seyngerman in answer to the question Quid sit Synteresis What is Synteresis Now for the derivation of the Word do not your Books say that it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they say may be called conservatio a conservation from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conservo to conserve or keep together Unde ea pars animae say they quae vitiis adversatur sese semper immaculatum a vitiis cupit conservare perpetrata malo continuò arguit Synteresis dicitur That is From whence that part of the soul which is against evil and alwayes desires to keep it self unspotted of it and continually argueth against evil perpetrated is called Synteresis And what is that but the Religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father which keepeth it self unspotted of the World Thus much of Synteresis which ye lay as the ground or Principle of the Law and the derivation of it and what it is and signifies Now as to LAW And for this look again into your Books and see whether they speak not of LAW as they have of Synteresis and both the same as I have asserted For Example See Bracto … Lib. 1 Chap 〈…〉 Lex est say they sanctio sancta jubens honesta prohibens contraria Law is a holy sanction Commanding things honest forbidding the contrary And what is this but the holy Commandement 〈…〉 1 〈…〉 fol. 〈…〉 in◠… d … hs … e. Thus of LAW in its General difinition More particularly of LAW as ye distinguish it into the law of Nature and the law of Reason * your two great foundations of Law which Nature and Reason ye call those two great lights which God hath set in the firmament of your heart And as to the term LAW As to the law of Nature See … ch his … ok … W … ap 1. … g 3. Seyngerman saith and generally your Law Books lex Naturae est lex Eterna The law of Nature is the law Eternal And who is the law Eternal but the King Immortal The Phylosophers ye say call it Justitia Originalis Original Justice now who is Original Justice but He by whom Kings reign See … ch his … ok … W … ap 1. … g. 4. and Princes decree Justice * Finch in his Book intituled LAW thus discribes it lex Naturae est ratio summa insita in hominis Natura quae jubet ea quae faciendasunt prohibetque contraria that is The law of Nature is that Sovereign Reason fixed in mans Nature which commandeth those things which are to be done and forbideth the contrary And what is this but the same with the general definition of LAW as aforesaid As to the Law of Reason … c. … 1. de … g. Finch saith again Chap. 2. pa. 4. in the words of Tully which he quotes under that head Lex est radius divini luminis and recta ratio summi Jovis that is Law is a beam of Divine Light and right Reason of the Soverâ—â—gn God Now who is the Divine light but Christ the Light of the World And what is the Beam of Divine light but the light of Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the World And what is the Beam of the Sovereign God but the principle of God For the Beam is of the same Nature with the Light and comes from it and from the Light cannot be separated Lastly as to the Term or word LAW Finch tells ye Chap. â— page 2. of his Book aforesaid that the Hebrews câ—llâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thorah from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jaâ—rah which is to Teach because it is the Doctrine of Truth as saith he Plato saith in in his 9th Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leges ad hominum Doctrinam ponuntur Laws are for the teaching of men So that saith he LAW carryes with it and hath as it were inclosed in the Name and Nature of it those three Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Golden Chain of â—all good learning Lex veritatis Lex Justitiae Lex Sapientiae the Law of Truth the Law of Justice the Law of Wisdom And therefore is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientia Science which word the Phylosophers use whereby to expresse the Divine understanding but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientificissima Scientificissimous or the superlative efficient of an understanding Divine Whereupon saith he Plato telleth us ‖ Plato Lib. 4. â— Rep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nomen menti
thing as this laid for the ground what true pretence or colour of Reason is there for the Common or any Law of England seeing that the Breast of the Judge or that within him from whence he Judgeth is the principle thereof which if it be corrupt unreasonable and evil such must needs be the judgement which proceedeth from it and such is the judgement which proceedeth not from the principle of God And were there not such a thing in man as the principle of God what Right have any to Rule or to what end are Laws of Right among men seeing that the principle of God it is only that makes man to differ from the beast that perisheth and assoon yea sooner if I may so say because the beast hath not that understanding for the Devil to work in as unreasonable man may the Beast be taught to cease to do evil and to learn to do well as man in this state For the Ox knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my People doth not consider And man bein in honour abideth not he is like the beast that perish And wise Agur said of himself surely I am more bruitish than any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the Holy But such a Principle as this being in man is the ground or reason though it be little known why there is more or lesse of right in the Laws of Nations and more or lesse of Obedience unto them even as those who govern or are under them have more or lesse of this or as this works more or lesse or is in the Laws or them And the being of this in man is the reason why Nations are not utterly destroyed and mankinde rased out from off the face of the Earth which the Devil would soon do could he this get over and this is the Kingdom of God in the Children of men though man attributes it too much to his wisdom and strength and gives not the Glory to God nor sees his working And the want of the knowing and working of this in Rulers and People is the reason of most of the wars and desolations in the Earth but this coming to be known and to work the occasions of wars which make desolate will cease and all oppression and that which preserves the Creation by which it was made which is tender to that which it hath made and redeems it from the vanity unto which it was made subject will guide and rule And so all things will be brought into their right course and order again as before the fall which turned all things out of Order and inverted the right course and order of things in which state things stand till that which was before the Fall from which man was driven in the Fall doth rule and guide And for the manifestation of this the Creature groaneth and travelleth in pain together till now even for the manifestation of the sons of God that it may not be made subject unto vanity For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God for the Creature was made subject unto vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope because that the Creature it selfe also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Children of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now and not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodie And this viz. the bringing of man back to the Principle of God in him to lead and guide him from which he is gone is the work which the Lord is now doing in the Earth and unto which he hath brought thousands already in these Nations and which he will not slack his hand till he hath finished The Lord hath spoken it Glory to Him for ever who is causing the day to dawn and the shadows to fly away Now were it so that man knew and believed in and obeyed the Principle of God in him and grew up therein and from it gave judgement which by reason of the darkness and ignorance that is in him he little understands and believes lesse And therefore is oft times putting darknesse for light and light for darknesse bitter things for sweet and sweet for bitter as he is swayed by passion and private interest not knowing the Lord nor his Principle in him The Common Law would be most excellent and the Administration thereof exceeding useful and most suitable to this People the benefit of which as it is they would more feel were the Spirit that Administers it as simple and plain as were the hearts of them who gave the Presidents For as profession without the life hath abounded so hath deceit which is the reason why the present age is more oppressive and perplexing in the Laws and more dilatory and wrong in the administration of them than were the ages in the deepest time of darkest Popery who had less profession but more simplicity as the things themselves make manifest However the principle of it so far as in the Notion it is grounded upon and refers to and is the Principle of God as I have shewed out of your own Books that so it is is good and right and no other than that of which I have spoken and unto which I have directed you as the way to God And the Lord hath promised that he will restore Judges as at the first and Counsellors as in the beginning who were such as knew and were guided by and judged from the Principle of God in them Which doth none iniquity nor can evil touch it Which renders to every one his due and judges for God as did Moses and Joshua and Samuel whom all Israel followed The Judgement which proceedeth from that pure Principle being that which onely reacheth to the same in every man and subjecteth unto it from which when there was none that judged it was so that there was no King in Israel And when the Children of Israel went from the Judges who judged from it and said to Samuel give us a King to judge us and nay but we will have a King over us that we also may be like all the Nations The Lord said to Samuel they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them And the time is at hand wherein this promise shall be fulfilled after the hour is over which is coming which will not hold very long though it will be very sharp but shall end in this even in Reign of the Seed of God over all for ever and ever Again Look ye Professors of Divinity into the Schoolmen and see what they say as to the Question Sc. where must a man