Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	faith_n	true_a	truth_n	4,594	5	5.5207	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15824	A modell of divinitie, catechistically composed Wherein is delivered the matter and method of religion, according to the creed, ten Commandements, Lords Prayer, and the Sacraments. By Iohn Yates, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and minister of Gods word in St Andrewes in Norvvich.	Yates, John, d. ca. 1660.; Yates, John, d. ca. 1660. Short and briefe summe of saving knowledge. aut; Richardson, Alexander, of Queen's College, Cambridge.	1622 (1622)	STC 26085; ESTC S103644	253,897	373

haue good hearts which vndoubtedly are the worst for these two parts will euer goe together Divine Philosophie will teach vs to referre all our speculations to action yea our very affections Feare in Scripture is ever accompanied with seruice seeing God hath so wedded them together let no man presume vpon any condition to devorce them as Papists doe with a dead faith but their dispensation therein is the dissipation of the truth which will haue seruice and obedience the true probats of faith and feare And as Dalilah said to Sampson How canst thou say thou louest mee when thy heart is not with mee So how can they professe they loue God whose hearts obey him not In the new Testament Religion is distributed into faith and lone 2. Tim. 1.13 Keepe the paterne of wholesome words which thou hast receiued of me in faith and loue Loue springs from faith 1. Tim. 1.5 And faith workes by loue Gal. 5.6 and loue fulfils the law Rom. 13.10 not by action but intention for it is the end of the law 1. Tim. 1.5 God accepting sincere loue for perfect dutie By faith wee are spiritually glued and cimented to God that we may bee one spirituall body with him in which sense it is said He that is glued to the Lord is one spirit 1. Cor. 6.17 Cords will bind so will the cords of loue Hos 11.4 Zach. 11.7 But cords may be vnknitt Nailes will fasten and wee haue the words of the wise as nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies Eccl. 12.11 but yet nailes may slip or leaue a chinke onely the glew of faith ioynes all close together or rather both these parts will cause vs with full purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord Act. 11.23 The heat of faith and loue will digest this whole Art that it may be distributed into the veines of euery good word and worke These two will make vp a perfect paire of compasses that can truely take the latitude of this Art And first must wee haue faith as the one foote pitcht vpon the Center which is God whiles obedience as the other walkes about in a perfect circle of all good duties The fire of faith and light of life will evince against the gates of hell the vndoubted truth of Religion So that by these sweete and cordiall flames may the soule of euery Christian warme it selfe against all those cold despaires whereunto Satan tempteth Q. What is Faith A. The first part of Religion whereby from knowledge I beleeue in God the first act of faith is passiue in receiuing what God giueth And so layes hold of happinesse workes it not Faith makes iust as the hand makes rich that is filled with the wealth of another or as the Iewellers boxe base in it selfe is made precious for the pearles it containeth Here may wee iustly say it is a poorer and meaner act to beleeue then loue nay rather passion then action for we are first apprehended of God before we apprehend him againe Phil 3.12 This grace is most freely graced that it might the more frankely reflect all vpon God a gaine And because it is the roote of all the rest will teach humilitie exclude boasting like the ful eare of corn that hanges downe the head towards the originall or if any be so graciously exalted and freely favoured aboue his fellowes that his stalke is so stiffe that it beares him vp aboue the rest of his ridge then faith will make him looke vp to heauen aboue not in the thoughts of pride but in the humble vowes of thankefulnesse and say with Mary the Lord hath regarded the low estate of his servant Thus will faith rightly vnderstood teach vs to knead nature in the durt and dust and spoyle our free will of all her proud ragges loading her with reproches and giue all glory to him that sayes he will not giue it vnto another Papists being of late more ashamed then before doe confesse all is giuen but say they is it not all one to pay a summe and haue so much giuen mee as may pay it No doubt Faith receiues a full discharge makes it not We rather by Faith receiue an acquitance sealed in the blood of Christ then the blood of Christ to make our owne workes meritorious which we may offer to God in payment for our selues Eternall life Rom. 6.23 is both merit and mercie we take it as a gift Christ earnes it as wages Ephe. 2.8 Saluation through faith yet not of our selues Here lies the errour of the Papists euen in faith it selfe and euery other good grace of the spirit that our free will hath his intervention and operation betwixt Gods giuing and our taking so that if God will but beare halfe the charges by his co-operation man shall vnder-take to merit his owne glory and fulfill the royall law so abundantly that he shall haue something over and aboue to be very beneficiall and helpefull to his needie neighbours But the way of the law is longer then our pursey hearts and short legges can reach to the end and perfection of it As Constantine sayd to Acesius the Novatian Set vp ladders and climbe to heauen so I to Papists scale heauen by your workes as for vs we haue found another way and that is to ascend vpon Iacobs ladder Wee leaue tuggling and strugling that way to preuaile and fall with Iacob to wrestle with Christ for a blessing And though we goe lymping by our sinnes yet by our conquering Faith wee shall be Princes with God By this therefore the vaunt of Papists must needs avaunt yet further faith in another act will cut the very winde-pipe of our free-will and merit It is wittily sayd of one that faith in regard of his passiue act is rather a beggarly receiver then a deserving worker all our conversion is passiue but see faith in our actiue conversion and you shall see workes a forme too low to come in any such request as to iustifie For what is faith but as the hand of the soule and what is the dutie of the hand but eyther to hold or to worke This hand then holds in the first part of Divinitie and workes in the second Now without all question Iustification is to be taught in our first part and therefore goes before obedience and faith which is as an instrument or hand for to hold Christ to iustification is mightie and operatiue both for sanctification and new obedience Workes therefore are the effects of sanctification and sanctification is the effect of iustification hence is it impossible to be iustified by workes as causes as effects and fruits they may shew it If then the secret apprehension of the closed hand of faith hide what it holdeth see the hand of faith open to iustifie the cause by the evidence of the effects in this sense workes may iustifie and perfect faith as the second part of any Art doth the first Iam. 2.22.24 Papists against the whole order of

the third day then by his ascending into heauen and sitting at the right hand of God his coming to Judge quicke dead holy Ghost of the Church which is holy Catholicke whose benefits are in this life Communion of Saints foriuenesse of sinnes in the life to come Resurrection of the body Life euerlasting The workes of faith The Law the rule of holinesse which is the worship of God Table 1. who is to be worshipped alone Commandment 1. with his owne worship 2. which must be handled with all reuerence 3. leanred with all diligence 4. Iustice which is our dutie to man Table 2. In speciall our Parents Commandement 5. general when we must preserue life Commandment 6. then his chastitie 7. and goods 8. good name 9. with the whole man 10. and prayer where there is a reuerend place whose parts are eyther petition where we craue graces Spiritiall The Hallowing of his name 1. or the enlargemēt of his kīgdome 2. doing of his will as in heauen so in earth 3. Temporall the giuing of vs our daily bread this day 4. deprecation Forgiuenesse of sinnes as we orgiue others 5. Not to be deliuered into temptation but deliuered from euill 6 thankesgiuving wherein we acknowledge that to God belongeth for ever The gouernment of all things for thine is the kingdome as also power glory the shutting vp thereof Amen Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper ❧ The Catechisme defined and distributed CHAPTER I. Of Faith in God Question WHat inducements to Religion are prefixed before your Catechisme Answere Foure first the giuing vp of my name to God in Baptisme and that in the dreadfull name of Father Sonne and holy Ghost Secondly that being not able to giue it vp my selfe it was done by others according to the auncient custome of the Church ever conioyning Baptisme and confession together Math. 3.6 Aug. epist 24. Papists would haue it to contract spirituall kindred but surely it maketh honest loue amongst neighbours Thirdly they that gaue it vp for me did promise in my name that I should liue according to Religion Fourthly I beleeue in conscience that I am bound to performe what they haue promised Thus because I am Gods and bound to him by sureties vowes promises and Conscience it selfe It is my dutie being now come to yeares of discretion to learne to beleeue in him and obey him Q. What then is Religion A. It is the acknowledgement of the truth which is after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 Q. What are the parts A. Faith and workes the summe of the one is contained in the Creed of the other in the ten Commandements Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Tit. 3.8 Q. What is Faith A. A confidence in God grounded vpon knowledge Ioh. 16.30 We know and by this beleeue Q. How is faith grounded vpon knowledge A. In regard of God and his Church the maker of the Covenant and the people with whom it is made Ier. 31.33 Q. How in respect of God A. As we beleeue in one God and three persons for our happinesse Ioh. 14.1 Q. How in one God A. In respect of nature essence and being Deut. 4.35 Q. How in three persons A. Three in regard of divine relation or reall respects in that one most pure essence Math. 28.19 Q. What is the essence A. That whereby God is of himselfe the most absolute and first being Isa 41.4 Q. What is a person A. That one pure God with the relation of a Father Sonne and holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 5.7 Q. Doth the relation adde any thing to the essence A. Nothing but respect or relation as Abraham the Father of the faithful hath the same nature as he is a Father and as he is a man Q. What is the Relation A. It is either to send or be sent and both these are done either by nature or counsell Ioh. 15.26 the spirit proceedeth from the Father and Sonne by nature and is sent to vs by counsell Q. Is there no other Relation A. Yes either to beget or be begotten and the Father begets his onely Sonne by nature and the rest of his children by Counsell Heb. 1.3 Iam. 1.18 A man hauing the relation of a Father is said to beget Children by nature or counsell as adopted children are freely begotten not of the bodie but the will Iam. 1.18 Of his owne will beget he vs not so his onely Sonne who is as naturall to his Father as burning to the fire and as Isaac to Abraham Q. What then is the first person A. God the Father who by nature begets his Sonne and by his counsell creats the world Heb. 1.2.5 Q. What is the propertie of the Father A. To beget and not to be begotten Ioh. 3.16 Q. What is his manner of subsisting A. To be the first person for the begetter is before the begotten and yet being Relatiues they are together in nature for no man is a Father before he haue a sonne though in order the Father be first Q. What is the Fathers worke A. Creation for I beleeue in him as maker of heauen and earth and the reason is because he is the first person to whom the first worke belongs Q. What is Creation A. A worke of the Father who of himselfe by his sonne and spirit makes the world of nothing exceeding Good Gen. 1.31 Heb. 1.3 Q. What is giuen to the Father in respect of Creation A. Almightie power for the Father in himselfe is pure act which act is power as it may be felt of his creatures which are in power to be Q. What is omnipotencie A. It is that whereby the Father is able to doe all that he doth and more then he doth if it contradict not his owne nature or the nature of things Q. How is Creation divided A. Into heauen and earth Gen. 1.1 Q. What meane you by heauen A. The third heauen with the Angels both which were made perfect in the very first beginning of time Gen. 1.1 Q. What meane you by earth A. All that matter which was closed and compassed about with the third heauen and was made at the same instant with it to prohibite keepe out vacuitie or emptinesse and fill vp the whole compasse of it otherwise the parts of themselues would haue fallen together to haue kept out that enemy of nature Gen. 1.1 Q. Are we to vnderstand no more by earth then that first matter A. Yes wee are to vnderstand the forming of it into the foure elements fire ayre water and earth as likewise the filling of it and them with inhabitants both aboue and below as also the providence of the Father in preseruing and governing of them all to their ends and vses for the Father carries the worke according to his proper manner of working vntill we come to Redemption and there the Sonne takes it vpon him in a peculiar manner Q. What is the second person A. The Sonne who is begotten of the Father by nature and by counsell redeemes mankind Q. What is the Relatiue

A MODELL OF DIVINITIE CATECHISTICALLY COMPOSED WHEREIN IS DELIVERED THE MATTER AND Methode of RELIGION according to the Creed ten Commandements LORDS Prayer and the SACRAMENTS BY IOHN YATES Bachelour in Diuinitie and Minister of Gods Word in St Andrewes in NORVVICH PSAL. 40.10 I haue not concealed thy louing kindnesse and truth from the great Congregation Gregory in Ezek. Hom. 3. Let the Preacher like beaten burning iron not onely heat his next neighbours but cast sparkes a farre off to others LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Fulke Clifton and are to be sold on New-fish streete hill vnder St Margrets Church 1622. TO OVR DEARE MOTHER THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND THy Children deare Mother are growne more nice then wise and fallen into those humours that are fitter for controlement then obseruation I desire to be no challenger of my Brethren yet is it my dutie to be a louer yea and as I am able a Champion of thy truth I am deceiued if this be not one of the maine grounds of that vniuersall decay of knowledge wherewith our people are commonly checked to wit that they are not either catechized at all or else in as many formes as they haue change of teachers one teacher as it were making worke for another and so pleasing the fantasie of their Schollers that like some woman with childe that longs for that peece which she sees vpon anothers trencher and swounes if she misse it or some daintie Dames that doat vpon euery beautie they are euery day loue-sicke a new 2 Tim. 3.6.7 and like S. Paules sillie women are euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth My care shall be to bring them home againe to their Mothers dyet and let them see both the meate and milke she hath plentifully prouided for them But before I enter vpon her store I must acquaint them that all their travell abroad to fill their braines with new learning hath but bin to goe Northward for heat and in vaine to seeke that candle which they did carry in their owne hands What plentie of water can there be where the lead of the cisterne is put all into the Pipes We haue made so many conveyances of the Art of Religion into the braines and brests of our hearers that if a man would yeeld to runne after his eye or appetite he shall neuer know where to rest and after many idle excursions shall lie downe weary but vnsatisfied Art like Sampsons haire is faire and strong Art quasi Arx quia s●ma pulchra Strong in precepts beautifull in methode And if both these be to be found in any Catechisme ours shall carry away the honour of it Others that swarue from ours are but like a continuall pumping without mending the leake Where confusion for want of methode runneth in faster then precepts like nailes can fasten themselues Some teach the Commandements before the Creed as if they would teach a man to goe before he liue others cut the Seales in the midst of the writing as if that which seales all should not hang at the bottome of the bill bond or bargaine c. But our rule of Religion is to begin with faith by which we liue then to come to the law of life by which we walke after all this to lead vs to Prayer least we should faint in faith or waxe weary of workes and lastly finding faith but weake obedience imperfect and prayers not as they should be brings vs to Gods seales as the safetie and securitie of all our estate Eph. 1.13.14 for being sealed with the holy spirit of promise after our faith in God wee haue the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession But I desire not to be like a tedious Musician euer tuning neuer playing I come therefore first to let you see the milke of our Catechisme in a briefe and short view of it and then hauing brought you from the spoone to the knife to let you behold your more solide meate out of it You shall find it sufficient both for babes in Christ and growne men And if you be expert in the first then may you remoue a forme higher for I would not haue a Christian like a dying man or one sicke of a Palsey that hauing his senses memory and speech should want facultie loco-motiue or power to stirre his hands or his feete that being neither deafe nor dumbe to heare or answere should yet haue withered hands or lame legges to liue as a Christian All that I wish is that we first labour for the happinesse of knowledge and then ioyne with it the happinesse of practise Some Artisans might liue as well as landed men by their earnings if they had not a worse boone with so excellent a facultie of idlenesse and ill husbandry It should bee a shame for vs to haue the Philosophers stone of the truest riches and yet to liue like beggars Behold O Christian the transcendent obiects of thy aspiring thoughts and euer keepe thy soule vpon the wing in meditations of the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof loathing those muck-wormes of the world which like the Gentles breed of putrifaction or Beetles feeding in the dung can relish nothing but earthly things or thinke of no other godlinesse but gaine 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider I pray thee what is said and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things Celeberrimae apud Cantabrigenses Academiae bonarum omnium literarum Christianae pietatis Nutrici alteri Anglicanae Ecclesiae Seminario gratiam pacem in Christo sempiternam NObis Musarum aemulis Illustrissima Mater Academia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clausum reconditum plusquam Herculano labore retexisti iudicij acrimonia velut clave quadam aperuisti repagula obstantia sustulisti fores velut divina virgula tactas effregisti luceque linguarū artium illata reipsa probasti quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicere solemus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nos igitur sic literarum mellinijs sub tuo auspicio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operae pretiumfacturi videmur si hanc ex alvearijs tuis concinnatam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tibi exhibeamus Si rem spectabis ipsam sacrosanctae Dei veritati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est si nostras lucubrationes aestimabis perexiguum levidense id quidem est scriptum crassiuscule Caetorum operosum mea quidem sententia foret totius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vtilitates vel percensere nedum fando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 explicare cum de ea statim dicturo occurrat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praecipuas tamen velut exerto digito monstrabo vt artium studioso si fieri queat calcar animumque addam ad earum diligentem multamque lectionem Ens primum est omnium bonorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ens a primo corundem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud est Artium author hoc subiectum illudagit hoc patitur

to the fruits qualitie to the seeds temper to the seasons God therefore that can doe all is the best husbandman Man therefore that hath expired his first life must haue God to inspire him againe or else hee cannot liue And this will appeare in the very name wee giue our rule Religion is to tie againe Our loue to God like the new cords of Sampson was quickly snapt asunder God therfore that he might bind vs to himselfe by a stronger cord hath chosen the grace of faith to revnite vs againe to himselfe And so Religion hath his notation from the first part of our rule which is faith in God Or else may it take his denomination from the second part which is obedience towards God The law that was to be read by creation was obliterated and in a manner scraped our by corruption but now againe by religion is written in our hearts Ier. 31.33 and so is to be read againe Life consists in vnion and action now by faith wee haue the one and by the law we performe the other The rule of life is called Diuinitie in regard of God the end of it Theologie in regard of the subiect matter 1. Pet. 4.11 logia Theou words of God but of all names this comes neerest the forme of our Art which signifies either our tying againe to God or reading againe the things of God This bond is the surest Isa 54.10 Ier. 32.40 And this booke is the plainest Deut. 30.14 Rom. 10.8 For as faith binds vs to God so it giues and gaines such power from him as wee may walke acceptably before him Luke 1.74 And here we see how pittifull and plentiful a God we haue in raising of vs from corruption to greater perfection then ever we enioyed by creation This second bond is invincible for so it becomes the Almightie to proceed in his workes He that hath shewed man what he can doe for himselfe shall now see what God can doe for him And God were not faithfull if there were either finall or fatall Apostasie from a iustifying faith It is folly to imagine that God should goe from one imperfection to another Loue was for try-all faith is for trust God hath tried the weaknesse and wickednesse of our loue It is now for vs to trust him vpon the faith of our saluation Water cannot suddenly be cleared but with leisure and by degrees and some time must necessarily be required to beare and beate backe those abuses wherunto we haue a long time beene envred Time and industry will eate euen thorow Marbles Giue God credence and he will in his due time giue thee riddance of all the rubbish of thy sinnes But to this our owne safety our owne sedulitie is required for as it is in vaine Psal 127.1 for men to watch except God keepe the citie so will it be in vaine for God to keepe except wee watch The husbandman must not burne his Plough or the Marchant neglect his Trade because God hath said I will not forsake thee Father keepe them in thy name Ioh. 17.11 doth not intimate that wee should be carelesse to keepe our selues Indeed till the Lord inspire wee but lamely and blindly re-aspire to any good We liue groaping as the Sodomites after lifes doore and hauing wearied our selues goe away wanting the thing we both wished and waited for Take away the Sunne from the world and the soule from the body and earth becomes earth as it was at the first Gen. 1.2 So sever God from the soule and what is man but a dead carrion All the elements and elementaries lighten and darken coole and warme die and reviue as the Sunne presents or absents it selfe from them so wee liue or die feele or faint as the Sunne of righteousnesse parts or revnites himselfe vnto vs. Whereby we are taught that primarily and principally we liue by God as the soule of our soules and secondarily by faith as the Spirits The bond of soule and body here is that heat or heauenly breath that knitts God and man together in an indivisible and insoluble knott If the Lyons Dan. 6.16 ravenous beasts by nature and made keene with hunger adore the flesh of a faithfull man shall any worldly thing change his heart alter his affection or Gods to him Rom. 8. the earth shall sooner shake the pillars of the world tremble the countenance of heauen apale the Sunne loose his light the Moone her beautie the Starres their glory c. then a man knit to God by Religion be once seperated from him againe The fire hath proclaimed it selfe vnable so much as to singe an haire of the head of the godly Dan. 3.27 Thus then you see how Religion may put vs in minde of the wonderfull mercy of God Now heare how it remembers vs of our wofull misery we are found of God as rotten roots without any life or vertue as barren ground bringing forth no fruit but sinne shame and damnation As a dead body or decaying bough cut off from the tree perishing and withering to nothing yea wee are so much more miserable by how much wee were once more excellent and eminent The more vnnaturall any qualitie is the more extreame will it be a cold win de from the South is intollerable and the purest wine becomes the sharpest vineger The few sparkes of good that lie couered vnder heapes of cold ashes are no wayes able t kindle the fire of a godly life no not so much as to giue a glimmering light to lead to heauen The wisest Philosophers never so much as ghessed at this Art the doctrine of it never came within the fadome of their reason If they few any thing it was a farre off even as heauen it selfe vpon which they looked with desire and admiration knowing not the right way thither Natures skill is something in the end nothing in the meanes It hath taught without controlement that there is a blessednesse for man to seeke after but what or where was remoued from their Academie assuring vs that not Athens but Ierusalem must reach vs this lesson The wisest Ethnick doth but as S. Peter speaketh Mnoopazein see glimmeringly and vncertainly in this Theame 2. Pet. 1.9 And like Zebul in holy Story either take men for mountaines or mountaines for men Iudg. 9.36 and for inconstancy like Absolon and the Elders of Israel come off and on in their opinions and alwayes beleeues the worst Sometimes the counsell of Achitophell is approued and then presently the aduice of Hushai the Archite is a great deale better 2. Sam. 17.4.14 The Barbarians almost with one breath curse and blesse the Apostle Act. 28.6 Shall we therefore praise nature or trust it in this No wee prayse it not With what presumption hath it vndertaken to write bookes of the soules tranquilitie but that must needs be performed with much imperfection which is practised without a rule Sundry capricious fancies and fables are handsomly framed glued together by morall Philosophie

and rather abound with sorrow then sinne so shall the consuming fire that no water can quench or violence oppose haue mercy vpon me Heb. 12.29 He is liberall that I liue but he shall bee munificent in bringing a poore wretch from all miseries to taste of the full cup of his glory Hitherto we haue but heard of God by way of Negation denying of him all the imperfections of the creatures Now wee are to speake of him by way of Affirmation giuing him the most eminent and excellent perfections of his owne workes The Schooles haue layd vs downe a three-fold way of knowing God As the negation of imperfections the affirmation of perfections and the causation of great workes The two first we follow in Gods sufficiency the last wee leaue as proper to the efficiency CHAPTER V. Of the Attributes of the Essence Question BVt how shall God be apprehended of vs seeing he is simply one Answere In that he hath made himselfe many attributes It is fit that the obiect and the vnderstanding be proportionable to it selfe an infinite vnderstanding is capable of an infinite obiect and so God onely vnderstands himselfe Now because man cannot apprehend God by one act of vnderstanding the simplicitie of his face and essence is layd open by the multiplicitie of his backe-parts and attributes So God reuealed himselfe to Moses when he proclaimed his glorious Name The Lord the Lord strong gracious and mercifull Exod. 34.6 c. And so Moses himselfe published Gods name Ascribe yee greatnesse to our God he is arocke is worke is perfect Deut. 32.3.4 all his wayes are iudgement a God of truth and without iniquitie iust and right is he Preiudice is a great enemy to truth and makes the mind vncapable of it Hence it comes to passe that most men despaire of any knowledge of God and so fall into Atheisme or else they will fashion God to some forme of their owne whether of an humane body or of admirable light or if their mindes haue any other more likely and pleasing image and so become Idolaters with their owne conceits In matters therefore of so great consequence I will first lay a sure ground and then beleeue though I can argue no further and will hold the conclusion in spight of all premisses He that teacheth God vpon the warrant of his owne braine layes the brands together without tongues and is sure at least to burne his owne fingers I will therefore beware how I sayle vpon this Sea without Compasse Q. What are Gods Attributes A. That one most pure God diversely apprchended Hoare O Israel Deut. 6.4 And 10.17 the Lord thy God is one great mightie terrible c. Faith which is the divine Logick of Gods spirit rests vpon testimony aboue all Arguments and so takes God barely on his word without any further discourse yet by the way of vnderstanding which apprehends the knowledge of things by Arguments distinct from the things and amongst themselues Faith is so farre content that Reason shew the way in making the Attributes diverse from the essence and amongst themselues but checks reason when it would make them opposite or really to be distinguished It is aboue the Art of reason to teach the subiect and all his attributes to be one in nature and yet thus farre it may agree with reason to make them diverse So that by faith and the way of sanctified reason wee come to apprehend him that is simply one Mans reason in matter of faith as fire in the first degree of her ascent may be a flame next smoake and then nothing The light may be good if like fooles-fire wee trust it not too long Faith stands like an auncient Pyramid which the lesse it growes to a mans eye the neerer it reaches to heauen Whereas reason for the most part like Astronomie begins in Nature ends in Magicke If it may haue the whole handling of divinitie it will make it ridiculous before it leaue it Logicke the Heraldry of all Arts and the best array of indgement is in the most exact knowledge of God either a skilful ignorance or a wild knowledge Almost as good discourse to brute beasts of the depth of Phylosophy as to meere carnall men of the mysteries of Divinitie He that will beleeue no more then he conceiues by reason can never be a Christian or he a Logician that will assent without reason And seeing God hath made the soule as the lampe of the body and reason as the lampe of the soule Religion of Reason and Faith of Religion Let vs vse all these lights without confusion and let not one trip vp the heeles of the other according to the dexteritie of humane policy In divine things what we may wee must conceiue the rest beleeue and wonder Not the curious head but the credulous and plaine heart is accepted with God Wee will bolt out by reason what may helpe faith not confound it In briefe to open a little crevise of further light and giue a little more glimpse to the poynt let the insuing consectaries be well marked and observed Q. What followes from hence A. That the attributes differ not really from his essence or betweene themselues but onely in respect of our vnderstanding Hence they are his essence I am that I am Exod. 3.14 teacheth an Ocean of Divinitie where the attribute is I am as well as the subiect and so nothing is giuen to God that is lesse then himselfe God is mercifull and his mercy is himselfe Loe with this word I am wee may happily wade out of those deepes whereof our conceits can finde no bottome A little further here shall wee not like Pagans worshipping the Sunne hold our hands to the Glo-worme in stead of a coale for heat Q. What then obserue you in the second place A. That all his attributes are giuen vnto him both in the abstract and concret as God is mercifull or God is mercy it selfe To haue life and be life to be in the light Ioh. 5.26 With 14.6 1. Ioh. 1.5.7 1. Ioh. 4.7.8 and the light loue to come from God and be God are all one Thinke of him as one whose wisedome is his iustice whose iustice is his power whose power is his mercy and whose wisedome iustice power and mercy are himselfe Good without qualitie great without quantitie everlasting without time present every where without place containing all things without extent These things are not to bee weighed at the common beame of custome and opinion but at the golden standard of Gods Sanctuary Iob. 28.1.2 Siluer hath his veine and Gold his mine where it is found iron is taken out of the earth and brasse moulten out of the stones but the place of this wisedome is not to be found in the land of the liuing Faint not in this knowledge neither be weary of well-doing for though in rowing this vessell vpon so maine an ocean the windes blow and crosse Seas rage

of many that in things indifferent will haue a speciall Text to allow and warrant euery particular It is enough for the Church or Magistrate to command in these vpon the generall warrant of the word they that oppose must bring the particular inhibition from heauen or else they neither obey God nor man If they take from the Magistrate power in things indifferent they leaue him none at all for in all the rest he is as well bound as any other man And here some questions may be moued first whether of things indifferent any image may be made of Religion It is plaine of God we are to make none for he is onely to be taught by his owne voyce and not by any image Deut. 4.12 To teach his nature and maiestie by images is to turne his truth into a lie Rom. 1.25 But of religion it selfe there may be images and similitudes for man hath two senses that are aboue all the rest apt to teach or receiue instruction for the minde the eye and the eare And almightie God hath provided that we might learne by both hence his word for the care in speaking and the eye in reading hence in the old law his service was full of visible sacrifices and many other images of holy things And now the worship being more abstracted from sense wee haue Sacraments which are images and similitudes of holy things But all the question is what man may doe in these things for the precept is thou shalt not make c. I answere Images of Religion are either in the substance of it or the circumstances In the first man hath no power for the whole essence of Divinitie must haue God for he sole Author In the second man hath power for time lace and person and some outward rites and ceremonies of morall and historicall signification for such ceremonies and circumstances as are of no signification are most idle and absurd in Gods worship The history of the Bible in pictures of Kings Priests and Prophets of Altars Beasts Cherubins Arke Mercie-seat Temple c. are not vnlawfull yet wee are to vnderstand that these things serue onely for our intellectuall part and that God is not to bee worshipped in or at any of these things or the like The Iewes were commanded to worship God in the images of things to come and the thing being come wee are not to worship in them but learne from them They may bee to vs of historicall vse but not of morall for they are ceased as appendices or additions to the morall law and therefore are left vs for instruction not for adoration Yet still it remaines whether the Church haue any power to set vp religious images of morall signification and such as ought to carry with them not onely our vnderstandings but our wills and affections vnto the performance of some morall dutie I answere if morall be taken for the rule the Church may prescribe no such duties they rest then onely vpon the morall law of God but if morall be taken for manners then it cannot be denied but the Church hath power to order the outward man in good behauiour and morally to teach him by humane rites and ceremonies yea even such as should outwardly helpe the inward man for morall decency and order ought to tend to edification Now that the Church hath power in this generall sense to make some religious images I shew by this example Iosh 22. The Altar of testimony was not civill but religious as may appeare by ver 24.25.26.27.28.29.34 It was not to distinguish their borders but to testifie that they were Gods people and had all one God and that this Altar should put them and their posteritie in mind to sacrifice vpon Gods Altar wheresoever it should be set c. Yet this Altar of morall signification was subordinate to Gods Altar and an help to the people to bring them to worship God as he had commanded And so must the Church doe nothing in things indifferent hut as they helpe forward the substance and truth of Gods worship And in this sense the Crosse in Baptisme a transient signe of Christ crucified made in remembrance of the Crosse whereon he was crucified cannot be denied but to be an image of Religion and of morall signification which if it should come in to thrust out Gods image I meane water wee had as iust cause to be offended with it as the Children of Israel at the two Tribes and an halfe for the new Altar but when they expounded it to bein token not in taking away of Gods Altar they were not onely pacified but praysed God for his goodnesse therein So the Crosse in Baptisme though it come neere a signe in Baptisme and may at the first blush make vs feare with Israel the revenge of the iniqu●●ie of Peor yet seeing how our Church hath expounded it that it comes not in to confront the water of Baptisme or to coniure it with Papists or to be any part of the Sacrament for hee that may appoynt a Sacramentall signe must be able to giue the Sacramentall grace and so the Church should blaspheme making her selfe a God who onely can giue that grace that in the Sacrament is sealed It is therefore by the doctrine of our Church no signe sealing grace but as that Altar Iosh 22.27 was a witnesse betwixt party and party so this betwixt the Childe and the Congregation for the Minister baptizing in the name of the Trinitie sayes I baptize but in that action the phrase is altered and hee sayes in the name of the Congregation wee receiue shewing that as God by Baptisme admits the Childe into fellowship with himselfe so they the Infant into the same communion of the Crosse of Christ with themselues that is they gladly testifie that they are not ashamed of any ignominies or reproches for their Saviours sake And I would to God that so Christian an exposition could stay our brethren for going vp against vs in Battell A second Question may be whether Christ as man may be pictured I answere that subiect that is to be adored is not to be painted for it can no wayes be set forth as civill and so wee cannot haue an image of Christ as he is to be adored for civill or historicall vse Wee are flatly forbidden the very making of an image of God and whole Christ being to be adored as God we are not onely forbidden to worship his image but also to make it If any by the subtiltie of their wits can abstract Christs man hood from his Godhead or worship from either of them both I shall not oppose the keeping of an image of Christ as of the greatest Benefactor that ever came into the world but my braine is too dull to devide in this case and therefore from the precept Than shalt not make that is of the proper subiect of Religion such as was expressed in the first Commandement any image If it were of Religion it selfe the