est sua peccata patriae suorum quantum fiori potest tegere all of nothing So for a man to come to this that he wil not conceale his fathers mothers or friends faults to speake against his owne country and countrymen yea against himselfe is against the nature of man cannot be wrought in man but by a supernaturall cause This we see the holy men in the Scriptures did It is naturall to every man so farre as he can to cover his owne faults and the faults of his Countrey and friends Moses when no necessity bound him confessed that he came of a cursed stocke spared not his brother Aarons fault in making the Calfe but committed it to writing spared not his sister Miriam in the cause of murmuring no not his owne fault in murmuring against the Lord at the waters of strife Numb 11.11 dispossessed his owne children and would not have them to succeed him in the Magistracy a very unnaturall thing but preferred Ioshua yea he put by his owne Tribe and the Tribe of Iuda and preferred Ephraim This is not able to agree with the naturall man but must come from an higher cause Therefore the writers of these bookes must be inspired by God 10. Whereas the whole drift of the greatest Philosophers and most learned men was to teach how Kings should enlarge their Kingdomes and to be in credit with Princes and great men this teacheth that life is the contempt of life It teacheth the contempt of the world and worldly honours The Prophets they never sought to be in favour with Princes but were so farre from that that they answered them not so much to that they asked as to that they should have asked therefore this is supernaturall Therefore the true way and from God not from man Against the Iewes The next point as God is a Spirit so must his worship be spirituall so we finde in the Scriptures not onely forbidding of images and shadowes but also a flat negative And as in the case of Gods unity though false religion may agree with the true in the first point yet not in the second so in this regard howsoever they exclude images yet they fault in this that all their worship is ceremoniall bodily and rituall consisting in matters of ablution and outward types And though there be types in the old Testament yet he proclaymeth every where that he abhorreth them for he will have a contrite heart and onely the circumcision of the heart Therefore as man is bodily and his notions fall into the compasse of the body so as that worship that commeth from him is bodily whereas the worship that commeth from God is spirituall 2. To this may be added that of Miracles and Oracles to confirme this religion as the other did in confirming their religion They were not done in corners but in the sight of Pharao in the middest of all his servants 2. Againe they were not frivolous but they that have felt them have got good by them 3. They are not imitable nor expressible by the art of man as the dividing of the red Sea the causing the Sunne to stand still in Ioshuahs time the making of Ahaz Diall to goe backe 10. degrees both which Areopageta saith are in the Persian Oracles The raining of Manna from Heaven Iannes and Iambres were not able to imitate Moses For Oracles of the Gentiles they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise Oracles speake as King Philip would have them and that they were very ambiguous and needed Delio natatore the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo to expound them Therefore Porphyry said that their Oracles commonly had Posticum a backe-dore These doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise are not doubtfull need no Delius natator the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo Last most of the heathens Oracles came not to passe but in the Scriptures they came all to passe some three hundred yeeres before some 500. some a thousand some three thousand as the dilatation of Iapheth which happened not before the calling of the Gentiles And this for confirmation both of the old and new Testament common to the Jewes aswell as to us those that follow are proper to Christian religion 1. Aug. 23. de eivitate Dei out of Porphyrie de regressu animae of the regresse of the soule the greatest enemy that ever the Church had That it is no true religion that doth not yeeld a sufficient purgation to the soule of man Moreover he addeth there that the Platonists received from the Chaldees that the purgation of the soule of man cannot be nisi per principia but by the principles we know that Plato his principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father the mind love an enignaticall speech of our Trinity But this i. the purgation of the soule of man no religion teacheth but ours for it teacheth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word tooke upon him sinfull flesh to purge away the sins of man therefore ours the true all the rest are meerely bodily for all their exorcismes and sacrifices are bodily and not spirituall and so withall the God of the Christians is not like to the heathen gods for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who loveth man i. he delighteth not in cutting mens throats or burning them to afhes as their divels had virgins babes old men young men good men offered up to them And the sacrifices of beasts in the old law were onely used for two respects 1. That they might be types of those things that are in the Gospell 2. To be an admonition to men to shew them that they have deserved to be thus killed and sacrificed God was so farre from having men to be sacrificed to him that he himselfe came downe to give himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes And what greater love can be then for a man to give his life for that he loveth for his friend therefore no greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to man then this In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty 1. Ioh. 1.1 Now for the Gospell 1. For the witnesses In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty First for the skill There is never a one of them but can say we write and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and which our hands have handled Not as Homer Plato and the rest that had their things from other and by report And withall the writers of the Scriptures writing them when the world bare greatest hatred against them and yet never any durst write any booke against Moses in his time or against the Gospell in these daies And de probitate testis concerning the honesty of a witnesse The honesty of a witnesse there can be no better reason given then that Tacitus giveth That they testifie best quibus nullum est mendacii pretium that have nothing for their labour
a building the foundation is first in the naturall generation of the members the heart This also is done the first being Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Scopus primi mandati The scope of the first Commandement Then to observe our former rules It s said Fines mandatorum sunt diligenter observandi the end of the Commandements are diligently to be observed We must first know what intent God had in giving this Commandement The end of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beget good It s said that the generall end of this Commandement 1 Cor. 10.31 is the glory of God of the first table godlinesse holinesse or religion Religion being an action must needs proceed from something and so it doth For that that it commeth from is the soule of man and principally from the spirit of it In that regard it is compared Matth. 12.35 Luke 6.45 to a treasure-house out of which good men bring good things evill men evill things for that as the furniture of any part of the house commeth from thence so in like state is it of outward worship of the tongue the hand the eye it commeth de bon◠thesauro cordis out of the good treasure of the heart if it be good our worship will be good as mala de malo Mat. 15.19 The breaches of it commeth from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies This then we see in as much as this is principall 1. Regard must be had of his spirituall worship and it s the scope of the first Commandement It s said that according to the superiour end the Commandement is esteemed quo prior finis eo prior necessitas the more principall the end is the more prime the necessity The first table before the second Mar. 2.27 man was made the end of the Sabbath not the Sabbath the end of man therefore the breach of the outward part of the Sabbath must yeeld to the health of man This is generall the higher the end the nearer the necessity Therefore this precept is primae necessitatis of chiefe necessity This was never dispensed with nor ever shall be Now we come to the second Which is the first rule in extension to the affirmative part of the Commandement The negative was Thou shalt have none other Gods The affirmative part is set downe Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And in his allegation out of Deut. 6.13.10.20 Thou shalt worship one God or to answer the negative Thou shalt have me alone for thy God This is done in the third rule which is the drawing of it into particular branches The second rule herein is best First to follow the plaine order and to see how many propositions will naturally arise out of it and they be three First we must have a God Secondly we must have him for our God Thirdly we must have him alone for our God So you see The affirmative as a proposition compounded of three propositions Propositiones primi mandati The Propositions of the first Commandement First that we should have a God the meaning of this that we should not be our selves Gods which was the beginning of all mischiefe judging of good and evill by our owne choice but to knowledge a superiour nature and of him to take our rules to follow God and abstaine from evill and not to stand to our owne mind 2. That this nature thus teaching us what is good and evill and promising to bring us to the full fruition of all good things by the contrary we should acknowledge him and tie our selves to him This acknowledging or tying our selves to him is to have a religion and so consequently that we should worship him and have our religion from him 2. The second That we must have him for our God The meaning of it is this that the gods of the Nations are nothing but Idols and no Gods and consequently that their services are false But Jehovah our God who hath shewed himselfe to be a true God he is the God indeed and his religion is the true religion and therefore that we should give over them and their religion and consecrate our selves to him and his worship and here is commanded true religion 3. That we should have him alone The meaning is that there is not one of those Gods and indeed none besides God that hath revealed or can performe eternall blessednesse to us or that can joyne with him and helpe him in performance but he alone is able and willing and consequently as he alone doth and will do it so he will onely have all the glory to himselfe he will have none to be joyned with him in it Profanenesse Peccata contraria virtutibus mandati Sins contrary to the vertues of the Commandements 1. The sinne of the first of these of not having a God but following our owne mind is called prophanenesse when a man will have his owne liking in every thing so that he will doe that onely that seemeth good in his owne eyes when he will have no yoke no cords no bonds but will breake them giving credit to nothing but that which his owne reason his God perswadeth him unto and pursuing nothing but that his will standeth well affected unto And doe nothing but by his owne direction 2. The sinne of the second is false worship or whatsoever false religion it be it pleaseth the Holy Ghost here to call it other gods 2. Cultus peregrinus Strange worship As in the Scriptures he calleth all evill by the name of strange as strange flesh an harlot strange worship idolatry strange gods false gods This is secondly forbidden 3. Idolatry Samaritanisme 3. The sinne of the third That which Elias found such fault with namely halting on both sides mingling Gods religion with others following both God and Baal as the Samaritans did having an Altar on the one side of the Temple and the image of an idoll on the other joyning God together with other Gods and idols These are three speciall things that the divell shooteth at and hath helpes in our nature to bring his purpose to passe when he tooke upon him first the name of Belus Belial which is being without the yoke that he would lay no yoke upon any he would force him to nothing then that he was willing to follow himselfe and therefore this was his way in his first tentation that Adam was now yoked that he must be underaw and that he needed a director whereas if he would but taste of the Apple he should be a guide to himselfe and should doe whatsoever he thought good and that he should appoint good and evill himselfe This vaine licentiousnesse wherein men according to their corrupt nature delight dissolutely to follow their concupiscence and in all things to sit Judges to define good and evill is
quis peregre profectus vidisset procul a patriâ desertam regionem de ea apud alios referret aliquanâ—o nâ—que ei crederetur quid afferre possâ—t nisi a testibus vel historia prâ—beâ— impossibile est ejus detur demonstrativa ratio Atque haec de necessi ate credendi Iâ— any man travelling into farre countries had seene farre from his countrey a desert region and should afterward make mention of it to others and they should not belâ—eve him what could he bring unlesse he could prove it by witnesse or history It is impossible a demonstrative reason should be given of it And thus farre of the necessity of beleeving In faith foure things to be noced Now for this word Beliefe note 4. things 1. The heathen themselves have set downe in every art oportet discentem credere a leâ—rner must beleeve whatsoever we first receive we receive it from our teachers This principle hath his ground Actio perfect in imperfecto recipitur primò imperfectè tum perfectè the action oâ— one perfect is received in one imperfect 1. imperfectly 2. perfectly Wood 1. warmeth tum habet imperfectum alienum calorem then it hath an imperfect and strange heate then it burneth habetque prorium sie discentes prius ab aliena recipâ—unt â—ide quam ipsi ad perfectioâ—em aspirent cognitionem and it hath its owne proper heat so learners first receive from the faith of others which they themselves bring to a more perfect knowledge Confirmed by Esay 7.9 Nisi credideritis non stabiliemini If ye will not beleeve surely ye shall not be established 2. After we have received by beliefe then may we seeke for it by demonstrations aut à priori aut à posteriore either from the former or from the latter to confirme our beliefe Ratio quia ut artium reliquarum ita religionis principia nobis innata habemus the reason is because as of other arts so have we also the principles of religion naturally bred in us The principles of Divinity alwaies agree with true reason truth disagreeth not with truth the principles of religion are not contrary for if we should never come to any certainety or knowledge Warrant that reason agreeth with religion Acts 17.24 c. The true worship of God proved by naturall reason True reason an helpe to faith and faith to it the uncorrupt judgement of man choaketh not religion Rom. 1.19 By the principles of nature we may come to that which may be known of God Acts 17.24 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead c. 1. De partibus animalium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if though in a small measure we attaine to the knowledge of the Gods that knowledge is worth all other knowledges If God had made contrariety it had then beene unpossible we should come to an end 3. When we have yeelded our selves to beliefe and have strengthened it by reason yet we must looke for an higher teacher and though faith be an unperfect way and we unperfect yet may we walke in it We are therefore to pray to God that by the inspiration of his spirit he would keepe us in this way Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine inspiration is given to those in whom religion is sealed Arist in his metaph De iis quae supranaturam sunt soli Deo credendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning those things which are above nature we must beleeve God above and his divine inspiration is to be sought with sacrificings 4. The meanes of contemning order in these three 4. Because this inspiration commeth not at the first we must wax perfect by little and little and be sure that we build on the rule and stay till it please him that will send it Festina lente Hasten leasurely No greater enemy to knowledge then to be a hasty beleever The avoyding of praepropera consilia overhastie counsels doth agree with Esay 28.16 qui crediderit ne festinet he that beleeveth shall not make hast A man therefore is not to ground of presumptions and presupposings but by little and little goe forward till he come to the rocke Therefore this part is spent 1. in receiving it i. beliefe 2. in seeking to strengthen it 3. in expecting of an higher teacher 4. that we be sure to proceed by little and little sed certo tramite but in a sure path The first daies station Foure degrees of Satans tentations what they be and how they depend each on other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Selfe-deity The third part 1. The first daies journey or the first station that a man is to goe is to beleeve that there is a God For preparation to this point note foure things they are Satans proceedings 1. Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-deity when as man was in the state of his first perfection it was impossible to perswade that either himselfe was God or to worship any creature as God or to beleeve that there were no God or to worship the divell as God Therefore the divell sought to put into mans mind that he himselfe was God Therefore he perswaded Adam that his eyes should be opened and that he should be like unto God Therefore as man departed from God by unbeliefe and presumption so was he to come to him by beliefe and humiliation but this opinion he left the same day for he was confuted so soone as he had eaten of the apple and after by hiding himselfe behind the bush Alexandri excepto in obsidione vulnere hic sanguis hominem esse denotat Claudii qui sibi se Deum esse persuasisset quoad audito tonitruin tentorium consugiens dixisset hic Deus est Claudius autem non est Deus That of Alexander is observable at a besieging having received a wound this blood saith he sheweth me to be a man And of Claudius who perswaded himselfe he was a God till hearing the thunder he fled into his tent and said This is God Satans way of bringing man to the ignorance of the true God Claudius is not God So you see that these who were given to this Heresie are soone confuted as Adam was 2. Because God Genes 4. was an helper to man after his fall as in making him garments the divell by a false conversion strooke this into the minds of his posterity that whatsoever did them good was to be worshiped as God ut ille 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A conceit of many Gods whatsoever nourisheth me that I count a God By this confounding the profit that came of the instrument with that which is of the principall and so were brought unto a great company of Gods into a
Portugall the Lord overthrew Stukeley made King of Ireland by the Pope Foure stations already handled in the way that we are to walke in that we are to come to God and not to rest in any thing beside and leane to religion leaving the world and wandring without an end 2. We have declined from the way of reason to the way of beliefe 3. We have passed through the dangerous pathes of Atheisme 4. We have searched them that call into question the generall and particular providence of God being in this way seeking to finde God we come into another quadrivium or way that hath foure turnings the foure principall religions of the world whereby the diversities of Nations have perswaded themselves that they have sought God Concerning these 1 Cor. 8.5 6. the Apostle foresaw this division of waies and hath given us warning of them 1. The Heathen in most parts in America and in the East Iles and in a great part of Tartary worshipped creatures in all ages and the dead as did the Gentiles 2. That which the Jewes as yet scattered here and there hold 3. Of the Turkes and Saracens in all Asia a great part of Africa and Europe 4. Is Christianity professed of us Concerning these sure it is that there can be but one true if we go into three of them we shall erre Therefore that we might be sure Concerning religion the way to seeke God which is the true religion and not be led by a prejudicate religion wherein we are brought up and to shake off the temptations of the Adversarie it remaines that we shew which is the true and right religion The Emperours Ambassadour being at Constantinople with the great Turke saw wrought in cloth of estate in manner of an Embleme foure Candlestickes and foure Candles in them and three of them turned upside down and as it were but one onely burning and it had this inscription in Arabicke This is the true light The Ambassadour asking of the meaning of this inscription they expounded that they betokened the foure Religions in the World whereof three were false the other true and that it was their Religion Therefore we are to shew that those three of theirs are false and no true lights and the Christian the true light And to begin with Heathen religion Heathen religion or paganisme or Paganisme which once spread it selfe over all the earth saving a corner in Syria It cannot be denied but that the chiefest wits concerning the knowledge of Arts and policy have beene in them and among them and in Philosophy their light hath shined most brightly and we have all lighted our Candles at their light and yet as the wisest of us may wonder at them for nature and humane knowledge so may the simplest of us laugh at them for the worship of God so dim hath their light burned in the worship of God Reasons against the idolatry of the heathen The first reason against them is the Apostles in this place They went amisse because they worshipped and had many Gods and many Lords Aug. lib. 4. De civit Dei Varro lib. 1. de rebus divinis making an Inventory of the Gods of the Heathen found 30000. Gods 300. were Jupiters beside a great number of Dii majorum gentium minorum tutelares medioximi patellares penates c. of Gods of greater and lesser Nations tutelar small petty Gods houshold Gods c. Whether they may be many or one there is no question here it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom are all things by whom are all things The reason is The inferiour causes are resemblances of the superiour and they of the highest But we see in all the inferiour causes that many branches come from one roote many partes ruled by one head many veines by one master veine many channels from one fountaine So in superiour causes many lights from one light many motions from one motion therefore in the highest cause this unity must be after the most perfect sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whom are all things i. the mutuall order of all things in nature that all things are one for another Mutuus or do in se invicem est propter conjunci um ordinem in uno the mutuall order toward themselves is for the conjunct order in one And as all things flow from one so they returne to one againe But their owne reasons are sufficient against them Pythagoras saith that in God there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the nature of the effect not to receive a greater thing then the effect an infinite or unlimited power Else should the understanding of man i. the effect because he is able to conceive an infinite power exceed his cause Because it is able to conceive a greater thing then his cause If the power be infinite the nature must be infinite quia accidentis capacitas non excedit capacitatem subjecti the capacity of the accident doth not exceed the capacity of the subject If the nature be infinite then it is one the reason If one grant two infinites then there must be a line to part them and on that part that the line is of they must be both finite Therefore if we grant two infinites we must also grant they have two severall forces Virtus unita fortior Vnited forces stronger and being divided they cannot be so perfect as if they were joyned together Therfore they having truely respect to it which could be God were unperfect but no imperfectnesse with God Vt sit Deus imperfect us est in natura monstrum that God should be imperfect is a monster in nature but if they be both perfect then are they both all one for nothing makes them differ Lactantius 2. Because God ought to be omnipotent either they must be of equall force or of unequall if of equall either they agree or disagree If both equall and agree then one superfluous but superfluity excluded out of the deity and every thing in nature must be done after the best manner That which may be done in nature must be done after the best manner Let them disagree then there will not be the same course of things If of unequall power and disagree then the greater will swallow up the lesse and so bring all to one And howsoever the Heathen outwardly and in the face of the Common-wealth durst not but hold Polytheisme yet privily among their friends and in their writings they condemned it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a having many Princes or Rulers is counted an inconvenience every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not good there be many Lords let there be one Lord. Therefore the heathen have made one of their Gods a Father the rest as his children one a King the rest as his subjects Pythagoras his advise to his scholers was to search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unity Arist his drift was alwaies as in every
great company of men 2 Into celestiall bodies 3. Into those beasts that did any good to the Egyptians 1. canes ibides crocodiles dogges snypes crocodiles and so brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plurality of Gods after they came to worship as Juvenal Quorum nascuntur in hortis Numina their Garden-gods or those things that grew in their gardens for Gods 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheisme Then 3. was it an easie matter to bring in a doubt whether there was a God And this was the cause as some thinke why Diagoras Theodorus brought in this doubt 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antitheisine Omnes diaboli actiones ed tendunt ut ipse colatur tanquam Deus at que adeò ut persuadeat hominibus se Deum esse All the divels actions tend to this that he may be worshipped as God so may perswade men that he i◠God Examples of Antichrist these esteeme the worship of the devill the rule of their life The second point wherein foure things whether there were a God and by a soolish argument they brought in that there was no God 4. When the Divell had brought them to Atheisme it was impossible that they should stay long time in it therefore commeth in fresh upon them shewing them some of his lying wonders and prophecies and strange signes and so brings them againe to religion and so by these wonderfull signes bringing himselfe into admiration with them maketh them to follow his religion and to worship him as God Apollonius Thyanaeus Iamblichus Julian the Apostata first they were of no religion after they fell to worship the divell and proved necromancers conjurers sorcerers The same succession in the East-Indies to whom the Gospell was preached by Thomas after falling into contentions about religion they grewat the length to the worshipping of his ugly image and worship him till this day The second point the confutation of their opinion that held with Atheisme 1. The causes of it 2. Their reasons that they were led by to it 3. That those things that were put for Gods were not Gods viz. that nature fortune c. is not governour of the world 4. Ipsa quaestio the question it selfe For he that will come to God must beleeve that there is a God In generall of those five false opinions and orders of them how they hang one on the other 1. That there was a time when there was no society among men but were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 companions of beasts and wandred like beasts 2. By the devise of some excellent man they were brought into one politicall body 3. Cum non possent homines in suis contineri officiis when men could not be conteined in their duties they began to enact lawes 4. When lawes were not able to bridle them but that in secret they would not sticke to commit great offences as murder c. When this would not serve then wise men intended this to worke this perswasion in mens minds that there was another oculus eye and invisible essence that did see also these things that they did in secret and would punish them for their sinnes if not in this life yet in the life to come and that most severely both in body and soule This they say and prove nothing yet are these they that will beleeve nothing unlesse great proofes be alledged for it therefore they condemne themselves by their owne Cities came of inhabaed tamilies not of wandring wild-men seeing they can neither alledge reason nor authority but all their ground false 1 If there were first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wild men it was degenerando non generando by degenerating not by generating For either they were outlawed or sequestred themselves from company for committing of some notable offence 2. That they came into a society è Nomadibus beastly savages it is manifestly false homo enim a primo instituto est animal politicum for man even from the first institution is a politicke creature For these politicall societies came first of houses familiae in vicos excreverunt vici in civitates fa milies grew up into streets or Villages and these into Cities 3. Lawes were after religion Vt poetae testantur Ethniet as the Heathen Poets testifie No Lawes in Homers time yet religion the stories of the Heathen doe testifie that lawes began almost a thousand yeeres after religion It s impossible that religion is a devise of man Reasons hereof 1. The universality of religion For when religion was too weake because men became so brutish lawes were made to be as it were snaffles and bridles for such Horses and Mules The universality of the perswasion of the worship of God not only written in the heart of every man but also in the consent of all Nations therefore impossible to be a devise of man Within these hundred yeeres the Spaniards and Portugals found out Nations in the Antarticke part of the World both in the South and West parts that had no dealing with any other Nation because they were with out apparrell marriage c. that had no lawes no governments that were most necessary things yet were they not without religion and they had some things which they called their Gods and worshipped them as God indeed Therefore seeing there is no Nation without religion yet some have beene knowne to have no dealing with other Nations it cannot be a devise of man or a devise of propagation But religion is not of propagation Object Solu 2. The diversity of religions without any analogy of the one to the other But if it be objected that those Nations had it of their borderers This may be another argument against them for they are so farre from taking religion one of another that there is as great a variety herein as may be possible without any proportion of one religion to another Diversitas simillimarum gentium the diversity of like Nations but all devises that come of any devise will have some analogie with it For some as the Jewes worship an invisible thing i. God himselfe all the Gentiles visible as Heavens Starres Planets Elements Birds Beasts Snailes Plants as Garlicke and Onions some a peece of red cloth hanged upon a pole some the first thing that they met that they worshipped as God all that day manifestum ergo religionem è propagatione non esse ortam adeoque neque ab humano instituto It is manifest therefore that religion came not of propagation and therefore neither of humane institution 3. Falshood can claime no kindred but of time for onely truth is without all time Opinionum commenta delet dies naturae judicium confirmat time vanquishes the inventions of opinions but confirmes the judgement of nature Therefore every thing besides truth brought in by mans inventions or by any other thing whatsoever weareth out but religion was and shall be perpetually religion weareth not there is no antiquity but religion is beyond it
by magicke Perfecation by sword by bookes They say that your Saviour wrought by magike and that he learned it in Egypt but I can hardly be brought to beleeve it For if he were such a one and wrought by inferiour spirits non triumpharet de diis he could not triumph over the Gods for he hath confounded all our Gods and put them to silence If he wrought by such meanes no doubt neither he nor his followers would exhort others to such austerity of life and manners and forbid all such unlawfull meanes Pliny 2. testifieth of the Christians that they were the innocentest people that ever lived and giveth the Emperour counsell that if they were accused of any that the Law might take hold of them otherwise that he should not once enquire of them The next their constancy in suffering death not onely in men of strength but also in silly old men maides children with their parents c. And that after so ambitious desire of death that they would offer themselves to die as the woman with the child in her armes that crossed the Proconsulls horse and being asked the cause why she did so answered that she feared lest she should come too late to suffer with the other Christians that had their names in his bill to be executed for she said that she also was a Christian Tertullian in his apoâ—ogy Omne malum aut timore aut pudore natura perfundit malefici denique gestiunt latere devitant apparere trepidant deprehensi negant accusati ne torti quidem facile aut semper confitentur certè damnati moerent dementati in semetipsis mentis malae impetus vel fato vel astris imputant nolunt esse suum quia malum agnoscunt Christianis verò quid simile neminem pudet neminem poenitet nisi planè jam antea non fursse si quis denotatur gloriatur Every sinne nature besprinkles it either with feare or shame the wicked they desire gladly to lie hid they shunne to be seene being taken tardy they tremble being accused they deny though tortured scarce ever doc they freely confesse being condemned they are pensive they waxe foolish in themselves the vehement rage of their evill heart they impute either to fate or to the starres They will not have it to be theirs because they know it is evill but to Christians what is like none is ashamed of it none forethinkes it unlesse that he was not such sooner if any be marked he glories Si accusatur non defendit interrogatus velultro consitetur damnatus gratias agit Quid hoc mali quid non habet mali timorem pudorem tergiversationem poenitentiam deplorationem Quid hoc maliest cujus reus gaudet cujus accusativo votum cujus poena felicitas c. If any be accused he defends not being asked he confesses freely being condemned he gives thankes what evill is this what wickednesse hath it not feare shame hasting despising bewailing But what evill can this be whereof the party accused rejoyceth whereof to be accused is their desire for which to suffer punishment they account felicity There is never a sect of all the Philosophers but one edict put forth of the common wealth that it should be present death to be maintainers of it would dash it as it did Pyrrho and his followers But no edict ever could or hath put this to silence no persecutions either by sword or by bookes c. but the Christians tyred their persecutors Where there is a mutation there must be an agent to worke but these were onely the patients and by suffering did weary the agents For the manner of the departure of their persecutors From the persecution under Claudius to the last of the ten all the Emperors and all that had set to their hand to any Bill in those ten persecutions of the Christians came to a fearefull end onely Libanius escaped that presently went to Basil and became a Christian All the rest came to a miserable end as Iudas Herod Pilat c. Sejanus So that one crieth out to an Emperours parce nobis si non nobis parce tibi si non tibi parce Carthagini pitty us if not us yet pitty thy selfe if not thy selfe yet pitty the City Carthage Last the divels testimony For it is a point in Law that how ill soever any witnesse is otherwise disposed yet his witnesse may be taken Cum confitetur in dedecùs suum when he confesseth to his owne reproach Eusebius saith that Iulian the Apostata being in Antioch and being desirous to deale with inchanting the spirits having made his circle upon the place where Babylas a martyr was buried and adjuring after his manner the divell to come up the divell confesseth that he by all his cunnings and adjurings could make him come up there before he had digged up Babylas his ashes Tertullian challengeth the Emperour and his Religion Let me come saith he into your Temples and let me talke with any of the spirits in your Images If I make not or any Christian the feind to confesse as much as the foule spirits in the Gospell to come out of the image then let your religion prevaile and ours take the foyle And surely his great offer had beene taken had not the Emperour feared the overthrow Last Plotinus Apollonius Thyanaeus and other of the heathen assayed divers times to bring up the Images of Iupiter Mars c. and brought them up but they all confessed this that when they came to bring up the Image of Christ they and the Spirits were confounnded ergo there can be no power to represent him That also may be added that their God was afraid of Styx now we have found him whom Styx it selfe standeth in feare of yea of the ashes of a Christian Being entered into this way we fall once more into another division For as we know Christian faith standeth on two sorts so that each part pleadeth the possession of it as well as other and each taketh the other to be wrong Now therefore to know whether of these we are to betake our selves to And it is no difficulty if we take the markes of true religion 1. That the worship of God is spirituall 2. That it restraineth the concupiscence in particular hereafter it shal be resolved Now in generall because they build on the Word of God as well as we so that each plead their interest in it but after a divers meaning that we may take a right course for the right interpretation of the Scripture The maine question the question lieth thus betweene us and the Chruch of Rome how that certaine and infallible interpretation of the Word of God may be had They say it may be had of the Fathers Councels Church or the chiefe Father in the Church i. the Pope We in another sort this their opinion may be resolved 2. Pet. 1.20 that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any private interpretation To make it
divided and that also falleth into the division of having The parts of the soule as God maketh them Deut. 6.5 are reason or understanding called the soule 2. The affection or will called the Heart Therefore they are foolish schoolemen that expound by the heart the body of man So the duety of the mind being to know as is abovesaid in the treatise of the heart and appetite to regard love falleth right to this But under the division for the well expounding of the parts we must labour for the true sense of this Therefore as we know the parts of the mind so we must know that these parts have their order Vires animae sunt ordinatae the powers of the soule are set in order saith the Philosopher The order is this that we must know it before we can regard it and love it For ignoti nulla cupido there is no love of that we know not the Philosopher That invisa possumus cupere incognita nequaquam we may covet things unseene but never things unknown Augustin Therefore they say well where two things be in order if the first be taken away the second shall never be fulfilled So if ignorance be brought in God shal never be desired nor loved and so not had The first kowledge He must be knowne and that standeth first the duty of the mind and understanding part 2. Love he must be loved esteemed the duty of the second part the heart or will Now the end of knowledge is but the fulnesse of perswasion a setled beliefe which we call faith both the meanes and end of knowledge And therefore comprehended in the first part as the fulnesse of regard and love is nothing else but obedience But to make it more plaine let the mind begin that we may first know God knowledge must have its object and that is God He cannot be knowne à priore in himselfe therefore we must seeke to know him à posteriore and that is by his attributes and effects For his Attributes they are those ten set downe Exod. 34.6 7. His Majesty Truth Vnchangeablenesse Will Justice Mercy Knowledge Power Vbiquity Eternity Of these two especially are called principall and concerne us most his Justice and Mercy the other 8. are called communiter ad dno common to two because they fall into these two alike So knowledge in fulnesse 1. proceeding to faith apprehendeth 1. the Justice of God 2. his Mercy and beleeveth them both Adde the other 8. to his Iustice that he is of infinite majesty infallibly true c. and they make it more perfect and consequently more fearefull adde them also to his Mercy that he that loveth us is King of eternall life c. and it maketh his Mercy more and consequently farre more to be beloved Out of this faith or knowledge proceeding of his justice there proceedeth feare and out of it humility These out of Justice the first part and out of the knowledge and faith of mercy with the other 8. proceed two duties more one hope who would not hope 2. Fructus spei invocatio precatio est interpres spei The fruit of hope invocation prayer is the interpreter of hope By prayer or thankesgiving i. to acknowledge from whom we have received it Love hath his effect and fruit Love is full in obedience which is a conforming of our selves and our will to the Will of God Or a bearing willingly of whatsoever it pleaseth God to lay on us for not conforming our selves to him in this life and that is called patience obedientia crucis the obedience of the Crosse In these the having of God doth wholly consist and there can be no other duety added to them We must understand this that it pleaseth the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures by the figure Synecdoche for shortnesse of speech sundry times to name one of these and thereby to meane and comprehend the whole worship of God As Iohn 17.3 all is given to knowledge This is life eternall that they know thee c. In another place all to feare And in another place all to hope c. In the rest under the name of one synecdochicall to comprehend all the other Virtutes 2. 3. proposâ—tionis Vertues of the second and thâ—rd propositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not be must be perpetuall And not without good reason for they have a very good dependance one of the other Now to these we must adde the duty of the second proposition 1. true religion and out of the third proposition pure religion against joyning it with other worship And beside these out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be which is the future tense to consent to it in our life till this non erit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not be devoure our erit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be It includeth the verture of perseverance through all the Commandements And coram facie mea before my face includeth sincerity and singlenes of heart for our heart is as well before his eyes as our other parts contrariwise condemneth hypocrisie These make up the manner of his worship In the resolution of the first Commandement the first thing in it Knowledge is knowledge of which in regard of the excellency and dignity of it Iohn writeth thus ch 17. v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is eternall life that they know thee In the handling of these severall vertues as before in the explication of the Commandement we must follow those rules that we have set downe Vsus necessitas cognitionis Dei The use and necessity of the knowledge of God The first thing concerning knowledge is the use of it and thence the necessity of it The necessity out of this place that knowing we must attaine everlasting life And forasmuch as life everlasting is so much worth to us and without this knowledge we lost it but we are dull by our owne nature therefore we are to seeke a further provocation We must therefore adde that Ier. 9.24 where God plucketh from us all our Peacock feathers as gifts of nature as wisdome gentry riches strength c. and chargeth not to rejoyce in them but in that we know God But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me And herein only must we glory But as we said it is not the excellency that can so strike into us our dull hearts but they cannot desire to be excellent But because we cannot be without it when we come to shew that we must needs have it that is ferrea ratio a hard reason If he finde us ignorant that we cannot doe agendum i. the law being our agend and no action can be without moving and no moving without the will and no will without desire and no desire without a thing knowne therefore take away knowledge and take away all and so nothing shall be done and consequently we shall become idle Not but that
is mention of Moloch there is nothing else meant by it but the Starre of Saturne and there is also mention made of the Star of the god Rempham Fifthly after those things that are in Heaven then he commeth downe to the earth and there is forbidden the serving of any in earth to men as the Images of Baal Pâ—rizzim Baal Peor Baal Zebus Hercules Antidotus Muscarum Secondly Women as was that of Astarothe Thirdly of fowles as Ibis in Aegypt the Owle amongst the wise Graecians Fourthly Serpents as the Otter and Crocodiles and Belus was one while worshipped in the shape of a Dragon Fifthly Wormes as the Snailes among the Troglodytae Sixthly Plants as Isis in Aegypt and all other things whatsoever even things made by art as pieces of red cloth as Strabo testifieth of them that were towards the East and West Ezek. 8.14 2 Kings 23.11 Jer. 44.17 Exod. 6.32 1 Kings 12. Golden Calfe Sixthly All that is in the water as Syrens water-snakes fishes Neptune god of Philistims Dagon his similitude was like a male watersnake Aesculapius was worshipped under a watersnakes shape There was occasion given him by the Gentiles of all those that are here forbidden so that we are not onely forbidden our Simile but also our Paterne Now Deut. 4.12 13 14. Moses making as it were a Comment on this Commandement saith Remember this that when God came into the Mount ye saw no likenesse or similitude but onely heard a voice and ergo a voice say the Rabbines because a voyce not being able to be painted nor drawne into any shape it was never like to deprive God any way of his honour But the reasons they weigh thus much in the Chap as if he should say If it had beene the will of God that there should have beene any Image he would have shewed you somewhat when he came into the Mount but you saw nothing but heard onely a voyce take heed ergo that you correct not God and make to your selves any Image And as it is Heb. 11.1 it is the nature of faith to be rerum invisibilium not to see Now to bring visible things into Religion and Faith it is the next way to dishonour God and the overthrow of Faith and Religion Joh. 4.23 Christ himselfe telleth the Woman that the time was come when all Ceremonies and invented places for worship should goe for nothing and even the very Temple at Jerusalem God would not accept it But this was it that should be accepted that they should worship him in spirit and truth whereunto nothing is more opposite than Images no truth being in them but onely the shew of a truth and visible Then they will aske if all likenesses be condemned why was then that of the Cherubims permitted yea prescribed by God to be made for that was a resemblance Heb. 9.5 But yet it was no such * * * Num. 21.8 2 King 10. resemblance as they define an Image to be quod habet exemplar in rerum natura For the Cherubims were made round like two young men or boyes without armes and in stead thereof with two wings But for that matter it is plaine that he made them not to be worshipped but if he would have had them worshipped he would not have put them into the darkest place but they were put into the Sanctum Sanctorum where none ever came but the high Priest and he but once in the yeare And they were made as appeareth Exod. 25.22 to this end that the high Priest might know from whence God would give answer But Tertullian in his Book De Idololatria Tom. 2. pag. 447. answereth this fully God saith not that an Image may not be made But non facies tibi that we make not any to our selves But they say then Why did Moses make an Image and he hath that objection in the same place Ait quidam Cur ergo Moses ex aere fecit serpentem His answer is there Quod idem Deus lege vetuit similitudinem fieri extraordinario praescripto aeneum serpentem fieri fecit Tibi eundem deum observa Legem habes eam observa quod si post praeceptum factum sine libidine feceris tu imitare Mosem i. ne facias nisi deus te jusserit licuit deo legem ponere licet ei quod vult si idem deus diceret tibi Facies qui dixerat Non facies jure faceres God by his generall law forbade that any Image should be made then by an extraordinary cause by an extraordinary priviledge of an extraordinary matter caused an Image to be made except you have particular commandement from God as Moses had doe not you make any Image Concerning this point we have shewed on Gods behalfe what did move him to make this restraint now it followeth that we shew that in regard of our selves and our owne corruptions it is necessary this restraint should be made Tertullian in the same Book De Idololatria setteth it downe that before the Flood even during the dayes of Seth the worship of God was corrupted with Images and that Enoch's restoring was nothing else but the restoring of the true Religion unto her purenesse againe and that he is ergo said in his dayes to have walked with God This is it that Tertullian saith For the likelyhood of it since Adam we have example of it that it was true for Jacob by being in the house of Laban had learned to take Teraphim gods of Images to mingle them with God The reason of this is in Gen. 6.3 God will trouble himselfe no more nor set himselfe against man and his reason is because man is wholly evill fleshly i. though hee consist of two natures one of flesh and bones the other of the spirit yet he suffereth the grossenesse of the flesh to overgrow the purenesse of the spirit and to corrupt it turning the spirituall nature into flesh so that we wholly become flesh and ergo love that with which the flesh is delighted i. sense Insomuch as the Apostles many times in their writings and Paul giveth us warning to take heed of the flesh of the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of this is that we have an affection in us and that affection is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire to feele or see him This was Saint Thomas his disease that would not beleeve except he did feele his wounds and see him himselfe c. And it was the disease of Mary Magdalen about the death of her brother Master if thou hadst been here he had not dyed And we see it was not hers alone but of all the Apostles they desired that Christ might stay to erect an earthly kingdome and that they might be with him alwayes insomuch that he was faine to tell them that except he were taken from them the Comforter could not come to them Such a thing there is in Religion In Exodus Moses had been in the Mount but
17.15 Quem Deus eligerit whom God shall choose else nought and injust ipso facto 1 Kings 1.20 Bethsabees speech to David The eyes of all Israel are upon thee that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my Lord the King after him and verse 33. he chooseth Salomon And 1 Chron. 28.5 he saith Among all the sonnes I have God hath chosen Salomon And indeed it is all one to choose a man for his gifts as if God had chosen him Every one must be chosen for their gifts of wisedome c. that shall be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. A second forme Deut. 27.15 1.13 generall to both he must be some of their owne Nation The first reason is because of naturall affection grounded on education Where a man hath been bred he will be most profitable The second reason is Acts 26.3 the reason of Pauls joy in that he should answer before Agrippa a great matter to bee acquainted with the customes of the Countrie These in generall Deut. 27.1 In any wise he shall not prepare him many horses nor bring the people againe into Aegypt 4. Particular duties of the Prince for to encrease the men The particular duties of the Prince Deut. 17.16 foure duties are set downe First he must not be affected to Aegypt which is Nutrix idololatriae the nurcery of Idolatry he must not favour false Religion and if he doe he ought not to be a King ver 16. Secondly ver 17. not uxorius it is a Synechdoche whereby is meant he must not be voluptuous given to pleasure Pro. 3.3 4. they must not meddle with Wine and Women Salomon pronounceth woe against the Land where Princes be early at their Banquets yea and late too Thirdly ver 17. No hourder of Gold and Silver not covetous 1 Kings 12.4 it was Salomons fault for he by his seven hundred Wives and three hundred Concubines made such an imposition on the Land that when his sonne came to raigne the Subjects come and tell him plainely he should not raigne and be their King unlesse he would ease his Fathers burthens 1 Kings 12. Thy Father made our yoke grievous make thou it light and we will serve thee And ver 16. seeing themselves not regarded said What portion have we in David Wee have no inheritance in the sonne of Ishai to your Tents O Israel now looke to thine owne house David The Prince to have a copy of the Law therein to learne three things Fourthly vers 18. which is the first to be done because it is provision for all the rest he must have a copy of the Law in which he may learne three things first to feare God Secondly to shew the practise of it 1. in himselfe 2. in the Court 3. in the whole Country And the third thing to be humble And keeping this Law his throne shall last for ever as Pro. 29.14 that will make sure succession as Samuel told Saul 1 Sam. 10.6 dedit Deus cor aliud God gave him another heart How Because he was there among Prophets The meanes be plainer Psal 2.10 Erudimini Reges be wise now therefore O ye Kings c. Christ Mat. 10.21 gave one that he liked a lesson but his possessions choaked all so they choake learning and all other good things Hinc illud Christi How hard is it for rich men to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven He that is thus qualified is meet for a kingdome Now being in his seat he must not thinke he is there by himselfe according to their stile Caesar Dei gratia c. Caesar by the grace of God c. So whereas the Law distinguisheth potestas into arbitraria delegata power is either Arbitrary The Princes duty delegate not arbitrary Assigned He must acknowledge the later to be his and say with the Centurion Mat. 8.9 I am under authority of Claudus Lisias he under Faelix he under the Emperour he pro Deus under God and so he is under authority also The Heathen man said Kings are our Countries and over Kings is God Being Gods Viceroyes they must rule as God would if he were on earth How is that Even secundum verbum ejus according to the prescript of the Word So must Princes rule and Numb 27.21 because the Prince hath no perfect skill and deep cogitation in the Word therefore this ruling must bee at the mouth of Eleazar And this is the first duty The peoples duty answering to this To acknowledge him Gods deputie 1. Duty of the people 1 Sam. 10.26 whose heart God touched they are obedient Obedience as Principality is of Gods spirit Mat. 22.21 by Christs answer there it appeares how he stood affected in his obedience unto Caesar Two sorts of men were then in Juda There was one Theudas that made an insurrection for Tribute that was commanded some there were that would not pay tribute and Theudas Captaine of them he tooke on him to defend them and to prove that no tribute must be paid On the other side there were certaine spiritus aulici court spirits Herodians they would have every thing given to Caesar even Gods part too And therefore they and the Scribes aske Christ tempting him Is it lawfull to give tribute unto Caesar or not To whom he saith not omnia sunt Caesaris all things are not due to Caesar but Caesar hath his quae and God hath his quae So he goeth from Theudas to Obedience that is medium mediocritas the true meane 2. Duty of the Prince The second duty is because God hath dealt so liberally with Caesar as to make him his Deputy Quod dicitur de Deo creaturis derivatur a Deo in creaturas that supremacy which God hath over his creatures he hath derived and given to the creature So it comes from God who was able to have done all himselfe alone if he had followed that which some worldly men say Author alienae potentiae aufert de sua perdit suam he that sets up another puls downe himselfe he had not bestowed his dignity upon any But he imparted of his honour to Caesar Now Caesar must not requite him with breaking into that that is Gods alone for there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a division quae Caesaris quae Dei Caesar hath his and God hath his therefore he must let God have his owne And so Caesar must not dominari conscientiae beare rule over the conscience none but God keepeth court in conscientia Therefore he must not command a man against his allegeance in baptisme that sealed his conscience to God So he must not goe against the Word from which faith proceedeth Jerome saith That that is payd to Caesar against the Word is not Caesaris vectigal but daemonis not Caesars but the Devils tole So he knowing Gods glory to be his end he must be Deut. 16.17 custos legis that is omnium operum legis a keeper of