Moral and Spiritual good to be held fast when found by Faith and a tenacious observance Now since all Acts of Examen and Probation are made with respect to some Rule as in Angles the Square in Levels the Plumb-line in Measures the Standard our chief enquiry must be what is this Rule according to which our Examen must proceed And secondly Who are the proper Judges to fit on these things Whether every one of the Laity or Clergie only To whom for certain it only belongs in a special manner Rev. 11.2 Upon which account some very Learned and Christian men have restrain'd the Precept here to them only Yet I shall not deny them nor do they I think their right of Tryal and Judgement even as far as they themselves shall venture when they shall be rightly instructed in the true nature of application of the Rule on one hand which is our business and consider soberly and meekly the more petite measures of their own Parts and Graces seeing God dispenseth not his Talents to all equally but divideth to each man severally as he pleaseth I say I shall not deny them nor indeed can I the way I go provided they use the Rule according to the Authors minde and withal keep themselves within the bounds that God and Nature hath set them as they will answer dearly to God for the contrary who will have every member to know his own station as lusty and liking and thriving as he may be in his own esteem Howbeit since the Act of Examining and Proving in the Text supposing the Rule with the Spirit of God toward the admission and love of it is an Act of the Understanding it is clear that the rational man is the proper Judge here regarded the Scripture many times referring things even to our Judgment 1 Cor. x. 15. Luke XII 57. and all the world knows that Judgment is an Act of the Understanding For as in the first admittance of the Rule we did not take it up upon an easie credulity as the Atheist upbraids us but upon most weighty moment abundantly courting and pressing us for our assent so after that assent the same Reason which draws conclusions for her own use is able to turn and taste of those which she sinds drawn to her hand But in this her Estimate of so sacred a thing as Religion she is not a little jealous and cautious because a Drug or Jewel the more pretious it is the more do men study how to adulterate it The Case is plain Religon is not the Fools Gospel it despises not the Fool neither provided he be a docile i.e. a wise Fool. The Body consists not of Babes only it hath its men and the Scriptures call upon us to be men in understanding that we may approve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. the things that are excellent for so Hesychius explains the word in all judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that Psal 119. Teach me good judgment and knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Hebrew a spiritual taste to distinguish joyn'd in that place with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man saies at least I cannot that Reason can make out the mysteries of Religion the Holy Trinity c. But that Religion hath to do with Reason appears because no other creature is capable of Religion and no Law of God can lay hold of us without it Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery doth not reach us but upon these reasonable Suppositions 1. That God speaks to All 2. That We are some of that number For that Reason makes inference from the sacred Text observe the Apostle who having occasion to apply that place of Scripture to our Lord Christ He hath put all things under his feet steps in and sayes that 'T is Manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him 1 Cor. xv 27. Manifest to what but to Reason as in another place 'T is manifest that we can carry nothing out of this world Manifest to sense it self But then how our Lord himself uses arguments and deductions from the Text. 'T is excellent for every one that loves the praxis of Reason to consider how he handles the Pharisees and Sadducees and worsts them as in case of the Sabbath Do the Priests saith he do such butcherly work as kill and flay the sacrifice for the ends of God and may not my Disciples grinde an ear of corn for the ends of nature S. Matth. xii 5. May David's Hunger entrench upon the Shew-bread and must we starve in the midst of a Corn-field ver 3. and if Circumcision when he had heal'd on the Sabbath that wounding Ceremony be no violation a healing Miracle sure saith he is no breach S. Joh. vii 23. Thus in the question of the Souls Immortality he argues S. Matth. xii 32. If God entitled himself to be the God of Abraham and Isaac then sure they have a perpetual Being and subsistence with their God for 't is no Title of Honour to be the God of the Dead those that are not the better for him as They that have no subsistence are not Ergo. And once more in the case of Blasphemy S. Joh. x. 34. Jesus answered Is it not written in your Law I said you are Gods If he call them Gods to whom the Word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken say ye of him c. Nay since one way of Probation of all our Hopes our ever blessed Jesus to be the Messias lies in deduction from the Prophesies of the Old Testament it will be but wrong to intelligent men to say any more The reasonable man then is constituted the Judge after examination and proof to bring in his Inference What is the Rule now The Answer that is justly expected here is the Scriptures the Word of God and of his Prophets the Law and the Gospel the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ And this Answer takes its date from the time in which the Church of God first owned the Canon as now it stands For however it pleased God to tutour the Patriarchs by Tradition and other Revelations and to found the Christian Church by the oral Preaching of the Apostles it is evident that since he hath committed Both Testaments to Writing seeing 't is his Word it is our RULE and being such no question hath lost nothing by the writing All confessing that God had designes of safety and conservation of that his Word to the respective after-ages when first he began the writing part himself I might adde to this that ONELY Scripture is the Rule but then I must crave leave to distinguish and take heed that the word Onely be a just exclusive of what is extraneous to Scripture not to have any malignancy against ought that hath natural intimacy and consanguinity with it Of this nature are these Let notional men dispute how
they differ from Scripture or from one another the constant Belief of the Church the constant Publick Practice the Authority of the Church the Summaries of Faith commonly called the Creed the example of Saints of God the great example of our Lord Jesus the common Tradition and sense of mankind those notices of good and evill implanted in our souls by our great Creator God blessed for ever commonly called Recta Ratio or the light of Nature Some of which are contain'd in the Scriptures as the Pith and Marrow of the same as the Creed and the example of Christ some are supposed to the whole body as right Reason and the light of Nature and some things are naturally annexed to the vigor of the Scriptures viz. the authority and practice of the Church in all points which the Scriptures have put into her hand Against any of which it will be unjust and violent to oppose the Scriptures upon this account because they all agree in a sweet and necessary subordination at least one to the other and 't is a material rule subordinata non pugnant subordinates are not to be set at variance The Scriptures that were left to the Church as a conservatory of Faith since Faith is but One must be left also by Gods design as a conservatory of unity But seeing that is lost among us it is too apparent that it is even with the Scriptures as with other Rules and Instruments Mathematical they are exact and infallible in themselves but yet every one knows not how to use them The error arises because Mathematical Instruments are not assumed by any without the precognition of some prolepses and postulata premised to their due operation To give you a more clear example in the Sun which is the Rule the only Rule and Index of the hour of the day so certain that all other Machines must be corrected by it but no man can find that hour of the day by the Sun it self unless he knows before-hand the Horizon which is East and which is West yea and the Meridian also Secondly These Rules must be applyed to their proper Correlatives the Ruler for Lines the Square for Angles not contrary the Rule for an Angle or the Square for a Line they were not given us to that purpose Scripture is a rule according to the Writers intent of Faith Not of Ceremonies Nor of every dictate of Nature and Nature again is a rule of practice and conscience within its sphere not of things beyond it matters of meer Faith and mystery For want of some such directions as these I say the error arises and doth not the Scripture attest the same that men know not how to use the Scriptures Doth not that learned Apostle S. Paul say of some that call themselves Teachers of the Law Which yet understand not what they say nor whereof they confidently affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 Doth not the Scripture confess that the Scripture is and may be wrested by such and such persons 11 Pet. 111.16 Those certainly that know not how to use them Doth it not once again say That the Law the Scripture is holy and good but then it must be used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 to bring us to Christ not to draw us from him and so in like manner to bring us to Unity not to draw us from it And is not the Scripture then used not lawfully when we wilfully exclude all other Guides or Lights or Rules which the Scriptures themselves own and abet and impose on all that will take her word These things if true as 't is pity they should not for Truth and Peace and Order sake we should quickly learn to search the Wounds of the Church and tent them and by Gods grace heal them For all contrary pleas of schism and disunion would fall to the ground since it would be as unreasonable to say I will be guided by Scripture only not regarding the Light of Nature or common dictates of Conscience I will be sway'd by Scripture only not respecting any Creeds or summaries of Faith how antient soever I will be judged by Scripture only defying all manner of publick Testimony or Tradition whether it hath footing in the Scripture or no Scripture shall be my Rule not the example of Christ for many cry up the one that little think they are obliged to the other This upon deliberation will appear to be q.d. I will be guided by the Sun alone not by the imaginary East and West or the humane invention of the Meridian I will build my House level by the Plumb-line not regarding which is up and which is down Now since we are engaged to prove all things matters of Faith Practice and Ceremonies also you are to take notice that we may duely prove all things that there is a difference between the former and latter that the difference stands thus as I trust we shall make it good that the Scripture which is a distinct Rule for Faith and Practice is not such for matters of Discipline It is only general for this as viz. When it commands Decency and Order and Obedience but in particular it is not whence a distinct testimony of Scripture is not to be called for by our Posers for every Ecclesiastical Usage nay it is ignorant and absurd so to think but in the other a distinct Rule is indeed acknowledged Yet again with these cautions that in matters of Faith no interpretation of Scripture must thwart the Creed or in matters of Practice cross-grain the Light of Nature To begin with this first The Light of Nature and Natural Principles are supposed to the holy Scriptures as Unit is to Numbers or the Dawning of the day to the Sun-rise a Beam of the Divine Conscience shot into the soul in the day of the Creation when God said to the little World Let there be light and there was light and God saw that it was good And though great was the loss of that light in our first Father yet the growing darkness reach'd not so far without question as to extinguish all that was good the very shame that was left him was a sign of some good remains he knew that disobedience was nakedness his fear and flying for the same shew that he was not past all grace he was not delivered up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No Divine ever said so Natural Principles therefore remain in us and if they should not without doubt we should all run like Beasts into the Wilderness with Nebuchadnezzar in the head of us for by these all mankind know since I question whether the Sea-Monsters in our shape be of the same race with us know I say Good and Evil that there is a GOD a Law a Vengeance a Worship and we give more then guesses at what is truly Honest and Iust and Modest what becomes our natures and what misbecomes us Vnjust Inhumane and Vnholy also For the Heathen always could and can to
this day tell us what is the iniquity of Perjury and Parricide Sacriledge and Fraud the iniquity of unhallowing holy Rites and Times by servile Work or by impure Addresses Hence the Apostle tells us that all the works of the flesh are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest Gal. v. to the rational Conscience 'T is true it must be enlightned by faith to know Idolatry Witchcraft or Heresie at least to be works of darkness but for the rest they are all manifest to meer Reason Adultery Fornication Strife Sedition Hatred Envyings Murthers Drunkenness and such like Adde that great known place Rom. ii 14 15. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law and Having not the Law they are a Law unto themselves Having not the Books of Moses they are a Moses to themselves because many of them made conscience of these sinful works of the flesh now reckoned up To speak plain then This Law of Nature is a Rule no prejudice to Scripture For if it shall be asked Whether it be sin to transgress it who sees not that the answer must be yea that all unnatural men are impious which is a perfect demonstration that this Law is a Rule because as we may sin against the Scripture so we may sin against it Nay who knows not that it is an aggravation of sin the more grossely and palpably it affronts this innate light such as the unnatural lusts Rom. 1. the unnatural burning of their children to that cursed Idol Moloch and the like Upon which it is evident that the Word of God cannot according to Gods intent be universally opposed to this Law because this is also Gods Gods own Law written in the Table of our hearts as the other if yet it be the other was in Tables of Stone I may well say if yet it be the other For all Divines that I know confess that the Ten Commandments for the Moral part are all one with the Primaeval Law of Nature Now there is no opposing of God to God Redemption to Creation Grace to Nature the one is more excellent then the other but they are at no hand opposite one does not overthrow the other Here if it be asked Whether all Principles and Conclusions rational are compris'd in Scripture a material Quere toward the understanding of our Texts business the answer for the conclusions must be Negative The Scriptures do charge many of them upon us with this dreadful caution Ego Dominus Thou shalt not curse the Deaf I am the Lord or put a stumbling-block before the Blind I am the Lord yet the conclusions drawn from Natural light are Infinite as Christs Miracles which Saint John saith the Scriptures could not hold Be judge your selves when every true and wholesome Lesson in Practick Philosophy yea all the grave and righteous Laws of Policies and Nations are nought else but deductions from the Law of Nature and who can undertake to find then distinctly in the holy Scriptures distinctly I say for in the general 't is true they may be found especially above other places in that famous Text of Saint Paul to his Philippians chap. iv 8. where he conjures them to whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are grave whatsoever things are pure just lovely and of good report if there be any vertue or peace to think on them But distinctly and expresly to sind every wholsome Law of this Land in the Law or Gospel I appeal to the knowing in the Law if they will say it it is enough that they are not contrary and 't is a sign there is God in them because not contrary to Scripture according to our principle above And It is pity but Christians should understand these things as long as they are the words of Truth and Soberness The holy Scripture is careful to teach us to do our duties to God to pray to hope on him but it is not always sollicitous to teach us in what common sense can sufficiently tutour us I instance in one of many viz. Consulting the Physician or using any good means toward our recovery The Son of Sirach indeed minds us of it but he is Apocryphal and the Canonical in the case of Asa seems to condemn it and so for the use of all natural means in general 'T is ridiculous to press me for a Text of Scripture if Right Reason and Humanity sufficiently instructs us For Reason is a Talent also of which God will take his account Hence the Libertines must learn their no Plea for Fornication and Drunkenness and Gluttony and Revelling and self-Murthers nor Pride and Haughtiness although possibly they are not exprest in the Decalogue Nor must men venture in the Topick of Matrimony on Poligamy Marriage of Kin Matches precipitate or unequal or hasty second Matching within the dayes of mourning for the first although they fancy no Text that condemns them The like may be said for Sacriledge which sure many think no Text forbids the Christian breaking open of Graves c. yea all immodest offensive Cynical behaviour to civil Company remembring that they are condemned in the general Charity behaveth not it self unseemly 1 Cor. xiii and Provide things honest in the sight of all men Rom. xii 17. And if in the special they are not found let them take notice that Saint Paul hath an Et caetera for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such like a place to be studied by all consciencious persons Gal. v. 21. All that the Light of Nature teaches must be supposed and granted beforehand by him that means to read the Scriptures What saith the Apostle in the case of Ruffian hair Doth not even nature it self teach you saith he 1 Cor. xi 14. q.d. Suppose the Scripture be silent doth not that sufficiently teach us Let Interpreters be consulted on those words with those of Rom. xiv ult Whatsoever is not of faith is sin and the more knowing will be satisfied To put all out of doubt when our Saviour was accused of breaking a Text does he not retreat to sound Reason thereby shewing us that Scripture must seldome or never excepting in the mysterious parts as we said above be constrain'd against it I have heal'd one on the Sabbath day 't is true and you condemn me but without reason so Which of you having an Oxe or an Ass fallen into a pit will not straightway help it out on the Sabbath day S. Luke xiv 5. and again Is it lawful to do good or to do evil And I desire that our Saviour may be observed whether when he saith He came not to destroy the Law he doth not mean the Moral and Natural Law also I am sure that place of Hosea I will have mercy and not sacrifice Whatever Hosea meant he applyes it to mercy to ones self in the case of the shew-bread S. Mat. xii 7. Secondly I desire it be observed whether our Saviour throwes not the name of Hypocrite on those pretences mainly which may
be proved to be not sincere by the strength of Reason as to deny Tribute to Caesar and yet see the superscription to wipe the outside and let the inside be filthy to behold the mote in my brothers eye and not consider the beam in my own eye to be uncovered in the presence of my Master and not to shew the same reverence in the presence of my God I could adde more but I shall be too long on this point only this must not be omitted That Religion without Reason may carry us into a Frenzy I would this Land of ours did not shew you the truth of what I deliver The Spirit of God is no frantick Spirit but the Spirit of love and a sound mind 2 Tim. i. 7. The Apostle asks his disorderly Corinthians what they mean Will not they say that you are mad 1 Cor. xiv 21. The Apostle would not have us be of a crackt Religion If then the Light of Nature implanted in us be such a Light which we must have recourse to when the case serves if that must also with the holy Scriptures have some share in proving all things then we are something toward a settlement we have what will keep us sober at least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks Rom. xii 3. We shall put up no hideous impudent pretences that shall dare to thwart this Light we shall not be wild or brutish with the untamed Heifers or the wild Ass that snuffes in the Wilderness we shall not be like the populous Fish of the Sea that have no Ruler we shall not preach down Crowns and Scepters the Ordinance of God and Nature and set that new Magistrate the People above them On pretence of Freedom we shall not bring in Confusion and invade other mens Estates on the Plea of Saintship we shall not from the example of Jael Phineas and the Canaanite preach hideous Massacres of all the Loyal Party to such numerous Congregations which are able to do the feat we shall not with those Fanaticks in Jeremy vii 10. believe that we can possibly be redeemed even to commit such abominations we shall have none strip themselves of Shame and Garments and display themselves Naked through our once civil Streets none will desie the civilities of a salute we shall not study to do things quite contrary to humanity only because all mankind that were in their wits had done so before we shall not forget we are men because we are fellow creatures we shall save our natures if we do not save our souls And so much for the first particular Prove all things which concern Conscience by the Rule of holy Scripture but at no hand excluding the Light of Reason or Nature Our second particular treats of the proof in matters of Faith Faith strictly so called in which sense not every point of Spiritual Knowledge is an Article of Faith i. e. necessary to salvation the Scriptures are the Rule of both Faith and Spiritual Knowledge but so as their interpretation keep a fair correspondence with the Rule of Faith the Creed the publick confession of Christ from the first minute of Christianity made in the Church by all the Candidates of the holy Baptism as you hear by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Person I believe c. Which confession is brought down to after Ages not in Tables of Stone saith Saint Hierome but in the hearts of them that believe unto righteousness and in the mouths of those that have made confession to salvation For to this very practice doth the Apostle there referre Rom. x. The greatest searchers into the annals of the Church Voss de Symb. confess that the Apostles Creed as now it stands was in use above twelve hundred years ago viz. before four hundred years after Christ Let us take their grant and let us ask them in the Name of Christ Was the Apostles Creed then thought an Innovation such inferences giddy people are apt to make But if we look into the Scriptures there we shall find that Catechism into the Faith of Christ and Confession of the same is elder then the very name of Christian Acts xi 26 as it must be because nothing else could give them that name Elder by some years then the writings of the New Testament Saint Lukes Theophilus was catechis'd into Christian Religion before the Evangelist wrote his Gospel S. Luke i. 4 The Creed and the summe of Christianity differ secundum magis minus a straiter and a larger compass the Creed believes the Son of God the summe of Christianity saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one substance with the Father This believes the Resurrection of the Body that explaines it self a Shining and Glorious Body they differ not in substance but as the Bud and the Rose in Explication only Now the summe of Christianity is the Immediate Rule of Faith the Scriptures being the Rule quatenus They contain in them this great Pawn and Pledg the grand Depositum of our Religion This Depositum was left with the Church and also committed to writing Left with the Church thence the Apostle exhorts in in several places to hold it fast So 2 Tim. i. 13 Hold fast the Form of sound words in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Observe first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Form of sound words a Draught a Breviate so Ptolomy calls his Maps of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Form and a Rule Thus is our LORD's Prayer a Form of sound words and a Rule viz. of Prayer the Decalogue a Form of sound words and a Rule of Life Observe 2ly a Form of sound words or rather sound Articles and Propositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for single words are not capable of soundness or of the contrary Thirdly the Contents of this Form the Credenda and Agenda as all Creeds rightly understood do contain Matters of Faith and Matters of Practise witness that Article of Remission of sins Gloriously and Catholickly explained by I believe one Baptisme to Remission of sins Now these Credenda and Agenda the Apostle calls Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Next that this Form must be held fast that 's some signe it was of no unreasonable extent it must be grassed first before it can be held fast such as doth not overlade the Memorie as the Apostle seems to speak 1 Cor. xv 2 where he is explicating the Articles of the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Construe it how you please it makes for us Now to tell us that at first Voss de 36. Symb. dep 3. p. 14 it was enough for the Baptized to profess Belief in the Lord Jesus or the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Act. ii ch viii 12 c. is contrary to those very Scriptures and Reason For he that believeth in the Lord Jesus doth not believe in those two words only but in all those Great Things concerning him All that he