trembling but as we have out-passed those ten Lepers in our uncleanness so we may not come short of them in their holy fear and faith for as their fear made them stand afar off so their faith made them lift up their voices and say Jesus Master have mercy on us S. Luc. 17. 12 13. then will he give us such a purity as will not onely make us shew our selves to the Priest but also to our God such a purity as will wash our eyes to see him and much more our hearts to love him for so saith S. Peter Act. 15. 9. purisying their hearts by faith not a faith which costs the purse no alms the body no fasting the soul no praying for no true Israelite will ever offer that unto the Lord which cost him nothing 2 Sam. 24. 24. but a faith which so purifies the soul by knowing the truth as much more by obeying it for so saith the same Apostle Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently 1 S. Pet. 1. 22. this is the purity of the true Religion it purifies the soul not onely by faith but also by obedience and by love which yet are now generally farthest from many men who would fain be thought to come nearest Purity Thus we have seen Gods truth in his understanding his goodness in his will and his purity in his action it still remains that we consider his Liberty as belonging to them all for Liberty being nothing else but the dominion and power of action must needs be originally in the understanding which alone is able to judge and deliberate of what is to be done what not formally in the will which resolves to do or not to do but effectually 't is onely in the action which is the product of the said deliberate resolution this liberty is now briefly to be handled First as it is in God and then as it is in Religion for being the service of God Gods Liberty is seen in five respects in that he is free from sin free from misery free from obligation free from servitude and free from coaction which is the reason that he can both will and do what and when and where himself pleaseth I need not insist on the proof of these for to name them is to prove them nor can any man deny Gods Liberty in any of these respects but he must deny him to be God and in all these same respects we may see and must acknowlege the Liberty of Religion and to deny it to be free in any of these is to deny it to be Religion that is to say the service of God and to make it to be state policy that is to say the service of men First Religion is free from sin for the superstition and faction and profaneness and other sins that are so rife among Christians to the dishonour of Christ and the reproach of Christendome is a rust that cleaves to the men who are little better then iron not to the Religion which is as pure as the Refiners fire and therefore it is not safe nor fit to say of any order or kinde of Christians that their Religion is rebellion and their faith is faction though we cannot deny of too too many orders and kindes of men who profess Religion that they are both rebellious and factious Secondly Religion is free from misery ask the three children in the fiery furnace they will say their Religion had made them persecuted they will not say that it had made them miserable they profess that they were delivered into the hands of lawless enemies most hatefull apostates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning sure those of their own brethren which had renounced the Law of Moses and their Religion and helped the Babylonians to persecute and infest Jerusalem and to an unjust King and the most wicked in all the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus those blessed Martyrs will tell you they were in persecution the greatest that ever was but they will not tell you they were in misery nay it seems they told the quite contrary for none else could have told it but from their mouths that the angel of the Lord came down into the oven and smote the flame of fire and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind but you will say these men were partial witnesses in their own cause therefore ask their persecutors they will tell you the same for the Princes Governours and Captains and the Kings Counsellours being gathered together saw these men upon whose bodies the fire had no power nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their coats changed nor the smell of fire had passed on them nay ask Nebuchadnezzar himself who was the authour of the persecution and he will tell you that though he had caused these holy men to be so much afflicted yet he could not cause them to be miserable for at that instant when he had thought they had been burnt to ashes he heard them sing in the flames as saith the Greek Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that probably made him look about to see whence that melody proceeded and finding so sweet a breath to come from the blast of his fire he was astonied and rose up in haste and went to the mouth of the furnace which before bade him keep his distance in that it consumed his officers and called forth the holy and blessed Martyrs who having been delivered from a present death could not be looked on but as men newly risen from the dead Thirdly Religion is free from obligation there is no greater humane obligation then that of nature and there is no greater natural obligation then that which we owe to our Parents yet that may not be alledged to keep us from serving God so Aquinas determines the case Si ergo cultus parentum abstrahat nos a cultu Dei non jam esset pietatis parentum insistere cultui contra Deum ideo in tali casu dimittinda sunt officia pietatis in parentes propter divinum Religionis cultum 22 ae qu. 101. art 4. If our duty to our Parents take us away from our duty to our God as if the Father should command his son to turn rebel or Idolater or the like we must forsake our parents and cleave to God and shew the prevalency of that duty we owe to God by being undutifull to our parents in such a case again there is no civil obligation greater then that we owe to our Governours yet if they command us to sin against God by not speaking nor teaching by not praying nor preaching in the Name of Iesus we have our answer put into our mouths and God put it into our hearts lest atheism get possession there in stead of Christ whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken
nature and therefore partaketh of Gods properties both incommunicable and communicable may be thought an impertinent discourse by some because it deals in speculatives and perchance an impious discourse by others because it may seem to destroy practicks and so joyn hands with the sacrilegious profaneness of this age which trades wholly in destructives not onely in regard of man but also of God himself Yet since the end of Religion is to bring man to God it cannot be amiss to see how near the work thereof conduceth to that end and it may be proper if not necessary to shew the excellencies of Religion that mens eyes being dazled with the admirable beauty their hearts may be inflamed with the divine perfections of holiness For Holiness and Religion are one and the same thing essentially though they are different in our apprehensions therefore S. Peter calling upon us to be religious calleth upon us in these words 1 S. Pet. 1. 15 16. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy where it is evident that we are called upon for holiness from the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the love of God the Father and the communion of God the holy Ghost not onely by the authority of God the Father For it is written and by the example of God the Son But as he which hath called you is holy but also by the communion of God the holy Ghost Be ye holy for I am holy as if he had said Holiness can have no fellowship with impurity therefore unless you will be holy you must not onely renounce the authority of God commanding the example of God conducting but also the fellowship of God conversing and communicating with you For the force of the argument consists in the proper nature of God and our relation to and with God Accordingly I cannot better shew the excellencies of Religion then by shewing how near its holiness comes to the very nature and essence of God himself and then none will doubt but the Angelical Doctour did rightly say Nomen sanctitatis duo videtur importare Munditiem firmitatem that holiness imports two things purity for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one far removed from the corruptions of the earth and constancie for so sanctum or sancitum lege firmatum are all one and there is an absolute necessity of both these in that man that will be truly religious for he that will be joyned to the most High must be far removed from the things below there 's the purity and he that will be joyned to the first Beginning and last End which is wholly immoveable must be firm and immoveable in his conjunction there 's the constancy Therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. Certus sum quòd neque mors neque vita separabit me à charitate Dei I am sure and certain not onely I am perswaded that neither death nor life shall be able to separate me from the love of God He that knows it is all one to love Religion and to love God will never be separated from its love and he that knows Religion to be the service of God will easily acknowledge that such as is the master such is his service And therefore all Divines agree in this that one and the same true Divinity but some have likewise said that one and the same commandment making the first and second but one doth teach us the true knowledge of God and of Religion the proper service of God for Religion is nothing else but the immediate worship of God Religio distinctiùs non quemlibet sed Dei cultum significat saith S. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 1. If we say Worship we may possibly mean a civil or a moral worship but if we say Religion we can mean no other but Divine worship or the immediate worship of God And therefore there is no one attribute of God but shews in some sort the nature of the true Religion for such as God is in Himself such also is the Religion that serveth and pleaseth Him I will accordingly endeavour with Gods grace to shew the nature of Religion from the very nature of God yet with such a method as shall not seek to satisfie the curious by its exactness but onely to establish the conscientious by its godliness always remembring that when God shews a mortal man his glory as he did to Moses Exod. 33. 23. though he may see much yet much more there is which cannot be seen nor can any Divine whatsoever see so much of God as he doth desire nor can he express so much as he doth see It is enough therefore if I draw such a scheme of Gods attributes as is fittest to instruct my self and others in the nature of true godliness God is a Spirit and so is his service altogether spiritual S. John 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth There must be nothing in his worship of carnal inventions and much less of carnal affections for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Rom. 8. 6. wherein we have described in few words the true and the false Religion the one is spiritual the other carnal they are both described 1. In themselves to be minded for religion calls for the soul whether we serve God or Mammon 2. In their causes the cause of the one is flesh of the other spirit 3. In their effects the effect of the one is life and the assurance of it peace the effect of the other is death Religion then it self is to be minded it always engageth the soul and the true Religion is to be spiritually minded eagaging the soul according to the dictates of Gods holy Spirit And indeed Religion hath the chiefest properties of a spirit For 1. A spirit is invisible and imperceptible by the sense so is the true Religion the natural man perceives it not 1 Cor. 2. 14. and S. Paul calleth the things of Religion spiritual things Rom. 15. 27. The Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things and 1 Cor. 9. 11. If we have sowen unto you spiritual things Take heed then of a carnal eye in Gods worship that loves to look upon an image but much more of a carnal affection that loves to look upon it self 2. A spirit hath life in it self and giveth life unto the body so Religion hath life in it self and giveth life to those that are religious S. John 17. 3. This is life eternal that they may know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent The true knowledge of God in Christ which cannot be without a practise answerable to it is the true Religion and that is life eternal both formally in it self and effectually in regard of us Christ is not onely the truth
but also the life S. John 14. 6. And so also are his words S. Iohn 6. 63. The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life no parting Christs words from Spirit nor Spirit from life and again verse 68. Thou hast the words of eternal life Let nothing go for Christs word which is not spirit and life and so spirit as to give life wherefore if you see a Religion a fraught with beads pictures crucifixes and such outward ordinances be afraid of it for these and the like are mens carnal inventions meer carnal images this is not Religion but superstition Again if you see a Religion fraught with envy malice hatred uncharitableness spiritual pride perversness profaneness licentiousness disobedience novelty singularity be afraid of it for these and such like are mens carnal practises carnal imaginations this is not Religion but faction such as the Apostle casteth down 2 Cor. 10. 5. And the prophet seems to prophesie against Ier. 43. 13. For what are the images of the house of the sun amongst us but the humorous imaginations of those that abuse the light of the Gospel And this trial or proof of the true Religion is substantial it concerns the very nature and essence of it even as to be a spirit is the very nature and substance of God there are other proofs that are also essential proofs of the true Religion though they be not taken from the substance of God but from his properties and so that is the truest Religion whose properties come nearest to the properties of God I will give you a short scheme of both together that seeing God himself in your Religion you may love it with all your soul with all your minde and with all your strength because so you are bound to love your God God cannot be known any further in his substance then that he is a Spirit and so accordingly is the substance of the true Religion wholly spiritual But the greatest knowledge we have of God the onely eternal Spirit is by his properties and by his attributes his properties are internal perfections belonging to him as a Spirit meerly in regard of himself as Simplicity Immutability and the like his attributes are as it were external perfections belonging to him in regard of his creatures as he is the God of the spirits of all flesh as Mercy Justice Liberality and the like or if you desire not to distinguish between Gods properties and his attributes you may say that the properties of God are either such as remove from him all kinde of imperfection that is in the creature as Simplicity which removes from him composition Immutability which removes from him Changeableness Immensity and eternity which remove from him Circumscription or Confinement the one of place the other of time and these are called incommunicable properties because they are not communicable to any creature Or the properties of God are such as do assign to God all manner of perfection First in his understanding as Wisdome and Truth Secondly In his will as Goodness and Liberty Thirdly In his power of action as Omnipotency and these are called communicable properties because they are communicated to the creature and are to be found in the creature though in a proportion and perfection infinitely short of what is in the Creatour God blessed for ever Thus angels and men have Truth and Goodness and Power though not an Unerring truth not an All-sufficient goodness not an Almighty power but they have not Simplicity Infinity Immutability Eternity which are the incommunicable properties And herein consists the supereminencie of the true Religion above any creature whatsoever that it shareth even in these incommunicable properties of God even in his Simplicity Infinity Immutability Eternity And first it shares in his Simplicity now the Simplicity of the divine essence is such that it admits of no composition at all neither Physical composition of matter and form nor Logical of subject and accident nor Metaphysical of act and power whereas the purest spirits that are admit of Logical and Metaphysical composition though not of Physical God onely excepted who admits of neither So Aquinas pr. part qu. 40. Propter divinam Simplicitatem est duplex identitas in divinis eorum quae in rebus creatis differunt quia enim illa excludit compositionem subjecti accidentis quicquid attribuitur Deo est ejus essentia quia autem excludit compositionem formae materiae in divinis idem est abstractum concretum Because of the simplicity of the divine essence there is a twofold identity in God which is not in any creature First an identity of essence and attributes because there is in him no composition of substance and accident Secondly an identity of abstract and concrete because there is in him no composition of form and matter and all action proceeding from form it is evident that he who is the agent in and of himself can be nothing else but a pure form without any mixture of any matter Nam quod est primò per se agens patet quòd sit primò per se forma 1 par qu. 3. art 2. So likewise Religion admits of no compositiou but must still remain in its own Simplicity for 1. There is in Religion no Physical composition of matter and form some will make Decency the accidental form of Religion others the Evangelical counsels the essential form and perfection of it but both are mistaken for the same holiness is the Religion of the Christian that was of the Jew though not the same beauty of holiness There is no separating the essential matter of Religion from the essential form of it and what is not intrinsecally holy that is both materially and formally cannot properly be said to be a substantial part of Religion Some look upon faith hope and charity as the formal part upon the other duties of the Decalogue as the material part of Religion but indeed such considerations are meerly notional they are not real for no man can reject an article of faith but he must also reject a commandment nor can any man wrong any commandment but he must also wrong an article of faith thus can you not expunge or deprave any commandment that contains your duty towards God but you must expunge or deprave some article of faith concerning him so also of the second table he that depraves any one of those commandments depraves those articles of faith that concern the Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints Lastly he that denies or depraves that part of Gods law which concerns himself without any relation to his neighbour doth also deny or deprave some of those articles of faith that concern himself as The forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting As for example you cannot think that any common drunkard or unclean person doth so much as seriously consider much less truly believe the Resurrection of his body
man should be wiser then his enemies for none are enemies to good men that have not first lost their wits as well as their honestie therefore he addeth further I have more understanding then all my teachers v. 99. And lest we should still object That the teachers are not always the wisest especially if they teach too soon before they have been diligent learners he addeth yet further I understand more then the ancients v. 100. that is then those that have been longest learners before they became teachers That 's the most profitable wisdome which makes a man wiser then his enemies for it keeps him from being circumvented that 's the most honourable wisdome which makes a man wiser then his teachers for it gives him a preeminence of understanding far above his condition that though he is called to be a learner yet he is enabled to be a teacher Lastly that 's the most infallible wisdome which makes a man wiser then the ancients for that gives him a preeminence of understanding above the condition of mortality which can attain to no greater wisdome then such as is gained by long travel of study confirmed by longer experience of years so that if we desire that wisdome which is most profitable most honourable and most infallible we must do as this holy man did converse more with God then with men for so he professeth v 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding we may see that understanding is to be gotten by studying the precepts of men but we cannot get it savingly but by studying the precepts of God for the prophet Daniel saith The light dwelleth with God Dan. 2. 22. and S. John saith He that loveth his brother abideth in the light what is this light but the truth or the true Religion which hath these two properties of light that 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it enlightens and reproves it enlightens the understanding by the knowledge of God it reproves the will the affections and the actions for the practise of evil Secondly Religion is in effect Omniscient because it makes us know all things besides our selves that is all things that are proper and profitable for us to know things wherein are the true comforts of this life the true blessings of the next so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 15. The spiritual man judgeth or discerneth all things the more he is spiritual the more he is able to discern the more he increaseth in Religion the more he increaseth in true wisdome and knowledge as the man in the Gospel when his eyes were first opened mistook men for trees but afterwards when he was perfectly cured he could distinguish both aright so the spiritual man at his first conversion hath but a confused knowledge of the things necessary to his salvation but afterwards he comes exactly to judge and to discern them all nor will his faith whereby he knows in part leave him till he come by degrees to a clear vision Let several knowing men all rejoyce in the excellencies of their several knowledges but let this be the priviledge onely of the religious man That he alone knows whom he hath beleeved and whom he may trust for he alone is able to know how God disposed of him before his life and how he will dispose of him after his death CHAP. VI. The assurance that we have of the substance of Religion in that it resembles God in his communicable Properties as Truth Goodness Purity and Liberty IT is the special priviledge of the good Christian that the same Religion doth make him imitate God here which will make him enjoy God hereafter for the same God who is the Authour of Religion is also the best pattern of it because Religion resembles him not onely per modum vestigii but also per modum Imaginis not onely as having his footsteps for so every creature represents the Creatour but also as having the exact lineaments and pourtraitures of his very Image so that Gods Service is best known by the knowledge of himself and the Properties of the true Religion are best declared by declaring the Properties of God The Incommunicable Properties have been already spoken of his Simplicity Infinity Immutability Eternity and the three branches or adjuncts thereof his Omnipotency All-sufficiency Omnisciency I now come to the communicable Properties of God which are especially these three Truth in his Understanding Goodness in his Will and Activity in his operative faculty answerable to his Truth and Goodness for the Intellective faculty is vain without the Affective the Affective without the Operative and therefore according to the proportion and perfection of the one is also necessarily the proportion and perfection of the other God first knows then wills then works As he knows so he wills not Irrationally As he wills so he works not Ineffectually And so is Religion very Intellective and very Affective and very Active or Operative these three properties are all joyned together Deut. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do for this is your wisdome and your understanding where we have wisdome for the Intellective keeping or observing for the Affective and doing for the Operative faculty of the soul Accordingly Divines tell us there are some vertues that are Catholick or Universal belonging to the whole worship of God in general and having alike influence upon all the Commandments or upon all the duties of Religion whether they concern God immediately in himself or mediately in his Image and these Catholick vertues are Wisdome and Prudence in the Understanding Integrity Alacrity and Constancy in the Will and Zeal and Perseverance in the action that Election Affection Action may all joyn together to glorifie him who is the first Truth to direct our Election the last Good to satisfie our Affection and the chiefest Excellency to excite and provoke our Action Wherefore it is the property of Religion to make a man more judicious more affectionate and more industrious then he was before though he had never so piercing a Judgement never so strong and vehement Affections never so industrious an Action For the soul of man though it consist of these three faculties the Intellective or knowing the Affective or desiring the operative or working the Intellective faculty whereby it knows what is to be done the Affective whereby it desires to do it and the Operative or Active whereby it sulfils that desire in doing yet this very soul doth not cannot rightly know or desire or do till it be throughly instructed exalted and quickned by Religion nay on the contrary all the while it continues irreligious it is stupid in knowledge perverse in affection and sluggish in action for though there is in all spirits a power of knowing what is true of desiring what is good and of effecting what they desire yet we cannot but acknowledge that these three faculties in all men who have their spirits clogged with sinfull flesh are very much weakened by sin and consequently must
labour that they may be strengthened by piety and godliness yet will I not enter upon a particular enumeration of Gods communicable Properties I have been too long already upon this argument much less upon a particular explication of them for it will be sufficient for my purpose which is the advancement of the true Religion in the hearts and lives of men if I briefly insist onely upon these three to which all the rest may be reduced and they are Truth in his Understanding Goodness in his Will and Purity in his Action for we cannot better consider Gods Activity then in the Purity of his Action unto which we must also annex a short discourse of Liberty as belonging to all three that is to say to Understanding and Will and Action And these three Properties of Truth Goodness Purity as they are eminently in God and evidences of his perfection so are they also eminent in Religion the service of God And first of the Truth of God and of Religion God is true by a metaphysical and by a moral Truth First By a metaphysical Truth as having the true knowledge of all things Psa. 139. 2. thou understandest my thoughts long before God understandeth our thoughts before they are the angels not when they are and therefore they are defective in truth because defective in understanding for Truth metaphysically is a conformity of the thing with the understanding and accordingly our blessed Saviour is particularly called the Truth as being the Omniscient Wisdome of God and the eternal Understanding of the Father even as the holy Ghost is the eternal Love both of Father and Son Secondly God is True by a moral Truth as having his Affection Expression Action agreeable to his knowledge and that in three respects 1. As Truth is opposed to Falshood for God neither wills nor speaks an untruth 2. As Truth is opposed to Dissimulation for God neither dissembleth nor deceiveth 3. As Truth is opposed to Inconstancy for God changeth not his judgement in truths declared or determined he changeth not the event in truths foretold or prophesied for in promises he keeps his word and his truth if man perform the conditions in threats he may not keep his word and yet keep his truth because they are but conditional And as for deceiving the Prophets Ezek. 14. 9. and 1 King 22. 23. we generally and truly answer Tradit diabolo decipiendos he delivereth them over to the devil to be deceived by him so saith the Text Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes. 2. 10 11 12. a text that gives us a fearful but yet a full account of all those strong delusions among men which led directly to the Father of lies the first step was a voluntary unrighteousness in not loving the truth the second step is a strong delusion in beleeving a lie the third step God keep them from treading in that who have trodden in the two former is a necessary damnation both for not loving the truth and for having pleasure in lies but still God is true though every man be a liar for God deceiveth the Prophet Ez◠14. 9. as he hardeneth the heart Exod. 10. 1. permissivè non efficienter permissively no◠efficaciously by not inhibiting or not purging those ill qualities that are already is the heart not by infusing any ill qualities into it and therefore though he saith I have hardened Pharaohs heart yet he saith unto us Harden not your own hearts and accordingly he threatneth in Ezekiel to destroy such a prophet from the midst of his people whose heart was hardned so fa◠as to deceive himself and others whereas he could not in justice destroy him onely for being that which himself had made him nay this permission is most plainly set forth in that parable of 1 Kin. 22. for all that God doth there is onely to let the evil spirit go forth that is not to inhibite him from going and deceiving not to send him down from heaven For it is evident that the evil spirit never did and never can come into heaven again since he was first thrown down from thence And thus briefly God is True Metaphysically and Morally Metaphysical truth consisting in the right apprehension of things as they are in themselves Moral truth in the right affection and profession of things as they are apprehended and this profession is either in word by veracity or in action by sincerity or in continuance of action by constancy so that moral truth is opposed to falshood because 't is the same with reality to dissimulation because 't is the same with sincerity and to wavering and floating because 't is the same with certainty And this same metaphysical and moral truth is also in Religion passing from the Master into his service for the Father seeketh such to worship him who worship him as he is that is who worship him in spirit because he is a Spirit and who worship him in truth because he is the Truth S. John 4. 23 24. The worship in spirit points at the metaphysical truth of Religion which requires a true apprehension of God the worship in truth points at the moral truth of Religion which requires an Affection Profession Action agreeable to that true apprehension and for both these hath our own Church taught us to pray Collect 7th Sunday after Tri. Graff in our hearts the love of thy Name Increase in us true Religion nourish us with all goodness and of thy great mercy keep us in the same Do you look for the metaphysical Truth of Religion 'T is in the knowledge of Gods Name which must be presupposed before the love of it since no man can love what he doth not know that you know God by his true Name such as himself hath proclaimed Exod. 32. 5 6 7. or that you apprehend God as he is not set up to your self an idol in stead of God as do all those who worship not the Father by the Son in the unity of the Spirit Again do you look for the moral truth of Religion 'T is in the love of Gods Name that you love him according to your knowledge or that you have your affection agreeable to your apprehension for to know God and not to love him is in effect to proclaim you do not truly know him since the same God is the first Truth and ground of our knowledge and also the last good and cause of our love and you may here likewise finde this moral truth of Religion in all respects First in its Reality for it is the very true Religion opposed to falshood or superstition 't is indeed Gods Name Secondly in its Sincerity or Fidelity for it is all Goodness not onely in the tongue but also in the heart
aliis scientiis whether the manner of knowing divine truths be more certain in Divinity then the manner of knowing natural truths is in other sciences he answers it is more certain and he gives these three admirable reasons for his answer 1. Quia certior est modus sciendi per inspirationem quà m per humanam rationem because the way of knowing by divine inspiration is much more certain then the way of humane ratiocination or collection since the one is subject to errour the other not and all divine truths are made known to us by inspiration as appears 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness I may not take any doctrine for an instruction in righteousness which I cannot prove was first taught by inspiration of God and if it be taught of God it may be found in the Scripture which is Gods word 2o. Certius est quod scitur testimonio Spiritûs quà m quod testimonio creaturarum That is more certain which is known by the testimony of Gods Spirit then of the creature But all that we know in Divinity is known by the testimony of Gods Spirit as saith S. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 21. For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost in Divinity we appeal to the undoubted testimony of God the holy Ghost and can say Veni Creator whereas in all other sciences we can go no higher then the testimony of the creatures 3o. Quia certius est quod per modum gustûs quà m quod per modum visûs A man is more sure of that which he discerns by his taste then of that which he discerns onely by his sight for what he discerns by his sight he knows onely speculatively and perchance to his great discontent but what he discerns by his taste he knows also experimentally and if the thing be good not without great delight and from these premises he proceeds to this dogmatical conclusion or determination Est certitudo speculationis est certitudo experientiae vel est certitudo secundùm intellectum secundùm affectum vel quoad hominem spiritualem quoad hominem animalem Dico ergò quòd modus Theologicus est certior certitudine experientiae quoad affectum quia est per modum gustûs Psal. 118. Quà m dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua quamvis non certior quoad speculationem intellectûs quae est per modum visûs item certior est homini spirituali quamvis incertior animali 1 Cor. 2. Animalis homo non percipit ea quae Spiritûs Dei sunt There is a certainty of speculation and there is a certainty of experience there is a certainty that proceeds from the understanding there is a certainty that proceeds from the will and affections Lastly there is a certainty of the spiritual man and there is a certainty of the natural man I answer then that the manner of knowing Theological or Divine truths is more certain then the manner of knowing any other truths if we look upon the certainty of experience which proceedeth from the will and affections because that certainty is by way of tasting Hence the Psalmist saith How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then honey to my mouth although it be less certain if we look upon the certainty of evidence which proceedeth from the understanding because that certainty is onely by way of seeing And none of us all is so quick-sighted in spiritual as in natural things and hence it is that this certainty of divine truths which is very great in the spiritual man is little or none at all in the natural man Because the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. The sum of all is this The certainty that is to be had of the Christian Religion is greater then the certainty that is to be had of other truths but it must be in a subject rightly qualified that is First in a man of holy affections who lives not after the flesh but after the Spirit else his profaneness will beguile him Secondly In a man of holy resolutions that desires not to satisfie his curiosity but his conscience not to provide for his temporal but for his spiritual interest else his hypocrisie will deceive him Thirdly in a man of holy intentions that steers not his course to heaven by the Cynosure of his own reason and much less of his own humours but is wholly guided by Gods authority for none but Gods authority ought to sway in Gods cause else his perversness will defraud him of his certainty for those men that are guilty of hypocrisie come short of it those that are guilty of profaneness go beside it those that are guilty of perversness go against it for as it is concerning Religion it self so is it also concerning the certainty that accompanies it the profane person goes beside it the hypocrite comes short of it the perverse person goes against it onely the sincere meek good man obtains it he that is sincere without hypocrisie meek without perversness good and honest without profaneness and debauchery The same seed is sown in several grounds but from some the sower hath not so much as his seed again from other he hath great increase The spiritual seed is the word of God the rule of Religion And as for this word some of it falls by the way-side that is among profane and vicious persons such as are in the high-way of perdition where it is troden under foot and the fowls of the air irregular and extravagant fancies and desires devour it some of it falls upon a Rock where it can have no root nor moisture for onely the mere out-side is earth the rest is all stone that is among hypocrites and dissemblers who hear the word with joy and for a time beleeve but in time of temptation fall away for temporary beleevers as they beleeve with the times so also they beleeve but for a time and soon fall away from their belief Lastly and some of it falls among thorns that is among perverse and refractory men for such are called briers and thorns Ezek. 2. 6. men of a wilfull Religion and therefore in truth men of no Religion since Religion depends not upon mans but upon Gods will and here the word must needs be choaked for a man that gives himself to be governed by his own will cannot possibly submit himself to Gods will or at least not for Gods sake but onely for his own sake and a Religion that is not for Gods sake is certainly not of Gods making and consequently though it may be of a great growth as we find by sad experience yet it cannot be of a long
in a curse Thus Ieroboams rebellion prospered to make the ten tribes first lose their Religion then their libertie and property first to make them idolaters and after that to make them captives and bondslaves for their rebellion occasioned their idolatry and their idolatry occasioned their captivity On the contrary Israel may have temporal affliction but 't is no curse nay indeed properly no punishment Habet rationem medicinae non poenae God chastising his servants not to torment them but to amend them but let the one go for prosperity the other for adversity because the world will needs think them so then take this for a second answer not concerning Edom for he is not worth it in all his prosperity but concerning Israel First Non poena sinalis 't is no final punishment it lasteth not long much less for ever Heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Secondly Non pietas totalis Israel when he was at best could not but say His father was an Amorite and his mother a Hittite when he had most of God and of pietie he had more of man and what he had of man he had of sin and impiety Thirdly Impietas totalis though their piety was not perfect their impiety was so for they were guilty of a general defection and apostasie as God himself objecteth and answereth this doubt Jer. 5. 19. Wherefore doth the Lord our God all these things unto us Like as ye have forsaken me and served strange gods in your land so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Rabbi David measure for measure like for like we may say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justitiae divinae the retaliation of Gods justice desertion for desertion nay God himself hath said it Ye would needs be serving strange gods ye shall now serve strange men And it is observable that before God generally deserted the Jews giving them up to captivity slaughter they had generally deserted him giving themselves up to their own inventions and impieties which makes God accordingly ask the question of himself and of them shall I not visit for these things Jer. 5. 29. Gods visitation is a great argument of mans disorder the people of Israel were now generally out of order and for that cause were generally visited Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this Such a nation as this all nations are wicked provoke Gods wrathfull indignation for vengeance but 't is such a nation as this that makes his soul desire to be avenged such a nation that is so wicked beyond the rest that sins so impudently against the light so unthankfully against the means so impenitently against the power of grace First so impudently against the light of grace for he saith Pour out thine indignation upon the heathen that have not known thee and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Psal. 79. 6. much more then upon Israel that hath known thee and yet hath not called upon thy Name but hath persecuted those that did call upon it as if they had rather been the enemies then the servants of the living God for if outer darkness be a just punishment for not rightly using the twilight of nature what darkness of darkness shall punish the abuse of the clear sun-shine of the light of grace Secondly so unthankfully against the means of grace accompanied with Gods own holy Spirit which made S. Stephen say Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and cars ye do always resist the holy Ghost Act. 7. 55. you are uncircumcised in your hearts and hate the saving truth and that makes you uncircumcised in ears that you will not hear it he tels them plainly that they are not onely revolters from the truth but also rebels against it for here is a spiritual rebellion against the Spirit of God and therefore against the God of spirits ye do indeed make resistance ye do alwaies resist the holy Ghost so great an undutifulness could not have been without a greater unthankfulness men being first unthankfull to God for his Word and Sacraments in neglecting them and then undutifull against both to justifie their neglects Thirdly so impenitently against the power of grace for these means of falvation are powerfull means hence is the Gospel called by St. Paul the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. and the preaching of the cross called unto them that are saved the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. that is the power of God to salvation for 't is also to them that are not saved the power of God but to condemnation hence the Apostle plainly reproveth those that are not reformed by the preaching of the Word and administring of the Sacraments as denying this power of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. having a form of godliness that is having the word and Sacraments but denying the power thereof that is not one jot the better for having them Now then in this case here is the abuse both of Word and Sacraments which onely constitute a Church no wonder then if this abuse overthrow a Church and these two were in the Jews before their final desolation not the Sacraments rightly administred for not a passover in any good order for many years together not the Word rightly preached for the Prophets prophesie falsly saith the Text Jer. 5. 31. and the more falsly they prophesied the more generally they were received which makes the Spirit of God use this exclamation a wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the land q.d. Clergie and Laitie are both alike quite out of order for it is committed in the land and both so shamefully out of order that it must be called a wonderfull and a horrible thing that is committed by them or as the Hebrew terms it an astonishment or an abomination but what is this abomination Even the general apostasie both of the Clergie and of the Laitie of the Priests and of the people the Prophets prophesie falsly there 's the apostasie of the Clergie and my people love to have it so there 's the apostasie of the Laitie for thus had Ieroboam taught them to make their own Priests that so they might make their own Religion for no other would worship his golden calves but Priests of his own not of Gods making 1 King 12. yet dares he not finde fault with the appointed service of the Temple or the Religion established as with that which was vicious but onely as with that which was too labourious v. 28. It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem then he proceeds to make Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi v. 31. because his designe was to appeal to the people and he therefore appealed to the people that they might think the right of Soveraignty and Dominion to be where they found acknowledged the right of appeal to wit in themselves and stifle
countenance any in sin and in impenitency and yet even this severe Bishop in his greatest strictness for Church discipline though he would not allow the Martyrs and Confessours to be too importunate for the over speedy reconciliation of notorious offenders in which he had also the approbation of the Clergy of Rome yet if an offender had been overhastily reconciled he would not by any means make void that act of mercy thus we read that when the Bishop Therapius had given the peace of the Church to Victor the Presbyter for the Bishops were in those dayes the governours in chief if not in whole of the Ecclesiastical Communion before he had made publick satisfaction for his offence though S. Cyprian and his collegues were much troubled that he had so hastily received him into the Communion of the Church nullâ infirmitate urgente when as no dangerous sickness of his had called for a dispensation of the Canon yet they would not revoke that act of grace that had been done by Therapius but let Victor still enjoy the benefit of it thereby shewing that the true Religion though it stand much upon the exactness of Justice yet is much more delighted in the exercise of Mercy the words of S. Cyprian and his fellow Collegues met together in a Synod meerly about Church-discipline are very remarkable Sed librato apud nos diu consilio satis fuit objurgare Therapium collegam nostrum quod temerè hoc fecerit instruxisse ne quid tale de caetero faciat pacem tamen quomodocunque a sacerdote Dei semel datam non putavimus au-ferendam Cyp. Ep. 59. cum Pam. after we had taken long and full advice about this business we thought it enough to reprove Therapius our Collegue that he had done this rashly and require him to do so no more but the peace which had been given by a Priest intrusted of God to give it though given after never so ill a manner we did not think fit to take away again and therefore declare that Victor shall still enjoy the communion of the Church But what do I speak of Mercy above Justice in the true Religion when she would not call for Justice at all were it not that she might shew Mercy for thus she proceeds to deliver a sinner to Satan that she may keep him from hell as faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. 5. to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus true Religion would not exercise that Justice which is for the destruction of the flesh were it not to make way for that Mercy which is for the salvation of the spirit therein resembling God himself who thrusts men away from him meerly out of the necessity of Justice but embraceth and receiveth them from his incessant desire and delight of shewing mercy CHAP. VIII The assurance we have of Religion in that it maketh us reverence and fear God ascribing the honour due unto his Name and of the ten proper Names of God collected by S. Hierome HE that is willing to expostulate with God can never be unwilling to offend him for it is impossible that man should ever be dashed out of countenance by the consideration of any sin who is resolved to justifie and maintain all his sins such a man is more fit for the School of the Peripateticks then for the School of the Prophets because he is made rather for disputation then for devotion and truly this is the chiefest reason that we can alledge for the continuance of all those grand miscarriages that are in the practise of Religion whether by way of superstition or of profaneness that men wedded to their own corrupt practises are in a manner resolved to expostulate with God rather then to comply with him 't is such a Clergy humour as this which the Prophet Malachi complaineth of Mal. 1. 6. saying unto you O Priests that despise my Name and ye say wherein have we despised thy Name they would needs be disputing when they should have been repenting for all this while they did neither honour God as a Father not fear him as a Master for so saith the Text a son honoureth his father and a servant his master if then I be a father where is mine honour if I be a master where is my fear saith the Lord of hosts unto you O Priests that despise my Name It is a foul shame for any to despise Gods Name but most especially for those who are most bound to glorifie it that is for his Priests who are peculiarly consecrated to serve God and therefore ought to be more particularly devoted to his service no man may securely contemn Religion but he least who is entrusted to teach it for what he is entrusted to teach he is much more commanded to practise and truly this is the proper work of Religion which the Prophet here cals for to glorifie the Name of God that is to honour God as a Father and to fear him as a Master for without this honour and this fear we cannot take God for God but it is the work of Religion to make man take God for God and how can that be but by acknowledging and professing his Verity Omnipotency Goodness and Excellency so that the work of Religion most especially consists in Faith Hope Charity and Reverence or holy Fear for by Faith we acknowledge Gods eternal truth or Verity by Hope his Omnipotency by Love his allsufficient Goodness and by Fear or reverence his Soveraign Majesty or supertranscendent excellency Thus he that beleeveth in God acknowledgeth God to be God because he acknowledgeth him to be the first Truth or chiefest Verity he that hopeth in God acknowledgeth God to be God because he relyeth on his Omnipotency he that loveth God with all his might acknowledgeth God to be God because he taketh him for the chiefest good being wholly satisfied with his allsufficiency and lastly he that feareth God with all his might acknowledgeth God to be God because he taketh him for the Soveraign Majesty or for the greatest excellency wherefore God is truly to be honoured as a Father by Faith Hope and Charity and to be honoured as a Master by Fear and Reverence and the true Religion reacheth us to honour God both as a Father and as a Master as a Father by beleeving in him for shall not a Son beleeve his Father though all others beleeve him no further then for his honesty yet his own Son is bound to beleeve him also for his authority again to honour him as a Father by hoping and expecting a blessing from him and more particularly our inheritance for as faith looks to the promise so hope looks to the thing promised and we can never look upon God too much and much less can we look for too much from him For if we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children how much more
shall our heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him S. Luk. 11. 13 the word Father is there titulus argumentosus not so truly a word as 't is an Argument if father be the antecedent how shall not giving the holy Spirit be the consequent and yet 't is observable that no such gift is asked explicitely in our Lords most holy Prayer to which this promise hath immediate relation to teach us that much more is asked in that most holy prayer then is mentioned and yet much more is given then is asked when we do indeed say Our Father with a true filial affection Thirdly True Religion teacheth us to honour God as a Father by loving him with all our strength with all our soul with all our might for every childe doth love his natural Father unless himself be a monster of nature and doth therefore love him because he is principium vitae because he is the beginning of his natural life much more do the children of God love thir spiritual Father who hath be gotten them again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that sadeth not away reserved in heaven for them 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. our fathers here do beget us but to dead hopes for we are born to dye and are often unable to maintain us when we are begotten but our Father in heaven hath begotten us to a lively hope or to the hope of everlasting life and is no less able to preserve life then he was to give it for he hath an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that fadeth not away reserved in heaven to bestow upon his children so that he is infinitely more to be loved not onely as the giver of life but also as the preserver of it thus doth the true Religion teach us to honour God as a Father by Faith Hope and Charity and it doth also teach us to honour him as a Master by due and lowly reverence for to worship and reverence and to fear God is to take and acknowledge God for God because it is to take and acknowledge him for the chiefest excellency for reverence alwaies presupposeth excellency and therefore according to the proportion of reverence is the opinion of excellency Let me then shew what opinion I have of Gods excellency by my reverence and let me worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord my maker and not onely my maker to call for my lowest reverence but also my Master to quell and punish mine irreverence for though I may easily draw near him with my lips yet I can hardly draw near him with my knee whilest my heart is far from him there is indeed the same natural distance of the knee and of the mouth from the heart but not the same moral distance for so the mouth is much farther from the heart then is the knee the profession of godliness may be altogether without the heart but not so the practise of it 't is much easier for a man to be an hypocrite in his words then in his deeds in his pretences then in his practises for actually to serve God is a matter of labour and vexation even in regard of the outward man who all that while is withheld from serving himself either in his profit or in his pleasure but verbally to serve God that is to talk of serving him is nothing at all it being as easie a peece of lip-labour to say to God as it is to say to man Your humble Servant and yet still be far from doing him any service thus did that Son who being commanded to go work in the vineyard presently answered I go Sir but went not S. Matth. 21. 30. and those who are most ready to promise their fealty and homage to their master in heaven are too too often least ready to perform their promises which is the cause of that reiterated complaint in the Text this people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me a complaint that needs still be much repeated because it is still so little regarded for setting aside this empty honour of our lips and what have we left but Ichabod where is the glory for in truth the glory is departed from our Israel the ark of God is taken nay trampled under our feet and all this irreligion and profaneness must needs be where men will have a Religion that shall so honour God as not also fear him that shall pretend to honour him as a Father but not care to fear him as a Master for a Son that refuseth to be a servant will soon refuse to be a Son and he that once begins not to fear his Father will soon begin not to honour him and a servant that cares not to continue a servant by fearing his Master will easily not care to turn an enemy by provoking him for he cannot desire to please him if he do not fear to displease him either by disrespect to his person or by disobedience to his commands and therefore it is very necessary that we all think of Gods Majesty which is able to confound us no less then of his mercy which is willing to save us and come into his presence with fear and reverence to acknowledge his incomprehensible greatness no less then with Faith Hope and Love to acknowledge his infinite and undeserved goodness thus doth Hierotheus speak of God in the language of the divine Arcopagite libro de divin nom cap. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his being is above all being to shew the greatness of his Majesty his loving is above all loving to shew the goodness of his mercy which made Damascene undertaking to write of the Orthodox Faith after he had begun his first Chapter de Deo immediately give this Title to his second Chapter de Effabilibus Ineffabilibus Cognoscibilibus Incognoscibilibus because the things concerning God are both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as we can neither know nor express and hence it is that our knee is fitter to proclaim the Majesty of God then is our tongue for the tongue cannot express what the man doth not know but the knee can and will acknowledge the Majesty of God though we cannot know it if so be we do indeed but truly beleeve it and it is observable that in the 99 Psalm after the Psalmist had declared the greatness of Gods Majesty he exhorts men to glorifie him in their words but much more in their deeds for he calls upon them but once to praise him v. 3. let them praise thy great and terrible Name but he calls upon them twice to worship him v. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is holy and again v. 9. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy taking it for granted that the Name